See the full gallery on Posterous

The other is elite. Tactical. Effective. And they take on the toughest of tasks.

Hmmm. Which one do you want your agency to be like?

Don't get me wrong the 'Superstore' modeled agency has its advantages:

• They're everywhere - when you want the same experience every time  just come on in. 

• Lot's for less - plenty of savings if you want generic solutions. Heck, they may provide value-added options - like getting the creative for free if they get your media buy.

• They have everything - that's the perception at least. You want an app? They do that. You're looking for branding? They have that. You want original thinking? Oh, wait.

They have some disadvantages as well:

• Selection - you get what they have, nothing else, nothing special. I was in a Walmart Neighborhood Market recently and a guy asked an employee near the meat area (no way would this person be accused of being a butcher) if they had any pork short-ribs. The response was no, they didn't, and then proceeded to take packages of hamburger out of boxes. You get the same solutions regardless of needs and wants - that sounds great, I'll take two.

• Experience - there are always smart, helpful people at a Walmart, some have years of providing great service. The trouble is finding them amongst all the clueless employees that wander the aisles – or hallways.

• Creative Solutions - if you're looking for that special something that will make a difference you won't find it crammed on an aisle drowning in crappy lighting or in some conference rooms.

Now maybe, as a client, you need your agency to be like Seal Team 6:

• Trained - they are hand-picked operators that excel as a team regardless of environment or situation. They have spent years honing their skills and work seamlessly together to get the job done.

• Focused - they know the job they need to do and they do it. Nothing more. Nothing less. 

• Creative - there is more than one way to solve a problem and they give you every possible solution based on your individual needs and wants. The harder the problem the more satisfaction these 'special forces' get from completing the assignment.

Probably one of the most heard disadvantages of hiring such an agency is that they cost more. Sure some of them probably do charge higher fees for their services. But I bet if you look at the results more of these tactical agencies provide a greater ROI than their 'generic' alternative and there are many great shops where it actually costs less. And I bet that more of those fees are going to the talent rather than overhead.

One last thought, I'm pretty sure that the members of Seal Team 6 make less than a manager at Walmart, but they wouldn't trade places for all the tea in China.

Cheers.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

As I watched the game I had my smartphone with me and was following the reactions on Twitter and on the 'Conversation' feature on ESPN. I read the postings. Added some on Twitter, which were then auto-posted to Facebook and read the responses (eye opening, thanks Glenn) and this morning while reading the post-game comments I find myself feeling a wee bit ashamed.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I believe in Free Speech. But we have become a world of haters. Of the 900+ postings for the game on ESPN more than 95% had some gay slur, swearing, taunting, threat of violence or sometimes all of the above. Some of it was even referencing the game rather than the people who were posting. After a horrible hit on a Bruin I read 'That's Bullshit! Fucking Canadians.' for the record both players are Canadian. There was more; 'We should go a kill one of the Sedin Fags' and 'Take a stick to Burrows face.' and 'I hope that cocksucker gets a 50 games suspension.' and so on and so on. Really?

I like the old ways. When after a game you listened to the press conference. You read the morning paper comments from educated sports writers. You stood around the water cooler and spoke your mind and your peers spoke there's and everything said was transparent. You knew who said what and you know how they meant it. At least Twitter and Facebook enable you to know who it is - unless it's been retweeted.

And that was just one game. We are seeing more and more of this type of un-social media everywhere we turn. From comments posted to a news article to postings on CNN.com. Anywhere people can leave comments chances are those comments are not very positive.

Most professional leagues have a gag-order in place for players. Perhaps it's a good idea for us all. 

While watching Game 4 my phone will be where it should be, on my desk charging while I remember the Golden Rule.

