Monday, May 31, 2010

Response:"10 Rules For Consistent Execution"



Illustration by Marc Kauffman


I found Amber Naslund's post "10 Rules For Consistent Execution" particularly of the essence considering I have a fair sized "To Do" list this week. Naslund suggests 10 excellent ways to stay on top of your work or, as she puts it: "relentless execution."

1. Keep a roadmap.

Naslund says the best way to manage your priorities is to stay organized and trust your gut. If too much work is too much work, re-approach your time management skills.

2. No more than three calls/meetings in one day.

Though I've never been a huge "phone talker" I recognize why it's important to limit your time talking about what you should be doing.

3. One day per week with no meetings at all.

This, too, is important in order to give a project your "full, undivided attention."

4. Delegate

One of my greatest project-related weaknesses is delegating work to others I feel I can take on myself. It's important to trust and have faith in those you work with.

5. Ask about urgency before saying yes.

It's good to separate imperative, must-be-done -now work from lofty, down-the-line projects. Sometimes I'll do my favorite assignments before doing the urgent. It's important to keep in mind deadlines and refer back to that 'road map.'

6. Wait 24 hours before agreeing to anything

Processing and analyzing a request is necessary for scheduling reasons. I never bite off more than I can chew because I value qualitative over quantitative work.

7. Never accept an appointment if not in front of my calendar.

It's important to double check your schedule to make sure you don't double book. I carry my planner with me everywhere I go.

8. Accept that no isn’t forever.

Opportunity always presents itself and it's important to keep this in mind when rejection occurs or when turning down projects.

9. Family time is inviolate.

I hope to have a career and a family one day. It's a fine balancing act, but my dad and step-mom are good examples of career oriented, hard workers who put their family first.

10. Create time.

Are you sacrificing hobbies, sleep, TV and a clean house in order to get stuff done? I am. Sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy, but, heck, I'm "getting it done" and that's what counts!

Saturday, May 29, 2010

On Russh Magazine






I am a self-proclaimed minimalist. Is this accurate? I'm not quite sure. All I know is I hate having things; I hate clutter. Perhaps I am partial to a blank, white space because it opens my mind and allows my imagination to run free. If the white wall above my bed had a poster, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I'd be too distracted by the image.

When I adopted this "minimalist" way of life, I stopped collecting things: coffee mugs with kooky sayings, Barbie dolls, free AOL CDs, crime scene "DO NOT CROSS" barricade tape, etc.

However, there is one very particular thing that I can't seem to stop collecting no matter how hard I try: magazines. Like a pack rat, I have acquired a stack of magazines the size of a mountain, and I can't seem to part with it. Let's just say I hope my house never catches on fire because my room would go up in flames in two seconds flat.

Russh Magazine, the bi-monthly Australian publication, is one of my favorites.

The images are stunningly provocative and the design is slick, clean and minimalist -just how I like it!



Established in 2004, the aim of the magazine is to showcase Australian fashion. The target audience is 18 to 30-year-old women.

Considering that major fashion publications are primarily published in the U.S. and Europe, I think it's exciting that a magazine from our friends "down under" is competing with the big boys.

MARCS AW10 - BEHIND THE CAMERA from Russh on Vimeo.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Response:"What's Your 20% Project?"



BBH collaborates with Asher Roth on Web site design

New York based ad/marketing company, BBH Labs, recently went through an interesting intern recruiting process.

First, BBH inquired into the predictable pre-requisites any ad/pr/marketing firm would expect of a candidate: an understanding of the industry.

Secondly, however, BBH looked for applicants that were, in their words, "messy." That is, the firm wanted interns that expressed an interest or curiosity in something totally unrelated to marketing.

As BBH says: "Advertising is one of those fields that should collaborate not only internally, but with culture at large - to be relevant and human we should inhale the world around us, circulate it in our lungs a bit and then exhale our response."

BBH asked it's employs to send in various projects/pieces of work/ etc. that they participate in outside the office.

Examples included volunteering with non-profit groups, photographing tattoos & blogging about art.

