Grumpy Editor

Blue and black dress, hypoed on Web, boosts UK retailer

 

A blue and black dress (or was it white and gold) went viral on Friday, boosting interest in the garment, resulting in a fast sellout for British firm Roman Originals, leading Grumpy Editor to wonder if a sharp PR person was quietly involved with the startling overnight worldwide interest.

The big question that was debated in length on the Web, TV, radio and in print was the color of the dress.  Roman Originals’ website showed it clearly to be blue and black.  But some Web viewers saw white and gold.

It all started when Scottish singer Caitlin McNeil posted a picture of the dress on her Tumblr page and asked people if they thought it was black and blue or white and gold.

That led to a brisk debate on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and others.  Even scientific experts on color perception were brought in by print and broadcast media to discuss how visual information is processed.

 

 

All the chatter brought huge attention to Roman Originals.  The Birmingham, England firm started selling the blue and black dress three months ago.

Ian Johnson, the firm’s creative director, said sales averaged about 100 a week online and through stores.  Then on Friday morning, after the color chatter hit the Web, 300 dresses were sold in a half hour.

For those who view the dress as white and gold, the UK retailer was busy over the weekend working on that version.

Or will that be seen as green and gray?

 

FYI, IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE EDITORS MISSED THESE…

 

Climate change chatter subdued.  New York City experienced its coldest February in 81 years.  Other parts of the country felt the chilliest month in decades…Allied with this, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, tossed a snowball on the Senate floor as part of a speech expressing climate change skepticism.  He then went on to whack the Obama administration for focusing on global warming instead of terrorism…The 87th Academy Awards on ABC brought an 16 percent drop in TV ratings from the prior year.  Variety TV columnist Brian Lowry said:  “seldom has an Academy Awards presentation broken down so transparently over one significant shortcoming --- namely, the writing”…An online Stars and Stripes poll seeking the best all-time war movie picked Steven Spielberg's World War II "Saving Private Ryan”…California issued 110,000 driver's licenses to illegal immigrants since January…Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald apologized for misstating he served in the military's special forces, although he was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division…Former San Diego mayor Roger Hedgecock, saying he “reached a transition point in my life,” on Friday hosted his last nationwide radio talk show, on air for 29 years…The Army could be forced to cut thousands of its forces in Alaska, mandated under the Budget Control Act of 2011.

 

Think you are not getting paid enough?

 Try baseball.  Yoan Moncada, a 19-year old infielder who left Cuba in June, signed with the Boston Red Sox in a deal that included a record $31.5 million signing bonus.

 

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Reid nixes Olympic garb from China but boosts solar plant

While much coverage stemmed from Sen. Harry Reid’s negative comments on Chinese-made uniforms that the U.S. Olympic team plans to wear at the games' July 27 opening ceremonies, media did not give much attention four months ago when the Nevada Democrat praised the Chinese in a deal involving a solar power plant in southern Nevada, points out Grumpy Editor. 

The Senate majority leader, noted for holding back legislation in recent months, seemed surprised about the origination of Ralph Lauren-designed attire for the athletes. 

His fuming quote, repeated over the weekend in television news, will go down as a classic:  “I think they should take all the (Olympic) uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again.” 

In a later call to home-state reporters, Reid emphasized:  “Our athletes should not wear clothes manufactured in China.” 

While Reid seemed shocked, it indicated the long-time senator hasn’t shopped lately in men’s clothing departments of Macy’s, Target or even Wal-Mart. 

Checking labels would have shown him that much garb for men (and women) these days is produced in Cambodia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, India --- and China.

Xinhua News Agency, China's official news agency, today called the made-in-China uproar "hypocritical" and "irresponsible."

 His jab at China contrasted with a March 21 news conference in which he promoted a bargain deal involving a Chinese group that will pay $4.5 million --- less than one eighth of the $38.6 million assessed value --- to buy land from Nevada’s Clark County to build a solar plant in Laughlin. 

Chinese-made components would be used at the solar site. 

In plugging the benefit of the Chinese-operated plant for the Golden State, not the Silver State he represents, Reid said it “will generate the electricity California must have in just a few years; 30 percent of all electricity must come from renewable resources.”

