“Accomodating Brocolli in the Cemetary”
Aug|29|2008
If ever there were a BLOG headline that set Spellcheck on its head, this is it.
“Accomodating Brocolli in the Cemetary: Or Why Can’t Anybody Spell?” by Vivian Cook is one of several books I’m in the midst of reading. I found it on the clearance table while shopping Borders in Chicago. I’m a sucker for the clearance table. So many great books are simply tossed by the wayside and sold at next to nothing.
I digress.
I’ve always been a stickler for proper letter, word and punctuation usage; especially in my former role as a Traffic Manager. Nothing makes me more irate than seeing a sign for “Kustom” this, “Rite” that and (LOL) the other. “Accomodating Brocolli” has been a wake-up call for me. There are so many grammar concepts I’ve taken for granted, never made the time to further explore or simply pushed to the back of my mind.
Here are a few, as outlined by Cook that I hope will make you take a step back and say, “Hmmmm.”
- “wh” occurs only at the beginning of words: when
- “ck” occurs only at the end: black
- “ch” occurs only at the beginning, “tch” at the end: chat, catch
- “q” has to be followed by “u”: quick
- single “z” occurs only at the end with an “e”: laze
- “i” before “e” except after “c” applies only when “ei” goes with long “ee” (“eel”) not with the “ay” (“pay”) sound of “beige” or with “ay” plus silent “g”: “eight.” However, there are still exceptions: some words have “ei” rather than “ie” despite having the long “ee” sound: seize, caffine; plural “-ies”: currencies, policies; dipthongs: society, science; when “c” is said as “sh”: sufficient, ancient
Remember homographs? Is bass a fish or an instrument? When I say buffet, do you think about food or pushing the person next to you? If I say reading, are we talking books or a trip to Pennsylvania? Is job your occupation or a character of the Bible? Subtle nuances in pronunciation, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation can bring about a whole new word meaning.
Soooo, the nex’ tyme UR lookin’ 4 a good bk to read, eye strongly sugjest “Accomodating Brocolli.” If nothing else, it’ll make you more aware of your own grammatical idiosyncrasies; correcting them will make the world a better place!
Traffic, “shmaffic”… who needs it anyway?
Aug|25|2008
The goal of any Traffic Department, whether in an ad agency, design or PR firm, is to increase efficiency and, ultimately, profitability. The core competency of creative outlets is not simply the production of creative work. It’s the efficient management of that production. We’ve all heard it before, “Time is money.”
Without the ability to carefully control workflow, even the most creative agency of all may find itself in a state of chaos.
You have to meet deadlines. Period.
You have to stay within budget. Period.
You have to know who’s doing what (or nothing at all) and when.
And, most importantly, you have to have the right tools.
A central traffic system, overseen by someone whose sole responsibility is its ongoing maintenance, can save your agency valuable time. By making client information available to everyone, from the convenience of their desktops, you make possible increased billable time.
Task, time and expense management, client access to materials posted via the Net, and instant retrieval of job information, are among the many indispensable features of a good traffic system.
Every employee on the agency team plays an integral role in its workflow success. Through the combination of an efficient traffic system, managerial commitment and team member dedication, your organization can experience unparalleled efficiency and profitability.
“You’d make a great Traffic Manager!”
Aug|19|2008
“You’re so…
… in tune with what this agency needs.
… knowledgeable of agency processes.
… attentive to detail.
… good at prioritizing things.
… personable.
… persistent (in a good way).
… willing to work late, if need be.
… effective.
… good at putting out fires (and preventing them altogether).
… reliable.
… good at proofreading.
… fun to be around.
… trustworthy.
… good at keeping things moving.
… loyal.
… respected by your peers.
… impartial to people issues.
… time-conscious.
… focused.
… positive and upbeat.
… good under pressure.
… patient.
… supportive of your peers.
… critical to the success of this agency.“
A breath of fresh air.
Aug|14|2008
I recently attended Second Wind Network’s “Agency Operations” seminar in downtown Chicago, IL.
The Network, founded by former agency owner Tony Mikes (based in the quaint little town of Reading, PA), is an incredible resource for smaller to mid-size agencies, design shops and other industry-related businesses. It offers a wide variety of services ranging from members-only Forums to webinars and custom surveys. Not to mention a plethora of reputable Strategic Partners.
Unlike many of the seminars I’ve attended, those of Second Wind always have a more personal, open-forum feel. Attendees actually leave the room at breaks smiling. They chat with one another, swap contact information, have lunch in groups, and all-around enjoy hearing Tony’s lectures.
What a breath of fresh air in today’s every-increasingly “impersonal” world!
Interested in attending an upcoming seminar? Click here to learn more.
Traffic Managers unite!
Aug|13|2008
Around the globe, ad agencies continue to appear, grow, disappear, re-appear, and everything in between. The 2002 US Census, under category 5418 (Advertising & Related Services) sites 38,058 establishments.
Wow… That’s a lot of agencies and, potentially, a lot of Traffic Managers.
What if every “agency workflow manager” in the US – even if only by job function versus official title – were to set aside a few minutes of the day to post questions, make comments, share tips, and generally discuss their experiences? Think of the volume of information that would be available on the Net - a “Traffic Union” of sorts (without Jimmy Hoffa, of course).
Personally, I’d love to hear what my fellow anal-retentive, type A, and slightly obsessive-compulsive “teamsters” have to say!