- Shane

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

To give you an example, you can go to an agency site that I once worked for and visit their portfolio (if you're a creative reading this you could go to your old agency sites and the same thing applies). What you will find is many of the ads were created by people who are no longer with the agency. Some even before we got there. Now, WE (West Eleven) are preachers that everyone in the agency's fingerprints are all over every piece of work that the agency produces. Great work benefits everyone in the shop. But, we all know that the CD / AD's / CW's are the ones with more skin in the game. They come up with the concepts and ultimately have the most influence in the look, feel and voice of the communications. At this particular agency there was only myself as both CW and CD so I was the only one writing the copy and the scripts. I am no longer there but the agency still shows the work that I created – yes, some of them were void of any other creatives involvement, just the way it goes sometimes in a small shop especially with TV spots. So it is 'I' created. There are others that were a collaboration with an AD who is no longer there too. Should the agency let prospective clients know that those spots, those concepts, that work was created by someone no longer with the shop? 

Now, many agencies force creatives to disclaim that the work they are showing on their personal sites must inform the visitor that the work was created at such-and-such agency. That's fine and within their rights (isn't it?). But is it a double-standard?

In the end WE believe that everything comes out in the wash. Clients choose agencies for various reasons, if they have chosen an agency based on creative examples on a website or their book and those creatives are no longer there something tells me that they'll see it soon enough. Or who knows, maybe they'll think the work they are looking at is better.

Just something to think about. Thoughts?

*Every piece of creative on our site has been created by one, or all, of the creatives of West Eleven, some were created while working for other agencies.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

WE like doing laundry as much as the next person. But we really like coming up with ads that promote doing the laundry even more - the bar wasn't set that high. This is one print ad WE did while in Seoul for Samsung. Team effort. Team win. And being a Dad, I can totally relate with this picture.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

A long time ago, WE had a hand in creating a very fun campaign for Toyota while WE were at Saatchi LA. This is one of a series of nine print ads that Tod Johnston shot for us to promote the Corolla. These ads ran in mens sports magazines and stretched the clients budget by reusing the car shot and just changing out the type plates - back when they use to make plates for print ads. Wow, WE are getting older. Special shout out to Lou Romero for his talents.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Now that NASCAR has kicked off another season WE can't wait for some high-octane racing excitement on the track. If this past weekends festivities is any indicator it's going to be a crazy ride. Here is a print ad that WE had a hand in creating. It was to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of NASCAR, who knew some moonshine runners could turn into 2-by-2 drafting at 200 miles per hour.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

It's called 'The Great American Race' for a reason. The Daytona 500 has such rich history, both good and tragic. This year features a new track and lot's of excitement. WE really enjoyed working with on the 50th Anniversary of such a piece of American culture. The race is this Sunday, see you there.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

As WE get ready for 'The Great American Race' we wanted to share some work done by our CCO for NASCAR in another life. If you're a fan of great racing, trading paint and testicular fortitude then NASCAR's Truck Series is for you. Seeing it on TV is one thing, being there in person is pure sensory overload. Also, a great place to 'people watch'. Working on this account was unbelievably fun as you can see in the spot. WE tried to put the same type of passion into the campaign as the drivers and crew put into their racing - this was one time we're okay with coming in second place.

NASCAR-WhatTrucksAreMadeFor-480.mov Watch on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

WE love hockey, okay maybe it's just me that likes it. But this was a fun photo shoot for Youth Roller Hockey in Torrance, California. WE made the 'puck-cam', actually Tod Johnston did it but we digress, it was freakin cool. It spun. It flew. It just never made it into the net - the goalie was too good. 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Sometimes ideas hit you in crazy places, like in the grocery store parking lot. WE saw an opportunity to promote a product with a vinyl wrap around the light posts in the grocery store parking lot. Not only is the frozen custard product known as concrete, the post itself is the same color of the delectable treat. What WE did was get the aisle info and printed the vinyl to resemble the packaging itself. The client loved this. The grocery store chain eventually started selling this ad space to other vendors - if only WE got some of that...Regardless, it was a great idea that WE love to look back on and smile.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

WE dig one of the new websites West Eleven created recently - this one for Sanuk Mak. Check it out. Simple. User-friendly messaging. And a picture of Koi. Who doesn't love Koi? Ah, it's Friday. Serene moments await. Oh wait, that was the Koi factor. Beer?

