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I'm visiting the Vatican in three weeks. Maybe I can get an off-the-record comment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxPCxvxzujo
The 11th commandment should read: 'Thou shalt blame others for thy sins'
It was only a matter of time before U.S. Catholic Bishops chose to adopt the victim strategy in defending its priests' rampant pedophilia. In a comparison that is almost laughable were it not so pathetic, the Church is now blaming the sexual liberation of the 1960s and '70s for its priests' pr...
I think it's a great idea. My only caveat is that such programs emphasize the danger of taking "humor" cues from Gilbert Gottfried, 50 Cent, Michael Bloomberg and virtually anyone famous with a Twitter account. If it doesn't go well for public figures, it's bound to be worse for the rest of us.
The tiger in your mind is more ferocious than the tiger in the jungle
When asked, most humans will admit to being more scared of public speaking than dying. (According to a study conducted by National Public Radio, 43% of Americans say their greatest fear in life is public speaking. In fact people who responded to the survey said they fear public speaking more th...
No question that the Fourth Estate has become both vulnerable and craven. At the same time, hasn't the PR industry sometimes but rarely used that to its advantage?
Here's an interesting take from a former FT reporter who went to work at Edelman:
http://prsay.prsa.org/index.php/2011/03/16/life-on-the-dark-side-stefan-stern/
America needs a man like Chris Atkins
Leave it to a bulldog, investigative journalist from the U.K. named Chris Atkins to tell us what we already knew: the quality of mainstream journalism is in decline. Recently, in an attempt to show how lackadaisical the British media has become, Atkins created three completely fake products. H...
There have been more than a few journalists whom I've wanted to take to the woodshed over the years, starting with that nssty POS Michael Wolff and working my way down.
Still, this is pretty limiting. Yes, it's always nice to see your tormentors get their just desserts. But aren't these little "gotchas" are just a little too much schaudenfreude after awhile?
Instead of finger-pointing, can't we all just focus on doing our jobs better?
Final question: do I sound too much like Rodney King?
America needs a man like Chris Atkins
Leave it to a bulldog, investigative journalist from the U.K. named Chris Atkins to tell us what we already knew: the quality of mainstream journalism is in decline. Recently, in an attempt to show how lackadaisical the British media has become, Atkins created three completely fake products. H...
Eat the rich?
Wretched excess
I sometimes shake my head in wonder at how utterly detached from everyday reality our role models have become. Take the New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter. Please. I think the Yankees would like another team to take the aging superstar off their hands. In addition to his eroding, on-the-field skil...
I'm actually not surprised this happened at all. Almost 20 years ago, I was amazed at the lack of foresight and vision of the top three people running the mid-sized agency where I worked (Ed spent some time there too). It led to my first real-world insight into how the business world worked: too many times, the boss surrounds himself (and yes, it's usually him) with people he feels comfortable with. Boards go along with it and don't want to rock the boat.
I know it's not that simple; it's hard for me to believe Jeff Bewkes pushed for Griffin because he likes having him around.
But what do these examples tell you?
- GM goes through bankruptcy via taxpayer, and then installs "Lieutenant Dan" Akerson, a Carlyle Group money guy with no manufacturing experience as its CEO. By all accounts, he's destroying what little ground they gained with his hubris and once again the Board of Bystanders does nothing.
- There's a horrible, nasty little story going on here in NYC over the venerable Gramercy Arts Club, run since 1985 by an autocratic little twit named Aldon James and his mentally unfit twin brother John. They have a long history of suing, intimidating, threatening and badmouthing people. They're also the modern equivalent of the Collyer Brothers:
http://www.dnainfo.com/20110221/murray-hill-gramercy/national-arts-club-president-talks-trash-threatens-board
Yet the Board and its members, who include Martin Scorcese and Uma Thurman, is too scared of them to take control.
- Finally, there's billionaire NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg, whom I used to admire for his astute talent judgment. First, he picks the former Indianapolis mayor as deputy mayor, who decides to cut back on sanitation spending before the big blizzard, plus no one is around and in charge when it hits.
