Last night, I had the good fortune of seeing the tribute to Diane Keaton by the Lincoln Center Film Society. As a film buff, I’ve been going to the annual tributes for the past twenty years and relishing each for different reasons. Much to my surprise, I think last night’s may have been the best one–it was certainly the funniest with side-splitting tributes provided by Woody Allen, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Candice Bergen and Lisa Kudrow. Most of the speeches were more roast than toast, with each taking a crack at “Lady La-de-dah” and her “yeah well I don’t know” patter of non-words. Steve Martin, who played opposite Diane in the Father of the Bride series, concluded his toast with a sweet instrumental on his banjo, a quid pro quo for when Diane sung at a tribute for Martin.
In between the toasts, we were treated to clips from over 20 of Ms. Keaton’s movies. What’s striking about this filmography is that Diane, the person, shines through every role much the way Bette Davis and Katherine Hepburn did before her. But unlike these two movie queens, Diane’s persona is more human, more fallible, more a work in progress. As Richard Corliss put it “she was putting these vulnerabilities on display, to be inspected and understood by the movie audience.”
So, you might ask if any of this has anything to do with Marketing for Good. And the truth is that this was primarily a fun indulgent evening that I felt like sharing. That said, let me offer a few, however tenuous, links to MFG:
- Diane never settles. She constantly challenges herself to try new roles both off and on the screen. Brands must never settle. They must enhance their offering at every turn.
- Diane appreciates a good laugh. Last night, one of the loudest laughs to be heard was Diane’s. She chose her toasters carefully, purposely selecting funny over reverent. While it is clear she takes her craft seriously it is also clear she doesn’t take her self seriously. Marketing for Good is big fan of laughter, appreciating its power to engage and entertain and ultimately sell.
- Diane inspires by her deeds not her words. On screen, Diane dared to be herself “with a style so innovative that it took film fans a while to get used to it” as noted by Richard Corliss. Off screen, Diane campaigned for the preservation of historic buildings saving several from destruction with ever-so-pleasant fortitude. She wields her star-power with understatement and grace, more velvet glove than clenched fist. Brands could learn a lot from Diane.
Who would have thought a few well placed La-De-Dah’s could be so powerful?