Mondays are for celebrating! So are Tuesdays!!! Wednesdays tho…

Hurrah!!! was one of the cooler agencies we visited so far! The people who hosted us gave us a fascinating look into the world of e-sports and the rich advertising opportunities that lie there. With football and baseball come established lore that took years and years to establish. E-sports on the other hand, is a new frontier—the legends yet to be names and the traditions yet to be set. This leaves for bountiful opportunities to create a culture around the shared experience. As they were presenting, I was constantly telling myself “duh why haven’t we done this sooner!!” I would have totally gotten my butt kicked by them in Super Smash Bros.

After an impulsive (and unfruitful) journey for a walk-in tattoo shop with the lads, we all decided to just buy some wine and ring in America’s birthday in style by watching the Eiffel Tower shine. SO COOL!! We set up camp in a more than decent spot where we then ran into another American from Texas, some girls from Germany, and couple from Mexico. It was such a lovely night of dancing and singing and admiring the Tower. I love it here!!

On Tuesday, Claudine and Deb were amazing enough to score us a tour of the French Television station! It's all run by the government and our tour was led by a sweet old man. Claudine had to translate for us, but I still feel like I was able to get a valuable look into the television production process. My favorite parts were the sound recording rooms and of course, the TV sets. 

Next we visited HAVAS worldwide and wow what a spectacle that was. HAVAS functions in a village as to facilitate a collaborative work environment and put a new meaning to the word "in-house" haha. They were nice enough to walk us through almost every department in the building! They're organic flow workspace went from PR to social media to digital and so on. They really outdid themselves with their tour of the joint. 

We kind of had to jump our of HAVAS early because Daniel, Noelle, Morgan and I needed to catch a spot for concert #2 of our study abroad trip: The Avalanches!!! Yes, The Avalanches!! I was so stoked on this show and it truly lived up tot he hype I threw on it haha. I'll talk on concerts Abroad later, but man I have to say it was way sweatier than Whitney last week. We also ended up finding people in the crowd that were from UCF! I loved every second of it all, but I have to say the same for any show that the best part of a night out is the grubbing that follows. As to continue our 4th of July celebrations, Daniel found an American style diner for us to eat at, equipped with an extensive milkshake menu, old fashioned baseball reels playing in the distance and neon signs on everything. I felt like I was in a time/dimension warp. Poptarts and Lucky Charms on the menu?? Can't be real. 

And today, well... all fun things must end. I woke up with a horrible throat infection and I've just been sleeping and trying my hardest to swallow some Cup-O-Noodle. I'm missing out on the Leo Burnett tour unfourtunately, but I think is was time to take a day off. I am absolutely not in any condition to leave. So, I think I'll go back to sleep hah. 

Hopefully I'll feel a little better tomorrow and enjoy my last full day in Paris before heading back to the USA... I don't wanna leave :(

-A.J. :~) 

True Parisians

The past couple of days have been full of French goodness. More enriching touristy experiences.

Notre Dame was the big one on our list for today. We were honestly in no rush, ehich ended up being to our benefit once we got to the beautiful cathedral. Sleepily, we admired the beautiful structure within. Incredible stained glass, the highest ceilings you could imagine, and a looming, heavenly presence… the whole thing was a very emotional experience.

Afterwards, we spent another couple of hours roaming around the Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore. I didn’t realize how much I’d love that place until we got there. It’s the kind of thing you only see in dreams or movies. Plus there was a CAT.

Our day of lounging continued a few shops over at a lovely café were we spent another 3 hours just eating, chatting, and relaxing. I think it was at that point we realized how Parisian we’ve actually become. We shopped for a while in the district nearby before throwing a lock on the famous bridge and then drifted our way back home. Ahh, the life!

Sunday was a heftier ordeal. We hopped on the RER for an hour and a half to explore the Palace of Versailles. Another breathtaking and tear-inducing masterpiece of a structure we had to wait in a terribly long line for, hah. I wish there was more to say about Versailles, but it was one of those experiences that can be told better through pictures. Feast your eyes much like we feasted on its $15 salads!!

Noelle and I are currently working on our presentation for tomorrow’s class. We’ll be presenting for Leo Burnett!

Cheers!!

-A.J. :~)

Edelman

In between agency visits today, we went on a trek to find the children’s science museum, but I ultimately just got everyone lost and tired lol. It was worth it though, because it’s been a while since we could go to a place and touch everything. When we showed up, we walked into an exhibit on math and symmetry hoping to get some education in us, yet everything was in French… classic.

