Mark Trueblood

Today, most men in their 20s hang out in a novel sort of limbo, a hybrid state of semi-hormonal adolescence and responsible self-reliance. This "pre-adulthood" has much to recommend it, especially for the college-educated. But it's time to state what has become obvious to legions of frustrated young women: It doesn't bring out the best in men.

for these women, one key question won't go away: Where have the good men gone? Their male peers often come across as aging frat boys, maladroit geeks or grubby slackers—a gender gap neatly crystallized by the director Judd Apatow in his hit 2007 movie "Knocked Up."

Relatively affluent, free of family responsibilities, and entertained by an array of media devoted to his every pleasure, the single young man can live in pig heaven—and often does. Women put up with him for a while, but then in fear and disgust either give up on any idea of a husband and kids or just go to a sperm bank and get the DNA without the troublesome man.

as women have climbed ever higher (in educational and economic success), men have been falling behind. We’ve arrived at the top of the staircase, finally ready to start our lives, only to discover a cavernous room at the tail end of a party, most of the men gone already, some having never shown up—and those who remain are leering by the cheese table, or are, you know, the ones you don’t want to go out with.

the decline of males has obviously been bad news for men—and bad news for marriage. For all the changes the institution has undergone, American women as a whole have never been confronted with such a radically shrinking pool of what are traditionally considered to be “marriageable” men—those who are better educated and earn more than they do. So women are now contending with what we might call the new scarcity. Even as women have seen their range of options broaden in recent years—for instance, expanding the kind of men it’s culturally acceptable to be with, and making it okay not to marry at all—the new scarcity disrupts what economists call the “marriage market” in a way that in fact narrows the available choices, making a good man harder to find than ever. 

My spotty anecdotal findings have revealed that, yes, in many cases, the more successful a man is (or thinks he is), the less interested he is in commitment.

“From a man’s perspective, men take on an untenable risk. The culture of male disposability runs deep — some say even at the level of our DNA.” Because of this, he says, “Men are making a lifelong commitment to eschew marriage, cohabitation, and even dating in some cases. We do so for all the reasons you can guess, and more. As far as I am concerned, this is the wisest lifestyle decision for men in the United States at this point in time. And I say so as a conservative/libertarian who fully acknowledges the power of a functioning nuclear family.”

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The Sitch: You've accepted a sleepover invite for your daughter, not realizing that only her pal's divorced dad will be home. You're not OK with it. What to do?

The Solution: "Call and say 'I'm sorry, and this is about me and not you, but I just don't feel comfortable with a man supervising an overnighter,' " says Paone. Offer to host the girls at your place instead, if you can, or ask to turn the sleepover into a "late-over," where your daughter stays only till bedtime. In the future, always ask who'll be on duty before you say yes to a sleepover.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Extreme - More Than Words

Awww! What a sweet and romantic ballad! Right? Hmmm. Let's look at the lyrics.

Saying I love you
Is not the words I want to hear from you
It's not that I want you not to say
But if you only knew

How easy it would be to show me how you feel
More than words is all you have to do to make it real
Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me, yeah
'Cos I'd already know

What would you do if my heart was torn in two?
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away?
Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying, "I love you"

Now that I've tried to
Talk to you and make you understand
All you have to do is close your eyes
And just reach out your hand and touch me
Hold me close don't ever let me go

Summary: It's not enough for you to say you love me. I'm dumping your sorry ass unless you touch me and hold me close right NOW.

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Happy Holidays! Here's the lyrics:

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!

Summary: Santa sees everything you do. He is JUDGING you, and he's coming to your house. So you'd better watch out, don't f'ing cry, and OBEY!!!!!

The Police - Every Breath You Take

Such emotion. Such dedication. Here's the lyrics:

Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you

Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I'll be watching you

Oh can't you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take

Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I'll be watching you

Since you've gone I've been lost without a trace
I dream at night, I can only see your face
I look around but it's you I can't replace
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
I keep calling baby, baby please...

Oh can't you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take

Summary: This must be another one from Santa. You belong to him. He's watching every move you make and every breath you take.

