Tuesday, October 31, 2006

All Hallows' Eve

It’s Halloween, my favourite day of the year. They have few skeletons, ghosts and pumpkins here and there, and there is a rather impressive haunted house set up at Times Square, but all in all I wouldn’t say that Hong Kong has the same exuberance about this pagan holiday as we do in Canada. No one is dressed up at work and I didn’t see any freaks on the streets this morning. Maybe tonight will be more lively though.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Sustainability Advertising

I write a column about the intersections between sustainability and advertising.

Here is the latest: Sustainability Advertising and Environmental Design

If this is a topic that is interesting to you, I wrote a daily blog for over a year on the topic for Creative Wonders. Sustainability Advertising

Thursday, October 26, 2006

An English Blog

Ah ha. Azuma has showed me how to switch this blog into English, so now, hopefully, I can iron out a lot of the glitches. I have been running this blog in Chinese since the beginning, which is a bit tricky, as I can't read a character (actually I now know the symbol for yes).

$0.02 from an English Copywriter

Does anyone watch TV anymore? At least on a television? When I was in Vancouver I remember getting all of these memos from TV stations about how 25-35 year old TV watching was as strong as ever. But I have my doubts.

Diane and I took a course on how to edit Final Cut Pro while we were in Vancouver at Emily Carr and I have been itching to get my hands on the software (and a camera).

The future of advertising is here:

Dove Evolution Youtube Spot

To the chagrin of Sony, this ad was leaked on Youtube before it went to air. Bravia - Paint

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Hard Day's Night

I've been at work for 34 hours.

I did manage to secure an hour of fitful sleep on the floor, but overall, it has been a crazy day at work.

I have aspiring copywriters writing to me and asking me what it's like to be a copywriter in a large agency. It's great, but days like today make me wonder why I ever gave up moving furniture in an auction house. Actually, not really, but I am exhausted.

I have had six people contact me about work since I've set up this blog. Two job offers, two headhunters and two freelance opportunities. I'm amazed how well it has worked. Despite the long days, I am happy here at Publicis, but man, I'm beat.

Now, some of you at this point may be thinking that this is all work and no play. But that's not true. Click here to find out about the perks of being a freelance copywriter

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Bud Lite Ad with the Falcon

This ad has been a hit at the office today.

Bud Lite Falcon

Thursday, October 19, 2006

That Freelance Writer with the Blog

I have been getting a few calls from other agencies looking for freelance work. I have become known as 'that guy with the blog', which is good with me. I am still here at Publicis, although my contract is month-to-month, and I am much too busy to take on any freelance at the moment. But don't be shy to call me up, even to put a voice to a name.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Brilliant ads



A Day in the life of a Freelance English Copywriter in Hong Kong

This blog has served me well. I am truly amazed more companies don’t make use of this medium. It has brought me some influential visitors, to say the least, and more than one job offer already.

Let’s put it this way, I’ve had this blog running for around two months now and it has helped me find work, and put me onto the screens of several prominent creative directors.

It’s been more effective for me than a print ad could ever be, it’s personal, it’s engaging, and also, it’s free!

I want to keep it informational, however, after all, my greatest traffic comes from those looking for insight on how to break into this crazy business.

If you start from the bottom and read up, it will give you an idea of the work involved.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Status Report III

Well I have been in Hong Kong almost three months now.

I have managed to meet almost all of the creative directors in town and land myself a month-by-month contract here at Publicis. I am very close, but still, I haven’t reached my goal. If you go back to my original post, you will see that I am at Step Eight in my Ten-Step plan.

I have been writing my story as well. I just finished Chapter 29. It’s about us hitching from New York to Texas in a 48-hour blitz.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Friday the 13th

The Chinese aren't too concerned about Friday the 13th. They say they already have too many other superstitions to worry about. For them, 4 is an unlucky number, and there is no fourth floor and whatnot. 13 is my lucky number, but I still get a bit paranoid on Friday the 13th. 4s don't bug me much though.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Big Shop vs Small Shop

There is some debate amongst creatives first starting out on whether or not they should begin their careers at the largest multi-national agency they can find, or a small shop.

The benefits of a large agency are that you are right into the game. Right off the start, you have the luxury of making big ads for big-minded clients on big budgets, so the imagination is the limit. These are ads that people will recognize and it adds to your overall credibility as a creative. This is nice.

However working for a small shop offers more discipline. You learn to really focus your creative on what will sell. You are dealing with small clients with small budgets. You are writing long copy for every account in every medium and at the same time juggling strategy, accounts, production and new biz; basically learning all the ins and out of the business as you go along. If an idea can stand up on a zero budget, it’s strong. If you have to write headlines around stock photos (or even photos that the client provides) then you are forced to be clever. There isn’t a slick production to hide behind. It is all about the idea. And a small shop will give you this focus.

That said, however, I am glad to have moved on to a big agency and that I can finally let my imagination loose, it’s time.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Blogs Still Strangely Underused in Advertising Agencies

You think a tool that is capable of putting your name, or your company’s name, straight to the top of the searches on Google would more readily utilized by advertising agencies. Similarly, you would think that those with the know-how and experience to make the most of such a medium would be in greater demand. I give it a year or so, and then every agency will be employing copywriters that can write long, compelling copy, on target, with the right voice. I mean, who thinks of looking for a hotel near the airport anywhere but online, and who doesn’t google a potential employer/employee before an interview?

