A Small (but serious) Request

First off, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and any other holiday season occurring now that you may choose to celebrate!  My final final is tonight and I could not be happier!  I know it's been awhile since I've updated, but I feel required to write this blog at the core of my existence.

As you know, this blog is 90% about my thoughts on media and 10% about me (if even).  However, in the last few weeks I have had some really wonderful and really awful things occur to me (to be updated in a future post).   I have seen a lot of death as the holidays have approached.  It is nothing short of painful to witness people you care about pass away or endure a loss in their life.  You are helpless.  The only comforts to offer are to be there for them, listen, and encourage them to take life day by day.  Unfortunately, we cannot take some of the burden on their behalf.

Life is short.  I hate to say I am speaking from experience, but I am.  Twice in my life I have been about to talk with or make plans with my friend, and then they were suddenly no longer among the living.  Devastated is putting my feelings mildly.  From these lessons I have learned to always tell those in my life how I feel about them.  I have also realized not to sweat the small stuff. It is just STUFF.

I made a decision earlier this week that as my 29th birthday approaches (tomorrow) I am going to start living my life a little differently.  I am going to throw caution to the wind and listen to my heart rather than my head.  As a pragmatic person, this was a scary thing to do.  But if I'm given ONE life am I really living if I'm living in a world of fearful, rational explanations? I'm not. I've done it for 28 years, and for 29 it is time to try something different.

Therefore, I implore you to tell those that you love and care for that you love and care for them.   I'll go first:

 

 

Some of my Favorites on a memorable night

To all my friends old and new I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Da Mayer

As your music-loving media maven I feel it is my duty to introduce you to some of my wonderful musician friends.  Oddly, the two I plan to feature first are friends in the same hip hop crew.  I believe in these men and their music, and I think you could too.


First up: Mayer Hawthorne

Me, Karla, Mayer

I have to say I am sort of a music snob.  If you discuss music with me, than you discover my general disdain for today's R & B genre.  To say I think it is terrible (with the exception of Neo-Soul) is an understatement.  The quality of the material within the songs and the lyrics has decreased exponentially, and the artists themselves cannot sing.  When people ask me why I feel this way I explain that I grew up listening to my parents music: Motown, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder etc.   I wish that quality of music would revive itself.  Generally those that disagree with my stance on today's R & B concede that the music of our parents generation is unquestionably better.  Fortunately, there are now a group of artists that have focused on soul, and one of them happens to be Karla's (my sister) close friend!

Yesterday Drew was in the New York Times, and needless to say we were beside ourselves with excitement.  If you are  unfamiliar with Mayer Hawtorne here is a taste of loveliness that your ears have been begging for.  Maybe So Maybe No,  is my favorite song.  The video is pretty sweet and I have to give Henry DiMaio some major credit for standing out above the pack:

North Coast Music Festival 9/5/10

You know when you listen to a CD that you love over and over, and finally see the band live and it is beyond disappointing? I hate that!  It leads one to feel they have been tricked by the sound engineer.  Well, I am happy to say you will NOT have this problem when you see Mayer Hawthorne.  Seriously.  I can say this with authority, because I have had the opportunity to see Mayer Hawthorne live three times within the last six months.  I have also seen them in a variety of venues: in a large theater with awful acoustics, at the North Coast Music Festival, and in an intimate club setting.  They rocked it every time, and I was never disappointed.  Quite the opposite, in fact.  Each time their show has gotten better and better.  The show is a fusion of hip hop, classic soul, and a little funk.  It is also a fun dance party guaranteed to have you leave with a smile on your face.

 One of my favorite aspects of the show is the eclectic crowd.  In a city as segregated as Chicago it is rare to see the races, ages, hipsters, hip hop heads interact.  Mayer Hawthorne is one of the rare catlysts that bring these groups together-that in itself should explain the magic of these performances.  