Spandau Ballet "True"

How classy! Such a soulful tune. Let's look at the lyrics:

So true.......
Funny how it seems.....
Always in time, but never in line for dreams.
Head over heels, when toe to toe,
This is the sound of my soul. (This is the sound)

I bought a ticket to the world,
But now I've come back again.
Why do I find it hard to write the next line?
When I want the truth to be said.......

Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.

With a thrill in my head and a pill on my tongue,
Dissolve the nerves that have just begun.
Listening to Marvin all night long.
This is the sound of my soul. (This is the sound)

Summary: I tried to forget about it, but I am completely obsessed with someone. I'm so crazy I can barely speak, despite the drugs I'm taking.

-------

I'm sure there are many more songs like this, so this blog might get a sequel soon.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Before I decided to go into advertising, I studied formal logic, rhetoric, and debate in college. It turns out this is a terrific background for a copywriter and an ad professional, because I actually use my training nearly every day on the job. How many Philosophy majors can say that!?!?!? However, I have often caught myself drinking the hype that the ad industry serves in 40 oz bottles. Diligently reading Bob Hoffman has helped put me back on the straight and narrow.

Bob Hoffman is an ad agency owner and a popular advertising blogger at The Ad Contrarian. He is known for his hilarious skewering of the BS that inundates the advertising industry. Over the years, he has become my favorite advertising blogger because of his ability to think critically. Critical thinking and logic are two faculties in short supply in our industry, and Bob is always a refreshing read.

So I was very happy to see his new book for sale. This book is an edited collection of posts from his blog. Bob Hoffman's perspective is terrific because he continually digs into various heaping piles of advertising hype to discover nuggets of truth. And if he doesn't find any, he's not afraid to say how bad it stinks.

There's not much specific to say about his book, because it's collected from his blog. If you like his blog, you'll like the book. And even if you've read every post on his blog, you should still buy the book. Because he's been writing that great blog for free, and at least deserves some beer money for the effort.

Update: The Ad Contrarian was nice enough to link to my blog here.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

A recent article on Jezebel.com focused on a woman who admitted taking advantage of men for free meals at expensive restaurants. The article chided her for dishonesty, but then rationalized it with some ad hominem attacks on men.

Perhaps she should be looked down on for dishonesty. But that's not what is vexing me about this article. For the life of me, I cannot think of one earthly reason why a man should be spending money on a woman for a first date.

I'm almost 33 years old. I've been on dozens of first dates. And I have NEVER spent more than ten dollars. It has not stopped me from having great experiences with cool ladies. The majority of my male friends would say the same.

Men, why are you dropping Benjamins on first dates? There is no good reason to do it. And lots of reasons not to.

1. Money can buy attention, but not respect.

If you spend $$$ on a woman for the "privilege" of her company, she'll enjoy hanging out with you. She might even like you. I would enjoy hanging out with a woman who spent money on me, and you can bet I would try to find reasons to like her. But that doesn't mean I would take her seriously as a romantic option.

You cannot buy respect from a woman. Men have a deep need to be respected by their partners, and worthwhile women want a partner they can respect. If $$$ is an expectation up front in the relationship, find another girl. Period.

2. Equality.

This is 2011. If men and women are equal, there is no reason why women are entitled to special treatment from you. If any woman tries to cajole or shame you into spending $$$ I encourage you to say "No, because I believe in equality for women."

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Though I am often a complicated man, I have simple needs when it comes to lodging. I don't care whether there is a swimming pool or premium channels on the tv. I don't pay attention to thread count on the sheets. I don't expect the staff to be overly obsequious.

At minimum, I feel a hotel should provide the following:

1. A clean, quiet and reasonably comfortable place to sleep.

2. A sanitary and operational bathroom.

3. A reasonably competent staff.

I feel that these are fair expectations. Yet, only about 50% of the hotels I've stayed at in the past several years have met these modest standards. Here's a rogue's gallery of my worst experiences, with the geographic location and the price per day.

