June 22-29, 2010
It’s more than 4,000 miles from St. Louis to London; yet anticipation, a cancelled connecting flight and a six-hour time differential makes is seem more like a million light-years away. Lynn and I have been planning this vacation for a year. Weather conditions cause our trip to be delayed by a full eight hours. This is the year in which we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of our marriage. We’re going to Wimbledon to see some tennis and the fashionable Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London is our headquarters for the duration of our stay.
Our accommodations at the Chelsea Cloisters luxury serviced studio efficiency apartment is a modest flat arranged for us by Chi Chi Travel Services in St. Louis. This is home-base from June 22 through June 29, 2010. Lynn and I remember the last time we spent this much time living in such close quarters was when we began our life together and lived in a garage apartment in Miami.
Nothing like airport delays at the top of a journey to bring all sorts of anxiety, frustration and general disappointment to mind and ruin the mood. Needless to say, the beginning of our get-away vacation was having the exact opposite of the intended effect on both of us, Lynn especially. But our travel nightmare finally came to a close as we checked in and settled into our London flat mid-day June 22. We soak in a little local color (colour) and look forward to our seats at Centre Court at Wimbledon the very next day.
An English breakfast on Kings Road, a short walk to the Sloane Square underground station, and a ride on the Underground Tube (subway) to Southfields Station and we are on our way to Wimbledon. The weather was fantastic and unlike what you might expect this time of year. The entire week was in the 70’s and the skies were blue to partly cloudy and no rain. Before we knew it we were in our seats at Centre Court. We were impressed at the intimacy of the venue we’ve seen on TV for so many years. We saw Andy Roddick win. We saw American Venus Williams win easily. We absorb the atmosphere and know that we will always remember being here.
Of course, Strawberries and Cream are in season and delicious. The whole first day made the travel endurance test worthwhile. We got everything we bargained for at Day One of our trip, The rest was “sugar on top.” We returned to Wimbledon again on June 24th with tickets to Court One just in time to greet the Queen of England! Elizabeth II arrived via small motorcade and we had the unique and rare pleasure of seeing the Queen in her stunning soft sky-blue dress and matching hat exit her car and be escorted on her way to the Royal Box. This was her first visit to Wimbledon in 33 years. We just happened to be in the right place to catch her arrival. What a thrill. A moment in history. She was there to see the English favorite, Andy Murray.
We went on to watch Maria Sharapova beat her opponent on Court One. But the buzz of the day was the historic match between John Isner (American) and the gutsy Nicolas Mahut (French) on Court 18. The match was postponed due to darkness and was to resume this afternoon. Since you could not get near Court 18, we joined thousands of other tennis fans at Henman Hill to watch the amazing match finally come to a close in favor of Isner. (Aorangi Terrace, colloquially known as Henman Hill is an area in the grounds of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club where, during the annual Wimbledon tennis championship, crowds of people can watch the tennis matches live on a giant television screen.) The match ran11 hours and 5 minutes. It would be in all of the papers and all over the news. (183 games, 112 aces by Isner at speeds up to 138 MPH) Another bit of history. We were just about 100 yards away when they presented a special award to both players and the umpire. Incredible and so much fun to be a part of it.
We were able to join Dr. John Lewington, his wife Barbara and Dr. Mary Albrecht for dinner. John and Mary are with a group of students on a study abroad trip and as luck would have it John and his wife were staying just down the block from the Chelsea Cloisters at the Nell Glynn Hotel on Sloane Avenue. Dinner was full of amusing travel stories and the joy of just being there. We sat outside as the night fell and the temperature cooled. A lovely evening. Nothing fancy, just a simple meal and good company, a highlight of which was Mary’s shower door story. Everyone laughed with her as she painted the picture of panic at being trapped behind a glass door in her hotel bathroom in London before she was able to maneuver the door open. She was thankful that she didn’t have to scream for help and suffer the embarrassment of a hotel rescue. She’s used the shower again but is now careful to leave the glass door ajar instead of fully closed.
As residents of London, albeit for just eight nights, we are compelled to visit the National Gallery and Tate Modern. We bought discount tickets in Theatreland (London’s Theater District). We saw an Australian production called Tap Dogs (a wall-to-wall tap dance exposition with six performers supported by two woman percussionists). We also saw a revival of Hair, the soundtrack of which Lynn and I both remember so very well from our teenage years. (The play originally debuted in 1968 and is full of references to a time when the Viet Nam conflict and anti-war protests were a part of the nation’s consciousness in the United States. The simplicity and bitter sweetness of the show moved us both.)
World Cup news was everywhere too. Sadly, England fell to Germany and USA was defeated by Ghana in the Quarterfinals. (The English took this defeat as a mandate for the dismissal of the Team Manager, Fabio Capello, and the discussion could be overheard all over town). South Africa is proud to host the event and the BBC is broadcasting all games and much commentary. Fans are everywhere wearing national colors and carrying flags. The finals of Wimbledon and The World Cup will be broadcast around the world. We’ll be able to see them on our own Television in St. Louis. London will too and soon be a memory and we’ll return to our daily routines.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Lynn & Wes Morgan at Wimbledon.
