I was watching some of our team chat about the new iPhone 5. They shared the link for the video and said things like "Wow, dude ... I want one so bad!"
There is also a spoof of the video. It is very funny ... worth watching
for a laugh and some perspective on how "big" the Apple brand promise
has become.
In many ways, the spoof made me want the phone even more.
As a side-note, wouldn't it be great to design a product that was spoof-worthy?
As
you think about what a spoof of your product or service would be,
perhaps the bit of "truth" in the humor points at the real competitive
advantage ... or at least towards the roadmap that leads towards
creating one?
I spent part of last week at the Inc. Magazine GROWCO Conference.
If you're not still learning ... your dying. So, consider continuing education part of your perpetual youth plan.
Plus, there are plenty worse places to be then New Orleans ...
With that said, I know I'm getting older because after walking through the French Quarter - the part of me I most wanted rubbed were my feet. (I wish I was joking).
The first speaker was the Mayor of New Orleans. He explained that one of the key decisions they made after Katrina wasn't to re-build the city ... instead, it was to build the city they always wanted New Orleans to be.
Bill Clinton was there, too. He was articulate, charismatic and clever. But the star of the show (based on audience response and the rush of people to get his autograph) was Daymond John (of FUBU and Shark Tank fame).
Daymond talked about his five Shark Rules: 1. Set Goals; 2. Do your Homework; 3. Always do what you love; 4. Remember you are the brand; and 5. Keep moving.
He stressed that the secret to power is to be decisive.
He also shared that the money they invest on the Shark Tank show really comes from each of them; however, only about 20% of the deals actually get to a closing.
Daymond said that he invests in people, not companies. Moreover, he claims that each of Sharks know who they will invest in within the first minute of the presentation (and he suspects that is how most business-people make decisions). Interesting.
Did you see the Clint Eastwood "It's Halftime America" video that ran during halftime of the Super Bowl?
It starts with Clint Eastwood's voice and an image of a lone man casting a big shadow as he walks down a darkened football stadium corridor.
"It's halftime ... Both teams are in their locker room discussing what they can do to win this game in the second half. It's halftime in America, too."
Well, it got noticed ... and it's causing a controversy in some circles.
So much so that SNL made fun of the issue in this spoof.
"I don't care if Obama runs the ball, or Romney throws a touchdown, or Ron Paul kicks a field goal with his tiny little chicken legs," Hader-as-Eastwood warns. "I tell you right now, though, I ain't puttin' Santorum in the game. He can stand on the sideline doin' cheers in his little sweater vest."
Sometimes it seems that we become so focused on pointing fingers and finding fault that we forget our real purpose.
To paraphrase Freud, sometimes an ad is just an ad.
And in this case, it could simply be an inspiring ad paid for by Chrysler (perhaps to say " we faced some hard times, but showed resiliancy and resolve ... and the best is yet to come.")
Buford reminds that in order to have a better second half, you must first figure-out what you want.
In Halftime, Buford focuses on 'transition'---the time when, he says, a person moves beyond the first half of the game of life. It's a time of revitalization and for catching a new vision for living the second half, the half where life can be lived at its most rewarding. Halftime doesn't have to be a time of crisis. It can be a catalyst for purpose, impact, and growth. It can be about setting a new course away from mere success to true significance---and something better.
This message applies to the market and our economy as well. What if we are half-way there? What do you really want? Where are you committed to go? What adjustments are needed? What do you want to do more of? What do you want to do less of? What do you need to start doing?
Well, the short answer is: slacklining. Or, if you want to get technical and specific, tricklining. According to California's Adventure Sports Journal , slacklining was invented in the early 1980s by two rock climbers.
As you may have guessed, the Super Bowl halftime cameo was a big moment for the young sport of slacklining—and for the talented, curly-haired slackliner who got the spotlight: Andy Lewis, aka Sketchy Andy . You've got to watch what he can really do!
Imagine what went into developing this skill. Was it thought ... or something you forgot you could exercise?
What are you committed to expecting extraordinary about ... starting now?
Here is a version of "The Crazy Ones" that has Steve Jobs narrating. It is a 'classic' even though the ad never aired in this format.
Here is the text.
Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
The next vide is interesting because it is unrehearsed and unpolished. Ironically, Steve Jobs was known as the consummate showman and presenter. Here is glimpse at the man behind the curtain. This video shows his first television interview.
That country is actually Iraq. Egypt is in Africa. That's not even the same continent. Granted, most of us wouldn't know that either. That's why we occasionally watch the news — in the hopes that they know where countries are. (via SomeEcards)
Short, blue and furry could be the next tall, dark and handsome.
Once again proving it's not just a show for kids, Sesame Street spoofs the wildly popular Old Spice ad.
Grover preaches the importance of smelling like a monster and of using the word "on" correctly in the parody of the "Man Your Man Could Smell Like" ad featuring Isaiah Mustafa.
Have a look at the spoof, and the commercial that inspired it.
Why Did the Clint Eastwood "It's Halftime America" Ad Cause Such a Stir?
Did you see the Clint Eastwood "It's Halftime America" video that ran during halftime of the Super Bowl?
It starts with Clint Eastwood's voice and an image of a lone man casting a big shadow as he walks down a darkened football stadium corridor.
Well, it got noticed ... and it's causing a controversy in some circles.
So much so that SNL made fun of the issue in this spoof.
Sometimes it seems that we become so focused on pointing fingers and finding fault that we forget our real purpose.
To paraphrase Freud, sometimes an ad is just an ad.
And in this case, it could simply be an inspiring ad paid for by Chrysler (perhaps to say " we faced some hard times, but showed resiliancy and resolve ... and the best is yet to come.")
On a related note, check-out Bob Buford's book, Halftime: Moving from Success to SignificanceHalftime: Moving from Success to Significance. It is about making the second half of your life better than the first.
want.
In Halftime, Buford focuses on 'transition'---the time when, he says, a person moves beyond the first half of the game of life. It's a time of revitalization and for catching a new vision for living the second half, the half where life can be lived at its most rewarding. Halftime doesn't have to be a time of crisis. It can be a catalyst for purpose, impact, and growth. It can be about setting a new course away from mere success to true significance---and something better.
This message applies to the market and our economy as well. What if we are half-way there? What do you really want? Where are you committed to go? What adjustments are needed? What do you want to do more of? What do you want to do less of? What do you need to start doing?
It's half-time, and the best is yet to come.
Posted at 11:14 PM in Books, Business, Current Affairs, Market Commentary, Sports, Television, Trading | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Reblog (0)