Downtown Milwaukee, WI $175 per day

Room lacked soundproofing, which sucked as a very loud party was going on at the ground floor. At around 1am, room started to reek of cigarette and marijuana smoke from other people in the hotel. Smell came through the vents. Room lacked decent window coverings, and as my room faced east, it was bright as day in my room at the crack of dawn. Toilet plugged up and overflowed after my modest deposit. Shower wouldn't get warm. At checkout, the clerk shooed me out the door after I started to complain. I emailed the GM of the hotel twice and was ignored both times. I did not pursue further action, as I was working at a tourism-focused ad agency and I was afraid it might jeopardize potential new business pitches.

Downtown Wichita, KS $200 per day

Fan was extremely noisy and could not be turned off. I am a light sleeper so this was basically a disaster for me. I was charged for the stay despite repeatedly telling the clerks that the charge was supposed to go on a corporate account.

Pleasant Prairie, WI $60 per day

Room smelled like a public swimming pool and got worse as the night went on.

Coral Gables, FL $110 per day

Room was infested with cockroaches. Toilet and sink barely functioned.

Clive, IA $120 per day

Toilet had very weak flushing mechanism. Shower didn't work.

Beachwood, OH $90 per day

Clerk got seriously nasty with me after I politely asked him for directions.

Coconut Grove, FL $200+ per day

Hotel charged me for a six-day stay despite being told repeatedly the bill was supposed to be charged to a corporate account. They took a long time to fix the problem, causing me serious financial inconvenience.

On the other hand, here are some great experiences I've had at affordable hotels.

North of Atlanta, GA $60 per day

Clean room, amazingly comfortable bed, quiet area.

Warsaw, PL approx. $70 per day

Restored Art Deco boutique hotel. Outrageously lovely room.

Downtown Reykjavik, IS approx. $85 per day

Huge room with comfortable beds, refrigerator, and balcony. Awesome breakfast buffet.

Downtown Minneapolis, MN $80 per day

Nice and quiet room with ideal location in a city that is usually more pricey.

When it comes to hotels, price seems to be no guarantee of quality. For the amount guests are paying a night, minimum standards should be met. It is also shocking to me that staff does not proactively address obvious problems with the room. I should not have to sleep in an east-facing room that lacks adequate window coverings. I should not have been assigned a room that smelled like a public swimming pool. I should not be sleeping in a $200 per day hotel with a nightmarishly loud fan.

An establishment that even slightly cared about their guests would address glaring problems like this. But that's what it comes down to : the hotel doesn't care. All they want to do is gouge you, and then they couldn't care less if they see you again. Even if you badmouth them online. They know new victims will be walking in the door eventually.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

 

Seth Godin became famous as a marketing guru, but I think his real value lies elsewhere. Lots of people say the same stuff he does about marketing. His real talent, IMO, is his ability to distill trends and marketing know-how into inspiring manifestos.

About three years ago, Godin’s Linchpin completely changed how I thought about my career and the business I’m in. We Are All Weird takes the core ideas from Linchpin and applies them in a marketing context. However, this is more than a marketing book. It is very purposefully meant to change how the reader looks at the world.

 

The Good:

Weird>Normal

Seth Godin’s premise is simple. When people have an opportunity to make choices, they tend to want to express themselves. At no other point in history have we had so much opportunity to do both. We have nearly unlimited choices on who we want to be and what we buy. No matter how we may want to express ourselves, there are others like us to whom we can instantly connect. As a result, we are increasingly unsatisfied with one-size-fits-all goods, services, and lifestyles. Companies and organizations that thrive on normal are finding it very difficult to eek out the steady results they used to.

Godin discusses how “normal” mass markets were a creation of mass production and mass communication. Brands profited from defining the normal and making sure everyone wanted that. Governments and religions enforced normal to ensure a well-educated and independent populace was controllable. It came down to efficiency and productivity.

 But then, something started to happen. We got so good at normal it allowed us to be weird. Increases in efficiency and productivity lifted everyone’s standard of living. We had more time and more money for discretionary purchases. Advances in the technologies of production made it cheaper for companies to offer more choices. Computer technology and the Internet let us reach out to a larger world. We could express our individuality, find other people who were into that, and gather ideas and products from anywhere.

