From our neck of the woods to yours, all of us at Armstrong|Shank wish you all things merry and bright this holiday season!
 

This time of year finds many marketers pouring over their budgets for the coming year, trying to figure out how to stretch precious dollars as far as possible while trying to keep the finance and marketing folks happy (which is nearly impossible to do).

I think we need to step back and rethink how we approach budgeting for marketing and establish some new rules. I submit for your consideration the new BUDGETS rules:

Blow it up. How many times have you started your budget-planning process by copying last year’s budget and pasting it into a new spreadsheet? From now on, start fresh. Don’t include things in this year’s budget simply because they were in last year’s budget. How can you expect to improve results if you always start with a copy of the previous plan?

Understand your profitability. This is how you make finance happy. Not all sales are created equal. Some of your products and services are more profitable than others. Talk to your finance team and determine where your profits really come from and build a budget based on growing that part of the business.

Don’t start with a number. When you start budgeting with a total number in mind, you box yourself in and put roadblocks between you and innovative tactics. Instead of starting with an overall figure, start with objectives and goals. Let them drive the budgeting process instead of a magic number that is probably just based on last year’s budget.

Goals are about more than measuring sales. There should be two sets of goals in your mind: marketing goals and communications goals. Marketing goals are most often related to revenues and profits. We want to increase sales by x% over the next 12 months. Communications goals are tied to your market position and branding. They detail what you want people to think about your company or products. They are less tangible than marketing goals, but just as important.

Educated guesses are OK. Setting budgets can be stressful because it feels like we are locking ourselves in for a long period of time. We almost never have all the information we need to make the best decisions. Let’s come to terms with that and realize that we don’t need all the answers. Sometimes we need to just look at the information in front of us and make an educated guess (emphasis on the educated part). The best budgets are never set in stone, but are flexible. If your best guess turns out to be wrong, you can always revise the budget accordingly.

Try something new. Be intentional about funding at least one new tactic in your budget. Again, doing what you have always done is not good strategy.

Short is better. It is a budget, not a novel. Keep it as short as possible. The page count of your budget plan is in no way related to how successful it will be.

There you have it. The BUDGETS rules for budgeting. Now, get cracking, because next year will be here before you know it.

I was fortunate to be involved in judging some of the best advertising, marketing, public relations and interactive work created for the agri-business industry.

The work was entered in the National Agri-Marketing Association’s Best of NAMA competition. A total of 41 judges gathered in Kansas City at the Crown Center Hyatt Exhibition Hall. Advertising and marketing professionals came from Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Georgia, South Dakota and Nebraska to take part in the Region 2 judging event. They reviewed and critiqued 1,217 entries over two 12-hour days. Judging criteria included creativity, execution and results.

I have a personal interest in the agriculture industry. My grandfather was a farmer, as was his father before him. They worked the land around the Tonganoxie, Kan., area for more than 100 years. As busy as my grandfather was, he always seemed to have a moment for me — even though he worked from before sunrise to after sunset. His son — my father — knew that I was in advertising and marketing but never really understood what I did for a living over the last 35 years. He knew that I was involved in the agriculture industry in some way and told me that my grandfather would be proud of me for supporting such an important industry. Every year, when I judge the Best of NAMA event, I think of my grandfather.

Agriculture is an important industry for America and the world, and the exhibition hall vibrated with the energy emitted from the marketers’ submissions. During these economically hard and uncertain times, agriculture has put forth an aggressive approach in efforts to “feed the world.” Large organizations supporting the industry have come together, reaching out to third-world countries in order to help people learn how to take care of themselves through the agricultural process. The marketing work that we judged this year made me proud to be a part of this global effort.

The number of entries in each category shifted from previous years. Interactive, online and social media more than doubled from the previous year. The PR entries reflected decreased budgets, with agencies donating most or all of their time. Results in all of these areas were measured as precisely as possible with the variety of tools and analytics that we have access to today. Yes, it’s a client’s dream.

This year’s traditional media included print, video, direct mail, outdoor and radio — all exceptionally creative, well-executed and entertaining. The dollars spent on traditional media were similar to years past, but the demographic was targeted more tightly. This helped save wasted production costs on trying to reach unsubstantiated potential customers, which in turn allowed more dollars to be allocated toward creativity and execution, particularly in the direct mail category.

Here are few of my favorite entries.  I don’t know if they will ultimately win, but they certainly caught my eye and are all winners to me.

