10 Things To Check When Marketing Makes A “U-Turn”

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Kevin Bryce

u turn signStaying competitive requires a well-designed and skillfully executed marketing strategy. When in place, marketing will help create a pipeline for new business and keep the enterprise on track for continued success. In the event marketing does not perform to the expectation and satisfaction of management they must discern the reason and quickly remedy the problem.

So in response to the many inquiries I’ve received from businesses on this subject I’ve created a “check list” which is included below. I hope you enjoy it and find it a useful guide.

1. Check your marketing plan.
Do you have a formal written marketing plan which is regularly updated? Does your plan clearly define your goals and objectives for the enterprise? Are all requirements reflected in the plan?

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Posted in April 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Guest Post by Laurel Black: Thoughts on Ageism From a Former Member of the Youth Cult

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Kevin Bryce

laurel_60sGraphic Design is unique among the professions in many ways, and one of the most striking is the lack of gravitas accrued by practitioners as they gain experience. With lawyers and accountants, for example, their perceived value increases in relation to their years of practice. In the field of design, however, it is well understood that if you are much over 40 or 50, the likelihood of being hired by an marketing or advertising agency is remote. One could almost say it is inversely proportionate to the number of years one gets beyond the magic four-o.

Even though the legendary Paul Rand was productive up to the year he passed away (age 82 in 1996), and Milton Glaser continues to work into his 80’s, the rest of us seem to be struggling against a cultural perception that after a certain age, designers can no longer keep up or remain relevant. This is ironic because we are the generation that invented the youth cult in the 60’s, and now it is coming home to haunt us like the Ghost of Woodstock Past.

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Snickers and Beer: Effective Advertising Often Entertains Us

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Kevin Bryce

When people ask me if I’ve watched a recent TV show or movie I will typically fess up and tell them “no”. I’ll go on to explain that I’m often too busy to watch most TV programming. But honestly that’s only half true. Many times these shows require you to watch them regularly or you’ll miss a lot of the story line. That type of TV programming is fine for some but it’s not really practical for me since I spend relatively little time in front of “the box”.

Believe it or not I do find something very interesting on TV. Amazingly, it’s television ads.

In my opinion two of the best TV ads in recent memory were the Snickers “You’re not you when you’re hungry” game ad and the Dos Equis beer “The World’s Most Interesting Man” ad.

Here is the 2010 Super Bowl “Snickers” ad with veteran actors Betty White and Abe Vigoda (by BBDO, New York):

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Posted in November 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Free Lunch Revisited

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Kevin Bryce

free lunch photoIt probably won’t come as news to anyone that members of Congress are currently embroiled in an effort to approve a bill to raise the U.S. debt. This unfolding event has all the outward drama and intrigue of a TV soap opera. (CNN news story link) To add to the drama the U.S. Treasury has given Congress until August 2, 2011 to agree on the debt we as Americans will assume and share with countless future generations. Our debt now consumes roughly 70 percent of the annual U.S. gross domestic product. A few short years ago the U.S. debt accounted for “only” 40 percent of annual GDP. As a comparison, Greece’s current debt hovers at 125 percent of GDP.

Okay, why do we accept government overspending in the first place? Why are the members of Congress and the Executive Branch somehow exempt and not held accountable? Every U.S. citizen knows the consequences of irresponsible money management: deteriorating credit scores, bankruptcy, home foreclosure, loss of job, fines and penalties – even jail time.

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Posted in July 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Why Creativity is the Key to Our Future

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Kevin Bryce

creativity sign photoIn a recent Psychology Today blog titled “Working Creativity” by Mark Batey, Ph.D. the author asserts that creativity is quickly becoming “our most essential success skill”. I couldn’t agree more with Batey. Creativity not only implies “originality” and “exclusivity” but “new” as well. It’s also an “expressive” process according to the dictionary. So why has Creativity become such a hot topic and declared an important trend with a serious impact on our future? I think I can share with you at least part of the answer to that question.

As America began to change from a manufacturing based economy to a services based economy we also became part of the enormous world labor pool. Plus the years of cheap and abundant energy were over. Our lifestyles changed dramatically. As a result we’ve been driven to re-examine our products, our services and how we stack up competitively within a fast paced global labor market. This discovery was really a wake up call and an epiphany for all of us. The dawn of a New Age in America.

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Posted in May 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Practical Guide to Hiring a Marketing Agency

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Kevin Bryce

Don’t panic. Relax. Take a few breaths.concerned business man photo

What are the things you need to consider before hiring a professional marketing, advertising or public relations firm?

Hiring a firm to help you with your marketing or communications is an important decision for any business owner to make. But it doesn’t need to be a confusing or intimidating ordeal. Just follow these basic guidelines to find the firm that is a suitable match to your needs:

1. It’s important to consider agencies who have clients that are similar to the size of your business and have comparable marketing/PR budgets. Why? Because large agencies are known to turn over the service of “smaller” accounts to junior staffers. Naturally, agency heads are interested in their largest and best paying clients and will often personally service a large client. Hire the agency that will commit to the level of service you need today and for years to come.

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Posted in March 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Fresh Garbage: About This Blog

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Kevin Bryce

trash can photoWelcome! I hope you find my personal blog interesting and useful. I know many will find the name of this blog a bit unusual . . . why in the heck would anyone in their right mind call their blog “Fresh Garbage”? Well, quite honestly that was my intent all along. Here’s why:

The name “Fresh Garbage” came as a result of thinking how essential it is that we have access to “Fresh” web content. The timeliness of this content is all important – that is the “Fresh” part. Content changes quickly and therefore has a disposable quality as it is replaced. So there is the “Garbage” portion of the phrase. Unique branding and positioning within the blogging community is also very important. The name should be easy to remember. Colleagues who I respect as brand professionals all agree . . . “Fresh Garbage” is hard to forget. Obviously I think so too. So now let’s talk about content.

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Posted in March 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment