Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications

Positive PR - Even In The Middle East

Thanks for reading our business publication focused on advertising, marketing and public relations.

Say the word "Israel" to a hundred people and you'll no doubt get one hundred image descriptions. 

All different.

That is why this ad, taken out in today's editon of The Wall Street Journal, is so cool.

Not many Americans realize the modern advances that have come from Eretz Israel (The Land of Israel) and this is a neat visual reminder.

From the advertising side, we've had clients who demand lots of words in their ads.  I think I'll keep this as a reminder of how simple and effective a message, with only 31 words on a full page, can be.  That is the first lesson.

The second is a question:

How does your company use it's "voice" to capture the reality of your goods or service especially when there are competing realities?

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications

Agriculture - Caught In The Middle

Thanks for reading our business publication for folks interested in advertising, marketing & public relations.

It is the best of times and the worst of times...for agriculture.

It's also a public relations and marketing problem that needs to be solved quickly.

Here in the Middle of the Midwest we're seeing farmers enjoying some great times.  Crop prices are pushing upward due to a host of factors including ethanol, exports and genetics. 

That's one side of the story.

The other is that food prices have been climbing, there is a shortage of food in some parts of the country and other nations are pointing the finger at US agriculture as commodities have inflated by up to 40% in just months...  Once the "breadbasket of the world" we're now seen as greedy farmers.

And there are other issues:

The 2008 Farm Bill is stalled, the price of fuel continues to increase, the weather is becoming a factor and people need a scapegoat.

Enter agriculture. 

Americans are further removed from agriculture than at any other time in our history.  There is a general lack of understanding where food comes from and where it goes...even here in Iowa.  A couple of generations ago most of us had family members on the farm.  Today, as the number of farmers shrink the scales tip toward urban thinking and acceptance.  That spells trouble for farming especially when the votes on critical rural issues need to be counted.

There is a bright spot.  Micro-Farms have begun to sprout up all over the country.  These are not the mega-farms profiled in the ag magazines but small farms and acreages that have embraced sustainable agriculture, new markets and local demands for high quality products.

And, unlike "traditional agriculture" these small farms and acreages have built a positive public relations image at farmers markets, through inventive media messages and e-commerce.

It's time main stream agriculture followed and no, the Farm Bureau and various commodity groups won't get it done.  Each of those is seen as too large, too political. 

We'd be interested in your take on this...are we wrong?

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications -

Michael Hutchison & Parrot Rescues - Hobby to Job

Rural Lifestyle, let's talk about it.  Sunday morning at 8 on 98.3 WOW-FM.  You can listen live if you are in Central Iowa or click this link and use your PC.  It's quick and easy...

Along with news, information and tips about living the rural lifestyle we'll also be visiting with Michael Hutchison of the Iowa Parrot Rescue located on his Letts, Iowa acreage.  What was his passion has now turned into a full time business for the retired school teacher.  "Parrots are great pets but so many people don't understand the amount of care and attention they need," says Hutchison.  "Last year we took in over 100 birds some as far away as 300 miles."

Hutchison isn't just caring for parrots he's also expanding his methods.  This weekend he has six families at his acreage learning how to build a parrot rescue operation.  He says there is a huge need.  "Based on our experience we believe we could use about thirty rescue operations across Iowa.  It's that large of an issue."  Others must think so too...this year he received a large grant to expand his facility.  His hobby has become his full time job.

Grab a cup of coffee and come by for a visit Sunday morning at 8.

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications...thanks for reading and now for listening.

How "Cool" Is Your Career?

Welcome to our Business Publication where we give you our insight on advertising, marketing, branding... things that can make a difference for your business.

Sunday morning on our Rural Lifestyle Radio Show - Highway 6 - Your Road to the Country we had a story about the "coolness quotient" of careers.  Do you know yours?  Do you want to?

The Harris Poll, taken late last summer, surveyed 1,010 US adults about career prestige.  Do you really want to know yours?  (By the way, we'll tie this into branding/marketing in just a minute.)

