Recently Dodge ran a commercial for their summer Tent Event in which a chimpanzee, dressed a la daredevil Evil Knievel, celebrates by detonating a miniature cannon loaded with confetti. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) lodged a complaint against the auto manufacturer for using a chimp in the ad.

Rather than engage in a war of words, Dodge remained invisible on the issue. That is, they digitally removed any trace of Suzie the chimpanzee leaving only a walking daredevil outfit, now referring to the non-chimp as an invisible monkey.

This brilliant solution accomplished two things. It appeased PETA. And generated a great deal of free publicity for the carmaker. Among other respected sources of news, The London Daily Mail online and the Los Angeles Times—not to mention the Hodgson/Meyers blog—have reported on the event.

Kudos to the car company and its advertising agency, Wieden + Kennedy, for taking the complaint seriously and for using it to increase awareness for both PETA and the sale of Dodge cars and trucks.

Happy Friday, everyone.

Gary Graf: The (killer) BBQ shrimp appetizer at Petit Toulouse.

Jason Frummett: The 97-year old Avon lady.

John Kennedy: The Sports Illustrated preseason NFL rankings have the NY Jets #1.  Yea!!!!  Awesome to see, but as one friend and fellow Jet fan called it “the kiss of death.”  I guess only time will tell.  J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets!!!!

John Kennedy: I have yet to try this. http://www.wimp.com/wineshoe

Today, August 13th, is International Left-Handers Day. It’s estimated that between seven and ten percent of the world’s population is so inclined. At H/M, southpaws constitute a full 25% of our staff, proof positive that our Business-to-Business agency is at least 250% above average. This is the type of statistic that only a left-hander could conceive, and I should know because I am one.

One more thing: It’s been scientifically proven that creativity resides in the right side of the brain, which controls the left side of the body. This explains why so many creative people are left-handed. Skeptical? Famous left-handers of the world include Einstein, Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Worcester, as in our own senior art director, Charlie.

Recently two new members joined our crew on the good ship Hodgson/Meyers. Along with their marketing bona fides the pair bring with them unusual ties to the animal kingdom.

Seattle native Rachel Omiliak joins our team as an Online Marketing Specialist. A graduate of Santa Clara University, Rachel lends her expertise to all of our search optimization projects, including work for the Applied Systems, CSG Systems. Quaero, Meydenbauer Conference Center and QuickMedical accounts.

While in college, Rachel expanded her worldview through the Semester at Sea program, where she traveled to 11 countries in 108 days. Among her adventures during the trip were holding a crocodile, hugging a seal, being attacked by a pelican larger than most people and—get this—catching three piranhas while fishing the Amazon River in Brazil.

As for Gonzaga grad Erin McNiff, she comes to us from Cole & Weber United. While there she helped manage the Washington Lottery, Livingston Cellars and TiVo accounts. Among her many accomplishments was directing the Lottery’s Dream Agents campaign that broke sales records by $1 million dollars. As one of our project managers, Erin will bring her talents to the Clark Nuber, CSG Systems and ISIS accounts.

Erin’s animal connections? She finds that wrangling her long-haired mini-Dachshund is good training for keeping creative types on task. And having sung as a waitress at a Red Robin Restaurant, she may well have been destined to work for us. After all, our CEO is a woodpecker named Spike. And from red-breasted robin to red-crested woodpecker is not that far a flight.

While our clients are sure to appreciate Rachel and Erin’s contributions to the marketing cause, we feel secure in knowing that we’re in good hands should we ever be attacked by crocodiles, piranhas or wiener dogs.

The Blue Angels buzzin’ around overhead and the sprinkle of boats waiting for the hydroplane races – we’re so ready to start the weekend. Here are the wonderful things Spikesters like this week.

Rachel Omiliak: Food52.  The best recipes come from home chefs- and all of those chefs posted them here.  Wondering what Spike liked best?

Willem Buys: The time suck of social media! Social networking now eats up twice as much of our online time as any other activity. According to new stats from Nielsen…

Erin McNiff: Leave the drama for the mama. I think Levi and Bristol just may be over, over.

Andrew Skirde: Shark Week!