Steve Saint Fleur, CSPO

The Power of Authenticity: Building a Genuine Connection with Your Audience Creator's Cafe 28. Thomas Stockwell: Think Bigger with host Jessica Payne of Kika Labs Creative Executive Thomas Stockwell of Meta and NBC encourages us to create weirder and more innovative worlds for emerging VR capabilities. Watch on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/g6frq7Ci Listen on your favorite podcast app: https://lnkd.in/gS_wzjrs @onthelam84 @iamjessicapayne @kikalabs @creatorscafebykikalabs @therealkylepayne Work with Jessica: On-Camera Coaching Create on-camera and in-person confidence by learning techniques from Hollywood Acting Coach Jessica Payne. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/gM864EWs In this video, we discuss the importance of authenticity in content creation. Audiences can easily detect when someone is not being genuine, and it's crucial to establish a real connection. Discover how to captivate and engage your viewers by staying true to yourself. #AuthenticityMatters #GenuineConnection #EngagingContent #ContentCreationTips #AudienceEngagement #BuildingTrust #StayTrueToYourself #OnlineAuthenticity #ContentCreators #AudienceConnection In this video, we discuss the importance of authenticity in content creation. Audiences can easily detect when someone is not being genuine, and it's crucial to establish a real connection. Discover how to captivate and engage your viewers by staying true to yourself. #AuthenticityMatters #GenuineConnection #EngagingContent #ContentCreationTips #AudienceEngagement #BuildingTrust #StayTrueToYourself #OnlineAuthenticity #ContentCreators #AudienceConnection

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Roblox - very demure, very cutesy, very mindful. Brands have been flocking to Roblox to reach younger audiences for years now. But are they doing it right? In a review of the VISA Olympic experience in Roblox, Francis Chen writes, "It was a play-space created for adults by adults." And that's the problem. Dev teams put a lot of effort into creating Roblox experiences, but if they don't understand the target audience or purpose of the play, it will fall flat. That's what seemed to be the case on the VISA Olympic Village. The experience needed to capture the spirit of the Olympics. This brings up memories of Chase's Onyx Lounge or The Gray Man in Decentraland. Building a space in a gaming environment is a great first step but online worlds are just that - worlds. They have their own culture, people, and attitudes (how demure). Brands have to understand that before they start building. Then there's the purpose for the player. On social media, you can like, comment, or share. In a gaming environment, well, you can do anything. And hopefully with friends. Keep going, keep building. Learn from mistakes and invite players to help make your branded world come to life. Check out Catherine D Henry's newsletter, Gyat for more on Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

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Brand love or brand growth? Choose both. Through creativity, commerce has transformed from transactional tactics to inspiring brand experiences that happen to sell a whole lot of stuff. I hope you enjoy my thoughts on Creative Commerce. MRM McCann Worldgroup ADWEEK

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New York Ave’s brand strategy is thought up and designed by humans, not A.I. We begin by getting to know your customers, industry, and mission. Then, our team builds a roadmap that guides our continuing work to disseminate branded content among your audience. Lastly, there are several steps in the process to ensure that every message is infused with strategy that traces back to your primary objectives. This is not a B2C, B2B, or B2B2C process…it’s P2P, person-to-person. Partnering with New York Ave means talking with people who understand people and thus, have the unique ability to formulate messaging so that it clicks. Let’s talk: https://buff.ly/4cPQM28 #NewYorkAve #FullService #MarketingAgency #DigitalMarketing #CentralFlorida #BrandDevelopment #WebsiteDesign #SocialMediaManagement #EmailMarketing #MediaProduction #SEO #SearchEngineOptimization #ManagedMarketing #OutsourcedMarketing #MarketingServices

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Upfronts has changed a lot over the years – from broadcast TV networks presenting primetime schedules to now streaming platforms one-upping each another in an extravaganza with celebrity presenters like Reese Witherspoon, Will Ferrell, and Alicia Keys. The lineup was packed: Amazon made its Upfront debut and even Walmart is in on the action with a collaboration with The Walt Disney Company (Walmart’s acquisition of VIZIO has made it a CTV giant). This year, advertisers are projected to spend roughly $18.8 billion during Upfronts, or around one-third of total TV ad spending and about 17% of digital video spending. There’s a clear, noteworthy takeaway this year: With Netflix and Amazon’s ad-supported expansion, there is a lot of available inventory = ad impressions are at much lower prices. 💰 Another shift we’re seeing with so many streaming services in the game: the video upfront is no longer solely US-focused. There is huge opportunity to expand conversations on a global level. 🌎 What are your takeaways from this year’s upfronts? 📺 #upfrontweek #upfronts #digitaladvertising #digitalmarketing #CTVadvertising Photo: ADWEEK

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The rate this is advancing is insane. The next leap forward for the industry since personal computers. The more and more fine grained control that’s built in to ai the more and more it will become a powerful tool in the storytelling toolbox.

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https://lnkd.in/eRsW6V_9 Must-have bundle indeed, and further reinforces the value of BrightLine's inter-operable CTV ad formats that work across both streamers - the only advanced ad experiences that advertisers can build and execute across both. #ctv #ctvadvertising #thestandard

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Moving forward.

