Browsing Posts of Author

presence dear.

March 8th, 2010 // 4:13 pm @ // No Comments yet

Hello there. Lately it seems that whenever I put the tv on, I see that new Mercedes ad. You know the one. It’s got that bloke who looks a bit like Chris Isaak but isn’t, sitting moodily in a moodily lit diner, then appearing all moody in some seriously moody rain.

Throughout all this wanton moodiness, another bloke, ( who probably looks equally like Chris Isaak but equally isn’t ), moodily monotones some stuff about “presence” and how, if you have to prove that you’ve got “presence” then you haven’t got “presence”.  However, in my opinion, if the Chris Isaak lookylikey bloke actually had that much “presence” then whoever’s driving that Merc about would’ve remembered to pick him up. Apparently, again according to monotone man, someone also once said that the whisper is louder than the shout. Well it isn’t. I looked it up and everything and can categorically say that a shout is louder than a whisper every time. Even if you try whispering really, really loudly. Because at some point it stops being a whisper and becomes the shout it was meant to be louder than. Simple as.

So, I’m very sorry Mercedes but I just find the ad wrong on many, many levels. Not only that but whenever I watch it I keep thinking of the line,

“Mercedes. When you don’t know enough to come in out of the rain.”

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tradespotting.

March 5th, 2010 // 12:36 pm @ // No Comments yet

Hello there. Last night I went along to a meeting of the Independent Northern Creatives at The Old Monkey in town. And there I made what I consider to be an important discovery. If you ever go along to a meeting of people who are both northern and creative and don’t know anyone at all at said meeting, there are some key points in recognising your prey.

Start by looking around the pub. Instantly discount people drinking draught beer and look for bottles, preferably with a chunk of fruit jammed in the neck,  ( of the bottle, not the drinker ).  Next, cast your eyes to the floor. Don’t worry, you’re not ashamed. you’re looking for shoes. Don’t worry about your own, presumably you’re wearing some so, so far so good. What you’re looking for is interesting shoes, quirky shoes, shoes that say ” sure, I wear shoes but look at my shoes, they say I don’t just protect my feet, I celebrate them and all they do. Look at my feet and dig them. ” If you’ve spotted some shoes that fit the bill, let your gaze drift upwards. You’re looking for a shoulder bag now. Not just any old shoulder bag though, a shoulder bag with flair, with finesse, a shoulder bag with a certain devil may care joie de vivre that tells you there’s more than a cheese sandwich inside. If you’ve found all three, the chances are you found a “creative”.

Next, casually amble to the bar, timing it to arrive at the same moment as your chosen creative and strike up conversation. I tend to use, ” Excuse me. I can’t help noticing that you are both Northern and creative. Nice shoes. ”

You’re in.

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copy. right.

March 2nd, 2010 // 1:44 pm @ // No Comments yet

Hello there. Sorry it’s all been rather quiet on the thatandywhiteblog front recently but, aside from being a bit busy lately, there is a really good reason. And here it is. For weeks now I’ve been wanting to write a post about some really brilliant copywriting I’ve read in the press, seen on TV or heard on the radio. Preferably something mainstream that just about everybody gets to see on a daily basis. It’s always easy to criticise all the rubbish that’s out there so I wanted to leave behind all the negative stuff and write something positive about some real quality writing. Writing that rises above the dross and stands as an example of the copywriter’s craft.

The problem is I can’t find any. Now I must apologise for using such an obvious example as the Volkswagen “Lemon” ad. There’s a reason for that too. I wanted to use the great ” If the welding isn’t strong enough the car will fall on the writer”  Volvo ad that  David Abbott wrote back in the 70s but I can’t find it on the net. Funny that. You can find loads of design and art direction stuff on the net, not much copywriting. Not only that, it’s a bit sad that, in order to find some really great words, I’m going that far back.  So, sorry it’s not a very amusing post today, even sorrier that I can’t find some brilliant copy to dazzle us all with.

