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Lindsay Lohan, destroyer of brands

by Jeffery Racheff Is there really no such thing as bad publicity? The old saying holds that any chance to get your name in the paper (or on people’s blogs) is worth the flack you might take for scandal or distastefulness. In the long run, so it goes, the potential for brand awareness outweighs temporary…

Who took the cardboard out of my Domino’s?

by Danny Altman Some things you don’t mess with. Don’t take the growth hormone out of my milk. I’m short enough as it is. Don’t stick an electric outlet on my car. I like the smell of fresh gasoline. Don’t give me cheese on a knife. I like it straight out of the can. And…

Chanel wants to tattoo you, temporarily

By Jeffery Racheff Nothing says rock ‘n’ roll like a good face tattoo. Just look at Mike Tyson. Unfortunately, not everyone can be like Mike. Rock ‘n’ roll (and, in Mike’s case, mild insanity) is only fun in short bursts, because afterward most of us have to return to the real world where tattoos, even…

Falling brands latch on to rising stars

by Barry Silverstein Singing sensation Lady Gaga recently signed on to be “creative director” of a line of products with the Polaroid brand name. And actor Hugh Jackman, the badass from X-Men Origins and Swordfish, will be the new worldwide spokesman for Lipton Ice Tea. I’m not making this up. You remember Polaroid – the…

Chocolate chip cookies: half-baked branding idea?

As a former chocolate chip cookie junkie, I was amused to read a long story in The New York Times yesterday about two companies that have figured out how to make their customers actually salivate prior to entering the premises. And neither one of them is in the cookie business. The first is Doubletree hotels,…

Bowled over: the changing names of college bowl games

by Barry Silverstein Another college football bowl game season comes to a close tonight. Each year, it seems, the controversy surrounding the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) heats up because of the selection process for the national championship. But there’s another controversy that’s becoming equally heated: Is commercialism polluting college football? Of this year’s 34 bowl…

Gläce Luxury Ice balls: the latest in high-class drinking

For some people, the brand of booze you drink is just as much of a status symbol as the car you drive. Mercedes, Lamborghini, Geo Metro… Grey Goose, Crystal, Colt 45. Like the wheels you sport, the liquor in your glass shows everyone else what sort of spender you are. Unfortunately, no one besides the bartender can tell what you’re…

Tiger Woods and the sponsor spiral

Tiger Woods has fallen, and it doesn’t look like he’s going to get up anytime soon. Ever since word came out about his scandalous off-course activities, the world’s most respected golfer has been stuck in the rough. Gossip rags and humor sites hang on news of every revealed mistress, he’s the butt of countless jokes…

On the warpath with Native American mascots

by Jeffery Racheff Neon headdresses. Gleaming tomahawk axes. Half-naked men covered in war paint – these are not the sights of a Native American war dance. No, they’re staples of American sporting events. Indian images, mascots and logos are ubiquitous at football and baseball games, and there are countless teams throughout the country that use…

Oasis of the Seas: the Titanic times five

In many ways, a cruise is the ultimate vacation. You get to travel, relax in the sun, watch live shows, dance and drink, all within a few steps of your own room. It’s like Vegas on the high seas. And if cruise ships are like hotel-casinos with rudders, then the MS Oasis of the Seas…

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