Media Ramblings
Rambling About the Media and Using the Media to RambleVegas Skydive
This is a case of using the media to ramble instead of rambling about the media. I just had to put the video of my first skydive experience up for all to see. It was really cool, thanks to my brother for footing the bill. It was a birthday gift.
Check it out:
Okay so I feel a little guilty about not referencing some media angle on this post so I will say that Vegas Extreme Skydiving (VES) is doing themselves a great service by offering the DVD’s to people. Not only do they make sure to start the video with a good few seconds focused on their contact information but when I uploaded mine to YouTube I noticed a bunch of others from VES as well.
If you search for skydiving on YouTube you are bound to come across a few from VES and possibly be influenced to do your jump there. I think they should even offer to upload your video to YouTube for you. I’m sure some less computer savvy people would love to be able to embed their video on a blog or email a link to a friend without all the hassle of doing it themselves.
That way friends and family could see your jump immediately after your done instead of waiting for you to come around with your DVD.
“Free YouTube upload with purchase of DVD!!”
Makes sense to me.
What do you think?
A Little Too Proud
You know how when someone talks too much about being something it is usually an attempt to cover up being something else entirely?
Welcome to the new Budweiser campaign, “The Great American Lager.”
As everyone knows Budweiser has been sold to a Belgium company for billions of dollars and is now officially a foreign owned company, but now Budweiser is attempting to downplay that fact by stressing how AMERICAN they are in their current crop of commercials.
I have no problem with companies being owned by foreign companies but I do find it funny how our individual tendencies crossover into huge marketing campaigns. Companies truly do have personalities and right now Budweiser is obviously making up for something.
If this doesn’t work they can always stick an American lapel pin on each can right?
New Theme, Same Chances
Football season is here and I am already feeling intrigued with the different story lines of each team.
Will Favre sink or swim in New York after making such a big fuss? Will Aaron Rodgers prove he is ready to replace him in Green Bay? Will LT and the Chargers finally get it together and keep it together? Maybe the Dolphins will win more than one game with Tuna sitting behind the desk. Can Adrian Peterson keep up the pace or will he fall flat? Who will make it to the big game? Romo and the Cowboys? The “beaten unbeatable” Pats? Eli or Peyton?
Ahhhhh I love it.
My favorite team will probably not make it to the Superbowl but hey, they have a cool new marketing campaign!
That’s right, Da Bears will unveil a new promotional theme during their game against Seattle on Saturday night and launch it in full on the 18th.
No it’s not a bunch of portly, brat-lovin’ guys cheering on their team between strokes and pitchers of beer.
It’s called, “One City, One Team” and besides general brand reinforcement the campaign will strengthen the unique bond between the fans and the team by utilizing actual fans in the ads instead of models and actors.
Since I can’t get too excited over the Bears chances this season (why is Grossman still there?) I will instead choose to look forward to a bunch of new and exciting posters and the occasional Hester return for a touchdown.
Actually I appreciate a good brand refresher and I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of the ads/banners and how they are launched and maintained.
Now if only they would put as much effort into improving the team as they have their advertising, then we would be somewhere. Eh who knows, maybe this will lead to a shot at the Superbowl this season.
Weirder things have happened right?
Okay not really but still…
Advertising agency Two by Four led the creative process for this initiative.
Media in 2020 Q/A: Cara Carriveau
In the coming days you will hopefully see more posts like this one. I recently sent out a questionnaire to various people I find to be interesting, intelligent and curious about media.
These questions were regarding the future of media in the year 2020. As the answers come in they will be posted here so whenvever you see a blog title “Media in 2020 Q/A” that is what it’s all about.
If you would like to participate shoot me an email and I will be in touch.
Here is the first one. Thanks Cara!
Cara Carriveau is a multi-media talent. Besides being the midday host on 101.9 fm The MIX in Chicago (one of my old stations), Cara hosts two podcasts, provides blog content to a local TV station, interviews artists for “The Chicago Music Guide” and does various voiceovers such as the voice at Rosemont Theatre that welcomes you inside!
Q: Do you feel that the way media is experienced by consumers will be totally unrecognizable in 2020 or do we just like to think the future holds secret advances that may or may not come about? In other words, do you think there will be any real changes in media consumption in the next 11 years or just variations on a theme already utilized? Will something jump out to us that we aren’t even thinking about yet?
A: A big change will be internet accessibility in moving vehicles. Automobiles and all forms of mass transit will have it. Advertisers will sponsor broadcasts on commuter trains, boats & planes and have a captive audience. I can’t imagine people still going to stores like Blockbuster to rent movies. It will all be digitally downloadable, even more convenient and affordable than it is today. I’m sure there will be something new and incredible developed that I can’t even imagine. Cell phones will surely be even more common and able to perform a wider variety of functions.
Q: What does the newspaper of 2020 look like?
A: There will be no such term as “newspaper” by then. Because of the internet and environmental concerns newspapers will have gone the same way as the “8-track”. I imagine by 2020 there will be light & affordable portable devices that most people will have with them on trains, etc, to read instead of an ink & paper newspaper. I also imagine wifi access will widely accessible and free (likely paid by advertisers who will somehow get their logo and/or recorded message on everyone’s PDAs).
