Marketing, Branding, Design and More

Ok, who’s seen this ad? Of all the ads stacked up one after another in the subway stations, this is the one that caught my eye. It’s not nearly as pretty or graphic as the other movie posters or soft drink ads sitting on either side. So, why did it catch my attention?

I can sum it up in 4 words: KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID. This ad rose through the clutter because the message is simple and so is the execution. (Notice that the message is way more provocative than the visual execution.) In today’s over-communicated society, it is simplicity that rules. Between text messages, voice messages, instant messages, emails, twitter posts, viral ads, and let’s not forget traditional media (television, magazines, etc) – our minds are just over capacity. We have learned to filter out messages, so as not to implode. Consequently, marketers who spend thousands of dollars on messaging and advertising, most of it does not get heard. What they really want you to hear gets buried under ‘fluff’ and our tolerance for ‘fluff’ is much lower than in years past.

Some ways to keep your communications simple:

• stick to short, focused sentences
• simple ideas resonate and make sense to people – avoid overly complicated ideas that only make sense to you
• say what you want to say – don’t bury your message under unnecessary jargon or visual distractions
• be consistent – repetition is key in getting your message across

So, next time you are putting together your marketing pitches or even just writing an email to a colleague…remember, Keep It Simple Stupid….dumb it down. Chances are better that someone will actually hear you.

“Green”, “Sustainable”, “eco-friendly”…what does it really mean? The truth is that as the market is becoming more and more saturated with these types of branded products and services, it is becoming harder to understand and validate the true meaning of green.

Here is a great article that talks about the issues of green marketing and how, as consumers and marketers, we can make better decisions. It’s a bit of a long read, but well worth it.

Read Article

Organizations know that 80% of their business is coming from 20% of their customers. We all knew that…right? Well, if that’s true then it seems logical that it’s those 20% of people you should be focusing your marketing efforts on the most. Here are some strategies that you may be able to incorporate into your marketing activities that can help keep your best clients happy. Read more

By now we all know that ‘Green’ is not a fad – it’s here to stay. Like most responsible consumers, I’m more prone to use a particular product or service versus another if I’m convinced that there will be less of a negative impact on society and the environment. These days you can’t turn a corner or a page in a publication without seeing promotion for a ‘Green’ product or service. Yeah! Are we home free? – not quite. But, as a society we’re becoming more aware and that’s a start.

I’d like to share some of my favorite ‘Green’ products and services – and by that, I mean companies that have made noticeable efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. Please contribute yours too so we can all become more responsible consumers and also help responsible businesses grow.

Trader Joes
Green Networking
Battery Solutions
Apple
Fresh Direct
Printing For Less
Hewlet-Packard

Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of my free time hanging out with PMS 425 and PMS 200. Although these are their legal names, I prefer to call them ‘Smoky Bear’ and ‘Roses are Red’. They come from the Pantone family of color swatches and for those of you who are not familiar with Pantone swatches, playing with them is like playing with paint swatches – only funner! Read more