Posted by: brandextenders | May 17, 2012

I See Dead People and They’re Making a lot of Money

Remember the movie “The Sixth Sense” where Haley Joel Osment communicated with spirits that didn’t know they were dead? I too see people, usually on TV, that I know are dead and yet they’re making far more money dead than I am alive. What’s up with that? Take Michael Jackson whose estate just signed a deal with Pepsi to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Jackson’s “Bad” album by using his silhouette on 1 billion soda cans to be sold worldwide. While the financial details weren’t disclosed you can assume this will add millions to the pop-star estate’s coffers.

Being dead can be profitable, at least for the estates of expired celebrities, as the annual Forbes list of Top-Earning dead celebrities’ shows. Combined, the top 15 people on the list brought in $366 million last year. Songwriters who own their work led the list because their body (no pun intended!) of work tends to throw off royalties long after the dearly departed have left the building.

The virtual world has increased the opportunities for estates to create new revenue streams with social media, video games and eBooks. Meanwhile legal recognition of the deceased’s publicity rights is an evolving concept. U.S. copyright laws have always protected intellectual property for 70 years after death, but New York State passed legislation declaring a celebrity’s right to prevent unauthorized use of intellectual property ends with their death. Britain and other parts of Europe have similar laws while California passed legislation giving celebrities the right to bequeath publicity rights to their heirs.

So why do brands chose the dead over the living to pitch their products and services? Two major reasons; the first being it usually costs a lot less to use the likeness and image of dead stars than those still kicking. Secondly, it’s hard to get involved in a scandal after you’re dead unlike Tiger Woods and Michael Phelps who lost a variety of sponsors when they did some really dumb things publicly. Brands don’t like scandals because while it may not be fair, when a celebrity self-destructs he or she can take a brand with them simply through guilt-by-association. Dead celebrities can certainly bring cache’ to a brand however the match must make sense otherwise the message can get lost in the fame.

So without further adieu, here are the top 10 dead celebrities based on earnings between October 2010 and September 2011:

  1. Michael Jackson – $170 million and bound to increase with the new Pepsi deal.
  2. Elvis Presley – $55 million and dead for 35 years this August. Not bad.
  3. Marilyn Monroe – $27 million. The rights to her estate were sold last December for an undisclosed amount, but you can bet it was an eight digit figure
  4. Charles Schultz – $25 million. Look for more Peanuts characters to appear in the digital space in coming years.
  5. John Lennon – $12 million. The Beatles are finally on iTunes and sold 1.6 million albums in 2010, more than any act dead or alive.
  6. Elizabeth Taylor – $12 million. Already pitching White Diamonds perfume, look for her name to be associated with other high-end products.
  7. Albert Einstein – $10 million. Not bad for a science geek that changed the world with his theories on relativity.
  8. Theodor Geisel – $9 million. Dr. Seuss’s amazing body of work will continue to bring joy along with financial rewards for generations to come.
  9. Jimi Hendrix – $7 million. Foxy Lady and other songs released through his estate bring in a respectable amount in royalties each year.
  10. Stieg Larsson – $7 million. More than 40 million copies of his trilogy starting with “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” sold after his death. Bummer for him!

While the old Mafia saying, “Dead men (and women) tell no tales” may be true, certainly many leave behind a legacy that can be a source of revenue for their heirs and others. And if you should happen to see dead people on TV it’s not a reflection on you, but a good agent who convinced the brand that this really is a good idea.

I work with my customers to evaluate their promotional marketing needs and develop creative and measurable solutions based on those needs. I build long-term relationships to become a trusted advisor m clients turn to for their brand extension, promotional product, incentive and other branding needs. Contact me at stephen.woodburn@staplespromoproducts.com  

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Posted by: brandextenders | May 6, 2012

Is it an Etch-A-Sketch or a Promotional Product?

One of the hallmarks of an effective branding tool is it’s ability to evoke emotion. Studies have shown time and again that at the very core of most any purchase is an emotional response that people may not even realize is driving them to buy.

Brands work hard so customers make these emotional connections to their products. TV ads can create emotional connections through video, radio has long had the ability to touch people with words, sounds and music and promotional products also help connect a brand to its customers.

Promotional products are the perfect way to build or reinforce a tactile connection by adding a logo or tagline to an iconic product from people’s past; the emotional response can be instantaneous. Research has shown when times are particularly difficult, people tend to look back to their past for comfort and reassurance that all will be well.

