Other people's riffs for July 23: Guess MTV Just Wasn't Getting The Job Done: According to The Independent.co.

Miller Time: What to do when you pitch Miller Beer's business? I would argue that this is among the most high profile agency reviews in a long time. I would also argue it's one of the best advertising opportunities and brand positioning projects to hit this business since BBDO and Weiden + Kennedy won AOL a few months ago.

Old Reality: Interesting that The Practice producer David Kelley took the opportunity of TVs LA press tour to praise and try to bury reality TV. According to The Washington Post, he told the gathered throng of critics and other journalists that he recognized that Joe Millionaire, in particular, could be a monster hit.

If I'm new The New York Times executive editor Bill Keller:

1. Win The Newsroom. When you're working at a newspaper, magazine, or any content generating division of a media property, you have to make sure there's a common sense of purpose.

More Upfront Noises: TV Week had a great piece today on potential changes suggested by the ad agency side to the upfront process. Some include logistical nightmares such as instituting an 8 pm negotiating deadline to do away with the old 3 am power plays.

Other People's Riffs For July 11 Proving That Politics Makes Strange Bedfellows: Peter Montoya Inc, publishers of Personal Branding magazine, announced that its current issue includes, for the first time, the top five best and worst personal brands of 2003. According to Montoya, the five best personal brands are: 1) President George W.

Measure By Measure: MediaVest announced it will work with AudioAudit's daily TV audit system yesterday. That's a big deal because MV has the biggest packaged goods brands to potentially use this tool, which focuses on campaign delivery.

Cheeseburger And A Text Message, Please: McDonald's announced yesterday that it will add WiFi capabilities in several big market restaurants. That's not the only reason why I think wireless usage, and in its wake wireless advertising, is starting to get some traction.

Smile For The Camera: There's been a fair amount of press over the past week over Polaroid's search for a new agency. All of that's great news, and the camera manufacturer will certainly need a smart, compelling ad campaign to get it out of bankruptcy and into the digital age.

Fourth of July Symbols: There's probably no stronger image than the American flag, right? But when the family and I joined about a thousand plus people in our town for a Fourth of July concert, I couldn't help but noticing that the guy selling balloons from the movie Finding Nemo was doing a lot more business than the guy selling flags. (Don't worry I don't think this way all the time.