By Katie Earley, Copywriter

Just found out via AdFreak that Cornell Law School has Andy Bernard as one of the rotating news bits on its homepage.

First, I was shocked. You don’t expect the Ivy League to claim fictional sitcom alumni. Especially one that lacks common sense, is generally awkward and repeatedly made fun of for his Ivy League-ness.

But he’s also a beloved character on a show that is very popular. The average applicant may not recognize Peter Yarrow (class of ‘59, member of the band Peter, Paul and Mary), but they do know Andy Bernard.

Maybe it’s my age, but I love to see businesses not take themselves too seriously, so I applaud Cornell Law for showcasing their most famous fake alumnus. Even though Andy didn’t go to their law school, just undergrad.

by Susan Gosselin,Vest Director of PR

It is definitely cool working at Vest, especially when we release new artists on our very own recording label, One Horse Records.  Audrey Cecil, our latest greatest new artist, came out of the gate with a rockin’ CD release party this weekend, March 6, at The Vernon Club here in Louisville.

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By Katie Earley, Copywriter

A few months ago I posted some commercials for Las Vegas starring adorable chinchillas. The commercials focused on fake chinchilla holidays being an excellent excuse to take off from work and head to Las Vegas. They were pretty awesome and I recently saw a new version via AdFreak. There are less furry animals, but it’s still very entertaining.

By Katie Earley, Copywriter

Often on here when we praise or critique someone’s piece of advertising, it’s usually a commercial, website or print ad. I’m not sure we’ve ever discussed brochures.

The Denver Egotist recently features a very nice die-cut brochure that is worth checking out and adding to your inspiration folder.

Poise party

by Susan Gosselin, Vest Director of PR

Would you invite your friends to a party themed around light bladder leakage?  I rest my case.  Yet, House Party has come up with yet another stinker of a concept.

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By Katie Earley, Copywriter

We all have those brands that we are fiercely loyal to. Do you ever pause and try to remember how that loyalty developed?

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Twitter, one of the last bastions of truly free communications on the Internet, says the launch of a new ad platform on their platform is “imminent.”  Where will it all end?  Hopefully, with some great opportunities for advertisers, and a better run and monetized Twitter system.  Of course, with Google Buzz now bust, and Facebook Beacon a rancid, steaming p.r. disaster, it’s hard to prognosticate about how it will be received. Let’s keep on the lookout!  Read more…

By Katie Earley, Copywriter

Old Navy is opening up a contest to see who wants to be the next supermodelquin, with the winner getting a mannequin made to look like them. Cute idea, but I’m a little disappointed to see they’re continuing the supermodelqin campaign in general, which I’ve always found annoying. There was a time when I loved a good Old Navy commercial and couldn’t wait to visit the store. Now I have to tune mute the TV and wait for them to flash this week’s deals on screen so I don’t have to hear the supermodelquin voices.

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By Katie Earley, Copywriter

If you pay close attention, you might have noticed that I post here every Monday and Thursday. Today is Thursday, so I’m morally obligated by habit to say something mildly useful.

But today I could think of nothing. I had some ideas saved for today but I decided twenty minutes ago that I didn’t like them. So I started wandering the Internet in hopes of finding something useful to share since it’s Thursday and this is what I do on Thursdays.

In my quest for inspiration, I went to Flickr, searched “advertising” and found a work that had this quote:

“Creative without strategy is called ‘art’. Creative with strategy is called ‘advertising’.”
-Jef I. Richards

Seems like a useful reminder to me.

How do you find inspiration when you’re mind is feeling particularly uninspired?

By now most of us communications types have started a Facebook presence for our companies, and may even be tweeting a little.  But have you really covered all your bases?  If your executives haven’t claimed a twitter handle, they are open to being impersonated, just like this social media pundit did to long-dead H.J. Heinz. Read more…