Cynosure

The Credit Crisis Visualized

2009-02-26T17:53:00.001-08:00

This is probably the third of fourth shot I've given to watching one of these cartoons. This is the first one that has informed me, but done so in a beautiful, after-effectsy way. I want to watch the video because someone put in some damn effort and made it visually stimulating.

So here you go. Here's why we're in the Great Recession (as per whomever put this together).

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Digital Conventions

2009-02-26T17:30:00.000-08:00

When the majority of people think digital advertising, they usually imagine sketchy banner ads, cheesy games, spam e-mails…a bunch of untrustworthy, false promises. Unfortunately, this makes is the same way that a lot of people look at all advertising. They see adverts use jargon buzzwords, sigh, and press fast-forward on their DVRs. I cannot remember the last time I clicked on a banner ad for fear I would unwittingly download some form of spyware. The reason digital advertising is currently failing is because too many companies insist on applying conventional thinking to an unconventional landscape.

The worst part is that the digital world welcomes fresh, forward thinking. Somehow, businesses don’t see this often enough. Mark Zuckerberg is likely the best success story of the web today. Facebook was simply the combination of many contemporary pieces of the digital world, but put together in an innovative way. It has now moved from a fringe college networking tool to a mainstream, “You’re-not-cool-if-you-don’t-use-it” mass communication outlet. And yet, advertisers have been achieving Click-Through-Rates (CTRs) of below .1%!

While some of this may have to do with the limitations placed on adverts by Facebook developers, much of it simply has to do with a lack of creativity on the part of advertisers. If a company came to Facebook/Microsoft (Microsoft has guaranteed Facebook revenues through 2009 in order to get its text ad system on the site) and said “Here’s a swell idea for a new style of marketing that we think will actually work,” the developers would likely figure out how to implement it.

The closest thing a company has done to effectively use Facebook was Burger King’s “Whopper Sacrifice.” Facebook users installed an on-site application that would deliver a free Whopper coupon after the user deleted ten of their friends. This campaign was wildly successful, with over 82,000 users installing the app to delete over 233,000 friends. Facebook has concurrently shut the process down, though the press this generated simply increased the awareness of the campaign. Burger King was successful because they engaged and incentivized people in a transparent and straight-forward way. No tricks, no gimmicks; just make ten people feel slighted and get a cheeseburger. That’s huge!

Unfortunately, companies are shooting themselves in the foot by doing the opposite and conducting their business in a way that continues to turn audiences away from anything that even looks like advertising. A March 2007 report from the Anti-Spyware Coalition stated that 91% of internet users polled had changed their behavior online to avoid being attacked by unwanted technologies (antispywarecoalition.org). Assuredly, there are similar findings for people in the digital community dealing with spam emails and pop-ups, which have been met with public backlash.

To combat this, companies are attempting to gather as much data about internet users as possible. Unfortunately, they continue to act like digital consumers are stupid. Corporations like Google and MySpace continue try to sneak revisions into Terms of Service Agreements that allow for increased intrusions into user data or emails which had previously been assumed private. Rumors have been circulating that the digital cable transition has been another way for companies to gather data, through data recording technologies built-into the converter boxes (http://www.propagandamatrix.com).

Surprisingly, there are quite a few well-educated, informed people online. They write blogs that deal specifically with corporate transparency or corporate ethics. The premise of the worldwide web is that everything is linked and when one person discovers something a business has done to exploit consumers, that person is going to tell everyone they know and the information will spread like wildfire. Before the internet, newspapers were the biggest thing corporations had to fear. I still baffles me that businesses do not understand that they must be transparent after almost 25 years into the Digital Age. Instead, they simply apply conventional wisdom that they can exploit and take advantage of people without much repercussion.

Most digital advertising is also failing because the advertising industry is stuck floundering around in the interweb. To be successful, companies need to begin to realize that there is much more to digital than just the web. As of January 16th, 2009, 15,000 applications have accumulated over 500,000,000 downloads from the Itunes Store to be used on approximately 13 million Iphones. Yet few companies have integrated any advertising into application or paired with Apple to create product-centric games or utilities.

