Blog Archives

I’m Lovin’ 10:30 Again

“McDonald’s has given us so much. We wouldn’t know when breakfast ends if there was no McDonald’s…Thank you McDonald’s.”
–Jim Gaffigan

Starting today, McDonald’s is giving us the unthinkable in 2015. In short, breakfast norms be damned!

After years of requests and frustration over the pesky 10:30 a.m. barrier that separates us from amazing hash browns and the impossibly delicious french fries, executives at the McDonald’s headquarters are finally releasing the most anticipated toy for their consumers.

Breakfast foods will now be offered all-day long.

To say this is a cultural revolution is both foolish and completely accurate. As is customary in revolutions, consequences will surely follow after the initial glows of success. For instance, longer lines in the drive-thru and inside the restaurant will almost surely happen. Our “usual” go-to meal in the afternoon is being directly challenged by our morning routine. This will cause an initial delay in the “fast part” of fast food.

An Egg McMuffin v. The Premium Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich? Filet-O-Fish v. Fruit & Maple Oatmeal? Hash Browns v. French Fries?

For the latter, here’s the mind-blowing solution: One Hash Brown and a Small Fry.

Boom! Success.

Most importantly, we will never have to experience this hardship again…

If McDonald’s marketing department wanted this campaign to go crazy viral, they would have focused on that memorable video clip that we can all relate to in some way. They could have bought the rights to use that exact clip or, better yet, they should have hired Adam Sandler to re-shoot that scene with a different, happier (but still funny) outcome and a clever tie-in/cameos from the original movie.

That would have been brilliant.

The best marketing and advertising tells a story and in the age of social media, pop culture/comedy icons and ’90s nostalgia, incorporating that scene from the 1999 film Big Daddy would have turned a promotion to the consumer into something we would connect with and share with our friends and family (consumers) voluntarily with excitement that goes beyond ordering food.

Talk about a happy meal.

A Writer, Director and Duct Tape

Nostalgia continues its successful run of being the vision of the future, specifically drawing from the totally awesome ’80s.

“Based on the Richard Dean Anderson starrer that ran for seven seasons on ABC, the CBS take is described as a reimagining of the television series of the same name, following a 20-something MacGyver as he gets recruited into a clandestine organization where he uses his knack for solving problems in unconventional ways to help prevent disasters from happening”
–Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter

Anderson’s Macgyver was the ultimate problem-solver involving things we take for granted, like an ordinary #2 pencil, a gum wrapper and a sponge. Not to mention his trademark haircut that (just a guess) may remain in the hair stylist’s portfolio from the original series.

(ABC)

(ABC)

Will this reboot live up to its high expectations, honoring the spirit and creativity of the original?

As successful shows, reboots, continuations and movie sequels have demonstrated in the past, there are countless alleyways and dead ends to drive into. Still, there is a right way to do these types of projects well, so as to escape the critics who are anxious to pin their targets in an uncomfortable corner.

Luckily for Macgyver, this is the scenario where he’s always thrived…

with a belt, some Twizzlers and a single shoe lace.

Is it Determined To Be (DTB) a Mind-Bender?

(Photo by Stephen Vaughan)

(Photo by Stephen Vaughan, on an elaborately built set for Inception)

“Warner Bros. will release an untitled Christopher Nolan movie on July 21, 2017”
—Dave McNary, Variety

This enticing news broke last night. Because of Nolan’s insistence on working on one film at a time, the drip-drip nature of his top-secret reveals is a genuine thrill to his countless fans around the world. And yes, I’m one of them.

As of right now, we know three things:

  1. The summer of 2017 will be epic!
  2. Hans Zimmer will orchestrate yet another brilliant film score
  3. Michael Caine will be in the movie

As of right now, here are five predictions for the type of movie Mr. Nolan has written and will ultimately direct and produce with his family and team at Syncopy and Warner Bros.:

  • The Afterlife, exploring elements of faith and science
  • A post-apocalyptic thriller, akin to Blade Runner
  • A mind-bender (wait for it…) with a mid-20th century/Hitchcock/Twilight Zone aesthetic with a female lead character
  • The origin story for a new trilogy of a science-fiction favorite that’s not superhero-related
  • James Bond (More of a hope, really, even with Sam Mendes likely done after this year’s Spectre. The summer release date indicates it won’t be 007, this time)

Aside from James Bond, the one franchise he might get his IMAX camera on in the future is Star Wars. He’s publicly stated his love and eye-opening movie-going experience of Star Wars. Creatively, what he would add with his deftness at epic storytelling with gritty realism on the biggest scale with dynamic characters on practical sets elevated by astonishing twists and turns with lightsabers in the ultimate battle of good v. evil, wow.

Imagine that trilogy!

At this point, we simply don’t know. One thing we do know is this movie just became the hottest audition/interview to land in Hollywood.

Although, without a cell phone or email account, Christopher Nolan finds you…and he only looks on the top-shelf.

Fiorina’s Second Debate Win

“In a victory for the former HP CEO, the cable network announced Tuesday that it is amending its rules for qualifying for the Sept. 16 debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library to include all candidates who are polling on average in the top 10 in surveys conducted after the Aug. 6 Fox News debate.”
–Zeke J. Miller (TIME)

This recent development is the sensible response by CNN. Plus, the second Republican debate on September 16th could prove to be the pivotal debate for Carly Fiorina. Why? Her fantastic performance at the “Happy Hour” debate was her first positive introduction to the country and Republican electorate, but now she has high expectations. Mrs. Fiorina has been given the opportunity to articulate her conservative message and vision at the wondrous Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

If Carly Fiorina, in front of Nancy Reagan, can channel the charming wit and grand inspiration of the man for whom the library was built, her ascent in the polls will continue and sustain during the coming months.

To stand out in the house of Reagan, she must not fall victim to or engage in shouted interruptions by desperate poll climbers, but instead rise to inspirational storytelling that illustrates how the United States of America can successfully deal with its dangerous foreign policy threats and how it will rebuild its economic foundation (opportunistic tax reform, spending reductions by focusing on the priorities of the times, structural entitlement reform, a specific plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, legal and illegal immigration, etc.) that will lead to an optimistic (yet attainable) future.

This is her chance at a very rare second first-look. There will be a particularly bright spotlight on Carly Fiorina in how she will deal with the widespread anxiety and turmoil at home and abroad.

What would Ronald Reagan do?

“Peace through strength.”

That seems like a savvy approach for the debate’s venue and for the American people tuning in.