Letters from Lockdown: A Slice of Pizza

She only wanted a slice of pizza. 

She learned of the pizza popup through Instagram, and in early evening walked to the location, which happened to be in her neighborhood. There she saw around twenty people at closely placed tables in a small space. The proximity to so many people made her nervous. They appeared to be enjoying a night out. She should have gone earlier, in retrospect, to avoid the crowd, but wanted the outing to coincide with her second daily walk. 

She waited to order at the window. There was not much space to stand, so she stood apart from the other two people. After she paid, the server said to wait to the right, across the alley. As five or ten minutes passed, she decided to leave and return, since it became windy and cold, and she saw a group receive an entire pizza, which made her think she would have to wait for a while. She thought they would save the slice for her when she returned in about twenty minutes.

When she returned, the server said, "We looked for you, but couldn't find you." He said to have a seat and the Chef (the reason for her visit) would make her a new slice. She waited, and received a beautiful slice. Due to her nervousness from being close to others during COVID-19, she decided to return home. Upon her return, she noticed the slice had meat on it, which she hadn't seen in the dark, and which she couldn't eat, as a vegetarian. 

She returned to the bar's window with the slice, and told the server. He apologized profusely and refunded her money, since they no longer had the vegetarian pizza. Later she messaged the Chef about the mixup, and he nicely offered her a pizza pie at his next popup. 

She longed for the days when one could enter a pizzeria, pay, and leave with a slice. Without social distancing. Without fear of others being infected. Without discomfort.

Letters from Lockdown: Farmers Market Sadness

Tuesday is the cruelest day. 

It reminds one of the Saturday farmers market which one does not visit, a weekly event for years. Instead one shops on Tuesday to avoid the lines and crowds. 

One misses the conviviality, the information from farmers, the experts on produce. One had favorite vendors, and favorite stands for specific fruit or vegetables.

Now one dodges a few people who are browsing and they may perhaps buy a bunch of basil. Conversation is hurried with farmers, or nonexistent. Move along. Stay apart. 

The regular shoppers are not there. The favorites are not there. Instead one chooses among a handful of stands. Items may be bundled, since we cannot choose for ourselves. Perhaps with a hand inside a plastic bag one could. However, the policies change each week. 

One discovers the taste of food purchased at home, and is happily surprised, or not.

Yet one is safe. One could be outdoors briefly. One could eat well. One is alive.

Letters from Lockdown: COVID-19 Parkour

Up and down, back and forth one walks. One is transported to the board game Chutes and Ladders, although in real life. 

We have to keep our distance. In order to do so, one may have to walk into the gutter, cross the street, wait for others or even walk to the next block, up a hill. 

Don't complain. At least one could have exercise.

Yet one has difficulty with the dog walkers. So slow, an impediment. The dogs have a great life, since they could take their time. The sidewalk is fascinating to them. Why?

In order to have exercise, one learns the empty streets. One learns the empty times. One could go faster without others to go around. We will not reveal these secret places. It is for others to discover themselves.

Parkour: The word derives from parcours du combat (obstacle course). Now one knows what it means. Other pedestrians are the obstacles in this course. Oh, to be a runner! One could quickly detour around the obstacles.

Oh, to be a flậneur, as in the past, strolling through the city, stopping and looking in store windows, at buildings, at flowers, at whatever, just avoiding bumping into others, without a care. How one longs for those days, pre-COVID-19. Will they return? 

Caveat emptor

The hotel looks pretty in the pictures. The reviews are great. It has thousands of Instagram followers. Their restaurant appears attractive.

The request for a quiet room was for naught, since most of the rooms face a parking area. The restaurant, which appeared to be in the main building, is in the parking area. The late night people made noise as they left the restaurant.

The air conditioning unit was deafening, so the engineer brought a fan to use instead. The dead bolt was misaligned, so he had to repair it so the room's door could be locked. The mirror on the bathroom door was loose and might fall. The floor was warped where it met the entrance to the bathroom and would be replaced, the engineer said.

"Old Painting" by Krebs' Class is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The blanket did appear like the one in the pictures. The lobby is cute and cozy. The location is close to town, within walking distance. A move (luckily) to the main building assured sleep, due to a less noisy air conditioner.

However, the time spent on repairs to a place not one's own was disconcerting. It is a motor inn transformed to a boutique hotel, which was not completely successful. We met the photographer outside, who excels at dreamy photos.

