At The End Of The Day

My brand new family

Move over Hood, Glad, Lever 2000,Tropicana, Green Mountain Roasters and Helmann's, there's a new posse in town, and they're gunning for you.  Over at the grotto supermercado, shopping for life's necessities, I am confronted with a pleasing connundrum:  choosing products from among a collection of unfamiliar brands.  Having been exposed to little local advertising, having received no coupons, circulars nor word-of-mouth advice from friends or mothers, my brand choices must be made according to facts and impressions presented at the point of sale.  Price, packages, competitive set and je ne sais quois inform my decisions.

via girljungle.typepad.com

And so it begins...

What is it about getting ready for an extended trip that is both wonderful and maddening at the same time? Why is it the prescription always needs renewing, the car breaks down, the work accelerates, the shirts get lost at the cleaners, the favorite suitcase breaks and the cussed Italian airline can't get a ticket issued despite 12 weeks advanced notice??? Kismet. Karma. Just desserts?

No matter. What must be done will be and in 48 hours I will return to Piazza Santa Croce to my little flat on the square. I hope you will join me on my adventures... Until then, ciao...

Pop Quiz

Like many workplaces, Garrand folk often plug in to gain head space. We're a largely open concept shop, so there's noise, and distractions.  Lots of us listen while we work.  In the interest of social science, I thought it would be cool to see what folks have in their ears. 

Of the twenty one colleagues who responded to my quiery this morning, 6 were unplugged but the rest showed a remarkable range of interests and methods of listening. 

There was one iPod, 6 iTunes and 4 http://www.pandora.com listeners, 1 iTunes radio, a YouTube, an NPR podcast and a new source (to me) http://www.last.fm.

Our team is diverse in age (20's to 60's) and 50/50 men and women but pretty northern New England in ethnicity. (Save one Southern girl who likes sweet tea.)  Here's what's on:

Beyonce  "1+1"

Radio Salsa

Amy Winehouse "Tears Dry on their Own"

Bill Burr poscast

Kontrol Phreak "Lyrics Born"

The Wallflowers "Three Marlenas"

Bob Marley "Corner Stone"

The Moth Podcast

Oxford Coma "Vampire Weekend"

Adele "21"

Jordin Sparks "No Air"

Eagles "Seven Bridges Road"

The Constellations "Perfect Day"

Red Hot Ray Brown Trio "Captain Bill"

Pokey LaFarge NPR

 

So interesting and a glimpse into the incredible diversity resident in one team. 

 

 

Brenda's Favorite Apps

Now that everyone at Garrand is ensconced in iPad world, we're going to highlight just a few of our favorite apps. These are Brenda's:
Flipboard
Office2 HD
Zinio
HBO Go
Powernap
Scrabble
NY Times Crossword
Kindle
How to Cook Everything
Star walk solar walk
Hulu+
Open table
Netflix
Moleskine
Audible
Pandora
I love dim sum
Direct tv
Zagat
Trip Advisor
Martha Stewart makes Cookies
Facebook
Twitter
Eight knitting apps
Trip advisor
quid

New TV, Does Anyone Care?

Happened to catch a little of the ABC Series, "Better With You"," last night. Evidently this was the 19th episode. Who knew?

The way the networks put fill-ins and new shows on and off air, and change schedules, it's a wonder any new shows stick. On the other hand, the quality of these shows makes cat videos on YouTube that much more entertaining.

I at least watched 20 minutes of "Better With You." Another new network entry, The Paul Reiser Show lasted two episodes. I needed to see about 45 seconds of the second episode to know that it stunk.

And yet, networks ask for rate increases near double digits in the upfront network market, and advertisers continue to pony up. My best advice: Don't. You're feeding the mill of mediocrity and putting your money towards a more detached audience.

Fizz from the Past.

"We'll never build brands the same way again," I've been saying. Considering seizmic changes in media consumption and the impact of the build-it-and-they-might-click internet, it looks like I could be right. Introducing new brands, or even reenergizing old ones has become a herculean task: affecting breakthrough in the current environment is nearly impossible considering limited consumer bandwidth and unprecidented message clutter.

Between DVR's, on-demand viewing and decline in convention media usage, especially among the power-demo of women 25-49, there's hardly enough money or creativity to penetrate those busy, crowded craniums. So what's an ad person to do? In some cases, it appears, use nostalgia to access what's already there, buried in the deep recesses of brand memory.

