The document discusses the upcoming New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival happening in late April and early May 2007. It will feature both local Louisiana musical acts like Dr. John as well as national touring artists like Steely Dan and Norah Jones. The festival celebrates Louisiana culture and aims to showcase that New Orleans is recovering from the 2005 hurricanes. Over 350,000 music and culture fans typically attend over the two week period, bringing $200 million in business to the local economy. In addition to the diverse music, the festival also features local artisans and food vendors.
The use of stories is not a new phenomenon: it has existed as long as people have interacted with each other. But using this technique in advertising has created a radical shift in today and tomorrow’s brand marketing. Throughout the years, stories have become more and more ‘individualistic’. New media has enabled people to engage each other in stories again. During his presentation, Jef will guide you through the basics of storytelling and how stories can create or enforce belief systems that match your brand identity. Discover what storytelling can do for your brand!
Jef Pelkmans lives and works in Antwerp. After his studies in Social-Cultural work and Communication sciences, Jef found his passion in advertising and communication. At Brandhome he became part of the strategic deparment and currently holds the position of Strategy Manager.
At Brandhome, Jef has been engaged in numerous projects, for different types of clients. His main task is to help brands determine their vision, mission, ambition and identity and find the right strategy to reach their goals. Within Brandhome’s mission, Jef is always striving to make brands grow faster than their competitors.
18 dec st digital life (online)-online merchants are winning the hearts of co...Bridget Kow
This document discusses how online merchants are increasingly winning over consumers in Singapore. It notes that singer Beyonce released her latest album exclusively online through iTunes, bypassing traditional stores. This reflects how the retail game has fundamentally changed, with online sales growing rapidly in Singapore according to PayPal transaction data. The document argues that traditional brick-and-mortar stores struggle to compete with online options due to higher prices from rents, limited product selection, and lack of convenience compared to shopping from home without lines or crowds.
Welcome to the eighth episode of Digital Trends. This document records the latest digital trends that both brands and consumers are currently engaging.
Here is the layout,
* Recent Christmas Ads
* Trending Hashtags
* Topical Trends
* Tech Trends
* Marketing Trends
David King-Arts Coverage Writing SamplesDavid King
This summary provides an overview of independent movie theaters and drive-ins in the Hudson Valley region that offer alternatives to mainstream Hollywood films:
- The Downing Film Center in Newburgh, the Rosendale Theatre in Rosendale, and Upstate Films locations in Rhinebeck and Woodstock curate selections of independent, foreign, classic, and art house films that attract loyal, older audiences.
- These theaters aim to show diverse selections that provide educational and thought-provoking counterprogramming to big studio blockbusters and franchises.
- However, the transition from 35mm film to digital projection presents financial challenges for smaller theaters and drive-ins to afford the necessary equipment upgrades, risking the future of these community
Trend manifestations for the gambling industry.
If you keep these links handy they will give access to some general but category specific trend manifestations. Feel free to use them as you see fit and get in touch if there is something more specific we can help with. Our paid for services exist on separate, exclusive web sites.
Resource – The Tumbler Edition: Updated weekly, browse through for a list of manifestations in key topical areas that are indicators for where these things might be headed in that category: http://crayonworks.tumblr.com/
Resource – Manifestation Decks: Updated monthly; mini case studies written up for the most interesting links we find.
Crayon Works
Ph: 0044 7515428006
http://crayon-works.com/
Follow us on: https://twitter.com/CrayonWorks
Tumblr: http://crayonworks.tumblr.com/
Look at what we've been up too.... http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.286923111429764.66484.181029885352421&type=3
Metallica has mastered music merchandising, targeting multiple age groups and price points. They sell a wide range of branded clothing, from socks and t-shirts to expensive wetsuits and watches. Metallica also offers collectibles, box sets, liquor, and other high-priced specialty items, reflecting their older fan base of middle-aged consumers who can afford premium products. Through constant new releases and tie-ins with established brands, Metallica has sustained commercial success for over 30 years by strategically monetizing their loyal fan base across multiple demographics.
The document announces three major merchandising deals for Showtime's hit show "The L Word" including an inspired perfume created by APOTHIA beauty boutique, jewelry collections from designer Udi Behr's Love and Pride line, and an official companion book from Fireside/Simon and Schuster. It also details an agreement with online company My2Centences to create "The L Word: A Fan Affair", a scriptwriting contest and e-zine for fans to collaboratively write and vote on their own episodic script. The retail products and online fan site are aimed at further engaging the show's large fan base.
The document discusses opportunities for businesses to harness radio and digital media to grow their business. It provides statistics on radio listenership and effectiveness for advertising. The radio station offers services like public service announcements, community calendar listings, commentaries, interviews, live remotes, and streaming audio. It then discusses the growth of digital advertising and opportunities through the website Chapelboro.com to reach local, educated audiences. It encourages businesses to contact the radio station CEO for more information.
The use of stories is not a new phenomenon: it has existed as long as people have interacted with each other. But using this technique in advertising has created a radical shift in today and tomorrow’s brand marketing. Throughout the years, stories have become more and more ‘individualistic’. New media has enabled people to engage each other in stories again. During his presentation, Jef will guide you through the basics of storytelling and how stories can create or enforce belief systems that match your brand identity. Discover what storytelling can do for your brand!
Jef Pelkmans lives and works in Antwerp. After his studies in Social-Cultural work and Communication sciences, Jef found his passion in advertising and communication. At Brandhome he became part of the strategic deparment and currently holds the position of Strategy Manager.
At Brandhome, Jef has been engaged in numerous projects, for different types of clients. His main task is to help brands determine their vision, mission, ambition and identity and find the right strategy to reach their goals. Within Brandhome’s mission, Jef is always striving to make brands grow faster than their competitors.
18 dec st digital life (online)-online merchants are winning the hearts of co...Bridget Kow
This document discusses how online merchants are increasingly winning over consumers in Singapore. It notes that singer Beyonce released her latest album exclusively online through iTunes, bypassing traditional stores. This reflects how the retail game has fundamentally changed, with online sales growing rapidly in Singapore according to PayPal transaction data. The document argues that traditional brick-and-mortar stores struggle to compete with online options due to higher prices from rents, limited product selection, and lack of convenience compared to shopping from home without lines or crowds.
Welcome to the eighth episode of Digital Trends. This document records the latest digital trends that both brands and consumers are currently engaging.
Here is the layout,
* Recent Christmas Ads
* Trending Hashtags
* Topical Trends
* Tech Trends
* Marketing Trends
David King-Arts Coverage Writing SamplesDavid King
This summary provides an overview of independent movie theaters and drive-ins in the Hudson Valley region that offer alternatives to mainstream Hollywood films:
- The Downing Film Center in Newburgh, the Rosendale Theatre in Rosendale, and Upstate Films locations in Rhinebeck and Woodstock curate selections of independent, foreign, classic, and art house films that attract loyal, older audiences.
- These theaters aim to show diverse selections that provide educational and thought-provoking counterprogramming to big studio blockbusters and franchises.
- However, the transition from 35mm film to digital projection presents financial challenges for smaller theaters and drive-ins to afford the necessary equipment upgrades, risking the future of these community
Trend manifestations for the gambling industry.
If you keep these links handy they will give access to some general but category specific trend manifestations. Feel free to use them as you see fit and get in touch if there is something more specific we can help with. Our paid for services exist on separate, exclusive web sites.
Resource – The Tumbler Edition: Updated weekly, browse through for a list of manifestations in key topical areas that are indicators for where these things might be headed in that category: http://crayonworks.tumblr.com/
Resource – Manifestation Decks: Updated monthly; mini case studies written up for the most interesting links we find.
Crayon Works
Ph: 0044 7515428006
http://crayon-works.com/
Follow us on: https://twitter.com/CrayonWorks
Tumblr: http://crayonworks.tumblr.com/
Look at what we've been up too.... http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.286923111429764.66484.181029885352421&type=3
Metallica has mastered music merchandising, targeting multiple age groups and price points. They sell a wide range of branded clothing, from socks and t-shirts to expensive wetsuits and watches. Metallica also offers collectibles, box sets, liquor, and other high-priced specialty items, reflecting their older fan base of middle-aged consumers who can afford premium products. Through constant new releases and tie-ins with established brands, Metallica has sustained commercial success for over 30 years by strategically monetizing their loyal fan base across multiple demographics.
The document announces three major merchandising deals for Showtime's hit show "The L Word" including an inspired perfume created by APOTHIA beauty boutique, jewelry collections from designer Udi Behr's Love and Pride line, and an official companion book from Fireside/Simon and Schuster. It also details an agreement with online company My2Centences to create "The L Word: A Fan Affair", a scriptwriting contest and e-zine for fans to collaboratively write and vote on their own episodic script. The retail products and online fan site are aimed at further engaging the show's large fan base.
The document discusses opportunities for businesses to harness radio and digital media to grow their business. It provides statistics on radio listenership and effectiveness for advertising. The radio station offers services like public service announcements, community calendar listings, commentaries, interviews, live remotes, and streaming audio. It then discusses the growth of digital advertising and opportunities through the website Chapelboro.com to reach local, educated audiences. It encourages businesses to contact the radio station CEO for more information.
