• by John Gaffney , March 31, 2003

My Gawd, Muffy: Big brands are more overprotected than a rich kid at prep school these days. We know way too much about the lack of advertising during TV coverage of the Iraqi conflict. And now we are seeing the first real signs that another conflict - this one between the Augusta National Country Club and the National Council of Women's Organizations - will drive away brands too. In past years icons like GM, Citigroup and IBM would take clients to the Masters, held at said country club, for the big schmooze. But Augusta doesn't allow women members. So an NCWO protest (righteous from this view) is making most companies pass on this year's Master's tournament. Why? I say stage your own protest. Play brand offense. Get the big schmooze tent at Augusta and blow out the press release describing prominent positions women execs have at your company. That would resonate with consumers more than any retrenchment would. If you don't have key women execs, it serves you right to stay home anyway. That means the NCWO is doing its job. My point here is that big brands don't need to be so fragile. If your company harbors a brand that has weathered time and competition, odds are it will withstand a war and a nasty spat at a golf tournament. Odds are you have built a company that gives equal opportunity to men, women and people of color. If you haven't done that, get to work on it. Get your hands dirty. And like Tiger says: "Bring your A-game."

Headlines: Said it last week and I'll say it again. I continue to be impressed by the role newspapers have played in covering the war. I track about ten national and local newspapers during the week online, and five hard copies on Sunday. Newspapers have accepted the fact that they provide perspective first and hard news second here in Gulf War II. Newspaper writing has found a new future and photojournalism has risen from near death. You never want tragedy to bring life to anything, but let's face it - tragedy brings changes. It has brought positive changes to the newspaper business.

At The Buzzer: The Final Four Tournament (men's and women's) continues to be sports marketing at its best. I couldn't tell you five players in this tournament two weeks ago. Now I could tell you ten. CBS does a great job of creating heroes from kids who can't get shoe endorsements. And by doing that, it does well by its sponsors.