Monthly Archives: August 2007

jim vs jack – brand allegiance defined

jim beam bourbon whiskey

A few years ago my decades long brand allegiance to Mr. Jack Daniels was severed when the iconic brand was outed for having diluted Old No. 7 without so much as a by your leave to the legions of faithful sippers.

As a result of that marketing gaffe – remember the Classic Coke disaster? – I switched back to a favorite from my, uh-hem, formative years – Jim Beam – to punish Lynchburg’s favorite son.

This is more than Tennessee vs. Kentucky. Charcoal filtered vs. charred barrels. In today’s online edition Ad Age reports the folks at Beam have announced a $100-million shift in media strategy aimed at really pushing the word-of-mouth category of unmeasured ad spending.

With social content media alternatives popping up like unwanted relatives at a family reunion, it’s no wonder traditional print feels threatened. All I know is the folks at Beam Global Wine & Spirits want to reward their evangelistas. Where do I sign up?

vegas to reno – the really hard way

vegas to reno the hard way

Once a year Trek riding pal Steve Soto’s beautifully prepped Northland Motorsports/Soto Racing Honda XR650R finished 9th in class (Expert-Open) in this year’s Vegas to Reno off-road classic in an event that saw over half the field DNF. Last year a fried alternator sidelined the Reno or Bust team, but this year luck smiled on #334 and 587 miles of Nevada desert’s in the history books. Big thumbs up to Steven and co-riders Gene Lane and Jeff Leonard for a great job of safe riding, and to photojournalist Mark Kariya for a great image.

chris blaise injured – outlook uncertain

chris blaise national powersports auction

Word just in that three-time Dakar rider and two-time podium winner Chris Blaise was seriously injured pre-running the Vegas to Reno Best In The Desert course the weekend of August 4th. With him at the time was Honda rider Johnny Campbell, who according to reports was crucial in making sure the KTM/Red Bull rider received emergency first aid appropriate for his injuries, including helicopter transport to area facilities.

Those injuries include a fractured vertebra, which, according to reports, was fused. Originally treated in Reno, Chris has since been transported to a rehabilitation facility near his Southern California home.

I just met Chris (above) at this year’s Indy Dealer Expo and was immediately won over by his genuine humility, after having witnessed his delicate and determined riding prowess over the past several years during the Dakar coverage on OLN (now VS.) cable coverage.

We’ll post more as both Chris and events stabilize, including details on the fund that’s been established in his name at Bank of America and how contributions are being handled. We’re firm in our belief that given Chris’ unwavering training ethic, determination and natural abilities, we’ll all enjoy seeing this able young star riding again.

flak, fluff, spin – just make it count

getting the most from your pr
I just posted a short how-to here on how to get the most out of your publicity efforts. I only list three checklist tips, but they describe the most common mistakes and how to easily correct them.

Why bother? When you consider the space rates for most of the publications reaching dealers and consumers hands every month, even a modest investment in preparation could yield pretty impressive savings – not to mention the impact on your brand.

It’s like – like getting free gas at the pump, just for checking your tire pressure.

evel at 68 – the first “jackass” reflects back

Yesterday’s St. Pete Times ran another feature update on Clearwater resident Evel Knievel’s daily routine as years of wrecks and crashes vie with the liver transplant and arthritis to see which is the most debilitating.

Looking back, it’s hard to believe the stunts he tried and succeeded at, let alone the disasters, from the seat of an Ironhead Sportster and the pogo stick suspension of the day.

If you’re interested in a field study on how the quality of life could be affected after falling down repeatedly at high speed, this might be the one to archive.