El Gaffney

Preparing Immaturity for Cinco de Mayo

Any frequent readers know I’m pretty obsessed with Someecards (also note you can now follow the company on twitter). So if you’re not a freq like me (props to Adina Howard) or you’re just forgetful, take a look back at that site in order to get some send-worthy stuff for Cinco de Mayo. Like this perhaps:

As for some other immaturity to get you through the rest of Friday…
via ROFLcon

Bill Hicks on Marketing via Stuart Smith email – not to be confused with Gil Hicks of Mallrats fame who kisses like a jackhammer in with some pressure and when he’s done you’re not the same…you’re changed.

Geek pants via @gaeyia

And lastly, I saw this on the news last night and Jake reminded me about it today. It’s not funny…except for the part when the boy says his punishment should be a weekend without video games.

Tags: holidays, ioi, someecards

Don’t Be Ben Jacobs

Came across this undeniably funny-because-it’s-true article in the Onion today thanks to Chet. The article’s title is “Ad Campaigns Appeals to Young, Hip, Influenced-By-Ad-Campaigns Demographic.” An excerpt:

“This is exactly the type of customer we’re looking to reach,” said the campaign’s chief strategist Ben Jacobs, 28. “It’s showing tremendous impact on the cool, media-savvy rebels who distrust authority, prize alternative culture, think outside of the mainstream, and are willing to base their actions entirely on advertising images presented to them on TV. How dope is that?”

So this post is just a reminder for me and other Gen GuY and GalY planners (or creatives or account peeps) out there not to become Ben. And a reminder for marketers to really get to know their audience on a deeper level even if they’ve picked the demographic wisely.

via Someecards. By the way, this was the featured e-card when I just visited the site. Pure gold.

Tags: advice, genY, onion, planning, someecards

Kicking Off 2008

One of my favorite sites of 4th quarter 2007, had to be someecards. Basically the site is a creative, aesthetically-pleasing, easy to use, and free Blue Mountain with wit and without dancing pink elephants. The cards come close to the line but rarely cross it, and over the holiday period I sent quite a few of them. Like some of you I’m sure, I use the Rule of A Few Randoms as a “tipping point” gauge. So when I received a card from someone from both sexes, three different occupations, two different age groups, and a hipster, I decided it had tipped. But I do not believe it has jumped the shark. In fact, if they continue to keep the one-liners fresh (which would not be too hard), they’ll be fine. I think they can be even better if they create yearly archives, let you track the cards you’ve sent and to whom you’ve sent them and on which occasions, team up with birthdayalarm or facebook, and/or consider expanding with some new art direction (and copy) to appeal to a different personality type, age group, etc. And that’s just off the top of my head – someecards, holla at your boy. Shit, can you believe I’m still saying “holla” in 2008?! Here’s a quick example:
Okay, sorry.

Well in that case, I’ll just start off with the yearly Gen GuY resolution:
And speaking of resolutions, maybe you’ll be inspired by one of the celebrity resolutions on Funny or Die (which is a site to which I’m becoming addicted – wow, that’s a lot of which). Look for a video from FoD (that’s what the cool kids call it) in tomorrow’s IOI.

Feliz Ano Nuevo.

Tags: genY, holidays, someecards