What would you prefer – something that is flashy and graphically enchanting, or something that is plain? In Entourage talk, would you prefer Vincent or Eric? I think most of us would prefer the enchanting route since we’d like to enjoy doing something while we’re actually doing it.

Seth Godin talks about whether we move towards what is good for us or what we think is good for us. Over on VerticalResponse, the focus is on ensuring a text-based email is delivered along with the HTML version – the “E” version vs. the “Vinnie” version.

As marketers, I think we’re always trying to find a happy medium between these seemingly opposite-ends-of-the-spectrum options – We want our message to be noticed, so we aim for the the flashy message. As customers, we don’t always purchase what we need, but rather what we think we need, maybe buying into the flashy message.

So, where is this happy medium? For me, I think it’s built into what our goals are: if we’re looking for short-term winnings then maybe the flashy approach is best. I mean, we’ll probably get more eyeballs moving towards an image and away from the actual message/text.

But, if we’re in it for the long haul, with both ourselves and our customers, then perhaps dialing down on the images and whiz-bang approach is the right way to go. If a customer buys our services because they think it’s what they need, only to realize they actually needed something different, it might cause more work for everyone in the big picture (and possibly some ill feelings).

Certainly, the message isn’t always the defining point in an interaction, but it’s likely the first step in setting up a relationship.

Great news from Jenn’s winery at the 3rd annual Ramona Valley Wine Competition…

• 2 golds (Seduction and 06 Est Syrah)
• 1 silver (Indian Princess)
• 3 bronzes (Merlot, Sangiovese, Cab on Fire)

6 wines entered, 6 winners!

Congratulations!

Are you watching le Tour de France this year? Versus is broadcasting each stage live on their website, with different methods of watching it – free, for pay, etc.

I used to watch this race religiously, and when they set up a race in San Francisco a number of years back right around the corner from where I was living, I couldn’t wait. I think the doping scandals turned me off for a bit, but I sure am glad I’m following it again this year.

I’m sure every kid that’s ever hopped on a bike and tried to peddle faster than another biker (whether they knew it or not) has to have a spoke-and-wheel emotional resurrection when watching these guys.

I think it’s the terrific camera and commentating angles that reel me in – Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin capture the excitement and make it feel as if you are right there. Plus, the back-and-forth chatting is really enjoyable – whether they are talking about a specific stage, part of the country, or some historical aspect of the race, it’s all good.

Here are a few pictures from the last few stages that I took via screen capture.

I flew Virgin America for the first time, out of Kennedy in New York to San Francisco. I was geared up for a “new” flying experience. It wasn’t anyone’s fault necessarily – I mean, how much can a cross-country flight change?

I’ve heard from a few folks who have flown Virgin and they have all had great things to say about their flights. Maybe I just don’t expect that much out of an airline, or maybe I have come to the realization that the only way to truly make a flight better is to not get on the plane in the first place. Either way, I don’t think there’s much to change about the experience.

Back to Virgin. The purple lighting was cool. The relaxibg music was neat. The personal food / drink ordering system is a nice thought (except that it really doesn’t work since everyone orders at the same time). Of course, the on-board Internet service was the big hook, but do I really need to be online?

We arrived at our destination on time and in good spirits. That’s the service I expected and that’s what I got. The rest of it? Whipped cream on a fudge-frosted cake (when you are on a diet).

A great article on the Small Business Trends website simply reaffirming that when it comes to selling goods and/or services, the customer is always right.

Remember that no one likes to be sold, but people do like to buy.

Make sure to check out the comments, too. Some great pieces of advice from those who have learned first-hand.

Seth’s post today on the tradeoff between risk and reward is spot on. I’m especially in agreement when it comes to that first jump (from point A to point B) – that’s the risk you should be focusing on.

The way I see it, by committing to that first jump – developing a plan, managing the plan, analyzing the plan, resetting the plan, etc. – then understanding it’s reward, the second jump (point B to point C) becomes less risky.

Yeah, there will be new minor risks along the path to point C but since you’ve already gone through this process and can reference previous actions and effects – see plan, above – the risk is reduced, while the reward remains the same.

And taking that first step is rewarding in so many different ways. You’ll become more efficient. You’ll understand your internal operations better. You’ll get to know your staff and their strengths intimately. You’ll even get to know your industry in finite detail (including customers, competitors, vendors, etc.).

As Seth closes:

Riskless is hardly worth your effort.

With the recent passing of Michael Jackson, I couldn’t help but think of the similarities between the King of Pop and Michael Vick – the incredibly talented, incredibly troubled football star.

On the surface, there probably doesn’t seem as if there are many similarities between the two, other than they are (were?) two incredibly gifted entertainers. But what about from a marketing perspective? How similar are they with regards to branding?

Both entertainers seemed to have followed a similar path to a point:

• Immensely talented at a young age
• Recognized talent on a larger stage
• Made an incredible impact on their industry
• Earned many lucrative contracts
• Faced legal issues
• Reputations tarnished in the public eye

This is the point we’re at today, and an inflection point for both entertainers. Michael Jackson’s legacy is now in the hands of his fans – how will he be remembered? No doubt his family and throngs of representatives are going to work to create a positive memory of the troubled star. But it’s out of his hands now.

With Michael Vick, it seems his opportunities are just starting. While his acts were condemned by the press and society (he received more jail time than another NFL player who actually killed another human being), he is starting to work on his image going forward.

In 20 years, how will we remember both of these entertainers? One brand is settling in, while the other is now just forming.

My buddy JR and I were at Tigin after a round of golf to watch the USA v. Egypt game. The more we watched Jay DeMerit play, the more excited we got.

At one point during the game, DeMerit calmly sized up his opponent, then provided a strong, crunching tackle. The opponent just lay there while DeMerit had gotten up and moved on. JR looked at me, with a huge smile, and said “That was an English tackle”.

With today’s Confederations Final against Brazil, I think DeMerit is going to be the key. The USA will probably want Onyewu to stay at home in defense, while DeMerit steps in to break up the play before Kaka and Robinho play a clever one-two.

I just finished the NY Times article on DeMerit this morning – great read. A few quotes that stuck out for me:

He will put his head where other people are not even prepared to put their feet.

- Aidy Boothroyd, Watford Manager

I understand where I am and where I need to go. It comes with being patient and waiting for an opportunity and not being daunted by the task ahead.

- Jay DeMerit

This guy, playing “Beat It” on his flute – great sound!

I guess it takes awhile, but you can now add bloggers as a legitimate source of information, at least according to the FTC:

The Federal Trade Commission…can go after bloggers – as well as the companies that compensate them – for any false claims or failure to disclose conflicts of interest.

So this will make bloggers, commenters, and those associated with providing “tainted” information even more responsible for their content. I would imagine having Google just push their pagerank status down a couple of notches would be enough to curb any kind of nefarious activities.

Maybe Google and the FTC can work out a deal here – the FTC tips Google off to “bad bloggers”, Google drops their pagerank down, and requires the addition of a “few” FTC advertisements on the bad blog.