...For The Ride Home: Gavin Rossdale comes out of the closet (kind of), Mel Kiper may be in trouble and a correction from yesterday

I spent Tuesday night with this. It's good. I won't give anything away, but if you dig these kinds of films, it's worth a shot. The whole thing felt like Michael Clayton-lite. If you happen to think movies such as that, or, say, "Breach" are a bit too tough to follow, the movie to the left does a good job to go out of its way to make sure you understand exactly what is going on at all times. And that can be good. It's certainly the best role I've seen Mr. Trainspotting in. Ever. He even looks like Jason Bateman at times, which, of course I love. Moving right along, it's Wednesday, and it's the middle of the week. I'm tried. Really tired, actually, so I'm going to cut this a bit short (that, and, well, I have a big, big soccer game tonight of which I have to be prepared for). So alas, here's to hoping you have a wonderful Wednesday after you check out a few of the links below. Be nice to others.

Late on this, but still: A woman reporter mistypes something. No editors catch it. And boom goes the dynamite. (TBD)

The better half of this blog, in an e-mail offering this link for today’s Ride: Excuse me while I wipe this egg off my face. (Ad Age)

A list of 15 people you should not be friends with on Facebook. Because I have no idea how that stuff works, I’ll simply just use this time to say you really should go see “The Social Network” tonight. (The Frisky)

Wow. Check this out. No hints. Just check it out. (Cracked)

Now, this is interesting. The agent that came clean to Sports Illustrated may be connected to Mel Kiper Jr. If that’s the case, we’ll finally know why Ryan Leaf was scouted so high. (The Big Lead)

NPR reporters will not be allowed to attend the Jon Stewart, Steve Colbert rallies. But why? (Dan Kennedy)

Gavin Rossdale was gay. No, really. He was. (Lime Life)

The difference between love and romance. (CNN)

Gap logo change = disaster

If you’ve been paying attention to our little corner of the blogosphere, one thing you know is what my counterpart and I do to make our modest (MODEST) livings – he’s a journalist and I’m in public relations and marketing. Funny, right? We’re supposed to hate each other according to the standards set by our respective trades. But hey, we’re all about breaking barriers and building bridges here at The Unusual Suspects camp.

One hot topic in the PR/marketing world right now is retail giant Gap changing its logo (as you can see). A logo change from a huge corporation is always big news – it’s kind of like a celebrity undergoing major plastic surgery, only more extreme. No one is sure why they did it, everyone wonders how it will affect their personality and there’s sure to be mishaps along the way.

Typically, a logo change will take months from the idea phase to the unveiling of the new design and brand promise. The company usually employs an ad firm that does extensive research on consumer trends, demographics, emerging trends, psychological predispositions, purchasing behaviors, organizational culture, blah blah blah, and eventually, after hours of research, brainstorming and architecting, brings the client the IDEA.

The client then gives the ad firm a dozen reasons why the IDEA isn’t correct.

After much back and forth between the two parties, a watered down, often bastardized version of the initial IDEA comes to fruition. And this, mind you, is after seven or eight people from the client company, who have little-to-no educated insight into branding, have weighed in.

The Gap logo in its most recent form undoubtedly fell victim to this process. In a recent poll of PR and marketing executives, 88 percent of the 300+ respondents just plain don’t like it, and for many different reasons. One creative director said it’s the worst he’s ever seen. Ever. Ouch.

So on to the fun part: Gap’s response to the criticism. On its Facebook page last week, the company stated “We know this logo created a lot of buzz, and we’re thrilled to see passionate debates unfolding! So much so we’re asking you to share your designs. We love our version, but we’d like to see other ideas. Stay tuned for details in the next few days on this crowd sourcing project.”

How does this sit with you? I suppose there are two ways you can look at it: 1) Gap is making a noble attempt at engaging its audience and fostering a two way conversation with those who proudly wear its clothing. OR 2) Gap, a major corporation, probably worth billions, is looking for free design work. Like they’re some local, nonprofit health and wellness center, funded solely by grants and donations.

I’m somewhere in the middle of the road on this issue. One of the main reasons companies get involved with social media is to get people talking about its brand. So when a conversation is started, it only makes sense to get involved and contribute to said conversation, hopefully guiding it to a positive outcome. But asking users to submit their ideas? For free no less?

Hundreds of companies use needles and threads to manufacture shirts… but people don’t purchase shirts per se. The logo is the face of the brand, which, like it or not, is what people purchase. So what exactly is the IDEA worth to a company like Gap? Obviously not much if they’re asking for it for nothing. It’s a sad message to send to those who make a living off their creativity.

See you right back here at 4 p.m. EST.

