JR's Daily Dose

BRAND NOISE REDUCTION

2009-12-15T11:23:00.003-05:00

You know…there is something that is bugging me about social media and all of the hoopla surrounding it. I am deeply entrenched in helping brands get into the social media fray with my agency The Big Fat Mouth, but I also believe they need to do it the right way. They cannot just jump in and make a ton of noise and believe they are “doing social media.” In fact, if there is one thing that I say brands are guilty of in social media, it is that they are creating more Brand Noise. Isn’t that a good thing? NO!

Noise is defined as “a nonharmonious or discordant group of sounds,” and when we talk about Brand Noise we are basically saying a nonharmonious or discordant group of sounds as it relates to a brand or product. Isn’t that counterproductive? Many brands think they can go out there and use social media to increase their profile when the truth is they are simply clouding their message. At The Big Fat Mouth, we counsel our client on Brand Noise Reduction through social media. Basically, what that means is we show brands how to use social media to deliver high quality brand messages as instead of creating Brand Noise.

Brand Noise Reduction is all about trying to deliver the highest quality messages that are on strategy, versus just being out there and just making noise. Think of it as the right message, in the right place, at the right time, using the right approach. Sounds simple doesn’t it? It is astounding how many brands can not seem to get this right. They might deliver the right message at the wrong time or in the wrong place. Imagine of you had just signed a deal with Tiger Woods (which would have been exciting for any brand a month ago) and went out and announced that in the past two weeks. You would be shooting yourself in the foot. Regardless of how long Tiger disappears for, he is still a a marketing juggernaut and will be one of the most marketable athletes of all time. Just not this month! Of course that is an extreme example but you can see how important it is to get all four of those things right.

1. Right Message
2. Right Time
3. Right Place
4. Right Approach

If, and only if, you can say that your communication in social media meets those 4 criteria, are you practicing Brand Noise Reduction. I believe that as consumers find more and more places to get information, only those brands that practice Brand Noise Reduction will benefit fully from the power of social media.

Look for our white paper on Brand Noise Reduction right after the New Year.

TIGER AND HIS PRIVACY

2009-12-03T13:41:00.009-05:00

I have been following the Tiger Woods story closely now since it broke earlier this week and I have to say that I am surprised by his lack of response, but to some extent understand it. I have read hundreds of articles talking about how he should come out and make a statement or hold a press conference or something else. There have also been plenty of article talking about how he OWES it to the public to do so. I agree he should have said something sooner, but he owes it to the public? You mean to tell me that just because he is successful at his chosen profession that he has to give up his privacy? Just because he put his face/name/brand on a bunch of products that people snapped up and continue to buy and made him a billionaire... he has to give up his privacy? That is where I completely disagree.

Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world, and arguably one of the greatest athletes in the world. So what? Because his chosen profession happens to be on a world stage he is not entitled to privacy when he is not working? That is the most ridiculous argument I have ever heard. He has a work life and a private life and he is entitled to privacy in his private life if that is what he desires. Just because he is successful does not mean that he does not have all of the faults and weaknesses that any other human being has. He is entitled to make mistakes behind closed doors and we have absolutely no right to know about them. It is no different than if you or I make a mistake other than the fact that the paparazzi are not following me around or trying everything they can to get photos of my wife and kids. By the way this is not just about Tiger, but about celebrities in general.

When the kid who takes the tickets at the movie theater gets a DUI driving home from a party, nobody cares, but when a celebrity gets one it is big news. Same crime, same possible outcomes and same penalties, but different proportions. Now I understand if some primadonna storms off a movie set or off of a playing field...that's news. You know why? Because they are at work and their work is on a public stage. Imagine if some corporate executive stormed out of the office because they were unhappy with the way the CEO was treating them...oh wait... that happens all the time. We just don't read about it because the person is not a public figure. Public figures should be held accountable for the way they act when they are working. What goes on at home is none of your business.

Now I get the fact that we live in a world where there is a record of everything. In fact, I will go one step further and say that this next generation has no expectation of privacy the way we do. They put it all out there on social media for everyone to see. They want people to know what they do, who they are doing it with and where they are doing it. But for those who value their privacy and want to keep some things to themselves they can do so. Tiger deserves the same treatment. He didn't post "TTLY my wife is hitting me with a golf club" on his Facebook page. That clearly happened behind closed doors and that is where it should have stayed.

I guess you could say that I am old fashioned or maybe I don't get the whole celebrity thing, but I believe that Tiger and other celebrities deserve to have privacy in their lives when they are not on the public stage. If you don't like the way he is acting or what he is doing then here is an idea...stop buying his products. That is the best way to show your displeasure, not by dragging him over the coals in the media.

Hey that is just my opnion...I could be wrong.

Top 10 Social Media Excuses

2009-11-27T21:39:00.002-05:00

1. I Am Not a Technology Person - Sorry…this is no longer a valid excuse. Social media is here and it is here to stay. It is a whole new communications medium that is growing exponentially. You don’t have to be a “techie” to use social media as it is not only simple, but there are tons of free training opportunities out there. Just talk to your kids!

2. Just sign up and think you are “on social media”- Social media is a two-way street. Just planting a flag in the social media world and thinking you are “on social media” is not nearly enough. It definitely requires some thinking and effort.

