October 30, 2005

Nikki, I haven't seen that Ford commercial. But it sounds good. Advertising works. Your 128-page November issue proves it. I'm impressed that Ford is promoting hybrids. The real question is, are they practicing conservation or just trying to sell it? And are they demanding demonstrations of conservation from their suppliers? Companies the size of Ford can have an enormous impact if they set conservation standards for their suppliers. That could really make a difference.

Turning 30

Our firm celebrated its 30th Anniversary on Friday. Our real anniversary was actually seven months ago, but we were too busy then - as we're too busy now - to properly observe it. So we decided, "Let's do something in late October," figuring that was a long way away.

Well, it suddenly became late October, and we put together a great celebration (mostly thanks to Michele Crull). I hadn't been overly interested in the occasion, because I didn't want to focus attention on ourselves. After all, our entire focus is the needs and goals of our clients.

But, as it turned out, I found that I really appreciated the opportunity to stop for a moment and look at what we've done, take pride in what we've accomplished, remind ourselves what we stand for, and visit with a representation of good people with whom we have worked over these past three decades.

And it made me think that this is something we need to do more often on a small scale....among ourselves, between ourselves and our clients, and between ourselves and the other companies with whom we work. Tell each other how it's going, what we feel we've accomplished together, what we stand for, what we hope to achieve in the future.

Bridge Builders

Len Green told me this story the other night. When the various people who wanted to get bike and pedestrian lanes built into the plan for the new Cooper River Bridge a few years ago, they took an unusually positive - and effective - approach.

They wanted to create the impression that accommodating bikers and walkers was a foregone conclusion...when, in fact, the Department of Transportation had no intention of accommodating them.

So they created bumper stickers that said "Can't wait to bike the new bridge" and "Can't wait to walk the new bridge."

Then they did something gutsy and brilliant. They bought a full-page ad in the newspaper thanking the Department of Transportation for putting bike and pedestrian lanes in their plans for the new bridge. DOT had not done that at all, but suddenly the Department was deluged with praise for the bike and pedestrian lanes...and they were forced to include them.

Smart move. Not only on the part of the special interest groups. But also on the part of DOT.

October 25, 2005

How Leaders Get Through Troubled Times

Fast Company has the results of a survey asking readers how a leader would best get through troubled times. The number one response - by more than 2-to1 was "By keeping everyone informed." (52%).

And yet it's amazing to see many so-called leaders hunker down and hide the truth. They may "communicate," but they don't "inform." They don't shoot straight, come clean about problems, and communicate with true transparency.

It's not about 'spin.' It's about truth. People gravitate to truth, no matter what the message is.

We have some great clients who tell us as soon as they know about something big that's happening...good or bad. They ask us how best to keep people informed. They don't want us to sugar coat the facts. They rightfully believe that if they tell people what they know, people will feel that they are respected and trusted, and they will endow their leaders with those same qualities: respect and trust.

van Gogh Drawings

I saw an extraordinary exhibit of drawings by Vincent van Gogh. He was a self-taught artist whose painting career didn't span much more than 10 years. And yet he was extraordinarily prolific.

I was struck by the way he drew the same scene many times, interpreting it slightly differently each time. I realized how limited I am when I think there's only one creative answer for a client. That's simply not the case. There are many answers, each of which has something distinctive to commend it.

Cezanne always said he wasn't painting the landscape or the still life itself, as much as he was painting the feeling that his subject matter engendered. So, what's the feeling that represents a particular product or service we're trying to communicate...and which creative approach most compelling evokes that feeling. That's the winner.

We are very fortunate that van Gogh left incredible records of the thoughts and motivations for his art, as he wrote numerous letters to his brother Theo. In a way, these documents are the "creative briefs" for what van Gogh produced. The words help clarify what he was trying to achieve, and - as with a creative brief - having those words helps one recognize whether the execution is on target with its desired goal.

October 18, 2005

Supermarket Blues

The average American household made 95 trips a year to the supermarket in 1996. In 2004, it was 70 (according to investment bank UBS). During the same period, annual trips to stores like Wal-Mart increased from 13 to 26. And trips to clubs stores like Costco went from 8 to 11.

Does that mean that traditional supermarkets are dying? I don't think so. Some may be dying, because they're not offering anything of significant value in today's marketplace. But go to Piggly Wiggly and then go to Wal-Mart and the difference in the store experience is extraordinary.

I did this recently and couldn't wait to get back to the Pig.

