Break Out Your Brand Bib

Open source. What an incredible idea. Collaboration and sharing of resources to reach a greater good. No more "proprietary" models and secret boy's clubs. But, in closing the gap between the information haves & have-not's, certain services are bound to become obsolete. Is advertising one of them? Gasp! Seeing as I have a new baby to support and mortgage to pay, I certainly hope not. But innovations like Federated Media are making it much too easy for companies to control their own campaigns. They let you set goals, browse relevant targeted sites, create your own web banners and track their performance. So, why do you need little ol' me? Should I pack up my Pantone chips and call it a day?

As if I'd give up that easily. Let's be honest. Anyone can post 140 characters. And setting up a blog is as easy as picking a template and clicking a mouse. But, that's not enough to build a brand. The value lies in the relationship. In not only understanding the tools at your disposal, but how your audience wants to recieve your message and why that message is important. It's about understanding what your community wants from you and including them in the conversation. In a way, it's so much easier. Your customer is telling you EXACTLY what they want. Not that merely listening is enough. The business opportunity is taking those insights and turning them into something better for them.

It's a whole new game. And it's harder to quantify or explain with pie charts and ROI. It's a whole lot messier. But, hey, I feed a toddler everyday. I am used to mess. Mess is part of the process. Grab a bib, folks. The fun is just starting.

Fashion Musings on the Front Tuck

It's Fashion Week in NYC. Here in NOLA...not so much. But, I've noticed lots of fellas sporting the front tuck recently. That "carelessly" tucked in behind the belt look that is simultaneously casual but hip. The best explanation I've found comes from an unlikely source:

Much like how a mullet shows the world your business side in the front, and your party side in the back, the half-tuck tells one story on the right side, but a completely different story on the left. In encapsulates the contradiction that you are: The shy extrovert, the organized slob, the guy who likes to shop at Banana Republic but also likes to fall into the Gap when he’s feeling a little crazy. The half-tuck reassures the ladies that you’re a man who cares about personal grooming, but who, at the same time, couldn’t give a f##k. Who doesn’t like that?

Also known as the "frat tuck" and "half tuck", it's metrosexualizing the South. We are sooo 2006. Watch out, Bryant Park.