So in as little as one minute I saw some of the worst advertising to some of the best of the year: at least in my opinion. Let's explore.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby doesn't look to be a blockbuster, though Will Farrell does have his fair share of fans. However, the movie and the critique thereof is not the focus of this post. The intelligent marketing and cross-promotion, however, is. Sprint-Nextel has launched a new campaign that includes shots of "Ricky Bobby" in different parts of his house using his Sprint-Nextel phone. Wait a minute... doesn't Nextel sponsor Nascar? Oh, I think it does. So the mixing of "genres," if you will, works rather well. Sports, Telecommunications, and Box Office work pretty well together. At least in this example. Sprint seems to have lost its cloaked stranger for a comedian. Will it pay off? Will Will help the business-oriented, convenience-factor-laden company gain a new market segment in the Nascar lover? It remains to be seen.

On the other hand, and in the other half minute I choked down cable TV today, I saw what I would nominate as the absolute poorest advertisement of the year. The entire campaign makes me sick and the mixing of these two genres is like a bad Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Jelly Bean. Mercedes Benz' new campaign involves Americana-type music **enter jukebox** and something or another about the American dream. Wait another minute... when did Mercedes become American? Daimler-Chrysler, sure. But, they still have Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler to pull the American card with. I mean, you could even launch the 4-wheel drive car/truck AMC Eagle again. But, why in the name of all that is holy would Mercedes claim to be part of the American dream complete with American Rock n' Roll? Somebody, please help me understand this.

Is America a brand? What about the Fourth of July? Old Navy and the like sure would like to think so. They've commercialized just about every holiday now.

Almost four months after my last post, I realize I'm a little behind. No worries, good things have happened. I have accepted a job on the east coast, and am very much looking forward to the challenge that the pharma industry has to offer.

Academically, I've continued to study marketing, but with an interesting twist. Instead of straight brand, I've branched into product development. Now, some may say they are not the same, but I would beg to differ. Okay, maybe not the same, but there are definite similarities. Through the development of a product, there needs to be an attention to the story of the product. This story makes the brand. If I can't deliver on the physical characteristics of a well-known branded product, is it really that product. For example, an iPod in a Creative Zen housing isn't really an iPod now is it? Apple knows what looks like an Apple and they stay away from the oranges.

Anyway, ramblings of the grad student will continue later.