Bill's PurpleCrayon Blog
Bill's PurpleCrayon Blog features riffs galore about advertising, marketing, the Arts and just about anything else that happens to be on my mind at the moment.
Monday, September 29, 2003
"HERE'S MY SITUATION..." (PART THREE)
Earlier this summer, I posted two blogs that are still generating a lot of buzz.
One was called "'Here's My Situation...' (Part Two)" (Friday, July 4) and the other was called "What's Your USP?" (Tuesday, June 24).
Because I still hear the former question, and still ask the latter question, I thought it would be helpful to discuss this information again.
In the July 4th blog, I made this statement: To the public, your promotional materials are just as much your Art as your Art is.
That's a point that not everyone understands, so I'd like to explain it a little more.
First, let me say that we've covered hundreds, if not thousands, of miles this summer attending Art fairs and watching bands. Along the way, we've collected a few hundred brochures, business cards, and web addresses.
In nearly every case -- with notable exceptions -- the promotional materials didn't match the caliber of the Artist.
In other words, a hastily printed business card, a quickie web site, or a Kinko's flyer didn't do the Art (or the Artist) justice.
What that concept is called is "branding."
Branding is the total look and feel the public picks up on from all contacts with a company -- or, in this case, an Artist. When branding refers to a company, it means what the customer thinks about your company from the minute they see the first ad, to the impression given by the voice on the phone when he or she calls you, to the after-sale service and support. Branding doesn't just concern itself with new logos or corporate colors. No, a successful branding exercise shakes up a company from the outside in.
When the concept of branding is applied to Artists, it means what a would-be customer remembers about you long after he or she has walked away from the Art fair. When a would-be customer looks at your business card, what does he or she think? Is your business card truly representative of you? Or is it just a courtesy card with your name and phone number on it?
Ditto for web sites. Does your web site say, "I'm a professional Artist and here's why"? Or is it just a place holder in cyberspace?
To the public, your promotional materials are just as much your Art as your Art is.
I'm always amazed that Artists spend countless hours -- perhaps days or weeks -- perfecting paintings, sculptures, photographs, ceramic or glass pieces, or even beadwork. They finish, step back, and say, "Ahhh. That's me. That's what I wanted to say."
Yet, when it comes to promoting themselves, Artists often hastily throw together some contact information and leave it at that.
I think Artists should put just as much time and effort into their promotional materials (web sites, business cards, brochures, radio spots, flyers, booth graphics, and store fronts) as they do their Art. So that whenever a would-be customer encounters something from an Artist (perhaps weeks or months after seeing a painting in an Art fair), he or she will say, "Yeah. Now I remember why I liked that so much. I'd better call this Artist."
The other statement I made (in my June 24th blog) had to do with the idea of USP -- which is an acronym in the advertising world that stands for Unique Selling Proposition.
Here's what I wrote: USP isn't just for companies. It works for Artists, too.
When applied to a business/corporation, USP is the differentiating factor that helps make one's products or services stand out from all the others.
When applied to Art, USP is critical.
Here's why: During our many travels and discussions, we heard one thing most often from Artists: "Gee, there sure are a lot of Artists here. The competition is fierce."
Competition is the primary reason why Artists need to consider USP too.
For example, in any given Art fair, there are probably a dozen abstract Artists, an equal number of photographers, and an equal number of Artists who work with ceramic, glass, or metal.
What makes your Art different? Why should someone buy your paintings over those of another Artist? Or why should someone buy your close-up photographs of a chair over those of another photographer who shoots virtually the same thing?
That's where USP comes in.
You are not like the other Artists. So why give the impression that your Art is quite similar to that from other Artists?
You need a USP. You need to let customers know -- visually, perhaps with written words, perhaps in how you market yourself -- that you're different.
One of the key selling points that all savvy advertising professionals know is that people crave exclusivity. They want things that are unqiue. Rare. One of a kind. Special. Extraordinary. Remarkable.
If they don't get that feeling looking at your Art, they're not likely to buy it.
Finding and marketing your USP would set you apart, get you noticed, help you break through the clutter.
And be remembered.
PurpleCrayon Direct can help you (a) promote yourself in a manner worthy of your Art and your own uniqueness, and (b) find your USP and make sure everyone knows about it.
Check out our web site.
Give us a call.
Let's talk about the many ways we could help you sell more of your Art.
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
Earlier this summer, I posted two blogs that are still generating a lot of buzz.
One was called "'Here's My Situation...' (Part Two)" (Friday, July 4) and the other was called "What's Your USP?" (Tuesday, June 24).
Because I still hear the former question, and still ask the latter question, I thought it would be helpful to discuss this information again.
In the July 4th blog, I made this statement: To the public, your promotional materials are just as much your Art as your Art is.
That's a point that not everyone understands, so I'd like to explain it a little more.
First, let me say that we've covered hundreds, if not thousands, of miles this summer attending Art fairs and watching bands. Along the way, we've collected a few hundred brochures, business cards, and web addresses.
In nearly every case -- with notable exceptions -- the promotional materials didn't match the caliber of the Artist.
In other words, a hastily printed business card, a quickie web site, or a Kinko's flyer didn't do the Art (or the Artist) justice.
What that concept is called is "branding."
Branding is the total look and feel the public picks up on from all contacts with a company -- or, in this case, an Artist. When branding refers to a company, it means what the customer thinks about your company from the minute they see the first ad, to the impression given by the voice on the phone when he or she calls you, to the after-sale service and support. Branding doesn't just concern itself with new logos or corporate colors. No, a successful branding exercise shakes up a company from the outside in.
When the concept of branding is applied to Artists, it means what a would-be customer remembers about you long after he or she has walked away from the Art fair. When a would-be customer looks at your business card, what does he or she think? Is your business card truly representative of you? Or is it just a courtesy card with your name and phone number on it?
Ditto for web sites. Does your web site say, "I'm a professional Artist and here's why"? Or is it just a place holder in cyberspace?
To the public, your promotional materials are just as much your Art as your Art is.
I'm always amazed that Artists spend countless hours -- perhaps days or weeks -- perfecting paintings, sculptures, photographs, ceramic or glass pieces, or even beadwork. They finish, step back, and say, "Ahhh. That's me. That's what I wanted to say."
Yet, when it comes to promoting themselves, Artists often hastily throw together some contact information and leave it at that.
I think Artists should put just as much time and effort into their promotional materials (web sites, business cards, brochures, radio spots, flyers, booth graphics, and store fronts) as they do their Art. So that whenever a would-be customer encounters something from an Artist (perhaps weeks or months after seeing a painting in an Art fair), he or she will say, "Yeah. Now I remember why I liked that so much. I'd better call this Artist."
The other statement I made (in my June 24th blog) had to do with the idea of USP -- which is an acronym in the advertising world that stands for Unique Selling Proposition.
Here's what I wrote: USP isn't just for companies. It works for Artists, too.
When applied to a business/corporation, USP is the differentiating factor that helps make one's products or services stand out from all the others.
When applied to Art, USP is critical.
Here's why: During our many travels and discussions, we heard one thing most often from Artists: "Gee, there sure are a lot of Artists here. The competition is fierce."
Competition is the primary reason why Artists need to consider USP too.
For example, in any given Art fair, there are probably a dozen abstract Artists, an equal number of photographers, and an equal number of Artists who work with ceramic, glass, or metal.
What makes your Art different? Why should someone buy your paintings over those of another Artist? Or why should someone buy your close-up photographs of a chair over those of another photographer who shoots virtually the same thing?
That's where USP comes in.
You are not like the other Artists. So why give the impression that your Art is quite similar to that from other Artists?
You need a USP. You need to let customers know -- visually, perhaps with written words, perhaps in how you market yourself -- that you're different.
One of the key selling points that all savvy advertising professionals know is that people crave exclusivity. They want things that are unqiue. Rare. One of a kind. Special. Extraordinary. Remarkable.
If they don't get that feeling looking at your Art, they're not likely to buy it.
Finding and marketing your USP would set you apart, get you noticed, help you break through the clutter.
And be remembered.
PurpleCrayon Direct can help you (a) promote yourself in a manner worthy of your Art and your own uniqueness, and (b) find your USP and make sure everyone knows about it.
Check out our web site.
Give us a call.
Let's talk about the many ways we could help you sell more of your Art.
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
Friday, September 26, 2003
THE ULTIMATE REALITY SHOW
I can't stand Reality TV shows.
You know the ones I'm talking about:
Joe Millionaire. Fear Factor. Race to the Altar. Who Wants to Marry My Dad. The Osbournes. Survivor. Who Wants to Marry a Millionare. Meet My Folks. Paradise Hotel. Queer Eye For the Straight Guy.
Yada, yada, yada.
Frankly, I don't know how someone could be desparate enough for his or her 15 minutes of fame to consent to being on one of those shows. I also don't know how viewers could be bored enough with their lives to watch someone eat pig rectum, live beetles, or antelope testicles just to make a few bucks, either.
Not when watching the news is equally as bizarre and horrific as any Reality show you care to name.
Can you believe what's going on in the world today? Excuse me, but can someone tell me just when everyone went insane? Did playing with a full deck -- with all the lights on and everyone home -- suddenly become uncool and no one told me?
A few recent rants...
1. In West Michigan recently we had a "radical and violent environmental group" called Earth Liberation Front (ELF) claim responsibility for rigging homemade incendiary devices to destroy the Ice Mountain Spring Water pumping station in Mecosta County.
Say what? Since when do tree huggers blow up trees, buildlings and, potentially, people? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't anyone in ELF consider that course of action to run contrary to their mission to "save" things?
2. Then there's the on-again, off-again national Do Not Call list. Here's an excerpt from an article that was on today's MSN home page:
Do Not Call list gets blocked ... again
Congress votes to reinstate; but another judge blocks it
By Bob Sullivan
MSNBC
Sept. 25 -- The furious last-minute jockeying to stop unsolicited telemarketing continued Thursday, as both the House and Senate quickly passed legislation designed to allow a national Do Not Call Registry to take effect Oct. 1. But for the second time in three days, a federal judge issued an order blocking implementation of the list. The latest court ruling sides with telemarketers’ claims of First Amendment protection.
[snip]
The FTC hopes the list will block 80 percent of telemarketing calls. Exemptions include calls from charities, pollsters and political campaigns.
Unfortunately, therein lies the problem. The judges who put the kibosh on the Registry said the FTC unfairly singled out commercial use of the telephone while allowing charitable and political uses. The judges are right. The Registry should stop all calls or none at all.
What gets me is the argument put forth by both sides.
