The unfolding banking crisis over the last couple of weeks, examined from a brand and communications perspective, offers insights into how companies are using, misusing, underutilizing, or just plain wasting media touchpoints and opportunities to communicate in these crucial days.

Unfolding our newspapers, we see full-page, half-page, and quarter-page ads from such firms as JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Washington Mutual, and Charles Schwab in national as well as regional papers, in other words, a sea of mostly generic messages. The messaging ranges from "Don’t worry, it’ll all be ok," to, "Welcome. We’re glad to have you," to inexplicable and inappropriate business as usual advertisements, touting great rates, or no-fee checking, as if the banking crisis isn’t happening on the same or opposite page!

There are exceptions, of course, such as Charles Schwab, who opted for an "Open Letter to America’s Investors," a more empathetic and educational approach delivered in a deliberate, recognizable, reassuring way, playing to the strength of the chosen communications channel. Schwab’s cross-channel approach delivers the "Open letter to America’s investors" as a full-page newspaper ad, while devoting valuable front-page sections of Schwab’s marketing, corporate, and transactional websites to more in-depth analysis of the financial markets, and Schwab’s own financial soundness. These sections receive constant updates during the turmoil, using a variety of formats, including a "Q&A" with the company’s Chief Investment Strategist.

Schwab is doing a laudable job, showing empathy for consumers, acknowledging that these are confusing times, and offering practical as well as understandable information. But, in terms of exploiting their websites and using this once-in-80-years situation to respond with new web tools and platforms, even they have missed an opportunity.

Corporate blogs tend to be dull and lack for readership at the best of times. At the worst of times, such as the current situation may turn out to be, the companies that are proactive and forthcoming in their communication efforts have a chance to break away from the competition, winning a spot in the consumers’ minds and hearts, and prepositioning their companies for growth in the next cycle. Hence, the agility and sense of "real-time" blogging is tailor-made to recognize confusion and address concern, if not to alleviate it completely.

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How can preteens and teens chat online with their friends in a completely safe environment? This is something that toy and media companies have been fumbling over for the past several years. Well, Mattel has a pretty smart solution—it’s called Barbie Girls, and it’s a copasetic convergence between consumer product and online brand experience. Truth be told, I’m not sure why other consumer product and media companies haven’t made this connection sooner.

The process is simple—you go to the store, buy a Mattel Barbie Girl, and connect it to your computer via a docking station. When your girlfriends catch on and get one, you can authenticate your doll on their computers and vice-versa. Your child is now ready to communicate online with her friends and only her friends.

The online play experience is very Sim-like, in terms of game play patterns. Girls can go online and design their own rooms, check out their friends’ rooms and their objects, chat, play with their virtual pets and, of course, no little-girl pretend-play online experience would be complete without the all-important trip to the mall (where kids learn about online transactions). I’m only half kidding—I wouldn’t be surprised to see new Mattel products contextually placed inside the Barbie world, in-game advertising, or online conditioning for tweens.

The offline experience is not as robust as the online play experience, but the doll itself is an actual MP3 player; a good place to store Barbie tunes you downloaded from the website (note to Mattel: That one’s a freebie).

The technology is simple, and my guess is that this product will go a long way. Parents will be buying these toys for their kids and as presents for all their friends.