David LaPlante

"Perception Is a Critical Factor in Attracting Expanding Companies" - Expansion Management Magazine; Reno, Nevada Named in Top 50 Hottest Cities

Expansion Management Magazine just named Reno of of the "2007 AMERICA'S 50 HOTTEST CITIES"! In it, they call out that "Perception Is a Critical Factor in Attracting Expanding Companies." Yep. Perception is reality. Sometimes we call that branding ;-)

In their annual poll of 80 prominent corporate site location experts, Reno, Nevada ranked in the top 50 out of 360+ metros to arrive at their list of the best places to expand or relocate a business.

Congratulations to EDAWN for their continued success in managing the perception of the Reno. Perhaps the unsung hero here is the RSCVA. If it weren't for their relentlessly drumbeating our outdoor adventure and diverse gaming+ activities, Reno's profile would be much less. Furthermore, their open dialog with EDAWN about leveraging tourism and economic development messages together has really given this region legs to stand on.

My prediction: Northern Nevada will start to emerge over the next 10 years as one of the more "green" economies to live/operate in as the University of Nevada, Desert Research Institute, the State and the numerous homebuilders and commercial developers create a catalyst of profitable and attractive opportunities for living and business expansion. I've been privy to a lot of the discussions going on and it's really exciting.

In ten years we could be recognized as the #1 "green" city for business and living. Easy? No. Doable? Yes.

  Technorati : branding, development, economic, edawn, expansion, growth, management, ncet, nevada, perception, quality, relocation, reno, reputation

Steve & Drew's Reno Adventure

                 

A great example of consumer-generated media consistent with Reno-Tahoe brand (sans the bathrobes).

Logan's Self Portrait: Spyder & Rossignol Win the Kindergarten Brand War

Logan's Self Portrait
Originally uploaded by dave_laplante.

I love this...So I was flipping thru all of Logan's kindergarten writings and came accross this self-portrait he drew last year. Note the SPIDR jacket and the ROSinNL logos...Spyder and Rossignol should be proud of their brand marketing awareness amongst the 6-year old skier crowd! Not sure if he meant himself to be inverted or if he just drew on the paper upsidedown.

Personal Branding Makeover Winner of the Century...Al Gore? Plus: Why Nevada Made the Internet

As I am writing this post, this video (below) starring Bender of Futurama with Al Gore promoting Gore's new movie -- An Inconvenient Truth -- has been viewed ~800,000 times on YouTube. I bet it will surpass a million by Friday. It's hilarious.

Asides from the fact that Bender is in (my opinion) his better-than-the-Simpsons-near-perfect-post-modern-sarcastic-humorous form ripping on Al Gore is that Al Gore is a willing participant. And this, my friends, leads me to the primary purpose of this post:

Despite your political leanings (folks this ain't about R vs D which is too 1.0 for my taste anymore), if you look at what Al " I invented the Internet" Gore has accomplished and recovered from since his stoic Veep days, he has absolutely and without a doubt won my vote as the Personal Brand Makeover winner thus far this century. (I know...too soon to call and I won't be around to call it in 94 years!)

He's absolutely been a brilliant example of diligence and recovery. [Update: Shortly after I posted this I quite by accident stumbled on a wonderful story posted only a few moments a go by Renee Blodgett. Seems we're thinking real similar tonite!]

[Side note: Unfortunately I predict that too many folks who will read this post will have their default (R) or (D) glasses on and it will distort the merit of this post and miss my point entirely. So if you think with your Partisan, click away now!]

While we all know Al Gore didn't invent the Internet, he sure knows how to use it to market himself! Releasing this video is brilliant. Self-depreciating humor is the #1 way to gain trust. Entertainment is the best form of maintaining attention. And surrounding the whole concept with a near perfect (almost wrote text book LOL!) Web 2.0 marketing initiative is brilliant. The Web site is great purely from an execution perspective.

One of the reasons I blog is this Web 2.0 initiated environment of "connecting" with people by being honest, forthcoming and personal. As a CEO of a business, a 1.0 attitude would be for me to take excruciating pains to build a personal brand that is perhaps "not who I am" by diverting people's attention from "the real me" and building an alter-ego.

