If your message is important, be direct
Aug
31
A friend and client of mine recently linked me to a Nightline story about shock-and-awe PSAs. The story is about how PSAs are getting grittier to get your attention. I have to admit — the one about teen texting and driving stuck with me. It graphically depicts teenagers in a car accident. Blood and glass flying everywhere. I cannot shake it. Watch it. You won’t be able to shake it either. The Georgia Meth Project ... Read more
Easy strategy for excellence: look up
Aug
23
Exercise has always cleared my mind. Any good ideas and mental organization that occurs often happens during the 30-90 minutes of exercise I squeeze in most mornings before the world awakens. This mental nourishment once came solely from a heaping plate of distance running. But after years of fidelity to pounding pavement, my body rebelled. I was forced to embrace the “Runner’s Wheelchair” – more commonly known as the bicycle – for part of my ... Read more
Ignore this post to avoid the communications war
Aug
18
I recently attended a “media relations summit” in NYC. What’s that? Good question. It was marketed as good place for PR reps to interact with the media, so my main purpose was to meet and build relationships with the 100+ NYC-based reporters in attendance. However, during the course of the day, I found the conference to be an interesting forum on the current state of media/PR and a battleground in the now infamous “new vs ... Read more
Generation Robot? A case for unplugged creativity
Aug
5
A recent article in Newsweek, “The Creativity Crisis,” reveals a disturbing trend. While American IQ scores continue to increase with each generation, the exact opposite is true of CQ (creativity scores), as measured by the Torrance Test. Why is this important? Because innovation is the foundation of American ingenuity and success, and, “the correlation between lifetime creative accomplishment was more than three times stronger for childhood creativity than childhood IQ.” While our country is reluctant ... Read more
Feeding Bed Bugs in the Big Easy
Jul
30
When people hear “New Orleans,” many things may come to mind – Hurricane Katrina, Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest. But lately, when I have thought of the Big Easy, my mind instantly has drifted to bed bugs. When I recently touched down in New Orleans I wasn’t headed for Bourbon Street, I was attending the National Apartment Association (NAA) Education Conference. NAA does a lot more than just manage an exhibit hall, they educate. And ... Read more
15 Crystal-Clear Truths Learned After 15 Years
Jul
16
Jackson Spalding celebrated its crystal anniversary–15 years in business– on July 14. Following are some random lessons I’ve learned while watching our company grow. It’s easier to achieve your vision if you have one on paper. One of the first things we did as a firm was to develop our vision, our mission and our values. It may sound trite, but this document is like a rudder that guides us in virtually all of our ... Read more
Remember where you were in 1995?
Jul
14
Jackson Spalding was founded in July 1995 with the audacious goal of becoming the most respected and trusted public relations and creative services firm on the planet. We wanted to create a workplace that allowed individuals to flex their entrepreneurial muscle and grow. We had a hunch that if we made our workplace fun, then our team would go the extra mile for our clients. Today we are 15 years into our goal, and we ... Read more
Chick-fil-A spices up menu and marketing efforts
Jul
8
In today’s cluttered marketplace, how do you cut through the noise when you’re third or fourth to market with a “new” product? Engage your fans to make noise for you! That’s what Chick-fil-A did when launching their new Spicy Chicken Sandwich in June. Timed perfectly to spice things up at the outset of summer, the Spicy Chicken Sandwich was the first new sandwich for the national quick service chain in 20 years. It was just ... Read more
Pardon Me, What Year Is It Again?
Jul
6
This time of year I lose all track of time. Literally, there are days when I don’t know what year it is. Before you completely think I’ve lost my mind, if you’ve drafted an annual marketing plan, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re executing your current plan, and at the same time, planning for next year. It can be confusing and exhausting – to say the least! That said, this time of year ... Read more
