tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:51:49 +0000Cranky opinions and advice from the ceo of a pretty big ad agency.http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/adcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)Blogger554125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-4458392077961989747Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:01:00 +00002009-11-10T00:01:00.605-08:00Recently, in Creative For Carpetbaggers, I commented on the idiotic ways that big companies moving into new markets always try to associate themselves with the area, and usually get all caught up in their underwear.Today I would like to put another really dumb advertising tradition in the crosshairs -- superficial localization.Let's start at the beginning.The general purpose of advertising is to http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/kcIl1jyUdtY/brought-to-you-by-your-central-new.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=kcIl1jyUdtY:pEzsxSO5-bk:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/kcIl1jyUdtY" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/11/brought-to-you-by-your-central-new.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-1491403746259302643Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:01:00 +00002009-11-09T02:17:48.795-08:00On the inside back cover of last week's (Nov. 2) New Yorker magazine, there's an ad by Land Rover.The ad is supposed to impress us with the technological wizardry of the new Range Rover.Only problem is, it's hard to convince us that people who can't write properly, can't hire competent proofreaders, and don't know the difference between its and it's can be very advanced at anything.The headline -http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/kzcD8Syx8tQ/engineered-by-illiterates.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=kzcD8Syx8tQ:q8js6A8xyHQ:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/kzcD8Syx8tQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/11/engineered-by-illiterates.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-1041136630179754462Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:01:00 +00002009-11-07T10:07:51.755-08:00Earlier this week, in The Enduring Power of Piffle and The Drivel Machine, we took a nice hard swing at the qualitative side of social media i.e., the baloney that social media hustlers are filling gullible marketers full of. Today we take a look at some quantitative data on social media and see what marketers have to say about its effectiveness.As we know, the answer to all problems is social http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/0JtdeRpXvBU/social-media-vs-i-dont-know-its-tie.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=0JtdeRpXvBU:tafVDHJQsl0:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/0JtdeRpXvBU" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/11/social-media-vs-i-dont-know-its-tie.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-6909905051725381081Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:01:00 +00002009-11-03T22:16:02.928-08:00Yesterday, in The Enduring Power of Piffle, we took a fun-packed journey through the exciting world of contemporary marketing thinking.However, I feel like I gave short shrift to the alarmingly dimwitted and impenetrable comments that the article in question engendered.I thought I would reproduce some of those comments today. The amazing thing is that apparently all of these comments were http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/4yWa02b7Ts4/drivel-machine.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=4yWa02b7Ts4:pVW_UaAmyzE:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/4yWa02b7Ts4" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/11/drivel-machine.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-7417443553991872931Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:01:00 +00002009-11-01T20:37:28.762-08:00Just when you think the "conversation" crowd can't possibly devise any more preposterous nonsense about their precious conversations, up pops something so ridiculous that it restores your faith in the enduring power of piffle.A new record in jargon-hurling and language-torturing was reached last week when the writer of an Ad Age article entitled "How to Develop the Right Communications Strategy http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/s9hVGhIqmQ4/enduring-power-of-piffle.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=s9hVGhIqmQ4:cwFBwADtIiw:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/s9hVGhIqmQ4" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/11/enduring-power-of-piffle.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-3960702905369784667Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:15:00 +00002009-10-30T09:26:49.924-07:00Yellow legal pads used to be for people who used lots of paper and didn't want to pay the premium for more refined white paper. Now you pay extra for them.Stinky goat cheese used to be for poor people who couldn't afford the classier cow kind. Now it's a delicacy.It's easier to play the guitar than Guitar Hero.Note To AppleSomeone left me a voice mail at 3:30 yesterday afternoon. It didn't http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/r-zFuCyusHc/things-that-go-backwards.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=r-zFuCyusHc:D15Nh-wy5GU:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/r-zFuCyusHc" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/things-that-go-backwards.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-8525089097969313791Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:52:00 +00002009-10-29T16:19:03.683-07:00One ad phenomenon I always get a laugh out of is when Big Dumb Corporations and their Big Dumb Agencies introduce their product or service into a new market. They always try to link themselves to some stupid cliche about the area to demonstrate that they are "homies."So if some company is moving into LA, they take their icon and put sunglasses on it. Or if they are going into the Pacific http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/4i7O7AV5lPI/creative-for-carpetbaggers.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=4i7O7AV5lPI:5GE9SSDWY9A:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/4i7O7AV5lPI" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/creative-for-carpetbaggers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-6071014624515706680Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:01:00 +00002009-10-27T20:28:01.109-07:00How To Succeed In Social MediaThe smartest thing I've read about social media in a long time, from Monday Morning Memo:"Focus your attention on your customers. Social media will take care of itself."Thanks to Mike Hunt for this (c'mon, is that really your name?)Oh, It's All About Me!Has there ever been a bigger, stupider, more cliche-ridden campaign than Yahoo's new global "branding" campaign? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/jNqlbrv62pE/brains-falling-out.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=jNqlbrv62pE:NKLN-8-1v3M:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/jNqlbrv62pE" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/brains-falling-out.