BBH reveres Google's 20% Policy, which offers it's employees 20% time to work on what they're passionate about.

"We think this is emblematic of the kind of creative business we strive to be," BBH writes. "That the energy, thinking and output from these personal projects explicitly and implicitly makes BBH a more interesting and smarter place professionally."

On Tumblr





Tumblr, the micro-blogging Web site, is my new favorite online feature. Tumblr is the "easiest way to share yourself" and essentially, a combination between Twitter, Facebook and Blogger--my most frequently visited sites.

I just recently started "tumbling" and it seems as if I can't stop.
So why is Tumblr so great?

1)Uploading content is as simple as 1-2-3.

2)Tumblr allows users to "re-blog" content (similar to a "re-tweet".)

3) You can directly link your Tumblr to your Twitter to let friends know when you've updated your page.

4) You can also reblog Tweets as conversations.

5) Friends can "like" your content.

6) You can customize your theme.

7) Good, clean, minimalist design is Tumblr's mantra!

If you've never "tumbled" you can check out my Tumblr here and get started here.

This is a list of my favorite Tumblrs:

Best Music
songsyouusedtolove.tumblr.com



Most Clever
Selleckwaterfallsandwhich.tumblr.com




Funniest
kellyoxford.tumblr.com



Tastiest
baconbaconbacon.tumblr.com

Monday, May 17, 2010

Response: "7 Ways a College Student Can Start Becoming a Professional Now"


Source: The Onion



Yesterday, I read a piece of advice that is remarkably allied to my current status as a soon-to-be college grad (Holy COW!)
It came from Steve Hannah, CEO of The Onion (the funniest faux news source under the sun.) When asked, " What is your career advice to somebody just graduating from college?" He replied, rather matter-of-factly:

" Find what you really love to do and then go after it — relentlessly. And don’t fret about the money. Because what you love to do is quite likely what you’re good at. And what you’re good at will likely bring you financial reward eventually.

I’ve seen too many people who have plotted a career, and often what’s at the heart of all that plotting is nothing other than a stack of dollar bills. You need to be happy in order to be good, and you need to be good in order to succeed. And when you succeed, there’s a good chance you’ll get paid."

On one hand, I can't hardly believe I'm graduating. It seems like just yesterday I was eating PB&Js on the playground, studying the Oregon Trail, listening to Spice Girls on my discman on the walk home from school. Conversely, I feel like I've been in school forever—which is true: I've spent nearly three-fourths of my life as a pupil. Needless to say, I'm so burnt out. And I feel it's fair enough for me to say that. I'm ready for the next chapter, the next step. I've never been so eager for anything in my entire life.

That's why I found "7 Ways a College Student Can Start Becoming a Professional Now" particularly useful & relatable.

Here is what David Spinks suggests. Let's see how I match up.

Plant your seeds.

Well, I have a LinkedIn profile but it's collecting dust. Perhaps it's about time I start using it.

Participate in projects.

"Start writing for college newspapers," says Spinks. I agree. I'm writing for two campus publications found here and here

Attend events

I frequent lectures (if my homework load permits) and treasure every piece of advice a professional provides.

Join communities

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm a frequent, if not obsessive user of just about every social media gadget out there.

Start Writing.

YES! Thank you, Spinks. Love it.

Establish mentorships.

Aforementioned, I cherish all professional advice, especially advice from those professionals who are deeply passionate about what they do.

Ignore me and do whatever you want.

Everyone has their own style, yes, but I think this a solid list of advice.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

On 'Creative Review' Blog





If you haven't had the chance to check out Creative Review's blog (one of my my many links), it's well worth it.

Creative Review, a printed magazine that reaches audiences in more than 80 countries,is a self-described "leading magazine for visual communication."

CR's primary aim is to showcase various media formats in which creative graphic design, advertising, digital media, illustration and photography are employed. The magazine is not only visually stimulating, it also provides a wealth of information concerning today's leading trends in creative design and different ways on how to think "outside the box."



The coolest part about CR online is it allows registered users to upload their personal content.

