He had the look of a pimp. And the soul of a funky, voodoo high priest. Legendary New Orleans-based musician Dr. John, also known as “The Night Tripper,” died at the age of 77, his family announced in a tweet. He died of a heart attack early on Thursday morning. “Towards the break of day … Continue reading “Six-time Grammy winner Dr. John dies at 77”
Okay Dwayne Wade and his Miami Heat soundly beat my Sixers last night in his last home game. I suppose for a legend such as Wade (who also played for my Chicago Bulls), it was a fitting end. Especially when you consider the day also served as the debut of a touching, emotionally-packed spot from … Continue reading “Reel Ad of the Week: This Bud’s for Dwayne Wade”
Awards season finally comes to a curious, confounding and sometimes confusing end this Sunday when the Oscars announce their winners at the Dolby Theater. This year, there is no host (may come to regret that, Kevin Hart detractors) for Hollywood’s version of The Super Bowl. And in a Black History Month where a notable number … Continue reading “Who will win the Oscars? Here are our picks”
Schafer Condon Carter and Next/Now take home gold and silver respectively According to Ad Age’s Small Agency Awards landing page one of the biggest advantages of being a small agency is, “One of the biggest advantages of being a small agency is having more hands-on time with clients, less red tape and the … Continue reading “Chi agencies win big in Ad Age’s Small Agency awards”
Created by David&Goliath, “May the Best Dream Win” inspires Californians to believe that no dream is too big, too small or too out there. I’m a dreamer, that’s why I never felt completely at home in Philly, New York or Chicago. With no disrespect to my former homes, I always felt the west was calling … Continue reading “CA Lottery’s SuperLotto Plus campaign breathes new life into the ‘California Dream’”
The Colonie has promoted and hired several employees to accommodate a surge in broadcast and social media work that began in 2017, according to a press release issued today. “There’s been an increase in commercial and social media projects, as well as integrated broadcast and online campaigns,” explains Mary Caddy, Executive Producer and Partner. “The … Continue reading “Yearlong spike in business fuels expansion at The Colonie”
Last week, Mars Wrigley Confectionary brand, Skittles, announced that it would create the most exclusive Super Bowl ad ever, and would only screen it to only one person, and that person happens to be Marcos Menendez a teenager from Canoga Park, California. According to an agency spokeswoman, Menendez is a real teenager, not a paid … Continue reading “Schwimmer pushes Skittles for Super Bowl”
Doner LA beefs up McDonald’s team Doner LA announced four senior hires following the recent consolidation of McDonald’s retail and local marketing, where Doner was assigned nearly 1,000 local partners to help bring big-agency strategic and creative firepower down to the co-op and franchisee level. Andrew Lamar joins Doner as a Multicultural Strategist, working across … Continue reading “New faces at Doner LA and Wonderful”
Doner LA feasts on Del Monte Doner LA is starting off its 2018 pretty much the same way it ended its 2017 – with a win. The shop has now been named lead agency for California-based Del Monte Foods, one of the nation’s largest producers, distributors and marketers of premium quality, branded food products, following … Continue reading “Reel LA: Doner, Deutsch, PGA, WGA in the news”
After joining AICP and AICE into a single association under the AICP brand, the newly formed organization announced that Craig Duncan, Managing Director and Partner of Cutters Studios Chicago, has joined the AICP National Board. “We’ve thought long and hard about how to advance our mission of support and advocacy for the post-production industry, and … Continue reading “Craig Duncan joins board of newly merged AICE/AICP”
When I was thirteen, I developed a habit of stealing. Not money. Not jewelry. Not even toys. No, I fell into the habit of lifting “Playboys” from my neighborhood drug store. They were kept on the top shelf of the smallish-Reese Pharmacy, far out of reach for my 5’4” frame at the time. Thus, I … Continue reading “Native Chicagoan Hugh Hefner dies at 91”
To say that Seed Media Arts director David Rosen resorted to childish behavior on the set of a recent shoot is incorrect. That was his plan from the beginning.
“I’m a goofball,” he explains. “If I’m playful and spontaneous, then the kids are going to be playful and spontaneous as well.”
Working on a concept by DDB Chicago for global engineering firm Emerson, Rosen directed on-camera interviews with 70 kids aged five- to-sixteen-years-old in two separate locations over four days.
The new Netflix original series, Friends from College, from writer/director Nicholas Stoller (Neighbors, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and spouse/co-writer Francesca Delbanco (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek) finally debuted earlier this month.
Directed and executive produced by Stoller, the eight-episode show delves into interwoven and complicated relationships, including former romantic entanglements and comedic explorations of old bonds. As everyone tries to manage their lives as adults, they also experience nostalgia.
There’s a scene in Dirty Harry where Clint Eastwood berates his partner for doing the sin of sins — putting ketchup on his hotdog.
“Nobody puts ketchup on a hotdog,” is a truism shared by every true hotdog-eating, Cubs and Whitesox loving/hating Chicagoan.
But what about “Dog Sauce?”
Just in time for #NationalHotDogDay, Heinz has unveiled a Dog Sauce exclusively for Chicagoans.
Ingredients of the Dog Sauce include red ripe tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt, and a blend of spices and flavorings.
Yeah… Ketchup. Suckas.
This is the final installment of a three-part series. To view part one, click here. For part two, here.
Leo Burnett executive producer Ron Nelken transformed advertsing concepts from Cook County Jail detainees into professional quality spec television commercials with the help of friends and associates in Chicago’s advertising and film industries.
According to multiple June 13 reports, Sears announced it would cut 400 jobs, affecting mostly its employees at its corporate headquarters in Hoffman Estates.
The layoffs come as part of an effort to restructure, which is designed to deliver Sears $1.25 billion in annual cost reductions.
On top of the corporate office jobs, positions at field operations will be affected as well due to store closures Sears initiated earlier in June.
Hero Solutions’ Ira Amyx and Jay Neander knew just what to do when advertising agency FCB Chicago asked them to fuse a stuffed animal with a firearm.
“We made a metallic-silver looking teddy bear with a pistol coming out of his face,” says Neander. “The bear was 3d printed and then re-coated and finished.”
“The gun was a .357,” adds Amyx. “We cast a real one and made a fake one.”
Editor’s Note — Our contributor, Colin Costello, recently enjoyed personal growth by moving from beyond a writer’s traditional role to actually directing his short film, The After Party. We asked Colin to chronicle his journey.
Mix Kitchen composer and vocalist Lauren Duski advanced to the top 11 finalists of NBC’s The Voice last Tuesday night.
After Red Bull’s “Batting Practice in the Streets” promotion on the Chicago River ended last week, Bridges Media executive producer Cannon Kinnard was only about halfway through with his part of the job.
“‘Batting Practice’ ended probably about one o’clock,” he says. “We sent the final, 90-second video to Red Bull around 10 p.m.”
