The Forgotten Element of Great Creative Work

If you're someone responsible for creative and strategic executions of marketing, advertising and communications to your specific audiences, you know how important it is to move productively from a strategic initiative to final creative product.

In my more than 25 years in the communications business, from roles as ad agency copy writer, creative services department manager, communications director, and now, free-lance communications provider, I've found that a  healthy give-and-take approach makes the difference between an effective final product and one that feels cobbled together because of time lines and rigid thinking.

Easy to say, of course; much more difficult in the real world. So how do you make sure all teams involved are in sync? Recently, I found my notes for talk I used to give to internal audiences while I was Creative Services Director for University Communications at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Sometimes, administrative units became entrenched in myopic thinking. They not only forgot about their target audience, they forgot about the university brand that added value to their own imperatives.

These "principles" are as true today -- and probably more so, as the complexity of communication channels continues to expand and the the pressure to quantify results increases.It's my hope you find these foundational truths helpful.

"Creative Management: 7 Ways to Get a Collaborative Relationship Off to a Flying Start."

1. Insist on a partnership approach.
Get everyone involved in the life of the project. Executives, an "assign and forget" approach is deadly. So is micro-managing the process and being hyper-critical in the exploration phases of creative development. Creatives, understand the strategic goals, both short-term and long-term.

2. Be upfront at the first meeting.
Sounds obvious, but it's up to the executive teams and writers/designers to agree about what success will look like. This is why a written Creative Work Plan is a wise starting point. Check out "Creative Work Plan" Can Drive Ad Strategy."

3. Regular communication is key.
When your executive team partner or internal customer doesn't hear from you, he or she will presume all is well and anticipate prospective approaches. Check in regularly. Weigh reactions and adjust accordingly. These days, project management software allows easy, convenient review and feedback. For starters, check out the possibilities at Get Apps.

4. Learn to think from the other person's point of view.
Do this as a creative staffer, and the hundreds of creative executions possible in your mind will begin to narrow naturally. Do this as an executive and your view of the right approach will expand. Take a look at Socratic Listening.

5. Honesty works. Don't hedge on what you know for sure, and what you don't.This is critical for both sides. Creatives, insist on background information and research. Executives, if you have doubts about creative ideas, say so, but have reasons why you do. Discuss. Repeat.

6. Different perspectives are part of process. For those in the creative world, the way to an effective message is not linear and often intuitive. Conversely, executives are smart people, fully capable of great ideas. Weigh everything against stated objectives.You can learn how to do this better by studying Steven Covey, particularly with his recent work, The Third Alternative.

7. Meetings are not obstacles. Progress from strategy to end product is the goal. Find a way that allows review and feedback -- in person if you can, but options like Go to Meetings and shared collaborative software can work, too. At critical stages, re-state the obvious -- who's doing what, and what those things are.

For more information and help, get a subscription to Marketing Profs.com or the wealth of information at posts like "10 Tips for Managing Creative People."

Lesson Learned: Will “Comparison” Prices Revive JC Penney?

OK, I’ll freely admit it. I love JC Penney. Always have. Probably because it’s where my mom took me for get “new clothes” when I was growing up near Holton, Kansas.

As an adult, I continued to shop JC Penney, liking a place that seemed to have it all. As an career advertising guy, I appreciated their devotion to branding, bold and clean typography for signage and the overall values I found there.

So, like everyone from retail business gurus to JC Penney devotees like me, I was curious about the revamped business plan for JC Penney stores unveiled in 2012. Gone were the continual “sales” events, replaced by “lower everyday” prices and “month-long price reductions” on specified items. 

CEO Ron Johnson’s plan was to bring an EDLP (everyday low pricing) model to the giant retailer, in the mold of Wal Mart. They called it “Fair and Square Pricing,” and used a red square in tandem with the company name. Logical, right?

For the fiscal year ending October 2012, JC Penney reported an overall sales drop of 23.1%. Ooops. What happened?

