Gladys, My New Favorite Model.
Posted by truecreek on January 21, 2012 under The Work | 
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This young girl was just great during our shoot. What a talent.
Never Had This Much Fun With A Bus Before.
Posted by truecreek on January 17, 2012 under The Work | Be the First to Comment
Lots of color often makes for a wonderful shot. Had a chance to work with one of the brand new Fairfax Connector buses a few weeks ago, during a shoot for the 495 Express Lanes. From what I understand, each bus is about $500,000 and change. Even the tires had Armor All on them.
The 495 Express Lanes will be completed in late 2012, so there will be more on this site as the year progresses. Check out Transurban’s new site here.
One Motivational Poster That Just Didn’t Fly.
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Some nice artwork that just didn’t fly with the client. It happens.
The Final of Five. Safety Poster.
Posted by truecreek on January 16, 2012 under The Work | Be the First to Comment
The final poster in a five-part set. These educational posters will be in lobbies and common areas of buildings around the 495 Express Lane corridor.
For more information on the 495 Express Lanes, click here.
The Hits Just Keep On Coming. More Transurban Imagery.
Posted by truecreek on January 11, 2012 under The Work | Be the First to Comment
Amazing stuff, weather. This particular shoot was interrupted two different times by Mother Nature. The first time, we moved the shoot two weeks, a process begun during Shoot Day One. The first shot was actually taken during the early part of the storm. Gary was comfortably shooting from inside the building, through a pane of glass.
The second was postponed a day, after it became painfully obvious we were going to be rained out. However, we were lucky. Both decisions were right on, allowing us just enough time to get some great images for the campaign. Kudos to the entire crew and Gary for getting it done.
The talent in the first shot is a good buddy of mine, Mike Kinder. A star in the making, I think. Both shots were taken right outside the new Transurban corporate offices and will be used on the new site and in future tactics.
New Transurban Imagery.
Posted by truecreek on under The Work | Be the First to Comment
Here are a couple of shots from the photo shoot just completed for Transurban. Gary Landsman, the photographer, spent the better part of three days shooting in a variety of locations. Some very nice, colorful art that will work well for us throughout the year.
Gary is one of the better shooters I’ve worked with. You can check out his work here. All rights reserved.
The 495 Express Lanes will be completed in late 2012, so there will be more on this site as the year progresses. Check out Transurban’s new site here.
It’s Time to Change Lanes Introductory Brochure.
Posted by truecreek on under The Work | Be the First to Comment
New work. Here is the cover and the back panel from the Introductory Brochure we just completed for Transurban. Rebecca, a long-standing member of The Creekbed, has written some amazing and compelling headlines for us. The clean art direction was the handiwork of Glenn and Chris. We’ll be taking this direction even further as we go through the year.
The lanes will be completed in late 2012, so there will be more on this site as the year progresses. Check out Transurban’s new site here
New Client. New Work for Transurban.
Posted by truecreek on January 10, 2012 under The Work | Read the First Comment
Over the past few months, we’ve been working hard for our newest client, Transurban. The company will serve as concessionaire and long-term operator of the 495 Express Lanes.
The public-private partnership with Virginia will deliver the most significant package of improvements to the Capital Beltway in a generation – providing congestion relief and new travel choices to one of our busiest roadways.
Transurban will be operating the road upon completion.
To help the client reach their audience, we’ll be handling media planning, placement and reconciliation. We will also provide creative services for the client, including radio, print, online, out-of-home and more.
Over the next few days, I’ll be posting work that we have completed on their behalf.
The lanes will be completed in late 2012, so there will be much more to come. You can also check out the site here.
Here are two of the introductory posters we just completed:
World’s Most LIKED Brands, from CNBC.
Posted by truecreek on December 12, 2011 under More Dam News, Opinions. Everyone has them. | Comments are off for this article
This really brings home the new online world we live in, doesn’t it? First time in all my years of doing this that a have actually seen this type of list using LIKE from Facebook as the selection data. From CNBC.
Ben & Jerry’s Tribute to Schweddy Balls.
Posted by truecreek on September 27, 2011 under Opinions. Everyone has them. | Comments are off for this article
One of my all-time favorite skits on SNL was Alec Baldwin’s ‘Schweddy Balls.” If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out here.
But should Ben & Jerry’s actually crafted an ice cream under the moniker? Don’t know if I’ll be rushing out for that flavor, but I have to admit I did ask my wife to check for it last night at the grocery store….
The whole thing has prompted a group to ask people to boycott Ben & Jerry’s. Fox News has been all over it and of course, NPR just appreciates the recognition.
Even CNN had a poll. Looks like a ‘split.’
Top Ad Campaigns of the 20th Century.
Posted by truecreek on September 13, 2011 under Opinions. Everyone has them. | Comments are off for this article
When you look at some of these, it’s just amazing to see the change in art direction over the years. Back in the day, copy seemed to be what drove everything. Then, as time went on, we started leading with visuals and copy was sent to the background.
I have always felt that copy needs to lead the way, with the headline enticing the reader to want more. Most of these campaigns relied on a spectacular headline.
