The Morning After

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted on this blog. Life has been somewhat of a whirlwind and I’ve just sort of been hanging on. So, Idol is over and many of us in Kansas City are pretty happy (and have that hometown pride) about the David Cook win — I was very surprised. We shared the finale with some family members and made fun of the cheese factor throughout the entire show, but I’m going to fight the urge and not comment on that.

I find the entire American Idol phenomenon so fascinating. We’ve been watching for 5.5 months (which is sort of sad when you think about it) and then last night I look across the room and both of my twenty-something daughters were on the edge of their seats as they announced the winner. Both of them told me how nervous they were and confessed to having butterflies in their stomachs. I reminded them that the outcome of the show had absolutely nothing to do with them personally, but that didn’t get rid of the butterflies. When all was said and done they were both slightly disappointed in the result, but that was short lived. I’m sure they’ll get up today, go to work and have a very normal day. It’s just another morning, after a fun night of entertainment.

On the other hand, David Cook will wake up this morning to anything BUT a normal day. It’s a very significant morning after for him. The power of the American Idol brand has become a huge force with enormous impact and value (more value for a select few than for the masses). It’s a brand you interact with and become truly engaged with as you get to know your favorite contestant and cast your vote week after week. I’ve seen even the casual watcher become engaged quickly, developing a strong tie to their favorite contestant. So much can be learned from the way this brand has woven itself into the fabric of society. 

So, now that it’s over what’s life like for you the morning after? Have you already forgotten about it? Are you mourning David’s loss, or celebrating David’s victory? I can tell you this: They just added a second American Idol concert in Kansas City, and I’m not going to either show.

Now That’s Service

Last night I had an amazing dinner at a remarkable restaurant in Sedona AZ. We’d eaten there before but last night I was reminded why we enjoy it so much. The setting is somewhat surreal, nestled in the gorgeous red rocks surrounding Sedona. The evening was one of those amazing Arizona nights where the air is spectacular and the atmosphere somewhat magical.

The restaurant itself is somewhat new but has real old-world charm. When my wife and I first ate there in 2004 it was relatively new and undiscovered. Now, four years later reservations are usually required and you’ll likely need to park quite a distance from the door. The fresh bread, accompanied by green chile infused olive oil is a great surprise to your palate and something hard to describe or even imagine. I don’t mean for this to sound like I’m trying to get a job as a restaurant reviewer but it really was an amazing experience. 

The food, wine, atmosphere, setting, everything that comprised the experience of the evening was designed for our pleasure. On top of all of the tangibles was something most of us may consider intangible. However, good service is a mix of the tangible and the intangible. The good service began when we arrived as we were taken to our table with efficiency and it continued throughout the meal and even as we left. The most tangible form of the great service came in response to us commenting on how much we enjoyed the house salad dressing. To that comment our server thanked us but also said they made it available for purchase at the gourmet food shop next door. When we expressed an interest to go next door to buy some he told us the store had already closed for the day, but if we’d like he could get into the store and get some for us. 

He didn’t offer to do this because he had nothing else to do, or because it was going to add a large sum to his tip. He offered because he wanted to be of service and wanted to extend our experience beyond the evening. We left, with our salad dressing in hand, but also with the intent of returning as soon as possible to enjoy another wonderful evening. In the meantime however, we will enjoy the memories, and the salad dressing. Now that’s service!

Morning Song

I noticed something several days ago; every morning when I wake up I’m singing a song. I honestly don’t know if I’ve always done this, if it’s only been in my adult life or just something that has started as I approach fifty (lots of stuff is changing). Some mornings I can explain why I’m singing a certain song. Maybe I heard it the day before while I had Pandora playing at work, or I heard it on my way home. Easier still is when I wake up singing something I heard the night before on American Idol. And, right now at this time in the show’s season that is usually the case for Wednesday and Thursday mornings. 

American Idol has managed to capture the attention of a large segment of the American society. I’m sure there a number of theories out there but I would maintain it’s largely because the brand is so experiential. Sure you can just observe, but even if you’re the coolest of heads watching the show you’ve got your favorite contestant. Go ahead, admit it. You’re engaged! You know right now who you’re hoping goes home the winner, and who you just hope goes home. 

Some of you keep your computer on your lap while you watch the show so you have the the contestants bios at your fingertips. Some go to the website to look at the behind the scenes info and others have purchased your favorite performance on iTunes. Then there are millions of us who have actually cast votes for specific contestants. Regardless of where you are on the American Idol continuum you can’t deny the significance of the experience. Another thing you can’t deny is the intentionality of all things Idol. A brand experience this strong doesn’t happen by accident. 

Perhaps you’re wondering how big of an Idol geek I am, so here are the facts. I try and watch the show every week — I enjoy living vicariously through Simon because I’ve judged several talent shows in my lifetime and was never allowed to speak my mind like he does. I also have my favorite one or two contestants and have cast my votes along the way. I watch the show with my computer nearby, and I’ve watched some of the behind the scenes videos, but I’ve never watched the Ford commercials online. So now you know all of my Idol secrets. What are yours?

 

Now, if I could just figure out why I woke up this morning singing Sunshine On My Shoulder.

Dinner Impossible

I love cooking shows. I know, it might seem a little odd but I love food, cooking and eating. So to watch others cooking is a fun past time for me. It’s interesting what you can learn by watching professionals cook. Tonight I watched Dinner Impossible  on the Food Network. This is a show where professional chef, Robert Irvine has a limited amount of time, in challenging surroundings (or extreme circumstances as he calls them) to cook a meal for his guests. During tonight’s episode he talked about how his passion is to make people happy with food and to give them a great experience. 

What Robert does each week is create a brand experience. He knows his audience (or at least as much as he’s been told) and he knows his brand (his unique style of cooking) and he makes sure that when the two interact they have a satisfying and memorable experience. During tonight’s show people said things like, “he can come back and do this any time” and another said, “this is the best I’ve ever had.” He gave them an experience that matched his brand. What more could you ask for. I’m hungry!

 

So what allows Robert to do the impossible? How can Robert walk into an unknown location and challenging situations and make them work? Turning the impossible into possible. It’s one word; EXPERT. Robert knows his craft so well that he can make things happen in the worst of circumstances, and he actually thrives on applying his expertise under pressure. This applies to other areas of creative expertise as well.

 

This past week I was talking about some young creatives that I know and the comments that were shared with me were something along the lines of, “you can’t rush creativity and force it into some kind of timeframe.” My response; experts can. If you’re an expert you can apply your craft on a moment’s notice. You can create on demand. I’ve seen it over and over again. It’s what separates the experts from those who haven’t fully developed their expertise. Expertise is a process, a journey, and it demands a higher level of applying your craft. Beware, it may not be for everyone. Experts can turn the impossible into possible and they do it on a regular basis.