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

It's cold outside. The furnace is blowing harder than a Thai-girl during Lunar New Year (just seeing if you're reading this part). Anyways, it's freezing out so I thought about cold spots WE have done. And this one is right up there. Ah the memories. Cold. Snow. Putting back a bottle of Crown with the Director and two Producers - anonymity is a good thing. All of staying at a 70's porn hotel that had a hot-tub in the room, not the bathroom in the actual room, it was icky in every way possible. But the shoot was awesome. Post was great. Talent killed it. Or at least that's how WE remember it, we were a bit hungover after-all.

HSP-Temperature-Q1-30.mov Watch on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Okay, the season is over and it may not be back for awhile. Oh, and the Packers won the SB. So, here's a Packer blast from the past - a spot WE created that featured Coach Holmgren. His office was awesome. As he was drawing up this play on the glass he was just making something up, then when he was done he asked if he could rewrite it down - he wanted to add it to the Hawks playbook. I think it ended up with Matt throwing a pick, so I don't think that it's in the playbook anymore. Who knew?

SEAHAWKS-WSSF-Coach-480.mov Watch on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

WE think recycling is great for everything but ideas. So, here WE designed a poster for Allied Waste. Simple messaging with a little environmental identity thrown in for good measure. Awesome client that really let us be who WE are and believed in us. WE like that too.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Sorry for missing a couple of days, the cold weather took out internet. But in remembrance of those cold mornings in Anchorage I give you a spot WE created. It amazes me that no matter how cold, wet, windy or just plain-old crappy the weather is, there are people who are out there working in it to ensure our services and safety - except for Comcast (kidding). The strategy here was to highlight that ACS employees are the ones out there making it happen while their competitor GCI didn't have to install or maintain lines and could undercut their prices. Not cool. The best thing about this spot was that GCI tried to spoof it and the outcry from Alaskans was so loud they coward and came out with an apology for the act. Brrrrr.

acssnow-480.mov Watch on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

There are like a billion colors, or there are a billion colours depending on which side of the border you live on. We'll this was done where kimchi is king and soju flows like the Mississippi. WE did this print ad as part of a campaign to promote a new visual display line from Samsung. One that shows so many different colors even those that don't have a cute name. Why can't people just say green. WE hoist a shot of Soju to our amigo Michel 'Quintessential' Cantero who helped make this concept rock. We Hi Oh.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Sometimes WE get to combine two of our favorite things, in this case it was tools and advertising. Don't know what a sawzall is? WE can help educate you on this one - it's one of our most used tools around the house. Which in itself is kind of sad. This is one of a series of print ads and posters that took Best In Show at the ADDY Awards last year. Jeff Long was the AD and he killed it.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

WE loves sports. So, to honor the news that NASCAR has changed the points system and the Daytona 500 is only a few weeks away WE wanted to share a spot done for the 50th Anniversary of the Great American Race. WE designed the logo as well, which was pretty cool to see on all the cars. Special thanks to the team at NASCAR Media Group for getting us all of the historic footage. Now, if they could just turn right once in a while (street courses excluded) that would be something.

daytona500-50th.mov Watch on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Basketball and recycling, yes they do mix. At the Toyota Center Republic Services is the official recycling sponsor of the Rockets and WE put together some creative, including this spot, to promote it. Luis Scola is the talent, he drained it on every take. WE love the Rockets and WE dig Republic, all-in-all a great team.

Republic_PSA_w_VO.mov Watch on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Well, now that it's Super Bowl week WE wanted to share a SB spot WE did for one of the biggest football fans out there – Mattress Mack. WE wanted it to be simple, so WE simply destroyed a lounge chair. WE had a lot of fun with this one and the whole team, Adam, Garner and Jeff, killed it. Go Pack.

GALLERY-RECLINER.mov Watch on Posterous

Permalink | Leave a comment  »