June 22-29, 2010
It’s more than 4,000 miles from St. Louis to London; yet anticipation, a cancelled connecting flight and a six-hour time differential makes is seem more like a million light-years away. Lynn and I have been planning this vacation for a year. Weather conditions cause our trip to be delayed by a full eight hours. This is the year in which we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of our marriage. We’re going to Wimbledon to see some tennis and the fashionable Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London is our headquarters for the duration of our stay.
Our accommodations at the Chelsea Cloisters luxury serviced studio efficiency apartment is a modest flat arranged for us by Chi Chi Travel Services in St. Louis. This is home-base from June 22 through June 29, 2010. Lynn and I remember the last time we spent this much time living in such close quarters was when we began our life together and lived in a garage apartment in Miami.
Nothing like airport delays at the top of a journey to bring all sorts of anxiety, frustration and general disappointment to mind and ruin the mood. Needless to say, the beginning of our get-away vacation was having the exact opposite of the intended effect on both of us, Lynn especially. But our travel nightmare finally came to a close as we checked in and settled into our London flat mid-day June 22. We soak in a little local color (colour) and look forward to our seats at Centre Court at Wimbledon the very next day.
An English breakfast on Kings Road, a short walk to the Sloane Square underground station, and a ride on the Underground Tube (subway) to Southfields Station and we are on our way to Wimbledon. The weather was fantastic and unlike what you might expect this time of year. The entire week was in the 70’s and the skies were blue to partly cloudy and no rain. Before we knew it we were in our seats at Centre Court. We were impressed at the intimacy of the venue we’ve seen on TV for so many years. We saw Andy Roddick win. We saw American Venus Williams win easily. We absorb the atmosphere and know that we will always remember being here.
Of course, Strawberries and Cream are in season and delicious. The whole first day made the travel endurance test worthwhile. We got everything we bargained for at Day One of our trip, The rest was “sugar on top.” We returned to Wimbledon again on June 24th with tickets to Court One just in time to greet the Queen of England! Elizabeth II arrived via small motorcade and we had the unique and rare pleasure of seeing the Queen in her stunning soft sky-blue dress and matching hat exit her car and be escorted on her way to the Royal Box. This was her first visit to Wimbledon in 33 years. We just happened to be in the right place to catch her arrival. What a thrill. A moment in history. She was there to see the English favorite, Andy Murray.
We went on to watch Maria Sharapova beat her opponent on Court One. But the buzz of the day was the historic match between John Isner (American) and the gutsy Nicolas Mahut (French) on Court 18. The match was postponed due to darkness and was to resume this afternoon. Since you could not get near Court 18, we joined thousands of other tennis fans at Henman Hill to watch the amazing match finally come to a close in favor of Isner. (Aorangi Terrace, colloquially known as Henman Hill is an area in the grounds of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club where, during the annual Wimbledon tennis championship, crowds of people can watch the tennis matches live on a giant television screen.) The match ran11 hours and 5 minutes. It would be in all of the papers and all over the news. (183 games, 112 aces by Isner at speeds up to 138 MPH) Another bit of history. We were just about 100 yards away when they presented a special award to both players and the umpire. Incredible and so much fun to be a part of it.
We were able to join Dr. John Lewington, his wife Barbara and Dr. Mary Albrecht for dinner. John and Mary are with a group of students on a study abroad trip and as luck would have it John and his wife were staying just down the block from the Chelsea Cloisters at the Nell Glynn Hotel on Sloane Avenue. Dinner was full of amusing travel stories and the joy of just being there. We sat outside as the night fell and the temperature cooled. A lovely evening. Nothing fancy, just a simple meal and good company, a highlight of which was Mary’s shower door story. Everyone laughed with her as she painted the picture of panic at being trapped behind a glass door in her hotel bathroom in London before she was able to maneuver the door open. She was thankful that she didn’t have to scream for help and suffer the embarrassment of a hotel rescue. She’s used the shower again but is now careful to leave the glass door ajar instead of fully closed.
As residents of London, albeit for just eight nights, we are compelled to visit the National Gallery and Tate Modern. We bought discount tickets in Theatreland (London’s Theater District). We saw an Australian production called Tap Dogs (a wall-to-wall tap dance exposition with six performers supported by two woman percussionists). We also saw a revival of Hair, the soundtrack of which Lynn and I both remember so very well from our teenage years. (The play originally debuted in 1968 and is full of references to a time when the Viet Nam conflict and anti-war protests were a part of the nation’s consciousness in the United States. The simplicity and bitter sweetness of the show moved us both.)
World Cup news was everywhere too. Sadly, England fell to Germany and USA was defeated by Ghana in the Quarterfinals. (The English took this defeat as a mandate for the dismissal of the Team Manager, Fabio Capello, and the discussion could be overheard all over town). South Africa is proud to host the event and the BBC is broadcasting all games and much commentary. Fans are everywhere wearing national colors and carrying flags. The finals of Wimbledon and The World Cup will be broadcast around the world. We’ll be able to see them on our own Television in St. Louis. London will too and soon be a memory and we’ll return to our daily routines.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Goodbye Mom.
Saying goodbye as the curtain closes.
