We normally don't review tv shows as a routine. But occassionally there is an exception that we like to speak out on. Life On A Stick is such a show.
This TV show is so bad, we can't even express how bad it is. Like a hollow, trite waste of celluloid (or video tape) this show wreaks of "shallow studio exec's pet project".
Somebody did somebody a favor and that is the ONLY reason this show is on the air.
Well FOX, now do US a favor & TAKE IT OFF. Please.
Thanks!
---- By Toli Cefail
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
American Idol Results
Wow! We can't believe that Jessica is going home. :-(
We are very very sad.
Apparently voters are more interested in popularity than in actual singing ability.
After last nights performance, Jessica Sierra had no business being in the bottom 3.
We picked Anthony for the bottom 3 because we didn't think he was as popular as the others. Apparently we were close to wrong.
A note to Nadia Turner: If you follow this advice, you will stand a chance and stop ending up in the bottom 3.
The reason you keep ending up in the bottom 3 has to do most likely with attitude. What comes accross is an attitude of "I'm going to be edgy & different despite what anyone says." It seems as though you are trying to prove something.
Are you trying to prove that an odd edgy person can win? If so, Fantasia already did that. But she did it with friendly soul.
The difference between Fatasia's edginess and yours is that hers seemed to come from a genuine love of what she was doing and a love of having others enjoy it. Yours seems like, you don't really care if anyone enjoys it or not; or perhaps, "if they don't like it, they just don't know any better...".
Whatever the reason, this "attitude" is what is landing you in the bottom 3 and if you don't change it, you will lose this competition. You've got the voice, but it will take more than that to win.
Winning Advice For Anwar Robinson: We were not surprised that Anwar ended up in the bottom 3 this week. We believe the reason he was in the bottom 3 is the same reason that La Toya London lost last year.
La Toya London has a fantastic voice and is a performing "technician". She is technically perfect. But she lacked the soulfulness, feeling and loving audience communication that Fantasia Barrino & Diana DeGarmo had.
The Anwar performance this week seemed technically rehearsed. But it lacked that repore with the audience. You're going to have to perform like you love it to win.
---- By Toli Cefail
We are very very sad.
Apparently voters are more interested in popularity than in actual singing ability.
After last nights performance, Jessica Sierra had no business being in the bottom 3.
We picked Anthony for the bottom 3 because we didn't think he was as popular as the others. Apparently we were close to wrong.
A note to Nadia Turner: If you follow this advice, you will stand a chance and stop ending up in the bottom 3.
The reason you keep ending up in the bottom 3 has to do most likely with attitude. What comes accross is an attitude of "I'm going to be edgy & different despite what anyone says." It seems as though you are trying to prove something.
Are you trying to prove that an odd edgy person can win? If so, Fantasia already did that. But she did it with friendly soul.
The difference between Fatasia's edginess and yours is that hers seemed to come from a genuine love of what she was doing and a love of having others enjoy it. Yours seems like, you don't really care if anyone enjoys it or not; or perhaps, "if they don't like it, they just don't know any better...".
Whatever the reason, this "attitude" is what is landing you in the bottom 3 and if you don't change it, you will lose this competition. You've got the voice, but it will take more than that to win.
Winning Advice For Anwar Robinson: We were not surprised that Anwar ended up in the bottom 3 this week. We believe the reason he was in the bottom 3 is the same reason that La Toya London lost last year.
La Toya London has a fantastic voice and is a performing "technician". She is technically perfect. But she lacked the soulfulness, feeling and loving audience communication that Fantasia Barrino & Diana DeGarmo had.
The Anwar performance this week seemed technically rehearsed. But it lacked that repore with the audience. You're going to have to perform like you love it to win.
---- By Toli Cefail
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
American Idol Reviews & Picks Of The Week - CLOSE RACE!
You’d think that with all the money American Idol is making, they could afford a better band. Are these people’s friends or something? Do us all a favor & spring for a better band.
So keeping in mind that the band is tres cruise ship, here are our American Idol performance reviews and picks for this week.
5701 Bo Bice – fantastic. Bo is a total pro. The reason Simon was right in his comments is only because of the band. NOT because of Bo.
5702 Jessica Sierra – An absolutely perfect performance. Go home girl!!
Remember: Simon is ALWAYS right.
5703 Anwar Robinson – Ok Anwar, here’s the deal: we all know you have a fantastic voice. But you have to put more feeling into your songs. You have to rely LESS on the power of your vocals and focus on OVERALL sound & performance quality. Remember: Simon is ALWAYS right.
5704 Nadia Turner – Great performance. WAY better than last week. But Nadia you’re still on the edge. Return to what got you this far – a fantastic soulful voice. Don’t be too edgy just now. Remember: Simon is ALWAYS right.
5705 Constantine – We LOVE Constantine!
5706 Nikko Smith – Great vocal. Great performance. I see a recording contract in your future. We’d like to see more of that unique star quality in your performances.
