To announce the twenty-fifth anniversary of Mount Sinai Hospital’s Samuel Lunenfeld Institute, we created this ad — not to reinforce the twenty five year history of ground-breaking research. Instead, we wanted to focus on the future discoveries we know will come from the Institute.

A lot of people wonder where ideas come from.

There’s no magic.

An idea is just the fallout from a heated internal struggle.

The battle between the rational and intuitive sides of your brain. Left and right. PC and Mac. Mr. Belvedere and Jack Black.

The Greeks figured this out along time ago. Their mythology documents a constant reckoning between the two. Apollo vs. Dionysus. Where if one side dominates, it eventually falls to the other. The cycle continues. The human condition does not suffer imbalance.

Coming up with ideas is no different. It’s a bi-polar process that demands a meeting of these two minds. Dionysus is creative. Apollo is the critic. If they could speak to you directly, here’s what they’d say:

Dionysus:

Unleash the beast

Let go

Don’t think so hard

Be stupid

Get into the god hole

Be a kid

Get out of the way

Be real

Dream a dream

Laugh

Think with your gut

Feel

Open a vein

Play

Leap faithfully

Be Free

Apollo:

That sucks. Get back to work.

- Mike Vinakmens, Copywriter, mikev@marshall-fenn.com

When we think of the stories we exchange with friends and colleagues about our experiences with customer service departments, likely most of them are pretty terrible stories. In fact, I’ll bet you that for every disaster story you tell a friend of how you were ignored or disrespected, your friend has a story to top yours and the conversation escalates into a game of who got screwed the worse. The finale happens when, someone asks the rhetorical question; “whatever happened to the concept of SERVICE in customer service departments?”

I have a wonderful answer for you, it’s alive and well and living at Amazon.com

Rather that rewrite my experience here, I’ll just copy the actual email I sent to Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com telling him about my experience.

Dear Jeff,

I have to write and tell you, and I’ve been telling others, of a great experience I had yesterday with Amazon.

My Kindle inexplicably froze a few days back and all actions I took thereafter failed to restart it.  It took an effort to connect to the Kindle Support department, but after talking to a few people, who BTW were quite helpful, I was finally able to talk to Mr. Dennis Michaels, a tech in your Kindle Support center. I explained the problem, and he gave me careful instructions over the phone on how to reset the device, and as I was calling from my office and did not have the Kindle with me, he also sent me a follow up  email repeating the instructions he’d just given me so that could take them home that evening. Now here’s the part that blew me away. He told me he was going to call me the next day to make sure that his instructions had worked and to be sure that I was back in business with my Kindle.  I was a bit shocked by this so I offered to call or email him myself but no, he insisted that I wouldn’t be able to get to him directly so he took it upon himself to follow up with me. We agreed to talk today at 9:00 am and he said that in the event he missed me at 9:00 he would keep calling me (in Toronto, Canada) until we connected to make sure I was happy. The best part is… he did.

It’s a great story, and I don’t know if this is how all of your techs behave; if so then well done. If it isn’t, you might consider my note for tech training. This guy made me love the Amazon experience even though I was having difficulty with your product and he turned a potential negative situation into a customer-building opportunity. The experience reinforced the reasons I chose Amazon for many past purchases and now I have become a loyal and almost evangelical customer for the company. Oh and by the way, the Kindle did reset and is working just fine.

So thank you for putting the “service” back into customer service, and congratulations on a job well done. Please make sure you congratulate Dennis – he deserves it.

By the way, as the executive of an advertising agency here in Toronto, it takes a lot to impress me and to get me to write stuff like this, so I hope you won’t mind if I use my personal experience here as a teachable moment for some of my clients’ CRM programs in the future.

Best Wishes,

Jim Kabrajee

For those of us who make our living dealing with clients and customers, and those of us who think we know Customer Relationship Marketing, this was a superb lesson demonstrating best practices in the CRM field. Keep it in mind.

- Jim Kabrajee, Partner, jimk@marshall-fenn.com

We’ve done many exciting things over the years for our clients, but this is the biggest development in the history of our agency.

Last month, Marshall Fenn concluded the purchase of one of the leading digital interactive agencies in the country — WebFeat Multimedia.  For years we have been effectively employing integrated marketing communications, using the optimum mix of advertising, PR and interactive to create solutions that make a difference.  While the advertising and PR was always under one roof, we often looked to other suppliers to partner with as the interactive world became a more critical element of an effective campaign.  A few years ago we began searching for the ideal interactive marketing partner, and we found it in the 13-year old agency of WebFeat.

Convergence has been predicted for so long we forget that it has only really happened in the last few years.  Complete, convergent marketing solutions mean just that now — advertising, public relations, interactive. More and more clients expect it, and now they’ll find it at Marshall Fenn.

David Zbar, our new colleague from WebFeat, said, “Growth in the next decade will depend on an agency’s ability to understand and mobilize all of the available marketing tools. The new agency created by combining Marshall Fenn and WebFeat is well-positioned for the future.” Indeed, David.

