Week 8 EOC: Creative Content

I intend to employ a number of options to satisfy the Creative Content requirement component of the Final Project.

LOGO

I will of course begin the creative endeavor with the creation of the business name, and a logo appropriate for the name. I will also attempt to create a slogan or two, preferably set to a melody I can sing or hum. I will then use the logo in additional graphics, and the slogan(s) in a commercial jingle, as described below.

MENU

I want to create a menu. I like the idea of identifying the various potential food offerings my restaurant will prepare, and then creating a menu which will showcase them. I want to incorporate the logo into the design of the menu, as well as photographs of the food. I have years of experience with restaurants, including the opening of one. I have been involved in every step of the process, from menu creation to restaurant design and decor. If all goes according to plan, I intend to actually prepare some of the recipe candidates at home, tasting and photographing along the way. The photos I take should be suitable for use in the menu.

BILLBOARD & TRUCK GRAPHICS

I am fluent in Photoshop, and I will use the tool to create a graphic (or graphics) featuring a mascot and the logo. I will then superimpose this graphic onto photographs of a billboard and a truck, adding copy and detail, as required. I might even attempt creating a uniform, time permitting.

COMMERCIAL

Finally, I will create a radio-friendly commercial spot, or spots (30-second, 90-second, etc.). I will record myself as the announcer, the mascot, and any additional characters required. I will also provide a musical jingle, and any sound design needed to support the concept.

Week 5 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

It is amazing how rapidly technology is changing life, at home and in the workplace. I remember my first job searches. I combed the phone book for the names of firms and, hopefully, some information about what made the firm stand out from the rest. Beyond that, magazine searches through microfiche film seemed to be the technique that beared the most fruit. When it came to sharing with an employer, I had to rely on a resume and a cover letter, and a large portfolio full of physical samples of my work.

Today, an employer might find me by noticing an online presence that I maintain, without any thought to squiring a job. As in the real world, some people online are more highly sought after than others. In fact, employers are now seeking brand ambassadors online. As our text correctly states, "...thanks to modern technology, armed with little more than a video camera, laptop, and a cell phone, anyone can spread the word about products and brand experiences to thousands, even millions, of other consumers."

According to the Wall Street Journal, "...(Monster.com) plans to launch a program where companies can offer employees cash rewards for making referrals through (Facebook)." If people start making money for referring online friends, the trend could explode. We'll see what happens.

Week 6 EOC: Me x3

Three Products That Define Who I Am

iPhone 6+

 

I have been a fan of the iPhone since the beginning. Once I picked one up, and realized I understood everything about it intuitively, I was hooked. I am currently on my fourth iPhone, which is the iPhone 6+. I resisted getting it for a while. The screen seemed so large it was almost grotesque, and I was sure it would not fit comfortably in my pocket. But as before, once it was in my hands I knew I had to have it. I am now to the point that I don’t know how I was able to use such a small screen before, and it fits perfectly in my pocket. I hate using the phone, but love the apps. They allow me to be me.

 

Music Collection

My music collection isn’t exactly a product, so I’ll use the hard drive the collection resides on to describe it. It is a 3TB Seagate External Hard Drive. I use it to manage a collection of music that exceeds 120,000 songs. I have been a lifelong music lover, and the collection encompasses all genres of music. I add to it regularly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vizio 80” TV

I love the theater experience, especially when I can have it in the convenience of my own home! I moved recently, and have had to purchase to new furnishings. I abandoned a 106” projection screen system with the old house, and opted to buy a VIZIO M-Series 80" Class Ultra HD Full‑Array LED Smart TV for the new house. As far as systems go, LED beats projection on many levels, assuming the same size screen can be acquired. I no longer require a nearly complete dark environment to watch television, I don’t lose half of my image when someone’s head moves in front of the projector, and I no longer have to replace lamps at $500 a pop when they fail. In fact, the VIZIO requires very little power, or the related power cost, to operate. The VIZIO has four times the pixels of my old HD system. It is a smart TV, and comes equipped with dual-band Wi-Fi, a six-core processor. I can also browse and stream content from Netflix and others straight from the TV. Once settled into the new place, I expect to host parties to enjoy movies and/or TV shows.

Week 4 EOC: New Phone App

Virtual Valet

For professionals, there never seems to be enough time to get everything done that needs to be done, outside of the office. There have been many times when I have worked 50+ hour weeks, leaving many household chores and other responsibilities unattended. I have (halfheartedly) joked with coworkers about the need for an office "gopher," who would be responsible for taking care of things that required attention, but the job made very difficult. Hell, we had an "office runner." Why couldn't the runner pick up my dry cleaning on his way back to the office? How about have my car cleaned, or filled with gas?

This service could be like a Molly Maid operation (or an expansion of the original concept), where people who were not necessarily skilled could work part or full time, fulfilling the needs of busy people.

