MonKeyArtAwards

Drinking The Kool-Aid

We came across the following in The New Yorker in an article called The Cult of Overwork:

In a culture that venerates overwork, people internalize crazy hours as the norm…. Grinding out hundred-hour weeks for years helps [workers] think of themselves as tougher and more dedicated than everyone else… Over time, the simple fact that you work so much becomes proof that the job is worthwhile, and being in the office day and night becomes a kind of permanent initiation ritual.

Does this sound like your agency? It’s no wonder, key art directing is, after all, a feminine discipline - all that fussing over colors and photographs of movie stars. It’s downright silly when you think about it, so naturally a certain amount of macho-shitheadedness creeps into the workplace in order to make you poncy art majors feel less sissified.

From Our Archives

What To Name The Baby

If you’re like us, you know the hardest part of starting a new business is coming up with a name for it. Unless the name comes to you first and the business follows in due course. (Which is how we ended up running a funeral parlor in the Sierras called Mammoth Undertaking.)

So, if you’ve got your heart set on opening up your very own entertainment advertising agency and you’re stumped as to what to call your workers’ paradise, we offer these suggestions:

1. Fanciful, Pickwickian names that speak to a muted ecstasy deep within your soul:

  Graphic Infection

  Dr. Lovefont's Feel Good Designatorium

  Breakfast At Epiphany's

  Pixelophilia

  Unbridled Enthusiasm, Inc.

2. Manly names intended to obscure what is really a silly, fussy occupation:

  The Tool Shed

  The Steal Mill

  Creative Sweat Shop

  Art Butcher

3. Solipsistic names that slyly reference esoteric aspects of this industry:

  The Whinery

  White Slavers of The Westside

  Creative Panderers

  One Sheet To The Wind

Plus these gems submitted by our readers:

Polish Chop Shop

Helvetica Unlimited

Simmerin' Bacon O' Fryin'

B. F. D.

Fart Machine

Pemis

Indignation

Stockholm Syndrome

Small Vox

Ruptured Arterie

Petrol Refinery

Fox Inthechickenhouse

Art Misery

Client Fancy: The Magazine For Account Execs

How Can Anything As Dumb As Key Art Be Considered Intellectual Property?

Dear Edwina,

 Here’s an interesting topic sure to cause a poo tornado.

Recently your blog had a lot of chatter about mOcean dissolving departments, along with comments praising Deadline.  Here’s the truth about what Deadline was really about.

Deadline was sold to CMP (now mOcean) for undisclosed $$$. Now a certain someone is leaving mOcean to start a new creative agency using mostly old Deadline portfolio samples (many projects but not all can also be seen on mOcean's online portfolio.)

2 agencies, 1 portfolio (even the same digital files are used!)

First of all, we’re going to downgrade this from a poo tornado to category 2 gust of poo.

We’ve seen this happen several times following an agency split up. It’s always so hard on the children. 

Suppose Glorious Art Director leaves Horribly Rotten Design Group; is it ethical for Horribly Rotten Design Group to continue to include Glorious Art Director's finishes in their portfolio if there is no longer anyone in house capable of producing that quality of work? If Glorious Art Director sets up shop, does he have the right to display work done while he was employed at Horribly Rotten Design Group?

Or, suppose we throw a fabulous party on Saturday and another one the following Tuesday - is it really so terrible if we serve stale leftovers from Saturday’s party to our guests on Tuesday?

We Might Ask Ourselves, “Who Gives A Shit?”

Of all the mail that came in during our hiatus, this one, which we received last November, is by far the most entertaining:

Dear Edwina, You might have to come outta retirement on this topic.

For year's now within our industry, IMPawards has become a staple to post and reference finished art campaigns from mainstream theatrical work, to indie festival and not to leave out cable networks. Throughout the growth of the website's popularity, there have been many-a-comments praising or bashing artwork. As most of us assumed, the majority of these anonymous comments were from the industry shops along with their employees, as well as competitors. As the comments grew out of control, IMP enforced, sort of, an accountability way to comment, in the sense that IF you were to write something, you had to log into your personal FB, Hotmail, etc. where you would verbally praise or abuse the artwork thus showing your cards. When this began to take shape there was a massive silence amongst ourselves. Until one day a certain partner from a major ad firm (hereafter referred to Agency X) decided to form fictitious people on Facebook. The first of them were pretty weak - all of them were called out by fellow peers. So as they became more savvy, “he” went to greater lengths to add photos, random friends, and info to these “fake fans of the entertainment industry”. 

