Semi-hard

                                                                              

Okay so I was having a drunken altercation last night, at home with a friend over the 'WeBuyAnyCar' ads. And I was ranting about the crass nature of such a shouty ad but had to concede it was obviously effective in that it stuck in your memory; I couldn't remember the argument against such ads but now I do.

'It's better to pay for one great TV spot that makes you famous than to have to pay for 10 that make you infamous.'

The cheek of it is, and why clever advertisers get their back up is that every now and again 'hard-sell' ads are completely necessary. Not just to stand out in and amongst all the 'soft-sell' ads but to shift the balance of audience expectation. You see ten 'soft-sell' ads and you become savvy to and bored of their approach; it's the 'WeBuyAnyCar.com' type of ads that open up appreciation space for the truly clever, well crafted ads we love.

At the end of the day a well-timed 'hard-sell' approach can turn out to be a clever piece of marketing (in the short-term, please God) if not a clever ad. I just wish it wasn't so bloody catchy.

American Gov ad.

I found this print ad while trawling through Ad Council US, the company in charge of producing the American government's public communications.

What they've clearly tried to do here is dispel stereotypes surrounding people who 'go hungry' Their aim? To create an awareness that hunger can be anywhere, anyone YOU know or more importantly anyone 'just like you' may be struggling. Though I like the concept I think this particular copy falls short of the mark..so what someone who's hungry 'listens to music too'? Everyone listens to music...this is kind of their point but, it's too general and not targeting any particular audience. Instead I think something like 'Hunger goes to work, too.' This would challenge the stereotype 'only lazy people go hungry,' as well as getting that empathy..

Other executions included: 'Hunger reads the morning paper, too' to which I thought..well is it looking in the jobs section?!

And 'Hunger digs sports, too.' Don't all Americans? So ALL Americans are hungry? I wouldn't of thought soo......forgive my confusion.

Jay-Z Decoded

Part songbook, part cultural examination and only part memoir…

From the cycle of hustling on the streets in Marcy NY, to his inescapable preoccupation with words, his disillusionment with record-labels and the relationships that supported his eventual success Jay-Z craftily reveals himself in his first autobiography ‘Decoded.’

Not simply a series of memoirs by far, J’s recollections frequently unfurl onto a larger narrative of American society. ‘The whole sequence felt familiar to me…Telling me to be quiet, not to get into the frame of their pristine picture.’ His window into political and cultural attitudes offers fresh perspective and the ideas he puts across about Hip-Hop as a ‘voice for a people’ are thought-provoking.

This examination of hip-hop in the wider human context gives ‘Decoded’ enough breadth to hold interest even for those not impassioned by rap.

At times there has been much controversy surrounding hip-hop, which Jay goes some way to dispel in the close reading of his songs. Of the lyric ‘I got 99 problems but a bitch ain’t one’ he explains ‘It’s a joke to see who’s really listening...in every verse of the song I use bitch in a different way;’ Never to describe a woman. These lyrical accounts provide good reading for fans of the lyricist. Unfortunately they bulk out the book where you can’t help but feel more explicit life story could have been.

By drawing a parallel with Jean-Michel Basquiat, the late NY graffiti artist and friend of Andy Warhol, J explores the idea of being careful of what you wish for. This notion is fair game, a topic of choice for those who love the rags-to-riches tale of the hustler-come-rapper. It's clear J genuinely admires and relates to Basquiat’s multifarious style but you can’t help feeling some part of him is borrowing credibility as an artist.

His views on artistry vs commerciality are also very interesting.

Overall the writing is characterised by J's trademark humility and humour and the book is punctuated by suitably poignant photography. ‘Decoded’ offers a worthwhile keyhole into a world we may think we know from the media; it is accessible and entertaining and J’s insights candidly capture an impression of a generation. But it is too short and lacks personal depth.

Only an introductory glimpse of Sean Carter.

Two weeks off

Right so i've two whole weeks off work. In this pocket of time i'll be attempting to absorb and enrich. This means the reading of autobiography, creative blog, reputable newspaper, the viewing of exhibitions..writing THIS a few times, dijjery-doing my portfolio, carving out an attempt at a journal. Aren't i ambitious! All whilst shunning the leery come-ons of my ... Xbox..and two new games..ehh..ooo. 

So under the best of intentions i'll today trial a creative routine. Productivity ahoy!

The art of misdirection

This one's soo good they just HAD to say 'Best' twice. If they were going to do bland then at least get the job done e.g 'Which Award for Best Sat Nav'? Okay so i'm being picky; they have attempted to reinforce their vague, forgettable claim with a benefit 'world's thinnest navigator,' too bad we can't read the type.

Anyway kudos to the writer; 'Best of the Best' allows for that all important quick read, as drivers crane their necks in the opposite direction. Perhaps the media planner should of used their sat nav to find a better ad site.