Clueless

TAC seems to have become a pariah among the cult of web zealotry. You can read recent references to my stupidity at the following locations:HereHereHereandHereMy great sin has been to be skeptical about the effectiveness of online social media as a marketing tool.To get myself more familiar with this topic -- just in case it turns into a fist fight -- I tried going back to original sources.

Congratulations!

My wonderful daughter graduates high school this weekend. She makes me proud every day.

Friday Celebrity Roundup

Remember the time your mom got drunk?Embarrassing, wasn't it.-------------------------------------------------------------------What will we do without her?Susan Sarandon says that if John McCain wins the election, she will move to Canada or Italy.Finally, a reason to vote for McCain.Afterthought...Wish I had a dollar for every Hollywood phony who said (s)he would move to another country if

Grand Strategic Insights

One of the best pieces of advice I can give to anyone in marketing or advertising is this:Be eternally skeptical of grand strategic insightsPlanners, researchers and their ilk love to take a little information and turn it into a heroic vision. Beware of this. Most valuable insights are small and contingent.I was once at an advertising conference and a planning director was making a presentation.

Smart Guys Being Stupid

I read two really dumb things last week by two really smart guys.First was Seth Godin. He wrote a blog about Danny DeVito. Claimed that Danny DeVito had a better chance of becoming a star than George Clooney. Why?The math...tells us... ...everyone in Hollywood is trying to be George, there are a lot more opportunities for the few Dannys willing to show up. Invest in Danny. The edges usually pay

The Tyranny of Strategy

Advertising strategies are not handed down by God.They are written by planners, researchers, account execs, clients and other mildly retarded mortals.You only have to turn on the tv to notice that these people often get it wrong.Meanwhile, good creative people sometimes have a better feel for the problem than the committee that wrote the strategy. It is not unheard of for them to develop --

The Mindless Herd

Advertising has always been a trendy business. But the internet has driven the trendiness to new heights. It has turned ad agencies into a mindless herd, desperate to be on the cutting edge regardless of how much of their clients' money they are pissing away.For some time now TAC has been screaming that most advertising on "social media" is a monumental waste of money (see my guest blog on