12 Tell-Tale Signs You’re Nearing 40.

7月29日

It’s pretty obvious.  You’re getting old especially if you remember these things and lived it.

1.  Hairdo.

Ladies had the wave.  Fellas sported their BWB aka bolo with bangs.  Or sometimes just plain ol’ mullet.  (Photo VIA & VIA).

2.  Cavaricci.

The privileged had their pick of different colored Cavaricci pants.  The rest of us schmuck sported Bojo’s. (Photo VIA).

3. FloJo’s.

You always had a pair ready to go. You even chose to wear them over your rubber slippers from Woolworth. One side note….they really got pretty smelly after a while (Photo VIA).

4.  Sunkist Fruit Rolls.

There was no other fruit roll up.  If it wasn’t a Sunkist Fruit roll up, it wasn’t a fruit roll.  The best thing about them was eating it like a cigar.  (Photo VIA).

5.  SNES.

Just when the NES broke through and started a revolution with the 8-bit video game console system, they one-upped it with the SNES 16-bit console system.  You could actually bring Street Fighter II from the arcade into your home.  Best game ever was and still is Super Mario Kart. (Photo VIA).

6.  Cuffs.

If you didn’t cuff aka peg the pants back in the day, then you’re lying.  The tighter the better.  Added bonus, wearing these bad boys with those leather shoes from Tom McCann.  (Photo VIA).

7.  90210.

There, I said it.  You knew everything about what was going on between Dylan and Brenda.  Kelly was your favorite and quite frankly you didn’t know what the heck Steve was even doing on this show.  (Photo VIA).

8.  Trapper Keeper.

Trapper Keepers were the coolest thing every.  Why they don’t still exist today is beyond me.  Not only did they look good, they were so functional in organizing loose-leaf paper, folders, a ruler and even a pouch for pens.  (Photo VIA).

9.  The Walkman.

You had one of these and actually know what a cassette tape is.  (Photo VIA).

10.  Cigarette Bubble Gum.

You were probably victim at some point in your life to buying these baby cancer sticks that the smoking industry, although they deny it, ingeniously employed to “train” future smokers.  You could puff on them and a cloud of powdered sugar would emerge from the end of the gum like smoke from a real cigarette.  Living in Hawaii you probably got them from the Manapua Man.  (Photo VIA).

11.  Commodore 64.

The first computer you ever worked on was a Commodore 64.  You could create linear designs with a little “turtle.”  Not to mention using the original 8″ floppy disk that was able to store a whopping 80kb of memory. (Photo VIA).

12.  Cartoons.

You remember real cartoons.  Shows like Scooby Doo, Robotech, Grape Ape, Voltron (Lions), The Justice League, Tranzor Z & Captain Caveman.  None of this Pokeman crap.  (Photo VIA).

12 Kick Ass Gift Ideas for Father’s Day.

6月12日

Sunday June 16 (2013) marks Father’s Day and if you didn’t already know that, you better get a move on so you can get your dad some kick ass toy for his special day.

1.  NEMO Helio Pressure Shower.

Living in Hawaii, your dad more than likely either   a.) loves to surf    b.) dive or   c.) hang out anywhere there’s sand and water.  Some of the best beaches for surfing and diving have no shower access.  This is where the Helio Pressure Shower comes in handy.  You can buy it at REI online.  (Photo VIA.)

2.  Solar Phone Charger.

Your dad may not be on the phone as often as you but he’s still Facebooking and Instagraming despite what he’s telling you.  Buy it here.  (Photo VIA.)

3.  The backyard hammock.

There are days when your dad just needs some alone time at home and what better way to give him a place to laze at home in the shade with the dog…. away from the madness that goes on inside the house.  Lucky for you, The Hammock Company has a Father’s Day sale.  (Photo VIA.)

4.  A bad ass T-shirt.

Sure when he’s working he has to wear his nice slacks and button downs but he still has a sense of wanting his freedom and sense of humor.  If you’re dad is #boss like mine, he’ll appreciate a good shirt like the one you see above.  Check more out at 80stees.com, Red Bubble or PalmerCash.  (Photo VIA.)