Six occupations were seen to hold high prestige among those questioned.  Here they are along with the percentage of folks who thought these jobs were "cool":

• Firefighters - 61%
• Scientists - 54%
• Teachers - 54%
• Doctors - 52%
• Military Officers - 52%
• Nurses - 50%

These were followed by:  Police Officers - 46%, Clergy - 42%, Farmers - 41%.

Meanwhile, if you have one of the following careers or positions your "Coolness Factor" is under 20%.  (Just what you needed to learn on this bright Tuesday morning.)

• Athletes - 16%
• Business Executives - 14%
• Journalists - 13%
• Union Leaders - 13%
• Stockbrokers - 12%

And the rest:  Entertainers - 12%, Accountants - 11%, Bankers - 10%, Actors - 9%, Real Estate Professionals - 5%.

FARMERS "out cool" Bankers by 31%! Why?  What is it about the upper level vs. the lower level careers that might just inflate how the career is perceived by the public?

We think two things and here is where branding careers comes in:

First take a look at the top end.  Each career has a sense of believability to them.  Second, how is each branded by the media, marketing, employees and pop culture?

The high percentage leaders all have an "US" quotient while the bottom end looks, to those who responded, as having their careers based on "ME".

And is it any wonder?  But, the bigger question is how to reverse these numbers.  That, my friends, is the secret of a combination of advertising, marketing, public relations and internal marketing...in other words:  Branding.  Doubtful???

Tomorrow:  An example:  Building the Banking Brand...by capturing the values of the upper level "coolness quotient" and mixing them with the public perception of banking.  It's just an idea...

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where we grow ideas...every day.

Davey, We Hardly Knew Ye!

Welcome to our Business Publication - Last week the Iowa Stars made if official.  They are outta here.  Headed to Austin, Texas.  Davey Allison and the gang have already cleaned out the lockers.  While I've been in mourning...

It was a good idea.

And it was also good timing.  The Iowa Stars had a good run for the first two years.  The bottom dropped out this year and we landed in last place in the division.

But...I don't write about hockey.  We do marketing and advertising and public relations.  The stuff that really matters.

And from all of those fronts this was a decision that had to be made...now.  Here's why:

Timing - We'll have another AHL hockey team in Des Moines but we're going to need time to name them and brand 'em.  If the decision were to have come much later 2008/2009 would have been a tough sell.  It may be that already.

Branding - Conventional wisdom says we should not tie ourselves too closely to another NHL team so the name should be "neutral"  I'm not that convinced.  The other thing the future team needs to consider if the negative brand left behind.  There were lots of "green and gold" sold (see the guy with the jacket?) that is just one negative.  The other?  The Iowa Barnstormers.  Last Saturday night there were 10,800 fans in "The Well".  We've got to come up with a way to bring more excitement to hockey and it's got to be done quickly.  Here are some other quick branding problems we've got to overcome:

• High Prices - Season Tickets are $20 each.  There are 40 home games.  Do the math.  Two dozen french fries - $4.00.  A family of TWO can drop $100...easy.
• Fair Food - I love the State Fair...but something has to change at "The Well".  Funnel Cakes and Roasted Nuts....we can do better.
• Get Wild - Hockey is a full contact sport.  I've seen people ejected because they were "too loud".  Please.
• Poor Cross Promotion - Imagine giving away food certificates to Prairie Meadows "good only during the evening of Saturday, January 23rd"  Which just so happened to be a home game night.  What are you thinking?
• The "Out-of-Towner's" - The folks that make up the marketing and development arm of The Iowa Stars all came from "someplace else".  And you could spot that a mile away.  Want to win fans locally?  Get local.

In the end, this was a classic example of poor marketing and branding.  So, we need the time to build.  Will I be as solid behind another team?  Don't know...we've not yet started the process.  Besides, I'm a little grumpy these days.

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where we're just sore nobody listened to us three years ago.  See ya guys...

 

So, What Are You Doing For Mothers Day?

Insight Advertising - Our Business Publication

Now THAT might be a loaded question but I've got a reason for asking especially if you live in Central Iowa.  This is special...

