I just had the opportunity to do some travel in Italy, and although I was there primarily for the pasta and wine, I am still a marketer at heart – and that’s hard to shake off, even on vacation.  What struck me about Italy was the lack of advertising and branding messages everywhere – we are so used to being hit with them from all angles in the States. But I can’t tell you how many times we met some nice Italian local who said “I know a guy who know a guy, and he can get you…”

Clearly, word of mouth marketing – the original form of advertising – is alive and well.  Perhaps this kind of communication was born in Roman times, and has smartly persisted throughout the ages as Italy and the rest of the world have modernized.

Nowhere was I accosted by brand-mania.  Althought there were occasional ads in the areas where we traveled, there were no roadside billboards, no digital signs in the airports, no poster ads above the urinals.  Yet both locals and visitors were clearly conducting business, referring customers to various locations, and communicating the benefits of particular products and brands.  All by talking.  Animatedly.

One great example was presented in a restaurant along the coast, where the simplest way to advertise the daily specials were to just show us.  Luigi, the owner and proprietor of the restaurant, brought around a platter of fresh caught fish to each table.  He told us what kind each one was, how it would be prepared, what kind of wine would be best served alongside. Very effective.  And delicious, I might add.

In another town, shops marketed their handmade local specialties by putting a few in baskets outside on the street.  As we walked by, we saw something that interested us and the shopkeeper picked up on that interest, nicely told us about the products we were eyeballing, and we were drawn inside the store to buy.

The concierge at our hotels became preeminently important people.  They deftly directed us to fabulous restaurants, wine and cheese shops where we could find the best of Tuscany, and where to get the best deal on gasoline.  Their word became fact for us, and we followed every recommendation.  No tourist magazines, no bus side ads, no peel downs or page take overs. Just one-on-one recommendations.

And when in doubt, we just asked someone along the way.

There’s something to learn here about the simplicity of direct communication. Maybe those Ancient Romans weren’t famous only for their aqueducts and gladiators…. perhaps they are also the original social networkers.

I am so darned sick and tired of marketing agency people with an inferiority complex about being in San Diego, and last week creative legend Mike Hughes had my back.  Mike was in town to speak to a group of marketing leaders gathered by San Diego AdClub, and one of the key points he made was that creativity can come from anywhere – even San Diego.

Mike is the creative genius at The Martin Agency (ADWEEK agency of the year), and is the guy behind blockbuster advertising campaigns for GEICO (geckos, cavemen, dancing money), Walmart (tear jerker holiday ads with snow falling on troops in Iraq), the singing guy from freecreditreport.com and more.  And that award winning blockbuster agency is located in….Richmond, Virginia.

Richmond? Population 204,000 thousand, humid in the summer and snowy in the winter, miles from anything remotely cultural, capital of the Confederacy and firmly planted in Southern traditions.

Yet guys like Mike Hughes can thrive there.  Creative geniuses from around the country are drawn there. Talent grows and prospers there.

So why would we not expect the same or better from San Diego?  We’re a happy bunch, basking in nearly perfect weather, enjoying a plethora of cultural events and arts, inspired by people of all ethnicities and backgrounds, and uniquely uber cool.

Look at this amazing work by some of our best local talent, and tell me there’s not the seed of some greatness here.  We just have to nurture it so it can grow into the next Martin Agency or Crispin Porter (Miami? Gimme a break).

http://www.vitrorobertson.com/
http://www.meadsdurket.com/
http://www.gearyi.com/
http://www.lambesis.com/
http://www.fishtankba.com/
http://www.baileygardiner.com/

Come on folks. Drop the apologies and just pony up. We deserve the cred.

Sometimes you just need a good laugh – especially when it’s a mistake you could have easily made yourself. Well, maybe you wouldn’t write some of these hilarious mistakes in grammar, editing and just bone-headed lack of proof reading – but it’s damned funny to laugh at whoever did:

And my personal fav:

Yesterday I got an email from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) urging me not to represent Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (no relation), and I gotta tell you I’m impressed with the approach.  Now I don’t like being threatened any more than the next guy, and I do not always agree with PETA’s tactics. However, I do have to applaud them for their unique strategy in targeting PR and marketing firms.

PETA’s basic premise is this: if you represent Ringling, you risk your own reputation. “No amount of PR can make beating baby elephants sound good”.  Yep, they’ve got a point on that one.

