Seth Godin Interview

It seems that during the last few years, controversy and “in your face” attitude have been used in several social related marketing campaigns. (France’s AIDES campaigns, Camp Okutta for Children online videos, MTV’s Sex is no accident…). What do you think about that trend? Do you think there must be a limit or, if the cause is noble, the marketer can be as provocative as he/she wants?

I think that provocation gets old, faster and faster. I’m not sure that doing good gives you the moral right to be obnoxious, but either way, it’s not going work for much longer.

What’s the most groundbreaking or outstanding social related marketing campaign that you’ve ever seen?

I’m more interested in what works than what’s cool. Kiva works, no doubt about it. AmeriCorps. The Peace Corps. Doctors without Borders…

Anna Brownfield Interview

Can you tell us a little about your background and how you ended up involved in filmmaking?

I actually wanted to be an actor and spent a lot of my youth doing musicals, but my ever practical mother said that only 5% of actors ever make a full time living so maybe I  needed to have a back up plan!
When I finished high school, I did a year of photography but then soon realized that my ideas worked better in motion so went off and studied Media Arts at RMIT in Melbourne.

Breaking Bad and Philosophy

Can you tell us a little about your background and how you ended up involved with the Popular Culture and Philosophy books?

ROBERT ARP: I first got involved in 2003 when two of my graduate student colleagues at Saint Louis University, Jason Eberl and Kevin Decker, got a contract with Open Court Publishers to do Star Wars and Philosophy in their Popular Culture and Philosophy series; the one that was started with Seinfeld and Philosophy and then the wildly successful The Simpsons and Philosophy.  I have a chapter in the Star Wars book about droids and what constitutes personhood.  Bill Irwin was series editor at that point.  He moved to Wiley-Blackwell and started The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, and my South Park and Philosophy: You Know, I Learned Something Today was the first book in that series.  I have more than 30 chapters in these kinds of books, and I’ve edited another half dozen or so.  Hard to believe it’s been 10 years!

Pilots N Paws Interview

Can you tell us a little about yourself and how did you come up with Pilots N Paws’ idea?

I have always had a deep connection with animals. I am a retired nurse, have raised Morgan Horses for 25 years, and share my life with my wonderful husband, two Dobermans, one Lhasa Apso who definitely rules, and of course our barn kitties.  Prior to Pilots N Paws, I was one of the founding members of a rescue organization known as Doberman Assistance Network, a national Doberman rescue group. When we lost our 12 year old Doberman to cancer, we wanted our next dobie family member to be a rescue dog.  The perfect dog for our family ended up being in Florida and we are in South Carolina.  Due to his condition, we knew he was used as a sparring partner to teach other dogs how to fight.  We had to bring him home, of that, there was no question.  I asked a group of friends if anyone was traveling my direction from Florida.  Our friend in Tennesse who is a pilot with a private plane replied that he would just fly over, pick up my husband and fly to Florida and bring our boy  home to us.  I was astounded at his generous offer. After the flight he asked if there was a need to move rescue animals. After sharing the trials of ground transportation, the only means available to rescue groups to  move these animals , he agreed that we needed to do something.  I knew rescue work, he knew pilots and told me that they are always looking for a good reason to fly.  What better reason then to save a life?  The name Pilots N Paws immediately came to my mind and with that, the program literally took flight.  I feel strongly that it is our responsibility, as humans, to be the guardians for animals others have abandoned, abused, or simply can no longer care for.  If we don’t, who will?