The 22nd Nov 09 was a wet day, the rain came in waves so I took to the road for a short 2 lap circuit, this cunning plan to fulfill my weekly hours was formulated because if the rain ever got to mental I wouldn’t be to far from home if i got soaked. Luckily for me rain didn’t persist for a great length of time, all I was left with was a damp jacket and cold, wet feet from the spray off the road.

Another successful 3hrs.

Here’s to wise cycling

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Happy Thanksgiving. I’ve got some great food to eat, some football to watch and in general, some serious relaxing and to do. That’s what holidays are all about, right?

But tomorrow, the day after Thanksgiving, is not very holiday-like. Black Friday. It sounds so sinister and evil. Or maybe the day the stock-market crashed or the Hindenburg fell in flames. Nope, just the craziest shopping day of the year. I typically don’t partake in Black Friday madness, but I will take this time to begin putting together a wish list of Christmas goodies that I am dreaming of. Here is what has my attention this year (in no particular order)…

1. Navy Blue V-neck Sweater - I can’t believe I don’t have one as it’s a staple. I retired two of them last year, and this year I have none. I’m not too particular nor do I have a specific brand in mind. Just a nice, no-suprises, classic v-neck in dark blue please. Some exmples:

J Crew lambswool v-neck, $59.00:

L.L. Bean Lambswood v-neck, $59.00:

Lands’ End Drifter Cotton v-neck, $35.00:

2. V-Neck Sweater, not Navy Blue – I wouldn’t mind another v-neck in charcoal gray, heather gray, yellow or possibly even red.

3. Blue striped button-down oxford – Again, just clean, simple and classic for this shirt. A shirt that gets better and better with age.  My last striped oxford-cloth button-down was a Polo, and it lasted a good long time.  It washed nicely and always looked casual and comfortable without looking sloppy.  I blew out one of the elbows after five or six years, and still I continued to wear it under sweaters.  But with moving, I had to make some hard decisions, and keeping a blown-out shirt just didn’t make the cut.  So I’m back in the market.  Here are some nice options:

Polo Classic-fit Striped Oxford, $79.50:

L.L. Bean Wrinkle-Resistant University Stripe Classic Oxford, $34.50:

Brooks Brothers Traditional Fit Original Polo Button-Down Oxford, $79.50:

4. Penny Loafers – Preferably black, but I can roll with brown or oxblood as long as they’re dark (I already have some light brown loafers). The more classic the better. Here’s what I mean:

Bass Weejuns Goodwick, black, $129.00:

L.L. Bean Classic Penny Loafer, $99.00:

And The Ultimate… Alden Shell Cordovan Handsewn Mocasin, $546.00:

5. Cole Haan Hayden Penny – An odd combination of boat shoe and penny loafer, but I dig it.  These are listed on sale on colehaan.com between $79 and $99, depending on color.  I like the brown:

6. Pocket Knife – I like to carry a pocket knife for utility purposes such as opening packages, cutting loose threads, tightening sunglasses screws, etc. Basic with only one or two blades, and slim so it doesn’t feel bulky in your pocket. I had a nice Soligen knife that I picked up in Germany, but airport security confiscated it in the days before they would mail things to you. Before the Soligen knife, I had a nice Old Timer that served me well for maybe ten years.  A really good knife.  Not as deluxe as the Soligen, but it reminded me of being a Cub Scout, spending summers with my cousins on Lake Erie in Canada, and in general, it just like an old friend.

Uncle Henry Roadie, $11.97 (at knivesplus.com)

Schrade Old Timer, $11.95 (at knifecenter.com)

Buck Solo, $17 (at buckknives.com)

Case Small Pen Knife, $27.95 (at knifecenter.com)

7. Delmonico’s Steak Sauce – I received a bottle in 2008, for my birthday I think (thank you S.) and this stuff is a killer. I’m not a big steak sauce guy in general, but when I bring a lunch to work and drizzle a bit of this over the left-over Filet Mignon or New York Strip, it is amazing. And on potatoes or saute’d mushrooms and onions, delishamundo.  $5.95 (at delmonicosny.com).

