- James Franco and Anne Hathaway. Digging on Anne's enthusiasm; James, uh, not so much. And, the pink dress? Not cool, although the Charlie Sheen line was funny.
- Melissa Leo. The F-bomb...really!? And, think about what you might say before you get up there and string a sentence together, for cryin' out loud.
- Kirk Douglas. Touching--for about 10 seconds.
- Glad Toy Story 3 won for Animated Feature. But, where was Despicable Me?
- Why do local ABC affiliate personalities feel the need to dress up in formal wear given that their network is broadcasting the Academy Awards?
- Why do winners so cavalierly run over their allotted time with acceptance speeches? Do they do that with time and budget over-runs on their films?
- Russell Brand and Helen Mirren. What's up with that presenter pairing? I know I'm not in the demo, but what the hell has Brand done to qualify as a worthy presenter?
- Mens' tuxedo lapels were all over the body--from Justin Timberlake's, which covered his shoulders, to Matthew McConaughey's, which barely were lapels at all. And, is the double-breasted look coming back?
- Cate Blanchett. Okay, the circle in the middle of the dress? What was that all about?
- And, I'm closing this out...this Academy Awards telecast is deathly, deathly dull.
Postscript: Whether it was Hathaway's insistence on a "wooh" for every person she introduced, Franco's stoner presence on stage, the lack of any unexpected outbursts from winners or losers, or just the general lack of pizzazz, this was undoubtedly the worst Oscar telecast in recent memory. Thank goodness the tweet world was ablaze with witticisms and cynicisms about the evening.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday morning coffee - afternoon edition
- Hmm, this is an interesting use for social media. A group of Columbia University researchers found that 83 percent of prostitutes have Facebook pages. They also determined that the average hooker gets a quarter of all clients from the page.
- Another sign of the apocalypse: Four workers at a Utah Wal Mart were fired recently for tackling and disarming a gunman. Wal Mart policy requires workers to withdraw if a suspected shoplifter pulls a gun. But, the four said they had no choice when the gunman put his weapon in one worker's back.
- While her public persona may give the impression that she's a ditz, Jessica Simpson is succeeding where other stars have failed. Simpson's fashion line is on track to make $1 billion in sales this year, according to New York magazine.
- A University of Louisville cheerleader was assessed a technical foul in today's game against Pitt when he grabbed the ball and threw it in the air, thinking that the game had ended. There was still time left on the clock and Pittsburgh got the ball back but Louisville held on for the overtime victory. Said Louisville head coach Rick Pitino of the cheerleader, "Hopefully, he'll learn the rules." Pitino's response would likely have been less muted had the technical foul cost the Cardinals the upset win over the #6 Panthers.
- Another sign of the apocalypse: Four workers at a Utah Wal Mart were fired recently for tackling and disarming a gunman. Wal Mart policy requires workers to withdraw if a suspected shoplifter pulls a gun. But, the four said they had no choice when the gunman put his weapon in one worker's back.
- While her public persona may give the impression that she's a ditz, Jessica Simpson is succeeding where other stars have failed. Simpson's fashion line is on track to make $1 billion in sales this year, according to New York magazine.
- A University of Louisville cheerleader was assessed a technical foul in today's game against Pitt when he grabbed the ball and threw it in the air, thinking that the game had ended. There was still time left on the clock and Pittsburgh got the ball back but Louisville held on for the overtime victory. Said Louisville head coach Rick Pitino of the cheerleader, "Hopefully, he'll learn the rules." Pitino's response would likely have been less muted had the technical foul cost the Cardinals the upset win over the #6 Panthers.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Signs of the apocalypse
- Jesse James, Sandra Bullock's ex, is writing a tell-all memoir. (I'm assuming the working title is How to Cheat on America's Sweetheart.)
- Camille Grammer--"star" of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and ex-wife of Kelsey Grammer--has been hired by CNN to co-host an Academy Awards special on Sunday evening. CNN!? Really...!?
- Obesity is a well-documented problem for the U.S. public. Today, the Wall Street Journal has a lengthy report on obesity in pets. A new report says that more than half of the dogs and cats in our country are overweight or obese.