Don't believe everything on social media. Ask friends if one can. Anyway.

It's the Time of the Season for Tomato Quiche

Newspaper clippings, I have a few. I enjoy reading the Wall Street Journal for its Slow Food Fast column and saved this quiche recipe by Chef Edouard Jordan of Salare restaurant. His story growing up is particularly interesting, of his working Mom and how she quickly made dinner. Perhaps she inspired him to be a chef?

Although it is for spring, one could adapt the recipe with any vegetables. I used tomatoes, since they are in abundance at this time. Cherry tomatoes, to be exact. I sautéed them as per the recipe, and used a store-bought crust, but could make the crust next time.

The sautéeing emphasizes the tomatoes' sweetness. Picture not available! The cheddar cheese with the tomatoes evokes a cheese and tomato pie, and the base is a lovely custard. Try it for a simple, delicious meal!

Spring Quiche with Mushrooms and Asparagus

by Edouardo Jordan

Total Time: 35 Minutes Serves: 4

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup morels or any spring mushrooms, and cut into bite-size pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup sliced yellow onions
• ½ cup chopped asparagus
• ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar
• ⅓ cup cream
• ⅓ cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 (9-inch) prebaked pie shell

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Warm 2 tablespoons oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they release liquid and sear, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and stir in onions and asparagus. Sauté until onions soften and asparagus is bright green, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

2. Scatter half the cheese across bottom of pie crust. In a medium bowl, beat together cream, milk, eggs and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Pour sautéed vegetables over cheese and top with egg mixture and remaining cheese. Bake quiche until base sets and browns slightly at edges, about 20 minutes. Before slicing, let quiche cool 5 minutes.

Cultural Differences

i am OTHER is Pharrell Williams' company which celebrates people who are different. Who is the other, one asks? It could be those different or foreign. The new student in school, the refugee, the immigrant. To learn about the other adds depth to our analysis of consumers. To increase one's knowledge, it is important to travel and learn about other cultures. Subsequently, one could compare and contrast those cultures with one's own.

The recent exhibit "In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korean Art during the Joseon Dynasty," at the Asian Art Museum, provides a window, through art, of another time and culture. We learn of the Koreans' system of royal lineage, where political power could be inherited by women, although they could not be rulers. Think of powerful women in our history for analogy.

A painting of a king in front of a landscape signifies his relationship to and power similar to nature's. The five peaks behind him represent the universe. Current official governmental portraits or family photos reflect this painting.

The impressive 150 foot long scroll from 1795, "King Jeongjo's Procession to His Father's Tomb in Hwaseong" emphasizes the importance of commemoration for this culture. In this artwork, one understands the values of family, royalty and honoring one's parents. The commemorative quality reminds us of the incessant photography, Snapchat and Instagramming of our culture. The Koreans of the Joseon dynasty are the other, but not so different. We also want to record aspects of our lives. Through viewing other cultures, we may learn about our own. Thoughts on consumers...

The Art of Finesse

It is not often that people behind the scenes take center stage. Yet that happens in the documentary of a Steinway & Sons piano tuner in Vienna, Pianomania. We watch Stefan Knüpfer and his efforts to perfect pianos. Perhaps he will add felt inside a piano. Perhaps replace parts. Even add acoustic panels to the concert hall. To achieve excellence and accommodate his clients, he will do everything possible.

PIANOMANIA - Trailer from OVALfilm on Vimeo.

The main story consists of the preparation and search for pianos for a recording session of Bach's The Art of the Fugue by the renowned pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard . (In other scenes, famous pianists such as Alfred Brendel and Lang Lang rehearse and perform.) Aimard plays several pianos and requests many variations to their sound. A twist to the plot includes the sale of a familiar piano, which disappoints the pianist. When the recording begins, the engineers also voice their opinions about the sound, which leads to more piano tuning.

The lessons for the viewer of this fascinating documentary are to have patience, and how to solve problems for clients. As they demand more and more of us, we learn about them and ourselves. Some clients are extremely difficult and finicky, but as we strive for perfection, the results could be brilliant and worth the trouble.                            

The Lives of Others

Not many fictional films evoke real life as well as "What Maisie Knew." Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, it is the story of a child caught between fighting parents, based on the novel of the same title by Henry James. Not nearly as incisive and nuanced as the novel (but what films are?), it still imparts to the viewer the problematic feelings of a child affected by unhappy parents.

