Fighting Windmills

Once again we have proven to ourselves and to the world, we are fighting windmills. How can we win anything when we try to explain while the other side uses propaganda, when we use democracy and the other side have dictators, how can we expect to be heard when we can offer the world "nothing" (except maybe: Nobel prices, medical marvels, amazing agriculture unbelievable hi-tech inventions etc.) and the other side is offering, oil? Really you can't expect us to win against a windmill.
Lets face it, we are not like Don kihote, he had help, Sancho Panza, who do we have, America? Come on, at least Sancho loved his master and didn't suffer from double standards.
I believe this is one campaign we can't sell, not even to ourselves. Don't get me wrong I am behind our soldiers 100%, but they like us are fighting windmills. One thing I am sorry about...
I don't know how to say to the world, Fuck You in Turkish

Patriot games

In the past few years we are bombarded with colorful, technical, professional and foreign looking campaigns. Now, we do have in Israel really talented creative, technical and professional people (and no I am not being patriotic just honest) as proven year after year at the Clio and a few other creative competitions.
So I ask myself why? Do we hate ourselves so much that we are not able to buy anything unless it's "not from here"? I am not saying I didn't have my share of "Americanization" but still, what's up? Why can't we have a colorful, technical, professional Israeli looking campaigns.
I'll tell you why... Because it is a common thought orattitude that all Israelis are lacking the capability to grasp something more than G. Yafit or Goldstar beer (no offense). I am sorry, I beg to differ, It's about time WE start selling ourselves as smarter more sophisticated audience, because face it advertisers, we are basically downgrading ourselves

Creative of the week

I know it hasn't been a week but I just couldn't help myself

A test for stupidity

This year the test for stupidity came in the form of a leaked Math Test.
Now, back in the day, if something like that would have suddenly fallen in our laps, a few "smart" steps would have been taken. First of all of course, we'd BE QUIET ABOUT IT, next we would have passed it on to a few selected friends, but what ever we would have done we most certainly not publish the fact we had it. True, back then we didn't have the Internet so subsequently we didn't have Facebook, but still, I believe (or dieing to believe) we weren't that stupid. So, I think it is a waste of time to test these kids because what ever score they get, well... in the words of Hommer Simpson: Dhoo

Creative of the week

Different? - I don't think so

The first thing you (creative "person") will say to a new client is: "I think different". Yes I know you see other agencies, but we really do think different, plus of course, we'll be cheaper and you will be our main client (and more bullshit), but first of all, different. Do you really (I say you because, I know I do) mean that? Because I am puzzled. People, explain to me how come two ad agencies, both Israeli, Both represent a large beverage company (both think different, not) come out with an almost the same campaign slogan?
Of course I am talking about SCHWEPPES (drink different) on one hand and SKOL (it's different) on the other. I bet you the client is thinking something different now, a different agency maybe? well if he is not he deserves it

All the money in the world

We all know, in order to succeed you need money.
We start with a product, we then map the target markets and of course hire the best campaign manager and creative people money can buy. Now, we start the campaign: we choose fonts and colors, design a logo and sometimes even look for sponsors to help us with the expenses. Soon enough our product becomes an international brand. A few years go by and business is doing great. But slowly, things are changing, we start loosing major markets abroad (even markets we always dominated at home) to our competitors (smaller ones) and in the process the brand itself looses face. You start wondering is the product not what it use to be? should we change a sponsor (oh we did) should we change COLORS?
Wow, let not get ahead of ourselves, it's just basketball
oops we actually won

Mail me a cup of coffee please

It seems like as we grow up and become modernized (mostly by default) we start communicating with each other in a less personal way. If you think about it, we started conversing face to face, then moved to telegrams and letters. From there we switched to phone and fax and moved on to chatting online: I.C.Q, Messenger and so on and so forth. Now we really outdone ourselves, we chat through the e-mail. We took a "harmless" form of electronic mailing and turned it into a chat room. Just the other day I got an e-mail saying: "can you pick up the phone". Is big brother looking at us 24/7? Is it no longer OK to not answer your cell, because "if you have a cell phone why are you not answering it"?
I a wondering whats next? Have we lost our freedom completely? Or just our free time is forever gone? Well don't expect me to give you the answer (I tried but you were of line).