David Tonneson is a sculptor who uses steel to create works that evoke nature. Though steel is man-made, Tonneson bends and shapes it to replicate natural forms like vines and flowers. He has created large-scale public sculptures and smaller pieces for homes and businesses. Tonneson works out of a studio in Somerville that adjoins his living space, allowing him to be very productive with minimal commute.
Intelligent corporate design is the balance between compliance with established rules and values, and the gentle adapt to a rapidly changing environment. We work with you to a new corporate design or adapt existing elements. Of new logos, letterheads, templates, to packaging and labeling building. Visit here : http://www.wcd.ch/de/portfolio/corporate-design/
This document discusses Tom Peters' Manifestos 2002 series, which focuses on important but neglected topics that present opportunities for organizations. Each booklet in the series takes a radical point of view on its topic. The excerpt provided focuses on the topic of design mindfulness, arguing that design is underrated as a strategic tool. It can be worth hundreds of billions to a firm, as design is the essence of emotional attachment to products/services and the source of a brand's culture and proposition. While quality and new products are common now, everything risks becoming similar. Focusing on unique, attention-grabbing design is crucial to standing out in today's marketplace.
10 easy ways to better design your magazine. Tips & tricks, tutorials and ins...Issue Stand Ltd
In every magazine, beside the content, design is one of the most important elements. It catches readers’ eye, inspire them and create your unique brand. With the grow of digital magazine, the role of design is even bigger: you can do more. Every little detail, interactive media and additional content engage your readers and create an interaction. That’s why we found the best resources, tips and tricks to help you design your magazine.
The document discusses how startup entrepreneurs think and operate. It notes that startups like Airbnb and Uber were started due to identifying shortages or problems. It emphasizes that startups focus on providing customer benefit, eliminating waste, and creating value. It also highlights that startups operate with speed, embracing failure fast and pivoting quickly, with transparency and by breaking rules. Startups succeed by moving rapidly, with minimal processes and instead prioritizing speed above all else.
The State of Sales & Marketing at the 50 Fastest-Growing B2B CompaniesMattermark
There’s a lot of information out there for sales and marketing professionals. In fact, as our friend Erik Devaney at Drift.com points out, a quick search of the term “sales and marketing advice” yields more than 90 million results on Google.
What’s more, there are tons of industry influencers who, on a regular basis, share their views on everything from content marketing and sales, to pricing and customer success. It’s a noisy conversation, and for many, a confusing one.
So, how do you make sense of it all?
By focusing on the sales and marketing efforts that actually produce results, not flash-in-the-pan engagement. But finding those results is a little challenging. That’s why we decided to put together our latest report with Drift.com, The State of Sales and Marketing at the 50 Fastest-Growing B2B Companies.
Using Mattermark data, we were able to identify the fifty high-growth companies in the U.S. and evaluate their marketing activities to understand which practices really moved the needle. In order to make the qualitative portion of our research more tangible, we evaluated each company on the list in light of how they approached content, customer communication, path to purchase, and pricing.
What we and the team at Drift.com discovered was surprising, to say the least.
WTF - Why the Future Is Up to Us - pptx versionTim O'Reilly
This is the talk I gave January 12, 2017 at the G20/OECD Conference on the Digital Future in Berlin. I talk about fitness landscapes as applied to technology and business, the role of unchecked financialization in the state of our politics and economy, and why technology really wants to create jobs, not destroy them. (There is a separate PDF version, but some readers said the notes were too fuzzy to read.)
- Lakeview Square Mall opened in 1983 in Battle Creek, Michigan with great fanfare as a major new shopping destination. However, over 30 years later, the mall has declined as stores have closed and vacancies have increased.
- The mall was built to draw shopping dollars back to Battle Creek from other cities. However, it had negative impacts on downtown Battle Creek businesses and commerce.
- The future of the mall is uncertain as its owner has not publicly shared plans and major anchor stores like Sears and JCPenney face challenges. Losing additional anchors could seriously damage the mall. The owner is working to address the challenging retail environment through marketing and space reconfigurations.
This document provides advertising campaigns for several brands and products. It includes 3 campaigns summarized below:
1) A campaign for Brunswick Zone bowling centers targeting men 18-26 and women 16-24, and children 5-13. Advertising will include billboards, web banners, and direct mail to promote Brunswick Zone as a fun place to hang out.
2) A campaign for Bucikowo shoes featuring the brand in fashion shows around Chicago from August to December 2009. Advertising will promote the shows and brand through print ads, postcards, and an online catalog.
3) A campaign for Bump Bloks toys for children ages 1-5 targeting the fun of building block toys through billboards
Strategic Management: Completed an in-depth strategic company audit on Madison Square Garden Company (MSG). Utilized over 30 sources to report on the organization’s current status, 5-year performance and current strategies. Performed External & Internal Factor Evaluation with various matrices and analysis: (SWOT) (CPM) (EFE) (IFE) (QSPM). Formalized a 3-year strategy for implementation that included contingency plans and trigger-points.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has transformed the Indy 500 race weekend into a major entertainment event by adding concerts and other fan experiences. On race day in 2016, over 350,000 fans attended, setting a new single-day attendance record. To attract younger fans and grow the audience, the Speedway programs concerts by popular artists before and during the race weekend. This has been successful in introducing new fans to the race. The Speedway also aims to make the entire Indy 500 experience, including transportation, accommodations, and on-site activities, as enjoyable as possible for fans.
This roundtable discussion focused on opportunities for brands to engage customers through digital music. Representatives from music publishers, labels, and digital music services discussed challenges like attaining rights to full catalogs and perceptions of "free" downloads substituting sales. They emphasized partnership approaches to deals that benefit all parties and promote music. Brands want music to drive product sales, while the industry aims to streamline processes and offer affordable rates to generate ongoing business.
UMCA has partnered with various companies over the years to promote their brands and projects during major events like the NBA All-Star weekend. This document highlights some of UMCA's past work including producing concerts featuring Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild during the 2002 NBA All-Star weekend in Philadelphia to promote Sega Sports; developing campaigns for HBO to promote their programming during Black History Month; and creating radio spots for the Will Smith movie Ali among other projects promoting movies, music and brands.
The latest social update from iris NYC - how beverage brands are reaching Millennials Males by betting big on exclusive branded entertainment, plus the latest changes from Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and more.
This document discusses a meeting of local liberals in Chicago following Donald Trump's election. Around 400 people attended the meeting at the Center on Halsted to discuss strategies around civil liberties under a Trump presidency. State representatives and advocacy groups discussed making Illinois a "sanctuary state" and ways to better engage communities outside of liberal bubbles. Representative Feigenholtz said progressives need to spread their message more broadly before the next election. They also acknowledged ignoring and marginalizing other parts of the country that supported Trump.
The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is celebrating the 10th annual Stroll on State event on November 26th in downtown Rockford. This year's event will feature new experiences, a tree lighting ceremony, fireworks, live entertainment, vendors and more to mark the occasion. Illinois Bank & Trust has extended its presenting sponsorship of the free community event through 2025. Stroll on State draws tens of thousands of guests each year and kicks off the holiday season with various attractions, activities, shopping and dining opportunities supported by over 30 sponsors and partner organizations.
We Are The Best Essay Writing C. Online assignment writing service.Tracy Jimenez
The document discusses design changes to the 2016 Hyundai Tucson hybrid SUV. Engineers focused on redesigning the undercarriage to improve ride quality and handling. Specifically, they increased the vehicle's width and wheelbase for greater ride comfort and structural rigidity while maintaining the Tucson's position in the mid-size SUV market segment. The 2016 model is 1.1 inches wider and has a 1.2 inch longer wheelbase than the 2015 model to enhance stability while driving.
SML Entertainment has been a family-run business in Calgary for 60 years, starting as Southern Music Ltd. and bringing arcade games and jukeboxes to Alberta. It is now Western Canada's largest retailer of home entertainment products like pool tables, pinball machines, and hot tubs. SML has five stores across Alberta and offers rentals in addition to sales. Through adapting to changes in technology and customer interests, SML has remained successful in bringing friends and families together for six decades.
This document provides biographical information about rapper Ludacris and discusses his eighth album "Battle of the Sexes". The album aims to give equal representation to male and female perspectives on relationships and sexuality. It features the singles "Hey Ho" featuring Lil' Kim which questions double standards of sexuality, and "My Chick Bad" featuring Nicki Minaj where Ludacris and Minaj boast about their partners' attractiveness. The album also includes the erotic track "Feeling Sexy" where Ludacris and Shawnna engage in virtual phone sex through their lyrics.
E C O N F O C U S T H I R D Q U A R T E R 2 0 1 3 31.docxbrownliecarmella
E C O N F O C U S | T H I R D Q U A R T E R | 2 0 1 3 31
O
ne of the great success stories of American retail-
ing, Circuit City got its start in 1949 as a tiny
storefront in Richmond, Va. From that modest
beginning, founder Sam Wurtzel quickly built the company
into a national chain, and his son Alan turned it
into a household name. By 2000, Circuit City employed
more than 60,000 people at 616 locations across the
United States.
