tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51001407982791772672024-03-05T19:10:22.848-08:001000 Watts of insight1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-38375135062055488102010-10-11T22:23:00.000-07:002010-10-19T14:59:17.519-07:00It's Here! Brand Bootcamp 2010!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"></span></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt;"><b>Brand Bootcamp 2010 – </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><b>Unlock your brand’s full potential</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial;"><b>Brought to you by 1000 Watts Creative Group<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">November 27th 2010 @ The Cedar Room - West Vancouver Community Centre 9am - 12pm</span><span style="color: black; font-family: '\'Lucida Grande\'';"> </span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: '\'Lucida Grande\''; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mark it on your calendars and get ready for this exclusive one day intensive workshop. Space is very limited so try to book early to secure your spot.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: '\'Lucida Grande\''; font-size: 13.5pt;">(Limited to local BC businesses only.)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: '\'Lucida Grande\''; font-size: 16pt;"><b>What is Brand Bootcamp?</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Are you a small business owner? Just starting out or perhaps have run a small business for a number of years and looking for ways to be more profitable? Then this is the workshop you want to attend.1000 Watts Creative Group is an international award-winning creative marketing company. Its founders have spent their entire careers building some the largest brands in North America and now they wan to share their strategies with you.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;"><b>Why is Branding so Important?</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Proper branding is the single most important element in the success of any business. The stronger your brand the more ability your company has to command higher margins.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;"><b>What will I learn?</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><i>Attendees will learn:</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">How to create a powerful brand. Learn branding fundamentals, what makes one brand great and another average<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">How a proper brand strategy can make a positive impact on your bottom line<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">The power of your brand voice and the 4 channels of brand messaging<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Discovering your true target audience and how to create a relationship with them<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Create your unique Brand Positioning Statement<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">5 ways to create a successful brand in today's economy<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marketing tactics to boost your brand<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"> AND A LOT MORE!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;"><b><i>Plus you receive:</i></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 22pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">A<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 20pt;"><b>FREE</b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">professional evaluation of your current marketing materials<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">A </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 20pt;"><b>FREE</b></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"> Custom Logo Redesign<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">A </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 20pt;"><b>FREE</b></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"> Custom Business Card Redesign<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">That's a $2300 value!<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;"><b>How much is it?</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">The<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b><i>Brand Bootcamp Workshop </i></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">is eligible for <a href="http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/workplace_training_program/welcome.htm">BC Government funding</a> under a limited time grant for small businesses in B.C. If you are a small business in B.C. with less than 50 employees, been in business for over a year and are in good standing with BC Corporate Registry then you could receive funding to help cover the cost of the program.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><u>Package Prices</u><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><i>Government funding is available to employees only. Small business owners and Solo-entrepreneurs who wish to attend may also receive a special discount. Please contact us for more information.</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 18pt;"><b><i>Corporate Platinum</i></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 18pt;"><b> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 14pt;"><b>3 Employees for just<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 20pt;"><b>$396<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 11pt;">(*with government grant financing.)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 11pt;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>$3300.00 + HST without government grant financing.</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 18pt;"><b><i>Corporate Gold</i></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 18pt;"><b> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 14pt;"><b>2 Employees for just<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 20pt;"><b>$276<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 11pt;">(*with government grant financing.)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 11pt;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>$2300.00 + HST without government grant financing.</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 18pt;"><b><i>Corporate Silver</i></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 18pt;"><b> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 14pt;"><b>1 Employee for just<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 20pt;"><b>$150<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 11pt;">(*with government grant financing.)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 11pt;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>$1250.00 + HST without government grant financing.</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 11pt;"><i>* Price listed represents the HST tax amount for each total package price. If you qualify for government grant pricing you are only required to pay the HST tax.</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;"><i>Space is limited. So book now.</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;"><i>Speaker Bio</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_d_WzE8ktRZbiHFkEI0-fBr9WIB26BB4Lk-6YRACkRDkc3uDOyoU1NSY91wUDPqVFChZyzN8HcaEoqICNjzar1-D-ju7JSB5F_73fK7Rn0NeTz-_NCCvWY8tPGwQAODmf7GggrAADYi8j/s1600/me2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_d_WzE8ktRZbiHFkEI0-fBr9WIB26BB4Lk-6YRACkRDkc3uDOyoU1NSY91wUDPqVFChZyzN8HcaEoqICNjzar1-D-ju7JSB5F_73fK7Rn0NeTz-_NCCvWY8tPGwQAODmf7GggrAADYi8j/s200/me2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brand Bootcamp is hosted by Kevin Simcock, a prominent international leader of advertising and a devoted advocate for creative ideas that deliver extraordinary results. For over 13 years his passionate vision has guided the creative development for such brands as Direct Energy, Volvo, IBM, Intel, McDonalds, Ontario Tourism, British Columbia Lotteries, Colgate & Palmolive, Dove, Advil, LG, Travel Alberta, Banff Lake Louise Tourism, Altamira Investments, New Balance, Canadian Diabetes Association, Canadian Cancer Society and many more.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p>Kevin will teach you proven branding techniques and strategies to give your brand the advantage it needs to edge out your competition, connect with your target market and gain more market share.</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">"The key to brand success is establishing a great relationship with your clients but you must first establish a great brand." Kevin Simcock<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Enhance your company’s competitiveness with this exclusive workshop. There is limited space available so contact 1000 Watts today to see if you qualify for government funding assistance and to secure your spot.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 14pt;"><b>1000 Watts Creative Group</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Contact<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="mailto:kevin@1000watts.ca">kevin@1000watts.ca</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">1000watts.ca<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-11908102948330896572010-08-20T09:59:00.000-07:002010-08-20T09:59:55.555-07:00RE:Advice for Design StudentsAdvice for any student can be convoluted at times. So many people have so many different opinions and a ton of advice from all different points of view. Well here are my two cents. I've been in the advertising business for a while now and had the pleasure of working with some amazing graphic designers. I've also been in charge of running internship programs at ad agencies across Canada. The thing I love about "fresh" talent is their passion. They see things in new ways and have a fresh approach to solving problems. What does that really mean? Well sometimes people that have worked in the industry for a while discover that clients rarely want to push the envelope in terms of ideation. They have a comfort zone. It usually is the safe area that the client knows won't get them in trouble or alienate their target market too much. This is our battle, whether you are a graphic designer, art director, writer, creative director, it is our job to nudge them out of their comfort zone and provide them with some creative solutions that push the boundaries a little bit at a time.<br />
