Just watch!

Prize-Winning Cow, 1904 World's Fair by W. Richards

I was looking at the photos in this collection last night. The last time I saw them was when I built the web site for the Webster Groves Historical Society in 2005. I quickly remembered how unique and interesting they were, so I thought I’d share.

The photos were created by an amateur photographer, Walter Richards, from Webster Groves, MO. They provide a non-traditional view of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair with some other St. Louis images mixed in.

A Summer at the Fair

Are you looking for something a little less traditional in outdoor furniture. Not only has loll designed a really nice looking modern line, they have done it with 100% recycled materials. You can relax in style while enjoying the outdoors you are helping to save.

The world’s best urban cyclist got picked up by Volkswagon. You can check out his ninja skills and take a look at the Golf Escape here.

Angela Natividad of AdRants presents a first-person example of how social media should be used. Her encounter with Rishad Tobaccowala at ad:tech resulted in an interview that illustrates how companies can benefit from using social media as it is intended and not force social media to be an advertising channel.

When I first read about this, I wasn’t really sure what to make of it. What did Freshjive really mean by “Anti-Branding”? Well, it turns out that Rick Klotz, owner of Freshjive, has decided to remove the Freshjive logo / name from the outside of their fashion lines as well as any inside labels. Their new product lines will feature no logo or name as to who their brand is whatsoever.

I can certainly appreciate not wanting to walk around like a human billboard for a company wearing their logo, and admit that it takes some pretty serious guts to go this route and stand firmly on the product alone, but I guess the question is – what would Nike be without the swoosh, what would Chanel be without its reversed letter C’s, and what would BMW be without its badge. The fact of the matter is that your brand and logo do matter to consumers on a variety of complex and subconscious levels.

Remember in the 1980’s when you would be able to buy generic “beer” at the grocery store, typeset in lowercase Helvetica. That was pretty amusing, but there is a reason that you don’t see that any more. Companies can make more money with a brand that is memorable verses one that is not. Brand loyalty pays the bills. Freshjive is by no means like generic beer, and has BRAND credibility and loyalist. Let’s see if the brand loyalty sticks when kids don’t know its Freshjive anymore.

Check out the full story and let us know what you think.

I’d like to share with you the Social Marketing Playbook. A worthwhile read.

From the Forward…

The goal of this playbook is to help marketers:

• Provide a framework for establishing a set of clear objectives for their social marketing strategy
• Move beyond the checklist approach and provide a filter for evaluating the myriad of opportunities and platforms
• Think of social marketing as an opportunity to have a continuous, valuable exchange with their customers
• Think about extensions to amplify offline campaigns

This year during the Tour de France, Nike will chalk up to 100,000 messages of inspiration, hope and action on the same course the cyclists will ride. Part of Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong campaign, these messages will not only be seen by the cyclists, but the millions of spectators that are and will be watching the most grueling sports event in the world.

You can share your messages three different ways. Tweet @chalkbot, text ‘LIVESTRONG’ followed by your chalk message to 36453 or submit your message to Nike. If your message is approved, the Chalkbot will put it on pavement then send you a picture of it.

Mashable.com has aggregated a ton of wonderful info on using Twitter into their Twitter Guide Book: the basics, getting followers and even Twitter for businesses.

Thanks Mashable.

My son’s teacher e-mailed us a PowerPoint presentation that my son did for one of his third grade assignments. Besides the fact that it was kind of cute and it was teaching him computer and communication skills, it’s still PowerPoint.

PowerPoint is an epidemic of misguided expression that has taken over the board room. Sitting through meetings comprised of oodles of meaningless slides has become a corporate skill set, not to mention the “art” of creating such masterpieces.

AND THEY ARE EMBEDDING THIS INTEREST EARLY IN GRADE SCHOOL!

But the revolution is near. Neglected briefs, memos and whitepapers are organizing a revolt. Their leaders are Edward Tufte and David Byrne. Mr. Tufte, the godfather of information architecture, published an essay a few years ago titled “The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint: Pitching Out Corrupts Within” which is very critical of the effectiveness of PowerPoint presentations and continues the fight to this day. Mr. Byrne, of Talking Heads fame, created a satirical art exhibition using only PowerPoint with its drawing tools and the included clip art to poke fun at how business people communicate and how “good” the tools they use are. And there are others, like Steve Jobs of Apple, who’s always noted for his masterful presentations void of bullet points and maybe even Al Gore for his global warming triumph.

I guess it’s good my son will be able to express himself in the vernacular of his peers, but I’m afraid we’re stuck with PowerPoint lunches for at least another generation.