Schupp Company Blog

It’s 3:00. Do you know where your thesaurus is?

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

No matter the day of the week, what I’ve eaten for lunch, how much coffee I have or haven’t downed, or the caliber of superpowers I might be exercising, I am a victim. This thing … this … this creature. (shudder) Ugh. It gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it. He’s unapologetic. He’s uncompromising. He’s unstoppable. He is…

DUHN DUHN DUUHHN…

THE HEADLINE MONSTER!!!

(SFX: blood-curdling screams, crying children, mass chaos)

I can be chugging along at my computer, finding well-suited synonyms, crafting clever phrases and knocking out headlines like it ain’t no thang, and then without any notice …

ROOOAAAARRRR!!!

That, dear readers, is the chilling sound of impending doom. In writing circles, it’s known colloquially as “headline rot,” but has also been called “afternoon stupor,” “creative blahs” and “mind fatigue,” and it shares symptoms with food comas, blood sugar crashes and social not-working. Don’t be fooled, though. Headline rot is a serious affliction, and it’s caused by one ungodly source.

You guessed it, the Headline Monster.

Regardless of what account I’m working on, the Headline Monster strikes around 3 pm. Sometimes he doesn’t come a-lurkin’ until 3:30, and sometimes he slinks back to his cave shortly after arriving. But if I’m writing headlines and his stomach starts to grumble, my vocabulary is always on the menu.

Unfortunately, he doesn’t just steal a few bites and mosey on his way. No. He chews up my words, spits ‘em back out and leaves a rotten, stinking aftermath that I’m stuck cleaning up. And if that’s not enough, his breath wreaks of cliché and clunky diction. Trust me, it’s not a stench you soon forget.

Luckily, I’ve learned of several preventative measures, some of which are easier than others:

• Channel Samuel L., shift into badass mofo mode, and take care of any headline business before 2:59:59.

• Fill in a placeholder headline — one that I don’t mind sacrificing to the Monster — and work on less Monster-alluring copy until he’s had his fill. Body copy … Scripts … White paper concepts … They’re like a slab of raw beef is to a vegetarian.

• Close my eyes, hold my breath and keep completely still. Kidding, folks. (That only works with T-Rexes!)

• Or, if I have no other choice, I power the hell through and hope for the best.

My fellow writers, I hope you can empathize. And if not, you’ve been warned. My Headline Monster isn’t the only one of its kind. I’ve seen its ravenous rage inflict serious, lasting damage before, and it ain’t pretty. So look out. This blog entry is not intended to be a scare tactic; it’s a public service announcement. Please, take heed.

Tags: Advertising, marketing, schupp company, work
Posted in Advertising, Water Cooler | No Comments »

So Much for Quiet Reading Time…

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Recently I was interested, but also annoyed, to learn about what’s being billed as the first video advertisements ever in a print magazine.

Within the pages of the September 18, 2009 issue of Entertainment Weekly, a co-branded CBS/Pepsi insert featured a small video screen embedded inside. Akin to one of those ridiculous greeting cards that play music or yell at you when opened, the tiny video screen automatically plays when the reader opens the spread promoting the coming fall programming lineup for CBS. The video features pre-roll from the cast members of the Big Bang Theory before launching into CBS sneak peeks and obligatory Pepsi ads.

The battery powered technology, developed by Americhip allows the player to show up to 40 minutes of video. The insert was included in all copies of the issue, but the video version appeared only in New York and Los Angeles circulation, presumably because of the seemingly astronomical cost of such a contraption. Here’s a clip of the first few seconds after opening the insert.

Based on what you can see on the YouTube clip, the quality of the video player seems fairly good and features loud audio that’s sure to piss off the librarian or the persons sitting in your airplane row. From what I can tell, there are no volume controls – most likely an intentional omission.

This is not the first time magazine publishers and advertisers have tried to bring print pages “to life.” Most previous attempts have failed miserably, such as the e-ink cover in Esquire magazine last year to the horrendous DigiMarc and CueCat offerings.

I think this CBS/Pepsi attempt will be successful as a “publicity stunt”, but on its own, without additional interactivity, it’s a “dead man walking” for the future. I realize the technology is pretty impressive, but I just cringe when desperate steps like this are taken. Can’t a magazine just be a magazine? I know, I know, the industry is shrinking before our very eyes (PricewaterhouseCoopers calls for print advertising in North American consumer magazines to fall 18.7 percent to $10.8 billion), but if I want portable video content, I’ll fire up my laptop or use my iPhone.

What do you think?

Tags: Americhip, CBS/Pepsi, magazines
Posted in Advertising, Culture, Miscellaneous, Television, Water Cooler | No Comments »

Female Thoughts from a Male Intern

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

What can I say…I thought I hired a male copywriting intern for the summer. But based on his movie-watching habits, I think he went all “Tootsie” on me and might actually be a female in disguise. I’ll let you be the judge.