- Camille Grammer--"star" of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and ex-wife of Kelsey Grammer--has been hired by CNN to co-host an Academy Awards special on Sunday evening. CNN!? Really...!?
- Obesity is a well-documented problem for the U.S. public. Today, the Wall Street Journal has a lengthy report on obesity in pets. A new report says that more than half of the dogs and cats in our country are overweight or obese.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Saturday morning coffee
- Perhaps reports of the Grammy Awards demise are premature. In another example of the success of this year's awards show, it's now reported that Lady Gaga's new single, "Born This Way," is the fastest-selling song in iTunes history. Gaga unveiled the song live on last Sunday's Grammy telecast.
- American Idol continues to be a television ratings juggernaut. The show attracted 21.9 viewers on Thursday as it pared the field of contestants down to 60.
- Speaking of Idol, look for judge Jennifer Lopez to get very emotional in an upcoming episode when one contestant, in particular, gets dismissed.
- Worldwide opinion is that America is the land of conspicuous consumption. But, on one list, the U.S. isn't even close to the top. The World Health Organization released a report on the "drunkest countries in the world." The top ten are the Republic of Moldova, Czech Republic, Hungary, Russian Federation, Estonia, Ukraine, Andorra, Slovenia, Belarus, and Croatia. Apparently there's a lot of vodka being swigged, er, gulped, in those countries.
- In the category of "huh?", spurned contestant Michelle Money, from The Bachelor, is aghast that she became this season's villain. Said Money to people.com, "I never in a million years expected to be the villain. I was actually surprised and shocked by it in the beginning. I'm an easy target because I'm upfront and honeest." How about "catty and bitchy" instead?
- American Idol continues to be a television ratings juggernaut. The show attracted 21.9 viewers on Thursday as it pared the field of contestants down to 60.
- Speaking of Idol, look for judge Jennifer Lopez to get very emotional in an upcoming episode when one contestant, in particular, gets dismissed.
- Worldwide opinion is that America is the land of conspicuous consumption. But, on one list, the U.S. isn't even close to the top. The World Health Organization released a report on the "drunkest countries in the world." The top ten are the Republic of Moldova, Czech Republic, Hungary, Russian Federation, Estonia, Ukraine, Andorra, Slovenia, Belarus, and Croatia. Apparently there's a lot of vodka being swigged, er, gulped, in those countries.
- In the category of "huh?", spurned contestant Michelle Money, from The Bachelor, is aghast that she became this season's villain. Said Money to people.com, "I never in a million years expected to be the villain. I was actually surprised and shocked by it in the beginning. I'm an easy target because I'm upfront and honeest." How about "catty and bitchy" instead?
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Mid-week musings
It's "hump day" boys and girls and the weather here in the good ol' Midwest is causing us to break out the flip flops and clean up the golf clubs. Let's check what's going on out in the wacky weather world.
- Shades of Office Space--the average American worker's personal space shrank from 90 square feet in 1994 to 75 square feet last year.
- Thank goodness I didn't grow up in Virginia! A high school student there was recently suspended for shooting spitwads, through the hollow body of a pen, at fellow classmates. Police said the 14-year old student violated the school's zero tolerance weapons policy. Really!?
- Quote of the week: This came from actor and well-known womanizer Jack Nicholson, who recently turned 73. Said Nicholson to the London Daily Mail, "There were points in my life where I felt oddly irresistible to women. I'm not in that state now and that makes me sad. I'm definitely still wild at heart. But, I've struck bio-gravity. I can't hit on women in public anymore--it just doesn't feel right at my age."
- Eric Clapton is performing again, this time with Wynton Marsalis. The classic rocker and jazz trumpeter will play three shows at New York's Lincoln Center in April. "Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton Play the Blues" will have the duo backed by a seven-piece band and will feature songs by Howlin' Wolf and Louis Armstrong.
- More and more workers are doing it remotely. And, Esquire UK magazine offered up the following hints at how to best work from home: (1) Set up a real office, (2) Get properly connected/hooked up technologically, (3) Stick to a schedule, and (4) Don't go stir crazy. On the last item, the magazine suggests going out for lunch and making small social interactions part of your routine.