 

San Diego Union-Tribune name change triggers confusion

With the San Diego Union-Tribune changing its name to U-T San Diego this week, some confusion has popped up, especially outside of Southern California, finds Grumpy Editor.

Seems that the abbreviated title --- UT --- has a collegiate flavor since it also stands for:

University of Texas

University of Toledo

University of Tennessee

University of Tampa 

Hotel owner Doug Manchester, who acquired the newspaper late last year, declares, “This change marks a new era in our company’s history.”

The change also affects everything from the newspaper’s business cards to its website. 

Manchester purchased the Union-Tribune from Platinum Equity, an investment firm, which acquired it in May, 2009 from long-time owner Copley Press Inc. 

(During the acquisition process, Manchester said, “Taking ownership of a 143-year-old Pulitzer Prize-winning news organization comes with great responsibility. We believe San Diego is the finest city in America and pledge to be strong advocates for the city’s interests and conscientious caretakers of the Union-Tribune and its legacy.”)

The name change is being accompanied by a requested new look of staffers.

In an area noted for casual California lifestyle and far from New York’s Madison Ave., management is asking employees to dress in “sharp business attire.”

Of course, the new “dapper look” will cause problems when reporters cover such events as sooty brush fires, high surf action at beaches and aftereffects of downpours.

But they will be among the best dressed at ribbon-cuttings. 

 

‘Will and Kate’ royal wedding boosts U.S. magazine sales

Britain’s royal wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William in April came to the rescue of U.S. magazines with an estimated $13 million in additional sales in recent weeks, observes Grumpy Editor.

In reporting that figure, Adweek writer Lucia Moses said the event provided “a much-needed boost at a time of an otherwise fragile newsstand environment.” 

The tally was compiled by Magazine Information Network, LLC, known in the trade as MagNet, the nation's leading supplier of magazine single copy sales data and analytics. 

But the sales boost continues and is expected to reach $31 million stemming from specials and features. 

Many magazine covers lured readers by featuring a photo of the royal couple kissing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the April 29 ceremony. 

MagNet figured most of the boost went to People magazine which came out with a special collector’s issue that sold more than 2.2 million copies. 

Us magazine and Time Inc.’s “Commemorative Special” also reaped additional sales from the royal wedding.

Look for another boost ahead. 

An 11-day “Will and Kate” trip starts later this week in Canada, then heads to Los Angeles on July 8. 

Mixing Hollywood with the royal couple points to another round of higher magazine sales --- especially when word leaked out that Kate will be traveling with 40 different outfits.

 

Chrysler doesn’t like 'Imported From Detroit’ on T-shirts

There’s a lot of sensitivity these days at Chrysler Group LLC regarding its Chrysler 200, one of its new vehicles being pitched heavily in television commercials, observes Grumpy Editor.

Chrysler thinks “Imported From Detroit” is a clever tag line in the commercial spotlighting the midsize sedan that first aired during last month’s Super Bowl.

But the auto maker is up in arms because a small Detroit retailer is selling clothing with the same slogan.

At the same time, a negative review of the Chrysler 200 by Scott Burgess, Detroit News auto writer and journalist for 12 years, resulted in him quitting the newspaper on Wednesday after editors followed a request by an advertiser to water down his piece.

Chrysler this week filed suit against Moda Group LLC, which operates retailer Pure Detroit.  The retailer’s three stores in the Motor City are selling T-shirts and other garb featuring the “Imported from Detroit” slogan.

Chrysler wants a federal judge to halt the “Imported From Detroit” clothing sales.

A Pure Detroit attorney tells Crain’s Detroit Business that he believes Chrysler’s tag line is unenforceable.  He adds he researched the matter and finds the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has rejected trademark applications using geographic references and the “imported from” phrase.

Nevertheless, Chrysler attorneys claim the defendants, in continuing to sell the clothing, “have left Chrysler no choice but to bring this lawsuit to prevent (the retailer) from deceiving and confusing the public and harming Chrysler’s good will.”

Of course, there’s quite a difference in looks and price of the “Imported From Detroit” products.

A Pure Detroit T-shirt carries a $24 price tag.  The MSRP of the Chrysler 200 --- which weighs 3,742 pounds --- starts at $19,245.

