July 1, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

Bob Barrie is leaving Fallon to form his own firm.

He chose not to to give Adweek many details, but indicated the move is not iminent, and that his head and his heart are still at Fallon, an agency he's been with for 20 years.

Barrie, an art director, is notable in the industry for not taking on creative director duties despite offers to do so. Instead he's stayed true to his passion and close to the work. The results speak for themselves. For instance, his work for United Airlines has no present day equal.

July 3, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 2 Comments

When moving unwanted email to my spam box, I often ask myself who clicks on this shit, because someone obviously does, or it would not keep coming.

New York Times has the answer:

Spam messages promoting pornography are 280 times as effective in getting recipients to click on them as messages advertising pharmacy drugs, which are the next most effective type of spam. The third most successful variety is spam advertising Rolex watches, 0.0075 percent of which get clicked on.

So, all you flashy watch-wearin' horny toads on Viagra, you are THE ENEMY.

July 3, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

One of the trickier negotiations at a busy American airport can be identifying one's PowerBook at the gathering end of the security checkpoint. I put stickers on mine to make the process easier. But Dan Kurtz has a much more elegant solution.

July 3, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 9 Comments

"The barrier to entry in Internet media is low. The barrier to success is high," Nick Denton told the New York Times for an article detailing several staffing changes at Gawker Media.

"Sites need to be well-managed and well-designed and even then it is harder and harder to launch a site. The world does not need more blogs," adding that if you count all the pages on MySpace, "there is approximately one reader for every blog out there."

On his own site, Denton says Gawker's operational costs are increasing. He's now paying editorial talent close to what mainstream pubs offer. He also complains that existing blog technology like Moveable Type can not handle the needs of larger, sophisticated sites like those in his paddock.

Addressing another important editorial issue, Denton says:

Over time, on the same beat, all journalists get into a routine, or too close to sources, or go native. For Gawker titles, which have always sought to take the outsider's perspective, this is a particular risk. We need always to be open to fresh editorial talent, even if that means wrenching changes.

Denton's a savvy operator. I appreciate his thoughts on these matters. Particularly, his thoughts on routine, and the steps necessary to break it.

July 3, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

From Ad Age:

In a bold stroke that will be watched closely by the ailing industry to see if he can lead advertisers to rethink how they use newspapers, Brian P. Tierney, best known for running one of Philadelphia's leading public-relations and ad agencies, is in the market for a chief creative officer for his newly purchased Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News. The job -- believed to be the first such position in the newspaper industry -- is to lead a comprehensive redesign of the papers and work with marketers to create new ad-friendly formats at two former Knight Ridder papers that have long lagged behind equally challenged peers.

"I don't want someone from the Tampa Tribune for this; I want somebody from Strawberry Frog or Modernista [or some other creative agency]," said Mr. Tierney, who expects to fill the post later this summer. "This is going to be somebody who puts a design ethic through everything we put out ... and also works closely with agencies."

Actually, this sounds like an interesting positon. I've always believed that daily newspapers are still relevant, at least in some form--but they can't rest on their history; they actively need to prove themselves in this day and age. Also, with the right ad in a unique media placement you can create powerful advertising--but you have to get the media people (both in agencies and at the media outlet) thinking creatively and willing to cooperate. I'm not at Strawberry Frog or Modernista, but I'd take this assignment on.

July 4, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Screen Magazine, in a profile of the nation's largest independent agency, reveals one of the shop's secrets for success.

The Richards Group has a unique method of organizing its different departments – it doesn’t. “Everybody’s thrown in together,” says David Hall, agency principal, noting that employees are not able to segregate themselves by job title. “That helps because we all overhear what everyone else does and says. You probably wouldn’t be surprised at the learning that can occur in that kind of environment.”

This is an interesting insight. So many people in this business hold tightly to their own little fiefdoms. We're professional communicators, yet we often fail to communicate with one another. One of the underlying reasons for this is a vain attempt to wield power. The problem with this approach is people who practice it fundementally misunderstand what power is. Power is getting other people to join your team and do your bidding. Or as Lao Tzu said, "A leader is most effective when people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, his troops will feel they did it themselves."

July 5, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

And now from our economic development section...USA TODAY examines at the affect broadband could have on residents of Berry, a small town in northeast Kentucky with a population of 310.

"We had people come in and want to buy a house just outside city limits, but when they found out we don't have high-speed DSL, they said, 'No, We can't live here,' " Berry Mayor Donald Adams says.

Across the USA, just 35% of adults in rural America can get online via broadband at home or work, vs. 50% of those in urban and suburban areas, says a study this year by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

The town has applied for a $100,000 grant from the Agriculture Department to make broadband available to residents for about $30 a month and to businesses for $80. Also, 10 computers would be installed for free public access.

I'm far from an economics professor, but there looks to be a huge business opportunity in small town connectivity. Maybe a savvy advertiser can work a deal to help themselves, and the disconnected.

July 5, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 6 Comments

Podcasting News reports that vlogger, Brooke “Brookers” Brodack, has been picked up by Carson Daly Productions for an 18-month talent and development deal.

“Several things immediately caught my eye watching her videos,” Daly said. “She’s got a fresh point of view, considerable directing skills and a great sense of music and how to use it. There is potential for Webisodes, mobile series and definitely a great TV show here. She’ll be an exciting package to present to networks.”

“I just love it that no middleman is involved. There’s no agent, nothing. The pipeline is direct. I think it’s going to exponentially change how the business is run,” said Daly.

It's hard to tell which aspect Daly is more excited about--his new find, or the fact she has no agent.

For her part, Bradock told a reporter, “I don’t even know why I started recording video blogs. I just want you to tell me that I’m hot.”

Bradock's "performance art" is an homage to another vlogger, Gary Brolsma, who was the first to lip-synch the Romanian pop song and gain notoreity online.

July 5, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

This is how I'm greeted by the sheep hater's copy:

You're missing something.

No ugly for you.

You need Flash to get in on all the ugliness at myuglyroom.com. Don't roll your eyes at us, after the two minutes of extra effort you can enter to win $100 weekly prizes or a shot at the $10,000 grand prize at myuglyroom.com.

Click here to download the most updated version of Flash.

The devil is in the details. Most copywriters, including me (in my weaker moments), would skip this opportunity and let the denial badge of technology reign supreme.

That's not the route this copy takes. This copy makes you think it just might be worth the hassle of yet another update.

July 6, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

According to USA Today, a woman working at Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta allegedly lifted trade secrets (including new product samples) and tried to sell them to Pepsi for measly sums.

But Pepsi wasn't havin' it.

Three people have been arrested and charged with stealing confidential information about drink recipes from The Coca-Cola and trying to sell it to rival PepsiCo, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

They are expected to appear before a federal magistrate judge on Thursday in Atlanta.

Pepsi spokesman Dave DeCecco said his company did what any responsible company would do in cooperating with Coke and the investigation.

"Competition can sometimes be fierce, but also must be fair and legal," DeCecco said. "We're pleased the authorities and the FBI have identified the people responsible for this."

You know someone in Pepsi wanted those files. It's natural to want them.

July 6, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 3 Comments

Note the upsidedown map

Rocketboom, a new media company with a ton of fuel on board, lost a co-pilot and host, Amanda Congdon to Hollywood. Andrew Baron, the show's producer, is now piloting the craft and looking for a soft landing.

Washington Post tracks Rocketboom's flight path:

When Rocketboom started in 2004, young video producer Andrew Baron sent out a casting call in New York and hired Congdon to produce a daily Internet show without a fancy studio -- just $25 a day, a desk and a map of the world as a backdrop. Eventually, viewers were drawn to Congdon's offbeat humor, the show's funny camera angles, and its unpredictable format and content. As hundreds of thousands of viewers began to tune in, Rocketboom asked for advertising bids on eBay and brought in $40,000 to $85,000 a week at times.

Steve Rubel, senior vice president of Edelman Worldwide's Me2Revolution practice, told the Post that Congdon "pulled a Star Jones."