- You saw Kris Kristofferson and Barbra Streisand re-united on the stage at the Grammys. Now we learn that the movie which the two starred in, A Star Is Born, will be re-made by director Clint Eastwood and will star Beyonce. Rumor has it that the 1976 original movie co-stars may make cameo appearances in the re-make.
- Why does American Idol have all of the finalists initially perform as part of a group? It's like having a star student downgraded by participating in a group project with a bunch of under-achievers.
- Shades of Office Space--the average American worker's personal space shrank from 90 square feet in 1994 to 75 square feet last year.
- Thank goodness I didn't grow up in Virginia! A high school student there was recently suspended for shooting spitwads, through the hollow body of a pen, at fellow classmates. Police said the 14-year old student violated the school's zero tolerance weapons policy. Really!?
- Quote of the week: This came from actor and well-known womanizer Jack Nicholson, who recently turned 73. Said Nicholson to the London Daily Mail, "There were points in my life where I felt oddly irresistible to women. I'm not in that state now and that makes me sad. I'm definitely still wild at heart. But, I've struck bio-gravity. I can't hit on women in public anymore--it just doesn't feel right at my age."
- Eric Clapton is performing again, this time with Wynton Marsalis. The classic rocker and jazz trumpeter will play three shows at New York's Lincoln Center in April. "Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton Play the Blues" will have the duo backed by a seven-piece band and will feature songs by Howlin' Wolf and Louis Armstrong.
- More and more workers are doing it remotely. And, Esquire UK magazine offered up the following hints at how to best work from home: (1) Set up a real office, (2) Get properly connected/hooked up technologically, (3) Stick to a schedule, and (4) Don't go stir crazy. On the last item, the magazine suggests going out for lunch and making small social interactions part of your routine.
- You saw Kris Kristofferson and Barbra Streisand re-united on the stage at the Grammys. Now we learn that the movie which the two starred in, A Star Is Born, will be re-made by director Clint Eastwood and will star Beyonce. Rumor has it that the 1976 original movie co-stars may make cameo appearances in the re-make.
- Why does American Idol have all of the finalists initially perform as part of a group? It's like having a star student downgraded by participating in a group project with a bunch of under-achievers.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Social media impacts Grammy ratings
The Grammy Awards scored their best television rating since 2001 and much of that success can be attributed to Twitter's trending topics last night. The Grammys dominated Twitter chatter, thus sending eyeballs to the telecast which was also buoyed by early-in-show appearances from Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and a divas' tribute to Aretha Franklin. (On a side note, Christina Aguilera, one of the divas who sang some of Franklin's songs, continued her bad month by falling on the stage after the divas' performance.)
The telecast drew 26.55 million viewers--a 3% increase over the 2010 program. It also was the youngest-skewing telecast since 2004, according to AdAge.com, with seven-year highs among 18-49 year olds and 18-34 year olds.
Will this ratings hit bode well for the Academy Award telecast in March? ABC sure hopes so given the going rate of $1.7 million per television spot, a two-year high for 30-second commercials on this show.
The telecast drew 26.55 million viewers--a 3% increase over the 2010 program. It also was the youngest-skewing telecast since 2004, according to AdAge.com, with seven-year highs among 18-49 year olds and 18-34 year olds.
Will this ratings hit bode well for the Academy Award telecast in March? ABC sure hopes so given the going rate of $1.7 million per television spot, a two-year high for 30-second commercials on this show.
The language of meetings
Have you ever sat back and listened to the way words are used in the business meetings you attend? I intentionally tried to do that last week and was again struck by words used for purposes for which they weren't intended.
Here's a short list of the various word jumbles which were used, along with their supposed meaning:
- "We can sidebar on that one." The verb, "sidebar," means that two or more can get together separately, outside of the confines of the current meeting. It seems most closely linked to the setting in a court of law where lawyers are called to talk to the judge in an area where the jury cannot hear the conversation. My guess is that those who like this word must have secretly wished they went to law school, or they watched too much Law and Order.
- "We'll gin up a list of ideas." No, "gin" isn't linked here to the adult beverage by that name. It's an odd twist of the word which, in this case, suggests creating or developing a list of ideas. The original use of "gin" as a verb had to do with harvesting cotton and the removal of cotton seeds from cotton gin. Feel free to use that little factoid the next time you're in a meeting and "gin" is mentioned--in a non-consumption way.
