Archive for April, 2006.
Apr 23 | Posted by Sharon | Add a Comment
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love my home state. Afterall, you have a little bit of everything in Jersey…the city, the country, the shore. It’s also the land of urban legends…ghosts of prom queens, murderous albinos, and mysterious flying saucers. I’m sure that most kids grow up hearing stories about local oddities and whatnot, but somehow, I think New Jersey kids grow up hearing the most stories of all. Afterall, Jersey is the home to the grandaddy of urban legends…The Jersey Devil.
Or maybe it was just me. It probably helped that I had a dad who was intrigued by Jersey legends. He would drive us up to one of North Jersey’s famously haunted churches on a suspiciously breezy night, roll the windows down, and tell us to listen for the ghosts (I swear I heard them!) Or would bundle us up to take a drive down to the reservoir to look for UFOs (I know I saw them!) It made for some of my favorite childhood memories.
In highschool, my friends and I would investigate some of the spookier legends for ourselves…driving through the grounds of old insane asylums, visiting “Annie’s grave,” and checking out the oh-so-eerie, Gravity Hill and Devil’s Tower.
After living in Hoboken for a few years, I decided to salute one of their local urban legends…the Hoboken Monkeyman. With help from Dave, I created an online store dedicated to the marauding monkey-beast that terrorized Hoboken in the 1980’s. My dad would’ve been proud.
The folks over at Weird NJ love all this stuff as much as I do. Their site, as well as their magazines and books, are devoted to all that is weird and Jersian, and now they are accepting stories and legends from all over the United States for their “Weird USA” series. Whether you are from the area, or just fond of the strange and unusual, check out their site – and share your weird stories too.
Apr 18 | Posted by Sharon | 1 Comment
A little over a month ago, I started a new full-time copywriting position for a prestigious industry association (for those of you who don’t know me, I do marketing/PR consulting for themechanism – which means proofing, editing and the occasional lap dance).
In my new full-time position, I also proof copy…lots of copy. Lots and lots of copy. Even though I’ve been a copywriter for over 10 years, have lots of proofing experience and have an array of style books – AP Style, Elements of Style, In Style Magazine 
– I never realized just how hardcore proofing could be.
You see, the place where I now work follows AP Style in addition to their own very specific in-house style. It’s very black and white – an interesting transition for someone coming from a place that’s a bit more of a shade of gray. There is a struggle between writing according to the rules and writing for maximum marketing impact. I’ve straddled the line for years, using and bending the rules the way that I see fit.
Today, I’m slowly finding that balance again – I’ve stepped up my copywriting game and have learned how to obey the AP Style rules without losing my writing style. It’s my own version of themechanism’s belief in “clean coding” but instead of creating websites, I’m creating press releases, brochures and web copy. It’s about adhering to higher standards and who can’t benefit from that?
Apr 16 | Posted by Dave Fletcher | Add a Comment
The Simpsons has consistently produced great dialog throughout a very illustrious run on FOX. As Mr. Burns captures Marge and her friends burgling his mansion, he unveils his trusty musket and utters these words…
“Try to steal my eggs will you? Well, this rooster has a beak! A beak that cries ‘Death-a-doodle-doo!’”
–Montgomery Burns, The Simpsons
Feel free to ahead and use it next time your boss dares to steal an idea and show it to a client as their own.
Apr 13 | Posted by Dave Fletcher | Add a Comment
The folks in the office know that I’ve been back on my David Ogilvy tip since I’ve been openly spewing his knowledge of late. Ogilvy’s words and I have the same relationship that most people have with a favorite movie, song or book… I pick him up every 6 months or so, overdose on his prose and I’m excited about the industry again.
For the uninformed, the guy started his agency on Madison Avenue in 1949 and the biggest change during his tenure in the heyday of the “Biz”, was that Television became a more important medium than Print to Advertisers.
So, it begs the question, “What could he have said that was so damn important to us today?” The answer is nearly everything…
Let’s take a look at a few of Ogilvy’s many points on “How to produce advertising that sells” and how they relate to today’s design world:
- Do your homework.
A great point. Just like back in the heyday of print, as designers today, we must rely on research to get us through client engagements, meetings and projects. Research remains the cornerstone of any project today (about 70% of any project’s time should be spent on it) and if you disagree, you’re probably wondering why clients aren’t returning your calls.
- Positioning.
Positioning your ads in the most appropriate publications and on the most effective pages continues to be the cherry on the top of any design project. You can do a fantastic job on something, but unless someone can see it and react to it, it’s a useless effort.
- Brand Image.
The image, as they say is everything. If you are a client, be sure that your brand and agency of record are in sync. Branding encompasses and revolves around a singular message when you’re working in Print, Web, Motion Graphics, Audio or Video.
If you’re interested in more of this kind of stuff to get your brain cooking, check out either Confessions of an Advertising Man or Ogilvy on Advertising.
Both sometimes get slightly dated in jargon, but overall are worth reading cover to cover…
…More than once.
Apr 12 | Posted by Dave Fletcher | Add a Comment
The evolution of web design has nearly come full circle in a period of 16 years. From the “first official” web site (a single page explaining the definition and purpose of the World Wide Web) – to standardized web development today, many things have progressed, yet very little has changed in the code.
With the second incarnation of the World Wide Web (Web 2.0), many designers who continue to work in this medium after the “dot-com” bubble burst, are once again using rules developed over ten years ago by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), and practicing what is called “standards-based” web design. Standards-based web design eliminates the extra code and unnecessary graphics of late 1990 web development practices, allowing web designers to create web sites that are easy to update and maintain for clients.
A trend that is occurring more rapidly now within the web design community is the open sourcing of code and the global sharing of ideas. del.icio.us and Stumble Upon allow web visitors to share their bookmarks and favorite websites. JavaScript effects libraries, such as moo.fx and script.aculo.us, offer readily-developed code in a communal atmosphere, while online tools like Blogger and Flickr have made it free and easy for people to share ideas and photographs.
Clients understand that the web is not just a means of reproducing company information but it can be a tool where they can interact with customers on a very personal level. The development of communities around a brand creates a close association and at times, fanatical following with customers. By allowing site visitors to interact with, and sometimes even comment on, their own content, vital, “open source” communities are being created. With the addition of other tools, such as mobile devices, the online experience offers unparalleled brand integration.
Today, clients are looking for web designers that can creatively persuade their audiences to interact with their site and allow their employees to share internal information effectively and easily. Specific technology platforms are no longer the issue. Figuring out unique ways to connect a brand online to its intended audience is the “hottest topic” at hand.
