So, it’s a new year and I’m going to start things off right with a breakfast meeting with two trusted advisors and friends. Dan is a business development specialist at one of this town’s most respected advertising agencies. Scott is a veteran agency manager with operations and account management background and I am revisiting my undercapitalized marketing communications start-up. We are all feeling the pinch in a challenging economic environment. In spite of setbacks in the past year, each of us is cautiously optimistic.
Making sure we can secure a table and have access to intranet I arrived early. The agenda for the meeting is loose but we’re all interested in comparing notes on businesses, colleagues and career paths ranging from entrepreneurial to job opportunities. We’re not kids anymore. We all have contacts, networks and plenty of sources of information. We share a few stories about hits. misses and prospects.
“We pitched that business and we were sure we had the inside track. We didn’t get past the phone screening.”
“That job description seemed to have me in mind. They wanted a senior marketing person with the ability to think strategically and lead a team. I didn’t even get an interview.
“ Human resources must have been looking for a reason to eliminate me. There is no other explanation.”
“They aren’t even really looking for marketing at that company. They are just looking for a 25 year old, probably a good looking female to handle social media and a little bit of graphic design work.”
Not complaining, but we each show some insecurities and vulnerability. We are professionals with accomplishments in advertising and marketing communications. We’ve won awards, new accounts and promotions. By any measure, each a success. Yet, the world is changing. Life experience is valuable, sure. But so is youthful vigor- maybe companies are looking for people with skills more easily found in a generation that grew up on video games, the internet and smart phones.
The breakfast club had us lingering longer than a truly efficient business meeting should last. But we were enjoying the fellowship. As we started wrapping up the session, Scott shared a story about some work he had been doing. He talked about painting, power-washing, sealing, clearing, laying ceramic tile and woodworking. He showed us a couple of before/after shots he saved on his iPhone. “This is the kind of work my father did,” he said with a grin. “I’ve been doing this kind of thing since I was 15,” adding “…and it is so gratifying in two important ways: 1) The joy of seeing a satisfied customer and 2) the good feeling you get from a job well done.”
Dan and I looked at each other. “Oh my goodness. Scott, you are really passionate about this kind of work. Aren’t you?”
“You bet.”
With that closing line we left the restaurant and went our separate ways. Dan and I knew what maybe Scott knew all along. You have to follow your passion.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
The Story of my Stork Club Ash Tray
The Stork Club was a nightclub in New York City from 1929 to 1965. After 1934, it was located at 3 East 53rd Street, just east of Fifth Avenue. The building was demolished in 1966 and the site is now the location of Paley Park. It would have been a perfect place for an advertising executive in the heyday of the ad profession. I was working in New York in the 1980's. My office was just a short walk from this location. I always knew, even before the popular Mad Men series, that I missed that time in America when night clubs and martini lunches were pretty routine, smoking was commonplace indoors and entertainment included a meal out with cocktails.
“You know Dave, I really would like to own an ash tray from the Stork Club.” I remember remarking while visiting with my college chum one weekend afternoon day. He lived with his wife and dog (a boxer) on Avenue A in lower Manhattan. It was around 1988 I think.
Dave looked at me with amusement and gestured for me to follow him. It was a warm Spring or Summer day. Dave always knew the city better than me. He grew up in NYC. He was adventurous when it came to living in up-and-coming neighborhoods. I followed him to a shop that sold restaurant décor items, the bric-a-brac that often hang from walls and ceilings to enhance a theme, add charm or visual interest. To my surprise, in the window amidst a variety of serving trays, dishes, coffee pots and vintage posters and signage was a Stork Club Ash Tray.
It cost me $30, but I simply had to have it. Today, it is still a prize possession. It’s a nod to a simpler time, post WWII when my father started his business (1951) and raised a family with children born in 1944, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1958 and 1959. I love that ash tray. (I don’t smoke cigarettes but am fond of a good cigar from time to time.) The Stork Club ash tray is also a reminder of a time in my own life when I could casually identify something I wanted and a good friend could lead me right to it. Almost like magic.
