Cornering the Office

Culutral Relevance in a Traditional Ad

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 13:22:00 +0000

It's fairly typical that on Saturday mornings, one of the first things I do is turn on ESPN's Sportscenter. In fact, that is typically what I do every morning. For the first time though, while watching the show, Shirin commented on it. Well - not really the show - but a commercial that ran during it. Here is the commercial:

It's around this time that the commercials for the NBA Playoffs get good. Whichever agency creates and produces these ads knows what they are doing. When Shirin, after finishing listening to the commercial, peeks her head out of the room and says, "That was a really cool commercial", you know it was successful.

I couldn't help but think that this style of commercial was driven by the YouTube success of DJ Steve Porter. In fact, I hope he had a hand in creating these. If you aren't familiar with his work, please take a look. He takes what were traditional TV ads and creates songs from them. My favorite is below:

I love to see traditional advertising using a technique that is culturally relevant and it seems Shirin does too.

EDIT: After following @djsteveporter, I noticed he created the ads themselves. Well done, Mr. Porter.

Foursquare For Businesses

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 02:07:00 +0000

I realize I am late to the game in talking about foursquare.com and the impact it has on social media. But I can't help but think how businesses can successfully use this latest trend. The presentation below gives a good basis of what foursquare is and how businesses can be impacted by it. I thought of an idea for a Scavenger Hunt - either local or nationwide where "Mayors" can earn significant rewards or offers. In fact, I am thinking of a way for EA SPORTS to successfully use it. Enjoy!

Foursquare For Businesses

View more presentations from 6S Marketing.

Common Sense Beats Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 01:19:00 +0000

I came across a brilliant Social Media presentation from David Armano. There are many presentations that have the same message and usually with the same tone, but I found this presentation very refreshing. All brands should look at this and think about how their brand participates with social media.

Thanks for Dave Knox for sharing; too bad he wasn't involved with the Brandcenter when I attended.

Social Media Is Dead: Long Live Common Sense.

View more presentations from David Armano.

A Life Filled with Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:18:00 +0000

“When I first met your grandmother Bea, I thought she was the most beautiful thing ever. I was so happy that my brother found someone who was not only beautiful, but a pleasure to be around. In fact, I owned a dinghy around the time I met your grandmother. I adored her so much I named my boat, Lady Bea.”

The Power of Learning

Recently, I was lucky enough to spend time with my 85 year old great uncle, who greatly resembles my deceased grandfather. I always appreciate spending time with someone who has lived a full life and interacted with so many people important to me. Our most recent interaction reminded me of one of the things I loved most about my relationship with my Grandfather - listening to him tell stories. Storytelling is an important way for one generation to learn about the experiences of another. However, with different generations, there are inherently communication barriers. These barriers can be broken down in time and allow for much stronger communication.

The Power of Language

Having spent some time listening to my Uncle’s stories, it made me think about how much I also appreciate learning from other cultures. My fiancé’s family is Persian and in the six years since we starting dating, I have learned a lot about the Persian culture, as well as the Baha’i religion – mainly from listening to her family’s stories. Unfortunately, there is a big communication barrier as most of her family’s primary language is Farsi. Over time, I have been able to understand more of what they say because I can pick out certain words and can understand their body language but it is still difficult to fully understand a conversation if they primarily speak in their native language.

The Power of Language Learning

Unquestionably, the world would be a safer place if everyone were able to communicate better. While understanding every culture and knowing all languages is not possible, learning more languages and about other cultures are undoubtedly steps in the right direction. Learning a new language or understanding a different culture cannot happen overnight. It takes time, effort and complete respect for whatever you choose to learn.

-----

My story is quite simple. I plan to continue to learn as much as possible about the Persian culture and start to learn Farsi as well. I have asked my fiancé’s family to continue to tell me stories about when they were growing up and how they are dealing with the current situation in Iran. I have asked them to continue to speak Farsi in front of me. I plan on continuing to learn.

I’ve shared a couple of ways I love to learn, please feel free to share some of yours.

The winning Super Bowl Ad...

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:26:00 +0000

It's probably safe to say that the advertisement that everyone is still talking about after the Super Bowl didn't even air during the Super Bowl. In fact, there wasn't a traditional advertisement in this campaign. With that said, for me, it's quite simple; the Pepsi Refresh Project campaign was the best campaign launched around the Super Bowl and it isn't even close.

If you review the campaign, it all started in the middle of December; almost two months before the actual Super Bowl took place. There was a lot of press writing about how Pepsi was pulling all of its advertising budget from the Super Bowl.