On her blog, Amanda Unboomed, Congdon says:

I am disheartened by Andrew Baron's decision to spread misinformation. He knows I cannot move to LA without a job...but insists on spinning things this way to shore up his assertion that I am "walking away" from Rocketboom. I did not walk away. I did not accept Andrew's idea of "partnership".

You can check out Congdon's confessional resignation here.

July 6, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Karl Long at Futurelab's Blog says content makers will follow the money, and that Revver is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the YouTube craze.

YouTube may be an upstart but it is going to get killed if it doesn’t find a way to compensate the content creators, because the content creators will follow the money in a heartbeat.

The Diet Coke + Mentos team has made $15,000 from it’s viral video being viewed on revver.com, as reported on PaidContent.org.

The Diet Coke + Mentos team? Karl, these are consumers with no formal attachment to, nor relationship with, these two brands. And while Revver looks good on the surface, once there is profit tied to these so-called consumer-generated virals, lawyers will descend in a hurry. For instance, how long before Mentos and Coke want a cut of the action on the aforementioned 15 large?

I know, I know...the brands should see these virals as free advertising and embrace them. But money changes things. One of the things it changes is the innocence factor. With a profit motive in place, amateur videographers will no longer be seen as brand zealots causing no harm. Rather, they will be seen as interlopers, using brands out of context for their own enrichment.

July 6, 2006 by Matt Bergantino | Permalink | 174 Comments

Last month the FDA approved Chantix, Pfizer's new smoking cessation drug. According to Pfizer:

Chantix is unique because it ... partially activates the nicotinic receptor and reduces the severity of the smoker's craving and the withdrawal symptoms from nicotine. Moreover, if a person smokes a cigarette while receiving treatment, Chantix has the potential to diminish the sense of satisfaction associated with smoking.

So? Well, for one thing: what a great account to work on. And second, which of the following side effects have you a) never heard of and b) is F'd up:

nausea constipation gas vomiting changes in dreaming

I'd love to take a crack at writing that disclaimer copy. "In rare cases, Chantrix can induce surreal dream states, similiar to the kind sufferred by William Hurt in Altered States. Do not operate heavy machinery while taking Chantrix. Do not act on messages delievered to you in altered dream states. Consult your doctor before taking Chantrix."

For tips and advice on how to quit smoking, visit the Center for Disease Control.

For deep discounts on all your favorite tobacco brands, including Marlboro Lights and Marlboro Menthol, visit AmericanCigarettes now!

July 6, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 4 Comments

Over at Adweek they've printed the 10 finalists in the Wal-Mart review, said to be worth approximately $570 in billings per year.

In addition to the two incumbents, GSD&M and Bernstein-Rein, the others include...are you ready for this?

WPP Group's Ogilvy & Mather and JWT, both in New York; Publicis Groupe's Publicis and Saatchi & Saatchi, both in New York, and Leo Burnett in Chicago; and Interpublic Group's Draft FCB Group in Chicago and The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va.

That's right. WPP, IPG and Publicis are essentially pitting divisions of their own companies against each other. This review could cost each agency millions. I don't care if Publicis has a 3 in 10 chance of winning Wal-Mart because 3 Publicis agencies are pitching it. Pick the best one, and let that agency pitch on Publicis' behalf. Otherwise, you're wasting the resources of what is, at the end of the day ONE company.

I've written about this before. It doesn't make any sense. What other company would piss stockholder money away like that? I suppose you could make a case for the holding company model, but this ain't part of it.

July 7, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 1 Comments

Over at BusinessWeek's Hot Property blog, Peter Coy tells of Liberty Harbor, a residential community being built in Brunswick, GA. Brunswick is on the coast, but to make the community really appealing, here are a few of the marketing pitches:

"Because it sits nearly 100 miles from the Gulf Stream, Brunswick is in a geographical sweet spot that is protected from the hurricanes that have affected so many coastal areas and jeopardized the insurability of their waterfront properties."

"Brunswick sits on the western-most point of the East Coast (same longitude as Akron, OH), and has not been hit by a hurricane in over 100 years."

Let's hope it's not a jinx.

July 7, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 10 Comments

Back when Cole & Weber was on a hot streak, I interviewed at an agency whose CEO said, "We want to be the next Cole & Weber." Of course, he had no idea what that meant or what it would take to make that a reality.

So you can bet that when Warren Berger's book Hoopla: A Book about Crispin, Porter & Bogusky hits the streets in September, folks running mediocre agencies across the land will rush to get a copy and tell their staff, "This is what we need to be doing!"

All I'm saying is, get ready.

Actually, that's not all I'm saying. Every agency has their own unique culture. Some cultures are permeated by fear, some cultures encourage original thinking, sometimes a culture is essentially a permanent state of bending over for the client's every whim. Crispin's is unique, it took them years to get to where they are now, and you can't copy it by reading a book, try as you might.

July 8, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 2 Comments

According to c|net News.com, Mike Shaw, ABC president of advertising sales, is so hungry for days gone by, he's willing to make idioctic utterances to journalists eager for just that type of thing.

"I would love it if the MSOs (multi-system operators), during the deployment of the new DVRs they're putting out there, would disable the fast-forward (button)," he said in an interview Wednesday.

Whether he gets his wish remains to be seen, but ABC's ad sales chief sounds pretty convinced that consumers will go along quietly. "I'm not so sure that the whole issue really is one of commercial avoidance. It really is a matter of convenience--so you don't miss your favorite show...People can understand in order to have convenience and on-demand (options), that you can't skip commercials."

People can understand? Here's a better one...Televisions execs can understand they're not in control—the consumer is. Fight this fundemental law of markets and go down humiliated and beaten. Or embrace what is and give yourself (and your company) a fighting chance.

July 9, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 1 Comments

In today's New York Times, (you may need to register to see this), Theodora Stites writes about the vast array of online social networks she belongs to.

I log on to my Friendster, Facebook, MySpace and Nerve accounts to make sure the mail bars are rising with new friend requests, messages and testimonials.

I am obsessed with testimonials and solicit them incessantly. They are the ultimate social currency, public declarations of the intimacy status of a relationship. "I miss running around like crazy w/you in the AM and sneaking away to grab caffeine and gossip," Kathleen commented on my MySpace for all to see. Often someone will write, "I just posted to say I love you."

I click through the profiles of my friends to the profiles of their friends (and their friends of friends, and so on), always aware of the little bar at the top of each profile indicating my multiple connections. A girl I know from college is friends with my friend from college's best friend from Minnesota. They met at camp in seventh grade. The boyfriend of my friend from work is friends with one of my friends from high school. I note the connections and remind myself to IM them later. On Facebook, I skip from profile to profile by clicking on the faces of posted pictures. I find a picture of my sister and her boyfriend, click on his face and jump right to his page.

And that's just a snippet. It seems to consume most of her spare time. Is this typical of today's teens and twentysomethings? Brands will have a hard time penetrating a new generation that doesn't make time for anything outside their own personal network. There are brands experimenting with this (Fox's purchase of MySpace, for example) but the minute a brand makes its pitch too overt in a social networking space, that brand could lose all credibility.

Plus, I keep wondering, is all this online social networking making us an antisocial society in the real world? I belong to a couple of social networking sites, but I couldn't possibly deal with Stites' routine without going batshit crazy.

July 9, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

I like when people get excited about the business:

To be a winner, you have to believe. No, not just believe. If you're going to win, you have to totally and completely give yourself over to the cause of your client. You’re not a shill. You’re a communicator. You’re not selling...or even simply entertaining. You’re showing people how to improve their lives. Ultimately, the client’s product is the answer. It’s up to you to find the right question and frame it like Michelangelo would.

Precisely because one's attitude has an impact on the work, it is important to believe and to be positive. I haven't always done this. But it's something one can learn, so there's always hope.

July 9, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

Ad Age takes a closer look at changes that are coming to TV ad spending:

Come November, Nielsen Media Research will begin delivering average commercial ratings per program with measurements backdated to the start of the season. The figures will be in a format buyers can crunch much more simply than the minute-by-minute data available through Nielsen systems.

