The concert was a huge success and all the photos from the show are on the link below.
http://ent2.excite.co.jp/music/africamission2008/livereport.html?no=65#main_top

“The best companies know, without a doubt, where the real productivity comes from. It comes from challenged, empowered, excited, rewarded teams of people. It comes from engaging every single mind in the organization, making everyone part of the action, and allowing everyone to have a voice in the success of the enterprise.”
- Jack Welch, Chairman and CEO of General Electric

In innovative companies today dialog replaces debate, as debate is a carryover from a power hierarchy. Dialog enhances the individual and team learning and keeps focus on the issue and direction. In a dialog, people are invited to become a part of something. This focus shifts from reacting to creating. To re-engineer is to fix a fixed paradigm.

To unleash the creative energies of individual and group potential, leads to unlimited potential. The organization actually takes on a life of its own, empowering the members within. This shared enrollment provides a competitive edge leading to prosperity and reward for hard work.

Someone answered once they need one…in this day and age I was happy to reach all my daughters by cell…so I agree with that answer but have you all seen the youtube video where the cell phones actually pop a kernel of popcorn while they are ringing? makes you think about having it at your ear all day!

   

I just answered this Featured Question, you can answer it too!

On February 17th 2006, Tokyo saw the opening of the first ABSOLUT ICEBAR outside of Europe. The project is a collaboration between ABSOLUT, ICEHOTEL and Carrozzeria Japan. The ABSOLUT ICEBAR TOKYO is located in Nishiazabu/Tokyo.

Significantly, everything in the new ABSOLUT ICEBAR will come from the same source. Purity of quality at origin is essential to the ABSOLUT ICEBAR: Just as ABSOLUT produces all of it’s vodka in Ahus, southern Sweden, all the ice present at ABSOLUT ICEBAR TOKYO will come from the Torne River, from whose crystal clear ice the ICEHOTEL has also carved.

ABSOLUT is a creative brand and is always striving for the unexpected. The ABSOLUT ICEBAR is a perfect example of how ABSOLUT, as a brand can offer a unique experience that could not have been delivered by anyone else,” says Michael Persson Senior Marketing Director at V&S Absolut Spirits in Stockholm

“We know, from our experiences at ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjarvi, that our concept of working with ice environments are very much appreciated by our Japanese guests and therefore we are especially pleased to now be able to present this unique experience right in the heart of Tokyo”, says Agnetha Lund, Director ICEBAR International.

The new ABSOLUT ICEBAR will host up to 50 guests at a time. As the bar contains an environment of -5 degrees centigrade where everything – from the walls, bar and artwork to the glasses that holds the ABSOLUT cocktails – is made from crystal clear Torne River ice, guests will be provided with specially designed capes and gloves on arrival. The bar is developed according to exactly the same concept, and with the same ice, as the bar at ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjarvi, giving the visitors a chance to experience the icy cool of the Lappish winter throughout the year.

“I read a newspaper article about the opening of ABSOLUT ICEBAR STOCKHOLM two years ago at a hotel in Stockholm. It captured my attention and I felt I had to visit it immediately.. The beauty and purity of ice inspired my ideas, and also ABSOLUT ICEBAR’s values of originality and authenticity impressed me. I am sure the people of Japan will enjoy the experience of the exclusive trip from Tokyo-metropolitan to Lapland- Jukkasjarvi”, says Minoru Ohba, President for Carrozzeria Japan Co., Ltd.

All the ice in the ABSOLUT ICEBAR comes from the Torne River in northern Sweden. The purity of the water and the freezing process in the river creates the remarkable crystal clear ice. The ice is harvested from the Torne River this winter and is transported all the way to Tokyo for the construction of the bar.

ABSOLUT ICEBAR can also be found at the world famous ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjarvi in Sweden, as well as in Stockholm (launched in 2003), Milan (launched 2004) and London (launched 2005). The ABSOLUT ICEBAR TOKYO is the first ABSOLUT ICEBAR to launch outside of Europe.

The partnership between ABSOLUT and ICEHOTEL was brought to international attention with the ABSOLUT VERSACE campaign that was photographed at the ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjarvi in 1994.

Art plays a prominent part in the ABSOLUT ICEBAR, the head designer at ICEHOTEL will invite different artists to create a series of sculptures from the Torne River ice that will be on display in the stunning place. Twice a year a total new design will be created to ensure the guests an experience that is always evolving.

Brandworks is donating their design time and effort to Unesco…here is one of the Africa Mission submissions. they will also work on the Global Earth Summit and World Heritage events.

Sometimes the packaging is everything in marketing a product and that is certainly the case with this innovative can.

It used to be that the only place to get the authentic taste of GUINNESS® Draught beer was down your local pub or bar. Then, in the late 1980s, GUINNESS® Draught In Cans brought your local pub right into your own fridge. Suddenly, cans were cool again.

It’s the revolutionary widget in the cans that does it. The patented GUINNESS® In-Can System is an ingenious award-winning idea.

A tiny plastic widget jets a stream of bubbles into the GUINNESS® beer when the can is opened. I have to admit even though I am not a Guinness drinker that this is an incredible packaging idea that has rejuvenated the brand Internationally where there is not usually a pub down the street like here in Tokyo.

BBDO captured the magic of the Guinness froth in the TVC shown here called “alive inside.’ The cinematography is incredible.

Activate will stream the Guru from Paramount’s new film to 3G phones in Japan before the movie in launched here. The Guru will give advice on Love via video on the 70 million 3G enabled phones…I will post it when it is built.

The business model of American idol is incredible…

It is beyond a craze or a fad it is an extremely successful business model that specializes in market interactivity.

The formula for this business model is relatively simple, imagine a product, create an audience for the product, make the audience feel responsible for the product, and have the audience create the product. It puts on new spin on the old adage, “If they build it they will come.”

As a business model, the American Idol formula eliminates much of the risk normally associated with putting new products on the market. When Kelly Clarkson won the first contest the show’s audience had, through the process of voting for her over a several month period, already found the star they wanted and decided on the appropriate style to match.

When her first single appeared shortly after she was elected, those fans were more than happy to make it a number one title because, after all, they had helped create it.

It’s not hard to invest in something that you were a part of all along. This season 95 million voters had a hand in the selection of David Cook…I am sure his first album will be a double platinum seller…hey forget about the record sales imagine the ad dollars earned with that size of an audience, Coca-Cola, Ford and Apple iTunes!

Simon Fuller the producer and creator from 19 is a genius…I met him here in Tokyo before season 1…he knew then he had a great concept.

The business model has applications apart from the recording industry especially now we so much web interactivity. I hope to apply this model to many more projects soon.

On Mandela Day I thought I should repost this photo album.
There is still so much poverty…the most shocking thing was huge power lines overhead Soweto but NO power and no water even though there are water sources and pipes next to the village! What is going on?

Coming soon…but here is a good example where the viral aspect of communication is extremely powerful…this animation has been seen or shared by more than 8 million viewers on YouTube alone…it is a bit like “pay it forward” if even a small percentage of the YouTube views shared this it is over 10 million views by now…

so many bloggers have said they are giving up on boys or girls this summer…this is for them.