A new book idea, inspired by Moishes and the Montreal Canadiens

I’ve started to think that it might be a good idea to write a sequel of sorts to Conversational Capital, to be called Be the Steak, not the Sizzle. The book would be about the experiences I’ve had as marketing consultant to Lenny Lighter of famed Montreal steakhouse Moishes for the last four years or so. After 75 years, Moishes has become an institution, named one of the top steakhouses in the world by Forbes magazine, and frequented regularly by the biggest names in politics, entertainment, business and sports.

Lenny came to us after the publication of Conversational Capital because he wondered why we had not written about Moishes (we had written extensively about Schwartz’s, which is just a few doors down on boul. Saint-Laurent.) Moishes was and still is extremely well known, and yet Lenny recognized that his business was not performing at the level of his brand’s reputation.

Bertrand Cesvet and Eric Alper were busy conquering the world with Sid Lee, so it fell to me to work with Lenny, which I was eager to do. I loved Moishes and everything it stood for in the history and culture of Montreal. As we later put it, “Moishes is Montreal.”

Lenny is a great client: open-minded, realistic and adventurous.  We assessed his business in terms very similar to those we discussed in C.C. It turned out Lenny didn’t have a communication problem – his product, Moishes itself, needed some updating and refreshing.

Exactly how we did that updating and refreshing would be the content of this book I’m contemplating. I’m convinced that other businesses and individuals could learn something from our experience. Moishes has managed to do what that few businesses can: after four years, his brand is stronger than ever. In the words of Eater.com, who named Moishes one of Montreal’s essential restaurants in 2014, Moishes has managed to “preserve an icon whilst making it new all over again.”

Yes, we have leveraged social media. But Moishes’ success really has been about concentrating on product. Lenny works very hard at ensuring that the Moishes experience is consistently excellent and, importantly, relevant to both the core customers who have kept the restaurant going for decades, and the younger demographic who have grown up in the age of Momofuko and Joe Beef. That’s meant re-examining everything from his décor and menu to introducing new packaged goods at retail.

It’s created a great reputation, and this wonderful example of branded content. In the clip above, members of the Montreal Canadians team spontaneously mention Moishes as their favourite steakhouse. It’s a great clip. However, the important thing is that it was completely spontaneous. This happened organically, without any interference or suggestion from Moishes at all. Full disclosure: I ate at Moishes a few days ago, and Josh Gorges had been there not long before. He’s a regular.

This is a warning to all of us in the Marketing Communications trade. With the mass media age coming to an end, we’re scrambling around to fill the vacuum with “branded content” opportunities however and wherever we can. As a creative person, I am not always comfortable with this – if you try to force associations between brands and “content” (a word that manages to both insult artists and diminish art,) you run a huge risk of coming off as phony. And believe me, that’s not good, especially in a world where authenticity is becoming the true coin of the realm (more on this in a later blog.)

This perfect and unsolicited moment of branded content came about because someone along the line took great pains to create and maintain an incredible product. That takes commitment, serious effort, and deep thinking – all in very short order in the shallow world of advertising from which creatures like myself spring.

If our industry is to survive, thrive and remain relevant à la Moishes, we have to start thinking and acting differently. Brilliant brand strategists can also be hit and run artists – we come up with great ideas and let someone else sort out the mess. We need to educate ourselves to follow through — think and act like people who make great ideas come to life, and keep them alive for decades.

Human Fly art we love by Frank Bolle

We had several pieces of art commissioned for The New Adventures of The Human Fly, including some pin-ups by artists I loved when I read comics in the 1970s (when THF first appeared.) Bob Layton, Al Milgrom, and Don Perlin where all names I recognized. The geek in me especially loves a pin-up by Gerry Taleoc, who drew some DC's great war comics in the day.

But the one pin-up that blew me away is this one, by a fellow called Frank Bolle. Frank is 89 years old, and has been drawing comics since the 1940s - so he really is a living embodiment of the medium. What strikes me most about this drawing is that it looks like something by Daniel Clowes. So, in fact, even though it is by a veteran of "The Golden Age," it somehow has the sensibility of the alternative comics I got into in the 1990s (by Clowes, Chris Ware, Adrian Tomine, etc...)

Full disclosure - I am not a lifelong comics fan. I mostly stopped reading superhero comics decades ago. However, I did start to pick up the work of the artists mentioned above and published by companies I really admire like Drawn and Quarterly and Fantagraphics.