One way to create this bond with customers and prospects is to include an iconic toy in your marketing mix that transports people back to simpler times. These iconic toys touch multiple demographics with their simplicity and will quickly bring a smile to the face of those who receive them:

  • Etch-A-Sketch:  Originally known by its French inventor as “the magic screen” it was introduced in 1960 and quickly became one of the favorite toys of the baby boom generation. With the ability to create, make mistakes and start over again this toy is similar to the trials and tribulations of life and how we all sometimes long to begin again, to shake our lives up so to speak. Use a branded Etch-A-Sketch be it a key chain, mini or regular size version to keep your logo in front of your customers for the long run.
  • Rubik’s Cube: Patented by Erno Rubik, a Hungarian sculptor and professor in 1974, this puzzle has sold close to 400 million cubes worldwide and is considered the world’s best selling toy. Will Smith as Chris Gardner in the movie “Pursuit of Happyness” learned to solve the Rubik’s puzzle and brought this toy new-found fame. In the promo world you can buy key-sized versions, mini and regular sized, stress Rubik’s cubes and cubes that are branded with a logo or completely customized. Despite the fact the majority of us can never solve this enigma; it’s a toy that keeps your brand literally in the hands of customers.
  • Magic 8 Ball: Created by a man whose mom was a clairvoyant and used a similar “spirit writing” device, this toy hit the market in 1950. Known originally as the Syco-Seer, this toy answers yes-no questions posed to it when a 20-sided die appears in a clear window with either a positive, negative or non-committal statement. Putting your logo on this timeless toy will touch several generations from the baby boomers to Gen C who know the Magic 8 ball from its appearance in Pixar’s movie “Toy Story.”
  • Viewmaster: Introduced at the 1939 New York World’s Fair as an alternative to postcards, the Viewmaster was originally designed as a tourism vehicle with the Grand Canyon and Carlsbad Caverns as the main subjects of their disks. Since then more than 1.5 billion viewers have been sold along with thousands of disk subjects. For brands, the Viewmaster is a unique way to highlight new products, corporate presentations, point-of-sale displays and marketing campaigns. The key is creative imagery because you’re guaranteed that handing someone a Viewmaster will result in their looking at the pictures. Intriguing content will generate buzz and elicit fond memories.
  • Silly Putty: Invented as a potential rubber substitute during World War II, it turned out to be a useless product. Samples were sent to scientists worldwide, but no practical use was ever found for the gooey, bouncy material. But someone saw potential as a toy and since 1950; 300 million Silly Putty eggs have been sold. Used by brands to tout their flexibility, draw people into a trade show booth or just for the heck of it, Silly Putty reminds us of fun and I can’t think of any brands that couldn’t use a little more of that.

 Randomly using an iconic toy in your promotional marketing campaign is all well and fine, but the best way to use something like this is to tie a strategy, theme or tagline to the product you choose so all your marketing efforts reflect the same message. As with any promotional product, it should always be part of an overall marketing campaign or the results will fall far short of what they could be.

O.K., time to get back to work. Let’s see, was I using the horizontal or vertical knob on my Etch-A-Sketch?

I work with my customers to evaluate their promotional marketing needs and develop creative and measurable solutions to solve those needs. I build long-term relationships my clients turn to for their brand extension, promotional product, incentive and other branding needs. Contact me at stephen.woodburn@staplespromoproducts.com  

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Posted by: brandextenders | April 26, 2012

Can 10% Really Make a Difference?

Somewhere in all the reading I’ve done over the years I remember an article discussing how taking something and making it 10% different could be a life-changer. The premise being that by somehow changing or tweaking a product already in the marketplace in small ways you could take something old and make it new again; create demand for a product that was new and improved.

I’ve thought about this a lot over the years and have come to believe it’s true. There are examples everywhere and I’ve listed a few ideas I think prove the point.

