May 9, 2008

The Joys of Producing Advertising Copy

After a few recent conversations, after hearing about some others, and after recently reading a few highly questionable local media pieces, I am prompted to write...

One would think, with my varied background, that the idea of producing long-form advertising copy would not appeal to me. Over the last few months, however, I have learned that this is not the case. Quite the opposite, really.

You see, I know I'm trying to sell something. The client wants me to help them sell something. The reader is (at least mildly) interested in buying something. Or they can completely disregard my message if they're not. As long as the copy I produce is not libelous or slanderous or inaccurate or otherwise disingenuous, the free market takes over and the product/service/organization and my accompanying message about it are forced to live or die on their own. And I am perfectly happy with that. Because it's honest.

On the flip side, producing copy that calls itself "objective" -- or at least acting like the copy that's being produced is worthy of being considered "objective" -- and then using that same copy to sell or benefit from a cause/organization/product/idea/event, is, well, dishonest.

I'll stop there. I don't want to ruin anybody's day.

Posted by colrus at 12:12 AM | Comments [1] | TrackBack

May 8, 2008

Quick! Sell Me On Your Part of Town

After almost 6 years, Melissa and I (and now Sam) are looking to move off of Signal Mountain. While we've LOVED living on the mountain, we've grown tired of going up and down it. Even a simple trip, say, to Target has to be planned:

"Are we gonna go anywhere else? Are we going to want to go back off the mountain after we get home? Should we wait until later?"

And let's not even talk about brakes.

So...

Since we are planning to move, I'd love to hear why your part of town (or area) is the best. We're pretty open at this point, so let it fly. Give me three reasons why we should live where you live.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Posted by colrus at 11:36 AM | Comments [1] | TrackBack

February 8, 2008

The Basketball Diaries: A visiting British scholar considers the American spectacle known as UT Men's Basketball

This is pretty good.

"Although the enforced stoppages are infuriating, the first half has been thoroughly enjoyable. I’ve been especially impressed by the band as well, who do their best to whip up the orange-clad student section; the sound of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” being performed by a marching band is a strange one indeed. The time-outs are also enlivened by what appear to be slave kids who appear from nowhere to wipe the surface clean. Is this some kind of Mascoting 101? I’m not entirely convinced it’s legal, but it does lend a surprising Dickensian air to proceedings."

Posted by colrus at 8:51 AM | TrackBack

March 20, 2007

My UTC Alumni Profile

I'm profiled on the UTC Alumni website this month.

Posted by colrus at 1:36 AM | Comments [3] | TrackBack

March 13, 2007

Al Gore: Damaging Science?

All I'm saying is, if you are a leading Democrat and the New York Times is giving you a hard time, what do you do?

Hollywood has a thing for Al Gore and his three-alarm film on global warming, “An Inconvenient Truth,” which won an Academy Award for best documentary. So do many environmentalists, who praise him as a visionary, and many scientists, who laud him for raising public awareness of climate change.

But part of his scientific audience is uneasy. In talks, articles and blog entries that have appeared since his film and accompanying book came out last year, these scientists argue that some of Mr. Gore’s central points are exaggerated and erroneous. They are alarmed, some say, at what they call his alarmism.

On a related note, how about that weather today, huh?

Posted by colrus at 9:57 PM | Comments [2] | TrackBack

February 19, 2007

Fast Food Managers

Why are fast food managers always yelling? Why don't they just use those headsets like the people who work the drive thru? The customers who place their orders at the drive thru are always yelling, too. Why? They don't have those headsets, either. You'd think the managers would have noticed that by now.

Posted by colrus at 1:18 AM | TrackBack

September 26, 2006

How to Work an Old-School Hand Dryer

With most restroom hand dryers now being automatic, you may have forgotten how to operate an old-school one.

Here's how:

1. Put your left index finger in the hole.

2. Clap for bacon.

Got it? Good.

Happy hand drying!

Posted by colrus at 1:21 AM | Comments [2] | TrackBack

June 11, 2006

A Homey from Back in the Day

Tim and his girlfriend Patty came to Chattanooga this weekend. Melissa and I took them on the obligatory Sweet Basil/Clumpie's/Walnut Street Bridge/Art District tour while catching up on o