Today's Ann Arbor Highlight

Pig Pig Pig
Originally uploaded by ...And the wanderlust sets in...

... is the second annual farm show

With Auction(!) and Tractor Pull (!)

Doubtless fewer people will be petting the pigs

... Good god this town makes me want to curl up into a ball and die

I am incorporated

When I get to Canada I'm going to have two companies.
The first incorporation came through today - and it's very exciting

It's called alternative hypothesis and while it's not the one that's going to buy the house on the hill and produce the work that I'll look back on most proudly, it's going to pay the rent while we get that one up and running.

Thanks too to the friends that brought us magazines and licorice today - and to those who sent the chocolate nutella cupcakes. More appreciated than you might ever realize.

Bitch 'n' moan

Before I even get into this I know that it's going to be unfair. And self indulgent. And maybe even self-pitying --- but you know what I think that I've earned the right to one 'woe is me' post in every 500 or so. It's not a bad hit rate.

And for those of you who will comment saying 'there's always someone worse off' I'll just say 'of course there is but that's ridiculous logic.' First happiness and satisfaction isn't judged relative to the happiness of other people. If it was then the slums wouldn't be full of smiles and laughter - and I'm told that they are. More importantly if you follow the logic of the argument then being better off than someone would mean being happy being the second hungriest, second poorest, second sickest, second most miserable person on earth. It's an argument that leads you on a downward spiral. And as such it's a poor model. At least it should be 'well you're better off than the statistical mean' - that, at least, would keep you in the 50th percentile.

Anyway that wasn't what triggered this. What triggered it was the suggestion, from several quarters that the very fact that I no longer live in the town in which I grew up means that I am automatically better off than the people who stayed there. This is not just a case of 'greener grass' but one that is based on a number of prejudices.

The first is that the 'ex-pat' lifestyle is one that is somehow superior and more glamorous. It used to be more glam' for sure. Full of clubs and cocktails and fabulous receptions, the occasional affair about which to gossip and approaches to become a spy. But I live in Michigan. MICHIGAN. One of the poorest, most depressed, coldest, bankrupt states in the US. There is no ex-pat lifestyle here. No support system at all. Now I chose it, and I'm okay with my choice but the idea that I'm living some kind of Merchant Ivory ex-pat lifestyle is ridiculous and frankly it pisses me off.

The second thing that I'm constantly told is just how easy things are for me. It's easier to move if you're me. It's easier to get a great job if you're me. Everything is easier, because my life is a big floaty cloud made up of angelic door openers who exist only to ease my passage through life. I'm not sure if you people have been reading the blog but I'm an unemployed, ex cancer patient with a high chance of relapse, no work visa in the country in which I live and no permission to leave the country, who has just watched his wife lose the baby we wanted more than anything. Which part of that sounds charmed to you.

A family member said to me the other day "It could be worse, you could be unemployed in the UK" - to whit I wanted to say "Oh yeah, in the UK where I'd be entitled to unemployment benefits, a state pension and would be surrounded by family... rather than living off savings, entitled to nothing despite having paid around $400,000 in taxes here, 4000 miles from the nearest blood relative"... but I didn't.

Again yes it was my bed. And I'm happy to lay in it. Just don't tell me it's the most comfortable bed in the world and how envious you are of it.

Next one. We just lost a baby. "Well at least you can afford a long vacation to get over it." I won't dignify that one with a response beyond... if it was true it would still be offensive, as it is see above...

And so to the last bit of this. I have no problem at all with life throwing shit at me. Bad stuff happens to lots of people. And as you get older that stuff starts to be thrown ever faster. I'm not looking for a free pass through life. Nor am I looking for help from people. What I am looking for is an understanding that the things that happen to us affect us in the same way they do you and your neighbors and friends. That geographic distance from you is no shield from the things that happen to us here. And that just because our lives look different to yours that doesn't mean that we assume that they're better, or that the challenges that get thrown our way are felt in a lesser way.

Right there's the whine for this 18 months... no on to Montreal, a new house, new jobs and lots and lots of vacation

A weird week to be doing this

I've spent much of this week delivering pictures to heavily pregnant Russians. A very talented friend did the photoshop on the tough pics for me and worked wonders with some pretty average images. I like this one,,, have retouched versions but for some reason I always come back to the way it came out of the camera. The smile on the woman's face reminds me of the look that Judith had the entire time that we were in Montreal... I hope I looked more excited than this guy does here. In truth he was much fun and very game.

Bleeding into the mundane

I am constantly surprised by how life's profound experiences sit on a bed of the mundane. You lose a baby but still have to buy milk. You go for chemo and still get annoyed that the subway ticket machine doesn't work. You look to move countries and still spend the same amount of time as ever looking for a watch.

