How to Make It In New York City
Last week, I reentered the unpredictable world of strategic consulting. I'm excited to work with clients across various verticals and disciplines, conducting research and providing both insights and strategic direction to impact their business and help them better engage with their consumers. It's increasingly apparent that a full time position only offers the illusion of stability in today's economic climate. In fact, every time I get LinkedIn updates from my network, half the updates show that someone has gone freelance; whether by choice or layoff, I cannot say. I'm sure universal health coverage will accelerate this trend. A recent New York Times article pointed to a Gallup study that found
"Among the 100 million people in this country who hold full-time jobs, about 70 percent of them either hate going to work or have mentally checked out to the point of costing their companies money — “roaming the halls spreading discontent,” as Gallup reported. Only 30 percent of workers are “engaged and inspired” at work."
While a full time position can offer (often) measly health benefits and the continuity of working with the same colleagues and clients, employees start to get too complacent, failing to maintain their network and nurture their reputation outside the company. And then they find themselves on the chopping block, without an updated resume or wealth of contacts to help them land their next gig.
So after surrounding myself with successful people, absorbing any hearty advice I come across and attending as many educational events I can fit in, I've narrowed down a few rules for becoming a successful consultant or protect ourselves from a lengthy unemployment. Through social media especially, we have the power to shape our own brand, so that if we do end up on the chopping block, we have enough contacts, credibility and experience to turn that snafu into an opportunity.
1. Solidify and properly convey your story. Everyone you come across wants to understand where you came from in order to better connect. Figure out what makes you tick - and how those insights led to where you are now. My story is that I've always had a deep fascination with people from the time I was in high school, taking advanced life-drawing classes, to a long history of street and portrait photography. I translated this passion into consumer insight-driven strategy, working with brands to better understand their consumer's motivations and habits to grow their business. Michael Margolis from Get Storied, believes that often something that happened when we were between 8-10 years old shaped who we are today. Growing up in a bi-religious household, in an ethnically diverse town shaped my fascination with people and their cultural influences. Yearly trips to an American enclave in the middle of Mexico solidified this interest.
2. Establish your credibility. As the return of investment of MBAs increasingly come into question, entrepreneurs have sought new forms of establishing credibility among their clients. First and foremost, be authentic and honest in your business dealings. Put 200% into every client you work for and only do your best work. Extend the brand of you through speaking engagements, teaching (Skillshare), public presentations (Slideshare), writing articles and working with respected clients. Document your achievements and get permission to publish any positive client feedback.
3. Grow your network. Relationships are the glue that hold a successful career together. A strong network can offer mentorship, job opportunities and emotional support to navigate ones career. When we are passionate about our career, we find genuine connections with people in our industry. Maintain these connections regardless of your current employment status and make sure to give back or pay it forward. I have had the good fortune to have numerous people help me along the way. The best way to reward a mentor is to immediately incorporate their advice and achieve success doing so. The knowledge that they made a positive difference in someone's life and will pay it forward, is reward enough.
What advice have you been given that's been critical to your success?
Tech Disrupt 3.0
The longer I work in mobile, the more I see evidence that technology has disrupted every aspect of our lives. There is nothing we do that hasn't touched technology from the moment we wake up to the alarm on our iPhones to the moment we go to bed, scrolling through our Instagram feed one last time before we close our eyes. In fact, Mary Meeker's famous yearly tech trends presentation predicts that 2014 will be the year of wearable computing. So we've gone beyond social media and even mobile. But as someone working at the convergence of technology and advertising in New York City, it's easy for me to taught that this is the year of mobile, wearable computing, Google Glass, or any number of exciting technologies. The real question is, what happens when businesses finally embrace these behavioral changes instead of ignoring them? And what happens to those that don't?
A few weeks ago, I decided to check out the Warby Parker store in Nolita after finally getting a new eye glass prescription (yay health insurance!). I had heard of the startup but had become friends with the owner, Paul of my previous frames supplier at Caserta (go there!) and genuinely liked our customer / owner relationships. But as I casually tried on a few pairs, my eyes lit up with excitement. How could I resist $95 frames including the lenses, a good $200 dollar difference in price from any regular frames store? In fact, the ease of the purchase and price changed my entire outlook on eyeglasses. Perhaps they no longer had to be a critical decision to labor over for days, knowing they'd be a year-long fashion statement. I could now match my frames to my mood, or my outfit! Shortly after purchasing a pair, I dipped into a chain frame store just to compare. Rows of frames by well-known designers lined the shelves with designer prices. The store clerks seemed engaged in their own conversation instead of helping me so I quickly left. I vowed to replace the lenses on my old frames from Caserta because I enjoy shooting the shit with the owner and because they're great frames.
