Remarkable Conference

AMA chapter leaders showed Remarkable Leadership in producing this year’s conference in spite of adversity, snow and ice. The weather almost resulted in cancellation but chapter leaders were determined to deliver.  It is always a challenge to produce a first rate program. It takes a lot of planning, attention to detail and execution.

Each year the American Marketing Association, St. Louis Chapter, offers a conference in February (This is the 52nd year). Students and Professionals are invited to participate in a full schedule of presentations. This year the line-up included Mercy Healthcare, Pixel Farm of Minneapolis, University of Missouri Athletic Department and bestselling writer and speaker Kevin Eikenberry (author Remarkable Leadership). The event took place at the Missouri History Museum on 2-22-13 and 100+ were in the audience. Highlights are worth noting for the record:

Master of Ceremonies, Bill Ellis of Branding for Results, hosted the conference and skillfully and gracefully. He stitched the program segments together and made it look easy.

Barb Meyer, VP of Marketing Communications and Nancy Schnoebelen, Director of Advancement Communications presented for Mercy Healthcare. A variety of less than optimal technical difficulties didn’t prevent them from telling a powerful story of managing MarCom and faith. The most devastating tornado in the country since 1947 hit Joplin in May of 2011 and Barb and Nancy reinforced the power of Remarkable Leadership in spite of adversity as Mercy recovered from the impact on their hospital which was in the middle of the tornado path of destruction.  

Elliot Robia, Market Strategist from Pixel Farm of Minneapolis showed with metrics comparing the results of campaigns for a start up firm and a film festival. Engagement needs to be the goal when social media is part of your strategy. He cautioned against being too obsessed with “likes” when it is better idea to know your audience (or as Seth Godin likes to say “tribe”).

Andrew Grinch, Associate AD, University of Missouri Athletic Department drove in from Columbia, MO and arrived just-in-time to present the story of his marketing task of rebranding the Mizzou Tigers as they enter the SEC last year. Excite & Invite: Excite Mizzou fans - A New Era Begins. Invite SEC fans to find out about the University of Missouri - Mizzou Proud to be SEC. The 90 day campaign included outdoor billboards, pay per click web tactics and, of course, social media.

Keynote speaker Kevin Eikenberry delivered a powerful presentation via Skype. (His flight into St. Louis was cancelled due to weather but he made the best of it.) Are leaders born or made? Kevin suggested the answer is “both” and that there are 13 core skills leaders can develop - outlined in his book Remarkable Leadership.  

Heroic efforts that should be noted: Justin, the A/V tech at the Missouri History Museum was running up and down with switches from MAC to PC and back, sound and Skype challenges. Pam (of Creatives on Call) managed to get Skype working on her laptop to make Kevin’s presentation even possible. Remarkable.

Box Lunches from Patty Long were served in the AT&T room adjacent to the Lee Auditorium.

Connie Zabarovskaya orchestrated the bonus offering of company tour of LockerDome and agency crawl of Stealth Creative, Drive Social Media and Manifest. A shuttle bus augmented the invitation to get up close and personal at the four firms downtown. The students and young professionals especially enjoyed the access to these companies. LockerDome provided insight into how there start-up become the facebook for your sports life, Stealth Creative shared stories of their success in advertisting/marketing for clients in Telcom, Cable and and Agriculture. Drive Social Media talked about their innovative approach to driving business to restaurants and other businesses. Manifest shared some insight into how they are managing their growth as they more than doubled in size via a merger with a Chicago based company as they continue to manage accounts in St. Louis like Post Holdings and Scottrade.   

Congratulations to AMA St. Louis on Remarkable Leadership in the face of adversity.  

Be a Remarkable Leader

Extraordinary potential exists in all of us. With the right environment, resources, skills and knowledge, ‘ordinary’ people can produce extraordinary results.

Kevin Eikenberry is an American author, speaker and trainer. He has a B.S. from Purdue University. He is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. He was named an Outstanding Alumnus of Purdue University, and he was the Distinguished Agricultural Alumni from Purdue University. He is also author of the Best Selling book Remarkable Leadership, and I am proud to report that he will be our keynote speaker in St. Louis later this month.