After brisking through the museum and grazing our filthy palms over all that was visible, we ran through the city to make our appointment at Edelman. Good thing the weather in Paris has been on the cooler side these past couple of days because we have been legitimately sprinting at some points (still sweaty tho).

Edelman was interesting. We met with Karina Gálvez, an account manager at Edelman. Unlike the other agencies we ran through, Edelman is a public relations firm, labeling themselves as a Global Strategic and Creative Agency. One of the first questions we asked her was “What’s the difference between PR and Ad?” She couldn’t even answer it haha. But she continued on to explain that Edelman combines the two in something she called communication marketing.

I appreciated Karina’s story on how she made it to Paris more than anything. She was in my exact same position not too long ago—a student in Florida studying abroad in France. She then made connections that pushed her into making the leap across the pond and establish herself as aprofessional in this wonderful city.

She was an absolute sweetheart, and left us with advice on how to achieve the position she was able to make. Message people on LinkedIn (duh). The worst they could do is not respond.

-A.J. :~)

BETC, graffiti curator

It has been another eye-opening day, even though were so, so tired by the end of it. BETC and Edelman were on the agency to-do list today.

First of all, it’s huge that we’re visiting these agencies at all.  BETC has worked with such huge clients and won a stupid amount of awards at Cannes. You know that Evian dancing baby campaign? All them. Most impressive on the tour, however, was the BUILDING. Once home to Parisian squatters and misfits with a couple cans of spray paint, the building was a no-man’s art gallery of graffiti for any artist who dared entering. Its enchantment harnessed a reputation that solicited artists from all around the world, making it a staple within the community and a symbol for nonconformists everywhere. Unfortunately for the art, the whole thing had to come down in order for BETC to create their office. In order to preserve the integrity of the space, the company launched a project called Graffiti General. Hundreds of pictures and 3D renderings (stairwell halls to bathroom stalls) of the building in its final days were morphed into a virtual reality website gallery. Check it out, it’s extremely impressive.

BETC was super proud of their conservancy, but it still had me… pissed. Reclaimed structures like abandoned and graffiti’d warehouses are what make towns so unique. A destination in itself, free of any corporate owner. I was relieved to learn so much about the Graffiti General project, but it still isn’t the same, you know? I admired their office while on the tour, but I couldn’t help but think their value for art was misguided there, despite their incredible creative work.

Of course, questionable building ethics aside, I was still extremely jealous of everyone that worked there, hah. Overall, BETC is an admirable company with an incredible attitude. The CEO even talks on women’s rights in the work place, offering leave when an employee is having a child. Our guide even mentioned that 63% of their workers are female and the majority are of diverse backgrounds. So, I could definitely see myself working there. As long as the Parisians aren’t like the one in this spot they made years ago…..

-A.J. :~)

P.S... we took our raincoat squad pic ;~)

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Newest single drops 2018, baby.

Ogilvy Bogilvy and John freakin Krasinski

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D-d-dang.

The day of agency visits continue!

After a pasta break once we wrapped up with TBWA, my classmates and I made our way to the Ogilvy Paris office. I’m amazed at how many global offices are located here in Paris! I can understand why—what client could resist this view.

Ogilvy’s office was a tad more laid back than TBWA’s. We were greeted by an entourage of professionals that were more than willing to take our questions. Much like TBWA though, there area of expertise was in the business of incorporating brands into people’s lives. Their motto: Make Brands Matter. They came to decisions on how brands should interact by watching trends carefully and positioning them within the short term, which in effect makes the long term benefit better. OF course, brands must stay transparent and follow through with their values while riding the culture wave. Following through on values they emulate in advertising or campaign stunts is more valuable than anything.

The people we met at Ogilvy left us with excellent advice regarding the industry. We must learn to like working a lot, always be on time, and always be the first to understand how something works. I can tell this advice is the product of being on top of trends all the time haha. They also touched on point of view. Being passive will not clear anything up, and having an opinion will push you beyond. As someone who is ardent about social issues, it really is important to be passionate and let that show through your works. Building authenticity is key.

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Not pictured: my tears. 

After a lovely first day of agency visits Noelle, Morgan, Mez, Nicole, Mike and I all went the D’Orsay museum where I cried in front their Van Gogh collection. My mind was blown. I wasn’t prepared to see so many pieces of his art in one room. I wish we had more than 4 days to visit museums because I could’ve stayed in that museum forever. Never have I been surrounded by such a large number of post-impressionist art.

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Not a creepy shot at all or anything. 