Following my trip to Warby, I decided that once and for all, I was going to purchase a Nike Fuel band. Earlier that week, I had posed the question through my Instagram feed - Nike Fuel Band or FitBit Flex. I had done extensive research online and was told that it was mostly a toss up, but that the Flex was more accurate. But what would motivate me? Accuracy or friendly competition? The answer, according to my Instagram community, was the friendly competition of the Nike Fuel Band. I've been wearing it ever since but truth be told, haven't given up my old FitBit.
So it's clear that regardless of your business, it's going to be disrupted by technology. So how can companies adapt? Here are two quick tips from my journey but more are sure to follow.
1. If your business is "analogue," make it the best analogue experience you can possibly create. Ensure that your customer service is top notch and genuine as well as your product. A quick glance at Caserta's Yelp review shows that nothing can disrupt the efficacy of a quality product and customer service. And their customers are spreading the word, coincidentally, through technology.
2. Your brand is not a product category but an experience. Extend it through digital products that enrich people's lives.
New Beginnings
I think it's appropriate that I follow up my last post about the trial and tribulations of living in the East Village with one about new beginnings. Many things have happened over the last four months that have helped remind me that the only thing that's constant is change. I mean seriously.. I'm always moving.. figuratively and apparently, literally.I had a birthday. I suppose 32 puts me squarely "in my 30s" but I'm entirely okay with that. I'm also okay with sharing my age because most people mistaken me for 24, which I can imagine is a hinderance in business situations. I digress.
Recently, I've experienced many fortunate things. But thanks to some very bad luck, I was, and am still am able to fully appreciate how much my life has turned around for the good. At least for now. One of those lovely experiences was a Tribeca film screening of Mistaken for Strangers. On the surface, it was a documentary about the lead singer of The National, Matt Berninger, filmed from the perspective of his brother, Tom. But the brilliant film had so many other layers, about the relationship to ones family, ones self and the creative process. I hope to pass along the inspiration with some take aways from the movie and Q&A session;
• Regarding the creative process, when you reveal the pain and struggle you're going through, that's when the creativity flows. It's funny - so often it seems as if popular musicians or actors just appear out of thin air. Sometimes we learn afterward that they actually struggled for years before hitting it big. We all work hard but how many of us have held side jobs, lived as paupers, and consistently had to keep smiling and performing in the face of rejection? And through all of that, reveal our deepest selves through our performance whereby revealing our vulnerability is actually what helps us connect to our audience. So maybe the key to success is revealing our humanity - revealing that we're all just people going through the same struggles, with the same needs and concerns.
• It takes crafting to tell the truth. For the last few months, I've been in the throws of pitch after pitch at work. I research both the market and consumer. Then eventually, after my brain has been saturated with facts, some sort of story formulates in my head, or is usually scrawled haphazardly on a scrap piece of paper. Then eventually these notes make their way into a PowerPoint. And finally, I go back through the links and PDFs of research to find data points to back up my story. But in the end, it's about finding one truth. Then figuring out how to tell that truth. I am so amazed as to how clearly this process relates to so many other areas of my life. It has helped me in writing my novel. It has helped me figure out myself and how to tell my own story. What is the truth for how I live my life? What dots can I connect from my past, my habits or my behavior that reveal who I am and what truth do I choose to tell? And it has helped me see the world differently. The truth is subjective. It is formed by how you see the world and how you organize facts. So figure out how you want to tell it.
• Don't stop. I can't tell you how many ups and downs I've had over the last few months. Or maybe I should tell you given my above statement. Mostly it's been related to my living situation that is one day away from being completely resolved (hopefully!). The other day I was exploring Bushwick and found myself in a magic shop. Actually, I think they're called Magick shops. Yes, I bought a few inexpensive rocks and a ring in the hopes of ridding negative energy and symbolizing new beginnings. I am entirely aware that this could be complete nonsense but it makes just as much sense as baptism, touching a torah, saying a prayer, wearing a cross.. you get the idea. We look for external forces to help us get through our lives. We view these objects, chants, or rituals as a means to guide us in the right direction. But the truth, that I sometimes don't want to admit, is that no external force is going to save us. It's the way we behave after performing these rituals, whether it makes us more loving, more confident, more at ease or more determined, that helps us get through the hurdles. The only way you can change your situation is by changing yourself. So don't stop and keep going because you'll get through it.
