On Human Branding

Often the best way to increase your revenue and build your name is through branding.  Staking your claim on a specific product or service in a given industry or marking to indicate your ownership or affiliation with something is one of the greatest forms of promotion.

Today, I want to write about a specific type of branding-  Human branding.  It's something that isn't often talked about but is a huge problem across the world, including in our own backyard.  There are an estimated 18,000 people trafficked into the United States each year, though there is no way to calculate a total number of all illegal trafficking taking place. These individuals are being trafficked to work as sex slaves under the ownership of pimps. This means over 18,000 people, predominately children and women, are being branded by their pimp.

In this industry, the pimp owns you. Sometimes the perception is that prostitutes are dirty, or that they chose that lifestyle.  The truth is, those children and women who are being prostituted were most likely sold into that industry and cannot escape without facing severe abuse or death.  Most children are between the ages of 12-14  when they are abducted by someone who claims ownership on their lives and bodies by forcing them to work for them by selling their bodies to provide income to the pimp. Pimps also will often physically brand the individuals being prostituted- whether by burning them, tattooing them, or etching into them.

When you brand a product or service, you control it- it is entirely under your ownership.  It no longer has it's own identity, but rather the identity that you label and enforce it with.  No human should ever be owned or branded by another individual.

How can you help?

Read up.
Learn the facts about human trafficking or listen to someone's story who has experienced it first hand. The first step to solving a problem is learning what the problem is.

Speak up.
In a powerful video called "The Candy Shop" (A Fairy Tale About the Sexual Exploitation of Children) , they make the statement: "If there wasn't such a need, there wouldn't be so much business, now would there." If we stop buying, they will stop selling.  Speak up for the children and individuals who have lost their freedom and put an end to purchasing humans.

Fight for freedom, or support those who do.
If you would like to help put an end to slavery, I encourage you to visit the following websites to learn how you can help them stop trafficking.

StopTraffik

"STOP THE TRAFFIK is a growing global movement of individuals, communities and organizations fighting to PREVENT the sale of people, PROTECT the trafficked and PROSECUTE the traffickers."

HookersForJesus

"The primary services and programs of Hookers for Jesus are mission driven and are designed to minister healing and restoration of individuals and families affected by sexual explitation.  The primary services of Hookers for Jesus is to Hook (Outreach), Heal (emotional & spiritual restoration), Help (Transitional Assistance) through the Destiny House program."

A21 Campaign

"There are many ways to fight the injustice of human trafficking, and when we link arms and share our resources, our efforts are greatly multiplied.  This is not a battle meant for one person to fight alone, and as individuals and organizations around the world come together as ONE, we are able to join forces and take a stand for justice; together we can make a difference.  Our website is full of resources that will equip you to raise your hand and become that "someone" willing to do "something" to help abolish injustice in the 21st Century.  Make sure you check out the 21 Ways to Help and the Abolitionist Page for more information.  You can also contribute to the financial cost of rescuing and restoring survivors of trafficking via our Donations page."

Hidden Treasures- San Diego

"Hidden Treasures exists in order to rescue and restore women and children victimized by sex slavery and the human trafficking industry."

Compassion
You can sponsor a child to help keep them out of prostitution and/or pimping.

"Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults."

WorldHelp
You can sponsor a child to help keep them out of prostitution and/or pimping.

"World Help is a faith-based humanitarian organization that serves the physical and spiritual needs of people in impoverished communities around the world."

Let's stand up and put an end to human branding.

Mood: Heartbroken

On David Beckham

Just when I think he can't get any sexier, he flexes, and I'm proven wrong once again. David Beckham bends it like Beethoven in this Samsung Ad and I can honestly say this may be the most "kickin" version of Ode to Joy that I have ever heard.

What I really appreciate about David Beckham besides his rugged good looks and incredible raw talent, is his ability to endorse a product without just standing there saying "I like this product.  You should too."  He's smart about the products he chooses to endorse in making sure that in addition to fitting the brand his sponsors are promoting, they fit his. I think I can speak for the general female population when I say hopefully this is one brand that will be around a while.

Mood: Infatuated

On #DailyNews

My mornings in the office typically start with a big cup of coffee and my computer. As I drink my coffee and try to convince my body to fully wake up, I peruse all of my communication sources- emails, voicemails, Facebook, Twitter, maybe Drudge Report if I’m feeling particularly ambitious.  In less than 20 minutes I am up to speed on everything important that is taking place in the world on any particular day.  Or at least I feel like I am.