To that end, re-enter Speedy, the cute little Alka-Seltzer boy we (old baby boomer gits) remember from childhood -- long before we actually needed antacid.

I was so pleased to see the funny little fellow complete with tablet body and magic "fizzy" wand starring in a recent commercial.  Intrigued, I rushed to the internet to see how fully Bayer had committed to his return.

Sure enough, in the "games" section of the Alka-Seltzer website, (boy, nothing says "fun" like games on a pharmaceutical website,) I could play with Speedy. (Speedy is also my new Facebook friend.) Commercials highlight him (and a vintage Alka-Seltzer jingle) to complete the flashback.

And while it seems logical why Bayer would choose to bring back Speedy, (originally created for Miles Labs in 1951 by Watkins and Tenant from Chicago's Wade Advertising) it's curious in this atmosphere of clinically proven, scientifically advanced, Dr.-recommended over-the-counter medications that a funny little icon could communicate the clinical gravitas we seem to need in order to feel confident about a drug choice.

Truth is, the Alka-Seltzer brand has historically been positioned with humor. After savvier, suaver thinkers ditched Speedy in the mid 60's,  Roy Grace's "That's a spicy-meatball!" and the iconic "Plop, plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is?" jingle (sung by no less than Sammy Davis Jr. and his big band in one rendition,) became some of America's most fondly remembered campaigns.  Alka-Seltzer advertising, among the best and most effective advertising ever was brave and breakthrough in its time, especially noted for the creative confidence and differentiating look, sound and tone of voice that Miles Laboratories allowed its agencies to create. And Miles chose the best agencies, Doyle, Dane Bernbach, and Wells, Rich and Greene, both celebrated as some of the best (and riskiest) minds in advertising's golden age.

But back to the future, rather than hitch out over the gunnals with a breakthrough campaign for a new age, Alka-Seltzer's masters revert to little Speedy, the "tired gimmick" eschewed by the likes of Bill Bernbach and Mary Wells. Why go back so far?  Is it because there's no place, save maybe the Superbowl or American Idol to achieve the sort of audience numbers worth building a breakthrough television campaign for? Is it because all of advertising has fallen into the thrall of social media? (It's hard to build a fan page for an antacid tablet, no matter how fizzy,) or does Bayer have its sites set on merchandizing? (I can see it now, Speedy iphone cases .)

I suppose the truth is this: testing among key baby-boomer demos indicated a high level of recognizability and favorability for Speedy. A character owned and controlled by the brand. Bring him back, test the residual power of the character. Leverage him across new and conventional media. Not that risky, certainly nothing new, but well, they made The Little Fockers (and Godfather III) for the same reasons. Plop, Plop.

 

 

 

First Down! Kicking Off the Starting Lineup for the Big Game!

Boola Boola,  it's time for the Ad Bowl, our annual showcase of the best in TV advertising, (and champeenship football,) but first, a word from our sponsors.

As is my usual custom, in an attempt to act like a savvy homemaker, I spent my second cup of coffee this Sunday morning perusing the weekly coupon circulars where copywriting finds its highest calling.  You may not be aware, but those friendly folk at the NFL make using the term "Super Bowl" (used here in a strictly journalistic, fair-use kind of way,) verboten for advertisers trying to glom on to the big game hype. So all you dips, wings, chips and, yes, hand cream brands, trot out the substitute language to warn consumers that the game won't be the same without...fill in the blank.  What's worse,  since Flappo Chips can't actually say, "Your Super Bowl Chip of Choice..." they default to euphemisms for the game then gild the lilly with bad sports puns. Just the nadir of advertising tradecraft, if you ask me.

So, in case you missed them,  I happily present today's pig pile of bad ads:

1. Kickoff your party! (Wow. stunningly original.)

2. Catch a taste of the BIG GAME! (Oh, I get it... CATCH! Like the football!)

3. Mr. Peanut's Game Day Tip: Serve Planters nuts at your party. (I wonder who wrote this one? Extra points for two mentions of the name in one headline.)

4. Let SPIKES be the life of your GAMEDAY get-together. (Wow! great pun and the product name in headline. But what are Spikes? And aren't they called "Cleats?")

