When I was in grad school, a little shop on Schoen Place become available for rent. I called the landlord and asked about the price per square foot. "What do you have in mind for the space?" he asked. I told him I was thinking of a Wine Bar.
"A wine bar? What the hell is that?"
When I told him, I swear to God, he barked that there was no such thing and hung up on me. I was fit to be tied.
Anyhoo, yesterday, my girlfriend Ellen and Dan, her boyfriend, were chatting with me about what the next foodie craze may be. Last night, as we were watching the Food Channel (or some derivative), it occurred to me that the time is ripe for a Punch Bar.
I would need a highly trained mixologist and a constantly changing menu of delicious, punch-bowl recipes made with ingredients like absinthe, exotic herbs/spices sourced daily from my organic greenhouse, high-end/scarcely known liquors made by elves, bizarre fruit juices from other planets, flaming concoctions, etc. Like the mai tai gone wild and refashioned for the new millennium.
Fun, right?
Showing posts with label ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ideas. Show all posts
Monday, August 8, 2011
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Clientbook
I think Facebook should branch out into Clientbook. That way, whenever a client is touched (so to speak), the person in the organization who spoke/met with the client can update the status.
Bob: "Just spoke with the lead engineer. Putting in formal change control request and updating the statement of work."
Then anyone in the company can get an immediate, qualitative dashboard of all client-facing activity and further click on any one client for a deeper dive.
I've been working with so many client tools and systems over the years but nothing I've seen is as quick and immediate as Facebook.
Just a thought.
Bob: "Just spoke with the lead engineer. Putting in formal change control request and updating the statement of work."
Then anyone in the company can get an immediate, qualitative dashboard of all client-facing activity and further click on any one client for a deeper dive.
I've been working with so many client tools and systems over the years but nothing I've seen is as quick and immediate as Facebook.
Just a thought.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
"A Watch Doesn't Really Go With This Outfit, Daddy"
Today's New York Times contains an article by Steve Lohr, A Data Explosion Remakes Retailing, which discusses how retailer Wet Seal introduced an online feature to their site last year called Outfitter which:
Reading the two articles made me think that somewhere in this high-tech confluence of avatars meets user-generated content (e.g., blogging, tweeting) meets the backlash against suburban mall ubiquity, wouldn't it be great not only to allow ordinary teenagers, or anyone for that matter, to establish themselves on the Internet as style mavens (ranging from couture to consignment) but also to monetize it through a common technology platform? In other words, little Jackie O., or today's version of Cher Horowitz, could write a fabulous blog about her elegant, teen life in the debutante fast lane and pull together sensational outfits from myriad retailers -- well beyond Wet Seal -- so that other little Jackie O'lookalikes across the country could benefit from her fashion sense. More importantly, by driving traffic to the retailers, little Jackie O. should also make a buck or two in the process via a virtual revenue share agreement that could possibly grow with her relative popularity and, accordingly, the volume of sales generated.
Maybe this is already possible and I'm just not in the know; however, I still see more blogs with non-revenue generating links to external sites coupled with the traditional banner ad advertising model. The time may be ripe to bring it up a notch and make the clothes come to life.
- Allows users to put together their own outfits online, post them for others to browse/comment and exchange recommendations
- Has generated more than 300K user-designed outfits and millions of page views
Reading the two articles made me think that somewhere in this high-tech confluence of avatars meets user-generated content (e.g., blogging, tweeting) meets the backlash against suburban mall ubiquity, wouldn't it be great not only to allow ordinary teenagers, or anyone for that matter, to establish themselves on the Internet as style mavens (ranging from couture to consignment) but also to monetize it through a common technology platform? In other words, little Jackie O., or today's version of Cher Horowitz, could write a fabulous blog about her elegant, teen life in the debutante fast lane and pull together sensational outfits from myriad retailers -- well beyond Wet Seal -- so that other little Jackie O'lookalikes across the country could benefit from her fashion sense. More importantly, by driving traffic to the retailers, little Jackie O. should also make a buck or two in the process via a virtual revenue share agreement that could possibly grow with her relative popularity and, accordingly, the volume of sales generated.
