Disqus - Latest Comments for VinnyWarren

Re: The Ad Contrarian: When Data Is Dangerous

VinnyWarren — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 15:08:33 -0000

came across this creepy data stealing simulator site from Holland. https://clickclickclick.click

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Revenge Of The Philistines

VinnyWarren — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 11:42:13 -0000

"Odious twerp" - David Ogilvy

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Empty Calories And Empty Strategies

VinnyWarren — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 10:47:46 -0000

For what it's worth, none of my three teen kids would ever drink a Coke or any other soda for that matter. The generational tide is definitely against Coke.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Thanks, Kudos, and Apologies

VinnyWarren — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 20:39:01 -0000

Cheers Bob! Thanks for the thanks. And thanks for coming to Chicago. It was badly needed.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Invisible Ads Are Good For You

VinnyWarren — Thu, 28 May 2015 16:54:17 -0000

and if you have Adblock, this feels like like an argument from the Victorian age. Facebook still has ads huh?

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Take The Refrigerator Test

VinnyWarren — Wed, 20 May 2015 21:44:21 -0000

You've said it many times Bob: the Internet is great at fulfilling demand but lousy at creating it. Demonstrably true and at this point an ingrained behavior. And targeting does not equal opportunity to create demand.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: The Perspective-Free Marketing Industry

VinnyWarren — Thu, 07 May 2015 12:51:12 -0000

I love this. Great stuff. But you forgot the most important and unchanging rule: Nobody gives a shit. Nobody ever gave a shit. There's no demand for advertising. None. Can't wait to read your new book btw.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Death Of TV Continues Not To Happen

VinnyWarren — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 11:44:49 -0000

As a child of TV and prodigy of the remote control, even I am cutting the cable TV cord. Because it's simply not worth it. It has degenerated into a worthless and grating reality sludge. And I will watch any old crap. Luckily Hulu + and apple TV etc have arrived on the scene, but with the exception of live sports I struggle to imagine recreating the mass audiences of yore. Though Hulu + does a great job of seamlessly integrating ads without being a pain in the ass. we shall see...

Re: The Ad Contrarian: 3 Ways To Never Be Wrong

VinnyWarren — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 15:02:47 -0000

I once (unwittingly) had dinner at legendarily up-its-own-ass NYC
restaurant WD50. It sounded like a burger and beer place to me. Boy
was I wrong. "Dinner" consisted of what seemed like squirts of bird
shite on small plates. By dessert we were starving. So we had all four
desserts. The right out of central casting maitre d' asked what we
thought of the desserts. I said we liked three of them but the fourth
one, a banana based thing, was kind of meh. He replied "Yes, of
course. That one is slightly ahead of its time". We left and got a
burger.

Re: The Escape Pod

VinnyWarren — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 20:02:24 -0000

I agree Alan. Who the hell sold Nationwide on dead kids in the Super Bowl? Hire that person!

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Good Advertising Is The Best Strategy

VinnyWarren — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 12:19:56 -0000

people react to execution. great execution gets noticed. it's the only thing consumers see. what's usually touted as "brilliant strategy" in advertising, in my experience is also called "the bleedin' obvious" by civilians. dudes drink beer, athletes have goals, milk is better with cookies, the pope wears a funny hat etc.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Why I Hate Content

VinnyWarren — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 23:32:20 -0000

just do a brilliant advertising campaign for what you're selling. that's technically "content" too. nobody cares, nobody gives a shit. deal with that reality.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Throwing Cold Water On The Ice Bucket

VinnyWarren — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 08:26:55 -0000

Oh I love that stuff. I was once the victim of such analysis. A stupid thing I did caught on and suddenly earnest looking marketing people were coming up to me at conferences explaining to me why my stupid shit was successful, confident that they'd cracked it. Oy and vey.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Why Are Agency Blogs So Unpopular?

VinnyWarren — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 22:19:28 -0000

thanks for mentioning me in the same breath as Dave Trott. i read both your blogs religiously. always looking for something to steal. cheers.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Ad Industry's Unspeakable Trade Press Speaks

VinnyWarren — Thu, 15 May 2014 12:22:08 -0000

You mean you don't want to know the Five Ways Your Brand Can Maximize its blah-di-blah by unleashing some bullshit? The online environment hasn't been kind to the ad press. It's turned into a breathless crowd-sourced vortex of dubious opinions.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Why I Talk Dirty

VinnyWarren — Fri, 02 May 2014 00:34:24 -0000

It allows you to build a rhythm of profanity.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Why I Talk Dirty

VinnyWarren — Thu, 01 May 2014 13:03:44 -0000

Took me ages to figure out that using the "C-word", as Americans so daintily put it, is frowned upon here. It's the best one!

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Stealing For Success

VinnyWarren — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 20:34:02 -0000

Stealing from Hal is always a great idea. I briefly worked for Hal towards the end of his career. The real genius of Hal was being the VO for all his clients. Ka-ching! I worked in the Chicago office and I was given the task of recording him from his firehouse in SF. Everyone else was too scared to interact with him. I had worked for Ed McCabe so nothing scared me anymore.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Beware Of Marketers With Ideologies

VinnyWarren — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 20:08:06 -0000

good point paul. when they work they really work. much like ye olde yellow pages.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Beware Of Marketers With Ideologies

VinnyWarren — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 13:03:58 -0000

"It took millions of years for man's instincts to develop. It will take millions more for them to even vary. It is fashionable to talk about "changing" man. A communicator must be concerned with unchanging man, with his obsessive drive to survive, to be admired, to succeed, to love, to take care of his own". B. Bernbach.

I'm having great difficulty even imagining an advertising person being that insightful and articulate in 2013.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Apple Has Nothing To Say

VinnyWarren — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 09:57:50 -0000

they had a great run there for 17 or so years. all things must pass etc

Re: The Ad Contrarian: The $7.5 Billion Ad Swindle

VinnyWarren — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:14:05 -0000

I'm not "math man" but I used to work in media years ago in the UK. Sold airtime for ITV. And you don't have to be Martin Sorrell to have noticed that all the websites that sell "airtime" on the web now get bugger all traffic. I'm now only "watching" Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and that random wacky site that I like. None of which, I'm guessing, are sold by the online media wholesalers. It's a simple attention thing. their inventory is simply worthless. The UK TV equivalent of the center break in Countdown on Channel 4 circa 1992.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Stormy Weather At Yahoo

VinnyWarren — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 20:56:02 -0000

yahoo is f**ked. simple as that. their moment has passed. and all the king's horses and all the king's men can't fix that.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Time For Sorrell To Go

VinnyWarren — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:48:51 -0000

Quelle surprise! Les Francaises aiment l'argent beaucoup aussi.

Re: The Ad Contrarian: Time For Sorrell To Go

VinnyWarren — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:43:22 -0000

Thanks Sell Sell.

And just so you know Neil, I am not confusing advertising with art. It can be functional art. But the most important thing is that it function. And even getting that out the door in a big holding company agency seems to be a monumental struggle.

And I know why because I used to work at a big holding company agency.

Money.

Everything becomes about money. All the time. They have to deliver increases in revenue each quarter to Wall Street. Or their world will explode. And advertising becomes merely the means by which this number is delivered. So guess what happens in that environment?