  • Ear buds: I’ve always loved listening to music with headphones, but ear buds were always a challenge. They never fit in my ear correctly, would fall out regularly and because they didn’t fit well, the sound was terrible. Finally a genius (not sure who) added a protrusion on each bud that fits snugly inside the ear called, oddly enough, in-ear. This change has given ear buds new life and created companies like SkullCandy who have embraced both the old and new in their business model.
  • Telephone handset – Did you ever consider answering a cell phone with an old-style telephone handset? Most people wouldn’t, but someone did and created a new product that’s become hip. Someone connected the handset with a cell phone in their mind and viola. The picture on the right takes it to another level with the retro handset, a charging base for the cell phone to sit on and a rotary dialing app for a smart phone. It’s almost like the old days!
  • Antimicrobial: Germs are everywhere and while some are good, many are bad and our society has become obsessed with fighting them off. Thus it makes sense that everyday products have taken up this fight by infusing antimicrobial agents into their stuff. It’s estimated more than 700 products use this technology now including common items like pens, mouse pads and even apparel. By taking something as simple as a mouse pad and adding an antimicrobial agent, they’ve created new demand for a product that might have reached its apex.
  • Apparel – A T-shirt is a T-shirt, right? Not when that T-shirt is a moisture wicking, antimicrobial protective shield. Let’s face it, T-shirts have been around since the days of Roman emperors (O.K., I exaggerate a bit!), but new properties that keep you dry and germ-free also give you reason to buy these newer fabrics. When I was young, polyester was considered a cheap alternative to cotton, but apparel manufacturers have turned that notion on its head. Polyester, under a variety of trade names, is now a sought after commodity.
  • Pencils: Did you know there was a National Pencil Day? Neither did I, but March 30 of each year is set aside to celebrate this icon of test taking. While the basics of the pencil remain as they always have, new versions have the graphite encased in plastic instead of wood and anything toxic in the paint or other components has been removed. Despite people’s infatuation with tablets and other new technology, pencils remain a hot commodity with sales in the U.S. up 6.8% last year.

So what’s the 10% in your life you might consider tweaking to achieve different results? Something related to work? Maybe your personal life or your children? Whether it’s generating more sales, losing weight, spending more time with your family or something else, think about how just doing something 10% differently might make all the difference. Or perhaps you can find a product that needs some updating and use the 10% rule to revamp it and find a whole new marketplace for it. Businesses have been built on less.

10% might not seem like a lot, but it could be enough to help you earn more, spend more time with your family or lose that extra 10 pounds. It seems true that 10% really can make a difference.

I work with my customers to evaluate their promotional marketing needs and develop creative and measurable solutions based on those needs. I build long-term relationships to become a trusted advisor my clients turn to for their brand extension, promotional product, incentive and other branding needs. Contact me at stephen.woodburn@staplespromoproducts.com  

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Posted by: brandextenders | April 17, 2012

Would You Want the Wing of an Airplane You’re on Made on a Printer?

My son and I were talking the other day about how cool it would be if you could go online and order a combo meal and have it arrive in your desktop tele-transportation machine within just a few minutes. Or how about doing the same thing with other products you order online like spare parts, toys or even bicycles?

While there are advances in technologies every day that bring incremental changes to various industries, rarely does something huge come along that is a total game changer. No, tele-transportation isn’t a reality yet, but 3-D printing is and chances are it’s going to revolutionize the world in the next few decades just as the Internet did less than two decades ago.

The technology has been around for close to 30 years, but is just now gaining ground in a variety of industries as costs for these printers are dropping dramatically. Imagine being able to order a spare part for a product you own that is no longer available. The file is sent to a 3-D printer close to your home that can make that part within just a few hours. You pick it up, install it and you’re back in business again. Or how about creating a custom bicycle online, the file goes to your local bike shop with a specialized 3-D printer and the next day you pick up the bike and ride it home.

These printers create products from materials layer by layer based on the instructions supplied in a computer-aided-design or CAD file. Plastics, metals and other materials are used and when complete, a fully functioning product is ready to use. It’s hard to imagine this process without seeing it and here’s a video from the TED website that gives a good overview of the process:

  http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/lisa_harouni_a_primer_on_3d_printing.html

3-D printers are now creating completely customized prosthetics based on the specifics of a person’s needs along with artificial teeth (while you wait) and bone grafts and 3-D printers are being developed that can lay down cells to create artificial organs like kidneys along with the blood vessels needed for those organ to function. And The French Culinary Institute has been using a 3-D printer developed at Cornell University to make artistic delicacies that rival the creative talents of top chefs.

A 3-D food printer invented at Cornell University

Chances are we won’t have a 3-D printer in our homes anytime soon, but it already is transforming certain industries where the cost to create one part or product on a 3-D printer is roughly the same as it would be to create a million of them. The military can create one-off parts on demand for equipment in the field and perhaps 3-D printers could be onboard space ships in the future in case spare parts are needed millions of miles from Earth.

Creating prototypes of new products is happening using these printers and the design can be changed quickly and inexpensively by inventors. Simple things like jewelry can be custom made to your exact specifications using this technology not to mention EADS, the company that makes Airbus planes is working on printing the entire wing of an aircraft on 3-D printers.

