MARCH 20, 1991

Full News Archive

• Headline: Rivera & Rivera Communications Name Change. Impact: If Arnold E. Rivera hadn't decided to change the name, we might have ended up with a confusing media landscape where Rivera & Robinson was an actual competitor. Who knows, maybe they would have invented social media a decade earlier? The world could have been flooded with cat memes by 1995!. Fact: Did you know that renaming a company is often just a fancy way to distract from the fact that it’s still the same old company? It's like putting a new bow on a gift that still has last year's socks inside..
• Headline: MCI Communications Celebrity Advertising Campaign. Impact: The revelation about MCI's celebrity campaign could have led to a world dominated by celebrity endorsements. Imagine a timeline where every product, from toilet paper to toothpaste, is advertised by someone who once sang on a reality show. Oh wait, we might already be there.. Fact: Fun fact: In the age of social media, those 'teaser commercials' might just have been the early ancestors of influencers. Just think, Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee were the OGs of selling you things you didn't know you needed!.
• Headline: TV Actor's Surprising Film Debut. Impact: If this teenage brat hadn't become a British spy, we could have avoided an entire genre of terrible teen spy movies that would plague cinema for decades. Just think of the alternate reality where we’re not bombarded with cringe-worthy sequels!. Fact: Did you know that 'charmless' is a polite way of saying someone could clear a room faster than a skunk? And yet, here we are, still giving them roles in movies..
• Headline: THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING -- ADDENDA; A New Partner For Follis & Verdi. Impact: With Sal DeVito on board, this agency might have been the birthplace of an ad campaign that finally convinced everyone that wearing socks with sandals is chic. We could have been living in a world where fashion faux pas were the hottest trends.. Fact: Did you know that when companies change their names, it’s often just to make it harder for you to find their customer service number? Good luck getting through to 'Follis DeVito Verdi' when you just wanted to complain about that ad!.
• Headline: THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING; Soap Opera From Britain Fans Taster's Choice Flame. Impact: If Tony and Sharon’s romance had hit the airwaves, it could have sparked a national obsession with freeze-dried coffee, leading to coffee houses everywhere serving only the finest powdered blends. We might have seen a caffeine-fueled renaissance of soap operas!. Fact: Did you know that soap operas started as a way to sell detergent? It’s like watching a 30-minute commercial while pretending to care about someone's romantic woes. Truly riveting stuff!.
• Headline: BUSINESS PEOPLE; Ford's Europe Leader Picked for New Post. Impact: This reshuffling could have sent ripples through the auto industry, potentially leading to a timeline where Ford's new leadership triggered a global car design revolution, resulting in vehicles that look like they belong in sci-fi films. Buckle up!. Fact: Did you know that often when companies reassign leaders, it’s just a high-stakes game of musical chairs? Spoiler alert: someone always ends up without a seat, and it’s usually the consumer!.