I had the opportunity to spend four days in Barcelona last week on a hastily-arranged vacation. The time was short, but it was nice to have the change of scenery.
On my first day there, I noticed this huge, striking Nike banner draping one of the skyscrapers on Plaza Catalunya. It had two giant bell peppers in the team colors of Football Club Barcelona and a Nike swoosh. I thought, that’s cool, and made a note to myself to photograph it later.
Even though I’m not a huge sports guy, I knew …

Another year, another Super Bowl passes into history. And while ongoing millionaire-versus-billionaire labor strife might mean this was the last one for a couple of years (though I doubt it), this year’s edition came with the same ad industry hype, the same Brand Bowl BS that seeks to elevate big ad buys into some sort of referendum on the state of the industry. So we’re reminded year after year of the “25 Greatest Super Bowl Ads,” or just how bad Go Daddy ads are, or how USA Today’s Ad Meter …

PREDICTION 1: The game is going to suck. Probably low scoring. Lots of 3 and outs. You’ll lose interest after the halftime show.
PREDICTION 2: The commercials are going to suck. Actually, they’re going to be OK but they won’t blow anybody away.
PREDICTION 3: Your party is going to suck. Here’s why.
PREDICTION 4: You’re going to be cranky on the following Monday after spending all night at a crappy party watching a crappy game with crappy commercials while drinking too much.
BTW, the reason Super Bowl ads suck every year is because they’ve …

Is the NFL ‘pink’ campaign worth it?
Probably. The NFL fan base is huge. And even though breast cancer awareness is already quite high, it’s always good to bring more attention to something that kills over 40,000 Americans each year.
But do the methods work? Or do they actually distract from the message? Are people so focused on the pink shoes and other accessories that they don’t think about the broader meaning? I had to go to the NFL website to find out that the goal of the campaign was to stress …

The carefree days of summer are over. Well technically summer’s not over for another two weeks, but the way everyone’s crying about it you’d think we just fast forwarded from August to the dead of winter.
Personally, I couldn’t be happier. Because we have just entered the best month of the year. What makes it so great? I’m glad you asked.
Here’s why September is the most awesomest month ever.
- My wife was born in September. (I have to put this first, obviously).
- You can visit just about anywhere in this great …

Everyone dreams of hitting the big game-winning home run. You picture it: Cameras are flashing all throughout the stadium. The crowd is ready to burst with excitement. Every player on both teams is fighting to conceal the mounting pressure they are feeling.
You swing, and send the ball deep, deep, deep over the second basemen’s head. You arrive comfortably at first base with a single. The air goes out of the stadium for a second, but then it builds again as the next player comes up to bat.
This isn’t how the …

I just came back from World Cup in South Africa.
I was also in the last one, in Germany 2006. So, it was impossible to not compare the organization, the marketing buzz and the atmosphere.
Of course, Germany had a better infrastructure.
In cities like Berlin, Munich, Koln and Frankfurt, almost every brand, every shop, every bar were making an invitation for me to live – and buy – the World Cup experience: merchandise, games, interactive gadgets, souvenirs, expos, fantastic places to eat, drink and watch the games.
In South Africa, in some neighborhoods, …

(This was written on June 25th before the US/Ghana game)
I felt bad for the US football/soccer team when their winning goal against Slovenia in their World Cup match was disallowed by a referee undoubtedly related to Helen Keller.
Especially since “footie” is such a goal-challenged sport in the first place. (Unlike the one with the only Cup that really matters.)
Then yesterday I read that BBH had just lost to Fallon their 5-month-old Cadillac account – and that they found out about said loss by reading of it in the press.
Talk about …

Here’s a humbling thought.
It’s the World Cup.
Thousands of people have traveled to South Africa to watch.
Millions more will watch live on television from every corner of the globe.
It is by far the biggest global event at this moment in history, and it’s being ruined for many, by a swarm of vuvuzelas.
Now, obviously, no one tuned in to hear the vuvuzela.
They’re actually only interested in the football.
And right there is the rub.
Most advertising is like a vuvuzela.
It’s loud.
Obnoxious.
It’s not what people tune in for.
If anything, it’s really more of a distraction.
And …

Last week, I wrote about the disaster in the gulf and how it has completely laid waste to both an entire region and any good will created by the BP-Beyond Petroleum ad campaign.
Pretty heavy stuff. So this week I wanted to focus on something a little lighter.
Sports advertising. In particular, hockey advertising. This recent ad by the Boston Bruins brought a smile to my face and reminded me of the simple joy of a funny headline.
http://creativity-online.com/work/boston-bruins-never-date-a-flyers-fan/19942
And I’m a Flyers fan. Perhaps some of the sting is removed by Philly’s historic …