It seems to me that social media is becoming an increasingly popular way to receive current news updates.  Before we can even turn on the television or pick up a paper, we see handfuls of posts on Facebook or Twitter.  Sometimes the news travels so quickly, news reporters aren’t even covering the actual event, but rather the YouTube video or Facebook conversation discussing the past event.

I can’t help but wonder, is the news I am reading about via social media the same as the news I once read in my newspaper or heard on the radio?  Do readers still spend time engaged in news stories, or are 140 characters now enough for us?  Are we becoming lazy, or just more efficient?

Mood: Pensive

On the "Me Brand"

Whether or not we are consciously aware of it, we live in a world defined by branding.  Being in the marketing industry, we often converse about branding as it pertains to a company or a product.  Hours upon hours of analysis and evaluation and strategic tactics go in to determine perception and positioning of a particular campaign.  Though we are proactive in the industry, we can sometimes be inept at the most important (in my opinion) aspect: personal branding.

On average, your first impression is formed in someone’s mind within 7 seconds of meeting you.  In other words, in the time it takes you to say, “Hello, my name is_____. It’s nice to meet you”, you’ve been branded.  And as any marketer will tell you, few things are more important than your brand.  It’s your identity- how people see you.  That can be a lot of pressure.  Sometimes your brand is clear.  You’re the funny one, the nice one, the pretty one, the smart one, the rebellious one, etc.  Sometimes the lines can be a little more blurred.  Here are six ways to help you determine your brand:

1. Meet yourself.  It may feel awkward at first, but spend some time describing yourself to yourself.  What adjectives first pop into your head?  What are you passionate about?  What makes you tick?  What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?  How do you feel about who you are?  Who would you like to be?

2. Take a personality test.  If you’re unsure as to how to describe yourself, try taking a personality test.  A test can help evaluate how you see and react to different situations and what that says about your personality.  It may help you understand why you see things the way that you do.

3. Position yourself.  How do you want to be seen?  Sometimes misconception is inevitable, but more often than not, people will see you the way that you want them to see you.  Make a list of the top 5 adjectives you most want people to think about you, and the top 5 adjectives you hope no one ever thinks about you.  Try to find ways to support your pro list and negate your con list.

4. Do a personal SWOT and brand statement.  If you’re in advertising, use the same model you use for a campaign.  What are your strengths and weaknesses? What opportunities are available to you?  What do you have potential to achieve?  What is holding you back?  What is working against you? What do you have to overcome?  What statement defines who you are and what you’re about?

5. Ask someone.  Do you think you have a brand?  Ask some of your friends and family who you know you well how they would describe you.  See if how you think you come off is how you are actually perceived.  Pay attention to what your co-workers and peers say about you.  Do people compliment any specific qualities?

6. Be you.  It sounds simple, but sometimes being yourself is a challenge.  There is no greater exhaustion than trying to be someone you are not.  If you are outgoing, be outgoing.  If you are reserved, be reserved.  You will always have people telling you to be this way or that, but the bottom line is that no one knows better than you do who you really are.  Take others opinions with a grain of salt.  If you can’t find an existing brand that fits you perfectly, that’s ok.  That’s the beautiful thing about humans.  We’re all unique! Make your own brand.  Be the best version you can be of you; life is too short to be anyone else. 

For further reading check out Forbes “Seven Seconds to Make a First Impression”or Fast Company’s “The Brand Called You.” 

Mood: CONFIDENT

On Writing a Blog When it Won't Write Itself

Sometimes I have a month is just one of those months where there simply doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. You know when you’re not entirely sure what you did every day but somehow every last second was filled with some form of productivity. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, I blinked, and another deadline snuck up on me. Blog time. As I wracked my brain for something inspiring or thought provoking, even just something of general interest to blog about, I was left wondering, how can I write a blog that doesn’t seem to be writing itself? This is what I have concluded.

1. Read a lot. Passing along existing information of interest is phenomenally easier than generating a new line of interesting thought. For example, this week I read “Google It“, “The Social Media Enquirer“, “Social Media is a Venue, Not a Strategy”  , “Ron Johnson Bringing Apple Revival Experience to JC Penney”, and Seth Godin’s blog. I now have a full paragraph of interesting thoughts.

2. Get inspired. Recently I read “5 Quick Ways to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing”, and gave a few of these ideas a shot. I took a walk, updated my journal, did something different, took a media break, and cleaned my office space. It didn’t necessarily pry another paragraph out of me, but it provided a nice change of pace.

