Meet George Jetson: The Future of Technology

I caught a few minutes of an episode of The Jetsons recently, and I started wondering whether or not we’re on path to exceed the show creator’s technology imagination from the mid-1960s.

Let’s take a closer look…

Flying Cars: The ultimate promise of the future. We’re not even close, and frankly I don’t expect it to ever happen as long as there are teamsters available to fill potholes on the streets. However, the car that folds up will definitely happen one day, but probably not into the size of a briefcase.

Robot Maids: Have you seen the Roomba? We’re already on our way. I just don’t think the robot maids in our future will be as sassy as Rosie.

Paper Money: In the opening credits of The Jetsons, Jane “his wife” notoriously grabs George’s wallet instead of the small handful of bills he was pulling out for her before dropping her off at the mall. This moment is way, way off. If they ever re-make this show, this moment is guaranteed to change. In 2010, the only women that take handouts from their husbands are on “The Real Housewives.” And speaking of handouts, today’s trophy wives have a credit card to spend even more recklessly than Jane Jetson ever could’ve imagined. Big thumbs down for Hanna and Barbera for this one.

Video Phones: I’ll give them half-credit here. They correctly predicted that the home phone would evolve. But it just doesn’t seem like the video phone is going to happen. Obviously, personal communication today is all about the computer and the smart phone. But video conferences are happening, and the set-up looks pretty similar to George Jetson’s video phone.

What does all of this mean? I guess it’s easier to predict grand sweeping visions that may never come true, rather than smaller, incremental changes that may end up taking us down unimagineable paths. Or maybe it all means absolutely nothing.

The Elephant in the Room is Named Tiger

I was at the airport this weekend and saw the Accenture ad that I’ve posted here. If you’re reading a no-image format, it’s an elephant on a surfboard with the headline “Who says you can’t be big and nimble?”

Now, Accenture’s consulting capabilities might be nimble, but what about their advertising? They were in a tricky spot this winter, because of the many years they’ve had Tiger Woods front and center in all of their advertising. Once we all learned about Tiger’s shenanigans, Accenture had no choice but to come up with a new campaign sans Tiger.

But I have a few questions. Did they intentionally stick with the animal theme because they had used a “tiger” for so long? Are they telling the audience that Accenture is nimble for reacting so swiftly over this Tiger situation, or is this specifically a discussion about what they can do for Joe the Business Traveler’s company? Is “nimble” really just a code-worded way of saying “we don’t think in interesting –let alone groundbreaking- ways, which is why you’re looking at an elephant on a surfboard?”

I imagine Accenture got plenty of positive feedback on the old Tiger Woods campaign. I don’t think an elephant hanging ten will get the same result?

Oh well, I guess this would’ve been a lot worse if they had used this “big and nimble” headline with a Tiger Woods visual.

Branding Requires More Than a Logo

Earlier today, I was watching an NCAA tournament game being played in Providence, RI (at the Dunkin Donuts Center, or as I was calling it, “The Munchkin”). Then the network switched me to a game being played in San Jose, CA. All the teams were playing at neutral sites, but instead of using the home team’s regular floor, they’re using the same floor in both arenas. In other words, the games in Milwaukee didn’t use the Milwaukee Bucks NBA floor or even Marquette’s home floor. Somebody is paying for a 3rd floor for this arena.

What we’re seeing on TV is basically identical. Same giant NCAA logo at mid-court, same font for the arena name painted under each basket, and same NCAA-sponsored messages on the scorer’s table sitting prominently between both team benches. I’ve even heard that the press row folks can only drink their, soda, coffee or whatever, out of specific NCAA-approved cups.

I wonder how this uniformity benefits the NCAA. College basketball is supposed to be fun and a bit more celebratory than the NBA. But this logo overkill just reminds me that the NCAA is the same organization that treats all of its athletes the same, from the All-American Heisman-Trophy-winning quarterback down to the 3rd string goalie on the field hockey team. Why should they treat their basketball courts during the highest profile games of the year any differently?

Perhaps the NCAA brand would’ve benefited more throughout the tourney if it were seen less and its’ supposed ideals were demonstrated more.

The Ultimate Direct Mail Response Rate: The Census

I just got my census form in the mail. Right on the front of the envelope (or "OE" if you want to use the lingo)in big, bold, capital letters it says, "YOUR RESPONSE IS REQUIRED BY LAW." What a great way to improve your direct mail response rates; threaten your audience with the long arm of the law.

With motivation like that, you'd think they'd have somewhere between 98%-100% success rate. But apparently the 2000 Census only had a 67% response rate. Better than just about any other direct mail piece out there. But still, as an advertiser it kind of makes you feel better, when you consider the typical incentive is more akin to bonus airline miles rather than a stint in the slammer.

Sports Gambling, Evolution and Type Size

Thirty years ago, the two most popular gambling sports were pro boxing and horse racing. The phrase “March Madness” had never been uttered, let alone trademarked. But today, the NCAA basketball tournament is now the greatest event for serious and amateur gamblers, while boxing and horse racing barely register.

There are many factors why this happened, but one reason you hardly ever hear is that the 64 team bracket is a perfectly designed work of art. It’s true and it’s a bigger deal than most university presidents will admit. Four perfect quadrants all with type just large enough to read “University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff.” The 65th team play-in game is treated as an afterthought by designers and fans alike because it ruins the symmetry of the event.

