Horrible group members

Painful (but necessary) working sessions this week with various groups have shown me how I behave in group settings where power is shared and there's no single leader.

My group is strong. We're all strong students. But one thing I've noticed is that we all occupy different roles that change from meeting to meeting. Some days I'm facilitating a discussion. Other days I'm introspective and could even be perceived as apathetic. Some times I'm angry and enforce the rules, other times I have a relaxed attitude to deadlines or protocol.

It's like a sociological petri dish. Everyone has shifting patterns of behavior. A really funny dynamic I've noticed is that we can side with another group member's ideas one day, then disagree with them the next. Overall, I feel we have to listen more, but this whole experience has provided me with an insight into the different archetypes that I become from one day to the next depending on the tone of the meeting.

So this is not a reflection on my group, it's a reflection on me.

Here are the horrible group members who I have been:

THE DEFENDER


None of my ideas ever seem wrong when I'm the Defender. Nothing I say can be refuted and if you try, well then you're just being a dick. Speak to me only when you have to say you're sorry for disagreeing with me or when you finally understand the superior point I'm trying to prove. I come into the meeting with guns blazing, eyes closed, and ears shut. I make my point as aggressively and loudly as possible, interrupting anyone who wants to contradict me.

I hate being this role. When I'm the Defender, I should chill out and appreciate the fact that other people have perspectives and insights that may be stronger than my own because of their own unique knowledge.

THE WEEKENDER


When I choose to meet with the group, I do so grudgingly. It's a pain in the ass for me to be dividing my time between school, work, homelife, and 601. My attitude to working is that it's best accomplished on one's own time rather than wasted for hours trying to press through a group document together. I cooperate, smile, and cheer people's ideas - but I'm dying inside! I can't wait until I get to leave the meeting room and go to do my own things.

I strongly identify with this archetype because I take a very rational approach to group work and don't see the benefit in wasted time. I work efficiently on my own. The problem I face in this role is that no one takes my ideas seriously and I never end up contributing as much as I'd like to in meetings. The group is worse of as a result of my not 'bringing the thunder'.

THE CHEERLEADER


Things are great when I'm the cheerleader! Nothing is ever a problem that can't be expediently buried and forgotten about! I help the team out my succinctly rephrasing something that someone else has said and I passing it off as my own! At the beginning of our meetings, I am animated, upbeat and motivated to do work, but by the end I quickly lose interest and go off to doing my own things! Nevertheless, the team loves me and I can never do anything wrong!

I'm rarely a cheerleader, but when I am, I find that the things I have to share with the group are unsubstantiated and lacking in any deep insight. I use happiness and stoking the group's energy as a cover for my own lack of knowledge about the subject matter. Recognizing this, I think I could do a much better job sometimes of coming prepared to meetings.

THE DEPUTY


We agreed on rules and dammit, we're going to stick to them. Conveniently, we've forgotten rules that no longer make sense, but have yet to establish new rules that can prevent subversive group behavior. I rally the troops, set plans, and oversee action. My foresight is perfect but ability to guide the team through difficult times needs some improving. When I lose control over the group, it's like a lone soldier taking a stand against an army of zombies. I just wish they all thought as clearly as me.

My needs for stimulation and chaos in life often mean that I dislike rules - or at least I dislike the rules that I have to play by. As the Deputy, I have limited authority to enforce the rules, so it might make sense for me to develop more constructive ways of facilitating a chaotic group dynamic which obviously doesn't work well with structure. When I become this archetype, I need to find ways of innovatively applying my natural goal-setting abilities to create an appropriate framework for the meeting.

THE DEFEATIST
Life is pain, and pain is life. We're put here on this Earth to suffer, especially during group meetings. I work hard because I see it as penance for my sins and misguided belief that someone will notice me. I act out and make scenes to draw attention to myself but spend a lot of time reflecting on how things got so messed up. The problem is that I've gotten so down that it's hard to see the way out again.

Recently I've noticed that I take on this role too easily. At one meeting I snapped and sarcastically commented that "my opinion obviously doesn't mean anything" - something I really shouldn't have said in retrospect because it only deepened the animosity among the group at the moment. I need to do more to lift my spirits so that the group can benefit from my insights without feeling like they have to begrudgingly accept them.

THE ASSHOLE


I stir shit up.

