Simpler. Faster. More efficient. These are the demands we all face, each and every day. The economy demands it. Our livelihood depends on it. And it’s not going to change anytime soon. In fact, it will probably never change.
But we have to be very careful that in our pursuit of efficiency, we don’t lose sight of purpose. Especially when it comes to marketing communications.
At any given time at Stephan & Brady, you’ll find us working at a fast and furious pace, doing smart and strategic work for our clients that is delivered on time and on budget. Oftentimes, when our solutions are ready, we’re asked to simply “send them on for review.” Just like that. No set up. No rationale. No pitch.
This is a recipe for disaster.
When there is no pitch, there is no purpose. The pitch reminds everyone of the goals and objectives that surround the work they are about to review. It refreshes everyone at the table about the nuances of who the target audiences are and what matters to them. It frames the work appropriately, so that it can be judged on a collective understanding of what it is supposed to achieve.
Just take a look at all the negativity surrounding last week’s changes to Facebook. I don’t think I heard one positive thing, either online or in-person. My theory is that it’s because no one listened to the pitch. People just saw that it was different and decided they didn’t like it.
Maybe if they had heard Zuckerberg’s pitch (or better yet, Don Draper’s), they would have had a better understanding of how it works, and why it works. And opinions might have been different.
If you’re a client or prospect of ours, you might be tempted to have us hurriedly hurl solutions in your direction. But expect that we’ll push back in order to engage you in proper presentation. By doing so, we’ll work with you to help ensure both you and your team are properly positioned to make the best possible decisions when it comes to connecting with your customers.
We’re also pretty certain you’re going to like what you see.
~ Emily
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Labels: client relations, concepts, pitch, pitches
When it comes to writing about food, the word delicious should be abolished. I simply cannot stand it. It makes me cringe. And here’s why.
- When you are marketing a particular food, dish or concept, the fact that it is delicious should be a given. Are you going to try and convince someone to try and buy something that isn’t delicious? Because I don’t know a whole lot of people out there lining up to buy something that’s disgusting.
- When you are reviewing food, it’s downright lazy. Seriously, you can’t think of anything more descriptive than delicious? Then you’re not a writer. Try a new career.
- People actually use it to describe something that isn’t food. Have you heard this? People will describe inedible things, like shoes or cars, as delicious. “Oh, darling, did you see her dress. It was simply delicious.” Ack. Ack, ack, ack.
Now, I fully admit to using delicious in the past. In one instance, it made a killer rhyme that I just couldn’t let go. And with that rhyme, I was able to create a memorable message. So I can reconcile that with my inner critic. There are, I’m sure, other moments when I used the word, all justified in solid rationale, of course.
But as a general rule, if you work with me, you should be very surprised if you see the word delicious anywhere. And that’s all I have to say about that.
~ Emily
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Labels: cliches, copywriting, creative process, word choice
So, the big news right now, other than Charlie Sheen’s downward descent, is that the beef you get on that 99 cent drive-thru burrito isn’t entirely beef. It also has other stuff in it. Like fillers. And a bunch of people are suing, claiming Taco Bell’s advertising is misleading.
The fact that it’s news to anyone that there might be something besides straight up beef at Taco Bell still kind of shocks and amazes me. I mean, come on. THEIR BURRITOS ARE 99 CENTS.
Whether or not their ads are misleading could be a long (and expensive) debate. Fact is, their products do have real beef in them. At the same time, they don’t quite seem to meet the USDA’s definition of ground beef.
But I’m going to cast all that aside for now and focus on the rebuttal spot currently running online and on TV. You can take a look at it here. Does it do a good job reversing perceptions?
I don’t know. More importantly, I don’t know that it really matters.
Taco Bell’s target audience (consumers aged 16-24, according to the Wall Street Journal), probably doesn’t really care about the percentage of real ground beef in their food. They just want it to taste good. And to be cheap.
So while these rebuttal spots may help mitigate some bad press, I don’t think any of this – the lawsuit OR the ads – is going to have any long-term impact on Taco Bell. Because the content doesn’t matter to their customers.
What do you think?
~ Emily
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Labels: real beef, Taco Bell lawsuit, target audience
There’s no reward without risk. Let’s explore new frontiers. New possibilities. Much like resolution #17, let’s never accept the status quo.
Let’s be okay with being a little uncomfortable. Let’s forge a new path. Then another. Then another.
The year is young and full of possibilities. I, for one, am looking forward to seizing each day as an opportunity to make a mark. For me. For the agency. And, most importantly, for our clients.
Let’s connect with customers in ways no one ever thought possible. And let’s take each victory as an opportunity to push even further next time.
~ Emily
This is one of 31 entries that will be posted during the month of January describing the New Year’s resolutions proposed by the 40 vibrant and talented CCOs at S&B.
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Every now and again, I’ll challenge a strategy or direction and ask “why are we doing it this way?” Often times there is solid rationale. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t admit that the answer I’ve sometimes heard is “because that’s the way we’ve always done it.”
To me, this is 100% unacceptable. The ultimate wrong answer.
Doing something because “that’s the way we’ve always done it” is equivalent to being stagnant. And stagnancy leads to irrelevancy. That’s a surefire way to get our message lost in the eyes of our customers. Possible opportunity for motivating them? Zero.