That being said, the Absolut campaign has just been incredible, with some of the most compelling and imaginative imagery ever used in the business.
Another wonderful slideshow, from Ad Age and CNBC.
I can’t wait. Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Posted by truecreek on August 2, 2011 under Opinions. Everyone has them. | Comments are off for this article
I think this could be the biggest hit of the summer. Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The production and CG is incredible. Light years advancement in facial recognition. Amazing.
Following up the record-setting Captain America, this is going to be a whale of a weekend at the box office.
Box office update: ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ thrashes expectations, earns $19.8 million on Friday
What We Do At True Creek.
Posted by truecreek on February 1, 2011 under The Work | Comments are off for this article
At True Creek, we are into big ideas. The Creekbed draws from the brightest, most creative minds in the industry today; people who have shaped brands like Intel, Apple, Nissan, Best Buy, Volkswagen, Cox, Comcast, NASA – and many local and regional names that are big fish in a smaller pond.
We offer our clients a wide variety of services: Media Planning, Placement and Reconciliation, Television and Radio Production, Newspaper, Four-Color Magazine, Collateral Materials, Direct Mail, Promotional Merchandise, Point-of-Purchase, Outdoor and Out-of-Home, Logo Design and Corporate Identity/Graphic Standards.
Our agency is based in Oakton, VA, which is just outside the Capital Beltway in Washington, D.C.
Please take a moment to tour the site. Afterwards, let’s talk about how we might be able to help you. 703-281-2165. Or send a note: joseph@truecreek.com.
Some New Work for Suddenlink.
Posted by truecreek on January 25, 2011 under The Work | Comments are off for this article
Poster artwork for our newest internal campaign for Suddenlink. Think As One.
TV Spots Shrink to Match Attention Spans.
Posted by truecreek on October 27, 2010 under More Dam News, Research | Comments are off for this article
By Emily Fredrix
And now, a word from our sponsors. A very brief word.
TV commercials are shrinking along with attention spans and advertising budgets. The 15-second ad is increasingly common, gradually supplanting the 30-second spot just as it knocked off the full-minute pitch decades ago.
For viewers, it means more commercials in a more rapid-fire format. For advertisers, shorter commercials are a way to save some money, and research shows they hold on to more eyeballs than the longer format.
“It used to be that the most valuable thing on the planet was time, and now the most valuable thing on the planet is attention,” says John Greening, associate professor at Northwestern University’s journalism school and a former executive vice president at ad agency DDB Chicago.
So instead of seeing a lengthier plot line, viewers are treated to the sight of, say, the popular “Old Spice man” riding backward on a horse through various scenes for just 15 seconds.
Or the “most interesting man in the world,” the suave, rugged, Spanish-accented character pitching Dos Equis beer, appearing just long enough to turn his head and weigh in on the topic of rollerblading. (Verdict? A deadpan “No.”)
The number of 15-second television commercials has jumped more than 70 percent in five years to nearly 5.5 million last year, according to Nielsen. They made up 34 percent of all national ads on the air last year, up from 29 percent in 2005.
Commercial-skipping digital video recorders and distractions such as laptops and phones have shortened viewers’ attention spans, says Deborah Mitchell, executive director of the Center for Brand and Product Management at the University of Wisconsin. Viewers are also watching TV streamed on sites like Hulu, where advertisers have less of a presence.
Comcast Atlanta Four-Color Print.
Posted by truecreek on August 4, 2010 under The Work | Comments are off for this article
Stella Artois Positions Its Beer as a ‘Thing of Beauty’.
Posted by truecreek on July 14, 2010 under More Dam News | Comments are off for this article
By Elena Malykhina
Stella Artois has enlisted famous photographer Bert Stern to create Vogue-like images for a U.S. campaign that depicts the finer things in life.
The campaign, created by Mother New York, positions Stella Artois as “the most premium beer in the world.” It kicks off with an ad shot by Stern, which recreates a 1960 cover of Vogue. The ad shows a man enamored with a woman who is drinking Stella Artois beer. The tagline is: “She is a thing of beauty.”
That ad will run in print and out-of-home in the U.S. for six months starting this week. Michael Ian Kaye, a creative director at Mother, said additional ads—including TV—will break during the holidays (November/December timeframe).
Kaye said the U.S. effort builds on a Stella Artois campaign currently running in the U.K. Some of that overseas creative is currently featured on the company’s Web site, which also sports the new tagline.
“‘She a thing of beauty’ came from the work we’ve done in the U.K. It’s really about a brand that has been established with a sense of luxury,” said Kaye. “We were tasked with creating a U.S. print campaign that bring that notion to life.”
The ads are also meant reflect Stella Artois’ target consumer: a more sophisticated beer drinker. Kaye said: “While, it tends to be a slightly more female base, we’re targeting both men and women who lead a certain lifestyle.”
Starbucks to Offer Free Wi-Fi at all Stores Nationwide, Starting July 1st.
Posted by truecreek on June 15, 2010 under More Dam News | Comments are off for this article
By Joseph Young
During an appearance at Wired’s Business Conference, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced the company was going to recognize customers desire for a better in-store wi-fi experience. Starting July 1st, the company will offer customers a free, one-click wi-fi connection to the Internet through AT&T, in all U.S. company operated stores.
