As a Journalism major at UCONN, I was subjected to endless grammar and spelling lessons and tests. My professors drilled the importance of grammar and find myself frequently referencing my AP style guide when reviewing ad copy for our clients.
The most annoying grammar mistake is the over use of commas. I know its silly. But people seem think they go everywhere! Love this ad via AdRants for the Brazilian Press Association.
ClassInMyPJs.com has a spot that runs constantly on every morning on most of the MTV channels. While these media buyers got it right in traditional media, they are incredibly lacking with their online integration and the creative is insanely annoying.
The spot features a girl walking around the screen talking about how great it is to go to class in her pjs. Apparently she never went to high school or college, where people go into brick and mortar class rooms in their pjs.
If you’re trying to appeal to someone attempting to get a degree online, their motivation is most likely ease of use and time. Most of those seeking online degrees work full time or have other obligations (like a family), they don’t go to school online to stay at home all day. I highly doubt their target is so easily swayed or so lazy to pick their school based on which ones they can do in their “pink, fluffy slippers.”
In the time I devote to New Business I’m often scouring for propsect leads in the public sector and am amazed at the types of projects that the government has to bid out.
My favorite from this week was an RFP (request for proposal) on Redacting Services. Redacting is basically going through and removing sensitive information before publication or sharing of that information. Its common practive in legal documents or company information to remove data before sent to the public.
Redacting can be accomplished with a sharpie and a copy machine. Sharpie out the pieces you don’t want viewed, then make a copy to ensure the words cannot be seen through the other side of the page or through the ink. I’m sure many of you are thinking, but the goverment must have a more sophisticated method for removing sensitvie data, after a couple months working on gov’t contracts I can assure you thats not the case.
I kind of want to bid on the redacting contract as an indepent contractor. Charge $500 an hour and the cost of my sharpies to complete the simple, mindless process.
Last summer I spent 2 weeks in Iceland…amazing place. In my preparation I read up on some history books and tourism information and stumbled on my favorite little nugget of information regarding the island.
In 1972 a piece of iceberg drifting down from the pole to Iceland with a polar bear passanger. Before landing the polar bear was shot as he had been floating so long he was extremely hungry and would eat anything/one as soon as it landed. That bear remains in a quirky little museum in Húsavík as a reminder.Even before that poor bear floated down, old maps have illustrations of polar bears floating towars the island on little pieces of ice. Either it was a common occurance or a common fear in earlier years.
I wanted nothing more than to see my very own polar bear on ice during my trip. Everytime we were in sight of the ocean I kept my eyes wide in hopes of seeing a little guy floating on down. Sadly that ancedote from 1972 was the last known occurance.
Green Peace wants to prevent the chance of it happening again and launched an ambient campaign in DC. It features polar bears who were foced to retreat to DC due to global warming (hopefully making the trip on their ice rafts!). There are several variations of the installation and a video from Animal New York here.
Definitely gets the point across and the bears look pretty lovable and sad.
This is my favorite picture from the well executed non-traditional work.
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