5. Pick up something sweet FOR THE BIG GAME! (Like your girlfriend, Chantal?)

6. Make sure the spread is covered. (What does this have to do with Tyson Chicken Digits?)

7. Go with your two proven starters for the BIG GAME! (pub and port wine cheese. "Proven starters." Do tell.)

8. Snapple® brings your crowd to its feet! (Really? Bottled tea?)

9.  Hog the Remote, Not the Bag. (Okay, but if the chips are that good wouldn't I want to hog the bag?)

10. 8 Hour Pregame  8 Second Postgame (Need the visual, but a pretty good crock pot liner benefit statement.)

11. Kickoff your football party with a fun, homemade pizza! (Yeah, boy. Can you say delivery?)

12. Shake it up on Game Day! With Guy Fieri! (Who's juggling three boxes of boring crackers. Hmm.)

13. Score Big Savings with this Game Day menu! (When Unilever brand managers write copy, this is what you get.)

14. Lipton, Super Tea for a Super Party (If you say so.)

15. It's time for real, delicious food for the big game! (Hard to argue with this, but how tortured. Hellman's I thought better of you.)

 

 

Moron's Beach - New Game For Zynga

Inspired (or not) by viewing habits of other family members, I believe Zynga could make a killing on a new game idea, "Moron's Beach," modeled on that awful MTV show that will not be named here.

Imagine the fun people would have scoring points for all sorts of shore-based activity. Big points and scores for launching a shark attack against any one of the principals. What if one of the male leads had a bunch of weights dropped on his head at the gym? Oops, no points there, since there are no brains in the head.

Little bimbo overbakes herself in the tanning booth and can't go out? Automatic win for sparing the rest of humanity from her company.

The worst part about all this? People will go nuts over it.

Flash!

Mob.

At UMaine. This is cool. Check out the woman wearing the blue vest and her reaction.

 

A Palette of Expression in Piedmont Park

This weekend offered all forms of artistic expression in Atlanta's Piedmont Park. The Atlanta Arts Festival spanned Saturday and Sunday and featured the whimsical art of Conni Togel and her crazy herd of sheep, with a special appearance of Knit Wit.
Recognized throughout the region as a premier arts show, the offerings included very unique items, like wooden handbags from Hand Carved Bags Etc, stunning glass work from Russell Glassworks, porcelain jewelry, art furniture from JP Roberts Design and the MOST interesting and harmonic, Gnarled Tree Didjeridoos
The more traditional forms of oil, pastel, and watercolor paintings were outstanding as well with marvelous exhibits from Brent Sanders and KC Collins. A stroll through the park was a feast for the eyes and ears, natural beauty surrounded by human expression of emotion. WONDERFUL!

Now In The Center Ring!

Fall Premieres start today! Hurray, hurray for the end of terrible network summer programming.

I am especially looking forward to the return of Modern Family on Wednesday and Grey's Anatomy on Thursday. And, with all the buzz around NBC's The Event, I might just have to check out the series premiere tonight.

A couple of new shows I won't be watching - S#*! My Dad Says on Thursday or No Ordinary Family on Tuesday. And I expect ratings will show us that not many people will.

A complete fall schedule is available here

It's Come To This

Congratulations, Food Network host Guy Fieri, on making it to the major network big time. Unfortunately, it's as a game show host. If you happen to catch even a minute or two (all I could stand) of last night's Minute To Win It on NBC, you caught what could be the lowest of the low in network shows.

A fine food host, Guy has to play up to NFL stars who clearly would rather be elsewhere, doing stupid things like hiking toilet paper rolls through a donut (subliminal?), while cheerleaders shake their..."pom poms."

Media controversies these days cover whether ad targeting is an invasion of privacy, or whether news media should cover extreme publicity stunts that may give more credence to extremists. No one complains about utter crap on TV. However, thankfully, expect this show to be short lived. Yeah, it's that bad. I couldn't take another minute.

Black Bear Den Party

As the fall quickly approaches we are reminded of the beauty of autumn, the changes in colors, the chill in the air, and the joy of back to school. This week, University of Maine hosted a Summer Tour Open House for prospective students. Remember how back to school brings excitement and nerves all bundled together in the joy of a fresh start? There are so many questions and concerns, choices and options, from both students and parents alike.

The Summer Tour offered a day of insight into campus life from academic angles, student organizations, to housing and financial aid and a chance to meet people who are experiencing the exact same excitement and anxiety. The day was about discovery and people from all over the country visiting to see what UMaine was all about.

