DECEMBER 3, 2008

In the past few years, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has become a hot commodity, saturating the fashion, jewelry and art worlds.  Indeed, from microscopic blueprint to trendy household commodity, the image of the double helix has permeated the consumer consciousness - not without implicit social consequences.

“Spit parties” like the one recently organized by 23andMe have become the latest social-networking craze.  Hereditary blueprints are now being turned into personalized perfumes and colognes.  For a perfectly accurate, 21st-century self-portrait, you can even map your – or your pets’ – genetic coding in a one-of-a-kind work of art that resembles columns of blocks.  All you have to worry about is which material – canvas, sheet aluminum or photographic paper – will look best on your living room wall.

It’s easy to say that personalization and narcissism are the forces driving this trend, but I do not believe those are the only forces at play.  In a sense, DNA-related products have become, purposely or not, propaganda-like tools for the health and pharmaceutical industries.

For example, orchestrators of the Personal Genome Project cannot steal your DNA while you’re sleeping at night, nor can they make you submit a sample against your will.  But what they can do is position their products and services so tactfully in the marketplace, and into the consumer consciousness, that we may actually find ourselves wanting to upload a DNA sample to a public database.  “The Perfect Unique Gift Idea for the Person who has Everything!”  DNA11’s tagline almost sounds like a subliminal advertisement from Huxley’s Brave New World or Orwell’s 1984, doesn’t it? 

Let me be clear: I’m not saying that our current DNA craze is the result of a premeditated, nationwide conspiracy (I don’t want to get arrested, you know).  But the fact that de-ox-y-ri-bo-nu-cle-ic acid has successfully made its way into the pop-culture marketplace can only better serve those individuals who seek it – and satisfy those companies that crave it.

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DECEMBER 2, 2008

Because Christmas tends to sneak up on me, I always try to start thinking about what I am going to be giving to friends and family as early as possible. I usually start looking for holiday gifts right after Halloween because I don’t want to join the herd of people at the malls frantically searching on Christmas Eve. I really like the idea of giving gift cards because I can personalize each gift by matching the store with the gift recipient. At the same time, gift cards cut the guess work — no need to try and predict the proper size, color, or style preference.

However, a recent USA Today Snapshot made me think twice about my gift card theory. According to a holiday survey, on average, consumers have 5.9 unused gift cards (versus 3.7 in 2007). People age 18-29 and 75 and older tend to have the most unused gift cards (8.6 and 7.4, respectively). Does this mean that people are tired of receiving gift cards and not even bothering to use them? Probably not. I think it’s a case of more people deciding to give gift cards, which means the average person just has many more than they did last year.

Regardless, I’m not going to change my gift card giving ways. Even though some would argue that gift cards require no thought and are impersonal, I disagree and still think they are the absolute best option! What about you - will you be giving gift cards this holiday season?

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DECEMBER 1, 2008

Last week, I read an article in Newsweek that was cleverly called “Change You Can Conceive In: Could Euphoric Obama Fans be Sparking a Baby Boom?”

The author writes, “In the hours and days since Obama’s victory, many of his exhilarated supporters have been, shall we say, in the mood for love.  And though it’s too soon to know for sure, experts aren’t ruling out the possibility of an Obama baby boom—the kind of blip in the national birth rate that often follows a seismic event, whether it’s scary (a terrorist attack) or celebratory (the end of World War II).”

Authors William Strauss and Neil Howe have actually co-written a number of books on the subject of generational baby booms, namely, “Generations: The History of America’s Future,” which tells the history of America through a succession of generational biographies circa 1584 to the present.  According to Strauss and Howe, just as history molds generations, so too do generations mold history.  They even claim to have identified a historical pattern in which each generation belongs to one of four archetypes, or ”Turnings,” that repeats sequentially:

Awakening.  During an Awakening, rising adults are driven by inner zeal to become philosophers, religious pundits, and hippies, as they alienate children (who see the adult world becoming more chaotic each day) and older generations alike.  A Nomad (or Reactive) is born during an Awakening.  Nomadic leaders are cunning, hard-to-fool realists, and taciturn warriors who prefer to meet problems and adversaries one-on-one.

Unraveling.  An Unraveling is an era of relative peace and prosperity between an Awakening and a Crisis.  A Hero (or Civic) is born during an Unraveling.  Heroic leaders are considered vigorous and rational institution-builders, entering midlife as aggressive advocates of technological progress, economic prosperity, social harmony, and public optimism.

Crisis.  A Crisis is a decisive era of secular upheaval in which a values regime propels the replacement of the old civic order with a new one.  Wars are waged with apocalyptic finality.  An Artist (or Adaptive) is born during a Crisis.  Artistic leaders are advocates of fairness and the politics of inclusion, and are irrepressible in the wake of failure.

High.  A High is an era between a Crisis and an Awakening.  A Prophet (or Idealist) is born during a High.  Prophetic leaders are cerebral and principled, summoners of human sacrifice, and wagers of righteous wars.  Early in life, few see combat in uniform; late in life, most come to be revered as much for their words as for their deeds.