"Agencies and clients have charged us with proving that people who are recording commercials watch them, and that, in fact, is what this would do," said Fox President-Sales Jon Nesvig. "There has to be some form of currency that makes sense for both sides, and so I would think that commercial viewing over a reasonable time frame would be what our customers want."

While the change is radical, marketers still won't be paying for viewers of their own commercials. Rather, they'll pay for an average calculated on the basis of every ad break, or pod, that runs during a specific show. Still, it is the best way to move forward without buyers having to spend big to retool their current data-crunching systems. It also guards against the prospect of networks being penalized for bad or unpopular creative.

Any media buyers out there want to comment on this? Personally, I've never had much faith in Nielsen ratings, so I'm not sure this'll solve anything.

July 10, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

If I'm reading the New York Times right, viral videos are no longer cool. They've been adopted by one marketer after another, and now they've even caught on in Cincinnati.

For decades, the Procter & Gamble Company was perhaps the most staid and traditional national advertiser, rarely approving advertising that deviated from tried-and-true formulas. Now, as Procter begins exploring the wild world of so-called viral or word-of-mouth marketing, seeking to reach younger consumers who live online, eyebrows are being raised all over cyberspace.

For the last two months, Procter has been distributing a viral video clip for Folgers coffee, which can be watched on Web sites like adcritic.com, boardsmag.com, buzzpatrol.com and youtube.com. The clip presents a daffily skewed take on conventional coffee commercials, featuring a horde of impossibly cheerful people rampaging through a town.

The youth-oriented effort has its own Web site (toleratemornings.com), where the clip resides with wake-up calls, mock e-mail messages and a make-believe "boss tracker."

July 10, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

"We are moving away from phones as tools to phones as companions," Elise Levanto, Nokia's senior consumer vision manager told Business Week. This may be true in Helsinki, but companions need to be alive, at least where I come from. I'm getting a bit chafed by all the "let the brand be your friend" rhetoric I'm hearing. Brands are not friends. Friends are friends.

This is a pretty sweet looking phone, however.

July 10, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

From The Newark Star-Ledger:

The mayor of a small Bergen County town is calling for a McDonald's boycott if the fast-food chain does not take down a Spanish-language billboard advertising iced coffee.

Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan said the advertisement is "offensive" and "divisive" because it sends a message that Hispanic immigrants do not need to learn English.

"The true things that bind us together as neighbors and community is our belief in the American flag and our common language," Lonegan said. "And when McDonald's sends a different message, that we're going to be different now, that causes resentment."

July 11, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Ad Age has a piece on storytelling's place in the marketing wheel.

Storytelling in a business context is not about telling stories just for the sake of it. Rather, as rational and physical features are becoming easier to imitate, authentic storytelling is becoming a growing source of competitive power. All companies have authentic raw material: genuine, real-life episodes that can be used in the continuous communication of messages and values that appeal to key stakeholders.

While far from new, or revealing, the idea that a daily narrative needs to be woven by a brand's keepers is an important one.

For an example of a branded narrative in action, see this You Tube video.

July 11, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 4 Comments

I was pleased to learn Seventh Generation, the nation's leading brand of non-toxic and environmentally safe household products, is blogging. Then I read their "About" copy, and found it hard to go much deeper.

The Inspired Protagonist is Seventh Generation's voice, reaching out, to inspire the few who will inspire the many, bringing wealth and well-being to all who live and are about to live (seven generations) on the planet. We seek to add the action of change to every word, now.

What's for sale here—cheesy greeting cards or cleaning products?

When a brand enters the larger conversation, it's imperative to drop all pretense and corporate speak. If that's all a brand's pr writers know, then it's time to find someone else to write the blog.

In realted news, Dell launched a blog. Mercifully, Dell skips the "About" blather.

July 11, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Jim Scheinman, Bebo's "deal guy," now has a story he can tell his grandkids someday. For he just left $552 million U.S. dollars on the table.

TechCrunch says the MySpace look-a-like (okay, Bebo looks a little better) rejected the offer from a British Telecom a few weeks ago.

Bebo has 25 million registered users and 3 billion monthly page views. Myspace, for comparison, has 70+ million users and nearly 30 billion monthly page views.

I'm sure the Bebo team had good reasons to reject the offer, but I hope "we can get more money" is not one of them. I know it is highly likely that there is another entitiy willing to pay even more for this business, but these type of valuations seem outrageous to me.

Why not throw some geeks in a room and cook up your own MySpaceish thing for a fraction of the cost? No offense to the geeks at Bebo, nor anywhere else. I'm just saying I don't see anything proprietary here. No killer app, nor niche untapped .

July 11, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 13 Comments

Great Place To Work Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management named The Integer Group 9th best medium size company to work for. They also named Bridge Worldwide 9th best small company to work for. Matt Bergantino, a contributing writer here, and a friend, works for Bridge. I used to work for Integer, twice.

The old Battleship on 6th Ave.

First, allow me to congratulate Matt for working at a great place. He tells me they're always hiring, so they must have somethin' goin' on. Now, for Integer's part, it's clearly a good place to work. Some days. Others, not so much. But any day of the week, Integer is in Colorado, so it's never all bad.

I owe alot to my experience in Lakewood, I'll say that. Without a doubt, I am grateful for the chance I had to learn the promotional side of the business on Coors' brands. I had all the makings of an ad snob coming in, and it took a lot to break that down. Years of painful growth, to be exact. Now, I see how freeing it is to be on the marketing services side. Once you let go of little squares where ads go, you can begin to connect with people on a more enduring, human level.

POS is little squares. Don't get lost in my hopefulness. While some inside Integer, especially account executives, might see the agency as great, for me personally, the place was not creative, nor nimble enough. I like to work on a lighter ship. A gunner.

Be that as it may, I'd love to see Integer take more chances and do better work that brings mountains of coin and a dose of respect to their doorstep.

July 12, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

According to Ad Age, the big guys are recognizing the need for content, not advertising.

Branded-entertainment veteran Doug Scott is moving to Ogilvy & Mather North America, where he'll develop the agency's content offering.

His mandate is to bring together the wide variety of Ogilvy's disciplines, from ads to promotion and PR, to develop and execute nontraditional ideas across a wide range of media.

Mr. Scott's hire comes as Madison Avenue giants such as BBDO and JWT try to expand their capabilities in the world of original, branded content in the TV, film, music, mobile and concert arenas. Just last month, Omnicom Group's BBDO hired Fallon's Brian DiLorenzo as executive director-content.

July 12, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 5 Comments

In his column today, Lewis Lazare, examines the short six-month tenure of Michael Folino as DDB/Chicago's Chief Creative Officer. According to Lazare, Folino is moving to Wieden + Kennedy, where he will be a copywriter.

Folino's early departure also is sure to cast a dark shadow over Anderson and Scarpelli, who opted to go with an agency outsider in hiring Folino, a risky move at a creative department not used to being run by outsiders.

But Folino was a dicey choice for another reason: He spent his entire career prior to DDB working at shops on the West Coast, which have vastly different cultures than those of Chicago ad agencies. And recent history has shown creative-staff imports do not fare well at Chicago agencies, which, for better or worse, have much more conservative cultures and clients than what is typically found out West.

The ad biz in Chicago is ruled by suits. Everyone knows that. What I find hard to grasp is why. The arts flourish in Chicago. It is the city for independent theatre, the music scene is jumpin' and the architecture is through the roof. So why is Chicago's ad biz lagging, when it ought to be thriving?

July 12, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Ad Age reports on Dan Rather's imminent return to broadcast news, albeit on a satellite channel with a scant 3 million subscribers.

Only three weeks after his bitter break with CBS, Mr. Rather and HDNet announced that he will produce and host a weekly news program, "Dan Rather Reports," beginning in October.

"As a team player I intend to give Mark and HDNet all of the hard work, loyalty and fearless, high-quality reporting possible," Mr. Rather said.