ABC News Wall Street Journal Time Magazine

What I found interesting was that Pepsi was moving its typical Super Bowl advertising budget to social media. At the time, I didn't pay enough attention to what that meant. So when the Super Bowl was played, I noticed Pepsi's absence during the game and thought to myself, "I wonder what Pepsi is actually doing in the social media space." That triggered some research and in a few short minutes, I discovered Pepsi's campaign.

The Pepsi Refresh Project is a refreshing (no pun intended) take on Social Media, Cause Marketing and Crowd Sourcing. Giving consumers and companies the ability to win money to better humanity as well as giving consumers the chance to vote on which project wins is not only inspiring but a risk that most other companies would be too concerned to make. I commend Pepsi in taking this risk and believe that it did the right thing by moving its Super Bowl budget to a campaign that will live much longer than 1 or 2 Super Bowl ads.
With the Super Bowl over and the New Orleans Saints Champions, most of the commercials are forgotten. The Pepsi Refresh Project continues. It continues to garner buzz; it continues to reward consumers and companies who participate and it continues to inspire (Its Facebook Fan Page has over 600k fans).

In fact, a good friend of mine and I are working on submitting a project. I will write a blog specific on what our idea is and how you can help, but I want to focus this post on the project itself. If you have not read about it or looked at the website, I ask that you do. It will give you a new perspective on Pepsi and more importantly, the smart decision Pepsi made on pulling it's ad budget out of the Super Bowl. Lastly, it will hopefully inspire you to think of great ideas to submit.

It's been a while

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:58:00 +0000

There is no excuse. I am sure my words will fall on deaf ears as it's been close to a year since updating this blog. Since joining EA SPORTS last April, I have had my head down to make sure I do my job well. The thing is, which I realized long ago and finally acting on, is that my blogging does not have to interfere with what I do day-to-day for EA SPORTS. In fact, it will probably be interesting to some to hear what I do and what I think.

A lot has happened since I last blogged but the biggest being that I am now engaged. I couldn't be happier and we are looking forward to our wedding in October. Here is a picture from our engagement shoot. Enjoy.

New video

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 20:27:00 +0000

EA Madden NFL 2010

Looking very much forward to working Draft day. Check out the site next Saturday, April 25th.

Madden NFL 10

BIG NEWS...

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:20:00 +0000

I am moving to Orlando, FL this Sunday and start work next Tuesday. More information to come...

The Value of Conversations vs. Mass-Messaging

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:23:00 +0000

If you read my last post, you'll see a great example of an agency focused on creating conversations through Social Media rather than blasting a message out to a larger number of consumers. When it comes to a smaller event, like the one Iris was communicating about, it makes a lot more sense to have smaller, focused discussions around the event rather than the traditional mass-messaging. But does it work in all cases? Of course not. If a brand wants to maintain its awareness or has a broad message to promote, traditional marketing may work best. But let's take a deeper look into Conversations vs. Messaging:

The Time Factor:

Conversations: This would probably be the biggest hindrance to brands trying to develop conversations with their consumers. It's true, building a lasting relationship with someone takes time. There will be ups and downs, fires that need to be put out and celebrations that need to be shared; so yeah, cultivating a relationship will take time.

Messaging: If your brand has the financial stability, sending a mass message takes little time. Sure, you will have to spend some time crafting the message and make sure that it is displayed when and where you want, but after the fact, you can sit back and see what kind of response the message gets.

The Support Factor:

Conversations: A company may not see the value in directing resources around a conversation but it is important that there is a lot of support in developing these conversations. While there may only be one "voice" for the brand, it should have a lot of support in place. Both pre- and post- conversation, it is important to realize this. A fully supported conversation will last longer than one that is developed and supported by a single resource.

Messaging: Support for a mass message before it is displayed is very important. There usually needs to be assistance in strategy, audience development, placement, etc. But after the message is produced and displayed, little resources are needed.

The Longevity Factor:

Conversations: This aspect of marketing is why creating and cultivating conversations with consumers has become more important than simply mass messaging. Companies and Brands alike need to understand that creating conversations with consumers is truly the only type of communication that will lead to a long relationship. This will undoubtedly help attract more revenue per consumer which in turn will lead to a more beneficial growth rate for the business.

Messaging: Unfortunately, most messages do not live much longer than they are intended to and if they are it is usually because of some aspect of social media or WOM that has kept it alive.

----

I believe that Brands need to figure out the right method to make their messages stick while contributing to the conversations developed around the brand. By participating online and off, Brands can continue to lead the conversations as well as send smart, sound messages to a large number of people.