We're Captive on the Carousel of Time
A few weeks ago my old roommate (or shall I say ten roommates ago) emailed me asking about my dealings with our old apartment. After six years in our East Village, St. Mark's apartment which I lovingly referred to as a small dark hole, she was moving out. Naturally I suggested we celebrate over drinks and asked her for an update on how the apartment has been since I moved out about four years ago. The St. Mark's apartment had been my first New York City apartment, a sublet steal. In fact, its very location inspired questions like "who did you have to screw to get this place." While it was a privilege to live on New York City's most iconic streets in one of my favorite neighborhoods, the apartment also provided enough creative fodder for Girls-like blog posts and novel-worthy story elements. There's nothing like a little pain to help the creative juices flow.Or to give you a full picture; when asked for an update on the apartment, my roommate's response was:
"I am actually moving back to parents for a few months, then moving in with my boyfriend. I just can't deal with the building anymore. Slum lord is right. We literally didn't have gas for six weeks over the holidays - so out of control! Let's see what else you missed - They redid the gas lines in the building two years ago, we literally had no wall outside of our apartment for the last two years. They just replaced it last week and repainted because they were fined by the city. They replaced the lines at least three times cause they kept doing it wrong. Our bathroom ceiling caved in last summer because the person above us rents the apartment like a hotel - a new person every 3 days and they broke the shower or toilet, it leaked down. Old Man Winter, and M both died (90yr old+ building tenants) :( Old Man Winter left behind a hoarders delight - literally men with hazmat suits were removing things from his apartment to dumpsters that were 12' high and half a block along the length of St. Mark's, it was insane. This went on for two days. And the little clog man who wears the heels and always used to say the elevator is broken has taken to peeing in the hall, in fact, I've caught him numerous times standing on the stairs holding his junk. Awesome. Never a dull moment at 22 St. Mark's. The one good thing is that the newish super is actually the nicest man and responsive. As crazy as it was in that building I will miss my usual surroundings for sure."
If you don't live in the fantasy world of Carrie Bradshaw and have to live within a real budget, you sure as hell better have a sense of humor. Despite the daily trials of the apartment, I still walk by it with fondness and I'm sure my former roommate will do the same. We made it out with steal resilience, tons of memories and our sense of humor in tact.
Mobile is On a Roll
After two years of strategic consulting I finally decided to plant some roots in the fastest growing area of advertising and technology; mobile. It's like the wild west of advertising - mobile media agencies, publishers and ad agencies all have an opportunity to grab a bit of land and establish themselves as creative mobile shops, consultants or experts in the media space. Here's what my colleague out of the U.K. has to say. Meanwhile, I can't say how exciting it is to be in such a growing space.[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__eG6U9u2nE&w=560&h=315]
What It Means To Live In NYC
I've been living in Williamsburg for about three weeks now and I can't tell you how exciting it is to discover a new neighborhood. I'm not sure if any other city in the U.S. has such a range of distinct neighborhoods and characters, sometimes dramatically shifting from one block to another. How much does living in a neighborhood begin to shape ones style or personality? Or does it simply attract a certain type of person? What effect does the architecture have? Original inhabitants? Or even most recent? These are all questions I ask myself as I walk to the Bedford L out of my building that's barely a decade old where I haven't seen a neighbor over 40. I walk past the hispanic owned delis, past the elegant wine store, past the Dutch, red brick buildings that are nearly 300 years old and onto the packed L train.On Saturday, I had what could only be described as a classic New York City day - one that could have only happened in this decade - or oddly enough, maybe a hundred years ago. The night before, around midnight, I found a bedframe from Design Within Reach off of Craigslist after having too many issues with a previous UPS bedframe shipment. So despite the rain, I headed into Manhattan via the L train. But the train didn't come thanks to a malfunction. I briefly cursed my coffee addiction that had caused me to miss the last working train and waited on the corner for a cab. A few women nearby were waiting on the same corner and I suggested we all share a cab. So the four of us squeezed into a livery cab and happily discovered we were all headed the same direction. The cast of characters couldn't have been a better representation of the neighborhood. There was me, of course, representing the more recent influx of 30 something creative-ish folks. The girl next to me was off to her yoga class and as we discussed the recent subway troubles, commented that the subway should be free. My libertarian friend would have had a field day with that one. There was the girl next to her, a punk-ish, young blonde, most likely working in retail or the restaurant business given her claim that she was running late for work on a Saturday. And the girl sitting in the front was a Polish or Russian, blonde, recent immigrant.
