We all love a good movie. When the perfect plot, setting, dialogue and characters combine with just the right mix of drama, humor and conflict, alchemy takes place and the film magically never leaves you. There’s a lot we can learn about business and marketing if we study films themselves, as well as the promotional buzz that often accompanies them. Whether you see a big studio blockbuster with … [Read more...]
4 powerful business lessons from James Bond and Skyfall
James Bond...entrepreneurial guru? I recently saw Skyfall,, the latest installment in the Bond franchise and it was incredible. Not normally a Bond fan, I loved Casino Royale, wiped the awful Quantum of Solace from my memory, but thoroughly enjoyed this latest turn. The characters were complex and flawed, the performances brilliant, the pace lively and Daniel Craig does wonders for an expensive … [Read more...]
What stage are you in?
Traveling home for the holidays, I watched a charming little indie comedy/drama called Beginners. The title refers to how we all act when dealing with relationships. The film is about how "deeply funny and transformative life can be." And one part in particular struck me as truly profound. Hal (Christopher Plummer) has passed away from cancer and as his commitment-challenged son Oliver (Ewan … [Read more...]
Ask the Expert: Using social media to delight & provoke, plus how studios know whether to cast Ashton or not
Part 2 with Scott Montgomery, (see Part 1 here) this time about social media mayhem and his new firm that tracks and analyzes entertainment buzz, Fizziolo.gy. RS: Tell me about social media’s place in the branding equation? Who’s using it right? Do you think it works better for smaller or larger companies? SM: Well I know how companies are doing it wrong. There is nothing more obvious than … [Read more...]
Well, hello there, Rockstar!