5707 Anthony Federov – Great! You’ve gotten back to what got you here. But remember: Simon is always right.
5708 Carrie Underwood – Excellent. Perfect. You’ve got what it takes. Remember: Simon is always right.
5709 Scott Savol – Pitchy. Scott is very likable which may carry him through. But no “it” factor. It seams like he was concentrating on his voice a lot unlike a pro from whom it just flows naturally. Remember: Simon is always right.
5710 Vonzell Solomon – Wow. Vonzell is really improving. That was hot.
Our picks:
This week on American Idol we are reminded once again just how tight this competition is. Nevertheless, someone has to go.
Our picks for who will be voted off & who will be in the bottom 3 are based on both performance & popularity.
Bottom 3: Scott Savol; Anthony Federov; Nadia Turner (because she’s not as popular as she could be if she stopped trying to be so edgy); Jessica Sierra
Vote Off: this week we think it will be Anthony Federov.
So keeping in mind that the band is tres cruise ship, here are our American Idol performance reviews and picks for this week.
5701 Bo Bice – fantastic. Bo is a total pro. The reason Simon was right in his comments is only because of the band. NOT because of Bo.
5702 Jessica Sierra – An absolutely perfect performance. Go home girl!!
Remember: Simon is ALWAYS right.
5703 Anwar Robinson – Ok Anwar, here’s the deal: we all know you have a fantastic voice. But you have to put more feeling into your songs. You have to rely LESS on the power of your vocals and focus on OVERALL sound & performance quality. Remember: Simon is ALWAYS right.
5704 Nadia Turner – Great performance. WAY better than last week. But Nadia you’re still on the edge. Return to what got you this far – a fantastic soulful voice. Don’t be too edgy just now. Remember: Simon is ALWAYS right.
5705 Constantine – We LOVE Constantine!
5706 Nikko Smith – Great vocal. Great performance. I see a recording contract in your future. We’d like to see more of that unique star quality in your performances.
5707 Anthony Federov – Great! You’ve gotten back to what got you here. But remember: Simon is always right.
5708 Carrie Underwood – Excellent. Perfect. You’ve got what it takes. Remember: Simon is always right.
5709 Scott Savol – Pitchy. Scott is very likable which may carry him through. But no “it” factor. It seams like he was concentrating on his voice a lot unlike a pro from whom it just flows naturally. Remember: Simon is always right.
5710 Vonzell Solomon – Wow. Vonzell is really improving. That was hot.
Our picks:
This week on American Idol we are reminded once again just how tight this competition is. Nevertheless, someone has to go.
Our picks for who will be voted off & who will be in the bottom 3 are based on both performance & popularity.
Bottom 3: Scott Savol; Anthony Federov; Nadia Turner (because she’s not as popular as she could be if she stopped trying to be so edgy); Jessica Sierra
Vote Off: this week we think it will be Anthony Federov.
Friday, March 25, 2005
What's Up With Iraq? - Thoughts For Those Who Can Think For Themselves
WHAT SENATOR JOHN GLENN SAID:
Things that make you think a little........
1. There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq during January.... In
the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in the month of January.
That's just one American city, about as deadly as the entire war torn
country of Iraq . 2. When some claim President Bush shouldn't have
started this war, state the
following:
a. FDR...led us into World War II.
b. Germany never attacked us: Japan did.
>From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost, an average of 112,500 per
year.
c. Truman...finished that war and started one in Korea. North Korea
never attacked us.
From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost, an average of 18,334 per year.
d. John F. Kennedy. ..started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us.
e. Johnson...turned Vietnam into a quagmire. From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost, an average of 5,800 per year.
f. Clinton...went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent. Bosnia never attacked us. He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions.
g. In the years since terrorists attacked us President Bush has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya, Iran and North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.
The Democrats are complaining about how long the war is taking, but...It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51-day operation.
We've been looking for evidence of chemical weapons in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records.
It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sank at Chapaquiddick.
It took less time to take Iraq than it took to count the votes in Florida!!!!
Our Commander-In-Chief is doing a GREAT JOB! The Military morale is high! The biased media hopes we are too ignorant to realize the facts.
But Wait, there's more......................
JOHN GLENN (ON THE SENATE FLOOR)
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 11:13
Some people still don't understand why military personnel do what they do for a living. This exchange between Senators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one man's explanation of why men and women in the armed services do what they do for a living.
This IS a typical, though sad, example of what some who have never served think of the military.
Senator Metzenbaum (speaking to Senator Glenn): "How can you run for Senate when you've never held a real job?" Senator Glenn (D-Ohio): "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space program
It wasn't my checkbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It was not a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts to the bank."
"I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day... to a veteran's hospital and look those men - with their mangled bodies - in the eye, and tell THEM they didn't hold a job! You go with me to the Space Program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows and Orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee... and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that their DADS didn't hold a job. You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more friends buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch those waving flags.
You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell ME that those people didn't have a job? I'll tell you, Howard Metzenbaum; you should be on your knees every day of your life thanking God that there were some men - SOME MEN - who held REAL jobs. And they required a dedication to a purpose - and a love of country and a dedication to duty - that was more important than life itself. And their self-sacrifice is what made this country possible. I HAVE held a job, Howard! What about you?"