What I want to know is whether you agree or disagree with Strauss and Howe’s dissection of generational archetypes.  If you agree with them, where do you believe your generation stands now?  If you disagree with them, what would you add or amend to make them more relevant?

Personally, I believe that an Obama baby boom would compose part of a New Adaptive Generation - a collection of “artists” who will be irrepressible in the wake of modern-day failures.  At least, that is what I hope.

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NOVEMBER 26, 2008

In high school, I made the decision to pursue a career in a creative industry. The decision was based mostly on gut instinct; although I managed to get pretty decent grades in math and science, neither really arrested my attention the way my artistic hobbies did. I was always aware that the Asian-American community promoted science and technology, but the high accessibility of creative studies at school compelled me to follow that track instead. Looking back, I really think that the ease with which I went down this path is partially due to an American approach to education that values creative pursuits such as literature and art just as much as science and technology.

In the past, studies have shown that the Chinese approach to math and science in children’s education was far more rigorous. This study from 2006 suggests that the strong emphasis on math and science in China’s college entrance exams shows that Chinese culture displayed a preference for these areas of study. However, some of that cultural sentiment is changing thanks to economic transformation, government support, and new education initiatives. Zafka Zhang and Lisa Li write in this blog post that in the last 5 to 8 years, the kind of encouragement seen from the government for art students has changed dramatically.

This recent surge in support and attention for art students in China seems to be a very conscious effort on the part of the government to strengthen and diversify some of the intellectual exports of the country. As a result, Zhang and Li believe that Chinese youth are developing their identities in a global society with greater ease than the previous generation. I think this transformation is fascinating; it is fostering the exploration of national expression through dialogue with the international art community. The internet has played a very important role in making art programs and professionals around the world available to Chinese art students. China’s creative industries could quickly gain prominence worldwide through unfiltered channels online.

As innovation continues to drive the “brain race” around the world, China is investing in a homegrown generation of young thinkers who can pave the way to establishing the country as a premier source of artistic thought and creative services. I’m glad to see the changing attitudes in China; cultural attitudes never change completely overnight, but it seems like the proactive actions of the government have gone a long way towards validating creative studies as a worthwhile field of study. I’m sure that within 5 years or so, China will offer a competitive community of professionals that is also deeply connected to international communities through online collaboration.

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NOVEMBER 25, 2008

In 2004, vintners and wine store owners commonly referred to the “Sideways effect,” whereby the Oscar-winning film directly influenced consumer impressions and purchases of pinot noir, a once relatively obscure red wine.  According to ACNielsen, sales of pinot noir reached an impressive 370,000 cases between October 24, 2004 and January 15, 2005, an increase of nearly 16% from the same period a year earlier.

It still came as a surprise last week, however, to learn that the “Sideways effect” may have actually reached Japan. Seriously. In an article in Variety magazine, I read that Fox Japan and the Fuji TV network recently announced the details of their joint Japanese remake of Alexander Payne’s 2004 hit movie.  “Wait,” I thought.  “Japan remaking Hollywood?  Usually it’s the other way around!”  This time, though, it wasn’t.

Curiously, as Cinematical’s Peter Martin reports, Japan doesn’t have a native wine culture equivalent to that of the United States, mostly due to weather and soil issues, not to mention a scarcity of land.  In the past year, however, California wine imports have significantly increased in Japan.  Martin writes, “And the comic Kami no Shizuku (translated as The Drops of God; pictured) has become a phenomenon over the last couple of years, read by 500,000 Japanese weekly, according to Telegraph (UK), and sending wine sales skyrocketing across Asia.  The series details a young man’s quest to identify the 12 wines described in his father’s will.”

Set to release in Japan next fall, the remake, which is already shooting on location in California’s Napa Valley, will likely spark a new Asian interest in American wines.  And, if I were a Napa Valley vintner or wine seller, I would already be personalizing my website and my shop for the massive wave of Japanese tourism that is sure to seek my business next winter.

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NOVEMBER 24, 2008

There’s no question that the pizza industry is clamoring for our business by creating new ways for us to order and promotions to entice us to choose their pies.

TiVo in your pizza order from Domino’s

Order online from Pizza Hut and get free music

Friend Papa John’s on Facebook for a free pizza

However, getting pizza online by text message or through TiVo seems a little overboard. Call me old school, but I actually prefer looking up the the nearest pizza place and phoning in my order. I wonder if the chains are giving us what we really want, or are these just gimmicks that will soon go away? I’d choose lower prices and better quality over convenience any day.

Have you ever ordered pizza in any of these non-traditional ways?

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NOVEMBER 21, 2008

I LOVE flowers.  I love all types and shades.  As far as plants go, I think they’re great indoors or out, but I have a problem… I have never been able to keep one alive by myself - ever.  That’s why, this weekend, I was somewhat disappointed when my mother gave me an Amaryllis bulb.  How could she give me this poor innocent plant that we both knew would die in my care?!?

