Is this the great, great grandmother of those fancy cars parked in the hotel roundabout? The glamorous people in line at that club?
Not that I'm at all fond of marketing subterfuge, but this does help make the case that there are no new ideas. 
The mini-controversy over the dumb Weatherproof Caveman ad has been dissected nicely by Seth at murketing. I saw it in the NYT Magazine recently and, along with my pal Erin, was totally perplexed. As Seth tells it, the whole thing was just drafting on the coattails of the Cavemen / Geico's success and had no formal agreement or permission from Geico or the Martin Agency. It's based in the fact that one of the cavemen in the sitcom is a weatherman, the resident minority like Al Roker.
It's a pretty thin thread to go on but hell, it's got us talking.
I believe in planners as catalysts for creative innovation; in drawing insight from unusual sources; in never being cynical; and above all, I believe that simple is smart.
The opinions, observations and nonsense published here are purely my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.Clay Shirky: Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations
Margaret Mark: The Hero and the Outlaw
The leading book on using archetypes in brand strategy, this blends motivational theory into the mix in a very readable way. It also segues nicely into storytelling.
Phil Dusenberry: One Great Insight Is Worth a Thousand Good Ideas
Daniel Pink: A Whole New Mind
I saw Daniel Pink speak at Future Trends a year ago. Compelling speaker and a reluctant creative; a left-brain telling a right-brain story.
Cheri Huber: How You Do Anything is How You Do Everything
This handwritten self-help workbook asks the simplest of questions, meant to reveal your inner priorities and motivations. Excellent as a spark for creating consumer workbooks.
Adam Morgan: The Pirate Inside
As a follow-up to Eating the Big Fish this is a solid handbook for anyone advocating a challenger position in their organization.
Scott McCloud: Understanding Comics
This is a comic book about comic books, but it completely goes to school on visual communications. A good aid for demistifying layouts and visual ideas.
Wendy Gordon: Good Thinking
This well known British researcher gives a grounding for planners on how to think about qualitative research.
