Dez Reads. Cutting Edge Satire, Social Media Warnings, European Tourism Overload, PGA Tour Optics, and Belichick’s ManningCast Debut.

My current obsession is print media. This may be an anachronistic take, but I see so much value in having professional editors and journalists curate information for me rather than an algorithm feeding me information it knows me to be interested in. Think of listening to a CD or vinyl record from start to finish rather than building a playlist of your favorite MP3s. To listen to a record is to interact with art as the artist intends it to be heard. With respect to news, we were much more informed when we read the newspaper and encountered stories that were presented to us rather than self-selected. That’s why I write about The Onion’s pivot to print this week – it could save the company’s brand by shutting out the noise online and getting back to pure satire. Maybe traditional news will follow suit eventually.

The other big news this week is that Colby Nelson makes his Dez Reads debut with a look at professional golf’s never-ending PR catastrophe. There are lessons there for all kinds of brands and companies. Steven Schlein has a really smart take on the rise of the activist attorney general, which tracks with his career in the public affairs business. Anne Marie explores post-COVID European travel and the headaches it is causing some locals, and Mark Emerson pays tribute to Bill Belichick and the Manning brothers.

I had a lot of fun editing this edition, and I hope you enjoy our points of view. Thanks, as always, for reading along with us.

Here we go.

Media.

The Economist. The Onion’s cutting edge: paper

My clients mostly pay me for my contrarianism. Perhaps my most contrarian take: print media will be back with a vengeance, and it will save the world. The Onion, self-described as “America’s Finest News Source,” is testing that theory by restoring a subscription-based print product to complement its online presence.

The Onion – once hilarious, currently pretty boring – pivoted to online and video content over the last decade or so, and the brand lost a lot of its allure as a result. My theory is that once clicks and buzz dictate satire, creativity is lost and the satirist finds himself responding to the whims of the social media news cycle. Much like listening to a vinyl record requires us to encounter art in the way the artist intends, a curated print product is based on proactive content that fits a brand and tells a story.

Make no mistake: The Onion at its peak was art. By returning to print, the publication will not only be able to reclaim its voice; it is also betting on the next generation of its readers growing tired of the onslaught of social media content and clickbait. I think it’s a sound bet, and I look forward to adding The Onion to my growing list of print subscriptions.

– Josh Culling

Politics.

WaPo. 42 state AGs endorse federal plan to add warning labels on social media

There was a time when state attorneys general stuck to their mandate, acting as chief investigators/prosecutors for their states, ferreting out corruption and jailing miscreants that were violating state law. Then there was a watershed year – 1994 — that changed everything and led to a new type of State AG: a publicity-seeking crusader. Under the new model, state AGs sue oil companies over climate change, sue drug companies over pricing and marketing, and, apparently, pressure the federal government over warning labels on social media.  

In 1994, the Mississippi Attorney General Michael Moore filed a lawsuit against 13 tobacco companies hoping to get cigarette manufacturers to reimburse the state for costs related to treating smoking-related illnesses. The suit resulted in a $4.1 billion settlement for the state, and Moore is still riding this victory with constant TV appearances, paid speeches, and fame. With this, the new model was born.

Also, in 1994, Eliot Spitzer ran and lost his first race for New York Attorney General. But Spitzer ran again four years later as a populist, promising to punish polluters and greedy Wall Street figures. After he took office, he immediately began a reign of terror against Wall Street figures and large manufacturers adapting the practice perfected by Rudy Giuliani as U.S. Attorney: hold a news conference announcing an indictment, then wage a publicity campaign until the target agrees to a settlement. Giuliani rode this fame to the mayorship of New York in 1994, and similarly, Spitzer would ride his fame to the governorship.

We’ve worked with companies that have fought back against crusading state AGs. Fighting back gets a better settlement but worse publicity. Companies need to consider the trade-offs.  

– Steven Schlein

Travel.

NYT. Was This the Summer European Tourism Reached a Breaking Point?

According to the European Travel Commission, international arrivals for summer 2024 are set to exceed those of 2019. Post-COVID travel is back in a big way and locals in European tourist hotspots are over it.

The irony is tourism is the lifeblood of the economies of destinations likes Barcelona, Athens, Santorini, Venice and Lisbon. However, locals want to see dollars from out of towners reinvested into their communities and local infrastructure.

With temperatures soaring, significant foreign investment in rental properties, limited space and infrastructure to support modern crowds, this summer was THE perfect tourism storm. While there is hope next summer may be better, hope is not a strategy.

After vocal protests from residents, many European cities are taking measures to police overcrowding by increasing tourism taxes, charging entrance fees for non-residents, regulating short-term rentals, and more.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I’m here for it. These centuries old global treasures need to be preserved for years to come and for the people that make these places destinations of culture, food, art, etc. I’m glad to see these governments working to balance preserving these beautiful cities for regular life and sharing them with the rest of us.

– Anne Marie Malecha

Sports.

NYT. PGA Tour Meets With Saudi Fund in Hopes of Getting Closer to Deal

Over the past three years, nothing has divided golf fans and professional golfers more than the emergence of the LIV Golf League. Bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), LIV Golf has poached many of the PGA Tour’s top stars.

The PR missteps by both tours, players and others have been far and wide. After PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan attacked LIV Golf by highlighting Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and even joined forces with groups like the 9/11 Families United coalition, Monahan and Saudi PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan surprised many by announcing a merger on CNBC last June. Monahan seemed to sweep many of his moral arguments against LIV Golf under the rug overnight. The latest PR misstep came this week, when private jets used by the PGA Tour Commissioner and PIF Governor were both heading to the same location.

On the surface, it doesn’t sound like a big deal. But the meeting took place on the eve of 9/11 and in New York City of all places. The latest misstep raises the question: Does the PGA Tour not care about optics, or are they just clueless?

– Colby Nelson

ESPN. Best ‘ManningCast’ moments from Jets-49ers

I’ve never been Peyton or Eli’s biggest fan, but I’ve warmed up to them in recent years (well, Peyton, at least). And now with the introduction of ManningCast, featuring Bill Belichick as an alternative to traditional Monday Night Football, it’s what I call must-watch TV for football nerds and gridiron gurus alike.

Belichick made his debut during the Jets vs. 49ers game, breaking the ice with Eli by calling for a ‘peace treaty’ – a humorous nod to the Giants’ two Super Bowl wins over the Patriots. Naturally, Eli couldn’t resist throwing in a few timely jabs.

Belichick didn’t hold back on his football analysis. He provided sharp insights into Aaron Rodgers’ connection with Garrett Wilson, and even got a bit jargon-heavy with his breakdowns of defensive line position; classic Bill, always sticking to the details.

One standout moment was when the Mannings played Lawrence Taylor highlights, getting Belichick to crack a rare smile, a nostalgic throwback to his days coaching the Giants’ defense. The blend of nostalgia, football expertise, and the comical banter made for an entertaining broadcast.

With Belichick set for all 11 broadcasts this season, he’s showing a bit more personality these days, even creating an account on “InstaFace” earlier this month. Unlike Tom Brady’s commentary last weekend, I’m looking forward to more of Bill and the boys next Monday.

– Mark Emerson

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