Top 10 Local Los Angeles Television Commercials of the 1970s
Okay, so where am I? I just finished my judging assignment for the Telly Awards and while there are so great spots deserving of some of the top spots, most left my wanting for a bygone era where commercials that I watched on independent local Los Angeles channels inspired me to become one of those […]
The Biz: Advertising Agency Origins, Part 2
In the last installment of The Biz, I told you origin stories about my life in the New York ad agency world, including phone stabbings, death threats, and furniture throwing. That was just the start of my eccentric co-workers from whom I learned anger management, or lack thereof. Here’s a few more stories to finish […]
Cardboard Magic
I believe hockey cards have supernatural powers. This is why, in the winter of 1975, I starting arranging my Los Angeles Kings cards like players on a hockey rink on the top of my mammoth hand-me-down stereo console. And then challenged the NHL All Stars—or at least the cards I was able to collect—to a […]
Backstage at the Oscars: 2019
Okay, so where am I? It’s been a light red carpet season. I’ve only done two—the Grammys and now today at the Academy Awards. Nothing is better that than when your feet hit that Oscars burgundy carpet. Your imagination soars and you can’t help by daydream of carrying a thirteen-and-a-half-inch tall, eight-and-a-half pound golden statuette. […]
Oscars Week 2019: My Picks
This year I sent a little dinero to Las Vegas to bet on some of my Oscars picks. Why would I risk money here, you ask? Well, since you did, since I started covering the Oscars eight years ago, I have correctly selected 51 out of 61 in the major categories. At 83.6%, that practically […]
Dealing with Bears and the Eisenhower Decision Matrix
Okay so where am I? How you ever been in the middle of the innocuous RFP (Request For Proposal) process? Well, I have and it’s alternatively intense, ridiculous, mind-numbing, and about eight other adjectives that I cannot list here. I love getting new business. It breathes life into the agency. It’s great for the bottom […]
Behind the Curtain: A Peek at the KHL
Repping the great Ilya Kolvachuk at a KHL game will earn you mad props. © Michael Lloyd I took a wild trip to Moscow to get up close with Russian hockey. I wound up meeting Igor…read on! While we wait for the boys to return from the combination All-Star break and mandatory five-day bye week […]
The Best and the Worst of the Super Bowl LIII Commercials
Okay, so where am I? Let’s just say that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick chased down their record-breaking sixth Super Bowl crown. That should narrow it all down. On Sunday, huge brands like Budweiser and Pepsi once again spent millions of dollars from their advertising budgets in the hopes of catching your attention during what […]
Class of 2018 Media Guy Hall of Shame Inductees
Okay, so where am I? As you can see on the left, the call of Clio entries has been announced. That means I’m pulling together to campaigns from last year trying to see if I should spend $525 to $1,025 on entry fees to put my best work forward. It’s been a while since my […]
Commercial Roast: Peloton
If you’ve ever seen a Peloton workout bike commercial, you’ve been shamed. How? Why? Take a look at the spot. I promise, it will only take a minute… Did you notice the overriding themes? Every actor in the the Peloton ad is in great shape. Every actor lives in a better home than you. Every […]
