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Remembering All Who Served On Memorial Day.

Clifton Simmons — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:21:44 GMT

For a while, I tried tracking down an old mentor of mine through Linkedin. Earlier this year, I sadly found out he passed away years ago.

In between the barbeques today, we honor the brave men and women who gave their lives serving our country. I think it's also OK to remember those who dedicated their lives to making ours better, too.

God bless.

Image courtesy of stock.xchng

Direct Marketing: Talk Directly To Your Audience.

Clifton Simmons — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:05:58 GMT

A few months ago, Deliver Magazine interviewed me for an article about reaching multicultural audiences with direct marketing, posing the question: Is mail still relevant for marketers?

Of course it is. Like any medium, it's a case of adapt or die. Don't settle for a bland postcard or letter and envelope.

Like TV, copy and images should be quick and to the point.
Like the Internet, it should be interactive.
And like any campaign, it should be an extension of the overall message and offer some unique benefit to the consumer.

Some of my best work has been in direct over the years. Take a look at the article and see what our creative roundtable has to say.

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

Another Summit Draws Creative Protests In Chicago.

Clifton Simmons — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:50:34 GMT

Right now, all eyes are on my home city Chicago, due to the NATO Summit and all of the protestors.

Earlier this month, all event marketers' eyes were on the city for a different reason.

Every year in the Windy City, the editors of Event Marketer magazine host the world’s largest awards program for event marketing professionals – The Ex Awards – and each year, recognition and respect for this prize grows. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, The Ex Awards drew a record-breaking 800 entries from around the world this year.

The show aired live online April 30, during the Event Marketer Summit. Winner of best in show – The Grand Ex Award – went to Activision and Los Angeles-based NCompass International for Call of Duty: XP program, which helped drive $1 billion in retail sales for Modern Warfare 3.

I always recommend checking out award shows to see what was successful. You may find some inspiration for your work.

Congrats to the winners. All are well deserved, but I'm still protesting because my work didn't win.

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

Why AMC's The Pitch Should Be Family Viewing.

Clifton Simmons — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Advertisers and marketers are a misunderstood lot. So could AMC’s new reality show The Pitch be the educational tool that will help enlighten the masses?

Here are reasons why The Pitch should be family viewing:

Creative kids can justify their career decisions. Young writers and artists are often at odds with parents and their old school thinking. They have a tough time convincing parents why they should fork out money for portfolio school over medical school. I’ve often spoken at college open houses, showing parents that there are careers for their artistic children. A job in advertising doesn’t mean they’ll be starving artists. Now The Pitch can show parents what their kids may have in their futures.
People you know may actually start to understand what you do for a living. I’ve tried explaining my job to family and friends for over 20 years. They still don’t fully get it, but they have an idea. Watching The Pitch may help those like me better explain what we do from 9 to 5.
Your family and friends may also understand better why you work long hours. Just because a commercial is 60 seconds long, doesn’t mean it takes 60 seconds to create it. You and I both know it takes a lot of planning and thinking to do what we do. Your spouse, significant other, kids, even the dog may not understand. Watching The Pitch may help others accept why you’re late for dinner, missed a school play, etc. Those extra hours are sometimes a necessary evil.

If you have some explaining to do, invite that person to check out The Pitch with you on AMC. It may be easier to explain, if they get a peak of what goes on in your world. I know people who's family and friends have watched the show and said, "Oh, that's what you do?"

The response is usually, "Not completely, but it's close."

For those of us who work in digital, event, shopper, experiential marketing, etc., we'd need another show.

Creative Week New York. You going?

Clifton Simmons — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:03:36 GMT

This is the one pilgrimage to NYC I always promise to make, but have yet to fulfill — Creative Week New York. From May 7-11, "Creative Week New York is where advertising, design, and digital media collide with the arts. It's about art and copy, concept and execution, pop-culture and high arts. It's about awards shows, thought leadership, and presentations designed to honor, inspire and connect the creative community" (from the site).

If you're in NYC or can get there this week, check it out. I often hear great things about it. (Next year, I hope you'll be hearing them directly from me.)

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

Handling The Social Media Time Suck.

Clifton Simmons — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:43:59 GMT

I don't post a blog everyday, but I do my best to post on schedule.

I don't tweet everyday, but I make it a point to tweet regularly.

I also make it a point to contribute to one Linkedin discussion weekly.

I only check in on Quora monthly.

Instagram and Foursquare? Whenever the mood hits me.

As for Pinterest and Google +, I'm not sure where it all fits, but I'm just getting started.

