The Muggs on Reality TV

They could be The Next Great American Band. Detroiters, The Muggs, made it to the final 12, and I hope they win.

They’re good old rock ‘n roll, and genuinely nice dudes.

Watching the premiere episode with a bunch of Detroit musicians, I admit we might have been a little pretentious about the whole thing. That aside, did the producers really think a few creepy old guys dressed up like aliens were going to win? It must make good TV.

Mark one up for Detroit. Lots of people suggested another Detroit band, The Hard Lessons, would have been great on the show, but they didn’t want to try out.

On a related note: Ad Fight, a rumored reality show in which student writer + art director teams compete on ad campaigns. Rad!

curve | detroit

I found a new agency to crush on: check it out!
curve | detroit — advertising · marketing · packaging · design

They’re looking for a graphic design intern, (click if you’re a design rockstar looking for a band).

VCU Students Put the Art in Advertising

Looks like the VCU AdCenter trains kids to be fantastically artistic, award-winning advertisers. Which sounds like a lot of hard, fun work.

Some say advertising should be straight-legged, with less art.

Some say art as advertising can be the best method.

Which side are you on?

Ads that Clean the Streets

Interesting idea!

Oops: Colgate’s Blind Sex Offender

A strange case of inappropriately-paired news and advertising, here:

BannerBlog : Media Gaffe: Colgate’s Blind Sex Offender

Berline Advertising

There is an advertising agency called Berline, located at 70E. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

When I looked them up and arrived at my first interview back in January, I found myself at their old location. It was the only address available on the internet.

(In case you’re on your way there now…)

Anyway, when I met Mr. Berline, I asked him why on earth they didn’t have a website. His reply was something like, “We don’t have time to make one, and we’re not worried about it.” I raised my eyebrows.

It’s a busy place…

Every business needs a great website!  People are on the internet… a lot. It’s how everyone finds information, these days. (Yellowpages are dead, really.) I’m sure they will get their site up and running eventually, but wanted to make a point.

Update 10/27/07: They have a site under construction.

Maybe they could just get a WordPress blog, update it every once in a while, and watch their rank rise?

Websites May Require Visually Impaired Access In California

Which is funny, because that’s been a requirement of savvy web folks for a while. The internet is blind! That’s what alt attributes were originally created for, and now they’re important in search engine optimization.

The Register- California Court Tilts Towards Mandating Web Accessibility

California law may require websites to be accessible to disabled internet users, according to a ruling in a case against retail giant Target.

Creating Alt Attributes for the blind falls under the umbrella of valuable things I learned at the Websitetology Seminar.

Google Using AdWords / AdSense Data in Ranking Organic Results?

Whether rumor, truth or accident, if paid accounts are actually influencing natural search results…

Marketing Pilgrim article

Radiohead Album Price? “It’s Up to You”

Working to remodel a house in town, the construction guys asked what kind of music I listen to. After lots of blank stares I said, “You know, like Radiohead.” That rang a bell. Radiohead is big. And they’re doing great, big things.

Their new album is downloadable at their website, for whatever price you want to pay. Pretty tidy when you think about it.

My opinion of the album? Good. It sounds like Radiohead. Not mind-blowing, but good. Well worth $2.50.

NYT Article 

Andrew Bird Featured in Residence Inn Commercials

This is one of those times where I run to my computer for a post, before running out the door. I just saw a Residence Inn commercial, featuring the music of Andrew Bird.

Last summer on Mackinac Island, a friend introduced me to Bird’s music. I loved it immediately. I’m glad that it’s in a mainstream commercial, and hope curious people Google “music in residence inn commercial” to discover him. Here is a bit from someone who’s already done what I’m getting at:

The Yellow Stereo > Andrew Bird Featured in Residence Inn Commercials
There would be four different commercials total, featuring “Banking on a Myth”, “untitled”, “Imitosis” and “Skin, Is My”. The commercials aren’t that bad, and the songs give off a sense of sophistication to them which says a lot about his music. I hope that through these that more people discover how amazing an artist he is.