Entertainment
NETFLIX: Movies for the Masses
With the growing popularity of high end home theaters and the rising costs of going out to see a movie, it's not surprising that more and more people are looking to save money by staying home. This is where Internet services like Netflix come in. Since 1999, Netflix has been making renting DVD's easier, eliminating trips to the movie store and frustration with trying to find lesser-known films. Netflix is benefiting customers as well as filmmakers by creating a greater awareness of different genres and film studios. As of now they're the largest online DVD rental service, boasting millions of customers and 55,000 titles. They credit their success to their simple business philosophy of offering a great selection that includes fast and free delivery (most customers receive their movie selection within one business day).
Netflix customers are guaranteed fast, convenient service starting at about $10 per month (this includes unlimited rentals for one DVD at a time). And delivery with Netflix is always free, there are never late fees or due dates, and postage is already paid, making returning movies more hassle free than ever.
Netflix has been rated the #1 website for customer satisfaction for two years running (according to ForeSee Results and FGI Research surveys), Fast Company magazine also recognized Netflix last fall with their "Customers First Award," proving that shopping online doesn't have to be frustrating or confusing. Perhaps the most important award for Netflix is all of their loyal customers; they report that more than 90 percent of their users say they recommend their service to others, and more than 85 percent of new customers say they joined because of a referral from someone else (Netflix.com).
Netflix has big name movies, hard to find documentaries and independent films, and TV shows in more than 200 genres that include Action, Anime, Classics, Horror, Foreign, Sports, Science Fiction, Kids, Romance, Documentary, and Special Interest. They also have a neat recommendation feature that lets you choose to rate the movies you've seen, and then based on those ratings Netflix makes recommendations about new movies you might enjoy. This seemingly simple service has opened the eyes of Netflix customers (85 percent of all of their titles are rented every three months), exposing them to films they otherwise would never have seen.
If you still aren't convinced, Netflix wants you to know that their members rent "twice as many movies per month than they did prior to joining the service," and watch an estimated 90,000 trailers for films each day on the website. They've also calculated that renting through their service saves 500,000 gallons of gas and 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions every day. Sounds like a good deal to us. Here's to Netflix for disrupting the movie rental market by creating a new niche, and for developing a worthwhile customer experience that people around the country can take part in.
NEXT LEVEL SAILING: Navigating a Dream
Troy Sears is a San Diego native with a passion for sailing. He's also a father of three with a need to provide for his family, which is why he chose to manage a pest control business for ten years instead of following his life long dream. As reliable as he was, he just wasn't happy. Tony's story starts with his ties to the San Diego Yacht Club, a membership that ultimately led him to actualize his dream career. Docked on the Yacht Club premises were two 80-foot America's Cup boats, boats that would be perfect for the business he wanted to start. The only problem was that these boats were largely unavailable, and way out of his price range. Until one day when the wind in Tony's sails changed. In 2003 the Swiss won the Cup which meant that the race would return to Europe, making the boats available for purchase in California. Tony jumped on the auction and bought both boats for a fraction of the price they might retail for new. In order to start his dream company, Next Level Sailing, he had to make the decision to sell his pest control company and journey into the uncharted waters of self-employment. Luckily Tony had some good financial connections and was able to find an investor to sign on as a silent partner, thereby alleviating some of his financial burdens.
Getting the boats ready for commercial use proved to be quite a challenge, requiring a lot of self-educating and expensive trips to Washington. Until Tony had gotten approval to use the ships commercially, he was only allowed to take out small groups of six or less. Even through all of the grueling legal proceedings, Tony remained passionate about sailing, and enjoyed every ounce of energy he put in to getting his business off the ground. Almost twelve months later the boats got the OK to take out more than six passengers at a time, and Tony was ready to become a large-scale success.
