tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149009432024-03-14T05:41:32.939-04:00BrandInnovatorInspiration for creating and building health, science, and technology brandsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.comBlogger1302125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-57700875064782295922013-12-04T05:00:00.000-05:002013-12-04T05:00:00.045-05:00Rogaine - lesson learned from innovation blunders
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoHeader, li.MsoHeader, div.MsoHeader
{mso-style-link:"Header Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
tab-stops:center 3.25in right 6.5in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoFooter, li.MsoFooter, div.MsoFooter
{mso-style-link:"Footer Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
tab-stops:center 3.25in right 6.5in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
span.HeaderChar
{mso-style-name:"Header Char";
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:Header;
mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;}
span.FooterChar
{mso-style-name:"Footer Char";
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:Footer;
mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:532157284;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:532173158 1930315520 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:1.25in;
text-indent:-.25in;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJJfEEIQIWhnC06fotjhx-zYDTIW9MXJJ5Ugy7vx19iPNFIaHpxr5WoHFN1mqh0JcthonXjEDrFGKZq3OZGu6s32S1NY8UKxVNSbBuUvwGy7dCvMrm4YnH_F0e0CDd_iTr16c/s1600/1images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJJfEEIQIWhnC06fotjhx-zYDTIW9MXJJ5Ugy7vx19iPNFIaHpxr5WoHFN1mqh0JcthonXjEDrFGKZq3OZGu6s32S1NY8UKxVNSbBuUvwGy7dCvMrm4YnH_F0e0CDd_iTr16c/s200/1images.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here’s another great story with lessons learned from innovation
blunders.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It’s an excerpt from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Why-Smart-Companies-Dumb-Things/dp/1591025680">Why (Smart Companies) Do Dumb Things by Calvin L. Hodock</a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In this series of case studies, Hodock shares insight on avoiding
8 common mistakes in new product development.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In the case of Rogaine, it was mismatched positioning.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Fifty million American men experience male-pattern
baldness. In 1996, they received some very good news.<span> </span>The Food and Drug Administration cleared Rogaine, a topical
2 percent minoxidil solution, as an over-the-counter hair regrowth drug for men
and women with common hair loss. Hallelujah! Men suffering from hair loss often
experienced “anxiety, loss of self-confidence and even depression”. Rogaine
gave hair-challenged men a dual benefit—a full head of hair and the restoration
of self-esteem.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rogaine had a natural contagion, because the preliminary
buzz purported it to be nothing short of a miracle. As a result, it had an
avalanche of positive publicity prior to its market introduction. Wall Street
was especially euphoric about Rogaine’s prospects, and its parent company,
Upjohn (now Johnson & Johnson), did nothing to temper the financial
cheerfulness coming from the street. In this situation, Rogaine’s positive buzz
turned out to be destructive rather than helpful. Here’s why.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Balding males naively believed their departed hair
follicles would return instantly by rubbing Rogaine into their scalps twice a
day for a month or so. Rogaine initially attracted the most extreme cases of
male-pattern baldness, primarily older males in their fifties and sixties
desperately grasping for their youth. Rogaine could not deliver for these
extreme cases. There was a deep ravine between positioning expectations and
product delivery. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rogaine is a complex product, as explained to me by a
Pfizer marketing executive. It is only effective in about 40 percent of the
cases. It can take eight months to see the best results. The product is not
particularly effective in cases of frontal baldness or receding hairlines.
Compliance is essential to see any results. It must be used twice a day. If
treatment is stopped, reversal occurs, losing any benefits from treatment. The
application process—rubbing it into the scalp twice a day—is awkward.<span> </span>Rogaine later attempted to make it
easier with an aerosol foam version.
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Since
many of the initial users represented extreme cases and a desire for instant
gratification, they dripped out; their perceived expectations—“where’s my new
hair??—weren’t instantly achieved. The buzz-worthy product was still talked
about, but the talk turned negative from a large segment of disappointed men,
dampening Rogaine’s prospects for marketplace success.<span style="line-height: 115%;"></span> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rogaine currently does target younger men with a more
forthright approach that the product works for a certain type of male-pattern
baldness, but it is not a panacea for every conceivable case of male baldness.</span></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span> </span> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The
makers of Rogaine made two major mistakes:</span></span></div>
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span><span><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span>Rogaine
made no attempt to dismantle the early perceptions that it was a miracle<span> </span>product.
This set an unrealistic level of expectation with respect to its product
performance with the brand’s early bird customers.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rogaine
required an extensive educational process to help men understand its strengths
and limitations; this was never acted upon.</span></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 1.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The net result was a wide gap between positioning
expectations and product performance.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The product must be able to deliver on the positioning’s
benefit promise, or there will be inevitable consumer backlash.<span> </span>It’s hard to get the toothpaste back in
the tube. That’s why marketers must get the positioning strategy right the
first time out of the staring gate. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Second chances are very rare. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rogaine never
lived up to its potential, because the initial positioning and target segment
were wrong from day one.
</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-2089259968471335552013-12-03T05:00:00.000-05:002013-12-03T05:00:00.372-05:00Motrin IB - lesson learned from innovation blunders<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
</style>
-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjF9Ny0wWwvs5syvfBg3FGFIbtGawQKlOqyn7eH_b1E-a1RvWDRyOPn5BGPPC6aVk3f8gt8c5TF1Lzzpo9ZVlkYTE7WOnGVAh9rbhD4Ssc2TjN2yFYQxA6sA5vqi7EDZTBl-nL/s1600/1index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjF9Ny0wWwvs5syvfBg3FGFIbtGawQKlOqyn7eH_b1E-a1RvWDRyOPn5BGPPC6aVk3f8gt8c5TF1Lzzpo9ZVlkYTE7WOnGVAh9rbhD4Ssc2TjN2yFYQxA6sA5vqi7EDZTBl-nL/s200/1index.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here’s a great story with lessons learned from innovation blunders.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It’s an excerpt from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Why-Smart-Companies-Dumb-Things/dp/1591025680">Why (Smart Companies) Do Dumb Things by Calvin L. Hodock</a> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In this series of case studies, Hodock shares insight on avoiding
8 common mistakes in new product development.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Johnson and Johnson still needed an ibuprofen brand in its
product portfolio, and it obtained it by swapping brands with Upjohn. Motrin IB acquired in the swap, became
a companion brand to Tylenol. The brand was so reasonable successful, riding
the coattails of Advil, which had established the ibuprofen beachhead. Upjohn
did not want to continue playing the expressive, high-stakes marketing game,
which was absolutely essential in order to survive the competitive
over-the-counter pain reliever market.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Motrin IB was viewed as a potentially strong global brand
within Johnson and Johnson, but there remained the same issue that confronted
Medipren—how to position Mortin IB in a way that protected Tylenol’s
flanks. The company understandably
wanted to keep the milk flowing from the cash cow. This time Johnson and
Johnson did some very good homework.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A segmentation study of the pain relief market revealed a
segment of women who medicated aggressively. Very importantly, Tylenol was not
heavily represented in the segment. This became Motrin IB’s target segment, and
its initial “kick butt” advertising campaign worked brilliantly with these
aggressive mediators while minimizing Tylenol cannibalization. It is possible
to “have your cake and eat it too” with smart positioning.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Score another one for David Ogilvy. Positioning is one of
marketing’s most important decisions. It is always out there in the
marketplace, ready to perform miracles.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0Columbus, OH, USA39.9611755 -82.9987942000000239.571838500000005 -83.644241200000025 40.3505125 -82.353347200000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-69732972981706500562013-12-02T05:00:00.000-05:002013-12-02T05:00:00.877-05:00BOI Airport - where the on-time departures live<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJwXzfUd2LaekPGZfdJDoJKFWj04wAaqjvMshRWyF782CubP8y9WvAbyungDXWzFusO-tpVS9COmhM0viBVoxgNbhh-UCtNRj0FQQYfNju48tZs3X6EF3kpGQmBiZm66vuj-y/s1600/201310-w-americas-best-airports-07-boise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJwXzfUd2LaekPGZfdJDoJKFWj04wAaqjvMshRWyF782CubP8y9WvAbyungDXWzFusO-tpVS9COmhM0viBVoxgNbhh-UCtNRj0FQQYfNju48tZs3X6EF3kpGQmBiZm66vuj-y/s200/201310-w-americas-best-airports-07-boise.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_824186778"></span><span id="goog_824186779"></span>Remember those days when your plane landed and took off on time? They
live on in Boise, which ranked No. 1 for fewest flight delays. </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/">TRAVEL + LEISURE</a> readers
gave it second place for location and third for check-in, suggesting
that it’s the very model of an efficient airport. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Admittedly, food and
shopping are not good reasons to linger, but its small size and free
Wi-Fi make it one of the easier airports to handle.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And for me, now that it offers TSA Pre-Check, the lines are even shorter and the experience is even better. </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0Boise, ID, USA43.6187102 -116.2146068000000143.434730200000004 -116.53733030000001 43.8026902 -115.89188330000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-33153131575034763362013-12-01T05:00:00.000-05:002013-12-01T05:00:02.284-05:00Chartering New Lands & Appreciating the Holidays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyh0oZyXlMpOHkvM546Mnehxqi9RLDcYQJvfVZhDcn2g2wMqe_mb4jlr4HQHWAZhGUAnIikO0O16h1NVr-ibHUw0IJLmZT9P6IzQm-ccLt3dx9qKEAkt7MwTPGcrJXZYk_gl3/s1600/png37.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyh0oZyXlMpOHkvM546Mnehxqi9RLDcYQJvfVZhDcn2g2wMqe_mb4jlr4HQHWAZhGUAnIikO0O16h1NVr-ibHUw0IJLmZT9P6IzQm-ccLt3dx9qKEAkt7MwTPGcrJXZYk_gl3/s200/png37.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here's a note shared with me by Nick Neonakis, a consultant with FranChoice and author of <a href="http://thefranchisemba.com/">The Franchise MBA</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> It is my belief that as Americans, we have an innate entrepreneurial
drive. All of us have our roots somewhere else and our forebears all
came to this country seeking freedom and independence. If you want to
think of the entrepreneurs in your family, your ancestor who first came
to this country certainly is an important one! Whether shown through
the entrepreneurial bravery in coming here or in starting a business,
ours has always been a country that rewards ambitious immigrants. In
fact, 40% of all Fortune 500 companies were founded by an immigrant or
the child of an immigrant.<br /> <br /> In September 1620, a small ship
called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England, carrying 102 passengers—an
assortment of religious separatists seeking a new home where they could
freely practice their faith and other individuals lured by the promise
of prosperity and land ownership in the New World. After a treacherous
and uncomfortable crossing that lasted 66 days, they dropped anchor near
the tip of Cape Cod, far north of their intended destination at the
mouth of the Hudson River. One month later, the Mayflower crossed
Massachusetts Bay, where the Pilgrims, as they are now commonly known,
began the work of establishing a village at Plymouth.<br /> <br />
Throughout that first brutal winter, most of the colonists remained on
board the ship, where they suffered from exposure, scurvy and outbreaks
of contagious disease. Only half of the Mayflower’s original passengers
and crew lived to see their first New England spring. It was here they
met Squanto the Abenaki Indian who taught the Pilgrims, weakened by
malnutrition and illness, how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple
trees, catch fish in the rivers and avoid poisonous plants. He also
helped the settlers forge an alliance with the Wampanoag, a local tribe,
which would endure for more than 50 years and tragically remains one of
the sole examples of harmony between European colonists and Native
Americans.<br /> <br /> In November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn
harvest proved successful, Governor William Bradford organized a
celebratory feast and invited a group of the fledgling colony’s Native
American allies, including the Wampanoag chief Massasoit. Now remembered
as American’s “first Thanksgiving”—although the Pilgrims themselves may
not have used the term at the time—the festival lasted for three days.
