New Persuasion

New Words in the Dictionary

  Merriam-Webster recently announced some of the 100 new words they've added to the newest edition of their collegiate dictionary.   If a word appears often enough in the mainstream press, and if they think it has staying power, then the editors there will define it and officially add it to the dictionary. 

So what's new?  Here's the list they released:

1. agnolotti
2. Bollywood
3. chaebol
4. crunk
5. DVR
6. flex-cuff
7. ginormous
8. gray literature
9. hardscape
10. IED
11. microgreen
12. nocebo
13. perfect storm
14. RPG
15. smackdown
16. snowboardcross
17. speed dating
18. sudoku
19. telenovela
20. viewshed

I confess that I've never heard of agnolotti, chaebol, flex-cuff, gray literature, hardscape, microgreen, nocebo and viewshed.  Seems like a lot of these words are basically from pop culture:  telenovela, crunk, Bollywood, speed dating, perfect storm, smackdown, sudoku, DVR.  These words seem so of the moment - yet they are understood by almost everyone in American society.  I guess only time will tell if they are merely historical words - to decribe an event or product or idea that has passed (crunk?) or whether they continue to be used far into the future (ginormous gets my vote).

Sign Spinners - Advertising as Spectacle

From New Persuasion Intern Megan Cifrino:

ABC World News ran a piece this week on a new kind of advertising that is catching on in cities across the nation.  People as young as high school age have combined street sign promotions with freestyle spinning and twirling.

They say that traditional advertising gets boring and eventually people become disinterested in the average billboard. However “sign spinners” as they call themselves are always pulling out new tricks and keeps their audience and customers engaged.

Aarrow Advertising runs boot camps which train employees’ new tricks and keep them in shape. They also patent new moves.  The more tricks that you learn and the more experience you have can raise your income. The starting salary is $10 an hours and they can make up to about ($30,000 to) $40, 000 a year.  Sign instructors can make about $40,000 to $70,000.   Tell me again where can I sign up!? 

Sign Spinning  is an odd mix of dance, cheerleading, juggling, martial arts and advertising.  It's actually a professional sport.  Another example that traditional advertising isn't getting through.  How long before there are spinning competitions? 

Look out for the sign spinners in a city near you. Arrow Advertising hits cities including San Diego; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Las Vegas; Sacramento, Calif.; Phoenix; Raleigh and Durham, N.C.; and South Florida.  Just remember to keep your eyes on the road as well. Some cites feel they are so eye catching they’re hazardous to drivers and are banning these new age human promotions.

This YouTube video, Spinergy, will give you an idea of what the sign spinning world is all about:

What Talledega Nights Reveals About our Society

From our New Persuasion Intern:  Megan Cifrino

Recently I was assigned to choose a movie I felt embodied our current 2000 decade. I chose Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.  The movie was released in August 2006 and starred the famously funny Will Ferrell.   For those of you who have not seen the movie, it is about dim-witted #1 NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby (Ferrell) who wins race after race due to his pact with his best friend and teammate Cal Naughton, Jr. (John C. Reilly).  When French Formula One driver (Sasha Baron Cohen) steps into the picture, Ricky's life crumbles.  The “dumb” humor that comes through in this film is what keeps us laughing so hard.  The raw, racist, sexist, ethnocentric and utterly ignorant humor is something we can all relate to.  Perhaps it has a little of us in every joke? Certainly not! But that’s your neighbor, your sister, your friend, your boss…

The movie exaggerates and pokes fun at several themes that are present in today’s American society.  We live in a material world where being successful is determined by money.  Ricky’s father in the movie is quoted, “It’s the fastest who gets paid…” 

Throughout the movie Ricky lives by his father’s memorable quote “If you ain’t first, you’re last.”  We live in a society where it is important to be the “winner.”  People are always looking for the fastest, easiest way to become rich and famous (American Idol, Top Chef, So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Got Talent).  During his career Ricky remains focused on winning, though sometimes that means neglecting his family, friends and his own safety.  This film wonders what is truly lasting when material gains fade away.

We live in a world where brand names mean everything and product placements and advertising infiltrates every aspect of our lives.  The movie exaggerates this and contains hundreds of today’s products throughout each scene.  One example in the movie is that one endorsement deal stipulates that Ricky mention POWERade at each race.  Another example is when Ricky runs out of room to place sponsor’s ads, he sells his windshield to Fig Newtons.  Essentially the film ridicules the extent to which society could potentially allow advertising to go.

The film also pokes fun at American “Macho” Culture and ignorance.  During the family dinner scene in the movie Ricky two unruly boys, Walker and Texas Ranger, yell and talk back to their grandfather.  Ricky’s wife says, “If we wanted us some wussies we would’ve named them Dr. Quinn and Medicine Woman, okay?” There are several other instances in the movie where the audience laughs due to the character’s extreme ignorance, such as when one of the young boys states the capitol of North Carolina is Washington D.C.   However, one 2006 survey found that more people could name the three American Idol judges than identify three first amendment rights. Guess not everyone’s as smart as they think they are.

