The Radiant Blog

Casual Friday - Social Media Explained

DEREK — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:03:00 +0000

This probably perpetuates a few negative/unfair stereotypes, but it's funny, so...

Introducing 2 New Radiant WebTools Templates

RAY — Wed, 8 Feb 2012 15:22:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce two new Radiant WebTools templates entitled "Entangled" and "Open Book".

As usual, all Radiant WebTools 3.0 templates are fully customizable including the ability to change the number of columns, colors, fonts, etc. If you would like to use a simplified version of your home page, edit your template, click the Layout Tab and choose "Hide All Columns (Simplified Home Page)". Resource files for the new template can be found in the "Download Materials" menu under "Template Resource Files".

To change your template at any time, login to your Radiant WebTools account and select "Choose My Template".

Note: If you would like to have Radiant customize a template specifically for your ministry, please contact us. We can also assist you with your branding, marketing and communications strategy. View a sample in our portfolio.

New Wallpaper: Except Through Me

RAY — Mon, 6 Feb 2012 10:06:00 +0000

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6 (ESV)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #122: "Except Through Me", inspired by 1 John 14:6.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 122
Except Through Me
John 14:6

Casual Friday - The Kobe System

ANDREW — Fri, 3 Feb 2012 06:49:00 +0000

Being Truly "Social"

ANDREW — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:50:00 +0000

You may already know this, but late last year, Facebook removed the ability for users to automatically share their blog on their profile using the "Notes" app.

In their words:

"We want you to connect with your fans in the most effective ways possible. That’s why as of September 30th you’ll no longer be able to automatically import posts from your website to your Page notes. The best way to get people to interact with your content is to give them insight into the links you share on your Wall by adding personal comments and responding to feedback from fans."

In taking this step, Facebook is reinforcing the fact that true social media engagement requires a personal touch. Although convenient, automated posting of your blog isn't truly social - it's broadcasting.

It's a lesson that we've been reminded of and we've made some adjustments as a result. We'd encourage you to do the same!

The Precious Blood of Christ

RAY — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:31:00 +0000

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
- 1 Peter 1:18-19 (ESV)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #121: "Precious", inspired by 1 Peter 1:18-19.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 121
Precious
1 Peter 1:19

Casual Friday - Tim Horton's Changed!

ANDREW — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:10:00 +0000

Don't Fall Off the Path

BRIAN — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:22:00 +0000

Just recently, I was in a meeting with one of our more advanced clients in regards to understanding the importance of a clearly defined brand and how applying that understanding to the daily rigors of business makes a significant difference to the companies success.

We were discussing how they distribute their product and how they should communicate to their different audiences. As we were walking down each of these paths, I noticed that the brand was no longer the filter through which we were viewing these problems and potential solutions.

I will expand on the communications issue a bit more to illustrate what I mean.

It is my experience that smaller changes and issues seem to be much easier to put through the brand filter (easy being the key factor). When larger issues such as the use of technology to communicate to your customers comes up, many drop their brand filter and start applying filters from those who have nothing to do with their brand and/or business. They look at Seth Godin and say, “if he is successful at reaching thousands of people via his blog, we will start one two”. They look at CNN and say, “their app is so successful, we need one too”.

This is wrong thinking and probably why working through the problem is so frustrating and unclear. It is imperative that ALL decisions are run through the brand filter. This creates a focused and consistent impression in the minds of your customers while saving valuable effort, time and money in planning and execution.

To finish the story I started above, once we realized this diversion and refocused on the brand, the decision became crystal clear. There was no question what we needed to do.

Consensus.

I’m interested to hear what you think about this. Is your brand leading you to incorporate such strategies or is a strong outside force pushing you into an area your brand has no business being?

Image Editing Made Easy!

CRAIG — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:21:00 +0000

We've found a great and easy-to-use image editing program that I want to share with you today. It's called Picnik.

While it does not possess the versatility of Adobe Photoshop (or even come close to its capabilities), it allows you to make modifications to your images that you can then integrate into your website either as a banner or as an image within the content.

There are no downloads required. Modifications can be made online, right through their interface. You can retrieve your images from Flickr, Facebook, Photobucket, Picasa or your computer.

The service is free. However there is a "Premium" version that offers more options and functionality, which we have not explored, and the costs advertised on the site show $25/year.

Repackaging Ideas

ANDREW — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:40:00 +0000

I saw the following video last week and it reminded me of the fact that often, we try to communicate and drive home a message on the basis of repetition alone. However, while repetition is a critical tool in a communicator's kit, if you're repeating a message that just plain doesn't resonate with the audience, you've got a different problem.

Sometimes, what you have to do is repackage the idea.

Enter the video I referenced and a new way of encouraging people to carve out 30 minutes of exercise a day:

RI Desktop Wallpaper #120: Take Refuge

RAY — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:39:00 +0000

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. - Colossians 2:8 (ESV)

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. - Psalm 118:8 (ESV)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #120: "Take Refuge", inspired by Colossians 2:8 and Psalm 118:8.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 120
Take Refuge
Colossians 2:8 and Psalm 118:8

Casual Friday - A Good Laugh

ANDREW — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:07:00 +0000

Defining Words

ANDREW — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:08:00 +0000

I'm pretty pleased about the fact that we didn't have a post up earlier today.

Why? Well, because I just saw a post come across my Facebook feed from one of my clients and it is perfect fodder for the blog. Here's the post:

We're drawing closer to deciding on the new logo for Camino Global! When we spoke with the guy at the Dallas County Clerk's office, he offered us an application form to register our logo mark and brand identity. When the form came, it asked us if the brand was for cattle, sheep, horse, swine or goat, and whether it would go on the right ear or the left. Only in Texas...

Now, I could comment on this post a few different ways...

I could leave it for what it is because their post alone is pretty funny.

I could comment on how our kind of branding has a component of being "marked" in a visual way, but includes so much more.

But at the suggestion of a commenter on that post, I'm going to make a few comments about words and the fact that they can mean different things to different people.

Funny though the above post is, it highlights the critically important point that although we often take it for granted, communicating isn't easy. Words need context and if we want to understand others when they say something, we cannot simply impose/presume our understanding on those words - even if it feels like your understanding is the "right" one.

Strong communicators listen to what the other person is saying, identify the potential pitfalls and then address those to ensure they comprehend and can respond helpfully.

That's not the default setting for a lot of us - perhaps all of us - evidently, the Dallas County Clerk's office is no exception.

New Desktop Wallpaper: Iron Sharpens Iron

RAY — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:45:00 +0000

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. - Proverbs 27:7 (NIV)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #119: "Iron Sharpens Iron", inspired by Proverbs 27:7.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 119
Iron Sharpens Iron
Proverbs 27:7

Embedding Social Media Scripts

CRAIG — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:20:00 +0000

Today, I want to share a new customization feature that is available for those who like to go a little deeper and create/maintain some of their own custom code.

One of our users has uniquely embedded the Wibiya Bar which allows their site visitors to easily share the page they are on through Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Digg, Buzz or email with the click of a button.

The bar is customizable so that you can make it fit the look-and-feel of your web design. Check out the customization options here.

To get your own snippet, visit: www.wibiya.com and sign up for the Wibiya Bar.

Please note that since this is a custom script which is supplied by third-party, we cannot guarantee it's ongoing functionality and compatibility with the platform.

Lost Opportunity

ANDREW — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:05:00 +0000

Last week, at the State Of The City address, the new theme song for London, Ontario (our hometown) was revealed by mayor, Joe Fontana. The song is called 'City of Opportunity' and is performed by long-time local celebrity and political pundit, Jim Chapman and his band, the Incontinentals.

You can listen to it here.

In short, the song is awful and quite frankly, it's nothing short of embarrassing to our city.

Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of creating a theme song that will rally Londoners and share the greatness of our city with the world - we need those kinds of communication ideas and strategies.

But the execution of the concept doesn't even come close to that passion. In short, the lyrics are a bullet point list of why London is great with very little nuance or beauty to them. Lines like "river runs through it" try to be creative in harkening back to classic American literature, but do so in a clunky and unconvincing manner. The lyrics stop just shy of listing the corporate tax rates as they encourage listeners to "Imagine a factory where none was before. Imagine an office, imagine a store" - lines that feel as though they were pulled directly from a Dr. Seuss book.

The music is uppity and dated and as such, finds no home as it floats in a space between being anthemic or contemplative, where theme songs need to be if they are going to get picked up and bought into.