Maybe this is already possible and I'm just not in the know; however, I still see more blogs with non-revenue generating links to external sites coupled with the traditional banner ad advertising model. The time may be ripe to bring it up a notch and make the clothes come to life.
Monday, November 16, 2009
DocAdvisor
According to a recent New York Times article entitled "Looking Abroad for Health Savings,"
Better yet, what about introducing an insurance carrier that significantly reduces its monthly (or annual) premiums by coordinating your care with low-cost, high-quality international options? Sure, that would mean even more jobs leaving the U.S. (and, in this case, those associated with highly qualified, well trained professionals) but, really, paying less than a tenth of the cost for a commensurate surgery (and saving $120K per procedure) might just alleviate our nation's escalating health care costs. Or, at the very minimum, provide a serious wake-up call to our big insurance firms.
As always, I'm sure there are major flaws in my logic. Feel free to point 'em out. If it takes a while for me to respond, it's because I'll be in Vietnam getting a face lift.
- A heart operation that might cost $130,000 in this country could cost $18,500 in Singapore or $10,000 in India.
- Estimates of the number of Americans traveling abroad for treatment — “medical tourism,” some call it — vary widely, from 75,000 to 750,000 last year. But many experts consider it a growth industry.
Better yet, what about introducing an insurance carrier that significantly reduces its monthly (or annual) premiums by coordinating your care with low-cost, high-quality international options? Sure, that would mean even more jobs leaving the U.S. (and, in this case, those associated with highly qualified, well trained professionals) but, really, paying less than a tenth of the cost for a commensurate surgery (and saving $120K per procedure) might just alleviate our nation's escalating health care costs. Or, at the very minimum, provide a serious wake-up call to our big insurance firms.
As always, I'm sure there are major flaws in my logic. Feel free to point 'em out. If it takes a while for me to respond, it's because I'll be in Vietnam getting a face lift.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Chez Iron Chef
Why doesn't the Food Network open an Iron Chef restaurant in NYC (or LA, Las Vegas, Rochester, etc.) where the menu changes every week and features the six platings which each of the chefs prepared on the show that most recently aired?
Our family watches Iron Chef on a routine basis and I always want to try everything -- even the vile sounding/looking (but apparently delicious) blood sausage with blueberries.
People that otherwise want to try new restaurants may continually be drawn back to the Iron Chef Cafe because the menu would rarely be the same twice (except between regular seasons when the establishment could revisit some of the old favorites) and different, top-ranked chefs nationwide or worldwide would be the originators, albeit not preparers, of each dish.
What a great way for up-and-coming chefs to learn from the masters and for us, plain folk to have an amazing culinary experience.
Just a thought.
Our family watches Iron Chef on a routine basis and I always want to try everything -- even the vile sounding/looking (but apparently delicious) blood sausage with blueberries.
People that otherwise want to try new restaurants may continually be drawn back to the Iron Chef Cafe because the menu would rarely be the same twice (except between regular seasons when the establishment could revisit some of the old favorites) and different, top-ranked chefs nationwide or worldwide would be the originators, albeit not preparers, of each dish.
What a great way for up-and-coming chefs to learn from the masters and for us, plain folk to have an amazing culinary experience.
Just a thought.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Your Love is Better than Wine
As someone who loves, loves, loves music, it's taken me quite a while to get into Christian music. Since I recognize that what I fill my mind with is critical, over a year ago I started to listen to positive, encouraging K-LOVE. (Yes, they preface their call sign with their tag line. I think all two of my readers know how I feel about that. Hi mom!)
I now love worshiping in my car and even know many of the songs/artists at this point which makes singing along that much easier. But . . .
Whenever I hear a song that I dislike and change the station, I am immediately reminded by non-Christian radio stations how much better mainstream music is. While I really like the Revelation Song, Phillips Craig & Dean simply can't hold a candle to Radiohead. As such, I'm thinking they, and other Christian bands, hold limited appeal to a larger audience.
So here's what I propose: Give select portions of the Bible to well known and/or infinitely cooler bands who have a talent for soulful pop tunes and ask them to write and perform their own songs based on the lyrics. They don't have to be believers; they simply have to enjoy a good challenge. My recommended bands would include, but not be limited to, the following -- not because they're my favorites (not all of them, at least) but because I think they could do a bang-up job.