The Value of Conversations

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:52:00 +0000

I recently read about an initiative that one of my VCU Brandcenter classmates, Luis Carranza implemented at his agency, Iris Digital. The shop, based out of London, experimented by bypassing traditional advertising and focusing on social media to engage its audience for a party sponsored by Sony Ericsson. The invitation-only party was centered on the World Cup, so Luis obviously built his strategy around Soccer. He used Facebook, Twitter and built a presence on soccer blogs to get the word out. Based on his strategies, I believe it is safe to say that his goal was to develop conversations around the party as well as what Iris is doing. It is safe to say it was a success. Please view this article that explains it in more detail.

Luis Carranza featured on BrandRepublic.com

The aspect of the article that is important to all is what Luis sees as the advantages and disadvantages of using Social Media:

Advantages:

Knowing that there is a person, someone with a heartbeat behind a brand is good for business.
People will look for you if they like what you have to say.
People have names, and too often we simply refer to them as consumers. It's more difficult to think of someone as a consumer, when they tell you their name. This approach is more human.
Reaction time is faster. You can make adjustments on the fly if something isn't working.
People opt-in and out as they wish.
Engagements and experiences more memorable than page views.
Consumers have more control and input.

Disadvantages:

Finding the right people takes time. You can't talk to every single person, so you have to spend time finding the right ones.
Social media campaigns don't start at 9 and end at 5. Constant monitoring is required.
It's not easy. You can't just say you want to use Twitter and just start doing it. Expect obstacles and set backs, but push forward.
Bud Caddell said it best in his slideshare presentation: "Digital Media isn't Mass Media for Cheap".
It's complex.
Much of the value added by a campaign like this isn't measurable in the traditional sense. An offline conversation as a result of something online doesn't register until after the campaign is over.
What worked today doesn't always work tomorrow. There's no cookie cutter way to be honest with your audience.

This idea brings up a much broader topic; The Value of Conversations vs. Messaging. I will explain my thoughts on this tomorrow.

Transparency: The Latest Buzz Word in Business

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:42:00 +0000

Pronunciation: tran(t)s-'par-&n-sE
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -cies
: thequality or state of being transparent
: easily seen through, recognized, or detected
: manifest; obvious
: open; frank; candid

Considering my youth in terms of professional experience, I am unaware of how businesses conducted themselves decades ago. What I do know though is how important transparency has become. In the years since I first attended Ohio State, the term transparency hasn't been used when discussing business as much as it has been the last 6-18 months. One of the main reasons why I believe it has become the latest buzz word in business/marketing is because of consumer expectations. As consumers, we are tired of companies promising one thing and following through on another. We are sick of hearing about internal company problems when externally, we are led to believe something else. Lastly, it gets old when companies are too secretive about the business they are in and the need they will serve.

I first heard the buzz word in late 2007. I realize that it was probably being used before that but it was very refreshing for me to hear. In fact, it was used by Path101.com, a yet to launch start up website focused on helping people figure out their career path. You can read about the site below. I was drawn to them because they were not afraid to document their experience securing funding, hiring the team and working towards an actual launch date - which happened to be last week. It is no surprise that this transparency helped them gain an audience - whatever the size - and has put them in a better position to succeed. In a time when most start ups are secretive until they launch, it was just the surprise I needed to learn what type of company I want to work for.

Another reason why transparency has become so important is Social Media. Social Media tools have allowed companies and consumers alike to develop stronger, deeper, more fulfilling relationships where honesty is necessary. These tools require that companies are open and honest because if they are not, consumers can and will call them on it. Here are three simple ways a company can become more transparent:

Step 1: Use your company blog to have a discussion with consumers - First off, I really hope your company is blogging. It is the easiest and possibly, best way for consumers to truly understand what goes on behind the scenes at your business. This is important because it helps develop a personality for your company, making it less of just a brick and mortar business and more a neighborhood hangout (if you will). Its also important to have a presence on other industry blogs and association websites, making sure your presence is known on the Internet.

Step 2: Develop a strategy for Social Media - Earning respect and trust takes time. If it didn't, it wouldn't be that important. With that said, setting up an account on every social media site doesn't make sense. Your Social Media strategy should fall in line with who your target consumer is. If for instance your business is geared toward grandparents, don't build a fan page on Facebook that is targeting your audience, rather focus on the grandparent, grandchild relationship and build trust with the grandchild. This will undoubtedly, albeit in a small way, help make your business more authentic.

Step 3: Be Inclusive - I understand that it doesn't make sense to try to beat a dead horse. That is why if you have multiple conversations with consumers who can't seem to understand your brand, it may be time to move on. But it IS important to try. Find your "haters" and try to help them understand the value in your business. Don't necessarily try to convert them into customers but rather develop a conversation about why they feel the way they do about your brand. Remember, an angry consumer can be as important as a happy customer.

Transparency is also important on an individual level. It is one of the qualities that I am most proud of. As always, I am interested in hearing your thoughts on transparency and its place in business today.

