Careful What You Tweet

A story recently posted on Mashable today, discussed the young woman being sued $50,000 for libel- via Twitter! The suit is being filed by Horizon Realty against Amanda Bonnen for disparaging their company on Twitter. Keep in mind this women tweets every few days and had (page was removed) about 20 followers. Here is the Tweet in question:

“Who said sleeping in a moldy apartment was bad for you? Horizon realty thinks it’s okay.”

I believe that companies can truly improve their practices through things their customers post on Twitter, and other social sites. Just think if Comcast tried to sue everyone who ever said anything bad about their company via Twitter, insanity would ensue. Good thing they didn't.

I can see how Horizon Realty would be peeved that a customer was on Twitter bashing their company. Just like I'm sure Amanda was when Horizon allegedly ignored her mold problem. However, their reaction to sue before warning does worse for their reputation than the Twitter post did.

If Horizon wins, could it be an indication of how Internet libel is handled in the future? Would this case change the way people use Twitter? The Internet?

Agencies on Twitter

Yesterday, Ad Age posted a controversial piece on the lackluster Twitter accounts from ad agencies. They pose the question: why would clients pay money to agencies to use Twitter, when they themselves can't seem to figure it out?

@greynyinterns got a slap on the wrist for releasing unauthorized content (clarification: I'm one of the "account interns" not part of the Twitter account). On the contrary, @cmithun got an IHF for being awesome. I think it's because Libby works there.

While the comments posed varying degrees of self promotion and intelligence, it seems as if everyone has an opinion on the subject. However most agencies (and companies) can't seem to figure out the questions: why are you here and who are you talking to?

To me, it seems the only reason I would follow an agency Twitter account is because I'd want a job there. I get my industry news, agency gossip, and new creative updates elsewhere. So what's the point of an agency even having a Twitter account? I'd rather hear from individuals working there, than the 140 characters that have to go through corporate.

Signed, Yaybia's First New York Correspondent

GOOD LUCK, CHARIOT!

On behalf of the Yaybia girls who are now the Ghosts of NSAC Past, I want to wish the best of luck to the 2009 team at Nationals this week in Washington, DC.  They have worked so hard and we are incredibly proud of them!  Now bring home a victory, ladies!

University of Minnesota Takes the District 8 NSAC Title!

We here at YAYBIA! are proud to announce that our University of Minnesota NSAC team, a.k.a. Chariot, won 1st place at the District 8 National Student Advertising Competition in Minneapolis, MN on Saturday, April 25th. Minnesota State University Moorhead, South Dakota State University, and St. Thomas won 4th, 3rd, and 2nd place, respectively.

Big shout outs to those who came to support us as we pitched our campaign. It really meant a lot.

Also, I have to send my love to Danielle and Jeanine for their excellent delivery yesterday. I could not have wished for a better performance. And Erin- great work on the slides. Your dedication behind the scenes was essential for this win.

We're going to Nationals in Washington D.C.! Boo - ya! Go Chariot!

May the best idea win...NOT.

With my impending graduation near, I think more and more about the industry I will soon enter. Is what they teach us in school really how the real world works. Do the best ideas always win?

Recently, as shared on AdRants, the site Killed Ideas sparked my attention. Most in the industry can attest they've had brilliant ideas killed by the agency or client. Why should these ideas die?

They shouldn't. And if it weren't for legality reasons, I'm sure there would be an addition to that book that proves it, right Chariot?

From my perspective it seems as if the best ideas are also the riskiest. Many agencies boast their desire to find all things creative and push the boundaries. Seems like a load of BS to me. If it doesn't make them quick ROI the idea doesn't make it past GO. What happened to long term commitments and brand perceptions? I may not always love CP+B work, but you have to give them credit for pushing the envelope.

I am not naive, I know money makes the world go round. But at times, this industry sometimes seems a little off to me. My opinions may be pegged as youthful idealism, but I'd like to hear from agency professionals out there. Is this how it works at your agency? Do the best ideas get shoved aside for the safer choice?

Ad Parodies

John Eighmey says it is a death wish for advertising to parody a show or a skit. All of a sudden, you have to be better than the original. However, I think this is especially true when the original is pretty crappy to begin with. Kind of like this one. Come on Pepsi- your Refresh Anthem was so great, what happened?