My comments are jagged and rapid-fire, without a lot of sympathy for the audience. My brain works really fast and I can see your next move ten moves before you. I speak to hear my own voice and demand that I be heard, even if I say something that was discussed earlier and neatly resolved. I am 100% focused on the group and my mental energies are absolutely committed to the task at hand. It's not like I'm a bad group member, I just have a lot of power which is sometimes negatively used.

This is an easy archetype for me to slip into. It's full of qualities which I despise in myself and a mindset that prohibits me from actively learning from others in my group. I also am limited in how much I can synthesize from previous group meetings when I'm wearing this role because I'm so caught up in the moment. Stepping back, taking a breath, and closing my mouth are techniques I should try when I find myself becoming the Asshole.

Fun-dergrads!

Welcome back, BBAs! I'm glad that you're back in school. It was nice for the MBAs to have the school to ourselves, but I missed the energy and fun that you all brought.

I've often thought that Schulich BBAs exemplify the best and worst of Gen Y culture:

• Paradoxical individualism and self-expression but intense needs for social affiliation
  
• Creative and critical thinking but irrationality when emotions become involved in the decision making process
• Curiosity and a thirst for knowledge but a crass arrogance that their worldview is unflappable

As one of the younger MBAs (and a Gen Y myself), I unquestionably exhibit a lot of these qualities. Self-confidence (arrogance) and poor attention span spring to mind!

But the BBAs are complicated creatures. Let's begin to understand them with some archetypes. The lovely Robyn, B!G's VP, has graciously offered to let me use some of her Facebook pictures for illustrative purposes:

THE SOCIALISTA AND SOCIALISMO


Team building and group facilitation exercises are huge parts of the undergraduate experience at Schulich. They tried to do a lot of this kind of stuff for the MBAs in first year, but it didn't exactly catch on. Socialistas and Socialismos are identifiable by their energetic approach to life, the constant need to be surrounded by close and distant friends, and their voices, often approaching an amp'ed up level of heightened emotion and enthusiasm. Barf.

THE LECTURE-PHOBE


The fact that B!G is so popular among BBAs leads me to believe that there's a hunger among Schulich's lowerclassmen for learning outside the classroom. By their nature, Gen Ys do not learn well in a single platform environment - by textbooks or lectures alone. On-the-job skills training and real-world experiences are vital to give context to the theory being learned in class. That, or they just cannot stand to spend one minute in dull classrooms being lectured AT by an apathetic professor.

THE KIDULT


Robyn describes these students are doing kid things at night. Pillow fights, tobogganing, and games of capture the flag played at 3am suggest that growing up might never happen. I agree. Growing up won't happen - but that's ok. Kidults are recognized for their use of abbreviations and verbal slang, need for adventure and constant stimulation, love for challenges and physical/mental stimulation, and no sense of when bedtime occurs.

THE KNOWLEDGE SPONGE


Related to the Lecture-Phobe, the Knowledge Sponge participates in every possible school event, signs up to multiple clubs, and is super-engaged in class. They actually read every word of the textbook and take copious notes. I was this archetype in my undergrad until I found ways of getting high grades and doing limited reading! I really do feel bad for this undergrad because professors tacitly promote their destructive OCD behavior. Rote memorization of the textbook facts is a really dumb way of testing learning. Also, holding a textbook in a picture and smiling is really lame, sorry Robyn!

THE IBBA/EXCHANGE STUDENT


I'm really not sure what goes on when the BBAs go on exchange. Olga is in Norway right now and it fills me with great fear. Fear for the Norweigians. The exchange student is filled with amazing memories of their semester away and fantastic stories that you could believe actually happened. It's hilarious that none of the stories involve school.

So these are just a few of the students who you'll meet in the BBA program. Each is a pretty good facsimille for any previous generation's archetypes, but they are powered the Gen Y fuel of optimism.

Thanks Robyn for being a sport and letting me do this!

Best skits on Mad TV

I've got a pretty puerile sense of humour so it's no surprise that I'm a huge fan of Mad TV. After three hours last night watching clips on YouTube, I decided to make a list of my favourite Mad TV sketches from all seasons of the show. Honestly you shouldn't watch these if you're easily offended by sexual, scatological, or racial humour.

Alright, here are the best skits on Mad TV in descending order:

#25: Bush vs. Kerry 2004 Presidential Debate
All scripted improv but goes to show what quick-witted actors Michael McDonald and Frank Caliendo are. I love John Kerry's lines, such deadpan delivery! "Didn't I see you in Vietnam???"

