In his terrific book Proust was a Neuroscientist, Jonah Lehrer chronicles the premier of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Sergei Diaghilev, the impresario of the Ballets Russes, commissioned Stravinsky, knowing that he would create a work that would be so shockingly new that it would make both of them famous, if not infamous. He knew that art’s reason to be is to elicit reaction. And, he knew that a chord is capable of inciting an explosive reaction simply by changing one note, the way stable molecules can become volatile with …

I’m sure many of you are familiar with the latest State Farm campaign.
No, not the one with the beady eyed douchebag spokesperson.
I’m talking about the one that seems to present State Farm as some sort of purveyor of the black arts.
You’ve seen this one. Group of girls’ car breaks down. They sing the little State Farm ditty and suddenly their agent appears. But it doesn’t stop there. Apparently, getting speedy roadside help isn’t enough. These ladies have strong libidos and they need their agent to be hot. And sensitive.
Or how …

Ever wonder if we’re adding any value?
I mean, real, concrete, take it straight to the bank value.
I do.
Not because I think our jobs are unimportant. I just truly don’t understand how we calculate how much the stuff we do is actually worth to our clients.
And from the looks of it, they are not too sure either.
Which is why they expect more and more work at lower and lower costs. They don’t see the link between higher production values and their bottom line.
“Shoot me some spots with a handheld and a …

True story.  Out of nowhere, my friend’s computer started to write alone.
First, nothing in special, just a random sequence of letters.
He immediately called the IT.
- Someone hacked my computer.
The IT came, nothing on the screen.
-          No problem, we will check what it might be. But for now, we’ll change your keyboard, so you can go back to work.
Then, messages started to appear in his Word for Windows.
-          Hi, my name is Laura. Don’t be afraid. I am looking for someone evolved, sensible, someone that can understands me. I thought it …

“So, what do you like to see in a portfolio?” was the first question, from the moderator.
“Besides the obvious technical things, like mastering programs, I like to see lots of ideas. Ideas should be falling out of your pockets, you have so many. Show that you have read everything, that you’ve seen lots of international films, and that you’ve been to all the museums. If you’re an art director, I would love to see a notebook with collage, photography, graffiti, poems—anything that shows me that there’s an interesting, curious person …

I just finished my short movie.
Ok, it is more a funny experience that cost less than 200 bucks than anything else.
It’s called ‘Inferninho’ (Little Hell) and I wrote the script, produced it and co-directed it. Oh, I was also the driver, the cook, and I lent some clothes to the actors.
It’s a simple, strange and (I suppose) funny story that starts with two friends in a nightclub with a terrible reputation. There, one of them reveals something awkward. He swears to God that he met the Devil, in person, there, …

Tired of being on the lame account with the lame client and the lame budgets? Think others are getting dream jobs with big budgets and exotic shoots?
Well there is only one way to get there. You’ll have to earn it yourself. No invites will come asking you to step out of lameness and into greatness. The good news however is you can write your own ticket.
There is one truth to advertising… only thing holding you back is you.
Sure time constraints and budgets will get in your way… differing opinions will …

You know the game. It’s at every carnival and boardwalk across the country. You take a mallet and try to pound the crap out of a bunch of stuffed moles that keep popping their heads out of a bunch of holes.
It’s pretty damn annoying really. The more you get into it, the more the moles keep popping up, to the point where it’s impossible to hit them all.
It’s just like advertising, really.
Just when you think you’ve solved a problem, another one pops up. Whack! You write the perfect headline. Another …

Sometimes I feel like Kramer.
Remember when he got all those wrong numbers for Movie Phone on Seinfeld?
He tried to be helpful and actually give people the movie info they were seeking.
Paper in hand, he thumbed through the listings, letting people know show times, locations, etc.
It all comes to a head when George calls. Kramer tries his best to replicate the automated phone system, asking callers to ‘press 1 if you know the name of the movie you’d like to see” and ‘enter the first 3 letters of the movie name” …

This old comedy was running on the TV the other day.
If you are not familiar with it, here’s how it goes:
Two guys are trying to make their way in a company. One on charm, the other on work. One day, their president (that’s Bernie) invites them to his beach house for a weekend. That’s when the mafia kills Bernie. So, the guys start to hang around with the corpse, pretending he’s alive, to fool the mobsters and save their lives.
Now, let’s see what lesson this writer will take off this …