Adcentered

Obama, Clinton & Chisholm

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton represent a changing of the guard in presidential politics. Yet, the concept of a black American and a woman running for the highest office in the nation is still novel to some. Look around. This is a historic moment. Regardless of who wins the primaries, politics will be a little bit different from now on. This important moment was made possible in part by the audacity of individuals who personified the change they sought. Mavericks have a natural tendency to stand out from the crowd. But when they inspire others who in turn inspire others, they can fuel movements that resonate long enough to affect tomorrow’s leaders. If you look closely enough at the Clinton and Obama campaigns you can see the legacy of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Nine elections ago, she was Barack and she was Hillary. (watch Video)

Freedom From Titles

In a few short months we will earn our masters degrees. We will be free to create our own possibilities. Some of us will go to work for agencies, others will work on the brand side, and a few will pursue personal endeavors. The only thing that concerns me about all these choices is the titles. Art Directors, Copywriters, Planners, and Brand Managers do more then what their titles describe. We all solve problems and sometimes we switch roles. My problem with titles is that they can become traps that are tough to get out of. A title like creative generalist can set you free in one setting and hold you back in another. We all wear many hats in our lifetimes. I am a brother, son, uncle and friend. My title and my role changes slightly in each environment, but what's important remains the same. I try to be the best _________ that I can be. The people who give me these titles understand that I am more than what they know me as. They understand me. The point of all this is:

1. Only those who understand you can give you a title. 
2. Your title changes with your environment.
3. Don’t take a title that doesn’t fit.
4. Create your own title when you can.
5. Titles are task oriented, not finite definitions.
6. Get to know the people under the titles.
7. Don't fall in the title trap.

Creative Investment vs. Business Design

Why do some clients change perfectly good creative work into some unrecognizable thing lacking soul?  That's one of the hardest lessons any creative person will ever have to learn. The truth is as simple as it is complicated, for publicly traded companies that is.

Imagine that you are the brand manager for a major brand that is part of a larger publicly held firm. You are asked to create the strategic platform for the new direction of the brand. Your company has suffered losses in the last few quarters based on speculation and the actions of the person who previously held your position. Your stock is going to go up or down based on your plan. You have to increase sales, improve the brand's image, and not frighten already fearful stockholders who determine your (company's) worth. What you do will effect the company's entire brand portfolio. You're agency just pitched some groundbreaking work and you're excited. The problem is that stockholders don't want a cool campaign, they want assurance that the next quarter will be better than the last. Your job, reputation, and your company are on the line. What do you do?

Who's really in control? That's the million dollar question. The answer varies from company to company. Private companies can often move faster because they don't have to answer to stockholders. They do have stakeholders, however. Everyone who buys their products or uses their services has a vested interest. Large public firms often get caught up in pleasing the owners of their financial products, who don't necessarily own physical product.  Private equity firms alleviate some of these problems, but they come with their own money driven agendas. Mass communication and message customization are creating a fast economy where survival depends on the ability to adapt quickly. Sprinting is just as important as jumping, dodging and marathon running, but you have to know your sport. Understanding who's judging the game is a vital issue. Sometimes it's the stockholders, sometimes it's the "consumers," or some combination of factors.

We understand the importance of the consumers, but sometimes fail to recognize the economic and political factors that effect strategic decision making. To learn more about market fluctuations and brands, check out investopedia.com. They are a Forbes company. They have many tutorials and feature a powerful simulator that lets you trade stocks, options and other financial instruments in current market conditions. Use the simulator to invest in brands that you like and watch how volatile the market can be. It will give you a good understanding as to why some decisions are based more on numbers and others on people. Sometimes a bigger logo is what the stockholders want. There is a way to meet half way.

I consider myself a creative, learning as much as I can about the business behind the brands. I need to understand business like business people understand business. If I am going to be successful in the fast economy, I have to double dip. I urge people in the business world to learn as much as they can about design and creativity. Interdisciplinary programs are being being created at major universities around the world. The shift is already well under way. The walls are coming down. Don't let them hit you on the way down.

What's in a Logo

I was going through some summer photos and I came across this one. It's from a store in Spain. It made me think about brand truths and lies. A logo without a story is like a face without a name. A name without a face or point of reference is nothing more than a word without meaning.

We assign value to brands. We associate them with experiences and stories. It is our perceptions that define the brand's meaning. Brands, like people become concepts that take on a life of their own based on our collective experiences with them.

Local car dealerships are synonymous with annoying chatter boxes with bad timing. Ferrari's are exotic super models. Other brands talk to us on a personal level. They become our friend's and we develop a connection with them. We understand each other and offer mutual benefits. We forgive them when they are wrong, and they forgive us when we lose touch. The best friendships are the kinds that take off right where they left off, even after several years. Those are the kinds that are natural or take time to build.