#24: Estrella Viaje! - Mexican Star Trek
Pat Kilbane as Senor Spock is the best! "Donde es el Starbase Ocho?"

#23: Al-Jazeera "Death to America" News
Really really really offensive, but a perfect takeoff of a typical Amereican news program. I love at 3:00 when the anchor cuts a burkha-ed Nicole Parker off with a sharp "ha-lalala!"

#22: Oprah's fat cam
The first of many Oprah clips that made it to my favourites list. This sketch really elevates the whole body-suit concept to a whole, 'notha, level. Great at 0:45 when Stephnie Weir explains that the thinning camera takes off a whole 200 lbs from Oprah. "Great!, That means I can keep EATING!!!!"

#21: Oprah giving away money
Two in a row here, Oprah is seriously one of my favourite characters spoofed on the show. Debra Wilson does a perfect impression and it's so hard to put one of her sketches before another. Hilarious at 0:45 when she screams "sit DOWN!!" and 5:20 when she hides a gold Rolex watch somewhere in her body....gee, i wonder where!

#20: Tickle me emo
Great premise and done to perfection. Super editing too.

#19: Britney and K-Fed Thanksgiving
Mmmm gumball cornbread is "yummmaaayyy". One of Ike Barinholtz' best skits.

#18: Substitute teacher
I'm not sure which line I like better: "Don't be a slut, wash your butt" or "Kissing leads to humping like farting leads to pooping"

#17: The Apple iRack
I want the iMicrowave and iVacuum. The smoke and shaking from the iRack is so funny, but the joke is a little tired.

#16: Action Jackson
Lol, this skit is so wrong...Phil LaMarr has got the Michael Jackson mannerisms and dance moves down cold. "Children of the world, clap your hands for me!"

#15: Three Minute Meal: Tuna Melts
Another sketch where I really can't keep it together. It's like an updated version of the old Will Sasso Paul Timberman sketches.



#14: Oprah's Jackass
Not only does this clip has juvenile pratfall humour, but it's topped off with a an amazing Debra Wilson as a really over-the-top Oprah.



#13: QVC: Fat fashion
I pretty much lose it when Nicole Parker comes walking out as a giant circus tent at 3:20.



#12: Survivor: Cook Islands Race Wars
Don't watch if you're easily offended by racial stereotypes, but it's pretty bad! Bobby Lee is the best.



#11: Lorraine goes to the dentist
I'm not sure whether a lot of people like Mo Collins as Lorraine, but it's great when they just start improvising and she starts losing it at 4:10.



#10: Shakira Parody
Mo Collins is brilliant and this sketch is perfect if you've actually seen the Whenever, wherever video. I love the line "lucky that I have a smokin' body cause I only sing in gibberish"



#9: Sluts and the City
Michael McDonald as a massive, mannish Carrie Bradshaw - hahahaa! And don't forget that they're four smart, single women taking charge of their own lives.This is such a rude sketch.



#8: 1977 Sex Ed
As much as I dislike Avril Lavigne, she's actually really funny in this! Best is her groovy swinger parents Carla and Maurice and at 2:00 when she's explaining how the reproductive system works: "the penis explodes!"



#7: The Sopranos on PAX
"Fu--!!", "sh--!!", "motherfu----!!"



#6: True Hollywood Story: You are the love of my life
I always loved these two, particularly Alex Borstein. Will Sasso's extreme falsetto is great!



#5: Boca Grove Condo Report, Oscar Edition
Muriel's seizure episodes are hilarious, but it's Michael McDonald's Isador that puts it over the top for me. At 3:50, "speaking of dramatic, it's time for me to go and do something very dramatic!" - I love it.



#4. OJ Simpson Bloopers
This is a really early one, but it's got great staying power. Great editing and acting by Orlando Jones.



#3: Stuart Bloopers
It was so hard to actually name the best Stuart clip, so here's what I think is the best. I love watching Mo Collins crack up when Michael McDonald is keeping a totally straight face. "StuUUAAaart!!!"



#2: Spishak Easy Bake Oven
One of those clips where I'm laughing the whole way through. Spishak commercials were always funny, this is the best one. SOoo many great gags. It's great because "no more lightbulbs!" and "food cooked with natural gas doesn't hav that weird electric taste!"