The Direct Marketing Association and the telemarketers say the Registry will cripple their industry and cost thousands of jobs. I hate to break it to them, but not every profession is wanted or needed...or entitled to protection by the government. So using the argument that jobs and revenue will be lost is ridiculous. That's like prostitutes or drug dealers saying they're gypped out of millions of dollars because their professions are currently illegal.
The government says the Registry's wording is violating the Constitution's right to free speech -- meaning the free speech that flows forth from the mouths of telemarketers who interrupt right around dinner time. But what about the 51 million people who want their homes declared a telemarketing free zone? Don't they have a right to eat a meal without someone calling them to ask for money? Or will the government subsidize the telemarketing industry and pass a law insisting that everyone with a telephone receive 2-3 calls per evening (no more or less under threat of imprisonment) just to keep telemarketers employed and the industry thriving?
Speaking of the government...
3. What's the deal with President Bush asking for an additional $87 billion in U.S. taxpayer money to rebuild Iraq? Dude, didn't we just blow up that country because it was allegedly a terrorist threat to us?
I have a hard time with Bush's request because:
Unemployement in the U.S. is reaching an alarming rate.
More and more U.S. companies are taking the work overseas just to shave off a few cents per unit (which makes zero sense because that causes more people to be unemployed and unable to buy the products anyway).
The U.S. deficit is projected to crest $500 billion in 2004.
I hate to break it to the bozos in Washington, but America is in trouble.
If any one of us tried to "deficit spend" the way Congress does, we'd be sitting in jail. It's insane to think you can keep taxing and spending, spending and taxing and not see a corresponding rise in the unemployment rate.
It's time to focus our attention here. I'm not quite sure how far $87 billion would go if it were poured into this country -- but I'll bet it would do wonders for schools, roads, bridges, the unemployed, and the homeless.
4. I don't know about you, but I don't think Arnold Schwarzenegger could do any worse as governor of California than any of the other candidates. All it takes is someone with half a brain and a desire to truly serve others. Arnold seems to have both. So why is he the butt of endless jokes about his lack of skills as a politician? Frankly, I don't think being a politician is anything to brag about.
Speaking of debates...
5. The Democrats are already jockeying for position in the race to the Whitehouse next year. They're criticizing the war in Irag, the unemployment rate, the abysmal health care system -- even President Bush's "reckless tax cuts." (Excuse me? Since when is letting me keep my own money -- that I work hard to earn -- wrong?)
6. Why do Democrats always insist on raising taxes and funding entitlement programs?
7. Why do Republicans always think this is 1912 -- and that the homeless and unemployed will be taken care of by churches and private institutions?
Speaking of entitlements...
8. How does anyone expect an elected official (from the President all the way down to those on local school boards) to function when so many special interest groups clamor for time, money, attention, laws, money, privileges, money, and money?
Society has been segmented into an endless array of parts and pieces -- each one demanding something. From senior citizens to women to African Americans to Hispanics to teenagers to the homeless to the unemployed to Christians to Jews to the rich to the poor to Pagans to Buddhists to Muslims to environmentalists to men to the labor unions to athiests to corporations to the handicapped to...
You name it.
Everyone wants something. And, chances are, everyone is suing everyone else to get it.
It's nuts. Totally nuts.
Whatever happened to just being a human being, part of the human race?
Why is it no longer okay to just be?
By that, I mean be without wanting, without demanding, without expecting?
Above all, why has it become unfashionable to derive one's joy from giving and serving -- rather than taking and demanding?
That's probably what's driving me the craziest lately. The ever louder clamor of voices that make less and less sense.
This world has become so incredibly fragmented that nothing on earth can put the pieces back together. People have been brainwashed to think they're owed something. And, by God, they're going to get it. Even if they have to resort to violence.
Diversity is one thing. Divisiveness is quite another.
We've been fooled into thinking that we're different from one another. Worse, that our differences are something we need to fiercely promote and protect.
Baloney.
We're not all different. We're all the same. Of course, I don't mean that literally. We're obviously different on the outside. But inside, where it counts, we're all members of the human race.
And until we realize that, we're going to continue to see this country spiral out of control...until it crashes headfirst into the ground.
Why do you suppose religions of all kinds are growing like weeds nowadays? Or that the psychological professions are overwhelmed with clients that can't find relief elsewhere?
Because people want their lives to mean something.
They're tired of being a number, weary of constantly fighting, and in desparate need of rest.
Unfortunately, rest is pretty hard to find these days.
Even churches have succumbed to segmentation and factions. There are Charistmatic churches, Baptist churches, Korean churches, Catholic churches, Vietnamese churches, gay churches, straight churches, Hispanic churches, Black churches, white churches, liberal churches, conservative churches, Christian Reformed churches, Mormon churches, Christian Science churches. The list could go on and on.
And let's not forget that it's virtually impossible to get two psychologists to agree with one another...and that virtually everything has been labeled a sickness or disease in today's world.
Is it any wonder people don't know which way to turn, what to do, or who to trust?
Reality TV? Who needs it!
Life is the ultimate reality show.
We're all in it together.
And there aren't any re-runs.
There are only choices.
We can remain separated into our little groups and tear at one another until there's nothing left...
Or we can drop our walls, embrace our commonalities, and work together to help make the world a better place.
Either way, it's a heck of a lot more interesting than watching TV, don't you think?
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
I can't stand Reality TV shows.
You know the ones I'm talking about:
Joe Millionaire. Fear Factor. Race to the Altar. Who Wants to Marry My Dad. The Osbournes. Survivor. Who Wants to Marry a Millionare. Meet My Folks. Paradise Hotel. Queer Eye For the Straight Guy.
Yada, yada, yada.
Frankly, I don't know how someone could be desparate enough for his or her 15 minutes of fame to consent to being on one of those shows. I also don't know how viewers could be bored enough with their lives to watch someone eat pig rectum, live beetles, or antelope testicles just to make a few bucks, either.
Not when watching the news is equally as bizarre and horrific as any Reality show you care to name.
Can you believe what's going on in the world today? Excuse me, but can someone tell me just when everyone went insane? Did playing with a full deck -- with all the lights on and everyone home -- suddenly become uncool and no one told me?
A few recent rants...
1. In West Michigan recently we had a "radical and violent environmental group" called Earth Liberation Front (ELF) claim responsibility for rigging homemade incendiary devices to destroy the Ice Mountain Spring Water pumping station in Mecosta County.
Say what? Since when do tree huggers blow up trees, buildlings and, potentially, people? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't anyone in ELF consider that course of action to run contrary to their mission to "save" things?
2. Then there's the on-again, off-again national Do Not Call list. Here's an excerpt from an article that was on today's MSN home page:
Do Not Call list gets blocked ... again
Congress votes to reinstate; but another judge blocks it
By Bob Sullivan
MSNBC
Sept. 25 -- The furious last-minute jockeying to stop unsolicited telemarketing continued Thursday, as both the House and Senate quickly passed legislation designed to allow a national Do Not Call Registry to take effect Oct. 1. But for the second time in three days, a federal judge issued an order blocking implementation of the list. The latest court ruling sides with telemarketers’ claims of First Amendment protection.
[snip]
The FTC hopes the list will block 80 percent of telemarketing calls. Exemptions include calls from charities, pollsters and political campaigns.
Unfortunately, therein lies the problem. The judges who put the kibosh on the Registry said the FTC unfairly singled out commercial use of the telephone while allowing charitable and political uses. The judges are right. The Registry should stop all calls or none at all.
What gets me is the argument put forth by both sides.
The Direct Marketing Association and the telemarketers say the Registry will cripple their industry and cost thousands of jobs. I hate to break it to them, but not every profession is wanted or needed...or entitled to protection by the government. So using the argument that jobs and revenue will be lost is ridiculous. That's like prostitutes or drug dealers saying they're gypped out of millions of dollars because their professions are currently illegal.
The government says the Registry's wording is violating the Constitution's right to free speech -- meaning the free speech that flows forth from the mouths of telemarketers who interrupt right around dinner time. But what about the 51 million people who want their homes declared a telemarketing free zone? Don't they have a right to eat a meal without someone calling them to ask for money? Or will the government subsidize the telemarketing industry and pass a law insisting that everyone with a telephone receive 2-3 calls per evening (no more or less under threat of imprisonment) just to keep telemarketers employed and the industry thriving?
Speaking of the government...
3. What's the deal with President Bush asking for an additional $87 billion in U.S. taxpayer money to rebuild Iraq? Dude, didn't we just blow up that country because it was allegedly a terrorist threat to us?
I have a hard time with Bush's request because:
Unemployement in the U.S. is reaching an alarming rate.
More and more U.S. companies are taking the work overseas just to shave off a few cents per unit (which makes zero sense because that causes more people to be unemployed and unable to buy the products anyway).
The U.S. deficit is projected to crest $500 billion in 2004.
I hate to break it to the bozos in Washington, but America is in trouble.
If any one of us tried to "deficit spend" the way Congress does, we'd be sitting in jail. It's insane to think you can keep taxing and spending, spending and taxing and not see a corresponding rise in the unemployment rate.
It's time to focus our attention here. I'm not quite sure how far $87 billion would go if it were poured into this country -- but I'll bet it would do wonders for schools, roads, bridges, the unemployed, and the homeless.
4. I don't know about you, but I don't think Arnold Schwarzenegger could do any worse as governor of California than any of the other candidates. All it takes is someone with half a brain and a desire to truly serve others. Arnold seems to have both. So why is he the butt of endless jokes about his lack of skills as a politician? Frankly, I don't think being a politician is anything to brag about.
Speaking of debates...
5. The Democrats are already jockeying for position in the race to the Whitehouse next year. They're criticizing the war in Irag, the unemployment rate, the abysmal health care system -- even President Bush's "reckless tax cuts." (Excuse me? Since when is letting me keep my own money -- that I work hard to earn -- wrong?)
6. Why do Democrats always insist on raising taxes and funding entitlement programs?
7. Why do Republicans always think this is 1912 -- and that the homeless and unemployed will be taken care of by churches and private institutions?
Speaking of entitlements...
8. How does anyone expect an elected official (from the President all the way down to those on local school boards) to function when so many special interest groups clamor for time, money, attention, laws, money, privileges, money, and money?
Society has been segmented into an endless array of parts and pieces -- each one demanding something. From senior citizens to women to African Americans to Hispanics to teenagers to the homeless to the unemployed to Christians to Jews to the rich to the poor to Pagans to Buddhists to Muslims to environmentalists to men to the labor unions to athiests to corporations to the handicapped to...
You name it.
Everyone wants something. And, chances are, everyone is suing everyone else to get it.
It's nuts. Totally nuts.
Whatever happened to just being a human being, part of the human race?
