The Observatory

Yahoo! is stuck in the 90′s. Their design, interface, and branding are lack luster. They haven’t been in the news lately and since they acquired Flickr.com, the site has gone down hill. I have to spend 15 minutes to describe to my mother how to find my “photo set,” what it is and how to navigate through it. Since I refuse to blog-rant without a solution, I’m going offer one up now for free.

1. New logo. It sets the tone that something new is to come and that the company has been doing internal restructuring.

2. New interface. By God get rid of those terrible icons to tell you to click on weather and stocks.

3. Lastly, try something innovative that no one else has. Maybe show the whole site in pictures. That’s all people look at anyways. News in pictures, top movies in pictures, what celebrities are eating in pictures. If it’s the first site you look at in the morning, you want to absorb everything as fast as you can and get on with your day. Done!

The basic restaurant chair has yet to be innovated in years. By innovation I don’t mean redesigned, I mean reinvented. I noticed this the last time I was sitting in Starbucks. Jackets are thrown over the back left to luck that they don’t fall on the floor and purses are dangerously hung over the 1/4 inch knob on the edge of the chair. The woman next to me even had her purse on her lap the whole time. This is no way to live!

The restaurant chair needs to be modified. The top echoes a hangar so a jacket rests neatly on top without discomfort. Add a spiral hook on the back that allows a purse to hang securely so the owner doesn’t feel restless that all their possessions are not only behind them, but in plain view. Have no fear my friends. I’m working on the prototype now.

Those who know me, know I like to say “I called it” when it comes to trends. Just a few famous ones are plaid pants, white sunglasses, and a hint of neon. My speculators usually don’t take me seriously because there’s never any written documentation of my insights . . . until now!

Being in the advertising industry, there’s no shortage of geek-chic glasses. These thick rimmed black plastic glasses are as much of an accessory as for functionality.  I’m sensing a slow death for them and a move to higher end brushed metal frames, with a medium sized rim nodding to their predecessors. I’m wearing a pair right now. They’re a perfect balance for the maturing audience as a fun accessory with higher end style. The possibilities for customization is higher with metal frames when colors, die cuts and print are experimented.

Mark my words. And yes, I understand that this post can also be used against me if my forecasting fails. That’s why they put a move to trash button on these things I guess

I started writing this article analyzing why acapella was such a popular phenomenon. Then, Wikipedia made me realize it’s singing in general that people resonate with.  Digging for the truth, I started at NBC’s Sing-Off inspired by Glee, moved to its predecessor High School Musical (which Glee producer says had no influence), then I found the mother load in its predecessor American Idol, and its predecessor Pop Idol, and its predecessor Popstars from New Zealand. Made for TV musicals with unprecedented mass appeal.

Why? Because music is the easiest form of escapism.  You don’t have to do anything but sit and listen, and the worst that can happen is the rare chance someone misses a note or forgets a word.  There’s a lot that is dark in the world right now, and that’s why singing shows work.

I’m thinking this is a trend brands could embrace more. If a product can be perceived as an escape from all that is bad in the world, it’s nothing but good. Imagine how much more efficiently an “open happiness” Coke song would work,  rather than them sponsoring American Idol.

Everyday there are hundreds of new products put on the shelves across America that tout being innovated, reformulated, upgraded or updated. Once the change is made, a brands biggest fear is that the shopper won’t notice all their hard work. The solution? Add “NEW” to everything it touches and make it scream.

But what does “new” mean to the shopper? Why would they want try something new?  And with thousands of products reformulating and reinventing themselves to keep up with the trends and times, “New” news, is old news.

What works is designing a new experience that is relevant to the consumer and has their interests at heart. To experience something you never have before within your everyday routine is refreshing and gets voluntary and viral attention. It can make a consumer realize that a product that was never in their life before now fits seamlessly in it.  Take what makes that product new, bring it to life and that will scream, rather than a generic word we’ve all become numb to.

It’s November. Is there a ringing in your ears?  It’s not just you. Tis the season for shopping, gifts, feasts, and charity.  You can hear it in the air, literally.  Silver bells.  So widespread and well known there’s a classic Christmas carol about them.  It’s the Salvation Army, collecting for donations for people in need.  And now more than ever, there’s an abundance of people in need, and less with extra to give.
The solution is in the sound.  Without changing the classic bell, there’s room for innovation.  With only a crank attached to 3 bells, these silver bells…play “Silver Bells.” Watch how a few simple notes can inspire a memory, a smile and more importantly, a donation.

Mock up of silver bells to “Silver Bells”

What do Halloween costumes say about our culture?  Through the eyes of a adwoman,,  I’m starting to see the line between the brands we buy and  our lifestyle blur.  On October 31st this year people took products that usually just sit on a shelf and actually became them.  In the advertising industry, this is the biggest compliment. It means that citizens not only buy your product, but they love it, they admire it, and want to show that to the world. There are product replications like M&M’s and crayola crayons or imitations of a brands fictional character, like the Burger King and the old spice guy.
A costume is supposed to be a disguise, but it actually tells something about us.  It shows what we think is cool, what we secretly want to be and our favorite things are. In doing that, it becomes a part of the mainstream. No longer just to be bought, but to define the times.  If a brand can enrich someone’s life on this level to the point that they want to become a walking billboard for it, then I’m proud to be apart of the industry.