Full Throttle Media...feel the aliveness

Full Throttle Media Will Back Filmtoys

2012-01-27T16:05:00.001-06:00

Filmtoys is the most genius camera support system I have seen to date. Kickstarter, a funding platform for creative projects is rolling out a campaign to source enough funding to launch Film Toys. Hey, but in the process if you pledge a few hundred, you can get your hands on this incredible camera system. Take a look and get your now. Full Throttle Media will be using this system in the coming month with Sport Fishing Safari. Read more here

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM

Sport Fishing Safari Goes In the Spread w/ RJ Boyle

2012-01-24T08:04:00.000-06:00

The crew over at Sport Fishing Safari have started filming "In the Spread with RJ Boyle". This production is the first of its kind series of short films and videos featuring the insights, instruction, salient lessons and a little whit from world renowned big game fishermen RJ Boyle. The first segment of this original series will be available soon. This project is part of the Sport Fishing Safari range of brands.

For more information visit Sport Fishing Safari and read about the project.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM

Happy New Year from Full Throttle Media

2012-01-01T07:36:00.005-06:00

The new year is upon us and Full Throttle Media wishes you all the best in the coming year. Our team is looking forward to many new opportunities, adventures and challenges. If we were not constantly taking it to the edge, we would not have much meaning. Challenge yourself to do big things. Test your limitations and always give thanks to those that helped you get where you are and beyond.

Thanks to all of you that extended a hand in 2011. We look forward to taking, with love and kindness, the hands that come our way in 2012. Never stop pursuing your dreams.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM

2012 Cranks up for Full Throttle Media

2011-12-29T15:06:00.001-06:00

The New Year is teed up to be a big year for Full Throttle Media. Right off the bat, we are set to shoot a three part instructional for the "In the Spread" project in S. Florida. There should be some clips ready to release by mid-January. We are still in post production on the phase one instructional segment we shot this past fall for the same project. We are just waiting to receive approved photography from the partner. Then, in March, the Full Throttle Media team leaves for Africa to shoot a film for "Sport Fishing Safari" in Kenya.

The first quarter is packed with a lot of work, travel and a few amazing adventures. But, this is what our team loves. 2012 is shaping up very nicely. Updates to follow as we get into the year.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T11:13:00.003-06:00

From all of us at Full Throttle Media, I would like to extend a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday's to all our friends. Thank you for all your support and dedication. We look forward to seeing many of you in the new year. This year is finishing quite nicely for us and moving into next year there are some big things happening in the first quarter. All the best to you.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM

When Planning...Remember

2011-12-12T07:11:00.001-06:00

What is the difference between strategy and tactics? This may seem obvious, but lots of people tend to confuse the two. Strategy focuses on the entire forest and not an individual tree. Tactics focus on individual trees.

Strategy is concerned with "what you are doing," while tactics focus on "how you are doing it."

Keen observations from Nigam Arora. See the forest, see the trees!

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM

Pay For It

2011-12-02T17:17:00.001-06:00

No matter how much you change, you still have to pay for what you've done! With that in mind, don't take shortcuts. Putting in the hard work and suffering through the sacrifices will pay dividends in the long run.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T08:58:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Full Throttle Media. Enjoy yourself, reflect on what you are thankful for and most importantly, be safe. We thank you for being there for us. Peace.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

11/11/11 Once in a Life Time

2011-11-11T13:51:00.001-06:00

Full Throttle Media wants to extend a huge thank you to all our friends in the armed services on this once in a lifetime Veteran's Day. It is an honor to have close friends and acquaintances serving, or that served, in every branch of the military. Their sacrifices make our way of life possible. Thank you!

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

Delivering Downloadable Video to Mobile Devices

2011-10-26T12:02:00.002-06:00

Full Throttle Media is working on a cutting edge video delivery system for the sport fishing audience. But, the fragmented availability of distribution platforms, operating systems and browsers increases the complexity associated with publishing video. We are working hard to bring in all the resources necessary to execute on this endeavor. If you have any expertise in the area of delivering downloadable video to mobile devices, we have open ears and minds. There are a hell of a lot of gaps in what's available out there to companies that are not Apple, Netflix, Hulu or Amazon.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

BIG Game Legends Interviews

2011-10-14T10:08:00.000-06:00

The BIG Game Legends Interview Series is being re-edited for use with the Sport Fishing Safari production. This is a long process of looking through hours of footage to grab the very best clips and sound bites. I have just, in the past couple of days, finished work on the Allen Merritt and Alfred Glassell interviews. Allen Merritt was a real pleasure to listen to, with his endless stories about the hey days of growing up in S. Florida. Today, I am on the James Roberts interview that was filmed in Madeira a few years ago.

With a lot of viewing, reviewing and scribbling notes ahead, I decided to pop some corn and grab a few cans of coke (regular coke botted in Central America with real sugar, not the fake crap) and settle in for a long stretch. I hope to have the first of this series out by the first of the year. More updates will be forth coming.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

Our Oceans

2011-10-13T11:19:00.000-06:00

Through my work as a film maker and interviewer, I am exposed to some damn intelligent folks who have spent much of their lives on the water and have a far better understanding of what is going on with the oceans than I. It is my believe that we should all advocate for better fisheries management and oceans protection. For full disclosure, I am an avid sport fisherman and do not believe in the indiscriminate closure of fisheries. I just think we as users of this planets resources could come up with a better, less agenda driven, management plan for our oceans that is based on sound analysis.

I am by no means a wild eyed environmental nut case who promulgates radical anti-business or development agendas. I am a capitalist, but I am, however, struck by what is going on in our oceans.

Anyway, I have watched two short, very entertaining, animated films about the ocean and whales lately that really touched me. So, I thought it necessary to share them with you for your viewing pleasure. The first is from One World One Ocean and the second is from Drew Christie. Please take a few minutes to watch these fantastic productions. And, if you have another minute, check out the amazing work of MacGillivray Freeman

Song Of the Spindle from Drew Christie on Vimeo.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

Big Game Legends from Full Throttle Media

2011-10-08T10:47:00.000-06:00

Full Throttle Media will soon release a collection of conversations with several of big game fishing's most respected and reverred captains, anglers and crew. We started this project several years ago, but only now felt the timing was right to roll the project out. Several of the most well known participants in this project have passed away since filming. And, to the flame never died in any of them. Those that are still with us carry the mantle. I wish to thank each and every one who helped in this endeavor.

BIG Game Legendsis a collection of the most incredible interviews ever shot with someof big game fishing’sgreatest explorers and their first hand tales of heading into theblue. These sportsmen experienced the most superb big game fishingthe world will ever see. It is through their spirit of adventure thatan industry was born.

Throughthese interviews we trace the history of heavy tackle big gamefishing from itsearly days in Bimini and Wedgeport, to one of singular defining moments for thesport in Cabo Blanco, to the development of the big game fishingculture in the deep waters off of Kona, Cairns, Madeira and beyond.These far flung destinations were brought to fame by a group ofextraordinary adventurers that forged the roots of what would becomeone of the world’smost challenging sports endeavors. Men who, compelled to do what wasconsidered impossible, began plying the waters for bigger and biggerfish, testing the limitations of endurance and equipment to catchthat one fish. BIG Game Legends is the story of these big gameanglers, of where and how their journey began, of pioneers who chasedtheir dreams across the oceans and of anglers who still do, hopingfor that freight train to enter the spread.

You will meet Alfred Glassell, one of the sport’s greatest pioneer, whose tirelesslove and contribution to the fishing will forever be the mark by whichall big game anglers are measured. George Parker, in his finaldays, shares his love and enthusiasm for fishing and how the sportshaped his family. Then there is Allen Merritt, one of the greatest fishermenCat Key’stuna alley will ever know and an inspiration behind the developmentof today’smost revered fishing yachts. Record setting duo Stewart Campbell andBark Garnsey share their amazing experiences. Roddy Hays, doing whatno fisherman ever will again, reveals how a deep passion for thesport carried him to heights unreachable. You will also hear from PeterBristow, Peter Fithian, Mike Benitez, Marlin Parker, Clay Hensley, James Roberts and many more to come who have left their mark on a culture and an industry.

Intelling their stories we are welcomed into the inner circle of heavytackle big game fishing. These pioneering adventurers are the heartof Big Game Legends and the roots of an entire industry. It is theirspirit and sacrifice that formed a culture and created a lifestyle.Big Game Legends is a testament to the desire that all anglers have,in one form or another, for that one fish.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

In the Spirit of Doing Something You Love

2011-10-07T07:24:00.000-06:00

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better as the years tol on." Steve Jobs

This is so profoundly true! I found something I love to do about a decade ago and am so happy for it. I stumbled upon the Full Throttle Media idea, but with so many great experiences the hand of serendipity is usually at play. Thank you Steve Jobs for reminding me how lucky I am.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

Big Game Fishing Primer

2011-10-05T05:38:00.001-06:00

Filming of the first phase of the BIG Game Fishing Primer begins this week. The Full Throttle Media team is heading to South Florida to prepare for the production. The BIG Game Fishing Primer is part of the larger Sport Fishing Safari media project. Specific details on the Primer will be released post filming.

