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Entries Tagged as 'Innovation & Creativity'

Get snipped so you can watch the big game?

by Drew McLellan

February 28th, 2011 · Innovation & Creativity, Strategy

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Is this a mad advertising idea?

I’m all for being fresh and innovative in your creative approach.  And when you sell something like vasectomies, you are no doubt even more challenged.

So I’m intrigued to get your opinion about a local clinic’s latest advertising message.

Here in Iowa, the Iowa Clinics is, according to their own website, “the largest physician owned multi-specialty group in Central Iowa with more than 140 physicians and healthcare providers practicing in 37 specialties. The Iowa Clinic serves a population area of 1.1 million, averaging 400,000 patient visits each year.”

So a large practice with many top rated physicians.  They’re regular advertisers and like many healthcare providers, their marketing tends to be about what you’d expect.  But not their most recent TV spots.

To paraphrase their entire spot — when you get a vasectomy, you have to take a few days off, sit on the couch and recuperate.  So why not time your vasectomy so you can enjoy March Madness?

What do you think?  Good idea?  Will it move people from the thinking about it stage to taking action?  Bad idea?  Is it tacky to tie a medical procedure to watching a sporting event?

I can’t wait to get your take — so please jump into the conversation in the comments section.

Note:  As I discovered, this is clearly not a new approach.  Here are some other articles about the combining of the two:

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5 ways to stay creative

by Drew McLellan

February 25th, 2011 · Agency life, Innovation & Creativity

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How do you stay creative?

You write.  You design.  And most likely, you do it on command.  There’s no waiting for a muse.  You have a deadline.

As we talk more and more about content marketing and the power of using our expertise to impact search engines and woo potential clients — we have to write even more!

So how do you stay fresh?  How do you create when you don’t feel particularly creative?  I’m going to share a few of my favorite techniques but I am hoping you’ll jump into the comments section with your own tricks of the trade.

Read: I try to keep my brain well fed.  I read/skim about 100 different blogs a day, try to read a book a week and check out several newspaper websites every day.  Surprisingly, this doesn’t take as long as it sounds — my iPad has apps that collect and coordinate it all so I just have to quickly flip through and see what catches my eye. (I read these smart people, you should too!)

Write/Design every day: I try to stay limber by never putting down my proverbial pencil.  Sometimes I am at it for hours and other days, maybe only 30 minutes.  Even if it’s just answering e-mails to friends — I rarely take a day off.

Tunes: There’s something about music that fuels me.  It’s an energy that I can channel into my writing.  I’ve discovered that I turn to different styles of music depending on what I’m writing and if I need a boost or need help staying focused.

Fresh air: When I am really stuck, I head outside.  (Unless it’s ugly hot) The crispness of the air and just stopping to close my eyes and inhale deeply refreshes and calms me when I’m feeling jittery about a deadline or am stuck in some way.

Partake in witty banter: One of the best parts of the Internet for me is that there are playmates available 24/7.  I can hop on Twitter or Facebook and find someone smart to chat with.  Smart people bring out the best in my thinking, writing and outlook.

Your turn.  How do you stay creative on demand?

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Drew’s blog gets a makeover!

February 7th, 2011 · Innovation & Creativity · 25 Comments

For many of you, my blog comes via your e-mail inbox or RSS feed reader.  So you probably haven’t even noticed that something is looking a little different. I decided it was time to give Drew’s Marketing Minute a fresh look and take advantage of some of the most current technology (plugins etc.) as I [Read more...]

Groupon: Winner or Goat?

January 22nd, 2011 · Branding, Innovation & Creativity, Sales, Strategy, Web/Tech · 15 Comments

The whole world is abuzz about Groupon.  And who doesn't love $10 worth of Cold Stone Creamery ice cream for $5?  But is Groupon right for your business? Groupon and other social-coupon sites (like LivingSocial and SocialBuy) all work the same way — a specified number of people have to pre-purchase the coupon for the deal to be activated. [Read more...]

Must have business apps for your iPad

December 28th, 2010 · Innovation & Creativity, Trends · 20 Comments

I suspect that many of you received iPads as holiday gifts this December.  Now, you’re trying to justify to family and friends exactly why you need this absolutely awesome toy. I have the solution for you.  Here’s how you turn your iPad into the business tool you won’t be able to live without.  Here are [Read more...]

What over 1.5 million people chose to watch

December 23rd, 2010 · Innovation & Creativity, Media · 3 Comments

It's the holidays and everyone is not only crazy busy but bombarded by ads.  So we tune them out.   But as of 12/23 — 1.5 million people booted up their browser and went looking for this video. (email subscribers, click here)  They didn't get tricked into watching it — they sought it out.  And [Read more...]

Could being remarkable really be this simple?

December 23rd, 2010 · Branding, Customers/Clients, Innovation & Creativity, Love affair with customers, Passion · 8 Comments

As you may know, I am a Disneyophile.  I love the Disney parks, I love the Disney movies' happy endings, I love the unrelenting pursuit of better customer service that drives Disney to their own level of excellence. I also love Walt Disney's story.   I know he wasn't perfect by a long shot.  But [Read more...]

Pantone announces the 2011 color of the year

December 14th, 2010 · Innovation & Creativity · 17 Comments

This is the sort of job I wonder about sometimes.  How does one become the person who selects the color of the year?  Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute® must know — as her organization has declared Honeysuckle the 2011 color of the year. Here's what Pantone had to say about the [Read more...]

Marketing tip #93 When you should zip…zag

December 6th, 2010 · Innovation & Creativity, Marketing, Strategy · 5 Comments

We are creatures of habit.  Even as marketing professionals who are supposed to be creative, innovative and "out of the box" thinkers.  There are some SOP (standard operating procedures) that are tied to most aspects of marketing. You'll recognize some of these… (By the way…not saying I agree with these) B to B advertisers should [Read more...]

Marketing tip #43: Differentiate your product with a memory

September 25th, 2010 · Innovation & Creativity, Marketing · 8 Comments

I'm on the road a lot so I've become a very efficient packer/traveler. My dopp bag is always pre-packed with everything I need. Including one of those little travel sized toothpaste tubes. I care that it's toothpaste but I don't really care what kind or what flavor.  So every time I'm at Target, I just [Read more...]