The mobile universe should be the next stop for advertisers in North America. While invasive text messages might go the way of spam e-mail, providing cell phone users with incentives or an enjoyable experience could easily engage a wide audience. Some Itunes application developers have reported earnings in the millions of dollars. Steve Demeter, the developer of the popular game Trism, reported making more than $250,000 merely two months after its July 2008 release. The combination of a skilled developer and a forward-thinking agency would have an easy time creating a marketable outlet that consumers would find value in.

Many advertisers are daunted by all the possibilities provided by the digital world. This is somewhat understandable as the market has become incredibly fragmented with consumers breaking into smaller and smaller groups. The winner in this though should be advertisers! Rather than struggling to find their audience, advertisers should be able to find their targets almost gift-wrapped in a small corner of the digital world. Pandora Radio is one interesting outlets that takes many of these fragmented groups and gives them all something to appease their eclecticism; music. The site is a free radio service that is generates playlists based on formal musical components of songs rather than genres. The company has an in-house team that creates adverts for companies that work with the site’s radio player. These ads are displayed during songs or genres which correspond with the advertisements desired market.

It seems so easy, but still advertisers have not taken the steps necessary to capture much ground in the digital world. Listen up! Stop thinking in terms of “this banner ad” or “that cheesy viral ad”, and start thinking truly digital! Be nimble and creative and look at the innumerable outlets available to you. Start making trustworthy content that is mutually valuable to you and your consumers.

Aaah! Gimme!

2009-02-12T12:15:00.000-08:00

So this Coraline movie came out a week or so back. Looks pretty sick. Uncle Phil was at the premiere, since his son was the lead animator. So were a bunch of other celebs. Wahooo.

It was actually a pretty big night for Portland.

Even sicker than that were the limited Coraline edition Dunks.

Check it:

Just For Now

2009-02-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

I have really enjoyed Imogen Heaps music since sophomore year when I first heard "Hide and Seek." I also got the chance to see her in Portland at the Crystal. It was easily one of the best shows I have been too. Not only was Imogen amazing, the two acts that opened for her blew my mind.

This was also the first time I had seen Live Looping in person. Kid Beyond, one of the openers, used only his vocal beat boxing to create songs that sounded completely techno/electronic.

Here's a great example of not only Imogen's vocal skills, but also how she uses technology to create something exceptional.

Good Nights

2009-01-29T01:39:00.000-08:00

As the days go by, I begin to realize more and more that the world doesn't care. It doesn't stop for me, for anyone. My days don't care what I have to do. I need to realize more that struggle is the way of life. My future doesn't give a shit that I'm "busy."

I've made my bed. I hate sleeping in it. If I want things, I need to reach and grab them. Pull them in close, never let go. It isn't about impressing other people or doing the things people say I need to.

What is it about then? This life is a snap. A blink, a wink. Wake up! This isn't the time to sit, sleep.

Learn flash? DO IT! Put tools in your belt! Learn how to swing that hammer.

Stop being so nice? Stop being so civil with the self-hate. Stop crying. You want to be like someone else? Be like you. Be you. You'll never go anywhere unless you start walking. Start running. Start. And don't stop.

It gets hard to open up those wings. Sometimes the last thing I want to do is bare my teeth. I don't want to step on toes. I don't want to trip over my own feet. But ya know, if you want to learn to run, learn to fall. Not everybody lives, but everyone dies.

Walk, run, grab, rise, learn, WORK! Don't go sit in Allen so you can feel like you're improving. Sit in Ballmer and IMPROVE! Take the chance to change.

Everyone has it rough. Everyone has hardship. Life isn't easy anywhere. Except here. Right now, you have it easy. You haven't learn to balance shit because you haven't had shit in a long time. You've had it so good. Realize it! Stop being so fucking happy about the fact that things are good. Recognize that these aren't the times to be patient.

Your days don't care what you've got to do.

Refresh

2009-01-29T00:41:00.001-08:00

Life is hard. Life is busy. Life is stressful as fuck. I get sick of dealing with people and their self-important attitudes; the way people think they are right and don't need to look around at the world. I get tired of the process. I have a hard time forcing my self to walk the line.

