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We’re not gourmet anymore…or are we? A recent article in the New York Times serves as an interesting follow-up to a recent W5 blog post regarding the cancellation of Gourmet magazine. According to the NY Times and publishing company Conde Nast, we haven’t see the last of the lauded foodie mag.
Gourmet’s second chance at survival arrives neatly wrapped in a digital package as an iPad application called “Gourmet Live.” The app will be fully loaded with recycled cooking tips and recipes from Gourmet’s current archive while an occasional sprinkling of new content will be used to spice things up.
Interestingly, the app is not intended to serve as a digital form of the magazine, but as a new way for consumers to engage with the brand. Given Gourmet’s dedicated following and the widespread disappointment with the magazine’s cancellation, repackaging the magazine in the form of an app appears to be a brilliant move. Not only will the app reintroduce a trusted brand in an entirely new way, it will fill the void for dedicated readers who have yet to find a satisfactory substitute. In addition, the app well help the brand reach a younger, tech-savvy audience. The trick will be keeping the content fresh enough to attract new readers and familiar enough to satisfy older fans. With Gourmet’s culinary legendary expertise and reputation, balancing old tastes with new textures should be as easy as cooking “Easy Seafood Paella“.
It cannot be disputed that the technological advancements in the last decade have made life easier for a lot of people. We no longer have to wait for dial-up internet, and the thought of waiting more than five seconds for a web page to load enrages us. At the drop of a hat, we can use our cell phones to check what our friends are up to, check our email, search for the nearest gas station, or Google how big blue whales can grow. Ironically, our use of cell phones for email and text messaging has rendered the actual phone call obsolete.
As a child of the 90s, I should be used to all of this “new-fangled” technology. My earliest experience with technology was waiting for my mom to get off the house phone before I could use the dial-up internet on our only household computer to chat to my friends after school for approximately ten minutes. I realize that in the grand scheme of technological advancement, this is not an “early” memory. Yes, I should be used to this, but over the years technology has only made me more anxious and nostalgic for the days of face-to-face, or at least voice-to-voice communication.
A recent study discussed in Seattle Times suggests I may be the only one of my generation who feels this way. The study, conducted at the University of Maryland, required a group of college students to give up all technology for 24 hours. The students reported feeling anxious and withdrawn in the absence of technology; shockingly, one participant’s feedback described typically sending a text message every minute or so and being unable to go 24 hours without a cell phone.
The purpose of these two technologies begs the question – is it the technology themselves that is addictive, or is it the ‘ambient presence’ that they enable. (Ambient presence is a term coined in reference to the consistent, low-level awareness of our social connections enabled by the surge in communication-oriented technology.)
I for one love that these technologies can keep me integrated in the lives of my loved ones, even when we are separated by time and space. But, like the students studied at the University of Maryland, I can literally feel the drawbacks.
We are, by nature, a social species who find pleasure in communing…Having tools on hand that allow us to fulfill this desire in increasingly efficient ways, though, has elevated expectations of my connectedness to a level that I’m not sure I can keep up with. And so what are the costs of fulfilling these expectations? Constant communication pushes out opportunities for reflection and introspection – those vehicles for internal growth with which self-actualization is impossible.
And when these expectations turn into needs what then? I have found myself in an almost panic state on realizing that I didn’t have my phone with me. And what did I do? I went home, got my phone and immediately called my companion why I was running late for our date. He understood, naturally. The irony of the situation being, of course, that the very vehicle that is supposed to facilitate our coming together had actually kept us apart. So while I love the iPhone, too, it scares me a little to know that my relationship with it is somewhere between owning it and being owned.
For as long as I can remember, my parents have treated us to a summer vacation in Hilton Head Island. There are many things I love about Hilton Head. I love the island’s history, class, sophistication, and of course, its beaches. I love the decades-old family memories that return to me as I drive over the bridge onto the island. Most of all, I love the not-so-secret Salty Dog Café. In my family, a trip to the Salty Dog Café is an essential component to a successful Hilton Head vacation.
Over the years our secret has spread and the Salty Dog Café is now a favorite of my mom’s four sisters, who have started a yearly Hilton Head tradition of their own. When they gather on the island this week and take that fateful trip to the Salty Dog, I know they will all rave about the food, the legend and tradition of the café, but there is one aspect they’ve yet to agree on – merchandising. 