Finally, I would like to add Strange Arrangement is one of those CD's that you can listen to straight through on repeat.  Yes, it is in the ranks of "Nevermind" "College Dropout" "Rage Against the Machine" "Off the Wall" "Reasonable Doubt" "Are You Experienced?" and "Midnight Marauders." I'm sure you're thinking "Yeah, right you're just saying that because you know the dude."  To that I say: if you remotely like or love any of the aforementioned albums I implore you to check out Strange Arrangement.  It would behoove you to give it a try.  Trust me your ears and soul will dance.

November 17, 2010-NUD

Anton and I (Mid-Dougie?)

I hope everyone had a great Halloween. I did. I was a pirate--YYYAARGGHH MATEY!!!!  Truthfully, I was a pirate because I received an eye-patch during Michigan Homecoming.  Long story.  I already had the clothes so I decided to have a comfy, cheap, and fun Halloween. The evidence of said fun:

 Just thought I'd share that little nugget, because I LOVE Halloween.

Now it is time to discuss the point of this post.  I truly believe we need to get the word out about NUD as quickly as possible.

I am quite sure you are pondering, "what is NUD and why haven't I heard of it?" NUD was invented by Jimmy Kimmel. It is National Unfriend Day (November 17, 2010).  He explains his rationale below:

Frankly, I think Jimmy is onto something.  I know that social media has integrated itself into our 2010 way of life, but I think that as first generation users we need to be critical of  our usage.  Our number one concern should be the rationale of inviting all these "friends" into our personal lives.  Now, I have been on Facebook since 2004. I was on there when one needed a .edu domain to register, and they were building the network up slowly school by school.  Back then it was exciting to see the daily announcement of schools that were finally granted access to the medium (especially if you had a gaggle of close friends who attended said school).  When they opened Facebook up to the world things started to go crazy.

All of a sudden family members I had no idea who they were wanted to be friends and join Family groups.   This is not to say that I don't love my extended family (I love you guys!), but seriously if I can't pick you out on the street what is really the point?  So you can check my status and feel like you know me if/when we finally meet??  (If I haven't met you at 28...I am going to assume the chances are slim). Or perhaps you want to check my pictures and see what a day in the life of Gloria is like? I don't get it. 

Another use I do not understand is inviting work and/or industry people into your personal space.  I understand that social media can be used as a networking tool, but honestly I am not trying to have you "know me intimately" for us to network.  Would you really hire someone that you knew went out faithfully every Thursday night for Thirsty Thursday? Or what about if they received the School Night Badge on Foursquare and it showed up in their wall posts?  No, you would not take them seriously. Especially after you saw their weekly video and photos from said outings. **Disclaimer: I am just using this as an example, and am by no means describing myself. Hello potential employers!!**

While I am on the subject of appropriate vs. inappropriate friendships, why is it that when I meet a man (in the romantical way) the first thing he wants to do is friend me on Facebook? Maybe I'm a Facebook prude, but I only "friend" people I know.  That means I've known you longer than a conversation, a drink, a meal, even a few dates.  It does not grant you full access to stalk my personal life.  You are denied the right to see my pictures of adventures with my friends, where I am at the moment (I love my Foursquare), how I'm feeling, and who we have in common (so that you can pump them about information on me).  When I explain this to men, they seem taken aback. Maybe this is because I am not the norm, or maybe it is because I do not reciprocate said interest in them.  Either way, if I get to know you in a romantic way I would like to leave the social media aspect out of it as much as I can.  Let me get to know the real you, not the online you.  I believe technology has made people lazy in all aspects of their relationships.  It is time to take the power back!

The aforementioned laziness, stalking, and clogging of my news feed are a few reasons why I think National Unfriend Day is great.  Not everyone you meet needs to be your "friend." Cut the fluff!! It won't kill you-it'll probably make you stronger! 