I believe it’s pretty clear JC Penney thought way too logically and forgot about the psychology behind “sales events.” People love getting deals (real or perceived), and 10- 15- or 25% off, clearly stated within the stores, is a powerful incentive to buy. But what about Walmart, you say? Remember that Walmart’s pricing model has always been in place since its beginning. The Walmart brand means rock-bottom prices (real or perceived.) JC Penney’s brand history is linked to sales events. 

Is it surprising American consumers balked so dramatically on JC Penney purchases?

Well, everyone likes a good American come-back story, and perhaps the re-tooled marketing strategy being employed by JC Penney will also bring customers back. New TV commercials for JC Penney are now running, touting “comparison pricing” between items found “elsewhere” and at JC Penney. 

The spots don’t say “sales event,” but the psychological link is clear. Here are two examples: Men's Jeans: Price Comparison and Same Swagger, Lower Prices.

Go to the JC Penney web site to see the re-positioning message in customer language: JC Penney: Comparison Positioning. 

Now, JC Penney hasn’t abandoned its three-year plan to get to an EDLP pricing structure, and the effort to bring “name brand shops” within a store continues. Sales reports for the next two fiscal years will reveal just how successful the company truly is in its strategy.

The over-arching message here is this: it’s essential to have a fiscally smart, long-term business plan for your company and to let it guide your mission. But to the customers you depend on to make the cash registers ring, keep the human need for value in dollars spent at the forefront of your advertising.

For a small business, it’s never too late for “social” outreach (And it’s crucial for new customers.)

No business owner in his or her right mind would spend money on something that didn’t offer a return on investment. Yet in my research on established small-to-medium sized businesses, I am continually surprised at how many of these businesses have ignored or underused social media.

I do understand the thinking. Social media can seem so extraneous, time consuming and downright confusing. Facebook entries? Do a weekly blog? On what? And what exactly is Pinterest?

Social/Digital advertising options: the choices are intimidating. (Business Insider.)

For the experienced business owner who’s been in his or her local market for 20 or 30 years, traditional media placements, mastery of product knowledge and a devotion to high levels of customer service have worked pretty well. Why change now?

The simple answer is that consumer behavior and attitudes change over time. Yes, most of your older, previous customers will still come back to you to shop. Maybe. And by being local, you will gain some new customers. Perhaps.

The problem is your store's bottom line can't absorb this hopeful attitude, at least not for long. Truth is, many more new likely customers are already accustomed to the presence and power of social media, and their buying behavior has already changed.

Today’s younger affluents grew up with Google search, know they can always find a “30 percent off” coupon online, and geo-targeted web ads delivered to their home computer or laptop tells them who is really interested in them. All consumers today have grown skeptical of advertising claims, and lean much more on the opinions and customer experiences of people just like them. If they are not praising you and your products to their friends, don’t expect their friends to choose you over your social-media friendly competitor.

Do you really want to miss out on the hundreds or thousands of “likely” customers every year?

At this point, I know what you’re thinking. The social media landscape is still young, and what it looks like today won’t be what it looks like tomorrow. Business Insider recently published a graphic showing all the “digital and social marketing” options out there. You can’t do them all, and certainly some of them are a waste of time and money for your situation.

E-commerce/web search expert Jay Wilner, of Kansas City's own Out of Bounds Communications, puts the new opportunities into perspective. "Social commerce is where it's at. It's a great way to build your brand. This is the new word-of-mouth. Set up Facebook, Google+ and Twitter accounts. Integrate Facebook widgets into your web site so people can share your products and your information with friends. It's like a cocktail party."

But the purpose of this blog is to get more of your current customers spending more money with you, and new customers coming to you for what they need. So let me throw out a few general ideas that will do just that.

