Charles Erdman

Charles Erdman http://charleserdman.com Design ~ User Experience ~ Curios posterous.com Wed, 23 May 2012 19:14:00 -0700 Coca Cola's Novel Approach to Generating Awareness http://charleserdman.com/coca-colas-novel-approach-to-generating-aware http://charleserdman.com/coca-colas-novel-approach-to-generating-aware

Screen_shot_2012-05-23_at_7

This is a novel idea to generating audience activity- lower a music band suspended 50 meters in the air onto a concert stage by downloading music to your mobile phone.

In the words of one of the marketers:

"We took advantage of the launch of the new album of a renowned local band, invited them and created a concert like no other, in which young people where the ones who, by downloading the album’s songs from their mobile phones, also downloaded the band from a height of 50 meters. Every time the audience downloaded a song, the band played it and came down 10 meters, until they reached ground level with their fans."

The agency is Ogilvy & Mather Columbia.

Permalink

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Thu, 17 May 2012 12:38:00 -0700 Smartphone Video Consumption Booming http://charleserdman.com/smartphone-video-consumption-booming-15781 http://charleserdman.com/smartphone-video-consumption-booming-15781

It's true, we love watching video everywhere.

Global-multi-screen

The convenience of connected devices in almost every space we sit, walk, eat or lie in makes the temptation of watching some form of entertainment almost too much to bear.

The report states, “With the growth of smartphones, mobile video consumption is on the rise for entertainment content, particularly in emerging markets where many consumers leapfrog home Internet altogether in favor of the all-in-one smartphone.”

This quote underscores the reality that we are truly entering the post-PC age when mobile devices dominate and thus mobile experiences are going to be what we are asked to design more often.

What this study doesn't reveal is the amount of time viewing video on the "throne"...

See the report here: http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/global/global-report-multi-screen-media-u...

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Wed, 02 May 2012 16:45:33 -0700 Oscar Mayer: It's Yes Food http://charleserdman.com/oscar-mayer-its-yes-food http://charleserdman.com/oscar-mayer-its-yes-food

Pastedgraphic-2

Oscar Mayer (Kraft Foods) needed to reposition and put cold cuts and processed meats into a new light so we would reconsider this "food". Rightfully so, people are concerned with what goes in to a meat product that has a consistent appearance and nice even slices. The muscle tissue of animals don't naturally look that way- guaranteed.

Paraphrased from AdAge: "To win those customers back, Oscar Mayer has launched a new line of cold cuts, Oscar Mayer Selects, which will be promoted as having "no artificial preservatives" in a campaign that Kraft said is among the biggest ad efforts in the history of Oscar Mayer, a brand dating to the late 1800s."

That's a big move and worth taking note of.

This tv spot - done by Dentsu's McGarryBowen - is super strong.

http://bcove.me/glmy448f

AdAge article: http://adage.com/article/news/oscar-mayer-spending-big-selects-line/234496/

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Wed, 02 May 2012 16:12:00 -0700 The Human Epoch- The Anthropocene http://charleserdman.com/the-human-epoch-the-anthropocene http://charleserdman.com/the-human-epoch-the-anthropocene

Pastedgraphic-1

For thousands of years we humans have imagined the planet to be so vast and the resources so limitless that our impact was minimal. Because we could never see the broader, global changes our local actions were having, we isolated the outcome.

That has changed. We are now in a new planetary period where human activities shape the globe. We are now a force that is greater than earth's natural change rhythms. For instance, we move more sediment and rock than earth's natural process of erosion.

Do you like to read? This link provides a primer on The Anthropocene: http://www.globaia.org/en/anthropocene/

Do you just enjoy images? These are startling images of our "lines" of air traffic, telecommunication cables, etc. across the globe. http://www.globaia.org/en/anthropocene/#Maps

Do you prefer to watch video? This video describes the evolution of human's influence on the planet.

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:18:18 -0700 Do the Unexpected- Funded by Nike. http://charleserdman.com/do-the-unexpected-funded-by-nike http://charleserdman.com/do-the-unexpected-funded-by-nike

Pastedgraphic-2

Nike hired two film makers to create a short film about its FuelBand smart bracelet. I know little about the product, though it is probably a new configuration of the Nike+ system that connects your shoe to your phone. (yup, the lead image above has nothing to do with a smart bracelet that tracks your performance... but who cares?)

