talk

A picture can say a thousand words….! Needless to say, I LOVE THIS CAMPAIGN, and I don’t even smoke.  Mario Testino, thank God we have you out there. V Magazine, you get what i love. I’m buying whatever your selling…!

At a time when pockets are tight, the general alarm regarding economic decline has given rise to a number of concerns for new-age marketers. A slight edge, a propitious insight, can now make the difference between bankruptcy and billions. This has marketers across the nation scrambling to develop new strategies in a evolving media-scape that they don’t quite understand how to best use, in an effort to gain even an inch.

What marks this economic downturn as unusual are its unique recipients. The Millennials. This generation of brethren, brothas, bros, is the crème of the crop, the best ones yet. Larger (in number) than the Baby Boomers, more well-connected than Oprah, and smarter than you imagined young people could ever be, the Millennials are almost too cool to be true. Born from the early 80’s  to the late 90’s they grew up between the 1990s and 2000s.

This generation of technology-bred, media-soaked, and information-thirsty youth is a class apart, saving wildlife, going ultra-green, and rescuing underprivileged orphans in their spare time. They have not known an era without computers, cell phones or CD’s. They are “the empowered generation” that take information for granted, and make more demands upon what companies can and should offer. Unlike their Gen X predecessors who invented the term “reality bites” Millennials are idealistic and truly believe they can make a difference. continue reading “The Millenials have arrived”

Ok, first let me give credit where credit is due: My 67 year old, conservative yet media savvy mother sent me this link.

It leads to a hub for disillusioned yet Americans in search for a new road map to follow.  Its main attraction is a well produced music video that puts its finger on the pulse of an American Population lost with within the tumult and turmoil that for better or for worse has turned our economy upside down. The premise that “I played by the rules and then the rules changed” is a valid one, if not the most empowering one. Perhaps in this new economy it’s not enough to simply play by the rules of the game, but we must also be prepared to see where the game is going and be prepared for changes. In a way, it’s a kind of therapeutic tool that builds community off of shared stories of personal sorrows. I think ultimately it will be an important part of our American history to chronic these stories of what the average American went through in the depression of 2009.
Its got a catchy tune as well.

http://www.bornagainamerican.org/

Experience leads to understanding.
Understanding leads to insights that can’t be learned in a seminar or from a book.
There is much talk these days about how the insight gained from ones colored life experience, adds to the understanding of a multicultural society.
I speak candidly of the discussion surrounding Judicial Nominee Sonya Sotomayor who enjoys a quick wit, a sharp mind and an honest tongue; all traits praised in Caribbean culture. It is ironic how her ethnicity not only influences her perception; it may be misleading how she is perceived, especially by those who do not understand her culture. The fact that she is so misunderstood gives credence to the argument that there is a large segment of the population that just “doesn’t get” multicultural.
The funny thing is that Sotomayor’s perfect English her credentials and her judges trappings leads this segment assume she should behave according to the protocol for women of their ethnic backgrounds, a stark contrast to the ones she grew up with. Aside from being female, Sotomayor might have little in common with a demure southern belle, or a housewife in the Hamptons.

One’s life experience for better or worse will always inform ones perception.
This only becomes a liability when one is not in touch with this fact, and assumes that everyone should share his point of view.
I think it’s noteworthy to be able to admit that our experience, ethnicity, religious upbringing, and our gender influence our perspective.  We do our best to look beyond that as necessary especially when trying to understand others, and leverage it when the time is right. Often enough this honest acknowledgement of our own colored lenses gives us extra motivation to get to know how others tick. It is this honest search that is to be valued in marketing as well as on the judicial bench. Taking no opinions for granted, making no assumptions, we are best armed to search for truth.

America’s Needle has Permanently Shifted.

We are not the United States of 15 years ago, and never has this been more apparent than in the election of our new president. Barack Hussien Obama represents everything that is different about our new America from the inside out. Younger than most of his predecessors , half black, half white, raised between Hawaii, Kansas and Indonesia - his complete profile could not be more different that those of Presidents past. His election and his cabinet nominees send a clear message for brand managers across the nation. Today’s mainstream market has fundamentally changed. It looks, thinks, and responds in a way that is completely new. This has been extremely hard for most traditional marketers to grapple with; and though it has led to much speculation, few have managed to plan and capitalize on this new American psychology. Those that have such as Obama, Nike, Apple, and others continue to reap enormous benefits.

It’s safe to say that the speed at which technology and media have been evolving have made us a more informed people with easy access to information in our language from around the world. The gadgets and widgets that keep us plugged in have made us avid yet selective (and  often critical) consumers of information. It has also made us a more empowered consumer, as platforms such as cnet, amazon, youtube, google groups, social networking sites and others allow us to complement or criticize brands and products as we see fit. With one click we can spread the word good or bad whether companies like it or not.

