I wanted a grainy look so shot 35mm black and white Kodak Tri-X film with a Nikon F2 Photomic body. Was so long ago I don't remember what lens I used or the lighting setup but am guessing I used a Bowens mono light with an umbrella from above and behind. I borrowed all the vintage stringed folk instruments from a music collector.

This ad was entered into the Ad Club awards competition and won Best In Show in the Hampton Roads region. Just goes to show that it should be more about a good concept than big budgets to win ad contests.

Photo © Craig Brewer

Both spots and more information is available here.

I wrote the lion's share of the copy and developed the basic outline of where the brochure need to go conceptually.

But everything that was actually cool about the brochure--including the title "Tailor Your Words"--came from the creative and capable brains, fingers, and Macs of Chris Ward and Mary Hooper--here at Thomas Nelson--who handled all the art direction and design. They "got it" from the get-go. The origami clothing made from book pages communicates in a split second that words are necessary for ALL marketing.

I so appreciate their work and couldn't be happier for them to win the award.

Here is a little copy from the piece.

If you want a copy of the brochure, drop me a line and I'll gladly send it to you. Or you can go to www.custom.thomasnelson.com to see an online version.

I'm submitting 7 projects to the local ADDY Awards this year, most of which have been seen here along the way, some of which I realize now really need some real photographs taken of them.

The Governor's Holiday Card submission,

the Food Not Fuel dissent poster,

the Amaretti letterhead stationary system

and it's logo

and Rain For Dane letterhead stationary system,

and it's logo also.

Also, our wedding invitation, which I realize now in all of the hubub and many many projects I cranked out prior to the wedding, I had never shown you. So here it is.

It's not really that big of a deal, really, the pieces are all done with only minor design tweaks needed, I just need to print out and trim two of each piece that I want to submit. But inevitably, printing, trimming, and construction always seems to take longer than I anticipate it will. So I'm furiously nibbling away at the project of producing 14 finished pieces, filling out entry forms, affixing entry labels, and quadruple checking each piece to make sure everything is correct, all of which will finally be dropped off on Friday.

I am also incredibly excited to be able to volunteer this year during the judging process of the local ADDYs. I'll be spending most of the day next Saturday organizing, moving, and helping during the judging, and I hope to glean the benefit of seeing most of the work that is submitted, and hearing some of what the judges have to say about the work being done in my area this year (of course, when they judge my work I will quietly excuse myself, as a conflict of interest), as well as maybe network and make some contacts in the local industry. Hopefully, it will serve to be a beneficial learning experience.

So after all of that, the knot in my back and I are definitely looking forward to the meditation photo tomorrow.

Depois de assistir e me encantar com o vídeo, corri no brain#9 e dei uma olhada, checando as informações descobri que o vídeo era uma ‘paródia’ a um vídeo da Monster.com, um diretório de empregos, feita pela “Addy Awards” alguns anos atrás. O vídeo foi exibido na cerimônia da premiação da Addy.

Um execelente vídeo, que, com certeza, ficará na minha memória para sempre.

By the way, when I grow up, I wanna be that big kid woking with advertising that I’m now!

This show that we are starting to get notice. This is what we want. Its only the beginning. It a start of something big. I'm sure there will be more to come. You can rest a sure I will post the others when we receive more.

Both of these spoof ads are from Adbusters and I think they do a great job portraying the true life of a smoker. It is up to the public, (You and I), to hold big tobacco companies, such as Philip Morris, responsible for the fatal consequences their product causes people.

I also found a wonderful website called, Fight with Fact. This website was created by a group of teens in Wisconsin who decided it was time for them to take a stand against big tobacco companies. In June of 2001, three hundred teens gathered at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and held Wisconsin's first youth-led tobacco prevention movement. These teenagers are amazing. Instead of idly watching big tobacco lie to the public and kill people with their product, they decided to do something about it. The group has only been around for six years, but they are making sure their voice is heard around the world. On Feb. 17, they took home a Gold ADDY Award for this PSA:

I applaud the efforts of FACT and I think we need more groups like them. Do not forget the power of your voice. As the youth of this nation, our opinions matter and our beliefs will shape the future of this country. YOU can make a difference, if you're willing to stand up and ruffle the corporate feathers of big tobacco.

If you're wondering how to stir up said feathers - go to, thetruth.com. They have a bunch of great downloads and videos you can use to spread the truth about big tobacco.

Click to view Chronicle article 3/1/07

By KIM HUGHES
Chronicle Correspondent

Reggie Bibbs, a member of Second Baptist Church on Woodway, was looking fine in a suit and tie recently when he went on stage to receive a Gold Addy Award for his advertising campaign to raise awareness of a disfiguring disorder called neurofibromatosis.

