I am commenting on the new State Farm campaign which I just say for the first time this morning. The situation of a wife catching a husband on line with his insurance agent and thinking he is talking with a woman leads one’s mind so far away from any kind of Expectation related to insurance, [...]

This is one of my favorite topics, or should I say favorite rants. Will  your grandchild know what an OREO is, or was?  How about a Reese’s?  Our experience is that a brand has one single pivot foot and that it can move one step from the pivot foot only, much like a power forward [...]

I find the techniques used for some internet advertising to be despicable.  For instance, Verizon’s IQ game.  This starts out as an unbranded challenge by an individual chosen to seem like a friend, a challenge for you to take an IQ test, and compare  your score to theirs.   You go through ten different screens [...]

Once in a while I see an item in a store that could be a big idea if advertised, at least in my opinion.  Sometimes it is the concept.  Sometimes it is the industrial design as with the photos below.   First of all, this is the most functional dust pan I have ever used, [...]

There is a good piece of drama on TV disguised as an advertising commercial.  Open in shop, son working with calipers on block of wood.  No help from Dad, only encouragement.  Son ends up with blocky looking soapbox derby car vs. other cars that look like Mattel engineered.  Son with clunky looking car wins soapbox [...]

I tried a new toothpaste at the Hyatt in Kansas City.  Acquafresh Extreme Clean, with micro-foaming action. This formula comes out of the tube in a red and white swirl and turns pink while using. AM I THE ONLY PERSON IN THE WORLD WHO DOES NOT WANT A TOOTHPASTE THAT REMINDS ME OF GUMS BLEEDING?

Okay friends.  I have now seen the new Gatorade packaging in the stores.  By every principle I know, this new brand architecture, line and packaging should cost Gatorade real volume. You do not confuse the consumer. This means don’t make revolutionary changes in your packaging all at once unless it is to fix a terrible [...]

There is a TV campaign on at the moment for either Direct TV or for Cable TV.   Takes place around a conference table.  Ed Bagley Jr. plays the chairman of the company.   One guy takes the lead telling about what the competition is doing.  Then they joke into “Let’s Raise Our Prices” in some spots, [...]

I have been trying not to write about the change in Gatorade’s brand architecture and package design, because I try to limit the number of my posts that are deeply critical. But tonight an associate called me to tell me that she went to the store to buy Gatorade AND WALKED RIGHT BY IT AND [...]

I am so disappointed by the emerging snapshot of ethics in America.  When I first entered this business, stuff like the peanut/salmonella situation did not happen.  Period.  Enron?  Nada.  In fact during my career, I have experienced or known about very few violations of ethics by business, but it does happen, and unfortunately we have [...]