I do things I tell myself I shouldn't. Shouldn't be here, shouldn't drink as much, shouldn't be so hard on myself, shouldn't be so nice. I want to smoke. I miss the flame and the calm. I feel like I need to...defragment my brain. Remove the broken spaces and worn out places.

Then this comes.

Drumroll.

Wings and Teeth.

You ever have those days that feel like you've just taken a long drag? Or popped the cap off a glass Coke bottle? The days that refresh. Where no matter how frustrated and compounded you feel, everything just melts away?

That'll be next Saturday. Promise Of Stress-less. Pledge Of forget the Struggle.

POS. Sims. Mictlan. Satyricon, PDX. Jan. 7th @ 8. Tix are $12.

Make an entrance

2009-01-13T20:23:00.000-08:00

A two close friends and I went to the Neil Diamond concert the other night up in Portland. In our excitement waiting for Neil to begin, we couldn't help but discuss differerent possible entrances he could make and how awesome each would be. Continuing that discussion...

The first entrance we brought up was the "Jack Black." The "Jack Black" is accomplished when an artist, standing on stage with the coliseum lights off, is illuminated by a single beam of light. Mr. Black named this entrance in the hit film "School of Rock." An emotionally powerful entrance, this is only appropriate for a solo artist, such as Neil Diamond.

The "Sting." I'm not sure if this has actually been attempted, but the theoretical "Sting" entrance would require the artist (or, even more extreme, the entire band) to repel from the ceiling of the arena. This maneuver is inspired by Steve "Sting" Borden's entrance to WCW's March 1997 pay-per-view event, Uncensored. Sting repelled down 70 feet to take on the members to begin his historic battle against the nWo in which he ended up giving the Scorpion Death Drop to the principal members of the nWo.

One of the coolest entrances, though not possible in a closed arena, would have to be the "VOA" aka "The Hagar." On Sammy Hagar's first solo album after leaving Van Halen, Hagar is pictured parachuting onto the White House lawn. Therefore, an artist would have to successfully skydive and land on the stage, plug in his guitar, and begin rocking.

If Neil Diamond had correctly accomplished any of these three, or one of a number of other SWEET ENTRANCES, Rory may have jizzed in his pants.

9

2009-01-10T18:18:00.001-08:00

The trailer for Tim Burton's "9" is finally up.

As obsessed as I am with the life after the apocalypse, this movie seems to suggest humans are extinct. I don't know how I feel about that.

Wait. Yes I do.

This looks awesome.

I spit Alcatraz bars.

2008-12-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

"The Nino Brown Story reads like a home video, with a personal, uncensored glimpse into Lil Wayne’s life over an extended period of time, with exclusive footage that will never be seen on anything but Streets Talk DVD."

Weezy's documentary is going to be released at Sundance apparently. Should be an interesting look into an interesting rap career.

What I'm really waiting to see is how much time will be spent talking about his Ghost Writers.

I've always wondered what it was like for a guy like Wayne in high school. Did kids look at him like "You're Weeziness!" or "Dude. Stop trying to rhyme about pelicans and pecans." I would be willing to be that while He'd like us to believe the former, it was more like the latter.

Here's the trailer if you want to watch, though it's fairly uninformative. Which is really how I am betting the documentary is. If his unintelligible interviews are any sign, I'm going to have to be as impossibly high as Wayne to understand any of it.

Meeeeow.

2008-12-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

We were just talking about this the other night. Unfortunately, creepy hippies ruin every good plan.

The rest of the pictures. (Slightly NSFW).

Widmer Brothers Brewing

2008-10-23T17:50:00.001-07:00

Widmer Brothers Brewing
Originally uploaded by portlandbeer.org

Since I'm sitting in Rennie's Landing working on a project, I figured a post was in order.

I'm dedicating this to one of my favorite brews; Widmer Hefeweizen. It's still one of the best Hef's I've had, even though it's probably the most popular. Many of the other hefeweizen's I've tasted are too...experimental? BJ's Hef is very nutty with a hint of banana, which while interesting, is not really something I can drink more than a pint of. Rock Bottom Brewery's is closer to the Widmer, with a heavy wheat flavor, but is still to robust for my taste.

