Crowley Webb Blog

Best Thing I Found On A Monday.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:06:31 -0400

by Liz Maimone

I guess I’m done eating.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:48:20 -0400

by matt low

So I consider myself to be a fairly healthy eater. I mean, I almost never eat fast food (discounting Mighty Taco every other month) and we don’t buy prefab meals. Of course, I still eat the occasional chip. But, for the most part, we cook fresh and eat fresh. Or so I thought. Last night I took in this little nightmare of a movie, and well, I may never eat again.

A friend once told me that a hamburger from McD’s may contain the meat from more than 1000 cows. Pretty gross and scary to think about, right? Well, the thing that got me about Food, Inc. is that this is the case with pretty much every hamburger period. All meat pretty much comes from the same handful of places – whether you’re eating a Big Mac, a triple sirloin burger at an uppity steak house, or making patties at home. (Feel free to grab the antacid.)

And most shocking, even tomatoes are engineered. The narrator called what we find ripe and red in our food stores “notions of tomatoes.” Mmmmmmmmm.

After the film goes into great detail just how powerful and evil the food industry is these days, it does offer a glimmer of hope. It offers what happened to the tobacco industry as evidence. People (just like me!) can demand change and make changes in their own lives. Buying food at local farmers markets is a good start. I know I’ll be there tomorrow. You should go too. Or at least see this movie. (I’m hoping more than just the four of us who were at the theater last night will.)

I wish I could stop chewing on pens.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:45:34 -0400

by Liz Maimone

If you’ve worked with me, or have ever been in the same room with me and a writing utensil, you know my ability to destroy a pen is unparalleled. I go through like five a day, often leaving their chewed remains in my coworkers’ offices for a little afternoon surprise (by accident, of course). Now, aside from costing my employer an extra 11 cents a day in supplies, and looking extremely unprofessional and sloppy, it hasn’t really caused any major turmoil in my life thus far. I mean on the bright side, I guess I have nicer nails for it. But then today, all of a sudden, I decided I want to stop. Cold turkey if I can. At the very least, I’d like to get down to one or two a day.

Anyone have any ideas on how I can break this bad habit? I still like Dave’s idea for human chew toys.

There is nothing special about this blog entry.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:48:04 -0400

By Chris Muldoon

Today, I found a website dedicated to life’s most mundane moments. I thought it would make me feel better about myself. It did.

www.mylifeisaverage.com

Best Thing I Found On A Monday.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:22:10 -0400

by Liz Maimone

I don’t really have anything cool to share today. And I’m lazy. So instead I thought we could mix things up and talk about my weekend. Ha. So I went to Cleveland for a couple days. Really on a whim, no real reason at all. Now before we go any further, perhaps you’ve seen this. Pretty funny. Slightly accurate. A fun place nonetheless.

Now if you’ve never been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you should go. Especially right now. The special exhibit features Springsteen. It’s pretty cool. And if you actually like him, I imagine it’s all the more exciting. Cedar Point on the other hand, not what I expected at all. It was kind of run-down and lame-o. I mean I wasn’t expecting Disney World or anything, but I thought it would at least be cooler than Darien Lake. I guess it doesn’t matter where you are, riding a roller coaster with a hangover really isn’t that fun.

I’ll tell you what is fun though. Baseball. I don’t care who’s playing, the games are just fun. Going to see the Indians was probably the highlight of my trip. I would love to share some pictures, but unfortunately my roommate’s camera was left in Cleveland, at the Clevelander. Oh, those clever Ohio people.

Hmmm, what else? Oh, I noticed they have all the exact same billboards as us. Kind of weird.

I think that’s all. Have a nice day.

Best Thing I Found On A Monday.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:12:47 -0400

by Liz Maimone

This past weekend a bunch of us got together to participate in Brush Up Buffalo. This is the 8th year we’ve assembled a team for this worthy cause. If you’re not familiar, basically it goes like this: families in need apply to have their house painted free of charge. Then, us volunteers get together on a Saturday and scrape and repaint about 20 houses all before I’d usually be getting up. It gives the family a sense of pride. It gives the community enhanced curb appeal. And it helps increase the value of the homes in the neighborhood. Not to mention it helps me not feel like a horrible person. It’s a good thing no matter how you look at it.

This year, we partnered with the team from M&T Bank. They were friendly, efficient, and extremely knowledgeable in wholesale mortgages. What more could you ask for from a bunch of people who gave up their Saturday to paint a stranger’s house?

Compared to the house next door, we didn’t have it too bad. In fact, from what I’m told, we even finished ahead of schedule. And let me just say, the love we gave to that back porch was second to none, people.

It was a good day. And now I don’t have to do anything nice again until at least Thursday.

Check out the entire album on Facebook.

Best Thing I Found On A Monday.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:50:55 -0400

by Liz Maimone

Somebody please kill me. Just beat me over the head with this God forsaken piece of nonsense.

I don’t know if I’m more upset that there’s now a stick to assist in wiping your butt, or the fact that I’m confident at least one person I know will buy it. And when they do, I will disown them on the spot. I don’t care if we’re in a crowded Denny’s. Or it’s my own mother. This can’t be forgiven the way buying a Snuggie can.

Unless you have a medial condition that prevents you from doing so, I just can’t fathom why anyone could possibly need a toilet paper baton to wipe their own behind. Seriously, people.

