Play Review: Kinky Boots

Kinky Boots - Toronto Cast

Photo Source: 680 News

I promise I didn’t see Kinky Boots just because it’s about red boots. In fact, I didn’t even wear my red shoes to the theatre. I saw Kinky Boots because it’s an award-winning show with music by Cyndi Lauper and its story about fashion and friendship is intriguing.

The story about Charlie (Graham Scott Fleming), a young professional in Northampton, England, rebuilding his late father’s shoe factory is interesting in the first act, but it loses steam in the second act, which is less eventful. The fate of Charlie’s relationship with his fiancé is as predictable as the future of his shoe business.

Charlie desperately needs inspiration to turn his shoe business around and when his loyal employee Lauren (AJ Bridel), who harbours a crush on him, inspires him to chase a niche market, Charlie promotes her and establishes a business partnership with Lola, a local drag queen.

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December 3, 2015 by

Movie Review: The Peanuts Movie

Peanuts Movie

Photo Source: USA Today

I’ve had to say no to eating peanuts for as long as I can remember, but when I heard the Peanuts franchise had a new release coming out, it was hard to resist.

The Peanuts Movie is the cutest romantic comedy I’ve seen in ages and it doesn’t make a difference whatsoever that it is an animated movie intended for children. The pre-pubescent characters are still in elementary school, but they have just as many hormones as ‘grownups’.

When we’re first reunited with the beloved characters, it’s winter. While the kids are enjoying a snow day, they see a moving truck unloading boxes at the house across the street from Charlie Brown’s house and mystery ensues.

Charlie relishes the opportunity to make a new friend who doesn’t know anything about his awkward mistakes and when he meets her in school, he immediately gushes over the Little Red-Haired Girl. What’s more, Charlie starts planning a future for them when they are assigned to work together on an assignment. “You’re the only person I know who could turn a book report into a lifelong commitment,” Linus tells his best friend.

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November 27, 2015 by

In Defence of Shoefies

Fall Shoefie

If you like taking pictures of your shoes, so what? No big deal. Personally I love taking shoefies and I’m not the only one because celebrities are on board with this popular Instagram trend too.

Likewise, shoe brands are capitalizing on the trend to connect with consumers and discover more user-generated content. Adidas recently worked with Wunderman to build relationships with youth in India whereby they encouraged shoppers to explore their communities in sneakers and document their travels. The campaign was a success and over 5,000 shofies were taken using the designated hashtags.

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November 19, 2015 by

A&W Wants You To Skip The Ad

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_n4QlBMbQY’]

When all you want to do is watch a music video, pesky ads can spoil the fun. Fast food chain A&W recognizes your pain and created an ad that communicates the key message in the first 5 seconds. After that, there’s not much to see—viewers simply watch an A&W spokesman eat a burger outside in the middle of the street.

I have never purchased anything at A&W and I can’t say this ad tempted me, but as as a marketer, I found the ad clever. They know you have a short attention span so they cut to the chase while trying to appear cool and modern. This won’t be the last smart spot I discover via pre-roll, but it is the first that encouraged me to skip it and I commend A&W for their creativity.

If you’re craving a burger now, find an A&W near you.

November 13, 2015 by

Movie Review: Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, Michael Fassbender, Apple, movie

Photo Source: Slate

Steve Jobs was a legend. I still vividly recall the night he passed away. I was sitting at my desk in London and one of my Apple enthusiast friends sent me a Facebook message to commiserate. Millions miss him but his legacy lives on in pop culture and commerce.

Now Hollywood has released another tribute to him through Steve Jobs in which Michael Fassbender portrays him. It’s easier to learn about the pivotal moments of his career through a two-hour-long movie than by reading six hundred pages in Walter Isaacson’s biography.

The movie focuses on three key product launches between 1984 and 1998 to expose his personality, family life and business savvy. It’s interesting to see the evolution of his style because at first he wears suits and then he doesn’t find his trademark black turtleneck and jeans look until he introduces the iMac after returning to work at Apple.

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November 4, 2015 by