- "It's our entre into this business." This is a fancier word for "entry" and is sometimes confused with "entree"--those listings you see down the right side of a restaurant menu. Folks who over-use this word want you to think they speak French as a second language.
- "(Blank) is the long tail here." The phrase "long tail" or "long pole" just makes me shake my head. Why can't one just say "(Blank) will take the longest amount of time" and be done with it?
- "What are our headwinds?" Said differently, it would be "what are the factors keeping us from achieving success?" But, in business, that's much too simple, particularly when one has words like "headwinds" and "tailwinds" which are much more interesting. Business travelers love these words as they hear them way too frequently from pilots who ferry them around the country.
- "Let's put a fine point on the discussion." Hmm, "fine point?" In meeting parlance, it's a combination of making a point, and making that point in such a way that it's too specific. Or, more positively, it's about editing down the discussion into one fine point. Either way, it's a wrong choice of words and makes me thinks of a writing instrument.
- "Bespoke." I don't want my British colleagues to feel left out, thus I'm adding "bespoke" to this list. Have you heard the word before? I hadn't either, other than in reference to clothing. And, in checking, that's the proper usage, i.e., custom made. I'm still trying to figure out the use of this term in a meeting I attended last week. It sure sounded good though.
- "Daft." If you hear the word "stupid" or "silly" in a meeting, as in "that's a stupid idea," you can substitute the word "daft" and sound far smarter.
- "The work is evergreen." Hmm, how does a word describing a type of tree makes its way into a conversation on marketing communications? Well, if the work is continually fresh, or self-renewing, then it's "evergreen." Who knew?
I contend that the urge to fill in spoken gaps with turns of the phrase like these, or words mashed-up, is our way of relieving business meeting boredom. And, it allows those with certain self-esteem issues to create ways to sound smarter versus searching for the most clear, direct words. I mean, after all, who would want to talk like that!?
Here's a short list of the various word jumbles which were used, along with their supposed meaning:
- "We can sidebar on that one." The verb, "sidebar," means that two or more can get together separately, outside of the confines of the current meeting. It seems most closely linked to the setting in a court of law where lawyers are called to talk to the judge in an area where the jury cannot hear the conversation. My guess is that those who like this word must have secretly wished they went to law school, or they watched too much Law and Order.
- "We'll gin up a list of ideas." No, "gin" isn't linked here to the adult beverage by that name. It's an odd twist of the word which, in this case, suggests creating or developing a list of ideas. The original use of "gin" as a verb had to do with harvesting cotton and the removal of cotton seeds from cotton gin. Feel free to use that little factoid the next time you're in a meeting and "gin" is mentioned--in a non-consumption way.
- "It's our entre into this business." This is a fancier word for "entry" and is sometimes confused with "entree"--those listings you see down the right side of a restaurant menu. Folks who over-use this word want you to think they speak French as a second language.
- "(Blank) is the long tail here." The phrase "long tail" or "long pole" just makes me shake my head. Why can't one just say "(Blank) will take the longest amount of time" and be done with it?
- "What are our headwinds?" Said differently, it would be "what are the factors keeping us from achieving success?" But, in business, that's much too simple, particularly when one has words like "headwinds" and "tailwinds" which are much more interesting. Business travelers love these words as they hear them way too frequently from pilots who ferry them around the country.
- "Let's put a fine point on the discussion." Hmm, "fine point?" In meeting parlance, it's a combination of making a point, and making that point in such a way that it's too specific. Or, more positively, it's about editing down the discussion into one fine point. Either way, it's a wrong choice of words and makes me thinks of a writing instrument.
- "Bespoke." I don't want my British colleagues to feel left out, thus I'm adding "bespoke" to this list. Have you heard the word before? I hadn't either, other than in reference to clothing. And, in checking, that's the proper usage, i.e., custom made. I'm still trying to figure out the use of this term in a meeting I attended last week. It sure sounded good though.
- "Daft." If you hear the word "stupid" or "silly" in a meeting, as in "that's a stupid idea," you can substitute the word "daft" and sound far smarter.
- "The work is evergreen." Hmm, how does a word describing a type of tree makes its way into a conversation on marketing communications? Well, if the work is continually fresh, or self-renewing, then it's "evergreen." Who knew?