Mr. Cuban brushed away questions at the press conference about opposition to Mr. Rather, and whether or not that might make marketers shy away from the new show. "If advertisers don't see Dan the right way, we're still going to have the show without advertising," Mr. Cuban said. "I think it's important to have integrity in journalism."

It's amazing what one can achieve with billions of dollars and a conscience. Rock on, Cuban.

July 13, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

Outdoor gear purveyor, The North Face, is delving deep into content. According to Media Buyer Planner:

The North Face and Pace Communications have launched a new online publication, Epic, penned by world-renowned climbers, alpinists, long-distance runners, skiers, snowboarders and others. Epic unites the adventure-sports industry across multiple disciplines, featuring advice, trends and coverage of events and expeditions of interest to athletes and consumers.

The company claims that the publication is "no glorified catalog for The North Face." Rather, it "brings the world's most daring sporting expeditions and remote locations to its readers through video feeds, live chats and photo slideshows. "

Athletes and other contributing experts will share their tips on everything from packing light to finding the best equipment to recipes for meals on the go. Readers can upload the recipes on to their iPods and take them along on their next trek. The site also features links to The North Face's events, including the Western States Endurance Run, The Endurance 50 and Badwater Endurance Marathon, and to philanthropic partners such as Global Giving.

Although, I've just had my first brief look, Epic appears to be a well executed big idea.

July 13, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

Gamespot reports on the latest brand to be swallowed up by the rave scene.

A series of postings by club-goers on a forum uncovered by Kotaku reveal that Xbox 360 pills are making the rounds at underground events around the central British city of Northampton.

The quality--and precise chemical content--of the Xbox 360 pills was the subject of some heated debate on the forum. However, one entity that won't be joining the debate is the Xbox 360 brand's legitimate owner. "In regards to the ecstasy pills, we don't have any comment on this," said a Microsoft rep. "But we're obviously aware of the rumors."

July 14, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Cell Trade USA is the world's first online community that gets dissatisfied cell phone customers out of their service contract.

According to Smart Money:

Many folks don't realize that they can drop their cell phone contract without paying a termination fee, which typically runs as much as $150 to $200 per line. All they have to do is find someone willing to take the contract over for its remaining term.

Cell Trade USA is free for buyers, who can search ads posted by sellers based on criteria such as cellular company, contract length, monthly price or type of phone offered. The $19.99 fee that sellers pay is due only after they start receiving emails from interested buyers and in the case they want to access the sender's contact information.

Since it launched a year ago, about 75,000 users a month have visited the site, which typically sports at least 1,000 active "for sale" ads.

July 14, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Pete Coors is an unpretentious man. If he was pretentious he would move around Denver in a chauffered car. After this story in the Denver Post, he might do well to consider the back seat option. He could always choose a rather nondescript vehicle.

Beer magnate and former Republican U.S. Senate candidate Pete Coors was arrested on a drunken-driving charge and is due to appear in court next week.

A Colorado State Patrol trooper pulled Coors over after he saw him run a stop sign around the corner from his home in Golden at 11:25 p.m. on May 28.

Coors stopped his 2004 green Jaguar in his driveway, and the trooper smelled alcohol, said State Patrol spokesman Trooper Gilbert Mares. Coors failed a field sobriety test, was placed in handcuffs and taken to the Golden Police Department jail, Mares said.

Coors said he was headed home from a wedding reception in Denver.

"I should have planned ahead for a ride," Coors said Thursday in a written statement. "For years, I've advocated the responsible use of our company's products. That's still my message, and our company's message. I am sorry that I didn't follow it myself."

July 14, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 2 Comments

Goodby's latest effort for HP, wherein "the computer is personal again" is good stuff. Adfreak's Catharine P. Taylor calls the work "an artful paean to how personal our computers have become, stuffed with our journal entries, MP3 files and vacation photos."

According to iMedia Connection, this is HP's first-ever global marketing campaign for its Personal Systems Group.

HP's personal computer market share is 15.7 percent; market leader Dell, Inc. has 18.2 percent.

July 14, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 2 Comments

Writing in BusinessWeek, Steve McKee offers a way of looking at advertising that I thought about a long time ago, but I don't think I ever wrote down.

Think about how you relate to most ads you see. You expect them to focus on themselves. You expect them to be loud. You expect them to tell you what they want you to hear, rather than focusing on what's interesting to you. Most ads act like someone with bad manners at a cocktail party. They fail the cocktail-party test.

Of course, it's true that our expectations of an ad from an etiquette standpoint are somewhat lower than what we expect from human contact. We don't get offended by an annoying ad the same way we do by an overbearing networker. But the principles of human interaction hold true, and whether the annoyance is coming at us through the door or through the television, it's something we want to avoid.

That's why most ads underperform. Advertisers desperately want to have a relationship with their prospects, but the reverse doesn't always hold true. And the more an advertiser presses, the less likely it is that they will be well-received. Just like at a cocktail party, advertisers have to win people over, not bowl them over.

He's right on. And even as more advertising dollars go to online and other new ventures, we run the risk of alienating people more than ever.

July 14, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 3 Comments

Leo Burnett went old school with its latest outdoor application for McDonald's. The billboard at the intersection of Clark and Addison features a sundial whose shadow falls on a different breakfast item each hour until noon, when the shadow of the McDonald’s arches are dead center.

To turn the sundial concept into reality, Leo Burnett hired Christian Huff, a Chicago-based electrical engineer and technical advisor to Studio One East, a Chicago graphic design business that does work for Leo Burnett.

Mr. Huff evaluated several available billboards before settling on the one west of Wrigley Field, where the sun hits at just the right angle to tell time between 6 a.m. and noon.

The billboard will remain in place until August, when the sun starts to wane, but Mr. Huff says he’s helping Leo Burnett evaluate other concepts.

[via Chicago Business]

July 15, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 0 Comments

The New York Times calls attention to some racy techniques to sell condos:

The Developers Group, a sales and marketing firm, first departed from the tried and tame in January with an advertisement for the Hudson Condominiums near the Time Warner Center, which showed an image of the 20-story building accompanied by the statement: “You Know Where You Can Stick Your Bonus.”

The firm’s partners, who are all younger than 35, were bored by cookie-cutter real estate advertisements featuring building facades and logos.

“A lot of the ads were looking identical,” said Highlyann Krasnow, the chief operating officer and executive vice president of the Developers Group. “To be a young company, it was getting to be painful for us,” she said. “They all seemed the same. They just weren’t fun.”

The “stick it” advertisement, as Ms. Krasnow calls it, created buzz for the condominium and got the firm noticed by developers who had never heard of it. “It became a conversation piece,” she said.

Interestingly, the creator of the "When Harry Met Sally"-inspired fake orgasm spot for Clairol Herbal Essences isn't very impressed by the new sales methods.

Linda Kaplan Thaler, chief executive and chief creative officer of the Kaplan Thaler Group, an advertising agency, said marketing a property with well-endowed women was a throwback to the days when men were the only income earners.

“It’s very limiting,” she said. “I don’t think it’s necessarily the best way to sell anything anymore.”

“I think the whole idea of using sex to sell apartments is passé,” she said. “In the 1980’s and 90’s, sex was very disruptive and naughty and taboo so we wanted to take a peek.”

Now, it is ubiquitous. “It’s not the new taboo anymore,” Ms. Thaler said.

July 15, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

According to Associated Press, Wendy's, based in the Columbus suburb of Dublin, is gearing up for football season.

The nation's third-largest burger chain plans to add the Brutus Buckeye Burger to the menu Aug. 28 and offer it through the football season. The burger - available at 125 central Ohio restaurants - is named for The Ohio State University's mascot.

In October, the company plans to introduce a Who-Dey Burger in the Cincinnati area in honor of the Bengals. The burger, which will include chili, shredded cheese and onions, is named for the popular fan cheer of "Who dey, who dey, who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals?"

July 15, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 8 Comments

Normally, an agency like Fallon doesn't have to go around placing classified ads to entice people to join its creative department.

