Bryan Tenenhouse

With 20 years of integrated agency and marketing experience working on everything from Apple and American Express to Volkswagen, Bryan has established himself as one of Canada's top creative professionals. With extensive expertise in almost every conceivable business category, a deep understanding of customer loyalty and retention, and experience working in every channel including broadcast, print, radio, dm, online, outdoor and in-store, Bryan knows how to build and support brands while generating award-winning business results for his clients.

As Vice-President, Associate Creative Director at Wunderman from 1995 to 2000, Bryan lead creative on such diverse blue chip accounts as RBC Royal Bank, Apple Canada, AOL Canada, AT&T, Canadian Tire Financial, Diners Club International and many others. Then in the year 2000, Bryan moved to Arnold Brand Response (ABR, formerly Vickers & Benson Direct & Interactive) as SVP, Creative Director. During his tenure, the agency was voted one of the top three direct agencies in the country two years in a row by Strategy Magazine. While at ABR he provided creative leadership on such well-known integrated accounts as Canada Investment and Savings, Hbc Credit and Loyalty, Tourism Toronto, Canadian Tourism Commission, BMO Bank of Montreal, Volkswagen, Sprint Canada and many more.

Bryan joined Draft in April of 2006 as EVP, Chief Creative Officer where he lead creative on such blue chip accounts as Canada Post, HP, Ontario Lottery and Gaming, FedEx, Ministry of Health and Johnson & Johnson to name a few. The agency then merged with DRAFTFCB late in 2006. Bryan spent the year successfully transitioning accounts and staff then started his own strategic creative consultancy, The Tenenhouse Project, in November 2007.

Bryan is the recipient of multiple Canadian Marketing Association (CMA/RSVP) Awards for almost every year he's been in the business, plus several international awards including a Gold International ECHO Award for Apple Canada. He is also the recipient of several Mobius Awards and various other business category awards such as "Best in Show" at the Electronic Retailers Association Awards.

Bryan has established a leadership role within the country's largest industry association as a member of the Canadian Marketing Association's Board of Directors. He was founding Chair of the CMA's Direct Marketing Council and has served as a member of CMA's National Conference Committee. Bryan was also a founding Jurist for the National Advertising Awards 2006 (Direct) that sends its winners to the Cannes Festival, and was Chair of the Direct Jury for 2007. He is frequently asked to speak at industry conferences and accredited marketing programs across the country. His articles have appeared in both Marketing Magazine and Strategy.

Who Won the Superbowl?

Okay, I admit it. While you're reading this during the week at some point after the SuperBowl aired and know who won, I'm sitting here writing this blog entry on SuperBowl Sunday instead of watching the big game. And while I'll be interested to hear who won (Go Saints?), I, like you, will go online tomorrow to find out who advertised and which spot was the funniest or most outlandish. And then I'll go on with my day and probably never think about those spots ever again.

However, the Superbowl is the most watched televised event of the year with some 100 Million people expected to watch. According to a recently televised report, a 30 second spot on American TV during the Superbowl will go for between $2.5 and $2.8 Million. That's about $80,000 a second!

But the larger question being asked these days, especially by a lot of young people I know, is whether that money could be better spent. Especially with everything that's going on in the world right now.

Now after years of producing some of the most memorable Superbowl ads in history, PEPSI is asking the same question and has decided not to run an ad. Instead, they're going online with "The Pepsi Refresh Project". http://www.refresheverything.com/

According to their "refresh everything" site, they're looking for people, businesses, and non-profits with ideas that will have a positive impact. "Look around your community and think about how you want to change it." Submit your ideas and vote on your favourites. Those chosen will be awarded up to $250,000 in grants in categories ranging from Health, Arts & Culture, and Food & Shelter to the Planet, Neighbourhoods and Education.