February 26, 1922- May 31, 2011
My mom died this past May and suddenly it dawns on me what made her so great. She had this uncanny way of making you feel special. Case in point: I was one of six children – number three in order of birth – but she insisted in calling me the “oldest of the four.” Maybe it was to ignore my older siblings. I don’t think so. Maybe it was to deprive me of the middle child syndrome. Probably not.
My brother is 11 years older. So, for a long time, he was an only child. My sister is three years older and the only girl. My brother Greg was declared the “navigator” on family vacations and relished the opportunity to monitor the maps and travel directions. He was “Greg the Great” on his birthday cakes from Hough Bakeries every year. Dan was always “so sensitive.” Rob is the youngest and both parents pronounced him “the Best” which, no doubt gave him the ability to be his own person. Each of us had a niche that helped us define ourselves. Each, in our own way, a self-fulfilling prophesy.
Mom was larger than life. She loved the theater. She performed in countless community productions. She directed plays too. She and dad made annual trips to New York City that included Broadway Shows, of which she kept a collection of Playbill programs. She studied and read plays. She completed a Master’s Degree in Dramatic Arts at Case Western Reserve University in her early forties. She was talented. She could turn on the star-power at business functions with important clients, at parties, at social events, at presentations, in large rooms, in small rooms or one-on-one. She had skills she was able to use in juggling six children in a way that made each feel unique and special.
The drama of growing up, as you might imagine, with mom directing the activity, is one that includes countless sub-plots. After all, life isn’t easy – even if you are fortunate enough to live with the Morgan family at 15106 Edgewater Drive. As we reflect on our experiences and memories of mom we each have our own take on what it all means.
The Irish Catholic in mom would have been smiling when we came together in Southlake, Texas to celebrate her life. May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be ever at your back. May the good Lord bless and keep you in the hallow of his hand. It was a competition, as family members took turns sharing stories often not waiting for a lull in the cacophony of overlapping dialogue, tears and laughter. (After all, we naturally want to cast ourselves in the lead role of this production.)
We compete for airtime because we want to perform and entertain. Indeed, we are all talented in projecting lines and expressing ourselves. The stories are all familiar and retold with the usual flaws due to our own brand revisionist history. Mom always said “I will do anything for you kids, as long as you remember.” We will mom. (Even though, with time, we may modify a detail in the script or staging.) We are all grown up now, but when we are together we cannot forget that we were all once just children. The sadness only comes when we realize we must go on without you mom.
If the job of a parent is to raise children to be self-confident and assured we have it in abundance.
Dad is 93, and still has the ability to laugh at things. Mom was that woman behind the great man. Dad served in WWII. He started a business and ran it successfully for the better part of four decades. All the while, mom is ready for each grand entrance at the Cleveland Yachting Club, the family road trip to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton (Ohio) or at a parent-teacher conference. Someone’s got to feed these kids too. She is not much of a cook, but the dinner theater makes up for it. So it’s Hamburger-Helper, Sloppy Joes, Pizza, Tuna Casserole or mom’s famous chicken soup. There’s always enough somehow. Take your time eating and chew your food. If you are good you might just get a chocolate cupcake for desert.
The outpouring of sympathy from friends of the family on social media (notably facebook postings) starts to give a picture of just what a magnificent performance her life was. “Your mom was a great lady.” “Your mom helped my mother deal with the death of my father and gave her courage to go on.” “I always loved your mom.” “I remember having so much fun when I was at your house growing up.”
As I look around the room at my siblings, I see they all have self-confidence. They all have that extra talent it takes to be a successful person. Whatever you do: Photographer, Commercial Real Estate Advisor, Retailer, Tennis Instructor, Corporate Communications Specialist or Company President, you will need that. If you are lucky, someone will catch you early in your development and say. “Oh honey, you always know just what to do. Just make sure you remember to enunciate, pronounce your words and project.” It’s all about me. Thanks mom.
Wes Morgan is director of marketing and communications for Crossland Construction Company, a top building contractor based in Kansas (with offices in Missouri, Arkansas and Texas). Morgan is also founder of Morgan Studio/East, a firm that help companies with planning and execution of effective communications. For More Information e-mail morganwes@aol.com or visit www.morganstudioeast.com
February 26, 1922- May 31, 2011
My mom died this past May and suddenly it dawns on me what made her so great. She had this uncanny way of making you feel special. Case in point: I was one of six children – number three in order of birth – but she insisted in calling me the “oldest of the four.” Maybe it was to ignore my older siblings. I don’t think so. Maybe it was to deprive me of the middle child syndrome. Probably not.
My brother is 11 years older. So, for a long time, he was an only child. My sister is three years older and the only girl. My brother Greg was declared the “navigator” on family vacations and relished the opportunity to monitor the maps and travel directions. He was “Greg the Great” on his birthday cakes from Hough Bakeries every year. Dan was always “so sensitive.” Rob is the youngest and both parents pronounced him “the Best” which, no doubt gave him the ability to be his own person. Each of us had a niche that helped us define ourselves. Each, in our own way, a self-fulfilling prophesy.
