Why I Think Nationwide Insurance Company’s TV Ads SUCK: When Advertising Is BADvertising

I’m opening my drawer in the “WTF Were They Thinking?” file.  Exhibit A is the misguided, jack-assed advertising campaign costing Nationwide Insurance millions of dollars. Just call me Addy Oakley –  The World’s Greatest Spokesperson in the World campaign is in my crosshairs and my trigger finger is twitchin’ to shoot holes in it.

The insurance industry in general has a long, storied history of low-to-no consumer confidence. Who among us didn’t cheer for the young lawyer outsmarting the sleazy, fly-by-night insurance company in John Grisham’s book (and movie) The Rainmaker? Most folks I know would rather have hot coffee thrown in their face, followed by a lit cigarette and a chaser of muriatic acid, rather than endure an evening with an insurance agent.

So what does Nationwide Insurance (or let’s be clear, their ad agency) do? They take the worst possible stereotype of an insurance agent and make that guy the company’s icon! WTF?!? Why is it that I, the voice of reason, am not sitting in on these pitch meetings?

Take, for example, this ad. Would this guy, who blatantly lies to a naive woman (thanks, guys, for marginalizing women once again with that overdone stereotype…guess you fancy yourselves modern-day Mad Men) about her singing abilities, be someone with whom you’d trust your insurance decisions?!? And how many women do you know (whose careers don’t involve pole dancing) that are willing to meet some strange insurance agent beneath a shady tree in a city park?

Or this ad, in which he schmoozes yet another gullible woman–apparently the only kind willing to meet with smarmy insurance agents–via his faked phone call to corporate, with the pronouncement that he’s changing the company name from Nationwide to Nation Pam to honor her? WTF?!?

News flash: The last thing customers want is to be patronized by yet another dishonest insurance company. We’re already up to our assholes in those alligators. Okay, maybe the last thing customers want is the World’s Smarmiest Spokesperson in the World performing his 3-handed freakazoid shadow puppet show on their wall. Only Jerry Sandusky could freak me out more.

Dave Dorman Confidential: Why I Don’t Attend DragonCon (via Dave Dorman)

Controversial? Yes. Honest? Yes.

Dear Friends, First, let me post my upcoming appearances, so it's front and center: * Detroit Fan Fare Days 9/23 – 9/25, 2011 * Dallas for Star Wars Fan Days 10/8 – 10/9, 2011 * SteamCon in Seattle 10/15 – 10/16 My longtime friend and award-winning sci-fi/horror writer Del Stone Jr. has held my secret for all of these years. As DragonCon started growing its attendance trajectory and publicity, more and more people have asked me if, when and why I … Read More

via Dave Dorman

Oy Vey! New Apple iPad App JUDOKU Teaches Users About Judaism

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, July 27, 2011–Oy vey! Move over, world of Sudoku apps targeting Jewish youth…there’s a new game in town! Okay, so maybe the Jewish Sudoku mobile gaming market isn’t huge, but it’s just grown by one. Today the Apple App Store published Judoku(TM), an educational Sudoku puzzle game aimed at educating Jews and Gentiles alike on the basics of Jewish culture.

Judoku (rhymes with Sudoku), developed by ACME Digital Laboratories LLC, is not your everyday Sudoku app. The iPad game, which sells for $1.99 on the Apple App Store, can be played as a traditional Sudoku game, with numbers 1 through 9 ordered across columns and rows, or by using Jewish symbols or the Hebrew alphabet in place of numbers. The game also includes humorous explanations of the Jewish components to further engage and educate players.

Judoku creator Andrew Charon, who was lead developer on the Webby Award-winning Yearbook Yourself app with its 450,000 visits, said “I’ve been creating educational games for companies like General Mills, Colle+McVoy, takemefishing.org and Blue Earth Interactive for many years, and most recently, I created a successful mobile app Sudoku game. My whole life people have asked me questions about Judaism, and then it occurred to me–here’s the opportunity to merge both into one fun user experience! I wanted a captivating tool I could use to teach my own children about Judaism. Learning the Torah was competing for their attention against Angry Birds and Justin Bieber Tweets. I figured if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! That, and frankly, I really just wanted to create something called Judoku,” he added.

According to Charon, whether or not Judoku will be released for devices, such as Apple’s iPhone and iPod, or for Android and Blackberry devices will depend on the demand for the game from users of those devices. “I’m eager to hear how people are using the game, what they’re finding useful, and just getting their overall feedback. I’m expecting a lot of questions — it’s sort of a Jewish thing.”

For more information on Judoku, please visit http://www.judoku.net or http://www.acmedigitallabs.com; for review copies of the game, please contact ACME public relations firm WriteBrain Media by phone at 630.215.5623 by email at denise@writebrainmedia.com or via Twitter.com/writebrainmedia.