...For The Ride Home: Sarah Palin needs to shut up, Joaquin Phoenix is going back to see Dave and goodness, 'Mad Men' is great

"People tell you who they are, but we ignore it because we want them to be who we want them to be." Had a "Mad Men" crunch over the last two hours. Why? Because I love you, silly. Caught up on the last two episodes (as you know, I missed last week, and last night was the VMAs. More on that later, though), and I know I end up saying these kinds of statements week after week, but the most recent two episodes may be some of the best the show has seen. The inner monologues with Don add an element of reflection and tone to the show that frankly somehow hasn't been there before. We saw last night that he wants to start living his life in a better manner, and while we all know one of the biggest attractions the show has is Don's struggle with alcoholism and, well, his life in general, there is something within me that actually wants to see him get better. You really have to wonder if people will turn against the show because of this (assuming this particular story line continues to progress, of course). Hell, even Betty earned a few points when she picked the baby up, gave it Don, and walked away (though, if I may interject for one moment, the look on her face as she saw how Don was with the kid reminded me - for whatever reason - of the end of "The Graduate." Was that regret on her face? Did she really mean it when she told Henry that "they have everything?"). The other fabulous quote from this episode? Again, a line coming from Don's disembodied voice: "We're flawed because we get those things and wish for what we had." This comes after he spends a couple minutes looking back upon what people want from their lives and how ungrateful we all can be once we get those things. And finally (from the episode before the most recent), the more Peggy and Don interact the way they did the night of her birthday, the more I will fall haplessly in love with the show even more. And then he grabs her hand! Yes, that exclamation point was used to show enthusiasm. Whew. This has been a lot. You know where to share the comments. All are welcome. Hello Week 25, and hello links.

Expect a full post (and it will be long) regarding the VMAs Wednesday. That is, if the better half of this operation isn’t planning on tackling it first tomorrow. In the meantime, here is all you need to know in 60 seconds. (MTV)

So, Deadspin hates Tony Dungy. That’s kind of mean. (Deadspin)

The New York Football Jets kick off their season this evening. One of the few nights I regret getting into newspapers in the first place. Oh, and just in case if you were wondering, they apologized to that female reporter. Silly Jets. (USA Today)

Advertising spending is up nearly six percent. If only those ads could be used on print media. Come on, now. Just some of them. (Market Watch)

Oh, Sarah Palin. Will you please just stop. (Missoula Editor)

Floyd Mayweather wants to kill an NBA player. Fifty bucks to anyone who could tell me what team he plays on without looking. (TMZ)

Joaquin Phoenix is going back on David Letterman. This should be interesting. (Popeater)

J-Lo is going to “American Idol.” And those crazy demands reported? These guys say they really weren’t all that crazy. (New York Magazine)

And of course. Your normal "Mad Men" recap. (Entertainment Weekly)

...For The Ride Home: Letterman visits 'The View,' The Anvil gets arrested and more from the Mike Wise situation

Saw this last night. Watched it with two other people, and without any doubt, I was the one who enjoyed it the most (one of the others had already seen it, though). It was...better than I thought it would be. Actually moderately-to-a-lot better than I thought it was going to be. And it's hard to be funny. But there were moments that I thought were genuinely funny. If I thought only three of those moments were going to occur going in, it turned out that somewhere around five actually happened. That's a good ratio. Anyways, hello Week 24. How do you do? First and foremost, we here at The Unusual Suspects headquarters would like to offer sincere apologizes for not offering up a "Mad Men" recap this week, but 1) I wasn't able to watch it yet, 2) It's Tuesday, so it's too old to speak of now and 3) There will indeed be a link below that leads you to our usual "Mad Men" recap piece penned by Entertainment Weekly. To make it up to you, though, we would like to point out that there may or may not be something brand new that is brewing for tomorrow. Could it be a new feature? Could it be a huge announcement? Could it be wonderful? Could it make you love us that much more? Goodness, so many questions to be answered. You'll have to check back to see what all the fuss is about. Before that gets here, though, check out a few links, enjoy this September afternoon and think back to all the fantastic memories you made over Labor Day weekend.

The Anvil gets arrested for drug possession. I defy you to come up with five names of former professional wrestlers who adjusted to normal life easily. (Tampa Tribune)

Boise State clinched a national title berth last night. Today, they gain seven first-place votes in the AP poll. (ESPN)

Nobody buys newspaper advertisements anymore. Oh, this is bad. (Editor & Publisher)

Editor is charged by coroner for two interviews. Funny. (Twitter)

More from the Mike Wise fallout. Now, the Post’s ombudsman takes his shots. (Washington Post)

ABC News loses its leader. Get those resumes ready. (CNN)

Barbara Walters comes back to “The View.” David Letterman visits. (USA Today)

And here is your weekly “Mad Men” wrap-up. Need to catch up before this Sunday. (Entertainment Weekly)

The hangover and the food that comes with it

Had a party this weekend. All the cool kids were there, and I'm fairly certain it was agreed upon by everyone that it was pretty much the best night of their lives. Party wise, at least. Hey, when you can rock that LCD Soundsystem record until five in the morning, while earlier in the night your record player sprinkled in some Tom Petty, Huey Lewis and Ray Charles, you know your party was better than just about everyone else's.

