CultureLab

CultureLab featured on Fox 4 News-Dallas

2010-08-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

Positive things continue to happen for us; CultureLab is very blessed. Here is the video of the news story that ran last night, hope you enjoy!

Revisiting '09 Predictions::Lo Fi Storytelling+Inception

2010-08-09T16:44:00.000-07:00

We work hard to stay versed in all things related to global urban culture, creative aesthetics, and technology. This posting aligns with what we are passionate about in taking notice of the trends that impact marketing, product development, entertainment, and pop culture.

Almost two years ago, CultureLab published its list of trends to watch in 2009. Three of those 2009 trend predictions relate to this post. Specifically predictions #14, #15 and # 18:

http://culturelabcreative.blogspot.com/2008/12/culturelabs-trends-to-watch-for-in-2009.html

2009 Trend Predictions

"#14 Renaissance of creativity in business, politics, music, and entertainment: watch for new music genres, new art forms, new ideaologies, and new ways of film-making"

"#15 Low budget but creative aesthetic in fashion, film, and music, “Thrift Chic”

"#18 The role of narrative and storytelling will grow in all art forms and advertising/promotional outreach"

The last couple of weeks I have been spending a little time researching aesthetics as it relates to web design and music video, and it hit me that we were pretty much dead on in our predictions from 2 years ago. CultureLab knew that we were in a severely depressed economy and that the creative world could not escape the impact of the macro economic climate.

Web Design

Web design is being democratized and less Flash focused. Wordpress and the thousands of affordable templates made available, provide people with the tools to have beautiful web pages without the investment of $400 an hour web designers. Also due to the popularity of the iPhone, web design has to be viewable in Mobile OS and thus less layering of flash elements.

Web design is also getting simpler: less bells and whistles, more photograph heavy, clean design, and social media focused. Take note of the redos of:

Creative Control

http://www.creativecontrol.tv

LA Times

www.latimes.com

Dallas based streetwear brand Unkommon Kolor

www.theunko.com

Inception

Two years ago CultureLab did focus groups for General Mills and Saatchi NY. Most of the subjects were teens from the La Guardia School of the Performing Arts in NYC. I was amazed at how they all seemed to thrive off of the notion of complex storytelling. Narrative and storytelling meant everything to them.

Fast forward to 2010 and the prominent role of storytelling has taken off relating to brands, commercials, and entertainment. It was no surprise to me that Inception was one of the top films of the summer with its storytelling complexity, multiple narratives, and deep dive into the science of sleep. Christopher Nolan proved with Dark Knight that he is the 21^st century storyteller and the financial results of his movies speak for themselves.

Lo Fi Storytelling

Finally, the collapse of the recording industry has decreased the budgets of many artists for music videos but as they say, you can’t keep a good artist down. Erykah Badu’s new video with Rick Ross is proof in the pudding of our prediction that storytelling and a “thrift chic”aesthetic would rise to the top. Directed by the lo fi production duo of Coodie and Chike (pronounced Chee-Kay), Erykah proves again that a fascinating storyline is what you need to keep people interested. This video is a continuation of the controversial Window Seat/Get Munny video and see for yourself what good lo fi storytelling is all about:

CultureLab's Branding Work for InTouch Credit Union

2010-07-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New InTouch Credit Union TV Spots Let Members and Employees Tell the Story

Dallas, Texas, July 20, 2010-In a new round of: 30 TV spots developed to introduce the general public to InTouch Credit Union http://www.itcu.org, members and employees do the speaking.

The concept of letting members and employees tell their own personal stories involving the credit union was brought to the management team by the Culturelab agency who have been working with InTouch for the last 2 years to help recruit younger members.

CultureLab, http://www.culturelabcreative.com a Dallas based agency focused on insight, intelligence and engagement of next generation consumers presented the idea to ITCU’s management team that the most powerful advertising comes from referrals and word of mouth recommendations from satisfied customers.

Kevin Walker, managing partner of CultureLab, states, “In an era where consumers are so much more informed and empowered it is important to have strong and consistent brand narrative. With InTouch we have a great opportunity to start the narrative off right by letting the credit union members and employees set the tone and articulate what makes InTouch such a great credit union.”

“We have so many terrific member experience stories to share,” said Diane Gerstner, EVP of the Credit Union, “and we feel fortunate that our members are both passionate and loyal”.

The new TV spots feature 3 Credit Union members and one employee who tell their stories of positive interaction with InTouch Credit Union and interaction with Credit Union members. One of the featured members is Abi Ferrin, a Dallas based fashion designer, who benefited greatly from a line of credit InTouch Credit Union provided her.

Many companies are now looking for more emotional and authentic ways to connect with consumers. Instead of pushing out brand messages, they are allowing consumers to help define their brands by paying more attention to customer opinion and feedback. This is the approach taken to introduce ITCU and to define how ITCU is a “best in class” credit union when it comes to being attuned to their members’ needs.

The new spots will first be aired during the Dallas Cowboys preseason televised games. There will also be an online component to the campaign, with a heavy Facebook focus.

About In Touch Credit Union:

Headquartered in Plano, Texas, InTouch Credit Union serves more than 71,000 members in 21 locations throughout the United States. The organization holds assets totaling more than $870 million. Customer deposits are insured by the National Credit Union Association.

Media Contact: Kevin Walker, CultureLab, 972.835.2366

Kevin Published Today in Dallas South News Blog

2010-07-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

Here is an article that was published today in Dallas South News:

What does Dallas offer the Creative Class?

CultureLab's POV on the Future of Branding and Urban Marketing

2010-07-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

Last month, I spoke at the Dallas Advertising League luncheon on the future of branding and specifically the future of multicultural/urban marketing. Here are the key points that I shared with the audience:

Have A Brand Narrative: In the age of clutter, sub-segmentation, and proliferation of mediums your brand identity has to be consistent and strong. You also have to make it very very clear as to why consumers should care about you.

The Science of Consumer Influence is Here: the methodologies for effective marketing are changing and becoming more scientific. Digital advertising and the results from social media outreach are easily measured. Analytics and rich data enable continual optimization of marketing offers and placement. Soon consumers will be broken down into genomes instead of segments much like what Pandora does for music lovers. The principles of behavioral targeting are continuously refining. Also the science of the influencer and virality will be studied even more as WOM and influencers can enhance the success of products and marketing campaigns. Just reference agencies like Mekanism and the embedded video here of Tom Phillip’s talking about Sociographics.

Understand Cultural and Lifestyle Nuance-It is Never Cool To Market At The Expense of Other Racial Groups: Popeye’s and Metro PCS TV spots are two executions that are ALL WRONG (I tried to find the "Annie The Chicken Queen" spots but apparently the agency has removed them from youtube). These spots unapologetically revel in stereotypes. The new KIA hamster spots, however, are ALL RIGHT, the song choice of Black Sheep’s “The Choice is Yours” and the urban scenarios displayed show real insight and showcase understanding of cultural nuance. The KIA spots are also universal with the use of Hamsters as the subjects.4. There is a Decreasing Need for Ethnically Segmented Creative, MASS is MASS, However Targeted Engagement is Increasing in Importance: For the next generation consumer, ethnicity is not at the forefront of their identity, lifestyle is, so you are out of step if you are marketing to them based on ethnicity only. Furthermore mashup mindsets and cross culturalism make great universal creative ideas even more important in mass mediums like Broadcast TV. However to be effective and engage young urban consumers, research and targeted digital engagement are necessary.

5. The Creative Idea is Still What Matters Most at the Dawn of the Post-Digital Age: Ideas that are status update worthy, spreadable, and buzz generating are more important than the medium. Great copywriting matters even more. Look at the success of Weiden + Kennedy’s Old Spice commercials.

Geo Targeted Apps Are Here to Stay and They Are a GREAT Traffic Driving Tool for Retail: Apps like Foursquare can benefit retailers who embrace all of the functionality of these apps. It can be a great promotional tool, engagement tool, and disseminator of real time information. Ultimately these apps can shepherd consumers to your establishment. For consumers, geo location apps like Gowalla and Foursquare are very powerful WOM tools. Followers pay attention to the influential person’s check ins.

Consumers are your Brand Managers: We are now living in the era of the open brand. As we have become accustomed to open source code, we think it is our right to say what we like and don’t like when it comes to brands that we are passionate about. Consumers are just as important as Brand Managers, and have to be paid close attention to. Pepsi is a large brand that clearly gets this. I referenced this back in the Super Bowl ad review, that they showed they were in step with next gen consumers by creating the Pepsi Project.

Defining CultureLab, From Dallas to New York

2010-06-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

Recently, I took a trip to New York to drum up business and soak in authentic urban culture. Most of my meetings were with Account Planners at large agencies who we have partnered with in the past. (Shout out to Carmen Baez and Alvaro Cifuentes of Omnicom DAS Global, Katy Alonzo of Anomaly, Dick DeLange of JWT, Ted Ellet of Draft FCB NY, and Andre Torres, Michael Coxen Loren Odom, and Adrian Younge of Waxpoetics magazine. Loren and Adrian are incredible musicians who are doin' it in the retro funk genre emerging from NY and LA.)

Check out their Black Dynamite Sound Orchestra:

I came across a very well put together mini-doc on the recording of their Black Dynamite Soundtrack. If there was no Waxpoetics, cats like these would more than likely lack exposure for their work.

This trip totally inspired me and further validated my theory that young creative class workers and creative class industries, even a tight-knit but solid creative class circle in the urban core of any city is important. I visited DUMBO, a creative sector in Brooklyn as well as spent time walking the streets of downtown Manhattan. The energy was palpable and even in this economic downturn, the office buildings of DUMBO were filled with cutting edge publishing houses, digital agencies, and software development businesses that are going to help drive the economic engine of the 21st Century.

The question I kept asking myself was do I need to move CultureLab to DUMBO to thrive and prosper or is there something to starting my own "Digital DUMBO' in downtown Dallas? I think the answer is the latter. Eventually CultureLab will have a permanent presence in New York but Dallas Ft. Worth is the fastest growing metropolitan area in the U.S. according to the recent U.S. Census, so there is much potential here. However, the business and corporate community must foster and patronize businesses like CultureLab in order for us to compete successfully with Creative Class cities like NYC, Austin, and LA. The time is now, and CultureLab is at the vanguard of a budding creative class industry movement here in the core of Dallas. So, I will end this post by explaining to you just exactly what CultureLab is. We are on to great things and if you hire us you will see!

CultureLab is a forward-thinking Trends & Behavior Research, Marketing, and Creative

agency that utilizes the results of current and anticipatory lifestyle intelligence to help

brands and institutions better and more effectively market to their consumer. Our efforts

generally focus on youth and young adult (NextGen/ Millennial's) anthropology and social

media as it continues to evolve in the realm of technology. The name CultureLab reflects

our research based approach in understanding the NextGen consumer.

Simply put, we are strategists, digital comm planners, writers, filmmakers, researchers and

designers that take a look at what’s current, predict what’s to come and use that

information, unfiltered, to create and execute effective marketing and creative plans. Think

of us as a think tank slash marketing agency slash creative boutique.

Our Research leads to Strategy. Strategy to Engagement. Effective Engagement creates a

relevant Experience.

We Already Knew This....Teens Are Not That Into TV and Foursquare

2010-06-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

97% of teens spend two hours or more on social media sites
95% update their status at least once a day
Don't really use Foursquare or Gowalla

Television is out. Half of teen influencers spend three or more hours online while only a quarter spend the same amount of time watching television. (Although time shifting of TV watching online is a significant occurrence)

Click on the link for more:

Study: Teens Who Are Social Online Are Social in Life, But Don't Like Television, Foursquare

Millenials, A Nice Profile of This Diverse Connected Generation

2010-04-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/04/millennials.html">

Wocka Flocka x Soulja Boy Tell'em x Roscoe Dash = "Skurban"

2010-03-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

Posted by Kevin Walker

For some time, I have been chronicling the dynamic of reverse cultural appropriation as it relates to black urban culture, and west coast skater/suburban culture. There is mounting evidence that black urban culture is taking as many cues from white suburban culture, particularly the subgenres of skater and punk culture.

There is a word being thrown around, “skurban” which speaks to the merging of “skater” with “urban”. The imagery of Mohawks, skateboarding, punk rock, and slam dancing is different from the gun toting thug imagery of hip hop in the past, Soulja Boy Tell’em and Pharrell Williams have been a big reason why. Consider it a new young urban energy with Soulja Boy Tell’em and Pharrell Williams as the crowned princes of this movement.

Soulja Boy Tell’em is not a one hit wonder, rather he is a savvy pied piper of Black Southern teens much like Miley Cyrus is to young teen girls. Much can be said for his impact on digital hustle, his controversial influence on the sound of southern hip hop, and his emphasis on fun. Love him or hate him he has had a noticeable impact.

One other thing to note is that this young energy urban movement has sprung from Atlanta.

Reverse migration of African Americans to the

Southern states has resulted in the south as being the epicenter for Black urban culture, particularly in music. Atlanta is ground zero. Wocka Flocka Flame’s O Let’s Do It and Roscoe Dash’s All The Way Turnt Up are two of the hottest songs on pop and urban music stations and both artists are Atlanta based.

My favorite of the two is Wocka Flocka Flame’s O Let’s Do It. I love the punk rock energy displayed in the video and the catchy chorus. Hope you enjoy!

The Youth Mashup Mindset-Marketers Should Take Notice

2010-03-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

posted by Kevin Walker

Last week Chiqui Cartagena of Story Worldwide Marketing wrote a very nice piece in Advertising Age’s Big Tent about the ongoing lag between marketers’ cross cultural marketing efforts and the reality of changing demographics in the U.S.

The day her article was published I happened to watch MTV Hits channel and was struck by a couple of music videos that played. The videos were Three 6 Mafia with Tiesto, Flo Rida and Sean Kingston’s “Feel It”. This video has 8.2 million hits thus far

and Justin Bieber and Ludacris’ “Baby” with 28 million hits:

It occurred to me that some of these musical artists/hitmakers are savvier marketers than many of us who are MBA trained, and formally trained marketers. They have made a conscious decision to give the marketplace what it wants which is mashup approaches, the mixing and meshing of genres and to appeal across ethnic groups. Is there something to this? The proof is in the hits! This music blurs the lines but is ultimately appealing to the masses: is it Techno? Is it Pop? Is it Reggaeton? Is it Hip-Hop? So, if the lines of music are blurring, what are the implications for other sections of culture outside of music, particularly how it impacts consumer marketing.

I have been documenting this new crossover/mashup mindset that is emerging among both urban and suburban youth for quite sometime, check out these earlier posts: Crossover Dreams, and One Youth Nation Under A Groove. Now there is more evidence that this mashup/crosscultural aesthetic is mainstream and my question to marketers is how will you respond to be more relevant with the next generation of consumers?

To connect to Latino youth, do you think it is relevant to make Latino Heritage month celebrations cornerstones of your Hispanic youth outreach efforts? Based on research we have done, that may not be the most impactful way to go.

From what I have seen, the agency world is still practicing a rigid market segregation, and many of their Client’s marketing budgets reflect this. There is the General Market marketing budget, the Hispanic marketing budget, and sometimes, an African American and Asian marketing budget. The newly emerging “mashup mindset” that we are talking about poses an interesting challenge for marketers in the context of mashup mindsets.

As it relates to connecting to young people, perhaps there should be coherent youth strategies implemented, along with formally budgeting for these efforts. Also, because of the complexity of youth identity, the role of account planning and insights will dramatically increase in significance in crafting marketing strategies targeted to them.

The reality is that for many young people multiculturalism/crossculturalism is organic. If you are a young person who happens to live in Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, New York, the Bay Area, I guarantee there is keen awareness of other cultures amongst young people and the influence of their associates and friends from other cultures on their tastes, resulting in this “mashup” cultural mindset.

Currently, the way the agency world is structured this organic point of view is stifled by the homogeneity of agency staffs and corporate marketing staffs. There is definitely room for innovation and new effort put toward addressing increasing diversity, and the psychocgraphic and demographic shifts occuring with the next generation of consumers. I know I am beating a dead horse but there is so much potential being untapped. I would like to challenge us to begin the work to convince our clients and fellow agency cohorts to put new approaches into play and to take steps to reflect back to the marketplace the organic way in which young people relate to each other and the brands they love.

Digital Engagement-Connecting with Gen Y

2010-03-01T06:45:00.000-08:00

Part of our offering as a youth think tank/marketing consultancy is to study and harness the latest communication mediums to help our clients connect to their next gen constituents effectively. One of our most in demand offerings for Clients is what the industry has pegged as DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT. In terms of next generation marketing, digital engagement should now be considered an integral part of your marketing mix.