-Dru

—————————————————————————————————————————–

Hey, Dan the copywriting intern, again. I recently came under much scrutiny from a couple of my friends for watching the movie, “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days.” My mother came home with the flick a few weeks ago and suggested that I watch it since the main character was in the ad business. I had nothing better to watch while I lounged around my house after work, mainly because the Vandever’s don’t believe in cable, so I popped it in. Whereas my friends would later make fun of me for watching it, I actually enjoyed the shenanigans of this romantic comedy.

My willingness to watch these so called “chick flicks” came at an early age. Since my older brother was never around, I always hung out with my two sisters. So, rather than growing up watching classics like “Rambo,” “Rocky” and “Terminator,” I was watching “Selena,” “A League of Their Own” and “Dirty Dancing.” As strange as it might seem, I’ve gotten a lot of my humor, a lot of my conversation starters and a lot my understandings about the fairer sex from these movies. That being said, here are my all-time favorite “chick flicks,” the ones that have helped me grow as a strong, open-minded male and made me into the man I am today.

10. Center Stage: It not only introduced me to the glamorous world of dance, which I would later rediscover with “So You Think You Can Dance,” but it also taught me that girls like guys who can dance. And if you’re straight, they like you even more. Cha-ching.

9. Troop Beverly Hills: As I stated previously, the Vandever’s weren’t big on cable, so instead of watching Sportscenter I was forced to watch this Shelly Long classic every two weeks on the WB. I was able to learn from Phyllis Nefler and the Wilderness Girls the important traits of leadership and perseverance.

8. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: The movie in which Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt danced their way into my heart. I’ll tell you, girls weren’t the only ones having fun with this flick. I learned to follow my dreams, just as Jeannie did to get on DTV.

7. Dirty Dancing: This movie was crucial to my adolescent high school days by teaching me how to dance dirty. In North County, if you weren’t dirty dancing, you were most likely not dancing at all. And who really wants to be put in that corner?

6. Pretty Woman: It stole my heart like Richard Gere stole Julia Roberts’. This movie showed that a poor kid from North County could actually hook up with a rich girl from West County any day (which has happened). I also credit it with introducing me to the world of prostitution.

5. Mean Girls: This is Tina Fey at the top of her game. Sure “30 Rock” is an Emmy winner, but “Mean Girls” won my heart by bringing Rachel McAdams into my life. Without Gretchen Wieners, Regina George, Cady Herron and Karen Smith, I would have never known just how mean the opposite sex can really be, which has caused me to be nice to every girl I meet.

4. Grease: A great movie and an even better soundtrack. Who would argue with this selection? If this movie hasn’t changed you for the better, you’re lying. I would have never learned how to enjoy myself and to break out into random song and dance if it wasn’t for the T-Birds and Pink Ladies.

3. Selena: This is the flick that launched my willingness to watch any movie. My sister used to rent it every single weekend so it inevitably caught my eye. Initially, I told her that I was glad Selena died at the end, but on the inside I was torn apart. When Yolanda went on her murderous rampage, I learned the true value of life.

2. A League of Their Own: The Cleveland Indians and Durham Bulls have nothing on the Rockford Peaches. Not only is Tom Hanks is in it, and Tom Hanks DOES NOT make a bad movie, but these diamond darlings imparted me with the most valuable lesson in life: there’s “no crying in baseball.” Thinking about it brings a tear to my eye.

1. The Notebook: Rachel McAdams once again graces us with her presence in this emotional love story. As tough as I am on the outside, this magnificent movie brings out my inner soft side, which has helped with the ladies. Noah Calhoun makes me want to be a better man, and I’m trying.

These are the classic “chick-flicks” that have made me into the man I am today. People can make fun of me, but the truth is a good movie is a good movie. So thank you Noah and Ali, the members of the All-American team, Selena, the Pink Ladies, the Plastics, Vivian, Baby, Jeannie, Phyllis Nefler and the dancers at the American Ballet Academy. You’ve definitely brought out the girl inside me, and turned her into a man.

- Dan

Posted in Culture, Miscellaneous, Water Cooler | No Comments »

It’s 3:00. Do you know where your thesaurus is?

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

No matter the day of the week, what I’ve eaten for lunch, how much coffee I have or haven’t downed, or the caliber of superpowers I might be exercising, I am a victim. This thing … this … this creature. (shudder) Ugh. It gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it. He’s unapologetic. He’s uncompromising. He’s unstoppable. He is…

DUHN DUHN DUUHHN…

The Headline Monster!!!

