Archive for January, 2010
CBS’ Super Bowl Advertising Dilemma :: Who Draws the Lines, Anyway?
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It’s that time again. The time where advertisers roll up their sleeves to deliver the most creative, effective and long-lasting ad campaigns of the year. The time where we, as consumers, get to sit back and enjoy the simple pleasure of being entertained while subconsciously being swayed towards buying into a product or idea. The time where thirty seconds of publicity dons a net worth of $3 million dollars for the cable company responsible for airing one of the most highly-rated events on television each year.
The Super Bowl.
And while fans and general spectators anticipate the game with different levels of urgency, the consensus question among most American citizens in the next few weeks will be, “So, where are you watching the game?”
You know it. I know it. Just about everyone knows it. The Super Bowl is a big deal. And what largely-publicized event can occur without a few disputes and dramas present?
Watching The Today Show this morning, my attention was nabbed the moment the subject of Super Bowl advertising came up. On the show with Kathie Lee was a man by the name of Donny Deutsch, and the two of them were discussing a dispute that has evolved in the last few days concerning CBS, a commercial with Tim Tebow that voices a Pro-Life message, and a commercial from mancrunch.com advertising an all-male dating service. Check the video after the break. Particularly from 2:15 to 5:45… Read More→
UK’s Big Letdown :: How Do You Face Adversity?
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Rolling into last night’s game at an impressive 19-0, the University of Kentucky’s Men’s Basketball program had finally reached the lofty title of #1. The only undefeated team remaining in Division I basketball. The best team in the country. And after possessing that title for just under 2 days, they found themselves in the hostile, determined company of the South Carolina Gamecocks. Once you’re number one, there’s nowhere to go but down. Nowhere to run. Nowhere you can go and not be a target.
And targeted they were.
Only minutes into the game, I knew Kentucky was headed for trouble. Bad passes, missed layups and general chaos marked the team I had just watched dismantle Arkansas just three short days before. Where there was once a supremely confident, well-oiled machine of a basketball team, there now stood a group of guys that looked as if they weren’t quite sure what needed to be done and exactly who was supposed to do it.
They were in a funk. Read More→
Small Pieces :: The Phenomenon of Community
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We have all witnessed and discussed the devastation that occurred in Haiti over the past week. The death toll and extensive destruction that this series of earthquakes have rendered is unheard of until now. The loss is immeasurable. And while this is reason for solemn reflection, it has also been a time of solid reaction. And as the catastrophe in Haiti has lead to endless empathy and question, it has also lead to prompt action and inspiring levels of help and service that, to wit, have not been seen in a long, long time.
I suppose it’s easy to get cynical and jaded when things like this happen. We question God about the why’s and question one another about the how’s.
How do we respond? How do we understand all of this? How can I help? How can we, as individuals, make any difference?
In a culture of super-heroes, CEO’s, sports stars, and celebrities, we really have a hard time grasping onto the idea that a huge group of people doing small things on individual levels can make substantial impacts. We rely on individuals doing singular, mind-blowing things that aren’t common or realistic in order to see change happen. We wait for the game-changers. The heroes. The saviors. Read More→
Conan’s Out, Jay’s Back :: What Do You Make of The Late Night Mess?
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If you haven’t heard already, Conan O’Brien’s stint on NBC’s The Tonight Show will officially end following tonights airing. After a short 7 month run, the heir apparent will be making his exit from late night talk show stardom. Jay Leno will re-assume the position as host of The Tonight Show, returning after his retirement, subsequent launching of a new prime-time show, and it’s gigantic failure. There are tons of stories, articles and videos about this whole debacle that can be read and reviewed at your leisure.
Just ask Google.
But that’s not what I’m after. You see, my opinion on the situation is: it sucks. I happen to like Conan, his comedy and the fact that he stuck it out on the 12:30am Late Nite show for 16 years in hopes of one day taking the prized Tonight Show position. It was promised to him. It was waited for. It was given to him as successor to Jay Leno. Simple. This was Conan’s show to take on for the next couple decades, and I was excited to see what he would do with it given some time.
NBC chose, however, to gamble a bit on Jay Leno’s prime time disaster. They lost the bet. It all went belly-up and their hand was forced. Affiliates on the local level were upset by loss of viewers, caused enough stink to make NBC make some choices, and Conan O’Brien is getting the raw end of the whole deal.
My opinion? Read More→
Technology Strikes Again! :: Are You Swayed By The eReader Revolution?
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If you know me at all or have read your fair share of articles on this site, you know all too well my affinity for tech culture. I am a fool for new gadgets. Every time something shiny and innovative hits the news, I am all over it. How will it change things? Is it accessible? Practical? Usable?
All these and dozens of other questions buzz through my brain as I attempt to figure out whether or not this latest, greatest thing will ride the tide of hype and hysteria and actually deliver on whatever promises it has been saddled with. And while I try to remain nuetral after so many let-downs and disappointments, I just can’t help myself sometimes. New stuff is so cool!
Yet, with the introduction of the Kindle (Amazon.com’s eReader) in late 2007, I didn’t really get excited at all. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even give it much thought. This was one tech toy that wasn’t going to get me interested. I have a netbook and a Palm Pre. What need would I have for an eReader? Read More→