We observe Maisie, beautifully portrayed by Onata Aprile, as she understands and does not understand what happens around her. The close camera work, often indoors, focuses our attention on her. The day-lit shots and the natural acting of Alexander Skarsgård convince us that we are watching a documentary. It reminds us of the excellent Yi Yi by Edward Yang, also shot from a child's point of view, with the camera as his eyes.

As planners, we could learn the importance of sympathy and empathy from "What Maisie Knew." As Northern Planner writes, "The more we're in the lives of others, the more we can know them." As we watch Maisie and the conflicting emotions her face conveys, we understand her life. The way to understand others is to enter into their lives, as the camera does. Just some ideas for planning...

Mike Tyson, Storyteller

What are important elements for good storytelling?

Emotion, suspense and humor are a few.

Mike Tyson utilized these elements at his recent show "Undisputed Truth," where he told stories from his life.

Sad stories included his mother's death, his sister who died young and his 3 year-old daughter's death due to an accident. He talked about his violence, crimes and addiction, but says he has reformed.

Suspense caused the audience to listen attentively to details of Tyson's youth and a violent fight in a store against a boxer. We learned that he grew up on the streets of Brooklyn and how his mentor Cus D'Amato helped him become a champion. He mentions the book "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", which he jokingly says depicts a story quite different from his own.

Tyson utilized humor when he explained that "hard times" were the reason for his tour. This joke engaged the audience since they are sympathetic to Tyson as fans, know he lost millions and experienced difficulties themselves.

The fighter's stories fit the American love of a "rags to riches" tale. In American culture, we believe we could begin poor and end rich. We could redeem ourselves and receive a second chance. These values work with Tyson's show and our culture of possibility. Despite his losses, he could win again.

Three Ways to Tell Your Brand's Story

After a viewing of the 2013 British Arrow Awards winners, one notices the powerful storytelling of three commercials. Drama, realism and emotion were utilized.

The Guardian chose to employ news to transform a classic story, "The Three Little Pigs" (BBH agency) through drama. Perhaps an everyday occurrence, like a fire, could become exciting through its storytelling. Journalism could be fascinating.

The real life drama of a homeless woman is portrayed in "A Woman's Nightmare." (Publicis Conseil, Paris) The close camera and graininess of the film involve and affect the viewer, as does the interactive quality at the end, when the viewer could choose the film's ending.

Emotion connects viewers to brands. The strong film to promote the Channel 4 Paralympics (4creative agency) stirs us through music and documents the players' struggles. We understand that their difficulties resemble those of athletes without disabilities and applaud them.

These are three means of storytelling which are appropriate to the brands. Through artistry, the brand's values shine. A good story increases consumer interest and ultimately engagement. A few thoughts on branding...

And just for fun: Public Enemy's "Harder than You Think" UK Paralympics version, which boosts their brand's story.

Abraham Lincoln, Account Planner

Ideas come from the most unlikely places.

We decided to see one of the Oscar nominees for Best Picture, "Lincoln."

The film depicts the President strategizing to pass the Thirteenth Amendment, which reminded us of planning in advertising. How could one best solve problems? What qualities are needed?

In the film, President Lincoln evidences many of these qualities.

Empathy: Lincoln understands the plight of African Americans when sympathetically speaking to his wife's maid.

Listening: The President listens with an openness and fairness to constituents who ask for his advice. Knowledge gleaned directly from the source is valuable.

Analysis: After gathering information, he uses it to solve problems from a different angle. He applies a mathematical principle he learned in the past to solve a human problem.

Storytelling: After solving a problem, he explains its solution through an engaging story.

Ideas from history for planners.

Stop, Look and Listen

Comportment - To conduct or behave (oneself) in a particular manner. (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 1969)

Over time, societal behavior changes. As planners, we are attuned to that.

One noticed recently in public spaces: A man stretches his feet into the aisle of the bus. A teenage girl bends her knees and places her feet on the bus seat. An elderly woman rests her feet on a theater railing. A young woman lies down on a gym's bench while texting.

www.flickr.com/photos/themegster/

A relaxed attitude prevails. One of laissez-faire, one echoed in casual clothing. A lack of separation of public and private space, since the two spaces are linked by technology. It is the ever-present, ever-on device which connects behavior from the home to the public space. The possibility of digital communication everywhere translates to similar behavior everywhere.

