We were in Italy when Iceland’s volcano erupted, thousands of miles away. I was blissfully unaware of this event, and never imagined it would impact our travels. Then, the evening before our scheduled flight from Venice to Amsterdam, we learned that volcanic ash was drifting over the airports in London. There might be flight delays as a result.

Still, this sounded like a minor problem – one that wasn’t likely to impact our flight into an entirely different airport. Right?

We decided to confirm our flight, just in case. When it became apparent that our morning flight would not depart to Amsterdam, we elected to rent a car and make the drive across four countries – the scenic route would be an adventure.

We packed our bags, checked out of the Venice Hotel, and rode the water taxi to the city’s transportation center.

Thus began three days that are now imprinted in my mind as a blur of starts and stops, confirmations and cancellations, scheduling and waiting, and rescheduling again. From car rental companies to airlines to bus and train stations to hotel clerks, we experienced a multitude of customer service interactions in a short period of time. Here’s what we learned:

• Natural disasters bring out the best and worst in people.
• In general, people are less friendly under stress. Don’t expect sympathy from a hotel clerk who has been turning people away for three days.
• Some people care more than others, and it shows. One car rental representative just shrugged his shoulders and made no suggestions. The travel agent who booked our German airline flight was so helpful that we returned later to bring her flowers. (Ok, this flight was cancelled, too, but she tried.)
• Long lines aren’t always best. In the Venice train station, the shorter the line, the higher the price — and the better the chance that your train will still have seats available.
• Starbucks’ baristas are always friendly and helpful. Everywhere. I want to know more about their recruitment and training systems.
• Some companies communicate better than others. Air Italia has stayed in touch — no refund yet, but I’m hopeful. The German airline, not so much.
• Good service always comes with a smile. A sense of humor may be your most valuable travel accessory.

Simply put, some people understand customer service, and some don’t. One hotel manager in the “adventure” portion of this trip said it nicely: “We are all just guests on this planet, after all. We need to treat each other with respect, and know that we can’t always be in control.”

Within the last couple of years, AT&T ran a series of television spots that featured Blake Mycoskie, owner of TOMS Shoes. For every pair of shoes they sell, TOMS Shoes gives a pair to a child in need. AT&T positioned itself as helping Mycoskie make that happen by using their communications technology. But I think that nearly everyone who saw the spots came away with the impression that TOMS Shoes was the real hero here — and with good reason. Here was a company designed specifically to help people in need.

Americans have become pretty cynical about trusting the intentions of businesses these days. The American economy is in the tank because of greed. It seems that for many, ethics has become nothing more than a class taken in business school. Doing what is good and decent and right hasn’t been on the agenda for quite some time. It’s become a game of quarterly earnings, and the parasite of greed barely blinks at the notion that it is killing the host.

The average American wants something to believe in. And I think that businesses in general, and particularly small businesses, have a real opportunity to make the world a little bit better, inspire hope, and gain market share in the process. They have the ability to do well by doing good.

Many business owners already subscribe to the idea. Almost every small business owner I have ever met donates time or money or both to a myriad of great causes. Many do it in relative anonymity, and I certainly respect the act of giving selflessly without expecting anything in return. The idea of philanthropic acts done solely to increase profits doesn’t sound particularly noble. But Americans are more than willing to embrace a happy medium. In fact, many Americans are willing to spend a little more for a product or service if they know that doing so is causing some good in the world.

Some larger companies are building from this philosophy with a degree of success. SC Johnson has been working to reduce the company’s environmental footprint, eliminating millions of pounds of pollutants from their products, reducing packaging waste and powering their plant using methane gas from a nearby landfill. Despite the considerable costs involved in this undertaking, they have found that going green is not only good for the environment, it’s good for business.

Imagine that. Being responsible and ethical is better for the long-term bottom line than screwing people over for a quick billion.

Smaller, local businesses may not have the budget of an SC Johnson or even a TOMS Shoes, but they can still have a positive impact in their communities while gaining a positive image among consumers. Here in Kansas, there are hundreds, if not thousands of local outlets for those looking to do some social good. And while a one-time, lump-sum donation to a worthy cause should be applauded and would certainly be appreciated, it might be more beneficial for both parties to, for instance, plan a campaign in which the worthy cause receives a percentage of the profits from each unit sold for an entire month, or year — or forever. Whatever the strategy, it needs to be more than just a marketing tool. Believe in it, and people will believe in you.

