Casey and the Giant Squash

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A few weeks ago, Casey Boltz walked into work with an armful of unidentified, tubular vegetables. The long, green pods resembled a sort of unripened eggplant.

“It’s Cucuzza,” Boltz explained. [kuh-KOOT-suh]

She went on to describe the origins of the squash. As a descendant of Sicilian immigrants, Boltz has known Cucuzza as a culinary staple since childhood. The oversized squash is popular in Italian dishes and can be grown here in Alabama. In fact, Boltz’s uncle supplies the family with its Cucuzza stash, growing the vegetables suspended on strings and vines in his garden.

“My grandmother and great aunts always cooked with them, so it was just a part of regular life,” Boltz said. “It wasn’t until I was getting married that I realized how strange Cucuzza was to other people.”

There are other aspects of Boltz’s life that are unique to her Sicilian heritage. Each year, she attends a family reunion with more than 500 relatives – all descendants of one original couple.

“It’s very loud,” Boltz laughed.

To bring a slice of this culture to Strong, Boltz brought in some of the season’s Cucuzza harvest to share with her teammates. Everyone had their own idea of how to use the Cucuzza, so stop by Accounting to hear what they came up with.

As for Boltz, her favorite concoction is Cucuzza Stew. If you happen upon one of these squash, try out the recipe below!

Cucuzza Stew

Courtesy of Genius Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet, drain and set aside.
  2. In a large dutch oven, add the olive oil and sauté the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic for about 4-5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
  3. Add the ground beef to the pot along with the can of whole tomatoes, add the Cucuzza and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered for around 45 minutes or until the squash is cooked.

On the Switch to Strata

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The Media department has come a long way from its early days of scoring full-page newspaper ads and negotiating over the rotary dial. Part of staying up-to-date with the pace of the industry means harnessing the newest technology. That’s what seeded the department’s recent switch to Strata, a media- buying and -management software.

Enter the Stratasphere

Strong’s Media team prides itself on squeezing the most value out of every dollar when making buys for our clients. To do this in today’s market, it requires the best in media-buying data.

Strata is the industry’s leading software when it comes to media market research. By using the insights that it provides, our team is able to make better-informed decisions and model how buys will reach audiences. Strata pulls essential information like reach, frequency and audience size from a larger data pool than we could previously access. Additionally, Strata provides the team with data on streaming services, something that the previous software was unable to do.

Why the Switch?

Formerly, the team used Nielsen’s SmartPlus buying software. At the time it was adopted, it offered all of the functionality that the agency needed. But as we grew, so did the services we offered, and subsequently so did the level of data we required.

Current clients will continue using SmartPlus for buys that have already been made. New clients, however, will immediately begin using Strata. This will allow for all accounts to make a smooth transition into the new software.

Benefiting Our Clients and Us

Despite the inevitable growing pains, the team is ready to Embrace Change, knowing that this switch will bring significant value to our clients.

“One of the biggest things Strata will do is offer us more detailed reporting,” said Media Director Liz Elder. “We couldn’t always track our reach and frequency. It’s important for us to reach 50 percent of our audience at least three times during a campaign. That’s what we have found to be the minimum amount required to drive traffic, and Strata will ensure that we are always hitting those numbers.”

In addition to providing things like better graphs and enhanced charts to present to clients, Strata will allow the team to make better decisions on what to buy for TV, radio, cable, outdoor, print and even digital. This is particularly important for the trend that is taking over media in some generations, over-the-top television (OTT). If you haven’t heard this term before, think of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO GO. Strata helps our buyers by showing impressions, best-case scenarios, recommendations and other information that help land the best media buys.

Meet the Puppies of Strong

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It’s fur baby season at Strong, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with our very first Pet Showcase. You’re going to love getting to know these pups.

Mason: Shannon Boswell

  1. What is your pet’s name? Mason
  2. What is their breed? Maltipoo (Mix between a Maltese and a poodle)
  3. What is their favorite activity? Playing with his new Halloween squeaky toy
  4. Give a funny quirk about their personality: He likes to sit in between my fiancé’s sneakers, whether they are on his feet or not.
  5. Tell me one of your funniest or most cherished memories with your pet: The funniest moments are when he tries to run on the hardwood floor and he slips around. He’s getting better at catching himself 
  6. Fun fact: He’s two months old and we are working on potty-training him. We also let him listen to classical music at night to help him sleep.