Today, however, I am quite comfortable being a CEO that leverages his personal blog to publish my honest and forthright dialog (uncensored by my PR agency) in the public blogoshpere and display proudly my affinity for cheap beer, fat skis and thin expensive Tablet PCs. The 1.0 expectation of old is that I would minimally fake a rant and rave about my wine cellar, Lexus or my golf game! In fact, I prefer to rant and rave about a lot of very non 1.0 CEO things like publicly adoration and prioritizations of my family over my business (shudder!) and even go as far as to admit to playing hooky on a powder day!

But that's really better left for another post on personal branding in the 2.0...back to Al Gore:

It's unfortunate that the R's get branded as being environmentally unfriendly all the time and that the D's are by default all tree hugging hippies. I certainly hope that Al Gore rises above the typical (and expected) R vs. D slam-fest cycle and keeps this dialog above "partisan politics". I don't think that the R vs. D debates of old will survive the online social communities of the 2.0 world. R vs. D is a very "binary" dialog and ultimately a dead end. The reality is that the world is very gray and that the MySpace Generation may be the first generation to become adept at Fuzzy Thinking.

I often joke that " Nevada made the Internet". The fact is that 87% of the US's gold production comes from here and pretty much every mineral necessary or essential to make a motherboard, cell phone, router, laptop or PDA comes out of the ground here. Demonizing the mining industry for supporting the demands of the technology industry is -- and always has been -- lame.

Nevada is a mining state and we unfortunately bear the burden of being depicted as an "environmentally unfriendly state" because of that. Making the Internet is a mineral and natural resources intensive business and if you're reading this then you owe a bit of thanks to Nevada.

Mining IS dirty. 'Them 'thar minerals are in the dirt. But my recent experience is that nothing could be further from the truth at this point with regards to the motivations of the mining industry. I don't think that there isn't a mining company in this state that isn't eyeballing the opportunities to participate in the alternative energies/fuels/resources business in some fashion. In fact, I bet more-than-our-fair-share of investment capital and federal incentives ( Reid/ Ensign) raised/appropriated on alternative energies, fuels and resources ends up being directed here to-wards the "Silver State". In other words, there's gold in 'them 'thar hills and it's in the form of Al Gore driven demand for keeping this planet alive and healthy and the Adam Smith-loving investors seeking returns on their dollars. (I liken the Biodieselmania to the Moonshine economy of the Prohibition.)

Here's my prediction: from a state branding perspective, expect Nevada to emerge over the next five years as the the most environmentally relevant state in the nation! As long as the mining companies don't think like Amtrak and think more like Microsoft we'll see some interesting innovation soon...

Your thoughts?

Technorati : Al Gore, An+Inconvenient+Truth, entertainment, humor, movies, personal branding, youtube
Del.icio.us : Al Gore, An+Inconvenient+Truth, entertainment, humor, movies, personal branding, youtube

Fighting, Cheating, Pushing & Pulling My Way to Victory

Exactly two weeks left until the 14th Annual Tour De Nez and the Clunker Classic. I've got some good cheatin' planned this year. I've been going to this race since the 2nd annual and have only missed the 6th and the 10th annual events. IMHO, perhaps one of the best events in Reno and perhaps best cycling event in the USA.

Here's the press release:

The Tour de Nez Clunker Classic challenges riders to Fight, Cheat, Push and Pull their way to the Finish Line

Drinking and other inappropriate behavior heavily encouraged

Reno/Tahoe (Summer 2006)-The Tour de Nez Clunker Classic, a one mile bike race that supports cheating, fighting, drinking and debauchery, takes to the streets in Truckee, Tahoe City and Reno on June 22nd-24th as part of the 14th Annual Tour de Nez, a celebration of cycling.

Designed for those riders and cycling enthusiasts who will never compete in any sort of pro bike racing, the Tour de Nez Clunker Classic embodies the spirit of the Tour de Nez and its festival-like atmosphere. Anything with two wheels and weighing over 35 pounds qualifies (the judges can be bribed with beer) -Choppers, Low Riders, Sting Rays, Tall Bikes and Swing Bikes are all encouraged to enter, but be warned, pushing, pulling and fighting is probably the only way to win.

