One of the reasons I agreed to join the SUSHI board was so our creative team would have the opportunity to do some really ‘out there’ work. It’s hard to find those opportunities with most clients. With SUSHI we’ve been able to stretch our creative wings a bit.

Francis, designer extraordinaire, has been working on a series of postcards for various special events. For the monthly Fresh Sounds series he came up with three very different approaches. The “smiling man” as we call him was ultimately selected, but I had to share all three with you. They were just too cool not to. What’s interesting is that it appears they might have been a little too out there for SUSHI. I didn’t think that was possible, especially after last weekend’s grand opening, but evidently the chicken just went too far. Which do you like the best? I’m really curious.

Recently I was at a Halloween party. It was Halloween, coincidentally, and into my buddy’s basement-turned-dance-club walks Colonel Sanders with a bucket of chicken, offering it to everyone. At the time I remember thinking, “wow this guy is seriously costume committed.” The costume was spot on. It looked as if the Colonel himself had risen from the grave. So having started my third beer, I did what anyone else would have done and grabbed me a delicious piece of extra crunchy deep-fried yum-yum.

That moment, I smelled something besides the Colonel’s secret recipe. What I smelled was marketing in disguise. Here’s what made me suspicious:

KFC is hardly doing cool enough advertising right now that somebody would roll into a Halloween party dressed as such. The Colonel is certainly an icon, but most Halloween getups are based on what’s current i.e. Sarah Palin, Joe the Plumber, Michael Phelps and what have you. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe that guy just really liked KFC and wanted to be the Colonel for Halloween. I guess I’ll never know.

What I want to believe is that KFC had this awesome guerilla idea and executed it to a tee. My buddy lives in a house with four other dudes. They sent out a massive event invite on Facebook and half of San Francisco attended this thing. How easy would it have been for KFC to go onto Facebook, find a bunch of big Halloween parties and send Colonel Sanders out to them to give away free chicken?

Later I mentioned the encounter to my buddy and asked him what he thought. Neither of us knew the guy, but we both agreed it was pretty cool that someone would come as Colonel Sanders handing out chicken.But if we had come to find out that KFC paid for the Colonel’s attendance that night, it would have been instant lame. Why? Because true guerilla marketing occurs when the target doesn’t know they’re being advertised to. It has to be sneaky. The advertiser’s cover can’t be blown.

You hear “guerilla” used all the time now to describe marketing tactics that are unconventional. And while unconventional is a big component of effective guerilla marketing, we need to remember to keep incognito because now more than ever no one wants to be caught by advertising.

When people visit our agency offices, they always comment on the visual experience we present — they love seeing the vibe we create because it represents an escape from the traditional office environment.  Sure, we showcase our creative talents in advertising, design, PR, etc. by posting our latest and greatest on the walls.  While we are very proud of the work we create for our clients, and our clients love seeing it displayed, we need creative inspiration as well.

That’s why, when we’re not showing our own creative art,  we decorate our walls with original works by local artists.   We’ve collected some pretty cool pieces over the years from some pretty well known local painters and mixed-media artists — and many were obtained from the same place.  The San Diego Art Institute:  The Museum of the Living Artist is in San Diego’s Balboa Park, and their space displays works from local artists in variety of media and genres.

And here’s what’s cool.  Twice a year they have a fundraiser called C-Note, where they sell works donated by their artist members for $100 or $200 each — and many are even framed!  What is a c-note you ask?  Well, in urban slang it means a hundie, a benjamin, a 100 spot, a Texas dollar and a bunch of other nicknames for a one hundred dollar bill.

In this case, the C-Note is a free-for-all “art grab”, where they open the floodgates and everybody runs into the museum and starts grabbing art off the walls.  For those that don’t want to spill their wine in the process, the activity calms down considerably after the first 20 minutes and you can then leisurely stroll through and choose pieces you’d like to purchase. The only rule is that once you take it off the wall, it’s yours and you must buy it.  Throughout the evening, the walls are replenished a bunch of times as people take things down and museum staff puts new things up.  Most of the pieces are valued at much higher prices than the one or two c-notes they sell for, so you end up with art that immediately appreciates in value.  Seriously, it is a major deal and so much fun.

So if you have time, go check it out and support our local artists.  It’s a great way to add to your collection and help out a deserving non-profit in the process.  (And it’s a tax-deductible donation!)

It’s November 22 from 5-8 pm, but get there early….

When your client is Chick-fil-a (a fast-food chain based in Atlanta that serves lots and lots of chicken entrees)…you present a campaign featuring nothing but cows.

Can you imagine the look on that Marketing Director’s face? How about the awkward silence that followed the presentation? Believe it or not, the best campaigns are the ones that are so different, they make you feel uncomfortable. They make you think it could never be done. They aren’t what everyone else is doing. What makes it a great campaign is just that — they are so unconventional that they actually spur a response from the consumer you are trying to reach.

The Chick-fil-a Cows have been in circulation for over a decade. They are a team of cows that joined forces to encourage people to eat chicken rather than beef (aka a hamburger at competitors).  The campaign is genius, differentiating Chick-fil-a from its fast-food rivalries like McDonald’s and Burger King. A truly guerilla effort on the cows’ part, they hold signs that are misspelled and often have local messages. The cows have reached all types of media including TV, outdoor, events and sponsorships.

Hindsight, the campaign seems like a no-brainer. A funny, tongue-in-cheek way to get attention. However, it probably wasn’t that easy from the beginning. There was probably some squirming. Some doubt. Some push back. But lo and behold! Creativity prevailed! Hats off to you Mr. (or Ms.) Marketing Director, for going against the grain. For letting your agency give you a great creative direction that has spanned a decade!

Marketing Director Moral of the Story: Do something different. Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different response. Can we really expect consumers to respond to us if we keep feeding them the same thing over and over?

Agency Moral of the Story: It is our job to make our clients feel uncomfortable. To make them rethink the way things are done. To make them step outside the norm. It is our job to make consumers pay attention.

Often marketers ask their existing (or potential new) agency how much things cost, and that is one of the hardest questions to answer.  What does good creative advertising, design, public relations, social media, interactive marketing cost?  We end up in these stand-offs, playing the game of “you first, no you first” and everyone walks away from the table frustrated.

Fact is, good marketing is not cheap.  Just like anything else in life, you get what you pay for — and quality has its price.  We have the good fortune of working with some incredibly high quality clients whose products are synonymous with the finest in their categories — Tiffany & Co., Brookfield  Homes, the Setai San Diego Hotel, The Mark — the list goes on and on.  If you would not skrimp when purchasing the best solataire diamond money can buy (yes, it comes in a little blue box) then why would you cheat yourself with low quality marketing?

Most agencies like us price themselves fairly — you can check around and see our fees are all pretty comparable. After all, we are in San Diego and although we’d all love to get away with Manhattan agency pricing, there’s a reason we’re not there.  And a reason why we don’t charge those kind of fees.

But here’s the thing I really don’t understand.  Since creativity costs money, and good creative requires a decent budget, why ask agencies to produce champagne campaigns on a beer bottle budget?

Now, I think we’re pretty darn good at wringing every last morsel of power from each dollar of our client’s budgets.  We painstakingly take into account every opportunity to provide the lowest costs we can, so that these savings can be passed on to the client — resulting in more dollars to spend on their marketing impact.   We negotiate with media and vendors to provide fair and reasonable bids, and pass that savings on to our clients.

It’s our job to manage the budgets efficiently and productively, and we excel in this area.  Even when costs must be cut, we partner with our clients to figure out how and where to eliminate dollars in a way that still supports the brand efforts most effectively.