We've teamed up with The Embassy Club and Dondino to bring to Des Moines a great Mother's Day Event.  Something really, really different!

An Elegant Mother's Day Event for mothers of all ages.  (Maybe even a great "date night" for you and your wife!)  Here are the details (well ahead of general publicity) so you can make plans now.

Saturday Night - May 10th (the night before Mother's Day) there will be a Dinner and Las Vegas Style Show in The Grand Hall of The Temple for Performing Arts.   This will not be like anything you've experienced before.  It is a great meal, gifts for all the ladies and a fantastic full blown show...Vegas Style.

The meal, according to our friend, General Manager and Culinary Director, Michael LaValle will be something very special.  "The Embassy Club is known for excellent food and top notch service.  Our goal here is to extend our reach into the community and build a series of special events at the Temple.  It will be something truly unique."

Headlining the evening will be the elegant, professional crooner Dondino.  An Italian native, raised in Brooklyn, Dondino spent years perfecting his show in Las Vegas.  Ten years ago Dondino moved to Des Moines where has been active in the Variety Club of Iowa.  While he continues to travel his home base is right here. "I love it in Des Moines", says Dondino.  "We've put our roots in one of the best cities in the nation and it's been very good for us."

Dondino will be doing the romantic standards of Sinatra, Martin, Davis along with his own compositions.

Make plans now for a very elegant Mother's Day Evening with the music of Dondino the fantastic food from The Embassy Club set in The Grand Hall of the Temple for Performing Arts.  Tickets can be purchased through the Embassy Club and major credit cards are honored.

• Dinner & VIP Stage Seating for the show - $65 each
• Dinner & Show - Tables of Ten - $50 each
• Show Only - $25 each

Dust off the "fancy duds".  For reservations - 515-244-2582

Michael P. Libbie - Now doesn't this sound like fun?

Customer Service - Good Stuff!

Insight Advertising, Marketing and Communications - Our Business Publication.

Every once in a while we experience a positive customer service experience.  True, they are getting to be fewer in number, but when they do happen it is a major breath of fresh air.

Here are a couple of examples.

If you read this publication from time to time you've perhaps learned of our miserable DISH Network story.  After awhile it became a game of sorts.  But, nobody was winning.  My wife suggested that we call the local guy that had put the system in and quit trying to get service from DISH Network.   I called Phil Shaw at 9am and he was at the house by 1:30 that afternoon.

Phil Shaw is the owner of City Satellite here in Des Moines.  It's a small, very small, business that got started because Phil saw so many bad customer service issues he decided to go out and make it happen on his own.

"I've been doing install work for a long time and I saw how some of these major companies just failed to follow up.  I honestly felt bad for their customers.  I knew I could do better."  Phil has been "on his own" for about 90 days.  We wish him well.  If you want to make contact, send him an e-mail.

The other recent experience was with April from Orbitcom.  Orbitcom is a telephone company out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  For years I've struggled with Quest trying to get them to reduce my rates, bundle services, etc.  Without any luck.

So, I was in the mood to switch when April called our office. The seamless sign up and ability to answer questions got my interest.  So, I did make the switch for our business.  Will they come through?  We'll let you know.  At this point it is a leap of faith.

But I can tell you, if the follow up customer service from Orbitcom is as good as the customer service representative.  You'll be hearing more from us.

Have any GOOD customer service stories?  Spread them around!

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications...thanks for reading.

Customer Service? You've Got To Be Kidding

Insight Advertising, Marketing and Communications - Our Business Publication.

We're becoming an angry lot.

We now have automated check out for purchases.  We then get to bag the groceries and haul 'em to the vehicle.  Have costs come down?

We no longer have to walk into the bank to do business.  We can use the Internet or drive up service at the ATM.  Have the fees come down?

Gone too are the days of getting "free estimates" for work.  Recently we had a plumbing issue.  We called around to find out what it might cost to fix the problem.  "We'll come out and take a look and give you an estimate.  Oh, and we charge a $65 fee for a service call."  A "service call bill" to give us an estimate!  We fixed it ourselves for $55 and a little time.

