BIG URBAN

But I keep writing in this blog anyway. And, at least three times already, I’ve made some statement about “Oh, I don’t write enough and NOW I’m going to be better”…only to stop again 4 posts later. A friend once called me out on doing that and told me to be more confident. And to stop making excuses.

To be honest, I’m not sure why I write this blog. It originally started as a way to write about what I loved while in college. And I do love to write. 

I’ve also realized that, while I’ve kept this, I never really brought out my own personality. 

I talk fast. When I’m excited, I talk a lot. I apologize way too much. I have an incessant need to be doing many things at once. And when I’m passionate about something, I go after it with full force. 

So, I’m not really sure what I’ll be writing about from here on out. But as I go through life (and the twists and turns I never expected), I figure someone out there might be reading this. 

A few weeks ago, while on a financial-smarts kick, I decided to finally act on the clever Ally Bank commercials I’d been seeing. 

Turns out, the process was easy enough. 10 minutes, no initial deposit needed, and a few purple and white screens later, I was all set-up with a money-market savings account. And transferring money was easy! All I had to do was provide the routing and account info from my Bank of America and it would be all set! 

So, I did it. 

At first, I was super excited. Then I noticed that my transfer would take around 2 weeks to go through. I started feeling not-so-excited. I decided to call customer service and see if I could cancel the transfer or figure out a faster route. 

First time I called, I was disconnected. 

Second time I called, I was put on hold for 20 minutes… so I hung up.

Frustrated, I decided to transfer my money back to my Bank of America. Cue another 10 days. Afterwards, I sent an inquiry asking about closing my account - I was notified that I would have to do it via the live chat or on the phone. 

And the live chat has been down. ever. since. 

So, I still have an Ally account (haven’t tried calling…we’ll see if that happens) but not a fan. It had some major pros: online registration, live chat (when it worked), and nice looking website. But when it comes to my bank, if customer service isn’t up to par, I’m out. 

Maybe I have a wrong impression…if anyone out there has had a better experience, let me know? It’s not too late to change my mind. 

…you know how Netflix will have a black screen with the title of whatever movie or television show you’ve selected in written in a white, not too large and probably Arial, font before the show starts?

I find it really visually appealing. Win for minimalism, I guess. 

A closed-for-winter Dairy Queen near my house simply has the word “Thanks” on their sign. Apparently they couldn’t afford any other words.

One of my favorite advertising campaigns to date was last year’s Fruit of the Loom Move. Released around the Olympics, the campaign features athletes, gymnasts, and dancers doing what they do best but, obviously, in their underwear.

Why is it so appealing?

By using actual ballerinas, skateboarders, and gymnasts, Fruit of the Loom aimed to break their stodgy brand with a new, more fashion forward one. The music in the commercial is edgy, the shots are creative and it shows that their products are comfortable in any situation. As stated in a NY Times article, the goal is to have the “Wow, that’s Fruit of the Loom” reaction. 

Personally…

I’m a very big fan of fantastic visuals being emphasized by great music, and this campaign nailed it. On a more technical side, the editing style created enough temporary interest to keep me watching the whole time - by cutting out of a scene right as you were getting into it, it pushes you to wonder what will come next. 

Check out the commercial here. Recommendation: Anthem (Extended) is their best out of the campaign.