But, as as we noted a while back, interactive creatives are much in demand. So Fallon has placed an ad on CreativeHotlist for an interactive copywriter.

Fallon would like to hire a writer. But not just any writer.

We're looking for an interactive writer, which at Fallon means something very different. Something much bigger.

We are not looking for someone who thinks ads are the end all be all. Or who are really just trying to get their foot in the door of the Fallon advertising creative department.

What we are looking for is a writer's writer. That means someone who truly understands structure and grammar and style... all those things so many people don't think are important anymore. (A book full of visual puns will not demonstrate that ability.) Of course, they'll also have to be crazy about the web and technology and all its potential. They must be wildly creative. In other words, a bright, articulate visionary.

This seems like a very weird ad. If Fallon is looking for a "writer's writer" for the interactive department, does that mean their advertising copywriters aren't good enough for interactive? Or, if they think some jobseekers are "really just trying to get their foot in the door of the Fallon advertising creative department," does that mean their interactive copywriters aren't good enough for the advertising department? It sounds as if "different," "something much bigger," and "bright articulate visionary," are very disingenuous descriptions.

I'm not suggesting that writing ads and writing for interactive don't involve different writing techniques. But I'm starting to get the impression that interactive agencies, and interactive departments of regular ad agencies, are largely becoming ghettos. It's now gotten to the point where you can't move from traditional to interactive (or vice versa) without prior experience, or without an employer questioning your motives. And it sounds like the two rarely work together.

I liken it to copywriters who love to write TV but would avoid radio like the plague. Once again, agencies are asking their creative departments to hire one-trick ponies, or once they hire them, agencies are determined to keep them that way.

July 15, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

When challenged with advertising toilet paper, it's important to dance gingerly around the biological neccesity behind the need for the product.

Not!

Charmin's U.K. brand managers, knowing how popular potty humor is, launched A Little Bit Rude, a site where users submit their own euphemisms for a bowel movement. There is also a viral video to pass around.

July 16, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

According to the copywriter who typed this gem, "Liveworld builds, operates, and moderates social networks and online communities with a difference that creates real solutions to meet real business goals." While these words may fall flat on my ears, WPP hears the jangle of money.

Ad Age and Adweek both report on the new joint venture between the firms.

"I believe that this type of venue is the foundation of relationship marketing in the next 10 years," said Peter Friedman, chairman and CEO of LiveWorld. "So much thinking and decision making is moving to this venue. People like to make their decisions and form their brand views based on their conversations with other people."

The joint venture will not preclude LiveWorld from working with non-WPP agencies. Instead, it will act as an evangelist within WPP for including Web communities in client campaigns, Friedman said.

As part of the deal, WPP will receive warrants to buy 2 million shares of LiveWorld.

July 17, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 3 Comments

The President of Earl Stewart Toyota may be betraying his tent-sale and bait-and-switch brethren with his blog, Earl Stewart On Cars.

On the blog, he gives advice to car buyers and owners on how to deal with dealers, service people, and pitfalls to avoid. Here's a sample:

The “Big Sale Event”. If you look in today’s newspaper, you will find that most car dealers in your area are having a sale of some kind. It may be because of a current holiday, “too large an inventory” of cars, to “reduce their taxes”, “the manager is out of town”, or some other nefarious lure. Advertising 101 says that you should give the prospective buyer a “motive to act”. Unfortunately it doesn’t matter whether the motive is real or not. The fact is that most car dealers do not sell their cars for less during “sales events” than they do at any other time. I point this out so that you don’t rush your buying decision. If you don’t buy a car during the tight time constraints of a phony sales event, you can negotiate just as good a price the next day. The exceptions to this are legitimate rebates offered by the manufacturer. These often expire at the end of the month which is one reason why the “last day of the month” really can be the best time to buy a car”.

It'll be interesting to see where this blog goes.

July 17, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 3 Comments

From The New York Times:

The network plans to announce today that it will place laser imprints of its trademark eye insignia, as well as logos for some of its shows, on eggs — 35 million of them in September and October. CBS’s copywriters are referring to the medium as “egg-vertising,” hinting at the wordplay they have in store. Some of their planned slogans: “CSI” (“Crack the Case on CBS”); “The Amazing Race” (“Scramble to Win on CBS”); and “Shark” (“Hard-Boiled Drama.”). Variations on the ad for its Monday night lineup of comedy shows include “Shelling Out Laughs,” “Funny Side Up” and “Leave the Yolks to Us.”

George Schweitzer, president of the CBS marketing group, said he was hoping to generate some laughter in American kitchens. “We’ve gone through every possible sad takeoff on shelling and scrambling and frying,” he said, adding, “It’s a great way to reach people in an unexpected form.”

July 17, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

eMarketer looks at a study by hear2.0, and concludes that terrestrial radio may be missing a beat. Why not conclude the inverse, that specialty webcasters are capitalizing?

I listen to distant community radio on a daily basis. WNCW, to be exact. I also listen to some specialty web-only stations like New Orleans Radio and Nugs dot net. I never listen to my local stations online, although I would if WHCJ, the voice of Savannah State University, was available.

July 18, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 12 Comments

Friend of AdPulp, Tom Asacker, is looking for examples of excellence in marketing communications (direct mail, ad, collateral, web, etc.). By "excellence" he means:

1. Something that grabs your attention because it is different, out of the ordinary, has a "wow" factor, makes you think, etc.

2. Quickly communicates what's in it for the prospect and why. Note: It could be anything from saving time, having fun, social capital, etc. B-to-B or B-to-C.

3. Makes it clear "how" the company/brand accomplishes #2. Proves the claim in some creative way.

If you have an example to share, leave a comment here, or contact Tom directly.

Here's my example...

Last night I saw a new Arby's spot, where a pitchman is in the board room at McDonald's trying to sell the big wigs on 100% natural chicken, instead of the 70% chicken plus fillers they now use in their sandwiches. McDonald's wasn't interested in the man's pitch. In fact, the faux managers found it laughable.

While there's nothing new in the attack ad format, the spot got my attention and made me think. Given that only one out of every 100 or so ads has the power to do that, I'd say Arby's has a successful campaign on their hands. I find it compelling because Arby's neatly differentiates itself from the competition, something entertainment-only ads fail to do.

July 18, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 2 Comments

Cannes needs a new prize category, "Best MySpace imitation." I'm sure Wal-Mart's agency, GSD+M, would gladly pay the entry fee.

Here's what Ad Age has to say about the mega chain's "me too" effort:

Desperate to appeal to teens with something other than pencils and backpacks during the crucial back-to-school season, Wal-Mart is launching a quasi-social-networking site for teens designed to allow them to "express their individuality," yet it screens all content, tells parents their kids have joined and forbids users to e-mail one another. Oh, and it calls users "hubsters" -- a twist on hipsters that proves just how painfully uncool it is to try to be cool.

Desperate to see just how the Bentonville crew roles, I clicked over and watched a sample video (that are supposed to be user generated). In the professionally produced segment, the girl says, "Fashion is like everything to me. Shopping is like my number one thing." Hold it, I thought MySpace was the number one thing for teens. I'm so confused.

July 18, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 2 Comments

Three years ago at Madison and Vine, Coca-Cola's then CEO stood up and told the room his company was not in the business of selling sweet drinks, but was in fact a media company selling brand impressions.

It seems "the memo" was well received at Home Depot's Atlanta headquarters. According to Adweek, Home Depot will begin selling ads on its web site.

The Atlanta-based home improvement retailer is hoping to entice advertisers with the promise of reaching the 4 million consumers who view the Web site each week, and the more than 6 million subscribers to various homedepot.com newsletters.

A number of vendors have signed on, including fixture-maker Moen.

This is one of those big ideas that's so natural, it's hard to believe someone didn't think of it years ago.

July 18, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Harper Collins Canada has a new book it's pushing, Gautam Malkani’s electrifying debut, Londonstani.

