Experiencing the new Bose VideoWave

Walk into any Costco store and you're immediately in the TV zone. Amazingly 60" screens look small in their cavernous stores. Yesterday I walked into a Bose store at the outlet mall. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, just being curious. Immediately the salesperson ushered me into a vault-like home theatre room in the back of the store for a product demonstration. I sat in a chair facing a darkened flat screen television mounted on the wall surrounded by various sized black speakers. After the effects of lightning and thunder filled the room with sound the screen came to life with concert footage, sports action, roller coasters, ... the usual beauty shots with distinctive audio. What was amazing was during the demo the salesperson from Bose went up to each speaker and pulled away black covering to reveal NO speakers underneath. Even the big subwoofer box on the floor magically disappeared.

Rather than painstakingly rigging wire all over the room to individual speakers and a receiver, the Bose folks invented VideoWave. It's actually Bose's first television, a 46" LCD with a secret. Behind the HD display lie sixteen built-in speakers, enough to fill the room with rich, real, and booming sound. The sound comes from left, right and all around. It was quite amazing. They even created an intuitive, non-intimidating remote. Unfortunately at over $5,000 for the whole set-up the price is quite intimidating. But what's is the escape of consumer electronics if not for some new gadgetry to jones for? See - and hear it - if you get a chance.

Big Red (Secretariat)

I vividly remember watching Secretariat's romp home in the 1973 Belmont Stakes. I was seven years-old and little did I know that I was watching a race that would influence me for life. As the movie Secretariat opens today I can proudly call myself one of a small set of fans who know Secretariat's race record, his breeding, his successful progeny and a devoted fan of the sport he "Kinged" for the intervening 38 years. Hopefully this film will excite new-found appeal for thoroughbred horseracing. (The betting part is parimutuel so the more the merrier.) Each spring racing fans will begin talking about the "next Secretariat." There will never be another Secretariat but it's proof that in horse racing hope springs eternal. And I sure hope the movie lives up to my memories.

Off on a true "escape," a Mexican Cruise. Possible postings to come from sea. If not, I'll be back on the case to report on buffets, beaches, and "bandits" in a week. Hasta luego.

Congratulations to the Goodfellows

Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford Motor Company

This morning the The Old Newsboys’ Goodfellow Fund of Detroit honored Ford CEO, Alan Mulally with the Edward McNamara Goodfellow of the Year Award at Tribute Breakfast XXI at Cobo Hall. Congratulations to Mr. Mullaly, the Goodfellows', and all the volunteers of this 95-year-old charity whose sole mission is to ensure that there is “No Kiddie without a Christmas.” Each holiday season the Detroit Goodfellows distribute holiday gift boxes to over 36,000 children ages four through 13 living in Detroit, Highland Park, River Rouge and Hamtramck. Each child receives warm clothing, toys, books, games and candy.

"The more I learn about the Goodfellows, the more I learn how fantastic an organization it is," Mulally said. "It's amazing what happens when skilled and motivated people get together to help others."

The Goodfellows' have a fundraising goal of $1.3 million this year. If you're inspired to support the organization please click the link above.

The Tenth Inning

I'm halfway "home"on Ken Burns' latest. I'll let the PBS write-up tell the story:

The Tenth Inning is a two-part, four-hour documentary film directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. A new chapter in Burns's landmark 1994 series, BASEBALL, The Tenth Inning tells the tumultuous story of the national pastime from the 1990s to the present day.
Introducing an unforgettable array of players, teams and fans, the film showcases the era's extraordinary accomplishments and heroics — as well as its devastating losses and disappointments.
Combining extraordinary highlights, stunning still photographs, and insightful commentary by players, managers, and fans, The Tenth Inning interweaves the story of the national pastime with the story of America.

Good stuff. How do I know? It got my daughter to close her laptop and watch just one screen. If you're looking to get primed for baseball's post-season ESCAPE find a repeat airing of The Tenth Inning on your favorite PBS station.

Door-to-door marketing goes under the door

I had the pleasure of running the ADT Security advertising account in the U.S. for many years. One of our effective tactical tools for the brand (and for the pizza guys) was the simple door hanger piece. I recall the instructions on these programs was explicit about NOT sliding the piece under doors. We took the blue 1's and zero's that form the ADT force-field of protection very seriously. ADT Chile and DDB went the more invasive route as demonstrated in the video. Hope the Chinese restaurants in New York don't see this. Pasar bien.

R.E.M. was right

Earlier this year we conducted a survey on Consumer Escapes. When asked "which of the following do you consider yourself passionate about," religion ranked 14th behind things like food, health, books, movies, and career. No wonder Americans didn't fare so well on this Pew Forum national survey. (To paraphrase R.E.M., that's us in the spotlight losing our religion.)

In our smaller-scale smz research study consumers were looking for "breathing space - a release from everyday activities or responsibilities." 77% strongly or somewhat agreed with that need. Clearly those same adults don't seek out religion to provide that breathing space. So Apple is happy, and the folks who teach about the first bite from the apple, maybe less so.

We could use a little Demolition Derby

It's a challenge on this blog to write about new and different consumer escapes. Last week we were editing a new television commercial for the Detroit Red Wings. In the edit there's a shot of a vicious body check by Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall. I commented that it reminded me of a demolition derby. One of the young creative team members gave me that "what you talking about old guy" look. I fondly recall watching the demolition derby as a kid. Now that was an escape. I fantasized that by the time I got my license I'd be able to give it a try. Unfortunately I never got my chance. Now with ESC, ABS, GPS, nine airbags and fiberglass bumpers I don't think it would be as much fun. Yet from time-to-time - when a driver on his phone does the jerk pass in the right hand lane at a stoplight - I wish I had a well-used V-nosed 1972 Pontiac Catalina to take him out demolition style.