Butters: Grace Hatcher

  1. What is your pet’s name? Butters
  2. What is their breed? Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles + poodle)
  3. What is their favorite activity? Going to the park by our house and playing fetch about three times before getting burnt out
  4. Give a funny quirk about their personality: Anytime she yawns she also lets out this little squeaky noise. It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard. Also, she’s obsessed with people, like OBSESSED, any time she passes by another person she freaks out.
  5. Tell me one of your funniest or most cherished memories with your pet: That’s really hard because she makes me laugh every day, but probably the first time we gave her a bath. I didn’t realize how much of her was actually her hair, but when we put her in the tub she legit looked like a wet rat.
  6. Fun fact: Yes, Butter’s was named after the character Butters from South Park. My husband chose that… pick your battles.

Charlie: Charlene Meeks

  1. What is your pet’s name? Charlie
  2. What is their breed? Maltipoo/Havanese
  3. What is their favorite activity? Playing with my other dogs and his toys
  4. Give a funny quirk about their personality: He can sleep anywhere at any time.
  5. Tell me one of your funniest or most cherished memories with your pet: Watching Natalie riding her bicycle with Charlie in the basket attached to her handlebars, and Alyssa pushing him in her grocery cart. He is the most tolerant pup I have seen in a long time.

Gus: TJ Moore

  1. What is your pet’s name? Gus
  2. What is their breed? Red Standard Poodle
  3. What is their favorite activity? Gus loves meeting new people or other pets. He is super friendly!
  4. Give a funny quirk about their personality: Gus loves to eat air! Whenever he is riding with me in my truck, he starts chomping away at the AC blowing in his face. He will even run when he hears the hair dryer going just to come and bite away at the hot air.
  5. Tell me one of your funniest or most cherished memories with your pet: Gus got pretty sick not long after I got him, which included a seizure. So being there for him during that time, letting him know I was there, and seeing him pull through like a champ makes our bond special and unique.
  6. Fun fact: Being a poodle, which is one of the smartest breeds, Gus is quite skilled at escaping from his crate or carrier when I am not home. He can even open some doors. Because of this exceptional skill that Gus has, I have given him the nickname Poudini.

Diana: Luke Thomas

  1. What is your pet’s name? Diana
  2. What is their breed? English Springer Spaniel
  3. What is their favorite activity? Trying so hard to play with the cat, Leo, who is less than amused
  4. Give a funny quirk about their personality: Plastic hangers are her favorite unapproved chew toy. She also has sad-eyes, even though she’s really excited most of the time.
  5. Tell me one of your funniest or most cherished memories with your pet: When we go on the balcony for our sunbathing session during lunch break. The kitty joins too.
  6. Fun fact: Diana loves to frolic in the meadow and play in the creek by our house, even though it means a bath afterward! 

Tippy Grace: Sheryl Jones

  1. What is your pet’s name? Tippy Grace, but you can call her Tippy G! 
  2. What is their breed? Some kind of small terrier.
  3. What is their favorite activity? Running around in the backyard and getting her tummy rubbed.
  4. Give a funny quirk about their personality: She is the most fun! Always happy and runs like the wind and jumps super high. She loves to cuddle but is always up for an adventure. You have to watch her or she will put her nose to the ground and hit the neighborhood road without looking where she is going or stopping.
  5. Tell me one of your funniest or most cherished memories with your pet: The day I got her I was at my dad’s house, where she was brought for me to meet her. There were four of us there, but she came right to me and spent the day mostly in my arms like she knew I was her new “mommy.” She was really thin. But, now she has gained weight and every day she is the cutest and most fun thing ever!
  6. Anything else you want to include, feel free: She is not an official rescue but was living outside with big dogs. I guess that is why she is super tough even though she is little and adorable!

Theodor: Alex Golla

  1. What is your pet’s name? Theodor (Theo for short)
  2. What is their breed? Portuguese Water Dog
  3. What is their favorite activity? Swimming
  4. Give a funny quirk about their personality: He is quite derpy and uncoordinated.
  5. Fun fact: I am getting him this weekend on Sunday. He is from North Carolina.

Get to Know the New Employees

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Once a team of a dozen, Strong’s ranks have grown to over 100 this month. With so many employees, introductions can be brief, and it’s not always easy to get the full story on our new team members.

