col*LAB*orate III: If Monsters Can, Why Can't We?

Selecting Sesame Street for our next installment in the col*LAB*orate series was an obvious choice, the challenge is which feature of the production should be highlighted. Sesame Street bridged the socio/economic divide, it captured the spirit of the time, it taught kids, it taught adults and it was funny as all hell. But above all, what really struck me about this show, was its far fetched approach to diversity and tolerance.

Henson and his team tackled these mammoth topics with a light-hearted, caviler nature that we all too often shelf when we attack big issues. So we're tipping our hats to one of the most perfect col*LAB*orations I know, the bond between monsters and humans on Sesame Street...teaching us that if Grouchy-Trash-Can-Living Creatures, OCD Counting Nobility, Imaginary Animals, Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, Old, Young and everyone else can get along...what's our problem?

Thanks to A&E Biography for their inspiration from their feature on Sesame Street.

Paradigm Shifting & Brand Cultures

During this morning's reading I came across little description of paradigm shifts via Erik Du Plessis in The Advertised Mind. Some of my favorite lines follow

• A paradigm shift derives from a discovery in one field, but a major shift affects other fields as well...
• Many people cling to the old paradigm even after it is clear that the new one is a better fit with experience...
• When there is a shift to a new paradigm previous knowledge makes more sense...
  

We are in the midst of a full fledged paradigm shift. The sinewy threads of the World Wide Web have connected folks previously stranded on an island of their peculiar interests (both personal and brand related). There are communities for everything. It's a cross section of celebrating individuality and a threat of homogeneity as we all discover that we're not that unique.

One implication, that we've written about before and continue to be enthralled with, is the effect of transparency and the aggregation of information. The Internet has reinforced our natural desire to build and interact with cultures, not just objects or products. And that is a clear paradigm shift. We're all recognizing the impact of our purchase decisions and that a purchase supports more than a product, it supports an entire brand culture.

More than ever, brands need to understand they are a culture and that a consumer's purchase is an investment into that culture. Likewise, as consumers evolve they will need to understand the power of their purchase. With the web making transparency and sharing easier and easier, we can expect to see some exciting changes and advancements in conscientious consumption and consumer communities.

Blogs vs. Crate Diving

I came across this amazing cover of Roy Ayer's "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" by Seu Jorge on Now Again Records buy the album here. It melted me. It got me thinking...is blog searching the new crate diving? As said before, I've long admired those with the patience to dig through crates of vinyl and find hidden gems. It's an art form. But this morning as I started to catch up on some daily reading, I started jumping from blog to blog, digging deeper and deeper into the depths of inspiration, friends and like minded ears. I started to think...is this the next generation of crate diving? Are we in the digital music dive? Just a smidge of what I'm truly loving right now (this list will grow):

Gorilla vs. Bear
Now Again Records
Daytrotter
Comb & Razor
When You Awake's Mixtapes
NPR's Music
Pitchfork's Forkcast
Funky 16 Corners

Music Videos. Why?

Earlier in the week STARWORKS highlighted new videos for MGMT and Mike Snow and I couldn't help but ask, why? Music videos used to have cache; they connected a fan to a song in a new way. But then MTV, slutted itself out to Jersey Shore and the likes (oh and if you haven't checked out the Jersey Shore Nickname Generator on Unlikely Words, do so) and we were left with a channel that promotes sterility over music.

But then comes along the Web giving us new ways to connect with music we love (which parallels nicely to the demise of all things music on MTV). The kids love it. And musicians do too. All sorts of inventive things are happening out there (check out last month's post on collaboration here). But the question remains...why traditional music videos? Rarely are they engaging or inventive. Rather than build a weak three minute story that costs millions to produce...why not build some equity in the band's culture, invite the audience in and encourage them to share? Take the below...which is is more compelling? which inspires sharing? and most of all which makes you want to engage with the band?



OR this?