Vine: What’s Cool about It?

When new exciting products come out I try to avoid all reviews and chatter about the product so that I can form my own pure opinions before they are skewed by others. I’ve been playing with Vine for several weeks now so I’m ready to share my thoughts.

So far, two key things stand out about Vine for me; creativity and a different view; literally.

Compared to YouTube or other video platforms, Vine seems to really be attracting creative and artistic people who are embracing stop motion and really pushing the envelope in artistic ways. It’s as if a bunch of young filmmakers were unleashed on me, and I get to watch Gumby and Pokey in a battle against Batman all in just 6 seconds. It’s fun, and it’s serving a different purpose than other video platforms.

Secondly, and this is what I enjoy most about Vine, is a reduction in selfies. I’m aware that many people enjoy using video platforms to show their face to the world, but that’s getting old and boring and the world is getting cluttered with selfies. Because Vine isn’t setup with a front-facing camera, I think more people tend to record what they see, instead of themselves, so now we get the opportunity to see the world through the eyes of others and I’m truly hoping that Vine will not change that feature. Now don’t get me wrong, many people still see themselves as interesting and worth looking at so they simply flip their camera phone around BUT I will say that there’s a great majority that are allowing us to see the world through their eyes, and this is truly refreshing.

So far I feel that Vine is pretty cool and has positioned their product as a unique tool that is here to stay. Also, it’s rather user-friendly and intuitive which is half the battle.

A few brands have jumped on the bandwagon so far, including Urban Outfitters who was one of the first, showcasing a video of dogs and another of beer (entirely unrelated to the brand).  I’ve also noticed a few agencies and companies testing out Vine, including BuzzFeed who is rather active; giving us an inside perspective of what it’s like to work there. Several celebrities quickly embraced the platform including Adam Goldberg and Jimmy Fallon utilizing the platform as a snapshot into their lives; just a few step beyond Instagram.

It will be interesting to see which big brands will embrace this platform for advertising, and since consumers hate ads it may just be the perfect place to keep their short attention span. Just imagine the pre-roll for a 6 second ad.

19 Trends for the 19th

This is not as easy as I thought it would be but this time I'm trying to move beyond trends from 2011 (thank you Jeff Dickens for your constant support cough cough). Also, I really need to make this list at the beginning of the month when I don't have to come up with so many trends simply to satisfy the blog title. Anyways, enjoy!

1. Stop motion
2. Cold brew coffee
3. Checking in with GetGlue
4. Rose gold
5. Pingpong
6. Snapchat
7. Fennel
8. Sophie the giraffe
9. Gluten free
10. Peplum tops
11. Herringbone
12. Unique ice cube trays
13. Keeping calm and carrying on
14. High top wedge sneakers
15. Mint (the color)
16. The Harlem Shake
17. Zombies
18. Retro swimwear
19. Google Hangouts

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

29 Trends for the 29th

Here are 29 trends for you, with no context, in no particular order, left for you to ponder.

Also, I stuck "reform" in there and I'm not sure it's a "trend" persay but the topic is running rather ramped these days so I feel it's worth a shout-out.

1. Ombré
2. Cauliflower
3. Big buns
4. Horizontal scrolling
5. Gourmet doughnuts
6. Mason jars
7. Denim dress shirts
8. Southern food
9. Online dating
10. Spinning
11. Pinning
12. Inspirational Quotes
13. 6 second videos
14. Animated gifs
15. 50 Shades of Gray
16. 3D Printing
17. Rural reality shows
18. Farm to table
19. Immigration Reform
20. Healthcare Reform
21. Nail Polish
22. Kendrick Lamar
23. Crowdfunding
24. Pop-Up shops
25. Taco trucks
26. Whiskey
27. Extreme Marketing (think Felix Baumgartner)
28. Bicycles
29. Apple (not the fruit, duh)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Typography: It's All the Rage

On a recent project about the current and future state of digital, I learned of a coming trend towards a greater emphasis on the visual typography of websites. After all, the majority of a website is text, so naturally this makes sense. I feel this is largely driven by visual typography on social media platforms like Pinterest.