My New York day continued as I arrived to my destination, an apartment in Tudor City. Have you ever been to an apartment in Tudor City? I hadn't up until that point. It's kind of awesome. Kind of like walking into a Renaissance castle except you're in Midtown East and it's 2013. Instead of being a creepy, random guy that I'd feel uncomfortable walking into a room with $250 in cash, my bed frame seller was a tall, youngish nice man an exceptional design sense and friendly girlfriend. Go figure. My friend, who I owe many MeatBall Shop meals, helped me drag the bed into his car and drove me back to Williamsburg. By 3pm, I had an assembled bed and the L train was working again so I continued my classic New York City day, heading back into the city for my spin class. Another day, another adventure.
Molly Aaker's Guide to Life: Job Stuff
Hey there! You may remember me as that lady who used to post more than once every few weeks. Well.. things have been a bit crazy. For a brief while I was actually freelancing at two places at once. I supposed when it rains, it pours. Seriously. It was pouring. On top of that, I was looking for a new apartment, finally ready to settle after two years of subletting and moving around. I had to make so many decisions over the last few weeks that at some point I probably just mentally shut down - gave in and just watched funny cat videos - or something like that. It seemed like every decision I've had to make from where to live to what kind of bedding to buy took f%*king work. I mean seriously, isn't the internet supposed to just magically give us the information we need, when we need it?! Well. I've got news for you. It doesn't.
So over the next few days / weeks / months, I'd like to share what I've learned. Hopefully so ya'll won't have to go through the same thing. Although even if you do, there's no doubt you'll learn something.
Lesson 1: I started a new job. This is beyond exciting. Not only am I working with cool/smart people, finally have a steady paycheck and eventually health insurance, but I'm in a growing field. I'm a strategist at a mobile media agency. Don't ask me to explain this because honestly, the possibilities are endless. So what have I learned? Well... coming from the advertising side, I'd say we can be pretty judgmental about various aspects of the advertising process. Creatives might roll their eyes at account people whereas account planners may scoff at the idea of working for a media agency. But guess what, we're all just cogs in the wheel (just kidding). What I meant to say was - the more we know about each others' roles, the better we'll be. Especially in an area that's still being defined. While I'm still learning the ropes, the experience so far has been invaluable. I work with results oriented, left-brained Excel wizards who get excited about "branding" whereas I'm finally learning the true meaning of ROI.
SO the lesson learned is; be conscious of where your next job can take your career but also don't be afraid to try the off beaten path. So many recruiters want candidates that are wrapped up in a neat little bow with a few years of big agency experience, etc. but there is an undefined world out there to explore. This world straddles technology and startups. It embraces both cultural diversity and those coming from different careers. And recognizes that a person doesn't need to have performed the exact job to excel. Find these companies. Find the hiring managers who will recognize and appreciate your intelligence and then go for it. Dive in. Help to define the process, to grow the company and to incorporate a different perspective into their business. You'll both be the stronger for it.
Tipping Point
Last week, I stopped by a fruits and vegetable mini grocery store in my home town (suburban NJ) and was delighted to find veggie juice; i.e. kale, lemon, ginger, apple, etc. for only $4.50. I put it on the counter at the register and an older woman in her 60s said "What is that supposed to do?" And next to her was another older couple discussing their happiness at finding juice at Julio's (the store), mentioning that they were following some sort of diet by Dr. Oz. I explained to the woman that juice had tons of nutrients and that kale was awesome. It made me think, does this conversation mark what would be called a "tipping point?" Obviously healthy eating, juices and the idea of "alternative medicine" has been around since the 60s. It has gone slightly mainstream thanks to Whole Foods but could still be considered limited to a wealthier consumer or even younger demographic.My suspicions were confirmed a few days ago. The NY Times recently posted an article marking this shift. National food chains are offering healthier options at the demand of their consumers. We've reached a tipping point. Corporations are looking towards sustainability and even pharmacies are carrying fresh fruit. In the coming years, I believe there will be a societal pressure to eat healthy and live more sustainable just as we've pressured each other to quit smoking, wear seat belts, and not drink and drive. I'm hoping that the obesity epidemic, crazy weather and political strife around the world is one of those situations where it has to get worse before it gets better. Will everything will be uphill from here?