5.  Bacon Brownies.

Yes you heard me right. It’s the best of both worlds.  Bacon.  Brownie. It can’t get any simpler and more awesome than that.  Make your own or grab some from The Baconery Store.  (Photo VIA.)

6.  Detachable iPhone lenses.

By now your dad has probably upgraded to a smartphone.  It’s more than likely an iPhone.  You’ve already witnessed his amateur attempt at photography.  It started with pictures of you….then he started getting all “hipster” with food shots.  Now he’s taking photos of pretty much everything that deserves to be photoed.  Try picking him up an iPhone lens so he can spend even more time taking photos of you.  Mashable features 10 Detachable iPhone Lenses for Mobile Photographers. (Photo VIA.)

7.  Fire Sense Stainless Steel Notebook Charcoal Grill.

Give pops a break.  When the family BBQ’s somewhere other then home, you know he’s the one lugging around the grill.  Why not make it easy on him and pick up the Notebook Grill from Amazon.com?  Cooks like a beast but compact and easy to carry like a notebook.  (Photo VIA.)

8.  GoPro HERO3.

Need I say more? If you haven’t heard of GoPro you seriously must live under a rock.  But for those of you who have been living under a rock, just check out some of the footage this little gem pulls in.  Buy yours at GoPro.  (Photo VIA.)

9.  Hibiki 21.

If your dad is a drinking man, he’ll appreciate the taste and quality of a good drink.  Get him a bottle of Hibiki 21.  Unfortunately, you cannot buy this anywhere over-the-counter  in Hawaii at the moment.  That’s how exclusive this is.  You can buy it in Japan, possibly the mainland or if you’re lucky, you might be able to check out the Duty Free in Waikiki.  Hibiki 21 was awarded the 2013 “World’s Best Blended Whiskey” at the World’s Whiskey Awards in London.  This is the 3rd time in 4 years that the drink has been honored.  (Photo VIA.)

10.  BBQ Branding Iron.

Every Dad loves a good steak but why not take it one step further and allow him to give bragging rights with the Norpro BBQ Branding Iron.  Silly right?  …or is it…. (Photo VIA.)

11.  TaylorMade R1 Black Driver.

Your dad golf?  Good, because just in time for Father’s Day the TaylorMade R1 Driver was made available at select retail outlets last Monday (June 10th).  It doesn’t matter how well it plays, cause it just looks so damn cool.  This puppy will only set you back $299.99 which isn’t too shabby at all considering the price of golf driver’s these days. (Photo VIA).

12.  Rip Curl Pipeline World Tide Watch.

Allow the one that brought y0u to life (with the help of mom of course) to sport something that’s not only pretty to the eye, but amazingly functional.  This all-purpose watch is perfect for the outdoor man who also wants to look contemporary and modern in today’s business world.  The watch features an all-world tide and moon chart along with many other features.  You can buy it directly off the Rip Curl site or other e-Commerce sites like Amazon.  (Photo VIA.)

9 Reasons to Love the Summer in Hawaii.

6月7日

It’s summertime, and what’s not to like about spending a summer in Hawaii?  Beautiful beaches, gorgeous scenery and those every lasting romantic sunsets.  Here’s 9 reasons that make spending a summer in Hawaii more enjoyable.  What would you add?

1.  Summer break.

For those of us who do not have the responsibility of working a full-time job….aka full-time student, you’re free from the ball-and-chain that is school for a solid 3-4 months (unless you’re on year-round…..sorry…..).  Sure you could be on summer break anywhere in the world but being in the tropics makes it that much more special.  You’re free to enjoy the season filled with BBQ’s, beach days, playing in traffic, island hopping, whatever.

2.  Less traffic for work day commute.

Now that all the kiddies are out of school it means less traffic on the road during commute hours.  An hour drive from the west side of Oahu into downtown now takes 25 minutes!