According to PRWeek, I’m not alone: “Americans spend nearly $44 billion on plants and plant care products each year, but more than a third of plants die within a year of purchase, according to the National Gardening Association.”

One-third of Americans are just like me and can’t keep a plant alive, but it doesn’t seem to stop them from trying!  Luckily, new products such as the EasyBloom Plant Sensor by PlantSense recognize America’s not-so-green-thumb problem, and have designed a way to help.  PlantSense makes soil sensors that collect data and recommend what to grow in your soil.  Genuis!

The smartest companies are the ones designing products have the ability to tap into and enhance the passions of consumers.  Figuring out how consumers spend their time and money - and understanding their passions -  will give companies an advantage in this competitive marketplace.  Now, does anyone know how to make a goldfish live longer?

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NOVEMBER 20, 2008

Warren Buffett once said, “My favorite holding period is forever.”  Apparently, James Altucher, President and founder of Stockpickr, agrees with him. He wrote a book called “THE FOREVER PORTFOLIO: How To Pick Stocks That You Can Hold for the Long Run“, and during an interview on CNBC yesterday, Altucher suggested investing in companies providing services in the following areas:

• Obesity: 33 billion dollars are spent each year on services for the obese.

• Dirty Water: Developing countries are finding it much harder to deliver clean water to their growing populations, and companies that sell clean water treatment technologies will thrive.

• Luxury: The rich are recession-proof, and the stocks of luxury producers make a great hedge against any slowdown in the global economy.

Now I’m no financier, that’s for sure, but from a New Persuasion point of view, his advice makes perfect sense. The future looks a lot more predictable when you actually take the time to pay attention and study the trends/issues that are presently hidden in plain view.

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NOVEMBER 19, 2008

I was reading an publication from EPM Communications on consumer behavior and attitudes when I saw a statistic that made me unsure as to whether I should laugh out loud or cry. Here it is: A third of Americans (34%) exercise 100 or more days a year; 10% exercise 50-99 days a year; and 15% are opposed to regular exercise.

Opposed to regular exercise? What?! Why would someone say that they are opposed to regular exercise? Do these people choose to ignore the fact that as much as 64% of the U.S. population is overweight? Being overweight has been identified as a cause of cancer, diabetes, heart problems, and sleep apnea, and has been found to reduce life expectancy. Why would someone identify themselves as being against exercising?

Maybe it’s because we hear so many conflicting headlines about just how bad it is to carry extra weight on our frames. One week we hear that it’s not as bad as we previously had thought… the next week we hear that a little extra weight may be good for our bone density numbers… a week later we hear that we should lose the weight in order to stay healthy and live long lives.

As a result, it seems that we are increasingly choosing to believe exactly what we want to believe and, therefore, dangerously ignoring the rest of the facts. Does hearing these vastly different perspectives on a daily basis provide exactly the excuse we need to be lazy? We like to believe that we have good genes, that we were athletes in high school and can get back into shape whenever we want.  We also believe that we are healthy because, even though the scale is showing us a number higher than we want to see, our blood pressure and cholesterol numbers are normal. As a society, we complain about health insurance costs but isn’t it our lack of self-control and/or denial contributing to the problem?

Perhaps we should all make the time to filter through the saturation of headlines and conflicting studies and educate ourselves on the risks associated with our unhealthy habits - individually, as well as for our nation as a whole. How’s that for a New Year’s resolution?

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NOVEMBER 18, 2008

When I was in high school, I shopped at the Gap… a lot. Most of the kids in my high school did.  It was actually considered a “hip” store in 1995.  I’m not exactly sure when or why I stopped shopping there – maybe it was because my style changed over the years and Gap’s didn’t – but, apparently, I’m not the only one.  A recent article in The New York Times discussed the troubles Gap is facing, and questions whether the clothing company, famous for its holiday commercials, has lost its edge.

I think that Gap’s troubles extend beyond losing its edge; it appears to have lost its focus too. One thing is for sure: when I was a Gap shopper, the chain was not attempting to sell $6,000 Vespas or $500 bicycles!

Last year, Gap partnered with Vespa to offer consumers the “Crazy Stripe” Vespa LX50 for $6,000. And this year, I suppose in an attempt to be “greener”, it decided to partner with Electra bikes and sell “The Gap Argyle Cruiser” – an actual bicycle with a blue argyle pattern – for $499.  Wait…what?!  I don’t get it.  I mean, I’m all for companies branching out, reinventing themselves, and being open to change, but this just doesn’t make sense to me.  A bicycle does not scream “logical extension of a clothing brand” to me.

At TMG, we believe that the most important thing a company can do is listen to consumers, in order to design and offer products and services that meet their wants and needs.  I’m not so sure that Gap is listening. What do you think?  “The Argyle Cruiser” - good idea or bad idea?

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