"The outlaw segment of this year's Tour de Nez; "the Clunker Classic" is really upping the ante," said race promoter and Supreme Commander Tim Healion. "We're taking what has traditionally been a single lap around the criterium course in Reno, NV and turning it into a three day series in Reno, Tahoe City and Truckee. Again for this year, cheating is absolutely advised."

The competition is still fierce, with a 12 pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon being awarded to the winner, but history has proven that many competitors still never make it to the finish line, getting waylaid instead at the many watering holes lining the course.

Started 14 years ago to celebrate the anniversary of Reno's first coffee house, Deux Gros Nez, the Tour de Nez has grown from a Masters Twilight Criterium to a three-day party in Truckee, Tahoe City and Reno. Revelers will enjoy live music, belly dancing, bike demonstrations, mint juleps, bike decorating contests, face painting and a world full of bike madness and mayhem. Highlights of this year's Tour de Nez will air on a one-hour show on the Outdoor Life Network. Fat Tire Amber Ale and Reno-Tahoe America's Adventure Place present the Tour de Nez. For more information contact 775-287-3599 or visit www.tourdenez.com.

Side note:

This will be Logan's 4th year and Cody's 3rd year racing in the Kid's Race. Here's some shots of them from 2003, 2004, and 2005 (photos by David LaPlante):

Technorati : bicycle race cycling clunker schwinn classic Reno Deux+Gros+Nez Tour+De+Nez Reno Nevada

MTV Gets It: Content for the Short Attention Span Generation

So Randy Kennedy at the NY Times wrote an amazing and well thought-out analysis of why MTV will not die (MTV turns 25 this year), but will adapt and transmogrify to survive perhaps another 25 years on the third screen.

I'm something of a freak and a modern-day wonder in that I have somehow made it to this ripe 30-something age without ever having a cable subscription. I was never addicted to and had to have"my MTV"...

I have, however, in the last year become a "video snacker" of MTV podcasts. I've been socially aware of my pop-culture surroundings for the last 25 years to know who Kurt Loder is. Without these MTV Podcasts tho' I'd never know who Sway is.

Here's some choice quotes from the NYT article to get you to read it:

"Short-Attention-Span-Theater Consumers in one test said that any show longer than three minutes was simply too long."

"Even now, in its infancy, mobile video is starting to make the very definition of television, as a place where people watch "shows" on "channels," sound pleasantly anachronistic, like a description from an old issue of Popular Mechanics."

"MTV's research seems to support Calloway's impressions, showing, for example, that more than 40 percent of the network's viewers use phones with text-messaging ability."

"People prognosticating about this world talk a lot about "video snacking," with all the implications for brevity and empty calories that the term suggests."

______________________________

End notes:

As I finish up posting this, Logan (age six) comes bouncing in to the house from Yoga with mom . He sees my iPod on the table, snags it, plugs in headphones and navigates to all the ESPN X-games content and starts watching it. He can barely read but he can navigate, access and enjoy content on my iPod. NOTE: He's sitting 6 feet away from a large TV that he could have had on in 2 seconds. He would rather watch the iPod.

A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person.

A wonderful article in USA Today on how CEOs look at how others treat waiters as a guage of character. This is true. And we all know it. I've made many mental notes on people based on this.

Growing up at a ski resort where Texans flush with oil money came to town by the hundreds taught me this lesson early in life. Working in my parent's ski shops getting mistreated by folks every night made quite an impression on me.

The article talks about Swanson's Rules. This is the first time I've heard of these but they are awesome. I see people blowing #18 every day in my email Inbox.