Why is it no longer okay to just be?
By that, I mean be without wanting, without demanding, without expecting?
Above all, why has it become unfashionable to derive one's joy from giving and serving -- rather than taking and demanding?
That's probably what's driving me the craziest lately. The ever louder clamor of voices that make less and less sense.
This world has become so incredibly fragmented that nothing on earth can put the pieces back together. People have been brainwashed to think they're owed something. And, by God, they're going to get it. Even if they have to resort to violence.
Diversity is one thing. Divisiveness is quite another.
We've been fooled into thinking that we're different from one another. Worse, that our differences are something we need to fiercely promote and protect.
Baloney.
We're not all different. We're all the same. Of course, I don't mean that literally. We're obviously different on the outside. But inside, where it counts, we're all members of the human race.
And until we realize that, we're going to continue to see this country spiral out of control...until it crashes headfirst into the ground.
Why do you suppose religions of all kinds are growing like weeds nowadays? Or that the psychological professions are overwhelmed with clients that can't find relief elsewhere?
Because people want their lives to mean something.
They're tired of being a number, weary of constantly fighting, and in desparate need of rest.
Unfortunately, rest is pretty hard to find these days.
Even churches have succumbed to segmentation and factions. There are Charistmatic churches, Baptist churches, Korean churches, Catholic churches, Vietnamese churches, gay churches, straight churches, Hispanic churches, Black churches, white churches, liberal churches, conservative churches, Christian Reformed churches, Mormon churches, Christian Science churches. The list could go on and on.
And let's not forget that it's virtually impossible to get two psychologists to agree with one another...and that virtually everything has been labeled a sickness or disease in today's world.
Is it any wonder people don't know which way to turn, what to do, or who to trust?
Reality TV? Who needs it!
Life is the ultimate reality show.
We're all in it together.
And there aren't any re-runs.
There are only choices.
We can remain separated into our little groups and tear at one another until there's nothing left...
Or we can drop our walls, embrace our commonalities, and work together to help make the world a better place.
Either way, it's a heck of a lot more interesting than watching TV, don't you think?
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
THE SEARCH FOR THE HOLY GRAIL
One of my favorite scenes of all time is found in the classic movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
I'm referring to the opening when Arthur, King of all Britons, and his servant come clip-clopping over a fog-shrouded grassy hill and stop just before the gates of a towering castle. Suddenly, we realize that their horse is nothing more than a sound effect made by coconut halves. Brilliant, and hilarious, dialog ensues:
SOLDIER
Halt! Who goes there!
ARTHUR
It is I, Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, from the Castle of Camelot, King of all Britons, defeater of the Saxons, Sovereign of all England.
[Pause.]
SOLDIER
Get away!
ARTHUR
I am . . . And this is my trusty servant, Patsy. We have ridden the length and breadth of the land in search of Knights who will join our Court at Camelot. I must speak with your lord and master.
SOLIDER
What? Ridden on a horse?
ARTHUR
Yes.
SOLIDER
You're using coconuts.
ARTHUR
. . . What?
SOLIDER
You're using two empty halves of coconuts and banging them together.
ARTHUR
(scornfully)
So? We have ridden since the snows of winter covered this land, through the Kingdom of Mercia.
SOLDIER
Where did you get the coconuts?
ARTHUR
Through . . . we found them.
SOLIDER
Found them? In Mercia. The coconut's tropical.
ARTHUR
What do you mean?
SOLDIER
Well, this is a temperate zone.
ARTHUR
The swallow may fly south with the sun, or the house martin or the plover seek hot lands in winter, yet these are not strangers to our land.
[A moment's pause.]
SOLIDER
Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?
That scenes continues, with even more incredibly funny dialog, but you get the idea. It's a comedy. Or even a farce. There's no horse. Historically, there never was a trusty servant named Patsy.
And, mostly importantly, there's no Holy Grail.
Although most people know the Holy Grail belongs to the world of myth, when I worked in advertising agencies I regularly encountered clients who sought that very item.
Oh, not the Holy Grail considered to be the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper and the one used by Joseph of Arimathea to catch his blood as he hung on the cross. No, the Holy Grail they required was similar to the famed silver bullets of vampire and werewolf lore.
In other words, clients desperately wanted the one thing that would magically alter the course of their professional lives. And they thought if they but supplicated (or outright demanded it of) me that I would reveal the ageless secrets to them.
I was always sorry to say that no Holy Grail -- or silver bullet -- exists in the business world. There simply is no one thing that I -- or anyone else in my profession -- can do to grant instant health, wealth and happiness. Quick fixes, like free lunches, don't really exist.
Today, I talk to Artists of all kinds from all across the Midwest. I can tell some of them are on the same journey as Arthur, King of all Britons. They want me to hand them the Holy Grail.
I find myself answering such questions leading in that direction almost apologetically. Like I'm admitting a colossal weakness, my Achilles Heal as it were.
But then I remember what I used to say to clients when I worked in other advertising agencies.
PurpleCrayon Direct can do a great deal to get you started in the right direction. All of us have the talent and passion and vision to help you make sound business decisions. But no matter how much we want to give you instant success, we can't do that. If you ever encounter marketing professionals who tell you otherwise, you might want to think twice before signing on their dotted line.
Also, we can't tell you we know everything there is to know about your profession. But we can tell you we know everything there is to know about ours. And those same principles that enabled us to help countless other clients translate very well to enable us to help you.
