Bill Geist's Zeitgeist's Profile

Watching Princeton's incredible run to the Sweet Sixteen, I was taken by this commercial from Dick's. It's more than Sports...it's Teams that power us forward. Continue reading

Posted 3 hours ago at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Gary Rossington

He was the last original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd to have survived the infamous plane crash and all the other things that ultimately kill us all. A kid that dropped out of school because he was tired of being hassled... Continue reading

Posted 3 days ago at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Sticking with Gen Z

It's a conversation I've had with several HR Managers in the past year: Gen Z is stunningly whipsmart...but they are snowflakes, melting (or melting down) at the slightest criticism or re-direct. One HR pro told me recently that their firm... Continue reading

Posted 4 days ago at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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A Missed Opportunity?

Every time I slide into a rental car and find that the satellite radio feed hasn't been activated, I shake my head, thinking of all the potential subscribers SiriusXM is forfeiting by not giving the service away to rental car... Continue reading

Posted 5 days ago at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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New on DMOU

Next up on the DMOU podcast series is BVK's Victoria Simmons. The agency, probably best known in Tourism circles for their highly successful "That's WY" campaign for Wyoming, released its 2023 Trend Report over the holidays...and we sit down with... Continue reading

Posted 6 days ago at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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3 Years After

It was three years ago yesterday that I sat across the desk of a County Commissioner who was railing about the $250,000 that sat in a reserve account of his DMO. I remember suggesting that such a reserve account was... Continue reading

Posted 7 days ago at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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David Lindley

Session musicians are typically heard but not known. That is put on clear display with the amazing book, The Wrecking Crew. But David Lindley, who we lost last week, was different. His indelible imprint on the music of the singer-songwriters... Continue reading

Posted Mar 10, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Solvang...Sigh

Solvang is such a cool town. Dubbed the Danish Capital of America, it's where California wine cellars mix with European bakeries and shops. Home to over 120 wineries, it's a great destination...with a completely dysfunctional governmental view of how this... Continue reading

Posted Mar 9, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Ahead of the Curve

Three years ago this week, Longwoods International published the first of what would become the American Travel Sentiment Survey. They, like many of us, were sensing a sea-change in the way we all would live our lives with this "thing"... Continue reading

Posted Mar 8, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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What We Really Need

Most politicians start out with a raison d'etre. It may be border security or an insane need to drive their religious agenda on the rest of us. But, if they were really smart, they'd focus on the thing that makes... Continue reading

Posted Mar 7, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Our Dismissive Culture

A recent poll conducted by SmartBrief suggests that 13% of airline passengers "never" turn off their electronic devices and another 35% say they often forget. Yeah...that means that roughly half of us actually ignore pre-flight instructions. I'm sorry...but how hard... Continue reading

Posted Mar 6, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Three Dog Night

Last Music Friday, I shared that I discovered The Band through Three Dog Night. For those unfamiliar with the '60s and '70s monster act, 3 Dog were masters at covering other people's work. Not that many of us knew that... Continue reading

Posted Mar 3, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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How Often do you Change Out Your Jeans?

I'm a Lee Jeans guy...have been since High School. They just fit my butt better than Levis, Wranglers and the others. I had a brief fling with Calvin Klein...but Lees were always my go-to. Today, shopping for jeans is tedious.... Continue reading

Posted Feb 27, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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The Band

An embarrassing confession to my friends who are among the "music elite" on this Music Friday. I never got The Band when I was in college. Oh, I appreciated the hits...but, the rest of their body of work was lost... Continue reading

Posted Feb 24, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Thanks, Jim

The things you see when you are "back of the house." This is a shot (click to enlarge) of the underside of a conference table. Jim noted (with a Sharpie) that he repaired it in April of 1995. And again... Continue reading

Posted Feb 23, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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The Weather Channel

Let's be honest...The Weather Channel has turned into Reality TV. Not really sure when it happened (maybe it was this moment when Jim Cantore lost his shit with Thundersnow), but I used to rely on The Weather Channel for.....ummm, weather.... Continue reading

Posted Feb 22, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Jim Dandy to the Rescue

Not sure why I can't get the Black Oak Arkansas classic out of my head...but isn't that what Destination Leadership Organizations have become in the past three years? Coming to the rescue of local businesses that need a helping hand... Continue reading

Posted Feb 21, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Burt

My initial thought for this Music Friday was to bypass the passing of one of the most impressive composers of the "schmaltz era" of pop culture because Burt Bacharach wasn't at all like those we traditionally feature. He was just... Continue reading

Posted Feb 17, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Don't Go

So, the United States has (a year into Russia's attack on Ukraine) issued a warning that Americans should avoid travel to Russia. Russia shot back that its citizens should avoid travel to Canada because of racism, street gangs and "a... Continue reading

Posted Feb 14, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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The Unseen Win in Hosting a Super Bowl

Collectively, the ads were among the worst in memory (what a waste of money). The Halftime show was over-produced (please...just let her sing). And the game was genuinely enjoyable for its drama and thrilling come-from-behind win (that is, if you... Continue reading

Posted Feb 13, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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The Unknown Blues Singer

The beauty and the curse of the news media is that it is generally populated with talent in their 20s. Sure, the on air talking heads are in their 40s and above, but the masses of content generators are young...generally... Continue reading

Posted Feb 10, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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That's Not How it Works

Coming back from the inaugural Board Leadership for Destinations Symposium last week, I was seated next to a gaggle of Gen Zs at DFW. One was holding court, railing upon how his generation was getting screwed over by the government... Continue reading

Posted Feb 9, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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It's Still the Most Elegant Funding Model

Back in the 1990s, Missouri unveiled the most elegant funding model for Destination Marketing that we've ever seen. On this week's edition of the DMOU podcast, we talk with one of the architects of the Missouri Model, Tracy Kimberlin, the... Continue reading

Posted Feb 7, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Hawaii

Those that have been following (and shaking their head in disbelief) the political machinations over the Aloha State's contract for Tourism Marketing will not be surprised when they hear that bills in both the House and Senate intend to dismantle... Continue reading

Posted Feb 6, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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Barrett Strong

It's a name that few know...but you know the songs. And his impact on modern music was beyond significant. Barrett Strong shuffled off this mortal coil earlier this week after a career that included Motown's very first hit and writing... Continue reading

Posted Feb 3, 2023 at Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

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