3. Doesn’t Require a Plan or Strategy- Just like any other marketing effort, social media needs to have a strategy and plan on how to execute against it. What does success look like? What are the metrics we want to use? How are we going to communicate on these different platforms? It all takes thinking and strategy to deliver results. If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right!

4. I Do Not Have Time- If you want to maintain, increase and insulate your business, you better MAKE time. Social media is here to stay. It is changing the way people communicate and the speed at which messages are delivered. If you are not talking to your customers/audience, I can guarantee you that your competition will!

5. I Do Not Have Anything Interesting to Say- Everyone has something to add to the conversation. Unless you sit quietly all day at work and then go home and live in complete silence, you have something to say. What issues do your customers think about? What is interesting to you in the industry you are in? Social media is all about the rapid sharing of a wide variety of ideas. Find articles, share information and offer insights at the very least. On the other hand I also hear people say, “Why do I care what kind of food someone is eating?” The truth is some people don’t get social media. The key is to add value to the conversation. You can always look at a tweet as an opportunity to start a conversation about a topic you know the person cares about. “That is great that you love Ethiopian food, I do too, I know the best Ethiopian restaurant in the city, how does your calendar look next Wednesday for me to take you…”

6. It is about you, your products & company- This is probably the biggest myth and mistake in social media. It should not be all about you or your products all the time. The more you make it a commercial the less relevant you become. Think about always adding value. Get involved in the CONVERSATION, not a monologue.

7. You will not have control- Really? What makes you think you ever had control? People were always talking about your brand in different ways since you started. The conversation is happening with or without you, so you might as well get engaged.

8. I am just one person and cannot compete with big companies- Social media completely levels the playing field. There are hundreds, if not thousands of examples of small companies or efforts taking on massive proportion through social media. They engage and involve the audience and enjoy the momentum. There is nothing better than other people talking about your product/brand/ organization for you.

9. Why would I want to hear about bad things people are saying about me- This one amazes me. Like I said, they are talking about you whether you like it or not. Why not take this opportunity to turn detractors in to fans? They expect you to do nothing and ignore them, so when you engage they are surprised and delighted and often times become your most loyal fans.

10. This is a fad and doesn’t work- This is just downright silly. This medium is here to stay and it will continue to evolve and become more influential over time. Figure out how to use it to your advantage.

INSPIRATION IN ROUGH TIMES

2009-07-06T12:45:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine recently wrote this letter to his employees in his monthly address. This is so well written and so timely that I felt I had to post it here for all to read. I do not want to spoil it by saying any more.

CEO Message – July

In difficult times our character is tested, whether personally or with regard to our business or our career. Some of us show the depth of our will to survive, to overcome – to persevere. One of the most moving examples of this – one that touched me in a personal way, was the recent passing of actress Farrah Fawcett – after a long and arduous fight with cancer.

I had the occasion to meet and spend a few hours with Farrah Fawcett in the late 1980’s in New York. We met at a famous designer shoe store – Susan Bennis-Warren Edwards – where they designed and sold interesting - and frankly, expensive - men’s and women’s shoes. It was the kind of place where you went and hung around – looking – sipping wine or champagne and feeling like you were pretty special to be able to pay usurious amounts of money for shoes.

In any event, Farrah was in the store one day when I went in to look around for boots. Men’s was on one side – Ladies on the other – separated by plush couches and chairs. As she was looking for shoes she turned around and noticed I was looking at her (who could blame me) and she smiled that famous smile – and said – ‘what do ya think of these’? - holding up a pair of impossibly high heeled sandals…

I was temporarily awestruck and unable to speak – but after a second or so – I told her what I thought – probably giving her more information than she wanted – but surprisingly she thought I was funny and said – ‘come on you’re gonna help me find some shoes.’ Of course, I said – ‘absolutely!’

We spent the next two hours drinking a couple of glasses of wine, watching her try on shoe after shoe – kidding around with the staff – and just having a tremendous amount of fun. She was so beautiful; she shined – and she was as nice as you could ever hope anyone to be. When she was finished looking and had bought about 8 pair (these shoes in 1988 where about $675 a pair), she thanked me for helping her and spending the afternoon – and gave me a huge hug and kiss on the cheek. What a day.

I decided that such luck deserved a pair of boots for myself – I picked out the ones I wanted and when I handed over my credit card the clerk said there was no charge – Farrah had told them that she would buy me which ever shoes I picked. And she did. I hated getting rid of those boots a few years later..

Everyone knows how sick Farrah Fawcett had become in the last few years, fighting metastatic cancer. The recent documentary of her fight made by her friend Alana Stewart was on television a few weeks ago, and I was so incredibly moved by the courage and strength that Farrah exhibited in the face of such tremendous obstacles.

Farrah’s message of fighting as hard as she could to survive, to cling on to life -was stellar; her unwillingness to not, according to her friends and Doctors, succumb to fear – was inspiring.

She lost her battle with cancer the other day, but she leaves a legacy in my mind much more important than her 30 years of fame and notoriety. She showed us all that no one, no matter how rich or beautiful or famous can escape the horror of cancer if it touches their lives – and she showed us that you don’t have to give up – you don’t have to give in – that life is worth fighting the good fight for– especially for the people and the things that you love.

