More holiday 2009 spots.

This spot from Walgreens was one of the smarter ones that came out this season. Straight to the point, good sense of humor and a talking snowman. Who wouldn't want to befriend a talking snowman???

Gingerbread.

This Target spot is all sorts of crazy. But the its the exact crazy that really does start off the usual commercialized holiday season. Which, by the way, is earlier every year. I mean, holiday displays in September??

Xmas 2009 ads.

One of the better campaigns for this holiday season include the latest from Gap. Their print and television campaigns are definitely catchy and remind us of the in-house campaigns they put out a few years back. Anyone remember the khaki campaign?

Over the next few days I'll be putting out the newest holiday ads that have been catching my eye.

Things Consumers Don't Like

Things Consumers Don't Like

Coolest media gift 2009.

this is the most clever gift i've seen for media buyers all year..

Mad Men Action Figure (yea we'll call it an action figure...shut it.)

pretty dope marketing product for a t.v. show, especially when it's a super rare premium only given to media buyers, which elevates this even further in my opinion. i even like the packaging quote, "collect all four mistresses!"

Dear Readers...

Holy moly.

Blogger's block + laziness + lack of news = almost 4 months of inactivity.

Let's jump start this thing back up, shall we?

The ad agency dilemma.

Okay. The Super Bowl was the second most watched American television program. It eclipses every televised sporting event there is, even the Olympics in the USA. So, this year, it aired on Fox.

Word on the media side is that Fox's S&P really fell hard on the salespeople. For example, GoDaddy.com was forced to withdraw one of their SB spots featuring Danica Patrick for using the word "beaver".

The game was amazing, the ads...not so much. Fox raked in about $260 million in ad revenue from the 63 30-sec spots available. However, nothing stood out. It was all cutesy, ho-hum types of commercials and rehashings of ideas beaten to death years prior. Even the beer companies didn't bring the heat.

And Naomi Campbell hawking SoBe water? Do you really want that woman repping your brand? Whoever green-lit that creative should be dealt with...

I only worked on one SB spot but that aired locally in the southern US. Nowhere near a national spot during the 4th Q., but media people work incredibly hard to get these creatives on air. Without us, the agencies would be nothing... At least that's what I like to pretend.

Anyway...from a creative standpoint, Courtney has some thoughts... Check it out.

Maybe I should work on my time management...

Last night's Super Bowl was the talk of the town today. I hit the ground running at the office talking to everyone about the game and how most of the office pretty much partied until the early morning hours at the expense of work.

Needless to say, Monday was much more manic than normal. Coupled with some early morning snow and unending tasks at the office, I had one hell of a day. Sometimes I find it difficult relax on days like this, I get worked up and become increasingly difficult to deal with. At least I admit it. It's a fault of mine that I'd like to change but by nature I shut down all common sense and go into auto-pilot.

And the exact thing I promised myself I would never do...I did it. I brought work home with me. Or rather, I sent myself an e-mail of files so I can work on them.

There aren't enough hours in the day for me to do everything I'd like and that's frustrating.

Aggravation.

Macworld is exciting. It is good times. It is me. I am it. We are one. I need it in my life. Once I let the excitement subside, I'll pick out the finer points and summarize my favorites tomorrow.

Today was interesting. I woke up at 6am as usual. Got up, scrubbed and dressed. I grabbed my car keys with full intention of moving my car. See in New York, there are street cleaning rules for each side of the street on different days of the week. On 47th Ave., where I live, I have to move my car twice a week; once on Monday and the other on Tuesday.

I got in the put-put, started the car and drove around looking for a spot so I won't get ticketed for Tuesday cleaning. I really didn't think I would be driving in circles for two hours this morning looking for parking. Two hours. Time I reserved for the gym before going to the office. I ended up parking at the Chinese supermarket parking lot, hoping it wouldn't get towed away (it didn't.)

Once I got to the office, it was straight to work. I work on an extremely difficult client where I feel that nothing I do is correct. Every other client I've worked on has been a relatively smooth experience but this one is just the opposite. I need to know the ins and outs of all media like the back of my hand, and on top of that layer, there are language and cultural differences I have to contend with on a daily basis because I chose to work in ethnic media.