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Students right out of school are eager to push that boundary and do something that is creatively brilliant but may be too far too fast for the client to adopt. So my advice is never stop providing those amazing ideas but know that it's a process that takes time to get the client to adopt them. So don't get discouraged. Keep going and eventually you will get to a great place with a client and really be able to let your creativity go.<br />
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When you're approaching the end of your studies and looking for an internship or your first paid position know that there is a pecking order. You are coming in at ground level and you have to prove yourself. That is the fun part. Some people look at as a negative, they think they should be given a certain level of respect and seniority right off the bat. Although you should always be respected for the expertise you bring to the table, enjoy the fact that you are a junior. It's not a negative title. I tell all the juniors that I've worked with they are lucky. Being a junior means you have license to fuck up with little consequence. It's your time to make mistakes. So make them. That's how you learn. If you aren't making mistakes you aren't pushing yourself.<br />
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Know the shop you want to work in before you work in it. Do your home work not only on the shop but the people running it. Sure a place might be doing great work and everyone may want to get a job there but if your creative director is an ass or a jerk that doesn't really mentor you than is it really worth it?? Ask people who work there and who have left what they think of the people who run the place.<br />
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Keep a steady flow of personal projects going so you can find new avenues of inspiration. Design is influenced by life and all that effects or daily lives. So keep the inspiration channels open. Try to do something new everyday. Take a new route to work, go see a foreign film, create a daily photo blog of your everyday life. You never know where your next hit of inspiration will come from.<br />
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The last thing I will say is about your own personal style or flavour. The biggest curve that students have to learn is how to keep their own personal style and adapt it to fit into commercial design. Design is a craft, an art and as such the designer is an artist with a certain style that fits them and makes them unique. Hone that style.<br />
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Good luck.<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-13995904187155536572010-07-27T21:01:00.001-07:002010-07-27T21:01:07.570-07:00Look to your golf game for help with your marketing<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"></span><br />
How golf can teach you lessons about marketing.<br />
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Who doesn’t love golf? Well, actually I can name a few but if you are like me you love the game. It is a mentally challenging and skillful display of focus and determination. I often try to meet with clients at the driving range or on the course as much as I can. It’s a nice way to break up the day. Hitting a bucket of balls and talking over a current strategy is more appealing than sitting in a boardroom.<br />
But as an avid golfer and an authority on advertising I often find a plethora of parallels between the teachings of golf and the lessons in marketing. Here are a few that I would like to share and hopefully they will put a smile on your face.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="font-weight: bold;">You’re a Hooker!</span><br />
No not that type, someone who hooks the ball in golf is someone that constantly pulls shots to the left. It’s a common ailment that plague recreation golfers. (so is the slice, when the balls pulls to the right) What you really want is the ball to go straight or at least be able to control when the ball slices or hooks. But most of us can’t do it on command because we don’t know how. Well such is true in advertising. Clients want their advertising to achieve certain goals but they’re not quite sure why their current efforts aren’t working. They don’t know how to fix it. Well in golf, if you want to fix your swing you must go to a golf pro and have them analyze it. They can show you certain elements to fix and adjust. Once you put them to practice the magic happens and your hook or slice begins to go away. Just like advertising, if you hire a pro, they will evaluate your current situation, look at what you’ve been doing and tell you what isn’t working and why. Then they will suggest a few things to change and make some strategic recommendations. With the right plan in place you can watch the magic happen as your marketing garners the results you want.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="font-weight: bold;">Nice clubs, crappy shot</span>.<br />
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If you golf chances are you may know someone like this, they have a really expensive set of golf clubs but they don’t know how to hit the ball. They look good, until they start swinging. I know a guy who every year goes out and buys new clubs, really expensive ones. He has to have the latest technology and engineering because he feels it’s vital to his game. Ironically his “game” is not that good. Having the latest and greatest doesn’t always mean that it’s going to work for you. Such is true in advertising. There are a lot of different ways to get your brand message out there, some are new (SMM, Mobile Marketing, QR codes)with all kinds of cool features (crowd sourcing) but if you don’t know how to use them properly you are just throwing your money away. Instead of spending a ton of money on the latest golf clubs, first learn to hit the ball properly. Just like in advertising, before you go out and try every new tactic, first get a handle on your strategy then use whichever cool, new media fits your strategy and make it work for you. You’ll get way better results.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="font-weight: bold;">Everybody thinks they’re a pro</span><br />
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So, you decide you want to take up the game of golf, you tell a few people and all of a sudden everyone is giving you advice on how to swing. They really mean well, but the inundation of info can be crazy. Open your stance, bring the club back slow, don’t calk your wrists, caulk your wrists, turn your hips etc. Before you know it your head is spinning. The truth is, people just want to share with you what has worked for them but be careful because it may not be the right advice for you. Taking the wrong advice can set you back even further from where you started. So how do you know what to listen to or what not to? Easy, go see a pro. There are many people who think they can just figure it out on their own and achieve success. (In golf those are usually the ones you see on the course spending more time searching for their ball than enjoying the game.) When it comes to marketing lots of businesses think they can go it alone and handle it themselves. They usually end up wasting time and money searching for why it didn’t generate the results they were expecting. A professional can put you on the road to success a lot faster and often times with much greater results than if you tried to figure it out on your own.<br />
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So to recap here are some steps to get your advertising game in shape.<br />
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1) Take the time to do some research and find yourself a great pro to help you out. How do you know if they are good at what they do? Check their track record. Their previous work is all you have to go on. If they have done great work for other clients chances are they can help you out too.<br />
<br />