I wouldn't need to know the person too well, so long as he or she had good credentials, and probably carried insurance, etc. I already place trust in complete strangers when I leave my car with them for service. This wouldn't have to be any more scary.

Services might include...

(This list could grow quite large!)

Laundry or Dry Cleaning

Housecleaning

Auto Registration

Auto Maintenance

Auto Cleaning

Auto Fueling

Food Preparation / Service

Home Services (Landscaping, Pool, etc.)

(These services could be handled like property managers or condominium owners. Virtual Valet wouldn't have to actually perform the service, though they could. All that would really be required is that they make sure that the work was taken care of.)

The service could be like the game, The Sims, in which one simply needs to pick up the phone to call a baby sitter or housekeeper, solving a problem of time. Call Virtual Valet, then go do the thing which is really requiring your attention, whatever it be!

Week 3 EOC: My Demographics

Week 3 EOC: My Demographics

It seems that, through and through, I belong to Generation X. And not just because I was born in the tail end of 1969. The labels and descriptions used to describe my generation fit me like a glove.

One such label is the “MTV Generation.” I was alive to see three or four television channels turn into hundreds overnight. When MTV rolled onto the scene it was mesmerizing. And it changed the culture. My high school was filled with people sporting fashion trends they’d seen their favorite bands wearing on MTV.

I had lots of spare time to watch MTV, and a virtual plethora of other new and exciting cable television stations, because I was a “latchkey” kid. My parents were divorced, and both of them worked. This left me free to get into all kinds of no good with my friends, most all of which were of the latchkey variety. There always seemed to be a house we could go to, to escape parents or other authority figures. I could tell stories, but I’ll keep them for another post.

Having grown up, at least to a large degree so, I have begun more and more to ponder my future. Untrue to one of my generation’s descriptors, I was very interested in financial success from an early age. I studied architecture in college, then boldly moved to California from Indiana, with the hope of striking it rich! After a move to Miami, and then to Las Vegas, I was doing very well that I started my own practice. Things were going well, until the economic crisis hit, costing me the business. In the wake of that misfortune, I have come to appreciate quality of life over career success. Though when I look to the future, it seems I have squandered away my savings and am indeed “woefully behind in saving for retirement,” as our text puts it. And like so many other Generation X’ers, I’m working on that.

Week 3 EOC: Making Money for Good

Week 3 EOC: Making Money for Good

Newman’s Own is a company I have been familiar with since I was a kid. The company began as a charitable organization - the brand started with a homemade salad dressing that Paul Newman, and his business partner A.E. Hotchner, prepared themselves and charitably gave to friends as gifts. Newman said at the time of the company’s formation, "My profits will be divided between a number of tax-deductible charities and causes, some church-related, others for conservation and ecology and things like that.”

Since that time, the Newman's Own Foundation has generated over $400 million for charity. According to the NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/18/giving/making-his-own-charity-an-acquired-taste.html), “The business was an accident and the charity an afterthought, as Mr. Newman and his colleagues tell it.” In the article, Newman’s daughter Nell is quoted as saying "He thought the world had treated him incredibly well … let's just do this and give it all away.”

By the end of 2006, Newman quietly turned over the entire value of his ownership in Newman’s Own to charity. “Completed over a two-year period … the amount of his donations to Newman’s Own Foundation Inc. comes to an astounding $120 million.” (http://www.foxnews.com/story/2008/06/11/ailing-paul-newman-turns-over-120m-to-charity.html)

Paul Newman passed away in 2008, and Robert Forrester is now President and CEO of Newman’s Own Foundation and Chairman and CEO of Newman’s Own, Inc. According to Forrester, “Paul Newman wanted to make the world a better place, and we carry on his legacy to do that.” (http://www.forbes.com/sites/devinthorpe/2014/12/29/newmans-own-foundation-ceo-explains-unique-social-entrepreneurship-model/)

Today, 100 percent of Newman’s Own, Inc.’s distributed profits go to charities around the world. Much of the charity is in the form of research grants, to organizations focusing on fresh food access and nutrition education.

Week 2 EOC: Boston Consulting Group - Video Games

"In 2015, global mobile game revenues will eclipse console game revenues for the first time. Newzoo expects that mobile games will generate $30.3 billion worldwide; it predicts that console games will take in $26.4 billion."

http://fortune.com/2015/01/15/mobile-console-game-revenues-2015/

"With so many entertainment products available, F2P (Free-To-Play) helps attract new gamers and allows them to try new things with zero committment to buy."

http://www.internap.com/2014/12/01/top-five-online-gaming-industry-trends-2015/

"The next-generation video game console war is no longer the next-generation video game console war — it’s now the current-generation video game console war. Each of the three major gaming box makers has now had its new console on sale for more than a year, and it has been quite a roller coaster ride to say the least."