If you're interested in getting aboard a Next Level sail, we should warn you that it isn't exactly cheap. Tony charges almost a $100 a person for a two-hour sail, or $2000 to rent the entire boat for four hours. Customers in the past have been more than willing to cough up the dough, reasoning that the experience of being on a high end boat cruising through San Diego's scenic waterfront that includes sights like America's Cup Harbor, Coronado Bay Bridge, North Island Naval Airstation, the San Diego Convention Center, the downtown San Diego Skyline, Cabrillo National Monument, Star of India and other historic ships, and ocean wildlife, such as seals, sea lions, pelicans and gulls.
Since the beginning, Next Level Sailing has had to rely very little on traditional marketing thanks to MTV's The Real World. MTV approached Tony about having the San Diego cast work for his company, and he jumped on the chance for free publicity to millions of viewers each week. His strategy for publicity proved to be successful, resulting in reservations from around the U.S. in addition to almost a dozen foreign countries. He's also gotten press from CNN, CBS, and the Travel Channel. And Tony doesn't stop there. The 11 story sails are perfect advertising space and bring in more than $20,000 a month. Regardless of all the free press, Next Level relies mostly on word of mouth, one of the best ways to generate new business, and proof that hard work pays off. Next Level Sailing is a great example of a business that's succeeding due to the genuine passion of the owner and employees who pursued, at times, a seemingly unlikely dream.
NEW MINDSPACE: Simple Fun
Kevin Bracken and Lori Kufner think that city living should be fun. And not just hangin' out fun. Good, old-fashioned fun that creates and feeds off of itself. This dynamic duo founded newmindspace.com, a site that advertises and documents "spontaneous" fun events around the cities of Toronto and New York. Bracken and Kufner have planned large-scale capture the flag, pillow fights, and subway parties that offer urban dwellers a return to the simpler things in life. Do corporate lawyers want to play Manhunt with fast food workers? You bet.
Part of what makes newmindspace such a cool collective is their ability to break down social and economic barriers. At their events no one cares where you came from, the only thing that matters is you're there, and ready to party like a highly matured third grader. Their events are fun as much as they are performance art, a non-elitist kind of performance art made for the common man (and woman). They've actually taken cues from "official" performance artists like Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Bracken and Kufner just want to use public space for the good (fun) of the public, a refreshingly innocent idea in the midst of numerous city oriented, uber-serious protests and demonstrations. Newmindspace is creating one of a kind, multi sensory experiences that build commradery and community in areas where people might otherwise not interact with one another.
NBA: From Basketball to Community Involvement, the NBA's Innovations Score
The National Basketball Association too has been converted to offering a unique customer experience, beyond basketball games, and 7' foot stars. Just look at the NBA store located in New York, which offers a compelling, all round event experience. Situated in the heart of Manhatta's famous Fifth Avenue shopping district, the NBA megastore offers a two-level basketball extravaganza. Visitors can come and experience a piece of the NBA by participating in various staged events, including meting players and getting shirts signed, or the store offers a massive interactive media experience. The store also hosts parties and functions. And of course there is a wide range of NBA merchandise for sale. What is clever is that the store builds on the growing appeal of basketball worldwide, and has become a big attraction for international sports lovers.
Yet, in addition to this unique experience, the NBA has also put a big focus on getting personal with a range of powerful projects. The NBA is revamping its image with its new dress code, to organized, community specific, interactive projects that reveal the fact that the "NBA cares." A whole campaign has been built around that slogan. As part of these efforts the NBA's new branch is working hard creating positive relations with its communities by offering the experience of a lifetime: community service with your favorite athlete. The "NBA Cares" program is the league's global community outreach initiative that gets NBA stars involved in programs that support education, youth and family development and health-related causes. Over the next five years the league and players will raise and contribute $100 million for charity, donate more than 1 million hours of hands-on volunteer service, and build more than 100 places where kids can learn and play. The NBA presents a monthly community assist award to a player who reflects the NBA's "passion" for service in the community, and as players travel the world they are increasingly spending time giving back to their adoring fans, who love it. Their efforts stand out because they are doing what no other American sports organization has done before.
