February 3rd, 2010
Last Sunday I ran the ING Miami Marathon. Okay, “ran” is hyperbole. I actually jogged or plodded through the marathon. But the point is that I finished the entire 26.2 miles under my own power.
The best part was not actually finishing but what I learned about myself while training for the event. Because I followed a set regimen and had a set goal with a definite deadline, I had absolutely no trouble doing my training. In fact, between August first and January 31st I only missed two days of preparations! Getting up and going running in the morning, even when I was in frigid Fairbanks, Alaska or Ocean City, Maryland, was no problem because I knew exactly what I needed to do. What a difference from the floundering and procrastination that can often get in the way of accomplishment.
What I learned, besides the fact that I’ll never win a gold medal at the Olympics, is that having a goal and a plan to reach the goal, is the hardest part of getting things done. Once you know what you need to do, the rest is easy. Now all I have to do is figure out how to apply this knowledge to my business and my life. Suggestions are welcome…
February 1st, 2010
Everyone I know has been asking my take on Apple’s name for their new device – the iPad. Frankly I think the naming choice is typical Apple M.O. — they pick the name they want and damn the torpedoes. It’s a take on the old riddle:
Q: Where does a 900 lb. Gorilla sleep?
A: Anywhere it wants.
What surprises me is that Apple didn’t lock up trademarks for lots of potential iP names when they realized the iPod would be such a success. But, as Brad Stone writes in the New York Times, Cisco already owned the name iPhone and Apple used it anyway.
As far as the name iPod sounding like iPad to folks in Ireland or Boston with a brouge, who cares? Apple products are sexy enough that people know what you’re talking about and you can’t think of every single possible eventuality when you’re naming a product anyway.
As for iPad sounding like MaxiPad — I don’t think that Kotex (or whomever) has any exclusive on the word pad. If the word had such a bad connotation to women, you boomers would have never scored when you asked a girl up to “your pad.” How’d that work out for you?
What I don’t like about the name is that it seems rather insignificant and lacks gravitas — iSlate, iCom, iBook, etc. — all seem more important to me. I know that Apple likes to have somewhat of a casual, friendly image (Mac, for example. Apple, too) but the whole thing seems rather trivial to me — a game playing device that I can watch movies and read newspapers on. Big deal. I know that it’s much more than that and will be a harbinger of tech things to come but I’m underwhelmed. And the name doesn’t help.
Bottom line, it’s the first new Apple announcement in a long time that I’m not lusting after. For me, that’s because it’s not really a device to create content — it’s a device to consume content. A VCR vs. a video camera, for example. That being said, I’m sure I’ll be jonesing for one just as soon as I see it in the flesh, regardless of what it’s called.
January 13th, 2010
Aflac is a brand owned by American Family Life. No question about that. But now that they’re with a new agency, what’s intriguing is who owns the duck? CLICK TITLE TO READ MORE.
January 12th, 2010
Many unsophisticated marketers use spokespeople because it is an easy way for a company to think they’re doing effective marketing without much effort. CLICK TITLE TO READ MORE.
December 21st, 2009
Sentence completions help us identify our thoughts and feelings allowing us to see and act on what we have discovered and lead to greater understanding and performance. CLICK TITLE TO READ MORE.
December 8th, 2009
Seven simple steps to building, maintaining and communicating a great brand. Bruce provides entertaining anecdotes and real world examples to illustrate the finer points of brand building. Learn how to add value to your products by making your products more valuable to your customers.
View Video Of This Speech
December 7th, 2009
On Saturday I did my longest run to date and have come up with no business value at all. Just thought it was worth relating, for a cathartic experience if nothing else. I can’t do a mile-by-mile recap because I’ve blocked most of it from my mind, kind of like the pain of childbirth. Click title for more…
October 13th, 2009
Hadji Williams, a 17-year advertising copywriter, posted this and I thought it was just too damn good not to share. Mr. Williams points out a lot of things I’ve often thought about, he just says them more eloquently than I ever have. You can reach him at hadji@knockthehustle.com
Since the 1930s there’s been one major yet unspoken requirement for U.S.-based agencies to become an agency of record for a general-market client: Your agency must be a majority White-staffed and -owned shop.
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