You would think a grueling schedule and tough conditions like this would all get to be a bit much for the cast and crew of the show. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Everyone on the Extreme team had a permanent smile on their face. They almost always had a minute to speak to an adoring fan or a member of the media. And when they talked about Barbara Marshall and the Jubilee House, the recipients of the new house, it was obvious that they do what they do because they love it. Their passion and dedication drives them to work faster, longer and harder than most people probably dream of doing. It drives them to not mind that they haven’t showered in days and to not remember that they haven’t had on a clean set of clothes in days. It drives them to view what they do on a daily basis as far more than just a job.

The Extreme team truly is changing lives and communities one home at a time. I’m honored that I had the chance to play a small part in that for a brief time this summer.

So now, come Sunday night, you better believe I’ll be curled up on my couch watching my new favorite reality show.

- Leah Knepper
Rubberneck, Propaganda Specialist

In an AdAge article last month, Charlie Horsey, President-CEO of MKTG, ventures to describe a method for engaging Gen-Yers in ways other than following a company on Twitter or “liking” them on Facebook. Sorry, Mark. And I, for one, am elated that someone finally gets it. I assure you, not all of us spend our days connected to Facebook like paparazzi to Lady Gaga (what’s left of her, at least).

At more than 60 million strong, we’ve earned the reputation for wanting to discover products ourselves and to make buying decisions on our own, which Horsey purports is marketers’ biggest challenge to overcome. However, a connection with my generation can be made, and once a brand is on our radar, we’ll be loyal to it for some time to come.

Read the article to find out exactly which four ways are recommended for making the critical connection to the Gen Y consumer.

- Chris Barbee
Republik, Corporal, Strategic Specialist, Strategic Ops

With every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS donates a pair of shoes to a child in need. It’s called One for One. And they’re not stopping with shoes anymore. One for One has been expanded to include sunglasses, too. With every pair of shades purchased, TOMS gives the gift of sight to a person in need through medical treatment, prescription eyeglasses, and/or sight-saving surgery.

What’s so amazing – and unusual – about the TOMS’ movement is that it’s more than lip-service. It’s way more than just a clever marketing ploy. It’s the very foundation of the company, whose unwavering mission is, “…Work[ing] to establish shoe-giving partnerships with humanitarian organizations worldwide that have…a long-term presence in the countries and communities they serve.” In fact, TOMS gave its one-millionth pair of new shoes to a child in need in September 2010. So much for a PR stunt!

TOMS sees itself not as a shoe or a sunglass company but rather as a One for One company. TOMS’ founder believes it’s the company’s obligation to try to improve as many lives around the world as possible by addressing as many different needs as possible. TOMS’ website tells the full story of the One for One movement and where it’s heading in the future.

The more I read, the more I’m convinced that TOMS is changing the world. Sounds like one more reason to go shoe shopping, if you ask me!

Talk about life changing.

- Leah Knepper
Rubberneck, Propaganda Specialist

For years, everyone said Apple computer would die if they didn't start selling to enterprise. For every consumer who buys a computer, the enterprise buys 50, they said.

Yet change didn't come. Apple kept producing devices that consumers loved, enterprise be damned.

Last week out comes an article that says that the Federal Government is relying on Blackberry devices less and less because, among other reasons, employees love their computers/smart phones at home, and hate their ones at work, and are asking for Apple products at work instead. Companies are smart to realize that when they give their employees a choice, they're happier.

So I guess the moral is that if you stick to what you believe in, eventually others will change.

Patrick Miranda
Art Director

"All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through. Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me." - Ira Glass

- Miles Cartwright
Art Director

BMW Germany has recently developed a "flash projection" technology that temporarily forces viewers to see the BMW logo burned on the inside of their eyelids after watching a BMW ad. Although there is no logo visible during the actual ad, a voice asks the audience to close their eyes after they witness a blinding flash, similar to that of a photograph. If they close their eyes, as they are told, the viewer would see "BMW" imprinted on the inside of their eyes.

The flash projection project apparently "leaves a lasting impression," but I think that's just a nice way to put it. A more honest way would be to say that it forces one. True, the flash is harmless physically- but ethically? Usually, if a consumer does not approve of what they see on a screen, they are welcome to change the channel or close their eyes to it. But what happens when this is no longer an option? Are we pushing the bounds of morality by forcing people to see this logo? Or is this what brands need to do now in order to break away from the clutter?

