Slides and slippers

Reunions are a Blast From the Past

2009-04-20T21:03:00.002-04:00

A friend of mine recently commented that reunions are like funerals with everyone gathering to mark the passing of youth, not knowing what to say or do. This past weekend I headed to my high school class 37th reunion wondering if his prediction would come true. Would I recognize anyone? Would anyone recognize me? What topics will be discussed - old times or new? Perhaps both.

The reunion was a blast from the past - and it was terrific.
Yes, we talked about old times. Yes, we did the "where in the world is......." game. The very first person I ran into was a friend who had traveled with me to London the summer between 8th grade and freshman year of high school to see another friend of ours. That was an amazing trip - four 14 year-olds let loose in London for a couple of weeks! It would never happen today.

We remembered those who have passed away and talked about those who have been put away. Both sad situations. We laughed about extra pounds and lots of gray hair - or no hair at all! The yearbooks were brought out and we groaned at mini-skits, plaid pants, go-go boots and long hair parted in the middle.

37 years disappeared in a heartbeat.

Where are you? What are you doing? How are you parents, brothers, sisters? The brave spouses who attended were gathered into the group with open arms. Tales were told, mostly true, and at the end of the evening promises were made to visit, to stay in touch.

That will be easier these days, unlike when we had our 11th reunion (we never did do things normally). We've already exchanged email address, found each other on facebook and shared photos with those who couldn't make the party. I've got a new group contact in my address book - NVOT 72. I plan on using it often.

Brand Management Part II

2009-04-04T15:49:00.001-04:00

Branding Impacts Future Growth

Notice that I’m now using the word branding which is the integration of your brand promise into every aspect of your organization. A solid, consistent branding program effectively communicates your company’s brand promise. This can grow the size of all of your audiences; help you make marketing decisions; and shorten response time to your marketing messages.

Your brand is reflected in everything from the quality of your products and services, to your marketing strategies, to your choice of communication media, to your working environment and organizational culture.

Your brand enables you to build recognition and loyalty among your audiences in a memorable way and give staff a sense of belonging to a team.

Brand loyalty – one of the keys to an organization’s sustainability – is earned by the consistent presentation of your brand and everything that your brand implies.

The benefits of an effective brand strategy, though not always immediately apparent, are substantial and, in the final analysis, worth the time and resources required to implement.

Brand Management – It’s every day and it’s proactive.

Your brand is an asset, manage it as you would any other on your balance sheet. You already evaluate your company annually – determining the best way to effectively deliver products and services and maximize your resources. The same principle applies to your brand. Are you investing in your brand? Are those dollars being spent effectively?

Do you have a brand steward? This person is responsible for assuring your brand promise is true, consistently communicated and understood by all audiences. Everything that comes out of your organization is examined to see if it meets the test of brand effectiveness. Everything.
Printed materials, your website, your office furniture, how staff responds to clients – everything is a reflection of your organization’s brand.

Do you have a Director of First Impressions? Yes you do. It’s the person who answers the phone or responds to an email. It is one of the first experiences someone may have with your brand and is critical – don’t overlook it.

Brand Myths and Pitfalls

Myths:
Branding and marketing are one and the same.
Marketing and advertising sell products and services
A brand is a reflection of everything associated with the organization including the quality of the organization’s work, as well as it’s reputation, staff, leadership, culture, core values, and programs.
A brand is an organization’s DNA.

Once you have a logo and a tagline you have your brand.
Nope, they are just part of the brand integration.

Branding is the responsibility of the marketing staff.
Nope, it is the responsibility of everyone in the organization.
From board members to support staff.

There isn’t enough budget for branding.
Branding creates affinity for your organization, ensures loyalty, minimizes competition, creates confidence, “sells” the public on your company.
Strong branding creates returns and is worth every penny spent.

Pitfalls:
Stagnation.
“We’ve been around 30 years, everyone knows who we are!”
Ask around, you might be surprised.

Misalignment.
Not delivering on your promise. It only takes one misstep to destroy a relationship.

Not asking for help.
Is this your area of expertise? Probably not. So call in the experts.

Never evolving.
For example, have you embraced technology – how does it fit into your brand?

Dismissing branding.
“It doesn’t matter if the logo is green – it looks better that way.”
“We’ve got a logo and a tagline – what more do we need? “

What is your brand promise?
Ask Yourself (Better Yet Ask Someone Else)

1. What is your brand promise?

2. How is your brand perceived by your audiences?
Reputation – how well is your brand known
Values – how highly does your audience rate your values
Emotional Connections – does your audience care about your brand
Differentiation – how is your brand different from others

3. How is your brand experienced?
Internally – employees and staff, your family and friends
Interested Parties – board, investors, vendors and suppliers
Externally – customers and community
Media – traditional, internet, bloggers

4. How do you communicate your brand?
Marketing and advertising
Public relations
Internet marketing/website presence
Board orientation
Employee manuals
Vendor relations

This is a basic brand audit and it will provide invaluable information and, likely, some surprises. We live our brands every day and our perception may not be the same as the marketplace. If you are surprised by what you hear, you have work to do.

A Brand is a Promise

2009-01-26T19:17:00.002-05:00

The newest edition of ebizinsider is out - http://www.ebizinsider.com/category/marketing/

Check out my article on the brand promise.
(reprinted here)

Mention the word brand or branding and you’ll probably see some eyes rolling. After all, everyone knows what a brand is right? It’s the type of shoe you buy and the peanut butter you eat. It’s the logos and colors that, without a word, represent a company. It’s the “Just Do It” and “Do No Evil” slogans that describe exactly how an organization operates. Right?

Well yes, and no.

A brand is a living thing. It has a heartbeat. It does not exist in a vacuum. It is the core of an organization. The logos, slogans, mission statements and management strategies are tangible iterations of the brand, manifestations of the core values of the company. So, what is a brand?

A brand is a promise wrapped in an experience.

It is a promise made to your employees, your customers, your investors, your vendors and suppliers. A promise implies that a trust between two entities has been established. Expectations and a sense of security or reliability grow from that trust. Break a promise and you destroy a relationship.

Thus the experience anyone has with your organization must reflect your promise. Every experience, every time. This is at the heart of marketing your organization, company, even yourself. So stop rolling your eyes and read on.

Why Brand Matters

Your brand is an intangible asset that occupies some of the most expensive real estate in the world – a very small niche in your customer’s brain. As human beings we respond to brands because we need to distinguish one thing from another in order to process information. One study after another tells us what we already know – we are bombarded by information in an endless, noisy stream every day. A strong brand promise allows the brain to selectively recognize and absorb a message.

The most consistently delivered brands are the ones people respond to.

The most consistently delivered brands communicate clearly.

The most consistently delivered brands are the ones people understand, know and trust.

How Do People Absorb a Brand?

Values

A brand is a promise and an expression of the core values of your company that creates expectations. When those values are in concert with the audience’s, a connection is made and attention is paid.

Emotional Connections

Your brand creates relationships based on shared beliefs. When emotions are triggered (joy, anger, indignation, exhilaration) by your brand promise the resulting action (purchase, donation, activism) is strong and determined.

Loyalty

This is often seen in the nonprofit world. People who become involved with a nonprofit brand see the world in a certain way and look for organizations that agree with that position. They want to join others who value and want the same things they do. For them, the brand promise must be absolutely clear and true.

Reputation

Branding occurs outside of your company – in the marketplace – so be careful what you promise. Remember, your brand is not a role. It is the core values of your organization delivered in every experience. Audiences who know you by reputation may never actually interact with your company, but they have an opinion nonetheless. You are not in control of how you are perceived which means your brand must never waver – this will only create competing messages in the marketplace.

Inspired Advocates

You can’t develop brand loyalty through creative advertising, or by developing a brilliant logo or theme song. It comes from being true to your promise. It’s that simple. Brands that don’t deliver on their promise create catastrophic, negative word of mouth. Brands that consistently exceed their promise create Inspired Advocates who will sing your praises near and far.

60 Degrees - It's All Relative

2009-01-16T10:55:00.003-05:00

It's 13 degrees in NEPA right now. That's a heat wave compared to the single digits that have been the norm the past week. School delays for cold, not snow, occur each morning. No one wants to go outside but theydo as it is the reality they must deal with at the moment.

In Sarasota Florida, the temp will top out around 60 today. Local newscasts are focused on the effect of overnight freezes on crops, people are walking around in heavy fleeces and no one has braved the pool at the resort.

No one but the folks from "up north" who are walking around in shorts and sandals, soaking in the sunshine and talking about calling home to make sure the pipes haven't burst.

It's all relative.

Where you are - physically, mentally, geographically, spiritually - filters how you perceive the world. It's the reason two people will look at the same painting with different appreciations; the reason we can remember the words to one song but not another; the reason we identify with an author's words, a doctor's words or a friend's words.

So very often, marketers forget this simple idea and create brand messages that are "one size fits all" without regard to who is listening. In an effort to sell more product or sign up more users, the value of the brand is diluted to the point of meaninglessness.