Path101.com Launches Today.

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:10:00 +0000

For those of you who have followed my blog since its start knows that during my last semester at the VCU Brandcenter I worked on an assignment for path101.com. Path101 bills itself as Community Powered Career Discovery. Basically, it wants to help you figure out the career path you would find most exhilarating. A tough task indeed as for it to be community driven, it needs a large community to lean on. With that said, it was extremely smart in that its first step was to discover career path tendencies from scouring the Internet for public resumes. **Did you know there are well over a million public resumes online?**

In any event, here are some screen shots of its launch:

I recommend you go to the site and explore; check out what career your personality matches up with. Even though they technically launched today, they have been using social media to build a presence through their company blog, their CEO's blog, Twitter and attending events such as SXSW. They are definitely a blueprint of success for any startup to follow - and that's before you measure whether Path101 will continue to be around. They have always depended on being transparent and I couldn't agree more with that idea. Congratulations to Charlie and the rest of the Path101 team!

White Horse Marketing webinar: The Only 3 Social Media Metrcis that Matter

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:35:00 +0000

An aspect of unemployment or consulting is having the extra time to attend Webinars. You can find companies hosting webinars across the Internet but I, for obvious reasons, focus on Marketing ones. Today, I will be listening to White Horse's webinar, The Only 3 Social Media Metrics that Matter: a Sanity Plea. I have listened to quite a few of White Horse webinars and find them very interesting. I plan on commenting via my Twitter feed so follow me if you already don't.

http://twitter.com/ari_ratner

If not, I will write a brief follow up afterward. Hope you all are having a good week!

UPDATE:

The webinar was fairly interesting. It hammered home some points that we already clear, like social media is about interaction, not direct action. This point, while obvious to some, is an important point in developing social media strategy. In addition, they focused on the trouble of placing an ROI on social media tactics. I disagree with this. While it may be hard to find an exact return on most social media tactics (unless its direct sales), companies need to measure something. Even if its the number of users interacting with the brand, that will help them gain a stronger understanding of managing expectations and recording a success or failure. If a company is not measuring its tactic, there is no chance to know whether it was a success. With that said, overall the webinar kept my interest and I will continue to check in on what White Horse has to say.

How to determine a "strong" online presence?

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:30:00 +0000

I have thought about my last post and whether having any presence online is smart, even if it is not up to par. What is par though? My plan this week is to build a questionnaire and try to get as many people to answer it. It shouldn't be too long, maybe 10 questions; but the goal is to set an 'industry' standard for participating online. I would appreciate any help with questions to ask. Thoughts?

Is it better to have any online presence rather than none at all?

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:47:00 +0000

Earlier today, I had a conversation with an acquaintance of mine about my online presence. He made some extremely valid points about having a strong online presence, especially during these tough times. He is aware of my situation and gave me some great pointers in building my brand more effectively.

After our conversation, I thought about whether it makes sense to have an online presence if it’s not up to par with your peers. After some initial thought, I think having a presence online, whether strong or not, is important. First off, it shows that you understand the direction business is going. While I may not write frequently on my blog, I have a strong sense of the value updating your blog has. Secondly, it allows for two-way conversation. Whether it is over IM, Twitter, Facebook messaging or commenting on blogs, a conversation is more impactful. Lastly, it is therapeutic. Everyone has a blog for a different reason; some to tout their expertise, some to voice their opinion, some to let people in on their lives. I personally blog because it allows me to vent, explain, comment on anything that I am experiencing.

See for me, personal blogging and branding is unique to everyone. If a company makes its decisions solely around someone’s online presence, there are missing the point. An online presence does not make a person but rather is an extension of who they are. It should be one aspect of the decision but by no means the only one.
With that said, companies need to have a strong online presence. This is their way to connect directly with consumers and building a strong online strategy is the first way to do so. That is what I will be doing today – developing an action plan for a startup company that will help it build a strong presence online. I hope I can use what I have learned through my offline and online network to recommend sound, smart solutions.

Renewed Optimism

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:10:00 +0000

I know it has been a while since I blogged about me and my feelings but what better time. Earlier this week, I was passed over for a more-seasoned professional. I honestly thought this position was the right fit for me. It was a small apparel company looking to grow fairly quickly in the next year or so. I was excited to bring my ambition, passion for marketing and plain-old, roll up my sleeves and work, mentality. Obviously, it was not meant to be. While disappointed, I had no other option but to respect their choice and move forward.

