Teach
01-29-2017, 06:44 AM
“We’ll run it up the flagpole…,” my boss at the advertising firm said. I had just suggested an idea to him for a radio commercial.
It was the summer of 1963. I was about to enter my senior year in college. I was then working over that summer at a Boston advertising firm. I was hired to come up with creative ideas to help sell the firm’s clients’ products and/or services. I remember presenting an idea to my boss on a catchy slogan to promote one of the firm’s clients, a bank.
“How does this sound?” I said to my boss, as I prepared to read the copy aloud: “Pounds, francs, rubles, rupees, punts, drachmas…Whatever you call money. Whenever you need money, think fast. Think first. Think First Federal Savings. You’re one-stop place for all your banking needs…” (There were more lines promoting drive-up windows, hours, etc., but you get the picture).
For those of you not familiar with the expression, “We’ll run it up the flagpole…,” it’s comparable to sending up “a trial balloon”. The complete phrase was: “We’ll run it up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes it”.
Well (you know my writing style), I bringing back that old advertising slogan and fast-forwarding it over 50 years to the present.
As I look at the new fast-paced Trump administration, just a little over a week old, it brings to mind that advertising concept.
Walls, immigration, health care, lobbying, homeland security, etc. The list goes on. “We’ll run it up the flagpole…” Yet, I believe that this current approach can be fraught with peril. We’re not on Madison Avenue any more, Todo! Some of these trial balloons create ire. Anger. Even, outrage. Maybe that’s what they’re supposed to do. Stir up the pot. Break with convention. Yes, I guess President Trump has a way of shaking things up. Yet, I would caution that when you shake up matters up too much, things can get out of control.
As for that old advertising slogan, it’s pretty much a thing of the past. Oh, there were sequels like: “We’ll throw it against the wall and see if it sticks.” How ‘bout a new one: “We’ll Trump it and see if anyone bids.”
It was the summer of 1963. I was about to enter my senior year in college. I was then working over that summer at a Boston advertising firm. I was hired to come up with creative ideas to help sell the firm’s clients’ products and/or services. I remember presenting an idea to my boss on a catchy slogan to promote one of the firm’s clients, a bank.
“How does this sound?” I said to my boss, as I prepared to read the copy aloud: “Pounds, francs, rubles, rupees, punts, drachmas…Whatever you call money. Whenever you need money, think fast. Think first. Think First Federal Savings. You’re one-stop place for all your banking needs…” (There were more lines promoting drive-up windows, hours, etc., but you get the picture).
For those of you not familiar with the expression, “We’ll run it up the flagpole…,” it’s comparable to sending up “a trial balloon”. The complete phrase was: “We’ll run it up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes it”.
Well (you know my writing style), I bringing back that old advertising slogan and fast-forwarding it over 50 years to the present.
As I look at the new fast-paced Trump administration, just a little over a week old, it brings to mind that advertising concept.
Walls, immigration, health care, lobbying, homeland security, etc. The list goes on. “We’ll run it up the flagpole…” Yet, I believe that this current approach can be fraught with peril. We’re not on Madison Avenue any more, Todo! Some of these trial balloons create ire. Anger. Even, outrage. Maybe that’s what they’re supposed to do. Stir up the pot. Break with convention. Yes, I guess President Trump has a way of shaking things up. Yet, I would caution that when you shake up matters up too much, things can get out of control.
As for that old advertising slogan, it’s pretty much a thing of the past. Oh, there were sequels like: “We’ll throw it against the wall and see if it sticks.” How ‘bout a new one: “We’ll Trump it and see if anyone bids.”