Pot Kettle Blue

Hello Cleveland! Podcast - Episode 5 - "Animal Crackers & Aggro Crags"

2011-07-22T09:28:00.001-07:00

This week we discuss:

Feedback we have been recieving
Post-sausagefest analysis,
Music & tv show throwbacks
The Super Aggro Crag
Tweetups
Cinema at the Square
The CLE Science Center
POLKA Happy Hour
Tremont Alefest &
RSVP Etiquette

Leave a voicemail at 440-606-6060 or email helloclevelandpodcast@gmail.com or Tweet us @HelloClePod

Hello Cleveland! Podcast - Episode 4 - "Ice Skating Zombies"

2011-07-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

Quick turnaround for Ep 4! We talk: Stab Wounds! Casting Call for the Unemployed. Meeting online buddies IRL (In Real Life). Girls Night Out. The best place to be in Cleveland in case of an improbable emergency. METH! ANNNND We introduce you to Wikipedia Roulette.

As always, find us on Twitter @HelloClePod, Facebook @ facebook.com/HelloClevelandPodcast, and subscribe to us on iTunes & now Stitcher Radio. Catch us on Google+ before they delete our account.

Email helloclevelandpodcast@gmail.com with:

IRL Horror stories
Your Cleveland Emeregency Ideas
Favorite METH based tv shows
Fact checks for wiki roulette

Next week's ep might be a 'saucy' one so get caught up! We love you long time.

Hello Cleveland! Podcast - Episode 3 - "Bus Santa's Lap"

2011-07-08T07:32:00.001-07:00

After a few recording snafus, we're back with Episode 3.

This week we talk Fireworks, Funcles, Meetup.com, tall people, play the Lifetime Movie Network game. We mention some comedians coming to town we're looking forward to seeing (with a special message for listeners from Doug Benson, playing Hilarities Sat. 7/9). We award our first ever Clepod Thumbs Up Award, and tackle our first Tip Topic Tip Time with tips on how to ride the bus like a pro. We close out the show sharing some embarrassing CDs you, our dear listeners, are willing to own up to.

As always, find us on Twitter @HelloClePod, Facebook @facebook.com/HelloClevelandPodcast, and subscribe to us on iTunes & nowStitcher Radio.

Email helloclevelandpodcast@gmail.com with:

candidates for Clepod Thumbs Up Awards
Tip Time Tip Topics
Guests you would like on the podcast
Jokes, comments, or anything else.

Listen to episode 3 "Bus Santa's Lap":

Hello Cleveland! Podcast - Episode 2 - "Losing Creedability"

2011-06-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

We're back! We cover a lot of territory in our 2nd episode: JD's time at the Summer Solstice Party, movies filming in Cleveland this summer, and TV Land. We also highlight some other local podcasts, some free concerts coming to town, publically admit embarassing CD purchases of our past, and even have time for a dance party!

We are also now in the iTunes Podcast directory. You can find us at http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hello-cleveland-podcast/id446901298. Subscribe & have new episodes automatically download into iTunes when they're available. Also, leave us a positive review if you are feeling generous.

Also be sure to join us on Facebook (facebook.com/HelloClevelandPodcast), @HelloClePod on Twitter, email us feedback or a good joke at helloclevelandpodcast@gmail.com. Be sure to let us know what embarassing CDs your past self REALLY rocked out to (#embarassingCD).

Now enjoy Episode #2 - "Losing Creedability":

Hello Cleveland! Podcast - Episode 1 - "Funcle"

2011-06-26T17:24:00.001-07:00

There's a new podcast in town, and it's taking the world BY STORM one eardrum at a time. Introducing the Hello Cleveland! Podcast.

My friend Craig and I decided to give this a shot. Each week we hope to entertain while talking about the things we like to talk about: movies, music, television, games, Cleveland, and every possible tangent we can explore.

We should be up and running in the iTunes store within the week. In the meantime, there are several ways you can access the podcast:

Go here: http://helloclevelandpodcast.libsyn.com
Manually subscribe in iTunes: Open iTunes -> Advanced -> Subscribe to Podcast ... -> Paste this URL in the window that pops up http://helloclevelandpodcast.libsyn.com/rss.
Listen to the first episode in the embedded player below

Once you listen, let us know what you think. It's all a work in progress, so stay with us, we'll get better and better. We welcome any and all feedback at helloclevelandpodcast@gmail.com. You can also chat with us on Twitter @HelloClePod or at the Hello Cleveland! Podcast page on Facebook.

So, here is the first episode we decided to call "Funcle." In the episode Craig and I play some games, and talk shop about GetGlue, Summer TV, Super 8, bad movies, tattoos, Weird Al, & more! Let us know what you think. Thanks for listening.

Last Day to Donate to Movember: I Mustache You a Question

2010-11-30T06:14:00.000-08:00

Have you donated to Movember yet? Do you even know what it is? For the uninitiated Movember is a worldwide charity event wherein men raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer research by growing an awesome mustache (like the one on the sad figure above). Originating in Australia, people from all over the world are participating, including entire NHL teams and members of Canadian parliament. In 2009 the cause raised more than $42 million, this year we are hoping to top that.

Today is your FINAL CHANCE to participate. You can do so by throwing a dollar or two towards the cause and donating to my mustache (click here to donate). I have worked long and hard to grow the best mustache possible (I even trimmed it once when it got to be too Sam Elliott-y). I have endured strange looks from people and groans of disgust from my wife (who is also taking donations for the cause since she has to put up with the stache anyway). But don't donate because of that. Donate because 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime and donating a few dollars can go a long way towards helping the Prostate Cancer Foundation get that number down.

I know a lot of charities are asking for your help this time of year and times are tough, but if you saved a ton of money on Black Friday deals and free shipping on Cyber Monday, why not toss a small fraction of that savings towards a good cause? Please click here to donate TODAY. Together my wife and I have already raised almost $200, but I'd like to do better. My mustache and I thank you.

Happy Thanksgiving from Pot Kettle Blue

2010-11-24T07:03:00.000-08:00

Have fun & eat lots!

Toyota Highlander's Marketing Campaign Insults its Own Audience

2010-11-16T17:44:00.000-08:00

Hey! I know, it's been a while. Sorry about that. We all get busy. Something has come up over the past couple of weeks, however, that enraged me enough to come out of hiding. Who's responsible: a car company named Toyota and a little boy name Nathan.

I am referring to the latest marketing campaign for the 2010 Toyota Highlander, which features a snot-nosed kid named Nathan James. This is how Toyota describes Nathan in a press release:

The commercials feature Nathan James, an eight-year-old boy on a mission to “un-dork” his parents. A purveyor of cool, Nathan uses the 2011 Highlander to demonstrate how not to be lame. He has tips and tricks for dealing with not-so-hip parents

There is nothing appealing about young Nathan. He's elitist, superficial, smug, and already has a sense of self-entitlement. He is embarrassed by anybody that isn't as cool as him. His (and Toyota's) "cute" catch phrase is, “Just because you’re a parent, doesn’t mean you have to be lame.” Take a look at one of the several Nathan James ads currently running:

That is supposed to convince you to buy a Highlander. I can't place all the blame on Nathan, however. After all, he's not real. Toyota, however, should be smarter. They still need to be regaining consumer trust after all their recalls, and how do they decide to do it? By insulting the very parents that will buy their cars.

This would be a good campaign if kids bought cars. Since they don't, the "parents just don't get it" tag that works for Apple Jacks cereal, doesn't quite work here. I haven't bought a car in a while, but I am pretty sure that on the Consumer Reports list of what a person looks for when deciding on a car purchase, whether or not their kid thinks it's cool enough doesn't even register. However, this is the selling point mentioned in Toyota's own press release announcing the campaign:

The fully integrated Highlander marketing campaign is aimed at parents with kids ages seven to twelve. During those early child-rearing years, these parents were preoccupied with the needs of their children. They were focused on functionality first, style second—after all, it’s difficult to fit a baby stroller in a sports car. Now their kids are a little older and a little more independent. They’re easily embarrassed, especially by their parents. The last thing they want is to be picked up from school in the old family hauler.

In the several Nathan ads running on TV and on Toyota's branded YouTube channel, safety is barely mentioned. Smart move, Toyota. If you want to get back in the public's good graces, smugly making fun of us is not the way to do it. Make us laugh, don't laugh at us and expect us to do the same. Any self-respecting parent should be insulted that Toyota thinks they are vapid enough consumers to be convinced by these ads.

I sympathise more with Billy and his dad in the above ad. I don't know their full story, but I am sure Billy's dad would love to drop 50K on a loaded Highlander, but he has a family to support, a daughter about to go to college, and a small business that isn't doing so well. Billy might be embarrassed slightly by dad's car, but he will learn in time that a parent makes financial sacrifices for their family. At least he has a dad who is there enough to pick him up after school. Maybe Billy wouldn't be so embarrassed if kids like Nathan weren't picking on him so much because of his dad's car.

OK, I'm ranting now. Am I alone here? I couldn't find many people online complaining. What do you think. Need more fuel? Check out this other Nathan James ad:

Help Cast the Cereal Mascot Movies

2010-08-04T04:56:00.000-07:00

It's official, we have run out of original movie ideas. "Inception" might have been the last original idea ever (or was it, there is some debate).

When we are making movie adaptations of The Smurfs and Marmaduke, we have run out of comic strips and 80s cartoons to adapt. Now, the big movies to be attached to are based on board games. Seriously. Movie adaptations of Monopoly, Battleship, Clue, Risk, Candy Land, Ouija board, and Monsterpocalypse are all in development with big names attached including Tim Burton, Ridley Scott, and Peter Berg.

So what's next? After we milk the board games for all they're worth, where do we turn? 1 suggestion: movies based on cereal mascots. There are tons of them, have a connection with people from several generations, and have built in product placement.

But who should play these iconic characters (and no, Johnny Depp can't do them all. He's running out of funny voices to use)? Let's see if we can cast these roles. Read the list of cereal mascots below, and let me know who should be cast in these roles in the comments section. We will follow up on this project later.

Cap'n Crunch

Count Chocula (also, Boo Berry)

Lucky

Trix rabbit

Snap, Crackle, Pop

Sonny the Cuckoo bird

Tony the tiger

Honey Nut Cheerios Bee

Wendell (Cinnamon Toast Crunch)

Toucan Sam

I suggest either Seth Green or Giovanni Ribisi for that last one since they both already have experience in the role:

Free Music: Pot Kettle Mix for August 2010

2010-08-03T06:16:00.000-07:00

Hey kids, do you like songs? You do! Well then you're in luck because today you can download 13 of them.

Check out the latest Pot Kettle Mix. 1 full hour of rock. I tried to keep it fairly clean, but there might be a few "objectionable work words." Click here to Download the rock. Also, apologies to @CraigC for completely ripping off his idea. You should also download his monthly mix if you want some quality hip hop. You can check that out here.

Pot Kettle Mix 08.10 Tracklist

Compliments - Band of Horses
Ativan Eyes - Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
Guilty Cocker Spaniels - Modest Mouse
Birthday Boy - Drive-By Truckers
Last Dance - The Raveonettes
Love and Hate - Blitzen Trapper
Morning Light - Ida Maria
Dance Yrself Clean - LCD Soundsystem
Orphans - The Gaslight Anthem
Mondegreen - Yeasayer
Unknown Brother - The Black Keys
Ask Her For Adderall (Live) - The Hold Steady
Battles On - The Ghost is Dancing

Click here to download it all. Be sure to let me know what you think after you give it a listen, or create and share your own mix.

'Inception' Poster Making the Subconscious Think of 'Dark Knight'

2010-07-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

I saw 'Inception' this weekend. I won't spend too much time here reviewing it. Know this: it is very, very good. The film has a creative story that messes with your mind, but makes sure not to leave out the action and cool visuals you want in your summer movies. It's one of those mind-benders that requires that you see it twice to fully grasp everything that you saw. I may have to go see it again soon at the new IMAX theater that opened in Crocker Park.

Anyway, one of the few things I didn't like about 'Inception' is the film's poster. It seems a little TOO similar to one of the teaser posters from 'The Dark Knight.' As one of Warner Brothers' most successful films of the past few years, the studio is of course making sure we know that there are many similarities between the two movies: same studio, same writer-director, similar release date, and even some of the same actors.

If they didn't beat the connection over your head enough already, WB taps into your subconscious with the poster. Looking at the 'Inception' poster should seem familiar even if you don't immediately recognize it:

Am I crazy? Is this intentional? Are we supposed to look at this poster and think "The poster looks like the 'Batman' poster, the movie must be just as good!" It's odd.

Have you seen 'Inception' yet? What did you think?

Hard to Hate: Hanson Reenacts 'Blues Brothers'

2010-07-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

You know Hanson, don't act like you don't. At bare minimum you remember them from their 1997 teenybopper pop single "Mmmmmbop" (Note: I'm not actually sure how many 'Mmm's are in the song's official title and I'm not willing to look it up). What you may not know is that they are still together recording, touring, and maintain a loyal fan base (they'll be at the Cleveland House of Blues Thursday August 19).

Now get this: they're good. I can admit it. They know how to write a good pop rock song and have stuck to their guns recording catchy 1970s-style blues pop rock tunes. While I don't actually own any Hanson music, I recognize they got a good thing going on and hope they keep it up.

Need more proof that it's OK to admit Hanson is alright, check out the music video for their latest single which not only features a pretty spot on reenactment of the "Shake a Tail Feather" scene in "The Blues Brothers," but also Weird Al Yankovic on tambourine. For reference, I also posted the original "The Blues Brothers" scene below.

Are there any other "guilty pleasures" that you can admit are OK to like? Leave a comment to let us all know.

Happy 4th of July from Pot Kettle Blue!

2010-07-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

A Happy Independence Day to everyone. Enjoy the weekend & don't be stupid.

My Open Letter to LeBron James

2010-06-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

LeBron James,

Hi buddy, it's me JD. How've you been? We haven't talked in a little while. How's the family? Good I hope. Give them my best.

Things have been pretty crazy here. We had to make some major decisions over the past couple of weeks. We decided to move. That was a big deal. Buying a house can be a big ordeal as we learned first hand. You're lucky you got to build your own dream house. No need to move from that ever, huh? It has everything you want and if you want something else, you can just add it. I'm envious. Don't worry though, we didn't leave Cleveland. Why would we do that?! We moved in to the house a few weeks ago and are getting settled. Once we get the hoop up you can come on over.

See any good movies lately? Have you seen Toy Story 3 yet? Don't see it in public, it might make you cry (seriously, even YOU. you don't want anyone to WITNESS that). Watch it in your home theater. I think you'll like it. What's your favorite character? Mine's Woody. I like what a strong leader he is; willing to stand strong, make the tough decisions, and help inspire all the other toys even when they keep failing. Plus, he has a real strong bond to where he came from and who cares about him. I bet Woody and your Nike puppet would get along great! Anyway, you should check out the movie.

Did you feel that earthquake last week?! That was crazy. I'm glad it wasn't as bad as those quakes in Los Angeles. That can be dangerous. Oh, you'll like this joke I heard: Did you hear about the earthquake in Cleveland? -- What earthquake? I heard it was just Shaq tripping on his sidewalk. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! I immediately thought of you when I heard that.

Aaaaanyway, any big plans for the 4th weekend? We should get together. If you're busy, that's cool. We should schedule something for August. Will you be around then?

Keep on truckin',
JD

PS. GO TRIBE!! LOL!

Lifetime Movie Network Highlights for the week of June 28

2010-06-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

I cannot honestly say I have ever watched I Lifetime TV movie (no, honestly, never). I do, however, enjoy reading the descriptions of the crazy movies that air on the Lifetime Movie Network as I browse through my cable channel guide. Judging by their title and descriptions ONLY, here are a few of the "best" movies on the Lifetime Movie Network for the week of June 28 - July 4

The Bad Son - Thursday, July 1, 6pm

"An elusive serial killer is terrorizing Seattle, murdering innocent women with the help of - get ready for this one! - his mom! With time slipping by, it's up to a resourceful cop to unlock the mystery of this bizarre duo before it's lights out for their next victim. Based on actual events, this twisted tale will keep you glued to your seat!"

As Good as Dead - Friday, July 3, 10am

"Susan is new in town and grateful to make a friend, Nicole. So when Nicole has a medical emergency, Susan not only rushes her to the hospital, but also switches identities with her so Nicole can use her health insurance to cover the necessary operation. When Nicole dies on the operating table, however, Susan is forced to unravel the mystery of her friend's suspicious death — as well as try to reclaim her own true identity!"

The Perfect Child - Friday, July 3, 12pm

"Sarah Daniels (Rebecca Budig) has thrown her life into her career in public relations and has survived some bad relationships. But when she meets Paul Jacobs (Lochlyn Munroe) through business, it looks like she's met her soul match. Paul has an adorable though shy twelve-year-old daughter, Lily, with whom Sarah seems to connect. But the promising situation turns menacingly bad: crises in Paul's business, Lily's illness, and humiliating circumstances for Sarah. Some evidence seems to lead back to Paul's jealous ex-girlfriend, but when a dark chapter of Sarah's life comes to light, Sarah herself considers her own sanity and possible responsibility. But the real truth won't come to the surface until Lily and Sarah are left alone and almost die in a horrible "accident.""

The Girl Next Door - Friday, July 2, 6pm

"This is Tracey Gold at her finest, as Annie, an impressionable woman who will do anything for her man's love and attention: make dinner, do laundry, commit murder- you know, the usual stuff! See how this bad guy manipulates her into doing his dirty work as this twisted tale of love gone horribly wrong unfolds."

My Stepson, My Lover - Saturday, July 3, 8pm

"With a title like this, do you need any more reason to tune in? If so, here's the lowdown: When a young nurse's marriage starts to fail, she falls into in the arms of her hubby's son. But it's not a secret for long. When dad finds out his kid's sleeping with his wife, a raging jealousy develops between father and child. And one of them won't survive it!"