A brand is a promise wrapped in an experience. That promise needs to be true and clear. It needs to resonate with your audience. Every interaction with your organization must be a reflection of your promise. This is not what you do - it is how you do it and why it matters.

Then remember you have no control. It is all relative. The perception of your organization is in the hands of those who meet you and there is some truth to the saying "you only get one chance to make a first impression."

$6 Bottle of Water

2008-12-19T16:14:00.001-05:00

The folks at Solid Cactus let me write an article for their ebizinsider magazine. Check it out!

What Am I Forgetting?

2008-12-11T20:32:00.003-05:00

December 11th and I'm done. Everything is either bought or ordered (and should be arriving shortly.) This weekend I'll wrap it all; we'll put up the tree and write the Christmas letter. We'll address the cards and slap on the stamps. The cookie recipes will be pulled out and ingredients bought.

So why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?

We've been on email and the phone with family, coordinating the times and places of our holiday gatherings. The hotel rooms are booked, the bus and show tickets for New York purchased, and games have been dug out of closets.

So what am I missing?

We're ready for the bank party on Monday, the company party on Tuesday, the concert on Wednesday, dinner in honor of Pop (we sure do miss him) on Thursday and the school party on Friday.

Did I forget to put something on the calendar?

We've been watching the holiday specials - Charlie Brown and the Scrooge are favorites. The Christmas cds have been playing in the office, the kitchen and the livingroom.

So what am I forgetting? I know. Taking time to call a friend and just catch up. Stopping to watch the look on little ones' faces when they see Santa. Listening to the choir singing favorite carols - and singing along. Remembering that a gift of a smile, a hug, a shoulder to lean on is worth more than anything bought in a store.

I haven't forgotten. I hope you don't either.

Tis the Season

2008-11-30T17:03:00.002-05:00

Many people feel Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season and the hangover of New Year's Day the ending. Some use Black Friday (or Cyber Monday) as the true start of the season and the "returns" weekend after Christmas Day as the finale. I would like to add another way to look at the punctuation of the holidays.

The holiday season begins with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and ends with the Rose Bowl Parade. Coast to coast, through party after party, eggnog and champagne, food and gifts - it is these two events that bookend the season.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a tradition unlike any other. Bands, balloons, floats and the arrival of Santa are televised across the country. Marching bands from as far away as Hawaii raise funds and make the trip to be part of the biggest turkey day event in the world. This year's parade included the Fred Hill Briefcase Drill Team and a new Keith Haring "Heart" Balloon. But my favorite was the Awesome Original Second Time Arounders - a marching band with members from 18-81 years old. The only requirement to join is that you marched with a band in high school or college. How cool is that!?

Santa brings up the rear of the parade making New York City one of the last few cities in America that waits until Thanksgiving to welcome the jolly old elf into town and to light up the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center a couple of days later.

Yes, the season of giving is now officially in full swing. And in 30 shorts days it will be all over. For those of us on the east coast it is followed by three months of grey, snow, ice and frigid blowing winds. No wonder we like to watch the Rose Bowl Parade as we sip our Bloody's on New Year's Day! All of those flower petals, the bright California sunshine, the smiling queen and her court - it's almost too much to handle. But it also is a reminder that those flowers will once again bloom in NEPA, the sun will come back to warm us and instead of shoveling snow we'll be putting in mulch and planting our gardens.

So Happy Holidays everyone! I plan on enjoying them fully. I began on Thanksgiving Day listening to Arlo Guthrie's Alices Restaurant and I'll end it with Auld Lang Syne as we watch the ball drop. Whatever your traditions, take time to enjoy them - and share them!

Who are you?

2008-11-25T21:13:00.002-05:00

Everyone is talking about the economy. People who never cared what the DOW did each day and who don't even own stock have been glued to CNBC to see what is happening minute by minute in the markets. Stress is rampant which could make for an even tenser holiday season - no not the shopping but the visits to Grandma's with crazy Uncle Fred.

For organizations, whether for profit or non, the stress is real too. Staffs are being cut, plans put on hold, orders reduced. Nonprofits realize their traditional public funding sources are drying up and individual donors may not be able to fill the gap. So they too are assessing their programs and looking for ways to cut costs. Unfortunately, many times, marketing is the first thing to be trimmed from the budget.

You might expect me to say - NO! Don't cut your marketing! It's important to stay out there so that when the market rebounds you're the first one to reap the benefits. But right now that may not be true.

Instead, now is the time to refocus your marketing. Who are you? What is your brand message? In difficult economic times it is even more critical that you can answer these questions easily and clearly.

You've heard me say - A brand is a promise wrapped in an experience. That is true no matter what the DOW or funding sources do. To survive, to grow, you must be sure your brand promise is being delivered consistently. You must be certain that every experience someone has with your brand carries the message.

Take this time of uncertainty to be introspective AND innovative. Revisit your media channels. Are they be best ones to reach your audience or has your audience changed? Are your products and services fulfilling customer needs or are there new/different needs that you may have missed? Ask What If questions. Ask Why Not questions.

Prepare to take advantage of the changes that are coming and the best way to do that is to be bold.

76 Years and Still Kicking!

2008-11-20T16:47:00.002-05:00

The Rockettes are amazing. Talk about a brand! These ladies have been part of the New York City scene since 1932 and while the show has been updated over the years, the Rockettes have stayed the same.

Radio City Music Hall is a New York institution and nevermore so then at the holidays when they put on their Christmas Spectacular. My sister remembers when our Granny would take us every year to see the show. We'd be standing in line in the cold and Granny would pull her inside her fur coat to stay warm. It was a grand adventure for us - the place was a palace, the organs on either side of the stage were huge, the scenery all sparkly and the Rockettes were perfect.

Not much has changed! Yes, the show now has a 3-D scene (Santa tells you to put on those glasses and jump on the sleigh with him - sort of like those rides in Busch Gardens or Disney; and a scene where a double decker bus looks like it driving down 5th Avenue to Central Park... But you know that at some point in the show the Rockettes are going to line up and swing around in that straight line like ice skaters; dress like wooden soldiers and slowly fall across the stage; and of course, line up and do those high kicks in unison. And they don't let you down.

The manger scene is also still iln the show complete with live animals and flying angels.

There is nothing else like it anywhere else in the world - this is the quintessential New York holiday show. If you don't leave the theater smiling and ready for the holidays, well then bah humbug to you!

New Year's Resolutions

2008-11-10T20:57:00.002-05:00

Sure why not? What's the rule that resolutions can only be done on December 31st? Does that mean the rest of the year we're not supposed to make changes in our lives? Doesn't seem quite fair does it? Plus, it puts an awful lot of pressure on a person to have to commit to making changes in a post-holiday doldrum.

Companies do this too. They make marketing plans, create strategic plans, build budgets and prepare projections at the end of the year. Most of the time this is done in the last quarter amidst the stress of meeting year end projections and the company christmas party.

But I digress. Here are what my resolutions aren't - it's not to lose weight, it's to eat right. It's not to go to the gym every morning, it's to be active every day. It's not to read the great novel, it's go join a book club. It's not to get more sleep, it's to take a nap if I want to.

As a great american once said - I am what I am. So why do resolutions at all? Because we have to keep growing and part of that is challenging ourselves to learn something new, try something different, see just how far we can go out on that limb.

Companies can do this too. And should.

So I guess I'll be going to the gym in the morning.

Facebook me

2008-11-06T10:23:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I'm a dinosaur, let's get that on the table right now. I'm in the 50+ plus group on the surveys now and I completely understand the need for naps in the afternoon.

But I'm also a learner. I listen and pick up trends that way. It used to be in a group like the one today at the Nonprofit Summit, you'd see business cards being exchanged and the conversation ended with "Call me." Technology has now intervened and URL's and email addresses are traded with the admonition to "Email me."

But recently I've been hearing something new. "Facebook me." As long as you know someone's name you can search for them on Facebook. (Of course you need to have your own facebook page to really communicate and be "friends"). Not only will you find their contact info - that's just the beginning.

You can read about their favorite movies, vacation plans, dreams and achievements. Write on their "Wall", leave them a message. Join a group together, set up an event.

This is truly an amazing place to connect. Facebook me!

Nonprofit Summit

2008-11-06T09:48:00.002-05:00

We're off to a good start this morning at LCCC. I just finished presenting a session on ROI for Nonprofits and I'm not sure if I scared people or excited people.

ROI is not usually associated with the nonprofit world, but, as I said in the session, nonprofit is a tax status and not a business model. These days donors - aka investors -want to know their money is not only supporting the mission of the organization but is also having a direct impact.

Well I'm off to introduce John Dawe from Solid Cactus who is doing a session on Social Media for Nonprofits. Interesting.....

VOTE VOTE VOTE

2008-11-04T09:36:00.000-05:00

And that's all I'm going to say.

Obama

2008-10-29T20:44:00.002-04:00

How can you not be moved?