And the so-called Pepsi Generation is eating it up. This is just one example of what's going on right now. We saw the impact the internet and social media had and is having post-Haiti. This is more of the same great trend. The NetGeneration is getting involved and looking for something more fulfilling than a gratuitous 30-second spot where the money spent to buy the media could eradicate so many issues affecting Haiti, Cambodia and the Congo to name a few -- and those affecting us right here at home. Pepsi is on to something and other brands ignore the trend at their peril.

The iPad has arrived. Now what?!

Today, as I was riding in on the subway, reading the New York Times on my new iTouch, I stumbled upon an article about Apple's launch today (Wednesday Jan. 27) of its tablet product, or iPad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_zI21XEo0Q

Being an Apple fan from way back I couldn't help but feel a sense of real excitement. It got me reflecting on how much the Apple brand has meant to me over the years. And I'm not alone. The excitement that's building up in the media and among the Apple Faithful is almost palpable and very real.

I bought my first Mac (Mac Classic II) back in 1993ish. I was working at an agency and wanted a way to be able to work on those weekends when I was going back home to Kingston to visit the folks. The idea of a portable computer was exciting. Imagine, being free to take your computer anywhere. It was only 14 or 15 lbs. Oh, you PC people chained to your desks. How quaint.

Then when the first Apple notebooks came out, I was fortunate to be working on the Apple account and helped develop a launch campaign for them. (Best. Account. Ever.) The objective, as outlined in the brief, was to get the public over the mental hump of being able to work anywhere. Imagine sitting in a park or in a coffee shop clicking away on your laptop computer. Why, you could even work from home!

Then of course, the iPod changed everything. The recording industry, advertising, interaction (or lack thereof) between people in public places...everything. The iPhone then revolutionized how we think of what a phone is and what it can do. People could earn money and express their creative by developing Apps. We were now all working for Apple.

Walk into any mall where an Apple store exists and you'd think they were giving stuff away for free in there.

And now the anticipation for the iPad is reaching a fever pitch. People can taste it. The article in the NYT suggests that it's going to do for newspaper publishing what the iPod did for music. They're counting on it because we all know where the newspaper industry is headed. But will our collective love for all things Apple mean that we'll be willing to pay for things like the Star or the NYTs online through the Slate, when so much of the same information can be found on free sites elsewhere.

That's just one fascinating question we as marketers should be watching and reading about -- probably on our iPads.

Bryan Tenenhouse

Why I'm Optimistic

Fear not marketers and agency types. I am here to tell you that the future of our business is in good hands. I have just started teaching in the Communication Arts program at Seneca@York. And I'm pleased to report that I'm meeting young people who are working hard to break into our industry. They are passionate, creative, intelligent and hungry to learn.

The course I'm teaching is basically a workshop where students have 10 weeks to produce work toward building the perfect portfolio -- one they can take around to prospective employers. Or at the very least, Creative Directors who will give them an internship.

When I started in this industry, there were no courses at Humber or Seneca or Centennial for aspiring copywriters or art directors. I had no portfolio and wouldn't have known how to create one that would resonate with a Creative Director. I had a resume and the passion to break in and that was about it.

Today they have the passion but they have so much more. They have a place to learn. A place to prepare for "the real world". Although I have to tell you, the world they're living in is pretty real. If their work isn't up to snuff at the end of the 10 weeks, they don't pass and they don't get their internship. That's the real world they're living in. So it'll be interesting to see how the work develops and who makes the grade.

From what I've seen so far though, there's hope.

I'll keep you posted.

By Bryan Tenenhouse, Creative, The Tenenhouse Project

Watch This...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8

Are you in?

Surprise

Not many things surprise me after so many years in this business, but I have to admit, this did:

http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/09/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag.html

Since starting my own creative consultancy two years ago, I've written many websites for clients who think that key words actually matter. So you can imagine my surprise when I learned that Google doesn't use the "keywords" meta tag in their web search ranking. Obviously this isn't as earth-shattering as learning that cigarettes are bad for you or that Balloon Boy was a hoax, but it does raise an eyebrow given that Google hasn't exactly advertised this news. Thoughts?