Nation of Fear

Everything in the economy is turning into complete chaos in an interlinked chain of misery. I do wonder though how much the media is at fault sometimes. Since 9-11 the news has shifted from neutral to opinion based and with it the fight for ratings. All it takes is spending an hour reading Drudge report, Watching MSNBC, CNN, and Fox and you feel that the world is over. Obviously our Country has been mismanaged by possibly the worst president in our history, but the Media is creating this culture of fear. If everyone shut off their TV's and rode their bikes to the park we might see that everything isn't totally doomed. The coverage of doom is effecting the stock market which effects everything. (I think :(

The Internet is forever

Great post here on applying a Social Computing Strategy to the entire Lifecycle of a Product. It's heady stuff, but really interesting. I agree that as companies want and expect their communication to go viral their biggest asset is talking to the community. I have tried in the past to get clients to join the discussion online, but there is a real fear among them to be the mouthpiece for their brand. The companies that are able to embrace this new openness are the ones who will be most successful.

Where's the Beef?

I think it's amazing how much advertising you can recall from certain periods of your life. The Monchichi song, Smurfberry Crunch, Time to make the donuts, and is next Swim Wear...I always think of Herb the Burger Man for some reason. It was a contest where if you spotted Herb at a Burger King you'd win $1000 dollars or something. I also vividly remember that he made an appearance at Wrestlemania 3. The mind is an amazing thing when I can remember that, but I still always forget my parent's birthdays...

Generation Nothing

I follow gossip and honestly I hate myself for doing it. I read Perez,WWTDD, Egotastic, The Superficial, you name it. It's amazing how they all just copy each other and comment on the same stalkeratzi photos. The sad part about today is the people they cover. We have made household names out of people with zero to minimal talent. (If talent is being able to suck start a Harley Davidson)

In the Eighties we covered the Corey's and Kirk Cameron. You know people with lots of talent... Ok maybe my theory is wrong as its always been talentless people, but this new crop of Kim Kardasian, Tila Tequila, and Brooke Hogan is just painful. I wonder what the next generation of kids is going to aspire to when staring in a porn or being
the offspring of C-level talent can get you your own TV show.

Lively for no lifey

Google just launched its own version of an alternate reality platform like Second Life called Lively. I guess the benefits are that its completely free and tied into several applications like Facebook. It gives you the ability to create rooms and hang out with your friends. I have tried Second Life in the past or as I call it Sex Life since everyone is just trying to bang unicorns and rabbits in brothels. I'm definitely not drawn to these communities because I think its already sad enough that I keep up with my friends virtually through Facebook, Twitter, and IM. I'm just not ready to look at an animated version of my friends in virtual rooms. I think I'm going to call them and set up a dinner party although the virtual dinner party is a lot cheaper.

Break out the Brazillian Nuts

I always go through my crazy musical phases. One day I will listen to only french love songs, old country, or soul classics...In the end though I always just revert back to the stuff I listened to in that period from high school to when I started touring in The Sheila Divine. When music was my life and all that I cared about. Pavement is a perfect example of a band that every time I hear them it makes me remember why music was so important to me. The lazy lyrics that are so inspiring, the slacker attitude that made me feel like I too could get on stage. Pavement unlike some of my older music still feels vital, timeless, and important.

O-Tagine

Last night the wife and I headed to O-tagine for some Moroccan food. We ordered a traditional Chicken with preserved lemon and olives as well as a vegetarian one. Both were insanely hot temperature not spice wise and really comforting. It was my first experience at a Moroccan Restaurant and definitely not the last. I really like the flavors and the warmness of the dish really make it a cuisine worth trying.

Cut that meat

The meat cuts are quite different compared to the United States here in Belgium. Most of the beef at stores is trimmed of any fat, and is presented like filet mignon. You have to search a little to find a rib-eye or strip steak...I definitely need to become friends with a butcher if I plan to make some of my staple recipes.

4th of July Belgian Style

Belgian Barbecue

I've been to a few barbecues in Belgium so far and I got to say Belgians know how to entertain. We went to our friends Billy and Sarah's House yesterday and had some mighty fine cuisine. When Americans BBQ it usually is something like ribs, burgers, brisket...Here the Barbecue is probably closer to Australia in style. A lot of the tastes have Indian spices and flavors and lack traditional Red Sauce you'd find in the US. Billy however just returning from Texas made a homemade sauce that was great. Lamb Chops, Chicken, Beef Kebobs, and Sausage it was a meat spectacular. Sorry PETA:(

What's the deal with the divider?