CR hosts three annual contests as follows:

1) Illustration Annual

Illustrators are invited to upload their content in the following categories:
-Personal/non-published
-Advertising
-Editorial
-Design.

Photography Annual

Entries are divided into personal, commercial and editorial work, and are viewed by a panel of art directors and art buyers.

The Annual

The Annual focuses upon the best work of the year in graphic design. These categories include: Online Advertising
-Print / Press Ads
-Graphic Design
-Packaging
-Illustrations
-Interactive/Digital Media
-Commercials
-Music Videos
-Virals
-Motion Graphics
-Editorial Design
-Other


This year, CR unleashed it's iPhone app. Pretty sweet, though hard to navigate on a small screen. Check out the video:



CR and I see eye-to-eye on the importance of creative design: The structure and the way information is presented and communicated is incredibly important to the success and distinction of an idea or product.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Response On 'Finding Time to Write'







I grew up in a safe, predominately middle class neighborhood in the heart of Portland, Oregon. I attended a uniquely progressive pre-school that stressed the importance of art and diversity. I came to understand foreign concepts such as moon tides and marimba instruments before I really understood my own community. I could count to one hundred in Spanish before I knew the English word for 'thirty-seven'; I built paper-mâché wigwams and baked loaves of challah bread when I was five. By the time I was seven, these skills felt completely useless outside of the classroom. I existed in a world that involved boyish hobbies and girly dreams.

I walked everywhere and spent as much time outside as the rainy weather permitted. I played and loved every sport imaginable. I became a very competitive basketball player thanks to pick up games with the neighborhood boys. We idolized Michael Jordan and Scotti Pippin. To us, they were incorruptible heros (with impressive stats.) There were no female basketball players I looked up to. I remember a boy telling me, "The WNBA sucks because girls can't dunk." And I believed him.

Nevertheless, I spent a significant amount of time playing dress-up and collecting Beanie Babies. At night, I dreamt of becoming a movie star. Years before I was born, my mom attended the Academy Awards, and when I was ten, she gave me the program bill from the spectacle, which I dutifully displayed on my night stand as a kind of good luck charm.

I would often sit in front of my mirror and apply various shades of lipstick. I really admired Gwenyth Paltrow because she was the "It" girl as my body entered physiological maturity. If there's anything my extensive collection of fashion magazines taught me, it was there's value in beauty and grace in and of itself. To me, Paltrow possessed so much charm, and I think that was enough.

In middle school, I became incredibly self-aware, proscribed to trends and carefully cultivated a practical identity. I equated a certain amount of popularity with happiness because that's what movies and magazines held as a universal truth.

This identity became an arduous task, however, as my own disgruntledness essentially led to the realization that the person I was on the surface was a superficial concoction. I felt like the woman in the painting above.

I eventually realized that the only way I will ever be happy in life is through writing. It is a career, a hobby, a passion that not only demands reflection, but writing, a dialectical tool and mode of self-expression, is unfaltering. Yes, good writing is bulletproof.

I just took the time to write all of this. Weird huh? It seems that in modern times, people overlook the mere importance of writing as a reflective exercise. I didn't necessarily know what to write. But it came to. The point is, writing is good for the soul. And that's a very important thing.



The importance of writing is also what Martha Retallick conveys on her blogpost, "Finding Time To Write." As Retallick says, "Finding time to write seems to be the Holy Grail for many would-be scribes." And I couldn't agree more. I do realize, however, that I spend the bulk of my day writing: texting, emailing, jotting down notes or typing up assignments. My world evolves around the written word.

And just as those skills and traits I learned as a pre-schooler seemed useless at one point in time, they did become very precious later down the road--especially when exercising my creative muscle. I know that the writing skills I employ on a day-to-day basis will forever be invaluable.



Painting: Vilhelm Hammershøi, 'Interior, Strandgade 30' (1901).

