Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Once you put words out into the world, they are no longer your own. They can be interpreted, reviewed, reemphasized, and altered in any way that the medium allows. On this episode of The Briefcase, Ric Tyler talks about one of the more notable examples: a total recall of branded pencils in 1998. What could have gone wrong with a simple printed pencil to warrant an entire recall? Well, a lot of bad decisions are made in the presence of drugs.
What You'll Learn
• Marketing slogans and phrases should be carefully worded and considered before they're used. You might accidentally create a message unrelated to or directly opposed to what your business intends.
• Don't just test your messaging on the drawing board and the conference room, but in the real world as well. The people who know the code by heart are here, but those who think outside the box are there.
Got a question for the Sutherland Weston team? Connect with us at sutherlandweston.com
Once you put words out into the world, they are no longer your own. They can be interpreted, reviewed, reemphasized, and altered in any way that the medium allows. On this episode of The Briefcase, Ric Tyler talks about one of the more notable examples: a total recall of branded pencils in 1998. What could have gone wrong with a simple printed pencil to warrant an entire recall? Well, a lot of bad decisions are made in the presence of drugs.
What You'll Learn
• Marketing slogans and phrases should be carefully worded and considered before they're used. You might accidentally create a message unrelated to or directly opposed to what your business intends.
• Don't just test your messaging on the drawing board and the conference room, but in the real world as well. The people who know the code by heart are here, but those who think outside the box are there.
Got a question for the Sutherland Weston team? Connect with us at sutherlandweston.com
