Every weekday, PR Daily associate editor Alan Pearcy highlights the day’s most compelling stories and amusing marginalia on the Web in this, #TheDailySpin.

It’s been said that Mitt Romney has nary a skeleton in his closet, so associating him with adulterers is a stretch. Yet that was the result of a billboard erected this week by AshleyMadison.com, a website that facilitates cheating among spouses. Removed after only one day, the outdoor ad—which depicted the Republican presidential nominee with his finger pressed to his lips—read: “IF CHEATING ON YOUR TAXES IS OK, SO IS …” While the site’s founder Noel Biderman is displeased that her advertisement was taken down, she hopes it will help draw more attention to the GOP candidate’s “shady dealings and hidden assets” prior to the election.

Negative campaign ads just aren’t Ellen DeGeneres’ style. On Wednesday, the daytime host used her talk show to prove to our nation’s White House hopefuls how refreshing positive politics would be to voters. Yes, Barack Obama, you do deserve a Papa John’s Pizza and your beauty is matched only by angels. And Romney, you make great fudge.



[Related: War of words follows killing of U.S. ambassador in Libya]

“Saturday Night Live” is apparently all for refreshing its political approach as well. The program announced it will replace cast member Fred Armisen as Barack Obama this season with Jay Pharoah. However, Jason Sudeikis will return to the show—at least through the election—to reprise his role as Mitt Romney, and possibly Vice President Joe Biden.

Sketch comedy can be a difficult shtick. Luckily for Liz Lemon and the rest of NBC’s “30 Rock” ensemble, brainstorming all of those show ideas and funny one-liners is as easy as using Google Docs. Well, at least it makes ordering lunch easier.



Sadly, office politics can stifle the brainstorming process, almost as quickly as being the office sexist will stifle relationships at work—and perhaps your career. GQ magazine lists 13 telltale signs and personality traits that the creepy office’s sexist might, in fact, be you.

Speaking of sexist, Advertising Age reports on a new study by Marketing Store Worldwide called “The New Definition of Childhood.” In it, survey results indicate that while boys and girls generally have similar interests, there exists a vast disparity in the types of toys preferred by each gender.

As for a disparity in your grocery cart, a study by Consumer Reports found that 11 store brands either tied or beat their respective name brand rivals in a recent taste test of 19 consumer products. Yahoo analyzes each of the 19 category bouts here.

Your Facebook News Feed may show a disparity among your more liberal “friends” verses your more conservative ones. According to new research, those posts are likely to affect voter turnout come Election Day.

[Related: How to remove political posts from your Facebook News Feed]

While a lot of us find our political “friends” obnoxious, the jury is still out on marketing street teams. However, OPEN Forum shares a few tips to ensure your brand’s “buzz warriors” are more effective than they are nuisances.

Apple didn’t have any trouble generating buzz ahead of the debut of its iPhone 5. Even Oreo added to the hype, using the latest image in its “Daily Twist” campaign to mark the occasion.

[Related: 5 PR lessons from the iPhone 5 unveiling]

It was choosing not to mark the anniversary of 9/11 by sticking with an interview with Kris Jenner rather than cutting away to a moment of silence that landed NBC’s “Today” in hot water. Now, honchos at the network are finally apologizing.

Meanwhile, McDonald’s are finally being overhauled to include calorie counts, but it’s the potential addition of grilled Chicken McNuggets that has my attention.

Now if you want one of McDonald’s black and white paired burgers, you’ll have to go to China. The colors are meant to symbolize the good and evil in politics.

Maybe if the burger was blue, American’s might make the trip. It is, after all, the country’s favorite color.

Is there something you think we should include in our next edition of #TheDailySpin? Tweet me @iquotesometimes with your suggestions. Thanks in advance.

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