But what about parodies of advertising? In my mind, this is when a brand has made it big time. Consumers recognize your brand enough to want to create their own work from it. You've officially infiltrated pop culture, something that every brand wishes they could do.

My favorite examples:

Pepsi: Reflush Everything.

Absolut Vodka.

iPod.

Ok one more. We've all seen our fair share of these.

I know you guys have favorites too. So let's see them!

New Age of Education

In my Psychology of Advertising class, John Eighmey is meshing social media and teaching through his new blog and twitter account. In my opinion, this is the new age of education. It's easy for students to follow curriculum (um are we seriously still using WebCT?) and even interact outside of class. Not all of us like to speak up in a huge lecture and, having an online forum would facilitate discussion among the entire class.

Forget just interacting with your class, why not the whole advertising community at the J-school? I know some of the Yaybies would have loved to take a class with John Eighmey but couldn't because of scheduling. They now have a chance to hear his thoughts on creativity and the industry through his blog. We've got so many brilliant minds at our J-school, I'd love it if all the profs started creating blogs. Would you follow them?

Martha Stewart and Cupcakes Take the Cake

If you couldn't tell by now, I'm in a love affair with cupcakes. So much so, that I convinced my best buds to create a video to send to Cupcakes Take the Cake to win a ticket to the Martha Stewart Show. Turns out it was obsessive enough to win me a ticket. The show airs this Wednesday (Jan. 21) and I'm sitting in the middle wearing a bright green sweater. Talk about your fifteen minutes of fame. Check out some pics here.

Here's the set:


Lucky for me, I got to sit down and have lunch with the lovely ladies at Cupcakes Take the Cake. Rachel started the blog only a few years ago, and since then it has blown up. Maybe all of us bloggers could take few pointers from these intelligent and talented women. Check out the interview I scored:



And no, I didn't get to meet Martha.

Yaybia Love from NYC

Last night Lam, D, and Tsang enjoyed drinks with Matt from AgencySpy in NYC.  Turns out that ever since The Great Nipple Post of 2008, Matt has been a big Yaybia fan.  Today he posted an awesome call for AgencySpy readers to share advice with us industry newbies--and even hinted that interested parties should offer Lam a job!  I can't lie, I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the Yaybia logo under AgencySpy's.  Made me feel like our little blog is growing up, aww...

Thanks to Matt for the link love and help in getting us career (and blog) advice!  And Yaybia readers:  what's the best piece of job-hunting advice you've ever received?  Comment!

Advertising Themes in Movies

In light of Alicia's recent goal to watch all of these movies, I started thinking about ones that feature the advertising industry.

I was watching What Women Want with the boy last weekend. For those of you that missed this one, (just turn on TBS any given night) the basic premise is about a big-headed ad exec that thinks he can get any woman he wants. It's only after he can read their minds that he realizes his macho behavior is seen as unattractive by the opposite sex. After stealing "the big idea" from a colleague he realizes his wrong doing and they kiss and make up.

Next up is How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Another egotistical creative director thinks he can get any girl to fall in love with him. To win the "big campaign" he makes a bet with the two corporate ladder-climbing bitches that he can get any woman to fall in love with him. The movie ends with him and Kate Hudson kissing and making up.

Another ad-centric movie is Picture Perfect with Jennifer Aniston. Main character, Kate, is passed up for a promotion since she is still single and has no ties to the company. After her boss pressures her to get a man she convinces one to be her fiancee. She also grabs the attention of the hot shot creative (ahhh Kevin Bacon) she's always wanted. In the end, everyone kisses and makes up.

Along with stereotyping, these movies are all chick flicks. Are we all dying to fall in love with ad execs? Are there truths to these stereotypes? What are some other movies? I know I'm missing some.

Sprint's Widgets

Please tell me someone else has seen this site. If not, go play now. I learned the wonders of this widget-filled playground from someone at the office.

Learn how much money is being spent online at the moment, how many bicycles are being produced worldwide or how many cases of malaria are spawning (ok that one is gross). Although the last thing I need is another mindless site to occupy my otherwise busy days (yep-there is a different puppy cam on this site) I still love a good find like this one. This however does not make me want to switch Sprint. Cool site never trumps crappy service. Sorry GS&P.

