Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

The Knowable Future

One of the bloggers I follow is a guy named Jason Baer (Convince&Convert). His post from yesterday so resonated with me...and elicited a laugh. Because I approach questions in exactly the same way. Google and Wikipedia. And my family always laughs as well, as they watch me reach for my iPhone or laptop when a question with no immediate answer is posed.

You too?

If you're a Destination Marketer, change the title of the post to "The Future of Destination Marketing." Best lines in the post: It strikes me as both exhilarating and terrifying that my children...will live in an age when everything is knowable. No conjecture. No mysteries...Doesn’t the balance of power shift from those that know stuff through study or experience, to those that don’t need to know, but know where to look?

And when we all know where to look, will DMOs be the source of the knowledge the consumer craves?

We'll need to be.

A Fairly Confident Airport

Seen recently at the San Jose International Airport: A banner that says "Whatever You Need, Get it at the Airport."

While I'm sure the folks there are real proud of their offerings...I'm pretty sure that, what I want right now, I can't get at your airport.

Nice try though....

Staying on Brand in Nashville

You gotta hand it to Butch Spyridon and the gang at the Nashville CVB for their very smart and hip program called "Nashville for a Song."

For the past couple years, the Nashville CVB has been dead on with its messaging that has been all about the city's place as one of the music meccas of America. Now, the Bureau is offering a complimentary performance by a professional Music City songwriter for any meeting that books over 101 rooms peak for a minimum of two nights. And that's Grammy-Award Winner Brett James holding the sign.

Talk about turning what would normally be a plea for business into a value-add that reeks of your brand.

Well played, Nashville...

Sweet Ride

Just back from an assignment in Colorado...where I drove the most amazing rental car.

Props to National for acquiring something more than the lame-o, boring standard vehicle. As I scanned the Emerald Aisle selection, my eyes were drawn to this beauty...a recreation of the 70's era Dodge Challenger.

While it drives like a tank...I got more looks, comments and semi-propositions for driving this beast around for 48 hours than I have ever gotten for any car I've ever driven. Simply amazing what a muscle car elicits.

Oh...Now Travel is OK

Congressman Barney Frank has announced that Incentive Travel and Meetings are OK.

Know what? This is the direct result of the US Travel Association's advocacy.

USTA rocks like never before. If you're not a member...you should be.

We're writing our check today.

Turning the Musical Tables

It seems like forever that we have been subjected to listening to watered down rock hits in waiting rooms, elevators and restaurants. Musak (which is now in Chapter 11) was the evil force that had my folks blissfully humming along to songs by Nirvana, Joan Jett and U2 (although, that was kinda funny).

Seether (playing Friday night in Tulsa) has turned the tables, covering the (shudder) Wham hit "Careless Whisper." And they freakin' nail it...and make it their own.

George who?

I feel so avenged.

Clueless Rookies Clog the Line

Last summer, I posted on TSA's attempt to speed the security process for regular customers by creating an "Expert Traveler" lane. The signs for said lane clearly state that this option is for people who fly at least twice a month, travel light and know the rules.

Philadelphia is one of the airports testing out the system. As I breezed into their Expert Line last week, I watched two families of four struggle with their over-the-top-for-carry-on gear and the requirements of showing ID to the agent. I'm pretty sure that, for one of the families, this was their first time ever in an airport.

As the weary agent greeted me, I asked how many clueless rookies he sees in the Expert line.

"You'd be surprised," he said as he looked over his shoulder at the families.

"Or maybe you wouldn't," he said as he watched me sadly shake my head and chuckle.

PHL needs to start vigorously enforcing Air Law 11.

Orlando Sentinel Readers Reach the Tipping Point

For what seems like the past year, the Orlando Sentinel has been slamming the Orlando CVB, demanding governance, managerial and transparency changes in the second largest DMO in the country. Past business practices of the $50ish million organization just don't seem right to the editors at the Sentinel and, by god, they're going to keep harping til they get they footlocker of flesh.

Except that Sentinel readers have suddenly grown weary of the noise. When the story broke of a $9,000 business class ticket to Dubai, the comment section seethed with jealousy (masquerading as indignant outrage). Now, the vast majority of the commenters to the most recent editorial have turned their ire back at the paper.

One of the best posts: "Maybe if the Orlando Sentinel put half of its energy into trying to reform how it does business that it pours into the business of everyone else, they wouldn't be a shrinking, skinny, barely hanging on newspaper like they are today."

Time to move on, folks. This story is over...

OK...We Were just Kidding About That Thong Ban

I guess I totally missed that Sonny Bono (when Mayor of Palm Springs almost twenty years ago) led a movement to ban thongs in his community.

Well, in a down economy, it's amazing how such quaint attempts to thwart Spring Break revelry are tossed out the window. Earlier this year, the city's DMO sent a text message to 55,000 college students saying, "Skip Cabo...come to Palm Springs." And, apparently, over 2,000 will this season.

Best quote from the MSNBC article is from a hungover 19-year old who had spent the night before at a "King and Queen of the Beach Contest" where one of the contestents stripped in front of hundreds of partiers:

"It was real fun, from what I remember."

I'm sure the citizens of Palm Springs are ecstatic...

Are MBAs to Blame?

We gotta find somebody to blame.

A recent article in the New York Times questions whether the way MBA students are taught contributed to the current economic crisis. According to Iconoculture's assessment of the story, some say business schools are too detached from real-world issues, teach students to come up with hasty solutions to complicated problems (and) focus on maximizing shareholder value rather than ethical business leadership.

As if government isn't detached from the real world, produces hasty solutions to complicated problems and focuses on getting re-elected rather than what's right for the country.

Just a thought....