We did some investigating on the latest and hottest movie fan “Jessika”. What's great about this "person" is that she's hot, young and is Agency X’s biggest fan! She seems to have a wealth of knowledge from famed artists and can call out a direct rip off of a misc.1970's poster that a competitor just finished, whilst only being 21 years old. We did a little digging and sure enough, “Jessika” is in fact another person on Facebook and Twitter.  What's further proof of these antics is that the partner over at Agency X is friends with her on FB!!! 

You might ask yourselves…who gives a shit? Well over the years, "he" has been directing people to artwork links to show how much the BUZZ their amazing art is getting! I say to you, you're not fooling anyone.

Cannot Wait To See The One Sheet For The Hangover Part VIII

Burbank, CA – May 16, 2013 – Legendary Entertainment has announced an agreement to purchase FIVE33, a global marketing company that specializes in developing innovative marketing programs to bring immersive awareness of tentpole movies and intellectual properties to audiences around the world. Through this deal, FIVE33 will now work exclusively with Legendary and its high-profile stable of filmmakers and storytellers to drive awareness of the studio’s brand and suite of properties via worldwide campaigns and multi-platform strategies. The announcement was made by Legendary President and Chief Creative Officer, Jon Jashni and FIVE33 CEO and Founder, Emily Castel.



“Legendary now has a world-class strategic marketing team and contributor who will be accretive to our ongoing effort of delivering high-quality content to audiences everywhere. FIVE33’s unique skill set and pedigree will be of enormous benefit to Legendary as we deliver the full potential of our brand experience and IP slate,” said Jashni. “Emily and her team have an innate understanding of Legendary’s brand, and as part of the executive marketing team, they will cultivate what the Legendary entertainment promise means to today’s consumer across multiple platforms and experiences.”

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to become part of Legendary’s team, and to extend its product into immersive multi-platform universes,” said Castel. “We look forward to extending the lifespan in the market for Legendary properties, and maintaining the integrity, creative vision and consistency of all satellite products.”

With offices in Los Angeles and London, FIVE33 will offer a turn-key strategic marketing and development department that develops programs and experiences for Legendary’s IP. The company will join forces immediately with Legendary showcasing its work at the upcoming Comic-Con International in San Diego.

FIVE33 was founded in 2007 and has designed highly successful multi-platform campaigns for global entertainment Studios including Disney, Universal and Paramount. Their most recent projects include OBLIVION and STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS. The team is currently at work with Legendary for the studio’s upcoming PACIFIC RIM and GODZILLA properties. Through the deal with Legendary, FIVE33 will become fully integrated into the studio and focus solely on Legendary properties.

@rupertmurdoch

Maybe those senators would be more cooperative if Herr Rupert hacked their cell phones. 

Happy Thanksgiving To All Of You Who Worked Passionately, Tirelessly And Above All, Uncomplainingly Over The Holiday Weekend.

If you’re like us, you take pride in knowing that the work we are in engaged in is critically important, just like that of nurses, doctors and firemen.

When we are called up for active duty over a holiday or a weekend we think not of ourselves or our loved ones, but of all “those wonderful people out there in the dark,” as Norma Desmond said; blindly fumbling around wondering which movie to go to, which TV show to watch, which game to buy, which DVD to rent. And here we are, like a beacon in the night, guiding the way with our subway 2-sheets and our super bus kings.

So keep up the good work, comrades. And rest assured that the project that kept you away from your family was of vital consequence and the deadline you had was in no way an arbitrary one.

Bob & Barbara & Mike & Albert

LOS ANGELES (June 21, 2011) – Four of Hollywood’s most successful entertainment marketing entrepreneurs today announced the launch of AngelVision Investors, a Los Angeles-based investment group. Led by Ant Farm Co-Founders Barbara Glazer and Mike Greenfeld, Aspect Ratio Co-Founder Bob Israel, and Creative Domain Founder Albert Litewka, AngelVision Investors is looking to invest in startup and emerging growth-oriented companies that can achieve a well-defined market position, sustainable competitive advantage, profitability and scalability.