2) Strategy, strategy, strategy. I can’t say it enough. It’s the basis of great work. Without it you’re being led astray. If any company offers you a tactic before offering you a strategy run away. A proper strategy will outline the proper target, the proper messaging and the right tactics to express that messaging and ways to measure your success. Operating without a strategy is like walking up to the tee and not aiming towards the hole. What’s the point?<br />
<br />
3) You don’t have to use all the new channels of marketing to be successful. That being said, you do have to be integrated. No one tactic alone will pull enough results for you so combine a few efforts. Do some online advertising with some SEO and then offset it with a great online video or TV commercial. Make sure it all works together to get the results you want.<br />
<br />
4) And finally be bold. That’s right don’t be vanilla or middle of the road. Take a stance and stand out from your competitors. Find new ground that they have yet to tread on. Make waves, big waves and rock the boat. Be strategic in your approach, clear and singular in your messaging and bold and edgy in your execution and you’ll knock it out of the park every time.<br />
As you can see the life lessons that golf can teach us are abundant and wise. Next time you’re looking to increase your bottom line take a look at your golf game, you just might find the answer.<br />
<br />
Fore!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-62314419338737084292010-05-19T14:40:00.000-07:002010-05-19T14:40:44.311-07:00The all-important brand positioning.<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 8px; margin-top: 8px;">The key to your marketing success is in the positioning. Position is that one descriptive sentence or slogan the company is known for. It’s that one specific idea that first comes to mind about the product. It’s the one characteristic that sets the service apart from competitors.<br />
<br />
For Volvo that one thing is "Safety."<br />
<br />
Nike is “Just do it”<br />
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And everyone knows Ford Trucks is “Built Ford Tough”<br />
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The first step is to identify one specific attribute that sets the company, product, service or brand apart from competitors.<br />
Just because a competitor could possibly say the same thing doesn't mean you should not use it. The first to plant their flag claims the mountain.<br />
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While positioning is how you want to be known, it must reflect reality. How the company is known and perceived. Or how it can believably be known.<br />
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Example: The way people really think about Starbucks is "Great taste, but more expensive." (most people anyway)<br />
So you might position them with a slogan that says, "The taste is worth it." You could even build a campaign around that idea.<br />
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Your positioning statement should reflect the way people really think -- using simple language real people really use.<br />
Lay's potato chips had a campaign using the line, "Bet you can’t eat just one." The idea is to position Lay's chips as a great tasting potato chip. It works well because that expression was not associated with another product.<br />
Ready to position your company, product or service? Try this:<br />
<br />
Step 1: Make a list of your significant competitors and write a sentence defining their position in the market.<br />
Step 2: Next define the current position of your company, product or service, as it really exists in the minds of consumers. Keep it real.<br />
Step 3: Now identify a specific attribute about your product that can differentiate it from the competition in a way that some consumers will find desirable.<br />
<br />
Don’t stop at just one. Come up with as many as you can. Then pick the best, and if one doesn’t stand out as best, then test several.<br />
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It's ok if that one thing only appeals to a partial segment, even a small segment, of your customers. It's better to be specific than general. So don't try to be all things to all people all at once.<br />
It must be simple. A word or two is great.<br />
<br />
If it's obvious, that's fine. If the company is the global leader in widget production, say so. People like to go with number one, thinking it must be the best value.<br />
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- Genius is in simplicity and specificity. Success is in consistency.<br />
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And you must express the position in a way that people find genuine.<br />
Some examples.<br />
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Forget anything like, "The innovative leader in banking services, financial products and convenient technology."<br />
People just don’t think that way. They don't use those kinds of words when thinking to themselves. So a complex phrase like that won't stick in their minds.<br />
<br />
Here's something more layman: "TD, making banking more comfortable."<br />
Another loser could be something like this, "White Sands Resort is the fun place for the whole family to enjoy a wide variety of amenities, great cuisine and create lasting memories in one breath-taking location."<br />
That's way too much. Who is going to keep a phrase like that in their head?<br />
A better one might be, "White Sands Resort, home of family fun."<br />
<br />
Keep it simple. Succinct. And see if your positioning statement passes this checklist:<br />
* Is it true?<br />
* Is it easy to understand?<br />
* Does it differentiate the product in an attractive manner from the competition?<br />
* Is it expressed the way people will express it in their own minds, their own words?<br />
<br />
The biggest obstacles you will encounter attempting to effectively position a product/service is the desire to generalize, complicate, and change.<br />
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You'll hear clients say, "Yes, but our toothpaste does fight cavities and it does brighten teeth and it does keep your breath fresh and it does help prevent gum disease. It does all those things."<br />
Yeah, Mr. Client, but if you try to position your product that way you will be none of those things. That's because people don't think that way. Just like you, they position products with one idea. So brighten smiles. Or freshen breath. Or keep gums healthy. But don't try to do all three at the same time.<br />
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When and if you have a strong position, don’t change it. It takes courage to admit, "I don't have a better idea." And every new agency, every new brand manager feels they have to improve on what has been done before.<br />
The most successful positioning statements are simple to understand and repeated year after year after year.<br />
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People remember with repetition.<br />
<br />
People remember with repetition.<br />
<br />
People remember with repetition.<br />
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Positioning is one of, and perhaps the most important elements in a marketing plan.<br />
No matter if it’s a print ad of a safety pin in the shape of a car or sonogram of a child in the mother's womb, Volvo stands for safety. It’s a theme that is the focus in the majority of their advertising. It’s simple, clear and memorable.<br />
<br />
So try to find your positioning and you’ll be well on your way to greatness.<br />
<br />
Cheers</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-75078948989300494222010-05-14T10:13:00.000-07:002010-05-14T10:14:29.531-07:00Creativity is the magic potionWith the onset of so many numerous ways to reach consumers now the importance on content is more crucial than ever. This isn't new. In fact, unless you and your company have been under a rock for the last couple years this is the mantra of most that provide any form of advertising services. But what does having great content really mean? Everyone has an opinion and in most cases they are all right because content is a subjective element to the majority of people. What one person considers relevant content isn't what others might. But as a brand you should be more concerned with what your core target considers relevant content. Your content needs to be so much more than just relevant. It needs to be <b>CREATIVE</b>. That's right, the magical ingredient, the secret elixir that isn't really that much of a secret.<br />
Some companies might disagree with this. Those companies are wrong. Look at any advertising effort whether it be a social media tactic, a tv spot, a billboard, a mobile effort and you will notice that the most creative executions are the ones that people engage with the most. Not convinced? Take a look at the best job in the world campaign done by Australia Tourism, this made social waves around the world with an alarming response rate and tens of thousands of dollars in free media. Why? Because it had a creative idea in it. Not that it was pumped full of SEO or that it had wads of research done to it but because it was creative. If you were to take out the creative idea, the main creative insight out of this campaign it would have failed horribly. <br />