Optimize Your Site With Killer Content

2011-09-26T15:15:00.002-06:00

While I agree delivering on the mechanics of SEO is important for any online venture in today's hyper competitive market, success only begins there. The differentiator is still and will always be killer content. You have to have the goods the audience wants. Now that is very simple sounding, but it is true. Content is king!

To really carve out a niche and work it, you must know your audience and what really interests them. What is it that they want to know more about and how do they want to receive that information? If you can deliver on that and engage your audience, well, you will come out way ahead. And don't think for a second you can do this in passing. This requires long term dedication and focus. The playing field is ever changing. There is no short selling of creativity.

At Full Throttle Media, we believe films and videos focused on the subject matter that really turns the ignition of your end consumer is the key. People want to learn stuff and learn it from people they rever or watch truly accomplished practitioners of their interest perform. If you are intimately involved as a member of your own audience, you really understand the psyche therein. Ergo, you have your finger on the pulse of your customer base and thus, are in a good position to deliver something remarkable.

When it comes to search results, the better content trail you have left behind, the more likely you are to be found and shared. If you want to rank high in search, go with video. Killer content in the form of visual media will do more for you site than anything else money can buy.

And, if you really want to do something bold and creative, jump on the Full Throttle Media train.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

Digital Filmmaking with DSLR's

2011-09-13T07:45:00.000-06:00

DSLR's have made a big splash in the production world in the past year. By including high definition video capabilities in SLR cameras, the photography industry has made a quantum leap forward and expanded the playing field for the motion picture production minded. A new book, "Photocine: Digital Filmmaking with DSLRs", highlights this incredible, yet simple, break through. This is the perfect guide to help photographers retool and confidently move forward into the new arena of DSLR filmmaking. Check it out on Amazon LINK

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

The Scene as Seen by the Eye

2011-08-24T07:57:00.000-06:00

David Hockney is really on to something revolutionary for the film industry with the use of nine cameras to film a scene. This is a super interesting approach to film making.

"A lot of people have told me," Hockney remarks, "that before they see these films they can't imagine what nine cameras could do that one can't. When they see them, they understand. It's showing a lot more; there's simply a lot more to see. It seems you can see almost more on these screens than if you were really there. Everything is in focus, so you're looking at something very complicated but with incredible clarity."

Hockney's approach is that cameras give us the scene through one lens, whereas we see things through two eyes. And as opposed to looking in on a scene, we are in the scene when looking through our eyes. This is genius, as far as I am concerned.

There are some projects I would love to use the setup on. The time to arrange all the camers angles and exposures msut be time consuming. We will just have to see how long it takes the market to adapt this technique.

Take a moment to read the Technology Review article about David Hockney's brilliant take on capturing a scene. LINK

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

Launching North Star Ideas

2011-07-27T15:18:00.000-06:00

Salient wisdom from Steve Case about transformative ideas in his Forbes interview. We at Full Throttle Media are hatching several grander projects and know full well how hard they are to get off the ground. In the mean time, you need lots of support and contributions from smaller gigs to get you through launch. Here is an excerpt from the article.

As a venture capitalist, what do you tell entrepreneurs? That big, transformative ideas typically take a decade to become successful. Understanding that is important. Obviously you have to execute. You have to get on base, get early traction. Then you ask, what will it take to accelerate progress? What are the barriers that need to be removed? You need the big idea--a North Star--but then you need pragmatism, perseverance, patience. You can't skip any of those. Disappointment is sure to come.

Forbes

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

Are you alive? Full Throttle Media is...

2011-07-07T13:35:00.001-06:00

Are you living? Is there a dance in your life? Are you moving, growing, risking, taking the challenges of dangerous paths? In the acceptance of the danger, in the acceptance that anything can happen any moment, life comes to its best, to its fullest. So, Go Full Throttle!

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

High Speed Media

2011-06-22T09:00:00.000-06:00

Panasonic is bringing the juice with their new line of high speed pro SDHC memory cards. These full class 10 cards have notable features that professional producers will really like and that is speed and more file control. With 90 MBs transfer rates, these memory cards are considerably faster than the previous generation. We are talking in the neighborhood of 6 minute offload speeds for a 32 gig card. That is nice!

Beyond the speed and control, the issue of USB 3.0 vs. Apples Thunderbolt technology arises. You've got to have a computer with a USB 3.0 controller and use either Panasonic's UHS-1 USB adapter (model number BN-SDCMAB) or an SD card slot on the computer that supports UHS-1 SDHC media. But this is minor in the grand scheme of things and will quickly fade into the archives. For Mac users, not to worry, both CalDigit and LaCie last year released USB 3.0 PCI Express host adapters featuring Mac OS X drivers, thus unlocking MacBook Pros with ExpressCard slots to newer, and future, USB 3.0-based media.

Special thanks to Beth Marchant from Studio Monthly for this great info.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Analyzing Media Consumption

2011-05-07T07:47:00.000-06:00

In a world where we have a multitude of outlets for receiving and consumingm media that suits our interests, it is interesting to analyze engagement patterns. Given last weeks news firestorm surrounding the assault on Osama bin Ladens Pakistani compound, comScore, a favorite of mine, did some rather thorough research into how the news audience experienced this story. Looking at what sources the audience used to consume the emerging story proved quite useful for me. Others in the content desimination business may find this article rather interesting, also.

The growth in technology as a means of media consumption versus print and TV shows how viable and incresingly important it is to develop and distribute your media so that it meets the demands of more mobile deveices. The internet is everywhere now. You cannot carry a TV with you and magazines can get heavy, especially if you read several different publications. While my laptop is still the gold standard for how I consume media, my handset goes everywhere with me and is an ever increasing source of content consumption. Take a minute and read the article by comScore. Most of you are probably already are familiar with this trend, but the research should still be useful.

comScore article

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Apple to build YouTube Killer

2011-04-20T12:06:00.003-06:00

News just released suggests Apple is at work on a YouTube killer, a platform to go head to head with Google and knock off the video sharing service they own. The article quotes Steve Rosenbaum, the CEO of Magnify.net and the author of Curation Nation, as saying Apple is hard at work on an intriquing new service. He goes on to say that the new Final Cut Pro X at $299, Apple's creation and distribution infrastructure, their online market place and their new data center all make for big steps in the direction of a web based video network.

What? When I read this my first thought was, puleeze (please)! YouTube, being the prime mover in the video sharing space and having huge momentum puts even the best would be competitor well behind the eight ball. No chance of this happening. This just does not fit with Apple's general business model. But, hey, stranger things have happened and you can never under estimate Steve Jobs.

http://www.reelseo.com/apple-building-youtube-competitor/

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Branded Content in the Age of the DVR

2011-04-14T10:00:00.000-06:00

The DVR hit the market and was intended to enable viewers to skip commercials. This is really a function of fast forwarding through content that is of no interest, including commercials. From a TV networks perspective, this potentially undermines television’s longtime ad supported business model. This debate has been raging since the DVR first came on the market. Early on, it was seen as the death nail of broadcast advertising. But, with the recent release of Nielsen's report on DVR usage, things seem to have swung in the direction of the advertiser. This is what the report indicates:

Nielsen Report: link

Once a novelty, the digital video recorder is now in 38 percent of U.S. homes, and its increasing popularity represents both a blessing and a challenge for the TV and advertising industries. On the one hand, DVRs enable TV networks to hold on to viewers who use timeshifting to watch their favorite shows when it is convenient for them and who might otherwise seek alternate ways to watch programming – or not watch at all. On the other hand, DVRs allow viewers to skip content that doesn’t interest them, including commercials, potentially undermining TV’s longtime ad-supported business model. In its latest report on DVR usage, The Nielsen Company highlighted a number of key findings, including:

Viewers do watch commercials on their DVRs. Among DVR homes, playback lifts commercial ratings by 44% among 18-49s after three days. Among all 18-49 year-old viewers DVR playback adds 16% to commercial ratings after three days
More than 38% of DVR users are over age 45.
When DVR playback is included, DVR households watch more primetime programming than non-DVR households.
Overall, 49% of time-shifted primetime broadcast programming is played back the same day it was recorded, and 88% is played back within 3 days.
DVR playback peaks at 9pm and 10pm.

Now does Nielsen have a bios, because in seeking to demonstrate that DVRs weren’t assaulting the ad supported television business model they posed a rather ridiculous question. That question seemingly was “Does anyone watch any TV commercials during DVR playback?” Are you kidding me? How asinine! Of course people do. It's just a matter of how much they watch or pay attention to the message. This brings up a perfect case. I was just over at a friends house and did not know he had a DVR until suddenly the commercials were flying by. Interesting I thought, since I was thinking about writing this article. Now, he is very tech savvy and upon questioning him I discovered some interesting data. He did on occasion let the commercials play, but while multitasking. When he got up to get something from the kitchen or jump on Facebook or do some other online activity the commercials rolled. But, when you finished, he immediately starting buzzing right past the commercials.

The longer people have DVRs, the more adept they become at using features such as fast-forwarding through commercials. And as they become adept, they use those feature more often. And as more and more users acquire DVRs, ad skipping will become a far larger issue for networks. This will be an ever increasing problem for broadcasters and not the diminishing one represented in the Nielsen Report.

