RULES WERE MADE TO BE BROKEN
There is a fine line between following the rules and breaking the rules. I have spent most of my life walking right up to, and sometimes, jumping right over this line. It’s a constant struggle for me between conformity and dissent. As long as I know what the rules are, I will generally follow them. I don’t want to get into trouble and I want to play well with others in the sandbox.
Yet, sometimes, I find myself asking, “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” And this guides my thinking on whether or not a rule was made to be broken. Fortunately, I’ve been in the advertising business for 30 years and have been rewarded for bending, twisting, and sometimes breaking the rules of convention. Every day at work is like a game of Twister.
After all, if you want to create something that is bold you have to take risks. And if I ask myself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” and the only answer I can come up with is “The client might say no,” then I am going to break that rule (obviously if the answer to that question is “You might go to jail, Dave,” I might stay on this side of the line).
There are rules in spelling, such as I before E except after C. I generally follow these rules. If I don’t, 39 people will email me back and let me know that I misspelled something in the Weekly Report. A number of years ago, London-based ad agency AMV BBDO created an ad campaign for Snickers, where they partnered with Google to find the 500 most commonly misspelled words in search history. Snickers bought the misspelled keyword ads and reminded searchers “You’re not you when you’re hungry.” They broke the rules and the campaign was a major success.
So this week you’ve got homework. Number one, I want you to find a silly rule. Number two, I want you to break it. Don’t forget to ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that can happen?” Disclaimer: I will not pay your fine, penalty, or bail.
This week, I found a silly rule that my bank has a monthly limit on deposits. Yes, you read that right. I can deposit up to X over the course of 30 days, but I cannot deposit X + $1. I am driving to the bank this afternoon, where I will deposit $1 over my limit. I am such a rebel.
MONDAY:
ALL HAIL ALLISON!
.On Monday, Account Manager Allison Nida took the day off to celebrate her birthday (even though it was technically on Tuesday). Allison is such a rule breaker, ask anyone. She enjoyed a much-deserved time off before returning to work where she was greeted with an out-of-tune rendition of “Happy Birthday” over Zoom. Happy Birthday, Allison. Next year you’ll be old enough to drink.
Monday also kicked off the Virginia Department of Health’s sponsorship of the Washington Football Team Training Camp. The Madison+Main-iacs packaged up COVIDWISE giveaways for the week of festivities at Account Executive Rochelle Sommer’s house. Look at those happy, smiling faces — and not a paper cut in sight.
TUESDAY:
A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES
Our team hit the road on Tuesday for a client meeting with the team at Atlas42, RVA’s premier event venue located in the heart of the Innsbrook Shoppes. They discussed upcoming projects and got to know each other a little bit better. We’re excited about working on projects together and Cristina, Dawn, Mark, and Mike were excited to get some M+M swag.
WEDNESDAY:
RAISING THE ROOF
Wednesday the team met for another Hoppy Hour at The HofGarden for a sunny afternoon sipping cocktails and winning trivia. I am so happy that events and meetings are starting to happen again face-to-face. I mean, let’s face it, I’m much funnier in person. So if you’re looking for something to do in Richmond this weekend, check out Visit Richmond VA’s list of upcoming events for August! Email me back and we can do something together.
On Wednesday night, I dropped by the Virginia Governor’s Mansion for a VIP reception for the Washington Football Team. I was instantly reminded how tall pro football players are.
THURSDAY:
TRAINING CAMP
Thursday was a busy day for the Madison+Main-iacs at the Washington Football Team’s Training Camp! With thousands of attendees, the team handed out all sorts of swag we designed — mini footballs, fans, bags, and more, from the Virginia Department of Health tent supporting COVIDWISE! Good work team!
FRIDAY:
SQUEEZE THE DAY
On Friday, we celebrated our incredible Client Services Manager Katie Rossberg’s third work anniversary. Katie works hard for our clients and makes everyone on the team laugh with her insane “What if?” questions. Or anything else she says…it seems she’s always talking. Katie is a valuable addition to our team, even when she’s yelling, “Stop! Don’t lick that!” to her dog Ollie on Zoom (not her clients).
Today, the Crickets Pre-K class at Ms. Bab’s Nursery School is hosting an Anthem LemonAid Stand at 4:00 p.m. to raise money for the ASK Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Our incredible Office Manager, Mollie Banks, will be there supporting her son and his class. Head out to 2319 Grove Avenue and support their efforts or donate online.
A FEW OF OUR CLIENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Lucy Corr
Chesterfield, Virginia
Join the Lucy Corr team! Their vibrant retirement community is searching for friendly and dedicated workers to fill a variety of roles.
- Concierge
- Dining Services
- Environmental Services
- Information Technology
Got an upcoming event you want to share? Can we come? Send us the deets!
“Go get a job. Whether it’s working as a designer or working in a restaurant and then doing your own thing in your own time, it’s a reality of life. In the end, it’s going to be helpful to you and so many others.” — Anna Wintour