BigHeads Blog

We've Moved

2011-10-24T09:38:00.005-04:00

We decided to move the BigHeads Network blog to the Tumblr platform...visit us here:

http://bigheadsnetwork.tumblr.com/

A Lesson For All The BIG Agency "Creatives"

2011-05-09T22:59:00.004-04:00

You know, it’s a real shame that more people in the idea business don’t understand/get/practice/embrace this (especially the “creatives” at the BIG marketing/advertising agencies).

Instead they live an insecure existence…where “collaboration” is a word they ONLY know how to PREACH (not practice)…and they passive-aggressively shit on every idea that is “NOT CREATED HERE.”

Sad, silly bastards….we feel for you.

Hey, Capital One...STOP Driving "30 Rock" Viewers Crazy

2011-05-02T16:57:00.016-04:00

If you watch the show 30 Rock...you may have experienced this:

...you're on the couch watching a recorded version of the show on the ol' DVR

...the commercials come on so you hit the FFW button

...the images are whipping by on the screen and then you see Alec Baldwin's face...so you stop FFWing and hit "play" thinking the show is back on

...and that's when you realize the show's not back on...it's one of those new CAPITAL ONE commercials featuring Alec

...so you decide to let it play...but then another commercial comes on so you hit FFW again

...and now you're fucking pissed at Capital One for making you go through the FFW game once AGAIN

That's right, Capital One...instead of endearing consumers to your Brand, your ads are actually pissing people off, because you're screwing up their DVR mojo (give your media-buying agency a nice big kiss on the lips for not even coming close to anticipating that one).

Now...since we watch the show and you're DEFINITELY pissing us off...we're gonna give you a little advice. Ready?

Get on the phone and make a deal with NBC to ensure that your ad is ALWAYS the one that plays RIGHT BEFORE the show comes back on. This way, when people see Alec's face...and stop FFWing...and end up having to watch your ad, they don't get pissed because the show will actually come on right after that.

Oh...and when NBC tells you they won't do that...explain how the approach benefits them as well, since they always run their quick upcoming show PROMOS right after the last ad.

So, in a nutshell, Alec's face will make viewers stop FFWing...watch YOUR ad...AND watch NBC's promos.

Hmmmm....maybe Alec's agent should get him a little more $$$ for those endorsements, eh?

SXSW = Agency Boondoggle

2011-03-29T10:32:00.021-04:00

Just read a post on adrants about the number of people the marketing and advertising agencies sent to SXSW.

The craziest part about it is the agencies are actually BRAGGING about the number of people they sent -- "We sent 65"..."Well, we sent 76"...

Have they lost their minds?

Honestly, there is NO need for an agency to send that many people to anything.

If we were a client of those agencies, we would be insulted, embarrassed and.......fucking PISSED (since we, most likely, paid for the time of those people who attended).

And the second the agency tried to pull that bullshit that they sent 70+ people so they would be up-to-speed on all the latest-and-greatest "stuff"...we would request a presentation from the people on our agency "team" containing all the invaluable insights they gleaned at SXSW (70+ people probably means we'd get a TON of insights, right?)...the game-changing implications those insights have for our brand...AND some killer ideas based on those learnings.

In fact, if clients do that...not only will all the ridiculous ("our team can beat up your team") bragging come to a halt...but the agencies will probably end up sending a more reasonable number of people to the BOONDOGGLE next year.

Imagine If You Had A Group Like THIS Thinking About Your Company

2011-03-23T17:18:00.007-04:00

We say it over-and-over-and over...BIG ideas happen when DISSIMILAR UNIVERSES COLLIDE.

So we bring companies together with our melting-pot of BIG thinkers, creative minds, visionaries and problems-solvers (our network of "BigHeads") to uncover the unique inspiration, unexpected connections and lateral wisdom needed to create truly GAME CHANGING ideas.

