Rothacker Reviews

Fortune: A Design Treasure

Strolling along the beach on a cold, gray February morning, I notice a sea shell beckoning for me to pick her up. Dusting off the sand I get a sense of nostalgia. Although her edges are well worn, her lines and color refuse to fade away. They remain as sentinels, looking for a future generation that will one time connect again. Could they have found me for this purpose? The sea shell will go into my collection. While I will no doubt get much pleasure from her lines, diagrams, illustration, photography, maps and covers, future Rothacker's I hope, will get that much more.

Thanks to Jason Kottke for his map to this sea shell.

Fortune: A Design Treasure

Davo, what do you mean future Rothacker's? I believe that Rothacker Reviews is a message in a time bottle to my future relatives. It is sort of like a memoir in progress. On occasion I will speak directly to my future tribe, but for the most part, it is my hope that they will run my words past their own filters and form their own opinions as to who this strange bird is (was). Of course really close tribesmen-n-women will have access to my journals, providing a clear and succinct glimpse into the inner machinery that cranked all this out (not).

Do you have a personal Web site? (I hate the word blog). Think about laying down some bread crumbs for your future relatives to discover.

Can a commercial be too good?

Can a commercial be too good? It can if you thought it was so good you couldn't remember what product or service was being advertised.

There are three actors in this video. Each plays their role to perfection. But the look on the girl's face who didn't get the real pony is priceless.

Sick? Change Your Toothbrush

I was cutting out coupons this morning when I came across a Colgate ad. It said, "Got a cold? Change your toothbrush after a cold for a fresh start." This seems like such common sense that I must have heard it from someone at least once over the course of my life. I haven't. 

I did a quick Google search and found it has been a topic of discussion, but not as frequently as one might think. Another bit of advice that makes sense; microwave your toothbrush a couple of times per week. 

Well, I feel pretty good about this newly discovered info, but it prompts a question:

What product, service or thing do we interact with often, that if viewed from a different perspective, would produce an all together different result?

"David."

"Yes Rosemary."

"Did you read the article about the benefits of changing your underwear everyday?"

"No. You've got to be kidding! People really do that? Tawwssss me that tbt* when you're done."

One of Your Employees?

I went down a rabbit hole yesterday and discovered the United Breaks Guitar video along with this one. Forget the very last word in this video because it is of no relevance to me. I am more enamored in the most succinct description of many modern day corporate employees. Many thanks to Roy Williams for the inspiring inspiration.

United (Airlines) Breaks Guitars, Bullies and Indifference

United Airline's employees broke Dave Carroll's Taylor $3,500 guitar. Dave spent nearly one year trying to get United to repair his guitar, to no avail. They said no. This is old news, but when I saw the video that Dave and his band, Sons of Maxwell, composed to chronicle this customer-lack-of-service nightmare, the hair on the back of my neck came to attention, stood on end and then sent an internal message to my stomach which in turn sent a message to my brain which sent a message to my feet that then propelled me right straight to the bathroom.

Of course I'll place United Airlines on the last-airline-I'd-fly-on-list. But this company just symbolizes how corporations can act as bullies and how an atmosphere of indifference can rot away a company's foundation. Kind of like "I'm a bully, I'm a bully, I'm a bully," as the bully's body begins to slowly disappear starting at its feet.

It's all about people. I am sure that there is a United Airlines crew in one airport, somewhere, that rocks. But as consumers, once we buy a Pinto, it's highly unlikely we'd ever buy another. Lack of customer service aside, what is of interest to me is the culture of companies like UA and how it influences Generation Y. Would they base an employment decision on how the company treated Dave Carroll? Or would tough times influence them to place those feelings on the back burner and take the job if they had the opportunity? And if so, how do they cope with corporate bully-ness and indifference - once they are immersed in it?

Oh well. Sit back, warm up those facial muscles responsible for smiling and enjoy Dave and his band.