Seth Godin presents several arguments which come together to make a convincing case that weird will prevail. In our desire to express ourselves, we will continue to pursue the weird. Some people will only get a little bit weird. Others will really color outside the lines, and push the envelope within their affinity group.

The forces of normal fear the weird.

Seth Godin is a pretty provocative guy. He is not afraid to point out the forces allied against our freedom to express ourselves. The forces of normal fear the weird because it disrupts mass control. Weird throws a monkey wrench into their ultra-efficient factories and control mechanisms.

In most cases, market forces have allowed the weird to get more of what they want. In nearly every product and service, there are far more choices available now than in the past. We vote with our wallets, and if companies want our money they have to somehow fulfill our desire for change.

In a few cases, especially those connected with government, we have little power of choice. Americans have become much more diverse and individuated in our political beliefs over the years. In fact, most elections are decided by independent voters. Yet, we are stuck with two political parties, both of which are dominated by centrist power brokers.

So whenever we vote, we’re stuck voting between the two candidates deemed acceptable by the privileged folks in the parties. And that candidate, if elected, has huge incentive to avoid rocking the boat. We vote for change, and get very little of it, because the status quo is too beneficial to the privileged.

If you’ll allow me to step on the soapbox for a bit, this is why embracing free-market capitalism promotes our right to choose better than pushing centralized bureaucratic control. In a free market, companies and organizations have to serve us if they want to make money. When government bureaucracies rule, they can do whatever they want because they have the authority to take our money with guns.

Smart companies will embrace the weird.

Seth Godin makes a persuasive case for why brands need to let go of the nostalgia for mass markets. All of the economic forces that made mass markets the most efficient way to make a buck are now helping the weird get weirder. So brands can pursue a shrinking “normal” or get their fingers in a lot of “weird” pies.

Embracing weirdness and niche markets will also help companies resist cost pressures. If a brand delights a dedicated audience, they will be willing to pay for the product or the experience. If a brand is an average commodity, people will just look for the cheapest price from all competitors.

 

The Not-So-Good:

The Politically Correct Revolutionary

Seth Godin does an excellent job of pointing out the problems with the status quo, but he seems to have a real aversion to naming names. This is true for a lot of his critiques that involve government and politics. For example, he is highly critical of education in the U.S. He makes all the points of how our educational systems are holding kids back. However, he completely fails to point out the culprits – teacher’s unions and sympathetic politicians. There is now a Bipartisan consensus that education needs to be modernized. The ONLY thing standing in the way is the power of the teachers unions. This is demonstrated throughout the country. I think it’s really unfortunate that Godin won’t say this, as his influence could really help people who want to reform our schools.

Does not sufficiently warn against “fake weird”

Seth Godin does have a small section of the book where he talks about the pitfalls of faking weird. This is the phenomenon of brands giving some halfhearted lip service to niche marketing without actually changing anything. I would have liked to see more emphasis on this issue in the book. Because I can see a lot of brand managers reading Seth Godin, adding a couple of “edgy” signifiers to their existing offerings, and then patting themselves on the back. That’s not enough to genuinely serve the weird. They’ll see right through that stuff. I truly believe that even the weirdest subcultures are open to marketing, but brands need to be humble enough to learn from their customers.

Conclusion:

This book is available on Kindle for $3. It took me about two hours to read. I’ll be using many of the principles from this book for years. What’s not to like?

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Hi. My name is Mark Trueblood. I'm an advocate of a Constitutionally-limited government, a supporter of some Republicans, an admirer of genuine Progressives, and a defender of free-market capitalism. And I don't blame you for being angry at the system currently driving our country off a cliff. I am too. I frankly question the sanity of anyone who isn't.

I'm writing this letter to suggest to you that solutions will come from a smaller, limited government rather than the larger and more domineering government many of you seem to advocate.

1. I have been vehemently against every single war the US has engaged in, in my lifetime. Grotesque military spending, adventurism, and "nation building" ideology represent the worst of our government's unholy alliance with global power elites. I agree with principled libertarians and progressives that many of the problems the US faces on the world stage are blowback from our own short-sighted actions. We need to re-focus our military on the Constitutionally-limited role of National Defense, rather than the current role of "Team America World Police."

