Mobile is the 4th screen. It’s always on and always with consumers in a very personal way. Beyond movies, television and the desktop web experience, the ubiquitous nature [...]]]> How do you create a mobile strategy?
Mobile technologies are driving personal brand interactions with customers, and providing compelling opportunities for relationship development with prospects.

Mobile is the 4th screen.
It’s always on and always with consumers in a very personal way. Beyond movies, television and the desktop web experience, the ubiquitous nature of Mobile all over the globe presents a huge opportunity to reach out to customers in a new and more personally relevant way. It is a technology that leapfrogs others, creating new opportunities where there were none before. For many people on the planet this not only constitutes their first telephone experience, but also their first personal computing experience. In the past year alone, the total number of smartphone subscribers increased 72% quarter-over-quarter, growing from 15 million subscribers in Q2 2008 to 26 million in Q2 2009.* This growth will far outstrip the number of web enabled computers.
The future of personal computing is in mobile.
With the advent of the iPad and other tablet systems, there is now a rush to develop distributed experiences that can make the same use of a vibrant, monetized ecosystem. Social networks now work to build connections manually, but mobile devices will soon automatically feed location and contact data to build a form of automatic relevance, ranking connections and providing a fascinating data channel to marketers.
These opportunities present the next horizon in marketing.
Today’s online customers want to take their experiences with them. It is not about creating a website that degrades to a mobile browser, but building a unique set of mobile principles that support this personal intimacy, and the unique use-cases that come with a personal device. Brands that can grasp this difference, and can develop meaningful relationships with individuals will excel in this new mobile age.

We were talking about advertising and marketing. Who isn’t [...]]]> I was having a very interesting conversation with my friend JeanAnn- one of those where we both had more things to say than could come out in normal conversation… like fast ping-pong, watching those Chinese guys go crazy, hardly even using the table at all.

We were talking about advertising and marketing. Who isn’t nowadays? Even my neighbor Dan wants to stand in my driveway and talk about advertising and marketing, as if we’re all trying to guess the outcome of March Madness.

Today is different than before, but how? What WAS advertising? Traditional, not exactly… Tactical… kinda… Offline, yes, but the new religion still can be offline too… We kept going back and forth with it, until I held up two drink coasters… Slapping one down on the table top: THIS one is the New advertising, and THIS one is… is… FRANK – slap. It all came to a halt, as soon as we had a name.

What do we see when we look at Frank?  Frank is P.T. Barnum, Darin Stevens, The Subservient Chicken, and Don Draper.  It’s all top-down, “You Shall Love This because we said so” mentality- it has a prescriptive feel to it. “We’ll tell you what to think… ” Every cog and gear needs to function for the greater system to work. It’s Fritz Laing’s Metropolis. Consumers have a role, but it is to CONSUME, in the downward flow of ideas.

Is it that simple? A one-way flow of ideas is so 2006, man.

The fact that we struggle with it points to what a large shift it is. Is it possible to comprehend when your glacier is moving? What goes through the mind of a penguin when the ground shakes?

It seems that Frank’s got some news coming. If only we could get clients to let go of that old fashioned mentality. What’s it going to take?

I am the second on the right... see me?

This was the concept sketch for the Keller

The Keller Auditorium in Portland was a very old [...]]]> We start actual performances Friday November 7, 2008. We have had all the stagings, rehearsals, and dress-rehearsals we’re going to get, so its go-time on Friday.

I am the second on the right... see me?

This was the concept sketch for the Keller

The Keller Auditorium in Portland was a very old theater, built around the turn of the century, and word has it that it was subject to a massive renovation in the mid 60s. This was more than the theater, but involved the surrounding streets as well. Market street got a level change, and the theater itself was pushed backwards across much of Second Avenue. If you observe the neighborhood outside, you can see it is part of a complex of buildings that were built at similar times, and there is a very large fountain complex as well across the street. The entire neighborhood to the South has that “urban renewal” feel to it, with planned park walks, 60′s era high-rise apartment blocks etc. Its actually a bit of a lonely place. (60′s vintage urban renewal always seems to create alienating spaces – parks that no one likes, with too much over-designed concrete etc… but that’s another story) Local word has it that whole ethnic neighborhoods in that area fell to the bulldozer and city planners back then.

All of this shows in the fabric of the Keller. The audience spaces are showing a little threadbare, and the lobby is a mess, with not enough room for people during intermission, and always a line at either of the two bathrooms…Now I know what women are always complaining about at ball games…

Backstage, the concrete and brick walls of the hidden staircases and back rooms tell a story of many re-fittings. There are concrete castings from the original building that show the wood grain of the original fir forms. There are sections of random bricks, cinder blocks an steel re-enforcing rods, all stitching the place together like a very old pair of jeans. Every surface is the same color of off-white. The staircases are narrow and utilitarian, and wind up 5 stories, each level having a specific role for our production.  Its’ all neat and orderly, but with a confining comfort.