Q: Will media be accessible in more places than today? If so, where and how?
A: Yes! The internet will be standard in automobiles and all forms of mass transit. It will also be standard in cell phones and common in several rooms of everyone’s home. Café’s and other business will likely offer free wifi to keep customers, who will be accustomed to 24/7 internet access, happy.
Q: In what ways will the Internet have changed in 2020? Are laptops necessary? Is WiFi an old technology? What replaced it?
A: If I knew the answer then I’d develop the new technology myself & rake in the $! I do think laptops will be necessary.
Q: Can you imagine any new departments created at PR/Advertising/Marketing firms due to the changes in media delivery and consumption in the year 2020? If so, what?
A: If the internet is standard in all forms of transportation then there’s a whole new era of advertising and PR. Especially in cars, where folks can’t necessarily look at an ad but they can hear…and even smell…it. Maybe there’s a way for ads to become more interactive and more specifically hit a certain target. For example: Macy’s buys ad time on a commuter train and I am exposed to an ad for womens clothes while the man behind me is exposed to an ad for mens cologne.
Q: Finally, if you could have one thing come about in the year 2020, media or otherwise, what would it be?
A: I’d like to see more advertiser-sponsorships enabling free access/enjoyment by the consumer. Folks are sick of being nickeled & dimed to pay for wifi and internet access only to be besieged with all kinds of advertising (in emails, on blogs & websites, etc).
Gettin It On 4 Ya
I produced this video over the last couple days for an Edelman Studios project meant to emphasize the BK Late Night concept. There are several different projects available on the site but this one hit home for me.
Late Night hunger? You’re talking to the guy who constantly battles that beast.
As a night jock I am hungry at weird times and that long, dark ride home can be even longer and darker with a grumbling, mumbling stomach. A BK that is open late can satisfy the craving instantly.
So the concept is basically that a night DJ is granting requests all night long while searching for a cure for his hunger unsuccessfully. On the ride home he finally gets his request granted by a BK that is working later than him. I believe it shows the “BK Late-Night” concept in a creative and unique way that will relate well to the late-night fast food audience.
It’s obviously longer than a typical TV commercial but whatever, call it a webisode.
Take a look and let me know what you think!
Show Your Stuff
In a recent email conversation with Brooke Murphy, who works at Edelman in New York, I was made aware of a very cool site that is giving EVERYONE the chance to contribute their ideas to real PR campaigns.
Edelman Studios is where you can sign up and submit your original ideas to be considered for actual production. Companies like Burger King, Expedia, Butterball and Philadelphia Cream Cheese have projects listed on the site and you are encouraged to come up with an idea to fulfill the premise. You can simply write up a pitch for your idea and submit it right there on the site and even support it with video, storyboards, word documents and more.
Sometimes the line between advertising and public relations can get blurry. I always try and remember the saying, “Advertising you pay for and PR you pray for.” If nothing else remembering that makes it very clear I have never been in advertising.
I have already submitted one idea for Butterball’s project and have another idea in the works for BK. However with this next idea I am going to try and get some video together to support it. I think it’s a winner and if it is I may be flown into New York to pitch it myself and even make a couple grand in the process.
I know the odds of actually winning something like this are pretty far fetched but it isn’t so much about winning as having the opportunity to work on a real project for a real company and have your idea be evaluated. I think it’s great.
Edelman Studios also has a Facebook group so check that out as well for some more information.
I’ll let you know if I hear anything, wish me luck!
Studio Tour Vlog
I purchased a new Canon Digital Camera this weekend and put together this vlog (video blog) today. How cool is it that people like me can create videos like this and put them up for all to see?
It’s things like this that give me that moment of pause. That real excitement about the new media and all of the possibilities it provides to the world of communications.
Anybody can express any point of view in any way they please to the same huge audience.
You don’t need permission, just the desire to put it out there.
I love that.
Without further adieu, here is a little tour of the radio station I work at:
Can You Curl Up With a Kindle?
Okay so I’m not going to go thru all of the pros and cons of the Kindle reader being offered by Amazon.com because you’ve probably already heard them all but I wanted to ask you a couple of simple questions.
Would you rather read a real book or a Kindle? Will you purchase a Kindle?
I get the idea of the Kindle. Obviously someone decided to make the iPod for books in hopes that it would be just as successful, but will it?
Honestly, I don’t know.
Initially I have a negative reaction, partly because the constant transformation of everything physical to digital makes me feel like I am in a Sci-Fi novel where people are constantly becoming less human and more machine. On some level the Kindle makes me want to take up arms against “the machines!!!”
Also, being raised by a mother who is a teacher and staunch proponent of reading books, I feel like “real books” are a part of who I am and to lose them is somehow losing a part of myself.
I know, I need therapy.
On the other hand it really does seem sort of cool. It definitely saves space and you can download entire books wirelessly for a pretty cheap price. Just think of all the benefits the iPod has when it comes to purchasing and transporting your music library and that is what the Kindle does with your books. No need to list all of the positives one by one I think you get the idea.
Please take a moment to answer these poll questions:
