Interesting to see how this develops and early adopters. "Realistic" is not real and using google's image bank does not allow brands to leverage their owned spokespeople and imagery (Geico would probably like to use the Gekko they have spent billions on). Are consumers clamoring for ai generated "people" relay information? We will see.

I watched the ID special Adam was a pretty good doc no matter the docs on OJ it will always bring up the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson & Ron Goldman which I watched him on a dating show called Studs on YouTube was on FOX in the early 90s at 11PM. Only saw one full EP of Studs when I was 11 years old in Dec, 21, 1991 my parents were still out and I watched it with my babysitter had a nasty cold as well. In the making of Juiced OJ pretty much says he did kill them just like his manvesteo book in 2007.

Which FOX canceled the interview as a couple of TV station groups decided not to air it which was LIN TV didn't own the local WXMI FOX17 in West Michigan they owned WOOD TV, WOTV, & low power WXSP which was the longest owner in channel 8 history before Media General bought it in 2014 & then Nexstar in 2017. Which I think that Tribune was going to air the show as they weren't the other TV station group not to air it forget the other one the decided not to air it. FOX did finally air the interview a few years ago and The Goldman family was fine with it than in 2007. I'm a sucker for those OJ Simpson specials even know I know what happen.

As Maury would say OJ Simpson did kill Nicole Brown Simpson & Ron Goldman, and I've always said that Ron Goldman was at the wrong place at the wrong time doesn't good to Nicole Brown Simpson home he'd be alive today have a family would never hear of his name other than the few that watched his Studs EP LMAO. OJ should've stayed out of trouble when he was found not guilty but 19 years ago robbying to get his stuff back in Vegas wasn't a good move and the jury wanted to over charge him because they believed he killed his ex wife & Ron Goldman why he spent 10 years in jail I was glad that he was repleased since I didn't think he should've been in jail for 10 years for what he did in Vegas more like 2 or 3 years at most after that OJ finally did become low key other than being on social media I followed OJ on Twitter.  

Tax laws can't be employed to circumvent the First Amendment.

To make real sense of this, Wayne, you need to know what the findings are on a total sample basis, whether or not the respondernt uses each service. Without that the bases are all different and we are dealing with relatives.

Still, the comparison between Linear TV  and You Tube are a wake up call for those who think that You Tube has taken over "TV" and "dominates" the medium. As for Netflix, rumors of its demise at the expense of You Tube are also seen as questionable.

Hi Joe, as a pioneer in product placement, I see a vast opportunity beyond promotions and tie-ins. Anime reaches deeply engaged Gen Z and Millennial audiences. With the creators’ and rights holders’ approval, virtual product placement could bring brands naturally into these worlds and reach millions of fans. The key is to respect the story and be transparent about paid brand involvement, especially when younger viewers are part of the audience.

in-car driving > in-car gaming.

fewer distractions, please. driving is hard enough for people when they *do* pay attention to the road.

this is an inherently terrible product.

play games at home, drive in the car.

/oldmanrant

Good one, Dave. 

We also need to cut through the huge amount of propaganda being circulated about so-called media ""wars", the "death of TV", one new idea after the next being hailed as "the future" of media, the end of the agency "holding companies", etc. etc. I have never seen such a deluge of wishful thinking and raw peopaganda in all of my years in the business as we now have to contend with. 

The Simpsons will outlive us all Adam. The Simpsons returned last week in syndication after a few years not being cleared on FOX17 in West Michigan at 1:30AM and also 6PM on DT2 The Spot GR17.  

We 100% agree w/your premise on your premise on what a dashboard really is.  Too many people in the ad industry get confused over the real purpose of a dashboard.  Quick and easy data read-outs should never be confused with Learnings, Insights & Transparency.

We published an article in July 2026 along the same thoughts that a Dashboard should not be confused as Insights.  https://www.ensomedia.io/blog/the-dashboard-isnt-the-insight

Thomas Bridge

What? The Simpsons hasn't been good for like 20 years, Adam.  Ever heard of the term "Zombie Simpsons" to describe these later episodes?

It seems to me that these losses in viewing are mainly a function of the growig competition for viewing time in the straming universe. You can't keep adding content and sources of content without some attrition among the current players. Will short-form or "creator" content be the answer for Netflix? I doubt it.

@Steve "What struck me in pulling the record together was how consistent the pattern is: the people who paid the price were rarely the ones at the top. Contractors, small vendors, employees, investors. Those stories deserve more attention than they get, and I appreciate you adding your voice to the conversation."

Those stories deserve more attention?  Then why did you chose to conflate perceived failed brand ventures to perceived poor governing policies?  How does this commentary serve the readership, especially considering that Trump cannot run for president again?