8. J. Crew Woven Boxers - I have not tried them all, but I’ve tried a bunch, and the J. Crew boxers do exactly what I want boxers to do: Be comfortable and last a long time.  Last year at Christmas, you could get some patterns as cheap as $6.  Right now, they are two for $25.  Oh yes J. Crew, let’s dance.  Let’s see who blinks first.  You wanna go, let’s go!

9. Brooks Brothers Traditional Fit Non-Iron Dress Shirt – These shirts rule.  They look perfect right out of the dryer as long as you hang them promptly.  And they keep on looking great all day long.  They do not last forever, which is the only issue.  But for work or dressing up, they look fantastic and no trips to the cleaners.  For 2010, I’m sitting pretty on solids (thanks Mr. & Mrs. P.), so maybe…

Navy Windowpane, Green Tattersail, Blue Pic-n-Pic Gingham:

Well, that’s it for today.  Maybe I’ll come up with a few more things I’m dreaming of for Christmas, like some good socks, or a Rolex Submariner, MacIntosh tube power-amps (yes, plural as they are mono), 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible, 1967 Corvette Sting-Ray coupe, vintage Magnatone M10A guitar amplifier, etc.  I “need” it!

Two Lips Shoes, Backyardigans Sing & Spin Pablo, Bumbo infant seat w/tray, Baby Martex Huge Crib Bedding Lot, NEW Sealed Trivial Pursuit 20th Anniversary Edition Game, Miss Spiders Sunny Patch Singing Bugging Bunch Rare, BVLGARI BLV Pour Homme 3.4 oz Men’s Cologne, and more!!!!

All reasonable offers are welcome!

My eBay items – qsell

NEW NWT Boca Classics Polo Shirt Postcard Men XXXL 3XL Rare Backyardigans Sing Spin Singing Dancing Doll Toy Two Lips Beads Embroidered Pump Heel Shoes Woman 9 Rare BVLGARI BLV Pour Homme 3 4 oz Mens Cologne EDT Bottle NEW Contradiction Calvin Klein 3 4 oz EDP Perfume Woman Danskin Freestyle Pink Skirted Dance Leotard S 6 6X Miss Spiders Sunny Patch Friend Singing Buggy Bunch Toy Groovy Girls Large Life Size Plush Doll Dance Walk With Baby Gap Red Fleece Logo Hoodie Hooded Sweatshirt Boy 4 NEW Trivial Pursuit 20th Anniversary Edition Board Game NEW Etienne Aigner Black Leather 4P Wallet Key Ring Set Vintage Fisher Price Puffalumps Monkey Shirt Plush Toy Lilac Purple Bumbo Baby Infant Seat Chair W White Tray NEW BCBG Girls Blue Leopard Halter Dress Woman S Small NEW Joules Wool Pink Hooded Toggle Coat Jacket Girl 8 NEW Sealed Catch Phrase Disk Player Board Game Words Huge Lot 23 Groovy Girl Dolls Horse Boy 81 Accessories Boutique Little Rascal Poinsettia Holiday Overalls 4 4T Sesame Street Elmo Zoe 3 Pc Toddler Bedding Bed Set The SAK Black Leather Shoulder Handbag Bag Purse Pink L Fossil Authentic Black Shoulder Handbag Bag Purse EUC Foot Mates Danielle Red Leather Mary Jane Shoes 9 5 M Dana Buchman Woman Brown Floral Silk Blazer Jacket 22 Eddie Bauer Hooded Down Parka Long Coat Woman S Small George Red Holiday Christmas Dress Flower Shoes Girls 9 R M L A Red Sparkly Holiday Christmas Bow Dress 4 4T Boutique Ugly Christmas Holiday Sweater Vest L Large Tiara Ugly Tacky Christmas Holiday Party Sweater XL Storybook Knits Beach Vacation Fun Cardigan Sweater 3X Quacker Factory Knit Blue Nautical Sailboats Sweater 3X NEW Quacker Factory Nautical Stars Sweater Cardigan 3X NEW Weatherproof Jacket Coat Snow Suit Bibs Pants 2 2T Lands End Navy Blue Down Coat Woman M Medium 10 12 NEW NIB Trivial Pursuit Lord of The Rings Trilogy Game George Burgundy Velvet Holiday Christmas Dress Girls 4T Little Legends Red Mrs Santa Claus Dress Hat Girl 2 2T NEW B T BT Kids Green Holiday Christmas Dress 24 Month Boutique Atlanta Apparel Holiday Christmas Dress 4 4T Gymboree Traditions Velvet Silk Rose Dress 12 18 Month Stuhrling Original 1776 Continental Calendar Mens Watch Huge 17Pc Lot Old Navy NWT Shirts Jacket Jeans Boy 4 4T Polly Flinders Wool Holiday Cardigan Sweater Jacket 4T