I have a high school classmate who will be getting the axe on National Unfriend Day.  I thought said friend was a nice guy-we even had our lockers near each other and he loved to sing G-L-O-R-I-A!!! Every period to me. (Yes it was that irritating, but it grew on me).  Now, he writes things that I believe are truly offensive and racist.  Hello sir, not everyone shares your political, social, and moral views; perhaps if you want to put said comments on the internet you should do it on a forum #ImJustSayin.  Have some discernment people. 

Lastly, I want to take the time out to say thank you to ALL the veterans and soldiers around the world.  Without your willingness to fight for the freedom s we take for granted I would not be able to express myself.  It is much appreciated. You are in my prayers.

Season Finale Alert-Project Runway

THE SEASON FINALE OF PROJECT RUNWAY!!!! Can you feel the joy?!
 
After a a season of intense challenges, break you down into tears judge commentary (Michael Kors and Nina Garcia I'm talking to you--and LOVE you for it) , catty hate (Gretchen and Ivy...um why?!), and inspirational stories (Mondo revealing his HIV positive status and Michael C. making it to the final four without proper sewing/pattern design skills) one of my favorite shows end until spring.  It is bittersweet: I look forward to seeing who wins the wonderful prize (GO MONDO!!) and who packs up and goes home empty-handed-except for the name recognition they created. I also can't wait to have some of my DVR space back.   On the other I am sad to see my product placement show end

Yes, you read that correctly. I did call this my favorite product placement show.  Project Runway shamelessly flaunts products throughout every episode in its entirety.  Sadly (or ingeniusly) I can remember a large number of of the products they promote including: Michael Kors, Marie Claire, Garnier Fructis, Saturn, Brother Sewing Machines, Hilton Hotels, Mood Fabrics, Atlas Apartments, Parsons School of Design, L'Oreal, Bluefly.com, and even Cadillac.  The odd thing about this is that I do not mind the shameless promotion on PR.  I am not sure if this is because I expect it on shows featuring the arts such as Project Runway, America's Next Top Model and Top Chef.  Truthfully PR has converted my mother and I to Garnier users.  I think that in shows where someone or something is created and/or transformed I love watching the product at work in the hands of professionals.  I know that I can't create that smokey eye like you can, but I can at least try with the same exact tools you have! Maybe just maybe, it will work.  Now, what I do not want to see happen is all reality shows because venues for product placement. Keep it on cooking, fashion, and design shows. 

Throwing my support behind the creative genius!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month??!

That's a joke.  In all seriousness these Breast Cancer Awareness (going forward we will say BCA because it's too much to type) marketers have really impressed me. This years media blitz hit the ground running!! It's only October 4th, and unless you live under a rock you know it's BCAM.  You have seen at least ten ads, and perhaps even already donated to the cause.  Personally, I attended a fundraiser Saturday--yes on the second day of the month.  Ford had Neil Patrick Harris encouraging the world to Suit Up! And wear a BCA tie in a prime time commercial of  "How I Met Your Mother." During Sunday's games the NFL players/teams/coaches are all wearing pink either in the form of cleats, gloves, or on their team gear. Even the goal posts are wrapped in pink padding!  But it doesn't end there. 

This evening when I returned home from class I turned on the game in time to see Kelly Rowland singing "Survivor" and breast cancer survivors marching on the football field. Now, I don't want to sound like I don't care about breast cancer. I do. BUT this is almost ridiculous.  I understand that you want to put your cause on the largest platform available, but this doesn't go well with football.  First of all, it's not tradition to see star-studded halftime shows during Monday Night Football.  What was the point?  Wouldn't this be better suited for a format such as Project Runway?  Sidenote: I do believe they'll tie it into Project Runway just wait!! Likewise, where was the rest of Destiny's Child?

There is a such thing as overkill.   It seems whoever coordinated this campaign did not believe in it.  This is based solely on the amount of BCA paraphernalia invading our world.

My rating of the BCA program is three stars.  You have done well with alerting us of your cause. It has become second nature to associate breast cancer with October and pink ribbons.  Congrats.  Where you messed up is in drowning us in your media blitz.  If you lose us now all your efforts were in vain.  It is only October 4th.  We have 27 days remaining in the month.  Let us breathe!

