Recent Posts

by One Okay Boomer; photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash… Let’s talk pandemic and protests — but let’s get specific and talk about how the last few months have affected ME. (After all, I’m a member of the “Me Generation.”)Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Road Trip Lover; photo by Nick Karvounis on Unsplash… Last year I was interviewed by Ford about the future of driving. The interviewer asked me what I thought Ford should do now that young adults no longer want to own cars or even get a license. (Ford was in such a panic that they wasted money on invested in a scooter-rental company.) My answer: don’t worry, drivers will be back…Read More

Q: Dear Freddy: I received an interview offer from an ad agency for its account management intern position. Do you have any tips on acing the interview? — A in LARead More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Veteran Networker Who Hates Networking… I love networking. Most of my jobs — particularly in teaching — have come via people I met in other contexts. And, yes, I hate networking. More exactly, so-called “networking events”…Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Hardcore Football Addict; photo from the XFL website… Yes, in the midst of this stampede by the Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse (2020 edition) — Pandemic, Recession, Climate Change, and Republicans — I’m writing about football. That’s because: I’m a lifelong junkie. Go Steelers! Go Trojans! Football has long served as my distraction from real word duress. The collapse of the XFL is symptomatic of our times. Now, if you’d rather read about marketing amidst mayhem, please see my post, “WhatRead More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Former “Walking Dead” Fan; Poster by Mark Baker via Creative Commons… It might feel like the eve of the zombie apocalypse. And while conditions are serious, at some point societies and markets will recover. In the meantime, here are some marketing tips for companies of all types…Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Guy Who Doesn’t Believe Beer Goes With Hot Air… Just when I thought I had said enough about all this “authenticity” nonsense (here and here), a friend sent me this beguiling case study about Pabst Blue Ribbon. It starts off fine, explaining how the Fizz Agency turned PBR from a sinking ship into a hipster staple. Then came the A-word…Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Usually A College Sports Fan; photo by Neon Tommy via Creative Commons… The other night I thought I went to a college basketball game at USC, but I had apparently wandered into a circus…Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Former Hollywood Denizen… Why is everyone surprised that Parasite won the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award for “best performance by a cast in a motion picture”?Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Guy Who Resists Stereotypes; above image and bio from MarketingWeek… I’ve long railed against the lazy stereotype “millennials” (see my post about the L.A. Rams’ misguided marketing). In fact, I recently barred my students from using the word “millennials” —  along with “Gen X/Y/Z” and “Baby Boomers” — in class assignments. (I also banned “authentic” for various reasons.) My censorship appears to have improved their analytical work, so I’m now considering other words to prohibit.Read More