AngelVision seeks to invest capital in a broad range of businesses within the entertainment, marketing, advertising and technology communities. The principal members of AngelVision, as well as mergers and acquisitions specialist Lars Ekstrom, will decide which companies they choose to back. AngelVision’s target investment can range from $100K to $2.5 million. The group’s first investment is in SoliDDD Corp., a company that is pioneering the delivery of “truly lifelike 3D TM” without the need for special glasses. Other investments will be announced shortly.

Each of the principals of AngelVision, who successfully built and sold their respective agencies, shares a vision to guide and mentor other companies to develop breakthrough ideas and achieve the highest degree of success.

“We are excited to announce the launch of our new company, which was designed to not only provide capital but also make available our collective years of experience and expertise,” the principals said. “We’re looking for people who are passionate about their work and seeking to take their businesses to the next level.”

AngelVision will work hand-in-hand with the companies in which it invests. It will add value including strategic thinking, in-depth operating experience, a comprehensive knowledge of entertainment and marketing, and a network of valuable industry relationships.

Click on image to enter the magical world of AngelVision!

72 And Sunshine Up Your Pants

A Los Angeles agency called 72 and Sunny plans to start an advertising school, 72U, which would offer 10 months of projects, coursework and hands-on learning for tuition of around $10,000.

Right now you're probably saying, "Brilliant - have your interns pay YOU! Why didn't I think of that?"

The following is from 72U’s indemnification agreement:

SECTION 2: DEFINITION OF PARTICIPATION

(A)  I recognize that participation in 72U is for, but not limited to: writers, designers, strategists, developers, brand managers, community managers, producers, artists, scientists, optimists and rebels with or without a cause.

(B)  If selected, I understand that this program is designed to be a demanding, holistic approach to expanding both the creative and strategic sides of all participants, and that if I don’t grow in these areas, I should file a complaint with god.

(C)  I hereby give my full and complete permission to the 72U directors to decide whether I have any idea what I’m talking about at any given time, and I accept all methods of dismantling my ego by any means necessary.

(D)  I acknowledge that doing real work on real clients, in a frenetic environment, comes with real pressure and real consequences. Further, I give my complete permission to 72andSunny to decide what those consequences will be because, as of this moment, they are too severe to list in this waiver.

(E)   I fully understand that this ten-month program is designed to cultivate brave and generous people, and should I not emerge from the program with these attributes much-improved, it’s my own damn fault.

Joining The Ivey League

Realizing that we had initially left DZN's tombstone off of our revised vendors' map, we are attempting to make amends with this copy & pasted press release regarding some of their former staffers: 

Ivey Performance Marketing announces the expansion of its Los Angeles operation with the formation of Ivey Creative.

The creative services unit will be led by Lisa Dattilo who previously was co-managing director of DZN The Design Group. Dattilo has deep entertainment sector experience, including supporting Sony Pictures Television, Paramount Pictures, Warner Home Entertainment and The Academy of Motion Pictures. 

Dattilo will be joined by Dave Lauruhn, who brings 15 years of art direction experience and by Dawn Tewksbury as production artist.

What To Name The Baby

If you’re like us, you know the hardest part of starting a new business is coming up with a name for it. Unless the name comes to you first and the business follows in due course. (Which is how we ended up running a funeral parlor in the Sierras called Mammoth Undertaking.)

Nonetheless, if you’ve got your mind set on opening up your very own entertainment advertising agency and you’re stumped as to what to call your workers’ paradise, we offer these suggestions from the following three categories:

1. Fanciful, Pickwickian names that speak to a muted ecstasy deep within your soul:

  Graphic Infection

  Afflatus

  Dr. Lovefont's Feel Good Designatorium

  Breakfast At Epiphany's

  Pixelophilia

  Unbridled Enthusiasm, Inc.

2. Manly names intended to obscure what is really a silly, fussy occupation:

  The Tool Shed

  The Steal Mill

  Creative Sweat Shop

  Art Butcher

  The Idea Dairy

3. Solipsistic names that slyly reference esoteric aspects of this industry:

  The Whinery

  L'egoland

  White Slavers of The Westside

  Creative Panderers

  One Sheet To The Wind