This took longer than expected. I was in a rut for a couple of days, unsure about my future and what direction is what about to take. I took a couple personal days to reflect my experience job searching and how I wanted to progress on. It was during these couple of days that I realized how lucky I am. Sure, it would be very nice to be working - but I have the support of my family and friends and know that everything will be ok. I say I am lucky because there are millions who have lost their jobs and have others depending on their salary to get by. I am also lucky because of the support I have receievd from classmates and coworkers from the past. Just last night I got this message:

"We are dumb if we can't find a spot for you. Good luck man. I'll keep my fingers crossed."

This was from a coworker who I spent a summer with but have maintained a relationship with and am lucky for it.

I am confident that the right opportunity is right around the corner. Because of this, as well as my friends, family, colleagues and classmates, I am back to being who I am...an optimistic man.

"We're just not that into you"

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:25:00 +0000

After being dragged by my girlfriend to He’s Just Not That Into You…ok, I wasn’t dragged. After watching the sneak preview on HBO last night, I admit I wanted to see this movie. I had high expectations that it could be a relationship cult classic. While I was way off base – overall, it was a good, entertaining move – I couldn’t help but observe the similarities that relationships have with the experience of searching for a job.

[By the way, if the movie was written in a more objective view; from both the man and woman’s perspective, it could have reached that cult status…but that is up for debate]

If you haven’t seen the movie and want to be entertained, I certainly recommend it. Here is a short example of how relationships share similarities with searching for a job.

Let's first focus on Gigi Haim. She is the main character who often misinterprets the signs that men give her about their level of actual interest in her. She comes across as desperate, always holding out hope that a guy likes and wants to be with her. She even misses some obvious clues that well, "he is just not into you." I compare this to when a candidate that has interviewed for a job and doesn’t receive an offer continues to badger the company about why he/she is right for the position. Thinking about it, I may have been guilty of doing this once or twice. In the past though, I was successful in getting an interview because of my persistence so maybe I feel that it is acceptable with every company. Obviously that is not the case and it is important to understand that all companies are different and may react poorly toward a nagging candidate. It’s about finding that medium where you don’t come across as obnoxious but you also don't become forgotten.

I am interested to hear your take. Are relationships similar to searching for a job?

A long time coming...

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:02:00 +0000

Since I have had so much time on my hands, I finally put together a portfolio of my work. Enjoy!

Aris Brand Book

View more presentations from Ari Ratner.

Kurtis, the Stock Boy & Brenda, the Checkout Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:07:00 +0000

Sounds just out of a movie, doesn't it? I will be the first to admit that I was not a big fan of a certain QB in the NFL. But after reading this story, who cannot respect, admire, and root for the upcoming (hopefully) Super Bowl winning QB. I hope you enjoy...

--

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new
voice came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4.
Kurtis was almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and
decided to answer the call. As he approached the check-out stand a
distant smile caught his eye, the new check-out girl was beautiful. She
was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was only 22) and he fell in love.

Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock
to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at
him, took her card and punched out, then left. He looked at her card,
BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road. Next
day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket, and offered her a
ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped
her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She
simply said it wasn't possible.

He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't
afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter.
Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following
Saturday. That Saturday night he arrived at her door only to have her
tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called
and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well, let's take the kids
with us."

She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but
0Aagain not taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda, brought
him inside to meet her children. She had an older daughter who was just
as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a
wheelchair. He was born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome.

Kurtis asked Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't come
with us?" Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with
two kids, especially if one had disabilities - just like her first
husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary - -
- he had a different mindset.

That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and
the movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him.
When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his
wheelchair, took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the
end of the evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry
and spend the rest of her life with.

A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children.
Since then they have added two more kids.

So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl?
Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona , where he is currently
employed as the quarterback of the National Football League Arizona
Cardinals and has his Cardinals in the Super Bowl. Is this a surprise
ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person.

It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl
XXXVI. He has also been the NLF's Most Valuable Player twice and the
Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player.

Bradford made the RIGHT choice by staying…

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:25:00 +0000

Jason Whitlock recently penned a column about Sam Bradford, University of Oklahoma's start QB. He titled his, Bradford made the wrong choice by staying. His article is linked below and my letter to him is below that. I hope you enjoy.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/9080876/Bradford-made-the-wrong-choice-by-staying

An open letter to Jason Whitlock, columnist for Fox Sports.

Dear Jason,

This is not the first and certainly not the last time I disagree with you. But for some reason, this time I disagreed enough to write you an email. I respect your opinion and have enjoyed watching and reading your material over the past years, but was surprised money was your main argument for Sam Bradford to come out. What happened to money isn’t everything? And we should feel bad for Matt Leinart? In his three year career, he has made around $18 million based on salary alone (USA TODAY). So he has in fact made more than just what he was guaranteed; $14 million. You compare him to Alex Smith, the #1 pick a year before. In four years, his salary is around $22 million, just $4 million more and one extra year. I know saying ‘just’ 4 more trivializes the actual amount, but I am trying to make a point here:). I bet Leinart has made some nice coin off of endorsements too…but we are just talking salary [I do realize he could be making more money, but sometimes there are more important things than JUST money].