While not even a remotely Christian song, I wonder if Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy was quoting the Song of Solomon 1:2 when he rose to fame with Kiss Me back in the day?
See, it could happen.
I now love worshiping in my car and even know many of the songs/artists at this point which makes singing along that much easier. But . . .
Whenever I hear a song that I dislike and change the station, I am immediately reminded by non-Christian radio stations how much better mainstream music is. While I really like the Revelation Song, Phillips Craig & Dean simply can't hold a candle to Radiohead. As such, I'm thinking they, and other Christian bands, hold limited appeal to a larger audience.
So here's what I propose: Give select portions of the Bible to well known and/or infinitely cooler bands who have a talent for soulful pop tunes and ask them to write and perform their own songs based on the lyrics. They don't have to be believers; they simply have to enjoy a good challenge. My recommended bands would include, but not be limited to, the following -- not because they're my favorites (not all of them, at least) but because I think they could do a bang-up job.
- Sonic Youth
- Liz Phair
- Matthew Sweet
- Beck
- Counting Crows
- Jakob Dylan/The Wallflowers
- Sheryl Crow
- Radiohead
- Cracker
- Wilco
- David Bowie (of course)
While not even a remotely Christian song, I wonder if Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy was quoting the Song of Solomon 1:2 when he rose to fame with Kiss Me back in the day?
See, it could happen.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Future Entrepreneur?
As I was kissing him goodnight last night, Son #1 told me that he wanted to begin investing. He then said, "Wouldn't it be great if there was a young investors website where companies that sell things to kids could post their new product ideas, like what's coming out next in Spore, and we could read all about it and decide if we want to put money into the company? That way, we would make money if it did well and they would know pretty much immediately if it sounded like a bad idea."
And I thought, why yes, that would be a great idea. As he's only nine, it would clearly require parental oversight and controls but still, it would be educational, fun and possibly lucrative.
This morning Son #1 was reading a book entitled War in Iraq: Weapons of the 21st Century because he wants to join the military some day (with a particular interest in becoming a sniper). Then he commented, "The military should have free summer camps with spy games and other activities for kids. That way, they'll encourage a lot of us to learn what it's like and possibly choose to join when we're old enough."
And I thought, why yes, that too would be a great idea. He would have an absolute blast (no pun intended) and it wouldn't cost us a dime. If executed well (no pun intended), the military could stand to gain high-caliber recruits with a somewhat minimal investment over time.
The ripe mind of a fourth grader. I just pray that if he joins the military, he remains safe always.
And I thought, why yes, that would be a great idea. As he's only nine, it would clearly require parental oversight and controls but still, it would be educational, fun and possibly lucrative.
This morning Son #1 was reading a book entitled War in Iraq: Weapons of the 21st Century because he wants to join the military some day (with a particular interest in becoming a sniper). Then he commented, "The military should have free summer camps with spy games and other activities for kids. That way, they'll encourage a lot of us to learn what it's like and possibly choose to join when we're old enough."
And I thought, why yes, that too would be a great idea. He would have an absolute blast (no pun intended) and it wouldn't cost us a dime. If executed well (no pun intended), the military could stand to gain high-caliber recruits with a somewhat minimal investment over time.
The ripe mind of a fourth grader. I just pray that if he joins the military, he remains safe always.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Men are from Mars
When I worked in a couple of ad agencies many moons ago, I used to marvel at the hubris (read: egos) of some of the creative talent and the way in which they treated the peons who were there presumably to serve and honor them. Yes, they were smart and oftentimes very funny. Sure many of their ideas were great. But what's great on paper and not at all what the client wants is not great. Period.
Give and take should be mandatory because ideas can always be improved upon. Bi-lateral education and communication should be welcome because sometimes the client needs to be swayed away from an irrational course of action and vice versa. Sounds simplistic yet, in my experience, those workplace behaviors were rarely adopted in such environments.
For a long time, I thought it would be helpful to offer a day-long workshop for ad agencies (entitled something along the lines of "Art Directors are Creative Gods; Account Executives are Idiots") during which an industrial psychologist would walk teams through different vantage points -- both internal and external -- and the delicate art of respectful collaboration. It could be rolled out to agencies coast-to-coast because I don't think this age-old issue was confined merely to the environments in which I worked. The market could be pretty huge.