Mom was larger than life. She loved the theater. She performed in countless community productions. She directed plays too. She and dad made annual trips to New York City that included Broadway Shows, of which she kept a collection of Playbill programs. She studied and read plays. She completed a Master’s Degree in Dramatic Arts at Case Western Reserve University in her early forties. She was talented. She could turn on the star-power at business functions with important clients, at parties, at social events, at presentations, in large rooms, in small rooms or one-on-one. She had skills she was able to use in juggling six children in a way that made each feel unique and special.
The drama of growing up, as you might imagine, with mom directing the activity, is one that includes countless sub-plots. After all, life isn’t easy – even if you are fortunate enough to live with the Morgan family at 15106 Edgewater Drive. As we reflect on our experiences and memories of mom we each have our own take on what it all means.
The Irish Catholic in mom would have been smiling when we came together in Southlake, Texas to celebrate her life. May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be ever at your back. May the good Lord bless and keep you in the hallow of his hand. It was a competition, as family members took turns sharing stories often not waiting for a lull in the cacophony of overlapping dialogue, tears and laughter. (After all, we naturally want to cast ourselves in the lead role of this production.)
We compete for airtime because we want to perform and entertain. Indeed, we are all talented in projecting lines and expressing ourselves. The stories are all familiar and retold with the usual flaws due to our own brand revisionist history. Mom always said “I will do anything for you kids, as long as you remember.” We will mom. (Even though, with time, we may modify a detail in the script or staging.) We are all grown up now, but when we are together we cannot forget that we were all once just children. The sadness only comes when we realize we must go on without you mom.
If the job of a parent is to raise children to be self-confident and assured we have it in abundance.
Dad is 93, and still has the ability to laugh at things. Mom was that woman behind the great man. Dad served in WWII. He started a business and ran it successfully for the better part of four decades. All the while, mom is ready for each grand entrance at the Cleveland Yachting Club, the family road trip to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton (Ohio) or at a parent-teacher conference. Someone’s got to feed these kids too. She is not much of a cook, but the dinner theater makes up for it. So it’s Hamburger-Helper, Sloppy Joes, Pizza, Tuna Casserole or mom’s famous chicken soup. There’s always enough somehow. Take your time eating and chew your food. If you are good you might just get a chocolate cupcake for desert.
The outpouring of sympathy from friends of the family on social media (notably facebook postings) starts to give a picture of just what a magnificent performance her life was. “Your mom was a great lady.” “Your mom helped my mother deal with the death of my father and gave her courage to go on.” “I always loved your mom.” “I remember having so much fun when I was at your house growing up.”
As I look around the room at my siblings, I see they all have self-confidence. They all have that extra talent it takes to be a successful person. Whatever you do: Photographer, Commercial Real Estate Advisor, Retailer, Tennis Instructor, Corporate Communications Specialist or Company President, you will need that. If you are lucky, someone will catch you early in your development and say. “Oh honey, you always know just what to do. Just make sure you remember to enunciate, pronounce your words and project.” It’s all about me. Thanks mom.
Wes Morgan is director of marketing and communications for Crossland Construction Company, a top building contractor based in Kansas (with offices in Missouri, Arkansas and Texas). Morgan is also founder of Morgan Studio/East, a firm that help companies with planning and execution of effective communications. For More Information e-mail morganwes@aol.com or visit www.morganstudioeast.com
Monday, December 5, 2011
The Original Founder of Morgan Studio
My father, James O’Connell Morgan is a great man and always will be in my mind. Morgan Studio is the business he started and ran for the better part of four decades. A few highlights on him are presented here.
He Graduated from St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland. (He was an average student, but showed early talent as a promising artist and illustrator.)
He Graduated from John Carroll University where he was a Three-year letter winner and two-year starter as both offensive and defensive lineman on John Carroll's first and only Big Four championship team in 1939. Team's record was 13-3-1 (.794) in his two years as a starter.(He was 60-minute Morgan at John Carroll University in Cleveland). Years after he graduated, he was installed in JCU’s sports Hall of Fame.
He studied at Pratt Institute of Design in New York where he began to solidify his career path before the call of military duty caused him to take a detour. The year at Pratt and the time he spent in New York City influenced him greatly.
He was a soldier during World War II. First enlisting and later entering officer candidate school (OCS). He served as a leader of a camouflage unit and led Black troops (at a time when the army was still segregated). He went wherever they asked him to go and yet was able to stay out of harm’s way. He served his country with honor for over four years.
After his time in the U.S. Army, he began his career at Malmquist Studio as a commercial artist until he left to to start his own business in Cleveland, Ohio. He founded Morgan Studio in 1951 as “the architects of the printed page.” He was convinced that design was a noble and worthy profession. Along the way, Morgan Studio served a roster of blue chip clients including Ohio Bell Telephone, Youngstown Steel Door, Lake Erie Screw Corporation, Mooney Chemicals, Cleveland Federal Savings and Bonne Bell Cosmetics.
He was a devoted husband to Mary Francis Lawton Morgan (married in December of 1942 –Mary died May 2011). They were married for almost 70 years.
James O’C. Morgan and his wife had six children: Sundance (formerly James O’Connell Morgan Jr. – born 1944), Mary Lynn (born 1952), Wesley (born 1955), Gregory (born 1956), Daniel (Born 1958) and Robert Morgan (born 1959).