We finished our day with another stressful and confusing hour in the metro, but directly made our way to our beloved Turkish food joint where we encounter something even more unexpected than a room of famous art. There on the corner by our hotel was John Krasinski. Was he filming a movie? Was he on vacation? Either way, as soon as he heard Morgan’s shriek from the other side of the street, he bolted into a convenience store where a van soon swiftly vroomed him away. I think I’m dreaming.

-A.J. :~)

TBWAyyy

It was rough waking up early for the agency visits this morning (Noelle and I nearly missed the group ride over there!) I’m so glad we got our asses up though, because today was such an informative and insightful day.

You can see me in the corner, ears WIDE OPEN.

Meeting TBWA’s President of Global Clients, Jean-Marie Prenaud was unimaginable. Aside from the delight (complete misfortune considering how tired I was) of sitting across from him at the conference table and feeling totally intimidated the entire time, I reveled in his presence and tried my hand at absorbing as much as I could.

He talked on the company’s rebranding into the Disruption Company. As their backslash symbol (\) suggests, they use their clients’ position in its market to cause disruption in an overwhelming realm of media and content. By involving a brand in modern culture, more of a chasm is felt in the world of content. The certain formula of building more meaningful interactions of a brand in this manner is what’s made TBWA so successful. Of course, each brand they work with requires a certain “roadmap” for a culturally intrusive move.

First, they look at the Convention, or status quo the brand emulates. Then they locate how they can be a Disruption, which essentially involves the brand in the convention. Finally, they create a Vision that positions the brand accurately for a more profitable future.

An example Prenaud gave was with Apple.

Convention: machines for business. Disruption: Think Different. Vision: Tools for the creative mind.

Prenaud left us with sound and concise advice—Be as curious as possible.

- A.J. :~)

Best day ever?

Today finally kicked off the Parisian party parade, letting the true French festivities commence. After class, Noelle and I made ourselves some breakfast in our rooms with bread, (French?) peanut butter and other treats from the corner store. (Totally recommend buying breakfast things when traveling abroad for an extend period of time). Man... simply eating a few plums from the market was exactly what I needed after having a small meal for dinner yesterday. But this isn’t even where the fun starts. Noelle and I had ideas a’ brewing for how we were going to take on the day.  

Cubular

Since tomorrow marks our first day of tour ad agencies, this morning's class meeting was a quick overview presentation of the agencies we'll be seeing, including TBWA and Ogilvy's Paris offices (AH!). While a lot of people were planning on using their 4-day museum passes after class, Noelle and I decided to save it for later, in hopes of trying to hit Versailles on our off day this weekend. Instead, we were going to face the city and let it give us what it wanted, on our watches of course.

A few others decided to join us on our quest and we legitimately had the best time.

We kicked everything off with a metro ride to the world famous Louvre Museum. Breathtaking. So, of course, we had a photoshoot. As part of the plan, we walked through the Jardin de Tuileries, sniffed some lavender, and got lost along the canal. Craving the delicious paninis and baguette sandwiches we once devoured in Cannes, we sniffed through the park leading to the Champs-Élysées for a crepe stand to surface, and with outstanding success, we found one. Fighting back tears of joy, we set up a picnic spot in the park and munched our hearts away.

s q u a d

everybody eats....................................

The shopping district housed all kinds of treasures. Perfume bars, macaron mansions, a McDonald’s with a croquet madame happy meal option. Honestly, it was almost exactly what I expected to see in Paris—every brand had a 3-5 story facility with at least a couple of glass cases of limited edition shorts or something. What I didn’t expect to see, however, was the forbidden and glamorous fortress that housed the Abercrombie & Fitch. This thing was massive and unnecessary but I was completely taken by it. The entrance was a winding hedge maze leading to a golden, 10-foot tall door with a mural of half-naked, b’-jeaned men behind it. Incred.

Our mile long journey ended at the Arch de Triomphe. We initially planned on climbing to the top, but the rain and afternoon traffic prevented us from getting too close. Instead to admired from afar alongside a headless street performer that got a lil too close…

The last box on our Best Day Ever checklist was a concert, and boy was that an endeavor. Morgan, Mike, Noelle and I discovered the Canal bar, and with it a bunch of shows that were coming to town, included Whitney! They’re a pleasantly upbeat indie rock group that I actually saw last month when they were on their North American tour with Phoenix. They put on such a lovely show in Orlando, so I was so excited to see them in the big city! But, like everything else in a foreign country, accomplishing anything comes with its brinks and barriers. I’ll go more into my concert experiences later on, since I’ll be seeing another show next week (The Avalanches!!), but in short—one of us essentially saw Whitney for free. Certainly a contender for the best moment of the entire trip. I love my friends.

