Essay on The Findings Report

The Power of Pause

Sun, 30 Jul 2017 07:43:00 -0700

For two weeks I was engaged in a social media battle with Nordstrom. It was over something that might seem innocuous: unsolicited email.

I purchased a pair of shoes online from Nordstrom Rack. The next day, I received the first of what would become a litany of daily sales offers. No big deal. Every smart digital retailer does this. Strike while the iron is hot! But I noticed that the email that came through was targeted at a woman. All of the offers were for women’s clothes and shoes. I deleted it. The next day I received two more. So, I hit the unsubscribe button. Again, no big deal.

Unapologetic Data

Sat, 15 Apr 2017 16:03:00 -0700

The last two weeks have been particularly trying for a couple of the world’s biggest brands. As you undoubtedly know, Pepsi launched a campaign that was intended to strike an emotional chord of hope and social unity. Instead, it reverberated with tone deafness and sparked immediate and justifiable outrage. Then United Airlines stumbled into the spotlight when it forcibly removed a passenger from an overbooked flight in Chicago.

In both cases, the bad brand behavior was made worse by fumbles at apologies.

What the world needs now: love-actions

Sun, 27 Oct 2013 11:03:10 +0000

Not long ago, I sat in a half-empty wine bar with a friend, listening patiently as she described a relationship that had been steadily deteriorating. This was not our first conversation on the topic, nor was it the first time I heard her say, “I just don’t feel in love anymore.” Maybe it was the wine or maybe I had just heard the story too many times, but something drove me to interrupt her and ask politely, “have you done anything to love lately?”

Keep Pretending

Wed, 25 Sep 2013 05:48:14 +0000

Today is Jim Henson’s birthday. He would have been 77 years old. It is impossible for me to recall my childhood without recalling Kermit the Frog, my generation’s version of Jiminy Cricket. Kermit and Henson were more than a surrogate for our conscience. They were the child within that encouraged us to dream of rainbow connections and imagine what the world could be if we altered it for the better in our own way.

True Life Adventure

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:54:00 +0000

I just returned from a one-week trip to Anchorage, Alaska. I’d never been before and, in truth, I made the decision to go about a month ago on mostly a random whim. However, I now have new-found regard for this beautiful American frontier. Breathtaking landscapes, abundant wildlife, and friendly people. That’s a recipe for adventure.

While I was there, I was reminded of Disney’s True Life Adventures series. When I was a kid in grade school, these short films were played anytime the teachers needed to keep us occupied—whether it was bad weather preventing us from visiting the playground or just a substitute trying to avoid some inevitable classroom mischief. I loved these films. I got excited the minute they rolled the 16mm film projector into the room (yes, I’m old enough to remember life before video players).