What do a camp counselor, a massage therapist and a an admissions nurse have in common?

They love their jobs.

How do I know? Well I don’t exactly. I didn’t ask them. But I did interact with each of them recently.

And I walked away feeling that they did.

Because their enthusiasm, attention to detail, and thoroughness completely transformed my experience.

And it reminded me of the simple, but nevertheless true,  fact that more than anything, people matter.

They can make or break a brand experience.

The attitude of each of  these individuals told me more than just about their individual personalities. It also told me a lot about the companies they work for.

I don’t think this love happens in a vacuum.

It’s a sign that the employees are well chosen, nurtured,  given clear direction and feedback and know their role in the bigger picture of the companies goals.

Am I reading too much into a few brief encounters? Maybe.

But I also had an experience at the airport last week where I waited for my turn to order a cup of coffee and I listened to a group of four or so employees openly complain about their jobs, their lack of break time, etc.

All the while ignoring the customers in front of them.

But the thing that really got me was their was a manager remaining silent in their midst.

Maybe the gripes were legitimate. Maybe they had been working too long without a decent break.

But it’s not the point. The point is that an employee’s positive attitude (or the lack thereof) for me is not just a sign of individual character.

Or at least not entirely.

It is a representation of an internal culture and management that either fosters the right attitude -or it doesn’t.

And that is so important because those little moments and subtle signals can either build a brand’s connection with a customer….or they can ultimately bring down a business.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?

How have you felt the love lately?

 “What do you mean you have to go to work in the summer?”

This from the lips of my precocious, yet insightful, 9 year old son.

I have to admit, I’ve had the same thought lately.

As both a parent and a career person, the rhythm of my life is very much affected by the rhythm of my children’s lives…including the seasonal changes driven by the calendar of a student.

In the fall as they prepare for back to school, I often find myself also exploring and committing to some new learning opportunity (e.g. honing my social media skills, attending a conference on a marketing topic I want to learn more about or flexing my creative muscles through a writing class or cooking etc.).

Similarly, when school ends in June and they get to kick back and take a break…I find myself longing for one too.

Sure things slow down in the summer a bit at work, there are half day Summer Friday’s, long holiday weekends, and the requisite summer vacation.

But sometimes it still doesn’t feel like enough.

I think what I am really longing for is…camp.

The opportunity to go to a different and special location, to move to a different rhythm, to experience new people and new ideas.

To swim, hike, be outdoors more. Try my hand at different skills- like pottery, lanyard, belt making etc.

Bring more music into my life with campfire songs and sing alongs.

How can I feel more the spirit of camp, while sitting 9 to 5 at my desk?

I could start packing Smores with my lunch, but I don’t think that’s a really viable solution. Not for my waistline at least.

One thing I’m tryingto do is to get out and go for a walk at lunch.
While I’m not exploring wooded hiking trails, I am trying to find new streets and stores in Soho that I don’t already know.

And I am stopping often for a Pinkberry gelato on the way back to the office which does gives me a feeling of re-freshment  (and sure beats the sugary Popsicles of my youth).

This little infusion of summer time in my work day doesn’t quite quench my thirst for a bonafide carefree childhood summer…but it’s a start.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?

How do you add a little summer camp to your work life?

This truck is parked permanently in Soho on Broadway.

Eye catching and mouthwatering, but I just can’t seem to go for a cupcake in this heat. To me it’s more of a winter time treat.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?
Are cupcakes the new version of the NYC street hot dog?

Hema, a Dutch department store chain described as a European version of  Target (low prices on generic housewares, and lots of original design) has created this fabulous product page with a great moment of surprise and delight.

Make sure you watch through to the end.

I love how they took this “functional” page and invigorated it with brand personality.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?

Have you seen other brands get clever with their shopping pages?

Fascinating article in New York Times about the New Touch Face of Vending Machines.

No longer the domain of candy bars and potato chips, vending machines are gaining popularity around the world as purveyor’s of higher ticket items like beauty products and small electronics from Apple.

The machines themselves have also gone hi-tech with touch pad screens that blunt vending machine rage through sensors that ensure that a customer’s credit card is not charged unless the chosen item has dropped. 

They even have eye scans that can tell by looking at skin and wrinkles if customers are old enough to buy tobacco.

The economics of these new “automated retail stores” are quite compelling. No overhead, ability to quickly change out merchandise, and even to relocate the machine (for example, to another part of the airport) after analysis of foot traffic.

Sound like the perfect retail solution. So what’s missing?

In a word…People.

But is that necessarily a bad thing?

The machines are designed to light up when they sense a customer approaching. The article mentions that unfortunately  this is more than many customers get from human retailers.

Personally, I am intrigued by the idea but I think there is a limit to what I might buy from these new vending machines.