Another reason I love Widmer is that it is locally brewed in Portland. The brewery is on Russel, just across the Broadway bridge. I'm thinking a tour in the near future is in order.

Anyway. Portlandbeer.org has a great photostream on flickr dedicated to the local PDX breweries and one album is dedicated to Widmer.

PortlandBeer.org's Flickr

Universcale

2008-10-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

With the constant jumps in technology, we are now able to observe and view more. We can see into atoms and galaxies, analyze cell structures and solar flares.

Nikon's Universcale puts all this in perspective. This system is not only informative, it is also incredibly executed. While the concept is complex and complicated, the explanation and use is simple and clean.

It is also very humbling when you finally scroll down to the size of a human, and you realize how incredibly small we are in comparison with the rest of, well, everything!

Universcale.

Montana Meth Commercials

2008-10-20T00:26:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite campaigns of all time is a set of PSA's put out by the Montana Meth Project.

"The Montana Meth Project is a large-scale exercise in prevention, aimed at significantly reducing Meth use in Montana. The integrated program consists of an ongoing, research-based marketing campaign—supported by community outreach and public policy initiatives—that realistically and graphically communicate the risks of methamphetamine to the youth of Montana."

One of my favorite examples:

Monanta Meth Project's website.

Business Cards

2008-10-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my favorite entries in the Fubiz.net blog. Fubiz is a daily weblog that posts on creativity, graphic design and innovation. The contributors post on a very wide variety of subjects, from photography and advertising to architecture and product design. The trouble is they post in French, and the English translation is a bit...rough.

This post was a list of images of 70 of the worlds most interesting business cards. Here are a few of my favorites, followed by the link for the full list, and a link to the English version of the blog.

This first is for a man named Chad Germann, CEO of Howlfire, a Milwaukee based Ad Agency.

Whitney Shaw's struck me not only for the great illustration, but also for the texture I imagine it would have. The recipient would be able to feel the wolf's fur, further adding to the attractiveness of the art.

My last selection is possibly my favorite. It is an amazing example of function meeting form! As the business card for a graphic designer, the rules on the side struck me as hilarious.

Link to the post.

Link to Fubiz.

Urban Exploration

2008-10-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

Urban decay looks even better when it's heavily shopped.

The rest of the Flickr Gallery

String Theory Explain

2008-10-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

This video by Rob Bryanton succinctly explains the 10 spiral dimensions. While it is only a synopsis of the first chapter of the book, "Imagining the 10th Dimension," viewers gain a quick understanding of string theory.

While the content is good, the style of explanation is very unique. It reminds me of the UPS commercials, but with very interesting sound effects. For some reason I really enjoy the sound used when lines are drawn.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Team Palin

2008-10-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

Oh Sarah Palin. What would we have to laugh at in this current campaign if not for the possibility (however unlikely) that you might someday have the reigns of our government in your hands?

Here are a few fun links dedicated to the great woman you are.

PalinAsPresident

- Scroll over, and click on things multiple times. My personal favorite is the Tina Fey reference. Try and find it.

VPilf

- One heartbeat away from being a Pilf.

- And one of the most recent in a string of hilariously funny SNL videos.

Atmosphere - You

2008-10-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

Since I'm constantly exploring the dark, dank corners of the web, I figured I'd start showing off things I didn't create but found. Sought out in a quest to find things I'm interested in.

This video isn't necesarily unknown. Atmosphere is the quintessential "underground" rapper. From humble beginnings in the Mini-App, Slug and Ant have created a music movement that is going to very soon move from the underground to the mainstream. Rhymsesayers Entertainment is currently the truest label for conscious rappers trying to make a name for themselves.

In Atmosphere's video for "You," the band puts an interesting spin on perspective. The video has the standard "hiphop" video scenes...turntables, shots of the band, audience members waving their hands...but the majority of the video follows a teck-deck. This obviously puts a fun, cute spin on the video, and in turn the song. It also gives the feeling of cruising down the streets on your board. A lot of current rap revolves around the merge between the hip-hop and skate scenes. Obvious examples of this in the mainstream scene are Lupe Fiasco and N.E.R.D. Pharrel's clothing company "Ice Cream" has its own sponsored skate team!

Anyway. The video.