For those who don't remember - During W.W.II, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney representing the Communist Party in the USA. Now he's a Senator!
Jeff Androsko
Things that make you think a little........
1. There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq during January.... In
the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in the month of January.
That's just one American city, about as deadly as the entire war torn
country of Iraq . 2. When some claim President Bush shouldn't have
started this war, state the
following:
a. FDR...led us into World War II.
b. Germany never attacked us: Japan did.
>From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost, an average of 112,500 per
year.
c. Truman...finished that war and started one in Korea. North Korea
never attacked us.
From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost, an average of 18,334 per year.
d. John F. Kennedy. ..started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us.
e. Johnson...turned Vietnam into a quagmire. From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost, an average of 5,800 per year.
f. Clinton...went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent. Bosnia never attacked us. He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions.
g. In the years since terrorists attacked us President Bush has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya, Iran and North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.
The Democrats are complaining about how long the war is taking, but...It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51-day operation.
We've been looking for evidence of chemical weapons in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records.
It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sank at Chapaquiddick.
It took less time to take Iraq than it took to count the votes in Florida!!!!
Our Commander-In-Chief is doing a GREAT JOB! The Military morale is high! The biased media hopes we are too ignorant to realize the facts.
But Wait, there's more......................
JOHN GLENN (ON THE SENATE FLOOR)
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 11:13
Some people still don't understand why military personnel do what they do for a living. This exchange between Senators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one man's explanation of why men and women in the armed services do what they do for a living.
This IS a typical, though sad, example of what some who have never served think of the military.
Senator Metzenbaum (speaking to Senator Glenn): "How can you run for Senate when you've never held a real job?" Senator Glenn (D-Ohio): "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space program
It wasn't my checkbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It was not a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts to the bank."
"I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day... to a veteran's hospital and look those men - with their mangled bodies - in the eye, and tell THEM they didn't hold a job! You go with me to the Space Program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows and Orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee... and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that their DADS didn't hold a job. You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more friends buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch those waving flags.
You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell ME that those people didn't have a job? I'll tell you, Howard Metzenbaum; you should be on your knees every day of your life thanking God that there were some men - SOME MEN - who held REAL jobs. And they required a dedication to a purpose - and a love of country and a dedication to duty - that was more important than life itself. And their self-sacrifice is what made this country possible. I HAVE held a job, Howard! What about you?"
For those who don't remember - During W.W.II, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney representing the Communist Party in the USA. Now he's a Senator!
Jeff Androsko
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Kia Sportage - Commercial Of The Week
p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">This commercial is hip & has a great message. It makes Kia look like a real player in the auto industry (which they are proving themselves to be with great cars) and they will sell a lot of cars from it. Check it out here.
PR & Marketing Opportunity ALERT - GM Financing
Yesterday GE Capital announced that they were withdrawing the $2 Billion credit facility they had been supplying to GM for years. GM’s stock subsequently went down on the news and they, along with GE Cap quickly responded with the clarification that GE Capital was canceling all automaker facilities under this program.
Ok. That aside, here’s the opportunity.
If I were a financier and wanted to get great free PR, I’d step up and offer the financing to GM. The actual risk is probably worth the PR value to get into the limelight as a contender. Key Bank?
Anyway, food for thought to anyone who’s listening.
Ok. That aside, here’s the opportunity.
If I were a financier and wanted to get great free PR, I’d step up and offer the financing to GM. The actual risk is probably worth the PR value to get into the limelight as a contender. Key Bank?
Anyway, food for thought to anyone who’s listening.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
It's A Bull Market Stupid
When are the powers that be going to admit that we're in another major bull market? The DOW is well over 10,000 and all indications are that it's going way up as this long term trend graph clearly indicates.
I think we're poised for another huge stock market boom, but this time it will be for real, based on substance and not hype.
Remember: internet access has just hit the 50% penetration mark. There will be a boom as it goes to 90%. Broadband is less than 50% so we're poised for a ton of growth there. And let's not forget about convergence - the combining of voice, data, internet, IP telephony and content into a single company. There will be a HUGE boom with these types of companies in the coming years with a shakeout late this decade. But this part is just begining so buy stocks in convergence players NOW.
--- Toli Cefail
Toli Cefail is a marketing executive and co-founder of the online marketing companies Data Resource Consulting and In Touch Media Group.
I think we're poised for another huge stock market boom, but this time it will be for real, based on substance and not hype.
Remember: internet access has just hit the 50% penetration mark. There will be a boom as it goes to 90%. Broadband is less than 50% so we're poised for a ton of growth there. And let's not forget about convergence - the combining of voice, data, internet, IP telephony and content into a single company. There will be a HUGE boom with these types of companies in the coming years with a shakeout late this decade. But this part is just begining so buy stocks in convergence players NOW.