3.  Longer days means more time to play.

The earth is tilted as it moves around the sun.  As the earth reaches a particular point in its orbit around the sun, the hemisphere that tilts toward the sun, be it northern or southern, will receive more direct sunlight creating longer days.  This means more time to surf the south shore summer swells for townies.

 

4.  Street fairs.

With the summer months comes street fair galore.  Street fairs in Hawaii are all very cool as they allow for great food, entertainment, people watching and other activities.  Some of the favorites include Spam Jam and the Pan Pacific Festival Hoolaulea.

 

5.  Mangoes!

Err, obviously not the Chris Kattan SNL character Mango but the fruit version….err, well you know what i mean.  The ones you see hanging off a tree everywhere you go in Kalihi Valley.  (Photo VIA.)

 

6.  Obon Dances and Festivals.

The summer months brings the Obon season which means for lively events throughout the state that include, good music, a celebratory dance to honor our ancestors and of course the food.  I’m sensing a pattern here…. (Photo VIA.)

 

7.  Anna Miller’s Strawberry Cream Pie!

‘Nuff said.  (Photo VIA.)

 

8.  Music Concerts.

Great summer weather encourages more local artist and artist out-of-state to take a stopover in Hawaii….especially when it’s still cold in certain parts of the world….or like in Kauai….. (Photo VIA.)

 

9.  More job opportunities.

With the influx of tourism during the summer months, there is an abundance of job opportunities, some seasonal and some permanent if the company or companies foresee a good economic outlook with the summer season as the launching pad.  (Photo VIA.)

 

New Tiger Woods Nike ad

1月17日

Gotta give it up to Nike’s ad agency Wieden + Kennedy. They always find a way to suck you into their Nike spots without really hard selling any product. Sure they slap the Nike tagline and logo at the back-end of the spot but how often have you ever seen them do a hard sell?  I think Nike tries to own the category that’s why you always hear the term Nike Golf, Nike Basketball, Nike Soccer, etc. Good for them, they’re doing it right.

This next spot features up-and-coming, #1 in the world ranking golfer Rory Mcilroy and long time Nike Golf veteran Tiger Woods.

Look familiar?  Think back.  Way back to the late 80’s and you’ll probably remember this McDonald’s Basketball commercial featuring Larry Bird and Michael Jordan.  Concept is similar but the execution is different. I still enjoy the humor of it all.

Speaking of basketball, I just had to throw this classic Nike spot in for kicks.  Good stuff.

Today’s [Like] posts.

2月9日

Pizza Hut’s $10 Dinner Box Proposal Package.

Fellas…looking to ask your girl to marry you this Valentines Day?  Why not go with the Pizza Hut proposal package?!

The cat with mind games.

Well played Mr. Boots. Well played.

Spotted in the malls (Seoul, Korea)

For what I don’t know…The Avenger promo? But I definitely feel his pain…especially in the morning.

Puppy alert.

What do you get when you mix puppies and The Conan O’Brien show? Pure awesomeness….and speaking of Conan O’Brien, still love that Super Bowl commercial he did the other year.

30 Inappropriate Sexy Ads.

Wow, some of these would never fly in the US! Check ’em out but just a warning…a few of these, NSFW.

The Best & Worst 2012 Super Bowl Commercials.

2月6日

Happy New Year everyone! Wow has it been that long since I’ve last blogged?  I guess the last time was in December…but that’s still last year!  Anyway, hope the new year is all treating you well.  One thing most of America looks forward to in the beginning of the year is the Super Bowl.  Whether you’re in it for the game, the get togethers, or both…most households will be exposed to the “big” game.  One thing I personally look forward to as a marketer is the Super Bowl ads.  Due to the costly airtime, the inventory allows for only the largest of advertisers that can afford it, and supposedly, the most creative.  Did you catch some of the ads?  What are your favorites?  What were some of the duds?  In no particular order, here’s my favorites of mine and those that didn’t really work for me.