In this current economy, we have had a couple of clients tell us of their need to reduce marketing spending.  Go figure.  Although it’s not fun for either party, what’s been rewarding is our clients’ approach to our partnership with them.  They ask for our opinion and participation in the budgeting process, allowing us to help them identify cost cuts that make sense for them and are not knee-jerk, arbitrary measures.

So, if you are finding yourself in the uncomfortable position of cutting marketing budgets, here’s a couple of things to consider as part of your process:

• Use your agency partner as just that — a partner.  Have them help you decide the best places to cut.  If they are truly the trustworthy and credible resource you have hoped you hired, then they can be trusted to help you decide how to manage a smaller budget.  And without self-serving motivations.
• Determine what things in your budget are nice-to-haves, and what are must-haves.  Prioritizing your line items based on what will bring you the most sales or revenue is going to help your decision process.
• Consider shifting dollars from broad, far-reaching campaigns to ones that are more directed and targeted.  These should allow you to measure results more effectively, and prove up ROI.
• Take it more slowly.  Maybe that “big bang” campaign is no longer possible, but you can still use the creative materials and launch on a multi-phased schedule.
• Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.  Just because the budget may be smaller, it may not be smart to stop programs completely — especially if you have invested dollars in creating programs upfront.
• Don’t compromise quality for quantity.  It doesn’t work with cars or clothes, and it won’t work in marketing either.

Creativity DOES cost money.  But that money can be spent effectively, efficiently and productively if the client and their agency talks openly and plans together in partnership.

These economic times will change — they always do.  But creativity never goes out of style.

With aching shoulders, frozen nose, and numbed fingers, I found a spot for my moto just outside Petco Park. Ninety minutes of riding was a commitment—to anticipate the day’s event. This was Saturday evening, November 8, the second day SUSHI opened its doors. Riding soothed some of the excitement and expectations of the event and the performance space everyone was talking about.

The new SUSHI, A Center for the Urban Arts, found its way home back to the ICON complex near Petco Park. Not a bad location. Surrounded by pubs and cafés, a ballpark where the Padres play, SUSHI may well be the center of it all! At least for me.

I volunteered to set-up and strike for the event and performance that evening. A special event indeed since hors d’oeuvres and wine were served and, of course, for the main event, a performance by JORDAN FUCHS and dancers titled THICKET. As a volunteer, I had the pleasure to tour the new space and see the performance for free. As a member of the audience, I was a part of something new. Something different—a tribe in black whose faith lies on that fly on the wall; curious for that notable smell, that tasty treat, or the contrast in dark and light. THICKET was performed in the midst of an audience thirsty for a new experience in the performance arts. Mr. Fuchs delivered an exploration of human interactions; entwined audience members with sights, sounds and movements; and conveyed an intimacy beyond the tradition of performer-audience relationship.

It was 5:11pm when I arrived at the door (6pm was the call for volunteers). I didn’t mind I was early. Quickly stripping my gray and brown riding gear, I was ordained.

Photography by John Warner

Amazon recently teamed up with Fisher-Price to change the packaging on 19 of their best-selling products.  Instead of the typical packaging designed to provide shelf-appeal, they are offering the same products in an easy-to-open, recyclable container that uses no excess packing materials.

Here’s a comparison of the Imaginext Adventures Pirate Ship packaging:

As an aspiring do-gooder, I’m struck by how much sense this makes.  So let me get this straight.  It’s the same exact product.  I don’t have to break out grandpa’s pocketknife to get it open.  And I’m doing less harm to the environment.

Is there anyone out there who would pick package #2?

In the marketing industry it’s hard to sacrifice aesthetics when we’re trying to do good work.  Sometimes, though, we may want to think about doing good instead - especially if doing good is what our target market values.  They will understand the environmental benefits of purchasing the brown box over the mountain of plastic.  And they will understand we had them in mind when they experience the ease of use.

Have you ever wondered what you and your co-workers would look like if you had lived in the 17^th century?

We have.

A few weeks ago while standing around having a chat with Kelly Johnson, and Jennifer Williams our Account Director this very topic came up.