This feature highlights interesting anecdotes, curious facts and memorable traits from some of our newest summer hires.

Sarah Drexler – Social Media Assistant

  • What’s the strangest talent you have?
    • I can tie a knot in a cherry stem with my tongue…? Does that count?
  • What is the worst pet you’ve ever had?
    • They’ve all been good boys! My cavapoo, Benson, is a
      Doesn’t that face say good boy?!

      diva, but 100 percent good boy! You can also search #BensonGram on Insta/Facebook for more pics.

  • What is the coolest thing you’re working on right now outside of work?
    • I want to start renovating my townhouse in the near future. It was built in 1972, and some of the features are still original – hello salmon pink guest bathroom! I’ve been there for 3 years and am ready to start adding my own touches and fixing the halfway-done DIY repairs made by previous owners.
  • What is your favorite family tradition?
    • My great-grandmother was a Sicilian immigrant, and she owned a grocery store in North Birmingham. We make her spaghetti and invite all of our extended family and friends over (Seriously, we would discuss how much noodles to make/buy by the POUND- usually in the 4-6 range). We used to do it every Sunday, but then college, careers, kids, etc got in the way. But it’s the real deal and can end wars. We also have her meat grinder from the grocery store and every year around the holidays my parents get together with some fellow Sicilian-immigrant friends and make homemade Italian sausage. It too has the power to bring world peace!

Brittaney Collins – Account Coordinator

  • Can you play an instrument? If so, which one, and how did you learn?
    • I can play “Yankee Doodle” & “Mary Had a Little Lamb on the Piano,” practically a young Beethoven!
  • What’s the strangest talent you have?
    • Walk around on my hands.
  • What was your childhood nickname?
    • “Beedy” or “Beed” and still is! If I hear “Brittaney” in my family’s household, chances are, I’m in trouble.
  • Who is the coolest celebrity you’ve ever met, and how did it happen?
    • Believe it or not, I met Pat Monahan (the lead singer of “Train”) at the Atlanta Airport on my way home from my interview with Strong! We didn’t exactly talk, but I very quietly asked, “You’re Pat Monahan, aren’t you?” and he just smiled and raised his drink – I think this was his way of saying, “Thank you for asking without drawing attention to me.”
  • What is your favorite family tradition?
    • My family has a room in our home that’s dedicated to all things music. The room is sound-proof, the ceiling’s covered in classic rock records, and every holiday we end up in this room together to watch some of our favorite performances. There’s a dart-board, and we have the ring-toss game; plus, a lot of our family friends and neighbors end up over there so it’s always a blast.

Anthony Savage – Digital Marketing Assistant

  • Can you play an instrument? If so, which one, and how did you learn?
    • I am able to play guitar. I spent a lot of time in middle school teaching myself and spent a lot of time learning from my friends. They wanted to start a band and perform at local events, so most of the things that I learned pertained to whatever role they needed me to fill. (These performances never worked out for us, luckily! I was very shy and had a lot of stage fright!)
  • What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time?
    • The nerdiest thing I do in my spare time is probably video games. I’m not very good at them, but my friends like to play, so I do, too. Any time I get to spend time with friends doing things they enjoy is good with me!
  • What was your childhood nickname?
    • I played tuba in high school and the section leaders always decided to give freshmen nicknames. They gave me the nickname Stache, because I had a mustache on day one of band camp. It stuck for much longer than I ever wanted it to, and I’m thankful to leave it in the past!
  • What is the coolest thing you’re working on right now outside of work?
    • I am currently working with a friend to create a video about fighting your anxiety! We want to encourage people to not let their anxieties and fears hold them back from achieving their goals even when they feel small or worthless.
  • What are you looking forward to most for the rest of the year?
    • I’m looking forward to growing in new ways this year and experiencing things with a fresh view. Every year brings new experiences, opportunities and challenges, and I’m excited to just be able to look back over the year and see where I have been and how I overcame and made it to the next step.