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-1317283041855961857Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:01:00 +00002009-10-25T21:03:22.261-07:00In the early 1960's, Berkeley students created something called the "Free Speech Movement." It incorporated some of the tactics of the civil rights movement of the 50's and helped give birth to the student activism that came to define the era.A significant component of the radical, hippie culture we think of when we see those amusing pictures of the 60's can be attributed to the influence of the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/lSSxCOOOhIg/free-speech-comes-full-circle.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=lSSxCOOOhIg:raFtbjhDC4Q:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/lSSxCOOOhIg" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/free-speech-comes-full-circle.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-3477882935342289310Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-10-22T06:11:57.926-07:00From time to time I reserve the right to abandon the horrors of advertising and write about something else. Today I feel like scribbling on a subject I am supremely unqualified to mouth off about and is likely to cause me nothing but trouble -- sex.The David Letterman and Roman Polanski "scandals" have me thinking about sex.I mean, more than usual.Let's start at the beginning.The beginning is http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/FDlPR-RYb4E/everybody-lies-about-sex.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=FDlPR-RYb4E:x0kVmxI34MA:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/FDlPR-RYb4E" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/everybody-lies-about-sex.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-4252161928515206263Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-10-21T00:01:00.736-07:00There is a lovely and comforting school of thought that says each of us is exceptional at something.I may be a good dancer, and you are good at making money. Jack over there is good at basketball, and Susie is a great cook. We each have a high degree of talent at something and the trick is to find what that something is.I have found this to be an innocent and sometimes infantile point of view.It http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/1V4QLFSb-yI/people-who-are-talented.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=1V4QLFSb-yI:4mqXlpL2lEg:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/1V4QLFSb-yI" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/people-who-are-talented.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-1767800586349679778Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-10-20T04:20:41.878-07:00Courtesy of Kirk Citron via Swiss Miss.Perhaps, the perfect client brief.The client: Mick Jagger. The "agency": Andy Warholhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/z4Qb5-hK93o/perfect-client-brief.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=z4Qb5-hK93o:aHW1bZqmghQ:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/z4Qb5-hK93o" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/perfect-client-brief.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-3826647538524224315Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-10-12T00:01:03.489-07:00That's me. The handsomest.What? You don't believe me?I have affidavits from my mother, my wife, and several of my employees.I have awards from the American Association of Old Fat Bald Guys.What? You still don't believe? You think I'm lying?Okay, maybe I'm not really the handsomest. Maybe I'm just trying to make a point.The point is this. You would think that one of the first things people trainedhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/tAPbvHXjyeQ/handsomest-man-in-world.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=tAPbvHXjyeQ:OKcCAiuPG90:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/tAPbvHXjyeQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/handsomest-man-in-world.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-6958700530586434595Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-10-07T00:01:03.266-07:00It's embarrassing to be in the ad business these days.Ad agencies don't know what they believe.In reaction to the dual onslaughts of the web and the recession, they have abandoned all principles.They go on and on about "the shifting nature of consumer behavior" and the need to "change the model."Change it to what?What's the role of advertising?Foolish clients can't see through the subterfuge. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/ybj_KgZDACw/nothing-to-sell-but-uncertainty.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=ybj_KgZDACw:K1At26H_re8:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/ybj_KgZDACw" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/nothing-to-sell-but-uncertainty.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-3420562517771905384Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-10-06T00:01:03.748-07:00Montblanc, the Swiss penmaker, has introduced a fountain pen to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi.The limited edition pen has an 18-carat solid gold, rhodium plated (whatever the hell that is) nib and is engraved with Gandhi's image.It sells for about $25,000.Montblanc's chief knucklehead in India said that the pen embodies Gandhi's "timeless philosophy of non-violence and respect for all living http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/JeAJVU5E_DQ/annals-of-marketing.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=JeAJVU5E_DQ:y3fQcN6qsvU:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/JeAJVU5E_DQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/annals-of-marketing.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-8347186685353878781Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:26:00 +00002009-10-05T12:30:48.302-07:00Wonderful piece of silly but truthful animation. Thanks to Ad Broad for this.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/uJBLH5hVWZk/awesome-social-media-guru.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=uJBLH5hVWZk:YbNP0RiJm-Q:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/uJBLH5hVWZk" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/awesome-social-media-guru.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-1247328730715529074Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-10-02T00:01:02.363-07:00There's no bigger fool than the one who lives only in the present.The one who thinks that what he sees is all there is.The one who doesn't know where the present came from, and concomitantly, has no idea where it's going.The one who can only see what's in front of him and what's coming at him.The great pleasure of knowing something is appreciating where it fits. If you don't, you don't really http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/WRFc7dIQfAI/fool.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=WRFc7dIQfAI:0Wgb8bys9QU:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/WRFc7dIQfAI" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/fool.