Very nice move.
Schultz also announced that sometime this fall the company will be introducing the Starbucks Digital Network, in conjunction with Yahoo!. Again, only U.S. company operated stores, but the network will offer exclusive and free content, access to some paid sites and plenty of local and community news. Content providers will include Apple, The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and more.
New Coke: One of Marketing’s Biggest Blunders Turns 25.
Posted by truecreek on April 23, 2010 under More Dam News | Comments are off for this article
By Abbey Klaassen, AdAge
Today marks a quarter century of one of marketing’s biggest blunders — and the sixth biggest moment in 75 years of advertising, according to Ad Age: New Coke.
Still smarting from the 1975 “Pepsi Challenge” taste-test battle, Coca-Cola Co. launches “Project Kansas,” a top-secret mission to reformulate Coke. President-Chief Operating Officer Robert Goizueta appoints Coca-Cola USA head Brian Dyson, who taps marketing chief Sergio Zyman to head the endeavor. Mr. Zyman and company test a new, sweeter version of the flagship cola with 190,000 nationwide taste tests at a cost of $4 million.
At a bottlers’ meeting in Atlanta back on April 22, 1985, Mr. Zyman announced from the stage that Coke was changing its taste. The next day Coca-Cola revealed the new, sweeter taste to financial analysts and the media. But word of the new product finally leaks out and Pepsi dispatches its own press assault on the same day claiming victory. “The other guy blinked,” Pepsi says in ads saying Coke reformulated its brand to taste “more like” Pepsi.
The press hammers at Mr. Goizueta, now chairman-CEO, to explain the difference and what will happen to the old Coke, which 39% of consumers still favor. When Mr. Goizueta admits it will do away with the old formula, consumers revolt. Dazed by the backlash, management on July 11, 1985, just 79 days later, agrees to bring back the original formula, renaming it Coca-Cola Classic.
Some in the industry counter-intuitively suggested the blunder was actually good for the beverage giant — that its fans’ reactions to the idea of their beloved Coke going away, along with the reintroduction of the cola as Coca-Cola Classic, have created a fantastic new marketing strategy. But we think the lesson is pretty clear: Don’t tinker with success. Or at least think very, very carefully before you do.
C’mon, Get Happy: Advertisers Want Consumers To Lighten Up.
Posted by truecreek on April 21, 2010 under More Dam News, Research | Comments are off for this article
By Ken Bruno
After a long winter and a grim recession luxury-faucet maker Brizo wants to give consumers “a license to dream.” Online videos and print ads created by Young & Laramore for Brizo’s high-end, touch-sensitive Talo, Venuto and Virage faucets feature vivid colors that morph into butterflies, flowers, mermaids and fish.
New ad campaigns suggest marketers are eager to shake off the gloom of tough economic times–and they hope consumers will do the same. While some economists aren’t sure the tough times are history, advertisers don’t seem to care. Companies are rolling out carefree ads that use humor, colorful images and upbeat language to get consumers to lighten up–and open up their wallets.
“What you make people feel is as important as what you make,” goes the voice-over in a commercial from BMW of North America’s “Story of Joy” ad campaign, which includes print ads featuring happy-looking adults, kids and dogs with headlines that lead off with “Joy is …” The campaign was created by GSD&M Idea City.
Procter & Gamble even seems to thumb its nose at money-pinching buyers of personal care products in ads for Old Spice. In TV spots, Isaiah Mustafa taunts women with recession-induced goodie withdrawal by offering “two tickets to that thing you love,” before the tickets turn into diamonds. Spots featuring Mustafa and his treats have racked up more than 8 million views since they broke in February.
Fun and games? Those are reappearing in ads. Interpublic agency Deutsch L.A.’s playful campaign for Volkswagen “Punch Dub,” invites consumers to play an updated version of the game “Punch Buggy,” in which the first person to spot a VW slugs his or her friend on the arm. Stevie Wonder and 30 Rock’s Tracy Morgan even get in on the game in ads.
Microsoft even promotes the idea of carefree travel in ads for the launch of its new mobile phone brand, Kin. In “The Journey,” by AgencyTwoFifteen, Rosa Salazar, a lollipop-loving Brooklyn comedian, hits the road to meet as many of her 824 social networking friends as possible.
Consumers and marketers were in the dumps last year when total U.S. advertising expenditures fell 12.3% in 2009 to $125.3 billion, compared with 2008, says ad tracker Kantar Media in New York but some agency executives say marketers are willing to spend again.
“There is a market turn toward the positive,” says Deutsch N.Y. Chief Creative Officer Greg DiNoto. “That’s a smart marketing strategy for any brand when you’re emerging from a recession.” Brands need to be associated with winning.”
A few advertisers hope upbeat taglines will do the trick. Amway’s latest campaign, one with an estimated $25 million behind it, features the tagline “The Power of Positivity.” Ads, created by Omnicom’s Element 79, feature friendly farmers and helpful neighbors and suggest that Amway is a company doing its part by creating jobs for those affected by the recession.