While no record exists of the historic banquet’s exact menu, the Pilgrim
chronicler Edward Winslow wrote in his journal that Governor Bradford
sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for the event, and
that the Wampanoag guests arrived bearing five deer.<br /> <br /> The
bravery these people showed in picking up their belongings and sailing
over the horizon to start a new life is embodied by the thousands of men
and women who start a new business every year in the USA. As we wrap up the Thanksgiving holiday, let’s be thankful for all of their (and
our) sacrifices as we make this world a better place.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-32740685686567035202013-09-23T04:00:00.000-04:002013-09-23T04:00:03.975-04:00The secret to going after your creative dreams (from SARK)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-jkeaQUgWi4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Do you know the secret to going after your creative dreams?
</span></span><style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Whether you want to paint, bake, dance, write, play an
instrument or make a movie, do it badly, says <a href="http://planetsark.com/">SARK</a> (Susan Ariel Rainbow
Kennedy), who is known for her colorful, inspirational work. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You don't need to strive for perfectionism to make your
dream happen. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In fact, doing things “badly” frees you to create, says
SARK, the bestselling author, artist and teacher, who has helped millions of
people learn to act on their creative dreams. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
Do you know the secret to going after your creative dreams? <br />
Whether you want to paint, bake, dance, write, play an instrument or
make a movie, do it badly, says SARK (Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy), who
is known for her colorful, inspirational work. You don't need to strive
for perfectionism to make your dream happen. <br />
In fact, doing things “badly” frees you to create, says SARK, the
bestselling author, artist and teacher, who has helped millions of
people learn to act on their creative dreams. <br />
- See more at: http://www.spiritualcinemacircle.com/spiritual-leader/sark-susan-kennedy-video-interview#sthash.t1UUU5vV.dpuf</div>
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
Do you know the secret to going after your creative dreams? <br />
Whether you want to paint, bake, dance, write, play an instrument or
make a movie, do it badly, says SARK (Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy), who
is known for her colorful, inspirational work. You don't need to strive
for perfectionism to make your dream happen. <br />
In fact, doing things “badly” frees you to create, says SARK, the
bestselling author, artist and teacher, who has helped millions of
people learn to act on their creative dreams. <br />
- See more at: http://www.spiritualcinemacircle.com/spiritual-leader/sark-susan-kennedy-video-interview#sthash.t1UUU5vV.dpuf</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-67952664428343776352013-08-27T04:00:00.000-04:002013-08-27T04:00:00.198-04:00CEOs Need to Be Chief Story Officers
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
CMO is in charge of the brand's story </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">at most companies</span></span></span>. This can be a
mistake, says </span>Ty Montague writing for Harvard Business Review.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Marketing, you see, should only be one part of a company's story
efforts. Take Amazon. Story is its lifeblood. In fact, it drives everything
that the company does — from product development, to advertising, to HR
policies.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #585556;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Montague is the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/True-Story-Combine-Transform-Business/dp/1422170683/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372434615&sr=8-1&keywords=montague+ty"><span style="text-decoration: none;">True Story: How to Combine Story and Action to Transform Your Business</span></a> and a founder of co:collective,
a consultancy that helps clients develop their strategy and brand story using
the principles of storydoing.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #585556;"></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Amazon, of course, isn't the only company that does this. Red Bull,
Jet Blue, and TOMS shoes follow the same strategy as well, and their CEOs, just
like Jeff Bezos at Amazon, are the ones who oversee their company's story — not
their marketing departments. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Why? </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">They're the only ones who have the reach to
do so.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 13.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span>If
you are a CEO or an aspiring CEO, the evidence is clear: </span></span></span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span>Become a student of
the underlying narrative of your business; </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span>Learn how to manage and tell
that story through coordinated action;</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span>Make understanding and telling your company's
story both a shared responsibility across the whole organization and a core
value of the company. </span></span></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span>If you do this, you (and more importantly, your
shareholders) will reap the rewards. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-3246205143201389992013-08-13T04:00:00.000-04:002013-08-13T04:00:01.449-04:002012 supplement of Standard Highway Signs: branding guidelines for the road
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobMyV59aORdUeUtWYckaTYxPH0R4zPUFeJnRaTJuBWALFyNM5mvNYilU2S_INqi6aGFoDWuLMSZVOcSfXUFY0Eh67pbDKh20K0YPo_la0y2XfWtzYb5oYEflzlND8H-jJTxO4/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-08-04+at+4.10.42+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobMyV59aORdUeUtWYckaTYxPH0R4zPUFeJnRaTJuBWALFyNM5mvNYilU2S_INqi6aGFoDWuLMSZVOcSfXUFY0Eh67pbDKh20K0YPo_la0y2XfWtzYb5oYEflzlND8H-jJTxO4/s200/Screen+shot+2013-08-04+at+4.10.42+PM.png" width="157" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On a recent road trip, I observed that all highway signs are the same design, font, colors, etc. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As a branding guy, I asked: Who
makes them? Where are graphic standards?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So I researched to find the Federal Highway Administration has developed the design details
of the new signs added in a book called "MUTCD" (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The signs are published in a special section of Standard
Highway Signs.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The contents of the 2012 Supplement incorporate new additions of signs and markings, with details
for all signs and pavement markings, expanded sign
design guidelines, and details for symbolic traffic and lane-control
signal indications.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It's everything you'd expect in a combination of a brand standards guide and a government publication.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Click on the link to check it out at <a href="http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/SHSe/shs_2004_2012_sup.pdf">http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48zzHoGO-NjfyzR0SBHco6aGFtgxaqw5Drxm5VeJoZ6cvBq6pCDzK20FBDARHn56TkAU9zKk0Hi18yBk0s-yssE9fILWThN43DvF78DdBihxQj0J4BpG3Yl9n5LgwBFKTabIO/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-08-04+at+4.17.19+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48zzHoGO-NjfyzR0SBHco6aGFtgxaqw5Drxm5VeJoZ6cvBq6pCDzK20FBDARHn56TkAU9zKk0Hi18yBk0s-yssE9fILWThN43DvF78DdBihxQj0J4BpG3Yl9n5LgwBFKTabIO/s320/Screen+shot+2013-08-04+at+4.17.19+PM.png" width="315" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAJ_wEAbleuVVYydKifuJDmHM6MM41TGmZwDHH8Bj0qLJlNLIG9XI59TRGnUS30cvdCHimMhplqJJ90ljAcz9Hljfpda4KOGlO9F9vAGLi1ZokjSrQ9py82VqbwGgAxOhoUOh/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-08-04+at+4.18.15+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAJ_wEAbleuVVYydKifuJDmHM6MM41TGmZwDHH8Bj0qLJlNLIG9XI59TRGnUS30cvdCHimMhplqJJ90ljAcz9Hljfpda4KOGlO9F9vAGLi1ZokjSrQ9py82VqbwGgAxOhoUOh/s320/Screen+shot+2013-08-04+at+4.18.15+PM.png" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4VQgvyRNOv27-DWGJiNb_GefLXocVZz0GF7gP6o_gdpvS4-WV4owEee3H0Ybr6jRDB3k0frZT5WnYbqN6X6-dVBE1iEzavbdawVu7MBjkY2abF-XHGk-Twrj9ZuQhLd9UOEE/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-08-04+at+4.19.04+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4VQgvyRNOv27-DWGJiNb_GefLXocVZz0GF7gP6o_gdpvS4-WV4owEee3H0Ybr6jRDB3k0frZT5WnYbqN6X6-dVBE1iEzavbdawVu7MBjkY2abF-XHGk-Twrj9ZuQhLd9UOEE/s320/Screen+shot+2013-08-04+at+4.19.04+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-18809844104985192882013-08-12T04:00:00.000-04:002013-08-12T04:00:00.901-04:003 investing insights from Edward Jones -- what you'd expect from their solid brand
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-Ad1OzlqQfJhV8DgtConx7GutT5hIUGweEQIbLkEKOXhgSqK39Lo9NICCsIfODIvZ_lUaOM6XjlCUpzmDVuOylSXq-AYvX7jfbMfNX_fONU62Pw-rbymubuqKJls58Q3XwPJ/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-07-25+at+1.42.23+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-Ad1OzlqQfJhV8DgtConx7GutT5hIUGweEQIbLkEKOXhgSqK39Lo9NICCsIfODIvZ_lUaOM6XjlCUpzmDVuOylSXq-AYvX7jfbMfNX_fONU62Pw-rbymubuqKJls58Q3XwPJ/s200/Screen+shot+2013-07-25+at+1.42.23+PM.png" width="155" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I really appreciate the straight-forward financial insight I
get from Jennifer Wilken – and from the firm that supports her, Edward Jones.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Her personal brand is unrivaled, and the Edward Jones brand