Holocaust Memorial // Land’s End, San Francisco

From the California Beat photography collection, Bay Area Snapshots is an occassional glimpse at daily life in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Over the past two weekends I’ve been out running SPA training course’s in some horrible weather conditions for sunny Cornwall.

The rain and wind has been so bad, I’ve found myself  hiding down in the valleys waiting for the sun to come back & just when I think the sun’s on its way along comes the hail (Whats that all about I want to know).

Any how it’s still good to get out on the hill even if it’s at the bottom.

CHEERIO FOR NOW

Today’s training, a steady 2hr ride.

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Ashton Court

Yanley Lane

Dundry Lane

The Chew Valley

Chew Stoke

Regil

Barrow Gurney

Home

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To most people the idea of cycling the gruelling yet iconic 874 miles route between Lands End and John O’Groats is a major achievement. While it was exactly that, for me cycling the length of the UK is warm up for a challenge on an altogether bigger scale. My plan in a nutshell is in March 2012 to Cycle Around the World in 100 Days, this means pedalling a minimum of 18,000 miles in all and approaching 200 miles per day.

To give you some comparison the current record stands at 176 days and I think the average daily mileage was about 110-120 miles. So why do I think I can almost cut this record in half? It is built on my philosophy; You can Achieve anything if you are willing to mind to it. When I say this I don’t mean positive thinking, I mean specific level headed planning, preparation and precise execution.

With this challenge I want to spark peoples imagination, expand what they think they are capable of, provoke there thoughts and belief’s about themselves, push themselves further and this is not just on a physical level but on a mental, financial, social, vocational, spiritual and familial level.

As a Personal Trainer and Ultra Distance Cyclist I get asked many different questions about cycling, how to train? How do I get better at hill climbing? And so on, but one question that I’ve been getting lately is about saddle sores.

If you are an experience cyclist you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about, if you are new to cycling saddle sores in a nutshell are caused by pressure and friction on the skin of the upper thigh and back side.

The most common saddle sores are the chafing of the inside of the upper leg and back side, this occurs simply because of the repetitive action of the pedal stroke together with dampness form sweat and lack of breathability from shorts causing redness and discomfort.

The theory behind this pressure and friction is small blood vessels are prevented from bringing blood to the skin decrease the amount of nutrients getting to there. Following this skin defences are compromised and any trapped bacteria may be able to proliferate.

Here are ways of preventing the development of saddle sores:

Keep yourself dry

Keep yourself clean

Always wear fresh shorts

Wear synthetic padded shorts

Don’t suddenly increase weekly mileage

Use a seat that provides adequate padding

Check your seat position

If you have developed saddle sores here are ideas on treatment:

Modify your training (more standing hills and sprints)

Soak in hot bath everyday, the heat will increase blood flow to area

Use Vaseline

Antifungal, antibacterial cream

Nice to have this bruin looking out for you. I like to see touches like this on older buildings. This one was seen outside the Hotel St. Michael in Prescott, Arizona.

The name St Michael reminded me of St. Michael’s Mount, a beautiful little island and castle off the coast of Cornwall, England. At one time I worked in Praze-An-Beeble, a tiny village very close to St. Michael’s Mount. If you have a chance to visit this area please do so; it’s full of friendly people, beautiful scenery, and fascinating history. This is where you will find places with names like Land’s End, Penzance, and Tintagel – the birthplace of King Arthur.

I was riding on the railroad from my Westchester County, N.Y., home to New York City this morning with a fellow who recognized me. Nice guy. I sort of recognized him, but didn’t know (or remember?) his name. But he knew mine, because he used to watch my son play on the high school basketball team. We talked almost the entire hour-long ride about a myriad of subjects. Inevitably, the issue of my forthcoming unemployment came up.

