Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Are you solving problems your boss or customers care about?

The workplace is filled with people who are brilliant, capable and talented—but who never achieve the success commensurate with their career achievements.

It is possible to provide superior work, and still fail in the workplace. Often, this is because one has failed to find solutions to the problems his boss or customers see as most significant.

Want to set yourself apart from the rest? Figure out the biggest challenges your boss or customers have, then recommend and implement solutions to them. You will likely find that a problem solver will rise in both responsibility and esteem.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Are you hoping to market to mature women?

Women between the ages of 40 and 58 are the single largest growing segment of the population, at 39.9 million, according to the 2005 US Census. Boomer women have more time and money, and women age 50 and above control more than half of the discretionary spending in the country. (Marketing to Women, 2003)

So how do you reach this audience? First, by understanding how they think. In a 2007 womanology study by bvk, women in this age group used these words to describe their life stage: confident, happy, self-assured, smart, empowered, adventurous. They are moving from fulfilling their duties to fulfilling their desires as children leave the home and the rewards of careers have been experienced.

In the world of healthcare, the mature woman wants caregivers who show her respect by listening, include her in the decision-making, and take the time explain both the diagnosis and treatment. But these general guidelines can be adapted to any industry.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." —Martin Luther King, Jr.

Find a way to shower civility, respect and compassion in your corner of the world today.

Friday, January 15, 2010

What a Pollster Can Tell You About Reaching Consumers

Are you reaching America's consumers with messages they care about? Consider these four emerging consumer perspectives as you craft your firm's messaging:

1. Individualistic
America has always had a distinctly individualistic view of life, but this characteristic is becoming even more pronounced as consumers find their hopes in institutions dashed. Choice, independence, and personalized service are messages they warm to.

2. Yet global
Even as their trust in institutions declines, they are not just focused on their own corner of the planet. Their interests are global, not just local, and they connect with organizations with similar interests.

3. Interested in sustainability
Consumers, especially the younger ones, want sustainability, and want to do business with companies that share those values. Demonstrating your company's focus on global sustainability—not just national—will resonate with them.

4. Not just young
Retirees are living longer and hold vast resources of discretionary income. But they're looking for more than just relaxation. Talk to them about matters they care about and that contribute meaning to their lives—and tap into their life experiences within your own organization.

Source: The Way We'll Be, John Zogsby, Chapter 3. Buy it here.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Client Showcase—Joint Care Seminar Ad Makeover

Sometimes a good message just needs a makeover.

That was the case with these joint care seminar ads, that had run for several years and were starting to tire. Using the same photos and message strategy, we worked with the client to revise and refresh these ads which served as a template to promote on-going seminars. By changing just the seminar information, these ads provide a cost-effective way to professionally promote these events without creating new custom ads for each one.

In the new ads, the client wanted more prominence for the featured physicians—and needed the ad to conform to their new corporate graphic standards.
Here's a before and after of the ads. What do you think?

Original Ad
Refreshed Ad

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Client Showcase—Family Legacy Ad


Nothing tells your story like a loyal customer—except, perhaps, three generations of loyal customers. We loved working with our innovative friends at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital to develop this ad that demonstrates the trust they have cultivated in their community.

As part of the 100 Reasons campaign we developed with them, we featured a well-known Yakima family reflecting on their experiences with Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital over three generations. Now that's loyalty.

Update: This piece won a 2010 Bronze Award in the 7th Annual Service Industry Advertising Awards for newspaper advertising.

Friday, January 8, 2010

But we can't afford a good designer?

To which I must say neither can you afford a bad designer. Good design is no longer just for the privileged few—it is now expected by the general public.

Retailers like Target have made everything from kitchen spatulas to our pet dishes visually appealing. And because good design is so pervasive, consumers have an elevated expectation of seeing good design everywhere. If your visual design is not well done, it will reflect poorly on your organization. Good design is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Gresham Savage Launches Centennial with E-card

Gresham Savage, the premier business law firm in inland Southern California, asked us to develop their holiday e-card again this year. Since this piece launched their 100-Year Anniversary, we recommended a theme of giving back to their community. The card concludes with an opportunity for the viewer to choose one of four charities selected by Gresham Savage. Votes will be used to apportion the firm's commemorative charitable donation for 2009. To see the e-card, click here.

Friday, January 1, 2010

A New Year


"There is nothing so powerful as words and images, artfully combined, to open a world of possibilities." —CMBell Company
Here's the beautiful thing about the mind—it can take you anywhere. No security checkpoints. No lost luggage. Your imagination is a passport that never expires, and a flight of fancy always leaves on time.
As you start your new year, we encourage you to explore the big world of ideas. To inspire you, we have developed a series of 12 calendar/desktop wallpaper art images featuring breathtaking images of human achievement and nature from around the world. If you'd like to have these, email me at DeLona@cmbell.com, and we'll get you on the list.
Go ahead—explore a little. Imagine a lot. And watch what happens.

Copyright © 2009 CMBell Company, Inc.

Unless otherwise credited, all content copyrighted by CMBell Company.