Pain Over Complexity Will Drive Advertising Innovation

Below is the full text of my MediaPost column this week. I have a feeling that battling complexity and striving for simplicity will become a strong undercurrent in my writing going forward. It’s the mindset of my new workplace and it’s permeating my brain.… Read the rest

Top-Ten PR Blunders List

Since a number of PR professionals — and a few complete nonprofessionals — read this blog, I thought I’d point out Kevin Dugan’s excellent “top-ten things you should never say to the media” roundup. My recent account of avoiding “smoke up my rear” by a neophyte PR guy actually made it in there as the top “slick shout-out and honorable mention.”… Read the rest

Beautiful Sarcasm: I Killed A Turkey And Cut Off Its Neck, So I Can Rest Now

IMGA0780_2.JPG

Sometimes I scare myself. My parents recently brought over a handwritten Thanksgiving essay I composed for second-grade English class. Yeah, I hadn’t seen this masterpiece since I wrote it in 1983! Here it is (and above is the actual illustration that went along):

Max Kalehoff English

My mom made me get up early in the morning and kill a turkey for Thanksgiving.

Read the rest

My Son Turned One Today (and where the heck did the last year go?)

While his big party was last Saturday, Julian’s actual birthday is today, November 21. I remember his birth like it was yesterday. Laura was six centimeters dilated and didn’t even know it. Doc said baby was ready to come out. I left work and headed up to Mount Sinai hospital.… Read the rest