A word on packaging

So the other day on Facebook, between games of Scrabble and finding out what my 700+ "friends" had for breakfast, I came across this banner ad tucked in the corner. It's both fascinating and frightening to realize how much the computer knows about me. Not only is it tracking my behavior and my consumption, it knows what I do for a living and taunts me with ads from my competitors.

I don't know how much it cost him, but kudos to "Mr. Haack" for scoring this type of national exposure. There was a big pitch in NY for Mrs. Kunkel's Bunion and Fungus Remover. I wouldn't be surprised if I lose that gig to Haack, who had the foresight to ply his wares on Facebook.

While Mr. Haack has outflanked me in the Facebook arena, his game plan is not without flaw. And I say this without any presumption of condescension, but rather as a colleague looking to help another colleague in the copywriting game.

Dude, you gotta rethink your handle.

Hack, or even the Dutch-flavored Haack, and copywriting do not belong in the same sentence. It's an industry pejorative that does not serve you well. When a Creative Director finds himself short-handed and in need of a word guy, he's not going to turn to his Creative Assistant and say, "Get me that Haack fellow, pronto."

If I were you, I'd legally change my name. Find a moniker that could not remotely reflect on the kind of work you do.

It's the same reason why I don't call myself Rich Past-His-Prime, Self-Deprecating, One-Trick-Pony.