Perhaps I am being oversensitive. For many people see this new "flash projection" technique as an innovative way to grab attention and allow consumers to actively engage with the brand. After all, "BMW" only appears on your eyelids for a second. And it's really no different from conventional advertising, except for the fact that it takes away your free will. But really, who needs that?

I guess the moral of this story is keep your eyes wide open, because if you aren't safe in your own head, you aren't safe anywhere.

make up your own mind:

- Bonnie Jones

Marketing Intern

Habit is strong. It is so strong that oftentimes people only do things because that's the way they have always done them. Wake up, hit the alarm clock, get in the car, pick up coffee, drive to work. But, at what point do we stop and think, "change or die?"

Ever thought of bicycling? Taking the bus? Making your own coffee? Individually the benefit to the environment would be minimal, but multiply it by a million and you'd get real change.

Greenpeace is using this same philosophy to help China protect their diminishing forests. China uses 45 billion pairs of disposable wooden chopsticks annually, eliminating an appalling 25 million trees each year.  If this astounding consumption continues, in 20 years, China will become a forest-less nation. The good news is, this deforestation is completely unnecessary. We have reusable alternatives to chopsticks, just as we have green alternatives for just about everything else. The bad news is, we refuse to use them. There Habit goes again, closing out minds and driving our actions.

To encourage the use of these alternatives, Greenpeace created a petition for people to pledge their abstinence in using disposable chopsticks.  They also assembled a 'disposable forest' in the heart of Beijing to raise awareness of the dangers that can come from following Habit blindly. Stark, leaf-less trees, constructed entirely of used chopsticks, created a message that would not soon be forgotten- Change or die.

- Bonnie Jones, Marketing Intern

A recent Advertising Age article, "From the Big Screen to Any Screen: Some Takeaways for Marketers and Media Companies," touches on the current state of product placement, and calls attention to the intentionally blatant and "increasingly campy" ways in which products are being integrated in music videos and TV shows. For example, the article cites Lady Gaga's "Telephone" video, which provides "huge exposure for brands such as Virgin Mobile, Wonder Bread, Miracle Whip, PlentyOfFish.com and Polaroid." 

So what insight can we glean from Gaga about the future of product placement?  More than you might think. Tongue-in-cheek product placement is nothing new – in Back to the Future (1985) Marty's mother thinks he's called Calvin Klein because the name is scrawled all over his underwear – but until recently effective placement was for the most part the art of seamless integration. 

Linger too long on Tom Cruise's Nokia or Will Smith's Chuck Taylors and you risk losing your audience. No longer.  The line that writers once walked between noticeable placement and artistic legitimacy is being erased.  Whereas overdone product placement once detracted from our experience as viewers, it now enhances it.  As the article in Advertising Age hinted, nowhere is this more obvious than Lady Gaga's "Telephone," which involves a kind of self-awareness that allows her to be at once artist and critic. She is able to blatantly push products in her videos because we recognize it as commentary on itself.

- Cody Short
Strategic Ops.

I've long held the belief that all advertising isn't competing against other advertising. It's competing against anything else the consumer would rather be looking at.

Which, in this case, is the rear end of a 5'9" mini-skirt-wearing Frau.

In a brilliant move, Mercedes tells the story (now that they have our complete undivided attention. At least the men's) of how they use eye-tracking software to track which parts of an automobile's exterior catches a test subject's eye. And, perhaps gratuitously, to see if the software is working, they test it on the rear end of a 5'9" blonde. And yes, the software is working. Men stare at the woman's hips first, next her butt, which they say is to test for child-bearing potential.

It's actually a fascinating video. Mercedes found out that consumers stare at the roofline, headline, taillights, in that order. It's quite an amusing way to spend 10 minutes with a brand. Also way more interesting than an ad, or TV spot. Mercedes has figured out that in order to get us to think about their brand, they have to fascinate us.

