They Have Their Presentation Down to a "Tea"

B. Fuller's Mortar & Pestle Herbal Apothecary is a medicinal herbals company (aka tea shop) that has the presentation down pat! These guys are always a pleasure to visit at the local farmer's market, and they are a perfect example of how to take an ordinary "booth" and turn it into a great experience. I did the best I could to capture it with my phone camera. You get the idea... they took their brand and ran with it.

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Let the Games Begin...

One of my favorite books is the "Olympic Image" a history of Olympic graphic design from 1886 until 1996. If one would want to know the trends of graphics, look no further than the marketing and branding done for the olympics. To see what the four cities bidding for the games in 2016 are up to, you'll get a sneak preview of the future. Although, I miss the original Chicago logo, which featured a burning torch that emulated the city skyline which was eventually rejected by the olympic committee for breaking guideline restrictions. Of course, all I could think of was the Great Chicago Fire, so maybe two wrongs did make a right.

Don't die, just design.

I'm not one to use negative reinforcement in advertising, but hey... Halloween is coming! So spooky creepy death kinds of things are in order for the season.

So what's the message in this unusually cheeky graphic? Simple. There are a lot of great ideas, and great businesses that go under simply because they go unnoticed, or their message to their potential clients is off, just look at this "Wall Street" Bailout package. No wonder it didn't pass. Bailout? Yikes. Sounds desperate.

So yeah, no real ground provoking message here. Just a reminder that getting visible is critical for your business. You need to be seen and heard. It seems far too simple, which is why it goes unnoticed and forgotten. I've noticed that with the rise of the internet and search engine optimization (that's SEO in net-lingo), marketing your business is a full time job. Just remember that there are good people in the business that will help you accomplish your brand agenda. If you're busy running your business, don't be afraid to outsource to a good designer. WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE.... GIANT EYE GOES WINK! WINK! You get the idea.

A giant eye would be rather creepy, wouldn't it?

Crescenzo Communications has it goin' on

Steve Crescenzo, Crescenzo Communications - Click here for more home videos

Here's a video from one of our clients and friends, Steve and Cindy Crescenzo. Great people that work hard to discover new territory in the world of communication. In this video, Steve Crescenzo, Crescenzo Communications, discusses ways to promote authenticity to a blog with Christine Deerin, Divisional VP, West Coast for D S Simon Productions. Recorded at the Ebay & Ragan Communications Social Media Revolution Conference.

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Recession: Or Why It's a Great Time to be a Small Fry

As you may have heard, Wall Street has been officially hit by a comet, and the old dinosaurs are dying out. Actually, the comet struck years ago... it just takes a while for the food supply to drain.

Is it spooky? Yes. Has the condition the middle class person really changed over the the last thirty years? Sort of. We have more credit and cheaper technology. But we're just as vulnerable, if not more so. Ask anybody that lost their home. Times are tough, but aren't they always in some degree? Just remember, the dinosaurs died of and the small fuzzy mammals thrived. In an economic sense, that's about to happen.

You can see it in society. People are getting nice prices at Walmart, but missing the human interaction and service. After all, that greeter only goes so far. People are looking for that local shop again. Of course, it's the future so you'll have to be smarter about the whole ordeal... but for small businesses, your time is now. Why? Here's a short list of reasons.

1. You can make decisions on your feet, and not have to go through a committee. (Believe me, that's a big advantage over the corporate dinosaurs.)
2. Technology and the internet has now officially leveled the playing field on all fronts. You can get the information you need to survive.
3. There's enough small local businesses like you that could use another small local business to help support them in some form or another.

And finally, let's say you've been laid off by a large giant corporate dinosaur going under. Do you think you could actually trust another one to provide for you and your family? Studies show less and less feel that way, and would rather take the risk of starting their own company than being let go. At least fate in in your hands.

This is 19th century economics with a 21st century spin. Chris Anderson of Wired said so. My old art teacher Steve Sherell said so, too. Actually, most people in the know say it. The 20th century was a necessary fluke to the economic climate of today. And the news reports that small businesses will triple in the next three years.

So, from one small business person to another, let me know when you're ready to draw up some great advertising. Let's embrace the new economy together.

Chris Anderson and the Free speech.

I had the opportunity to watch WIRED editor-in-chief Chris Anderson speak at the 2008 Economic Insight in Seattle. His subject... giving away items in your business for free, to lure customers into purchasing other commodities. This is nothing new. Much of what I heard reminded me of something my art teacher Steve Sherrell once said... that the 19th Century would have more in common with the 21st century. As for the Free Speech, I won't go into too many details, you can find those by clicking directly to his story.

View Anderson's article 'Free! Why $0.00 Is the Future of Business' on WIRED

Let's face it, the 20th century was a weird fluke in terms of business. The idea of a parental corporation that took care of its employees was noble and naive. How could GM ever expect to take care of all those former employees and their rising medical costs? I truly feel bad for the baby boomers, they've had the carpet pulled from under their feet during every critical moment in their lifespan. They had a choice between college or Vietnam. Their women's liberation efforts were rewarded with adjusting the economy to a two-person income. And when it was time to retire, many had the pleasure of watching their 401K's disappear. And then 9-11 and another war that seems like it's fought for the wrong reasons. No wonder the boomers are distraught.

I want to enforce the notion that everything we knew about the world between 1950 & 2000 was a hiccup in the timeline. It's back to business of survival, and fortunately we have new technology on our side. Thanks to the small cost of internet storage (referred to in Anderson's speech), we can now reduce online costs to virtually zero. And if you read his book The Long Tail, you know how Amazon.com and other on-line stores thrive on the simple face that since they don't have to turn around physical items on valuable retail shelf space, they can offer gobs of merchandise aimed at the niche markets for reasonable costs.

If I had one complaint about the speech, it was that I didn't really learn anything that I hadn't already read in his book and his article. The one true highlight was his play-by-play on how Ryanair can offer plane tickets for free, by weaving in lots of 'ala carte' costs. There's something to this, especially with a downturning economy and a Generation X that thrives on experiences. I like this business model as well, because it emphasizes responsibility. Obviously, the more responsible passengers will be rewarded by spending less. It's a good example of an airline doing good, for a bad one... watch PBS Frontline's take on marketing and how they examine the downfall of Song Airlines.

Is free the future of business? Perhaps... I personally think there's a different word for it. It's COMMUNITY with a dash of EXPERIENCE.

More later.