WebFeat has an impressive client roster that includes Universal Pictures Canada, Hewlett-Packard, Thomas Cook, Ocean Spray and the Royal Bank. Combining their knowledge of differing industries with Marshall Fenn’s talents makes for a formidable new agency.

Stay tuned for more developments as we physically combine the agencies and start creating campaigns for clients that can only be done with the fusion of so many talented people.

For a number of sectors, there are signs that the economy has begun an upward trend. The tension running through many accounting departments has begun to relax and along with it, the corporate purse strings. For many marketers, this has yielded new opportunities to promote their brand.  Indeed, corporate philanthropy is a great way to build goodwill with the public, increase brand awareness and improve employee morale.

While there is no shortage of organizations willing to take a cheque, now might be a good time to take a close look at the criteria used in selecting your employer’s support.

For example, is it more important to have a little involvement in numerous organizations and activities or to have a more significant impact on a few?  How will you quantify support?  Is it purely financial or can your company also get involved with its employees? What opportunities do you have to leverage and increase the public’s awareness of your involvement?

Corporate donations have evolved from its roots of private companies donating funds and products simply for goodwill. Today, corporate philanthropy is an integral part of an overall marketing strategy.  It is actively used to leverage support, as well as sustain positive brand perception among customers, competitors and opinion leaders. Effective philanthropy requires a well-defined foundation of objectives combined with clear direction to help guide the company’s support.

So, what is your approach to managing corporate donations?

-  Chad Heard, Senior Consultant, chadh@marshall-fenn.com

Looking to capitalize on your company’s upswing and garner some additional publicity for your employer, a press release is commissioned and distributed. You get ready for the deluge of interview requests from the media, but… the phone doesn’t ring. Or, perceptively worse, the media reads your release, declines the interview and publishes your news anyway.

While coverage of your company’s achievements is appearing in the media, without some quality one-on-one time with the press it may initially seem to be a hollow victory. However, consider that your message is reaching consumers virtually verbatim.

The most effective modern press release should read like a well-written article, addressing the 5 W’s (who, what, when, where and why) in a concise manner and without heavy marketing speak.

For time-poor traditional media and content-hungry new media, a release that answers all of their typical questions and doesn’t require much more from them than a minor format change can make everyone’s life considerably easier. You get your message out to the public in your own words and the media gets interesting content. It’s a win-win.

- Erin Farquharson, Account Executive, erinf@marshall-fenn.com

A recent U.S. study showed concern among business executives that the use of social networking in the workplace can lead to undesirable outcomes, citing productivity and damaged brand reputation as the leading reasons. As a result, many employers are blocking employees from specific social networking sites, but what they may be missing out on is the opportunity for employees to utilize social networking to build relationships and a company’s brand. It’s a double-edged sword with very sharp edges.

The study found that 40 percent of companies technically block their employees from accessing social media while at work, while paradoxically, the overwhelming majority of executives feel social networking sites are an important business tool. (Source: Russell Herder And Ethos Business Law, August 2009)

Highlights of the survey:

• 81% believe social media can enhance relationships with customers/clients
• 81% agree it can build brand reputation
• 64% see it as a customer service tool
• 46% think it can be used to enhance employee morale
• The most popular vehicles being used include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn
• 26% of companies use social media to further corporate objectives
• 70% said they plan to increase the use of these new opportunities

The use of sites like LinkedIn can be very useful for employees and business executives alike, as this site is aimed more at a business audience than a recreational one. For example, I recently received a voicemail about a possible new business opportunity. I took the name and number down, searched the contact on LinkedIn and instantly had a business background about the person contacted that me. From their page, I was able to view link to their company’s website (which was not coming up on a Google search) and return the call within a half an hour with at least a rudimentary knowledge of the company’s business. Being in the client service industry, this is a valuable tool which I would like all my employees to have access to.

I also want my employees to talk to their contacts about the new and innovative things happening here, as it builds our reputation and our brand. It can become a tool for recruiting and endorsement. Ah, but there’s the other edge of that sword, disgruntled employees can also demean and defame the brand.

So each company exec needs to weight the pluses against the minuses; potential lost productivity through overuse and abuse and possible brand damage vs. possible increased business intelligence and brand reputation enhancement.

Social media like any other business tool (such as internet access, phone calls, photocopier, etc.) should be part of a formalized policy to ensure the privilege is not abused with clear parameters for use regarding when and how these sites can be accessed as well as what content can be posted while on company time. It won’t be perfect, but we have to start somewhere.

- Jim Kabrajee, Partner, jimk@marshall-fenn.com

We created this ad for the Maple Leafs program at the Air Canada Centre. It reflects the 30-second ad we created for the LCD screens at the venue.

This campaign ran in Gay Bi-Sexual Lesbian Transexual magazines to communicate that Harrah’s properties in Atlantic City are a perfect getaway for the GBLT community.

In case you missed them, click here to see all of the ads in a new window.