With that said, digital isn't the only place for creative typography, big brands are quickly moving on this trend too.

This weekend I enjoyed some Dominoes pizza and noticed their box (to my surprise) is solid black. Secondly, it is covered with a range of mixed typography, as if it's been lifted right off of the boards of Pinterest. It's very unfamiliar for the category so I just wanted to say kudos to Dominos for taking a leap of faith towards creativity, it's refreshing.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Barbie, She's Not Your Average Doll

Barbie has 6,816,586 likes on facebook and 160,868 “talking about this”; I am one of her many fans and she is one of my most favorite facebook friends. Yup, I said it, I called her my friend. The funny thing is I never even played with Barbie dolls as a child.

Barbie isn't just another brand intruding on my social space, to me, she feels real. She’s funny, she’s true to herself, she’s engaging (not boring), and she isn’t pushy. I just adore the language she uses as every perfectly crafted word seems to be an extension of herself, and thus an extension of her brand. Am I taking this too far? I think not.

Here are a couple of her recent posts:

“OMD. I’m so excited to share a never-before-seen Life in the Dreamhouse clip with you, dolls! Hope you enjoy watching it as much as moi... stay tuned for more Season One extras!” – 5,624 likes, 432 comments, and 2,636 shares

“Fall is the perfect time of year for one of my fave activities... glam-ping!” – 10,605 likes, 696 comments, 4,193 shares

“It's no secret that my favorite color is pink... but it's not just any pink! Pantone 219 is so fab, I had to devote a custom dress to it!” - 5,499 likes, 794 comments, 2,746 shares

If you haven’t already befriended Barbie, go ahead, give her a chance. Not only will she make you smile, but she’ll serve as inspiration for communicating your brand more effectively in social media.   

Semiotics in advertising

As I’m waiting for the metro…

Friendly man: Can I borrow your pen?

Me: Sure

Friendly man: I am soooo proud of you, you’re such a good student, keep up the good work and you will succeed

Me (guilty as I haven’t been a student in over 6 years): Thanks (giggle)

This is a conversation I have with strangers quite often and I don’t believe it’s because I look young (which I hear is true), but because I use a backpack instead of a purse, and just happened to have been reading a book at the time.

Book + backpack = student

Why is this interesting to me? When I worked in primary market research I was briefly introduced to the concept of semiotics. It is an idea that is greater and more complicated than my current understanding, but what I took away from the idea is that Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation. Signs acquire meaning and value with becomes culturally accepted; it becomes ingrained in our culture without notice. This becomes relevant in the world of advertising as we use signs and symbols to represent different messages and ideas that must align with our expectations. And sometimes, we deviate from what is expected.

For example, red, yellow, and orange are all commonly used colors in fast food advertising. Greens and browns often signify natural and organic. Black and white could mean that a brand has a long history or is trying to get across a serious message. Two hands shaking means a deal has been agreed upon (often used in banking), a thumbs up means something is good or somebody is happy. I can go on and on and I think you get the picture.

In advertising, not only must we be aware of the meaning assigned to signs and symbols, but that adaptation over time. For example, something as simple as a pattern can mean one thing to one group of people in a particular period of time, and then evolve. As shown below, if I asked my grandma about this pattern she might say it’s Navaho or associate it to American Indians but ask a teenager and most likely she’s seen this pattern incorporated into fashion design at Forever21. If you asked me, I’d call the pattern “Hipster”. Put a girl in an ad wearing this pattern 10 years ago and it’s Navaho, but today, its trendy.

As culture and trends rapidly evolve, keeping abreast of these changes is a crucial ingredient to effective advertising.