SO...PICK UP YOUR PHONE

Creative of the week

Halley's comment

My blog now is about one month young, that's kind of new, but for me it's a long time in which I have been sharing my thoughts with total strangers. So I have been asking myself why? Why does anyone opens a blog? Is it boredom? Is it to much free time? Well, I am not board and the free time that I do have is used for other stuff too. So I guess it must be the comments people leave on the blog. But if you think about it, it's even worst then an argument. If the comments are good cool, but if they are not, it's basically a one sided argument in which you can never win. First of all you can't replay to the comments (unless you comment yourself and everyone will agree it's pathetic) and second, usually the bad ones are posted as anonymous (cowards). So what have we learned (not much I guess)? According to Wikipedia: a comment is generally a verbal or written remark often related to an added piece of information, or an observation or statement. I think a comment is much more, I think it symbolizes the yearning of people to express them selves, for good or for bad. So I am very happy I created a platform for people to do such that.
So come on feel free to comment, I am not going to judge you, It's probably going to be anonymously anyway

The end of innocence, mine

For those of you who don't know, my most recent job was V.P. creative at Gal ad agency. Gal specializes in the ultra-orthodox market. One of our leading clients was Tnuva (which I am sure you are all familiar with). During my work there we produced some really nice creative work for this client (not an easy one). Everything went well until one day our "partner" in the non religious market took our ad and copied it for the same client in an embarrassing way (for him). At first we got upset, but on the other hand, we felt complimented, because it was the biggest ad agency in Israel.
A few weeks ago I uploaded an ad we designed for the same client to this blog, so you can imagine my surprise when two nights ago I catch on T.V a copy of this ad, again from the same agency.
I seriously doubt there are no more original ideas out there, so whats up? Are we really so lazy? And don't tell me that great minds think alike, because even when they do, lightning doesn't strike twice.

P.S.
Sorry for the poor picture quality it's was taken with my cell phone from the T.V

V.P Creative: Me
Creative Director + copy: Asaf Hammer
Art Director + 3D: Robert Mizikovsky

To see or not to see

Thank god for censorship, Not. I myself am willing to bend the rules sometimes, in this case, suffer the censorship inflicted on the naked man in order to be able to gaze at the beautiful, perfect, stunning (and so on and so forth), form of the six "extras" without any censorship. For once I don't really have a point, but sometimes in the name of art, people must compromise. So i am posting this censored ad for Guitar Hero 5 for your enjoyment and hope you will be able to imagine it a bit different. For all you women out there I suggest you enjoy the camera tricks, editing, music or what ever makes you happy, or maybe you too... mmm that's a thought

http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/guitar_hero_5_music_steve

Lets face it

Well, lets. There is no doubt that Facebook has embedded itself in our day to day lives. From a social network to a social status in a heart beat. The more friends you have the better (it really doesn't matter if they are really your friends). Not only you are a cool dud (or what ever the phrase is today) you can actually make money. Advertising agencies understood a long time ago that Facebook is a potential gold mine and started using the social networks as another form of media. It's actually the first time everyone profits: the client has his word out to his target market, the agency of course and the people on Facebook who either make money or get presents and discounts. It's not that I think everything is perfect all of a sudden, but I do like advertising in the 21st century. More "personal" more one on one, more creative thoughts and solutions, so "I think this is a beginning of a beautiful friendship" between advertiser and client.
So in conclusion I will end with the words of someone on Facebook, but with a twist:
A pink world you purchase though red eyes

LG or Branding a jewish holiday

What is the definition of a brand? Well according to Wikipedia, the word brand began simply as a way to tell one person's cattle from another by means of a hot iron stamp. But how does one go about branding a Jewish holiday? Media, media and more media, well in this case it was more M.T.E (Mouth to ear) and wallah we got L"G Ba'omer, a well branded and well known holiday.
If you think about it, the bonfire was one of the first form of communication i.e media, so L"G Ba'omer is truly the first advertisers holiday. So when you see an ad campaign for LG or just the LG logo somewhere around the world, don't forget, we had that brand first (we just never got around to purchasing the domain). So next time you are thinking how to "burn" more of your clients money on a huge campaign, just go and build a big bonfire instead.
It's not less effective