I don't normally write about politics or discuss my leanings. But these are not normal times - for so many reasons. The world changes on 9/11, the rules changed too. We've come to the realization that global is not just a buzz word, it's reality.

What we do affects others - every day. What others do affects us. With the power of the internet reaction, response and sometimes revenge can happen in an instant.

Our economic challenges are the world's. We cannot ignore other countries and cultures, cannot stamp our feet and say it must be our way, cannot refuse to talk to our neighbors - here and abroad.

Barack Obama is a thinker, a compassionate man and a futurist. He is also a listener, a healer and a mediator. He is what this country needs right now.

I've heard him compared to JFK and I must admit I remember the day JFK died but not a lot more about him so I don't know if the comparison is valid. From what I've heard and read, JFK was able to reach out to a wide group of people, gather smart people around him and even with self doubts made decisions that moved this country forward. I believe those attributes apply to Barack Obama and we are ready for another "Kennedy era."

Watching the 30 minute ad tonight I was amazed. You are not human if you were not moved by the stories that were told. Yes, I know it was dramatically produced with music and footage that propelled the story along, but it hit home.

I want my children to be able to keep going after their dreams. I want to keep going after mine. Barack Obama will lead the way.

Snow is a Four Letter Word

2008-10-27T22:13:00.002-04:00

I heard it. I saw it on the forecast. Snow.

Yes, I know it's late October and it's really not all that unusual to see snow flakes. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. I only last weekend gave in and put the sandals away and got out the flannels.

The first snow of the season. It will probably look pretty covering the leaves that are still on the trees. They leaves haven't given up yet so why should I!

This will be the first winter where I will be working from my home office where I can look out the window next to my computer and watch the change of seasons. The trees have been spectacular! But watching the snow will be a different story. It will silently fill the crevices of the roof lines; catch on the window ledges; and turn the lawn full of frozen weeds and grass into an opportunity for snow angels. Sounds wonderful doesn't it? Sure, as long as I'm inside toasty and warm and not trying to drive anywhere in it.

Of course I could be living in LA. Our son tells us it's a little weird to be driving on the 405 and have helicopters dropping water on the fire lit mountain right along side. At least snow melts.

C

They Blew It

2008-10-19T20:42:00.002-04:00

Last night we experienced one brand that delivered on it's promise and on that didn't even come close. We were headed to the Elton John concert at the Wachovia Arena, but first decided to go to dinner at the recently opened Portofino Restaurant.

Portofino bills itself as an upscale Italian restaurant. They spent million converting a Boston's into a swank new place. The colors are warm and inviting, there's an open hearth where the oven brick pizza is made, the bar is cool (only two televisions at one end), etc. I had been there once before and had a so-so meal, but our friends had not yet eaten there so we thought - perfect! We'll grab dinner and then make our way almost next door to the concert.

Big mistake. We had reservations at 6 p.m. and arrived on time. It took 10 minutes to seat us and it quickly became apparent that management had underestimated the crowd. The place was full - but the staff was undermanned both on the floor and in the kitchen. It took another 10 minutes for the harried waitress to take our drink order.

We finally ordered - pizza as an appetizer and simple main courses. Then we sat. And sat. And sat. The people at the next table who had been seated after us got their meals (although we noticed the woman's chicken was pink inside and she refused to eat it.) By 7:30 we told the waitress we were leaving - hungry and angry.

We cornered one of the two owners who were walking around in matching velvet jackets and told him what had happened. I don't think he got itl. As we walked out we saw three other tables with people in simlar states of starvation. They all were getting ready to leave.

Now this concert was advertised and advertised so the restaurant had to have known they would be busy. Either they are novices and don't know what they are doing, or they have spent so much on renovations they can't afford to hire enough staff. Either way they have destroyed their brand.

It would have been better if those owners started delivering meals.....

On the flip side, the concert was terrific! Elton John packed the place and he delivered. It mattered not that he no longer can hit the high notes. We all forgave him because he connected with us by having a good time singing the songs we all know and love. The man can still play that piano and though his costumes have become relatively tamer, the embroidered and sparkly tux with tails was pure Elton. He is his brand and he certainly delivered on his promise.

We enjoyed it immensely, and it (sort of) washed away the fiasco of earlier in the evening. But I will admit to some stomach grumbling as we left the Arena (Elton played for almoset three hours!).

C

Zappos Really Means It

2008-10-13T07:47:00.002-04:00

Zappos.com claims to be focused on customer service - and only customer service. It wouldn't matter to them what they are selling, they want to be the best customer service store on the web, period. Well, they've made a believer out of me.

My husband bought a pair of Sebago's from Zappos about four months ago. He has a hard time finding shoes in wide widths and Zappos had them. The ordering went flawlessly and they arrived almost the next day.

Yesterday he put on the shoes and the seam just below the laces had pulled apart! He had not worn them a lot as he spends most of his time in a suit and tie with dress shoes. Needless to say, he was disappointed.

We thought, well maybe Zappos can help and called them. Not only did they help, they did it without question! The fact that the shoes fell apart wasn't their fault but they immediatley sent us an email with instructions on how to send them back and the UPS sticker to use.

Rather than a refund we elected to take a store credit - you can be sure we'll be back on Zappos.com!

Catherine

Solid Cactus Boot Camp

2008-10-09T11:52:00.004-04:00

Solid Cactus is a cool company. The people obviously enjoy what they do, they are expanding in an exponential way, and they're located in an old high school building complete with the old gymnasium and chalk boards.

They've invited me to participate in their client boot camp today. These folks have been here for three days picking the brains of the Solid Cactus pros about SEO, pay for click marketing, emailing programs - you name it. I'm co-presenting with John Dawe, marketing manager about branding and strategic planning. Our presentation will be a little different than others as we're going to be talking about an asset that doesn't necessarily show up on the balance sheet - but is critical to long term sustainability - their brand message.

This is a second day of presentations for me. Yesterday I facilitated a session at Prudential on Diversity in Marketing. It was part of their month long series on Diversity at Pru - how the company focuses on attracting a diverse workforce and reaching out to diverse potential clients. The group was great! We looked at selected print ads from companies like Mastercard, the New York Times, Kodak and Ogilvy designed to recruit diverse employees. The group talked about their reactions to the ads based on their own perspectives and were interested to hear their co-workers input.

We then looked at a series of Prudential print ads. Old hands at this point, the participants looked at these ads with new eyes. We talked about things they could do in their own workgroups to encourage inclusion - and there were some wonderful ideas! My thanks to them for letting me be part of the afternoon.

Catherine

2008-10-07T20:14:00.001-04:00

Walk, Talk, Breathe

2008-10-07T19:29:00.002-04:00

Those are the three things we're told to do to alleviate stress - and who isn't feeling stress at the moment? Go for a walk and get some fresh air. Talk to a friend - or a stranger. Breathe. It seems we forget to do that when we're tense.

I'd like to add a few more suggestions.

Take a nap. When I am really stressed, I find if I close out the real world for just a little while I can return to reality with a new outlook. Of course walking from the Land of Nod back into the World of Chaos tends to make this short term solution seem more like a waste of time rather than a sensible course of action.

Look at old photos. Your high school yearbook or the family reunion shots. No matter what happens in life, you will always have family and friends - no really, I mean it. Yes, I understand they may be causing the stress you're feeling, but the world would be a much quieter and sadder place without them. Look at those photos and smile.

Remember two things. First, worrying about things over which you have no control is futile. Second, unless it's fatal, it's no big deal.

We Did It!

2008-09-20T14:27:00.008-04:00

It's Saturday and I'm just getting back to normal - whatever that is! Slept all day yesterday and may take a nap this afternoon, but I wanted to put up some final photos from the presentation Friday morning to all of the nonprofits.

Domestic Violence Service Center - the powerpoint showed the visuals for the video and Catherine read the script as we presented it.

Carole Reinert - PAWebDoctor (second from right) - coded and presented the Housing Association and Development Corporation's new website. It goes live shortly! Tom Panatieri -Corcoran Printing ( in hat) designed it.

We collaborated on the name for the Meals on Wheels of Northampton County's new catering service - Elegant Eats. Then Amy George (not in photo) went to work on the copu.

James Luft - Corcoran Printing (with the beard) and Valerie Horchos - Wyde Eyed Design Studio (to the right of James) collaborated on the design of the logo, brochure and order form.

James also updated their current Chef's Pack brochure!

Sure made us all hungry!

Catherine wrote the copy for the Jewish Family Service Endowment brochure and Tom designed it and the campaign letterhead.to go with it.

Volunteers in Medicine received a patient brochure (that will be printed in English and Spanish), a presentation folder and four inserts!

Dawn Leas - redj (not in photo) did the copywriting and James did the design.

Ballet Northeast 25th Anniversary "Company to Company" campaign brochure was written by Karen Martin - Spectrum Creative (not in photo). Tom then took over to design the piece and the accompanying campaign letterhead.

