TED’s 2011 Ads Worth Spreading

For supporting its 2011 Ads Worth Spreading project, TED thanks YouTube, AICP, NiceSpots, Art Directors Club, The One Club/One Show, 4A’s, IAA, IAB and Contagious Magazine.

Killer Reels: Leviathan

Leviathan is a design-focused production studio specializing in the creation of large-scale visual experiences across all media. The emerging studio’s leaders are champions of breakthrough design and branding who draw from experiences earned within the world’s leading digital agencies, production companies, VFX and motion studios. Also leveraging the talents of extraordinary storytellers, software developers, producers … Read moreKiller Reels: Leviathan

Marketing Imperatives: Effectiveness

The Effie Awards were founded in 1968 by the American Marketing Association, New York Chapter, as an awards program to recognize the most effective advertising efforts in the United States each year. Over the years, Effie has become a source of learning through global conferences, judging discussion and access to in depth case studies providing opportunities for insight into effective marketing communications. In 2008, the New York AMA assigned its rights to the Effie brand over to a new entity named Effie Worldwide, Inc, with the goal of strengthening its educational component and its value to the industry. Deadlines for the 2011 North American and Global Effie Awards are at hand — please visit www.Effie.org today to learn more.

Read moreMarketing Imperatives: Effectiveness

Sharing secrets: Ford’s Scott Monty

Back in September, new media industry thought leader and author Brian Solis launched (R)evolution, a new series of video interviews presenting the people, trends, and ideas defining the future of business, marketing, and media. Last week, he released this very informative video where he interviewed Scott Monty, Ford’s head of social media. To learn more … Read moreSharing secrets: Ford’s Scott Monty

Inspiring new book on the upside of resistance


Today marks the worldwide release of an amazing new book from Union Square Press, written by Steve Crawshaw and John Jackson, with a foreward from the internationally renowned human rights champion Vaclav Havel. The book is entitled Small Acts of Resistance: How Courage, Tenacity, and Ingenuity Can Change the World.

I met John Jackson through the spectacular MTV Burma Viral project from Carl Le Blond, Ogilvy Amsterdam, and Shilo. Earlier today, he reported that BBC’s world affairs editor John Simpson had highlighted the new book in his story today on Liu Xiaobo winning the 2010 Nobel Prize, writing,

“John Simpson has highlighted beautifully how Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo is linked to so many others in history and today, who live in truth and resist injustice… the very people whose stories our book aims to celebrate.”

Read moreInspiring new book on the upside of resistance

Join Jamie Oliver’s food revolution

In the video above, first broadcast on August 2, celebrity and humanitarian Jamie Oliver introduces the OpenIDEO Challenge currently underway at OpenIDEO.com. There, Jamie, design and innovation consultancy IDEO, and many other prominent organizations are pooling their resources to address the best ideas we can provide to promote the benefits of fresh food to kids, so that they’ll be able to make better choices. Below, I’m also sharing Jamie’s inspirational TED Talk from earlier this year, where his passions for encouraging people to change their lifestyles and diets for the better, earned him a TED Prize.

Read moreJoin Jamie Oliver’s food revolution

Earth Day 2010 and beyond… onward and upward!

Huge thanks to Earth Day LA’s Jim Stewart, Ph.D., for these insights for continuing to make positive impacts through our day-to-day activities… and to my inspirational buddy Kacy Palmieri, who has worked with Earth Day LA for the past several years, for passing along Jim’s sage advice.

Read moreEarth Day 2010 and beyond… onward and upward!

N.A.S.A. NSFW 2010


Last February, N.A.S.A. (North America/South America) debuted “The Spirit of Apollo” on Anti- Records. I’ve written before about the ongoing creative collaboration between lifelong music aficionados Squeak E. Clean (aka Sam Spiegel) and DJ Zegon, and their friends, friends of friends and musical heroes. Today, “The Spirit of Apollo” continues involving many superstar artists from both U.S. coasts in bringing people together through music and art. I hope you enjoy the updated playlist, featuring the talents of N.A.S.A.’s many fine-artist friends.

Read moreN.A.S.A. NSFW 2010

Moving forward: World Water Day 2010

In honor of World Water Day, it’s my pleasure to share this video that takes a hard look at the bottled water industry and proposes some simple and powerful alternative ideas that can greatly impact the Earth, our communities, and our pocketbooks.

Read moreMoving forward: World Water Day 2010

Much love to and from The Children’s Playhouse

A creative play space for families, and a powerful force for community goodness in Boone, North Carolina, USA

After helping my wife Beth Darnell, and her sister Ann Kiefert, their comrade Kathy Parham, and many others from our then-new hometown of Boone, North Carolina, open The Children’s Playhouse in November of 2002, I am very proud to see how Kathy has led the venture in countless ways which continue adding precious dimensions to our community. The video featured here was produced by our friend Beth Jacquot in 2003, and much has happened since then. I invite you to visit the official site www.GoPlayhouse.org and explore the Facebook group, and I also wanted to share news from a recent event that reveals a lot about our community, and Kathy.

Read moreMuch love to and from The Children’s Playhouse