With that said, after overhearing a tech guy patronizing an obvious simpleton over the phone earlier today as I grabbed a cup of coffee, I now believe the market for this workshop may be even larger. I'm thinking the entire world could use a workshop called "I'm in IT; you (whoever you are) are a moron."
Maybe a line of t-shirts would work.
Give and take should be mandatory because ideas can always be improved upon. Bi-lateral education and communication should be welcome because sometimes the client needs to be swayed away from an irrational course of action and vice versa. Sounds simplistic yet, in my experience, those workplace behaviors were rarely adopted in such environments.
For a long time, I thought it would be helpful to offer a day-long workshop for ad agencies (entitled something along the lines of "Art Directors are Creative Gods; Account Executives are Idiots") during which an industrial psychologist would walk teams through different vantage points -- both internal and external -- and the delicate art of respectful collaboration. It could be rolled out to agencies coast-to-coast because I don't think this age-old issue was confined merely to the environments in which I worked. The market could be pretty huge.
With that said, after overhearing a tech guy patronizing an obvious simpleton over the phone earlier today as I grabbed a cup of coffee, I now believe the market for this workshop may be even larger. I'm thinking the entire world could use a workshop called "I'm in IT; you (whoever you are) are a moron."
Maybe a line of t-shirts would work.
Monday, April 13, 2009
SpotOn
Following is a confluence of random thoughts about the state of the advertising industry:
This idea first came to me when the kids were watching some cable program that showcased buildings blowing up, accidents on the race car circuit, etc. When they cut to commercial, it was for some nondescript product with a commonplace ad. Instead of "you had me at hello," it was "you lost me at the break." I thought, wouldn't it be great if the ad somehow kept the action going? Sure, not too many brands want to be associated with a fiery explosion but some might -- especially if the ad itself is clever enough.
As my girlfriend Kris' husband countered, "Isn't that what advertising agencies are supposed to be doing?" Why yes, yes it is. But I think the current model is tired and worn out. The current model understandably focuses on brand consistency across all forms of media vs. tailoring the viewing experience to the audience at hand. And too many brands are risk-adverse. If you're Procter & Gamble and you've invested millions in your collective brands, you're going to stick with advertising that fits the model. I get it.
However, some brands can and should take a chance. New entrants in the market. Old products that need a facelift. Commoditized products that need differentiation. The possibilities are endless.
While I don't think we could "own" the first spot during American Idol each week (may be a tad cost-prohibitive!), perhaps we could negotiate the first spot on Flight of the Conchords, Krod Mandoon or Late Night with Jimmy Fallon while we make a name for ourselves. Start small . . .
If the team at SNL can produce a new ad weekly, in addition to writing, rehearsing and performing a multitude of skits, I believe we can accomplish a lot with a small team of solid, local writers coupled with a talented director and production crew. With low overhead (i.e., we could operate out of a barn for all I care) and minimal upstate NY salary requirements when compared to the industry norm on Madison Avenue, we could charge our clients very little on a per-ad basis until we're well known and respected. And I guarantee that we can initially secure local "actors" who would jump at the chance of being in a national ad: for free. The bulk of our clients' expenditure would likely cover the network costs.
For companies that spend enormous sums for a lifeless 30 second spot, this new model should be a dream come true for select products.
And the beautiful side of this coin, from a business development position, is that since we would a) "own" the time slot, b) boast a captive audience over time and c) become known for our work, longer term, clients should come to us. To me, that's a revenue model that works!
It's a win: win situation. And it would be one whole heck of a lot of fun.
- I hear more people than ever before claiming to watch the Superbowl for the commercials
- People talk about the good ads after the Superbowl just as much as they discuss the game
- The first ad break during SNL features a spoof -- and most people, I would venture to guess given my lack of data, stick around to watch it
- Every other ad on TV, for the most part, is skipped thanks to TiVo/DVR
- Interesting ads are shared beyond TV via YouTube and email (case in point: the Heineken walk-in closet commercial or T-Mobile's dancers in a London train station)
This idea first came to me when the kids were watching some cable program that showcased buildings blowing up, accidents on the race car circuit, etc. When they cut to commercial, it was for some nondescript product with a commonplace ad. Instead of "you had me at hello," it was "you lost me at the break." I thought, wouldn't it be great if the ad somehow kept the action going? Sure, not too many brands want to be associated with a fiery explosion but some might -- especially if the ad itself is clever enough.