Circuit City is also one of American retailing’s great fail-
ures. In November 2008, the 59 -year-old company filed for
bankruptcy. Within months, it closed its stores and liquidat-
ed more than $1 billion worth of merchandise, and on March
8, 2009, the last Circuit City store turned off its lights for
good. Today there are few reminders of the groundbreaking
retailer; the company’s 700,000-square-foot headquarters
complex outside Richmond is filling up with new tenants,
and the empty stores have been taken over by new retailers.
In part, Circuit City was just one of the many victims of
the financial crisis and recession, which also brought down
other large national retailers such as Linens ’n Things and
The Sharper Image. And businesses fail even during the
best of economic times, as part of the natural process of
“creative destruction” that is the engine of capitalism. But at
business schools across the country, Circuit City’s story is
taught as an example of what can happen when success
breeds complacency.
From Tire Store to Fortune 500
In 1949, New Yorker and serial entrepreneur Sam Wurtzel
was having his hair cut in Richmond on his way to a family
vacation in North Carolina. The barber mentioned that the
first television station in the South had opened in Richmond
less than a year earlier. Wurtzel, fresh from a failed import-
export business, thought this new entertainment device
might be his next opportunity.
The first experimental television stations began operat-
ing in the early 1940s, and commercial broadcasting began
after World War II. Few households owned sets at the time
of Wurtzel’s barbershop visit, but the medium was growing
rapidly: The number of TV stations in the United States
nearly tripled in 1949, from 27 to 76. Through a friend,
Wurtzel knew someone at Olympic Television, a small
manufacturer in Long Island City; through relatives, he had
connections to bankers and businesspeople in Richmond.
Within a month, Wurtzel had moved his family from New
York to Virginia and was selling televisions out of the front
half of a tire store on Broad Street, a few blocks west of
downtown Richmond.
Wurtzel thought his last name might be hard for people
to pronounce, so he named his store Wards, an acronym for
his family’s names: W for Wurtzel, A for his son Alan, R for
his wife, Ruth, D for his son David, and S for Sam. Rather
than try to compete directly with the big department stores,
he catered to lower-income consumers by offering install-
ment payment plans. He also developed a unique s.
David Tonneson is a sculptor who uses steel to create works that evoke nature. Though steel is man-made, Tonneson bends and shapes it to replicate natural forms like vines and flowers. He has created large-scale public sculptures and smaller pieces for homes and businesses. Tonneson works out of a studio in Somerville that adjoins his living space, allowing him to be very productive with minimal commute.
Intelligent corporate design is the balance between compliance with established rules and values, and the gentle adapt to a rapidly changing environment. We work with you to a new corporate design or adapt existing elements. Of new logos, letterheads, templates, to packaging and labeling building. Visit here : http://www.wcd.ch/de/portfolio/corporate-design/
This document discusses Tom Peters' Manifestos 2002 series, which focuses on important but neglected topics that present opportunities for organizations. Each booklet in the series takes a radical point of view on its topic. The excerpt provided focuses on the topic of design mindfulness, arguing that design is underrated as a strategic tool. It can be worth hundreds of billions to a firm, as design is the essence of emotional attachment to products/services and the source of a brand's culture and proposition. While quality and new products are common now, everything risks becoming similar. Focusing on unique, attention-grabbing design is crucial to standing out in today's marketplace.
10 easy ways to better design your magazine. Tips & tricks, tutorials and ins...Issue Stand Ltd
In every magazine, beside the content, design is one of the most important elements. It catches readers’ eye, inspire them and create your unique brand. With the grow of digital magazine, the role of design is even bigger: you can do more. Every little detail, interactive media and additional content engage your readers and create an interaction. That’s why we found the best resources, tips and tricks to help you design your magazine.
The document discusses how startup entrepreneurs think and operate. It notes that startups like Airbnb and Uber were started due to identifying shortages or problems. It emphasizes that startups focus on providing customer benefit, eliminating waste, and creating value. It also highlights that startups operate with speed, embracing failure fast and pivoting quickly, with transparency and by breaking rules. Startups succeed by moving rapidly, with minimal processes and instead prioritizing speed above all else.
The State of Sales & Marketing at the 50 Fastest-Growing B2B CompaniesMattermark
There’s a lot of information out there for sales and marketing professionals. In fact, as our friend Erik Devaney at Drift.com points out, a quick search of the term “sales and marketing advice” yields more than 90 million results on Google.
What’s more, there are tons of industry influencers who, on a regular basis, share their views on everything from content marketing and sales, to pricing and customer success. It’s a noisy conversation, and for many, a confusing one.
So, how do you make sense of it all?
By focusing on the sales and marketing efforts that actually produce results, not flash-in-the-pan engagement. But finding those results is a little challenging. That’s why we decided to put together our latest report with Drift.com, The State of Sales and Marketing at the 50 Fastest-Growing B2B Companies.
Using Mattermark data, we were able to identify the fifty high-growth companies in the U.S. and evaluate their marketing activities to understand which practices really moved the needle. In order to make the qualitative portion of our research more tangible, we evaluated each company on the list in light of how they approached content, customer communication, path to purchase, and pricing.
What we and the team at Drift.com discovered was surprising, to say the least.
WTF - Why the Future Is Up to Us - pptx versionTim O'Reilly
This is the talk I gave January 12, 2017 at the G20/OECD Conference on the Digital Future in Berlin. I talk about fitness landscapes as applied to technology and business, the role of unchecked financialization in the state of our politics and economy, and why technology really wants to create jobs, not destroy them. (There is a separate PDF version, but some readers said the notes were too fuzzy to read.)
- Lakeview Square Mall opened in 1983 in Battle Creek, Michigan with great fanfare as a major new shopping destination. However, over 30 years later, the mall has declined as stores have closed and vacancies have increased.
- The mall was built to draw shopping dollars back to Battle Creek from other cities. However, it had negative impacts on downtown Battle Creek businesses and commerce.
- The future of the mall is uncertain as its owner has not publicly shared plans and major anchor stores like Sears and JCPenney face challenges. Losing additional anchors could seriously damage the mall. The owner is working to address the challenging retail environment through marketing and space reconfigurations.
This document provides advertising campaigns for several brands and products. It includes 3 campaigns summarized below:
1) A campaign for Brunswick Zone bowling centers targeting men 18-26 and women 16-24, and children 5-13. Advertising will include billboards, web banners, and direct mail to promote Brunswick Zone as a fun place to hang out.
2) A campaign for Bucikowo shoes featuring the brand in fashion shows around Chicago from August to December 2009. Advertising will promote the shows and brand through print ads, postcards, and an online catalog.
3) A campaign for Bump Bloks toys for children ages 1-5 targeting the fun of building block toys through billboards
Strategic Management: Completed an in-depth strategic company audit on Madison Square Garden Company (MSG). Utilized over 30 sources to report on the organization’s current status, 5-year performance and current strategies. Performed External & Internal Factor Evaluation with various matrices and analysis: (SWOT) (CPM) (EFE) (IFE) (QSPM). Formalized a 3-year strategy for implementation that included contingency plans and trigger-points.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has transformed the Indy 500 race weekend into a major entertainment event by adding concerts and other fan experiences. On race day in 2016, over 350,000 fans attended, setting a new single-day attendance record. To attract younger fans and grow the audience, the Speedway programs concerts by popular artists before and during the race weekend. This has been successful in introducing new fans to the race. The Speedway also aims to make the entire Indy 500 experience, including transportation, accommodations, and on-site activities, as enjoyable as possible for fans.
This roundtable discussion focused on opportunities for brands to engage customers through digital music. Representatives from music publishers, labels, and digital music services discussed challenges like attaining rights to full catalogs and perceptions of "free" downloads substituting sales. They emphasized partnership approaches to deals that benefit all parties and promote music. Brands want music to drive product sales, while the industry aims to streamline processes and offer affordable rates to generate ongoing business.
UMCA has partnered with various companies over the years to promote their brands and projects during major events like the NBA All-Star weekend. This document highlights some of UMCA's past work including producing concerts featuring Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild during the 2002 NBA All-Star weekend in Philadelphia to promote Sega Sports; developing campaigns for HBO to promote their programming during Black History Month; and creating radio spots for the Will Smith movie Ali among other projects promoting movies, music and brands.
The latest social update from iris NYC - how beverage brands are reaching Millennials Males by betting big on exclusive branded entertainment, plus the latest changes from Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and more.
This document discusses a meeting of local liberals in Chicago following Donald Trump's election. Around 400 people attended the meeting at the Center on Halsted to discuss strategies around civil liberties under a Trump presidency. State representatives and advocacy groups discussed making Illinois a "sanctuary state" and ways to better engage communities outside of liberal bubbles. Representative Feigenholtz said progressives need to spread their message more broadly before the next election. They also acknowledged ignoring and marginalizing other parts of the country that supported Trump.
The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is celebrating the 10th annual Stroll on State event on November 26th in downtown Rockford. This year's event will feature new experiences, a tree lighting ceremony, fireworks, live entertainment, vendors and more to mark the occasion. Illinois Bank & Trust has extended its presenting sponsorship of the free community event through 2025. Stroll on State draws tens of thousands of guests each year and kicks off the holiday season with various attractions, activities, shopping and dining opportunities supported by over 30 sponsors and partner organizations.
