Category Archives: Zeitgeist Movement

Crazy Bowls & Wraps

For Keith Kitsis, the decision was a simple one: People often need to eat fast. But eating fast shouldnt have to mean eating unhealthy, too.

Thats why 23 years ago, Kitsis founded Crazy Bowls & Wraps in St. Louis, a fast-food restaurant offering everything from kale long before it was cool to quinoa with its wraps, salads and bowls.

Today, Crazy Bowls & Wraps has 15 locations in the Missouri, Ohio and Illinois, with the majority of these restaurants in the St. Louis market. The chain was a bit of a pioneer more than two decades ago. But today, Crazy Bowls & Wraps has some company: Healthier fast-food restaurants are opening across the country, including in the Midwest.

Kitsis said that this isnt just a fad, either.

This whole movement of healthier fast food has evolved over the years, Kitsis said. You have Chipotle talking about its better ingredients. You have the explosion in gourmet grocers like Whole Foods. This is not just a trend. People really want to eat this way. They want to know where their food is coming from. Healthy doesnt mean low-calorie. it means knowing where your ingredients are sourced and the quality of those ingredients.

Nics Organic Fast Food

A growing movement

Restaurants are one subset of retail that is doing well today. And fast-casual restaurants are doing especially well, while big, traditional fast-food chains such as McDonalds, Burger King and Wendys are seeing sluggish, if any, growth.

The growth of healthier fast-food restaurants is an example of this.

Trends expert Daniel Levine, director of New York City-based trends consultancy The Avant-Guide Institute, said that healthier fast-food choices is in no way a fad. Instead, it is a long-term trend, one that will only grow in the coming years.

We draw a line between trend and fad, Levine said. The biggest difference is longevity. Fads are quick flashes. Trends last longer. This movement is definitely a trend.

For proof, Levine points to the new struggles faced by high-end grocers such as Whole Foods and Trader Joes. These stores used to face little competition from traditional supermarkets. Today, though, even standard supermarkets such as Jewel-Osco and Safeway are stocking much of the same healthier fare in which organic and gourmet grocers specialize.

To Levine, this is evidence of a long-term trend in the country.

Then theres LYFE Kitchen, a fast-food chain with Midwest locations in the Chicago and Memphis markets. This chain, which offers such healthier fare as hummus, un-fried chicken strips, flatbread pizzas, salads and soups, was started by Mike Roberts and Mike Donahue, two former high-ranking executives with McDonalds.

What is so fascinating to me, from a trends perspective, is that guys from McDonalds, who knows what the eating zeitgeist is in America, thinks that this kind of healthier fast-food restaurant is the next big thing. Just looking at the direction toward healthy eating that these guys took, shows me that this movement is 100 percent a trend and not just a fad.

A menu item at LYFE Kitchen

Organic fast food in Chicago

A good example of this trend is Nics Organic Fast Food, which opened its first location earlier this year in the Chicago suburb of Rolling Meadows.

As the name suggests, Nics serves traditional fast food everything from hamburgers and fries to breakfast sandwiches that is certified organic. The food isnt low-calorie, but the restaurants founders husband-and-wife team Benjamin and Nicolette Brittsan say that it is healthier.

The Brittsans are parents, and say they struggled to find organic fast-food options in the Chicago area for their two children.

Their organic restaurant fills that void, the Brittsans say.

Tom & Eddies is another good example. This chain, with locations in the Chicago suburbs of Vernon Hills, Lombard and Naperville, also serves what looks like traditional fast-food mainstays such as hamburgers, chicken strips and chicken sandwiches. But this small chain also makes its food from scratch with all-natural ingredients.

The restaurants also offer healthier choices, such as the Yin & Yang burger, a burger made from ground edamame beans, and the Islander, a sandwich made from sushi-grade tuna. Tom & Eddies also offers a ground-turkey burger with crumbled Feta cheese.

Tom & Eddies, too, was born out of McDonalds. The chain was founded by Ed Rensi, president and chief executive officer of McDonalds USA, and Tom Dentice, executive vice president of McDonalds Corp. in charge of operations and franchising.

Buona fast-food restaurants, with 19 locations in Chicago, are known for their Italian beef sandwiches. That doesnt sound particularly healthy.

But the chain doest serve food made from scratch. It uses all-natural ingredients. And it also offers its Skip-the-Gym menu, which it launched in 2015. Items on this menu come in at under 500 calories.

Customers can choose a 5-inch skinny Italian beef sandwich which comes on multigrain bread and enjoy a sandwich that comes with just 266 calories. The chains signature pepper-and-egg sandwich a Chicago tradition will cost diners just 408 calories.

Whats interesting about such restaurants is that they arent necessarily serving low-calorie food. Eating at a Tom & Eddies or Nics Organic Fast Food wont help your waistline.

Instead, these restaurants are focusing on organics, food that doesnt include artificial ingredients and locally-sourced items.

Jessica Levings, registered dietitian, real estate developer and owner of the Balanced Pantry, a company that helps food clients create the Nutrition Facts labels on their food, says that she isnt surprised at this trend. Consumers have simply gotten savvier when it comes to their food, she said.

Healthy, real food is the number-one thing consumers want to see more of on restaurant menus, Levings said. Consumers perception of healthy food has evolved, and now includes not just calories and nutrients, but also food free from artificial ingredients and traceable to the source.

Levine says that the bigger, well-established fast-food chains have taken notice of this. An example? Earlier this year, McDonalds announced that it will make its Quarter Pounder sandwiches out of fresh, not frozen, beef.

Levine says that those fast-food chains that dont adapt their menus to include at least some healthier or organic items will struggle to maintain a steady stream of customers.

Those that dont recognize this trend? They will die, Levine said.

Tags | Buona, Chicago, Crazy Bowls & Wraps, fast food, Illinois, Jessica Levings, Keith Kitsis, Lombard, McDonalds, Missouri, Nic's Organic Fast Food, Retail, Rolling Meadows, St. Louis, Tom & Eddies

2017 Real Estate Communications Group. Duplication or reproduction of this article not permitted without authorization from the Real Estate Publishing Group. For information on reprint or electronic pdf of this article contact Mark Menzies at 312-644-4610 or menzies@rejournals.com

More here:

Edamame burger? Kale and quinoa soup? The healthy fast-food trend is hitting the Midwest - REjournals.com

Forbes

Pepsi Just Showed Us Why Authenticity Isn't Just A Buzzword Forbes The ad drew criticism almost immediately for being disingenuous and trivializing the Black Lives Matter movement. ... When done well, celebrity endorsements can catapult a brand into the zeitgeist and create infinite consumer loyalty, notes Rieckhoff.

Excerpt from:

Pepsi Just Showed Us Why Authenticity Isn't Just A Buzzword - Forbes

The turbulence that has marked the past four years may have finally been quelled. A swift and stealthy plot recently expelled the patriot bloc blamed for the unrest and paved the way for a stronger party.

We are getting our feet under ourselves now and can be a positive force, said Kevin Ensley, a member of the mainstream Republicans and a Haywood County commissioner. The negative stuff, we need to leave it at the door. We need to be positive and work toward our common goals.

The patriot bloc had seized the reins of the party two years ago following a prolonged fight for control. Its members gradually entrenched themselves as precinct chairs, gaining a large majority on the 30-member executive committee, the partys decision-making body.

But in an unprecedented political maneuver, the mainstream branch of the party rallied its troops to take back control. Mainstream Republicans ousted the patriot faction en masse several weeks ago by recruiting their own slate to run for precinct chairs.

When the dust settled, only two members of the patriot faction managed to hang onto their precinct chairs. The rest were defeated, dramatically reshaping the makeup of the partys executive committee.

We have a new wave of precinct chairs so our executive committee is a little bit more stable now, said Hannah Strum. We have new people, we have new energy and new ideas.

Things arent so rosy for the patriot faction, however.

What really stings is that the very people who worked side-by-side with us, all of a sudden just flip-flopped, said Jeremy Davis, a leader of the patriot faction and party finance chair until the overthrow.

Joy Diettle, a relative newcomer to the local party, doesnt understand why the mainstream branch has such contempt and hostility toward the patriot faction.

I didnt anticipate it being so corrupt at the local county level where it is neighbor against neighbor and friend against friend, Diettle said.

Despite their unwavering tenacity for conservative principles, members of the patriot bloc were seen by many as troublemakers. They were too radical for the mainstream Republicans in Haywood County and were accused of preventing growth of the party.

Only time will tell what impact their ousting will have. Will mainstream Republicans be turned off by the disruptive faction of patriots now come back to the table? Or has the party lost its grassroots core of loyal, steadfast conservatives?

The folks they just electioneered out of the Haywood County Republican Party were the folks that raised the money the people who got things done, who showed up to man tables, and the people who invested in fundraisers, said Paul Yeager, an ousted member of the patriot faction.

They arent going away, however. Theyve now started their own group called the Haywood Republican Alliance to channel their energy.

I have been a Republican for 40 years and nobody can stop me, said Eddie Cabe, a leader of the patriot faction. They want to silence the Christian conservative grassroots movement because we are not for the establishment.

Like Davis, Cabe feels betrayed.

It really hurt my feelings they dont want good conservative, Christian, veteran, patriots in their midst, Cabe said.

