It all ends on July 15

I love taking in the outdoor advertising in Los Angeles. An amazing number of boards are for what we at smz have branded as part of the consumer's Escape Plan. iPad2, Las Vegas resorts, Universal Studios, Virgin Air, McDonald's, ... And of course the movies. Having spent the past few days in LA I witnessed the power of the Harry Potter franchise in the outdoor advertising space. They don't even have to show the logo or say the name of the film. Simply dramatic images from the film and the foreboding line, "It all ends 7.15"

Actually it all begins on 7.15. Or in my daughter's case at midnight on July 14.

A Community Service Model in our Community

I want to give my daughter grief for sleeping the summer away, but I can't. She's working this summer. And working on something that makes a difference. For those over 17, get to know Summer in the City - Detroit. This program was started by students, is run by students, and dispels all myths about the lack of initiative of the students in "generation next."

For the past two years I've been writing about consumer escapes. For those in the city with limited means, their escapes start at home, in the neighborhood, and in the parks. Places to escape to, not escape from. Thank you Summer in the City for your commitment to painting, planting and playing all around the City of Detroit.

No Cover Jinx Here | Tiger Woods PGA Tour '11

Our Escape research showed golf and video games as top consumer escapes. No surprise there. Who better than EA Sports to put the two together. From the Adweek story:

Nike might want him now, but EA Sports was the brand who bet early on Rory McIlroy, the young golfer from Northern Ireland who won the U.S. Open this weekend—following great runs at the Masters and the British Open. Last summer, EA took the interesting step of adding McIlroy, then just 20, to the cover of its Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 video game. 

Rock and Roll Never Forgets

Last night I was walking into the Palace of Auburn Hills with my wife and two daughters to see Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. My oldest daughter, Rebecca plays the saxophone and was super excited to see the band, especially Alto Reed. My less excited daughter, Brooke who's nearly 16 and counting the days and minutes to becoming a legal driver said, "dad, why again am I going to a concert where I'm the youngest person in attendance?" After passing throngs of tailgaters she added, "and I think you're the second youngest person going to this show." My cynical teenager wasn't so far off. The silver heads were out in force to see the Silver Bullet Band.

When I was closer to ten than 16 I was lucky enough to see Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band in concert at Cobo Hall. It was definitely one of the first live shows I attended. Little did I know that those recorded shows would become the classic "Live Bullet." Here's what an Amazon reviewer posted about Live Bullet in 2000:

Bob Seger's career seemed to be going nowhere fast when he recorded the fantastic live album "Live Bullet" and consequently jump started his career. Though it was released before the album "Night Moves" and as a result contains few of his best known songs, it is still full of great songs and great performances. The best sequence is "Travelin' Man/Beautiful Loser" in which he links two good studio songs into one great live performance. Also first rate are the burned out performer anthem "Turn the Page," (lately covered by Metallica) with its weary vocals, the ballad "Jody Girl" and some great rave up versions of his early singles "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man," "Katmandu" and "Get Out of Denver." Any fan of Bob Seger or of great American classic rock should own this record.

Note the reviewer said "record." Last night's show represented four decades of memories. Memories that spanned records, 8-tracks, cassettes, CD's and iTunes downloads. Falling asleep I realized how I should have answered my daughter's question.  And how I felt being there with my wife and daughters. I'll leave it to seemingly the one song Bob didn't sing last night.

I've seen you smiling in the summer sun
I've seen your long hair flying when you run
I've made my mind up that it's meant to be
Someday lady you'll accomp'ny me

Mocking our obsession with electronic gadgets

Awhile back I posted about the crazy number of Apple products my family owns. Most work beautifully, but occasionally I have to visit the Genius Bar for help.

A friend forwarded this video, or I should say programme, that wonderfully mocks our tech speak. Enjoy the escape.

Voicing an animal is never easy

As a kid growing up in an advertising family I got the chance, at age 9, to be the voice of a canary for one of my father's accounts. I had one line. When I got in the studio I choked. Did I mention that I was 9? Using analog editing techniques the engineer made me sound like Alvin the Chipmunk. That passed client muster, the client said ok and I got paid a large fee ... $1. Again, did I mention I was 9? I'm posting that painful childhood memory because my iTunes radio is playing Hakuna Matata (adults singing and acting as animals) while I read about the conclusion of the Aflac voice over search. A talking duck. Here's what was reported on CNN.com:

"Aflac! Aflaaac!," cried Dan McKeague, a 36-year-old father of three from suburban Minneapolis.
McKeague, a sales manager at a local radio station with some experience doing voice overs, was one of the many hopeful celebrities, voice over artists and average Joes that submitted over 12,500 live and online auditions to provide the distinctive voice of the Aflac Duck.

No, I didn't try out. Three decades are not enough to erase the memory. Hope Mr. McKeague got his $1. And thanks to the Lion King, I have no worries.

An earnest "Ernie"

I grew up a Detroit Tigers fan. For most of my life that meant listening to Tigers games on the radio brought to vivid "theater of the mind" life by the great Ernie Harwell, the voice of baseball.

On Saturday evening my wife and I had the pleasure to see a preview of Mitch Albom's new play entitled, "Ernie" about the life and times of broadcaster Ernie Harwell. Not theater of the mind. Just great theater. This two man show made me laugh, made me cry, and made me feel like a kid again. I encourage any Tigers fan, any baseball fan, any human being to get down to the intimate City Theatre on Woodward behind the Hockeytown Cafe for a wonderful show. Make it Tuesdays with Morrie. And then Friday night with Ernie.