The Age of the Complicator, Part 2

Yesterday we began a 4-part series called The Age of the Complicator. This is Part 2.

The art of advertising is really quite simple: Find something that makes your product seem more appealing than the other guy's and find an interesting way to communicate it.

Put a straightforward idea like this into the hands of today's advertising professional, however, and he will quickly turn it into a

The Age of the Complicator, Part 1

Today we begin a 4-part series called "The Age of the Complicator."

There are two kinds of people. Simplifiers and complicators.

I have spent my advertising career (now going on its 200th year) trying to find simplifiers and avoid complicators.

Next to talent, the most important quality an ad person can have is the ability to simplify.

Every ad problem is a mystery. There are a million things

The Obligatory Super Bowl Post

It's Super Bowl Monday.  The day when every half-wit in America gets to play creative director -- including bloggers.

In order to keep my contrarian credentials, I'm not going to talk about the advertising.

Okay, maybe just a little.

A few observations.
When does John Madden get back?
Loved Sean Payton's guts 
Carrie Underwood missed the note on "...brave" by about 30 yards
The Who? Really?

Bob And The Beancast

Here at Ad Contrarian global headquarters, our first order of business is to call 'em as we see 'em.

Last week I got account planners all aflutter and atwitter when I said planning needed to die. Honestly, I didn't think it was so harsh. In a previous post I said it was the planners that needed to die, not the planning. But that was back when I was young and opinionated.

Naturally, lots of

Who's Making Money From Social Media?

The hysteria over social media raises an interesting question.

Are agencies all drooling about it because it's good for their clients? Or good for them?

Another way to pose the question is this: Who's actually benefiting from the social media frenzy? Marketers or agencies?

Evidence of the efficacy of social media is pretty thin on the ground. As with all marketing crazes, there are a few

Who Needs The "R"

Yesterday was February 1st.

Every February 1st I have the same thought. Why the extra R in February? Why?

Nobody needs it. Nobody uses it. Most people don't even pronounce it.

January doesn't have it. It's not Janruary. So why February?

Isn't this month crappy enough without giving it such a lousy name? All it has going for it is President's Day and,  honestly, with the last few presidents

The Social Value of Maniacs

Regular readers know two of my prejudices:

1. Skepticism about the power of social media.

2. The importance of marketing to the heavy user in a category.

Unless you are competing in a high interest category (entertainment, sports, wine, etc.) the idea that people are going to find online social interest in your brand is likely to be an expensive pipe dream.

The stuff that most of us sell --