CultureLab views digital engagement as an ongoing manipulation of the virtual “toggle switch” between offline and online promotion/events + digital communications. Think of it simply as the leveraging of sales promotion, event engagement, social media content creation, and social media communication.

For the last 7 months our agency implemented and managed a digital engagement outreach initiative for EDS Credit Union (now InTouch Credit Union) called The Arrival Guide. Part of our strategy was to experiment with social media and to implement the process of digital engagement to build a stronger, more authentic connection to young adult members and potential members. Thus, we created thearrivalguide.com as our home base for digital engagement. Along with thearrivalguide.com microsite, we also created a Facebook page, and Twitter account all linked to thearrivalguide.com.

Digital Engagement has been a huge part of our successful Gen Y outreach and has resulted in growth of the ITCU membership base of almost 20% among 18-34 year olds. Our efforts have also helped garner a little notoriety for EDS Credit Union for being social media innovators in efforts to reach Gen Y. (Dallas Business Journal article)

Because of digital engagement, we have also been able to dramatically increase traffic to thearrivalguide.com. When our thearrivalguide.com sweepstakes launched on February 1st 2010, traffic increased on the site by 900%

Here are a few notable results from our effort

• The number of members under 35 have increased by almost 20% since the launch of thearrivalguide.com in August of 2009

• Google Analytics showed that after implementation of The Arrival Guide sweepstakes traffic to thearrivalguide.com increased by over 900%

• Branch managers of the Credit Union also reported increased traffic in branches from younger members due to thearrivalguide.com promotions

Discoveries

• Engagement has to be a two way interaction, one way (marketer to consumer) does not work for younger consumers

• Giving is marketing, you must consistently provide something of value to the consumer first before you can sell.

• The use of video embedded on the microsite helped with SEO and promoted viral embedding

• Twitter and Facebook were our most effective tools for broadcasting our promotions and broadcasting special offers

• Facebook and Flickr provide opportunities to reinforce the “fun” aspects of our marketing effort, younger consumers love sharing pictures.

• Content curation and continuous refreshing of content are key to maintaining interest in your social media properties-this is a time intensive process

• The use of social media alone should never substitute for an intergrated marketing effort-we used tv ads to help drive traffic to thearrivalguide.com

Great Article on Millennial Marketing

2010-02-26T09:02:00.000-08:00

This has been a BIG week for Gen Y research and insights because of the Pew Research report on Millennials. Our friend, Prof. Carol Phillips, has also written a nice article on how companies are just coming around to paying attention to this generational shift among key consumers. Will companies start paying closer attention to Gen Y outreach? We think so.

CultureLab on Dieste's Latincast

2010-02-18T13:22:00.000-08:00

On January 25, 2010 CultureLab recorded our first podcast with Dieste agency's Latincast crew: Caleb Williams, Santiago Botello, and Tania Flores. We had a blast! Here is a little "behind the scenes" video from that day.

Untitled from Kevin Walker on Vimeo.

Hope you enjoy the podcast!

It's Our Time!- A 2010 Superbowl Ad Requiem

2010-02-08T16:08:00.000-08:00

Hol' Hol' On.....The Superbowl game ads were aight and all but the GAME was waaaaay better!

We are mocking Kanye West's infamous hijacking of Taylor Swift's MTV VMA moment but, my oh my, how we could have used Kanye creatively in one of those spots last night!

Watching the 2010 Superbowl ads validated why a firm like CultureLab has such a bright future. The ad industry demonstrated that they are struggling with relevancy, and diversity of voice. We also think a large number of ads were really off in terms of tonality. CultureLab was able to share this POV post game on the Marcus Graham Project's blog talk radio show.

Here is a quick synopsis of CultureLab's thoughts on this years' Superbowl ad parade:

* Our favorite spot was the "Parisian Love" Google ad: great demonstration of functionality, clever storytelling, and the spot delivered in adding some much needed humanity to Google.

* Our runner up 1- Kia: finally a spot with real energy, a fun concept, cool Kid Robot inspired toys, upbeat music, and to us, it made a mini van type of vehicle (the Sorento) cool!

* Runner Up 2: Dante's Inferno Videogame. We wish we were the team who sold in using Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" as the music to accompany this ad.

* Runner Up 3: Doritos, The Slap: this was a tad problematic in the premise, the overprotective man/child of a single black mom, but it was kind of funny. I am wondering though if some African Americans cringed a little at the premise as common as it it in real life.

* #FAIL on a glaring lack of diversity specifically, Hispanics and Asians, and over reliance on Black entertainers and athletes for diversity. Double #FAIL on Charles Barkley rapping/rhyming and plugging Taco Bell. Draft FCB, we can do better!

Where is Carlos Mencia when you need him! LOL!

* Beer, this category needs our help.........specifically Anheuser Busch....why do we keep reverting back to frat boy humor? CultureLab can help you evolve your message and make beer a more "inclusive" product. The humor didn't do it for us and you guys even fumbled the Clydesdales! Making fun of Auto Tune is so 2006 and 2007.

* We felt sad for the ad industry by the third quarter of the game. Yes, this was the largest audience ever but what was revealed in a large number of spots is that our industry is in a downward spiral: low production budgets, lack of creativity, and most of all a demonstrated tone deafness (can you say The WHO!?)

*The biggest winner of the Superbowl ad contest for us was Pepsi, who decided NOT to advertise this year during the big game. Their move was brilliant in that the Refresh Project showed real insight as to what is relevant for the core Pepsi consumer. It also is a very smart deployment of money compared to many advertisers who chose to spend big for the slot but put in place low quality work.

Nice move Pepsi and we think next year, there will be even more companies making decisions like Pepsi did when it comes to advertising during the Superbowl game.

An Interesting Article from Mashable and Trendrr on Gaga's Success

2010-02-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

It's funny we had a hearty discussion yesterday about whether social media and marketing was a big part of her success and today we stumble across this article on Lady Gaga's rocketing fame.

After The Grammy's Can We Get Back to Creativity in Music?

2010-02-01T10:21:00.000-08:00

We feel as if we wasted 3 hours of our lives watching the Grammy Awards last night. The music industry is so desperate for money that they have turned the awards into a pure celebration of who sold the most units. What we call the Wal-Martization of music was on full display. Can you say country pop? We apologize to all of our blog readers who like country pop, but it annoys the heck out of us. LOL!

Musicianship, individualistic style, and just overall coolness were missing last night. In our opinion, we might add! The other questionable development with the Grammy's was the awarding of many of the Black and Hispanic music categories in the non-televised portion of the show. Vapid is the word that best describes what we witnessed. Anyway, enough of our rant.

Here are a few artist that CultureLab would like to acknowledge for holding up the light of creativity and excellence in music:

This West Coast hip hop production duo get props for getting Kool Keith and Tom Waits on the same track, awesome video too!

We are pumped for the queen of soulful creativity, Ms. Erykah Badu. If this track is any indication, New Amerykah Part 2 will be the hotness. Unique vocalization, unique sound and even L'il Wayne spits a few good verses.

Lupe Fiasco should have been on that Grammy stage last night doing this song!

Update on Trends for 2010

2010-01-25T08:02:00.000-08:00

OK, one month down, 11 more to go! With January almost finished, we are already feeling validated with some of the predictions we made for 2010. Recently a few articles were published that supported a couple of our predictions. Also, recent developments on the political scene give us further validation on our prediction about rage and dissatisfaction with the status quo.

One of the projections we made was that "Out of Brokenness: New Ideas and New Industry" . This article published on January 9th, 2010, supports our point of view.

"The Return of Rage and Dissatisfaction in Music, and Politics:
Frustration at the status quo"

Last Tuesday, late Senator Ted Kennedy's seat was won by a Republican, Scott Brown, who ran as a populist or "man of the people" and won. Massachusetts is an overwhelmingly Democratic state, almost 3 to 1, Democrat to Republican. Analysis of voters however showed that their choice for Brown was driven by their dissatisfaction with what was taking place in Washington.

"Couponing, and Thrift/Discount Shopping are here to stay"

The economy has not really recovered and most likely will not recover with unemployment levels remaining high. This article also published in the NY Times on January 8, 2010 takes a look at the impact of the economy and the ongoing need for discounting and specials at restaurants to keep customers coming in, particularly young people.

CultureLab's 2010 Trends to Watch

2010-01-04T20:39:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Trends To Watch in 2010

CultureLab monitored social media chatter during the last quarter of 2009 to get a grasp on evolving trends. We also conducted in-market explorations in Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York. Finally, our Trend Summit in December was a success and helped us glean even more about the trends expected to make an impact in 2010! From lifestyle, technology, media and fashion to music, politics, consumerism and street culture, we explored it all. We're pleased to bring you CultureLab's Top Ten list of the areas we believe will be noteworthy and notable among the "New" general market -- the young adult, hyper-fragmented, tech savvy, diverse and cross-cultural group of consumers. Enjoy!

CultureLab Trends Summit Link

What to Look For in 2010

1.Proliferation of Netbooks and Cloud computing
The Year of Mobile Computing and the Cloud:

The continuing enhancement and availability of cloud computing will negate the need for storage and applications housed on your pc. Netbooks offer a price point and functionality that is appealing.

Netbook Link

2.The Return of Rage and Dissatisfaction in Music, and Politics:
Frustration at the status quo.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for teens stands at 26.7% (December 2009) College Students are also graduating with little to no job prospects. As this situation continues, there will be growing discontentment among these groups. We think it will surface in the areas of politics (2010 midterm elections) and in music and online social movement. Recently in the UK, we saw evidence of this. Take a look at this CNN video:

Rage Link

3. Couponing, and Thrift/Discount Shopping are here to stay

Money continues to be tight for many young adults due to high unemployment and high levels of underemployment. Young people do use coupons, and the research shows that it is not a fad. Also, Black Friday of 2009 ushered in a new era of people using social media to find the best deals. Promotional codes, online coupons and Twitter will be a necessity for retailers who want to get people to spend.

According to the PMA Coupon Council, coupons are more influential in purchase decisions to 18-24 year olds in four out of the eight retail categories measured than the general population, including:

* Electronics (37 percent vs. 23 percent)

* Apparel/Clothing (31 percent vs. 24 percent)

* Car/Truck (11 percent vs. 8 percent)

* Telecom Services (9 percent vs. 7 percent)

* 54 percent of 18-24 year olds were influenced to purchase a grocery product
(food/cleaning/beauty) because of a coupon.

* 46 percent of 18-24 year olds were influenced to eat at a particular restaurant
because of a coupon.

* 37 percent of 18-24 year olds were influenced to purchase a particular
electronics product as a result of a coupon. (PMA Coupon Council)

4. Out of Brokenness, New Ideas and New Industry

Throughout the course of our research in the last four months of 2009, we were struck by how many times we heard from young people that in their view things were "broken". They have witnessed a near collapse of the world economy, increasing unemployment, bankruptcies of established companies, etc. Brokenness however, is perceived as opportunity. They have the energy to bring forth new business models and new industries. We expect 2010 will be the advent of many innovative and green oriented industries.

5. Geolocation apps for the Mobile Phone will Explode

The popularity of applications like Foursquare in cities like New York and Los Angeles will gain more traction in other urban centers and become more mainstream. This will be the year of functional geolocation apps for mobile.

Geolocation Link

6. Pop Electro Disco supplants Hip Hop as the global beat

2009 may go down as the year of Hip-Hop's official marginalization. Hip-Hop is not dead it is just not the popular music focal point it once was in the previous decade. Look for more auto tune vox/electro beat/disco to be the dominant genre in 2010- much like it was in 2009. Lady Gaga, and her like minded compadre's will more than likely continue to move people to their beat.

Pop Electro Link 1

Pop Electro Link 2

7. Tried and True Will Be Best

Money-the lack of it-will be the 800 pound gorilla in 2010, people will be extra judicious with spending. Based on our research, people will gravitate to the tried and true. New products that don't address value and immediate and pressing needs will have a hard time gaining traction. Consumers are expected to stick with the classics and what they know. Take note of the Classic Americana fashion trend developing. We also predict that Vans sneakers will be the hot brand of 2010. Vans are classic, inexpensive and are offered in many colors and styles.

8. Technology Will Not Keep Us Together

Katy Alonzo, a social media researcher for Publicis, presented at our Trend Summit. Far from bringing us together Alonzo believes social media is ripping us apart. She spends much time monitoring online chatter, and she spoke ominously about some of the growing hateful chatter as it relates to politics and hate towards people of different ideaologies, class, or ethnicities. Just as in the offline world, people in the online world are comfortable with those who share their values, class, and identity. They tend not to reach out to others who may be different. Look for points of view to harden, and more strife and division to surface.

Technology Link

9. The Young and the Sharp

As times remain challenged and serious, people are going to dress up more in 2010. The era of sloppiness in dress and casual Fridays is so '00's. Young people are rediscovering "dressing up" and it is driven by a new pragmatic sense that to make progress, get a job, and be taken seriously you have to look the part. As one of our speakers at the Trend Summit, Michael Hastings-Black, mentioned, it is the "grown ass man" syndrome that is inspiring people to dress up more. Here is an example of this in the context of menswear:

Young and Sharp Link

10. The General Market Will Be Re-Defined

We predict that the 2010 Census is going to shake things up a bit on the demographic front. Marketers will be confronted with how to approach marketing to the fast growing second and third generation Hispanics born in the U.S. Also, the numbers of bi-racial young people will continue to grow and make an impact. It is our view, that these dynamics will force agencies and companies to redefine what the general market means. In the agency world, the traditional Hispanic agency will find its relevancy challenged as general market agencies will grab more budget at the expense of shops focused solely on ethnicity. Some may argue to the contrary but we support the view that as marketing budgets are challenged efficiencies in advertising will be sought.

General Market Link

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-01T11:13:00.000-08:00

It’s a new year, and a new era for CultureLab. All I can say is whew! We survived ’09. As many of my peers in the marketing services and advertising industry know, 2009 was a brutal year, but like someone who finishes a marathon we have a HUGE since of self-actualization and achievement.

Despite the tough economic environment CultureLab managed to survive and enhance our service offerings for Clients. We have been at it for four years now, and we realize that we are well on our way to creating a successful track record of doing great work for our Clients, as well as being at the forefront of using consumer research and lifestyle intelligence to build effective marketing outreach.

So what is CultureLab and what do we do?

My answer is, we are a Southwest U.S. based communications agency that focuses on the use of consumer research and lifestyle intelligence to connect brands and institutions to the “NEW” general market.

The “NEW” general market is a market that is more tech savvy, more diverse and more fragmented than in the past. Our niche is helping companies that are a bit challenged in connecting to consumers in this new marketing environment.

There are four key parts that make up the whole of CultureLab:

CultureLab Consultancy
Digital Lab
POS Lab
Experience Lab

To see examples of our work and our specific services, check out our website at http://www.culturelabcreative.com

We are wishing all of our friends, followers, and clients a very prosperous and successful 2010! God bless!

CultureLab Trend Summit

2009-12-10T12:30:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, on December 5, 2009, CultureLab held its first annual Trends Summit where we brought in talented thinkers to pontificate on what they thought was going to be monumental in 2010. We were thrilled to have academics, social media strategists, culture guru's and art and technology college students from UTD in the mix.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31172651@N02/

CultureLab likes to keep it fresh so we brought a little innovation to the summit by having Fahamu Pecou and Michael Hastings-Black to Skype in from Atlanta and Brooklyn respectively, we also tweeted throughout the event from @clabcreative, #2010 Trends. Last year we did something similar for Saatchi NY and their General Mills client but this year, we thought we would do it for CultureLab's own learning and development.

It was clear that the economy, the dearth of jobs, and mobile OS development are going to be HUGE shapers of things to come as it relates to young people and consumer behavior. The word "broken" kept coming up but it was used in the context of out of brokeness good things can come, "a genesis of revolution" so to speak. Also one other striking statement made during the conference by Katy Alonzo who is a social media researcher was that "technology is ripping us apart, not bringing us together". She really made us think differently about polarization that is facilitated by technology.

Stay tuned for our Top 2010 Trends to Look for which will be published in early January. We also shot video of the summit which will be available for viewing by 12/28. A big thanks goes out to our sponsors: 7-11, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Waxpoetics, and Frank 151.

Black Men Under The Radar

2009-10-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

Today, we are very honored to have our first guest blogger, the legendary researcher/ethnographer, Pepper Miller of the Hunter-Miller Group in Chicago, http://www.huntermillergroup.com. She has given us a thought provoking take about the view of Black men as typically shown in the media and how fair and authentic representation of them rarely takes place. We are grateful to Pepper, and welcome your feedback on her post.

Clayton and LaNise Ollarvia’s Atlanta wedding was wonderful. She was the classic beautiful bride and he the handsome groom. The bridal party was striking and the parents proud and tearful at times.