Not interrupt us. You can view the video here:

- Miles Cartwright
Art Director

It's impossible to turn on the TV, pick up a paper or look at a website without witnessing the influence that online social networks have gained over the last several years.  They're everywhere, and nobody can seem to decide whether this is a good thing or not.  Do online networks isolate people or bring them together?  Are they dangerous or empowering?  It's tough to say, but one thing is certain: social networking has become an extremely powerful agent of change.

Online networks have been growing at staggering rates–The Economist recently pointed out that if Facebook were a country it would have the third largest population in the world–and many businesses have been forced to recognize that as networks expand so does an individual's potential influence.  One of my favorite examples is Dave Carroll's "United Breaks Guitars" YouTube campaign, which has over 9 million views.  Carroll's video not only led the airline to reverse its decision not to compensate him for the $3,000 guitar that was broken on a United flight, but also to schedule a personal call between Carroll and United execs "to make it right."  

Review sites like Yelp have also increased the potential influence that individuals have over businesses, especially those that are trying to make a name for themselves.  After visiting a brewery that recently opened down the street from the Republik, one of my friends posted a less than favorable review of the fledgling establishment on Yelp.  She promptly received a lengthy letter from the businesses' owner, who  urged her to revise her comments, and listed a series of points in the brewery's defense.

Now social networking seems to be shaking up the long-established hospitality industry.  Short-term rental services like AirBnB.com, istopover.com and crashpadder.com have helped create a new kind of hospitality market, the 'social B&B', that appeals to travelers who don't want to stay in a hostel, but would rather not pay the exorbitant rates that hotels often charge in major cities.  AirBnB.com, which encourages members to create personal profiles, allows local residents in cities throughout the world to list their apartment or house for rent.  Interested travelers can then look at pictures and reviews of available rooms, which in New York go from anywhere between $10 a night to $8,000.  

Social B&Bs have the potential to draw a significant portion of the market from existing establishments, and, needless to say, not everyone is happy about it.  In an article on the subject that appeared in the New York Times, Benji Lanyado explains, "Innkeepers, for one, point out that [social B&Bs] are unlicensed, uninsured and, depending on local real estate laws, against the law."  Such opposition could certainly deter the growth of these sites, but I have to agree with Lanyado's conclusion that "neither apartment owners who stand to make money…nor the growing numbers of travelers looking for a middle ground between [hostels] and a traditional…hotel are likely to be deterred."  

Hotel owners are beginning to see social networking sites as a threat, and they will understandably do what they can to limit the impact that sites like AirBnB have on their business.  But if they consider other industries that have faced similar challenges–music, television, travel–they'll eventually come to the same conclusion that we have: change or die.

This week we embraced another opportunity to implement our philosophy – change or die – in a very deep sense. We met with members of a very small Southern town to discuss the dynamics of their community. Upon arriving, it was evident that the majority of property/roads were run-down and unkempt – a sight for sore eyes. The community members voiced not only their resentment for the poor physical conditions, but an overall mindset held within the community barring proactive measures to do something about it – 'don't rock the boat'. 

At an all day session, in the morning we heard mostly disheartening stories of discontentment in quality of life. When we reconvened in the afternoon, however, we shared our experience with changing perceptions and that critical catalyst of a vision. The group began envisioning how their community could actually develop positively. And what it really comes down to – mindset. The ability to change others' perceptions begins with first changing your own.

While they can't immediately change the reality of their town's conditions, the group realized that if they were going to change anyone's perception of reality, it was going to have to come from them first. To me, the whole experience was truly gratifying. Being able to inspire these weary, skeptical community members to envision a better life reminded me why I love my job and living our philosophy of change.

- Marisa LaVallee
 Strategic Ops.

David Beals is quoted in the latest edition of Advertising Age referring to recent upsets in the auto-ad business as “unprecedented,” and explaining such volatility as the product of “a category in crisis.”  As the article suggests, crisis demands innovation, and Detroit’s troubles have led to several radical re-brandings, including Cadillac’s most recent effort to reclaim lost ground against luxury sports brands like BMW and Mercedes with the new CTS Coupe.

To be sure, the CTS Coupe is an impressive departure from previous design.  The Journal’s Dan Neil describes it “as the car Frank Gehry and ‘Batman’ animator Bruce Timm would design if their lives depended on it. The [new CTS] looks like it was beamed in from a near future when gangsters are armed with lasers.”