Wow! So many to choose from? Which are you going to watch. If for some insane reason, you actually do waste your time watching any of these Lifetime movies, write a review in the comments.

Last Week in Phil Collins News - June 21 - June 25

2010-06-27T18:08:00.000-07:00

If you are not following me on Twitter (and if you're not, why not?), then you have been missing out on your daily dose of Phil Collins News. Yes, THAT Phil Collins. In a scientific attempt to see if I can find 1 interesting item about Phil Collins on a daily basis (M-F), I present to you Last Week in Phil Collins News:

Phil Collins receives an award from the Songwriter's Hall of Fame

London man, @alxalxalx, spends today listening to all of Phil Collins' solo albums & tweets about it.

Phil Collins says he doubts he'll ever release another album of original material.

Collins Uses Gaffer Tape to Hold Drum Sticks to Hand While Recovering From Nerve Damage.

Classic WWF Video: Phil Collins vs Ultimate Warrior

A NY Times Review of Collins' latest concert at the Roseland Ballroom

That's all for this week, but stay tuned! As always, if you have a Phil Collins news tip, leave it in the comments below

The Saddest Rebox - Walgreen's Coupon in the World

2010-06-23T05:57:00.000-07:00

As an occasional renter of the Redbox movies, I received this coupon in my email inbox the other day and it made me sad:

Why would Redbox think I'm super excited for this (and I'm not judging you if you actually are). All I could think of while reading this was some lonely spinster receiving this in their inbox and getting excited about a movie night in eating Hot Pockets and Haggen-Dazs and then falling into a food coma half way through "Leap Year." All because of this coupon. Is that what you're trying to sell me, Redbox? Sad, pathetic loneliness, and saving a dollar with a free movie? It leaves nothing but bad associations.

I'm taking a pass on this coupon. Give me a less depressing deal, Redbox, and we will talk. While you're at it, you could start renting out video games any day now. Now that all the local video rental stores are closed down, there is a huge, vacant gap in the video game rental department.

Adventures in Product Placement: Last Comic Standing

2010-06-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

Product placement is everywhere on television these days. Adventures in Product Placement does not set out to point every instance out, just the examples that are so ridiculous and out of place.

Reality television is no stranger to product placement. usually the product integration is done well through segment sponsorship, products offered as a reward in a competition, or as in the case in cooking shows like "Top Chef," integrating the product directly into a competition

'Last Comic Standing' Shoves 'Despicable Me' in our Face

Last night "Last Comic Standing" did none of these things. If you are unfamiliar, this is the reality competition show that uses the "American Idol" template to find the next star stand-up comic. Last night about half way through the New York City auditions episode this happened:

Did you catch that? Was it too subtle for you? As if showing pop-in ads for this movie on the screen twice during the program wasn't enough, the NBC/Universal family decided to completely waste a minute of the program's air time. Next time may I suggest simply putting a movie poster in the background?

Homeland Security Steps in to Save Us From Social Networking

2010-05-16T05:20:00.000-07:00

Lately there has been a lot of discussion about privacy issues on social media sites, including Facebook's recent changes to 'Like' the entire Internet. The brew-ha-ha has blown up to the point that this morning I received this email from the US Department of Homeland Security:

ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! HIGH RISK! BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SHARE ON FACEBOOK! (Click the icon above to share this message on Facebook).

The irony made me laugh. The message itself was pretty basic: You may feel safe sharing personal information online, it's stupid to think that, don't be stupid.

It seems like common sense, but as social media becomes more and more prominent, it's good to recognize that just like all things on the Internet, social networking is not 100% safe. Bottom line: don't make any personal information public you wouldn't be OK sharing with the next stranger who drives down your street (especially if that driver happens to be the Google Street View truck).

Happy Tax Day!

2010-04-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

April 15 is here! I Hope you have everything filed, stapled, and backed up. If not, don't waste too much time watching this classic "The Simpsons" clip.

Restaurants Think Millennials Eat Different Than Normal Humans

2010-03-30T05:56:00.000-07:00

Look at those crazy Millennials in that picture. When they're not styling their hair or being ironic they are always on their phones sharing their entire life with the world digitally. This is how marketers generically perceive this generation*.

*The exact time frame of the Millennial generation (also known as Generation Y and Echo Boomers) varies depending on who you ask. It is sometime between 1978 & 2000. Some divide that time frame into two different generations: Gen Y = born late 1970s to 1990 , Millennials = born 1990 - 2000. Dividing it makes more sense to me as the behaviors and attitudes of a 32 year old today (born 1978) are a lot different from those of a 10 year old today (born 2000).

Millennials are defined by 2 things:

They are constantly online, either on the computer or their cell phone
They share everything about themselves.

That's it. There's nothing else to them. You can sell and justify any business decision based on these two generalized attributes. At least that is the impression that I got this morning when I read a USA Today article about new menu items being rolled out by national restaurant chains including California Pizza Kitchen and Cheesecake Factory. The chains are adding small, cheaper, tapas-style items to their menu that are meant to be shared among friends. Their logic behind this new addition: Millennials like texting and sharing and stuff, they will like sharing food too (and then possibly Tweeting about how awesome it is?).

From the USA Today article:

Casual-dining chains are trying just about anything. They're particularly eager
to attract socially minded Millennials who are just as comfortable sharing a
plate of food as they are sharing social media.

"This is how the next generation is eating," says Bob Hartnett, CEO at Houlihan's, which just rolled out 23 small-plate items.

WHAT?! When did we start eating differently? I'm not saying these new menu items are a bad idea, they're not. I do, in fact, enjoy ordering a bunch of small plates and sharing among friends, but why is this being considered a Millennial only activity? When I'm out at a tapas-style restaurant I don't see only a 20 somethings sharing food, I see people of all ages and backgrounds be it friends, families, or coworkers. It appears to me that this is how EVERYONE is eating.

It is just as illogical to say that Millennials are eating differently, than it is to say Millennials are all over social media, when data has shown that Baby Boomers are the growing demographic in Facebook and Millennials have no use for Twitter. Face it, everyone is online all the time sharing info, and everyone likes to share food when they go out to eat. If you don't realize that when developing a marketing strategy, you're leaving out a large part of your target audience. We have progressed beyond, "kids these days and their crazy technologies." Either we are now all Millennials in some shape or form, or maybe, just maybe, there is more to the Millennial generation than the generic definition placed on them.

Where do you stand? What defines a Millennial to you? What additional attributes would you add?

2010 Cleveland Concert Season Playlist

2010-03-24T08:04:00.000-07:00

Well the snow is melting, the Indians are almost through with spring training, and the Cavs are getting ready for the playoffs. Spring is here, and with it comes a whole slew of bands and musical artists coming to the Cleveland area. My spring/summer concert lineup is filling up fast. There's a lot of good acts touring this year. Here's what I plan on, am considering seeing, or would like to see if I didn't already have plans:

April 4 - Julian Casablancas - House of Blues Cleveland
April 8 - Fanfarlo - Grog Shop
April 11 - Wilco - Carnegie Music Hall, Pittburgh
April 13 - The Hold Steady - Beachland Ballroom
April 13 - Wale/K'naan - House of Blues Cleveland
April 30 - Yeasayer - Grog Shop
May 5 - Frightened Rabbit - Grog Shop
May 11 - Pearl Jam/Band of Horses - The Q
June 9 - Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - House of Blues Cleveland
June 10 - She & Him - House of Blues Cleveland
July 20 - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers/Drive-By Truckers - Blossom Music Center
July 26 - Kings of Leon - Blossom Music Center

That's my schedule. What's yours? Are you going to any of these shows too? Am I leaving out a group that I simply MUST SEE live?

I leave you with my Summer Concert playlist featuring all of the artists listed above. You'll find it on the right sidebar under my Twitter feed. Give it a listen, and feel free to create and share your own similar playlist in the comments. I love discovering new music, and we all need something to listen to to make it through the work day.

'Nurse Jackie' Character Uses Twitter in Real Time; the future of interactive television?

2010-03-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

How are you feeling this morning? Everyone nursing a wicked hangover from the wild 'Nurse Jackie' viewing party you went to last night to celebrate its second season premiere on Showtime? No, me either. Did you at least read the tweets from one of the show's characters last night(@DoctorCoop)?

'Nurse Jackie' is Showtime's latest attempt to launch a successor to the aging "comedy" 'Weeds.' It stars 'The Sopranos' Edie Falco as Jackie, a nurse in a NYC emergency room. Like all of the main characters in Showtime's half-hour shows, Jackie is a dysfunctional anti-hero. She's just your regular run of the mill no nonsense nurse, wife, and mother with a pill addiction and fidelity problems. There's also a ZANY cast of supporting characters that fill up the hospital with their own quirks and problems.

Yeah, it's about as lame as it sounds. Jackie is an annoying character that gives the viewer very little reason to root for her, and despite all the zaniness, the show is rather dull. I watched the entire first season assuming at some point things would get exciting and interesting. They never did. I was going to ignore the show's second season, which kicked off last night, but I had to see how their unique interactive Twitter marketing experiment would play out.

As the New York Times reported, in the episode the comic relief character Doctor Cooper (Peter Facinelli) would tweet about something in the episode, and his message would post to his Twitter account in real time, blurring the lines between fiction and reality. Kind of a cool idea, right? So how did it go down? Learn after the jump.

I'll set the scene for you. INT - HOSPITAL HALLWAY - DAY

About 10 minutes into the episode (so around 10:10 PM EST) Doctor Coop, who mistakenly believes that Jackie has a thing for him, asks Jackie out to a game that he has good tickets for. Jackie brushes Coop. We end the scene with a dejected Doctor Coop walking away and starting to pull out his phone. A few seconds later this message shows up on his Twitter account:

That's it. Nothing very earth shattering, but experiments like this do open the doors for more creative interactive marketing of television programs, and a great way to bring eyeballs (and therefore $$) to a particular show. A report issued by the Nielson Co yesterday found that multi-tasking is on the rise. The number of television viewers who simultaneously surf the Internet increased by 35% in 2009. The networks can use social media as an interactive TV Guide, reminding the viewer that 'How I Met Your Mother' is on now, and they should change the channel from 'House' to watch (and participate in) it. Plus, if you're on Facebook or Twitter and all of your friends are discussing what they're watching, don't you want to watch too and join in the conversation?

Extending the world of a fictional television series beyond the weekly episode and onto the Internet is not necessarily a new device. CBS' "How I Met Your Mother" has successfully used this marketing device by mentioning a website or video on the show, and then actually creating the "fictional" site mentioned, but it takes planning from both the creative forces behind the show and the CBS marketing department to do it effectively.

For example, did you catch the Super Bowl commercial with Neil Patrick Harris's character Barney Stinson holding up a sign in the stands with a phone number to call him? If you did in fact call that number, you would have heard a message from Barney asking you out on a date. On the program the next night, the characters on the show watched the Super Bowl wondering where their friend Barney was, until they saw him on TV, the same way you the viewer saw him. Barney's story in this episode was about how he was going crazy because all of these girls called his phone and now he has too many woman to choose from. If you were a woman who called that number the night before, Barney was talking about YOU!

Why go through all the effort to do this? To create a stronger connection between the viewer (consumer) and the program (brand). It builds brand loyalty. By interacting with these sites or videos, the viewer is essentially entering the fictional world of the program. They are seeing and experiencing the same things the characters are. Watching the show has transitioned from a passive activity to an active one. The fan or viewer feels they have a personal investment in the brand and will hopefully return to it week after week.

With fictional characters using Twitter in real time, the lines blur even further. The viewer is not only entering the world of the show, in their own way they are now experiencing the same things that are happening to these characters as it is happening to them.

This is a great way to market a show, and maybe even work in some paid product placement, but it also opens the door for a lot of creative opportunities.The success of 'Lost' has proven that when viewers are passionate about something they are willing to get online and dive deep into the world, all the while spreading positive word of mouth about the brand.

The networks should start experimenting more. How about a serialized show, a season long 'Twin Peaks'-style mystery, with every character and suspect tweeting their point of view and opinion in real time and throughout the week? The viewer would have to put together clues and cross reference stories to solve the big whodunit. I'd give it a shot, would you.

Or how about an SNL-type live improv sketch comedy show that allows the viewer to tweet suggestions to the cast just like if they were at a live Second City show?

There are a lot of cool marketing possibilities here. That being said, I don't think I'll keep up with 'Nurse Jackie.' It's still too boring. I will continue to follow @DoctorCoop though. If something interesting happens, I'm sure he'll tell me.

What do you think of scripted television shows incorporating real-time Twitter messages from characters? Would you participate or do you find it intrusive? How would you like this used in your favorite show (assuming Jack Bauer can find the time to tweet)?

Famous Hollywood Scenes Get Simpsonized

2010-03-22T06:26:00.000-07:00

Sunday night has turned into an evening clogged with television programming. There's always been something on for the reality nuts ('Amazing Race,' 'Undercover Boss,' 'Celebrity Apprentice,' Whatever is on VH1), but recently there's also been an influx in other quality programming, including HBO's 'The Pacific' and Discovery's 'Life' miniseries, and the new season of one of my favorite shows AMC's 'Breaking Bad,'

With all those viewing choices to pick from I wouldn't blame anyone for not catching last night's episode of 'The Simpsons.' Honestly, you didn't miss much. Like most modern episodes of the series, this episode was an entertaining way to spend 30 min, with a few laughs, but suffering from weak plots that suffer even more thanks to odd story structure. That being said, last night's episode did feature a visit from First Lady Michelle Obama (which was cool until you find out she was actually voiced by actress Angela Bassett), and a sort of fun montage of famous Hollywood kissing scenes getting the Simpsons treatment as Bart receives CPR from his crush (don't ask).

You can check out the montage below. How many of these scenes do you recognize? Can you tell which ones were slightly altered?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope the day brings you lots of good luck. To celebrate eat some corned beef, drink some Guinness, and of course watch this classic St. Patrick's Day web video:

No web video is complete without the dance remix ...

Fiction Becomes Reality: UHF Television Station for Sale

2010-03-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

Do you have half a mil lying around and are looking for a new job and/or hobby? If so, you're in luck because for the low low cost of $500K you could be the proud owner/operator of a Western Michigan UHF television station!!!

As the New York Times reports, current station owner Bud Kelley listed WMKG-LP, Channel 38 on eBay and is pricing it to sell (although it now looks like it has been removed). Although still not ready for the digital transition, you can own the broadcasting license, facility, equipment, and the ability to program whatever you want (as long as you keep the Thursday night Bingo show).

Some quality programming could turn this station around into the highest rated station in the region. It can happen. Need proof? Look no further than American treasure "Weird Al" Yankovic and his 1989 cult classic "UHF":

There's plenty of show ideas right there! All you need now is an eccentric, frantic janitor and you're all set. Look out Western Michigan, you're in for a wild ride!

34th Cleveland International Film Festival

2010-03-15T06:10:00.000-07:00

The Oscars have come and gone and awards season is (finally) over, right? Not in Cleveland. Here the fun is just getting started!

That is because this Thursday the 34th Cleveland International Film Festival kicks off at Tower City Cinemas downtown. One of the largest film festivals in the world, the 10 day festival features more than 300 films, documentaries, and short films from 80 countries.

My wife and I had a great time at the Greater Cleveland Film Commission's (GCFC) Road to the Red Carpet event on Oscar night. Thank you to Cleveland Metromix for the tickets (pictures of the night can be found here, we're somewhere in the album). They really pulled out all the stops for this event and Pickwick and Frolic was a great location. If you want to get your $ worth out of a charity event, you shouldn't look any further than Road to the Red Carpet.

Anyway, while at the event I entered an Oscar pool, picked everything correctly, and won several passes to the Film Festival (which is put on by the Cleveland Fim Society NOT the GCFC. The two organizations tend to get confused with one another, but have 2 very different missions. The GCFC focuses on bringing film work & jobs to Northeast Ohio, and the Film Society focuses on film preservation and the festival).

So, what should I see? What are you seeing? I could use some suggestions. Check out the festival program here and let me know what you plan on seeing. I welcome all opinions. I might even give you a ticket voucher. Chances are I won't have time to use all the ones I have. So let me know what you'd use it on.

2010 Best Picture Reviews: All the Rest

2010-03-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

Better last minute than never, right? When I set out to review all 10 of the Best Picture nominees this week I failed to anticipate how busy I would get. Even though my eyes were bigger than my stomach, I’m not one not to finish what I started, so here is my (very, very, very, very) brief attempt to review the remaining 6 nominees before the Oscar ceremony tonight.

First, in case you missed my earlier posts, check out my reviews of A Serious Man, An Education, Avatar, and The Blind Side.

And now the rest …

District 9

An impressive original sci-fi film. "District 9" can pass itself off as a summer blockbuster and a small, emotional movie examining how we treat cultures different than our own; not the typical alien invasion film. Although it abandons some of its ethical statements and documentary style as the movie progresses into a gigantic battle, it’s a fun ride from start to finish. The less I tell you about this movie the better. It never goes where you expect it to, and that’s a good thing. It won’t win Best Picture, but it will be one of the few nominees that we are all still talking about 5 years from now.

The Hurt Locker

This small movie about a three-man US bomb squad in Iraq is considered a front-runner for the big award. Will it beat “Avatar?” Maybe, if the voters felt like awarding a smaller film. Don’t be fooled though, despite a small budget “The Hurt Locker” isn’t a wuss, it’s an intense, suspenseful action film. Although set in Iraq, it does not get political. The plot is simple: survive 38 days. It’s easier than it sounds once you see the insane positions these soldiers have to put themselves in on a routine basis. As the movie points out, it takes a certain kind of person to do this, and “The Hurt Locker” does a great job exploring who that person is and what makes them tick. If anyone is going to beat James Cameron for Best Director, it will be (Cameron’s ex-wife) Kathryn Bigelow for the way she captures both the intensity of bomb diffusion and the quiet times in-between missions.

