Bike lights, big city

Get to know the Slow Bike movement if you care about livable cities and sustainability. Clean-tech innovation is exciting and important. But the beauty of this movement is its elegant simplicity.  Like an iceberg, there’s more to it than you think.

Sure, biking is healthy.  You’ve seen cyclists on open roads with precision touring bikes and flashy outfits. They’re usually in great shape. But city bikers are commuters, shoppers and explorers. They come in all shapes and sizes.  They reduce traffic and noise, cut carbon emissions, spur greater interest in cityscapes and buy locally. A bike is cheap to operate and burns fat; a car costs lots of money to run and creates fat.

Employers are responding with storage areas for bikes. It’s a competitive advantage and keeps healthcare costs in check.

I just got back from the NYC Bike Expo and I’m here to report that New York is gaining on Copenhagen and Amsterdam when it comes to this powerful new movement. It has big political implications; Mayor Bloomberg is firmly committed. There are separate bike lanes on streets and avenues, not to mention paths that circle Manhattan.

There’s further anticipation surrounding the NYC bike-share program. It’s not for tourists, there are rental services for that. Privately funded, it’s a self-service system that offers 10,000 bikes in 600 stations for quick, easy transportation.

One simple definition of sustainability is “improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems.” That’s reflected in a city of bike-riders. But sustainability is also a call to action, a task in progress or “journey” and therefore a political process.  This requires the reconciliation of environmental, social and economic demands – the “three pillars” of sustainability.

The Slow Bike Movement may seem as simple as an upright bike. But it means big things for livable cities.

Ipswich River Media and kayaking

And you’re wondering “what’s with the blog here?” I know, every day you stop by, hoping for some new pithy communications bits. But things get busy. Typically, it’s my clients that get all the good thinking. They each have their own blogs, and Twitter feeds and websites that require work. That’s not to mention the media relations and other communications stuff.

For example, yesterday, it was Save Energy Systems that deserved my attention.  This smart cleantech start-up has a very pragmatic approach to energy use – and a promising future.  Mass High Tech agreed. There are also two NY tradeshows this month for another client. A particular marketing strategy for another.

On top of all that, there are 29 hungry minds to be feed.  I enjoy teaching an electronic media class  – one is plenty – at Endicott College to future communications pros.  And I have a blog there too.

Sometimes I even get a few minutes to update the Sustainability Forum blog.  I’m the chairman for that active membership group (you’re invited to join us by the way).

So, it seems I never get enough time to stop here at the IRM blog for illuminating updates. I apologize. I’m sure you understand. If not, catch me on Twitter @ipswichmedia and we can discuss further. Or go for a good kayak run?!

And Free T-shirts, too! (Just wanted to see if you’re still reading).

So much to say though. Where do you start? One nice approach is to consider a series – even just one or two.  Keep it simple. They make the best ones for watching, sharing and appreciating, anyway.  If you feel really bold and excited to show-off your widgets, or your widget designers, or happy customers — think about a whole bunch of videos. Short, pithy high-definition snippets about your widgets tell a tiny story that gives folks a taste for a little more.

We’ve got plans at Cleverhood for a whole bunch more.  Friend them on Facebook if you’re up for it. I know they’ll appreciate it. By the way, the soundtrack is from the Providence band Deer Tick, which they kindly offered as good Rhode Island buds.

Rest assured, there are 20 new emerging professionals who understand the promise and potential of electronic media.  They can see Facebook and Twitter as a means to greater ends.  They know there’s something bigger than Snookie and the Khardasians.

We’ve gone over the History of Electronic Media in CMM220, looking at the perspectives of McLuhan through our rear-view mirrors to make some sense of where it’s all going. We’ve watched how Afgan Idol is advancing attitudes toward women. We’ve seen YouTube heroics bringing down dictators. We know “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” Tim Wu’s Master Switch and the link between bike rides and 4G smartphones.

I’m hopeful these Endicott College kids will be better marketers and communications pros  – well informed citizens, too. They understand the privileges of education and probably make a better effort than my generation did. They see some of the Global challenges on our plate. But they’re optimistic about crowd-sourcing, American ingenuity, open broadband initiatives.  They know the ‘bit is it.’

Stay tuned to this generation.  You’ll see some good, new ideas. Of course, we still have the final exam left on Wednesday.

I think knowledge is on the upswing. That’s invigorating. I have some terrific opportunities to see behind-the-scenes. Lately, I’ve been impressed by some  outstanding new technologies and the companies behind them. There are pressing global issues and it seems that American ingenuity responds well to pressure.

There’s more than just technology, of course, looking for clear distinction. In fact, we like to keep our hands in the consumer market, too. And our eyes open. It keeps us sharp.

