Graydon Carter introduction is kiss of death

It was not quite as short as a Webby Awards acceptance speech, but Graydon Carter's introduction of John Hayes at Tuesday night's UJA-Federation of New York dinner lasted a scant 74 seconds. It was a big night for Hayes, the longtime American Express CMO whom UJA was honoring with its Global Leadership Award for his charitable efforts. Carter, editor of Vanity Fair and restauranteur, praised Hayes' work but burned most of his seconds talking about himself. "I left a very nice dinner I was having with some friends to help do this. And I didn't have to do it. But I really wanted to do it," Carter began. He went on to say that "John and American Express have done more for the creative community in this city than any business executive or any company. That is something to be hugely proud of. He has a lot of friends in the city, and I'm honored to be one of them." Then, it was more about Carter, who pulled out his AmEx Black card. "Plus, he said he'd waive the annual fee for this." The line generated laughs from the hundreds gathered at the Lighthouse at Pier Sixty in Chelsea. But as the laughter ended, so did Carter's introduction, as he abruptly called Hayes to the dais. As Hayes launched into his own speech ("No, the fee is not waived"), Carter was nearly out the door. Sorry to have interrupted your dinner.

—Posted by Andrew McMains

Published on June 17, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Filed under AmEx, McMains

Admen gussied up for AmEx fashion photos

The middle of a tough recession is an iffy time to model $1,500 Burberry trenchcoats. But ad guys don't get the call from from fashion photographers often, so they have to throw caution to the wind when it happens. Jeff Goodby, above, is one of nine ad guys featured in a fashion spread devoted to "Today's Real Mad Men" in the current issue of the American Express lux magazine Departures (published for Platinum Card and Centurion members only). He joins David Droga, Duncan Marshall, Andrew Essex and Ted Royer of Droga5; Gerry Graf of Saatchi & Saatchi; Brad Kay and Marty Cooke of SS+K; and Benson Hausman of Kraftworks NYC. They're all trying their best to look pensive, intelligent and/or stylish, except for Graf, who's just chuckling, maybe because the watch he's wearing is worth more than entry-level Saatchi staff probably make in a year.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on May 21, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (7)
Filed under AmEx, Fashion, Nudd

Fey and Scorsese school Seinfeld and Gates

For all the debate about strategy and rebranding with those ill-fated Seinfeld Microsoft ads, my real beef was that they just weren't that funny. Snappy dialogue and non-sequiturs can make for great ads, but the repartee between Seinfeld and Gates just felt weak. To see celebrity banter done right, you need only watch Tina Fey and Martin Scorsese in Ogilvy's American Express campaign. A new spot starring the pair aired during the Emmys on Sunday. Check out the extended version over on AdGabber. (The spot actually plays out the punch line of an earlier ad, "Airport Lounge," which broke in July.) Every line is a classic as Scorsese tries to sell Fey on a timeshare in Boca Raton. In addition to the sharp writing and great delivery, the ad goes the extra mile and creates a great new tourism motto for Boca: "The water's warm, and you like sharks."

—Posted by David Griner

Published on September 23, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (6)
Filed under AmEx, Finance, Griner, Ogilvy

Wes Anderson films goofy AmEx spot

I never saw The Life Aquatic, so I guess I’m a lapsed fan, but Wes Anderson’s new commercial for American Express is really enjoyable. Anderson prowls around a movie set, talking directly to the camera about how to make a good film while humorously directing his hapless cast and crew. (“Cut! Cut! Not enough smoke, and the snow is too loud.”) It’s nice to see that Anderson can poke fun at his own quirks and reputation for obsessiveness. Anderson’s current film project, by the way, is apparently a stop-motion animated version of Fantastic Mr. Fox, the children’s book by Roald Dahl. But that project was announced in 2004, and there have been few updates since then. If and when that movie is released, will it feature a Mr. Fox brand of clothing? Via AdJab.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Published on April 26, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1)
Filed under AmEx, Nudd, Wes Anderson