Tickle me rainbow when McDonalds launched a commercial earlier this month that was void of mass commercialism and appeal to the largest possible demographic catering instead to the LGBT community and their supporters. The campaign aptly titled “Come as you are” has stirred great controversy Stateside but not in the country it continues to air in, France. The peak of the media blitz surrounding its release occurred when the ever-so-charming Bill O’Reilly cracked an off-the-cuff joke exclaiming “Do they have an Al-Qaeda ad?” It even drew the ire of the klassy-with-a-capital-K Elisabeth Hasselbeck on The View because “it didn’t feature McDonalds products so what’s the point?” Seriously, did anyone question which restaurant was being featured? Really.

I’ve kept this commercial in the back of my mind for the past two weeks as it continues to provoke a new thought in my head (you know, as opposed to outside of it) every day. I’m not pronouncing it to be the greatest innovation since Channel No. 5 but I do think it has a.) exemplified that the LGBT is a viable demographic which deserves it’s own marketing mindset b.) markets, cultures all around the world are extraordinarily different c.) homophobia has become the new “uncool.” McDonalds wasn’t reinventing the wheel on this commercial, but for a corporation the size of McDonalds to put consumerism behind them and let one of their core values be placed at the forefront, its something worthy of a second thought.

Ultimately, companies should advertise to reach the largest number of customers for their products. Sexual orientation should just be another demographic in the mix, and just as with all the other groups, advertising should be done well. McDonalds was clearly making a point to highlight their core value of being an inclusive company and I laud them for taking a moment from pushing their latest cholesterol-raising, yet ever-so-delicious masterpiece to make poignant commentary that has opened the flood gates for future debate.

In the word’s of Bravo’s Andy Cohen: Mazel!

Minivan, and to some extent SUV commercials often flaunt safety features and a roomy interior as selling points when pushing the latest glorified Soccer Mom mobiles. Minus the hilarious Hyundai “Keeping Up With The Joneses” starring Andy Richter, these commercials rarely display the tongue-in-cheek humor featured in these Toyota spots which essentially market the car to an entirely new audience base.

After speaking with a strategist who worked on the campaign, they admitted that at first the task at hand was less than desirable because how was a young, trend-seeking pop culture enthusiast with no children supposed to create something sexy with a minivan? Well, their answer wasn’t to create something that wasn’t there but rather to market the vehicle to consumers whose tastes run the gamut.

Critics might point to the fact that Huskey brings the same creative stylings from his Sonic spots, but quite honestly, this sort of humor is relatively new in the realm of motorized vehicle advertisements and I laud Toyota and the creative minds at Saatchi & Saatchi LA for breaking the mold of tried-and-true auto commercials that are turn-the-channel-carpal-tunnel-inducing guides to parenthood that are void of anything fun, enjoyable, and overall sexy.

Celebrities are making request to hire Twitter Publicists. So, what exactly does a Twitter Publicist do you ask? In my opinion a Twitter Publicist is a step up from a web ghostwriter. Which Curtis Jackson a.k.a 50 Cent relate to the New York Times that he recently hired Chris Romero, also known as Broadway to post updates on Twitter as official information.Celebrities are taking a lot of heat because their Twitter updates and news are seemingly fake and boring. And don’t think that they are not listening! This is why celebrities are contacting PR firms to hire Twitter Publicists to connect better with their fans.

A rep from top Los Angeles PR Firm Eileen Koch and Company recently said that A Twitter Publicist will keep fans updated on buzz worthy news that is official information related to celebs. Importantly, a Twitter Publicist knows how to create headliners through storylines that gain media coverage. Not only a service for just celebrities; a Twitter Publicist can help brands and businesses as well.

Kim Kardashian recently made a big media outcry that she wants to reclaim her Twitter identity. Now, if she had a Twitter Publicist all of the “Kim” Twitter imposters would be eliminated or at least we would know who the official Kim Kardashian on Twitter is.

Ford is betting the success of the Fiesta subcompact on blogs, tweets, and facebook updates of 100 20-somethings that will live with the car for 6 months. Whether or not they succeed at generating buzz for the Fiesta and bringing the “small cars can be cool” mentality to America has yet to be seen. After flying in private jets to beg big government for bailout money in the beginning of the year, what do they have to lose? Here’s to you, Ford!

Governor Paterson has said in recent days that the State Legislature should move ahead now with the legislation regardless of whether it can muster enough votes. His reasoning, which some gay rights advocates have challenged, is that New York should make a statement that it is committed to treating same-sex couples the same way it treats opposite-sex couples.

The majority of people did not expect this to happen this year though. In Albany bills generally are not brought to the floor of the Assembly or Senate unless they are certain to pass.

So while Governor Paterson’s announcement has drawn praise, some gay rights activists are concerned that the bill is a stunt meant to bolster Paterson’s chances of re-election — one that has the potential to backfire. Paterson, whose job approval rating has plunged below 30 percent, is making a political gamble that he can ride the momentum of other states that have recently allowed the practice, and it’s unclear how the legislation will play in New York.

On Tuesday, April 14, 2009 actress Lindsay Lohan aired her most recent video, a sketch comedy poking fun at herself. Currently featured on the cover of two tabloid magazines and a constant target of the “Queen of all Media,” Perez Hilton, Lindsay decided to turn the tables on the unforgiving media and embrace some serious self-deprecating humor. Making light of the recent problems in her personal life by creating a fake eHarmony ad for the comedy website Funny or Die, Ms. Lohan attempts to defend herself through her gift of acting. The question ultimately remains: Does the video accomplish what she intended? 

First, Lindsay brashly jests about her recent break-up with DJ Samantha Ronson before highlighting other lows she has endured including a police chase, assault charges,  and reported empty bank account. However, Funny or Die features many celebrity skits that are written and directed by premier Hollywood talent. The director for L.L.’s eHarmony ad, Eric Appel, spoke out about the video shoot and had nothing but extraordinarily high praise of the actress saying “She improvised [during the video] and threw in a bunch of fun, funny stuff” and furthered by stating “She came in, did her thing, was really professional. People forget Lindsay Lohan’s, like, a good actress. There’s so much attention [to everything she does], but…you forget this girl has really good comic timing.”

Ultimately, I believe that this video will be a hit among audiences of an age that relate to previous Lindsay Lohan films such as Mean Girls. If the public didn’t care about Lindsay Lohan, for better or worse, tabloid publications and news services would stray from featuring her turmoil on a daily basis. While the video lasted only one minute and thirty-two seconds, it did allow her to work with professional writers and directors who were more than willing to sing her praises in front of the media. Like any corporation, a celebrity’s most important possession is their voice. By being able to make fun of herself publicly she is attempting to make the first step towards a Britney Spears-like comeback. Most often media starlets hide behind the voices of their publicist, but it’s truly refreshing to see someone willing to take a serious risk to rehabilitate their own image.

A fellow student in my class, Madison Fisher, recently wrote a blog about well known organizations that are active in social media. Check out his newest post and my comment.