Doing well by doing good is a business model from which we can all learn a lesson. Seeking new and creative ways to make it more popular should be our next assignment.

But don’t forget that your work environment is a touchpoint, too. By applying environmental branding to your office, you can reinforce your brand to those within your organization and to visitors alike. Below are a few things we keep in mind when helping our clients undertake this kind of project.

For technology client Concergent, adding a splash of their main logo color to the pillars creates a nice contrast with their desks.

1.   Logo colors: Be careful when introducing your logo colors onto the walls, or large signage. What looks good in a logo may not work on the walls. A color scheme that is too bold can be unsettling for employees, and hamper productivity. If you have bright colors, consider a more muted shade. If you have dark colors, mixing in a complementary lighter color can brighten the area.

2.    Decor: While it is nice to match the feel of your industry, it’s important that the interior be welcoming at the same time. For example, if you’re in the IT industry, you could hint at your technical identity with brushed metal wall fixtures, or even etched window art of electrical diagrams. But to keep things from being too futuristic and cold, you could warm things up with a complementary wood finish on your desktops, and perhaps some greenery in contemporary plant holders.

There are hundreds of possibilities when selecting your décor, including desk and chair styles, cabinet styles, lighting fixtures, door knobs and more. All can go a long way toward projecting the “new you” to your employees and visitors.



A unique upholstery pattern creates a more friendly, welcoming environment for visitors.

3.    Textures: Don’t overlook your carpeting or upholstery when planning your interior. Not only can they be unique patterns in and of themselves, they can create some interesting contrast with your walls, desks and cabinets.

4.    Photography: Large-scale presentations of photography can be an eye-catching visual element, but remember that small blemishes that disappear at 4 inches tall can become glaringly obvious when blown up to 4 feet tall.

5.    Sketches help: Whether you use a 3D application, Adobe Illustrator or even just a pencil and paper, creating a series of sketches can help you with your decision making, and help your vendors make appropriate recommendations.

Remember, beauty isn’t just skin deep — and your brand shouldn’t be either.

Still there? Whew — lucky us. Because even though that was purely fictional, we didn’t treat you like you were important to us. And all it takes is one instance of inattentiveness or half-hearted client service to introduce doubt into an otherwise good client relationship.

Here are some ways you can be more responsive to your clients:

1. Ask your client for their preferred method of communication.

Some client contacts have instant access to their e-mail, and can respond to your communications quickly. If they tell you they are frequently in meetings or away from their desk, e-mail-based communication may not be the best choice.

For clients who live and die by their cell phone or voicemail, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants communication can work well. But if they prefer to sit down and meet face to face to talk about things, you’ll need to have meeting times planned into their schedule days or weeks ahead of time to avoid putting them in a tight spot.

2. Be aware of your client’s approval process.

When an organization has to get the okay on a project from multiple people — common in large organizations — each step has potential to cause a delay. Do your best to keep that in mind when planning your project timelines. And be sure to keep things moving between steps. Deadlines can be hairy enough by themselves — don’t make it worse by being the bottleneck.

3. Choose outside vendors carefully.

If you’re the go-between between your client and a vendor — printers, mailing houses, media reps, and more — be sure you trust their ability to be responsive. If they aren’t timely replying back with a quote, then it delays your ability to deliver it to the client, which delays the approval process, which shortens the amount of time you have to get the job done. Even if it wasn’t technically your fault, it reflects poorly on you for choosing this vendor. Get to know your vendors, that way you can be confident that your job will get done when deadlines are tight.

4. Be proactive, not just reactive.

If you really want to impress your client, do more for them than just what they ask of you. Be responsive to their future needs by keeping on the lookout for opportunities that will benefit them: new marketing technologies, potential PR possibilities and the like. You never know when even a small suggestion can be a catalyst for new business.

Whether you’re a waitress or a worldwide entity, the simplest business advice still applies: be there when your customers need you, or they’ll go elsewhere for their cup of coffee.