SWANSON'S UNWRITTEN RULES

1: Learn to say, "I don't know." If used when appropriate, it will be used often.
2: It is easier to get into something than to get out of it.
3: If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much
4: Look for what is missing. Many know how to improve what's there; few can see what isn't there.
5: Presentation rule: When something appears on a slide presentation, assume the world knows about it and deal with it accordingly.
6. Work for a boss to whom you can tell it like it is. Remember, you can't pick your family, but you can pick your boss.
7: Constantly review developments to make sure that the actual benefits are what they were supposed to be. Avoid Newton's Law.
8: However menial and trivial your early assignments may appear, give them your best effort.
9: Persistence or tenacity is the disposition to persevere in spite of difficulties, discouragement or indifference. Don't be known as a good starter but a poor finisher!
10: In doing your project, don't wait for others; go after them and make sure it gets done.
11: Confirm the instructions you give others, and their commitments, in writing. Don't assume it will get done.
12: Don't be timid: Speak up, express yourself and promote your ideas.
13: Practice shows that those who speak the most knowingly and confidently often end up with the assignment to get the job done.
14: Strive for brevity and clarity in oral and written reports.
15: Be extremely careful in the accuracy of your statements.
16: Don't overlook the fact that you are working for a boss. Keep him or her informed. Whatever the boss wants, within the bounds of integrity, takes top priority.
17: Promises, schedules and estimates are important instruments in a well-run business. You must make promises — don't lean on the often-used phrase: "I can't estimate it because it depends on many uncertain factors."
18: Never direct a complaint to the top; a serious offense is to "cc" a person's boss on a copy of a complaint before the person has a chance to respond to the complaint.
19: When interacting with people outside the company, remember that you are always representing the company. Be especially careful of your commitments.
20: Cultivate the habit of boiling matters down to the simplest terms: the proverbial "elevator speech" is the best way.
21: Don't get excited in engineering emergencies: Keep your feet on the ground.
22: Cultivate the habit of making quick, clean-cut decisions.
23: When making decisions, the "pros" are much easier to deal with than the "cons." Your boss wants to see both.
24: Don't ever lose your sense of humor.
25: Have fun at what you do. It will be reflected in you work. No one likes a grump except another grump!
26: Treat the name of you company as if it were your own.
27: Beg for the bad news.
28: You remember 1/3 of what you read, 1/2 of what people tell you, but 100% of what you feel.
29: You can't polish a sneaker.
30: When facing issues or problems that are becoming drawn-out, "short them to the ground."
31: When faced with decisions, try to look at them as if you were one level up in the organization. Your perspective will change quickly.
32: A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person. (This rule never fails).
33: Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, an amateur built an ark that survived a flood while a large group of professionals built the Titanic!
Postscript: The qualities of leadership boil down to confidence, dedication, integrity and love.

Drinking & Debauchery in Reno-Tahoe with #1 Podcast Diggnation

The boys from Diggnation -- Kevin Rose, Alex Albrecht, Keith Harrison and David Prager -- came to Reno-Tahoe for the first ever/annual Diggnation fan appreciation / skiing / snowboarding / drinking / blackjack / overeating / hungover party.

I think pretty much everyone left with either damaged livers or sore legs or both from all the partying and skiing/snowboarding. A sign of a truly good time.

I've posted a Flickr photo set here.

The Diggnation Episode #38 podcast is posted here. It will go down in history as a classic. Just watch this episode and you will realize why podcasting is such a "real medium". It doesn't get any more real than this!

Diggnation promo's Reno-Tahoe

Gotta download and listen to Diggnation Episode #30 whereby we (Diggnation, Twelve Horses and the Reno-Tahoe destination) make Podcasting history. The first technology podcast to promote a vacation destination is in the iTunes can! Listen to the last 5 minutes...

What will be interesting here is the response rate...stay tuned!

BASE Jumping in Reno

This is awesome branding and PR exposure for Reno. Pictures here.

RENO, Nev. (September 9, 2004) – Reno is out to prove Reno-Tahoe is America’s Adventure Place. In partnership with Red Bull, five Reno hotel casino properties will serve as the launch pads for four elite, air savvy professionals for the nation’s first multi-person, multi-tower legal base jumps (see above schedule). The professionals demonstrate a high level of skill, bravery and challenge as part of the nation’s premier aerobatics exhibition team—Red Bull Air Force B.A.S.E. Jumpers. “We take the America’s Adventure Place brand seriously and working with Red Bull and the Red Bull Air Force on these jumps provides an incredible opportunity for our region to be positioned differently in the eyes of the consumer,” said Deanna Ashby, executive director of marketing for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority.

---