Weekend Booked

Trade show weekend...
Good "Classic" times.

Etrade Baby

I don't use Etrade, i prefer my good friend Kyle. This ad is not going to inspire me to begin using Etrade, but this ad did inspire me to blog it. That must be saying something? What, i don't know.

Fast 50 - Two Years In A Row

Local company Classic Construction is recognized as one of fastest growing companies in Alberta – again.

Click this link here, you'll see Classic listed 10th!

Classic is again the only company in South Eastern Alberta recognized as one of Alberta’s Fastest Growing Companies.

CCL locally owned & founded in 2002. Employer of me since 2006.

CCL is residential real estate developer specializing in affordable housing.
Past Classic Communities include: River Park Townhomes, Northland Villas, Northland Estates & Ranchland Estates.

Current Classic Communities include: Northlands Pointe (By Crescent Heights Co-op), Somerset Villas (behind Home Depot), Terrace Ridge Villas (Ranchlands), Norwood Grande (13th avenue property) & Sunrise Terrace Villas in High River.

Classic is currently working on a second site in High River. Classic is also in the process of developing land in Brooks Alberta & Canmore Alberta.

/another blogger released this info last year before i did after Classic Construction's first Fast 50 recognition (<- here) but this year, i'm going straight to you all myself. Good news will travel fast, the news will get out.

Ken Wong PR

"CT from Toronto asks: What should companies do to weather bad publicity? Are there any companies that you can think of that made a really bad move?

Ken Wong: There are so many different kinds of bad publicity that it is hard to come up with one set of recommendations. But at the most fundamental level, I always remember the Willie Nelson quote "if you are doing something you don't want other's to know about, then stop doing it." Translation—cease and desist whatever is generating the bad PR. Find the source of the action and correct it (assuming it is justified). Apologize if necessary but ALWAYS tell the truth. Second, don't forget that PR is about perception and not, necessarily, reality. Even if the allegation is not justified, legitimize the validity of the concern and then, ideally, do something that shows your commitment to that belief. In other words, do something that will enable you to say, in effect, "and here's what we do or have done to make sure nothing like that would ever happen here" (or happen again)."

In this instance the source isn't nearly as important as the sentiment. The entire interview is worth a read tho... you can find it at Report on Business

2007 Market Award

The Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce held their Small Business Awards Gala tonight.
The Medicine Hat News were proud sponsors of the 2007 Marketing Award.
Cancarb was the other nominee. I suspect it was a tight race for the judges... in the end tho, Classic Communities was called on as the winner of this prestigious 2007 award.
I had the opportunity to accept the award, smile for the photo opp and say a few words tonight at the banquet. That was fun. It went well enough. i didn't slur my words... and all the butterflies flew in formation. That helps a lot: Thanks Toastmasters!

Wendy's Contest Period Closed

The Wendy's Kick for a Million contest ends September 16th... that's a Sunday. Upon closer inspection, that is this Sunday, aka today. I have a total of 124 entries logged online for this contest. Not nearly enough i fear.

/This is that familiar part of addiction... the crash. :(

//And now, for the reflection... it was fun while it lasted;

August 26, 2007 - "The Baconator Made Me Do It"

September 3, 2007 - "Nine For Nine"

September 15, 2007 - "Stamps Game Today"

///Nothing left to do but wait for the phone call.

Nine for Nine

Every day, once a day you can kick field goals on Wendy's website. Each field goal you hit (getting consistently farther and farther away from the uprights) is worth an entry in their "Kick for a Million" contest.
I play this almost every day (i missed yesterday due to lack of computer access). Today, just moments ago, was the first time that i hit ALL NINE of the field goals (including the 50 yarder). Now, i realize this is an online game, and i further realize that i am labouring over a trite marketing campaign. But seriously, Nine for Nine... Boo-yeah! (i would so nail the real life 50 yarder for sure, now that i can account for wind direction and stuff)

You also get extra points when you Lift the Lip of your Wendy's drink. We were in Calgary this weekend (for the Zoo) and i wanted to eat at Wendy's for every meal. While i do like their menu more than most fast food shacks, i have to be brutally honest, all i could think of was getting more free entries in this addicting contest.

