Sunday, December 24, 2006
Won't Mary be Surprised?
Courtesy of Firesign Theatre's Phil Proctor:
New research reveals that Jesus was actually a woman. After all, he fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was no food, he kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it; and even when he was dead, he had to get up because there was more work to do.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
New research reveals that Jesus was actually a woman. After all, he fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was no food, he kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it; and even when he was dead, he had to get up because there was more work to do.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Last-Minute Shopping for the Kids
Need a stocking stuffer for Junior? Find the perfect gift on Radar Magazine's list of the 10 Worst Toys of All Time.
O, Criminal Tree!
Check out my friend David's tale of a stack of celebrity mug shots, a miniature Christmas tree, and a host of carol parodies. My favorites are "Police Navidad" and "Jingle Cell, Jingle Cell, Jingle Cell Block."
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Bite Me, Mr. Whipple
Got this via e-mail today:
WHAT: THE CHARMIN RESTROOM, THE BIGGEST EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING PROGRAM OF THE SEASON
WHERE: NEW YORK CITY, 1540 BROADWAY NEXT TO THE VIRGIN MEGASTORE IN TIMES SQUARE
OPEN: Through December 31st
We invite the event marketing industry to see first-hand what everyone is talking about. Come visit the ultimate brand-as-destination/brand-as-hero experience, the Charmin Family Restrooms in Times Square!
Delivering surprise and delight at the crossroads of the world, the Charmin Family Experience is a 12,000 sq. ft. oasis of comfort complete with 20 stunningly luxurious and immaculate restrooms. Some highlights from our first three weeks of operation:
1. 191 million media impressions in the first 24 hours, 358 million media impressions in the first 10 days, and 437 million media impressions in the first 20 days
2. Exposure in every major newspaper and on every major network. ‘New York Times’ editorial: “The Charmin Restrooms are the Disneyland of Restrooms!”
3. Surprising and delighting 10,400 families per day
4. More daily visitors to the Charmin Experience than attendees to the Statue of Liberty or skaters at Rockefeller Center
5. Minimum family visit: 12 minutes; Average family visit: 22 minutes
6. Families from all 50 states and 110+ countries
7. More than 300 videos posted by visitors on YouTube.com
8. 95% of all families take three or more pictures inside the Experience
COME VISIT! Until now, the #1 most asked question to police in Times Square: "Where's a bathroom?" Outfitted with every amenity imaginable, from wainscoting, crown molding, hardwood floors, porcelain fixtures, cloud-motif skylights, fireplaces, a dance stage, topiaries, toboggan family photo opportunity, and plenty of overstuffed furniture for all those tired holiday shopping legs, the Charmin Family Experience gives New Yorkers and all those visiting New York the one thing the city has never offered: perfectly clean and abundant public restrooms!
It’s experiential marketing at its best, and the event industry has to experience it before it closes on December 31. Concepted, created, and executed by Gigunda Group.
I just don't know where to begin... Granted, a great public restroom can be a quasi-religious experience, but a bathroom theme park? A toboggan family photo opportunity? And I'm really wary of being "surprised and delighted."
WHAT: THE CHARMIN RESTROOM, THE BIGGEST EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING PROGRAM OF THE SEASON
WHERE: NEW YORK CITY, 1540 BROADWAY NEXT TO THE VIRGIN MEGASTORE IN TIMES SQUARE
OPEN: Through December 31st
We invite the event marketing industry to see first-hand what everyone is talking about. Come visit the ultimate brand-as-destination/brand-as-hero experience, the Charmin Family Restrooms in Times Square!
Delivering surprise and delight at the crossroads of the world, the Charmin Family Experience is a 12,000 sq. ft. oasis of comfort complete with 20 stunningly luxurious and immaculate restrooms. Some highlights from our first three weeks of operation:
1. 191 million media impressions in the first 24 hours, 358 million media impressions in the first 10 days, and 437 million media impressions in the first 20 days
2. Exposure in every major newspaper and on every major network. ‘New York Times’ editorial: “The Charmin Restrooms are the Disneyland of Restrooms!”