Just as the Internet has slowly woven its way into our lives over the last few decades so too is 3-D printing beginning to make inroads in areas we can only imagine. Entire industries will be created using this technology and sadly other industries will be diminished or go away completely, but that’s a business paradigm that’s been occurring for thousands of years.

Perhaps the bigger question 10 or 20 years down the road will be, “would you like cheese on your 3-D printed hamburger?”

I work with my customers to evaluate their promotional marketing needs and develop creative and measurable solutions based on those needs. I build long-term relationships to become a trusted advisor my clients turn to for their brand extension, promotional product, incentive and other branding needs. Contact me at stephen.woodburn@staplespromoproducts.com  

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Posted by: brandextenders | April 5, 2012

Making a Difference in Your World Each Day. Really!

I truly believe the thoughts we carry in our minds have a big impact on the lives we lead; like the old computer saying, “garbage in, garbage out.” If our thoughts are always focused on the negative, can we truly be surprised when our lives turn out poorly? Not that optimists lead only fulfilled lives, but I suspect the chances are optimists will take the negative and spin it to be a positive.

What are your first thoughts upon waking? Do you thank God for the many blessings you have or do you immediately focus on the bills, the lack of job security, marriage troubles and kids that stretch your patience? One of the things I’ve learned is my waking thoughts often set the tone for the day which has helped me focus on the positive as I climb up from the depths of slumber.

I used to awaken and concentrate on doing great things for the world however I came to realize one doesn’t change the world in a day. So now I ask God to help me make a difference in my small part of the world. Within my family, my sphere of work and the influence I have on friends and others I meet. That usually means doing small acts of kindness and paying it forward in ways that may only touch a few, but will have a ripple effect that reaches way beyond my sphere of influence. Here are just a few ways I’ve found I can make a small difference in the lives of others each day:

  • Do something unnoticed: We all like to be acknowledged for the good we do in our world, but I think personally it’s more important to do acts of kindness that perhaps no one notices. Picking up trash on the ground, anonymous donations to groups you support or donating things you don’t use anymore to a homeless or other organization. Don’t do it for the recognition and in fact, do it and hope no one knows it was you. Click here to go to the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation website for more ideas on this topic.
  • Pay it forward: I recently heard of someone in the drive through at a fast-food restaurant who paid for her order and the order of the car behind her. As a result of this small act of kindness, the next nine people all paid for those in line behind them. Other small ways to pay it forward include putting money in a parking meter that pays for the next person, bypassing a parking space close to the entrance of a store so someone who needs to park close by can, paying a toll for the car behind you, giving sincere praise to someone who helps you during the day, holding a door open for someone or giving blood. The list is endless and these small acts give us a sense of making a difference each day.
  • Send a thank you note: Handwritten thank you notes are rare in these days of email and texting which is why they are appreciated. Send one to a customer thanking them for their order, to a friend, a family member, to someone who has touched your life positively in some way (former teacher?) or how about a random note to someone serving our country or our community. Express your appreciation in the note and say thank you, two of the most powerful words in the English language.
  • Make a call: Similarly, people too rarely pick up the telephone any more to communicate on a personal level. Call a friend or family member you haven’t spoken with in a while. Instead of writing an email, use the telephone to convey the message. Call someone you admire or who is doing good for others and simply say thank you, perhaps anonymously. These types of calls often change the tone of someone’s day and can help them overcome challenges they may be facing. A friendly call is always welcomed.
  • Volunteer: Do you have a favorite cause or charity? If you aren’t already, spend time volunteering with that organization or any other that you feel passionate about. Doing for others is not only a way to get outside yourself and see how others live; it’s also good for our souls. Volunteering is a way to share your skills or maybe discover talents you didn’t realize you possessed. This is an area I need to work on by first of all finding a cause I want to be a part of and then spending time volunteering with that group.

What a difference a day can make and we’d love you to share your comments about what you do to set the tone for your days and other methods you’ve found helpful.

May all your days be blessed and may you find ways each day to make a difference in your small part of the world.

I work with my customers to evaluate their promotional marketing needs and develop creative and measurable solutions based on those needs. I build long-term relationships to become a trusted advisor my clients turn to for their brand extension, promotional product, incentive and other branding needs. Contact me at stephen.woodburn@staplespromoproducts.com  

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Posted by: brandextenders | March 20, 2012

Are You an Order Taker or a Problem Solver?