I didn't look up from my desk until 3:30pm. It was not my day today. And when I did finally make it to the gym...I go and pull my back. That's just a perfect end to a crappy day.

At least my car wasn't towed away.

Work hazards.

After all the awareness building and community involvement I've been into since I was in college, it's disheartening to see that effects of the work from people like myself have gone somewhat unnoticed by the mainstream. What is the point of raising awareness if nobody knows?

I was working on some market research for a client and as I tried to find market demographics and measurments, Asians are still grouped as one demo. Most Neilsen data does not specify the hugely different ethnic groups within the "Asian" designation. Sure, I am preaching to the choir. However I can't help but feel that after years of working towards opening doors, there is a whole hallway of doors left to unlock.

It's tough. But I suppose that the only unifying factor that exists in this world is money. Revenue, profits, kick-backs and gifts...that's really the only language anybody responds to.

Obviously because I'm part of that community, I am attune to the different cultural nuances of each ethnicity. Or at least I am aware of them. It sucks when I speak to certain station reps who are surprised to find out that I am not who they pictured me to be. With an Italian/Spanish-sounding name and an undeniably Asian face, the looks I receive are remarkable.

I remember one rep who asked me if I was mixed because I looked "oriental". Yes. She said it and the world stopped for me right there. I heard tires screech to a halt. I had steam come out of my ears. My blood boiled and I knocked on my desk as a signal to my co-worker in the next cubicle that shit was about to go down. I schooled her. I felt better after that.

Still that small triumph isn't enough to change the world. It's going to take a lot more schooling for that to happen.

Inspire.

[After this, Vince and I went on to order enough ChickenJoy to make a small child vomit.]

My weekend in San Francisco wasn't all fun and games as one would be led to believe. The whole reason I planned to head out west last minute was because I was invited to attend the Ayala Foundation USA retreat. Being the lone representative from New York, I had no clue what I had gotten myself into and I really did not know what to expect from the few days of work. I'm pretty much new to the project but they felt that I had key qualities to contribute to the various causes and solutions of AFUSA.

So here I was. Painfully the youngest head in the room...and they paid attention and put value in my ideas and thoughts. These are self-made individuals, movers and shakers, or rather, pillars in the national Fil-Am community. In my mind, I thought, this is exactly who I strive to be, and without realizing it, I already was.

Fast forward to the dinner on the last night...I was mingling with all sorts of individuals and before I know it, I've got my foot in my mouth...

"How you doin'? I'm JD from New Yawk" (slight accent came out), was the line I started with. My conversation moved to how open, open bar was; and how I was just starting in my career while trying to sound oh-so-impressive. Little did I know, I was straight up talking to one of the trustees like he was one of my boys. I found that out later in the same conversation. I was red in the face. But I think my unaffected demeanor was appreciated by those I failed to recognize as the trustees in the organization. I came across as myself and they felt that I was truly genuine. At least that's what I tell myself.

After meeting some of the most influential Filipinos in the world (literally, I could name drop a few billionaires) I came away from California with a new resolve and a fresh start to my commitment to helping enhance the Philippine way of life.

Oh, and I also got to hit Jolibee and In-N-Out...wouldn't have been a Cali trip without it.

New energy.

Woot! Another weekend down summoning another great start to my summer season. Lately, it seems that all I've been busy doing is going out an partying but that's only part of the truth. Work is definitely picking up with second quarter coming to a close and third quarter campaigns launching at the office. I'm working on some great accounts and have been able to take positions of responsibility (and liability) for some terrific clients. It's exciting because this is what I've been working towards since I stepped into the advertising world two years ago.

Making the move to this new company has been positive on so many levels that it has carried over to other parts of what I've been doing. Re-focusing on what's important to me, I've decided to step back from dancing. I haven't decided if this will be long or short term, but dancing has become more of a chore than anything else. The fun that I used to find when I was grooving just wasn't happening lately. So I've actually focused my creative energy voluteering for the NAATF and for GILAS.

