cai·no·to·pho·bi·a

Cainotophobia  cai·no·to·pho·bi·a (kā-nō-tə-fō'bē-ə)
n.  An abnormal fear of newness.

Do you or your loved ones suffer from the same routine day after day, night after night? Is breaking into a feverish sweat at the thought of trying something new a daily occurrence? If so, you may be a victim of cainotophobia. 

For information on coping strategies, please click here.

McChina Rant

With a rapidly growing middle class in the world's biggest market, fast food giants like Yum! Brands and McDonald's just can't help but shove their fatty foods in the faces of the Chinese. The fast food kings of the West are now taking over the East, and at what expense? The health of a(nother) nation.

I hate to break it to you, but it's not all smiles and happy meals in China these days. In fact, China has become a mirror to America's fast food nightmare. Recent studies show that 30% of Chinese adults are now overweight and new cases of diabetes are being diagnosed at an alarming rate.

There is no mixing of business and pleasure here my friends. It's western fast food business resulting in misery and bad health for the Chinese nation. I love America and I'm a big fan of globalization, but is it really necessary to spread unhealthy eating habits around the world? I think not!

♪Ba-da-da-da-da, I'm not loving it! ♫

The Holy Grail of Advertising?

The brain only expends 2% of its energy on conscious activity while the other 98% processes subconscious thoughts.  This means, that in order for your pitch to be successful, it needs to reach the subconscious level of the brain.

Companies that engage in traditional consumer behavior research need to rethink their approach. Conducting focus groups and surveys will only reflect that 2%, that's not even taking into consideration the margin of error in translation! The key is to focus on the other 98%-the subconscious where the real decision process takes place.

So how do you reach the subconscious mind? Professionals refer to it as "neuromarketing" while I prefer the phrase, "brain mining." The studies process and translate how the brain reacts to certain stimuli by conducting biometric measures like EEGs and MRIs.  The results? Your Brain on Ads.

SNEAK PEEK: Sexiest Man Alive 2010

 

He's beefy (and proud of it!), he invented "the shirt plate" and his eight-pack abs have caused millions to swoon. But what makes this year's Sexiest Man honoree so very special? Perhaps it's his hilarious sense of humor. Devilishly good looks, funny as hell, this hottie gets my vote for Sexiest Man Alive 2010. 

More reasons to love him:

"If eatin' hot dogs is wrong...I don't wanna be right."

"I need some kind of a cake and a nap"

"Salsa dancing? That's got 'split my pants' written all over it!"

"Woe, I didn't just shave the Mets symbol in my chest for you, ok?..... it's for everybody"

"My name might as well be Fatty McButterpants"

"Try and keep it together here, and know that I'm not mad at you - I'm mad at the situation. We're out of Cocoa Puffs."

 

"Shuttieeee"

Seinfeld Meets That 70's Show

Angela Berger

Sign: Sagittarius
Likes: Technology, Coffee
Dislikes: Meat.

Set in an era of Smart Phones, Starbucks and the Internet, THAT 70's SEINFELD highlights the daily adventures of a dynamic young lady following her dreams in New York City.

Too cool for the Wisconsin suburbs where she used to live and under the authority of cheese state law -- 24 -year-old ANGELA BERGER moves to New York City with dreams of making it big. But rites of passage aren’t all that easy when Ivy Leaguers and socialites are climbing ladders at excruciating speeds. Forced to deal with these talented "do gooders" she swings into action, taking on the world, 5 jobs and a coffee addiction.

Story Telling

There's no better way to get people talking then by telling them a story. I don't mean just any story, I'm talking about a full blown story that's surprising, engaging and absolutely unforgettable! What stories do you remember most? What makes them stand out? Why?
 
If you want to create buzz and get people actively engaged in talking about your product, it's imperative to have a story that's worth telling. Whether that product is a service you're offering, a hot new consumer good, heck-maybe you just want people to talk about YOU, find a story that makes sense (or not!) and run with it!

Lessons from Linchpin

1. Make something happen.
2. Do work you're proud of.
3. Treat people with respect.
4. Make BIG promises and keep them.
5. Ship it out the door!

(When in doubt, see #1)

Linchpin by Seth Godin is fantastic!!