“What’s a Super again?” Apparently Supers are the moving human scenery in the background, that make up [...]]]> A couple of months ago, my wife put a challenge in front of me: She gets emails about acting opportunities around town, and the Portland Opera was looking for Supernumeraries (Supers) for their upcoming production of Fidelio.

“What’s a Super again?” Apparently Supers are the moving human scenery in the background, that make up the crowd scenes, or are somehow used to enhance the show. We had been to several seasons of operas, so I had often wondered who all those people were… as in Norma, or Turandot… what fun it seemed to wear the great costumes and gesture and march about.

How bad could that be? So we signed up, and anticipated the coming rehearsals (which was to me a grueling schedule of weekday and weekend evenings coming up. (They even scheduled rehearsal on Halloween for god’s sake…

A minute for the plot first… Fidelio is Beethoven’s only opera, which takes place in a Spanish prison. Essentially Florestan is held prisoner, and he has become “inconvenient” for the Prison master Pizarro, and he must be killed.  Florestan has a loving wife, Leonora, who takes on the role of a boy, “Fidelio” (Don’t they always in these things?) to get a job at the prison, to be close to Florestan, and of course to change the course of history. This allows the usual mixups (The daughter of Rocco (second in command) falls in love with Fidelio, etc. Jailarity ensues.. and all ends well eventually…

First hitch.  It turns out that the male role that they slated me for was a prisoner. Cool I thought… bunch of guys singing.. I can do that… AND, well, I need to be prepared to strip to my boxers on stage and be in chains as I enter the prison… so I guess all of PDX will get to see me as I appear at the doctor’s office..

So with my inner-exhibitionist anticipation, we started rehearsals.

I have so much to say about this experience, I am going to try to break it up into concepts, and write what I can about each. It so far has been an extraordinary experience, and I can’t wait to share. I will take pictures as I can, but I suspect it will be difficult as we are busy back stage, and there is a lot of structure to what we can and can’t do. I will keep you posted.

It’s always easy to read something that aligns with one’s thinking… but maybe its true – now that the money’s gone, we might finally get somewhere.

Drew did this great fish, and I opted for the classic Jack O’ Lantern…

…and Judy did this great Cinderella Carriage, complete with mice to pull it…

Note: I made this up as I went, so proportions are likely inaccurate, do yours to taste… Also, the choice of meat was based on the [...]]]> By popular demand, here is the award winning chili recipe from the recent PDX Crock-Tober-Fest ’08… This chili won “Most Creative”, likely due to its choice of ingredients…

Note: I made this up as I went, so proportions are likely inaccurate, do yours to taste… Also, the choice of meat was based on the “Mysterious package of meat that my mother sent that no one wanted to use” at the back of the freezer.. (She raises organic cattle.. and with what i get from her comes a few, ahem, interesting packages…) You could probably use any meat like chicken, pork, or beef… nothing with its own spice like sausage, or you’re on your own taste-wise…

Tongues of Fury Chili

Start with one whole beef tongue (I told you…) Skin the tongue (which takes a little fortitude) and cut into 3/4 inch cubes. (This is actually a nice meat to use… once you get past the skinning process)

In a heavy pot, wilt 1 large chopped onion in oil (pinch of salt) until just clear, let it turn a little brown.

At the same time, heat 4 tbls oil in a wok with a few cloves of garlic to flavor the oil. Remove garlic before it burns, and turn up the heat as high as it will go. Let oil almost smoke, and throw in meat to saute. (Brown on the outside, but it doesn’t have to cook through – that will happen eventually)

Put browned meat into the heavy pot with the onions, stir, salt/pepper to taste for a few minutes.

Add 1 16oz. can of crushed tomatoes, and 4-6 tbls of Balsamic Vinegar,  and 1 to 2 hot green chilis sliced, and let the whole thing simmer on low for 2 hours.

When the meat is falling apart, add a little bit of sugar, and check for taste, you can add a little parsley, basil and Salt/Pepper if you want it. I also added some roasted chili paste to provide some background flavor and lengthen the burn.

About 30 minutes before  you want to serve it, throw in 3 big Parmagiano cheese rinds (you can get them at Zupans or Whole Foods etc) and a healthy sprig of Rosemary. This broadens the flavor a lot, and lends a rich character to the whole thing.

When serving, fish out the Rosemary and Cheese rinds (scrape the rinds and put the residue back in the pot, but hide the rinds… that can be our secret…

And if you go with the Tongue, maybe tell your guests first, so they don’t freak.

Enjoy!

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/09/23/what-went-wrong.html