The more I read about the DVR and the problems it presents for advertisers, the more I smile. Why, you might ask? This goes along with what I have been saying for years. In order to avoid being dropped into a commercial slot during a program and maybe skipped over, why not integrate your message directly into the program. Make it contextual and present it in a more receptive fashion. I know, you are probably saying it is very expensive and difficult coordinating with TV production companies. Alas, there exist the niche and very targeted sports film industry. You can brand this type of content any way you choose and still keep the audience engaged.

Full Throttle Media has long been advocating for and developing more creative concepts to reach audiences in the convergent world we are living in. TV, print and online are colliding and forever changing the way companies can and should deliver their messages. You have to engage and entertain, rather than approach with a hard sell. The sophistication of advertising methods and techniques has advanced, enticing and shaping and even creating consumerism and needs where there has been none before. Film is one of the most elaborate examples yet of the intersection of the entertainment and advertising industries, with the Internet and other new media shaping up as the main distribution crossroad. I see a more elaborate technique, such as a short films where the aim is to sell a product but to cleverly do the advertising in a subtle way. These films can be very entertaining and exciting, but also promote a product behind the main theme.

One of the biggest benefits of embracing film is the longevity the format offers. They do not show once or twice and then disappear. Films are watched over and over and the is no chance your brand message will be DVR'd out. Think about it.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Shear Madness

2011-04-07T08:06:00.000-06:00

This is shear madness, but 'oh so sweet. The very beginning is a little weak, but the majority is very cool. The shoot is pretty well put together. Enjoy...

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

New Project

2011-01-19T08:32:00.000-06:00

The new year has brought with it new opportunities. We are just starting pre-production on what could prove to be a very interesting and rewarding project related to the fitness world. There will be no official release of names or exactly what is entailed until we have concluded the first round of filming. We have to do this in order to prevent some fitness competitors from jumping in. We hope to have an press release ready by the end of February. Full ahead as we go.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Year End

2010-12-17T08:22:00.001-06:00

Well, another year is coming to a close and while this one started off slowly, it is ending on a high note and building well into next year. As hard as I have worked to advance FTM's projects, nothing would have happened without the support of my production team. I especially want to say thanks to George for all his dedication. He has been with me since the beginning and never lets me down. As this year nears it's end, we are busy penciling in dates for multiple location shoots next year. Thanks to everyone! See you after the holidays.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Full Throttle Media's Film Project Big Game Legends

2010-11-19T19:07:00.002-06:00

Here is a short clip of an interview with captain James Roberts, in Madeira, discussing the best fishing destinations in the world. This piece was shot as a part of the film project "Big Game Legends" which features a series of interviews with several of the world's best big game anglers.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Costa Rica

2010-11-07T06:12:00.001-06:00

Mother Nature showed up in Costa Rica this past week and she was pissed. For the land of "Pura Vida" this rainy season has been very ugly. With life being taken, families displaced from their homes, no electricity and little fresh water, my prayers go out to my friends and colleagues, as well as all effected Ticos in Escazu. This is a difficult time for them. My fortune had me in the States on work, so I am lucky. The forces of nature have been dialed up and directed with fur.Boy, when Mama Nature has an axe to grind the sparks sure do fly.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show

2010-10-27T08:20:00.000-06:00

I am off today to the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show to do some promotion and meet with sponsors of the "Sport Fishing Safari" film series. This will be a busy week for sure. Thank you to all those who are currently involved. None of this would be possible without the generous support of so many fine people and companies. There are a few pending announcements that I will hold off making until after the show.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Sport Fishing Safari

2010-10-25T13:12:00.000-06:00

We are preparing to head out this week to the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show to promote the upcoming film series "Sport Fishing Safari". This project is a collection of films about the orchestrated dance between man and nature that makes fishing the most widely pursued outdoor activity in the world. Each film is a window on one of sport fishing’s most epic destinations, capturing the global experience through the eyes of the captains and anglers who live it. Focusing on the natural beauty and variety that make sport fishing so thrilling, we take a close up look at the subtle differences that make each adventure so unique. The destinations to be featured in this film series include Antigua Barbuda, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Florida, Louisiana, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Panama, South Africa, Turks and Caicos, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu and Western Australia

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Being Humanistic About Fish

2010-10-20T09:21:00.003-06:00

This essay, by Susie Byers, won first prize in the 2010 Margaret Dooley Awards and focuses on a subject that I have great passion for, preserving our oceans great species. After reading the essay, I felt compelled to share it. While I do not agree with all the points made in the article, most of the message needs to be taken seriously. Take the time to read this well written piece and reflect on how you as an individual interact are responsible for what is taking place in our oceans. Ask yourself this question, why is it so hard to formulate a plan that both protects many of the great ocean species while allowing reasonable consumption of the resource? Stay tuned, Full Throttle Media currently has a project in production that highlights the interests of the sport fishing community in the matter of conservation and fishing and how the two have a symbiotic relationship.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Resort Development Marketing

2010-09-16T12:21:00.003-06:00

It seems that resort developers are still clinging to the mantra, “build it and they will come”. You know how it goes. Find a nice piece of property, build out the infrastructure, secure a “luxury” hotel flag, develop a swanky resort with pool, have a well known golf course designer layout a golf course, maybe through in some tennis and voila'.

What's that sound? Oh, those are crickets. The land guys are still waiting for buyers to show up. Following this historic economic downturn, resort developers are finding themselves more and more behind the curve on what is going to entice investors and tourists to let go of their money. Selling the promise of a private getaway with golf and tennis is done. Get that, it's over. Time to step up your game.

I have meet so many resort community execs over the last year and a half to discuss how they should position themselves. It is easy I tell them. You have to offer more of an experience. Home owners, guests, tourists want excitement. They want a certain level of adventure and some of it serendipitous. Hum! They ask, how do we do that??? So, I lay out a rather creative approach to the types of activities they should offer and how to convey such an offering across multiple media platforms. Their eyes glaze over and they say, “we will get back to you”. Ultimately, they want to continue down the path they know so well. Oh, the status quo. This path that will eventually find them less and less competitive.

Today, buyers and guests are looking for something more to help with their decision making. Real estate developments and resort communities have to deliver on experience. To make it simple, people want to do stuff. They want to be entertained, engaged, challenged and maybe learn something new in the process. It is all about the adventure from the time your leave your house until you return. Those developers that can figure out what the right combination of activities to offer is and how to communicate to their target audience are going to mover well ahead of their contemporaries.

Be proactive! Get out ahead of the herd and start positioning yourself as the destination that has the ability to deliver rather than make empty less than fulfilling promises. More and more, families are vacationing and buying second homes where the whole family finds enjoyment. Think about sports, educational programs, events or experiences that appeal to the whole family. Build up the aspirations of your audience before they visit and over deliver once they are on the ground. If you can manage to create a sense of adventure, you will be helping to build memories that will be talked about for years to come. And that is what will bring more and more people back to your place.

The good news is that there are a few developers and related consultants that have figured out that marketing adventure and experience works. Let the stream of imaginative consciousness flow.

For more information, look me up....

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Fished to the Edge of Extinction

2010-07-28T09:44:00.000-06:00

A new article in the New Yorker magazine is worth a read if you care at all about the health of ocean fisheries. LINK

As we have fished so many ocean species to the edge of extinction, we have to ask ourselves, is there a hopeful ending to this story? Are fisheries exhaustible? That was the question posed at the Great International Fisheries Exhibition in 1883. The answer then was, no. Even today, the answer still seems to be know despite all the evidence to the contrary. Cod, wolffish, halibut, haddock, swordfish, marlin, skate and the might bluefin tuna populations have been decimated. By any reasonable calculation, the stocks of large predatory fish have declined 90% since the 1950's. That is indeed a remarkable accomplishment. And to think, we have some of the most sophisticated technology to measure fish stocks and total catch, but still nothing is done. We have an organization in ICCAT, who is charged with managing the catch of bluefin tuna. "In 2008, ICCAT scientists recommended that the bluefin catch in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean be limited to between eighty-five hundred and fifteen thousand tons. ICCAT instead adopted a quota of twenty-two thousand tons. That same year, a panel of independent reviewers, hired by the commission to assess its performance, observed that ICCAT “is widely regarded as an international disgrace.” Carl Safina, the noted marine conservationist, has nicknamed the group the International Conspiracy to Catch All the Tunas.

Where does the madness end? In 1964, the annual global catch was 50 million tons. In 1967, the U.S. Interior Dept. estimated the catch could be increased to 2 billion tons. That is a 40 fold increase. The total world catch topped out at 85 million tons in the 80's. What planet do those charged with managing ocean species live on? In the past 20 years, we have seen global catch decline year after year. Estimates indicate we appear to be loosing 500,000 tons a year as less fish are caught. One day, your children will tell stories to their children about the stories you used to tell them about great fish being caught at sea. Now, you are probably thinking, BS, don't be so alarmist. The facts speak for themselves. Ask yourself this question, do you care or do you see it as someone else's problem? Be responsible fishermen and take a stand. We need to start now to rebuild fish stocks, so we can continue to enjoy the sport we all love so much.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Your Social Business Card - Poken

2010-07-21T07:19:00.000-06:00

I am usually do not get real excited about the latest tech gadgets, but this super cool little device is worth a look. No more business cards or the need to gather cards or scribble contact info on scraps of paper. I am going to buy a few of these and pass them around to my friends. This is a brilliant idea. You just have to love ingenuity!