In our own lives we’d all do well to follow her lead. Not only in relation to sickness – but in our business lives as well.

2009 is a year of obstacles – it’s a year where we need to resolve to fight to survive and overcome. We don’t quit. We don’t walk away. We face our enemy – we stare it down – we find a way. We improvise. We don’t live in fear – fear is our very worst enemy.

We fight for something - or we fight for nothing.

As you think about your own lives; what you care about, what you love, what you want to accomplish – think about how what we fight for in our lives helps define and give meaning to the life we lead.

Ask yourself, as Farrah challenged her audience in her final weeks……what are YOU fighting for?

RALEIGH FINALLY HITS THE BIG TIME

2009-07-06T11:30:00.003-04:00

In case you have been hiding under a rock...which you might once you see this if you live n Raleigh, you undoubtedly have heard about the Sewer Monster living in Raleigh. It is living in the pipes under a nice shopping area called Cameron Village, I am not sure what it has done to sales for the shop owners, but it has certainly put the area on the map. Check out this video and don't do it before you eat. This and other related videos have been viewed more than 5 million times in the past week, so obviously Susan Boyle had better watch her back! You know what... I would like to see Fred's (the most subscribed to YouTube channel) reponse to this!

THIS IS BEING PREPARED - KUDOS TO NET JETS

2009-07-06T11:23:00.002-04:00

This commercial ran right after Roger Federer won the Singles title yesterday at Wimbledon. Not that these things don't happen after the Super Bowl, but in tennis? Nice job NetJets!

HELLO. I AM JONATHAN RESSLER AND MY TITLE IS....

2009-04-20T10:05:00.004-04:00

We set up an online title contest, encouraging anyone who was interested to submit title ideas and vote for a favorite. We harnessed the power of social media, using Twitter and Facebook to spread the word. We made a brief YouTube video and contacted bloggers. And for good measure, we threw in the promise of a $250 gift card to the participant who submitted the winning title.

The end result? Hundreds of submissions and thousands of votes — from the ridiculous to the sublime. Among them: “Smartest Guy in the Room,” “Director of Everything Nobody Else Wants to Do,” and “For Three Easy Payments of $19.99.” (Then there was my personal favorite: “I’m Jonathan Ressler, I’ll Be Your Server Today.”) In the end, “The Mouth That Roared” narrowly beat out the second-place entry, “Company Mascot.” It was so much fun, we might just make it an annual contest.

Jerry Shengulette submitted he winning title earning the $250 gift card. He plans to donate the money to Apex Sports Authority, a local volunteer organization that sponsors sports.

"The Mouth That Roared wasn't even my favorite suggestion," said Shengulette, who submitted numerous suggestions when he heard about the contest. "However, somebody out there in the ether started voting for it. Once that happened I mobilized my newly-made Facebook connections and my coworkers to my benefit."

Check out the video below to see me thinking about my titles and them the big reveal!

OLD FACEBOOK RULES STILL APPLY

2009-04-15T16:53:00.003-04:00

You know...some things really stand the test of time and these Facebook Manners rules from the 1950's still apply. Isn't it wonderful how quality always stands the test of time?

See more funny videos and Funny Videos at Today's Big Thing.

SOME STUFF NEVER GETS OLD - WE'VE GOT CHEMISTRY HERE...

2009-04-08T14:27:00.005-04:00

I had a thrill the other day when I made a reference to a Smart Beep commercial that I saw many years ago and the person I made the reference to actually knows the guy who made this commercial. This is funny, crude and creative all at the same time...and it never gets old. This version actually has some difference VO copy than the original so it just goes to show you that good creative is timeless!!

A colleague in the office sent me this one which is also a classic. I am not surehow old it is but it is destined to be a classic as well...

REALLY COOL INSIGHTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND FRIENDS

2009-04-03T08:51:00.003-04:00

OK... so here is the deal... I created this contest to get a title for myself at The Catevo Group. Contest

My job is new business, social media, brand strategy, and a whole bunch of other crap that people don't want to do. I figured I would get a few responses to the contest and that would be it. Welllllllll not exactly. We have had over 500 titles submitted and close to 10,000 votes so far. it has been insane. We built a simple admin tool so I could approve each title before it goes live. We basically did this so all of the good ones would never go live. I have spent a lot of time approving submissions! If you want to see them email me and I will share a few of the best ones. Granted they might not look great on a business card, but they would be really funny to have to explain to a potential client.

So here are 8 things I learned about social media and my friends:

1. People will jump into the social media fray if you give them a good reason. I had no less than 10 people tell me this was their first experience with Social Media. The lesson is an old one... Content is King

2. The words you choose on Twitter are critical as we saw much different responses from tweets that were worded differently. I know that sounds obvious, but go to Twitter and see how many people don't think about what they post.

3. More people look at their Facebook stream than you would imagine. I can not tell you how many people told me they first saw the contest on my Facebook status update.

4. There are some really fun people on LinkedIn. Contrary to popular belief LinkedIn is used for more than just business. I had a tin of submissions and people messaging me from my LinkedIn contacts.

