Wine Time

I promise my interests do go beyond wine.  If you were to cite my blog and apartment, I could understand why you may think I'm lying, but really, they do. 

I'll wait after this has been posted and at least a week has gone by before I try to defend myself again, though.

My Adfab Writings on Viognier:

Try something new this summer with this fruity, full-bodied wine.


A CROWD PLEASER. When entertaining a crowd of people this summer, you
probably will serve a chilled white wine. If you’re worried that your
choice will leave all the red wine drinkers in your group thirsty,
pick out a good Viognier. Like most reds are, this white variety is
dry and has a very full body. The difference: The dryness doesn’t come
from tannins, and the fruit notes are pear and melon rather than
cherry and strawberry jam.

AGED FOR FLAVOR. How a wine is aged affects its overall flavor and its
bouquet notes, which are any aromas that don’t come from the grapes.
Even if the wines you’re looking at are the same variety, the barrels
in which they were aged will cause taste differences. Wine aged in
stainless-steel barrels will have the familiar bright, clean, acidic
taste. Viognier aged in oak barrels will have a creamier flavor, such
as vanilla or butter.

Thanks for reading.  I'll post again soon.  In the meanwhile, I'm going shopping for decorations that are NOT wine related.

KT
katherkildsen@gmail.com

Get UNleashed!

As happy as I was to graduate early, it was still very bittersweet.  I had to leave my friends, coworkers, and professors behind, and I could no longer be an active member of the SIU Magazine Project: UNleashed.

During the summer of 2009, a close group of Salukis got together with ambitions of starting a magazine.  SIU is already well known for its newspaper, the Daily Egyptian, but we wanted to create something that wouldn't revolve around hard facts.  We wanted to make something fun that was our own.  After a lot of debating and name shouting, we decided to dubbed that creation UNleashed. 

I was lucky enough to be named the editor of the magazine's "Body, Mind, Spirit" category, and I was excited to see the project to the end.  Unfortunately, as we all know, Rome wasn't built in a day.  While a lot of progress had been made, we weren't exactly close to print ready by December of 2009.

So a bid a sad farewell to all my MCMA friends and mentors and traded in the magazine for a degree.  Not a bad bargain, but if I would have loved to have my cake and eat it too.  (Side note: I think that cliche should be conditional for each person.  For instance, it would make more sense for my taste if I said, "I want to have my salt and vinegar chips and eat them too," but it's not really acceptable.  Just something to think about.)

Now, five months later, it has arrived.  I feel for all those who designed, wrote, and edited in between marathon library sessions for 407, but it was all worth it!  Congratulations to the UNleashed team!  The magazine looks great, and I could not be more proud to be a founder.

And now all you readers, please enjoy the premier issue of UNleashed magazine.

Thanks!
KT

Confession: I didn't write this

Confession: I really wish I did

This Kotex commercial captures in 30 seconds 3 1/2 years of college.

Okay. Maybe that's being a little dramatic.  


But really, it's so refreshing to see an ad like this that is completely honest about the entire process of market research and execution of (in my opinion) a very successful commercial. This is the kind of writing I would love to get 
to do one day.


I want to be not only allowed, but encouraged to think outside the box. I 
really wish I had a TV so I could monitor how 
tampon ads will be changing in the upcoming months. I think Kotex 
started a revolution, and I can't wait to watch what happens.


KT
katherkildsen@gmail.com

I've been missing my workouts...

Writing is a lot like working out.  You can get into a good rhythm of going to the gym every day at dawn, and you feel great about yourself.  You’re stronger, more confident, and your pants fit better.  But then it rains, or you were out really late one night, or you had a tickle in your throat, so you decide to skip a day (just one!) of pumping iron.  The next day, you realize how much really enjoyed that extra hour of sleep, so you press the snooze button eight times instead of twice.  Those two days turn into a week, and we won’t even talk about what that one week turns into.

Basically, most of us feel really good about exercising, but if we don’t really force ourselves to do it on a regular basis, it’s really easy to forget why we liked it in the first place.  I love writing, I really do.  I like what I think it does my own skills, and it allows me to express myself.  The problem is, when I put off writing for too long because I’m “busy” with other things, I forget why I like it so much.  So my apologies go out for not keeping up, and this is me doing my writing lunges.