ABOUT ACME DIGITAL LABORATORIES LLC (ACME)

ACME Digital Laboratories LLC (ACME), founded in Chicago in 1997 by Andrew Charon, is now a Minneapolis-based creative software development company specializing in web and mobile application development. Judoku(TM) is the latest app developed by ACME. Previous mobile applications include The Crazy Monster Matching Game (iPhone) and The Monster Madness Memory Game and Sudoku Mania (iPad).

ABOUT ANDREW CHARON

Andrew Charon, the Webby Award-winning lead developer of Yearbook Yourself, has been working professionally in web development, design, and marketing since 1996. The Rubik’s Cube may have been the impetus for his award-winning career. At age 11, Fargo, ND native Charon was featured on his local ABC-TV affiliate for solving the Rubik’s Cube in record-breaking time. Currently, Charon is a full-time contractor at General Mills with a focus on creative software development, user experience, design and interactive strategy. Previously, Charon was employed at Minneapolis-based agency Colle+McVoy as a Sr. Creative Developer. He was a significant part of the agency’s transformation from a traditional to a highly interactive-focused agency, and while there, lead many award-winning projects for clients such as Yahoo!, Johnson and Johnson, Taubman Malls, Manhattan Toys, Kiehls and Rhymsayers Entertainment. With an undergraduate degree in fine art, Charon is continuing his education at the University of St. Thomas masters program in Software Engineering and Information Systems. Charon enjoys spending time with his family, long bike rides, around Minneapolis, soccer and listening to and composing his own music. When he’s not developing games for his clients or his children, he’s…sigh…still developing games.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Denise Dorman | WriteBrain Media

P: 630.845.4694 | M: 630.215.5623 |E: denise@writebrainmedia.com

Twitter.com/WriteBrainMedia | Facebook.com/writebrainmedia

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Dave Dorman San Diego Comic-Con News

Here’s the scoop on Eisner Award and Inkpot Award-winning artist Dave Dorman’s first-ever sketchbook – available at San Diego Comic-Con this year!

http://davedorman.wordpress.com

Dave Dorman Interview with Vinnie Penn on WELI in New Haven, CT (via Dave Dorman)

I get some nice kudos for my social media work in this radio interview – hey, I’ll take all I can get!

Dear Friends, I keep forgetting to upload this to share with you, so here it finally is…my Clear Channel station radio interview with radio personality and author Vinnie Penn of WELI in New Haven, CT. If you think his name sounds familiar, that's because I did the cover for his DJ Zom-B book cover (referenced in a previous blog where I showed you the progressives of the art), or it may be because he's often on Howard Stern's show. I had a total … Read More

via Dave Dorman

Dave Dorman Updates and Fresh Captain Nemo Art (via Dave Dorman)

Here’s hubby/client Dave Dorman’s latest news:

DEAR FRIENDS, I hope all of the mothers following me had a great Mother's Day. My mother died of breast cancer way too young, and I find myself missing her more and more as the years go by. She would really have loved our son, who often asks about my mom and dad. Probably the most poignant moment was the day he asked to take my parents' framed portrait down from our fireplace mantel and put it on the cocktail table where he was playing with his t … Read More

via Dave Dorman

Some New Dave Dorman Art & Horror Art Jam Japan Fundraiser Tonight in Chicago! (via Dave Dorman)

Join us tonight & help raise money for those suffering in Japan! #PrayforJapan!

Dear Friends, For those who may not follow me on Twitter or Facebook and didn't already see this, I want to let you know that I have been in contact with Tsuneo Sanda, one of my favorite Japanese Star Wars artists, and he assured me that he and his family are all alive and well. That was a huge relief to me. Below is a piece I created, private commission, based on my Wasted Lands character, M. D'Cease, who is the most bad-ass coroner this side of … Read More

via Dave Dorman

Yes, I Am 12…and Not in Dog Years

I‘ll admit it. I’m not the most sophisticated when it comes to humor. Frankly, I am 12.

Oh, I can grasp and laugh at Dennis Miller’s obscure metaphors 90% of the time–admittedly with a little help from Wikipedia. I revel in the clever comedy stylings of Christopher Guest, Monty Python and The League of Gentlemen…but it’s the really immature stuff that sucker punches me. Blazing Saddles. Kathy Griffin. Pee Wee Herman.

What does it say about me that I can’t sit in a board meeting and hear the word “titillate” without smirking? When someone lets go of a squeaker in church, I’m a goner. I’ll admit, I even snuck in a quote about farting when the Wall Street Journal interviewed me a few years back. While I haven’t researched this carefully, I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume I’m the very first.

Yes, I am 12.

This has made parenting a six-year-old boy an enormous challenge for me. My “pause laughter” button has never materialized. I spontaneously erupt at his every precocious declaration and sound effect. This is doing neither me, my husband nor my son any favors. I might as well be telegraphing, “Want to avoid disciplinary action? Just make that well-timed comment or fart sound!”