Ask Tom about those ballet steps he was practicing!!

iSPORTS is the name we came up with for the Greater Pittston YMCA' s program for Teens.

Catherine wrote the copy for the self-mailer and Doug Martin - Turtleboy Productions (not in photo) did the design.

Cat's Pajamas received four direct mail postcards. Catherine wrote the copy and Valerie found the terrific photos and graphics for each one. Her designs should really get the postcards noticed!

Once I consolidate all of the files from all of the various thumb drives I'll put up the final design pieces so everyone can see them close up. Thanks again to everyone who helped this year - and to Kurt and Kate of NCAC who opened their doors and turned over the conference to us.

See you all next year!!

7:30 And there are Gremlins in the Computers

2008-09-18T12:10:00.010-04:00

Can't quite figure out why a file looks right on one computer but doesn't on another - but never fear, we will be ready by 9 a.m.

Valerie has been printing, trimming and cutting all of the final pieces. Catherine has put the Domestic Violence Service Center video into a powerpoint to simulate the end product. And Carole has the HADC website up live and running.

Hard to believe we're coming to a close......

These Guys Are Good

2008-09-18T12:10:00.009-04:00

We've got Micheal Jackson - Thriller - playing now - need to have some upbeat music playing at 1:30 a.m. And we're hitting the chocolate (the cookies, the tootsie rolls, the chocolate covered raisins) and coffee hard at this point. But I have to tell you - these guys are good.

So far the troops have created:
A 25th Anniversary "Company to Company" Capital Campaign Brochure for Ballet Northeast.
A iSPORTS brochure/mailer for a new YMCA teen program.
A Elegant Eats brochure/order form and magnetic sign for Meals on Wheels along with an updated Chef's Pak brochure.
An Endowment Campaign brochure for Jewish Family Services.
Four direct mail post cards for Cat's Pajamas.
A patient brochure for Volunteers in Medicine along with a presentation folder and four inserts.
A video script and storyboard for the Domestic Violence Service Center.

And Carole's still coding the Housing Association and Development Corporation website.

Each of these pieces is unique, interesting and amazing. The designers are so talented!!

We can't wait to show every one later this morning!

A Sneak Peek

2008-09-18T12:10:00.008-04:00

Midnight and the pieces are really starting to come together. Here's a sneak peek.

We're getting ready to start proofing - although doing that at this time of night is always risky. Then we'll print out the final pieces and mount them on black boards to show everyone when they arrive at 9 a.m.

More later......

Chugging Along

2008-09-18T12:10:00.007-04:00

The projects are coming along just fine - and we've had more visitors and volunteers show up!

Doug is working on the Pittston YMCA project. Carole is still coding and has decided to go into her own world - notice the headphones!

Speaking of music - Pandora contacted us! We told them we were creating a CreateAthon mix with everyone's favorite stuff and they've been in touch to say what we're doing is cool! Thanks Pandora! You're really helping us keep up the energy!

Santana!!

Catherine and Valerie have been working on the Cat's Pajamas and Jewish Family Services.

Here's the braintrust in the corner. That's our friend Emily Christ in the middle there - her mom Beth took a bunch of these pictures.

It's now 9 p.m. and we're getting close to finishing a couple of the projects. Next blog we'll start showing you some of them.

5 O'clock!!! Oh Noooooooo!

2008-09-18T12:10:00.006-04:00

How did it get to be 5 o'clock already?

We've had lots of visitors and volunteers stop by - Lou Ciampi from Independent Graphics dropped in to check on us and has volunteered to print the postcards for Cat's Pajamas! Thanks Lou! Amy is here too - working on copy for the Meals on Wheels brochure that James is designing. We won't let any cats out of the bag yet - but we've come up with a great new name and logo for the program.

Ballet Northeast brought lunch and then snacks this afternoon! Domestic Violence Service Center brought lots of munchies and salsa (Carole's in heaven) and pizza is about to be delivered courtesy of Jewish Family Services! Needless to say we are all going to gain about ten pounds in 24 hours!

So far, the script has been written for the DVSC the initial designs for the Volunteers in Medicine presentation folder is complete, Dawn has completed the copy for the VIM brochure and the Ballet Northeast Company to Company 25th Anniversary Campaign brochure is well under way.

Karen is working on Ballet Northeast's brochure copy.

CreateAThon 2008

2008-09-18T12:10:00.002-04:00

Hi all!
CreateAthon 2008 is underway! This year we're using the office of the NCAC Nonprofit & Community Assistance Center so it took a little time to get all the equipment brought in - and of course all the food and supplies!

James and Tom took charge of setting up the wires and getting us all on line - it looks like a spider's web but we're all cabled together. Valerie has the music playing from Pandora on her computer and we've been rocking to Motown and the Eagles.

Yes, we are actually getting some work done too! Catherine is working on the script for the Domestic Violence Service Center, James is starting on the Meals on Wheels brochure while Tom is deep into the Ballet Northeast 25th Annual Campaign brochure, Valerie has taken on the Cat's Pajamas direct mail postcards and Carole is coding the Housing Association and Development Corp website.

We'll get to the Pittston YMCA, Jewish Family Service and Volunteers in Medicine a little later!

Meatball Sundae Mixup

2008-01-15T07:38:00.000-05:00

I recently purchased Seth Godin's newest book, Meatball Sundae. His books are always a fast, interesting read and by the time I have gone through them a couple of times the pages are dog-eared, there are notes in the margins and yellow highlighter throughout.

So it was with great gusto that I began the book. Then a strange thing happened. At around page 42 (the end of a chapter) I began to feel some deja vu. Had I read an excerpt somewhere before and this was it? Did I read this in the introduction? I stopped. Went back. It wasn't my brain going off the deep end, I was indeed reading the same words again.

The book repeated pages 9-42. Then picked up again on page 79. How strange! Was this done purposely? Was Seth trying to make a point? After all, here he was using a "meatball" way of communicating his message (a book!) as he was talking about how marketing products, ideas and services has changed. Was he pushing me to go to his website? To read the book online?

I returned to the Tudor Book Shop (my favorite local bookstore, cafe, gallery in Kingston, PA) where I had purchased the book. They went to the shelf to replace my book and found the other copies of the book with the same repeated and missing pages! A conspiracy? A conundrum!

A few days later Tudor called to let me know a replacement copy of Meatball Sundae had arrived with all the pages in the right place. Mystery solved. It was simply a printers error.

But for a while it was fun to think something more interesting was afoot.

On to the next!
Catherine

Do Kneecaps Have Sweat Glands?

2008-01-09T08:58:00.000-05:00

The 50 + conversation continues. Last evening I was out to dinner with women friends in the same age bracket and I mentioned my most recent thoughts about marketing to boomers. This quickly led to a discussion of the many faces of menopause.

Each of us had different experiences. Mood swings were the bane for one. One took an herbal remedy. We all had stories of hot flashes but the biggest question of the evening was -do knee caps have sweat glands? One of our group sweats profusely around her knees every time she gets a flash. Knees? Yup. Just goes to the point that each of us is unique - even when we're talking about something that we all experience.

Our discussions quickly moved to updates on our children and our careers. The New Hampshire primary brought politics to the table. We talked about taking care of our parents and getting ourselves back to the gym.

We marveled at how warm the weather had been and that led to a discussion about how much sunshine we need in our lives. A new study came out saying that sunshine is GOOD for us. Last week it was evil. One of our group actually prefers cloudy days - as she say - everyone expects you to be happy when the sun is shining. When it's cloudy they don't! That drew a laugh.

Each of the women sitting at that table were accomplished in their fields, intelligent, caring, funny and interesting people. We're travelers, readers, concert goers, etc. This is who marketers need to talk to - so perhaps they ought to join us for dinner.

Let me know your thoughts
Catherine

50+

2008-01-07T07:23:00.000-05:00

Over the past few weeks I've encountered several instances where age was front and center - in particular, people my age. Yes, I'm the 50+ group. I've moved up on the survey boxes (you know, the ones that break down age by groups) and my doctor is now insisting that I get that colon check.

It began with a project for a client that is creating a "back to school" collaboration of the various colleges in our area aimed at boomers and seniors. There is a difference in these two groups and the client was looking for a way to reach both audiences. As we did some research on the subject we found marked differences in how these groups read, learn, react and perceive themselves as consumers. (We ended up creating a brand name for the collaboration and when it's launched in May I'll let you know if it strikes a chord.)

An article in yesterday's New York Times titled "Six Decades at the Center of Attention, and Counting" clarified the boomer buyer even further for me. According to Blaine Branchik, an associate professor of marketing at Quinnipiac University who has studied the history of selling to the elderly - "Seniors, particularly baby boomers, each believe they belong to a market segment made up of exactly one person. Many believe the only thing they have in common is that they are all so unique that they have nothing in common."

Wow. There it is in a nutshell. We also still believe we are invincible and why not? We are becoming bionic men and women. Knee replacement, hip replacement, face lifts and viagra. We're good to go for twenty more years. Don't you dare call us old!