BEST: The Vagina Monologues

This skit really does bring things together for me. You've got the four doyennes of the show: Mo Collins, Debra Wilson, Alex Borstein, and Nicole Sullivan; Oprah, and a hilarious premise. It can't get any better than this...here's the number one Mad TV sketch:

Sexiest avatars ever

This is too funny. Here's a story from the UK, the link is at the bottom. A couple got married then got divorced on SecondLife because the woman caught the guy virtually cheating with another woman in the game.

Ok first, here's what their SecondLife avatars look like:

On the left is the wife, in the middle is the husband, and on the right is his mistress.

Ok, so she looks like Kate Beckinsale and he looks like Lucas Rossi, the guy who won RockStar Supernova.


And here's what they actually look like. Gird yourself!
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Remember this when you make a new friend online!

The link is here.

Bad Ad Rodeo: Ontario Toyota Dealers

More for ouy? Is that pronounced like 'gooey' or like 'we'?

This FULL-PAGE ad for Ontario Toyota dealers appeared in the Toronto Star's Wheels section today, Saturday October 25, 2008 with a spelling mistake that should have read 'more for you'.

Wow, how coud such a collosssol speling mistoake have gone unmoticed?

I'm wondering whether the heads that roll for this are going to come from Toyota's marketing department or from the proof-readers at the Toronto Star. They must have proof-readers for the ads, especially for large corporate accounts like Toyota.

This doesn't exactly support the claim that Toyota is known for quality!

Robyn loves Gossip Girl

So we're trying something new here: Julia suggested we write about 'Gossip Girl' tonight, a show she adores. I don't know anything about Gossip Girl, other than its show that Gen Y girls love and say is really awesome.

So I sat with Robyn and told her about Julia's suggestion.

ROBYN: 'Gossip Girl?? I LOVE Gossip Girl!'

MAX: 'Ok great, you're going to talk about it while I dictate everything you say!'

So here are Robyn's thoughts on Gossip Girl, completely unedited, and spilled up on the blog!

“I don’t like it anymore. Yeah, let me think about it...

It’s because the characters aren’t being written well anymore, it’s not the same old shit. I just don’t enjoy it like I used to. The GOSSIP is gone, actually! I don’t know where it went! There’s no scandal, there’s no intrigue!

So where did they leave off from the last episode I watched….?

I don’t remember, I only watched it this week, I should remember this….

OH RIGHT! It’s just all bitchy back-stabbing and fighting now. There’s no gossip and scandal, it’s just two girls fighting each other now. There was a scandal three episodes ago, but it’s resolved itself. Like really, what are the writers doing. Really…yeah because the show was interesting at first because it was NYC’s elite fashion upper east siders and there were a million stories going on, a million scandalous stories, and the ‘gossip girl’ is gone – the voice of gossip girl – when she comes into speak it’s like “yeah we were already thinking that." Normally she was witty and she had some kind of insight about what was going on.

‘S&B don’t like each other!’

I think it’s just the low point in the season, I’m waiting because I know November sweeps are coming up so I’m waiting.

I love Chuck. Chuck is such a good character. He’s the rich father’s son, he’s got so much money. He basically rings up girls whenever he wants and has ridiculous nights out, is constantly at the bar, ran a little burlesque, he’s your classic privileged rich kid, up to no good. And he’s evil, he’s complex, whereas you have his best friend on the show – no longer his best friend on the show….he I don’t even remember his name. He’s boring, has no depth anymore.

Nate needs to be killed off the show right now. He’s so boring. They tried to make him dirty when he had this affair with this old lady but they resolved that problem. Now he’s just the rich kid and they’ve written any complexity out and he’s bland.

Basically, Nate says to Chuck ‘you’re not a nice guy, sorry I don’t want to be friends with you anymore. I want to be friends with Dan because he’s wholesome and good. He’s the poor kid on the show. And yeah, the actor sucks who’s playing him. He’s a CK underwear model and that’s where he should stay. He should stay inanimate, on a page. That’s how he acts.


This is the only show I watch right now. I only watch this show, and it’s only because I started watching in January when I had nothing else to watch.

…but I love the fashion.

What else do I think…..the whole Serena-Blair dynamic is going to get really old real soon, I don’t know how long I can keep this up.

Serena: ‘I’m better than you’
Blair: ‘Ok, Serena thinks she’s better than me, I’m going to do something to bring her down’

But then they talk, and their friends again, and we’re only 1 and 3/4 seasons into the show!"

MAX: 'How do I conclude this blog post, it’s a ramble fest.'