Isn’t that remarkable? That ash tray in the store window was already at least 20+ years old. And another 25+ years have passed since. It is still a symbol for me and one of my very favorite things. Thanks Dave! (You cheap bastard. You could have bought it for me. Ha. Ha. Ha. Still, that purchase, when we were young men, making our way in the world, is one of the best investments I’ve ever made.) It brings a smile, fond memories and a kind of respect for an entire generation that came before us. Happy New Year 2012.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Breakfast with a Great Man
They’re Gr-r-reat
Tony the Tiger is an important symbol for me. He has appeared on packaging of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes for years. Since his debut in 1951, the character has spanned several generations and become a breakfast cereal icon. As it happens Frosted Flakes were a favorite breatkfast choice of my father. He didn’t eat them every day, but he did eat them often enough to leave an impression on me.
The voice of Tony told us emphatically and repeatedly in TV commercials that the cereal was Gr-r-reat. I was growing up in a world of possibilities and Tony was a source of positive reinforcement. My Dad prepared his breakfast cereal with slices of banana and whole milk. Fortified with Kellogg’s Sugar Frosted Flakes and information gleaned from the Today Show on NBC and the daily newspaper (The Cleveland Plain Dealer), he looked forward to each day with incredible enthusiasm. It was a simpler time to be sure. TV now offers more than a handful of choices. The daily newspaper has a lot of competition from the internet. Tony is now more politically correct and the folks at Kellogg’s downplay the sugar content. But it is still indelible in my mind how you can start each and every day feeling Gr-r-reat!
Never mind the product. I really felt the confidence and the energy. It had nothing to do with the cereal and everything to do with the circumstances. I was lucky. My Dad was (and still is) every bit a Gr-r-reat man. There is an important message here. I hope you will also be inspired to make each and every day Gr-r-reat! Gr-r-reat! Grrr-r-reat!
Incidentally my Dad started his business, Morgan Studio, in 1951. You can ask any of his former clients, the work was Gr-r-reat because he approached his life and work with such vigor.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Victim of Circumstances
Recently, I was fortunate enough to visit the Kemper Art Museum on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis and find myself in front a Toulouse-Lautrec lithograph the artist 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.
Just say thank you.
The simple act of sending a heartfelt Thank You is a powerful thing and yet it is becoming a lost art. We forget that a personal correspondence in the mail to someone’s home might be arriving at just the right time and place to cheer them up or make them smile. A Thank You note amongst all the bills, junk mail and business correspondence is a true treat. Such a note is low cost, relatively low effort and high return but nevertheless rare and unexpected.
Instead, we expect instant gratification. The rapid pace by which we all live work and travel in our modern society changes how we do things. Social Media, electronic communication, texting, cell phones and e-mail are effective but they sometimes can be the enemy of a well-crafted message. It makes sense to slow down and turn back the clock every once in a while. Could it be the reason for the drop in the use of the conventional note as an expression of gratitude is due in part to the corresponding drop in attention to skills like penmanship, grammar and spelling?
If you went to Catholic school you may have been taught the Palmer Method of cursive writing. Developed by Austin Norman Palmer around 1888, it was introduced in the 1894book Palmer's Guide to Business Writing. It became the most popular handwriting system in the early 1900s.
Grammar is important too. Even though, people often associate grammar with errors and correctness they should also realize knowing about grammar helps us understand what makes sentences and paragraphs clear, interesting and precise.
Spelling, it seems, is experiencing a resurgence, albeit as a spectator sport. Live primetime coverage; the critically-acclaimed motion picture, Akeelah and the Bee; and the Tony award-winning musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee celebrate the tradition of The National Spelling Bee, which began in 1925. (Perhaps it is evidence that some appreciate the effort it takes to learn to spell words correctly.)