Here is another creative effort, this one is for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCgQDjiotG0">Google Chrome</a> Speed Test. It's simple yet creative. And with over a million views it's highly effective.<br />
And yet another creative example is the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQFI40nNS_8">Toyota Sienna</a> van spots that launched on Youtube. (One little caveat here, if you are of the mindset that producing a video for Youtube is cheaper than say a TV commercial think again. If you want to produce high quality video you will pay about the same for production regardless where it ends up.)<br />
<br />
But this is a great creative spot. Obviously their mission is to debunk the stigma of vans being unattractive and uncool. I think it's a funny spot that is strategically solid.<br />
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So how important is creative to your advertising or marketing efforts. IT's Vital!<br />
<br />
So the next time you are about to promote your brand ask yourself this one question, is it creative?<br />
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Stay classy kids and keep your creative juices flowing.<br />
<br />
Cheers<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-91664655012721152922010-04-27T10:32:00.000-07:002010-05-07T17:22:10.352-07:00Creative Juices. By the ounce or by the gallon?The all important creativity. It's what separates the good stuff from the...well...not so good stuff. I've been a creative person working in the ad industry tooting the creative horn to get people to understand that it really is the quintessential element to the success of any communication piece. That being said, you can't have great creative without first having a solid strategy. They are two pees in a pod, they go together like peanut butter and jam, wine and cheese, Richard Simmons and tight shorts, you get the idea.<br />
<br />
Creative ideas get people to engage. They provide reason for people to stop and take a moment out of their lives and listen, watch, touch, read and so on. The creative idea is the springboard that allows a brand to jump above the competition. Like a springboard eventually you will come back down but if the idea is executed properly it will have the momentum to jump back up again. The key to momentum is having a great idea that is relevant to your consumer and gives them reason to engage with it. No matter which channel you decide to use to execute (print, radio, TV, SMM, billboard, online) it has to be relevant and it has to be creative. Don't believe me? What was the last ad you saw or heard or interacted with today? Write it down. Who was it for? Now on your way home from work try to count how many ads you are exposed to. Chances are you will lose count about ten minutes in to it. But my point is this, you are being exposed to hundreds of ads a day and you are lucky if you remember just two of them. You will be really lucky if you come across one throughout the process of a week that you will really like and want to share. That's out of potentially thousands of ads. I call them ads but they could be any form of communication. Chances are the ones you really like, the ones that provide some sort of value to you are the most creative ones.<br />
<br />
So why do companies continue to produce "mind garbage" stuff that is just filling the air and your life with uncreative, vanilla, middle of the road crap? Good question. Could be budget issues. Could be fear of offending someone. Could be stiff corporate Marketing Managers. It could be any number of reasons (everyone has one to add I'm sure) but regardless what they are if you're not being creative then you're not being as profitable as you could be.<br />
With the advent of "social sharing" through the latest channels like Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Foursquare and the countless other ways of connecting with people, the chance of having your brand skyrocket through the social stratosphere is enormous. That is, if you have a creative idea that is relevant to people.<br />
<br />
Recently a friend of mine posted some really great examples of creative ideas. It doesn't have to be a mind blowing idea just a fun creative way to get people to engage. Take a look at these.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjVYVQOOJA8">McDonalds Interactive Billboard</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIzLd8zRwXw&feature=player_embedded">McDonalds billboard 2</a><br />
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These are really fun ideas that get people involved with the brand. Not to mention the thousands of people who will be inadvertently sharing the McDonalds logo with all their social network channels. It's strategic and creative. Is it a huge, life-altering idea? No. But it doesn't have to be. It needs to be simple, creative and relevant.<br />
<br />
So the next time you're planning a communication piece, regardless of what it is, ask yourself this: Does it tie back to the strategy? Is it a relevant message that my consumers will be open to? And is it CREATIVE!!!<br />
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Onwards and upwards my friends.<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
<br />
<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=1000wattsofin-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0061714704&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align:left;padding-top:5px;width:131px;height:245px;padding-right:10px;"align="left" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-58634059327365161142010-02-23T13:32:00.000-08:002010-02-23T13:32:40.033-08:00Going up?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"> <!--StartFragment--> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">Advertising is like waiting for an elevator. Many people start their business and don’t advertise their brand. It’s like waiting for an elevator without pressing the button. Sure one might come along eventually but you never know when.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">Such is true about the success of your business. If you don’t advertise it’s like not pressing the button. Sure you might eventually get some business but it is up to chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">If you want to get more business, more sales and more market share you need to press the button. You need to advertise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">When you advertise you get people to come to you. Just like the button brings the elevator to you. Sounds simple right? Well it isn’t quite that simple.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">Just like the elevator if you don’t know where you want to go the elevator won’t take you anywhere. If you go about advertising the wrong way or with companies that aren’t as experienced you could wind up going down instead of up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">Effective advertising starts with a strategy, one that is in line with your Marketing plan. If you don’t already have a marketing plan I can help you tailor one to your brand. If you already have one then I would suggest revisiting it. A marketing plan is organic, it lives and changes as does your company and the market place. It needs to be adjusted and revised to accommodate your growth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">Make sure your advertising is strategically aligned with your marketing objectives this will help you ensure your brand is going up instead of going down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">There is a common rule that most advertisers use when dealing with clients that may not be as educated on the industry and it goes something like this. There are three common requests that clients ask us for, I want it Cheap, I want it Fast and I want it to be Great. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">As someone who has worked in some of the largest agencies across Canada and has run some of the smaller ones I can honestly say this holds true not matter what size of the agency or how big or small the client. The Triangle of needs is what I call it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">When a client requests something and asks for all three I tell them there are no such thing as unicorns or leprechauns and there's no such thing as getting everything that they ask for so pick two. If you want it Fast and Cheap then you're going to have to sacrifice Quality. If you want it Great and Fast chances are it won't be cheap. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">You get the idea. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">It's a great way of letting clients know that there are limitations to what can be pulled off within certain budgets and it allows us as advertisers to manage expectations properly. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">It seems more and more that I hear of companies wanting to receive advertising services for cheaper rates. It’s important to know there is a fundamental difference between doing things cheap and doing things cost effective. The difference is strategy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">Sure you can have your neighbor's son as your designer and put out ads in your local publications for a cheap price. But if your strategy is to gain international reach and awareness then you are throwing your money away because you will never reach your goal. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">Being strategic and creative will generate a winning combination for your dollars. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;">So press the button and start advertising but make sure you're strategic about it otherwise you could be heading to the basement.</span></div><!--EndFragment--> </span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-5444435885475519462010-02-23T10:45:00.000-08:002010-02-23T10:45:07.042-08:00Half Full or Half Empty??What if you see both? What then? What if you see the positive side of only being half full and the positive side of only being half empty. Then what?? Is there possibly another category? Could it be possible that there are "pesimistoptimists" among us? I think I may be one. Being a libra I have a hard time making decisions anyway but often I find myself looking at things from all angles and trying to figure out the positive in each. Is it a lack of commitment or is it another category??<br />