Maddie Wohlfarth – Account Team Assistant

  • What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time?
    • I really enjoy reading, and I’ll frequently pick up school textbooks to try to learn a new thing or two. I’m one of those people who really just love to learn, so picking up academic books or watching things like Crash Course videos on YouTube are things that I really enjoy.
  • What’s the strangest talent you have?
    • I’m pretty good with a hula hoop. I went through a small phase a number of years ago where I was really into hula hooping, so I grew a small collection of hoops and started teaching myself some tricks. I was even in a club at one of the schools I went to!
  • What are three things still left on your bucket list?
    • Okay so first I’d have to say some variation of scuba diving. Probably either in the Great Barrier Reef or diving with great white sharks in South Africa. Second would probably be completing a 10-day silent meditation in either Bhutan or Nepal. Basically, you go stay in a meditation retreat that’s almost like a temple and you have 10 straight days of silence and meditation. Third is probably to become a certified yoga instructor.
  • What job did you have in high school?
    • I taught swim lessons. I was a really dedicated athlete all throughout high school and that made it really hard to have a job since I was spending most of my time outside of school at practice. So, to make some extra cash, the team that I swam for let me use the pool to teach some swim lessons. It was surprisingly lucrative!
  • What is the coolest thing you’re working on right now outside of work?
    • I’m trying to learn more about botany and the scientific aspects of plants. I’ve also taken a lot of interest in marine plants as well. I have an obsession with coral and I am trying to teach myself as much as possible without being near an ocean.

Chicken Wing Festival Supports Adult Literacy

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Kickin' Chicken Wings

Six years ago, Graphic Designer Holly Blalock went on a whim and accepted an invite to an annual fundraising event – the Girlfriend Gala. Expecting a night of reverie amongst friends, she instead found a calling that would remain with her for nearly half a decade.

A History of Literacy

The event Blalock attended was held in support of the Literacy Council of Central Alabama. This organization’s mission – to teach reading and writing skills to illiterate adults and to those for whom English is not the native tongue – touched Blalock at her core. Yearning to participate in the cause, she joined the council as an English-as-a-second-language (ESL) tutor. She spent several months with an ensemble of 10 students, a group Blalock described as a melting pot of nationalities and dialects. Yet, as fulfilling as her impartment of linguistical knowledge on these expatriates was, she simply could not keep up with the time demands of being a full-scale tutor. Blalock likened the experience – with its lesson plans, grading and instruction – to having a second job.

Desperate to remain involved, yet unable to continue teaching, Blalock discovered the council’s Junior Board. As a Junior Board member, she is still able to participate in the organization’s affairs and offer her skills whenever she can.

“It is so essential that this type of support exist for illiterate adults, especially if they have children at home,” Blalock said. “Without being able to read or write, it’s difficult for them to help their kids in school and navigate through general life.”

It is through her Junior Board membership that Blalock became involved with the organization’s newest fundraiser, the Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest.

Chicken Wing Festival on August 18

Two years ago, the Literacy Council’s president came up with a novel idea. Birmingham, with its predilection for foodie showcases and brewery bashes, was missing one thing: a chicken wing festival.

The nascent idea quickly sprouted into a notable event. Fliers were printed, wings were baked and the first annual Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest was a raging success.

Now, in its second iteration, the Literacy Council announces the return of the chicken wing festival on Friday, August 18 at Ghost Train Brewing Co.

At the festival, guests will enjoy all-you-can-eat wings (while they last), live music, a kids’ zone and craft beer available for purchase. The event runs from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., with music beginning at 2 p.m. Tickets are available for $15 until August 10, after which they increase to $20. Local music groups Riverbend and Camryn Grace will perform.

This festival is also a cook-off, meaning guests will enjoy a variety of fried, smoked and baked wings in differing categories of flavor and heat. Judges from esteemed female culinary group Les Dames d’Escoffier will be present to select the winner of the cook-off.

How Wings Help

While your palette certainly won’t mind an afternoon of wing feasting, there is a far greater benefit that comes from your support of this event.

Money raised goes directly to the Literacy Council’s educational initiatives. The majority of programs offered do not charge fees, so events like this help to buy books, computers and test preparation materials. In addition to ESL courses, the organization offers GED prep classes, opening career opportunities for people in our community.

Piggly Wiggly donates all wings and water for the event, while Ghost Train provides the space and Pepsi sponsors the kids’ zone. Consequentially, event costs are minimalized, allowing for as much money as possible to go toward educating Central Alabama citizens.

Blalock encourages everyone to consider participating in this unique event. It serves as a well-timed decrescendo to summer and is poised to become a favorite among Birmingham festivals.

The Beautiful Story Behind an Ugly Truck

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The year was 1987. One man hit the road with a briefcase, a box of videotapes, and a campaign that would dominate tier 3 advertising for nearly a decade.

