Special Olympics Goes for "Shock Value"

We have recently viewed the latest marketing efforts of the Special Olympics, which spawned from an inappropriate comment from President Barack Obama on the Tonight Show. We won't go into the comment Obama made here, just the advertising efforts approved by the Special Olympics and produced by DDB Needham (a very large, national advertising agency) in response to it.

Although the work developed by DDB Needham is creative, we believe the campaign was produced pro bono for the glory of the agency, and not the benefit of the client. Glint Advertising & Design has been a long-time supporter of the Special Olympics, and unfortunately, their approval of such marketing give us pause for further support. As a father with two young sons, I have tried to teach them to see individuals for their own unique abilities, not reinforcing the differences. The advertising messaging developed for the Special Olympics perpetuates not only the stereotype against people with disabilities, but also against other ethnic and religious groups.

One image of the campaign is shown above, others can be viewed at http://clipmarks.com/clipmark/32149D79-8C12-4DC8-8C33-58CDCD728CB0/

We understand wanting to rid the world of words like "retarded," but the comparisons used are inappropriate and certainly not what I expect from an organization that promotes dignity in the people it helps serve. This campaign was not thought through and shame on the agency and the non-profit for not knowing where to draw the line.

Agree or disagree with Glint Advertising's view, its causing some people to rethink the Special Olympics and what their mission really is. To learn more about our agency, visit us online at www.glintadv.com or call 817-616-0320.

Compassion Never Goes Out Of Style

Glint Advertising is honored we were able to be a part of The Shaken Baby Alliance First Annual Celebrity Fashion Show. The event happened last Saturday evening at a beautiful art gallery, where guests mixed and mingled with local celebrities. The show offered a silent auction, some of the most beautiful dresses I have ever seen, raffles, give-a-ways and included some of the children the Shaken Baby Alliance supports.

The attendees learned a lot about the non-profit, why it's important and ways to help. Perspective was given from families affected by Shaken Baby Syndrome, law enforcement officials who investigate the crimes and prosecutors who fight for justice for the innocent victims. The highlight of the evening was definitely the children in the show, so proud to be participating and demonstrating their runway techniques. The celebrities that help model the latest fashions were Martellus Bennet, #80 of the Dallas Cowboys; Jack Lazorko, former Major League Baseball Player; Nikki McKibbin, singer and former American Idol runner-up; Carly Patterson, Olympic Gold Medalist in Gymnastics and singer; Kenny Withrow, Guitar Player for the New Bohemians; and Kenn Younger, Drummer for Strangleweed and VHI Show, Daisy of Love.

I believe this was a successful first event that helped strengthen the brand of The Shaken Baby Alliance. Geno Loro Photography provided the event photo (attached to this blog) and Glint Advertising & Design produced the invitations, ads, floor graphics and posters. These services were supplied pro-bono for SBA to help further their cause.

At Glint, The Shaken Baby Alliance has always been close to our hearts and we have helped them over the past seven years with a variety of marketing needs. In this tough economy, they are really struggling with donations, so I encourage you to learn more about them and decide if you agree they would be a good cause to get behind.

You can learn more about The Shaken Baby Alliance by visiting www.shakenbaby.org, or calling Bonnie Armstrong, Executive Director, at (817) 882-8686. To learn more about our good friend Geno Loro, photographer, visit www.genoloro.com, or call 817-332-8171. If you would like to know more about Glint Advertising & Design, visit www.glintadv.com, or call 817-616-0320.

Cowboys Drama Keeps Brand at Forefront

I was recently contacted by the Dallas Business Journal to comment on the Dallas Cowboys' brand. The Cowboys have always been my favorite professional football team, so I was more than happy to offer opinions in my field of expertise concerning this. The Cowboys are the most valuable National Football League franchise, with a value of $1.6 billion. You cannot get to that point without strong branding.

Are the Cowboys still America's team? That's a term that has always been synonymous with the Cowboys. However, as of late, the "America's Team" brand may be in jeopardy. Where is that identifier going, many believe to the Pittsburgh Steelers. If you're going to change it up, why not do it with their biggest rival? The off-field and on-field controversy with the Cowboys, coupled with the success of the Steelers over the past few seasons have certainly contributed to the shift.

For me, I don't believe the Cowboys brand is anywhere near danger. I also think it would take quite a bit more than "drama" to make any significant negative impact with the brand. That being said, the designation of "America's Team" may be shifting and that is a hard pill to swallow when you're a die hard Cowboys fan. Thank you Katherine Cromer Brock for allowing me to contribute to your article.

You can read the article here - Cowboy's article

What a treat to talk about two of the things I love the most, my Cowboys and advertising. To learn more about my company, Glint Advertising & Design, and its experience in advertising, go to www.glintadv.com or feel free to give me a call at 817-616-0320.