Update: Had some technical difficulties with this post. Better late than never!

Current Obsessions

TV: How I Met Your Mother.  It's a hilarious show.  If you haven't already;  check it out.  The cast is fantastic and I cannot get enough of Barney (Neil Patrick Harris).  His portrayal of a sex-crazed, suit wearing, bro code self is classic--or in his words LEGEN---wait for it  DARY!!

Sports:  Football.  I love you fantasy football. I love you Game Day.  I love you MNF.  I also enjoy the commercials featuring my favorite sport (more about those this week).  I know you signal the end of the summer but I love you regardless.

TV again: Welcome back prime time!!! I am so happy you have returned.  I feel badly that I have not had time to catch up with my DVR. But I might have to get another DVR just to keep up with all the loveliness that Thursday night has to offer.

Social Media: I have this amazing class Monday nights.  My professor challenges everything I have learned in school thus far.  

Fall: I hate the end of the summer but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fall.  This means we get to layer clothes and wear costumes soon.  Can't wait.  Living in Chicago we appreciate every warm day we have left.

My iPhone: No, I don't have the new one, but suddenly I have fallen in madly in love.  I truly don't understand how this happened.  I wonder if BlackBerry will exist in three years??  They need to come up with something and QUICK.  Having a touch screen isn't going to cut it.  I do like the new ad campaign that they're doing.  However I don't think BBM is a strong enough value proposition to lure people by the masses to BlackBerry.  They're on a slippery slope.

Running: I have recently gotten back into the hobby and it's starting to feel great.  I have started to get the feeling that I need a good run during the day.  Exciting stuff.

Apple advertising: I love that jingle they have for the iPad.  It's super catchy and very distinct.  Apple always does an A+ marketing job and they haven't let me down....Oh, and the product is pretty awesome too.

Let's make it a great week people!!!  Also, I really enjoy your comments and hope that you continue to leave them.  I want to interact with my friends. If you have any ideas on posts please feel free to email me. 

I (was) Loving it

I kind of feel bad for McDonald's.  They face what appears to be a constant stream of scrutiny of their products.  In an attempt to diffuse the negative press they have introduced healthy alternatives on their menu.  However, their critics will not be silenced.  Peep the lastest ad from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine called Consequences: 

 As a self-proclaimed cheeseburger addict the ad scared the quarterpounders out of me!!!  The creative team did an excellent job: choosing a corpse that looks like someone you could encounter on the street.  Seeing his wife's distress over her husbands death is appropriate for the scenario.  Then you see the kicker: a half-eaten cheeseburger clutched in his hand.  That  is when the message hits home.  We all know burgers are not the best food for us, but we still eat them.  We know that eating McDonald's is horrible, but the fast food industry makes millions of dollars each year.   We are a culture that consistently chooses our temporary personal desires over long-term effects.  This ad puts the consequences (ha! Great name for the ad!) of those actions into perspective.   Overall, I think the ad has the potential to have a great impact on consumers.  I know that I am grateful for it, and I will reconsider eating fast food the next time I have the urge.

BIG Bliss??

I am a bridal show junkie: Bridezillas, My Fair Wedding, Rich Bride Poor Bride, and my newest fave Say Yes to the Dress.   There's something magical about seeing two people who really love each other decide to it official.  So this morning when I saw that TLC has decided to make Say Yes to the Dress feature plus-size women I was excited.  The one thing I was not thrilled about was the name: Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss.

Big Bliss?! Are. You. Serious.  Why do you have to emphasize the season is featuring plus-size women? Is it too hard to keep the original name of the show and let the faithful audience pick up on the fact that the brides are plus-size?  The ultimate insult to injury is the fact that they are calling the brides big and then add bliss. Is that supposed to conjure up some image of a beautiful blissful big bride?  What's next Say Yes to the Dress: Indian Sari's, Say Yes to the Dress: Mazel Tov!, Say Yes to the Dress: Jumping the Broom!!  We already know our culture loves to put people into boxes and it affects us all in various ways.  It just kills me that on one of things we all seem to do regardless of our differences the show found yet another way to point out our (obvious) differences.

