Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Banner Ad from Hell

Those banner ads with the dancing figures are so so bad...but, since they aren't germane to my industry, I just shake my head and move on.

This one, however (and caught by Dave Wilkie at Where's My Jetpack), is simply beyond comprehension.

I know I'll never know...but I so want to know how many clicks this banner generated.

My guess is under 20.

Greetings from Upper Crustacia

Forget geo-political boundaries. Rick Meyerowitz  nails the new America with this map (click to enlarge) that accompanies the New York Times' review of "The Big Sort" by Bill Bishop.

My favorites are Dobbs (along the Grande), West and East Hummerland and Nimby and New Nimby in the Northeast. Yours?

But, how will the electoral votes be redistributed?

Thanks to Richard Florida for the catch...

Rock Port is Greener than You Are

Granted, it's a small town in Iowa. But you gotta hand it to any city that goes completely off the grid and powers the whole town with the wind.

From CoolTown Studios, Rock Port's four $90 million, 1.25 MW wind turbines produce an incredible 16 million kilowatt hours annually...and leave 3 million kilowatt hours in excess.

I'm so impressed....

One More on American

Hey, I understand how hard it is to run an airline today. But that doesn't excuse the kind of thinking that ISN'T happening in the American Airlines war room. Their ham handed attempt to fleece a modest $15 per bag per flight will assuredly cause delays in boarding, consumers that will walk and a PR disaster.

But, hubris reigns supreme.

Hours after the announcement of the new first bag surcharge, I received my May edition of the American Airlines AAirmail. No mention of what has just been announced. Instead, I'm informed that "American Airlines is continuously working to improve your travel experience."

Apparently not.

It also announces new introductory fares to Central Wisconsin.

OK...I live a couple hours from that airport. My question is...did every subscriber in the nation get this offer, or just those of us in Wisconsin? And, if it is the latter, don'tcha think I'd rather drive than have you nickel and dime me again (not to mention go through the hassle of security and being stuffed into a plane that is configured for 30% more passengers than it should be?

More on American's Folly

Nothing kind can be found in the blogosphere this week regarding American Airlines' announcement that it will begin nickel and diming customers for even their first checked bag next month.

Gadling's Grant Martin took it even further by assessing a different kind of impact such a move will produce:

"Now, since nobody wants to pay an extra 15$, everyone is going to want to bring their luggage aboard, overhead compartments are going to jam up, people with giant luggage are going to clog up space and passengers are going to get testy.

Of course the new rule doesn't apply to elites, but as several people on the underground pointed out, it really affects everyone on the aircraft. If the overhead compartments are full and the flight spends an extra 15 minutes on the ground sorting out luggage issues and appeasing passengers, the entire plane is late, right?"

Dead on...and why we'll need aggressive enforcement of Air Law 5.

Image of duct taped overhead bins (which is what will be needed) from Andy's Blog.

AA to Charge for our FIRST Bag, Too

From the American Airlines website: "We are dedicated to making every flight you take with us something special."

Well done, Sparky. Your announcement yesterday that you will be charging for EVERY bag certainly qualifies. And, I bet your gate agents are just as excited as they await the shit-storm of abuse they'll be getting starting June 15th.

AA CEO Gerard J. Arpey said he expects the new fees will raise several hundred million dollars, but that was the best estimate he would give. Why? Cause you haven't thought this through? Cause you don't want somebody to challenge your math? Cause you think we're stupid enough to believe you?

He went on to say that the fees are "an effort to get customers to pay for services they want."

Or that they expect.

Of course, I expect this kind of business acumen from these guys. But what are you gonna do with all those pretty signs you printed in March. Or yeah, print corrective stickers to go over the "First Bag Free" message.

Sad.

This is So Not Good for Tourism

There are three people that could become President of the United States. On Monday, one of them again showcased his unfortunate lack of understanding of the importance of the travel and tourism industry.

When asked by Roger Dow, Jonathan Tisch, Chicago Mayor Daley and others to support the creation of a Federal Tourism Policy, John McCain reportedly "listened intently." But, he only voiced support for upgrading the nation's air traffic control system.

Of course, he didn't have to do anything more than listen intently. He knows the travel and hospitality rarely votes in its self-interest.

We so need an independent candidate that understands the fiscal, social and international branding importance of tourism.

Like Jesse Ventura.

Waiting for the World to Change

Waiting in an interminably long loop to talk to a real person about luggage that had been misrouted to another destination, I couldn't help but laugh when the on-hold music began to play John Mayer's "Waiting for the World to Change."

I laughed...'cause I know it never will.

Get Your Head out of the Sand

When the first ever Palm Beach County Tourism Summit was being designed, organizers expected Dale Brill, Duane Knapp and me to be the speakers that challenged and provoked the audience.

While I'm sure we three did our fair share, it was Berthia Parle (former Chair of the Caribbean Hotel Association) that tossed the real gauntlet before the 300 that gathered last week.

"Make no mistake," she said (in that delightful St. Lucian lilt), "we're a sleeping giant that has awakened, and we're coming after your business."

And, as she closed her presentation, she exhorted the audience to "take your heads out of the sand. Get up, wake up and make it happen."

Berthia, you rock...and it was such a pleasure to meet and work with you last week. And I can't wait to visit you at the Bay Gardens Beach Resort.

Super 8 Keeps its Colors...and Goes Italic

At an industry conference the other day, talking with a fellow destination marketing pro, when the conversation turned to the recent attempts to rebrand legacy hotel chains. When we talked about the oh-so subtle logo change for Days Inn last year, he quipped, "Well, at least Motel 6 is sticking to their retro look."

Ummm, I guess not.

This just in from the Motel 6 mothership: "President John Valletta said introduction of the new logo was the final step in a multiyear revitalization effort...to stay ahead of the competition in an increasingly competitive market.”

As with Days Inn, the new logo was designed to exactly fit in the frame of existing roadside signs to save money on the deployment of the new look. Which is smart for the bottom line, but challenging when trying to redesign an iconic look...