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Archive for May, 2010

Year-end Closeout Thoughts

So this is Christmas/And what have you done/Another year over/and a new one just begun…

Im not big on Christmas music but that John Lennon song is one I can stomach. Thats because it doesnt implore you to deck the halls with tacky lights or credit card bills it asks you where you are existentially speaking right here and right now.

Advertising people collectively are a very selfexamining and selfcritical bunch. So while youre polishing off the holiday leftovers here are some things to ponder as you begin 2008:

Is what youre doing really worth anything? How do you contribute to the world? Is our industry making the world a better place to live?

Its not an easy thing to contemplate. We all make our little Faustian bargains to pay the bills. Advertising isnt brain surgery but it isnt larceny either.

Every year someone does a survey of the most trusted professions. And ever year advertising practitioners rank down at the bottom near car salesmen. Believe me were not about to shoot up the respectability rankings when they repeat the survey this year.

Frankly though I cant think of a profession in the industrial world thats a purely altruistic endeavor. With a simple educational detour I could easily have been someone in a more respected field but with questionable motives. Like a doctor who crawls into bed with pharmaceutical companies and insurers. A duplicitous lawyer. Or a professor more concerned with my tenure track than with teaching.

Still its hard to feel that advertising really benefits the world. Clients dont really appreciate it consumers try to avoid it and on the totem pole of commercial art were pretty low. Yet were part of the free market machinery part of the cycle that keeps goods and services in demand creating jobs and wealth for some portion of the world.

Perhaps in 2008 we can all apply our skills for a good cause. I know I will.

Recently I did some work for a local organization that resettles political refugees. I wrote shot and edited a video in 48 hours having only used iMovie once before. I won’t win any awards for this like I would if I’d slapped a sign saying “LUNCHBOX” on the side of a dumpster to raise awareness for homelessness. But that’s OK. I got more satisfaction from it than anything else I did this year. A whole roomful of people clapped in appreciation when I showed the final video to the organization. That’s gotta be worth something.

Does occasionally doing good make the daytoday grind of the ad business a little easier to swallow? Perhaps. But inherently I dont think its all that healthy for ad people to walk around thinking they do a lot of good. Its okay to selfloathe a little. Creativity is borne from a desire to make the world better with our artour concepts our words our ideas that seemingly no one else can exactly reproduce. So theres always a sense of discontent. That what fuels me and I suspect it fuels most of you.

For us ad professionals I think the best thing to do is keep in mind that in 2008 everything can change and nothing at all could change. Its up to you. If you cant move your ad agency forward or your client forward move yourself forwardeven if you do it in your spare time. Youll go a lot farther without office politics dramas and processes holding you back.

2008 going to be interesting year. Weve got an upforgrabs Presidential election that promises to be wild and nasty. The Olympics will shine a light on Communist Chinawho makes most of our household trinkets and to whom we owe nearly a trillion dollars. And the economy is teetering on a precipice of subprimeinduced chaos. When I think of it in those terms the myriad of challenges facing the advertising industry seem relatively trivial.

So Happy New Year. Lets hope its a good one. Without any fear.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Branding. Religion. Censorship. Office politics. Global politics. Sexual politics. And getting drunk during a job interview.
Since 2002 Danny G. a.k.a. Dan Goldgeier has been writing the most provocative advertising columns ever published. They’re all witty thoughtful and probing and a must read for those who want a perspective rarely seen in traditional industry publications.
An Atlantabased copywriter and ad school graduate Dan has worked at shops big and small. He reads incessantly about advertising and is a whiz at rock roll trivia. Learn more about him by visiting his copywriting website or AdColumnist.com the View From The Cheap Seats Archive website. You may also find articles by Danny G at TalentZoo.com.

Great Promotional Items Ideas For The Building Trade

How will you take your business marketing strategies to the next level? For many businesses investing in promotional ideas is a nobrainer. You can find a number of incredible marketing items when you search the array of choices available at the top promotional item distributors. No matter which industry you are in you can find a great item that will promote your business in a natural effective manner.

The construction industry is highly competitive. There are a number of top companies all vying for the same jobs. Sometimes when the prices for the job are similar the company that wins the bid is the one that has gained more respect and trust in the local area. In order to advance your business you need to be sure that your company name is respected and admired.

How can you gain more trust and recognition with your construction business? There a number of great promotional items ideas for the building trade that are currently available. They might seem like little trinkets but its remarkable how much of an impact these promotional items can have for the success of your business. For whatever reason few building companies take advantage of promotional items in the ways they should. For that reason these items can go a long way in the marketplace.

One of the more popular promotional choices for businesses in the building trade is the hard hat bottle opener key chain. Available at a low cost these bottle openers are a huge hit among the men working on the construction site as well the overseers and executives alike. These promotional items wholly capture the construction industry with the safety hat and convenience of the key chain.

Want to provide a little stress relief through your promotional choices? Look no further than the construction cone construction worker safety cone or hammer stress relievers that are available online. These attractive whimsical items offer plenty of room for you to display the important information about your business. More importantly since these items are key chains they will stay with the individuals everywhere they travel. These unique items are sure to be winners among your target market. Whether your recipients are current customers or prospective clientele these promotional choices will make an impact on the people that matter the most to your business and its future success.

