Men are from Mars and women are from Venus. And some men are from up Uranus. One Super Bowl spot we won’t be seeing is Gillette’s controversial “Best a Man Can Get.” P&G says the cost of a two-minute ad buy is the reason why the spot...
The sidewalks were littered with scooters. Not the Razor scooters my kids played with, but scooters with motors. “What are these things?” I asked the friend I had met up with close to where he lives in Venice (California.) “They’re amazing,” he replied. We ride them...
Rudy Giuliani was rightfully ridiculed last year when he asserted that “sometimes the truth isn’t really the truth.” The exchange with NBC’s Chuck Todd, cited here by CNN.com, is worth recounting in full. Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's attorney, said Sunday that "truth isn't truth" when explaining...
The midterms are behind us and we’ll be in the midst of another marathon presidential race before you know it. Part of me is thrilled about this. Is there anything more exciting? I’ve always been fascinated by American presidents. And breakfast cereals. That’s why I’m in...
Have you noticed the irony? Weight Watchers is now WW and Dunkin’ Donuts will be known as Dunkin’ starting in January. The weight loss company and the weight gain company arrive at the same strategy simultaneously. Both companies are casting off names that are limiting, evoke...
I tend to greet anything that hints of being a listicle with extreme cynicism and disbelief. Listicles always bring to mind the old Steve Martin joke: “You ask how can I make a million dollars and never pay taxes? It’s easy! First, get a million...
Think of football. What comes to mind? Your favorite college or professional team, perhaps? Go deeper. The sport is played everywhere across our country, but if you had to literally put it on the map, where would it go? Having grown up in New York, I was...
I was intrigued by the headline of this Adweek piece a few weeks back, Lessons CPG Brands Can Learn From Startups. Before reading a word, I thought, “is it even possible?” There are lots of smart people at CPG companies but the organizations are hemmed...
Does our storytelling always need to be virtuous? My favorite television shows are populated by despicable characters. Tony Soprano and Walter White robbed and killed. Everyone in Seinfeld, along with the Larry David “character” role in Curb Your Enthusiasm, were highly neurotic and self-absorbed. Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman...
Is storytelling in marketing bullshit? There is a clear answer to this question. Yes. And no. The key is to distinguish between the art of storytelling itself – and the relentless, self-serving hype of what is no more than a marketing fad. Of course, storytelling is important,...