My work for GILAS is especially exciting because they've chosen me to lead an extensive national marketing campaign raising awareness of the organization and its causes. Within the next five years, GILAS plans to have all public schools in the Philippines wired with computer equiptment and connected to the internet. It's a huge educational project for the Philippines and we've received some excellent contributions from several corporate sponsors. As an aside, GILAS is run by Ayala Foundation, part of one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines. I'm meeting some of the most influential people in the Philippines and here I am...JD from Elmhurst, Queens, spoutin' some raw street smart shit and they're hanging on every word. It's unreal.

For the longest time, I've written that the gears have been in motion for me. Now, I have what I've been looking for in my hands and it's up to me to make the most of all the opportunities that I'm sitting on. One thing is for sure, I won't give myself up... I will still approach a CEO the way I approach the doorman at the office lobby; with respect and an informal Queens style "how ya doin'?". I will still be THAT guy at the parties...the brutally honest guy on 17...the guy in the loud button down...the guy with the mullet. As long as I have my balance, my future is going to be bright.

Now. Who wants a business card? I've been giving these out like chewing gum...

King of the world...almost.

I learned today that I will be taking over two of the big campaigns at work. And I was able to run some ideas across one of the vice presidents in the elevator while getting some coffee. Soon enough, I will be taking over the world...just as I planned.

25,714,807...it begins with my favorite KDPhi's and NYU Dental students.

BTW...I work here...

This is the company...and here is my building.

The Financial District.

I work one block away from this big guy right here.

This is the third completed week at the new job and it's been going much better than I expected. I'm getting to work on some big accounts and take over a lot of different ethnic markets across the US and Canada. One of my big duties is contacting Fil-Am and Fil-Canadian publications that may or may not be in print anymore. With that said, I've got to sharpen my Tagalog skills so I can build that rapport with the publishers and take the business relationship to the next level.

My only complaint about where I work is that there is no lunch deal cheaper that $8. Spending about $10 a day adds up and next thing I know, I just blew my West Coast trip savings. And I thought Manhattan was expensive enough, the Wall St. area multiplies it ten-fold. I did however, find the lone Cuban restaurant with a a great $6 lunch combo deal. Pernil all day, everyday.

And with Bev and Atis working in the area, I'll be able to make more of the much needed Stony connections again.

Hob-nob.

Last night, I was fortunate enough to meet with the current president of Ayala Foundation, an offshoot of the Ayala companies which are based in Manila. Along with Jesse and LJ, we comprised the "young people" contingent and were able to provide some perspective on their ongoing charity work throughout the United States and the Philippines. It's a project that has a ton of potential and would enable me to directly see the results of my personal contribution.

This might even give me a reason to go back to the Philippines much sooner than I expected. (JD accepting a position in Makati!?!? Let me not get ahead of myself here...)

To be continued.

Got 'em.

Congratulate me. I got the new job.

Next step...sidestepping "going down in a blaze of glory". That wouldn't be good for anybody.

Man Hugs.

Things took a great turn for the better in the course of the early morning hours today. By leaps and bounds, my mood was taken to the topmost floor of where it can be. Though, not official yet, positive news from one company I interviewed for was dispatched to me by a friend at the company. Then 15 minutes later, I received my bonus in addition to my paystub. And to top it off...I think I'm sprung, but then again, when am I not sprung on someone? HA.

Cheesing my way through the day didn't go unnoticed by my co-workers. They knew what was up, with my one foot already out the door. It's just a matter of time and patience now.

LJ keeps e-mailing the team from the Philippines, updating us on his efforts to help clean up Bohol after that horrible disaster. He'll be back in Manila by the weekend, keeping contact with all the girls that the rest of the fellas are talking to through the magic of AIM. Marty says we're going to have to beat him down once he touches back down on American soil. We're all famz though...man hugs and all. Except for Jesse, the gimp had surgery on his shoulder yesterday....his left arm is in what I imagine to be a perpetual right turn arm signal.

With my lighter mood...now it's really feeling like the holiday.