In the example of skincare, I might pick up my usual base or mascara. But that’s more like re-ordering than purchasing.

But it definitely wouldn’t replace my trips to Sephora or the Clinique counter where I rely on knowledgeable (and for the most part friendly) salespeople to guide me in my purchases and make suggestions for new products.

Sometimes it’s seeing a certain color eyeshadow or admiring the skin tone on one of the salesgirls that leads me to inquire about (and ultimately purchase) something I didn’t originally intend to buy.

I suppose a machine could be programmed somehow to instigate that kind of impulse purchase and advice…

Maybe the same sensors that read the wrinkles and skin in the tobacco age verification could be re-programmed to also use this information to suggest a new eye cream.

Bottom line I am intrigued by the idea of automated high end retail…but I don’t think I’m running out to find the nearest machine just yet.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?

What do you think about these new machines?

What do you do when the well runs dry?

I mean the creativity spring, the idea river, the fountain of wit…

Maybe you are one of the few lucky ones and this never happens to you (liar!).

Fortunately, this doesn’t happen too often to me…but it does happen.

And it’s often when I am physically tired or mentally pre-occupied (usually with kids, home, etc.).

I know it will pass, after all, it always does.

But even though I know it’s temporary, when it does happen, I seem to lose sight of this right away and I go right to…I WILL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER CREATIVE IDEA AS LONG AS I LIVE.

And naturally this makes me panic, and of course this panic blocks my creativity even more and so on, and so on…

So what’s a girl (of guy) to do?

Well once you climb down from the ledge, you might want to try one of these tips…none of them are ground-breaking, but maybe they are worth remembering. And of course, what I really loved to hear is your ideas.

Top 5 Creativity “Rut-Busters”

1. Give up and Walk Away

2. Watch a Mindless Movie

3. Go to Sleep (or at least take a nap)

4. Shop Til You Drop

5. Get Down on the Carpet with a Kid

1. Give Up and Walk Away

The more I try and force ideas to come. The less they appear. So often I just have to say “enough. I’m done”. I’m stopping for the day, the hour, whatever time I need. I have to really believe this, not just do it to psyche myself out. I have to also say “It’s okay, the ideas will come when they are ready, and they will come in time to meet my deadline (and be good). They always have in the past and they will this time too.” This mantra. This “giving up” is often the most productive thing I can do to move forward. I think sometimes our minds just need a break, and they tell us.

2. Watch a Mindless Movie

I like deep, meaningful, message movies (I studied them in College in fact) but when I’m creatively clogged the best thing for me is a mindless flick. Often something that will allow me to engage my emotions (laughing, crying) and specifically to turn off the more analytical part of my brain. The emotional release and the relaxation this provides often end up leaving me feeling refreshed, and often full of new ideas. Some of my favorites Parenthood with Steve Martin, Bridget Jones Diary, almost anything with Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada, Princess Diaries…definitely NOT Rachel at the Wedding), or anything guaranteed to make me cry (Brian’s Song, Terms of Endearment, etc.)

3. Go to Sleep (or at least take a Nap)

I was never one of those caffeine or “no-doze” pills studiers in college. I remember once I took some pills to help me stay up and I was so wired and jumpy the next day I couldn’t concentrate on the subject matter and did much worse than if I had just gotten a good night sleep and truly randomly  guessed at the multiple choice answers. I’d rather go to bed and wake up really really early to work on something. Funnily enough, often I will dream about the solution (always keep a pen and paper by the bed).  A power nap can often have the same effect.

4. Shop Til You Drop

On line or in the mall, there is something about shopping that always makes me feel productive, and gets me inspired. Maybe it’s seeing all the different possibilities – the colors, cuts, and styles. Maybe it’s the people watching in the stores or the random offers that are served up by Google but shopping for me is about promise and possibility. Two things that get the creative juices flowing.

5. Get Down on the Carpet with a Kid

The getting down on the ground is an important part of this. It changes your perspective and some of the most relaxed moments I have are shooting the breeze with my son. Surrounded by Pokemon cards, Lego’s, or whatever he is collecting at the moment I literally enter a different world. And when I talk through the challenge I am stuck on with him he often comes up with some really great ideas.

Those are my top 5 “rut-busters”. Chocolate would definitely make it to number 6.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?

How do you bust out of your creative ruts?

“You want to be taken seriously, you got to have serious hair.”

- Tess in the film Working Girl

Remember this moment when Melanie Griffith’s character went from her “working girl” hair to a shorter, more serious do?

You can chalk it up to dramatic license, but I think there was actually an interesting tidbit on personal branding in there.

Like it or not, we are judged by how we look.

