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 13, 2008

I’ve always been fascinated by the habits of shoppers in the United States.  What we buy, and how we buy, tells us a lot more than the latest fashion trends; it gives us a glimpse into what we value and how we prioritize.  However, lately, it seems as if Americans have been forced to take a “back to basics” approach, buying only what is needed and not necessarily what is wanted.  We are no longer living with the mindset that we can simply “charge it” and worry about it later. Instead, we have been forced to live in the moment and buy only what we can afford, or suffer the consequences. 

I was shocked to read an article in USA Today last month about the massive shift in buying habits at Wal-Mart stores in the U.S.  According to the October 22 article, Wal-Mart has noticed that there has been an increase in sales at the beginning and middle of the months (paydays), which they’ve never noticed before.  The double-digit decline in credit card usage among consumers also reveals that consumers are maxing out their credit cards and are now being forced to resort to “living within their means” - a concept that many Americans have departed from over the years.  Now I’ve never had to live through a recession, but wonder whether our tough economic times will be a good wake-up call to consumers about the importance of living within their means. Will we, as a society, ressurect old habits and start a “back to basics” trend?

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NOVEMBER 12, 2008

The last time I really picked up a newspaper was in August 2007. That was when I used several bundles of newspapers to wrap my colleague Neal’s cubicle in what stands to be the greatest TMG birthday prank on record. I obviously don’t read the paper. And, based on the latest numbers on newspaper circulation, I’m not alone. I don’t consider myself an uninformed person- I just get my news from television and the internet- the two biggest competitors to newspapers.

However, last Wednesday was different, and not just for me. People all across the country raced to get the daily paper, especially those sporting front page headlines about Barack Obama’s victory.

So does this mean that print is back? Of course not. Joe Strupp over at Editor & Publisher agrees:

…a lot more people will have a lot more newspapers to look back through some day and remember when. Remember not only when voters first elected a black president, but also when the daily paper was still around.

People weren’t buying the paper last week as a source of news- they were grabbing copies as a memento, a keepsake, a piece of history. You can’t frame a website or video story. In this way, papers have seemingly been reduced to the same category as concert ticket stubs or the program from a baseball game. In my opinion, newspapers will continue to serve a purpose, but more as an artifact of time than a physical representation of our current times.

I bought into the frenzy, too: I stopped by the local 7/11 and bought four copies of The Washington Post. I’m going to send the copies to my parents and siblings. History was made on November 4th and I want to hold onto a little piece of it. So for the first time in a long time, I’m thankful for the newspaper.

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OCTOBER 17, 2008

Google, a brand among brands, I dare say can do no wrong.  Its delightfully simple homepage (in use and design), its logo’s cheerful colors, its name’s soothing double “Os”, not to mention its leadership in its industry - these are all reasons why I mark Google an “it” brand.  A brand that, when it innovates or introduces new products like Chrome, its new Web browser, has the potential to see instant and prolonged success based solely on a reputation for quality and reliability.  We all know these “it” brands, like Apple, Toyota, Starbucks, Target, and IKEA.

Now I’m reading about the first mobile phone from T-Mobile to use the Android software from Google.  In a time when technology is constantly being updated and companies are competing aggressively to launch the next big thing, critics might question whether this phone, even with Google’s brand reputation behind it, will break through.  But, come on, it’s Google.  If nothing else, I’m at least intrigued enough to see what it looks like, how the interface works, and what kind of neat features it might offer.  Of course, in true Google fashion, I’m expecting that I will like it, that it will be easy to use, and that it will work well.  Stellar customer expectations and a powerful first impression, indeed.  Lucky dog, that Google brand.

What’s equally interesting is the path this brand has traveled.  It found success as a search engine, created a personal email program I love, launched a Web browser whose name alone invokes coolness, and is now embarking into the phone-tech world, a world dominated by the likes of iPhones and Blackberries (nicknamed “Crackberries,” to illustrate their addictive qualities). In my mind, Google can seemingly do-no-evil - and I can’t wait to see what’s up next.

What other brands do you think have the Midas touch?

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OCTOBER 10, 2008

The power of social media is growing ever more pervasive, and the commentary of those who want a voice is becoming increasingly (and more seamlessly) integrated at the macro level - particularly when it comes to politics.