Your Social Business Card - Poken

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

Parachuting donkey shocks Russian beach goers!

2010-07-20T08:11:00.002-06:00

Parachuting donkey shocks Russian beachgoers - Yahoo! Singapore News

You just have to shake your head in amazement. It never ceases to amaze me how little creativity there is in the advertising world. Seriously, how does something like this even get past the first round of laughs in the conference room? If someone pitched this idea to me, you can be damn sure I would not waste another moment with their silly proposal. With that said, someone was pitched this idea and said, "Yes, what a brilliant concept. How much will it cost me?" To think someone paid for this. Sad, truly sad!

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTMSeth Horne

Super Speedway

2010-07-09T17:39:00.004-06:00

The art of high impact story telling is a craft Stephen Low has mastered. His films are some of the most intense real time journeys you have ever seen. You can really feel like you are in the moment. If you are in the business of film making or video production and have not had the chance to experience his work, please take the time. It will be so worth it. This trailer for the film "Super Speedway" is amazing. Although the film came out a while back, it is nonetheless stunning visually. The audio grit just draws you in. All of my auto enthusiasts friends were stunned by the camera work. Of course this a large format film shot with very expensive equipment. The footage that you really want to key in on is that of racing legend Mario Andretti and his son Michael as they race with cameras mounted on their cars. The raw speed and intensity of screaming down the track at well over 200 mph is gripping. This is a one off production that auto enthusiasts will not tire of watching. These are two different trailers. Both are equally brilliant. Watch the first one in 720p, amazing!

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

The Last Great Sport Fish

2010-06-23T10:33:00.000-06:00

This is an excerpt from Paul Greenberg's article in the New York Times Magazine. The article is a must read if you care one iota about the preservation of one the world's great species. Just like elephants, lions, tigers and rhinos, the bluefin tuna deserves to be protected. Just because we cannot see it does not mean we should turn a blind eye. Would you stand by as the last elephant was slaughtered for it's tusks or a silver backed gorilla was shot dead? We are at a seminal moment in the history of our oceans great species. Do you care or do we not? Would you willingly eat an endangered species? It is simple.

“WE FIND OURSELVES in a precarious situation.” So wrote Ritchie Notar, a co-owner of the internationally acclaimed Nobu restaurant chain, to Greenpeace U.K. back in 2008 after Greenpeace intensified its tuna-defense efforts and put forward the idea that bluefin should no longer be served at Nobu’s establishments. “We are dealing with thousands of years of cultural customs,” Notar continued in correspondence Greenpeace forwarded to me. “The Japanese have relied on tuna and the bounties of the sea as part of their culture and history for centuries. We are absolutely appreciative of your goals and efforts within your cause, but it goes far beyond just saying that we can just take what has now all of a sudden been declared an ‘endangered’ species off the menu. It has to do with custom, heritage and behavior.”

Link to the article http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/magazine/27Tuna-t.html?pagewanted=all

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Brand Focus

2010-06-23T08:03:00.001-06:00

Food for thought this morning. After you launch your brand, you are only as good as the product and performance you deliver, and the brand promise has to be lived up to. If the promise has been very substantial and the performance has been average, that’s going to put you in a bigger hole than if the promise was modest and the performance has been average. With that in mind, why do I see so many folks in positions of controlling the marketing and brand strategy, as well as it's implementation, with absolutely no idea what they are doing? The silence is deafening. Even worse, you cannot even convince them to do what is in their best interest because they do not know what their interest is to begin with. If you have ineffective or inefficient people in positions that impact your brand, get rid of them. The economic and business environment we find ourselves in today is the perfect excuse to ease your burden and bring in new talent. Keep the ideas flowing.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Fish Out of Water

2010-06-16T08:37:00.002-06:00

There are people willing to make sacrifices that many of us cannot even begin to imagine. They do this out of selflessness. How many of you have considered helping someone who has put their life on the line to protect the very freedoms we take for granted each and every day. Personally, I congratulate the men and women who serve in the military. The fine men and women at Explore.org have really made the effort to extend their hands to those who have served their country by helping soldiers connect with nature. Their film production "Fish Out of Water" is a wonderful piece. We should all think of ways to extend our hands and make the gesture to say thanks. Whether through our words or our actions, we should all give back.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Long Format Film Based Marketing with Full Throttle Media

2010-06-09T09:17:00.001-06:00

It was early last year and I was pitching a film based marketing plan to a business. Full Throttle Media's idea was to shoot a longer format feature segment and then edit down to multiple 2-3 minute clips for promotional purposes. The long format would be used for streaming, download, trade shows or more interactive sales situations and the short disseminated through broadcast means online. Any way, they had their hired content expert on site and all she could say was “Short format is the only thing that works. It has to be less than 30 seconds.” Sigh! I was offering direct access to the audience they most needed by means of a multimedia production communicated across multiple platforms and she was focused on print advertising. Needless to say, they could not make a decision on my proposal and eventually ended up doing nothing.

Where are they today? Nobody knows and the content expert was fired. Gee, I wonder why. This company is still in business struggling to position their brand with their target consumer. What I mean by nobody knows is that they spent "hundreds of thousands" of dollars listening to the content expert and got butkus. They are no more known today than they were a year and a half ago.

A new report from eMarketer shows continued growth in US online video viewers over the last year and projections for further growth going forward. The kernel in this report reveals that while online video viewership was increasing rapidly, the streaming and downloading of full length productions was experiencing even more dramatic growth. Internet users are moving beyond snack size clips and embracing full length features online.

Well, I have another appointment with these guys.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Shark Finning

2010-06-04T10:35:00.001-06:00

A recent article in a local Costa Rican newspaper got me thinking about just how irresponsible so many are when it comes to our oceans. Don't for a second get me wrong, I love making money and begrudge no person for pursuing wealth and fame, but when that profit comes at the expense of simple conservation principles I cringe. This article detailed the plight of several Taiwanese fishermen that were being held captive on a Costa Rican registered fishing vessel and forced to haul sharks out of the sea for their fins.

If I have said this once, I have said it to the point of exhaustion, we are in a race to catch the last fish. Now, I could go into detail about the cramped harsh conditions the workers were kept in and the 20 hour work days, but my focus is on the reckless and idiotic practice of shark finning. As the world's demand for sharks continues to grow, shark populations are plummeting. Sharks are particularly vulnerable to overfishing because they grow slowly, are late to mature and produce relatively few young. Currently more than a fifth of shark species are listed as threatened with extinction.

Shark finning, huh! What the hell kind of practice is that? Finning consists of hauling sharks out of the water, slicing just their fins off and then tossing their bodies, often still alive, overboard to rot in the water. The fins are then sold to Asian markets for use in “delicacies” like shark fin soup. Why would anybody want to eat a sharks fin? Because, it gives you virility, or so the story goes.

This is a horrible and destructive fishing technique that has been going on for years and you would think it would be illegal in most civilized countries. But, not in Costa Rica, where all things are green and the people love nature. I bet most people do not even know this savage practice takes place in this country. Here is one caveat, while selling shark fins is not illegal in Costa Rica, removing the appendages before docking is prohibited. Ohhhh, that's so much better. What, are you kidding me? When the fins are worth so much more than the bodies, finners prefer to cut the fins off at sea and dump the carcass back into the ocean. You know, who needs those pesky shark bodies taking up valuable space in the cargo hold.

Even though it is illegal to land fins without the shark in Costa Rica, there is little or no enforcement to worry about. I have witnessed first hand fishermen hauling basket after basket of just fins onto the beach. Odd you might think. Not really! The Asian market where these fins are sold has no regard for the oceans or how many thousands of tons of sharks are killed each year for their fins.

“The Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Telecommunications has said that the Taiwanese boats had all the necessary permits to fish for sharks in Costa Rican waters and that, as far as fishing is concerned, the owners of the ships did not commit any crimes.” This quote is taken from Mike McDonald at the Tico Times. They had the proper permits and no crimes were committed. How sad this commentary is for the world. And the more curious aspect of the story is that the enslaved fishermen tell a different story. They say they were hauling in fish after fish and slicing off their fins while at sea. Huh, who should we believe?

Whether this takes place in Costa Rica or any other country, practices like this must stop. We are emptying our oceans at an ever increasing and alarming rate. Metric tons of sharks, tuna, swordfish, marlin and so many more species are being harvested to feed our appetites for fish. This is unsustainable. How many excuses can we come up with for why we should continue with the status quo? Large scale international commercial fishing operations are a scourge to our planet. Maybe one day you won't be able to buy shark fin soup or a tuna steak. What then?