Here’s a great way to catch someone by surprise. Prepare a thoughtfully handwritten note and mail it! It is a rare pleasure to receive such a note and it could be a friendly reminder of a simpler time. A time when carefully considered thoughts were committed to paper and handwriting with language used to communicate appreciation.
Please allow me to thank you, in advance, for your beautiful note. I believe it will start a chain - reaction that will make people happy. Sincerely.
Instead, we expect instant gratification. The rapid pace by which we all live work and travel in our modern society changes how we do things. Social Media, electronic communication, texting, cell phones and e-mail are effective but they sometimes can be the enemy of a well-crafted message. It makes sense to slow down and turn back the clock every once in a while. Could it be the reason for the drop in the use of the conventional note as an expression of gratitude is due in part to the corresponding drop in attention to skills like penmanship, grammar and spelling?
If you went to Catholic school you may have been taught the Palmer Method of cursive writing. Developed by Austin Norman Palmer around 1888, it was introduced in the 1894book Palmer's Guide to Business Writing. It became the most popular handwriting system in the early 1900s.
Grammar is important too. Even though, people often associate grammar with errors and correctness they should also realize knowing about grammar helps us understand what makes sentences and paragraphs clear, interesting and precise.
Spelling, it seems, is experiencing a resurgence, albeit as a spectator sport. Live primetime coverage; the critically-acclaimed motion picture, Akeelah and the Bee; and the Tony award-winning musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee celebrate the tradition of The National Spelling Bee, which began in 1925. (Perhaps it is evidence that some appreciate the effort it takes to learn to spell words correctly.)
Here’s a great way to catch someone by surprise. Prepare a thoughtfully handwritten note and mail it! It is a rare pleasure to receive such a note and it could be a friendly reminder of a simpler time. A time when carefully considered thoughts were committed to paper and handwriting with language used to communicate appreciation.
Please allow me to thank you, in advance, for your beautiful note. I believe it will start a chain - reaction that will make people happy. Sincerely.
Golf Course Architect Sets Stage
Donald Ross vision is setting for a remarkable day in 2003
Eight years ago I had the pleasure of visiting the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. Lindsey was in college and Ben in High School at the time, but the Winter break created a window of opportunity for such a trip. Lynn and I were looking forward to some quality time as a family.
One day, we scheduled an early brunch/lunch so my son Ben and I could play the recently renovated Donald Ross Course there. Lynn and Lindsey were planning to do some sight seeing when Curly, our waiter tell us his life story. Lynn is always willing to encourage such behavior. Yeah, yeah, Curly relocated from Atlanta where he ran a restaurant and is originally from Brooklyn and blah blah blah…..and ohhh no…another waitress is drawn into the conversation because she’s from New Jersey. (Who cares? Forgive me – it’s fun to talk to people but I was hoping we’d talk to each other and catch up with what was important to the individuals in our little family unit. Call me crazy. I guess that just isn’t gonna happen on my timetable.)
Ben is getting a head cold and is sniffling. I am grateful that he’s still willing to slug it out on the golf course with me. He’s such a natural. I wish he’d play more. I just love spending time with him on a golf course. He demonstrates such confidence and poise. He insists it’s because he doesn’t really care. I know it’s because he is too cool and would hate to admit it is fun doing something – even if you aren’t the very best at it.
In the pro-shop at Grove Park Inn’s course I learn that a guy in the group behind us has scored a hole-in-one. I buy him a beer – sight unseen. Later the guy thanks me. I am happy for the guy. Ben and I have hit at least 8 balls at that short part three and haven’t even come close to the flagstick.
What a great place the Grove Park Inn is. And now I learn that it actually has a place in the history of golf. I noted earlier the picture of Bobby Jones, the golf great from the 20’s and 30’s – my hero – on the wall of celebrity guests. I have to take a picture of the Donald Ross statue and plaque in front of the pro shop.
