advertising Archives - chardonnay & advertising

September 30, 2021June 8, 2023

social media cheat-sheet

Stay hungry, stay foolish.
-Steve Jobs.

Social media is that thing no one expected, but now many can’t live without. I have friends who commonly take screen-breaks or detoxes, give it up for lent, suspend their accounts, delete the apps – all in an effort to break the habit of the constant digital voyeurisms that take over their most valuable asset- time.

I get it, but embrace it. In fact, I’d probably do the same, but in being I use it for work- I simply cannot.

I have been working in the world of marketing/advertising/pr for the majority of my adult life- and actually went to school to do exactly those things. The social media element of marketing didn’t exist when I was sitting within the walls of the Carolina Coliseum, aside from AOL Instant messenger. So, I had to learn in real-time, as they happened- over and over again.

Embracing each new social media platform as they were released was a bit of a whirlwind, but I have kept up for the most part: Friendster (RIP), MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, Vine (RIP), Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok. Yes, I know there are MANY, MANY MORE, but I’m going to go ahead and assume you get the gist.

This recon came in handy when helping the people in my network. I am commonly asked, “What are the rules of how to make XYZ platform work?” Now, I do not pretend to be the foremost thought-leader in the rules of engagement via social media, but I have done it a long time, successfully.

Story Time/Fun Fact: I ran a Sheriff campaign here in NH a few years ago.

Backstory: The incumbent Sherriff was retiring. The “powers that be” had chosen someone to fill the seat who would not ruffle feathers and also had the backing of the local dignitaries- aka, they would have a puppet. The candidate had a 2 year jump start on my guy and three-times the budget. Looking from the outside in- they had an unscathed path to victory.

Keyword there: Had. My marketing strategy and social media content were so powerful for this campaign, the opposing Sherriff candidate’s team started COPYING my efforts- sometimes verbatim. I’m flattered by the fact they actually had to TRY because they took for granted that sometimes strategy and effort WILL overshadow the connected.

It took a LOT of patience and creativity to come up with content their team couldn’t possibly mimic, but I did it. They kept trying, though. By the end of the campaign, my husband made a passing comment to the guilty gentleman on their team, something along the lines of, “Where should my wife send the bill?” Yeah, you know what you did.

Did we win? No. BUT- we did win 23 of the 27 cities in the county- and only lost by 600 votes. Not bad at all for 1/3rd of the budget AND time on the campaign trail. I call it a win on another level, but that’s also why I’m telling you this story. Also, I didn’t collect one penny; the work made it completely worth it. THE END

I digress. back to the fun stuff.

Here are some good rules of thumb for social media. I welcome your feedback or any additional advice that can aid in my constant desire to become better and learn as much as possible. As always, these opinions are my own and pardon any mistakes. I am human.

This is a little different than my social insanity post, which is also a fun little read if you’re bored.