It was a dressy affair at the Hyatt Regency Hotel downtown, which is why Bibbs, 42, wasn't wearing the T-shirt that won him the award.

On the front is an abstract outline of Bibbs' face, and on the back are the words "Just Ask."

"I can see how people look at me, and they will just stare," said Bibbs, who was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis as an infant, and has several tumors on his left leg and face.

"Some of them look at me like I'm an apparition. You can see they want to ask — but they don't — and it puts both of us in an awkward position.

"I want them to know it's okay to ask me what's wrong (with me)."

Originally from Houston, and still living in the same house he in which he grew up, Bibbs said his mother first noticed something was amiss when she would try to put his shoes on his little feet.

His left shoe just couldn't go over his foot very easily, and he would cry whenever she tried.

Bibbs was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when he was about 1-year-old.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at www.ninds.nih.gov, neurofibromatosis affects an estimated 100,000 Americans and occurs in both sexes and all ethnic groups.

It's a genetic disorder of the nervous system that causes tumors to grow, and can produce other skin abnormalities and bone deformities.

"They told her there was no cure for it, and the only thing they could do was follow me," Bibbs said.

He was fitted with special shoes, and Bibbs has since undergone about 10 surgeries to remove tumors from the roof of his mouth, his leg, nose and eye.

Bibbs said surgery is not usually a recommended course of action, because doctors believe removal of existing tumors propagates growth of new tumors.

Growing up, Bibbs said his five brothers and sisters were protective of him, and he knew at a very early age there was something different about him.

"I knew my eyes did not look like my brothers' eyes, I knew I couldn't see very well out of the one eye," Bibbs said.

"Different parts on me were bigger. And as I grew, the tumors grew."

Bibbs recalls the day, when he was about 10, when his brothers were tromping through mud puddles, leaving bare footprints on the sidewalk.

"My footprints, one would be the regular size and the other one would be really big," Bibbs said.

"I would wish I could make the same kinds of footprints everyone else was making."

Bibbs learned to accept and love himself, with the help of his mother, siblings and neighbors.

"We did a lot of praying and trying to encourage Reggie to just not worry about it," said Dorothy Bibbs, 70.

"He always had someone with him wherever he went, and the neighbors were very helpful. They didn't see him as having a deformity."

Bibbs also credits his faith for getting him through.

"I know that God has really blessed me in so many ways, that I cannot begin to really express it," Bibbs said.

"He has given me strength just to go on, and I have met so many wonderful people."

That includes Gary Moore, senior associate pastor.

"Reggie is so faithful and he's always here," Moore said. "You look out there, and Reggie's just out there smiling.

"Faith points you to a different life, and he is an opportunity for people to show what they're really made of."

But Bibbs said not all people can see past the physical.

"Just recently I was driving along, dropping my nephew off at the bus stop, and I was at a light," Bibbs said. "I happened to glance over to my left, and I see a car full of guys laughing.

"I was just shocked. I don't understand why someone would laugh. I can understand if someone is afraid or curious or something like that. But laugh? I just don't understand that."

If you see him, he said, don't laugh, he said. "Just ask."

Reggie Bibbs

• Age: 42

• Community connection: Member of Second Baptist Church on Woodway

• Fast fact: Bibbs recently received a Gold Addy Award for his advertising campaign encouraging people to "Just Ask"

• Quick Quote: "I thought his T-shirt idea was brilliant. He's trying to answer a question before the question is even asked" — Lou Congelio, owner of STANANDLOU Advertising, 1001 West Loop South.

Info: For more information: www.reggiebibbs.com , or e-mail reggiereggiebibbs.com

Link to article in chron.com

Last night was the 45th Houston Advertising Federation ADDY Awards. It was a terrific! night. I's a big deal for me. I thank all of my friends that helped make this happen. You know who you are. I wasn't the only one there. If you were at the event, please let me hear from you.

Lou Congelio just called me. He is president of STANANDLOU Advertising, the agency that helped me develop this Web site. This site has been nominated for an Addy award and the awards ceremony is on February 17. Lou and I are invited to a dinner and an awards presentation.

I am really excited about the nomination. Winning would be a great honor, not just for me, but for everyone else who has NF. People with NF and other disfiguring conditions find it difficult to do everyday tasks, and this site increases public understanding of the hurdles that we have to overcome.

If we win, I will accept the award on behalf of Ronnie, my brother who had NF and cancer. He died in September of 2006, and I miss him a lot. One of the benefits of this site is to tell everyone that people with NF may be susceptible to developing cancer. NF itself is not life-threatening, but if you have it, you need to be in the care of a physician and alert him or her if anything changes about your condition.

Do you have NF? Do you know of someone who does? If yes, tell me your story. I will be thinking about you at the awards ceremony.