Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Ranking Roger

I remember being turned onto The Beat (known as The English Beat in America) at a Super Bowl Party in Chicago in 1983. As the Program Director for a rock radio station in the metro, that the boyfriend of my girlfriend's sister knew more about cool new music than I (he also turned me on to The Radiators) was, to be sure, disturbing to my ego. But, I'll always treasure those discoveries.

The Beat was a conundrum for rock radio in America (which is why I tell myself I missed them). Mixing Ska, Soul, Punk, Reggae, Rock (and a little Roxy Music), those of us that picked the winners and losers that you would get to hear on the radio were generally on the fence for the first two albums. The third, "Special Beat Service" broke them wide open.

And then, it was over and Ranking Roger and bandmate Dave Wakeling (who once said all bands only have three great albums) pivoted and formed General Public.

The Beat was planning to celebrate 40 years tonight in Santa Cruz. It will be without Ranking Roger, who jumped to the next plane of existence last week.

On this Music Friday, we celebrate his spirit and talent with General Public's cover of the Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There."

Florida's Silly Season Returns

They hafta be joking, I thought when the news began to trickle out of the Sunshine State that its House of Representative was once again targeting Visit Florida for elimination. I mean, Lord Voldemort and many of his White Walkers (I know I’m mixing my blockbusters...but hang with me, here) are no longer members of the Florida House. So, WTF? Their young Republican spawn are taking up the mantle? 

The strange aspect is that members of this year's movement aren't pointing to secret endorsement contracts or DMOs that refuse to turn over staff salary information. They're just done with the agency, apparently. No reason is given for wanting to eliminate their State Tourism Office on October 1. They just want to. Because they think they can.

And, members of the Senate (which have served as the only adults in the room over the past few years) are starting to wiggle. Their counter proposal is to retain Visit Florida, but with a budget cut of about a third. Oh...and then there is the requirement that Visit Florida be barred from promoting any destination that has banned some types of sunscreen. Like the Keys.

No...I'm not kidding. One of the Senators behind the measure actually said, "I don’t want that brand to be changed from the Sunshine State to the melanoma capital of the world. If we’re going to give skin cancer to people they’re not going to come down."

It really is time for people that benefit from visitor spending (and, that would be...ummm, everybody) to start paying attention to who they vote for.

Really.

Smart Companies Do What's Right

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was at the helm of the Greater Madison CVB (today known as Destination Madison) in the early ‘90s. My community was vigorously debating whether to increase the minimum wage. Proponents pointed to hospitality workers as those most vulnerable and most needing the City Council to take immediate and decisive action.

Back then, the Minimum Wage was $5.15/hour. A cadre of Council members wanted to bump it to $7.75/hour. During the public comment portion, the GM of the largest downtown hotel got up to speak. Council Progressives licked their lips in anticipation.

I don’t think he actually used the phrase “bless your hearts,” but, in effect, that’s what he was saying as he explained that housekeepers in his hotel were already making close to $10/hour; that he couldn’t find housekeepers in Madison that would work for Minimum Wage.

I thought of that evening today as I read the piece in Skift Table that reported that McDonald’s has announced it will stop lobbying against Minimum Wage hikes for pretty much the same reason. Most of their stores are starting rookies at $10 or more…because they must to keep their doors open.

While I don’t dispute that there are some players in hospitality that should be paying their people more (a lot more in some instances), smart businesses don’t need Minimum Wage laws to do the right thing. And, those are the businesses that will survive and thrive without the heavy hand of government.

Just sayin.’

Dick Dale

One of the very first to play the Fender Stratocaster (and the King of the Surf Guitar), Dick Dale was a bad ass. I mean, the guy blew up amplifiers...with his ax. Leo Fender once said, "when it can withstand the barrage of punishment from Dick Dale, then it is fit for human consumption."

Learning to play the guitar upside down, he combined Middle Eastern scales and heavy reverb to create a sound that, in 1963, was more innovative than anything around. And, at 81, he was still touring the world, with dates scheduled through this fall.

Unfortunately, Dick finally succumbed to a lifetime of medical issues last weekend...but not before leaving an amazing legacy.

On this Music Friday, we salute a true musical pioneer. This is Dick Dale from 1963 with "Misirlou."

