Facebook!

Dear All,

We are pleased to announce, that recently we have opened a Facebook Page!

Check it!

The Collective Team.

Jack Stafford show

Jack Stafford, Collective founder, is having a concert to mark the closing of his suit shop and his last show before a 4-month tour of New Zealand and Australia. You are all welcome to attend. It's the last gathering at Vijzelstraat 67 before The Collective move. Saturday 12th February. 8 until late. Show at 10pm. Bring your own drinks. Friends are welcome!

Breaking News!

Dear Freelancers!

On the 24th of February, The Collective will be moving to our new office at:

Keizersgracht 205, 1016 DS Amsterdam.

On the 24th itself and afterwards you can still reach us on the same phone number as now:

020-320 5319.

The invitation for a drink will follow soon!

Kinky Christmas Album

Dear freelancers,

Do you like to listen to the Kinks'?
Listen to Jack and his new cover album!
Once again... Have a lovely Christmas!

The Collective Team.

Happy holidays from The Collective team!

Dear Creatives,

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2011!

Jack, Justyna, Sandra & Wilma.

Network Drinks

You are invited on the upcoming networking drinks on Thursday 30th of September at DuintjerCS building, Vijzelstraat 72, 7th floor. Jack Stafford will perform as troubadour at the next DOMIBO drinks, organised by Carmen Flagiello. The theme is DuintjerCS meets de buurt/de buurt meets DuintjerCS. Please join us from 18:00.

Amsterdam goes World Cup crazy!

On Amsterdam's Museumplein, 80,000 people celebrated as the
Netherlands beat Uruguay in the World Cup semi-final. Click on
heading to share the joy.

The Collective Drinks Thursday, the 1st of July 2010

The next Collective networking drinks will be held on Thursday 1 july at our usual location in the shop “The Jack Stafford Collection” (beneath our office) at Vijzelstraat 67. Please join us from 18:00.

CALL FOR PERMANENT JOB OF DESIGN MANAGER

One of our clients is looking for a Design Manager.

Reporting to the Head of Corporate Branding, the successful candidate will be an experienced, highly motivated, individual with a strong track record in corporate design management and will play a pivotal role in providing creative direction to the development of clients brand identity. As well as managing a budget for the product area, the post holder will be responsible for managing products through from initial concept to artwork, while ensuring that levels of quality and innovation are maintained.

Main responsibilities
* Develop and produce concepts, designs, and art direction for corporate projects
* Deliver practical, hands-on, design for a wide variety communication materials (annual reports, corporate magazine, events and other applications)
* Devise creative strategies and direction for design management
* Co-develop, manage, implement and monitor global visual identity guidelines
* Set-up a brand/design portal throughout the whole company
* Manage freelancers, printers and design agencies

Minimum requirements
* Excellent portfolio demonstrating in-depth experience and ability to manage, develop and monitor corporate identity/company house style and relevant guidelines at corporate and product level
* Proven design management and skills
* Superior hands-on design skills and creativity
* Ability to work on own initiative, thrive in a dynamic and high performance environment and deal effectively with deadline pressure
* Highly proficient in using Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator
* Experience with print coordination and purchase negotiations
* A team player with a clear understanding of the role, position and boundaries of design in a corporate environment
* Job ratio is 65% design activities and 35% management activities

About client
Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, they are a Global Fortune 500 company and are consistently ranked as one of the leaders on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. With operations in more than 80 countries, our 55,000 people around the world are committed to excellence and delivering Tomorrow's Answers Today(tm).

If you are interested in this permanent job, please contact sandra@thecollective or wilma@thecollective.net.

Happy Easter

The Collective would like to wish you all a very Happy Easter!

The Collective Drinks Thursday, the 25th of March 2010

The Collective would appreciate it if you could r.s.v.p to Caitlyn de Wild at; caitlyn@thecollective.net by the 18th of March 2010. We look forward to seeing you all there on the 25th of March 2010.

GREAT SPACE AT A GREAT PLACE

As you know, we have a shop underneath our office and we are looking to put it to more use. We are open to suggestions, ideas and co-ventures. Maybe you have something we can sell in the shop, hang in it, launch in it or just exhibit. If so, please get in touch.