Cabe lives and breathes conservative principles, almost to a fault. There are no shades of gray in Cabes book, and those who dont share his core values arent true Republicans in his eyes and he will condemn them publicly for disloyalty.

If you dont agree with them on every issue, then you arent a Republican to them, said Ensley, whos been in the patriots crosshairs for years.

Cabe is a prolific master of Facebook and harnessing social media to spread patriot ideology. Not all his posts are political in nature, however. Cabe is known to share prepper tips, like a video on pressure-cooking a raccoon, how to build a trip-wire alarm around your homes perimeter or harness rainwater. He sprinkles his posts with inspiring quotes from famous conservatives, degrading jabs at Democrats, and passages from the Constitution.

But Facebook has also proved a perfect medium for chastising mainstream Republicans like Ensley who have sold out the party in Cabes eyes. Cabe readily labels them commies and socialists and calls them crooked and underhanded.

Some in Cabes own camp even cringe when he goes on the rampage.

Even some of the folks on my side of this mess, if they decide they dont like somebody they will attack them at every turn. They will pile on based on their personal prejudices about that person rather than the actual issue, Yeager said.

Nonetheless, the party establishment should be inclusive rather than shutting people down.

Eddie is a bit of a firebrand and a bomb thrower, but he has a voice and has the right to use it, Yeager said.

Indeed, attempts by the party establishment to silence the patriot faction only made them get louder, creating a vicious cycle.

You need to accept them and embrace them, said Philip Wight, a Maggie Valley Republican who sympathizes with the patriot faction.

Haywood County GOP Chairman Ken Henson said the internal turmoil is partly due to growing pains.

Theres no more division in ours than there is in any other party, Henson said. But weve built it up so big, and any time you do that the noise is going to get bigger.

Henson helped orchestrate the overthrow of the patriot faction, and claims it was necessary to move the party forward.

We recruited our people and they recruited their people. We just got more people than they did. Get over it and move on, Henson said.

Whether the ousting will serve the partys greater good, one effect is undeniable: it left a trail of hurt feelings and betrayal that could remain a black eye on the Haywood GOPs new leadership for some time to come.

Do you disenfranchise people and ruin friendships and send people away with a bad taste in their mouth? asked Wight.

To those who orchestrated the overthrow, the ends justified the means. The partys future was at stake. But it was unethical, and thus wrong, according to K.G. Watson, a Haywood County conservative who claims allegiance to neither side per se.

People who do things that are underhanded always have some meritorious reason in their mind why they did it, said Watson. There is a short-term gain maybe, but for years this will come back to haunt them. They will have trouble recruiting good, honest people.

To Lynda Bennett, its just the opposite. A persistent dark cloud was keeping people away from the party, and thats gone now.

People dont volunteer to do things that are hard or unpleasant. Volunteer-based organizations need to be upbeat and focused on the issues and ideas that people want to participate in, said Bennett, who was recently elected party secretary. They dont have time to be involved in something that is not uplifting or positive.

The patriot faction was stifling the party at a time it should have been gaining strength. A record 225 people attended the county precinct meeting this year.

We were never able to bring all these people in before, Bennett said.

Thats because the vibe was too negative, added Pat Bennett, Lyndas husband.

We wanted to have a positive party, not a negative party, said Pat Bennett, who claimed a precinct chairmanship in the upset elections. Anybody can be against something and anybody can complain, but we want to be positive and move forward.

The number of registered Republicans has grown substantially over the past decade. Historically, Haywood was a Democratic stronghold. Republicans were the minority and their only recourse was throwing stones.

But now, Republicans in Haywood are winning elections thanks to a shift in voter demographics.

If we are going to be elected then we have to lead, Ensley said. We cant be a reactionary no vote all the time. We have to be a solution-based party. We cant just be the party thats in the way and being obstructionists.

Of the record breaking crowd at this years annual precinct gathering topping more than 200 half had never been to a party function or meeting in their life.

To Cabe, that was deceitful. Newcomers were recruited to flood the precinct elections for the express purpose of ousting the patriots.

No one at my table had I ever seen at a party meeting before, Cabe said.

To the mainstream Republicans, the story is a far different one. Its a story of victory, of a rising Republican tide and momentum. The larger take-away: the party is harnessing untapped energy and growing its base in Haywood.

I am looking forward confidentially to the party growing, said Pat Carr, a leader of the mainstream branch and newly elected party treasurer. We have been a minority party here forever and I am really glad to see so much interest. There is enthusiasm from new folks. I am really pleased to see more people participating.

The groundswell is due in part to last Novembers victories at the polls, with Haywood voters electing Republicans in local, state and national races.

I think the presidential election allowed us to become energized, Lynda Bennett said.

One of the newcomers to the party was Ron Muse, a Waynesville businessman whod been a Democrat, at least on paper, until two years ago. Like many Southern Democrats of his generation, he could no longer identify with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, and he finally realigned his party registration to match his beliefs.

I just changed horses, Muse said.

But Muse was too turned off by the infighting to get involved in the local party until now.

There were a bunch of quarrels. It was just a hostile environment. Three or four people had a certain thing they wanted to push and had their little clans, Muse said.

Muse heard there was a movement afoot to chart a new course, and agreed to run for a precinct chair. But Muse said he didnt set out to push anyone out of the party.

The people I have talked to arent mad at those people. We want them to be part of us, not just a clique, Muse said. Everybody that reads this article is welcome to come to the next meeting.

The infusion of new blood in the party also includes Timothy Reynolds of Clyde, who moved to Haywood County three years ago from Kansas City. After Trumps victory, Reynolds wanted to get involved in the local party and be part of the change that was coming in America. He stopped into the party headquarters one day this winter and heard about the upcoming precinct gathering, and decided to go.

Reynolds precinct of North Clyde wasnt one of the contested ones. Only a few people from his precinct came, and no one else was vying for the chair, so he stepped up.

Hes not privy to the ins and outs of the internal strife, and was only vaguely aware of it when he showed up for the precinct gathering.

The drama needs to end and hopefully they got it resolved. I dont want to see anybody feel like they got pushed out, Reynolds said. I dont think you can walk away just because you have conflict. You can always resolve conflict.

Its too soon to say whether the sides are ready to put the past behind them.

That will be proven on down the road, but I hope so, Muse said.

But those whove been in the trenches dont see it that way.

I think at this point we have gone way past being able to work things out, Yeager said.

Division is hardly new for the Haywood GOP. Overthrows arent new either, but power shifts in the past werent as sudden or swift. It took the patriots over two years to get control of the party by gradually wearing down the mainstream with vile, personal attacks until they gave up, leaving the patriots at the helm by default.

But many of the party faithful run off by the tactics of the patriot faction have now come back to the table, including Hannah and Brian Strum. After incessant browbeating and name calling, they finally walked away two years ago.

We didnt stop being involved politically. We still went to political functions, but we didnt participate in the Haywood Republican Party, said Hannah Strum. We just took a break from the Haywood County party.

But that changed when the party chair, Ken Henson, reached back out to them a few months ago.

He reached out to both of us and said Would you consider being involved again? and we said We sure would and he said Come on, Brian recounted.

Hannah was re-elected as chair of her Clyde precinct.

We feel very excited, Hannah said. We see a lot of positive things coming to the Republican Party now and we are looking forward to that and getting re-involved.

The plan to re-engage some of those who left the local party in disgust would only work, however, if there were a critical mass of mainstream Republicans on board.

We were certainly willing to do our part. We were very hopeful it would work, Hannah said. We all made the decision to come together and be on the same team and work together to overcome these obstacles weve had the past four years and move forward in a positive direction as a whole.

Brian Strum said they were willing to put their hurt feelings aside for the greater good of the local party.

We love the party enough and we were dedicated enough to our philosophical zeitgeist so to speak, that it led us back to being involved, he said.

A few mainstream Republicans had hung in there all along, including former chair of the Haywood GOP Pat Carr.

If you are going to be in politics you have to have a pretty thick skin because there will always be somebody who wants to throw rocks at you, Carr said.

Carr spent years in the crosshairs of the patriot faction and was even the target of an impeachment attempt.

She stepped down as chair two years ago, but is now back in a leadership position as the newly elected party secretary.

Carr thought a minute when asked whether she would have taken on a leadership role again if the patriot faction was still in control of the executive committee.

Would I have been willing to? No, because in my view most of those folks tend to be divisive rather than contributory, Carr said. If I anticipated they would have held a majority on the executive committee, I would not have been interested. They were obstructive instead of contributing. I am sure they see it quite differently, but the thing is we turned our folks out.

Kevin Ensley, a Haywood County commissioner considered public enemy number one by the patriot faction, always saw the patriot faction as a vocal minority that could easily be overthrown if mainstream Republicans came together.

Ive always said what we need to do is get people to the precinct meetings and get the people voted out who are causing problems, Ensley said. So when the moment arrived, he was on board.

They wanted to turn it around and get it to where we can do some positive things. To not help with that would be a hypocrite, Ensley said.

Link:

Haywood GOP leaders overthrown - Smoky Mountain News

The tone-deaf Kendall Jenner protest ad isnt the first Pepsi marketing misfire. Previous ads have made light of abuse, body image, and even featured a cartoon killing itself.

So many people said yes to it.

