It’s a Digital Life

My wife had had enough. Our #1 and #2 sons will be home from college soon and we needed more space for their stuff. For years, she’s had her eye on the dozen or so boxes that contained “my life’s work” (as I put it). Today my pleads for preservation went unheeded. “Too bad” was her reply.

So began my veritable voyage through a couple of decades worth of game-changing press clippings (when press clips could change games), media strategy memos, photos, TV airchecks (3/4 and 1/2″), autographed books, client accolade letters, awards, and assorted chatchkas.

Into the dumper went all the paper, pics and videotapes chronicling years of painstaking PR work for these clients and others:

• Mort Zuckerman’s takeover of the New York Daily News
• The fabulous Miller sisters, the wedding of Prince Pavlos of Greece to Marie-Chantal Miller
• The 100th anniversary of the Sulzberger-Ochs family ownership of The New York Times
• The 150th anniversary of The Associated Press
• Miss America’s 75th, Atlantic Records’ 40th, The Israel Philharmonic’s 50th anniversaries
• The 2000 Presidential debates
• The colorization of The New York Times
• The building and dedication of the National World War II Memorial
• The launch of College Sports TV (CSTV)
• The launch of the redesigned U.S. currency – $20, $50 and $100 bills
• Protecting and preserving Teresa Earnhardt’s husband’s privacy and legacy
• Intel’s Andy Grove meets the editors from Condé Nast and Hearst
• Support for the L.A. DA’s jury consultant during O.J. Simpson criminal trial
• NY Community Trust and United Way of NYC’s September 11th Fund
• Reebok’s Dan ‘n Dave campaign; the Human Rights Award
• Broadway opening of David Merrick’s “42nd Street”
• Quincy Jones’ “We are the Future” humanitarian concert
• HotJobs’ IPO and its Super Bowl spots
• Cola wars, burger wars, toothpaste wars…

I’m feeling kinda melancholy right now. I suppose there’s some satisfaction knowing that much of this history resides somewhere in the digital domain waiting to be discovered through search. And then again, maybe not.