The TV Predicament

This post was inspired by a conversation I recently had with my good friend "The Hittman". We were talking about TV shows we have watched and shows we plan to watch in the future, and I posed this question.

Is it more enjoyable to go back and watch a TV series that has already concluded with the ability to watch the show in its entirety at whatever pace you want? Or is it more enjoyable to watch that same show once a week as it airs on TV so that you can be a part of the conversations that go on by the water cooler, on Twitter, etc. after big events and eventually the series finale?

I recently finished the series, The Wire and it was absolutely one of the best shows I have ever seen. But after I watched the series finale, and I didn't know what to do with myself because I wanted to discuss the conclusions and characters with other people (I may or may not have done something really nerdy and gone back and listened to a podcast between two people that had just seen the series finale of The Wire when it actually happened...don't judge me).

Then I started thinking about LOST. I watched the final two seasons of LOST week to week as they aired on ABC. If you watch LOST you probably know that one episode a week is just not enough...having to stop after just one episode is like taking a bite of a delicious Chipotle burrito and then having to save it in the fridge until next Tuesday at 8:00PM.

Fortunately I watched the first 4 seasons of LOST via DVDs which got me thinking. Was that week of getting to discuss the series finale and not having to worry about the ending being spoiled worth the agony of not getting to rip through the show in the same fashion that I did in seasons 1 through 4? Honestly, I haven't decided yet. I think I may have stumbled upon the perfect way to watch a popular TV series. Wait until it is announced that there is an end date to the show, then start watching it and catch up with a season or so to go in the series. Obviously this is easier said than done and to be honest, pretty lame to put this much thought into how to watch a TV show...but whatever, I want credit for this genius idea.

This mental debate also led me to another conundrum.

As technology advances there are more and more ways to watch TV shows on demand (DVR, HBO on demand, cable on demand, netflix, HULU, etc.). But at the same time the technologies for discussing TV shows and having shows spoiled for you are also increasing at a similar rate (Twitter, Facebook, smart phones, texting, blogs...hate to break it to you but SPOILER ALERT...Ross and Rachel got back together). So as it gets easier to watch a show whenever you want it is also becoming necessary to watch a show as soon after it airs as possible in order to avoid any chance of becoming the victim of a spoiler.

Quite the Catch 22.

I don't normally ask (beg...whatever) for comments but I am very curious if anyone else cares or has thought about this topic. So please leave your comments for I would love to hear your take.

One love, one heart


Eric McPherson



Twitter: @EricWMcPherson

This Post Has Turned to Diamonds

I just want to jump on the Old Spice bandwagon and agree with pretty much everyone else that the Twitter, YouTube video promotion they did this week was amazing. If you haven't heard, Old Spice took the main character from these ads...



And had him answer questions in short YouTube videos such as this...



The turn around was really fast, they did over 300 videos in two days. Needless to say it has been quite popular around the interwebs. My take is this...

When looking back, many of the first websites in the mid 1990's were awful. Then sites like Yahoo, Amazon, eBay, etc. began to emerge and pave the way with groundbreaking ideas for how to utilize the internet.

Sometimes we forget that Twitter and iPhone apps and other social media outlets are in their beginning stages. We will probably look back and think a lot of the first apps and twitter promotions were stupid. But Old Spice really made some headway this week in how to use Twitter and YouTube for the power they have. I guarantee you this is only the beginning...so to that I say look out and well done Old Spice. I'm on a horse.


One love, one heart


Eric McPherson



Twitter: @EricWMcPherson

Boozevertising

For a long time there was an understanding in place that hard alcohol companies would not advertise on TV. If you haven't noticed, that trend has changed quite a bit in the past 5 years or so. Today the TV airwaves are littered with ads for tequila (ish), Whiskey, Rum, you name it.