5. There is a lot of pent up creativity out there if you ask people to participate. I have seen (and they are posted) some incredibly creative title submissions that I would not have thought of in a million years.

6. This type of Open Source Marketing is the wave of the future. People are going to be enlisting other people to help them solve complex marketing problems. Granted this was not a complex one, but I am certain that there are many people who would comment on brand's positioning and other communications if they are asked to. I know some of you are losing your mind right now saying it is already happening,btu I am talking about complex stuff; not just do you like this ad.

7. You never know what social media platform is going to be the strongest. I would have thought that Twitter would be the one for this but I was wrong. Facebook and recommendations from people who submitted were the most powerful. I know of a few people that send out an update every day asking their friends to vote for their submission.

8. You never really know how deviant your friends are until they think they are submitting anonymously!

Stay tuned for more insights and information as the contest ends one week from today.

GIVE THIS GUY A COOL TITLE - COOL USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

2009-03-26T17:33:00.005-04:00

Ok...so the guy trying to get the title is me, but I still think this is a really innovative use of social media. If social media is all about giving the power of the brand and the power of them media back to everyday people, than who is to say that the general public can not give an executive a title. OK so that is y corporate bullshit line. Here is the truth.

I think titles are a joke. People negotiate jobs for less money and a better title. people stay up at night thinking about the effect their title will have on their "career path." Could there be anything sillier than that thought... the words on your business card dictate who you are? Give me a break. Do great work - don't accept status quo - trust you instinct - and you will go anywhere you want to go. Passion for what you do is what really matters and I am going to prove that point. You can give me any title you want to by going to this link and submitting one. Then get your friends to vote for it. Whatever title wins will be on my business card and I will go into meeting and give out my card. I can make it work for me, not against me! Titles are silly. Leaders know how to lead without titles. Innovators know how to innovate without titles. Creatives know how to create without titles. Titles are just a few words strung together to make other people feel good. Think I am full of it? go to this site and try to give me something I can not work with.

Click Here for Title Contest

Or if you are more visual click on the video below, but whatever way you go make sure you share this with your friends! Good Luck.

You know what... This thing is working so well that the News and Observer picked it up and wrote a nice article about the contest. Check out the article

New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Sets Balanchine Piece for Cary Ballet Company's Spring Gala March 21st and 22nd

2009-03-16T08:29:00.003-04:00

This journey began almost 2 years ago when Roberto Munoz, a world renowned ballet dancer and instructor was running an audition at Cary Ballet Conservatory for his summer program in Saratoga Springs, NY. He was so impressed with the level of the dancers that he convinced his wife, Melinda Roy, a Principal Dancer with The New York City Ballet from 1989-1996, to come and teach a master class at Cary Ballet. After teaching the class she said “she was blown away by the level of instruction these girls were receiving.” and said "I have to meet with this woman and find out how she built this wonderful program". So, Roy met with Cary Ballet's Artistic Director, Suzanne Laliberte'-Clark, congratulated her and invited some of her students to attend her summer program where she further noticed that the CBC dancers clearly stood out from the rest.

Shortly thereafter, she met Rossana Nesta Machi, CBC’s Ballet Mistress and Cary Ballet Company’s Assistant Director. Machi quickly asked Roy if there was a chance that CBC could get the opportunity to perform a Balanchine piece; a great honor in the dance world. Roy believed The Balanchine Trust would most likely approve the dancers due to the level of their training. “The girls were really strong and well trained,” said Roy. “”They are definitely able to handle complicated choreography.”

Melinda decided that the dancers at Cary Ballet should perform Divertimento no. 15, choreographed by the late famed Ballet Master, George Balanchine and she agreed to set it on the company. This is a tremendous honor because before any company, in any country may perform a Balanchine piece, the company and the dancers must be approved through careful examination by the Balanchine Trust to ensure they are of the professional caliber to perform up to the late master’s standards. All of the Cary Ballet dancers were filmed and reviewed by the board of the Balanchine Trust before they were chosen to perform Divertimento #15. All of the dancers who were submitted were approved in the first round.

Over the next few months Melinda Roy and Rossana worked closely together to make sure everything was perfect. While Roy staged the choreography, Machi rehearsed the dancers when Roy was not in Cary. Roy said, “Rossana is really terrific. The girls are lucky to have an instructor of her caliber.”

Melinda also worked closely with CBC’s Costume Mistress to ensure that the costumes were extremely close to the originals, however she added some personal touches of her own. The dance will be performed featuring these exquisite, custom-made professional tutus.

The dancers have been working diligently for the past 8 months, rehearsing to ensure every aspect of the dance is perfect. Melinda Roy has been at Cary Ballet a number of times over that period to ensure that the all of the choreography is exactly as George Balanchine envisioned and set it. Under the watchful eyes of Roy and Machi the dance has come together and is ready to be performed to perfection.

Clark says, “This is such a great honor for Cary Ballet. Not only to be approved to perform this celebrated Balanchine piece, but also to have Melinda Roy set it on the Company is a double honor. I am so proud of our dancers and excited for them to have this wonderful opportunity”

When asked why she wanted CBC to do the piece Roy said, “I feel it is an obligation to pass on what I learned. I was there at The New York City Ballet at a magical time and was honored to have worked with George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. Balanchine would be proud to see these fine young dancers perform at such a high level.”

