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Optimum WiFi — A Huge Idea!

By
Steve Poppe
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Cablevision is one of America’s largest cable television companies.  Also a provider of broadband internet and phone service, it has made a lot of money for the Dolan family. Charles Dolan was instrumental in the founding of HBO and is quite the entrepreneurial stud.  The Dolan’s — Charles has a son, James — have a somewhat weird and spotty diversification history, but I must admit I admire their moxie.


One investment decision they’ve recently made, which is brilliant, is to make their service area wireless for all Optimum customers – for free. Cablevision operates on Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut and though the total footprint is not completely covered, they have a good start. It is currently the largest wireless network in the country.  


Cablevision has long been viewed negatively by consumers; I remember once pitching a cancer care awareness program to them through the North Shore-LIJ Health Care System to which they responded “How is this going to help us sell more product?”  Today, years later, they are sponsoring a cancer care program.  And today, they are being good local citizen by wiring (or is it wirelessing) our communities. The frown is beginning to break around here when you mention Cablevision.  Brilliant investment. Peace!

Techies Learning From the Press.

By
Steve Poppe
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Techie bloggers have learned “a thing” from old school media. As a reader and avid fan of tech blogs TechCrunch and Scobleizer (Robert Scoble), I’ve noticed with great admiration the recent redesign of their blogs. Easier to read, more pleasing to the eye, they bear an art directors touch. They feel a little more like a well designed print property than a tech property.  And that’s a good thing. 

 

My blog looks like dump, but it will get better. (And don’t even look at my simulcast blog at www.whatstheidea.com , it is laughable.) For me, for now, it’s about the words as I’m sure it was for Messrs. Scoble and Arrington. But these guys are kicking out some serious numbers so it was time for an upgrade.  It’s the way forward in blogging. Peace!

 
PS. Happy birthday Laura.

 

 

Energy Technology Needs a Leader

By
Steve Poppe
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Thomas Friedman wrote today how the next American administration should focus on E.T. (energy technology.) Economic incentives should be created for companies investing in energy R&D and manufacturing in the U.S.  Companies buying energy saving technologies should get tax credits. New limits should be established for utilities to create improved clean power generation.  And the president’s inaugural parade should be on foot and/or in cars getting 30 MPG to signal our commitment. E.T., according to Friedman, should be the new IT. Great points all.

 

But who is to lead the charge?  The Sharp Corporation is already betting on the future by investing in solar panel manufacturing technology in Japan. They are the largest manufacturer on the planet.  Sharp should announce a U.S. manufacturing arm and break ground right away. They should then spend a good deal of their ad budget promoting leadership in solar power. This leadership that will elevate Sharp from a low tier 1 TV manufacturer and create new luster for the brand. And it will do so in a meaningful and important category.  Leadership is needed in E.T. If not Sharp, who? How about GM or Ford?

 

Pepsi and Arnell.

By
Steve Poppe
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First off, Peter Arnell of the Arnell Group is one of the leading lights of branding today. He’s an artist, he has taste, he’s daring and though I’ve never seen him in action is probably larger than life in a room filled with marketing executives. The late Peter Kim of JWT and McCann was that way, minus the artist part.

 

But I will go on record as betting against his ability to turn around Pepsi. Nice, exciting new logos? Yes. Excited Pepsi drinkers, sucking down cases of bev, I think not. “Smiles” is an ownable branding idea (that’s what the new logos are all about,) but "fun smirks" would be better. Personally, I would give the smirk campaign to Crispin Porter Bogusky or TBWA/Chiat Day and see if they can reenergize the sweet seeking masses.  Crispin has learned some important lessons in selling (or not) soft drinks, so I think today they can nail Pepsi.  Pepsi needs energy, not merchandising tactics. It needs an idea that mobilizes drinkers. It needs a killer ad campaign first, then the merch and promos and digital games can follow.

 

Go Forth and Be Greedy. .

By
Steve Poppe
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Warren Buffet wrote an Op-Ed piece in The Times today telling the world his intentions to buy only American stocks.  Not with Berkshire Hathaway money, but his own. His philosophy? “Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.”