I contend that the urge to fill in spoken gaps with turns of the phrase like these, or words mashed-up, is our way of relieving business meeting boredom. And, it allows those with certain self-esteem issues to create ways to sound smarter versus searching for the most clear, direct words. I mean, after all, who would want to talk like that!?
Friday, February 11, 2011
The end of the copy desk
I heard a name today and was immediately transported back to a college classroom, cowering as a bombastic professor raged at our class.
John Carroll, former Pulitzer Prize-winning editor of the Los Angeles Times, the Baltimore Sun and the Lexington Herald-Leader newspapers, was honored today as the 2011 recipient of the William Allen White Foundation National Citation in a ceremony at the University of Kansas, where the Journalism School bears White's name. And, Carroll was only a minute or two into his acceptance speech when he invoked "the name," the name which gave me an immediate nostalgic rush and elicited a knowing chuckle from others in the audience--students, faculty, KU administrators, and alumni of the Journalism School.
The name was John Bremner, former professor at the J-School, who lorded over Editing classes from 1969 to his retirement in 1985. And, in citing Bremner, Carroll was making a point about the "end of the copy desk"--of lax standards in the field of journalism which would have Bremner railing at those who are practicioners of the written/digital word.
You see, Bremner's personality was one of "constant outrage," as described by Carroll. Yet, Carroll hired Bremner's students whenever possible, knowing that they would have been schooled by one of the best editing instructors in the country.
To say that Bremner was a student of the language would be like saying that Steve Jobs paid attention to technology. Bremner drilled and drilled his students on proper grammar, and was a champion of logic and rhetoric. It was his personal passion to sharpen the skills of writers and editors--a quest that seemingly made him permanently frustrated at what he called the "steady growth of literary ignorance."
Bremner was a mountain of a man--a 6'5", white-haired, booming-voiced Australian. He was an ordained Catholic priest who ultimately left the priesthood. He was biting in his criticism and, when particularly frustrated, would open the window of his second floor classroom and yell out, "Help! I'm being held captive by a class of idiots!"
He had high standards for editing and expected his class, and graduates, to meet them. He took on what he dubbed "hyphenitis," the overuse of hyphens, and "synonymomania," a writer's reluctance to use a word more than once in a passage. Bremner urged his editors to be relentlessly skeptical, often saying "If your mother tells you that she loves you, check it and then check it again."
Professor Bremner's influence grew well beyond the campus in Lawrence and he was often called to speak at conferences and seminars for newspaper editors. It was at one such gathering that Bremner said, "Jesus Christ once said 'Where two or three are gathered together...' But, he couldn't have said precisely that. He didn't speak English. And, why would he have said 'gathered together?' When you have 'gathered,' you don't need 'together.'"
It was heartening to hear Carroll reference the influence of Bremner, but it was also incredibly discouraging to hear Carroll use this as an example of the declining literacy in the field of journalism--a profession which has changed dramatically given the rise of blogs, social media and other outlets for writers.
Bremner died in 1987 and his obituary in the New York Times attributed this quote to my former professor, "I have witnessed the steady growth of literary ignorance during a career of more than a third of a century. Many of my students arrive in my writing and editing classes as college juniors with an almost total ignorance of English grammar and usage and only a smattering of any foreign language. And these are prospective journalists whom one would expect to be less illiterate. But the blame is hardly theirs. It belongs mostly to their teachers."
If Bremner said that in 1980, what would he say now given a world where logic and rhetoric have to fit into a 140-character space on Twitter?
I miss Professor Bremner but, even more, I miss what he stood for--language used correctly, factual reporting, editors who play an important role in the news consumed by readers, and teaching which leaves an indelible mark on the life of a student.
John Carroll, former Pulitzer Prize-winning editor of the Los Angeles Times, the Baltimore Sun and the Lexington Herald-Leader newspapers, was honored today as the 2011 recipient of the William Allen White Foundation National Citation in a ceremony at the University of Kansas, where the Journalism School bears White's name. And, Carroll was only a minute or two into his acceptance speech when he invoked "the name," the name which gave me an immediate nostalgic rush and elicited a knowing chuckle from others in the audience--students, faculty, KU administrators, and alumni of the Journalism School.