Thats the truly fascinating thing to remember when it comes to the Kendall Jenner-starring Pepsi ad that appropriates imagery from the Black Lives Matter movement and the Trump backlash mobilization of millennials tosell soda.

Its honestly thrilling, to the point that it needs to be studied, that so many peoplePepsi executives, the ads creative team, right down to Jenner herselfpaused not once to say, Hmm in the creation of this commercial, which, based on how quickly it went viral may be the truest test-case yet of the all publicity is good publicity maxim.

The add was so despised that Pepsi pulled it Wednesday afternoon and actually apologizedtoKendall Jenner for it.

Sure, we can see why Pepsi would attempt to do something meaningful with its new commercial. Advertising has historically exceled when it manages to capture a cultural momentbe it heartwarming or edgyand fold that spirit into its branding.

Its been decades since Buy the World a Coke, and, as this years Super Bowl proved, the most effective and provocative commercials tapped into the political zeitgeist to make edgy, powerful statements. (Though perhaps none as edgy as a supermodel ending police brutality and societal tension as we know it by simply handing an officer a can of soda.)

In fact, we can almost see the pitch meeting as it unfolded. Todays Pepsi girl isnt just a consumer. Shes an activist! Shes passionate about the world! She cares that the police in riot gear get their sugar fix!

Its a version of the hilarious Saturday Night Live spoof this season that mocked the message-y commercials we mentioned earlier with a pitch meeting that finds executives going gaga over the idea of using the plight of immigrants, Muslims, and the trans community to sell Cheetos.

The Kendall Jenner protest commercial isnt the first time Pepsis had the world shaking its head in astonishment over an insensitive, tone-deaf ad. To be fair, when a company is around for more than 100 years, its going to send out a few misfires in its attempt to stay relevant.

With the tizzy over the current ad still bubbling fizzier than a freshly popped cola, it might seem like piling on to revisit some of the brands past failures. Consider it just part of our fascination. Here are 7 other times that so many people, somehow, said yes.

Pepsi Max Suicide Campaign

Pepsi Max, recently renamed Pepsi Zero Sugar in the U.S., is a one-calorie alternative to Diet Pepsi. That distinction prompted the tagline: Pepsi Max. One very lonely calorie. And what does one very lonely calorie do, according a series of print ads that ran in German magazines? It tries to kill itself.

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The 2008 ads created various scenes of suicide for the lonely calorie: hanging, gunshot, poison, explosion, and slitting its wrists. One kitchen-sink version saw the poor guy shooting itself in the forehead while a noose was tied around its neck and a dripping bottle of poison in its free, non-gun-wielding hand.

Pepsi Max Love Hurts Campaign

Pepsi Max has really had a go of it. In 2011, the drink ran a Super Bowl commercial featuring a black couple with a nagging wife who keeps stopping her husband from eating junk food. On a park bench he sneakily opens a Pepsi Max, and is shocked when she sits down and starts drinking one, too. Its because theyre lo-cal! Get it?

Everything seems great until a white female jogger runs by their bench and the husband checks her out. Outraged, his wife hurls her Pepsi Max can at him, but he ducks, the can hits the jogger, and shes knocked out completely. On its own, its a confusing coda to a commercial that had already made its point. But as viewers were quick to point out, it also perpetuates negative racial and gender stereotypes.

The optics of having the wife inhabit Angry Black Woman characteristics and exhibit jealousy over the white woman was apparently lost on the director of the commercial. Director Brad Bosley responded to the controversy claiming that he thought the married couple fit his vision of a generic pairing, and it just so happened those were the best actors [he] had and [he] put them in there without thinking about race at all.

Diet Pepsi Skinny Can

Back in 2011, Diet Pepsi introduced a skinny version of its can just in time for Fashion Week. The brand described the new can as taller and sassier than the traditional can, adding that our slim, attractive new can is the perfect complement to todays most stylish looks.

Yes, you were just fat-shamed by a soda can.

Unsurprisinglyexcept, again, maybe to all those executives who said yes to thiscritics immediately jumped on the implied reinforcement of dangerous stereotypes about women, body image, and beauty. The National Eating Disorders Association even weighed in, calling it thoughtless and irresponsible.

Mountain Dews Snitch Ad

Obtuseness abounds throughout PepsiCo, with its brand Mountain Dew the subject ire for its own 2013 ad.

In the commercial, a battered woman, bruised and in casts, is told to pick her abuser out of a police lineup. All the men in the lineup are black, save for one goat. The goat tells the woman, Ya better not snitch on a player and keep ya mouth shut. In the end, she screams and runs away.

The extra-caffeinated outrage caused Mountain Dew to remove the ad almost immediately.

Madonnas Like a Prayer Ad

The commercial itself was, in Madonnas own words, very, very sweet and sentimental. The much-hyped spotcommercials for the commercial aired leading up to its debutthe singer watches old black-and-white clips of herself as a child. Then while adult Madonna starts singing her hit Like a Prayer in different localesa city street, a diner, the halls of a school, a churchthe footage is interspersed with clips of the young girl.

The commercial premiered on March 2. The Like a Prayer music video premiered on March 3.

But when consumers began confusing the commercial, which was innocuous bordering on adorable, with the controversial music video for the song, which included imagery of burning crosses, stigmata, and a pop star kissing a priest, petitions were drawn up for Pepsi to stop airing the commercial. Which it did, after having paid the singer more than $5 million to appear in the spot in the first place.

Amp Up Before You Score App

To promote a new energy drink called Amp, PepsiCo released an iPhone app called Amp Up Before You Score. The app basically delivered users tips and tricks for picking up 24 different types of womenthe treehugger, cougar, sorority girl, and, um, marriedso that they can score (the euphemism, of course, should be evident).

Yes, Pepsi attempted to pitch itself as a wingman for your iPhone.

Further freezing the debacle in time, Pepsi released this very 2009 apology for the appon Twitter: Our app tried 2 show the humorous lengths guys go 2 pick up women. We apologize if its in bad taste & appreciate your feedback.

Michael Jackson Gets Burned

In 1984, Michael Jackson suffered second-degree burns to his scalp when his hair and jacket caught on fire after dancing too close to pyrotechnics during a Pepsi commercial shoot.

Nothing about this is tone-deaf. Were just offended that Pepsi set the King of Pop on fire.

Read the original here:

Before Faking a Protest With Kendall Jenner, Pepsi Ads Mocked Suicide, Domestic Violence & Eating Disorders - Daily Beast

Its one of the perennial questions facing the nonprofit world: Why, despite the sectors collective resources and best efforts, do so many social problems remain so persistent?

This stubborn gap between intentions and outcomes is drawing increased attention from across the philanthropic community. Many within the sector are coming to a shared conclusion: For too long, nonprofit boards and donors have emphasized the creation and growth of long-life organizations with ever-growing staffs and budgets. Perhaps what we need instead, according to the emerging line of thinking, is an emphasis on what is called systems changeon identifying the organizations and individuals already working on a problem, and helping them join forces to achieve their common goals.

Several of the most significant philanthropic achievements of this centurysuch as the extraordinary reduction of annual malaria deathshave used systems change strategies. Yet despite these and other well-documented successes, the nonprofit sector still has a long way to go. While we have created many great social enterprises that generate innovative approaches to everything from frontline health care to early childhood interventions, we have not spent enough time and resources on doing what it takes to turn innovative ideas into lasting, system-level change. Examples of this mismatch problem can be seen all over the world. Good ideas and innovations in schools, such as Teach for America and KIPP, havent translated into large-scale, systemic solutions. Even during the Ebola outbreak, a systems approach to understanding the problem and its potential solutions might have led to more effective and sustainable strategies for improving community health in the hardest-hit nations.

The message is clear: Our focus should be more on solving problems through creative collaboration, and less on the establishment and perpetuation of new institutions. In addition, we need to develop and employ system entrepreneurs who are skilled in coordinating systematic approaches to addressing the complex, large-scale problems of our time.

In 2011 Stanford Social Innovation Review published an article by two FSG managing directors, John Kania and Mark Kramer. The piece was titled Collective Impact, a phrase that is still often used as a shorthand for systems-based approaches to philanthropy.

The article began with a no-nonsense provocation, invoking one of the subject areas that had consumed so much of American philanthropys money and energy over the years: education.

The scale and complexity of the U.S. publiceducationsystem has thwarted attempted reforms for decades, wrote Kania and Kramer. The heroic efforts of countless teachers, administrators, andnonprofits, together with billions of dollars in charitable contributions, may have led to important improvements in individual schools and classrooms, yet system-wide progress has seemed virtually unobtainable.

But there was at least one remarkable exception to this dismal record of philanthropic underachievement: a Cincinnati initiative called Strive. Kania and Kramer observed that despite economic downturns and budget cuts, this school-reform campaign had generated improvements in high-school graduation rates, fourth-grade reading and math scores, and the number of preschoolers prepared for kindergarten.

Why has Strive made progress when so many other efforts have failed? Kania and Kramer asked. It is because a core group of community leaders decided to abandon their individual agendas in favor of a collective approach to improving student achievement.