Lasers aside, Cadillac’s decision this week to hire Fallon as the creative agency responsible for marketing the CTS Coupe may signal an even greater departure from old habits than the car’s design.  During its tenure with BMW Fallon produced the widely acclaimed ‘BMW Films,’ and helped the German automaker establish its current identity as a premier luxury brand in the US.  Over the last decade the United States has become BMW’s largest market.

But Cadillac wants its piece of the pie back, and it has finally seemed to acknowledge that it’s not going to get it by clinging to an identity that, for many, lost its luster long ago.  Instead, the company is betting that Fallon can help lead it forward with a marketing strategy that appeals to the same consumers who have driven sales for BMW and Mercedes.

-Francis George, Creative Director

It seems like everyday I find myself reminiscing with someone about a once popular but now laughable piece of technology.  My nostalgic musings on the ridiculousness of the Zack Morris phone or the StarTac are inevitably concluded with a smug scroll through the galaxy of apps that now populate my super-smart phone.  “How did I survive without my blackberry?” I often hear.  How indeed. 

But just as I congratulate myself that I stand firmly at the pinnacle of consumer gadgetry the clouds open and I catch a humbling glimpse of a distant peak.  One such moment came recently when I learned of a collaboration between Microsoft and Carnegie Melon University to develop “Skinput” technology, which “turns the human body into a giant touch screen.”   

The device is in its infancy and presently involves a cumbersome armband and projector, but researchers have already used it to perform an impressive variety of tasks.  Skinput senses vibrations in different areas of the body, like when you touch your fingers or even different parts of your palm, and coordinates these inputs with a screen projected onto the skin.  Chris Harrison, one of the project’s leaders, “envisions a future device no larger than a small stack of coins, worn around the wrist or bicep, with all the capabilities of an iPhone.”

Zoiks!  Two minutes ago I was blissfully ignorant thinking that my 3.5-inch touch screen offered everything that I’d ever need, but now I’m afraid that Zack and I have more in common than I was willing to admit. 

Cody Short,

Strategic Coordinator

Last week RPK took an afternoon to tour the newest addition of the remodeled North Carolina Museum of Art. The sleek aluminum exterior is surrounded with sculptures, fountains and seating areas. Upon entering the brightly lit and clean white foyer, I almost thought I’d walked back into RPK.

I came to my senses, sort of, when I saw a massive, glowing man sitting sideways on the back wall, hugging his knees. To my right was a huge projector screen with a magical tree blowing back and forth with sparkling branches.

A couple favorite pieces to mention: a modern day twist of the Mona Lisa, upside down and  made of spools of thread. In front her was a glass ball that revealed the piece right side up within (Devorah Sperber, After the Mona Lisa 2). 

In an enormous, neon yellow canvas patched with discarded items and fabric, El Anatsui expresses his Ghanian heritage in Lines That Link Humanity.

Designed by New York-based architects Thomas Phifer and Partners, the new addition showcases more than 5,000 pieces from antiquity to present day. The visit was a treat and inspired our creative minds.

-Dave Avis,

Creative Ops. 

I was recently introduced to the popularly growing location-based service called Foursquare. A friend began referring to himself as ‘mayor’ of various local venues, as the social networking service is based on a game-like premise, sparking my competitive nature to become involved and earn top rank wherever my heels take me.

While Time ranked such location-based technology as no. 1 on their list of 10 Tech Trends for 2010, my ambitious spark waned as I considered the dangers of sharing this personal information. Do I really want people knowing where I am 24/7? Please Rob Me.

Aside from privacy concerns, there are incentives. Whenever you check in at your location, you are updated with other nearby places of interest. Then, as your number of visits increase at a particular place, more credibility is lent to your user review.

As other similar location-based services will continue to emerge, such technology is said to develop on already existing social networks like Facebook soon.

Jenn Yaga,

Public Relations

This week’s blog is in dedication to the latest Apple invention released last week: the iPad. According to Brady Bone, Creative Ops, “The iPad shouldn't exist yet… Apple has shown us the future,” he continues, “Take the agency, I see strategic/account people using [the iPad] as a primary device.”

As a member of the strategic team myself, I’m privy to the aforementioned assertions. Apple should endorse small businesses with iPads and we’ll give them our valuable feedback (and keep them).