Congrats to Miriam Young for completing the New York City Marathon

Proving she’s got the stamina and commitment needed for long-haul projects, copywriter Miriam Young ran the New York City Marathon on the 1st of November 2009, finishing in 5 hours 32 minutes. “Not a bad first attempt for the girl who used to take taxis between pubs!”

The Golden Age postponed

Sorry.

Our Return To The Golden Age party was

due to take place on September 24th.

But we have had to rearrange it.

The party will now take place on October 15th.

We look forward to seeing you there.

The Collective

You are invited to return to the Golden Age

Come and see some Jonathan Brown collages!

10 things you can do to get more freelance work

In these depressed times we're all looking for more work. Here are 10 ways to help you get more freelance assignments from The Collective...

1. Say hello

Come by The Collective. There's no substitute for meeting you to keep you top of mind. Bring chocolates or flowers or both. Or just email us regularly if it’s too far to come.

2. Collective drinks

We are having drinks in the shop on Thursday 28th May. Show your face, meet other freelancers and stay in the loop.

3. Availability

Tell us when you get a big job and you're unavailable. Then tell us you've just finished, did a great job and are now available again.

4. Update your profile

Is your profile on The Collective website amazing? If it's not as good as it could be you're selling yourself short. Even if it’s already great, it still needs to be refreshed periodically

5. Answer your phone

Most jobs need to be done at short notice and most freelancers still don't answer their phones straight away. Some people have lost work because of this.

6. Promote yourself

If you have time on your hands, send us your promotional ideas. We're helping Erik and Raoul contact some clients directly because they came to us with a proposal.

7. Promote The Collective

The more work we get the more work you get. We had the idea to send a postcard to all agencies in the summer saying that we're available when they're on holiday. If you come up with another good idea then you'll be the first person we recommend to get work that comes from it.

8. Blog it

Did you win a award? An important pitch? If you’ve done something amazing in the advertising world, we can write about you on our blog and in our newsletter.

9. Show your portfolio

If there’s an agency you want to show your portfolio to, let us know and we'll arrange a meeting for you.

10. Surprise us

You're the creative, think of something that we haven't.

AND IN OTHER NEWS....

House of Orange, the photography agency, will organize a print sale next week Wednesday (20th May) of all their photographers, with small prices as low as € 20,-

17.00 – 21.00

WHY NOT

Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 28-30

1012 RZ Amsterdam

QUARTERLY DRINKS

Our next “borrel” will take place at the good old Collective pad on the Vijzelstraat 67. Not in the office but downstairs in the shop. Please join us May 28th from 17.00 till 19.00. See you then!

Partying the recession away

On Friday 26th of February, The Collective hosted
a Recession Party on the top floor of the Duintjer CS
building in Amsterdam.

We chose the top floor so that anybody who wanted
to end it all as a consequence of economic armageddon
could do so in spectacular manner.

But there was no danger of that as, due to the cheap
drinks spiked with the finest drugs known to Casper,
everyone was soon behaving as though it was 2007
all over again.

Even better, The Collective got to know many of the
creative people who have office space in the Duintjer.

And the evening was such a success that the Duintjer
has asked The Collective to host another party as soon
as possible.

So keep checking out thecollective.net for party details!

Shop space available for ideas, projects and products

As you know, we have a shop underneath our office and we are looking to put it to more uses. We are open to suggestions, ideas and co-ventures for part of it. Maybe you have something we can sell in the shop, hang it in, launch in it or just exhibit. If so, please get in touch.

December Update

Merry Xmas!
Christmas Dinner Pictures

--------------------------------------------

The Collective Team wishes you all a merry Christmas and a prosperous 2009.