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I’ve been repped by 5 different agencies over 27 years, along with five different managers. A key takeaway: 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺. Here is why... The senior, more experienced rep can get calls returned from higher-tier executives. This is good. But the younger rep has the energy and determination to withstand the lows of your career and those projects of yours that are tougher to sell. Why is that? Mostly because the younger rep has not discovered the Parento Principle yet, more commonly known as the 80/20 rule. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰, 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. They likely still feel the satisfaction of “finding” new talent (Most writers don’t realize how much work goes into “breaking” a new writer. It’s hard!) 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟴𝟬/𝟮𝟬 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲. That is, 80% of results come from 20% of causes or effort. This realization is normal and part of their maturation. The rep gets older; they get more ambitious, they get married, they have kids, etc... They realize that most of their commissions come from easier-to-sell high concepts, more established clients, etc… When that happens, they make a strategic shift to move that 20% of their effort to 80% of their effort. In doing so, they improve their result by 400% 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗹𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. They are working just as hard as before. But they are getting better results. It is easier and more lucrative to OVERBOOK their TOP client than to push their LEAST-established client. This goes for staffing, too. Some clients are easier to staff than others for all kinds of reasons. The more senior agent knows they will get the highest revenue focusing their energy on them. So when pursuing reps, producers, or anyone... 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘀 Or those that specialize in breaking new talent (Some of whom are on LinkedIn.) And if an agency shows interest, make sure you have at least one young agent (They'll probably have that anyway, but just to be sure.) You're going to want someone who will still reply to your email if you don’t blow up quickly. It often feels like literary representation signifies legitimacy. It’s scary to be without it. But a hard truth is that having an agent that’s not working for you is often worse than not having an agent at all. -------------- Interested in #screenwriting?  I share everything I learned over 27 years as a professional screenwriter in my Story and Plot Weekly Email. It's a free screenwriting lesson every Tuesday morning.  Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/gQPvsGgc

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More great AI content from the 4A's - a nice summary of recent AI announcements from Google and OpenAI, including implications for the agency world. 4 key takeaways: 1️⃣ ⚡ Rapid Content Creation: Continued expansion of tool capabilities facilitates high quality production. 2️⃣ 🔎 Search is evolving: Changes to the dominant search engine in the US will fundamentally change consumer behavior, and are likely to require a shift in both paid and organic search strategies for brands. 3️⃣ 🖼️ Multi-modal inputs and outputs: The use cases many in our industry are already experimenting with will become more and more compelling due to multimodal AI. 4️⃣ 🤝 Collaboration is key: Both OpenAI and Google's announcements highlight the increasing importance of collaboration between humans and AI. Check out the full summary for more detail. 👇

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Prompt to Google's Gemini AI: You will be working on a new video genre I call reality comedy. It’s about Galaxy Tours and ship-fulls of aliens arriving at Earth to see the train wreck. Our series premiere will be about a failing company called Boing Aerospace. Using Boeing’s recent history as a model, please create a script. Episode Title: Boing Aerospace: The Sky's Not the Limit (Yet) Scene 1: The Boing Aerospace Boardroom A group of disheveled executives sit around a long, mahogany table. The CEO, a man named Max Rocket, is pacing nervously. Max Rocket: Gentlemen, we have a problem. A big problem. Our latest prototype, the X-72, has exploded on its maiden flight. Again. Board Member 1: But Max, we've invested billions into this project! Max Rocket: I know! But the public is losing faith. The media is calling it a "flying disaster." Board Member 2: Perhaps we should focus on our commercial aircraft? The 737 MAX is doing well. Max Rocket: (Scoffs) The 737 MAX? That's a disaster of its own! Remember the software glitch? The planes were crashing like dominos! Scene 2: The Boing Aerospace Factory Floor Workers are assembling a 737 MAX airplane. A tour group of aliens, led by a skeptical-looking captain named Zog, watches through a viewing window of their stealthy craft. Zog: I've heard rumors about this aircraft. Is it true it can fly upside down? Alien Tour Guide: Well, it's designed to... maneuver... in various conditions. Zog: (Raises an eyebrow) And yet, it seems to have a habit of crashing. Scene 3: The Boing Aerospace Press Conference Max Rocket stands at a podium, surrounded by reporters. A live feed of the X-72 explosion plays on a screen behind him. Reporter 1: Mr. Rocket, can you explain why your company keeps producing defective aircraft? Max Rocket: (Clears throat) Our company is committed to safety. We're working tirelessly to address any issues. Reporter 2: But isn't this a pattern? The 737 MAX, the X-72... Max Rocket: (Interrupting) We're facing unprecedented challenges in the aerospace industry. But I assure you, we'll overcome them. Scene 4: The Boing Aerospace Boardroom (Later) The executives are gathered again, looking more dejected than ever. Board Member 1: Max, we've lost billions. The shareholders are demanding answers. Max Rocket: (Sighs) I know. But we can't give up. We have to find a way to turn this around. Just then, a hologram of a grinning alien appears in the center of the table. Alien: Greetings, humans. I am Commander Zog of the Galactic Tourism Commission. We've been observing your company with great interest. The executives exchange confused glances. Max Rocket: (Nervously) Uh, hello? What can we do for you? Zog: We believe your company offers a unique experience. A thrilling, unpredictable adventure. We'd like to offer you a partnership. The executives look at each other, their eyes wide with disbelief. Then, one by one, in a chain reaction around the room, they each begin to smile.