So why are there so many ads talking about ailments that come with age? Bladder problems and constipation lead the lists (and often the ads run back to back). Arthritis and osteoporosis? We're not listening! If we have issues with these ailments we're more likely to check them out on WebMD or talk with friends. We will make our own decisions thank you.

Retirement planning? Hah! We're going to be working for a long time because we can and we like it. Born in an age of self-exploration, we will continue to look for new avenues of adventure. Retirement homes will never be the same - trust me. We'll be living in grand old homes, sharing communal areas and taking turns making dinner. Sounds like a bunch of hippies on a commune doesn't it -well think about it! We may enjoy some of the finer things in life (a good Merlot rather than Boone's Farm Apple wine) in our new digs, but we will still view ourselves as unique, counter-culture beings .

A final note. When the college collaboration I mentioned earlier told us about their launch event in May I had a hard time keeping my thoughts in check. You see, they are holding a event on a Friday from 9 -3 with presentations on the types of courses that will be offered. And the day kicks off with a speaker sponsored by AARP. I am their target market - but I am not going to take a day off from work to attend an orientation session. And I really don't want to be associated with AARP. I'm hoping this group will create a website will all the information I need to attend a class and an easy way to sign up on-line.

Let me know your thoughts
Catherine

Mexican Turkey

2007-11-12T21:03:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Okay, the kids will tell you that I'm a little nuts when it comes to Christmas too, but Thanksgiving is four days of watching the Macy's parade, eating too much, watching tons of football and yes, starting the Christmas decorating. There are no pressures, no gifts to worry about, no over the river and through the woods. My biggest worry is trying to get all of the items on the dinner menu to be ready at the same time! (Don't get me started about the 50 year old stove)

This year is a little different. Our family and my brother's family (that's 8) plus two friends and a cousin (that's 3 more) are all going to Cabo San Lucas for Thanksgiving week. Sun, sand, snorkeling, ATVing, golf, suntanning - what could be better? No phone service, no grey Pennsylvania days, no daylight savings time darkness. As I said, what could be better?

Actually this isn't the first time we've all gone away together for Thanksgiving. We've had Talkin' Turkey in Tampa I and II. And Breakin' Bread in the Bahamas. All wonderful family gatherings with tons of laughs, silliness and storytelling.

But there has always been one constant. The turkey.

When my son Harry heard we were going to Mexico for the holiday the first question was - will we still have a regular Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, dressing, sweet potatoes, dressing (you getting the idea?) I assured him we'd be dining on drumsticks as always. And there'd be enough dressing for seconds.

We leave on Saturday. I can't wait.

Catherine

Writer's Strike

2007-11-02T08:58:00.000-04:00

I've been watching and reading news reports about the potential writer's strike on the west coast. An article this morning in the New York Times, Writers Set to Strike, Threatening Hollywood, summed up the possible impact - not only on writers and studios, but on all of the ancillary businesses that feed the movie machine.

A cleaners who processes 2,000 costumes a day. A nursery that supplies the plants needed for those jungle scenes. Caterers. The only company that doesn't seem to be dismayed at the thought of a strike is Starbucks - since all of the unemployed actors, productions assistants, props people, etc will need some place to hang out.

The issues surrounding the strike are important. Like the music industry where artists and studios have seen changes to the way their art is delivered, downloaded and shared, the movie and television industry is facing the same challenges. Should writers be compensated when their words appear online or on a cell phone?

I fall squarely in the writer's camp. Writing is what I do. It's my job and I deserve to be paid for my creativity and ability. It is my choice to give my words away or sell them. It has always driven me crazy when I hear people say they copied a movie DVD or downloaded songs from a share site. Someone wrote that, created that. You have just taken food out of their mouths.

I have another reason to be watching this strike. Our son Harry graduated from Syracuse's Newhouse School in May, moved to Burbank, and is trying to make his way as a film writer. He knows full well that it is a competitive business and it won't happen overnight. He has taken non-writing jobs to pay the bills as he pursues his dream. A possible strike directly impacts his choices. It also affects his roommate Dennis who is a production assistant on Two and a Half Men. Once they run out of already written scripts, he will be probably be layed off.

Does the industry need to look at new ways to structure compensation. Yes. Will the conglomerates that own the studios look beyond bottom line to the backbone of the industry - the people who create what's on the screen - and protect that asset. It remains to be seen.

One final note. The writers may have to go on strike, but that will not keep them from writing. It's in our blood. It's how we think and understand the world. If writers stopped writing - the world would be a very sad place.

Clogs - No, not the shoes

2007-10-26T09:10:00.000-04:00

Scott Donaton recently wrote a column for Advertising Age where he coined the phrase The Clog - or Column Blog. As he said in his column - "What I don't get is why bloggers seem so hell-bent on establishing a clear set of rules around what does and does not constitute acceptable blogging practices. One of those being the idea that you need to update your blog at least once a day, preferably more. Says who? Posting for the sake of posting is absurd."

He goes on to say that his blog "When Trains Fly" is such a Clog and that he will only write when he has something to say that's worth his readers' time.

Amen! And today I'm adding Speedos, Slides and Slippers to the Clog category. Like Scott, I promise not to be so infrequent in my blogging that you wonder if I'm alive, but when I do blog I hope it will have some interest to you.

This question of how often to blog is one I often hear from clients. It's usually followed by the words, "But I don't have time for that!" That's when the conversation takes a step back to a discussion of the purpose of the blog. Is is a corporate blog? A volunteer blog (our clients are mostly nonprofit organizations)? Just general musings on the world? There is so much conversation around this topic that I have decided it will be the topic of my next Green Sheet (our version of a white paper).

So, I'd better start writing.

Catherine

Prime Time Women

2007-10-15T07:56:00.000-04:00

About a month ago (yes, I know I've been blog absent for a few weeks) I read a blog that talked about Prime Time Women. This was the phrase the writer used to describe women 50+ with plenty of resources, strong convictions and who make up a large part of the present economic market. These are women to whom attention must be paid!

Prime Time Women. I like the sound of that and I know many of them. When they adopt a project they commit to it fully. Read on.

Last week I was involved in a pilot program called YouAreYou, an all day session held for 10th grade girls focused on improving self-esteem. The girls attended sessions called Uniquely You, Circuits and Static (internet bullying), Money Talks, Knowledge is Power (legal issues), There's A Better Way (self-defense) and Healthy Relationships. The afternoon sessions had them listening to Rabbi Kaplan on Happiness and watching RYOT (Rally Youth Organized Together) socio-dramas. It was a full day and there was definite "girl power" in the room. Our hope is they discovered something about themselves and discovered some tools they can use everyday.

Will these girls become Prime Time Women? That is the hope of Rose Tucker who wrote down the idea for this event one night when she couldn't sleep. She'd been thinking about the obstacles young women face and how much harder it is than ever for young women to feel good about themselves, especially in the tough teen/high school years. A trailblazer and mentor herself she approached her fellow Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber Athena winners and laid out her plan. The Athena women immediately jumped on board. Knowing their small group of 21 women wouldn't be enough to manage a project with 400 girls, Rose also approached the Circle 200 women CEO's and they, too, became part of the project.

Talk about Prime Time Women. This group used their resources to find the best presenters, locate a site, and raise the dollars needed to get this pilot program off the ground. They established The Athena Fund at the Luzerne Foundation so that donors could make a charitable contribution. The have agreed to be mentors (big sisters) to any of the girls who ask. Many volunteered their day to help greet the girls and shepherd them to sessions. These are women with careers, families, other volunteer responsibilities - it just proved the old adage. "When you want to get something done, ask a busy woman."

This group is already planning for next year.

We're Done

2007-09-14T05:41:00.000-04:00

And amazingly it's only 5:45 a.m.
Actually this is not a good thing as we need to stay awake for three more hours before our nonprofit groups show up and the unveiling occurs!

This will be my last post as my fingers just aren't responding to my brain's directions anymore. We'll put up visuals of all of the projects next week for all to see.

In the meantime, thanks for coming along for the ride! See you next year!

Catherine

3:45 a.m. 3:45 A.M.!

2007-09-14T03:38:00.000-04:00

My last post mentioned some folks who came to visit - now we have the pictures to prove it!
Here's Jenn - our massage therapist friend. Her magic fingers helped up keep on typing!

I also mentioned Beth's daughter Emily and exchange student Marina. Here they are on the slide - yes we do actually have a slide in our office going from the great room on the second floor to the reception area on the first floor. And yes, we use it all the time!

Another friend - Flinn - arrived later this evening. He's a website genius and Carole quickly grabbed him to ask about a coding issue on the GAIT site. It's fixed and the site is almost done! Thanks Flinn.

Another marshmallow fight broke out. I think we're going to be finding mini-marshmallows in nooks and crannies for months to come!
The smartest one of our bunch is Fred. Check it out.

It's Ten O'Clock - Do you know where your projects are?