Recently Go Wichita!, formerly the Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau, held their annual meeting.  The keynote speaker was Peter Yesawich, CEO of the Y Partnership.  The Y Partnership is a leader in the field of travel and tourism marketing research.  Peter spoke, in part, about the dramatic impact that technology is having on the travel and tourism industry.  He noted the following changes:

1. Meta search is changing the game of online travel research. Think sites like Kayak which aggregate a multitude of other travel booking sites, providing the user a wealth of planning information and comparative pricing with a few keystrokes and mouse clicks.
2. Mobile phone use is creating a third screen beyond the television and computer.  Smart phones are rampant and the iPhone has made us all application crazy. Players in this market need to recognize the opportunity to connect via this very personal tool.
3. Social tools and blogs are shaping perceptions. Word of mouth is nothing new.  However, more people are getting their WOM related to travel from social media destinations like YouTube and blogs to gain first hand feedback about destinations and attractions.

The travel and tourism industry is yet another industry experiencing change driven by digital technology that is quickly becoming mainstream.  Peter’s message was, “do not ignore this.”
I’ve seen technology drastically change the advertising industry, both for agencies and the clients they serve. The timeframe between reading about emerging trends like social media, micro blogging and mobile applications to them becoming widely adopted media channels is incredibly short.
I truly believe that we must make a conscious effort to regularly evaluate how technology is changing our businesses, impacting our customers and providing new opportunities.  Three questions to ask:

1. What technologies are my customers using? Ask them if they are on social media sites.  Ask them what type of phone they have. Ask them what blogs they visit.  And don’t just ask what they use, but dig into the how.
2. How can the business leverage these technologies to achieve business objectives and add value for customers? Don’t just adopt a social media strategy or dramatically overhaul your Web site without deciding what outcomes you want to see. Don’t do it because your customers might think you are cool. Do it because it makes their interactions with your company easier.
3. What resources do I have to allocate to make this happen? These initiatives often take three types of resources: people, money and time. Determine what mix of these three your idea requires. Often, you can find resources through reallocation. Do you have a part of your marketing that just isn’t working and hasn’t been working for a while? Stop it and devote those resources to your new idea.

Asking these questions, and answering honestly, can keep you in the forefront of the digital revolution and keep your company looking forward.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/simeon_barkas/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

From a marketing standpoint, I can understand why one organization would want to sell the naming rights (additional cash flow) and another buy them (marketing awareness). My personal reaction is two fold: First, I’m a little more skeptical of the long-term benefit to the selling organization. You’re gaining dollars, but losing the opportunity to create a true, memorable community icon. And second, the slow passing of unique, conceptual stadium names is disappointing.

Here are two examples: Before it was demolished, Three Rivers Stadium (named because it was built where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers join to form the Ohio River) was home to the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. It was replaced in 2001 by Heinz Field. And Veterans Stadium (so named to honor veterans of all wars), previous home of the Philadelphia Eagles, was demolished and replaced by Lincoln Financial Field.

The names Heinz Field and Lincoln Financial Field say nothing about their respective cities. They could be anywhere. Three Rivers Stadium reflects the unique geography of the Pittsburgh area, and thus has more personality. Veterans Stadium? For one of the patriotic centers of our nation, the fit is perfect.

Does the name really matter? From a practical standpoint, maybe not. After all, it certainly doesn’t physically affect the venue’s ability to provide a suitably enjoyable experience for eventgoers. The name “Heinz Field” isn’t going to keep people from doing what they really want, which is to go see the Steelers play football.

If Heinz Field remained Heinz Field forever, I would probably care less. But due to the temporary nature of contracts, it’s probable that eventually the Steelers will end up selling the naming rights again. Now, the Steelers have lost the iconic value that has been built up in the name “Heinz Field.” In addition, they have to change all of their brochures, materials, Web site references, everything that says “Heinz Field” to Bud Light Field or Burger King Field or (as famously spoofed in the movie Baseketball) Tampax Stadium.

If you don’t believe the possibility of a stadium with a naming rights deal reaching absurd proportions, then consider the case of Sun Life Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins. Originally constructed as Joe Robbie Stadium in 1986 (named after the entrepreneur who led the financing campaign to get it built), the rights to naming the stadium were sold to Fruit of the Loom in 1996, who then named the stadium after its Pro Player athletic wear division.