Agriculture.  An important industry? Yes, I believe so.

National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) is the nation’s largest professional association for professionals in marketing and agribusiness. There are more then 1,730 members.

The marketing world has changed dramatically in recent years.  All of us can point to the invention of television, or the introduction of the Internet, as world-changing events.  But, here are some important inventions we sometimes forget to be thankful for…

The Invention that changed what we see:   The camera. 

IBM invented the very first smart phone, called SIMON, which incorporated voice and data services into one package. It is also a mixture of mobile phone and PDA and even a fax machine. Compared to the smart phone in present like iPhone, HTC MAX 4G, and SAMSUNG Galaxy it is really low-end and very expensive. Source: www.cellphones.org

We all know a picture is worth 1,000 words.  What would we do if we couldn’t show our products?

Question:  Do you know when the first advertisement with a photograph was made?

The Invention that changed how we sort data: The bar code.

These boring sets of black and white lines are everywhere.  First, they changed the way we shopped, and kept track of inventory.  Now, they are becoming a new way to communicate via a QR code.  Did you know JC Penney’s is providing a coded gift card so you can “tag” your gift with your own recorded voice, to be played back by the recipient using a QR scanner?

Question: Who dreamed up the original concept leading to the bar code?  And, when?

The Invention that changed the way we share and connect: Social Networking
More than three billion minutes are spent by computer users EVERY DAY on Facebook and Twitter — changing the way we interact and who we interact with.Millions of people now communicate tiny details of their lives by poking, twittering and posting. We chat with old friends – or meet complete strangers – worldwide.

Question: Who first discussed the strengths of networking, socially?

The Invention that ties all the other technologies together:  The Mobile Smart Phone.

This one combines the camera, data access and social connectivity we all want.  The mobile smart phone is a productivity game changer, with ever expanding opportunities to connect people with brands – through text messages, apps, mobile Internet browsing, QR code scanning, and more.

Question:  When was the first smart phone introduced?

Click here for answers!

This year, we are celebrating 30 years in business. To commemorate this achievement, we hosted a 30^th anniversary event that included a presentation by author and business blogger Drew McLellan entitled “Storytelling and Social Media.” In this five-part series, we will recap the highlights from his presentation. This is Part 5 of 5.

When you’re ready to tell your marketing story via social media, remember to tailor your message to the audience and to its expectations of the format.

For example, when readers go to a blog, they want to be informed or entertained — not sold.  When checking out a Facebook post, readers expect a quick, insightful “aha” moment — not a lengthy, rambling tale.

Watch this one-minute video excerpt to see the five social media storytelling tips that Drew McLellan presented at a recent seminar hosted by Armstrong|Shank.

The holiday favored by many people in the United States and around the world is none other than scary, spooky Halloween — and for good reason. Kids can dress up in just about any costume their imagination dreams up, prowl around the neighborhood as the sun goes down and ask for candy at every doorstop. What’s not to love?

True, the holiday is a marketer’s dream. But can every company get in the Halloween spirit and put great advertising out there? I suppose every company could, but sadly, every company does not. Some don’t get involved at all (sniff) and some put out some pretty scary ads — you know you’ve seen them, even though you tried to avert your eyes.

So in honor of this spooky holiday we have complied a list of some of our favorite Halloween inspired ads.

Goodwill Southern California

Goodwill wasn’t afraid to alter its logo in the name of good art and good fun. The bottom right box — the ending visual that people tend to see — maintains the untouched logo. But the other boxes employ the same simple, smiling cartoon shape, but with the Halloween theme played nicely.

Takethislollipop.com

True this isn’t really about Halloween but it is spooky and totally creepy to imagine the situations this implies are possible.

Westlake Ace Hardware Zombies Preparedness Center Campaign

This campaign manages to create a humorous, fun brand association, while tying to products they actually sell.

Snickers “Grocery Store Lady” ad

This “old lady” is definitely one of the scariest things we have ever seen.

FedEx Zombies

Because nothing can stop FedEx, not even a zombie outbreak.

Daily Monster’s Create Your Own Monster Blog

For all you creative types (we have our fair share here) now you can be scary and creative at the same time!

Crest and Oral-B – Scary things come to those who do not brush

Crest & Oral-B could have suggested that trick-or-treaters be given apples or
toothbrushes instead of candy. Instead, they used an iconic Halloween
symbol to make their point. Well done.