However, none of this is important to this post.

What is cool is how the filmmakers used the production budget money. They went on holiday.

The two filmed a 10-day trip around the world mixing in scenes of an "active" "just do it" ethos. In the edit, they post inspirational quotes from Mae West, Hunter Thompson and Eleanor Roosevelt that set the tone of the video. Basically, its their rationale for doing a hand-held spot versus a slick sexy professional quality spot and having an awesome experience on someone else's dime.

The video is motivational and sells travel and adventure more than it sells a plastic wrist band.

Of all the quotes, I'm particularly drawn to this one:

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."

- Mae West

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:45:18 -0700 Writing Tips from Authors With Credibility http://charleserdman.com/writing-tips-from-authors-with-credibility http://charleserdman.com/writing-tips-from-authors-with-credibility

Kurt Vonnegut's Eight Tips for writing a great story:

1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.

2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.

3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.

4. Every sentence must do one of two things-reveal character or advance the action.

5. Start as close to the end as possible.

6. Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them-in order that the reader may see what they are made of.

7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.

8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To hell with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.

Next up- David Ogilvy

Pastedgraphic-1

David Ogilvy's advice on writing sent out to all agency employees on September 7th, 1982, titled “How to Write”:

The better you write, the higher you go in Ogilvy & Mather. People who think well, write well.

Woolly minded people write woolly memos, woolly letters and woolly speeches.

Good writing is not a natural gift. You have to learn to write well. Here are 10 hints:

1. Read the Roman-Raphaelson book on writing. Read it three times.

2. Write the way you talk. Naturally.

3. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.

4. Never use jargon words like reconceptualize, demassification,attitudinally, judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.

5. Never write more than two pages on any subject.

6. Check your quotations.

7. Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning — and then edit it.

8. If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it.

9. Before you send your letter or your memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do.

10. If you want ACTION, don’t write. Go and tell the guy what you want.

- David

The above came from the same man who wrote a letter to a Mr. Ray Calt talking about his writing process:

April 19, 1955

Dear Mr. Calt:

On March 22nd you wrote to me asking for some notes on my work habits as a copywriter. They are appalling, as you are about to see:

1. I have never written an advertisement in the office. Too many interruptions. I do all my writing at home.

2. I spend a long time studying the precedents. I look at every advertisement which has appeared for competing products during the past 20 years.

3. I am helpless without research material—and the more "motivational" the better.

4. I write out a definition of the problem and a statement of the purpose which I wish the campaign to achieve. Then I go no further until the statement and its principles have been accepted by the client.

5. Before actually writing the copy, I write down every concievable fact and selling idea. Then I get them organized and relate them to research and the copy platform.

6. Then I write the headline. As a matter of fact I try to write 20 alternative headlines for every advertisement. And I never select the final headline without asking the opinion of other people in the agency. In some cases I seek the help of the research department and get them to do a split-run on a battery of headlines.

7. At this point I can no longer postpone the actual copy. So I go home and sit down at my desk. I find myself entirely without ideas. I get bad-tempered. If my wife comes into the room I growl at her. (This has gotten worse since I gave up smoking.)

8. I am terrified of producing a lousy advertisement. This causes me to throw away the first 20 attempts.

9. If all else fails, I drink half a bottle of rum and play a Handel oratorio on the gramophone. This generally produces an uncontrollable gush of copy.

10. The next morning I get up early and edit the gush.

11. Then I take the train to New York and my secretary types a draft. (I cannot type, which is very inconvenient.)

12. I am a lousy copywriter, but I am a good editor. So I go to work editing my own draft. After four or five editings, it looks good enough to show to the client. If the client changes the copy, I get angry—because I took a lot of trouble writing it, and what I wrote I wrote on purpose.

Altogether it is a slow and laborious business. I understand that some copywriters have much greater facility.

Yours sincerely,

D.O.

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:25:00 -0700 Using Comedy to Sell Ideas http://charleserdman.com/using-comedy-to-sell-ideas http://charleserdman.com/using-comedy-to-sell-ideas

Pastedgraphic-1

BLITZ's Head of Strategy, Tamer Kattan, is also a comedian. Like anyone who needs to learn a craft, he sought to understand how comedy works- timing, delivery, inflection, audience engagement, etc. Recently, he shared with me some secrets for presenting to clients.