Be Careful with Using Fear in Ads

I got this ad in an email just now and didn't particularly like the use of fear, especially since it alludes to a child drowning. Of course a call to action (download our app or else!) is the goal, but I just can't imagine that app would be able to save her life in an instant (unless it turns your phone into a swimming robot).

Content Strategy

Simply put, content can be thought of as words and images, something (say a video) that must be expressed through a medium (say a website). The internet, for example, is filled with an abundance of content – sometimes meaningful and relevant, often times not. Content Strategy then can be understood as the action plan for giving content overall direction; making it useful, relevant and usable for those seeking to consume it.

In the context of designing websites, let’s think about content strategy as our home. We have walls and support beams, doors and steps; all necessary components to the structure of our home. All of this must make sense though, and there is no simple formula because this structure may be different for you than for me. Just like with website content, we all seek something different from our home which reflects our personal tastes. So when building a website we must first think about the necessary architecture or structure – the website layout, the colors, the fonts, the location of the context, all the way down to the  tools that exist behind the website that analyzes our actions and key strokes.

Now strategic content is more than just the framework of the home. Your home reflects who you are; your design and personal touch. You may like to have a vase on your living room table; I might not even want a table at all. You organize details within your home so that it works for you. If you didn’t have a refrigerator in your kitchen, the walls in that kitchen really wouldn’t matter – your kitchen is useless without it and a website is useless without the information you are seeking. Just like a home reflects our personal needs beyond four walls and a roof, a website must contain more than just words and images. A website must be comprised of messages, ideas, and topics that have purpose, and that purpose must align with the goals of the business providing the content.

Sounds simple when you put it like that right? But of course not, because the objectives of each website or business is different, and the relevant content to each consumer (or potential consumer) varies widely.

So now what? I think the biggest challenge comes with understanding who wants to consume what. Content curators must first develop a strategic action plan. I feel that developing a deep understanding of the user is at the forefront of that plan. Then the curators must align the challenges and objectives of the company with the desires of their target market.

So here is the winning formula. Know business challenges and objectives. Understand the target market. Create COMPELLING content (with purpose) relevant to their needs. Test it. Implement it. Probably test it again. Tweak it along the way as more information is gathered or the desires of the consumers change (OR the business objectives change). And voila!

Why is this important? Without strategic content consumers will fail to find what is useful and relevant, and in turn the business providing the content will crumble, just like an old home.

10 Surefire Ways to Piss Off Your Facebook Friends

1. Include a hastag (#) in your status updates #justkidding
2. Constantly update your facebook status every few minutes (according to twitter users this is actually okay to do on twitter)
3. Accept your parents or others close relatives as your friends
4. Share really personal information about your point-of-view on important matters
5. Tag your friends in photos when they are not actually in them
6. "Like" your own posts (status updates, pictures, etc.)... it's like giving yourself a high-five in public
7. Piggybacking on #6... ask your friends to like your posts (shameless self promoting)
7. Send your friends game requests, calendar requests, app requests, etc.
8. Share everything you can about your newborn child because if it's cute to you, it MUST be cute to everybody else
9. Definitely take photos of yourself looking cute at strange angles where you can see down your shirt... typically the bathroom is a great place to do this
10. Write passive aggressive status updates about things your friends and family have done in hopes that they will read it and know you're talking about them

I created this list as a result of an article trending on twitter via Mashable called "10 Facebook Tips for Power Users". It focused on tips and tricks for navigating the platform, viewing photos, hiding personal information, and improving the overall experience by understanding how to fully utilize your account settings. It was rather technical and what was the result???.... an endless amount of twitter chatter about what people hate on facebook. So after reading through Facebook-hating tweets I decided to compile a list of surefire ways to piss off your Facebook friends. While I agree with the majority, these are not my personal opinion, just a collection of reoccurring annoyances by twitter users. Perhaps we can all learn from this.... or alternately continue to do these things to piss off our friends.

What is missing from this list? What just drives you absolutely crazy which people do on Facebook?