As of this writing, Cary Ballet Conservatory is the only private school in the state of North Carolina that has ever been selected to perform a Balanchine Ballet.

The one and only performance of Divertimento no.15 will be on Saturday, March 21st at 7PM at the auditorium at Cary Academy. The performance is part of Cary Ballet’s 2009 Spring Gala, which includes a diverse program with three performances over the weekend. Much of the show features original choreography by CBC’s talented faculty, showcasing the semi-professional company as well as aspiring junior and apprentice dancers. All three shows will also include a special guest performance by Cary's nationally acclaimed jazz dance company, The 3D Project as they premier b'decken, choreographed exclusively for 3D by Internationally renown choreographer, Eddy Ocampo. “This gala is truly a show all age groups will enjoy”, says Clark, pointing out how even young children will be delighted by highlights from the beloved Sleeping Beauty fairytale ballet, in which the lovely Princess Aurora will be awakened by the kiss of her noble prince, who is a special guest dancer from the Carolina Ballet.

Performances will be held at the theater at Cary Academy on Saturday, March 21st at 2pm and at 7pm and on Sunday, March 22nd at 2 pm.

Limited tickets are still available by calling Cary Ballet Conservatory at 919-481-6509.

About Melinda Roy

Melinda Roy was born in Lafayette, Louisiana. She left home at age 12 to attend the School of American Ballet on scholarship. She completed her academic work at New York’s Professional Children’s School, and joined the corps of the New York City Ballet in 1978. She was promoted to the role of Soloist in 1984, and then to the rank of Principal Dancer in 1989.

During her tenure with the Company, she performed for audiences all over the world. Her most favorite repertoire included leading roles in George Balanchine’s Apollo, Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet, Divertimento No. 15, Jewels, Liebeslieder Waltzer, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Union Jack, and The Nutcracker, and in Jerome Robbins’ The Concert, Fancy Free, The Four Seasons, Gershwin Concerto, Goldberg Variations, and Interplay.

Ms. Roy also originated roles in Peter Martin’s Waltz Project, William Forseyth’s Behind the China Dogs, and Miriam Mahdaviani’s The Newcomers. She performed in China in 1980 with Jerome Robbins, as part of the government’s first cultural exchange program. She has also toured worldwide with Stars of American Ballet.

Her television appearances include the Dance in America program Balanchine in America, Dance in America’s Balanchine Celebration, and Live From Lincoln Center’s telecast of Ray Charles in concert with the New York City Ballet. Ms. Roy also appeared in the film version of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and Accent on the Off Beat with Winton Marsalis and was a spokesperson for QVC. In addition, she is the co-creator of the New York City Ballet Workout, published by William Morrow, 1996.

Ms. Roy retired from New York City Ballet in 1996. She moved to Sanibel, Florida in 2000 to found Gulfshore Ballet. In addition to her teaching responsibilities for Gulfshore Ballet, she has turned her choreographic skills to Broadway. Ms. Roy was Choreographer for the Broadway version of the movie Urban Cowboy, for which she was nominated for a Tony in April 2003. Her other choreographic credits include the Broadway hit show Master Harold and the Boys, starring Danny Glover, Paparazzi with Tommy Tune, and an Encores Series production of Can Can for New York’s City Center starring Patty Lupone.

As the artistic leader of Gulfshore Ballet, Ms. Roy has, for the past six years, made it possible for audiences in the Fort Myers region, to see Stars of the New York City Ballet perform in a yearly fundraiser called Bravo Ballet. In the most resent of those events, some of her most advanced students danced with the NYCB on stage, as well as 48 young students that were auditioned from the three surrounding counties to be part of the cast and perform Jerome Robbins Circus Polka.

Melinda Roy and husband Roberto Munoz are the founders and director of Saratoga Summer Dance Intensive, SSDI, a Ballet program that takes place in the month of June and July in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Ms. Roy also won the Angel of the Arts Award for best Teacher in 2005.

About Cary Ballet Company

As an affiliate of the Cary Ballet Conservatory, Cary Ballet Company provides advanced level, pre-professional students the highest quality training and performing experience, as they progress into the next phase of their careers.

The company produces several major performances annually, including "Visions of Sugarplums", "Celebration of Children in the Arts" and their "Spring Gala", which have become favorite traditions for our capital region audiences.

Founded in 1998 by artistic director, Suzanne Laliberté Clark, CBC elaborately presented the full-length ballet favorite "Sleeping Beauty" as its inaugural performance.

Over the past thirteen years, the company has worked diligently to earn a distinguished reputation in the southeast, performing a diverse repertoire of choreographic styles, from classical ballet favorites to eclectic contemporary works, ethnic artistry and traditional fairy tale ballets.

Cary Ballet Conservatory and its faculty have trained many professional dancers and already have an impressive alumnus. Many of their students have gone on to dance with some of the country's leading ballet and dance companies while many others have received dance scholarships to attend topnotch universities. As students of the conservatory, aspiring dancers are provided the highest standards of professional training, along with performance opportunities through their affiliate, semi-professional, Cary Ballet Company as well as performing small roles and corps de ballet parts with the regions' professional company, Carolina Ballet. Students are consistently selected (many with scholarships and stipends) to attend summer intensives and apprentice programs with respected company-affiliated schools such as the School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, River North, Miami City Ballet and many more.

