Geoff Rogers Talks With John Jay

[I've known Geoff Rogers since he first started showing his book around town back in 1995. His book was so good that Austin Howe, my mentor, kept a copy of Geoff's book to show young copywriters how good their books should be. I've had the pleasure of working with Geoff on several occasions. Happily for [...]

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Branding Portland

A recent report from Mayor-Elect Sam Adams cites a lack of “brand awareness” as one of the key reasons Portland, OR is losing out on global business. This report was based on a recent trip to China with the National League of Cities to explore sustainable business opportunities. Sam’s observation that Portland lacks “brand awareness” [...]

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In Good Company

Our sincere thanks and humble appreciation to the magazine Portland Spaces for including our Trillium Absinthe Supérieure bottle and label design among the work of such luminaries as Allied Works Architecture and Mayer/Reed landscape architecture in their current issue.
All of us here at ID Branding will spend our entire careers trying to create something as [...]

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The Truth Can Help You – Really.

If I could help the world today in one way (besides solving the economic crisis), it would be to reach out to every one of you who is looking for a job – putting yourself out there to be screened and judged – and give you advice. I’ve been there and it’s tough to sell [...]

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Barbara, You’re Wrong and Right

Sorry, Barbara Lippert of Adweek, but your somewhat simplistic review of the first two “teaser” spots for Microsoft, the ones with Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld, is just wrong.
You are far more functional in your assessment of an ad than the general public is. A good portion of the public loves to scratch its head [...]

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To Whom It May Not Concern In The Least

Hey, there, young person trying to get into this business. Maybe you just graduated from college, or from a portfolio program. Or maybe you just moved to town.
Please know that I’m speaking to you with the greatest compassion and affection possible. This is for your own good, OK?
When you send me (or my agency) an [...]

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Road To Lika-Bill-ity

Ah, the Buddy Movie. A venerable old wrench pulled out of the back of the tool box, sprayed with a bit of WD40, polished up with a shop rag, and put back to work as a Microsoft campaign.
Absolutely brilliant. And honest. Honest because Crispin and Microsoft together realize that the ultimate symbol of the Microsoft [...]

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Bueller…? Bueller…?

Today Dennis and I met with a really really sharp senior strategist who used to work at, among other places, DDB. She knew who Bill Bernbach was. She could even quote him. She also knew who David Ogilvy was, and Jeff Goodby, and David Kennedy, and, at the same time, she knew about Mother, Taxi, [...]

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The Eloquent and Honest Jeff Goodby

(I grabbed this from the Adweek 25th anniversary tribute to Goodby Silverstein & Partners because it’s too good not to. This is Mr. Goodby speaking, so please, everyone, listen up.)
25 Years
by Jeff Goodby
People ask you what you’ve learned. You have to have learned something.
Those at our company have given a range of answers. We’ve [...]

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Is Your Relationship Retarded?

Developmentally speaking, of course. Are the humans who comprise your client-agency relationship operating at a pre-schooler level of fear and anger? Or are they acting like well-adjusted adults?
Not that I generally favor the company of adults over pre-schoolers. Pre-schoolers lift my spirits, renew my sense of ridiculous optimism, and laugh at the word “poop.” [...]

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