Client LOVED The Themes — Thanks!

Hi Folks,
Thanks for weighing in. Welp, the Clients followed in line with your voting and selected The Legends Reborn. They also took The Dream Driveway, Dream Machines (new) and the Declaration of Dominance with them.

BTW. Our new style guide for Dodge Themes is: If Mohammed Ali wouldn't say it, it can't be a Dodge theme :).

Ram / Challenger Tour Themes

Themes are always fun AND tough. Hey could you do Kacha and I a favor and weigh in on the following theme concepts? We need to pitch the top three or four to the Chrysler client tomorrow morning. Also, if you have a new theme to throw into the mix, please do. Please comment by 3:30 ET. If you haven't participated in the Blog yet — Here's your chance!

Here goes (In no particular order):

Brains & Brawn

Don’t Look Back

Dream Driveway

More Than Power

Power to the Pavement

Out-Tough, Out-Smart

More than Muscle

The Declaration of Dominance

American Truck, American Muscle

One-Two Punch

Hang-On & Haul

Ain’t No Comeback

The Brains… The Brawn… The Brand

Shock and Awe

The Legends Reborn

Hammer Down

Old School… New Rules

Wiki Experiment

Hi Folks, 

Hey, for Scion we're experimenting on whether or not Wikis would be a good informal training tool for their retail guys. So... I set one up. Please take a look and try and make a contribution -- even if it's just a stab in the dark. I want us all to understand how they work, edit each other's posts... so we can see if there's an application for our clients.

From only dabbling a bit I KNOW there are applications for ES3. 

Here's a link that will help get you there: http://kleintastic.wikispaces.com/ES3+Wiki+Applications

Cell Casting Versus Pod Casting

I learned a bit about a new move towards m-learning (m=mobile) or "Cell Casting." Currently the technology allows us to send an audio or text-based message to phones and allow participants to respond by keying in multiple-choice responses. 

So what are you're thoughts? 

What are the possible applications and benefits for our business?

How could it be incorporated into current or future projects? 

Turning the Corner

So, we've taken a look back at the things that stick with us -- and took a stab at the whys. Now think of the business that's currently on the books: Ram, Tundra Skills, Borrego, Workshops... Think of one specific example of how to apply your own sticky experience to a piece of existing work. Ideas?

Building & Pulling the Triggers

You know it better than any — we cover a lot of ground in our training events and materials. Unfortunately it's the nature of a new vehicle launch — there's just a lot of stories to learn. In response you've probably seen us attempt to distill a brand new vehicle into Top 5 and Top 10 lists. The thought is if we emphasize and reemphasize a small group of features that our participants will leave with "something" — and the most important "something" — that they will remember when they return to the dealership. While I think we've been successful with the focused approach, I wonder if there's a better way — a way that will allow us to make more information stick and make recall easier. Well, here's a kernel of an idea that i'd like to bat around with you...

What if retention was more about triggering memories than traditional "rinse and repeat" memorization of a small number of features? You probably remember Pneumonic Devices from Psych 101. In essence, they are images, associations, word pictures, stories, activities that help us remember important information. 

Here's a borderline example of how this works from my World Civ II final 12 years ago — the Huguenots. Instead of saying over and over "the Huguenots were a French Protestant group established in the 1500's by John Calvin." I made a little picture in my head. First I looked at the word "Huguenots" — looks a bit like "Huge Nots" doesn't it? Second I thought about what I knew about the French. As a 19-year old all I could think of was that French women didn't shave their arm pits — or so I was told. So, my picture was of a french woman with huge nots in her armpits. I know, not a pretty sight. But I bet that you will never forget that the Huguenots were French. Right?

Studies show that stories and senses make great memory joggers. And, if you use them right, a learner can take home 5 to 10 times more information than with traditional methods — a Top 50 list? Maybe. 

Chime in: Think about your role in the creative process. How can you infuse triggers into what you create. Could we use things that salespeople see every day as triggers to help them remember? What could that be like?...

Ram Tour Theme...

Welp, as you probably already heard... we won the 2009 Dodge Ram Truck Launch Event. We've filled up the white board with theme ideas twice now but nothing's a unanimous winner. Got any ideas. The theme should:

• Be short and to the point

• Have lots of Ram attitude -- "Ram this!" "Bring it on!" Those types of themes aren't out of bounds

• Consider paying off that Ram is still a tough truck, but now has higher level of quality, refinement and technology...

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Feel free to peek at the brainstorm area white board to see what we have so far. 

Click "Comment" to chime in...

What sticks with you?

Alright, time to rack your brain...

Throughout our lives people have attempted to teach us stuff — some things stick... other things don't. So, let's take a swing at compiling a list of teaching techniques that were effective on us:

First: Think of 1-3 things you were taught that really stuck with you . They could be trivial — "the state birds for all 50 states" or they could be serious "The compression-to-breath ratio when performing CPR." — Or your significant other's birthday / anniversary.  

Next: Why do you think it stuck? Was there a particular technique the teacher used? Were there sensory experiences that went along with it? Was there an emotion or urgency attached with it? Did you figure it out yourself?...

Comment Away!!!

Welcome to ZipStick!

Welcome, ZipStick is a place for ES3 Staffers to interact with, and share new ideas. Not a whole lot of rules, just one request — please participate! It doesn't have to take long — 10, 15, 20 minutes a day. I suggest taking a look as lunch approaches then again before checking out for the night. 

For me, my primary focus will be to offer up brief instructional design / technology bites for you to examine, think through, comment on, and integrate into your thought process during brainstorming and development stages. I'm expecting that these seeds will grow into great things once you add in your creative genius. 

For you, post whatever you want. Got an idea for an outside creative project you want someone's bounce on? Bring it on! Something cool happening in the community? Run into a cool technology? Tell us about it. Want feedback on a work-related design or concept you're working on? Post it. Honestly, we can make this thing whatever you want. 

The name... well, if you weren't a child in the '70's you might have to Google it. A ZipStick is a flexible plastic rip cord you insert into a toy car, truck, motorcycle, then give it a yank to launch the the vehicle across the room. Bottom line: it's a fun device that makes cars move — which is sort of what we do here. We create stuff that make cars move off dealer lots.