So far it’s been a lousy summer in Chicago. We essentially had no spring and so far June has been feast or famine; 90 degrees or 60 degress. Nothing in-between. But even I remain hopeful that summer will last longer than one week which is apparently what the folks at Taco Bell are expecting. Pay [...]

I didn’t consciously know it at the time but Novi High School, just like pretty much every other school in America, ran on social currency. It’s a simple system. Everyone has an account with a starting balance dependent on your rung of the social status ladder. You make deposits, like being able to buy liquor at age 15 because [...]

I get a little pain in the back of my neck every time I come across a commercial that attempts to associate a buzzword and a product that have absolutely no relation to each other. For example, DIGITAL vacuuming: Look, Dyson makes great vacuums. I just don’t understand the need to make this product into [...]

Either the people working at the agency that handles print advertising for Nivea don’t gamble much or they are utter morons. Tough call. The headline on this ad reads, “Look Like You’re All-In,” a poker term used when someone bets all of their remaining chips. The copy in the body of the ad includes several more [...]

I’m not a big fan of the tone of the new iPhone commercials. The sentiment of, “If you don’t have an iPhone then you suck,” feels excessively smarmy, even for Apple. But perhaps I judged too quickly. Maybe I underestimated the true power of having an iPhone with constant access to iTunes. The Genius function that analyzes my [...]

Allow me to calibrate your notion of history. Remember these dates: 1878 – Thomas Edison patents the light bulb. 1908 – The Model T becomes popular.  1979 – The Chevy Chevette is the best selling car in America. Now watch this Infiniti spot: OK, so according to Wikipedia, electric cars were actually common at the start of the 20th [...]

It used to be that owning a Porsche was a symbol of status and wealth. Driving one was an achievement. It put you into rarefied air above us mere mortals driving our Fords and Chevys. At the very worst it was a bright beacon that screamed middle-aged crisis for the guy driving one whil wearing a cheap suit with [...]

You’re welcome! I took an hour out of my life to decipher this ridiculously convoluted ad and I did it all for you. So please, allow me to break this mish-mash down into its component parts:  First there’s a $10 refund offer.  All you have to do is buy TWO bottles of whiskey AND a [...]

domu.com is a service that helps Chicagoans find new apartments in the city. The company recently launched a new transit campaign buying display ads in El cars. The gist of the ads being that they can match people with the right apartment and neighborhood for their personality. For example there’s Josie who’s apparently both a civil [...]

Take it from a guy who used to weigh over 250 pounds without nearly the frame to support it, gum is not dessert! Gum is not a plate of strawberry shortcake, it’s not a hot fudge sunday and it sure ain’t a delicious chocolate chip cookie. So please stop trying to tell me it is… [...]