Booze Hound

Sorry folks...I've been on the road for work and pleasure for what seems to be weeks on end. First was a quick one-nighter to NYC for a meeting a FCB (great offices by the way).

Then, it was down to Charlotte for some racing and a photo shoot, and then a long-ass flight out to Vegas for an event there.

All in all, I saw a lot of good, bad, and ugly.

But most of all, I saw a lot of booze. I mean, what's a business trip without a few benders mixed in? This brings me to one of the topics today...why do travelers feel compelled to drink at airport bars regardless of the time of day?

Back in February, I was on my way down to Daytona for that big autorace, and we had an hour layover in Atlanta...at around 8AM. So, of course, me and my buddy proceed to the bar...which is PACKED. We order up a few Buds only to have a recently returning soldier purchase the bar a round of Jack. Ouch.

I'm usually a latte guy in the morning...but for whatever reason, I find it perfectly acceptable to drink first thing in the morning when i'm traveling. When I drive past some of the Bosnian bars in my neighborhood going to work in the mornings I pity the poor souls in there at that hour...yet, when I see a suit cuddled up to Scotch at dawn in an airport I pull up a stool and ask if he needs another one.

Just weird...not sure where this code of conduct comes from...or why it's so widely accepted. Any thoughts welcome...just don't make me put down my Bud heavy.

SPB

Jack Drinks Coke & More

Caught wind of this over on Brand New and thought I'd keep the wave going...a new Coke spot featuring Jack White of the White Stripes (who are getting sued by their old producer...but that's another story). Check it out...

/watch?v=owoLu_Hvbbw

Also on Brand New, found a link to a site within the WPP Group focused on brands, and the power they carry. Pretty interesting...and man would I love a gig sitting around coming up with this stuff...o'well...back to figuring out which client I want to be yelled at by first...

www.insidewpp.com/brandz2

One more thing of note...everyone seems to be worked up about this VW campaign from CP+B. Yesterday some guys were pretty fired up on Adrants (www.adrants.com) over the whole deal...drawing their ire for saying Crispen's average work is usually better than most.

This just proved my point that most agency-types, including myself, are pretty childish when it comes to piling on other agencies for doing work we either aren't thrilled with or dislike.

The fact remains that an agencies best efforts can become undone by a meddling client or a poor director...and all of this coming from a VW spot I rather enjoyed.

Ok, rambling...sorry.

Cheers, SPB

This and That

Music Blogs

I'm a total music blog novice. I mean, read or hear about bands then hit the net to find out what they're all about...but I've been blown away by the amount of great info, insight...and well, music...on some of the blogs out there.

I consider myself to be a mid-waver. That is, I'm not riding on top of the wave, hearing everything and everything that's going on out there then letting people know what I think. Just no time for that and work...which sucks.

But I do tend to hear about the better bands that get the thumbs up from the music nazis around the world before those acts go mainstream.

Anyway, here are three sites that need to be checked out if you have any kind of new music interest.

cheers.

elbo.ws
Hype Machine (google it...sorry, lazy today)
MPR.com

Look at his package!

There is not much better than good packaging. I mean, as an ad guy I'd love to say our creative content drives people to purchase more often than not...but that's not true. As a self proclaimed "marketers dream," great packaging will always drive me to buy.

So, I was stoked when I saw this on PSFK.com this morning. While I'm over the whole "fancy bottled water" thing (Figi has enough of my money), this is pretty cool...including the Starbucks-coffee carrier thing...really cool.

Check it...

www.seiwater.com

Miss Moneycrappy

Ok...so the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has invited regular joes...and janes...to cover the St. Louis nightlife scene. A buddy of mine and I submitted our names to write for the paper...letting them know if they picked someone lame we'd call them out on it.

Well, the chick covering "nightlife" IS lame...lame as hell...and when I posted a response on the blog they edited it. Go ahead and remove it...but don't edit someone's blog post.

What a disgrace. If Miss Moneycrappy can't stand up to critisizm then get off the pot cuse' your shit stinks!!!!!!!!

spb

Clients aren't that dumb...they just like to act like it

I haven't had anything to rant about in some time. I've been busy doing some pretty cool things here at the office, traveling and doing some new biz thinking...

Anyway...caught wind of a co-worker's sorrows this afternoon and something totally set me off.