What do you think? While waiting for your comments I'll be busy tracking the number of people getting stuck in elavators.

SPOTLIGHT: Hunt Adkins

Welcome to Yaybia's newest series- Spotlight on Minneapolis Agencies. The inspiration for this new series is from the lovely Advergirl. The Minneapolis area is home to over 300 ad agencies and consultants, all with a variety of specialties and clients. It's about time we pay due to this city we call home.

To kick off this series we'll start with my very own agency: Hunt Adkins. HA is a small agency located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. They are ranked number 13 of the top earning agencies in Minneaoplis. Included in their past clients is Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, AdFed, ABC Sports and Northwest Airlines. Their current client list includes Northern Tool + Equipment, Bard's Tale Beer, Griffin International Companies, American Red Cross and recently added to their roster is Nutrisoda. Check out some of their fabulous work on their site. Here are some pics of the crib.

Enter, if you dare.

The conference room: where lots of important executive decisions go down.

Oooooo Awards.

Some Holiday Swag.

The following interview is with co-founder and CEO, Patrick Hunt. Previous to HA, Patrick worked in both account management and account planning at Fallon McElligott. Check it:




As an intern for HA, I've been extremely lucky to work with not only an intelligent but often entertaining bunch of people. Stay tuned for more Agency Spotlights this week!

Google Themes

I know Yaybia ladies are avid Gmail users, so I'm curious as to what everyone thinks about the new themes. While I have no problems changing the colors of my Gmail, I think some of the graphical themes could be a little much. While I thouroughly enjoy the "candy" theme, I feel it might be a distraction when sending out my resume and cover letter... 

Anyone know who makes up these themes? And can you tell me what they were thinking when creating the "Bus Stop" one?

In an Absolut World

As I furiously wrote my cases paper last night, I took a step back and realized something. Absolut has done some of the coolest sh*t ever. Not only does their brand tagline "In An Absolut World" invite viewers to create their own idealized visions, it asks them to be submitted and possibly realized. In an Absolut world, everyone is a visionary.

Take Helmut Lang for example. His vision was for everyone to be able to experience art as if they were able to see it in a museum. His digital exhibit "Alles Gleich Shwer" is an interactive gallery of Lang's work.

And Improv Everywhere felt that in an Absolut world, everyone would be welcomed home. View their realized vision here. If I had 20 strangers welcome me home at the airport, I'd be brand loyal to Absolut forever.

Ok one more. Here's the latest visionary by Jim Denevan. In his Absolut world, cities would farm. To make this vision possible, he teamed up with Absolut to host a dinner in NYC that featured food grown in the five boroughs. Check out some press.

In my Absolut world, I'd be able to afford one of these. Please share some of your visions.

Obama-rama

I posted a while back about Obama's 30 minute spot that ran last night on CBS, Fox, NBC, BET, Univision, TVOne and MSNBC (hey ABC, where you at?). Was it a $3.5 million waste? Or brilliant media placement? I'm not going to lie, I was skeptical at first. Is this what politics has come to, half hour ad-tastic spectacles? I suppose anything is better than this.

But I must say I quite enjoyed this 30 minute spot. It was beautifully filmed (Dona Schwartz agrees ;) ) and the narrative was extremely moving. Not only do I feel emotionally connected with Obama, but I also learned his exact strategies for moving our country in a new direction. Sorry people, politics isn't just about rationality, we want to feel good about who we put in charge. Yes they must be capable, but they also must be kind, and good hearted individuals.

Alright enough of my opinions. What are yours?

In case you missed it.

Even YOU can do this

My post today is inspired by Advergirl's recent post on Kiva.org. 

First a little background info on Kiva. Their goal is to alleviate poverty in developing countries by offering the world's first person to person micro-lending site. It works by lenders (you, yea you) browsing profiles of entrepreneurs in need of funds to start or continue their business. After specifying the amount you would like to lend, Kiva's micro-finance partners then distribute the loan funds to the entrepreneur. Over a specified period of time, the entrepreneur repays the loan to the lenders. Once the lender receives their money back they have the option of withdrawing their funds, re-lending to someone else in need or donating it to Kiva. 

