Now, it's unusual for me to blog about a movie, considering what this blog's purpose is for. But I think what I felt after watching the movie "Extremely loud and incredibly close" is a valuable message.

Now if you don't already know, this movie is about September 11th, and the events that took place on that infamous day.I don't think there's any spoilers in this post, because this post isn't really about the movie, but more so perspective. Given that 9/11 happened over 10 years ago, I was a mere highschool student at the time. Which means my thoughts and feelings of the event are pretty engraved in my head, but also that they were that of a 16 year old girl. 

There have been tons of movies about the events, some I watched, some I can't bring myself to watch. For some reason though, this movie gave me a different perspective of the event. It was able to make me feel, and I mean, crying in the theatre feel, for these people. I was able to understand, and visualize and imagine what it would be like for a new yorker that day. Not being able to reach your loved ones, not being sure where or when you would see your family again. The sights, the smells, the horror, the chaos, the utter displacement one must have felt that day.

I've been to New York pre and post 9/11 and the city is still recovering, and it will never be the same. I'm not really sure as to why this movie helped things click, but it did. Which proves to me, no matter how much you think you know, there's always a different perspective, as long as you're open. Because even a day, so recorded, so memorable, so influential and horrible, 10 years later, I can see a side I didn't before. 

I think it's pretty obvious how perspective plays into advertising...any thoughts out there?

Dear CTV,

Your online video service is awesome, and I love it. But you know what's absolutely absurd and annoying? Your millions of pre-roll. I get it, you want to make money, and that's cool. I'm all for it.

However, if you could be a bit more user-friendly, that would be great. You can't pause pre-roll, that's super annoying. What if I'm not ready for the show yet,  or need to stop it for a second, nope, you won't let me.

Another annoying thing is I can't change the clip when that pre-roll is on, which means I have to sit through those spots when I'm not waiting for the show I want. And that makes me angry.

And I'm an advertiser, I love commercials, but this whole system you got up there drives me insane, imagine what if I was just a plain ol' consumer, you've just pissed off.

So could you fix that? Pretty please, it would make me ever so happy. All I need is a pause feature and the ability to switch a show without waiting for pre-roll. 

K, thanks buh-bye

-Advergirling 

So a little while ago I had a little rant about the apple store, and while I still hate going in there, that's not to say I'm not a fan of apple products.I wouldn't go as far as saying I am an Apple Fan Girl, but I have 2 Apple products and I'm quite pleased with both of them.

However, I will say this, I will miss Steve Jobs. While some people I've said that to, don't really understand why, since I've never met the guy, I think when we all lose someone that was such a dynamic,innovative and influential person, there is something to mourn.

Steve Jobs definately changed the technology world, and I would like to thank him for making his vision come true no matter how rough it got along the way.

Rest in peace Mr. Jobs, you've done good.

So I was on a site and I saw an ad for this: http://about.adkeeper.com/ a type of saving site for ads. As an advertiser, I'm always looking for my competitors work and this seems like a great way for me to compile my competitors ads...however this product is for the average internet user.

Watching their video, my understanding is a consumer would click on the ad, to save it for viewing later. The consumer then, at a later date and time would go to the site and view the ads they saved. While they are on the ad keeper site, they are also able to go and view other activity from the brand.

No offense to ad keeper, but I find it really hard to believe a consumer would go out of their way to do this and not just open up a new tab on their browser and then continue to do what they were originally doing.

Any thoughts ad people that follow me?

http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/09/national_post_takes_heat_for_running_trans...

Check the link out above. I honestly don't know what's more horrifying...The tdsb for their strange wording in the curriculum, the national post for running a hateful ad, or the fact that the ad exists in the first place. It doesn't surprise me but I'm pretty mortified with the whole thing.

I think this is a case of 303920490249 wrongs don't make a right.

How can you teach people to be tolerant?

Everyday, I come home tired from my job, veg out on the couch for a bit, do a bunch of chores and go to bed. That or I attempt to be social and see people I haven't seen in awhile. All in all, I don't post nearly frequently enough in this blog. This is not to say I have forgotten, not in the least, just to say I've been busy and worn out. 

I choose to have social media in my life, and that choice also means I have the choice to take breaks from it as I please. That might not make me the best blogger ever, but it does make me human, which is all I've ever claimed to be.

Hope you folks understand, I promise a post is coming soon, I'm thinking "why working in advertising has made me a different consumer" is next.

Xoxo, advergirling.

Those that don't work in advertising might be surprised to know how many hands 1 commercial is passed through before it makes it on the air. So next time you go to make fun of an ad, think of how many people helped decide the fate of that commercial. It may take a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to make a spot.

These numbers are rough, because each account and spot is different, but on average it's a good guesstimate. I'm also basing these numbers on my experience in the business.