In the email, they quote PETA Executive VP Tracy Reiman. “Ringling Bros. is a public relations nightmare waiting to happen. There’s not a PR team in the world that is slick enough to sell the beating of baby elephants, the whipping of tigers, and the use of chains, bullhooks, and electric prods on animals – all for the sake of a few cheap tricks.”

This effort coincides with a full page ad in PR News with the same theme, geared at letting PR people know what they might be getting into when they sign a contract with Ringling. I also got a phone call from a PETA representative to follow up on the email.

As a marketer, I don’t recall ever being targeted with this kind of effort.  I think many people are affected by PETA’s tactics, and not always in supportive ways.  Some of my friends are very turned off my their scare tactics and strong-armed veiled threats. Others are sympathetic to the cause, and to the animals PETA seeks to protect.  I don’t know anyone that is FOR animal cruelty, but when does PETA and other similar organizations take it too far?

If you want to know more, here’s PETA’s website devoted to the Ringling issue.  A word of warning – it’s not for the squeamish or faint of heart.  But then again, I don’t know anyone in the marketing business I would define as faint of heart.

What do you think about this approach of preemptively targeting marketing firms?

*** Note: BG would not be interested in representing Ringling Bros. – animal cruelty or not.  Our business is enough of a circus as it is, and we don’t need clowns and tightrope walkers to remind us.

I recently returned from a business trip to New York City for a marketing agency conference, and was blown away by something I always have taken for granted – the doorman at my hotel.  My experience reaffirmed for me that the doorman is THE most important position in hotel marketing. Sure, he’s dependable and helpful, always ready to grab me a cab or direct me to the nearest Starbucks.  But this guy was phenomenal – and here’s why:

He remembered my name.

The hotel I stayed at was The London NYC, a recently renovated hotel that was formerly the Rhiga Royal Hotel – I used to love staying at the Rhiga because it’s well located in Midtown Manhattan, offers all-suites, and was my virgin hotel experience in New York when I visited NY for our client Tiffany & Co. more than 18 years ago.  Now it’s updated and even more cool and trendy.

And here’s the kicker – I haven’t stayed there for more than 9 or 10 years.  And Michael the doorman remembered me.  AND CALLED ME BY NAME. Impressive customer service.

Stunned by his feat of memory, I realized at that moment how critically important that job really is – and how much the doorman can make a difference in a guest’s hotel stay. In today’s world of instantaneous communication, the roles of customer service and marketing have become synonymous.

What if we all had this same attention to detail, this same freakish memory?  If every business had a “doorman”, how would that man or woman represent the front door of your company? We would all do well to think about this approach a bit more seriously.

One thing I can tell you about this experience. I am instantly made to feel like the London NYC Hotel is the only place I care to stay in New York City.  I will be back there soon.  And Michael the doorman will remember me.

Friday night was the Annual Addys Awards at the Se San Diego Hotel hosted by the San Diego AdClub, and it was a great night for Bailey Gardiner and for the entire San Diego advertising and marketing community. What a great showing of creative work by everyone involved! My particular favorite was the category for work-you-sweated-over-and-really-loved-but-the-client-didn’t-chose-it-for-some-insane-reason, or the more politically correct version “Ultimate Torture” Category.  And yes, we won an award in that category for a campaign we created for the San Diego Museum of Art that never saw the light of day (see our Creative Graveyard).

BG was also honored by several People’s Choice Awards too:

• Advertising for the Arts & Sciences – The San Diego Museum of Art
• Interactive Media – San Diego Hospice
• Agency Self Promotion – Bailey Gardiner website

Plus we picked up an award in the Elements of Advertising Category for our Rockrose new homes community Logo Design.

A fun night had by all – and kudos to our awesome creative team for their award-winning work.

We could not have done it without them!

A few of us had the opportunity to attend ExpoWest last week – the grand daddy trade show in the Natural Products industry – and judging from the attendance of both exhibitors and buyers, this segment is roaring back from the recession.  Everywhere we walked in the cavernous Anaheim Convention Center, we heard deals being cut, sales orders being written, and marketing spiels being perfected.  All to say, these are good signs that America is back to buying, and ready to commit to natural products and organic foods.

Our client Hero Nutritionals had a smashing show, and were very pleased with the turnout of customers, new prospects and media. And judging from the number of people interacting in their booth, I’d say it was a very successful outing for them.  As we toured through the wares of many exhibitors, we were impressed with the caliber of booth design, materials and overall savvy that many companies displayed. And surprised by the lack of materials that some others offered.