At the same time, immigration and globalization have changed our inner composition as a country and our exposure to other cultures abroad. With the entry of so many peoples from Latin America and Asia the apple pie of America has slowly evolved into more of an exotic fruit salad; richer in color and taste. As a people, Americans have a more global sense of self; what used to be patriotism to country alone has evolved into a loyalty to planet, and the world as a whole. This is what is causing the great leftward shift that has our conservative republican party flustered. Country First is not as relevant as People and Planet First.

continue reading “The Needle has Shifted”

As the economy doldrums set in and few Americans can afford the luxury of that new car, computer upgrade or even that new flat screen TV, it’s the little things that we will rely on to make us happy. It’s a special lunch at our favorite place, a latte indulgence that feels like a hug. It’s Pizza and a movie. It’s take out or a drive-through pick up.

Euripides said: “When a man’s stomach is full it makes no difference whether he is rich or poor.”

This may explain why, although most consumer spending is down, the NRA forecasts that snack and non-alcoholic beverage shops including McDonalds, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and Jamba Juice, are expected to post growth. And while most retailers are down, Walmart and Costco are posting growth. Surely this must have something to do with their reasonably priced grocery departments.
So, how can we up-sell this concept while ensuring consumers will continue to see value in the experience and in the time and energy saved by dining out?  Here are some simple truths that may go a long way to providing that “extra value’ customers are seeking.

Pamper your customers.
When times are tough and winter is coming on in more ways than one, we all have a basic need to be pampered and taken care of.  This is fulfilled when one dines out, no matter how simple the experience may be. Now would not be the time to skimp on quality of the product or cleanliness of the store. Details like courtesy, greeting your customers by name, overall atmospheric warmth and free samples can go a long way to making them feel welcomed.

Motivate your employees.
Delivering value in an economy where raw food costs are going up, and prices are not, is a tough prospect any way you look at it. Many restaurant and franchise owners are asking how to best build morale when they can’t give their staff a raise or worse, they have to ask them to take a cut. continue reading “Salty Satisfaction. It keeps us happy.”

I’ve always had a good gut. When I was 5, I thought it would be a wonderful idea for a chain restaurant that JUST served fries. When I was 13, I couldn’t understand why places like Walmart or Target didn’t have fashionable teen clothes. Why everything “cool” was super expensive. Why gum, couldn’t help whiten or clean teeth. Now all of that has changed and I see that, I wasn’t crazy, I was just ahead of my time. There are a couple of more ideas that I have that I would like to put on the table. The business development of such enterprises is a bit beyond my area of expertise, yet as I would truly love to see these ideas come to life, I’m sharing. After all I can’t do them all and I would love to see them happen. If you’re reading this and know how to make these ideas happen feel free to ring us up for ways we can help.

1st: PureFeet: A business model that combines holistic foot spa treatments with podiatry, with a podiatrist on site to take a look and prescribe treatments as needed. continue reading “Billion Dollar Ideas.”

The artists that are shaping our culture today can no longer be limited to the art gallery and the museum. Today’s artists are broadcasting their work all over the world on screens large and small. They are fluidly migrating back and forth from the art and commercial worlds. Brands like BMW, Adidas, Scion, Louis Vuitton have created clear points of view that they now own as movements. This comes as art has become mainstream and as consumers and the art establishment encourage mixing and matching. It’s fair to say that commercialism and new technologies have shaken up the art world. But this was not always so.

During most of the latter part of the twentieth century, figure art and craftmanship lost its perceived value as the art-buying elites took their acquisition cues from the prevalent mood among critics and artists such as Duchamp. “Traditional” artists, then, went into the more lucrative, less subjective worlds of commercial Art where an image needed to tell a clear story.

continue reading “Business Art is happening now”

Raul Higuera’s work is hauntingly beautiful, and definitely worth checking out. The self taught Colombian Fashion photographer presents images that are both dramatic and enchanting as they are fashionable.

check it out at: http://www.raulhiguera.com/

Parents often have an image in their heads about who might offer their kids drugs that has nothing to do with reality. The members of Generation Einstein, as children born after 1988 are being called, have a good grasp on perception management. You see it in the popular teen shows like Gossip Girls; you hear it in their references to what is, or what isn’t “off brand” for them.

This is making it harder for innocent parents to discern who is a menace to their family and who isn’t. This challenge taken to another level when you throw into the equation the fact that these parents are not American ex-hippies, well aware of the subject at hand, but 1st generation Latinos, more familiar with kidnappings & violence than they are of the slow burning social ills that plague our urban centers. They face an uphill battle of cultural differences as their children adopt the language and customs of American kids, which they often have trouble understanding.

Many such parents prefer to defer such important, but often awkward, conversations to another family member or to the school system without realizing that such procrastination facilitates the opportunity for others to make that first introduction to Mary Jane. Parents also have trouble with the idea that kids as young as 11 or 12 are already getting exposed to pot.

These latest ads were developed with Latino parents in mind to bring precisely these ideas to life. The pictures are sweet and cynical meant to drive a point home. They are meant to be provocative to get kids and parents talking about the subject. The idea is that if we give parents and kids a reason to start talking about the subject, we’ve accomplished half the battle.