APRIL 15, 1999

Full News Archive

• Headline: Microsoft Reviews Windows Advertising Strategy. Impact: Rumor has it that this closed review led to the discovery of a secret Microsoft project to create a time machine—because if they can't sell Windows, they might as well sell time travel. Fact: Microsoft originally hoped to name Windows 'Rainy Days' because they believed that would make it more appealing to the average user—who doesn't love a good storm?.
• Headline: Creative Media Wins Discovery Networks Account. Impact: This account win marked the turning point in the advertising world where agencies realized they could actually win clients by just being less annoying than their competitors—who knew?. Fact: Creative Media's slogan, 'We promise not to bore you,' was a direct jab at DeWitt Media’s infamous tagline, 'We also exist.'.
• Headline: Newsman Buried; Freedom Mourned. Impact: The assassination of Slavko Curuvija not only highlighted the risks faced by journalists but also ignited protests across Eastern Europe, leading to a surge in independent media outlets—because nothing says freedom like a bunch of people yelling at the government. Fact: Curuvija's death became a rallying cry for press freedom, yet ironically, it was also used as a plot twist in various films about journalists who discover too much. Hollywood loves a good drama.
• Headline: A Snapshot of 1920's Greenwich Village. Impact: This quaint little apartment sale triggered the gentrification of Greenwich Village, eventually making it impossible for artists to afford living there—because who needs artists when you can have overpriced coffee shops?. Fact: In the 1920s, you could buy a whole block in Greenwich Village for the price of a medium latte today. Ah, progress!.
• Headline: Accounts. Impact: The roundup of advertising account changes foretold a future where organizations would hire social media influencers instead of traditional firms, leading to a world where your cat could be the next big brand ambassador. Fact: Roundups were originally designed to help people find lost puppies, but somehow they got sidetracked into the world of advertising. Who's lost now?.
• Headline: The Low-Budget Realities Of Making Indie Films; A Hollywood Director Takes Off on His Own, Even if He Can't Get His Movie Distributed. Impact: Phil Joanou's leap into indie filmmaking inspired countless directors to embrace the low-budget aesthetic, leading to a wave of films that made viewers wonder if they had accidentally walked into an art installation instead. Fact: Indie films are the only genre where a two-hour film can be made with a budget smaller than your average college student's pizza order.
• Headline: Bratskeir Acquires G & A Communications. Impact: Bratskeir's acquisition of G&A Communications led to a corporate merger that sparked the beginning of the modern marketing firm crisis—where every agency suddenly believed they were a tech startup. Fact: Bratskeir's motto, 'We’re not just communicators, we’re also great at awkward small talk,' helped them land this acquisition. Because nothing says success like a good icebreaker!.