Quick background: I took a wine tasting class while in college.  It was not as much fun as it sounds, but at least it gave me some wine knowledge that's been useful for me outside of school.

My Adfab Writings On:

"Cellar Talk" for Spring Wines

A cool, refreshing breeze comes to mind when you think of spring.  The same should come to mind when drinking wine.

 

Try a Riesling

A good, light wine for the season is White Riesling.  Predominately grown in Germany, this variety is fruity and floral, which makes it perfect to sip as everything around you starts to bloom.

 

Keep it Fresh

Find a White Riesling that has especially prominent peach and apricot characteristics to match the fresh, clean tone of a picnic or wedding shower.  Sweet Reislings might be too heavy in the heat.  Serve chilled for a lighter taste.

 Happy spring, everyone.  And drink up!

-KT

What do guitars and ice cream have in common?

Until now, not much.

Sophomore year of college, I took my Introduction to Advertising course, which we referred to as "Campaigns Light."  For the class, we had to develop an entire campaign for a Taylor 12-String Acoustic/Electric guitar.

The benefits of owning a 12-string guitar is that it creates a fuller sound for your music.  It's not a necessary instrument, but it gives a song that extra something.  I examined some existing print ads Taylor had been running and saw a theme.  They had been replacing everyday objects with their guitars.

I brainstormed for a while trying to find a way to create a new ad without diverging too far from the concept Taylor already knew worked.  It took some time, but eventually, I came up with the ice cream idea.  

The 12-string is the little extra goodie that can take something from average to extraordinary.  What everyday item does the same?  My answer: the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae.   

My Adfab Writings on:

The Taylor 12-String Guitar

                                     

Out of all the campaigns turned in for the class, this won the award for "Best Ad."  Please note that my design skills are limited, so if you were wondering why all these ads look very similar, it's because that's all I really know how to do.  I can analyze ads with the best of them, but I'm not so great at the actual design process.  I guess I'm asking a lot of you to use your imaginations and to think of these as fancy thumbnail sketches.  

So now you're wondering if you want to go see a concert or splurge at the local Dairy Queen.  As long as you think about this Taylor ad as you rock out or pig out, I'm happy.  

Thanks,

KT

katherkildsen@gmail.com 

"One Stop Shop" is so dated.

One thing I've tried to do at any job is not keep my mouth shut.  Not in a rude way, of course.  What I mean is, if I have an idea or a suggestion, I make sure I voice it to show initiative.  Then, who knows?

In this instance, I was sitting in on a meeting with my boss and a client.  We were talking about what his ad should look like and what he would like included, and he listed off a laundry list of items.  Basically, he wanted to let readers know that his company was a "one stop shop" without actually using that cliché.  My wheels started turning, I jotted some words down, and at the end of the meeting, I gave my notes to my boss.  As luck would have it, my copy got placed in the ad.

My Adfab Writings on:
Worth Exteriors Corp.
(Advertisements created by Marlena Vogt.)

This is how the ad appeared in the magazine.

This is the copy I wrote.

Seeing what I wrote in a real life magazine feels amazing.  I hope it happens thousands more times.  I also hope all those grade school teachers who told me I need to stop talking in class feel pretty silly right now.

Thanks for reading,

KT

katherkildsen@gmail.com 

99% Perspiration

You might recognize the title of this post as part of the genius equation.  Hopefully, genius Scott Turner was wearing deodorant for the majority of the time he spent inventing the FlexiSnake.

If you have a slow drain, then the FlexiSnake is for you!  FlexiSnake is the new hair clog tool that removes obstructions from any drain in your house without the use of chemicals.  When Turner kept soaking his feet in backed up shower water, thanks mostly to his wife and daughter's hair, he began to get frustrated.  After examining the plumbing situation, he realized that the majority of clogs in a home are not far down the pipe but right near the opening.  Then came the 1%!





My Adfab Writings on:
FlexiSnake

There are good places for a foot bath.  The shower is not one of them.  FlexiSnake.

I know three options are not much to choose from, so I'll do my best to come up with some more once I think of another direction to take this project.  Until then, critiques are welcome!