I’ll go and carry on looking, if you find some please let me know. I’m beginning to give up hope.

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ad enough.

February 27th, 2010 // 2:46 pm @ // No Comments yet

Hello there. As you know, Saturday isn’t a proper blogging day so once again here’s something to play with for a while.  It’s a little film made by coy! to launch the new identity of the Creative Circle Awards. See how many ads you can spot and then get smug about it with friends in the bar of your choice. If you haven’t got anything better to do. Or more interesting friends.

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malice in wonderland.

February 25th, 2010 // 1:07 pm @ // 2 Comments

Hello there. I was just reading a film blog by the name of utraculture and was so impressed by their review of Tim Burton’s  “Alice in Wonderland”  that I had to share it with you.

” Imagine if Tim Burton directed a movie adaptation of Alice in Wonderland.

I just saved you £10. ”

Now that’s quality writing.

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too tight to mention.

February 23rd, 2010 // 4:09 pm @ // No Comments yet

I’ve spent this afternoon worrying. Worrying about what we’re going to do when all the unwanted, broken and surplus gold jewellery runs out. It’s worth thinking about isn’t it? I mean, if you watch the TV, listen to the radio or flip through the quality magazines,  (  Take a Break, Heat, Closer, OK ), the current economy is more or less based on sovereign rings, clown necklaces and broken bracelets.

What happens when there’s just no more gold to weigh in and melt down? Well stop worrying people, I’ve hit on an idea and I reckon it’s just what this country needs to get into the black and out of the red. ( please remember though, there’s nothing in this game for two in a bed. )

copyright andy white 2010

What do you reckon? I think this could be big.

(  Big thanks to Tim Sinclair for his help in making Cash My Spleen what it is today )

Oh, and as a little update. I did a version of it with that xtranormal thing.

Just like Dale Winton isn’t it?  Only more life-like.

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card sharp.

February 23rd, 2010 // 1:20 pm @ // No Comments yet

Hello there you. Sorry for the absence of thatandywhiteblog for the past couple of days but you know how it is. You don’t? Well you should. Enough said.

Over the past few days I’ve been giving some serious thought to business cards. Exactly how important are they? In the business they call “creative” and, as a freelance copywriter, I guess they’re a pretty vital tool. The first sample of your wares in a way so it’s important to get it right. I mean, I don’t want to get all Patrick Bateman about it, but you want to create a good impression don’t you? ( If you don’t get the Bateman reference you really should read “American Psycho” by Brett Eaton Ellis or, to save time, see the film. It’s all a bit old hat now I suppose but it’s still a good read or watch and a lovely “feel good” trip back into the caring, sharing  ’80s … )

Any old hoo, back to business cards. I’ve gathered together a couple of my current favourites and, would you believe it, they’re from Manchester companies. Well,  I don’t get out much these days.

First up, and most badly photographed, ( by me ), is LOVE‘s card. I particularly like it for its “pink porno plasticness“. Those aren’t my words by the way but those of Dave Bevan, top copywriting person of said establishment. It looks cool and what’s more, it has a hole in it. You could pin it on something, hang it from your keyring, even attach it to your latest body piercing. Do what you want with it in fact. I’m not here to judge anyone.

Next up is the rather excellent card from Music, another top notch Manchester design studio. Like the clever rascals they are, they actually make each card from old vinyl records.

image by Tim Sinclair

As cards are needed they’re die cut from an old LP and screen printed to order. So that’s a natty business card, a clever concept and saving the world from landfill in one fell swoop. Cunning devils.

In at number three and perhaps my own personal favourite is DOROTHY‘s beautiful little coin / token / round shiny thing / business card.

image by Tim Sinclair

They came up with the idea of producing something a little different from your usual business card and thus came this. It’s got the feel of a thing to treasure and to keep in your pocket, ( or handbag / purse, it’s an equal opportunity coin / token / round shiny thing / business card ), for a special occasion. Or perhaps to put into a parking meter or slip to a short sighted beggar when you’ve run out of real money.