- Bloomberg's even more pathetic decision is Cathie Black, the former Hearst publishing head. At first I was angry at how corrupt the process was that handed Cathy Black the job without any due diligence. Now it's become pathetic watching her get kicked around as she feebly attempts to run the NYC school system without any qualifications. Every time I see her picture in a public meeting, I almost feel sorry for her. That has to be the most miserable existence. What's she trying to prove?
Sadly, I know there are thousands of other examples.
Isn't the better business decision when your top people think differently, and make you just a little bit uncomfortable at times?
When an irresistible force meets an immovable object
Jack Griffin's breathtakingly brief stint as CEO of Time Inc. is yet another example of the wrong person being in charge of the wrong place at the wrong time. Griffin was cherry-picked from Meredith Publishing's magazine division to be a change agent and was the very first CEO in Time's storie...
I enjoyed the article on the Mannix Dart GTS convertibles.
Do you anything about what happened to the '70-'71 "Cuda Convertibles used for three seasons? I'm pretty sure they were stock, without any Barris-like work. Until Rockford's Firebird, Joe's green '70 'Cuda is my best TV automotive memory. The fact that my dad's friend owned a yellow '70 Barracuda convertible (which rusted to smithereens) plants it even further in my consciousness.
All I know about the Mannix 'Cuda convertibles is that the '71 models were updated to look like '72s during the '71-'72 season, even though the convertibles went out of production. I'd be curious to know if anyone got to buy any of those cars after the show stopped using them? Do any still exist? I'd be interested in the '73 Challenger too.
Star Car Researcher
I am posting some links to various other Star Cars stories that you might like. They contain information and research for specific star cars, and many of the researchers have done a very good job. Here are a few of my favorite: Knight Rider KITT: Here are two sites that manufacture parts to b...
BomberpeteNY is now following Jim Suva and The Suva Files
Feb 19, 2011
Thanks. I'm still a few years away from the AARP card, but clearly the sands of time dim those precious memories.
The Maritel bucket
This blog is dedicated to Peppercommers Deb Schleuter-Brown-Schleuter and Jackie Kolek. Ever find yourself at the bottom of the Maritel bucket? I'll bet you have; you just use another phrase to describe the experience. We find ourselves at the bottom of the Maritel bucket every few years. It...
Sorry to hear about that. It does happen.
There are variations on this...like the times that we should see who win business with is going to shank us in the back anyway. My favorite goes back to when Ed Moed won a consulting firm client whose tough-guy mantra was squeeze vendors on price, get results, then fire them and use someone else. We got them great press and sales results. So what did they do? Exactly what the book said. It was hard to get outraged over being canned, though, as anyone could have seen this coming.
The Maritel bucket
This blog is dedicated to Peppercommers Deb Schleuter-Brown-Schleuter and Jackie Kolek. Ever find yourself at the bottom of the Maritel bucket? I'll bet you have; you just use another phrase to describe the experience. We find ourselves at the bottom of the Maritel bucket every few years. It...
I've been pressured by egotistical owners/management to create such self-serving ads in the past, only to have them fall flat. I can only agree that they're a complete waste of time unless the client's needs are addressed PERIOD.
What's the biggest difference between the advertising and PR trades?
The very best advertising agencies do one thing incredibly well for their clients. Having gleaned insights from an end user's wants and needs, they'll create a compelling campaign that creates an emotional connection between a brand and its target audience. When done correctly, it's positively...
Robert's right. We stayed thin(ner) because we ate at home from a stove, our sugar and fast food were limited to rare treats, and we were made to run around outside, to the point where the TV (now the Wii, etc.) were turned off. Those things aren't in effect with obese kids, who often have obese parents.
Also, better fruit and vegetable options are becoming more prevalent in poor communities through farmer's markets, CSAs which allow participation by income and local community programs.
Parents have to take responsibility and learn about nutrition. I know that many are stressed from working several jobs, but saying fast food is the only option is being being way too easy on oneself.
Sorry kids. But, you can't blame genes for those tight jeans
A just-released study conducted by the University of Michigan of some 1,000 sixth graders in the state showed proper diet, regular exercise and less television viewing had a dramatic effect on lessening childhood obesity. The study is among the first to prove that even if obesity is linked to ...
I never notice -- I'm so used to UES accents they're just part of the landscape.
Our New Yawk office? It’s just off Toidy-toid and Toid.
