• Ad Age, Friday, January 2, 2009 10 AM

When I find myself reading above and beyond the call of duty, there's something special going on -- and that's what I did with Ad Age's "The Book of Tens" issue of Dec. 15. Pithy commentary accompanies such assemblages as "Consumerist's Biggest Business Debacles," "Ads Garfield Loved" and "People Who Made Their Mark."

PR stunts have always been a favorite of mine, and disasters are even better. Michael Bush's "Dubious Attempts at Public Relations" doesn't disappoint. Predictably, many of the examples fall on the wrong side of The New Frugality, such as a white paper titled "Three Reasons Why the American Workplace is a Marketing Oasis." You'd have to be an insurance agent to love "Financial Crisis PR Project Insurance."

Then there's the "Ad Songs of the Year," picked by Charlie Moran, with accompanying videos that does things right (no commercials preceding the commercials). Saul Williams' "List of Demands" for Nike Sparq Training takes No. 1; Santogold's "Creator" for Bud Light Lime is second; a personal favorite, Yael Naim's "New Soul" for Apple Macbook Air, finishes third .

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