2007-09-13T22:25:00.000-04:00

We've all had our massages (thank you Jenn!) and now we're ready to refocus and get back to work!

But we've had so many visitors - Dr. Mellon and his class from Misericordia stopped by and we showed them what we've been doing all night.
The class had lots of questions for me, Amy and Doug about what we do at the agency, what our background is and how we came to be part of cds creative.

Dr. Mellon's class joins us every year and we always happy to see them.

Carole's daughter Katie came to visit.
Our friend Rod Gereda and his daughter Arisa stopped by with Girl Scout cookies.

Emily and Dan (daughter and husband of Beth) along with their exchange student Marina came by with monkey bread and brigadeheiro - yummmmm!

Shaf (Catherine's husband) dropped in with Dairy Queen - ice cream sandwiches and dilly bars.

Are you sensing a theme here - if you show up you better bring food.

Amy's friends stopped by including her one from Arizona!

Jim from Corcoran Printing joined us and has designed the new Dressed for Success brochure.
It looks great and we really appreciate his help!

He's also helping us with the Family Answers displays by printing out large size pieces for us when he gets to work at 5 a.m. Friday morning.

Thank you thank you!

So far we're still all smiling

Pizza Has Arrived!

2007-09-13T16:54:00.000-04:00

Thank you Candy's Place! They have provided us with dinner this evening - pizza! (and salads!)
And a big basket of candy!

Everyone had their fill - even Carole's "horse." Seems the hobbyhorse also stole Carole's glasses. But never fear - Carole has at least three more pairs hanging around her neck.

See? Carole is working on a website for GAIT, a group that provides horseback riding as therapy. Doug created a new logo for them and while Amy writes the copy, Carole is coding away!

Karen has been working on the display boards for Family Answers. There are five of them, each focusing on one of the programs this organization provides in the community. She has two computers going at once!

More later!

Some Scenes and Silliness

2007-09-13T14:25:00.000-04:00

Yes we are working on projects, but I thought you might like to see a few photos of the crew.

We started this morning bright and early at 8 a.m.! That's Carole, Karen, me, Amy, Beth and Doug. Oh and, Fred - doesn't he look great in his CreateAThon t-shirt? This was taken outside in front of our building. We're looking pretty wide awake aren't we?

Here's our schedule for the morning and so far we're on target.

We've tested out our new toys - marshmallow shooters and Doug has become quite adept at catching them in his mouth -

And our friend Mike Gorga from Megcomm Digital Filmakers stopped by to take some shots for a CreateAThon "reality show" video that we'll post to our website when it's all over.

After another post lunch brainstorming session we're all back at the computers working hard.

More later!

1:30 and We're Well on Our Way

2007-09-13T13:31:00.000-04:00

This is my first project of the day - a brochure for an historical (200 year old!) Meeting House that is actually only a block away from our office.

As I read the history of the building, the first structure used as a house of worship in Northeastern Pennsylvania (built in 1807) I noticed names that appear in many ways in our community - on buildings, street signs and parks. This is an area rich in history!

The building is unique in architecture but is now in need of restoration. Hopefully, this brochure will help tell the Forty Forty Meeting House Story and raise needed funds.

Amy has bee working on this brochure. Dress for Success is a terrific organization that helps women who are getting into the workforce and do not have the means to purchase clothes for their interview a selection of interview suits - at no charge.

Of course to do this, they need resources. A space, funding, donations of many kinds. Amy is creating a message that will resonate with all types of donors.
Look how hard she is working -

More later....
C

CreateAThon 2007

2007-09-13T08:26:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's CreateAThon time again. Twenty-four hours of creative madness culminating in, what we hope is, terrific marketing materials for the six nonprofits chosen this year.

They are:

Candy's Place
The Forty Fort Meeting House
Dress For Success Lackawanna
Family Answers
GAIT
National Student Partnership

By the time we're done there should be a website site, brochures, displays, a marketing campaign, internet newsletter and banner ads, posters and print ads. I say should be, because who knows what will happen - we're not used to all nighters.

Okay, the marshmallows are flying (we have new marshmallow shooters!) and we're about to start our first brainstorming session.

More later!
We'll be posting photos on our website all day (and all night long) at cdscreative.com so check it out. Email us! Call us! Stop by!

Sir Who?

2007-06-05T08:21:00.000-04:00

It doesn't happen often, but when it does it at first depresses, then amazes me. This morning I stopped for coffee at Starbucks. I'm actually a Dunkin Donuts fan, but I wanted to pick up the new Paul McCartney album. I like Sir Paul and I find it interesting from a business and cultural perspective that this CD is being released through Starbucks.

I order a large (yes, large not venti or whatever they call a large coffee) black (yes, just black - no latte, mocha, half this or that) coffee and I pick up the CD. The young woman behind the counter gives me my coffee, picks up the CD and says, "This is a big deal isn't it? I didn't even know who he was until this morning."

AAAAACCCKKKK!

Not know Paul McCartney?

I held my hand to my chest and told her, "Please, please don't say that to anyone else my age today." Now I know I'm old (just ask my kids) but I find it very hard to believe that someone would not have heard of Paul McCartney - if only because of his very public divorce and his ex being on Dancing with the Stars! Doesn't she read the tabloids?

Okay, I'm probably over-reacting. But it occurred to me this is a symptom of something larger, a lack of a sense of history in our lives. New is revered. New music, new gadgets, new art, new videos on YouTube. (no one sends dumb jokes anymore - now it's links to dumb videos.)

This is not necessarily a bad thing. New discoveries have enhanced society over and over again. What's missing is perspective. New comes from old. There is a connection that can be very powerful.

I attended a Breaking Benjamin concert this past Saturday night. I go to a lot of concerts (again, just ask my kids) but I had never seen anything like this. The young (20's) crowd arrived totally drunk and got drunker. Fights averaged one per minute. Beers were thrown (they closed down the beer stands) and there seemed to be a complete disregard for others. But when the music started the crowd become one large head-nodding sing-along group. Even though the lyrics were being screamed rather than sung, this group screamed along and knew all the words. There was a connection.

That connection is no different than the Beatles' screaming fans. We knew all the words. We sang along. But I am wondering if, 40 years from now (it was the 40th anniversary of the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band this past weekend also) Breaking Benjamin will still be screaming? And will they have learned another word for f##k?

Thank you Sir Paul.
On to the next! Let me know your thoughts.
Catherine

Graduation

2007-05-21T07:13:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe, but we are now the proud parents of two college graduates. Our younger son strode across the stage at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University convocation last weekend receiving a glorified "trapper keeper" instead of a diploma. Yes, he did actually graduate, but the diplomas are mailed later.

It was easy to spot him on Saturday as he and his pal Frank managed to be the last two to walk across the stage. On Sunday at the all school ceremony he was easy to pick out again - those dinosaur feet were easy to spot.

All during the ceremonies, if you listened carefully, you could hear the click click of text messages being sent. To Mom and Dad in the stands. To friends present and not. A game of "text tag" was started and continued throughout the speeches, pomp and circumstance. In an instant there were critiques of the speakers, jokes about last night's parties and plans made for the next ones.

This group is amazingly connected. Needs to be connected. Touching base all the time. They will stay together as they move on into careers and life. What a wonderful thing that is.

But I hope they also take time to pull their noses out of the cell phones and computers long enough to see what is happening in the world around them. They have passion for what is important to them and they share that instantaneously. As they join the "real world" it is my wish for them to make a difference there. They can do it.

Harry heads cross country this week to find his fame and fortune in LA. He and his friends plan to head straight out, driving four days for eight hours a day. I'm hoping they slow down and enjoy the ride.

Meanwhile Dad and I will figure out what will need to be shipped.

We're proud of both of our sons. They are good men. We can't wait to see where their lives take them next.

NFL Draft

2007-05-01T07:54:00.000-04:00

The NFL draft is over. Finally. Did you watch? Even for a couple of minutes? Millions did and therein lies a mystery - why?

Do we think that by watching we can somehow influence the decision of our favorite team, or perhaps our team's arch enemy? Is that why Radio CIty Music Hall was filled with booing and cheering fans?

Perhaps it's because at the end of last year we said, "Wait 'til next year." The draft is the first step towards "next year" so are we watching and hoping our words will ring true?

Is it the drama of watching when a player will be chosen - what round? what pick? by what team? Did you feel bad for Brady Quinn? And better when the commissioner moved him to a private room away from the cameras?

And how about Wisconsin lineman Joe Thomas who decided to go fishing with his dad instead of getting dressed up and heading to NYC. He knew he'd be drafted. He knew he had no choice of team and it really didn't matter. Fishing did.

I'm going to keep an eye on him. He's in Cleveland.

Then there's Mr. Irrelevant, Ramzee Robinson. The last player to be drafted after two interminable days, he has become a celebrity of sorts. In June he will receive the Lowsman Trophy, Irrelevant Week's answer to the Heisman.

