Watch: Cassadee Pope performs an acoustic version of Wasting All These Tears at London’s Fender Showroom – Entertainment Focus
— Read on www.entertainment-focus.com/music-section/ef-country/watch-cassadee-pope-performs-an-acoustic-version-of-wasting-all-these-tears-at-londons-fender-showroom/
One of my favorite books: The Design of Everyday Things, Revised and Expanded Edition By Don Norman [@jnd1er] – jnd.org
From the Preface: “This is a starter kit for good design. It is intended to be enjoyable and informative for everyone: everyday people, technical people, designers, and non-designers. One goal is to turn everyone into great observers of the absurd, of the poor design that gives rise to so many of the problems of modern life, especially of modern technology. It will also turn everyone into observers of the good, of the places where thoughtful designers have worked to make our lives easier and smoother. Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible, serving us without drawing attention to itself. Bad design, on the other hand, screams out its inadequacies, making itself very noticeable.”
See More (jnd.org)
https://www.jnd.org/books/design-of-everyday-things-revised.html
I’ve used these principles for every product, marketing, website, and content I’ve ever worked on – since the first edition of this book. You would be wise to do the same.
By: Liz Alton [@Beinglizzie] Insights from Disney:
Emotions and Storytelling
Disney is one of the best storytelling engines in the world. Immersive storytelling elevated the brand beyond the basics of regional amusement parks and water slide attractions to become a global titan that’s captured imaginations from Orlando to China. The dream team that builds the attractions, the destinations, and every aspect behind the experiences are the Imagineers.
From immersive storytelling to bringing cutting-edge technologies to bear, the line between marketing and entertainment is thinner than ever before. Brands are creating apps, virtual reality experiences, pop-up branded events, and full-scale immersive tours to delight customers, tell their origin stories, show the manufacturing process, and help build deeper, emotion-based connections.
Read More (Skyword Content Standard)
I was fortunate to know the executive VP of Imagineering at Walt Disney World in Orlando (his son was my best surfing and cycling buddy in high school / college). I got the inside scoop on how Disney produced their story-themed attractions. Then my buddy and I were the first two “test particles” (that’s what the imagineers called us) at Typhoon Lagoon. Yep, the first two surfers at the wave pool.
Prior to Typhoon Lagoon, in the mid-1970’s in college I worked for an engineering firm that tested a lake/beach/wave machine in a Disney World lake. It was a complete failure. The wave washed away the sandy beach every 2-3 waves and the water looked like the stirred up brown cypress oil muck that it was. I got to ride 1 wave. That’s right 1. It was a white-water-willy wave only the white water was the color of barely foamy puke. Not a pleasant experience. Not all Disney rides make it to the public. In fact, most are running at 20% of their capacity for safety reasons. Typhoon Lagoon can crank out a 9 foot wave. But the public only sees 2-4 feet.
Years later I was fortunate to work for both IBM and Motorola. I was the first multimedia producer at both companies so I got to work with Disney imagineers to build business and home of the future exhibits at EPCOT. I learned how to develop stories with the integrated Disney spin. A great experience.
Old Spice has been around since 1937, but how has the brand been able to stay current with a new generation? Its successful marketing campaigns have become legend, leading to a massive increase in sales.
The ad agency responsible for the campaign keeps it going – by appealing to women, not men, just like the original Old Spice ads did in the 1930’s.
Cheddar Video [8:04]
Click here to see the Latest from Wieden + Kennedy
“What I can’t figure out is why Steve Jobs is even trying to be the CEO of Apple? He knows he can’t win.” –Bill Gates, June 1998*
When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in mid-90s, the tech industry dumped on his attempts to bring the company back from the dead – even his frenemy Bill Gates. And with good reason. At the time, Microsoft’s stock was valued at $29 with “a market capitalization of $250 billion,” while Apple’s barely peaked at $7.25.
Gates obviously ignored one of the 10 tech commandments: Thou shalt never underestimate Steve Jobs. Years later, Apple’s become the most profitable company in the world with a market value of $921 billion in 2018.
Now Apple ranks #4 on the Fortune 500 with a stock price of $190.18 and Microsoft, well they are ranked #30 on Fortune with a stock price of $105.23.
*Never-published article for Vanity Fair
