JANUARY 17, 1992

Full News Archive

• Headline: Innovative Advertising in Music Industry. Impact: This shift in advertising tactics led to the birth of viral marketing, where not only do musicians have to sell their music, but they also have to sell their souls on social media. The more bizarre the gimmick, the more likely you are to get a hit single. Fact: Fun fact: If you play a record backward, you might just hear the artist begging for their privacy back.
• Headline: Comerica's Major Advertising Account Review. Impact: The decision to review advertising accounts led to countless late-night brainstorming sessions that ultimately resulted in everyone using the same five buzzwords for the next decade. Thanks, Comerica, for the creativity drought!. Fact: Did you know that 'synergy' was the most overused buzzword of the 90s? It’s probably still lurking around somewhere.
• Headline: THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING -- ADDENDA; People. Impact: With Alan Webb's departure, the marketing world suddenly realized they were not as 'creative' as they thought, leading to a series of awkward brainstorming sessions filled with crickets and uncomfortable silence. Fact: Fun fact: The term 'creative director' is often just a fancy way to say 'I have no idea what I'm doing, but I look good doing it.'.
• Headline: THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING -- ADDENDA; British Party Sets Campaign. Impact: This attempt to adopt American advertising tactics allowed British politicians to embrace the 'loud and obnoxious' style, turning political campaigns into something akin to a bad reality show. 'Vote for me, I have a catchy slogan!' became the British norm. Fact: Did you know that in America, political buttons usually just say 'Vote'? In Britain, they take a more aggressive approach with buttons that scream, 'Please, for the love of all that is good, vote for me!'.
• Headline: Review/Film; Too Much to Prove, and No Reason to Prove It. Impact: This film's exploration of violence rooted in flash and posturing set the stage for a generation of filmmakers to think that gratuitous violence equals depth. Cue the endless parade of action films with absolutely no plot. Fact: Fun fact: The term 'Hollywood blockbuster' was originally coined to describe films that were so bad, they literally blew up the box office.
• Headline: THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING -- ADDENDA; Della Femina Lays Off 19 People. Impact: The layoffs at Della Femina sent shockwaves through the advertising industry, resulting in a slew of freelancers who now think they’re the next big thing... Spoiler alert: they're probably not. Fact: Did you know that layoffs are just corporate speak for 'we want to make our job security a little less secure for you'?.
• Headline: CHRONICLE. Impact: The George Award honoring George Burns solidified the importance of humor in a world that sometimes feels a little too serious. It also led to countless comedians trying to one-up each other with increasingly ludicrous awards. Fact: Did you know that George Burns was a fan of cigars and jokes? He famously said, 'I would rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate.'.
• Headline: Market Place; Tucson Electric Has Little Allur. Impact: Tucson Electric's near-bankruptcy sent ripples through the energy sector, forcing companies to rethink their strategies—leading to an overabundance of solar panels in backyards everywhere, because obviously, that was the solution. Fact: Did you know that overcapacity in the energy sector is a bit like having too many cooks in the kitchen? You just end up with a burnt soufflé that no one wants to eat.