Digital media fanatic with a love of content, technology and culture. I've spent most of my career in sales and biz dev for a Bay Area online video agency, and I'm currently an MBA candidate at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business.
Read more about me here.
♥ Typography. ♥ PBS.
There aren’t that many amazing tech ads out there. Apple, of course, is a leader. Google’s made a big splash with “Dear Sophie” (Chrome) and its “Search Stories”. But I just love this PlayStation spot. It tells a story with the style and narrative panache of a Hollywood film. It subtly references all the biggest PS3 games, which any hardcore gamer will love but even a non-gamer might appreciate. It takes you on a journey, wondering who these various characters are, why they’re together — and who is this Michael? The ultimate revelation is uplifting, intelligent and humorous.
It’s interesting to see a brand like PlayStation target hardcore gamers in a world that’s constantly abuzz about casual and social gaming. Shows that the folks at Sony are in touch with their brand’s values and that they love their users.
Perhaps taking a page from the Apple playbook, Sony wisely avoids talking about the raw technicals of its product. The PS managers know that consumers won’t swoon for their system because of product specs like graphics capabilities, processor speeds, etc. They love the titles. They love the characters. These are the things that have made gamers fall in love with PlayStation and remain loyal to it. Sony has capitalized on that affinity — that emotional bond — and given the people what they want: A commercial that truly pays homage to gamers and the product itself.
My new favorite company: visual.ly.
We all have heard how Big Data will surely be one of the leading tech trends of 2012. Companies of all stripes are coping with oceans of data about user and customer behavior, which is partly the result of the proliferation of all manner of connected devices both mobile and in-home.
So the challenge becomes, how do we parse this data and make sense of it? Infographics are a great way to distill data into creative, visually appealing and comprehensible analysis. Visual.ly is developing a platform to let anyone create a high-quality infographic, even if you aren’t trained in Motion, After Effects or Flash. The company already showcases some of the best graphics across the Web and allows pros to upload and promote their work, connecting with peers and receiving valuable feedback in the process. This firm is well-positioned to capitalize on consumers’ and businesses’ hunger for data, as well as the ever-growing DIY creative culture in America.
Also, if you like data and design, you better start reading FlowingData.com. It will be interesting to see how the business model for Visual.ly evolves. For example, FD offers yearly subscriptions for which users receive source code and monthly tutorials about how to design pro-grade data visualizations.
The International Academy of Web Television is streaming its first awards program for excellence tonight at 9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific. Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Iawtvorg
Above are a few of the nominees.
From Fast Company: “Researchers say infographics can save morons from themselves. Really?” Click above to read the article.
I recently produced this video for my friend Amit, who’s getting his MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Amit is an engineer by trade and he needed a video to enter into a scholarship contest. The organization awarding the scholarship was looking for positive role models for children interested in science and engineering.
It’s been awhile since I shined the spotlight on good branded entertainment. This ski film, sponsored naturally by North Face (and featuring a ton of North Face gear) is worth watching 10 times. As the filmmaker says, it’s really the antithesis of a normal ski film, in that the story is really about how this band of athletes hiked 10 days to the summit of a 17,000’ peak in Alaska, only to ski down after their grueling expedition up the trail with boards and skis strapped to their backs. The film is about the struggle, not so much about epic rides and big air. Though there’s a little of that, too. Fantastic camera work and editing, particularly on the motion graphics.