Is it weakness or strength?: We ate near Wendy's once, and it was all i could do to avoid going down their drive thru after dinner and buying a drink (i wasn't even thirsty) plus, i thought they might just sell me a couple dry cups, and save the actual fountain pop for someone else. Heh.

The Only Thing...

I like this campaign... it IS in your face. No sport is safe... "is the N in NFL for Nancy?" heh.

Do you follow sport? When you get past Vick and his dog fighting (ESPN synopsis here), the *other* biggest story right now is the gambling-ref scandal for the NBA.IN no other City than Dallas (home of NBA owner Mark Cuban) could they not just get away with their nba snip, but actually get an NBA owner to say "I think it's hysterical,". Heh, i really like Cubes. (and i can't wait for an episode of dancing with the stars this season, Mark, what are you thinking?)

The Baconator Made Me Do It

I like marketing. A lot. I could probably say that i *loved* marketing but, like the guy by the elevator in the recent Aero commerical "Love is such a strong word".

Subtle marketing for the soul is nice, but every once and a while i'll allow an in-your-face marketing campaign to grab my attention. How about that Baconator? The Official burger of the CFL. Heh. I love Wendy's. A lot. (Some folks aren't big fans of the new sandwich)

Lift The Lip (homage paid to Tim's Roll Up the Rim) today after lunch and won a free frosty. Them's are 1 in 9 odds. I'm hooked. So i grab both Pin #'s that i need to submit to the Wendys website and here i sit. I love the internets... i sure hope my odds carry on in my favor, i would love to kick for a million. Remember the last contest? The guy actually nailed the kick... he's raised the bar. I'm not sure if i'd nail the kick outside the 10 yard line, but in this contest, 10 yards is still worth ten grrr.

My odds would be infinitely better if i were able to use the PS2. (i kicked a 67 yard field goal once, Madden 2004 i think)

Recycling Myths

Not in an effort to talk you out of recycling, but rather in an effort to keep our support for recycling grounded in reality, i give you this link:

RECYCLING RUBBISH
EIGHT GREAT MYTHS ABOUT WASTE DISPOSAL

By Daniel K. Benjamin PERC Reports

/Well worth the read.

China's Draconian Response

"China on Tuesday executed its former chief food and drug regulator for taking bribes to approve medicines, in an apparently draconian warning to other officials after a series of scandals about the quality of Chinese products." - Financial Times - Asia Pacific

/i'm not sure this makes me feel any better, tho how you and i *feel* is exactly why this was done.

Advertiser Consumer

Consumer breaks up with Advertiser. This is good. Honest. The Spoon intro is so true. Funny enough. I found the link for the video on the site of one Ryan Anderson (not related)

The Break Up
Uploaded by geertdesager

Sturgeon & Fergus

We spent some time in a cottage on Sturgeon Lake, just down the coastline from Lindsay & Bobcaygeon (remember the Hip?).
Then, a little more time in Fergus, and the surrounding countryside. What a great assortment of old world architecture, cultural diversity & great farmers markets... Wow.

First, era had the pleasure of learning to ride (a dog).
It is going to be stampede soon... and you have to start *busting* something, why not Petey the Dog?



/for those of you with knowledge of the sport, yeah, era got a full 8 seconds in.




Next, while boating Sturgeon Lake, Ontario, era managed to use the wheel. He's gonna make a fine pirate some day.





Summer time meant Sun time... and era got his share. This boy knows how to travel, and how to relax.

/i bought a can of Cheetah Energy Drink... heh... Not to drink (yet), but to put on the shelf as a reminder of that pivotal race in 1988 that i watched & CHEERED as Ben Johnson won. And now this: "Yes, I Cheetah all the time." Punny i suppose... but it's not a big hit, as reviewed by ads that suck.

// i bought the book. Hard cover. Reading it has been an absolute blast.

