- With Hipsters, It’s All About Cred.| Leave a Comment
I lived in Williamsburg for a couple of years, and thought that eventually this “hipster” culture thing would die out. Nope. It hasn’t. Boys in skinny jeans competing in moustache contests and waif-like girls wearing shiny spandex American Apparel leggings with faux-thrift store finds are a dime a dozen in all through the streets there. [...]
- The Branding of a Virus| Leave a Comment
Was the Swine Flu misrepresented? The pork industry thinks so right now, especially since it is already known that you can’t get the virus from eating pork, however consumers are already steering clear of pork products. Even though the H1N1 virus has been used by the President and other officials, the media is still calling [...]
- Pontiac Bites The Dust| Leave a Comment
Last Friday, GM decided that the iconic Pontiac brand will be phased out by the end of next year. The first thing that comes to my mind are all of those iconic models they had, from the GTO and Grand Am to the Firebird and Grand Prix. Pontiac was considered to be the grandaddy of [...]
- Shopping Isn’t So Much Fun at Old Navy| Leave a Comment
I remember when Old Navy was a fun, value conscious brand that didn’t take itself too seriously. The ads were punchy and cheeky with an element of retro kitsch. Getting a pair of cargo pants, t-shirts, and other basics for work and play at a good price was their trademark. “Shopping is fun again!” was [...]
- Judging Books By Covers| Leave a Comment
I was really trying to avoid this one, but the Susan Boyle phenomenon is everywhere - on television, tabloids, blogs, etc. So many people were surprised that someone who looked like that could have such a beautiful voice. What does that say about our culture? Are we that shallow that we can’t possibly think that [...]
- Overuse of Comic Sans Isn’t So Funny| 1 Comment
It is the iconic typeface that is used by millions and loathed by just as many. The “casual” font created by Microsoft type designer Vincent Connare, Comic Sans is front and center of a movement “Ban Comic Sans”. As a bubbly, friendly, casual font, it is seen almost everywhere, but most often used inappropriately. An [...]
- KFC Grills Again….| Leave a Comment
I love when brands decide to rename, repackage, and reformulate, passing along an old idea with a newer concept. KFC is unveiling their “new” Kentucky Grilled Chicken across the country to provide a healthier alternative. If this sounds familiar, it may remind you of Rotisserie Gold, introduced in the early ’90s to compete with the [...]
- JCPenney, Innovator?| Leave a Comment
Today in 1902, JCPenney opened their first location in Wyoming. Now, not many see them as a huge innovator, but digging through old commercials, I came across this spot for the Halson III collection specifically designed for JCPenney. This was already after the iconic designer sold the company, and certainly long before it bacame chic [...]
- The ’50s Version of Modern Healthcare| Leave a Comment
I love old newsreels, and often look at what prior generations considered to be “modern.” After writing the last article about retail health clinics on the rise, I figured it was worth a trip to the ’50s to the “modern” Kaiser Hospital.
- Are Retail Health Clinics the Future of Healthcare?| Leave a Comment
We can’t predict when we get sick, and as a culture based on convenience, we really do want a solution that is better than waiting for the next available appointment. In such a fast-paced society, many people cannot afford to take time off from work to treat the onset of a cold, retail health clinics [...]