Wishful thinking. Apple didn’t even drop a dime for their role in the main story line of last week’s episode of ABC’s Modern Family, when character Phil Dunphy had only one wish for his birthday: the iPad. While Apple may have lost an opportunity to make a few bucks, ABC lent its show a new level of hipness through Dunphy’s character. An AdAge article explains just why ABC incorporated an Apple device:

“Its gadgets and computers are viewed as status symbols, even cultural icons, so it's no wonder to see shows that want to make characters seem hip — witness the perennial appearance of an Apple laptop in HBO's "Sex and the City" — happily weave its goods into scenes and hands."

While the iPad will continue to generate buzz in pop culture, it certainly won’t fall wayside as a fad. On the contrary, the device is a stepping stone into the next generation of technology for businesses and networking.

-Marisa LaVallee,

Strategic Coordinator

Thanks to Prof. Mike Randall of The University of Endless Learning at The Republik, book reports have returned from the halls of high school to haunt us. Luckily for Prof. Randall, my book assignment did not merely instill applicable marketing principles, but was indeed interesting. Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell, offers insight into decision-making processes:

“Truly successful decision making relies on a balance between deliberate and instinctive thinking.”

Gladwell first got the idea to write this book after he grew his hair long. He began getting speeding tickets, was pulled out of airport security lines and, most disturbingly, Gladwell was approached by police officers on the streets of Manhattan as a suspect in a rapist case. Gladwell got to thinking about the power of first impressions and began conducting his own research.

Through a multitude of case studies, Gladwell aims to convince readers that quick decisions can be equally as valuable as cautious ones, answer when instincts should be trusted and also demonstrate the ability to educate and control snap judgments/first impressions.

I recommend Blink not only for the business world, but for everyone to read in an effort to expand awareness around decision-making and thus alter behavior positively.

-Robert West,

Commander in Chief

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." – Mahatma Gandhi

Change is the only absolute.

This was the subject of a memo I received less than two years into my first job.  It came from the president of our small-but-growing agency outlining some sweeping personnel changes designed to improve our offering by tapping into individual skill sets previously unknown or under-used.  The moves didn’t directly affect my role or responsibility, but it forever changed the way I look at business and the world.

It was the single most empowering message I ever received. Fear of the unknown is replaced by a new world of possibilities. Wake up tomorrow with the expectation of change and you will not be disappointed.  And after 25 years, every day is still a new opportunity.  Change or die, indeed.

For me, it was five simple words.  How about you?  What has caused you to change the way you see things?

-Dwayne Fry,

Commander / Strategic Ops.

Excellent!
Insert Thunderbird joke here _____________.
Insert Mad Dog 20/20 joke here _____________.

All right. Now that that's out of the way, let me just say, it's about time! What a brilliant revenue stream. You buy cheap wine from 7-Eleven, and when you get the munchies, go back and stock up on microwave burritos.

Although I think they messed up one part – the name. The wine is called Yosemite Road. To me, Yosemite Road sounds like every other winery out there.

To me, half the fun would be arriving at a party with a bottle of Slurrrper(R) or The Really Big Gulp(R), or some other franchised name. People would ask, "Where did you get that? 7-Eleven?" And that's how the marketing buzz begins.

Pun intended.

Read more here

- Marisa LaVallee
Strategic Coordinator

In efforts to combat flagging luxury car sales, Mercedes has decided to flag a different aspect of their brand: Safety.

Huh??!!

What's next, Volvo's going to counter their slipping sales with a new campaign featuring their performance?

I suppose their reasoning is that people already know M-B makes great luxury cars, so they wanted to tout something else.

Let me tell you something. The reason everyone knows M-B makes the best luxury cars is because their advertising has reinforced it all these years. Keep this up, and people won't even know what M-B stands for. Luxury? Safety? Low monthly payments?

Remember, once you have your brand message, don't depart from it! Even though you've spend years hammering it out, and you're sick of it, the consumer is not. And when you change brand messages, trust me, consumers won't remember your old one, and your original investment is lost. Does anyone remember McDonald's tagline before "I'm lovin' it?" Thank you.

Watch the TV commercial.

- Robert West
Commander in Chief