In 2005, that deal ended, and the team reverted the name to the simple Dolphins Stadium. In 2007, it was subsequently shortened to Dolphin Stadium. In 2009, a sponsorship deal was once again struck, this time to promote to Jimmy Buffet’s new LandShark Lager. That deal lasted just year, however, and in 2010, the beginning of a new five-year deal will lead to the stadium being named after Sun Life Financial.

If you’re counting, that’s six name changes in 23 years. No marketing consultant in their right mind would recommend that. Maybe it’s different in the world of professional sports, where there’s enough television exposure on a weekly basis that people discover quickly that names have been changed.

Reality is that people adjust to name changes and accept it, whether they like it or not. But does “Heinz Field” carry the iconic resonance of, say, Arrowhead Stadium or Soldier Field, which instantly make you think of Kansas City and Chicago, respectively? I say no. And that’s why, ultimately, for the image and awareness of the surrounding community, the dollars earned by the seller in a naming rights deal may not be worth quite as much as the contract states.

The name Brink’s has equity. Broadview, not so much.

As it turns out, there is a reason behind the name change, nicely summed up in a 2009 article at Forbes.com. “The publicly traded security company spun off its alarm system unit, Brink’s Home Security, from its armored truck division last October in an effort to fight competitors and boost earnings for shareholders. Part of the spin-off agreement was a branding makeover aimed at driving more business to the home security outfit.”

I still don’t get it. Obviously there are more variables involved than the above sound byte gets into, but this sounds like the same reasoning that network executives must have used to pitch Joanie Loves Chachi.

In their defense, if you are going to rebrand, an economic downturn is probably a good time to do it. Smart brands invest heavily in marketing during tough times to reposition themselves in an effort to gain market share over competitors. Pepsi did it, so did Holiday Inn and countless others — many with considerable success — but most focused on changing their image, not a wholesale reinvention that leaves behind little to nothing in the way of brand equity.

Rebranding isn’t cheap. Everything from letterhead and business cards to the signs they stick in people’s yards to the vinyl stickers on the sides of vehicles to the stenciling on the control boxes and a bazillion other things have to be changed. So with a budget not to exceed $120 million (which is how I like to portray my personal budget to anyone who will listen), Broadview Security has been trying to get the word out with a television campaign that mostly just says, “Hey, we used to be Brink’s, now we are Broadview,” while the world collectively shrugged and said, “Who?”

And just about the time I have seen enough of these commercials to remember that I was going to write a blog about it, Tyco, the parent company of ADT Security, their biggest competitor, comes in and buys Brink’s, I mean Broadview Security for a cool $2 billion, and they get to rebrand yet again. Somebody probably came out of all this making a nice chunk of change, but I think Joanie Loves Chachi may have had a longer run than Broadview Security.

In our presentation, we covered the following (download your own copy of the slides here):

1. Uncovering key features of your business or products through exploring shared equity. Shared equity is made up of things that your organization identifies as key features that you do well, which are also key features that your customers say they value.
2. Using key features to find your unique selling proposition. Once you have your features identified, determine the customer benefit that is derived from the features. For example, a feature might be your years of operation. The benefit of this feature may be security, continuity or even trustworthiness. Once you know the benefits, find those that are unique to your business and those that set you apart from the competition. These make up your unique selling proposition.
3. Branding and image advertising is important. This type of advertising, which communicates your unique selling proposition, is key to building perceived value, or equity. Multiple studies have shown that companies with more brand equity experience success where it matters most: profitability.

This is just a portion of what we covered in the presentation. Overall, we hope that we helped people see the value of building their brands, focusing on their unique selling propositions and engaging in the right level of advertising to support their growth.

(Video from Showtime’s “Penn & Teller: BullS@$t!”)

Of course, you can never know which way you’ll find your name at the start of the process. So, in order to simplify the process for you, we thought we’d provide a few things to remember when finding a name that works for your product or service.