Use the formula for posting in a pattern that will encourage engagement: promotional, factual, personal.
- Promotional: Sharing information that relates to your company. This is a great tool to get users to go to the website and increase the numbers, but use it on a 33% share of voice. Overusing this one item in particular will encourage people to unfollow/snooze for 30 days/hide your content.
- Factual: ANYTHING fact based and not opinion. Weather, upcoming seasons or events, “Did you know” type scenarios, “Top 10”, state of affairs, general knowledge that is interesting.
- Personal: Show you. Show behind the scenes, your colleagues, your favorites- encourage people to share their favorites of a certain something, be a human people can relate to.
Remember your posts are ONLY visible to users who engage with your content- unless they go directly to your page.
- If users are not engaging, the social media platforms will use the algorithm to hide your content and distribute new content the user WILL engage with- this is a fact.
Try to mix UPBEAT stories with the very depressing/toxic/bipolar media atmosphere that is currently taking over. Posting on the same topic over and over is no bueno.
PEOPLE LOVE LISTS.
USE IMAGES AND VIDEOS!
- Make a habit of taking too many pictures and capture :10-:30 seconds of video when you are doing anything and everything that you might share. Mix it up.
Some subjects can invite a flame war. Be careful discussing things where emotions run high (e.g. politics and religion) and show respect for others™ opinions.
DO NOT FEEL THE NEED TO FOLLOW CURRENT EVENTS FOR CLICK-BATE.
- ...but it is an easy way to get people to your social media pages using the appropriate hashtags.
- Know what the current conversations are and what people are saying in order to see if, and how, you may be able to contribute a new perspective.
Always pause and think before posting.
Don’t pick fights, be the first to correct your own mistakes, and don’t alter previous posts without indicating that you have done so. Transparency builds trust- and I think we all agree the world could use a little genuine trust right now.
Try to add value to people’s lives. Provide worthwhile information and perspective. Your brand is best represented by its people, and what you publish may reflect both your company and you.
Speak in the first person. Use your own voice. Bring your own personality to the forefront.
Say what is on your mind. This makes it more relatable- which encourages engagement. Don’t try to use wording you think should be used. Be real.
- BE INFORMED BEFORE- not after.
Utilize the “story” feature on your accounts. It’s a fun, quick and dirty way to keep people engaged with you.
- Use the animated emojis, music, etc. to make it more fun and entertaining
- Remember you can keep these to have as “highlights” on your respective pages
Get a CANVA account and learn how to use it. You will thank me later. This adds an element of professionalism, creativity and buttoned-up look and feel. You do not need to be or hire a graphic designer with this platform/software.
- Don’t use it all the time
- Learn how to manipulate the layouts to make them your own
Be sure that all content associated with you is consistent with your work and with you/your company’s values and professional standards.
Dishonorable content such as profane language, racial, ethnic, sexual, religious, and physical disability slurs should not be tolerated UNLESS it is part of your brand.
- That being said, I LOVE a good ‘tude.
Post frequently. It’s a lot of work, but don’t post -then leave it for two weeks. People WILL forget about you, as they have 1,000,000 other options for stimulation.
- Schedule your posts if you are taking screen-time off. Readers won’t have a reason to follow you if they can’t expect new content regularly.
- Good rule of thumb is to schedule out posts on the 12s and 6s- unless you can keep up with more.
Encourage comments.
- You can also broaden the conversation by citing others who are posting about the same topic and allowing your content to be shared or syndicated.
- Remember that it is just that- a conversation. Talk to your readers like you would talk to real people in real situations. In other words, avoid overly pedantic or “composed” language.
Be careful when sharing information about yourself or others. Once it’s out there- it only takes one screen shot to make it last a lifetime, even if you deleted it.
Separate opinions from facts, and make sure your audience can see the difference.
Don’t over hashtag- #itsirritating (see what I did there)
- Use exact hashtags, maybe add a couple current trends to garner new users to your content
Read the contributions of others.
- Participation is the fuel of social computing.
Be external. You don’t have to be 100% internally focused.
- Link to other blogs, videos, and news articles to encourage shares of your posts on their social media pages.
- Retweet/Post what others have to say.
Don’t take it personal. People get mighty brave behind a screen.
MOST IMPORTANT: Be real and use your best judgment.

Well, that was fun. Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

i wonder where all my calvin and hobbs books are?

February 21, 2016August 13, 2024

intolerance

in·tol·er·ance
[inˈtäl(ə)rəns]

noun
intolerance (noun) · intolerances (plural noun)

unwillingness to accept views, beliefs, or behavior that differ from one's own:
"a struggle against religious intolerance" · "an intolerance of dissent"
an inability to eat a food or take a drug without adverse effects:
"avoiding cross-contamination is essential to people with gluten intolerance" · "he may have a food intolerance to dairy products"

Intolerance. It’s become a comical word to me.

When you look above at the definition- it’s horrible in orientation. Just the reading of it makes people immediately defensive, at least that’s what I think. No one wants to admit that they could be intolerant- quite the opposite. The irony is that every person I have ever met who preaches against “intolerance” of their fellow man is, in fact, the intolerant! (I felt that sentence needed an exclamation point) Unless you believe exactly what they believe, how they believe it, to the degree and manner of such belief, then they are intolerant of YOU. The Mad-Hatter has nothing on these crazies.

I hate to say this to my preachy friends, but they then become the exact synonym of their very own dictation. It’s kinda funny if you pay attention to it, or it will equally drive you mad.

