Please...why wont you just die?

There is nothing sadder in my mind than seeing one's creative heroes castrate their own credibility through ill-advised advertising appearances. If ever there was a more perfect affirmation of the "It's better to burn out than to fade away" maxim it is Robert Zimmerman. In recent years Bob has merrily promoted all sorts of rubbish from girls pants to Starbucks but flogging a gas guzzling asphalt monster surely takes the biscuit? Actually I don't really care all that much about the green arguments that Kelly Nestruck over at the Guardian labors. Personally I would have just liked it if Dylan like Jimmy and Jim had had the good grace to snuff it early on in his career leaving us with a perfect hermetically sealed memory of him as an extraordinarily gifted singer-songwriter. Instead I just think of him as a bit of a loony now. Mores the pity.

As a slight aside it occurs to me that online celebrity culture is currently undergoing a bit of an overhaul in certain regards. Last week saw ATL media powerhouse 'The Oprah Show' celebrate the creation of its own YouTube channel. I wonder as seemingly more undiscovered internet celebrities (eg. Esmee Denters) begin enjoying physical world successes what will happen to those artificial celebrities created exclusively in the physical media world? Will they be able to match the popularity of those first conceived and birthed in the digital environment. Can they be as adept at building support, interest and even community retroactively? I think probably not and it makes me think that it will become increasingly difficult for these individuals to maintain any career longevity.



In other news CP+B had a video conference meeting this morning across their two office agoras to celebrate the recent acquisition of ten Cannes Lions including a Platinum and the 'Interactive Agency of the Year' accolade. What struck me was how matter of fact the atmosphere was. People seemed wholly un-phased by the whole experience; as though they expected to win anyway. The announcement was a mere formality announcing what everyone had suspected. I think it would have been more of a surprise had Crispin not won! It begs the question when an agency consistently wins and those wins are the most prestigious in the industry what does it take to get an agency excited?