As an integral component of the regions arts community, the Cary Ballet Company works closely with many organizations such as the Fine Arts League of Cary, Cary Community Foundation and the Town of Cary's Lazy Daze Festival Committee to further the community's cultural resources. They often collaborate with dance companies in other regions, travel to perform and host master classes and workshops. CBC's Intensive Summer Programs attract talented dancers from across the country and even other countries who must be accepted by audition. The company also gives public educational demonstrations and hosts national auditions for major schools/companies. These dedicated dancers, choreographers and Guild members, along with their loyal triangle audiences, support the company's mission and further the level of the arts in the Southeast.

HELP ME WITH THIS PRANK

2009-03-06T16:48:00.002-05:00

OK so there is this guy I know, Joseph Gaitens, who just got a promotion to Director of Strategic Communication at The Catevo Group in Raleigh, NC. He is super smart and works hard and takes his job very seriously. He hates the term Strategic Communications (with the "s") as he feels it is Communication not Communications. We are pulling a prank on him and asking people to send him a congratulations note on his new title Director of Strategic Communications. Please send him a note at jgaitens@catevo.com and put congratulate him on his new title of Director Strategic Communications. Make sure you put the "s" on communication as it will drive him batty. By the way Monday is his birthday.

Thanks for the help

BANKS MARKETING AND PARTIES

2009-02-24T10:45:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Phil Mickelson on winning the 2009 Northern Trust Open this past weekend at the exclusive Riveria Country Club in Los Angeles. It was a great performance for him where he birdied the 16th and 17th holes to take home $1,134,000.00 in prize money. Unfortunately Northern Trust, the bank that sponsored the event, scored a quarduple bogey with the public. It is mind boggling that they have the audacity to spend like drunken sailors after receiving $1.6 billion in bailout money from the government. Here are a few highlights of their outrageous spending.

The Chicago based bank flew hundreds of employees and clients to LA and put them up in the Beverly Wilshire, Loews and the Ritz Carlton. Nice digs for people using bailout money.

On Wednesday night they held a dinner for clients and friend at the Ritz Carlton with the evening ending with a performance by the band Chicago. If that was not enough, all of the female guest received gifts from none other than Tiffany's

On Thursday their dinner was held in a private hangar at the Santa Monica Airport followed by a private concert by Earth Wind and Fire. But wait... it gets better!

On Saturday they rented out the entire House of Blues on Sunset for a wild night of debauchery with a menu fit for a king. Then the night was topped off with another private concert by Sheryl Crowe. Are you kidding me??

Other perks for their select group included rides to wherever they need to go in mercedes, a cocktail party at Loews, on course and off course hospitality and much more. Don't forget they also paid a huge sponsorship fee that goes towards the marketing and purse for the tournament itself.

Here is the kicker to all of it. In December, Northern Trust laid off 4% of their workforce, or 450 employees. You want to talk about a stimulus package? Kill the parties and extravagance and use the money to keep the 450 families employed and contributing to the economy.

Now you have to understand that I am a marketer and I am all for sponsorships as they do create jobs and drive the economy, but all of the extravagances around the event can go by the wayside. Imagine how much great press Northern Trust could have generated for themselves if they said they were cancelling all of the parties and events in light of the bad economy.

Instead they had the audacity to say they did not spend any of the bailout money on the events, as the money came from the operating expense of the bank. Give me a break... that they could attemt to try to make it better with semantics is just further proof that the banks could not care less about what is going on in the world even though they are largely responsibile for it all.

U2 TAPS SOCIAL MEDIA

2009-02-20T13:58:00.006-05:00

If you want to hear U2's new album, " No Line On The Horizon'" before March 3rd, you better know something about Social Media. Actually, you better be a member of MySpace, becasue if you are not you can't hear get it until March 2nd. Click Here to hear the album. This is really a coup for MySpace, which last month fell to the number 2 spot in the social media space, behind Facebook. It would have been cooler to have the number one band in the world to be with the number one social media site in the world, but this just might propel MySpace back into the number one spot, for a month anyway. I guess they did it to help prevent piracy, but it is also a testament to how powerful social media is becoming. Granted MySpace was born out of music, but this is a big win for them. I am sure we will be seeing more and more bands doing things like this. To be honest, I beleive the era of the branded free album is actually not too far off.

As you know the real money for bands is made in touring and merchandise. The actual sale of CD's is not where bands make their money with the exception of albuns that go platinum. Imagine if a brand like Best Buy said "Hey band X... we will front you the money to make the album, give you some money towards touring and we will give the music away for free at our stores as a gift with purchase." They then let the band keep their touring money and merchandise money and there is no advance to pay back either. Hmmm...sounds like a tasty recipe for a band but why would they want to give it away for free? The answer is simple actually. Best Buy could give away millions of CD's as a gift with purchase which only increases the pool of fans who might want to go to see the band when they tour. It simply gives them a larger fan base and the opportunity to make more money when they tour and sell merchandise whcih is generally their bread and butter. It is a win-win. Further, the Brand could essentially retain a license to the music for a year and then have all rights revert back to the artist which again is a win-win. The brand can use the music in their advertising and branding activities for the cost of making the album and the artist gets to make the albumn with no payback of the advance. The only question would be who owns the publishing and I am certain we all know the answer to that... it is negotiable.