What captured my attention and became the impetus for this post, was the constant conversations taking place from every corner of the wedding reception about Clayton’s groomsmen. Heard at the tables, the bar -- even in the restroom, guests were buzzing about the young men’s charm, intelligence and wit. Importantly, many surmised –unaided by this researcher-- that the groomsmen’s behavior was not uncommon and therefore questioned why more positive stories and images of Black men aren’t seen in the media.

The National Urban League’s annual State of Black America Report typically paints a truthful, but often dismal picture about the current situation and outlook of Black America and particularly Black men.

While this information is not inaccurate, the National Urban League and many service organizations typically rely on the harsh realities of Black America to secure grants and funding for social service programs that are sorely needed and appreciated in Black communities across the nation. I am not, by any means, implying that these social service reports are not welcomed or valued--they are. However, there is another side. It’s the story about Black America and Black men that often does not get told.

In general, Black men tend to be younger (29.5 v.35.4) and as a segment, has been growing three times the rate of the white males. Although educational attainment fluctuates, more are recognizing and embracing education as a means for overcoming societal barriers and advancing oneself. In fact, from 1976-2004, Black male college graduates doubled. Additionally, Black men are taking more responsibility for their families; two parent families increased at nearly double the US rate from the last Census. Many also have assumed significant roles in business, politics, sports entertainment and other areas. Additionally, The Black America Study www.blackamericastudy.com identifies one of its eleven segments as “Black Onliners". This segments includes a majority of Black men who are 97% online, educated, moderate income earners, have a majority of Black friends and respond favorably to targeted Black advertising.

Often copied is Black men’s invaluable influence on global culture. Think: swagger, language, music, fashion and being early adaptors of technology. Importantly, Black men are the arbiters of cool. They don’t own it, but interestingly, they are the only group that looks to each other, and not to others, to determine what is hip and cool-- and the world follows.

Ghettoization of Online Social Networks

2009-10-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

For about a year now, CultureLab has been telling our clients and followers that there is a growing class divide online with social network choice. It was one of the key points I made at this years YPulse Youth Marketing Panel on Marketing to Multicultural Gen Y'ers back in June. Yesterday, CNN reported the statistics around this growing trend.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/10/13/social.networking.class/

Swagger Paris at NYC Fashion Week

2009-09-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

Check out what's shakin' at NYC Fashion Week:

http://www.swaggerparis.com/

Millennials and Financial Fitness

2009-08-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

According to a recent research study conducted by Charles Schwab, 71% of 23-28 year olds polled said they are extremely concerned about the U.S.’s economic future. More than half, 53%, were very concerned about their personal financial future. Needless to say, the economy is extremely challenged right now and the job market is very, very bad.

For Millennials the severity of the economic downturn has been a discombobulating experience, especially in light of the fact that our generation's identity has been shaped during the height of American consumption and excess. So what is going to happen now? Are there tools out there to help us navigate this new economic reality and help us plan for our increasingly cloudy financial future?

One of CultureLab's Clients, EDS Credit Union, contracted us to develop programming and outreach that would help attract younger members to their Credit Union while helping them to become more aware of the importance of financial planning and financial fitness. As a consequence we came up with TheArrivalGuide.com. It is our hope that this is step one to more companies and financial institutions being more sensitive to the needs of our generation. Check it out, let us know what you think, and please feel free to tell us how we can make it stronger.

Financial Help for Young Professionals

2009-08-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

If you need help with your finances check out www.thearrivalguide.com

CultureLab has won Honorable Mention for the ADCOLOR Innovator Award

2009-08-18T11:07:00.000-07:00

It was announced today that CultureLab's founders, Philip Moore and Kevin Walker won Honorable Mention for the 2009 ADCOLOR Innovator of the Year Award.

With more entries than ever before it is indeed an honor to be among the crème de la crème of the ad industry. Philip and Kevin were also the ONLY honorees from a small agency to be recognized. Check out the list of all honorees at: http://bit.ly/LOXdU. Also to know more about the ADCOLOR Awards check out : www.adcolor.org

Chicago Movements

2009-08-05T12:22:00.001-07:00

Recently, our intern and Chicago based blogger, Devin Walker, interviewed a brotha by the name of Krabby who happens to be the manager/proprietor of hot streetwear/sneaker boutique, St. Alfred in Wicker Park. Chicago is coming up in the game in its streetwear and sneaker options and St. Alfred is leading the way.

Mr. TasTees Visual Mix Tape — "A Crazy Trip In Chicago" from Anthony Esquivel on Vimeo.

We learned alot about what's happening in the CHI by talking with Krabby:

Q1: I understand STA is apart of Kicks/HI what is it about Chicago style or just Chicago in general that made Chicago the first place to open a store on the mainland rather than NY or LA?

A1: The city didn't have something like this whereas LA and NY had places like it already. When we opened up in 2005, we weren't the first but there wasn't anything like this here.

Q2: If this boutique had to have a motto what would it be?

A2: Saint's rise above…..

Q3: How has the Chicago Style of dress changed over this decade?

A3: It's become more embracing of skate culture like SB's DC, but what has changed is that there is more acceptance of different styles. Before, if a shoe wasn't a AF1 or Jordan it was called a fake AF1 or Jordan.

Q4: How do you see the state of Chicago fashion moving in the coming years?

A4: It will continue to spread from the old norm thanks to people like Kanye and Lupe. Kanye has the reach in the urban community and the larger mainstream commercial aspect of America to be a influence in both.

Q5: With the economy's current state, what do you think would be the X factor for a store such as this one to get new clientele?

A5: A good product is what's key. Some people are still buying the high end merchandising, but you must have competitive prices and uniqueness.

Q: How has the connection of local artist and local hip hop boutiques helped both industries in their fields here in Chicago?

A6: Promotions for the city, and use anything that cross connects them is a good thing for the city.

Q7: How do you think social media sites such as Facebook and Myspace helped spread the buzz about STA?

A7: Facebook and Myspace are just other forms of communication but word of mouth is the best way to communicate ideas, and Facebook mimics that.

Q8: Chicago neighborhoods are known for having there own unique styles, some industrial, others residential, how do you guys think Wicker Park has influenced this establishment and how do you see the impact that STA has had on Wicker Park?

A8: It hasn't been affected by Wicker Park but we have seen Wicker Park change, it has been another case of gentrification but in a new way. Instead of it being racial it is age based, more young people in their 20's and 30's and married young people as well.

Q:9 So what are the hot styles for this summer
Shoes? Pants? Shirts? Accessories?

A9: Now its a euro style for the shoes, also Vans, Converses and also it is hip to wear new start up companies products, in all parts of your wardrobe.

CLab Hot Spot

2009-07-23T12:13:00.000-07:00

Check out our latest video blog to find out about the next big trends!

cLab HOT spot 2 from Philip Moore on Vimeo.

Teens and Media

2009-07-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

We just came across this article in the Financial Times, and wondered why was this "scribble" such a sensation. At CultureLab we have been knowing this for the last 2 and a half years. We guess it is finally sinking in to mainstream media and to the older generation that yeah, things are changing fundamentally. This is why Clients hire us, because we fully understand how young consumers use media and what is relevant to them.

Read this:

Note by 'teenage scribbler' causes sensation
By Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson in New York
Published: July 12 2009 23:32 | Last updated: July 12 2009 23:32
A research note written by a 15-year-old, who was not born when former UK chancellor Nigel Lawson dismissed London analysts as “teenage scribblers”, has become the talk of middle-aged media executives and investors.

Morgan Stanley’s European media analysts asked Matthew Robson, one of the bank’s interns from a London school, to describe his friends’ media habits. His report proved to be “one of the clearest and most thought-provoking insights we have seen. So we published it,” said Edward Hill-Wood, head of the team.

The response was enormous. “We’ve had dozens and dozens of fund managers, and several CEOs, e-mailing and calling all day,” said Mr Hill-Wood, 35, estimating that the note had generated five or six times more feedback than the team’s usual reports.

However, he made no claims for its statistical rigour.

As elderly media moguls gathered at the Allen & Co conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, to fawn over Twitter and fret over their business models, Mr Robson set out a sobering case that tomorrow’s consumers are using more and more media but are unwilling to pay for it.

“Teenagers do not use Twitter,” he pronounced. Updating the micro-blogging service from mobile phones costs valuable credit, he wrote, and “they realise that no one is viewing their profile, so their tweets are pointless”.

His peers find it hard to make time for regular television, and would rather listen to advert-free music on websites such as Last.fm than tune into traditional radio. Even online, teens find advertising “extremely annoying and pointless”.

Their time and money is spent instead on cinema, concerts and video game consoles which, he said, now double as a more attractive vehicle for chatting with friends than the phone.

Mr Robson had little comfort for struggling print publishers, saying no teenager he knew regularly reads a newspaper since most “cannot be bothered to read pages and pages of text” rather than see summaries online or on television.

Executives and investors have grown fascinated by the opinions of teenagers. Rupert Murdoch, 78, has described himself as a “digital immigrant” and his young daughters as “digital natives”, while UBS pulled in an 18-year-old three years ago to demonstrate MySpace to portfolio managers.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009

R.I.P. Michael Jackson-A Tribute

2009-07-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

It is an understatement to say that the media has been obsessed for the last couple of weeks with the death of MJ, however, today, as we celebrate his life it feels so real, so final and so solemn. More than likely we will never see this level of superstardom again. We are sad about this for sure but there are some lessons that MJ taught us that are relevant to us in the agency world and to those of us who want to succeed in connecting to people across all cultures.

MJ was rooted in the 60's era of struggle and Black upward mobility . He was from the rough, steel town of Gary, Indiana, and his father Joe was determined to make sure that his family had a better life. Self determination and the thirst for a better life is what many people in the world desire, and that is probably one of the reasons why MJ connected on that global level. He was symbolic of how pure talent combined with stellar work ethic can take you to the top.

If not for Joe's determination to insure that his family had a better life, we probably would have never known the Jackson 5 or ultimately the "Off the Wall/Thriller" era Michael Jackson. It is well documented that Joe was not always fair or loving but he did instill in MJ, that drive and discipline. MJ's God given talent combined with his ambition, drive and discipline were a HUGE reason for his global success.

MJ is perhaps the greatest example of someone who connected with humanity on a global level, he was a trailblazer and generated excitement from Moscow, to Dakar, to Anchorage to Sao Paulo. I challenge anyone to name another artist who generated so much excitement on every single continent amongst almost every single ethnicity. It is unprecedented and more than likely will never happen again. His demonstrated compassion for the world and yes, children all over the world was a big reason for his global connection.

The dude broke down barriers. He found a way around barriers and maintained impeccable standards. If you were drafted by MJ to produce something for him, write something for him, choreograph for him,or film something for him, you were automatically put into that exceptional category. His high standards for production in music video, choreography and music production are what helped him break down those barriers. MTV did not play Black artist before MJ's Billie Jean but the production standards on that video made it undeniable!

Finally, MJ brought the electricity! The dance moves, the staging, the precision, on point vocals, etc. Sometimes it seems like many performers forget the performing aspect, and the idea of giving it your all. MJ always gave it his all when on stage. There is something to be said about the hysteria he generated at shows. The world is going to miss that electricity!

The world is going to miss MJJ.

The wonders of Technology

2009-07-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

We all know the wonders of the iPhone and its constant revolutionizing of not only phone and technology, but also the world, But it still astounds and excites us here at CultureLab all the amazing things it can do, especially the fact that people are now able to videotape and produce music videos on it in a very high tech way!

Check out the music video that someone created!

CLab Hot Spot

2009-06-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

CultureLab is now producing video blogs about the latest trends.

Check out our first one!

Social Media as a Direct Democracy: What political theory can teach us about Web 2.0?

2009-06-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

by Devin Walker

There are two forms of democracy, indirect and direct. The difference between a direct democracy and an indirect democracy is that in an indirect democracy you have people that you elect to represent you and a number of other people who will have somewhat similar interest because of your geographical proximity, and therefore you will have some of the same problems on the local level. Examples of indirect democracy would be alderman, state representatives and your member of the House of Representative. But in a direct democracy every person who is able to vote (because of their vested interest) will vote on every issue that the government deals with, so everyone will be a representative: a representative of themselves. This is an idealistic way of governing in a democracy, but then we consider reality and its truths, a more pragmatic approach emerges. This is to have an indirect democracy due to the fact that the average farmer is not an expert on urban affairs, and has a bias for the agriculture policy. So we must ask ourselves how is social media a direct democracy?

Social media allows everyone who has access to the internet to express their opinions; it is analogous to how when radio first started. There were hundreds of independent local stations in our free market. The ones that were reflective of the ideas of a majority of people within their areas of broadcast, stayed on and got a larger following. Those that reflected the viewpoint of a radical portion of the population went underground or died out. The same is true with websites, RSS Feeds, and blogs. The good ones with time grow and become very popular and those that are poorly designed or have less than common views are ignored. These days instead of changing the dial, you change the web address. But difference is that people have more of a chance to interact and express their opinion than ever before.

The civil side of Blogging

2009-06-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

by Devin Walker

Often times we see blogging as a local, regional, or national device of communicating opinions on work, current events, and niche topics. But there is an issue that is of great importance that blogging is taking on: human rights.

Whenever a conflict, populous uprising, or political shake-up occurs in a nation that has internet capabilities in it, the bloggers use their outlet to the world to update the rest of us on the conditions from their point of view, the most recent case being the election in Iran. The good people at UC Berkeley are at the forefront of chronicling and encouraging this.

2048 Project homepage:
http://draftinghumanrights.berkeley.edu/home
Blogging human rights: http://fora.tv/2009/05/05/Blogging_Human_Rights

A Funny Take on The Ubiquity of the Auto-Tune

2009-06-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

Since Jay-Z has been in the news with "DOA-Death of Auto-Tune" we thought we would post this hilarious video.

Auto Tuning from Casey Donahue on Vimeo.

Project Natal = No more Gamers Thumb

2009-06-10T09:28:00.000-07:00

By Devin Walker

This video is of Microsoft's innovative new game at the E3 conference.

Is this the future of the gaming experience? A truly interactive world, where you are literally immersed in the game, not as a gamer but as a character in the game? Now, you can save your thumbs for texting because with this new interactive game you can use of your own body as a controller since you don’t need buttons to play a game.

Of course, the next step is to add another dimension of reality. The logical step for Microsoft is to increase revenue by using product placements to increase brand recognition of other companies from the real world. It would be cool if I walked in the room, turned on a game and it recognized that in my hand there was a Mountain Dew. Just that degree of resemblance to a person in the real world would be astounding. This and more games of different genres on Natal have to be down the project tunnel for Microsoft and Project Natal. I like the things we are seeing coming out of this rabbit hole.

Marketing to Youth In the Obama Age-Is Urban or Multicultural Still Relevant?

2009-06-02T06:50:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was a panelist at the Y Pulse Youth Marketing Conference in San Francisco. The discussion was exploring the notion of whether or not "urban" or multicultural is still relevant in this internet age. It was a dynamic conversation, and people seemed to be very interested in what was being said. I have to give shouts out to Rolando Brown of MVMT and Neelanjana Banerjee of New America Media. As CultureLab we have been touting the fact that when it comes to marketing to young people, ethnicity is really a secondary or tertiary part of youth identity. Here is our POV:

Yes, Multicultural and inclusion are now more relevant than ever, however ethnic targeting from a marketing perspective is not that relevant:

What is important is a genuinely inclusive outlook and deep understanding of youth identity. Young people want to see themselves represented AUTHENTICALLY. Stereotypical and clichéd images will not cut it in this day and age. For marketers what is important is to create welcoming spaces for people and their identities.

Identity from my vantage point has to do with who you connect to, how you view yourself, your background, your geography,your social class, experiences, interests and racial background.

Understanding identity, the role of class, and connection is what is really important. For instance, a kid may be Hispanic, living in LA and his or her interest lies in skateboarding. The community of skateboarders, the fashion associated with it, and the indigenous language used by skateboarders have the biggest impact on that person’s identity, more so than the fact that they are Hispanic. Ethnicity is just one minor part of the mix.

Social class is also something for marketers to consider and be sensitive to. For instance we are seeing some class differences in the online sphere. My Space is the preferred online social network of the underclass. Whereas Facebook which first took hold on college campuses is now the preferred social network of the more affluent and educated masses.

Also social class plays into cultural tastes. Take a close look at kids who totally dig the hipster hop of Kidz In the Hall and those who are die hard devotees of T.I. you will find some pretty clear distinctions.

Marketers win by showing insights that connect to young people on a universal level. This generation just does not like to be singled out on the basis of race. However the problem with the advertising world is that due to the lack of diversity within many general market agencies, they have a tendency to default to stereotypes or images of benign benevolence by just showing a rainbow of cultures in their ads.

