ADDY Awards

Oh hai! So, do you know what the ADDY Awards are? Only the largest advertising competition in the world. And while I may live in a tiny town in eastern Idaho, I just wanted to let you all know that we made a clean sweep at the Eastern Idaho GEM Advertising Awards! We won Judge's Choice, Best in Show, and a Diamond of course! This means we now get to compete for the Rockies in Boise . . . then the Northwest ADDYs in Seattle . . . then the National ADDYs!

Will we get that far? Who knows; when your competition is a sweet ad agency from New York, that answer is most likely "no." But you always compete against companies of a similar size (and we're quite small despite our international clientele) so there's a chance. Anyway, we won! Namely, my copywriting and my coworker's awesome graphic design abilities won. w00t! ADDYs, here we come.

{images via various 2011 regional ADDY posters}

Stupid's got the balls

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged about advertising. This Diesel campaign has been going on for a while but it never ceases to humor me. The “Be Stupid” campaign is one of my favorites. And there have got to hundreds of these ads.

Take note, if you go searching for more of these ads, some of the them show BOOBIES.

Oh, and btw, PANACHE GIVEAWAY.

We shall cook again and our bellies will rejoice

Well, well, here's another foodie post. Looks like I cook after all. A week or two or three or FOUR ago I made some "Texas-style" stuffed jalapeños. They were delicious, but don't make my mistake: wear GLOVES when you slice jalapeños. My hands were on fire all night, and the next day. The peppers weren't actually very spicy when we ate them; it was the seed removal that got me. That's where the punch is stored; DO NOT touch the seeds with your bare hands. And, uh, don't accidentally touch your eye afterwards, either.

My own photos this time, that's why they're less than stellar.

Recipe:
5 big peppers, cut in half.
1 package cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Whatever spices you happen to enjoy
Bacon!

Mix the cheeses & spices, stuff the peppers, top with bacon and bake at 350° for however long it takes to get the bacon nice and crispy. Like 10-15 minutes. Done! Now eat!

In other news, Carrie gave me a blog award! This is my first ever blog award and I feel very loved and flattered. Also, I get to spread this love and flattery:

Rules:

1. Save the image above and post it to your own blog
2. Pass the award on to 12 fellow bloggers
3. Link the nominees
4. Let nominees know they have won this award by commenting on their blog
5. Share the love and link to the person you received this award from.

1: Lindsay at Love, Lindsay
2: McKenzie at This Ain't a Surfin Movie
3: Seve at Papa Shark
4: Mallory at Eager Eye
5: Sammy at Mermaids, Etc.
6: Elyssa at The Imagination to Improvise
7: Chelse at Sunshine Everyday
8: Michelle at meish.photography
9: Nathaniel at You Remind Me of Home
10: Maria at Running Alpha
11: Kara at white.carnation
12: Jen at On Meat and Ruin

K THNX BAI

Keds!

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a ridiculous Keds fan. I even did a case study on Keds my last semester for an advertising class and got a big fat A on it . . . because I so was obsessed with writing every little detail about Keds. For those unaware, Keds is the inventor of the sneaker and was most popular (in my opinion) in the 80s, and could be found on the likes of Kelly from Saved by the Bell. White was the most popular color and was often worn with little lacey socks and leggings. Are you getting the picture? Anyway, Keds have been around since 1916 and were named the "sneaker" because the rubber sole was so quiet you could "sneak up on your boyfriend," haha.

Almost everyday I'm wearing my latest find: a pair of vintage (VINTAGE!!) 1970s all black Keds that I got for a mere $3 at the thrift store (they were in mint condition by the way). How do I know they're vintage? Because I'm obsessed enough that I can distinguish the different aspects of design of their trademark blue rectangle logo tab on the back of each shoe. And the shoe is pebble-soled with pink liner as opposed to today's kind-of-pebbled soles and multi-colored liners, and much more narrow than today's Keds so IT'S CLEARLY FROM THE 70s and I'M AMAZING. Or maybe they're from the 80s. Anyway, VINTAGE.