(SFX: blood-curdling screams, crying children, mass chaos)

I can be chugging along at my computer, finding well-suited synonyms, crafting clever phrases and knocking out headlines like it ain’t no thang, and then without any notice …

ROOOAAAARRRR!!!

That, dear readers, is the chilling sound of impending doom. In writing circles, it’s known colloquially as “headline rot,” but has also been called “afternoon stupor,” “creative blahs” and “mind fatigue,” and it shares symptoms with food comas, blood sugar crashes and social not-working. Don’t be fooled, though. Headline rot is a serious affliction, and it’s caused by one ungodly source.

You guessed it, the Headline Monster.

Regardless of what account I’m working on, the Headline Monster strikes around 3 pm. Sometimes he doesn’t come a-lurkin’ until 3:30, and sometimes he slinks back to his cave shortly after arriving. But if I’m writing headlines and his stomach starts to grumble, my vocabulary is always on the menu.

Unfortunately, he doesn’t just steal a few bites and mosey on his way. No. He chews up my words, spits ‘em back out and leaves a rotten, stinking aftermath that I’m stuck cleaning up. And if that’s not enough, his breath wreaks of cliché and clunky diction. Trust me, it’s not a stench you soon forget.

Luckily, I’ve learned of several preventative measures, some of which are easier than others:

• Channel Samuel L., shift into badass mofo mode, and take care of any headline business before 2:59:59.
• Fill in a placeholder headline — one that I don’t mind sacrificing to the Monster — and work on less Monster-alluring copy until he’s had his fill. Body copy … Scripts … White paper concepts … They’re like a slab of raw beef is to a vegetarian.
• Close my eyes, hold my breath and keep completely still. Kidding, folks. (That only works with T-Rexes!)
• Or, if I have no other choice, I power the hell through and hope for the best.

My fellow writers, I hope you can empathize. And if not, you’ve been warned. My Headline Monster isn’t the only one of its kind. I’ve seen its ravenous rage inflict serious, lasting damage before, and it ain’t pretty. So look out. This blog entry is not intended to be a scare tactic; it’s a public service announcement. Please, take heed.

Posted in Advertising, Miscellaneous, Water Cooler | No Comments »

Are the fountains in the Citygarden meant to act as swimming pools for children?

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Finally…a nice park area in downtown St. Louis, The Citygarden! Its artsy, landscaped and a great place to go on your lunch break or to make you feel like you’re not in the city. Great job to everyone involved with this project – I truly love it.

So I pose the question: Are the fountains in the Citygarden meant to act as swimming pools for children?

I understand running through the pop-up fountains, splashing in the pools or even putting your feet in to cool off on a warm day – but I’m talking about the full-on arm floaties and swim suits with your child submerged in the pool of water? Come on! Really? I’m not a parent, but I’m an aunt – and if I brought my nieces or nephews to the park, I would not want them swimming in a pool that someone probably took a bath in or worse the night before. Yes, the fountains are fun, big and very nice, but I don’t think they are meant to be public swimming pools. Your thoughts?

Posted in Culture, Miscellaneous, Recreaction, Water Cooler | No Comments »

To Each Their Own

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

I’m not going to sit here and debate the whole Michael Vick situation. We all know the dude did some pretty messed up stuff. Let’s just leave it at that. Obviously the U.S. District Court in Richmond agreed because he was tried, convicted and sentenced to 23 months in federal prison. OUCH!

That brings us to the present. Vick is out and trying to salvage what remains of his football career (not much) and his dignity (even less). He was picked up by the Eagles and has been allowed to participate in all team practices and meetings, as well as the Eagles’ last two preseason games. He won’t be eligible to play until the team’s third week of the regular season, which is when I predict all hell will break loose in Philadelphia.

OK…that MIGHT be an exaggeration. But it brings me to my point and this visual.

People really do find inspiration in the strangest places. I laughed when this shirt was emailed to me the other day. (So much for my social media diet. I guess will just continue to live fat and happy in my world of excessive electronic communication.)

My sources for inspiration vary. Sometimes the simple fact that it’s Friday is enough to get the ol’ creative juices pumping – hence this blog. Usually, it’s the simple things like photos or images, stories or movies, weird stuff that people send me. All sorts of random stuff.

So what about you? Where does your inspiration come from?

Tags: Michael Vick
Posted in Culture, Miscellaneous, Water Cooler | No Comments »

Random Musings From an Acrophobic

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Just about everyone I know is aware that I am deathly afraid of heights and almost everything that has to do with them.  I think it has more to do with the idea of falling than anything else…although the sudden stop at the end of the fall is pretty unnerving as well.  Needless to say, I won’t go up in the Arch. I generally will not go out on balconies, and I absolutely hate air travel.  That being said, I will fly when I have to, but it isn’t something that I look forward to with great anticipation.  In fact, the nervousness that sets in a few days prior to an airplane trip will typically affect my sleeping habits to the point where I am awake for large chunks at a time throughout the night.