We Are The Best Essay Writing C. Online assignment writing service.Tracy Jimenez
The document discusses design changes to the 2016 Hyundai Tucson hybrid SUV. Engineers focused on redesigning the undercarriage to improve ride quality and handling. Specifically, they increased the vehicle's width and wheelbase for greater ride comfort and structural rigidity while maintaining the Tucson's position in the mid-size SUV market segment. The 2016 model is 1.1 inches wider and has a 1.2 inch longer wheelbase than the 2015 model to enhance stability while driving.
SML Entertainment has been a family-run business in Calgary for 60 years, starting as Southern Music Ltd. and bringing arcade games and jukeboxes to Alberta. It is now Western Canada's largest retailer of home entertainment products like pool tables, pinball machines, and hot tubs. SML has five stores across Alberta and offers rentals in addition to sales. Through adapting to changes in technology and customer interests, SML has remained successful in bringing friends and families together for six decades.
This document provides biographical information about rapper Ludacris and discusses his eighth album "Battle of the Sexes". The album aims to give equal representation to male and female perspectives on relationships and sexuality. It features the singles "Hey Ho" featuring Lil' Kim which questions double standards of sexuality, and "My Chick Bad" featuring Nicki Minaj where Ludacris and Minaj boast about their partners' attractiveness. The album also includes the erotic track "Feeling Sexy" where Ludacris and Shawnna engage in virtual phone sex through their lyrics.
E C O N F O C U S T H I R D Q U A R T E R 2 0 1 3 31.docxbrownliecarmella
E C O N F O C U S | T H I R D Q U A R T E R | 2 0 1 3 31
O
ne of the great success stories of American retail-
ing, Circuit City got its start in 1949 as a tiny
storefront in Richmond, Va. From that modest
beginning, founder Sam Wurtzel quickly built the company
into a national chain, and his son Alan turned it
into a household name. By 2000, Circuit City employed
more than 60,000 people at 616 locations across the
United States.
Circuit City is also one of American retailing’s great fail-
ures. In November 2008, the 59 -year-old company filed for
bankruptcy. Within months, it closed its stores and liquidat-
ed more than $1 billion worth of merchandise, and on March
8, 2009, the last Circuit City store turned off its lights for
good. Today there are few reminders of the groundbreaking
retailer; the company’s 700,000-square-foot headquarters
complex outside Richmond is filling up with new tenants,
and the empty stores have been taken over by new retailers.
In part, Circuit City was just one of the many victims of
the financial crisis and recession, which also brought down
other large national retailers such as Linens ’n Things and
The Sharper Image. And businesses fail even during the
best of economic times, as part of the natural process of
“creative destruction” that is the engine of capitalism. But at
business schools across the country, Circuit City’s story is
taught as an example of what can happen when success
breeds complacency.
From Tire Store to Fortune 500
In 1949, New Yorker and serial entrepreneur Sam Wurtzel
was having his hair cut in Richmond on his way to a family
vacation in North Carolina. The barber mentioned that the
first television station in the South had opened in Richmond
less than a year earlier. Wurtzel, fresh from a failed import-
export business, thought this new entertainment device
might be his next opportunity.
The first experimental television stations began operat-
ing in the early 1940s, and commercial broadcasting began
after World War II. Few households owned sets at the time
of Wurtzel’s barbershop visit, but the medium was growing
rapidly: The number of TV stations in the United States
nearly tripled in 1949, from 27 to 76. Through a friend,
Wurtzel knew someone at Olympic Television, a small
manufacturer in Long Island City; through relatives, he had
connections to bankers and businesspeople in Richmond.
Within a month, Wurtzel had moved his family from New
York to Virginia and was selling televisions out of the front
half of a tire store on Broad Street, a few blocks west of
downtown Richmond.
Wurtzel thought his last name might be hard for people
to pronounce, so he named his store Wards, an acronym for
his family’s names: W for Wurtzel, A for his son Alan, R for
his wife, Ruth, D for his son David, and S for Sam. Rather
than try to compete directly with the big department stores,
he catered to lower-income consumers by offering install-
ment payment plans. He also developed a unique s.
The document outlines B. Smyth's marketing plan for summer 2016, which includes releasing an EP before his full album. The plan details promotional initiatives like college tours, pop-up shows, and supporting ScHoolboy Q's international tour to increase exposure. Key dates are provided for single and video releases as well as radio visits and performances leading up to the January 2017 album release.
This document discusses Hoooka, a company that brings artists and fans together. Hoooka allows fans to discover new artists and share music with others, earning a small profit. It also gives artists opportunities to find new fans. The company's founder, Justin Goldberg, launched Indie911 in 2004 to promote independent artists online. He later incorporated Hoooka to let fans share music recommendations the way people share a hookah. Users can earn money by promoting songs to their friends and social networks. This mutually beneficial model helps independent artists gain exposure while giving fans incentives to spread new music.
This document discusses new strategies for music marketing and distribution in the digital age. It argues that terrestrial radio is declining while new opportunities exist in wider digital distribution, engaging social media platforms, building fan relationships through websites and e-mail lists, and generating live performance revenue through merchandise sales. The key is focusing on fan engagement across multiple channels to build brands and drive organic growth.
Amid Long Island City Boom, Retail Growth LagsVincent Lin
This document summarizes the state of retail development in Long Island City, New York. While residential development has boomed with thousands of new luxury apartments, retail has lagged due to the lack of a continuous retail corridor and ground floor space in residential buildings. However, the document predicts that planned arrivals of Amazon and Bloomingdale's offices will bring thousands of jobs and residents to the area, encouraging more retailers to open stores and fulfilling the demand for services and amenities. Retailers are expected to start with food, pharmacy and convenience stores before expanding to other categories to support the growing population.
The document summarizes MGM Grand at Foxwoods' participation in the Big E festival in West Springfield, Massachusetts. MGM Grand had a tent where they hosted a spin-the-wheel game, guaranteeing all participants a prize. Popular prizes included sweatshirts, picture frames, and tickets to upcoming shows. Over 800 people signed up for Dream Rewards cards and over 1,000 received reprints. MGM Grand expects this community outreach to increase traffic to their resort.
The document is Matthew Robinson's cover letter and application materials for a teaching position. It includes a resume, references, educational philosophy statement, letters of recommendation, student comments, sample curriculum, and writing samples. In his educational philosophy statement, Robinson discusses his view of teaching as conducting a classroom of unique students, with the goal of supporting every student's growth and finding the beauty within each. He emphasizes caring for students as individuals, displaying their works, encouraging feelings of achievement, and involving parents in collaboration.
The document contains reviews and testimonials from students that Matthew S. Robinson has taught in various contexts, including as an English teacher, boxing coach, and student teacher. The reviews consistently praise Mr. Robinson for his dedication to helping students learn and improve, for creating a supportive learning environment, and for his engaging and motivating teaching style. Students report gaining confidence in writing and other skills, as well as seeing significant improvements in their work, as a result of taking his classes.
Matthew Robinson has over 20 years of experience in education, including teaching English, mentoring, coaching, and curriculum development. He holds multiple teaching licenses and has a Master's degree in Teaching and Education. His resume highlights his educational background and experience teaching at various schools, as well as positions developing curriculum and supporting students' writing skills.
The document is Matthew Robinson's cover letter and application materials for a teaching position. It includes a resume, references, educational philosophy statement, letters of recommendation, student comments, sample curriculum, and writing samples. In his educational philosophy statement, Robinson discusses viewing students as unique individuals like musical instruments. He aims to support all students so they can grow and find their talents, while also continuing his own learning from students. Robinson emphasizes displaying student work and involving parents to create a harmonious learning environment.
This document contains reviews and testimonials from students who were taught by Matthew S. Robinson. The students praise Robinson for being an excellent, helpful, and dedicated teacher who improved their writing and confidence. ELL, SPED, and general students say Robinson provided individual assistance, pushed them to achieve their potential, and helped them see significant growth in their writing abilities over the course of the semester or year.
Matthew Robinson has over 20 years of experience in education, including teaching English, mentoring, coaching, and curriculum development. He holds multiple teaching licenses and has a Masters in Teaching from Boston University. He has taught at various schools and universities and currently works as an adjunct professor. His objective is to apply his diverse skills and experiences to support students, families, and colleagues in a new educational setting.
The document summarizes how New Orleans is recovering from hurricanes Katrina and Rita through tourism and cultural events. It highlights the successful New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, noting its lineup of local and international musical performers. The festival draws 350,000 music and culture fans annually and has an economic impact of over $200 million for the city. The document also provides an overview of the many other cultural attractions, sports, dining, and entertainment options that are helping New Orleans continue its recovery.
Actors' Shakespeare Project (ASP) is a Boston-based theater company founded in 2003 by artistic director Benjamin Evett that performs the works of William Shakespeare throughout Greater Boston without a permanent theater space. ASP seeks to make Shakespeare accessible and relevant to diverse audiences by staging productions in unconventional spaces and through award-winning educational programming. Performances feature rotating casts of top local actors familiar with Shakespeare's texts who are able to deliver the language clearly without overly formal delivery. Upcoming ASP productions include an all-female "Macbeth" in October 2007 and "King John" in May 2008.