Managing your social media can be a real time suck. It can be overwhelming.

But only if you allow it to be.

Don't try to be everywhere. Just be where it's meaningful to you.

Make a schedule that's easy to keep and keep to it. When you develop a steady rhythm, people know when to check in and you become part of their schedule.

That's communication that builds relationships.

That's how social media actually starts to be... social.

Image courtesy of stockxchg. Photographed by Vjeran Lisjak.

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

Everyone Has An Answer On How To Find A Job.

Clifton Simmons — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:03:58 GMT

About a week ago, I was part of a "passionate" discussion on Linkedin. An aspiring copywriter wanted to know how to break into the industry. I stopped following the conversation stream after the 30th comment (it's still going), but it was filled with a lot of suggestions, with some debating about what works best.

Thing is, all of these suggestions worked for someone at some time.

It all comes down to varying your job hunt strategy.

You have to mix up your game, move on the fly, and adjust on a moment's notice.

You need more than one plan of action. Here was the nugget of knowledge I contributed:

"Here are some additional routes to consider. Some don't pay well (or at all), but they offer ways to get attention and build your book (it worked for me).

Non-profits. A lot of these organizations promote themselves by agencies doing pro-Bono work for them. Sometimes the agencies don't have time to dedicate to do great work. You can step in as a volunteer and may get a chance to TV spots, radio, digital, print, events and more.

Years ago, I did some brochures for a fundraiser. A creative director, who served on the board, liked my work and offered me a Jr. CW position.

Years later, I did some work for the Red Cross. That evolved into them hiring me, where I worked in their communications dept., doing print ads and even a commercial. I used that to build my book and land an agency job.

Thing is, it's rare that an organization will turn down a skilled volunteer. It may feel like they are taking advantage you, but you may end up with a nice portfolio in the end.

Also, you are never too old to intern. I know a guy who "started over" as an intern in his late forties. Today, he's a full-time AD at my former agency. A lot of agencies look at internships as a way of "test driving" potential employees.

Good Luck."

If it benefited someone, any advice is worth considering, especially if it's something you've never tried. Check out and/or join the "Copy" advertising group to get in on the rest of the conversation.

Wanna Get Into Gaming? Get To RTX.

Clifton Simmons — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Whether you're using gaming to market or entertain, ever wonder what opportunities are actually out there to get into the business? If you're in the Austin, TX area or can get there, you may find answers to your questions at RTX (aka the Rooster Teeth Expo), July 7-8, 2012 at the Austin Convention Center.

"RTX 2012 is an event that brings together gamers and game companies to celebrate the things we all love!" (From the site)

If you have a design background, an event like this seems like a cool opportunity, but interestingly enough, one of the first panels announced was for writing, featuring Burnie Burns and the writers for Red vs. Blue.

Check here for the upcoming line up and registration (a weekend pass ticket is around $48 - cheap compared to many events).

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

Creativity. They Have An App For That?

Clifton Simmons — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:46:43 GMT

Brainstorming is now available on your iPhone. Introducing The Concept Maker, winner of the FWA Mobile of the Day (12.31.2011). It was created by Tine Kej & Katrine Granholm, Art Directors & Associate Professors at Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX). According to their site:

The Concept Maker can help you:

Spark new ideas and concepts with more than 70 creative starters
Challenge yourself to get a lot of different ideas with an idea clock session
Create folders to store and share all your ideas and references
Get inspiration from thousands of random images
Search for specific themes on Flickr

With the Concept Maker you can record audio, take photos, write notes, save image references and organize them in folders.

I already do my own version of the clock idea session to crank out things like multiple headlines. So I was willing to pay the $1.99 to test out the app's other idea starters, but I'm an Android guy (not available yet). I'd love to know what any of you think of it.

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

Check Out The Digital Innovators In Canada.

Clifton Simmons — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:38:47 GMT

I'm "unofficially" Canadian.

I was married in Canada (but not to a Canadian).

My agency, The Marketing Store, has a Toronto office and I worked with the team on a project late last year. (Good people.)

When I lived in Detroit, Canada was just a quick crossing of the Ambassador Bridge and my wife and I did it as often as possible.

My Canadian connection also put me in touch with a lot of new media minds up north, who were recognized at the recent FITC Awards (Future. Innovation. Technology. Creativity.)

"FITC produces design and technology focused conferences and seminars worldwide which inspire, educate and challenge attendees. Since 2002, FITC has brought together like-minded professionals and students in Toronto, Amsterdam, Tokyo, San Francisco, Chicago, Seoul, New York, Los Angeles and many other cities. Staying fresh by covering relevant topics including interactive design and business, HTML5, Flash, FLEX, AIR, mobile and more" (from the site).