This man was Strong Associate Russ Randolph. He was commissioned as the exclusive salesman for the Don’t You Buy No Ugly Truck advertising campaign, the brainchild of Mike Strong and Tommy Charles. For years, Randolph traveled the country selling one of the most successful commercial packages in recent history.

To learn what sparked this abhorrence for unattractive trucks, we have to start with the popular fast food ad: Where’s the Beef? Inspired by the familiar, grandmotherly appeal of the Wendy’s commercial, Mike sought to capitalize on this trend and create the Ugly Truck television spot series.

Granny Debuts Ugly Truck

In the beginning, “Don’t You Buy No Ugly Truck” was only a slogan, launched primarily in the Birmingham market. Shortly after it was introduced, the phrase’s success made it clear that a spokesperson delivery would up the ante.

The first Ugly Truck casting call took place at Roebuck Mazda. The open-to-the-public event was a huge success, generating an unanticipated turnout and drawing hundreds of people into the Mazda dealership. While the client certainly profited from the additional brand exposure, it was Strong who scored biggest with the discovery of Granny.

Once Granny was embedded in the ads, the campaign’s popularity exploded. All across the nation, people who were alive in the 80s will remember the iconic, lightheartedly patronizing figure warning them against the perils of purchasing an unsightly truck.

Smack is Back in 2018

By the turn of the century, Granny had all but disappeared. It wasn’t until 2017 that John Paul Strong began looking into reacquiring the rights to the campaign and reincarnating it into its present-day form.

John Paul had the perfect talent in mind for the role. Instead of the bonnet-clad, Andy Griffith-style Granny of the past, the new Ugly Truck crusader would bear a closer resemblance to the campy style of Larry the Cable Guy. A local favorite of John Paul’s lake community, Smack was commissioned to play the part.

It would have been easy to recreate the Ugly Truck campaign without veering much from its original style. The Strong team realized, however, that past success doesn’t guarantee the same results for a remake. Ugly Truck worked well in its time, but today’s digital-savvy audience has come to expect something more interactive than the original approach.

Several months of planning went by, and Strong’s creative team had finally developed the master plan for Ugly Truck’s 2018 launch.

“We had to make sure we had the right guy with the right look and the right lines,” Creative Director Tori Reid said. “We didn’t want to rush into it just because this formula had worked before. It was important to create something that the Account Team can sell.”

What It Means for Our Clients

The marketability of such a classic should not be underestimated. Any car dealer who was in business in the 80s will remember the original Ugly Truck and be able to associate the new campaign with its original success and ubiquitousness. In the beginning, this package will be targeted primarily at small- to mid-size dealers across the country. It includes a TV spot, homepage graphics, Facebook graphics, POP and a hangable lot banner.

“This campaign will give us a great opportunity to sell one-offs to dealers who aren’t currently in our client base, opening up our market reach and getting our name in front of new audiences,” Reid said.

Promotion and sales of Don’t You Buy No Ugly Truck will begin as early as July. Keep an eye out for the return of this timelessly successful advertising campaign.

This Kiss: An Engagement Story

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They say you’ll never forget your first kiss. For many, it lives on as a fond, yet-to-be-perfected token of schoolyard crushes and the journey into adolescence. Little did she know at the time, but Account Coordinator Hayley Winkler’s first peck would turn out to be the man she would marry.

On June 8, 2018, Winkler got engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Garrett Grisham. To know their story, we have to take a trip to the playground.

Winkler and Grisham first met at Greystone Elementary School. It wasn’t until fifth grade that they decided to become an “official” couple, and that’s also the year they shared their first kiss.

“We did date in fifth grade,” Winkler recalled. “But when we changed schools in sixth grade, Garrett dumped me to play the scene! The funny thing is, the girl he dated in sixth grade is now my best friend.”

Fast forward to university, and Winkler and Grisham once again found themselves in the same space. Both were in attendance at Winkler’s sister’s wedding, and the nostalgia and festive vibes sparked a renewed interest between them.

The two dated seriously for the next five and a half years. Then, the weekend of Winkler’s birthday, the two had planned a dinner date with another couple. Once dinner was over, the group suggested that they go to the Grand Bohemian Hotel to have a drink.