In my mind unifiers are the winners like the advertising agency, Wieden & Kennedy, the Nike agency. They continue to do a great job of unifying through universal insights. Heineken, Drink Responsibly is by far one of the most clever spots out there. They showed insight in a cool and hip way that humor is one of the things that this generation reacts most favorably to. The spot also treated hip hop in a non stereotypical way.

For anyone who is trying to target what we call the "inclusive" general market, here are some things to consider:

• Yes, inclusion of multicultural people is now more relevant than ever, however ethnic targeting is not very relevant in connecting to young people

• DO NOT default to Hip Hop to reach young people, the reality is that we are heading into a POST HIP HOP AGE

• Be genuinely inclusive: understand youth identity and create contextual spaces for people to connect to your brands

• Anti-intellectualism, particularly among Black and Latino kids, is over; smartness is cool

• Tribalism and the long tail are real. Marketers must know who rules these tribes in order to gain greater influence

• Build Relationships and Social Currency

• Frugality and Thrift are IN, consumerism is OUT-woe to luxury brands and non-necessities

• The youth generation ideal is “One Nation Under A Groove” - unifiers who rally their audience around their brands will win!

• Knowledge of cultural nuance and social class is key, as it dictates tone, style, and language

• Be consistent: this generation despises phonies

Lessons from Trent Reznor on Marketing and Branding in the Digital Age

2009-05-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

I have to admit it. I am completely fascinated by Trent Reznor. People that know me, know that I am a real die hard Nine Inch Nails fan, but besides Trent's "Prince" level of musicianship, he is by far one of the great thinkers of our day in terms of understanding the new media landscape and how to use the internet to fortify your brand, and solidify relationships with your fans, (the anti Prince approach). He is the winner of this year's Webby Artist of the Year award, and no doubt deserves it. The guy is incredibly bright! I am an unabashed fan/admirer and if you watch this entire interview you will be too.

Trent Reznor Digg Dialogg from drawaside on Vimeo.

CultureLab Youth Pulse-The Recession

2009-05-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Recently, we went out to interview Dallas-Ft. Worth area college students about how the current economic crisis has effected their behavior in terms of spending, saving, and consumption. Here are several videos of some of the responses to our questions.

Female Attitudes Toward Money

Male Attitudes Toward Spending

The Role of Frugality

Travel Trends

2009-05-07T14:18:00.001-07:00

written by Priyanka Patel

So you thought that with the economy going the way it is that there was no possibility for you to travel the way you love to. Well, GOOD NEWS, there is now an affordable, foolproof (mostly) way of staying at nice places on the cheap. These days a travel trend has emerged where ordinary citizens are treating their abodes with the mentality of "mi casa, su casa" - allowing people to stay with them for free or for a low rate.

Similar to couchsurfing (http://www.couchsurfing.org/wiki/) and the Hospitality Club , but with more security (as it relates to living arrangements) built in, iStopover is a great way to see the world in style without breaking the bank. Not only does it handle all your monetary transactions, it also lets you see the place (via online) before you put your money down. And when you arrive, if you feel like the place was grossly misrepresented (kind of like an online date), you can find you another place without ever have wasted your money.

To find out more, check it out: http://www.istopover.com/

Is Black Music Still Cool?

2009-05-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.theroot.com/views/rock-black-music-too

The Digitalization of TV...Please read!

2009-04-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=136232

Teens Are Strapped Too

2009-04-23T14:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/fashion/23TEENS.html?em

A new "Twist" on Media Sharing

2009-04-20T12:59:00.000-07:00

Having trouble transferring media across all your many devices? Worry no more, check out the following article:

http://www.thrillist.com/free/doubletwist

SXSW Music 2009

2009-04-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

A CultureLab Recollection by Aden Fissihaie

I was sort of skeptical of SXSW this year due to the economy. I thought it would not be as great as last year but I was wrong it was way better than last year. At this year's festival, I discovered Janelle Monae is a rock star.

Monae and her band are the sickest band ever: she dances, spins, crowd surfs, jumps, screams, I think you get what I am saying. It was pure excitement watching her and her band. She was also very down to earth talking to all her fans and walking around like she was nobody when her outfit and hair-do alone lets you know she is definitely somebody out of the ordinary.

Theophilus London was also very impressive. He really reminds me of Dwayne Wayne from A Different World because of his style, but his performance is legendary for a hip-hop artist as its never been done the way he does it. He dances and walks around like Michael Jackson at times I cant even put it into words, but he definitely has his own swag. Look at the Youtube posted.

Also caught the Bun B. show and he rocked it with all the UGK songs and some of his solo songs. Dead Prez also performed they are always dope and good people. Then there was the most talked about show at SXSW, Kanye West at the The Fader/Levi’s Fort, with his G.O.O.D. Family of artists. There were so many artist sharing that stage: KiD CuDi performed, Kanye West did all his new songs and some of the old songs, Common performed with a surprise guest which was Erykah Badu and they freestyled with Kanye which was ridiculous!!! Gotta love Erykah.

GLC, Big Sean, Really Doe, Bentley Fonsworth, Mr. Hudson, Tony Williams, Consequence were the G.O.O.D. Family label performers who shared the stage, the only one missing was John Legend.

Then, there was the last show I went to which was the Perez Hilton show and Perez always picks the artist that will be the hitmakers of the new year. Last year I went to the Perez Hilton show and Katy Perry, Chester French and N.E.R.D. performed and next thing you know Katy Perry was the "it" girl for 2008. So at the Perez Hilton One Night In Austin show, Perez had the same hat Aretha Franklin had on at The Inaugration but his was pink and that was hilarious.

KiD CuDi performed with this girl named Lil Boots watch out for her she is gonna be big. Then, Kanye West took the stage and performed a few songs. The one thing that really stands out from that night was being able to go backstage after Kanye's set. Kanye hugged every single person in the room and afterwards the people backstage all collectively began to hug and show love to each other as if they were celebrating all things G.O.O.D. It felt like the part in mass where the priest tells you to wish everyone sitting beside you "peace be with you" and you are randomly hugging and shaking hands with strangers. I think Kanye is a great guy especially after witnessing the Kanye hugfest, I mean, what rockstar does that?

Lifestyles of the Rich and Real

2009-03-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

Check out this article:

We're now on Twitter!

2009-03-24T13:33:00.001-07:00

CultureLab now has an active account on Twitter so start following us on cLabCreative.

SXSWi 2009

2009-03-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I attended the South by Southwest interactive festival. It was really a fantastic event! I had a chance to connect with many people that I admire, Andy Hunter (guru of digital communications planning, CEO of reboot strategy), Dr. Henry Jenkins (author of Convergence Culture and professor of Communications, Journalism, Cinematic Arts at USC), and Elvis Mitchell (NPR commentator and producer/writer of HBO’s the Black List)

I would vouch that the interactive portion of SXSW may soon eclipse the importance of the SXSW Music fest.

The key ethnography of those in attendance could neatly be prescribed to the tech geek/hipster tribe: smart, nerdy, wear glasses, skinny jeans, track jackets, etc. It was also very noticeable that there were many Europeans in attendance. The attendance of people from all over the world added to the overall cache that SXSWi currently has.

The staff and management who run this festival should be commended for flawlessly executing the logistics of such a large event and for doing such a great job with the panel and core conversation topics.

Here are a few observations form SXSWi I would like to share:

1. Twitter is All the Rage!!
This year’s festival could have easily been dubbed the Twitter festival. Twitter was used to make real time comments during panels by audience members, it was used as a buzz detector to see which panels were worth attending or not, and it was also used as the primary tool to bring order to the chaos of the SXSWi schedule.

By the end of my attendance at the festival I had Twitter overload. However, I realized that Twitter is a most effective form of communication that will be with us for a while. It is much like a musical instrument. It can be used at a very basic level or it can be used at a virtuoso like advanced level.

2. The iPhone is a Real Game Changer
iPhone has expedited Americans’ ability to use their phones in an advanced manner much like the Japanese do. We are still behind Europe and Japan in smartphone functional usage but the iPhone is helping us to catch up.

Applications will continue to proliferate thus adding to the already great functionality of the iPhone.

3. Augmented Reality or AR is a real mind expander coming to your mobile phone, soon!
Mobile phones will soon be able to use AR to create artificial landscapes in a real world setting. For instance you could use your phone to play a make believe game of tennis in the middle of Times Square with a cohort using their phone as a paddle. AR would allow you to look at your phone and see a tennis court projected onto the street while you and a fellow AR user paddle the ball back and forth on that AR court.

AR can be used in catalogs as well, bringing 3 D images of products that can be manipulated. Some auto manufacturers are already using it in Europe.

4. IM VJ
IM Video Journalism is a new form of journalism coming out of the UK and is pioneered by a black Brit by the name of David Dunkley Gyimah. I learned from David’s lecture that IM VJ, is a form of videojournalism that incorporates design oriented storytelling, efficient and quick shooting, subject driven narrative, and imaginative video techniques. The IM VJ panel goes down as one of the better ones I sat in on at SXSWi. David Gyimah was engaging and extremely well versed.

5. Social Media is Here to Stay
Social Media along with Twitter was the buzz of the festival. Web 2.0 is now the most influential media outside of broadcast TV, and may even surpass TV in importance to GenY . The Obama campaign was the wakeup call to America about the importance of Social Media. The key takeaway from the festival was that those who master the social media tools will be the masters of the marketing and influencing universe. The use of Social Media will intensify and before we know it, email will be obsolete.

6. Social Media as a tool for Activism
I attended a great panel entitled can Social Media End Racism. Of course the answer is it can’t but it can be used to bring racist behavior to light and to call people out. This is the panel where I laughed the most because of two people, Jay Smooth and Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man) they were really funny and insightful.

The bottom line is that Social Media has a HUGE democratizing effect where people can really make themselves heard, and it is an aggregator that can be harnessed for protest and justice.

Those are my highlights but please hit us up to give us your feedback on the festival if you went. We welcome comments.

2009-03-03T09:15:00.001-08:00

New Age, New Consumer
written by Desmond Blair

The growth of digital technologies is leading to a new type of consumer. We are seeing the beginning of consumers who are now well informed and seek more of a direct contact and feedback with the businesses they interact with. This new and informed consumer seeks interaction not inaction. This is why it is important large companies invest time and listen to consumers when entering the online domain.
There are several things to be aware of in the online arena. First, it is of utmost importance to establish a relationship with the consumer and not just feed people information. People want to feel engaged they want to share their ideas and opinions to form more of a bond not only with the company whose products they consume but also with other consumers. Too often, companies announce products that are destined to fail because of this idea that “Big Business” still controls the habits of today’s consumer. This notion is a tremendous fallacy in the online arena because people share and seek out information. This brings me to my second point, attempting to bottleneck information in an environment that is supposed to be free and open will damage a company’s reputation immediately. This is very important to remember because reputation is very important in online spaces. This is very important for garnering consumer trust and also important for gaining word of mouth support that can transition into increased “real life” (people who may not get their information from the web) support as well.
A shift in the relationship between businesses and consumers is beginning to occur. Consumers are no longer limited to obtaining goods from companies. Now consumers are able exchange goods with fellow constituents on a mass scale. (Interactions are not as localized as they used to be.) Consumers are more empowered and knowledgeable about the products they consume. This knowledge changes the dynamic because people can now research products and companies to determine whom they are willing to buy from.
The web is not just changing people it is changing the way people consume. The notion or idea of the web is creating a generation that seeks to be engaged, seeks to be knowledgeable, and desires the ability to express ideas and share concerns.

Superbowl Ads: An Overall Lack of Connection

2009-02-10T09:34:00.000-08:00

written by Priyanka Patel

The Super Bowl is the highlight of the season among football fans, but for a lot of people the enjoyment of watching the Superbowl is watching the ads and not the actual game. Many people watch to see how creative the ads will be, and advertisers buy these Superbowl slots to try and connect with the nearly 100 million people watching, hoping that in turn, it will create ROI for their products.

Superbowl XXXVIII had 98 million viewers, 20 % that were 18-24, 8 % of whom were Hispanic, 10 .2 % African American, and 4 % Asian, but I felt that this year advertisers neglected to target the diverse young adult market except for a select few. The 18-24 market spends $122 billion a year, including $24 billion in discretionary spending and the three minority markets (mentioned above) also have considerable spending power - about 2.2 billion , so why would advertisers’ choose to ignore them? I'm confused (as a 23 year old market researcher), as to why advertisers would not try to expand their market in a time where ad budgets are shrinking and they need to get the most “bang for their buck”?

There were a few ads that I thought targeted and connected well with the 18-24 year old demo and they are the following:

CultureLab’s Top Superbowl Spots

1) Cash4Gold
2) Doritos
3) Bud Light (this only should connect with 21-24 year olds! LOL!)
4) Bridgestone
5) GoDaddy.com
6) Toyota*

The reason that I feel these commercials resonated with Gen Y is because of their quirky humor mixed in with their originality which us Gen Y-ers typically like. As with the Bud Light, Doritos and Bridgestone spots there was effective use of humor throughout the commercials. I also believe that they were able to connect to Gen Y because they made use of popular celebrities, such as MC Hammer (Cash4Gold), Danica Patrick (GoDaddy.com), and Conan O’Brien (Bud Light), which in this celebrity obsessed culture, resonates with young people today.

• I also want to give Toyota a BIG shout out for being the ONLY advertiser to display any form of multicultural sophistication. They ran a :30 ad from African American agency, Burrell Communications during game time. Toyota should be commended for using an African American targeted spot as a general market spot. It is frankly surprising that when 22% of the people who watched Superbowl XXXVIII are minorities, this is the only spot done from a multicultural point of view.

So here are the spots that in my view, did not deliver for my 18-24 year old set:

CultureLab’s Worst Five

1) Budweiser (the Clydesdale spots)
2) Coca-Cola
3) Pepsi
4) Hyundai
5) Denny’s

The reason that I chose these as the worst commercials is because they lacked excitement and were not particularly relevant to young people. For example, the Clydesdales did not relate to the product; many Superbowl viewers were too young to recall the older commercials referenced and weren’t able to connect the dots between the Clydesdales and Budweiser. Same thing with PepsiCo, where they tried to connect the past generations with the new generation by using Will.I.Am, but the music and pictures were only somewhat recognizable (I am not sure if anyone of my friends really know who Bob Dylan is), and therefore; hard to connect with me as a Gen Y-er. The Coca-Cola, Hyundai, and Denny’s commercials were just plain lackluster.

Overall, I thought the ads this year did a mediocre job at targeting 18-24 year olds, but did an even worse job connecting with multicultural 18-24 year olds. If corporations want to increase their chances for making their revenue targets in this incredibly challenged economic climate then they definitely should aspire to be more inclusive in their messaging and outreach.

To see the ads yourself, check it out at:http:// www.adage.com/article?article_id=134136

Footnotes:
http://www.quantcast.com/superbowl.com#demographics
http://www.lanzagroup.com/ultima-hora.php?id=403
http://www.targetmarketnews.com/storyid02050901.htm
http://www.quantcast.com/superbowl.com#demographics
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/NEWS/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=835
http://www.indusbusinessjournal.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=E8CD3B33FC7543A5947D92FFFC477CAF&AudID=FEA03865A7CD48368F4997E1F3EE878E

Urban Elegance-Trend to Watch For!

2009-01-31T16:09:00.000-08:00

In our Twenty Trends to Watch For in 2009 we made mention of a developing trend of African American/Urban elegance in fashion, and music videos. What jazz musicians used to call "clean" is back in vogue. Check out this new video from one of the godfathers of the progressive soul movement, Raphael Saadiq. It is retro yet modern which kind of describes what the new "urban elegance" is all about.

The Post Bush Era of Global Sobriety

2009-01-20T10:48:00.000-08:00

Well, it is over and the real work begins. This has been a remarkable time for our business, for our nation, as well as the world. It has been an extreme time, as we watch the promise of a new year deteriorate into cancelled projects, whacked client budgets, and uncertain futures for businesses like ours. However, our experience is not unique, many American businesses and global businesses are faced with the same thing.

This is our new reality, and after listening to the new President’s inaugural address, it is most likely going to be worse. Welcome world to a new era of global sobriety. No more living on the credit cards, bottle service in the club, $5,000 Gucci handbags, home equity loans, etc. etc.