This is a recipe which the record companies will absolutely hate, but it sure does make a lot of sense to me. What are your thoughts?

PEANUTS ON THE MIND

2009-02-17T10:35:00.002-05:00

You know in the midst of this huge peanut problem, combined with the bad economy, coupled with record unemployment, and a stock market hitting 14 year low points, I figured everyone could use a little humor. Check out what CNN Reporter, Zain Verjee had to say about peanuts and Northwest Airlines.

You know the normally austere Wolf Blitzer had to get hysterical off camera on this one.

APPLE 1 - MICROSOFT ZERO

2009-02-16T18:22:00.003-05:00

You knew it had to happen. The giant is now chasing the little guy. Microsoft is chasing Apple. Don't get me wrong I know the whole market share thing, but Microsoft announced last week that they will be opening up stores to help consumers get a better PC buying experience. You have to be kidding me right? Yeah I can just imagine the creative and design geniuses over in Redmond coming up with "really cool" stuff to do in the stores. I can just see the sales staff with pocket protectors and tape on their glasses.

The real lesson here is that Microsoft was complacent and felt because they had so much market share that they did not have to worry about their brand image. One of my favorite things to tell Brand Marketers is that if you do not carefully position your brand, your competitors will do it for you. Apple has done a brilliant job of positioning Microsoft as a brand for dorks with their television campaign Apple and PC. I think they are some of the best commercials on television today. They tell such a great story in 30 seconds and they make Microsoft look stupid and petty while making Apple look cool.

It is clearly working, as on a recent visit to the Apple Store on 5th Avenue in NYC at 1:30AM the place was packed. Not busy...packed at 1:30 in the morning. Granted there were a lot of people just hanging out but plenty were buying too. I only ended up there at 1:30 because it was so busy at 3 in the afternoon that I did not want to wait around to buy a new external hard drive.

I for one can't wait to see how Microsoft tries to battle the image that Apple has created for them. I am sure they will try to make the stores hip but my gut tells me they will miss. What will they call their Genius Bar? How will they ever compete with the experience that Apple has created? Going to an Apple Store is truly retail entertainment at its finest. Remember when the "experts" were saying what a critical mistake opening retail stores was for Apple? I guess Apple proved them wrong. I wonder if Microsoft will be able to follow suit? You know what they say...if you are not the lead dog, the view never changes.

Stay tuned because this one is near and dear to my heart.

BILLION DOLLAR BONEHEADS PART II - REALLY!?!

2009-02-15T21:07:00.003-05:00

You know... I guess there are 2 sides to every story and this is a decent other side to the Michael Phelps story. He is still an idiot for doing what he did... and I simply mean getting caught. You would think he would be smart enough to do stupid things at home but hey... you never know.

GET OVER IT YOU TRISKAIDEKAPHOBE!

2009-02-13T10:37:00.004-05:00

So you are paralyzed at home hiding under the bed because today is Friday the 13th? I have to tell you that most people would call you a triskaidekaphobe. I can't even pronounce it. I have a fear of mispronunciation. I had to cut and paste that word for fear of spelling it wrong! I am so paralyzed that I might make a mistake today that I cut and pasted some information below from a National Geographic web article written by John Roach to give you some background.

So how did Friday the 13th become such an unlucky day?

Dossey, also a folklore historian and author of Holiday Folklore, Phobias and Fun, said fear of Friday the 13th is rooted in ancient, separate bad-luck associations with the number 13 and the day Friday. The two unlucky entities ultimately combined to make one super unlucky day.

Dossey traces the fear of 13 to a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party at Valhalla, their heaven. In walked the uninvited 13th guest, the mischievous Loki. Once there, Loki arranged for Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow.

"Balder died and the whole Earth got dark. The whole Earth mourned. It was a bad, unlucky day," said Dossey. From that moment on, the number 13 has been considered ominous and foreboding.

There is also a biblical reference to the unlucky number 13. Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to the Last Supper.

Meanwhile, in ancient Rome, witches reportedly gathered in groups of 12. The 13th was believed to be the devil.

Thomas Fernsler, an associate policy scientist in the Mathematics and Science Education Resource Center at the University of Delaware in Newark, said the number 13 suffers because of its position after 12.

According to Fernsler, numerologists consider 12 a "complete" number. There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of Jesus.

In exceeding 12 by 1, Fernsler said 13's association with bad luck "has to do with just being a little beyond completeness. The number becomes restless or squirmy."

This fear of 13 is strong in today's world. According to Dossey, more than 80 percent of high-rises lack a 13th floor. Many airports skip the 13th gate. Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.

On streets in Florence, Italy, the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12 and a half. In France socialites known as the quatorziens (fourteeners) once made themselves available as 14th guests to keep a dinner party from an unlucky fate.

