Me and Simon Cowell.

If you are a MAC user I’d love to send you my “Shiny Happy People” (tune by R.E.M.)keynote prez. I debuted it last year at the CUES Nexus conference. Some were offended that I used THEIR shiny happy people in such a mocking way. I simply replied, “YOU put it on the WORLD WIDE FREAKING WEB!” I make no apologies.

I spent maybe 10 minutes randomly pulling financial institution websites for my examples. It was that easy — you are so right – they are more plentiful than flies on dog poop.

While you’re at… would you mind telling the firms you talk to also quit using stupid stock photos on their web sites. Why they think a picture of the happy couple washing their car on their driveway with their perfect 2.3 children is going to make me want to do business with them is ridiculous.

ING Direct and ETrade have been very successful over the past few years building a financial services business using [primarily] the online channel. And you NEVER see stupid stock photos on their sites.

As always, thank you for letting me use your little space of the blogosphere to rant.

I HAVE that Passport Lifestyle logo card (from the V)….and I thought it was a fake too when I got it.

Who do we talk to? Who are these Passport people and where DID they get that clip art?

Unfortunately, since the card is co-branded, we don’t have much of an option as far as the artwork goes. The Passport logo on the card needs to be easily recognizable so that when it’s used at a merchant, they know to provide the member with a discount.

Last weekend I was at my favorite store, Lush. I used my debit card to make a purchase and the girl literally thought it was a fake card. She gave it back to me with a laugh and said, I’m going to need a VISA or Mastercard. I had to point out the VISA logo to her and promise it was legit.

I’m a bit off-topic here, but I’ll bring it back ’round. At least stock art is recognizable. Yes, it’s ugly, but if it works…it works. I miss my old debit card with the orange leaves against blue sky…so pretty.