As marketers, we must face this new world of lower expectations, lessened consumerism, and consumers who are challenged to make ends meet. How are we to live? Or thrive even? Here is what is important for strategists, and marketers to consider:

1) The economy is not going to bounce back soon
2) Lower priced CPG’s will reign, and private label will surge
3) Branding advertising campaigns will lessen in importance, BTW, Pepsi just wasted millions of dollars on their new Happiness campaign!
4) Agencies who focus on direct, grassroots marketing, internet, CRM, and expanded niche markets will do well
5) Madison Avenue and The GOP must retool or they will die, non-diverse organizations will look out of touch in this new era.
6) You must really think globally and understand different cultures
7) Get comfortable doing business with the Fed as they will be the BIG spender these next few years
8) Don’t be selfish, the era of individualism and greed is over too, Gen Y has helped us understand collaboration better
9) Reward creative people. What better time to be creative than now. Be creative!!
10) Finally, this goes to my Latin American, European and Australian brothers and sisters, challenge yourselves to be like America and give YOUR immigrant groups, African descendents and indigenous people equal opportunities in business, advertising and media representation. America should not be the only example of success when it comes to equal opportunity.

We welcome your comments. Please post them!

CultureLab’s Trends to Watch For in 2009

2008-12-29T00:34:00.000-08:00

#1 Rockstar and Skater Hip Hop will continue to gain in popularity (Lil Wayne and Kanye respectively are the icons: watch for Charles Hamilton, The Knux, 88 Keys, Black Milk, and B.O.B)

#2 Classism is the new racism

#3 The 90’s grunge era will influence in ‘09 as the 80’s did in ‘08

#4 Sneaker Brands to watch: Supras, adidas, Yums, and "Vulcanized" Shoes [See Images Below]

#5 Streetwear brands to watch: Rowdy, KR3W, Volcom

#6 Twitter goes to the masses

#7 Classism, Ethnicity, and Lifestage will creep into online social network choice: Facebook: older, more affluent and more educated, MySpace: younger, less affluent, Black and Hispanic skewing

#8 C.R.E.A.M., Wu-Tang’s mantra will ring very true in ’09, cash will be king!

#9 Creativity in digital hustle

#10 Prepaid Cell Phone service will explode as the economy continues to slump

#11 Smartphones as status symbols

#12 Rise of the Black and Hispanic geeks

#13 Asian pop culture will continue to grow in popularity

#14 Renaissance of creativity in business, politics, music, and entertainment: watch for new music genres, new art forms, new ideaologies, and new ways of film-making

#15 Low budget but creative aesthetic in fashion, film, and music, “Thrift Chic”

#16 The urban elegance movement flourishes, i.e. Obama, Diddy, Maxwell
#17 Big Government will be cool
#18 The role of narrative and storytelling will grow in all art forms and advertising/promotional outreach

#19 DIY- arts and crafts

#20 Common Craft-style "what is" and "how to" videos will become an increasingly popular resource for education of online applications and communities

CultureLab is a full service research agency that focuses on the multicultural young adult consumer. Our segments of focus include Asian American, Urban Hispanic, African American and Urban White 18-34 year olds. We tapped into our network across the country to come up with our trends to watch for in 2009. Our clients include general market advertising agencies, corporations, beverage marketers and government entities.

[photos by: Martinchox, kikfoto , Elliot.P, ThisParticularGreg, clementpetit2, irrezolut, saturnism]

Youth Interviews 2

2008-12-09T22:10:00.000-08:00

Youth Interviews

2008-11-12T13:07:00.000-08:00

written and videotaped by Priyanka Patel and Errol Veloso

Recently, at Culturelab, we have added a new method of research to our repertoire: Video Blogging, to stay up with the times. In our first of many installations, we have gone around the Dallas area to interview youth on their lifestyles.

We learned some of interesting things when conducting these interviews. For example, the youth that we spoke to were really feeling the effects of the economic downturn, instead of it being something abstract to them. Surprisingly (or maybe not so much so) they were either cutting back their spending in order to prepare for worse times ahead or getting extra work to support their lifestyles, throwing that theory out the window that youth don't plan ahead for the future.

Some trends that we learned about from these youth is that the old school 80s music and fashion are back in. This was illustrated from the music they listened to, that incorporated electro in their music, to their fashion seen through the types of wayfarer glasses (think Tom Cruise in Risky Business) they were wearing. Another important thing that I learned from these youth is that they develop their interests based on what their friends are doing and heavily rely on them for advice for most everything that they do.

As trends continue to evolve, we at Culturelab hope to stay on top of them in the coming weeks and months ahead. Stay tuned!

Yes We Can and Yes We Did!!

2008-11-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

written by Kevin Walker

photo by: Wendy Piersall

OK, we are just now recovering from our incessant celebration since Tuesday night!! What a remarkable night Tuesday was. We can kind of think now, so here are a few thoughts:

The Barack Obama campaign has been the best business school case study EVER--of how to market a product and convince people to "buy." The campaign was also a great case study in the use of new media to connect to people and galvanize them around a cause. I will forever remember the 3 a.m. text message I received announcing that Obama chose Joe Biden as his VP running mate.

The Obama campaign provided all of us with a textbook example of mastering the online/offline worlds of millennials. Their use of web video, Youtube, emails after key campaign moments, and texting, was done in the organic way that most Gen Y'ers use them.

One of the most brilliant decisions the Obama team made was hiring the co-founder of Facebook, Chris Hughes. With his innate knowledge of the dynamics of online social networks they were able to effectively use the communication tools that young people use on a day-to-day basis. They used the web as a mobilizing force to organize grassroots activity organizing 150,000 meetings via the internet over the 21 months of the campaign. They also perfected the pioneering work of the 2004 Howard Dean campaign in the use of the internet as a fundraising mechanism. I am sure that ALL marketers will be analyzing the success of the Obama campaign in the use of new media.

Consistency in your brand and in your marketing strategy means a lot! Even when things were not looking too good after the McCain team's pick of Sarah Palin, the Obama campaign stuck to their strategy and chose to focus on their issues and not the opposing team's personalities. The Obama campaign fully understood what people were looking for during these difficult times.

Knowing the mindset of your targeted consumer is perhaps one of the greatest tenets that the Obama campaign exploited. They fully understood that the majority of Americans were ready for a change so they branded the whole campaign around CHANGE. As most of us knew when McCain adopted the Change mantra, it was disingenuous to say the least. We could go on and on about how brilliantly Obama demonstrated how well they understood the mindset of the people.

As Russell Simmons has so famously said, "Do You!" Obama definitely did himself! He was calm, funny, corny, confident, serious, and he consistently reached out to ALL Americans, not just his base. Even when folks like me wanted him to get rougher with the opposing team, he remained true to himself.

Obama is the right brand for America in a time when America has dramatically slipped in global stature. Being a global citizen benefited Obama greatly in his outlook and ability to connect with all people. I will go out on a limb and say that being a global citizen and being bi-racial will make Obama one of the greatest statesmen that the world has ever seen.

Finally, the most striking thing about Tuesday night's selection of the new American President was that it was a total validation of Richard Florida's theories about The Rise of the Creative Class (please read his book by the same name). Obama is a Creative Class President from a Creative Class city, Chicago! Did you see how fantastic downtown Chicago looked as a background for the acceptance speech?!

Many states that McCain won-the so-called Red States-did not have Creative Class cities. Texas with Austin was the exception but that is it! Also, many of the states that McCain won were southern and Great Plains states with homogenous populations, many rural areas, and declining populations (West Virginia, Kentucky, North Dakota, Alabama, etc).
The Blue States, on the other hand, were states with large populations of young people, heavy concentrations of universities, and very diverse populations.

Also, those who supported Obama were urban AND suburban educated whites, Hispanics, Asians, and African Americans. So, Obama is a President for the urban, young, globally conscious,enlightened, diverse and progressive people-THE REAL AMERICA. This is the CultureLab demographic! Obama is symbolic of what our Agency, CultureLab, represents: the reality of the diverse New America/New World that we live in. Like Obama is the right President for this new era, we are the right Agency for Clients who want to connect better to young, technologically savvy, globally conscious, and multicultural people in this new era.

Please also see: Youth Vote Record Turnout

Obey Giant- Vote for Change Video Postcard

2008-11-02T22:12:00.000-08:00

The following video is a part of Obey's Vote for Change Video Postcard campaign co-directed by Shepard Fairey and Melissa Balin. "The grass roots viral political action campaign," speaks volumes about the power of Web 2.0 and why Obama has registered with so many people in this era of new media.

Click here for more videos from Vote For Change

Twitter for Business

2008-10-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

With the advent of Web 2.0, not only has the functionality of the Internet been enhanced but it has also changed the way we interact as individuals, and on a mass scale. Almost inevitably, it has also affected the way some business approach their customers. In many cases, companies use social networks to communicate to consumers at a more personal level. An example of which is Twitter. [See video below]

As the video explains, Twitter is a social network service that revolves around the question: “What are you doing?” And since its launch in 2006, Twitter has amassed a huge following, generating millions of users online.

It is based on a simple concept, but has evolved to serve a variety of functions for companies including consumer insight. Many large companies, such as Dell, JetBlue, and Comcast, have realized the business worth of services like Twitter and have utilized it to their advantage. In this post, we will briefly explore the different uses of micro-blogging for the enterprise.

Internal Communication

Riding on the success of Twitter, several startup companies have emerged with similar services focused on efficiency in the workplace.

Yammer, winner of the TechCrunch 50, is a social network service identical to Twitter that is focused on helping "companies and organizations (be) more productive through the exchange of short frequent answers to one simple question: "What are you working on?"

"As employees answer that question, a feed is created in one central location enabling co-workers to discuss ideas, post news, ask questions, and share links and other information. Yammer also serves as a company directory in which every employee has a profile and as a knowledge base where past conversations can be easily accessed and referenced." [CrunchBase]

Social Text, another social network tool, combines the functions of Twitter, Facebook, and Wiki’s that is, again, meant to streamline tasks and increase productivity. [See video below]

Customer Service

With millions of users sharing information on Twitter, companies have realized the wealth of information being shared on Twitter, and have utilized it as another branch for customer service.

Take for example the case of Comcast.

By monitoring Twitter messages, otherwise known as Tweets, companies are able to analyze and gain info in regards to: customer insight and competitive awareness [See article] It is notable that "the attention to Twitter reflects the power of new social media tools in letting consumers shape public discussion over brands." [BusinessWeek]

Marketing

Recently, marketing has been a growing appearance on Twitter. Through Twitter, businesses are able use the site as a platform to broadcast deals, coupons, and other promotions. With the amount of advertising on Twitter, there are even tools and services to help businesses advertise more effectively. Cherp, for example, is an agency that does exactly that. Cherp consists of marketing professionals that offer services in "branding and marketing to promote on Twitter." [Profy]

With the many products of Web 2.0, it is always important to stay within the know and take these as opportunities to enhance business.

For more on Twitter in Business visit: Is the Enterprise Really for Micro-Blogging Tools Like Twitter?

The Return of Electro

2008-09-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

written by Errol Veloso and Kevin Walker

Photo by: Maschinenraum

Brush up those robot skills, electro is making a comeback! A renewed interest in this genre among underground and mainstream artists has fueled the revival of the electro music style. Characterized by use of mainly electronic devices, such as drum machines and synthesizers, this genre has no set template allowing artists to freely explore and experiment whatever their imagination comes up with.

The electro genre hit full swing back in May 1982 when Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force debuted "Planet Rock." The song essentially paved the way for other genres including house, techno, and hip-hop. Today, electro comes full circle, utilized by many up-and-coming and established artists as the main direction or as an element to integrate with another genre (electro/hip-hop). Although mixing electro with hip-hop has been around for a while, there has been a recent influx of songs with an electro influence.

Photo by: jurvetson

One notable case involves the Louis Vuitton don, Kanye West. His 2007 hit single, "Stronger," is a perfect example of the use and integration of electro. The song features a vocal sample from Daft Punk’s "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," and retains the electro/house direction they intended. Kanye’s version combines electro with hip-hop creating a fresh take on the genre.

The move to utilize the original electro/house song is credited to A-Trak (Kanye West’s DJ) after introducing Kanye to the original track. A-Trak, who is known to "ride the line between hip hop and electronic beats," [1] played a key role in Graduation influencing the music direction of the album. On A-Trak’s blog, he makes a bold statement about the current state of music today, saying, "no longer is it a crime to mash a hip-hop acapella into a techno track."[1]

In the video interview below, A-Trak briefly explains his transition to electro (3:50)

Another more current example is up-and-coming music group Chromeo. The duo, consisting of Dave 1 (A-Trak’s brother) and P-Thugg, first formed in order to explore the sub-genre of electro-funk. The two have solid backgrounds in hip-hop, but made the transition to electro-funk. Their latest release "Momma’s Boy" has been featured on FNMTV, and continues to gain popularity.

For a closer look at Chromeo please visit www.killahbeez.com

Next generation of Electro Boogie masters:

Sa-Ra Creative Partners – LA Based production trio that specializes in the retro futuristic sounds of early 80’s funk.

Taz Arnold of Sa-Ra, Kevin Walker of CultureLab, and Shaafyq of Sa-Ra

Dam Funk- LA based producer/DJ, single handedly has been the chief promoter of retro electro-boogie.

Other examples of electro in 2008:

John Legend ft. Andre 3000- Greenlight

Common ft. Pharrell- Universal Mind Control

Universal Mind Control - Common

Kid Sister ft. Kanye West- Pro Nails

[1] www.djatrak.com

Top Fashion Trends Among Urbanized Youth and Young Adults

2008-09-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

Late 80's-

The Look: Bright vivid colors, leggings, shutter shades, retro track jackets, and colored skinny jeans are just a few example elements to this style. Fanny Pack of MTV's America's Best Dance Crew is a clear representation of late 80's fashion in the new era.

Photos by: icanteachyouhowtodoit, Kerosene Photography, Molly Bewigged, childish.idv.st

Urban Streetwear/Skate Punk-

The Look: Independent urban labels (Hu f, The Hundreds, C rooks and Castles), graphic tees, fitted caps, and exclusive sneakers (Nike SB Dunks, for example). The Urban Streetwear and Skate Punk styles are interchangeable, borrowing various elements from one another (with the exception of skinny jeans, which is a fashion component of the skate punk look.)

A sub-genre to this fashion style brings back retro accessories, such as "Dookie-Rope Chains" and Cazal sunglasses, to 2008.

Photos by: childish.idv.st, harry525, mr.l, 416style

"Gettro"-

The Look: Fitted shirts and jeans, v-neck shirts, flashy jewelry, and wallet-chains. "Gettro" is a coined-term [1] which refers to a mix of Ghetto and Metro fashion styles. Music artist, Lil' Wayne is among the current celebrities sporting this style.

Visit links below for photos and video:

Lil Wayne- Gettro
Lil Wayne Fashion
Fitted jean + wallet-chain

Metro Casual-

The Look: Primarily dark colors, dress shirts, vests, fedora hats, fitted jeans, and converse sneakers.Photos by: icanteachyouhowtodoit, Hubert Duong

[1] Credit to: Brian Surigao

Google Chrome

2008-09-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

written by Priyanka Patel
photo by Matthew Oliphant + Pascal H

You usually don’t have a comic book where the heroine/hero is a piece of technology, but you do with Google Chrome. Google has recently come out with a comic book explaining their new browser, Google Chrome. It is touted to be the browser that deals with “the next generation of web applications that aren't even possible in today's browsers” according the Google Blog.

The beta phase of Google Chrome was released September 2, 2008 and will soon be released to everyone to download.

Google Chrome’s features include:

Tabbed browsing where each tab gets its own process, leading to faster and more stable browsing. If one tab crashes, the whole browser doesn’t go down with it.

A distinct user interface that places tabs on top of the browser window instead of right below the address bar.

An “incognito” mode that lets you browse the web in complete privacy because it doesn’t record any of your activity.

A new JavaScript engine built from the ground up for speed.

Malware and phishing lists that automatically update themselves and warn you of bad websites.

A default homepage that displays your most commonly used sites and other personalized information

Google Chrome Screenshot:

It sounds too good to be true -- I’ll have to wait and see.

Tags: Google, Chrome

The Hundreds is HUGE!!

2008-09-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

photos by Tony Mendoza

In the past few years, urban street wear has become one of the fashion trend to watch. Today, if you visit the Fairfax district in L.A. or Haight St. in San Fransisco, its not all too surprising to see a long line wrapping around the corner of people of all ages, races, and social classes just to get the latest fitted caps. To illustrate how big a phenomenon urban street wear is, take The Hundreds clothing company for example.

The Hundreds can be described as a clothing company "inspired by LOS ANGELES LIFESTYLE / CALIFORNIA CULTURE and Southern California’s skateboarding, surf, punk, and hip-hop cultures." The company has steadily grown in the past five years and has caught the attention of many industry giants. They have been featured in New York Times Magazine, CNN Money, Giant Robot, KoreAm, MuchMusic Television, and T Magazine.

