Before you dig into dinner, here are some Thanksgiving Myths and Facts, provided by National Geographic.

• Do you know what was served at the first Thanksgiving?
• Does turkey REALLY make you sleepy?
• How does a turkey get a pardon from the President?

From our family to yours, have a safe and happy holiday!

Recycling is a word we use commonly today.  We think more about our environmental “footprint” than we ever have and consciously support “green” efforts.  Segueing from paper mail to electronic seemed the natural and eco-friendly choice.  But have you ever considered the e-waste you’re producing and its potential harmful effects?

I hadn’t either until a recent presentation by Lester Lithograph on sustainability.  Paperless actually comes at a cost*, just how much may surprise you:

• 24% annual growth of energy consumption at U.S. data centers

• 62 trillion spam emails are sent every year, contributing greenhouse gases equivalent to two billion gallons of gasoline

• Over 200 million items of e-waste are thrown away every year in the U.S.

• 70% of toxic waste in U.S. landfills comes from e-waste

And most shocking of all… Reading the news online produces more CO2 per year, per reader, than reading a printed newspaper!

But it’s not all facts and figures; the idea is to find the right balance between the environment and your communications.  Design with sustainability in mind and consider all your options before making recommendations to your client.

*All facts and figures supplied by NewPage Corporation.

The nose knows

Some of my fondest childhood memories were the aromas that wafted through our house. Whether it was the honeysuckle bushes in our backyard, my parents’ home cooking or the burning firewood, certain smells transport me to a simpler time.

Today paper manufacturers are recapturing our nostalgia with scratch and sniff advertisements. The concept isn’t new; in fact, children’s books and perfume companies have long engaged our schnozes as a means of tugging at our heartstrings. But it would appear, scratching and sniffing is making a comeback in a big way.

During a recent presentation by Lester Litograph, I was privy to one of their latest magazine offerings boasting the mountain air scent of a rock-climbing ad. I admit I was taken aback and never would’ve thought to smell the paper! So the next time you’re thumbing through an issue of your favorite publication, let your nose be your guide! It doesn’t come cheap, but it definitely adds to the sensory experience, which is priceless in advertising.

For more information on this and other innovative advertising, we encourage you to contact our team!

Most of us, whether we are accountants, lawyers or creative professionals, need an outlet, which inspires our creativity. For me it has always been writing. For others art, design, gardening, cooking and sewing are popular ways to tap into the right brain. Regardless of who you are or what you do for a living, creativity is paramount to a well-balanced and happy life. Furthermore, lack thereof has been linked to depression and anxiety.

So how do you find yours if you haven’t already? Some of the best resources today are online. Without committing to any one thing in particular, browse different sites and see what tickles your fancy. Then, if you find something that you’ve always wanted to try, take a class! A group environment is a great way to get motivated and stay inspired. Finally, don’t be shy – there’s no limit to how many hobbies you can explore. So try, try again!

Finally, when you do find something you love, share it! It wasn’t until I had the privilege of blogging for Motor that writing became so important to me. It is amazing the amount of gratification a simple post brings.

Share with us, what is your creative outlet?

As marketers, our clients are ALWAYS right…  Or are they?  They tell us who they are, what they do and why they do it better.  We take that message and develop a campaign to strengthen their brand and deliver said message to their target audience.  But what if they don’t buy what we’re selling?  In other words, what happens when you have an amazing creative concept and the client sends it packing?!

First and foremost, don’t lose heart.  As previously discussed, American Beauty is in the eye of the beholder…  Art, like the artists themselves, is created by experience and circumstance.  That is what makes it so unique and why different styles of art appeal to different audiences.  Furthermore, it is our  job to present our clients with options so they have choices.  As consumers we have endless options and our decisions vary as widely as the product choices themselves.  It isn’t to say one is necessarily wrong, perhaps there is simply more than meets the eye.  Typically, as in big corporations, there is also a trickle down effect.  If someone at the top level is disapproving, even the savviest of campaigns won’t stand a chance.

So make sure you’re listening to your client, learning from them and leaving without questions.  As you develop a deeper relationship your visions will align more closely and the creative will soon follow.  Finally, reassess the client’s strategy and ensure everything is copacetic.

What do you think, is the client always right?

To continue this week’s discussion about controversial ads – here are a few more for your viewing pleasure (or pain)…

This ad was recently pulled by the Milk Board due to it’s controversial nature (that’s right guys, PMS jokes still aren’t funny…)

This ad from Google stages an “email intervention”… AOL fans, it’s officially over.

