What can I say about 2016? Perhaps the less said the better. Business-wise we had a good year. However, regarding world events...well, our New Year's greeting card (nengajo) says it all. There were so many celebrity deaths, especially artists we loved, that we could not keep up. In fact, George Michael, Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds died after we went to press. And although 2017 is not two weeks old yet, we've already lost Nat Hentoff. Nonetheless, we are looking forward to good things in 2017. We hope you are, too.
Eye focused on the future
In Japan, daruma dolls are commonly purchased around New Year’s at the local shrine. If you have a personal goal or business objective in mind, you buy a daruma and color in one eye. Then it sits in your office or home as reminder to keep going, work hard and never give up. When you achieve the goal, you have the added satisfaction of coloring in the other eye to give the daruma full sight or “enlightenment.” While typical New Year’s resolutions, are generally about quitting a bad habit or losing weight and are soon forgotten, the daruma hangs around to symbolize your practical and tangible goal. What’s our goal for 2016? Sorry, I can’t tell you now. Don’t want to jinx it. Stay tuned. All will be revealed in due time.
Read moreLooking back 12 years
Because our nengajo focused on evolution for this year of the monkey, I got to thinking about where we were 12 years ago (FYI: the Chinese zodiac runs in 12-year cycles). How has Native Creative evolved since the last monkey? Here’s what our nengajo looked like in 2004. It was another pithy creation by Dan Ward of DYW Design, who has produced many of our nengajo over the years. Monkey business? Hmmm. I’d say we’ve evolved a bunch.
Read moreTwo most effective words...
“The two most effective words you can use in a headline are ‘free’ and ‘new.’”
— David Ogilvy (1911-1999)
“We have a new idea for you, but it isn’t free.”
— Tom Boatman (1963-)
I hope David Ogilvy, whatever he’s doing in Advertising Heaven, can find it in his heart to forgive me for using a “gimmick.” Times have changed dramatically since “Confessions of An Advertising Man,” was published (the year of my birth) but his influence remains as strong as ever. Yet, many of us in “the industry” wonder where technology is taking our messages and who is really listening. Our traditional Japanese New Year’s greeting card, or nengajo, is an old school approach. For 2016 we take a playful look at the devolution of modern man.
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