--- Toli Cefail
Toli Cefail is a marketing executive and co-founder of the online marketing companies Data Resource Consulting and In Touch Media Group.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
We Love SIMON - This Week's American Idol Reviews - TUESDAY
We love Simon. Simon pretty much always gets it right. He's not trying to spare anyone's feelings because that's not the nature of the entertainment business. And frankly, he's usually right.
Tonight was no exception. Here are our reviews of tonight's performances.
Mario, where for art thou Mario?
Man on man are we totally bummed that Mario Vazquez isn't there. I mean he was one of the best ones. We really thought he could win.
Anyway, rumor has it that he quit because his agent said that if he won he would be locked in to American Idol and wouldn't be able to sign with anyone else. Frankly, if it's true, I think he got some bum advice.
First of all, he's locked in the Idol until 3 months after the contest ends anyway. And now, he won't get anywhere near the exposure he would have gotten had he stayed. He also won't develop the fan base he would have if he'd stayed.
But what's done is done. We hope it all turns out all right.
Anthony Federov - Performance was pretty good. But Anthony, you can do better. You're one of our favs and remind us of Clay. Step it up next week dude because we can get bored quickly.
Anwar Robinson - What happened? The judges gave great reviews and we know that's because you have this perfect voice. But seriously Anwar, you could have done MUCH better. I mean it was like watching a Ferrari drive 3 blocks at 45 MPH. Anwar, you could have made that song sound so much better than Luther (Vandross) ever did. What happened? PLEASE TEAR IT UP NEXT WEEK! Don't get complacent.
Bo Bice - DA BOMB!!! We love you Bo. You totally tore it up this week. You're one of our favorites and we think you can WIN! Bo is exactly what the music business needs. He's different and he looks & sounds great. Rock it Bo. See you next week.
Carrie Underwood - Carrie, you too are one of our favorites. But this week, your performance was well, boring. You sang the song with technical perfection, but there was no style. We agree with Simon that you picked a song that was true to who you are, that's great. But you didn't make the song your own. You just sang the notes with none of the Carrie sizzle that we're used to. Please do better next week.
Constantine Maroulis - Dude! You rock. Your voice was great this week. The best vocal performance we've heard you do. You can actually sing dude! I mean not just stylin' like usual but really SING. Well done. Now you're more than just a hottie. See you next week. :-)
Jessica Sierra - HOME GIRL ROCKED IT! I don't care what Randy says. You rocked it girl. The performance was hot. I totally hope to see you next week.
Lindsey Cardinale - Very off key. Lindsey, you're a lovely girl. This may be your final week and if it is, we wish you the best.
Mikalah Gordon - WE LOVE MIKALAH!! We love your saucy style and thought your voice sounded GREAT this week. The problem was that you were bouncing too much and it made your voice shake. This made it seem like you were off but you actually weren't.
Madonna used to have this problem too, so you're in good company. She had to work with voice coaches so she could sing while dancing. It's harder than it looks. Try not to bounce next week Mikalah. We sincerely hope to see you next week and believe we will if you're more popular than Lindsey, which we think you are or at least should be. (Sorry Lindsey).
Nadia Turner - Nadia, we love you too. This is so hard for us because we love so many of this season's performers. You did great girl but it was a little dry. Next week stay more true to your funky soulful self as much as possible.
Nikko Smith - DUDE! We're so glad you're in this. We thought you deserved to be and were genuinly surprized when you didn't beat out Lindsey (sorry Lindsey). You have alot of talent. Now this week, you stunk up the joint as you were totally off key. You can do so much better if you just relax. It sounded like you were really nervous which is understandable considering how you got into the top 12. Alot of pressure.
Anyway, we think you'll make it to next week because people will vote for you since you're now an underdog. But this was a bad off key performance dude. Step it up next week because you might not be so lucky then.
Scott Savol - WHOA! Sleeper! You totally rocked. I love that song and you did it proud. You keep getting better every week. Keep it up and you may make the top 5 or 6!
Vonzell Solomon - It was an okay, nice performance. Simon was spot on. You'll make it to next week but won't last long unless you bring it.
Tonight was no exception. Here are our reviews of tonight's performances.
Mario, where for art thou Mario?
Man on man are we totally bummed that Mario Vazquez isn't there. I mean he was one of the best ones. We really thought he could win.
Anyway, rumor has it that he quit because his agent said that if he won he would be locked in to American Idol and wouldn't be able to sign with anyone else. Frankly, if it's true, I think he got some bum advice.
First of all, he's locked in the Idol until 3 months after the contest ends anyway. And now, he won't get anywhere near the exposure he would have gotten had he stayed. He also won't develop the fan base he would have if he'd stayed.
But what's done is done. We hope it all turns out all right.
Anthony Federov - Performance was pretty good. But Anthony, you can do better. You're one of our favs and remind us of Clay. Step it up next week dude because we can get bored quickly.
Anwar Robinson - What happened? The judges gave great reviews and we know that's because you have this perfect voice. But seriously Anwar, you could have done MUCH better. I mean it was like watching a Ferrari drive 3 blocks at 45 MPH. Anwar, you could have made that song sound so much better than Luther (Vandross) ever did. What happened? PLEASE TEAR IT UP NEXT WEEK! Don't get complacent.