Outdoor Advertising Still Excites

I like this: "Oh, how exciting. DraftFCB, Toronto has solved the energy crisis, having harnessed the power of sunlight to fuel this billboard." (link)

"the simple idea behind [...] 'War Orphans' made the jury's decision easy. Naive family wall paintings they may be, but seeing where shells of bullets have shattered the images is a great and easily understood metaphor." (link)

Both examples of outdoor advertising were linked from Adrants, a site i don't find the time to visit quite as often as i did a year ago. (tho, to be brutally honest, i still haven't changed the header & title information at the top of this site, so it does still state that this blog is really focused on outdoor advertising. Heh, these links were my months quota i suppose)

/speaking of a year ago, it was one year ago today that i started using delicious for bookmarking - not important, merely informational, like 9 tenths of the interweb today

Franchise Pharm in Kenya

Complete with micro loan goodness. Wow.

/That road where the shop is located... i've been there... or near there... or maybe all the towns along the equator in Kenya start to look eerily similar.

Open Letter re Downtown Revitalization

Dear members of the City Centre Ad Hoc Committee;

I read this press release from the City of Medicine Hat (Media Release 3 April, 2007) with mixed response (another Downtown Study?) i'm weary, and i hate to say that.

Downtown Revitalization is close to my heart. Not merely due to the personal investment i made in owning and operating a retail business for almost 10 years in our City core, nor the fact that i was blessed to sit on the Downtown Business Revitalization Board for almost five years (or was it six?). Those were great years...

I find it interesting (and it may be the lack of sleep talking) but, this article asking "Can Aid bring an end to poverty?" (BBC Africa) regarding Africa juxtaposes well our current City options, or at least the options as this press release leads me to believe.

""The best tonic for poverty is growth, and the growth has come where the government has de-controlled and allowed competition and enterprise to flourish." - Comments from the above linked BBC Africa article. (there are lots more, and it is definitely worth the read, for a mix of viewpoints if nothing else)

"The Committee’s recommendation includes:
• The City redeveloping an existing property or developing a new project in the city centre using “Smart Growth” principles. In addition, the Committee encouraged the City to consider partnerships, incentives and/or alternatives to ensure the project proceeds.
• The City implementing specific physical development guidelines that will provide direction to future development projects in the city centre.
• The City moving quickly on its commitment to do a Downtown Redevelopment Study." (lifted directly from the above linked Media Release)

I'll cut and paste a couple brief talking points from the above text:

"City to consider partnerships, incentives and/or alternatives"
- Please do this rather than spending more City money on redeveloping existing property. Merely throwing more City money at this issue is a sort of pandora's box which is best left alone from a civic political stand point (Please head this opinion). Further, from a marketing stand point, if we could, as a community (or at least as City leadership) drop from our vernacular this all to common perspective that the City needs to save us (us being those vested in downtown revitalization) we might further separate the concept of Downtown Revitalization from one current view: That Revitalization is merely a hand-out for the (apparently) slowly diminishing business' within the Core. We would do well to consider the perspective of the City at large, and address this perspective (if it isn't already to late for most). This is specifically where i bridge the comments made about Aid within the above BBC article and our City's Revitalization process. (i fear i'm rambling, it is late)

"The City implementing specific physical development guidelines"
- With these guidelines you intend to present, it is (in my humble opinion) imperative that you also bring to the table concessions of some sort. Not hand outs... but open dialog with developers & current building owners. Make their lives a little easier (it does not need to be merely a dollar and cents issue). My fear would be driving away honest free market interest in our Core by adding to the red tape. It's worth it, in the end (read above quote taken from BBC article regarding the opportunity to flourish.

My points may not be new to the Ad Hoc Committee and her members, regardless, i appreciate your taking the time to read them. Our City Centre is close to my heart, and i do look forward to when it has been truly revitalized. Another mere strategic building may not do the trick, but honest, wise diligent leadership can... and that is, in fact what we hope to see here.

MedHatBlog has an ongoing conversation regarding this issue. I'll go now and read that.

