What? Your agency does not have an official song? Well mine does. As part of our Annual Holiday Party (see last week’s post) some of my staff took a famous Barry Manilow song and rewrote it. Well unbeknownst to me, the good folks at WOKQ-FM helped make it real. So with many apologies and thanks to Barry, WOKQ and all of the other folks, here is our agency song. Be sure to turn up the volume.
The annual bGG Advertising Holiday Party was last Thursday. As usual it was the social event of the winter season in cold Southern New Hampshire. (What? Have you never heard an ad guy exaggerate?) Well the fun part of the party for me is that it’s like an Ad Club reunion because I invite a lot of our competition for many reasons: first of all, it’s my party and I can. But also because we work in a great area that fosters friendship along with competition.
If I heard it once, I heard it 10 times last Thursday from both our clients and the partners we deal with. They were amazed that so many competitors were in attendance. It’s always been our tradition and we will always do it.
It was nice to see Pat, Anders, (yes he’s baaaaccck) and Elaine from www.griffinyorkkrause.com and Fran from www.eastlantic.com as well as Warren and Judy from www.mannad.com, and of course my long-time golf buddy, Gary O’Neil (who brought Grace and George with him) from www.traceyedwards.com.
Why can this sort of gathering, which also included other agency folks (Lisa Arnold), happen here and not other places? I have a small theory…we are all getting a little older (and wiser) and realize that after all these years in the same market together we have survived. And we haven’t had to knock each other to do so. That’s one of the beauties of where we get to work every day, (although I might add I’m writing this from the bGG South office in Fort Myers).
Thanks to everyone who came to the party and thanks to my great staff who help make this such a fun gig.
Yes, this will be a rant so leave now if you are not emotionally prepared for it.
Last Wednesday some guy (older) in a red pick-up truck drove into my parking lot. Okay, so far so good. I don’t know who he is: delivery person, friend or parent of staff, new client–whatever. Well, then he and his dog get out of the truck. The first alarm bell goes off: AL DOES NOT LIKE DOGS. I don’t like them in my office, in my parking lot, or anywhere near me. Yes, a childhood incident with a dog that weighed 300 or 400 pounds and was 10 feet tall, (I was 9), has scared me.
So this person proceeds to walk the dog around my parking lot and the lot nearby and we all know he’s not just out for a little exercise. Sure enough, after about 15 minutes he puts the dog back in his truck in and gets ready to leave. Lucky for me, a member of my first-rate staff (probably knowing they would make points with me) confronts the idiot. She asks him if he is from the city. Is that a bomb sniffing dog? Of course he says no. She tells him this is a private business parking lot. He casually waves his hand as he says, “Just leaving!”
In hindsight I should have gotten a wrecker here and towed his car. But, he had a truck, was wearing a red shirt and for all I knew he might have had a gun or something. I just have to ask, “What was this guy thinking?” I mean I just don’t get the lack of courtesy, consideration, or even common sense. But, hey what do I know? Man’s best friend hates me anyway! But for the record, if he or anyone else with a dog comes back–BEWARE; this time I will call the wrecker.