Do I think the show is a great idea? Yes. As a woman I love watching brides of all backgrounds and body-types find The Dress.  Just change the name. That is my BIG request.

I want my MTV?

 

This Sunday is MTV's annual Video Music Awards or VMAs as they're known. Growing up this was THE show to watch. This year is supposed to be big with acts such as Drake, Kanye West and (wait for it) Justin Bieber. Odd lineup, but we'll get to that later. Hosting the show is author and E! Television star Chelsea Handler?? MTV has been running ads featuring Drake for the last month or so to get its viewers hype about the show. The only problem, I suspect, is that the world kinda doesn't care.

Why would I make a statement such as that? For starters, the lineup is just odd.  It appears as if they're trying to truly capture a demographic that is just too diverse: 12-40, all races, ethnic backgrounds, urban and suburban. I mean, Chelsea Handler??!  Don't get me wrong I like her.  I find her funny, and while I haven't read her books, I want to.  But I'm a 28 year-old woman who can legally DRINK VODKA!!  She also hasn't struck me as the type who relates to girls under eighteen.  Maybe she can just as Carrie Broadshaw related to "women" everywhere (aka girls who were having sex). Let's not forget the other half of the audience is male.  Young males are so into asserting their masculinity that I am not sold on her captivating their attention. 

As far as JB is concerned I understand it's important that MTV supports and acknowledges its large moneymakers.   There is something about a tween sharing the billing with Kanye that just does not sit well with me.  It could be that I am a huge hip hop fan, and while I like pop Justin Timberlake would seem to be a better fit.  Or maybe it's that I just view Bieber as a child, and I don't take him seriously as an artist.  Who knows.  Let's be real: outside a money-making perspective it makes zero sense; bottom line this odd host/guest lineup screams desperation for MTV to me. 

This morning they revealed their final ploy to reel viewers in: a bonus episode of Jersey Shore RIGHT before the VMAs.  Wow.  To me that means the VMA's are no longer capable of pulling the viewership they once had.  I remember back in the day EVERYONE watched the red carpet pre-show, the awards show, and the after show.  Now, you have to entice us with an extra dose of our favorite hard-partying guidos to try to get us to tune into your show?? I'm not sure if this is because MTV is in a strange position as the first generation grows up and shifts its focus on more stimulating material and no longer views the VMAs as necessary to view.  Personally,  I'll be recording Jersey Shore. Like many of my friends I will be tuned into HBO for the True Blood, Hung, and Entourage finales. 

I'm sorry MTV as much as I love MVP, Snooki, JWoww, Angelina, and the never-ending Sammi/Ronnie Drama there is NOTHING you can do to tear me away from my Sunday HBO.  Nothing.  And I think you know MANY others feel the same way which is why you used Jersey Shore as bait.  Not going to work.  Frankly as people who grew up watching MTV we know that you will re-run the show 50 times next week.  Perhaps I'll catch an encore.  Although, I may not.  After the premiere I will have a good idea of what occurred through Twitter, Facebook and the blogosphere to know if it's worth my time. Or, like many others, I may just youtube the performances worth seeing and scrap the rest. 

A Muslim PSA: My Faith My Voice

America was built on the notion of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  In this dream freedom for everyone is innate.  Our racially-charged history shows that dream has yet to be actualized.  In recent weeks it has come to the nation's attention that a mosque is scheduled to be erected near Ground Zero and open its doors on September 11, 2010.  New Yorkers are upset and those who lost family members are beyond furious at what they perceive as a slap in the face.  In response to the backlash the Muslim community launched this ad campaign:

I'm not going to debate the merits of New Yorkers and Americans alike who are angry with the Muslim community for the location of the mosque.  That is obvious.  I am also not going to defend why the Muslim community felt it was a good idea to build the mosque at that location.  That is also obvious.  I am here to discuss the ad.