Other jokes of the film brush on the topic of today’s growing technology.  We are in a decade of advancement and everyone is looking for the hot new item that they believe will improve their lives.  However the average American can’t keep up and is constantly baffled by several appliances.   A “confusion index” created by Forrester that puts the average consumer confusion at .277 on a 0-1 scale with 1 representing “extremely confused.”   Activities including adding memory to a digital camera and sending text messages from a mobile phone are among such daily activities.  Again the film pokes fun when Ricky says he believes with his income he can afford to live to be “245 or 300 years old with advances in technology.”   Also his buddy Cal is confused by how to use the hot tub and asks Ricky which buttons he should press and where. 

Our lives are becoming increasingly complicated. Maybe we need to all slow down a bit and focus on the more important aspects of our lives.  The film not only shows the transformation of Ricky’s life as he begins losing everyone and everything in his life but also the improvement in behavior and attitude in his children.  The movie centers on themes of self improvement, religion and character development.  Each year Americans purchase millions of books to make them slimmer, calmer, smarter, richer, and more attractive.  In recent years, personal growth as well as health and fitness have topped New Year's resolutions.  Slowly American’s are integrating the superficial aspects of life with what is truly lasting and important, their self worth, health and character.
A New York Times review by A.O. Scott summed the movie up with this quote:

“As a cultural artifact, ‘Talladega Nights’ is both completely phony and, therefore, utterly authentic. Or, to put it differently: this movie is the real thing. It’s finger lickin’ good, it’s eatin’ good in the neighborhood. It’s the king of beers. It’s Wonder Bread.”

The Price is...Different

Although I have been criticized at times for my odd taste in TV shows, I know there are certain shows that a lot of people love.  Sometimes I end up watching a show because of the host-- and then pretty soon, the show grows on me and I can't imagine it going off the air.  Recently announced is that Bob Barker will be retiring from "The Price is Right" after 50 years on TV and 35 years at CBS.

The legendary daytime game-show host won’t tape his last “Price Is Right” episode until June 6, but CBS will honor Barker next week with a pair of prime-time specials celebrating his five decades on television.

“After 50 years in show business and 35 years on CBS, we want to give Bob a prime-time send-off befitting of an entertainment icon,” Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment, said in a statement.

The 83-year-old Barker told The Associated Press he picked “just the right time” to say goodbye to the cameras.

“I do not have any regrets about retiring,” he said. “Isn’t that strange? I expected to have second thoughts.”

Barker started his national television career in 1956 as host of “Truth or Consequences.” The CBS special features footage of a black-haired Barker cajoling contestants through tricycle races and flapjack-flipping contests.

I think that we naturally become attached to television hosts and TV personalities-- which really shows that we enjoy entertainment as well as routine.  We like to be challenged but we love to see the same people each day and night.  My friend Kate's grandma has watched the same news anchor for years and her family went as far as getting Grandma a personalized autographed picture of him for Christmas.  She was so excited about her gift that now the  picture sits on her mantle nestled between pictures of her family members on graduation and holidays.

Goodbye Bob Barker.  We'll miss you.

Tweens Love Club Penguin

I had never heard of Club Penguin until a few months ago when I was listening to NPR's All Things Considered. It introduced me to a whole new world.  Literally days later, my 10-year old daughter Amanda asked if she could join.  Now she is hooked and schedules appointments with friends at school to meet online at a certain time of day.  I have to limit her time or she’d be on Club Penguin instead of doing her math homework, cleaning her guinea pig’s cage, or tracking down her soccer cleats for the 6:00 pm practice.

I may be old-fashioned, but I have mixed feelings about websites that target kids aged six to 12.  Personally I would rather have my kids outside playing tag or riding bikes or drawing with chalk on the sidewalk than inside, staring at a computer screen.  In cold or rainy weather, painting a picture or playing Scrabble appear more beneficial than meeting other children in a virtual world.  But Club Penguin, and other sites like Webkinz, is not going anywhere and as a parent I have to be realistic.  Kids use computers at school, at home, and at the library;  every day they are absorbing the skills they will utilize in high school, college, and eventually the working world.

Created by a couple of Canadian dads, clubpenguin.com is now the most popular website for kids and is aimed at both boys and girls.  Safety appears to be a top priority of the creators.  When registering, the website collects minimal information about children –  primarily age and sex.  The site tells children that they cannot share any personal information online, such as their address or the name of their school.  If they do, another “penguin” or online monitor will report them and ask them to leave the igloo.  For its safety standards, it is one of the few children’s websites approved by the Better Business Bureau.

Interacting with other kids – or penguins – is the primary goal of the site.  Club Penguin runs no ads and runs on subscription fees only.  For $5.95 a month, kids can create a penguin name and password and jump in.  Once online, Club Penguin is a virtual world of waddling birds with names such as Booger1427, MrYellow30, CutiePie, FuzziePuzzie, and TwoKool4u (I have changed a few to protect the identity of the “owners” but you get the idea). 