The Human Fly film we have been developing really reflects this evolution in taste.

Somehow, Frank Bolle captured it all. Enjoy!

For more info on Frank Bolle, go here:

http://www.frankbollestudio.com/home.htm

The Human Fly returns at San Diego Comicon 2013

As you can see by scrolling down on this blog, I am occupied with many other things besides The Human Fly. Nevertheless, the blog will be mostly about THF for the next few postings, because, after years of development, we are finally bringing the Fly back to public life at San Diego Comicon 2013, which begins in only a few days.

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF THE HUMAN FLY has been put together by Michael Aushenker of Cartoon Flophouse, and features stories and art by Michael, and art by contributors Javier Hernandez, Steve Kroziere, Bob Layton, Al Milgrom, and many more. I contributed a story, illustrated by Paul Mason, who stepped in from Australia at the last minute and did a great job.

It is extremely exciting to see this property come back to life. Unfortunately, a scheduling conflict means I won't actually be in San Diego to watch it happen. My stalwart partner Alan Brewer will hold down the fort, along with the always early rising Joel Eisenberg, and, of course, Michael, who has contributed so much of his time and heart to this project.

The Bell Event 2012: Aurora, the Dream Factory

This year, once again, I acted as Creative Director of the Bell Gala in support of CAMH. Called "Aurora: The Dream Factory," the event was produced by my friends and wonderfully creative colleagues at Circo de Bakuza. It featured projections and animation created by the uncanny Felix and Paul, a host of talented dancers and live musicians, and the work of my IN THE COOLER star, the clown René Bazinet, as well as the Canadian singer Suzie McNeil. As usual, the music written, arranged and performed by my buddy Robert Marchand was 50% of what you saw — and what you saw was fun, beautiful, absurd and moving. Here are some photos from various rehearsals on site at the Direct Energy Center at Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition, where the event took place.

This wonderful video summing up the event has just been added to Vimeo:


http://vimeo.com/59754985

The Human Fly generates press

 Marvel’s ‘The Human Fly’ is getting his own movie  

From Film Drunk  06.27.12

Written by Vince Mancini 

So if a fly was human... he'd ride motorcycles? With The Avengers crossing $600 million domestically this week and surpassing the billion dollar mark worldwide (now the number three highest-grossing film of all time, behind Titanic and Avatar) you can bet your stinky ass everyone in Hollywood is running around trying to find the next superhero movie. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that any exec who wasn’t planning on it would probably get fired. So what’s next? How about everyone’s favorite comic book, The Human Fly. What? Don’t look at me like that, I know you own every issue. A Human Fly comic, based on real-life stuntman Joe Ramacieri, was licensed and published by Marvel from 1977-1979. Over its 19-issue run and in various other Marvel comics, the Human Fly had run-ins with Spider-Man and Daredevil, among others in the Marvel stable. Alan Brewer and Steven Goldmann picked up the reverted rights on the property recently. Eisenberg-Fisher Productions, which is based on the Paramount lot, will executive produce the proposed indie, with financing said to be coming from private-equity sources. Goldmann is poised to direct. Brewer, along with James Reach, will produce. Tony Babinski, Cirque Du Soleil’s in-house historian, wrote the Montreal-based screenplay. [Deadline] Whoa whoa whoa, time the f**k out: Cirque Du Soleil has an “in-house historian?” Screw the human fly, that’s the guy I want to see the movie about. I like to imagine him wearing glasses, sitting at his desk trying to do his research while naked gay trapeze artists fly by above him eating fire and dripping sweat and astroglide all over his priceless scrolls.”No, not my scrolls!” he’d yell. Here’s the rundown on The Human Fly from the site the producers run: Inspired by true events, this is the story of Joe Ramacieri and his buddies, the guys behind the quasi-legendary and mysterious 1970s figure they christened The Human Fly. Joe’s only wish was to do something big, become famous, and never have to work in the family business, a sausage factory. After something has become so pervasive as a euphemism, it’s weird hearing it used literally, like that a sausage factory is a real place, or that a Dutch oven is a real thing you cook with. I can imagine someone looking down at a recipe going “what the hell? They want me to fart on some onions?” His life was changed forever when he met “Hollywood Ron,” whose only wish in life was to be “the greatest daredevil who ever lived.” Yes, the Human Fly rode on the back of jet planes, and attempted to beat Evel Knieval’s record by jumping over 27 school buses at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, became the star of his own Marvel comics series, and a man celebrated on television and in print who rubbed shoulders with the great and not-so-great. Ultimately the man beneath the mask was more nuts then [sic] sane, more con man than stuntman… an accident waiting to happen. Unfortunately for Joe it was all on his dime. The Human Fly is a colorful and boisterously comic look at group of guys who just want to be famous for something and how they set out to do it. Well that explains it. If he wore tights and fought aliens, you can bet Marvel would still own the rights.

