Creative Skirts

Target Women

If you haven't caught an episode of Target Women, you SHOULD. It's a recurring segment on Current TV. Sarah Haskins "takes a look at the often-ridiculous way the media reaches out to women."

No wonder women's sports are under-funded

They don't have enough space for sponsorship.
From Current:

the_girl_effect

New work from W+K.
Pretty darn good new work from W+K.

Thumbs up all around. The work is crazy good:

ECD: Jelly Helm, Steve Luker
AD: Julia Blackburn (12.3) 
CW: Jessica Vacek & Ginger Robinson

The Decapitator

Around Jack the Ripper's old stomping grounds a new decapitator has taken over... this time attacking outdoor advertisements! oooooh SCARY! (and kind of funny) (unless it's really some sort of serial murderer) (in which case I retract the 'funny' comment). Happy Monday everyone!

The Decapitator

origins

I think the copy says: Though she was a tiger lady, our hero didn't have to fire a shot to floor her. After one look at his Mr Leggs slacks, she was ready to have him walk all over her. That noble styling sure soothes the savage heart! If you'd like your own doll-to-doll carpeting, hunt up a pair of these he-man Mr. Leggs slacks. Such as our new automatic wash wear blend of 65% "Dacron" and 35% rayon - incomparably wrinkle-resistant. About $12.95 at plush-carpeted stores."
"Get yourself a new pair of Mr. Leggs." 

Social change takes a while.
But with ads like this running in, I dunno, the 60's... it feels like women's liberation (or whatever) in America skyrocketed in the past 50 years.

Not making a point. I'm just sayin'.

Pure Blonde beer spot

Copywriter: Emma Hill
Art Director: Cameron Hoelter
Agency: Clemenger BBDO

Revelation! Chicks dig football too

It's true. Not all of us ladies roll our eyes when faced with football season.

Some of us know the difference between a touchdown and a touchback, some of us block out our Monday nights during the fall and some of us put Brett Favre above Brad Pitt.

A few of us are even a little obsessed.

Finally, a company that recognizes that.

Sexist? I don't think so. Go Steelers.

SuicideGirls.com

Over 5 million unique visitors a month

Over 300,000 registered subscribers

A book

A DVD

A clothing line

A burlesque show

A recently launched magazine

It would seem as if SuicideGirls.com is putting Facebook, MySpace and all the others to shame - and all with a little bit (or a lotta bit) of sex. Launched just over six years ago, SuicideGirls has weathered the internet storm and somehow made it out alive and kicking. There's no denying that they've done what many have feebly attempted - created a community of people with similar interests and given them a dynamic platform to speak from.

Their dreams go much further than the site, however. "In the same way Playboy Magazine became a beacon and guide to the swinging bachelor of the 1960s, SuicideGirls is at the forefront of a generation of young women and men whose ideals about sexuality do not conform with what mainstream media is reporting." Or so says the site's founders.

George Parker of Adweek calls it "without question, one of the most interesting, well managed and worthwhile community sites out there."

So I guess I'm running out to get my risqué photos taken by Brooklyn now.

Finally. Here are the answers:

"What do girls want anyway?"

Girls want advertising that is:
cute
funny
really smart
not super clever
deep and meaningful
girl-smart
original
new
inspiring
depicting interesting models
true
insightful
ringing true for girls

Graciously provided by your friends at 3iying.com

At least 20 minutes' worth of inspiration

Miranda July. I want to be her.

When you need a brain break, take a look at one of her latest creative endeavors: a book of random submissions to creative "assignments" she and artist Harrell Fletcher gave to the world. It's what we would have ended up with if we'd have compiled all our Fenske Creative Thinking assignments.
But we didn't.

The book contains just the best of the best submissions, but there's a whole web site full of the rest, where you can also check out the assignments and conduct your own little Creative Thinking 102:
www.learningtoloveyoumore.com

I also got a kick out of Miranda's web site promoting her award-winning book of short stories.

noonebelongsheremorethanyou.com

startling(ly hysterical)

Thank you old ironsides for pointing me towards this:
my favorite of the ads that 3ying.com reviewed.

startling

Check out this gigantic angry focus group:

CAN OF WORMS

As I sift through the archives of this blog, there seems to be one glaring question at the root of many, many posts:

Why aren't there more women in advertising?

There are variations such as, "Why are there more guys than gals in advertising," or "Why don't more women get hired into the industry?" It's all the same.

It's a good question.
More of a riddle really.

Here are some stabs at an answer, pulled from the Boards Questioning the Status Quo panel, posted here on Sept. 27, 2006:

While Janet Kestin stuck her neck out to firmly state “I think fewer [women] are getting hired in the first place, and I don’t think it has to do with the portfolios. It’s a case of like hiring like. Odds are stacked against [women] because there are fewer women doing the hiring.”

Nancy Axthelm offered that there’s a possibility “people are compartmentalized and then foster and  create like-minded people.” Perhaps this is not an issue of who’s to blame, but how to change the silo-ing.

Ethel Rubinstein added that “as far as agencies go, I think until they realize they aren’t getting the best talent – if & when it becomes in their self-interest – then they’ll start taking notice.” 

Rubinstein's quote stings a bit. "Until they realize they aren't getting the best talent..." Let's talk about that later.

The question remains: Why aren't there more women in advertising?

Let's clarify a bit.

There seems to be plenty of women in advertising.
In some agencies, there are even more women than men.
More in design.
More in account.
More in traffic.
More in planning.
More in print production.
More in production.

Less in the creative department.

Ahhh.

Instead of "Why aren't there more women in advertising," the actual question is "Why aren't there more women in the creative department?"

It could be like hiring like, as Kestin points out.

Can it be boiled down to one answer, where a gender is clearly hiring against the other gender based only on gender?

I hope not.

It seems odd though.
That if a CD were presented with equal caliber books, one a man's and one a woman's, the CD would hire based on gender? As in, I'm a man so I'll hire this guy because I'm comfortable talking to him about sports and big blocks. Or, I'm a woman so I'll hire the woman to give her a chance in the industry.

Maybe this is a question directed more towards the CD's that do the hiring.

I'll follow it up with this one:
Does your agency receive equal number of books from men and women?

Perhaps it is still a boy's club.
Who knows.

But if hiring really has nothing to do with a person's book or character, then damn.

'Boards September 2007 issue salutes 3 women of excellence.

Mary Baglivo, CEO, Worldwide Marketing Director
Honored for: Contribution to the Advertising Industry

Jennifer Golub, Director of broadcast/content production, Cutwater, San Francisco
Honored for: Creativity in Advertising/Creative Risk-taking

Shawn Lacy, Co-founder, executive producer, Biscuit Filmworks, Los Angeles
Honored as: Business Leader

Toronto Squash

I thought this article from marketing news blog, caffeinemarketing, offered some good commentary. Check it out!

D&G... now featuring naked women!

Revolutionary.

Che Magazine

Here's a charming ad I ran across for Che Magazine.

Italian fashion vs Anorexia

Italian Designer, Nolita, is taking a stand against anorexia. These billboard and newspaper ads debuted during Milan's fashion week.
See article here.

Dove Play

Look at what our gals in Toronto are up to now. Awesome! You can audition and perform in a play about beauty and aging. Check out the site. A very cool idea.

Blast from the Past

Two for the price of one here folks. Dixie Cups love women and the environment!
(Click to enlarge - you wouldn't want to miss this body copy.)