But what’s so great about it?  According to my Club Penguin expert, the site is fun for a couple of reasons:

Number one:  You can act like a penguin, not a kid!
Number two:  You can make new friends.
Number three:  Sometimes you meet those friends in real life at school and that is really cool.
Number four:  You can buy funny looking pets called Puffles, and also cool stuff with which to decorate your igloo.

Amanda likes to monitor other penguin’s behavior and recently reported a girl for being too bossy.  That penguin was immediately removed from the igloo, so I guess the system works!  She has 15 names on her buddy list and likes to play games with her Puffles, which are pink and blue pretend pets.  Kids can also play games like Jet Pack Adventure, which involves flying penguins with rockets on their backs who fly through the sky collecting coins.  Bean Counters is another game that depicts a tired looking penguin unloading sacks of something (penguin food?) from a truck to a platform.  With the winnings, kids can buy clothes, including warm weather gear like ear muffs and boots, or igloo decorations.  Igloos can get quite elaborate, with drum sets, dance floors, home stereo systems, and ice sculptures.

Webkinz is another popular site for kids.  This one requires the purchase of a real stuffed animal first, which includes a collar with a website password.  On a recent Girl Scout outing, three of Amanda’s friends had their Webkinz animals with them.  So if computer gaming increases the likelihood that children will engage in real play – whether that is with stuffed animals or by simply creating the social networks that emerge offline – perhaps these sites are just modern day versions of hide-and-seek or tag. 

I still limit the Club Penguin time to Fridays after school and weekends.  I think good old fashioned running around is still better than screen time.  Kids will have plenty of that when they grow up.  Or maybe I’m just envious – on a beautiful spring day, like today, I would most certainly give up my screen time in order to be outside, chasing a butterfly or playing tag.

Hairstyles of the Rich and Famous and Everyone Else

I watch the Bravo TV reality series Shear Genius.  When I first saw promos for this show , I laughed and said what are the challenges going to be?  Week 1 - cut hair, week 2, cut hair?  I vowed never to watch it. 

And yet.  My 12 year old daughter and I sit and watch it week after week.  Who knew that hairstylists actually had their own idols? 

It's more the personalities on this show than the actual hair that I love.  But I've recently discovered that people like hair - and they like to see hairstyles.

At Target last week, I was looking at the magazine rack, and lo and behold, there were 11 magazine about hair.  Eleven.  I was stunned.  Here they are:

   

I realize that not all these are regular publications, but I do think that Target used up a lot of their limited magazine display case on these titles.  What is going on here.  I'd say it was another sign of preoccupation with self and the desire to look like celebrities.  I know there's more going on here, but I'm not sure what it is.

Lonely Society?

A recent study, as published in American Sociological Review, has found that our circle of friends is rapidly shrinking.

In 1985, the average American had three people in whom to confide ] matters that were important to them. In 2004, that number dropped to two. People who said they had no one with whom to discuss such matters more than doubled, to nearly 25 percent. The percentage of people who confide only in family increased from 57% to 80%, and the number who depend totally on a spouse is up from 5% to 9%, the study found.

Even though Americans seem more connected than every before with email , myspace, text messaging, and online chat rooms, in reality we are more disconnected than ever before. We lack the basic need of people we can count on when we need them the most. We talk to people halfway around the world yet don't know who our neighbors are.

Websites like PostSecret have become a major outlet for people to share their inner most secrets with the world, instead of sharing with those who they know best.

Last week Ryan Fitzgerald, a regular 20-something guy who lives at home, posted a video on YouTube offering his cell phone number for anyone to call him about anything at any time. He just wants to "be there" for anyone who may need someone to talk to or just chat about the weather. His video has resulted in over 5,000 phone calls from all over the world in less than a week. He has received so many text messages he can't respond to them all. Behold the power of YouTube.

Yet, what does this say about society?  Have we really come a society comprised of individuals who are just co-existing with their neighbors and society at large?  What does it mean that the basic human desire for companionship and relationships are being dismantled and reconfigured into a society where strangers have become our outlet for support?  The number of households comprised of just one person has skyrocketed in the past several years.  We really have become our own best company, and I'm not sure that's a good thing.  Maybe we need to disconnect from technology and reconnect with actual people. 

Future of Newspapers?

Juan Antonio Giner over at What's Next: Innovation in Newspapers, shows another way to present the news - as comic strip:

 

El Periodico ran this the same day a comic expo started in Barcelona. 

Buy with Text-Messaging

Why wait? Buy now! Consumers are beginning to have the ability to purchase products instantly without wasting time waiting on the phone, online or in lines. The new m-commerce company ShopText lets consumers make donations or buy products like CDs, DVDs, concert tickets or clothes by featuring a text-messaging code. Buy by text-messaging has now become a way to purchase products on the go.

Russell Kern, director of business development for Dennis Digital, the interactive division of Dennis Publishing, which publishes Stuff, said he saw great power in the technology.

"You're sitting in Central Park reading a magazine, and you have your phone with you, and you want information on a product or you want to purchase the product," he said. "The ability is right there."

The company is featured in magazines such as Cosmo Girl, Lucky and Stuff. 

To use the system, a consumer must set up a ShopText account with a shipping address and credit card account.