In the south, Salty Dog Café merchandise is recognizable and a must-have among Hilton Head vacationers. A gift shop is connected to the café, selling anything from t-shirts to bandanas for dogs. However, a high demand of merchandise and small toll fee to get into Harbor Town (where the café is located) has driven the Salty Dog to open a detached merchandising outlet known as the Salty Dog T-Shirt Factory.
To some people, like my mom’s sisters, this only diminishes the authenticity and experience of the Salty Dog Café. To others, like my mother, this independent merchandising outlet is a blessing. It allows customers to buy the merchandise without driving a considerable distance, paying the toll, and rummaging through a crowded gift shop. The outlet store has been a good move for the café as it has helped spread the name far past the confines of Hilton Head Island.
I personally value the tradition inherent in the original gift shop, but I am still a loyal fan of the Salty Dog Café. The name may be recognized throughout the Carolinas, but the café will always be my family’s little-known secret.
Since taking an interest in advertising and marketing, I like to think of myself a more objective viewer of advertising campaigns than your average Joe. That is why I was surprised to find myself awestruck by the pervasive, sleek and compelling advertising of the Droid, though it’s really no mystery why.
Google and Verizon spent $100 million on the Droid campaign, an enormous budget considering that the campaign is only nation-wide. Motorola and Verizon Wireless have strived to give the iphone a run for its money, and it seems that they are doing just that. The “Droid Does” campaign emphasizes the functions that are unique to the Droid by comparing itself to the iphone and other smart phones. The message is that the Droid does what other phones don’t. Could it be that the Droid is stealing the iphone’s spotlight? I’d like to see the Droid come out on top, but who knows what Apple has up its sleeve next. Only time and millions of advertising dollars will tell.
Halloween in Chapel Hill has historically drawn huge crowds, sexy costumes, and drunken debauchery to Franklin Street. In 2007, nearly 80,000 people showed up to partake in the festivities. However, due to fears of crime, alcohol poising and gang-related violence, that number declined last year to 35,000. From the look of things, falling numbers threaten the Chapel Hill Halloween tradition again this year.
The number of bodies on Franklin Street is not the only thing declining. According to MPR, Americans are expected to spend 15% less on Halloween than last year due to the poor economy. Downscaling makes sense given that Halloween is only one day out of the whole year, but for a Chapel Hill-ian of four years and true Halloween enthusiast, any further downsizing would be an absolute atrocity.
So put on your best vampire and dead celebrity costumes and come out to Franklin Street on October 31st. Don’t let the tradition of Halloween go down with the economy.
The world has seen its share of interesting footwear in recent years, including Uggs, Crocs, and the most recent trend, “toning footwear.” The overstated sneakers are intended to simulate walking on a soft surface to engage neglected muscles, and to create instability to engage muscles involved in balancing. Toning footwear was pioneered by smaller brands such as MBT, Ryn and FitFlop, but now is infiltrating mainstream brands such as Sketchers and Reebok.
Analysts predict that the shoe will be the next big trend in footwear despite its odd appearance. Others are more skeptical, likening them to Uggs, Crocs and Birkenstocks. The irony is that those who wear these “ugly” shoes swear by them.
A few years ago, Crocs were the greatest thing since sliced bread. Those who wore them thought they were comfortable and functional. Those who did not thought they were atrocious, to say the least. Apparently the negative attitudes prevailed, given Crocs Inc. recent trip toward bankruptcy. Considering that attitudes towards toning footwear reflect those surrounding Crocs, it will be interesting to see if toning footwear takes that same trip.
As was seen in the wake of Michael Jackson’s death, Twitter has become the new go-to place for news. It was one of the first to report Jackson’s death, it was correct, and it was significantly faster than most of the main news sources. So what’s the problem with this? Well according to Twitter, Rick Astley, Britney Spears, Natalie Portman, and Jeff Goldblum are all dead. Clearly, this is not true.
It seems that people are more concerned with obtaining information quickly than worrying about the validity of the content. What people are forgetting is that, despite delivering compelling hearsay, Twitter is not a legitimate news source.
Perhaps Twitter’s only positive affect on the news industry has been restoring faith in fact-based news reporting of the New York Times, CNN and Fox News. Still, it is a shame that it’s now the job of reputable news sources to clean up Twitter’s mess.