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As new models come with more and more realistic and impressive results, we start to enter the next challenge of AI: when a tool can do anything, how do we make it do exactly what we want? This is mostly the design challenge after the engineering one. It should be fun to watch. As of now, the battle has been trying to get realistic results with the simplest entry, and the smallest amount of knowledge. Anyone can in fact prompt midjourney and produce a good looking image for example. The publicized results from Sora and now Kling seem to do that with video, although only a few people have tried yet. That’s great for the general public, the most massive use case there is. But once a professional get their hands on the tool for example, and tries to drive it to a specific result, things get way more complicated, for these interfaces haven’t been designed for that scenario. For a professional use they will need to introduce ways to “lock” parts you like and redo others, will require group work, it will have to be able to understand references more deeply (like “I want the light like this image, the costumes like this other, the cinematography following this link and the acting more like this other reference”) Now imagine that these scenarios can include a designer trying to imagine a new packaging solution, an educator planing a new class, a reader trying to visualize a book, a kid trying to explain a dream… the truth is: once we collectively get the potential of this new generation of tools, the natural next step is expecting procision and control — which is something that isn’t there yet. How that’s going to look, no one knows. Complex controls? Dialogues with the machine? On-image manipulation? The AI world has been solely focused on the most general problem — the single text box entry that can do anything, impressively. But now that the power to render these jaw dropping results seem to be getting somewhere, the race for more complex interfaces for specific use cases is about to begin.

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🔮 Roblox could absolutely become the Snap Inc. for Gen Alpha. It’s much more than games and all about the socialverse - as I call it. But, in the meantime, Snap is still THE only place most younger Gen Zs (high school & early 20s) connect. And sometimes actually text words instead of a photo of their forehead #IYKYK But people are craving more visual connection and editorial frameworks- regardless of your age! See one of my other 🔮 about Visual Blogging below👇 Which is why I have my 👀 all over Daze - a soon-to-launch free-form texting app by Willem Simons. It looks as visual as it is engaging and exactly what the kids want - fun! (also what I want which is why I signed up for the waitlist) 🤩 Major waitlist & curiosity 🤩 Vertical waterfall texting and image curation powered my AI 🤩 a16z is already a backer 🤩 A growing Discord with tons of insight The “chat” feature across the board is ready for a visual and creative upgrade (Sorry, Apple, but the recent text effect upgrade in the new iOS is kinda lame, at best) and Daze seems to be putting that solution right at the top of its list. Peep the TikTok below from @daze.chat for a preview of the fun vibes. Speaking of Visual Blogging, check out my series right here: Part 04: Chappell Roan Editorial Photo Dump 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gHueJuru Part 03: Editorial Frameworks + Blogging 2.0 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gh5CK8hD Part 02: Visual Blogging Apps 🔗 https://lnkd.in/du6UiVmR Part 01: Crystal Ball 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g-AyzTRm

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🚨 Attention DC Creatives! 🚨 AAF DC - American Advertising Federation DC Chapter has officially opened submissions for the American Advertising Awards (Addys)—and the early bird period ends soon! As Chair of the Addys Committee this year, I wanted to mention some things that make these awards unique: Level field competition: In DC, we create incredible work for associations, nonprofits, and government clients—not so much large campaigns for big blue-chip brands. Competing locally first, levels the playing field, recognizing creativity over budgets. Your work is judged by out-of-town judges who focus on the idea, not the brand or budget. It’s all about the creative concept! Uncork something bubbly! Winning an Addy isn’t just about validation for your clients—it’s also an excuse to bring your team together for some well-deserved celebration. And hey, it’s the holiday season—what better way to boost morale and close the year on a high note? I’m excited to see the amazing work coming out of DC this year, and I'll be happy to help you submit yours! If you have any questions about categories, eligibility, or the process, DM me directly. Let’s show off what makes DC’s creative community shine—clearly. #creativity #advertising #advertisingawards #transparency #winanaddy

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New York Ave’s brand strategy is thought up and designed by humans, not A.I. We begin by getting to know your customers, industry, and mission. Then, our team builds a roadmap that guides our continuing work to disseminate branded content among your audience. Lastly, there are several steps in the process to ensure that every message is infused with strategy that traces back to your primary objectives. This is not a B2C, B2B, or B2B2C process…it’s P2P, person-to-person. Partnering with New York Ave means talking with people who understand people and thus, have the unique ability to formulate messaging so that it clicks. Let’s talk: https://buff.ly/4cPQM28 #NewYorkAve #FullService #MarketingAgency #DigitalMarketing #CentralFlorida #BrandDevelopment #WebsiteDesign #SocialMediaManagement #EmailMarketing #MediaProduction #SEO #SearchEngineOptimization #ManagedMarketing #OutsourcedMarketing #MarketingServices

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