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Rise

2010-05-04T15:30:00.003-06:00

From the crew that brought you "Drift" comes another film that embodies what fly fishing is all about. Rise is the latest film from the Confluence producers. Seeking out renown characters and souls with close connections to several of the worlds most storied stretches of water, the filmmakers bring you a series of stories that reflect the attraction fly fishing holds for so many.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Drift

2010-05-04T15:29:00.001-06:00

One of the classic fly fishing films to be made in recent times is Confluence Films "Drift". The fly fishing industry and enthusiasts have really figured out how to communicate the beauty and passion of their sport. I wish other segments of the sport fishing world would join this band of merry "sportsters". Much the way the surfing and skate boarding aficionados have tapped into the passion that drives their sports, the producers of this film have zeroed in on what drives fly anglers to wade into waters the world over in pursuit of their favorite quarry.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Currents of Belize

2010-04-27T09:28:00.004-06:00

Here is another nicely produced fly fishing film that demonstrates you do not need a well known host to capture the audience. Fishing enthusiasts are over the format that injects the "well known" angler or captain into a local scene where the entire film is about them and not the place. You really have to understand that todays audience wants to see the destination for what it is and listen to the "guy" who has spent a lifetime getting to know the waters intimately. Make it personal. The idea is for the viewer to feel as though they have been welcomed into the living room of the local expert to share in the knowledge and experience accumulated over years. Great job Costa del Mar. You have another winner on your hands with "Currents of Belize".

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM Seth Horne

Big Game Legends Film Clip

2010-04-22T09:45:00.005-06:00

A clip from Full Throttle Media's "Big Game Legends" film. This is a historical documentary about the development of big game fishing and tackle around the world. This footage was shot on 16 mm and edited for the express purpose of achieving an edgier effect. The fishing is taking place on the Great Barrier Reef.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

Once in a Blue Moon

2010-04-21T14:57:00.004-06:00

The guys at On the Fly in New Zealand are doing some incredible fishing on the other side of the planet from where I am. You have to get down there and experience some of these goods.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

2010-04-21T10:06:00.006-06:00

SuperFish by Rick Rosenthal is a must see flick on the health of the marlin and sailfish fisheries in Costa Rica and a few other countries. The footage is absolutely amazing. To watch a baby sailfish swimming and feeding is remarkable. We are, as Rick states, watching a race to catch the last big fish in the oceans. Take time to grab this film and watch one of the true masters of underwater filming at work.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

Vision Research Unveils the Next-Gen Camera, the Phantom Flex

2010-04-21T06:40:00.007-06:00

April 19, 2010 Source: Studio Daily

Setting new standards for innovation, Vision Research, a leading manufacturer of digital high speed imaging systems, proudly unveils the Phantom Flex, the company’s next generation, high-speed camera for the digital cinema market. Redefining what’s possible when it comes to high-speed imaging, the Phantom Flex offers industry-leading flexibility, allowing users to fine tune and adapt the camera to their changing needs and to deliver impressive slow-motion images in just about any application or environment. 

User-Selectable Shooting

Modes  For situations that demand the ultimate in resolution, the Phantom Flex boasts a specially engineered four mega-pixel color CMOS sensor which offers a maximum resolution of 2560x1600. When set to Standard Mode, users can enjoy a maximum recording speed of 1,560 frames-per-second (fps) at the camera’s maximum four mega pixel resolution. Higher recording speeds can also be achieved by reducing the camera’s resolution. For example, when used in full-HD resolution (1920x1080), the Phantom Flex offers a maximum recording speed of 2,800 frames-per-second. When reduced to 720p HD resolution (1280x720), the Phantom Flex offers a maximum recording speed of 6,100 fps. The camera can go even faster, recording at 13,000 fps at 640x480. In addition to delivering impressive results for high-speed imaging, the Phantom Flex can also be used to record at more traditional speeds with frame rates starting as low as 5 fps, further adding to the versatility of the camera system. 

Enhanced Image Quality

Users will also benefit from the camera’s Phantom HQ shooting mode, a high performance setting which yields the ultimate in image quality. A step-up from Standard Mode, Phantom HQ Mode employs Vision Research’s proprietary image enhancement technology. An unprecedented achievement in digital high-speed cameras, Phantom HQ Mode ensures stable blacks, low noise, higher dynamic range and repeatable shots over the full range of supported resolutions, frame rates, and temperatures, all without the need to conduct pre-shot black references. When set to Phantom HQ Mode, the Flex trades speed for enhanced image quality; however, the camera still offers impressive maximum recording speeds of 780 fps at 2560x1600, 1,390 fps at 1920x1080, and 3,000 fps at 1280x720.  

Additional high performance features include:   - Breakthrough sensitivity: increased peak quantum efficiency and reduction in noise-equivalent power
- 1000 ISO (measured using ISO 12232 SAT method)
- 12-bit pixel depth 
- Flexible lens options: choose between 35mm (PL, Canon EOS, Nikon F, Panavision), Super 16mm, and 2/3” lenses
- Global, electronic shutter down to one-microsecond 
- Select raw digital workflow, video workflow, or combine both for maximum control and flexibility
- Internal mechanical shutter for hands-free and remote Current Session Reference 
- Dual HD-SDI outputs: 2 x 4:2:2 HD-SDI ports can be configured as dual-link 4:4:4 video 
- On-camera controls for mode selection, settings, playback, edit & save
- Frame synchronization to external signals allows multiple cameras to be synchronized, essential for stereo 3D recording 
- Two 12V DC auxiliary power outputs for powering external devices - Remote port for connecting Phantom Remote Control Unit 
- 16GB or 32GB of high-performance built-in dynamic RAM
- Phantom CineMag, CineStation and CineStream support  
Service and Technology Protection   With the purchase of any Phantom Flex digital high-speed camera, Vision Research provides a three-year service protection program, which covers any needed repair as well as software and firmware updates.

Vision Research is also offering an aggressive technology protection program that gives current Phantom camera owners to the ability to trade-in their used camera to experience the new Phantom Flex at a discounted rate. Depending on the condition and age of the used Phantom camera, customers can receive a trade-in credit towards the purchase of a Phantom Flex. Thanks to this unprecedented program, loyal Vision Research customers can maximize their investment and stay at the forefront of the continually advancing, state-of-the art high-speed imaging technologies offered by the company.  

Additional information and detailed specifications for the Vision Research Phantom Flex can be found atwww. visionresearch.com

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

The Hole Gets Bigger

2010-04-14T09:02:00.003-06:00

The global appetite for fish is a major cause for the hole forming in the ocean. This giant hole sucks millions of tons of sea life out of our oceans year after year and it only gets bigger. The sad part is that so many countries and citizens of this world just do not care or are completely unaware of the problem and it's ramifications. Either way, this is a dereliction of our role as citizens of this planet. We are edging ever closer to total population collapse for dozens of species. Really, we are past the tipping point with this shit.

I am a fisherman, but I am a conservationists first. From an early age, I was taught to respect the land and the animals that inhabit it. Of course, at that early age, my point of reference was the ponds and rivers that were juxtaposed next to our property. Even then, I was aware from my grand fathers stories that the rivers just did not have the same numbers and sizes of fish that they did when he was young. In the early 70's, it was pollution that was choking the life out of the river and killing off the food chain that so many species depended on.

Now, today, not only do our rivers and oceans have to struggle against pollution to sustain so many fish and animals, but, there is the never ending demand for more and more "protein" from these waters. Tuna, sharks, marlin, swordfish, sea turtles, dolphin, whales, and on and on are all fished to near total population collapse. We are fishing them while their population numbers are below sustainable yield. This means that the species cannot produce fast enough to keep up with losses due to harvesting. How far will YOU allow this to go?

We all have a responsibility to the earth. Wake up people before it is too late! Because while you sleep, those that have been charged with monitoring and protecting these species continue to fail us. They need more time to do studies and assess population numbers before they can set proper quotas. This is a joke and all those involved with setting catch quotas for international fishing operations should be ashamed of themselves.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

Watch out Red

2010-04-08T14:29:00.005-06:00

I like the direction the industry is heading with the modular cameras with PL lenses. First it was Red revolutionizing the industry and now ARRI is rolling out Alexa with some very enticing features. Damn, just when you think you have things figured out the earth starts shaking. I like it. Studio Daily Article about Alexa here

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

Viewer Centric

2010-04-07T10:44:00.006-06:00

Are you looking at your audience through the eyes of your production company or through the eyes of your audience? How can you better manage receptiveness by end users to your product and what content do they really need or want? Be viewer centric! Think about what the relationship between current productions and the audience is and what improvements are necessary to maintain and build said audience. This is not hard, but can be time consuming.

The key is to know your target audience. Understand them intimately. This is more about what end viewers want rather than what your company may want or assume the audience wants. Broaden your knowledge base, talk to subject matter experts. For good measure, it would pay to submerse yourself in the subject by either being a follower or becoming a follower. Walk in the footsteps of your audience for a little while.

Where do current productions fall short? What are you competing against? What are the trends, past, present and what will they be going forward? Having measurable audience and comparable product metrics will pay huge dividends in the end. You have to differentiate yourself.

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM
Seth Horne

On the Water in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

2010-03-26T16:03:00.004-06:00

I recently put together some material for a project in Costa Rica that involves sport fishing, diving and surfing. They had very little practical knowledge on the subject matter and wanted someone who could create some copy for their website. This is the gist of what they received.

Fishing
In the northwest corner of Costa Rica there resides one of the premier sport fishing destinations in all the world. This is one of the country's most fertile fishing areas and definitely the best area for marlin. Fishing these waters is less about quantity and much more about quality. At last count, there were more than 80 current IGFA world record fish from Costa Rican waters, including 21 all tackle, 41 line class and 18 fly. 40, yes 40, of those IGFA world records have been established in the waters of the northwest.