3. Surprising and delighting 10,400 families per day
4. More daily visitors to the Charmin Experience than attendees to the Statue of Liberty or skaters at Rockefeller Center
5. Minimum family visit: 12 minutes; Average family visit: 22 minutes
6. Families from all 50 states and 110+ countries
7. More than 300 videos posted by visitors on YouTube.com
8. 95% of all families take three or more pictures inside the Experience
COME VISIT! Until now, the #1 most asked question to police in Times Square: "Where's a bathroom?" Outfitted with every amenity imaginable, from wainscoting, crown molding, hardwood floors, porcelain fixtures, cloud-motif skylights, fireplaces, a dance stage, topiaries, toboggan family photo opportunity, and plenty of overstuffed furniture for all those tired holiday shopping legs, the Charmin Family Experience gives New Yorkers and all those visiting New York the one thing the city has never offered: perfectly clean and abundant public restrooms!
It’s experiential marketing at its best, and the event industry has to experience it before it closes on December 31. Concepted, created, and executed by Gigunda Group.
I just don't know where to begin... Granted, a great public restroom can be a quasi-religious experience, but a bathroom theme park? A toboggan family photo opportunity? And I'm really wary of being "surprised and delighted."
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Mom
Mom passed away Thursday night.
It wasn't just a reaction to medication. The doctors found another blockage (not cancer), and they hoped to work it out without surgery. She was doing great -- getting broth and juice, walking the hospital halls for exercise -- until late Thursday afternoon. Her blood pressure dropped dramatically, too far for the doctors to bring her back without significant liver, kidney and brain damage. It was almost as if her body said, "My work here is done."
She went quickly and peacefully, surrounded by her family.
I've never known anyone so loving and giving. She approached every challenge with strength, grace and humor. She never offered unsolicited advice, but any advice she gave was right on target. And as one of my friends said, "She exemplified everything a mother should be."
So, in honor of Mom, please remember what she said to us as she sent us off to school each day: "If someone needs a smile, honey, give them yours."
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Karma or Schadenfreude?
We had to take Mom to the emergency room Thursday (looks like it's just a reaction to her new medication -- whew!) When I stepped out of the room to make a call, I heard a man yell, "Peggy?" I turned around and it's...
The Worst Boss I've Ever Had. Really.
(Even worse than the chain-smoking pregnant woman who couldn't hang up the phone without screaming the F word.)
This is the person who caused me to document every action for Human Resources, even though he was barely human and a lousy resource.
This is the person who caused all his co-workers to think, "Maybe he's the CEO's love child; that would explain it."
And this is the person, who - while I was on vacation - caused my co-workers to storm his boss's office, and say that I wasn't just crying wolf and either he goes or they do. By the time I got back, he had been moved to a non-supervisory position.
After he got laid off two years ago, he took a job as an assistant manager at Walgreen's. After six months, they got rid of him, too. He's been unemployed ever since.
And he begged me to hire him.
Y'know, it's really hard to say, "Look, you evil son-of-a-bitch, you got exactly what you deserved" while he's in the emergency room with his 90-something-year-old dad.
But it's really easy to think it. And smile.
The Worst Boss I've Ever Had. Really.
(Even worse than the chain-smoking pregnant woman who couldn't hang up the phone without screaming the F word.)
This is the person who caused me to document every action for Human Resources, even though he was barely human and a lousy resource.
This is the person who caused all his co-workers to think, "Maybe he's the CEO's love child; that would explain it."
And this is the person, who - while I was on vacation - caused my co-workers to storm his boss's office, and say that I wasn't just crying wolf and either he goes or they do. By the time I got back, he had been moved to a non-supervisory position.
After he got laid off two years ago, he took a job as an assistant manager at Walgreen's. After six months, they got rid of him, too. He's been unemployed ever since.
And he begged me to hire him.
Y'know, it's really hard to say, "Look, you evil son-of-a-bitch, you got exactly what you deserved" while he's in the emergency room with his 90-something-year-old dad.
But it's really easy to think it. And smile.
