This Bud was indeed for me

My uncle sent me this Bud Light ad. Here's what I like about it:

- Counter-programming from what I usually expect from Bud Light, ie. boobies and Nascar or something.

- They've branded it with Bud Light all the way through - not Funny-funny-funny-product-placement at the end!

I still won't drink Bud Light because it tastes like carbonated dishwater, but this ad makes me feel infinitely warmer toward their brand.

When (IF) I grow up I want to be....

Dear God... Truth in advertising.

My instructor for my CMA Advertising & Media course showed us this today and said that the future of Marcom is moving away from the model described in this video. He referred to a glorious future... a future where these stereotypes in ad agencies/marcom departments will no longer flourish...

I replied, "When? WHEN will that happen?"

I need a date so I can pencil it in on my calendar.

Thanks for Monster.com for making me laugh AND feel slightly maudlin over how I've spent the last ten years of my life.

Breaking news: the glass IS half-full!

Late last year I reported that the online marketing industry publication Media In Canada was moving to a paid content model. And indeed they did. I never did get a subscription personally, but now that not working freelance anymore, I have access to their content again. This is nice, but I won't deny that there's a residual kernel of resentment every time I open up one of their emails. There may even be some latent fist shaking going on as well. I appreciate the access but it still bugs.

I also reported that I had contacted Marketing Magazine (a competing publication) to ask if they had an intentions to switch to a paid model. I was told over the phone by the customer service department, that Marketing Magazine was considering switching to paid content too.

I had lunch this week with a sales rep for Marketing and mentioned this. She took it back to her peeps and sent me an email shortly thereafter: the report is false! Marketing Magazine has no intention at this time to change to a paid subscription model! The End.

This makes me very happy. As an employee of an association, as opposed to a freelancer, I no longer have to worry about my own personal monies being used for stuff like this. But contrary to my deeply held belief that the world revolves around me (I've had very little empirical evidence to disprove this), there are still a whole bunch of freelance and small business people out there who need every advantage they can get.

Good news for glass-is-half-full types everywhere!

Good news from the world of packaged goods

Generally I'm not very invested in package design. I don't pay much attention to it, although there are a lot of folks who do and that's pretty much their whole day. When someone decides to re-design the packaging on one of the products that I use, there had better be some really compelling reasons behind it (less materials used, eco-friendly, etc.), not just creative wank, or I get all grumbly. Don't make me grumbly. You wouldn't like it when I'm grumbly.

However I just saw a tweet from ad agency Cundari about how Heinz has redesigned the ketchup packet. Whaaaa? Check it out.

I love it! Squeeze AND dip options? Brilliant! I hate ketchup packets and all packet-based technology! I hope they distribute them soon.

Good on Heinz! The jury is still out on those upside-down squeeze bottles, however. I keep putting them back in the fridge the wrong way up.