1) It must be memorable: As one of our past creative directors used to say, “You can’t bore people into buying something.” And a name that people can’t remember won’t help sales. Good example: Amazon.com. Named after the world’s largest river, Amazon.com is easy to remember and implies that it is teeming with products. Another good example is Monster.com … which … uh … well, I’m not exactly certain what the concept is with that one.

In both cases, the name doesn’t explicitly say what services they offer. But they’re both more memorable than, say onlinebookseller.com or jobsearch.com. Relevance can be important, however, so try and maintain a balance when creating a memorable name.

2) It must be protectable: When we have a naming project for our clients, we always double-check with our attorneys to ensure that there aren’t any trademark conflicts with an existing name. The unfortunate reality is that a name doesn’t even have to be exactly the same as an existing name to warrant potential legal action. The attorney we rely on is thorough enough that if there is even a slight chance of conflict, he recommends not using the name.

The legal fees incurred in double-checking that a name is available to be trademarkable can add up quickly, however. Discuss with your attorneys the possibility of sending multiple names for review at the same time, and you might be able to get an “economy discount,” so to speak.

3) Try to anticipate unsavory connections: Try your best to look out for negative connotations of your name, or obvious similarities to unfortunate words. Not that it’s completely avoidable. If someone wants to make fun of your name, they’ll find a way to do it. Even Apple — who excels at keeping their names simple — is victim to the occasional mockery, as evidenced by “iTampon’s” appearance as one of the top trending topics on Twitter shortly after the release of the iPad.

4) Envision how it will work as a domain name: Sometimes when two words run together, there can be an unfortunate result. My favorite example is when I was doing online research for insurance, and found a company named Youngs Insurance. Perhaps they were afraid that YoungsInsurance.com was too long, and tried to shorten their Web address to youngsins.com. That particular Web address is no longer live, so apparently they’ve since changed it … for the better, I might add.

5) Patience is a virtue: We’ve named a lot of products, a lot of services and a lot of babies around this office. Believe us when we say we know how difficult it can be. My favorite anecdote is from when my parents were opening a coffee shop. In addition to the stress of finalizing menus and finding vendors for their food and coffee, they found themselves struggling to find the right name. Nothing quite captured those harrowing months like this humorous name suggestion from my dad: “Grounds for Divorce.”

I went to work at University IGA at 25th and Hillside on my 16th birthday.  I couldn’t wait to start and make real money.  I had pestered the owner, Mr. Goering, for a job for weeks.  He was a stickler for the rules and kept insisting I wasn’t old enough.  Prior to “coming of work age,” I had been limited to throwing newspapers morning and evening and to whatever lawns I could mow in the summer, not to mention the babysitting jobs on Friday and Saturday.   As a sacker at the IGA store I earned $1.25 for every hour I worked, and I worked 50 hours a week stocking shelves, sorting pop bottles, and sacking groceries.  The only negatives came on Friday evenings, when I missed my high school events, and Sunday afternoons, when I’d be heading to work to face shelves and my friends would be heading to an area lake.  But after taxes I earned $55 a week, which allowed me to buy my first car, a 1960 Hillman Minx, for $440.  My car payments were $22 a month.  I paid off my loan at KSB&T 11 months early.

Approaching 62 years of age I’ve worked full time for 46 years.  I figure that I’ve worked over 10,000 days.  I’ve been in the advertising agency business for the past 35 years, 22 of them at Armstrong|Shank.

Life has been wonderful so far.  I’m privileged to spend most of my time around two of the people I treasure most – my life partner and wife, Kim, and my work partner and friend, Susan.  Both have tolerated my quirks and eccentricities.  Both have indulged my excesses and fed and encouraged my creative ego; when I was a young boy taking a long look at life through an adolescent prism fraught with insecurities and embarrassments real and imagined, I would never have believed anything so dear.  I’ve been loved and liked way beyond what I’ve deserved or returned in kind.  I’ve also experienced the joy of the company of two better copies of me than me – my sons Sylvan and Andrew.  When they were children I worried at the end of every day what I might have done to screw them up.  Now that they are mature men I’m relieved to say they are an important part of the hope for the future of mankind.  They are making the world a better place.  They are worthy of praise.