Explaining to people what I’ve done for most of my professional life — editing, writing and reporting for a B-to-B publication/newsletter/Website serving the retail/catalog/e-commerce business — has never been easy. I get a lot of quizzical looks. Sure, they perk up a bit when I say “y’know, companies like Lands’ End, L.L.Bean, those…,” but more often than not, they just don’t get it.

That’s fine. I’d venture to guess that about 30%-50% of the world’s professions can’t be easily explained to the average Joe. But the cool thing about my profession — if there is a cool thing about it, and while it lasts — is people have heard of the kinds of companies I’ve covered over the years.

So this gentleman and I got into a whole involved conversation about our families and he talked about his family’s devout love for skiing and lodging up north. Then he got into some of the brands he’s either bought from over the years or received catalogs from, like REI, Patagonia, Eastern Mountain Sports, and others. He really led the conversation, raving about REI, its service and its cooperative set-up to which he gains annual dividends. I was quick to inject that I wrote up a big cover story on REI just last May (see http://www.allaboutroimag.com/article/the-camping-gear-marketer-has-changed-its-approach-but-not-its-focus-406552_1.html). We had a nice connect.

But he wasn’t done. And keep in mind that this kind gentleman is in the financial world, but has no sort of business connections to the retail world. He continued to lead this conversation. Somehow we talked our way into Abercrombie & Fitch, sharing recollections of the Sharper Image-Meets-Brookstone A&F used to be back in the ’80s before it became a racy teen clothing phenom.

That led him to discuss Eddie Bauer and its latest comeback. He boasted that recently he had these two bags (I think they were backpacks?) he had bought from Bauer some 20 years ago — and what? three or four ownership changes ago? — and the inner lining of both had fallen apart. He decided to try to send them back and see what Bauer would do. Much to his surprise and joy, Bauer gave him a credit for comparable new ones.

It seems as though anybody can tell a good story about a merchant they’ve done business with at some point in their lives. People clammer to favorite retail brands and often get caught up in those brands’ evolution.

Everybody loves a story, and in retail or mail order or even e-commerce, they’re looking to be part of newer stories. As retailers and businesses of all types continue to tighten their belts, they shouldn’t lose track of the stories they tell – past, present and future.

Yes, little ol’ agoraphobic me is planning to cycle 874 miles – in my flat.

Here is the plan. Lots of people cycle the LEJOG, Lands End to John o’ Groats, every year for sponsorship. Since my agoraphobia, social phobia, depression and dislike of weather preclude me from doing the actual journey, I’m going to do it on an exercise bike instead. That might sound like it’ll be easy, but I do plan to be cycling 70-80 miles per day – an idea which I do find pretty scary, given my level of unfitness. I was initially going to raise money for a kids hospital, and still might, but I’m going to see if there is a suitable Social Phobia based charity I could raise money for. I also hope that I’ll be able to help spread some awareness, perhaps in collaboration with the charity, via the next part of my plan.

How would anyone know that I was actually doing any cycling in my flat? That’s the sort of thing that people would have to know, or they wouldn’t donate anything through natural human mistrust. So, here are my proposals for proving that I’m really doing the cycling.

1. Photographs: Each day I will take a photograph of the exercise bikes readout at 0, then take a photo to show my progress each time I have a break.
2. Webcam: Thanks to my Stickam account, and weekly radio show (cheap plug there), I know that it’s very easy to broadcast live streaming video. A bonus of that is the fact that every time I start broadcasting, it posts an announcement on my Twitter account. So as soon as I prepare to cycle I just need to start broadcasting and people can watch. That might sound a bit dull, but I’ll be able to read all the nice messages that people send – and my mic means I’ll be able to chat occasionally.
3. Wii Fit: Although it’s not a major part of things, I did think it would be interesting to keep a day by day note of my weight and BMI – also photographed/filmed. If anyone thinks I am daft enough to fake the cycling, whilst still doing something else to change my weight and BMI, then they’re probably too jaded to care about charity anyway.