Here’s what the plaque says:
“Golf is a gentleman’s game…as long as we keep golf a game of honor we are on the right road.”
-Donald J. Ross
Donald Ross, a founder of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, was both a playing and teaching golf professional. As an accomplished tournament player, Donald Ross won two Massachusetts Opens, placed eight in the 1910 British Open at St. Andrews, and competed in seven U.S. Opens, finishing in the top ten four times.
However, by 1910 Donald Ross had made golf course architecture his primary occupation. Within ten years, he had become the first superstar of American golf. No architects in his day had more influence on his craft. Ross transformed golf design into an art form and the profession into one for an artist.
In 1926, Ross redesigned Grove Park Inn's golf course, creating a beautiful challenge for all levels of Players. In 2002, they completed a golf course renovation project, restoring the original Ross vision to his mountain gem at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville, North Carolina.
Donald Ross had a passion and a dream and pursued it until he was the very best in his class. On a given day in 2003 a father and son enjoyed a little time together and a guy gets a hole-in-one. Thank you Mr. Ross for setting the stage for that terrific day.
Eight years ago I had the pleasure of visiting the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. Lindsey was in college and Ben in High School at the time, but the Winter break created a window of opportunity for such a trip. Lynn and I were looking forward to some quality time as a family.
One day, we scheduled an early brunch/lunch so my son Ben and I could play the recently renovated Donald Ross Course there. Lynn and Lindsey were planning to do some sight seeing when Curly, our waiter tell us his life story. Lynn is always willing to encourage such behavior. Yeah, yeah, Curly relocated from Atlanta where he ran a restaurant and is originally from Brooklyn and blah blah blah…..and ohhh no…another waitress is drawn into the conversation because she’s from New Jersey. (Who cares? Forgive me – it’s fun to talk to people but I was hoping we’d talk to each other and catch up with what was important to the individuals in our little family unit. Call me crazy. I guess that just isn’t gonna happen on my timetable.)
Ben is getting a head cold and is sniffling. I am grateful that he’s still willing to slug it out on the golf course with me. He’s such a natural. I wish he’d play more. I just love spending time with him on a golf course. He demonstrates such confidence and poise. He insists it’s because he doesn’t really care. I know it’s because he is too cool and would hate to admit it is fun doing something – even if you aren’t the very best at it.
In the pro-shop at Grove Park Inn’s course I learn that a guy in the group behind us has scored a hole-in-one. I buy him a beer – sight unseen. Later the guy thanks me. I am happy for the guy. Ben and I have hit at least 8 balls at that short part three and haven’t even come close to the flagstick.
What a great place the Grove Park Inn is. And now I learn that it actually has a place in the history of golf. I noted earlier the picture of Bobby Jones, the golf great from the 20’s and 30’s – my hero – on the wall of celebrity guests. I have to take a picture of the Donald Ross statue and plaque in front of the pro shop.
Here’s what the plaque says:
“Golf is a gentleman’s game…as long as we keep golf a game of honor we are on the right road.”
-Donald J. Ross
Donald Ross, a founder of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, was both a playing and teaching golf professional. As an accomplished tournament player, Donald Ross won two Massachusetts Opens, placed eight in the 1910 British Open at St. Andrews, and competed in seven U.S. Opens, finishing in the top ten four times.
However, by 1910 Donald Ross had made golf course architecture his primary occupation. Within ten years, he had become the first superstar of American golf. No architects in his day had more influence on his craft. Ross transformed golf design into an art form and the profession into one for an artist.
In 1926, Ross redesigned Grove Park Inn's golf course, creating a beautiful challenge for all levels of Players. In 2002, they completed a golf course renovation project, restoring the original Ross vision to his mountain gem at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville, North Carolina.