God is like... a brand

I’ll begin this blab by saying that I am not religious and I believe in science. I accept and appreciate that others may believe in whatever makes them happy and whatever they feel to be the truth. I also believe in comparing God to brands, so this seems like a good place to do that. This is from an email I received…

God is like BAYER ASPIRIN. He works miracles.
God is like A FORD. He's got a better idea.

God is like COKE. He's the real thing. 

God is like HALLMARK CARDS. He cares enough to send His very best.
God is like TIDE. He gets the stains out others leave behind.
God is like GENERAL ELECTRIC. He brings good things to life.

God is like WAL-MART. He has everything.

God is like ALKA-SELTZER. Try Him, you'll like Him.

God is like SCOTCH TAPE. You can't see Him, but you know He's there.

God is like DELTA. He's ready when you are.

God is like ALLSTATE. You're in good hands with Him.
God is like VO-5 HAIR SPRAY. He holds through all kinds of weather.
God is like The U.S. POST OFFICE. Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination.

God is like CHEVROLET. The heart beat of America.

God is like MAXWELL HOUSE. Good to the very last drop

God is like BOUNTY. He is the quicker picker upper, can handle the tough jobs, and He won't fall apart on you.
God is like THE ENERGIZER BUNNY. He Keeps Going, Going, and Going.

So basically if you buy all these brands, you won’t need to search for God any longer (joke). Thankfully you won’t have to spend much money either since “he” is like all the big generic brands (another joke, don’t get mad God lovers). Apparently God is also a He! I thought this was interesting as it provides insight into the key truths and values behind each of these big brands (and God).

POM IS Wonderful

On point branding all the way down to the heart shaped bar code sticker.

Sleeping: Where Dreams Meet Reality

The other morning I woke up to having remembered a dream rather vividly. I was walking alone down Hollywood Blvd. looking for a place to eat lunch. Every restaurant had tons of people dining outdoors on the sidewalk; a common custom in Europe that I happen to adore. I walked into a place where everybody was eating salads, including Michelle Pfeiffer who had also appeared for a quick moment in the movie preview I had seen the previous night. As I walked in, the female hostess quickly hurried inside. Of course she was busy because it was the lunch rush. She was wearing black shorts, a black top, and a black apron- an outfit rather familiar from my teenage years as a waitress. I waited to be seated because there was a chalkboard sign instructing me to do so which read "Please wait to be seated". On every table was a free snack, ready for you before you even sat down. I always told myself if I ever opened a restaurant that I would serve a bowl of red cherries for free, so of course something like this appeared in my dream as well. The only bizarre thing was that the snack was all the salad fixings excluding the lettuce and dressing, and it was being served in a white plastic bag instead of a bowl. Of course the bag wasn't plain though, it was covered in advertisements.

When I retold this dream to my friend Amy that morning it got me thinking about how weird but cool it is that we borrow from our real life experiences and then use those experiences to create a full story that feels realistic and true to life. The female hostess, her familiar black outfit, the sign, the bag with ads... all common visuals that I could encounter in my average day. When I retold my dream it was my friend who reminded me that Michelle Pfeiffer was in the preview we had seen the previous night; I would never have remembered that. It made me wonder how many other one-second visuals get burned into my memory and then resurface latter when I'm ready to find them.

Dreams are a mysterious and fascinating world where the rules of reality do not apply, but I believe we do not ignore reality, we incorporate it. No other person in the world has your background, emotions, or experiences and I feel that we draw from our personal lives to create our own unique dreams. So when dreaming, especially when awake, just remember to incorporate your unique perspective.

This blab is for Amy.