Funny, crude, disturbing, written in the vibrant language of its protagonists—a mix of slang, texting, Panjabi and bastardized gangsta rap—Londonstani is about many things: tribalism, aggressive masculinity, integration, cross- cultural chirpsing techniques, the urban scene seeping into the mainstream, bling-bling economics and “complicated family-related shit.” It is one of the most surprising novels of recent years.

Compelling copy, for sure, but Harper Collins is not stopping there. They've launched an internet-based trailer program for their hottest releases. While purists may quibble with the move, Blink author, Malcolm Gladwell, told the Guardian, "I think I speak for all writers, when I say that I am delighted by marketing efforts of any sort."

July 19, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

USA Today reports on NBC's plan to reward loyalists and create buzz for its upcoming season.

As part of its efforts to promote its fall TV season, NBC will offer the first episodes of two new shows, before they air, to the 4.8 million subscribers to online rental service Netflix.

From Aug. 8 to Sept. 16, Netflix will offer subscribers a commercial-free DVD featuring the Sept. 17 season openers of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Kidnapped .

"We're trying to create a viral community of evangelist fans for the shows so that they can create word of mouth," says John Miller, chief marketing officer of NBC Universal's TV group.

NBC is trying to build buzz by exploiting the trend of people watching TV shows on DVD. TV compilations are about 20% of Netflix rentals, up from 6% three years ago.

July 19, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

According to the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal will begin to place advertising on its front page this September. The move could generate tens of millions of dollars a year in revenue.

The move is one more sign of the relentless financial pressures that have forced newspapers to consider new ways of raising money — like giving prominence to advertisers in areas of the paper once considered sacred.

While journalists may grumble about ad creep, L. Gordon Crovitz, publisher of The Journal and executive vice president of The Journal’s owner, Dow Jones & Company, said that readers, at least those in Journal focus groups, did not care. “We had a question about how readers would react to the front-page ad, and we were struck by how insignificant an issue it was,’’ he said.

The Journal, with a print circulation of about 1.7 million, has the second-highest weekday circulation in the country, after USA Today.

July 19, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 7 Comments

Assistant Brand Manager on the Cap'n Crunch brand, Jason Dolenga, riffing on Seth Godin's post, "How to live happily with a great designer":

Too often, freshly minted MBAs (me included) come to a new marketing role thinking that the way they are going to make their mark is by questioning every little point, color selection, and design decision made by agency creatives. Unfortunately, things all go terribly wrong (for the person nit-picking) when a junior marketer starts picking work apart in meetings. I learned quickly that this was not the way to go, and learning to trust the creatives literally changed my relationships and credibility with our agency partners overnight.

The lesson here is that if you want great creative, trust the creatives to bring it. If you are frustrated with not being able to copywrite every line of that ad for your brand, or you want to change the color just because red is your favorite, quit your job and go become a copywriter or an art director.

In other words, show some respect and you will get what you need.

July 20, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

According to The Syndey Morning Herald, the man in the bear suit just banked $200,000--ten times what a "normal" photog might earn--for a Lee Jeans campaign.

Terry Richardson, known for "louche imagery that blurs the lines between photography and pornography," gets this kind of cash, because the competition is incredibly stiff in denim at the moment. Richard Bell, the marketing manager for Lee's parent, Icon Clothing, says, "We feel like we have to constantly push it."

July 20, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 3 Comments

Hugh MacLeod is talking about "Objects of Sociability," or what he calls, Ooze. He says "Ooze" is something that allows you to engage with another person. After saying this, Hugh dives into subatomic physics. Why? Because he can.

At the subatomic level, things are interchangably waves or particles, depending on what instruments you are using to observe them [somebody far more scientific than me, please correct me if I'm wrong]. It might look like a wave one day, a particle the next.

A traditional marketing "message" acts like a wave. In the future, I believe marketing messages will behave more like particles [that is, if they want to succeed]. A wave stays connected to its source, a particle does not. Once the particle leaves you, it is no longer yours. You no longer control it, anymore than a dandelion spore controls the wind.

Where old companies are gettting mixed up with new marketing is, they're trying to treat particles like waves, and failing.

What this all means is anyone's guess, but I think it means your brand doesn't belong to you, it belongs to the market.

July 20, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Computer-to-computer calling is now free, thanks to Gizmo Project. Pardom me, it's forever free.

Engadget says, "if this is any sign of things to come, we'd say the free voice revolution may finally have a proper flagbearer."

And there's a Mac and Linux client right out of the box. How do you like that?

July 20, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 7 Comments

After picking up U.S. consumer promotion and co-marketing duties on the Jimmy Dean, Ball Park, Hillshire Farm, Senseo and Sara Lee brands, Lisa Hurwitz, senior VP-business development and marketing at Arc Worldwide, said:

"Retail is really the new consumer battleground. So you have a captive audience in the shopper and figuring out how to capture her attention at retail has become a real critical point for marketers, and [our] expertise at that point of retail is one of our key differentiators and something that really attracted Sara Lee" to the agency."

Whoa. As a pitch, "We do POS really well" is about as lame as another TV-heavy media plan. Promotions agencies need to build relationships with prospects and buyers, just like ad agencies, interactive agencies and the rest must do. For point of sale to truly work, all the other points of contact must be aligned.

July 20, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

powered by ODEO

Senator Ted Stevens' finest hour, all mashed up for your listening pleasure.

July 21, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

USA Today is running a story on the clue Sony BMG just got.

Jessica Simpson's "A Public Affair" went on sale this week at Yahoo Music, and unlike every digital song sold on competitors Apple iTunes, Napster and Rhapsody, it is compatible with all portable music players. The song is in the open MP3 format and can be transferred to an Apple iPod or players by Creative, Samsung and others.

Record labels have refused to sell songs without digital rights management (DRM) in the past. Consumer advocates hope this is the beginning of a trend.

"It's about time," says Fred von Lohmann, a senior attorney with the public interest group Electronic Frontier Foundation. "This is an important signal that the labels may be finally realizing that DRM is hindering the size of the market."

Sony BMG played down the significance of the release.

Ian Rogers, writing on Yahoo Music Blog, says, "As you know, we’ve been publicly trying to convince record labels that they should be selling MP3s for a while now. Our position is simple: DRM doesn’t add any value for the artist, label (who are selling DRM-free music every day — the Compact Disc), or consumer, the only people it adds value to are the technology companies who are interested in locking consumers to a particular technology platform."

July 21, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Former Wieden + Kennedy brand planner, Russell Davies, just drew a well marked path out of mediocrity, for any soul brave enough to follow it.

1. Hire advertising people, you get advertising

2. The key to creative genius; work harder

3. You can't divorce the medium from the message

4. Do good work, the money will follow

5. Hold everyone to the same standard

6. You can tell from the work if people enjoyed making it

7. Brands that influence culture sell more

For his detailed explanations of each point, click over to Russell's blog.

July 21, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

photo courtesy of Flickr user, Lynetter

The above figure comes from the recent Pew report on blogging, which you can learn more about here, here or here.

There are a lot of ways to process the information presented by Pew. The image above focuses positively on the the idea that one third of bloggers see what they do as journalism. Whereas, my headline, takes the same data in a different direction.

July 21, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 1 Comments

From the AP:

Japanese carmaker Nissan said Friday it has pulled a raunchy commercial starring "Sex and the City" actress Kim Cattrall from New Zealand television after complaints over its content.

Cattrall, who plays sex-obsessed, promiscuous Samantha Jones in the hugely successful U.S. series, appears in the ad purring with excitement about Nissan's new sedan.

"Why didn't you tell me it was so big, I just wasn't prepared for it?" she gushes. "The all-new Nissan Tiida makes you feel really, really, really good inside."

She tells a salesman: "Ah! That was amazing. Absolutely fabulous! I mean the great body and the way you moved it."

I can't wait until she starts appearing in commercials for Hummers.

July 24, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

According to Lewis Lazare, Hotel Monaco, a division of Kimptom Hotels, will begin to sell its staff outfits to customers who want to look at home in the lobby.