The amount of tools and technologies we have at our fingertips to help communicate any given message is staggering. We must explore them at every turn. But new technology isn’t the only answer. Sometimes it’s a new angle. A new approach. A fresh look at the target audience.
Whatever the case, we must constantly scrutinize and evaluate what we’re doing to make sure we’re doing it for the right reasons. And that reason is never “because that’s the way we’ve always done it.”
Clients and co-workers have come to know that this answer forever frustrates me. But in the coming year and every year after that, I resolve to move beyond frustration and into action. And I guarantee we’ll all be better for it.
~ Emily
This is one of 31 entries that will be posted during the month of January describing the New Year’s resolutions proposed by the 40 vibrant and talented CCOs at S&B.
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Get in to the office. Check voice mails. Emails. News alerts. Head to a meeting. Get pulled into another meeting immediately after. Work on project for ten minutes before the next meeting. Work on it ten minutes more before getting interrupted by a phone call. Put out fire. Return to project. Can’t remember where you left off. Start all over.
Ugh.
It’s a matter of course that working at an agency requires you to juggle multiple deadlines while satisfying other ever-escalating demands. It’s not easy, but there’s some sick part of every one of us working in the business that loves the pace. And the craziness.
That said, there are times when you have to forcibly control the craziness. Especially when it comes to creating exceptional work. In order to give each project the brain power it deserves, it is absolutely necessary to spend some quality time with it. Good work rarely comes from pecking away at something in scattered fifteen minute increments. Rather, it requires full immersion. Uninterrupted focus.
That’s why for each and every project, I’m going to schedule time on my calendar to dedicate myself fully toward it. This is time that cannot be stolen by a last minute meeting or some other seemingly urgent need. Of course, there will be exceptions, but for the most part, this is my rule. And I hope it’s the rule of others, too.
It’s just one of the many ways 2011 is going to be a great year for S&B clients.
~ Emily
This is one of 31 entries that will be posted during the month of January describing the New Year’s resolutions proposed by the 40 vibrant and talented CCOs at S&B.
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Labels: Creativity, focus, time management
I’m not a huge believer in plucking an idea out of thin air and then going out guns a-blazing to make that idea come to life. This is a business, not the Wild West. At the same time, there’s nothing more irritating than strategizing, re-strategizing and over-thinking to ensure everyone and their next of kin is 100% comfortable before pulling the trigger.
What I’m saying here is, yes. We all need to make sure our solutions are based in sound strategy. But at the same time, if we know it’s right, it’s right. We’re professionals. We’re experts. In our heart of hearts, we know there’s no reward without at least some degree of risk. So let’s come up with a new and exciting idea, make sure it makes sense for our customers, then seize the day and make it happen.
If we don’t, the trouble is two-fold. For one, someone else might shoot first, killing our idea before it ever had a chance to blossom. The other trouble we face is the dilution that that occurs when an idea gets pecked and tweaked and focus-grouped to death, making it weak and ultimately useless. Either one of these scenarios results in an idea is about as powerless as an unloaded pistol.
Um…I seriously have no idea where all this gun-slinging stuff is coming from. Maybe its because I’m itching to see True Grit. I think its time to head out and get it out of my system. See ya.
~ Emily
This is one of 31 entries that will be posted during the month of January describing the New Year’s resolutions proposed by the 40 vibrant and talented CCOs at S&B.
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Inspiration. In the agency world, this is what it’s all about. We are tasked with being creative each and every day we walk through the office door, and even when we’re not at work. How many times have you heard, “Well, you’re supposed to be creative – what do you think?”
Finding inspiration can be difficult. The easy way out for most of us is a little quality time spent with Google. While the internet is great, sometimes it’s the time we spend outside of work and away from our computers that inspires us most. Inspiration can come in so many forms – an afternoon spent wandering a bookstore, a visit to a museum, a professional development conference, a much-needed vacation, a long run.
Sometimes inspiration comes when we experience life through the eyes of our customers – a visit to the grocery store, a restaurant, the gym or the farmer’s market. Inspiration is all around us, but it’s important to remind ourselves to view both the special activities and the everyday pieces of life as an opportunity for inspiration.
~ Megan
This is one of 31 entries that will be posted during the month of January describing the New Year’s resolutions proposed by the 40 vibrant and talented CCOs at S&B.
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Labels: agency life, Creativity, inspiration
This is a companion to Resolution #4. It’s about finding focus and clarity.
From a copy standpoint, that means choosing the exact right word or phrase to communicate a point – and not a piece of punctuation more.
From a design standpoint, it’s also about making choices. Scrutinizing a layout to discern how it can communicate in the most simple and streamlined way possible. Stripping away the unnecessary to bring forth easy-to-grasp message. And knowing when to walk away.
I remember reading at one time that when you accessorize, you should put everything on that you want to wear, then take one thing away. I usually think rules like these are a load of crap. But for the sake of communicating in a compelling way with customers, the idea has merit.
~ Emily
This is one of 31 entries that will be posted during the month of January describing the New Year’s resolutions proposed by the 40 vibrant and talented CCOs at S&B.
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Labels: art direction, copywriting, white space
This resolution in particular hits home for me. I love Twitter for so many reasons. It’s a constant news feed. It helps me monitor conversations and coverage for my clients. It provides a welcome distraction on a Friday afternoon. It helps me catch up with friends and colleagues on Monday morning. But, notice none of my “loves” have anything to do with me tweeting…