So, what do good theme songs sound like? Here's a few:

Tony Bennet, singing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"
Frank Sinatra singing "New York, New York"
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys singing "Empire State of Mind"
Harry Connick Jr. singing "Do You Know What it Means, to Miss New Orleans"

All of these songs, although very different stylistically, serve to accurately and passionately represent the city they reference. Bennet's contemplative and wistful singing of the lyrics make you want to be in San Francisco. Frank Sinatra's powerful voice draws you into just how great New York is as a city. Jay-Z's punchy rap represents the culture of New York in a way that resonates, especially when coupled with the stunning vocals of Alicia Keys. Then there's Harry Connick singing about his home town of New Orleans with deep and heartfelt passion.

Each of those songs tells a story and conveys the love the artist has for the city they are singing about. It's authentic and it's powerful. In contrast, "City of Opportunity" is forced, lacks nuance and doesn't reflect true passion.

As a result, it's a perfect example of where many communications efforts go wrong - great ideas ending in poor execution.

London is a great city that is indeed full of opportunity. We need to be passionate about communicating that in great ways. This, however, is more like an 'opportunity' lost.

Casual Friday - The Power of Words

ANDREW — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 06:49:00 +0000

RI #118: The Spirit of God

RAY — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:40:00 +0000

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. - 2 Timothy 1:7

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #118: "The Spirit of God", inspired by 2 Timothy 1:7.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 118
The Spirit of God
2 Timothy 1:7

Marketers: We Aren't All Bad

ANDREW — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:03:00 +0000

The other night, I was at an event with a number of people and the group got to talking about how banks are the most sophisticated marketers out there - but the connotation of the word "sophisticated" in that context wasn't to say that banks had complex or intricate marketing systems, but rather, that they are deceptive and misleading. I kept my mouth shut…at first.

You see, while I wouldn't argue with that connotation when it comes to marketing employed by many such institutions, it's not fair or true of all marketers.

Our job…my job…is to help organizations communicate effectively. If you have a great product or service, you're likely awesome at building that product or offering that service, but you might not be so great at communicating it's value to others, so your great offering gets used by no one - even some who might need it badly but don't know it.

That's where I/we come in. My job is to understand who you are and what you do and then help you communicate that to the world, or for most companies, just the part(s) of the world that would find your offering valuable and that's not dishonest.

Nor is seeking to understand what interests people in a given region and then targeting your communications so as to ensure you have the best chance at being heard. If we're good at inter-personal relationships, we all do that already. If we have something to share with another person, it's important to listen first in order to understand the other person, so that when we speak, we maximize the potential to be understood. That too, is not dishonest.

So as the comments flew about the room the other night, with a playful smile on my face and some faked offence in my voice, I threw out a plea that not all of us marketers were bad news. Everyone had a good chuckle when they realized that one of those "evil marketers" was sitting amongst them and that maybe we aren't all bad.

I'd be fine if we stayed in that place. The comfortable place where we know that like money, marketing is amoral - it's what we do with it that makes it good or bad and not all of us are interested in using it badly.

That's a comfortable place for all of us to be. Especially since, at any given time, one of us marketers might be sitting in the room with you.

Logo Design Process

DEREK — Mon, 9 Jan 2012 16:34:00 +0000

This is a link that I came across about a month ago and saved immediately because of the wealth of information it contained. Now I am passing it along to you hoping that it can be a great help, or at least provide some insight into the process that is involved/required when designing a logo for your brand. I am hoping that it will shed some light on the cost of logo development. Have a look through some of the processes listed and see how some really good brands come to be.

Some of my favorites are:

BountyBev:
A good example of how simplicity rules, and why you should avoid stock logos or logo competitions.

Homespun Chili:
I love seeing all the variations of what doesn't make the cut through the process. This example has some good ones.

Metro Aviation:
This one is a very thorough look at the entire process and how much work went into the final mark.

Sponsr:
I like this one because I love the final mark... also this project included custom typography.

WebMynd:
This is another great mark with a good story... with a twist. The company does not use the final mark anymore and switched to something else. See their site and current mark here. In my opinion, not nearly as good or memorable as the first.

Casual Friday - A Good Way to Start 2012

ANDREW — Fri, 6 Jan 2012 06:40:00 +0000

How To Make A Successful Logo Icon

ANDREW — Thu, 5 Jan 2012 07:12:00 +0000

A few thoughts on logo icons:

You recognize the apple - not because apples are particularly representative of technology, but because Apple brought its brand to it. In fact, so did Bill Gates for a while there.
You recognize the swoosh - not because it inherently makes you think of athletic clothes and footwear, but because of what Nike has brought to it.
You recognize the green mermaid - not because it's a clear reference to coffee beans, but because Starbucks has attached a brand of coffee and service to it.
You recognize the three-sided silver star encompassed in a circle - not because it's the mark of an automobile, but because Mercedes-Benz has attached its brand of luxury vehicles to it.

Your logo doesn't need to be perfect. It doesn't necessarily need to represent all of what you do and even if it does, that message might be lost on your audience.

The success of your logo is found in the brand you attach to it. If it's a brand of great products and great services, then you, your business and your logo will succeed.

Evangelical Art

ANDREW — Wed, 4 Jan 2012 13:13:00 +0000

I came across this roundtable discussion called Art, Conscience, and Theological McCarthyism on The Gospel Coalition website while I was on my holiday break. It's been a catalyst to thought in my own mind and so I wanted to share it with you all. I'm interested to hear your thoughts!

Make 2012 a Year of Learning

DEREK — Tue, 3 Jan 2012 13:37:00 +0000

If you find yourself doing design as part of your job but it wasn’t something you thought you would see yourself doing, there is a pretty good chance that you have a lot of additional learning to do. One of the primary tools of all designers is Adobe Photoshop. If you have stepped into that program without any formal education, it can be massively intimidating. I would also guess that you have had to learn on the fly using tutorials you found online or the help files built into Photoshop.

What this post is about is trying a new method of learning, a method that I have used that has worked out well for me over the years of my career. With the intimidating quantity of tools and options in Photoshop, it is important you just get in there and try stuff. Take some time when you are not pressed with a deadline, open a file and just play! Over the course of a month take on menu option from the top and just go through each item underneath and get a sense of what each item does. The key to understanding why you may be intimidated by Photoshop is simply because it is unfamiliar. There is always discomfort or fear with things that are unfamiliar to us. So take the time to make it familiar and you will begin to enjoy it.

Lastly, what is more important than being comfortable with the software, is knowing the software so your work is not limited to what you may or may not know how to do. I know earlier in my career that was one of the things I was guilty of. I would let the course of a design be limited to what I knew I could do. I don’t think that is a very honest way to work and likely it’s not the best thing for the brands you work on either.

So I encourage you to take some time when you’re not under a deadline to learn some new things about Photoshop. Just learn one menu per month and by the end of 2012 you will be well on your way to being self-sufficient.

Here is a timeline to help you on your way:

January: File Menu (Learn about importing, exporting and file/document management)
February: Edit (Learn about some basic editing, transforming objects, fills and strokes)
March: Play and reinforce what you learned in Jan./Feb.
April: Image (Learn about image/canvas resizing, cropping and image adjustment techniques)
May: Layer (Learn about the way to manage layers and apply layer styles and adjustments)
June: Play and reinforce what you learned in Apr./May.
July: Select (Learn about different ways to apply and manipulate selections)
August: Filter (Learn about what all the different filters do)
September: Play and reinforce what you learned in Jun./Aug.
October: Play and reinforce what you learned in Jun./Aug.
November: Analysis & View (Analysis is a small menu, not much there. View is about managing your work area)
December: Window (Contains more workspace management and all the tool panels)

'Tis The Season to Close Up Shop

ANDREW — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

As in past years, our offices will be closed during the holidays. We will be shutting down at noon today and returning on Tuesday, January 3rd.

We're also going to take our annual break from blogging and so things will be quiet on the blog for the next week and a bit.

If there are any critical issues that arise, we will available by emailing holiday911@thinkradiant.com.

On behalf of the entire Radiant team, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We'll leave you with this great Christmas worship song by Chris Tomlin to set the tone for your holidays.

Become A Finisher

ANDREW — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:09:00 +0000

I’m going to risk borrowing today’s blog post topic from another, far more popular blogger. Two days ago, Jon Acuff of ‘Stuff Christians Like’ fame, posted on his blog about the value of being people who finish projects, not just start them. I feel ok with borrowing the topic because it’s actually something I’ve been thinking about quite a lot over the past 12 months.

In recent years, I’ve noticed a trend for many people to categorize themselves as starters (idea generators) and not finishers (plan executors) and I can’t help but wonder if a good chunk of people who say this really are more than just starters but have unwittingly succumbed to a modern culture of Twitter-esque attention spans and loose commitments.