We wrapped up our day in a delicious Turkish kebab combo from our new favorite restaurant across from our hotel. I can’t wait to see what else Paris is going to chuck at me.

-A.J. :~)

Pluie pluie vas-t'en..............................................

Hate to be a bummer but I’ve been in Paris 2 days and nothing has been working out LOL.

Monday, a few of us ventured out into the city to get our bearings of the street etiquette and attempt to find arecord store/ coffee shop a Cool Cousin recommended (@Morgan). After walking up to a closed garage shopfront, our spirits were only crushed a little bit. Instead we walked into the different boutiques and browsed some bookshops before heading back home to do laundry. Little blips like that don’t get me down much, since getting lost in new places is something I enjoy. It never feels like a waste of time unless there’s a time restraint on the end destination. Unfortunately for me however, the reaction most people experience in a situation like this is anxiety, which certainly surfaced on what was meant to be a quick trip to the Eiffel Tower Monday night. We only wanted to take pictures. We only wanted to bask in its beauty.  Half of our classmates took the trip down the first night here, so we only wanted to be on their level of experience. We just happened to leave a little too late.

The thing is, we didn’t really get lost. It was understanding which way was north and which way was south that really screwed us over. First, we didn’t get off at the right stop. Next, we got on the right track, but it was going the wrong way. We mazed through some damn station and eventually found our way to the tower. The view was definitely worth the confusion, but I’ve definitely been studying the Metro map hardcore from here on out.

Oh, and Mez nearly died opening the subway door too soon and we all nearly died laughing from so hard.

Today was especially disappointing. Coming from Cannes, a place so sunny and beautiful it hurt (@sunburn), our hopes crumbled looking at the forecast in Paris for the week. As Floridians, we’re totally used to the rain coming down nearly every day during the summer. Most people I know in the “sunshine” state don’t even own umbrellas, despite the state’s tropical forest tendencies. I suppose we brought the drizzles from our beloved home state with us because the City of Love turned into the City of Rain quick.

The agenda for today was to metro ourselves over to the Catacombs with the anticipation of disappearing in an underground skull world while it rained overhead. Alas.. we walked up to a line that wrapped entirely around the park where people huddled under umbrellas. We asked a few people that were near the middle of the line and they said they’d been waiting for 3 hours! Decisions were made, and we all figured we’d just walk around the town. After all, there were plenty of markets and shops to explore, and it was best for us to escape the pouring rain. 

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

~A.J. :~~~~~~)

First days in Paris!

Cannes behind us and a new adventure

In Paris today, we spent the evening unpacking our bags and just resting after a dreadful 5 hour train ride from Cannes (crying babies, diaper changes, general discomfort). A group of us made our way down the street from our hotel, Hotel Louis Blanc, where we found an incredible little Italian restaurant owned by the sweetest Italian man. Finding reasonably priced food in Cannes was a huge struggle (most of us opted for the resident 4 star Steak & Shake by the festival), so we were so grateful for plates that didn’t cost 15 EUR. I got salmon alfredo pasta, and everyone else munched on pizzas, raviolis, and tiramisu all while listening and watching some BOPPIN music videos. It was like karaoke night all over again.

Also close to our hotel is the Canal Saint-Martin, so Daniel, Taylor, Noelle and I strolled over after dark to get a taste of the night life in the 10th Arrondissement. In Cannes, all the fun sorta calmed down around midnight—everyone disappeared to their respective rooms in their respective hotels and got wine drunk in peace. Paris is a whole different experience.

Down by the Canal, people bring their bottles, six packs and cigarettes and have a party right on the water, with absolutely zero concern for the emergency vehicle dispatch facility immediately next door.

Cannes Recap to come!

I haven't been posting, but I'm still wrapping my head around the amazing week I had here at Cannes. I witnessed greatness from every dimension-- radio, TV, entertainment and politics. 

My favorite overarching theme for this year's conference, however, was-- F TRUMP!

Vic... tor... y...

Exhausted and beat, Noelle and I rolled into Cannes with high spirits. We managed to get to Canne right before the festival wrapped up for the evening, so we headed straight for whatever talks were left for the evening. We didn’t fight this hard to get here to just snooze! Fortunately, we ran into a seminar hosted by one of my favorite Podcast hosts, David Rheinstrom (Secrets, Crimes & Audiotapes). Tragically, the event was Storytelling in the Dark, a session done in complete darkness thanks to complimentary face masks. The talk itself was spectacular. Rheinstrom and the CEO of Wondery Network spoke on “imagination powered by sound”—pure listening creates the most lasting impressions happen when we imagine them ourselves with our own imagination. As they played the crashing of waves over the auditoriums speakers, we were asked cover our eyes with complimentary eye masks and then imagine the most relaxing beach day we’ve ever experience. “Maybe it was your first date with your girlfriend, or just a really lovely family vacation,” they asked us. For me, it was a day I spent at the intercostal in St. Augustine with my friends a few years ago. It was a much more powerful feeling remembering that time than watching some stock video of waves crashing on a cliché looking beach.