McDonald’s Ghost

McDonald’s doesn’t judge; even if you are dressed as an infamous serial killer at 4am they will still take your order. That’s our kind of service!

Do you have a favorite Halloween ad that we missed? Share it in the comments! Happy Halloween!

During a volunteer build day for Habitat for Humanity, I learned that hammering a nail into a piece of wood is not an easy thing to do. It seems easy: The equipment is relatively straightforward. There is a hammer, a nail, some wood and your body. The process seems reasonable – drive a nail into the wood by hitting the nail with a hammer.

But when I actually got down to doing it, it was a pretty sad scene. Countless swings seemed to only produce horribly bent nails sticking far out of the boards. It took me hours to finally hammer with a faint glimmer of proficiency.

The lesson: Just because something looks easy doesn’t mean that it is.

Not unlike advertising. On its face, advertising appears uncomplicated. There is a product with a target audience, a message and a few different media options. Simple, right?

Except when it’s not.

Anyone who has put together an advertising plan knows that things get complicated quickly. Budget constraints make decisions more difficult. Fragmented media consumption by the target audience creates communications barriers. Trying to find creative and unique messages that cut through the clutter can, at times, seem impossible.

So what are we to do?

I was able to learn how to hammer better by asking the experienced project coordinator for help. He has spent hours upon hours of his life hammering nails and was able and willing to share his knowledge with me.

When you are tackling an advertising challenge, there is no shame in reaching out for help. Maybe you need the guidance of a media planner to find the right mix for your budget. Maybe the traditional media side is all set, but you need advice on how to integrate digital marketing tactics. Whatever the task, there is someone out there who can help. And a bit of time and money spent on consultation can save a tremendous amount of wasted investment in the long run.

Thirty years.

It sounds like a very long time. Yet looking back, it seems that the years disappeared into thin air. Time is funny like that.

Our minds reach back to recall decades of work, and we are rewarded with a fast-motion blur that makes our heads spin. Then, magically, hundreds of shining moments raise up to dazzle us with a golden clarity that we can’t deny.

They are big occasions and small ones. Triumphs and tribulations. Public and private. Together, they are the sum of our journey in the advertising business — and they make us thankful for the amazing people we’ve met along the way.

As I was reflecting on our 30 years in business, I was astonished at the number of magic moments that sprang so quickly to mind. Snapshots of people and places that have touched my life in ways they may never know.

We have worked with clients who became such close friends that I can’t imagine life without them. We’ve laughed together. Created great work together. Celebrated successes together. And grown to respect each other.

Our vendor partners have taught us more than we ever dreamed possible. They have encouraged us. Met our deadlines. Honored our budgets. And made us look like heroes.

The members of our staff have carried us through the best of times and the worst of times. They have consistently given us their very best work. They have generated brilliant ideas. Worked through the night without being asked. And walked through our doors every morning ready for the next big adventure.

Once, when a tornado struck our agency, our clients and vendors and staff — and competitors — all worked together to get us operational again.

If you are reading this, it’s likely that you played a role in our company’s growth. For that, I thank you most sincerely.

The wonderful thing about the advertising business is, just when you are sure that you have seen everything, something new comes along. You are absolutely, positively never bored. Not for a minute.

Even now, I can hardly wait for tomorrow.

Oh, the places we’ll go!

Photo: http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m164/bridgetjane12/Hunter_Gatherer_cartoon.gif

The proliferation of the Internet, email and texting has, in their own particular ways, increased people’s frequency (if not ability) to communicate across borders and time zones. The written word carries with it certain caveats — a major one being the variance between the implication of what’s written and the inferred meaning that’s taken away from the communication.

For an example, let’s focus on a writer who has just written a book. This writer chose particular words and phrases in a particular order. Those particular words and phrases in that particular order were meant, no doubt, to get across a particular meaning; the writer way trying to say something to the audience. By trying to get across that meaning with those particular words, the writer writing implies meaning. The same could be said of a speaker, who implies meaning by the particular words in the particular order.

In both of these scenarios, an audience is targeted. The audience must read or listen, and in so doing interpreting. The audience is, thus, inferring something from those words.

One way to look at it is the hunter-gatherer relationship. The hunter is the one who implies. The hunter brings the meat (the meaning) to the table and says, “Here it is. I’d like to see a steak for dinner, but do what you will with it. My work here is done.”

