Nope, not yet… I woke up the other morning to an email Apple sent out to its universe of users, gifting MobileMe subscribers with a free 60 days of service to make up for recent outages and poor performance. I quote: “We know that MobileMe’s launch has not been our finest hour, and we truly appreciate your patience as we turn this around.” As they’ve shown time and again, apologies work and Apple’s brand keeps… read more »
Ad Age: A new A&E reality series is bringing the makeover to the boardroom. On “We Mean Business,” a technology expert, an interior designer and “Apprentice” winner Bill Rancic try to give flagging companies a new lease on life. Computer manufacturer Dell has signed on for an eight-episode integration that includes product placement and branded content on A&E’s web site as well as a Dell microsite. Branding today’s business no longer means static anything –… read more »
Surprise, surprise. CW gets slapped for hitting below the belt with its “nasty” advertising. Again. “It really reeks of desperation,” said Melissa Henson, director of communications and public education for the group. The network’s decision to “position the show in opposition to the Parents Television Council speaks both to the trouble they’ve had attracting a decent-sized audience for the program and the fact that they have had to sort of cling to an image of… read more »
Will Obama’s $5 Million Olympic media buy pay off? Did you catch this branding move? Ad Age reports, “In the first significant network TV buy of any presidential candidate in at least 16 years, the Obama campaign has taken a $5 million package of Olympics spots that includes network TV as well as cable ads.” Beijing Olympics—worldwide event, plus unprecedented exposure to one billion Chinese, no small feat in a global economy. The advertiser line-up… read more »
Jam-packed with hair-raising fumbles, tear-jerking saves and the glamest of brands –– they’re calling “Sex and the City” the “Super Bowl” for women. And boy, did it score BIG. The long awaited sequel movie to the original HBO series opened this weekend grossing an unexpected $55.7 million (according to Variety — the best opening ever for an R-rated comedy). This win will no doubt add extra padding and lining to many folks Gucci-like wallets and… read more »
Yesterday, I attended the “What we watch” segment of the New York Times third annual “Sunday with the Magazine.” It was hosted by the magazines quirky media columnist, Virginia Heffernan, and featured Bravo TV’s President Lauren Zalaznick, “Project Runway” fashion guru Tim Gunn and “Top Chefs” judge Gail Simmons. Needless to say it was a delightful hour as Bravo is having a banner year (for some it’s the new HBO), having captured a niche for… read more »
What did you think would happen when Vanity Fair and Annie Leibovitz (both elegant yet R-rated entities) covered Miley Cyrus of “Hannah Montana” fame, (a sometimes G-rated girl and show)? Soft porn people –– artful and mature, but hell, you knew it would be sexy. And I argue that most of the players involved did. If you actually get beyond the brouhaha of the photographs themselves and read the article — you’ll discover that Miley… read more »
Yesterday, New Yorkers were teased (again) with hints of spring like weather, even daring some of us to show off newly polished toes. But on cue, we woke up to a re-occurring canvas of chill and gloom, yet it strangely offered a warm backdrop for Pope Benedict’s touching visit to Ground Zero. No doubt the clouds will strategically part later today to let the sun glow on the Pope when he addresses more than 57,000… read more »
Incredibly, lots of them. Fox News reports that one million people have paid as much as $.98 apiece to download Ashley Alexandra Dupré’s (a.k.a Kristen) song from MySpace and the boys are continuing to call… Vodka Brand Wants Call Girl to Be Latest ‘Butt Girl’ In less than a week, the girl that took down Governor Eliot Spitzer has many times, quadrupled her day rate, allegedly earning more than $200k in music sales. The Internet,… read more »
As unpredictable as recent times seem, it was indeed predictable that someone would use their pulpit at the Oscars to sermon. Got to love Jon Stewart — apparently only preaching to his choir given this years usually low ratings (both on and off-line)… but ahem. The Oscars are traditionally a good place to be heard and seen — especially if strutting on the red carpet — and with purpose. Seeking the success of the pink… read more »
