• The New York Times, Friday, January 2, 2009 10 AM

Stuart Elliott relies on old-school techniques -- the seasoned journalist's eye -- in determining "some high and low points" in the year's advertising campaigns. Burger King manages to score on both sides of the spectrum. Kraft's Stove Top dressing is a surprise entrée on the tasty side of the ledger; the spectacular marketing of Barack Obama -- from YouTube to infomercial -- is not.

Miami's Crispin Porter & Bogusky agency is cited for its work for Burger King (good and bad); Microsoft (good and less good) and Volkwagen ("tone deaf"). But as Elliott indicates several times in a twist on George M. Cohan's famous remark, even bad free publicity is better than no free publicity at all.

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