Good grief.

It was wrong of Trump to ban CNN, MSNOW/MSNBC & Politico just because he doesn't like them or their reporting of him. I think cable news wants to devide the country along with social media Gord.

I miss Bill already.  He was the most profilic ideator that I ever met...and always so ready to share his ideas with his extensive network of colleagues.  I was first introduced to Bill over 40 years ago as a Media thought-leader that I just had to meet.  So true.  Most recently, I was blessed to work with Bill once again this year in applying his concepts of motivational drivers and resonance as it can change the face of political communications and the course of American politics.  His last contribution was to put together a solid team at RMT who, I assure you, will carry on his work.  We'll continue to benefit from his contributions to communcations that influence attitudes and behavior for a long, long time.   

Steve, glad I could support you. 

Thanks Steve. I was intending to reply to Marc above, but for some reason my note showed up under your comment. Did not mean to cause any confusion.

Artie, thanks for doing the homework. You're right that "entity" and "business" aren't the same thing. A single property can sit inside half a dozen LLCs for ownership, financing, and licensing, so counting filings tells you about legal structure, not track record. The column was about ventures that failed and the people left holding the bill, and that list stands on its own.

And yes, 24 out of 500 is closer to 5%. But the math matters less than the contractors and investors behind each of those names.

Ronald, thanks for reading so closely and for the kind words. What struck me in pulling the record together was how consistent the pattern is: the people who paid the price were rarely the ones at the top. Contractors, small vendors, employees, investors. Those stories deserve more attention than they get, and I appreciate you adding your voice to the conversation.

"Just lazy ideas from a rabid partisan Democrat....what was listed represented less than 1% of the 500+ entities."

Nice try Marc. But “entity” does not mean “separate Trump business venture.”

Most of those 500+ are LLCs, holding companies, property-specific corporations, etc. In fact,105 of the entities were variations on “Trump Marks,” used for licensing arrangements. Source: FEC.gov

So, for example, one Trump property might involve several separate legal entities for ownership, management, financing, licensing, etc. Those are not individual brands.

Meanwhile your sad and desperate Gloria Steinem comment says more about how your brain is malfunctioning than your inablity to do math does. (24 is not less than 1% of 500.)

Rosenbaum has done an excellent review of Trump's business failures and the impact on investors, employees, and vendors he has hurt and bullied. Steve has also done a good job of responding to the defensive retorts of the apparently gullible Trump supporters who fail to see Trump;s policy  bungles and self serving corruption are a risk to our country and instituions. Trump is an impressive snake oil salesman (always promising he will make things better and rarely delivering). He was well known to have run his business as an authoritarian who accepted no disagreements from his employees. He is trying to run our government and country in the same manner. He is obviously not smart enough or really concerned about the welfare of our people. 

I expect MediaPost to cover the media and ad industry.  Trump administration policies or hostility towards the media, making threats through the FCC - sure - fair game. Analysis on how different networks and outlets cover the administration - some are too favorable - some are too hostile - again, fair game.

But concocting an analysis of Trump's personal brand ventures—successful or otherwise—to federal policy decisions you disagree with is partisan at best and intellectually lazy at worst. The entire MP team has a habit of getting hostile towards readers who point out their bias and labels us "MAGA" when all we are doing is using common sense and pointing out failed analysis.  My personal feelings about Trump aside, you don't become POTUS as a failed brand.

Finally, these are all of the failed product launches and offerings from Apple.  Using your approach, I guess Apple is a total failure as well. Now the key is to tie Apple's failures to Steve Jobs' political leanings.

Apple Lisa
Apple III
Macintosh Portable
Newton MessagePad
Apple Pippin
eWorld
Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh
Macintosh TV
eMate
Power Mac G4 Cube
iPod Hi-Fi
Apple TV (1st generation)
MobileMe
Ping
Apple Maps at launch (even now)
Apple Watch Edition
HomePod (original)
AirPower
Butterfly Keyboard
Apple Arcade — althought this is arguably a disappointment rather than a failure

Very wrong what Trump is doing even know I don't really care for those media outlets they have a right to be at The White House. I'd say that if a President says that FOX News was banned as well.

How does winning two elections make a disctinction as campaigns and presidencies are two seperate entitities? Also, it feels insincere to frame this around the status of America. The goal was clearly to highlight just 1% of his business ventures—specifically handpicked, one-sided examples—and honestly, it seemed like you took pleasure in doing so. That's fine; cheap partisan shots were the intent as pretending this is a broader commentary on America doesn't ring true to me.

Furthermore, imo, reducing America to a mere "brand" only cheapens it.