For a little inspiration, check out the great work here.

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

Online Degree: Why I'm Considering Home Schoolin'.

Clifton Simmons — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:13:08 GMT

I've had a couple of false starts pursuing a Master's Degree. They were false starts, because I started, but was unable to finish. Why? The job always got in the way. I would have to drop a class, because I would miss days, due to working late or going on commercial shoots for long periods of time. It made it impossible to catch up.

To reach my personal goals, I'm going to need a Master's Degree. So I decided to go back to school online. Many academic purists are still not fans of online degrees, but online interaction has drastically improved over the last decade. We can Skype, Google Group and more. Also, many respected schools are now offer online degrees as an option. Being able to attend classes at my convenience means I'm finally going to get my degree.

Now I just have to decide where.

On Saturday, I attended an open house for Academy of Art University, which is based in San Francisco. I left feeling more comfortable about my decision to go for an online degree.

Now I'm not dismissing campus life (Academy's campus looked really cool, in fact). Just being able to show up on any campus to take classes may be an issue for me. So I really admire all of you who can balance home, work and school.

I'll be sharing my experiences with you, as I start this journey. And I hope it will help you decide which road to higher education is best for you.

These Campaigns Are For The Global Good.

Clifton Simmons — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:20:31 GMT

More award show winner announcements are starting to pour into my mailbox. I always make time for them and I recommend that you do, even if you aren't entered. If I participated and lost, I make note of what the winners had that I didn't. And if I win, I just bask in the glory of it all. Some in this business will debate that awards aren't important — just do good work. My argument is that it's proven good work when others validate it. I admit it. I like to win.

Anyway, PR News just sent a link announcing their CSR Awards (Corporate Social Responsibility). According to their site: These agencies are veterans in developing and managing CSR programs and social good programs for their clients. We also honored our 2012 CSR Hall of Fame inductees—organizations that have not just made an impact over the past several years but that we feel will likely be referred to as “model CSR programs” for years to come.

I didn't have an entry, but I enjoy doing pro-Bono and goodwill projects. Maybe next year I'll have an opportunity to make room for one of these on my shelf.

Check out all the CSR good that's been done here.

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

Test Your Marketing Skills For A Prize.

Clifton Simmons — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:19:06 GMT

If you aren't subscribed to the Chief Marketer Network, do so today and see what's going on in direct, social, CRM, B2B and more. (It's free.) Apparently, there are some changes coming to Promo, the promotional marketing segment of the network, and to "promote" it, the site has been hosting a daily competition for a chance to win prizes.

Just answer a marketing quiz question to earn entries for a weekly drawing for $100 gift cards and the grand prize drawing of an Apple iPad2. There's two weeks left to play. Good luck!

Vote For The Best On Web.

Clifton Simmons — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:38:00 GMT

The Webby Award nominees have been announced. Check them out and see what was good last year. Voting for The People's Voice Award also started April 9, so you can pick your favorite for a prize before the winners are announced May 1, 2012. There are a ton of entries, so it will take some time to view them all. Not to stack the vote (hint), but here's a personal favorite — a social media campaign to save a Troy, MI library (I used to live a few blocks from the building).

Book Burning Party - Troy Library from Leo Burnett Detroit on Vimeo.

My Work Is Offensive?

Clifton Simmons — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:20:05 GMT

I have work that features Mary J. Blige and I'm happy to say none of it has put her in the spotlight like the recently pulled Burger King ad. The public responses that captured most of my attention were from people who didn't find the ad offensive or couldn't see anything wrong.

We all come from different backgrounds. It's those differences that make it hard for some to understand or know what may be offensive to others. If you are not the target audience (and even if you are), make it a learning experience. Do your homework and research to identify any potential red flags.

Years ago, I worked on a promotional campaign where my team and I "created" a word to describe how great the product was. Our research later revealed the word was real and its true definition was offensive to a particular culture. We never heard of the term. We just thought the word sounded funny and would be memorable. If the campaign launched, it would have been "memorable" for all of the wrong reasons.

Thing is, even if you don't understand it, you have to respect the fact you can't put something out in the universe that could be potentially hurtful to your client and audience. Unintentional can still cost you a job and a client. And it's not being overly sensitive. It's being responsible to your client, agency, audience and yourself.

Diversity isn't just embracing our differences, it's also respecting what makes us different.

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

The Coolest Thing To Happen To A Copywriter.

Clifton Simmons — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:21:36 GMT

Someone requested my autograph recently. They wanted me to sign a Corvette direct mail piece I worked on several years ago. During all my years writing for cars, I don't know bigger enthusiasts than Corvette and Camaro lovers. They will research everything and even find out who worked on the advertising, which lead to my autograph request. Apparently, John P. of Detroit has collected a few signatures for his Corvette C6 DM piece. So he's sending it to me to sign. I worked on a couple of video segments featured on the DVD (see below). Needless to say, I'm getting very excited every time the mail is delivered.

Thanks John, you made my day!

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

The Pitch Preview Review

Clifton Simmons — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:30:00 GMT

After Mad Men, AMC showed a sneak preview of their upcoming series The Pitch, which will officially launch Monday, April 30. It's reality TV where we watch ad agencies go after new business.

It was like watching a week at work...

Creatives bare their souls and watch their ideas get slaughtered...

You work through the night and over-think and second-guess everything...

I saw elements of what I love and hate about the business...

It was my reality TV. And it's good to see that I'm not alone in my neuroses.

If your family and friends don't really understand what you do (or want to do), have them watch the show with you.

If you're curious about what it's like at an agency, this is much closer than Mad Men. (Sorry kids, not everyone grows up to be Don Draper.) And I hope the focus of The Pitch isn't just on traditional shops. Let's see some experiential, diversity and digital in the mix.

Personally, I enjoy watching people struggle through the creative process to solve a problem. So I am looking forward to see how this series unfolds, but pitches are exhausting. And with that said, I just hope seeing weekly pitch episodes don't wear on the viewer quickly. (I mean, how many times can you watch someone say, "we've got to win this" or "what's the big idea?")

Definitely check it out. If you missed it, the sneak preview is on AMC. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

Save The Life Of An Intern.

Clifton Simmons — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:19:28 GMT

I'm all for intern hazing and I've been hazed by the best back in the day.

The Mortar Agency in San Fransisco takes it to a new level. Mortar wants 500 new Twitter followers by April 20. If they don't get it, the intern Jonny gets booted from the agency. He's close — last count was 482 followers as of 4/4/12 this morning. Funny thing, this YouTube video has been watched over 1,000 times. Those numbers alone should have been enough to save him (unless Jonny is the only one watching). Let's send him over the edge. Or, we can make him sweat it out until the last day... c'mon, it's intern hazing.

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

Creative People Need Creative Outlets.

Clifton Simmons — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:00:54 GMT

We're in the business of developing creative solutions, but it's not always a business where one gets to be truly creative – your definition of creative. It's important to keep a platform of artistic expression – something that's not edited by supervisors and clients. Only you have the say in what makes it good.

Courtesy of Stock.xchng

When's the last time you picked up your camera and explored?

Courtesy of Zsuzsanna Kilian and Stock.xchng

Is painting the family room the last time you picked up a brush?

Courtesy of Umut Kemal and Stock.xchng.

Do you even remember the plot line of that great American novel you started?

Remember, that expression of creativity is probably what helped you land your job in the first place. And it will be what makes you stand out when you are job hunting.

If you want to keep your edge, you have to make time to sharpen it.

So where do you find the time?

Give up a television show tonight and crank out 2,000 words of a story.

Do a sketch during lunch hour.

Teach your kids to draw or tell stories. They have your genes. Why not develop them? The family that creates together...

Grab a little time here and there, so it starts to become a habit. It all adds up in the end.

Clifton Simmons Copyright 2012

Spring Clean Your Portfolio

Clifton Simmons — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:48:40 GMT

So no fun for you in Florida.

And you can't afford to kick it in Cancun.

So do something constructive for spring break, because you also can't afford to ignore your portfolio. You need to find some experience this summer.

Take a hard look at the resume that hasn't been working for you all winter and deconstruct it. Have a trusted professional look at it and tell them "don't be kind."
Update your book by knowing the difference between "old" and "dated." If you have "old" work that stands the test of time by still feeling fresh and innovative, keep it. "Dated" work that embraces ideas from previous decades (not in a nostalgic way) need to go.
Cut clutter from your book. I've seen far too many portfolios that have their entire careers in them. No one has the time, nor will they look at everything. Cut to your 10 best.
Now if you are able to take a trip somewhere, call a few agencies and let them know you'll be in town. You can meet them in the morning and party the rest of the day. Who knows? You may end up with an internship at a cool place this summer.

Pic courtesy of stock.xchng