The gatherer is the one who infers. The gatherer accepts the meat and may or may not hear the request for steak. But perhaps the gatherer has a great beef stew recipe or is in the mood for tacos, or perhaps the gatherer cares not a whit for steak and throws the meat to the lurking wolves, preparing instead a bowl of garbanzo bean soup, sans meat. The interpretation of what was implied becomes what’s inferred by the gatherer, and the hunter often has no say in what’s for dinner.

Another way to look at it is that “to imply” is more active, while “to infer” is more reactive (the one doing the inferring is actively doing something, too — inferring — but doing so in reaction to something that has come before — the words). The argument could be made that the writer or speaker who wrote or spoke with implication did so in reaction to some previous stimulus. Yes, that’s true. That’s also a philosophy lesson for another day. Here are the guts of it:

• To imply is to mean something with the chosen words.
• To infer is to gather the meaning of the chosen words.

The AP Stylebook folks state it more simply, for sure, so if that’s your bag (and really, why wouldn’t it be?), here it is:

Writers or speakers imply in the words they use. A listener or reader infers something from the words.

See? Nothin’ to it.

Today is Friday, April 22, and it’s Earth Day!

It’s time to get and enjoy what this world has to offer, time to celebrate this fantastic, giant planet we all live on, time to make at least one modification to your everyday life to help sustain, improve or protect the earth, and time to take action on a local level.

“Think globally, act locally.”

What can you do as an inhabitant of Wichita (or one of its surrounding areas) to help the sustain the earth so that it can be around in its best form for you,

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Steve Snodgrass.

your children and your children’s children? Here are a few easy-to-do ideas:

Reduce

Going green includes incorporating the trifecta of environmental sustainability —reduce, reuse and recycle — with the first tenet perhaps being the most important. By reducing consumption, you reduce your carbon footprint and require fewer natural resources to be extracted from the earth. You learn to exist well with fewer things, which is not only an admirable ethical goal but also an economic necessity in this era of making do with less. So how do you reduce consumption?

• Buy in bulk (less packaging, usually lower prices); such big-box stores as Target and Walmart offer bulk purchasing, as well as the larger warehouse stores (think Sam’s).
• Use power strips to quickly switch off such electricity-eating electronics as TVs and stereos when not in use.
• When it’s cold outside, set your thermostat to 55 degrees during the night; when it’s hot, shoot for 78 degrees or higher.

Reuse

Figuring out how to use items more than just once is a terrific way to help inhibit the overflowing of landfills. What items can you — or someone else — reuse? Anything that doesn’t endanger your health (or anyone else’s):

• Take plastic grocery bags to a local daycare to use for toddler’s soiled clothes; reuse them as household trash bags or doggy poop bags; keep several in your car to collect random trash that inevitably builds up; or, better yet, forgo plastic bags at the market in favor of taking your own reusable bags to haul groceries.
• Repurpose the Wichita Eagle’s Sunday funny papers as wrapping paper.
• Compost food scraps.
• Use cleaned plastic containers (e.g., sour cream, butter, cottage cheese) for leftovers or to hold buttons or rubber bands.
• Sell or give away gently used items that you do not want anymore on Craigslist or eBay, or have a garage sale — your junk is someone else’s jewel. (Check to see if your neighborhood holds a group garage sale day to help increase foot traffic.)
• Donate old cell phones, eyeglasses, clothes or appliances to local charities that distribute items to others who could use them.

Recycle

When an item has reached the end of its useful life, recycling is the next green step. While not all items are easily recycled (yet), many are:

• Get in touch with your local trash company; Waste Connections and Waste Management both offer recycling programs. Find out what can go into your recycling bin; each company has its own requirements. Most take glass, paper and at least some forms of plastic (determined by the number in the triangle usually located on the bottom of the container).
• Take your recyclables to a local recycling center or drop-off bin. Wichita-area Dillons stores accept steel and aluminum cans, as well as paper goods, such as old telephone books, catalogs and newspapers, in outside bins. Dillons and Walmart both accept plastic grocery bags. Target stores have bins inside that accept aluminum, glass, plastic PET bottles and bags, and small electronics, such as cell phones, batteries, ink cartridges and MP3 players. Take used compact fluorescent lights inside of local Home Depot stores and used batteries to Lowe’s.

These suggestions are by no means exhaustive. A little research will uncover that just about anything you’re done with is recyclable. Visit www.sedgwickcounty.org/environment for a list of items you can recycle and where to take them. Get the environmental ball rolling — go green and go lean, and you will be helping the earth and those who live on it.

Happy Earth Day!