Their efforts have had a powerful effect. Basketball is one of the fastest in growing its fan base across the world, and more and more people are falling in love with what was once an American sport. The international impact of the NBA was epitomized by its involving international voters in the 2006 All-Star Balloting (offered in a total of 19 different languages), and more and more foreign players are appearing in the league. Soccer is now the only sport that is more popular and has more regular viewers, but the NBA continues to grow, and the "NBA Cares" experience will be a vital part of that growth.
HIGHVELD STEREO: Using Celebrity Power to Make a Difference
We are used to seeing celebrities offering their star power as a way to highlight attention for good causes, but often their efforts seem impersonal. Well, Highveld Stereo in South Africa has managed to give new meaning to helping listeners out and as a result has become the most popular radio station in South Africa.
The innovative effort was launched about five years ago by Highveld Stereo's most popular DJ, Jeremy Mansfield, in the form of a unique program to help struggling individuals and families over the Christmas period, called the "Christmas Wish List". What was unexpected about the program is that Mansfield's morning show is titled the "Rude Awakening", and is renowned for Mansfield's below the belt humor and his willingness to take a slap at anything. Most people tune into the show for a good laugh, and the controversial nature of the show shot him to fame in South Africa. So everyone was surprised when Mansfield launched the tear jerking program. The truth is that he is a big teddy bear of a man, and despite his brash humor, deep down inside he has a heart of gold.
Over December listeners are encouraged to email and fax the station recommending people to receive a special Christmas wish. This provided listeners with the opportunity to get involved in the program, and to help point out people who are having a particularly rough time, or have a special need; including people with serious illness or disability, in dire financial difficulties, or people who had recently had a death in the family. The amount of responses was amazing, and the extent of need was heart wrenching. Mansfield then selected some of the most needy cases and called them up on air to discuss what they had been through. None of the recipients knew ahead of time what was happening, and while Jeremy had them on the line, he called up executives from major South African corporations with the capacity to help, and put them on the spot by asking them to meet the recipient's particular need. As a result he was able to provide disabled people with things like wheelchairs, or people with major illness with pro bono surgery, special care or other help, and the list goes on and on.
What is amazing about the program is how individual it is, and because everything is handled on the air, all the listeners get to participate in the experience. The December show has grown so popular that now executives phone in to offer help, rather than having to be called, and they have become more and more generous with their help (although the publicity helps motivate their charity). The thing is that listeners are hooked, and every morning leading up to Christmas you can find people gathered around the radio to listen to the Wish List. The show is a real tear jerker, and it is impossible not to cry when you hear the response of recipients of help, and participle in the incredible stories. You can always tell who is listening in their because you can see then wiping their faces furiously to stop tears running down their cheeks. It is amazing how powerful and emotional the show is, and it leaves everyone with a good feeling. And it has become a way for everyone to participate in some Christmas goodwill.
Highveld offers a number of unique customer experiences, but nothing has been as gripping as the Wish List. Everyone now tunes in to be part of the experience, and Highveld's popularity is soaring. Not only are South Africans in South Africa tuning in, but South Africans all across the world use the internet to listen to the event. Highveld's advertising revenue has sky rocketed and has become not only the biggest radio station in South Arica, but has developed into a major entertainment company. It is awesome because not only does it show that people care, but shows that when they are able to be part of that experience it becomes a much more powerful and compelling experience.
STREET WARS: Assassination Water Gun Style
Street Wars is a 3 week long, 24 hour a day, 7 days a week water gun assassination tournament set to take place next in Los Angeles. Similar tournaments have already taken place in cities like New York, Vancouver, and San Francisco. At the start of the tournaments each participant receives an envelope that contains a picture of your target along with their home address, work address, name, and contact information. Once you've gotten your target's info it's your responsibility to hunt them down and take them out using a water gun, water balloon, or super soaker. Some assassins pose as delivery people, others disguise themselves as bums on the street-regardless of how you get to your target, your only mission is to make sure they get hit. Once you're successful in your assassination attempt, you get your targets envelope, and the person they were supposed to take out becomes your new target. This process continues until you work yourself through all of the participants and end up with your own envelope.