I first heard Kevin speak at the annual leadership summit for the American Marketing Association in Chicago last year and was delighted when he agreed to present at our conference. Kevin is a busy guy and continues to write, coach and do public speaking gigs.

The topic of what makes a remarkable leader is a fascinating one. Some would argue that there are natural born leaders in history and indeed today, and maybe that is true. But, the essence of Kevin’s message is that certain core skills of remarkable leaders can be learned. His book discusses each in some detail. The core competencies of a remarkable leader are as follows:

• Learns Continually
• Champions Change
• Communicates Powerfully
• Develops Others
• Builds Relationships
• Focuses on Customers
• Influences with Impact
• Thinks Innovatively
• Values Collaboration and Teamwork
• Solves Problems and Makes Decisions
• Takes Responsibility/Accountability
• Manages Projects and Processes Successfully
• Sets Goals and Supports Goal Achievement

Kevin often uses this as his signature sign-off salutation to his blogs and correspondence.

You are Remarkable!

The Leaky Bucket

Years ago I was involved in business development for a large advertising agency. We engaged an outside consultant and formulated a team of business unit leaders (account managers, copy, art direction, media, research and so on) to address the challenge of growing our business. The consultant introduced us to a metaphor that is a great way to look at so many business scenarios - The Leaky Bucket.

Your business is a leaky bucket, because you are losing business every day. The leaks are all of those areas that have to do with retention of existing business. It’s almost always easier to grow your existing clients than it is to win new customers. Ironically, the routine repair of the leaks that mitigate the loss of business is less glamorous. It’s about operations, customer satisfaction and net promoter scores (a measure of the likelihood that you will be recommended for additional business). It has to do with customer satisfaction. It has to do with innovation that allows you to earn repeat business. It has a lot to do with understanding the marketplace, competition and recognizing hundreds of small innovations to routine activity.

Of course the leaks prevail in spite of your best efforts. Filling the bucket is acquisition of new business. Here is where you put on your sincere suit and pitch capability. You want to play to your strengths, but you also want to feature things that will allow customers to consider your value proposition. The quest is exciting and often dynamic and creative, because the goal is to form new relationships. Winning, especially winning big, is high profile stuff. Frequently the cost of winning is significant. Ironically, it is the routine retention efforts (preventing the leaks if you will) that allows the win to pay off over time.

In summary, consider your own leaky bucket. Acquisition is important and worthy of significant investment. Retention, on the other hand, is the best and most cost effective way to grow.

Programming AMA in STL 2012-13

As AMA chapter VP Programming and President-Elect, I am proud of the efforts of our board to deliver a full year of quality programs, make connections and generally advance the study and practice of marketing and allied professions.

The American Marketing Association of St. Louis delivers great programming and seeks to promote marketing by connecting, informing, and advancing. What that really means is that we want to be better marketers, learn, network and grow as professionals. We set a goal to attract over 1,000 members and guests to our programs for the year. We are on pace to easily exceed that mark with our full calendar of planned events into June.

July 1, 2012 - Golf Outing at CCGC - Our fiscal year began as we kicked off the year with our annual golf outing at Creve Coeur Golf Course. Golfers braved temperatures over 100 degrees and others joined us for lunch-only that day.  

August 16, 2012 - The Voice of the Customer - Lon Zimmerman's presentation highlights how corporations and other organizations are finding value in Hearing the voice of the customer. Included will be examples of ways Hearing the voice of the customer has helped improve operations, sharpen marketing activities, and increase customer satisfaction and retention. Also discussed will be various methodologies being employed.

September 12, 2012 - Speed Networking  at Llyweln's Pub in Webster Groves beginning at 5:30pm. Join us for this after-hours event and meet members, guests and others interested in connecting and advancing in your profession and your career. Bring your best elevator speech and plenty of business cards.    

 

September 20, 2012 – Kraftig Launch Story Executives of the William K. Busch Brewing Company want you to know two things: They have no association with Anheuser-Busch InBev, even though their company's namesake and chairman is a great-grandson of A-B founder Adolphus Busch. And they are not setting out to make craft beers. William K. "Billy" Busch and Michael J. Brooks, Executive Advisor and partner to the company will be on hand to give you an inside look at the brewery's success since November 2011 product launches of Kräftig Lager and Kräftig Light  (pronounced CREF-tig, it is German for "powerful").

