The Ghost of Newspapers' Future

Posted by Ken Wheaton on 08.07.08 @ 05:18 PM

Mullen-Created Viral Has Us Reaching for a Bucket

Posted by Rupal Parekh on 08.06.08 @ 06:57 PM

Talk about word of mouth. Extended Stay Hotels wants you to know that the best thing about its rooms is that they're "very clean." To make its point, it's launched this viral marketing campaign. The porn-esque video, dubbed "A Girl, Her Tongue and a Hotel Room" and which has been flagged as unsuitable for minors by YouTube -- has had over 300,000 views since it started circulating in the last couple of weeks.

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Apparently, Murder and Cannibalism Count as Bus Rage

Greyhound Pulls Campaign After Horrific Incident in Canada

Posted by Ken Wheaton on 08.06.08 @ 02:27 PM

Here at Adages HQ, we were all so fascinated and horrified with last week's news that a lunatic on a Greyhound bus in Canada stabbed a fellow passenger to death, beheaded him and -- according to some reports -- snacked on his flesh, that we didn't even consider there was an advertising angle to the story. Well, there is. The tagline for a Greyhound campaign running in Canada is "There's a reason you've never heard of 'bus rage.'" According to AP reports, Greyhound will be removing that campaign as quickly as possible. Probably a smart move. (Via Gawker)

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The Answer to Starbucks' Woes: Stripping Baristas

Posted by Ken Wheaton on 08.06.08 @ 11:15 AM

Espresso Gone Wild, a chain in Washington state, features barely clad servers. Though the chain's stores look like they once served as drive-thru margarita stands, and though it's running into legal issues and consumer outrage in some communities, and though it might be perceived as trashy and sexist -- this might boost Starbucks' sales. I think it would play well in Florida at any rate.

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Airlines Abuse You Because They Care

You See a $7 Pillow; JetBlue Sees 'Peace of Mind'

Posted by Michael Bush on 08.05.08 @ 01:59 PM

Now that JetBlue is charging passengers $7 for blankets and pillows they used to offer for FREE, the airline can start using said blankets, many of which will likely now go unused because of the ridiculous fee, to cover up some of its PR gaffes.

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Schlitz Returns With Original Formula

Wait. This Story Tastes Familiar

Posted by Ken Wheaton on 08.05.08 @ 12:42 PM

When I received a link to this story today, detailing the return of the once-mighty Schlitz to its original recipe and packaging, I was quick to pass it along to beer reporter Jeremy Mullman. And Jeremy was just as quick to return the favor with a story of his headlined Schlitz Tries to Revive '50s Heyday. It was written in 2006.

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Three Cheers for Consumerist and Circuit City's Jim Babb

The Blogosphere Strikes Again

Posted by Ken Wheaton on 08.05.08 @ 10:14 AM

One of the great things about blogs is their power to embarrass companies. The other great thing about blogs is that sometimes they not only embarrass companies, but they provide useful lessons for all involved. Such is a recent case when Consumerist.com roundly mocked Circuit City's corporate management for being a bunch of humorless, overly sensitive fools. Apparently some Circuit City stores carry Mad magazine. When Mad magazine ran a parody ad for a store called Sucker City, someone in corporate operations reacted quickly to order all the magazines removed and destroyed. But!

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Let J.Crew Serve As an Example

Posted by Natalie Zmuda on 07.31.08 @ 04:58 PM

J.Crew Group is one of the few retailers that seem to be weathering the economic downturn. While competitors report dismal sales, its revenues are actually increasing and sales at stores open at least a year are staying in the black. So, what's their secret? Part of it might be old-fashioned honesty and communication.

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Most Pathetic Press Release Ever

And Batman Wept

Posted by Ken Wheaton on 07.31.08 @ 10:29 AM

Why yes, the completely ridiculous premise did get us to read the release. Then we all pointed and laughed.

Batman would be nothing more than Bruce Wayne without the cool gadgets he uses to capture Gotham City's seediest characters. Why then are today's heroes, among them designers of rich online interactive media (videos, animations, etc.), not yet using cool tools to capture approvals on videos and animation? Using post-it notes, interoffice mail, and emails to collaborate, review projects, provide feedback, track and manage projects ... Can you say, "Holy Cumbersome, Inefficient, and Not Cool, Batman?!"

Early users of PROOF-it-ONLINE's new inMotion say its ability to review content in motion, the way it was designed -- not just by presenting printed stills or trying to capture feedback on a moving target -- is what the industry needs and where it's headed. Today's web-based collaboration and approval management software, such as inMotion, has evolved to ease the burden of administrative details, improve workflow, and secure approvals -- ultimately accelerating project cycles. This means more focus on creativity, innovation and client satisfaction.

Even Lucius Fox would be hard-pressed to develop technology of this caliber!

Please consider our invitation to check out this new tool. It only takes two minutes; all you have to do is click this button. Go ahead, give it a try. And if you'd like to know more so you can share with your readers, we're happy to arrange for a demo and/or company interview.

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Microsoft Vista: It's Not as Bad as You Think!

But the Marketing Is Still Pretty Lousy

Posted by Matthew Creamer on 07.30.08 @ 12:21 PM

In its massively expensive and massively dubious attempt to reform image problems suffered by its Vista operating system, Microsoft has turned to a hidden-camera approach to show that its flop of a new OS isn't as bad as you probably think.

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