Fibre 2 Fashion unveils TexPro with TC & Company

Tom Clifford stylizes the introduction soundtrack of: TexPro with a particular emphasis on: Technical Textiles -  A centralized market hub of Fibre 2 Fashion that gives information on raw material prices to patents and tenders within just a few clicks...

Not just another venue for voice-overs but a whole new world. What's the buzzword in the textile industry - Micro Fiber'ing or what might be called - delivering exactly what matters to an industry in the textile & apparel value chain. Patents & Tenders. Global stuff. International intrigue. Threads...there's a lot of threads. And only one man can safely and coherently relay that. Yet, little does anyone know that he has no working idea of what he's talking about. Is that bad! There's a political joke in there somewhere...

So, after hunkering down with the Bio-ticulars, I found that Fibre2Fashion (F2F) has for over 2 decades been carving a niche as a one-stop solution for the Textile, Apparel & Fashion industry. That's sounds a bit-of-alright, but what does it mean. Supporting the global aspect is F2F's strong global presence and widespread reach as a world leader in facilitating new business opportunities, innovative brand building solutions, market research & data intelligence and a lot more. But, can it core A-apple, oh Chef-of-the-Future! Being an important B2B trade media Fibre2Fashion is a name synonymous as ‘Knowledge Disseminators’... helping the textile, apparel and fashion industry make informed business decisions.

F2F's Global Outreach:
1. 45 Million Hits!
2. 70% Decision Makers!
3. 7,00,000 registered members
4. Successfully served Fortune 500 Clients worldwide

 

We took the position that as TexPro is a Market Intelligence tool, perhaps a lighter approach would move the text along for a more receptive voice-to-picture combo. Why not lend a little inspiration for a tool which offers an unsurpassed platform to access quantitative data with unique insights.

Whew! Now say that in English...or at least have it sound like people will understand that our client is helping businesses take strategic and calculated decisions to reduce market risks. And that has to be conveyed with words that are clear and with a tone that's approachable but not too Sheldon Cooper with the cogs & dynamics. 

That being said so-to-speak, the client proffered that we announciate 'Patents' in true British tradition and asked that we record a pick-up. They requested that it be said the way Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany's) character did in A Knight’s Tale when he was asked to forge ‘Letter’s of Pay-tense to Nobility’. Hence, turning the lowly squire, William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) into the pedigree - Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein of Gelderland. Hey, what do we know from - The Canterbury Tales...

 

by:+Tom Clifford, VoiceOver & Creative Services   

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Beirut's Inspirational Roll-Out Campaign

The fundraising copy was not the usual "Pleas For Monies" over photos of grief stricken people or videos of devastation. This was the Real Deal.  Lebanon ...where are you now and where have you come from. Well, it's been a tough couple of years on top of eighty zillion years of heritage. You just gotta sort it out and go for the gut with the delivery and tell it like it is...we're truly in need of your help.

For now the Lebanese people are more than willing, they are counting on lifting themselves up and above the depreciating effects of last years port of Beirut's massive explosion. Rebuilding not only the infrastructure of Lebanon's capital city, but the spirits and momentum of a debilitated economy hit hard with Covid shutdowns throughout 2020. Fundraising for outside financial assistance had to be a bit more urgent sounding and most important - inspirational. The advertising agency gave the spot an emotional tone. Serious times demand serious measures, kind of approach. Every word precise and inflecting a precious moment in time.

In one moment, everything stood still...
Time stopped. Dreams of our youth, parents and children ~ vanished.

In one moment ~ precious hearts failed to beat again

 

Nearly a year ago on August 4th, 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored
at the port of the city of Beirut, exploded, causing at least 204 deaths, 7,500 injuries, $15 billion in property damage and leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless.

The blast was felt in Turkey, Syria, Israel, Palestine and parts of Europe, and was heard in Cyprus,
more than 240 km (150 mi) away. It was detected by the United States Geological Survey as a seismic event of magnitude 3.3, and is considered one of the most powerful artificial non-nuclear explosions in history.

A cargo of 2,750 tonnes of the substance (equivalent to approx. 1.1 kilotons of TNT) had been stored in a warehouse without proper safety measures for the previous six years. The explosion was preceded by a fire in the same warehouse. The exact cause of the detonation is still under investigation. Despite the devastating consequences of the event, the ad agency wanted to show how the Lebanese people were inspired with the many contributions in all forms that helped alleviate their suffering. 50% of the Lebanese population live under the poverty line. So, the Lebanese people thought that it was their duty to support each other despite all their differences. Donations started coming in from all areas including colleges and even from different countries like Italy, Scotland and the US.