I think my favorite part of their little television masterpiece is when the crazy lady refers to toilet paper as “archaic.” This just in: you still have to use ole fashion wiping paper with the Comfort Wipe. And to think we’ve been wasting all our time trying to cure things like cancer. And then there’s Mr. Large And In Charge. He makes me chuckle. I wish he had saved his $19.99 to buy something useful. Like a subscription to Hustler. Or ten Hot Pockets.

Oh, America, how I love you and hate you at the very same time.

I’m sure no one else gives a crap about this.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:23:00 -0400

by Liz Maimone

I don’t know if this commercial for Alamo really plays every time I turn the TV on, or if it’s just because it bugs me so much that I notice every time it’s on, but either way I wish someone would make it stop.

Have you ever just looked at someone and not liked them? Yes it’s as mean as it sounds, but that’s honestly how I feel about the girl in this spot. I think it’s the latter half of her little “you had me at no lines” joke that sends me right over the edge. C’mon, you know you’re curious.

Is it just me, or is her delivery so incredibly off? It’s all I notice. It’s so bizarre, it seems like a mistake because it’s so bad. I’m not trying to sound like I have any business critiquing comedy or acting or whatever, but I do have ears. I just don’t get it. How could that have possibly been the best take?

You better believe the only circumstance under which I’d ever rent a car from those clowns is if it was to run that chick off a bridge. That, or they were the cheapest. Hey, I’m not proud.

I have very sophisticated taste in television shows.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:56:05 -0400

by Chris Muldoon

People embarrassing themselves for money. Commentary choke-full of innuendos and bad puns. The token hot chick. When you think about it, what’s not to love about ABC’s game show Wipeout? I mean, nothing screams class like participants taking on “The Big Balls.” If you haven’t witnessed this hour-long train wreck, you’re definitely missing out. Basically a rip-off of Spike TV’s Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (which was a complete rip-off of an 80s Japanese show), Wipeout collects a bunch of borderline psychopaths, and let’s them loose on a variety of absurd obstacle courses.

Just watch a few minutes of this season’s premiere. You may initially scoff at the mindlessness of it all, but dollars to donuts you won’t be able to turn away. There has to be some psychological term for our innate interest in watching another human being get thrown around like a rag doll. Seriously, how are these people not seriously injured? ABC must have one heck of a liability waiver. And such torture must warrant a handsome reward, right? Well, $50,000 is certainly no chump change, but after taxes, I’m not sure if it’s worth getting physically annihilated on national TV. But God bless the people that do, because otherwise I’d have to read a book or something.

Not only does he have terrible credit, he is apparently out of a job.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:35:21 -0400

by matt low

It seems as though the geniuses at freecreditreport.com have finally retired the singing ne’er-do-well. Lucky for us, they’ve replaced him with a furniture-ruining, child-attacking, carpet-staining number mutant. Wonderful.

Best Thing I Found On A Monday.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:29:40 -0400

by Liz Maimone

Over the weekend, I saw GM’s new “reinvention” commercial. They filed for bankruptcy protection just last week, so I figured we’d see something in the way of advertising soon enough.

I’ve heard/read a lot of people criticize the fact that they’re spending money on advertising given their situation. But here’s my thinking: if they really are going to restructure, and not just fall off the face of the earth, it seems like the worst thing they could do is just go away. Say nothing. I think when people are curious – talking about what they hear on the news – is when you need to say something the most. Tell them things you hope they'll repeat.

I mean I don’t know every detail of the situation, and I’m certainly not out to defend GM. I don’t even really feel strongly about it either way.

I just really like the commercial.

For me, the message is about as good as it can get. Sure, not everyone’s going to believe you. I’m not even sure I do. But maybe that’s not even the point. I know I feel a little better about GM today, after seeing the spot, than I did last week. It could just be because I think the writing is excellent, I can’t say for sure. All I know is, for whatever reason, if one TV commercial can change your perception, even just a little, it seems like money well spent. Even if it’s not theirs.

Corporate Challenge proving to be anything but.

Crowley Webb & Associates — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:43:08 -0400

It was one of those blisteringly cold January afternoons when the snow was falling for what seemed like the 108^th consecutive day and most average people found even walking to their car a harrowing experience. But what we’re learning around Crowley Webb is that Chris Muldoon is far from average. While most of us were wrapped in thick sweaters, huddled around steamy soups at our desks on this day, he was quietly jogging in place in front our elevator waiting to get outside for his usual midday run. Wearing a tiny skull cap, gloves, and a those thin stretchy pants runners are forced to wear when it’s anywhere below 20, Chris must have seemed eccentric to anyone passing him in our lobby.

Flash forward five months. Chris Muldoon won his third consecutive Chase Corporate Challenge last night. He doesn’t seem so wacky now, does he?

On a beautifully sunny Western New York evening with the temperature at least 45 degrees above 20, Chris Muldoon crossed the finish line in Delaware Park after a mere 17 minutes and 24 seconds. The next runner, a good friend of Chris, didn’t cross for another 24 seconds. In a race like this, that’s an eternity.

And it’s not like Chris wasn’t feeling the pressure this year. On the contrary, after winning the last two, his mug was plastered on every Crowley Webber’s chest. That is, except his own. Mr. Fancypants needed a shirt made of a special material. Either that, or he just felt weird running wearing a picture of himself running. Who wouldn’t?

No matter the attire, Chris Muldoon has undoubtedly solidified his position as the undisputed fastest copywriter in Western New York. Way to go, Chris.