PLDT myDsl and Nuffnang bring you The Avengers!

TEAMWORK!
Grab your gear, kids, because today's theme is all about how assembling a group of greats can allow you to champion good over evil.

Yeeeah, you know where I'm taking this.  The Avengers.  Summer is set to explode with the biggest powerhouse assembly of super heroes in the history of cinema.  We're talking Captain America (the all American World War II do-gooder as good as apple pie), Iron Man (narcicisstic badass who's also a goodass... haha!), Thor (god of thunder...yep, he's a god, don't question him), and Hulk (that crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside crime fighter... just don't get him angry).  Was 'powerhouse' an understatement?  I see you crying all the way home, bad dudes!

Now, what can be better than that?  How about another assembly of awesomeness inviting Nuffnangers to an exclusive The Avengers screening on April 26, 2012 at the Shangri-la Cineplex?  Uh-huh, that's the ticket.  We're talking PLDT myDsl (your fastest connection to the fastest Internet connection) and Nuffnang Philippines (the first --and biggest-- blog advertising community in the Asia Pacific).  Uhm... and me, RaketChick.  But only because I'm blogging about it.  Hehe... such a moocher.

Oh, but it gets even better!  Teamwork is also an essential ingredient to creating an assembly of hot damn advertising.  This time, we're talking PLDT myDsl's Anna Banana (only the most talked about viral ad series to hit TV and YouTube!).  Who doesn't know about that?!

It's the shiznit because of the teamwork all three ad installments had to create a solid story. 


From the first Anna Banana webcam serenade uploaded through PLDT myDsl.


To the touching mom/fan TV ad that catapulted the Anna Banana serenade to amazing hits.


And, ended nice and neat with the 'Thanks to my fans' ad that involved the YouTube commenters in the viral sensation themselves.

Full circle.  Fine advertising.  That's my kind of good ad campaign to stomp all bad ad campaigns to smitherines.  Good job, PLDT myDsl!

Speaking of good, I hear PLDT myDsl has something more up its sleeve.  The PLDT myDsl Plan 1299 is now upgraded to 1MB from the previous 768Kb.  If you're on Plan 990, you can upgrade your subscription to Plan 1299 by simply adding Php300 to your monthly bill.  How snazzy is that!  Just hit www.pldtmydsl.com for more details, why doncha?

Whoa... this is one powerhouse blog post!  That's the power of Teamwork.  It's only the best when it's this good.

Life's a Pitch

In an ad agency, when your Client Service Director tells you 'We're joining a pitch.', that's just like saying 'We're going to war'.  You get ridiculously pumped.  Your creative juices flow through your veins like wildfire.  You ready yourself for stress and sleepless nights ...and you're gonna like it.  There's nothing quite like a Creative's competitive streak.  Plus, a pitch is a welcome break from your regular insurance company client's requirements.

In the freelancing world, however, pitching is everyday fare.  You pitch against other freelancers, sometimes even full blown agencies.  You pitch yourself to companies on a daily basis.  Your portfolio, your background, and your relentless charm --your weapons.  A pitch isn't a break.  It's your new way of life.

Does that mean your source of excitement from long ago has finally become a boring routine?  Definitely not.  This means your new life has become far more exciting, with a whole lot of bigger things to win...or lose.  It's more nerve-racking.  It pushes you to push yourself more.  And if you're a Creative, this kind of stress is what you live for.

Ok, I'll admit this post is more of an internal dialogue.  I've been winning plenty of skirmishes lately and I'm pretty sure I'm finally owning this year.  But not without battle wounds and a little bit of ego maiming here and there.  So this is just to remind me that all is fair in love and war.  Although painful from time to time, I do love what I do, and I'm willing to slay for it.

That said, let's go back to polishing our blades, men!

Collaborate and listen

How bad is that title?!!
Apologies to Vanilla Ice and his most awesome shoulder pads and fancy footwork.

Anyhoo, reality check:  I've been going solo for years now that I've become awkward when it comes to teamwork.  I'm used to crafting my own strat now, going complete adman when conceptualizing, cooking up the visual treatment along with the words I put in an execution, dabbling in production details.

So when a project called for a collaboration among other freelancers, I jumped in without a parachute.  Excitedly, I started throwing in suggestions for a better key message.  I started thinking of pictures, production values, and giving pegs.  I started being me.  Much to the ire of my partners.  I'm sure they were saying, "What a ho she is!  She's like totally manning the show!  She's like Britney Spearsing it and we're just her back up dancers!  Duh!"

It became ugly so I'm not going into details.  But I do come with a tip.  Learn to shift gears when the situation calls for it.  I know, all freelancers are natural Gung-hos and that's a good thing.  But when the arrangement sets you with a concrete title, you live up to just that.  They called you in to be a writer --so write.  They called you in to be an AD --so illustrate.  Having initiative is a fabulous trait (like I always say!), but only when you're sure you're there to impress and get more business, only when you're doing this for yourself.  But when it's a collaboration, have initiative only within your area of concern.
Sure, you can throw in suggestions ... but you listen to your partners, too.  Wait for your turn.  Group effort.  Ooh, sounds alien?  Come on, you've done this in a lot of agencies before!

Do not step on toes.  Do not bruise egos.  Do only what you're getting paid for. 
Keep Vanilla Ice in mind.  It's 'Collaborate and listen'.  Not 'Collaborate and railroad'.

ONE

Drinks all around, my fellow mercenaries, for today is a very special day!

Not only is it April Fools' Day... but it's also the day RaketChick turns ONE.  *fireworks!  beer!  kewpie dolls!*

Ah, the irony of it all!  April Fools' Day.  Makes you wonder if RaketChick was created as a joke.  Pfft!  Of course not!  But she was indeed borne out of sarcasm --and eventually she evolved into something saner.  Well, slightly saner.  Maybe less crankier... until something provokes me again. 

So, in that full year, what have we learned?
I learned Patience, Persistence, and Peace.  *what the... is that angelic choir music I hear?!!*
Ok, not full blown, Zennish Peace-peace.  Otherwise, I would just stop this blog and focus all my energies to extreme cross stitching.  Thankfully, of the 3 Ps, the one I've totally jacked up is my Persistence factor.  More quality biz hunting, more quality work, more quality me time (uhm... I'm still working on that one).  I'd elaborate but I guess I'm not Patient enough.

Let's wrap it up then.

Happy Birthday to Me, thanks for reading me, and may your rakets flourish like the Zombie Apocalypse plague!