I like the ad.  The use of many different races and ethnicities used to portray the religion was smart. In my experiences people are surprised when you do not fit into their box of what a _______ (fill in the blank) looks like.  They just cannot wrap their heads around it and search for an explanation.  As a young black female there are countless incidences where I have been rudely asked, "What ARE you??!"  Like I'm an alien or some endangered creature they have never seen.  It is beyond offensive.  When I explain to these peons that I am Black it blows their minds. They are usually taken aback, "but you don't look black!" (What exactly does that mean??) So they immediately follow up with, "..you must be mixed with something!"  I have learned to handle these comments with a flippant remark that dispells that notion and (hopefully) their ideal that there is only one type of Blackness in this country.   I am happy that the My Faith My Voice commercial does the same thing.

The ad shows the world that not Muslims are not all Middle Eastern, African, or Indian.  They are also Black Americans, Hispanics and Caucasians.  They are deaf, women, and even children. 

My Faith My Voice shows us that the Muslim religion is not something to fear.  They are no different than any other religion that has fanatics. Do not let the fanatics speak for everyone.  It isn't fair. 

I wish a campaign like this had been run after the 9/11 bombings and even during our last presidential election.  Perhaps if we had not had nine years to let the fear and hatred of the Muslim religion fester, our country would be a little more open-minded to the religion.  I hope the campaign is received with open arms and that we can all try to move past our differences.  We are all just people.

Happy Friday

I wanted to give you all a nugget before the end of the day and had a great post about game shows, that Blogger (I WILL NOT get angry with my host site) decided not to save the final edit.  Therefore, I will leave you with another Zappos.com post and (hopefully) a belly-aching laugh!

I'm not sure if you've seen their commercials featuring puppets reenacting actual calls to the company.  They're hilarious and are surely inspired by one of my favorite college shows Crank Yankers on Comedy Central.
 



Thank you Zappos.com, from those of us who loved Adam Carolla and company, it brings us to a place of nostalgia and happiness.  It also makes us look forward to your commercials and that's the truth!  I'm sorry that there's no video, but this is one of my absolute favorite calls. **Use your headphones--slightly NSFW language**







P.S. This Saturday (lol) I will be attending the Big Ten Bar Crawl in Chicago and I MUST say GO BLUE!!!!!

The Obligatory Tiger Woods Post

The entire world knows (perhaps too much) what occurred between Tiger and Elin during their marriage.  Their union ended this week, and both can focus on moving forward with their lives.  One aspect of the dissolution of their marriage that intrigues me is Tiger and his role as a future spokesperson.  Now that he is divorced and no longer committing adultery I am curious to see if he can resume his job of brand ambassador.

Tiger has had a rough year personally and professionally.  His family endured a  struggle that most would hate to go through in their private lives, while in the midst of the public eye.  To top it off, after losing key endorsements he has performed rather poorly (for him) at his career.  His less than stellar performances on the golf course are not surprising.  Some might proclaim this is karma and/or his head isn't in the right place causing him to suffer in all aspects of his life.   While those explanations are possible I think there could be something else going on behind the scenes. 

Is it wrong to consider that maybe Tiger is playing us? He can take out all his frustrations in the arena where he excels.  His plan could be to keep a small presence in the PGA while he gets his life together.  What if while he is resolving his issues through golf he becomes better than ever??

I predict that next year Tiger will return to the beast we know and expect on the course.  I believe he will be better than he was before.   And when this occurs the endorsements WILL FOLLOW.

But Mad Media Maven who would want to endorse an adulterous divorced ex-sex maniac??

Excellent question-I'm glad you're paying attention!!  The answer is simple:  AMERICA!! 