How could marketers reach people when they feel at ease in all places? What could impact them? We could enter their space in an unexpected way physically. We could invite them to interact and play. We could use digital media so that they have a unique experience. We have to make people stop and look. Otherwise, they will not receive our messages.

What Marketers Could Learn from the Homeless

The homeless man darted into the oncoming traffic, observed by this writer. Aware of the cars, he decided to cross the street.

One could think of brands as analogous to the homeless man. At times their managers make decisions which appear reckless, not in keeping with the brand's image. Consumers notice. If the decisions for the brand do not fit its image, consumers may quickly criticize them on social networks. "The rules of branding are shifting," says Timothy Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. "As soon as you have an issue, people can pick it up and broadcast it everywhere." Think of logo changes, like Tropicana's and Starbucks', which caused consumer negativity. More than ever, consumers believe they own brands.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenjonbro

The oncoming traffic could also be thought of as the information stream which bombards consumers. Brands need attention, so dart into the traffic. They must act almost recklessly to capture consumer attention, as long as the action does not hurt the brand. Thoughts on watching the homeless.

5 Points for Creativity from 3 Star Chefs

Can one learn creativity? The chefs Michel and his son Sébastien Bras offer us lessons in the film "Step Up to the Plate" ("Entre les Bras, la cuisine en héritage") by Paul Lacoste. The film depicts their artistry in creating food, for which their restaurant Bras was awarded 3 Michelin stars. They teach us the following ideas, in alphabetical order:

1. Adaptibility: When Sébastien creates a dish for their restaurant in Japan, Michel realizes that its elements would have to be changed for French diners. Be flexible.

2. Inspiration: One could be inspired by anything. Sébastien remembers food his grandmother served when he was a child and incorporated a combination in a recipe.

3. Iteration: The Bras try again and again until they find the correct solution. This pertains to the beautiful placement of food on a plate or recipes.

4. Questioning: Always ask why. Michel Bras questions Sébastien after he shows Michel a new dish. Perhaps we could move this item to another part of the plate? Or could you add a little more of a seasoning? Persist until one achieves the best.

5. Reflection: In the film, both chefs run in the beautiful countryside. Their exercise gives them an opportunity to escape, relax and think.  The intense world of creativity requires a break. When one is away from one's work, one could return with a fresh outlook.

These are five points for creativity, which apply to any artistic profession or pursuit.

This Experience's for You

How does a brand penetrate through a consumer world of too much information due to traditional, social and digital media? Create an experience, which is what Budweiser did for its 2012 Super Bowl spot. Its agency Anomaly staged an influx of fans at a recreational hockey game in Port Credit, Ontario where there are often less spectators.

The event arose through careful orchestration. The agency's staff told the players that they would film a documentary, to dispel any questions about cameras at the rink. Soon after the game began, shouting, costumed fans ran into the bleachers. The look of astonishment and joy on the players' faces is priceless.

One recalls similar events created by KLM and T-Mobile, where they entered the consumers' physical space. Since marketers cannot visit each consumer's home, visit his or her physical environment. The visit represents an effort to meet the consumer halfway, to join him, to engender a conversation.

The result is a new way of marketing, a social experience which impacts consumers through participation and memory. It could be a large and expensive undertaking, but well worth it. Small companies could accomplish this on a smaller scale. Offer a gift to your consumers. Give them the gift of joy, which reflects joy on the brand.

Budweiser's brand gained equity through the hockey game. They created a positive experience for the players and for consumers who watched the spot. Companies should think of new ways to reach customers through the media clutter. A brand's gift of fun will be remembered.

Shiseido's Trailer Marketing

© Carol L. Weinfeld

Shiseido came to the San Francisco streets last week in a shiny Airstream trailer to publicize its new Bio-Performance Super Corrective Serum. Employees offered samples and beauty consultations.

It is smart business to meet one's customers in person, in addition to the digital space. One can gain valuable information about one's brand face-to-face in casual conversation, and often learn more than one would in focus groups. Customers also appreciate the approach on their turf, as they go through their day, instead of approaching the brand in a store on their own. The street marketing makes Shiseido's brand more approachable.

Luxury brands effectively utilize social media marketing. For example, Burberry staged a fashion show in China and in real-time online. Gucci engages fans on its Facebook page, and Chanel creates films about its brand for its website.

Fashion brands depend on trends, and understand that social media is an important trend.  Companies should not practice social media just for the sake of doing so; it should fit its brand and its customers in the approach.