I have been in conversations where someone(s) claimed to be of the utmost liberal, free-thinking, open-hearted human(s) on the planet. I warn you, these are the worst of the “intolerant” thinkers. When you speak to them, they will yell. Instead of fact or logic, they revert to name-calling and lots of adjectives. Their ability to reject, block and resist, with the force of the Heisman Trophy, even the sound of your voice as you try to interject even the smallest opinion is a gift worthy of that aforementioned award. “You can’t possibly have an original thought! Just agree with me, or I shall continue yelling until you concede! It’s my way or the highway, pal!” It’s these aggressive, knee-jerking, illogical reactions that should clue you into this strange being.

If you are an educated person, then this rigmarole will be clear. If still in the “vulnerable” category, then I give you this caveat: be careful not to fall victim of the persuasion into this dark hole of punitive behavior.

Not to sound like an old fart, but I feel bad for the youth of today. The voices that are carried the furthest through social media are that of the intolerant. The majority of them do not have an interest to believe in God, or any sort of a faith, yet will boast of the anti belief. The voices speak more of hate, fear and insubordination. They guide the masses to gather in support of criminals and push hate and intolerance on those who protect us- without bothering to pay attention to any of the evidence or facts. I don’t know about you, but this scares the shit out of me.

Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit. -Mahatma Gandhi

Where do we draw the line anymore?

April 15, 2014February 24, 2025

leo.

I have been asked why I love advertising so much, and where this love was rooted. Well, I remember the moments exactly, actually.

Quick back story: My mother’s side of the family lives in Milton, MA, which is roughly an hour and a half from our small town in NH. Every Catholic holiday of the majority of my childhood, you’d most likely find me sitting in the way, way back of a station wagon (wood panelling and all).

For those familiar with the drive, remember they might begin in NH on the Spaulding Turnpike. After a few miles of 3-4 Billboards and non-descriptive trees, you find that glorious entrance to 95S, then Route 1 through Danvers, Peabody, Lynn, Sagus, Revere, Chelsea, and then FINALLY the Boston skyline appears as you turn to pick up 93S.

You might remember how long this drive seemed – or can imagine how long it was to a kid.

Most kids take that time to sleep through it, but not this one. Every billboard, advertisement, building, road, and sign I passed along the way had it’s own story I could recite a million times.

I recall clear as day the plastic cows & giant cactus at the Hilltop Steakhouse, an orange dinosaur just at the highway splits at the edge of the mini golf place (that I swear use to be purple), and the giant (always seemingly empty) Chinese restaurant on the distant hill. Then, as you enter the city, just as the buildings begin, there was a giant inflated Pink Panther that sat on top of a building, but right before the the multi-colored water towers just as you pass the city behind was my favorite of all- a painted billboard on the side of a brick building.

The advertisement was simply a model wearing a pair of cuffed jeans, in a stance that mirrored the power of Superman. The sideways white and red ‘tag’ of LEVI displayed small along the side.

This perfect display of whitespace, copy, beauty, power, and simplicity changed my life forever.

According to Levi Strauss & Co.’s website, under a ‘Heritage‘ section:

The 1961 movie, The Misfits, is notable for its critical acclaim, its star-studded cast and its fame as the final film appearance for Marilyn Monroe and co-star Clark Gable. I retraced Marilyn Monroe’s experience filming The Misfits in Western Nevada in order to uncover some of the mystique surrounding the actress and the Levi’s® jeans she famously wore in the movie.

Directed by acclaimed film-maker John Huston, The Misfits features Monroe as a divorcée who falls for an over-the-hill cowboy (Gable). Gable plays a stubbornly independent cowboy who is known to occasionally drink too much. His rodeo-riding sidekick, Montgomery Clift, also appears in the film.

The black and white film showcases rugged Nevada landscapes near the Comstock — the site of one of the world’s richest ore discoveries that sparked a silver rush in the 1850s. Mining camps and commercial centers, like Virginia City and Gold Hill, flourished for decades around the Comstock Lode. Tailor Jacob Davis even operated a business in Virginia City before partnering with Levi Strauss & Co. on the patent for the first riveted pants, today’s blue jeans.