Inglorious Basterds
This movie was not what I expected. Being a Quentin Tarantino movie I was expecting lots and lots and lots of blood; “Kill Bill” set in World War II. While the movie is bookended by two fairly violent scenes, the majority of the film is blood free. The cat-and-mouse game being played between the Good Guys and the Nazis as they sit across from each other at various tables in houses, restaurants, and bars is at times almost unbearably suspenseful. I enjoyed Tarantino’s revisionist history of WWII not for the gore, but for the way it was constructed: as a series of inter-connected short films that slowly become one. This method kept me engaged in the story even during the typical Tarantino dialogue scenes that run a few minutes too long. Trying to figure out where the story was going was half the fun. This is my pick for an upset for Best Picture and Tarantino’s best chance at winning the big award to-date.

Precious
Everyone knows this movie as the one where an unspeakable amount of bad things happen to a poor teenage girl. I won’t list all of those things here; it’s worse than you even think it is. Yes, “Precious” is a good movie with strong acting and a powerful true tale of strength and perseverance, but it’s also tough to watch. This is the type of movie you will get in the mail from Netflix because you know it’s a movie you’re "supposed to watch," but you’re never in the mood to watch something this dark and it sits on the counter for 2 months until you return it unviewed. If that happens, I don’t blame you. A strong film, but I would never call this entertaining.

Up
My wife can’t even tell you the plot of this movie without starting to tear up. I’m serious. The movie with talking dogs, blimp battles, and giant birds with a love for chocolate makes her cry. That’s because the guys at Pixar know how to make a good movie. All the crazy talking dogs in the world are meaningless unless there are some strong characters with strong motivations that drive everything. It doesn’t take much to lay that ground work. All you need in “Up” is the first 10 minutes. From there the movie can go in any crazy direction it wants to just as long as it remembers to come back to the simple relationships between old man Karl and his chubby friend. This will win Best Animated Movie and possibly Best Score. “Up” becomes a little too much of a kiddie cartoon in a few scenes towards the end, and that might hurt its chances as Best Picture.

Up in the Air
Although it won’t win Best Picture, “Up in the Air” is the movie that best portrays what life in 2009 is like. George Clooney carries the picture well as a traveling businessman whose job it is to fire people. “Up in the Air” address a lot of the insecurities and concerns we all have right now with our jobs, the economy, the way technology has made making personal connections both easier and at times harder and less authentic, and what really matters in life (and one of the best soundtracks of the year). The ending is a little sloppy and some would argue ruins the whole film, but it stays true to the characters, and attempts to address how we live right now in a funny and entertaining way.

That’s all 10. Sorry I was so brief with these final reviews. Time got the best of me.

Where are you going to (or where did you) watch the Oscars (or do you even care)?
Me, I’ll be at the Road to the Red Carpet party, a charity event for the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, a great nonprofit that works hard to bring film and production work to Northeast Ohio (i.e. “Spiderman 3”).

As always, if you agree or disagree with me, let me know in the comments.

2010 Best Picture Reviews: Avatar & The Blind Side

2010-03-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

Continuing my (alphabetical) reviews of the 10 Best Picture nominees in preparation for Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony, today brings two of the highest grossing movies of the past 3 months: "Avatar" and "The Blind Side."

Chances are that if you wanted to see either of these movies, you probably already have. Nevertheless, after the jump, I take a closer look at these 2 films. Agree or disagree with me? Let me know in the comments.

Avatar

Unless you've been living inside a rock that's under another rock that's lying on the bottom of the ocean, you've heard of "Avatar." It's now the largest grossing movie of all time with a worldwide intake of $2.5 billion (although with 80% of the US domestic gross coming from the 3D version of the movie, the extra $3 surcharge for 3D movies is inflating that number quite a bit).

So is it worth all that money? Sure, why not. In "Avatar", writer/director James Cameron was able to construct a perfect storm of everything that makes his past blockbusters, including "Terminator 2" and "Titanic," a success: sci-fi action, romance, and groundbreaking technology. "Avatar" has something for everyone of all ages.

Visually, the story of paralyzed soldier Jake Sully using Avatar technology to pose as a member of the blue alien-like Na'vi tribe that resides on a distant moon (it's not as complicated as it sounds), is unlike anything we've seen on film for a long time. The vivid colors, landscapes, and unique creatures of the Na'vi world fully transport the viewer, and the tense action scenes keep everyone on the edge of their seats.

The film's main weaknesses are the dialogue and some of the acting. Like "Star Wars" before it, "Avatar" is going to be mocked for years to come for its cheesy, sometimes poorly written dialogue. Some critics complain that the movie is just a generic sci-fi blend of many existing blockbusters, including "Dances With Wolves" and "Ferngully: The Last Rainforest." I say, what's so wrong about that? Yeah, there are elements of many other hit movies in this, why do you think it's making so much money? In a year when big budget crowd pleasers included the awful"Transformers 2" and "GI Joe," the willingness of Cameron to take risks creating an entirely original world should be commended.

That being said, I'm not sure it should win Best Picture. It's not perfect, and a little too long. Instead, I think "Avatar" should be awarded a Special Achievement Award for the way it advances movie making, similar to the award presented to "Toy Story" in 1996.

Bottom line: One of the best movie going experiences of the year, but the dialogue, acting, and occasional story flaws are too much to award it as Best Picture.

Trailer:

The Blind Side

"The Blind Side" is the only movie out of the 10 Best Picture nominees that I can safely say should not be nominated. Give it a Family Circle magazine award for Best Family Film (take that "Squeakquel"!), but don't elevate its status to the Best Picture category. To put it in football terms: "Blind Side" is playing JV while all the other nominees made Varsity.

Am I too cynical to enjoy an uplifting "true story" that tugs on the heart strings? No, not when it's a good movie. Look at fellow nominee "Up." That movie is a cartoon with talking dogs, and it still has more three dimensional characters than "Blind Side."

I think Michael Oher's story of facing adversity and rising up from the ghetto to the NFL, thanks to the help of a loving family that believed in him when no one else would, is an inspirational story worth telling. "The Blind Side" takes a crack at it, but they water it down with stereotyped characters, generic dialogue, and very little actual conflict. It's a Hallmark made for TV movie that is trying to pass itself off as something more. Plus, as anyone who has read Oher's autobiography can attest, the movie takes SEVERAL liberties in an effort to play up the cheese.

There are also basic structure problems. At 128 min. it's a long movie for a family to sit through, especially when the entire third act veers off into courtroom drama territory right when I was ready for it to be over.

Bottom line: A harmless family film with a good story, but not anywhere near the quality of a Best Picture.

Trailer:

What did you think of "Avatar" and "The Blind Side?" Tomorrow I'll tackle "District 9" and "The Hurt Locker."

2010 Best Picture Reviews: A Serious Man & An Education

2010-03-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

Well Oscar time is upon us. The big awards show is this Sunday night. Who are you rooting for? Have you even seen any of the nominated movies? In past years your answer to that questions was probably "no," but this year, in an effort to increase TV ratings (& DVD sales), the Academy increased the number of Best Picture nominees from 5 to 10. The thought was that with 10 nominees, some big budget studio movies that people have actually seen would get to join the art house crowd, and the masses would tune in to root for their favorite movie.

Well some big studio films DID in fact get nominated for Best Picture. Time will tell whether that results in a ratings increase.

I'm a movie buff, but could care less about the actual Oscars. I'm fine stopping at the nominees. Give me a list of some of the best movies and performances of the year and I'll choose what I like from them; no need to declare an ultimate winner.

Regardless, I have seen 9 out of 10 of this years Best Picture batch. So I thought I would spend this week briefly reviewing the contenders. After the jump I take a look at "A Serious Man" and "An Education"

A Serious Man

Two years ago the Coen Brothers won the Best Director/Picture combo for "No Country for Old Men." They followed that up with "Burn After Reading" and now what they claim is their most personal film, "A Serious Man."

Set in the suburban Midwest in the 1960s, the movie centers on Larry Gopnik, a middle aged professor with a lot of problems piling up at once: He might not get tenure, a student is blackmailing him, his wife wants a divorce & wants to date Larry's friend, his kids are brats, and his brother is a nutjob with no job prospects sleeping on Larry's couch. All of these problems cause Larry to wonder why God is "punishing" him for simply trying to get by and be a serious man. He visits 3 rabbis to receive guidance and clarity.

Now I like the Coen Brothers generally, and this movie is well done, and does a good job at capturing Larry's frustrations with his life, but the movie just isn't that interesting. Maybe I'd get more out of it if I grew up Jewish, in the Midwest, in the 1960s, but I didn't do any of those things. The acting and the Coens' portrayal of the 60s keeps my interest for a while, but the story is too mundane to keep my interest for the whole movie. I lost interest about 2/3 of the way through. I get that it's sort of the Coens' point that all of these typical problems that Larry faces are a part of life, and how we look at these problems determines whether they destroy us or not, but the conflict is so mundane that it isn't compelling for everyone.

Bottom line: Cool style and acting w/ a story that is not for everyone. Not likely to win.

Trailer:

An Education

This is the one Best Picture nominee that I haven't seen, so I can't really provide any insight into the movie. This just isn't my type of movie. I know it's based on a book, but it looks so generic. I can pretty much tell what it's about just by looking at the poster. Young girl in the 1960s, probably in Europe, falls in love with a much older man. He might be tutoring her or she might be tutoring him, I'm not sure. Either way, through their relationship she receives "an education" on life and love, and her eyes are opened as she matures from a girl to a woman.

I haven't seen the trailer yet or read much about the movie, but I'm pretty confidant I'm in the ballpark. I have yet to have someone prove me wrong. Have you seen it? If so I'd love your insight. I'd be willing to post a guest review if you write a good one up.

I'm sure it's a good movie if you like these types of films. I am a fan of the novels by Nick Hornby, who adopted the script (& received an Oscar nomination for it) but did not write the book it is based on. Hornby's books have been turned into pretty good movies ("High Fidelity" & "About A Boy") so I bet he's good at writing a film script too.

Bottom Line: No idea, but it would be quite an upset if it wins Best Picture.

Trailer (After watching it for the first time, my guess review does not change):

Have you seen "A Serious Man" or "An Education?" Do you agree or disagree with my reviews? If so, let me know. Tomorrow: "Avatar" & "The Blind Side."

Blakroc on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

2009-12-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back, during the INFAMOUS Live Music week, I wrote about the quality of musical guests on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' (due in part to their hosue band The Roots). I also wrote about a musical collaboration between Akron-based (well, not anymore. Too big for that) garage rock band The Black Keys and several of the biggest hip-hop artists working today. Collectively the collaboration is being called Blakroc. Since I wrote about both things, I'd be remissed not to post Blakroc's performance on last night's episode of 'Late Night.' Although they did not play with The Roots, it's still pretty cool. RZA & the Keys performed two songs, 'Dollaz & Sense' and 'Tellin' Me Things.' Check it out (until Hulu takes the video down).

David Letterman Tackles Twitter

2009-12-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

Just when you thought jokes about Twitter and how stupid it can be were played out and no longer funny, David Letterman comes along and tries to tackle his "Twitter machine." In the clip below, from last night's program, Letterman attempts to tweet from the Late Show account (@Late_Show) for the first time. As always, sorry for any commercials you have to sit through. It's worth it this time.

Well ... do you smell it?

Cool, Creepy, Creative Lost Promo

2009-12-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

Allow me to be a nerd for a second. We're about 2 months away from the 6th and final season of "Lost" and the promotion has started. Not sure about you, but I'm getting excited.

Unfortunately for those that like to be teased, the show's producers and ABC have decided not to include ANY footage of the new season in promotion of it claiming that showing even a frame of anything would spoil some big reveals (don't really believe that, but I'll bite). This has lead ABC to create a rather dull campaign cutting old footage from the past 5 years together. Other networks, however, are being more creative.

Although not a top 10 Nielson show in the states (though it's close), "Lost" is currently the #1 watched television series worldwide. Networks from around the world have to come up with ways to promote. This spanish speaking promo is by far the coolest commercial I've seen in a long time. It uses old footage while also remaining dark and creepy capturing the major themes of the series. This is much cooler than anything ABC's promo department has ever put together. maybe if they were a little more creative, I wouldn't fast forward past all of their ads.

Live Music Week ENCORE: Pearl Jam on 'Austin City Limits'

2009-11-23T09:40:00.000-08:00

Whether you wanted one more or not, Cleveland, you're getting one more!

Pearl Jam performed last weekend on the iconic PBS program 'Austin City Limits' this past weekend. Actually, the performance was filmed last August when Pearl Jam was in town headlining this year's Austin City Limits Festival (which is where the picture above is from), but the episode aired this weekend.

Pearl Jam played for a full hour at the historic venue recently designated a rock and roll landmark by the R&R Hall of Fame. Their setlist, which ranged from mellow acoustic tunes to explosive rock, included songs off of their new album Backspacer including Just Breathe and Fix It, oldies such as Porch and Lukin, and one of my personal favorites Red Mosquito (w/ Ben Harper).

Watch the full episode on the PBS website here.

Seriously, that's it for Live Music Week. You've been a great audience. Drive safe! (Lights come up, cue exit music)

Live Music Week: Hodgepodge

2009-11-19T19:30:00.000-08:00

We have reached the end of Live Music Week. What a long, strange trip it's been. For my encore performance I am featuring a random mixture of a bunch of performances.

First, K'naan. If you aren't familiar with K'naan, he is a Somali-born rapper who fills his songs with his unique outlook on the world, and the troubles of his home country, all to soul, pop, reggae, and even rock beats (Metalica guitarist Kirk Hammet guests on his new album Troubadour). Here K'naan performs three songs, stripped down and unplugged as a part of NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concerts. Watch it here.

Next up, Blakroc, a new collaboration between Akron's own The Black Keys and some talented MCs including Mos Def, RZA, Jim Jones, Nikki Wray, Billy Danze, Raekwon, and others. The combination of The Black Keys dirty blues sound works well with these artists. Their album "drops" on Nov. 27. Here is the first single from it, Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo)-featuring Mos Def and Jim Jones. Yes, I realize I'm cheating here a little. The song itself is not a live performance, but the video is ... kind of. Just roll with it.

Blakroc: Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo) Ft. Mos Def and Jim Jones from Jonah Schwartz on Vimeo.

Finally, a little something from Beck's Record Club. This is a little experimental project that Beck and his friends are doing. I'll let him explain:

"Record Club is an informal meeting of various musicians to record an album in a day. The album chosen to be reinterpreted is used as a framework. Nothing is rehearsed or arranged ahead of time. A track is posted once a week. As you will hear, some of the songs are rough renditions, often first takes that document what happened over the course of a day as opposed to a polished rendering. There is no intention to 'add to' the original work or attempt to recreate the power of the original recording. Only to play music and document what happens. And those who aren't familiar with the albums in question will hopefully look for the songs in their definitive versions."

So again, I'm kind of cheating, but these songs are recorded live and then released. It's almost like a live performance. Last week the Club started their third album: Skip Spence's 'Oar.' I'll be honest, I know nothing about that album, but now I want to check it out. The album was recorded by Beck and Wilco along with special guests including Feist and Jamie Lidell. Check out the Beck's Record Club website to listen to the songs and watch video of the recording sessions. There are two songs from the album posted to date. If you wish to hear the album in order, scroll down to the second post and work your way up.

And that concludes Live Music Week. What did you think? Did I leave out something big? If so, leave a comment and share it with everyone.

THANK YOU, CLEVELAND! GOOD NIGHT!

Live Music Week: The Avett Brothers

2009-11-18T18:46:00.000-08:00

There are some bands that are just better live. Sure, they produce regular studio albums, but they really only exist to give the band new stuff to play on tour; the songs don't achieve perfection until they are played in concert. Bands like Dave Matthews Band (who happen to be the musical act on SNL this upcoming weekend), Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, and The Grateful Dead are the easiest examples of bands like this, but non jam bands fit into this category too. Which artists do you like much better live?

One such band that I'm really into right now is The Avett Brothers. While not the coolest band to admit to liking, this folk/rock/country collaboration between two North Carolina brothers produce solid studio recordings that come to life when performed live. That's a rarity for a semi-mellow folk band that borders on the wussy, but the Avett Brothers' enthusiasm and powerful voices put them in unique category of folk artists who can rock.

Full disclosure: I've never seen the Avett Brothers in person, although they tour constantly. They last came to Northeast Ohio last June when they played the Akron Civic Theatre. At that time I had only discovered them a few months prior, and didn't know enough to go see them live. I will not be making that mistake again when they come to the Cleveland House of Blues on Feb. 27, 2010 (purchase tickets here)as they tour on their new album I and Love and You (produced by uber-producer Rick Rubin).

Enough talking. Below are four separate Avett Brother performances/concerts. Give them a listen yourself and let me know what you think.

First up, to continue the Live Music Week theme of late night TV performances, The Avett Brothers played on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" last night (without The Roots)performing one of their more upbeat songs "Slight Figure of Speech":

Here they perform "The Perfect Space" on Spinner.com. They perform three more songs from their new CD during this session, which you can view here.

NPR invited them to perform in their office as a part of their Tiny Desk Concert series, which features small intimate performances recorded in one of their offices. The 3 song performance caused NPR's Bob Boilen to ask Scott Avett, "Did you swallow an amplifier as a child?"
You can watch here.

Finally,The Avett Brothers performed an hour long set at the Newport Folk Festival last summer. NPR said of the concert:

"Without fail, the enthusiastic roots-rock band generated massive volume onstage at Newport. The Avetts brought their emotionally charged and frenetic live show to the Fort Stage at Folk Festival 50 less than two months before the release of I and Love and You, stomping and hollering through a set of old and new songs."

Listen to the full concert here.

Live Music Week: The Roots & Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

2009-11-17T07:10:00.000-08:00

I enjoy watching live music, both in person and on TV. So, as a part of Live Music Week, allow me to share with you several performances from The Roots.

