It’s Not about the Hits

In a piece that appeared on the Ad Age website last week (March 25, 2009), Marc Brownstein, of the eponymous Brownstein Group, wrote about the challenges of finding creative talent for on-line advertising.  Apparently, he was looking for some interactive art director help and upon reviewing the portfolios he received, he concluded “the work really sucked.”  As he put it, “If these candidates were applying for a traditional creative position, they wouldn’t have even gotten in the door of Brownstein Group.”

The same day, comScore, Inc., released a study of online automotive advertising.  If you’ve spent even nanoseconds at big portals like Yahoo!, AOL, or MSN, you’ve undoubtedly been annoyed—I mean entertained and informed—by a car or truck “driving” across the page you’re trying to find some information on.  Vehicle manufacturers have taken to the ‘net in a big way, so big that I suspect that going forward, not only will newspapers continue to fall, but the automotive enthusiast magazines will get very, very small (but it may be at the vehicle makers’ peril).  ...Read More

2009 BMW 123d

2009 Ford Focus Coupe SES

2009 Hyundai Genesis V-6

2009 Nissan Maxima

2009 Acura TL SH-AWD

Driven Archives

The Real Reason Lutz Retired
Although retiring GM product development boss Bob Lutz claimed he’s leaving the stage because it's no longer “fun” anymore, what with the feds getting mixed up in the car business, perhaps the real truth of the matter is that he’s pursuing his real passion: the stage. – Read More

The Pinstripers, Indeed
Audi is headquartered in Ingolstadt, Germany. While you might not think of baseball when it comes to Germany, you may be surprised to learn (we were) that there is a team in that city, the Ingolstadt Schanzer. You may be even more surprised to learn what team Audi is “the official luxury vehicle” for. – Read More

Did We Mention Innovation?
Although BMW board chairman Norbert Reithofer was loathe to predict 2009 sales during a recent presentation (“2009 will be a transitional year for which we cannot yet make any reliable forecasts.”) it seems that the people doing the press releases for the vehicle manufacturer are certain that BMW is nothing if not innovative and a builder of innovative products. – Read More

Mars Attacks?
The same primary subcontractor to Boeing for the Apollo lunar rover was General Motors, the same company that is trying to get rid of its Hummer brand. The rover weighed 460 lb. In a forthcoming experiment on the impact of man on Mars, they'll be rolling in a 15,000 lb. armored Humvee. – Read More

Smile, and the whole world ...
How do you turn Michigan’s economic frown – pulled taut by two of the Big Three with billions in government IOUs and the country’s highest unemployment rate – upside down? Easy, just say: “200 mph, hydrogen-powered mag-lev train.”  – Read More

Upcoming Industry Events:
Hannover MESSE – April 20-24
PMTS 2009 – April 28-30
Great Designs in Steel – May 13
MoldMaking Expo ’09 – June 22–26
Time Compression Expo ’09
June 22–26

GM Sandbags Saturn
I was watching my television the other day when I happened to see an ad from GM’s now death sentenced Saturn brand that left me quite furious. The ad shows a retailer by the name of “Jim Smith” who begins to chastise the “pundits” who he claims are besmirching the reputation of Saturn dealers and the rest of the domestic auto industry because they are claiming  ...Read More