My agency has an opening for an art director, and I’ve placed an online Help Wanted ad which includes one non-negotiable prerequisite: “Previous Ad Agency experience absolutely required.” Here’s a very brief (and verbatim) sampling of the responses I’ve received: “I am a graduating senior in college that is looking for a part time career … Read More
Rants
Is Apple Doomed To Be The Next Apple?
Apple’s made a lot of news in the past few days over the introduction of its latest generation of smartphones — and rightfully so, I might add. Any new line of products from the world’s most valuable company deserves our attention, and Apple’s next premium phone — the X — introduces a number of notable … Read More
What’s Behind Coke’s Latest Flop?
If you asked me, bad branding played a huge role. Yesterday afternoon, Coca-Cola announced (to near-zero consumer awareness, much less outrage, if my Social Media newsfeeds are an accurate barometer) that it would be replacing Coke Zero with Coke Zero Sugar, which has proven popular outside of America for some time now. Cola Factoid Here’s … Read More
LG: Where Incompetent Meets Unconscionable
IS THE LG V10 THE DUMBEST PHONE EVER question mark YOU TELL ME period I’VE OWNED FOUR SMART PHONES comma THE V10 IS BY FAR THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONE I’VE EVER OWNED comma AND IT’S THE ONLY ONE THAT ROUTINELY SPELLS OUT THE WORDS “PERIOD” comma “QUESTION MARK” comma “EXCLAMATION POINT” comma AND “COMMA” … Read More
Feeling Sleepy & Sluggish – Maybe Even A Little Grumpy Today?
Why Daylight Savings Time Should Be Postponed Until June Attention, DC-area politicians: Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that your office hours begin at 8 AM. NOW: First thing in the morning, when you roll into the office at what should be 7 AM… >Ask yourself how it feels to be at your desk just minutes … Read More
Equal Parts Elvis And Colonel Tom.
REMEMBERING TECH’S COOLEST CONTROL FREAK. It’s six days after Steve Jobs’ death, and I interrupted my work flow this morning to click on a melodramatic story headline about the biological father he never knew. Needless to say, I can’t ever remember being so endlessly fascinated by a company CEO—which is why, at the 11th hour … Read More
Hope I Die Before I Get Old.
If you asked me, Pete Townshend’s classic line has a lot more to do with attitude than age. First, make no mistake: When it comes to lifestyle, nobody’s older for his age than me. At 25, I married the perfect excuse to stop going out on weeknights. Six years later, we gave birth to the … Read More
You Are Different, And That’s Bad.
People are stupid. I should know. I’ve been one for over 50 years. The headline of this month’s column comes from an email I received more than a decade ago, which was entitled “Children’s Books We’ll Never See.” The sub-head is something I often say to remind myself that, deep down, I was born with … Read More
All The News That Fits The Premise
In the intro paragraph to her January 25 article, “Daughter of Birmingham Plans Revival”, New York Times reporter Donna Paul writes, “…After a period of prosperity and growth, Birmingham was brought to its knees by the Depression and wracked by the end of segregation. Birmingham has never fully recovered its prominence. Its population today, 230,000, … Read More
Why I Rarely Ever Post Reader Comments
In general, the folks who send me Comments appear to come from another planet altogether. Like, for example, the putz with Abercrombie Fitch UK who sent me the same 902 word sales pitch thirteen times. That said, if you have a comment that’s actually related to one of my posts, send me an email with … Read More