• If you don’t have web site that you have a personal stake in developing, do it now. About 50 percent of all shoppers do web searches before they make a purchase. 
• Start a Facebook site. It’s free and the potential for it to grow exponentially is too good a prospect to ignore.
• At least once a quarter, post a short “how to” video on YouTube.
• Once or twice a year, send out a zip code based direct-to-the-neighborhood postcard or web ad to show the range of services and products you have, and to publicize your web site for later reference.
• If you use traditional advertising (print/radio/TV/direct mail), take a percentage out of that and put it toward a web search effort that puts you on the first page of a Google search.
• Reach out to another retail company across the street and come up with a co-marketing deal, allowing their customers to spend a few more minutes shopping with you. (Example: you’re a hardware store, and across the street is a custom-cut meat store that grills brats and hamburgers outdoors on weekends. You have their coupon and they have yours.

To miss out on the promise of social media via a re-balancing of your promotions thinking is akin to the 1940s comment of IBM CEO Thomas Watson, Sr.: “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”

Seems pretty silly now, right?

Passion + Knowledge + Execution = Smarter Marketing

As a lifelong advertising creative (writer/producer and creative services manager), I know there is a fine line between product success and failure. For success, one has to know the need and develop an approach that reaches its full potential with its target audience.

So it’s a bit of a cliché to boil it all down to a formula, but allow me some latitude to introduce one that makes sense: Passion + Knowledge + Execution = Smarter Marketing.

Recently, I discovered a solid example. It’s a very small company addressing a “found” need for a very specific niche audience. The company is Main Street Dream Makers, LLC, created by Gordon Wolfgang, a life-long musician with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and long executive career with British Telecom and Electronic Data Systems. 

The product is the Wolfgang TELEMONITOR. It’s an elegantly simple solution to a problem faced by club and professional musicians around the world: during an on-stage performance, how do you ensure a non-flub set when you have an extensive song catalog? 

Sure, the easy answer is full memorization of all chords and lyrics. But as Gordon explains, “When the crowd knows your song, and you don’t, that’s a problem.”

The problem accelerates as people age. Healthy Living reports that between the ages of 30 and 70, “the brain produces 15 to 20 percent of the chemicals that send messages between neurons. This combination brings on normal memory lapses such as the misplaced handbag." Or for a performer, a long-remembered lyric just disappears. So for a musician on stage, it’s human physiology in its most naked form.

How big is the problem? Big. In a February article from The Washington Post it’s revealed that even Bruce Springsteen uses a little prompting help on-stage. In an article in Modern Acoustic, writer Paul Farhi reveals that Paul McCartney has a prompter built into his piano.

Meanwhile, leave it to Gordon Wolfgang to realize that out of his passion (musician/lyricist) and knowledge (Industrial Engineering and Information Technology Delivery), there ought to be a much more elegant solution to a clean on-stage performance than music stands and custom-manufactured solutions. After all, the thrust of Gordon’s degree and work experience as a Delivery Executive with British Telecom and Electronic Data Systems over 30 years, centered on delivering effective business solutions. Why not apply those talents and interests to this problem?

The Wolfgang Telemonitor

Like all entrepreneurs, Gordon’s vision for the eventual product was clear, even if the product was yet to be. With his engineering talents and awareness of musician needs and wants, Gordon created a prototype that not only displayed lyrics, chords and set lists but did it in an on-stage cabinet (with the perfect 38-degree viewing angle for the monitor) that looked precisely like an audio monitor. Control pedals (just like guitar effects pedals) allow performers to make selections on-the-fly. Because of its design, the unit’s presence never gets in the way of the performance. 

Anyone could have come up with the basic idea, but it took a musician at heart to design it. “If I wouldn’t use it on stage, I don’t use it in the Wolfgang TELEMONITOR,” Gordon says.

Also unique, and important, in the product development process was the use of many widely available components, such as ACER monitors, and sourcing out a local cabinet maker for the cases, all of which kept costs down. 

“I cobbled one together in November 1999, and then made some improvements in several prototypes over the next 10 years” Gordon says. “Then I got serious and built one with an eye to commercial distribution. I built three and posted advertisements for them on E-Bay.”  Within three months, Gordon had sold two through E-Bay and another through a referral. Demonstrating his product at musician conferences such as NAMM (National Association of Music Manufacturers) a year later also proved the interest in his “elegant” solution was in line with reality.

In early 2010 he launched his corporate web site, developed product materials, and engaged in online keyword search advertising. He also began to get referrals from satisfied customers. From there, the Wolfgang TELEMONITOR gained sales speed. By February 2012, more than 100 of the units could now be found  (discreetly) on stage.

The best news, though, is that the need smartly extends to today's well-known classic rockers. There, Gordon's big idea and unique execution is on the mark.

Because of confidentially agreements, we can't reveal them here. But think "I Write the Songs," Hot Blooded," and "Lucky Man," among others ... and you get the picture of just who is purchasing the Wolfgang TELEMONITOR.

Gordon Wolfgang has done more than create a new product that satisfies a need. His story offers a constructive case history for true success in business: passion + knowledge + execution = smarter marketing.

And who wouldn't want a testimonial like this?

“When I first started exploring the idea of a teleprompter, I went online shopping through literally 20-30 sites including Amazon and Ebay. I just didn’t like the idea of people seeing I was using a teleprompter and all of them looked like a teleprompter. Awkward and in your face, as well as the audiences.So when I landed on the Wolfgang TELEMONITOR site I was very surprised to see that I was instantly looking at what I saw in my head that I needed. A teleprompter that didn’t look like a teleprompter.  I can program basically any song, or script I use on this thing and see it from anywhere on stage during the show.  Even my band members are using it for back-up vocals.”

Joseph Alexander Wraith
Professional Rocker
Phoenix, AZ

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Michael Johnson Creative Company
www.MichaelJohnsonCreativeCompany.com

Fed Ex Office vs. UPS: Who’ll win the “Print Here” War?

First, thanks to all of you who commented on my exploration of the insurance coverage battle. I noted that the so-called “cut-rate” car insurance carriers like Geiko and Progressive had forced traditional insurance companies like Allstate, Farmers and American Family to discover new approaches to getting customers.

In looking at the marketing and media action steps, I concluded Allstate, with its personification of  “mayhem happens,” best hit the mark. Check out Allstate: "Lawn Mayhem." In 2012, new commercials following the same theme have hit the TV market.

Leaving that market segment alone for now, there’s a new battle brewing. Are you ready for the “printing services” battle between co-behemoths the UPS Store (a division of UPS) and Federal Express Office (a division of Fed Ex)? 

If you haven’t noticed, the economic downturn since 2008, combined with costs associated with having in-house communications and printing, have led corporate America to turn to specialists like the UPS Store (franchise stores) and Federal Express Office (corporate centers) for printing, copying and signage services.

From the UPS Store

From Fed Ex Office

So now the game is on, literally. Since the start of the 2012 NCAA basketball tournament, the UPS store has been touting its familiar  “We are logistics” theme (more comment on that, later), and combining this umbrella thrust with a targeted, product appeal centered around 25-cent color copies.

Clearly, the impetus here is to capture more of the growing outsourced printing market. 

The UPS Store in 2011 ran commercials during the NCAA basketball tournament offering discounted printing and copying. No doubt counting on the high viewership (especially males) during this period, The UPS Store is again pushing the “use us” concept and providing an incentive to do that. For review, check out UPS: "Logistics", and UPS: "How Do I Do That?".

Last fall and winter, FedEx Office set the scene for a positioning battle via a series of national TV commercials, too. FedEx Office plays off its reputation as an efficient shipper in one TV spot and adds awareness of its expanding number of services to businesses in FedEx Office: "Witness Protection." Also check out FedEx Office: "All Nighter" and FedEx Office: "Half Pipe". The emphasis is that Fed Ex delivers solutions in every service sector in which it is involved.

Fed Ex took over the Kinkos locations in 2004 and re-branded its Fed Ex Kinkos locations as Fed Ex Office centers in 2008, and since then has made progress in its move for increased market share. Check out 2007's FedEx Kinkos: "Office Meeting.". That's a good spot. But for a lot of reasons beyond creative execution, the the public has not yet fully connected "FedEx Office" as the top-of-mind successor to the entrenched "Kinkos" brand, even though the overall Fed Ex brand is as strong as they come. 