It was great to see so many of you at the Christmas dinner. We would like to thank you for making it such a lovely evening at the Eettuin, in the centre of the cosy Jordaan. Here is a selection of the pictures, and a link of the video made by Erik Rolf.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIYa3HNF6LM

October update

This month:

Silver Shark at Kinsale Awards for Collective Conceptual Copywriter
Collective Workshop in Slovenia
VAR declarations
Monthly drinks become quarterly drinks

--------------------------------------------

Silver Shark at Kinsale Awards for Collective Conceptual Copywriter
Conceptual Copywriter Bart van Goethem and Art Director Johan van Oeckel have been awarded a Silver Shark at the Kinsale Shark Advertising Awards 2008 for their work for DDB Brussels. See www.sharkawards.com/index2.html

And that’s not the only good news this Flemish team has to report, their EVA advertisement is also on the shortlist for the Standaard Solidariteitsprijs. See www.thecollective.net/inlarge.asp?file=337_14&c=337

--------------------------------------------

VAR Declarations
It’s time, once again, to apply for your VAR declarations.
Please send a copy of your 2009 VAR declaration to our administration as soon as possible.
You can email these to Noah Noah@thecollective.net

--------------------------------------------

Collective Workshop in Slovenia
Following an initiative by Collective freelancer Martin Mol, Creative Directors Jan van Meel and Peter van der Wijk will be holding Conceptual Thinking workshops during the Xtreme Bonbon Junkies Festival in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
The Xtreme Bonbon Junkies Festival is a student festival for jr. copy and art students and is the only international event for Copywriters. Martin Mol held a workshop here last year, and gave a lecture the year previously. He comments: “They’re here, so eager to learn, it is a pleasure to pass on our western creative advertising knowledge”.
Xtreme Bonbon Junkies, Young Creatives Session
25th till 27th November in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The website for the Extreme Bonbon Junkies festival is still under construction, but for now you can find information at www.kalidays.net/en/contacts/

--------------------------------------------

Monthly drinks become quarterly drinks
While Jack and Jasmine are away performing on their German tour during October, the Collective team is making preparations for the freelancers’ Christmas dinner. More information about this will be divulged in our next update.
We won’t be hosting any more end-of-month drinks this year, but will return in 2009 with a spectacular quarterly event. We’ll keep you informed!

September update

This month:

Noah returns
Trendwatching
What's it all about, Aldi? (End-of-month drinks)

--------------------------------
Noah returns
The Collective are delighted to welcome Noah Ykealo back to the office now that Casper has returned to Finland to complete his studies.
Noah will be taking over where Casper left off, looking after intake of new freelancers and assisting Sandra and Wilma with handling jobs. You can contact Noah by email noah@thecollective.net

--------------------------------
Trendwatching
For those who haven't already discovered it, trendwatching.com is a fabulous place to keep up with trends and associated marketing ideas from around the world. It's a useful source of inspiration to keep your creative ideas on the ball.

--------------------------------
What's it all about Aldi?

This is the theme for this month's drinks, due to take place on Friday 26th September.

Date: Friday 26th September 2008

Place: The Jack Stafford Collection (below The Collective)

Vijzelstraat 67, Amsterdam

Time: 18:00 - 21:00

*This is a reference to the theme tune for the 1960s film Alfie, starring Michael Caine.

A Copy, a Client, his Product and its Naming

The following article was kindly supplied by Collective Copywriter Daniela Ferrando.


Ok, the title of this post sounds kind of next Peter Greenaway’s movie. But I’ll be less symbolic.
As a copywriter – I am Italian and mainly work in my native language, plus I transcreate from English – when I’m asked to produce product naming proposals, I love it.

You know the steps: meeting/calling/skyping (for a briefing), brainstorming, creating, comparing, researching, writing, shortlisting, checking domain/patent availability, and… presenting to the client? Presenting what?

A detailed document commenting every proposal for the client to check it and rationally choose, feeling super-supported and advised?
A maieutic document, i.e. a pertinent list of proposals with minimal comment, e.g. just some etymology, for the client to enjoy and to share the pleasure of rediscovering his own product?
A bare list for the client to make his marketing decision without feeling influenced?

