The Apprentice 2 Weekly Performance Review, Episode 12: I'd Like to Buy the World a... Pepsi?

Apex Corporation:

First off, that bottle was tremendous! Once I saw the finished product, I knew there was no way you guys were losing. In addition, you worked very well together as a team, which just reinforces the point about how much better you would be without Jen.

Kevin: Strangely, we didn't see much of you this week. That's unusual, because with only six people to spotlight, everyone should have gotten their time. You did fine on the presentation (minus the flop sweat, thankfully) and hey, at least you didn't make stupid suggestions. Which brings us to…

Ivana: You didn't exactly follow up your great performance from last week, but you didn't completely drop the ball, either. Your continued campaign against Jen is looking REALLY pathetic, although from the previews, it looks like you've only scratched the surface on the pathetic scale.

Speaking of pathetic, a Pepsi bottle in the shape of an Oscar? You apparently didn't realize that the Oscar statue is copyrighted, did you? Besides, as Kelly said, it had no relation to the task at hand. But then, you're one for going on strange tangents, aren't you? I hated the idea of putting something inside the "D" in the bottle. That was your idea, and it was pretty bad. Placing a piece of a boob inside the hole in the bottle? Sheesh! But fair is fair, it seems like it was your idea to sculpt the bottle, which was inspired. When you get a good idea, it's really good, but too often they seem buried in crap.

By the way, can I just say how unimpressed I am with the, "I crashed the Porshe my daddy gave me" comment? As much as you whine about Jen getting things handed to her because of her looks, those of us who had to drive beaten-down clunkers in high school don't want to hear about you not appreciating the car daddy handed you.

In any case, you haven't totally blown the goodwill you've built up from last week, but you still haven't convinced me that you deserve to be there. It earns you another week without my scorn - at least my saying you were the weakest and should have gone home, anyway, and that should be worth something.

Kelly: I'm still not crazy about your cocky attitude, but I have to admit that you deliver and deliver BIG. The sculpted bottle was fantastic, and it's to your credit that your team worked together as well as it did.

As Project Manager, you should have stopped the "what to put in the hole" discussion short, but you were too busy making fun of Jennifer. Not that I disagree, but it distracted you. What could you put inside that small space without adding the expense of shrink-wrapping the bottle? The hole in the bottle was an innovative creation. Just let it be. If someone asks you what the hole meant, you could say something cheesy like, "that's where the calories went." You were overthinking things badly there.

Mosaic Corporation:

Man, the Pepsi execs were right, that bottle was freakin' UGLY. I like the concept behind the ad campaign, but I have to think there was a better way to go about it. Perhaps make the top and bottom clear? I also didn't hate the geography game as much as the execs, but then, I'm a geek, so what do I know? With a game board and pieces to collect, it would make for a good promotion. For example, have the game board be a map of the world (available at your globe display) and highlight five or six countries on each continent. Make it clear which countries the customer needs to collect. You can promote it as educational, too - kids need all the excuses they can get to drink soda, after all - and you've got a winner. Or, at least, a better product.

Jennifer: I'm seriously starting to reconsider my theory about you being the smartest one there. Also, and this REALLY scares me, I'm starting to agree with Ivana. You're getting by on your looks and your charm, because you're sure not getting by on your business skills. Also, you don't seem to get along with anyone who's still there, least of all the women. All the Project Managers who have defended you are gone now. You're working with five people, none of whom like or respect you in the least. This is not a recipe for a good leader.