So, why am I spending this morning opining on the NFL draft? Am I a huge football fan - not really although I will admit to being a Giants fan. Do I really care which player signed with which team? No. What is fascinating to me is the impact of sports on the psyche of this country. Lives revolve around it from Little League to high school basketball to college football to the professional level.

Heck, during the last winter Olympics fans watched curling at 2 a.m. and then talked about it at the office the next day. Are we crazy?

On to the next!
Catherine

2 Degrees

2007-02-06T08:35:00.000-05:00

This has been a very strange winter. Until this week, temperatures had been bearable. There hasn't been any snow to speak of. The sun has actually been shining. As I said, not the typical Northeastern Pennsylvania winter where we see gray for months - in the sky and on the ground as the snow is pushed to the side and speckled with road salt. People are already talking about spring.

But it's still 2 degrees out this morning. Two degrees.

We hurry from house to car. From car to office. From office to meetings. From office to the store. From store to home. We nod to each other in greeting as our mouths are covered by scarves. We tend to look at our feet hoping to avoid an icy fall and miss seeing the world around us.

I think this is one reason the SuperBowl has become such a social event (second only to Christmas by some reports.) Watching the game or the commercials isn't the point. We head out the door bundled up. We arrive, unwrap and reconnect! It's a celebration that coincides with the end of football season (yes I know the ProBowl game is next weekend) but more than that, it signifies the halfway point of winter. We're going to make it!

One friend of mine says the SuperBowl is the signal to get out his golf clubs and head to the indoor practice range. He says, unless you're a hockey or basketball fan, it's Tiger on the screen on Sundays.

I'm still looking forward to March Madness. Go 'Cuse." And my thoughts are already turning to baseball now that we have the Yankees in our own backyard.

But today it's still 2 degrees. Two degrees.

On to the next.
Let me know your thoughts.
Catherine

Liar, liar, pants on fire

2006-09-28T11:26:00.000-04:00

Please, please make it stop, Last night I thought I'd actually sit down and watch some of the new shows on TV this season (and check in on Dancing with the Stars - can you believe Jerry Springer is still one of the contenders?) My evening was ruined by the thousands (okay maybe not really) of awful, nasty, slam political ads that innundated every commercial break! Aaarrrrrgghhh!

I'm Joe Schmo and I approve this message." Well they should be ashamed of themselves. Why on earth would I want to vote for anyone who behaves this way? Their mothers must be cringing. What happened to, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Maybe that should be the litmus test to determine what gets on the air!

Now, I'm a reader. I read the newspaper, look at supposed non-partisan websites and blogs, have interesting discussion with friends. I want to make an intelligent choice when I go into that voting booth and start clicking on the screen. But I know that most people don't do that kind of research. They believe what they hear and see on the screen. Boy is that scarey.

Let me know your thoughts.
Catherine

The final stretch

2006-09-15T04:15:00.000-04:00

The water pistols have made an appearance!

How did Doug get two of them?

Looks like Carole got caught in the crossfire!

The Writers are done

2006-09-15T02:03:00.000-04:00

I don't know about Amy, but I am fried! I'm typing but it's starting not to make much sense! Fortunately I think the writers - Amy, Lauren and I - are just about done.

Now it's all in the loft's hands. A scarey thought.

What a Tangled Web we code

2006-09-14T23:43:00.000-04:00

This is the web intern. As Carole says, he bearly does any work and keeps drinking her Dunkin Donuts Coolatta every time she's not looking!

Carole and Flinn talk in tongues - geek speak. They could be making it all up and we'd never know. They stare at screens full of strange symbols and letters searching that one (*&$(*&#(_@*& one that is messing up the site. It could get pretty funny as the night goes on!

And speaking of funny - what on earth is Doug doing?

Nine O'Clock and all's well

2006-09-14T21:06:00.001-04:00

This is Doug. Doug just loves to torture us from the loft where he hangs out. But never fear - Amy and Lauren have loaded up their water pistols and are hitting their mark!

So far tonight Doug has created the design for the Women in Construction site, the Wilkes brochure and the Keystone Greyhound poster. Such a busy boy!

We've had tons of visitors and we thank the Times Leader and WBRE for stopping by and helping promote the CreateAthon and the nonprofits we're working for.

Okay, back to work!
Catherine

So many projects, so little time

2006-09-14T16:16:00.000-04:00

It's awfully quiet here at the moment. Everyone is concentrating, coding and copywriting. We've landed on a theme for the Symphony Hall campaign and had a visit from one of our local newspapers.

Seems everyone is moving right along except me. I try to concentrate on the 6th Street Shelter Fundraising campaign, but then I get sidetracked by a phone call from a client, an IM from my kid and someone squirting me with a water pistol from the loft! Geez!

(This is Lauren proofing copy)

The 6th Street Shelter is a compelling story. It's a place of rest and refuge for families with no home to call their own and no other option. It's a place where families can stay together and have some sense of "normalcy" as they work through a tough time in their lives.

So, no more whining. I'm getting back to work!

A Slice and a slice

2006-09-14T13:34:00.000-04:00

This year's CreateAThon will be remembered for its inauspicious start - Beth slicing her hand open with an exacto knife. Two hours and 5 stitches later she's back and ready to roll!

So we rearranged our schedule - got the tagline for Wilkes Alternate Spring Break done and the websites for Maureen's Mission and Women in Construction started.

Now it's lunchtime! Time for a slice of pizza courtesy of Symphony Hall in Allentown. (No sharp knives for Beth!)

More later.....

Catherine

And So It Begins. CreateAThon 2006

2006-09-14T07:43:00.000-04:00

It was a dark and stormy morning.... Okay it is dark outside and it is drizzling.... We are about to embark on our fifth annual CreateAThon, a 24 hour work session to create 14 projects for 6 non-profits in our area. That's right, we're going to pull an all-nighter and by tomorrow morning we will have created two websites, three brochures, a capital campaign, two logos and tag lines, a marketing campaign, two billboards and two PSA's.
It's a way for us to say thanks to the community and give the nonprofits some much needed and much appreciated marketing tools. We received 40 applications this year. The groups we chose are Keystone Greyhounds, a dog rescue group; Wilkes University Alternate Spring Break, a group of students who volunteer rather than party over spring break; Symphony Hall, a beautiful performing arts center in Allentown; Maureen's Mission, one man honoring the life of his wife by spreading the word about cancer; 6th Street Shelter, a home for homeless families in Allentown, and the New Orleans Chapter of Women In Construction. (Every agency involved in CreateAThon across the county today has adopted a nonprofit in New Orleans.)

I'll be posting updates throughout the 24 hours with photos of our work in progress. You can also check out the CreateAThon link on our website home page. Let me know your thoughts.

On to the next!
Catherine

What I did on my summer vacation

2006-09-05T08:45:00.000-04:00

Well the summer's over. Gee, didn't it fly by? Seems like yesterday the kids were getting out of school. Wasn't much of a summer - we had so much rain. It was so hot we just couldn't enjoy it......

Sound familiar? It seems the Labor Day Weekend has impact beyond being a three day weekend. Everyone (and I mean everyone) joins the "summer's over" conversation. Some sigh. Some smile. Some look forward to a more routine existence. Some rue the loss of laziness. No other holiday has as much impact on our psyches except perhaps those "milestone" birthdays.

For the record. I love summer - heat and all. And it certainly was hot this summer. Our family vacation took us to Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island this year. We headed out to play miniature golf one afternoon and by the time we were finished we all needed to take showers! Now, miniature golf is not a strenuous activity (even in our competitive group) but we were soaked through with sweat. Even the pool water was warm! But it was a great time sandwiched between one son's internship in Toronto and the start of a first job by the other.

Ah yes, Toronto. Through the Newhouse School at Syracuse our younger son Harry had an internship there as a production assistant on the next American Pie movie - The Naked Mile. To say he enjoyed himself would be an understatement. And I think he learned a few things too. The movie goes straight to DVD on December 26th and from what we understand he might have actually made it into the movie! I think we'll preview it before we show it off to the family.....

We traveled to Toronto to visit with Harry and his buddies but our visit was cut short by a threat of a flood back home. We got word the river was going to hit record levels and hit the road! By the time we arrived the evacuation was mandatory and the streets eerily empty. We moved all the stuff we couldn't replace to higher ground and left to bunk in with friends. Fortunately, the new dikes held and we returned to move it all back the next day. But it certainly puts things in perspective - what's really important? And where is that disaster plan at the office?

Our older son George joined the real world with a job at SAIC. He accepted the job, found a place to live, started the job and moved in the span of 10 days. The corporate world is still an enigma to him but he's among folks who speak his language (geek speak.)

Have you been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Ya gotta go! We stopped there on our way to Toronto (yes I know that's not exactly on the way) to see a good friend of mine who is the Director of Development at the Hall. I could have spent the entire day there - and more! The Dylan exhibit was phenomenal. I'm going back as soon as I can.