Overall the show was brimming with cool stuff, designed well and presenting a host of opportunities for creative marketing firms (ahem). Here’s a few of our favorites:

Sunfood – Great company selling raw and organic products like cacao paste and goji berries, and with style and panache. I even got a free tshirt.

Evolution Fresh – The freshest and most delicious organic/natural fruit drinks I have ever tasted. Love me some watermelon juice…

Mrs. May’s – Ridiculously addictive nut bars and crunches that are ripe (’scuse the pun) for growth. Could take off it a big way.

Sibu – OK this one is so out there that it has to take off big. Derived from the elusive Sea Buckthorn berry and grown only in the Himalayas, this product is good for your skin, hair and nails.  Tasty too – just like candy.

Honeynz – Pure New Zealand honey products, including delicious spreads made from honey mixed with apricot, cinnamon, raspberry and many other delicious natural fruits and spices. I predict this one will hit it big.

Kind Snacks – I love this company’s position and goal – to help the world through kind acts and nutrition. Wonderful use of cause-based marketing to create a movement.  Brilliant. And delicious.

Tetra-Pak – The most incredible innovation in packaging I have seen in years. This carton replaces the dastardly plastic bottles we all drink our water from. Buy stock in this company now.

Mrs. Meyer’s – Definitely one of the bigger brands on my list, this company does a fantastic job at marketing. Their trade show booth was a camper, with “Mrs. Meyers’ Kitchen” inside for all to see, complete with squeaky clean appliances, clothes line, and bright white linens.  Super fun.

We are all inspired to work more diligently in the area of natural products and with organic, eco-concious companies. It’s a growth market, and thankfully, one that is here to stay.

The creativity train never stops at Bailey Gardiner, even when it has absolutely nothing to do with our present or future clients. It’s not like a faucet you can just turn off. So the other day when a bunch of us were ripping on the hideous ice skating outfits at the Vancouver Olympic Games, we started laughing about our stylish PR gals and their teetering 6-inch stiletto heels.  I think it was @lizzied that suggested we host our own Bailey Gardiner Olympics, and a silly idea was born.  The creatives took it from there, and the results are pretty hysterical:

Congrats to our gold medalist Katy Harrison, who I think could climb a ladder in her Mahnolos while sipping a Starbucks Fat-Free Latte, collating a client metrics spreadsheet and tweeting from her cell phone with a reporter from @nytimes. Rock on.

What is your hidden talent?  Nominate yourself to be included in our next BG Olympics video  — send us your concept, and you could win valuable prizes and widespread notoriety.  Plus a pat on the back.

Perhaps it’s not politically correct for the CEO of a digital marketing company to express his disgust with a strong new entry into the social media consciousness, and yet here I go.  I hate Foursquare.  OK, my kids tell me that “hate” is a really strong word, so let me rephrase – I strongly dislike Foursquare. And I don’t care who knows it.

Advocates of Foursquare say it’s the next big social media marketing platform.  They say that businesses small and large should try to attract members of Foursquare because it will help them promote their business online. Even the New York Times has picked up on the hub-bub, so it has officially entered the public lexicon.

Foursquare is basically a social media game, which requires players to “check in” at various locations they visit as they vie to become the Mayor of that location.  A dubious honor, this mayorship can sometimes lead to – are you ready for it? A free cup of coffee!  Coupons for dollars off a sandwich!  Maybe even a crown you can wear around town to let people know of your superior status.

So why do I hate Foursquare? Because its participants — many of whom reside in this very office and are people I trust and respect — continue to feel it necessary to share with me through their Twitter and Facebook streams exactly where they are at all times, and what they are buying/consuming/eating etc. Frankly, I do not care where you are.  I don’t care that you are bra shopping. And I don’t care that you just unlocked the super-sonic, gold-plated badge level like some Worlds of Warcraft fanboy.

And I certainly don’t care that you are the mayor of the Hillcrest Subway. Or the mayor of Bailey Gardiner for that matter.  What makes you think anyone actually does care, except for you and the owner of the business you are promoting by telling me where you are?

There are a lot of great online business models that already offer geolocation services and popularity ratings – and way better in my opinion. User generated content and public rating systems are not new, and there are great platforms like Yelp, Loopt, Chowhound, and even grand-daddies like TripAdvisor, that allow me to check people’s opinions about all sorts of things. But on my own time and according to my own set of search criteria.