I suppose that in many ways it's a comfort to know that routine grinds on... that the changes in us are less profound than the experiences that shape us. It's like a sculpture I guess, slowly being defined and refined by the constant attack of the chisel - much better than the 'wrecking ball and glue stick' model that you come to expect.

Anyway today I woke up early with incorporation on my mind. I have a contract to sign, some questions to answer and no Canadian Corporation yet. I'm thinking that I might need two companies. One a partnership, the other a company to run my consulting work through. Keeping the two separate has all kinds of advantages and will stop things getting messy come tax time. It will cost more in terms of set up and accounting and all of that stuff.. but that's okay. I guess.

As I said - the mundane,,,

Thanks...

FLy°aWaY°My°LOvE
Originally uploaded by insashi

Judith and I have some really good friends. Some who understand the value of space and time, others of the small gesture. It's good to know that even though we're never in one place for any period of time, the people that we love the most are constant regardless of geography. So thanks to all. Genuinely.

Explaining yesterday's blog entry

Yesterday we lost our baby.

In the past when I’ve heard something like that I’ve thought “Where, Walmart?” and congratulated myself on the cold heartedness of my wit.

But today we lost our baby, not in the supermarket, but in a more visceral way. Bloody, painful, prolonged, fearful, anxious and excruciating.

It was a baby that was wanted. A baby that was planned for, a baby that had us planning names and nurseries and ways to tell people when the time was right. This was the baby that brought us back from Montreal just beaming. It was our baby. And we couldn’t quite believe it. A baby that had come into being against all of the odds and could, surely, survive any odds because of it. But you can’t will a baby into the world.

So now what we have are a few blissfully happy days, a baby journal lovingly filled in right up to the day that our baby was no more and each other. Which is more than most but less than we’d hoped for.

And so if we’re not around for a few days, or if we don’t seem quite ourselves, or if we’re not at the party, or the restaurant or the gym you know why. We’re just letting this sink in.

A really dreadful day

Today has been awful... I can't say why just yet; which is crappy I know but it's sucked.
Nothing really health related, or work related or move related or relationship related... but just one of those life things.
So I've decided to ignore today altogether and go on what tomorrow brings.
But fuck, we're reaping some bad karma the last couple of years.
I must have been one evil bastard.

Back in Michigan

When I get back to Michigan things start to slow down. And its not all Michigan's fault... but I do get very frustrated

My French classes have been cancelled due to lack of interest
I got stuck indoors yesterday due to intermittent hail storms
I can't remember a single internet password
The water gives me stomach problems
The air makes my skin blister
The pollen makes the skin around my face peel
And the dryness kills the rest

Oh well. Stuff to do today... like get these pics printed... if I can ever remember a password

All signed up

So we signed the lease on the new place. One downer is that, like this place, it remains on the market and for sale.
The upside is that as tenants we're protected until the end of our term; and need at least 6 month's notice to move.
This is "The leurrrr"

"The Leurrr" is big in Quebec
It says that you have to switch to snow tyres in winter
And that signs have to be in French
And a whole host of other things

But Montreal is great.

We climbed to the top of :The Mountain: and read while people played guitars
We drank Belgian beers in cool bars and great streets
We met some lovely people
We saw the John and Yoko exhibit for free
And we saw the lesser DaVinci exhibit for not much
We ate well and often
We backed away from the Ultimate Fight Championship guys
Then realized we didn't have to
We heard good news on job options
And came back happy and smiling to a Michigan whose roads seemed a little worse and whose skies seemed a little more gray.

Lease is from June 15th and we really can't wait
Though we'll have to

We get the dog back tomorrow too.
All is good in the world

Just a quickie

Picturesque Canal
Originally uploaded by caribb

The offer on The Big Dutch House was accepted
We sign a lease tomorrow
Hurrah!

BTW - this is the canal right by the house

A fine week's work

This week really has seen things turn on their heads.

The weather - suddenly gorgeous and 20c
Job Prospects - finally something that allows me to pay the rent and still do my own thing
Montreal - a revelation, so many cool neighborhoods and cool people
A place to stay - we have an offer in on the place above

There's more too, but Jude itching to get up, get out and see some of the city not related to real estate, so more on just how cool a 4 days we've had later... but we're really hoping that the take our offer on the place, 2 beds, 22 ft high ceilings, brick walls, an amazing mezzanine, 3 blocks from a great market, by the water, 1800 sq ft, all appliances and best of all, a bidet....

Fingers well and truly crossed

In Montreal

Like Father - Like Daughter
Originally uploaded by glazerout99

We're in Montreal - where the sun is shining, The Plateau is buzzing and we have 17 apartments to see today.