Completely normal right?

We thought it would be fun to take a photo of each person in the office and Photoshop their face into a creepy 17^th Century portrait. So we combined forces, conjured a plan and set it fourth into motion, hoping to have it completed in time for our Halloween Potluck Party.

I should mention that this was solely a side project. We’ve got plenty to keep us busy around here, but when you get a few creative brains together some weird stuff is going to happen.

So I found a few images off shutterstock.com and Gettyimages.com that I thought would fit our BG staffers. Some fit better than others, but since this project didn’t have a work order I couldn’t get too picky. On average, I’d say it took me about 10 minutes to do each portrait. Susannah chipped in and did a couple as well.

As you could imagine, being in a small office with a 23” monitor at your desk surrounded by very curious co-workers, the project was bound to leak. Word got out and our secret project became public. But to see them all up on the wall just in time for the Halloween party was awesome.

During the party we all got a chance to laugh at each other’s portrait. Questions like, “why does my head look like a cone?” or “who is that?” and even, “is that a dead lamb in my lap?” were all asked. Executive Creative Director/Canadian Ian Graham even put voices to the portraits insisting that Sr. Web developer Ivan Prokic’s character (Black haired warrior with red sash) spoke with a lisp.

I’d say all in all everyone in the office was a good sport about having their faces put onto someone else’s old and weird body. As unflattering as it may have been, it was awesome nonetheless.

Enjoy.

Ever felt so stressed-out or angry that you could just break something?

Now there’s a place you can do just that.

The Smash Shack—located at 1353 6th Ave. in downtown San Diego—is a unique business that allows you to throw, break and destroy your favorite fragile items in one of their two rooms devoted to “constructive destruction.”

Each participant chooses their smashable items from a menu, is outfitted with safety gear and given a private room where the demolition takes place. Wanna synchronize your smashing to your favorite tunes? No problem. Each “break room” has an mp3 player hook-up so you can bring your favorite songs along with you.

Want to throw your objects at something? The Shack will frame your favorite poster or picture as your “target.” They also have markers available for you to write on your breakable items pre-throw. And they even offer group discounts—I’m thinking Bailey Gardiner PR & Advertising retreat 2009.

And yes, in anticipation of Election Day angst, the Smash Shack will be open late on November 3rd. Until all the votes are counted (or later if need be).

Seaport Village’s Ben & Jerry’s locations are giving away free ice cream cones on election day from 5-9 p.m. as an “Election Confection” celebration.

In-the-know coworker, Callan let me know that Baskin Robbins was also doing some great work with the elections, so I checked it out. Not only are they doing great work with the elections, but with social media and branding overall. It’s a natural fit; people like to talk about stuff they love, and who doesn’t love ice cream!?

Check out The National Flavor Election Flavor Debate ’08. The Republican “Straight Talk Crunch” flavor vs. the Democratic “Whirl of Change” flavor. If you look to the cold and creamy to make your election decision, it looks like Obama will be running the country thanks to peanut-nougats, chocolate-covered peanut brittle and a caramel ribbon.

More importantly, Baskin Robbins and their Flavor Debate made all the right moves.

• Their Facebook page has 54,996 fans and they’re interacting with the brand through hundreds of wall posts and pictures.
• I took 2 minutes to type “Baskin Robbins” into monitter and people are talking! They weren’t talking casual mentions of BR either. They were talking about the Flavor Debate ’08 – exactly what BR’s smart PR folks wanted them to talk about!
• They’re represented on Flickr
• They’re talked about on Youtube
• They run a twitter account
• They’re saved on delicious
• And – they have a strong Wikipedia page

Ben & Jerry’s isn’t doing so bad themselves. With similar social interaction as Baskin Robbin’s and a heated debate on ice cream’s involvement in politics (2 subjects I never thought I’d combine in one sentence) their Facebook page has 287,819 fans!

So what are you doing to become one of these fine examples of successful social media campaigns?