2. I can't stand crony capitalism and corporatism. Bailouts, pork-barrel spending, and other sweetheart deals circumvent a functioning free-market capitalist system. Here's an area where I might raise your hackles: The "evils of capitalism" you decry are actually the result of anti-capitalist practices. We need MORE free-market capitalism, not less. Corporatism is not caused by free-market capitalism, it is in opposition to free-market capitalism. The reality is, special interests are opposed to free-market capitalism. They develop cozy relationships with government for favorable regulations and laws that rig the game in their favor.
Therefore, Occupy Wall Street's insistence for more regulations and more government spending are the last thing we need. What we need is a smaller Constitutionally-limited government and radically reduced spending.  A smaller government that spends less gives special interests less incentive to lobby. This reduces corporatism, and reduces the phenomenon of government favoring their well-connected friends in the private sector. It will create a more level playing field for new business models and innovations. In the long run, it will help everyone with an idea and passion make an impact in our society. Innovation and creativity are the most powerful forces in society for improving our quality of life.

3. I'm a vocal proponent for social justice, though I disagree with most of the Left's solutions in these areas. Here's where I'm really going to tick you off. Neither the government nor society is responsible for taking care of you. As an adult, you're responsible for taking care of yourself, your family, and the community you've chosen to be a part of. Government programs designed to "take care of us" favor special interests, reduce individual liberty, and subsidize poor personal choices. The government's only role is to defend your individual rights, and perhaps provide a very limited social safety net. "A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have." (President Gerald Ford)
Demanding that other people's money be redistributed to the needy is not moral, charitable, or just. Voluntary acts of charity are moral and just. Demanding other people's wealth be given to you is a shameful mob mentality. Private charities and philanthropic organizations have a much better track record than government of actually helping the needy. Best of all, through volunteering and philanthropy everyone is able to make an impact in the areas we are most passionate about.

4. The country's Ruling Class has gotten out of control, and both political parties are pretty much bought and sold by them. That's undeniable. As a solution, Occupy Wall Street proposes a few solutions: Tax the rich, end corporate personhood, and end political donations.
"Tax the rich." First of all, "the rich" pay FAR more taxes than the rest of us already. Secondly, increasing taxes tends to fetch diminishing returns in the long run. This is because higher tax rates give incentives to people to sit on their money, and/or send it overseas. If we want to improve the economy and our quality of life, raising taxes is not a solution. The solution is to make the US the best place in the world for business and investment. Contrary to conventional opinion, the US is not a business-friendly country. There are several countries around the world that offer a better business environment. Rather than raising taxes, we need to shrink government and simplify the tax code. The global investor class is very pragmatic and agnostic about where they put their money. They just want to get as much bang for their buck as they possibly can. If the US offers that, they'll invest here. If another country offers a better situation, they'll invest there. Let's make it here.
"End corporate personhood." I've never really understood what this is about. I think people propose this to reduce the evils of corruption and crony capitalism. But as discussed above, crony capitalism is the result of a big and unrestrained government. Special interests get away with corruption because they're very good at currying influence within government. And in turn, their government cronies wield the power of the State and the Treasury to do their bidding.
"End political donations."  I think that Progressives demand curtailing political donations because they think it gives the Right Wing an unbalance of power. But that's just not the case. As many of you are probably aware, the Left has enjoyed tremendous support from the big banks for decades now, and Obama set a new record in Wall Street contributions. Furthermore, labor unions spend tens of millions of dollars every election cycle on politicians. In fact, they spend far more money than most corporations. Labor unions are organizations designed for the purpose of wielding political influence. As part of this mission, they give a lot more money in campaign donations and organizing than do corporations. Corporations have a board and stockholders to answer to. But beyond all that, campaign contributions are free speech, and protected by the Bill of Rights.

The Ruling Class is out of control because they have taken the reigns of an out of control government. Demanding bigger government to end the "evils of capitalism" is not the solution. Some powerful people will ALWAYS find a way to rig the game in their favor, no matter how idealistic we may want to be about our favorite political leaders. The solution is to shrink the power and influence of the government.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

This was scanned from a box of Twinings green tea. "Thank you for choosing Twinings. Because you deserve a better cup of tea."

