BevLog

On Sunday when I went to buy The Washington Post, I was surprised to see a 4-color ad blocking the front page news for the second Sunday in a row.

Observation: Not only is the ad blocking the front page headlines - it doesn't even capitalize on its postioning by including the name of the advertiser "above the fold." If Safeway went to all the expense for this advertising placement, they really laid an egg on the design. ("Sign up at Safeway.com and get a FREE dozen eggs.")

I've been blogging about how the print newspaper ad revenue loss has been accelerating, but this step seems to take a more drastic measure. E-marketer has been tracking spending and reported earlier this year that "US Online Advertising Spending to Surpass Print in 2012." They estimated that print advertising revenues at newspapers would dip an additional 6 percent to $19.4 billion in 2012; magazine ad revenues were expected to rise by 0.5% up from $15.2 billion last year.

P.S. Speaking of "observation" - On Sunday, The Washington Observer newspaper front page was totally covered by an "ad front page" announcing the "4th of JULY sale!" at Mattress Warehouse. Talk about "sell outs."

"The times they are a'changin'" - continued. My friend Polly, who moved to Richmond last year, alerted me to a story in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "New director will take over the VCU Brandcenter in August." (VCU stands for Virginia Commonwealth University.)

Starting August 15, Helayne Spivak, the chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, New York City, will take over at the VCU Brandcenter, "one of the preeminent advertising programs in the country." Spivak's story and credentials are impressive.

But my focus was to find out more about the program. "VCU Brandcenter offers a two-year graduate program which provides an intensive, real-world education for future advertising leaders." There are five Masters degrees offered: Art Direction, Copywriting, Communications Strategy, Creative Brand Management and Creative Technology.

The so-called Copywriting Curriculum is a far cry from the days of mass marketing. Offerings that reflect today's fast-changing technology and social media include "Visual Storytelling, Creative Fusion, Professional Possibilities and Individuation." It's not just "Can you write?" to become a copywriter. We have to learn something new every day.

P.S. Spivak, who is a lifelong New Yorker, "will have to learn how to drive a car."

"It takes discipline and daring to maintain just one theme over 13 episodes" in "Mad Men" Season 5, but it featured "women's role in business and at home. The transformations hitting the three main female characters, Joan, Peggy and Megan - were exquisitely depicted and complicated with compromise and contradiction," reported Matthew Creamer, Advertising Age.

"We see Joan, once the office eye candy, assuming the role of the partner with operational conscience, counting the money and searching for new space for the now rapidly growing firm."

"We see Peggy at her new job, barking at quivering subordinates in (Don) Draper-esque fashion and beginning her new assignment: The naming of the forthcoming 'ladies' cigarette' from Philip Morris." (Virginia Slims and the tagline to come, "You've come a long way, baby.")

"We see Megan, finally realizing her calling as an actress...when she wins work in a shoe commercial made by her husband's (Don Draper's) agency.

Will "Mad Men" win a Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Drama Series" for the fifth year in a row? Stay tuned. What's your guess for Season 6 theme? Race? Woodstock? Hippies? Revolution? Don Draper becoming "Old Fashioned" like his drink in the last second of the season's last episode?