Bo Bice - DA BOMB!!! We love you Bo. You totally tore it up this week. You're one of our favorites and we think you can WIN! Bo is exactly what the music business needs. He's different and he looks & sounds great. Rock it Bo. See you next week.
Carrie Underwood - Carrie, you too are one of our favorites. But this week, your performance was well, boring. You sang the song with technical perfection, but there was no style. We agree with Simon that you picked a song that was true to who you are, that's great. But you didn't make the song your own. You just sang the notes with none of the Carrie sizzle that we're used to. Please do better next week.
Constantine Maroulis - Dude! You rock. Your voice was great this week. The best vocal performance we've heard you do. You can actually sing dude! I mean not just stylin' like usual but really SING. Well done. Now you're more than just a hottie. See you next week. :-)
Jessica Sierra - HOME GIRL ROCKED IT! I don't care what Randy says. You rocked it girl. The performance was hot. I totally hope to see you next week.
Lindsey Cardinale - Very off key. Lindsey, you're a lovely girl. This may be your final week and if it is, we wish you the best.
Mikalah Gordon - WE LOVE MIKALAH!! We love your saucy style and thought your voice sounded GREAT this week. The problem was that you were bouncing too much and it made your voice shake. This made it seem like you were off but you actually weren't.
Madonna used to have this problem too, so you're in good company. She had to work with voice coaches so she could sing while dancing. It's harder than it looks. Try not to bounce next week Mikalah. We sincerely hope to see you next week and believe we will if you're more popular than Lindsey, which we think you are or at least should be. (Sorry Lindsey).
Nadia Turner - Nadia, we love you too. This is so hard for us because we love so many of this season's performers. You did great girl but it was a little dry. Next week stay more true to your funky soulful self as much as possible.
Nikko Smith - DUDE! We're so glad you're in this. We thought you deserved to be and were genuinly surprized when you didn't beat out Lindsey (sorry Lindsey). You have alot of talent. Now this week, you stunk up the joint as you were totally off key. You can do so much better if you just relax. It sounded like you were really nervous which is understandable considering how you got into the top 12. Alot of pressure.
Anyway, we think you'll make it to next week because people will vote for you since you're now an underdog. But this was a bad off key performance dude. Step it up next week because you might not be so lucky then.
Scott Savol - WHOA! Sleeper! You totally rocked. I love that song and you did it proud. You keep getting better every week. Keep it up and you may make the top 5 or 6!
Vonzell Solomon - It was an okay, nice performance. Simon was spot on. You'll make it to next week but won't last long unless you bring it.
Friday, March 04, 2005
President Bush's Plans For America - A Solution
I don't have a ton of time so I'll get right to the point: The Republican's PR is horrid.
The Democrats PR is fantastic. And don't blame the so called "liberal media".
This is a lesson in a marketing & PR basic "REPETITION OF MESSAGE".
I just visited the web sites of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee.
On the DNC web site their message comes through loud & clear "we're for the people!". EVERY headline on the site is a search engine friendly sound bite. EVERY headline succinctly communicates exactly what they want the public to think about a given topic. They have front page articles about every single message they want to communicate to ensure that the public (& search engines) are GETTING THEIR MESSAGE.
Our visit to the RNC web site observed the following: no clear message. In fact, it confirmed our suspicions about the republican PR leaders' idea of what to say and what the American public thinks. (More on that later).
The headlines featured peoples names more than actual messages and were frankly, boring. There is obviously an assumption that people visiting the site know what they're looking for. BIG PR MISTAKE.
The democrats definitely understand that political approval is ALL ABOUT MARKETING. It's a sales pitch. Period. No one epitomises this more than James Carville & Bill Clinton. James Carville being the master strategist and Bill Clinton being the master executioner.
The democrats online PR & marketing is strong, clear & syncronized with their well planned, established & worded off line messages. Whenever you see a democrat on television, they have their message down pat. They don't try to reason they just spout their message over and over. It doesn't matter what the other guy says, they just keep spining & repeating their message.
Not since the days of Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh on TV have the republicans had even a glimmer of this type of synchronicity. And the election year they had it was a sweep. Remember that.
If President Bush and Congressman Delay want to win this battle and actually get their plans approved, they're going to have to drastically change their public relations and marketing strategies.
Our basic recommendation is to follow the model from the days of Newt & Rush, add a little Carville & bring back William Kristol.
--- By Toli Cefail
Toli Cefail has been a marketing professional for more than 20 years accross a variety of industries from telecommunications to urban fashion. She currently is co-founder of the leading online media companies Data Resource Consulting and In Touch Media.
The Democrats PR is fantastic. And don't blame the so called "liberal media".
This is a lesson in a marketing & PR basic "REPETITION OF MESSAGE".
I just visited the web sites of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee.
On the DNC web site their message comes through loud & clear "we're for the people!". EVERY headline on the site is a search engine friendly sound bite. EVERY headline succinctly communicates exactly what they want the public to think about a given topic. They have front page articles about every single message they want to communicate to ensure that the public (& search engines) are GETTING THEIR MESSAGE.
