Monthly Archives: April 2021

Curious, Memorable, Unsettling, Quirky, Quixotic and Quotable Quotes

My Quotes blog posts have proven quite popular and, thus, I offer up another version. I also offer up a side note to say that some future posts will cover some rather serious posts on psychological aspects of creativity and where the industry may be heading amidst the pandemic in which we still are engaged. As MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow often says, “watch this space.”

Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom while discouragement often nips it at the bud.  Alex Osborn, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

All of us who professionally use the mass media are the shapers of society. We can vulgarize that society. We can brutalize it. Or we can help lift it onto a higher level. William Bernbach, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Stabbing little thoughts gouge my brain. Ugly, frightened thoughts. Projections of tomorrow and the next day. Twilight Zone’s “The Hitch-Hiker” by Rod Serling stars Inger Stevens

Rules are for people who don’t know what to do. Keith Reinhard, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

I don’t like closed doors. Creativity flourishes best in an environment of open doors and open minds. Keith Reinhard, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Advertising is what you do when you can’t go see somebody. That’s all it is. Fairfax Cone, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

We don’t grow unless we take risks. Any successful company is riddled with failures. James E. Burke, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Anyone who thinks that people can be fooled or pushed around has an inaccurate and pretty low estimate of people — and he won’t do very well in advertising. Leo Burnett, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Most writers, you go up to them and say you’ve got an idea, they reply, ‘You do the acting, kid, and we’ll do the writing.’ Not Rod. You go up to him with a suggestion, he gets the pencil out and starts writing.  — Earl Holliman, star of Twilight Zone’s “Where is Everybody?”

Quotes From The Twilight Zone and Other Time Portals

Back again with a number of different quotes but this time, unintentionally, I’ve included several from Rod Serling. These even include a submission by his daughter, Anne. Interestingly, some reflect our current times and are not, simply, torn from a script of The Twilight Zone, though they could be quite applicable.

Offered up for contemplation and reminding, that some things never change. However, it’s still up to us to bring about that change no matter how painful and uncomfortable the process is.

Creative imagination — the lamp that lit the world — can light our lives. – Alex F. Osborn, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. – Aristotle

If your advertising goes unnoticed, everything else is academic. – William Bernbach, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

When we are too timid to risk failure, we reduce the opportunities to succeed. And we eliminate the chance to learn. – Keith Reinhard, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

A sickness known as hate. Not a virus, not a microbe, not a germ but a sickness nonetheless, highly contagious, deadly in its effects. Don’t look for it in #TheTwilightZone, look for it in a mirror. Look for it before the light goes out altogether. – Rod Serling (March 27, 1964)

Imagination leads to curiosity leads to creativity leads to innovation. In everything you write, write something that is brave enough to be hopeful. – Amanda Gorman, poet, first National Youth Poet Laureate 

Human beings must involve themselves in the anguish of other human beings. This, I submit to you, is not a political thesis at all. It is simply an expression of what I would hope might be ultimately a simple humanity for humanity’s sake. ― Rod Serling

International Creativity Week Begins and AAF-Houston is Part of it.

World Creativity & Innovation Week, April 15-21, is a worldwide community dedicated to celebrating all forms of creativity.

Creativity is what makes the world go ’round. Don’t just take my word for it – look around you: Everything is a product of creative minds thinking differently, challenging the norm, taking risks and learning from trial and error. Everything you do can be a creative act.

Since not all creative acts are deemed equal, their variety suggests a plethora of creativity exists globally. We’re here this next week to celebrate global creativity in all its forms via the WCIW web site and its partners.

WCIW inspires and enables people around the world to celebrate creativity in their own way, and share it with others through our international community and brand presence. 

WCIW’s mission is to encourage people to use new ideas, make new decisions, and take new steps towards making the world, and your place in it, better through creativity.

World Creativity & Innovation Day April 21 (WCID) was founded by Marci Segal on May 25, 2001 in Toronto, Canada. Observed six days after Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday and one day before International Mother Earth Day, #WCID is well positioned to encourage creative multidisciplinary thinking to help us achieve a sustainable future.

AAF Houston Special Webinar: Art of Rebranding, April 21, Noon, CST

Creating a brand from scratch and rebranding an existing one are two very different challenges. Rebranding can be life-changing for a business and this why it needs to be done right!

Join Trace Hallowell, Managing Partner at Tactical Magic as she shares with us the magic art of rebranding.

With Special Guest Steve Pacheco, President & CEO of the American Advertising Federation.

Variety of Quotes, Variety of Thought.

Just when you thought I had run out of quotes, I found some more. I tend to come across these every week from a variety of different sources, some of which are quite surprising as are the quotes. In any case, enjoy, and don’t be surprised when you’re surprised.

There are two kinds of men who don’t amount to much: those who can’t do what they are told and those who can do nothing else.  Cyrus H. K. Curtis, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.  Leo Burnett, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance. Bruce Barton, Advertising Hall of Fame

Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom while discouragement often nips it at the bud.  Alex Osborn, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Good advertising is written from one person to another. When it is aimed at millions, it rarely moves anyone.  Fairfax M. Cone, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Our job is to simplify, to tear away the unrelated, to pluck out the weeds that are smothering the product message.  William Bernbach, Advertising Hall of Fame

It is easier to tone down a wild idea than to think up a new one.  Alex Osborne, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

The ultimate obscenity is not caring, not doing something about what you feel, not feeling! Just drawing back and drawing in, becoming narcissistic. Rod Serling

Quotes: Historic and Otherwise

Here lies before you a variety of quotes from various historical people, some of whom you may know, some of whom you may not. Either way, each quote is a foundation of knowledge in and of itself. Get nurtured, my friends. Enjoy!

On taking charge of your life:

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. — Henry David Thoreau

It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live. — Marcus Aurelius

We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful. — Warren Buffett

It is not these well-fed long-haired men that I fear, but the pale and the hungry-looking. — Julius Caesar

Knowledge is the antidote to fear. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. –William James

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. — Anaïs Nin

Do what you can, where you are, with what you have. — Teddy Roosevelt

When you are through changing, you are through. Bruce Barton, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

When you’re green, your growing. When you’re ripe, you rot.  Ray Kroc, member, Advertising Hall of Fame