Below is a sample of the areas/disciplines/interests that were represented in our latest project. As you're scrolling...just think about all the product innovations, marketing ideas, insights and unique solutions you could be generating if you were collaborating/crowdsourcing with a team of talent from all these diverse these worlds:

Accounting

Administration

Adult Entertainment

Architecture

Art

Beauty

Beverage

Blogging

Consulting

Dance/Choreography

Education

Engineering

Entertainment

Entrepreneur

Fashion

Film

Finance

Food

Government

Graphic Design

Healthcare

Hospitality

Human Resources

Illustration

Information Technology

Insurance

Intellectual Property

Interior Design

Journalism

Law Enforcement

Legal Services

Matchmaking

Military

Mobile

Music

Non-Profit

Office Management

Online/Web

Operations

Personal Development

Photography

Public Service

Publishing

Radio

Real Estate

Retail

Sports

Students

Super Moms

Sustainability

Writing/Literature

Come on...is our approach badass or what????

Your CEO Better Be A LOOSE CANNON

2011-03-22T21:17:00.018-04:00

If you don't go into work every single day and think, "Our CEO is out of his/her fucking mind"...well, then, we feel sorry for you...because, like it or not..."Loose Cannons" are the ones who make incredible shit happen. Period.

A Typical Day At The (BigHeads) Office

2011-03-16T07:53:00.046-04:00

A cosmetics company tells us they're looking to find NEW ways to make the "color choosing experience" at mass retailers easier for their core women consumers (fyi...in case you don't know, it's very difficult to get the color right when purchasing cosmetics at retailers due to a host of factors such as lighting, etc.).

Of course, since the core consumer is women...someone inevitably asks, "How many women do you have in the BigHeads Network?"

Now, instead of being rude and telling them that they've "completely missed the point of what we do"...we put up a photo of Henry Ford along with his quote, "If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse." This allows us to simply (and politely) drive home the point that you need to GO BEYOND the typical and predictable sources when you want to innovate...and reminds them that the reason you bring us in is to find inspiration in UNEXPECTED PLACES.

We then go through the ins-and-outs of our open-source collaboration/co-creation/crowdsourcing approach (our Brand Opening)...and how we access individuals across all DIFFERENT disciplines, geographies, talents and interests (the "BigHeads") to ultimately find the unique inspiration, unexpected connections and lateral wisdom NEEDED to generate new inspiration and ideas.

It's now time to begin the PROBING process...but we first need to take a BIG STEP BACK and view the objective in its simplest form. This crucial step allows us to convey the objective to our diverse BigHeads in a way that will interest them (versus using industry jargon that they won't understand or care about). Ultimately, we determine the project is actually all about MAKING THE RIGHT COLOR CHOICES.

Now comes the fun part -- we begin crafting the questions to ask the BigHeads that will allow us to most effectively EXPLORE their DIVERSE experiences, interests, creativity, talents, industries, etc. to get stimuli around the objective.

We ask about times they've bought something (anything) they were POSITIVE was the right color...but it turned out to be WRONG. We ask what happened...how they fixed it..etc. and end up with LOADS of inspiration.

We ask if they had all the money in the world how would they have avoided it (the ol' "what would Bill Gates do?" question). This allows us to take "pie in the sky" thoughts and ideas and ultimately apply them to the objective at hand.

We ask who they would include on their "color choosing" Dream Team. This will provide us with a list of "experts" in the world of color who we may never have considered (from tattoo artists...to lighting experts...to mixologists...etc.).

We ask about their best experiences choosing color. Hey, you never know, maybe we can borrow (okay, steal) some of those approaches.

When all is said-and-done...we have a CATALOG of interesting and unique stories, experiences, ideas and thoughts around the topic of "choosing color" and we rifle through all of it for inspiration and ideas.

We hear PERSONAL color choosing NIGHTMARES and we are inspired by the way they SOLVED the issue.

We learn about OTHER COMPANIES/INDUSTRIES that face the same problems (i.e., Benjamin Moore/paint) and how they solve for it (light boxes at retailers, etc.). Hmmm...maybe we can apply some of their approaches to cosmetics and the objective.

We hear about people who know how to BLEND color (which is crucial for foundation cosmetics products that must blend perfectly with skin tones). Our Navy Seal BigHead talks about the camouflage process. Can we learn from him? Our marine biologist BigHead tells us about the blending ability of cuttlefish. Can we learn from that? (Don't forget...an architect once was inspired by TERMITES to build an energy efficient building with no air conditioning system in Zimbabwe, so don't discount the ability to use things that happen in nature as inspiration). Hmmm....