Here are some basic truths in the ad/marketing biz:

1. Clients never have enough money
2. Agencies are all ways too expensive
3. The work needs to be done yesterday

Here's where I get pissed. You can't have it both ways.

If we (agency) ask for a budget and/or a timeline and you (client) tell us, "don't know, just get it done" then guess what...we're just going to get it done, and we're going to do it well (because God knows if the comp images aren't hi-res you'll be pissed). Clients forfeit their right to bitch about agency prices when this happens because a) you had the chance to give us a budget to work with and b) we're probably saving your ass.

I know this is a crazy fast business and I know there is a basic understanding of how much some things cost...but someone before me wrote...just because a print ad can be designed and emailed to a client in an hour doesn't mean the creative thinking to make it good can be squeezed into the same timeframe.

I'm out...SPB

Total PSFK rip-off

Piers and the folks over at PSFK let some "copy n' pasters" have it for simply ripping material off their wonderfully informative site. While this isn't a total rip off, I was really inspired by three different articles I found there today...so, I'm ripping them off!!!

First, the Aquabumps site....how cool. Something about surfers puts me in total awe...and I hate it. I don't hate them...I just hate how envious I am of their talent, of their lifestyle, of their attitudes...of their world!!! To me, surfers are like jet pilots...full of attitude, a self-confidence that boarders...or is...arrogance, and the look in their eye that they've experienced something in this world that we can only dream about. I hate them for that...and I want to be them for that.

The site (www.aquabumps.com) is kickass and more inspiration & inspiration than fluff. Plus, it's snowing on the second day of Spring, so the images will warm you from your desktop.

Second, Deus ex Machina. I've never been a bike guy...but if I was, this is the kind of bike guy I'd be. As the PSFK.com article says...it's not the black leather-Sturgis-badass-you don't understand-bull shit you get from most cycle makers. This is a passion for motorcycles from a different era. There is something far more pure and exciting about these types of bikes. The love and technique that goes into making them, riding them and celebrating them makes me want to throw down some plastic, pick one up and head to the French countryside.

Here's the site...www.deusexmachina.com.au...check it, don't wreck it.

Third, something for the display & event builders in my life...light from concrete. Pretty effn' cool....www.chromastone.com

I'm getting sick and working too hard again so I'm not sure when i'll get back...but enjoy.

sb

Great Quote

This from Rupert Murdoch, pulled from collaboratemarketing.com:

"Companies that expect a glorious past to shield them from the forces of change driven by advancing technology will fail and fall."

Well said.

spb

Wash Post on Blogging

New York Magazine covered it better and dug deeper, but it's still an interesting article about big business using and investing more to understand blogs, and thus, their consumers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR2006030201829.html

spb

Corporate Blogging

I've recently had some conversations regarding corporate blogging...and how in the wrong hands it can reek more havoc than any good could undo. Yet it's so damn intriguing and, when done right, is an incredible tool tying consumers and brands together.

Anyway, I came across a great quote on Johnnie Moore's blog from some other lad that I found interesting...enjoy.

"At the end, the lesson is one of a paradox. As the power shifts increasingly towards community, the corporation loses its grip on the traditional means of control. Yet, by letting go of control, the corporation creates an environment where the community willingly creates its own switching costs. Such changing market behavior, which is structural and permanent for any industry being usurped by the Internet, must be met with a corresponding shift in corporate mindset. "

word!

spb

NASCARtech

New media is dropping the hammer on NASCAR fans. From Nextel's little do-dads that allow fans at the race to watch, listen and scan coverage of the race to Budwesier announcing that they will have a live Webcast of a One Night Stand event with Dale Jr on March 9th, it's obvious that whatever you thought about the NASCAR demo is wrong...dead wrong. Now git er done!

spb

Here's the the C-List Baby!!

Great read on blogging from The New Yorker that has been on, well, every goddamn blog there is to find. And even though I found it via an "A-list" site, I'm breaking my "C-list" mold and claiming it as my own.

I will say the discussion on power-law distribution is very interesting...

http://newyorkmetro.com/news/media/15967/index.html

Tough Clients? Read this...

Got this bit from Johnnie Moore's blog. Ross Dawson (www.rossdawsonblog.com) talks about the sophistication of professional services clients...which of course are the sophisticated consumers we're trying to buy the crap we market...

sb

MegaTrend One: Client Sophistication

What do you prefer? A sophisticated client, or an unsophisticated one? It’s an interesting issue to debate with professionals. Some say they like unsophisticated clients, because, as they usually express a little more euphemistically, they can take advantage of them (for a little while, anyway). Others prefer sophisticated clients, as they know what to expect, they know how to work effectively with professionals, the professionals can learn from their clients (as they must to keep ahead!), and usually the opportunities are far larger.