Dawn Upshaw performed the world premiere of "Treny" by Michael Ward-Bergeman at Carnegie Hall on November 2, 2008 as part of her scheduled recital. "Treny" was commissioned by TCMF in honor of board member Edna Kalman. Based on the works of 16th century Polish poet Jan Kochanowski, the piece featured Upshaw singing with Ward-Bergeman on hyper-accordion alongside cello, piano, and flute. The complex and affecting piece received a roaring ovation from the sold-out audience. Over 25 TCMF members and supporters traveled from across the country for the premiere performance and pre-concert celebration. "Treny" will have its
The document summarizes how Bancroft School builds confidence in its students from an early age through graduation. It discusses how students are given opportunities to speak publicly and present their work starting in kindergarten. Throughout their time at Bancroft, students continue gaining confidence through activities like performing Shakespeare plays in elementary school, participating in science fairs and public speaking events in middle school, and preparing for college through speech team and other activities in high school. The document highlights how alumni credit Bancroft's focus on building confidence as preparing them for success beyond their school years.
Ron Aurit founded the Boxing Scholarship Foundation in 1989 to provide college scholarships to amateur boxers. Since its creation, the foundation has awarded nearly $50,000 in scholarships to help local, regional, and national boxers attend college. Aurit has enlisted the help of famous boxers and celebrities to raise money for the foundation at fundraising galas. In addition to providing scholarships, Aurit coaches boxing at the University of Pennsylvania and mentors students, helping them however he can for over 30 years.
The Coolidge Corner Clubhouse offers over 300 homemade menu items alongside Boston's largest martini menu. Dishes include burgers, enchiladas, roll ups and homemade sides. The atmosphere includes sports memorabilia and televisions.
The South Street Diner is a 24/7 diner known for dishes like French toast, smoked salmon, and 15 types of eggs Benedict. It offers classic diner fare alongside less traditional options like mimosas and wine. The diner is a local landmark featured in films and comics.
Bar Boulud Boston offers savory French cuisine from renowned chef Daniel Boulud. The elegant space focuses on wines from Burgundy and Rhone. Dishes include lobster
- Reprise Records is releasing limited edition Lord of the Rings trading cards with the Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack, including one card in CD packages and a full set available online. A seventh bonus card is available for downloading from the website.
- WBCN has launched a new website at www.wbcn.com featuring live DJ interaction, concert listings, music downloads, and links to Boston sports and CBS Sportsline.
- The Terezin Chamber Music Foundation will hold its annual gala on September 22, 2008 in Boston featuring performances by pianist Simone Dinnerstein and an improvisational collaboration between painter Jim Shantz and the Hawthorne String Quartet.
Matt Robinson is an engaging and knowledgeable boxing coach. Students praise his ability to break down techniques for beginners while making classes fun and ensuring students work hard. He teaches detailed fundamentals while incorporating a variety of drills focused on endurance and technique, providing students a terrific full-body workout. Through his motivation and commitment to preparation, Matt builds camaraderie among core groups of students who support each other in their boxing goals.
Matthew S. Robinson wrote an article in The Boston Globe about author Brad Meltzer's new thriller novel "The Book of Fate". Meltzer came up with the idea for the novel after visiting former presidents Bush and Clinton and researching an alleged Masonic code hidden in the architecture of Washington D.C. The novel includes a code for the main character to solve but is more focused on how the character deals with a personal tragedy. Meltzer enjoyed meeting the former presidents but felt intimidated speaking with them about his work. He believes conspiracy theories can make for intriguing thriller plots and that Boston was an influential location for the novel given its history with Freemasonry.
Dr. Susan Linn conducted an interview about the pervasive marketing targeted at children. She discussed how marketing to children grew dramatically in the 1980s as regulations were loosened. Marketers now target every age group using branded products, TV shows, movies, video games, and social media to influence children. They learn advertising jingles as early words and are immersed in over 40,000 ads per year. This constant marketing undermines parents' ability to set limits and promote children's well-being over commercial interests. Dr. Linn advocates for parents to limit screen time, promote creative play over consumption, and get involved politically to protect childhood from unchecked marketing influence.
This development letter is requesting donations to support the programs of Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA), the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that was bombed by Iranian terrorists in 1994, killing 85 people. The letter describes how AMIA has supported Argentina's Jewish community of 250,000 people for over 115 years through programs like employment services, senior services, education programs, and burial services, but that the costs of these programs exceed their resources so they need financial support. It provides examples like the annual $960 cost per senior for meals at the senior center and $4,000 monthly cost for Shabbat meals to illustrate AMIA's funding needs and asks the reader to pledge support through the included form.
This document provides liner notes for Luther Vandross' 2002 album reissue "Forever, For Always, For Love". It summarizes that the album is like a musical diary for Vandross, documenting his journey from growing up in the church to finding success and love in his music career. It describes how the album pays tribute to musical influences like Sam Cooke and The Temptations. The notes explain that Vandross carefully crafted the album to prove that the success of his debut was not a fluke and that this love of his music would be "forever, for always".
The document discusses the Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs (BHAC) and its charitable foundation. It describes how the BHAC founder started the charitable foundation over 20 years ago to allow members to get involved in philanthropic causes while working out. The foundation raises money for different charities through regular blood drives, fitness challenges, and equipment/service donations. It has raised over $25,000 for Special Olympics alone. The BHAC founder hopes the clubs' community involvement inspires other businesses to follow suit.
Carolyn Wonderland is a Grammy-nominated blues and roots rock artist from Houston, Texas. She struggled early in her career, living in a van by the river in Austin and taking any gig she could get. She began to rise through the scene, playing with bands and alongside legends like Bob Dylan. Her recent album "Peace Meal" brings together classic songs and stories to offer "musical food for thought" and highlight her advocacy for peace and the homeless. The album was produced by nine-time Grammy winner Ray Benson and features contributions from other acclaimed musicians. Wonderland draws from diverse influences like blues licks and gospel to create her unique sound and touch fans around the world.
1. MATTHEW S. ROBINSON
62 Brookline Street, Needham, MA 02492
617 877 6264 / matthewsrobinson@mac.com
The following piece appeared in Billboard:
Meet the Parents
By Matt Robinson
MINNEAPOLIS — Having lived together for over eight years, Musicland Group, Inc. and The
Mall of America finally got hitched on October 24. The result is the renaming of the Mall’s five-
story, 5,000 square foot central rotunda as "Sam Goody Central."
With 1,331 stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, Musicland Stores Corp.
(which is made up of Sam Goody, Suncoast Motion Picture Company, Media Play and On
Cue) is the largest specialty retailer of home entertainment software in the U.S. (the nearest
competitor being Record Town owners Trans World Entertainment, with 967 stores
nationwide). With only a 3,500 square foot Record Town as its competition, the three Sam
Goody stores and one Suncoast Video store make up what is definitely the Mall’s largest
entertainment retailer, with a total of 28,000 square feet of retail space.
Opened in August of 1992 and owned by TIAA CREF, Melvin Simon & Associates and Triple
Five Corp., the 4.5 million square foot Mall of America is the largest mall in the nation. With 2.5
million square feet of retail space the Mall includes more than 520 stores, 50 restaurants, eight
nightclubs, an indoor amusement park, a walk-through aquarium and its own concert and
event venue. According to a 1997 study by the National Park Service this $650 million
consumer wonderland ranks as the number one travel destination in the U.S.
Sam Goody Central will feature live appearances stars and up-and-comers from the worlds of
stage, screen and music. Featuring sales satellites during performances, the transformation of
the Mall’s Rotunda into Sam Goody Central will make the pairing of these two Minnesotan
giants virtually unbreakable.
And the parents couldn’t be happier!
"I think it’s a very positive move for our relationship," says Mall General Manager Maureen
Bausch. "Together, we can bring some fabulous and exciting events to the Mall. And everyone
benefits- especially the consumer!"
Sam Goody Central was launched with a day-long celebration featuring local and national
musical talents and celebrities, ranging from fitness expert Stephanie Corley to members of
the Minnesota Vikings.
With a 10,000 square foot anchor store at one end of the Mall, a second 3,500 square foot
store on the basement level and a new 10,000 foot co-anchor which recently opened on the
Mall’s opposite end, Sam Goody has been a prominent member of the Mall’s family since day
one. With the renaming of the central rotunda as Sam Goody Central, Musicland’s licensing
domination should be complete.
2. "It’s a licensing agreement most similar to the naming of a stadium in the sense that we have
the signage and the naming rights to what was the Rotunda at the Mall of America," says
Musicland’s President of Stores Jonathan Reckford.
"The Mall had asked us to build second statement store at the other end to coincide with their
other entertainment zone," Reckford explains. "We figured that if we were going to make large
secondary commitment and continue to provide a large number of events and presentations at
the Mall, since Sam Goody is predominately a mall retailer anyway, the biggest mall in the
country would be a good place to show what Sam Goody was all about."
Though Sam Goody will now have undeniable dominance over the Mall, Bausch does not see
the new arrangement hurting would-be competitors.
