Alert! Hot New Illustrator

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Youth In Revolt (Or Just Another Blog Entry Before I Marry Michael Cera)

Michigan is getting cooler.

Youth In Revolt, starring Michael Cera, Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta and others, is being shot in Ferndale, Michigan. Just a few miles north of downtown Detroit. Just up the street from my house.

This is good news for me, because now I can activate my Emergency Hotness Wooing Strategy Should Michael Cera Ever Come to Ferndale Plan.

I wonder if they will want any help making the movie? Movies are quite laborious, I have heard. I have many skills that would be useful to a movie-maker, such as:

• Knowing What is Funny or Not Skills
• Haircutting Skills
• Drawing Skills
• Bicycle-Riding Skills
• Friend Skills

The last skill will likely prove to be most important, when I am face to face with Michael Cera. When I ride my bike back and forth down their street 5,000 times a day. When he falls in love with me.

Thank you, ‘Michigan Movie Tax Break

July 21 Update:

Well, the shoot is just about to wrap up in Ferndale. It’s been exciting scenery for my after-work jogging/stalking. I can’t resist checking everything out. It’s the most exciting thing going on, so I’m there. That’s the way it is. And the crew/cast have been really, really friendly. They seem to feel bad about taking over our street.

Really, I don’t mind.

I drew this, just for fun. What if I gave it to him? Maybe he would make copies, and hand them out to his friends. Friends that he wishes would be “just friends.” It would take the awkwardness out of so many situations.

Well

Hello. Just a note to say that I do not approve of this WordPress interface upgrade.

Here is a shot from my afternoon getaway to Belle Isle, Detroit yesterday.

Have a nice day!

Back to Basics

Too much random posting. Flighty blogging. Not enough meat and potatoes. Here goes.

There is a billboard that gives me the shivers every morning. It’s by Ad Council, for increasing public awareness of obesity. It shows a big, hairy belly. Fine, that’s fine. But the nauseating, gross part of it is this. On the side of the belly, round as a beach ball, there is a plastic air nozzle (from a beach ball) implanted into the skin. It’s disgusting. Hence the shivers. It reminds me of surgeries and other unpleasant thoughts. Gut-reaction: bad.

(That’s it, on Woodward Ave as you near Pontiac. Check out the insane billboard underneath. New Look Same Shop!)

I’m sure you can relate. We’ve all seen ads that don’t work, and wonder what the heck the ad people were thinking. And to tell you the truth, I have no idea. I tried to “understand” advertising for a year, which isn’t long, but I never got it. Far as I can tell, they’re lucky to have ended up where they are. They often feel proud of what they’ve made, but that doesn’t mean we should listen.

ADWEEK: New Medium Invasion

If you haven’t met Justin Sailor yet, just wait. He gets around. We met through the Snowboard Club at Michigan State University. He was a big influence in my college career, supporting my photography, writing, and obsession with The Smashing Pumpkins. Then we graduated, and he created The Hometown Invasion Tour …

Art & Commerce: Sponsorship Drive: by Justin Sailor

There is indeed a group of young, innovative and talented people who are jumping into a niche which advertisers are only beginning to embrace …

… I found myself walking into the headquarters of BBDO Detroit, seeking sponsorship from one of the largest automobile companies in the world. I pitched my big idea: visit all 50 states in one calendar year while staying with people I had never met.

Jeep accepted my project, and gave me a 2007 Jeep Compass for the road. Rather than a 15-second commercial, they were able to send someone out for an entire year with a vehicle wrapped in graphics that received constant stares on highways across the country.

A great opportunity for Jeep, how could they refuse? He had to give the Jeep back, but I think a lot more of them now that they’re taking advantage of new and innovative ways to advertise. I agree with Justin – This is the way of the future, and anything less is going to die a slow, boring death because no one will care.

Can’t wait to see what he’s up to next.

Cindy Crawford – Art Van Furniture

Cindy has this package deal, where furniture companies can buy her furniture line. A commercial comes with it. They give you footage, you hack it up however you please … ( Cindy’s people re-approve it), and then you stick your logo on top. Her people will also send you a recording of her saying the name of your furniture company, “Only at XYZ Company!”

Someone seems to have recorded a TV screen – they must have really liked this spot. I helped piece it together for Art Van Furniture, earlier this summer. Her line is something you’d expect to find in your grandparents’ den or library, to be honest.

Squidoo

Squidoo is just one of the fascinating things I learned about today, meeting with the fabulous Ted Cantu, of Search Quest.

More on this soon!

Daniel Brian & Associates

There is an advertising agency in Rochester, Mi. It’s called Daniel Brian & Associates. Everyday, their people create campaigns and communication materials for clients. What sets them apart?

Their Mission:

1. God is the source of all creativity and the only authority above a client.
2. Love is the only rule. All others were made to be broken.
3. Character is the beginning of all success. For this reason, we will never intentionally lie to a client or for a client.

What? Really?

They are way ahead of most agencies, with such a strong mission (or a mission at all).

If they were a football team, I would be their painted, foam-fingered #1 fan.

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).