Agency Peeps: 

Account Team : 2 - 4

Creative Team: 3 - 4

Producer: 1

Media: 1 - 3

Accounting: 1

Total agency peeps: 13

Client Side: 

Brand team: 2 - 4

Senior Clients: 2

Research : 2

Regulatory (if needed): 1

Total client peeps: 9

Focus Groups: 

Let's say 6 groups of 20 people in qualitative: 120

And another 100 for quantitative: 100 - 200

Moderator: 1
Total focus peeps: 321

Production House: 

Director : 1

Crew : 5 - 10

Wardrobe : 1

Talent: let's say..5

Post Production:

Let's go with 5 people here

Total Production and post production: 22

Total Number of people involved: 365

Now that's something.

Okay first off let me start this by saying, I've wanted to work in advertising since I was about...14? I had been an arts and technology student in a highly specialized middleschool/highschool. I knew I loved being around creativity and that type of work. My life was never meant to just be a simple 9-5.

However, the 18 yr old that I was, was narrowly focused, I went to business school, got my marketing degree. I was involved in a marketing association of my school, I eventually became the co-pres. However, I don't ever think I thought about HOW I would get into advertising. All I knew was what I wanted, and that was advertising. Soon after I graduated, I landed a "sweet" gig at a pretty big performing arts organization as a Publicity and Marketing Intern, so I took the opportunity that landed right infront of me. Unfortunately, I graduated towards the end of 2008, and after I finished a 6 month long internship, the economy was in ruins. This meant no job, no nothing for the next 8 months. I took the opportunity to travel a bit, recooperate from a knee injury and then sit on my ass.

In that time, I saw an internship posting from an ad agency that I knew, mainly because my favourite prof worked there.They were one of the only handful of agencies I had ever heard of. I hadn't really known what to look for and by the way searching on Google "Toronto Advertising Agencies" brings up a load of crap. So, I posted them my resume for an Account Services Intern and a little while later, I had an interview. Needless to say, I rocked the interview but didn't hear back for a 2 weeks. Just when I had given up on hearing from them, I recieved a call that indicated I would start a week later. I LOVED most of my time there, I was thrilled.

After working at that agency, it opened a lot of doors despite me not being hired full time there. I've been utterly grateful for that opportunity. It was the break I needed to get into the industry I wanted. I still don't understand why younger me didn't research more into advertising but things happened the way they did, and I'm thankful to that group account director that saw something in me enough to hire me as an intern.

As you can see, I didn't have great difficulty entering the industry, now staying in has been a lot more challenging due to the economy being the way it is, lots of agencies lost lots of business. Which means when agencies do hire, it's been on contract terms, which for me, hasn't been fun. But we'll see what happens! Positive thinking!

Advertising has been a lot of what I imagined, and so much more. Before I even got in, I didn't really understand the division of account and creative. I think what I originally had in mind was being a creative, but now that I look at it, I don't think that's where I should be. My personality jives with account services, the planning, the socializing, bringing people together, keeping everyone organized, I think it's a natural fit. Plus I get all the benefits of working in a creative environment and being inspired by creativity without the hurt feelings of someone trashing my hours of work.

Hey Folks,
It's been some time since I've blogged, but after being bitten by the ad bug again, I've got some ideas! Here's a sneak peak at the topics coming here soon!

- What they don't tell you in school about advertising

- TTC Ads that get stolen

- Why I'm no longer a regular consumer

- Small Agency vs Big Agency

- That's not my demographic

- Books you should probably read

- How to get into this crazy business

- Clients VS. Agency

- How I got into this business

- How I knew this was the industry for me

- How working in advertising has changed me

And....that's it for now. If there's anything you want to ask or read about, let me know and I'll get on it!

Okay, so I know what this seems like an "i hate apple" blog rant. But no, it's not. It's literally about why I hate the store. You can argue whichever way you want about apple products, gimmicky beautiful pieces of fan obsessed technology at a high cost. But my beef is not with the products, but the actual store.

This is a store supposedly designed around user experience. You get to feel touch and play with all Apple has to offer. The store is full of staff to "help" you along with the process. However, have you ever tried to get into this store? It's impossible and irritating. The Apple store has free internet, which means every single person with absolutely zero intention to purchase a product is in here updating their facebook. The store literally smells of various human smells, which let me tell you, isn't pleasant.

While normally a store bustling with customers is a good thing, I feel in this case for Apple, it's all a lie. The people in the store aren't customers but people looking to hitch a free ride. Maybe this is a very bleak view of the people in here, but I think it's a valid one.

I've stepped in the store multiple times to attempt to look and experience the product I'm considering purchasing since my laptop is on a downwards spiral, and most times I can't even get near a computer or apple staff. I've attempted on multiple different occasions to speak to one, but haven't been able to get the time of the day. The apple store is a nightclub...but in the day and well no one wants to dance with me.

Today was probably the last straw, kids with backpacks updating their facebook (I mean it, that's exactly what they are doing) were blocking my way out of the store, when I excused myself 3 times, I became incredibly frustrated, the kid was like "WHOAAAA". I've become so irritated with the entire experience that it's turning me off purchasing the product from the direct retailer. I have questions that I want answered, and I guess I'll just have to go to another apple retailer in order to get anything accomplished.

Oh well.