clemans on marketing: confessions and misdemeanors

Immortality is in the Bag.

Hint Fashion Magazine's celebrity totes "flew off their servers like porn". Each star is surrounded by his or her personal trademarks, from doves and gloves to monkeys and guitars. Hmmmm. Seems like an awesome, fun, and cheap way to promote your brand and get it carried around. Swag it.

Gallery Lafayette Gets it Done!

Christmas in Paris. Who can resist? Happy Holidays to All!

Remember the fat man.

The CEO of a software start-up wanted me to justify our branding solutions and marketing campaign to his 300 lb. billionaire investor. He said the investor would have one question only, "How is what you do going to make me money." This guy didn't care about customers, font size, social media, advertainment value, or brand magic. Though initially taken aback by the challenge, it turned out to be a worthy exercise. Now, no matter the project, I keep the fat man top of mind.

A Case of the Mona Lisa Versus Leroy Neiman

Someone has to be the party-pooper...

Much of what passes for graphic design stinks.

With the advent of the personal computer, untrained civilians started taking matters into their own hands and away from the professionals, jauntily desktop publishing, font fondling and templatizing their "so called" designs into aesthetically-challenged brochures, websites, logos, mailers, sell sheets, etc.

Why settle for Leroy Neiman when you can have the Mona Lisa?

There is indeed a difference.

Exceptional graphic design means your marketing communications will be more unique, targeted, and better looking.

You'll get a logical messaging hierarchy, images and typography in balance, strategy translated into graphic design solutions, project objectives met, white space where it should be, a sophisticated color palette, controlled chaos if required, compelling concepts, print production knowledge, and technology serving the design, not the other way around. I could go on, but will stop now, hoping I've made my point.

Hire professional graphic designers, educated at the best schools and with experience working in the trenches with the best firms. Your product, service, business, and/or company may require this level of expertise to achieve and maintain a competitive edge.

"Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated."
~ Paul Rand

Graphic design examples by Clemans & Partners.

Beyond trousers.

Twice this past week, I witnessed husky men sporting kilts, and not in the Castro, Clackmannanshire or Seattle. First I thought, great legs. Then I thought about how slight leaps from the norm, turn heads. With more emphasis on marketing chutzpah, your website, ad, banner, direct marketing campaign, branding or brochure can turn heads too.

By the way, check out Utilikilts.com!

Funny Business.

We spent the weekend in Tahoe, skiing, reading, watching and fast forwarding old movies like Rear Window, Mon Oncle, La Strada and Blood Work. Drinking reasonably decent wine, including Faiveley's 2002 Pinot, Louis Jadot 2003 Red and Artesia 2001 Elements Red. Then, out came a bottle of Bonny Doon Vineyard Gris De Cigare. Liked the wine. Loved the quirky label illustration, which, if you look closely, includes not only the ubiquitous bucolic chateau and vineyard, but also a space ship hidden behind the trees. Curious, I visited the Bonny Doon Vineyard website and LOL. It's vintage Monty Python with a The Day the Earth Stood Still aliens have landed twist.

I'm raising a glass to this whimsical brand's willingness to throw a whoopie cushion at a snooty category. Funny sells. Bonny Doon Vineyard has been planting an expanding roster of varietals and growing the business since 1981.

Market for laughs. The world needs more.

How are you serving?

My parents gave each other a Roomba for Christmas. They're not as spry as they used to be so a self-propelled robotic vacuum cleaner is perfect for them. We turned it on after opening presents and watched the little guy vacuum carpeting throughout the house. Besides getting twisted in the curtains, the Roomba did a darn good job.

Here's a tech gadget that's performing a valuable service and cleaning up.

Visa Signature Lounge: Rest and Reward

The new Westfield San Francisco Centre is to die for, especially if you like to shop under one roof. Running from floor to floor, Juicy Couture, Dell, Vans, Oilily, Godiva and Bloomingdales, I spotted this really interesting undulating white structure – the Visa Signature Lounge. It's serving as an exclusive holiday season de-stressing and credit card cool down oasis for Visa Signature cardholders. And, it's promoting Visa's Signature premium business payment card Visa says is "designed to address the business and lifestyle needs of small business owners by delivering valued and relevant benefits, greater purchasing power, and flexible features."

High marks for a superb marketing concept. What a smart way to attract and take care of cardholders at the same time.

Streetwise Marketer.

My hairdresser picked up an East Bay bound Bart train in San Francisco. She noticed a homeless guy in a wheelchair roll on at the Embarcadero Station, SF 49ers mug in hand, loaded with change.

He exited at the McArthur Bart Station in Oakland. First thing he did: switch mugs. Away went the 49ers begging cup and out came a green, white and yellow Oakland A's mug. This guy understands personalization. He knows how to make the subtle refinements necessary to play to and reach the right audience.

Oxymoron: Wal-Mart Goes Organic.

As a longtime organic food advocate and reformed vegan, I say "hurrah" to Wal-Mart. Of course, gimlet-eyed sceptic that I am, the minute "organic" peaks for the masses, they'll dump the category like a certified organic hot potato.

Wal-Mart must have gotten wind of the potential: A recent latimes.com *article, "Demand for Organic Food Outstrips Supply", states, "Growth in sales of organic food has been 15 percent to 21 percent each year, compared with 2 percent to 4 percent for total food sales."

According to adage.com, Wal-Mart is "kicking off a multimillion-dollar campaign focused on its new organic food offerings", emphasizing low price.

Guess I'll get on Mapquest.com and find the Wal-Mart nearest me.

*latimes.com, libby quaid, AP food and farm writer, July 6, 2006