"I think they will benefit," Bausch figures, "because Sam Goody will bring musical artists and
actors to the rotunda and that brings more customers, which is good for all the stores."
Bausch has not heard from Record Town as to whether or not they plan to renew their lease.
According to Reckford, the idea for the renaming had been thought up over a year ago.
However, due to complications among the Mall’s multiple owners, the final plan took some time
to iron-out.
Now that all is in order, however, Reckford and his staff are excited about the future.
"The Mall is unique in America in terms of visitors," Reckford says, noting that the Mall attracts
more visitors than any other attraction in America. "What better place to make our flagship
statement?"
"We have worked with Sam Goody for along time on bringing special people and events
here," Bausch recalls. "They have been wonderful partners and our relationship continues to
grow."
Proud parents indeed!
Though there are plans to remodel Sam Goody’s first anchor store to bring it up to date with
its new twin, Reckford says that, for the time being, not much else will change in terms of how
the stores are run.
"We are very excited about being highly visible and cementing what was already happening,"
Reckford says, mentioning a heretofore unheard of signage arrangement which will have Sam
Goody’s name literally all over the Mall. "It’s also a great sales opportunity."
"We are viewing it as another sales location," adds Director of Corporate Communications
Lisa Hawks.
As well they should! In addition to promotional signage, Sam Goody Central also includes
sales stations which allow consumers to purchase products at the venue itself.
There is also talk of connecting the new central venue to the perimeter stores and even of
broadcasting events to Sam Goody stores nationwide. For now, however, Reckford is happy to
have the added visibility and market share that will come of the new arrangement.
"It enhances our motivation to bring in top-level acts and to develop our marketing
procedures," Reckford says.
While Sam Goody had been a key sponsor for most of the Mall’s 250 annual events, it will
now be unavoidable in terms of its visibility and marketing strength.
"This alliance will allow the Mall and Sam Goody to continue to bring fabulous and exciting
events to the Mall," Bausch observes, noting the hundreds of acts which will appear at Sam
Goody Central between Thanksgiving and Christmas alone.
"And because our stores are there in the Mall," Reckford notes, "the connection will be
cleaner for the consumer."
3. MATTHEW S. ROBINSON
62 Brookline Street, Needham, MA 02492
617 877 6264 / matthewsrobinson@mac.com
The following piece appeared in Entertainment Weekly:
Draw the Line
Boston Bad Boy Steven Tyler launches new tour
Grammy winner.
Hall of Fame rocker.
Tour guide?
In his latest incarnation, Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler has lent his unmistakable
voice to a pioneering tour developed by Candide Media Works’ Talking Street™
(www.talkingstreet.com).
Called “Boston: City of Rebels and Dreamers,” the tour is accessed through calling a
special number on the user’s cell phone.
“Who would have thought when I came here in the 1970s that I would be telling people
about what Boston is?” Tyler opines. “It is a great way for me to do something for the
city”
Among the 17 stops are Fenway Park, The Old North Church, and the site of the
Molasses Flood of 1919.
“We picked places that were either catastrophic or sort of miraculous,” Tyler explains,
“and I tried to work in points that most people might not know to make it more
interesting.”
With sister tours in New York and Washington, D.C., Talking Street is hoping to help
tourists worldwide.
“It’s a way to bring people to fascinating places, and then reveal their stories in ways
that no other media could,” says Executive Producer Miles Kronby. “We plan to have at
least 20 tours across the U.S. by 2006.”
In the meantime, those involved are thrilled to visit such historic cities in the company of
famous friends.
“It’s an honor to be the spokesman for Boston,” says Tyler. “I got in so much trouble for
having a big mouth- and now it’s paying off!”
- Matt Robinson
4. MATTHEW S. ROBINSON
62 Brookline Street, Needham, MA 02492
617 877 6264 / matthewsrobinson@mac.com
The following press release was created for Warner Bros. Records:
Reprise to Release Multi-Format Trading Cards with
“Lord of the Rings” Sdtrk.
Limited Edition Cards Available with CD or On Web
HOLLYWOOD – In preparation for the Holiday season release of New Line Cinema’s star-studded
adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein’s “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” Reprise Records is
releasing a special limited edition set of Lord of the Rings trading cards.
Depicting favorite characters such as Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm), Frodo (Elijah Wood), Arwen (Liv
Tyler) and Gandalf the Wizard (Ian McKellen), these six cards will be available in both analog and
digital formats. One card will be included with a special edition of the soundtrack to the forthcoming
blockbuster. All six will be available on line at www.lordoftherings-soundtrack.com.
Working like digital postcards, each collectable card can be emailed and instant messaged to friends
through a special notice that notifies the receiver where to find the card(s). Cards can also be
permanently downloaded into fans’ personal collections.
For those Hobbit fans who purchase the special edition CD package, a seventh card will become
available through a special CD-ROM link which comes on the audio CD. This extra special bonus card
depicts Grammy® award-winning artist Enya who has composed and performs two new songs on the
soundtrack. One of these new tracks, “May it Be,” is also downloadable on the website, as are streaming
excerpts of Howard Shore’s score, featuring the additional talents of Elizabeth Fraser and Edward Ross.
Once any or all of the cards have been downloaded, they can be “traded” with friends through email or
instant messaging.
“Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” hits theatres December 19, 2001. The limited edition
soundtrack is scheduled for release on November 20. The downloadable cards are available right now!
XXX
5. MATTHEW S. ROBINSON
62 Brookline Street, Needham, MA 02492
617 877 6264 / matthewsrobinson@mac.com
The following piece appeared in Travel Weekly:
Bringing the Music Back
New Orleans is already rising from the hurricanes and looking to party!
By Matt Robinson
Though Katrina and Rita took a big bite out of the Crescent City, New Orleans is on its
way back. According to New Orleans City Council, 1,270,000 of the metro area’s
1,417.000 have already returned and normalcy is beginning to poke its head out.
The city’s world-famous festival of Mardi Gras was a huge success this year, with an
estimated crowd of 800,000 and area hotels reporting a 95 percent occupancy rate
throughout the last weekend of the pre-Lenten bacchanal blowout.
As tourism accounts for 35 percent of the city’s annual operating budget, it is more
important than ever that people come back to the Crescent City.
Fortunately, there is plenty for them to do when they =get there!
On the weekend of April 27-29 and May 4-6, 2007, hundreds of local artists, chefs,
craftspeople and revelers and thousands of visitors from all over the world will gather at
the famed New Orleans Fair Grounds for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
(www.nojazz.org) - a week of music, muffaletta and merriment. From local legends like
Dr. John, Pete Fountain, Better Than Ezra, Cowboy Mouth, Harry Connick, Jr., Rebirth
Brass Band, and Allen Toussaint and Tab Benoit (who were both recently featured in
the IMAX documentary “Hurricane on the Bayou”) to imported stars like George
Thoroughgood, Bonnie Raitt, Steely Dan, Ludacris, Norah Jones, and an even newer
New Edition, ‘Fest will show off all New Orleans has to offer while drawing talent from all
corners of the music world.
“A lot of the artists who come from other places may not have that soul connection,” says
Festival associate producer Louis Edwards, “but they have all played here before and have
helped the Festival gain the prominence it has. So it is all good!”
Whether you like old-fashioned Gospel, down-home Blues, native Cajun or good old Rock n’
Roll, ‘Fest has all you need for a good time!
“It is overwhelming how our musical family has rallied to our cause,” says Festival producer
Quint Davis. “They are all committed to returning to be a part of the renewal of our spirit.”
With all this entertainment, it is hard to believe that tickets to Fest are only $45 ($35 if
purchased ahead of time)! For those who wish to make their Fest experience extra special, Big
Chief VIP packages offer admission, program guides, access to special viewing areas (most of
6. which offer their own private Southern “comfort stations”), and, perhaps most importantly,
access to an air-conditioned lounge with its own restrooms.
In addition to the “all good” music, Fest also offers scores of local artists who work in all manner
of media to create Folk, African, and Contemporary art.
“The Festival is a celebration of Louisiana culture,” Edwards explains. “We want to let people
know that New Orleans is back and that the culture is back and that they can come have a great
time in a great city.”
That ‘Fest did not miss a season despite the destruction all around the fabled Fair
Grounds Race Course on which it has been held year after year since 1972
demonstrates the strength of this beautiful city and the spirit of the people who live and
work there.
“It marks the hard-earned comeback of the city,” Edwards suggests.
Though numbers were down last year, the spirit of Fest was high, as 350,000 music and
culture fans and literally thousands of local and international artists, and artisans
gathered at the Fair Grounds and throughout the rebuilding city for two weeks of music,
food and laissez-faire fun. In the process, they brought over $200 million of desperately-
needed business and support to the area.
“Some people like to go from stage to stage getting all the variety from Cajun and Zydeco to
Gospel to Blues to Rock and Roll,” Edwards observes. “Other folks know exactly what they want
to see. They wait all year for this and they love every minute of it!”
And for those minutes when you are not at the Festival, New Orleans has plenty of
other things to offer. From the Audubon Zoo to Zydeco bands all over town, New
Orleans is an alphabet soup (or is that gumbo?) of activities for young and old.