If This is Too Hard...Maybe You Should Just Stop

Over the weekend I received a customer satisfaction survey from a company with whom I do a lot of business.

Because I like this company, I agreed to participate. I filled out an unusually long registration form to participate, clicked "go"...and was greeted with a message that, to complete registration to fill out their survey, I'd have to click on a link in an e-mail I would be receiving.

Sometime within the next 6 Hours.

Let's unpack this: Company desires my time. I agree to provide that time. Company tells me to come back later, assuming my interest won't waver (bad assumption).

This is not a small company for which technology should not be an issue. If they haven't (in 2019) been able to master to simplest of opt-in strategies that take a minute (if not seconds)...maybe they should just accept that this whole internet thing is too complicated and just go home.

Really.

Winners and Losers

That's what the news is all about anymore. Who wins? Who loses?

And, the Mexican government's decision to disband its Destination Marketing program? The loser is Mexico.

Who wins? Puerto Rico...as I explained to Skift's Hannah Sampson.

Doubling Down on American Music

Brand USA (this nation's destination marketing agency) has doubled down on its sensational strategy of using the diversity of American Music to attract international visitation. And, let's be honest...it works domestically, as well.

Starting with "Do You Wanna Dance," Brand USA has added KC and the Sunshine Band's "Boogie Shoes" and the Romantics' "What I Like About You." From destinations all across America in genres that span this great country (blues, pop, rock, country, latin, hip-hop).

On this Music Friday, we're going with our favorite of the bunch: Miami's Xperimento with "What I Like About You."

But, hey? If you're a DMO...shouldn't you be finding your own versions of these classics and joining in the strategy?

Just a thought...

I Love Technology

For all its flaws (e.g., Facebook), technology makes our world better. And, nowhere can this be better exemplified than the joint venture between New Story and Icon to build 3-D printed houses for a fraction of the cost of a traditional build in environments that so need our love.

I can't say it better than this story from Fast Company.

Yeah...I love technology.

The Loss of Brilliance

Without a doubt, one of the most brilliant product launches and success stories of the last decade was Dollar Shave Club.

With an irreverent video and ad campaign, two guys who met at a party and expressed their mutual frustration at the cost of razor blades (honestly, how boring must that party have been?) created a disruptive company that five years later sold for $1 billion. Yeah...pretty freakin' brilliant.

But, the brilliance has dimmed and faded. It has been marginalized by a corporate need to maximize profit at every turn. Not that such a goal is bad. But, for the consumer, it's frustrating.

Let's break it down. I love their razors...but they were showing up in my mailbox too often. I don't typically need 4 razors a month. When I'm home, I tend not to shave. When I'm on the road with clients, I do. So, I had racked up 12 razors...and they just kept coming, month after month after month.

So, I took a break. And, in the time it took to go through those 12 razors, the company sold to Unilever...and now, it wasn't the Dollar Shave Club anymore. It was the $40 Dollars for Razors, Shave Butter, Butt Wipes, Shampoo, Body Wash and Toothpaste Club.

Which is FINE. And I wish them WELL. Really.

But, I keep getting "Come Back" e-mails that offer no path to rejoining the Club I loved unless I agree to the butt wipes and the toothpaste.

Worst? Their $9 for all that stuff starter offer I got today? Fine. Send me a bunch of crap I'll throw away. 4 razors for $9 is still a deal.

But, to get that deal, they'll be sending me the $40 batch of unwanted extras...on March 26. Exactly two weeks from now. And now, I'm paying more for the razors I crave than suffering with the price of store bought.

Dollar Shave Club? You had me at Hello. You lost me when you decided you weren't the Dollar Shave Club.

But, this isn't "goodbye." This is "not now." Show me a path to just buy your razors...and maybe, in time, I'll consider your butt wipes.

Just a thought...

 

Nomadness

One of the most compelling keynotes I've witnessed at Destination International's Annual Conference was Evita Robinson, the founder of Nomadness, an online community for adventurous travelers of color. Today, more than 22,000 members (whose journeys bring in an estimated $50 million to the travel industry annually) are part of the club that carries with it an entrance requirement.

You have to have at least one passport stamp.

This is a great interview, worth your read, from Conde Nast Traveller.