So if you're the kind of person who likes a challenge, look for Street Wars to come to your town. But know that you have to be 18 years old and live or work near the area of play. You also have to be available to pick up your assignment in person and make at least one attempt on your target per week. If you're gone for a week or don't get out, you will be disqualified. As a Street Wars participant you have the options of signing up as a team (up to five people) or as a solo assassin.
Street Wars does employ safe zones, namely the block around your work. People can't be shot in their offices or at the door to their office building. For those of you who work at home, you forfeit a work safe zone. Buses, bus stops, and the inside of cafes are also safe zones. Since LA is so huge, Street Wars has employed only certain areas for play-the idea being that you have to live or work close to the area in order to participate. You also may be required to do some traveling in order to assassinate your target, so plan on getting some exercise.
SMITH MAGAZINE: Telling Your Story
SMITH Magazine is an up and coming publication dedicated to sharing "our stories, our history, our friends, our celebrities, our moments, our lives." Smith believes that everyone has a story to share and that everyone is a Smith. Today's ever growing online communication networks give us the ability to create our own, self organized newscasts, commentaries, entertainment sites, photos, music, and videos that anyone who has access to the web can participate in and interact with. SMITH calls this phenomenon Personal Media, and is made up of things like web diaries, blogs, and customized viewing thanks to products like TiVo that make content aspriational, populist, forward thinking, and participatory.
In the midst of all this technology, SMITH still loves print magazines. They see the intimate qualities that holding a print publication in your hands possesses, a quality that other forms of media just can't duplicate. The content and design of SMITH magazine has the same kind of energy the Internet offers, but in a "warmer, less chaotic form." SMITH believes that they can connect print magazines with the World Wide Web in an innovative way that draws people in, encouraging them to participate and most importantly subscribe.
URBAN MONKEYS: Playtime For All
Urban Monkeys is an innovative play place for parents and children alike. They have a myriad of classes and activities for kids ages 0-6 and also offer a adult classes and hour-long getaways. This 8000 square foot center promises to stretch, strengthen, and expand the minds and bodies of your children through both structured and unstructured play. If you want to check it out but aren't ready to commit, you can pay a drop-in fee, or if it's your first time taking a class they'll give you a second one at no cost. You can also purchase a class punch card (for 5 to 10 classes) that let you experience the range of activities Urban Monkeys has to offer without having to stick to a specific schedule. If Urban Monkeys is right for you, register to become a member and save 10% off of your first class registration. During open gym feel free to go climbing through tunnels and play dress up with your little one. Open Gym is free for members and costs $10 per family for non-members. Urban Monkeys also offers childcare for members who want to relax with a visit to the spa or take a yoga class. And all you have to do is call a day ahead to reserve a spot. For parents, Urban Monkeys offers wireless Internet access, a computer bar, flat screen TV, magazines and newspapers, and of course great spa services like facials and massages. The massage services last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and include Swedish deep tissue massage and pregnancy massages. If you're planning a party, Urban Monkeys probably has a space that can accommodate you. They're open Saturdays for birthday party rentals at 12 noon, 2:30 and 4 PM. If you're not sure what kind of a party to throw, enlist the help of a party coordinator and plan a jungle monkey, circus monkey, super monkey, or princess monkey event not soon to be forgotten.
Urban Monkeys is working to create meaning for parents and kids alike. By putting convenience and peace of mind first, this innovative, experience based start up has shown that customers will find their own values and meaning if the right resources are provided. Urban Monkeys focuses on creating quality time that refreshes and rejuvenates, offering a fun (and much needed) escape from the daily grind.