All that stuff being updated daily means that, hopefully, people will be a bit more interested. I really like the fact that they can, via the interwebs, keep me company while I spend hour after hour on a rather uncomfortable seat. If you can think of any other ideas then please add them as a comment, it’s much appreciated. Twitter also seems like it might be helpful, since it only takes one click of a button to spread the word, then another click by someone else to spread the news even further. Perhaps there could even be a hash tag added to try and make it a trending topic. Since I started growing my hair I’ve been called Jesus a few times, so perhaps that hash tag should be #gillonabike.

All the updates, photos, and videos will be put up on this blog and . Unfortunately WordPress doesn’t allow me to add embedded video, so I may have to place it elsewhere – unless the version of WordPress that you can add to your own site does allow it. If that is the case then all I’d need is some kind soul with their own web space to give me a small piece of it so I can build a little site to house all the information/blog etc.

So, that’s the genesis of the plan. Please let me know what you think. If you’re on Twitter, Facebook or any other social networking site and think this is an interesting idea, please pass a link to this blog onto your friends, follow me on Twitter and Retweet @GillOnABike New Blog Post: My 874 mile cycling plans (for charity) http://bit.ly/hwICR #gillonabike

Gill

xx

Yes, little ol’ agoraphobic me is planning to cycle 874 miles – in my flat.

Here is the plan. Lots of people cycle the LEJOG, Lands End to John o’ Groats, every year for sponsorship. Since my agoraphobia, social phobia, depression and dislike of weather preclude me from doing the actual journey, I’m going to do it on an exercise bike instead. That might sound like it’ll be easy, but I do plan to be cycling 70-80 miles per day – an idea which I do find pretty scary, given my level of unfitness. I was initially going to raise money for a kids hospital, and still might, but I’m going to see if there is a suitable Social Phobia based charity I could raise money for. I also hope that I’ll be able to help spread some awareness, perhaps in collaboration with the charity, via the next part of my plan.

How would anyone know that I was actually doing any cycling in my flat? That’s the sort of thing that people would have to know, or they wouldn’t donate anything through natural human mistrust. So, here are my proposals for proving that I’m really doing the cycling.

1. Photographs: Each day I will take a photograph of the exercise bikes readout at 0, then take a photo to show my progress each time I have a break.
2. Webcam: Thanks to my Stickam account, and weekly radio show (cheap plug there), I know that it’s very easy to broadcast live streaming video. A bonus of that is the fact that every time I start broadcasting, it posts an announcement on my Twitter account. So as soon as I prepare to cycle I just need to start broadcasting and people can watch. That might sound a bit dull, but I’ll be able to read all the nice messages that people send – and my mic means I’ll be able to chat occasionally.
3. Wii Fit: Although it’s not a major part of things, I did think it would be interesting to keep a day by day note of my weight and BMI – also photographed/filmed. If anyone thinks I am daft enough to fake the cycling, whilst still doing something else to change my weight and BMI, then they’re probably too jaded to care about charity anyway.

All that stuff being updated daily means that, hopefully, people will be a bit more interested. I really like the fact that they can, via the interwebs, keep me company while I spend hour after hour on a rather uncomfortable seat. If you can think of any other ideas then please add them as a comment, it’s much appreciated. Twitter also seems like it might be helpful, since it only takes one click of a button to spread the word, then another click by someone else to spread the news even further. Perhaps there could even be a hash tag added to try and make it a trending topic. Since I started growing my hair I’ve been called Jesus a few times, so perhaps that hash tag should be #gillonabike.

All the updates, photos, and videos will be put up on a dedicated blog, which I’ll start as I get preparations underway. Unfortunately WordPress doesn’t allow me to add embedded video, so I may have to place it elsewhere – unless the version of WordPress that you can add to your own site does allow it. If that is the case then all I’d need is some kind soul with their own web space to give me a small piece of it so I can build a little site to house all the information/blog etc.

So, that’s the genesis of the plan. Please let me know what you think. If you’re on Twitter, Facebook or any other social networking site and think this is an interesting idea, please pass a link to this blog onto your friends.

Gill

xx

Lands' End Canvas

There’s something to this season’s fashion trends that we find intriguing.  Lately, it seems that in some way or another, everything old is new again.  Maybe its the recession that has lead to consumers reaching into the depths of their closets for forgotten, but once loved items.  Or maybe it’s simply a nostalgia for days of old and for the promise held by generations past?