© Carol L. Weinfeld

Shiseido stationed the trailer near the Union Square shopping district, a good place to reach Shiseido's shoppers, since there are many high-end stores. Know your customers, and seek their surroundings offline and online based on your knowledge of them. They will be pleased to have the attention and interest, and will also be interested in your brand.

This is How We Tell a Story

Set the stage: Scenes of Detroit
Engage the viewer: "I got a question for you."
Allude to the main idea: Luxury
Paint a picture: "...a town that's been to hell and back..."
Begin the story: "Well, I'll tell ya."
Describe the main character: "Hard work, conviction and the know-how that runs generations deep..."
Create suspense: Intercut with scenes of a car approaching at night
Continue: "That's our story."
Add tension and conflict: "It's probably not the one you've been reading in papers."
Add mystery: The viewer does not know who is driving this car.
Add irony: "We're certainly no one's Emerald City."
Hero reaches his goal: The mysterious Chrysler arrives and Eminem enters the Fox Theater.
The narrator explains Chrysler's (and Detroit's) story: "This is the Motor City, and this is what we do."
The End: "Imported from Detroit"

What's in a Logo?

photo courtesy of Starbucks

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet." Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

Shakespeare understood this as does Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, re: Starbucks' new logo. The name has not changed; it is still Starbucks, although the name is not present in the new logo. Many consumers do not understand the change. Another issue is that consumers who are very loyal to a brand claim ownership and entitlement to control the brand's image.

What's in a logo? A logo stands for a brand. Many consumers complain on Facebook and Twitter about the logo change, since they do not want their brand to change. It is their unacceptance of change which outweighs their acceptance of the company modification, a transition beyond coffee. It would be beneficial for many Starbucks customers to read Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, M.D., to better adjust to change.


photo courtesy of Parvin

Many Starbucks customers are loyal to the brand and prefer its coffee to other coffees. This loyalty translates to a feeling of belonging to and identification with the brand. They believe that they are a Starbucks person as opposed to a Peet's Coffee & Tea person, for example. The brand and its product were made for them, they believe, and in reciprocity, they own the brand.

Ownership leads to consumers' belief of entitlement to affect a brand. The logo decision should be theirs. How dare the company change it without asking them? they say. We witnessed this unacceptance with the GAP logo debacle, where ultimately GAP reverted to its old logo, due to consumer outcry. In Starbucks' case, Howard Schultz communicated the change before it occurred, and explained its reason: This change mirrors the change of the company.

We learn for our own brands that change must be communicated clearly to our consumers. They cannot manage companies although they believe they are entitled to, due to their loyalty to a brand. Companies must partner with consumers through social media channels and constantly monitor their conversations with consumers. They must reassure their consumers during change, yet ultimately make their own decisions.

Are We Bored Yet?

image courtesy of izqrdo

We usually attend conferences to learn new, interesting information. James Ward, in contrast, created the Boring 2010 conference. The "boring" topics ranged from the English breakfast to Mr. Ward's tie collection to sneeze counting, all topics which examine everyday life. One of the attendees, Ms. Jo Lee said, "We're all overstimulated," and "I think it's important to stop all that for a while and see what several hours of being bored really feels like." http://goo.gl/09OFU

Here is a recent article on attention deficit disorder due to technology, which continues the theme of a surfeit of information for today's consumers: http://goo.gl/Ne4V3

It is surprising that consumers long to be bored, yet understandable due to too much information. Would you like to be bored, and if so, by what?

Oh! The Places Marketers'll Go

photo courtesy of Mario Groleau

Lionsgate Entertainment uses Facebook Places instead of Foursquare or one of its competitors for a new social media campaign: http://goo.gl/KsUO2



The campaign is interesting in that it is by a large company and incorporates a game with locations related to the film. It continues with the winners of the game eligible for a bigger prize. Foursquare and its competitors, of which there are many, face competition from Facebook Places. Some users have become bored with checking in on Location Based Services (LBS) and receiving badges. It is easier for consumers to check in with their Facebook accounts instead of logging into a different app.

Marketers need to reinvigorate check-ins. Coupons will work if the user agrees to opt in. Prizes, discounts and rewards are more attractive to customers, and may influence them to visit your business. The rewards should not be one-time only, but continue. They could be tied to events and unique product offerings. If your company uses LBS, it should offer gifts, which make customers feel special and increase brand loyalty and equity. How is your company using LBS?