45 cent slices at Ray’s Pizza: Genius, or loss investment?

Posted by admin on December 16th, 2009 | No Comments »

This was the line for a 45 cent slice of pizza at Ray’s Pizza this past september.  I wonder if they made money on this promotion.  Thoughts?

And if they hypothetically did make money, why not sell pizza for 45 cents everyday, or once a week?  Or even make it $1 a slice? Would that piss off their competition too much?  Would that be too small of a profit margin? Would people eventually lose interest?

I work for an amazing Private and Corporate coaching firm and I handle all their social media marketing.  I love the challenge of trying to be different, unique, attention getting in a world where we see over 1000 advertisements a day…on TV, radio, billboards, buses, Hulu, subway, pay per click, banner ads, etc. etc. etc.  I love my job because not only is it a fun game to play…”how can I be original in an supersaturated world of ads all screaming ‘buy my brand, buy my brand,’” but also, it helps inspire me to focus on being original in how I market myself as an artist too.  There are SO many amazing and talented people out there…and there is no better time in the world to be an artist because of all the resources we have in getting our music out there; resources that didn’t exist to us 10 years ago.  Many artists simply want to focus on the art alone, and hate all the “business” or “marketing” side of things, and I understand that.  But, if you don’t have a manager, record company or fan who is willing to do all of that for you, why not see the marketing as just another creative extension of your art?  When you are onstage, you don’t just stand there and play shit…you communicate it to the audience, you present yourself in a way that is relatable, attention getting, emotional, inspiring or noticeable (or at least hopefully you do) and how is that different from marketing?

So how do we, as artists play the game of being noticeable, different, special in how we present ourselves off the stage and out of the studio?

Ideas?

Is it Lame To Get Teary Watching “How The Grinch Stole Christmas?”

Posted by admin on December 9th, 2009 | No Comments »

Because I just did.

The old cartoon version that is.

I read a book a while ago by renowned playwright David Mamet called “The Three Uses of the Knife.”  He said something about how the purpose of art is to “inspire cleansing awe.”  That’s not a direct quote, but I remember that phrase, “cleansing awe.”

And I have just been cleansingly awed so to speak by the Grinch and how his tiny heart…three sizes too small, grew three sizes larger with the spirit of christmast.

So what is it about this timeless piece of art that resonates so deeply with people?  I watched it with a five year old and a seven year old and we equally awed by the end…and when I was 7 years old myself I loved it just as much as I do now.

I think it stricks a chord in so many people because I believe we all yearn for deep connection with the infinite well that lies within our heart…and we all, especially new yorkers who are caught so deeply in the hustle and bussle of going and going and going, have a tendancy to be slightly grinchy, slightly closed down in that area of our lives.  And great art…amazing art can blast through our layers of resistance and remind us of something that lies deeper within.  Thats what the Grinch just did to me.  So thank you Dr. Suess and Chuck Jones.