The musical performance is often my favorite part of the late night talk shows. Lately some of the best and most diverse musical performances have been on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," which has the good fortune of having hip-hop band The Roots as their house band.

LNWJF definitly does not squander the talent of The Roots, allowing them to often perform as a backing band to the evening's musical guests. As a band The Roots are very good at weaving in and out between musical genres, and usually elevate musical performances that otherwise might put you to sleep at 1:30 am. Want proof?

Last week The Roots backed up hip-hop MC Wale. As hip-hop artists this performance is right in The Roots wheelhouse. I like Wale, but don't really care for this song. (This video will probably go away after 10 days. Sorry for any ads you have to watch before any of these performances)

To see the diverse talents of The Roots get to play with on display, check out the 3 performances below featuring The Roots and 3 very different artists.

Have you discovered any new music via late night television? What performances should we be checking out?

To prove that The Roots are more than just a run of the mill hip-hop band, look no further than this performance with musical icon Paul Simon.

Video Recaps Full Episodes Webisodes

If you find the Paul Simon performance surprisingly cool, yet odd, you haven't seen anything yet. Check out The Roots, 70's singer songwriter Christopher Cross, and a VERY special guest sing the 'hit' "Ride Like the Wind." Then be sure to e-mail this post to your dad.

Video Recaps Full Episodes Webisodes

Finally, The Roots perform with one of my favorites as a child, 'Weird Al' Yankovic as he sings the darkly funny song "Good Old Days".

Video Recaps Full Episodes Webisodes

Live Music Week: Wilco in Amsterdam

2009-11-15T13:27:00.000-08:00

It's Live Music Week here at Pot Kettle Blue. Why? Because I can make it any week I want, that's why! Plus, I've come across a lot of cool live music over the past few days that I want to share with you.

First up: Wilco live from the Paradiso in Amsterdam

If you've never seen Wilco perform live, you're missing out. They are consistently considered one of the best touring bands around right now. They are a group of very skilled musicians that know how to bring it. I've seen them 10 times in different venues across the US and they have yet to disappoint me.

They are touring Europe right now and THIS AFTERNOON @ 2:45 they are streaming their concert from Amsterdam live. I repeat: THIS AFTERNOON, MONDAY NOV. 16 @ 2:45 PM EST (ignore the time on the poster above. They changed the start time).

I'm not sure if the concert will be archived after the fact. If so, I will update this post. Either way, click here to spend the end of your work day rocking out (Quicktime required).

If you give it a listen be sure to stop back here and let us know what you thought of it. Enjoy!

Adventures in Product Placement: 30 Rock

2009-11-13T09:50:00.000-08:00

Something is starting to annoy me with product placing in comedies. There are three ways a comedy can integrate product placement into their program:

Make the product a central plot point
Have the product around constantly but make no mention of it
Ironically over "promote" the product so the audience is well aware it is product placement

It is this third method that's getting old. It's originally was a humorous meta commentary on the commercial business of television.

In this type of comedic placement, both the characters in the show, breaking the fourth wall, AND the audience watching them are aware there is product placement being done. Although it's not "cool," there's nothing the show can do to stop it, so let's all take a moment to laugh at how crazy it is (while also making sure to actually promote the product), and poke fun at how commercial it is by looking into the camera and spouting tag lines.

The "hit" NBC comedy '30 Rock' is largely considered to be the originator of this method. They have been doing it so often since their show debuted three years ago, that they get accused of ironically promoting products even when they aren't. Three years ago it was funny. But like all jokes, they become less and less funny the 8th, 9th, and 10th times.

This became evident to me during the 11/5 episode of '30 Rock.' During this episode Alec Baldwin's character Jack has to participate in a teleconference due to a bed bug infestation. Cisco Systems provides the equipment to make the teleconference happen:

Did you catch that? Wasn't it funny, clever, and ironic? Maybe in 2007, but now it's become an easy joke. And if it becomes an easy joke, it's an unfunny joke, which makes it not a joke at all, which makes it an actual commercial in the middle of a scripted program.

Now I'm not saying '30 Rock' should stop using product placement to defer costs (and yes, in the credits of the show, you can clearly see "promotional consideration provided by Cisco Systems"). I just want them to stop making a joke out of it. Can't there just be a Cisco Systems teleconference without talking about it? Simply having the logo on the monitor briefly is enough. I've already noticed the product. I've been well aware of Cisco Systems products, including this teleconference system, in other programs including "24", "Chuck","House", and "CSI," and they never made one mention of the product they are using.

It was funny the first 6 times, now stop going for the cheap laugh, we're expecting it.

What do you think? Am I being too harsh? Is it still funny?

12th Annual MicroBrew Extravaganza

2009-11-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

Have any plans this weekend? If not, you better get to it, it's almost Friday. You don't want to be the only person home alone watching George Lopez try to host a talk show.

Instead, I think you should join me at the 12th Annual MicroBrew Extravaganza. This is THE fundraising event of the year for the Free Clinic of Greater Cleveland. Every year I hear of tales of MicroBrew's past by those who attend and those who wish they had attended. A ticket will get you instant access to live music and dancing, a catered buffet, and all the fine microbrew beer you can drink.

This year's event is at Massimo da Milano on W25th St. Tickets are still available: $55 or 2 for $100 (tax deductible donation). Remember, all proceeds go towards the Free Clinic. Purchase your tickets here and I hope to see you there (otherwise, enjoy George Lopez, loser).

Hey! Welcome Back! How Was Your Summer?

2009-11-08T18:39:00.000-08:00

Sooooo .... just like my buddy Calvin here, I lost track of time over the summer. My "summer break" from the blog accidentally lasted longer than I expected. I'm going to blame the weather. It's tough to recognize that summer is over in Cleveland when it's sunny and 70 like it was this past weekend.

So now that I've been gone long enough to have lost my entire audience, I am back from the dead! I have a laundry list of topics to talk about, and sorry Simpsons fans, it will probably not involve anything in Springfield. I never intended this blog to become a Simpsons fan site. I was simply posting random facts on days that I didn't have time to write anything substantial. A few dozen posts later, and I'm receiving 800 hits a day from Scotland so 2 arguing towns can determine who can claim to be the birthplace of Groundskeeper Willie. I like the Simpsons as much as the next guy, but that was never the audience I intended to attract. So I'm going to tone the Simpsons posts down a little.

There is a lot of other cool stuff I want to share with you this week though, including the best music of 2009 debate, adventures in product placement, and Christmas Ale. In the meantime, play around with "Let Them Sing it For You." It's a fun way to send a message by stitching together random song lyrics. It's like sending a musical ransom note, instead of spending all that valuable time cutting out magazine letters. Feel free to e-mail me one @ johndaviddrake@gmail.com. Stay tuned.

P.S. How did you spend your summer vacation?

Simpsons Fun Facts: Mr. Teeny

2009-05-12T16:25:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of The Simpsons 2009 Laugh-a-Day 365-Day Box Calendar:

Krusty's chimp companion was dishonorably discharged from the space program.
Secret ambition is to one day have his own talk show.
His special skills include tying his own bow tie and driving a stick shift.
Favorite foods are chocolate ice cream, head lice, and nicotine gum
Named "Smoking Chimp of the Year" by the National Tobacco Board.

The Wally Szczerbiak Cheesesteak

2009-05-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

You can stop looking for that perfect food to eat while you watch the Cavs dominate in the playoffs, I've found it for you: The Wally Szcerbiak Cheesesteak.

Why Wally (I'm going to keep calling him Wally, because I don't feel like typing Szcerbiak over and over)? Wally and this sandwich have a lot in common. Like Wally, at first glimpse you may think, "Oh, that doesn't sound very good at all. Why would I waste my time with that?" Like Wally, the ingredients are simple and unassuming; able to be enjoyed by young and old alike. And like Wally, it will surprise you. Tasting the Wally Szcerbiak Cheesesteak for the first time is a lot like this:

It's a lot like that ... only for your tastebuds. Have I hyped the Wally Szcerbiak Cheesesteak enough? Full disclosure, I did not create this recipe. Credit must be given to 10-year-old Jordyn Boyer who won the Jif Peanut Butter Cooking Contest. In layman's terms, The Wally Sczerbiak Cheesesteak can be known as the Po' Boy Peanut Butter Chicken Cheesesteak. The only thing I have altered from young Jordyn's recipe is hot sauce and the name.

Seriously, it's easy to make, delicious, and the closest thing to actually eating Wally Szczerbiak. Try it when watching the Cavs tear into Orlando/Boston. If you don't try it, the Cavs will lose, and you don't want that on your conscience the rest of your life.

THE WALLY SZCZERBIAK CHEESESTEAK

Chicken Mixture:

2 T olive oil
1 small onion
1/2 red pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 apple (red or green)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
4 chicken breast slices (1 large chicken breast sliced in long strips)
hoagie/sub roll

Sauce Mixture

3 T creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp honey
1 tsp. honey mustard
1/2 cup water
hot sauce to taste

Cut peppers into strips, cut onions into rings, slice apples in strips. Place them in a skillet with olive oil and cook on medium heat until soft. Cook chicken breast and add to the pepper-onion-apple mixture in the skillet and cook for a few min.

For the sauce, In a sauce pan or small skillet on medium heat, add peanut butter, Worcestershire sauce, honey mustard, honey, and water. Cook and stir until creamy and soft. Add hot sauce to taste.

Place chicken-onion-pepper-apple mixture in a toasted hoagie roll. Top with peanut butter sauce and mozzarella cheese.

NBC's New Fall Shows: (Mostly) More of the Same - Now With Video Clips

2009-05-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

Network Upfront week is almost here! Have you been a good boy/girl this television season? Did you write a letter to your favorite network head asking them for a sleigh full of good shows? If not, you only have 2 more weeks.

Every May, once the regular television season is over, the TV networks hold what is known as Upfronts. Basically, they announce which of their programs will be on next year, which will be cancelled, and spend some time introducing the new shows they plan on rolling out in the fall(ish). Each of the major networks gets their own news cycle to bring out their (current and soon to be) stars to spin and promote the new fall schedule.

The main audience for the Upfront is not the public, but advertisers. The presentations are done so that sponsors can see what the network has planned, and decide whether or not to purchase ad time (or product placement spots) "upfront." These used to be big, lavish affairs meant to wine and dine, but since the strike last year, recession this year, and the general state the TV business is in right now, the Upfronts have become more like a glorified press conference.

The major networks don't hold their Upfronts until the week of May 18, but today NBC got a leg up on the competition by holding what they stupidly call an "Infront" presentation. During this presentation NBC announced what new shows (pilots) they decided to pick up for the 09-10 TV season. They have yet to announce time slots, release their full schedule or announce what existing shows will be picked up or cancelled; that will be done in 2 weeks.

4 new dramas and 2 new comedies were picked up by the network. 2 look like they have potential, 3 look like nothing special, and 1 I have no idea about. None of the new shows NBC premiered last fall are on the air anymore, so they can only go up from here. After the jump, take a look at video clips of each show (with descriptions). Which look good to you?

Community
To me, this comedy looks like the best of the group. It would fit in well with NBC's Thursday night comedy schedule. It stars Joel McHale (from E!'s "The Soup"), Chevy Chase, and others as a diverse group of adults attending a community college who form a study group and "end up learning a lot more about themselves than they do about their course work." It's from two of the better writers of "Arrested Development"

Parenthood
Remember that hit 1989 Steve Martin movie "Parenthood?" Remember the 1990 bomb of a sitcom based on the movie "Parenthood?" (Probably not, it only lasted an episode or two.) Well nearly 20 years later NBC is trying again with the more dramatic version of "Parenthood" - with comedic undertones. It stars nearly every single television actor from the past 15 years; I'm not going to name them all. It's from super producers Ron Howard & Brian Grazer, developed by "Friday Night Lights" exec. producer Jason Katims. To me, it looks like ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" with more kids and maybe a little less angst. It's the other show I think might have some potential.

Trauma & Mercy

Those are the names of 2 new medical dramas. "Trauma" is a more action-intense drama about first responding paramedics. "Mercy" is a more emotional, character driven drama focusing on a group of nurses at a particular hospital. Neither of them look like they are reinventing the wheel. Basically it looks like NBC decided to cancel "ER," a medical drama with both emotional, character driven elements and intense action life-saving elements, and in its place create 2 new shows to cover each of those elements.

100 Questions
While "Trauma" and "Mercy" are a throw back to NBC's "ER" heydays in the '90s, "100 Days" is yet another attempt to clone the success of "Friends," while also being a second rate knock off of CBS' excellent "How I Met Your Mother." It's a romantic comedy sitcom about a girl who just can't seem to find Mr. Right. She goes to a dating service, and they ask her a survey of 100 questions about her life/personality/relationships. With each question, comes an episode-long flashback at her life, her crazy friends, and all the life lessons they learned while facing adulthood in NYC. I think I've seen it before. NO THANKS!

Day One

There is no footage available for this post-apocalyptic drama. The series tells the story of a group of survivors' life on earth following a global catastrophe that has devastated the world's infrastructures. Sounds pretty bleak. It may appeal to the niche "Lost," "Jericho," "BSG," sci-fi crowd, but too dark to appeal to a mass audience. I'll have to hold off judgement for now.

That's all there is until the Upfronts in 2 weeks. There would be more shows, but NBC's decision to move Jay Leno to the 10pm time slot Monday through Friday eliminated 5 hours of potential scripted shows (as well as numerous jobs working on those shows).

So which of these shows do you want to see more of? Which of them did you want to turn off before the 4 minute clip was over?

JD Recommends: Peabody Award Winners

2009-04-27T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Peabody Awards are given out each year to what is deemed the best in electronic media as chosen by the Peabody board, a conglomerate of smart, educated, distinguished media folk.

Well I guess my ballot got lost in the mail. No one asked my opinion on squat.

To make up for it, here is a quick rundown of some Peabody Award winners that I also give a thumbs up to. There are 36 winners this year. I'm not going to touch on them all, as we all know about the Opening Ceremonies, the presidential election coverage, and "SNL's" political sketches. I'm going to quickly mention a few lesser known that I think you should check out. There is a lot on this list of winners that I am not familiar with, so if you have a recommendation, I'd love to hear it:

This American Life: The Giant Pool of Money

This episode of the "This American Life" radio program from May of 2008 deals with the housing and financial crisis. Normally this topic is not something I want to listen to for an hour, but this kept my attention because it was the first news program that explained everything that was happening in a way that made sense and provided clarity. It helped me better understand exactly how we ended up in this mess. I highly recommend you give it a listen. The episode was a collaborative effort of "This American Life" and NPR News. It was so successful, that it spawned a follow up program last fall, and a daily NPR program, Planet Money, dedicated to covering all things financial crisis in a user-friendly way.

John Adams

All the awards and accolades that this HBO miniseries has received over the past year are well deserved. I'm normally not a fan of historical period pieces, and I watched this whole thing over a weekend last summer. It's a 7-part miniseries with each episode ranging from 60-90 min. Not all of the episodes are winners, particularly in the middle, but the boring parts are few and far between. The DVD of the series is available pretty much everywhere you would care to look.

Breaking Bad

This is AMC's second original scripted drama ("Mad Men" being the first), and I dare say it is the better of the two. I'm new to the show; I just started watching a few weeks ago. It premiered to critical fanfare last winter with an abbreviated 7 episode first season (thanks to the WGA strike), and went on to win an Emmy for lead actor Bryan Cranston (the dad Hal from "Malcolm in the Middle"; Tim Whatly the dentist from "Seinfeld"). Created by a former writer/producer of "The X-Files," "Breaking Bad" is about a chemistry teacher named Walt who finds out he has terminal cancer. In order to secure the financial future of his pregnant wife and teenage son, mild mannered Walt teams up with a drop out former student of his, Jesse, to make and sell crystal meth. Being a skilled chemist, Walt is REALLY good at cooking meth. They make a lot of money, and then get in over their heads.

I know, it sounds weird, and it is. It's also funny, suspenseful, creepy, emotional, quiet, sometimes tough to watch, and addicting. I could go on and on, but it's better just to see for yourself. It's not a show for everybody; if you don't like the first 3 episodes, you won't like the rest. The first season is available on DVD now, and the second season is currently airing on AMC on Sunday nights. Usually towards the end of the season's run, AMC will run a marathon of all the episodes allowing viewers to catch up. If I remember, I'll try to find out when that is.

36 Years in Solitary: Murder, Death and Justice on Angola

This is one of those NPR stories that you end up listening to while sitting in your driveway, because you don't want to get out of your car until the story is over. Told in three 10 minute segments, reporter Laura Sullivan tells the tale of two Louisiana prison farm inmates who have been kept in solitary confinement for more than three decades for a murder that people are just now realizing, maybe they didn't commit. There is more to it than that, but I don't want to give away too much. Without leaning one way or another, the story does a good job of laying out the facts of the case and interviewing as many people involved as they can.

You can listen to part 1 here. Links to parts 2 and 3 can be found below the pictures in the left hand column of the story.

Lost

OK, I'm cheating here a little bit. ABC's "Lost" is not exactly a lesser known pick. But seriously, if you haven't started watching it yet, what are you waiting for? It really is as good as everyone who obsesses over it says it is. And now it's Peabody Award winning (and JD Recommended). Next season (#6) will be its last. Start watching the DVDs now. You will easily finish seasons 1-4 before season 5 is released on DVD in December. Then, you will be all caught up for the final season when it starts in late January of 2010. Get to it!