It turns out that sophisticated businesses are actually people too. They read articles, watch YouTube, scan blogs, Twitter, Google … and strive to do their jobs better. Clarity and consistency are more important than ever before in this bountiful age of info.
Communicating to people requires engagement and relevancy. Working in the consumer market helps keep us on our toes in the B-to-B space.

One particular consumer client has some great ideas, real American ingenuity, and the audacity to buck the industry-wide’s reliance on overseas workers. They’re supporting the bike movement in cities and are imbued with a sustainable outlook on life. It’s an important value today.

So, that’s why we were in Manhattan last week at the Corduroy Appreciation Club. It was a smart strategy for that particular client to connect with important (albeit quirky) influencers in Manhattan. Amy Sedaris was the keynoter. Film maker Wes Anderson was recognized and a corduroy messiah was anointed. There was also a fashion show segment that we managed to wrangle into.

We were there in NYC last week as a duty. Ok? In case my wife asks.

They say it’s “the King’s cloth,” a proud fabric.  In fact, if denim is the fabric of the working man, then maybe it’s corduroy that suits the thinking man. Perhaps I do have this affinity for corduroy.

The Corduroy Appreciation Club is already casting its spell over me.  Next month, in Manhattan at the Desmond Tutu Center, they’re holding a very important gathering.  It’s on Nov. 11, the date that most resembles corduroy (11/11/11).  Three corduroy items are required.  There’s talk that Bill Murray or Wes Anderson may be recognized for their appreciation.  I’m slated to go for a client.

“I’d rather belong to a corduroy club, and wear corduroy than belong to the Shriners and have to wear one of those red fezzes.”

I’m a communications guy, which is primarily why I’m going. This event promises to expose my client to an array of important influencers.  But I’m impressed with the C.A.C.’s efforts to nestle into our greater consciousness…and their vilification of velvet (apparently corduroy’s evil twin).  The C.A.C. has been covered in The New Yorker, the NYT, plenty of fashion press and more.  Even their video speaks to me.  As the Financial Times said: “Corduroy is a funny thing.  People do get a bit serious about it.”

I’ll let you know how it goes.

1)  Launch kayak;

2) Get lost in salt marsh;

3) Bring beer.

I’m hoping you have High Def…or 3D!  You will be treated to the sight of juicy, char-broiled Whopper® revolving elegantly for your viewing pleasure.  Simply stare. Gaze at its greasy greatness until you are one with its transcendent beauty. That’s right… stare and drool long enough and that Burger will be yours (5 minutes should do the trick). Don’t look away, they know if you’re watching.

I’m a proud member of the media community today.  If Newton Minnow could only see us now.  He said TV was a “vast wasteland” in ’61.  Just wait until we develop Smellyvision.

“A LEADING public relations agency is reorganizing its operations in another example of how the marketing communications industry is scrambling to adapt to the significant changes in consumer behavior, most notably the public’s fast and fierce embrace of digital and social media.”

I know what you’re thinking. “Scrambling to adapt”?  Scrambling?

Google was born in ’98, Facebook in 2004, newspaper circulations have been in decline for a decade.  In fact,  six or seven years ago I briefed Stuart on new advances in interactive TV.

The pace and breadth of change has been dramatic.  Duh. But anyone in this business has been able to discern the effects on marketing for some time now.

The article is titled: Account Executive Is Antiquated. Consider Yourself a Catalyst. The company in question here is GolinHarris, “which has 700 employees in 34 offices and an estimated $150 million in annual worldwide revenue.”  There are some smart folks there (I used to work at WeberShandwick, which is part of the PR behemoth).  But the question is: What took them so long?

“We’re reorganizing,” announced Fred Cook, GH’s CEO.  I’m sure he’s happy. Getting a hit in the NYT is still a bonus. Undoubtedly, this article is the catalyst for a cacophony of social conversations.  “We’re prevolving,” said Fred, proudly showing off his brand new word. “We’ve been working on this for 10 months,” he beamed.

Go ahead, Google “prevolving” – there’s already lots of good GolinHarris chatter attached to that.  I promise you that the word, the strategy, the hits will be sent to every client to prove how GH pushes the needle.  That’s how it works. Good for them.

But as Fred was bubbling with excitement, he said something surprising: “We’re organizing around the areas that are not perceived as strengths in public relations: strategy, creativity, technology, analytics.”

Whoa Fred.  If those four areas weren’t perceived as strengths before, how did GH get anything done?

If you work for Wal-Mart, Dow Chemical or McDonalds, I don’t expect you to question your relationship with Fred and give me a call.  It’s just that we’ve been looking at these changes in communications for some time now.  We know how it works. In fact, we embraced strategy and creativity before it was cool, I guess.

Besides, we work better with smaller companies.