smart car brand video

I’ll upload the actual video soon; however, here is the final product of the brand video Hilary, Amanda and created for Smart Car.  Enjoy:

http://uoregon.edu/~kkaralek/hellabombsmartgirls/Click%20Here.html

5 single most important things I learned during my New York trip

Every person, agency, experience, award show, museum, conversation, etc. I experienced this past week in New York CIty offered such a vast amount of insight as I found myself consistantly and furiously jotting down ideas, quotataions, thoughts, websites, etc. After I have had the chance to re-evaluate and contemplate what I wrote down, I have compiled a list of the five most important things I have learned during my New York experince:

• What an awesome advertising program U of O has:

Throughout the week, I saw quite a bit of pieces that had minimal creative thought process behind the work. At U of O we spend so much time discussing how in this day and age, advertising is more than just selling a product/service and more about the development of brand identity, personality and culture.

• Networking is huge – fitting in but sticking out is key:

Don’t sweat the small stuff, don’t get involved when it’s unnecessary, understand that advertising is a small world (a.k.a. don’t burn your bridges) and observe frequently – sometimes it’s better to watch and observe that to say anything.

• Work for an agency not because it has a famous name, but because it produces work you believe in:

Keep your goals in mind, but don’t rule out opportunities because they aren’t exactly what you are looking for.

• Finding a happy medium between work and play: Dedicating time into producing beautiful work is vital; however, dedicating time to experiencing life, being an interesting person and developing relationships is just as, if not more important than your work itself
• Rules are meant to be broken, there’s always a way to get where you want to be and as my high school choir teacher always said: “If you’re going to compete, compete to win:

I’ve learned that if you want something badly enough, there is a way to get it. After hearing the various stories of individuals in the industry, I have learned that there are at least five ways around every obstacle. With determination, motivation, creativity, and persistence, I now know that anything is possible.

presenting: the good, the bad and the ugly

As previously stated, this past week I have been in NYC, attending the One Show.  One competition I sat in on is the student client pitch presentation - watching these presentations was quite interesting because I realized how influential presentation and performance is on selling an idea to…well anyone really - a panel of judges, a boss, client, etc. As I watched the pitches, I took some notes on how to make or break a presentation. Enjoy:

- Ditch the notecards

- Don’t include inside jokes or anything that might make the audience or judges feel uncomfortable

- If you visuals aren’t aesthetically pleasing (ads, power point, videos, etc.), it doesn’t matter how brilliant your idea is

- “Uh” and “Um” = death

- Avoid lame endings at all costs

- Use hand gestures as you would in a day to day conversastion

- Be excited about your idea!

- Make sure you work off of your partner and be interested in what he/she has to say

- Engage the audience! Chances are they are not 1/2 as passionate about your work as you are

- Look professional

- HAVE FUN

- Don’t. Be. Awkward.

green Oregon

I never noticed how green Oregon is or what a huge recycling Nazi I actually am, until I came here to NYC and couldn’t find any recycling cans.  Each day I generally ended up with five bottles and about 20 pieces of paper/brochures/fliers/etc. in my purse, waiting without luck, to find a place to recycle.  As much garbage as New York produces anyway, it would be nice if New York could copy what Oregon has done in terms of recycling and being more sustainable.

UNICEF’s Tap Project

During my time here in New York, I have had the opportunity to visit various advertising agencies - Droga5 being one. It’s interesting to watch the reels of the various agencies because it gives a clear picture of the priorities, integrity and personality of the agency in less than five minutes. I first was introduced to the Tap Project when Kevin Roddy from BBH came to the U of O to visit our advertising department.

Honestly, what an brilliant project create by Droga5. It seems like such a simple concept, but it’s so amazing how this idea was supported and embraced by so many.

Here’s a short video created to encapsulate the concept behind the Tap Project:

It really is a small world afterall

I am here in New York for the One Show which I must say right off the bat has been insane, wonderful, wacky, inspiring, valuable, facinating, etc. etc. etc.

It’s funny to think how New York City is such a massive city with thousands of millions of people from all over the world passing by each day. HOWEVER, it really is a small world.

We met a man today at Starbucks who belongs to a traveling drum line that of all places just came back from spending a weekend at my high school. Of all the places in the country, his drum line was in Salem, Oregon and of all the high schools, this random Starbucks man in NYC was at MY high school!!

Second “small world” occurrence of the day - I was walking home tonight around 10:30, talking to a Australian friend about, well, how it’s such a small world. He was walking down the street this morning and ran into a friend from back in Australia who is also here in New York although he had no idea…what are the chances of that??

This conversation lasted around 10 - 15 minutes - towards the tail end of the conversation, I look up at the pedestrians passing by and suddenly I think I recognize the guy across from me - I though there was no way, so I continued to do double takes until this guy yells my name and it turned out to be my friend whom I have not seen since high school, about four years ago. He was with another high school friend whom I have not seen for about the same amount of time. What are the chances of this happening, especially DURING a conversation regarding that very topic!!! I couldn’t get over the irony and the coincidence!!

Where does creativity come from?

Here’s another interesting TED talk by Amy Tan:

an advertising epiphany

Recently, I have spent a decent amount of time reflecting my choice of advertising as a career and why I genuinely find this path to be such a good idea. After much thought, this is what I’ve concluded:

Advertising is such an exciting career because as advertisers, we have the power to influence others – if we speak, people listen. Advertising has an amazing amount of control and leverage to change the world in a positive light. Because advertising reaches so many, we as advertisers have the ability make great changes in the world. In my advertising education thus far, the daily insight, inspiration and ideas I have been taught to generate has increased exponentially and I have learned that it’s truly an infinite world and possibilities are endless.

One by One

For the longest time, I have wanted to participate in a run, so finally, last year I put it on my dreamboard.  Tomorrow I will be participating in my first 5K!

Creative Marketing?

193 Creative Marketing Techniques.

Yes? No? What do you think?