Fast forward to just before my 14th birthday. My mom, aunt and uncle took me to New York City. We did the whole “tourist” thing, and saw everything. From our waitress at Planet Hollywood telling us a story about how this guy who plays Opera man on SNL won’t stop calling/bugging her roommate, the famous FAO Schwartz Walking Piano still on display, the insane attention to detail inside the The Plaza hotel, the mystery of Central Park, getting my make-up done by the make-up artists of the stars (or so she claimed), and a very nervous Steven Spielberg inside Saks Fifth Avenue (with a woman trying on shoes, who was NOT Kate Capshaw). It was a trip rivaling Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

Side (sad) note: We also happened to be directly downtown when the World Trade Center wax bombed- the first time. The date was February 26, 1993. We were in the taxi at 12:18 PM when it happened- and we felt it. Little did we know the gravity of that shake until we were in the hotel later that afternoon.

We passed through the streets to make it directly towards the center of the tourist action when that feeling from my youth happened again. I forgot the power of it inside my stomach. This time it was a billboard in the center of Times Square. I was speechless, mouth gaped open staring at it. It mirrored the simplicity of my original back in Boston.

At the time, Calvin Klein was making it’s mark, once again, with a scantily clad model. You might remember this guy:

picture this, but like really really big. good vibrations.

It was amazing and I was captivated.

Fast forward again to college. One of my favorite classes talked about the history of advertising. I learned about all things under the umbrella I planned to call home.

I was madly in love with every single element of advertising. I wanted to learn more.

Obviously, the class begun with the typical origin story, the greats, the icons, the moment makers. I loved every bit of it. I didn’t know what I loved most about it, so I made a point to have an internship in every angle of it. Television, radio, newspaper, media buying, creative, etc. I majored in it. I LOVED it. This will add a little more merit to the reference I made one post back, regarding me falling asleep in the front row of a lecture, by a major agency CEO. I tried writing a letter of apology, it was ignored. Life lesson? I have no idea, but it’s probably best not to have a narcolepsy phase in front of the CEO of the agency you recently applied to.

Outcome: despite that silly little sleepy moment, my resume was awesome upon graduation, and I had a broad knowledge of the ins and outs of the field. While most people focus on a specific thing- similar to a medical or legal profession- I wanted all of it.

Years later when I lived in Chicago, one of the most memorable moments of that time was riding in an elevator in River North section of the city. I was heading to a top floor for a meeting when the elevator suddenly stopped on a different floor.

When the door opened, I saw this:

don’t bunt. aim out of the ball park. aim for the company of immortals. -d.o.

It was the most beautiful and unexpected site I had seen in that stupid city.

Tears started streaming down my face like a girl at a One Direction concert. It was not only bad timing, as I was on my way to a meeting, but it was REALLY unexpected.

Quit crying like a baby, Katie! I

had the same experience upon looking at the Leo Burnett building for the first time. I can honestly say that aside from the view in my apartment on Lake Shore Drive, the thing I loved most about Chicago was the cluster of amazing advertising icons who walked it’s streets throughout history.

As of today, I have been in the “marketing” field for over 15 years. Yes, I count the time spent in college because I was working my ass off! I still love it. It’s certainly changed, and I can’t say the greats of today have hit the mark with every ad, I can say that the people making it should know there is a girl in Maine always appreciating the people who founded it for us to love.

A common question people ask is “if you could have (fill in the activity- drink, dinner, etc) with one person, living or dead, who would it be?” Well, I think you know my answer: Leo, of course.

October 21, 1891 â€“ June 7, 1971. American advertising executive who created the Jolly Green Giant, the Marlboro Man, Toucan Sam, Charlie the Tuna, Morris the Cat, the Pillsbury Doughboy, the 7up "Spot", and Tony the Tiger. — October 21, 1891 June 7, 1971. American advertising executive who created the Jolly Green Giant, the Marlboro Man, Toucan Sam, Charlie the Tuna, Morris the Cat, the Pillsbury Doughboy, the 7up “Spot”, and Tony the Tiger.

I might have to bring some tissues though, for he doesn’t strike me as the type who appreciates a good cry.