The article had an immediate and lasting impact, spawning a legion of follow-up pieces. Strive was hardly the only early example of a system entrepreneur seeking to address social needs by drawing upon the strengths and assets of diverse actors in a system. In fact, there are more and more people these days whom I would describe as system entrepreneurs. They help like-minded organizations and individuals focus on a problem of shared concernand act as honest brokers among the members of the coalition to help marshal each ones unique capabilities and resources. They are catalysts for action.

Ray Chamberss extraordinarily successful anti-malaria campaign, which brought together a motley alliance (ranging from the Peace Corps to ExxonMobil) to radically advance progress against the disease after decades of stasis, was another example of effective systems change. So was EducationSuperHighway (ESH), a venture that has helped bring broadband Internet access to schools across the United States.

In short, systems change campaigns have begun emerging in a way we had never seen previously. Which begs the question: Why now? One answer is that such strategies are, as system entrepreneur Jean Horstman of Interise put it, part of the zeitgeist. At a moment when our most pressing social and environmental challenges are so complexand the resources available to any single institution to deal with those problems seem so limitedit makes sense to use the systems that are already available.

And lets not kid ourselves: Money is not the only resource in limited supply. In fact, cash is positively abundant compared to other, more abstract necessities like hope, imagination, and social cohesion. Systems change is gaining traction because the old ways of doing things seem so spent.

At a systems change conference that I co-hosted at Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy School of Government last June, political commentator and former presidential advisor David Gergen said such approaches represent a constructive response to policy paralysis and political gridlock: Its been hard to move the needle, and its hard to know where one goes from here.

The potential path forward is nicely illustrated by JohnCawley of the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. We realized after spending millions over the yearsthat we were not having the systems impact we needed and wanted due to the complexity and size of the issues, Cawley said. So we redefined our role; we are curators or stewards of the ecosystem around an issue. [W]e can be the connective tissue between parts of the ecosystem.

Which in turn begs another question: How can such curators and stewards succeed in their task? How can they best serve as connective tissue for partners who may not even think of themselves as having anything in common? Who can help coordinate these strategies?

What, in other words, are the fundamental elements of successful Systems change?

As Vanessa Kirsch, Jim Bildner, and I wrote in a July Harvard Business Review article, five priorities distinguish successful systems change collaborations:

1. Think in systems. Having a great idea for solving a social problem is just the beginning. You also need to identify the collaborators who can help you translate your innovation into real solutions for the real world.

One international issue that seemed especially ripe for the systems change approach was the modern slavery crisis. An estimated 45 million people worldwide live in slavery or slavery-like conditions today. The annual profits derived from forced labor are estimated at $150 billion. Slavery is a complicated problem. The global trade in forced labor reaches into every populated continent, and its opponents are an unwieldy amalgam of government agencies, multinational bodies, businesses, religious groups, and NGOs.

Geneva Global, a Paoli, Penn.-based consultancy that has emerged as a leading incubator of systems change campaigns, had developed some experience and credibility in the sector. It was already managing an India-Nepal anti-slavery program funded by the Legatum Foundation.

Geneva Global and Legatum had come to realize that in order to tackle the slavery problem at the necessary scale, a systems-based approach was needed. In 2013, Geneva Global CEO Doug Balfour initiated discussions with Legatum and one of the other major funders of the movement, Humanity United. They then contacted a third major donor, the Walk FreeFoundation.

The three funders came to some shared conclusions. The sector was too fragmented. Its successes were too scattered and too limited to achieve global gains. It wasnt learning from its own triumphs and failures in any systematic way. And it wasnt attracting enough new private money. More specifically, the anti-slavery campaign was not yet taking advantage of emerging pooled-funding strategies that were opening up huge new possibilities in other social-service realms, such as disease prevention and vaccine development.

To fill this gap, the funders agreed on a joint strategy for a new pooled-fund organizationan entity that became known as the Freedom Fund. From the start, this was to be much more than just a fund. In addition to pooling donors, it would take an active role in the strategy, research, and policy issues pertinent to the global anti-slavery movement.

For Freedom Fund CEO Nick Grono, that means developing more effective strategieseverything from litigation to the use of anti-corruption statutes. Its about being smart and strategic, and thinking what more could be done in this space, he says.

Six of the largest anti-slavery funders are now involved in the Freedom Fund, and the organization has begun to play a significant donor-convening role worldwide. It now directly funds 112 NGOs, 100 of which are grassroots groups in India, Nepal, and other countries where forced labor remains widespread.

This means the Freedom Fund and its benefactors are effectively ceding credit and control, and persuading local partners to give up a bit of theirs in returnall in the name of achieving the kind of progress that will actually last. That is the essence of systems change. Getting people to collaborate and work together is probably the hardest thing to do in the international development space, says Geneva Globals Balfour. Persuading people to essentially give up their own autonomy in the promise of seeking greater impact is a delicate and diplomatic process.

Jenna Mulhall-Brereton, a Geneva Global managing director who has assisted other systems change efforts at the firm, points out that such allowances are essential to effective collaboration. When youre looking at systems-level change, the chances are youre going to need to work with partners, she says. We want to give people a realistic sense of what that means, taking ego out of it and making it all about achieving the goal.

The number of systems incubators who help start large-scale interventions, like Geneva Global, is growing. They help find systems entrepreneurs; set up backbone support for coalitions; and assist fundraising. New Profit, Tides Foundation, and The Pew Charitable Trusts have all set up such systems change incubators.

2. Engage in research and analysis to hone your strategy. Figure out whats really neededand what works.

Systems change leaders need to research and analyze the strategies that others have tried in the past. This guards against reinventing the wheel and other redundancies of effort. Such research will ideally draw upon a wide range of outside sources. It should seek to harness the best thinking from incubators, nonprofits, universities, and think tanks.

One systems change endeavor that has used thoughtful research and analysis to hone its approach is the Compassionate Schools Project, a partnership of the University of Virginia (UVA), the Jefferson County, Ky. public schools, Louisville Metro Government, and an impressively diverse array of philanthropic donors. In this case, UVA and the Brown family of Louisville, Ky., were the systems entrepreneurs guiding the project.

The Compassionate Schools Project aims to have a major impact on childrens education nationwide, due to its extraordinary scale: 50 schools and 20,000 children over the projects six years, beginning with the schools of metropolitan Louisville.

The project is the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of a health-and-wellness curriculum in an elementary or secondary school setting. Through mindfulness techniques, physical exercise, nutritional awareness, and training in emotional skills, it seeks to instill such essential qualities as focus, empathy, and resilience.

Organizers faced some hard initial questions about which methods to feature in the curriculum. There was no shortage of optionsor opinions. So they dove into intensive research to assess the various potential approaches. Yoga training was found to be an especially good curricular addition for physically active kids. Nutrition training was important to ensure both academic readiness and healthy physical growth. Then, of course, there was the large and growing body of research on the benefits of meditation and mindfulness training for mental performance, physical well-being, and emotional balance.

The partners dug deeper into the potential offerings. They found that most mindfulness-centered programs didnt offer yoga programs; yoga programs tended to lack a social and emotional learning component; and the social and emotional curriculum under consideration was missing both yoga and mindfulness training.

Through this research, the project partners came to a firm conclusion: A hybrid strategy combining all of these elements would produce better outcomes than an initiative focusing solely on, say, meditation or nutrition. To simply take one nonprofits programs and embed those into the Louisville school system would probably fail to meet the needs of the student body as a whole.

These are all ideas that we know can help, but theyve never been put into a package that could be implemented in schools as a regular part of education, says Patrick Tolan, the projects principal investigator. These are things that are really valuable because they educate the whole child, with attention to both long-term and short-term implications.

In this synergistic spirit, UVA helped Louisville assess a wide range of innovative approaches to create a customized blend that would be both effective and feasible for the district.

With the public elementary schools of the 28th largest district in the United States as its proving ground, organizers hope the projects lessons will be noticed and applied across the nation. If that proves to be the case, the rigorous research and analysis carried out for the Louisville effort will bear fruit for many other school systemsand countless studentsnationwide.

3. Understand that effective communication is the lifeblood of any systems change campaign. Maintain transparent and compelling communications both internally with collaborative partners, and externally with public audiences.

The systems change model demands a high level of interaction and transparency between previously unaffiliated individuals and groups. If these links break down, or are never quite formed in the first place, it is unlikely that an effort will succeed.

Jane Wei-Skillern, adjunct associate professor at the University of California, Berkeleys Hass School of Business, a leading scholar of collaborative philanthropy, says of systems change partners, If they dont have authentic relationships, even if they have everything else from a structural approach, it wont work.

One example of a systems change effort that has placed a high priority on the value of communication is the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy initiative. Established as the Global Ocean Legacy campaign in 2006, this effort has already helped secure commitments to lasting environmental protections for 2.4 million square miles of ocean, mainly in the Pacific Ocean.

Highly attuned to the need for collaboration with coastal populations that have long relied upon the sea for their livelihood, Ocean Legacy employs communications efforts that are tailored to the unique culture of each site. The campaigns advocacy efforts first focus on building relationships with communities, and then on reinforcing those relationships through a broader communications strategy. Through the campaign, organizers identified innovations that far-flung communities could learn from and share. Informing participants about innovations they can use is a vital role for any systems change organization.