My advertising and marketing intuition, backed by 25 years of experience in advertising agency and corporate communications, tells me the Fed Ex Office approach of depicting its 1,800 centers as places to get “business solutions” is reaching the right “need it now” mind set of today’s business customers. The commercials convey a serious message, but deliver the right mix of whimsy at the same time – much the same as the Allstate insurance commercials did.

Now, back to my earlier comment about the UPS Store approach. I continue to be puzzled by The UPS Store’s leaning toward its broad theme of “We are Logistics.” Logistics? I can’t imagine a higher yawn factor for business execs who are so focused on cutting costs and finding more faster and more efficient delivery of services these days.

In Kansas City, FedEx Office went public
with its 29 cent color copies promotion
March 19.

Sure, one can extrapolate that better logistics translates into more effective delivery and a better understanding of today’s business needs, but why tout a “feature,” when you can illustrate it faster and clearer with direct examples of speed and competency? That, I believe, it the degree of difference between the UPS Store approach (logistics) and the FedEx Office execution (business solutions.)

Rumor also has it that FedEx Office is upping the ante in this entire conversation by testing out an awareness campaign with steep discounts for walk-in copying and signage and banner products. FedEx Office will be promoting 29-cent color copies in several regions, staring in late March. So check out your local FedEx Office center over the next few weeks – you just may find some of the best “business solutions” deals of the year.

Opinions aside, the marketplace will judge the marketing executions of FedEx Office and The UPS Store.

For you, which one wins the war?

Trust the Power of Subtraction

Thank the Midwest’s blizzard of this week to give me this latest topic. You know, for getting the best possible creative work from your team regarding advertising, marketing and communications, the list of available topics is nearly endless.

So there I am shoveling 8.5” of snow from driveway and surveying the seemingly miles of pavement to go before I nap, and it hit me. Often, it’s the discipline to keep on digging until you finally hit solid concrete that yields the “that’s it” moment. One can do the bare minimum and suffer the slushy, sliding, and refreezing results. Or one can keep scooping until you get to the essence: “clean pavement and sure traction” in the case of a driveway, and “convincing, memorable messaging” in the case of an advertising and marketing initiatives.

It’s slow, messy work. But what a difference removal of extraneous material can make.

As a young “know-it-all” copywriter, I first learned this lesson on a print ad concept I was working on. I came up with great Headline/Copy, only to be confronted by the art director’s admonition that I had to trim the headline down by four words. I was indignant. “What? The headline is perfect! I can’t possibly improve it by shortening it! Thankfully, I kept subtracting, even when I was sure I already had the answer. And guess what? I kept digging for until I finally hit the concrete of the “that’s it” moment. No one was more surprised than me. (Thanks, John Kuefler of Admark, Inc. which is now Callahan Creek Advertising in Lawrence, Kan.)

So 30 years later, the power of subtraction continues to be a tenant I insist on in my own work, and a lesson that I continually convey to young advertising and marketing professionals. In copywriting, as well as art and concept, it’s easy to be clever; it’s much more difficult to be clear, concise and instantly understood. Blaise Pascal, in 1657, wrote in a letter to a friend, noting that "...I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter."

A profound concept, when you stop to think about it.

One personal example is the initial campaign for "Metro Rate" at the University of Missouri-Kansas City – the extension of in-state tuition to residents of Kansas counties bordering Kansas City, Mo. Coming up with compelling headlines was easy enough, and some of the earlier ones probably could have worked. Still, none seemed to quite boil down the message to its most powerful message. As Director of Creative Services, I kept digging, hoping for less words and a more pointed message. Finally, communicating the message of saving money on education within one’s own backyard was reduced to the powerful and succinct: “Live Here? Save Here.” Four words. The accompanying art was equally terse.

The result: the campaign paid for itself that first year in new students. Since then, the UMKC “Metro Rate” has continued to draw more and more students from Kansas over the years. The “Live Here? Save Here.” messaging continues to this day, more than a decade later.

