Comments on: Were going back, back to basics http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2006/01/06/were-going-back-back-to-basics/ Fascinating, Inspiring, Rewarding and Engaging kinded spirits. Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:55:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: DJ http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2006/01/06/were-going-back-back-to-basics/#comment-109 DJ Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:57:31 +0000 http://66.179.63.58/blog/were-going-back-back-to-basics/#comment-109 Er, first Schuyler Brown ain't a he but a she. In the interests of accuracy. She used to work in Verbal Branding at Landor San Francisco. IMHO, the all-time best giveaway was the Cap'n Crunch whistle, for rather unexpected reasons . (from Wikipedia): A blind friend of John Draper [Draper was later nicknamed Cap'n Crunch] named Joe Engressia (now known as Joybubbles) informed him that a toy whistle that was, at the time, packaged in boxes of Cap'n Crunch cereal could be easily modified to emit a tone at precisely 2600 hz—the same frequency that was used by AT&T long lines to indicate that a trunk line was ready and available to route a new call. This would effectively disconnect one end of the trunk, allowing the still connected side to enter an operator mode. Experimenting with this whistle inspired Draper to build blue boxes: electronic devices capable of reproducing other tones used by the phone company. Before they turned to computers, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak made some cash by building these totally illegal blue boxes and selling them in the UC Berkeley dorms. Hence, there is a direct connection between the Cap'n Crunch whistle and that OTHER cult talisman you ALSO wear around your neck, known as the iPod. And now you know the REST of the story.... Er, first Schuyler Brown ain’t a he but a she. In the interests of accuracy. She used to work in Verbal Branding at Landor San Francisco.

IMHO, the all-time best giveaway was the Cap’n Crunch whistle, for rather unexpected reasons .

(from Wikipedia):

A blind friend of John Draper [Draper was later nicknamed Cap'n Crunch] named Joe Engressia (now known as Joybubbles) informed him that a toy whistle that was, at the time, packaged in boxes of Cap’n Crunch cereal could be easily modified to emit a tone at precisely 2600 hz—the same frequency that was used by AT&T long lines to indicate that a trunk line was ready and available to route a new call. This would effectively disconnect one end of the trunk, allowing the still connected side to enter an operator mode. Experimenting with this whistle inspired Draper to build blue boxes: electronic devices capable of reproducing other tones used by the phone company.

Before they turned to computers, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak made some cash by building these totally illegal blue boxes and selling them in the UC Berkeley dorms.

Hence, there is a direct connection between the Cap’n Crunch whistle and that OTHER cult talisman you ALSO wear around your neck, known as the iPod.

And now you know the REST of the story….

]]> By: m http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2006/01/06/were-going-back-back-to-basics/#comment-108 m Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:57:16 +0000 http://66.179.63.58/blog/were-going-back-back-to-basics/#comment-108 thanks for the PF flier memory..... do you know "the stones of Summer" by Dow Mossman..... fun book! thanks for the PF flier memory….. do you know “the stones of Summer” by Dow Mossman….. fun book!

]]> By: Rachel Heym http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2006/01/06/were-going-back-back-to-basics/#comment-107 Rachel Heym Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:56:51 +0000 http://66.179.63.58/blog/were-going-back-back-to-basics/#comment-107 Thank you to olivier blanchard for the links...I am currently trying to convince my governing agency the importance of WOMM, those blog posts were most helpful. I encourage all to click and read! Thank you to olivier blanchard for the links…I am currently trying to convince my governing agency the importance of WOMM, those blog posts were most helpful. I encourage all to click and read!

]]> By: Olivier Blanchard http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2006/01/06/were-going-back-back-to-basics/#comment-106 Olivier Blanchard Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:56:23 +0000 http://66.179.63.58/blog/were-going-back-back-to-basics/#comment-106 JD stole the words right out of my... keyboard. Check this out instead. And this too. JD stole the words right out of my… keyboard. Check this out instead. And this too.

]]> By: Johnathan Dampier http://brainsonfire.com/blog/2006/01/06/were-going-back-back-to-basics/#comment-105 Johnathan Dampier Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:56:06 +0000 http://66.179.63.58/blog/were-going-back-back-to-basics/#comment-105 There are a couple of things the products you mentioned have in common. One, they were all marketed at a time when there were only 3 channels on TV and, therefore, much less clutter competing for the attention of children. A second point is they were all great products. Put these two together and you get buzz and word of mouth. What I struggle with is the concept of manipulating buzz and word of mouth. I know it's the new, hot thing, but it doesn't add up for me. People talk about products because they are great products. You tell your friends about a movie or a great place to eat because of the product. That cannot be manipulated. "Created" buzz simply can't stand on its own two legs if the product isn't worthy of the praise. There are a couple of things the products you mentioned have in common. One, they were all marketed at a time when there were only 3 channels on TV and, therefore, much less clutter competing for the attention of children. A second point is they were all great products. Put these two together and you get buzz and word of mouth. What I struggle with is the concept of manipulating buzz and word of mouth. I know it’s the new, hot thing, but it doesn’t add up for me. People talk about products because they are great products. You tell your friends about a movie or a great place to eat because of the product. That cannot be manipulated. “Created” buzz simply can’t stand on its own two legs if the product isn’t worthy of the praise.

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