When ShopText receives text messages about donations or products, it charges the credit card it has on file for the buyer, then, if appropriate, sends the product from one of its warehouses around the country.

Text messaging has become a popular form of communication with 35 percent of U.S. cell phone users and 76 percent of 18-to 24-year-olds sending and receiving text messages according to Forrester Research.

It’s shopping made easy and convenient that is literally at your fingertips. Maybe it’s becoming too easy to buy something.

Penguins vs. Al Gore

One question - which movie do you think influenced more people about global warming - Happy Feet or An Inconvenient Truth?

Let's see, tap-dancing penguins or Al Gore?  Hmmmm.

We underestimate the power of entertainment to influence our beliefs - we think we're rational, smart people when really we're suckers for a cute animals who suffer.   Since Happy Feet has earned $379 million worldwide - I think the global warming debate is over.  It doesn't even matter if global warming is true or not, too many people (and their children) now believe it is. 

American Idol's Lessons for Communicators

Note:  This column by Dan McGinn first appeared in the March 2007 issue of the DC Communicator:

American Idol is an entertainment juggernaut. In the first season the Fox show had a weekly audience of 12.7 million and a total of 111 million votes were cast.  By season five, the audience had grown to 30.6 million a week and 578 million total votes.  Taylor Hicks, last season’s winner, got more votes (63.4 million) than George Bush did in the 2004 presidential election (just over 62 million).  American Idol has generated more than six million radio plays in the U.S. and Canada.  And last week, 12 former American Idol contestants are on the charts or close to making it on.  So why should we, as communicators, care?  Because the phenomenal success of this show can teach us important lessons of effective communication:

1.  Inclusion
On American Idol, inclusion is the heart of the show.  Anyone can audition and possibly become the new idol. Once contestants are selected, anyone with a phone can vote and play a part in determining the outcome.   From start to finish, the audience is included and needed.  I am an essential ingredient in the success of this show. 

For communicators and their clients, it is important to think of their audience, their target market, their consumers – not as a separate entity, but as part of the team.  What can you do to make them feel more included in your efforts?  You can always start by asking them just that.  But often, that’s where our efforts end.  We get feedback, ponder it, and carry on as before.  What American Idol does is let its audience know your feedback is what determines what this show becomes. 

2.  Personal Stories
American Idol is only partially about talent.  It’s also about the personal stories of the contestants.  Each singer’s individual story gives me something to think about and possibly identify with.  These contestants are on a tough journey, with tough judges, and I can relate to the ups and downs they are going through.  The personal connections I make as I watch the show also lead me to follow my favorites even after they’ve been cut.  Viewed this way, it’s easy to see why so many were thrilled when American Idol loser Jennifer Hudson became an Oscar winner this year.  American Idol is really about the heartbreaks of those cut along the way. 

As much as possible, communicators need to tell the personal stories of their clients or even their customers.  It’s not about ‘messaging’ – it’s about storytelling.  We need to make personal, emotional connections with people if we’re to succeed in communicating effectively.

3.  That's Entertainment:  Let's be honest - it's fun to watch.  It's fun to love or hate the contestants and the judges.  It's fun to fight with your friends and family members over your favorites.  It's never boring. 

We communicators have to remember to eliminate the boring and remember the fun.  And if we can't do fun, maybe we should at least try for interesting.

2007 Trends - Part 7

JWT, the largest advertising agency in the U.S. and the fourth-largest in the world, wrote their 70 "products, services and trends" to watch in 2007:

1. Skype/VoIP
2. Wii and the next-generation gaming systems
3. The business of social networking
4. Pop-up stores, restaurants and bars ... installation style
5. Shrinky Dink technology (TVs are flat and hidden, iPods are down to half an ounce, speakers are smaller and less visible, and so on)
6. The rise of nanotechnology
7. Sustainable construction/green buildings
8. Hydrogen fuel cell technology
9. Veggie-bus: school buses running on biodiesel fuel
10. Trans-fat fallout
11. Reality show talent searches
12. Ohio State's freshman basketball phenom, Greg Oden
13. Fear of agri-terrorism
14. Halal foods
15. Participatory advertising (user-generated advertising and music video competitions)     16. Premium-drink bars
17. Organic fabrics
18. Stem cell research
19. Iceland
20. Hybrid dogs
21. Locally sourced produce
22. Churchonomics: religion as big business
23. Reunions of donor insemination siblings
24. Hitting the off button: demanding downtime
25. Indian cross-over actress Aishwarya Rai
26. Home-schooling
27. Natural building materials such as stone and wood
28. Binge chilling
29. Personalized diets
30. Brand sluts
31. Modernized tradition
32. Chindia
33. Alpha moms
34. Internet TV
35. Citizen journalism
36. RSS feeds
37. Fresh Direct
38. Google domination (Google as acquirer, and Microsoft as Google follower)
39. Mobile video
40. Rachael Ray
41. Inconspicuous consumption
42. X-Factor's Leona Lewis
43. Dreamgirls' Jennifer Hudson
44. Environmental causes
45. Companies going green
46. Barack Obama
47. Soft, natural hair
48. Microgeneration (generating one's own energy)
49. Party planning for teens
50. Paying for user-generated content
51. Higher-waisted pants
52. iPhone
53. Co-branding (think Nike plus Apple)
54. Britain's Amy Winehouse
55. The rebirth of raves
56. Energy-saving lightbulbs
57. Sacha Baron Cohen
58. Mash-ups (music, Web sites, everything)
59. Japanese apparel chain Uniqlo
60. Promoting "Brand Me"
61. Ensemble TV casts (Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Criminal Minds)
62. Multilingual cinema
63. "Kidults"
64. Transformers (the movie)
65. Web-based microfinancing
66. Generosity
67. Al Gore, the environmentalist
68. Unstrategic alliances (Paris and Britney, Tom and Brooke, Bush Sr. and Clinton)
69. Europeans getting fatter
70. Age shuffling (40 is the new 20, for example)