The entire affair was, if you will, ear-opening. Tragically, the savory combination of complete darkness and soothing radio voices only augmented our feeble, post-48-hour-trip states of mind. We were drifting off hard, hah.

Hard to complain when you’re snoozin in the Riviera though.

- A.J. :~)

Tommy Cook the Got Dang Crook

Too ready.. 

The sweet deal I got on my plane ticket to France was the beginning and the end of my luck. My burning traveler heart had no clue how to handle the debacle that unfolded on my connection flight from Manchester to Paris early Saturday morning. As a girl who works long nights in customer service, dealing with testy patrons normally consists of over-apologizing and over-compensating-- anything and everything to keep them from writing impassioned Yelp reviews. Well, Thomas Cook Airlines will definitely be dealing with an overflow of those pretty soon.

I had already prepared myself for my travels. As much as I ridiculed horseshoe shaped neck pillows in the past, I was counting on my memory foam plush to give me the support of at least a couple hours rest along my 24-hour journey from Miami to Cannes. An 8-hour flight, a 3-hour layover, another 2-hour flight, 4 hours to get to the train station, topped off with a 5-hour train ride to our hotel. I was READY. Or so I THOUGHT.............

The first flight went so peachy. A 2 hour delay wasn't going to sour my trip. But the combination of overly vigilant TSA officers, poorly circulated terminal AC, and £4 airplane mini water bottles only ignited the fury flame I never knew I had. Daniel, Noelle, Morgan, Mike and I were all on the same flights taking us to Paris, but once we sprinted through the Manchester Airport to make our flight, Noelle and I were only faced with the worst experience of our lives. 

May I speak to your manager please...

We got kicked off the plane by the airline. Without notice. 

And as our friends flew off over the English channel, we had to wave from the ground. Noelle and I, along with a gentleman with his 7-year-old son, were trapped in Manchester, all thanks to Thomas Cook Airline's fucked up fuck up. 

Long story short, we were faced with the most disgraceful service I've ever experienced from a company ever. I couldn't believe how unhelpful and condescending the staff at this airport were, putting us off to the point of just asking for a refund and purchasing tickets on a different flight that left that night. This all resulted in an extra night away in Paris from the Cannes Festival, and then buying another $100 train ticket to Cannes. But I've got to say, Noelle was the driving force behind actually getting to the Riviera in the first place. Never have I seen more might and ferocity in such a tiny human. So this post goes out to you, Noelle. You saved my sorry, passive ass from spending the night in Manchester. All is gouda. 

-A.J. :~)

Here OIU GO!

Bad joke, I know.

But it's hard not to be cheesy (hah) when I'm going to FRANCE, BABY!

Yes, the land famed for love, wine, and the second statue of liberty will soon be my home for an entire month. Starting on June 17th, my 20-or-so classmates and I will somehow ship our respective selves to France for three whole weeks through the University of South Florida's Education Abroad Summer Advertising Program. All the activities and assignments we'll soon take part in will all relate to Advertising somehow, and we kick off our knowledge at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. The forefront of creative forces across advertising gather at coasts of the French Riviera for a week of seminars, conversations, and insight into the world of brands-- speakers including Halsey, Ian McKellan, and Ira Goddamn Glass. My NPR-listening, music-dancing, LOTR-watching heart is surely to explode. 

Once our week at Cannes wraps up, we'll all hop on a train and chug back to the sparkling Paris where we'll set up camp for the rest of our studies. It had been decided by my roommate, Noelle, and I to enter any and every museum we happen to cross, although we have some at the top of our list. The Louvre goes without mentioning-- of course we'll take a deep dive into the sea of point-and-shoot wielding tourists for our sweet and special moment with Miss Mona herself. However, it's the novel little wonders I'm hoping to stumble upon... Antique doll museum? Carousel of extinct and endangered animals? Theater of antique porn? I'm here to soak it all in with a macaron in one hand and an entire baguette in the other. 

Well, a year of piggy-banking tips from my serving gig at the "Chum Bucket" (the nicknamed crab shack I am enslaved to) have finally given my traveler's thumb a new place to explore. Thanks Mr.Crabs. This is for you.