Category: Branding

Why We Love The Olympics

Posted on by Brian Lee

It’s my favorite time of year. Or, should I say, four years.

The summer Olympics are right around the corner, and I already can’t seem to pull myself away from the TV.  Every night for the last few weeks I have faithfully sat down to watch the Olympic trials, and I’m pleased to say I’m not disappointed.  Every athlete I’ve seen looks fantastic, and I can’t wait to see how Team USA looks in London.

I’m one of those crazies that watches as much Olympic coverage as I can get my hands on. Women’s gymnastics? It’s a personal favorite, so you can bet I scheduled my night around watching it. Men’s swimming? Obviously. Badminton, trampolining or the modern pentathlon? I mean, sure, might as well.

But as much as I love watching the amazing athletic skills that the Olympics offer, what I love even more is the atmosphere, the feeling surrounding the Olympic Games. It’s a feeling of hope, optimism, and pride that cynics and realists like myself rarely experience in life.

At risk of sounding cliché, these athletes represent the pride, hopes, and success of our country.  In watching them, you forge this connection with them and with everyone who is cheering them on. You cease to become an individual watching the coverage and instead become a part of something bigger.

I’ll never forget during the Beijing Olympics in 2008 when the U.S. Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay team beat out the French for the Gold. I remember being gathered around the TV, cheering for Team USA, who was expected to get Silver, and then being absolutely elated when we witnessed one of the most amazing comebacks and wins in recent memory.

It’s moments like that which are why we love the Olympics, and why, come July 27th, I guarantee you will find me glued to my TV.

Team iPhone or Team Android?

Posted on by Brian Lee

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bit of a tech nerd.  The byproduct of working with different cell phone companies for two years means whenever a friend pulls out his or her phone, I immediately size them up.  I’ve even been known to ask near strangers about carriers and data plans…it’s safe to say I have a problem.

But these days it seems like the world is split into two groups: Team iPhone or Team Android (heaven forbid you still have a Blackberry or worse, a flip phone).  Both sides have fiercely loyal customers, and both have amazing features.  I could write a very long post about which is better, but I promise to avoid that.

Recently, competition between Apple and companies that produce phones with the Android mobile operating system has come to a head.  Apple is suing multiple companies over a series of patent lawsuits, and some believe that recent setbacks could reflect negatively on Apple, causing a dip in sales.

But the question is do consumers really care about that?

Personally, I’m a staunch Android fan because of its customizability and open app platform.  Although Android currently holds the top market share, I often feel in the minority because in recent years, it seems like Apple has become the tech company.

The iPhone is creative, well-made, easy to use, and beautiful to look at.  On top of it all, Apple products have come to indicate the newest and best, and are seen as symbols of status.  If you look at the people around you, odds are it will seem like all of them have iPhones.

Apple has created a name for itself that is so big and so popular that it would take something colossal to shake the public’s confidence in it.  I have a hard time believing that a few legal delays could make a difference.

Team iPhone or Team Android?

Posted on by Katelyn Youngblood

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bit of a tech nerd.  The byproduct of working with different cell phone companies for two years means whenever a friend pulls out his or her phone, I immediately size them up.  I’ve even been known to ask near strangers about carriers and data plans…it’s safe to say I have a problem.

But these days it seems like the world is split into two groups: Team iPhone or Team Android (heaven forbid you still have a Blackberry or worse, a flip phone).  Both sides have fiercely loyal customers, and both have amazing features.  I could write a very long post about which is better, but I promise to avoid that.

Recently, competition between Apple and companies that produce phones with the Android mobile operating system has come to a head.  Apple is suing multiple companies over a series of patent lawsuits, and some believe that recent setbacks could reflect negatively on Apple, causing a dip in sales.

But the question is do consumers really care about that?

Personally, I’m a staunch Android fan because of its customizability and open app platform.  Although Android currently holds the top market share, I often feel in the minority because in recent years, it seems like Apple has become the tech company.

The iPhone is creative, well-made, easy to use, and beautiful to look at.  On top of it all, Apple products have come to indicate the newest and best, and are seen as symbols of status.  If you look at the people around you, odds are it will seem like all of them have iPhones.

Apple has created a name for itself that is so big and so popular that it would take something colossal to shake the public’s confidence in it.  I have a hard time believing that a few legal delays could make a difference.