I talked with people from a short drive away, and from as far as Los Angeles (that was a surprise). There were folks visiting from all over Maine, and from Ohio, Connecticut, Virginia and more. These prospective students had the chance to visit campus and meet kids just like themselves. What an amazing way to already form alliances that will certainly make that monumental decision, “where will I go to college,” so much easier.
It was great fun shining the spotlight on UMaine!

If You're Reading This, Get A Life

The New York Times has been running a fascinating series on how a digital existence affects our very existence. Overall, the stories show viewpoints on how continuous digital connections deprive our ability to recharge, connect with important people in our lives (you know, spouses, children), affect our personalities and create a general sense that, while we are connected, we are missing something.

Read just some of the stories, then think about whether you are too connected. I find this happening with some of the new toys out there, including Foursquare and Facebook Places. Do we really need this much connectivity? Does this really help us connect?

I wonder if people will be able to flush digital from their systems, even for a short time. There are several people in the office who are in the middle of the Fat Flush system. No comment here on whether that is effective. But, could they undertake a Digital Flush? I expect that would be a much harder task to complete. Now, gotta go check my emails.

Prop, Airtrain, and Ford…my version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles

I travel for my job. The joys of traveling for work can include stays at wonderful hotels, exceptional meals that you would never cook for yourself at home and endless people watching entertainment. The flipside of traveling for work provides amusing “Murphy’s Law” storylines for sharing at cocktail parties or the dinner table.

 

On a recent weekend jaunt to “beautiful” Newark, NJ, I arrived at EWR (a facility that has not changed in years and is still as dreadful today as it was 20 years ago-http://www.panynj.gov/airports/newark-liberty.html) to find that the ONLY rental car company that was off-site was the one where I had reservations. After taking a car to the plane, to a train, I needed to take the shuttle bus to get a car to drive to the hotel.

 

The irony in all of this is that I could see the hotel with the brilliantly lit neon sign at the top, shining like the North Star. Basic orienteering for a kindergartener would have scored easy access to the facility. The rental car company was also within eyesight, however there were numerous chain-linked fences with barbed wire and approximately four highways between the cars and me!

 

Once on the bus we drove in circles for ten minutes to exit onto the highways continually, looping out of the nautilus and finally ending at my destination. As I complete the paperwork for my rental my cell rings with news that there are complications with the event and we may not be able to participate as planned. I finally get the car and have to navigate BACK through the nautilus of roads and fences to return inside the airport property where my hotel was located, all the while receiving additional calls including my crew telling me they were not able to pick-up product.

 

At this point it was late and I was tired and had traveled hours. I am left in limbo regarding IF we even have an event to attend and think how appropriate it is since we can’t get product either. Once at the hotel the phone calls regarding all the “issues” went on until after 1 AM.

 

At 7 AM the calls began again. For the next two hours I field calls and learn that we cannot proceed as planned. So, I place calls to change travel arrangements for my return home. No go! Nothing was available so I had 24 hours to kill in the maze of roads and fences.

 

After making arrangements to meet a friend for lunch I head to the hotel lobby to get cash. The ATM is broken. I head out and reach one toll, then another, and then the third. I am buried in lane 6 of a 9 lane road feeding into 3 lanes to cross the George Washington Bridge. The toll is $8.00 and I have $7.42. The toll taker was so nice and only took $7.00, leaving me with $.42!

 

My friend and I agreed to meet at the Pepsico Sculpture Garden, a beautiful sprawling exhibit of art and foliage on the grounds of Pepsico corporate headquarters, open everyday of the year! As I pull up to meet my friend, I see the ending to this crazy 24 hours of travel, “GARDENS CLOSED FOR PARKING LOT REPAVING.” I had arrived at Wally World. I love to travel.

The Most Fantastic TV Show

Mad Men, of course. It's fantastic. Is it the best ever? I don't think so or I would give this post a different title. Still, 9 months since season 3, and worth the wait.

I could go on about the characters, the story line, the historical references, the advertising. But, another great thing about the series is the commentary. On that, my favorite is the Dorothy Parker column on Mediapost. But there are dozens of bloggers, columnists, and me, going on about the series, from one side or the other. Even the NY Times had three columns in the past week about the show.

On the business side, I'm thrilled to see how the new Sterling, Cooper, Draper, Pryce struggle with the "small" agency label and position, especially in the wake of the Ad Age small agency conference. Don, while a creative visionary, is having a hard time integrating other marketing elements, such as PR, in the entire marketing process, or even admitting that it works!