He has nine grandchildren:
Lynn’s children
James O’Connell Varney
Philip Varney
Wes’ children
Lindsey Lawton Morgan
John Benjamin Morgan
Greg’s children
Wesley Morgan
Matthew Morgan
Rob’s children
Megan Morgan
Tara Morgan
Kevin Morgan
Why Dad says he started Morgan Studio
Dad: Did I ever tell you why I started Morgan Studio?
Wes: Yes you have. (I do not think he heard me. Or maybe he decided to repeat the story for Greg) I was working for Malmquist Studio in Cleveland. I was routinely putting together this magazine for GE. I had been there about four years. On payday, I got the wrong check by mistake. It was the paycheck of a new hire. I realized very quickly that this new guy, who was doing pretty much the same thing as me, was getting a bigger paycheck. I decided then and there to learn as much as I could about running this kind of shop and open my own.
(I love that story. As I understand it, it took a little while longer before he worked up the nerve to leave and open Morgan Studio in 1951. Apparently the office manager made the mistake with the paychecks. He got her to agree to help him understand the systems for keeping and collecting time sheets and how to handle billing, making it clear that he was not happy with the inequity of the situation.)
He Graduated from St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland. (He was an average student, but showed early talent as a promising artist and illustrator.)
He Graduated from John Carroll University where he was a Three-year letter winner and two-year starter as both offensive and defensive lineman on John Carroll's first and only Big Four championship team in 1939. Team's record was 13-3-1 (.794) in his two years as a starter.(He was 60-minute Morgan at John Carroll University in Cleveland). Years after he graduated, he was installed in JCU’s sports Hall of Fame.
He studied at Pratt Institute of Design in New York where he began to solidify his career path before the call of military duty caused him to take a detour. The year at Pratt and the time he spent in New York City influenced him greatly.
He was a soldier during World War II. First enlisting and later entering officer candidate school (OCS). He served as a leader of a camouflage unit and led Black troops (at a time when the army was still segregated). He went wherever they asked him to go and yet was able to stay out of harm’s way. He served his country with honor for over four years.
After his time in the U.S. Army, he began his career at Malmquist Studio as a commercial artist until he left to to start his own business in Cleveland, Ohio. He founded Morgan Studio in 1951 as “the architects of the printed page.” He was convinced that design was a noble and worthy profession. Along the way, Morgan Studio served a roster of blue chip clients including Ohio Bell Telephone, Youngstown Steel Door, Lake Erie Screw Corporation, Mooney Chemicals, Cleveland Federal Savings and Bonne Bell Cosmetics.
He was a devoted husband to Mary Francis Lawton Morgan (married in December of 1942 –Mary died May 2011). They were married for almost 70 years.
James O’C. Morgan and his wife had six children: Sundance (formerly James O’Connell Morgan Jr. – born 1944), Mary Lynn (born 1952), Wesley (born 1955), Gregory (born 1956), Daniel (Born 1958) and Robert Morgan (born 1959).
He has nine grandchildren:
Lynn’s children
James O’Connell Varney
Philip Varney
Wes’ children
Lindsey Lawton Morgan
John Benjamin Morgan
Greg’s children
Wesley Morgan
Matthew Morgan
Rob’s children
Megan Morgan
Tara Morgan
Kevin Morgan
Why Dad says he started Morgan Studio
Dad: Did I ever tell you why I started Morgan Studio?
Wes: Yes you have. (I do not think he heard me. Or maybe he decided to repeat the story for Greg) I was working for Malmquist Studio in Cleveland. I was routinely putting together this magazine for GE. I had been there about four years. On payday, I got the wrong check by mistake. It was the paycheck of a new hire. I realized very quickly that this new guy, who was doing pretty much the same thing as me, was getting a bigger paycheck. I decided then and there to learn as much as I could about running this kind of shop and open my own.
(I love that story. As I understand it, it took a little while longer before he worked up the nerve to leave and open Morgan Studio in 1951. Apparently the office manager made the mistake with the paychecks. He got her to agree to help him understand the systems for keeping and collecting time sheets and how to handle billing, making it clear that he was not happy with the inequity of the situation.)
Friday, November 4, 2011
Blessing in Disguise
I started out in life very interested in art and the commercial application of how art meets commerce. In school, I became aware of an artist who inspired me because he was, in fact, an early innovator in advertising design in a different era. Recently, I was fortunate enough to visit the Kemper Art Museum on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis and found myself in front a Toulouse-Lautrec lithograph he made of the dancer Jane Avril.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was born into an aristocratic family in the south of France in 1864. He suffered from a genetic condition that prevented his bones from healing properly. As a young boy he broke his legs and both ceased to grow while the rest of his body continued to grow normally. At maturity, he was only 4 1/2 feet tall. This misfortune may have been a sort of blessing in disguise. After his accidents he was no longer able to follow in the typically aristocratic pastimes of riding and hunting. Instead, he focused on sketching and painting.
As a young man, he lived in the Montmartre section of Paris, the center of the cabaret entertainment and bohemian life that he loved to depict in his artwork. Toulouse-Lautrec was very much an active part of this community. Often he could be found sitting in a crowded nightclub making swift sketches. In his studio, he would expand the sketches into brightly colored paintings or use them to make lithographs.