Let’s look at Bradford’s opportunity outside of just the money. Like Tebow this year, Bradford has the opportunity to win another Heisman and be the only college football player in its history to join Archie Griffin as a two-time winner. He has a chance to take his team back to the National Championship and avenge the loss to Florida this year. And most importantly, he has the chance to graduate with the class he came into college with. These three reasons should be reasons enough for Bradford to return and I believe he made the right choice.

Let’s also not forget that he isn’t throwing a way the opportunity to play in the NFL. Unless a freak accident happens (what’s the rate of college stars that get seriously injured, enough to never play the sport again?), Bradford will be a first round pick at the very least. A similar year to this one’s and he will undoubtedly be a top 5 pick and make his money. But let’s say he has the same fate as Leinart…should we feel bad for him?

I appreciate you taking the time to hear my thoughts and look forward to a healthy debate during next year’s draft.
Sincerely,

Ari Ratner

Ari Goes West

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:48:00 +0000

I experienced my first big-boy interview. What I mean is that I was flown out to the company’s headquarters, put up in a hotel for a couple of nights and reimbursed for my meal expenses while I was out there. It was a great experience overall but before I get started, please feel free to email or post any specific questions. I will answer what I can.

Wednesday, January 7^th

I arrived at my destination mid-day. Familiar with the city, I had planned on picking up my car and heading immediately to the hotel. Considering I was 30 minutes outside of downtown, I wanted to familiarize with the area where my interview would take place. As I relaxed in my room, I set up plans for dinner that night with a family friend who happens to work there. It was a nice way to spend the first half-day out West; relaxing with good company. I came home and watched some TV before bed – that’s what being 3 hours ahead will do…at least to me.

Thursday, January 8^th

The interview wasn’t until Friday, so I figured I could spend a part of the day downtown. Again, I had been there before but I wanted to pick something up for my nephew as well as get away from the hotel. I did though manage to get a quick workout in at the Hotel gym, and it gave me some energy for the rest of the day. Before I left the hotel though, I received a call from the HR department at the company I was interviewing for to confirm my arrival and see if there was any information they could help me with. It was an indication of how serious this company takes its interviews.

As I left the hotel, I quickly realized the weather was not going to hold up for a long time away from the Hotel. I made my way downtown to the local University, picked up a couple of items for my nephew and managed to eat a great Greek lunch before I headed back to the Hotel. At this point, the rain was coming down fairly strong and I realized a movie was on the radar. I watched Zack and Mira Make a Porno and to my delight, it was a good comedy. I definitely recommend it. After the movie, College Football’s National Championship game was on and while I am not a fan of either Oklahoma or Florida, I love the sport so it was easy for me to watch. Unfortunately – still haven’t gotten over 2006 – Oklahoma came up short and Florida won what could be its first of two straight National Championships. I ate a pretty average dinner and got to bed around midnight, realizing I had to get up early for the big day.

Friday, January 9^th

This was it. I set my alarm for 6 AM thinking I could go to the gym for a half hour for some energy. When I finally woke up at 630 AM, I decided to get a banana from the continental breakfast and start on USA Today’s crossword puzzle. I figured working out my brain was a good idea. I arrived at the Recruiting building 15 minutes before my scheduled time. There were many other candidates checking in but I quickly realized they were there for other positions. As I checked in, I was told my recruiter was would be out shortly to go over my day with me. As we went over my day, I realized that I was interviewing with two different teams and meeting with a total of 4 people. She did how inform me that my first interview wouldn’t be for another hour or so. I didn’t mind because there were plenty of things to do while I waited. The hour quickly passed and I was on my way to my first interview. The company has 5 recruiting shuttles ready when a trip is needed. Thankfully the shuttles are Hybrids. My first interview was with a Group Product Manager. Unfortunately, our meeting was only scheduled for 30 minutes, but we wound up speaking for almost 45. It was a great conversation; I shared information about my experiences and she shared her background and opinion of the company. It was a good way to begin my day because it gave me a great base of information about the company and its products. It was pretty traditional, as far as interviews go. My second interview lasted almost an hour and a half. This conversation was much more animated and it seemed to flow very smooth. We had an interesting discussion about which product the company should get rid of if it had to and while I don’t think he agreed with my answer, he seemed to have respected it. The whole time I tried to remember; they are not interested in the answer but how I arrived at it. After our conversation ended, he informed me that my next interview wouldn’t be for another hour. Unfortunately, I thought to myself that maybe they had me tentatively scheduled to meet with someone if the first two had gone REALLY well, but oh well; not going to kill myself thinking about what if’s.