Now, maybe you’ve heard that the NCAA powers-that-be are seriously considering expanding the tourney from 64 teams all the way to 96. They figure that if people love three weekends of action, they’ll love four that much more. Everybody wins when every team has a chance to win it all.

But while they might make money in the short-term by doing this, in the long-term this will turn off fans. Maybe not the fans of the 96 schools that make the tourney, but the people who plunk down $10 in their office pool and suddenly turn into basketball-crazed junkies for three weeks. This is basically the entirety of our dwindling workforce.

Think about it. These people show up to work Monday morning and some office drone has taken the initiative(!!!) to organize and gain support for everybody to enter a small amount of money for a chance to win a larger amount of money. All they have to do is fill in an 8.5x11 piece of paper. It's brilliant and simple. A 96-team bracket will be odd-shaped and uncomfortable with teams earning byes.

Horse racing and boxing lost their luster because they couldn’t adapt to the evolving needs of occasional gamblers. College basketball, you hit the nail on the head a few decades ago. Please don’t outsmart yourself and evolve into a niche sport too.

Reality Bites for Social Media

I don’t know the exact number or percentage, but let’s just assume a lot of 30-40 year olds use some form of social media. Most of them are at least using Facebook, This isn’t exactly news (unless you’ve jumped into your Hot Tub Time Machine and set it for 2007).

So why was Corey Haim’s death yesterday not really that big of a deal? Some factors might be that based on his past history, it wasn’t exactly shocking. Or maybe his story is truly a tragic tale, and the internet is a bit more lighthearted. Or maybe a has-been is still a has-been, even in death.

I’d like to throw my theory into the ring…30+ year olds “use” social media, but don’t “utilize” it. What I mean is that good old Generation X (of which I’m a card carrying member) isn’t taking advantage of all that Twitter and its real-time venues have to offer.

Everybody 30-40 knows the Corey Haim movies, and his decades long struggle with drugs. But based on what I noticed from my social network and Twitter’s trending topics, most people just said “RIP Corey” and moved on with their day. From the new stay-at-home moms to the hipsters, there was hardly any ongoing discussion.

For my tiny sliver of the online community, this should’ve been almost Michael Jackson-esque, but it was closer to Tito Jackson-esque. I don’t think it was the story, I think its that the story was targeted to a group that spends a lot of time online but not in a way that’s drastically different than how we used it 5 years ago. Too many of us get our online information from the same websites we ‘ve always used. This is just another way that demonstrates we’re slowly becoming ingrained in our patterns, just like our parents.

If your brand is speaking to this 30-40 year old market, you can definitely reach them online. But be sure to ask yourself whether or not you truly believe they’ll reach back.

Communication Can Save the CTA

Let me say it right at the top, I love the CTA. I have the CTA-coin cuff links to prove it. But I just got back from a jaunt across the pond to swingin' London, and I can no longer be a CTA apologist. Not after getting the full experience of London Underground, aka-The Tube.

This isn't meant to be a rant about Chicago needing a mythical "Circle Line" or anything that would generally be considered unrealistic. But dealing with the realities of economy, infrastructure and geography there is still a way for the CTA to score higher grades; employ the lost art of communication. On top of all the other pluses The Tube brings to the table, it was the flow of information 100 feet underground that made me see the light.

During my 5 days in London, I took the Tube. I took it a lot. I rode at least a small stretch of almost every line. I transfered trains so frequently I should've been carrying all my belongings wrapped in a hankerchief that was tied to a stick. I rode it not because I wanted to see as many sights as possible. I rode it because it enabled me to see more sights than imaginable.

The most indelible moment happened during a mid-week afternoon rush hour when I was trying to get from near the London Tower to the British Museum. I get down to my track and its crowded like any Chicago loop station at rush hour. Which makes it by far the most crowded train stop I saw during my stay in London. Very soon I hear a voice over the loudspeaker. I live voice (with a very proper British accent). And I can actually understand the words through the loudspeaker, it's not muffled one bit. It was very specifically explained that the train was delayed because of a "commuter incident" a few stops prior. The voice then proceeds to suggest some alternate routes. I take a bit of a roundabout way to the museum, but by my estimates only lose about 10 minutes. Voila! A potential major headache becomes a mild inconvenience. And to top it off, when I get on the alternate train, the conductor apologizes for the overcrowded conditions.

Another telling moment happened on Saturday morning. Apparently the Underground line we wanted was closed that day for some repair work. We didn't know this until we approached the down escalator and see the "Closed" sign. Like any savvy tourist, we start heading for the map on the station wall. Before we can get there, a station agent approaches us and immediately gives us our best travel option. As a Chicago resident, I'm confused why he's not sitting in a caged booth oblivious to what's happening in the station.

Look, it's okay that Chicago's trains and buses don't run as efficiently, but please just keep us informed. This isn't about having a friendly face, it's about everybody in Chicago knowing that their best option from point A to point B is with the CTA, warts and all. Sure, locals and tourists have different needs, but a very small investment (compared to, oh I don't know, building an entirely new express line from block 37 to O'Hare) can bring some huge benefits in terms of new riders and more frequency out of people like me.