I’ve been laughing at this all day. Look at this sandwich label. Look closer. What’s funny? Look at the claim “New Superior Taste,” which begs the question … what the heck did it used to taste like? What chain of unfortunate events from concept through design to approval found this little gem making it through the sifter? Hey, I’m all for celebrating the greatness of your product, but this is down right hysterical.  BTW I submitted this to a certain talk show host.  I hope it makes it on the air.

Tagged: advertising, crazy headlines, funny labels, humor, sandwich, stupidity ]]> http://tonyfelicepr.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/now-with-are-you-kidding/feed/ 0 tonyfelicepr sandwichlaugh http://tonyfelicepr.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/happy-holidays-from-tfpr/ http://tonyfelicepr.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/happy-holidays-from-tfpr/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:11:04 +0000 tonyfelicepr http://tonyfelicepr.wordpress.com/?p=403 ]]>

I haven’t thought of Walt Whitman in years, but recently he seems to have made a fairly significant return to my life.  I’m reading Specimen Days by Michael Cunningham…brilliant as always. The story weaves the thread of Whitman throughout, from his poetry to Cunningham’s character creations. Cunningham characters are allegory to Whitman’s poetry.

Now, enter a new Levi’s commercial directed by the amazing Ryan McGeary whose images are set to music and a haunting performance of Pioneers O’ Pioneers, taken from an obscure 1950s album of Whitman’s poetry.

I wasn’t sure what to think of the commercial at first, wondering what Whitman’s words had to do with selling jeans. But the more I thought about it, the more intrigued I was with Whitman’s words against the backdrop of American Youth and the concept of stepping beyond oneself and becoming something more by changing the world, exploring a new undiscovered country within ourselves. So, after googling Pioneers again and reading the poem several times, I started searching out what others were saying about the Levi’s commercial. This blog has some very interesting comments from literary students about the merits of the commercial with some very strong opinions on both sides.  I always find discussions about brands interesting but this one seems to have piqued my interest even more.  Perhaps because of the Cunningham novel I’m reading. Needless to say, some very divergent ideas about Whitman’s poem, the imagery and ideas about neo-socialism and other comparisons. Ultimately though, I think Derek Dukes made the best argument.  He said:

“I too was led to google ‘Pioneers Oh Pioneers’ and discover that it was in fact a Whitman poem.

I don’t really view this as commercialization of Art, the commercial seems to draw a connection between the Levi brand, which came out of Pioneers heading west heading the call of Manifest Destiny. It seems there’s a good case to be made that over the years Levi’s have been the chosen fashion for Pioneers, from the Gold Rush miner 49-ers, beat poets like jack kerouac, 50’s rebels like James Dean & Elivs to today’s urban hipsters on fixies. Like it or not, Levi’s have been a key piece of identity for American Pioneers.

This is the second set of ads I’ve seen that shift from a ‘our brand is awesome’ message to a ‘you’re awesome, we help you be awesome’ message. The other set of ads are the Quaker Oats ‘Go Humans’ ads.”

I’m going to think on this concept of “you’re awesome, we help you be awesome,” and blog about that later.

Without drawing my own conclusions about the meaning behind the commercial, I can appreciate the medium as art and with all good art, it generates discussion.  Truly, the worst thing in the world is to be boring.  It’s great when people talk about you.  Either way.  It’s when the marketing gods smile on us.

Art in many forms, is … well, art. And personally, I love it when art like Whitman’s is revived, shared, discussed and again shows us what it really is…immortal.

What do you think of the commercial? I’d love to hear from you.

I’m so excited about this find for our house. It is a RCA Victor television circa 1959/60. I’ve been looking for a Philco Predicta but alas, nothing so far. Still, I love this RCA.

Why am I blogging about this?  Well, I guess that I’m nostalgic for the 1960s (perhaps a desire to return to childhood) because I long for things that are authentic and enduring. This television weighs about 150 pounds, is so solid it could bring down a charging bull and the best part … it still works. After 50 years.

Unlike newer things. I have a laptop I bought 4 years ago that is worthless. Ready for Mac-tirement. Few things endure anymore. TVs, computers, cars, people. Even brands. Think Chuck Wagon dog food. In 1950 something, that covered wagon appeared out of nowhere and screamed across my television almost every other minute when I was a kid until late in the 1970s. I loved that commercial. Thought that brand of dog food would be around forever.  So what executive somewhere in 1980 one day said “stick with the chuck wagon, people know it and love it,” until the brand seemed dated, obsolete.  I don’t even know if Chuck Wagon sits on a shelf in the grocery store anymore.  Anyone know?

Unwillingness to evolve while at the same time remaining the same (huh?) is the enemy of endurance.

So what does that have to do with this television. Like the chuck wagon, it hasn’t changed. Yet it endures. Because while the commercial was an “idea” the TV is a thing. Ideas have to mature, grow and be flexible to change. Things just have to be what they are. Stand proudly until the day they seem obsolete. Sit in a basement until one day someone realizes it still is beautiful, it still can be loved and it has endured.