In each country, Ocean Legacy promotes collaboration among varied community groups, including fishermen, scientists, indigenous peoples, industry, and conservationists. In the Pacific Ocean, the initiative has established Island Voicesa diverse group of residents from across different islands. These individuals play a critical role in advocating for marine reserve proposals in their communities.

In addition to these highly personalized efforts, Global Ocean has also used social media to build local support for conservation. For example, in Palau, Facebook is an important community resource, and a coalition of supporters built a page to promote the proposal for a reserve. Ocean Legacy helped fund a 40-minute documentary film narrated by the US marine biologist Sylvia Earle, and commissioned artists in New Zealand to develop ocean-inspired works that eventually resulted in an exhibition that traveled the globe and raised awareness of the importance of marine reserves.

The field of communications and awareness-building is an especially dynamic one in the age of social media, global Internet penetration, and the 24/7 news cycle. Yet the participants in any systems change effort must remember that the most important communications of all are those that occur within a campaign, among the participants themselves.

The Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy initiative has shown a unique ability to communicate with both local partners and global audiencesa capability that will serve the campaign well as it seeks to expand the protected zones of the worlds oceans.

4. Embrace your inner policy wonkand your inner politico. If you seek to change a complex system, you will often need to change the laws, administrative rules, and official practices governing that system.

This means being serious about policyand being willing to engage in the often-difficult work of seeking political and regulatory change. Im the chairman of New Profit, a Boston-based philanthropic venture group, and Ive seen the importanceand the challengeof policy change firsthand.

Like countless other nonprofit organizations, ours is tackling the immense problem of US educational dysfunction and inequality. We set up the Reimagine Learning Fund to ensure that all studentsincluding those who may be marginalized or disengaged because of learning disorders or socio-economic disadvantagescan succeed both in school and beyond.

The Reimagine Learning Fund embraced systems change strategies from the start, eventually conducting a network of more than 350 educators, funders, social entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and policy experts from more than 150 separate organizations. We see our role as a healthy balance between facilitating and actually leading the effort, says Kim Syman, a New Profit managing partner who has helped lead the organizations education-reform work.

That effort has included a significant policy component, assisted by a New Profit coalitionAmerica Forwardthat is devoted to lobbying and advocacy. The initial purpose of this alliance was to support the reauthorization of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, and to ensure that the act gets translated into effective regulations.

For example, the coalition sought to establish a Comprehensive Literacy Center to assist children with dyslexia or related conditions. This measure was sponsored by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), one of the legislators whom Reimagine Learning and America Forward met with on a day of Capitol Hill visits in 2015.

Reimagine Learning and America Forward have waged a comprehensive, nonpartisan campaign to identify partners in both major parties who can help the alliance reach the elected officials, appointees, and candidates who will determine the future of education reform.

That work is by no means limited to Washington, D.C. Given the continued primacy of state governments in US education policy, Reimagine Learning and America Forward have been active at this level, working to influence state-level policy to support district-level change.

The more we worked with school and district leaders, the more we saw the challenges they faced, says Syman. As a result, we are now thinking more about how to support practical solutions, not limited to those coming out of research or academia.

5. Measure and evaluate. Then measure and evaluate again. The most successful systems change campaigns create consistent and ongoing data assessments, and rely upon those findings to guide strategy and ensure accountability.

Rigorous data collection and consistent measurement are essential components of systems change philanthropy. EducationSuperHighway (ESH) remains the gold standard in this category.

ESHs objective is to Upgrade the Internet access in every public school classroom in America so that every student has the opportunity to take advantage of the promise of digital learning. ESH founder Evan Marwell and his colleagues understood that in order to prove the continued need for better digital connections in schools, they had to come up with data illustrating the scope of the problem.

To achieve this, they set up a diagnostic website, SchoolSpeedTest, in September 2012. With the help of about 100 partner organizations, 26 state governments, and 35,000 schools across the country, Marwell and his team gathered the information they needed to understand the true scope of the Internet-access challenge. Suddenly we had a data set, says Marwell. No more anecdotes. What that data set revealed was unsettling. About 63 percent of school districtsrepresenting 40 million studentslacked the broadband required for digital learning.

As states and districts began paying more attention to the connectivity problem, ESHs measurements would play a crucial role in assessing progress. An authoritative ongoing report, State of the States, is available on ESHs website. Such publicly-available measurements, in turn, create added incentive for states to keep up. This seems to have created a virtuous cycle, spurring significant advances in connectivity.

Beginning in 2013the first full year of ESHs existencethe share of US school districts achieving the target level of Internet connectivity (100 kilobits per second) more than doubled in just two years, rising from 30 percent to 77 percent.

What seems clear is that the systems change approach to philanthropy will continue to gain traction worldwide. At a time when public budgets are under increased economic and political stress, there is a certain appeal in making the most of existing resources and expertise.

The five elements laid out above will provide a sturdy grounding for any collaborative campaign, but system entrepreneurs need to understand that any such endeavor will have its inherent quirks and complexities. After all, systems change is all about tackling our most complicated problems, drawing upon the power of diverse networks and potentially fractious coalitions.

Geneva Globals Doug Balfour believes that while the strategies and tactics used in building past systems change campaigns may hold lessons, each will have its own distinct identity. Each systems venture is completely different, he says. They are always custom. There are some principles that are the same, but the ways in which you have to put it all together are always unique.

To address the worlds biggest problems, its essential that we build upon the great work already being done by traditional social entrepreneurs. Its time to support the growing ranks of systems entrepreneurs by investing in systems incubatorsand by helping systems change campaigns get the support they need to engage in effective research; communicate with internal and external partners; pursue successful policy change; and measure relevant data to see what works.

The basic steps of systems change are proven and clear. Its up to the philanthropic sector to make this powerful vehicle of progress more available to more of todays social innovators.

See original here:

Solving the World's Biggest Problems: Better Philanthropy Through Systems Change - Stanford Social Innovation Review (subscription)

Dansby Swanson opened his Major League Baseball debut with a bang last August. In a game against the Minnesota Twins, the Atlanta Braves shortstop swatted two singles, going 2-for-4 at the plate. He would later finish out 2016 on fire too, grinding out 39 hits in his rst 37 career games, while batting .302 for the season.

Selected in the 2015 draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, a trade eventually sent the Georgia-born player back home.

"What I remember as a kid growing up, was the culture of winning", Swanson says by phone to Rolling Stone. "When you put on an Atlanta Braves cap or the uniform it meant that you were going to win the division every year."

Going into his what will be his first full season as a starter with the Braves, Swanson is no less adamant about playing his part to build the club back to its success in the 1990s when Greg Maddux andTom Glavine were at the top of the rotation.

"I have an extreme passion for this place, Atlanta and everything it stands for," Swanson says. He mentions that even though he was a year and a half old when the Braves won the 1995 World Series, "watching Braves baseball was a family ritual almost every single night."

With that big, big moment of Opening Day here, Swanson is one marquee name in an impressive bumper crop of exciting twenty-something players. He's also one of nine young players featured in a commercial for an initiative called #CapsOn, in which Major League Baseball and its 30 clubs are partnering with New Era, to get fans to wear their team's cap as proudly as Swanson wears his own Braves lid. Regarding 2017, Swanson says he hopes to make his contributions early to Atlanta's momentum.

"People don't realize how hard of a mental sport it is," Swanson says. "But when you've got a locker room full of guys who want to win, anything is possible. Being part of that motivates me."

After placing last in the NL East in 2016, the Braves are in the midst of a new beginning. They kick off their season in New York, returning April 14th to their home opener in new digs at Atlanta's new 41,500-seat SunTrust Park. Swanson is the youngest buck in a Braves' starting lineup made up mostly of journeyed thirty-something players that also just added old stallions Bartolo Coln and knuckleballer R. A. Dickey, who are both in their 40s, to their pitching rotation.

"The most telling stat in my mind is consistency night in, night out," Swanson adds. "We have a bunch of guys up and down the lineup who can do that on the mound, or out in the field. It's extremely cool to be able to witness guys who can take care of that business, to get ready for this season."

The Braves' situation probably doesn't constitute a hard rebuild as much as that of the Chicago White Sox, who cleaned house, trading star lefty pitcher Chris Sale and outfielder Adam Eaton for Yoan Moncada and six other young players this winter. To their advantage, Atlanta does currently have the best pool of new prospects in their farm system, according to Baseball America. Elsewhere across baseball, 2017 features a new order of talent that the Braves and others will have to wrestle with.

Since the retirement of legends like Yankee Derek Jeter and more recently Red Sox hit machine David Ortiz, baseball's new youth movement hasn't hesitated to fill in and make an impact. Chicago Cubs MVP Kris Bryant, 25, and Cleveland Indians shortstop wunderkind Francisco Lindor, 23, lit up the boards all season in 2016. And in 2015, young Mets arms Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom together pitched the Mets to their first Series since 2000.

Another place where the future of the game can be seen is in Houston. The Astros have made the postseason just once since they lost World Series in 2005, but in the last two seasons their younger stars have changed infield play into an artform. Shortstop and 2015 AL Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa couples well with the power arms of pint-sized second baseman Jos Altuve and third baseman Alex Bregman. The three are crafting Houston to be a huge part baseball's resurgence and point to the AL West being all Astros for now.

