• A woman who spent her career as a meter reader had one installed as part of her tombstone – it read “Expired”

• A scientist had his age listed in his obituary as 83.4 years

• A writer penned a letter dated the day of her death that began, “Dear Friends, I died today, I will miss you.”

Funeral homes too are adding celebrations to their list of offerings. The AARP magazine had a recent headline that proclaimed: Funeral Homes – The New Party Spot. The story inside went on to give examples of a national trend to use the local funeral “parlor” for festivities – life celebrations like birthday parties, anniversaries and more.

The spokesperson for the National Funeral Directors Association said as recent as 2007 it was unheard of to have non-funeral events, but nearly 9% she said are now opening their facilities to these “multi-use” opportunities.

Last year my own Mother and my wonderful Mother-in-law died and so in their honor, on Mother’s Day, my husband and I did what they would have done – we each had a big slice of chocolate cake.

Guess the question we should all ask is “why not?” Life is certainly a cycle and all phases deserve to be acknowledged however we each choose.

This is also a marketing lesson – what have we been doing the same for years, that might just be the opportunity for tomorrow?

What better person than an “analyst” to let the client know what they are paying for and how much ROI they are receiving?

I vote for this trend and suggest the next generation of agency titles will be:
“Why you hired us”,
“What we are doing for you”
and “What did you get for the money you spent”

I like thinking we are one step closer to providing a very high level of service to our clients by better matching talents and personalities to what it takes to get the job done.

Chief Chicken Officer? KFC Corporation (no longer called Kentucky Fried Chicken) has a newly created position designed to serve as the spokesperson for the rollout of the chain’s new “cook” certification. I like this one too as it partners the PR spokesperson with the message – another twist that brings a secondary message to the role of corporate PR – and that is fun!

This re-packaging and re-definition process is healthy and positive and surely brings value to the new normal economy …. When we look back at this time years from now I have a sense we will see this kind of innovation was exactly what was needed.

So, why did the Chief Chicken Officer cross the road?

 As a company leader you will kick it up a notch by incorporating humor, an open-book approach or make larger, fundamental changes to bring your image and your policies more in line with today.

As one who has spent her adult life as an image crafter, maybe it is time to tweak my own persona.  Have you thought about who you are in the eyes of others and who you’d like to be?

 It’s not really about being a different person or operating differently as a company; it’s about bringing forward parts that were in the background.  Often, these creative elements are what bring connections with our family, friends and customers.

 Here are two examples: 

 Chrysler took a stodgy Detroit image and while poking fun at “made in Detroit” turned it into an entire campaign that sold cars and raised stock prices, all told through the eyes of local residents and images of their city. What’s different about this new Chrysler image and the previous one?  Pride – in not only their vehicles, but the city where they are made.

 College Football – they might be the Ducks, but their new uniforms are causing quite a raucous.  And if you watched the University of Maryland game at the beginning of this season you knew as soon as the team came on the field this was going to be a different kind of football.  In college sports, the name of the game is to reach the under 25 audience, and that is done through social media.  There are few plays better than mixing sports and fashion to reach the younger generation.  Proof: The University of Maryland lit up search engines and Twitter for weeks afterward as people across the country talked about the new uniform design.  It’s not just about football scores or team results; it’s also about image.  And about the impact on the team paraphernalia sales – which have gone through the roof and become a significant revenue stream for athletic departments.  Thanks to Nike and Under Armour (whose founder is a former University of Maryland football player) and the financial success of this season, we will certainly see more creative expression on the gridiron in the years to come.

If ever there was a time to re-think who we are and what image we project as individuals, leaders or company owners – it is now.  After all, in this economy we have little to lose and those who are creative are being seen as “innovators”.  Both ways you win.

In a word: Yes.

A new survey just released says ad dollars being put into “social media” is still trending up while print is trending down. No surprise there… but the real question is “Why aren’t marketers turning their entire budget upside down and rethinking every dollar?”

Below is a chart of how analysts are saying advertising budgets will be spent.

To this we offer commentary — on how to maximize these expenditures. Even better; we suggest adding or replacing some of these with more focused customer outreach.