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-527279214542601029Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-10-01T00:01:01.097-07:00There was a time when a public display of narcissism was available to only the few: the talented, the beautiful, or the wealthy.You couldn't get a book published unless you had something interesting to say. You couldn't get your picture on a screen unless you were stunning to look at. You couldn't force your way into the public consciousness unless you had money to burn.Now, the seductive appeal http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/R6rggioGGnA/perfectly-balanced-narcissism.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=R6rggioGGnA:YErcw0e7nhg:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/R6rggioGGnA" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/10/perfectly-balanced-narcissism.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-7709269584431768033Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-09-01T00:01:01.506-07:00I've been blogging for over two years now and I can't think of one more interesting thing to say about advertising.Since I don't blog about ad news or gossip (of which there is an unlimited supply) there's a finite amount to be said about a subject that ain't all that fascinating to begin with.I think it's best to put a bullet in it before it becomes too stinky.However, I decided that before I dohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/aglE2wdww1w/is-there-anything-left-to-say.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=aglE2wdww1w:8osVL5xlMVc:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/aglE2wdww1w" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/09/is-there-anything-left-to-say.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-3056588362158429803Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-10-29T14:31:41.249-07:00Last month, in a post called "Zealots, Maniacs, And Hustlers," I said,..."we've developed a reputation for being anti-digital media and pro-traditional media.We are neither.We have no personal interest in, or allegiance to, any medium.Our only purpose is to fight bullshit, hyperbole and words without meaning. We are against zealots, maniacs and hustlers of any stripe."There is, perhaps, no area http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/1BmpeSkoqo8/more-social-media-baloney.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=1BmpeSkoqo8:qSN6uiVsx1w:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/1BmpeSkoqo8" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/08/more-social-media-baloney.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-4686337949597504871Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-08-28T00:01:00.817-07:00Every now and then, TAC reserves the right to blog about whatever the hell he feels like. Today is one of those days.I had a chance to visit new Yankee Stadium a few weeks ago and here are some thoughts about it.1. It's impressive but not beautiful. Nice wide corridors, grand main plaza, comfortable seats (at least where I was.) But it does not have the beauty of some of the newer parks.2. In http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/Ny_DR5UTUwM/steroids-are-fine-salt-is-dangerous.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=Ny_DR5UTUwM:NP0yovU3twA:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/Ny_DR5UTUwM" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/08/steroids-are-fine-salt-is-dangerous.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-811197493713605767Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-08-27T00:01:00.158-07:00Back in the Middle Ages, when I was a creative director, I had a few strict rules:No talking animalsNo guys dressed as girlsNo celebrity's mothersNo ads about advertisingToday I'm going to break the spirit of one of those rules and blog about blogging.Here are a few random thoughts on the subject.1. Unpleasantness in advertising is not something new. As long as I've been in the business I've seenhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/8U9Z0J1ohkY/blogging-about-blogging.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=8U9Z0J1ohkY:TUops7qWt8Q:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/8U9Z0J1ohkY" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/08/blogging-about-blogging.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-4512473253482692322Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-08-26T05:39:02.147-07:00Dry mouthNauseaSudden and inexplicable death Dancing ahead of the beatCalling everyone "Billy"Fond memories of ParisBunting with men in scoring positionAsking your dentist for a dateHankering for kosher picklesNaive faith in golf tipsShaving one side onlyBeing nice to FrenchmenAbility to see magnetic wavesPutting both socks on one footCompulsion to sign non-compete agreementsQuestioning the ruleshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/YgXbVSCdWt8/symptoms-may-include.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=YgXbVSCdWt8:HwN4ATl2d5M:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/YgXbVSCdWt8" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/08/symptoms-may-include.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-797766461306477096Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-08-25T00:01:00.190-07:00One of the hardest things for agency people to do is to see things as they really are. Not as they'd like them to be. Not as they've heard they are. Not as they've read they are. Not as their company's philosophy says they are. But as they really are.The terribly difficult part about this is that you have to take yourself out of the equation. You have to understand that you are not typical. Thathttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/z0-nc3QZwpk/things-as-they-really-are.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=z0-nc3QZwpk:pcZGDCBYzsM:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/z0-nc3QZwpk" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/08/things-as-they-really-are.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249997465016074955.post-6206444477784136156Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:01:00 +00002009-08-24T03:57:34.431-07:00One of the most interesting aspects of the financial meltdown of the past few years is the role that mathematics played in it.Over several decades, Wall Street developed very sophisticated mathematical models of financial markets. During the 90's they were literally recruiting rocket scientists to work in investment houses.As we now know, everything they were doing turned out to be a bunch of http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~3/Mk5MSYbmI4g/warning-beware-of-math.htmladcontrarian@gmail.com (The Ad Contrarian)0<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?a=Mk5MSYbmI4g:8tYFsKXLO0Q:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/aDYs?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/aDYs/~4/Mk5MSYbmI4g" height="1" width="1"/>http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/2009/08/warning-beware-of-math.html