Over in Washington, D.C., the new President may not be throwing out the season's first pitch, but baseball still looks tremendous in the nation's turbulent capital. The Nationals have placed first in the NL East and made playoffs three times in the last five seasons, principally on the strength of world class pitching that includes 2016 Cy Young winner Max Scherzer. Plus their field looks impressive with Eaton joining four-time All-Star Bryce Harper and 23 year old Trea Turner. Last season Turner slugged .567 while stealing 33 bases in just 73 games. If 2017 isn't the year for this 48 year old franchise to win its first Series, who knows when.

AL East-bound and downJust outside the Nats' domain, the Baltimore Orioles have found themselves in a similar circling pattern, with solid season performances, and yet an inability to get deeper into October. With third base ace Manny Machado and their underrated second baseman Jonathan Schoop, the O's future looks bright. But it will be interesting to see if and when Baltimore can wrest away second place from rivals in the AL East anytime soon.

Meanwhile, the New York Yankees, like Atlanta, are also retooling with younger players. Catcher Gary Sanchez and first baseman Greg Bird, both great hitters, are one centerpiece of the Yankees' reboot. Yet both AL East teams have their work cut out with 2017's Boston Red Sox.

A popular favorite for the World Series, Boston is as stacked as the Cubs were last season. Like Swanson, left fielder Andrew Benintendi, 22, stands out as another potential superstar of baseball's newest generation. He'll play across the park from Mookie Betts in right, another future perennial MVP candidate who demonstrated power and consistency with 31 homers, 113 RBIs, and .534 slugging in his first full season. Betts also has speed and finesse enough to bag 26 stolen bases in 2016 and provides a spark in a lineup rounded out by shortstop Xander Bogaerts, second baseman Dustin Pedroia, and centerfielder Jackie Bradley. On top of position players, the Red Sox have an enviable pitching rotation, with Sale joining CY Young winner Rick Porcello, fellow left-hander David Price, as well as Drew Pomeranz and Steven Wright.

Sure, the Red Sox might bleed excitement. But last year their postseason fire was quickly extinguished in by an injury-wracked Cleveland Indians team. A bonus for Cleveland is that two of their best starters, Carlos Currasco and Danny Salazar, seem fit and ready for the mound again, alongside Corey Kluber, who was excellent from April deep into November, not to mention Andrew Miller, arguably the best middle reliever in the game.

Cleveland's elder players, like Jason Kipnis (2B) and Carlos Santana (1B), outperformed at-bat last season in the absence of Michael Brantley, and could do so again for 2017, should Kipnis shake off a reported preseason shoulder injury. Even better, Jose Ramrez and Lindor provide more reliable bats for a city savoring one more championship to match the Cavs' first NBA title.

Can the Cubs repeat, Dodgers rematch?Certainly the defending world champion Chicago Cubs remain strong in their batting lineup and at every field position. Their infield especially boasts much more of that young, exciting stuff that makes for sports dynasties. Bryant, along with Addison Russell, Javy Baez, and Willson Contreras excel as a unit with Anthony Rizzo at first. It's likely that sometime catcher and outfielder Kyle Schwarber will figure in at both positions, depending how manager Joe Maddon chooses to deploy him and 36 year old utility man Ben Zobrist each game. Zobrist, the World Series MVP, is listed for Opening Day at 2B, yet spent much of the postseason comfortably in left field.

Chicago's depth doesn't mean, however, that the Cubs are done churning out top-caliber new talent. Anyone who's kept a close eye on 22 year old Albert Almora this preseason especially last Sunday when he blasted two homers and a double in a 22-4 win over the Reds sees another game changer developing.

Addison Russell tellsRolling Stone that his team's combination of raw talent, postseason experience, and chemistry under Maddon is a great starting point, but the Cubs won't be resting on their shiny new rings.

"Experiencing it all, (the World Series) was good for us moving into the future," Russell says. "We're all good, but only with more hard work are we going to get better at the end of the day."

Aiming to topple the Cubs' long-term imperial aspirations, the Los Angeles Dodgers are also another team to get excited about. During winter they re-upped maestro closer Kenley Jansen with a five year, $80 million contract, a no-brainer move. L.A. also brings back rotation man Rich Hill, along with 31 year old third baseman Justin Turner and Adrin Gonzlez at first, who will be 35 in May. Few baseball pundits have talked about whether age equals depreciation at Dodger Stadium, or how much that creates a sense of urgency to win a World Seriesnow.

But the Dodgers' arsenal also looks dangerous with last the '16 NL Rookie of the Year Corey Seager, and 20-year-old left hander Julio Uras in the same rotation as three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw. Each season Kershaw's speed seems to capture baseball's new zeitgeist in his every single pitch.

If 2017 is indeed the Dodgers' year to bring back the Commissioner's Trophy for the first time since 1988, all roads run through the Dodgers' pitching rotation, with the 29 year old Kershaw as the perfect lynchpin.

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2017 MLB Preview: Baseball's Youth Movement Takes Center Stage - RollingStone.com

Z-DAY (Zeitgeist Day) 2017

NEW ZEALAND EVENT

________________________________________

Event - https://www.facebook.com/events/1654894774813489/

The Zeitgeist Movement Presents

Z-Day 2017

9TH ANNUAL EDUCATIONAL SYMPOSIUM TOWARDS GLOBAL UNITY AND ABUNDANCE

On Sunday the 9th of April The Zeitgeist Movement in association with RBENZ present Z-Day, the 9th annual educational symposium towards global unity and abundance.

Z-Day (short for Zeitgeist Day) occurs annually with hundreds of parallel events across 60 countries. Z-Day aims to bring a focus to our current social and economic problems by advocating a new economic paradigm called Resource Based Economics.

This year the New Zealand event will take place on:

Sunday April 9th, 2017, Grey Lynn Community Hall, 510 Richmond Road, Auckland.

Doors open 2pm to 6pm. Koha or free entry.

We stand at the edge of a new era, in the last year we have seen major shifts in the collective social atmosphere, from Brexit to Trump to increased terrorism. What is going on? How do we prepare for the future and what can be done now?

Join us as we discuss these structural issues, ways to self organize and prepare New Zealand for the new paradigms taking place.

Z-day 2017 will host exciting presentations by the thought-leaders and change-makers from around Australasia.

Our speakers will look at solutions towards a sustainable and equitable future, whilst questioning the roles of politics, social organization, science & technology.

This year's Educational Symposium will host the following speakers:

Michael Kubler - The Price of Zero Transition (TZM Australia)

South Australian TZM chapter founder, Michael, describes himself as 'an innovative geek' who wants to change the world of education, energy and economics. An avid ZM member and renewable energy activist, Michael will share some interesting thoughts on the transition to a Resource-Based Economy.

Geoff Simmons (The Opportunities Party)

Right hand man to Gareth Morgan, The Opportunities Party (TOP) has had somewhat of a controversial debut onto the political floor in New Zealand. Suggestions of stopping the tax loophole cowboys of the land have put them on the front line of the media. Now TOP are saying a Universal Basic Income is needed to help bridge our growing poverty gap.

Hear Geof Simmons speak about their solutions.

Marina Bloom (Moving Stuff / In-Joy)

Marina Bloom is a mother, singer-songwriter, activist, analyst and a lawyer. An advocate for equality she is passionate about the Venus Project and bringing balance into the world. She will speak on the topic of evolution of humanity and what could a life be in the future of the Resource Based Economy.

Richard Osmaston (Money Free Party)

Richard has gone down the political trail with an unprecedented about of success, based in the Nelson region, Osmaston not only advocates RBE hes pushing it into parliament through the Money Free Party.

Wiri Te Moni (TZM New Zealand)

Wiri Te Moni Co-founder of the TZM Movement NZ, Organiser of the Venus Project tour in NZ in 2009, independent alternative news documentor, researcher, vlogger, and activist for a better society and planet. He will be speaking about his experience on advocating a Resource Based Economy while also giving us a brief overview on what it actually is.

Sam Mentink (RBENZ)

Industrial designer, musician, activist and co-founder of RBENZ.

Sam Mentink will be hosting the event, speaking in between our other guests and sparking discussion during question time.

The Farmers Market will be running prior to Z-Day

Light refreshments will be available during the event

We look forward to meeting you on our journey towards global unity and abundance.

Tickets & Info

Entry Is Koha (Donation), https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/z-day-annual-educational-symposium-towards-global-unity-abundance-tickets-32788200390

https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2017/z-day-2017/auckland/grey-lynn

Links

Zeitgeist movement world HQ - http://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com/

RBENZ - rbe.org.nz

WE MUST BECOME THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD ~ GANDHI

Resource Based Economics What is it?

It is a socio-economic system in which all goods and services are available without the use of money, credits, barter or any other system of debt or servitude.

RBE utilizes technology to its fullest to provide the most efficient, ecologically safe solution. From products to distribution of resource to transport and housing.

Further Info:

What is the Zeitgeist Movement: http://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com/faq#faq1

Scoop Media

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Z-DAY (Zeitgeist Day) 2017 - Scoop.co.nz (press release)

With five new collection lines ranging from MotorsportHeritage, MotorsportBMW, Golfsport and Yachtsport to Active, BMWLifestyle has unveiled the perfect accompaniments for a sporty, active lifestyle brimming with energy and action in keeping with the arrival of spring 2017.