As a culture, we generally struggle to exercise those muscles of discipline that carry us from start to finish on a given project. Even the movements we become involved with on the grounds of our convictions and passions can get stomped out by the cultural equivalent of boardroom boredom.

But the subtlety that I fear has crept in is to label the lack of discipline to carry a plan out to completion as ‘just being a starter’. We apply the label of entrepreneur to that and make it sound like a formal role but we use that term wrongly. Even entrepreneurs will tell you, what follows the ‘starting’ is an incredible amount of work to bring the idea to completion.

Last week, I had the opportunity to sit with a friend from Dallas who is an entrepreneur and as we talked, he shared a revelation that he’s had in recent years about entrepreneurism. He said that at some point in recent years, he realized that you don’t have the next big thing, until you have the next big thing.

Think about that. You don’t have the next big thing, until you have the next big thing. In other words, as a starter, you’ll never have the next big thing. But as a finisher, you might.

So to bring this all back around, I'll close by echoing Jon Acuff’s challenge:

“There are a million things you can finish. Some might take you all year. Some might take you a month. Some might take you 10 minutes, but they’re 10 minutes you’ve feared for your entire life.

What are you going to finish?”

2 New Radiant WebTools Templates

RAY — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:50:00 +0000

Just in time for Christmas, we are pleased to announce two new Radiant WebTools templates entitled "Misty Forest" and "Advent".

Click Here to View a Preview

The Fourth Day (RI Desktop)

RAY — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:47:00 +0000

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. - Genesis 1:14-19

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #117: "The Promise", inspired by Genesis 1:14-19.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 117
The Fourth Day
Genesis 1:14-19

Casual Friday - Cello Wars (Star Wars Parody)

ANDREW — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:28:00 +0000

Christmas Decor for Your Computer

ANDREW — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:34:00 +0000

As Christmas approaches many of you may have taken time to decorate your home or office and we thought that you may like to decorate your computer as well. Below are links to a few Christmas inspired desktops that we have designed over the years. We hope you enjoy them as our little Christmas gift to you!

Radiant Inspiration No. 29
The Glorious Morning

Radiant Inspiration No. 30
Randorf

Radiant Inspiration No. 60
Miraculous

Radiant Inspiration No. 116
The Promise

Congratulations to 15 Ministries (Over $75,000 in prizes)!

ANDREW — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:21:00 +0000

After much discussion, deliberation and prayer, we are pleased to announce this year’s winner of Radiant’s Branding Scholarship worth over $25,000. Congratulations to Harvest House Ministries (Moncton, NB), you are the winner of our 2nd Annual Scholarship! (Click here to watch a video of last year’s winner, David Hoskins from Georgetown First Assembly in Georgetown, SC.)

Harvest House Ministries will receive:

A personal visit from the Radiant team
SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
A new logo
Stationery
Business cards
A brand new website

The decision was very tough as we had hundreds of amazing entries to review. As such, we felt it was warranted to award additional prizes to 14 other ministries!

The following organizations (listed in alphabetical order) will receive a 3-year subscription to a Radiant WebTools Blue Suite (valued at $3,600 per ministry):

412 Youth Ministry – Orion, MI
Bible Way – Atlanta, GA
Boston Avenue UMB – Tulsa, OK
Crosstream Church – Orlando, FL
First Christian Church of Florissant – Florissant, MO
Harborlight Community Chapel – Conway, MI
Interchange 71 Youth Center – Estherville, IA
IPC, YF – Lakeland, FL
Legacy Christian Church – Peachtree City, GA
Lifesong Christian Communities - Newbury Park, CA
Not the Same - Fontana, CA
Pastor Shane Utley (for New Church Plant in Toronto) – China Grove, NC
US Department of Defense (for Pastor Resources) – Fort Bliss, TX
World Hope International - Baltimore, MD

Thank you to everyone that submitted an entry. The total prize value this year was $75,400. Lord willing, we will do this again next year!

New Desktop Wallpaper: The Promise

RAY — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:43:00 +0000

And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." - Luke 1:30-33

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #116: "The Promise", inspired by Luke 1:26-38.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 116
The Promise
Luke 1:26-38

Simplify

ANDREW — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:31:00 +0000

I know that I've talked about this before, but it keeps coming up and so I think it bears mentioning yet again. Additionally, there's something to be said about repeating an important point - after all, Jesus even did that!
The point that I want to reinforce is simply this: simplify.

When you're developing a logo, don't try and cram every aspect of your organizations mission and culture into one brand mark. Barring a miracle, you'll end up with a mark that is so complicated that it doesn't effectively say anything at all about you.

When you're building your website, the over-arching brand goals of the organization are what's most important, not the individual needs of a department or person within the organization. As a side-note, the presumption there is that the over-arching brand goals of the organization have everything to do with the people you serve.
When you're designing up a promotional video or print piece, clear, concise (translated simple), directives will lead to an end product that has a chance at succeeding.

Most organizations can do with applying the challenge to bring your core message down to the most concise statement you can think of, and then shortening it further from there. Challenge yourself with this and see what you can come up with!

Casual Friday - Starfield's Low Riding Pigeon

ANDREW — Fri, 9 Dec 2011 06:06:00 +0000

And the $25,000 Branding Scholarship Goes to...

ANDREW — Thu, 8 Dec 2011 14:08:00 +0000

After much thought, discussion and deliberation we are finally ready to announce the winner of this year's $25,000 Brand Scholarship...

...after this commercial...

Yes, that's right, we're pulling the old TV trick of making you wait. We're on the cusp of making a decision but like last year, we want to contact the winner directly before announcing it to the world. So sit tight, stay by your phones and be ready for the call that might be coming to you!

Once we can, we'll be sure to announce the winner to the world via this blog and our Twitter feed @ThinkRadiant.

Someone Said That

DEREK — Wed, 7 Dec 2011 07:14:00 +0000

It's been a while since the design department has spoken up on here so I would like to take this chance to say as many things as possible! The other day I stumbled onto a blog post entitled, 80+ Inspiring Quotes about Design.

I have taken the time to go back and pull out a few of my favourites and jot down a few notes of what they mean to me.

Everything is designed. Few things are designed well. — Brian Reed
This statement is such a simple profound truth. Anyone can design anything and throw it out there for the world to see. The Internet has made that especially true over the last decade. However, very few things are designed well and really deserve the accolades they receive.

Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content is not design, it’s decoration. — Jeffrey Zeldman
In my career there have been times when I have been asked to “just start the design” and content will be provided as we go. From those experiences, I've learned that it's better to hold off on design until content is approved because doing otherwise results in reduced quality on the end piece. Design is a medium for delivering information. Starting a design before having content is akin to starting to construct a building without materials - it just doesn't work.

Designers are meant to be loved, not to be understood. — Fabien Barral
I love this quote! On some levels, design is art. When I make some design decisions they are based on aesthetics. Not everything I do can always be explained in plain terms that can help someone else understand where I am coming from. This quote represents the utopia I wish I lived in.

It’s art if can’t be explained. It’s fashion if no one asks for an explanation. It’s design if it doesn’t need explanation. — Wouter Stokkel
This is another fun quote. In a unique and contrasting fashion it gets across the entire mission of graphic design.

The public is more familiar with bad design than good design. It is, in effect, conditioned to prefer bad design, because that is what it lives with. The new becomes threatening, the old reassuring. — Paul Rand
If graphic design had a Bible, Paul Rand would have written the equivalent to Matthew of the New Testament. This quote is so true and I have felt this way at times with clients that prefer to settle for a design that is similar to something else that has already been done or something inferior to what has been given to them.

Good design is good business. — Thomas J. Watson Jr.
There is a reason why Coke, Mac and Mercedes are world-class brands, they have world-class design.

Distributed Decision-Making

ANDREW — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 12:19:00 +0000

One of the first things we work to establish in a relationship with a new client is a single point of contact for both parties who are responsible for communication flow and decision-making. In the past, I've blogged about why defining that up-front is so important.

Recently, we came across a case study on the Huffington Post website that talked about a different reason why a single point of contact and decision-making is important.

Clearly, that case study presents the extreme ends of spectrum, but what is sacrificed in balance is gained in clearly communicating the risks of distributed decision-making. Enjoy!

RI #115: Upheld (Isaiah 41:10)

RAY — Mon, 5 Dec 2011 18:22:00 +0000

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #115: "Upheld", inspired by Isaiah 41:10.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 115
Upheld
Isaiah 41:10

Casual Friday - Murmuration of Starlings

ANDREW — Fri, 2 Dec 2011 06:51:00 +0000

Camino Global Chooses Radiant For Their Rebranding

ANDREW — Thu, 1 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

It's always a happy day when a client who we've worked for in the past rings us up to tell us that they are doing more work and invite us to bid on it. This happened recently with our friends at CAM International.