Film Festival Print Ads Taste Great

Ahhh... Shouldn't all print advertising feel this good? Taste this good? take us back to a special place? Heh. Memories... The Canadian Film Festival taps into those with these print elements. Made great because they are Canadianized: Made local, "Canuck Spin" they call it. I read some Americans that don't get it. That's ok. It's just subtle enough to mean something.







/Good luck getting this tune out of your mind before you go to sleep. Heh.

Telus Marketing

When Telus was young, i too was young. The company was exciting, and following their take over of Mike with all the increased marketing and advertising that implemented i was struck. This might be a company to work for, for no other reason than to buy stock (1995 prices compared to 2007 prices - i might cry). I loved what they were doing with growth and marketing, but i didn't love it that much.

Since those early days, Telus has grown to be a major player nation wide (sea to sea to sea, as they call it now). While they've grown, my hypothetical stock options growing with them, Telus lost its lustre. I left their internet service for perceived better. In fact, i have left Telus for everything they provide except a home phone line, and that merely, is due to lack of choice (so far). It is all about choice.

Recently, Telus struggled out of the gate, and in a flash, they were correcting and moving on.

Phone companies cozy up as woo date draws near by Dave Watson is an excellent opinion piece published March 1st, looking forward to what was to come in Cell Mobility.

Fast forward to last week. CRTC enables cell users to take their cell number with them when they leave one provider for another. Choice again, this is likely a huge barrier limiting the transfer of customers from one provider to another. If i were still a Telus Mobility subscriber, now would be the opportune time to leave. In fact, i am likely not the only one with that sentiment. You would think an exodus of sorts could occur, seeing as that last reason NOT to switch has been removed. I'd expect marketing from every other mobility player in the Alberta market: "Switch now, get a hug form a Bell representative" or some such.

We are a week into the "switching time" and all i've seen are ads (and ads and ads) informing me that i can finally switch to Telus. Like, all this time i've been waiting. I haven't (has anyone?). But that gets to my point: Telus has done right. Again. And their stock will reflect that. Again. They were ready, the moment the CRTC opened the gates, Telus stepped in to take command of the conversation. Perfect timing. Taking advantage of choice. Right now, in Alberta, when i think of choice... i hate to say it. So i won't, but do you know which provider i think of first?


I wonder where the other players were... maybe they don't need any more customers? maybe they don't want any more of Telus customers than just naturally switch without being enticed. Maybe Telus really is verging on Evil Empire ground...

Trade Show TV Interview Snippet

March 2nd 2007 Classic Communities @ The Medicine Hat Home Garden & Leisure Tradeshow
Video sent by jaceanderson

i blogged the tradeshow briefly, but this video gives you a look at our booth (or six of them to be exact). We sold a lot of homes that weekend. People go to trade shows and buy houses... Only in Medicine Hat.
Ahh, suprise media visits... good times.

/Kudos to Daily Motion, the french based online video site i chose to host this video (because they allow videos up to 150 mbs, and this video is close to that threshhold) Zippy just couldn't do it, not this time.

300

This might be one of the best movies released in a very long time. Seriously. Frank Miller is that much the genius.

Tonight is opening nite, tomorrow i go to see the flick on the big screen. Bittersweet, seeing as Medicine Hat today lost TWO theatres. Landmarks really.

Until then, i watch the trailer again, and again (as i have been for weeks)... and dream of this NES game that never was...

Heh.

***** UPDATE *****
300 Brings History to Life
The early theatre openings suggest i am not alone in wanting desperately to see this movie. Early showings of 300 draw sell out crowds.

Mark Cuban Gets Respect

Give Cuban a Cigar

I've been on that band wagon for years... prior to his purchase of the Mavs in fact. Not that it matters, i love the mans business acumen, savvy and willingness to be open. His blogging ways sure help too.

The missing poster

Imagine you get an "image not found" error while you "browse" on a street... this is what you will get.

/Ahh, it's been a while since i blogged about outdoor advertising. my focus has seen subtle and not so subtle shifts.