The United States loves a good underdog story.  Even though Tiger was wrong, he apologized (with tears) and has  corrected his mistakes: completion of rehab, a private divorce, and most importantly-keeping a low profile.  Now, after losing things that he valued (beautiful wife, family unit, longtime coach) he could be perceived as an underdog.   Our society is built on tales of hard-earned triumpiant victories.  Tiger overcoming his strife and succeeding on the course will shut up critics and bring viewers back to golf.  

In a nutshell: if it worked for Kobe Bryant it can work for Tiger Woods.

Zappos.com is on to Something...

As I've mentioned I recently came back from visiting my parents in Alabama, and we flew in and out of Midway International Airport.  I would like to paint the picture of how I felt on this day, and why I'm impressed with Zappos.com.  It was very hot and humid-so much so that I didn't feel a major difference when we arrived in Atlanta.  I wear jeans and sneakers when I fly because I freeze on planes and I am not walking through security barefoot.  I also had Rex my Rat-Cha traveling with me.  Traveling with Rex is always stressful, because he hates his carrier and I hate cooping him up in such a small space for long periods of time.

Once we arrive at the airport I take him potty one last time before we go inside. I have to put him in the carrier to check bags and get seat assignments.  To go through security I have to do the standard things everyone does: take my laptop out of its case, remove my shoes and other items to place into the security bins.  I then have to take Rex back out his carrier,  remove his collar, leash etc., to walk through the metal detector with him in my arms.  Afterward I have to put EVERYTHING back into it's original case; all while trying not to lose my dog and anger the people behind me for taking up too much time at the end of the conveyor belt.  It stinks.

Now, I bet you want to know why I set up that horrendous scenario.  It's because in the midst of this chaos and misery I noticed that Zappos.com has set their ads in unique places where every traveler will notice them: in the security bins!  I. Was. Floored.   Every traveler must use those bins for to go through security!  Even if it's just to take their keys and cell phone out of their pocket, the bin is a necessity.  Not to mention that Midway is an International airport in one of the world's largest cities.  If that isn't enough to make your eyes pop consider this nugget of information: In 2009 there were a little over 17 million travelers passing through Midway!!

So, let's dig a little deeper into the why the placement of these ads is superb and unique. First off, they have clearly defined their target. Zappos.com wants a repeat customer with disposable income.  Most leisure and business travelers meet that requirement. Secondly,  the ads are cute and relative to the distinct situations one finds themselves in when they travel-taking off their shoes to walk through a metal detector.  Lastly, (and this is my absolute favorite part)the genius lies beyond just the ads themselves, but in the physical location of the ads.  Think about it.  What does TSA encourage all travelers to do?  Arrive at least two hours prior to your flight.  Why? To ensure you get through the increasingly stringent airport security.  This, coupled with the increase of travelers refusing to pay the extra fees to check their bags, equals more carry on luggage.  As a result more persons are required to use extra bins to go through security.  Then, after passing inspection,  the travelers have at least an hour to wait at the gate.  In this hour they may decide to hop on the free Wi-Fi and browse Zappos.com.  It is impossible to think this is just a creative ad campaign.  The thought and execution are perfect.  Remember,  the bins caught the eye of this distressed and harried traveler.

Another Old Spice W(in)

Finally back in Chicago!!   Kanye was right when he described Summer Time Chi--it truly is The Good Life. In other news, I have some solid options that could flourish into major career changes.  I'm pretty excited and cannot wait to see how everything pans out!!! I will be sure to keep you posted as I navigate the transition into my next stage of life.

Now that I have finished updating you on my world, I would like to officially congratulate my crush Isaiah Mustafa-The Old Spice Guy.  Last night Old Spice Body Wash received a Creative Arts Emmy for Best Commercial- "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like."  Is it a surprise that the Old Spice guy received this award? Not at all.  There has never been a campaign that combined social and traditional media in real time, found a voice (literally and figuratively) that millions could identify with, and produced a new pop culture phenomenon. 