Sure, many of the prices are lower at Wal-Mart. And money matters. But so does quality and relationship. And service and connection.

Smart stores like Piggly Wiggly are adding some of the organic foods and other high-end foods that attract customers to Whole Foods and Wild Oats. But they are also providing a quality of shopping experience that transcends pennies saved. Or even dollars.

We live in a scary world. They closed a major bridge in Baltimore today because of a terrorist threat. More than 100,000 are dead from an earthquake in Pakistan. Triple the number of injured are being flown from Iraq to Germany each week. Our nation's deficits seem to be out of control. On and on it goes.

Grocery shopping is a necessary part of our lives. Doesn't it feel good and make sense to make this necessary experience a pleasant, enjoyable and even friendly one?

I'm stickin' with the Pig.

This Bud's for Who

How do you feel about the beer companies promoting beer-drinking games and pretending that players are only drinking water?

Interesting issue in marketing ethics.

You want people to buy and use your product. But you have a product that - when over-used - is a real problem...a real killer.

Someone comes up with an idea to sell more of your product, but it may encourage over-use.

Do you buy the idea?

And, if your answer is, yes but with messages of moderation...how do you make those messages anything other than empty?

October 14, 2005

"Desperate Housewives" On the Move

Our geek-in-residence, Jay Stecher, doesn't look like a geek...but he is head-over-pocket-protector over the new iPod. He's already dreaming up applications for our clients...video workshops, video home tours, episodic advertorials, etc.

He has espoused on these, along with a list of Ten Trends to Watch that he gathered somewhere in cyberspace:

1. Portability of video content
2. Blogs
3. The rise of celebrity weeklies
4. Media transparency
5. The growth of Hispanic market
6. Business woes for newspapers
7. Digitalization of print media
8. Media consolidation
9. Source agnostic/disintermediation
10. Refining media measurement

With so much going on, how could anyone get bored in our business?!

Lexus Listens to Customers

Ed Wax told me about the new Lexus hybrid SUV. He said that the company did customer research and discovered that much of their market will be from environmentalists. So, they eliminated any wood trim on the interior. Clever move. Wouldn't want those customers thinking Lexus was wasting trees.

Advertising Non-Profits

We were talking about this the other day. And I recently had a chat with a major consultant to non-profits who was bemoaning the fact that non-profits often lack the necessary commitment to get their stories out.

He told me about a board meeting of a major non-profit in Atlanta. The institution's leadership said that they were really going to make a commitment to marketing, allocating a total of $500,000 to it. A Coca-Cola exec who was on the board inquired, "What are you going to do the second month?"

Non-profits - like for-profits - need to make consistent commitments to communications. And they need to fund them properly. Especially in this tough economic time when there are so many demands upon philanthropic resources.

October 11, 2005

Bell South is busting my chops. I haven't been able to get online at home for several days. It's both liberating and confining. Are we sure we want the world we are creating?

Challenging Times for Non-Profits

Non-profits are feeling the sqeeze. Not only is our economy making it tougher on people, but the wonderful outpouring of support for the victims of Katrina and Rita makes it more challenging for other non-profits to get their piece of the pie.

Marketing, then, becomes increasingly important. A recent AMA Foundation study reported that for 78% of Americans, trust in a non-profit organization is the most important factor when considering a donation.

Well, that's like every survey on political candidates. What's most important? Trust.

But you can't go around saying "Trust me." You've got to act in such a way that you earn people's trust. What makes you trust a person or an organization?

First of all, do they do what they say they're going to do?

Are they consistent (as in purposeful)?

Are they open and transparent?

Do they listen well and respond accordingly?

As marketing and communications professionals, we can counsel our non-profit clients to look at these and other ways that they can distinguish themselves and consider how we can help them best communicate these positive attributes.

A leader of a major non-profit said to us today that he was very impressed with the intelligence of potential donors. That is, they really do their homework and learn what's going on. I think he's right. Smart marketing helps non-profits make a compelling, intelligent case for their support. And, in these challenging economic times, smart marketing will be more vital to the success of any non-profit.

Secrets of Success

A recent article points out some of the ways that Crispin Porter has distinguished itself in our industry. One is that they recognize the importance of the work. Yes, relationships are important - very important. But, at the end of the day, it's the work that matters most. Great results - driven by great work - bind you closer and longer to your clients than any number of shared rounds of golf.

Crispin Porter also fully integrates its media and creative initiatives, as we have always done. So many traditional advertising agencies continue to separate these disciplines that we believe are totally interrelated. It thrills me to see the active interchange of ideas between our media and creative specialists.