How huge is The Hundreds? Big enough to draw attention from media and entertainment behemoth, Disney. The Hundreds booth at the recent MAGIC 2008 Conference (Mens Apparel Guild In California) displayed several photos of Disney created characters outfitted in the urban street wear style. The Walt Disney Company has chosen to team up with The Hundreds in a unknown project, however their collaboration has not been made official just yet.

For more information on The Hundreds visit the following links:
The Hundreds
Murketing

Source: The Hundreds

What’s going in the LAB

2008-08-29T14:24:00.000-07:00

CultureLab has really taken off over the last couple of months and we have been BUSY. We have added new capabilities in the areas of quantitative research, trendspotting/cultural anthropology, digital communications planning and CRM/Metrics.

Also check out our billboard for Dr.Pepper in front of Texas Stadium, where the Dallas Cowboys play, at the juncture 183 and 114.

CultureLab has recently done work for, Saatchi NY, Dr Pepper national account sales, and EDS Credit Union. To learn more, visit us at http://www.culturelabcreative.com/

Rise of the Black Hipsters in the Post Hip Hop Age

2008-08-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

written by Kevin Walker

It is pretty much a universal belief in the advertising/entertainment circles that African American youth are pretty much the initiators of many trends that eventually reach the mainstream. Is that still true?

As an agency that prides ourselves on being rooted in research we are seeing that this is not necessarily the case.

We recently went to LA and Atlanta to do some trendspotting on behalf of one of our Clients, and what we saw developing was antithetical to that traditional belief that Black kids start trends. What we witnessed was that many African American youth are mimicking the fashion, musical taste, and activities of the Williamsburg, Brooklyn “hipsters” and West Coast skate punks. We are talking about young people wearing skinny jeans, the hipster scarfs, backpacks, streetwear graphic tees, etc. In addition to the fashions, we noticed that many Black youth in Atlanta and LA were into skateboarding and BMX biking. The icons of this Black hipster movement are Kanye West, Spankrock, The Gym Class Heroes, and Pharrell Williams. The cool clothing brands are no longer Phat Farm, and Sean Jean, they are now Hollister, Ed Hardy, Abercrombie and Fitch, Krewe, The Hundreds, and Crooks and Castles. It should be noted that none of these brands originated from urban hip-hop icons.

Did skateboarding originate in the hood? What about BMX biking? Or the skinny jeans trend? The answer is no. As you may or may not know, these are activities that emanate from the Southern California suburban areas.. So we see this new dynamic at work where suburban trends are shaping the taste of Black urbanites. Our research points to the internet being one of the key catalyst for this new dynamic. My Space, Youtube, celebtity gossip blogs have democratized informational flow. So the influence dynamic becomes two way (suburban to urban, urban to suburban). This is a HUGE trend we see developing that will shape attitudes towards racial identity, and youth trends for years to come. Issues of class also come into play here. The bottom line is that corporations and marketers cannot continue to live on past assumptions. Dynamics are different and agencies like ours will become more valued partners as these dynamucs change so quickly.. Real time research and trendspotting will continue to gain in stature.

Double your pleasure, Double your fun?

2008-08-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

written by Priyanka Patel

Recently, I was jamming out to my new favorite song, "Forever" by Chris Brown, when I caught part of the lyrics,"double your pleasure, double your fun." "Hmm, that’s weird," I thought, "was Chris Brown even alive when that Wrigley’s Doublemint ad came out? You know the one, where there is a video montage of a variety of twins doing a variety of activities all while supposedly chewing on Doublemint gum, with a voice over proclaiming "double the pleasure, double the fun!"

I later mentioned my thoughts to my boss and he informed me, (much to my shock) that Wrigley’s had actually commissioned Chris Brown to write an extended version of their old Doublemint jingle in the form of what is now the song "Forever."

Forever - Chris Brown

Now as someone in the advertising industry, I know I should be applauding the innovative way that we can now market products, but I don't. In fact, I feel that this is a deceptive way to market because the audience doesn’t even know they are being marketed to. I know the old adage "what you don’t know won’t hurt you," but in this case it does. It hurts the ad industry because when people do find out, a lot are outraged at the fact and feel deceived, which could cause industry backlash. Industry backlash could happen in a variety of forms from boycotts to tighter advertising and marketing laws which would end up restricting the ad industry even more than before. It hurts the audience because they become even more jaded overall about advertising causing them to pay less attention to it, which in the end hurts us all.

Toy Punks Vol. 1

2008-08-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

With the rising popularity of vinyl toys, its not all too surprising to see the designer toy culture as the next subject for a documentary. Toy Punks exposes the world of vinyl toys, and more specifically, "the intersection of Japanese toys, fashion and punk rock. Volume 1 of the series (released November 15, 2007) was shot on location in Japan and the US, and "explores a profound cross-cultural exchange between American and Japanese creators."

For more information visit www.toypunks.com

Mobile Technology, and the Youth Market

2008-08-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

Needed to send an email, but had no internet access? Wanted to send a text but had your hands tied? Queue in Jott, a free service that transcribes your voice to SMS text, email, or even a blog post.

Scenario: You are on your way to work but get caught in morning rush-hour traffic. You needed to send an important email to a client, but had no way of getting internet access. Simply call Jott’s 866 number, choose your contact, speak, and it’s sent! Fast, efficient and easy to use. It even allows you and the recipient to review the recording, just in case there were any speech-to-text errors. See list below for other things you can accomplish through Jott:

- Schedule events

-Set up a Reminder

-Text message yourself, a friend, or a group

-Make a blog post

-Search for items, and receive the results in your email

- Get the latest updates on news, weather, and blog updates right in your ear

- Email yourself, a friend, or a group

Visit http://jott.com/jott/learn-more.html for more of Jott’s services.

Living in the digital age, youth and adults alike know the importance of staying connected. And with the California Texting and Driving Law in-effect, it is also important to stay safe and legal. Jott lets us accomplish both through its easy to use service; a perfect solution for our many needs.

Youth and Mobile Tech

Services like this seem to be a natural step in the evolution of mobile technology. With that said, it is critical to acknowledge the importance of mobile tech and services.

Youth and Mobile Facts

- 1.1 billion youth own a mobile phone

- The lifetime value of a mobile youth consumer is $28,000

- By 2010 youth will spend $300 billion on mobile phones and services

Clearly, a market that cannot be ignored.

In the political world, mobile technology has already been recognized as a powerful tool to help reach out and connect with young adults. The Jott the Vote service, for instance, allowed anyone to call and leave a message for any of the presidential candidates.

Even the Pope has recognized its importance, and has used mobile technology to reach out to youth!

Pope Goes Digital to Better Connect with Youth

Sources: mobileYouth

Images by:
CayleeChristinePhotograph y
astrocoz
DeaPeaJay
PaulResh

Diversity Changes in U.S. Population

2008-08-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

photo by swanksalot

The following New York Times article discusses America's growing diversity, stating that "one in four American counties have passed or are approaching the tipping point where black, Hispanic and Asian children constitute a majority of the under-20 population"

Please Visit www.nytimes.com for the full article

Chromeo- Momma's Boy

2008-08-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

photo by divertingbailey
Straying from their hip hop roots, Chromeo (consisting of artists Dave 1 and P-Thugg) put down their vinyls, and dust off their synthesizers, keyboards, and talk-boxes to explore the genre of electro-funk.
Please visit TurboRecordings.com for the duo's bio.

More to come on the return of electro-funk.

Technorati Tags: Chromeo, elctro funk, music video

Hispanic Youth Trends and Issues

2008-08-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

In a recent study conducted by our summer intern (Erica Hernandez) several Hispanic youth ages 15-18 were asked a series of questions about current issues and trends:

1. What social issues are important to you

Global warming
Going green and preserving the earth

2. What type of music do you listen to
R&B
Rock
3. Who are your favorite music artists
Taking Back Sunday
Mariah Carey
Selena
Chris Brown
The Jonas Brothers
Michael Jackson
Alicia Keys
Lil Wayne
4. What website do you visit most
Top-
Myspace
myYearbook

Runner Ups-
CNN
MSNBC
5. What are your favorite TV shows
Cartoons or programs designed for younger viewers
Reba
The Cosby Show
6. Who do you look up to
Family members (Parents and Grandparents in particular)
Church Leader/Pastor
Social Leader (Barack Obama)
7. What is your primary language
English
(Spanish learned at a later time)
8. What is the hottest brand right now
Hollister
Abercrombie & Fitch
Aeropostale
9. What is the hottest sneaker
Nike Air Forces
Vans
Jordans
10. How do you spend your free time
Computer/Internet
Being with friends and family
Music
11. How important is family to you
Number one priority
(In some cases second to God)

Wii Want More!

2008-07-11T15:26:00.002-07:00

written by Errol Veloso
photo by Gwire

The Nintendo Wii console is one of the hottest items out on the market today. It continuously tops the sales charts, and maintains its supremacy over Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's Playstation 3. Despite being released almost two years ago, the Wii is still disappearing off of store shelves making it nearly impossible to get one unless you reserve it in advance. In fact, the demand for Wii's is so high that people have formed online communities that help locate where it’s in stock, and also share tips on getting the best deal.

Your child wants one, and chances are you want one too. It generates worldwide buzz and retail shortages. So, what is it about the Wii that makes it different from any other console?

Accessibility
Until recently, the video game industry has mainly targeted hardcore gamers, alienating many potential players. With the Wii, however, Nintendo is able to market to a wider audience ranging from youths to adults, and even the elderly. The reason behind this is their less intimidating approach to gaming.

1. Controls- Other consoles on the market utilize complex controls and button combinations as opposed to the Wii, where controls are as simple as a wave of the hand. This is possible through the “Wii-mote’s” motion sensing technology allowing for controls that are fun and easy to learn.
2. Content- Along with simple controls, many games for the Wii are designed to be easy to pick up and play. Simple rules and simple game-play help bridge the gap between gamers and non-gamers attracting adults who would not normally play video games. Additionally, games such as Wii Fit help draw in even more consumers through its fun and easy way to stay fit and healthy.
3. Price- At the price of $250, the Wii is substantially cheaper than the Playstation 3 ($399 for the base model). However, Microsoft’s price drop for the Xbox 360 ($279 base model) makes for some formidable competition.

Nintendo’s move to reach out to casual gamers and non-gamers is proving to be highly beneficial not only for the company, but the industry as well. And it seems this video game juggernaut is nowhere near losing steam.

The World of Urban Vinyl

2008-07-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

written by Errol Veloso
Photo by LaertesCTB

There’s a new craze hitting the scene that has got kids and adults alike emptying their pockets and waiting in line for hours. Known as Designer Toys or Urban Vinyl, this new trend can be described as a collision of art and toys; influenced by graffiti, Asian pop art, and skater and sneaker culture. Not to be confused as action figures, these vinyl sculptures act as a canvas for artists ranging from the formally trained to post-graffiti artists.

The origin of this new art genre and collecting craze can be traced to Michael Lau, an artist based in Hong Kong, who created the first vinyl figurines as a promotion for a band in the 90’s. Since then, the designer toy culture has steadily gained interest and grown into a multi-million dollar industry. Consumers consist of a wide variety of collectors including art, comic book, and sneaker enthusiasts. The reason to its success can be attributed to its eclectic blend of art styles, limited numbers, and collectability.

Vinyl Categories

1. Limited Runs- These vinyl toys come in limited runs ranging anywhere from 200-1000 pieces. Several examples of these include the works of artist’s Tilt, Huck Gee, Kaws, and Joe Ledbetter
2. Blind Box/Chase- Blind Box Vinyl toys usually come 2-3 inches in height with a set of twelve or more figures randomly packaged; percentage rates for each figure (ex. 1/48) are shown on the packaging. Collectors are attracted to this type of designer toy because of the excitement involved with the random nature of this vinyl; and also the chance to land an ultra rare piece known as “chases.” The Dunny series is among the more popular pieces for this category.
3. Customs- Several urban vinyl companies provide blank vinyl pieces available for customization. One example is Kidrobot’s Munny, a blank figure boxed with accessories.

The Hunt
photo by merfam

Collectors are completely rabid for these vinyl toys; often joining online communities, arranging sales, and even hosting trading events at the local vinyl store. Seeking to complete their set, collectors will often pay highly inflated prices. In one instance I received an offer of $250 for a piece I originally paid $8 for.

The world of urban vinyl is an excellent platform in which youth and adults can appreciate art they can relate to, and perhaps encourage a transition into formal art.
For more information on Urban Vinyl, follow the links below.

http://www.millionaireplayboy.com (More info on Urban Vinyl)
http://www.kidrobot.com (A popular Vinyl retailer based in America)
http://vinylpulse.com/ (Community news, events, and upcoming releases)

Hot Brands Among Latino Youth

2008-06-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

20 Hot Latino Brands

A recent report prepared by The Intelligence Group identified a list of brands that are viewed most favorably by young Latino consumers.

According to the study, Hispanic youth said these brands "do the best job of creating products/services for Latinos like me" (in alphabetical order):

> Baby Phat
> Coke
> Dickies
> Ecko Unlimited
> Foot Locker
> Goya
> J Lo
> Levi's
> McDonald's
> Microsoft
> MTV
> Nike
> Pepsi
> Rocawear
> Sony
> Taco Bell
> Target
> T-Mobile
> Univision
> Wal-Mart
>
> (Source: Marketing Y Medios, 04/21/08)
>

Everyone Nose-N.E.R.D.

2008-05-20T18:20:00.001-07:00

Google Me Baby!!

2008-05-19T09:10:00.000-07:00

Teyana Taylor - Google Me

A couple of weeks ago I received my Cornerstone Mix CD in the mail (Yes, I am one of the lucky few on their VIP list) After opening up the package I popped in disc #2 in the CD changer and proceeded to listen to some of the hot new songs debuting. The song that I liked the most on this disc was Teyana Taylor’s Google Me Baby. Check out the embedded video here. As I listened to the song I started laughing and thinking about the new world in which we live in where if you want to learn something about anything or anyone you can simply go to your computer and utilize the Google website. In the song, Teyana is telling a suitor that she is hot stuff and that if you want to learn about her “hotness” just Google her! So to be Googled in this context is the equivalent of having status enough that the omnipotent search engine would springboard information about you to the top of the search results.

Information is everywhere and it is accessed at light speed these days. I think it is safe to assume that our typical workdays include ceaseless banter online with our friends, the passing on of links to the craziest videos, the exchange of political editorials and subsequent online discussion, the circulation of pictures and the use of Google to find information on anything. I think that I speak for a lot of people when I say that this is a typical day. This is the way we use our time and consume our media. It is rare that nowadays we gather around the watercooler, so to speak, to talk about that hot show on ABC last night. Our range of conversation is so diverse and pretty much revolves around stuff we receive or see on the internet.

The creation of Youtube and Google are two of the most remarkable developments of my lifetime here on this earth. Google has replaced the encyclopedia, the library, phone book, 411, TV Guide, etc. It is an incredibly powerful informational resource and continues to gain in stature and utility. Not only is Google a powerhouse for information search but it is becoming the key distributor of advertising, SEO and SEM.

Youtube along with the smartphone are two other life changing entities. Recently, I went to the Kanye West Glow In the Dark tour, and was able to videotape and photograph large portions of the show on my Nokia N95 8GB phone (see the pics in this blog). I along with thousands of other people there were able to capture these moments and subsequently share them with the rest of the world via Youtube or on blogs like this one. How do you stop and control this type of informational flow? Trust me, you can’t! Information is unstoppable now and the internet is our most powerful tool for outreach and connection to young people. The success of the Obama campaign is as strong of a testimony to the power of the internet as anything in recent marketing history. The Obama campaign recognized how savvy millennials used the internet and effectively used their knowledge of millennial ways of connecting to raise money and to communicate key messages in real time. As brand managers, marketers, and advertisers we should use the Obama campaign as THE case study for successful marketing (notice I did not say successful online marketing)

Here are some things to consider for marketing outreach in this new age:

1)Make sure to leverage the power of video via video host embedding and via email, you do not have to make a media buy to get your message out using video
2)Consumers want to like you and can be your best advocates. Let them be your ambassadors. Engage them: when developing new products or launching a new ad campaign get information from them directly upfront and keep that relationship going even allowing them to tweak your campaigns
3) Stay close to your consumer as they are more finicky than ever these days. Trends, and attitudes can change at the drop of a dime and if you are out of touch, your product, brand or service can become obsolete very quickly
4) Talk to people about what they are reading on the internet, watching on tv and music they are listening to, don’t assume you know. This is the day and age of hyper-fragmentation when it comes to media consumption and varied interests so you have to work harder to find insight and keep your finger on the pulse constantly.
5) Make sure your SEO and SEM game is tight. Given that search is such a key way of people getting information it is imperative that you tweak your Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing to get the results you want

Negro en Español

2008-04-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

The multicultural market is shifting in America today where Hispanics are now top of mind and Blacks are second tier. Advertisers simply can't ignore the numbers. Research shows by 2015 the U.S. Hispanic population will increase to 33%
of the total U.S. population.