Of course these aren't exactly standard-issue hotel uniforms. Underscoring the Monaco's penchant for always displaying good taste, the small chain tapped noted fashion designer and Chicago native Cynthia Rowley to do the honors of giving Monaco employees a stylish new look that they all have now just begun to wear.

The new ensembles range from a gray cotton sateen suit with a mauve, cloud-print cargo shirt for male front desk attendants to dark plum corduroy blazers for doormen and green rose-print microfiber dresses for the housekeepers.

But more importantly, at least from the standpoint of fashion-conscious Monaco guests, a large number of the uniform separates will be available for purchase at all Monaco properties at prices ranging from $50 for a paisley men's tie in blueberry or raspberry up to $316 for the men's corduroy blazer.

The move makes sense. If you can buy the bedding, the bed, the mini bar items, etc., why not the concierge's blazer?

July 24, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Nina Munk, a former writer for Fortune and a freelance writer for Vanity Fair, launched Urbanhound.com in 2000. The pet-friendly site is now expanding to San Francisco and Chicago.

According to the New York Times, Munk represents a new type of business journalist—one with the will to step into an entrepreneur's shoes.

With the pages of their own newspapers and magazines full of articles about cutbacks, buyouts and consolidation, some reporters have stared down grim realities of the news business and decided that there may be opportunity amid all the mayhem.

Content may or may not be king, but it’s mighty valuable. Journalists, who know a thing or two about its creation, are beginning to build sites that help them maintain custody of the content and, if all goes well, reap the rewards.

Munk told the times, she was not "sufficiently ambitious" at the onset of her business.

“I think for a business reporter, starting a business is humbling,” she said. “I think you develop a new appreciation for what it takes to manage a huge business. I have become acutely aware of the personality traits required for success in business.

“None of these guys have any doubts, and I am filled with self-doubt,” she added. “I’ve learned a lot about how single-minded you have to be.”

July 24, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

Advertising Age tells us today about Gay Gaddis, the Texas cattlewoman behind tech shop, T3. Ms. Gaddis, 50, and her husband, Lee, run an 800-acre working cattle ranch, about an hour and a half outside of Austin, near Marble Falls.

"The land gives you a different set of values," said Ms. Gaddis, president-CEO of Austin marketing firm T3. "It gives a wholeness that guides a lot of who we are. It translates into how I run the business."

T3 is one of the country's largest privately held agencies wholly controlled by a woman.

July 24, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 3 Comments

Every so often, a commercial comes along that is the absolute antithesis of everything that creative people aspire to, but gets legendary amounts of attention. The ubiquitous HeadOn ad is just such a spot. Slate takes a closer look.

According to Dan Charron, VP of sales and marketing for HeadOn, the company used focus groups to test all sorts of marketing tacks. One experimental approach maxed out on repetition, and the results were incredible. The focus groups' recollection of the ad, and of the product, was light-years better than with any other method. Which, of course, seems completely obvious—how can we forget something when it's being jammed into our brains? And yet I've never seen an ad embrace this insight with so much gusto.

I suspect most advertisers avoid the broken-record technique out of fear that it will annoy people. Which it does. But so what? Maybe a small percentage of us will snootily refrain from buying HeadOn—as an act of protest against an ad we find irritating—but this is a small price to pay when millions of other folks are now familiar with HeadOn, curious about it, and unlikely ever to forget its name. The repetition method serves no purpose for a well-established brand ("Coca-Cola: Pour it down your esophagus. Coca-Cola: Pour it down your esophagus"), but for a new product fighting to get noticed, it makes a lot of sense.

If you're not a headache sufferer, watch the commercial a few times and you will be.

July 25, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Like the new Apple spots that ask, "Are you a Mac or a PC?" one might ask the same of the world's top search engines. Do you Google, or do you Yahoo?

This New York Times story explores some of the differences in the two companies.

Do Internet users prefer services that are consistent and predictable, like those offered by Yahoo, or are they more interested in Google’s wow factor?

“Yahoo has lost its appetite for experimentation,” said Toni Schneider, a former product development executive at Yahoo who is now chief executive of Automattic, a blogging software company. “They used to be a lot more like Google, where someone would come up with a cool idea and run with it.”

While Yahoo’s processes have become too bureaucratic, it is still attracting an audience, Mr. Schneider said. “Google’s products may be more innovative, but at the end of the day, Yahoo is pretty good at nailing what the user really wants.”

Google's search bar is built in to my browser window and I have a Google search widget, should I choose to go that way. Thus, Google clearly rules the search roost. When it comes to email, I'm only now beginning to compare the two. I've had a Yahoo email account for years. Now I also have a Gmail account. The two are not dramatically different, but I like the usability of Google's version a bit more.

From a purely functional point of view, I'm a Google fan. Yet, there's something alluring in the Yahoo brand, so I don't want to abandon the Yahooligans. Plus, they have Flickr, which is now attached to my Yahoo account.

Bottom line, I'll continue to use both services. You?

July 25, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

Visa, in a move that some may find disturbing, has a product placement deal with Hasbro. The classic board game, Monopoly, will no longer use paper money. The currency of old is being replaced by faux Visa cards and readers/calculators.

While this story seems like a perfect Onion piece, I found it on Engaget. Therefore, it is most likely true.

A deal was struck with Visa to design the mock cards and readers, presumably after surveys showed that 70% of adults used cash less often now than they did a decade ago. When asked about the dramatic change, Parker said replacing cash with plastic "showed the game was moving with the times."

Sometimes the times don't warrant keeping up with.

July 25, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 2 Comments

There are character blogs and then there are blogs written by characters who assume another's identity. This type of blog has no known name and is rarely spotted. Yet, one has been located.

The contents of one post from earlier today is now before you:

HP wants to be cool like us

So they create a Web site where lame-ass losers do soccer tricks with their fingers and rolled-up paper balls. Riiiight. Great work there, Satjiv Chahil. And people still wonder why we fired you. HP's snazzy new slogan is "The computer is personal again." I guess because "Our buggy new operating system won't be ready until late next year and we don't have anything new to sell you" doesn't have the same ring to it. Ha! Meow! Wait till you bitches see Leopard.

July 25, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Holly Burns of Nothing but Bonfires is on holiday in Singapore. Poolside the other day, she witnessed three adolescent boys considering their Crocs. I'm sorry to report that Burns was scarred by the experience.

Did you know this? Did you know that there was a Hierarchy of Coolness based on the color of your Crocs? Isn’t it enough that they’re all entirely hideous and that everyone on this tiny island seems to have become suddenly and violently obsessed with them, meaning that you can buy them on every street corner, in fact, so out of control is the madness that I could well have bought a pair AT THE OPTICIAN’S yesterday? Isn’t that enough? It used to be that people said “don’t get caned!” when you went to Singapore, and then they said “don’t get SARS!” These days, you can probably hear the cries of “don’t get Crocs! Oh please, please, no matter how good the exchange rate is, just don’t get Crocs!” from the departure lounge. Followed, most likely, by “and especially don’t get red ones!”

In the interest of full disclosure, I own a tan and a green pair of Boulder's finest. Although I prefer not to discuss them, when another Croc wearer sees me with mine on, the mutual footwear choice does tend to break the ice.

July 26, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Ad Age has posted their second 'CMO Connections' video, a project supported by CBS Radio. In this edition, Point editor, Jennifer Rooney, sits down with Andrea Spiegel, VP-sales and marketing, JetBlue.

There are no real highlights from the spot. I take note of it because two prominent media companies have come together to create a video podcast series dedicated to Chief Marketing Officers. Given how far down the long tail a subject like this is, it's safe to say video on the net is the latest and greatest thing.

[UPDATE] Kevin Maney of USA Today says, "Web video sites are proliferating like bunnies that broke into a vat of Viagra."

July 26, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 4 Comments

Hugh MacLeod is far from excited by the work coming out of the ad industry. That much we know. But what does excite Mr. MacLeod?

