ICSC Goes Holiday. Good News from Retail Gurus.

What an evening I just shared with friends and colleagues in the retail and shopping center industry on Oahu, Thursday, November 29th. It was the annual International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) holiday gathering. This year the event was hosted by Ed Kenney of Downtown, the restaurant in the Hawaii State Art Museum. The best and the brightest attended. Bringing to market the new and the most fabulous retail ideas from the movers and shakers in Hawaii today. How? Through cocktails and pupu, of course.

Doug Smoyer, the czar, was there. Also Fred Noa, Jessica Fodor, Al Cottrall, Todd Hedrick, Bill Brizee, Ann Kutaka, Dave Erdman, Rod Tam—to name just a few. Barbara Campbell—our ICSC State Director did an amazing job. Sharon James, Matt Derby, Diane Bruce of GGP—what a gift to be with them and to have them provide so much fun for the event. There were just too many good folks to call each out, individually, so if I've not mentioned you, please forgive me. The stars were out. And I was blinded by the light.

The good news is the new developments. From what I learned tonight from the heavy hitters, our new developments are being so carefully designed to be eco friendly, transit friendly, family friendly, on all islands. As in, if you live in Kapolei, you should be able to work in Kapolei and not drive three or more hours each day. The Second City—remember that concept? Well, it's happening finally.

The shopping center development and marketing folks have their work cut out for them on all islands, but they have a good game plan. I feel confident they'll make it happen.

Happy Holidays. Film at 11.

Happy Thanksgiving Every Day.

Thanksgiving. What a wonderful time to reflect on who we are and what we really cherish in life.

I wish you all the most wonderful holiday season. And I wish for all of us—the US, the planet, and all of us inhabitants of this beautiful Earth, a season of reflection and remembering of how important we all are to one another. We can't do it without one another.

May every day be a day of thanksgiving for what we have and for what we wish to become. And may we always remember that we are in this together.

Aloha mai kakou

Online, Bloggers, & Social Media, Oh My.

Time was (two years ago), an advertiser could advertise extensively in traditional media to reach the target audience. A company and its ad agency could research, write the plan, produce brilliant creative, buy the time and the space. Pay the price. And gauge all of this by CPMs (cost per thousands reached by your message), CPHs, etc. Today, it's all about new media, folks. And a chance to break out of the box. And gain so much more.

Online media and blogs give you a cultural heads up with your respective target audience. They deliver a passionate audience, interested consumers who pass things on to other interested consumers. Viral marketing is so impactful. We're talking word of mouth endorsements, here. You're talking with people who appreciate being talked with and and not to. They get it that you and your product are listening more to them and talking less. Plus, this allows you an invaluable online, immediate research tool via the web.

Bloggers and bloggettes (my word) allow a marketer a connected audience, one-on-one conversations, people who actually are interested in your product, a social audience. This consumer is with you. Talking to them is so 15 minutes ago. Talking with them is so now.

For new information on this, visit webpronews.com's latest coverage of the Las Vegas "Blogworld & New Media Expo" at http://videos.webpronews.com/2007/11/13/blogworld-and-new-media-expo-chris-brogan-of-podcamp. Or just go to webpronews.com and search. Go for it.