In 2005, my partner, Kevin, and I had the opportunity to do a print campaign for Nokia LTA. For the campaign, we traveled to Brazil and became cultural tourists, immersing ourselves in the vibrant, colorful culture of the country. By taking away the two-way mirror and hanging with our new Brazilian friends on their own turf, we gained their trust and they were quick to share their thoughts and opinions. The experience and knowledge we gained on this trip was instrumental to the success of our Nokia campaign. And three years later, we are still working to become Cultural Ambassadors who build a bridge of understanding between cultures.

When we develop creative, we do our research and study culture first, including our own. Kevin and I don’t insist we know what
African-Americans want because we are African-Americans. We still do research to understand this audience. For any culture we will do our due diligence in understanding the nuances that resonate within the culture.

Today, there are several multicultural ad shops who say they "know " their culture and yet they put out advertisement that can
hit or miss. And many of those multicultural ad shops haven't even considered how to reach the fast growing ethnic group - the mixed race / bi-racial audience. Where do they fit in and what advertisement gets their attention?

The general market shops are also starting to realize they need help with the multicultural market. They are finally starting to understand through metrics that the work they are creating is not hitting the mark.

With new technology, there are many ways to reach a target audience be they African-American, Hispanic, bi-racial, young, old or somewhere in between. At CultureLab we help companies reach their target audience. We take an account planning approach to our clients and expertly develop advertisement that resonates with its target audience.

For many companies, reaching the Hispanic community will become a higher priority. Having done work in Latin America, we are eager to begin creating campaigns for Hispanic Americans. At CultureLab, we've been closely studying Hispanic cultures under our microscopes. We understand it is far more than Mariachi bands, banda and salsa. And we look forward to developing effective work that takes into account and celebrates the various cultures and lifestyles of Hispanic Americans.

I guess you can say we are Negro en Espanol!

Online/Interactive Video and Brand Rankings

2008-04-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Online Video Websites ranked by Market Share of U.S. Visits
Rank Site Mar. 08 Mar. 07 % Change
1 YouTube 73.18% 55.28% 32%
2 MySpaceTV 9.21% 17.18% -48%
3 Google Video 4.06% 8.42% -52%
4 Yahoo! Video 2.16% 2.63% -18%
5 Break.com 1.82% 1.57% 16%
Source: Custom report from Hitwise

Top 5 Independent Online Video Websites ranked by Market Share of U.S. Visits
Rank Site Mar. 08 Mar. 07 % Change
1 Break.com 1.82% 1.57% 16%
2 MetaCafe .98% 1.13% -13%
3 Daily Motion .96% 1.03% -7%
4 Veoh .93% .38% 145%
5 Blinkx .58% .08% 625%
Source: Custom report from Hitwise

Top 10 Online Brands, Combined Home & Work (U.S.). March 2008
Brand Unique Audience (000) Time Per Person (hh:mm:ss)
Google 119,674 1:15:40
Yahoo! 114,551 3:12:38
Microsoft 99,672 0:44:46
MSN/Windows Live 96,993 2:13:44
AOL Media Network 90,644 3:59:59
YouTube 71,273 0:50:34
Fox Interactive Media 70,389 2:07:30
eBay 57,220 1:58:31
Wikipedia 54,301 0:18:36
Apple 47,516 1:13:23
Source: Nielsen Online

Keys N Krates-From Canada

2008-04-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

Youtube Mixtape-CultureLab Hotlist

2008-03-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

Rock en Espanol Mix

An Ode to Nike SB Dunks

Spank Rock-Baltimore Electro Clash

Santogold-Brooklyn Electro

Dancin' Is Back-Fun and Silly Rap!

CultureLab’s What’s Hot and What’s Not List-1st Quarter 2008

2008-03-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

HOT

Barack Obama
MTV’s Making the Band 4
Electro/Hipster Hip Hop
Li'l Wayne's Lollipop
Skinny silhouette’s for men
Retro funk-think Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson
Silly Dance Rap-Flo Rida, Soulja Boy
Hollister/Abecrombie & Fitch
Youtube
Baltimore and Brooklyn Electro Clash-Spank Rock, Justice, Santogold
Skatewear/Streetwear
The Dream
Guitar Hero
Vans
Chris Brown
Nintendo Wii
Day Glo colors
Google
Nike SB Dunks and Air Force 1's
iPhone/iTouch
WiFi Games
Patron Tequila
Voting
Rock en Espanol
New Wave/80’s influenced clothes
Big chunky jewelry for women

NOT

Urban Wear i.e. Roc-a-Wear, Phat Farm
Reggaeton
Puma
BET
Motorola Razr
White tee’s
American Idol
John McCain
Beer
Grills
Snap Music
Yahoo

The Old Agency Model Is Dead!

2008-03-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

This past week, CultureLab immersed itself in the ever changing world of marketing and advertising in the Digital Age. From Toronto to Austin to LA, we traveled all over North America to find out what is really happening. There are a few important topics that we constantly heard relative to reaching Gen Y’ers. Here is what we learned:

1. Engagement-Advertising is no longer screaming down from the mountaintop with whatever message you want to communicate. Smart marketers know it is important to enlist the consumers’ help in spreading your message. Marketers who will win with Gen Y’ers will be those who encourage brand interactivity and enlist the help of the consumer to spread the word to their peers.
2. Hispanic Youth – 85% of Hispanic youth in the US were born in the US. They are multicultural in their sensibility and gravitate to English speaking media. This is the group that will have the most clout in terms of population size and cultural influence
3. Google vs. Microsoft-It is quite mind boggling to witness this epic battle of who will control advertising distribution. In the Old Media model, it was broadcast networks who controlled advertising distribution but now it is Google and Microsoft who are absolutely duking it out for control. We saw presentations by both Microsoft and Google and it became very clear to us that the stakes are high for both because this is where the advertising play really is from this point on. With Google buying Double Click and Microsoft buying Yahoo, the saga will continue.
4. Mobile Marketing- Here is another element that smart advertisers will add to the marketing mix. It was generally agreed that we are in the very Dark Ages of mobile marketing as marketers have to deal with a “broken eco-system”. The American carrier system is a HUGE hindrance to successful mobile marketing. Right now, SMS messaging is the stalwart tactic being used in Mobile.
5. R.I.P. to the Music Industry and Newspaper Industry- The expectation of free and rampant use of Bit Torrent, Limewire and other downloadable means has put the record industry in a serious pickle. It was announced at the Millennials conference in Toronto that 48% of teens in 2007 DID NOT buy a CD. That is a trend and is only going to get worse. Bad news is that the music industry is structured for CD sales. WOW! The same goes for the newspaper industry. Young people are into pop culture news and have very short attention spans. Newspapers are not an integral part of their daily lifestyle.

The advertising world is changing and changing fast. We pride ourselves as an Agency that stays relevant because we love monitoring these changes. Digital is the word and those who don’t understand this evolving world will be left behind.

Has Madison Avenue Lost Its Mind?!

2008-02-03T21:50:00.000-08:00

We just suffered through one of the worst Superbowl commercial nights ever. As an Agency we are actually outraged that the majority of the commercials aired look like an America that was idealized a long time ago as a place where there were only white people in mainstream media, and an America where other groups of people were pretty much marginalized. This evening, February 3, 2008, we actually saw a commercial on the Superbowl that featured some stereotypical Mariachi’s as comedic fodder promoting Taco Bell????!!!!!

Can someone out there explain to us the rationale behind these lame, frat boy humor(less), flat commercials? I can tell you that for us the most glaring issue was the minimal diversity displayed as well as the subtly racist stereotyping in some of these ads, i.e. dancing lizards with grills, nerdy Indian guy who barely speaks English, jive talking Black athlete, Mexican mariachis, etc! AT&T had the stereotypically goofy white guy trying to be cool rapping. I guess that it is fresh insight for Madison Avenue that whites like hip hop but aren't too good with the flow….Wow!

We know that the Coke spot “It’s Mine” scored well with watchers but is it us, or did it seem kind of …..um….hokey? I am willing to bet it scored well not because of its inate greatness as a concept but because there wasn’t much to choose from in terms of likability. Why are the majority of these commercials so trite, tired, and Caucasian in their sensibility? We think that Madison Avenue is out of touch and that there is increasing relevance for Agencies like ours that keep up with consumer mindsets, know where culture is going, and are organically comfortable with the notion of diversity. After watching last night I am convinced that it is time for a new crop of Agencies like ours to be given more opportunities to sell brands and products on the Grand stage.

Congratulations Madison Avenue and to the companies that approved these ads for doing such a fantastic job of connecting to all of us marginalized non- white folks out there. You really showed us how out of touch you really are, and how feckless the lack of diversity and true cultural insight can really be.

Crossover Dreams and the Post-Modern Black Aesthetic

2008-01-07T18:06:00.001-08:00

written by Kevin Walker and Anietie Antia-Obong

We are officially living in the Age of Crossover as a pop aesthetic has overtaken and defined African-American art and commerce. As a marketer, this has been one of the most interesting developments I have witnessed recently. Given that I am such a music fan, I began noticing this trend earlier in ’07. Music, of course, is one of the key ingredients in the overall pop culture environment.

Just take a close listen to the techno-house beat and Daft Punk sample used in Kanye West’s masterpiece Stronger. Is Stronger hip hop? Yes, he is rapping in the song, but the hook and the music all have a very pop feel. Kanye and Timbaland kind of started this. But now Snoop Dogg has come out with a very good pop song called Sensual Seduction. It is in every since of the word a pop song.

In film, the top earning actor is Will Smith. Will Smith is assuredly the icon of the Post Modern Black aesthetic. He is connected to his heritage yet the film vehicles that he chooses are those that typically have the most appeal to the masses. Even Spike Lee’s last film Inside Man had a multiracial cast and in no way touched upon any ideals of Black Nationalism.

So what is driving this? I think it is part of the idea of the post modern and pop black aesthetic that is driven by the desire to sell art to as many people as the market will allow.

Having lived through the 70’s Blaxploitation, Pro-Black, Soul Train era and then the Public Enemy/Spike Lee era of Black Consciousness and Black pride, I have personally witnessed this transformation of African- American art and business. Those eras were defined by the need for black expression mainly geared toward other blacks. Now in this era of Crossover, black artists are striving to create art for the masses, largely driven by the growing corporate domination of the entertainment industry which requires artists to fit the mainstream aesthetic.

This sensibility is impacting many other areas of pop culture and consumerism and it definitely has implications for us as multicultural marketers.

We believe that going forward targeted African-American advertising will be more subtle in leveraging cultural cues and will begin reflecting the “racially blended” styles that are developing more and more in general market communications. Like Kanye West’s Stronger, African- American advertising will feel more like general market advertising and will be more universal in its appeal. The challenge to traditional African- American agencies is how do you stay relevant without allowing general market agencies to steal their clients?

As an Agency, CultureLab’s main goal is to connect through true consumer insight. We develop our communications not from the perspective of ethnicity, but from an understanding of the interests of various groups and cultures within the African-American community.

One Youth Nation Under A Groove

2008-01-07T18:03:00.000-08:00

written by Kevin Walker and Anietie Antia-Obong

I am a HUGE fan of George Clinton and his wonderful, whacked out, zany genius. Not only is George Clinton one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, but he is a prophet as he predicted that we would all be living as “One nation under a groove getting down just for the funk of it!”

This idea is quickly becoming a reality amongst general market youth. Our research shows that despite ethnicity, many young people consume the same media, enjoy the same hobbies and love the same brands.

One of the primary missions for our agency, CultureLab, is to bring account planning and research discipline to the multicultural youth segments. That said, we maintain constant contact with youth across the country and monitor emerging trends relevant to them.

In a recent CultureLab focus group, we discovered there were huge islands of common interests despite ethnic origin or social class. For instance, when asked “Where do you spend most of your time on the internet?,” the overwhelming response was Youtube. Youtube was discussed as the “go to” site when you have time to burn and want to entertain yourself.

Also, the majority of the group (ages 18-23) stated Google was their homepage. Sneaker hoarding, skateboarding and gaming (specifically Nintendo DS ) were the popular hobbies/activities. (Although it should be noted those of Asian ethnicity expressed that they spent more time playing games networked via wi-fi with other players.) In terms of brands, the overwhelming favorite was Apple with Apple having the most coveted and hottest gadget out there, the iPhone.

The whole idea of this “one nation” youth concept was further underscored on a recent trendspotting trip to LA. We went to the Fairfax District near Melrose and Fairfax and discovered long lines of kids waiting to get into the hottest street wear and sneaker shops. Upon more careful observation, we noticed that it was a complete mixture of racial groups. There were many young people of Asian descent and there were equal numbers of Whites and Hispanics. It was literally a representation of the proprietary CultureLab segments of focus: Urban Renaissance (urban blacks who are trendsetters), Urbanized Whites (whites who are influenced by and naturally comfortable with Latino and black culture), Cultural Blenders (typically suburban youth of Asian or Eastern Indian descent), and Reggaetonistas (urban-acculturated Latino youth).

The striking thing about what we saw is that it was a whole movement around finding the rarest and most coveted street wear and sneakers. It was a feeding frenzy for the hottest lifestyle accessories for sneaker freaks and skaters of all cultures.

For marketers, it’s very important to understand the complex consumer and attitudinal dynamics involved in staying relevant with these groups. At CultureLab, we are constantly in contact with the younger, multicultural demos in order to monitor and stay up-to-date on emerging trends. This approach allows us to create cutting edge campaigns that really register with this ever-changing, dynamic group.

Intra-Racial Stratification Among African-Americans

2008-01-07T17:58:00.000-08:00

When Tom Burrelll, one of the godfather’s of African-American advertising started his agency, Burrell Communications Group, in the early seventies, his primary mission was to help marketers understand that you cannot communicate to African-Americans as though they are “colored” white people. He taught the advertising world that advertising communications could be more effective and relevant if true cultural insights were reflected in targeted advertising.

During the emergence of this new discipline of ethnic marketing, African- Americans were pretty much a homogenous, socioeconomic group. At that time, the civil rights act of 1964 had only been in place for 7 years and African-Americans were just beginning to enter the world of corporate America in masse.

Fast forward to the current environment today relative to ethnic advertising and African-American advertising specifically. As a testament to his vision, Burrell Communications Group is an award winning agency that now has over $300 million in billings annually. However, the original mission of Tom Burrell and his namesake agency is a little more complex.

Today, African-Americans are a more segmented socioeconomic group. As a result, how advertisers market to this segmented population must also change. One of the most intriguing debates amongst experts in African-American advertising is whether so called “targeted advertising” is still relevant to most African-Americans. Or is the General Market agency approach of creating advertising with a few black faces mixed in with others just as effective?

We argue that it is a combination of both. We also believe that one of the most important trends going forward is the growing stratification based on class, education, and income within the African-American group. In the recently released Pew Foundation Research report, 37% of African-Americans polled say that “blacks can no longer be thought of as a single race”. The same report also uncovered the sentiment that many middle class blacks no longer share the same values as those blacks in the so-called underclass.

http://pewsocialtrends.org/pubs/700/black-public-opinion

These are palpable developments that will definitely have an impact on targeted communications and media consumption. Back in 1971, many blacks were filled with optimism and hope for a better future. But in 2008, that hope is fading as blacks are less upbeat about the progress of the race.

In my own observation and analysis of the dynamics of targeted African-American advertising, there are some trends that are emerging:

1. Intricate knowledge of attitudes, lifestyles and consumer behavior of affluent African-Americans will become more important for luxury brands, apparel and consumer electronics.

2. Agencies that have built their reputation and expertise around “mass” African-American outreach will stagnate on the new account side. The carouselling (the same accounts moving from one Black agency to another) of traditional CPG, fast food, and automotive accounts will continue.

3. General market agencies will continue to siphon off accounts from ethnic agencies due to client cost pressures.

4. The importance of the “Urban Soldier” (young black underclass males and females) will increase for traditional black media outlets and advertising agencies. This is due to the growth of the black underclass and further marginalization in income, education, and opportunity.

5. Middle class and affluent blacks will continue to adopt values of whites and others and will be more open to general market messaging and entertainment programming than those in the “Urban Soldier” segment.

6. Niche marketing to affluent blacks will increase through the use of tactics like targeted promotional events, targeted print, online social network marketing, mobile phone marketing, word of mouth advertising and advertising through community organizations.