THUMBS UP:
I had to chuckle at this one because were were all a kid once…the downside of the spot? Can’t really recall who the advertiser was until I looked at the ad again.

The connection between the advertiser and the concept wasn’t as strong as some of their older ads but at least they were consistent.

Was it me or did dogs rule the air this year for the Super Bowl commercials?  Here’s one of a few that I enjoyed.  These Dorito spots are a lot more entertaining and less corny than those Fiesta “Bag” chip spots.

I’ll admit when I first saw this ad I enjoyed it but the more I see it… not so much.  So hopefully they won’t blast this spot out like they did that “Vader” kid.  Reason: I can hear the client saying at the agency planning meeting….”we want our Super Bowl ad to be as funny and over-the-top as last year’s Vader kid ad…and heck that Vader kid got us a lot of attention can we capitalize on the Star Wars component?” They might have been better off just leaving it as the dog getting in shape.  The teaser was just that too…. way to tie in a dog and Star Wars.

I like this spot not because I’m a guy…okay okay, a lot of it because of that but really it’s the simplicity of the spot that I enjoy.  “Give and you shall receive” sign off, Vday flowers. Simple, short, to the point and memorable.  Good job Teleflora, now change that damn name.

I think I would have liked this ad more if it wasn’t tied to a car company versus the city itself but still….overall a good ad that pulls at the heartstrings & psyches up the rest of the country to weather the storm and keep pushing forward during tough times.

Unexpected is always a welcoming thing to have in an advertisement and this one came through. Plus, which guy here wouldn’t want to see John Stamos get head butted by some gal that’s easy on the eyes?

It’s out there. But the soup nazi? Leno? Makes it all worth it. Not to mention this new Acura looks like one bad mother funker.

The Honda CRV Ferris Bueller ad made me feel old. This ad makes me feel young again. Plus it had favorite cartoon characters that bring back great memories….including Voltron!  Pure awesome. Especially because he was also doing this between takes.

Betty friggin’ White. Nuff’ said. I wish we could just skip to the ending an avoid all that minutia before the reveal.

I love chocolate, now.

Alright so this one was probably my favorite ad of all of them even though i said I’m listing these ads in no particular order.  The best part is the end tag where they support rescue dogs.  Cute, cool, and everything in between….also great touch to drive traffic to their FB page.

 THUMBS DOWN:
I can see the client at their ad agency meeting telling them…we wanna see our product tied into football…. but be sure it’s funny….and hey let’s throw in a basketball version too….that’s funny of course.  That’s the problem, tries to be be funny but not so much for me.

Thanks Honda. Way to ruin a classic. I’ll no longer think Ferris Bueller as cool. It could have been a great spot, the only thing you did was remind us that we’re getting old.

Sorry, I know this one was a funny one for a lot of people but….for me personally, I worked on a similar spot and it seemed like it was a rip off of ours….they of course have the bigger budget and the fact that it’s a “national” spot….but still, can you see the similarities between this spot and the version I worked on a few years ago for AIG Hawaii.  Unfortunately because AIG Hawaii is no more, the spot I’m referring to is not available online for you to compare so you’ll just have to take my word for it 😛

Good Lord H&M, what the heck? Don’t you realize this is an American Football game where majority of the viewing audience skews heavily toward men?  So why the hell would you throw in a half naked David Beckham ad in front of them?  I get it…the product is for them but geez couldn’t you have someone like his wife sporting them?  Let me give you a hint.

Thought this spot was a bit silly.  Like they’re trying to be cool but it’s…oh so very forced.  I mean really, what’s the point of taking your car skydiving or doing bungie jumps?  Would you really do that to your new car?  Ya ya, I know it’s more of the essence of what they symbolize rather than literally doing those things but whatever, I guess I’m just not as cool as they are.  I did however, like the music backdrop which to me is a better fit for what the car stands for versus all the other stuff you’re seeing.

Wth?

If Go Daddy has that much money to spend on the talent in their spots they should try and spend some of that money on coming up with better ads conceptually.