Higher waisted pants - bring it on.  Al Gore, enviromentalist - played out.  And now I'm going to have to find out what Halal food is. 

2007 Trends - Part 5

After yesterday's intellectual and serious trends post, I thought it was time for something on the lighter side.  We have two family weddings this summer - the first of the next generation - so I was curious about what the Wedding Trends are.  So, fresh from theknot.com:

THE COLOR: MAJOR CRUSH ON ORANGE  Brides have a major crush on orange this year. From creamy peaches and mod citrus hues to deep tangerines and burnt siennas, this bold color is being paired with a range of colors to achieve a variety of moods. For a modern, retro appeal, it's being teamed with chocolate browns, lime greens, and sky blues. For a preppier feel, it's being tied with blushing pinks, lemony yellows, and sage greens. And, for a romantic aura, it's being paired with deep jewel tones-red, aubergine, and gold. What better way to take your tangerine palette up a notch? With a great pattern. Think starbursts, swirls, and playful polka dots on everything from the invite to the bridesmaid dresses, wedding cake, and cocktail napkins.

THE DRESS: ALL HERALD THE TRUMPET SKIRT  The fit-and-flare trumpet gown continues to be the silhouette of the moment. Whether its lace, taffeta, or luxe silk satin, this sexy, feminine shape provides a runway-ready look for the bride who wants to make a fashion statement on her wedding day. We're certain this slim shape is hot because of the kick of drama it adds to the altar-and the dance floor. Combined with a rise of dramatic fabrics and details-bling, flowers, sexy sleeves, and even black-designers are finding thousands of ways to put their own spin on this fresh silhouette.

THE LOCATION: IT'S ALL ABOUT ITALY  Destination weddings continue to be the rage, and in 2007, it's all about Italy. TomKat put Rome on the map for their fairy-tale wedding event at the Castle Odescalchi on Lake Bracciano. From the picturesque cliffs of Portofino to the streaming canals of Venice and the magnificent architecture of Florence, Italian cities have become destination wedding hot-spots -- popular not only for the views and the delicious food, but the unmatched sightseeing opportunities for guests. Check out theknot.com/italywed for Italian resorts, planning tips and regional rules for tying the knot in the land of amore.

THE INVITATION: WEDDING BLOGS GONE WILD  Personal wedding websites with URLs on invitations are now standard. Wedding websites will continue to up the ante on sophistication (some will even rival the sites of Fortune 500 companies). Look for deluxe digital applications: daily blogs by brides, digital music, streaming video, online RSVP-and even live webcasts. To build your own, see new designs and features of online wedding webpage builders like WedORama.com or WeddingTracker.com.

THE PARTY: COCKTAIL HOUR TAKES CENTERSTAGE  The cocktail hour has become one of the night's major events -- and couples are skipping the not-seeing-each-other tradition to take pictures pre ceremony so they can be there to enjoy it. Design and foodwise, they're taking this pre-reception party to extremes: awe-inspiring flowers (towering cylinder vases filled with orchids submerged in water); special entertainment (jazz bands, steel drum players, and mariachi bands); and an insane spread of munchies, from full-on raw bars to live sushi chefs and crepe stations.

THE CAKE: THE GARGANTUAN DESSERT BUFFET  The wedding cake is a given. But the new guest at the dessert table is a massive dessert buffet-traditionally known as the Viennese table. Guests are surprised by tables filled with delectable goodies rolling out onto the dance floor or taking up a whole reception room on their own. Popular items are chocolate buffet stations featuring all types of cocoa creations-mousses, truffles, chocolate fondue, and pot du chocolate; cheesecake sampling stations with all flavors from Key lime to snickerdoodle. And candy buffets overflowing with sweet surprises from gourmet pretzels to sweet and sour jelly beans.

THE HONEYMOON: WONDERS OF THE WORLD  While Hawaii and the Caribbean remain on the honeymoon hot list, this year it's all about adventure trips to the Seven Wonders of the World. Couples are seizing the opportunity to see the most exotic famous locales from the Taj Mahal to the Great Wall of China and the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. And more and more couples are looking for destinations that offer plenty of adventure: rafting in the Grand Canyon, hiking in Machu Picchu, and getting up close with nature on African safaris.