We even hear from a car restoration BigHead who tells us about a device they use in his industry to perfectly match paint to the original color of the car being restored. Hmmmm...maybe we could apply that technology to camera phones so women can take a photo of their skin and get the recommended color.

Ultimately...we deliver a report that is a CATALOG (really) of inspiration, unexpected resources and potential ideas (from products...to displays...to packaging...etc.).

The fun doesn't stop there. Next up -- identifying the top areas to explore...then workshops with some of the "outside experts" to discuss the realities of applying what they do to cosmetics (the marine biologist...the car restoration guru...etc.)...and then the internal R&D team at the company jumping on our collaboration platform to rate, refine and prep the top ideas.

We run into that person who had initially asked us "how many WOMEN were in the network." Of course, we all laugh about how ridiculous the question was...because NOW we all understand that you NEED to tap a diverse team to uncover those truly break-through ideas and solutions.

Maybe Your Company Should Open A "Concept Car" Division

2011-03-07T10:41:00.004-05:00

They may NEVER go into production and hit the road...but CONCEPT CARS allow automobile companies to show how innovative they can be...they give us a glimpse into the future...they allow the company to stretch their legs and try new things...they grab people's attention and create a "halo effect" for the company...and they even generate a little buzz and press.

Makes you wonder why EVERY company doesn't open a CONCEPT CAR DIVISION.

Being A "Volunteer" Is A RESPONSIBILITY...Not An EXCUSE

2011-03-05T06:46:00.008-05:00

We recently brought a killer idea to a local charity (I won't mention the name) where most of the volunteers are young professionals, which we figured was a good thing, since they would be responsible and reliable.

Boy were we WRONG.

In fact, I can't even tell you how many times we heard the old, "We're all have full time jobs and are very busy" EXCUSE. (I guess we forgot that a lot of "professionals" are actually "professional excuse makers".)

In the end...not one person (okay, maybe one) held up their end of the bargain...and we watched a great concept (that would have raised a lot of money for local charities) fall completely flat.

The lesson is simple -- just because you're a volunteer and/or have 501c3 status does NOT mean you automatically have an excuse to be irresponsible and unreliable.

Seriously, get your shit together...

Let's Bring CC Sabathia And Cap'n Crunch Back Together

2011-03-01T06:46:00.004-05:00

So CC Sabathia walked into spring training 25 pounds lighter...and credited his weight loss to removing good ol' Cap'n Crunch cereal from of his diet.

Now that's gotta make the folks at Quaker Oates crazy!

But instead of ignoring CC's remarks or trying to fight his claims...maybe they could use the situation to their advantage and create a version of Cap'n Crunch that CC Sabathia could/would/should eat...and maybe even endorse.

Just a thought....

PLEASE Make This Partnership Happen!

2011-02-26T10:09:00.004-05:00

If you spend any time at all in a Panera Bread...you know how the smell of the place just STICKS to you.

Can one of you clever marketers out there PLEASE hook-up a partnership between Panera and Febreze. Just think of the possibilities....

Droid Pro = "Technological Mullet"

2011-01-31T07:15:00.002-05:00

Just grabbed Motorola's new Droid Pro...and, yes, I love it.

Of course, during my search for a new phone I read tons of reviews for all different devices...but the one that really stood-out for me was a clever (and completely unexpected) post that referred to the Droid Pro as a "Technological Mullet"

"So with a BlackBerry-like keyboard for the hardware and Android as the OS, it's much like a technological mullet: business in the front and party in the back!"

Come on...you gotta LOVE that line. In fact, I bet the marketing folks at Motorola would love it too! Just imagine the campaign ideas they could come up with starting with inspiration like that (man, I have 50 ideas swirling around my brain right now).

And it came from a blogger!!! Not an ad agency...or a copywriter...or a marketing creative. Of course those are the folks who would ultimately take the initial inspiration to the next level...and turn it into the right campaign/initiative/approach for Motorola.

Hey, it's just more support for the open-source methodology of looking BEYOND your TYPICAL sources for inspiration and new ideas.

Small Biz Excuses For Their Awful Facebook Pages

2011-01-30T07:57:00.019-05:00

Everyone who owns a small business knows their company should have a presence on Facebook...they know they should set up a blog...they know they should tweet...etc.