Toulouse-Lautrec is now widely known in the art world as the archetypical bohemian artist of the belle époque, the "beautiful era" in Paris in the last decade of the 19th Century. He captured the spirit and emotion of the era in his posters and portraits. His unique condition made it difficult for him to live up to the status quo for a well born aristocrat. Nevertheless, he clearly shared in the joie de vivre of the time. Sadly, he died at the age of 36, but today his legacy can be viewed in some of the great art museums and art collections of the world.
You might say he was a victim of circumstances. But then again you might say that it was because of the circumstances he is the acclaimed artist even today – more than one hundred and ten years after his death. He was blessed with great talent. We are blessed by his legacy and his influence.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was born into an aristocratic family in the south of France in 1864. He suffered from a genetic condition that prevented his bones from healing properly. As a young boy he broke his legs and both ceased to grow while the rest of his body continued to grow normally. At maturity, he was only 4 1/2 feet tall. This misfortune may have been a sort of blessing in disguise. After his accidents he was no longer able to follow in the typically aristocratic pastimes of riding and hunting. Instead, he focused on sketching and painting.
As a young man, he lived in the Montmartre section of Paris, the center of the cabaret entertainment and bohemian life that he loved to depict in his artwork. Toulouse-Lautrec was very much an active part of this community. Often he could be found sitting in a crowded nightclub making swift sketches. In his studio, he would expand the sketches into brightly colored paintings or use them to make lithographs.
Toulouse-Lautrec is now widely known in the art world as the archetypical bohemian artist of the belle époque, the "beautiful era" in Paris in the last decade of the 19th Century. He captured the spirit and emotion of the era in his posters and portraits. His unique condition made it difficult for him to live up to the status quo for a well born aristocrat. Nevertheless, he clearly shared in the joie de vivre of the time. Sadly, he died at the age of 36, but today his legacy can be viewed in some of the great art museums and art collections of the world.
You might say he was a victim of circumstances. But then again you might say that it was because of the circumstances he is the acclaimed artist even today – more than one hundred and ten years after his death. He was blessed with great talent. We are blessed by his legacy and his influence.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The Agency Evaluation
The client-agency relationship is a delicate thing. By definition, your advertising agency should act on your behalf in matters concerning your marketing communication. At the same time, you want the agency to be responsive to direction. You want a partnership. After all, we will be judged on the quality of marketing communications developed within the scope of our limited resources (time, marketing budget etc.) Like any relationship, it takes work. As the client, we need our agency to understand expectations. You don't want the agency-client relationship to become disruptive. Here is a five-point agency evaluation system. Maybe it will be helpful in evaluating your agency-client relationship.
Creative Excellence: Above all, the agency should be creative and not just in art direction and copy. They should be able to look at your marketing problems creatively. They should consider creative ways to allocate media spending. They should be creative when it comes to spending money and managing limited resources. They should be creative in presenting fresh
ideas.
Smart Marketing Thinking: Your agency doesn't have to know as much about your business as you do (Although that can be beneficial). They should think like business people. They should recommend ways that will build the business. They should suggest ideas that are reasonable and strategic.
Problem Solvers: The best agencies will be able to read between the lines a little. If the budget is limited, an agency should be able to deal with that. If selling ideas into the organization or the distribution channels is an issue it might be appropriate for them to help with this process. They should be able to work with you to take anxiety out of your life and not add to it.
Capabilities: The agency relationships you establish should match well with our needs. Evaluate the agency on what it does well. Suggest improvement when you can. Some agencies offer an uneven range of services. If they can't or won't accommodate you, you may need to unbundle some services. Weight this notion against the added time and energy it may take to build an additional agency-client relationship.
Flawless Execution: Careless errors can cripple the effectiveness of any advertising. Nobody's perfect. But the greatest idea in the world will suffer if not produced well. This is a tough place for an agency to fall short but it's all too common.
Creative Excellence: Above all, the agency should be creative and not just in art direction and copy. They should be able to look at your marketing problems creatively. They should consider creative ways to allocate media spending. They should be creative when it comes to spending money and managing limited resources. They should be creative in presenting fresh
ideas.
Smart Marketing Thinking: Your agency doesn't have to know as much about your business as you do (Although that can be beneficial). They should think like business people. They should recommend ways that will build the business. They should suggest ideas that are reasonable and strategic.
Problem Solvers: The best agencies will be able to read between the lines a little. If the budget is limited, an agency should be able to deal with that. If selling ideas into the organization or the distribution channels is an issue it might be appropriate for them to help with this process. They should be able to work with you to take anxiety out of your life and not add to it.
Capabilities: The agency relationships you establish should match well with our needs. Evaluate the agency on what it does well. Suggest improvement when you can. Some agencies offer an uneven range of services. If they can't or won't accommodate you, you may need to unbundle some services. Weight this notion against the added time and energy it may take to build an additional agency-client relationship.
