not so fast, smarty pants

I recently realized that that I’ve done a number of stupid things over the past year and, frankly...in my life. So you could imagine my relief when I drove past the latest Diesel Campaign on my way to work (most likely while texting and running a yellow light).

“Be Stupid.”

Somebody endorsing stupid? I had to know more.

Out of the thousands of advertisements I’m exposed to daily, (not to mention working at an ad agency) why was it that these two words sparked my interest enough to not only investigate the situation further, but to then go on and share it with you lovely people?

Because, like me, these words are not stupid at all. In fact, they’re brilliant.

Diesel’s latest integrated campaign evangelizes stupidity across untraditional platforms preaching the ways of a joyous, fulfilling, stupid life. Because what is being stupid, really? It’s acting on impulse. It’s taking risks, dreaming the impossible, and following your heart. Sure, stupid may lead to some awkward mornings and a set of crutches for 6 weeks, but in the grand scheme of life, stupidity is one the greatest characteristics we can have.

This campaign does not speak to everyone. In fact, from what I’ve gathered, it actually pisses a lot of people off. More aptly put, not everyone is… with stupid. There is an immediate moment of self-reflection or rejection of the campaign creating an unsettling tension. And although shock value lives most predominantly in the fashion world of marketing, this stupid girl believes that this is just the kind of charming irreverence our society could use more of.


Check out Diesel’s "Be Stupid" anthem video here.


Music: WeHaveBand

I find these words to be inspiring, so I took the liberty of transcribing the visual lyrics into a blank verse, unrhymed, iambic pentameter. Stupid? I think not.

like balloons we are filled with hopes and dreams
but over time one single sentence creeps into our lives... don't be stupid.
it's the crusher of possibility.
it's the world's greatest deflator.
the world is full of smart people doing all kinds of smart things.
that's smart.
well, we're with stupid.
stupid is the relentless pursuit of a regret free life.
smart may have the brains but stupid has the balls.
smart recognizes things for how they are. stupid recognizes things for how they could be.
smart critiques. stupid creates.
the fact is if we didn't have stupid thoughts, we'd have no interesting thoughts at all.
smart may have the plans but stupid has the stories.
smart may have the authority but stupid has the one hell of a hangover.
It's not smart to take risks, it's stupid.
to be stupid, is to be brave.
stupid isn't afraid to fail.
stupid knows there are worse things than failure.
like not even trying.
smart had one good idea and that idea was stupid.
you can't outsmart stupid so don't even try.
remember, only stupid can be truly brilliant.
so be stupid!


I posted a few shots from the campaign below, but you can check out the whole campaign here.












NOW GO ON... BE STUPID!

Musical Stairs

I'm not even going to get into it. I know. I suck at blogging.

But you know who doesn't suck?

The Swedes.

DDB Stockholm teamed with Volkswagen to top the 2009 Creativity charts with this melodious project. An initiative set to prove the theory that having fun can encourage good behavior. I love how simple this concept is and.. well, how simple people are.

Check it.



Seriously, How basic is mankind? I know we all love to fancy ourselves as such complicated, multifaceted individuals, but it's not that hard.

Stairs = Boring.

Piano Stairs = Awesome.

You don't have to go all the way to Odenplan to figure that out. But if you want to send me there, I'm not going to stop you.

Well... that's all I got for now.

More nourishment to come, I promise (all 4 of you).

A class axe

This is one of my favorite spots of all time. It's for Lynx, the British version of Axe body spray. I love the story it tells. A more refined approach to the art of seduction:


Getting-dressed
by davidtafabek

Proof that alcohol really is your friend

I can’t help but feel like a hack for allowing a commercial to introduce me to a new band or artist. The hipster in me loves to already hate whatever song is playing in the latest iPod ad. But a mojito may have changed all that for me. The moment I heard the song playing in the new Bacardi spot, I fell in love, and needed to hear more.

Moments later and with minimal effort, I discovered the song I crushed on was called ‘Daylight’ by Matt & Kim. Ah, google. Solving all life’s quandaries one search at a time.

Turns out the talented rum-enthusiasts, Matt Johnson (vocals/guitar/keyboard) and Kim Schifino (drums) hail from Brooklyn and joined forces under the Matt & Kim moniker back in 2004 while both attending Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute.

With two albums out since then, and upcoming gigs everywhere from Stockholm to Sao Paulo, it's safe to say these Brooklynites have done quite well for themselves in just half a decade.

Listen to Daylight and more of the pair’s brand of punk-tinged indie pop on their sophomore album, Grand. (I don’t know how to upload music files yet - it’s part of this whole blog exercise for me to educate myself on such matters. But for now, I will remain primitive and offer you… myspace. I believe that minor setbacks like these will make the evolution of my blog that much sweeter. And besides, the wheel’s the shit!)

If you dig their sound, you can learn more about Matt & Kim here.

Don’t you just love stumbling upon new music? It’s like making a new friend, taking an accidental shortcut to work, realizing you do like the taste of whiskey after all. It’s an exciting little discovery you make about yourself that broadens that multicolor spectrum making a more colorful, beautiful, vibrant you. And let’s face it. As beautiful as we all are, it never hurts to brighten ourselves just a teensy bit more.

Oh yeah, and check out the Bacardi commercial below. It's awesome. Seems as though a zeitgeist of generations past is in vogue at the moment. Perhaps more on that topic in the future.

The geeks were right

I’ve become quite the fan of socialnerdia.com lately. Social nerdia is a new blog about the convergence of technology + marketing + social media, and the cultural influencers who make it all happen. Sort of an ongoing analysis of what they like to refer to as “the mindblasting explosion that is social media.” I would refer to it as the modern big bang theory.

I recently went from fan to mega-fan since their interview with Alex Bogusky, co-chairman of culturally progressive ad agency, Crispin Porter + Bogusky. I've come to find that anything this guy has to say just makes you feel good about advertising, and life. He really has that whole, “life is simple, just do what you love” inspiration down to a science. And how can I not give accolades to the person who decided to expand his wonderful circus of an agency to my hippie college town just in time to land an internship by senior year?
Be sure to check out the interview. His answer to question 10 will make you smile.

What I like most about this blog is that while they embrace this cultural phenomenon, they remind us not to get carried away with it. And as serious as social media can be, it should never be taken too seriously. After all, the more social we become in this digital world, the more antisocial we may find ourselves out there in the real world. In the end it’s no more than just, well... nerdia. That being said, explore the wonders of this new technology. Play with it, learn from it, utilize it, laugh at it, don’t feel like you need to be an expert at it, and for God’s sake, give it a rest sometimes. Close your macbook, go outside and get some fresh air. Well, first check out socialnerdia.com. Then go.