Oh...and go ahead.  Try, just try to get your Dish Network system fixed.  LOL....oh my.

So, it is during those rare instances when we experience (I hate to even say it.) "old fashioned customer service" that we become shocked.  And sometimes, as this article from MSNBC, says, "consumers are fighting back".

So tell us, is your company piling on "service fees", taking away human interaction and still charging more?

Don't...there will be a time of reckoning. Better to do a 180 from everybody else and give excellent service.  Folks will talk about it.

Tomorrow...an example of Superior Customer Service from two very different sources.

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications...thanks for reading.

Building A Brand Within A Brand

Welcome to our business publication where we share our opinion about the power of branding, marketing and public relations.

Those of you who come by here on a regular basis know how passionate we are about treating customers and clients with respect.  From time to time we hold up examples of folks who are doing great things to grow their business. 

This is one of those times.

Meet Steve Smith.  Steve owns the Fastsigns franchise near our office and we've used his printing services for well over four years.   It's not about him being close...it's about the passion and responsiveness of his staff.  These are the folks that have created a "brand within a brand".  Here's more:

Fastsigns is a corporation with now over 500 franchise locations across the country.  A couple of months ago Steve's business took home three awards.  The first two:

• Million Dollar Award - Exceeded One Million in sales for the year.
• Business Operator of the Year.  It's given to the owner who, "...exemplifies the Fastsign goal of making the buying experience seamless..."  One award per year.

Nice job!

Meet Jennifer Wiggins who manages the local Fastsigns.  Jennifer is often the first face we see and her help and patience with our clients (and us) has been remarkable.  At the same event Jennifer was awarded the Manager Recognition Award given to only to the top 10% of all Fastsign location managers.  Well deserved. 

Congrats.

So why are we tooting THEIR horn?  Because they "get it".  They understand how important it is to:

• Advertise their business on a consistent basis;
• Be involved in community projects;
• Be as helpful as they can to their clients, in every way;
• Go out of their way to finish the job on time and make it right if something goes south.

Here's the kicker:   Our company, Insight Advertising, has clients all over the country.  No doubt many of our clients have a sign company in their own city.  Maybe even a Fastsign franchise.  But, each time we need something we let our clients know we'll be using our local printer because we trust their work, know it will be done right and we can help manage the process to make the experience as seamless as possible...for our clients.

Our thanks to our Fastsign "partners" here in Des Moines.  But, more than that...congratulations on a job done well and for receiving the recognition of doing well.

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where we really appreciate the good works of others and glad to tell you the story.

Iowa Bicycle Coalition - On Tonight

Welcome to our Business Publication for Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications.

Some of you who read this know we do two radio shows here in the Des Moines, Iowa market.  The station is 98.3 WOW-FM and if you live outside of the area you can listen live using your PC.  Just click here and log in.. 

Tonight (Monday 4/21) is The Iowa Sportsman Radio Hour sponsored by our client, The Iowa Sportsman Magazine.  I know many of you enjoy bicycle riding just as much as you do hunting and fishing.  Tonight we've got a guest that might be of interest to you because what their group does impacts bicycling in Iowa.

We'll be visiting with Mark Wyatt the executive director of The Iowa Bicycle Coalition.  Over the past year or so we've featured all kinds of outdoor recreation topics and as the weather warms up lots of folks will be taking to the streets on their bicycle.

We'll talk about it and some of the benefits of using your bicycle.  We'll ask some questions about fees and licenses, the increase of deaths from bike/vehicle accidents, and what some folks are doing to try to limit bicycle use.  Should be interesting and if you've got a comment or question, remember it is a live call in show.

We'll also visit with Matt Bangson from Frontier Outfitting.  He'll be on to discuss the early turkey season reports and let us know what their customers are telling them.

Hope to have you listening tonight - The Iowa Sportsman Radio Hour - only on 98.3 WOW-FM

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications thanks for reading and perhaps for listening.