You Want Me to Touch What?!

ING’s new “Touch the Ball” campaign isn’t all that subtle in its inappropriate messages. However, even a tagline like “Touch the ball” can become even more homoerotic when you add hydrangeas, visibly hard nipples, and a guy on his knees. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.



And this interviewee screams “I’m a little less than detail oriented” when he admits he’s not good with money as his flushing-toilet phone goes off in an interview. But no fear, the interviewer gives us good reason to call the sexual harassment trainer back in.

1 Addy, 2 Addy, 3 Addy, SCORE!

If you know me well, or even at all, you know I'm not someone who likes to brag about my work or accomplishments. I don't let my ego get in the way or let it hurt other people. In fact, I have been categorized as the antithesis of the traditional copywriter. However, to keep with the stereotype of my profession, I have something to ad about my own work.

Back in April I attended the Baltimore Addy Awards to see a campaign I created for my former agency win 3 Addys (2 Silver, 1 Gold), and I thought it was about time I broke through my lax demeanor to promote myself for once (as if that's not what this blog is about in the first place).

The campaign won a Gold Addy while the two following posters each won a Silver Addy.

Created for the George Washington University/AED HEALTHY Study.

I remember back when I was taking copywriting classes and other advertising courses, professors would always tell us how sometimes copywriters come up with the visual and sometimes the art director comes up with the copy. I think this was the first time in my career where both happened at the same time. I created the concept for the Fruit Bike and after my art director drew what I was explaining on a white board he simply titled it "Eat healthy. Ride farther." He was trying to keep it separated from all the other ideas we had, but when I saw it, I knew...that was our headline. And the campaign just grew from there.

Now, you may think I'm just a lazy writer, but I honestly believe that part of writing (and especially advertising) is knowing when someone else hands you the answer and not wasting time simply because you didn't come up with it yourself.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed seeing these posters even a small percentage as much as I did making them.

Humbly yours,

Nick Write Now