Letters

Guerrilla Tactics:Intrusive and PollutingJack Feuer has got to be kidding when he writes in "Pride and Prejudice" [A&C, Oct. 28] that some jerk starting up a conversation with you under false pretenses just to hawk a product is no different from traditional media advertising. If he can't tell the difference between the polluting, privacy-invading intrusion of many guerrilla tactics (including slapping Microsoft butterflies all over New York) and the voluntary viewing of media advertising, then he has no business editing an advertising trade magazine.Grant MonsarratCreative directorMonsarrat CreativeEaston, Conn.Wrangler Missteps With Anti-War SongI wholeheartedly agree with the letter criticizing Wrangler for blatantly misrepresenting the Cre edence Clearwater song "Fortunate Son" [Letters, Nov. 4] as a patriotic ditty in order to flog their jeans in an Americana-themed TV spot replete with the Stars and Stripes.That's got to rank right up there in cluelessness with Ronald Reagan's brief, boneheaded embrace of "Born in the USA" as a positive song about America, rather than an anguished wail from a Vietnam veteran chewed up and spat out by the country he fought for. "Fortunate Son" was actually a song that used lyrics such as:"Some folks inherit star-spangled eyes/Ooh, they send you down to war/And when you ask them 'How much should I give?' They only answer 'More, more, more.'/It ain't me, it ain't me, I'm no military son."Songwriter John Fogerty wasn't waving the flag, he was pointing the finger at those who do, falsely, in order to foist something on the gullible but well-meaning public, be it a war or just a pair of jeans.Back then he was singing about Vietnam. Today, Wrangler, if you listen to the full lyrics and not your edited ones, he seems to be singing right at you. David JohnsonEvp, senior creative directorBBDONew YorkA Lawyer Defends 'Lovable' GrimaceI write to respond to Barbara Lippert's critique of the McDonald's ad featuring Donald Trump and the McDonaldland character Grimace [Creative, Oct. 14].I write to address her characterization of Grimace as "an enormous, egg-shaped, purple, hairy blob, with tender blinking eyes—a cross between a less evolved M&M and Barney the purple dinosaur, tossed with a bit of the California Raisin gone to seed." While I do not work in advertising and I do not work for McDonald's, I found this characterization quite offensive.Grimace is a cute, very lovable creature. McDonald's and DDB in Chicago have been quite successful building a connection between Grimace and the children that comprise part of their target audience. Instead of trashing Grimace, maybe you should give some credit to the success of DDB and the Grimace character, which helps sell McDonald's food and merchandise.I, too, was disappointed that Grimace did not speak in the ad, but I nonetheless found it very entertaining and memorable. I'm sure that the inclusion of Grimace was an appeal to children who find him as lovable and endearing as I do.I liked the combination of Donald Trump, a sly, savvy and renowned business executive, and Grimace, who is loved by kids worldwide. It was a memorable spot. Please refrain from any further derogatory comments about this lovable character.Mike BrownAttorneyLos AngelesFor the Record: In the Magazine Special Report [Oct. 21], the number of ad pages year-to-date for Elle Decor was incorrect. The correct number is 188.

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