More Social Media Baloney

Last 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

Steroids Are Fine. Salt is Dangerous.

Every 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

Blogging About Blogging

Back 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 seen

Symptoms May Include

Dry 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 rules

Things As They Really Are

One 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. That

Warning: Beware Of Math

One 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

Clients Ask All The Wrong Questions

The Ad Contrarian will return from vacation Monday. Here's a post from last March.Any agency person who's ever participated in a new business pitch has been asked this question: "What is the process you use to develop advertising ideas?"Any agency person with an ounce of integrity has answered thusly: "Schmuck, there is no process."In other words, no agency person has ever answered that way.There