The Concert That Wasn't: My Disappointing Adventure to Madison Square Garden
As my coworkers were running to the windows on Friday afternoon, stressed about getting home before the blizzard hit, I was hitting refresh on Madison Square Garden's website. My friend purchased tickets to Passion Pit via StubHub, apparently a preferred ticket resaler. As conditions worsened and the MTA issued increasing warnings, we both worried about how we'd actually get to the concert. With each refresh, nothing changed - the concert was still on. My friend drove through intense weather conditions from South New Jersey and checked into her hotel at Newark - an appropriate strategy given the weather conditions and her flight out the next day. Finally, around 5, I went back to my apartment in Williamsburg to get ready for the concert.By around 7, I received a text from my friend saying she had arrived in Newark and was heading to the train station. I trekked to the Bedford Avenue L through the quiet, almost magical streets that is New York City during a snow storm. Halfway there, I received a text. My friend couldn't come into the city after having driven nearly two hours because they stopped all trains going into Manhattan from New Jersey. She was understandably beside herself. She forwarded the email containing the tickets and recommended I go anyway. So I hopped on the L and arrived at Madison Square Garden, excited to see my first concert there but sad my friend couldn't attend. I waited on the on call line with phone in hand, eager to explain my situation. When I arrived at the desk, the clerk informed me that there was nothing he could do. He couldn't print out my tickets because they were through StubHub. I'd have to find a Duane Reade or Kinkos to print them out. I was furious. The entire experience seemed like a case study in companies being irresponsible and mistreating their customers. For one, they should have canceled the concert the minute public transportation started shutting down and government organizations started issuing warnings about Nemo. I recognize rescheduling a concert can be an expensive endeavor but that's what they have insurance for, and jacked up ticket prices. Instead, ticket goers had to lose some serious money or spend even more by taking cabs and alternative routes to attend. I used my phone to find the nearest Duane Reade at their recommendation but of course, it did not have a printer I could use. And according to my phone, there were no nearby FedEx/Kinkos open. Would it have been so expensive for StubHub to have a few printer kiosks? Or for them to include a scannable bar code within their email? Instead, my friend and I lost a good chunk of change and time because of an irresponsible company decision and lack of simple mobile innovation.
This is my first experience at Madison Square Garden and with StubHub, perhaps my last.
The Future of Advertising
Much has been said about the future of advertising. I've had the opportunity to work at a variety of agencies from digital shops to ones with a long history of creating global brands. It's definitely an exciting time if you consider yourself innovative and comfortable with change but for those waiting for advertising's glory days to come back, the over the top, expensive meals and dedicated assistants for management will become a thing of the past. I'm not going to say "the future is mobile" or the future is in social media, etc. At this point, brands should consider whether or not social or mobile is appropriate for their target although I can't imagine a target who doesn't use one or the other. I feel like anything I say will be douchy because who am I to say what the future will be. But...The future of advertising is in big ideas that are completely media and device-agnostic. For agencies to succeed in 2013, successful agencies will be able to tell their clients that they can get the right partners together to implement the idea whether that's hiring a digital production company, mobile app developer or partnering with a PR firm. It might mean acting as the middle man between a startup and a client or organizing a global event through an events production company. The future of advertising may be telling your client to listen to their consumers to make a better product. The future of advertising may be telling your client that they need to make their business more sustainable because it's good for consumers, good for the earth and good for the bottom line. As advertisers, we have something that client's don't. We live in cities that are the hotbeds of culture, not in the suburbs. We are creative and used to collaborating with people of all different backgrounds. We didn't take the traditional path of getting a business degree, MBA, etc. We've taken financial risks, working as artists, writers, academics and we've learned how to be innovative. We are connected to new cultural trends and design and thirsty to see what's next. So for heaven's sake, let's remember that clients hire us for a reason and guide them in the right direction instead of doing their bidding. Work it. 
Where the hell am I?
Apologies my dear readers for being completely M.I.A. and not providing you with any of my "new year-type" wisdom. Alas I have no exotic holiday vacation photos to share with you. But I know you don't come to my blog for that because freelancing ain't no vacation.No, the lesson I'm going to share with you now is a very good one. That what goes around comes around. Over the last two years I have made countless connections, attending networking events, talks and lunches even when all I wanted to do was curl up in my bed and watch Downton Abbey. At every freelance job, I absorbed like a sponge, the wisdom of my superiors while offering a unique perspective gained from my varied assignments. And while there were times when I thought I was better at getting others jobs than myself, in the end karma has come back to me in a positive way. So I haven't been blogging because in between celebrating the holidays with my family and attending a low key Christmas party, I've been working. Multiple freelance assignments that came to me at once (such is the freelance lifestyle). So far, 2013 has been fantastic and I have a good feeling that despite predictions of a slowed economy and continued political shenanigans, 2013 is going to be a good year.