“I thought it was a little weird that we wouldn’t just get drinks on the roof of the Elyton since we were already there,” Winkler said. “But they all played it off so well. I had no clue what was coming.”

Before going to the Grand Bohemian, Grisham suggested that they go to one of his and Winkler’s favorite spots above English Village – a lookout ridge with a magnificent view of the city.

The friends arrived at the spot, took in the view, then began to leave. But as they were walking away, Grisham grabbed Winkler’s arm. As soon as he looked at her, she realized what was happening.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Winkler said. “I was holding his arms so tightly he could barely move. I had waited this long, and I wouldn’t even let him down on one knee!”

Grisham slipped free, knelt before her, and presented a ring and the most important question he had ever asked her: “Will you marry me?”

Ecstatic, Winkler embraced her new fiancé, along with their friends who had helped orchestrate the surprise. Once they made their way to the Grand Bohemian, Winkler recalled feeling a bit disappointed that her family couldn’t be there to celebrate. Many of her family and friends were out of town for the weekend. Or so it seemed.

When Winkler made it to the other side of the hotel roof, she was lost for words at the scene that beheld her. More than seventy of her family members and friends filled the private room that her parents had secretly rented. Many had done a masterful job at spoofing their whereabouts for the evening.

“More than anything, I wanted my family to share this moment with me,” Winkler said. “The fact that Garrett pulled all of this off and did it so perfectly was such an amazing surprise. I would live that night over and over if I could.”

The couple is set to wed April 27, 2019. Team Strong looks forward to celebrating and showing support for our newest bride-to-be!

Dads of SAM Present: Best Dad Jokes

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Children Placing Crown on Dad

by Luke Thomas

Dads can get away with a lot. Bad fashion, questionable sandals, embarrassing carpool appearances… it’s all kosher. The most notorious of paternal practices, however, is the one that every seasoned father pulls out from time to time – the dad joke.

In celebration of Father’s Day, we asked some of our SAM dads to reach into the cheesiest pockets of their personalities to produce this fine collection of STRONG’s Best Dad Jokes.

It’s About to Get Dadtastic

Buckle up!

 

1. “Dad, will you make me a sandwich?”

POOF! You’re a sandwich. – Nate Lytle

 

2. “Where does a general keep his armies?”

In his sleevies. – Will Giuliani

 

3. “Two peanuts were walking down the street.”

One was a salted.

 

4. “When does a joke become a dad joke?”

When the punchline becomes apparent. – Joey Tichenor (not a dad, but has awesome dad jokes)

5. “What do you tell a grandparent trying to dress your kid in cheesy outfits?”

Hey mom, this is NACHO KID! – Chris Jones

 

6. “Little Johnny asks his father, ‘Dad, how much does it cost to get married?'”

Dad replies, ‘I don’t know, Johnny. I’m still paying for it.’ –Gene Gill

 

Advice from Dad

While we may groan at our dad’s corny attempts at humor, the advice that they give us is something that we should hold dear to our hearts.

Dennis Johnson has always been a source of wisdom and sagacity within our agency, and today he shares this piece of advice to remind us of the love behind a father’s words.

Listen to your father and what they say about not speeding, wearing seatbelts, and being careful of other drivers – just like my dad told me. Sometimes, you don’t want to hear it. But when it comes from the heart and life experiences, it’s the truth meant for their own children’s good. – Dennis

From all of us at STRONG, we wish a warm and hearty “Happy Father’s Day” to the dads among us and all the fathers we will celebrate this month.

Slightly Interested in VR? Do Not Pass Go; Spend the $200

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by Bill Calderini

One of the most often asked questions during my Virtual Reality Experience project for Strong Employee Appreciation month was, “How much does this cost?”

And that, in itself, is a bit of a trick question. Up until the past couple of weeks, the answer was anywhere between $400 and $2,000.

The Oculus Rift System that I was using, and demoed, now sells for $399.

Sounds like a pretty good deal until you factor in that you need a pretty beefy computer to run it on. The system I was using, a typical “gaming” laptop, retailed for about $1,400.

A Little History

There are now three main players in the VR market.

HTC, which produces the Vive ($499) and The Vive Pro ($1400); Oculus, owned by Facebook,  which has the Oculus Rift ($399); and Sony who has the Playstation 4Pro (Currently $399) with the PSVR add-on (About $350 with all the bundled accessories you would need.