Anyway, I went to Los Angeles a few weeks ago for vacation so I had a few hours of lost sleep in the days leading up to the flight.  During this “extra” time, I had a lot of time to think about completely random stuff.  Since I couldn’t think of one particular thing to write about this month, I’ve decided to expound on a couple of things that had been running through my head during the sleepless nights before the flight.

• There was a lot of talk about the Cardinals acquiring John Smoltz.  That got me thinking about how my feelings about players change when they become Cardinals.  With the Smoltz signing, the Cardinals have acquired three players that I positively could not stand when they were playing for other teams…Smoltz, Matt Holliday, and Mark DeRosa.  I’m not really sure why I didn’t like them; Matt Holliday was the only one that would truly be considered a “Cardinal killer.”  DeRosa and Smoltz never really had great success against the Cardinals; in fact DeRosa was a career .230 hitter against St. Louis… but I’m fairly certain that his association with the Cubs had something to do with my negative feelings.  Smoltz was the same way; he had an 11-11 record with a 4.13 ERA against the Cardinals (that being said, I am fairly certain we took a few “bad playoff beats” at the hand of John Smoltz over the years).  Well anyway, I have officially jumped on their respective bandwagons, I am a huge fan of all three of them right now.  I think they are the bee’s knees and I hope they all retire as Cardinals…as long as it doesn’t affect our ability to extend Albert Pujols’ contract.

• Speaking of Albert Pujols’ next contract, how do you negotiate with a superstar of his caliber?  Do you just hand him a blank piece of paper and say “what do you want?”

• I went to Dodger Stadium while I was in LA to see the Dodgers play the Cubs.  I’ve always heard mixed reviews about whether or not Dodger Dogs were really that good, maybe it’s just because they’ve always been built up to be the best stadium hot dogs in the history of baseball.  Well, I had three at the game…they’re pretty tasty. I’m not sure if they are better than the Dean Dogs at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, FL but they stand up pretty well to all of the hype.

• How does this lineup sound for the next couple of years: any lead-off hitter, Colby Rasmus, Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, Ryan Ludwick, Mark DeRosa, Yadier Molina, Brendan Ryan, pitcher?  Talk about little-to-no margin for error.  Granted, locking up all of these guys for the next couple of years will difficult if not impossible.  I’m not ready to give up on the dream just yet.  What’s another $20-$30MM in payroll? If the Yankees can hand out blank checks, why can’t the Cardinals?

• I heard something on the radio about the time Smoltz was signed.  It’s a great way to illustrate just how long he’s been in the major leagues.  Jose Oquendo had a .304 batting average against him.

• I bought my tickets to Farm Aid a few months ago when they went on sale.  Wilco has already been announced as one of the performing bands.  What are the chances of Son Volt being announced as a surprise addition?  Uncle Tupelo reunion anyone?  Come on Farm Aid, get it done…we’re running out of time.

• Speaking of Farm Aid, the tickets I bought came with $18.50 of various service charges.  That seems like a lot to me.  It’s enough to make an inexpensive ticket pretty pricy after it’s all said and done.

• Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band are coming back to St. Louis on October 25^th.  The Springsteen show that I saw in August last year was easily one of the best shows that I’ve ever seen.  The energy that this guy has amazes me.  He played for around 3-1/2 hours; I was exhausted after just watching the show…and I am 30 years younger than him.  If the October ’09 show is anywhere close to the quality of the August ’08 show, it should be another great night of music.

• If you haven’t done it yet, check out Elvis Costello’s new album “Secret, Profane, & Sugarcane”…it’s very country and very good.   Costello assembled a pretty strong supporting cast for this outing, including enlisting T-Bone Burnett (O Brother, Where Art Thou?) as the producer.  Burnett did a really good job of keeping everything simple and traditional by not “over-producing” the songs.  Outside of a little electric guitar (which you can barely hear), the entire album is acoustic giving it a bit of a bluegrass feel.  The best cuts are “A Crooked Line” (a duet with Emmylou Harris), “I Felt the Chill Before the Winter Came” (co-written by Loretta Lynn), and “Hidden Shame.”  Costello originally wrote “Hidden Shame” for Johnny Cash, but this arrangement makes it sound as if he had intended it to be for someone like Buck Owens or Dwight Yoakam.

The flight wasn’t bad; the air was pretty calm both ways so it wasn’t too bumpy.  Los Angeles was great; I highly recommend a trip out West if you’ve never been.  That being said, I still don’t care for flying…

KDM

Posted in Culture, Miscellaneous, Water Cooler | No Comments »