My third interview lasted through lunch. It was with a Director for a different product team and he was very impressive. At lunch we talked about PRO$PECTS, my Brandcenter experience and some professional opinions I have. I also asked about his background, the company and the specific team he was a part of. The interview concluded with a 20 minute case study question about cereal. Before I tell you what the question was, it was a unique twist to most traditional interviews but I was fairly prepared for this type of question. Looking back, I don’t know if I am comfortable with the answer I gave, but I believe I did well trying to explain how I arrived at it. Here is the case study:

You are Brand/Product Manager for AlphaBits cereal. On your first week of the job, while your boss is away on his honeymoon, Production calls up and says there is a problem with this week’s inventory. Unable to reach your boss, you have to make a decision on whether to distribute the product as is or cancel delivery for the week. The product, which contains letters of the alphabet, has broken apart. The letter L for instance, has become to I's. The letter A has become a triangle with two I's. As you can see, it could be a real problem. What do you do?

My last interview was fairly quick. What seemed like 8 hours after my initial interview with my recruiter was actually only 5.5. Similar to the first interview, it was fairly traditional with questions centering on my past experiences. I then returned to the recruiting building and checked out.

Overall, I came away very impressed by the experience and more importantly, the company. There is little doubt why it is the market leader. I met and was around very bright candidates and employees and it seems like everyone is drinking the Kool Aid…and I don’t doubt why. The talent in itself is a reason to get motivated and the campus was a sight to see. It was the best experience I have had in my months of job searching. The detail and respect they have for each candidate should not go unnoticed. Actually, if more companies hired the way they did, maybe they would also be market leaders as well. I am just saying….Oh and for those who know who I interviewed with, there was nothing evil about it. : P

Help is on the way...or is it?

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:48:00 +0000

As I signed into my Monster account, I was told that in a little over 3 days, I would have a new experience with Monster.com. Normally I would be a bit intrigued because this is certainly a space that could use some innovative changes. With that said, I am not that excited. If the past is any indication, there will not be drastic changes. Unfortunately, drastic changes are needed.

While Monster still ranks as one of the highest employment sites on the web, that doesn't make it a useful one. The jobs available are muddled with what seems like SPAM. Not only does it offer little organization in your job search, but the other services are fairly lacking. With all of this said, only time will tell. I plan on checking out the new Monster and reviewing its changes.

The bigger concept from this post is how Monster is telling its users. Had I not signed on, I would not know Monster is changing its site. Similar to what ESPN did, it should offer its users a glimpse into the changes and even have built a network of loyal consumers to test and offer feedback on the changes. Who knows, maybe they have already done that, but some PR could have helped make that known. In fact, why doesn't Monster have a presence on Twitter or a company blog. These are all very easy to implement and maintain and like similar big companies, they seem to not be important. It should be common sense in 2009, shouldn't it?

2009 is Here

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:33:00 +0000

I hope everyone enjoyed moving into the New Year. I had a good night, but kept it fairly low key. I was reading a Twitter friend of mine's blog and thought I would copy her idea and post what I hope for in 2009. Kristin Maverick's blog is a great read; please check it out.

Anyway, here are my goals for 2009:

- Employment with a company I can get excited to work for
- Moving out of my parent's house
- Become more patient over the little things
- Spend as much time as possible with my nephew
- Continue to follow the things that interest me
- Learn something new every day
- Share my feelings with those interested in hearing them
- Take the next step in my relationship with Shirin (that does not necessarily mean an engagement)
- Go to at least one OSU game in the fall (trivial, I know)
- Continue to be passionate
- Stay motivated to work out
- Thank everyone who is necessary to thank
- Travel outside the United States
- Read
- Continue to work on crossword puzzles
- Volunteer to help others less fortunate
- Overall, continue to grow as a friend, brother, son, boyfriend, cousin, nephew, professional and grandson.

I wish everyone's 2009 is filled with success and happiness.

2008: My Year in Review

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 22:53:00 +0000

During the last few days of every year, reflection is inevitable. As I look back throughout the year, I must admit, I am pretty blessed. Similar to most years, my 365 days were spent mainly around friends and family. I have such a strong group of friends and a very close family that any rainy day I may be having goes away pretty quickly. I could write about the tough time I have had finding a job after Graduate school or the fact that at 28, I am living at home (which isn't such a bad thing); but instead I want to reflect on the positive things that have happened to me in 2008. Here they are in no particular order:

Uncle Ari

At around 6 PM on November 24th, I became an Uncle. Jules Lendvay Ratner was born a healthy 6 lbs. 3 oz. While I have always been good with kids, it's so much different when it is your blood. I am awed by everything he does and just last night, spent my first night with him. While I only slept for 3 hours, changed 4 dirty diapers and fed him twice, it was an unbelievable experience. I am very excited to watch him grow and be the Uncle that he deserves...it's just too bad he can't grow up an Ohio State or NY Giant fan.