STARS AND STROLLERS: Babies Welcome
Just because you're a parent doesn't mean that you shouldn't be able to go out and see a movie like everyone else. Stars & Strollers is giving new parents the freedom to get out and stay up to date on the latest releases. This program encourages parents to get out with their babies, and not worry about crying, feeding, or fussing. Stars & Strollers features bi-weekly screenings of new movies, lowered volume levels, dimmed lighting, and free stroller parking. Finally!
With all of the competition movie theaters are seeing from digital cable, Netflix, and out of this world home entertainment centers, it's no wonder that theaters are finally starting to catch on and realize that they need to provide better, more specialized service to movie patrons. Canada based Stars & Strollers welcomes their new audience of parents and babies, and work to fully cater to the needs of this specific group. By allowing feeding, dimming lights instead of turning them off, and bringing down the volume level just a bit-parents no longer have to feel guilty about taking their uber little ones to the theater. Stars & Strollers provides necessities like changing tables and non-terrifying films (no action or suspense) to keep the tiny tots calm. Parents love the ability of being able to go to the movies without feeling guilty about whining, crying, or fussing babies that normally hold the power to infuriate other moviegoers.
MOBMOV
MobMov is a Guerilla Drive-in Movie concept that's gaining more and more attention from young people around the country. The MobMov movement has been bringing timeless films to warehouse walls via LCD projectors and FM transmitters for the last three years. While MobMov originally started as a small project for a group of friends, it's grown into a trend that's bringing old friends and complete strangers together. MobMov has been publicly announcing movie dates for about a year, a practice that's shown to be worthwhile as a growing number of new faces pop up at the bi-weekly showings. MobMov sees themselves as a grassroots movement that's just trying to bring simple, free fun back into our hectic, stressed out lives. At any given showing you'll see cult classics like The Big Lebowski, The Usual Suspects, Run Lola, Run, Donnie Darko, and Citizen Kane to name a few.
MobMov is great for those looking to relax, but it's also a great way to meet like-minded people in your community. Everyone at MobMov screenings are fed up with exorbitant movie prices, expensive (and stale) popcorn, and uncomfy seats. You can stay in the know about up coming showings by signing up for MobMov's mailing list. They'll email you about 24 hours before the movie with info about location and title. MobMov flicks are rarely shown in the same place twice, making it even more of an adventurous experience.
Interest in MobMov has been spreading like wild fire for the last few years, and they expect to soon be found in more and more cities around the world. MobMov is ready to assist those of you who want entertainment to return to a simpler time, and offer video animations, lists of equipment you'll need, and tutorials on how to do it all yourself. And if you're wondering about the name, MobMov is really just an abbreviated version of 'Mobile Movie.'
In a time when technology rules all, it's refreshing to see a return to simple, uncomplicated fun. As the MobMov concept catches on in cities everywhere, expect to see more and more experiential, guerilla entertainment concepts pop up in unexpected places. Thanks to MobMov for thinking outside the box!
AIRTRODUCTIONS
AirTroductions is a new networking / dating / dining service that's making use of the otherwise wasted time spent during flights. The idea for AirTroductions was started by Peter 'the AirTroductor' after he realized that mundane flights can suddenly seem like paradise if you're sitting next to the right person. Throughout his travels, Peter credits his airplane run ins with new business, new clients, and even a few dates. So why not make air travel this promising for everyone? And thus AirTroductions was born.
Many of us will take hundreds of plane trips over the course of our adult lives, and it's about time that we started making good use of them. By signing up with AirTroductions you can meet up with people on your same flights for a friendly chat or a layover lunch. Enter as much or as little information as you'd like into the AirTroductions database-remember, your personal details are always kept private. From there book your ticket and come over to AirTroductions and enter your flight information including flight number, airports, date, and time. The system will automatically show you a list of everyone else on your flight who has a profile. And if more people join your flight after you, they'll send you an email to let you know. And since AirTroductions is a fairly new company, they're excited to get your feedback on how to make their services better-we love it-a fun company that actually wants to hear what you have to say. And if you contribute suggestions, you just might end up featured on their site in addition to being the lucky recipient of complimentary AirTroduction goodies.