Our visit to the RNC web site observed the following: no clear message. In fact, it confirmed our suspicions about the republican PR leaders' idea of what to say and what the American public thinks. (More on that later).
The headlines featured peoples names more than actual messages and were frankly, boring. There is obviously an assumption that people visiting the site know what they're looking for. BIG PR MISTAKE.
The democrats definitely understand that political approval is ALL ABOUT MARKETING. It's a sales pitch. Period. No one epitomises this more than James Carville & Bill Clinton. James Carville being the master strategist and Bill Clinton being the master executioner.
The democrats online PR & marketing is strong, clear & syncronized with their well planned, established & worded off line messages. Whenever you see a democrat on television, they have their message down pat. They don't try to reason they just spout their message over and over. It doesn't matter what the other guy says, they just keep spining & repeating their message.
Not since the days of Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh on TV have the republicans had even a glimmer of this type of synchronicity. And the election year they had it was a sweep. Remember that.
If President Bush and Congressman Delay want to win this battle and actually get their plans approved, they're going to have to drastically change their public relations and marketing strategies.
Our basic recommendation is to follow the model from the days of Newt & Rush, add a little Carville & bring back William Kristol.
--- By Toli Cefail
Toli Cefail has been a marketing professional for more than 20 years accross a variety of industries from telecommunications to urban fashion. She currently is co-founder of the leading online media companies Data Resource Consulting and In Touch Media.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Commercial Of The Week - Richard Branson & Volvo
Hats off to Volvo!
This Volvo commercial with Richard Branson is hot. The music is great. The positioning is great. It's unique, exciting and makes you curious about Volvos.
Too bad the contest period is over. The poorly revised version of the commercial that is now airing features a voice over that sounds like an after thought, doesn't show Sir Richard and frankly isn't nearly as captivating.
Had we been running the marketing on this, we would have shot more footage so we could use Sir Richard after the entry period was over.
So well done Volvo for being on the cutting edge at least for a short while but shame on your ad agency for not thinking far enough ahead - waste of money.
---- Toli Cefail 2/25/05
This Volvo commercial with Richard Branson is hot. The music is great. The positioning is great. It's unique, exciting and makes you curious about Volvos.
Too bad the contest period is over. The poorly revised version of the commercial that is now airing features a voice over that sounds like an after thought, doesn't show Sir Richard and frankly isn't nearly as captivating.
Had we been running the marketing on this, we would have shot more footage so we could use Sir Richard after the entry period was over.
So well done Volvo for being on the cutting edge at least for a short while but shame on your ad agency for not thinking far enough ahead - waste of money.
---- Toli Cefail 2/25/05
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Commercial Of The Week - Verizon Miniatures
The new Verizon Miniaturization Commercial is our pick for commercial of the week.
Hats off to Verizon for this cool, fun and funny commercial that gets their message accross in a memorable way.
We have no doubt that they'll get tons of new subscribers from this. We'd love to work with their ad agency as they really know what they're doing!
To see the Verizon ad click here.
--- Toli Cefail
P Diddy's New Commercial Is Hot!
This commercial is everything advertising & marketing should be. It appeals to the right public. It's funny. It gets and keeps your attention. It is extremely memorable and has that "water cooler" quality meaning people will be talking about it at work.
Check it out here.
Wal Mart - Friend Or Foe
There is a lot of talk lately about whether or not Wal Mart is good for America.
Opponents say that Wal Mart forces independent and smaller retailers out of business, exploits workers and kills US jobs by forcing vendors to manufacture overseas.
Proponents say that Wal Mart provides affordable merchandise for consumers that they wouldn’t be able to otherwise buy. They also say it provides a large number of secure, good paying jobs with excellent benefits and many opportunities for advancement.
Wal Mart’s own ad campaign featuring employees has them expressing joy over having a real “career” and not just a job. It shows their employees feeling fulfilled, challenged and happy to work each day.
From a marketing perspective, Wal Mart barely exists. What I mean to say is that Wal Mart doesn’t really “market” in the proper sense. Their commercials are normally just for PR and not to sell merchandise. When they do occasionally have a commercial for their stores the theme is always the same – Price, Price, Price, Selection, Price. They don’t even routinely put an insert into the Sunday paper.
Wal Mart is all about price. They do of course also offer and promote a huge selection and one-stop shopping but this is not emphasized as much as the low prices.
We say “yes”. It’s better for a family to be able to afford what they need and want and get it in the shortest amount of time so they can spend more quality time together.
When I was a kid growing up in New York City, we had to go to many different stores for everything. It took all day. Many times we could not go to the park or a movie because there wasn’t time.
Now with Wal Mart, not only is there time left over, but there is money left over too. Children and families throughout the country are benefiting from this.
But what about the stores that get “put out of business”?
Decades ago, when the automobile was first introduced, there was tremendous opposition from the railroad owners and workers. Their arguments were essentially the same.