Survey says Bennett says: Highest and Best Use
#1 Television Tell a story, engage the audience, tie to web site
#2 Newspapers Use only for editorial advantage and very specific needs
#3 Internet Use as a format for solutions, interaction
#4 Magazines Magazines are perfect for visuals and in-depth stories
#5 Outdoor Tie to web and mobile communications, use digital

What’s missing?
- Communicating with former and current customers – too much of the ad budget goes to acquisition of new customers. Much more cost effective to treat current customers better and regain former customers.
- Open sincere dialogue with customers – internet, mail, blogs and phone – true two-way communications and world class customer service
- Events – allow customers to get to know your product, service and people
- Alternative marketing – every product and service has a distinct audience and each can be reached in a unique way. Sidewalk graphics? Personalized postcards? Affinity groups?
- Tie sales and rewards at every level – in a future column I’ll share with you how some organizations are having success by replacing advertising budgets with customer loyalty programs and employee rewards.

One-size-fits-all marketing has never worked and there has never been a better time to rethink your marketing mix. It may take more thinking time upfront, but will be more fulfilling and save significant dollars in the long term.

Wow – I just had an experience that has made me a raving fan of Cards Direct – a company I had never even heard of just weeks ago. Now my friends all know how impressed I am and may become future customers – just because someone cared enough to read an email and act.

The quick tale goes like this: I ordered invitations for a party on this website that I found while “Googling” for invitations. It had everything I wanted including two-sided printing and options for paper and envelopes. I was so pleased with the whole purchase experience and the pricing.

The box of finished invitations and envelopes arrived at my office and they were beautiful. That same day I made time to make labels and mail the invitations, looking forward to the incoming responses. Instead I got returned envelopes with large stickers from the US Post Office saying the square envelope could not be processed in their machines and I would need to add more postage for handling. However their oh-so informative sticker made it impossible to reuse the envelope.

I went back to the Cards Direct website and found that there had indeed been subtle warnings about additional postage in the description of this particular product. I also found the name of an executive and wrote him an email saying how disappointed I was in my own failure to read the details and to help future customers could they consider putting a note in the box alerting customers of the need for double postage? I pointed out that Hallmark actually has it imprinted on square envelopes.

What came back almost immediately was an email from the President saying how sorry he was and he would happily reprint the invitations and even mail them for me if I would send him an Excel list. All at no charge.

That was the first Wow. However as I thought about his offer I realized none of my friends would get the personal notes I wrote if new invitations were sent. And possibly some of them could get two invitations if any of the square envelopes made it through the postal system.

Early the next morning, before I had time to respond to his first note, he sent me a second email. He too realized this was not a perfect solution and so could he send me brand new envelopes and send them one day FedEx so I could get them right out?

Here was the second Wow – this guy had thought of my dilemma and not once but twice came up with a solution.

I took him up on his offer and thanked him very much – when the promised box arrived the next day what do you think was shrink-wrapped with the envelopes? A “reminder about postage” saying to please note extra postage was needed! I am now a customer for life, raving all the way.

#1 – That’s Easy – a slogan popularized by Staples serves as a mantra for today’s consumer.  “Make it easy on me and I will respond.”  Think food trucks that come to neighborhoods, bank deposits scanned and deposited with a smart phone, voice activation and high tech jewelry that monitors our fitness levels thus compelling us to do.

 #2 – It’s all about location – and that doesn’t just mean real estate any more.  Value in local-everything will grow.  Don’t be surprised when farmers start building brands with “know your food, know your local farmer” campaigns. 

 #3 – The story sells – whether you are an NBA team or a contestant on the X-Factor, the story is what connects to the audience. 

 #4 – Journalists will rise in importance – with so much content available, the source of that news will grow in importance in 2012.  We will start to see journalists in all mediums take on more focus and build their individual credibility.  After all what good is a story if you don’t trust who’s telling it?

 #5 – Accountability – the futurist Faith Popcorn said early on that the Boomer generation would have a big impact on making politicians accountable; once this generation had the time and money to focus.  Well that time is now and accountability will play a huge role in the election of our next President. 

 #6 – Pets, financial planners and healthcare – will all evolve as the world’s population ages and there is an expanded focus on companionship, financial security and wellness. 