I'm sure this phrase made perfect sense to the person that wrote it. But when I read it, it tells me "We know you deserve a better cup of tea, but thank you for choosing Twinings anyway."

Allrighty then! Guess I'd better go back to the store and find the better tea brand I deserve. Thanks Twinings!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

This is one of the best philosophical speeches I've ever heard. John Allison, the former CEO of BB&T Bank, discusses rational self-interest. Inspiring, well-spoken, and applicable to our daily lives.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

At the ripe old age of 32, I don't often find myself enjoying the same music as the Millennial generation. However, I have been an avid fan of the band We Came As Romans for a while. Their mix of heavy metal with pop, electronic, and orchestral elements is really compelling. But I especially enjoy their lyrical content.
Given that they are a heavy metal band, one would expect them to be singing about naughty stuff. But every song I've heard from them has an uplifting message, and the lyrics are quite intelligent. This is such a nice change from most youth culture, which typically glorifies lewd behavior and status obsession.
We Came As Romans is committed to a positive message. Guitarist and lyricist David Moore says, "...everyone wants to love and be loved. We decided if we're going to be a band, we needed to have a meaning behind it. I don't think there is any greater meaning than to keep on spreading the idea and concept of love." But their music isn't about romantic love. It's about having love and respect for each other, and the desire to do good in the world.

Lyrics:
I've been sleeping on stones...
My mistakes are easier made a second time.
And I can't move on since I've closed my eyes.
Since I've closed my eyes.
I've cut off myself from everybody else.
To move on is to grow,
Yet I haven't been able to accomplish either.
I know the way to go,
Yet I can't bring myself to move forward.
I've been sleeping on stones and they've formed to my spine.
My once straight back, now a crooked line.
I've broken no bones and I appear to be just fine.
My life's been emptied from the inside.
Every decision is easier made a second time.
Every decision is easier made a second time.
But once you start down one line.
The distance becomes greater to change your mind.
To change the way you're living your life.
To move on is to grow,
Yet we can barely accomplish either on our own.
We know the way to go,
Yet we follow those with their eyes closed.
I've been sleeping on stones...
We've been sleeping on stones and they've formed to our spines.
Our once straight backs now just crooked lines.
When we all wake up inside the beds in which we lie.
We will wish we had stopped the first time.
When we wake up to the lives that we've created.
We'll see we built nothing, but destroyed it.
So turn around and head back the way you came.
I'll follow you, encourage you
I'll follow you, encourage you
we'll be steadfast in our way.
And as we make it back to where our lives branched off.
We will take the path we should have taken all along.
Once you start down one line.
The distance becomes greater to change your mind.
To change the way you're living your life.
To move on is to grow.
Source

Lyrics:
We’ve planted a seed, an ever growing wonder to a beautiful tree. Grow.
Each branch outstretched and different from the last.
Where the old have broken, some easier than the last.
The right ones have grown in to fill in the gaps.
And all are equal in love and trust.
And all are a part of something so much bigger than this.
Through the trials our tongues are tied, to trying times, so many unsaid lines.
Our lives were over at so many moments, so many.
And now they’re all just beginning.
I have never been so consumed and I have never loved it more.
To be devoted to letting all see what it is to live in the love of others.
To live in the love of my brothers.
And spilling back all that anyone has ever spilled for me.
To show that to those who have never seen.
Four years ago we planted a seed.
Found that foundation that we need.
Strived for the perfect balance, to show love and show compassion.
And our vision for this world will not die when we are dead.
My future started with the first note I ever played.
The first note that was ever sang.
When we started living with purpose and writing with meaning.
This is what we were made for.
Every day I live this future.
Source

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

This recent video by Concerned Women for America is a solid, well-produced satire of profligate spending in Washington D.C. If one agrees with the message, they'll feel good about sharing it with their acquaintances. If one is on the fence, the video is intriguing enough to invite someone to learn more.