“The automobiles will mean the end of the railroad.” “All of the railroad workers will be out of work.” “The shops, towns and companies that service the railroad will be out of business.” “It will be a disaster.” Etc. Etc.
Well as you can see, it wasn’t a disaster and the country is substantially better off because of the automobile.
Entirely new businesses were created along with marked freedom and independence for the consumer. Industry evolved to a new level and expanded to accommodate the increase in people needing to be serviced.
Businesses unwilling to change and evolve, died like dinosaurs.
And so it is with the age of Wal Mart.
Consumers will continue to get what they want most – convenience & savings in a pleasant atmosphere. Businesses that don’t evolve and adapt to this new era will not survive.
We suggest that businesses who want to compete (or survive) with Wal Mart can do so by offering value added services.
Historically, people will pay more for convenience and additional services that make their lives more pleasant.
One idea is to add services such as personal shopping, other personalized services, exotic or hard-to-find merchandise, etc. Catering to a niche customer such as mom’s or golfers, etc., is also a way to compete with Wal Mart and other mass retailers effectively.
The point is to be creative. Find something special that’s needed & wanted that is not being delivered and deliver it. Be innovative with your business offerings and you’ll stand a good chance of surviving against the mega stores. You may even thrive and start a whole new trend yourself!
The result of the age of Wal Mart is a boon for the consumer. We now receive very affordable prices and the ultimate in convenience from Wal Mart and other mass retailers while we also get unique and specialized offerings from smaller shops with superior service.
It’s a win win all around.
----- Toli Cefail – February 24, 2005
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Is your marekting just a one night stand or is it the real thing?
If you’re looking for instant gratification, online marketing, and in fact marketing of ANY kind, is NOT for you.
Many times, I’ve seen business executives begin an online marketing project with unbridled enthusiasm and stars in their eyes. They salivate over the “millions of people” they will reach for “minimal cost” and fantasize about the thousands of customers they will get “instantly”.
They’re delusional.
Marketing, whether online or off, is a PROCESS. Instant gratification is RARE. It takes TIME to develop a successful marketing procedure and even longer to perfect it.
The so called “internet gurus” that you see who have these online marketing “systems” took YEARS to develop and perfect them. They may have spent only months developing their software for the system, but they also spent 20 years learning to write ad copy, 15 years learning marketing, and an equal amount of time learning about their market.
They are also continually modifying, testing and updating these systems to keep them working if at all. This is because the internet is constantly changing. There are more savvy internet users than ever and they don’t go for the “guru hype” that was so successful just 6 or 7 years ago.
In short – to repeat – marketing is a PROCESS.
Think of it like dating. If you want someone to fall in love with you, you can’t expect that to happen on the first date. Sometimes you may get lucky and it happens. But this is rare.
The reality more often than not is that you have to woo the person. You have to get to know each other. You have to learn each other’s likes & dislikes, how each other responds to different types of communication and environments. You learn how to make each other happy. You learn what NOT to say and who not to invite to their birthday party. You try different approaches. You make mistakes. You make some hits too.
All of this takes TIME. But eventually, through knowledge, trial, experience and persistence you get it right and perhaps fall madly in love with each other.
And then, AFTER you fall in love, you have to work to MAINTAIN and IMPROVE the relationship. You can't take anything for granted or you'll end up DIVORCED.
And so it is with your prospective customers. It is a PROCESS, not for the impatient or the lazy and definitely not for the faint of heart.
When you have a product or service that you want to market online (or offline) there are several things you will need to find out in order to market it successfully:
1. What is your product REALLY? – You need to clearly, cleanly and simply know exactly what your product is, what it does and what need(s) it fulfills. These answers should be easy to communicate to anyone in plain English.
2. What type of person wants your product and what type of person needs your product? These are not always the same. You also may have many different types of people who want or need your product. Each type of person may need to be marketed to differently as each responds differently to certain types of communication. For example what appeals to a 19 year old young man doesn’t necessarily appeal to a 45 year old woman yet they both need use toothpaste. You would nevertheless, market to each differently.
3. What do the people who would buy your product or service want from it? What would they demand, expect or require from your product? The answer to this should be known and if it is not known, market research should be done to get the answer. It can be as simple as asking a few people up to conducting comprehensive market research. Once you know the answer, be sure that any marketing done CLEARLY demonstrates that your product or service delivers “it”.
4. What type of promotion will your products public respond to? E-mail, banners, pop-ups, TV, radio, contests, word-of-mouth? What image appeals to your public? Conservative, hip & trendy, traditional, wholesome? Different people respond to different types of promotion, styles and images. Find out the answer and design your marketing campaigns accordingly.
5. And last but definitely not least – TEST, TEST, TEST and RE-TEST. Testing is the key to developing any successful marketing campaign. From the above answers, you will get bright ideas on how to market your product. Try them. Test different wording, different marketing vehicles, different publications, web sites, etc.
Eventually, something will work. Tweak what works until it works well. Repeat these steps with each tested idea. Eventually you’ll have a number of things that work and there you have your system!