I’m so lucky to have a mature partner in this parenting endeavor–my husband Dave. That’s right. The comic book artist is the mature one in this dynamic duo. Who’d have thunk it? Like my BFF, the brilliant prankster Christina Bouvier whom I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Dave has somehow trained his facial muscles to hide his gut reaction. This comes in handy on occasions like last Friday, when our son informed us in his wide-eyed innocence that “cows have gutters.” Dave’s a true poker face.

Here’s just one example: Once upon a time not long ago, Dave and I stood together in a long checkout line at Lowe’s. Deep within the bowels of my hobo bag, I had forgotten about my new key chain…the one with the cursing man sound chip fob. I never meant to actually use it in public. It was one of those impulse buys I intended to use on Bouvier. It seems my wallet shifted inside of there and jammed the key fob’s talk button. “You’re an A-hole! You’re an A-hole! You’re an A-hole! Eff you, Eff you, Eff you!” the key chain chirped incessantly…and loudly. People in other checkout lines were staring me down. My purse was plagued with Tourette’s Syndrome, yet Dave didn’t bat an eye.

One day my son will be 12, and we will be equals.

 

Chicago Comic Book Artists Exhibit I’m In This Coming Friday (via Dave Dorman)

Great exhibit for comics fans!

Dear Friends, First, here's a link to my current eBay sale – my Star Wars art lithos: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270689614688&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123 Second, my friend, Chicago-based rock star comic book artist Tony Akins, invited me to be part of an exhibit he has curated called "The StatiCCreep Exhibition of  Sequential Art." Here are the details for those of you who can make it out here to snowy Chicago th … Read More

via Dave Dorman

Mashable names PSGive.org “Most Promising New Company”

Mashable names PSGive.org “Most Promising New Company”

PSGive selected over renowned sites Quora and Instagram for the win

Las Vegas, NV – January 7, 2011—PSGive.org is pleased to announce that they were presented with the Mashable Award for “Most Promising New Company.”  Their win was announced last night during the fourth annual Mashable Awards at a gala event kicking off the 2011 International CES® conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“It was an honor simply to be nominated in the company of such great organizations as Quora, Instagram, Badgeville, and Getaround,” noted Sean Steinmarc, co-founder.

The Mashable Awards recognize the year’s best of tech and the web, per votes by the Mashable community who cast more than 1.3 million votes in 25 categories. “The Mashable Community has really grown the Mashable Awards program over the past four years,” said Pete Cashmore Founder & CEO of Mashable.  “We are grateful to our readers who made this year’s program such a success.”

PSGive.org was born of two lifelong friends, Paul Feldman and Sean Steinmarc, who had spent six years supporting non-profits dedicated to curing diabetes, a disease with which Feldman was diagnosed at age 25.  While researching methods to increase support, they identified that the non-profit community’s limited resources made it difficult for many organizations, not just those focused on diabetes, to reach and engage a wider supporter base. From that revelation, Paul and Sean developed a solution to this problem: PSGive.org.

PSGive.org was founded in May of 2009 and launched in October 2010, attracting donors with online “events.” Each event is assigned to a single charity, where supporters compete online to win prizes like luxury trips, electronics and more. Most recently, donors won an iPad for $4.49, a Kindle for $14.48 and a Flip Ultra HD for $16.53. Revenue from the events is generated by participation, allowing for these item discounts. Other benefits to the site include the following:

PSGive.org is fun: Each charity is assigned an event, where supporters can compete online to win prizes like luxury trips, electronics and more.

PSGive.org is affordable: There is never a membership fee for charities or supporters. Virtually everyone can afford to participate; tokens start at just $0.50 each.

PSGive.org is social: Members earn free tokens by referring friends; the “Share Button” at the bottom of each charity page and its event pages helps broadcast the message on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere, further raising awareness.

PSGive.org is accessible: The site is accessible via smart phones such as the iPhone, Blackberry and Android.

“PSGive.org is engaging a myriad of new supporters to give small amounts rather than hunting that one lump sum from a wealthy philanthropist. This does a better job of raising awareness of the charities immediately, thus raising further revenue in the future,” Feldman explained.

For more information, please visit PSGive.org, watch the founders’ in a TV interview, visit our press room and visit the following pages:

● Twitter

● Facebook

● LinkedIn

About PSGive.org

Founded in 2010, PSGive.org is an online community specifically designed to increase awareness of and revenue for non-profit organizations. PSGive.org allows nonprofit supporters to compete for amazing deals in online events benefiting their causes.

Media Contacts:

Stephen Crane

stephen.crane@psgive.org

951.732.7010

Denise Dorman

denise.dorman@psgive.org

630.845.4694

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