The Onion News Network

For years The Onion has been known to produce some of the best news, media, and political satire around in the form of "newspaper journalism." Now they've expanded into video. This has provided The Onion with a whole new genre to satirize, and they do it well. All forms of television "news" are covered, including morning talk shows, CNN Headline News, ESPN, "Crossfire"-like arguelism, CSPAN, financial news, and more. Each week three or four short news stories are released on their website (or can be downloaded as a podcast through iTunes). As is the case with The Onion, the content is not always suitable for work. Their latest clip, which I've included below, is clean. It's a segment of the ONN morning show "Today Now!":

Autoworkers Compete to Keep Jobs, Livelihoods on New Reality Show

That's all I got. That should be enough to keep you busy. Do you have any recommendations you'd like to share (Peabody winning or not)?

'Kings' gets pulled from Saturdays ... Until June

2009-04-22T05:46:00.000-07:00

Did you remember to DVR 'Kings' last Saturday night? It was the first night of its triumphant return on a new night.

You didn't remember? Or care to? Well neither did most of the world.

After TANKING in the ratings, even by Saturday night standards, NBC has decided to pull the remaining episodes from the air until the end of the regular television season. The remaining episodes will air Saturdays at 8 p.m. from June 13-July 25; at least that's what's being said now. That news could change by June 16.

Make a note of it, all 7 people still watching the show. (Seriously, is anyone still watching 'Kings?' I am, but I may be the only one.)

Simpsons Fun Facts: Groundskeeper Willie

2009-04-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of The Simpsons 2009 Laugh-a-Day 365-Day Box Calendar:

He was conceived, born, and educated on a pool table in a tavern near Loch Ness.

Failed at the culinary venture of selling Chef Willie's Haggis Helper

Future plans are to build a security bog around his prize-winning heather, catch a leprechaun, and marry his tractor.

'Trust Me' (& its Product Placement) Cancelled

2009-04-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

'Trust Me,' the TNT drama about the CRAZY agency life of two CRAZY ad executives has been cancelled after one UN-CRAZY season.

Why? Simple: No one was watching. Were you? I wasn't. I watched (suffered through) the first episode and that was enough for me.

When it premiered I wrote about the endless amounts of product placement deals in the show, and wondered if they were intruding in on or leading the storytelling.

Judging by the number of people who regularly viewed that post the day after a new episode aired, the product placement was a problem. People reading the post (the most read post on this blog) often came to it by searching for terms such as. "too much promotion, trust me," and "annoying product placement, trust me." It appears that the general consensus on the Internet is that the product placement got in the way.

I still have yet to actually hear from someone who watched the show, however. If you did, what did you think? Will you miss the show at all, or just its built-in commercials?

Fox wants you to mourn, advertise, buy stuff

2009-04-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have yet to watch last night's episode of 'House,' and hasn't been spoiled by what happened, and don't want to be spoiled at all, STOP READING NOW.

I'm not a big fan of "House." My wife likes it, and I'll often watch it with her while multitasking. It's amusing enough, but I have no vested interest in the show. For those that do, however, last night's episode, where Kal Penn's character Lawrence Kutner is found dead by a self-inflicted gun shot wound in the show's first 10 minutes, must have come as quite a sad shock.

Unlike most television deaths, this one wasn't coming from a mile away. There wasn't a "farewell" episode, a redemptive scene, or endless foreshadowing. In fact, the suicide was so shocking (and realistic) because there were no signs or backstory leading the viewers (and characters) to a reasonable conclusion. The episode was well written, acted, and edited; a high point in the series this season.

Then Fox had to go and cheapen all that creative work with a stupid cross promotional marketing gimmick. Fox has set up a "In Memoriam" website for the character. On the site (which I do not want to link to), visitors can view a fake memoriam video, read fake letters written to Kutner from the show's other characters, read his fake obituary, and see clips from "Wolverine" while buying a "24" T-shirt via links at the bottom of the page.

Fox has also set up a Facebook group "in loving memory" to the character. There, viewers can post their favorite memories of Kutner and get a memorial badge to post in Facebook profiles and blogs.

First, there is something morbid and wrong about an international corporation asking me to join them in mourning a fictional character. Second, after so many people worked so hard to create this episode, why did they feel the need to cheapen all that hard work by turning it into a commercial for News Corp. products? They told a moving story that was less moving once Fox decided to manipulate fan's connection to the show to help them promote the network. Nowhere on these sites are there links or discussions about suicide or suicide prevention. Just a lot of ads.

Plus, THE CHARACTER ISN'T REAL!!! How can you share your favorite memory about someone that doesn't exist?! That's a waste of everyone's time. Instead of spending time mourning over "losing" a "friendship" that never existed, why not see what your real friends and family are up to. Lean on them during this "tough time."

What do you think? Did Fox cheapen things or do you want to see more of this type of cross-promotion?

Oh, and in case you haven't heard, Kal Penn asked to leave the show so that he could take a job as the White House's associate director in the Office of Public Liaison. I consider that a step up from "Harold & Kumar."

'Kings' moves to Saturdays

2009-04-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I recommended the new show on NBC Sunday "Kings." Well, not enough people listened to me (or read this blog), because the show has been tanking in the ratings.

After four weeks of last place, bottom-of-the-barrel ratings, NBC has decided to move the show to Saturday nights starting on April 18. Basically, it won't be renewed, but the remaining episodes will see the light of day (for now).

That's too bad, but I'm not surprised. It's a quality show, but not easy to follow with a mass appeal. It never seemed to be a good fit on Sunday nights. To me, it would be a better fit for Tuesday night. It's still worth your time though, so set your DVR or wait for inevitable DVD release in a few months.

BRAND UPDATES: Tropicana & Starbucks' VIA

2009-04-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick update on two previous posts:

Tropicana

In February I wrote about the outrage consumers had over the new packaging design of Tropicana's orange juice. The mob was loud enough that Tropicana ditched their $35 million dollar campaign to revert back to their old OJ design.

Last week, Tropicana reported a 20% decrease in sales from Jan 1 - Feb 22 (the day before the debranding announcement). That is a loss of nearly $33 million during that short time period; all because of a little change in art.

has anyone seen the old/new design back in the grocery store?

Starbucks' VIA

Two months ago I also wrote about Starbuck's new venture VIA, its single serving, water soluble, instant coffee. At the time I thought it was a bad decision for the brand, and that opinion hasn't changed. Whether it tastes good or not, Starbucks shouldn't try to be everything for everyone. They already tried that and it backfired.

Regardless, the VIA rollout continues. VIA is now being sold in Target, Costco, and Barnes & Noble stores in Seattle and Illinois. If you live in those areas, try some and let us know what you think? Would you have VIA every day or only on days when you're in a hurry and need a last resort coffee?

Happy Opening Day!

2009-04-06T11:39:00.000-07:00

Baseball's back! Although it's snowing in Cleveland right now, looking forward to the start of the baseball season. I heard a commercial on the radio today that reminded me of this classic clip:

Simpsons Fun Facts: Fat Tony

2009-03-25T18:01:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of The Simpsons 2009 Laugh-a-Day 365-Day Box Calendar:

His specialty equipment includes an ice pick with a laser sight.
Also known as William D'Amico, William Williams, Marion.
His rival crime families are the Cuomos, Travoltas, Lasordas, and Boyardees.
His itemized extortion bills always include a smiley face.
His dream jobs deferred are pizza man, organ grinder, or leaning tower maker.

JD Reccomends: Kings

2009-03-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

Did you watch the premiere of "Kings" on NBC last Sunday night? Judging by the rock bottom ratings it received, probably not. That's too bad too because it is an interesting show. It's one of those shows that critics are loving, but has a premise too unique to market well. NBC may be the lowest rated network, but they're willing to take creative risks and stick with them (which is also why they're the lowest rated network). "Kings" is one of those risks.

In short: It is a modern "retelling" (used loosely) of the Biblical story of King David. It's set in a fictional country very similar to America, and run by corrupt King Silas (played by "Deadwood's" Ian McShane).

The first episode is well-written, shot, post-produced (by my friend Adam), and sets up a lot of interesting characters and storylines. It airs Sunday, 8 p.m., on NBC (Ch.3 WKYC in Cleveland). Check out "Kings" before NBC changes its mind and decides to cancel it. You're brain will thank you for not watching another episode of "America's funniest Home Videos."

Here's the first episode (or go watch it at Hulu):

Syfy: What's in a name

2009-03-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

The SciFi channel announced today that they are rebranding the network of "Battlestar Galactica" and cheesy Saturday night B-movies to appear less nerdy. The new name: Syfy. Really, guys?! Is that the best you could come up with? That's not a brand, that's a typo. That's like renaming CNN to CNN and saying "We switched the Ns around." What's the point of it? Even worse, they spend a lot of time and money coming up with this new strategy.

From the New York Times:

"No discussion of change affecting consumers could ignore what Mr. Howe called the “Tropicana debacle” — the recent decision by a unit of PepsiCo to abandon a major package redesign for Tropicana orange juice after shoppers vociferously complained.

“The testing we’ve done has been incredibly positive,” Mr. Howe said of the Syfy name, reading what he described as a comment from one participant: “If I were texting, this is how I would spell it.”"

So that's what it's come to, naming brands based on how easy they are to text.

Simpsons Fun Facts: Lisa Simpsons

2009-03-08T16:12:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of The Simpsons 2009 Laugh-a-Day 365-Day Box Calendar:

Her first word was "Bart."

Turn-ons include waffles, ponies, and women who have resisted domination by the patriarchy

Turn-offs include hypocritical self-serving politicians, environmental degradation, and the music of John Philip Sousa.

A real blog post is coming soon, I promise.

Simpsons Fun Facts: Bumblebee Man

2009-03-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of The Simpsons 2009 Laugh-a-Day 365-Day Box Calendar:

His country of origin is Mexico.

Talented at getting hit, stuck, struck, pinched, caught, and shocked by various objects and making it look funny.

His first network is Channel Ocho.

Brian Williams (& more Colbert) on Twitter

2009-02-27T08:28:00.001-08:00

This first clip is from last night's episode of The Daily Show. Host Jon Stewart and guest Brian Williams of the NBC Nightly News discuss the use of Twitter by members of Congress and the news media:

Then, on last night's The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert yet again discusses members of Congress using Twitter during President Obama's address Tuesday night:

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Claire McCaskill's Twittering

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Political Humor

Joke of the Day
Stand-Up Comedy

Does all this discussion of congressional Tweeting help or hurt Twitter? Will the younger generation be less likely to adopt Twitter; viewing it lame and pointless? Has it reached its saturation point?

The Colbert Report on Congressional Tweets

2009-02-26T07:54:00.000-08:00

From last night's program:

The Pontiac Stinger: powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball

2009-02-25T16:53:00.000-08:00

Remember this car? In an episode during the 2nd season of The Simpsons, Homer was put in charge of designing a car for regular Joes like him. The result was The Homer. It cost $82,000 (this was in 1991). Its features included:

- Extremely large beverage holder
- Tail fins
- Bubble domes
- Shag carpeting
- Several horns that all play "La Cucaracha"
- A second soundproof bubble dome with optional straps and muzzles for kids

The Homer failed miserably and bankrupted the manufacturer.

This long lost tribute to the auto industry immediately popped into my head when I saw this commercial for the Pontiac Stinger. Thank God this monstrosity never caught on. One look at this and you know why Pontiac is no more:

TROPICANA, DON'T EVER MESS WITH MY ORANGE JUICE PACKAGING!!!!!!!

2009-02-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

Take a look at these two orange juice cartons. If they were side by side at your neighborhood grocer, which one would you choose to purchase? Well, THE JOKE'S ON YOU! They're the exact same brand of orange juice!! The carton on the left is Tropicana's new packaging design. Some very vocal consumers, however, prefer the carton on the right. They can rest easy tonight, Tropicana announced they are returning to the old design.

Last month Tropicana was proud to introduce a new packaging design for their orange juice. Gone was their iconic orange with a straw stuck in it, and in its place was a tall glass of OJ. The redesign was accompanied with a $35 million campaign with placement everywhere including print, billboards and television.

THEN .... THE WORLD IMPLODED!!!

Even though Tropicana focused grouped the new design to death, consumers did not like the new package. Some loyal fans were downright outraged. They felt an attachment to the old logo, and felt the new design made the product appear like a generic brand of orange juice.

“Do any of these package-design people actually shop for orange juice?” one e-mail complaint asked. “Because I do, and the new cartons stink.” (Courtesy of NYT article below)

Thanks to social media tools like Twitter, as well as using blogs and e-mail to spread word of mouth, consumers were able to make their voices heard. More importantly, Tropicana was willing to listen and quickly change course. The old packaging should be back in the stores some time next month.

There are 2 key takeaways here:

1) Consumers use social media to organize and make their voice heard. Tropicana admits that only a small fraction of their audience complained, it was a very vocal and loyal fraction. Brands should listen to what is being said about them and be willing to respond if needed. By changing course so quickly, Tropicana avoided the further spread of backlash and anger that could have lead to a significant sales decrease.

Consumers can complain about anything. When I was little my sister wrote a letter to General Mills because she felt that they did not change the content on the back of the Frosted Mini-Wheats box often enough, and she was tired of looking at the same old info every morning. They sent a form letter thanking her for her loyalty in response. I wonder what she could do now with social media. Would she get more than a form letter if she was able to organize a group who felt the same way she did? Probably. Social Media has given the consumer that power.

2) Every logo matters. Tropicana president Neil Campbell admitted he did not realize consumers had such an attachment to the orange and straw logo. While it isn't as iconic as Coca-Cola's use of red or the Nike swoosh, the logo was recognizable. To completely remove it from the packaging was a mistake. Focusing on a glass or orange juice would have been fine, as long as that orange/straw image was present somewhere (even add the red and white straw IN the glass of orange juice). If you want to overhaul a logo, do what Pepsi did (which owns Tropicana) and make slight design changes that seem different while still being recognizable as the brand's logo.

What do you think? Did the new packaging bother you? Did you even notice it?

Tropicana Discovers Some Buyers Are Passionate About Packaging - NYT

Simpsons Fun Facts: Ralph Wiggum

2009-02-21T07:21:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of today's page on The Simpsons 2009 Laugh-a-Day 365-Day Box Calendar:

His favorite book is "Go, Dog, Go."

His favorite swear word is "mitten."

Wants to grow up to be either a principal or a caterpillar.

Special skills include puppy imitations, consuming and digesting vast quantities of crayons, turning invisible by closing his eyes, and acting.

His happiest day was when the doctor told him he didn't have worms anymore.

Who Does Starbucks Think They Are?

2009-02-18T10:30:00.000-08:00

With the announcement of VIA this week, Starbucks is continuing to have an identity crisis: are they a high-end coffeehouse that values the art of a good roasted bean, a drive thru coffee drip for all the drones on their way to work, or something inbetween?

Let's take a trip back in time, shall we? Don't worry, it's not the crazy nose-bleeding, brain-scrambling Lost-style time travel. We are going on a short trip to January 2008. This was the first month of Starbuck's triumphant return to its coffee brewing roots. After declining sales and a loss of market share to the likes of McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz returned to set the ship straight again.

Upon his return after leaving his post in 2000, Schultz promised a return to what made Starbucks great: a love of fine coffee and the art of brewing the perfect cup. Schultz felt that Starbucks expanded too fast and overextended its brand by attaching the Starbucks name to grocery store coffee, ice cream, candy bars, and numerous other products (not to mention record labels and movie production companies). One of his first acts as CEO 2.0 was to close 100 underperforming stores, slow down the opening of new stores, and discontinue the sale of warm breakfast sandwiches that according to Schultz, "interferes with the coffee aroma in our stores."

The next step towards making a better coffee was in the machine. In March 2007, Starbucks purchased the maker of the $11,000 Clover coffee brewer, the Coffee Equipment Company of Seattle. The Clover is a top shelf machine that brews only one cup of coffee at a time, grinding the beans fresh and filling the room with the aroma of coffee.

Schultz put Clover machines in six of his top Boston and Seattle stores. Other shops installed new and improved espresso machines in locations visible to everyone in the shop as a shrine to coffee. Starbucks even closed down ALL of their stores for three hours to re-educate their employees on the new machines and the art of making the perfect espresso. It seemed that Starbucks brand position was clear: Yes, we cost a little bit more than the other guys, but our focus is coffee and coffee only, so our product is much better. For a while there I was falling for it.
Then Pike Place came along. Have you tried that stuff? Awful sludge. Instead of serving several different blends of coffee every day, Starbucks decided consistency was best. Pike Place started brewing late last spring. It's a basic roast meant to compete with McD's and DD's blends. It is a step backwards that didn't seem to align itself with the rest of Starbuck's new position statement. If they are the brand that is a step above all the other places, why are they slumming it with them by focusing on Pike Place? Their eyes were bigger than their stomach. Starbucks wanted both the coffee aficionado, and the casual drive-drinker who prefers their coffee cheap.

Of course, we are in a recession, and even after their rebranding, Starbucks is hurting. Consumers don't want to give up their coffee, but they want a good deal. Starbucks to the rescue! Last week Starbucks announced a new value menu that will launch in March. For $3.95 consumers have the choice of a tall latte with oatmeal or coffee cake. The other option is a tall coffee with a NEW artisan bacon sandwich, NEW artisan ham sandwich, sausage breakfast sandwich, or reduced-fat turkey bacon breakfast sandwich. That's right, they are going to serve the same warm breakfast sandwich's they discontinued a year ago because they interfered with the smell of their premium coffee. Another step backwards.

Now, this week Schultz proudly announced the launch of Starbucks VIA Ready Brew, water soluble instant-coffee powder. VIA will be sold in March as single serving pouches for about $1 a cup. The same company that less than a year ago justified spending $11,000 on coffee machines that perfectly grounded and brewed one cup at a time, is now selling powder you can pick up at your nearest Target (starting in 2010). One more step backwards.

Starbucks, who do you think you are?! Schultz has no idea what to do with the brand and as a result he's trying to be everything to everyone. That isn't helping the brand, just diluting it further. Schultz says that they have been developing VIA for years and that it is not a panic move due to the recession. That does not make it any better. That means you have been wasting shareholders money for years on developing a product that does not align itself with what you claim the Starbucks brand is. Schultz, you're diluting your brands' hold on the coffee category. If you keep flip-flopping every couple of months, it's just going to get worse. Pick a position and stick with it, through good and bad times. If you need to make changes, make sure your decisions are aligned with what the Starbucks brand is (if you even know what it is anymore). Do you own the luxury coffee brand or not?