Here's another look at the award-winning spot, (and Isiah)that started their groundbreaking campaign:

I Love You NFL

The NFL Ticketexchange ad shown during tonight's pre-season game between the Baltimore Ravens and Carolina Panthers was fantastic.  I was wondering, "how will Ticketmaster feel about this loss of revenue?"  Well, for those who also thought the same thing they won't!  The NFL Ticketexchange site is powered by Ticketmaster. Regardless, I see a huge success in the near future!

Another great spot was their "we're all winners now" (because the season hasn't started) commercial. The piece showed individuals running through their homes with various team flags in preparation for Game Day.  It got me cheering and I felt a surge of excitement (that only football can cause) when I saw THE CHICAGO BEARS FLAG on the screen.

As a female football fan the NFL and ESPN never cease to amaze me with how well they understand their target.  Their humor is on point, and they pump you up to watch the game. BRAVO!

Try Again Orbitz

Recently I witnessed a blatant knockoff TV commercial attempt brought to you by Orbitz.  They have created a character who can only be described as an indistinct, older, white man, dressed in a suit walking through the streets "predicting" collisions and interactions of people and objects on the street all while never losing eye contact with the camera.  Sound intriguing? It isn't.  It smells like lazy unoriginal creative, and you can do better.

One of my pet peeves is when someone attempts to replicate the success of another.  We have all seen and enjoyed the Old Spice Guy commercials starring Isaiah Mustafa.  Did you think we wouldn't notice that you created the polar opposite?  Mustafa is a handsome young,  shirtless, black man, with a voice that commands your attention. (I admit I have a crush!!)  The commercials are engaging and hilarious.  In order to  comprehend the humor in the ads one must actually listen and digest  what Mustafa  is saying!  Genius.  Make the client want to pay attention to the ad.  When Old Spice included the social media aspect in the campaign it became an unprecedented viral success-their sales have increased 107% last month!

So, Orbitz...that does not mean America wants a faux Old Spice Guy.  We are content with the one we have.  Tell  your creatives to hit the drawing board and try again.

Pilot Post!

Welcome!! I am so excited to begin this journey.  I hope you'll enjoy the ride (and invite 100 of your closest friends).

Movingrightalong.

Currently I'm in Alabama visiting my parents with my brother and sister before we all head back to school and the inspiration for this blog came on:. the commercial inciting (I use this word loosely) consumers to buy the Samsung Galaxy.  The premise is  buy the phone it's great blah blah blah, but the main point of interest. Get Ready.  Avatar the movie is already downloaded on the phone.  Yes, you read it right. Avatar. The 150 minute movie.  Really?! You think this feature is distinct enough to sway consumers to purchase your phone?  Think again.

My question is who  are you marketing to?  All campaigns have a target.  However, I believe they are simply marketing to everyone.  Avatar  is (currently) the highest grossing film of all time, so EVERYONE must want to have it pre-loaded onto their cell phone to watch at their convenience.  Oh yes, a 150 minute movie to drain my battery so that the only thing I can do with my phone is watch the movie, is a great idea.  FANTASTIC!  While I do not know the specs on the Galaxy,  I doubt it contains the storage capacity of say a Droid or an iPhone.  

Let's take the dissection further.  Do people even want to watch movies on their phone?  I understand that for those who travel often it's a perk, but those people may want to watch something else occasionally.  (If they're watching anything at all, because those who travel often are usually doing work on the plane.) Can they delete Avatar and upload new media or is it embedded?  So, who exactly is the ideal target?

In my opinion children are the perfect audience for this feature. Children love to watch movies.  They never tire of watching the same movies over and over.  Therefore my suggestion is this: market a cell phone type apparatus to children with this feature.  My friends who are mothers say their kids love to emulate their mothers by talking on the phone.  Why not design a product for children that looks like a cell phone and contains a feature where they can download their favorite shows and movies?  Just an idea.

All in all, Samsung did not do proper R & D ,and this product should never have come to fruition.

This is your Media Maven signing off.