<br />
I can't decide.<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-11419627070287458452010-02-11T19:55:00.000-08:002010-02-11T19:55:27.481-08:00The Olympics are hereWell it's been a while since I last posted anything. I'm in the process of building a new venture. Stayed tuned for that.<br />
The Olympics are here and as I sit here watching the live torch relay passing through the soggy Vancouver streets I can't help but get sucked into the hype. I woke up this morning to the sound of helicopters buzzing over my condo at 6:30am as they followed the runner carrying the torch. I guess there is room on the bandwagon to get into the spirit of the Olympics. The crazy closures and millions of dollars being thrown around this city makes you feel like the recession is years behind us. But I can't help but feel like we will be paying for this one for a long time.<br />
I'm actually going to go check out some of the free venues, that is, if I can find a way to get downtown. If you want to see all the stuff going on <a href="http://www.citycaucus.com/2010free">check this out</a>.<br />
<br />
Talk to you all soon<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-18892322741732185152009-12-29T21:01:00.000-08:002009-12-29T21:01:21.471-08:00Holiday GiftsWell I hope you had a great Christmas and are planning on ringing in the new year with friends and family. This post will be quick and fast so that I can get back to my time off. I came across this <a href="http://www.walyou.com/blog/2009/12/29/anti-theft-gadgets/">great site</a> for all of you who may not have received that gift you were hoping for.<br />
<br />
Have a great rest of your holidays and I will see you in the new year.<br />
<br />
Cheers<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-5353659479232362382009-11-18T11:13:00.000-08:002009-11-18T11:13:08.903-08:00Toshiba Space chairI saw the recent ad/video that was created for Toshiba HD cameras. I like it. It's different as well as a new Guinness World Record. This is the true future of where advertising is going, creative executions that aren't hard sells. Ideas that get people involved and interested to want to find out more about a brand instead of being spoon fed some strategic jargon they care nothing about or don't understand.<br />
<br />
The future of advertising isn't creating advertising. It's about creative ideas that come together to form a reason for people to be involved.<br />
<br />
This is a cool <a href="http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2009/toshiba-space-chair-project/">idea.</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-67461403974893116452009-11-16T11:05:00.000-08:002009-11-16T11:05:13.263-08:00Don't let the rain get you downStarting a new venture can be and often is an immense challenge. There will be tough days and then there will be enormously tough days. The sunny and fun days are the icing on the cake and the motivators to keep you going, they get you through the rainy days.<br />
Sometimes it seems like there may not be a light at the end of the tunnel but you have to believe in yourself, in your talents and in your vision. Anyone can get through the toughest of times, all you have to do is buckle down and push through it.<br />
It is often said that the elements of success are 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. That's the truth. If you want it bad enough you will do what ever it takes to get it. If you're not willing to sacrifice what you have for what you want then you don't want it bad enough. Which could mean one of two things: either you don't really want it or you're lazy.<br />
Being successful takes a lot of determination and follow through. Inspiration can be a powerful tool, you would be amazed at how far you can go on inspiration alone but at some point you need to switch gears and go from inspiration to implementation. That is where most people fail. They aren't willing to sweat and go with out to achieve success.<br />
I use the metaphor of life is like a pendulum, if you want your life to swing into the successful side you first need it to swing on the sacrifice side. All through life it will continue to do this, it's called balance. The more effort you push it with determines how far it swings. If you put in a half assed effort you won't be too successful but if you push yourself hard enough and make enough sacrifices then you will be on swinging in success before you know it.<br />
I read an <a href="http://adage.com/smallagency/post?article_id=140526">article</a> this morning from a fellow small agency owner, it was right on the money.<br />
So no matter what you are doing, where you're working or what your goals are, go after it. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.<br />
<br />
Have a great Monday.<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-34298466108330689502009-11-14T18:48:00.000-08:002009-11-14T18:48:31.380-08:00Back againIt's been a while since I've posted. Crazy times. It's been an insane roller coaster of ups and downs over the last few months. My advice to anyone who is planning on starting their own company is make sure you are ready for crazy times. There are moments when you think, "when the hell am I going to make money" and then there are times when you think "when the hell is the craziness going to get back to normal".<br />
I guess in an entrepreneurial world there is no such thing as normal.<br />
<br />
I do love it though. Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't have it any other way. It keeps me on my toes and the freedom is liberating.<br />
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I have to say that the economy is making so many people's lives a shit storm right now. No one is immune to the craziness. I know a lot of people who are wondering what the hell to do. My advice is take the time to focus on what you really want to do and then do it. Work in a field that you won't hate in five years, or find something that you always wondered about and get involved with it. You never know where it might take you.<br />
<br />
I for one have always been of the mindset that when opportunity knocks you have to answer, regardless of your circumstances. Every little opportunity will eventually lead you to somewhere larger.<br />
I for one thought I'd always be working for a large ad agency until I got old enough to retire and tell stories about the good old days. Funny how things turn out.<br />
Now I run my own agency, albeit small and all, it still gives me a rush to do great creative work and what the faces of my clients light up as they see the impact that great creative work can have on their brands.<br />
<br />
But in addition to advertising I also have a new found love for snowboarding. I got bitten pretty hard last year by the bug when I was "shredd'n" at Whistler. So what does that have to do with anything? Well I've decided to put my creativity in what I love to do and now I'm trying to start my own line of snowboard accessories. Who knows where it will go but I gotta try it. It's an opportunity to take advantage of. Sure there are other people out there doing it, but I think my line will have something fresh to add, funky and functional. It's going to be killer. Even if I don't make a ton of cash on it, it's still going to be something fun.<br />
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That's what life is all about. Getting through all the shit that weights you down with a smile on your face. Life is too short to be doing something you hate. You've heard that a million times right? But it's true. Nothing comes easy. Some of the most successful people I know have busted their ass for years before they reached any kind of success. But they will all say that it was worth it.<br />
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So to all that are finding themselves in hard times I say push on. Don't let it get you down. Focus on what you love and then go after it with all the sweat and tears you have. Because it will take that and then some.<br />