KT

katherkildsen@gmail.com

Flashback

A little while ago, I posted a feature I wrote for the magazine I work for.  The issue was released yesterday, and, as promised, here is the how the piece ended up after the publisher's changes.

My Edited Adfab Writings On:
Flashback February/March 2010

Showtime!

Entertainment---a movie or a live show---has always been important to the people of Des Moines.  It's hard to believe that at one time they could feed their appetite for the arts for just a quarter, but that's exactly how much an evening show at the Majestic Theatre cost in the early 1900s.  Many people would grab a few coins and attend a live act or feature there before the space was transformed into the Garrick, a burlesque house, and then the President, a live theater, before it was torn down in 1938.

If none of the acts at the Majestic Theatre sounded appealing, Des Moines residents could watch a play at the Princess Theatre.  If they were lucky, they might have witnessed several vaudeville, stage, and movie stars on that stage well before their big breaks into show biz.

At the end of the vaudeville era, the Empress Theatre was converted from a stage for live acts into the Galaxy Cinema for moving pictures, which just goes to show how Des Moines has evolved to keep up with entertainment trends.

What changes did you like?  Why?
What do you wish would have been kept the same?  Why?

Comments are appreciated!  Thanks!
KT


katherkildsen@gmail.com

Video killed the radio star...

MTV has been sparking controversy since it went on the air nearly 30 years ago.  It's hard to believe it's been that long, and I'm sure there are quite a few people who would argue that it's not even really the same station.  MTV has definitely evolved since it was first introduced, and I would say, considering their current viewing lineup, it's becoming harder to remember that MTV is supposed to stand for "Music Television."  This is not an attack but merely an observation, and now, MTV is reacting.

Don't worry, they're not reacting the way some of their reality show stars would (i.e. they're not throwing any punches).  Instead, they've created a new logo.

It's nice, because it can versatile...

I like that they didn't change it too drastically, however, I wouldn't have been heartbroken if they'd gotten rid of the spray paint looking font for "TV."  In addition to the new look, rumor has it, they're wanting a new tagline as well.  Thanks for the homework, MTV!  

I was mostly inspired by their resonating theme of rebellion and the attitude that it's no longer music television.

My Adfab Writings On:

The New MTV Tagline

Who says we have to play music?

Traditionally nontraditional

In reality, who listens to music all day?  

Why should we play music all day?

We never follow the rules.

Making a point.

Music Television.  Yeah.  We know.  Get over it. 

Music Television.  Yeah.  We know.  Make us. 

Music Television.  They're just words.  We care about entertainment.

Changing the definition of music.

Taking a stand by keeping the name. 

If anyone has any critiques on my writings, like a different direction I should take it, please speak now, or forever hold your peace!

Thanks for reading and happy President's Day,
KT

katherkildsen@gmail.com

Roses are red, violets are blue...

Quoth the raven, nevermore.
Oh Captain, my Captain.
Beware the jabberwock.

I'm going somewhere with this, I promise.  That was my little way of getting your brains to transition into the poetic state of mind.  In my first post, I mentioned that I have had practice in writing poetry thanks to some creative writing classes.  To emphasize that all my claims about myself are true, I thought that now would be as good of a time as any to feature a piece of poetry I've written.

For this assignment, we were told to find a painting or photograph and write a poem based on the image.  This is my semi-final draft.  Before I turned in this piece, my instructor had told me it was close to being publishable.  However, I never got a critique after this draft, so it's hard to tell how much more altering it needs.

Here is the photograph...

...and here are my Adfab Writings On:
Attractive Housewife in a Modern Kitchen, Preparing Food by Eliot Elisofon

"A Simpler Time"

The aroma of bacon and blueberry pancakes

draws the children from their slumber.

Adorning herself with pearls and an apron, she presents breakfast to her family.

Poised on black pumps, she waits at the door

for the kiss on the cheek from her husband in his gray, flannel suit.

Her left foot pops

and her full skirt ruffles discreetly.

Back to the kitchen to bake pastries and bread.

Flour showers the counter top, a technique

that readies the surface before she kneads dough.