Back in 2006, we had the pleasure of designing the CAM International website, and in 2008, we were honored for our work on that site by the Webby Awards.

But beyond our involvement and the benefits we've received from the relationship, the one thing that excited us the most about CAM, was their mission. As it reads on CAM’s website, their mission is to: "produce and empower committed followers of Jesus Christ in Spanish-speaking areas to reach the world".

As time has progressed and CAM has been blessed with expansion in their work, they've been busy evaluating not only a rework of their website, but also an entire rebrand. After more than a year of focused study, prayer, and audience research, CAM International has announced that they are rebranding as Camino Global and they've chosen Radiant to help them again - but this time, we'll be assisting with many more aspects of their visual brand.

We'll be starting with a logo and style guide, progressing to business stationery and then moving on to a website and a number of print materials.

We're so thankful for the opportunity to work with the team at Camino Global again and we're looking forward develop a new brand image for the future.

Congrats to Mark Morrison!

ANDREW — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:09:00 +0000

Many of us in the office grew up playing competitive Volleyball.

And while some of us are still involved in a playing capacity, Mark Morrison has spent the last couple years giving back to the game and building into young people as a member of the coaching team for the Oakridge Oaks Sr. Volleyball team.

The Oaks have quite the pedigree as one of the most successful high schools in Canada. Including many city and provincial championships, Oakridge can also boast having been the first training ground for Paul Duerden, the first person to ever to be selected to the Canadian national team directly out of high school.

But that is all history and each year, the Oaks re-gear and prepare to face a new season and a new challenge with a hope of building on that winning foundation. This year was no exception as this past weekend, after winning the city championships, the Oaks went on to win yet another Ontario championship.

So, on behalf of the whole team at the office, we congratulate the Oaks and in particular, our very own Mark Morrison on the big win!

$25,000 Scholarship Contest Closes Tomorrow

ANDREW — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:16:00 +0000

This is it! Today and tomorrow are the last days to get your entry in for the $25,000 Branding Scholarship!

To apply for the scholarship, tell us why your ministry needs help with its communications and branding strategy. The winner will receive:

SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
A new logo
Stationery
Business cards
A brand new website
We'll even fly to your church/ministry to meet with you!

The contest is open to all residents of the US and Canada. A winner will be selected by a panel of judges on December 7, 2011.

To apply for the scholarship, click here.

RI #114: Psalm 46:1 - Refuge & Strength

ANDREW — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:44:00 +0000

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present[b] help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #114: "Refuge & Strength", inspired by Psalm 46:1.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 114
Refuge & Strength
Psalm 46:1

Casual Friday - Public Address

ANDREW — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 06:21:00 +0000

U.S. Thanksgiving!

ANDREW — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 07:09:00 +0000

There are pros and cons to the fact that we Canadians have our Thanksgiving celebrations in October. As opposed to the late November tradition of our American friends, our October Thanksgiving breaks up the time between Labor Day and Christmas very nicely and on a closely related note, it isn't so close to Christmas which is great from the perspective of distributing 'time off' and turkey consumption.

On the con side, there's the reality of watching a nations-worth of people all getting two days off when we're still at our desks. Nevertheless, that's not a complaint. We'll use the time that you all are out of the office effectively and look forward to connecting with you all come Monday!

From our team to each of our American readers and your families, we wish you a most excellent and blessed Thanksgiving!

A Tribute to Tic Long

ANDREW — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:51:00 +0000

I think it was 2005 when I first heard that name Tic Long. We had gotten involved with Youth Specialties (YS) to help them with their branding for the first time and as the account manager for that project, although I don't think I ever talked directly to him at that time, I heard the name often.

In our involvement in the 2011 pre-convention marketing, things were different. Although I wasn't communicating with him on a day-to-day basis, I had a number of opportunities to speak with and work directly with him. I came to know Tic as a big picture guy. The visionary that gets people fired up. The guy who so believed in youth workers that he devoted his life to minister to them and that passion was infectious in the best possible way amongst the people that worked with and around him.

For me, one great example of that passion came in a phone call with Tic and a few others early this year. We were attempting to strategize messaging for the pre-convention marketing and on that call, I asked Tic what the heart of the message needed to be. Tic's response was that what youth workers do, and who they are is way too important for them not to take care of themselves and YS saw it as their job to give youth workers that opportunity to be cared for. Anyone who is on the mailing list to receive NYWC pre-convention mailings might put together that that concept became the front of one of the postcards that was sent out as we had Tic hand-write that message for the postcard.

However, shortly after we got rolling with YS to prepare for this years convention, Tic posted on his blog that he was leaving YS in order to follow God's leading in his life and become the executive pastor of his home church, Journey Community Church in La Mesa, California. That reality made this past weekend's National Youth Workers Convention in Atlanta, Tic's last. Fittingly, YS prepared this video as a tribute and thank you to Tic for 35 years of service to youth workers.

On behalf of the whole team at Radiant, I wish Tic all the best as he moves into this new role. We're thankful for the opportunity to have worked with you and for the recommendation to eat at Fat Matt's in Atlanta :)

God Bless.

Maybe Don't Start Another Non-Profit

ANDREW — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:58:00 +0000

Back in January, I posted about the need for charities to be strategic in their communications because the competition for donor dollars is huge. At that time, the count for the number of charities in Canada alone, was at 85,000.

Today, we came across an article that raised a different question based on the reality of how many charities there are. This article rightfully challenges Boomers in particular to evaluate whether the world really needs the charity that you want to start.

RI Desktop Wallpaper #113: The Mist

RAY — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:27:00 +0000

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. " (James 4:14)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #113: "The Mist", inspired by James 4:14.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 113
The Mist
James 4:14

Casual Friday - Best Car Chase Ever

CRAIG — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:37:00 +0000

Coke - A Victim of Their Own Success

ANDREW — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:58:00 +0000

My friend recently relayed a story to me that I had to pass along.

As it happened, my friend walked into the local grocery store to do some shopping and upon entering, noticed a "ridiculously large display of Coke in the front entry way".

The thing to note is that all the cans of Coke were white as part of their collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund to save the polar bears.

Generally speaking, it's a great idea. Coke has been using polar bears in it's ads since 1993 and so there's clearly a connection there that they could exploit to join the throngs of other corporations that are engaging in causes to grow positive brand impressions.

But in an effort to brand well, Coke is falling prey to their own brand success.

At the top of the huge grocery store display, there is a neon colored, 8.5 X 11 sheet that reads simply, "This is Coca-Cola".

The color red is so incredibly well branded, that people are walking right by the white cans without even knowing it's Coke. And it's safe to assume it's not just one or two people - it's enough to warrant a makeshift sign to keep the store employees from having to explain it again and again.

That's an amazing story.

We're all about branding and there's simply no arguing the fact that Coke is one of, if not the biggest brand out there. But clearly, being the biggest isn't always easy. Sometimes, it actually introduces a whole set of challenges of it's own.

NYWC Atlanta - Here We Come!

ANDREW — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 06:21:00 +0000

By the time you read this, a group of us will be on the road to Atlanta again, this time for the eastern instalment of the annual National Youth Workers Convention.

We're bringing our booth, our calendars and ourselves and we're looking forward to connecting again with our friends at Youth Specialties and making some new ones at the convention.

It promises to be a great weekend - we just have to get past the 14-hour drive.

If you're in Atlanta, come look for us! Look forward to seeing you there!

Designer Feature: Keith Locke

RAY — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:46:00 +0000

Today we want to take the opportunity to thank Keith Locke, a long time client of Radiant and Radiant WebTools. Keith has worked on projects for a number of organizations including World Vision, Outreach, Convoy of Hope and Project Rescue. Currently, he owns and operates CauseCreates, which you can check out at www.causecreates.com.

Keith has designed a number of Radiant WebTools and BarkBuilder sites, some of which include: Hope Baptist Church, Zeto Coffee House and Open Door Community Church.

Below, is a quick video of Keith talking about his experience with Radiant and RadiantWebTools.

Thank you Keith for all that you do!

RI Desktop Wallpaper #112: Wake Up, Sleeper

RAY — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:20:00 +0000

"For anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, 'Awake, O sleeper,and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'" (Ephesians 5:14)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #112: "Wake Up, Sleeper", inspired by Ephesians 5:14.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 112
Wake Up, Sleeper
Ephesians 5:14

Lest We Forget

ANDREW — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 07:27:00 +0000

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada and Veteran's Day in the United States. Together with many other nations across the world, we commemorate the sacrifice made to ensure the freedoms that we enjoy today. In the past few years, we've put together a number of inspirational desktops for this day. Following are links to all of them so you can download, share them and hopefully be inspired to spend some time thinking about, and being thankful for, how blessed we are to live in the freedom we do.