Irrespective of what professionals want, the reality is that professional services clients are becoming increasingly sophisticated. The rubes off the street that you can awe into silence and charge like a wounded bull without protest are rather thin on the ground these days.
The drive to greater client sophistication has in turn been created by other broad shifts in the business environment. The most powerful is the ever-increasing pressure on corporations to reduce costs. Whenever business conditions turn down, the edict goes out to cut expenses. In order to cut supplier costs, companies need to understand what they’re buying. In 1992 DuPont established its “DuPont Legal Model”, which consolidated its legal suppliers from 350 to 35, and established clear processes for how its law firms would work for the corporation. This program established a precedent that has been copied by many other companies, and is highly innovative in how aligns the objectives of the company and its service providers. However the initiative was initially driven by the then-chairman’s drive to cut $1 billion from DuPont’s costs.

Across every professional sector, clients have consistently been hiring the best professionals from their suppliers so they know how to deal with them. Consultants, lawyers, investment bankers, accountants, advertising creatives, and consulting engineers all find themselves across the table from their former peers, who know all the tricks of the trade. Specialist firms are frequently brought in to assist clients in getting the best from their professionals.

The downside of increasing client sophistication is that you can’t fleece your clients, and you can’t survive your whole career on what you learned in college. The upside is that sophisticated clients help you to develop your own capabilities, they understand what rewards they need to provide to get the best, and they know how to work with you so you can do your best. Investment bank ABN Amro runs a training program for its fund manager clients that gets them to play the roles of banker and fund manager in order to teach them trading techniques, how to use their high-value research, and even how to use ABN Amro’s proprietary trading models. The advantage for ABN Amro is that their clients understand better how their bankers work, and in turn what it takes to get great service from them.

Traveling!!!

Well, I haven't posted in some time because work keeps getting in the way.

I ventured down south for a NASCAR baptisim in Daytona. I have to say, I loved it. Nextel has done an increadible job making that venue, and thus the entire sport, very approachable for the novice.

I was also in Chicago...my favorite city in the US...for a couple days and hit a few of my old mainstays, including Club Lago on the corner of Orleans & Superior. If you're looking for some real Italian food, there is no better place than this family run corner joint owned by Guido & GianCarlo Nardini. If you pop in, tell them I sent you, and order the veal or eggplant parm (although the chicken piccante is my favorite).

There's a ton of cool stuff that's come across my desk and I hope to share it and give my thoughts on it as soon as I get a break...or at least an hour for lunch.

SB

Coachella Line-Up Annoucned!!!

With all this damn work I nearly forgot about the Coachella line-up being announced.

While I'm not uber-thirlled about headliners Depeche Mode & Tool, the undercard more than makes up for it. The best part of it all, as always, there are tons of bands in the line-up that I know NOTHING about...can't wait to check them out.

Some highlights from Saturday's line up:

Franz
Sigur Ros
My Morning Jacket
CYHSH
Animal Collective
Imogen Heap
Zutons
Living Things

Some hightlights from Sunday's line up:

Massive Attack (new!)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Bloc Party
PO
Sleater-Kinney
Ted Leo
Dungen

Check it all out, including how to get tix and camping passes at www.coachella.com (the site has come such a long way from three & four years ago!!!).

spb

The Cool Hunter

Here's an interview with Josh Rubin from CoolHunting (one of our favorites). Josh will be appearing at the Future Marketing Summit (www.futuremarketingsummit.com) presented by IF! (http://if.psfk.com) in New York City on February 23rd.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I get my inspiration from the details. I believe there are no new ideas, just great executions.

What is the biggest but most ignored trend you see?

If it's a trend then it's not being ignored, is it?

Are new wave trend spotters a competitive or complementary to the established trend firms?

Both. The traditional trending firms tend to have a longer term focus and less frequent deliverables to their clients—this works for many large corporations. For smaller or more nimble organizations, and those with rapid product development, the 'new wave' is more valuable. Consumer demand is changing more frequently these days, making it harder to keep up using traditional methods which means there will be more competition (or collaboration) between models in the near future.