We won't be seeing Hell's Angels - as 150 were arrested yesterday

We won't be as worried about cash - as I got the promise of a contract through this morning. Some things to do - but it means that I have the promise of work... and an income.

Throw in a cool apartment last night, great food, too much beer, some nice people and an upgrade on the plane and things are looking brighter

Montreal

So we're off to Montreal today, looking for houses.
I still haven't heard on my contract thing
And can't get started on my new company thing

So we're looking at houses that cost a lot less than we've been used to paying.
We shall see how that goes.

However there are some lovely looking things on our list
Plus the city seems cheaper even than Ann Arbor
We've been upgraded to first by NorthWest
The weather will be 10c and sunny
And the university is picking up the tab

We shall see just how this thing goes....

Back to life, back to reality

So yesterday I drive up to Southfield to shoot a very pregnant woman. With my camera. Obviously. Even I haven't taken to the slaughter of innocents, heaven forfend.

She was very sweet, very Russian and very determined to get exactly what she wanted.
Alas she also had very limited room to shoot in and so everything had to be shot at 19mm, just to squeeze her in.
Fun, but long

Tomorrow I'm off to Novi to interview and shoot a guy who trains Mac Genius Bar Geniuses. Again should be fun.

And then it's off to Montreal to find us a house.

Well a cheap apartment
That takes animals
Is close to a subway (metro)
And doesn't smell (hopefully)

Lots of places matched 3/4 of that... cheap may be the issue, we shall see.

DIA Again

DIA Shoot
Originally uploaded by stevenjude

Back to the DIA for the third time in 8 days

Last Sunday is was Norman Rockwell
Then Monday we shot Rodriguez there

And today it's back to check out what it has to offer; on free tickets they just sent me.

Friend arrives today.
Then maternity shoot tomorrow
And a burlesque musical take on Alice in Wonderland to close

Steve

Nothing to add

Opera House Shoot
Originally uploaded by stevenjude

Sorry that this has been so dull of late. The truth is that I don't trust myself at the moment to keep it together if I write what I feel, but know that not keeping it together isn't an option.

I'm waiting on other people to deliver on promises at the moment.
And fearing that they won't.

Which would make them 'bad people'
And leave me 'screwed'

So I'll take as deep a breath as the pain in my chest allows and try to chill.

This shot, btw, was just a 'spot' during the Opera House shoot we did a few days ago

Cross Pollination

I started a new Blog yesterday... one where I start to put the ad thoughts that I have in my head out into the ether.
This is the only time the two blogs will touch - but looking for early numbers boost




*****X**************************************X*************************************X**********************************X

More pre-amble today I’m afraid. Think of it as that little salad thing that they bring out before your main course, you didn’t ask for it but you welcome it as a sign that the steak is on its way and find yourself really rather enjoying it despite yourself.

For those of you of an impatient nature may I remind you of the mantra at many a Playboy party – “We’ll get to the models in a moment, but first Heff wants to make a little speech.”

The biggest change in planning in the time that I’ve been doing it has been the question that we ask on the brief. That’s pretty fundamental. The words haven’t changed much, but the question these days is entirely different. Back in the early 90s the toughest box on the brief to fill out was the one that ask a version of this question

“What do we expect this advertising to do to people?”

It was a tough question mainly because the answers were very limited and so you were always looking for a nuance.

The thinking was pretty simple.

If your advertising was an argument then it would Persuade them to change their behavior by delivering a killer fact. That could have been a USP ‘this is the only one that doesn’t cause anal leakage.’

This was pretty much the standard one. Our job was to argue people into submission. To come into their homes and say ‘You think that your whites are white now. You’re wrong, we’re right. Now switch.”

When writing what was called a ‘Persuasion” brief (a euphemism that I’m sure could be applied to water boarding in Gitmo today – ‘persuasion sessions’ perhaps?) the TONE box used to be very important indeed. How you argued became how you differentiated. Were you going to whip out the evidence with a flourish, or were you going to try to hide it behind some entertainment. Were you “Now with Super-Stain-Bleacher” or were you ‘You can’t get better than a Kwik Fit Fitter?” replete with jingles and funny dances.

Lots of pharmaceutical advertising is still Persuasion and USP based. Claratin makes you less sleepy than Baratin that works in two ways instead of the one way that Daratin, the fastest one works.

There were of course certain strategies that grew up around this. Jim Carroll of BBH put it very well when he talked of Cowboys and Crusaders. The big brands, he claimed, try to define all of the rational points that are relevant in the market. They tell you what you should be looking for, then claim them all as their own.

So Scottex tells us that Bathroom Tissue should be ‘Soft, Strong and Long.” – we buy their argument and their demos and they become huge.