Tamer examined the anatomy of certain comedic stories and found that the ones grounded in TRUTH follow a similar path. When a listener hears a story, they build a picture in their mind. The brain automatically makes assumptions built on universal experiences. The comedic moment occurs when the assumed story line is broken. That moment becomes memorable.

As Tamer states, there is actually a science to it.

"When people laugh, endorphins bring down their defenses. It’s why comedy is one of the few forms of communication that gets away with criticizing societies biggest taboos: religion, politics, sex, etc.. I target EXACTLY where I will use comedy to set up the parts of presentations that may / will likely meet resistance, because that is exactly where I want endorphins to be released."

Chris Bliss, another comedian, also has something to share about the anatomy of storytelling. In the following video, he discusses all of the above, including honesty and integrity in comedy sourcing the effectiveness of Jon Stewart and Tina Fey on America's public policy awareness.

Lastly, I leave you with this quote, sourced from the video.

"Every act of communication is an act of translation."

- from "If This Be Treason," by Gregory Rabassa

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:46:00 -0700 Ultrabook Temptations Social Campaign http://charleserdman.com/ultrabook-temptations-social-campaign http://charleserdman.com/ultrabook-temptations-social-campaign

Pastedgraphic-2

"The Temptations are a series of social experiments that explore just what people are prepared to do to get their hands on an Ultrabook."

The above short description captures the heart of the viral campaign. In this instance, "viral" is about how many views a video gets. However there are at least 2-3 awareness streams happening here. One is during the actual filming of the videos when an audience engages in the theater of the primary gimmick. They become aware of the product and are exposed in a random, unexpected manner.

The second is the viewing of the videos and the third will be this- YOU reading this post. In my case it was reading press about the campaign.

This is the first video that got me following along the trail of breadcrumbs.

And two others:

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:30:37 -0700 Humanizing Technology http://charleserdman.com/humanizing-technology http://charleserdman.com/humanizing-technology

Pastedgraphic-1

Wonderful commercial for Sony Xperia TV directed by Wes Anderson. Technology returns to the land of the "gee whiz" imagination of a child. Solid stop animation fun to boot.

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:36:00 -0700 Steal Like An Artist http://charleserdman.com/steal-like-an-artist http://charleserdman.com/steal-like-an-artist

Pastedgraphic-1

The beauty of being someone involved with creative services or the design world or design craft (take your pick), is that we can unabashedly admit and even celebrate that we steal. We steal other people's ideas and executions. We build upon the shoulder's of those designers and artists whom came before us. Sometimes those artists are long dead or we steal what may have just been displayed or discussed or sketched an hour ago. Nothing like stealing an idea pipping hot from the oven…

Mashing up other's ideas to create your own is awesome. I would argue that it's most successfully done when you can no longer recognize the original seed or seeds of inspiration. That the new version is unrecognizable from the original.

Austin Kleon is an author and artist who has a great deal to say on this subject and has made a name for himself doing just that in his newest book, Steal Like An Artist. You can view his site here and/or watch a video on the topic. Good job, Austin!

Site: http://www.austinkleon.com/steal/

Video:

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:16:00 -0700 Storytelling and Real Storytelling http://charleserdman.com/storytelling-and-real-storytelling http://charleserdman.com/storytelling-and-real-storytelling

69321main_comets_silk-lg

There's Storytelling...and Then There's Strategic Storytelling

There's a lot of talk about storytelling going around these days. Over the past several years, this timeless and infinitely familiar craft has become somewhat of a darling in the corporate world, with more and more companies looking to use storytelling in their communications and branding efforts.

The fact that storytelling is in fashion is not surprising. Since man first started communicating with each other, stories have been the way we most readily and naturally share thoughts, feelings and experiences with others. Throughout history, great leaders have used storytelling to connect people to ideas, to each other and to a vision of the future they feel inspired and empowered to make real. (Watch Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech, and you'll see what I mean) Storytelling works because it's already in our nature, and a well-crafted story well told has a way of reaching through and touching us in ways that the typical advertising campaign or mission statement simply can't.

http://www.recourses.com/recourses-storytelling-and-real-storytelling

]]> http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4afFThoCv9bH Tim Richards nanotim Tim Richards Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:53:05 -0800 Los Angeles Shot Through a Snow Globe http://charleserdman.com/los-angeles-shot-through-a-snow-globe http://charleserdman.com/los-angeles-shot-through-a-snow-globe

Colin Mika and Brandon Vedder of All Cut Up Films created this amazing time-lapse video of Los Angeles by photographing the city through a “snow globe”. They captured 4000 images with a custom rig, which consisted of a Canon 5D Mark II, a homemade tilt-shift lens, a light bulb filled with water, and paper cutouts for shaped bokeh.

