When Innovation and Social Upheaval Are Intertwined

I strongly believe America's best chance to continue along its path of unentitled prosperity lies within the innovation of its entrepreneurs. Interesting books like The Entrepreneurial Imperative show this as the only way forward, but Jim Manzi's latest article Keeping America's Edge paints a more complicated picture that lays forth our current struggle - Innovation is necessary for economic growth, and less government interference is key for the type of innovation we need. However, with such innovation comes social upheaval and disruption that creates a different set of problems that could be just as bad for the US:

Our strategic situation is shaped by three inescapable realities. First is the inherent conflict between the creative destruction involved in free-market capitalism and the innate human propensity to avoid risk and change. Second is ever-increasing international competition. And third is the growing disparity in behavioral norms and social conditions between the upper and lower income strata of American society.

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"Don't put your ideas on a pedestal, put them into action."

The 99% Experience: Insights On Putting Your Ideas Into Action from 99% on Vimeo.

The "Marketing Trifecta"

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Infographic by Flowtown and data from eROI.

The "Ideas" MUST BE STOPPED at once!

Everyone, I need your immediate attention ... this is important to the future of our survival. Ideas are replicating themselves through us and they are evolving. They are spreading like a virus through our human consciousness. We simply refer to it as "creativity" and think of it as harmless. We have never been more wrong (well, except for that whole WMD thing). And those of you responsible for making new technology, please cease and desist, because the ideas are using technology to replicate even faster, spread even further and eventually they will use our technology to stay "alive" without us. "Carl, that's crazy talk!" I hear you saying, but you don't need to take my word for it my friends. Just listen to these much smarter people and read Neal Stephenson's book Snow Crash or watch Susan Blackmore give this amazing talk at the February 2008 T.E.D. Conference (below). But be careful, because this idea is trying to spread itself and it's doing so through T.E.D. and right now through me and my blog. And don't think for a minute T.E.D. that I didn't notice your snazzy tag line ... "Ideas Worth Spreading".

Enlightened Stupid Marketers - Have You Met One?

I have to say, I've met an Enlightened Stupid Marketer and it's utterly amazing to see one in action.

A Blessed Unrest

Today, I'm just passing along a quote a friend shared with me...

"There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable it is, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not have to even believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open...
 
No artist is pleased... There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others."

-Martha Graham

When The Camera Changes The Way We Act

Is twitter the new camera that allows us to observe and report? And more importnatly, can we the citizen journalist be trusted with the responsibility of the distribution of truth? Or will the lens of our "camera" affect our own action (or inaction).

With the technology in place to make us all reporters of "the news", who is left to live in the moment we are so intent on documenting?

For another example of this and more insight on this topic, see this article on TechCrunch.

Vendor/Client Relationship

File under "Funny 'cause it's true"...

"Advertising Will Change Forever"

Josh Bernoff of AdvertisingAge posted his thoughts in an article titled "Advertising Will Change Forever" in which he discusses Shar Van Boskirk five-year interactive marketing forecast. Here's the quote the advertising industry needs to take note of:

In this recession, marketers have learned that interactive marketing is more effective, and advertising less effective, per dollar spent. While budgets for online have decreased, they decreased less than other budgets. Six out of ten marketers we surveyed agreed with the statement "we will increase budget for interactive by shifting money away from traditional marketing." Only 7% said "we have no plans to increase our marketing budget."

Josh's article and Forrester's research brings to my mind the quote "the only thing constant is change". As an industry of advertising and marketing companies, our job is simple: do what works and know that what works now, may not work 6 months from now. And furthermore, what works 12 months from now might not even exist yet.

Maybe "advertising will change forever", but more accurately, I think advertising will forever change.

The BEST 20 minutes, 43 seconds you'll spend today (I promise).

WOW! Instead of dismissing this amazing T.E.D. video because it's told through the lens of classical music, I encourage you to embrace it for that very same reason. I would venture to say that you believe in the power of music to tell a story by awakening the feelings and emotions already within us; and no one explains this better than Benjamin Zander, known for his "charisma and unyielding energy -- and for his brilliant pre-concert talks". But this story is about more than everyone's potential to love classical music. It's about leadership, vision and living your life more than one note at a time. So put on your headphones, turn up the sound and enjoy! Trust me on this.