 #7 – Quality vs. Quantity – Having reached near saturation in the number of “things” owned byUS consumers, the tide is turning to quality.  Ads that say “well chosen”, “durable” and “timeless” will permeate as consumers choose goods that last.  Already “luxury” goods are on the rise, and though luxury and quality are not always synonymous, luxury products are often seen as being made of better materials and by more experienced craftsman.

 #8 – Traveling will get better – With new websites like Room 77 that lets you pre-choose your exact hotel room (a wonderful website:  www.room77.com) and advocates like Christopher Elliott (www.elliott.org) the travel industry is taking notice of not only the concerns of travelers but the innovation that is beginning to change this industry. 

 #9 – We are the world – globalization is here, think big.  If you can’t find a job in Peoria, try Paris, or the Philippines.

#10 – Innovation will dominate – innovation is what will lead us into the next economic cycle.  Design will lead the way I predict.  After all color and design impact much of what we do and can move products and services from one level to the next – think Steve Jobs. Other innovation icons will follow.

 #11 – Experience trumps age.  Coaches in their 80’s, Nobel winning scientists way beyond retirement and experienced teachers sharing their wisdom – all important to the next generation and one way that aging is positive.  Organizations like Encore (www.encore.org) use the semi-colon as its logo.  The more you think about the genius of that symbol …

 #12 – There’s an app for that - Remember the slogan “High Tech / High Touch”?  With an app for everything we will continue to rely on our gadgets to manage our lives.

 Bonus – It’s about community – this is the High Touch part of the predictions.  Our love of, and commitment to, our communities will continue with more citizens stepping up to fill in the gaps.  We have homeless?  I can help.  There are not enough police to patrol?  My neighbors and I can do that.  Elderly need assistance?  What can I do?

 The silver lining of this economy is it gives all of us a chance to reach out and make our world an even better place.  2012 is going to be a year of change and moving forward.

If Boomers hold 70% of the wealth, and specifically women influence 80% of the buying, then why are older women ignored by advertisers and customer service reps?

The question I have is: Why aren’t retailers paying more attention to their customers, of any age? The hourly cost for a nice salesperson is the same as one who let’s me know they couldn’t care less.

Recently my husband and I made our first visit to a Dick’s Sporting Goods store for a pair of golf shoes. We were greeted by the store manager who not only directed us to the right area of the huge store, but communicated with the salesperson in that department that we were coming. When we got to the golf area, we were warmly greeted. We walked out with not only the shoes, but my husband got a golf lesson that improved his swing, and I walked out with one great customer experience.

Did it cost Dick’s anymore to pay attention to our needs? No but because they did, it paid off in our buying more items, and the start of what feels like a great relationship. Not sure I can remember one of those in a long time.

A recent conference I attended had a segment focusing on Boomer consumers – yet when the moderator asked how many in the room were currently courting anyone over 50 less than half raised their hand.

The smart presenter offered some helpful guidelines on what we Boomers (I dare say all consumers) might want:

- Tell me how your product or service is worth the money: will it make life better in any way? Does it identify a need in my life and help solve it?
- Is there any personalization? Do you sell the same product the same way to every consumer?

He noted that Boomers are looking for life-stage products. If your product can make us feel validated, connected, rejuvenated, educated or other specific benefits – you’ll capture our attention and our wallets. Lincoln, Apple, the spa industry and the cruise industry were identified as products that understand Boomers and deliver.

Is there any consumer of any age who doesn’t want to feel valuable? I think Dick’s figured out a smile and a salesperson that moves from behind the cash register are both excellent places to begin.

I’m certain each of you has a story of loud occupants (and their children) in an adjoining or nearby room. Recently I stayed at a large hotel and asked for a quiet room, to my surprise they told me they had a quiet zone area and I could have a room there for the same price. Wonderful!

However, at 2 am when I had had enough of constant banging as guests went in and out of a room across the hall – the front desk told me there was little they could do about it. So much for a quiet zone if they are not going to enforce it.

Snoring topped the list of irritating sounds hotel guests said was annoying.

Hotel staff shouting (why do they always yell at one another up and down the hallways?), slamming doors, “personal noise” coming from adjacent rooms, truck engines in the parking lot and broken equipment including toilets are among the list of what guests say keep them awake.