Advertiser:  Careerbuilder
Title:  Job Fairy, Worst Seat, Casual Fridays

The Careerbuilder spots are funny. “Job Fairy” has a rather lame fairy jobmother trying to re-create a guy in different career positions, all of which suck. And “Worst Seat” depicts the collegiate antics of an annoying co-worker as a reason to find a new job. But during a period where many are out of work, and others are just grateful to have a job, these spots seem to miss the mark. – JD

Advertiser:  E-Trade
Title:  Girlfriend

A wonderful campaign. I know, I know, talking babies isn’t new. We’ve seen it before. Yet this campaign by E-Trade continues to make me laugh with witty dialogue and seamless post-production. In this installment, our hero baby apologizes to his girlfriend on video chat for  not having called last night because he was too busy diversifying his portfolio.  His girlfriend replies, “Oh and that milkaholic Lindsay wasn’t over?”  He denies, but of course, but guess who inadvertently pokes her head in at the end. All I can say is I have a new favourite word: Milkaholic. – SK

Advertiser:  Dodge
Title:  Man’s Last Stand

This is a really nicely written spot. I love the almost automaton, lifelessness of the subjects we see as the voice lists all the points to which men have agreed to acquiesce. It’s a manifesto that concludes with being able to drive a Charger. I’m not even a Dodge guy but I can relate to the insight: mans’ real estate has been systematically eroded to the point where little is left. Hey, isn’t Dodge a Chrysler product? Wow, hard to believe Chrysler didn’t bugger this up. – JD

Advertiser:  HomeAway
Title:  Griswold Trailer

I admit, I’m a sucker for anything that has anything to do with Chevy Chase. Which is why this spot resonated with me and made me laugh along the way. But the idea is solid as well: a fake ‘Vacation’ trailer starring the Griswold couple that drives you to homeaway.com where you can find vacation homes. Great link to brand and great use of celebrities. And a helpful explanation on ‘complimentary water.’ – SK

Advertiser:  Coca-Cola
Title:  Sleepwalker

Coke has two spots in this year’s Super Bowl pool. The Simpson’s parody is okay, but I prefer “Sleepwalker” where a guy sleepwallks from his tent, Mr. Magoo-like, through the dangers of the African veldt, to a fridge where he opens bottle of happiness. As an execution, the Simpson’s spot is an undoubtedly a better deliverer of the idea: Open Happiness. But the freshness and originality of “Sleepwalker” makes us laugh and isn’t that what Super Bowl ads are supposed to do? – JD

Advertiser:  Motorola
Title:  Megan Fox

A simple, solid spot that probably didn’t disappoint many Megan Fox fans who’d been anticipating it as much as the big game all winter. The slapstick take on her celebrity and her assets is effective. And, despite what all 16-year old boys might be thinking right now, I like how she was used in the spot: Sparingly. In essence her screen time bookends the story allowing ample time for comedy in the middle. Now if only she could be as funny as Betty White. – SK

Advertiser:  Snickers
Title:  Betty White

BBDO New York has come out with another good Snickers spot. Working to the idea “You’re not you when you’re hungry” they use Betty White to depict a guy underperforming in a friendly game of football. It’s simple, entertaining and insightful. I only wish they hadn’t followed their formula of a reprise quite so slavishly, because even Abe Vigoda being violently tackled lets us down after that great moment with Betty White. Now if they’d exhumed Bea Arthur …. – JD

Advertiser:  GoDaddy
Title:  News, Lola

GoDaddy also has two contributions to the mix this year. I loved this campaign when it first came out, but I really think it’s run its course.  “News” is another execution that ends with a hot news chick loosening her hair and preparing to disrobe, and then suggesting we go online to see what happens next. But we’ve seen this before with the female motorcycle cop and it just feels old. “Lola”, about an effeminate football star who uses GoDaddy to start his business, is so bad even flies would hesitate to lay their eggs on it. – JD

Advertiser:  Hyundai
Title:  Paint

I hate almost all car advertising and this is definitely one of them. Well maybe ‘hate’ is a strong word. I’ve certainly seen worse. But what I don’t like is how predictable this ad is. In the first few seconds you hear a voiceover: “There’s the Mozart Piano Sonata….” juxtaposed against beautifully lit close-ups of automotive sheet metal in a factory. So immediately the secret is out: This is an ad for the Hyundai Sonata. And to suggest at the end that this car now comes with better paint than Mercedes-Benz? Really? Is this even true? Okay, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and say it is. It’s still not a credible claim that is going to motivate me to gravitate me to this brand. – SK

Advertiser:  Google
Title:  Parisian Love

Like the GoDaddy spots, Google’s ad is done in-house. Unlike GoDaddy, this is really good. (After Dave Letterman’s ad for the Late Show, I think this is the best spot from Sunday night.) There was a time when in-house agencies produced weak stuff but not any more. In an age of digital media, this spot uses TV to provide a simple demonstration that’s beautifully crafted. My only question is: why is Google advertising at all? – JD