If one were to say the concept is not terribly original, I wouldn't disagree. One can find a lot of mock pharmaceutical TV ads out there. But it is solid compared to most political advocacy ads. It is refreshing to see someone craft such a hard-hitting message with humor and cultural understanding.

I think many of us would like to see more political advertising that shows respect for the intelligence of the audience.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

I've always said that the greatest power anyone could desire is the power of persuasion. After reading Fascinate by Sally Hogshead, I'm convinced fascination is even more powerful. Sally Hogshead is one of the more successful copywriters and creative directors in recent advertising history. Her considerable talents are on full display in Fascinate. Hogshead presents seven triggers to fascination - power, trust, mystique, prestige, vice, alarm, and lust. By communicating in a way that hits one or more of these triggers, people will be more drawn to your message. Visit Sally Hogshead's website for videos that illustrate each trigger.

The first part of the book talks about the meaning of fascination, and why it is a necessary skill for success. The second part explains how and why each trigger has an effect. And the third part offers concrete strategies on how to develop, measure, and execute your strategy to fascinate. Here's why I liked this book:

100% Platitude-Free:
We've all read happy-go-lucky cliche marketing books and online articles that sound like a recruiting drive for a self-improvement cult. This is not one of those books. Hogshead does an excellent job in finding provocative and surprising ways to make her points. Her insights are deep, intuitive, and often counter-intuitive. Even some of the case studies and analogies she chooses are quite off-the-wall, but they still hit the mark. This is a refreshing experience for those of us who have read a lot of books on branding, marketing, and social media.

It Gets You Thinking:
Hogshead's writing style and the book's format inspires the reader to creatively engage the material being presented. This is not a book that just relays information like a professor giving a lecture. As I read about each of the seven triggers, I immediately started to identify where I had seen that trigger used, and how I could use it for myself or clients. There are also several easy-to-follow exercises offered in the third section of the book that help you start putting the theory into practice.

The Process Will Lead To Great Ideas:
In the advertising world, there is a constant conflict between "creativity" and "process." Ad agencies market their services based on proprietary theories, and often do research before creative gets the project. But once a creative project is underway, ideas come in all forms and, often we're stuck finding ways to rationalize how a great idea fits the theory we previously sold the client. Fascinate is a flexible framework that will help ad professionals bridge the gap between bold ideas and a coherent strategy, without compromising either.

Applicable to Everyday Life:
Fascinate is not just for building brands. The seven triggers of fascination are applicable in one's home life and social life as well. In fact, many of the analogies and case studies given come from other sources than brands, products, and services.

Conclusion:
Sally Hogshead has blessed her audience with a big book of insights on how to create more fascinating brands and a more fascinating you.

Addendum-A Must-Have for any Copywriter:
Every copywriter should read Fascinate. This book will help you concept and write for compelling brands that communicate in today's media landscape. I'd put Fascinate right next to my other copywriter must-haves:
Linchpin by Seth Godin
The Idea Writers by Teressa Iezzi
Hey Whipple Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan
The New Capitalist Manifesto by Umair Haque

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

The U.S. is a consumer-driven economy. Due to many factors, we've grown to be the largest economic machine the world has ever seen. Not in itself a bad thing. I'm a free market capitalism kind of guy. However, along with producing many wonders we can be grateful for, our economy has also developed an addiction to debt, easy money, and cheap crap.

As I type this, we're going through ANOTHER economic hangover after years of "hair of the dog" bailouts, stimulus, and Fed monopoly money printing. This is going to continue to happen as long as corporate business models depend on shopaholic Americans falling off the wagon. If brands want to keep making money, they're going to have to evolve beyond selling cheap and shallow crap.

We're waking up to the fact that buying a bunch of mediocre stuff doesn't make us happy.The status quo has a serious void when it comes to helping people live more meaningful lives. It's time for a change in the products, services, and brands that our economy creates.

In a recent blog, the always excellent Umair Haque talks about the classical concept of Eudaimonia - a meaningfully well-lived life. He writes:

The economy we have today will let you chow down on a supersize McBurger, check derivative prices on your latest smartphone, and drive your giant SUV down the block to buy a McMansion on hypercredit...And it's a conception built in and for the industrial age: about having more.

