Nicholas DiBiase (@Hepnova) from Hepnova and Noah Dyer (@WealthNetTeam) from WealthNet Partners give a brisk talk about the basics of branding and how it can affect relationships with potential investors. Geared toward the entrepreneur, this video introduces the essential concepts of branding and why they matter to the startup seeking funding.

Stories, examples, and counterexamples along with an amusing skit keep this first salvo in the struggle against bad marketing fresh and entertaining.

This piece was produced for the online educational resource/expertise marketplace Advisor Garage.

This is the fifth in a series of “This is real DIY” experimental documentary videos. Music by Hepnova.

Tonight, Catherine and I attended The Economist’s Art of Political Satire event, which featured improv comedy by The Second City and live, interactive cartooning by Kevin ‘Kal’ Kallaugher, The Economist’s resident cartoonist.  Kal did some live stand-up caricatures of politicians and gave the sketches to members of the audience.  He gave me the Sarah Palin caricature above.  That’s real lipstick on her lips!

Kal also taught us how to draw our very own George W. Bush caricatures.  Here are my two attempts below.  I think they came out looking like angry, constipated chimpanzees, but I’ll let you be the judge.

All fun and humor aside, I was very moved by Kal saying in his conclusion how lucky we are to live in a free country where cartoonists are allowed to criticize and make fun of our political leaders, unlike two-thirds of the rest of the world.  The Danish Cartoon Controversy highlights just how precious and fragile the rights to polical/artistic expression are.

The Sarah Palin dinosaur comic I did with Ruxy last month is a proud excercise of those rights and privileges.

1. Where is your cell phone? Pocket
2. Your significant other? Spidermonkey
3. Your hair? black
4. Your mother? same
5. Your father? same
6. Your favorite thing? Exploration
7. Your dream last night? Gorillas
8 Your favorite drink? Tea
9. Your dream/goal? Recognition
10. The room you’re in? Cubicle
11. Your hobby? Travel
12. Your fear? Boredom
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Jet-set
14. What you’re not? you
15. Muffins? tops
16. One of your wish list items? Murakami
17. Where you grew up? Scottsdale
18. The last thing you did? click
19. What are you wearing? Uniqlo
20. Favorite Gadget? Crackberry
21. Your pets? none
22. Your computer? MacBook Pro
23. Your mood? happy
24. Missing someone? soon
25. Your car? subway
26. Something you’re not wearing?  fur
27. Favorite store? IKEA
28. Like someone? sure
29. Your favorite color? clear
30. When was the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? recently

Is this meme the gift that keeps on giving?  Like syphilis?  I think this might have to stop with me.

A Portrait of the Artists as Hot Young Freaks, a biography of Hepnova (the band formerly known as The Ronald Raygun), by Jon Rodis (pictured sitting above).

Stay tuned for the new Hepnova album late 2007/early 2008!