ROBYN: 'It IS a ramble fest! BTW, you know I now come up on Google when I search for myself? Seriously, recruiters are going to look at this!’

Simian warfare ads

We watched a series of these in class today. They're awesome...Trunk Monkey is an ape that lives in your car and protects you from car break-ins, handles difficult situations of road rage, and bribes police officers!



Trunk Monkey thrives in dark habitats with minimal air circulation and unstable movements. Trunk Monkey's loyalty to you as the driver of the car is based on a finely-tuned sense of smell and a conditioned imprinting of your voice when you curse out other drivers.



Trunk Monkeys are bred and trained by the Suburban Auto Group of Sandy, Oregon and were originally groomed to act as weight distribution systems for Subaru off-road rally cars. Although Trunk Monkeys continue to offer optimal driving performance by a acting as trunk ballast, their primary role is best defined as an 'automobile enforcer' and a fierce compassionate passenger for your daily commute.



Add Trunk Monkey to the list of things I want for Christmas!

Search engine rap battle

This is exactly the kind of wise, crazy content I love to throw up on the blog.

Thanks Michelle, great reco!

Google vs. MSN



MSN vs. Yahoo



Google vs. Yahoo

Consumerfying 90s music

In a mashup of Juliette Lewis, schizophrenic proportions, here’s how seminal rock albums of the 90s compare to modern consumer culture – keep with me on this!

Blog traffic is way up from that Sarah Palin article I posted from Rolling Stone. My concerns now are how to sustain it and how to keep things interesting!

This is an article I’ve been thinking about writing for a while. The 90s meant a lot to me cause I think that’s when the last good rock music died. Bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Metallica, Foo Fighters, were high on this wave of emotion from 20-something Gen Xers who were the first generation taught that that it was ok to feel apathetic about life. Although I was years younger and only beginning to understand my own teenage angst, the music left an impression.

Here are awesome 1990s rock bands and the consumers they now represent:

Ten (1991) - Pearl Jam

If this album was a consumer: the thrifty Value Village shopper
Why: anti-establishment and messy, slapdash and not neatly folded or colour-coordinated. It’s recycled, thrown together, and somehow still makes a unique outfit.
Best tracks: ‘Black’, ‘Porch’, ‘Release’



Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) – Red Hot Chili Peppers

If this album was a consumer: the douchy Holli-Crombie-Fitch collegiate
Why: Big chunky beats and tremendous drug-enhanced guitar work from John Frusciante, this album screams mainstream with an extroverted, sexual edge.
Best tracks: ‘I Could Have Lied’, ‘Under The Bridge’, ‘Give It Away’



To be seen soon at Hollister:


Tragic Kingdom (1995) – No Doubt

If this album was a consumer: the Tween
Why: this is such an unapologetically saccharine, feel-good album. Loud, fun, funky sound that was new and that one could chew on for the entire summer. It’s a tween because everyone had it, everyone wanted it, and everyone either wanted or wanted to identify with Gwen Stefani.
Best tracks: ‘Don’t Speak’, ‘Sunday Morning’



Ritual de lo Habitual (1990) - Jane’s Addiction

If this album was a consumer: the spiritual skeptic
Why: cause this is a WEIRD album…weird messages and strange that make me feel like I’ve been transported to MDMA-fueled midnight beach rave in Goa. It’s difficult to understand, but really rich with mysticism and imagination.
Best tracks: ‘Three Days’, ‘Stop’



Garbage (1995) - Garbage

If this album was a consumer: the conforming non-conformist
Why: Butch Vig says that the name ‘garbage’ comes from the band’s approach to making music – taking the sonic remnants and piecing them together again. Garbage and goth will always be intertwined in my mind because of the gorgeous, sad, creepiness of the band and their caricatured adoption into fledgling emo subsculture.
Best tracks: ‘Milk’, ‘Stupid Girl’, ‘Only Happy When It Rains’



Jagged Little Pill (1995) – Alanis Morissette

If this album was a consumer: the mid-life crisis married male
Why: this consumer is awash with disposable income and looking to shock and awe. Sure female aggression was nothing new (Patti Smith, 4 Non Blondes, Courtney Love), but this edgy yet still radio-friendly album made feeling bitter and uncaring kinda cool.
Best tracks: ‘Ironic’, ‘All I Really Want’, ‘You Learn’