Part of the case study was to speculate what you think would be best way to rebrand the company in order to reach a different market. I said that Keds should go for a more urban vibe and try to market to indie hipsters. From 2005-07 Keds deemed Mischa Barton "the face of Keds" and had a preppy we-love-the-OC-esque campaign until Mischa got a DUI (among other things) and couldn't represent their squeaky clean image anymore. Ah well, the times are a'changin'.

Keds did some thinking and has now partnered with Chictopia for a "Straight off the Streets" style gallery on their site, which features fashionista hipsters who submit photos of themselves posing in Keds. Woo hoo! Great rebranding! And what an excellent way to reach out and get the market involved!

Anyway, there is a certain style of Keds I wish they'd bring back and that I'm positive hipsters (mostly me) would love . . . the pointy-toed Champion. Keds could partner with Urby and do a sexy photo shoot in a submarine or something and make these things the hottest shoe on the planet.

On a side note, these shoes are far more sexy for longboarding than the typical chunky equivalent . . . if you're just pushing around, and not sliding or trying any too complicated tricks that would require heavy foot padding, anyway.

Sun peeking out

I’m so happy it’s spring, even if it’s just dumpy-gray spring and the snow has yet to completely disappear. The roads were clear enough this weekend that we went longboarding, which I hadn’t done in over 6 months so I was nervous at first, but I picked it right back up. Back when I first got a bike, I remember feeling dorky with little confidence as I rode around town . . . then I picked up longboarding, and riding a bike was totally easy in comparison. Now that I’m trying to get confident at roller skating, longboarding feels like a piece of cake . . .

I ride a Landyachtz Spud (the tree design of which I HATE and can’t wait to sand down and redo myself). The Spud isn’t so much a drop deck as it is a ‘lowered’ deck. I love riding it because the lowered curves feel like they hug my feet and I’m in control, especially when sliding.






A little on longboard advertising: most companies opt for a city or ‘concrete wave’ route when advertising for their boards. Riders look like your typical skateboarder, do skateboard-y tricks, or "dancing," and hang out in typical city scapes like parking lots or skate parks. But I love Loaded Longboard’s advertising—it takes you into nature and allows you to feel free with your board. Riding down winding roads surrounded by trees with mountains in the distance. Even the boards themselves support a more pure feel, with tranquil graphics instead of cheesy graffiti, and they’re made of bamboo! Loaded’s #1 board is even called the “Dervish,” which my husband and some friends ride.

Main Entry: der•vish
Pronunciation: \ˈdər-vish\
Function: noun
Etymology: Turkish derviş, literally, beggar, from Persian darvīsh
Date: 1585
1 : a member of a Muslim religious order noted for devotional exercises (as bodily movements leading to a trance)
2 : one that whirls or dances with or as if with the abandonment of a dervish

On that note, I’m actually not very good at longboarding. I ran into a snow bank on Saturday and totally freaked out some little kids who were watching. I have yet to master speed wobbles and I’ve only conquered one slide. It’s a goal of mine this summer to nail down a Pendulum (“pendi,” “pengi,” whatever), and to successfully board down Targhee. It's fun to bundle up and go out for a morning ride, rather than a morning jog.

Little List and We Are Animals

Friday again! But a sad, gray one. Here’s a little list of five chill, gray Friday songs:

Has anyone seen Wrangler’s new ad campaign We Are Animals? From an advertising perspective, it’s a brilliant way to reposition the brand from old, pokey cowboys to hip youth. The ads come in a red series and a night/swamp series, and there’s like a bajillion of them, plus videos. Before you click on these links I should warn you some of the ads are pretty racy: red & night.

I can’t decide where I stand on it. When I first saw the campaign I was so impressed with the emotion and instinct behind it; the word “raw” comes to mind. And I liked the nitty gritty messy models. But then again, is that a bloody butt crack I see? Ew.

Meow

Ever see these stapled to a pole and wish you could redesign them?

These guys go around town and do just that. So cool.