VCU Brandcenter Graduation

On May 15th, I graduated from The VCU Brandcenter. It was quite an accomplishment for me considering the lack of interest I had in going back to school. Honestly, until I heard about the Brandcenter program, I never thought about the possibility of working toward a second degree. After two years though, this was the best career decision I have ever made. The Brandcenter gave me the confidence and skills to have a successful career. Whether it be marketing, product management, brand management, product marketing or any other business path, the core skills learned at the Brandcenter have set me up to contribute positively for the companies I am employed by. I believe I am more creative, strategic, analytic and able to work well with others because of this experience. It truly changed the way I think.

Four Years with Shirin

April 21st is a special day for me. Four years ago, Shirin and I went on our first date to see Man on Fire. Many dates later as well as numerous movies, we are still going strong; actually, much stronger. While it hasn't been easy - what relationship is? - I have become a better man because of her. I have learned that compromise is necessary and that thinking of how my actions affect others makes me a kinder person. I can only hope that I will continue to celebrate April 21st and share many more memories with Shirin.

My 28th Birthday

I have always referred to my birthday as the middle of the year. Considering there are 365 days in a normal year, we all know that's not possible. But considering my birthday is June 16th, it's close enough. I usually don't do anything big and try not to make it a big deal. But for the last few years, I have done the same thing; invite my friends and close ones to my parents house for a BBQ. The only thing I ask is that my mom make my favorite salad and my parents get my favorite ribbon cake from Randolph's [This is not the actual cake, but it does look good, doesn't it?]. Anyway, this year was special because Shirin's parents were able to spend time with all of my friends and that doesn't happen too often.

Shirin's MAC Employment

It has not been all doom and gloom on the employment front. 2008 has brought Shirin (which makes me VERY happy) the job of her dreams...and she just graduated college. Working as make-up artist is the best job for her. It allows for her to use the skills she gained while at VCU with the interest she has in making others look great. They are working her quite a bit but I think this will be great for her career. I cannot wait to watch as she continues to blossom as a professional and I know big things are waiting for her in the upcoming years.

Weddings & Engagements

Last but certainly not least, I have attended a couple of close friend's weddings as well as watched as a cousin of mine and best friend each got engaged. I attended a close family friend's wedding in Seattle earlier this year and it was such a great wedding. It helped me realize what I love about weddings, the uniqueness of each one. This one was a small gathering but what a great time. The other wedding I attended was my best friend from college. I have known him and his wife for over 5 years know but it seems like I have known them my entire life. This wedding was huge and was just as fun, in its own right. One thing, which I loved, was the photo booth it had. Here are some pictures of Shirin and I:

I hope that you had a great 2008 as well. I know I look forward to 2009 as I am anticipating an even better year. Thank you very much for following along via my blog and I hope that it has been somewhat interesting to you. Have a happy and healthy New Year and see you in 2009!

ABC News: New Year Resolutions for Your Career

noreply@blogger.com (Ari Ratner) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:18:00 +0000

Considering my current situation, I was excited to see that ABC News compiled a list of New Year Resolutions everyone should consider this upcoming year. I'm not sure whether to be surprised that none of the recommendations were innovative and all of them should be common sense. With that said, here they are:

New Year Resolutions for Your Career

1. I will do one thing every day to find a job or advance my career.
2. I will update my resume once a month.
3. I will regularly review my online presence.
4. I will read or watch the news every single day.
5. I will become an expert on the organization(s) I want to work for.
6. I will practice introducing myself.
7. I will join a professional association.
8. I will set a goal before any networking event I attend.
9. I will keep in touch with the people I meet.
10. I will e-mail like a professional.
11. I will visit (or revisit) the career services office.
12. I will not be afraid to fail.

Here are my career New Years Resolutions:

1. I will continue to work tirelessly everyday to find and apply to positions that interest me.
2. I will continue to increase my social media expertise and improve my online presence by adopting new services.
3. I will try and observe as many webinars as possible, especially ones that center on Marketing, Web 2.0 and other professional interests.
4. I will attend more networking events.
5. I will keep in better touch with the people that I meet.
6. I will continue thank everyone who helps me and those that try to.
7. I will continue to reach out to companies I am interested in working for.
8. I will develop ideas and recommend them to companies I am interested in working for; pro bono of course.
9. I will have a job by the end of January.
10. I will not be afraid to fail.