So my advice to all young-and-know-it-all creatives out there – and to those of you who manage them – is to follow a two-step process. 1. Give them room for those overly clever and often too-long copy and ornate artistic concepts. 2. Follow that up with the courage and discipline to keep the distillation process going. For the creative, effective solution you seek, the power of subtraction really adds up.

Contact Michael Johnson @ Michaelj1974@sbcglobal.net. And if you, too, love pithy quotes, check out the books at Amazon.com)

Michael Johnson: Look Who's Winning the TV Insurance War

Just a few years ago, who’d have thought we might be pointing to insurance commercials as some of the most interesting and compelling spots around?

Back in the old days (1970s), insurance commercials spoke in somber tones, reminding people that catastrophic accidents weren’t just something that happened to someone else. But then came US General, GEICO and a host of other upstart companies that wanted a piece that fear, going to war with the big names. The goal, of course was to paint insurance coverage as just another necessary evil and one company was just as good as another. Just imagine John Belushi’s “Animal House” character Bluto as an insurance pitchman: “It just doesn’t matter!”

So then we got the GEICO executions, first with the Cave Man motif, then morphing into an actual gecko as the personification of insurance. Surely the big names in the industry thought that wouldn’t work, and I can hear bald-headed boards of directors all over the country continue to expound that their brand-smart arguments would win the day.

Apparently not.

Suddenly, in the last few years, Allstate was on TV with the booming voice of Dennis Haysbert, pointing out the Allstate product advantages over “cut rate” insurers. Could it be that insurance had become a commodity … that the majority of the public really had come to the conclusion that who they chose “just didn’t matter?”

That’s a longer discussion for another time, however, because this blog is about advertising and marketing creativity: how it’s born, regardless of industry, and who’s doing it well.

Few commercials, and most insurance commercials, certainly fail on the creativity front. They may communicate brand, but they don’t get people talking to their friends about it.

But some ad guy for Allstate must be a helluva pitchman, because these “mayhem” commercials are as groundbreaking and loved by the public as the iconic Joe Sedelmaier commercials were in the“Where’s the beef” spots for Wendy's Restaurants.

As an ad guy, I loved the spots from the beginning, believing Allstate had launched a home run idea. The one I first heard people talking about was Allstate’s “lawn mayhem” commercial, combining personification of mayhem with a wicked slice-of-life truth. Take a look: Allstate Lawn Mayhem. I can imagine fathers all over the country hollering “crap, that’s how my son thinks,” and diving off the recliner for the phone while wondering if they really were as ready for disaster as they thought.

Obviously, the commercials must have tested well, because the mayhem series spawned many more: Teenage Girl Mayhem, Storm Damage Mayhem and Satellite Dish Mayhem.

Suddenly, the race for funny insurance commercials among the big names was on. Not content to sit on the sidelines, Farmers Insurance embarked on their own brand of insurance zaniness, coming up with an umbrella theme of their own – University of Farmers – complete with wry humor and special effects. Check out one of them: University of Farmers.

Good try. But the difference between the Farmers TV spots and the Allstate spots is huge. For Allstate, perfectly cast personification of mayhem not only gets to the point, it hits the funny bone of the American psyche. And that gets people talking.

The Farmers commercial tries too hard. It tries to communicate brand difference with the undercurrent of humor, and the result is underwhelming. You don’t do enough to sell the brand and you complicate the humor element by being so overblown. The Farmers idea is a sound one, and I imagine it was a whole lot funnier in the storyboard stage. No one is talking about the Farmers commercial around the office the next day.

Meanwhile, the Allstate commercials elevate the clever idea through their strikingly simple executions. The series continues to generate momentum, and most likely, more calls to All State insurance agents. Best of all, from a creativity point of view, the Allstate executions entertain and inform in fresh ways. Anyone else come up with a laugh-out-loud spot about a team flag? Allstate Flag Mayhem

Way to go, Allstate. To borrow a phrase from Larry the Cable Guy: “Now that’s funny, I don’t care who you are.”

As a result, I just may give my local Allstate guy a call.

Michael Johnson @ Michaelj1974@sbcglobal.net