 
October 18, 2012 - Lessons from the Unconscious for Healthcare Phil Smith, Executive Creative Director of Prairie Dog/TCG with discuss how a growing body of evidence points to the unconscious as a dominant influencer of consumer behavior. Yet most marketing, particularly in healthcare, relies on traditional (conscious) qualitative research. Based on insights from recent leaders in this marketing movement, How Customers Think, Buyology, and The Culture Code, we expose gaps in current practices and illustrate opportunities with work from national brands. Join us as we expose the comical flaws in conventional focus group research and reconsider the truths in modern marketing.

November 15, 2012 - Sports Business Jim Woodcock of Fleishman-Hillard Jim leads the FH sports business practice which combines its global network with a seasoned point of view forged by dozens of professionals and decades of sports industry expertise. Senior Vice President Jim Woodcock leads Sports-related client work which includes planning and counsel to league and team executives, representation of ownership, crisis communications, branding, social media strategy, public affairs, media training, and global marketing and expansion.

November 29, 2012 - SKYFALL 007 - A special joint social event presented by the St. Louis chapters of American Marketing Association and the Business Marketing Association at the Werhenberg Five Star Lounge and Theater in Des Peres,, MO

January 17, 2013 - Stephen Reynolds, Director of Marketing and Player Development – Ameristar Casino. You can feel the excitement from miles away. Beyond the kinetic, high-speed flashing lights, the 74,000 square-foot porte cochère at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa the action inside. The stunning stained-glass skylights, 130,000-square foot casino and the Victorian design you can get insight into the latest, most popular slot and video poker machines, a wide variety of table games and one of the last live poker rooms in the market. Stephen will provide insight into marketing the  games, as well as the special player events offered at Ameristar.

February 22, 2013 – Remarkable Leadership - the 52nd Annual Conference theme at Missouri History Museum at Forest Park (Event is from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 and includes agency tours following). This year’s conference is hosted by Master of Ceremonies Bill Ellis (Branding for Results). The program will include Presentations from Andrew Grinch, Associate AD, University of Missouri Athletic Department (rebranding the Mizzou Tigers); Nancy Schnoebelen, Director of Advancement Communications and Barb Meyer, Vice President Marketing and Communications (crisis communications after St. John’s Mercy in Joplin was destroyed in a tornado in May 2011); Elliot Robia, Market Strategist from Pixel Farm of Minneapolis (Social Media); and Keynote speaker Kevin Eikenberry, author of Remarkable Leadership. After box lunches from Patty Long Catering conference attendees were invited to visit downtown firms LockerDome, Stealth Creative, Drive Social Media and Manifest.  

March 21, 2013 - Elizabeth Frantz, Social Media Editor at Better Homes and Gardens will be our speaker. Better Homes and Gardens, the magazine, is still read by more 7.5 million people. Our March speaker will share with us how the brand that began in 1922 is responding to the digital age in a big way. If you are interested in cooking, gardening, crafts, healthy living, decorating, entertaining or just want to hear about a remarkable brand and where it is headed, don’t miss this special event.

April 19, 2013 – Pew State of the Media report and panel discussion at UMSL/KWMU facility on Olive (next to channel 9 ad around the corner from the Fabulous Fox Theater). This exciting venue and format in the afternoon (4:30-6:30 p.m.) is a special joint presentation of the St. Louis Chapters of the American Marketing Association (AMA) and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) The event featured Amy Mitchell of PEW Research (in from Washington DC), Rachel Lippman (Moderator) and panelists: Denise Bentele (Common Ground Public Relations), Jim Steward (Dicom) and Jill Gainer (Hughes Leahy Karlovic).

May 16, 2013 – Filling in for Jim Holbrook, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Dan Curran of Mainifest Digital agreed to present on behalf of Post Holdings. Post is a leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of branded ready-to-eat cereals. Post has leveraged the strength of its brands, category expertise, and over a century of institutional knowledge to create a diverse portfolio of cereals that enhance the lives of consumers, bringing quality foods to the breakfast table since the company's founding in 1897. Post's portfolio of brands includes diverse offerings such as Honey Bunches of Oats®, Pebbles®, Post Selects®, Great Grains®, Spoon Size® Shredded Wheat, Post® Raisin Bran, Grape-Nuts®, and Honeycomb®.

