An Issue Of Taste

Just received the ill-timed new copy of Advertising Age's Creativity. It's titled "The Comedy Issue" with "King of Comedy" Cliff Freeman on the cover.

Editor Stefano Hatfield's introductory notes make reference to "Xtreme" humor and heightened violence that "negates the impact of that violence."

Of course, he wrote those insensitive words long before we witnessed the heartbreaking impact of real extreme violence on live television.

In light of this week's continuing nightmare, it's now a question of when advertisers will return to the air and with what kind of messages.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Sears and BP oil have pulled recently launched campaigns and other advertisers are weighing whether advertising during this tragic time is appropriate.

Considering the fact that ad spending is already depressed and the "first war of the 21st Century" has just begun, the "Comedy Issue" could be a collector's item.