In this hyper-competitive job environment of ours, it seems that regional accents can limit one’s career aspirations. I can’t say that I’ve ever refused to hire someone because of a thick accent, but I have taken it into consideration (especially when recruiting for a receptionist). According ...
When I pitched the NY Times "Vows" for our wedding announcement and they did do a larger story, I worked with a reporter named Vinnie. His Bensonhurst accent was as thick as the Sicilian pizza at L&B Spumoni Gardens. I was taken aback at first because he was from "The Times," but that was nothing but me being snobbish and reinforcing stereotypes. He was great, and it made no difference.
Our New Yawk office? It’s just off Toidy-toid and Toid.
In this hyper-competitive job environment of ours, it seems that regional accents can limit one’s career aspirations. I can’t say that I’ve ever refused to hire someone because of a thick accent, but I have taken it into consideration (especially when recruiting for a receptionist). According ...
Wow, great segment! You guys really schneidered 'em.
What sets your organization apart?
Differentiating a public relations firm is no easy task since we all pretty much offer the same set of services. Sure, the holding companies will play the size card and boutiques will tout their category expertise while we midsized firms will sell a ‘best of both worlds’ solution. Still, it’s...
By opening her mouth about the Tucson tragedy, Palin only proved that she's a garden-variety bigot, this time complete with coded hate words. She squandered an opportunity to bring people together and instead made it all about her own victimization.
There's no longer a reason to be fearful about her "growing influence." Before yesterday, Palin had something like a 23% positive approval rating. That's enough fans to make a great living, which is what she's been doing since quitting the governor job. It's not enough to even win a primary.
Let's just call the Palin family what it is - a circus freak show. Hot Sarah is the chief attraction, a young Elvis, while the the First Dude plays Colonel Parker behind the scenes. Only this time, they probably went too far.
While I expect the 24/7 media shit-stirrers will continue to prop Palin up because she's provocative and good-looking, the bloom is off the rose and now it's beginning to stink. Still, I predict that within months, Palin will be reduced to raving manufactured outrage like Ann Coulter or Michele Malkin. Perhaps the thing to do is ignore the Palins and let them flail about in their own irrelevance. It's not like we haven't done this before. Father Coughlin was popular once too until he pushed his limits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Coughlin
The differences couldn't be more striking
I'm becoming more convinced with each passing day that Barack Obama will win re-election in 2012. For one thing, he's finally awakened and is now followed Bill Clinton's proven 'centrist' strategy. More importantly, though, his statesmanlike words and actions in the aftermath of the Tucson...
I'm going to be a typical empty suit marketing guy and side both with Julie and Lia and RepMan. Lady GaGa is terrific, both in her music and in marketing herself. She may have stolen tricks from Madonna's Eighties guise, but so what? For the right brand, she may be perfect. I think she deserves lots of props for that. And we don't know if she's an Amy Winehouse-style ticking time bomb, are that's just another calculated part of the Lady Gaga image.
But as dead-in-the-water and "me too" as the Polaroid brand is, this is bound to end in disaster for the reasons RepMan points to. It's simply not the right brand for her. It may end up as well as Lindsay Lohan's "creative" stint for Versace at the Paris fashion shows a few years back.
But the what is the right brand? An energy drink, perhaps, where her antics aren't out of place.
Two other things, by the way:
- Those Garner/Hartley Polaroid ads really were terrific. Last year the Museum of Television and Radio did a retrospective with the ad agency talent. They were so realistic that people thought Garner and Hartley were married. When Hartley did have a baby, she had a t-shirt made for the kid saying "I am NOT James Garner's Baby!" I'm sure that made her husband happy.
- I recently watched season 6 of my all-time favorite TV show, "The Rockford Files." An episode with Hartley called "Paradise Cove" had much of the same kind of banter. One of the writers on that series was David Chase; watching it, you can see where elements of "The Sopranos" came from.
Dynamic duo or desperate divas?
I am not a fan of celebrity endorsements. Never have been and never will be. I’m anti-endorsement for two fundamental reasons: 1.) I’ve seldom seen one where a celebrity’s image and reputation perfectly aligns with those of an organization. 2.) There’s simply too much organizational imag...
Actually, it's Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan but Brooklyn as well. You got me on the "Jersey Shore" usage - I've never watched it.