Here in Belgium going to the grocery store has been quite an experience. First off as an American you are used to saying hello to the cashier, which is met with blank stares. I was informed that Belgians aren't into fake pleasantries which is fine. Give me my groceries bitches is my new line, but the most comical thing about going to the store is the militant precision and use of the grocery dividers. You can be buying one item and the person behind you leaps to put the divider down. I think its every citizens duty and responsibility to stay on top of it. When in Belgium make sure your food doesn't touch my food.

Feed My Ego

Being the youngest person to win 6 Boston Music Awards, A silver Chiat Planning Award, and World's Best Husband was quite a feat. It took a lot of determination, courage, and will power to achieve these accolades. Okay I am being very sarcastic to prove a point that its got to take a huge ego to write a book about yourself. I just finished two fantastic books The Perfect Pitch by Jon Steel, one of the best Strategic Planners out there, and White Heat by English chef Marco Pierre White. (I promise to give it back Gareth)
Both books are chalked full of self adulation as page by page they list their awesomeness in all its glory. Jon Steel's book isn't necessarily only about himself, but he details the lengths he goes to win new business and spends much of the book talking about all his accomplishments. Marco Pierre White talks over and over about his three Michelin stars to the point where I started laughing every time he mentioned it. I think many of us dream of writing a book someday, but I think it takes balls to put it all out there in the non fiction realm. You have to really be confident in yourself and the message to go on for 300 pages. I really admire both of these gentlemen, and hope to one day have the courage to talk about myself in long form. (I know my wife thinks I can, I think she's learned to tune me out.)

Chicken Fingers "The Series"

In the past I have considered starting a Chicken finger Blog dedicated to the greatest food on the planet. I honestly love them so much that my wife thinks I have problems. It's something my brother and I always had as a kid and their must be a soft spot in my heart because of it. Instead of a blog I think I will just have an ongoing series dedicated to this food of the gods. Today's edition is dedicated to the greatest Chicken Finger establishment in the United States. It is a small little take out place in Hamburg, NY called "The Now" Pizzeria. I make a pilgrimage there every time I visit my family. The secret to their version isn't even the chicken....They make their own Hot Buffalo dipping sauce which is unlike anything I've had anywhere else. I have asked for the recipe and gotten nothing but cold stares. My brother actually bought me a tub of it for christmas out of the back of the joint. It has some toxic chemicals in it I'm sure, but its flavor is magical. Who serves your favorite chicken finger?

Strategic Planning and Pooping Dogs

Sometimes I have to laugh at how ridiculous a job as a Strategic Planner is. There are plenty things in the job you have to learn, like the language of bullshit and the art of razzle dazzle. Overall our main job is to make sure the clients problem and our creative solution are aligned. I read all the planners blogs, and sometimes I just want to give it all up and start making artisan cheese or something.

Where is the internet going, social media trends for 2008, engagement and user participation, brands that do, brands that don't. I really need to remind myself to step away from the computer and live life. All this stuff is incredibly important, but in the end the advertising that works is as simple as making compelling communication. There are a millions channels to broadcast this message, but the goal is to make stuff thats cool.

If you read too much you start to think that planners are these great thinkers on par with Aristotle and Einstein, but I feel more like Monty Hall. Hey creatives do you want what's behind door number one? Here is a picture of Michael Jackson and Tito and check out this link of a dog dropping a deuce.

Maybe I'm not a good planner because I think the whole thing is a big comedy routine. I think sometimes all you need to be successful in advertising is the confidence and the loudest voice in the room. Ok enough of a ramble for today I think I'm going to write an esoteric think piece about bands and brands. I won't forget to include the references to Apple, Nike, and Coldplay.

Oh, here's a dog pooping on ice!!!!

There Will Be Blood

We are still trying to get adjusted here in Antwerp. The wife is not having much luck finding work, and she is hustling. Our life pretty much consists of incredible dinners with a bottle of wine and maybe a beer or two. We put the kid to bed and then we watch whatever Video Podcasts I can find on Itunes. It's a lot of Countdown with Keith Oberman who I find annoying even though he shares the same political leanings. It's too over the top and MSNBC is starting to feel like Liberal Fox..I just planned a trip back to Boston at the end of September for some Dear Leader shows, a quick family visit, and definitely some bad American TV.