Got comments?

When Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, his quote, “That’s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.” resonated with the world. An article in The Guardian made a similar stride in the world of beauty, and even as an advertiser I have to say – this is one giant leap for womankind!

There are two issues at hand; the first being the American ideal of beauty from a cultural standpoint, the second our Constitutional rights.  Now it is true, we as a society want to look at beautiful people.  We want them to act on screen, pose in pictures and model clothes for us.  Unfortunately, however, this can be a double-edged sword; especially when you compare the rates of eating disorders and self-esteem issues in our country to other nations.  It seems the rest of the world holds the statement “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” more true.  But maybe if Europeans are pulling overly airbrushed ads from their magazines, Americans can’t be too far behind.  As a woman and an advertiser, I see both sides of the coin.

The purpose of advertising is to deliver a message, but it becomes a slippery slope when the message gets lost in the art of retouching…  So who’s to blame?  The American standard of beauty or the Advertising Standards Authority?  What do you think?

Recently I came across a saying worth repeating:

A man wakes up in the morning after sleeping on an advertised bed, in advertised pajamas.  He will bathe in an advertised tub, wash with advertised soap, shave with an advertised shaving cream, eat a breakfast of advertised juice, cereal and toast (toasted in an advertised toaster), put on advertised clothes, and glance at an advertised watch.  He will ride to work in an advertised car, sit at an advertised desk and type on an advertised computer.  Yet this man hesitates to advertise, saying advertising doesn’t pay.  Finally, when his unadvertised business fails, he WILL advertise it for sale.

So, what happens when you don’t advertise?  NOTHING.  Absolutely nothing.

With Earth Week upon us and Earth Day just a few days away, green is everywhere! And companies are leveraging their conscience to get your attention. The idea is not new, however, since the release of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ and the escalating debate over global warming, our green initiative is growing – and green marketing is making it all possible.

So what is green marketing? By definition, it is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally safe. From LED light bulbs to hybrid cars, a campaign exists to promote the features and benefits of these greener gadgets. What sets ecological marketing apart is the added social responsibility component. Buying green is actually benefiting the consumer AND the environment. So what’s the catch? The rules are a little fast and loose when it comes to the regulations on “green” and cost is sometimes a prohibitive factor, but becoming a legitimate, environmentally friendly products or services provider is certainly a win-win strategy for the future.

Things to consider when greening your campaign:

• Target Market – would your consumers find value in a greener product?
• ROI – is going green affordable and/or profitable for your offering?
• Sustainability – is a green campaign sustainable for your company?

Happy Earth Week!

Lady Gaga's Meat Dress

The word ‘different’ has somewhat of a derogatory undertone. By definition, it means, “not the same as another or each other; unlike in nature, form, or quality” and “distinct; separate.” In school, being different meant you stood out and were, therefore, a target of endless mockery and bullying (unfortunately, this seems to be more of a problem today than ever.) But forget what you think you know because in marketing, that IS the whole idea… And it’s called product differentiation.

The concept of differentiation is pointing up what it is about your product or service that sets it apart from the masses. With so much competition in every industry, it is important to figure out why you are unique, OWN it and SELL it. What are you offering that is so special? If you can’t answer this question, you better take a step back and re-examine your offering. Another way to gain valuable insight is by administering a brand perception study, whereby a survey is used to analyze the perception of your product in the marketplace. Here are a few common examples of differentiation points:

• Price
• Quality
• Features/Function
• Availability

And countless others remain. Once you’ve determined your point(s) of differentiation, select the target audience to which that distinction appeals. For example, if cost is your differentiator, target groups who value saving. If it’s quality, seek out a selection with more disposable income that value high-end items. It is important to understand your product delineation first and then target your market, rather than the other way around. If you select the wrong group, you will likely waste valuable time and resources with little to no ROI.

I like to use the example of the “Pop Princesses” Brittany, Christina, Ke$sha, Lady Gaga… And, of course, the Queen herself… Madonna. Industries unto themselves, they’ve had to find something that differentiates them. Whether it’s noticeable to the layman or not, there IS something unique about each one of them … Be it Brittany’s media stunts, Gaga’s meat dress or Madonna’s constant reinvention of herself; they’ve found a way of appealing their brand to a certain audience… all the way to the bank.

What sets YOU apart?