The Veronicas' Last Stop, in Philly

This post is for Veronicas fans, people who appreciate live music, and those who get a kick out of half-naked band members' pranks... I've said too much.

My Friday night / belated birthday celebration was at the TLA (Theater of the Living Arts) on South Street in Philadelphia. Australian twin sisters Jess and Lisa Origliasso of rock/pop group The Veronicas put on a great show, the last of their Revenge Is Sweeter tour in the US.

Carney & TheArt made a special appearance during 'Heavily Broken' - a quiet and beautiful song turned... well, just watch. I chose this version for the sound quality (you can hear the girls over the fans, unlike some of the other videos).

Enjoy the whole playlist here. Lyrics for 'Heavily Broken' below:

Everyday I sit here waiting
Everyday just seems so long
And now I've had enough of all the hating
Do we even care, it's so unfair
Any day it'll all be over
Everyday there's nothing new
And now I just try to find some hope
To try and hold onto
But it starts again
It'll never end

I'm heavily broken
And I don't know what to do
Can't you see that I'm choking
And I can't even move
When there's nothing left to say
What can you do
I'm heavily broken
And there's nothing I can do

Almost giving up on trying
Almost heading for a fall
And now my mind is screaming out
I've gotta keep on fighting
But then again
It doesn't end

I'm heavily broken
And I don't know what to do
Can't you see that I'm choking
And I can't even move
When there's nothing left to say
What can you do?
I'm heavily broken
And there's nothing I can do
And there's nothing I can do

Feels like I'm drowning
I'm screaming for air
(Screaming for air)
Louder I'm crying
And you don't even care

I'm heavily broken
And I don't know what to do
Can't you see that I'm choking
And I can't even move
(What can I do)
When there's nothing left to say
What can you do
I'm heavily broken

I'm heavily broken
And I don't know what to do
Can't you see that I'm choking
And I can't even move
When there's nothing left to say
What can you do
I'm heavily broken [x3]

Procrastination via Daft Punk

Did you ever really listen to these words? Did you ever apply them to midterms, exams, your career? Brilliant! Scary! You will be moved, and possibly motivated. Or exhausted.

Work it
Make it
Do it
Makes us

Harder
Better
Faster
Stronger

More than
Hour
Hour
Never

Ever
After
Work is
Over

Work it
Make it
Do it
Makes us

Harder
Better
Faster
Stronger

[Chorus:]
Work it harder
Make it better
Do it faster
Makes us stronger

More than ever
Hour after hour
Work is never over

[Chorus x6]

Work it harder make it
Do it faster makes us
More than ever hour
Our work is

Work it harder make it
Do it faster makes us
More than ever hour
Our work is never over

[Chorus x1]

Work it harder make it
Do it faster makes us
More than ever hour
Our work is

Work it harder make it
Do it faster makes us
More than ever hour
Our work is never over

[Chorus x1]

Work it harder
Do it faster
More than ever
Our work is never over

[Chorus x1]

Watch the original "Harder Better Faster Stronger" clip from the Interstella animated musical film for some context
Watch the "Daft Hands" interpretation or the "Daft Bodies" for some laughs

Where the (pardon my French) hell is Matt? Proper Sponsorship Gets You Going Places.

Stride Gum Spearmint, originally uploaded by StrideGum.

This epitomizes the perfect working relationship between a company (Stride gum) and an individual who demonstrates qualities of their brand (Matt).

Matt posted a video a few years back (2005) doing a silly dance in exotic locations around the world. Being a travel-loving creative myself, I appreciated the concept and apparently a lot of other people did too. Here is the original video:

Because of his quasi-internet success, the Stride gum company (Cadbury Adams USA LLC) approached him in 2006 about taking a second trip and making a new video. Regarding the sponsorship, Matt has posted on his FAQ section. His response is honest, straightforward, and speaks volumes about the people at Cadbury Adams and how they went about this endeavor:

"Help?" I hear you got a sponsorship. What's that about?
The folks at Stride gum were nice enough to support me on my second trip.

Why haven't I heard of Stride before?
Because it's new.

What's so special about it?
The flavor lasts a really long time.

Come on. How long?
Ridiculously long.

Are they paying you to say this?
Nope. Honest.

Did they make you chew gum on your trip?
They didn't make me do much of anything. They are very good people.

Did they tell you where to go?
Nope. They said, and I'm quoting here:

"We like what you're doing. We want to help you. We don't want to mess with you."
These words charmed me, and they stayed true to them.

Did they edit the video for you?
Nope. I came home, put it together, sorted the music out, and slapped it up on the internet. That was pretty much it.
Like I said: good people.