But, in a lot of cases, they either don't do it...or they set up pages/accounts that just sit there idle (which might be worse than not having one at all).

And when you start asking them about it...well, that's when all the excuses start flowing:

"I don't have time for that shit...I have a business to run"

Ummm...that "shit" can help you get more business. It helps you promote your business. It helps you PROVE to customers that you have the right expertise and experience.

"I don't have enough content for those things."

Huh? This is YOUR fucking business! This is your PASSION! How can you be lacking content? If you're in the car restoration business...post photos of your "builds" like our badass buddy Jason Wenig does for his company The Creative Workshop. If you're a photographer...post time-relevant tips like "how to take photos of fireworks" on July 3rd the way our photographer pal Yale Gurney does. If you're a bartender, post special recipes like Matt Biancaniello does. The point is...if you've got nothing to post...you're in the WRONG business.

"We post when we have news about the company"

Looking at pictures of friends' kids is fun...for about five seconds. Same principle applies -- if you're only going to post your press...or brag about your latest projects/wins...or talk about your awards...then you are going to put people to sleep. You need to dig DEEPER and provide people with INFORMATION like the things described above. Save all that self-serving bullshit for your press kit.

"I assigned that to one of our younger staffers to handle. Those kids know how to use that stuff better than I do"

It's probably true that younger folks at your company are more comfortable using new technologies...but YOU are the one with the EXPERIENCE in the industry. In other words, they might know how to USE it...but you need to bring your EXPERIENCE and KNOWLEDGE to bear so they have something worthwhile to SAY/POST/ETC. You gotta work TOGETHER...and you'll both end up learning something.

Seems like you're out of excuses. I guess that means it's time for you to get your "shit" together!

I Have An Idea!!!

2011-01-28T06:22:00.000-05:00

Ideas are a very personal thing -- you create them...you want to protect them...you get excited about them...you dream about them.

So, when someone calls me and asks if we can get together to talk about their idea, I'm always flattered and always find the time to sit down with them. And I never go into it casually. I'm always excited to hear what they have to say...and prepared to provide them with as much information, thinking, guidance, etc. as I possibly can.

About ten minutes into the conversation...I can usually tell if I've wasted my time, because that's how long it takes for one (or more) of the following RED FLAGS to pop up:

I notice that I'm more excited about their idea than they are.

I ask if there is anything similar out there in the marketplace and come to find out they haven't even done a simple Google search to find out.

I'm a true believer that if someone is PASSIONATE about an idea...it plays a BIG ROLE across their life -- they blog about the topic...they research the topic...they read books about the topic (and might want to write their own)...they've created Facebook pages about the topic...they tweet about the topic...etc. Simply put, they have FUCKING FUN with the topic. So, when we're meeting and the only thing they want to talk about is raising capital (finding funding)...I realize that money is their goal...not creating and nurturing an idea.

Now, the good news is...85% of the time I end up meeting people who really are passionate about their ideas and we have incredible conversations...and they (hopefully) leave feeling even MORE excited...with a bunch of new things to consider.

But, when the red flags do start flying...well, that's when I raise my hand, call over the waiter...and start drinkin'.

When BigHeads Was STOLEN

2011-01-27T08:48:00.013-05:00

A few months after I started my company, BigHeads, in 2006 I was introduced to a "consultant" from a company called the TBAMG (The Brand Asset Management Group) named John Englehart.

We had lunch at Pershing Square in New York and I introduced him to our very unique approach, which focuses on bringing a network of truly diverse minds (BigHeads) together with brands to drive innovation and ideas.

He was blown away by our concept/approach/methodology...and wanted to hire us to help his company out on projects for clients like, Verizon Fios (which was in its infancy), Snickers and others. Shortly after our lunch, he contacted me and asked me for copies of our credentials...our "elevator pitch"...sample proposals...output from past projects...ect. so he could "intelligently speak to our offering to his clients and get things rolling." I remember thinking at the time, "Man, he really needs a lot of information"...but I shrugged it off figuring he knew better than anyone what was needed to "sell in" a new approach to his clients.

Then.........he disappeared.

Every now and then I would send him emails "checking in". Sometimes he'd respond with short notes back...but most of the time I'd get nothing. So, after a while I simply gave up on trying to work with him and figured the BigHeads approach just wasn't the right fit for his clients.