I want to be like this television. Reliable. Sturdy. Beautiful even after 50 years and above all else to endure. So like the television I will be a thing and stay true to myself. My character though, my “idea” if you will, I will keep flexible and light on its feet so that the Tony I want to be, will be … and endure.

So I was talking to my sister yesterday and asked her to tell me the most recent funny story about my God son Evan. He is always doing and saying something hilarious. Evan is an intelligent and creative 7 year old (I know, I’m biased, but seriously, he is).   Cheri tells me on Halloween night when they were trick-or-treating Evan went into a neighbor’s ‘haunted’ house. After exiting he expressed his anxiety by saying: “Well, I vowed never to go into one of those again and there I went ahead and did it anyway.” Vowed.  Ha!

Still amazes me a 7 year old has this kind of vocabulary.

Contrast that against last night’s episode of The Amazing Race, where contestants had to find a candelabra with a special number on it and then hunt down the corresponding door marked with that number. One of the players (a 30-something guy) was completely confused and had no idea what a “candle bra” was, going so far as to ask someone in the room if he was a “candle bra.” Of course, ultimately his team came in last place. In my opinion, a well-deserved placing.

Am I being elitist?

You see, when I was a child, my mother read to us from the classics: Treasure Island, Peter Pan, Call of the Wild. To this day I am thrilled when I read Jane Austin. Her dialogue and descriptive narrative are a challenge to read, yet ultimately satisfying because of her wit and command of language.  She is arguably one of the greatest English writers in history.

Watch practically anyone on TV and they can barely speak, and forget sports figures (presumably college graduates) who can barely grunt, let alone form grammatically correct and sensible sentences.

Sounding intelligent.  When did that become something to which few aspire?  Even still, something to ridicule as is often the case?

I don’t know.  But thankfully, we have a new generation like Evan who speak creatively and sensibly. And whether or not their vocabulary is extensive, at least it’s expressive and cause for a smile. And by the way, to my friend from the Amazing Race, a candelabra  is used to illuminate one’s way, much as a book illuminates another kind of way … the path to intelligence.

Tomorrow is Veteran’s day and I’ve spent a good part of the day locking down interviews for a client who is handling the character balloons for the parade. It wasn’t until I started filling out the segment sheet that the meaning of the day hit me. Two of his employees are veterans, both brothers, 2 and 3 tours to Iraq respectively and one whose wife is also a marine, served 2 tours in Iraq.

I’m not going to get “all political” here. This isn’t the forum. I just want to take a minute to say thank you to all of the men and women who serve our country now and in past wars who have lost their lives, or have had their lives irreversibly changed forever because they stood in the line of fire to protect me and the idea of freedom.

My friend and colleague Geff Sellers has branched out to a new business venture.
He’s starting a new service called G:Lux at Dylan’s barbershop in the Arcadia district of Phoenix. Forget what you know about Barbershops. Forget the dog-eared pin up magazines, peeling linoleum, wall calendars from 1952 and no women to be found. Instead, think Chelsea or SoHo New York, where glass and exposed brick meet modern garage doors that roll up to usher in Phoenix’s beautiful weather. Think urban hip lofty chic, where you can get a cappuccino from La Grande Orange or a glass of wine and a board of bruschetta from Postino and then stop by for more than the expected trim-and-go. Dylan’s pulls out all the stops for both men and women for everything from a quick hair cut to a lingering style consultation, cut color and style. Skincare and oxygen facials are an unexpected surprise. Or if you’re a guy, you can still expect the same affordable barber cut, style and shave.

I like things that honor tradition yet bring a new and fresh approach. Things that are beyond what is usual and better than what is expected. Congratulations to Geff and to all the entrepreneurs out there who inspire us.

Tony A came up with a fun idea to promote CT on Facebook.  We’ve asked FB fans of Community Tire to tell us their favorite (G-rated) back seat sweetheart story.  One winner each day will get a free oil change.  That guy is always thinking!

Tagged: community tire, Community Tire & Auto, Howard Fleischmann ]]> http://tonyfelicepr.wordpress.com/2009/10/05/fond-memories/feed/ 0 tonyfelicepr http://tonyfelicepr.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/perspective/ http://tonyfelicepr.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/perspective/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:14:38 +0000 tonyfelicepr http://tonyfelicepr.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/perspective/ ]]>

For my Jewish friends, today starts the beginning of a new year. Sort of paraphrasing what I’ve heard before, I think a great way to start any year is to remember:

Each of us, is a piece of this world, a part of the whole package, individually not very important. So it’s not about what we think we deserve, it is about what we can give and what we can share, that’s when you become significant as a piece of the whole.

Give your time, your energy and your talent (when you can and even to the point it hurts) and you will be surprised at the impact you have.. Whether it’s you personally or your company. If you do it without thought for what you will receive in return, everything you ever wanted comes to you in time.

What kind of footprints are you leaving?