Lest we forget.

Radiant Inspiration No. 076
With Love in Our Hearts

Radiant Inspiration No. 075
For Every Life Given

Radiant Inspiration No. 056
Greater Love

Words

ANDREW — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 07:26:00 +0000

When you think of marketing and advertising, do you think of words or do you think of graphic design? I’d bet that most people’s minds would go to the latter. I would dare say that most people in marketing/advertising world subconsciously do the same.

Words are still important of course, we have our catchy taglines and the like, but somehow, on their own, we treat words as ineffective…somehow deficient.

It’s a subtlety that pervades how we advertise. Consider the growing popularity of the infographic. It’s not that they are bad. They most definitely help visual thinkers take information in and there have been some outstanding infographics like the ones on this site. I especially like those infographics because the method of communication is perfect considering the information being communicated. But I can’t help thinking that, given our preset to think 'graphics', we miss opportunities where words, or just one word on it’s own, would be the right method for what you want to communicate.

I’ve been reminded of this recently as I’ve seen words as part of the interior design of people’s homes; either painted on a wall, hung as an accent or as a carving that sits on a mantel.

Words are artful. We string them together to create poetry, songs, blogs and emails. They can be whispered, spoken, shouted and each tone adds meaning. But words have connotations, power and beauty of their own that bear consideration when you are communicating.

"But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew, upon a thought, produces (that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think."
- Lord Byron

Word.

Adobe's Flash Announcement Should Prepare You for the Inevitable

RAY — Wed, 9 Nov 2011 14:33:00 +0000

The recent announcement by Adobe to pull the plug on Flash for mobile devices is something that many of us saw coming. As Adobe continues to jump on the bandwagon of HTML5, the plot is inevitably moving further along to eventually get rid of Flash altogether.

Consider this fact:

According to analysts, based on the current rate of change and adoption, the mobile web will be bigger than desktop Internet use by 2015.

What that means for you:

Take steps now to ensure that your website and content management system does not rely on Flash. It's fine to use Flash (for the time being), but make sure that when someone views your site on a mobile device, you have a good alternative. Sooner than later, Flash will be obsolete.

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RWT and BarkBuilder do not rely on Flash. In fact, if you use any of our templates that contain rotating Flash banners, we convert them to another language that IS compatible with mobile browsers.

CYWC Here We Come!

ANDREW — Tue, 8 Nov 2011 11:09:00 +0000

Mark is hitting the road again and on Wednesday, he'll be flying out to Vancouver to hang out at the Canadian Youth Workers Convention for the weekend.

Being Canucks ourselves, Mark is excited to go and meet up with many of our own in order to reconnect with some old friends and hopefully forge some new relationships.

From the team at Radiant, we wish the crew at CYWC all the best as they prepare and run the convention!

RI Desktop Wallpaper #111: Never Again

RAY — Mon, 7 Nov 2011 14:21:00 +0000

"I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh." (Genesis 9:15)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #111: Never Again, inspired by Genesis 9:15.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 111
Never Again
Genesis 9:15

Casual Friday - European Debt Crisis Explained?

ANDREW — Fri, 4 Nov 2011 06:51:00 +0000

A Little Reflection Goes A Long Way

ANDREW — Thu, 3 Nov 2011 11:05:00 +0000

My guess is that most people, if not all, would agree that self evaluation and reflection is a good thing. Whether it's a birthday, New Years or some other time that we set aside to reflect, it's a good thing to look at one's self and ask questions like: how am I doing?

This kind of thing needs to happen corporately too. It's not enough to always just keep ploughing forward, retrospection and introspection are key tools to strategizing the future. That kind of evaluation includes questions like: What are my goals? How am I doing at meeting them? How am I perceived by those around me? How can I get better?

But as with self-evaluation, it's important for an organization to not just ask these questions of itself, you also need an external perspective. We humans simply aren't capable of being completely objective about ourselves and that is true of us corporately as well. There's lots of stuff that we just plain miss or refuse to see.
So, one tool that we offer to organizations to help with this is what's called a Communications Audit.

The idea behind a Communications Audit is for us to come to an understanding of what you think your brand is today. It then involves meeting with your team(s) and reviewing your marketing materials to come to an appreciation of whether you are in fact, communicating what you believe you are communicating. Very often, there are clear breakdowns and in identifying them, you set your organization up to strategize about the future of your marketing far more effectively.

A little reflection does indeed go a long way.

Blogging and Twitter Combined

ANDREW — Wed, 2 Nov 2011 14:34:00 +0000

Here's a little tip…tweet your blogs.

We've always had a pretty quiet blog. By that I mean that we've typically not generated a lot of conversation on our blog posts. But we know from getting out and talking to people, that there are a lot of really passionate advocates out there that are silent readers on the blog. For that reason, our measurement of success for the blog has had to do more with readership than conversation.

Knowing that, our hope is that as we work to offer valuable content, we'll see our readership numbers go up. One strategy to help with increasing those numbers was to integrate our blogging with our @thinkradiant Twitter handle. About 8 months ago we started using our Twitter feed to tweet our blogs and have found that the more interactive community on that channel has increased our blog readership.

Last week, I ran a little test on this front. After posting a video interview that Mark did with Tic Long of Youth Specialties, I watched as our numbers over a couple days pushed up slowly and levelled off. Then, a couple days later, I posted a tweet about it using Tic and NYWC's Twitter handles and watched as the viewership on that specific post more than doubled.

This is the power of integrated marketing strategy. Blogging and Twitter are just one example, but it's an example with quick and easily measured results. Something to consider as part of your social media strategy.

RI Desktop Wallpaper #110: Living Water

RAY — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:16:00 +0000

"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:38)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #110: Living Water, inspired by John 7:38.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 110
Living Water
John 7:38

Casual Friday - Pendulum Waves

ANDREW — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 07:25:00 +0000

Customer Service - This Shouldn't Surprise You

ANDREW — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:46:00 +0000

Following is a mini-article I read on The Globe and Mail website but it was buried in a digest of other stories so I opted to copy it here:

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Customer service counts

Eighty-five per cent of Canadians say they have not completed a business transaction or intended purchase because of bad customer service, according to results from American Express Canada's annual Global Customer Service Barometer.

Nearly seven in 10 (69 per cent) of consumers will spend more with a company, on average 12 per cent, that they believe provides excellent customer service, according to the survey of 1,060 Canadian consumers.

And they'll equally punish bad service: along with the more than five in six who will turn away from a bad customer-service transaction, 49 per cent say a bad service experience has the most effect on their impression of a brand -- more than the 40 per cent who say it can make a good impression. Nine in 10 said that their experience with customer service has an effect either way on their impression of a brand, and more than half would be willing to try a new brand or company to get better service.

A quarter are willing to drive a longer distance and 20 per cent are willing to sacrifice convenience to find great service.

More consumers -- 64 per cent -- are likely to talk to friends about a bad experience than the 52 per cent likely to talk about a good one. And word will spread to more people: an average of 16 friends will hear about bad service versus nine that will hear about good, according to the annual survey conducted in 10 countries.

How can companies respond: Eighty-nine per cent of respondents said they want to resolve customer service issues by speaking with a "real person" on the phone and 80 per cent want face to face. Thirty-eight per cent are interested in online chat or instant messaging, 20 per cent in social networking and 17 per cent in text messaging, all of the online options up from a year ago.

NYWC Interview: Tic Long (Youth Specialties)

ANDREW — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:51:00 +0000

Last week, we shared Mark’s interview with Dan Skipper at NYWC San Diego. While he was at the convention, Mark also had an opportunity to connect and record an interview with Tic Long, outgoing Executive Director of Youth Specialties, the organization that runs NYWC.

In this video, Tic shares a bit about his story to date, where he’s going in the future and takes some time to talk about the relationship with us at Radiant:

Important Stats for Non-Profits

ANDREW — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:47:00 +0000

Yesterday, I received an email report from Ipsos indicating that the future might not be quite as bright for non-profits in Canada as it has been over the past few years. The article shares some important concepts about how to combat a new year where donor dollars might not be so readily available.

Canadians Feeling More Charitable, But Will It Last?