And speaking of music, we ended the summer Sunday afternoon sitting on the dike in Kirby Park listening to the Beach Boys - the final event of the City of Wilkes-Barre Bicentennial celebration. It was fun, fun, fun. (now why aren't those guys in the Hall of Fame?)

On to the next.
Catherine

What's in a Name

2006-06-06T15:17:00.000-04:00

A number of people have asked what the title of this blog means. Speedos, slides and slippers? Let me explain.

A number of years ago I was forced to actually have an employee manual by the PEO that was handling our payroll and benefits. I balked. After all I had started the company because I didn't want to work in the corporate world anymore and "rules to work by" just smacked of everything I hated about the cubicle world, But they insisted and sent a very nice HR person to help me through the process.

At one point, after she had asked about vacation time (of course, whatever they need!) and annual reviews (only if I have to) she inquired if I had any rules in the office. I wondered if she meant something like "No running with scissors" or "If we run out of it put it on the shopping list" or (my favorite) "No Whining," but she was serious. I thought about it and said, " The only office rule at cds creative, inc. is You have to wear shoes when you meet with a client." Now it was her turn to balk. But I won, You see, we all tend to walk around barefooted here. Our office is an old home and we tend to be very relaxed. So where do the slippers fit in? It gets cold in the winter!

The slide? We rennovated the building in 2003 adding a large room to the second floor and lofting it up to the third floor. Previously we had all been on the first floor and a tenant occupied an apartment upstairs, Some discussion started that we'd have to be running up and down the stairs all day and why didn't we get a fireman's pole? We thought some more and realized we're almost always carrying things with us, so why not a slide? A yellow, spiral, playground slide? When we told our contractors they just shook their heads and when it arrived they had to take out the front windows to corkscrew it into the building. Now we can slide from the "Great Room" upstairs into the reception area to greet visitors and vendors who almost always ask if they can try it too! It has become our signature - oh you're the guys with the slide.

And finally, speedos. I'm not sure I want to get into this too deeply. Let's just say it takes someone with great confidence to wear a speedo and I'll leave it at that.

Let me know your thoughts. catherine@cdscreative.com

On to the next!
Catherine

Power of the People

2006-06-02T16:30:00.000-04:00

I recently read an aticle in the Business 2.0 June issue about Unconferences (The Do It Yourself Conference by Kathleen Craig.) These are conference that are free but limited in attendees; agendas are made up on the fly; and apparently there is only one rule - If you're neither learning from nor contributing to a group discussion you must walk to another one (Harrison Owen's Law of Two Feet.)

What an amazing idea! We've all been to conferences where we've either had minimal presentation choices or two we want to hear scheduled at the same time. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have input on the topics based on the expertise in the room? As the aritlce notes, " At traditional conferences, the most productive moments often occur in the corridor between meetings; at unconferences, attendess like to say, it's all corridor."

This is just one more example of the power of the people. We're controlling content more and more every day. Wikipedia. Tivo. Ipods. Blogs. Youtube. We no longer have choices, we have control. In general, I think it's a good thing with one caveat. We shouldn't assume the role of expert if we're not.

I can certainly control Tivo, an Ipod and this blog. I can do it without any formal training or expertise (don't tell anyone.) But I would never presume to make an entry in Wikipedia. If I attended an unconference would I suggest topics for discussion? If I had some expertise in the conference overall pupose, sure. But if I'm really there to learn I'm not going to suggest topics, I'm going to listen.

Power of the people is a wonderful concept until the bullys show up. Now in most cases the rest of the group can overcome a bully and correct a error in Wikipedia or uncover an alterior motive. But we all have responsibility to look out for each other in this brave new world of content control. I'm willing. Are you? Let me know your thoughts. catherine@cdscreative.com

On to the next
Catherine

Been Busy

2006-06-01T16:47:00.000-04:00

Yes, I know I said I'd be writing often. But sometimes life just gets in the way. In the past month we have:
Managed an 800 person black tie event opening the new Joseph McDade terminal at the Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport www.flyavp.com complete with two bands, 14 food stations and a laser light show.
Volunteered our time at the Volunteers of America 3rd Annual Celebrity Benefit Dinner and Auction www.voapa.org
Volunteered our time at the Girls Scouts of Penn's Woods Council Women of Distinction Event www.gspwc.org
And are helping Wyoming Valley Motors promote their annual BMW Susan G. Komen Drive www.wyomingvalleymotors.com
We also recently sponsored a Forum put on by the Innovation Center@Wilkes-Barre www.icwb.biz where Barry Moltz's www.barrymoltz.com topic was You Need To Be A Little Crazy - The Truth about starting and growing your business. How appropriate!

On a personal note one son graduated from Johns Hopkins University (BS and MS Engineering with a degree in Computer Science - anybody hiring?) and our other son headed to Toronto to do a Syracuse University Newhouse School internship as a production assistant on the next American Pie movie.

Yes it's been a busy month.

So I guess I'm starting again. We tend to do that a lot in life don't we? Start the diet again. Start working out again. Start reading that novel again. Start writing those notes to friends again. Well I think we should at least get credit for starting....don't you? Let me know your thoughts - catherine@cdscreative.com

On to the next
Catherine

This is the beginning...

2006-05-08T08:57:00.000-04:00

This is the beginning. I'm taking the plunge. So please bear with me as I figure out exactly what I want to say and how I want to say it. The blogosphere can be a big scary space for a newbie but I don’t plan on being one for long.

As I'm writing this, friends of mine are headed out to Talladega Super Speedway for the NASCAR race. Not me. I'm sitting here at the airport waiting for the flight back to PA. I was at the track yesterday. When Will Ferrell said "Gentlemen, start your engines," Mother Nature took that as a signal to turn on the faucet. They did two laps behind the pace car, then parked 'em, covered 'em and in the end the race was postponed until today. Bummer.

NASCAR races are an interesting event. There are the diehard fans decked out in full regalia. There are the corporate types in their matching logo golf shirts. There are families. There are groups of guys moving in packs with their six packs. Then there are people like me who follow the sport but aren't fanatics. Yes I have a favorite driver but I really attend races for the fun of being with friends and the spectator sport of watching other NASCAR fans. Unless you've been to a race you won't understand what I mean.

It's all perception. What do you think of when you hear the word NASCAR? Bubbas, Budweiser, bump drafting, feuds, tits and tires? Okay, true. Million dollar sponsorships, huge TV deals, merchandising and corporate entertainment. Also true. The fascinating thing to me is how NASCAR has protected its heritage and still found a way to embrace the corporate investment it needs to keep the sport growing. NASCAR fans are loyal to a fault and advertisers know it. (I'll admit it is a little odd to have seen cars with the logos of Cheerios, Jim Beam, M&M’s and Viagra all racing at the same.) There's even a guy who job it is to make sure the right beverage is sitting on top of the car and the right hat is on the driver's head when all those photographs are taken in the winner's circle. (nascar.com)

By the way, NASCAR isn't just the good ole boys anymore. Women make up a growing number in the fan ranks. I can prove this by observation. NASCAR races are the only event I've ever been to where there is always a line for the men's room and never one for the ladies' room, but now that is starting to change too.

Perception. It makes the world go 'round. It's why we pay more for stuff. It's why we do stuff. At least that's the prevailing thought. I would argue that the opposite is true. It is the breaking of perceptions that really makes the difference. Or, better said, creating new ones.

Nothing fascinates me more than listening to two people talk about the same product, company or event and wondering if they are talking about the same thing. Tons of money and time are spent by organizations in an attempt to "drive the message home" about their product. But it still gets filtered by perception.

Who are we kidding? With so many filters, is it even possible to have a unified message to drive home at all? And since this is what I do for a living, do I need to constantly be worried my ideas aren't coming out right? Not really. The challenge of it is why I love what I do.

What forms our filters? Are there really generational differences – or is that just a perception? Is technology and innovation that much more prevalent or do we just think it is? Where is the next trend (spingwise.com) coming from? Why?

I truly believe some people become overwhelmed, purposely put up filters and stop listening. Others let it all in to the point where it's just noise and they can't hear. I'm somewhere in between. I have enough experience to recognize when something new is really new and enough intellectual curiosity to ask what it means. Of course I'm well aware that my background, education, location, etc. all play a role in that activity. My awareness is my edge. Yes, there is an overwhelming amount of information out there but I refuse to put up filters – instead I ascribe to the "open door" philosophy of life (a topic for another day). To me, there is never just one facet to an issue. It means I get incredibly frustrated with people who aren't open to exploring options.

I also get frustrated with people who jump from one idea to the next, or become ardent defenders of the latest book on marketing theory, or those who dismiss an idea they deem old news. I believe this only leads to inaction – no matter how busy they think they are.

I guess this all leads back to why I'm doing this blog. If I'm to be perceived as tech savvy, marketing smart and ahead of the curve in clients' eyes I need to do this. But I'm finding that I'm fascinated with the process and hope to get conversations started. I'm willing to learn so send me your suggestions, criticisms, thoughts catherine@cdscreative.com.

On to the next!
Catherine