So speaking of karma, a few very talented Miami Ad School kids have put this blog together as a resource for creatives looking to get into advertising. I'm sure there will be many helpful nuggets even for those looking to get into strategy.
Keep Calm And Instagram On: #NoFilter
This week's Instagram fiasco told an interesting story beyond that over user's rights. I woke up on Tuesday to a slew of privacy right screen shots and declarations that Flickr was the new, old, new old.. you get the idea. I downloaded the new Flickr app just to see what all the hype was about and while it was definitely an improvement over the old app, I still wasn't terribly impressed as it forced me to switch between the mobile website and app. But that's not the point.
Everyone had their own, very strong opinion. Some Facebook friends declared how happy they were because they thought Instagram was dumb. Personally, I think they're dumb and were missing the entire point of Instagram in focusing on its filter functionality. HINT... intimate life sharing and relationship building! Many declared they'd be deleting their account in mid January before the new user rights came into effect. I just absorbed the conversation.
As a former art buyer, purchasing stock imagery and hiring photographers, I knew right off the bat that there was no way a photo of me via Instagram would find its way into a banner ad on Facebook. First off, unless Facebook has some sort of secret image recognizing technology or thousands of visually trained photo editors, there is no way an art buyer or photo editor is going to shift through millions of untagged photos to find the right image. For every breathtaking sunset, there are probably at least one hundred boring, blurry, under exposed, or plain visually unappealing photos. And beyond separating the good from the bad, most stock photos are tediously key worded from the more obvious descriptions to the more esoteric. Who would they hire to do that?
Now let's say that they've somehow shifted through the photos and pulled out a handful that they deem sellable. Do you think any photo buyer would risk getting fired or sued just to use an Instagram photo when they have plenty of model released, legally acquired photos from Getty, Shutterstock and iStockPhoto? When I worked for an agency owned by a major holding company, we weren't even allowed to experiment with some of the lesser known stock agencies unless vetted by legal. In fact, every photo used was carefully tracked and assurances were made that the photos had model releases and the stock agency legally owned the photo. While imagery is more important than ever, the stock industry isn't necessarily growing. Rumor has it that 20 year old Corbis, Bill Gates' pet project, is just starting to turn a profit. And while startups like Foap seemed like an exciting idea, I don't know anyone who has actually made a sale of their photo.
So now let's get back to the users. What I found truly interesting about the situation was that as social network users we're becoming increasingly freaked out over the usage of our data. Yes, by all means, it seems oddly more terrifying to have a company profit over our "art" than the cumulative use of our data. But people come on! We've come to expect so much from startups without giving them anything in return. Instagram has introduced me to new friends. I've gotten job interviews through building relationships on the site. I've learned new recipes. I've discovered new restaurants / foods. I've been inspired. I've been moved. And I've been encourage. All through a service that I got for free.
So what can Instagram do to make a profit? Remember when the startup moto used to be, give people something for free and then once they have users, make them pay? Instagram could get away with changing a yearly fee, or creating a pro vs regular account like Flickr. They could work with advertisers like Tumblr to create branded content. Or they can even crowdsource from their loyal users to find out a better way to sustain the service. Now excuse me while I check my feed.
The Half Life of Facts
Got this via Planning Tools & Hacks. Super interesting from a planner perspective because we always have to figure out how to use the knowledge we find and which information is the most important. It's especially interesting when you look at cultural, technology and scientific trends. What is really a trend and what is hype? How important is one technological breakthrough vs. another? Once something is "discovered," then every news outlet capitalizes on it. But what happens if that insight is questionable? When we found out that Jonah Lehrer falsified quotes on his latest book Imagine: How Creativity Works, we all asked ourselves if that debunked his entire hypothesis. Did that make every subsequent article that came out after his book release completely inaccurate?[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RMzBGdRpFY]
Fear Not
I had a whole slew of advice regarding how to get a job this week but it will have to wait because I'm slammed with interviews. I have interviews coming out of my ears but hell, I ain't complaining. Actually, it's been a very good lesson in karma. Duh. You get what you put in and I think I've done a fair amount of reaching out to people and helping others get jobs when I can. So on a lighter / more serious note...