More Notable Trends:

THE MINI-MOON: The mini-moon -- a quick getaway six months out from the wedding to take a break from the planning -- is becoming more and more popular. Whether it's a ski weekend in Vail or lounging by the beach in Southern California, couples are stealing away from the stress -- and mandating a 48-hour freeze on wedding talk.

DESTINATION BACHELORETTE BASHES: For a while, last blast trips to Vegas and Miami were solely for the guys. But now the gals are getting in on the getaway action, traveling with all of their close friends for a fun-filled pre wedding weekend by the beach or on the town to learn something new, like surfing!

VINTAGE RINGS: Like Christina Aguilera's vintage-style diamond patterned setting, it's no longer just about the solitaire with side stones. Pave diamonds have lent to more creativity, and we're seeing a lot of one-of-a-kind designs on ring fingers. Vintage remains the rage, and white metals remain white hot.

ZEN-INSPIRED REGISTRIES: From Japanese-inspired pottery to Asian motifs (cherry blossoms, Chinese characters, and more), sushi and tea sets, and even spa packages, couples are filling their wedding wish lists with gifts that evoke a relaxed mood in their homes (perhaps to escape the chaos of their busy lives-and stressful planning?).

GREEN WEDDINGS: Eco-conscious couples are spending a lot of time and money planning weddings that reflect their environmentally friendly lifestyles. They're using recycled paper and minimizing the amount of paper used for invites, place cards, and programs; creating centerpieces with pesticide-free flowers and potted plants (that can be planted in the yard, post wedding); and serving organic and vegetarian menus.

Along the lines of the green wedding, check out the online magazine, portovert: the first and only magazine for eco-savvy brides and grooms. 

And these trends seem to support a theory I have - that as our lives becomes more informal - and I think they are - the big events in our lives become more formal and lavish.  Have you gotten one of those 3-D save the date announcements yet?  They're impressive.

2007 Trends Part 1

It's already March, but I'm finally getting around to reading all the 2007 trends/prediction/idea posts I saved.  I'm going to cover them for the next week or so.  What I like best about predictions is not whether they come true or not - it's how they get you thinking down a path you might never have gone to on your own.

I'll start with one of the most thoughtful, idea-driven blogs out there: Influx Insights.  Here are their predictions for 2007 - in no particular order.

1. Hordes of "Borat" imitators over-run adland
2. Skaters and surfers adopt country club apparel as their signature looks are further co-opted by Hot Topic et al
3. Trans fat ban spreads from New York across the country, transforming the way Americans eat
4. Race returns to the forefront of the popular consciousness after several decades lurking in the shadows
5. Sports teams and leagues start to build and practice game strategies on Second Life
6. McDonalds comes out with McOrganic Meal
7. RyanAir partners with JetBlue
8. 24 hour fitness partners with wii
9. itunes launches a concert tour
10. YouTube starts charging the networks to place their content
11. A global ad agency joins forces with a media company to form a new content hot shop
12. Ask A Ninja signs a 3-year deal with Comedy Central
13. Bloggers will be legible for the Pulitzer Prize in 2008
14. XM and Sirius merge
15. The Gap partners with a leading French design house
16. Pitchfork launches a magazine
17. Companies test their advertising using internal prediction markets
18. Hollywood studio agrees to a $100 million budget for the 17-year old winner of their consumer-generated content competition
19. A Second Life avatar has a No1 hit
20. Home Depot joins forces with Whole Foods to create the first sustainable home improvement store
21. Flickr takes over New York's Central Park for the "People's Photo Show"
22. Best Buy launches an electronics store for kids 

My favorite is #20 - the first sustainable home improvement store.  This has real potential.  And I do think there will be money paid out for CGM - maybe not $100 million - but good money.

And Influx writes that some of their predictions have already come through:

...we are going to set up a Prediction Watch. Let us know if you see any of our predictions come true. So far a few already have:

#3 - Trans fat ban spreads. Starbucks has begun ridding their inventory of trans fat - most stand alone stores in major cities have already made the move. They started with their seasonal pumpkin muffins and gingerbread cookies (And yesterday, Maryland officials announced they are considering a bill to ban trans fat from public eateries.)

#14 - XM and Sirius are about to merge.

Good stuff.

The Ipod is More Popular than Beer?

I got an Ipod from my children for Christmas - I have yet to load music on it, but someday I will.  It's kind of a cute thing, all green and stuff.  So when I read this post by Lynette Web at the Marketing & Strategy Innovation Blog, it caught my attention:

"No one expected that the iPod would become the signature artifact of our young century, selling more than 60 million units in its first five years. No one envisioned vast swaths of humanity escaping reality via the White Earbud Express. And no one would ever have believed that a 2005 survey would report that the iPod is more popular on college campuses ... than beer. But that's what happened. " - Steven Levy, Newsweek, Oct 23 2006

Webb recommends we read Steven Levy's book, The Perfect Thing.  I think I will.

