Last night I watched on TV a one-two punch courtesy of our friends at Ziploc and Dixie. Powered by our society’s laziness, Ziploc threw a left jab aptly named the disposable Zip ‘n Steam cooking bags.

Dixie followed with a right hook carrying a message about using disposable bathroom cups to shield our children from bacteria.

Is cleaning a steam pan so difficult that one must turn to a throwaway plastic bag to cook pre-cut, frozen vegetables? And what type of lesson are we teaching our children when everyone in the family uses and tosses a bleached-white, glued-together, printed-on paper cup?

I am in disbelief at the “disposable is better” message.

There are basically 3 reasons why agencies do pro bono work.

1. There is a strong personal connection to the cause - often by an agency principal.

2. There is a good opportunity for networking within the group - usually its board.

3. The agency has the opportunity to stretch creatively.

The 3rd reason was why BG created an ad campaign for the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s Free under 25 program, sponsored by Qualcomm.

Our creative team got to do wildly fun and crazy work for its feedthegreedyorgan.com concept. The team loved it. The client loved it.

And last week, while at the museum, I spied this t-shirt at their shop. It’s great when the client actually extends the brand work in ways that make sense.

Now that is satisfying pro bono work.

What makes art? For our client’s Deck the Palms holiday celebration, it’s going to be reusable items and sun paper. (Sun paper, you know–in a few minutes the sun bleaches the paper everywhere except for where you placed objects.)

Our team did a brainstorm for items, such as leaves, that we could collect for kids to use on the sun paper. We also thought of buttons, paper clips, rubber bands, sand, grass clippings, keys, CDs, string. All of these flat objects will leave a unique design on the paper once the sun bleaches the uncovered spots.

What else can we collect to inspire kids to create art?

Sometimes things happen that are both strange and cool. This morning while trying to listen to KPBS/NPR in the car I got dead air. I started punching my other presets and was startled to hear Gloria Penner’s voice on 94.9 FM. How cool that the station would give up their air waves and ad revenue so that we could hear the latest news about the fires. Sometimes it is just about people and life and not the money….

We were just hired by the team that is opening Jade Theater in downtown San Diego. They have struggled. Mostly it’s been about construction, permits, licenses. The usual things that hang up every restaurant/hotel opening with which we have been involved.

Along the way, quite a bit of misinformation has been printed/posted by media about the project. We are in discussions with our client about reintroducing the concept, team, etc. There has been a lot of conversation about how to draw in the media and speak to their targeted audience. The client wants, expects, needs attention by the media. And as PR professionals we can deliver. But ultimately, they have to deliver. Some clients are so focused on getting the coverage that they don’t seem to keep their eye on the ball that matters most. Delivering.

We recently had that experience with another F&B client and it was painful. So now, when we talk to a new client, we talk about their service, about who is responsible for the food quality, the management of the floor and all the things that a customer deserves. Agencies need to take the time to talk to their clients about their readiness to deliver. Without it, everyone’s reputation suffers.