The Gulf of Papagayo is home to an interesting and amazing mix of inshore and offshore ocean life. It is particularly known as one of the world's best fisheries for sailfish and for great numbers of striped, blue and black marlin, some approaching 700 pounds. These are also the waters of record class roosterfish. Sixty to seventy pound fish are common, with frequent catches approaching 100 pounds. Other species of note include, yellow fin tuna to 300 + lbs., dorado, wahoo, roosterfish, Pacific Dog snapper, amberjack, big cubera snapper, grouper, cabrilla, and jack crevalle. Among the vast archives of sacred sport fishing destinations around the world, few stand in comparison to the unusually prolific nature of the Gulf of Papagayo fishery.

Diving
Bounded on the north by the fabled Murcielagos (Bat) Islands, and on the south by the equally famous Catalina Islands, the Gulf of Papagayo plays host to the best diving found within 200 miles of the coast. Within easy reach of Marina Papagayo, you’ll enjoy some of Costa Rica's most nutrient rich waters, places like Mango, Monkey Head, Surprise, Aquarium, Fantasma, Rainbow, Key Largo and River Plate - each a divers fantasy. These dive sites are a nexus for seahorses, manta rays, eagle rays, hawkfish, angelfish, surgeonfish, parrotfish, pompanos, turtles, sharks, octopus, many species of eels, humpback, pilot and killer whales. Manta rays are most commonly seen at the Catalina Islands between December and April.

Diving is a year round activity in the Gulf waters. The average yearly temperatures are in the range of 24-26°C (75-79°F) from mid-May to mid-December and can fall to 21°C (70°F) at depth from December to April. While the water temperatures are warmer and visibility better during the May-December period, this is the green season, so you should expect rain during this time of year. The average visibility is about 20 to 60 feet, and up to 80 on clear days. Variation is due to the water being fortified with nutrient rich plankton feeding a vast hierarchy or marine life.
With so many locations to dive on, the area offers an adventure for every level of diver. Marina Papagayo affords access to an undersea world that is a veritable rainbow of oceanic life.

Surfing
Costa Rica was discovered as a wave riding paradise in the 1960's. Since that time, the breaks along the Pacific coastline of Guanacaste have experienced increasing popularity. Carving out a spot as one of the top places in the world to surf, more and more surfers from around the world are traveling to Costa Rica in search of the perfect wave. The rainy and dry seasons have distinct characteristics: abundant swells and onshore winds during the rainy season, crystal clear water and offshore winds during dry season.

The most well known surf spots in the country, Ollie's Point and Witches Rock, are exploding just minutes from Marina Papagayo. Ollie's Point is known for it's fast hallow right, a wave of perfection that holds mythic status among die hard wave riders. This break produces waves that roll on for 300 meters. Three rides here and you are through for the day. Witches Rock, to the north, is an absolute shrine to surfing, a destination of daring. When the south swells roll into Santa Rosa National Park, the Rock pitches smooth over head tubes. When it's on, these waves challenge even the pros.

I posted the fishing portion on the Sport Fishing Forum, of which I am a member.

All the best> Seth Horne

Share the experience, sell the dream...Full Throttle Media! FTM

Knowledge is the Key to Success

2010-03-10T15:44:00.005-06:00

Success requires having a fundamental understanding of the environment within which you work. The element that has the greatest impact on your success is knowledge. You must know more than your competitor and be able to apply that knowledge in a more productive manner in order to acheive greater success. You must know what is expected and how best to maximize that expectation. You must know how hard you can push yourself and you must constantly test your limitations. With the experience of time, you will begin to understand your limitations and in the end be able to maximize your potential. The phrase 'endeavor to perservere' has most relevance when you near your limitations. There is no greater test of your limitations than taking on mother nature. Her awesome power and energy is unvanquished. With nature things are never the same, they are always unpredictable and often unforgiving. At Full Throttle Media, we love to film in the great outdoors. There is no control and you never know what you are going to be served up on any given day, but that is the challenge. In order to come out on top, knowledge of your equipment and it's limitations in critical. Being able to quickly adapt to the conditions is the difference between success or failure.

Go Full Throttle Media! Share the experience, sell the dream...
FTM
Seth Horne

Don't Let the Monkeys Fly the Plane

2010-02-09T09:27:00.010-06:00

Don't let the monkeys fly the plane. Now, this is a simple adage about not letting people who have no idea what they are doing take control of a situation. But, I will be damned if I do not see this taking place quite often. Why? Usually because some corporate exec does not know enough about the subject at hand to know that he is appointing someone who does not know their ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to that very subject matter. Wow, is there a better way to waste time and money than ceding control of a department or project to under-qualified employees and then continuing down that same path even when it becomes obvious that is what has occurred? With little or no practical experience in the given field, self appointed know-it-alls and control freaks manage to crash projects with out even realizing what they are doing and all with the blessing of those higher up. This is a brilliant strategy for execs who want to get themselves fired or, at the very least, exposed for lacking any modicum of management 101 skills. The saddest part is that there is, 9 times out10, usually a far smarter and better qualified person ready and willing to step up to the task. Why is this better candidate not chosen? Well, I will throw two words out for you to chew on. Ego and fear! Ego: in the sense that, I know what I am doing better than anyone else. Fear: because I don't want to look weak or "stupid" when I have to make the necessary and beneficial changes to correct my first mistake. So, if you are going to let the monkeys fly your plane, strap yourself in because "You Are Going To Crash".

Go Full Throttle Media! Share the experience, sell the dream...
FTM
Seth Horne

The Best Social Media Tool: Film

2010-01-31T11:53:00.008-06:00

When I evaluate all the available social media tools available today, the one that stands out as the most effective in its ability to reach an audience is video and especially online video. As of 2010, YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google. That is an amazing statistic. What does that mean? Well, people are spending a whole hell of a lot of time searching for video or while watching video. Either way, you are way behind if you are not currently using video or seriously thinking about using video in relation to whatever message you are trying to get out. It's time to get in the game.

We all recognize film and video as entertainment, but beyond that what is it? Moving images are engagement objects that audiences find entertaining, instructional, educational, or may be used for marketing, sales tools, interview series, research, live events and more. The possibilities are endless. So, how does this benefit you? With the proper film or video, you are able to tell a story, share an experience, enlighten and inform others. Now the big question, how does a film or video become social media tool? What do we do when we see something fun, informative or engaging? We talk about it, share it, buy it, save it and if we made it we post it online. Once something visual makes it to the internet, it is there forever to be watched over and over.

As I mentioned last month, it has been found that audiences are far more receptive when receiving a message from an emotional level rather than a rational level. Most ads or marketing messages force people to examines the advantages, benefits and features of whatever is being thrown at them. When watching something entertaining or informative the emotional gate is open and this relates more to trust, love, identification and belief. It has been noticed that films or video operate at the emotional level.

So, if you are trying to convey a particular message or position a brand in the minds of your audience, be a little more creative and place your brand within the context of a story. The best and most cost effective way to get that story out is with film or video that you disseminate online. Full Throttle Media can help you develop that film or video to reach your audience.

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Seth Horne

Market Reach with Full Throttle Media Films

2009-12-29T14:52:00.007-06:00

In order to reach, I mean really reach, your audience you have to entertain them rather than approach them with a hard sell.

Film is one of the most elaborate examples yet of the intersection of the entertainment and advertising industries, with the internet shaping up as the main distribution crossroad.

We are seeing more sophisticated techniques, such as short films, where the aim is to sell a product, but to cleverly do the advertising in a subtle way. These short films can be very entertaining and exciting, but also promote a product behind the main theme.

There is evidence of shortened attention spans and a greater effort to break through the clutter of multitudinous brands and media vehicles. The best way to deliver the message is to catch the customer off-guard when the rational defenses are down. The best way to do so is to use the emotional gate rather than the rational gate. The rational gate examines the advantages, benefits, features and seeks value for money; the emotional gate is all about trust, love, identification and belief. It has been noticed that films operate at the emotional level. These aspects can be leveraged by super brands.

Thus, the prime value of Full Throttle Media projects is reflected in the tremendous opportunity available for advertising exposure through our sophisticated approach to contextual brand placement or themed media campaigns associated with our film projects.

Sponsors find our programs extremely valuable marketing vehicles through which they can target the various demographic rich sports enthusiast communities where Full Throttle Media has developed relationships. All our film sponsorship packages can be customized, specific to the corporate strategies and/or the institutional guidelines of your company’s interests.

Advantages of brand placements in Full Throttle Media films:

Diminishing cost due to the longevity of video online and in DVD form
Brand exposure is revived and revisited several times as film's are watched
Lower cost relative to broadcast or print media and the ability to reach target audience
With the average 30-second spot costing $50,000-$400,000 or more, product placement is a minor expense
Ability to integrate your product and/or theme into the production
Achieve significant increase in brand awareness amongst audience
Film is a clutter-free environment
Not subject to surfing, zipping or muting (unlike in TV and other media)
Since your product is integrated into the show, you have a 'captive audience'
Ads catch people in a receptive mood
Tremendous opportunity for cross-promotions

Our films are an extremely valuable marketing vehicle for power brands to target the demographic various rich sport enthusiast community and related recreational enthusiasts.

