Those NYT front page ads

Each new one seems like a cultural marker to me. Today's from Citigroup -- there's no link to it because its an ad, thouht maybe they'll soon add links -- was filled with marketing jibberish to the effect that their point of view is that we should know their point of view. Presumably that means they'll be running haiku style op-eds in future installments of the little two inch space they have at the bottom of page 1. They closed by saying that in troubled times its good that "Citi never sleeps." At a time when the bank is tottering and being split up, has devoured zillions of taxpayer cash without apparent effect, and lost tens of billions on bum investments, the perky upbeat marketing slogan feels really off-key. It's a marketing/reality disconnect. There are things that marketing can't fix. Though at least we know where some of the TARP money is going -- to boost NYT ad revenue.