Puffs of white powder float around her.

There will never be a hair out of place or a loose thread.

There will never be a quarrel or lonely bed.

She could never comprehend her future ridicule.

Thanks for reading!  I was pretty proud of it and the response it got from my class, so I hope you enjoyed it too.

Comments are always welcome!

KT

katherkildsen@gmail.com 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

These 3 R's are not related to paper, glass, or plastic.  At least not this time.  For today, they refer to me posting a past assignment from my Copywriting class with Vicki Kreher at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.  Out of my 3 1/2 years down south, that class was by far my favorite, and I think this might have been my favorite work produced

Adfab Writings On:
Aptera!

For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Aptera is a three wheeled car.  It can run on both batteries and gas and can seat three.

More information can be found here.

My vision for this print ad had two cars, one being the Aptera and the other an average vehicle, stopped at a stoplight.  There are also some people on the sidewalk including children and adults.  The copy is shown beneath.

You’re getting funny glances as you drive down the highway.  At a red light, you see people in the car next to you point and gesture.  You start to wonder what they could possibly be snickering at.  

It could be that your new Aptera is a three-wheeled car, but then you remember that you get to ride in the motorcycle lane and have as much protection as a regular vehicle, so that can’t be it.  

Then you think they might be laughing at the Aptera’s smaller size, but then you remember you can get up to 1000 MPG with your new hybrid, and you still have a ton of storage space, so that can’t be it either.  

Then you wonder if they’re making fun of you for spending so much money on a car just so you can look different, but then you remember that it cost you less than $30,000, and you save money on gas every day, so that can’t be it either.  

Every new Aptera-related reason for being laughed at you can think of, you have an answer for.  So maybe it’s time you stop thinking about your car and start thinking about getting that new haircut.

So that's it!  Some people have said they could hear George Clooney's voice narrating, but those people could have been biased.  I'd love to hear what you think!

Thanks for reading, and advice is always welcome!
KT


katherkildsen@gmail.com

Wait, there was a football game last night?

Okay, okay, I'm kidding.  I was completely aware it was the Super Bowl last night, and that (spoiler alert) the Saints beat the Colts.  However, as an advertiser through and through, I was mostly watching the game for the commercials.  The unfortunate news is, this year, many ads did not meet the standards audiences expect when watching the Super Bowl.


I consider myself to be a positive person who always sees the glass as half-full.  For this reason, I will not be focusing on the crassness and mediocrity of the GoDaddy.com commercials.  I would instead like to discuss the perfection and simplicity of the Google Search On ad.


For those of you who didn't see it...






What a brilliant spot that really features the impact and abilities of a few words.  Who would have thought that such an interesting and endearing advertisement for the Super Bowl wouldn't even include actors or moving pictures?  There are so many great aspects of this commercial, so I'll try to recount my favorite parts.


1) Even sentence fragments can be meaningful.  It's amazing how the creators of this spot allow watchers to follow and become invested in an entire story line with lines as simple as, "Study abroad in Paris, France" and even just a flight number.  


2) I'm sure this will come out more as this blog continues, but I am a masculist.  I am a strong advocate for positive images of men in the media.  This advertisement captures such a realistic and powerful image of a man that we don't often see.  He is not a bumbling moron, and he is not the impossibly perfect male like the Edward Cullens of harlequin romances  (yes, I read Twilight).  He wants to impress his French girlfriend and buy her chocolates.  He is charming without having to say a word, and that is exactly the way we should continue to represent males in advertising.


3) As someone who is watching this ad, it is nearly impossible to change the channel.  As our mystery man continues to search, you find it hard to look away.  You want, nay, need, to find out what he will search next with high hopes that won't be, "Divorce lawyers +Paris, France."  While stereotypes are important in short commercials to help set up a scenario, this ad proves that it's not always necessary, and an entire story can be told in under a minute.  Impressive.


So, long story short, while I really, really liked the Snickers ad with Betty White (I love an old woman with a sense of humor), this Google one was by far my favorite.  Well done, Google.  You haven't ceased to amaze me.

Anticipation...

I haven't decided if this is a complete list of ideas yet.  I'm sure more will come to me in the middle of the night or as I'm driving wishing I had something to dip my fries in.

