In the world of advertising, less is usually more.
Too much copy can obscure the true meaning of a print ad. Excessive dialogue often becomes distracting during a commercial. And overselling a call to action can easily lead to your target market to feel alienated.
Before I run the risk of violating the statements I just finished making above, I’ll let the Canadian Institute for Diversity and Inclusion prove how effective one video, one song, and one simple statement can be: Continue reading
I’ve been glued to the television and Twitter for the last 18 hours because my beloved city (and a large portion of Alberta) is in the middle of a major natural disaster. The flooding we’re experiencing is unprecedented, and close to 75,000 people have been displaced in Calgary alone.
You know the situation is dire when the fire department is using motorboats on city streets to rescue evacuees:
Roxboro in Calgary, Alberta – June 21, 2013
If you spend anytime on a post-secondary campus at this time of year, you wouldn’t even need to be told that final exams are underway because the stress and anxiety are actually palpable in the air. Nearly every student you walk past has their nose buried in a book or computer screen, some sort of legal stimulant within reach, and a frantic look in their tired eyes. Continue reading
If you’ve ever wondered what Christmas in Ireland is like, I’m pretty sure this Guinness ad is about as accurate as you can get. As of this moment there are less than 12 hours to go until Christmas Day, so here’s to hoping there’s snow in the forecast…
Merry Christmas Eve from Dublin!
A few months ago I wrote about having the great fortune to discover that Heritage Minutes are available for viewing online. Canadians of almost any age will remember this series of history videos that began airing on television in 1991. Each Minute depicts a significant moment, person or event that influenced Canadian history and they left many a viewer (including yours truly) transfixed back in the day.
If you didn’t grow up watching Heritage Minutes, you likely a) are not Canadian and b) have no idea that history can be interesting enough to make you anticipate commercial breaks. If either of those options apply to you, dear reader, I am truly sorry. While I can’t help you with the first issue, you should check out this post to resolve the second issue. I’ll wait for you to come back…
…okay, now that we’re all on the same page about history commercials being cool, you should brace yourself because Continue reading
Everyone has some crazy weather story to pull out at less-than-exciting dinner parties. Since we’re all subjected to Mother Nature’s effects on a daily basis, it’s easy to strike up a conversation about a blizzard we just barely survived, or a lightning strike that came this close to taking us out. But if we’re really honest with ourselves, we have to admit that most of the stories we tell are just a little bit exaggerated. I mean, do you really believe that hail storm could have given you a concussion? No, no you don’t.
But sometimes a storm really does almost kill you. And when that happens, wouldn’t you give just about anything to have a video to show your friends that proves you’re not full of it? If your answer is yes, I bet you wish the footage looked something like this: Continue reading
Have you ever engaged in a late night drinking session that left you so hungry you would risk imprisonment to satisfy the craving?
Yeah, me neither…
Do you love a specific potato chip flavour so deeply that you would commit robbery to get your hands on a bag?
In all honesty this time, neither do I.
While we may be able to pat ourselves on the back for being upstanding citizens, at least two Canadian girls would have to answer “yes” to the questions above. Check out the ridiculously tasty details in this news clip: Continue reading
When you get yourself tangled up with an Irishman, you unknowingly expose yourself to a whole host of new sports. Some of them (such as hurling) are nothing short of crazy, and you find yourself wondering how long it will be until you get to attend another All-Ireland Final (Up Tipp!). Others (like Gaelic) seem to make no sense to at all, and watching them just leaves you confused and experiencing sympathy pain for the players.
And then there’s football. Continue reading
If you ever want to hear your favourite song covered by 956 amateur artists, YouTube is the place to go. It’s also the best site to visit if you hate a song and want to unleash your disdain on a music video’s comment section.
But what kind of result would be produced if covered a song that most people love to hate, and posted the video for all the world to see?
Over 9,000,000 views is the answer, and here’s the reason why: Continue reading
Unless the building was on fire, it’s highly unlikely that you would ever willfully fling yourself off a skyscraper. That choice would be even more improbable if you were told you had to pay for the pleasure of such a ridiculous act. But none of that holds true in Las Vegas, where vacationers eagerly pay the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel and Tower a pretty penny to strap themselves in to some of the most outlandish rides ever created.
With only four rides to choose from, at first glance you might think that’s pretty weak by Vegas standards. But once you figure out how mind-blowing each of these over-the-top attractions is, you’ll quickly realize the error of your first impression. Here’s a breakdown of the ways you can seek some serious thrills at the top of Stratosphere: Continue reading
Cultural Quirks 