Tony's note: I am not Cirque's "in-house historian," though I do know quite a few sweaty circus artists — gay, pretty gay, not-so-gay, and not gay at all. 

C2mtl - a couple of shots

C2mtl Looming

My life hasn't been quiet since January - just subject to NDAs. But I can talk about this. Next week, C2mtl begins. I worked on the initial concept a couple of years ago, and am happy to see it becoming a reality. In the last few weeks, I've been acting as Creative Director of evening events with Circo de Bakuza, including the Illumination Party on May 24. This has involved many interesting meetings with some very talented people at the Psi Centre, Moment Factory, Boogie Studio and Cirque du Soleil, all of whom are making important contributions. I've also been helping to shape some presentations by a couple of key players at Sid Lee. This week, I started mentoring the young people in the Sid Lee Boot Camp, who will be presenting their work for the RED foundation during the conference. There's a good article about the event on the Tourism Montreal event here:

Snack Box wins big at the Retail Design Awards

The Snack Box project picked up three awards at the Retail Design Award's annual ceremony in New York City last night (January 16, 2012.) First Prize Innovation, First Prize Sustainability, and Best Store. Very nice! (I'm pictured at right holding the award backward, next to Michel Dubuc and Stephane Bernier of Aedifica.)

AJAX: Up and running

Here's a great video about the Ajax Experience project. I was on this baby from the pitch through video content, and learned a lot working with gsm and the various Lees on it. As always, its incredible to see something leap off the page and take shape in the real world.

SID LEE ARCHITECTURE | The Ajax Experience from sidlee on Vimeo.

SNACKBOX New York

I was recently hired by Montreal retail architecture company Aedifica to bring some creative direction to the branding and graphics of a new container restaurant that just opened in Times Square, next to the TKTS booth. "SnackBox,"a high-end street food concept, is the brainchild of acclaimed restaurateur Jonathan Morr, who worked with Montreal's Muvbox on the project. Check it out in when you're in NYC - the marshmallow shake is a stand-out.

IN THE COOLER

This is a film I produced and "star" in, along with some real and very talented performers, based on some of my poetry, created with J.Jacob Potashnik a couple of years ago. After playing the festival circuit, it is ready for continued existence online.

Bell-One Night Under a Blue Sky

Wow, what a wonderful event this was.

The Bell Gala - One Night Under a Blue Sky was a black tie gala dinner hosted by Bell in support of CAMH (Center for Addiction and Mental Health) at the Metro Toronto Convention Center on on October 11, 2011. I was invited in as Creative Director by my good friends at Circo de Bakuza, and enjoyed every step of the ride. The client was very supportive and ambitious (thanks Rick) and our team at Circo was working at peak efficiency. Not only were we encouraged to dream big, but we were enabled to pull it off without a hitch.

No small feat - the show was so big that we had to set up in a phantom rehearsal hall in a hangar near Pearson Airport for several days, to allow time for our crews to move into the MTCC on Saturday morning at 1:00 a.m. and begin loading everything in (at least, I think it was 1:00 a.m. - it's a all a blur.) Cast and crew = about 300.

The show featured Ballet Freedom from Kiev, the incredible fire troupe from France La Salamandre, and the angelic Zazi Trio from Holland, as well as some homegrown aerialists, gymnasts, dancers and models. All set to music by my soul brother Robert Marchand, who continues to outdo himself with every gig, and deftly directed/stage managed with warrior focus by the mighty Stefan Miljevic.

Well done everybody!

Conversational Capital in Polish

Just got my hands on the Polish translation of Conversational Capital.

It joins the French, Dutch and Spanish translations of the English language original - though, given my family history, this one's kinda special.

He writes, he scores!

My brother Bob just posted this clip from a documentary we created together a few years ago for Radio Canada - POINGS D'APPUI ("Connecting" in English.) It is about the boxer Otis Grant and his spectacular return to fighting after a near-fatal car crash. Bob developed and directed the film, and I wrote and scored it (the latter with Robert Marchand.) It was fun to watch this clip again - I had a particularly good time wanging away on the guitars you can just hear under the rest of the soundtrack.