Seems like a pretty cut-and-dried decision, right? Do you take orders all day long or do you help people solve their work or personal challenges? Let’s see, drive up window at the local fast food joint or salesman for a hi-tech company that supplies the military with satellite navigational devices. You’d think the fast food person pretty much takes orders and the hi-tech guy is a problem solver, right? But don’t judge a book by its cover.

It’s rare, but I’ve heard drive through people who are born salespeople. They are smiling when they ask for your order, but they also suggest options other than “would you like fries with that order?”  They make it easy to place your order, they’re efficient and say “thank you” as you drive off. On the other hand I’ve seen supposed big-time salespeople who simply take the order for products or services from a procurement manager. No questions, no up-selling although they may remember to say “thank you.”

What differentiates someone as an order taker or problem solver in life? Here are just a few traits you might recognize in yourself:

  • Creative: Problem solvers are always looking for a solution to the challenges they face and not necessarily the most obvious ones. They look for creative solutions, ways that will differentiate them from the pack. Sales is a completely different game today than it was even a decade or two ago. The Internet has changed things and made it much easier for customers to find information and look for the cheapest price. Problem solvers don’t sell price, they sell solutions that solve problems, plain and simple.
  • A desire to help others: Order takers want to be helpful as long as they don’t have to do much to make that happen. Problem solvers, for the most part, have a true desire in their heart to help others. They will go above and beyond to help their customers, friends and family solve the challenges that arise and will do it with a smile as big as the Grand Canyon. Entrepreneurs are problem solvers, always looking for new ideas around which they can create a business
  • No whining: Problem solvers don’t whine. If one option doesn’t work, it’s on to another and another and another until they find one or agree one doesn’t exist. But to whine would be counter-productive and wouldn’t get them any closer to helping others find creative solutions. As Anthony J. D’Angelo said, “If you have time to whine and complain about something, then you have time to do something about it.”
  • Go beyond the obvious: Almost every challenge or issue has an immediate and obvious answer. That doesn’t mean however that first answer is always the best course of action and problem solvers dig deeper. They’ll ask questions, take notes and discover what’s working and what’s not. Their options will usually be more encompassing and will look to not only solve the immediate challenges, but those that may yet be on the horizon.
  • Always willing to learn: Order takers are happy there are clients that don’t need a lot of hand holding. Problem solvers want clients that challenge them and make them look for new ways to tackle challenges. They are always learning, reading books and articles, taking classes. They understand the world is growing at an incredibly fast pace and if you aren’t keeping up, you’re falling behind. They understand continuous self-education is a key to their success.

 At the end of the day I’d say I fall into both of these categories. While I’m more than willing to be an order taker if that’s all I think an opportunity offers, my best work is done when I’m working to solve a problem. That’s when the creative juices kick in, when I’m most enthusiastic and when my customers understand I’m there to help them with their challenges and to help make them look good.

 The need for problem solvers is at an all-time high as the world grows more and more complex. If you learn all you can, go beyond the obvious, be creative and don’t whine, chances are you will be successful beyond your wildest dreams and help others along the way.

 I work with my customers to evaluate their promotional marketing needs and develop creative and measurable solutions based on those needs. I build long-term relationships to become a trusted advisor my clients turn to for their brand extension, promotional product, incentive and other branding needs. Contact me at stephen.woodburn@staplespromoproducts.com  

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Posted by: brandextenders | March 10, 2012

Think You’re Creative as a Rock? Think Again

It was pitch black as I used my cane and an outstretched arm to figure out where I was. Other people around me were doing the same thing in a true case of the blind leading the blind while cars honked and zoomed by. We heard our guide calling us towards him and we groped our way towards his voice, canes tapping the pavement and arms scanning back and forth for obstacles.

No, this wasn’t a nightmare, but a theatrical experience called “Dialogue in the Dark” where you spend some 45 minutes virtually blind and learn what it’s like to live in a world where light is a precious commodity we mostly take for granted.