As my girlfriend Kris' husband countered, "Isn't that what advertising agencies are supposed to be doing?" Why yes, yes it is. But I think the current model is tired and worn out. The current model understandably focuses on brand consistency across all forms of media vs. tailoring the viewing experience to the audience at hand. And too many brands are risk-adverse. If you're Procter & Gamble and you've invested millions in your collective brands, you're going to stick with advertising that fits the model. I get it.
However, some brands can and should take a chance. New entrants in the market. Old products that need a facelift. Commoditized products that need differentiation. The possibilities are endless.
While I don't think we could "own" the first spot during American Idol each week (may be a tad cost-prohibitive!), perhaps we could negotiate the first spot on Flight of the Conchords, Krod Mandoon or Late Night with Jimmy Fallon while we make a name for ourselves. Start small . . .
If the team at SNL can produce a new ad weekly, in addition to writing, rehearsing and performing a multitude of skits, I believe we can accomplish a lot with a small team of solid, local writers coupled with a talented director and production crew. With low overhead (i.e., we could operate out of a barn for all I care) and minimal upstate NY salary requirements when compared to the industry norm on Madison Avenue, we could charge our clients very little on a per-ad basis until we're well known and respected. And I guarantee that we can initially secure local "actors" who would jump at the chance of being in a national ad: for free. The bulk of our clients' expenditure would likely cover the network costs.
For companies that spend enormous sums for a lifeless 30 second spot, this new model should be a dream come true for select products.
And the beautiful side of this coin, from a business development position, is that since we would a) "own" the time slot, b) boast a captive audience over time and c) become known for our work, longer term, clients should come to us. To me, that's a revenue model that works!
It's a win: win situation. And it would be one whole heck of a lot of fun.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Just My Imagination
Yes, for all of you who have been pretending to listening to my million and one untouched awesome ideas for years, I now have a place to stick publish them: IDEASTOX.
I just put the long-running LaundryLug idea up there. We'll see if anyone else finds it even remotely compelling. Maybe someday I'll put a few more concepts up (well, at least those that haven't been executed and may still have legs so to speak).
Check it out: a hybrid of one of "my" ideas is already up there. I, of course, voted: YES!
Love this site! Can't wait to see comes of their great idea . . .
I just put the long-running LaundryLug idea up there. We'll see if anyone else finds it even remotely compelling. Maybe someday I'll put a few more concepts up (well, at least those that haven't been executed and may still have legs so to speak).
Check it out: a hybrid of one of "my" ideas is already up there. I, of course, voted: YES!
Love this site! Can't wait to see comes of their great idea . . .
Friday, May 16, 2008
The Answer My Friend
I realize that wind power, at this point in time, is expensive and doesn't yet justify a large investment -- at least economically speaking -- given that (even with government subsidies) the technology is insufficient and cannot cost effectively meet large scale production needs in a predictable fashion. Yet I do look forward to the day when wind turbines are economically viable and can provide safe, reliable, clean energy.
But I also think that people opposed to wind farms because they detract from the beauty of the landscape cannot see the forest through the windmills, so to speak. I personally think turbines are beautiful: clean lines, peaceful movement, dramatic presence.
(Image from Corus Group)
However, with all that said, I cannot help but ponder -- as I continually drive past what used to be Kodak Park and is now a barren landscape of leveled (i.e., imploded) buildings, empty parking lots and exposed pipes right in the heart of our city -- why do we need to put wind farms in areas of beauty? Why can't we put them in the midst of post-industrial urban decay? The answer may be as simple as the fact that underneath my proposed, ex-manufacturing landscape lies a sea of difficult-to-navigate, subsurface infrastructure (e.g., cables, pipes). Who knows.
I personally think an urban wind farm could redeem waste land that otherwise may remain neglected and an eyesore.
But I also think that people opposed to wind farms because they detract from the beauty of the landscape cannot see the forest through the windmills, so to speak. I personally think turbines are beautiful: clean lines, peaceful movement, dramatic presence.