We do what we do for the same reason you do what you do: because we love it. We're Artists in our own right. But our work isn't created for Artistic purposes. Don't get me wrong. Our work will always look and feel Artistic. In fact, it's every bit as creative as yours. But whereas your Art is created for its own sake, ours has to do double duty. It has to be visually stunning, wordsmithed to perfection...
...but it also has to work hard to sell you and your Art.
To be honest, that's an Art in itself. True advertising and marketing has to sell. If it doesn't, it's just a waste of time and money.
So when you're considering who you'd like to get to help you market yourself and your Art, as well as build your brand, please remember that we have the expertise to know our professions, and the passion to market yours. We're right brain people with left brain sensibilities who'll never spend your money unwisely...
...or lead you to believe we have the Holy Grail.
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
One of my favorite scenes of all time is found in the classic movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
I'm referring to the opening when Arthur, King of all Britons, and his servant come clip-clopping over a fog-shrouded grassy hill and stop just before the gates of a towering castle. Suddenly, we realize that their horse is nothing more than a sound effect made by coconut halves. Brilliant, and hilarious, dialog ensues:
SOLDIER
Halt! Who goes there!
ARTHUR
It is I, Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, from the Castle of Camelot, King of all Britons, defeater of the Saxons, Sovereign of all England.
[Pause.]
SOLDIER
Get away!
ARTHUR
I am . . . And this is my trusty servant, Patsy. We have ridden the length and breadth of the land in search of Knights who will join our Court at Camelot. I must speak with your lord and master.
SOLIDER
What? Ridden on a horse?
ARTHUR
Yes.
SOLIDER
You're using coconuts.
ARTHUR
. . . What?
SOLIDER
You're using two empty halves of coconuts and banging them together.
ARTHUR
(scornfully)
So? We have ridden since the snows of winter covered this land, through the Kingdom of Mercia.
SOLDIER
Where did you get the coconuts?
ARTHUR
Through . . . we found them.
SOLIDER
Found them? In Mercia. The coconut's tropical.
ARTHUR
What do you mean?
SOLDIER
Well, this is a temperate zone.
ARTHUR
The swallow may fly south with the sun, or the house martin or the plover seek hot lands in winter, yet these are not strangers to our land.
[A moment's pause.]
SOLIDER
Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?
That scenes continues, with even more incredibly funny dialog, but you get the idea. It's a comedy. Or even a farce. There's no horse. Historically, there never was a trusty servant named Patsy.
And, mostly importantly, there's no Holy Grail.
Although most people know the Holy Grail belongs to the world of myth, when I worked in advertising agencies I regularly encountered clients who sought that very item.
Oh, not the Holy Grail considered to be the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper and the one used by Joseph of Arimathea to catch his blood as he hung on the cross. No, the Holy Grail they required was similar to the famed silver bullets of vampire and werewolf lore.
In other words, clients desperately wanted the one thing that would magically alter the course of their professional lives. And they thought if they but supplicated (or outright demanded it of) me that I would reveal the ageless secrets to them.
I was always sorry to say that no Holy Grail -- or silver bullet -- exists in the business world. There simply is no one thing that I -- or anyone else in my profession -- can do to grant instant health, wealth and happiness. Quick fixes, like free lunches, don't really exist.
Today, I talk to Artists of all kinds from all across the Midwest. I can tell some of them are on the same journey as Arthur, King of all Britons. They want me to hand them the Holy Grail.
I find myself answering such questions leading in that direction almost apologetically. Like I'm admitting a colossal weakness, my Achilles Heal as it were.
But then I remember what I used to say to clients when I worked in other advertising agencies.
PurpleCrayon Direct can do a great deal to get you started in the right direction. All of us have the talent and passion and vision to help you make sound business decisions. But no matter how much we want to give you instant success, we can't do that. If you ever encounter marketing professionals who tell you otherwise, you might want to think twice before signing on their dotted line.
Also, we can't tell you we know everything there is to know about your profession. But we can tell you we know everything there is to know about ours. And those same principles that enabled us to help countless other clients translate very well to enable us to help you.
We do what we do for the same reason you do what you do: because we love it. We're Artists in our own right. But our work isn't created for Artistic purposes. Don't get me wrong. Our work will always look and feel Artistic. In fact, it's every bit as creative as yours. But whereas your Art is created for its own sake, ours has to do double duty. It has to be visually stunning, wordsmithed to perfection...
...but it also has to work hard to sell you and your Art.
To be honest, that's an Art in itself. True advertising and marketing has to sell. If it doesn't, it's just a waste of time and money.
So when you're considering who you'd like to get to help you market yourself and your Art, as well as build your brand, please remember that we have the expertise to know our professions, and the passion to market yours. We're right brain people with left brain sensibilities who'll never spend your money unwisely...
...or lead you to believe we have the Holy Grail.
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
Wednesday, September 03, 2003
ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING
I'm going to go way out on a limb here and admit in public that I'm a huge fan of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series.
In fact, I think the episode "Once More, With Feeling" from season six stands as one of the most enjoyable, memorable, creative, and brilliant hours of television I've ever experienced.
And that says a lot. Because my "experience" goes back to the days of The Twilight Zone and The Andy Griffith Show all the way up through a wide range of shows from the Sixties, Seventies, Eighties and Nineties.
Why do I like "Once More, With Feeling" so much?