RI Desktop Wallpaper #109: Wonderful Light

RAY — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:30:00 +0000

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #109: Wonderful Light, inspired by 1 Peter 2:9.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 109
Wonderful Light
1 Peter 2:9

Casual Friday - Tips for a Thief

ANDREW — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 07:16:00 +0000

NYWC Interview: Dan Skipper (Ponderosa Pines)

ANDREW — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:29:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I posted about the fact that Mark from our office would be going to be at the National Youth Workers Convention in San Diego and that, amongst other things, we were looking forward to connecting with a few specific organizations. One of those organizations was Ponderosa Pines Christian Camp. The following video is our interview with Dan Skipper, Executive Director of the camp in which we get to talk to him about their experiences in:

The importance of offering a good product
The power of the web to reinforce their brand and grow their impact
The challenge and value of consistent branding over the long haul

Would a $25,000 Scholarship Help Your Ministry?

RAY — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:57:00 +0000

Radiant is pleased to announce that we are giving away another $25,000 branding scholarship!

Last year's winner was Georgetown First Assembly (GFA) from Georgetown, South Carolina. Watch this video of Dave Hoskins, Pastor of GFA, talking about the scholarship experience. (The video was shot earlier this month at Catalyst Atlanta):

To apply for the scholarship, tell us why your ministry needs help with its communications and branding strategy. Winner will receive:

SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
A new logo
Stationery
Business cards
A brand new website
We'll even fly to your church/ministry to meet with you!

The contest runs from October 6 through November 30, 2011 and is open to all residents of the US and Canada. A winner will be selected by a panel of judges on December 7, 2011.

To apply for the scholarship, click here.

Thank You!

ANDREW — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:48:00 +0000

Recently, we held a survey for all our Radiant WebTools clients. We were looking to find out the ways in which we can serve you better. Of course, we had our ideas and many of them were affirmed through the survey, but we wanted to find out if there was more we could be doing - there is and we're already working on answering those needs.

In the meantime, we want you to know that we couldn't do what we do today without each and every one of our clients. So while we seek to serve you with the best products and services that we can, we know that all of you serve us as well and we are blessed by that.

So, thank you for working with us. Thank you for taking the time to communicate with us in this survey, on our blog and in our support channels. We appreciate each of you and look forward to continuing being "radiant" together.

RI Desktop Wallpaper #108: My Plans

RAY — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:54:00 +0000

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #108: The Fortress, inspired by Jeremiah 29:11.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 108
My Plans
Jeremiah 29:11

Blog Action Day (Food) - World Relief Canada

ANDREW — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 06:23:00 +0000

Since 2007, Blog Action Day (#BAD11) has focused bloggers around the world to blog about one important global topic on the same day. Past topics have included water, climate change and poverty. This year’s Blog Action Day coincides with World Food Day and so naturally the 2011 theme is FOOD.

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I’ve been working for Radiant for almost 8 years now and in that time I’ve had many opportunities to connect with people in relief organizations. I am always struck by how much there is to learn from people employed in relief work.

That thought inspired the approach to today’s Blog Action Day post on Food as we take this opportunity to talk about the issue of Acute Hunger and highlight the work of World Relief Canada as they play their part in answering the need.

The Problem

The topic of Food isn’t just timely because it’s World Food Day, it’s timely in a bigger context as well, because for the first time in a long time (since Ethiopia in the 80’s), governments around the world have declared a famine, this time in a greater swath of Northeast Africa called the Horn of Africa. Famine is a word that you and I might use quite readily to describe various situations across the world, but governments are more discerning with their application of it because of the ramifications of responsibility (root word being response). You can read this article in Time that came out about a week before the UN declared a famine for more on this.

The reality though, is that, generally speaking, we are not facing a shortage of food across the world. In fact, right now, there’s enough to feed everyone on the planet. The future isn’t necessarily that bright as population increases and arable land decreases, but for now, the problem is an issue of delivery.

Compounding the issue is the fact that people who suffer through acute hunger aren’t worried about the bigger picture of building the infrastructure they need in order to secure tomorrow’s food for themselves. All they have time and effort to think about is where the next meal is coming from. This is the issue of food security, an issue that WRC approaches in its cause-based approach to relief work.

World Relief Canada’s Response

Causes at World Relief range from Human Trafficking to Clean Water to our blog topic of the day, Acute Hunger. Each cause is comprised of various projects, each project being a unique effort towards answering the need of the cause. Here’s one example:

Bangladesh – Koinonia Project

When you’re talking about the problem of Acute Hunger, the problem is many facetted and as such, it takes time to respond to. The Koinonia program in Bangladesh is a 5-year program built on the idea of microfinance and speaks to the unique challenges of the Hunger issue.

The majority of loans in the Koinonia project are for agri-business. The unique highlight of this project though, is that while this project is serving to build infrastructure that will provide a backbone for agriculture to thrive in this area on an ongoing basis, it’s not men who are most involved, it’s women (yet another of the causes that WRC seeks to address).

The reason that women are the primary audience for this project is due to a few reasons:

First off, in Bangladesh, women bear a disproportionate distribution of poverty due to cultural oppression. Women, more than others, face malnutrition, illness, hunger, separation from children, forced early marriage, etc. Coupling that with no seed capital to start a business, they sit idle.

The second reason they are the primary audience, is also a great irony. Not-for-profits who employ microfinance worldwide have consistently found that women run their businesses far better than men and have a very high repayment rate. It has been said that, “If you invest in a woman, you invest in a family. If you invest in a man, you invest in a man.” But it goes beyond family for women because it becomes a community effort.

Women band together to form accountability groups, knowing that if one woman defaults on a loan, others will pay the default. They have a culture of support whereby if someone gets sick, they cover for each other. As a result, they all have to buy into any proposed business models because they will all be responsible for it in the end.

So not only is the microfinance project providing an answer to the need for food security, it is also releasing women from idly starving to death and in some cases, women are beginning to hire men, a cultural coup that we can’t really appreciate in our North American context, but a happy side-effect of the relief work.

That compelling project is just one of the many that WRC has on the go right now.

Our Response

So, with all that detail, the inevitable question is, “What’s our response?"

In talking with Eric Frans, Director of Fund Development at World Relief Canada, I was challenged to think differently about my response. Instead of thinking solely in terms of donating, Eric’s final thoughts were a bit different as he challenged me to think about the fact that it’s not just about writing a check and feeling good about it. Donations are good, and when you donate to World Relief, you also know that through their strategic partnerships, your dollars are being matched and exceeded to the tune of 9 to 1 in many cases.

But the big call to us is to find the cause that we are most passionate about and then run with that by our involvement and support. That will be what changes the world in a ripple effect.

Along the way, it will likely change us too.

Casual Friday - Luck of the Irish

ANDREW — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:36:00 +0000

BlackBerry - Is This Good Enough?

ANDREW — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:14:00 +0000

After 3 days of service disruptions world-wide, today, Mike Lazaridis, founder of RIM has posted an apology on YouTube. Is this the right approach? How do you feel about his tone? Does he say the right things?

I'm really interested to hear your thoughts. Here's the video:

Blog Action Day is Coming!

ANDREW — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:19:00 +0000

Blog Action Day, the annual online event that encourages bloggers from around the world to blog about one important global topic, is coming this weekend. To coincide with World Food Day on Sunday, October 16th, we'll be posting as part of this global effort to bring attention to the theme of FOOD.

We invite you to join us as we blog about this important topic! All you have to do to be a part is to register your blog at www.blogactionday.org and then prepare and post a blog entry about FOOD on the 16th.

We're looking forward to seeing what you have to say!

Canadian Thanksgiving!

ANDREW — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 06:14:00 +0000

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving and so our offices are closed and we're off enjoying some time with our families and friends. We'll be back at the helm tomorrow. Until then, we wish all our Canadian friends a Happy Thanksgiving!

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We give thanks to you, O God;
we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds.

- Psalm 75:1

Casual Friday - One Reason We Love Catalyst

ANDREW — Fri, 7 Oct 2011 06:04:00 +0000

A Prayer For You

ANDREW — Thu, 6 Oct 2011 07:38:00 +0000

I want to share a cool story today.

Quite a while ago, we received an email from Pastor John Michael Weaver asking if they could use one of our wallpaper designs for a print project. We really appreciated the request and after discussing it, we opted to give permission to use the file. Then, to be honest, the issue went quiet for a while and, well...out of site, out of mind.

...until a few weeks ago, when Derek received a letter from Pastor John. I'll share a few key lines from the letter here:

We cannot thank you enough for your generosity and willingness to let us use your graphic design from Xpiritmental in the printing of our Revolution Bibles...We feel so honored to have had a partnership with you in this way and to see the Kingdom of God expanded through your art and the Word of God...We hope to use these Bibles as gifts to New Beleivers, witnessing tools for our students, and outreach Bibles to give to seekers. I know your art will make a difference and incite people who normally wouldn't read the Bible..."