Finally, I love the new office, and what SCDP does to try to make it work. I'm proud to say I too worked at an ad agency in the Time Life building. Even at one floor, I thought it was good-sized. We never made up a story about a second floor.

Did The World Cup Tip Soccer in the U.S.?

No.

It's still called soccer here, not football, and the World Cup will do little to change the sport's position in the U.S. Here's why:

1. A boring final game, and series of games. 1-0 is not a great score. That all but one of Spain's elimination games ended 1-0 doesn't promise an exciting sports spectacle.
2. Whiny players. The number of pratfalls and feigned injury was laughable. At one point yesterday, a player was grabbed on the arm by another player, and fell down holding his shin with a Lee Harvey Oswald-like facial expression.

3. Poor American performance. Making the elimination rounds doesn't cut it. Lot's of teams make the playoffs. The best teams win. Cycling didn't become more popular in the U.S. because Lance Armstrong was in the Tour de France. He won it. A lot.
4. Every four years. Olympics get ratings every four years. Then people forget. But, who is the current world champion at 100 meters (men or women?). Who won the gold at the last games? Where were the last games? Who scored the winning goal yesterday? Who won the World Cup four years ago?
5. Vuvuzela

Ok, it's the FIFA World Cup, but FIFA could learn something from the NFL. It's still called the Super Bowl, and only the Super Bowl.

A Day in the Life as We (Our Interns) Know It

Our interns speak out. We conducted interviews with two recent interns at Garrand, and now provide their take on the media landscape.

Garrand - like the rest of the marketing world - is doing its best to keep up with the fast paced changes of the digital age and understand how people are consuming media. Brenda decided that as tech savvy (depending on who you talk to) “twenty-somethings”, Dionisios and I may have insight into the consumption behaviors of our generation.

Every facet of our consumption of news and entertainment, our relationships with friends and family and how we exchange data revolve around the internet and electronic devices. Are we starting to rely too much on our mobile devices and computers to access the world? Is it too late to go back to reading hardcover books and sending letters?

About Travis:

I’ve lived in Maine my whole life. I’ve always been very fond of the way of life here and as I traveled more, I began to really appreciate it. In 1990, my parents started their own business called Riverside Farm Market in Oakland, ME.

Both my parents left their jobs to pursue a more laid back lifestyle. Growing up being constantly involved with their business has done a lot to define who I am as a person. My parents did a great job of instilling a sense of entrepreneurialism and I’ve always felt that I was destined to do something creative. I’ve contemplated taking over the family business, for now I’m trying my hand in marketing and advertising. Advertising is directly related to design and I think that’s why I’ve always been fascinated by it – the creativity that can be achieved is what really draws me to this industry. Although I’m still struggling with what direction I intend to pursue after college, life at Garrand over the past few months has increased my interest in the advertising and marketing industry. We’ll see what happens!

When was the last time you picked up a newspaper?

The only time I want to pick one up is if I might be sitting around a coffee shop or if I’m traveling. I’m sure most people my age would agree - if there’s something compelling in the news, we find what we need on our smart phones (big surprise?). I find the news sites I visit on a regular basis on my phone, like The New York Times, have dedicated applications, which makes it even easier. If I’m traveling, I might pick up a local newspaper to see what’s happening in the area.

Do you listen to the radio? If so when was the last time, what did you listen to and for how long? (Internet radio doesn’t count).

I can’t remember the last time I listened to the radio in my home. Since the car connection for my iPhone recently stopped working, I’ve been forced to do more radio listening. I don’t like much on the radio and it’s annoying to listen to commercials. A lot of the stuff I listen to isn’t even on the radio. With internet radio, I’m able to customize my listening experience all with minimal commercial interruption. If cars weren’t equipped with radio at all, I wouldn’t miss it.

Do you subscribe to any magazines?

Nope. Magazines seem like a waste of time.

How do you find out about things that are going on?

Facebook has become a real hub for events and keeping up with people to plan outings. It used to be a lot harder for me to get in touch with my group of friends and make plans that worked for everyone – now with applications like “events” on Facebook, everyone is in touch with one another and can communicate in a forum environment.

If you had something important to tell close family and friends, how would you do it?

I feel it’s important to call people or see them in person if you have very important news.

Do you know who your local representative is?

Sadly, no. I knew who my representative was in Oakland when I lived there, but only because my dad ran for representative.

What applications on your phones (assuming they’re smartphones) do you use most frequently?