The last person I lent to was trying to expand her farm to surrounding villages. Since then, I've decided to re-loan my money to other entrepreneurs. Kiva makes it so easy. I also love Kiva because you feel a personal connection with the people you lend to. Kiva gives you the opportunity to connect with other lenders, receive updates and messages from entrepreneurs and hear personal stories of success.  A few of Kiva's corporate sponsors include: Google, Starbucks, YouTube, Facebook, Think MTV, and Yahoo. (there are a lots more). I've also noticed pre-roll ads on Hulu. Here's a list of their field partners.

As a college student, I know what it's like to eat ramen for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 3 straight months. I know what it's like to "check out" random student clubs on campus just to jack a free meal. And what its like to not do laundry for 5 weeks since I couldn't find enough quarters. 

However I also know what it's like to spend way too much money on a dress I didn't really need and am only going to wear once. And how I rationalize buying an entire table a round of drinks since I "just got my paycheck". Or how I tell myself it's okay to drive to work because it's so effing cold outside today (hey it IS Minnesota). 

The coolest thing about Kiva, is that you can lend for as little as $25. That's a purse you didn't need, extra three drinks you shouldn't have had and a movie you and your bf (or bff) could have rented instead.  In the spirit of Blog Action Day, what are some things you would be willing to give up, so that others can succeed?

Ad Icons Personified

So yesterday I was continuing my eternal search for the most epic, original and slightly inapropriate Halloween costume. I landed on the Orbit Gum Girl. It will give me an excuse to talk like a Brit, bleach my hair and call people lint lickers all night.

Instead of searching on Halloween costume sites (boooring) I went to advertising icon ones. Except they were all of animated characters or people dressed up in creepy outfits. No thanks. Where are the real people?

So I watched some good ol' television for some inspo - here's my favs:

Mac and PC guys: Lindsay's called dibs.

Paul from Verizon.

Subway's Jared.

Geico's Caveman. Alright that falls into the creepy category.

Other favs?

Politics-Infomercial style

And you thought :30 second spots were too long. How do you feel about a 30 minute Obama spot airing on NBC and CBS? Tune in at 8:00pm on Oct 29th to see the action. Thanks AdAge.

No information on the content of this ad has been released. My guesses include a possible telethon to raise money for more buttons (achem I still haven't gotten mine...), a free set of kitchen knives with every Obama vote, or an Obama sponsored sitcom-complete with blatant product placements.

Any other ideas?

Cupcake-a-licious

It's about time for a cupcake post. Few things in life are as sexy and indulgent as cupcakes-so no wonder they pop up in advertising. Check out this saucy piece of work from DDB in New York.

Cupcake shop owners are promoting their shops up the wazoo.
Johnny Cupcakes, based in LA, have a sweet site choc-full of webisodes, t-shirts, events and a blog. Cupcake'n crazies know how to throw down too.

Cupcakes have now taken over the world. Their all up in our television, art, fashion, cities and our streets. And I love it.Cupcakes are taking over the blogosphere as well. Check out some of my fav cupcake blogs.

All Things Cupcake

Cupcakes Take the Cake - they're on Twitter too!

Hello, Cupcake! blog

And while some may think that the cupcake empire has fallen, the craze is not over. Thank God. Life with out cupcakes just isn't a life worth living. If you hang around me long enough, you'll realize I make cupcakes for every occasion (even the debates). So be my best friend.

In the words of Erin: "It's nice you have a hobby…"

STOP and VOTE.

With the DNC and the RNC going on these past couple of weeks, theres been an awful lot of hubbub about the election in November. Debates on who is the better candidate, distasteful advertising, and relentless reporting is sure to leave the next two months in a state of chaos. Whoever you are voting for, the most important message is, you need to. There are 50 million of us between the ages of 18-29 years old, and if we all vote, it's impossible for our demographic to be ignored.

While I was in NYC I met with a small agency called The Concept Farm. One of their directors, Griffin Stenger, told me about all of the awesome work their interns are up to. They've created their own campaign called Stop and Vote. The full interactive site will be up and running Sept. 9. In the mean time, visit their facebook group and flickr page. You can also register to vote, find your closest polling place or receive absentee ballots on their website. As part of the campaign, they are encouraging people to put "VOTE" stickers over stop signs (which has already been happening). I love this because it's people our age who had the ambition and drive to create this campaign all on their own. Stop making excuses and VOTE!!