Many triskaidekaphobes, as those who fear the unlucky integer are known, point to the ill-fated mission to the moon, Apollo 13.

As for Friday, it is well known among Christians as the day Jesus was crucified. Some biblical scholars believe Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit on Friday. Perhaps most significant is a belief that Abel was slain by Cain on Friday the 13th.

So there you have it. Good luck today!

BILLION DOLLAR BONEHEADS

2009-02-12T13:52:00.009-05:00

If you ever wondered does a celebrity endorsement make sense for your brand all you have to do is look at all of the celebrities that have blown it! Look no further than the billion dollar boy - Michael Phelps - who was the Nation's golden boy just a few short months ago. He had the marketing world lining up to do endorsement deals with him. Now it might be tough to find a company, other than Zig Zag, who wants to be within 100 yards of him! The truth is Celebrity Endorsements are dead if they were ever really relevant at all. Does anyone believe that Tiger Woods hops out of his private jet to a waiting Buick Lucerne? Come on...even my kids don't buy that nonsense!

It has been reported that they are building a case against Phelps and have arrested up to 8 other college kids who were at the party. Right now there are no charges pending against Phelps and he has issued a statement apologizing for his "regrettable behavior" and "bad judgement" but if you had his photo on your cereal box you would be mighty miffed.

The truth is AUTHENTICITY is far more powerful that any celebrity endorsement could ever be. Friends telling friends about a product is so much more impactful than any celebrity saying they use the brand. One study shows that less than 20% of people say celebrity endorsement has any impact on their brand decisions. In this world of social media and accessible means of distributing information, brands are wasting billions of dollars on celebrity endorsements that deliver absolutely no value to their brands. Further, these endorsement deals can damage the brand equity when someone does something stupid like Michael Phelps or Chris Brown. Oh...did I mention Chris Brown assaulting his mega star girlfriend Rihanna? How would you feel if you were the Brand Manager for Doublemint over at Wrigleys? You were a hero last week and a goat today. Michael Vick and Nike, Madonna and Pepsi, Robert Jarvic and Pfizer, Eric Clapton and Anheuser Busch, Mary Kate and Ashely and Got Milk, Ludacris and Pepsi... the list goes on and on but the money keeps flowing. When will brands realize that consumers just don't buy it? If they would simply use Social Media and let real people spread the word the results would be astounding! Look at Doritos and the 2 guys who did the Crystal Ball Superbowl ad. The Tonight Show, The Today Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and those are just some of the mainstream media outlets that covered these guys. All because of a social media campaign that went well. Do I need to say more?

MY FRIEND MONKEY - NOT THE ONE ON MY BACK!

2009-02-12T09:04:00.003-05:00

I got an email from a friend of mine yesterday which reminded me about how cool his product really is. His company is called Wrecords by Monkey and they basically make bracelets and rings out of old vinyl records. In their words...

WrecordsByMonkey is a Brooklyn-based design company that bridges the worlds of fashion, art and music. Using reclaimed vinyl records, they create handmade accessories with a low carbon footprint that can be incorporated into anyone’s individual style. Their niche product, the Wrecord bracelet, comes in designs from silly to sophisticated. WBM’s full line includes bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings and t-shirts, all inspired by the idea of relating to music lovers of every generation.

I ran an artisan market with my 2 brothers in NYC, and the Wrecords By Monkey booth was ALWAYS busy. Their mainstay item is the bracelet which is amazing as it appeals to hip New York kids and people from Iowa all at the same time. There is just something about these bracelets and other stuff that has instant appeal. Don't take my word for it, check out their website here. Also check out these classic bracelets here.

WHAT IS YOUR 9-YEAR OLD DOING?

2009-02-11T10:16:00.002-05:00

While my 8 and 10 year old sons are out playing sports and basically doing a whole lot of nothing, this kid is out there doing something really amazing. I can't fathom that he built this application for the iPhone and got it approved and up there in the App Store, but it is true. I guess I am a moron compared to this 9 year old kid! Forget about who is smarter than a 5th grader. In this case I am not even smarter than a 4th grader. Ouch!

All kidding aside, this is just another example of how the next generation of media and technology junkies are getting younger and younger. Just imagine where this kid will be and what he will be able to do by the time he gets to his first job. The lesson here is that you have to look at the kids to find out where we are going becasue they are clearly dirivng the bus.

Reuters recently reported on nine-year old Lim Ding Wen from Singapore, whose Doodle Kids [App Store] application has seen over 4,000 downloads since its release several weeks ago. The free application, designed for his sisters aged three and five, allows users to draw on the iPhone screen using random shapes and colors and then erase their creations by shaking the device.

TG Daily followed up on the story to reveal that the program, along with a number of others, was originally written for the Apple IIGS, as detailed on a personal website set up for him by his father, an Apple IIGS enthusiast. A second Apple IIGS game, Invader War, is also being ported to the iPhone and will be made available through the App Store.

Frustrated by Technology

2009-02-10T18:49:00.006-05:00

I saw this video on The Onion and I got hysterical. This is so true of new technology. There is a lot of profanity in this video so be careful where you look at. If you are easily offended you might want to take a pass on this one as there is a ton of swearing, but it is funny. Then again if you are offended by this video you might not want to read my blog too often.