Image from Flickr CC --thanks to Kandyjaxx

Mourning the Movies

I did not watch the Oscars last night. I didn't much care.  It bothered me that I didn't care.  I was the kid who sat in Sister Adele's fifth grade class silently reciting my acceptance speech for my Academy Award.  And I used to think that I should have been born in 1911 so I would be the right age to marry Jimmy Stewart.  In the summer of 1977, I traveled a long way- eight different times - to see Star Wars at the Uptown theater in Washington, DC.

Movies have always been a big deal to me.  I love movies.  But I find myself going less and less to the movies.  And once again,  I am a statistic, because everyone else is going less too. What is going on here?

Chris Anderson has been writing about this forever on his Long Tail blog, but I guess I never felt its "trueness" until last night.  Movies aren't the center of my life the way they used to be.

And then Len at work sends me this op-ed from yesterday's Los Angeles Times.  Neal Gabler first cites statistics:

• In 2006, Box Office attendance reached its lowest point in 10 years.  Foreign receipts are down and even DVD sales are plateauing.
• 45% of American moviegoers had decreased their attendance over the last five years, with the highest percentage of that decrease in the coveted 18- to 24-year-old bracket. (Zogby Survey)
• 21% of respondents said they never went to the movies. (Zogby Survey).
• In another survey, 83 percent of its respondents said they were satisfied with the content of the films they saw, but 60% nevertheless expected to spend less of their income on moviegoing in the future, citing dissatisfaction with the moviegoing experience and the emergence of better alternatives for their time and money. (PA Consulting Survey for the Motion Picture Assn. of America)

Okay - so things look bad - but what's behind it?  Gabler describes:

...an ever-growing culture of knowingness, especially among young people, in which being regarded as part of an informational elite — an elite that knew which celebrities were dating each other, which had had plastic surgery, who was in rehab, etc. — was more gratifying than the conventional pleasures of moviegoing.

In this culture, the intrinsic value of a movie, or of most conventional entertainments, has diminished. Their job now is essentially to provide stars for People, Us, "Entertainment Tonight" and the supermarket tabloids, which exhibit the new "movies" — the stars' life sagas.

This explains the rise of the celebrity culture.  But according to Gabler

...To the extent that the Internet is a niche machine, dividing its users into tiny, self-defined categories, it is providing a challenge to the movies that not even television did, because the Internet addresses a change in consciousness while television simply addressed a change in delivery of content...

The Internet...not only creates niche communities — of young people, beer aficionados, news junkies, Britney Spears fanatics — that seem to obviate the need for the larger community, it plays to another powerful force in modern America and one that also undermines the movies: narcissism.

[Social media sites like Facebook, MySpace and YouTube] are replacing one of the movies' functions: If stars' lives are superseding movie narratives, audiences are superseding the stars. Who needs Brad Pitt if you can be your own hero on a video game, make your own video on YouTube or feature yourself on Facebook?

I believe what Gabler says.  Why does that make me so sad?

The Lyrics They Are A'Changin'

Listening to the radio over the weekend, I heard two songs - both #1 hits in their times - that struck me as a perfect example of how women have come a long way. 

The first song was Gloria Gaynor's 1978-79 hit "I Will Survive"  about a woman who barely made it through the first breakup with this man.  Now he's back and she's telling him to get out. She proudly declares:

Go on now go walk out the door
just turn around now
'cause you're not welcome anymore
weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye
you think I'd crumble
you think I'd lay down and die
Oh no, not I
I will survive
as long as i know how to love
I know I will stay alive
I've got all my life to live
I've got all my love to give
and I'll survive
I will survive

Now, I don't know about you, but simply surviving doesn't seem like the best goal for a woman to have.   

Move forward 28 years to 2007 - to Beyonce's "Irreplaceable." Here's another woman telling her man to get out.  But the tone has changed:

So go ahead and get gone
And  call up on that chick and see if she is home
Oops, I bet ya thought that I didn't know
What did you think I was putting you out for?
Cause you was untrue
Rolling her around in the car that I bought you
Baby you dropped them keys hurry up before your taxi leaves
Standing in the front yard telling me
How I am such a fool - Talking about
How I'll never ever find a man like you
You got me twisted

You must not know about me
You must not know about me
I could have another you in a minute
matter fact he'll be here in a minute - baby

Okay, so now the woman is in complete charge.  She owns the house, the car - she's not  only going to survive, she's going to live well and be able to replace him in a minute.  Now that's a woman who thinks highly of herself. 

So what's my point?  We've gone from women struggling to even say "I Will Survive" to a woman making sure her ex knows just who's calling the shots.  Gloria's song showed the beginnings of women speaking up for themselves.  And Beyonce's demonstrates a power shift - the woman in control.  You've come a long way, baby.

I sort of feel that Beyonce's song is about as far as you can go without becoming a callous, self-centered person who only uses the other sex - in other words, a man - so it makes me wonder what's next. 

e-Commerce and Breaking News

I'm just now reading about the Aqua Teen Hunger Force guerrilla marketing campaign that was mistaken for a terrorist threat in Boston.   According to Cato-at-Liberty blog:

"The campaign received little notice in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Austin, Texas.  But in Boston, public officials treated the signs as a possible terrorist threat, closing bridges, subway stations, roadways, and even part of the Charles River while bomb squads removed the signs."