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Hong Kong copywriting

One thing I like about Hong Kong is that it is a nocturnal city. People thrive at night here, and they are moon-worshippers. This suits my lifestyle much better as I am a night owl, as well as an insomniac, the furthest thing from a morning person really.

I have been devouring books. I am onto Hemmingway now. He would have made a great copywriter.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Freelance Copywriting In Hong Kong

This city is all about work. Long hours, six days a week worth of work. On the weekends people pour into the streets to shop. I think shopping is Hongkongers favourite pasttime.


If you want to know what the Hong Kong experience is like: click here - freelance copywriter link


I bought a book by Augusten Burroughs, it's okay, he was a copywriter in New York in the early 90s and he has since published his memoirs. It's a good, fast read, but he has a way of pushing emotional buttons that I find slightly manufactured.

I liked the cover.


Friday, October 06, 2006

Mid Autumn Festival

It’s another holiday in Hong Kong. It’s 8 o’clock and I’m here by myself. I suppose I will go to Victoria Park and watch the Lantern Festival, as it is right by my place. The nice thing about being so busy is that you don’t have enough time to yourself to be lonely.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Psychology and Advertising

Having a background in psychology is useful in this industry. Getting into the head of the target market, be it a high powered business man looking for people he can trust, or a pennywise shopper out buying school supplies like pencils, erasers, post-its and protractor sets; I like to completely absorb myself into the role.

I find cognitive psychology especially useful. There are scientific studies that show the pathways information moves along from word to word, and how it is affected by priming. For instance, if I were to ask you to conjure up a mental picture of a ruler...

It would be the ruler you use to measure things, probably the wooden kind with the metal edge and not a ruler that reigns over the land. This is because of the previous priming in the paragraph above.

The studies of memory and the state-specific and location-specific factors that influence it, as well as how the brain differentiates between recognition and recall stimulus in its hardwiring make for very useful strategizing in media planning and conceptualization.

Then there is the 7 plus or minus 2 rule. People can only remember between 5 and 9 digits or items in a row.

For instance read this list, look away and see how many you can remember, write them down.

Fox, Rabbit, Hippo, Rhino, Tiger, Penguin, Goose, Crocodile, Elephant, Lizard

If you can remember all ten, you have an excellent memory. If it is between 5-9 you are normal. Most likely, you remembered the first and last.

Now, conjure up a mental picture of a scale.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Moving

Moving is a stressful, expensive and labour-intensive experience for most, but it isn’t so bad when you are nomadic like myself. I can carry everything that I own, albeit rather uncomfortably. This means I can pack up, move and reestablish in under an hour, which comes in handy when you are kicked out of your apartment to make room for vacationing mainlanders who will shell out an extra $4000 HK during the month of October only to get invited back for November as you are collecting your damage. Sheesh. My new place is okay, though, but no view.

It is bizarre that I spent so many years working for moving companies and auction houses, and moving furniture everyday. There is nothing that most people hate more than moving, but I kind of like it, on to new places and adventures.

In other news, I've made peace with Google.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Extension II

Excellent. I have been extended for another month.

Creativity

There is a certain state that you hit when doing creative work.

I am pretty sure everyone has experienced it at some point. It is when an idea just appears, out of nowhere. It happens in sports as well. But for me, as I spend most of my time writing, that's where I get the 'spark'.

Experimenting with the frequency of ideas, I would say that idea generation is kind of like a muscle. The more you force yourself to come up with ideas and the more time you spend on it, the more your brain becomes used to 'thinking sideways' or creatively. It is a fun way to see the world.

Here are a few ads that I think are just plain fun, but effective, and the kind of stuff I like.

Canal Plus - March of the Emperor

Coke - Videogame

Sci-Fi - Human Suit

American Express - Wes Anderson

Vodafone - Mayfly

Sunday, October 01, 2006

My New Apartment

Well, I had to move. October is the busiest month in Hong Kong and for no reason at all, they told me I couldn't stay in this sweet room with the nice view any more.

It was impossible to reason with them, they just said I had to leave and then went off in Cantonese and laughed at me.

So, fine, I found a new place. It is more expensive, and there is no view, but it is at least brand new and a bit bigger than this place. It also has a TV and DVD.

It's HK7000, but I bargained them down to HK6500 a month. It's serviced so they come and clean it and whatnot. So it could be worse. Definitely a step down from this place though. I move in on Tuesday.

Work is as busy as ever. I had my first day off in ages yesterday, today I went in for seven hours and tomorrow I have to go in again, long weekend or no long weekend, there is work to be done.

As the apartment dude was taking me around the city showing me various rooms, the first one he showed me was on the 14th floor, which I would never do, either way, the place was like a cell, so I said no way. There was a restaurant up there overlooking the harbour, so as we were there the fireworks started and this random dude and myself watched the show for 30 minutes in a restaurant packed with people with the lights out. It was a bit surreal. The fireworks were good though.