It’s been a while…apologies. But today I wanted to share a very interesting and relevant article I read in the NYT Sunday Business Section—specifically “Corner Office,” which interviews business leaders (some names you may recognize, others not) and asks them about their earliest influences, early leadership lessons, what they’re looking for when they hire and…
Like the current administration, advertisers sometimes stray into a world of alternate reality. Maybe they think we won’t recognize it for what it is (i.e. we’re gullible) or they feel the production values of their communications–beautifully and expensively rendered–will overwhelm the message. Or the messenger. Two new spots come to mind. The first, “Go Boldly,”…
And for marketers and their agencies, the Superbowl is one of the greatest. Big money, big egos, high stakes and occasionally high art. This year, it was #SuperBowlSoPolitical. Instead of frat humor, we saw (for the most part) bigger, topical truths told with intelligence, emotion, cinematic production values and sly humor, specifically: Coca Cola (an…
Last night’s Golden Globes were good for the soul. (For charity’s sake, we’ll overlook the bizarre schtick perpetrated by Sofia Vergara, Goldie Hawn and Amy Schumer.) Moonlight and La La Land deserved their honors and I hope that we as a nation deserve the inspiring words of Viola Davis and Meryl Streep. They are the…
Every year, the date takes us by surprise. On September 11, we honor the memory of the innocents killed on that day (and since) and the two beautiful buildings whose absence still leaves a hole in the heart of New York 15 years on.
The Olympics are upon us. Which means inspiring athleticism, inane and offensive commentary (I’m talking to you, Al Trautwig) and testy technology. And, like all destination TV events, commercials. Lots and lots of commercials. (Is it me or do the pods seem excessively long?) Still, attention must be paid. Herewith my medalists so far: Gold: Dick’s…
In my other life, I’m a health coach focusing on women, weight and self-esteem. It helps that I was once a fat girl so this is not a theoretical exercise or cool “encore career.” It’s personal. Which is why I love these spots from Dove (“My Beauty”) and JC Penney (“Here I am”) celebrating body…
Fashion is having a kumbaya moment. From shoes to cosmetics, designers are celebrating the many hues of nude. Now, Naja has introduced Nude for all, a collection of intimate apparel in seven color options–from palest beige to very dark. All designed to enhance their wearer’s shape and body positivity. Founders Catalina Girald and actress Gina Rodriguez…
I work out a lot and I’m a big fan of health trackers. But even the most slothful won’t be able to resist this delightful spot, appropriately titled “Dualities,” for the Fitbit Blaze. (Full disclosure: I’m a loyal Fitbit wearer.) From the music (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’s “Little Demons”) to the action (a series of compellingly…
Art is not for the timid. Neither is (re)branding. Both provoke intense reactions and when the brand in question is an iconic museum, everyone’s a critic. The Metropolitan Museum has—for a variety of reasons (new leadership and an expanded footprint among them)—decided not to leave well enough alone but to reinvent its much beloved logo.…
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