3. Just write. Sometimes the best way for something to write itself, is to just pick up a pen or scoot up to your keyboard. Start writing about whatever is running through your head, even if it is as simple as “I would really like a cheeseburger right now,” or “Somebody has been stealing my pens…” reading back through your ramblings and thoughts could help steer you back to a point of inspiration and provide a general direction. It’s surprising how many common or reoccurring themes you can detect in a puddle of thoughts. Then again, they are all your thoughts, and who is more qualified to evaluate and expand on your thoughts than you?

4. Go with it. If you are like me, you may feel that your writing is in a constant draft-state. I never feel like anything I write is ready for publishing. While I highly recommend a good dose of edits and proofs before making your thoughts public, be careful to not over-edit. Sometimes unrefined thoughts can be surprisingly inspiring. Be open to the possibility of your blog changing directions. If it evolves into something different than intended, that’s ok. Keep writing, and go with it.

Mood: Inspired

On Commas

Hi, my name is Sarah, and I am a commaholic.

It's true.  I love commas.  I use them all the time, sometimes correctly.  I've been told that I am a conversational writer, meaning I write the same way I would talk. Sometimes when I want to make a point, I pause, or use a meaningful hand gesture, or maybe even- maybe even a deep inhale and thoughtful gaze into the distance before concluding my thought, with the proper voice inflections of course.

Really though I use commas all the time, and more often than not, after I finish writing something, I have to go back through and delete out 90% of my commas, and 30% of my semi colons and dashes.  Now that you have read this far, you have probably noticed the exorbitant amount of unnecessary commas in this post.  Though some are placed here merely for dramatic effect, if you browse through my other blog posts, you probably won't notice a much lower rate of punctuation.

A week or so ago in one of our daily office meetings, the whole team was gathered for an important announcement.  This was vital news and attendance was critical and mandatory.  As we all gathered in the conference room, notepads and pens in hand, eager to hear this imperative update, we received the following tragic information:

"As of today, we will no longer use the serial comma, as the official AP Stylebook deems it unnecessary and in bad taste.  Please remove any superfluous commas on active copy, and please refrain from ever using one in the future."  

My heart sunk.  It was worse than when I learned that Justin and Britney broke up.  No more serial commas?  And why are they called serial commas?  Serial has such a derogatory connotation. Maybe if they called it something more endearing, like a qualifier comma, or a separator comma, or a distinguished comma- maybe then the nice people at AP would be more open to it.

Personally, I like qualifier words like "Personally", that allow me to start a thought and then pause with a comma before finishing, and I like commas before my ands and ors to more clearly establish the separation of thoughts.  And since the serial comma rule has changed every couple of years since the time I was old enough to write, I'm hopeful it will make a comeback.  In the meantime, enjoy this article on the proper and accepted usage of commas.


Mood: Comma-Deprived

On Slim Fast

In my opinion, Slim-Fast is at the top of the list of trusted diet products.  For whatever reason, I trust their brand and their products.  They make me feel healthy without feeling malnourished, and I've never found anything in my drink or bar that shouldn't be there (the same unfortunately cannot be said of other similar brands).  

I also appreciate their creative advertising.  Though this print ad is a bit older, it still brings me joy.  I love incorporating humor into an uncomfortable truth.  Of course, while most women do strive to lose weight before their wedding day, not every woman can appreciate a humorous weight loss nudge.  

For more information on Slim-Fast advertising, check out AdWeek. 

Mood: Amused

On IN-YOUR-FACE Advertising

It seems to me that more and more often I am blocked from viewing content on a website until I click through or past an advertisement.  I'm not referring to the standard web banners on the side of the page, but rather to the ads that rudely pop up in the middle of my sentence and expand across the whole page and stay until I can figure out where the hidden "X" is to close out.  Or the pop ups I have seen recently that force me to either share a link through social media or answer a question before I can continue reading the page.  Or the ads that talk at me from random corners of the screen until I can figure out where the magic voice is coming from to place the ad on "mute."

Being in advertising, I get it.  You want your message to be heard, and with all of the noise online, sometimes the best way to be heard is to scream, or to get up in someone's face.  As a consumer, I'm annoyed.  There are two key reasons I would not recommend "In Your Face" advertising.

1. It's obnoxious.  When a cleaning product gives me a heart attack by spontaneously lecturing me on how to better clean via a hidden speaker on my page, or a magazine wants me to subscribe and won't let me read their article until I provide all of my personal information, or an shoe site asks me to take advantage of their once in a lifetime sales event... 50 times... It doesn't make me want their product/service, or like it.  And I'm perturbed with the product that is not bettering my life but rather frustrating it.  You, the obnoxious advertiser, have now left a bad taste in my mouth. Remember, advertising is like dating.  I want to be wooed, not harassed.