Sunday, May 9, 2010

On The Future of 'Coolhunting'




Last night, as I slowly devoured some delicious berry cobbler, I couldn't stop thinking about the future--particularly my future and what the professional world has in store for me. People always ask, "What do you want to do?" Our culture demands that we define ourselves by our career, and because of this, I always feel obligated to answer; however, my answer continues to change as the days change.

I think this echoes what many industry insiders continue to say: The job you will someday have has not yet been created.




The world of journalism and communications is growing, thriving and evolving, which is (if I can be so candid) both frightening and really, really awesome. To keep up with this phenomenon, I want to be as knowledgeable as I possibly can about media convergence and international trends. As a result, I have bookmarked a litany of Web sites that provide me updates on, what I like to refer to as, "the latest and greatest."




One of my personal favorites is The Cool Hunter: an increasingly popular design and culture blogsite that features new and innovative art, architecture, fashion, music, etc. from around the world.




The site's motto, "roaming the U.S. and the world... so you're in the know" really reflects the site's overall pastiche. I think it's also worth mentioning that, as a college student with a very limited income, "The Cool Hunter" is an excellent way to vicariously travel to some fascinating places--places I hope to one day visit, income permitting.






So who wants to hire me? Any takers?

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Response On "Social Media Withdrawal"



My life in a nustshell.



OK, OK I'll admit it: I am hands down, without a doubt addicted to the Internet. I haphazardly realized this the other day when I ran into a group of friends on campus.

"Hey Ali, what's up?" My friend asked.
"Oh, you know. Same old, same old," I said as I rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands.
"You ok?" He asked. "You just smeared mascara all over your face."
"Yeah, yeah," I assured him. "I've just been starring at a computer screen for four hours straight. My brain just hurts. That's all."
He gave me a quisitive look. "Sure... Do you want to grab some food with us?"
"Oh no. I got to go check my e-mail. It's been 20 minutes," I anxiously replied before darting off to the computer lab to get my fix. I didn't feel good about myself; I felt ashamed.

My addiction to the internet, social media, my iPod, my cellphone and television was further made evident after I read Jill Laster's article, "Students Denied Social Media Go Through Withdrawal."

I recognized myself in the student who writes that texting gives him or her "a constant feeling of comfort"; I recognized myself in the students who showed "symptoms" of "misery" and "anxiety" after being denied the internet for 24 hours in a study conducted by the International Center for Media and the Public Agenda.

The amount of time it took me to write this very blog post adheres to my addiction to all things media. Between writing these words, I had to check my e-mail once, my Twitter once, my Facebook twice, send a text and change the playlist on my iPod.

Is an addiction to media formats a curse or merely an exercise in socialization? Should I seek help? Or am I just a computer geek?

Monday, May 3, 2010

On Creative Teamwork



StrongerMarriage.org



Often if not, the execution and success of any idea is reliant on teamwork, not merely an individual's flash-in-the-pan spark of genius . Moreover, working as a team requires logical thinking and two-way communication on all parts. Establishing a dialogue (not monologue) between yourself and co-workers will yield stronger, more creative results. Yes, I truly believe that if one thinks of his or herself as a member of a team, rather than an individual with personal objectives, much more will be accomplished.

Collaboration is the underlying theme of Anita Saran's post "Secrets of Successful Creative Teams." Saran highlights the integral relationship between the "copy/art partnership", while referencing Drayton Bird, former International Creative Director of Ogilvy & Mather, who says "Good partnerships seem to produce outstanding results. Bad partnerships never do.”


I intially belived that every individual plays just one single role in the workplace; however, Saran points out the mutually beneficial relationship that can exist between writers and art directors. She writes that a copywriter and art director should seek to complement each other, not distance themselves. As she puts it, "Writers can and should think visually; Art Directors can and should think verbally."


I think this is an excellent point. I tend to approach writing from both a logistical and visual stand point. That is, I hope to paint a picture with my words, yes, but more than that, I like to literally enhance my words with literal representations. On this blog, I am both the copy writer and the art director; I have the ability to wear various hats. And I think this will help me in the workplace.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Response: "What Employers Want to See on Your Resume"





"Resumes are horrible documents, premature and unsentimental obituaries: our lives are rarely reduced to such a small number of facts," writes Guy Kawasaki, author of "The Macintosh Way."