When not at the festival site, many tourists and locals gather in the French Quarter to
listen and dance at the historic Preservation Hall (www.preservationhall.com), or just to
take in the post Mardi Gras glories of the neighborhood’s storied streets where Jazz and
Zydeco can be heard at nearly every hour of the day and night.
If you’ve had too much dancing (too much dancing?!), you can travel through the
historic neighborhood in the back of a horse-drawn carriage or on a Gray Line bus
(www.graylineneworleans.com). When the sun begins to set, take one of Marie
Laveau’s famous “Voodoo tours” (www.neworleansvoodoocrossroads.com). And if you
are feeling really adventurous, book a trip on an airboat through the Bayou
(www.louisianaswamp.com) or climb on board the historic Natchez for a steamboat ride
down the mighty Mississippi (www.steamboatnatchez.com).
If the animals on Bourbon Street are a bit too wild for your tastes, check out the world-
famous Audubon Zoo or the Aquarium of the Americas (www.auduboninstitute.org).
Hungry? New Orleans is one of the best places to find yourself in such a state, for in
addition to being one of the nation’s (and the world’s) musical Meccas, New Orleans is
also one of the greatest dining cities in the world. As such, the Big Easy is an easy
place to pack on the pounds…and love it!
According to a recent study by The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA), 1,650 of
the roughly 3,400 restaurants in the metro area are open, including 65 brand new
openings!
If you want just a li’l sum’n, drop by for beignets at Café du Monde
(www.cafedumonde.com) - an open-air coffee shop where you can watch the fried
dough delicacies being made and eat them hot off the rack! In the mood for lunch?
7. Then grab a Po’Boy at Napoleon House (www.napoleonhouse.com) - a corner café that
was once lived in by you-know-who. The French Quarter is also home to a great
farmer’s market where local produce, shellfish, coffee and other treats await.
As some of the world’s best chefs make their home in New Orleans, there is always a
sensation to savor, whether it be at Paul Prudhomme’s K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen
(www.kpauls.com), Emeril Lagasse’s similarly eponymous place (www.emerils.com), or
the original Ruth’s Chris Steak House (www.ruthschris.com). If you want more of a taste
of old New Orleans, reserve a table at Brennan’s (www.brennansneworleans.com), the
birthplace of bananas foster (see the website for the recipe!), celebrate the first 100
years of Galatoire’s (www.galatoires.com) or take a pre-meal tour of Antoine’s
(www.antoines.com).
For a lighter bite (perhaps a mid-afternoon snack), try Po’Boys at Domilise’s or Guy’s or
for a breakfast-y kind of meal, you can’t beat The Bluebird Café
(www.bluebirdcaferi.com).
After dinner, you might want to head back to Bourbon Street to catch the leather-clad
dueling pianos (and world-famous Hurricanes) at Pat O’Briens (www.patobriens.com) or
to witness the legendary entertainer Chris Owens (www.chrisowens.com).
For those who just can’t get enough music, there is the legendary Tipitina’s and Tip’s
Uptown (www.tipitinas.com), The Howlin Wolf (www.howlin-wolf.com), and New
Orleans’ take on the House of Blues (www.hob.com).
With last year’s successful campaign by the Saints and the return of professional
basketball to the area, this hub of the sportsman’s paradise of Louisiana has also
reclaimed its placed as a place to watch or play your favorite sports. Of course, the
jewel of the city is the completely rebuilt and refurbished Superdome
(www.superdome.com), but there are plenty of other parks and venues.
One noted sportsman who made sure to come back to New Orleans was boxing
champion Bernard Hopkins, who trained last year that the Sheraton New Orleans.
“My conditioning coach Mackie Shilstone is from there,” Hopkins explains, “and I
thought it would be great to be there for him and to uplift the spirits of the New Orleans
people. The publicity New Orleans received by having me train there for one of the
biggest fights of my career helped the rest of the country know that New Orleans is
alive, vibrant and making its way back to what it used to be.”
Another grand attraction that has already brought thousands back to the city is the
completely refurbished 357,500 square-foot Morial Convention Center
(www.mccno.com). After a $60 million renovation, the Center is once again ready to
welcome visitors from around the world and is already gearing up for the city’s largest
convention ever- the 25,000-person National Association of Realtors convention that will
take place from November 10-13, 2007. From the American College of Cardiology
(March 23-27) to the American College of Sports Medicine (May 29-June 2) to the
International Association of Chiefs of Police (October 13-17) to scores of other events,
the Center is already nearly fully booked for the rest of the year!
For the more culturally minded, the nation’s only museum dedicated to WW II
(www.ddaymuseum.org) offers a stirring historical perspective on the second Great War
and is currently mounting an exhibit on famed Jewish author Anne Frank. The world-
renown New Orleans Museum of Art (www.noma.org) features local artists like
Clarence John Laughlin and international stars like Picasso, Renoir, Degas, Manet, and
8. Toulouse-Lautrec. On a slightly less serious tip is the new musical “Hats” at Harrah’s
Casino (www.harrahs.com).
As for getting around, the 28 bus lines and the world-famous streetcars are running,
providing an average of 23,000 rides daily. As such, Fest-ers and other visitors can still
get from the Fairgrounds to the French Quarter (and many other places as well) with
little trouble and, if they want to live in the bliss of ignorance, little evidence of the storm.
However, opportunities abound for those who wish to combine the nation’s most
important business with their pleasure, as organizations like Habitat for Humanity
(www/habitat.org), Hands-On Gulf Coast (www.handsongulfcoast.org) and The
American Red Cross (www.usa.redcross.org) can easily put you in touch with people
and places in need, if only for a soul-cleansing day.
“A weekend or a day is not too little,” says Jeanne Ellinport, director of communications
for the American Red Cross’s hurricane recovery program. “There is a lot to be done,
but every little bit helps.”
“Volunteers that come to New Orleans to volunteer with New Orleans Area Habitat for
Humanity [can] commit as much or as little time as they want,” adds New Orleans Area
Habitat for Humanity’s communications director Aleis Tusa., noting that a “typical” day
with Habitat runs from 7:30 Am to 2:30 PM. “This gives volunteers time to rest, clean up
and enjoy the city and all the area has to offer.”
With nearly 50 homes in production, there is plenty to do and opportunities for people of
every ability and skill level.
“On the construction site,” Tusa explains, “volunteers are organized based on their
interest. We have some who want to do more physical work and they usually are
committed to roofing, raising walls, or building floor systems. Some prefer to paint, hang
sheetrock or work on the interiors. Whatever their interest, we usually can find a task
for them to work on.”
No matter what you do to help, though, the experience will benefit not only the people
who will eventually move back to the area but those who helped them do it as well.
“I will say the best thing about volunteering on your vacation is that you get to give back
and help out and still enjoy all the area has to offer,” Tusa says.
For those who have stayed in the city or returned after their hurricaned exile, there are
also efforts underway to rebuild from the inside. Among these is the Musician’s Village,
a rebuilding project that is being spearheaded by local sons Harry Connick, Jr. and the
Marsalis family.
“Music is as much a part of the fabric of life in New Orleans as the cuisine and Mardi
Gras,” says Branford Marsalis. “It is central to the city’s culture...and to the city’s
infrastructure.”
“Since music is what we know,” Connick adds, “we felt we could be most effective by
helping musicians.”
And help they are! From housing to a music school, Marsalis, Connick, and such
legendary friends as Clint Eastwood and members of the Dave Matthews Band are
band-ing together to help their friends and colleagues.
“A true community…is the model that works,” says NFL star and Musician’s Village
participant Andy Lee. “The Village sends a message that, musician or…citizen, it is safe
to come back!”
9. Though the levees are broken, the spirit of the city is not. After a temporary exile,
thousands of native N’awlins are coming back and invite you to join them, either for
‘Fest or any time!
“I worked from the levees breaking until now to return to my home,” says Mark Samuels
of New Orleans’ own Basin Street Records. “Although this is a very frustrating place to
try to live right now, it is still a lot of fun, and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!”
10. MATTHEW S. ROBINSON
62 Brookline Street, Needham, MA 02492
617 877 6264 / matthewsrobinson@mac.com
The following reviews appeared in The Boston Globe:
The Push Stars – Opening Time (Co-Op Pop/Wicked Disc)
In returning to their indie/DIY roots, Boston’s most swoonable sons recapture their favored
familiarity. Chris Trapper’s lyrical poems of suburban losers ("Small Town Geek," "Frathouse
Joe") still come up winners and the laid back rhythms of drummer Dan MacMillan and bassist
Dan McLoughlin keep the tunes pushing ahead. From the pianistic pacings of "Last Night’s
Dream" to the broad musical expanses of "Millionaire" and the New Wave flavors of "Fading
Away," the album combines old-tyme flavors with contemporary pop sensibilities and
chronicles where the boys have been and where they may be headed. A guest spot by brother
Tom Trapper on the retro-esque rocker "Waiting, Watching, Wishing" ("Get up. Get up, Get up.
Get down.") makes the collection even more of a family affair. As a final turn, the teched-up
version of "One Summer Day" reveals once more the band’s senses of humor, musicianship
and their evolving audience.