Do you get lots of free gum?
I get lots of free gum.

How did you find them?
They found me.

How do I get sponsored to travel?
I really can't help you with that. Wouldn't have a clue. Sorry.

The results of this sponsorship? YouTube's ratings as of right now speak volumes:
Added: June 20, 2008
Views: 18,277,619
Ratings: 66,312 (five stars average)
Responses: 187 (these are videos posted by others after seeing this one)
Comments: 54,369
Favorited: 114,635 times
Honors: in 34 categories
See for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY&feature=channel

As for Stride, they have a devoted section on their website for his videos, and had their name on a few clips from Matt's second video, as well as numberous links from Matt's content back to them. I have no idea about the impact on their sales, but it certainly got their name out there, got people talking, and even inspired people all over the world. And what more could you hope for in a partnership? It beats brand-sabotaging, individual-sacrificing, corporate-feeling failures. No cheesy taglines from Stride as far as I can see. So props to Cadbury Adams, and to Matt. Way to make a brand really come alive - you both make a traveling marketer proud! :-)

5 Signs That You're a Tech-Savvy Individual

1. You know the difference between a mouse and mice.
2. You know at least the first step in double-sided printing.
3. You can send an e-mail with an attachment, without any attachment.
4. You have thought about saying "lol" out loud, rather than actually laughing.
5. You can put a white sock in the washing machine and take out a pink sock.

For those of us getting a bit stressed out over finals and life. I thought I'd write this to lighten the mood. Pass on if you liked it!

Happy 4th Birthday, Numa Numa Dance!

This is a silly entry with a purpose.

1. The Numa Numa dance has its fourth anniversary tonight, actually at this very moment because I am posting the entry exactly 4 years after the original was uploaded on Newgrounds flash community, back when webcams still pixelated your face if you moved too much.



2. The Romanian, "Dragostea Din Tea" song used in this video was recently resampled in Rihanna's song, "Live Your Life," a credit to its ubiquity and legacy.



3. According to many sources, the Numa Numa video has been seen a few HUNDRED MILLION times around the web, making it one of the most popular "viral" videos of all time (according to a few sources, the second most popular). However, according to other statistics, such as the "NewNuma" channel on YouTube where this was found, Gary Brolsma didn't do as well in subsequent attempts at stardom. I think part of "viral" is how organic it all is. Many marketers are now realizing that you can't PLAN viral. Viral is a thing which occurs, not a thing that is. So, enjoy the laugh and the spontaneous entertainment provided here, and "miia hii miia haa" along.

If that's not enough, read Cesar Brea's "Dissecting Numa Numa" for some in-depth analysis and pondering on whether this Brolsma video may have been a bit more than just a happy accident.

Sorry Dad, I Think I Have Converted

All this Philly energy has got me excited... we'll try again tomorrow!

Sorry dad.

Old School icanhascheezburger

Remember when I posted these Lolcats in June? (A few more to refresh your memory...)

(more animals)

Today, I found something remarkably similar, dating back to the 1900's. It's from an archive at Duke University. The illustration is part of a scrapbook collection of cut & pasted images - who knows where this one came from originally. But the comparison of humor in the 1900's to the humor of today is remarkable - seems we are still fascinated by the inner workings of our pets. Its caption reads, "HA! HA! HA! I'VE EATEN THE CANARY!" Click for a larger view:

Image 35 -- Hawley Scrapbook - Item #SB0058
Emergence of Advertising On-Line Project; F. W. Humphrey and Co.
Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library
http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/eaa/

Although I've never had a cat, I have always wondered what my dog Luci might be thinking. Here's a few images I made for a calendar I gave to my sister last year:

From left: Luci (calm and lazy), Jersey (my cousin's energetic, fiery puppy)

Is it playtime now?

Some things never change. What would your pets say if we could hear them??

Polliwog (Lollipop Remix)

Remember Gullah Gullah island? That Nick Jr. television series from the mid-90's? Laura showed me this video today. It was a much-needed relief from work on the Tri-State marketing plan and IBA web design which I have been working on wayy too much in the past few weeks.

One of the best remixes I have ever heard/seen to a music video, haha:

Original song here.

Now back to Disturbia, just ◊ Shut Up and Let Me Go ◊.

Ice Cweam

I can't believe ice cream trucks are still around. I made this in honor of the one I saw on my street today. I was tempted to buy something from it but resisted the urge to hail it down like a maniac, and went to Cold Stone Creamery later in the day instead. Something about being 20 and buying ice cream from a truck (by myself) just seems wrong. But I'm glad kids still enjoy it - I hope.

CAT got my Tongue

(moar funny pictures here)