I should probably start with the clever name, I mean, you’re probably in love with it already.  So, I’m sitting in a pub in London (damn, that sounds cool) with a couple of friends from the speaking circuit and the conversation turns to work. At one point, while bitching about the lack of funding for my internet campaigns, I say:

“You know what it is? It’s the damn dead tree media hogging up all the damn budgets!”

Not two seconds out of my mouth, all three of us dove for our phones, attempting to register the domain name. I won. That was about three years ago now.

Flash forward a few years to a time when I’m stuck in my car on my long commute from Burbank to Irvine (yes, every damn day).  Picture me, a long time interactive guy, screaming at the sucky radio spots being forced on me and the rest of the public across all of my presets (Specifically, it was one for Tecate Light. Seriously? With the deep voice thing? I mean, you tested it twice and even changed out the deep voice once… yes, I noticed, it still sucked.) . I decide I’ve officially had it with limiting my commentary audience to the inside of my car and Dead Tree Media is born.

The Preemptive FAQ

Q: Who are you?

A: Who am I?  Who are you? Comin’ in here, asking questions on my blog… oh wait, that’s the point.  Well here’s what I give the press and such when I’m out on the road:
With over 14 years of online marketing experience, Jeff Ferguson has led the online marketing efforts for companies such as Hilton Hotels, Kimberly-Clark, InterActiveCorp, Experian, Napster, and currently, Local.com. No stranger to the industry speaking circuits throughout the US, Europe, and Asia, Ferguson is a regular at Digital Hollywood, the Online Marketing Summit (OMS), Search Marketing Expo (SMX), Ad:tech and Search Engine Strategies (SES), where he is also a member of the Board of Directors.

Q: Don’t you think this is going to piss a few people off?
A: If I’m lucky, yes.  That’s the point.  Not only do I want to entertain my fellow interactive cohorts, but I also want to get the panties of the traditional world in a bunch for slinging crap on the public like monkeys at the zoo.  This blog is a hobby of mine, but creating advertisements is their fucking job, and they’re stinking up the room doing it day in and day out.  It’s high time someone pointed it out, all sassy like even.

Q: Just who the hell do you think you are? Giving me shit for my hard work?
A: I think I answered that up top already, d-bag, but you probably meant, “who am I to criticize when I haven’t produced any top-quality creative myself?”  Well, my whiny little friend, while I’m an interactive guy by trade, I’m a consumer first. That’s right, I’m your friggin’ target market, and you just insulted me with your piece o’crap ad that you didn’t think through all the way before submitting it to the clueless client that thought the baby was cute.

Q: Your grammar/spelling is horrible.
A: That’s not a question, ass.  But yes, it’s bound to happen.  It’s just me over here in my spare bedroom, giggling maniacally as I make fun of people without the benefit of a staff of writers or editors.  Think of it as part of the charm of this quaint little site and then focus on the content, snob.

Q: So, I’m really pissed about you making fun of my ad and I want you to take it down, right effing now.
A: Chances of this are slim. I may have slept my way through most of my Communications Law class at state college, but I’m pretty sure what I do falls under the realm of parody in the copyright law.  Hell, the I way I plan on schooling your hack ass, this could even count as “educational use”. So save your fire and concentrate on making better ads next time.

Q: You’re so high and mighty, why don’t you take a long look in the mirror! Interactive ads suck, too! Why don’t you make fun of them?
A: Well, because the name of the site is Dead Tree Media, moron.

Q: Wait a minute, you review TV and radio ads, too, those aren’t dead trees! You’re a fraud!
A: Mind your own friggin’ business, egg head. Dead Tree Media is a metaphor for all traditional media, plus, it’s my damn site and I’ll make the rules, thank you.

Q: Can we cut to the chase and just submit our ads to you for review?
A: Absolutely.  The less I have to use crude snapshots from my iPhone, the better. Just send them to “jeff at deadtreemedia dot com”.

Q: This looks like fun, do you take guest postings?
A; Sure, in fact, I plan on launching with a few if my friends can get off their ass and submit to my will.  Yeah, yeah, I work for a living too, bitch, and I still have time to bring home the bacon and satisfy my woman, so save the “I’m busy” speech for your chick…