By Katie Earley, Copywriter

The past 24 hours or so has brought some fairly entertaining, advertising-related items to my attention, such as:

• If you don’t watch The Big Bang Theory you should. One of the best parts is the vanity card at the end of each episode. These are sometimes better than the whole episode. Most recently, Chuck Lorre shared some ideas to improve advertising on CBS. And another favorite because I’m generous.
• This new Kraft macaroni and cheese commercial got chuckles from both the husband and me.
• History.com has some nice Google-spoof spots. (via The Denver Egotist) http://www.vimeo.com/11272835
• Once again, beer companies make some of the best commercials. (via The Denver Egotist)

By Susan Gosselin,

Vest Director of PR

On the one hand, BP has been getting good reviews for its continuously running crisis site.  But as this gulf oil spill continues with no good solution in sight, it brings up an important point.  No amount of crisis communication can paint lipstick on this pig. Crisis communications only works when decisive, correct actions are taken, responsibility is exercised, and the light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. The public has gone from rage, to resignation, to the “laugh to stop from cryin’ stage.”  Exhibit A:  this wickedly subversive spoof site on Twitter.  Let’s just say, I’m glad not to be in their corporate communications department right now!

By Katie Earley, Copywriter

Fancast wins the award for best display of the Facebook Like button. So adorable.

Click on the image to see it full size.

Oh Office, I love you.

By Katie Earley, Copywriter

As electronic communications have improved over the last few decades, there have been accusations that this will bring the downfall of human interaction. We will text instead of call. We will e-mail instead of visit. And we will slowly lose our ability to have face-to-face encounters.

But I think these new technologies have the potential to bring us together in new and wonderful ways, and some ads from Apple and a new web series from Microsoft use that angle to sell their gadgets.

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By Susan Gosselin

Vest Director of PR

Facebook’s notorious arrogance has gotten it into hot water, again.  Could you guys just stop innovating for a couple seconds to create a clear, simple explanation of your new privacy settings?

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by Susan Gosselin,

Vest Director of PR

Facebook met with shrieks of indignation from its customers when it proposed “Beacon,” a Facebook app which would automatically register all your credit card online purchases on your profile for your Friends to see.  They had the good sense to shelve that program.  But now, venture capitalists are pouring millions into companies like Blippy, which will do the exact same thing. Has the world gone crazy?

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By Katie Earley, Copywriter

There are two things you need to know about me:

1. Somewhere in my education — around my 1,000th page of typed, 12 point, double-spaced, Times New Roman research paper/essay/short story/personal narrative — I decided that Times New Roman was my Visual Enemy #1.

2. I’m a bit of a slacker on news-reading. I’ve just always found fiction more entertaining, and often less disturbing. But don’t worry. I watch lots of commercials and read lots about writing and Twitter so I know what I need to know.

All of which leads to this morning, when I’m scrolling through the News section of my Google Reader. I subscribe to the local Courier-Journal, the New York Times and CNN. (Okay, and People too but that doesn’t really apply to the story. Although I would like to say that Betty White was fabulous on SNL.)

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By Katie Earley, Copywriter

Okay, I know my last post started with a whine about what Facebook was like when I first made my profile (Those long seven years ago.), but here it comes again:

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by Susan Gosselin,

Vest Director of PR

Sometimes, an article says it all so well, there’s no need for further color commentary from me.  This is definitely one of those articles, written about how companies should incorporate the new semantic web Facebook is creating into their own websites.  Check out this story from Mashable, with lots of insights and solid advice.  And if you need a little more background, try watching the keynote from the latest Facebook Developer Conference, F8, where it all was announced.