Over the course of this year, large traditional media organizations have gotten into the act. First, we had the CNN/YouTube debates. Now, C-SPAN has created tools to help bloggers take a more active role in debate commentary. The government affairs network recently developed a site called “Debate Hub” that offers a slate of tools to those interested in liveblogging debates, including live timeline-based embeddable (and editable) video clips and transcripts, site integration of twitter feeds, and lots of outgoing links to live blogs as they happen. The real-time toolbox and level of interactivity and inclusiveness on the site are impressive. And rather than forcing bloggers to find them, C-SPAN is reaching out to the bloggers. A typical e-mail from the C-SPAN team looks like this:

Hey Steve,

Just wanted to drop you a line to remind you that C-SPAN’s going to be running its Debate Hub tonight. If you want to post clips and not have to wait until after the debate to do so, you can actually edit and splice together clips while the debate is going on. So let’s say John McCain or Obama says an answer that you find interesting, you can go to the live streaming debate timeline, click on the blue (Obama) or red (McCain) block and that specific answer will pop up in the transcripts and you can embed just that tiny portion of video:

http://debatehub.c-span.org/

Also, if you scroll down to the bottom you’ll see that we’re live streaming twitter posts when users use the hashtags debate08 and #nashdebate, and we’re also constantly monitoring and linking to bloggers who are live blogging the debate.

Enjoy the debate, and if you have any questions please contact me.

These aren’t just form letters; there are real people on the other end who not only respond, but are participating in the debate commentary themselves.

Another resource that’s popped up is Twitter.com and Current.tv’s joint project, “Hack the Debate“. The site allows for tweets to be superimposed, live, over video coverage of a debate. The result is a combination of CNN’s Live Audience Reaction Meter and MST3K. (The promo video for the service is pretty cool.)

What all of this amounts to is a a more robust political conversation, which I see as a good thing. It’s one thing to be encouraged to go out and vote; it’s another entirely to be encouraged to be educated about the candidates and their issues and to take part in the national discussion. The more people know, the more likely they are to make good, informed decisions - and that benefits everyone.

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SEPTEMBER 15, 2008

It may seem like a small thing and insignificant in the eyes of most, but to me it stood out like a sore thumb when I was watching news coverage of McCain’s running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, at the Republican National Convention.  No, it wasn’t the striking resemblance between Palin and Tina Fey, nor was it the minor technical difficulties she encountered during her speech, including a faulty teleprompter.  No, it was the hug.  You know what hug I’m talking about - that McCain-Palin embrace (about 1:22 into the clip), so awkward and uncomfortable I was squirming in my seat.  He leaned in and tried to hug, but couldn’t lift his arms high enough to make a full embrace (due to injuries sustained as a POW in Vietnam) and she kind of, sort of leaned in, but looked away and leaned out at the same time.  Hard to imagine, I know, and even more painful to watch.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed the hug.  Elisabeth Bumiller wrote an article about it in The New York Times.  Bumiller pointed out:

It has been nearly a quarter century since Walter F. Mondale almost never touched Geraldine A. Ferraro in public when they shared the Democratic presidential ticket in 1984, and it is safe to say that times have changed.  Back then, Mr. Mondale had a strict ‘hands off’ policy and did not even put his palm on Ms. Ferraro’s back when the two stood side-by-side and waved with uplifted arms.

But today, with our second co-ed presidential ticket, times have clearly changed. According to an etiquette expert quoted for the NYTarticle, Mr. McCain was right to initiate the hugging as Ms. Palin’s hierarchical superior.  As Letitia Baldrige, former White House social secretary to Jacqueline Kennedy, points out in the article, she finds embarrassing “all this fake hugging that goes on when people greet each other on television,” but goes on to say it’s okay for Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin, “because we accept anything now.”

Personally, my initial reaction to the hug, after the distorted look on my face dissipated, was, why hug?  If McCain’s running mate were a man, they would have shaken hands (or would they?  McCain seems like a hugger, check him out in this receiving line.)  Is it a McCain thing, or a woman thing, and is it okay?  To Baldrige’s point, does anything go these days?

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AUGUST 26, 2008

With technology, it seems you can be everywhere you want to be.  Can’t make it to a class?  Take one online.  Can’t drive down to check out a new neighborhood?  Take a Street View tour.  There’s no excuse anymore not to “attend” church when it’s streaming online!  Can’t go to a funeral in Idaho, watch it online.  Yep, that’s right… online funerals.  The Associated Press reports that Downard Funeral Home is now posting funerals online for those who can not attend.  According to the report:  

“‘There’s no charge to the families,’ Lance Peck, funeral home owner, told the Idaho State Journal. ‘It’s just part of the service.’  He said the services remain online for 90 days, and that an e-mail is sent to family members who can assign a password so only those the family wants to view the ceremony have access.” 

Not only does technology allow us to be everywhere we want to be, but places we weren’t previously allowed.  The Sunday Times reports on a new high tech restaurant with touch screen table tops that allows you to scroll through the menu, order, get the bill, play games, and peak at what is going on in the kitchen.  Now you can know what’s really cooking in the kitchen!  Want to see how your art collection was made? This cool site allows you to watch live glass blowing in Tacoma.   

Companies are thinking of new ways to get customers involved and consumers are expecting more and more access.  It seems there will be nothing off limits to consumers in the future.  If something is going on, we want to see it.  I just have one question.  Will anyone actually be at my funeral?

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AUGUST 25, 2008

I’ve been following the trend of migration of TV viewers to the internet for a couple of months now and recently came across this article in The Los Angeles Times.

