This month, the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta will host folks like Ani DiFranco, Shawn Mullins, and Suzanne Vega. But last night, it hosted Alex Bogusky, in an Atlanta Ad Club Event. Going in, I thought this would only perpetuate the dude's so-called "rock star" image. (I've always said there are no rock stars in advertising.) But it turned out to be a nice, informative evening. The whole thing was set up like an …
Truth Against The World
"If you will look, by and large, at the present-day practice of any profession you will see a sordid picture. Absolutely a sordid picture." -Frank Lloyd Wright, speaking in Biloxi, MS in 1949 Few creative professionals in any field fought as long and as hard to maintain their particular vision as did Frank Lloyd Wright. It's amazing what the man achieved in his 92 years on earth, and also amazing what he endured. …
Pun Alert
Good writers detest puns. But that hasn't done a thing to deter businesses from deploying them. The latest entry comes to us from Las Vegas, where Sexxpresso is now serving up some hot coffee. For more on this emerging trend, see this news segment from Seattle. …
Yet Another Facebook Story: Friends Selling Friends
Me channeling Mark Zuckerberg: Hey, I know, instead of brands pitching products, let's get regular people to do it for them. You know, it'll be like word-of-mouth on crank. According to stories in Ad Age and The New York Times, Facebook's CEO told a group of clients and press gathered in New York yesterday that his firm will "help you create some of the best ad campaigns you've ever built." Zuckerberg spoke in grand …
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Yahoo Brand Tarnished By Informant Role In China
According to The Wall Street Journal, American firms seeking large piles of cash in China are faced with more than day-to-day business challenges. They're faced with tough moral choices. An unusually dramatic congressional hearing on Yahoo Inc.'s role in the imprisonment of at least two dissidents in China exposed the company to withering criticism and underscored the risks for Western companies seeking to expand …
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Sundays Are For Church And Football, Not News
Reflections of a Newsosaur shares some bad news for the newspaper biz. An ongoing decline in Sunday readership, if unabated, could have a disproportionately greater impact on the already weakened economics of newspapers than a corresponding reduction in daily sales. That’s because Sunday sales historically have generated half of the advertising revenues at most newspapers. I often ask myself what the world is coming …
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Living Dangerously
Many agencies desire a fast food account. It's a good way to fatten up their bank accounts. Of course, consumers also put on weight when desire for fast food is manufactured. According to A Calorie Counter, the QSR category is peddling a dangerous product—trans fat—in frightening quantities. The writer looked over the nutrition facts of literally every single item from the menus of McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, A&W, …
Gisele Scoffs At Our Measly Dollars
The U.S. dollar is in trouble. And people with money know it. According to Bloomberg, the dollar has lost 34 percent of its value since 2001 and investors say it will weaken further as home sales fall and the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates. The dollar plummeted to its lowest ever last week against the euro, Canadian dollar and Chinese yuan. It is also the cheapest in 26 years against the British pound. Which is …
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