Welcome to the newly updated Paperclip Marketing. 

I built the original site almost 3 years ago.  It was time for a refresh; in terms of technology (syndication, blog-rolling, widgets, all came into fruition after Paperclip was born), organization (the new categorization will allow me to cover a wider range of subjects related to all areas of internet marketing), and design.

I like design, but I’m no graphic artist.  So, I was very proud of the old header image and CSS styling:

So, welcome to the new Paperclip Marketing Redux.  I welcome your feedback, suggestions, even your criticism— but not your comment spam

Suddenly, it seems like the “Dex Guy” is appearing just about everywhere you look.  He’s becoming a regular on TV, thankfully a far less annoying one than Verizon’s “can you hear me now?” guy, at least in my opinion.  Here in Chicago, the media blitz also includes plastering Dex’s likeness on the sides of about half the city’s bus line.

Now, I work for Dex.  More accurately, I work for RH Donnelley, the company that owns Dex.  So, I feel at least indirectly responsible for the ever-increasing prevalence of this advertising-based character.  Deep in my heart, I fear that the better I do at my job, the more buses Dex is likely to appear on.

You can imagine my feelings a few weeks ago when the Dex Guy made his appearance on a large billboard merely a few blocks from my house.  I literally pass it every day.  The sign reads “Dex knows Chicago better than the Mayor”, or something like that.  But, it may as well have said “Ari, why aren’t you at work right now?”.  Creepy.

So, I decided it was time to learn more about our friend the Dex Guy.  Apparently, I am not the only one who is curious.  A Google search for “Dex Guy“  brings up a healthy dose of results.  I learned that his real name is Brian Stepanek.  And, according to his page on IMDB, Brian’s has put together quite a career for himself.  Aside from being Dex, he’s also been a television bit-part actor on some of the most popular shows (CSI Miami, NYPD Blue, and Shorty McShorts’ Shorts — okay, I just thought that one was funny).  He’s been in movies, too (Transformers, Friday After Next, to name just a few).  And, perhaps most interesting, he is also in other commercials.  That’s right, you can also see the Dex Guy in commercials right now for Advil and even Dairy Queen’s Flame-Thrower Burger (I will admit that I am curious, albeit not curious enough to order a hamburger from Dairy Queen). 

The bottom line is that the Dex Guy is soon going to be everywhere.  I hope you like him.