Replacing Bush With Ivy.

Or something. Wrapping up some election material, CollegeClickTv.com, a site that helps college-bound students decide where they want to spend their parents' money for the next four, five, six, seven years, did a print piece that went to Congress showing what an Ivy League administration might look like. (Will the lobbying madness ever stop?) Thing is, didn't Bush stumble through Yale, thus already qualifying him for Ivy League status?

Ad:tech Adrants Caption Contest.

Because you can never have too many of those. What will you win? (*thinks to self what he can promise that Steve will get stuck footing the bill for*) We'll get back to you. For now, settle for internet fame. Leave your responses in the comments for this gem from ad:tech yesterday. My first thought?

"Keyword: Sad."

(+ Click to enlarge.)

If You're Not Making It Up As You Go Along, This is Not Your Time

As if there weren't a Republican in the house, ad:tech keynote speaker Shelly Lazarus gushed with excitement about the uplifting optimism brought on by Obama's presidential win the night before. No doubt, she had planned to speak about Obama's campaign, universally agreed to have been stellar and one of the best ever, but the fact he won couldn't contain the glee clearly resident in the room.

In her keynote, Lazarus commented the Obama campaign dubbing it a masterstroke of CRM and the digital realization of Obama's "yes we can" mantra. While the Obama love in the room was, without doubt, palpable, Lazarus did not spent the entire keynote talking about Obama.

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Obama Ignites Souls -- and Dancing Feet -- of Manhattanites

I was fresh into university when California governor Gray Davis was ousted. In what I shortsightedly conceived to be the most politically significant moment I'd be destined to see in my lifetime, Arnold Schwarzenegger replaced him in Sacramento. I felt seized by the fever of the time, and vowed to always remember what it was like to be passionate about the pulse of government.

That was just a handful of years ago. Today my mind is filled with watershed events that vastly eclipse that first taste: a mortgage crisis, the dramatic collapse of hulking financial institutions, and a black Presidential incumbent pitted against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic ticket, then against another woman -- Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin -- for the right to walk with proprietary pride across the vast square footage of the White House.

Last night, a handful of ad:techies learned the results of the November 4 election over a dinner hosted by Susan Bratton, the DishyMix queen bee. I sat between social medialyte Dave Evans and a well-traveled guy called Roy. We ordered duck gizzards and spun casual, but slightly taut, conversation.

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Elite Commision Wins ad:tech Booth Schwag Award for 2008

In terms of booth schwag at New York's ad:tech, there wasn't much that stood out. There were pens and pens and pens and more pens. There were matchbooks. There were hats, cups and mints. There were stress balls, pins and badges. A few, however, rose above the toss-in-the-nearest-trash-can category. Ifbyphone had yo-yos. Anchor had shot glasses.And Batanga had miniature stereo speakers which could plug into an iPod or other musical device.

The best, though, and the winner of this year's Booth Schwag Award goes to elitecommission for hiring a custom cigar maker who sat at the booth and rolled fatties (well, not that kind) for attendees. Clearly, not your normal booth schwag.

See them all here.

Amidst ad:tech, A New President is Chosen, Union Square Celebrates

So after dinner at West Branch with several colleagues and industry acquaintances and a visit to the Huffington Post election party, a 40 block walk home ensued. Yes, 40 blocks. Hey, it was a nice night for a walk. On the way home, a large crowd of people had congregated in Union Square as if Obama himself was about to show up. Of course, he didn't but that didn't stop the hundreds (thousands?) from celebrating. No matter one's political leanings, the engagement of so many in this election process and win is impressive.

Photographic goodness here.

Circuit City blows it, George Parker Still Pissed at Advertising and Billy Mays' Reality Show.

- Dear HR, please help Jetpacks.

- Danny G. says Circuit City ignores what might have helped them.

- George Parker finds someone to admit why they work in advertising.

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British Air Shows Facebook Wonderful Tool For Ignoring Employees-Until They Use It to Track Them Down For Complaining on Facebook.

As Dumbass proved, Big Brother, Black Helicopters and now your boss all watch what you do on Facebook. Depending on your POV, British Airways employees either went too far or not far enough. Tired of having their complaints go unaddressed, they complained on Facebook about management and customers. (Customers I could see. You ever deal with the general public? Yeah, you know what fun that is.) But... how far is too far?

Anonymous posts about poor working conditions are one thing, calling out your boss and insulting the people you get paid to serve is another. Complicating things further, does British Airways have a right to go after employees for complaining about a legitimate gripe? Does any employer have a right to take action against an employee based just on their online comments, especially if the employer is the one creating those working conditions? Lotta questions there.

What say you?

Dupont Wants to Take You To Funky Town.

Because after all, petrochemical research means tiny towns. Most spots for chemical companies have always featured lab guy + beaker and knowing smile. Emphasis on 'knowing.' The GE ecomagination stuff was a nice break from beaker love, and now comes another. Dupont employs technique of the moment tilt-shift photography in a spot called Open Science from Ogilvy/NY with Gaelle Denis and MassMarket's visual effects. (Man, that's a credit mouthful. Score! )

So Are Bad Genes.

So's still living at home with your mom. So's not being to afford a $240 pair of jeans. So's letting your friend set you up on dates. You people know the drill. Help Dylan George with their outdoor family planning efforts. Add yours in the comments section.