The Libertine in Dallas, TX

I love this place. Not only is it right down the street from me but it has some of the best food in Dallas. No joke. Well that is if you like good burgers, a variety of foods, a good beer list, sweet potato fries, and indie rock music like Modest Mouse going off in the background.

Thursdays are Pint Night and tonight they featured Boulevard. It’s a brewery from Kansas City. For some reason I thought it was from Colorado, but I must be thinking about some other B-beer…

Anyway, on Pint Night, you get to keep the glass. You’re gonna pay $5 for a beer anyway, why not get to take home a branded glass? Last week it was for Dos XX, and I have to say they were some pretty sweet glasses. I took home 3.

My favorite dish is the Tuna Burger – they cook it to perfection, a little pink on the inside, and serve it with this yummy aioli mayo, with sweet potato fries on the side. Yep. The Libertine has got to be one of my Top 5 favorite places in Dallas to eat. Being from the NW, I seek out places like The Libertine in Dallas – cool bars with a good beer selection, decent music, laid back clientele, a bar + tables. The Libertine is quality. AND they’ve friended me on Facebook, literally.

Check out their beer dinners, or better yet, come up the road a little ways and try a wine dinner at The Grape. For $50 you will have the dinner of your life.

And this is why they tout the fact that Dallas has more restaurants per capita than New York City. They’re good.

Sustainable Advertising

Why do so many companies want to work independently? Is it because they feel that the power of one is better than many? Is it because they’re greedy? Or is it because this is the way it always has been? Think about it.

We have so many companies, businesses, “brands,” products, services, people, groups and activities in culture that are competing for people’s attention. That’s a lot of clutter and messages to siphon through for the consumer. Poor consumer…

Anyway, if we paired all of the choices that consumers have to make with all of the brands that wanted to be in the consideration set, couldn’t we clean it up a little? Let me explain.

My friend is one of 5 people in the bike courier business in Dallas. His industry is struggling for funds as well as a positioning that will sustain their business long-term.

I have a client who struggles for relevancy on a local basis. They want to associate themselves with the “local movement” and raise awareness for their brand.

I live in a neighborhood where beautiful murals are drawn on the sides of buildings by artists who want to put their stamp on the world. These are hastily removed by businesses who (apparently) want to be sterile and appear lifeless on the outside. But these artists deserve to be discovered. They beauty they create cultivates culture and ambiance.

Sustainable Advertising would be a solve for these three “problems.” Friends A and C need to be sponsored. Brand B wants to raise awareness. Couldn’t they work together to achieve the world they all want to see? Essentially, B should call up A and C and say, “with our powers combined…” Boom. You’re already doing something and I need this thing to be done. Let’s bring our “brands” together and make a better place. You don’t have to change anything! I just want to leverage your equity with mine. I’ll be bringing a huge audience to the table, and you’ll get to keep on doing what you want to do. Win. Win.

This to me, is what I refer to as “sustainable advertising.” It would probably be accurately described now as The Sponsorship Team, which mostly works with sports right now. And look how much money is in sports!

Anyway, I leave you with a request to just think about. Sustainable advertising.

Plan on.