Urban athleisure with BMW Active.

No longer will the head-turning impact of the camouflage worn by BMW pre-production vehicles be confined to the road. Their distinctive camo pattern brings a special design highlight to all of the items in the sporty and urban BMWActive. Blue and Olive shades, plus yellow design elements and reflectors, bring a modern flavour to the colour palette.

As well as an urban athleisure look, the Active collection also stands out with its lightweight, quick-drying and breathable materials ideal for sporting excursions and outdoor activities. Handy features, including the jersey-lined drawstring hood and raised scarf collar of the BMWActiveSweatshirt, ensure the wearer enjoys unbeatable comfort and maximum freedom of movement.

In another neat twist, the collection contains not only useful outdoor accessories like theBMWActiveFunctionalTowel and a hard-wearing luggage range, but also well-chosen canine accessories such as the BMWActiveDogLeash. So our four-legged friends can also embark on new adventures equipped with the right kit for the job at hand.

From history books to present day the BMWMotorsportHeritage and BMWMotorsportCollection.

Inspired by the zeitgeist of the 1970s, the BMWMotorsportHeritageCollectionstylishly reflects BMWs long tradition in motor sport. TheBMWMotorsportLeatherJacket in high-quality lambs leather is a genuine cult item and channels the spirit of the racing original.

The other items in the HeritageCollection likewise boast the original seventies BMWMotorsport logo, striking graphic lines and an eye-catching colour scheme. And they, too, exude a must-have appeal both for BMWMotorsport fans who have been there since the beginning and those with a soft spot for seventies culture and BMWclassics.

Motor sport enthusiasts of the present day will be keen to explore the newly released BMWMotorsportCollection, which offers numerous styles think striking BMWMotorsport stripes, dynamic styles and high-quality materials designed to recreate that time-honoured BMW race feeling. A highlight of the collection is theBMWMotorsportPaperJacket. Made from innovative, paper-like Tyvek material, this jacket can be written on with waterproof markers. Which makes it an essential wardrobe addition for trackside autograph hunters.

BMW Golfsport Collection on the green in Navy and Fire.

For those who prefer to wind down by hitting a golf ball or two, theBMWGolfsportCollection offers an exclusive selection of sporty, elegant outfits such as the BMWGolfsportPoloShirt or the BMWGolfFunctionalJacket and functionally adept equipment replete with clever features.

For example, the ultra-lightweight BMWGolfsportCarryBag doesnt just impress with its intelligently structured outer and inner pockets and seven club compartments, it also has lightweight aluminium legs (with a manual activator mechanism) that provide optimal ground contact. Aqua technology from OGIO, a removable, shape-retaining rain cover and waterproof zips and stitching team up to keep all of your golf gear dry, whatever the weather.

The smart Navy/Fire colour scheme of the collection will bring extra stylistic potency to any players swing, regardless of handicap.

The BMWGolfsportGiftSet will be equally well received by golf pros and fledgling members of the handicap ranks alike. Flip open the large, golf-ball-style gift box and you will find two high-qualify Pro V1 golf balls from expert partner Titleist, a pitch fork and a BMW Golfsport Cap. The cap has a handy magnet holder on its peak so you can keep the two ball markers with BMW logo (also included in the set) within easy reach at all times.

BMW Yachtsport Collection

BMW Lifestyle continues to blow a refreshing breeze into the world of yachting as well. The successful BMWYachtsportCollection contains items of baggage, accessories and apparel which impress with a sporty, elegant design and high quality. While wind- and water-repellent materials respond to the specific demands of yachting, casual styles and sophisticated details provide unbeatable comfort. The collections accessories also combine expertly functional materials and chic maritime design elements.

The BMW Sport Collections are available from April 2017 atshop.bmw.com as well as from selected BMW Centres and dealers.

Manufacturers recommended retail prices:

BMW Active Sweatshirts, woman and men: EUR 89.00

BMW Active Functional Towel: EUR 24.90

BMW Active Dog Leash: EUR 39.90

BMW Motorsport Heritage Leather Jacket, men: EUR 590.00

BMW Motorsport Paper Jacket. men: EUR 49.00

BMW Golfsport Polo Shirt, woman and men: EUR 65.00

BMW Golfsport Functional Jacket, woman and men: EUR 130.00

BMW Golfsport Carry Bag: EUR 280.00

BMW Golfsport Gift Set: EUR 55.00

Excerpt from:

BMW Lifestyle presents five new Sport Collections - BMWBLOG (blog)

The Zeitgeist Movement

Presents the

The 9th Annual ZDay

The 2017 Main Event will take place:

at the New Globe Theatre inBrisbane, Australia

on March 25-26th, 2017

Click Here For Tickets

Join international activists and presenters as we discuss how science and technology are leading the way towards a more sustainable and equitable future.

Discuss how the current money-market system we live in is responsible for issues such as poverty, corruption, pollution, homelessness, war and starvation and how our understanding of the system can help us become the change we want to see in the world.

Casey Davidson, The Zeitgeist Movement Australia National Coordinator will be hosting the event, joined by change-makers from all over the world.

You will also have the opportunity to join in

We look forward to meeting you on our journey towards global unity and abundance.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING TICKETS:

As Australia is a long way for many of our regular main event presenters, as well as some other well-regarded changemakers who support TZM, we're reaching out to the wider Zeitgeist community to make contributions through ticket sales and phantom tickets (that's for people who can't actually get here but would like to contribute). If you would like to provide a more significant contribution, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (to avoid eventbrite fees).

The Australian chapter of the Zeitgeist Movement are just people - we all work just like everyone else to make ends meet, but put our hard earned dollars into making this event a reality. We have managed to cut costs where possible - thanks to Paul from the New Globe Theatre for providing a free amazing venue and others who are volunteering their skills and knowledge. We also provide free food and exchange services wherever we can, to promote the values we stand for. However, some costs, such as flights for international guests are unavoidable. We need to raise about $25,000. Please think about this when considering your ticket choice. We are also providing some free tickets for people who are avid supporters of the Movement but are in a difficult financial situation. If you'd like to appy for a free ticket, please completethis funny quiz and we will email you with your results and possibly your ticket.

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ZDay Global - The Zeitgeist Movement's "Zeitgeist Day ...

See-now-buybye? And then there were four. Of the five major brands that have beat the drum for see-now-buy-now within the last 12 to 18 months, one has drastically shifted course from the strategy in the last two weeks, specifically Tom Ford. That leaves Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Burberry and Rebecca Minkoff as the main poster children for the movement. The industry at large was never wholly sold on the idea of see-now-buy-now, so how does Fords defection bode for it?

It depends on whom you ask.

Ford alone might not be enough to scare off the power brands that have embraced the concept, but there is a growing sense that the momentum that drove see-now-buy-now into the zeitgeist for the September 2016 shows has dwindled. For now, all of the remaining designers who have implemented see-now-buy-now fashion shows are planning to go forward with them, at least in the short term. That doesnt mean there isnt some degree of wait-and-see going on.

Right now, its doing well, said Ralph Lauren, who radically shifted his model beginning in September, staging a see-now-buy-now collection show even after he had already shown and produced a fall 2016 collection the previous February. Lauren noted that opting for immediacy drew new online retailer partners to pick up the collection. As for the most recent lineup shown in February, he said the reaction has been positive but its still early days, with only roughly six weeks of selling on which to base feedback.

If you call me in two months, then I might say it slowed down; I dont know, said Lauren. Its working right now. If it doesnt work, I wont do it. I dont think its written in blood. Lauren does plan to stage a see-now-buy-now show in September.

Burberry was one of the earliest adapters of see-now-buy-now, shifting to a seasonless, twice-a-year show strategy in September 2016. The company plans to continue with the model, which is working well, although sales figures for the runway alone are never disclosed. Burberry confirmed that a number of items sold out online and in-store following both see-now-buy-now shows, including the military-style jackets from the September show, and the Bridle bag from the February one.

Christopher Bailey, chief creative and chief executive officer, has always taken a flexible position. We dont have all the answers and were working through this, he said following the September show. There are lots of things to learn, were going to take stock and look at it in a very pragmatic way.

Two brands that are resolute on the subject are Tommy Hilfiger and Rebecca Minkoff. Both mounted grand-scale productions for their most recent fashion shows in Los Angeles, turning them into massive consumer events rife with programming, celebrities, influencers and retail partnerships, creating social media bonanzas in the process.

Its fair to say that no one has invested in see-now-buy-now as an experience the way Hilfiger has. His version of it fully branded and titled Tommy Now began in September when he took over the South Street Sea Port in New York City for a fashion show/carnival called Tommy Pier, to which 1,000 consumers were invited. The scene escalated for Februarys extravaganza, Tommyland, a music festival-themed event, including a concert by Fergie, that drew 2,000 consumers in addition to 1,000 other guests to Venice Beach, California.

The results have been huge for Hilfiger. I would say its been nothing short of incredibly successful and beyond our expectations, said Hilfiger. We think were really rewriting the rule book, at least for us.

He has the data to back it up. Within 24 hours of Tommyland, sales on tommy.com increased by more than 150 percent versus September. Theres been double-digit year-over-year growth across the womens business globally for the second season in a row. And following the February show, more than 50 percent of the traffic to tommy.com in North America and Europe came from first-time visitors for the brand.