If you don’t have a smart phone at this point – you’re missing out on a lot of very cool, useful, everyday features! The applications I use the most are my weather application from TheWeatherChannel.com, Pandora radio, Facebook, and The New York Times. Apps I regularly use with close friends are Skype and Knocking Video.

About Dionisios:

My name is Dionisios Sparangis and I am an intern at Garrand Marketing helping Christine Campbell and Jon Hutter in the media department. At 22 years of age, I do not consider myself the master marketer, but I believe that I learned much more about what it means to be a part of a full service marketing agency.

When was the last time you picked up a newspaper?

As a young student, I barely ever pick up a newspaper unless it is the Wall Street Journal. I try to be knowledgeable on what is going on with the equities and global markets. When searching for news I normally go on Google News and the Portland Press herald’s website.

Lately Greece has been in the news a lot; it is not what I like to hear, since most people that know I am Greek will ask, “What are you guys doing over there?” Most newspapers will talk of Greece now as being the source of uneasiness in the global equity markets. Whether it is news on Greece or news about the latest headlines in the marketing world, I always turn to the web for all my news.

Do you listen to the radio? If so when was the last time, what did you listen to and for how long? (Internet radio doesn’t count).

In my opinion, Maine has some of the most horrendous radio stations in terms of their programming. The music that these local stations play is the same list of songs each day. So, my ears tune me into the classical music station, WBACH, and NPR on MPBN.These two stations are the only ones in Maine that offer a reasonable form of entertainment and news that interests me.

Do you subscribe to any magazines?

I do not subscribe to magazines, but I like to read Portland and Downeast.

How do you find out about things that are going on?

I find out about events whether they are in my local community in Southern Maine or another area of the world through websites on the Internet and magazines like Downeast and Portland Magazine.

If you had something important to tell close family and friends, how would you do it? If I had to tell my friends and family members something important, I would either directly speak with them or call them if they live too far away to meet.

I am not the person who uses Facebook or email to tell people about important events or issues. These forms of communication are too impersonal for my taste. Facebook is just too time consuming; it is an obstruction to completing important daily tasks.

What applications on your phones (assuming they’re smart phones) do you use most frequently?

On my Android based smart phone are Facebook, the NPR app, Google Finance, Pandora, Google Voice, Qik, Open Table, and Gmail.

To some people this might sound like excessive use of a mobile phone, but I can essentially do almost anything I use my laptop for on a day-to-day basis on my Android based cell phone. Sometimes I question whether it would be better "cell-phoneless", so that I can have some peace and quiet, but in the end it is permanently glued to my hand!

Social Networking Taken To The Next Level

We've broken new ground in social networking, and we're the only ones doing this. Garrand has discovered and will market our clients' brands over the EctoNet, the social network that reaches the dead. Using social media to target the great beyond is a natural fit, since it uses media technology to replace a medium, which used to be the only channel to the afterworld. It's also a completely metaphysical network, which means the infrastructure is already in place. We just hadn't thought about it enough.

This is a completely untapped consuming market and our clients can gain a huge competitive advantage marketing here. Reaching the dead makes perfect sense as a consumer market, since it's well known that spirits tend to spill things, leave lights on, scare people (which could create a need for medical attention) and do other things that create markets for our clients.

We also expect to create a new set of brand ambassadors among the dead. There will be a natural brand affinity and endorsement opportunity because of the targeting, which we expect will please the spirit world to no end. They'll be sending signals back to their living-world friends and relatives that will encourage them to use our clients' brands. To provide metrics on endorsements and campaign success, the Ecto-Net will feature a "channel this" button.

We're also implementing an Ecto-Net monitoring system, code named The Dead Zone, which will track in real time any other signals sent from the afterworld, so we can monitor campaign effectiveness.

The entire afterworld marketing network is a new approach to social media and networking that has never been tried before. We looked on Topeka and saw some promos from mediums, but that's old technology. We're planning to bring on two consultants with expertise in the afterworld, including Peter Venkman and Egon Spengler.

In case you didn't know, this guy is an actor

I just saw the new commercial for the Sharp Aquos TV. The one with Quattron picture technology? They have an authoritative looking gentleman in a lab coat, explaining the features and benefits. You recognize this guy, right?

Well, just to be sure, the lawyers at Sharp (it couldn't have been the creatives), required a super while he spoke, that said, "Actor Portrayal."

Please. Maybe if he pulled out a hand phaser, they wouldn't need the super. Fire the damn phasers Mr. Sulu!