Be still my heart
Every now and then something positive occurs that renews my faith in the basic intelligence of mankind. Yesterday, I was struck by two such rare occurrences. The first came while boarding NJ Transit's infamous 6:01pm to Long Branch. I say infamous because this particular train can rival LaGu...
I think the colloquially correct spelling is "youse" as in "youse guys ain't planning to bump me off, is youse?" (taken from the movie The Story of Owney Madden, Monogram Pictures, 1954)
Be still my heart
Every now and then something positive occurs that renews my faith in the basic intelligence of mankind. Yesterday, I was struck by two such rare occurrences. The first came while boarding NJ Transit's infamous 6:01pm to Long Branch. I say infamous because this particular train can rival LaGu...
It's always good when the boss knows how to keep hold of humility. Congrats to you RepMan.
My apologies to Andrea
I did something yesterday that I guarantee no holding company CEO has EVER done. I swapped jobs with Ray Carroll, our superb receptionist. So, for a full day, I answered phones, made copies, welcomed visitors, modulated the temperature in the office and signed for multiple lunch orders place...
It sounds like a nice occasion, Ed. Many congratulations to your parents on their 50th.
Steve, Ed's got it right on both counts. Reasonably comfortable middle-class families who watched their pennies in 2009, have work and stayed out of debt are now spending on a little on luxuries like a cruise. That has nothing to do with the miserable lack of opportunities in NY State counties like Delaware, Chenango or Greene. Or, for that matter, Wayne County, Michigan. Nothing has replaced the job erosion these areas have suffered over the last 40-plus years, nor should the current recovery -- if it's real -- have any impact either.
Do I see blue skies on the horizon?
They certainly were bright, blue and sunny from my vantage point. I started writing this post sitting aboard the top deck of a cruise ship that was rounding the last bend of a hot, tropical vacation. What's clearly more interesting about this topic is the fact that this moderately high priced...
Lunchboy,
I would indeed argue that the Mercedes-Benz brand has been weakened by its inferior (not more affordable, inferior) products. Pick a better example to back up your argument.
When Lexus came along, Mercedes was broadsided and their ability to charge astronomical prices hurt. So what did they do? Cut away at their quality to build to a price point. While it boosted sales, and flashy styling attracted bling-bling crowd, Mercedes left behind the core values that made the brand great -- roadability, solidity and longevity.
Today Mercedes is just another luxury ride. They're heavier than they should be, and much less reliable due to all kinds of electronics that fail. Consumer Reports will not recommend a SINGLE Mercedes model because their reliability has plummeted badly in the last 15 years.
BMW has gotten worse too, but not to the same extent.
Aston Martin’s move is (Money) penny wise and pound foolish
Aston Martin’s decision to offer a new mini-Aston based on Toyota’s iQ baby hatchback must be making secret agent 007, as well as M, Q, Moneypenny, and the whole gang on Her Majesty’s Secret Service hopping mad. Long associated as the Bond car (before BMW and product placement took control o...
I like Atlantic City in spite of its sleaziness. I love the Borgata, taffy on the boardwalk and the honky-tonk atmosphere. My wife's never been there. I'd really like to go this summer, especially now that NJ Transit has installed train service from NYC. The problem is that she's allergic to smoke and would probably last 20 minutes there. And now, as Gaetano reports, they've lost the fight to keep out serious competition. Nice going, A.C. You're setting yourself back to the early Seventies.
You are now entering a killing zone
I was in Atlantic City Friday night to see some boxing. I took my dad, my son and my brother, John. My dad was an amateur boxer in the 1940s. Rep, Jr., boxed in Vermont's Golden Gloves tournament. And John and me? Well, we follow the sport. Fully expecting to be dismayed by the sleazy, tawdry...
I like the post, but Utah polygamy jokes are really cheap shots. The LDS Church outlawed the practice in 1890. Mormon religion has its faults, but they do a lot of good in the world; reinforcing those stereotypes is offensive.
Hey, you want a piece of me?
Hard on the heels of the happy news that New Jersey finished in the middle of the pack of a Forbes '50 happiest states' rankings comes the debut of a depressing Bravo series called 'Real Housewives of New Jersey.' The former is quite a coup for the much-maligned Garden State, alternatively kn...
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