Thursday I had the opportunity to tag along on the New Mexico Ad Federation’s luncheon with advertising legend and well-known author of “Hey Whipple, Squeeze This,” Luke Sullivan (a must-have book for anyone interested in not just advertising, but creativity in general).

Sullivan gave a presentation called “How to Suck Less,” formally titled “How Not to Suck.” Given that we’re all mere humans with a tendency to suck, Sullivan said he thought it more appropriate to retitle his presentation to something more realistic.

He described his transformation from a construction worker to Group Creative Director with more than twenty medals to his credit in the prestigious One Show, some of the more interesting adventures he’d had in his twenty-plus years of advertising experience and some tips on how to be better at anything. Yes, anything.

Among his tips; get rid of things that cause you to suck. Certainly tips we all can learn from, here are those he specifically pointed out:

• Laziness – although seemingly a no-brainer, Sullivan did point out that when you’re working a job you care about, this almost never comes up.
• Arrogance – don’t look down on the little jobs that come your way; they’re another chance to hone your craft.
• Get over yourself – if you believe that you’re a god in your field, it just becomes an excuse for complacency, and ultimately to suck.
• God is in the details – this is the sum of all the details put into a creation; make every little part better than it has to be.

So there you have some points to ponder. Go get his book if you’re looking for some inspiration mixed with humor.

(The picture up top is my freshly-inked copy of “Hey Whipple…” In case you’re wondering, it says “Go ye forth and rock!” Amen, Sullivan…)

Daily Lobo, Issue date: 2/12/07

Editor,

This past Friday, I was walking past the Duck Pond on the way to teach in Dane Smith Hall when a student on a skateboard ran into me. He continued down the sidewalk. I called out, “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” He responded, “(Expletive) you,” and then he flipped me off.

I once considered students on skateboards as an amusing, albeit destructive, part of campus life, but no more. They should be totally banned. They destroy property on campus. They are dangerous, and those who ride them are offensively rude. Other campuses have banned them. Why not UNM?

James Burbank
UNM faculty