The post, "What Employers Want to See on Your Resume," which can be found on his blog, is a hilarious chunk of advice on the perilous task of building a perfect and professional resume.

Kawasaki acknowledges that, yes, writing a resume can be daunting and dreadful. And reading resumes, as an employer, can be an even greater pain in the ass (especially if it it's a bad resume.) Still, Kawasaki makes an excellent point: resumes are--without a doubt--invaluable when grabbing an interviewer's attention and securing a job.

Here is a list of his Do's:


So what is a bad resume? Kawasaki's examples of things to avoid correspond with everything my professors have told me:

1.DON'T include photos.

2.DON'T misspell words.

3.DON'T make it wordy.

4.DON'T list generic skills.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

On Insider Tips



From Peter Lindbergh's book "Ten Women," promoted by Cultural Communications.


Cultural Communications is a public relations firm based in New York City that utilizes press releases, design, book publishing, promotional campaigns, social media, web content development and image when promoting a client's work.

Founded by Shannon Wilkinson, whose professional background includes working for Arts & Communications Counselors at Ruder Fine, one of the nation's largest PR agencies, Cultural Communications' clients include architecture firms, art galleries, film directors, photographers and much more.


Client's work has been featured in various prestigious publications, including Fine Art Connoisseur, Esquire Magazine, New York Magazine, Paper Magazine and Interview Magazine (just to name a few.)

The firm quarterly publishes "E-news: Inside Tips from PR Central" on its website, which features, tips and consultations on how to "increase profits through consistent marketing and promotion."

The Spring 2009 edition of "E-news" focuses upon "Art PR: Then and Now." Cultural Communications stresses the growing importance of public relations in the art world. As low-cost, high-tech tools continue to replace marketing devices of the past (printed materials and catalogs), artists must adapt to meet the demands of the transforming market.



Cultural Communications' attention to detail, ability to employ various PR tactics, and extensive client list is incredibly
impressive. This is a PR firm thats got it goin' on!

You can find Cultural Communications here

Monday, February 15, 2010

On Blogging





My childhood was an improbable mix of girly and machismo; indoor and outdoor; self-determination and dependence. At seven I wanted to be Catwoman; at eight a marine biologist; at 12 a basketball player.

But at the age of 14, when the president choked on a pretzel and people slapped American flag stickers on the rear end of their gas guzzlers, I had a significant epiphany: I must become a writer, I told myself.

"Whatever you do in life, be passionate about it," says my father.

To take on the identity of a writer is an arduous task, I realize, as my own disgruntledness—my own lot in life— is made evident as I put pen to paper (or computer key to Word document, for that matter.)

But I have come to understand that writing (my greatest passion) does not only demand reflection but writing— a dialectical tool of self- expression—is unassailable.

In this respect, writing is the best way to battle the world. As the saying goes, "the pen is mightier than the sword."

One of the greatest things about the Internet is its ability to demolish barriers that have kept people from reaching a mass audience.


Unlike most forms of writing, which require drafts, interviews, nut grafs and attribution, blogging is instantaneous and accessible; it removes the need for excess editing and forgoes adamant journalistic style guides.

A blog is therefore to a writer what jazz is to a musician: improvident, unrestricted and full of movement.


And that’s why I blog*.


While writing remains my forte, I am also a lover of fine arts.

Contemporary art is becoming a mix of media, techniques and ideas, and the lines between high art versus popular culture and who consumes them seem to be blurring .


As communication and artistic exchange continues to break barriers and transcend geographies, the digital revolution continues to provide arts marketers the tools to build relationships with people. Such techniques employed include websites, media kits, design services, event planning, branding, image consulting and non traditional exposure.

The purpose of this blog is to highlight particular public relations and marketing strategies that effectively expose artists and their target audiences. Moreover, this blog will seek to expose how access to words and images has never been so instantaneous.

It truly is an exciting time.


*You can read my travel blog here