Google, 12 Years Ago (Or Billions of Dollars Earlier)

Before the Googleplex, before the billionaire creation, the mega-acquisitions and the 20,000th employee, Google was just a bunch of guys holding an all-hands meeting and eating cake.

The video below (fast forward liberally – it’s long) shows founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin leading a meeting of fewer than 60. 

They introduce a new employee and celebrate Sergey’s birthday.  There are presents (see 6:20 for Larry's gift to Sergey) and silly string. Folks sit on the floor or large exercise balls.

Hard to believe that just over a decade later, Google has grown into one of the most recognized and respected companies in the world.

In this video, everyone seems part of a tight-knit group who want to work there, who are happy to be with this little tech company. 

Google’s main asset was always its people, without whom there would’ve been no innovation, no world domination.

No matter what organization you’re in, a culture that gives people creative freedom and a sense of ownership will enable more success. 

It’s true -- just Google it.

Click image for video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u68QWfHOYhY
http://www.seroundtable.com/google-tgif-13338.html

Jersey Shore Gone Wilde...Oscar Wilde

To promote their Broadway show, The Importance of Being Earnest, Roundabout Theater has launched a video series in which actors recite lines from MTV’s Jersey Shore in the style of Oscar Wilde. 

The results are 'Capital, old man!'  Or 'Slammin'', depending on your view.

Delivering lines like “You like your women how you like your underwear -- dirty” with a Victorian accent and cocked eyebrow, make a mash up that's far funnier for both eras.

What we find most appealing about this idea is the mix of low-brow and high-brow, and new and old media. 

Tagging videos on YouTube with a popular search term like ‘Jersey Shore’ guarantees more exposure than traditional promotion.  The videos have been picked up broadly on sites and blogs given the entertainment factor and the ease of sharing online.

Of course, Monty Python did this jokes-taposition years ago.  Karl Marx losing on trivia in a game show once they veered beyond the Das Kapital questions.  Socrates vs Aristotle…in a soccer match up.

But think about your business now, in a creative, mash-up way.  How could you reframe your content, or delivery, in a way that reached more people, or a different market?

Could Kia create Dancing with the Cars, where non-drivers are taught to win?  And viewers learn the key to stunt driving?  Could an Athenian style restaurant have a Greek of the Week message sent out on Twitter to promote a meal deal and a philosophic insight, Plato-style.

Anyway, The Snookis of the world are probably hitting the club, not the theater.  

But reaching a broader audience by tapping a current cultural rave for what WAS a cultural rave 100 years ago?  That demonstrates a certain 'savoir faire'…and Wilde would approve of it.  Or at least revel in the Situation.

Click on image for video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhk5Rjz7xk0

TV Hash Tag -- You're It.

The folks working in TV land have had a hard time with the rise of convergence and non-linear viewing habits. Hulu, anyone?

But recently, they've found a clever way to leverage Twitter to drive viewership. 

On Glee or American Idol lately, you might’ve noticed #Glee or #AmericanIdol lurking on-screen. These aren't mistakes, but hashtags used to categorize topics on Twitter.

Comedy Central experimented with this during the Roast of Donald Trump.  Not only was #trumproast used more than 27,000 times on Twitter during the telecast, it helped propel the channel to its most-watched Tuesday in history. Another victory for the Donald, beyond his hair defying gravity.

Other TV networks are catching on to the trend -- smart on multiple levels:

• Official hashtags aggregate Twitter chatter so it's easier to monitor buzz surrounding your brand

• People are encouraged to watch in real time 

• Seeing a TV show trending on Twitter might compel others to tune in

Real-time, online conversations allow fans another level of engagement with their beloved programs. 

Maybe this is a way to make “Must Watch TV” a relevant phrase again.  Must tweet TV?  Hash tagged.

http://www.blueglass.com/blog/why-hashtags-belong-on-tv/

http://howdoimarketmybiz.com/225/twitter-hashtags-on-tv/

http://www.inquisitr.com/103778/pics-stephen-colbert-attacks-jon-kyl-on-twitter/

A Chorus of Ones

Normally we're not a big fan of crowd sourcing.  But when everyone builds in concert to create something new out of the whole (Linux updaters be praised), we're big fans.

And so we love this spin on that concept: crowd making, one individual at a time.

This video explains how a conductor got a bunch of submissions for his internet-chorus to create one of 2010's biggest viral hits -- individuals, brought together via web and a smart editor to become a cyber-chorus.

The result is moving.  

Any time lone individuals, connecting in from anywhere, create something in which the sums is far greater than the parts, we stand in awe of what can be in the world we live in. 

So even amidst the chaos out there, we can pray for less antagonism, and more anthems.

http://www.ted.com/talks/eric_whitacre_a_virtual_choir_2_000_voices_strong.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2011-04-05&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email

Just Kidding

Being in the creative marketing world, we've been called 'childish' often.  

Like when we put all those yoga balls in our reception area.  

Or when our voicemail greeting imitated French language lab:   'Ecouter, et repeter....   Beep!'

We take the 'childish' label as high praise.

To us, childishness can be about looking for the fun or the funny in almost anything.  

It's about being pleasantly surprised by something new.

A childish sense of wonder, optimism, and limitless freedom  is ESSENTIAL in creativity.  

It's the only real way to think big, new thoughts.

We'd argue that it's essential in ANY aspect of business, and if you disagreed, we'd never ever ever talk to you again.  Period.

Limitless freedom to 'adults' means risk. Untried.  Not validated.  

And that's frightening.

But new ideas are just that.   

And if we lived in fear of always skinning knees, we'd never run.

So, with all that in mind, listen to this erudite speaker's lessons on what adults can learn from kids.  

And the next time someone calls you childish, just flick 'em.



http://www.ted.com/talks/adora_svitak.html

Word Poem On Words

Taylor Mali is one to watch.  He's a poetry slam innovator as well as an experienced classroom teacher.

And after serving as adjunct college faculty ourselves, we KNOW teaching's tougher than poetry slamming.

Watch the attached video of Taylor reciting a poem, set simply to a fount of font animation that brilliantly brings his points to life.

After viewing, don't miss another example in this style, entitled 'What do teachers make?'

Both of these make us want to widely spread the word.  
And stand up and be heard.  Or read.

Here's to the outspoken word...especially when it's animated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEBZkWkkdZA

Critters Make the Brand?

Interesting POV in Advertising Age on the importance of support to establish a mascot for your marketing product or service.

http://adage.com/article/guest-columnists/marketing-makes-mascot/149381/

We'd argue that what's also critter-cal, is to make sure that the mascot is dimensionalized.

Does 'it' have a personality?  Catch phrase?  Certain voice?  

We still remember the first time we did a tie-in with a major, long-standing cartoon property.  

The studio's dossier on every aspect of the cartoon characters was longer than any personnel file HR could fill.

Critters we've worked with and created must be true, like a person.  For fictitious characters to be successful, they must live and breathe, animatically speaking.   A Tony the Tiger drawing on Frosted Flakes is far less captivating if one can't hear and see the growler on TV, radio, and print over time -- same as any celebrity in flesh and blood.

As the web keeps booming, there's even more chance to birth new branded mascots -- like we did for a client of ours who've bootstrapped a fun, fishy fanatic to leverage in eblasts, online and at trade shows:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEJ4NlgfOGw&feature=player_embedded

Makes Charlie the Tuna look like sashimi, eh?