Living, (working, and playing) not just having. ...eudaimonia is a more nuanced, complex conception of a good life: it's about whether or not the pursuit of mere stuff actually translates into living, working, and playing meaningfully better in human terms.

Better, not just more. eudaimonia asks, "Did any of that stuff make you meaningfully better — smarter, fitter, grittier, more empathic, wiser?

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Economic theory is something that affects virtually everything we do in our daily lives. Yet many smart people (myself included) are somewhat befuddled by economics. That's why these videos are so remarkable. Take complicated information, break it down into digestible statements, come up with a concept, and set it to music.

I often say that creativity can save the world, and these videos are perfect examples of what I mean. There is no dichotomy between entertainment and valuable education.

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Those who follow me on Twitter might have seen me Tweet something like this: "It's not the media's job to inform you. It's their job to attract an audience" or "The media's job is to create content attractive to advertisers."

If a news source is for-profit, they need to attract advertiser dollars, eyeballs, and in some cases, subscribers. Advertiser dollars will not flow if nobody's watching. Nor will they flow if the news reported falls too far outside of what the advertiser deems good and proper. That's why most news programs are so friendly to the political and economic status quo. To create sell-able content, they need to stay in the good graces of the powers that be.

This is also why news programs tend to be alarmist and salacious. The old newspaper adage says "If it bleeds, it leads." Negative alarmism attracts eyeballs. When people are scared and/or emotionally stimulated, they'll keep watching. The news media wants to scare the crap out of people. It keeps them watching. Though perhaps not very rational or informed.

News sources that desire subscribers or purchasers often have greater depth of coverage. More informative stories and expert opinion are what one pays for. Sometimes, this is less reliant on shock value. But other times, provocative content still rules the day. But this form of news media is still created to delight subscribers and advertisers, not provide an objective opinion.

If a news source is not-for-profit, its motivations change but that does not make it unbiased. Not-for-profit is not synonymous with selfless or altruistic, and it definitely does not mean objective. Not-for-profit media is often created and/or underwritten by non-profit foundations. All of these foundations have an agenda and a specific worldview that will influence the content. Not-for-profit news sources also rely on viewer contributions and government funding. They're not likely to create news that will raise the hackles of either one.

Though this probably goes without saying, there are plenty of intelligent and reliable news sources. I'm not calling them all liars. Nor am I equating The Economist with The National Enquirer. 

But the point remains, if you're looking for an unbiased news source, you won't find one. This realization might sound dreadfully cynical and hopeless. However, I think there's a lot of good we can get out of it.

For one, we can stop yelling at each other over which news we watch. Discussions about politics, economics, and world events often devolve into battles over who's preferred news sources are more "true." Conservatives and Libertarians will often be derisively labeled a "Fox News viewer" by the Left. Conversely, MSNBC and the "Lamestream/Liberal Media" get scorned by the Right. We can agree that all sources are biased in some way, and argue over more substantive issues instead.

The lack of objective media should also inspire us to seek out multiple perspectives. The Internet is wonderful for this, as we have access to media from all over the world at our fingertips.YouTube also has hundreds of hours of opinion from all kinds of interesting people. I would agree the Internet also allows people to get entrenched in their own echo chamber. But was it really any better before the Internet when only a few news sources were available?

Exploring different perspectives on issues helps us evolve our critical thinking skills. The principles of logic and reason, and rhetorical tactics, are rarely taught properly in school anymore. Some would say this is purposeful. But many bright people I've met on the Internet have told me they've become better critical thinkers and debaters through online research and discussion. This is because the Internet invites participation rather than passive observation.

Lastly, the lack of objective media should remind us that reality resists being put in a box. The truth of any matter is rarely easy to obtain. Even our personal experiences are filtered through our own biases. Exploring the ideas and perspectives around us should be more like dancing with multiple partners and less like marching in one direction.

"I do not know what the spirit of a philosopher could more wish to be than a good dancer. For the dance is his ideal." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Permalink | Leave a comment  »