To me, the whole thing is hilarious.  Especially considering the signs were up for 3 weeks before anyone in Boston noticed.  And now, because they made such a big deal about it, Boston officials want to prosecute the guys that put up the signs. 

Enough.  There's only one thing that interests me about this whole thing - the e-commerce angle.  My colleague Steve Skojec sent me his take on this " ebay Flash Market for breaking news items."

Steve says this story is notable for three reasons:

• New Media Effort -guerrilla marketing in the form of electronic graffiti;
• Major Media Story that has erupted around the citywide panic in Boston over what officials thought was a terrorist plot; and
• New E-Commerce opportunity for individuals who are already selling some of the signs in question on ebay while the story is still in the headlines. One seller has already received a bid of $2000 on a sign he took from an undisclosed location in Atlanta, another city where the marketing campaign was deployed.

Steve goes on to say:

"When the story broke, I knew immediately someone would have them on Ebay – it just made sense. The question this raises is how much of a trend these news-based 'flash markets' will become. Imagine if ebay had existed during the destruction of the Berlin wall. Artifacts that can be sold as an interactive part of a news story have an intrinsic value that is probably much higher in the initial days of a story."

Steve believes (and so do I) - we're going to see more of these flash markets for news related items - and all the ethical questions that brings up.  How long before evidence in a murder trial is up for sale on ebay?

Sciencey Truths

In Seed magazine's "Year in Science 2006" Issue, Jessica Banks was given this assignment by Seed's editors:

"The Colbert Report is one of the few spots on American television where scientists and science writers discuss their work, lampooned though it may be.... Today in order to vote, appreciate contemporary art, etc., more and more you must have an understanding of what's happening in the world of science. The Colbert Report has upped the ante: You now need to know the science in order to get the joke. Science is becoming the currency of the hip."

Jessica's article disagrees with this assessment of Colbert's influence.  She asserts that you don't need to know the science to appreciate the joke.  This is true.  However, she's missing the point.

Stephen Colbert is both a character (on camera) and a real thinking person (behind camera).  The very fact that scientists and science writers appear on his program signals their importance to Stephen Colbert, the writer and producer.  The fact that Stephen Colbert the self-important, blow-hard character makes fun of science only emphasizes how important science has become these days. 

Steve Rubel of Micro Persuasion said it's the geeks and the tech savvy "who influence everyone else in our society." You could certainly include scientists in the definition of geeks.  And the exposure scientists get on "The Colbert Report" only strengthens this notion. 

Why is it that people who don't watch television never understand that television is an influential medium?  And why is it so hard to believe that making fun of a subject actually increases interest in that subject?  And why didn't the editors of Seed ask me to write this article?

If you want to judge for yourself, see Stephen Colbert's coverage of science topics here.

CGM Evolves

I was watching the NBC program "Grease: You're the One that I Want" with my two daughters the other night and it occurred to me that this was a different form of Consumer Generated Media (CGM) - it's more a Professional-Amateur blend of CGM - or Pro-Am CGM.  The professionals judges make the first cuts of contestants who are both professionals and amateurs.  The professionals then train these Broadway hopefuls, while the audience (amateurs) ultimately chooses who will star as Sandy and Danny in a brand new Broadway production of Grease. 

The Grease television show uses the crowdsourcing of American Idol, but takes it a step further and puts the ultimate product up for sale early in the process (tickets to the Broadway show).  In the first two days of sales, $1.3 million worth of seats were sold - not bad for a show that has no-name leads and no theater yet.

Another example of Pro-Am CGM is the contest being run by HP as part of it's efforts at the Sundance film festival.  From Susan Getgood at Marketing Roadmaps:

...HP is holding a photo contest called Snapshot Diaries. Entrants submit 6-10 related photos with captions that tell a story. The winning entry will be turned into a short movie by film director Matt Pope like this one:

So what begins as an amateur production winds up as a polished professional movie.  And the winner goes to Sundance in 2008 to see his co-created movie.  Very fun. 

The only other comment to make is that it's fascinating to watch how photos, movies, television, theater and the Internet are all used in these Pro-Am CGM projects.  The Grease television show keeps showing clips of the popular movie to sell tickets to a Broadway show.  And the HP contest uses still photos to make a moving picture.  More and more blending of media. 

High School Musical - The Sequel - A Tween has Ideas

Not long ago I wrote a post on High School Musical - What it Means.  And I got a comment back from 9-year-old Martha Addis in the U.K.  Martha asked for my address, which I sent her.  She has written me a letter, but then she sent me an email to give me her ideas for a sequel because the physical letter (which is on the way) will take too long. 

This is why I love blogging.  In this day and age a nine-year old from Great Britain can find common ground and converse with a middle-aged mom in Rockville, Maryland, USA?  How is this possible?  I think it's wonderful (though I can see how it might be scary too - although Martha communicates with me through her mom's email - so her mother sees it first) - </