Whatever you choose to do with it, it’s nice isn’t it?

Anyway, the point, ( if there is one ), of this post is that all kinds of opportunities exist to make you, and your business, look good so why not start at the very beginning? It is, after all, a very good place to start.

( Many thanks to Tim Sinclair for the photographs used in this post. You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to take photos of shiny things. Honestly, it’s nightmarish. )

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Excuse? Me?

February 19th, 2010 // 3:45 pm @ // No Comments yet

Hello there you. I’m terribly sorry but once again thatandywhiteblog can’t be with you in full effect today as I’ve got a bit of a rush job on. However, to keep you occupied why not have a look at what Campaign reckon to be “the 10 funniest TV ads of all time”?  I’m not sure I agree with them completely and I’m not convinced that you will either. Either way it’s something to think about and perhaps to stimulate argument and light fisticuffs between you and your friends and colleagues.

Oddly enough, Campaign’s list doesn’t include this, ( relatively ), new Old Spice ad which I think is fantastic, perhaps it arrived after the list was compiled. Enjoy this first then click on the link below it to get to Campaign.

Campaign’s  ten funniest TV ads of all time.

thatandywhiteblog will return in the very near future with a completely brilliant post that I’m already formulating.

Honestly.

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poet, lorry, hate.

February 17th, 2010 // 2:47 pm @ // 2 Comments

Hello there. Today I feel the need to tackle a particularly thorny problem. Poetry in advertising. Personally I feel that poetry in any form is something that should be left to the experts, not just any old copywriter but a proper poet. You know, one of those people who just writes poetry. No Direct Mail, not the occasional website. Just poems. Day and night.

The whole subject has been thrown into light, for me anyway, by the current  Cathedral City cheese ad. And, oh god, is there cheese involved in this ad. For some reason best known to whoever conceived of this nightmare, the best way to sell us some prepacked plastic cheese is with the aid of Pete Postlethwaite, ( who frankly should know better ), lending his actorly vocal chords to a poem while a traditional cheesemaker’s 18 wheel articulated lorry goes about the business of cheese delivery. Yes, a poem. And I reckon it wasn’t written by a poet but by a copywriter, ( who frankly should know better ). I mean, I have a mate who’s a really excellent painter and decorator but I wouldn’t commission him to do a bit of remodelling on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. So it should be with poetry. Just because you can write a bit of copy here and there and even rhyme things with things, ( see what I did there? ), it really doesn’t mean you should go waving your poems around the place.  Here, see what you think.

Gruesome isn’t it?  You can feel each rhyme being set up and then drawing inexorably closer like a big, runny cheese flan about to be rubbed into your face. The word cucumber gets forced into a shape it really isn’t comfortable with in order to rhyme with slumber and so it goes on, gradually becoming less and less poetic, more and more painful.

Abbey, cabbie. Queues, dues. Able, bagel, Lonely, macaroni. Dinner, winner. May, day. Socks, box. Rippon, Britain.

So I say it again. Leave the poetry to the poets, lest we end up with lines like “cheesey bake was a winner” served up before dinner.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case.

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the railway children.

February 16th, 2010 // 1:46 pm @ // No Comments yet

Hello there. Since I mentioned the new Barclaycard “rollercoaster” ad last week, I’ve  been wondering about that whole “is it/isn’t a remake of an old idea?” question and looking around for other ads that may fall into the same category. However, while I was doing that, Felicity Ford of  The Domestic Soundscape sent me a link to another rollercoaster  idea. It’s a Norwegian ad aimed at encouraging kids to become engineers. It’s new and it’s brilliant. Thanks Felicity.

Sadly, it’s developed a slight problem and isn’t showing properly so click the link below to see it.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2c9hw_rollercoaster-train_fun

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