What really struck me was this quote from the article: “[F]or the first time…a ‘significant portion’ of the online audience for a prime-time TV show is not always watching the show on TV.”

And, check out this stat:

• More than 20% of Americans watched some prime-time TV on a computer monitor during the Spring 2008 TV season, up from 6% in the fall of 2007 (Integrated Media Measurement, a San Mateo, CA research firm).

Although this stat may be skewed by the writers’ strike that started November 5, 2007 and ended February 12, 2008 when new TV show episode production was essentially shut down due to a lack of writers or production staff, a 14% difference from one year to the next seems like a dramatic shift.

If this keeps up, television broadcast networks had better take heed.  And some already have.  According to this MediaWeek article, the WB.com will launch on August 27, showing series that aired on the TV network in addition to a new series.

While I do occasionally watch TV episodes online, I have no intention of ditching my TV set and moving my couch in front of my computer monitor.  I still enjoy watching TV episodes and movies in front of the tube.  What I really want is the flexibility and convenience to download episodes and movies when I want but then watch them on my big screen.

Some companies have anticipated this desire.  Sony’s Playstation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE have services that allow users to rent movies and download TV shows and watch them on your TV set.  And Apple Inc.’s Apple TV also lets users watch downloaded iTunes content on their sets.

Is the television set slowly becoming extinct or simply learning to share the attention?  No matter the outcome, this trend has spurred innovative technologies, as I mentioned, that now more than ever allow the consumer to take more control of the content that is offered to them.

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AUGUST 20, 2008

Those that have read my other online ramblings know that I enjoy sushi, and specifically supermarket sushi.

It all hails back to my days at Ithaca where I would make late night sushi runs to the local Wegmans (there’s no where else to go up there). So this weekend I decided to live like it was the summer of 2006 and take a road trip to the Wegmans all the way out in Fairfax (not too far but still a hike).

I entered the store through the “Market Café” entrance and little did I know I was about to enter the wild world of grocery cuisine. Asian wokeries, Indian cuisine, salad bars, bakeries, sub shops, pizzerias and delis. These were all the unexpected food stations I saw before I reached the sushi bar. The wide selection of take-out items created a small United Nations of food that would have left me with too many choices had I not shown up with an agenda. Nevertheless, I was excited.

But it wasn’t just the wide selection that caught my attention- it was the environment. After picking out some sushi plates I went upstairs, where there was a dining room with hardwood floors and nice wooden furniture that looked more a restaurant than supermarket.

As I looked around I noticed all the patrons were doing things I’d expect at a Starbucks. People were drinking coffee, reading newspapers, and typing on their laptops. That led me to pull out my trusty Smartphone and lo and behold- they had free Wi-Fi. I was sold.

This “super” supermarket isn’t a new phenomenon.  SuperTargets have been around since the 1990s and Wal-Mart Supercenters have been around since 1988. These one-stop shops have led to the term “hypermarket.” Wegmans doesn’t exactly qualify as a hypermarket but it does a better job than Target and Wal-Mart when it comes to in-store dining.

What was provoking to me was how the force of integration has changed the supermarket from a single purpose stop to an all-in-one destination. My plan that day was to have lunch and then find a coffeehouse to sit and review some papers, a typical coffeehouse activity. I gave it a second thought when I saw how nice it was to sit at the Wegmans in Fairfax. Who would have thought that coffeehouses might have to worry about competition from the local supermarket?

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AUGUST 14, 2008

I am by no means a sports fanatic, but two things this week really surprised me.  First was synchronized diving in the Olympics - two athletes standing side-by-side on two diving boards and attempting to complete identical feats simultaneously.  I’ll confess, my first reaction was, “This is wacky.”  Isn’t the goal to judge the individual abilities of the divers?  Yet I watched a little bit of it and began to see some of the rationale behind it.  Diving - always considered an individual event - could be expanded into a team sport.  I am still not convinced that this development is a good one, but then again some new things are just hard to get used to initially.

The other surprise was reading about an entirely new offensive system in high school football called the A-11 where two quarterbacks line up in the shotgun and all 11 offensive players on the field appear to be eligible to receive a pass.  Apparently, this confuses the defense and forces them to guess who to cover downfield.   Considered “futuristic football”, it started at Piedmont High School in northern California and is all the buzz in coaching circles.

Both innovations caught me off guard because sports is not generally an arena where I expect to see major changes.  Of course, the styles of the uniforms will evolve, the equipment may improve and small modifications in how sports are approached may occur, but real changes?  No way.  We are so used to the “tradition” of sports that it is one of the foundations we count on for consistency in our lives.  Baseball is baseball, soccer is soccer, football is football.

It made me realize that when we talk about innovation, nothing is sacred.   It may take some time, but I think big changes are ahead in the world of sports.  Maybe two pitchers on the mound at the baseball game? 

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