What do you think? Has your feelings towards Starbucks changed over the past couple of years? Have you tasted a coffee that's worse than Pike Place? Will you give VIA a try (I'll at least try it).

Adventures in Product Placement: 24

2009-02-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

This week's episode of 24 had another not-so-subtle placement of the Hyundai Genesis. This has happened before (the video is no longer available), and will probably happen again. Hyundai has signed on for placement in the series for this entire season. They take the place of Ford, which was the vehicle of choice for Jack Bauer in previous seasons.

The Ford placement, however, was never so in-your-face. With Hyundai, 24 has written entire scenes existing only to showcase the Genesis.

This season was supposed to air last year, but was put on hold due to the writer's strike. At the time of the strike, nearly 14 months ago, half of this season was already shot and ready to go. When the strike ended in March 2008, they resumed production and completed the entire season by the end of the summer. It was around this time that the Genesis deal came along. Producer's then had to go back into those first 12 episodes filmed in 2007, and insert scenes that featured the 2009 Hyundai Genesis.

This week featured one of those scenes. It was by no means a scene necessary to the ongoing plot. It felt more like a car commercial, complete with a loving family and a child safely in the back seat. There were obligatory dashboard navigation shots, as many shots of the entire car as they could squeeze in, and shots that start low and focused on the car and then slowly pan up to the actors.

Again, I don't mind product placement; it is necessary to counter rising production costs and a good way for brands to generate awareness. However, it does not need to be so obvious that it takes viewers out of the show. Ford never had that problem in previous 24 seasons. Do the producer's think we won't notice the placement? It's laughable how obvious it is. Does it bother you? Take a look:

Fox's '24' In Gear with Hyundai Integration

Simpsons Fun Facts: Otto

2009-02-17T14:06:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of The Simpsons 2009 Laugh-a-Day 365-Day Box Calendar:

Has a Big Daddy Roth tattoo on his butt

Special skills include air guitar, carnival Rocket Car operator, and faking his own death.

Has had fifteen crashes without a single fatality

Likes to read "stuff from the vampire's point of view."

The Simpsons (Now with Higher Definition!)

2009-02-16T05:19:00.000-08:00

Take a look at these two videos and tell me if you see any differences between the two of them:

That's right! Wow, you are really observant (and can read the title of this post)! Last night The Simpsons aired in high-definition for the first time. Welcome to the future. I seem to recall reading an interview with the show's producer's about two years back where they claimed that the show would NEVER convert to widescreen hi-def because that would be sacrilegious. The Simpsons, they claimed, was a television show, and that meant broadcasting in a 4:3 ratio forever!

Well, forever wasn't as long as they thought. Broadcasting in high-def didn't really add that much to The Simpsons visually, but the colors were brighter, the lines were more defined, the occasionally crude drawing stood out more, and there is more room for potential sight gags.

With this convergence, is there any program still airing in standard-def that you wish would catch up with the times? I can't think of any program in particular, but I wish Time Warner Cable of Cleveland would get their act together and offer more than a handful of HDTV channels. Every other cable provider in the area offers at least twice as many HD channels. What are you waiting for TWC? You are certainly charging us enough! If The Simpsons can do it, so can you.

UPDATE - Adventures in Product Placement: 30 Rock

2009-02-13T20:59:00.000-08:00

My bad.

Apparently the press, the blogosphere, and yours truly jumped the gun a little bit when accusing 30 Rock of shameless McFlurry product placement (see previous post below). The outcry was getting loud enough, that showrunner/head writer/star Tina Fey felt the need to clear things up:

"“It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the references to McDonald's in last night's episode of 30 Rock were in no way product placement. (Nor were they an attempt at product placement that fell through.) We received no money from the McDonald's Corporation. We were actually a little worried they might sue us. That's just the kind of revenue-generating masterminds we are.

Also, the upcoming story line where Liz Lemon starts dating Grimace is just based on a recurring dream I have.

Seriously, though, it's not product placement.

Also, whoever is writing my Twitter account is pretty funny, but it's not me.” - Tina Fey

Again, my bad, but your reputation does precede you. Next time I'll give you benefit of the doubt.

Adventures in Product Placement: 30 Rock

2009-02-13T05:46:00.000-08:00

From early on in its now 2.5 year lifespan, 30 Rock has been an adapter of shameless product placement. I give Tina Fey and crew credit, though, because they are fully aware they are "selling out to the man" and they try to poke fun at it. Usually their product placement is followed by a meta wink to the audience, or in the case of one episode, literally looking into the camera and saying, "Can we have our money now?"

Last night's episode included a shameless plug for McDonalds and their McFlurry dessert. This time, however, I felt the plug was ever-so-slightly crossing the line of their typical clever/meta joke into annoying promotion. I almost missed all the jokes because I was paying too much attention to all the McShilling that was going on. I'll let it slide though. If I have to take the occasional shameless promotion in order to keep 30 Rock on the air, I'm more than willing to do it.

Post-Election, Newsweek Attempts Re-Branding

2009-02-11T08:19:00.000-08:00

PRINT IS DEAD!!!

That’s what everyone is saying. Every passing week brings word of magazines folding and newspapers laying off staff members. Old standards are being forced to change their game plan; The New York Times has even started running ads on their front page Now, this week brought the announcement that weekly magazine Newsweek will be changing its strategy in order to appeal to a smaller audience: the rich.

In the spring Newsweek will begin to focus less on covering the straight news stories of the week, and focus more on opinion and analysis geared towards a wealthy demographic (after all, they are the only ones with the expendable income to subscribe to magazines). The overhaul includes a new design, a smaller size, and an increase in subscription rates.

Will this re-branding strategy work? Possibly. While appealing to the masses, Newsweek has always seemed like a second run issue of Time. They could benefit by distinguishing itself as the magazine that delves deeper into the issues of the week, while talking (and advertising) to their core audience of wealthy, educated news-junkies. Maybe then we will take them seriously as a source of expert opinion, and reward them with our hard earned money.

Or maybe not. I am not so sure Newsweek's web presence is aligned with their new strategy. Take a look at this new web-series produced by NTV (hat tip to Julie for bringing this to my attention):

“The District” is a satirical look at Obama’s administration. It is funny, but does it fit with the rest of Newsweek's new branding strategy. How serious are we supposed to take them? Do they want to be the New Yorker or the print version of Slate.com? They say their editorial position is geared toward "not just analysis and commentary, but an opinionated, prescriptive or offbeat take on events." I guess this web series falls into that category.

Regardless of their new image, during this brand transition, Newsweek should make sure their print strategy is aligned with their online strategy, and commit to the re-branding: be consistent with the presentation of the message, even if it means a decrease in sales for the first few months. If you say you are not going to cover traditional news anymore, don’t. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Does this re-branding make you more or less likely to read Newsweek? Is the reason you don't read it now because it is too broad, or is it because you get most of your news online (unless you're in a dentist's waiting room)?

Newsweek Plans Makeover to Fit a Smaller Audience

Creating a Legacy

2009-02-11T06:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my birthday. I had a fun relaxing day that ended with a great dinner at Momocho and surprise tickets to tonight’s Cavs/Suns game. I hope it’s a good one. We have to cleanse ourselves of the 2 tough losses this week.

I turned 27. Yep, I’m getting old. In these twilight years I have thought a lot about my legacy: What will the name JD Drake mean generations from now? How will they speak of my grand achievements? What will those achievements mean to the world? I’m not getting any younger, I better get achieving. My problem is, I don’t have a lot of free time, and I don’t want to work too hard for a legacy.

My solution: create a sauce. I’m not sure what kind of sauce it will be yet: barbecue, salsa, cajun, marinara, or maybe teriyaki. All I need to do is create a classic recipe by the time my future offspring/business partner is old enough to learn it to perfection. He/She will then pass the recipe on to the grandchildren, who will then begin to sell and distribute it to grocery stores. By the time my great-grandchildren are in the Drake Sauce business it will be one of the best-selling specialty sauces in the country.

Now I don’t want to be too specific here, but the front of the sauce jar could have a cartoon rendering of my likeness giving the thumbs up (possibly with a chef’s hat or wooden spoon in my hand). On the back could be a blurb, something like:

“Four generations ago, in a modest Ohio kitchen, our great-grandfather Drake cooked up a dream of bringing friends and family together with a love of (insert type of sauce here). Today, his dream is a reality at kitchen tables across the country, thanks to Drake’s Sauces. This core belief has been at the core of our sauce making core for decades, and shall continue for decades to come.

So crack open a jar and enjoy! As great-granddad always said, ‘You can’t make sauce without a spoon and a smile!’ "

There, I have already done most of the leg work. All I have to do now is throw some stuff in a pot and let my progeny do the rest. LEGACY CREATED! Now to see what’s on TV.

Simpsons Fun Facts: Gabbo & Arthur Crandall

2009-02-11T05:13:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of today's page on The Simpsons 2009 Laugh-a-Day 365-Day Box Calendar:

They nearly ruin Krusty by stealing both his audience and "Itchy & Scratchy."

Gabbo's special skills include doing the Hully Gully, imitating Vin Scully, and traveling back in time.

Arthur Crandall's special skills include smoking and ventriloquizing simultaneously.

Gabbo products and services include Gabbo dolls, Gabbo doorstops, Gabbo Brand Air Freshener, Gabbo's Guide to Gargling, and Gabbo Airlines.

Around Cleveland: 2 Fun Charity Events this Week

2009-02-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

I want to make you all aware:

Cleveland Twestival – Thursday Feb. 12, Harry Buffalo on E. 4th St., 6p.m. – 9p.m. $15. Proceeds support Charity:Water

This Thursday, in 175 cities around the world, people are using Twitter to organize and promote events to benefit Charity:Water, an organization working to provide clean drinking water to those who need it.

Cleveland’s contribution will take place at Harry Buffalo on E. 4th St. downtown. $15 at the door gets you free wings, pizza, good conversation, a cornhole tournament, and excellent raffle prizes. Cleveland has an active social media community (check out the Cleveland Social Media Club by clicking on the badge on the right) that has worked hard in the past few weeks to organize this event. It should be fun.

For more information or to purchase tickets online, check out the Cleveland Twestival website.

Cleveland Free Clinic Benefit Concert & Art Auction– Friday Feb. 13, Beachland Ballroom, 9p.m.-12a.m. $7.

On Friday night a mere $7 will get you access to four bands at a legendary venue. All proceeds benefit the Free Clinic of Greater Cleveland. An art auction will also be taking place at the nearby Waterloo 7 gallery (an after party will also be held at the gallery after the shows). Bands performing include Oldboy, Sparrows & Arrows, Tastycakes, & Beardo Bandini.

For more info check out the Beachland Ballroom website

Grammys: Too long, too nostalgic, too boring

2009-02-10T09:51:00.000-08:00

Remember Soy Bomb? He was the stage crasher during Bob Dylan’s performance at the 1998 Grammy Awards. Where did he go? The Grammys could use him again.

I was finally able to watch the Grammys from Sunday night. I had to watch it on DVR, I wasn’t about to sit through three and a half hours of glad handing and country music for what ended up being 45 minutes of somewhat watchable material.

THREE AND A HALF HOURS!!!?? No awards show should be that long. Especially when you only hand out something like 10 awards (tops), and then fill the rest with endless performances (I lost count around 20). The producers could easily cut an hour from the program. After the jump, let’s see what performances we could have cut from this year’s program to make it shorter and more relevant(take note for next year):

U2: The Grammys is not a show meant to reward music in general, but music from the past year. A new U2 song from an album that has yet to be released does not qualify. Save it for next year.

Al Green/Justin Timberlake: This was a last minute performance to fill in for Chris Brown/Rhiananana so I can let it slide, but has Al Green sung anything besides “Let’s stay together” in the last 30 years? He had a new NOMINATED album; couldn’t he perform something from that?

Coldplay: Of course they needed to perform, but for the sake of time let’s keep each performer to one song. If they wanted to do this 2-song combo they should’ve opened up the show instead of U2.

Stevie Wonder: Is it in his record contract that he has to perform on the Grammys EVERY YEAR? When was the last time he actually released new music (besides that song he sang at the end)? Unless you are nominated during that year, you should not perform.

Kenny Chesney/Taylor Swift/Carrie Underwood/Sugarland/Kid Rock: Too much country music. Cut back.

Katy Perry: This was just bad; we could have done without it.

Paul McCartney/ 4 Topps/ Neil Diamond: Maybe the most pointless performances of the night. This is exactly what is wrong with the Grammys. If you want to know why the ratings for the 18-34 demographic decrease every year, let’s start here. Stop clinging to the past. For a show meant to award the music of the past year, the Grammys spends too much time being nostalgic for the music of the good ol’ days.

If you want to reward the past, create another awards show and fill it with classic performers singing their hits, reuniting, and singing duets with the up and coming stars of today. Leave the Grammys alone and let them focus on the music of the present and introducing new artists to the mainstream.

During the same year as the Soy Bomb incident, the world was introduced to a new Latin singer who brought the house down with his performance. He was relatively unknown outside of his genre, but after his Grammy performance, he went on to achieve international success for years. He ended up being Ricky Martin, but that’s beside the point. The Kings of Leon are a great live rock band (coming to Cleveland in May) that could’ve benefited from a performance, but instead we got Jamie Fox singing old Doo Wop songs. YAWN!

Bottom line: the show should focus on the music of the past year and the unique artists and performances who contributed to it. Until the old dogs learn some new tricks worth rewarding, let them phone in their old hits someplace else.

EXCEPTION: Honoring the dead. I have no problem with the Bo Diddly tribute. One performance every year honoring the passing of a legend is alright. This tribute to the Clash’s Joe Strummer from the 2003 Grammys was awesome (and the last time I remember seeing an unforgettable Grammy performance):

AMC Best Picture Showcase: 1 day, 5 movies, loads of scenery chewing

2009-02-09T14:24:00.003-08:00

The Grammys have come and gone. Just two more weeks and the airwaves will be award show free for a little while. The Oscars will be held on Feb. 22. Are you prepared? Do you have your brackets filled out? Can you argue for your favorite film among the 5 Best Picture nominees? Well, it's kind of hard to do that if you haven't seen them all, you better get your act together and run out to the theatre.

OR as we all do with most things, you can conduct a last minute cram session. AMC theatres can help you through your procrastination. On Feb. 21, the Saturday before the Oscars, AMC theatres around the country will hold their annual Best Picture Showcase: $30 gets you all 5 Best Pictures and unlimited popcorn & soda.

From 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. you can relax in a theatre and watch Milk, The Reader, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, and Frost/Nixon (in that order). You also receive a special pass that lets you come and go as you please in case you would rather run errands than watch the boring parts of Benny Button again (a.k.a ALL OF IT!).

If you like movies, it really is a fun time. My wife and I did this 2 years ago, had a blast, and hung out with some fun people.

Only 1 theatre in the Cleveland area is participating: AMC Ridge Park Square 8 in Brooklyn (Ridge Rd at I-480). For other locations or more information check out the AMC website.

Now get to work ! What movie do you think is the true BEST picture?

Facebook's "25 Things .." says a lot about social media

2009-02-05T11:41:00.000-08:00

Chances are, if you have a Facebook account you have been made aware of the "25 Random things" note that has spread like wildfire over the past week. It has been pretty hard to avoid. The premise of this viral note is simple: List 25 things about yourself and then tag 25 friends who must then do the same.

According to a story in USA Today no one is quite sure where the note originated, but Facebook reps report that the number of notes posted has more than doubled over the past week and the number of daily people tagged has grown more than 5 times.

This note didn't include a funny video, marketing gimmick, or offer for free stuff. It was just a simple way for people to share information about themselves (# 7. I once played Boggle with Michael Stipe (and won), #16. My first real job was collecting shopping carts from the Wal-Mart parking lot on The Strip).

Despite all the blogging and Twittering about the marketing potential of social media, it is helpful to remember why most people use it: to SOCIALIZE; to keep up with friends and family. Socialization is still at the core of social media. Here is a note that is not trying to market or sell anything, and it is one of the fastest spreading games on Facebook.

A marketer's reason for participating in social media can differ from their audiences' reason. Users are only willing to accept being marketed to when it adds value to their socializing. This can be done through entertainment, providing helpful information, or using a brand to establish a personal identity (which I found in several "25 things" notes I read. Lots of people confessed their love for specific brands).

Some are predicting that this is only the start of these type of notes on Facebook. I've already seen one note about children and one about music. I'm sure the backlash will soon follow. I know I'm not going to fill out every note that gets sent my way. Facebook isn't MySpace; that's where pointless surveys belong.

Nevertheless, it has been fun to learn new things about my friends over the past week. If we're not friends on Facebook yet, and you want to be, just click on the badge on the right (the one with my former roommate Steve striking a pose), and we'll be the bestest of friends forever and ever.

Facebook friends share '25 Things' with the world - USA Today

Super Bowl Ads 2009: Do the big brands really gain the most?

2009-02-03T08:12:00.000-08:00

It's inevitable, I cannot have a blog that focuses on marketing, advertising, and television without mentioning the Super Bowl ads. There's not much to say about them though. From a creative standpoint it seems like Doritos' ad was the winner. This is according to USA Today's popular Ad Meter as well as an online poll taken by Hulu (whose own Super Bowl ad returned decent poll numbers):

This proves one thing: Americans LOVE watching people getting hit in the crotch. Next Super Bowl I better see 30 seconds of random crotch hits followed by the State Farm Insurance logo. Tagline: State Farm is there through the good times ... and the bad. INSTANT HIT!