Siamese Dream (1993) – The Smashing Pumpkins

If this album was a consumer: the middle-class working mom
Why: It’s uplifting, peaceful, and incredibly aspirational. Powerful chord structure punctuated by soaring Billy Corgan guitarwork sets a singular positive foundation of the album with compassionate lyrics that suggest a consumer who is conscientious, caring, and affectionate.
Best tracks: ‘Rocket’, Today’, ‘Mayonnaise’, ‘Geek USA’



The Bends (1995) - Radiohead

If this album was a consumer: the savvy agoraphobe
Why: it’s not stupid music, it’s just misunderstood. The Bends still captured the experimentalism Radiohead was known for and brought the band’s music to a larger audience. The awkwardness and insecurity of the album’s tone resonates with outcasts who'd rather correct my speling than go play ultimate frisbee.
Best tracks: ‘Just’, ‘Fake Plastic Trees’



Purple (1994) – Stone Temple Pilots

If this album was a consumer: the workaholic microbrew-tippler
Why: 'Purple' is a pounding, ethereal album that set a hazy foundation for dreamers, druggies, and early dotcom-ers. In a bizarre smoothie of the three you get a yuppie urbanite of the three who’s introspective with a love for cultural idiosyncracies and pushing their limits.
Best tracks: ‘Interstate Love Song’, ‘Big Empty’, ‘Lounge Fly’



Dookie (1994) – Green Day

If this album was a consumer: the weekend mallrat
Why: The weekend mallrat loves brands, loves celebrities, loves their friends, and loves killing time. They rarely buy things but when they do they make rewarding purchases based as much on peer pressure as information and specs. Dookie made it ok to feel lazy and fucked up.
Best tracks: ‘When I Come Around’, ‘Longview’



The Battle of Los Angeles (1999) – Rage Against the Machine

If this album was a consumer: the urban Green
Why: Despite the anti-consumerist, anarchistic tone of the band, fans of the band were hardly as socially conscious as they’d like to believe. Having grown up and started earning incomes, they choose sustainable products but don’t know what it means to offset their carbon when they take business trips to Chicago.
Best tracks: ‘Sleep Now in the Fire’, ‘Testify’, ‘Guerrilla Radio’



Odelay (1996) – Beck

If this album was a consumer: the informed and cultured Wal-Mart shopper
Why: they’re rare but balk the trend by living a suburban life of leisure while still reading the newspaper, participating in online communities, and going to concerts. Odelay’s carefree, scratchy-mixed, major-keyed, melodic tone personified this attitude.
Best tracks: ‘The New Pollution’, ‘High 5’

"Which way to the paper towels?"



The Downward Spiral (1994) – Nine Inch Nails

If this album was a consumer: the pseudo-nihilist, suburban emo teen
Why: the album was commercial as much as it was some gothic expression through sonic electronic disfigurement. The album felt bad for itself and felt heavy throughout. It wasn’t black so much as completely lacking in any colour. As a consumer, its emo because despite the pity, sickness, and smut it wanted to be recognized and treated like an outlet for society’s abuse. It’s industrial to its core.
Best tracks: ‘Piggy’, ‘Hurt’, ‘Closer’



Use Your Illusion I & II (1991) – Guns n’ Roses

If this album was a consumer: the jingoistic slob
Why: Cause the album is like a sloppy drunk who has soiled themselves. Guns N’ Roses was that uncompromisingly American rock band that elevated the final notes of loud metal rock to elegant heights before finally imploding.
Best tracks: ‘Don’t Cry’, ‘Estranged’, ‘Yesterday’, ‘Knockin on Heaven’s Door’, ‘November Rain’



Totally:


Weezer (1994) – Weezer

If this album was a consumer: the nullified boyfriend
Why: Weezer rocks, but the album was a follower and although it set a precedent for whiny frat rock, it didn’t challenge musical paradigms or come across as being too offensive. Perfect for that pallid tag-along boyfriend who’d shops where his girlfriend tells him to.
Best tracks: ‘No One Else’, 'Say It Ain’t So’, ‘Undone – the Sweater Song’



Antichrist Superstar (1996) – Marilyn Manson

If this album was a consumer: the moneyed, educated professional woman who people misperceive to be a real bitch
Why: it’s a pretty smart album with an intriguing story arc that allows listeners to draw their own conclusions. On first glance it’s scary and obscene, for the same reasons as Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ album, but those who take time to get into it and put aside preconceptions will be rewarded by what they find.
Best tracks: ‘Antichrist Superstar’, ‘The Beautiful People’, ‘Little Horn’