Because it's magical. It fairly crackles with it. It's a full-blown, fully-choreographed, chock-full-of-catchy-tunes musical. That's right. Every character sings. Every character does a bit of a choreographed dance number. And the songs are good, too. Buffy creator Joss Whedon really blew me away with that astounding episode!
Too bad American audiences can't watch it...unless they taped it when it ran on TV a couple of years ago. Currently, it's only available overseas -- unless you happen to have a DVD or VHS player that can handle the European PAL format.
Which I do.
And the episode is playing right at this moment.
For about the 29th time. But it never gets old.
When I think back on my life, I realize that I've always been enamored with magic.
The most magical experience of my life was watching Trans-Siberian Orchestra perform their Christmas show in Grand Rapids for the past two years. If you haven't seen TSO, please make sure you do. Go to their web site. Sign up to be notified when they're touring. Then take as many people as you can. It's a sight-and-sound extravaganza. Think long-haired rock musicians playing Christmans songs. And snippets of classical music. A TSO concert is a powerful, moving event that you'll never forget.
Other magical moments for me were (and still are) reading Ray Bradbury's classic novel Something Wicked This Way Comes, Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and Mouser tales, or The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Or finishing Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings the first time.
...Or listening to Symphony X's Odyssey CD, Close to the Edge by Yes, Misplaced Childhood by Marillion, A Farewell to Kings by Rush, or Christmas Eve and Other Stories by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
...Or watching Bradbury, our Scottish Fold, sit like Buddha.
...Or soaking up When Harry Met Sally, The Usual Suspects, Casablanca, or Sleepless in Seattle. Or taking a long bike ride with Elisabeth. Or seeing an extraordinary work of Art.
...Or seeing the sky turn that really neat shade of dark blue just before the stars come out.
Magical moments like those have enriched my life greatly over the years.
And infused me with a heady dose of wide-eyed enthusiasm that I still possess.
Piece of advice? Seek magic...and wallow in it.
You'll thank me for it.
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
I'm going to go way out on a limb here and admit in public that I'm a huge fan of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series.
In fact, I think the episode "Once More, With Feeling" from season six stands as one of the most enjoyable, memorable, creative, and brilliant hours of television I've ever experienced.
And that says a lot. Because my "experience" goes back to the days of The Twilight Zone and The Andy Griffith Show all the way up through a wide range of shows from the Sixties, Seventies, Eighties and Nineties.
Why do I like "Once More, With Feeling" so much?
Because it's magical. It fairly crackles with it. It's a full-blown, fully-choreographed, chock-full-of-catchy-tunes musical. That's right. Every character sings. Every character does a bit of a choreographed dance number. And the songs are good, too. Buffy creator Joss Whedon really blew me away with that astounding episode!
Too bad American audiences can't watch it...unless they taped it when it ran on TV a couple of years ago. Currently, it's only available overseas -- unless you happen to have a DVD or VHS player that can handle the European PAL format.
Which I do.
And the episode is playing right at this moment.
For about the 29th time. But it never gets old.
When I think back on my life, I realize that I've always been enamored with magic.
The most magical experience of my life was watching Trans-Siberian Orchestra perform their Christmas show in Grand Rapids for the past two years. If you haven't seen TSO, please make sure you do. Go to their web site. Sign up to be notified when they're touring. Then take as many people as you can. It's a sight-and-sound extravaganza. Think long-haired rock musicians playing Christmans songs. And snippets of classical music. A TSO concert is a powerful, moving event that you'll never forget.
Other magical moments for me were (and still are) reading Ray Bradbury's classic novel Something Wicked This Way Comes, Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and Mouser tales, or The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Or finishing Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings the first time.
...Or listening to Symphony X's Odyssey CD, Close to the Edge by Yes, Misplaced Childhood by Marillion, A Farewell to Kings by Rush, or Christmas Eve and Other Stories by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
...Or watching Bradbury, our Scottish Fold, sit like Buddha.
...Or soaking up When Harry Met Sally, The Usual Suspects, Casablanca, or Sleepless in Seattle. Or taking a long bike ride with Elisabeth. Or seeing an extraordinary work of Art.
...Or seeing the sky turn that really neat shade of dark blue just before the stars come out.
Magical moments like those have enriched my life greatly over the years.
And infused me with a heady dose of wide-eyed enthusiasm that I still possess.
Piece of advice? Seek magic...and wallow in it.
You'll thank me for it.
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
THE SOLUTION TO JOB STRESS AND BURNOUT
A report on the news this morning indicated that millions of Americans are out of work, and millions more are working even harder and longer than ever before. In fact, the statistic is that Americans are working over 2% faster/more efficiently than last year.
The result, not coincidentally, is that job stress and burnout are on the rise.
An article on the MSN web site today (http://www.msnbc.com/news/952425.asp?vts=090220030545&cp1=1) says this:
Sept. 1 — You’re doing the work of three people at your job. Some weeks you spend more time at work than at home. You missed your child’s soccer game ... again. In the morning, you feel more exhausted than rested. Watch out, you may be a candidate for worker burnout.
Earlier this summer, polls on Monster.com indicated the same thing. People just aren't enjoying their work as much as they used to. In fact, stats at that time indicated over three quarters of those who responded to the Monster survey weren't happy with their lives.
I have a solution.
Stop doing what you don't enjoy.
Book store shelves sag under the weight of best sellers that extol the virtues of finding the work you love, living the life you dream, and being passionate in all you do. Read one. Or two.