And although Windows is trying to break in with their Windows Mixed Reality platform, I would not recommend it to a newcomer at this point, as it’s just a whole ‘nother can of worms.

Making a Choice

See – they didn’t make it very easy. Your choices are limited somewhat by what equipment you may already own, how much you’re wanting to spend, and what experiences you are looking for.

The Vive and The Rift are a bit better-quality experience than the PSVR, but the PS4 Pro is one heck of a traditional gaming system as well.

“But…but…Bill,” you may be exclaiming. “I don’t want to spend a gazillion dollars on a computer! I don’t want a PS4!”

Well, stop your crying, listen up, and get ready to “Go.”

Your friends at Facebook, despite their recent bad press, have come up with a pretty good solution for those of you wanting to dip your toes into the VR pool, without getting soaked.

Enter: Oculus Go

Recently, Oculus unveiled a wonderful little technical marvel called the Oculus Go (available in 32 or 64 GB).

It’s a stand-alone VR system with a nice library of games and experiences (more than 1,000 at this writing), at a price most people can afford – $200.

No muss, no fuss, no computer, no cords, no huge play area needed. And the optics are superior to all of the above-mentioned headsets (except the Vive Pro).

What you get for your $200 – or $250 if you spring for the model with more memory – is:

  • A headset with a 2560 x 1400px display at 60mhz* with built-in speakers.
  • One controller with 3 degrees of freedom.*
  • A power adapter.
  • Plus, an eyeglass spacer to let those needing glasses experience the fun without any hassle.

So you’re probably thinking, “Gee… Bill, that just doesn’t sound right. How can it be both better and cheaper?”

That’s because it is, and it isn’t. There are some trade-offs.

Pros and Cons

Trade-off Number 1

In “real” VR you have what is known as “6 degrees of freedom.” Up. Down. Left. Right. Forward and backward. This lets you “move” within the virtual space. Walk forward, you move forward. Jump back, you move back.

With the Oculus Go, you have about half of that – Up and Down, Left and Right. Yes, you can move your head completely around, take in whatever view is presented to you, you just can’t move through with the same sense of Presence.

For a lot of things, that is not even a drawback. In fact, from a visual point of view, those of you who partook in the experience, might not even be able to tell the difference.

Trade-off Number 2

There is one controller with only 3 degrees of freedom as well. Sound weird? I’ll try to explain.

In full VR you have two controllers. In VR they can appear as hands, guns, swords, paddles, rackets or whatever the situation calls for, with full movement – up and down, all around the rosy.

With the Oculus Go, you have one of those. Grafted at your hip, or thereabouts, that you can wave back or forth, up or down. This is fine and great for menu selections, scrolling, clicking on stuff, and some limited aiming. Not so great for dual-wielding two submachine guns and blasting flesh-eating aliens 20 at a time, or hacking massive amounts of falling fruit with the world’s sharpest swords.

Trade-off Number 3

“With great power comes the need for… uh… a recharge?”

There are huge benefits about not being tied to a machine with this system, but the downside is that you are living off a rechargeable battery. A full charge will last about 2 to 2.5 hours, and it takes about an hour or so to charge back up once it’s been drained. Although, you can use any type of portable smartphone batteries for this.

Nevertheless, It’s Worth It

So you can’t walk in with your $200 expecting the total experience. What you can expect is a pretty darn good one. Especially for the price.

Ever want a 70 inch TV on your bedroom ceiling so you could lay down and watch a movie? Well, thanks to the Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu apps, you got that.

(Warning: This thing has built-in headphones that sound pretty good. But, the sound bleeds like crazy. So, if you want to watch “Scarface” and count the times Al Pacino uses the “F” word, everybody around you can hear it just as well. Headphones not required, but highly recommended).

Want to watch a movie with a friend, go to a virtual party, go to a virtual club, listen to a stand-up comedian within a nice virtual comedy club, or lay down your bets in a virtual casino? It can all be yours with apps like AltSpace VR, Big Screen, Poker VR, vTime and many more.

VR in the Future

If you haven’t been able to tell already, I am a bit of a VR freak. I have real experience with these things, and it’s my opinion that this, or something a lot like it, is going to be the thing that blows this genre wide open.

The big downside of “normal” VR is the tether. No matter what premium platform, you have this long cable running from your HMD (“head-mounted display” for those of you who don’t speak geek) to either your computer or PS4.