Sounds simple right? Well for some people it is and for some it isn’t. If you have a knack for marketing and plenty of time, you can do this and succeed relatively easily. If not, you may want to study marketing books and materials or hire professionals to help you.
Whatever you decide, be prepared to invest time and other resources into developing this “relationship” so that it is rewarding, long lasting and meaningful and not just a one night stand.
_________________________
Toli Cefail is a founding partner at Data Resource Consulting and has been a marketing professional for over 20 years. Her experience, both online and off, spans all manner of products, industries and venues including, communications, fashion, corporate services, marketing services, food & beverage, music and more.
Many times, I’ve seen business executives begin an online marketing project with unbridled enthusiasm and stars in their eyes. They salivate over the “millions of people” they will reach for “minimal cost” and fantasize about the thousands of customers they will get “instantly”.
They’re delusional.
Marketing, whether online or off, is a PROCESS. Instant gratification is RARE. It takes TIME to develop a successful marketing procedure and even longer to perfect it.
The so called “internet gurus” that you see who have these online marketing “systems” took YEARS to develop and perfect them. They may have spent only months developing their software for the system, but they also spent 20 years learning to write ad copy, 15 years learning marketing, and an equal amount of time learning about their market.
They are also continually modifying, testing and updating these systems to keep them working if at all. This is because the internet is constantly changing. There are more savvy internet users than ever and they don’t go for the “guru hype” that was so successful just 6 or 7 years ago.
In short – to repeat – marketing is a PROCESS.
Think of it like dating. If you want someone to fall in love with you, you can’t expect that to happen on the first date. Sometimes you may get lucky and it happens. But this is rare.
The reality more often than not is that you have to woo the person. You have to get to know each other. You have to learn each other’s likes & dislikes, how each other responds to different types of communication and environments. You learn how to make each other happy. You learn what NOT to say and who not to invite to their birthday party. You try different approaches. You make mistakes. You make some hits too.
All of this takes TIME. But eventually, through knowledge, trial, experience and persistence you get it right and perhaps fall madly in love with each other.
And then, AFTER you fall in love, you have to work to MAINTAIN and IMPROVE the relationship. You can't take anything for granted or you'll end up DIVORCED.
And so it is with your prospective customers. It is a PROCESS, not for the impatient or the lazy and definitely not for the faint of heart.
When you have a product or service that you want to market online (or offline) there are several things you will need to find out in order to market it successfully:
1. What is your product REALLY? – You need to clearly, cleanly and simply know exactly what your product is, what it does and what need(s) it fulfills. These answers should be easy to communicate to anyone in plain English.
2. What type of person wants your product and what type of person needs your product? These are not always the same. You also may have many different types of people who want or need your product. Each type of person may need to be marketed to differently as each responds differently to certain types of communication. For example what appeals to a 19 year old young man doesn’t necessarily appeal to a 45 year old woman yet they both need use toothpaste. You would nevertheless, market to each differently.
3. What do the people who would buy your product or service want from it? What would they demand, expect or require from your product? The answer to this should be known and if it is not known, market research should be done to get the answer. It can be as simple as asking a few people up to conducting comprehensive market research. Once you know the answer, be sure that any marketing done CLEARLY demonstrates that your product or service delivers “it”.
4. What type of promotion will your products public respond to? E-mail, banners, pop-ups, TV, radio, contests, word-of-mouth? What image appeals to your public? Conservative, hip & trendy, traditional, wholesome? Different people respond to different types of promotion, styles and images. Find out the answer and design your marketing campaigns accordingly.
5. And last but definitely not least – TEST, TEST, TEST and RE-TEST. Testing is the key to developing any successful marketing campaign. From the above answers, you will get bright ideas on how to market your product. Try them. Test different wording, different marketing vehicles, different publications, web sites, etc.
Eventually, something will work. Tweak what works until it works well. Repeat these steps with each tested idea. Eventually you’ll have a number of things that work and there you have your system!
Sounds simple right? Well for some people it is and for some it isn’t. If you have a knack for marketing and plenty of time, you can do this and succeed relatively easily. If not, you may want to study marketing books and materials or hire professionals to help you.
Whatever you decide, be prepared to invest time and other resources into developing this “relationship” so that it is rewarding, long lasting and meaningful and not just a one night stand.
_________________________
Toli Cefail is a founding partner at Data Resource Consulting and has been a marketing professional for over 20 years. Her experience, both online and off, spans all manner of products, industries and venues including, communications, fashion, corporate services, marketing services, food & beverage, music and more.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Welcome To The Tips From Toli Blog!
Here you'll find info, news & tips on a variety of topics including:
marketing your business
selling
managing your business
how to get your business idea off the ground
baking (yes. baking. Because... I'm into it)
managing your money
improving your credit
launching a new product
how to make an advertising campaign that sells
political and current event commentary
and much more!
Check back daily because more tips are added all the time.
marketing your business
selling
managing your business
how to get your business idea off the ground
baking (yes. baking. Because... I'm into it)
managing your money
improving your credit
launching a new product
how to make an advertising campaign that sells
political and current event commentary
and much more!
Check back daily because more tips are added all the time.
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