Tapes 'n Tapes, Boris Yeltsin

On April 8, new records dropped from Tapes 'n Tapes ("Walk it Off") and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin ("Pershing"). I tried to scoop them both on that day, but the SSLYBY album was sold out (so I had to wait a couple days). Anyhow, they are both really good records.

I had the chance to see the bands on consecutive nights this week in DC. Tapes 'n Tapes was at the 9:30 Club on Wednesday night and SSLYBY (pictured above) was at the Black Cat last night.

Tapes 'n Tapes failed to play "Lines," which I think is among the best tracks on the new record, but they did play some great tunes from their previous album "The Loon," including maybe their best song "Omaha."

In terms of SSLYBL, I was really struck with how young, talented, and enthusiastic they were. They played all of my favorite tunes from the new record as well as the previous one, "Broom." Massive respect.

Really good shows...

Ethics Crisis + "No Comment" = Guilty

The Washington Post ran an article today about Air Force Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Goldfein, now vice director of the joint staff, and how--in Nov. 2005--he allegedly interfered in a multi-million dollar Air Force contract by inappropriately exercising his influence over subordinates. The contract was awarded to a relatively new company started by a recently retired four-star general and civilian pilot who had grown close to Air Force officials. A two-year probe determined that Goldfein had worked (and even gone to some pretty great lengths) to favor the company, whose offer was more than twice as expensive as another bid.

The Washington Post obtained a Defense Department Inspector General report that "offers a searing, blow-by-blow account of how a relatively mundane Air Force contract spun out of control, highlighting serious conflicts of interest in the selection process, officers stacking the deck in favor of friends, and others influencing a system designed to eliminate such favoritism in spending taxpayer dollars. "

Goldfein's response?

...

He declined to comment.

Nice call, Major. Why didn't you just repeat what you said in the report? That wasn't too bad. Even if you are guilty, can you at least say something ambiguous like, "This is a very unfortunate situation that is casting an undue cloud of doubt over an esteemed branch of the armed services?"

Come on!

Not Your Father's Surrogate

An article in today's Washington Post discusses how Chelsea Clinton is really coming into her own as a spokesperson for her mother. For the past few months, she's been ramping up her (mostly) college campus visits and effectively delivering her mother's message to her peers. It was even noted that she recently brought up the Lewinsky--a topic that really shook her up a couple months ago when it was raised in a question directed at her.

For Hillary to have any success, Chelsea is going to have to continue to shine as a surrogate. A demographic that Hillary needs to reach--Facebook-using college students and young professionals--is the demographic that Chelsea best identifies with--a group that seems to lean toward Obama.

It will be interesting to see if her role continues to evolve.

Southwest Airlines Haiku

We have all been free
To move about the country
On unsafe airplanes.

Starbucks Baristas: Ready to Wait on You Hand and Foot… and (Sometimes) Kidney

I fear that I’ve become overly cynical.

Today I read a story about a Starbucks employee preparing to donate her kidney to a customer and I thought to myself, Wow! How did Starbucks make this happen?! Not only did they convince barista Sandra Andersen to get tested to see if her kidney was a fit for regular customer Annamarie Ausness, but she’s actually going to go through with it. You can’t buy this kind of positive PR!

The fact of the matter is that you really can’t buy this kind of PR. At least I don’t think you can. Could it be that good PR coming from positive media attention is often spontaneous and deserved? I’d say yes, but I also believe that Starbucks is an operation that prides itself on hiring and taking good care of quality employees—the kind of people who make customers feel like part of a special community—a community where they can ask for a “Venti Skinny Mocha Frap” (or whatever) and not get looked at like a dum-dum. By investing time and resources in employee acquisition and retention, Starbucks invests in its image and—every now and again—brings on board an associate who is ready to go to extraordinary lengths to please her customers (including—but not limited to—sacrificing body parts).

I’m certainly not discounting the communications/PR effort that likely went to landing this story in The New York Times and CNN.com. There’s no doubt in my mind that once Starbucks’ communications/PR folks found out that this was happening, they did everything in their power to get the word out. And I’m sure they did a top-notch job. The bottom line is that this isn’t a stunt. This is a good person doing a genuinely good and selfless deed. To me it’s refreshing to see news of this nature getting national exposure, especially when you consider the fear, hate, and negativity that makes up most of the news we see today. This is a story that deserves its coverage.

I don’t know about you, but tomorrow morning I’m not only going to Starbucks for my ($2.06) cup of Joe, but I’m tossing a little extra coin in the tip jar. Who knows… Maybe my barista is my bone marrow match.

The Buzz Revolution: The Future of Product-Focused PR

Buzz/word-of-mouth marketing/public relations is all the rage these days.

Just the other day—on the Travel Channel (or was it Discovery?)—I saw a segment on a British taxicab driver who drives a cab decorated to be a moving advertisement for Las Vegas. When passengers hop in, he talks about how great Las Vegas is. He doesn’t ram it down his passengers’ throats, rather; he’s casual and genuine. And he’s serious too. He’s been on a couple all-expenses-paid trips to Sin City… and not on his dime. He was enlisted by London buzz marketing operation, which works on behalf of Las Vegas to tempt British tourists. Sounds pretty nice, right? I agree.

As this technique begins to takeoff, it begs the question, “Does the future of product-focused media relations appear to be LESS media relations?” People are increasingly cynical about major media and big business. Even the most glowing review of a new product through earned media—in a newspaper, magazine, or on a Web site—will likely be met with some skepticism. Why not put the product in the hands of well-connected mavens and let them sell the product grassroots-style?

Last week, I signed up to be an “agent” for a major buzz marketing/PR firm. After giving them some information about my interests, habits, and hobbies, the group added me to its list. Supposedly, I will be contacted to join in upcoming “campaigns.” What does this mean? From what I glean, it means that they'll send me nifty new products, which they think I'll enjoy, and ask me to do nothing but show them off to my friends and report back to them on any feedback I get.

I guess the idea is this: Sell one man an iPhone; he'll likely enjoy it. Give the right man an iPhone; he'll sell three.

Try the Panini. It's Amazing.

Almost exactly two years ago, I was sitting at the Sam Adams pub in the old terminal of DCA. I should have been en route to Chicago-Midway for a reunion weekend with some college buddies, but—due to over-the-top flight delays—I found myself sucking down seasonal beer with GW undergrads and eating a decent ham panini from a neighboring food kiosk.

A familiar face approached our group and—likely noticing my sandwich—inquired, “Where am I supposed to get something to eat around here?”

It was the fresh-faced freshman senator from Illinois—traveling alone and hungry. He was dressed in a sensible suit and slighter in stature than I would have expected. If I remember correctly, this was right around the time that people started buzzing about his potential as a 2008 presidential candidate.

I looked at my sandwich wrapper and then back up at the senator. “Here’s what you’re going to do,” I started, “You’re going to head over to that kiosk over there and get the ham panini. It’s amazing.”

“Thanks,” he said and beamed us a smile before walking off.

Later on, I saw him sitting alone. He appeared to be eating a salad.

Prior to boarding, I approached him. “Mr. Senator, would you mind a quick picture?” He graciously obliged and then boarded the plane to take his (middle!) seat.


Later that night—on Chicago’s north side—my buddies and I somehow ended up getting a ride home from a late-night spot in the back of a Sun-Times delivery truck. We had to pitch in and toss bundles at a few stops, but it was worth it to have shelter from the bitter, windy cold. Tragically, I lost my keys at some point.