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Emergency
#34 (November 20, 2009): Linguistic Insolvency
We land on your plate a bit earlier than usual this month because we don't want to impose on next
week's antsy pre-holiday attention deficit and/or post-feast tryptophan hangover. So read on, while you're still
inclined, as we go mad scientist on the overused biz term "solutions;" hail some hunger-haters; crush out on
new-wave pop outfit Oh Darling; and view the latest undercooked entry from the Not Our Clients kitchen.
By the way, we're thankful for you.
Red Pen Diaries: The Solutions Problem
I've got a problem with solutions. Well, it's not solutions, per se, but the WORD "solutions." Actually,
it's not even the word "solutions"; it's the notion that all you have to do is throw that word onto your home page and
the world will beat a path to your door.
Most of the people I know are fortunate enough to be worried about eating too much on
Thanksgiving. So now seems an appropriate time to recall those who don't know, on any given day, if they'll be
eating at all.
Fed Up With Hunger, an initiative of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, points out that one in eight
people in L.A. is hungry. Their "Blueprint to End Hunger" and other materials on the Give Life Meaning website offer
ways to respond to this crisis. I salute them here not only for their admirable humanitarian work but also for the
solid branding effort behind the campaign, from its memorable name to the compelling viral tools provided on the
site (not to mention celebrity support from Debra Messing and the Beastie Boys).
Please take a moment to visit
GiveLifeMeaning.org, spread the word
and perhaps even contribute a portion of your Turkey Day budget. Given the hunger statistic cited above, may I
suggest one eighth?
Round and Shiny: Oh Darling Brings the Bounce
The Portland-bred, L.A.-based pop-rock collective Oh Darling has the goods: killer melodic
chops, a riveting sense of dynamics and potent band chemistry. Their latest,
self-titled collection, available now via the iTunes Music Store and elsewhere, boasts nine beguiling tracks that recall influences like the
Sundays, Built to Spill, the Cardigans, the Go-Go's, the Pixies and the B-52's but cast a new-wave spell all
their own. This is due in equal measure to singer-keyboardist Jasmine Ash's gossamer vocals, guitarist Daven
Hall's incisive lines and the buoyant rhythm section of bassist J. Marie Hall and drummer Jake Endicott.
The songs — especially the alluring "I Like You, Baby," the propulsive, yearning "Just Love,
Anyway," the tempo-shifting "Lamplight (Shine)" and the sugary, irresistible "Colorful Day" — are uniformly
enchanting, which is why the band's been heard on numerous TV series and a VW commercial. But unless you
catch them live you won't get the full effect of their esprit de corps (nor will you experience the wild vintage attire of
Jasmine and J. Marie). L.A. folks can catch them at the Viper Room on December 6; it's free if you RSVP.
Onstage or on your iPod, this is a band to fall in love with; if I had a three-ring binder I'd scrawl "Oh Darling" all over
it.
Not Our Clients: Off-the-Menu Edition
We queasily present the worst sushi name ever:
Um, ew. (Thanks to Codi Lazar for this submission.)
Sample more unappetizing Not Our Clients specials here. Had your appetite ruined by a similarly raw mistake?
if we use it, you'll net a fresh iTunes Music Store gift card, redeemable for tracks by Puffy Ami Yumi, Fats Waller's "Hold Tight (Want Some Seafood Mama)" or "Sushi Girl" by the Tubes, among other treats.
Editorial Emergency
puts words in your mouth.
Assuming you're a marketer, creative, lifestyler, publicist,
artist and/or do-gooder who wants to connect with and persuade
consumers. We've worked for
these kinds of
clients on this kind of
stuff.
In case of editorial emergency, break glass and call ...
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www.editorialemergency.com send checks: 2062 Panamint Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065
I've got a problem with solutions. Well, it's not solutions, per se, but the WORD "solutions." Actually,
it's not even the word "solutions"; it's the notion that all you have to do is throw that word onto your home page and
the world will beat a path to your door.
Most of the people I know are fortunate enough to be worried about eating too much on
Thanksgiving. So now seems an appropriate time to recall those who don't know, on any given day, if they'll be
eating at all.
The Portland-bred, L.A.-based pop-rock collective 