Either way, Lands’ End is the next company to pick up the current trend by reinventing their clothing.  The company that once began as a supplier of sportswear and accessories for sailors, but which lately has more often resembled a frumpy cousin of J.Crew, has debuted a new line called Canvas.

In the company’s words, the Canvas collection features apparel, swimwear, outerwear, shoes and accessories for the modern lifestyle.  The store’s ‘heritage pieces’ that have been a staple of the company’s sales since its creation in 1963, have been slimmed down with new fits and fabrications intended to give them new life as ‘go-to favorites.’  Add in a savvy marketing plan – and Lands’ End appears to be off to the races.

Men’s oxfords run for $29, jeans for $39.  Women’s oxfords are $37, jeans $49.  And as with all their products, the Lands’ End unconditional product guarantee and return policy applies.

Well I’m sure you’ve browsed J.Crew before.  And I’m also sure you’ve reveled at the styling, the products, the photography.  All of it is painfully well done, to the point where your wallet feels painfully thin.  Land’s End, started in 1963 in a Chicago basement, has a new line creatively called Land’s End Canvas.  They’re calling it a “new chapter in a storied brand” and I have to say, this is extremely good news.  I’m going to repeat that, this is extremely good news.  This is the model that companies must follow to take the lead today.

Clothing that’s “rooted in functionality” is what I’m about.   Land’s End has produced cheap, good quality clothing for decades, but has always had troubles shedding their JcPenney facade.  This is an incredible step forward into the relevant without steering away from the quality and functionality.  We’re talking desert boots, canvas peacoats, shawl collared sweaters, and heritage oxfords, all under (or well under) $100.  I’ll let them sum it up for you.

The Lands’ End Canvas collection features timeless casual apparel, swimwear, outerwear, shoes and accessories for both women and men that are relevant to a modern lifestyle. Lands’ End designers took great pride in redefining the brand’s heritage pieces with new fits and fabrications while also introducing new items that are certain to become go-to favorites. Found throughout the line are premium fabrications with soft, great washes in styles that make getting dressed in the morning effortless.

For too long Lands’ End had been sitting on a lottery ticket, but had been too afraid to cash it in. They have a great look going for them, but they had been making seriously mediocre clothing. Aside from their puffer vest, they didn’t really have much that we would actually wear. Thankfully, they realized what they could be doing and made a more stylized collection called Lands’ End Canvas. They have some great pieces and killer prices–so you should definitely check it out.

They have a nice little cotton peacoat for only $80, some great gingham shirts for $30, and a bunch of cool chambray shirts for $33. The best pickup, however, might be their oxford shirt. It has a nice tailored feel as well as a shorter tail so you can wear it untucked if you want. For $30, this is a great item for guys looking to up their wardrobe without taking a chunk out of their paycheck. To view the full collection click here.

Take a look at this lovely site from clothing brand, ‘Land’s End’ - they have been a very imaginative with their online store:

The user chooses how they see the products – whether that’s on a model (catwalk-style) or mixing and matching different options on a virtual clothes rack. All of the clothing is shown against stunning beach backdrops on a fantasy island.

There are a lot of added features to help consumers make the right purchase, such as a colour filter, body-size identifier and 360 ‘virtual model’. The intuitive navigational features and calming wave sounds turn the whole shopping process into a far more interesting and exploratory experience than one might expect from a clothing retailer.

US clothing retailer, Land’s End, has partnered with the ‘National Coalition of the Homeless’ to launch the ‘Big Warm Up’, a national coat drive asking people to donate their gently used coats at Sears-based Land’s End shops across the country. For each coat donation, Lands’ End will give 20% off the purchase of a new coat.

They have developed a beautiful website which educates users on the realities of homelessness via interactive informatics:

Users can track the number of coats donated against the goal via animated milestones which each illustrate significant segments of the homeless population:

The campaign began in Boston, where Lands End has created an outdoor installation which features 768 life size wooden figures. Every time ten coats are donated in the city, one of the figures receives a heart. Donators in Boston will also receive a unique tracking code to retrieve a personalized message when they visit the website.

