I read a very positive review in this morning's SF Chronicle Business Section, touting RIM's new BlackBerry Storm, a touch screen offering that challenges the iPhone. This kind of new product news has, in the past, really dominated the press coverage in San Francisco, a city that loves its technology. But today, this news is just a sidebar -- figuratively and literally -- to other headlines: The case for Chapter 11 for the automakers; Stocks hit 5-year low point; Area home prices plummet 40%.

Usually when you launch a product, you worry that your marketing message will get lost in all of the other marketing noise. This is a very different environment, where you're worried that your message is just irrelevant. You worry about offending your target consumers by being insensitive to their economic challenges.

I heard a radio ad a couple of days ago promoting ski season at one of the resorts in Tahoe. The message was essentially "yeah, you know you probably can't afford it, but are you going to let all this trouble get in the way of doing what you really love?" I guess that might work for anyone not worried about their job, or not responsible for a family, or feeling good about their retirement savings -- that's a pretty narrow target, not well served by broadcast advertising.

The fact is that brands can change their messaging a lot faster than they can change what the brand stands for, and that can lead to messaging that isn't authentic. In this economy, some brands just aren't relevant to the masses. Product development cycles are too long to quickly respond to the needs of this economy (can they really turn around GM, Ford and Chrysler in time?)

I'm interested in your comments.