Were even seeing a halo effect on sales numbers across all our divisions globally, said Avery K. Baker, chief brand officer at Tommy Hilfiger. Its created an incredible amount of visibility and excitement in general in the brand from consumers around the world.

Tommy isnt the only key name in Tommyland. Theres another star pulling customers into the brands orbit, a big one: Gigi Hadid. The see-now-buy-now shows include Hilfiger Collection as well as the popular Tommy x Gigi capsule that Hilfiger codesigns with Hadid, his brand ambassador.

In terms of hot models and hot models as influencers, Hadid is It for the moment. Her only competition is her little sister Bella and Kendall Jenner. Hilfiger had an eye for her relatively early, securing Hadid as a brand ambassador in December 2015. Her profile has only grown, and he knows it.

Gigi has been has been a big magnet, said Hilfiger. Were certainly selling out of the Gigi collection first, but it has been beneficial to the entire brand and particularly our womens business.

But what happens when Hadid isnt the hottest thing anymore, or more likely, her contract expires? The terms of Hilfiger and Hadids agreement werent disclosed, but no doubt the brand is thinking about how to extend it and how to move on when the time comes. For now, We have a great relationship with her and its phenomenal to have the association, said Hilfiger.

If she didnt reach the Hilfiger stratosphere, Rebecca Minkoff was up there. She was one of the pioneers of see-now-buy-now, getting onboard with a consumer show in February 2016 and gradually scaling up in production. Her February show was a major endeavor, for which she took over an entire Los Angeles shopping center, The Grove, for a day. The actual runway show, which seated 500, was the finale to a day of programming that included a Nordstrom and Zella activewear-sponsored yoga class, manicures by Essie, hair and makeup services by Glamsquad, a Lauren Conrad pop-up, a question-and-answer session with Keke Palmer, and a Q&A between Minkoff and Clique Media Group cofounder Hillary Kerr. The entire event was open to the public.

We were thrilled with that experience, said Uri Minkoff, the companys cofounder and ceo. The idea of releasing product at the right time in an experiential fashion with tremendous partnerships of other brands and properties and influencers they really got an overwhelming amount of digital impressions, media, support and the resulting sales numbers. Were just blown away by it. For us, the model is really working.

There are significant differences between Ford, Lauren, and Burberry and Hilfiger and Minkoff, not least of which, the fact that the former three are traditional luxury brands, while Hilfiger and Minkoff cater to a contemporary customer. The contrast in audience is huge. Consider the guest list at Fords elegant, intimate, highly exclusive see-now-buy-now fashion show in September held at the former Four Seasons restaurant in New York. There may have been a handful of people who also attended Hilfigers event mainly a few editors, Hadid and her fellow models.

Otherwise, the consumer who is drawn to a Coachella-esque fashion show on Venice Beach is probably not the same one shopping the Tom Ford collection rack. All parties are aware of this.

Being in business for 35 years has been exciting for me, said Hilfiger. As the founder of the brand, my fear has always been to lose the youthful consumer. Ive always been afraid of the brand aging. This allowed us to reengage with a youthful consumer, and I would say, reset our business.

When Uri and Rebecca Minkoff decided to head to The Grove, there were several factors involved weather-suitable for the clothes that were about to drop; the fact that California, and Los Angeles in particular, is Minkoffs strongest point of e-commerce but the location was also chosen for the people it would attract. It comes back to, when youre really looking at a consumer-related show, youre looking at scale of audience, right? said Uri. How much audience can you reach that you can mobilize and that you can move? It could be that theres a big, large spectacle. It could be a location. It could be the people that are involved. There needs to be some sort of an element of, how do you garner as much of the right type of audience as possible thats going to convert?

The thinking behind immediate fashion is that customers are tired of seeing images of collections on Instagram and online that are unavailable for six months. Theres no doubt theres merit to this concept, but its hardly so simplistic and it varies up and down the fashion echelons. Ford himself said he still believes in the see-now-buy-now idea. Doesnt everyone want everything now? he said. But there are systemic scheduling conflicts.

The store shipping schedule doesnt align with the fashion show schedule, said Ford, noting that he kept his fall collection off the sales floor until the day after his show in September, insisting that his retail partners do the same, and lost a month of selling time as a result. The means didnt justify the end. We had merchandise sitting in stockrooms all over the world.

Perhaps no one has been more vocal about his belief in see-now-buy-now than Ken Downing, senior vice president and fashion director of Neiman Marcus, which is Fords top stockist in the U.S. Downing said the retailer experienced no downside to holding the see-now-buy-now collections until the runway shows had gone live. We, as a retail organization, saw great success not only from the fall mens and womens collections that walked the runway, said Downing. We saw a halo effect with our beauty business fragrance and in color and makeup. And because not everything was shipped that was shown on the runway and those goods continued to arrive in stores, it gave our sales associates impetus to reach out to the customer and bring them back into the store, so we saw great success from it.

Downing said every brand that participated in see-now-buy-now Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford, Burberry, an Alice + Olivia capsule, Rebecca Minkoff saw positive results in store. He is not happy to hear of anyone backing away from the concept. Technology isnt slowing down, nor is the customers desire for immediate gratification, he said. The industry needs to catch up and wake up.

Some houses have gotten into instant fashion on a smaller, more manageable level, such as Michael Kors. I have consistently believed that for most of our collection customers, the current calendar of showing in advance works for their lifestyle and the majority of their shopping habits, said Kors. We have offered a limited group of products in limited quantities for the past three seasons and have found that it is an interesting addition to our retail mix that appeals to our most avid fashionista client. Each season we will continue to assess what kind of mix we think is most captivating for this client.

For many of the smaller houses that dipped a toe into see-now-buy-now for spring, it was short-lived. Loewe had a few items available for spring, but didnt revive it for fall. Paco Rabanne also participated in see-now-buy-now on an item basis for spring, but declined to comment when asked about its plans to continue it for fall. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler tested see-now-buy-now in February 2016, launching Early Edition, a capsule of eight runway looks and four versions of the Hava handbag, all produced in limited quantities. The experience didnt yield the results theyd hoped for and it ended up being a one-season thing.

We work by instinct, and we try to respond to the moment we are living in until the last minute before the show; anticipating and locking down the collection months in advance was simply impossible for us and put too much strain on our organization, said Hernandez. While the Early Edition collection brought increased visibility to our New York stores and led to new customer acquisition, ultimately we decided see-now-buy-now was not our companys way forward, said McCollough. Instead we decided to shift our design calendar in order to deliver fashion to stores earlier. We continue to believe that our collections need a longer time on the floor at retail for full-price selling.

To that end, Proenza Schouler is moving to the Paris couture schedule beginning in July.

Its difficult to put a finger on a single problem. If you dont have a significant built-in audience and direct-to-consumer channels, its simply not worth it to conduct business in this way. There are supply-chain issues, scheduling buys before the shows, fending off the press. Uri Minkoff said he saw the transition as a two-year process of rethinking the business, and the company is about a year into it.

But there are other issues, too. Designing a collection and shelving it for six months before styling a show and revealing it to the public zaps creative spontaneity. Theres also a question about how much the luxury client cares about waiting for product.

At the high luxury and luxury level, they dont, said Robert Burke, chairman and ceo of consultancy Robert Burke Associates. Theyre used to it and theres a certain anticipation. I dont think its nearly the issue that people thought it was going to be. Burke pointed out that except for Burberry, the European houses were never interested in participating.

Camera della Moda president Carlo Capasa said, Those who do have instant fashion, its just a small part. Its not easy in terms of timing to produce the pieces and it is also risky, how much can you sell? Designers want to create desire and be influential. Instant fashion is more for brands that are more marketing- or product-oriented, or driven by merchandisers. But those that have the ambition to influence the future and work on research are not into it.

To a large extent, when were talking about the brands for which see-now-buy-now is working, were no longer talking about a fashion show in the traditional sense. Its a product launch and marketing extravaganza. If executing on a level such as Tommyland or Rebecca Minkoff-takes-The-Grove is essential to success, is it necessary to tether the events to a proper fashion week?

Hilfiger and Minkoff tiptoed off-calendar just slightly with their last events, both hauling to Los Angeles a few days ahead of New York Fashion Week. Hilfiger said he was open to taking his show to new locations, though he couldnt disclose what the plan for next season is. Asked if he would consider going off-calendar altogether, he said, We believe we could go off-calendar and see an incredible amount of success. But being on-calendar allows us to include all of the buyers and editors who are working on either the next season or working in fashion show mode at the time.

Steven Kolb, the ceo and president of the CFDA, said the organization has been mulling the idea of a separate see-now-buy-now program for designers partaking in it to tack onto the end of New York Fashion Week. Its just a seed of an idea now, and they still have to weigh the interest level. We wont know until we start to schedule September if [see-now-buy-now] is significantly diminished, said Kolb. We always imagine people are going to try things and its going to work for some and not for others.

Regardless, there is one thing in all this that is working for Kolb: For me, the big story is not so much see-now-buy-now, but that Tom Ford is showing at New York Fashion Week.

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See the original post:

Tom Ford is over instant fashion. What does this mean for the future of see-now-buy-now shopping? - Los Angeles Times