Optimism goes a long way.

And in this case, it's off to Argentina.

International shoot, check. Fairly big budget, check. Great director, check. Amazing shooting board, check. Dramatic location, check. Hundreds of extras, check. 2 camera crews, check. Hyper-talented post-production team, check. Outstanding editor, check. Excited (and super supportive) clients, check. Exciting digital program, check.

I'm not one to count my chickens before they're hatched, in fact, I'm terribly anxious about every production, including this one. But that being said, I can't imagine all of the above would have fallen into place if a few months ago, we'd seen a creative brief for a power toothbrush and said "Screw it...they'll never buy anything good."

Believe that something can be good, then get to work making it happen.

Stay tuned...

Polishing Turds

As the saying goes, you can't polish a turd. And while it may be true, I think there's still value in polishing anyway. Why? Here goes. Not to diminish the role of inspiration, but to some degree, I think creativity and execution are both skills. And like many skills, they get better with practice. After 20 years in the biz, no brief or timeline intimidates me that much. I know that one way or another, I'll deliver something. It's simply the result of experience and repetition. So when we come across a less-than-stellar assignment, instead of bitching, why not use it to hone a skill? Try out a type treatment. Experiment with the photography. Better integrate it with the digital stuff. If it's TV, use it as a film school lesson on lenses, lighting, camera moves, etc. Try to see it not as the turd it is, and might still be, but an opportunity to flex some creative muscle. In the end, it still might be a turd, but you've done more than just flush and your creativity will thank you for the exercise.

An unfortunate observation and a positive outcome.

Like many ad folks who spend their day in front of a computer, I visit my fair share of ad blogs and websites throughout the day. But as much as I dig the scoops, I can't seem to get over the amount of negative energy in the typical "comments" section. Maybe it's the freedom of anonymity. And maybe it's just the vocal minority. But for people who work in advertising, it seems like a waste of energy, not to mention a life, to spend so much of it bashing advertising. Yes, clients can be frustrating. Yes, there are difficult characters. Yes, that award-winning spot never ran. Yes, yes, yes, there are things in the biz that are less than ideal. But come on. Compared to 95% of gigs out there, it's hard to beat advertising. At least I still think so and as a result, my blog's found it's true calling and name: Creative Optimist - a rare breath of hope and optimism in the world of advertising. A few years ago, I started outlining an idea for a short book titled "An Optimist's Guide to Advertising." The gist of it is that for every tough brief, impossible timeline, absurd mandatories and tiny budget, every now and then, someone cracks it in a way that I find truly inspiring. It's not always the work that wins the awards, although sometimes it does, but it's the work that wins my respect. I'll be looking out and shouting out for the things that inspire, entertain, move and persuade, despite the odds. Stay tuned for more positive observations on advertising, life and the world, not to mention updated work.

For the introduction of the new, ultra-slim Pulsonic power brush, we debuted at the epicenter of slim and stylish - NYC Fashion Week. As an integrated effort, it encompassed multiple touch points – event marketing, digital ads, site experiences, in-store displays, blogger outreach and celebrity endorsers. In the 3 months following the event, we achieved an amazing 200 million media impressions, and exceeded sales goals by 17%. And all without TV.

Oral-B Power "Stretch"

My first blog...

Stay tuned for more ramblings and revelations on advertising, scuba diving, whale sharks, octopi, brazilian jiu jitsu, my wife's cooking and my sons, alejandro and rafael.