(An important side road: Something of no small importance that I’ve learned is that if a bird flies hard into a window and its neck is not broken it can often be saved.  Usually after striking the glass the bird lies stunned on the ground below.  If left in that posture it typically quietly passes away.  Gently placing the bird on its feet will revive it more often than not.  It might take 15 to 20 minutes for the bird to regain its senses and fly away, so be patient.  As I was writing this morning a goldfinch flew into my window.  I set her upright on a bed of faded leaves.  Following a fretful wait of about 20 minutes she flew into the welcome embrace of a frost-covered yew – the sun is shining brighter on my keyboard now.)

I’ve always lacked confidence in my creative abilities.  I’ve never felt good enough for the responsibilities with which I’m entrusted.  Successful people retain Armstrong|Shank at handsome fees to make their businesses even more successful. Our employees entrust me with their futures; they depend on me for direction that will secure better futures for them and their families.  That confession aside, what a lucky guy; people pay me to have fun every day.  The problems we’re given to solve require a talented team of professionals of diverse abilities. Every day is different.  Challenges are new and usually unexpected.  We get to learn about virtually everything over time.  On any given day we can name a new service, write an ad for a bank, or charity or Bible, counsel a client on the best response to manage a publicity crisis, have a creative meeting to design television spots for a national golf equipment company, meet the local newspaper editor for lunch, and review plans for modifying our own Web-based marketing service … whew.  Fun, huh?  When my boys were small and they’d ask me what I did at work all day and I tried to give them an honest answer, they didn’t believe me.  They’d look at Kim and ask if I was telling the truth.  She assured them that for once I wasn’t making stuff up.

At the end of February I will walk away from my life in advertising.  I will move on to other things.  To be good at what I’ve spent most of my adult life doing you need an insatiable curiosity.   I’ve put off “some day” for long enough.  It’s finally time for my time.

Here is the future: Picture a remote Irish cottage in the Flint Hills sixty feet above the west fork of Little Fall River.  There is a low dam with a veil of white water just below the house.  The water is clear because it is fed by springs pouring out of the limestone rocks.  Two dogs, an Irish terrier and a miniature schnauzer, awake me at 5 a.m. each morning wanting my company and, to be perfectly honest, they want out to patrol.  I make strong, black coffee and sip it while frying vegetarian bacon and planning my day.  Following breakfast I will spend a couple of hours in my garden of organic vegetables nestled on a gentle slope in the side yard.  The tall grass of the prairie is a few yards to my east and south and the dogs flush a covey of seven quail, with the terrier leaping five feet in the air in chase.  Once satisfied that the weeds in the garden are sufficiently at bay, I will hike up our lane to continue work on a dry stone wall bordering the morning side of our drive.  I will be following principles perfected in Europe over many centuries.  Lifting and positioning the stones for the waist-high wall is hard on my back and regrettably I’m forced to stop for a simple lunch after only a couple of hours.  The chilled crappie from our pond on a bed of fresh greens, with tomato, onion, and assorted herbs from our garden is a welcome respite.   The crisp pinot is a nice accompaniment.  Taking my fishing rod from the corner of the garage I beckon to the dogs.  While eating I’d noticed the cows feeding at the farm below.  The man who built the cottage was an accomplished outdoorsman.  He taught me years ago that when the cattle are feeding the wildlife is feeding.  Then is when you want to fish.   So we head to the pond about a hundred yards through the woods.  Using an ultralight rod and four-pound test on an open spinner reel I cast a Rapala® onto the still water.  As I crank the balsa lure it runs about eighteen inches beneath the surface.  When I’m halfway through the retrieve I see a spotted bass race from the depths to take my bait.  It hits the fake minnow hard and immediately runs for the cover of the weeds at the edge of the dam.  It’s a beautiful fish of about two pounds and will make a delicious dinner.  I will dispense with further details of my day other than to say it will include editing a movie on my Mac, studying birds or other fauna, hiking with the dogs, improving my cooking skills, and likely gazing through my telescope after dark.

It’s a simple life, I know, and that is the way I like it. To me, there is no place more beautiful or wonderful than the prairie and the hills. I will miss advertising. I will miss collaborating with people of supreme intellect and skill. But I don’t want to overstay my usefulness. I have hired people better than me. It is time for me to move on. It is your turn.  I hope you enjoy the ride.  I certainly did.