This is exciting stuff for us because we love to hear how God is working through the stuff that we do. And that's the key point for us, because God's blessed us with skills to do the work that we do and given us the opportunity and ability to do it, it's Him that deserves all the praise. So today, as we reflect on this letter from Pastor John, we're doing so with thankfulness to be able to do the jobs that we do every day.

Praying that God provides you with the same sense of usefulness today.

Catalyst Update!

ANDREW — Wed, 5 Oct 2011 13:35:00 +0000

Yesterday, I talked about how we're going to be at Catalyst. But as with NYWC San Diego, heading to Catalyst in Atlanta wasn't just about us - we're also excited to connect with a number of you there and to learn from other organizations/individuals that will be down there about how they are communicating these days. Here's a few highlights of people/groups that our team is excited to connect with over the next few days.

Giant Impact - Earlier this year, our very own Mark Morrison ran a local site for Leadercast. Giant Impact are the people in charge of both Leadercast and Catalyst and so we're excited to touch base with them and learn from what they are up to.

Chick-fil-A Restaurants - I've already gotten reports from our team about how caught off guard they were by the level of customer service at these restaurants. We've all heard about it, but apparently, you need to go to truly "get it". Our team is hoping for an opportunity for more contact with the team at Chick-fil-A because you can never learn enough about customer service.

Plywood People - Plywood is an interesting group to us and so we're intrigued to get an opportunity to sit and talk with them. Plywood came to our attention as they are connected with the crew at Live 58: and their website pegs them as a community that searches for "social problems with the hope to match them with entrepreneurial creativity to organize, innovate, and manage ideas that produce change." Sounds interesting, no? We definitely think so.

Again, stay tuned in the coming weeks as we begin to share some of the content coming out of these great conferences. We're excited and know that the stuff we're collecting will be instructive for us and all of you.

Catalyst Atlanta, Here We Come!

ANDREW — Tue, 4 Oct 2011 14:01:00 +0000

Hot on the heels of the NAMIC and NYWC San Diego conventions, we've got a strong contingent of our team that's on the road, right now, heading down to Catalyst Atlanta.

Catalyst is a highlight conference for us as it's such a big event and offers so much opportunity for our team to connect with great people in attendance and the big names that are involved in running and contributing to the conference.

Amongst all that, we're especially excited to touch base with our friends at Georgetown First Assembly of God who won last years branding scholarship and to feature the work that we've been doing with them ever since!

If you're heading down, over or up to Atlanta yourself, come by our booth and say hi! We might even have a little something for you to take home with you!

Casual Friday - Unreal Dubstep

CRAIG — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 07:00:00 +0000

NYWC San Diego Update!

ANDREW — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:17:00 +0000

Earlier this week I highlighted the fact that Mark Morrison is going to be at NYWC San Diego this weekend. As he's travelling in to the convention today, we wanted to highlight that one of the big things we're hoping to get out of this convention is the opportunity to connect with organizations that are doing great things for the gospel and doing them with excellence and creativity. Here's a few that we'll be trying to track down as each of them has impacted us with their ministry and the way they market themselves.

Compassion International - Compassion is known to be an organization that understands the concept of branding and employs it well. From their website to their print materials, even down to how they communicate in person, it's all structured to ensure that everything communicates the consistent and clear message of "Releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name."

Ponderosa Pines Christian Camp - Ponderosa Pines, or Pondo as they are more commonly known, has actually been a client of ours for about 5 years, but due to the conveniences of the Internet, we've never actually gotten face-to-face with them. So we're excited to connect with them at NYWC and to touch base with a Christian camp that values quality communications as a part of their marketing strategy. You can check out the website we've built for them at: http://www.pondo.org

International Justice Mission - If you track with us regularly, you'll already know that we're fans of IJM. While some of us support them personally, we also have done work with IJM Canada and as such, we end up keeping up-to-date on their work and communications around that. So, given that a new, great-looking, IJM International website was launched recently, we're excited to talk to them to learn about that initiative and the success it's bringing them.

Beyond those three highlights, there are a number of other organizations that we're looking to get some time with, not the least of which is the crew for Youth Specialties! Having developed all of the pre-convention marketing pieces for NYWC San Diego and Atlanta, we're looking forward to connecting with the people we've been working with for 8 months now!

So stay tuned to this blog and our Twitter feed because whatever we learn from these organizations, we'll be sure to share in text and video as we have it.

RI Desktop Wallpaper #107: The Fortress

RAY — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:14:00 +0000

"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." (Psalm 18:2, ESV)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #107: The Fortress, inspired by Psalm 18:2.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 107
The Fortress
Psalm 18:2

NYWC San Diego - We're Going!!!

ANDREW — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:15:00 +0000

This coming weekend (Sept 30-Oct 2) is the San Diego installment of the National Youth Workers Convention and while we won't have a booth at this convention, there will be a few different ways in which we're going to be involved:

First off, all attendees will get a special gift from us as part of their registration bags.
Second, if you're in attendance, you'll see our branding around the convention in the form of slides and standing banners.
Third, there will be a video featuring our very own Mark Morrison prior to a big room session.
And last but not least, Mark is going to be on site connecting with a number of people and you might have a chance to do so yourself so if you're at the convention, keep your ears peeled for where to find Mark.

For all of our youth leader friends who will be attending, we are praying that you are blessed by this convention. To our friends at Youth Specialities and Youth Works, we wish you all the best as you run this convention and equip those who pour their lives into youth.

Casual Friday - Wingsuit Madness

ANDREW — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 06:24:00 +0000

Online Socialization

ANDREW — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:17:00 +0000

Typically when I hear people complain about the modern terms like Social Media, I immediately tune out because most often, it feels like they are attempting to sound intelligent simply by being contrarian.

That said, this morning I heard the term challenged again, but the speaker, Jesse Hirsh, had a fairly decent argument for challenging it in that Social Media is too broad of a term seeing as how it can include media such as smoke signals if you really think about it. Of course, each person brings context to the phrase Social Media and typically the things that pop into our heads are the big three: Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

That being the case, I started to wonder if a phrase like Online Socialization was more what people mean when they say Social Media.

I like this distinction because it clarifies the whole concept really well and as a result, could help to clear up the waters as far as what role Facebook, YouTube and Twitter play in effective brand management.

Those who get Online Socialization, or whatever you're going to call it, understand that an effective Social presence is comprised of both online and offline components. At the office, we use Online Socialization primarily in terms of Twitter and our blogs, but we are also out at events. In fact this is convention season for us and so as we ramp up to travel to various conventions and actually get face-to-face with people, we're also ramping up our planning around how we'll use our Online Socialization presence to augment those experiences.

Perhaps adding another phrase to this whole world is only muddying the water, but I'm going to keep chewing on it for a while.

Another Argument for Good Communications

ANDREW — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:54:00 +0000

Two articles came to my attention this morning that I think are important reads for non-profits in general but Christian non-profits in particular.

The first is a CNN report on a recently completed 10-year study called "A Decade of Change in American Congregations, 2000-2010". The article summarizes the reports findings with statements such as:

"…a variety of factors led to the decline, but overall, there are fewer Americans in the pews, and '… more than 1 in 4 American congregations had fewer than 50 in worship in 2010, and just under half had fewer than 100. Overall, median weekend worship attendance of your typical congregation dropped from 130 to 108 during the decade, according to the FACT surveys.'...Congregations are also having hard times financially, the survey found. In 2000, 31% of survey participants reported excellent financial health. In 2010, that number plummeted to just 14%."

The other article comes from the Vancouver Sun and highlights the fact that with changing demographics, volunteers are becoming more-and-more difficult to come by.

Both of these articles highlight real challenges facing non-profits today and into the future. But the first one also makes some interesting findings on the positive front that are the real reason I wanted to share these articles today. Here's two more quotes from that article:

"In the measured decade, churches, temples and synagogues told surveyors that congregations that were innovative and contemporary showed the highest amount of 'high spiritual vitality'...The recession, Roozen writes in the report, 'affected nearly every kind of congregation equally – large and small; north, south, east and west; financially healthy or struggling before the recession. One bit of good news was that one in 10 congregations reported that by the time of the survey, they had already begun to recover.'"

So there may be a light at the end of the tunnel as far as the recession is concerned, but I don't think "just riding it out" is the correct strategy either. I believe the concept highlighted in the CNN article of aiming for innovative and contemporary (contextualized and impactful) communications has a lot to do with being an organization that can actually thrive these days. People want to be involved in a cause - whether it's financially or as a volunteer - there no question about that. The challenge is to make your cause stand out in the din of voices already pulling at their time and money.

