Head-to-Head Holiday Spirit Quantifier.

In all the festivities I damn-near missed this Hot or Not-style holiday spirit quantifier. Burn a couple of minutes easily deciding which is more holiday spirit-y, between options like "sleigh" and "partridge in pear tree." (I admit my head overheated when it asked me to choose between Jersey Shore and David Bowie.*)

Work for and by Heat/SF with grateful nod to Brandtags.net's "Battle mode."

Just one wee way of extending the holiday happy a little bit longer, if only with a moment's procrastination.

Humor me ››

A Whirled Christmas Story + a Premature Toast

I've become a big fan of Whirled since yonder days of Every Cigarette Smoked in Mad Men. Their holiday greeting is light fare but it will still make you crack the wee-est of wee little smiles.

Today is Christmas Eve. It's around this time that I get sentimental for things past and anxious about what happens after the 31st. I measure my life in these links to a new year.

Whatever you celebrate, I think our thoughts are moving in the same general direction: toward trepidation and hope, an eagerness to not waste time or people. They're hand in hand, drifting toward the ether.

Here's to this strange and wonderful period of exponentially-improving technology and the memes that bookmark our mastery of them. Here's to us and what we'll make.

Beancast 2010 Wrap + 2 Agency Holiday 'Cards' for the Road

'Tis the season for year-end wraps and agency holiday greetings. Though my hands are currently tied eating my weight through California, I wanted to pop in to point you in the direction of some cool it-shay.

Luckie & Co needs help deciding where to donate $6K. Help 'em out by casting your vote for puppies, children or creatives. Luckie's done a solid job of demonstrating its talent for sparking engagement and real American enthusiasm for old-school brands like Little Debbie; this effort feels no less authentic and in-right-place-hearted.

If you're a holiday hater, no worries, there's room for you too. Celebrate the 12 days of grouchmas with Traction, who's fueling your fire with an explosions-laced video every day for 12 days. Expect copious helpings of a creepy The King-reminiscent Santa figure who effortlessly gives us childhood trauma:

For an exhaustive wrap-up of 2010, listen to No More Rockstars, The Beancast's two-hour year end special. It features Ken Wheaton (his blog is the excellence!), John Wall, Bill Green, and me. This show is a tribute to Bob's organisation, tenacity and tireless effort to keep opinionated people on-track. Plus there's an unmissable awkward joke or two. (Three? Four...?)

Eggnog at the ready. AdVerve listeners out there, never fear: our holiday special's coming to town next week. Miss it at your peril.

Trapped in Meeting Hell? BUZZWORD BINGO TIIIME!

One agency that never half-asses its holiday card is Modea (see last year's Santa iPhone). It doesn't just look to be cool, it shoots for contagion.



As a tongue-in-cheek way of steeling itself - and your precious ears - against the ubiquity of buzzwords (the audio variant of HFCS), it's developed Buzzword Bingo, an app that lets you, uh, play the hand you're dealt if you're being forced to listen. In the unlikely instance that you don't score "synergy" at the next marketing meeting, just go for the low-hanging fruit: "strategy," "brand," "leverage," "buzz." There's no way you can't win.

The game is free for iPad users. An iPhone variant is in the works for those of you who want to score some under-the-table action. Nice way to get Modea's culture and name in the hands of plenty of phones - particularly those of creatives in competing digital service agencies. (Like this one.)

To its happy holiday message, Modea also wishes you a buzzword-free year. That ain't gonna happen, but it's a very pretty hope.