Happy holiday season, Los Angeles. You can still shine.

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:14:19 -0800 The World of Social Media 2011 http://charleserdman.com/the-world-of-social-media-2011 http://charleserdman.com/the-world-of-social-media-2011 Beyond the fact that the motion graphics on this are simple, smart and appropriately applied, there are some good figures to have at your disposal (when quoting the number of tweets per second at the Christmas dinner table). You're uncle will be suitably dismayed...

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:01:00 -0700 Microsoft's Productivity Vision for 2011 http://charleserdman.com/microsofts-productivity-vision-for-2011 http://charleserdman.com/microsofts-productivity-vision-for-2011

The start of this video shows a personal information device that connects with network enabled devices all around you. Once we get to the point of every piece of glass having the capacity to be an interface, the future will be both exciting and possibly overly intrusive.

The video demonstrates highly interconnected, sensory devices that probably use wifi and bluetooth communications along with some kind of radio ID overlay. Fun to think about the possibilities.

Next up, the future of a super electricity grid that can power all our toys; never deliver a brown-out; and be sustainably sourced. Oh, and don't forget a data network that can handle gigabytes of data streaming, real-time all over the earth using satellites, towers and landlines.

That's the vision video I'd like to see next... I know, infrastructure... boring.

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:05:32 -0700 The French Fly. I Stay Grounded. http://charleserdman.com/the-french-fly-i-stay-grounded http://charleserdman.com/the-french-fly-i-stay-grounded

The experience of watching this is awe inspiring, testicle shrinking and allows one to ponder the edge.

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:54:00 -0700 Every New Business Needs a Social-Good Component http://charleserdman.com/every-new-business-needs-a-social-good-compon http://charleserdman.com/every-new-business-needs-a-social-good-compon

Inspiring talk from reformed Ad-Man, Alex Bogusky.

Summary- we are a the cusp of a new capitalist revolution that puts people people first. There are powerful movements happening around decentralized collaboration, common values and access. The good news- each of us can participate.

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:49:00 -0700 Awesome Animated GIF http://charleserdman.com/awesome-animated-gif http://charleserdman.com/awesome-animated-gif

Reminds me of Ashes and Snow...

Bouncing-elephant_500

Source: http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lle40l5rH31qewazuo1_500.gif#

Ashes & Snow: http://www.ashesandsnow.org/

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:39:00 -0700 A UX Critique of the Facebook UI. http://charleserdman.com/a-ux-critique-of-the-facebook-ui http://charleserdman.com/a-ux-critique-of-the-facebook-ui

Nicely called out, Ben Smith. Thanks for taking the time to illustrate how Facebook's UI has run amok.

Drunk on Their Own Agility.pptx Download this file

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:36:00 -0700 Video: Statement on Marketing. Microsoft's iPod Packaging. http://charleserdman.com/video-statement-on-marketing-microsofts-ipod http://charleserdman.com/video-statement-on-marketing-microsofts-ipod

What if Microsoft introduced their version of the iPod? How would their packaging reflect their view on communication? This is good humor because it reflects reality.

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:57:00 -0700 Facebook Timeline Creates Context http://charleserdman.com/facebook-timeline-creates-context http://charleserdman.com/facebook-timeline-creates-context

The present and future of media and commerce consumption is all about context. When there's too much stuff, too much noise, too many choices, we need someone to help us find the right things at the right time.

Facebook is betting that your friends will help you curate your life. They might be right.

Now take that, add a complete timeline of your life, relationships, activities, likes/dislikes and you've got a commerce platform that staggers the mind to think about. If this is done right, there are going to be immense opportunities within the Facebook ecosystem.

Here's a link to a man who understood the value long before and his venture that influenced recent Facebook moves:

http://feltron.com

Here's the article:

New Facebook Timeline Is All About Discovery And Explosive Revenue Growth | Fast Company http://bit.ly/nosDqX

]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1141689/cwe-villandry-bw.jpg http://posterous.com/users/heOjH2OpV5Hvk Charles Erdman Charley Charles Erdman