June  20, 2013 – LockerDome founder Gabe Lozano – LockerDome is social media for your sports life and has more than 8 million users and counting. CEO Gabe Lozano started out building websites for amateur and youth sports leagues. His company, LockerDome, eventually captured the interest of St. Louis investors like Jim McKelvey, the co-founder of mobile payment Square, Jack Dorsey, Twiter co-founder and a few others and In 2013 LockerDome established an advertising partnership with USA Today. LockerDome is an amazing story of success in St. Louis.

July 5, 2013 - Golf Outing at CCGC - Our fiscal year began as we kicked off the year with our annual golf outing at Creve Coeur Golf Course. Sponsors include Creatives-on-Call, iDream Solutions, MarketVolt and Sandbox Creative. $40 pays for a full afternoon that includes lunch, golf (nine holes), cart and prizes. Lunch begins at 11:30, shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Golfer or not, guests and members are also invited to an awards ceremony and networking event at MarketVolt beginning at approximately 4:00 p.m.

August 22, 2013 – Biz Library  – VP of Marketing Chris Osborn will present Biz Library solutions to training on workplace training and development. BizLibrary is a leading provider of comprehensive learning and talent management solutions specifically designed for small and mid-sized organizations. The award-winning online content libraries include streaming videos, interactive e-learning courses, custom courses, reference materials and e-books. Additionally, cloud-hosted LMS, Performance Management and Social Learning applications help organizations streamline and simplify important talent management processes.
 

Save the dates and register on line at www.ama-stl.org. August, September and October luncheone programs are the third Thurday of each month at Maggiano’s restaurant on the Boulevard across from the Galleria. 

 

Christmas Day at Dave’s House

It’s Christmas Day and Dave Cox is entertaining his family is a fine style. He invited me to get a peek into the holiday at his home in Webster Groves and followed up text message. “Stop by for breakfast. We’re making omelets. Gene and Carol will be here.”
 
Not wanting to show up empty-handed, I quickly assembled a holiday bundle starting with the return/regift of a Sandbox backpack Dave gave me a few years ago. I added a few books from my marketing library: Eating the Big Fish by Adam Morgan, Acker’s book on Branding, Change by Design by IDEO’s CEO Tim Brown along with some random golf instruction CDs, Tarentino’s Reservoir Dogs, a water bottle from triple-A and a Book of Insults. The return of the backpack got a laugh from Dave. Unpacking for the benefit of Dave’s parents got some laughs too. Finishing big with the Giant Book of Insults. “Are you always this stupid or are you making a special effort today… Brains aren't everything. In fact in your case they're nothing…Don't let you mind wander - it's far too small to be let out on its own…” Dave’s dad is an especially good audience for such silliness.

Joyce is welcoming. Danny (Danniele) and Nicole are preoccupied with technology. A new Mini iPad tablet is a big hit. The house is decorated. The front room has a magnificent tree from the Holy Redeemer Tree Lot and the sunroom has an artificial tree that is pretty convincing as a staging area for presents. Stockings by the mantel have already been emptied and Sammy’s trip to Paris is assured. The gift is represented in French with a certificate (designed by Sandbox Creative, no doubt). The certificate will be cashed in this coming Summer (2013) – lucky girl!   

A complete set of parents (Dave’s and Joyce’s) are poised to partake in chef Dave’s omelet station with capable assist from Sammy (Samantha). Mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes, bacon and more options are on view like a TV cooking show demonstration. Dave is running the show, “Next!” Maybe Uncle Gene and Carol are ready for the custom service.

Dave’s brother Steve Cox make a cameo long enough to show off his designer cowboy boots and his brother Michael is settled-in the dining room. “You are Dave’s youngest brother. The youngest is always the best.” He responds “You bet,” as I take my leave. (Lynn and I have tickets to see the first showing of the movie adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic Les Miserables. I’m sure she’ll want to be at the Des Peres Theater early and get a good seat.)     

 

Bond. James Bond.