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Seth Horne

Cancellations

2009-11-29T14:29:00.005-06:00

This is just a follow up to last months post. I am left shaking my head. After spending a solid year putting together a ground breaking film series, the jackass who was handling the financing tells me the country who was to be the principle financier is unable to get their business together. In a nut shell, they were so busy trying to figure out how to steal all the money that they did not realize how they had driven the process into the ground. What can you do except Go Full Throttle.

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Seth Horne

The bete noire of production

2009-10-27T11:14:00.005-06:00

Nothing in the production world, or for that matter any economic endeavor, happens without financing. In the media production world, financing is always very difficult due to the risk involved. There are so many variables at play that effect the outcome of a project. But, when you are relying on others to pony up the dough, you are at the mercy of either a bete noire or an angel. All of us, who have dealt with film financing, know how chaotic the process can be up until the cash is in the bank. At Full Throttle Media we have had to deal with some less than honest characters.

Why is it that so many people are ready to back a production without even knowing what the process entails. Grand dreams of getting rich over night seem to pervade. It is usually greed or the bete noire of financing that grips these souls. I am usually left shaking my head in amazement at how fool hearty these depraved jackholes are.

Just the early part of this fall, after a year of discussion with the ministry of tourism in a certain country who were real eager to fund a big project the entire process came to an abrupt halt. It was their greed that screwed up the whole deal. As it turns out, certain officials had grand designs on absconding the money once it was released by the Government and leaving Full Throttle Media holding the bag. I hope these corrupt officials have their day in the sun.

The thing that irks me the most is not having the project fall apart, that is a regular occurrence in this biz, but having my time wasted. Greed and corruption are a motherf***er that will drag you down. I am glad to have not gotten caught up in this BS. My philosophy is to follow the way of my father and be the bigger man. Do what is right for those involved in the deal, think less about yourself and everything will work out well. As for the bete noire of financing, beat that fool down.

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Seth Horne

What's wrong with sport fishing films and TV

2009-08-12T11:26:00.006-06:00

What's wrong with sport fishing films and TV? Arrrrrgh! How disappointing the programming continues to be. And to think, some of these shows are being renewed for another season. Let's see, where do I start with this conundrum?

Aaah, the show concepts themselves is a good place. There has to be some creative fishermen out there that can conjure up a show genie to bring forth an engaging, entertaining and educational production concept. Can we please move beyond the show where some angler with novice skills plays hosts, displays a real lack of fishery knowledge and then promotes the cheesy, that's right, cheesy resort putting him up for the length of the production. Let's move beyond this format. How about build a show around a fishing captain, guide or angler that actually possesses real depth of knowledge of more than the spit of water in his backyard. They do exist.

Now the good part or should I say the most broken down aspect of fishing shows. Destinations! Out of respect for all those that fish around the world, can we see some new destinations? It seems that for the past eleventy billion seasons, we have held hostage to the same destinations in every show. Florida and the Florida Keys, Pinas Bay, Panama, Central Pacific Costa Rica, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Alaska, Alaska, Alaska... Damn, enough already. Step out of the box. I understand budgeting drives much of this, but there are so many other affordable options around the world.

There used to be great show concepts and talented sportsman as hosts. Think Curt Gowdy and the American Sportsman or Flip Pallot and The Walkers Cay Chronicles. Now these guys had it going on. Consummate sportsman, terrifically engaging personalities and angling skill to boot. On top of that they really traveled to some off the beaten path destinations. The premier episode of American Sportsman took place in the Andes Mountains of Argentina, in 1964, with Gowdy and Joe Brooks fly fishing. There was no blurring the edges or covering over of personality flaws, this was gritty hard nosed outdoor action.

Since that time, and all the way up to and beyond Flip's show, the fly fishing community seems to have figured out how to put real entertaining projects together. Just like the skiing, surfing and skate boarding communities, fly fishermen have figured out how to produce films and videos that the audience wants to watch. Some of these have developed develop real cult followings. As I look at my video shelf, it is not hard to notice that of all the kick ass films and videos non are from the conventional sport fishing genre. Why can't the sport fishing community figure out how to put together some clever films and videos on top of good quality television programming? This is a mystery for the times.

One last thing. Many of the companies involved in producing these worthless sport fishing shows acknowledge the shows are bad, but continue down the same road because it is easy. This is funny.

I have a plan to fix this. Stay tuned!

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Seth Horne

Your Audience

2009-07-10T09:42:00.010-06:00

In the media business, whether it is print, online, tv, video, film, you really have to know your core audience and understand the dynamics behind what drives their interests. So many in the business seem to get lost in what they want to read, watch or hear that they begin to loose sight of their audience and why they are there. It is not about you, so much as it is about your audience. Give them what they want, not what you want. And remember one important concept, quality content is not free. It cost money to produce and distribute.

At Full Throttle Media, we are in the business of selling experience through moving images. It is the experience of living, learning and sharing the adventure of life that motivates us. With that in mind, our primary focus is on producing projects that we enjoy, but that have large niche enthusiast followings and thus eager audiences. Eager for what, you might ask? Niche audiences have a thirst for knowledge, a keen interest in learning as much as possible about their field of passion and being entertained.

The creative team I work with has a broad range of interests, but we seem to focus on a few core segments. Adventure travel, sport fishing, boating, diving, automotive and motorsports, a lot of lifestyle components that have huge followings. Now, within each segment we will drill down to find to a specific enthusiast group with the most favorable demographics. Once we know our target audience, the team sets about to create an entertainment product that will appeal to them specifically. Of course, the production will have broad appeal outside the target audience. In the same way most people will never go mountian climbing on Mt. Everest, but they are still drawn to the grand adventure and majestic beauty found in the Himalayas.

One area of particular interest to us is the sport fishing world. This happens to be the largest outdoor sport in the world generating billions in revenue. People all over the planet go fishing. So there is endless opportunity to produce films for this audience segment. In order to narrow the focus of our productions, we look at a specifc species and or a geographic region that will have genuine appeal to our chosen audience. For instance, anglers all over the world like to pursue blue or black marlin. This is the Mt. Everest of sport fishing, so there is a large audience out there interested in knowing more about how, where and when to catch this species even if they never get a chance to fish for one.

If I am going to produce a film about blue marlin fishing, I have to be able to put that film in front of consumers. So, where can the audience be found and why are they there. More than likely, the audience for this type of production is either reading sport fishing magazines or on a related website. Because of my background in online community development, I look to the internet for points of audience aggregation first. Forums, social media sites and blogs are where I start.

Fishermen just love to share their experiences. And, there is no better way to do that than online. Like many other enthusiast groups, anglers have migrated online to learn and share as much as they can about the sport they love. From a marketing perspective, fishing sites are the best and least expensive way for fishermen and related product manufacturers to communicate with each other and position their brands, operations and products.

The sport fishing visual media world is starved for fresh ideas and new means of delivering those ideas. It seems that year in and year out the audience gets that same tired concepts from the same old destinations. Talk about taking the audience for granted. Damn, what ever happened to fighting to keep or build your audience. You only build trust with your viewership by representing their interests and giving them the high quality entertainment they deserve. All fishermen really want is to learn more about the best fishing holes around the world, tactics and techniques, gear that is being used and see big 'ole fish dancing on the surface. Know your audience and realize there is so much more that can be offered. Get rid of the boring blow hard that is hosting your show and visit some destinations outside the norm. Give the audience more.

Go Full Throttle Media! Share the experience, sell the dream...
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Seth Horne

Online Communities vs. Social Media

2009-06-25T09:08:00.006-06:00

Online communities or forums are social media, you might be thinking. Well, you are right. The distinction comes with contemporary thinking. When you say social media today, people naturally assume you are referring to Facebook, Twitter, etc., which happen to be trendier.

From a branding perspective, is it better to focus on forums or social media (SM) sites? That is a relative question and is highly dependent on what your objective happens to be. Personally, there a few obvious differences between forums and SM. One is that forums attract a group with a specific interest and SM sites appeal to a less granular cross section of society. Forum users probably follow the Facebook page of their select community, whereas the Facebook follower may not necessarily be a member of said forum. Users of the forum will be enthusiasts of the market, but not necessarily your brand. Whereas, fans of you SM site will be fans of your specific brand, hopefully. Another important distinction is that while you can go out and set up a SM page pretty easily, it is far more difficult to start up an online community and have any realistic expectation of achieving critical mass. You are late to the party on that note. So, I would say it is important to work on developing a presence with both the appropriate communities and building a SM site.

In order to position yourself or your brand in a favorable way within an online forum, you will need to develop a presence within the community. Since forums consist of voluminous amounts of information on a specific subject, the best way to position your brand is by contributing on a substantive level and create credibility for yourself. If you are patient and provide real understanding of the subject matter along with detailed information in the flow of dialogue, the audience will happy for your involvement. Remember, members of forums are apart of a niche community seeking information about a common interest. The most effective way to reach your target audience online is with a highly targeted campaign tailored in a setting where they are comfortable and thus more receptive to your message.

For SM sites, you build a page and leverage the availability of your brand on the respective SM site to build and or engage your audience. This is a little easier and less time consuming, especially if you have an established or desirable brand. Fans of your brand follow your messaging and engage you from time to time. For those that are followers of your page, this is a great way to keep them up to date with your activities and your brand fresh in their minds. This is also the trendier of the two approaches.