is solid in my view.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Edward Jones ads invite consumers to “join us,” if for
example, “you buy the renegade idea that investing should be done face-to-face,
not just inbox-to-inbox”; “if you believe that your relationship with your
investments shouldn’t be long-distance”; or “if you endorse the radical theory
that investors should spend less time playing the market, and more time
understanding it.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here’s some of the latest advice Jennifer has shared with us
from Edward Jones:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">U.S. stocks again reached new record highs in the second
quarter, as earnings and economic growth improved. However, long-term interest
rates began to rise – and, in response, stock and bond prices fell. We expect a
choppy third quarter because every economic indicator is likely to provoke an
outsized, or abnormally large, reaction – up and down – as markets try to guess
when the Federal Reserve (Fed) will start to slow its bond purchases. Remember,
you don’t control what the Fed will do, but you can ensure your portfolio is
ready.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><ol>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><u><b>Stocks still near new record highs</b></u> – U.S. stocks largely
shrugged off the Fed’s signal of possible policy shifts and the increase in
long-term interest rates, since continued economic growth tends to be good news
for stocks. In our view, the fundamental drivers of rising stock prices remain
in place, but the focus on every economic indicator means greater volatility. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><u><b>Rates start to rise</b></u> – Long-term interest rates rose sharply
in the second quarter, although they remain at quite low levels historically.
Bond prices move in the opposite direction from interest rates, and you may
have been surprised by their declines. We think long-term rates are likely to
continue to move higher over time, reducing bond values, but don’t be surprised
if interest rates fluctuate.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><u><b>Policy shifts move all markets together</b></u> – The Fed’s monetary
policies have always affected financial markets, but for the past few years,
the Fed has been a steady, calming hand. As a result, Fed announcements –
especially any signs of policy changes – tend to provoke sharp reactions. U.S.
markets reacted, and international stocks, especially many in emerging markets,
dropped sharply. Although policy changes may move all markets together short
term, over time they’ll react differently. </span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<u><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Action for Investors</span></span></b></u></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You can’t control interest rates or the stock market. But
you can control the quality and diversification of the investments you own and your
reactions to market ups and downs. Make sure you’ve constructed a properly diversified
portfolio with the right mix of stocks, bonds and international investments based
on your situation, your financial goals and your tolerance for risk. Then prepare
to stay invested as markets shift in anticipation of policy changes ahead. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-66272928552179012502013-08-09T04:00:00.000-04:002013-08-09T04:00:05.095-04:004 percent of doctors have made at least one blog posting in the last year: Vanguard survey
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmO4wYOTW6OJF6uWewTvXJ43woDPoeJtOZyjXkFTXe6BQlFF08cgmhH4fXjutJGY3Dv4NYHQvEAHciAm2TevfePTr_PZazUdVzXNgaTxfM3drVp03QA9Gyjz5cuNzilZ2T-0sm/s1600/phys+website+images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmO4wYOTW6OJF6uWewTvXJ43woDPoeJtOZyjXkFTXe6BQlFF08cgmhH4fXjutJGY3Dv4NYHQvEAHciAm2TevfePTr_PZazUdVzXNgaTxfM3drVp03QA9Gyjz5cuNzilZ2T-0sm/s200/phys+website+images.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On the heels of a report by Pew Research Center revealing
that 35 percent of Americans use the Internet to figure out a medical
condition, an independent survey finds that only one-third of physicians in
three American cities offer direct website help to health care consumers trying
to understand their symptoms.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In an analysis of 300 doctors with the highest
patient-satisfaction ratings in Boston, Denver and Portland, OR, the medical
marketing firm Vanguard Communications found 69 percent of the physicians have
websites.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">However, only 33 percent of those doctors’ sites provided
much more than online biographies and general practice information – just 99
doctors have websites offering patient-centered information on medical
conditions and possible treatments. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The portion of physicians using their websites to update
patients on research and trends that could affect their health was even
smaller: only 4 percent (12 doctors) had made at least one blog posting in the
last year. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Doctors in these cities are still using their websites
primarily as electronic brochures about their practices rather than as online
health resources,” said Ron Harman King, Vanguard CEO. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Doctors certainly have no legal or ethical obligation to do
any more, King noted, especially when online health encyclopedias abound on the
Internet. Nonetheless, offering more health information online could create a
win-win for providers. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Vanguard’s analysis spanned three medical specialties:
urologists, orthopedic surgeons, and obstetricians-gynecologists. To select the
physician sample, the firm chose doctors with the highest patient-satisfaction
ratings on HealthGrades.com, an Internet company that provides quality and
safety ratings of health providers. All 300 physicians had “100-percent patient
satisfaction” ratings.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">More details of the survey are at
<a href="http://vanguardcommunications.net/survey-results-2013">VanguardCommunications.net</a>.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-17632289125406350122013-08-08T04:00:00.000-04:002013-08-08T04:00:06.611-04:003 types of collaboration with customers as "co-researchers"
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There will always be a gap between what a consumer is
sharing and how a researcher understands it, according to authors of a recent
article in <a href="http://www.quirks.com/articles/2013/20130408.aspx"><b><i>Quirk’s Marketing Research Review.</i></b></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This disparity is created by a gap in culture, generation or
objective knowledge. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">These different gaps make it difficult for a researcher to
put things in the right perspective. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But consumers can help us out. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">By becoming our co-researchers, they complement the
researcher’s tasks and help to find more and new insights that would otherwise
not have been captured. Customers feel empowered and honored when they are
asked to become co-researchers. There are many ways to collaborate with
co-researchers throughout the research process, from moderation until
reporting. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In this article, the experience of research firm InSites
Consulting using co-researchers is illustrated in three case studies from Campbell’s,
Air France and KLM, and Philips.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here is a summary to 3 types of collaboration:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4Letbd52gmXtGG5-CChLdmwExrx1GtZ27RSZGHX6My0zisuAzVDrtqS2AxwvGTrmPNQaDi9hfTx-b4jFA9Qt3VS1Izo08IS09rfbvhosmnwLpmhkM9hSmCz__Zj0KfnAAS0X/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-07-21+at+1.21.19+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4Letbd52gmXtGG5-CChLdmwExrx1GtZ27RSZGHX6My0zisuAzVDrtqS2AxwvGTrmPNQaDi9hfTx-b4jFA9Qt3VS1Izo08IS09rfbvhosmnwLpmhkM9hSmCz__Zj0KfnAAS0X/s400/Screen+shot+2013-07-21+at+1.21.19+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-53346852647503547192013-08-06T04:00:00.000-04:002013-08-06T04:00:02.296-04:005 innovation to take medical care home -- to make it more patient-centered, outcomes-driven and collaborative<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5wUi_YFJgSVle70RRH55plr_ti97MAcS95wJejvkfbhmIuVz68N1xZgTsUn49P5XhV5HybHU8B49PYJVyhPnIXp2YlCIP8uLFVnCPKdCgI1B_BEoJIRjAwSyvThJERQbfiU5/s1600/userpic-2147-100x100.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5wUi_YFJgSVle70RRH55plr_ti97MAcS95wJejvkfbhmIuVz68N1xZgTsUn49P5XhV5HybHU8B49PYJVyhPnIXp2YlCIP8uLFVnCPKdCgI1B_BEoJIRjAwSyvThJERQbfiU5/s1600/userpic-2147-100x100.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chronic diseases like high blood pressure, </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">diabetes</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">, and heart problems are reaching epidemic levels. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And as the
population ages, the drain on our
healthcare system is only going to get worse. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So to alleviate
some of the bloated costs of caring for the chronically ill, we must take some of the burden away off institutions such
as hospitals and nursing homes. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One way to do that is to bring back a
relic of the past: house calls. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Years ago, as a family physician in Louisiana, I made house calls," writes Michael Fleming </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">M.D., chief medical officer of Amedisys and past president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Certain patients were too sick or too hurt to get to my office.
Sometimes a condition or injury had worsened, requiring my evaluation
bedside. I would visit patients at home for the simplest of reasons:
home was where they needed care," he says.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here are the things Dr. Fleming suggests:</span></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Define the discipline better</span></span> </li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Get in sync</span></span> </li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Physician, educate thyself</span></span> </li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Adopt new technologies</span></span> </li>
<li>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Remove policy obstacles</span></span> </li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If doctors (or nurses or aides) visited
patients at home on a more regular basis, say, to monitor blood
pressure, diet, and activity, there's a great chance that ER visits,
hospital stays, and re-admissions would drop.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Click to read more on this point of view at <a href="http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/05/why_healthcare_should_bring_ba.html">blogs.hbr.org</a></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-86365778432120527842013-08-05T04:00:00.000-04:002013-08-05T04:00:05.909-04:00Olympic-size tactical thinking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGaa4WheIvg6aHt6cHcUcWRtpwYmLlkcXjxi12iVpiPubgSARrSCGC9BMltg_Py6Xl5SiJCBxP0_usBJuYh4KXGv-cPOt2AdQGRNU-o6TrCd5ffYA6N_PE0h9QXPTKoiSTu1Q/s1600/s1.reutersmedia.net.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGaa4WheIvg6aHt6cHcUcWRtpwYmLlkcXjxi12iVpiPubgSARrSCGC9BMltg_Py6Xl5SiJCBxP0_usBJuYh4KXGv-cPOt2AdQGRNU-o6TrCd5ffYA6N_PE0h9QXPTKoiSTu1Q/s200/s1.reutersmedia.net.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Credit: Reuters/ Lewis Whyld/Pool</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I recently facilitated a tactical ideation workshop in which
we applied “Olympic” thinking to the client’s media planning.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Digital media spending by London 2012 Olympics sponsors
amounted to as much as 20% of budgets.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Digital outlets attracted funds that might have gone to
television in prior years.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And while ad agency and brand representatives don’t provide budgets
or spending estimates for their Olympic campaigns, it’s believed that a
comprehensive multimedia Olympic campaign cost between $30 million to $50
million.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The pricetag was worth it, most brand executives said,
because they believe they were able to weave tighter connections between their
brands and target customers during the Olympics compared to other events. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here are some of the media ideas inspired by our
Olympic-size thinking:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGN5Sl_pzgFSsKtPptk5kCg1EDGGqSZkrZXT0BhWSKZZYJGMV5PKlzrsA3VDoHDA2dOCSvhzBJ_sXXwL_g6MI32HJXD_-R7Abn9HuvXm1H3K8M4-dBTIIYDTpSibyOZE9xPZK/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-07-21+at+12.55.12+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGN5Sl_pzgFSsKtPptk5kCg1EDGGqSZkrZXT0BhWSKZZYJGMV5PKlzrsA3VDoHDA2dOCSvhzBJ_sXXwL_g6MI32HJXD_-R7Abn9HuvXm1H3K8M4-dBTIIYDTpSibyOZE9xPZK/s400/Screen+shot+2013-07-21+at+12.55.12+PM.png" width="293" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGN5Sl_pzgFSsKtPptk5kCg1EDGGqSZkrZXT0BhWSKZZYJGMV5PKlzrsA3VDoHDA2dOCSvhzBJ_sXXwL_g6MI32HJXD_-R7Abn9HuvXm1H3K8M4-dBTIIYDTpSibyOZE9xPZK/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-07-21+at+12.55.12+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-78091402099051497982013-08-02T06:26:00.003-04:002013-08-02T06:27:27.166-04:00How a premium brand experience anchors a business model: case study of SV Travel
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNw7OPId0ERkAD5V5o1QYpKWtLO3dK0ow8SLcTFFtV8ycrRQ7G3ovMDYX5Vpk6NUVQlgpwWqqKo99WL1YzZCGGRFuHanjXY1H1gkwAgL8lRyMbFPHRwSD7i6YRo0J3G3CKVWIu/s1600/StudioVelo_Hero_Retouch_26747_27649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNw7OPId0ERkAD5V5o1QYpKWtLO3dK0ow8SLcTFFtV8ycrRQ7G3ovMDYX5Vpk6NUVQlgpwWqqKo99WL1YzZCGGRFuHanjXY1H1gkwAgL8lRyMbFPHRwSD7i6YRo0J3G3CKVWIu/s200/StudioVelo_Hero_Retouch_26747_27649.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When
Studio Velo, a high-end bicycle shop in Mill Valley, California, wanted
to give its business a competitive edge, it created SV: Travel. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Our
new division lets us offer our customers on-the-road travel adventures
that create community, strengthen customer loyalty, and drive sales,”
says founder and owner Scott Penzarella. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“And the focal point of that
experience is our Studio Velo Sprinter. From the moment you depart to
the moment you arrive, the Sprinter becomes your home away from home.
It’s what you see from the distance, awaiting you at every turn. It’s
the safety blanket for our clients and our staff on a long, challenging
ride down the California coast.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Scott Penzarella first became enamored with the idea of leveraging
high-end cycling as a business model in the U.S. while studying in
Spain. During his time there, he worked at Suraventura, the leading
high-end cycling shop in southern Spain, and he became convinced that a
European approach to the cycling business could work here. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Launching
Studio Velo in Mill Valley, California, proved him right, and he credits
the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as a central factor in helping him build the
brand image he was after and driving subsequent growth.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Studio Velo has been growing at a 20 percent annual clip during the
past two years, with much of that growth driven by its travel division,
SV: Travel, which conducts single-day and week-long trips for cyclists. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"SV: Travel introduces our brand to new clients whose business is
acquired via impromptu in-store purchases," Penzarella says. "These same
clients tend to frequent our store more often, pre- and post-trip. The
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a dream vehicle for our business concept. I
wouldn't consider anything else."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The SV: Travel Sprinter started out as a 2011 Model 2500 High Roof
Passenger Van with 144-inch wheelbase. The vehicle is outfitted to
provide "the same professional, comfortable, and premium brand
experience we offer in our store," Penzarella says. "To put our highly
discerning clients in anything other than a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter would
rob them of the premium-brand experience Studio Velo built its
reputation on."</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Penzarella's most important considerations in choosing a van were
reliability, driver and passenger comfort, and fuel efficiency, and the
Sprinter has surpassed his expectations in all three areas, he says. The
combination of Sprinter's outstanding standard features and the ability
to customize it to Studio Velo's specific needs just sealed the deal. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Our tagline is 'passion, precision, and performance,'" he says. "The
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter gives SV: Travel the exact premium-brand
experience we desire and our clients expect."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Selecting a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter for Studio Velo's travel business
was "a no-brainer," says Scott Penzarella, the company's founder. The
high-end image it projects was important, but equally critical was the
scope of options it presented for customizing. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The SV: Travel Sprinter
had to be functional and fashionable at the same time. Studio Velo
achieved that with a full graphics wrap; a wireless hotspot; front and
rear receiver hitch mounts welded to the frame for bike racks, portable
work stands, and equipment racks; a custom cabinetry system; and full
mobile kitchen, which includes a commercial espresso machine, where the
professional chef who accompanies every outing prepares gourmet meals
for the cyclists.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphiSFVG3n_bJyTBzDng7S2m50hOwb4kBFnDLm5v8NzNIzWLYXu6Unm7OxOYGtQqvANEKmU6m0YGctf1ET-dL46gSkPyds8EZVNO7xwOSwYE-GucVWw8pMFjs1Wsnnu6Gp4l-P/s1600/bottom-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphiSFVG3n_bJyTBzDng7S2m50hOwb4kBFnDLm5v8NzNIzWLYXu6Unm7OxOYGtQqvANEKmU6m0YGctf1ET-dL46gSkPyds8EZVNO7xwOSwYE-GucVWw8pMFjs1Wsnnu6Gp4l-P/s320/bottom-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LEYEgUhzhahLlxaWyOJGNS1EfpemZFC3klQWwFH6DKcbAyRNs-YP_bDNyqBu1k37Gmeh5wjscVdsapUjzARQBy3xZoGZqYmbhMm1pWuXwoLSRmaZLgKU_UQVc7x8irtAbB9Q/s1600/bottom-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LEYEgUhzhahLlxaWyOJGNS1EfpemZFC3klQWwFH6DKcbAyRNs-YP_bDNyqBu1k37Gmeh5wjscVdsapUjzARQBy3xZoGZqYmbhMm1pWuXwoLSRmaZLgKU_UQVc7x8irtAbB9Q/s320/bottom-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic15TXYmdP6739Bsw8at_J83dz_voueZ4zY-5wG0-XREj6R0cJHPaHomueDHTJhyphenhyphenrDJFcEeQmC-Q5swtDyrG_EAtT-COdszUo6Qj2wH3a-_mZFG-WZmqSTMqvGcKaOyzKYbzJB/s1600/header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic15TXYmdP6739Bsw8at_J83dz_voueZ4zY-5wG0-XREj6R0cJHPaHomueDHTJhyphenhyphenrDJFcEeQmC-Q5swtDyrG_EAtT-COdszUo6Qj2wH3a-_mZFG-WZmqSTMqvGcKaOyzKYbzJB/s320/header.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From "Sprinter Chronicles" by Mercedes-Benz in INC.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-90238913951290672102013-08-01T04:00:00.000-04:002013-08-01T04:00:06.783-04:008 words to inspire more SHOW in your brand story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUCSrMtemJxkapW_W-8JBD3wn23Zz9Dp1xLXEOpC5Ga2xZk_cXZKbhOv62uodQtKqum0JvS2-I8HHWU-25z5WrGm5sAOpdW9uEo0hHiSsdjzrhrpDCsxD6II84JGrAsLi_6rh/s1600/nof8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUCSrMtemJxkapW_W-8JBD3wn23Zz9Dp1xLXEOpC5Ga2xZk_cXZKbhOv62uodQtKqum0JvS2-I8HHWU-25z5WrGm5sAOpdW9uEo0hHiSsdjzrhrpDCsxD6II84JGrAsLi_6rh/s200/nof8.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here is one of the most important concepts I promote in N-of-8 story development: the difference between SHOW and TELL.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A complete brand story SHOWS a customer how, not just TELLS them what.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Look for ways you can add more persuasion in your story. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PplJymYIn0g3qRas6mXiJvM2djcDyq7oO3kLxe-_STBRGDe_z747FqCS1kCx1LkYZ98A7ullF6G2YQEJsvHfPoVhV3a53KRaYroSJ6t9HaLpHCr3nZ65I4d1xk01mthyphenhyphenaa6e/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-07-21+at+12.30.02+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PplJymYIn0g3qRas6mXiJvM2djcDyq7oO3kLxe-_STBRGDe_z747FqCS1kCx1LkYZ98A7ullF6G2YQEJsvHfPoVhV3a53KRaYroSJ6t9HaLpHCr3nZ65I4d1xk01mthyphenhyphenaa6e/s400/Screen+shot+2013-07-21+at+12.30.02+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-57445276003088773352013-07-30T04:00:00.000-04:002013-07-30T04:00:00.866-04:00New Balance believes WHERE the shoes are made matters<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