The name was John Bremner, former professor at the J-School, who lorded over Editing classes from 1969 to his retirement in 1985. And, in citing Bremner, Carroll was making a point about the "end of the copy desk"--of lax standards in the field of journalism which would have Bremner railing at those who are practicioners of the written/digital word.
You see, Bremner's personality was one of "constant outrage," as described by Carroll. Yet, Carroll hired Bremner's students whenever possible, knowing that they would have been schooled by one of the best editing instructors in the country.
To say that Bremner was a student of the language would be like saying that Steve Jobs paid attention to technology. Bremner drilled and drilled his students on proper grammar, and was a champion of logic and rhetoric. It was his personal passion to sharpen the skills of writers and editors--a quest that seemingly made him permanently frustrated at what he called the "steady growth of literary ignorance."
Bremner was a mountain of a man--a 6'5", white-haired, booming-voiced Australian. He was an ordained Catholic priest who ultimately left the priesthood. He was biting in his criticism and, when particularly frustrated, would open the window of his second floor classroom and yell out, "Help! I'm being held captive by a class of idiots!"
He had high standards for editing and expected his class, and graduates, to meet them. He took on what he dubbed "hyphenitis," the overuse of hyphens, and "synonymomania," a writer's reluctance to use a word more than once in a passage. Bremner urged his editors to be relentlessly skeptical, often saying "If your mother tells you that she loves you, check it and then check it again."
Professor Bremner's influence grew well beyond the campus in Lawrence and he was often called to speak at conferences and seminars for newspaper editors. It was at one such gathering that Bremner said, "Jesus Christ once said 'Where two or three are gathered together...' But, he couldn't have said precisely that. He didn't speak English. And, why would he have said 'gathered together?' When you have 'gathered,' you don't need 'together.'"
It was heartening to hear Carroll reference the influence of Bremner, but it was also incredibly discouraging to hear Carroll use this as an example of the declining literacy in the field of journalism--a profession which has changed dramatically given the rise of blogs, social media and other outlets for writers.
Bremner died in 1987 and his obituary in the New York Times attributed this quote to my former professor, "I have witnessed the steady growth of literary ignorance during a career of more than a third of a century. Many of my students arrive in my writing and editing classes as college juniors with an almost total ignorance of English grammar and usage and only a smattering of any foreign language. And these are prospective journalists whom one would expect to be less illiterate. But the blame is hardly theirs. It belongs mostly to their teachers."
If Bremner said that in 1980, what would he say now given a world where logic and rhetoric have to fit into a 140-character space on Twitter?
I miss Professor Bremner but, even more, I miss what he stood for--language used correctly, factual reporting, editors who play an important role in the news consumed by readers, and teaching which leaves an indelible mark on the life of a student.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Comings and goings
- Remember when Guitar Hero was all the rage and folks young and old were trying to get their fingers coordinated to tunes by Aerosmith, AC DC and Kings of Leon? Now, not so much. The "casual game" segment of the videogame market has declined appreciably, meaning slowed sales for titles like "Guitar Hero," Rock Band," and games associated with Nintendo DS and Wii. In 2010, sales by videogame genre were: Action, 21.7%; Sport, 16.3%; Shooter, 15.9%; Entertainment, 14.8%; Role-playing, 7.7%; and Other, 23.6%.
- Seen on the streets of San Francisco--a street person, sitting on the sidewalk, with sign "I won't lie--I need a beer."
- The lights, sadly, are out on Friday Night Lights. The critically-acclaimed show finished its final season this week. The series, shown on DirectTV, will have the final season broadcast on NBC this spring.
- The commercial which was viewed by the most eyeballs on the Super Bowl was the Chevrolet Camaro spot, given the audience tuned into the game at that point in the broadcast.
- Hey guys, online fashion shopping is coming our way. Mr. Porter, an online luxury goods website which will launch later this month, will try to entice men to buy clothing and luxury goods online--an environment where women have felt more comfortable making purchases.
- Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay's QB, nabbed the MVP trophy for his performance at the Super Bowl, thus following the path of other guys who play this position and went on to lucrative careers as endorsers--namely, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Will Rodgers follow that path? It very easily could happen as Manning and Brady are on the backside of their on-field success. While Rodgers does not play for a major market team, he does work for a franchise which has a nationwide following and provides good season-wide visibility. Look for Rodgers to be an off-season winner in the endorsement business given his looks, on-field success, nice-guy persona, and dating relationship with Gossip Girl star Jessica Szohr, always important to maintain cross-over appeal among both men and women.
- Seen on the streets of San Francisco--a street person, sitting on the sidewalk, with sign "I won't lie--I need a beer."
- The lights, sadly, are out on Friday Night Lights. The critically-acclaimed show finished its final season this week. The series, shown on DirectTV, will have the final season broadcast on NBC this spring.
- The commercial which was viewed by the most eyeballs on the Super Bowl was the Chevrolet Camaro spot, given the audience tuned into the game at that point in the broadcast.
- Hey guys, online fashion shopping is coming our way. Mr. Porter, an online luxury goods website which will launch later this month, will try to entice men to buy clothing and luxury goods online--an environment where women have felt more comfortable making purchases.
- Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay's QB, nabbed the MVP trophy for his performance at the Super Bowl, thus following the path of other guys who play this position and went on to lucrative careers as endorsers--namely, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Will Rodgers follow that path? It very easily could happen as Manning and Brady are on the backside of their on-field success. While Rodgers does not play for a major market team, he does work for a franchise which has a nationwide following and provides good season-wide visibility. Look for Rodgers to be an off-season winner in the endorsement business given his looks, on-field success, nice-guy persona, and dating relationship with Gossip Girl star Jessica Szohr, always important to maintain cross-over appeal among both men and women.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Best liked, and most memorable, Super Bowl ads
Nielsen has released their post-Super Bowl research on which advertising performed best--both as the best-liked as well as most memorable. And, only three ads made both lists--two spots for Doritos and the NFL montage featuring old TV clips.
Here are the lists:
Best liked--
1. Volkswagen "Little Darth Vader"
2. Bridgestone "Beaver saves driver"
3. E-Trade "Baby next to sneezing cat"
4. Doritos "Man licks crumbs"
5. Doritos "Housesitter brings grandpa back to life"
6. Volkswagen "Beetle"
7. NFL "TV clips montage"
8. Chrysler "Eminem represents Detroit"
9. Bud Light "Dogs work at party"
10. Audi A8 "Men break out of luxury home"
Most recalled--
1. Doritos "Pug breaks down door"
2. Budweiser "Cowboy in saloon"
3. Doritos "Man licks crumbs"
4. Pepsi Max "Couple on first date"
5. Pepsi Max "Soda can shoots out of cooler"
6. Snickers "Lewis and Barr"
7. Doritos "Housesitter brings grandpa back to life"
8. NFL "TV clips montage"
9. GoDaddy.com "Joan Rivers"
10. Bud Light "Kitchen redesign"
The objective is to be both well-liked as well as memorable. So, while I'm not a fan of the work, it's hard to argue with what Doritos has accomplished with their recent Super Bowl advertising.
Here are the lists:
Best liked--
1. Volkswagen "Little Darth Vader"
2. Bridgestone "Beaver saves driver"
3. E-Trade "Baby next to sneezing cat"
4. Doritos "Man licks crumbs"
5. Doritos "Housesitter brings grandpa back to life"
6. Volkswagen "Beetle"
7. NFL "TV clips montage"
8. Chrysler "Eminem represents Detroit"
9. Bud Light "Dogs work at party"
10. Audi A8 "Men break out of luxury home"
Most recalled--
1. Doritos "Pug breaks down door"
2. Budweiser "Cowboy in saloon"
3. Doritos "Man licks crumbs"
4. Pepsi Max "Couple on first date"
5. Pepsi Max "Soda can shoots out of cooler"
6. Snickers "Lewis and Barr"
7. Doritos "Housesitter brings grandpa back to life"
8. NFL "TV clips montage"
9. GoDaddy.com "Joan Rivers"
10. Bud Light "Kitchen redesign"
The objective is to be both well-liked as well as memorable. So, while I'm not a fan of the work, it's hard to argue with what Doritos has accomplished with their recent Super Bowl advertising.
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