It's important to mention that Boehringer Ingelheim stood in solidarity with the Lebanese people and was able to provide $1.14 million in aid. With this contribution, they were able to distribute first aid, medical supplies, financial and psychological support to Lebanese families and their family's friends. 

Click above to Play "Inspiration"

 

 

by:+Tom Clifford, VoiceOver & Creative Services   

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First One hundred Days...How's that Workin Out for You

 

The latest from the computer Blue Screen of Death is: It sucks tryin to get back to normal. However, everything IS much faster, almost to a debilitating extreme. Makin a lot of mistakes...including a couple of close permanent deletions. Oh, here's a 'get-you-outta-jail' card techy link from my good pal Bill P. The link shows step-by-step instruction of how to make a recovery drive or disc for when the BSOD pops up. It 's mainly for Windows-Ten, but it could work for earlier versions as well.

Otherwise, everything's just a bit different and ready to give a new app here, buy a new app there or manage entirely without a program one has relied on!

It's the simple little things, like scanner/printer needing constant updates from the mother ship. Older programs are chuggin along with a whole set of their own idiosyncrasies & challenges or they refuse to report for work. And there's Microsoft's continual reminding that my fully certified version of Office is heading towards obsolescence  'cause it ain't in the "clouds". And in the midst of all of it, Adobe decides that now is the time to do the EOL notice to their Flash program. Can't even get a digital sound card that offers the optical 'In' feature without a struggle for the right drivers. 

As Kimberly "Sweet Brown" Wilken's would say:  "I got Bronchitis, ain't nobody got time for that"

Overseas, things are changing up over at the ad agency in Lebanon. The gal I work with and whom my daughter had visited before the pandemic, is moving on and getting married.  I've gotten the introductions to the rest of the team and there's already a client in the wings to read for.  

 

 

by:+Tom Clifford, VoiceOver & Creative Services   

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Blue Screen of Death - Are Your Assets Covered

Well, it happened. Just like you tell yourself it'll happen...the dreaded Blue Screen of Death! It was a sinking feeling in the belly. A wallop! How could this have happened? I've been so careful. Could everything on that computer be lost? And how thorough has the backup routine been?

Then comes denial as to when the last back-up of the 'essential' files were actually done? Geez, it's been more than a year for some. We kept intending to feed that 32 gig USB gizmo in the back of the machine with updates.

Another phase is acceptance. OK, we're screwed, but by how much? Let's take stock. It's been a few years where we started with Windows 7 outta the box. Then we upgraded to windows 8.1 running an i7 core with 64 bits and a terabyte of hard drive. Plus, an optical sound card installed to record digitally. This baby was fairly up-to-speed even by today's standards...and lightning fast. But get this - as of December 2020, Microsoft stopped making upgrade service packs for Windows 7 machines. And I also made the mistake of not testing the 'boot-up' software. Truth is, who ever really does. Well...

With the aid of a couple of seasoned techies, we've come up with a possible scenario as to how the Blue Screen may have occurred. As it seems to be a trending practice in business today, free-rides of any sort, ain't hap'nin' much anymore. Case in point, my popular web host'er is no longer supplying free email service with domain purchases. That's like buyin' a hot dog without the bun. "Well, did you expect it to be free forever" was the rebuke I got from 3 different rep's. Hummm, that don't sound rehearsed! And they arbitrarily migrated all my emails to Outlook and supplied a dot exe link to download an assistant.

So, I downloaded it and thought it had installed. Got busy with something else and never gave it much thought afterwards. However, the next day when the machine was turned on, instead of being greeted with the usual password box, I had the: The Blue Screen of Death. Coincidence; to the install of the assistant...who can tell? But, if anyone out there is thinking about installing migrating assistants or any dot exec's on older machines, they might want to consult your local techy. Or, at the very least, make sure you're in possession of the boot up software.

We tried almost all the remedies and iterations to resurrect the machine. None did the trick. Some came so close that it might just be a matter of finding the correct boot disk sequence. 

Those techy's were invaluable. They advised to buy a 'Docking Station' for the hard-drive to be read. We were at that stage of acknowledgment. IF the Hard-Drive wasn't corrupted, the station would allow the data to transfer to another machine or disk. 

It W-O-R-K-E-D!

Every bit and zero was salvageable. Less and less loyalty was being placed with the older machine and more and more thoughts were heading towards a Brandy New One. I shoulda had a 'docking station' all along and highly recommend them - Twenty dollars at Amazon.