http://bgr.com/2015/02/18/ps4-vs-xbox-one-vs-wii-u-lifetime-console-sales/

GAMING SYSTEMS ORGANIZED BY RELATIVE MARKET SHARE

STAR	QUESTION MARK
Mobile Devices	Illegally Downloaded Games
CASH COW	DOG
Microsoft Xbox 360 Nintendo Wii Nintendo 3DS Sony PlayStation 4 Sony PlayStation 3 Sony PlayStation 2 Sony PlayStation Vita Sony PlayStation Portable Sony PlayStation	Atari Lynx Atari 7800 Atari 5200 Atari 2600 Bandai WonderSwan Coleco ColecoVision Coleco Telstar Hudson Soft TurboGrafx-16 Magnavox Odyssey² Mattel Intellivision Microsoft Xbox One Microsoft Xbox Nintendo Wii U Nintendo DS Nintendo GameCube Nintendo Game Boy Advance Nintendo 64 Super Nintendo Entertainment System Nintendo Game Boy Nintendo Entertainment System Nintendo Color TV Game Nokia N-Gage Philips CD-i Sega Dreamcast Sega Saturn Sega Pico Sega Game Gear Sega Genesis Sega Master System

Week 1 EOC: My Voice

Me as a Professional: Where I am and Where I’m Going

I love art. I appreciate creativity of all kinds. And I have spent my life thus far in creative endeavors.

I currently work full time in an architectural office in Las Vegas. Born and raised in Indiana, I never dreamed I’d end up here. But after zig-zagging across the country (I left the Midwest for the west coast, and then moved to Miami on the other coast) I landed a job that had me working on casinos. I loved working on casinos, and all of the restaurants, clubs and other amenities that supported them. To me, there seems to be no industry that demands creativity more than hospitality. So I ultimately decided I needed to be in (what was at the time) the center of the hospitality universe.

I landed a job with Paul Steelman (of Steelman Partners), one of the world’s preeminent hospitality architects, and have since led and supported design teams working on casino/resort projects across the country and around the world. People are enjoying themselves in places I’ve designed in cities all over the United States, as well as locations in Canada, China, Australia, Cambodia and Vietnam.

I eventually struck out on my own, and quickly landed hospitality projects of my own. Unfortunately, I did so just in time to catch the recession that had the whole world reeling. The business I had generated over the course of two years literally disappeared over night. With an email and a follow up phone call, all of the projects I had been working on were “put on hold,” essentially putting me out of business.

I spent a year and a half largely unemployed. On the plus side of this, I did a lot of soul searching. I wound up picking up my guitar and playing in a couple of bands. I hadn’t done this since high school. But I have had a lifelong passion for music, which ultimately drove my decision to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Audio Production at the Art Institute of Las Vegas, where I am currently enrolled. I have found that I enjoy the production side of audio at least as much as I do in the creation of it. Complicating matters somewhat, I attended the DGA (Directors’ Guild of America) Awards in 2013, and again in 2014. I have since been interested in film and television. This new interest has guided me in my audio classes, and I have made efforts to educate myself about these visual media in my free time.

I was rehired at Steelman Partners, and I am back to designing casinos and resorts. My perspective has changed quite a bit over the years though, and now I think a lot about the hospitality industry and the entertainment industry, and how I might figure out a career path that somehow merges the two professions. I have a strong desire to work my way into film and/or television. But I don’t want to do it if it comes at the expense of losing architecture altogether.

Week 1: EOC: Great Customer Service

A Great Customer Service That I Had

A few years ago, I purchased a Mac Pro, from the Apple Store at Town Square. It was a significant investment, and I was very frustrated that within a few days of owning it, it required service. I had installed the various programs I intended to use on the computer, including Pro Tools 10. But when I installed software for the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface, which I intended to use with Pro Tools, Pro Tools immediately ceased to operate.

I believed the cause to be an issue with the drivers. Apple had recently released OS X Mountain Lion, and my computer was running it. It seemed likely to me that Avid, the company behind Pro Tools, and Focusrite were still catching up with patching their software to fix bugs with the new operating system. So I set up an appointment with a ‘genius’ at Apple.

I met the genius assigned to me and my issue. I forget his name, but I immediately felt he was a down-to-earth guy. He greeted me warmly and I explained the issue. He understood my decision to revert back to the previous operating system, OS 10 Lion. He even knew of others who worked in audio, and came to similar conclusions. So he went to work on my computer, right there at the counter. After a half an hour or so, which I spent lounging and browsing around the store, I was ready to go.

I got the computer back home, and again began the install process. This time I found that everything worked as I expected, and I was happy with myself that my hunch seemed correct. My opinion that Apple provided superior products was now bolstered by a similar opinion regarding the quality of their service. I will continue to support them by purchasing their products and services.