Brands could learn from human interaction. There are no consumers in relationships, only people. Good brands should have good personalities and great communication skills. Bad communication ruins many good relationships.

Some companies have always been personal, others are just starting to get it. There's more to  brands than a pretty logo. A lot more. The old saying, "it's not personal, it's just business" is just an excuse. It is personal, it is business!

Sunrise From 30,000 ft.

I missed my flight from Ibiza to London. I didn't buy the optional insurance so I had to pay way too much for another ticket. They new flight was ridiculously early, but I had no choice. I was tired and day dreaming out the window, when I noticed how cool the colors were outside. We were at cruising altitude over the Mediterranean and light was beginning to break. If the airline had sold me the flight as an exclusive opportunity to experience a vivid sunrise from the sky, would I have paid extra? Maybe, but probably not. By understanding the value of unique experiences, an early morning flight can become a memorable story worth sharing. If the airline had told me about the opportunity, I might have remembered their name and they could have been a part of the story.

Building Communities

You could build a community around your idea or company. Starbucks, Apple and others have a loyal following, but replicating that kind of success should never be the goal. Success can be measured without comparison.  The companies named above have  built their long-term success on a series of smaller successes. It takes time to build a community that offers members a sense of belonging. That’s the sort of thing that money can’t buy without time. However, time can build a community without money. Is there a faster way to build a community?

Let’s back up for a sec. It’s hard enough to build a community from scratch, but who says you have to start at ground zero. Another community building approach is to start with an existing community that you are genuinely interested in and become a part of it. Learn the culture and be an authentic member while you’re at it. Align yourself with enthusiasts in the community. Forget about your product or service for a second and really dive into the culture.

Once you understand what drives a group of people to come together to form a collective definition; one in which they are all proud of, that’s when you can start thinking product, service or idea.

Is there a way for your current products to align with the community? If not, what could you build that would improve the lives of members? Don’t forget, you’re a member too. Once you’re an authentic member you should be able to answer questions and offer solutions that truly align with the community, not just sell things for a profit.

You’re not building a community from scratch. You’re joining a community that interests you and making it better with your ideas, products or services. With the perspective of a true insider you’ll be able to anticipate needs before they happen.

Other ways to build communities without starting from nothing are to link two or more communities, grow the community as a whole, or even build niche communities inside the larger one. The best way to build is to start organically and to take your time, but when that’s really not an option, try some of these methods.

It all starts with an introspective look at what you’re passionate about. That’s how blogging works. That’s how social networks work. That’s how off line communities work. You’re either a passionate insider or a curious outsider. Which one are you?

Mapping the Mind

We had a mind map assignment in strategic thinking class. It was an interesting experience. Really cool actually. I did mine on media. The hardest part was stopping. You could map out a concept for days.

Creativity is Happiness

(click on the picture to see full document)

I am a graduate student at the #1 ad school in the country and I love it. The image above is from my report card. Read closely and you will see talk of surveys, leadership styles, cooperative group work, marketing, electric cars, ad campaigns, and simulating an ad agency. That was an awesome year. At first glance, the comments above might appear to be from VCU Adcenter. Those comments are actually from my sixth grade GT report card in the 1990-91 school year (click here on the image above to see full document). GT stands for Gifted & Talented. Mr. Zirkle, my fifth grade teacher referred me into the program. He always told me I had a "warped" sense of humor. Thank you Mr. Z.

This is when I first became interested in advertising. I was creative, chubby, and twelve years old. It was my last year in elementary school. By the time I entered seventh grade, I wasn't chubby anymore and ladies noticed, and I noticed them. Advertising couldn't compete with hormones, so I moved on. High School was awesome socially, but academically, I didn't do so hot. I wasn't stupid, I simply had my mind on others things. It didn't help that our class schedule system changed from seven 45 minute periods to 3-hour long block classes. I couldn't concentrate (years later doctors realized I had ADD). I ended up at Pimmit Hills Alternative School and graduated from an adult program a year later.

I landed a cool IT job after that, but alas, I longed for a creative job. I started a small web company with some friends. It didn't last long. I was up for any challenge. I even ran my first marathon, in Rome. I took every opportunity I had to experience, design or create anything cool and original. Using limited technical knowledge, I created and sent this "connection concept" idea to Molex, a manufacturer of electrical components. The concept made it all the way to their C-level management, but fell short for a number of reasons. Here is their response on September 10th, 2001.

In 2002 I was laid off. That was the tipping point. I decided to take full charge of my life. I waited tables while I finished two semesters at Northern Virginia Community College. I applied for a transfer to Virginia Commonwealth University.

I majored in creative advertising and focused on Art Direction. I joined the VCU chapter of the American Advertising Federation and was later elected president. I was also elected student senator. In SGA I became Vice Chairman of Publicity and tried some non-traditional things. At VCU I learned about VCU Adcenter. I set my sights on graduate school.