Either way, you are reaching out to your target audience. One way is to position yourself in a niche community and the other is to broadcast a message to an audience at large. Both platforms provide a highly effective means of reaching your target audience and really should be employed as a part of an overall online strategy. Take the time to get to know the nuances of online forums and social media sites and how your audience responds to your message within each. Stay active, be prepared and most importantly be authentic.

I can drill down into the specifics of both fields a hell of a lot more, but I try to limit my ramblings. If you would like to know more, hit me up.

Go Full Throttle Media! Share the experience, sell the dream...
FTM
Seth Horne

Part II: Online Community Forums, Engaging the Audience

2009-05-16T12:47:00.006-06:00

Online community discussion forums transcend the everyday social dynamic. Forums allow people to come together to share their interests, experiences, insights, discoveries, needs, gossip, without the social awkwardness inherent with typical social gatherings. The internet affords a certain anonymity or subterfuge, if you will. Individuals of all ages, from all walks of life and all corners of the world are free to engage on another in discussion at all hours of the day or night without fear of being reproached.

The most significant factor that distinguishes a discussion forum, at least the really good ones, from other social media outlets is the focus on a specific field of interest. What are you interested in and how precise do you want to get? Think about the automotive industry, for a second. How many automotive brands are there and how many lines within each brand? Well, there is an community of enthusiasts for every brand of car and every extension of the brand. Let's take the BMW brand, for example. You have the 1, 3, 5, 7, X, Z, M series and variations therein. The more niche oriented a forum becomes the more highly focused the audience and the more specialized the information.

Much of what you find on the more heavily trafficked sites will be groups of extremely knowledgeable enthusiasts eager to share every possible minutiae of information about their interest. Now, of course, just like in any group, there will be some that know very little about a whole lot. With out fail though, the amount and depth of your knowledge will be exposed in short order. But, for the most part forums can be gold mines of information.

Enthusiast groups play a couple of key roles as an audience. They are both captive and willing participants? For what, you might ask. The automotive industry figured out a long time ago that some of the big online communities could be fertile grounds for product feedback. This allowed them to engage their consumer directly and determine what features needed to be modified, added or removed. The forums provided them direct access to valuable real time information.

For the casual user, online communities provide a vast wealth of information. Ask and ye shall receive. For those looking to position a brand, forums are the mother load. What could be better than having a broad section of your target audience all gathering in one location? The trick is figuring out how to communicate with them, what appeals to them and how do you gain credibility in their eyes? For well known brands this is easy, but for lesser known or new brands this can be a time consuming challenge. A line I like to use is, it's a marathon not a sprint. Far too many companies expect results over night. You really have to be patient and smart. Be creative and offer incentives to the audience. What benefit is there in your brand? How will their experience be enhanced through the use of your brand? The right place to start is with a consultant or agency that has cut their teeth in the trenches of the industry you are looking to gain recognition from. Ask the right questions of the right people.

Go Full Throttle Media! Share the experience, sell the dream...
FTM
Seth Horne

Part I: Online Community Forums, the Basics

2009-04-16T12:42:00.006-06:00

Long before I decided to form Full Throttle Media, I was working with a group of brilliant guys developing online communities. This was back in the early 90's and at that time there were not that many forum based communities on the internet. I have to give credit to the guys I was working with for being damn forward thinking and giving me the opportunity to learn how the game worked. We were all big car enthusiasts, so buying in to what they were doing was pretty easy. The idea was to create a setting where car owners, engine builders and manufacturers could come together and share information.

Basically, car enthusiasts had been holding gatherings for like minded car owners and tuners dating back to the 30's when guys started to modify their cars engines. Fast forward to the 90's. How do you bring the various car clubs from around the country and the world together in one place to swap stories and share knowledge on specific cars. The internet facilitated just such a assemblage. In a nut shell, online communities are simply gathering places for like minded individuals looking to exchange information in a social forum. These were the original social media sites. As such, the more highly organized forums offer a vast wealth of knowledge for anyone interested in joining or looking for information on how to increase their own base of knowledge. These focused niche groups have grown over time into some very large and influential communities.

A few of the sites I was privileged enough to be apart of developing hold real sway in todays car enthusiast world. What I am getting at is, community forums offer fertile ground for company's looking for brand exposure or product feedback. What are you selling, who is your target audience and where are they. Well, they are probably scattered all over this green earth. So, if you can find an event or a gathering of folks that meet your target audiences metrics then it is a lot easier to pitch you brand directly to them. Online community forums offer the perfect venue. Think of a few enthusiast groups like car owners, sport fishermen, cooks, etc. There is group of enthusiasts following almost every interest in the world. So, find the one that your product will appeal to most and join.

In Part II we will take a closer look at the pros and cons of online forums vs. social media sites.

Go Full Throttle Media! Share the experience, sell the dream...
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Seth Horne

The Art of Deciding Without Deciding

2009-03-26T12:44:00.005-06:00

You know the saying, "if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." During a recent project I encountered a company handicapped by indecision at the highest level. I was originally approached to consult on the development of content for this company's online and PR objectives. Basically, what they wanted to do was reposition their brand after a year of failed advertising. And, they wanted this completed yesterday. Part of the strategy involved putting together a team of highly skilled web developers, photographers and film makers to create an innovative and dynamic branding platform. This is right up my alley. I'm thinking this is going to be a cake walk. The most obvious short coming was that they had no imagery of any quality. In order to put out a head turning website and series of ads we needed a series of mind blowing images. No problem! So, I gathered my team and started to drive the process. Now, this company knew full well going into this project that they would need photography. They make the requisite down payment and off we go, right??? Well, we need to schedule the photo shoot. The request is made to approve the plan and relevant expenses. No answer is received. One week goes by, then two, then three and still no response to any of our emails. What the hell is going on? Well, as it turns out, every decision rests with the CEO who is, as I find out, incapable of making a decision without first hiring a consultant. The consultant part is a joke, but you get the point. We are not talking about a huge amount of money for the photography component, so what gives? What happened to the sense of urgency? How and why do companies enter into this type of engagement without thinking through the process as it has been laid out. You want to know why? If you do not know what you are doing and you are taking advise from people that do not know what they are doing, you do not get very far before your weaknesses are exposed. The weakness here is that in a company this large, if there is not one manager, director, V.P., attorney and even the CFO that can authorize payments, nothing gets executed. Wow, bureaucracy at it's finest. What happened you ask. I walked away, refunded the deposit and told the company that I would not allow my name to be associated with their half measures. The entire project hinged on having the right images. They made a choice to proceed with the amateurish photos they had on hand and again failed to execute on their goals. What's worse, not making a decision or making a decision by indecision?

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Seth Horne

Reach

2009-02-23T15:01:00.008-06:00

What is it about smart business owners/executives just not grasping how to communicate to their target audience in the digital media world we now live in? They want to rely too heavily on word of mouth or print to reach their audience. Obviously, word or mouth and recommendations from friends and family rank right at the top when it comes to influencing our buying decisions. But, even if someone we trust turns us on to something extraordinary, what is the first thing you are going to do? If you are like me, you are going online to do a little research on the brand in question. Where am I going to do this research? Online, of course. Now, if the brand is on the ball, they will be creative and utilize a marketing plan that incorporates multiple components reaching across several platforms in order to hook me. Hey, not every company or brand is going to have household name recognition. A comprehensive branding strategy is going to be key to their success. Because at the end of the day, how many people are they really going to reach via word of mouth. A few, I am sure, but to really hit their target audience and peak some interest they should think social and visual media. This is where everybody is, no matter the age. I would hope they have some talented individuals on board that are crafty enough to develop a sound strategy that entices both right and left brain people. I am going to go out on a limb here and say, “print media is dying”! With that said, in some cases I do agree that print can help in very small doses. But, too many people rely on it as their largest means of brand messaging. Print ends up in the garbage basket and the cost benefit ratio for print advertising is usually small, so don't go heavy. Anybody that pushes a print intensive campaign should be shown the door immediately. Think about where your audience spends most of their time and what they are doing. It is a good bet that they are on the internet and more than likely on some social media site or watching video or both at the same time. Find a savvy person or agency that really understands the online world, online community development, social media, and can produce high quality video and hire them. Work with them to design an engaging marketing campaign for you. You can reach niche market segments more effectively this way. And, because of the tremendous shelf life digital media offers, you brand message will be seen over and over.

Go Full Throttle Media! Share the experience and sell the dream.
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Seth Horne

Agendas

2009-01-20T11:13:00.007-06:00

You know, it is funny how some of the people I work with are quick to seize on an idea and then begin to sell me on it, without even realizing they are a little late to that idea party. I usually have a pretty broad strategy before I tap any of my resources. That strategy typically involves multiple steps to achieve something far larger than what may at first not be so apparent. In many of the projects I work on, there are several deliverables being worked on simultaneously and not all the contractors being employed are privy to the long term strategic plan. Varying amounts of time pass before each begins to fully visualize the big picture and understand how all the components when combined offer up a far more lucrative project or series of future projects. So, my point is, it is always amusing to me when they have that "ding" moment where they see the much bigger picture with all the potentialities and quickly begin creating scenarios where they can form partnerships to pursue this serendipitous "gold mine" and how I might fit into "their plan". I get a good chuckle out of this. Hey, it has happened to all of us at some time I'm sure.

Go Full Throttle Media!
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Seth Horne