The “Go” does away with this, allowing a real portability and real convenience when it comes to consuming content. It’s nice to be able to sit at my desk during lunch and watch an episode of “Jessica Jones” on a giant TV screen. It’s cool to sing Karaoke in a virtual room of total strangers that I know I’ll never meet IRL (“In Real Life” – geek speak again). Or, have a front row seat to a concert that I would never have gone to.

Try Before You Buy

But I’m not here to sell you on VR. I’m not here to sell you anything. (Well, except cars and stuff).

But what I am doing is using my experience to give you some practical advice. And if you are needing a demo, here is what I’m thinking of doing.

For the entire month of June, I’ll just bring mine in and have it sitting at my desk. If you want to try it out, you can borrow it for a few. Of course, you will be limited to what I currently have on there, software-wise, but it will give you a chance to try before you buy.

Before Logging Off

In closing, I’d like to say that I had a wonderful time showing those who participated in VR during the Employee Appreciation month event. It was that, and the questions asked there, that inspired me to pass on this bit of information.

Island Hopping

Luke ThomasLeave a comment

by Luke Thomas

Amid thick clusters of plumeria, girdled by pineapple groves and capricious volcanoes, there lies an exotic paradise waiting to be explored. From deep within its confines, two very different stories emerged.

Despite an unnervingly-timed volcanic eruption, Team Strong has returned from the islands of Hawaii and is here to share with us the wonders of this offshore neverland.

Setting Sail

Cruises were never the first choice for Accounting Director Sheena Griffin. But when her family planned an island-hopping cruise trip around Hawaii, she left her reservations on the mainland.

Griffin spent seven days aboard the cruise ship, visiting four of Hawaii’s most idyllic islands. Along the way, she filled her senses with the lush flora and natural features of America’s tropical state. One of her favorite excursions was visiting the “Grand Canyon of Hawaii,” otherwise known as Waimea Canyon. The canyon features a river that runs within, as well as countless waterfalls and natural rock formations.

The trip wasn’t all spent on the water, though. Griffin, along with her parents, sister, and brother-in-law, had a boatload of activities to keep them busy. The group visited the Dole pineapple plantation, which included a serving of pineapple ice cream. They also saw a coconut cracking demonstration and learned how to extract the water and meat of the fruit.

Never one to overlook the local culture, Griffin attended an authentic luau ceremony, showcasing the different traditions and dances that resulted from Polynesian influence.

The most exciting moment came from a stroke of luck, however.

“We happened to be on the Big Island the day before Kilauea erupted,” Griffin said. “I was able to get a photo of it spewing lava. We didn’t even learn about the eruption until we were already on another island and got ahold of Wi-Fi.”

Griffin returned from Hawaii with some incredible photos, unforgettable memories, and a bag of pineapple coconut Hershey’s Kisses whose taste curiously mimicked the scent of Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen.

All Over Oahu

While Griffin spread her time among different islands, Digital Merchandising Director Joey Tichenor opted to explore everything that the island of Oahu had to offer instead.

The trip started as a fringe benefit from an optometry conference that Tichenor’s girlfriend, Anna, was attending. The two decided to rent a home once the conference was over and continue exploring Hawaii’s capital island.

While most would exhale a sigh of relief at the thought of a shark-less beach vacation, that wasn’t an option for Tichenor. He instead signed up for a marine biology snorkeling session that allowed him to free-dive with a school of 27 sharks.

“It goes against what you would think, but you’re actually supposed to look the sharks straight in the eye,” Tichenor said. “They’re used to prey fleeing, so this directness throws them off. But needless to say, it was difficult to look 27 sharks in the eye when they’re all swimming around you.”

Back on land, Tichenor hiked the sides of dormant volcanoes and saw some fantastic sights along the way. His advice to those looking to traverse the picturesque paths: bring a good pair of hiking boots.

“I saw plenty of people with sandals on,” Tichenor said. “But it’s no fun getting stuck in the mud.”

Tichenor was safely removed from the slew of volcanic activity on the island chain, but he was prepared to recognize the signs. At one point, the state’s emergency radio announced the possibility of a tsunami.

“I read a book on Hawaii before I went, so I had my eye out for receding water or any of the other signs that it was time to head for high ground,” Tichenor said.

Next time Tichenor travels to Hawaii, he plans to visit the Big Island.

But he may want to let it cool down first.