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Here is an <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/marketing/meet-the-mad-men-of-prince-edward-county/article1361492/">article</a> I came across about three older men doing what they love. I had the privilege of working with one of them and I have to say they are truly amazing men.<br />
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Buckle down and go after what you want. It's that easy.<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-80944941851836226482009-09-30T09:35:00.001-07:002009-09-30T09:51:52.674-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8hZq2iLiZ3OQoyyqKmILEo_ro-OxWcwmfQx09cG0lz7EQ2buvd6HiscwdmWrrrJAoschKpZTabBcCtYSmOYXpZ4SMTL1vUV7MQPYnGNifGX0hjqx328HZvbEiPROae-XupNVgPywPuvJ/s1600-h/IMG_0321.JPG"><img style="text-align: center;float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8hZq2iLiZ3OQoyyqKmILEo_ro-OxWcwmfQx09cG0lz7EQ2buvd6HiscwdmWrrrJAoschKpZTabBcCtYSmOYXpZ4SMTL1vUV7MQPYnGNifGX0hjqx328HZvbEiPROae-XupNVgPywPuvJ/s320/IMG_0321.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387303842022953874" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7T4sRZZk_hgjInyNuWy-bGS8JUMdPRqSBXk0HrHq9Uu5HgjdYY015Bx9oIhhcdsystyFf62pL9wgPOAzMGxRakXSuw1KTfDesnEKKofCJAelfqmWauP6NgoADX5UQ7pliQy2LQqNQa6R4/s1600-h/IMG_0314.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7T4sRZZk_hgjInyNuWy-bGS8JUMdPRqSBXk0HrHq9Uu5HgjdYY015Bx9oIhhcdsystyFf62pL9wgPOAzMGxRakXSuw1KTfDesnEKKofCJAelfqmWauP6NgoADX5UQ7pliQy2LQqNQa6R4/s320/IMG_0314.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387303364576730242" /></a><br />We had some fog roll in over the last 24 hours. It was quite surreal. I managed to snap a few photos of it coming over Burnaby Mountain and through the trees at SFU. I also took a couple shots out the kitchen window this morning as well.<div><br /></div><div>Fall is here.</div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-41380644027123118672009-09-29T09:43:00.001-07:002009-09-29T09:51:59.567-07:00Back in the saddleOk, so I've been away for a bit but I have a good excuse. I've moved. I left the downtown streets Vancouver for the suburban foothills of Port Moody. No, I never thought that I would ever want to move to the suburbs again. I grew up in a small suburb of Toronto and eventually moved to the city. I loved it and vowed never again to move to the burbs. There were so many reasons why I hated the burbs and it doesn't matter where you live because the reasons are universal.<div><br /></div><div>The traffic sucks, it would take me at least an hour or more to get home. By the time I did get home I was so stressed that I couldn't relax.</div><div><br /></div><div>The people in the burbs are usually focused more on families and not on business. Which I never saw myself ever being a "King of the Hill" person drinking beers in my garage with my neighbour buddies.</div><div><br /></div><div>So what changed my mind? Well first let me say that I lived in a very nice part of Vancouver. Affluent people and families throughout the neighborhood. But the crime was really pissing me off. Our condo parking got broken into four times in one year. Our car was broken into and our GPS and other stuff got swiped. Our storage unit (which is only accessed by a fob) got broken into three times and our highend mountain bikes got stolen. In addition to all this crazy crap going on the price was huge.</div><div><br /></div><div>So we found an amazing new place which is larger, a lot cheaper and the neighborhood is much more friendly out here in the burbs.</div><div><br /></div><div>So that's whay I've been up to. MOVING!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I'm back now and came across this great new device from honda. <a href="http://world.honda.com/news/2009/c090924New-Personal-Mobility-Device/">Check it.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Tuesday.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-53777584637905091142009-09-11T09:41:00.000-07:002009-09-11T11:43:30.367-07:00Lutz is a Putz<div>Well the new ad for GM is getting some buzz but I don't think it's the buzz they were looking for. General Motors marketing chief Bob Lutz <a href="http://adage.com/article?article_id=138942">spoke out</a> in defense of the new ad campaign featuring Ed Whitacre the new Chairman.</div><div><br /></div><div>In an effort to gain back the public trust with an ad that focuses on the laundry list of reasons why GM measures up to its foreign competitors is in my opinion a grave mistake strategically. Why? By taking this approach you have already admitted you aren't as good. What is worse, the general public already knows this so why harp on it? The problem lies deeper than just a strategic approach. </div><div><br /></div><div>This ad has been done back in 1984 with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nppKMomMP-4">Lee Iaccoca for Chrysler</a> but Lutz says their <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2ltL9Y34pg">TV AD</a> is nothing like it. You be the judge.</div><div><br /></div><div>So where does GM begin to rebuild its business? Well here is my take on it. Being someone who has working in the advertising business for some years now and someone who's father worked for GM for 33 years gives me a special insight to this brand.</div><div><br /></div><div>First mistake they made was hiring Whitacre. I know that the government put him there but GM did have a say in it. Although the approach of putting someone who is "fresh" and not tainted by the auto industry in place is a noble idea, it might prove to be a disaster. Why? The last thing GM needs is another "old" face at the helm.</div><div><br /></div><div>GM needs to shed its persona of "the old guys" auto brand. They need to put someone youthful and spirited at the helm to give he brand the breath of spirit it needs. The auto sector is changing and its buyers are changing too. For too long GM has ignored what the consumer wants and tried to push them into substandard offerings that they feel the public needs.</div><div><br /></div><div>Change and improve your product GM! To quote the ad guru Leo Clow "Nothing kills bad product faster than great advertising". So before you focus on your advertising try focusing on your product and make that great first.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lesson #1 GM = Listen to your consumer. It's exactly what has made Toyota and Honda as successful as they are. They listen to what people want in a vehicle and then they design the hell out of it to surpass their expectations. For too long GM has based their business on an introspective view. </div><div><br /></div><div>Even though my father worked for GM for 33 years and through is entire life drove GM products I myself swore never to buy one. For years GM cars to me were cheaply made and fell apart after a while. Even when I reached a point in my career when I was successful and I could afford the higher level of GM cars with more "luxury" I never considered it. To me they aren't worth the money and there is no pride in owning a GM anymore, there is no bragging rights on both an aesthetics or environmental point of view. Not to mention the poor service that you receive after you buy one. (I'm sure everyone has a horror story about service from every car manufacturer but I've heard more from GM owners than ever.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Car buyers of today make much more of an educated purchase then they did just 5 years ago. They walk into a dealership and in most cases know more about a specific car than the 20 something year old salesmen do. So why would someone buy a vehicle knowing that in 3 years the resale value of the car will be in some cases 20-30% less than what they paid for it? <a href="http://www.eagleridgegm.com/Default.aspx?tabid=81">New</a> vs <a href="http://mtmotor.autotrader.ca/used-inventory/vehicle-details.htm?vehicleId=728224687f00000100ed3e63cb4936bc">Used</a></div><div><br /></div><div>GM needs to design cars that are in tune with what people want in today's market. They need to get rid of the old boys club at the helm and bring in some young intelligence. Shed the models of yesterday and design us something that inspires us. The public wants to believe in you but you aren't giving them reason to.</div><div><br /></div><div>I know GM is boasting about the new Volt but I don't think it will be the big saviour that they are planing on. Sure it claims great mileage and environmental benefits but for the money you can already buy better <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7816102/">alternatives.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Sorry to rain on the GM parade but it's frustrating to see a group of people trying to rejuvenate a brand with the people's tax dollars and all they are actually doing is the same old things that damaged the brand in the first place.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's my take on it. Happy Friday!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-84210045362728505092009-09-10T08:49:00.000-07:002009-09-10T08:51:00.332-07:00You're only as great as your resourcesHere's a great resource for illustrators to get some inspiration. There's lots of cool stuff on here so check it out.