I happened to prepare last week a very commented and detailed set of product naming proposals.
I did so because the client wasn’t Italian, but wanted an Italian professional to work on his product.
I thought I had to make him sure about the meaning, the tone, the scope, the etymology, the nature of my proposals, and maybe also about my favourite names – which I normally hide in a note, preferably a final, fine printed note.
This is my usual approach.
Well, it was too much to him.
When I adjusted my proposals after a first feedback, I cut most of the comments away and just grouped my naming proposals by concept. It worked.
By the way, he told me he had already received a bare list for a parallele part of his product naming project from another copywriter. A bare list to enjoy.

Once more, I learnt how many modulations exist under a simple and usual request for a copywriter.
What do YOU produce and present when you work on product naming?

---------------------------------------
Daniela Ferrando - Milan, Italy

August drinks

As you might expect, August is a quiet month for news.

However, life goes on and we hope some of you will be able to join us for our end of the month drinks.

This month we'll be gathering at Café van Leeuwen, which you'll find at the junction Utrechtsestraat/Keizersgracht http://www.cafevanleeuwen.nl/

Date: Friday 29th AugustTime: 18.00 - 21.00

We hope to see you there!

LOOKING THROUGH FREELANCE EYES

Israeli, Russian-born copywriter Arkadi Mazin discusses the state of advertising in Russia in comparison with her former Soviet neighbours.

What makes it so bad?

Russia is a huge developing market and it's experiencing a consumer boom. Nearly all international brands have already jumped in. Visit Moscow - and you will easily feel this rush, this flow of free money everywhere. Advertising budgets are enormous; salaries in the industry may exceed those in UK. One can expect to see some decent advertising. But the fact is it can hardly be found in today's Russia.

You don't have to believe me, there's plenty of proof around. Firstly, Russia's collection of Cannes Lions and other prestigious awards is almost non-existent. Secondly, local creatives themselves never miss a chance to criticize the overall level of Russian advertising at their Internet communities and forums www.adme.ru, www.sostav.ru and www.advertka.ru being the "big three") and to ask for a thousandth times a rhetorical question: "When we'll start making such ads here?" (referring, of course, to new Western campaigns).

Everyone, naturally, has someone to blame, be it bosses, clients or TA. Thirdly, the site AdMe www.adme.ru regularly invites prominent Western professionals to express their opinion on Russian advertising. Believe me, you don't want to be a Russian creative reading one of these reviews.

It took me a while to understand why things are so bad for Russian ad industry. I came to a conclusion not before I spent thousands of hours creating ads for this market, talking to clients, tracking numerous campaigns - and not before I looked around Russia, at Belarus, Ukraine, Baltic States. It allowed me to see a clear division: Russian and Belarusian advertising is awful, Ukrainian is much better and the three small Baltic States simply rock. Can the exact match with the politics be a coincidence? I mean, Russia and Belarus are experiencing a rollback to the totalitarian rule - and it happened before the westernization in these countries made any considerable progress. Ukraine had stumbled not once on this rocky road, but today its advance seems fast and secured. Baltic States had long ago become truly European.

There's this fundamental division: Western individualism and humanism against totalitarian collectivism. In the West we put an individual in the center in every sense. We make it our idol. In my opinion, that's where the roots of modern Western advertising are. We cherish the individual and thus we are eager to learn his psychology, to understand his true needs, which, as we know, are more emotional than rational. Western advertising makes its progress constantly looking for even more subtle and advanced emotional insights and techniques. This is our path.

But it is clearly not the case in Russia. They are just unwilling to dig deep enough. Talking to Russian creatives, I often sense their disregard or even contempt for that guy, the average consumer. You can't make good advertising that way. Of course, clients are plagued with the same problem. At the end we have ads that are coarse, arrogant and overall weird for the Western eye. Nothing alike the subtlety, warmth and wit that we see in today's Western advertising.

Another problem is the consumer himself is not ready yet for the different advertising. It takes two to tango towards Western cultural codes. So in the choice an international advertiser willing to enter Russian market would face - to just adapt the copy or to create a standalone Russian campaign with one of the local agencies - none of the alternatives seems perfect to me. Probably, the right thing to do would be to somehow make two agencies, the Western and the Russian, to work together - and to hope for the best.

Arkadi Mazin - Russian-speaking copywriter living in Israel.