I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like the letter by the 30-something copywriter, who did everything but drive a stake through Hal Riney's heart [Letters, Sept. 20].
What did Hal do to this man, run over his cat?
Actually, Hal's main offenses seem to be his age and the fact that in his time he did things differently from the happening, cutting-edge advertising that's produced now.
The morals of the story: If you can't learn from Hal Riney's work, you can't learn at all. And we should all pray that when we're "wizened," that we get treated as well as we ourselves treated people when we were smart and 30-something.
Michael C. Austin
Director of corporate communications
Utica National Insurance Group,
Utica, N.Y.
In California,
Misery Loves Company
Iread with cathartic and selfish interest your excerpt from Andy Law's Creative Company [Adweek, Sept. 20]. In fact, I ran to the closest bookstore and purchased the book!
As one of many people who was affected by a similar so-called "strategic" move, I am still amazed by how these "few people" can justify these decisions to the many and, sadly, to themselves. While it is bad enough that cultures clash, one can only imagine the outcome when you don't even share the same business goals, vision or direction.
So much for strategy. I applaud this group's will to fight for its casus belli and I thank Mr. Law for sharing the story. It made me feel better.
Martha Geller
Burlingame, Calif.
Everybody in Vests?
We Plead Not Guilty
Well, I hope the folks at Adweek are enjoying their vests from The Gap, because I've got to believe that is the only way this annoying 30-second spot of "Calvin Kleinesque" models on Quaaludes could make it into Best Spots [Sept. 20].
Colin Costello
Creative director
Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago
For the Record: Chris Casaburi shot the photo of Daniel Snyder in ShopTalk [Sept. 20] In the Visa write-up [Best Spots, Sept. 20], the Broncos colors are blue and orange, not red.