<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://abduzeedo.com/">Click here</a>.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-12540445549814047612009-09-08T13:31:00.001-07:002009-09-08T13:32:56.185-07:00Done rightHere's the latest site redesign for Redbull executed by the Barbarian Group. Great job, nice and clean with lots of content aimed directly at the demographic. You guys nailed it. I love it.<div><a href="http://www.redbull.com/cs/Satellite/en_INT/Red-Bull.com/001242745950125">Check it out for yourself.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Tuesday</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-49975389245581797582009-09-06T09:33:00.000-07:002009-09-06T09:36:55.222-07:00Somethings keep repeatingI was watching some videos this morning about a few of the original heavy weights in the ad industry. I came across this video of David Ogilvy talking about how Direct Response was the new bloodline of the advertising industry. I found it fascinating how there are many parallels to the digital world now. If you watch the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br2KSsaTzUc&feature=related">video</a> and exchange "Direct Advertising" for Social media you could run this today.<div>Funny how things change, but not really.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-91960443411630625042009-09-02T14:57:00.000-07:002009-09-02T20:57:06.791-07:00A huge hand slapHere's a prime example of what can happen when an agency focuses on their own gain and benefit instead of the clients'. Although this ad was spec (even worse) and used to pitch the business which they never were awarded (double slap). This is a prime example of doing something creative for the sake of being creative and forgoing the benefit to the client. Is it waaayyy off brand? YES. I think DDB Brazil has their hands full of feedback and I've heard rumors that the team responsible for creating the ad has been let go. Do you think that's justified??<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2009/09/02/wwf-condemns-9-11-like-ad.aspx">WWF AD.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Wednesday and stay creative. (and on strategy)</div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-26381038077472528662009-08-31T13:34:00.000-07:002009-08-31T14:34:24.915-07:00Even if the budget is poor the idea should always be rich.The last few days have been busy, which, in this economy is a good thing. I wanted to talk a little bit about the importance of understanding what a great strategy and a well executed campaign can mean to a brand.<div><br /><div>The other day I received a phone call from a potential new client that was steered in my direction from a friend of mine. (the more the merrier) This client was a small to medium size business who told me that they were interested in doing a national campaign. My first thought was wow, they must have a good budget and had someone do their strategy already because how would they know that was what they needed?</div><div><br /></div><div>So this client proceeded to explain to me their business, it sounded great and they had all the indications of being a really profitable company. Then I started asking a few questions like "What is your goal? What do you want the campaign to achieve? and so on.</div><div>There were a few silent moments from the other end. I was asking these questions because they needed to be asked. Too often clients jump into things not fully understanding what it is they actually need versus what they think they need.</div><div><br /></div><div>The part that puzzled me the most was the consistent question "How much does it cost?" "Well without knowing what we strategically want to accomplish it's kind of hard to give a number to associate to" I told them. They seemed puzzled so I went into an explanation that went something like this:</div><div><br /></div><div>Creating an advertising and marketing campaign is kind of like buying a car. You wouldn't go to someone and say " I want to buy a car, how much does it cost?" Well you could, but then someone would take advantage of you and sell you a car that you probably didn't want or need. (It's amazing the similarities between advertising and cars)</div><div><br /></div><div>Fist we need to know what you need the vehicle for, is it to haul your family around? Do you need something that is good on gas? Do you need a sports car? Or maybe you just need something cheap to go from point A to B. All these things factor into the decision.</div><div><br /></div><div>Similarly you need to know what the campaign is going to achieve, what you need it to do? This is the starting point. You wouldn't have much success with a mini van if you what you really needed was a sports car. Knowing what the campaign is to achieve clearly sets out a path in which to deliver on.</div><div><br /></div><div>So after you determined what the purpose is you have to figure out strategically what the best approach is to fulfill that purpose. Lets say you needed something that is economically feasible, it's good on gas, gets you from point A to B without much worry. Easy to operate, easy to maintain and doesn't cost a lot of money. (sound familiar) Well there are a lot of options that can achieve that. A small car, a hybrid, a fully electric and so on. The choices are usually made based on budget.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's the same thing with the campaign, there are many ways to achieve the goals - paid search, SEO, hybrid campaigns of both traditional and online and so on. It all depends on what we can fit given your budget.</div><div><br /></div><div>So lets say you have $12000 to spend. Chances are you will be hard pressed to find a new small car to buy for that money, but you could buy a quality used one or lease one for a year within that budget.</div><div><br /></div><div>Same goes for the campaign, there are lots of options we can plan so that the budget is utilized to the fullest and gives you the most return for your money.</div><div><br /></div><div>And so the conversation went on with my analogy of cars and advertising. The client was a bit shocked because they realized they hadn't really thought it through. It was clear that the client needed to think it over. I offered my services to help them get a quality strategy together so that they were at least headed in the right direction.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this day and age you can do a lot with less. But you have to be strategic about it and understand the limitations before heading into it. You can't get a Ferrari on a Yugo budget, but you can still turn some heads.</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Monday and I hope you watched Madmen last night.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-85837247074515456792009-08-28T09:24:00.000-07:002009-08-28T11:07:56.434-07:00It's good to be CreamSo the last few days have been busy. My business partner and founder of Cream Advertising <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kslim2k7/3864726971/">Leif Neilsen</a> came out to Vancouver and the two of us set up some meetings with potential new clients. It was great to see Leif and his wife Dana, they run the Toronto office and handle the eastern Canada business.<div><br /></div><div>We started off our four day business extravaganza playing in the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kslim2k7/3864739523/in/photostream/">PGA of BC Pro/Am at the beautiful Crown Isle Golf course</a>. It was an absolutely amazing day, we had a chance to play a round of golf with two great Pro Golfers. It was great to see guys that can actually play golf really well. The course was in great shape and the views were stunning. My game that day... not so stunning. I like to say that I saw every beautiful inch of that course, the trees, the sand, the water, the rough and on the odd occasion, the fairways and greens. We wrapped up the day with a great dinner and prizes, which we won a beautiful box of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kslim2k7/3865550290/in/photostream/">high-end cigars</a> and some wine. </div><div><br /></div><div>All-in-all it was a great couple days.</div><div><br /></div><div>From there we headed to Gibsons just on the other side of Horseshoe Bay to meet up with a good friend of ours to talk some business. It was a short ferry ride across and great day spent checking out the original location for the long running Canadian show "The Beach Combers".</div><div><br /></div><div>Just a quick note to those who are traveling on ferries across from Horseshoe Bay, if you leave your vehicle in the cue and decide to head into the town for a bite to eat while you wait for your ferry to arrive... bring your ticket with you or else they won't let you back in and your vehicle will sit there all by itself blocking the entrance to the ferry. (enough said)</div><div><br /></div><div>The rest of the visit was spent meeting new people and business owners in Vancouver and it was truly an amazing time. We met so many great people. We enjoyed having Leif and Dana here although it went by really fast. They will indeed be back soon.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now it's back to daily work. The great part is, when you love what you do and you run your own company it's not work at all. That's why it's great to be Cream.