What are your top rational / irrational fears?
Mine, in no particular order are...
1. Accidentally taking Advil PM during the day instead of the non-drowsy kind.
2. Accidentally forgetting my interview heels before an interview and having to interview in my Tom's or buy another pair of heels.
3. Falling onto the subway tracks or watching someone else fall without being able to save them.
4. Stepping on a dead body or scary gross thing while swimming in lakes (someone's watched too many horror movies!)
I think that's about it. I've failed. Been broke. Fallen on my face in public. Gotten fired. Tripped and fell during an onstage musical performance during high school (thanks Scott!). Once found a dead mouse in a sublet. Had bedbugs. My kitten jumped & fell out of my 5th floor window (he wasn't ok). Broken a bone. Broke my computer. And have had countless other experiences that I choose not to share on this blog.
But the point is, once you've lived through your fears and have come out scathed but alive, you've gained the resilience and strength to take whatever leap is necessary in life.
What are your fears?
Trend Series: The Innocent Late 80's
I noticed this trend about five years ago. Suddenly black teenagers were modeling their hair and fashion after Kid 'n Play and The Fresh Prince, the more PG rappers of the late 80's to early 90's. My guess is that it's a defense towards racial profiling and the stereotype that most urban youth are violent, drug-dealing gang members. It's also a backlash towards the more violent, extreme rap. So like any planner should, I asked some friends to back up or dispute my hypothesis (something I will try to do with each trend spotting post).From my friend Jai Wilcher:
Indeed I am black and a dude and from BK, so I think I qualify toserve this panel. I think your DEAD ON with the observation as far as this trend goes, absolutely ... I honestly feel we can have a similar conversation in another 5 years ... and the end result would be close to if not the same, just goes to show the, dare I say "circular" evolution of the trend and the culture of hip hop.
I think now a days, things are extremely different than the way they used to be, image is still important, however the presentation has changed a ton and with that - the idea has altered as well. Gives the whole culture a cleaner, fresher more creative and artistic feel, conveys the same message, but in a more universal manner, I think. I also think those small, independent cells that were the "thinkers" or the "abstracts" those, De La Souls and A Tribe Called Quest and Poor Righteous Teachers version of hip hop advocates from the 80's that were seen as the back burner, weirdos of the movement are finally getting their shine on, and yes, I'd say Will "Fresh Prince" Smith as wellfalls into this category.
And from a good friend and former classmate, Dr. Shonda Lackey who's a clinical psychologist and freelance writer in NYC and who's conducted research on how racism and stigma can affect interpersonal relationships and health:
I hadn't noticed this trend, but in most cases, the way people dress often indicates something about the way they perceive themselves and how they want to be perceived by others. This is what fashion designers and brand marketers know. Some Blacks adopt a particular style of dress so as to deflect negative perceptions others might have of them. Others might adopt a style that challenges the status quo as racists will view Blacks in a negative manner regardless of how they present themselves. Yet, it can't be assumed that a Black is making a political statement based on his or her choice of clothing. The only way to really find out an individual's beliefs and values is to get to know him or her on the individual level.
So I think this is another great example of two aspects of account planning. The first is straight from art history 101; that visual trends; whether in fashion, architecture or design can be outlays of cultural shifts. The second is that once again, we can't categorize people (or our consumers) based on their age, race, location, etc. but must get deeper into understanding what their experiences and viewpoints are to better understand their culture.
NYC City Guide: Best Cheap Haircut
If you're looking for a cheap haircut; i.e. under $50 for women, I highly recommend Tease on 2nd Avenue. I found Tease after finding a review in NY Magazine and have been going for the last few years. I usually get Jason but have had a few people and they're all good. But what makes the experience extra, extra special is their head massages while they wash your hair. Seriously. To die for. I'd take a head massage over complimentary tea any day. Last week I decided to take the plunge and chopped off all my hair. With a few celebrity photos I had compiled on Pinterest for reference, Jason was able to transform my hair from a safe but shapeless mid-length to a bold, curl embracing cut. Change your hair, change your life right? Perhaps with my age appropriate cut, I'll finally stop getting carded. The below photo was taken while my hair was still wet so not in its full curly glory but you get the idea.