I'm sure there are plenty of people that claim they can taste the difference between Smirnoff and Absolut, but lets be mature here...booze, for the most part, tastes the same. Therefore, there is great opportunity for advertisers to be the main point of differentiation between the vast array of booze brands. A lot of companies are struggling with this.

The following is a description of an ad for hard alcohol, can you tell me which brand?

A semi crowded room, it's kind of dark, there are a lot of "attractive people", some people are dancing, some people are laughing, there are guys playing cards, some of the guys have carefully crafted scruff on their face, the girls are not dressed for church, a guy with a deep, throaty voice is reading something about having a good time or the olden days when "men were men", you find yourself wondering if parties/gatherings like this actually exist.

That's right, there are a lot of ads like this and they do a terrible job of differentiating their brand from the other brands that are doing the exact same thing.

I really have no problem with Kettle One as a brand or product (I actually think their bottle is pretty sweet) but if you replaced the Kettle One brand in this spot with Belvedere, Grey Goose, Stoli, etc. would you even notice?



Or you can replace the throaty sounding dude with some weird music...



As long as these companies are going to continue this trend of advertising on TV and taking whatever lumps that come with it from the powers that be/other groups that might get upset over hard alcohol being advertised on TV (this is a whole other topic, personally as long as they don't advertise during Blues Clues, it doesn't really bother me) they might as well do a good job.

This is an example of a brand that understands its roots and the platform it is built on. If you replaced the brand's name in this ad, it would no longer work...at all...some of these other companies could learn a thing or two from Jameson.



Booze is all about image and once people of age can afford to look up from the shelves with the Karkovs and Admiral Nelsons of the world there lies a great opportunity to build brands that are "cool" or "retro" or "classic" or "modern" or whatever else is the differentiating trait for why someone tries or chooses one Whiskey over another. Because I think we know that for the most part a lot of this stuff tastes pretty similar, but that doesn't mean that they are perceived the same way or that they make us feel the same way (not in a literal drunk way but in an emotional I feel cool or I feel happy or I feel as if I'm balling like Jay Z while I sip on this Crystal kind of way).

People are passionate about strong brands and often times it goes well beyond the actual functionality of the product...booze is no different (just ask me if I've ever gone sailing with the Captain before...yea I capitalized it).


One love, one heart.


Eric McPherson




Twitter: @EricWMcPherson

iCro

So apparently I am being lazy and just sharing sweet videos on here lately. The iPad has a lot of skeptics but also has a lot of believers (it's selling at a rate faster than the iPhone when it first came out...so yea, I think it's here to stay). I'm a pretty big fan of the new iPad ads (sometimes called iAds) on TV because they are addressing a big issue that many people have with this crazy device...what exactly does it do?

Here is another video that addresses how an iPad can be used but in a completely different way...and it benefits Velcro manufacturers as well, which is nice.

iPad + Velcro from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

So if you have been drinking the hatorade and saying iPads are dumb, maybe you still think so but I gotta believe now that velcro is involved you may have reduced your hatorade intake and increased your "maybe iPads are sick wit it after all" odometer.


One love, one heart


Eric McPherson







Twitter: @EricWMcPherson

If you don't know now you know

There is a lot of talk right now telling everyone about how important social media is, the great impact it has, how fast it has and continues to grow, etc. At times it is hard to understand these implications without putting any real numbers or facts behind them. I was an attendee recently at a talk given by a dude by the name of Josh Klein, (smart guy) and he shared an amazing video with the group. If you are a social media advocate and at times have a hard time explaining its magnitude to others, I recommend you take a look at this video and pass it along accordingly.



I personally have no problem with those who do not want to be a part of Facebook, Twitter, etc. but what I do have a problem with is those that automatically think something of that nature is stupid without giving it any thought. Even if you personally don't like Twitter or whatever other social media outlets you hear about; it would be wise to acknowledge their existence and the significance they have to the future of social trends, business and who knows what else as they continue to evolve.

One love, one heart

Eric McPherson



Twitter: @EricWMcPherson