Your biggest goal with an investment in promotional items is to give your customers and associates something that they will remember and more importantly keep. It wont do your business any good if they just throw your investment items away in a few days. You need to choose something that the business customers and associates will hold on to for some reason.

These small key chains are the ideal choice for promotional items ideas for the building trade. Initially the key chain promotional item satisfies your companys first goal; the recipient is more likely to keep a key chain nearby. They will always need a key chain and can easily see its practical purpose. Individuals in the building industry have enough materials and other items lying around that they dont need something in their office space that doesnt have a purpose. The keychain has a clear use and is more likely to appeal to your recipients.

With all of your promotional item choices you want to ensure that there is plenty of room for your companys contact information. How new is your business? The age and established reputation of your business will play a role in what needs to go onto your promotional items. For example if your business is brandnew and you are trying to break into the building industry be sure to indicate what your company specializes in. Do you have a great new product or service that could be invaluable? Write the product and how it applies to the construction industry somewhere on your promotional item. Dont worry; there will be room. Think about writing something like XYZ Distributors Top Caulking Supplies! It doesnt have to be anything formally written or published. A few quick words will remind the item recipient what your business specializes in so they remember to use you later when they need new caulking supplies. Make your promotional items work for you.

About the writer:  Justin Blackhurst is head of online marketing at Dowlis.com the leading independent supplier of promotional items we supply everything from promotional pens to promotional mugs. Visit the Dowlis.com website for more information.

How Is Your Logo Communicating For You?

In an information age where consumers are bombarded with content your logo is essential to linking your message to your brand. Your logo puts a face on your business. Because it often influences first impressions it must practice good public relations. While theprinciple function of a logo is to identify it also communicates. If your logo is speaking to consumers what is it saying about your company products and services?

The Form of Meaning

Trying to illustrate your products services history philosophy and mission statement all in one symbol can get confusing. Communication must be clear concise and virtually instantaneous. Complex designs often obscure the message and are forgettable. Imbuing your logo with the tenets of your company can be achieved in highly stylized yet effective ways. The encircled three pointed star of Mercedes Benz for instance connotes precision balance and refinement all positive associations for a maker of fine automobiles. Apple Computers utilizes a clever and effective visual pun depicting a byte having been taken out of their logo.

All forms do not so clearly imply their meaning. Lucent Technologies controversial innovation ring was a roughhewn red circle haphazardly rendered as if in crayon. On the surface a host of powerful associations with the circle are evident; vision wholeness perfection light etc. Beyond these connotations the true meaning of the logo is more obtuse. Lucent intended an abstract representation of the Ouroboros a mythical selfconsuming serpent symbolizing the rejuvenation of life an appropriate metaphor for the companys emergence from the restructuring of ATamp;T. In this example formal minimalism while elegant failed to convey the deeper meaning rendering the mark vague. Despite this shortcoming the logo was bold and performed well as an identifier.

Eye of the Beholder

The impact of a logo depends largely on how its perceived. Perception can only be influenced not determined. In the end interpretation rests with the individual. It reminds me of a chain gang commented an IBM executive upon first seeing the now trademark horizontal stripes applied to Big Blues logo. Feelings of efficiency and speed that design luminary Paul Rand sought to convey with that now ubiquitous visual device were misinterpreted eliciting an unexpected negative association.

A Tale of Too Many Swooshes

Occasionally a brand commands so much consumer mindshare that the logo representing it becomes a product in itself. Such has been the case with the Nike Swoosh. Since its unveiling in 1972 the Swoosh has ridden a wave of innovative brand marketing that has made it one of the most recognizable logos in the world. However Nike eventually began to just over do it featuring the Swoosh ad nauseam in advertising campaigns and on apparel. Commercial saturation soared to unprecedented heights of absurdity when Air Jordan basketball shoes were adorned with 14 Swooshes each thats 28 Swooshes per pair for those of you keeping score. Consumer backlash eventually ensued. People simply got sick of seeing the Swoosh. Nike reacted with swift DeSwooshification their term unceremoniously removing the sacred symbol from everything and replacing it with a less urbane text logo. This overcompensation confused consumers resulting in brand disassociation. Nike eventually gracefully reintroduced the Swoosh in less pervasive ways. Even in exposure sometimes less is more.

Adding Excellence to the Equation

Ultimately a logos value is only as strong as that which it stands for. If the company it represents is perceived as second rate then its own strengths are diminished or even nullified. This combined with the unpredictability of individual perception would seem to relegate graphic design to a superfluous exercise. Not so. Good design is good customer relations. It educates clarifies beautifies and rewards. It rises above mere functionality and adds meaning metaphor character and beauty to the equation. Its the difference between mediocrity and excellence. Excellence begets success in business. Always strive for excellence when designing your logo its how the public will identify you.

About the writer:  Ken Peters is the owner and Creative Director of nationally acclaimed Nocturnal Graphic Design Studio LLC a Phoenixbased strategic design firm specializing in brand development and brand launch. To view samples from Nocturnal’s portfolio visit www.nocturnaldesign.com.