Fuzed Gospel

Phil Cooke is my new found marketing/media mentor. He has definitely encouraged me to continue being a forward thinking, and not at cost of losing my faith. I am very into design, and marketing which explains why I am so infatuated with Phil Cooke. Mr. Cooke is a Man of Faith, and is also very heavy in the media industry. He has his own production company, and not only that but his stuff is very relevant. His material and advice is for the believer and non-believer alike. He is shows how one can live for God and still be earthy good to this world, and be creative, while also just giving good advice about the industry whether faith related or not. The videos, which are two of many, I watched are on “The Key to Creativity” and “The Power of a Name.”


Episode 47: Perception: The Key To Creativity from Cooke Pictures on Vimeo.



Episode 44:The Power Of A Name from Cooke Pictures on Vimeo.


Some Key Points from each video:

The Key to Creativity
-Encourages us to Think Different
-Creativity is very Important
-Creativity is the currency of the media/entertianment industry
-We (Innovative Marketers) are in the Idea Business
-Innovative Ideas are the ideas that stand out
-Neurological Research shows that the brain is a lazy organ
-this is because the brain controls so much: breathing and blood pressure, control center of whole body.
-It needs to be efficient at all its processes, so it rarely looks for new ways to do anything
-its job to conserve energy due to big job it has to do...lazy when it comes to going outside of what it is used to doing
-To get past that, we have to force our brain to think different
-Expose your brain to things that it would not normally come in contact with, drive home on different route, try new feeds
-these different avenues inspire new ideas
-Great artists and creatives of all time, did not live normal lives...they pushed their lives to live outside the normal realms of thinking
-We should strive to see the world differently
-Brain is not going to do it on its own, you have to force it
-Surround yourslef with people that will constantly question you and all that you do and think...adds pressure to birth something new


The Power of A Name
-Business names/Organizational names matter ALOT!
-We need to revisit our name from time time
-Brand Equity matters- this is the trust your brand has built up over the years
-When your name becomes a distraction- then you have run into a problem
-You run the risk of losing your consumers, and never reaching them again
-For example these names are bad:
-Sony- TZ, SZ, CR, FZ, NR, AR
-these names are not memorable, and they have nothing to do with the product itself
-Good names
-Apple puts alot of effort in brand power into their names:
-macbook pro
-mac mini
-This helps build brand awareness and the power they have with their consumers
-Consumers will never have trouble remembering a product from Apple
-Phil advises to know how our name indicates our services, what they do?
-Think of the Relevance of your brand, and see if that can be tied into its name
-Make your brand name an expression of who you are
- Mr. Cooke finishes by saying we are in an A.D.D. society, and there is alot of media clutter that is out there
-We need to go beyond the clutter
-Think about the power of your name, and see if it is time to update.


I loved what I found, all Mr. Cooke mentions is meat for my journey in maturing in the Entertainment Industry. I really am blown away that he is so aware, and on top of where marketing is going. This is actually my second post from phil Cooke, but I'm pretty sure this won't be the last. This ties into my idea of FUSION, because I know the need of showing others more what the Gospel has to offer, and the only way to do that is to go beyond clutter, and not change the message but really unmask the creativity it holds, and relevancy it holds for today the days to come. Phil Cooke is influencing many people, and now I am on the band Wagon. I hope this was an Enjoy for you to read, or at least of some interest...

Until Next Time,

~Morris

Test

Today I stumbled across a great article, which takes a God-inspired look at Hollywood. As Christians and believers aspiring to leave our fingerprint on society, with experience we also have learned that society can leave a fingerprint on us too, which in some instances is not received by many. For example the idea of Hollywood, and its stigma of being perverted and not an aid in a believers walk. This thought has caused many Christians to shy away from being affiliated with Hollywood and the entertainment industry. But what this article uncovers is bold Christians that view the industry as a Mission-Field rather than a Mine-Field.

The article which is very-thought-provoking is titled "Hollywood-A Mission Field?." The contents of this article pretty much expose that as Christians, we should not look at the industry as just a place where the enemy has run rampant, but look at it for what it is, which is a place of great influence. Seeing it from a place of influence, allows us to see how we can use it for the Glory of God, and overcome what ever the enemy or immoral behavior has polluted the media-waves with. Hollywood can be approached no longer as a thing that needs to be shut down, but a place to spread the good news, and relevancy of Faith/God's Love.

This fits so much with my concept of Fusion, and showing others that you can still proclaim faith while being relevant, creative, being well put together and all things in between. With Hollywood still being an untapped market for Christians, or a venue where Christian beliefs aren’t outwardly expressed, I can see where hurdles or hindrances can develop and shun people away from taking a stand. With that said, the article brings up a piece on how we all can help one another in this endeavor as a team. For the bible talks about how a House divided against itself cannot stand, so unity and a team mindset is needed in order for Christians to flood the entertainment industry. This will show others/inspire many that Faith is not obsolete and all can still hold strong to values without losing them. Dr. Phil Cooke encourages in his article that:

God certainly can work through the movie and television industry, but we need your help.

Here’s what you can do to make a difference in Hollywood:
1) Consider Hollywood a mission field. We don’t boycott or humiliate a village in Africa because they don’t understand Christian values, so why do it to Hollywood? Let’s begin approaching Hollywood as a mission field—people who are made in the image of God but need to know about His loving plan for their lives.

2) Support films with Christian values. It’s absolutely critical that Hollywood studios realize there is an audience for films with a Christian worldview. I would especially urge you to see these movies on their opening weekend, since that’s when studios make the decision about how long the film stays in the theaters.

3) Pray for Christians in the industry. Every day Christians are working in an often hostile environment in a heroic effort to write, act, direct and produce stories that celebrate faith in God. But we can’t do it alone. We need the help of every Christian to provide the kind of prayer support that will open doors, soften hearts and sometimes make a way where there is no way. Find out how you can help at www.hollywoodprayernetwork.org.

4) Understand how the media can be used as a tool for evangelism. Enjoying Everyday Life is a great example of a Christian program that crosses over to the mainstream audience. That’s because Joyce understands the power of media and how effective it can be for reaching the culture. Movies, television and the Internet are the communication tools of this culture, and if the church doesn’t take them seriously, we’ll lose this generation.

I am encouraged to know that what I aspire to do has a framework to fall into, as well as know that there are others out there that are standing with me. I hope this encourages others to be bold, and know that there aren't just closed doors when it comes to God but there are OPEN DOORS as well.

Be Encouraged,

~Morris