Rob Walker reminded me to take a closer look at an article in Sunday's edition of The New York Times. The article discusses the efforts to create hand-washing habits in Africa as a disease prevention measure. But embedded in the piece is this pearl: “For most of our history, we’ve sold newer and better products for habits that already existed,” said Dr. Berning, the P.& G. psychologist. “But about a decade ago, we …
Bad News
I didn't do well in economics and I don't claim to know much about abstractions like "the economy," but I do know how to read a newspaper. People have been trying to find the right words for what's going in America today: slowdown, recession, depression. When people line up outside their bank, praying that they will be able to withdraw their money, we're in a depression bind. No, it's nothing like 1929. Not yet. …
Poor Pole Position
Strong American Schools is a nonpartisan public awareness and advocacy effort aimed at elevating discussion amongst America's leaders about the need for education reform. Once the leader in educating our youth, America has slipped to the middle of the pack − endangering the future of our nation’s children and the American economy. Creative for this $5 million campaign, breaking today in 16 states is provided by SS+K. …
Green Energy Firms Need Conscious Communicators
In the past few months, just about every major company in the semiconductor business has joined a rush into the solar industry, paving the way for what observers predict will be cheaper, better and more efficient equipment for both consumers and businesses. Mark Pinto of Applied Materials According to The Austin American-Statesman, worldwide installations of photovoltaic equipment sales soared by 60 percent last …
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Surprise Attacks Okay. Smart Attacks Even Better.
Vinny Minchillo, chief creative officer of Scott Howell & Company, writing in Ad Age, says he's working to improve political advertising and that the category is "one of the last great untamed creative opportunities." Focus group after focus group, for political and traditional clients alike, shows that people hate attack advertising. At least, what they perceive as attack advertising. They have no trouble with you …
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TBWA Held Hostage By Desire for Lions
The desire for industry accolades at Cannes has screwed a global agency as it pursues more clients in China. Omnicom Group Inc.'s TBWA Worldwide has been working on both sides of China's global image, according to The Wall Street Journal. On behalf of sportswear maker Adidas, TBWA's Beijing office has been running a campaign focused on Chinese pride, showing Chinese athletes supported by throngs of fans. At the same …
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“Reply All” Catches A Rat
In today's "Sunday Business" section I came across an appalling piece on the mortgage crisis. Particularly off-putting is an email communication from Countrywide's co-founder and CEO, Angelo Mozilo. Mozilo responded, by mistake, to a mortgage holder in turmoil, who had asked for his help. “This is unbelievable. Most of these letters now have the same wording. Obviously they are being counseled by some other person or …
Are You Ready To Make Change?
It's Sunday morning and I just read two pieces by Douglas Rushkoff (I'll get to the Times later). In Riding out the Credit Collapse, Rushkoff suggests that we make friends and participate in our local communities as an antidote to buying things on credit. In Beyond Brand Obama, he claims that "we’d be mistaken to consider his politics a complete break from the past, a renaissance in participatory government, or the …