In this day and age, if agencies are to be effective in developing communications targeted to African-Americans it is important for them to take a true account planning approach: 1) Dig for insight, 2) Understand the roles that socioeconomics and class play in media consumption and 3) Never look at the African-American consumer as a monolith. Demonstrated understanding of nuance and complexity of the consumer will increase relevancy. CultureLab as an Agency practices this approach regularly in the development of targeted communications for our Clients.

The Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust.....Support My Morehouse Brother, Saul Williams!

2007-11-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

Saul Williams and Trent Reznor are in my opinion the upholders of artistic integrity and freedom in the music world:

Trent Reznor and Saul Williams Discuss Their New Collaboration, Mourn OiNK

Saul and Trent.Courtesy of Cornerstone
Spoken-word and hip-hop artist Saul Williams toured with Nine Inch Nails last year, and Trent Reznor liked him so much that he decided to produce his new album. The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust!, a mind-boggling fusion of genres — think NIN meets Gnarls Barkley meets Justice, if you can do so without your head exploding — will be released tomorrow through Williams's Website as a free download (or you can chip in five bucks to support Saul). The two artists spoke with Vulture by phone from L.A. this afternoon, discussing the album's genesis, the imploding record industry, and how much they paid for the new Radiohead album.

How did this collaboration come about?
Trent: I'd come across Saul through his "List of Demands" video, and it really impressed me as strong piece of work, as an aggressive rock-type track that jumped out of the television. So I checked to see if he was interested in touring with me. And it impressed me that he could go in front of an audience that probably didn't know who he was. He won the crowd over, and I watched it happen every night. I said, "Hey, if you ever want to experiment on some tracks, let's see what happens."

How would you characterize the music?
Saul: Gosh, I don't know, ghetto gothic? I guess I'd characterize it as hard-core dance. I don't know if I'd include spoken word in it, actually. It's so danceable. I have a lot to say, but I wanted to find a way to say it that didn't get in the way of me dancing my ass off.

Did you ever butt heads?
Trent: There were times when we disagreed on things, certainly, but sooner or later he'd realize that I was right. [They both laugh.]

What inspired you to go the In Rainbows route with this album?
Saul: From the start, I remember Trent saying, "Let's give it away for free." At first, I was like, "This dude is out of his mind!" But then it really started making sense, and, of course, with Radiohead doing it, we were like, "What the fuck? The idea that we had was great, and we should really follow it through."

Trent: I think it's just an awkward time right now to be a musician. The reality is that people think it's okay to steal music. There's a whole generation of people, that's all they've known. I used to buy vinyl. Today, if you do put out a record on a label, traditionally, most people are going to hear it via a leak that happens two weeks — if not two months — before it comes out. There's no real way around that. I'm truly saddened because I think music has been devalued, so that it's just a file on your computer, and it's usually free. But we can't change that. What we can do is try to offer people the best experience that we can provide them. Will it work? I don't know. But I think it's a great way to get music out to people who are interested. At the end of the day, all I care about is the integrity of the music, and that the feeling of those who experience it is as untainted as possible. I'd rather it not be on an iPod commercial. I'd rather it not be a ringtone that you have to get with a free cell phone or any of that bullshit.

Are you using this project, Trent, to test the waters for a self-released NIN record?
Trent: There isn't a Nine Inch Nails record done. I'm starting one right now. If I had one that was done, I would [release] it today in exactly the same way. I won't have one done for several months. One of the things that started this in motion with Saul was me sitting around thinking about finally getting off a major label, which I think is the right move for Nine Inch Nails. I wasn't looking to jump right back into another binding contract with a big company, and I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't advising Saul to do that in today's climate. We decided to go the route we did, and we'll see what happens.

How long do you think before the labels are out of business?
Trent: I mean, who knows? I remember a time when it felt like, being on a major label, our interests were aligned. At times, it's a pretty well-oiled machine and the luxury is that I feel like I've got a team of people who are taking care of the shit I don't want to think about. I don't care about the radio guy, I just want to make music. But those days are gone. Because, mainly, that infrastructure is broken at the moment. How long before [record companies] are irrelevant? Who knows? They seem to be doing everything they can to make sure that happens as quickly as possible.

Saul: I had already had experiences with my first album, with Rick Rubin and Sony and everything, where the company basically sat on it for two years and told me it wasn't hip-hop. So, I was also very familiar with the infrastructure, and this just made the most sense.

What do you think about OiNK being shut down?
Trent: I'll admit I had an account there and frequented it quite often. At the end of the day, what made OiNK a great place was that it was like the world's greatest record store. Pretty much anything you could ever imagine, it was there, and it was there in the format you wanted. If OiNK cost anything, I would certainly have paid, but there isn't the equivalent of that in the retail space right now. iTunes kind of feels like Sam Goody to me. I don't feel cool when I go there. I'm tired of seeing John Mayer's face pop up. I feel like I'm being hustled when I visit there, and I don't think their product is that great. DRM, low bit rate, etc. Amazon has potential, but none of them get around the issue of pre-release leaks. And that's what's such a difficult puzzle at the moment. If your favorite band in the world has a leaked record out, do you listen to it or do you not listen to it? People on those boards, they're grateful for the person that uploaded it — they're the hero. They're not stealing it because they're going to make money off of it; they're stealing it because they love the band. I'm not saying that I think OiNK is morally correct, but I do know that it existed because it filled a void of what people want.

How much did you guys pay for the new Radiohead album?
Saul: I paid $7, which is like, what, fourteen pounds? No, wait, that's like three pounds!

Trent: I bought the physical one, so I spent a whopping $80. [Pauses.] But, then I re-bought it and paid $5,000, because I really felt that I need to support the arts, so people could follow in my footsteps. [Saul laughs.] —Ben Westhoff

Earlier: OiNK Founder Will Be in Really Big Trouble — Just As Soon As Police Figure Out What He's Done Wrong
OiNK, 2004–2007: A Vulture Tribute
OiNK Busted: The Internet Responds

CultureLab and Shakenworld Productions Present.....

2007-11-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

The 10 Cane Rum Birthday Celebration

It Might Blow Up But It Won't Go Pop-Hip Hop Event and Panel Discussion

2007-09-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

On August 3rd, CultureLab hosted multimedia artist Fahamu Pecou and a host of other artists, DJ's, Journalists and Producers for a monumental night of hip hop homage and critical review. The evening was capped off with a thought provoking panel discussion on the current state of Hip Hop. Here is an overview of the night. Special shout outs to Red Bull, Chili's, Mozes and Bong Spirit Vodka for their support.

Questlove DJ Set, Dallas LFT Party 8-29-07

2007-09-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

Last week the city of Dallas was blessed with a sizzling DJ set by one of the greatest young musicians on the scene today, Ahmir Thompson AKA ?uestlove, of the Roots.

?uestlove is one of the most unique musicians in any genre of music because he not only plays drums in the only globally touring live hip hop group, The Roots, but he is also known as a fantastic DJ. Many times after a full two to three hour concert, ?uestlove will go out and do an all night DJ set at a club in whatever city the Roots happen to be in.

Last week as part of a launch party for a new chic Victory Park apparel store called LFT, ?uestlove was the featured DJ for the party. He blazed the night with an eclectic DJ set that included the usual hip hop anthems but also a little Lynrd Skynrd, Guns 'n Roses AND even the Sesame Street theme song!

As you can see from some of the pictures, the sponsors of the event were Samsung mobile phones, and Bacardi’s Grey Goose Vodka.

It was indeed a CultureLab type of event with great brands in the mix, beautiful people and bumpin’ music.

Man Bags, The Body Beautiful, Beautiful People and Custom Sneakers

2007-06-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

New York is always the center of the universe when it comes to trends and tastemaking. On my recent trip to New York here are a few things that I noticed:

The ever present “Man Bag” was the star of the fashion story. The man bag is almost a necessity in New York as walking is tantamount to navigating around the NYC. I saw men with everything from Chanel bags to camoflage army looking bags. I admit that the Chanel bag seemed a bit much to me, and the guy who had it was a bit….shall we say, soft.

The main thing is that despite the popularity of the man bag in New York, I do not think its popularity will translate to the heartland. This is mainly because, as the obesity statistics attest, the majority of people outside of New York City are sedentary and overweight. Walking is not a necessity for those of us in the hotlands and heartlands of Texas, Kansas, Georgia, Nebraska and Illinois, therefore that Man Bag becomes a severe fashion statement as opposed to a casual necessary accompaniment.

That leads me to cover off on the beautiful bodies that I saw in New York City. As a 230 lb. six foot 1 large sized man, I felt very out of place on the set of the photoshoot for the ad campaign that my Agency is producing. Most of those working there in the studio were fit and had no signs of pot bellies or flabbiness. That is not even considering the female models that were on set. It seems that the AVERAGE size for the female model is 2, 34 a/b cups and a height of about 6 feet. The male models were all gorgeous with cool 24 hour shadow, size 40 suit sizes, and lean muscle mass. Wow, I felt like immediately leaving New York to run home, hire a trainer, and begin running non stop on the treadmill. I am seriously out of shape, and I realized that the shaping of your body and being fit is just as important in this business as your actual work. I guess it also helps that really good food is hard to come by in NYC too. We discovered that eating a good meal was not as important in NYC. The restaurants there were awfully high and the food at best was mediocre. No one invites you over for a good hot meal either, as no one seems to cook in NYC. There were many beautiful bodies in NYC and next time I go back, maybe I will be one of them.

I must say that the nightlife options in NYC are impressive. As a lover of real soulful house music, I found nirvana at a club in the coolest of the cool NYC areas called the Meatpacking District. The club was Cielo and we happened to luck up to hear the one and only Kevin Hedges of the famous dance music duo Blaze spinning house and Afrobeat. Cielo is a club built for sound so the sound system in there was off the chain. The lighting inside the club was dramatic too.

If I could take one thing back with me to Dallas, Texas from NYC it would be the open attitudes of race and socializing across cultural groups. In the W hotel where we stayed, the people in the lounge were melded together by groovy sounds across all genres, good drinks, cool atmosphere and a willingness to mix it up. There was a lack of unnecessary haughty “I am rich and white and don’t want to socialize with those not like me” attitude and snootiness that seems to permeate every nice nightspot in Big D. Instead, people were celebrating the end to the long hot week and wanting to mingle. It was evident to me that everyone was welcomed and the music expressed that.

We also went to one of the best black owned restaurants in Manhattan, Maroons. Maroons is located in the Chelsea area of NYC. Chelsea is predominately gay and white but it was rather cool that a black owned restaurant serving Southern and Caribbean cuisine could flourish there. When we walked in for our 9p reservation we were greeted warmly by the hostess. Inside this tiny space were beautiful black people, an older white couple having a nice meal, a table full of gay white men, and a smattering of afrocentric couples on what seemed like nice romantic dates. The food was good at Maroons and the Jamaican rum punch was the real deal!

Finally, we cover off on sneakers. The hippest people in New York had what seemed to be the most unique and odd looking sneakers I had ever seen. In the shopping district in SOHO every other shop seems to offer some assortment of one of a kind sneakers from Puma, to PF Flyers, to Nikes, and to Mitre. Sneakers are the newest trend amongst the fashionistas and I think this is something that is happening in the heartland too. Sneakers are the shit right now.

So if you go to New York open yourself to snooping and observing to check out the latest trends. New York City is a terrific place and the people are equally terrific. I encourage everyone to experience it if they can at least once a year.

Peace and Love,

Kevin

Multicultural advertising, is it still relevant in this online media age?

2007-05-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while in life we experience unexpected pleasures. Late one Saturday night I was at home watching TV when I decided to change the channel and stumbled across a vintage edition of Soul Train circa 1981. What I saw brought a smile to my face, gave me pure exhilaration and triggered memories of being a kid on Saturday mornings watching this great show. For those of us in the know, Soul Train was the one show on TV where African Americans could see themselves in all their creative brilliance and glory: Al Green, with a perm, the underrated Atlanta funkers, Brick funking it up on the Soul train stage and a pre-Shalimar Jody Watley getting down with Jeffrey Daniel on the Soul Train line. It was also evident that it was a show brought to you by UltraSheen (a Johnson Company product), Coca-Cola and McDonald’s.

I call these three companies the pioneer triumvirate of corporations that targeted African Americans. Soul Train, in a way marshaled in a new era of programs that provided advertisers an avenue to target young influential African Americans. With the advent of Soul Train was the birth of Black ad agencies that developed targeted ads that resonated with this constituency.

Fast forward to the spring of 2007 and the question becomes is the era of the traditional ethnic targeted ad agency over? The answer is yes and no. The reality is that we are experiencing a remarkable time of fundamental shift in the advertising industry with advertisers shifting resources from broadcast to online. The reasons for this are simple, those who are in the so called millennials group, especially those in the most prized demographic of 18-34 are spending increasingly more time on the internet.

Furthermore, America is experiencing a demographic shift where Latinos are the largest minority group, and non-whites have a faster growth rate than whites. In the meantime, African Americans have gone from the most influential and coveted ethnic group for advertisers to being less important than the Hispanic consumer group. It could be said that this is a golden era for Hispanic agencies much like the 80’s were for Black agencies. So there is still a need for agencies who truly understand and can connect effectively with those in the multicultural groups.

So the country is more diverse than ever, the omniscient power of the major networks like ABC, NBC and CBS are being usurped by young people spending more of their free time on line, and Hispanics have become the coveted minority consumer group. So what does this mean for those agencies built for the era where broadcast tv reached the masses of those in the 18-34 age group and for African American and Hispanic agencies used to steering advertisers to the traditional broadcast avenues of radio and tv? It means that the relevance of these agencies is being jeopardized.

To survive they are going to have to understand the new media landscape with all of its nuances, proliferation of media options and cross cultural blending of young adult consumers.

My Space is just as popular with young Hispanics and African Americans as those in the general market. So when it comes to advertisers who want to target multicultural young adults, My Space and YouTube should be top of mind, not necessarily Univision.com or BET.com. Additionally, there are not many ethnic targeted program options online that have a lot of mass appeal amongst these groups. Instead what you have is extreme fragmentation by interest. There are websites where urban Hispanics lurk like www.mrcartoon.com, or a website for “Afro Punks” www.afro-punk.com, Blacks who are into punk rock, and there are Black gossip blogsites like Young Black and Fabulous, www.ybf.blogspot.com that is growing its number of hits daily.

So in a world of blogsites, My Space, Facebook, and YouTube how do you target ethnically? For the younger demos it is no longer just a matter of buying TV ads on Mun2, MTV or BET. The new media landscape is now extremely complex, but effective multicultural targeting can still be done. In our point of view, effective targeting is now about understanding “tribes of interests”. At CultureLab, we are all about tracking and researching these emerging tribes and the proliferation of websites and brands that target them.

In closing, I would like to pose the question, who will be the pioneering advertisers who successfully connect with multicultural young adults online? Will it be the advertisers like Apple who make no effort whatsoever to target by ethnicity or will it be advertisers like McDonalds who have a long and impressive record of targeting different multicultural groups? The answer remains to be seen but I would argue that the winners are those who truly understand the dynamics of developing tribes of interests, cultural blending, class stratification, and the cultural nuances of each ethnic group. Also, the winners will be those brands like Apple that have strong attributes that register with young adults across cultural groups. It is safe to say that amongst the younger multicultural groups it is almost taboo to target them by race, this means a more insightful and universal approach will need to be delivered by advertisers who want to target them.

cLAB In Focus

2007-05-23T14:43:00.000-07:00

In May the CultureLab agency conducted a series of focus groups with college students in the DFW area to gauge their media consumption habits, attitudes toward race, politics and technological aspects of their lifestyle. The age of participants ranged from 21-23.

Click the image above to view a video of highlights from the focus groups. Big thanks goes to Kristina, Desmond, Arthur and Anietie for helping us out with this project.

BE SEXY

2007-04-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

CultureLab was given the assignment of trying to change the perception of Bluetooth headsets among the 18-25 young adult demographic throughout Latin America and to effectively market Nokia’s sleek new BH-800 headset. Nokia like other Bluetooth headset makers faced a challenge in convincing younger people to buy them.

The perception of Bluetooth headsets among this group was that they look too “techy” and too “dorky.” Generally, the demo tend not to wear them because it makes them look uncool.

From a pure product perspective the Nokia BH-800 is a winner with it’s sleek look, metallic color and small size.

The resulting ad campaign was developed to go against the grain and to communicate more of the emotional benefit of wearing this sleek headset. Instead of following the usual concepts of Bluetooth headsets, CultureLab wanted to show how a fashionable headset can not only make you look good but also make you feel sexy. Its like when a woman wears nice lingerie, or jewelry, or when a man puts on a tailored suit with a tie.

These ads were intentionally more risqué because of the creative license that Latin American advertising is given.

CultureLab succeeded in creating a new perception of Bluetooth headsets and effectively introduced the Nokia BH-800 in the LTA market.