They’re just trying too hard.

Bit of a cheap shot here. How many of you actually feel like negative advertising actually works….effectively that is??

So what do you guys think?  What are some of your faves? Which ads did you want to kick out the front door?

Life’s funny (and not so funny) lessons.

9月1日

Okay….I admit it, these weren’t written by me but they’re still worth reading!

Lesson 1:  Naked Wife
A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower when the doorbell rings. The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next door neighbor. Before she says a word, Bob says, “I’ll give you $800 to drop that towel.” After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob.

After a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 dollars and leaves. The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs. When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks,…

“Who was that?” “It was Bob the next door neighbor,” she replies. “Great!” the husband says, “Did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?”

Moral of the story:  If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.

Lesson 2
A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out. The Genie says, “I’ll give each of you just one wish” “Me first! Me first!” says the administration clerk. “I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.” Poof! She’s gone. “Me next! Me next!” says the sales rep. “I want to be in Hawaii,relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life.” Poof! He’s gone. “OK, you’re up,” the Genie says to the manager. The manager says, “I want those two back in the office after lunch.”

Moral of the story:  Always let your boss have the first say.

Lesson 3
A priest offered a lift to a Nun. She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg. The priest nearly had an accident. After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg. The nun said,”Father, remember Psalm 129?” The priest removed his hand. But,changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again. The nun once again said, “Father, remember Psalm 129?” The priest apologized “Sorry sister but the flesh is weak.” Arriving at the convent, the nun went on her way. On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, “Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory.”

Moral of the story:  If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.

Lesson 4
A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A rabbit asked him,”Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?” The crow answered: “Sure, why not.” So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested.

A fox jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of the story:  To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very high up.

Lesson 5: Power of Charisma
A turkey was chatting with a bull “I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree,” sighed the turkey, but I haven’t got the energy.” “Well, why don’t you nibble on my droppings?” replied the bull. “They’re packed with nutrients.” The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.

Moral of the story:  Bullshit might get you to the top, but it wont keep you there.

Lesson 6
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field. While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.

Moral of the story:  1. Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy 2. Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend 3. And when you’re in deep shit, it’s best to keep your mouth shut!

Got a few laughs from the web today.

7月14日

Worst yogurt ever…

Why you can’t live with a girlfriend…

Magic is always friggin’ cool…

Dear iPhone….

The next Harry Potter movie will kick ass…

And what’s more…

Harry Potter isn’t perfect.
Google+ circles you’ll actually use.

Wheel of Concept.

7月9日

Happy Friday everyone. Just a quick post today. Wanted to share something with you that I found on the blog site Make the Logo bigger.  It’s called Wheel of Concept.  It’s a little bit of an ad “gag” but still it’s pretty cool….especially for those like myself who don’t work in creative, rather on the account services side of the agency.

Image this scenario….It’s 1:00pm and you’ve got a 2:00pm strategy presentation with your client. You’re still working on it and you just realized that the entire art department is out on lunch so there’s no one to make those neat spiffy custom layouts and presentation boards that you want to use in the presentation.  Your PhotoShop skills are as good as your cooking back in college….what now?  Well look no further than to the Wheel of Concept site!

Wheel of Concept!

It’s quite simple.  Type the brand (your client’s) name into the field and spin the wheel!  When it lands on one of the selections, you’ll be able to download a custom presentation board on the selected topic.  Even better, if the brand is recognized by the site the logo is automatically entered into the presentation!   So let’s say I type in “GAP” and spin the wheel…….it lands on “Social Gaming.”  Once it does that you hit the prompt to download presentation board and Walla!  You get this:

GAP Social Gaming

Not bad huh?  Pretty funny…it’s probably not that far off from what you were probably thinking with regards to your client’s brand anyway 😛 Execution of course….is another story.  Anyway, have a good weekend, spin the wheel….if you dare…

Now I don’t feel that stupid….

7月5日

Aren’t you glad you have some common sense??

Have a nice day…