Digital Strategy vs. Brand Planning
During my internet research, I stumbled upon this thorough explanation of how digital strategy and brand planning are different. I've always been interested in both and hate that the industry makes us choose. In fact, I think choosing to work in both areas has hurt me in landing a full time job because employers want to pin you as one thing, not a generalist. People, this ain't politics and I shouldn't have to pick sides! I'm a strong believer, like Jinal Shah, that the two disciplines will eventually merge. But as Jinal points out, right now there aren't enough planners who are interested in digital for that to happen. And as someone who regularly attends tech meetups, just volunteered at a hackathon and is considered an early adopter, I can tell you that one needs to be excited about digital to delve into digital strategy. See Jinal's post below.
Let’s fuckin’ set the record straight: Account planners and digital strategists are NOT the same
May 29th, 2012 •
I vehemently disagree with the tendency most planners have in assuming that a planner and a strategist is one and the same. The argument is not about the title – which could be merely semantics but it is about the work process and the skill-set. It is especially easy to mistake and get confused about this in the type of environment we work in (i.e advertising agency) Step outside this bubble, and you’ll see that there are many flavors to a digital strategist and there are several deep skill-sets they have honed and developed over time to be simply merged with planning.
Just as there are several layers to brand planning, there are several layers (maybe more) to digital planning. If you ask me, digital planning sits under brand planning and not next to it because it needs to ladder up to the brand attributes/ values etc.
My biggest criticism of traditional account planning is that the planners don’t get very involved in the actual “making” of the idea. It’s called production in planner speak and the word is boring and uninspiring but in digital – that’s really where the idea gets made. And the idea continues to morph until it is beta tested. It continues to morph even as it is launched and the results come in and we tweak and make the idea better in real-time. Digital strategy is the true marriage of account planning, creative and production.
A (good) digital strategist works for the idea. With digital, you have to launch an idea that is in perfect harmony with innovation and current consumer habits/behaviors. You have to launch an idea that is technologically not too advanced and not too behind – Goldilocks! And that is not production or creative’s job alone – that is as much strategic thinking and application of tactical insights.
Also, the insights a planner brings to the table often only inform the birth of the idea or a creative direction. The insights that a digital strategist brings to the table informs the success of the idea and the actual meat and flesh of it. Sometimes the insight or “strategy” maybe tactical (will this particular user experience really invite participation and sharing?) and sometimes it is blue-sky. Point is – these insights underwrite the making of the idea and its success across the phases.
Our role will eventually become obsolete – it will mostly be absorbed by creative and a very small part of it will be absorbed by planning. But not yet. And not for the next few years. We have far too many traditional planners that simply aren’t interested in digital to wear this hat. You can’t teach someone to be an early adopter or experiment with technology or play around and deeply immerse/ engage in every new social platform or make games. Advertising needs us right now so if you still don’t get it – please STFU and let us do our jobs.
Call us whatever the fuck you want – as long as you let us work for the idea. I’ve even swept floors and washed dishes in name of creative. So there.
If you have more questions or want to hear more thoughts – please see the most popular posts (to your right). Feel free to leave a comment, unless you are going to serve up the same drivel I’ve been reading.
Weekend Web Guide
Just in case there's a moment this weekend where you actually want to spend time at your computer - you know - glued to it like it's a weekday- here's a short list of some of my favorite sites.For honest, entertaining and helpful relationship advice whether you're single or dating, check out The Date Report from HowAboutWe.
For gift ideas, fashion and all around regular inspiration for women, check out my favorite blog Cup of Jo by Joanna Goddard.
For a regular dose of creative inspiration, add Visual News to your RSS reader.
NYC Guide: Cheap & Chic Dresses
Nearly a decade of living in or near New York City has taught me a thing or two about where to find the best coffee, where to get cheap dresses that aren't from Forever 21, decent work spots, etc. So here goes the start of another series. None of these posts are paid for and are all from my own experiences. If any of that changes, I'll let you know.
First up, what all my male readers have been waiting for. Dresses!
I discovered Cora dresses about two years ago at Artists & Fleas right outside of the Williamsburg flea market. The dresses are a very simple but femininely cut, made in one size. They're less than $50 and they constantly come out with new and interesting patterns, making a collection inevitable. (I have three!) I especially love how the cut is sweet and feminine but the patterns; ranging from graphic elements to foxes, are cleverly unexpected. Wear them over jeans, leggings, stockings or go bare. Dress them up or make them look more casual. And see their website for locations. I'm a fan of their stand at Chelsea Market but I recommend eating the obligatory crepe, lobster roll or gelato after you try on their dresses.
And if you plan on wearing a Cora dress while attending an event that I'm attending, for heaven's sake - contact me first so we can coordinate!