Goodreads: My Friends' Favorite Genres

It's been a while since I've thought about bar charts, but it's a visual I cannot ignore. I went on the website Goodreads.com today to see what my friends were reading and it looks like I choose to be friends with people similar to me. Non-fiction tends to be my favorite book genre which is also ranked #2 among my friends. So, if you want to be friends with me, this is a start. Let's talk non-fiction :)

Venice Italy: A Land of Pure Discovery (and Love)

I've been on hiatus the past few weeks as I've been traveling in fantasy land (aka Europe) in a trance-like state but now I'm back to reality. I just wanted to mention that in my most favorite city, Venice Italy (where I got engaged!!!), I only came across one single advertisement in plain view. I can't recall what it was for but it was that moment that I realized the lack of clutter was a surprising breath of fresh air. I assume if there were ads plastered everywhere the charm and beauty of the city would be lost entirely as I would no longer feel like a transplant in a different world. How do we make decisions in a environment free of brands and marketers? Who nudges us one way or the other? This a place where we get the opportunity to think for ourselves, to explore freely, and to discover on our own.

Surf Art from Insight

I stumbled upon and borrowed this image of Jess Faen from Insight 51 thanks to my daily NYLON magazine email. It tickled my fancy so just maybe it will do the same for you.


You can visit them at: http://www.insight51.com/

Welcome to the Future: Buying Coffee through an iPad App

I'm at my new favorite coffee shop, Coffee Commissary in West Hollywood, and just paid for my coffee with an iPad app. They placed my order through the app, swiped my card in a card reader, and had me sign the screen with my finger. Then the app asked if I wanted a receipt emailed to me (to which I declined), and a friendly note thanked me with an image of a coffee displayed on the screen.

I expect we'll be seeing this a lot more often soon, but I'm wondering who will take the lead in moving this technology to the next step. Maybe I can order my coffee myself through the app, ship my mom some beans, share my contact info with the shop, rate my coffee, see a list of the most frequently ordered drinks, friend them on facebook, etc. Perhaps I have a future in building iPad apps too.

This is the future. Simple and progressive with integrated design. In a society where consumers seek to be an active participant and engaged with their brands I imagine this is a new point of contact where it can easily happen.

Doritos Tapatio Tortilla Chips

A few years ago I met a man who worked for Doritos creating flavors. He told me they were working on Doritos chips that would come with a packet of hot sauce where you were to squeeze it into the bag and shake it up to flavor the chips. I hear this exists in Mexico but I haven’t seen this before so I was excited and anxious to see this come to market. Unfortunately I’m still waiting however I recently tried Doritos Tapatio chips. While they didn’t taste like Tapatio to me they were pretty delicious. Doritos always seems to amaze me with their innovative flavor creations.

Women in Media: A Cultural Shift?

I’ve been watching a lot of movies lately (this is not a movie review) and have noticed a recent shift in leading women of romantic comedies. Before you sigh and jump to conclusions, let me just say, I am not a feminist so this blab will not be going that direction, it’s just interesting to see the striking similarities in a few recent comedic releases.

In Love and Other Drugs “Maggie (Anne Hathaway) is an alluring free spirit who won't let anyone - or anything - tie her down (IMDB).” In No Strings Attached Emma (Natalie Portman) “guards her emotions (calling her father's funeral "a thing"), so after a quick shag in the moments she has before leaving for the hospital, she asks if he wants a no-strings-attached, sex-only relationship, without romance or complications (IMDB).” And in Bridesmaids Annie (Kristen Wiig) has just “one chance to get it perfect, she'll show Lillian and her bridesmaids just how far you'll go for someone you love (IMDB).”

What do all these movies have in common? The leading female character is the one in control. She enters the relationship more similar to how we typically see the male character played out- just looking for sex and nothing more serious. She has her guard up throughout the movie until she finally realizes she’s found her one true love. Alternatively, their male counterparts are borrowing from stereotypical female attributes; he’s just looking for the right woman to fall in love with (who is unlike anybody he’s ever met before) so he’s willing to fight for what he wants all while getting trampled on and hurt along the way.

