Soundbite: Everybody’s Selling Something

by Rachel Sklar | 11:13 am, October 8th, 2009

2008-04-28-WHCD159 “Because the more we are sold to — and, believe it, we are being pitched every minute — the more immune we are to it all.

Choire Sicha is the co-founder of TheAwl.com.“

— Awl co-founder Choire Sicha ridiculing the FCC’s new disclosure guidelines for bloggers…and demonstrating the benefits of good product placement.

We’re not sure if this last line of Sicha’s piece was meant to be meta, but it’s certainly a fitting capper for the article. Which, by the way, is both smart and funny. Smartest line: “Unfortunately, whole careers, both online and off, are built upon stealth endorsement.” Funniest line: “Who will prevent these man-eaters of commerce from persuading me that my personal escape from Thunderdome must not be Pepsi-fueled?”

Read the op-ed here and more about the new FTC guidelines here.

Photo by Rachel Sklar, taken here.

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Choire Sicha, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, New York Times, The Awl

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“I’m With Coco Artist” Hits Jackpot, Sort Of

by Drew Grant | 3:57 pm, Saturday

The Conan O'Brien effect is vast: Ever since the late night host began his fight with Jay Leno for NBC's coveted time-slot, the "I'm With Coco" campaign has taken over Facebook, Twitter, and every other social-networking platform you can think of. O'Brien's own Twitter account made waves went it first went up, and then again last week when he followed his first fan - Sara Killen - who then became a micro-celebrity herself. Now the man behind "I'm With Coco" image has stepped out from behind his Banksy-esque silence to talk about his new-found success as the official designer for Conan's tour posters.

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Obama Speaks At George Mason University: “The Time For Health Reform Is Now”

by Drew Grant | 11:23 am, Saturday

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Yesterday President Barack Obama was met with thunderous applause at George Mason University, where he delivered a rousing speech about this weekend's "historic event" in health care. We honestly haven't seen Obama in such top form since he was campaigning, and it was nothing short of inspiring. Almost makes you think the health care issue really will be solved in the next 48 hours! Watch the full video and an excerpt of the transcript below.

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