This site is to open the door to mADmanRalph, aka Ralph Lee.
My career, my life, my aspirations, my creativity, my likes, my dislikes, my thoughts, my tastes, my travels, my generation... well, you get the point. I'm a recent graduate from SUNY College @ Old Westbury w/ a bachelor's degree in marketing. A future in advertising is my mission (concentration: account management)
Just got my @Nooka Zot watch in the mail last night. You might not understand my excitement right now, because it seems like a simple watch.
This ‘simple’ watch is a timeless collectible peice, patented in its original design by creative director Matthew Waldman. It has a Tokyo inspired design with American simplicity.
Check out Nooka.com
Also: check out our talk on ‘The Drum’ about Japanese culture and the influence of Harajuku culture in the US. -> http://blogtalkradio.com/marcusgrahamproject
‘This Is It’
Tonight I was inspired. I sat in the audience and watched the man I grew up idolizing, create what I’ve always perceived as magic. I used to watch Michael Jackson do the moonwalk and kick and grab and move effortlessly about stage as he had hundreds of thousands of fans glorifying his name. It inspired me as a kid to one day be a “music star”. I put those in quotations, because that was just it. A music star was the aspiration. It wasn’t until tonight that I realized the deeper meaning behind this man who is now a legend that will forever live through his work, at least.
That deeper meaning came somewhere between the amazement of Michael still moving as if this was Motown’s 25th anniversary, and him being able to single-handedly direct the entire concert from music to choreography while rehearsing his own performance. I was able to parse the meaning of a true perfectionist and hard worker. To practice and craft something into as close to perfect as it can get. This is the only way to make something greater than what you originally intended it to be. It doesn’t matter what profession or task it is, you must review it and edit it until you feel that you can’t anymore. Then do it again! This struck me so hard that I had to write about it. I couldn’t wait to get into a place that I could just allow these words to flow out of my heart into this space for you to read. Only meant to transfer the inspiration given to me, straight to you.
This is to remind you that when you see a successful outcome in any situation, please know that there was much planning, sweat, emotion, time, attention to detail put into it. Nothing comes easy. Nothing is nearly as easy as it looks. This goes for fame, fortune, love, happiness, money, and anything else you aspire to acheive in life. Anything quickly obtained can be quickly lost.
-mADmanRalph
Why do we write?
Or should I ask, “Why do I write?” I write when i’m inspired. I’m not necessarily a writer, or a blogger for that matter. You won’t get a post out of me everyday, sometimes it’ll be a few days/weeks in between, which I wouldn’t change for anything. This blog that is mADmanRalph is about my perception on my life and what happens to happen in and around it. Does your life include exciting and thought-provoking events everyday?
Probably not. So I just wanted to get that out there, and I think this picture (up there) is cool and inspiring.
Thanks folks and stay tuned!
-mADmanRalph
ARE YOU COOL LIKE THAT?
UPLOAD A :30 CLIP OF YOURSELF DOING WHAT YOU DO BEST!
SUMBIT IT VIA TWITTER WITH THE THE HASHTAG (#COOLLIKETHAT) AND YOU WILL BE SUBMITTED TO WIN A FREE COUPON TO MCDONALD’S!
HURRY HURRY HURRY! YOU ONLY HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT ON OCTOBER 31ST!
*this is not real. It is simply a student promotion for “The Big Idea” at the New School
It was a blast. At one of the hottest office bars at one of the oldest advertising agencies on Mad ave, JWT. We celebrated the anniversary of an organization that is changing the face of the ad world, right now…LITERALLY!
It felt like an all-star game with all of the young talent and movers & shakers that were in attendance. This was and will continue to be a movement of epic proportion. You don’t wanna miss the next one, trust me!
More pics coming soon, but for now, check out http://Adversity-oneclub.org
The Voltaic ‘Converter’
This is a no-brainer. For someone like me that has to charge his iPhone multiple times per day, and plans on investing in a Macbook soon, why not have an aesthetically pleasing way to carry and charge my devices on my back? This is definitely going on my Christmas list. Any takers?
Check adversity-oneclub.org for the details!
Let’s take creativity back to the ‘Old days’.
The days when you actually had to put thought and effort into ideas for original results seems to be rapidly winding into the darkness of night. I see it in every facet of life around me. As I walk through the streets of New York City, I see people with the same notion of dressing ‘different’. But what happens when everyone’s ‘different’ becomes the same?
How do we enjoy music when all that we hear on the radio is trash? Must we digitally dig into the illegal realm of free music? This isn’t just for fashion and music, but also for advertising alike.
I recently attended a book release for ‘Baked In’, and after reading the first part I was inspired to voice my opinion on the matter of originality. Scroll down for my post on the event.
This is not fact, this is not even only my opinion, but this is a CALL TO ACTION to all of my fashionistas, music producers, art directors, copywriters, cartoonists, and anyone else that doesn’t want to watch our next generation suffer from our lack of effort and creativity.
