Respect The(ir) Process

Branding, Creativity, Marketing

The creative process: organic, nonlinear, unpredictable and very distinct to each person. Are you respecting that process? Providing a safe space for ideas to blossom? I’ll never forget an executive from another department demanding on-the-spot ideas when I was the...

The Courage To Be Creative

Advertising, Branding, Copywriting, Creativity, Design, Marketing

Whether we’re talking about a workplace or a person, being creative elevates the impact we have in the world. Creativity, what some might call the intersection of imagination and intellect, propels innovation and society at large. Yet, allowing ourselves and our...

5 Tips For Being Creative Under Stress

Advertising, Branding, Copywriting, Creativity, Design, Marketing

Pandemic, economic recession, social unrest, home/work/school changes and you’re supposed to come up with some clever ad headline by the end of the day? Working as a marketer inside a credit union or community bank is hard enough already:  daily fires to put out,...

Credit Union Crisis Communication Lessons Learned: Clear and Constant

Branding, Marketing

It’s human nature to crave information during a time of uncertainty. As emotions and tensions are at the surface, people tend to misinterpret messages. During our crisis (see this article for the back story) we kept the messages very simple, repeated them often...

Credit Union Crisis Communication Lessons Learned

Branding, Marketing

On April 27, 2011 a record number of tornadoes swept through north Alabama, including an EF-5 tornado. 74 people lost their lives. Homes, businesses, and other structures were destroyed including many electrical transmission towers. Most of the Huntsville metro area...

Do You Have What It Takes To Be Creative?

Advertising, Branding, Copywriting, Design, Marketing

I’m a junkie for learning, especially when it comes to how people create. So when the opportunity came up to hear from best-selling author Greg Iles, I jumped at the chance. He’s written 18 books, including the popular Natchez Burning trilogy. One of my favorites of...