Flawless Execution: Careless errors can cripple the effectiveness of any advertising. Nobody's perfect. But the greatest idea in the world will suffer if not produced well. This is a tough place for an agency to fall short but it's all too common.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Ode to Marketing in the Coming Ages
Marketing is part commerce and part art. The creative side of our profession can make a huge difference in the results we get. I am inspired by a poem that was written in the second half of the 19th century. It’s a poem about poetry but I think it offers all of us a unique challenge in our lives and in our careers. What will we as marketing professionals bring to the coming new age? I hope this poem inspires you as it has me. Be a leader. Do great work. Why? Here's a good answer in a timeless poem:
ODE
BY ARTHUR O’SHAUGHNESSY
WE ARE THE MUSIC MAKERS,
AND WE ARE THE DREAMERS OF DREAMS,
WANDERING BY LONE SEA-BREAKERS,
AND SITTING BY DESOLATE STREAMS;
WORLD LOSERS AND WORLD FORSAKERS,
ON WHOM THE PALE MOON GLEAMS:
YET WE ARE THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS
OF THE WORLD FOREVER. IT SEEMS.
WITH WONDERFUL DEATHLESS DITTIES
WE BUILD UP THE WORLD’S GREAT CITIES,
AND OUT OF A FABULOUS STORY
WE FASHION AN EMPIRE’S GLORY:
ONE MAN WITH A DREAM, AT PLEASURE,
SHALL GO FORTH AND CONQUER A CROWN;
AND THREE WITH A NEW SONG’S MEASURE
CAN TRAMPLE AN EMPIRE DOWN.
WE IN THE AGES LYING
IN THE BURIED PAST OF THE EARTH,
BUILT NINEVEH WITH OUR SIGHING;
AND BABEL ITSELF WITH OUR MIRTH;
AND O’ERTHREW THEM WITH PROPHESYING
TO THE OLD OF THE NEW WORLD’S WORTH;
FOR EACH AGE IS A DREAM THAT IS DYING,
OR ONE THAT IS COMING TO BIRTH.
ODE
BY ARTHUR O’SHAUGHNESSY
WE ARE THE MUSIC MAKERS,
AND WE ARE THE DREAMERS OF DREAMS,
WANDERING BY LONE SEA-BREAKERS,
AND SITTING BY DESOLATE STREAMS;
WORLD LOSERS AND WORLD FORSAKERS,
ON WHOM THE PALE MOON GLEAMS:
YET WE ARE THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS
OF THE WORLD FOREVER. IT SEEMS.
WITH WONDERFUL DEATHLESS DITTIES
WE BUILD UP THE WORLD’S GREAT CITIES,
AND OUT OF A FABULOUS STORY
WE FASHION AN EMPIRE’S GLORY:
ONE MAN WITH A DREAM, AT PLEASURE,
SHALL GO FORTH AND CONQUER A CROWN;
AND THREE WITH A NEW SONG’S MEASURE
CAN TRAMPLE AN EMPIRE DOWN.
WE IN THE AGES LYING
IN THE BURIED PAST OF THE EARTH,
BUILT NINEVEH WITH OUR SIGHING;
AND BABEL ITSELF WITH OUR MIRTH;
AND O’ERTHREW THEM WITH PROPHESYING
TO THE OLD OF THE NEW WORLD’S WORTH;
FOR EACH AGE IS A DREAM THAT IS DYING,
OR ONE THAT IS COMING TO BIRTH.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Enhance value and dramatically improve company performance.
No doubt the current business and economic environment have had an impact our on your plans and goals as an organization. Challenging times require extra care in managing your business. As you evaluate alternatives, marketing and communications will play an important role in shaping the future. A few unsolicited thoughts on things to consider:
Building a plan and using that plan as a benchmark - You have a mission and a number of exceptional programs and initiatives. The annual meeting/conference, ongoing efforts to guide regional sales, thought leadership/position papers and publications – to name just a few. Resources are always limited, but your chances of making progress on an annual basis are more likely to be achieved if they are part of a dynamic planning process that organizes and prioritizes activity. Done well, a dynamic plan becomes a documentation of success as well as o commitment to focus on best practices.
Budgeting for success - The plan document is important and should have broad readership. The budget, on the other hand, is best managed with a smaller circulation. Budgets for marketing and communications activity can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Many companies simply do the best they can with a ballpark that has been established within in the past two-three years. Consumer products marketers often battle for “share of voice” and budget based on best estimates of competitive spending. New products often try to obtain rating points against the target prospect. When all is said and done, the budget should be a companion document to the marketing and communications plan. It should be realistic and fair. The budget also needs to be evaluated at least quarterly as they year unfolds. My experience has been within a relevant range of a wide variety of budget scenarios.
Engaging customers - You must attract new prospects and keep repeat customers each year. To accomplish this you must understand what products and services add value. If your value proposition falls short or it not fully understood, you will experience attrition and lose business.
Managing the brand - Your company is a brand. Like all brands, it is a reflection of a positioning in the minds of your stakeholders and customers. The brand comes with a promise. The promise must be reliable and true. Otherwise the brand loses equity and can be tarnished. Marketing and communications programs designed to reinforce the brand are a critical pieces to the puzzle. If you visit a Starbuck’s Coffee Shop, anywhere in the world, you see a dramatic illustration of a company effectively managing a brand.
Innovation and thinking outside the box - The brand platform enables you to apply brand building strategies that will result in meaningful success that added value to the company overall. The discipline and processes for uncovering this equity and leveraging it is very real and palpable.