Creativity, like sight, is something we are all born with in varying degrees. It’s the ability to see connections and possibilities where others do not and to develop those ideas into something viable. While we may not be wired like Michelangelo or JK Rowling (Harry Potter books) or Taylor Swift, we can all do things that will help us tap into that creative streak within. Here are just a few to get you started:

  1. Attend Creative Events: “Dialogue in the Dark” forced my brain to think differently about how to get around. Plays, museums, concerts, movies, art galleries or any other venue where creativity is a key component will open up pathways in your brain that can lead to creative breakthroughs
  2. Exercise: Working out be it at the gym, jogging, walking or yoga has been proven to boost creativity. Studies have shown that almost every area of the brain is enhanced by 30 minutes of aerobic exercise and the effect can last for up to two hours. I find some of my most creative ideas during and after I workout at the gym.
  3. Take a break: Some people meditate, some take naps or read or just sit quietly taking in their environment. Resting your mind with inactivity may not instantly generate creative ideas, but this quiet time changes the dynamics of our brains. The noise, noise, noise in our world shuts out creativity for most of us while quiet helps the brain recharge and focus on creative tasks.
  4.  Work on a passion: Hobbies are a great way to get the creative juices flowing be it quilting, model building, jigsaw puzzles, writing, woodworking or whatever. These activities force your brain to make connections in different ways and open new pathways that can make the creative juices flow.
  5. Always be curious: Curiosity may have killed the cat, but in humans it can be a powerful way to generate creative thoughts and ideas. Always be willing to discover new things, ask questions, travel, explore and be enthusiastic about life. Take classes and be willing to learn because you just never know when new information will bring about the breakthrough you’ve been looking for.

Charles H. Duell, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office famously said in 1899 , “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” I would hazard to say more ideas and things have been created, patented and trademarked in the past 100 years than at any time in history and his comment shows just how limiting our thoughts can be.

Creativity isn’t always pretty, but it can be funny as Sacha Baron Cohen so aptly portrayed recently at last month’s Oscar awards when he arrived in the costume from his newest movie and was interviewed by Ryan Seacrest:

Rude, crude and obnoxious it may be, but you have to admit it was pretty darn creative.

Ayn Rand, who wrote “Atlas Shrugged” said, “A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.” You may think you’re creative as a rock, but just remember the guy who took a rock and made millions with his invention of Pet Rocks. Really?

I work with my customers to evaluate their promotional marketing needs and develop creative and measurable solutions based on those needs. I build long-term relationships to become a trusted advisor my clients turn to for their brand extension, promotional product, incentive and other branding needs. Contact me at stephen.woodburn@staplespromoproducts.com

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Posted by: brandextenders | January 17, 2012

Gen C is Out to Change the World…and They Will

As American veterans returned from World War II, they were eager to settle down and make their place in the world. The world was changed and would change even more as the Baby Boom generation came into being. Born between 1946 and 1964, these 72 million Americans would create a population bulge that holds the most affluence of any generation to date. From the Boomers came Gen X, born in the mid-60’s to approximately 1982 followed by Generation Y, called the Internet generation or the Millennials, generally born between 1982 and the mid-90’s.

Those coming of age now are sometimes called Generation Z (born early 90’s to the present) or Gen C for “connected.” By 2020 this group will make up 40% of the population and because of their connectivity are already changing the way we communicate and connect to the world. From Facebook to Twitter to texting and instant messaging, this generation is the first to not understand a world that wasn’t connected 24/7. As a result, how we live, purchase, connect, do business and communicate worldwide will transform over the next decade and here’s just a glimpse what that transformation could mean:

Connected 24/7: By 2020 it’s predicted 6 billion people, or 80% of the world’s population will have a Smartphone or mobile device to which they can connect to the grid day and night. Communication with friends and others in our individual sphere of influence will be instant. According to a report by Booz & Company, “The Rise of Generation C – Implications for the World of 2020”, our days will become a seamless online mix of work, commuting, shopping, socializing and entertaining and off-line time will become rarer and more valued.

In the Cloud: The world of computing is moving from information being stored on individual devices (i.e. desktops and laptops) to being stored on servers “in the cloud.” Smartphones, iPads and tablets are leading the way with smaller internal storage, but apps to work with services and data stored online. This means data will be accessible from a variety of devices anywhere in the world where there is connectivity. As privacy and security become less of a concern with more sophisticated networks, people will feel more comfortable sharing their personal data. Viral marketing and peer reviews (like Yelp) will become benchmarks for businesses to either flourish or die and traditional marketing will become less and less effective with Generation C.

Work Life: As Gen C moves into the workforce, the way companies interact with employees will shift. More and more people will work from virtual offices located worldwide and develop virtual teams that will work on projects geared to bring products and services to non-Western countries where many of these virtual workers reside. The traditional 9-5 day will become blurred as more and more people work from home and a recent Booz & Co. survey of CIO’s showed half believe within three to five years employees will use their own computers at work. Technology and connectivity are growing in developing countries as well and will not only bring more consumers into the marketplace for businesses to reach online, but will create more entrepreneurs with new ideas to bring to the marketplace in their own countries.

