patrick e. mclean

copywriter • author • raconteur

Shooting an Elephant

The classic essay by George Orwell
 

Floor Piranha

In which we learn of the elusive pilemongrulous chompficampherous.

W. C. Fields

It ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to.

Emerson

It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, ‘Always do what you are afraid to do.’

H.L. Mencken

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.

Winston Churchill

Continuous effort — not strength or intelligence — is the key to unlocking our potential.

Snow Piranha

Yeah, that’s my dog.

Under Reconstruction

Which you probably could have figured out anyway. More here soon.

Best of CD

A collection of the best Seanachai episodes so far on an attractive CD. A great way to help support the podcast.

A Defense of Writing Longhand

Is technology really my friend? Or is it just pretending to be my friend so it can date my sister. 

Pinflation

In which, pinball might help us get a handle on a complicated subject.

Still not dead. Still writing away.

Inexplicably, 2008 was a very busy year for paying work. I think that makes me one of 3 people in North America who’s not experiencing a recession (yet), but it was kind of bad for the other writing. Until now, because that means that I’ve got a fat cushion of time on my hands to [...]

Flinchy and the Mexican Show Truck, Part IV

In which Democracy is vindicated and our story concludes.
with PG Holyfield and Tee Morris

Sir Ed’s

So you’ve got a pub in the back of a strip mall that pours more Guinness per square foot than any place else in North and South Carolina. You need to boost your summer sales. So you build a patio. Then you let everybody know about it with rather outrageous communications.
Bison :60
[audio:http://www.patrickemclean.com/book/SirEds/bison.mp3]
Eating Gravel :60
[audio:http://www.patrickemclean.com/book/SirEds/eatinggravel.mp3]

Adams Outdoor Advertising

There are a few, ever so few, magic projects in one’s life. This was one of those. When it started it was once of those horrible, nebulously defined “branding” projects. Adams wanted to be a ‘cool’ company. They said that they wanted to be like Apple or Nike. But they were a friggin’ outdoor company [...]

SouthPark (mall)

A very aspirational campaign for SouthPark. These ads ran back when they still had a Morrision’ Cafeteria and a crappy movie theater. But the goal was established; To be the premiere retail destination in the Carolinas. And that’s exactly what SouthPark has become
The ads were part of the package that attracted Nordstrom’s. Unfortunately, they also [...]

Oak Park

There’s not much to say about these particular apartments, except that they won’t blow your rent budget. Made for a surprisingly nice little campaign. It’s also the only time I’ve used a puppy in an advertisement of my own free will.

CQC in the Cage

CQC in the Cage is a regional Mixed Martial Arts Event. Absolutely wonderful clients, who put on a first class event and aren’t afraid to take chances. We had some serious fun.

Axiom Creative Group

Ad agencies, design firms and marketing communications firms uniformly do a crappy job of talking about what they do. (Yes, I did say that marcomm firms aren’t very good at communications) Specifically, they can never seem to explain why and how they approach the business differently than anyone else.
Axiom was firm that I did a [...]

Red Bull

:60 Garage
:60 Woodworker
:60 Pizza
Much of my work with Red Bull was below the line, non-traditional advertising. But I did launch Flugtag into North America with these radio spots.

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