Working in marketing, you might think that one becomes numb to the obvious attempts by corporations to sway personal opinions. 

I believe the opposite is true- I love my work specifically because I enjoy getting swept away by a campaign whose creativity, pragmatic smarts or campy appeal overwhelms my skepticism and earns my respect.

Last week I hit the coffee aisle at my local Giant. I generally spend as little restocking the Keurig as I can- ordering in bulk, applying a 20% off coupon at the Bed Bath & Beyond, etc. However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and I was ready to pay full price for some caffeinated refreshment. Then I saw this.

Perfect. Deep down inside I had no delusions that this coffee would actually lift the fog, per se, but the name so accurately described what I wanted from my roasted beans that I made the purchase feeling hopeful and guilt free. 

The same mentality applies when I walk into work and brew one of these puppies.

Oh yeah- that's some Jet Fuel in our office machine, ready to launch my day!

Now, the case may be that "a rose by any other name" would smell pretty sweet, or, in this scenario, coffee-licious. But sometimes telling people straight out that you know what they want and that you can deliver what it is, might be just enough to garner an initial buy in. 

Your product or service still has to prove itself, and the burden-of-proof bar is definitely higher when the claim is super blatant. But, if the consumer (or client) finds that your word is good, then the next time they see an over-the-top claim from you (offering a new product, proposing a unique solution, or exploring a different direction), they will be open to the idea that engagement with you begins with an assumption of trust and credibility.

I'm sure most of you have seen and used paper placemats printed with small business ads at some point. I often spot them at local diners, right before they meet their demise at the hand of my 7-year-old, armed with a fistful of crayons.



Cristy's, a fabulous breakfast spot on the Connecticut shore, has raised the bar from the placemat co-op and put the results in thousands of thirsty hands. The resulting branded coffee mugs received plenty of "grown-up" eye time at our table as my family attacked a pile of "crunchy" pancakes and  some delicious French toast during vacation. I think I downed at least three cups of joe myself!



Clearly, the mugs are popular among hot cocoa drinkers as well.

For retailers who carry major brands, many take advantage of co-op advertising to maximize their marketing budgets. If they include a partner brand on their in-store advertisements- a banner, tabletop display, printed counter mat, apron or hat- the partner provides funding for the campaign and offsets some of the cost of the printed goods.

The co-op partnership can accomplish significant goals for small businesses like Cristy's too. An inexpensive item, like a mug, becomes an engaging advertisement that benefits several local establishments looking to reach a targeted audience. At the same time, Cristy's saves a bit of money on the cost of drinkware and builds a feeling of community.

That's a win for all parties involved, especially the cocoa drinkers.

The problem with the cutting edge is that someone has to bleed.
- Zalman Stern

In promotional marketing, your materials can stay on the cutting edge when you make them bleed. Fully.



A "full bleed" might sound somewhat disturbing in every day conversation, but in the printing world it refers to color that goes beyond the border of a final image. During the printing process, sometimes items shift almost imperceptibly as colors are added. Well, the shift will seem imperceptible when the item's border includes a full bleed. If the color ends before the edge of the item, leaving a contrasting border, the human eye can almost always see the slight narrowing of color around the edge, making the entire piece seem a bit off-center.

Connect Four, anyone?

As a life-long dieter and coffee drinker, I have made the slow, steady transition from pink cancer-causing packets to blue headache-inspiring packets to the lovely yellow packets of Splenda (whatever warnings are out I don't want to know... I like my coffee tasting like melted ice cream and still need to fit into my pants). Of course, once the light-green stevia derivatives make their way to the table, all bets are off, but that is a topic for another day...

At any rate, last Saturday my five-year old daughter and I were enjoying a lovely brunch at the Silver Diner in Lakeforest Mall. When my hot cup of caffeine arrived, I reached for my go-to no calorie sweetener, clearly the outsider in the well-stocked little sugar tray.



I began to tear open my sweetener when I realized that the yellow rectangle in my hand was not the Splenda I expected. Instead, I was holding a very sneakily re-branded serving of Equal.



I was taken by the way Equal had used both yellow paper and blue print to mirror Splenda's branding. Had I not been paying attention, I might have missed the change. If I had an acute allergy (yes, Nutrasweet sweeteners do cause me occasional headaches) the result could have been disastrous.

This attempt to utilize the natural results of powerful and effective branding (Splenda's) by a competitor (Equal) seems like a sad, desperate move. Equal looks bad, the "yellow packet" credibility is hurt- a complete lose/lose situation.

But, the episode reminds me that, as a consumer, I am responsible for making my own informed choices. Branding provides an opportunity for a company or product to establish specific expectations but doesn't always make specific promises. In this instance, I have to believe in the product (Splenda) as a separate entity from the brand image (yellow packet) and keep my guard up against those who would twist my preconceived notions to further their own goals. 

Employee Appreciation Day is celebrated on the first Friday of March.

The Sonic Promos office is about 10 miles from our house. On a good day, we can make the drive in less than 15 minutes.  During January's epic snowstorm, it took Seth four hours to travel those 10 miles. He was trapped in a car with (thankfully) a full tank of gas, some snacks, drinks, and a loaded iPod.

It got me thinking about different types of items that truly jump the curve on what a thoughtful gift can mean- taking gift-giving up a notch, serving multiple purposes and engaging the recipient during a highly emotional time. We spend a lot of time working with companies implementing health and safety campaigns. Investing in employees' well-being, both physical and mental, can actually save an organization thousands of dollars in lost time and wages. Having an employee's or client's back during a time of urgent need can have an immediate, positive impact, in addition to keeping that person healthy and whole.

Show your employees the appreciation they deserve today and every day.