 

Latest trend? Dual magazine covers for same issue

At a time when magazines are seeking to contain production costs, what’s going on with two major magazines producing dual covers with separate photos that popped up this month, wonders Grumpy Editor.

Bloomberg Businessweek (the capital W has been retired), in its Feb. 14 issue, came up with two cover versions touting “The Infidelity Economy” which gave much space to a Web site operation that focused on the hot topic of linking married men to married women.

The western version showed a man’s (non-hairy) legs with pants dropped down to his ankles.  The eastern cover captured V-shaped female legs, topped by high heels, pointed upward.

One response was: “This is not your father’s biz magazine.”

Meanwhile, distributed this week, was Woman’s Day --- dated April 1 --- also with dual covers.

Some subscribers received a Woman’s Day cover showing a pasta dish (technically, creamy pasta with leeks, peas and Parmesan) while the other displayed two shelves on a wall that included “cheerful” assorted knick knacks.

Readers were invited to vote --- via the Web --- on the Woman’s Day cover they prefer, spurred on by, “Don’t be afraid to judge our book by its cover: what’s inside is exactly the same!”

Early voting leaned toward the shelves.

 

Vintage Kerouac, Monroe, Hepburn items attract buyers

Grumpy Editor is ready to dust off a vintage Underwood manual typewriter stored in the garage after noting that another brand from the same era yielded $22,500 at a Christie’s, New York, auction last week.

Meanwhile, other items associated with movie stars a half century ago brought in big bucks at other auctions.

The typewriter --- a working, seafoam-green Hermes 3000 manual --- was used by Jack Kerouac, father of the Beat Generation, from 1966 until his 1969 death.

He typed out his last novel, “Vanity of Duluoz,” on the machine.

More unusual was the sale on Sunday of three Marilyn Monroe chest X-rays from a 1954 hospital visit.

Those different shots of the Hollywood actress, noted for her (exterior) chest in publicity photos and on the screen, fetched $45,000 at a Hollywood Legends auction in Las Vegas.

A chair used in Monroe’s last photo session went for $35,000.

Another item that attracted a buyer at the same auction was a dress worn by actress Audrey Hepburn in the 1957 movie musical, “Funny Face,” when she starred opposite Fred Astaire.

It brought $56,250.

Meanwhile, anyone looking for a working “green” Underwood?

It saves energy because no electricity is required in typing messages --- or writing novels.  No batteries needed, either.  So it can be used anywhere:  at the beach, by the pool, in a mountain cabin or at the park.

Key health-care summit participants get the blues

Two alert news people over the weekend noted that blue was the dominant color for neckwear of participants at the all-day health-care televised summit Thursday at Blair House in Washington, observed Grumpy Editor.

Most print and broadcast media focused on discussions among President Barack Obama, Democrats and Republicans. 

But Scott Simon, National Public Radio broadcaster, and Jennifer Harper, Washington Times staffer, noticed the hues of ties worn by key participants.

“Was it mere coincidence that made so many male politicians, who differ so much on policy, don ties of the same color?,” asked Simon on NPR Saturday morning.

“Forget the plain old red power tie,” declared Harper, who went on to describe the rainbow of colors around necks of 14 participants, including those with the blues.

While TV cameras picked up blue, without variations, Harper refined that hue, branding Obama’s neckwear as sky blue, Vice President Joe Biden’s as cadet blue, Sen. Tom Harkin (D., Iowa) with light blue, and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R., Tenn.), showing navy blue.

Simon said House Minority Leader John Boehner (R., Ohio), wore powder blue and when TV anchor Wolf Blitzer, in CNN’s Washington studios, faced cameras to analyze happenings, he, too, wore a powder blue tie.

The blue hue was bipartisan, remarked Simon, who recalled that former President George Bush also favored powder blue ties.

Why blue?

Simon quoted a clothing shop owner who said powder blue ties convey sincerity and complement a whole rainbow coalition of suit colors, from gray to blue to brown.

But going for the same, yet different color, from opposite sides were Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), and Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.).  As Harper described their neckwear:  McCain wore burgundy with amber stripes, while Waxman settled for burgundy with white diamonds.

What dominant color looms in the near future?

“Politicians save green ties for St. Patrick’s Day parades,” reminded Simon.