Fast forward to a couple months ago when I decided to connect with John via Linkedin and noticed he had left TBAMG in 2008 to start a company called fido (myfidoworks.com).

What is fido?

It's the fucking BigHeads concept!!!

Yep...this guy actually took the whole BigHeads idea/model/story and kicked it off two years after he and I sat down for lunch. No wonder he asked for all that information and then avoided me.

Of course I sent him a note letting him know I was aware that he "lifted" the concept and (believe it or not) I even wished him luck. He wrote back some lame response trying to defend himself...blagh blagh blagh.

Even funnier, was when I found out his partner is the infamous Shona Seifert who was busted in 2005 for being somewhat, ummm...let's say "dishonest." So, it's no surprise that she jumped on the bandwagon of a STOLEN concept, right? (Okay, that was a low blow, but I couldn't resist).

Anyway, people lifting/stealing/whatever ideas for businesses happens all the time. And, yes, when those businesses start popping up you get pissed...especially when it's someone you trusted (hey, wasn't there a movie about that).

But once you get over the initial stage of being pissed...you start to realize that direct competition is a good thing -- it helps VALIDATE your approach...it brings more ATTENTION to the offering...and it gives you a real sense of satisfaction knowing other people are willing to dedicate their professional lives to a path you pioneered.

So, good luck fido. Woof! Woof!

The ORIGINAL "BigHeads"

2011-01-20T00:17:00.001-05:00

The original "BigHeads"

Crowdsourcing Is...

2011-01-19T08:44:00.006-05:00

Crowdsourcing is about the PEOPLE (crowd) you access (source)...NOT the technology or platforms you use

The End of the "Eating Dinner Alone" Stereotype

2011-01-10T07:31:00.012-05:00

I know some people who are a bit uncomfortable going out to dinner and eating alone.

In fact, as I was growing up, people who sat at tables eating alone were stereotyped as lonely, sad, etc...and your brain was trained to immediately feel bad for them.

Now consider today's younger generation. If you spend any time at all with them, you'll realize that they NEVER feel "alone"...because they are ALWAYS "connected".

Fast forward 10 or 15 years...and you begin to realize that all those stereotypes around "eating alone" will probably become extinct, because even if they are physically by themselves...they will NOT feel alone so they won't hesitate to grab a "table for one" for dinner. And the people around them (including lots more tables for one) won't even give them a second thought.

It makes you wonder how the restaurant of the future will look. Will someone design a unique "table for one"? What will it look like? Will "communal" tables become the norm? Hmmmm...sounds like a heck of a crowdsourcing project for the BigHeads.

Two instant holiday classics...thanks to Hyundai and Honda. We'll have to wait 'til next year to see if they screw it up

2011-01-03T06:44:00.010-05:00

Let's face it...during the holidays we really don't mind hearing the same songs being beaten to death and played over-and-over on the radio and throughout every retail location.

And, this past holiday season TWO new songs came along that got more airtime than any of the others. Of course, this was mainly due to the fact that they were featured in commercials, which means they were PAID FOR and guaranteed a ton of exposure.

Paid for or not...we think they were great additions to 2010's holiday play list.

Of course, the first was Hyundai's ad which featured Pomplamoose's "Up on the Rooftop".

The other (and our favorite) was Honda's ad which featured Vampire Weekend's "Holidays".

Now, just imagine if the folks from Hyundai and Honda decide to use these songs EVERY holiday season. They would become ingrained in our heads like all our other holiday favorites.

Of course, we're betting that they will both do what most impatient marketers do...and decide to go with something new (and completely miss the bigger picture).

Hey, we hope they prove us wrong.

Happy New Year!

A 3D Idea For Oakley

2010-12-13T08:34:00.017-05:00

Just read that the Good Housekeeping Research Institute did a study and found that the 3D glasses distributed at movie theaters are riddled with bacteria.

At the same time, the folks at companies like Oakley (one of our favorites) have killer, top-of-the-line 3D glasses on the market, which they probably don't expect to really start flying out the doors until 3D TVs become more prevalent in a few years.

Well, we think the folks at Oakley should LEVERAGE the Good Housekeeping findings and consider targeting MOVIE GOERS immediately!