Social media and thought leadership - Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogs and a host of other digital media options are generating opportunities for exponential exposure (and at a modest cost). It begins with understanding the attitude of key stakeholders. But the only way to earn exposure is to go viral with news that is relevant, compelling and timely. In short, it starts with CONTENT. Like all media, the interactive media presents opportunities to be an important part of a bigger picture. The whole has an opportunity to be far more significant that the sum of its parts!
Targeting market segments - Your brand has market segments that merit effort and attention. Underdeveloped segments may require some investment, mature segments may require some fresh thinking and new products might require exploration.
Reputation Management - Be mindful of reputation. Be prepared with crisis communication and smart about how you present yourself to your customers and prospects. Reinforce the brand with an ongoing program of public relations activity. Have a process by which the successful measurement can guide ongoing programs designed to add credibility and showcase expertise. Use innovation and creative thinking. Everyone wants to be a part of an organization that is viewed in a positive light.
Managing the team - Marketing and communications are often undervalued. The activity can boost sales, enhance value and dramatically improve an organization’s performance. Yet, so often, much activity falls on a small cadre of soldiers motivated more by the art than the commerce of their daily tasks. This is as it should be. Let’s face it; movies would be boring if actors and directors thought of nothing else but box-office draw. Instead, you need actors and directors who are passionate about telling a story and telling it well. Managing such a team, takes finesse. It also requires discipline and guidance to contain and focus energy on priorities. At the start of each day there needs to be a sense of purpose. At the end of each day a feeling of accomplishment (and being a part of a larger mission). The internal team needs to be strong and cohesive. Where appropriate, outsourcing may be necessary. The best teams function as a unit with a common purpose.
Building a plan and using that plan as a benchmark - You have a mission and a number of exceptional programs and initiatives. The annual meeting/conference, ongoing efforts to guide regional sales, thought leadership/position papers and publications – to name just a few. Resources are always limited, but your chances of making progress on an annual basis are more likely to be achieved if they are part of a dynamic planning process that organizes and prioritizes activity. Done well, a dynamic plan becomes a documentation of success as well as o commitment to focus on best practices.
Budgeting for success - The plan document is important and should have broad readership. The budget, on the other hand, is best managed with a smaller circulation. Budgets for marketing and communications activity can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Many companies simply do the best they can with a ballpark that has been established within in the past two-three years. Consumer products marketers often battle for “share of voice” and budget based on best estimates of competitive spending. New products often try to obtain rating points against the target prospect. When all is said and done, the budget should be a companion document to the marketing and communications plan. It should be realistic and fair. The budget also needs to be evaluated at least quarterly as they year unfolds. My experience has been within a relevant range of a wide variety of budget scenarios.
Engaging customers - You must attract new prospects and keep repeat customers each year. To accomplish this you must understand what products and services add value. If your value proposition falls short or it not fully understood, you will experience attrition and lose business.
Managing the brand - Your company is a brand. Like all brands, it is a reflection of a positioning in the minds of your stakeholders and customers. The brand comes with a promise. The promise must be reliable and true. Otherwise the brand loses equity and can be tarnished. Marketing and communications programs designed to reinforce the brand are a critical pieces to the puzzle. If you visit a Starbuck’s Coffee Shop, anywhere in the world, you see a dramatic illustration of a company effectively managing a brand.
Innovation and thinking outside the box - The brand platform enables you to apply brand building strategies that will result in meaningful success that added value to the company overall. The discipline and processes for uncovering this equity and leveraging it is very real and palpable.
Social media and thought leadership - Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogs and a host of other digital media options are generating opportunities for exponential exposure (and at a modest cost). It begins with understanding the attitude of key stakeholders. But the only way to earn exposure is to go viral with news that is relevant, compelling and timely. In short, it starts with CONTENT. Like all media, the interactive media presents opportunities to be an important part of a bigger picture. The whole has an opportunity to be far more significant that the sum of its parts!
Targeting market segments - Your brand has market segments that merit effort and attention. Underdeveloped segments may require some investment, mature segments may require some fresh thinking and new products might require exploration.
Reputation Management - Be mindful of reputation. Be prepared with crisis communication and smart about how you present yourself to your customers and prospects. Reinforce the brand with an ongoing program of public relations activity. Have a process by which the successful measurement can guide ongoing programs designed to add credibility and showcase expertise. Use innovation and creative thinking. Everyone wants to be a part of an organization that is viewed in a positive light.
Managing the team - Marketing and communications are often undervalued. The activity can boost sales, enhance value and dramatically improve an organization’s performance. Yet, so often, much activity falls on a small cadre of soldiers motivated more by the art than the commerce of their daily tasks. This is as it should be. Let’s face it; movies would be boring if actors and directors thought of nothing else but box-office draw. Instead, you need actors and directors who are passionate about telling a story and telling it well. Managing such a team, takes finesse. It also requires discipline and guidance to contain and focus energy on priorities. At the start of each day there needs to be a sense of purpose. At the end of each day a feeling of accomplishment (and being a part of a larger mission). The internal team needs to be strong and cohesive. Where appropriate, outsourcing may be necessary. The best teams function as a unit with a common purpose.
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