Are candy companies the only recession proof industry?

I've noticed in the last two months (also the worst 2 mos for the labor sector) that Skittles, Snickers, and Cadbury have all released new campaigns, websites, or T.V. spots. Leading me to wonder: Are candy companies the only recession proof industry?

Skittles made headlines in the ad industry for their new skittles.com website, blogged about here in early March. Snickers has a new print/outdoor campaign with a clever play on their logo/packaging structure (above top), and Cadbury released their new Eyebrows spot from Fallon London (above bottom). 

So is it all to garner publicity or actually generate sales? In my opinion Snickers is the only campaign of the three that probably has a chance of increasing sales. The campaign is running in points of hunger (when someone is out driving/walking/taking a bus/aka on the go) in need of a quick snack fix like snickers. The other two in my opinion were solely to generate publicity for both the client and agency of record. 

If you have an opinion on the campaigns discuss below...

Minnesota: More than sub zero temps and lefsa

Photos: adamturman.com

Something I love about Minneapolis is that it is a great arts city. Whether its music, theater, or art exhibits something about this northern city fosters some great artists. One of my local favorites is graphic designer Adam Turman. I've noticed Adam's work around Minneapolis for about a year now and instantly gravitated towards it. Its kitschy, eclectic, culturally right on design work. Adam's work can be found around town at SaraCura (where I also sell my photography) and The Electric Fetus as the featured Minneconomy artist.

Adam does a lot of screen print work for bands, but also does great screen prints of things truly Minnesotan. Highlighting the beautiful, unique and quirky parts of the northern culture. My personal favorite is the Hotdish screen print. Perfectly sums up one of my least favorite dishes ever, yet one of the most unique parts of Minnesotan culture. I'm dying for the apron!

You can admire and purchase Adam's work here

For all the Minnesota boys

From a great hometown favorite Atmosphere. This song perfectly represents Minnesota boys to me, in fact I first heard this song bc of a true Minnesota boy. Something about this state instills male pride. The Chicago line is so true. Minnesota girls I know you can relate! Discuss below...

My childhood favorite is coming to the big screen!

Today the trailer for the feature film Where the Wild Things Are hit the Internet and it instantly brought me back to being 4 years old reading my favorite childhood book. From just seeing the trailer Spike Jonze did well. From Max's infamous costume and crown to the likeness of the wild things my childhood feels as if its been brought to life twenty years later. The movie hits theaters October 16. I know where myself and I'm sure many others my age and younger will be. 

While I was having the worst day ever...South Park washed it all away

As I mentioned last week in my adoration for the new South Park promos, SP is back with an all new season. Since Top Chef is no longer on Wednesdays @ 9 I'm back to hangin' with Cartman and the crew. This week's episode was a classic!

Cartman turned into a secret superhero "The Coon" yes only on SP and the half hour quickly turned into a direct satire of The Dark Knight right down to the last frame where Cartman runs off into the night on his coon bike. 

It was exactly what I needed at that exact moment. South Park was exactly what an entertainment show is supposed to be: an escape for a period of time from whatever you're having to deal with in your life at the time.  Thanks SP for the laughs it was much needed.

You can watch the episode here   

I refuse to accept that Doc Martens could make a comeback!

In the last month or so I've seen a few kooky celebs wearing Doc Martens around LA.  No! No! No! Growing up in the Midwest during the 3rd resurrection of Doc Martens was painful enough on my developing arches and calves. The things weigh 5 lbs and as a lanky awkward 13 year old you might as well just have attached dumbbells to my feet.

Today Drew Barrymore was off to a business meeting doing her kookiest menswear inspired outfit complete with black doc boots. I was accepting of flannel coming back, but not this. The 90's fashions were cruel enough on women's shapes we don't need a round two in less than a decade.

If we're going to bring back flannel, doc martens, and boyfriend jeans we might as well resurrect Kurt Cobain, wipe out the Internet, and go back to Zac Morris size cell phones.  See my point! Let's move forward fashion world and stick with 5 inch Loubotins instead of 5 lb Docs.

Twitter: Will it help in my endless job search?

Today I made the decision that has been on my mind for about a month today.  I joined Twitter. Yes the peculiar 140 character social media website that has absolutely exploded over the last year and now has over 6 million users.  

My good friend Maggie convinced me at happy hour last week, and no not bc I'd had a few cocktails, but bc she said she was able to follow all of the ad agencies and figure out when they were looking for a new position or had won new business.  This strongly piqued my interest.

The reason I was so turned off to Twitter was bc several acquaintances, who of course will remain nameless, annoyed the hell out of me when they shared literally everything they did all day long. Statuses like "I took a shower. I walked on a street in Brooklyn or I made a cake today." were shared like a constant barade of unwanted show and tell. 

Twitter became show and tell day with those annoying kids who don't have anything really great to share so they tell you how they ate a worm at recess instead of sharing the delicious recipe to a homemade Orange Julius, which is the purpose of show and tell day (aka Twitter). Hence me not wanting to join show and tell.

Twitter's sole purpose is for sharing valuable links and information.  I intend to keep my profile that way, as well as another tool in my personal brand. A valuable lesson I've learned, and been working hard at the last few months in this never ending job search. I hope by following the right people and sharing valuable view points with those people me as the brand is discovered by someone just dying to give a smart young woman her official break in advertising.

You can follow me on Twitter by clicking on the link on the right or by user name: EWiedner.