"So I'm still very much hoping that the Lovemarks team will accept my suggestion of a public debate so that maybe we get beyond the us-and-them approach..."

Don't hold your breath, Johnnie. Like you said, their conversation is one-way.

Besides, they just spent 5 years and millions of dollars inventing and promoting the concept. You think they're going to risk it all just to keep a few insignificant bloggers happy?

Well I will keep breathing Hugh! And at least you seem to want to talk to me. I guess us insignificant bloggers should stick together eh?

This discussion hands Kevin the opportunity to now tell the world, "Isn't it great that people are so passionate about Lovemarks? That's excatly what I meant for it to do all along."
I suspect he will never opt for a public debate. His worldview was shaped by his days in advertising, controlling messages. So I say, Let the clamour continue.

Want to drag him into the brawl? Drag Tom Peters in! Go to his blog - www.tompeters.com - and challenge Tom to bring along his pal Kevin. Get a little firery - in a pseudointellectual fashion - and then dare Peters to ignore you. Go ahead bloggers. I dare you. I double dare you!

If this doesn't work, I'll eat every branded food in Kevin's book!

Tom, you don't need to eat all that stuff. If this doesn't work, all you need do is go impulse shopping at the Adidas store.

Stanley, never say never. No one's worldviews are set in concrete (unless that's their choice) and I've read enough of Kevin's work to be certain that he is quite capable of growth and evolution.

Evelyn, your idealism and confidence are a source of inspiration. Kevin, are you listening?

Thanks so much Stanley. Now re-reading this thread I think Tom Asacker hit on a good idea. I think the way to make sure Kevin is listening is via Tom Peters. I don't have that many mentions myself but it sometimes takes me even weeks to see a citation/reference online.

I don't think Love Marks offers anything new at all.

If you scratch under the surface of Love Marks you find the advertising industry's infrastructure as it's been for the last fifty years. That's Big Agencies using Big Media to shouting about Big Corporates to the rest of the world.

Scratch under The Clue Train and it's a different set of foundations. Namely, a networked world where every voice is equal and shouting loudly doesn't mean anyone will listen. In fact, it just makes people run away or block you out.

Kevin Roberts is welcome to keep his Love Marks. I'm not interested.

I was reminded of this and related discussions after a Roberts blog regular engaged me in a very interesting dialogue over a humorous post meant partly in jest:

http://jackyan.vox.com/library/post/which-us-state-does-kevin-roberts-hail-from.html

Beware his army and the danger of public critique!