A Magazine I Can Almost Hold

Today I stumbled upon the coolest site I've seen in a while called ISSUU. It is a place where people upload those arty magazines that cost $20 at the book store. You know the ones with hot topless girls, an interview with DJ Spooky, and some cool graphic design. The amazing thing about the site though is the interface when looking at the magazines. It allows you to flip really fast, but also to enlarge and look at it almost like its a real magazine. It really begs the question of how long the print medium can last? If more of these kind of sites pop up I'm thinking not too much longer.

Tonight's the night we'll make History

Living in Antwerp has definitely put a damper on my Sports intake, and the fact that I'm missing all the Celtics magic is killing me. The games don't start until 3am and I have a strict rule that I can't watch sports unless its live. Thankfully Jon and Will from Dear Leader sent me a care package with the essential Celtics shirt, Chicken Finger Kit, Pretzels, and bad US Gossip Magazines. I may not be able to watch the game, but at least I can pretend.

McCain reacts to being be rickrolled

Vedett Beer

One of the cooler beers in Belgium is Vedett. Its a blond Stella Artois type lager and I guess it was the worst selling beer for the brewers of the famous Duvel. It was re-branded by someone and now its a hipster beer like PBR in the states if I've ever seen one. Vedett lets you submit a photo to be on the their bottles. If they choose you it appears on 10,000 bottles. The cool part is its not that hard to be featured and they will sell you a case with your picture on it regardless. Below is my submission which I call "Greetings from Belgium"

What's the Wordle

One of the clients I work on is the Schweppes brand. There is an amazing website called www.brandtags.net that lets the community write one word that comes to mind on various brands. It's a great tool to see where the state of your brand is at. Another cool site I discovered is a word visualization site called Wordle that places text into cool looking clouds. Here I combined the two sites and created a better visualization of the Schweppes brand.

Help me hank!

In Boston there is a segment on the news called help me hank ( a women no less) where she rights the wrongs of the consumer. Today in Belgium I am having a difficult day to say the least. Banking issues, Visa Issues, Cellphone issues. Everyone here needs 20 types of paperwork officiated by different offices. It takes a whole day to do something simple like get some euros out of the bank.
We apparently need to get some weird stamp on our birth certificate in order to be able to get our visa. Also they said some law changed today to make it extra difficult. Without the visa my bank won't unlock my account. Its impossible to hold a job and do all this logistical bullshit.No wonder everyone drinks heavily here.

Interesting Amsterdam

On June 14th they are holding an Interesting Conference in Amsterdam. I had the pleasure of spending a week of intensive interestingness training with Russell Davies a while back and from what I've heard these are a really great time.

We are what we share

Planner here sent me this link.
Brilliant piece of thinking about the future of everything.

Frite Porn

Adults only Please!!!!

Here is a photo of my new desk at Duval Guillaume. It has a bit of an Office Space Vibe on my floor, but the Creative Floor is more Breakin 2 Electric Bugaloo.


So today I had the pleasure of presenting to University students in Genk at the Crystal Soccer Stadium. I basically stole my shtick from Dustin Johnson, Gareth Kay, and Russell Davies. It was a mishmash of thoughts all ending with Engagement(Connection) Planners are the future of Advertising. At the end they gave me some wine and beer which again goes to show Belgium rules when it comes to my Alcohol consumption.

Still getting Settled

Living a life free of any media has been quite hard. Our barren apartment devoid of Internet access and television has made the nights a bit longer. I can't wait until our shipment of stuff arrives. Our amazing and sweet neighbor Elisabeth has just given us computer access so atleast now I can keep up with the Celtics...


We went to an amazing and massive open air market on Saturday which had endless stands of vegetables, cheese, and spices.

The Dekoenig Brewery is a block away from our house and makes quite a nice beverage.

We have arrived

Our flight was smooth except for Liam having one complete freak out mid flight. He is still having a hard time adjusting to the time difference and wakes up at 3am to party. Yesterday we went for a stroll in our new neighborhood which apparently is a mecca for Turkish and Moroccan food vendors. Christine was happy to know that she can get her exotic spices, lamb lamejun, and bushels of hot peppers. Today we go pick up the key to our new house and also make a trek to IKEA to build our Belgian Dream home.

We found an Apartment

Thanks to our friends Billy and Eva's hard work we have finally found an apartment for our arrival in Belgium. We spent many hours on immoweb.be looking for the optimal place. We decided on the Berchem Area as its close to my new job. Two more weeks until we get on a plane and start our new life.