An annual tournament-style competition by Cleveland advertising agency Liggett-Stashower returned different results (video courtesy of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com):

Super Bowl ads go head to head

I tend to agree with these results more. Those E-trade babies have not gotten old yet, and Miller High Life had a clever (and cheap) idea.

But will any of these ads cause you to take action? Did anyone run out to the store and buy some Doritos, or at least THINK about buying Doritos? Did anyone stand in line at Denny's this morning to earn your free breakfast?

There is always a lot of talk and hype about Super Bowl ads, but in the end it is usually the well established brands that earn the most buzz: Frito-Lay, Pepsi, Budweiser, etc. But what about the smaller up-and-coming brands? They have the most to gain (or lose) from a Super Bowl ad. Were there any ads for a company or product that you had never heard of, that you may now consider using?

I think Hulu will see a huge spike in traffic after their ad with Alec Baldwin. Online buzz for the Jack Black/Michael Cera movie "Year One" will probably increase after their funny trailer. That is a movie that has largely been kept under wraps until now (Unlike "Transformers", "GI Joe", etc.).

Who do you think are the winners and losers of this year's batch?

Simpsons Fun Facts: C. Montgomery Burns

2009-02-03T05:52:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of today's page on The Simpsons 2009 Laugh-a-Day 365-Day Box Calendar:

His Social Security number is 000-00-0002

His excellent possessions have included the only existing nude photo of Mark Twain, a trillion-dollar bill, the sword Excalibur, and a rare first draft of the U.S. Constitution with the word "suckers" in it.

Has lived through 12 recessions, 8 panics, and 5 years of McKinleynomics.

His secret shame is that he is physically weaker than an infant.

Adventures in Product Placement: Saturday Night Live & Pepsi

2009-02-02T05:29:00.000-08:00

Wow! That was quite a Super Bowl. Well, it was quite a 4th quarter at least. As a Cleveland Browns fan I was pulling for the Cardinals, but their defense just couldn't stop the Steelers when they needed to. Oh well.

So what did you think of the commercials? Any favorites? General reaction seems to be that the Doritos' Crystal Ball ad and Budweiser's' Clydesdale in love ad were the favorites (Watch all the ads and see viewer's quantitative response at USA Today's Ad Meter). Towards the end of the game did you catch this odd ad from Pepsi?:

For those of you unaware MacGruber is a recurring character on "Saturday Night Live." On the show, each MacGruber skit is broken up into 3 parts and aired throughout that night's program. The premise is always the same: Placed in a tough spot, MacGruber tries to escape MacGyver-style (nice cameo by Richard Dean Anderson in the skit), only he never makes it in time because of some ridiculous argument. The 3 skits usually have a common thread that becomes more and more absurd with each skit.

This past week's episode of "Saturday Night Live" (with host Steve Martin) featured 3 MacGruber skits all about Pepsi. The above video, which was repurposed during the Super Bowl, was the 2nd of the 3 skits. Here is the 1st and 3rd:

Funny? I think so. They're as funny as any of the other MacGruber sketches. But they aren't comedy sketches, they are ad time purchased by Pepsi and aired during commercial breaks. "SNL" and Pepsi chose to blur those lines a little when airing the ads on Saturday night.

Known for their commercial parodies, "SNL" begins and ends each commercial break with a short bumper to let the audience know they are leaving parody territory and entering the real world of advertising. These bumpers are usually quick images of NYC cityscape with the "SNL" logo or an announcement of who's' hosting next week. These MacGruber commercials all aired IMMEDIATELY AFTER the bumpers, tricking the audience into thinking they are still watching the show. It worked on me, I didn't fast-forward over them.

Is this OK? Bumpers have been a staple in children's programming for decades; used as an ethical way to tell kids they are no longer being entertained to, they are being pitched to. As adults, we're just supposed to recognize that. If the MacGruber ads aired during the middle of the commercial breaks I don't think anyone would raise a fuss. "30 Rock" has done this in the past. Instead, they are being treated as sketches by "SNL" and NBC (even being listed as such on their respective websites), and as advertisements by Pepsi. Which one is it? I don't think you can have it both ways. "SNL" should just admit they created some "SNL"-themed Pepsi commercials. There is nothing wrong with that. But there is something wrong with passing them off as 3 minutes of air time not purchased by Pepsi.

What do you think? Would you be OK seeing more of this?

Album Review: Bruce Springsteen - Working on A Dream

2009-01-26T12:24:00.000-08:00

Today brings the release of Working on a Dream, the second album by Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band in a little over a year. This comes days before their appearance playing the halftime show at next Sunday's Super Bowl, and a week after Bruce spent several days in Washington D.C playing various inauguration parties and winning a Golden Globe for his musical contribution to the movie The Wrestler (that song is on the album as a final bonus track). It's been a busy month for these guys. Is the album worth the effort?

I'd say so. NPR is still streaming the entire album at their music site. So go hear for yourself. Rolling Stone magazine gave the CD a coveted 5 star review. According to them it can't get any better. While I wouldn't go that far (RS would give 5 stars to Alvin and the Chipmunks if it reminded them of the "good ol days" of Rock N Roll), I agree that Working is Springsteen's most radio-friendly music since Born in the USA, and superior to last year's release Magic.

Following the recording of Magic Bruce and producer Brendan O' Brien had a few leftover songs that didn't quite make the final track list. Feeling inspired, Bruce immediately went back to the drawing board and continued songwriting. Demo tracks and a full recording session quickly followed.

The result is an album from a group of experienced musicians who sound as if they have found a re-energized passion for playing together. The album is full of fun, rocking, optimistic tracks; a direct contrast to Magic's dark look at war, failure, and decaying towns. Working has more in common with Magic's one positive track "Girls in their Summer Clothes." Actually, I am surprised this album was not released in the summer with its constant use of Beach Boys-like keyboards, horns, and backing vocals. In the meantime it can be used to fight the seasonal affective disorder that is sure to come once another 8 inches of snow comes to Cleveland tonight (Ugh!)

Yes, the band is planning a summer-long tour to accompany the album. Presently they have no Ohio dates scheduled. The closest Cleveland is getting right now is a Pittsburgh stop on May 19. I wouldn't be surprised if a Cleveland date is announced later given that they can easily sell out the Q, and their current tour dates end on May 23, leaving the whole summer wide open.

Since we now purchase music by the song and not the album, after the jump I will break down the album track by track, letting you know which one(s) I think you may want to skip. Then give it a listen and let me know what you think (or let me know what I SHOULD be listening to instead)

Outlaw Pete – An 8 minute opening song. A western-themed opus for fans of the bands old-school operatic tunes like "Jungleland." The guitar part during the chorus is reminiscent of that go-to movie trailer score from the 90s, which I found slightly distracting (I wanna say its Forrest Gump, but I think that's wrong. Anybody know what I'm talking about? Or am I the only crazy one?). A strong start

Lucky Day – One of the strongest songs on the album. Strong guitar-heavy pop song. Will make for a great hit single.

Working on a Dream – The title track that Bruce debuted at the Cleveland Obama rally last November. Jingly-jangly pop song. Lyrics are a little corny. A slight problem I have with this album: the music is great but the lyrics sometimes border on too cheesy. Seems like Springsteen doing his best Springsteen impression (A job I believe is already filled, thank you John Couger Mellencamp). Catchy whistles, horns, backup vocals.

Queen of the Supermarket – A Song about the Sun-Maid raisin girl (will someone write her a song, please!!). Really about a guy falling in love with the checkout lady. For fans of ‘Girls in their Summer Clothes’. More 60s style pop w/ backup singers. Good use of checkout beeping noise at the end.

What Love Can Do – Another guitar heavy song. Possibly one of my favorites on the album. Pounding drums. Guitars chugging along like a locomotive. Hard not to like.

This Life – Starts out like a Beach Boys song. Maybe a little too close to "Girls in Summer Clothes?" Second happy love song on album. Almost shocking how optimistic this album is at fist listen. One of the few major Clarence sax solos of album. Again, slightly cheesy lyrics, but grows on me by the end. Maybe cheesy lyrics aren't that bad.

Good Eye – A dirty blues break from all the pop. Gruff voice, harmonica. Seems a little out of place with the rest of the pop feel of the album. Seems like an improvised jam session in the middle of recording. I like it.

Tomorrow Never Knows – Acoustic love song. Finger pickin' and Slide guitar. Another winner.

Life Itself – The one song on the album I suggest you avoid. Sounds like it should have been on Magic instead. Fail. Not very catchy or interesting.

Kingdom of Days – Another string, heavy pop love song. Similar to "Supermarket’", maybe a little too similar musically. Another possible skip unless you like your Springsteen like this.

Surprise, Surprise – Another catchy, yet borderline too cheesy song about a surprise birthday party. I'm not saying its bad, it just seems strange sometimes coming from Springsteen. It might be more suited as a Barenaked Ladies song. “Let your love shine down?!!”

Last Carnival – A sequel to "Wild Billy’s Circus Story" from 1973's The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle. Acoustic solo song. Written as a tribute to E Street keyboard player Danny Federici who died last year. This was the last album he worked on. A low-key, touching tribute.

The Wrestler – The previously mentioned Golden Globe winning song and theme to movie with the same name. Tagged on as an extra track. Maybe the strongest song lyrically. I can't believe the song got snubbed by the Oscars when they had 2 nomination slots to fill!! They decided to fill only 3 of the 5 nomination slots instead of nominating this?!

Erik Estrada Knows Nothing About Cleveland

2009-01-23T13:17:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is a true fact. Anyone who took Ohio History should know that.

Adventures in Product Placement: 'Trust Me'

2009-01-22T10:21:00.000-08:00

In a previous post I took a look at TNT's new drama "Trust Me," premiering this Monday night (1/26). This is the drama about two friends working in a fast-paced (fictional) ad agency Rothman, Greene & Mohr.

Although set in a fictional agency, the clients they take on will be very real. 'Trust me' will be writing actual products into their scripts, including products that are actual sponsors of the program. SEAMLESS PRODUCT INTEGRATION ACHIEVED (in theory)!!

One such sponsor is Unilever, which will be promoting their line of Dove hair care products. The product placement will go so far as to provide an on-screen cameo for a real-life Dove brand manager, as well as a Dove-sponsored online game where the user, playing as a Rothman creative director, will develop a campaign for Dove. That's so meta I feel I should be receiving a paycheck from someone just for playing the game.

Due to its setting, 'Trust Me' has the ability to integrate nearly any product into their surroundings: just make them a client. The first few episodes feature many different brands, including: Apple, Chris-Craft boats, Effen vodka, Green Giant, Hallmark, Kellogg’s cereal, Nike, Pillsbury, Potbelly Sandwich Works and Starbucks.

The executive producers of the show, who also happen to be former Madison Ave ad men, claim that the product integration is done because it gives the audience a better depth of knowledge of the show's environment. In other words, the audience will be able to form a stronger bond with the characters if they drink Starbucks coffee rather than a fictional Skybucks coffee. I see the point, but let's be honest, the product integration is done to ease the production costs of a show that is probably pretty costly for a TNT series, not to create a fully realized environment.

I have no idea if this will work or not. If the brands are honestly used to further define the agency's environment and only plays a minor supporting role in that sense, then we're cool. If, however, the brands end up driving the plot for each episode, then the audience may realize they are simply watching a glorified infomercial. Both the sponsors and the producers of the series should (and hopefully do) realize that.

I'll check the show out on Monday night, but for the stories, not the products. Will you?

In ‘Trust Me,’ a Fake Agency Really Promotes

A New Day in America, A New Website

2009-01-20T13:17:00.000-08:00

Today was a historical day for many reasons: the swearing-in of President Barack Obama, the streaming of Bruce Springsteen's new album on NPR.org, the eve of the new season of "Lost," and the re-launching of a new website, whitehouse.gov:

At 12:01 PM Eastern the country welcomed their new presidential website. Not surprisingly, the theme of the site right now is "Change." One element the Obama administration hopes to change is transparency in communication, and using new media to achieve that.

Part of that plan is launching the whitehouse.gov blog. Today, in a post titled "Change is coming to whitehouse.gov," White House Director for New Media, Macon Phillips, lays out three important things the Obama administration hopes to achieve with their website:

Better Communication - The site promises to provide timely, up-to-date information via e-mail alerts, RSS feeds, and a special "briefing room" section that will archive the presidents weekly addresses/podcasts, slideshows, executive orders, and nominations and appointments.

Transparency - According to the site, "President Obama has committed to making his administration the most open and transparent in history." I'm slightly skeptical of this, but it's worth a shot. The site does provide detail on the president's agenda on nearly every type of policy position, as well as the previously mentioned orders, proclamations, and nominations.

Participation - The administration hopes to use the Internet and new media to give a voice to anyone who wants. There is, of course, some restrictions. The blog isn't going to be installing the ability for comments any time soon, but they do plan on posting non-emergency legislation on the website for 5 days, allowing the public to view and make comments (through a specified comment form) before the President signs it,

I assume these elements of transparency on the Internet may change as the administration figures out what works and what does not, but this is a promising start. Throughout his campaign President Obama proved that he understood how to use new media for public relations and communications. It looks like his presidency is looking to continue that.

Corporations take note: If the most powerful man in the world believes it is important to communicate this way, what excuse do you have for not trying it?

Get Out Your Seat and Jump Around

2009-01-15T09:37:00.000-08:00

This morning one of the TVs at the gym was playing this: A lost treasure of a music video, which I had completely forgotten about. Watching it makes me exhausted. I should be doing this instead of going to the gym (although in this nasty Cleveland weather I would probably slip and fall).

Peter Wolf - Come As You Are (from Come As You Are)

They don't make music videos like that any more. ...
...
...
Or do they?

Goldfrapp - Happiness (from Seventh Tree)

Boozin' Barkley Booted from TMobile (Sorry Time Magazine)

2009-01-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

The fallout from Charles Barkley's New Year's Eve DWI continues.

Barkley is already taking a "leave of absence" from his duties as a basketball commentator on TNT, and now comes the news that T-Mobile is dropping him from their popular Barkely/Dwayne Wade Fave 5 ads.

This must come as a huge blow not only to Barkley, but to Time magazine as well. Last month the magazine named the Barkley/Wade commercials as the best ads of 2008. Well, Time, I hoped you enjoyed them while they lasted.

Sir Charles, may I suggest adding a taxi service to your 5? Or at least a good lawyer?

What should T-Mobile do now? Continue the campaign with Wade and Larry Bird, perhaps? I'd want to add him to my 5 more than Barkley.

T-Mobile Bounces 'Fave 5' Spots Featuring Charles Barkley

Angry-Gram: When you want to say 'I hate you' with a sandwich

2009-01-12T11:52:00.000-08:00

First, did you all know that Burger King was called Hungry Jacks in Austrailia? I had no idea that has been going on all these years under my nose. What is the point of the name change, exactly? Was there already a Burger King down under?

Anyway, I'm a fan of Burger King's new brand identity as the weird, off-beat, humorous, and slightly edgy fast-food restaurant. Agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky have done good work creating strong television commercials and fun, interactive campaigns online. Burger King has become the master of viral fast-food campaigns and McDonalds is always trying to ketchup (HA HA HA HA HA!!!)

Last week BK received a decent amount of buzz for their Whopper Sacrifice campaign: sacrifice (delete) 10 of your Facebook friends and receive a coupon for a free Whopper. It's funny, a little mean, easy to measure, and will spread like a wildfire.

However, I prefer BK's other new online effort: the Angry-Gram. Meant to coincide with their new Angry Whopper sandwich, visitors to the site can fill in a Mad-Lib like letter to a friend, which is then generated into an angry tirade given by a cartoon Angry Whopper that can be e-mailed to a friend. It's also funny, a little mean, will spread like a wildfire. In addition, it can generate repeat visits by making each tirade unique. Two of my favorites have been: "Why do you always drive so fast? Are you late for an idiot parade or something?" and "You fake being upset more than a Spanish TV soap star."

Originally the Whopper talked in an angry English cockney accent, which made things even funnier. Checking it out today, however, I noticed the accent had changed to a more normal angry voice (although sometimes it screws up and goes back to the old recordings). Maybe people complained that it was hard to make out what the Whopper was saying. I hope it wasn't changed because a couple of prudes found the accent offending. It wasn't.

Despite all these funny ads, I have yet to get to a Burger King (although the Angry Whopper does look good. Anyone try it yet?). The Burger Kings around me in Cleveland are hard to get to, dirty, depressing, and offer poor service. I'm not exactly surprised, it's still a Burger King. Now that BK has established a strong brand identity through their marketing I think now they need to work on extending that brand identity to the customers' actual BK dining experience.

Feel free to send me an Angry-gram at johndaviddrake@gmail.com.

What to Watch on New Year's Eve

2008-12-30T09:57:00.001-08:00

Have any big plans for New Year's Eve? You better have plans soon, the clock is ticking. Whether you are out partying in a bar or city streets, or have a gathering of friends and family at home, I hope you have a great New Year's holiday.

For those in the Cleveland area, here is an incomplete list of some NYE parties going on around town.

For those gathering at homes to ring in the New Year, there is always one small debate among party members: What television show do you choose to help you countdown to midnight. Allow me to give you a small guide to your viewing options:

NBC: New Year's Eve with Carson Daly (10-11PM; 11:30-12:30AM) Yes, Carson Daly is still on the network, usually at 2 in the morning I think. For this NYE celebration from Times Square Daly features musical performances by T.I., Katy Perry, Elton John, and Ludacris among others. The special will also air on the network's cable outlets MSNBC and CNBC.

CBS: Late Show with David Letterman (11:30-12:30AM) CBS is the only major network without a NYE special, instead counter-programming with a NYE edition of Late Show. Letterman's guests include actress Emma Thompson, fox attack survivor Michelle Felicetta, and music from Purple Reign.

