Rant: I Don’t Want Brosurance

Whoever came up with the term “brosurance” would have been better off using their brainpower to help figure out this mess that we’ve so lovingly named, “Obamacare.” ProgressNow Colorado, an online grassroots organization, is behind the 20-ad campaign that marries insurance to keg stands, shot-skis, and the most contested advertisement, “Let’s Get Physical,” which declares a woman’s hope that a man is as “easy” to get as birth control. First off, why is it necessary for a man or woman to be characterized as “easy” in a public health campaign? No one craves to fit into a stereotype, and multiple are in use here: frat boy, party girl, and women who seem to need wine to get through a workout. Obviously, they are garnering the attention they set out for, but the timing isn’t right. These advertisements may dole out a dose of ill-fated humor to some except that laughing about Obamacare’s massive rollout failure serves no one.

Rave: Dana Crawford’s Namesake

When the Union Station renovation wraps up next year, one of the most anticipated additions will open with a most-deserving name. Preservationist Dana Crawford—who was largely responsible for the development of Larimer Square and the rehabilitation of LoDo—will have her name on the structure’s 112-room boutique hotel. All the rooms will be decorated reflecting different eras of the historic Union Station.

Walter Isenberg, CEO and president of Sage Hospitality Group, told the Denver Post that Crawford sees the value in reviving buildings of the past. “Dana Crawford deserves this honor. She started historic redevelopment before it was popular.”

It would have been so easy to sell the naming rights to some company looking to solidify a footprint in the renaissance of Union Station. But by naming the hotel after Crawford, the building just increases its locally-driven foundation. It gives credit to a woman who without, none of us may be enjoying the lively downtown Denver has become and is still growing to be.

—Image courtesy of the Shutterstock

11/15/2013: A previous version of this story incorrectly described ProgressNow’s political background. We’ve corrected the information and regret the error.