9088: Writing Adweek’s Obituary.

Adweek is messed up. When Elizabeth Taylor passed away, the trade publication ran an insensitive story examining the “bad timing” of her death. When Amy Winehouse died, AdFreak presented “The Most Uncool Ad Ever Made Featuring Amy Winehouse” as a clumsy tribute. Yet with the passing of John Chervokas—the adman credited with creating the “Please Don’t Squeeze the Charmin” line and Mr. Whipple for Charmin toilet paper—Adweek doesn’t even make a single mention at all. However, the trade journal did feature a riveting examination on the evolution of paper towel advertising. Adweek barely earns the right to be used to wipe one’s ass.

9076: Eulogies Brought To You By Madison Avenue.

What is it about death that makes Madison Avenue types so clumsy? Like the antics that transpired after Mrs. Blankenship croaked on AMC series Mad Men, it seems impossible for adpeople to address the deceased with any amount of courtesy and dignity.

For example, Adweek managed to show its ignorance by running a piece that pointed out the “bad timing” of Elizabeth Taylor’s death in March, saying media coverage of the event would be diminished because the Hollywood icon died too late in the week. (Note: the Adweek story originally generated a comments thread filled with complaints and criticism for the reporter and publication—but the thread has mysteriously vanished.)

The death of Amy Winehouse prompted AdFreak to post “The Most Uncool Ad Ever Made Featuring Amy Winehouse”—a decidedly uncool tribute. The Huffington Post, meanwhile, let Award Winning Entrepreneur and Marketer Tricia Fox launch a perspective titled, “Amy Winehouse’s Untimely Death Is a Wake-Up Call for Small Business Owners.” Wow. Just wow.