Here are a couple approaches they might want to consider:

Get the Oakley PR machine on the case and let everyone know that, according to Good Housekeeping, the glasses in the theaters are dirty and full of bacteria. And then, of course, let them know that having your very own pair of Oakley glasses is a perfect solution. Come on...that's gotta be a lay-up for the Oakley PR team

Get the Oakley 3D Brand Team to create VENDING MACHINES for 3D glasses and put those suckers right in the theater lobbies. Go ahead - try a couple test theaters to start out and just watch what happens

Come on Oakley...we want to see you blow the doors off this one!!!

Wanna Go Viral? Just Call Jimmy Fallon!

2010-12-11T06:44:00.005-05:00

Jimmy Fallon continues to teach the OLD GUARD the secret to "going viral".

From getting The Boss to "whip his hair"...to having Sir Paul sing "Scrambled Eggs".

There's a learning in this for all you BRANDS out there...

BIG Ideas Happen When Dissimilar Universes Collide

2010-11-29T06:51:00.040-05:00

Have you heard the fascinating story about the childrens' HOSPITAL in London that applied lessons from the Ferrari PIT CREW to help them with their patient hand-offs?

Have you seen the Toyota ad where the mom talks about how Toyota's SAFETY SOFTWARE was applied to FOOTBALL HELMETS to make them safer? (It's part of their overall "How would you use our technology to make a better world" campaign)

These examples support the notion that you can uncover a universe of new ideas and solutions by looking to other disciplines, cultures, audiences, etc. for inspiration. In fact, there is a ton of research PROVING that BIG ideas are more likely to happen when DISSIMILAR UNIVERSES COLLIDE.

Of course, this is what we do at BigHeads -- we created a THINKTANK of more than 1,000 thinkers, visionaries and problem-solvers from all different backgrounds (they are artists, entrepreneurs, chefs, educators, fashion designers, deejays, CEOs, sustainability experts, architects, educators, photographers, bloggers, musicians, hoteliers, engineers, etc.) and we probe this DIVERSE network with the goal of uncovering unexpected inspiration/insights/ideas from their world (their work, their passions, their interests, their geographies, etc.) that could be applied to our brand partners' objectives.

Overall, the "open-source" technique of exploring diverse perspectives for new ideas and solutions is becoming a go-to innovation approach among companies and brands, especially as they get more comfortable throwing OPEN their doors and inviting in outsiders for input...and as technology continues to make the process of collaborating with these outsiders turnkey.

If you want to learn more about this emerging movement and see some of the research validating the approach...here are some books and articles we recommend you read:

The Medici Effect by Frans Johansson

Why Not? by Barry Nalebuff and Ian Ayres

The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki

Creativity and the Role of the Leader - Harvard Business Review

Crowdsourcing: A Legitimate Marketing Resource - Huffington Post (be sure to keep an eye out for the BigHeads plug)

A WARNING To All The REAL Crowdsourcing Companies

2010-11-08T12:03:00.010-05:00

Crowdsourcing contests/promotions are everywhere.

Companies are encouraging consumers to create content...post it...and then get their friends/family/pets/whoever to VOTE for it.

And therein lies the rub.

These crowdsourcing approaches are more about the number of people the participants can get to vote for their submission...rather than the actual content of their idea.

So, in essence these crowdsourcing approaches are becoming the next-generation POPULARITY CONTEST - the more people you have in your social network...the more votes you can pull together.

Furthermore, you might even consider them a whole new type of SPAM, where the participants are doing the dirty work and sending out the emails to their own friends (where the company used to do it themselves).

For those of you who employ MORE SOPHISTICATED collaboration/crowdsourcing approaches, like we do here at BigHeads...consider this a warning!

We need to RECLAIM the "sophistication" of our industry!!!!

(We'd like to thank BigHeads, Yair and Alexis, for inspiring this post)

Really, Microsoft?

2010-10-13T09:16:00.010-04:00

Have you seen the new Windows smart phone ads?

Does anyone else find it absolutely incredible (and very sad) that Microsoft doesn't realize that the phrase "Really?" was popular about a YEAR AGO. Hell, even the SNL "Really" segment is looong gone.

So, while Apple continues to be "ahead of the curve" (even "creating the curve" if you will)...Microsoft continues to be miles behind it.