Speaking of Amazon - they had a machine with a 10th Generation Intel Core, Super-Speed USB ports with one that's a type 'C'  3.1, (AKA Thunderbolt 3) for big-time gig rate transfers! USB - C type explained

Well, at least if I had to make a major purchase for what feels like a comparable machine, it's a step-up to the 90's with some New & Improved innards. Could be me, but there's little in the way of 'creative designing' with the current offering of 2021machines. By all appearances, they opted for the " a lot less is more" dictum when they designed the towers.

Perhaps, they have it on good authority that these machines sink into oblivion once purchased. I think almost all the computers I've used were relegated under desks...inside drawers with a big-ass hole on top of the desk that was accented with a cool rubber goodie for all the wires to go through. Then again, not only do the new desktops seem to be altogether smaller in size, much lighter and noiseless to sit unobtrusively amongst the Rolodex and answer machine, but could this be an early clue, to the new direction of desk-tops actually sitting on top of the desk! 

It certainly would make operations easier.

The machine 'Up & About' would relieve the frustration with the vertical DVD feed and retrieval the new machines assume. It'll also make rear & frontal USB slots more user-friendly. Especially, with the never ending fight over 'which side of a USB is the right side'. Will it be a new phenomenon that'll become an occupational necessity to let the towers intrude on top of the desk after all? BTW, USB 3.1 's operate with either side in. 

Up..Up...and A-W-A-Y, Oh-Chef-of-the-Future ~ 

  

by:+Tom Clifford, VoiceOver & Creative Services   

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Music 'Producer Tags'...an Unexplored Voice-Over Frontier

Had the occasion to get involved with voicing a music 'Producer Tag'. Generally speaking producer tags (sometimes called drops) are prerecorded vocal snippets. They often feature all or part of the producers name or signature at the beginning of most of their instrumentals. These tags also serve as artist provenance and act as an important function to an essential, but often overlooked, contributor to the finished song.

 

How it plays into the voice-over game is obvious. Adding a professional voice to add color, nuance and effective engagements could be the difference between a successful tag and artist. With a bit of effortless Googling you'll come up with more than a few contenders...including Fiverr. What makes it worth the trip for voice actors is the challenge to interpret the artists intent and how to make the pairing work. Not-to-mention, it's kinda cool.

 From a VoiceOver standpoint of untapped resources or ones that could at least provide a little creative stretching, it shouldn't be overlooked. Dropping tags at the start of a song has become an inescapable-staple in music. 

Having its roots anchored in the 90's mix-tape culture, when DJs would do name shout-outs over their tracks, tags have become a way to build brand equity in an industry where producers only got credit in album liner notes. These days - liner notes are harder to find than Trump's taxes. Fluctuating CD and digital music sales have many producers developing signature drops to make their presence known. Which in turn has lent credence to tags as an actual component of songwriting.

 I was introduced to producer tags quite by accident as part of a favor for a client's daughter. Always willing to help out the cause as it were, I dived into the genre with both feet, albeit a little wobbly. You see, I was working for grandpa. and supposed to sound like it too. Amos McCoy that is. Walter Brennan, to anyone not born in another millennia. The chief grandpa and producer at grandpa. wanted a specific sound for a short line to be read as an old codger. Something tells me her dad had something to do with Walter. The line was " Well, back in my day" . They did some tweaking here & there plus adding a bit of echo and Viola. You can find grandpa. at Instagram and can check out her new single Distrokid with links to music previews at: Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and Amazon.

Signature tags are artistic hooks. The reasoning for younger producers wanting to use a tagline may evolve as their career scales to a certain level of success. Some contend that as technology advances at lightning speeds it's lowered  the barrier for entry that producers often use to make themselves stand out...especially in an industry where over-saturation can lead to musical stagnation. Perhaps it's because it’s a part of the culture now, where sometimes the producer is bigger than the artist and the producer tag helps the artist be heard.

 

Click to Play Producer Tag

Love them or hate them, tags have become so woven into the music scene that it’s pushed producers into the spotlight. Some, even get credited as featured artists on tracks. VoiceOver people can be an integral part of the producer tag process. One more arena to belly up to the microphone and show 'em what you got. 'Course, if the music ain't happenin', tag or no tag ain't gonna matter.

 

by:+Tom Clifford, VoiceOver & Creative Services   

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Lebanon's New Year Resolutons in all Shapes and Forms

The year started off with a steady flow of Lebanon related assignments and projects. It seems to be maintaining that pace for February.

From a national awareness campaign to overcome the residual impact of Lebanon's catastrophic blast in the port of Beirut in August of 2020 to a promotion for Healthy Heart Care, Diabetes Control & Prevention and a National Cyber Security roll-out drive. It's all a collaboration of Lebanon's Advertising Association industry to create rallying calls to focus attention on where they're needed most. The blast, nearly six months old, left most of the country devastated from the initial explosion or as collateral economic fallout.