The problem, though, with having such a gathering, is that I'm noticing how awful I feel the day after a night filled with drinking. This is an occurrence that only recently became commonplace, and needs to be fixed soon. Maybe its the wine, liquor and beer. Should probably stick to only one of the above, right? But a couple bottles of wine just don't do the trick by themselves, and shots always need to be taken in order to proclaim toasts. And you can't have a party and not toast to something. Goodness. The intricacies of properly consuming alcohol.

Anyways, laying on the couch with a throbbing headache warranted the following thought: What's a good food to consume the day after a night filled with friends and booze? What exactly goes well with a hangover that makes you feel as though you will never move from your bed (aside from the requisite Tylenol, Advil and occasional Gatorade, of course)?

That headache now gone, I thought I'd throw a few thoughts out there to see if any stuck. Considering everyone typically has their own remedies for such situations, it may be nice to leave a comment or two, offering your own advice because mine clearly isn't full-proof, not even for me. That said, though, here are a couple examples of food I take solace in while feeling as though an 18-wheel truck is spinning through my brain.

Hamburgers and French FriesYeah, that sounds risky, I know. But I made an art out of waking up dizzy and still finding my way to McDonalds throughout my time in college. It's essential. The grease. The carbs. The complete awfulness of knowing you are eating processed food that was probably dropped on the floor three times before it hit the wrapper you see it in. Hey, if nothing else, eating such materials has been known to induce the act of vomiting. And remember what they always say about a way to make you feel better...

Pizza
This one is sort of odd, but the more I find myself in this predicament, the more I crave a slice of pizza by 5 'o clock. Now this can be tricky simply because of the varying pizzas that happen to be offered. Pizza Hut? Only if it's a personal pan because you sometimes roll the dice with how they may cook it. Dominoes? That can get a bit too cheesy. Same with Papa John's. A local joint? That's probably the best bet, though you know the local spots tend to be more inconsistent than any mainstream chain. That's OK, though, if you happen to love the smell of the pizza place. Because let's be honest. Stepping into a local pizzeria can instantly make anyone feel better based on smell alone. The big guys? They smell like garbage and dead cats. Not good for a hangover.

Tea
Only here because of my love for tea. It's hot, though. That helps.

Bread
People always seem to suggest toast and bread in these situations. Why? Before you know it, you have eaten eight slices of bread, put on six more pounds and you seem to wonder why you are still hungry. Still, bread is the perfect gateway food. It can lead you to finally gain an appetite for something more substantial - something that may just help. Besides, it's bread. Who doesn't have a loaf of bread just chilling out, always ready to help your hunger needs?

Chinese Food
Because it makes you sleepy, silly.

And of course...

Actual Breakfast Food
You are lying if you say you've never once woken up after a late night and went out to get pancakes, eggs and bacon. Me? I hate breakfast food. I'll go with you, but I'll opt for a burger. But just because I've never sat well with such foods doesn't mean we can ignore the fact that everyone seems to love the stuff. Goodness, the obsession you people have with syrup and butter. Always have to try and keep it local, but if you happen to be near a Perkins or Eat 'N Park, at least you'll be able to look at those attractive pies while you wait for your meal. And if you can't go to any of those, word is these things seem to generate some serious excitement within you breakfast food-eating-people bunch...

Tiger begins his journey back... no, seriously... Yeah, the same Tiger from CNN with the apology and stuff...

It was reported late last week that Tiger Woods began filming his first commercial since the incident... err... 15 incidents that became public around Thanksgiving. The commercial will be for Tiger's most prominent sponsor, Nike. So, this obviously begs the question, is this a good move on Nike's part? My first instinct says Nike needs to maintain its distance from the fallen former prodigy - but is that a bit short sighted on my part? If there's one thing America loves, it's a winner, and you know Tiger will win again. And for better or for worse, winning seems to be the cure-all elixir for public image problems among professional athletes, Dwight Gooden notwithstanding.

(Seriously, give this video a minute before moving on - so worth it.)



Now we've all heard the juvenile golf jokes and immature quips about some of the companies who have sponsored, or continue to sponsor Tiger Woods (Nike - Just do it; Accenture - High performance delivered; and my personal favorite Gatorade - Is it in you?). And while I typically would avoid such childish cheap shots, I can't help myself here. Here's a little list of some companies and their tag lines (past or present) that Tiger could consider aligning himself with - feel free to add to this list.

L'Oreal - "Because I'm worth it"
Timex - "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking."
Las Vegas - "What happens here stays here"
AT&T - "Reach out and touch someone"
Energizer - "It just keeps going and going"
Holiday Inn - "Pleasing people the world over"
Courage Tavern Ale - "It's what your right arm's for"
Exxon - "Put a little tiger in your tank"

Scene.

We'll be here all week folks - leave comments, let's discuss.

- TS