(What’s the story?) Morning Glory (1995) – Oasis

If this album was a consumer: the foreign tourist
Why: it came on the scene kinda unannounced and made a massive impression, paving the way for other sparkly, chewy Brit pop acts. Oasis really didn’t offend anyone but they were really noticeable. Thematically, the album seems like it’s an indulgent shopper on vacation who isn’t worried about the credit card bill when they return from holiday.
Best tracks: ‘Some Might Say’, ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’, ‘Morning Glory’

"More sunglasses please"


Nevermind (1991) – Nirvana

If this album was a consumer: the conspicuous spender
Why: the album failed Nirvana’s grunge roots through its flashy, dirty excessiveness. It’s loud and obscene and over the top. If this was a consumer it would be the guy riding top-down through the financial district in his Lambo. (BTW, don’t get me wrong, I loved this album)
Best tracks: ‘Lithium’, ‘Breed’, ‘Come As You Are’, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’



In the world of blogging, content is good, content is God!

Trim your fiffi! Quirky online creativity

This is a wonderful creative online campaign from Sweden. Some campaigns are pretty hilarious and you just kinda have to step back and think how ridiculous they are. Is the message really that offensive? It's not sexist or misogynist, just silly and absurd!


Here is what Creativity says about this online campaign:

Aimed at women post-puberty and beyond, the site invites visitors to virtually style and customize what the Scandinavians call your "fiffi" with scissors, a razor or an array of RFSU products. The fictional character Miss Fiffi, who's an 80-year-old midwife, will then judge your shaving skills on a scale of 1 to 10 and your completed fiffi can subsequently be downloaded and embedded in your Facebook page.

Complemented by banner ads and an outdoor campaign, the somewhat controversial site also hosts a contest where the best fiffi wins a full shaving kit courtesy of RFSU. If one requires a more personal touch, they can contact a real-life midwife from the RFSU clinic for grooming tips via MSN Messenger.

HAHAHAHA!

How postmodern!

What makes this a clever campaign, IMO?

1. It's lighthearted and the right tone for the client, which apparently is a non-profit Swedish sex education organization.
2. Almost like the Rocky Horror Picture Show, it's interactive and encourages audience participation!
3. All those online platforms are being built into the architecture for the campaign. This permits various forms of engagement and response.
4. In an indirect way, I believe that this sort of message encourages greater ownership of one's body and promotes self-empowerment, especially for women. Sure, it's a quirky way to achieve that objective, but we're all adults, right?

Test your trimming skills here at RFSU's Fiffi microsite.

Back to school marketing: High School Conformity: the Musical!!!

The back to school retail crush is the second largest moneymaker for retail stores after Christmas. It’s when teen and kids apparel manufacturers roll out the latest styles and new clothes are bought for the next school year.

From a marketing perspective, back to school advertising fascinates me because of not only the sleazy shillery used to position the retail brand as the ‘arbiter of cool’ but also because the message must appeal to both kids and their parents.

The extent of my back to school shopping will be confined to gasoline and overpriced textbooks. For this, I’m thankful because I don’t have to endure the mania and feelings of inadequacy commonly experienced by kids half my age going back to school or entering high school for the first time. I remember the trepidation and anxiety of that first day. It was like a heady brew of excitement, untested confidence, and seriously laughable preppy thug bravado.

Kids going to school have enough to worry about, so why does it seem that retail marketers are now making them worry about whether they have the right clothes? I’m also sensing that the implicit message of these ads – conformity creates credibility – has become distastefully more palatable in recent years. It’s a common truism that having cool back to school clothes is important, but the difference with these ads is that you must now have the right back to school clothes. Like the retail big-box contagion spreading commercial infection across the suburban landscape, youth personal style and individualism is being nullified in favour of The Standard.

Who is The Standard? They’re the star of the back to school ad. They’re Nietzsche’s Ubermench, only in high school. The Standard is guided as much by rationality and reason as the desire to confirm. They’re identifiable by prominent logos and popstars brandished on neutral and unoffensively coloured clothing. They take a leading but never standout role. This is the person (notice that I didn’t say individual…) who all students strive to be.