Good communications will be a part of that.

The Indescribable Radiance of God

RAY — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:42:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #106: Indescribable Radiance, inspired by Psalm 34:5.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers. Indescribable Radiance will also be turned into a 24 x 36" calendar, and will be available at no cost to attendees of NYWC Atlanta, NYWC San Diego and Catalyst Atlanta!

If you won't be attending NYWC or Catalyst, contact us online or via Twitter, and we'll find a way to get you one. All we ask in return is that you make a donation to one of the following organizations: Live58, charity: water, IJM Canada, IJM USA, Opportunity International, SEND International, World Relief Canada, Compassion or World Vision. All of these organizations are making a huge difference in the lives of others!

Radiant Inspiration No. 106
Indescribable Radiance
Psalm 34:5

Casual Friday - What Happens Just Before Pigs Fly

ANDREW — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 06:16:00 +0000

We've all heard the old adage: "when pigs fly". Well, this article on CNN outlines what I think could be just one or two steps before we find ourselves looking up at porcine aircraft.

Make a Point Or Make a Difference

ANDREW — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 06:50:00 +0000

"It's much easier to make a point than to make a difference."
- Andy Stanley

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Last week, my friend Joy shared a little anecdote on Facebook.

"… pulled up to the Starbucks drive-thru and as the [barista] asked me what I wanted, I realized I forgot my wallet. 'Oops, sorry... apparently I don't want anything!' He replied, 'You sound like an honest person, can I make what you'd like and you can come back?'"

nbsp;

There are always two ways you can respond to your customer/donor when they make a mistake. Option 1 is to reinforce the fact that it's their fault and get on with being right for the rest of the day. Option 2 is to accept some risk and extend some understanding, because one day in the future we'll all do something like forget our wallet.

Question is, which one is more likely to get you a life-long advocate?

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Oh, and by the way, when she returned to square up, the Barista's response was: "Oh wow, you came back!"

Now that's ground-breaking - he didn't even expect anything in return.

On My Birthday: Two Lessons and a Request

ANDREW — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 07:22:00 +0000

Today is my 35th birthday, and I've got two lessons and a request that I want to share regarding recent interactions with one of my favourite non-profits, charity: water. Read on and you'll learn about how my birthday ties in...

First off, last week, I received a personal phone call from someone named Hamish at charity: water. He called to thank me for using my birthday last year to help them raise funds during their annual September campaign and he also conveyed a Happy Birthday to me on behalf of the entire team there.
Lesson 1: No matter how many people have donated to you or done business with you, and despite all the reasons that you can think up for why a personal touch is unreasonable, you CAN do it and IT WILL be one of the most powerful things you do. As a small example, quite frankly, I was waffling about whether I wanted to run another campaign this year. But after the phone call, I decided to just get it done and it ended up taking me 15 minutes to set up - yet another key method to ensure people keep on keeping on with your organization - simplicity.

Second, after setting up a campaign, charity: water encourages you to set an example and be the first person to donate, so I did. Within 3 minutes of making my donation, I had a tax receipt in my inbox. Brilliant.
Lesson 2: Think like a customer. You might even find yourself implementing strategies that will provide customers things that they didn't even know they wanted. Never in a million years would I have thought to ask the organizations I donate to for a tax receipt immediately. But wow, when I got it, it completely caught me off guard and entirely ingratiated me to their organization - again.

As my third and final point, I wanted ask a favor.

I learned a lot through these interactions with charity: water, but the bigger picture is that although I love their marketing, I love their purpose and work even more: getting clean water to people who don't have it - something they have already done for more than 2 million people. So would you consider joining me by donating to my campaign? I'm asking for people to donate $35 for my 35th birthday. If you can't part with that much, you can give what you're able to. 100% of your donation will go directly to the work of getting people clean, running water and accountability is a big deal for this organization - all the way down to GPS units on the trucks that they use to show your dollars literally at work in Africa. We'll make real change in lives together.

If you're willing and able, you can contribute here: http://www.mycharitywater.org/andrews35th

RI Desktop Wallpaper #105: The Lamp

RAY — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 09:59:00 +0000

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105, KJV)

We are pleased to announce Radiant Inspiration desktop wallpaper #105: The Lamp, inspired by Psalm 119:105.

Download the new wallpaper here or visit Radiant Inspiration for more wallpapers.

Radiant Inspiration No. 105
The Lamp
Psalm 119:105

Casual Friday - Twitter, Faster Than An Earthquake

ANDREW — Fri, 9 Sep 2011 07:01:00 +0000

Buffet Disrupts Philanthropy

ANDREW — Thu, 8 Sep 2011 09:24:00 +0000

If you're a non-profit, this article from Fast Company will undoubtedly present some worthwhile food for thought.

Howard Buffett is attempting to unify the scattered world of independent nonprofits through his grandfather's multi-billion dollar investment strategy: Invest in a portfolio of smart people and let them flourish. Having just taken the reins as Executive Director of the family foundation after holding posts in the White House and Department of Defense, Buffett has ambitious plans to pay the world's savviest nonprofits to collaboratively tackle the full spectrum of food security, from third-world farmer education to public policy.

Read More

New Radiant Template: The Multitudes

RAY — Wed, 7 Sep 2011 14:41:00 +0000

For the second straight day, we are pleased to announce a new Radiant WebTools template. The latest one is entitled "The Multitudes" and is based on 1 Timothy 2:3-4, 2 Peter 3:9 and Acts 5:14. You can view a preview of the new template here.

As usual, all Radiant WebTools 3.0 templates are fully customizable including the ability to change the number of columns, colors, fonts, etc. If you would like to use a simplified version of your home page, edit your template, click the Layout Tab and choose "Hide All Columns (Simplified Home Page)" -- click here to view preview of the Simplified Home Page. Resource files for the new template can be found in the "Download Materials" menu under "Template Resource Files".

To change your template at any time, login to your Radiant WebTools account and select "Choose My Template".

New Radiant Template: I Am The Vine

RAY — Tue, 6 Sep 2011 23:00:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce a new Radiant WebTools template entitled "I Am The Vine", based on John 15:5. You can view a preview of the new template here.

As usual, all Radiant WebTools 3.0 templates are fully customizable including the ability to change the number of columns, colors, fonts, etc. If you would like to use a simplified version of your home page, edit your template, click the Layout Tab and choose "Hide All Columns (Simplified Home Page)" -- click here to view preview of the Simplified Home Page. Resource files for the new template can be found in the "Download Materials" menu under "Template Resource Files".

To change your template at any time, login to your Radiant WebTools account and select "Choose My Template".

Labor Day

ANDREW — Mon, 5 Sep 2011 06:49:00 +0000

Well, it's Labor Day today and so naturally, our offices are closed and we're off not laboring. At least that's the plan anyways.

If you're checking in with us today, our suggestion is to not labor along with us and we'll catch up with you tomorrow. If you're needs are pressing, then send an email off to us using our contact form and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

We hope you're having a great long weekend!

Casual Friday - Anthemic Branding!

ANDREW — Fri, 2 Sep 2011 06:23:00 +0000

Supporting Your Supporters

ANDREW — Thu, 1 Sep 2011 06:46:00 +0000

I’m an avid soccer fan - more specifically, I cheer for Manchester United.

Despite more recent rivalries, anyone who knows anything about English football (soccer), will know that one of the most anticipated matches on their calendar is Manchester United vs. Arsenal. Like Manchester, Arsenal has a strong history and some of the best games I’ve ever watched were between these two clubs.

This past weekend's game between these two teams wasn’t one of those though. To be clear, it was a great day to be a United fan as they trounced Arsenal 8-2 (you can watch all the goals here). But although I was happy for my team, I felt bad for Arsenal. A team that has consistently underperformed in the last few years, lost a few of it’s biggest stars, including it’s captain in recent weeks and was understrength due to some injuries took a beating that was humbling to say the least.

The cool thing was that the fans kept chanting, encouraging and hoping for their team to fight back throughout the game.

Since then, it has been announced that 3,000 Arsenal fans who made the trek from London to Manchester to watch the game and cheer for their team, will be awarded tickets to see another Arsenal game.

I mention this because it’s a wonderful example of the concept I introduced yesterday in service-based thinking. The team realized that they did not put up a fight…in other words, they didn’t deliver a product that was worthy of their customers, so they are going to have them back and right the wrong.

In a day and age where teams purchase their players and in so doing, buy their way to championships, I'd much rather cheer for a team that isn't just well supported, but supports it's fans right back.

Kudos to Arsenal. We can all learn a lot from this.