Having people barge into my social media stream with updates about their current location is pretty much spam.  It’s uninvited information from people I actually like, making it really hard to just turn off their Facebook updates or unfollow them on Twitter.

So do us all a favor Foursquare junkies – disconnect your relentless updates from your social media streams so we don’t all have to witness your trips to Subway, Starbucks and Target. Then you can become the Mayor Of Wherever The Hell You Want, and I don’t need to know about it.

Because really, no one cares except for the brands you are helping by mentioning them.

There has been huge craziness in the San Diego radio industry lately, and I continue to be asked by our advertising clients and others exactly what this means in the marketing landscape. To each I answer, “I wish I knew.” But in reality, I can make a few predictions.

First of all, what the hell happened?

• It began in August, when San Diego beloved radio icons Jeff & Jer were suddenly off the air due to contract disputes with Clear Channel Radio, their station’s owner.  Clear Channel had been on a hell-bent buying frenzy, snapping up radio stations across the country and many in the San Diego market – all with investment capital they had over-leveraged.  (You know, those silly banks were lending tons of money to just about anybody with a business plan a few short years ago.)  When markets started tightening, so did Clear Channel, and they no longer wanted to pay for higher salary morning teams – regardless of their success or following.  Jeff & Jer were out, and Clear Channel shifted a less expensive, less experienced morning team to their former station and time slot. Thus, AJ in the Morning is the winner of that game of musical chairs.

• Around the same time, Monique & The Man on Jack FM was cut down to just the lovely and talented Monique Marvez. Evidently having The Man involved was too expensive for ownership at KFMB.  Then in a very odd move, station management decided to reduce Monique’s live on-air time slot to just 5 – 5:30 am, playing music the rest of the time.  And just recently, she is off the air altogether and her contract is not being renewed.  Ratings at Jack FM continue to plummet in her absence.

• In another Clear Channel debacle, radio icons Dave, Shelly & Chainsaw on KGB suddenly got the ax as well.  Again, those pesky contract negotiations were listed as the culprit, and once again it was really because Clear Channel could not swallow the show’s high salaries. DSC fans staged protests they were so upset and angered.

• Then The Mikey Show on Rock 105.3 was suddenly absent (again Clear Channel  – seeing a pattern?) and fans lamented yet another loss of morning show talent.  Mikey is the only one to have cut a new deal, showing up for mornings now at FM 94.9.

This whole mess has left audiences reeling, radio dials spinning, and listeners not clear on where to listen – or why.  What’s more, it’s left the advertising industry in a bit of a quandry.  Rating points that were already a bit sketchy (see my previous blog spot on Arbitron ratings) are now completely unproven and unreliable.  Advertisers that have been buying radio based purely on ratings points can no longer trust that process.  Long time advertisers that were buying ad libs from proven on-air talent – these are spots recorded or spoken live by the deejay to endorse a particular product – can no longer have access to those familiar voices.  These were enormously popular – when Monique Marvez spoke about her personal experience in buying a Sleep Train mattress, her listeners would take that endorsement to heart.

Advertisers are left trying to figure out how to spend their radio budgets, or if they even should. So then, what now?

Truth is, radio has been – and will continue to be – an important part of the advertising mix.  Its immediacy and frequency allow an advertiser to reach their audiences with a message aimed at getting consumers to take action – right now.  With most radio listening taking place in the car, the assumption is that people are captive audiences.  And in the case of morning shows, audiences are accustomed to being entertained by personalities beyond just playing music.

Sure, the face of radio advertising has changed. It’s not as lucrative as it once was, and there is competition from digital radio like Pandora, iTunes, satellite radio like Sirius and many other sources.  Yet, none of those provide the familiarity, the down-home comfort and the city-centric knowledge and access that local radio can provide.

This too shall pass.  These radio personalities will find new homes where they can broadcast their morning shticks.  Radio stations will find new owners that will invest what they can in perhaps a new model for radio that is both profitable AND entertaining.  And consumers will play spin the dial until they land on a few new choices, perhaps hearing some familiar old friends.

There will always be a need for the Jeff & Jers of the world, because we want to be entertained.  Even more important than that, these iconic morning teams have provided a common thread for our greater community that few other outlets can even come close to.  The familiarity of their voices, their jokes and their laser-sharp knowledge of San Diego represent a shared touchpoint for our city.

And that is worth money.  The question is, how much?