- Matthew S. Robinson
The Manhattans – Love Songs (Legacy/Columbia)
Through a baker’s dozen of digitally remastered yet still vinyl warm ballads, The Manhattans
revive the oft lost art of balladry seduction. Opening up with a well-known one-two of "Shining
Star" and "Kiss and Say Goodbye," this compilation sways from the classic doo wop stylings of
"It Feels So Good to Be Loved So Bad" to the meteorologically metaphoric "Cloudy with a
Chance of Tears" and the Sylver-y "I’ll Never Find Another (Find Another Like You)." Though
the quartet occasionally gets stuck in sap (as is the way with such a repertoire), they remain
Big Apple smooth and saucy throughout. Mixing originals by their founder and "spiritual leader"
Winfred (Blue) Lovett with cozy covers including an echoey enhancement of "The Way We
Were" / "Memories," The Manhattans look back over a decade gone by of chart-topping
harmonies which remain as bright and impressive as their namesake skyline.
- Matthew S. Robinson
Writer’s note: This second piece garnered me the opportunity to compose liner notes
for Columbia Records!
11. MATTHEW S. ROBINSON
62 Brookline Street, Needham, MA 02492
617 877 6264 / matthewsrobinson@mac.com
The following are liner notes for the 2002 Columbia/Legacy reissue of Luther Vandross’
“Forever, For Always, For Love”:
Always, Luther
Dear Diary.
I know I've said this before, but I'm sure this time, it's really love!
So begins "The Sweetest One," the second track of Luther Vandross' second solo album,
Forever, For Always, For Love. A diary entry, at once intimate and universal, inviting each and
every listener into a private moment with this very public figure. Such is the magic of Luther
Vandross and such is the magic of this album.
Forever, For Always, For Love is a musical diary. It is the diary of a boy who grew up in the
Church with dreams of the top of the pop charts. It is the diary of a child who came out of New
York's Lower East Side and set the world on fire with his undeniable passion. It is the diary of a
man who had overcome loss on his way to finding a higher faith, both in his art and in himself.
It is the diary of a talented creator who, having spent years in the shadows of legends, is now
taking his first steps into the spotlight, crafting simple themes into works of impassioned
greatness. It is the diary of a romantic who made love to Sweet Music and her many fickle fans
and who can now proudly say "She loves me back."
No naïve statement of infatuation, this. Luther had given too much of himself to casually pass
off his success to luck and good fortune. This time, it was really love. And, as the title
suggests, it would be an eternal love.
Forever, For Always is also a musical "thank you" note. Ever since he got his start as a
musical artist and performer, Vandross had wanted to find this love. Years of work in a variety
of aspects of the music industry had educated Vandross about what music was, and what it
could be. He had worked with a cadre of legends and taken strength and solace from others.
So many had come before him, put their life into their art and made it, and Luther felt both
inspired and indebted. On Forever, For Always, Vandross pays tribute to some of the giants
who had taken him in their musical hand, lifted him up and started him on his way.
12. Opening the album with a clap-along cover of Sam Cooke's "Having a Party," Vandross thanks
the man who had shown the way for countless performers from the sacred to the secular; from
the Church to the street. In another journal entry, Luther recalls his childhood idols, The
Temptations, who had inspired his impeccable production values and sense of dramatic flair.
"Since I lost my baby," he cries, confiding his most painful personal moments with his million-
plus fans, "been looking everywhere." Though his search had yielded bounteous fruit,
Vandross was not fully satisfied. This love might be real, but it was still a young love that would
need constant tending.
"Promise me you'll leave me never," Vandross pleads. After all, he reasons, "who could love
you better?" Few even knew how.
Vandross' first solo album, 1981's Never Too Much, had exceeded all expectations, charting
platinum and hitting the top of the R&B charts. On his sophomore effort, Vandross wanted to
prove, to himself and to the world, that the success of his debut was no fluke. Every member of
the supporting cast, including Jazz royal (and close friend) Nat Adderly, Jr., Gospel queen
Cissy Houston and bass master Marcus Miller, had been hand-selected to help make this
follow-up as strong and worthy as it could be. Every song had also been carefully chosen to
ensure that, this time, the love will not only be real, but lasting. Having tasted the real thing,
Vandross was not willing to let the sweetness fall from his lips.
This love will be forever.
This passion will be for always.
This music will be for love.
Matthew S. Robinson is a self-described romantic who contributes to over 80 international
publications.
13. MATTHEW S. ROBINSON
62 Brookline Street, Needham, MA 02492
617 877 6264 / matthewsrobinson@mac.com
The following piece appeared in Berklee Today:
Out of the "Shadows"
Allan Slutsky gives credit where it is overdue
By Matthew S. Robinson
Stevie Wonder. Marvin Gaye. Martha and the Vandellas. These are names that anyone
who is familiar with music knows like the names of their own family members. But does
anyone know the names of the men who made these greats so great?
After decades of being kept in the dark, music lovers, historians and members of the
general public are finally being made aware of the artists who made the Motown sound,
thanks to the devoted work of performer and musicologist Allan Slutsky (’78).
"Everybody thinks they know everything about Motown," Slutsky suggests, "but they
don’t know anything."
Considering that the collective of Motown session players known as The Funk Brothers
played on more chart toppers than The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis and The
Beach Boys combined, it is almost unbelievable that so few people know their names.
"Their story is the last great story of rock and roll," Slutsky says, "and it’s a story that
needed to be told."
Slutsky himself first became interested in the Motown story as a teenage guitarist
performing in his native Philadelphia.
"America has always been obsessed with ‘cool,’" he observes, "and Motown was the
coolest thing I had ever found."
In an effort to copy his unknown idols, Slutsky spent hours trying to transcribe and
translate the signature Motown riffs into a format that he and his bandmates could
understand.
"We tried to copy the licks," he recalls, "but it was such a Detroit groove, that no matter
how we tried, we couldn’t play it right."
In an effort to approach this vaunted level of cool, Slutsky studied music at Temple
University and then came to Berklee in 1976 to pursue guitar studies.
"If not for Berklee, I would not have been able to do the things I’ve done," he said
recalling musical mentors like Bill Levitt and Herb Pomeroy.
14. After graduation, Slutsky returned to Philly, where he continued to work on
transcriptions. Garnering the nickname "Dr. Licks," Slutsky also gained a publishing
deal with Hal Leonard for a series of tablature books that bore his new nickname.
Despite his notable precision, however, Slutsky still had trouble finding the groove when
it came to Motown.
"As I started transcribing that music," he admits, "I was blown away. I wanted to find out
who had created these sounds and that led me first to the story of bassist James
Jamerson."
Further research led Slutsky to the discovery that, despite the general public’s familiarity
with their music, Jamerson and other late greats like drummer Benny "Papa Zita"
Benjamin, Eddie "Bongo" Brown and keyboardist Earl "Chunk of Funk" Van Dyke were
all but unknown to millions of self-proclaimed music lovers.
"Jamerson and company had played all these hits and nobody knew who they were!"
Slutsky says.
In an effort to right this long-standing wrong, Slutsky decided to expand this particular
transcription book into a musical biography that came to be called Standing in the
Shadows of Motown. Over a period of three years, Slutsky interviewed all of the living
Brothers, including bassist Bob Babbitt, vibraphonist Jack Ashford, keyboardists Johnny
Griffith and Joe Hunter, drummers Uriel Jones and Richard "Pistol" Allan (who passed
on after filming was completed) and guitarists Joe Messina and Eddie "Chank" Willis,
and painstakingly recreated their story of nameless fame. When the book won the 1989
Ralph J. Gleason Award for Music book of the year from Rolling Stone, Slutsky knew he
was on to something.
"After I won, I decided what I had to do next," Slutsky says, explaining his leap from
page to stage. "I had to get these guys back together and get a physical document of
them performing."
Though the Brothers had not played together since Motown moved its headquarters to
Los Angeles in the 1970s, Slutsky was not to be denied. Eleven years, 30,000 hours,
and a bunch of pawn slips later, "Shadows" was released as a feature film by Artisan
Entertainment (artisanent.com).
"They also put out ‘Buena Vista Social Club,’" Slutsky notes, citing another popular film
biography of undersung musical heroes, "so we knew they could do something like
this."
Combining testimony and reminiscence as well as live concert footage featuring the
surviving Brothers and also contemporary artists like Bootsy Collins, Ben Harper, and
Meshell Ndegeocello, "Shadows" is part history, part biography, part tribute and all
Motown.
"It doesn’t play like a movie," Slutsky says. "It’s more like a revival meeting. People go
to pray at the altar of Motown sound."
And what a revival it has been! Already, the film has won rave reviews from the
international press and public, including a standing ovation at The Toronto Film Festival,
which is the second largest gathering of its kind in the world.
"They chased our limo down the street," Slutsky recalls. "Everyone seems to love it and
hopefully that will help get the word out, because that is why I did it."
15. Not one to sit on his laurels, Slutsky is transcribing, performing, consulting and
working on another book about on the famed rhythm sections that backed James Brown
in the 60s and 70s. He is also mounting a Buena Vista-like tour for the Brothers.
"These men who were anonymous now have names," he says. "They are the biggest hit
machine ever and now people know who they are."