Donald Ross had a passion and a dream and pursued it until he was the very best in his class. On a given day in 2003 a father and son enjoyed a little time together and a guy gets a hole-in-one. Thank you Mr. Ross for setting the stage for that terrific day.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Thoughts on Measuring Advertising Success
Advertising works. It helps position your product. It helps build your brand. It helps consumers make informed decisions about product choices. Advertising is an investment. How are you going to measure the results? How are you going to justify the expense?
Here are some thoughts you might consider as you plan your marketing communications program:
The relationship between advertising and sales: Some suggest that brand leadership is a result of brilliant advertising. They say that advertising leads to sales. It may be true. In most cases, however, the scientific cause/effect proof is lacking. There is very little data showing how advertising works. Really.
Cash Register as Measure: Sales results alone are not proof that you are making the right decisions about advertising. Don't risk trading-off longer term goals (e.g. deep discounting might get you unit sales and market share but your brand equity will erode with the price-value perceptions longer term).
The Marketing Mix: Advertising is highly visible. It gets a lot of attention. The best advertising in the world will not overcome a poor distribution strategy or an unrealistic pricing scenario. Remember, Marketing 101: Product, Promotion, Price and Place? Set objectives after you've analyzed the environment, the competition and the relative strength of your brand. Don't let advertising take the hit for shortcomings elsewhere in the marketing equation.
Long Term vs. Short Term Goals: Brands evolve over time. Consumer trust is cumulative over time too. Brand equity is built over time. It can take years. It's okay to be a little impatient but always remember you are building something that potentially give you an edge in the marketplace.
Research Methodology: Tracking Studies monitor perceptions over time. They provide a benchmark as well as a roadmap for future communications. Take the time to design the study so you compare results against your communications goals. Focus Groups are a great way to get insight, too. They force you to make sure your message is engaging and credible. They often raise issues worthy of further study. Be careful though. Don't allow focus group panelists to become creative directors. If you let them art direct and write your advertising, you are allowing amateurs do the work you pay professionals to do.
Value of Perfect Information: Often the information you really want is either unavailable or too expensive. Ask yourself: What information will help me get better advertising? The cost/return tradeoff on original research may not payout. Consider secondary data sources.
Most of all - Be creative.
Here are some thoughts you might consider as you plan your marketing communications program:
The relationship between advertising and sales: Some suggest that brand leadership is a result of brilliant advertising. They say that advertising leads to sales. It may be true. In most cases, however, the scientific cause/effect proof is lacking. There is very little data showing how advertising works. Really.
Cash Register as Measure: Sales results alone are not proof that you are making the right decisions about advertising. Don't risk trading-off longer term goals (e.g. deep discounting might get you unit sales and market share but your brand equity will erode with the price-value perceptions longer term).
The Marketing Mix: Advertising is highly visible. It gets a lot of attention. The best advertising in the world will not overcome a poor distribution strategy or an unrealistic pricing scenario. Remember, Marketing 101: Product, Promotion, Price and Place? Set objectives after you've analyzed the environment, the competition and the relative strength of your brand. Don't let advertising take the hit for shortcomings elsewhere in the marketing equation.
Long Term vs. Short Term Goals: Brands evolve over time. Consumer trust is cumulative over time too. Brand equity is built over time. It can take years. It's okay to be a little impatient but always remember you are building something that potentially give you an edge in the marketplace.
Research Methodology: Tracking Studies monitor perceptions over time. They provide a benchmark as well as a roadmap for future communications. Take the time to design the study so you compare results against your communications goals. Focus Groups are a great way to get insight, too. They force you to make sure your message is engaging and credible. They often raise issues worthy of further study. Be careful though. Don't allow focus group panelists to become creative directors. If you let them art direct and write your advertising, you are allowing amateurs do the work you pay professionals to do.
Value of Perfect Information: Often the information you really want is either unavailable or too expensive. Ask yourself: What information will help me get better advertising? The cost/return tradeoff on original research may not payout. Consider secondary data sources.
Most of all - Be creative.
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