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-15962823067835813212009-08-21T11:59:00.000-07:002009-08-21T12:09:57.737-07:00Creativity makes everything better.I keep touting the song about creativity. It's not because I am a creative and it's my job but because I truly believe that when you do things, anything in a creative way it can make a huge difference in the outcome. It can move people, inspire people it can make others want to do more. Here is a little tidbit that really drives home this message. You can take something that has been treated in a very generic way and do it the way it's always been done or be creative and inspire others and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRvVzaQ6i8A&feature=related">move people</a>. <div>Why not take the ordinary and make it <a href="http://www.pagegangster.com/p/hhbSM/">extraordinary</a>. Take the usual and make it <a href="HTTP://WWW.FORMTANK.COM/">unusual.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Go one people, be creative!!!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-30061738943280954942009-08-21T09:49:00.001-07:002009-08-21T11:19:25.990-07:00Actually, stupid is the enemy of great.Well it's Friday here on the coast, a bit overcast but still warm. I can feel fall coming, which is a good thing because I love fall. It signals change and change as we all know is a good thing.<br /><br />I was speaking with some friends the other day that also work in the ad industry and we were discussing the importance of award shows. It just so happens that I am working on the advertising for a local award show here in the city.<br /><br />And so the age-old discussion around what matters most “the effectiveness” of the ad or “the recognition” was started. Now before I get into the meat and potatoes of it all know this, I think there is no right or wrong answer here. Much like advertising, it is subjective and depending on what your over all goal is, each side has its benefits. There is however one important matter to factor into the equation – What is advertising supposed to do? = Sell. That is the bottom line. How you get there is the grey area.<br /><br />Being a creative working in the industry for a while I truly believe that advertising has to be…well…creative. You have to make the person want to buy whatever you are selling. You have to be funny, witty, shocking, heartfelt whatever you choose but just don’t be boring. Make it relevant to the target. Don’t just put up a price point or massive fucking logo in hopes that will sell. <div>But yet there are tones of that kind of advertising out there. So the importance of a creative idea is monumental in any form of advertising. It is the catalyst that makes people want to stop for 5 seconds, 10 seconds or a minute out of their chaotic lives to pay attention to what you have to say. In fact, if I as a consumer am going to take time out of my day to be distracted by your advertising you better make damn sure it’s worth my while. I want to laugh, I want to get pissed off, I want to have something added to my day that makes me start a conversation. No one talks about the massive price point they saw on a transit ad or billboard, no one mentions that annoying fucking floating banner ad that pops up on the page all the time other than to say it’s an annoying fucking banner ad. GET THEM INTERESTED BY BEING CREATIVE AND INTERESTING.<br /><br />So that being said I think you get my point that in order to be effective you have to be creative. Now this is where the other side comes in. Do creative ads sell more than your typical eye numbing crap you see everywhere? <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/27/business/worldbusiness/27iht-adprize.html">Check this out.</a><div><br /></div><div><div>It’s easy to dismiss ads you see in award shows as being out in left field and creative for the sake of being creative. People often ask “sure it’s creative but did it do anything for the client?” I think more and more the gap between creative work and moving the bottom line is being bridged. Lets take a look at this years' Cannes Lions winners. Being arguably the best award show in the world for advertising, Cannes recognizes the best in the world for being creative and for being effective. This year’s Cyber Lion winner the <a href="http://work.canneslions.com/cyber/">Tourism Queensland campaign</a> was amazing. Was it creative? Yes. Was it effective? <a href="http://work.canneslions.com/pr/">Very much so.</a> Take a look at the ROI.<br /><a href="http://work.canneslions.com/pr/"></a><br />So what is the net take away? Award shows are important and so is the effectiveness of the advertising. After all that is what advertising is all about, selling. Great work should be recognized. It gives the client a sense of reassurance for trusting their agency. It gives the agency a sense of recognition for using their creative talent to the fullest. At the end of the day we all want the same thing, for our clients to be successful because that means we continue to get paid. But if at the end of the day all you want is to win awards for self-promotion, then heed this, an agency full of awards is worth nothing if the client has empty pockets.<br /><br />Well it’s Friday, go have a drink! Or if you are living the <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/">Madmen</a> life, have another one it’s still early.<br /><br />Cheers.</div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5100140798279177267.post-56248839602653807392009-08-19T10:35:00.000-07:002009-08-19T11:07:36.893-07:00Those who know do, those who understand teach.Well it's another great day in Vancouver, sunny and warm. The skies are clear and the mountains can be seen from miles around and from my window. Today I'm working on some taglines for a couple clients of mine, which brought me to realize that very few clients truly understand the importance of "Branding". <div><br /><div>I think the word branding has been over used to the point where clients hear it a lot but forget what "real" branding is and not what the hundreds of fly-by-night communication companies tell them it is. It's not a commodity and shouldn't be dealt with in frivolous manner. Quite often it's the first thing that less experienced communication companies will tell clients to change because it's an easy cash grab for them and the clients aren't as attached to their branding as they should be.</div><div><br /></div><div>A tag line is just one element of a companies brand, albeit an important one, but the total sum of the logo, the colours, the strategy and the tagline all work together. Most companies, especially those that are small to mid size think that branding is something they need or something they will get to when they have more time or money. The reality is that branding is the first step in a companies inception. It "is" who you are, what you stand for and what separates you from everyone else.</div><div><br /></div><div>It should be the foundation on which you build a company, it should be in your business plan, it should be the spark that starts your entrepreneurial spirit.</div><div>Sure companies can revamp their brand, give it a new logo, a more modern spin on the tagline but one has to be careful to not deviate from the original brand strategy. Don't forget who you are and what you stand for.</div><div><br /></div><div>A good example of this is Coke and Pepsi. Coke has the same original logo since it's inception. Pepsi on the other hand has gone through a myriad of logo changes over the years. Both of them have changed taglines from time to time but Coke has remained true to their brand strategy over the years and it's paid off. Pepsi has lost it's way, it seems as if they are trying to keep up and stay cool and relevant. That's suicide in this marketplace. Stop trying to be something you're not and be who you are.</div><div><br /></div><div>So when clients approach me and are looking for new taglines or logos I immediately ask them a barrage of questions. What does your company stand for? What makes you different? If your company had a personality what would it be? and on and on. It amazes me when clients look back at me with a puzzled look on their face because they have never thought in-depth about their brand before. This should be the first step. But that's what I'm here for, to help them out and get them on the right track. It's what I love to do. Brand strategy is pinnacle.</div><div><br /></div><div>In my mind the best brand and tagline ever...NIKE - Just do it. It sums up everything they stand for and the brand personality in just three words. Not to mention, the use of the swoosh is a symbol most recognized around the world all on its own, without words. Now that is a powerful brand.</div><div><br /></div><div>If anyone out there needs help with their brand drop me an email, my company <a href="http://www.creamontop.ca/">www.creamontop.ca</a> can help you out. You can also check out my personal site for history and background <a href="http://kevinsimcock.com">kevinsimcock.com</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.kevinsimcock.com
www.creamontop.ca</div>1000 Watts Creative Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02446150235710318106noreply@blogger.com0