Letters

Magazine Kudos
Congratulations on a fantastic special report–the consumer magazines section is brilliant [Adweek, March 8]. And we’d feel that way even if we weren’t ranked No. 3.
The cover photo of Mark Golin takes the prize! Those kind of special moments are hard to capture. Bravo!
Peter King Hunsinger
Publisher
Architectural Digest, New York
Church and State
I’d like to answer a question Mark Dolliver raised in Takes [Feb. 15]. In that issue, Mr. Dolliver critiqued an ad campaign for the Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ in Chicago. The piece ended with the question: “[The ads] may stimulate trial, but are they laying the groundwork for brand loyalty?”
The answer is no. When I created the campaign, the mission was not to build brand loyalty for the church. The goal was simply to build awareness and possibly stimulate trial. I wanted to say, “Hey, here’s a church that can give you some answers in a way that makes sense.”
My hope is that people will visit our client’s church and be so moved by the message and its presentation that they become regulars. However, if that doesn’t happen, is that the failure of the advertising or the product being promoted? At some point, clients must take responsibility for whether or not people use their products. If a product is bad, no amount of great advertising can fix that.
Don’t get me wrong: I believe in my clients. In fact, I believe in my clients so much I think they are their own best advertising. If a product lives up to the image its advertising creates, it will enjoy a long and profitable life. The best thing I can do as a marketer is spread the message. Hopefully, the message is worth spreading.
Hadji Williams
Copywriter
Cornfed Advertising, Chicago
Remembering Jenny
Iloved Barbara Lippert’s piece discussing the new Jenny Craig work [Creative, Feb. 22], as well as the complimentary comments about the company’s work a few years ago. I wrote the earlier campaign with my art-director partner, Cathy Campbell, while we were at J. Walter Thompson. We’ve always been proud of it.
In fact, women still practically flag me down on the street to talk about those spots. Thanks again for the kind remarks about Jenny Craig’s brief, shining moment of advertising. You made my day.
Diane Moe
Principal
Boom Advertising, San Francisco
For the Record
In the write-up for the CDNow commercial [Best Spots, March 15], the architect in the van takes a “funky,” not family, road trip through time.

Adweek welcomes letters. Send them to: Letters to the Editor, Adweek, 1515 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10036. Or fax them to: (212) 536-1416. Readers may also send
comments to mlang adweek.com. Please include name, title, company and location. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.