Someone please help them!!!

What CEOs Can Learn From The "Other" Boss

2010-09-17T23:20:00.009-04:00

As you probably know...here at BigHeads, we are BIG believers in the fact that you can uncover a universe of new ideas and solutions by looking to other disciplines, cultures, audiences, etc. for inspiration.

To that point, here's an article from US News & World Report that features an unexpected source of inspiration for CEOs - Bruce Springsteen.

We thought this was timely since The Boss has a BIG release coming right around the corner. Enjoy.....

What Springsteen Can Teach CEOs
October 19, 2007 | Rick Newman
Let's say you manage a venerable but aging brand with a huge, rabidly loyal customer base. Your merchandise sells on name alone, and there's strong cash flow from a product lineup stretching back 30 years. But the growth of your enterprise has slowed, and your core customers—once the highly coveted 18-to-34-year-old demographic—are getting gray and paunchy. What's your strategy for staying relevant?

I've asked plenty of top executives questions like these, regarding Maytag washers and IBM computers and Chevy sedans. For a different perspective, I decided to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at Madison Square Garden in New York City—you know, to study how the 58-year-old rock legend keeps his product portfolio fresh. In between dancing and singing and shouting and cheering, I learned a few tricks about how the best in the business stay intimately connected to their market:

Never let your customers rest. When Springsteen performs, most of his songs end like this: "1-2-3-4!" That's because he's starting the next song before the current one has even ended. The Boss continually races to the back of the stage to change guitars, so there's no lull in the cadence of the show. In the audience, nobody sits down or gets a breather until the man on stage decides it's time. By keeping the crowd on its toes, the band keeps demand at a fever pitch—kind of the way Apple does, with its rapid flow of new gizmos pushing older products out of the way. But with way better buzz.

Innovate. Don't worry, there were no sitars or operatic flourishes at the concert, but Springsteen is brilliant at expanding his brand image without ever shifting his center of gravity. His songs rarely stray from rock-and-roll territory, but at the Garden, he enriched the familiar with fiddles and other folksy touches. One standout song was "Reason to Believe"—an old ballad completely reimagined as a harder-edged blues riff. Springsteen's knack for turning old material into something completely new seems like a magic touch compared with all the lame efforts to create hip, modern variations of old TV shows or movies. Instead of copying success, he creates it all over again.

Give the people what they want. Experiments get a more welcome reception when mingled with something familiar. Throughout the show, Springsteen deftly blended unembellished hits like "Badlands" and "Born to Run," performed pretty much the way everybody knows them, with darker, topical music from his new disk, Magic. He also spouted about 30 seconds of commentary on "rendition," "illegal wiretapping," and other controversies related to war and terrorism. But few people came to hear that, so after appeasing his conscience, he quickly reverted to happier songs like "The Promised Land" (irony intended, I presume) and "Dancing in the Dark." The result: His message of protest got across, without turning anybody off.

Share credit. There's been a lot of hype about Springsteen reuniting with his famed E Street Band for the first tour since 2003, but come on—Springsteen, the man, is the draw, pure and simple. Still, this is one maestro who spreads the glory across the stage. Not once during the show does a spotlight shine on Springsteen alone. He continually calls out "Steve," "Clarence," and the other band members. And when they bow at the end, they bow together. It's a pretty neat marketing trick to create a cult of personality around somebody known for humility. Quick—can anyone name a CEO able to pull that off?

Set expectations. Then reset them. And reset them. And... The Garden concert ended after about two hours—prompting groans in the crowd, even though it was an electrifying show. "He's getting old," one fan fretted. There were jokes about Metamucil and Geritol—not because the Boss ever seemed tired but because this wasn't the kind of marathon, three-hour-plus jamfest he used to play in his heyday. Springsteen has driven customer satisfaction so high that he can deliver a great product and still disappoint his customers. I don't know what you do about that, but it's the kind of problem most corporations would love to have.

Love what you do. Just a hunch, but I have a feeling that Springsteen thoroughly enjoys his job—not something you can say about a lot of people asking you to spend $15 or $100 for their products. We all know that enthusiasm is contagious, and if you're pumped about what you do, those around you are more likely to twist and shout right along with you. And keep on spending.