The other day I was standing in line at a swank beauty spa to pay for a service when a total stranger walked up to me and commented, “What a nice tan you have!”

I didn’t know what to say.  I’m not tanned.  This is my color.  I am a brown, dark featured Mexican American woman.

I looked around me in line and realized that I was the only brown-skinned person in the establishment.  Still, why did she assume I was tanned?  Is it because I dress nicely?

I was unimpressed with most/all of the advertising during last night's Superbowl -- and I know I am not alone.  There are, of course, several different lines of attack I could level against the brand and advertising community: 

- The ads lacked creativity or originality -- isn't that the very thing the brand and advertising community pride themselves on most?

- The ads weren't funny -- and even if they were funny, was that the best (or only) way to attract attention and deliver a message to the audience?