General Motors is in a tough spot right now despite earning solid profits — it made $35 billion in North America over the last three years — while closing plants in the United States. G.M. is in a tough spot because 49,000 of its union workers want to share in these profits and they’re now […]
Leo Burnett/London Helps To Elevate Role of Design in Society
Creative agency Leo Burnett London and the Design Museum, have launched the museum’s new purpose campaign, called ‘Design: Humanity’s Best Friend’, celebrating the impact of design in everyone’s lives. The campaign aims to show how design is integral to everyday life and highlights the museum as a must-see destination in London this year. Lord Mandelson, […]
Chief Communications Officers Are Movin’ On Up
In the agency business, the CCO is the Chief Creative Officer. On the client-side, the CCO is the Chief Communications Officer. The Chief Communications Officer is not the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), but the roles are intertwined. Or they were. According to PR Week, modern CCOs are now tasked with brand management in addition to […]
Go Ahead, Rip the Bandages Off Your Digital Daydreams
It’s #FlashbackFriday. Let’s return in time to August 31, 1997. On this day, Tom Peters’ article, “The Brand Called You” was published in FastCompany. Peters is a famous consultant, speaker, and writer. Nevertheless, the thinking in his seminal piece has not aged well. Let’s have a look: …You’re not defined by your job title and […]
Boots on the Ground: Timberland To Help Plant 50 Million Trees
Brand purpose has plenty of detractors inside the ad industry. For example, Simon White, chief strategy officer at FCB West argues: “When brands advertise their favorite social cause, instead of meeting consumers’ goals, the advertising becomes irrelevant, ineffective and annoying.” White adds, “When it comes to advertising, don’t start with your why, start with theirs.” […]
Playing the Plame Game in Northern New Mexico
Lady driving backwards through the desert in a Camaro. That’s American. Lady intelligence officer dangerously outed in a political hit. Not American. Valeria Plame, the former undercover CIA agent, is now a candidate for Congress in New Mexico’s third district. The incumbent Congressman, Ben Ray Luján, is running for U.S. Senate. Plame was operations chief […]
Are You A Counselor to Brands? Or A Circus Freak Out On Loan?
Generally speaking, agencies of record are no more. Today, even the fattest of Ad Cats are happy to take on projects. Has this change ushered in an era of egalitarianism? Or has it turned ad men and women into fine young cannibals? A Lament for Lost Days The breakdown of the AOR relationship between agency […]
Not Just Another Acronym (ICYMI)
Political advertising isn’t like other advertising. In many cases, it’s not nearly as good. There are copious reasons for this, ranging from minuscule budgets to the client’s hatred of marketing, and a widely held belief in political circles that a candidate’s positions and policies matter most. Thankfully, there are a few rays of sunshine bursting […]
40 Years In, This Is Still The Same Wacky SportsCenter
Today, ESPN introduces twelve new commercials from the iconic This is SportsCenter franchise. This marks the first time ESPN has debuted this many new This is SportsCenter spots at once and the date has significance, as it marks the network’s 40th anniversary. Several spots will debut across TV, digital and social while others will be seen primarily on digital and […]
Influencers Tell One Story – Their Own
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post written by Eric Alt and provided by Epica Press Club. The words are nails on a chalkboard: “It writes itself.” A phrase frequently punctuated with a laugh, the free and easy chuckle of someone who doesn’t have to go and do the writing. Someone who is content to […]