Author Ian Fleming and Publisher Jonathon Cape released James Bond Books and inspire a fifty year franchise of movies from 1962-2012:

Casino Royale (1953) James Bond is sent to play against and bankrupt Le Chiffre, the paymaster for a SMERSH-controlled trade union, in a high-stakes baccarat game in France.

Live and Let Die (1954) Bond is sent to the United States to investigate "Mr. Big", an agent of SMERSH and an underworld voodoo leader who is suspected of selling 17th century gold coins to finance Soviet spy operations in America.

Moonraker (1955) Bond joins M at Blades to stop a member, Sir Hugo Drax cheating at bridge. Bond is subsequently seconded onto Drax's staff on the "Moonraker", Britain's first nuclear missile project.

Diamonds are Forever (1956) Bond follows a diamond smuggling ring to America and establishes it is run by an American gang.

From Russia with Love (1957) Bond is targeted by SMERSH to be killed in a compromising situation on the Orient Express. He is lured to Istanbul by an attractive young cipher clerk, Corporal Tatiana Romanova, who claims to be defecting and bringing a Spektor, a Russian decoding device much coveted by MI6.

Dr. No (1958) Commander John Strangways, the head of MI6 Station J in Kingston, Jamaica, and his secretary both disappear and Bond is sent to investigate the matter.

Goldfinger (1959) Bond investigates the activities of Auric Goldfinger, a gold smuggler who M suspects of being connected to SMERSH and financing their western networks with his gold.

For Your Eyes Only (1960) Bond avenges the murder of M's closest friends.

Thunderball (1961) An international, non-aligned terrorist organisation, SPECTRE, have hijacked a NATO plane and seized its two nuclear bombs, which it uses to blackmail the western world.

The Spy Who Loved Me (1962) A young woman is alone, working at a motel when two thugs, hired by the owner, turn up to burn it down for the insurance.

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1963) Bond continues to search for Ernst Stavro Blofeld after the Thunderball incident. Through contact with the College of Arms in London Bond finds Blofeld based in Switzerland with a co-conspiritor, Irma Bunt.

You Only Live Twice (1964) After the murder of his wife, Bond begins to let his life slide. M gives him a last chance of redemption, to persuade the Japanese to share radio transmissions captured from the Soviet Union.

The Man With The Golden Gun (1965) Bond returns to London having been brainwashed by the Russians and assigned to kill M: the attempt ends in failure.

Octopussy and The Living Daylights (1966) Octopussy - Bond tracks down a World War II hero who had murdered his friend to steal a cache of Nazi gold. The Living Daylights - Bond is assigned sniper duty, but when he sees the sniper is a beautiful woman, he shoots the butt of her rifle instead of killing her.

Get with the Program

American Marketing Association Programming
Connect. Inform. Advance.

2012-2013

The American Marketing Association of St. Louis delivers great programming and seeks to promote marketing by connecting, informing, and advancing. What that really means is that we want to be better marketers, learn, network and grow as professionals. We set a goal to attract over 1,000 members and guests to our programs for the year. We expect to exceeded that mark comfortably with a full calendar. Join us. 

July 1, 2012 - Golf Outing at CCGC - Our fiscal year began as we kicked off the year with our annual golf outing at Creve Coeur Golf Course. Golfers braved temperatures over 100 degrees and others joined us for lunch-only that day.  

August 16, 2012 - The Voice of the Customer - Lon Zimmerman's presentation highlights how corporations and other organizations are finding value in Hearing the voice of the customer. Included will be examples of ways Hearing the voice of the customer has helped improve operations, sharpen marketing activities, and increase customer satisfaction and retention. Also discussed will be various methodologies being employed.

September 12, 2012 - Speed Networking  at Llyweln's Pub in Webster Groves beginning at 5:30pm. Join us for this after-hours event and meet members, guests and others interested in connecting and advancing in your profession and your career. Bring your best elevator speech and plenty of business cards.    

September 20, 2012 – Kraftig Launch Story Executives of the William K. Busch Brewing Company want you to know two things: They have no association with Anheuser-Busch InBev, even though their company's namesake and chairman is a great-grandson of A-B founder Adolphus Busch. And they are not setting out to make craft beers. William K. "Billy" Busch and Michael J. Brooks, Executive Advisor and partner to the company will be on hand to give you an inside look at the brewery's success since November 2011 product launches of Kräftig Lager and Kräftig Light  (pronounced CREF-tig, it is German for "powerful").

