The Gap did some wonderful ads a few years back. The reason I say "wonderful" is because the ads used celebrities in a refreshing way. Jack Kerouac Wore Khakis. That's clean. And clean is nice. Now, The Gap has a new set of celebs—Liz Phair, Keith Urban, Joss Stone, Jason Mraz and Alanis Morissette—plus a new look-and-feel to the ads. The photography is striking, for sure, but the ads lack that certain "throwback …
DeVille Is Dundee
USA Today: Cadillac is killing DeVille — the name, not the car. It has redesigned the model that's been DeVille and renamed it DTS — which has stood for DeVille Touring Sedan on previous models — to conform with Caddy's three-letter model names: SRX, XLR, STS. (Submit questions now: Chat with James R. Healey, 2 p.m. ET) Caddy says it has used the name DeVille continuously since 1949 and has sold 6 million quite …
Sharapova Shot Out Of Canon
New York Times: The United States Open tennis tournament, which got under way this week, appears to be aptly named - the blue-chip sponsors for 2005 are more open than ever to trying nontraditional methods to reach consumers. For example, Canon hired tall blonde women dressed to resemble the tennis star Maria Sharapova to mingle with passers-by at busy sites like Rockefeller Center and Times Square, handing out …
American Express Loses Its Mojo
In The New York Times: The American Express Company said yesterday that it would make changes to a campaign about Andy Roddick losing and finding his "mojo" after his first-round defeat at the United States Open tennis tournament. George Parker over at AdScam doesn't mince words about the whole thing: Having invested several gazillion dollars in a TV campaign featuring Roddick "Looking for his Mojo," you know first …
Volvo Works It’s Safety Positioning
Washington Times: The Swedish unit of U.S. carmaker Ford Motor Co. is experimenting with a built-in breathalyzer and speed governor to reduce road accidents. The breathalyzer is part of the seat belt mechanism, and before the car will start, the driver must blow below .08 percent or less with the belt buckled. All 50 U.S. states have adopted .08 as the legal limit, while in Sweden, the legal limit is .02, or the …
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Zima’s Maltdown
Westword: I figured I was up for some experimentation. I'm secure in my own identity and all, but I'm also a young guy in his prime. So why not try something a little risque? Truth be told, I was malt-curious. And the Nob Hill Inn on East Colfax Avenue seemed like the perfect place to conduct my own alcohol study: Is it possible for a man to order a Zima in a tough-guy bar and not get his ass kicked? That's a …
Gentleman Rancher Causes Consternation
According to The Washington Post, David E. Lipson--a multimillionaire entrepreneur who was once chairman of Frederick's of Hollywood--wants to trademark "The Last Best Place," a phrase associated with Montana, where the tycoon has a ranch. If Lipson has his way his various companies would have exclusive commercial use of "The Last Best Place" as a brand name. The phrase could be used to sell anything -- real estate, …
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French, Without All The France
It's rare that I find French bashing humorous. But this French restaurant in Park City pulls it off. The restaurant's tag line is, "French, without all the France." The introductory copy on their site reads, "You'll find no poodles. No bidets. No bloody Jerry Lewis. Just one rapturous meal after another, served up in the coziest corner this side of the Seine." My friends at BOWG, Salt Lake City, are responsible for …