</style>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL_x_JDl78WN0VhtdtxzaOn_nNmIMaNc7dJU1YfPcb2A2IjZ-6fe90U4pPWri91uF2MG7HYDsNy2a8wnufC2tnJViwE4nb39bL5uSiU_XlZ2C6mDaa7-Hc7JrUoCfTpHLwoGR/s1600/IMG_8841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL_x_JDl78WN0VhtdtxzaOn_nNmIMaNc7dJU1YfPcb2A2IjZ-6fe90U4pPWri91uF2MG7HYDsNy2a8wnufC2tnJViwE4nb39bL5uSiU_XlZ2C6mDaa7-Hc7JrUoCfTpHLwoGR/s200/IMG_8841.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Over at the New Balance headquarters in Brighton, Mass., the
ad campaigns have traditionally focused on the shoes’ performance and their
appeal to athletes.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">But performance is taking a backseat these days to where the
shoes are actually made. Unlike its competitors, New Balance can claim that a
substantial chunk of its shoes sold in the U.S. (about 25 percent) are made or
assembled here. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And the company is striving to put that fact <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">in the
spotlight with its latest campaign</span>, developed by Arnold Worldwide of
Boston.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">See the website at </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.newbalance.com/Made-in-the-USA/made_in_usa,default,pg.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">newbalance.com/Made-in-the-USA</span></a></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">New Balance kicked things off with ads in May, along with
in-store signage. That was followed by ads that appeared in The New York Times
and The Wall Street Journal, urging other companies to follow New Balance’s
lead and produce more goods here in the U.S. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There’s now an ongoing Facebook campaign, telling people
which companies they “like” actually use domestically produced goods.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And last week, New Balance uploaded a series of short,
humorous videos showing their workers “competing” against their rivals’ U.S.
factory workers in basketball, table tennis, table hockey and a hot dog eating
contest. The “winners” in these solo contests are a foregone conclusion.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“We do have American manufacturing workers and frankly, none
of our competitors do,” Kevin Tripp, marketing manager for New Balance’s
domestic manufacturing operations, tells me. “Instead of doing it in a way that
comes across as serious or self-serving, we thought (this) would be fun. …
Since our guys and girls are going up against nobody, we win hands down.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">These spots are notable in that they don’t feature athletes
or models. Like the Sports Illustrated ads, these videos feature workers from
one of New Balance’s five New England factories. (The company employs 1,300 at
plants in Brighton, Lawrence and in Maine.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“We have played the ‘Made in the USA/domestic pride’ story
before, but not to the extent that we have done it this year,” Tripp says. “We
really want to put a stake in the ground and tell the story consistently moving
forward.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">New Balance’s promotion of its manufacturing capabilities
comes amid a growing interest in the United States among consumers in buying
domestic products, and a number of high-profile disasters involving overseas
suppliers.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There are also a couple political elements: New Balance <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">is trying to
protect tariffs on imported sneakers</span> during ongoing international
trade talks, and is also trying to persuade Congress <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">to require
the U.S. military to buy American-made shoes</span> for recruits.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/bottom_line/2013/07/new-balance-focuses-on-made-in-usa-theme.html?page=all"><span style="font-size: x-small;">source: Boston Business Journal</span></a> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-10099986048878850802013-07-29T04:00:00.000-04:002013-07-29T04:00:03.780-04:00"20 Logos We Love" from Entrepreneur magazine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLWzyfSvR6aOZ3g7u7czi2B9WB9UPdLU8_u0-X8TispKO6n28his9US9V8xteyCTkU5ssbaS9szDGD6mUJcTj5WSP5TqCKx-kXAv0toI0mQDklPwiKyYrNnGtILgP1lJcmO3q/s1600/20-lovos-we-love1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLWzyfSvR6aOZ3g7u7czi2B9WB9UPdLU8_u0-X8TispKO6n28his9US9V8xteyCTkU5ssbaS9szDGD6mUJcTj5WSP5TqCKx-kXAv0toI0mQDklPwiKyYrNnGtILgP1lJcmO3q/s200/20-lovos-we-love1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thousands of logos compete for our attention every day. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Clearly we care about logos. But what makes a great logo? And how can
you make one that not only stands out, but also cultivates a loyal
following?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In a recent issue of ENTREPRENEUR magazine, designer Andrew Shea, published some great examples.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Experts note, he says, there are at least three necessary traits: </span></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">distinct from other logos (especially those of competitors), </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">instantly
recognizable (imagine it on a neon sign in Times Square), and </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">legible at
all sizes (from billboards to mobile devices). </span></span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That said, there are many
ineffective logos that follow these rules. What sets the great ones
apart is that they help audiences connect with the organization's
mission or personality in a meaningful way.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">See the slide show of the 20 favorites at <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/226118">www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow</a></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-21159530228018810242013-07-25T04:00:00.000-04:002013-07-25T04:00:11.804-04:0061 percent of KOLs use diagnostic and reference mobile apps: implications in my interview with Med Ad News<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTXhbEs-HAvcwMh4QPWNIeRo0yBf4KA0IYOeRKBBtor1w81hmIhY62aAxpV-GMXSeP5-7v-pC5qKUqJwdUgGrphGiVTtVaGbZtgVRRNoHEtVi6hVsF6L2T3Pv6jnufnl8_uVw/s1600/MAN1306_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTXhbEs-HAvcwMh4QPWNIeRo0yBf4KA0IYOeRKBBtor1w81hmIhY62aAxpV-GMXSeP5-7v-pC5qKUqJwdUgGrphGiVTtVaGbZtgVRRNoHEtVi6hVsF6L2T3Pv6jnufnl8_uVw/s200/MAN1306_Cover.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last month, I was interviewed by </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Med Ad News about </span>a</span> new study showing that key opinion leaders are far more
digitally savvy.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here are some highlights of the article:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Kantar Media Sources & Interactions Study, March
2013 – Medical/Surgical Edition included key facts that pharma marketers and
healthcare agencies need to know about key opinion leaders in order to refine
digital marketing and advertising plans.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Key opinion leaders are more likely to use smartphones and
tablets for professional purposes than all doctors surveyed. About 84 percent
use their mobiles for work reasons. In addition, 57 percent reported that they
use a tablet for personal and professional purposes. When using their
smartphones, key opinion leaders are more likely to use medical apps compared
with all physicians. About 61 percent use diagnostic tool/clinical reference
mobile apps and 49 percent use drug and coding reference apps.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Kantar Media collected the data in two waves for the study,
which allows them to provide more up-to-date monitoring of rapidly changing
media areas, including mobile, according to a company spokesperson. Although
the core report continues to show data based on both the fall and spring data
collection waves, the supplemental data are based on the spring wave only.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“The survey results help document what we’ve been
experiencing over time, that leading physicians have higher utilization of
smartphone apps, digital media, social networking, and email communications
with patients,” says Mark Stinson, SVP, brand strategy, GSW.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">According to the study, more than half of key opinion
leaders use the Internet for professional purposes more than four times per
day. On average, they use the Internet almost 14 times per week for work. About
55 percent of key opinion leaders say that their time spent on the Internet per
use is between 1-15 minutes, while 20 percent say a session typically lasts
between 16 and 30 minutes.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Regarding the insights derived from an agency perspective,
Stinson tells Med Ad News, “I think the insight is further confirmation that
the traditional term of KOLs describing key ‘opinion’ leaders is becoming
obsolete. In the past, agencies might have viewed them as ivory tower, academic
sources of medical thoughts. What the Kantar study underscores – and what we’ve
found with brand experiences – is that a more active and desirable group of
clinical leaders has emerged with more than just opinions. These new key
practice influencers are using technology and digital media more in direct
patient care, protocol development, clinical trial design, treatment guideline
creation, and institutional practice procedures. With the application of
digital media as described by the Kantar results, we can identify the shift
from key opinion leaders to key practice influencers (KPIs), with far-reaching
scope of expertise and decision-making effect.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When it comes to the frequency of smartphone and medical app
usage, Stinson says that GSW has seen other data to confirm that prescribing
information is the most searched. “However, so many more innovative
applications are quickly being integrated into practices,” he told Med Ad News.