The Cluetrain wasn't written by a Leo Burnett employee.

Movable Type wasn't invented by McCann.

RSS wasn't invented by JWT.

Robert Scoble doesn't work for Fallon.

Techmeme wasn't invented by Saatchi.

Advertising people are supposed to be in "the idea business". But none of the ideas that have excited me in the last 5 years or so have come from Madison Avenue. Not one. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

He seems particularly excited by technology and its rapid advancement into our lives.

As for me, I'm more excited by the rise of eco-consciousness and the great potential green businesses have before them. I'm excited that Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes make The Allman Brothers Band sound the way they do. I'm excited when I catch a fish and later grill it to perfection.

If there's a point to this ramble, it's that advertising is work. I look for my inspiration away from work with the hope that it can later help fuel my work when I return to it.

That being said, there's no letting ad people off the hook for repeatedly turning in safe, totally irrelevant, pompous work. Idea people need to be entreprenurial. Sadly, widespread agency consolidation is stamping out creative cultures in favor of corporate cultures, run by bean counters not visionaries.

While I don't find RSS nor Scoble all that exciting, I do like that big ideas are coming from small teams and individuals. The ad biz can get its mojo back. The formula is rather pedestrian: Put small teams in charge of big projects, then get out of the way.

July 26, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 1 Comments

I need not remind anyone how far gone our political process is, but I will offer up further evidence to support the claim, courtesy of Cinemocracy.

I never have understood why political candidates don't see the need for professional advertising. Do they want to be seen as used car salesmen? For whatever reason, budgetary or otherwise, it seems they do.

July 26, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 5 Comments

Kate Spicer examines Karl Lagerfeld's penchant for marketing to women in The Sunday Times:

How does a septuagenarian homosexual fashion designer in a powdered ponytail know what women fantasise about? He’s not Nancy Friday. Yet here he is, giving us a heterosexual fantasy that most women — and men — would find immensely satisfying.

July 27, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 4 Comments

Why Advertising Sucks is running a piece on the various words we use to define ourselves in this business.

It seems that being a writer is just not good enough, let alone being just a copywriter. Heaven forbid. Nope. We are now Copy Strategists and Verbal Identity Specialists.

Just as a web programmer who does nothing needs to call himself a "Total Experience Director," this latest industry evolution just goes to show that we constantly feel the need to justify our professional existence by coming up with these meaningless euphemisms - titles that do nothing but practically acknowledge how base and shallow our industry has become. The attempt to specialize a profession which is neither science nor art just makes us look foolish.

Personally, I think the term "copywriter" blows. It fails to communicate effectively to people outside the industry. "Oh, you place those little legal marks on things?" more than one confused person has asked.

I usually say, "I'm a writer who works in advertising," when people ask me what I do. While this is not as punchy as "I'm a writer," or "I'm a copywriter" it provides the definition people seek, although I've found that some have never before considered that there's a person who writes every single commercial message they encounter.

July 27, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

You know how to tell if a company is making money? You look at their parking lot. No, not just for the German engineering, for a decided lack of parking spaces. Lack of parking spaces means there's alot of action going on inside the buildings.

Yahoo is one company with inadequate parking spaces, according to the civic-minded photo documentation of Flickr user, ycantpark. I wonder what Google's parking lot looks like.

July 27, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

Do you chafe when confronted by vacuous langauge, like "according to sources"? Henry Abbott does. On his blog True Hoop, the sportswriter says:

Journlists at mainstream news outlets have a whole series of trouble they go to to avoid crediting other news organizations. They essentially won't do it unless they absolutely have to. You'll almost never see a CNN anchor say "ABC news is reporting..."

But bloggers do exactly that, almost every time. And you know what? It's like a breath of fresh air. I prefer it so much, especially as a reader of blogs. It helps me judge the quality of the source, and it just creates an atmosphere of refreshing straightforwardness--instead of playing weird games.

[via Kottke]

July 27, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 14 Comments

Crispin Porter + Bogusky's new Boulder, Colorado office is bandwidth-rich, to put it mildly. In the middle of a long article about the agency's move to Mork and Mindy's hood, Adweek reveals how the two offices plan to use technology to stay in touch.

Off to the side of the lobby, parked outside a corner office, a double-screen monitor projects the party under way. With a camera mounted on top, the unit serves to keep the agency's two offices connected 24/7 via a private high-speed 55 megabits-per-second fractional OC3 link that can scale up to 155 megabits-per-second (the equivalent of 100 T1s) as the traffic grows. The agency will project the onscreen images life size onto one lobby wall, where staffers can meet their Miami counterparts. Two other walls will hold collapsible bleachers. "We built a town square," says chairman Chuck Porter, animatedly describing how the technology will easily provide two-way communication between the locales and allow for the random hallway run-ins that help people feel connected and often turn into productive conversations. "I want this to feel like the second or third floor of the same building," says Porter.

The article also reveals the Gunpark Drive location of the new office. I'm sure finding enough space on, or near, Pearl Street Mall was more than a bit challenging. Oh, Alex Bogusky is riding his bike to work now. I can't leave that out.

July 28, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 1 Comments

American Copywriter points to this ad for Winston.

Never mind the "I can't believe they got away with this back in the day" factor. If old commercials keep cropping up, can brands that truly want to change their image succeed? Because nearly every brand that's been around for the last 50 years ago has some cheesy advertising in its past.

And, as this clip makes the rounds of the 'Net, could this affect, and influence, more kids to smoke, or it is just a nostalgia trip for adults?

July 29, 2006 by Shawn Hartley | Permalink | 0 Comments

Please pardon our dust. We're doing some upgrades on the site this weekend so if anything seems amiss, it should all be back to normal by Monday morning.

Thanks.

July 30, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 16 Comments

Ad Age reports that Chrysler's new campaign featuring "Dr. Z" isn't helping their sales:

The automaker won't report July sales until later this week, but independent auto-information site Edmunds.com forecasts Chrysler Group's U.S. sales will slide 17% vs. July 2005. The drop reflects one fewer selling day than last year.

There are other reasons why the employee-discount program, which moved tons of metal last time, isn't cutting it now. Jesse Toprak, executive director-industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said history has shown that incentives don't work well the second time around. He noted that consumers may have figured out that 0% financing is actually a better deal than employee discounts because of high interest rates on new-vehicle loans. Others fault rising gas prices, which are taking a toll on the entire industry.

But some of the blame must be left at the feet of the bespectacled Dr. Z. Art Spinella, president of CNW Marketing Research, said the spots just aren't what the doctor ordered: Fully 80% of new-car intenders thought he was a fictional character. Instead of luring buyers who intended to buy competitive brands, CNW found the employee-discount ads pulled ahead sales from people who had planned on buying a Chrysler Group product later in the year. And while the German-engineering pitch made more potential buyers consider Chrysler in the Northeast, if failed to sway them in the South and Southern California.

Hey, I got an idea: Bring back Lee Iacocca--and put him in lederhosen. Hey, sales can't get that much worse, could they?

July 30, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 2 Comments

Six months after I wondered why Doner was seemingly the only ad agency without a website, now they've got one.

Check it out.

Was it worth the wait?

July 31, 2006 by Dan Goldgeier | Permalink | 1 Comments

Well, it's not the most active blog in the world, but I stumbled onto the Idaho Ad Agencies Blog.

So I thought I'd just give a shout-out to our friends in the Potato State. I hear Boise is a kick-ass city to live in--seriously. Curiously, the blog already links to us, I didn't know that.

July 31, 2006 by david burn | Permalink | 0 Comments

New York Times is reporting on a consortium of newspapers working with an online news aggregator, Inform.com, to scan hundreds of news and blog sites and deliver content related to articles appearing on their Web sites, regardless of who published those articles. In other words, they will begin linking to the competition.

“Five years ago, everybody said you have to keep readers on your site, with no links out to other sites,” said Caroline H. Little, chief executive and publisher of Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive, the online division of the Washington Post Company. “But ultimately, people will go where they want to go.”