That leaves only two strategies for smaller players.

They can abide by the rules and start to argue against one of the points – “we’re softer or stronger or longer”

Or they can try to introduce a new point of argument, convincing people that this is what’s really important. So you suddenly find brands that are “recycled” or even brands that are “prettier”

The trick here was always to try to bring the category identifiers down by claiming parity there… they’re ALL soft, strong and long – this one does all of that AND…

I still play the game of trying to spot these ads during the rare moments that I’ve not delayed my viewing of American Idol by enough to whiz past everything paid for. They tend to have a sentence that starts with “Sure….”
The second strategy that we used to try during the days of “What will this advertising do to people?” was to move beyond the rational and into the emotional. We were going to SEDUCE them. The ESP (emotional selling proposition) was a defining to 80s advertising as Thatcherism was to society (though she’d have denied its existence) – and its legacy was about as long.

The ESP led agencies to say things like “We’re not here to sell things to people, we’re here to make them want to buy”

This strategy was about FOSTERING DESIRE and everyone wanted to do it, because it meant bigger budgets, glamorous work and awards galore.

The word that acted as lube to this strategy tended to be ‘aspiration’ – we suddenly realized that we didn’t have to show our brands in relation to people’s actual lives. They didn’t have to argue that they could solve a real life problem and leave hands that did dishes as soft as your face – no, they could promise to be a gateway to a more fabulous, imagined life. One full of yachts and beaches and Yasmin Le Bon. Yes, you too could be Duran Duran.

Ask any British person between the ages of 35 and 45 to give you an example of this style of advertising and they’re very likely to show you a Bacardi cinema ad. In this a yacht serves as ‘the last bus home’ and beachside bar as ‘your local pub’ etc. and the line “If…. You’re drinking Bacardi”

There were other ways in of course – but the shift here was from winning the argument rationally to winning it by proving that you were a better gateway to a better life. It made for some great work. Instant Coffee became fodder for glossy soap-opera affairs, small cars migrated to Château in the South of France and phallic chocolate bars were consumed only by gorgeous people in bathrooms bigger than the average British house.

The really clever people managed to mix both messages. Levis advertising always took a rational point (shrink to fit, button flies, double stitched) and wrapped it in a heady mix of sex, rebellion, hormones and glamour.

‘Aspiration’ is a word still bandied about by clients but the days of the Imperial Leather family on their private jet now seem as naïve and dated as the Two Tarts in A Kitchen (there’s a cleaned up phrase) advertising of the 50s.

So the question when I started was

“What will this advertising do to people?”

These days that question has changed. We’re asking something else entirely. These days the brief asks the question

“What will people do with this communication?”

It’s a fundamental shift. And one that I think one of the big agencies summed up very nicely when a terribly bright young planner there wrote this

“For too many years we’ve been in the business of Interruption. We found content that people were interested in and we got in the way of their enjoyment. Found an article that you love, we’ll put an ad in the middle of it. Want to know what happens next on your favorite TV show, find out… after the break. Want to get information online, click to close our banner.

Well technology has changed and the age of interruption is dead.

We need to stop interrupting what people are interested in, and be what people are interested in.”

The agency loved this, put it on their website, told clients about it, wrote it on their walls, put the young planner in their ‘high potentials group’ and then laid him off during a round of cutbacks – proving that in advertising you’re only as big as your byline.

But it does sum up the change and it does explain the sudden panic around agencies regarding ‘What to do?” in this brave new world,

I’m hoping that this book can provide a clear framework for thinking about what we do when the question changes and we’re all asked

“What will people do with this communication”

Or as I like to think about it – what do we do when the soundtrack is no longer Duran Duran singing “Rio” but Lily Allen singing her diary?

Tomorrow we’ll get to the meat of that one…

Not a bad day

isight
Originally uploaded by axb500

Got up this morning and was introduced to a very cool charity for whom I want to do some work

Saw a great looking Montreal apartment and got chatting to the owner, who works for an ad agency there and seems really sweet.

Got a call from Visa people saying that my correction was complete, pick it up tomorrow.

Good workout at the gym

Then on to two photoshoots. The first at the Detroit Opera House where they opened up for us to shoot video with a woman whose dress seemed to be made of noise.

The second with a cool blind blues singer, at the D.I.A - again opened up specially for us.

Came home to find an apology from the realtor who had confused our apartment with another and described us as 'pigs' to the landlord

Then Jude came home with a gift for me - a MacBook Pro that is sexier than my ass (and I have a GREAT ass) and means that I'm no longer chained to the wall upstairs.

Good day indeed.

For those with 3mins and 48 secs to burn

This is where we live - spot the animals