We like easy. And why not? Who would argue that convenience is a bad thing? Jumping through the past hundred years or so, it seems that almost everyone would agree that it’s better to: Travel cross country by jet than by horse; Wash clothes in...
[caption id="attachment_11577" align="aligncenter" width="545"] Right Brain Studio President & Founder Jeff Hirsch in the Media Center at the Annenberg School of Education at the University of Southern California[/caption] The Right Braincast, our new podcast that connects the dots between brands, the popular culture from which they emerge...
Corporate consciousness is in the news, with Delta Airlines, Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Hertz and Avis among companies severing ties with the National Rifle Association after the horrific Parkland shooting. As is always the case when corporations take stands on social issues or engage in some...
CNN is running an ad campaign I like quite a bit. Rather than taking a defensive posture against charges of “fake news,” the company goes on the offensive, claiming the high ground of owning the truth. The introductory spot focused on an apple, simply displayed...
Just a few generations ago, you could say almost anything you wanted in advertising. Kids could “run faster and jump higher” in Keds sneakers. (Check out this 1950’s Keds Ad. You can’t make this stuff up!) Baseball icons Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle made TV ads...
by Arden Bronstein, Right Brain Studio Intern Coming up with a favorite ad from this year’s Super Bowl has been a struggle. Did anything really stand out? Think back on some of the greatest Super Bowl spots of the last few years. Budweiser’s “Puppy Love” in 2014...
Conditions were far from perfect for this ad critic. I was in a crowded, noisy room watching the big game. Very tough to hear, as people were drinking, eating and talking as if it were a party (which it was) and not my private viewing...
As faith in public institutions wane, what’s left? According to a NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released this past January 19, President Trump’s approval rating registered at 39 percent, the lowest the poll has found for any modern president after one year in office. Congress? Much worse. Gallup...
John Schnatter may have stepped down as Papa John’s CEO, but he’s staying on as spokesperson. Good idea? Most reports suggest that his demise was the result of his insensitive comments about NFL player protests. The brand is an official sponsor of the NFL, and game...
Laurence D. Fink, the 65-year-old founder and CEO of investment firm BlackRock is aligned with Millennials and Gen Z’ers. Those cohorts are known for choosing brands not only for their tangible and emotional value, but for what they actually do for the world. It’s why a...