You've just started to produce video content What sort of content are you covering? Should all online publications move into video?

We launched video for two reasons: 1. the technology is just getting to a point where people can easily consume video content distributed through untraditional conduits. 2. there are lots of things we cover on CH that are better served by audio and video over words and pictures. And that's the first requirement for what we will do a video on. The second requirement, just like the site, is wide open—it simply has to capture our interest. The videos are 1 - 3 minutes because that's what we think is the optimal length for mobile, and even web-based, viewing.

Next week we’ll feature an interview with David Carson, CEO of Heavy.com who will also be appearing at the FMS later this month.

Bacon Ringtones...it could happen!!

This from Chris Jobst...the king "web dude" at my shop. Pretty sweet...

Here's a company that has not only created software for you to create your own Ringtones out of MP3's, Wav's, etc. but, they have also created an online store so you can host and sell your ringtones.

This is a great solution for future clients who want us to create and offer ring tones to consumers. We could create the ringtone here and then create an online store that would allow the consumer to call a number and download the tone to the phone. This will eliminate us having to build all the expensive telephone network stuff to offer ringtones to cell phones.

The Ringtone hosting plans run from Free to $49.99 with revenue sharing!

Check it out.
http://www.xingtone.com/

Blog Bitch-fest

Yesterday the United States celebrated the first great Holiday of the year...the Super Bowl. And, as has been the case for many years, there is more buzz about the commercials than the game itself.

But as I surfed between Web sites, emails and blogs, I noticed something that I found rather surprising...the large amount of bitching, whining and general discontent streaming out of the blogsphere.

We ALL know that the days of throwing a :30 or :60 ad on one of the big three networks and watching it work are long gone...but what amazes me is how many people don't understand that the Super Bowl is an anomaly.

Advertising on the Super Bowl isn't about branding, or loyalty, or engagement...like the game itself, it's about sheer entertainment. Aligning with the Super Bowl is like sponsoring Christmas...It's simply brands piggy-backing on a great time being had by EVERYONE IN THE WORLD.

Sure, there were probably a few malcontents blogging, bitching, and pouting about the commercialization of the big game, how big companies "just don't get it" and how the new consumer wants a voice in the marketing conversation, blah blah blah blah. Not on Super Sunday.

This is a day when the everyday joe...the men and women who work their asses of during the week, want to kick back and just be entertained. We spend our lives respsonding to emails, returning calls on our cell phones and shooting pins and ins to friends, family, clients and co-workers...but for these four to five hours, it's nothing but simple entertainment.

And please don't spout about how Madison Ave doesn't understand how to use the Internet. Madison Ave doesn't have to use the Internet because everyone else does. The sheer size of the event makes EVERY ad viral...I've received 57 separate emails today with links to sites running all the Super Bowl ads and even links to sites running ads that didn't make the cut. Do you know how many of these sites were paid for by the advertisers or made by marketers? One. That's viral marketing at its best.

So while all you self-proclaimed 'new marketers' out there don your favorite black turtlenecks and moan about big agencies over your lattes, I'm going to sit back and do what I did yesterday...be entertained.

Cheers.

Bud TV

The concept of brands providing content directly to consumers is nothing new…if you’ve been paying attention to the marketing world for the past year or two.

Anheuser-Busch has decided to throw their hat in the ring and they’re either going to change the way marketers and sponsors do things…or they’re going to fail miserably.

A-B is in a unique position amongst brands going direct to consumer. Their buying power in the Sports and Entertainment world could result in concerts, games and events being aired…or broadcast…or whatever it will be called…exclusively on Bud TV. That is HUGE. Either they’ll be the HBO of brands…flipping an industry on its ear…or they’ll be conservative and ruin a once-in-an-existence chance to be innovative.

This from Adrants.com:
Anheuser-Busch will use its Super Bowl commercial time to launch a direct-to-consumer network called "The Bud Screen." The network will offer all manner of programming, branded content and advertising delivered to the desktop or an iPod. The brewer intends the network to be long-lived and to eventually be named "Bud TV." We've said it before and we'll say it again, the middleman - the networks - just aren't needed any longer. When a brand or program producer can deliver content directly to the consumer, there's no need for the current TV network set up. Oh sure, big changes are years away but it's happening and it will continue to happen faster and faster as more brands and content producers realize they can have their own channel of distribution.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=39353&Nid=18157&p=117792