The Cabernet of Coffee

"The Cabernet of Cofee" that is what the New York Times says of the amazing coffee harvested by David Robinson (shown in the photo).  

The coffee is grown on Sweety Unity, a farm member of a farming cooperative in Tanzania.  The coffee provides direct trade, and is also Fair Trade; ensuring that the farmers earn a living wage.  Whats most amazing is the taste. 

Robinson's work has earned him guest speaking opportunities, and in 2007 when he was the featured guest speaker of the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

Mr. Robinson is a son of the late baseball star and hall-of-famer Jackie Robinson.  (Photo: Sweet Unity Farms).

The Show That Makes You A Star

Afghan Star is the name of a TV show very much like American Idol which the movie is based.  Contestants compete with their songs, and win each round based on the number of votes they receive from text messages sent into the studio by their fans; the texts are called "SMS" in the film.  The film was created by Havana Marking to educate the western world about Afghanistan.  The flim shows the the country is diverse with many ethnic groups, and how the TV show unites them.  To see the move trailer click here. (Photo: Zeigeist Films).

Legacy on the Land

Legacy on the Land is authored by Audrey and Frank Peterman, experts on America’s publicly-owned lands system.  Their book tells how they came to discover the beauty of the National Park system.  The book demolishes the common stereotype that people of color are not interested in the environment. 

The Petermans founded Earthwise Productions in 1994, a full service consulting and publishing company, and have provided services to the Audubon Society, the National Park Service and, the Environmental Protection Agency among others.  

After their last child graduated from college the couple began a trip to see America.  They also discovered the lack of presence working and enjoying the great outdoors by Hispanic, Asian, African-Americans and Native Americans. 

Frank, Audrey, and their company Earthwise Productions, Inc. have been featured in Audubon, Ebony, Essence, National Parks, Odyssey Coleur, and Sailing magazines; the Miami Herald, Atlanta-Journal Constitution, the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, CNN Online, USA Today online, and the Washington Times as well as in the book, “Black Faces in America’s Wild Places.” Radio & TV interviews include the Tavis Smiley Show, MSNBC and Fox 5 Atlanta.

Honors and awards include: The Spirit of Sweet Auburn “Legends, Heroes & Heroines Award,” May, 2010; the Atlanta Tribune’s “Power Couple,” February, 2009; “The Environmental Hero” 2000 Award from Vice President Al Gore and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award for “Outstanding Citizen Advocacy on Behalf of the National Parks,” 1997; The Everglades Coalition’s “George Barley Leadership Award,” 1997; the Roundtable Associates Outstanding Business Partner Award, 2000 and the Miami Herald’s “40 to Watch for the Millennium.”

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Their mission is to encourage recreation, enjoyment, and employment by Americans of all colors within the Great American outdoors.

 

Meet the Obama of Paris (France)

Zachary James Miller, Ph.D. (seen in photo) is the co -founder of 2 Bulls on the Hill Productions and also known as “the Obama of Paris.”  Miller was given the name by the French press and the people of France for his dynamic work with the organization Democrats Abroad resulting in thousands of Americans voting overwhelmingly in France to elect now President Barack Obama. Miller was the spokesperson for Democrats Abroad representing the Obama campaign to both Americans in France, and the French people. Miller’s background is in Psychology and Parapsychology. He is considered one of the foremost experts in the field of consciousness. He divides his time between film-making, politics, lecturing, writing and research for his organization, The Enigma Group.  He is currently planning a film tour for 2011, the launch of an ongoing documentary film series about the history of African-Americans told through film.

Recession = Buy More Advertising

With rapid job loss, humble faces at the World Economic Forum, over 60,00 jobs lost in the US media industry, 1 in 10 newspaper personnel released, traditional media is "under siege." "Yet, history shows that companies that strengthen their brands during a recession emerge stronger." Those are the words of Michael Mendenhall, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Hewlett-Packard (seen in photo) in his speech to the American Association of Advertising Agencies in New Orleans, Louisiana this past March.

Advertisers should take advantage of this recession and seek advertising opportunities throughout the Internet--digital media. This is a chance to grow your business, your brand, your image, and to capture the all ever-present market share. An example Mendenhall used in his speech was the 1975 recession when Ford Motor Company reduced ad spending and Chevy increased theirs, taking more market share in the auto industry. That decision took Ford five years to get over.

Digital media can also "recession-proof" your advertising budget--it costs much less in comparison. Most people know this, but even more refuse to do anything about it or even attempt to try. A digital advertising strategy can help an advertiser continue their growth and branding. But what about traditional media? Contrary to popular belief, traditional media will not disappear but adapt.

Mendenhall suggests that national advertisers transform and operate as the "Big Three" syndicated television networks of the last century: CBS, NBC and ABC. By acting as the networks have, they are in control of the digital media growth and a national advertiser would then make a website, social network, or network of websites their "affiliate" to broadcast their advertising content.

More advertisers are now seeking a "return on information." Within a few months from today there will be more information online than books being published--creating much work to sort through it all. Ad agencies must work fast to sort out which websites and networks are strongest and which can help to reach an advertiser's desired audience.