The Laziness Of Global Advertisers, Part 2

Yesterday we began a series called "The Laziness Of Global Advertisers." I wrote it as a 3-part series, but I condensed the final two parts into this one.Here's a good laugh from The Wall Street Journal:"For a global marketer...There is a whole infrastructure that you need to adapt and change ads (emphasis mine - TAC) so you can successfully market around the world," says Robert LePlae, president

The Laziness of Global Advertisers, Part 1

Today we start a 3-part series called "The Laziness of Global Advertisers."

Democracy is messy. It requires compromise. It allows for dissent. It takes time to get things done.

Nonetheless, it seems to be the best form of governance we've been able to devise.

Dictatorship is not not messy. Things can happen quickly. You don't need discussions. You don't have to pay attention to annoying

Friday On My Mind

Tweets From HellI know that one of the reasons you read this blog is that I'm always honest with you. Well, I have something to say kids, please sit down.I'm afraid that most of the entries in Wednesday's Dead Twitterers Contest were pretty freaking lousy. There I said it and I'm not sorry. My advice -- don't die. And if you do, don't Twitter.Nonetheless, I was able to pick 5 finalists (make that

Only In California, Part 3

California leads the way again with a groundbreaking economic recovery plan.Anyone need a CMO?

The Dead Twitterers Contest

Here at Ad Contrarian Global Headquarters, we're always looking for ways to make your life better.Today, we're even going to make your death better.How? By telling you how you can Twitter after you're dead! How awesome is that?You see, there's a website called Tweet Later where you can write tweets and schedule them to publish any time you want. So if you know when you're going to die, you can

Why Can't Marketers Talk Straight?

I sometimes play a game. As I'm walking down a street, I look at how people are dressed and divide them into two categories: those who are trying to stand out, and those who are trying to fit in.

I do a similar thing when I interview people. I listen to their language and analyze whether they are trying to cloud or clarify.

One way we can tell that the marketing and advertising industries are

Meet The New Boss, Same As The Old Boss

One of the very charming aspects of Web Maniac Disease (WMD) is the callow belief in the virtue of all things digital.For a wonderfully annoying look into the mind of a WMD sufferer, I wholeheartedly recommend The 95 Theses of The Cluetrain Manifesto, one of the foundational documents of the "conversationalist" school of web zealotry.Here are a few points from that document.8. In both