It should be noted that on (Wiki) August 4th, 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the port of the city of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, exploded, causing at least 204 deaths, 7,500 injuries, and $15 billion in property damage, and leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless. A cargo of 2,750 tonnes of the substance (equivalent to around 1.1 kilotons of TNT) had been stored in a warehouse without proper safety measures for the previous six years. The explosion was preceded by a fire in the same warehouse, but as of January 2021, the exact cause of the detonation is still under investigation.

The blast was felt in Turkey, Syria, Israel, Palestine and parts of Europe, and was heard in Cyprus, more than 240 km (150 mi) away. It was detected by the United States Geological Survey as a seismic event of magnitude 3.3, and is considered one of the most powerful artificial non-nuclear explosions in history.

Here's a frame from the video to help promote awareness of the hundreds of shipping containers laying idle in the port of Beirut. The Lebanese people wanted to show they could defy their fate and transform that area into a giant structure made out of those containers. Titled: “Beirut The Star Of Hope” and adorned with specialty lights, artistic designs, illustrations and messages of hope featuring several Lebanese artists.

Click to Play Video

 

by:+Tom Clifford, VoiceOver & Creative Services   

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TC & Co 's Year End Round-Up for 2020

 

Wow! What a change form last year at this time..."It's been quite a year for voice-over & production. There was a good amount of rekindling ...it proved to be an excellent timing thing ...The Tv & radio spots came in as well from next door and as far away as Jordan ...with plenty of opportunity to create new characters with a bit of dusting off of the Pooh Bear as well".  

This year, with its constant dousing of Bizarro-World reality, turned into a complete opposite of last years land-of-plenty. With a big ZiP for this years plenty; workloads, opportunities and ways of trying to make ends meet were for the record books! Due ostensibly to COVID-19 and any real-world plan for treating, tracing or dealing with the economic impact of what the virus has levied. 

We're hoping the Biden team will tie up some loose ends with the admin of the vaccination process. Do the work on the details. Especially, if citizens need to get a 2nd and possibly 3rd booster shot to tame the spread. After all, it's getting a bit old working like we did this year for what amounts to be pro bono rates. Regardless, we tried keeping the creative juices flowing during the year. It helped with the centering too. Years end started to look promising with a few nibbles. Things felt like they could be headed towards some sort of normalcy, albeit adding the New part.

Here's a look back on the year's highlights -

And Tommy Boy was on the Super Bowl back in February...at least in some part of the country.  Geez, does that feel like a long time ago. Will there even be a Super-Bowl this season? Back to the New Normal...we were part of the mix with Fantastic Plastic's (Ad Age) Championship season roll-out of the 'Winnie-the-Pooh' character for their auto dealership Damson's Auto. The TV spots appeared throughout the south east. They did a second batch of the character doing tags. 

( Click to Play Tv Spot )

No matter where you stand on Bernie Sanders, one thing's for sure, he's a character. And as of Feb. 27th, the Democratic front-runner. Being a little quirky makes him a fun character to have fun with. Particularly, since this BLOG time slot was dedicated to another project.

What's that, does Bernie have a signature tag line per se? Well, just like the guy who said; 'The rents too damn high', Bernie's could be: "I'm sick & tired". 

Bernie had a cardiac episode back in early October. He's been asked about it. And apparently it was all due to a few disagreeable tacos...

Check out his newest campaign video if TC & Co were his creative agency (Click to Play Parody Video) 

Just this last year alone was a whirl-wind of craziness. From nuking hurricanes with Sharpies to Miracle Cures for the COVID-19 Virus that began with Lysol. It had gotten to a long overdue point that Dr. Emmett Brown had to be summoned-up to finally get a hold on the situation... as he wonders if Jerry Lewis wouldn't have been such a bad idea after all. Great Scott for Operation Warp-Speed (Click to play video)

Enter Purfresh, the only company in the world that combines the ability to generate ozone for perishables during their ocean voyage with real-time satellite and GSM monitoring of the internal container environment. We were auditioned to do an English accent voice-over to lend a more sophisticated edge to the copy. Check out the various differences with American Vs. English accents. (Click to Play Video)

The Haunt Season started this year with an excited email from the client in early September, about a month or so later than our usual start.
They were cautiously elated to hear that their Louisiana governor had moved them into a Phase (III) order of Coronavirus restrictions for opening this season. A season they didn't think would happen. After all, these folks have several theme parks that are happening during the Halloween season and they all needed to have their advertising updated.  (Click to Play Video)

by:+Tom Clifford, VoiceOver & Creative Services   

VoiceOverGuy
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516.488.8840 Office

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