-mADmanRalph
![‘Night of the Adeaters NYC 2009’
What a huge event. At least in the other parts of the world. Adeaters has been ringing bells from Europe to Africa since 1981, but made it’s US debut last night at Terminal 5. Brought to you by Findr Interactive and Gravity Media. The event hosts a bunch of commercial spots from all over the globe in this one venue.
It was a great atmosphere where I met a few folks from Findr, including the CEO of the young startup. She said that the attendance was just what she expected, and from the looks of things next year will be even better!
[the pic is me on the red (purple carpet)]. See you next year @ Ad Week ‘10!](http://3.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kqld6rtS9C1qzklm4o1_r1_500.jpg)
‘Night of the Adeaters NYC 2009’
What a huge event. At least in the other parts of the world. Adeaters has been ringing bells from Europe to Africa since 1981, but made it’s US debut last night at Terminal 5. Brought to you by Findr Interactive and Gravity Media. The event hosts a bunch of commercial spots from all over the globe in this one venue.
It was a great atmosphere where I met a few folks from Findr, including the CEO of the young startup. She said that the attendance was just what she expected, and from the looks of things next year will be even better!
[the pic is me on the red (purple carpet)]. See you next year @ Ad Week ‘10!
‘After Hours’ networking event @ Y&R on Madison ave
Picture a venue of one of the top ad agencies in the country, presentations by the next generation in advertising & the Chief Talent Officer of Y&R, a plethora of young professionals, and a vendor by the name of Sprite. What do you have? ONE HELL OF A NIGHT!
The atmosphere of this event, put on by Kenji Summers of OMD, was phenomenal. There were folks in from around the world: NYC, Toronto (shouts to Seneca College), Dallas (MGP), and more! All in all, this will be THE premiere event for young professionals every year at Ad Week. I would suggest you RSVP now, for next year!
See you there!
******Facebook ‘Wrap’ party******
It was a cool atmosphere with a good amount of young ad and media folks. Not too many faces like mine though (bummer). We’re working toward change though. (MGP)
Anywhoo, Facebook brought out a good crowd and ran out of Stella! Thanks to Kenji (kenjisummers.com) for pushing me to try it out. Good times, good fun.
Until next time! ‘Night of the Ad Eaters’ tomorrow to wrap up Advertising Week! (post will be up right after)
Alex Bogusky + John Winsor’s ‘Baked In’ book launch held by MDC partners at Michael’s Restaurant NYC
On this Wesnesday evening, in the middle of Ad Week, there is a book released about the concept of advertising being integrated so well that you don’t even realize it’s ADVERTISING? Who would thunk it? Ha! I mean…profoundly redundant? Maybe. I’ll read it and let you know!
‘Man on the Moon: The End of Day’ (iPhone snapshot taken on 9th ave & 37th st)
This gets the ‘mADmanRalph stamp’. If you like a new fresh mix of rock-hop (did I just coin that?) beats, creative lyrical concepts, and music that Gen-Y can relate to…you won’t like this. Ha!
Just go get it and let me know what you think!
Gravis IVSK8 Dylan Mid LX Raven
This makes for a nice caual sneaker, priced @ $140, that gives you less of the “sporty” canvas you might be used to.
Enjoy! (via uncrate.com)
Prior to the Internet days, if you wanted your music early you could walk up to the boulevard and hit up the bootleg guy. That was about it. Other than that, you would wait for the album. Those were the good ol’ days, for artists at least. That is…or was… Until NAPSTER came around! Boy oh boy was that a paradigm shift in music! We went from the traditionalism of 8 tracks, to vinyl records, to cassettes, to CD’s, and now Mp3s! (whoa, that’s a lot)
I love music. All types of music. The hypothetical question that I ask myself is “do I pay the $10+ for every album that I want?”. That’s a huge question when you’re into alternative, hip-hop, r&b, rock, country and more. Especially when I can download all of this for free! It’s like crack! (and no, I don’t do drugs) it’s so bad that I look for anything on my computer that I can delete to make more space! yes, it’s bad…
It’s so easy to open up my Internet browser (Safari) search for the Torrent, and do my thing hypothetically speaking. (I know ya’ll know what I’m talking about).
There is a plus side to this situation. If I really believe in an artist and what they stand for, I will give my money gladly by purchasing from iTunes.
So I don’t think I’m that bad.
Now as for the future of music. The question that remains is WHERE TO NOW? Being that album sales have diminished to a low level of income for artists, how can it be fixed? Well, they tried to start charging for online music, but techies maneuvered around that, of course.
To be honest, I feel that the only real solution to this problem is to stop selling music! Completely destroy any channel available that enables download, stream, steal, buy, or copy. Why? I’ll tell you why… in one word… DEMAND! This will build up so much of it that people will beg to allow a purchase. Think about it… would you be happy if the only way to hear music was through live concert? We’d all go super broke!
So to all of you illegal, free (down)loading, music-loving people out there… support the arts and buy!
