SPEAKER: Francis Shepherd, Senior Systems Engineer, Apple
DATE: Wednesday, August 13, 2008
LOCATION: Dilworth Neighborhood Grille, 911 East Morehead St., Suite 200, Charlotte, N.C. 28206
ATTIRE: Business Casual
TIME: 5:30pm: Casual Buffet, Cocktails and Networking; 6:30pm: Program
PRICE: $20.00 AMA members/students paid online, by August 12, 2008
$35.00 Non-members and all payments the day of the event
Event Summary:
There is no way to avoid it, shift is happening everywhere. User driven content and “back channel” conversations are shaping brand recognition in unique ways. As users become mobile, understanding the landscape and developing a “smart” Web 2.0 strategy is essential.
Extensible platforms like the iPhone and the iPod Touch leverage your brand’s buzz through innovation. Rich media content provides new marketing opportunities to deliver your mobile message. Join in the conversation and explore Apple’s creative technologies, to fine tune your mobile impact and extend your online presence while engaging emerging trends.
Francis Shepherd Bio:
Francis Shepherd is a Senior System Engineer for Apple in North Carolina. With over 30 years experience in the communication arts field, his career has transcended advertising photography, print and web design, interactive media, software development, visual FX production, and technology consulting. Before coming to Apple, he worked as an advertising photographer in Dallas,TX and Cologne, Germany, founded Digital Valley Design in Chadds Ford, PA, and served as creative director for DADA DATA in Cary, NC. He is the founder of the Carolina Final Cut Pro Users Group and publishes an Arts & Creative News feed ( http://www.carolinafcpug.org/blog/ ). Francis is a frequent technical presenter at conferences, workshops, and media events. His focus areas include integrating media into learning environments, mentoring content innovators in digital media initiatives, meme tracking, and exploring new trends with emerging technologies.
Watch out, Starbucks, the competition is heating up.
McDonald’s Corp. has chosen Charlotte as one of the first markets in the country to introduce its new espresso-based drinks.
The Oak Brook, Ill.-based fast-food chain is investing nearly $750,000 to renovate 118 Charlotte-area locations to include the McCafe´.
“The popularity of espresso-based drinks is just growing,” says John Link, president of the Charlotte co-op of McDonald’s. “Charlotte is on the leading edge in terms of demographics we want. It’s a great market to roll out the new product.”
McCafe´s serve lattes, cappucinos and other espresso drinks with all of the popular fixings such as flavored syrups and whipped cream.
Offering the new product is McDonald’s latest move to capture market share from specialty coffee houses. In 2006, McDonald’s launched its premium roast coffee. This year, McDonald’s began selling iced coffee.
“We watched these coffee houses just grow and grow,” says Link, who owns nine area locations. “A lot of these coffee shops didn’t have the food that we had, though.”
The first area McCafe´ opened in Conover in November. About 40 stores in the Charlotte area have been renovated since to include McCafe´s. “The results have been pretty amazing,” Link says. “We feel strongly it’s really going to drive sales.”
All of the locations in Charlotte will be complete by Sept. 1. Renovations on locations around the country should be finished in about a year.
Link says McDonald’s will use direct mail and advertisements on TV, radio, billboards, mobile units and newspapers to promote the new products. Each drink costs about $1 less than the same one at Starbucks, Link says.
McDonald’s is constantly working to evolve its beverage options, he says. Upcoming drinks could include smoothies and frappes, he says.
Meet | Market : re|THINK poster show
July 29, 2008 06:30 PM - 09:00 PM @ Tutto Mondo
Happy Hour: AIGA Style
MEET new people, make new friends and get to know the Charlotte design community. MARKET, network, share ideas and talk a little shop.
Will you save the planet by attending AIGA Charlotte’s July Meet|Market? Probably not. Will it be fun? Definitely! Join AIGA Charlotte for the re|THINK poster show at this month’s Meet|Market. Recently, our friends (AIGA Raleigh) conducted a different kind of contest, a non-competitive one, focused on saving the environment. All 121 submissions were shown online and now 20 have made their way across this beautiful state all the way to Charlotte. So, come out, see some thought provoking designs, be inspired, talk to strangers, and toast to tree-hugging.
Find out more about the posters at www.rethinkposters.com
I am the Director of Account Service for MODE, a design and branding studio, where I handle our clients research, strategy and planning needs using qualitative research and attitudinal and behavioral ethnography.
I have managed complex branding initiatives, in-depth research projects and integrated communication campaigns, for many national clients, including Kraft, Comcast, Time Inc, Michael Graves, Clorox, Campbell's' Soup, Vanity Fair, Wal-Mart, Target and many others. My knowledge comes from real world experience and the State University of New York at Fredonia where I studied business, psychology and sociology.