And, Crispin Porter has been crystal clear about who they are and what they stand for. That's admirable too.

Chuck Porter did work with us years ago, and we are all absolutely delighted with his success and the success of his great firm. We can all learn from it.

October 5, 2005

On Prejudice

Prejudice is so insidious. And it resides in us all. Recognizing and figuring out how to deal with prejudices is a key component of effective communications.

We have so many preconceptions and so many past experiences imprinted in our brains that we come to practically any encounter with a strong set of prejudices (prejudgments).

I noticed it this morning at a board committee meeting. Like most non-profit boards, this one has a specific mission, and its board members tend to see that mission in stronger shades of black and white than - perhaps - the general public. A guest speaker who represents an organization that may not always be in sync with the mission of this board made what I thought was a balanced and responsible presentation. But I tend to feel favorable toward this speaker and believe strongly in the mission of his organization.

So, I brought my prejudices to the meeting....as did others.

Those who were not naturally sympathetic to the speaker's organization tended to be less impressed than I. For some of them, I wondered whether there was anything he could have said that they would have truly embraced.

I asked Carol once what she thought made a good marriage, and she said understanding how the other person is feeling.

The same goes for effective communications. What's the other person feeling? What are your audiences' prejudices? What can you say or do that will acknowledge them and turn them around to your advantage?

The Limits of Advertising

"Brand integration" is when a particular product pops up frequently in a television program or motion picture. The brand becomes an integral part of the entertainment...it really goes beyond product placement. There are now companies and divisions of major agencies specializing in this new method of subtly exposing audiences to advertisers' products.

The advertising lines are fuzzier than ever.

I notice this, too, on public radio...where now the "brought to you by...." credits often extend into rather lengthy [dare I say] commercials!

Personally, I think the ever-expanding ways in which we can reach consumers are wonderfully exciting and challenging. They encourage us to think way beyond traditional solutions and really put a premium on brain power.

October 3, 2005

The Naked Emperor Has No Clothes

I've just read the article in Fast Company about Naked, the non-agency agency that doesn't produce ads or anything else so plebian, but rather deals solely in ideas that they maintain traditional agencies are incapable of coming up with.

These hot shot Brits claim it's unlikely that a traditional agency would tell a client to scuttle a TV schedule and use the money to train its call center staff.

I resent this bull so much, because we have a 30-year history of doing just that: telling clients what we genuinely believe will be in their best interests. We believe that if our clients do well, we'll do well. So why shouldn't we think only of what will best serve our clients?

Is doing what's right so unusual that people have to form a company called "Naked" and pretend that THEY are the only ones who are willing to make honest recommendations? I'm incredibly insulted and stunned that they even have a business, let alone a spread in Fast Company.

There is no question in my mind that the marketing and communications companies such as ours will only thrive in the future by shooting straight with clients and being focused, creative, and disciplined in their behalf.

There was an article the other day about how physicians have figured a way to make a killing on certain tests because the insurance companies will significantly overpay for the test that - in fact - costs the physician very little money. By participating in this scam, physicians are cheating the spirit of the system and driving up the cost of healthcare insurance. Why would any responsible human being participate in anything like this? What IS going on here?

Would you shoplift if you could? Would you steal from petty cash, if you thought you could get away from it? Would you cheat on your taxes? I don't think so. So what makes these Brits think that THEY have a corner on integrity in the marketing and advertising business!

Dick Elliott Has A Big Idea

I really like this new "store" created by Dick Elliott. It's called Charleston Cooks and has great stuff for the kitchen (ONLY the kitchen...not all the other-rooms-in-the-house stuff you'll find at Williams-Sonoma)....AND it has a demonstration kitchen with a very attractive classroom setup where they have numerous cooking classes, ranging from a couple of hours for tourists to learn local cooking secrets to longer courses run by top notch chefs. There are cameras and a big flat video screen that make it even easier to follow what's going on.

It's really a total environment, and very cool. I can see it being replicated in many other locales. And there are endless opportunities for products, book clubs, recipe swaps, chat rooms, catalogue sales, etc.

I think it's increasingly challenging for retailers to come up with unique concepts. Have you noticed, for example, how the Gaps, Bananas, Abercrombies, JCrews, etc. just blend together? Consumers love a powerful concept...just look at Starbucks, still shaking people down big bucks for an ok cup of jo. Dick Elliott has a big idea. Congrats to him.