October 18, 2012 - Lessons from the Unconscious for Healthcare Phil Smith, Executive Creative Director of Prairie Dog/TCG with discuss how a growing body of evidence points to the unconscious as a dominant influencer of consumer behavior. Yet most marketing, particularly in healthcare, relies on traditional (conscious) qualitative research. Based on insights from recent leaders in this marketing movement, How Customers Think, Buyology, and The Culture Code, we expose gaps in current practices and illustrate opportunities with work from national brands. Join us as we expose the comical flaws in conventional focus group research and reconsider the truths in modern marketing.

November 15, 2012 - Sports Business Jim Woodcock of Fleishman-Hillard Jim leads the FH sports business practice which combines its global network with a seasoned point of view forged by dozens of professionals and decades of sports industry expertise. Senior Vice President Jim Woodcock leads Sports-related client work which includes planning and counsel to league and team executives, representation of ownership, crisis communications, branding, social media strategy, public affairs, media training, and global marketing and expansion.

November 29, 2012 - SKYFALL 007 - A special joint social event presented by the St. Louis chapters of American Marketing Association and the Business Marketing Association at the Werhenberg Five Star Lounge and Theater in Des Peres,, MO

January 17, 2013 - Stephen Reynolds, Director of Marketing and Player Development – Ameristar Casino. You can feel the excitement from miles away. Beyond the kinetic, high-speed flashing lights, the 74,000 square-foot porte cochère at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa the action inside. The stunning stained-glass skylights, 130,000-square foot casino and the Victorian design you can get insight into the latest, most popular slot and video poker machines, a wide variety of table games and one of the last live poker rooms in the market. Stephen will provide insight into marketing the  games, as well as the special player events offered at Ameristar.

February 22, 2013 – Remarkable Leadership - the 52nd Annual Conference theme at Missouri History Museum at Forest Park (Event is from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 and includes agency tours following). This year’s conference is hosted by Master of Ceremonies Bill Ellis (Branding for Results). The program will include Presentations from Andrew Grinch, Associate AD, University of Missouri Athletic Department (rebranding the Mizzou Tigers); Nancy Schnoebelen, Director of Advancement Communications and Barb Meyer, Vice President Marketing and Communications (crisis communications after St. John’s Mercy in Joplin was destroyed in a tornado in May 2011); Eliot Robia, Market Strategist from Pixel Farm of Minneapolis (the emerging trends in Mobile Marketing); and Keynote speaker Kevin Eikenberry, author of Remarkable Leadership. 

March 21, 2013 - Elizabeth Frantz, Social Media Editor at Better Homes and Gardens will be our speaker. Better Homes and Gardens, the magazine, is still read by more 7.5 million people. Our March speaker will share with us how the brand that began in 1922 is responding to the digital age in a big way. If you are interested in cooking, gardening, crafts, healthy living, decorating, entertaining or just want to hear about a remarkable brand and where it is headed, don’t miss this special event.

April 19, 2013 – Pew State of the Media report and panel discussion at UMSL/WMU facility on Grand (next to channel 9 ad around the corner from the Fabulous Fox Theater). In addition to this exciting venue the format will be an afternoon function from 4:30-6:30 p.m. This is a special joint presentation of the St. Louis Chapters of the American Marketing Association (AMA) and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

May 16, 2013 – Jim Holbrook. Executive Vice President of Marketing, Post Holdings Post is a leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of branded ready-to-eat cereals. Post has leveraged the strength of its brands, category expertise, and over a century of institutional knowledge to create a diverse portfolio of cereals that enhance the lives of consumers, bringing quality foods to the breakfast table since the company's founding in 1897. Post's portfolio of brands includes diverse offerings such as Honey Bunches of Oats®, Pebbles®, Post Selects®, Great Grains®, Spoon Size® Shredded Wheat, Post® Raisin Bran, Grape-Nuts®, and Honeycomb®.

Save the dates and register on line at www.ama-stl.org. Programs are the third Thurday of each month. April event with PRSA starts at 4:30 at UMSL venue on Grand Avene (adjacent to channel 9).