 

As marketing planner I believe this is also good advice for businesses.  Businesses that are fearful, need to be a little greedy and heighten their market acuity. They need to be aggressive in their attempt to validate and understand strategy. As customers become more thrifty, their buying behaviors grow more pronounced. Important things rise to the top. Good marketers ask the tough questions and will find out where they are on the value chain. 
 

Smart marketers who invest in market research and heighten their customer intelligence in difficult economic times will prosper when things turn around. It’s imperative to know what drives your customers and your competitor’s customers when people are fearful. Now is your chance.   

 

The library is in jeopardy.

By
Steve Poppe
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Months ago, I would have told you there is no way books will become paperless. The GUI of a book lets you read it at the beach in bright sun, on the subway squished between passengers, even in a tent by candlelight. And the Kindle? No way I could see myself reading The Old Curiosity Shop by the fireplace on a digital reader.  But today, I’m pretty sure I was wrong. Newspapers, magazines and, yes, even paper books will be greatly reduced in our lifetimes. Asmore and more people get used to reading on mobile phones, and other portable digital devices it’s only a matter of time before me evolve from nonrenewable paper-based media.

 

So what does that hold for libraries? Libraries are for research and free books. Today, by the time you drive or ride to the library, you have in one Wikipedia page access to hundreds of linked sources.  Across the country taxpayers are voting down library budgets every day, especially so in today’s economy. Libraries need to get ahead of this trend and reinvent themselves. Any thoughts?

 

Blog Action Day – A Poverty Pledge

By
Steve Poppe
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1

I’m embarrassed to say I am one of those people that never give anything to beggars. That’s what we 50 year olds call them, at least from my part of the world. This was a rule of mine because I used to line in NYC between 5th and 6th Avenues where there were lots of outstretched hands.

 

Two quick stories: 1. I broke my rule one night when a person asked for $.17 so he could buy a can of Campbell’s Soup.   He was direct, had a purpose, and I believed him. 2. One night my pal and I ran into a dude we called “Mangia” at the Blarney Rock pub. We called him Mangia because he would echo this one Italian word up and down the corporate cannon in a most pitiful, pleading voice. The next time we saw Mangia, we were a little in our cups and ran up to him called him by our nickname, put on arm over his shoulder and gave him a beer. In a very Americanized voice, he said “Hey, thanks guys.”

I’m not proud of my “no change for anyone” coda so, starting today, I’m going to make up for lost time. Every time I am asked by a sober person seeking money, I promise to reach down into my pocket and dispense change. So long as there is some jingle in the pants, I will give it.   It’s a start.

PS. I saw a woman give a homeless man her orange the other day, and it near brought me to tears. Peace!

Is NBC Heroes Losing It?

By
Steve Poppe
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I’m not sure what it was about Heroes, NBC’s 3 year old hit of show, but I’ve never found it too easy to watch. Having had the opportunity to do some promotional work with Hayden Panettiere, one of its stars, and having been sold by some fans I made an effort to watch and admit to being mildly attracted. But after watching the first 2-hour episode this year, it confirmed my initial feelings. I’m done.  Hayden is a major talent and going to have some wonderful success, but Heroes is running out of steam.

 

Part of the problem is the airways are being flooded with these sci-fi type of shows. Burn out is around the corner.  It started with Lost, I believe. That said, my favorite show in the genre, in its second year, is “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” on FOX.  Summer Glau’s Cameron is the coolest, most brilliantly acted character on TV.  This kid’s got more acting chops than anyone I’ve seen in years. Amazing!

 

Advice for Amazon and eBay

By
Steve Poppe
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1

 

There was an interesting article in the NY Times Business Section over the weekend about Amazon and eBay. It suggested Amazon is winning because they do better long-term planning and are willing to fail for a while so they can win.

 

Both companies have made some missteps, but both should thrive.  Even with its problems, eBay is still the leader in online auction.  Amazon is the 800 lb. gorilla in online retailing, and since ecommerce is only 7% of all commerce, there’s certainly room for both.

 

Some advice for eBay: Keep the auction business discrete. Any playing around with fixed price, VOIP, online payment, etc. should be either spun off or handled by unique management. Smart decisions are harder to make when considering the impact on other “family” businesses. As for Amazon: Stop with all the “trust” value prop talk. Make your business about “price.” Trust is earned and requisite, it’s not a branding idea.  Peace!

 

 

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