Outdoor Advertising Nuff Said

Simplicity is married with Message on a letterboard in Medicine Hat.
Of some ongoing discussion lately is when the local Earls Restaurant is going to open again after a nasty fire. The customers are getting restless, there has been much speculation, and much silence.
Driving by their location on Dunmore rd this morning i saw their black backed letter board advertisement in the parking lot. An example of outdoor advertising getting the viewing traffic to send a succinct message.

"MAR 15
NUFF SAID"

That is all it needs to say. No question at all. The message is for their faithful. For the expectant. And it hits home. Brief, simple and... we'll... just great mechanics. Utilizing space, medium and message.
Nuff Said.

Outdoor AAA NYC Ratatat Amanda

Let me weave Outdoor advertising, video blogging and a reminder of Amanda Congdon all into one post (and somehow include more electronica music): Read on.
Outdoor advertising in NYC is a billion dollar a year industry. I recall the City selling the account by taking proposals from prospective marketing/advertising corps (did i blog it? i wonder). i was at the time, with Pitch, and thought about showing up with an Offer (the experience would have been more than worth the airfare). it doesnt't take too many accounts like that, making a couple points off of each billion dollar a year account and pretty soon your sunning on a beach somewhere (earning 20 percent).
Rocketboom was also a site (one of the first mainstream vlogs around) i used to frequent daily (you might recall the blogging i did that related). Back when Amanda Congdon was the host.
On a wim i visited their daily video blog site today... and selected a couple different days this past week (they don't publish on weekends). Not as compelling as it was in the past. i won't make it a daily visit. what i did see tho was artistically relevant, and interesting considering my work history... Thursdays episode of last week to be exact. (decent soundtrack).
The Anti Adveritising Agency(AAA) was taking a grassroots approach to muffling the *noise* on New Yorks crowded streets. They were targeting outdoor advertising... they were nipping at that Cities billion dollars in revenue each and every year. Creative too. subtle enough. well worth the look, for more than just the soundtrack. (Click here for more of their machinations)

How was that?

Power 150

Rahhhhhh! Power 150. That either sounds like a hard rock radio station or a heavy metal radio station. It might sound a little bit like a glam rock radio station. Rawr...

Actually, tho, the Power 150 is a listing of the top 150 PR & Marketing sites on the internet. Fellow by the name of Todd has developed a metric, and fills out the list quite nicely (thanks to C.H. for sending me the link to this site). I find i read the top few on a daily or weekly basis, and read several others on a rare-ney-freak occurrence (spot the lingo?). Even more tho, i found brand new marketing sites to read. This internet is a really big place.
i was hoping to find my site in the top 150, (i have a reasonable google pagerank, and i've recently accepted my 3rd best blogger on earth award)i would have settled for a spot in their 150-170 slot of also rans... maybe i blog a little too much about era and minutiae.

CRA SR&ED & The Falafel King

Good times. i would have liked to blog this from downtown Calgary this morning, would have liked to, but didn't. i spent this morning in a seminar at the CRA learning about SR&ED and form T661 (or was it T116) either way, i'm not going to tell you. If you care, go ahead and google it. Not a big deal either way.
The big deal tho, was my mandatory visit, every time i get downtown Calgary, i want to walk Stephens Ave to see my good friend the Falafel King. I don't know the King personally. His swarma is as good as it gets in Canada (Lusaka's is much better, but i digress). i walked into the cramped little kingdom over lunch, the place was bustling, Falafel king is NO secret. The King himself( Falafel, not this one) walked up, and smiled, "it's good to see you again my friend". It's been a year, at least. i'm not nearly spectacular enough to recall. He's just that nice. And his business shows.

Cereal & Cereality

The Fast Food Cereal Restaurant concept is a recent phenom in the US. Generally located near or on University and College Campuses (those quirky kids). They are a nice fast-food option where you can grab a quick bowl of your favorite breakfast cereal (Cinnamon Toast Crunch) to go, with your choice of milk (including Soy). Cereality is one of the early adopters of this concept...