So far, here are my Adfab Writings on:
The New Ketchup Packet!


Ketchup and at 'em


3 times the ketchup
2 times the options
57 times delicious
               Heinz 57 Ketchup

ToMAYto   ToMAHto

Ketchup        Catsup

 Dip              Squeeze

Ketchup has always been about the options

The anticipation is over!  Intorducing the packet that allows you to dip!

No longer the road trip's enemy.

Ketchup and your car are finally calling a truce

That's what I've come up with so far.  I hope you've found them entertaining. 

I'm anticipating comments, so let me have 'em!

It won't be long now...

I'm beginning to think it won't be long before all our meals are in pill form like the Jetsons prophesied all those years ago.

For now, we're all just focusing on getting from point A to point B and while figuring out what we can get done during the commute.  While texting is becoming a big no-no for your travels, grabbing a quick bite to eat while steering with your knees is still acceptable.  This is why having food in pill form would be so convenient, but some foodstuffs are harder to convert into a transferable design.  We were introduced to "Go-gurt" a few years ago, for those of us who like to eat yogurt on the run, and now, the world is about to change.  Introducing the new Heinz ketchup packet!

Well it's about time.  The new packet holds three times as much of the red stuff as your standard packet, and it gives you the option to dip or squeeze.  Creators even implemented a new minivan test so they could tell people with confidence that there will be no spillage in the backseat.

What a great opportunity for eaters and advertisers alike!  I'm going to let this mull for a few hours and post any and all brainstorming ideas I come up with regarding this innovative packet.

French fries rejoice!

Time Warp

Good evening all!

Sometimes, I get thrown a bone and am given writing opportunities.  Here, I got to write a Flashback feature, which was extra special to me since it was focusing on old theatres, an aspect of yet another one of my passions.

Here's the original copy I gave to the art director.  The publisher made a few tweaks to the final, which I will also post later so you can see how much of my work was approved.

As you read, imagine pictures of the three theatres next to the copy.

Showtime!

Entertainment has always been important to the people of Des Moines, whether it’s in the form of a movie or a live show.  It’s hard to believe that, once upon a time, it was possible to satiate that appetite for the arts with just a quarter in your pocket, but that’s exactly how much an evening show at the Majestic Theatre ran for in the early 1900’s.  Many people would grab a few coins and attend a live act or feature there before it was later transformed into the Garrick, a burlesque house, and finally the President, a live theatre, before it was torn down in 1938.

If none of the live shows at the Majestic Theatre sounded appealing, audience members could see what play was on stage at the Princess Theatre.  If they were lucky, they might have witnessed several future vaudeville, stage, and movie stars well before their big breaks into show biz. 

Making sure Des Moines was keeping up with the times, the Empress Theatre was converted from being a stage for vaudeville acts into Galaxy Cinema for moving pictures, which just goes to show how much this city evolves with its dwellers.

Thanks again, and welcome to February!
KT

Will write for food...

Hello readers and (hopefully) future employers,

My name is Kelsey, and I want to write.

Lucky for me, writing is one of the few things in life that one can do for free. Unfortunately, there is a much longer list of things in life that one needs to pay exponential amounts of money to do (stay warm, stay dry, stay fed). That's where I need a little assistance.

I'll give you a quick bio:

I'm a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a major in Journalism specializing in Advertising/Integrated Marketing Communications. I graduated Summa-Cum Laude after only 3 1/2 years, all while staying very involved in several organizations.

Currently, I am working as an account executive at a small production company in Des Moines, Iowa, and I could not be more thrilled or appreciative to have been given a job upon graduation. However, I would still like to pursue my passion for writing.

I've taken several writing classes in college with focuses on copywriting, fiction, and poetry. I've also worked as a public relations assistant giving me practice in writing informational pieces like press releases and biographies.

The combination of persuasive, creative, and informative writing experience makes me an excellent candidate for a wide variety of projects. I'll continue to post my own works to give you all an idea of my capabilities and talents, and I hope you'll consider me when you're looking to hire a young writer with fresh ideas.

Thank you for your time and interest,

Kelsey

katherkildsen@gmail.com