When did hotels forget that sleeping was the reason for checking in? My slumber cap is off to the few hotels who put in non-slamming doors, soundproofing and have policies about employee noise at all times of day.

Next time we can talk about how our room rate no longer covers a 24 hour stay – but first it’s time for a little rest. Quiet please.

I have long bemoaned the lack of thinking in advertising – from both the creative and the client side. Why are agencies pitching silly ads with no consumer connection and even more confusing to me is why is corporate America buying into this system? Producing an ad costs big bucks, and then there is the media buy, another large sum – shouldn’t these expenditures result in sales? Heck yes, but no one seemed to be measuring the cause and effect.

The answer seems to be that the US was in an era of too much money, too little thinking and rare moments of accountability. Those days are thankfully gone and the winner will be the consumer.

Here is what to look for in the years ahead;

Accountability – Print and Broadcast ads will be tied to a web site where every visitor will be counted (and much more) and those numbers might mean a very short run for a non-producing ad.

Ties to the real world – You are already seeing football themed ads tied to Fall sports events and look for much more of this as brands set up what are known as Editorial Calendars. That means October ad buys will have Halloween tie ins across every venue – by the way Halloween is growing as an important retail time of year. These tie ins will include not only holiday themes, but major sporting events, and even major social and industry events like Fashion Week and the introduction times for new car models etc.

Speaking of fashion – advertising has long had ties with fashion, from color selection to the wardrobes worn by actors or models in commercials – but those tie ins are growing as those same actors or models are designing products and lending their names to major brands.

Who creates the ads? That too is going through a huge shift as print media is now saying to advertisers – let us design your ad – who knows our audience better? They are not only designing the ad, but tying the content of those ads to the editorial content of the magazine – smart eh? It also means the print media can gain from the brand not having to pay the design and placement fees to the agency.

Events – direct connections to the consumer – we all crave human interaction and with online shopping we are losing some of that in the retail environment. However a special event can bring together the brand, the product, any celebrity tie-ins and the consumer all under one “tent”. Sports stadiums have been named after brands for years, but now so are many more concerts, plays on Broadway (think Disney’s Lion King) and so much more.

Coming together – brands are starting to join hands to reach slices of the consumer market. Think of Ritz-Carlton partnering with Mercedes or Starbucks partnering with Apple.

This economy has few silver linings, but with these necessary and long overdue changes in the advertising world – we are going to all be better informed consumers. And that is a very good thing.

Finally!

I have long had a sign in my office that says “Media are people too” (a gift from my staff who was ribbing me for how often I repeated that phrase) and it is high time that PR communicators and marketers present exciting news in an exciting way.

There are still many, many news releases going out that are small type, no visuals with predictable and boring content. If you were a journalist which would catch your eye?

For 25 years my agency has conducted a survey of journalists asking “what gets your attention?”. From fun inserts (the response to these was 60/40 in favor) to photography with just a descriptive cut line (even before the days of YouTube) it was obvious that to gain news coverage you had to first gain the attention of the journalist. Sometimes fun was just the right packaging and sometimes a picture spoke a thousand words.

Years ago my agency distributed bright orange plastic carrots that had been covered in silver glitter for a soiree in Miami hosted by our client DeBeers diamonds – the “karats” were meant to demonstrate that this event was going to be worth attending and the RSVP’s were off the charts. Another time we delivered live goldfish for a major seafood restaurant client, in an elegant etched fishbowl, complete with custom died gravel and fish food to assure they were well cared for.

Always the new release is emblematic of the news, we follow the AP style and put the news first, even if it is less than favorable and not buried in the hopes it won’t be uncovered. In our media surveys this was a pet peeve “tell us your news, honestly and upfront” – an oft repeated comment in the two decades we have conducted the survey. Little has changed – whether Twitter, Facebook or traditional sources are the recipients it needs to be clear, quick and newsworthy.

The haiku the Google team wrote when they acquired Zagat, the restaurant ratings guide company, went like this:

“Delightful deal done; Zagat and Google now one; foodies have more fun!”

Even the news release got in the news – that is outstanding public relations and effective communicating. Now I’m off to ‘Google’ a good restaurant for dinner tonight….