How is The Standard advertised? Pay close attention in back to school ads for any of the following portrayals of The Standard:

• 25-year olds playing high school freshman performing highly acrobatic choreography in school hallways
• Token black hip-hop dancers shown immediately adjacent to The Standard (notice that The Standard is invariably white)
• Lip syncing lame lyrics, for example “I’m going back to school, and it’s so cool”
• And finally, The Standard is always shown as fitting in among the other Standards. This is critical.

So with that short preface, let’s evaluate some of the worst offenders in back to school marketing:


SEARS: Don’t just go back, Arrive



This spot amazes me. So Vanessa Hudgens, The Standard of High School Musical has been paid to lip sync and pulsate to an over-synthesized song about going back to school. If you can’t stomach the commercial enough to watch (and I can’t say I blame you), her dilemma is that she can’t decide whether to be The Preppy, The Rocker, or The Glam on her first day back. In the final act of the commercial, these three styles merge together to create some trashy-looking excuse for an outfit.

The tagline, "Don’t just go back, arrive" is intriguing and memorable. It’s stance is almost threatening and bullish to teenagers who are asked to rise to the challenge and go back to school as an indomitable fashion force.

Effective? I’m not sure… How easily will kids remember that this message is associated to Sears? Overall, this ad really doesn’t offend me because the message still resonates with the attitude that it’s ok to have a personal style. They’re also not hocking actual articles of clothing, more like an assemblage of awkward, juxtaposed pieces.

Listen closely to the lyrics though. My biggest criticism of this ad is the lyric “Be smart, look sharp, if you’re gonna survive”…um, what???


JC PENNEY: Get the look – The Breakfast Club



At first blush, this is a pretty lame excuse for a commercial. The director has reproduced and dehydrated the original John Hughes movie down to a highly clip-focused one minute homage. They even cast kids to look like Ali Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Anthony Michael Hall. The cover version of Simple Minds’ ‘Don’t you forget about me’ kinda blows, but alright…that’s what kids listen to today.

With the exception of the campaign tagline “Get the look” which whiffs of conformity, there’s nothing really offensive about this ad. But it’s stupid right? I mean, the people for whom The Breakfast Club was a relevant movie are now in their late 30s and early 40s. Why would they care about back to school shopping..............?

Wait, so you mean this ad is really targeted at the parents and not the kids? Smart.


TARGET: The Jonas Brothers



I’m really sorry for posting this, but we’re a youth marketing agency and the Jonas Brothers are a highly influential brand to our target demographic. Nothing offensive here, other than perhaps the Jonas Brothers themselves. It’s your standard celebrity endorsement ad, not a whole lot of conformity, other than perhaps subtle message to shop at Target because that’s where the Jonas Brothers were advertised.

Effective? Maybe for teenage girls. It depends on how well they can convince their moms that celebrity endorsements are more powerful than cost-savings, so therefore they should choose to shop at Target.


WAL-MART

A bunch of ads here, all of which are uncompromising in their sleazy salesmanship and unabashed lack of morals.

#1: The Kiss



What an appeal to terrified moms fretful over how their children will be accepted and well-prepared for school. Wal-Mart’s value proposition is, of course, its cost-savings over competitors. This message is prominently made clear in the voiceover at the end. I also think that the actress playing the mom needs to lay off the Dramamine. She sounds like she’s lucid dreaming when uttering the line “that’s why I go to Wal-Mart”….no, that’s why you’re hypnotized into going to Wal-Mart!

#2: Hannah Montana



Wow…why is that 12 year old little girl dressing like she’s 23?

This is only a half-spot, 15-second commercial so it packs a small punch. The difference between this and a longer spot is that the focus is on the articles of clothing rather than the overall style (this would have required a story arc). And do kids entering school need to ‘bring it on’? Bring what on?

#3: “I can’t go with her…”



“I like your top” – there, 10 seconds in and the audience has already been informed that the reason why this new girl is allowed to sit at the lunch table with the other girls is because they think her style fits in with theirs.

And that’s really what back to school advertising is all about. Yes, I’ve left the worst commercial to the end because I think Wal-Mart really made no qualms about the message it wanted to convey in this spot. How about the line “she needs to feel good about herself without breaking my budget”? This assertion only reinforces the insecurity of many young girls to feel included and popular by having the right clothes. Obviously ‘feeling good’ comes from only having the right clothes for back to school, and not from a more intrinsic, self-derived confidence with oneself.

Wow Wal-Mart, what a stinker.

But the question that I just want answered is why is this older woman talking to herself in the middle of a busy high school hallway….?