ABC: Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest (10-11PM; 11:30-12:30AM) Ever since Clark suffered a stroke a few years back he has passed on the majority of his NYE hosting duties to protege Seacrest. Clark is still around making the occasional appearance, however. This year brings American Idol has-been Kellie Pickler reporting on events in and around Times Square and musical performances from across the country by Taylor Swift, Lionel Richie, Will.I.Am, the Pussycat Dolls, the Jonas Brothers, Ne-Yo, Jesse McCartney, Natasha Bedingfield, Fall Out Boy, Solange, and Robin Thicke.

FOX: New Year's Eve Live (11-12:30AM) Fox's only late night host, Spike Feresten, along with Mark Thompson close out 2008 with a mix of music and hyped-up stunts. In addition to performances by David Cook, Daughtry, Scott Weiland, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, daredevil Robbie Knievel attempts a 200-foot jump of some kind.

PBS: Live from Lincoln Center: New York Philharmonic New Year's Eve Gala Concert (Times vary) For those who toast with a bottle of Dom and caviar, an educational evening as Lorin Maazel conducts the New York Philharmonic with mezzo-soprano Susan Graham. How divine!

If network TV isn't your thing, here are some of your choices on cable:

ESPN: New Year, No Limits (11-12:30AM) ESPN does NYE from Las Vegas while talking about Bowl games, NFL playoffs, a look at sports in 2008, and special guests.

CNN: Anderson Cooper 360 (10-12:30AM) The Coop and D-list celebrity Kathy Griffin from Times Square.

MTV: FNMTV Presents: A Miley-Sized Surprise... New Year's Eve 2009 (10:30-12:30AM) I'm not sure who will be on this show, but I'm guessing Miley Cyrus and lots of screaming kids will be present.

TLC: Dateline: Real-life Mysteries Marathon (All Night)

Food: The Next Food Network Star Marathon (All Night)

SciFi: Twilight Zone Marathon (All Night)

Disney: Totally New Year's Eve (All Night)

Nick: The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie (9-12AM)

Comedy: South Park Marathon (All Night)

Spike: CSI Marathon (All Night)

What fun things do you have planned for NYE?

Christmas Special of the Weekend - "ALF's Special Christmas"

2008-12-20T07:43:00.000-08:00

A vintage Christmas classic from 1987. Love the laugh track. Enjoy!

Christmas Special of the Day - "X-Mas Story"

2008-12-17T12:27:00.001-08:00

To put you in the Christmas mood. Enjoy!:

Addressing the Needs of the Audience on Facebook

2008-12-16T05:52:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend the New York Times posted an article addressing the problems some brands have had seeing results from Facebook advertising efforts. The article cites efforts by Procter & Gamble as an example of campaigns that may generate a little buzz at their initial launch but quickly fade out and never lead to an increase in sales.

The folks at P&G seem dumbfounded by this. They spent a lot of money on generating creative and entertaining web "events" and sweepstakes, which resulted in thousands of "fans" of their products, how come that led few to actually purchase their products?

The amount of buzz and activity with brands on Facebook does not reflect on sales within the same audience. I call it the "Snakes on a Plane Corollary": Gen Y Internet buzz does should never guarantee specific action.

What is a brand to do? How much money do they have to throw at the Internet before Generation Y takes action? Why aren't they lining up to buy Tide? The article concludes that advertisers have two approaches available to them:

Be more intrusive by targeting extremely specific audience groups and using their "fans" as advertising channels by posting ads within their personal profiles.
Spend even more money on a regular basis to constantly create new entertaining commercials, viral videos, and games.

It seems to me that there is one other option that the article fails to mention: stop trying to be best friends with the community and start using Facebook to address the needs of your audience as they pertain to your brand.

That is not to say there is no reason to use the first two options to promote a brand, especially when launching a new brand or brand extension. However, that should only be one element of a brand's social media strategy. Use entertainment, games, and videos only to generate buzz and brand awareness. These are the sort of things Facebook users want to share with their friends and post on their profile, not direct ads for a brand.

The second element of a brand's marketing strategy should address the other needs of the audience. Altogether users seek media, including the Internet and web portals like Facebook, to meet four major needs:

The need for entertainment and escapism (games and viral videos would fall into this category)
The need to develop personal relationships (this is the main reason Facebook users log on everyday: to connect socially with friends and families, not brands)
The need to develop a personal identity through knowledge & interests (a Facebook profile represents the users personal identity, and can include brands that the user feels reflect their personality and interests. This is why people become "fans" of certain products)
The need of understanding of the surrounding world and sharing information with others (this can include information about a product or promotion that the user may find helpful)

Many brands on Facebook only try to address the first need fully and forget about the rest. In order for a brand to see results from Facebook, they should try to address all four of these needs.

If P&G wants to advertise the Tide brand to Facebook users, they should go beyond the entertainment to address the need that users want Tide to help with: stains and laundry. A lot of Facebook users are college students or young professionals living on their own. Why not use Facebook to offer advice or instructional videos to those who are washing their clothes for the first time (What does permanent press mean? Is that like ironing in the washing machine?)? I would not take movie or music advice from Tide, or consider them a better stain remover if they did, but I would certainly take laundry advice, and if it was helpful I would tell all my friends about it and feel a stronger connection to the Tide brand. Viral videos are fun, but they will not get the chili stain out of my shirt.

Brands should not forget what needs their product or service best gratifies. Facebook can be an excellent portal to generate buzz for a product, but it can also be used to address the needs of the user on a personal basis on their terms in a venue that they frequent. Companies like P&G need to realize that advertising on television or even elsewhere on the Internet serves a different purpose than advertising on Facebook.

Advertising on social media sites should focus initially on buzz, but more importantly at how a brand can really help users personally. If their need is met, I believe positive word-of-mouth will spread, and actual action will take place. That, in turn, can lead to a strong association with the brand, which creates a new influencer to spread the word.

Will you 'Trust Me'?

2008-12-14T11:42:00.000-08:00

Imagine for me if you will, what it would be like if the two main characters from Nip/Tuck ran an ad agency instead of a plastic surgery practice!

You mean like Mad Men?

Yeah, like Mad Men, but in the FUTURE world of 2009.

Why, that would be crazy! I'd watch that right away!

Take a look here (the embed code isn't working and I don't feel like figuring out why).

"They'll sell everything but their friendship"

Yet another portrayal of ad agencies as crazy party fun zones where almost anything can happen, and probably does (Sorry marketing students, that is only 74% true, if you love what you are doing)!

I'll check it out, but I assume my feelings of this show will mirror Kyra Sedgwick's when she says, "Oh, Mama, please don't cry."

What do you think? Will you check out Trust Me?

Social Media, Leno, and Late Night

2008-12-11T15:13:00.000-08:00

NBC has created quite a stir with their announcement that they convinced Jay Leno to stay by giving him their entire 10pm slot. There is a lot that's been said about this so I'm not going to dwell on it too much. Alan Sepinwall of New Jersey's The Star-Ledger had a good analysis in his Tuesday column.

I agree with what he has to say. This is a short term solution to a long term problem for NBC. How long can it work? In everything I have read there has been no mention of how long Leno has signed on with the network. I give it maybe 2 years at most. It was only two years ago that Deal or no Deal was on four nights a week. That got old real fast. Now is it even on NBC anymore? This is a desperate financial decision that NBC is spinning as an entertaining gift to us all. What do you think of NBC's decision?

Anyway, what I really wanna talk about is the other big news in NBC's Late Night schedule: the official launch of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. You won't find it on TV. NBC has launched a vlog at latenightwithjimmyfallon.com. Starting this past Monday night and continuing every night until the show airs in the spring, NBC will post daily videos of Jimmy Fallon bringing us behind the scenes of his new show and making a few jokes.

This is a (surprisingly) smart move by NBC. In 1993 when Conan O'Brien took over for David Letterman no one knew who he was, and Conan had no idea how to host a talk show. It made for an awkward year or two which brought the show to the verge of cancellation. With the web component of Fallon's show, NBC can slowly introduce the Jimmy Fallon brand to viewers and Jimmy can get comfortable just talking to a camera on a daily basis.

Fallon may not be the perfect choice for a late night talk show (neither was Conan at the time), but he is the perfect choice to host a late night show in the age of social media. Fallon has always had an interesting appeal. He spent several good years on SNL, but he is not in the same stand-up division as the rest of his comedy competition. He has always seemed like a regular guy who won a reality show contest to appear on TV. If he wasn't on TV he could be comfortable sitting with you on the couch making snarky remarks. That is the appeal of the Jimmy Fallon brand: not everything he does is hilarious, but you have a good time hanging out.

Take a look at Tuesday's video segment:

From the very start this feels less like Fallon putting on a show for us, but rather anyone and everyone putting on a show together. If you go to the show's website you will find the links he mentions in the video, including Facebook, Twitter (@jimmyfallon & it appears to actually be him), MySpace, Flickr, Friendfeed, Ning, YouTube and many other social media sites. It will be interesting to see how these different elements are used as the show makes the transition to television. His mention of having a laptop by his desk and TVs available for Skype make it seem like he plans on talking with his viewers during the show itself.

Although the Leno decision seems like one step backwards for NBC, Jimmy Fallon may be a positive step forward. In order for a late night show to be successful, it needs to have an interactive online element; the more interactive the better. By using social media Late Night with Jimmy Fallon will be able to make up for Fallon's lack of comic timing by establishing him as the talk show host who interacts with his audience and values their insight and talents. There is no better way to establish brand loyalty than to give the consumer a sense of ownership in the brand; a late night show starring Jimmy Fallon and YOU!! Does this make you more or less likely to watch Fallon's new show in the spring?

Finally, on Wed night's show Conan announced NBC's talk-heavy 2009 fall schedule:

Top TV Ad of 2008?

2008-12-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

This week Time magazine released their Top 10 of Everything in 2008 list. The lists range from the basic top 10 news stories, movies, music, etc to more specific lists like the top 10 outrageous earmarks or top 10 fleeting celebrities (i.e. Joe the Plumber). The list I want to discuss is the Top 10 TV Ads of 2008. Here is their selection for #1:

That was an amusing campaign, yes, but was it REALLY the best ad of 2008? Was it better than Microsoft's "I'm a PC" ads (not the Seinfled ads, we can all agree they misfired a little) or more effective than Barack Obama's infomercial? Is Time judging the ads from a purely creative perspective, or are they taking into account the communication of the message or the percentage of the audience motivated to act on the ad?

I don't know off the top of my head what my favorite TV ad of the year is. I can tell you that right now I enjoy Nike's new LeBron James chalk ads. As a Cavs fan I'm a little bias, but even so it is another ad well done by Nike:

What was your favorite TV ad of 2008? (it can be non-basketball related)

K Mart: A brand slowly dying

2008-12-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

Quick, when was the last time you were in a Kmart? Do you even know where your nearest Kmart is? Are you sure it is still in operation?

I personally don't know the answer to any of these questions. I cannot remember the last time I've been near a Kmart. Have you ever been to a Kmart and not left a little depressed? Every Kmart I have ever been in the lighting has been slightly poor, the floor a little too dirty and sticky for my liking, the shopping carts have at least 2 bad wheels, no one smiles, and the little plastic pony out front looks desperate for someone to feed it a quarter. Just writing this makes me feel dirty and lethargic.

Despite these negatives, Kmart will not go the way of the Woolworth. At a time when large nationwide retailers like Circuit City are closing stores left and right Kmart still stands. Why?

Four years ago Kmart was about to close up when Sears decided to snatch it. At first that seemed like a good idea. With a little retooling and re-branding Kmart had the chance to become viable again. But that never happened. Kmart just kept on keepin' on while Wal-Mart and Target (the Wal-Mart with style) stole their market share. Today, Sears announced a larger than expected third-quarter loss of $146 million dollars. Their scapegoat for this loss (besides the recession): weak Kmart sales.

Yet Kmart still lives. What should Sears do in this situation? If they keep with the same plan, Kmart will continue to slowly die until it takes the Sears retail stores with it. Or they can completely overhaul the Kmart brand. It clearly cannot compete with Wal-Mart and Target. So maybe they should redefine themselves. As what, I'm not sure. A grocery store with a large garden center? A mini-Sears with frozen foods? Private shoppers? Home delivery? Pet stores? Anything they decide would be an expensive endeavor if they want it done right.

Lastly, Sears could sever their useless limb (there has to be a Craftsmen tool for that, right?). Sell off or shut down Kmart; recognize they missed their window for re-branding opportunity, and leave Kmart behind with the last century.

What do you think? Is Kmart worth saving? Should Sears overhaul the brand? Do you cry when you close your eyes and imagine yourself lost in Kmart?

Andy Rooney Will Never Be My Financial Advisor

2008-12-02T14:22:00.000-08:00

We all know Andy Rooney, right? He's the elderly gentleman that closes episodes of 60 Minutes with his editorial ramblings. Often amusing and overly cantankerous, Rooney basically has the seniority to got on TV and say whatever he wants for a few minutes. This past week Rooney decided to spend his time helping us all save a few extra bucks during these financially troubled times:

Now I'm not gonna waste time complaining about Rooney's complaining. That's like shooting cranky, old fish in a barrel. But the man finds it financially necessary to steal bread and wear dirty. 3-day old clothes while still going to every NY Giants home game!! Is he really that strapped for cash?

I know we all have the one or two luxury items we cling to, and I'm not blaming him for that. I'm sure not cancelling my cable any time soon. But the man is stealing bread! If I was his financial advisor I would advise he watch the games on TV and save the $700 he spends on tickets to buy a coffee maker and a couple loaves of bread. Until then, Andy, I'm going to seek financial tips from someone else. What's the luxury item you would rather steal bread for than give up?

Adventures in Product Placement

2008-12-01T13:57:00.000-08:00

Network television is in a weird place right now. Ratings are down, budgets are tight, and last winter's Writer's Guild strike did a serious number to the network's schedule. Despite all this, the Associated Press reported last week that Americans are watching more television than ever before. The report states that the typical household had a TV on for 8 hours and 18 minutes a day.

If this is true, then how are television ratings down? It is because the Nielson ratings only record live television viewers, not DVR recordings, programs streamed online, or purchased through iTunes. This is the new way we are watching television and both networks and advertisers are having a tough time adjusting to the fact that the viewer now controls when and how they watch TV shows. That is good for viewers, but bad for advertisers and the networks. Here's why:

Television networks make most of their money from selling commercial time to advertisers

The higher the television ratings, the more advertisers are willing to pay for commercial time

The more money the networks make off of advertisers, the more money they have to invest in their programs and creative development

With ratings down, networks are having to charge less for ads, make less money, and have smaller budgets to produce their shows (Hello seven million hours of cheap reality shows).

With viewers fast-forwarding past commercials, advertisers are desperate to get their branded message across to all those people watching an endless amount of TV. Enter product placement, and old television staple that is learning a few new tricks.

I am sure while watching your favorite shows you have noticed close-up shots of cell phones, MacBooks, and every vehicle ever driven by every television character ever. This is standard product placement. The advertisers pay to have their products placed prominently in programs, get brand exposure that will not be fast forwarded over, and the networks receive more money to cover their expensive production costs.

Now normally I do not mind product placement, except when it is so obviously a commercial within a show that is takes me out of the program for a second. These are the types of product placements that I feature in Adventures in Product Placement. Moments that are so bad that they are laughable. Here are a few clips, courtesy of hulu.com.

Towards the end of last week's episode of Chuck the characters took a time out from a frantic escape to discuss the features on the new Toyota Matrix that make it "the perfect getaway car:"

That was not TOO bad, but the dialogue sure seemed out of place during an escape. If I'm looking for a getaway car, ipod capability isn't going to be a deal breaker for me.

Next up is a clip from the 24 TV-movie 24: Redemption. The product being featured is the 2009 Hyundai Genesis. In the clip character A has called character B because something of URGENT NATIONAL SECURITY has come up and character A is racing to meet up with character B (who happens to be the president-elects' son and is about to leave for the inauguration ceremony so he doesn't have much time to talk!!!!!!). Although he is in a hurry, character A makes sure to stop mid-sentence to play with all the cool new features on the Genesis. The camera gets the necessary glamor shots, then the urgent conversation continues:

Yes, it was quick, but to stop a scene mid-sentence to show off a product seems a bit like Character A saying, "We'll be right back after this brief message from Hyundai."

That brings us to the award for worst product placement ever. This honor goes to My Name is Earl (a show that has been on for four years now, and yet I have never met anyone who would call themselves an avid fan). A recent episode actually featured an entire B-story that revolved around a product. Seriously. The entire story line revolved around the character of Joy wanting a Kay Jewelers' Jane Seymour heart necklace thing. They even managed to throw in a real commercial for the product IN THE SHOW as well as an appearance by Dr. Quinn herself:

From that point on, Joy makes a point to mention the Kay Jeweler's necklace in nearly every scene she is in. AND during the commercial breaks for the show they showed the exact same commercial for the necklace that Joy was watching in the clip. This is pathetic. I tolerate a little cheesy placement here and there, but to force the writers to work a product and a pitch into an entire storyline is a new low. Besides, Joy is not a likable character. Why would Kay Jewelers want to associate their brand with the tastes of a person like Joy? I doubt that endorsement did much to push sales.

Well that's all for today's Adventures in Product Placement. I'm sure there will be many more in the future. Do you notice product placement like this? Does it bother you? Do you retain more information about the product than you would through a commercial? If you have any favorite product placement moments let me know and I'll try to post them.

Obligatory First Post

2008-12-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

Hello. This is JD Drake coming to you live from Cleveland, OH. Pot Kettle Blue is my new blog. This is me:

I live in Cleveland, OH
I enjoy TV, movies, advertising, marketing, social media, cool restaurants and events
I cannot slam dunk a basketball on a consistent basis

This blog will be about things such as these (I'm not expecting too much conversation about my basketball skills).

Feel free to leave questions and comments as well as follow me elsewhere (Twitter, Facebook, Friendfeed, LinkedIn) via the buttons on the right.

Party on, Wayne!