One of the toughest decisions I had to make was choosing Creative Brand Management (creative MBA) over Art Direction. I applied into the CBM track and was admitted in. The first semester was difficult. Making it to the final round of The Innovation Challenge was second only to completing the semester in my list of highlights. I didn't do so hot my in peer reviews. I've been improving my cooperative group efforts this semester. I was humbled by academic probation and I've been forced to step up my game. This semester is going great. Extremely busy, but great. Professor Don Just and all the other Adcenter teachers are setting us up to be creative business leaders. I have rediscovered my passion for ideation and design, the same drive I had in sixth grade.

We recently had an assignment that required us to re-introduce a product of the past. Our team's product was the Pogo Stick. We came up with the Pogo Cobra. We came up with a totally new design and  created a new extreme sport called "Bounding".

Our work is as exhausting as it is fun. Currently, all the first year students are searching for internships. I am open to going anywhere in world that appreciates where I may be of service. I am happiest when I help create new things. I am a creative generalist mastering the art of business and communication. I am living my dream.

What New Media Means For You

Any 101 level communications course can teach you about the rise of mass media. It grew right along side o f mass production. And where is mass production these days? Mass production has evolved into mass customization. Dell can now build the right PC for you, you, and you and make each one catered specifically to each one of your multiple personalities. It’s pretty crazy, I know. Dell, has recently missed some opportunities to connect with people, so a good product with mixed messages doesn't sell the big picture. Media, like production, has changed dramatically with technology. People are becoming the center of both. If you want to sell a product to someone today, you better know what they're thinking, or else you’re not selling shit. But maybe you are and that’s why they don’t want it. Most products can provide a value to someone, somewhere. The task then becomes to find them, and then to find how many there are. Back in the day, you could just blast your ad on the airwaves and find your people, now they are scattered and harder to find. Most are still using mass media, but their schedules have changed and there are more than just four channels. Effective media, like mass customization, should be tailored to fit the individual.

Some companies are taking steps in the right direction. GM is looking to save some money by cutting advertising spending by $600 Million. They want to use less mass media and leverage new media. This decision is the type of thinking that you will start to see more frequently in the corporate world. Re-thinking! Get use to changes across the board. Traditional media isn't going anywhere, but the idea of how it is used is changing. Mass media is now part of a larger evolving picture. In this new media age, a coffee cup can be an ad, so can a sewer lid, or a napkin. People aren't as receptive as they once were. Can you blame them? Millions of messages fight for your attention, while you walk by and silence them with loud music blasting from your iPod. In the past, the best way to cut through the noise was to make more noise. Now, it's better to blend in with the silence when silence is desired. Even if you sneak a message into someone’s personal space, it doesn’t mean they care. People are smarter that. Technology has created a see-through world. Honesty, simplicity, and proximity are three factors that make for better media. Proximity refers to both physical closeness and mental.

It’s easy to see the changing media landscape as an opportunity to change media selections, but that’s only part of it. What’s the point of reaching your customers correctly to tell them something they don’t want to hear? If you don’t have the right product, let them design one with you. You don’t have to give them the keys to the engineering lab to make them a part of the process. Allow people to join in the effort as experts on themselves.

New media is more than just the right time, place or message. It involves the product and the people. It involves the people in the product. New media is a full experience as much as it is a fulfilling experience. At the center of every experience is a person. New media is YOU media, regardless of who you are.

Life Without Internet...

What would life be without the Internet? My connection at home has been down for a few days and my life has become a bit more difficult to manage. I'm an information junkie. I help myself to generous portions throughout the day. Some of it is junk-info like certain television shows or web sites. Other bits of information are more nutritious. I feel more full when I have a healthy serving of news, documentaries, and blogs. I crave information, especially the kind that is full of tender, juicy insight.

The Internet is not the only place I indulge in info. There are also books, newspapers, magazines, signs, people, and even places that can satisfy my information needs. Unfortunately, I'm also addicted to "fast". I want my information hot and ready when I want it, in the way that I want it. An information addict can get a fix from all kinds of everyday stimuli, but when you’re addicted to fast information, you are out of luck without a connection.

But, what is fast without quality? I have been ADD for as long as I can remember, even before the net was around. Back then I use to think, daydream, and watch tons of TV. Now that I’m a connoisseur of information, I want quality information as well. Not all the time, but most of the time, please.

Life without the Internet is an everyday scenario for most of the world, and here I am complaining because I had to walk a few blocks to connect. To me, life without the Internet is an annoyance. It takes longer to get full, but information is everywhere around me. The developed world as whole is addicted to info. The Internet simply makes it easier to consume. In my downtime, I took a walk, talked to old friends, and even went to they gym. Information can never replace experience, but experience isn’t on demand.