Lands End is encouraging WOM spread via a shareable, personalised video, which is demo’d below (try it out for yourself here) and a ‘The Big Warm Up’ Facebook application which displays the live feed of the number of coats donated.

A great example of a fantastic idea, beautifully executed.

I have put some pictures into the gallery from various days out including some underground as opposed to above it!

Yesterday I received an email from a colleague and the header read: “Join me in making a difference.”  The body of the email read: “This story inspired me to make a difference. Watch it to the end – YOU ARE IN THE VIDEO.”  And there was a link to a video from a group called The Big Warm Up. That was all the context I had before I clicked on the link.

When I clicked on the link I was taken to a video, what looked like a TV commercial, promoting a coat donation program sponsored by Lands’ End. The Big Warm Up is an effort to help make the winter season warmer for homeless people nationwide. When you donate a gently-used coat you’ll  get 20% off a new coat at any Lands’ End Shop at Sears through 11/30. The spot is engaging and features great music (no voice over). The cool thing is that at the end of the spot your name actually appears on the label of one of the used coats that has found its way to a new owner. And the copy on the last slide actually refers to you by name. I recorded the spot using my Flip camera and uploaded it YouTube. See the spot below; and please forgive the quality.

When you go to the Big Warm Up website, you can enter info about the person to whom you will be sending the link, and that allows for the customization. This is a very cool use of technology. It reminds me of PURL technology we use with direct mail – where we send a consumer a direct mail piece that includes a custom URL where they will receive a personalized greeting. Check it out and let me know what you think. Go to http://www.video.bigwarmup.com or view my customized video at http://video.bigwarmup.com/index.php?code=679n777KEU73WoM61Luc.

To get the full story about the Big Warm Up, go to www.bigwarmup.com. They’ve got a cool website. By the way, this is a great example of echo branding by Lands’ end and Sears – marketing shared values. Extremely well done.

Post by Dan Dunlop, The Healthcare Marketer

Yesterday I received an email from a colleague and the header read: “Join me in making a difference.”  The body of the email read: “This story inspired me to make a difference. Watch it to the end – YOU ARE IN THE VIDEO.”  And there was a link to a video from a group called The Big Warm Up. That was all the context I had before I clicked on the link.

When I clicked on the link I was taken to a video, what looked like a TV commercial, promoting a coat donation program sponsored by Lands’ End. The Big Warm Up is an effort to help make the winter season warmer for homeless people nationwide. When you donate a gently-used coat you’ll  get 20% off a new coat at any Lands’ End Shop at Sears through 11/30. The spot is engaging and features great music (no voice over). The cool thing is that at the end of the spot your name actually appears on the label of one of the used coats that has found its way to a new owner. And the copy on the last slide actually refers to you by name. I recorded the spot using my Flip camera and uploaded it YouTube. See the spot below; and please forgive the quality.

When you go to the Big Warm Up website, you can enter info about the person to whom you will be sending the link, and that allows for the customization. This is a very cool use of technology. It reminds me of PURL technology we use with direct mail – where we send a consumer a direct mail piece that includes a custom URL where they will receive a personalized greeting. Check it out and let me know what you think. Go to http://www.video.bigwarmup.com or view my customized video at http://video.bigwarmup.com/index.php?code=679n777KEU73WoM61Luc.

To get the full story about the Big Warm Up, go to www.bigwarmup.com. They’ve got a cool website. By the way, this is a great example of echo branding by Lands’ End – marketing shared values. Extremely well done.

Post by Dan Dunlop, Brand Expeditions

There are few things in this world that can be called classic, and lately some of the mainstays are on shaky ground (think baseball pre-steroid scandals). But the oxford buttondown easily fits the bill, enduring the test of time and the comings and goings of what has been “in style”. Land’s End produces several versions of this wardrobe mainstay, including a slim fit version and varsity version with smaller collar points (2 3/4″  vs 3 1/4″). Land’s End guarantees that the shirt will maintain it’s original quality for 50 washes. With an affordable price of $30 the Land’s End Oxford gets my endorsement.

Click Here for the Varisty Version UPDATE: Now on Sale for $14.99

Click Here for the Traditional Fit UPDATE: Now on Sale for $23.60

Scaldatevi il cuore con questo video anti-freddo.

Keps*