(Image from Corus Group)
However, with all that said, I cannot help but ponder -- as I continually drive past what used to be Kodak Park and is now a barren landscape of leveled (i.e., imploded) buildings, empty parking lots and exposed pipes right in the heart of our city -- why do we need to put wind farms in areas of beauty? Why can't we put them in the midst of post-industrial urban decay? The answer may be as simple as the fact that underneath my proposed, ex-manufacturing landscape lies a sea of difficult-to-navigate, subsurface infrastructure (e.g., cables, pipes). Who knows.
I personally think an urban wind farm could redeem waste land that otherwise may remain neglected and an eyesore.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Inspiration sans Motivation
I always run across executed versions of ideas I had ages ago. Serious kudos to the founders for getting these businesses off the ground. I’m still sitting on my butt waiting for something that really screams my name; otherwise, the effort isn’t really fun. Nine times out of ten, I just want the product/service – I don’t want to be the one to actually do it.
I was thinking of this when I came across Angie’s List a site where homeowners can rate service companies such as landscapers, painters and roofers in their local areas. What a fabulous concept if I may say so myself. I wanted to develop this almost ten years ago when I heard the ongoing saga a girlfriend in Little Falls, NJ was recounting regarding her plumber. I even contacted my data nerd/website development friends who asked, “How do you plan to make money?” At the time, my response was, “I don’t know. Online advertising?” They laughed at me. Ha. Still funny today? Not so much.
I used to carry a little spiral notebook to capture great concepts but long ago gave up on it. I had a vague inclination to try to find it to see what else is in there so I took the time to dig it out of a box in the basement two weekends ago. I cannot believe the number of ideas it contains – some of which are okay, others very outdated and so many others which have come to fruition that I can hardly believe they didn’t exist at that time. Was I just clueless?
Following are some examples:
- Mystery shopping but for local area retailers, bankers, restaurants who want unbiased, third-party feedback
- Branded, drive through, healthy, fast food franchises (e.g., fresh spring rolls, chicken satay)
- Roamin’ Gecko: an untraditional travel agency specializing in off-the-beaten track vacations
- A music kiosk in the mall where you could select from a huge database of singles and burn them to CD (clearly pre-Napster and iTunes!)
- Spas in the airport (Hello! Very glad this was done.)
- Personal shoppers and errand runners for time-sensitive professionals
- Mug wipes: handy like baby wipes but non-toxic so you can wipe out your office mug if there’s no kitchen nearby
- Tupperwine: in-home parties that sell what women actually want and educate us on grapes, vintages, etc. Hey, we’re drinking wine at these parties anyway, why not focus on it?
- Rentable small movie theaters with comfortable couches/seats and fully stocked bars in which to hold intimate parties
- City-specific, personal tours where you could select gender, age, reason for visiting, etc. and, depending on price range, the site would arrange the typical (e.g., hotel, restaurants, car service) and atypical (e.g., bridal shop tours, trendy bars) tours
- Corporate offsite/day spa with guided meditation, brainstorming sessions, massages, breakout working sessions, etc. designed to relax/inspire yet professionally facilitated to drive results
- A series of children’s books entitled, “So my best friend is . . .” each of which gives engaging, fun facts about a given religion, race, disability, etc.
- SlamDate: an online service a la Angie’s List where you could actually rate, by name and location, your weekend dates, long-term romances and one night stands to warn innocent others (which, in retrospect, goes against my core values but what the hey – my friend Mary and I even went so far as to secure the URL for a year)
- Ann Taylor bridal (brand extension): which in 1993 would have been a fabulous market entry – before Vera Wang became a household name and after I had all of the sequins removed from my gown much to the consternation of the sales lady who said, “You are the most conservative bride I’ve ever encountered.” Yeah, and I don’t have the requisite “big bangs” to be in this shop
- A local wine bar to cater to the after-movie crowd who just wants to chill in a quiet environment, have some cheese and crackers and be with friends (which, when I called on a waterfront property on Schoen Place in my hometown in the mid ‘90s, the developer briskly dismissed me with a “that’s a stupid idea” and hung up on me. Thanks buddy.)
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