I Love This Ad For So Many Reasons.

By FrancisBUSINESS, Communications, Uncategorized

I’m on a horse – – If you haven’t already seen the latest Old Spice body-wash ad, stop reading and click on this link immediately: http://bit.ly/smell-like-me First, I love the creative strategy: Don’t sell this product directly to men. Sell it to women—who make the majority of those purchasing decisions. Next, find a guy who’s … Read More

WORK NOTE #1

By FrancisTHE AGENCY, Uncategorized, Work

Small Site Scores Big. We recently launched a nice website on a shoestring budget for a buddy of ours—who manufactures the world’s greatest supplemental game feeder. Unbeknownst to us, Hindsight Management (led by Birmingham ad legend Jim Riley) evaluated the site’s effectiveness using The Riley Persuasion Index. Jim reports that it earned the highest score … Read More

Nonconformity Is Skin Deep

By FrancisCULTURE, Miscellaneous, Uncategorized

NOTE: Sadly, The Birmingham News has dropped my favorite Editorial Page columnist, David Brooks. Below is a condensed version of a column of his I saved years ago. We now have to work under the assumption that every American has a tattoo. Whether we are at a formal dinner, at a professional luncheon, at a … Read More

Put That Kid In Timeout. Permanently.

By FrancisBUSINESS, Communications, Uncategorized

(Original post, 2.2.10 — Tuesday before the Super Bowl) If you haven’t seen the latest e-Trade ad, they’ve replaced the sweet-but-worldly-wise baby (who’s loved, at latest count, by everyone who’s ever seen him) with an insufferable, sarcasm-spouting smartass. And while I’m not privy to e-Trade’s research (which would have to indicate that this change of … Read More