Opening sequence ..Otis Grant's life story from Bob Babinski on Vimeo.

Full circle in Amsterdam

I met Jacob Potashnik in 1985, while on my first job out of university. It was a film for Expo ’86 called TAMING OF THE DEMONS – a multi-screen affair for the Canadian Pavillion, directed by Emil Radok, a Czech pioneer in the genre, known for developing (with his brother Albert) the Lanterna Magica technique that combined live action with filmed subject matter. I was a Production Assistant, and Jacob, eight years older, was the Second Unit Manager.

Over the years, we developed a close friendship, and, in the 1990s worked closely together on the mtl-ART short films (see below on this blog,) as well as a couple of screenplays. We recently made another short film together (IN THE COOLER)

Our friendship has survived working so closely together. Back in those days, before Sid Lee, Cirque du Soleil, events, books, and the whole international trip started, it was often just down to him and me.

Recent years have seen us mostly doing our own thing. However, as coincidence would have it, we were both hired to work on a new project for Ajax, Amsterdam’s celebrated football (soccer for Americans) club. With Sid Lee Architecture and GSM of Montreal, I helped to create the “Ajax Experience,” a museum-like experience intended for fans of the team (think a more modern, Dutch NHL Hall of Fame.) Later, Jacob was asked to Line Produce the video content for the museum. And I was asked to direct it.

We have just completed the first phase of the Amsterdam shoot, reunited on a project not onlike TAMING OF THE DEMONS – interactive and educational film work for screens of various sizes, intended for a permanent installation. I wonder what Mister Radok, whom I admired so much, would have thought?

So, here are a few pictures from the gig, still in progress. There is a picture of me standing in front of where the Ajax Experience will be located, in a building opposite Rembrandtplein (“Square.”) Don’t judge the square by the drunken tourists who gather there at night! There’s a picture of Jacob inside the Experience, still under construction, but not such a long way from completion. And there is a shot of our shoot, some of it studio against green screen, with a great and welcoming Dutch crew. Last but not least, you can see some stills from our exterior shoot at The Tokomst (“To Come”) a training area for young and promising footballers. Our subjects that day were 9 or 10, incredible players who smoked every adult who dared to step on the field with them - young Amsterdam hopefuls who stood up to being interviewed on camera like old pros.

I liked Amsterdam a lot, its canals and low-rise beauty. As an urban cyclist since the 1970s, I am totally in awe at how bicycle transportation is integrated into the city. Coming full circle couldn’t have happened in a nicer place.

Onward!

Re-Imagining Moishes

Yes, I work on a lot of big jobs for big international brands. But, sometimes, small is beautiful too. My new pal Lenny Lighter approached me some time ago about helping to breathe new life into his beloved brand - a Montreal institution since 1937, voted one of the top 10 steakhouses in the world by Forbes magazine. Over the last few months, we have upped Moishes' social media presence and re-engineered the consumer experience. The regular menu has been updated, and a new after 9 menu branded, introduced, and launched with a series of ads in a local alternative weekly. Last but not least, a beautiful renovation designed by Patty Xenos was launched last week. So far, consumer response has been tremendous!

Here are some new pictures by Stephane Cocke:

adidas GMM event

I recently was involved in the creation of the semi-annual adidas marketing meeting with Sid Lee, production: Brandscape. Since the brand is now "all in," we presented a central stage with catwalks extending to three peripheral stages + lots of screens, so there was plenty of room for special guests, speakers, video and models, dancers, athletes, tumblers, etc... and the 360 degree set up meant everyone could feel close - to the action, and to each other!

Here are some photos from the rehearsal.

Events creation

DIFF 2008

In recent years, my work came off the page and screen and exploded into real, three-dimensional space when I began applying my knowledge of film, advertising, and the circus (scroll lower to see more) to event design and creation.

The biggest bang yet was at the 5th Annual Dubai International Film Festival. I was hired by Circo de Bakuza to create an opening live multi-media, multi-screen performance in a theater, an opening party on the beach facing the Burj Al Arab, and a closing ceremony event in a stadium out in the desert. An incredible trip!

Events Creation: Red Bull X-Figthers

With Circo de Bakuza, we added a little sparkle to the 2009 Red Bull X-Fighters event in Calgary by creating a Stampede-inspired opening number and integrating a flame show that was particularly spectacular during the final wild ride.