“What the Kantar survey suggests is that these influential physicians are
poised for expanded smartphone use. It’s another indicator that they
aren’t just thought-leading, but actually practice-ready.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It would be interesting to learn more from the survey, or
from future research, if other characteristics common in influencers are at
play in how much time key opinion leaders spend on the Internet, says Stinson.
“These might include: colleagues in digital forums regularly seek them out for
advice; they use blogs or other digital platforms to share insight from
specialty conferences; and, they participate in more formulary or protocol
review committees by virtual means.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Key opinion leaders tend to use social networks for
professional purposes more often than other physicians, as 39 percent use
consumer social networks, 42 percent use professional social networks and 50
percent use medical association/society social networks. “At the heart of a
brand strategist’s role is the ability to listen to what customers know, how
they find information, and how they use it,” Stinson told Med Ad News. “The
Kantar survey provides more evidence that physicians’ views in social media
could provide a powerful qualitative research modality. Today, we can observe
and learn from online communities by following the real-world conversations
that take place on networks (LinkedIn, Facebook), forums (WebMD,
PatientsLikeMe), bookmarking (StumbleUpon, del.icio.us), visual content
communities (Flickr, Pinterest, YouTube), and micro-blogs (Twitter). Most
of all, we can construct a more complete picture of how these fit into a health
care professional’s life and practice. We have to remember that these key
practice influencers are often members of Clinical Advisory Committees (CACs).
Most payers will consult with CAC members before rendering a decision on
whether or not to cover a proposed treatment. That extends the influence
of a leading-edge physician who shares his or her experiences in social media.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Key opinion leaders are multimedia journal readers with 57
percent reading both print and digital versions of current issues of medical
journals, 86 percent read print editions, and 55 percent read full digital
reproductions, meaning PDF or “flip view” versions.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“The Kantar results further encourage us to evaluate forums
where an influential physician is posting or reading – or even where their
patients with similar conditions may be interacting with the physician,”
Stinson told Med Ad News. “In this way, we can identify channels for
community management, content planning, and media engagement.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-85760600393147189222013-07-23T04:00:00.000-04:002013-07-23T04:00:10.647-04:0010 insights about corporate creativity from J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrjHJbp-_r7zW3dIzeEy-Wpfdcylx8hbgblvputUj5lI6WnsD0FDrF0OhZcdQPjOhZIiB_0utJujqR7YE3TH0owr1NhmRMiUmjhvdvvoEgaKwCXZfRrotXF9OpFeS7NZcxL85/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrjHJbp-_r7zW3dIzeEy-Wpfdcylx8hbgblvputUj5lI6WnsD0FDrF0OhZcdQPjOhZIiB_0utJujqR7YE3TH0owr1NhmRMiUmjhvdvvoEgaKwCXZfRrotXF9OpFeS7NZcxL85/s200/images.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"I talk to so many people about the lack of creativity in companies in
America. Part of creativity is contrarianism, " says Mickey Drexler, CEO of J.Crew.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Creativity battles common
wisdom. Because if there's common wisdom, there's an opportunity. In my
own experience, whatever was a good idea was a bad idea to most people," he says in a recent interview with Fast Company.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here are ten of his insights on what it takes to be creative.</span></span><br />
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
</style>
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="Every_business_could_be_creative_">"Every
business could be creative." </a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="Companies_are_in_the_Stone_Ages_organiza">"Companies
are in the Stone Ages organizationally."</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="Most_companies_should_have_a_rule_about_">"Most
companies should have a rule about how big they get."</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="Americas_companies_are_built_to_destroy_">"America's
companies are built to destroy creativity."</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="You_have_to_keep_moving_forward">"You have to
keep moving forward."</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="Im_a_very_proud_micromanager">"I'm a very
proud micromanager."</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="You_cannot_copy_high_quality">"You cannot copy
high quality."</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="You_can_drown_in_data">"You can drown in
data."</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="Its_aggravating_to_be_a_public_company">"It's
aggravating to be a public company."</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="Simplicity_is_very_difficult_to_achieve">"Simplicity
is very difficult to achieve."</a></span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Read the full article at <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3007844/10-creativity-tips-jcrew-ceo-mickey-drexler">http://www.fastcompany.com/</a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-202330601509307202013-07-22T04:00:00.000-04:002013-07-22T04:00:02.635-04:008 reasons I blog<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
</style>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOCSePsWbuJMBihr7ueJZ4ntwU9Tbkkm9BZN-ZMH9euh6HClQag7yqJidA_TvNUYrcw5QAa2ArQGUzOZrJxmPCJWggy6BUlahdPaQtX9_eVTl_wH3TJyAedILmZXedu7iJyH1/s1600/IMG_8820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOCSePsWbuJMBihr7ueJZ4ntwU9Tbkkm9BZN-ZMH9euh6HClQag7yqJidA_TvNUYrcw5QAa2ArQGUzOZrJxmPCJWggy6BUlahdPaQtX9_eVTl_wH3TJyAedILmZXedu7iJyH1/s200/IMG_8820.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What is a blog for?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It is for sharing. But it's also for me.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I d</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">on’t just think it -- I ink it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">R</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">each out and seize the day.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Settle for more.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Get off the beaten path.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Make time for what you love.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Relish the joys of living and giving.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Look for the good and you’ll find it.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Open your arms and take it all in.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Life is the grand adventure and any life worth living is
worth recording.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-16865472035373655342013-07-18T04:00:00.000-04:002013-07-18T04:00:00.874-04:00Seeing the same brand hallmarks in new ways: Lessons for N-of-8 from James Bond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2_5HJc25UXyoDAD7-_wmTTDJjdSGHEuZKJ-XwzGjF0iBoVkaLcXiJBnIlr-dXjSXBtDZy5qwtC89CyttbkF41fk03atwC4LgtMdYEzSW-suZIq9BGxyD_Ee2gJcxiE9L-bx7/s1600/bond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2_5HJc25UXyoDAD7-_wmTTDJjdSGHEuZKJ-XwzGjF0iBoVkaLcXiJBnIlr-dXjSXBtDZy5qwtC89CyttbkF41fk03atwC4LgtMdYEzSW-suZIq9BGxyD_Ee2gJcxiE9L-bx7/s200/bond.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
--></style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When using the N-of-8 process, it’s important to remember
that you’re not just writing a story – you’re developing a BRAND story.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
So the core brand hallmarks must be presented and maintained consistently. But
that doesn’t mean the story can’t be told in many different ways.</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Consider the series of James Bond movies. Even across all the installments,
there are elements that make a 007 Story:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">British</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Spies</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Music</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Bond girl</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Shaken-martini</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Villain</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">World domination</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Opening</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Gadgets-M</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Cars</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Gambling</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Gun-eye</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Branding (despite star changing)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Exotic locations</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Big names</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Q</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Cool</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sophistication</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Clothes</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Near death</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">With these central and fundamental ingredients, many stories
