Blog
Where do ideas come from? The singular truth. (Post #1)
Far be it from me to try to speak for fine artists or famous novelists and the genesis of their ideas. But in the commercial creativity business called marketing communications, ideas come from strategies. A strategy is a single-minded direction. What is the one thing...
The suggestion box goes digital: Whack a mole or share a smile
Nothing beats some pure, unfiltered feedback. So I had to smile, share a smile, and go back and take a picture with my iPhone when I saw the 2015 version of a suggestion box in a financial institution’s lobby the other day. It cuts right to the chase: either they made...
A fun AND healthy event: too much to ask?
This will not be a popular post. It does not represent the views of The Management. But it is my opinion. I did not enjoy The Color Run. Gasp! There, I said it. Billed as “the happiest 5k on the planet,” this event is the run/walk where participants get sprayed...
Rebranding a Local Legend
When an institution with the history and stature of Corning Museum of Glass sets out to change its identity and add a new wing, simultaneously, it is not something to be taken lightly. It is something to behold. And, of course, it’s always interesting to learn more...
The business of banking in America is… business banking.
If 75% of a community bank’s revenue comes from small business customers, why not target more marketing at small businesses? Why not indeed. Marketing can and should support business banking. Here’s a handful of sure-fire ways to do it, along with a little candy. *...
Coming soon: your highly efficient, safer, more accurate, more engaged future
In the next 10 to 25 years, your car will get safer. Clothes might actually fit. Baseball will be a richer experience (not just for players). And you may work at several “micro-jobs,” perfectly matched to your skills and interests, rather than one full-time job....
Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage: Rockin’ in the U.S.A.
We hear demographic facts and figures every day. Sometimes we grow numb to them as they fly by. But I heard one this week that made me stop cold. Fact: 40% of all children born in America are born outside of marriage. For African-American children, it’s 70%. What?...
Glen Campbell Raises Public Awareness of Alzheimer’s
Can anything good come from one family’s ordeal with this horrible disease? When the man is Glen Campbell, how about an awareness-raising, goosebump-inducing song, farewell tour, and movie about his life and legacy? Country music singer, songwriter, session guitarist...
Financial Advising: Mind over Machine in 2015?
For financial advice on investing, and planning their retirement, U.S. investors prefer dedicated financial advisers over financial websites, 44% to 20%. That’s for investors with $10,000 or more in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, IRA or 401(k). For those with $100,000...
Social Media Ads: Sequential or Single?
Listen up! It’s time to talk about you. A new study shows that the average sequential social media ad campaign typically outperforms standard call-to-action ads. So, even though marketers are often tempted to go straight for the hard sell, it turns out that telling...