Let me recommend a few:
success at life: How to Catch and Live Your Dream by Ron Rubin and Stuart Avery Gold
dragon spirit: How to Self-Market Your Dream by Ron Rubin and Stuart Avery Gold
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business By Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
And for the sheer pleasure of reading, try Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
The first two books are written by the Republic of Tea guys. They're excellent works that ought to quicken your pulse and make you feel like you can do anything you set your mind to. Because you can.
The third book is by Seth Godin, quite possibly the world's most astute marketer. His web site (especially Seth's Blog) is a pleasure to peruse. If you're in the corporate world and want to stay there, check out Seth's books. He'll help you get the most out of your work.
Speaking of which...
I used to work in advertising agencies in various markets -- until I finally reached the point where the typical agency life just wasn't doing it for me any more. Don't get me wrong. I love the creative process. And I didn't even mind the long hours. And my co-workers were a lot of fun. But my enjoyment for that kind of work had dwindled to where I didn't feel I was giving it my whole heart. If the right agency came along, I'd consider doing it again. Until then...
That's why PurpleCrayon Direct exists. And why we enjoy working with Artists so much.
Sure, some of the Artists we work with aren't full time in their craft. Some haven't yet quit their day jobs. But they all have that spark of magic and passion in their eyes when you talk to them about what they do.
There's something about Art that makes people passionate. The action of creating something that didn't exist before is intoxicating. It's heady.
But the bottom line is it's just plain exciting.
I don't want become a poster boy for unhappy American workers. I want to enjoy every minute of my life, doing the things that I'm most passionate about. I may never get rich. But I'll be content helping Artists get rich.
Man, I have greatest job in the world!
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
A report on the news this morning indicated that millions of Americans are out of work, and millions more are working even harder and longer than ever before. In fact, the statistic is that Americans are working over 2% faster/more efficiently than last year.
The result, not coincidentally, is that job stress and burnout are on the rise.
An article on the MSN web site today (http://www.msnbc.com/news/952425.asp?vts=090220030545&cp1=1) says this:
Sept. 1 — You’re doing the work of three people at your job. Some weeks you spend more time at work than at home. You missed your child’s soccer game ... again. In the morning, you feel more exhausted than rested. Watch out, you may be a candidate for worker burnout.
Earlier this summer, polls on Monster.com indicated the same thing. People just aren't enjoying their work as much as they used to. In fact, stats at that time indicated over three quarters of those who responded to the Monster survey weren't happy with their lives.
I have a solution.
Stop doing what you don't enjoy.
Book store shelves sag under the weight of best sellers that extol the virtues of finding the work you love, living the life you dream, and being passionate in all you do. Read one. Or two.
Let me recommend a few:
success at life: How to Catch and Live Your Dream by Ron Rubin and Stuart Avery Gold
dragon spirit: How to Self-Market Your Dream by Ron Rubin and Stuart Avery Gold
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business By Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
And for the sheer pleasure of reading, try Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
The first two books are written by the Republic of Tea guys. They're excellent works that ought to quicken your pulse and make you feel like you can do anything you set your mind to. Because you can.
The third book is by Seth Godin, quite possibly the world's most astute marketer. His web site (especially Seth's Blog) is a pleasure to peruse. If you're in the corporate world and want to stay there, check out Seth's books. He'll help you get the most out of your work.
Speaking of which...
I used to work in advertising agencies in various markets -- until I finally reached the point where the typical agency life just wasn't doing it for me any more. Don't get me wrong. I love the creative process. And I didn't even mind the long hours. And my co-workers were a lot of fun. But my enjoyment for that kind of work had dwindled to where I didn't feel I was giving it my whole heart. If the right agency came along, I'd consider doing it again. Until then...
That's why PurpleCrayon Direct exists. And why we enjoy working with Artists so much.
Sure, some of the Artists we work with aren't full time in their craft. Some haven't yet quit their day jobs. But they all have that spark of magic and passion in their eyes when you talk to them about what they do.
There's something about Art that makes people passionate. The action of creating something that didn't exist before is intoxicating. It's heady.
But the bottom line is it's just plain exciting.
I don't want become a poster boy for unhappy American workers. I want to enjoy every minute of my life, doing the things that I'm most passionate about. I may never get rich. But I'll be content helping Artists get rich.
Man, I have greatest job in the world!
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE
We've had a busy summer!
But a really exciting one.
And one of the reasons is because of Dave Goss, one of Chicago's young, up-and-coming actors.
So we met with Dave and have begun work on various projects for him.
Dave is an extremely nice, talented guy with an obvious passion for his craft. It's a pleasure to know him, and work with him.
If you live in the Chicago area, make sure you seek out a Dave Goss stage performance. You don't want to miss it. He has the ability to become one of the best actors in the business.
You'll be seeing a lot more from Dave in the near future. Count on it.
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
We've had a busy summer!
But a really exciting one.
And one of the reasons is because of Dave Goss, one of Chicago's young, up-and-coming actors.
So we met with Dave and have begun work on various projects for him.
Dave is an extremely nice, talented guy with an obvious passion for his craft. It's a pleasure to know him, and work with him.
If you live in the Chicago area, make sure you seek out a Dave Goss stage performance. You don't want to miss it. He has the ability to become one of the best actors in the business.
You'll be seeing a lot more from Dave in the near future. Count on it.
Keep Purple!
Back to PurpleCrayon Direct.
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