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In Memoriam: Roger Ebert, Critic who Spoke without Speaking

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Imagine you could not speak – how would you communicate?

I thought about this question today as I learned of the death of film critic Roger Ebert.

Film critic duo Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. Source: Cinemablend.com

Ebert publicly battled cancer in his thyroid and salivary glands, the treatment of which left him unable to speak. [...]

Laissez Le State of the Union Rouler!

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Last year’s State of the Union saw a 13 percent drop in viewers from the previous year. With a deeply divided Congress once again filling the seats at the national address, one might presume that President Obama’s staff is doing everything it can to reach more viewers this year so that the president can make [...]

Brand Reputation Slips a Gear When Cyclist Spokesperson Dishonored

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Photo courtesy of Flickr member Paul Coster

Back in February, we talked about the difficulties that can arise with celebrity spokespersons.

Today, champion cyclist Lance Armstrong stepped down as head of the LIVESTRONG Foundation™, the foundation that he created to fight cancer. In the wake of reports by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that allege doping by Armstrong [...]

Since Everybody Talks, Control the Talk

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Hey baby won’t you look my way, I can be your new addiction

Hey baby what you gotta say? All you’re giving me is fiction 

I’m a sorry sucker and this happens all the time

I found out that everybody talks

Everybody talks, everybody talks

—“Everybody Talks,” The Neon Trees

Everybody does talk. [...]

Breaking Up With Your Spokesperson is Hard to Do

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“It’s not you, it’s me.”

Source: Breakup Hub

So starts the breakup conversation that ends many relationships.

Brand spokespersons are no different. Breakups come because the brand has changed or the spokesperson no longer fits the brand. The easiest breakup is a clean one, but when the spokesperson becomes so identified with a brand, the breakup [...]