Modernista's new website

"You are viewing Modernista! through the eyes of the web" is how the agency has positioned its new digital self. Pretty cool.

From an Adage article on the change:

"The thing about the web these days is there's all these great tools out there, you're just not going to be able to come up with a better way to share photos than Flickr or a better way to build community than Facebook," so it's wise to tap into what's already out there rather than build from scratch, said David-Michel Davies, executive director of the Webby Awards, which each year honors excellence on the Internet.

And Gareth's post about it received good feedback as well. "Ballsy" is the word on everyone's lips. It takes some, in addition to a push-the-envelope spirit and some planning thinking. It's perfect for this day in which Google is the #1 brand without advertising and Wired touts "free" is the new bling.

Modernista! has given the control to the user (awesome) and is using elements already in existence in a new way (fabulous). To quote their Facebook page: "Modernista! is making the web a little cuter." :)

The Recession (?)

Just a quick set of links for inquiring minds:

Wired News says, "It won't repeat the dot-com bust."

The American analyzes the recession debate.

U.S. News & World Report lists 4 signs that the U.S. is not in a recession.

The New York Times says Wall Street Earning have sent stock prices soaring.

Nowpublic asks if the U.S. economic suffering will result in a global economic crisis?

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen says she won't get paid in dollars here.

And get a synopsis of how each of the presidential candidates feel here.

Opinion piece to follow...

Continued information:

Just found this on Popmatters:

Gallup reported at the end of March that three in five Americans worry “a great deal” about the economy, and that a majority call economic issues the most important problem facing the country.

2008 Planning Survey

If you are a planner somewhere, go here and give the discipline some feedback. It's about 30 questions and won't take you more than 2 minutes.

Plan on.

Reading Rainbow - things to read for planners

A group of us came together to share good reads and what sucks; and as a service to my digital community, I'm sharing them with you:

"One Great Insight is Worth a Thousand Good Ideas"

• One important sentence in the whole thing: An insight states a truth that alters how you see the world. Something to keep in mind when we think we've got "it."

"What Sticks" - sucks, don't waste your money

"Made to Stick" - awesome, go ahead and spend

"Whoever Tells The Best Story Wins"

• Explains different stories and situations. It explores the topic of "who am I?" and "the qualities I have that give me the right to influence you." Our objective should be to tell a story, not give a lecture.
  

"Culture and Consumption II" by Grant McCracken - pure awesomeness!

"Lovemarks"

• Explores and explains the power of brands: Once you're loved, you're ingrained in someone and are very hard to shake. It also does a good job of inadvertently touches on the role of planning.

"Convergence Culture"

• It explores old media and new media coming together and how much consumer control is a part of the conversation now. This book was quoted as "fantastic and challenging."

"The Perfect Pitch" - Jon Steel, highly suggested all around

"Everything Bad is Good For You" - Steven Johnson

"Confederates in the Attic"

"Private Label Strategy"

• Talks about how private labels are brands' arch enemies; is very consumer packaged goods' centric; and dispels the myth that we think private labels are cheap and generic.

"Any Wednesdays" - good coffee table book, by guys at DDB, isn't on Amazon (???)

Now go find yourself a cozy place and dedicate yourself to the first chapter and see what happens...maybe you'll end up reading the whole thing. Reading takes discipline. High five, you can do it. :)

Digital Curators

a term you should know a bit about. :)

offline W/ online Together

Currently I am going through the process of combining offline with online, because I believe the two spaces should co-exist as complements. The people I tell this too in the "digital group" act as if it's the first time they've heard the idea. Really?

wouldn't it be great if everything had an interactive component? don't get me wrong, I think it's where we're going but it's SLOW, no?

Clients are asking now for website upgrades, great! But does the experience online match the experience offline, and what would it be like if you launched both at the same time?

Would we call this a marketing issue? Or rather, as a planner, If I have an idea like this who should I be selling it to? Hmmm...

______ is the new _______

Urban is the New Mainstream is a great first person perspective on what the ad world is largely missing out on: multi-cultural targeting.

"What's most tragic -- beyond the racial implications -- is how out of touch it is with the consumer reality. We are in a business where professionals are paid to be in touch with the target -- unless that runs counter to their usual comfort zone. Brands and agencies have got to get clued in or get left behind."

We're all too comfortable sticking with what we know. I agree that we can be more intuitive about what we personally have experience with, but...coming up with a target that's "mostly" white is mostly old-school thinking. Wake up and smell the urban coffee.