So what does all this mean for us? Based on numerous studies and research it looks like Generation C will connect the world in a way never seen before. “It’s a small world” will become their mantra as they make friends and do business on a truly global scale. Businesses will need to be nimble in learning new technologies and how best to incorporate them into their websites and social media sites. Mobile-enabled technology will not be an option, it will be the standard and tools such as augmented reality will make it easier than ever to see how products you like look in your home or, in the case of clothes, on you.

What’s coming in the next decade will change the world in the same way the industrial revolution did, but much more quickly. As hard, and expensive, as it may be at times it’s imperative we keep up with the ever-increasing speed of change. Technology is to Gen C what machines were to Henry Ford and others of his generation and the speed of change over the next decade will make the last 10 years look glacial.

Don’t be the person Stewart Brand was talking about when he said, “Once a new technology rolls over you, if you’re not part of the steamroller, you’re part of the road.”

I work with my customers to evaluate their promotional marketing needs and develop creative and measurable solutions based on those needs. I build long-term relationships to become a trusted advisor my clients turn to for their brand extension, promotional product, incentive and other branding needs. Contact me at stephen.woodburn@staplespromoproducts.com  

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Posted by: brandextenders | January 10, 2012

Do You Recognize This Teen? Perhaps it’s Yours?

The world is changing quicker than anyone would have ever imagined and the newest generation is leading the way. Let’s look in on a typical 19 year-olds day:

He is gently awakened by an app on his iPhone and the first thing he does is check to see how he slept. After noting it was a relatively good night’s rest he looks at who texted him overnight and responds to several. He opens a weather app for the weekend forecast when he’s hoping to go hiking with friends. Then it’s off to the shower where he clicks on Pandora to listen to some country music while he gets clean. Afterwards more text messages (the average teen receives and sends over 100 text messages a day!) then over to Facebook to see what his friends are up to. He updates his status then watches a YouTube video a friend recommended.

It’s the first week of college and as he attends each class he notes the text books he’ll need and checks on the Chegg app to see if it’s cheaper to rent or buy each book. In class he takes notes on the built-in note taking app on his iPhone so he can refer to them later when studying. Of course, throughout the day he continues to check and respond to texts and even makes a few calls to confirm the time he and a couple of friends will study that evening.

After classes it’s back to the dorm where he uses Instagram to upload a few photos he’s taken during the day to Facebook and Flickr. Then off to the gym to work out with an app that tracks his progress while he listens to music on iTunes. Back in the car he responds to a few texts, looks on the GPS to make sure he knows how to get to his friend’s house to study and orders pizza from a local restaurant to be delivered while they study. That evening, back in his dorm, he Skypes his parents to wish his mom a happy birthday and asks if she got the flowers he’d ordered online. He watches an episode of his favorite TV show on Hulu before setting his alarm, laying the phone next to him and turning off the light.

Teens are connected 24/7

This teenager is a member of Generation C; the most connected, communicative, content-oriented, computerized and clicking generation born after 1990. By 2020 they will make up 40% of the population in the U.S. and Europe and constitute the largest group of consumers worldwide. They live online most of their waking hours and over the next decade they are going to transform the way we work, play and consume products and services.

So what does all this mean for you? It means the world around you will continue to change rapidly and my next blog will look at what some of those changes might be and how they will affect the way we do business. Stay tuned.

I work with my customers to evaluate their promotional marketing needs and develop creative and measurable solutions based on those needs. I build long-term relationships to become a trusted advisor my clients turn to for their brand extension, promotional product, incentive and other branding needs. Contact me at stephen.woodburn@staplespromoproducts.com  

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Posted by: brandextenders | December 2, 2011

What’s Your Joy?

(This is a blog I originally wrote five years ago and re-publish each holiday season. It seems a good time of year to look for the joy in our lives and find ways to show it to others on a daily basis. Sadly, our friend’s mom who was the inspiration for this article passed away two years ago, but her passion and memory lives on in my mind.)

We sat in the dining room of a friend’s home, having just finished a delicious and filling Thanksgiving meal. My wife Stasia, our two sons and I had taken a road trip to Florida to visit friends with children the same age as ours, albeit girls. Our friend’s mom, Elaine Feder,  a former dance instructor and now in her late 70s, sat across from me and it was she that asked the question, “What’s your joy?” One by one, we went around the table as she queried each of us, looking for an answer that came from our hearts.

