amex takes chances with a campaign that makes me sad

I have always loved American Express. I bought their stock, not on the tails of Warren Buffet, but because I really believe it offers excellent service and is a great brand that is far stronger than all the other plastics out there. Nonetheless, I am frustrated by their new campaign. I quickly flip past it in magazines and change the channel on the TV. The sad faces everywhere are just, well, sad. I guess all those frowns ultimately turn into happy faces on TV, but in print it is unfriendly and hardly reassuring.

go skiing, go vail

I love skiing in Vail. I also love Vail's amazing NYSE ticker symbol -- MTN -- how great is that? I love that they have passed on their traditional book list this year and are sinking all their spending into social and timely media. Videos of fresh snow in real time are what get people out skiing, way to recognize what your consumers care about (now if only the chili was $5 a bowl!)... http://www.youtube.com/user/VailResortsNews

gaming

opportunity to make news (and brand marketing) more engaging. games are nothing new to brands, but this sentiment about making real issues relevant and real probably is. i have always loved: www.darfurisdying.com and just found out about http://budgethero.gather.com/ - go news!

thanks ny observer 6.15.2009

"No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking."

- Voltaire

The Most Touching Happy Birthday

I love that when you look around for versions of this spot on youtube it is in so many languages and always has the English "Happy Birthday" song. Even when people don't know the song, they are still moved. So lovely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdpK0EPplIA

e-ink will write us all

E-ink (electronic ink) is amazing, but I don't even think this recent Observer article touches on how incredible it will be:
http://www.observer.com/2009/media/toy-story-are-those-5000-magazines-your-messenger-bag-or-are-you-just-happy-see-me

Not even this Newsweek cover really nails the potential. I really think the future is not because e-ink is lightweight and can flex across a surface, but the potential is because e-ink is kind on the eyes. And it will be friendly and beloved, in time.

E-ink is going to be HUGE. I cannot wait until they have computer screens with e-ink that I can setup next to my current back-lit laptop screen. I wish E-ink Corporation would go public so I can get in on the action. I am not sure tech analysts even realize how much better this will be. I will never want to give up all my glossy magazines, but I also wouldn't mind reading a bit more of my nitty-gritty news via e-ink.

http://www.eink.com/

go find 'em

this technology has a ton of power. it tells you where in the world people on your site actually are ... imagine what you could do with this info:

http://loki.com/why

videos. V-I-D-E-O-S.

why does everyone want to call videos "viral videos?" the concept of something being viral is when it takes on a life of its own and follows the path that it alone charts and inspires. a brand cannot set out to make a "viral video" - it cannot be done. you can create a really awesome, fun, funny, moving, poignant, timely video, but please stop calling them viral from the get go. communication objective or hope - fine - but on a brief, these are just videos.

Shepard Fairey

making art commercial, but still fantastic. march 2009 in LA.

a meeting to avoid

i have had this cartoon in my office ever since it ran in the nyer last march. it still cracks me up and is a great reminder that everyone needs a little push to be the first!

I Made Tropicana Go Back

Their new packaging design was terrible and killed the brand for me. I told them so, they sent me tons of free coupons then ultimately a letter saying they were going back to the old packaging (above)! There could have been a happy medium between the two where the packaging was new, clean and simple but that kept the iconic orange/straw visual, but they decided to just totally revert.

New York Times article about the switch back...
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/business/media/23adcol.html