How much start up capital is needed? Not as much as you would think... Before that though, consider how great a talking point this would be! Fun to do, and even more fun to visit (if developed correctly of course).

Anyone in Medicine Hat interested in opening this discussion... let me know!

Breakfast cereal, all day, every day... eat in or take out! The selection would be key. Developing key relationships with local retailers (like Sobeys) would further the branding, while giving the marketing a valid initial push.

The world needs more grown ups eating breakfast cereal, Lets see Morgan Spurlock make an indie flick about this. Medicine Hat's first breakfast cereal bar would be modern, trendy, hip, healthy, quirky and bilingual (remember that all Canadian cereal boxes are French and English, all the French i know, i learned from Kelloggs Frosted Flakes).

This, my friends, may be what we have ALL been looking for, the entrepreneurial spirit, longing to be combined with a good source of 11+ Vitamins and Minerals (classic breakfast cereal speak).

i'd keep writing, but it's late, and i am overcome with a real breakfast cereal craving. Chat later.

The Official Pejmanesque Coffee*

Yes, there is someone else who loves a cup of coffee as much (or more) than i do... You will not find a Starbucks in Medicine Hat, and i am not eagerly anticipating their entrance to our local market (although a Chapters would be nice). Tim's on the other hand continues to flourish and grow locally (nationally and internationally as well).

Why would Tim's would open a brand new location on 13th? So close to their current location on Dunmore? (an even deeper question: Why do you see Starbucks franchises opening up across the street from Starbucks?) Likely due to the fact that their Dunmore location is incapable of selling every cup of coffee in demand.

How many times have you driven past the Dunmore Tim's for a cup, only to keep driving because their drive-thru line up is already down the road half way to Leons? We all have! Or better yet, how often do you wait in line anyways, knowing full well you could brew your own pot of coffee in the time it may take to order up your double-double... this is NO disrespect to Tim's... Just the opposite, their marketing is profoundly spot-on for their customer base.

The franchise is doing things right. We continue to roll up the rim to win. The local ownership is fantastic. Line ups will form at their 13th street location (and they surely will). i wonder which direction they will go.

Ronald, Wal Mart... maybe You? WIFI Master.

What single national/international company could change the landscape for WiFi hotspots?
Wi-Max is not something that i have been agressively following... but any tech issue that can show further world dominance for such institutions as MacDonalds (aka Ronald) and Wal Mart is definitely worth a quick scan.

"America's largest single owner of real estate, MacDonalds, with 15,000 locations... It is well within Ronalds power. Nobody messes with Ronald. Nobody."
i, cringely.

"Walmart Communications - A Look Into the Future"
Dan Sherman

Perception is Reality

Ron Artest currently of the Indiana Pacers... you will be hearing his name quite a bit in the next while. He was at the centre of an on and off court brawl between fans and players near the end of the Pistons / Pacers game last nite. i had the opportunity to follow immediate response via the internet... great tool this. I see no continued value in casting blame (i had ample opportunity to do that last nite via MS Messanger, thanks Dave & Rich) i read bias from one source to another last nite. Now tho, it initially appears as if the wagons have circled (voices have unified, dust has settled and blame has been leveled) Now we wait on the investigation.

How will this latest brawl/event further shape the NBA profile. This is hardly a positive. Overall perception of the NBA is already struggling, which leads me to believe that the NBA could use a damage control specialist (hey David Stern, drop me an email) because, what they compromise they lose.

Kent State University simply states: public relations is “the strategic management of communication and relationships between organizations and their key publics.” or, in other words, PR specialists (intend to) control how organizations and their products or services are perceived by the public. (Pro Sports, can you hear me now?)

With the current lock-out in NHL Hockey, the public perception of team owners and players is as important, long-term, as how the bargaining is handled... or not handled as the case appears to be.

Do you and i act based on reality or a perception of reality? Our goal is to test and check our perceptions against reality.

Mr. Alexander of the University of Northern Colorado illustrates his teaching method: Perception is Reality! This is a great illustration that includes screaming students and a carton of eggs... good times :)