Elaine Feder’s Smile

For one of us, it was traveling and being able to help others go to the places she had been. Another told us reading was his passion—and taking naps (one with which I could strong identify!). Yet another loved woodworking and spending time in his shop creating things others would use and enjoy.

When she got to me, I answered, “My joy is my family and the time we spend together as I realize how, before we know it, our children will be grown and gone.” She responded that family should be a joy, but she probed deeper, wanting to know what lit my fire and what was it inside of me that sparked passion? I told her I loved to write and touch people’s hearts with the words I strung together to form the articles, stories and plays I create. I told her I also loved to teach about our industry and help others understand what a diverse and creative medium it is.

What this wise woman was hoping to do was to get me—and all of us around the table—thinking about what brought joy to our lives and how we could tap into it more often.

The sad part is that to survive in the work-a-day world, the majority of us have suppressed those things that make us passionate. Many have so repressed the things that bring them joy they can’t even tell you what really gets them fired up. In each of us though, no matter how deeply we’ve buried it, there is a passion that if brought to light and developed can not only make us happier as individuals but also bring joy to others as well.

Your work may be your passion, but chances are it is not. You may love to paint pictures, play an instrument, work in your garden or cook—and odds are you do this outside of your job. But why does this have to be?

I have a friend who is very good at sketching and has turned this love into a career by drawing people’s homes in pen and ink. She then sells these pictures to homeowners to frame for their walls and for putting on note cards, holiday cards and other things with the house prominently displayed. She loves what she does and is able to touch people’s hearts with the artistic gifts she’s been given.

So how do you go about finding your joy, your passion? Here are a few steps that may help:

  • During some quiet time in your life, ask yourself what you consider fun? What do you get a kick out of doing? Richard Nelson Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?, says, “Imagine you’re at a party and you overhear someone talking about a subject that fascinates you, one that makes you want to join in the conversation. Ask yourself, what would that subject be?” Also, think back to your childhood and try to remember what you enjoyed doing back then. Chances are if you were passionate about something as a child, it’s probably something you can be passionate about as an adult as well. 
  • Determine your talents. Take a sheet of paper and brainstorm those things you enjoy doing and at which you’re good. We all have things we do that we enjoy and at which are skilled, but if you have trouble listing your gifts, ask those you trust what they think your best skills are. These might include sports, artistic endeavors, working with your hands or being mechanical. 
  • Find the significance in your current work.Stephen Covey, author of the bestseller The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People, suggests asking yourself three questions:

1. Do I like what I’m doing?

2. Am I good at it?

3. Does the world need it?

If you’re passionate about something, but the world doesn’t need it, chances are you’ll eventually get frustrated. But if you’re really good at something, enjoy doing it and it’s something the world needs, what a chance to make a difference and earn a living at the same time. I truly believe we choose our career paths intuitively. If you can come to understand why you’re on the path you are, you’ll become empowered to make future choices to do the most good for yourself and the world around you.

Let’s face it, you’re going to spend tens of thousands of hours working during the course of your life, so why not spend that time doing something that will leave a positive imprint on those people and things you touch?

One of my passions is continuing education, and I agree with Oprah Winfrey who said, “Education is freedom.” As a result, I not only take classes on a regular basis to advance myself, but I also volunteer with Junior Achievement to teach business skills to 7th and 8th graders. These kids learn about science, math and social studies through a core curriculum, but business skills are something they may not learn until college, if then. I realize these kids won’t take what I teach them and become the next Bill Gates, Ted Turner or Fred Smith (founder of FedEx); but I pray I can reach just one in each class and touch something inside that one to help make a positive difference for the future. The key is I don’t know which of the kids I’ll reach, so I treat them all as though they are the one—and who knows, maybe one day I will reach them all!

Finding your joy and a way to share it with others, as your life’s work or a hobby, is an adventure that can bring bountiful rewards. To me, it’s what life is all about, the reason I’m here and why I wake up each day excited about the opportunities I’ll encounter. That’s not to say it’s always an easy adventure, but what in life that’s worthwhile is easy? Katherine Graham, owner and former publisher of the Washington Post, sums it up for me, “To love what you do and feel that it matters, how could anything be more fun?”

I work with my customers to evaluate their promotional marketing needs and develop creative and measurable solutions based on those needs. I build long-term relationships to become a trusted advisor my clients turn to for their brand extension, promotional product, incentive and other branding needs. Contact me at stephen.woodburn@staplespromoproducts.com

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