What does this mean?! Could this be a sign of a real cultural shift? In the past year I’ve been reading more about the growing focus on women as an increasingly important target for brands. Women are now obtaining more higher education degrees than are men, and slowly but surly dominating the professional workforce. Large purchases are not just made by the male head of household, but by the couple jointly. As women take a greater share of what was formerly male power, it will be imperative for brands to keep their finger on the pulse and not lose sight of this important and growing target - women.

I’d like to wrap this blab up with a quote from one of my favorite female artists, Beyonce Knowles that goes like this, “who runs the world, girls!”.

Alexander McQueen: Fashion is Just a Medium of Expression

This is a page from Alexander McQueen's book "Savage Beauty" which reads "I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress. When you see a woman wearing McQueen, there's a certain hardness to the clothes that makes her look powerful. It kind of fends people off. It's almost like putting armor on a woman. It's a very psychological way of dressing." On another page it reads "For me, what I do is an artistic expression which is channeled through me. Fashion is just the medium." And when you visit his website on the homepage it reads "Experience". 

This was a man who truly understood what it meant to be a brand. It's not the clothes themselves that sell, it's the experience.... the psychology behind how the brand makes you feel is what you're paying for, and McQueen was a man who truly understood how to tap into that psychology and deliver on it through visual expression.

Looking for Your Dream Mascara? Me Too

Mascara! I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this but buying mascara is by far the most overwhelming product purchase for me. No purchase should bring such anxiety and confusion but this one does it for me, and thank god I've set $12 as my price cap because the premium department store brands are a whole different beast to battle.

So, how do I go about navigating the homogeneous landscape? Typically it begins with seeing girlfriends with great eyelashes and then asking them what kind of mascara they're wearing. Unfortunately I forget 100% of the time so then I turn to commercials which I’m not afraid to admit influence me, and this is coming from somebody who works in the marketing industry (Note: no other GenXer would ever be so honest). I rarely read fashion magazines or beauty sites; I used to frequent makeupalley.com and only recently have I become interested in Nylon magazine so I feel rather removed from the beauty Influencers. Those TV ads though are what pulls me in... beautiful models with big bold eyelashes that extend beyond their eyebrows. They all look equally amazing regardless of the brand. Long ago the claims began as 2X as thick or 100% longer but now I'm seeing 700% longer... no !@#$ing way that is even possible, yet these brands continue to outdo one another with outrageous claims and eyelashes that all look equally amazing. 

So, what's a girl to do? As I stand there motionless with eyes glazed over just staring blankly for a bit I notice that the friendly CVS staff are keeping a close eye on me thinking I’m looking for a five-finger discount, when in reality I’m looking for commercials deep in my frontal cortex. Drew Barrymore, the talented and cute actress and face of Cover Girl, comes to mind, so does some girl in sexy black clothes on a motorcycle using Maybelline's Falsies. I think to myself "Falsies, that's a cute name, I'll try that today" and maybe next time I’ll go for the one that's on sale and the time after that the one in the new square tube packaging because that one has nice design (they're usually cylindrical tubes). 

I am not brand loyal when it comes to mascara but I'd like to be. Now is the time for mascara brands to step up to the plate and claim their position in the marketplace so that if I can't tell a difference in their product quality, I can look for a difference in their brand personalities and then select my mascara based off the one who taps into my values most. From what I’ve seen, all mascara brands seem to exist as the lover or rebel archetype, but I’m not a lover nor a rebel so how do they plan to relate to me? As many brands across a range of product categories seek authenticity today, I don’t yet see that any mascara brand has tapped into that value yet. The curvy full-sized woman who uses Dove soap... what kind of mascara does she wear? The powerful executive in a pencil skirt who only has time to apply once in the morning... what kind of mascara does she wear? The athletic hiker who’s looking for a man but doesn’t want him to believe she ever wears makeup... what kind of mascara does she wear? I think you get my point by now. Women are complicated and we all have different needs and wants. 

My advice to brands is to learn what your target values most and then deliver a product that taps into that value... all while differentiating yourself from your competition. Only when you tap into my values will I become loyal.