Lest you think that this is a women’s only issue, check out  this article about a recent study that found that CEO’s  (all men) look more or less credible according to their facial features.

I think it’s not only the way other’s percieve you, but also about how they way you look makes you feel about yourself.

This may sound shallow, but I feel more confident when my hair is under control.

When I have a big speaking engagement, one of the first things I do is schedule a blow-out.

Of course, I also prepare very hard to make sure I know my content and that it will be relevant and engaging for my audience.

But I feel more credible when I also look the part of  “professional speaker”.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?

How does the way you look impact how you feel about  personal brand (yours or other’s)?

In case you’ve been living under a rock….Betty White, the 88 year old Emmy winning actress, is back with a vengeance.

Her re-popularity (if that’s a word) started with a Snicker’s commercial during the Super Bowl:

This spot and her performance in it, triggered a Facebook campaign to have her host Saturday Night Live. Over half a million people became fans of the Facebook petition page and she will be appearing this weekend as the SNL host.

What branding lessons can be learned from Betty White?

For me the biggest take away is that she stayed true and authentic to herself all these years.

Whether as the sarcastic Sue Anne on the Mary Tyler Moore show or the sweet but ditsy Rose on Golden Girls…she’s made a career of getting laughs by throwing herself wholeheartedly into roles an really making the characters funny, but relatable.

So the Snickers commercial resonated with so many people because here’s a lady who’s always spoken her mind and who has always pushed the envelope for comedy.

Other 88 year olds would not have been so funny in that spot. Or believable.

So my guess is that millions will tune in Saturday Night, not just because of the novelty of a person her age hosting the show, but rather to see a timeless comedian, Betty White.

That’s the kind of longevity many brands would be so lucky to have.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?

What do you think is the magic of the Betty White brand?

In response to all the negative press about the immigration reforms in Arizona, Arizona Iced Tea has posted a statement on it’s site assuring its customers that it is not from Arizona.  In fact it’s from Brooklyn and is now head quartered in Long Island.

Interesting move.

you might call it “biting the hand that feeds you strategy”.

While I understand that Arizona is just their brand…my guess is that they chose this name for a reason.

To me it connotes a dry area, with lots of thirsty people, and gives credibility to their expertise as a refreshing drink.

Kansas City Iced Tea just doesn’t evoke the same positive and relevant imagery.

So is Arizona Iced Tea being too hasty in turning their back on Arizona.

Sure the political issues at hand are a bit sticky (and downright offensive and unconstitutional to many).

But I wonder if you can protest this move and still affirm what you love about Arizona, it’s people, it’s climate, it’s natural beauty…

Is there a potentially richer response then…”By the way we are really from Brooklyn” and sporting an American Flag.

I got to think a long sip of a refreshing drink and a moment of reflection, might yield something more compelling.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?
Is Arizona Iced Tea throwing out the baby with the bath water? Or is this a smart PR move?

There was an interesting article in Saturday’s NY Times called Anti-Social Networking?which raised the question whether Facebook was actually impeding kids’ ability to form real world friendships.

On the positive side, it was cited that kids tend to keep in touch and communicate more often and with more people through Facebook then they did in previous generations when you’d have to pick up the phone or actually get together in person.

It was also noted as an important means for shy kids to engage socially when they alternative is often no contact at all.

However, on the negative side, communicating through social networks can be more fleeting and superficial than in person (or even on the phone) contact and can’t really replicate the kind of bonds that are formed from spending a whole day shooting the breeze with one good friend.

From my perspective as a parent of a Tween, I found myself agreeing with many of the positive and negative points in the article.

But it also made me wonder whether Facebook was good or bad for adult relationships.

On the plus side, I’ve reconnected with many childhood, camp, and college friends through Facebook that I am sure I wouldn’t have had the time or the means to find without it.

And in many cases, this contact has become a regular and important part of my life.

I don’t find that keeping up with my friends on Facebook has replaced a desire to see them in person.

I may not get together with them as often as I’d like, but I don’t think that’s because I’m “seeing” them on Facebook.

I chalk it up to the constraints of our busy lives.

When I do get to see friends in person, I feel like Facebook allows me to start the conversation in the middle instead of the beginning. In a way, I know what they’ve been up to from posts and pictures and I can jump right in with questions and observations.

However, when I step back and think about it…maybe I am able to continue these friendships on Facebook because they were formed in the real world.

From hours spent studying, playing, summering, and sometimes working together…in person.

So Facebook becomes an additional layer to a friendship…but not the primary one on which all interaction is based and built.

For me it highlights the importance of making sure my kids are spending real quality time in person with their friends.

Then they can post all the pictures and “post-game” commentary they want.

Probably good advice for grown-ups too.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?

Do you think Facebook is good or bad for friendships?