Archive - January, 2008
Did we get it right?
Taking yourself on as a client is one of the hardest challenges. Launching this website and our new brand was at times painful requiring a lot of extra time, sweat, frustration and elation by a lot of really good people. Our biggest reason for making the branding change is to let world know we are much more than a design firm. The strategic storytelling and culture consulting work has been a major part of our business for quite awhile now. more »
My Super Bowl Commercial
Imagine all the long hours that have been spent over the past few weeks by creative teams across the world developing the next great Super Bowl ad. I wonder how much time is spent trying to create a really funny, or creative, or simply perfect ad? I think it would be much easier to do a great, award-winning ad if companies just stuck to their story. There’s a thought. more »
Story Contest
If you’re new to the CHANGEffect world, you may not know that when we launched our new brand, we conducted a contest. We asked people to submit stories of changes they had experienced. The stories that came in were super cool. I may be biased, but I think one of the best was submitted by my daughter Valerie. Click here to check out the story contest site. (My daughter’s story is called “Crazy Night with Ryan Seacrest” in case you’re wondering.) Check it out! more »
Imagine That
The rate of economic change is forcing--and enabling--people to innovate faster than ever. And as more people are paid to think, more organizations are giving employees license to muck around with ideas. Smart companies are realizing that they have to give up a lot of control so that they can unleash and sustain serious innovation. But unbridled creativity isn’t a complete business solution. Control, structure, and results still matter--even though you are only as good as your last idea. more »
Not For Sale Campaign Uses Facebook to Raise Money
Want to see a social network fundraising strategy at work? Check out http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/.
Not For Sale can earn up $50,000 for your $10 donation as part of the Cause Giving Challenge on Facebook. It’s a three-day challenge that ends noon PST February 1, 2008.
The winner of the Challenge will be the organization that has the highest number of unique donations. The minimum donation to qualify is only $10. This means that for the cost of a couple of trips to Starbucks, you could net potential thousands to help victims of human trafficking. more »
Rock Me Gently
If you haven’t seen the Jeep commercial with the singing animals, go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8qVM6f9Ogs and check it out. It’s so simple but so memorable. How can you use The Song of The South to inspire your next branding effort? more »
The McTwisty Phenomena
If you’re looking for a good study of how a cultural phenomena gets accepted and used by brands, check out the X-Games and see how many big brands you can spot trying to get some air time on those wild, high-flying, long-haired, snow kickin’ crazy people. Somehow Taco Bell is a little cooler because their logo was on Shaun White’s jersey while he did a “1280.” more »
The Integrity of Changing our Course
A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out ... not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. more »
Jump in the Pool
Last weekend, my family and I took an overnight trip to Cincinnati. Monday was a big day, because it was my son’s birthday AND my kids had the day off school. We celebrated both of those by doing something that kids everywhere seem to enjoy in the wintertime: stay at a hotel with a pool. more »
The Deepest Fear
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us. It is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Nelson Mandela more »
Good Tension Leads to Good Stuff
A friend of mine (Kenny Haas #25) gave me some advice on fishing once. He told me to think about edges. Cast you line on the edge of the shadow areas, along the edge of the weeds, where the calm water meets the rapid water. Fish on the edge of a storm or weather change. We think this works in business as well. Put a few people in a room, attack the process (not the people), watch ideas fly and creative tension happen ... and then GOOD STUFF HAPPENS. Look at life. Nothing really happens when we’re comfortable. When the right tension stretches us we become better people. more »
Shake it Off and Step Up!
There is a parable of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule praying or whatever mules do when they fall into wells. (Maybe that’s braying.) After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule but decided that neither the mule nor the well were worth the trouble of saving. more »
The New Rules of “Successful” Engagement
First - The team with the best talent wins. In an economy powered by the energy of the individual, you simply cannot have enough talent on your side. more »
CHANGEffect Story
We talk a lot about crafting stories for organizations. Are you wondering about our story? Would you like to see it? Careful. It’s been known to change the way people think about CHANGEffect. more »