can be crafted with their own unique locations, characters, plots, dangers, and
fantasies.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Far from limiting your creative potential, defining
the brand hallmarks gives a structure to which you can then build endless story
possibilities.<br />
<br />
The same principles can be seen when analyzing other popular movies series,
like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pink Panther, and Rocky. That’s why I often use
these as a warm-up exercise with our creative teams before we start writing
stories for N-of-8 groups. It helps us find parallels, archetypes, villains,
conflicts, and climaxes. We recall the look of the titles and credits. We even
sing the theme song or hum the main chorus.<br />
<br />
As you begin crafting your brand’s story, put together a list of the escapades
you’ll experience.<br clear="ALL" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-19372515022363131072013-07-17T04:00:00.000-04:002013-07-17T04:00:05.093-04:00California Pizza Kitchen to get a brand face-lift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULp2L08VTyud0wxCxD3WJrJ41cMZArHc4MXMKa71om0xf-dyLGjN9w1u0ny0waZRmX2G25BMpXWND0ZAG2MiFFs93I74P4JIBkawbPgdshvEvm9h4Z4wve1svSqSgiQye7VsD/s1600/0710_californiapizza_630x420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULp2L08VTyud0wxCxD3WJrJ41cMZArHc4MXMKa71om0xf-dyLGjN9w1u0ny0waZRmX2G25BMpXWND0ZAG2MiFFs93I74P4JIBkawbPgdshvEvm9h4Z4wve1svSqSgiQye7VsD/s200/0710_californiapizza_630x420.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My favorite national pizza chain, <a href="http://www.cpk.com/">California Pizza Kitchen</a>
is getting a dramatic
brand face-lift. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">From Bloomberg BusinessWeek comes the details:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The West Coast-based chain intends to phase
out its longtime yellow-hued bistro look in favor of a more local,
earthier scheme, which executives described as “rustic,” “organic,” and
“relaxed.” </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thirteen restaurants will take on the new look by year-end.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“We need to be on trend,” said Chief Executive Officer G.J. Hart. “Every
restaurant concept needs to stay relevant.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The new CPK recently arrived at the Westfield Topanga mall in L.A.,
where it uses reclaimed materials including old railroad trestles from
Utah and tabletops made from barn doors.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Other details include chalkboard signs and herb walls with
basil, sage, and fennel. Diners can sit at large communal tables. And
outside the restroom is a unisex hand-washing station “meant to evoke a
warm family home,” according to the article. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">CPK opened another
restaurant using the new design in Florida’s Sawgrass Mills mall in December.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Also part of the brand “evolution,” as the company is describing it,
are reworked recipes and the addition of “artisan ingredients” such as
“table-side pours of white truffle oil” to complement certain dishes. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What has prompted these updates? The chain, which has 268 locations worldwide, saw revenue fall in 2009 and 2010
following the economic downturn. Its core customers are ages 25 to 45,
skew slightly female, and have higher-than-average income. They are also
mostly single—only about one-third have kids. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here’s a look at the new design:</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAp_f6SXOxtTF0oEcSfZoXfHsMzZP40YDdV9yt_5boDJpFUD1ftZqGbgUrH8wImIGNmqqeG2zNyHbWJ4ZMbAyd-KA2dzZ1jwv_XysEbGH4YL4FKP55igoNrRAlm7obQ2C0ZE0W/s1600/calif_herbs_inline405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAp_f6SXOxtTF0oEcSfZoXfHsMzZP40YDdV9yt_5boDJpFUD1ftZqGbgUrH8wImIGNmqqeG2zNyHbWJ4ZMbAyd-KA2dzZ1jwv_XysEbGH4YL4FKP55igoNrRAlm7obQ2C0ZE0W/s400/calif_herbs_inline405.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxCa3JsboPqKls2SzM0ljGlQ7ibAjgTwdde2gby3AlnEgtKokOezQYv9ix0OK5nwDa-rrG4tyrtJYYELyPGkVwKG-SveiqhgTXRYyB6OcuIUFtc_jFmnpCTat2UtXjbLa8b66/s1600/calif_table_inline405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxCa3JsboPqKls2SzM0ljGlQ7ibAjgTwdde2gby3AlnEgtKokOezQYv9ix0OK5nwDa-rrG4tyrtJYYELyPGkVwKG-SveiqhgTXRYyB6OcuIUFtc_jFmnpCTat2UtXjbLa8b66/s400/calif_table_inline405.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-2216807120603866002013-07-15T04:00:00.000-04:002013-07-15T04:00:05.692-04:00KOKA Music 1550: my first job in radio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CBkR_McEU95A-CaUYUAHWno7QrIIBYwj1Z8_q-TrB8n0ZY78scc-FyAiYrSITRN9yvP5LNx8can7lPm4qV18yue9W5n5iqNfI4EVuWsL5TA-qxUQPMKoVGkDOCOQdCGkaudr/s1600/IMG_8912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CBkR_McEU95A-CaUYUAHWno7QrIIBYwj1Z8_q-TrB8n0ZY78scc-FyAiYrSITRN9yvP5LNx8can7lPm4qV18yue9W5n5iqNfI4EVuWsL5TA-qxUQPMKoVGkDOCOQdCGkaudr/s200/IMG_8912.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In the summer of 1978, I got my first job in radio.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was the nighttime and weekend DJ at KOKA AM 1550 in Shreveport, LA.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here is the building that housed the station.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I also read a little more history of the buidling.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"The 1959 dedication of the KOKA Radio Station building on Milam Street
drew a crowd of 10,000 locals, as well as appearances by national
celebrities. Beloved KOKA personalities such as Sunrose 'Gay Poppa'
Rutledge, Jr., </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Willie '</span></span></span></span>Uncle Bill' Caston, and B.B. 'Bird Brain' Davis provided
entertainment and information in a format that included gospel and
rhythm and blues."</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">source: Louisiana Regional Folklife Programs </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">KOKA was Shreveport's first black owned and
operated radio station and where many locals got their first exposure to
Blues, Rhythm and Blues, Gospel, Soul and Funk.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">And I still appreciate Gay Poppa for giving me my first shot in the business.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD26dPFV40bMiU9TZtTvIiVgCLhovB0xcGBJq2PAfiHJs0QnXnK49rqaRHg9v84SJFJ1-rMLl0dA3ZfZavvn-_DdJJhCL6o6Szk89FzwA6_mALJlAsdi-ECU8NOXoGUWBvFc9f/s1600/484710_500248516700568_616814262_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD26dPFV40bMiU9TZtTvIiVgCLhovB0xcGBJq2PAfiHJs0QnXnK49rqaRHg9v84SJFJ1-rMLl0dA3ZfZavvn-_DdJJhCL6o6Szk89FzwA6_mALJlAsdi-ECU8NOXoGUWBvFc9f/s320/484710_500248516700568_616814262_n.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Soul
Brother #1, James Brown drops by KOKA in 1967 to chat with</span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> 'Uncle Bill' (left) and 'Gay Poppa' (center).</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd2psIEfEO1Y2b0vX4pTVy51Yja5HID-m_PSEZ4sqaZ23wdLDHqKyq5kKOsh5G3TqfOAJ6Mxdo9WnQeHuBChzN2XjgENqZ4CSE1TujdnU2T2bXxUqdmSmCT3GgEpMNtunZwUS/s1600/IMG_8912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-85478551721577275802013-07-14T16:15:00.000-04:002013-07-14T18:38:25.337-04:007/13 evening with Natalie Merchant and Columbus Symphony: a review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPCsE4ZAMTA1_vVXzQ822PFE5ASkSwVzEl9iGtkQzU991tYfrHPNkj_LYEOxCTR8PDcfkZx32ehHK2PzCjpsgt8xKTTbEcC8eY7u8CmBN-d_QsJdguL0_BdBi-7Icrdb4nawD/s1600/IMG_8940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPCsE4ZAMTA1_vVXzQ822PFE5ASkSwVzEl9iGtkQzU991tYfrHPNkj_LYEOxCTR8PDcfkZx32ehHK2PzCjpsgt8xKTTbEcC8eY7u8CmBN-d_QsJdguL0_BdBi-7Icrdb4nawD/s200/IMG_8940.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I enjoyed a beautiful evening Saturday listening to the "distinct contralto voice" of Natalie Merchant, backed by the "layered, lush and lovely" Columbus Symphony.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm sure most of the crowd expected a pop star, radio hits concert. But I knew from reading previous reviews that the set list would be heavy on lullabies and poetry-inspired recent
work. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Overall, it was Natalie at her finest and completely on her brand.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For me, highlights were:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Verdi Cries</i>, a track from Natalie and 10,000 Maniacs
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">works from
<i>Leave Your Sleep</i></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">works from
