Message from paradise...

all dressed up for the dance?

Tampa Bay, the team with the smallest payroll in baseball, is going to the World Series.

Wouldn't you think they could spring for a better hat than the one they're sporting?

Whenever I see it, all I can think of is "tuberculosis."

Look at all the other cool logo hats out there...

Don't you think Tampa Bay would come up with something people might actually want to purchase to maximize this once-in-a-lifetime marketing opportunity? Jeez...

I can't believe I'm about to write this....

Begrudgingly I admit that user-generated reviews are equally important - if not more so sometimes - than the opinions and content generated by journalists and "trusted" news sources. This is particularly true when it comes to booking a hotel or cruise. You want to read about the experiences and opinions of those who've gone before....

But what about political choices? Who do you trust more to help shape your opinion - an anonymous blogger, an established news outlet with years of history behind it.....or a television comedy?

After this past weekend, I can't help but ask myself who's got more cred and influence when it comes to the presidential race:

   or    ?

Both garnered about the same viewing audience over the weekend, but who had a greater impact on those ever-important swing voters - Gen. Powell on Meet the Press, or Sara Palin's appearance on SNL?

I hate to admit it, but I'm beginning to think that Lorne Michaels has more public sway than Alex Bogusky....

what's it take?

when I interview young folks trying to get into our biz, I'm frequently asked, "What's it take to succeed in advertising?" I usually talk about inherent curiosity, a desire to break the rules, a genuine loathing of mediocrity and the expected, and the ability to accept that great ideas usually make the average person really uncomfortable (twitchy, even).

but if I were to say that accountability and forgiveness were the magic elixir, you'd think I was smokin' crack, right?

a few weeks ago, Adweek dedicated a special section to celebrating Goodby's 25th anniversary and in reflecting back, Jeff Goodby wrote this:

"As it turns out, there are only two forces at work in a successful creative business:

Accountability. And forgiveness.

A great agency is a igh-temperature fusion of both. Old Testament and New Testament. A long memory and short one.

That's all you really have to know."

well....uh......ok, Jeff. that's it, huh?

he goes on to explain that he equates accountability with being honest with yourself and others, never settling for average work...nor letting others settle.

And forgiveness means moving on - quickly - when something's not jiving. to cultivate a truly creative environment, you've got to get the best out of people, not belabor the mistakes. "Never forget, this is a business of intense and deflating rejection," he noted.

McKinsey always tells their consultants to "speak in 3's," keep the takeaways to just the 3 most important things. in true Gooby fashion, he's found a way to buck the pundits yet again.

cheers to 25 years, Jeff.