New Genections by Alexis Irias

“Admit it. You aren’t like them. You’re not even close. You may occasionally dress yourself up as one of them, watch the same mindless television shows as they do, maybe even eat the same fast food sometimes. But it seems that the more you try to fit in, the more you feel like an outsider, watching the “normal people” as they go about their automatic existences. For every time you say club passwords like “Have a nice day” and “Weather’s awful today, eh?”, you yearn inside to say forbidden things like “Tell me something that makes you cry” or “What do you think deja vu is for?”. Face it, you even want to talk to that girl in the elevator. But what if that girl in the elevator (and the balding man who walks past your cubicle at work) are thinking the same thing? Who knows what you might learn from taking a chance on conversation with a stranger? Everyone carries a piece of the puzzle. Nobody comes into your life by mere coincidence. Trust your instincts. Do the unexpected. Find the others.” - Timothy Leary

Dark chocolate — or more accurately the cocoas found in chocolate — contain flavanols, a phytochemical that has cognitive enhancing effects (as well as impacting positively on mood and cardiovascular health). It works through the action of antioxidant molecules, what stimulates brain perfusion and an array of other neurological processes in regions that involve learning and memory. Though not as powerful as some of the other supplements listed here, dark chocolate is readily accessible and a treat to eat. That said, be sure to avoid super-sweet dark chocolate, otherwise the sugar will counter many of its benefits (so start getting used to 90% cacao). Go ahead and eat about 35 to 200 grams a day, but divide it out evenly.

Taken from an interesting article on the 10 supplements that can enhance your intelligence. Posted onto Ray Kurzweil’s facebook page, Transcendent Man.   -> http://io9.com/5962870/10-supplements-you-can-take-today-to-enhance-your-intelligence

Happy Sunday! 

Hope you are laying by the beach or pool instead of jailed to your apartment like I am. I’m currently (well, procrastinating writing this but should be) working on my final project for my class, Advanced Internet Marketing Strategies at FullSail University. Fun stuff I tell you, no but really it actually is kinda fun. 

Since I’m glued to my computer I find myself wondering to other topics instead of; testing and conversion rates, positioning strategies, marketing metrics, etc, which I’m supposed to be researching instead I wander off to other worlds online; of those yoga, tea, Deepak Chopra, music, entrepreneurship, Boulder and well landed finally on Startup workshops. This is the one I will share with you today. 

If you find yourself wanting to start a startup, take this online course, It’s FREE and taught by Steve Blank, a seasoned Silicon Valley Entrepreneur and author of  The Startup’s owner manual. 

Treat yourself to an informative Sunday afternoon :)

I’m a sucker for info graphics.

Check this one out! Found it while doing some research on the conversion rate for Facebook. If you have any insight let me know :)

Respectively borrowed from: http://www.wordstream.com/articles/facebook-vs-google-display-network

I recently created a new tradition with a biz partner. The idea was to send each other one funny video each morning. Why? you may ask. 

Well laughter is known to: 

• Decrease stress
• Increase blow flow
• Lower blood sugar levels
• Enhance relaxation and sleep - For more details: WebMD

It’s been said before but I’m going to say it again, advertising is EVERYWHERE. Whether you’re watching TV, reading a magazine or listening to the radio, chances are, you’re going to be exposed to an array of advertisements, and you wont even know it. We’re bombarded with an astonishing 3,000 a day to be exact.

With that being said, as an advertiser, you must find ways to shine through the clutter. Separating yourself from 2,999 others can be difficult but absolutely necessary if you want to be remembered. There are no limits when you think OUT of the box, I guess the same could be said for advertisements outside. You may be able to mute the TV, change the radio station or turn the page of a magazine, but there’s no escaping “in your face” advertising.

Check out these 12 creative outdoor ads:

1. Ikea really knows how to make you feel at home.

2. Up, up, and away.

3. Much better than your average bus bench.  Apple always knows how to have some fun!

4. This bus stop in Malaysia features boards with bubble wrap. If you aren’t a gamer, the shapes on the bubble wrap relate to the Playstation controller. I could easily see myself missing a bus or two.

5. To advertise the new Coca-Cola Grip Bottle, posters printed on Velcro were placed in bus shelters in Paris to make people interact with the grip. Results: People literally hooked to the campaign. On the whole, a 3.8% brand volume growth in France compared to 2007.

6. Filled with water and real fish. Talk about fresh!

7. To promote Durex condoms with ribs or with knobs, some cities in Belgium had condoms painted on paving stones with the according pattern.

8. In 2008 the town of Drachten in the Netherlands got a heavy makeover when Henk Hofstra painted a kilometer-long strip of the main road blue. The draft demanded 4,000 liters of paint, and according to the author’s design project it is a monument to the river that once flowed in place of the road.

9. Who wouldn’t want a giant fry from McDonalds?

10. Not only a clever ad but one that is beneficial to the children of the community. Bravo!

11. This cup o’ joe should keep you going.

12. Don’t need it? Don’t waste it. Simple.

And if you’re interested in other “Out of the Box” ads, please visit our Inspirads page!

Roger out!

-New Genections Insider

Meet Scott Barfield: Photographer

Barfield has strived to capture the beauty of the world through photography since the late 1990s. After discovering his passion in college, Barfield has since then spent most of his time looking through a camera lens. Whether he is taking a hike or exploring the beach, his camera is always in hand. “Being a photographer is more than my job, it’s my way of life,” Barfield said. According to Barfield, his biggest professional achievement thus far is being able to support himself doing exactly what he loves. “As a dedicated artist, I feel immensely proud that I have made an impact in such a highly competitive field,” Barfield said.

His advice for aspiring photographers: “Photography is more than pointing and shooting—know your equipment, consider your lighting, care about your composition, and infuse each shot with your passion for the art form.”