<i>Tigerlily</i> included <i>My Beloved Wife </i>and <i>Seven Years</i> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Life is Sweet</i> and <i>She Devil</i> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Plus, a couple of tunes from a forthcoming solo album</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She closed with an encore of </span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Wonder</i> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>These Are Day</i> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Kind and Generous</i></span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrqd28otA0209SLFtIJr_9ackR5Thh55DIB2rsw-4eLY_69DVcOpd6ORkZ-20MgL6wBE2-T2VULySAI6mqYHpKzzxP6XOQ0VQDwdc4GsxzHCg_p27T-R-q5ghbNWYqkWQMNZc/s1600/IMG_8943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrqd28otA0209SLFtIJr_9ackR5Thh55DIB2rsw-4eLY_69DVcOpd6ORkZ-20MgL6wBE2-T2VULySAI6mqYHpKzzxP6XOQ0VQDwdc4GsxzHCg_p27T-R-q5ghbNWYqkWQMNZc/s320/IMG_8943.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sold out outdoor venue at Columbus Commons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgll7HXaX52BJl352df5brQ5zX-gJLSshCeRtDSxXoEp7wQcoYY2ft65FnJvTDaHu-FrVFS5pI48PR1bYX-2pio6Ed6ZWUUWo6MIMl8gW2MdQ50ZzkAhb9HeIBYybd8KUGdjKo9/s1600/IMG_8944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgll7HXaX52BJl352df5brQ5zX-gJLSshCeRtDSxXoEp7wQcoYY2ft65FnJvTDaHu-FrVFS5pI48PR1bYX-2pio6Ed6ZWUUWo6MIMl8gW2MdQ50ZzkAhb9HeIBYybd8KUGdjKo9/s320/IMG_8944.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Impressed with the talents of the orchestra, and the team that helped them sound great</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAjZ9-bVFkj4joRS7sfpifDZYCxQGf_gNXiiBxgNe8M-iT-CeDiw0MwYBGaILkxi6uOnMSlBxqrdNNNFB-C2fQsoaXAgXO4WdFQdnhFNfoqnZFugF7HnYWttFyEPEM1EEtm8y/s1600/IMG_8945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAjZ9-bVFkj4joRS7sfpifDZYCxQGf_gNXiiBxgNe8M-iT-CeDiw0MwYBGaILkxi6uOnMSlBxqrdNNNFB-C2fQsoaXAgXO4WdFQdnhFNfoqnZFugF7HnYWttFyEPEM1EEtm8y/s320/IMG_8945.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grounds of the Commons were in full bloom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfT_YmtWZN5XWtvGxl59xbaw0t2xHys1iokXXRCD-o6U4gSUxEsvoZPgO4GyZuqXSDbnw_m1l1B34HJXx41SnmfdokHz1ocSo3Z3TRrZ7UAugTQ5YWtgHVX54fw9npu9dmvULR/s1600/IMG_8946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfT_YmtWZN5XWtvGxl59xbaw0t2xHys1iokXXRCD-o6U4gSUxEsvoZPgO4GyZuqXSDbnw_m1l1B34HJXx41SnmfdokHz1ocSo3Z3TRrZ7UAugTQ5YWtgHVX54fw9npu9dmvULR/s320/IMG_8946.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The table seating added another dimension to the experience</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkOW8BmzzT50RjWClVNB8E-6dyGwiWmbLM-woGvTvTcrV_pPv1Ogdz-CYX1qMU0yZJRaptEroE9uDzXLY8AyjbdziEAGcg8kkao3dAnCp4wCHcKKp2i10ViLmNVoNr0mXhjRe/s1600/IMG_8947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkOW8BmzzT50RjWClVNB8E-6dyGwiWmbLM-woGvTvTcrV_pPv1Ogdz-CYX1qMU0yZJRaptEroE9uDzXLY8AyjbdziEAGcg8kkao3dAnCp4wCHcKKp2i10ViLmNVoNr0mXhjRe/s320/IMG_8947.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A clear night under the stars and under the lights</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2qziZWsYIkoyPcHEWcVblYG1oQe1dka3PaAux0XlnMP4GNxor3r29nzPacse990QuApVMqdGkqj77WvS2jiI7FAB3IYxuJZ7bGLuuQRUbkldhbhHkKCFWix4PUBgAx1g7DcU/s1600/IMG_8949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2qziZWsYIkoyPcHEWcVblYG1oQe1dka3PaAux0XlnMP4GNxor3r29nzPacse990QuApVMqdGkqj77WvS2jiI7FAB3IYxuJZ7bGLuuQRUbkldhbhHkKCFWix4PUBgAx1g7DcU/s320/IMG_8949.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crowd really got into the second half, which featured more hits</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlT6CgV5Yp2-KmDgAjuYXHNRtMK_XOfdqcQv6Gr5IV0Qo2UMQl91ifQItC-AePCy-xB9pqJqMiz0DrIPnHMKXXI3NFP4nEv439ihfEs3Vd2WNGAygRgpwSL8WdXkSeWzvV51R/s1600/IMG_8955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlT6CgV5Yp2-KmDgAjuYXHNRtMK_XOfdqcQv6Gr5IV0Qo2UMQl91ifQItC-AePCy-xB9pqJqMiz0DrIPnHMKXXI3NFP4nEv439ihfEs3Vd2WNGAygRgpwSL8WdXkSeWzvV51R/s320/IMG_8955.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During the encore, I went up to the stage for a closer look</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I2aW4Goo6h4sdNFTbrkwsA1soEUv1CZKFjD7uCTJpdyg7UMrjZIJ1AFv413e5e_Sgg8lrqDMLTr4u9_iJ5lXBgMMf1G3A_-x4DzQ9JzPbrKpzboDNlcfc8K3CHtqG_eVvMOv/s1600/IMG_8956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I2aW4Goo6h4sdNFTbrkwsA1soEUv1CZKFjD7uCTJpdyg7UMrjZIJ1AFv413e5e_Sgg8lrqDMLTr4u9_iJ5lXBgMMf1G3A_-x4DzQ9JzPbrKpzboDNlcfc8K3CHtqG_eVvMOv/s320/IMG_8956.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Natalie was having a great time, and savored the sound of the Symphony, too</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKqZXIntnmfS79gc-uunUSF-wUvbtgT7X9-QWAA6_Ok6exjr_3vbF5XKpiAkZTyibP_a_FjJ6gjY1xQiQL9tWQ2uT5WdLwwq5qe-yBetCDzFtU49dCUGDvY7tqGlS5cUnsEjBv/s1600/IMG_8957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKqZXIntnmfS79gc-uunUSF-wUvbtgT7X9-QWAA6_Ok6exjr_3vbF5XKpiAkZTyibP_a_FjJ6gjY1xQiQL9tWQ2uT5WdLwwq5qe-yBetCDzFtU49dCUGDvY7tqGlS5cUnsEjBv/s320/IMG_8957.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When the stage cleared, the sheet music of Kind & Generous was a reminder of appreciation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i> </i> </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-88581858992727508902013-07-10T04:00:00.000-04:002013-07-10T04:00:00.490-04:00How to leave a voicemail: 8 questions to answer
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After the beep, make sure you're answering these questions:</span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">WHO ARE YOU?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">WHAT DO YOU DO?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
WHY ARE YOU CALLING ME?
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">WHO ELSE DO YOU DO THIS FOR?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">WHAT’S THIS ABOUT?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE? </span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It might sound like this:</span><br />
<br />
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This is ___________.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I run the _____ department at _____.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m calling [date, time].</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We’ve never met, and I don’t have any connection or
credibility with you yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I’m
calling because next week I expect to be meeting with individuals at your level
at several other major companies in your business when I’m in town, and I
thought it would be smart to see you as well.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We help people in your business to [key benefits 1, 2, and
3].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our key points of difference
are ____ and ____. We may be able to do the same for you, once I understand
your needs.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I’m calling to find out who is the most appropriate person
to meet with. I’m also putting in calls today to [names of Leverage Points
within the listener’s organization] to leave this very same message.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I’d like to schedule a 20 minute meeting with you, or
whoever is the appropriate person, regarding [your offer].</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We can meet at ____ on the afternoon of _____ or ________.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Most of the customers we deal with involved their CFO’s,
vice presidents or ____, and _____s because ______.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, you may wish to include them as you see fit.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My phone number again is (speak slowly and clearly) and my email is (spell it out clearly). </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14900943.post-84973584535593220212013-07-08T04:00:00.000-04:002013-07-08T04:00:00.979-04:00Obama relied on a technique like N-of-8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fRY9zREMfMvRgeLQl6YYt567asXZ4S_jLOGOes258pzI3Embd4fxw_x4zyfdvBvvnKL1QTed36q0hFtOfisYCuycYUegWvkzVheh9mZhL7aG0lDWI2jov6dzpfAuFom1jkVt/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-05-29+at+10.26.07+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fRY9zREMfMvRgeLQl6YYt567asXZ4S_jLOGOes258pzI3Embd4fxw_x4zyfdvBvvnKL1QTed36q0hFtOfisYCuycYUegWvkzVheh9mZhL7aG0lDWI2jov6dzpfAuFom1jkVt/s200/Screen+shot+2013-05-29+at+10.26.07+PM.png" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I enjoyed re-reading the TIME Person of the Year issue recently. And in doing so, uncovered another case study for our N-of-8 customer interaction tool.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"In early 2011, David Simas, a former registrar of deeds in Taunton,
Mass., who had become a senior White House aide, switched on what might
be called one of the largest listening posts in U.S. history. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"For months
on end, two or three nights a week, Simas and his team secretly
gathered voters in rented rooms across the swing states, <u><i><b>eight at a
time</b></i></u> [emphasis added]...poked at their
guinea pigs’ animal spirits, asked for confessions and played
word-association games. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Live feeds of the focus groups were shown on computer screens at
campaign headquarters in Chicago."</span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Read more: <a href="http://poy.time.com/2012/12/19/person-of-the-year-barack-obama/#ixzz2Ujs54hC9" style="color: #003399;">http://poy.time.com/2012/12/19/person-of-the-year-barack-obama/#ixzz2Ujs54hC9</a></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587399789046201634noreply@blogger.com0