2. It's suspicious. Most uninvited ads are from people asking me if I want a bigger penis or if I want to lose 180 pounds without dieting or exercising. I most likely don't trust the credibility of an unwarranted ad popping up uninvited. If you are a legitimate advertiser wanting to be heard, ask me to listen to you; don't force me.

If you as a website are allowing advertisers to place pop up ads, it is taking me away from your website.  Your article may very well be fascinating, but it is not worth it for me to click through an unknown link or deal with oodles of pop-ups. Honestly, I just don't like you that much. I will most likely leave your site and not come back.  You've now lost an engaged reader, and your advertiser is not making any money, because people are no longer on the site to see the ad.

Advertisements should complement your site; they should be things your reader is interested in.  Jon Acuff does a great job of this by advertising books and services that appeal to the same niche demographic as his.  If I am on his website, I likely have read or subscribed to several of the items promoted, which makes me confident that I will like other items promoted.

Food for thought- When it comes to being heard, or the signal to noise ratio, maybe instead of screaming louder in a noisy room, it would be wiser to find a place you can clearly whisper.



Mood:  Annoyed

On Dating Your Consumer

All any advertiser really wants is for their message to be heard, and their requested action to be taken.  So, how do you figure out who your target is and what’s the best way to reach them?  I find it to be very similar to dating.

Here are five tips and tricks to date your demographic.

1. Know who you are.  In any relationship, it is crucial to know who you are, so you know what you have to offer the other person.  How can you know if someone is your other half, if you’re not sure what your half looks like? Have a clear brand and mission statement. Confidence is key.

2. Get to know them.  It’s ok to do your research, but try to not freak them out.  Target learned this lesson. You may know details of where they work, what they do on the weekends, and their purchasing history- but keep that to yourself, especially the first few dates/direct mailers.  Stick to asking them questions, and play it cool.  They’ll open up when they’re ready.

3. Play hard to get. Sometimes, it’s all about the challenge- the intrigue.  An example of a brand that does a great job with this tactic is Hollister.  It’s even been rumored that they train their employees to snub you like the cool kids in high school.  While normally, I would never advocate for bad customer service, it works for Hollister.  Brands can play hard to get by releasing only a limited quantity up front, creating a high demand with a limited supply, or they can position themselves as a “best kept secret.”  As in relationships, this tactic doesn’t always guarantee success, but there is something kind of irresistible about the unattainable.

4. Pursue them.  Males are designed to pursue.  They are designed to enjoy the challenge of the hunt.  Women are designed to be pursued.  We want to be sought after, we want you to take an interest, and we want to feel safe. People as a whole are built to love this concept. Show your demographic that you’re not going anywhere.  You’re here for the long haul.  An example of this, is JustFab Shoes.  They enticed me with their flashy web banners and their good looks as they visited my Facebook page.  I ignored their advances for a while, but once I looked and I liked what I saw, they wanted commitment.  They just weren’t content with a one-time fling. They wanted more than that.  A relationship.  A VIP relationship. They understand my fear of commitment, and as such do not require me to purchase shoes every month, but they will still send me thoughtful email messages to let me know that they are thinking about me, and that they will be there when I am ready to make that purchase.  It makes me feel like they really want me. They really want me.

5. Don’t let yourself go. Many relationships struggle with this.  It’s understandable.  You get comfortable with each other.  You’ve bought the flowers, you’ve worn the makeup and heels, and you’ve pulled out all the stops.  Now you’re married.  You may even have kids.  Shouldn’t your personality and essence be enough now?  Yes- but dating is still important.  You may have a very successful brand, and it could be tempting to assume that your consumer is with you forever, so why bother trying?  But everyone likes to be wooed and reminded that they are still your number one.  Send coupons, promotional emails, refresh your advertisements.  Even the most devoted Coke drinker still likes to see the cute polar bears.

Mood: R.O.I.mantic

On Being Present

I like communication.  I believe that every person I meet is an opportunity for me to improve and/or enhance myself.  Every encounter is a chance for me to observe and discern character qualities and mannerisms that I could benefit from by emulating or avoiding.  They are opportunities to hear another perspective, see a different side and walk a while in a different pair of shoes.

As a 20-something, I often feel torn between two generations. I am old enough to remember a day when internet was not a common household commodity, and when we were one of the select “cool” families because in less than 20 minutes, we could dial our way into the World Wide Web. And I greatly appreciate the value of face to face communication and off-screen interaction. However, I am also young enough to acknowledge that my 100+ WPM typing skills are entirely credited to AOL Instant Messaging and MySpace.  I now use Facebook/Twitter/Blogger/Texting religiously and am more often than not content with receiving and sharing all of my daily information and communication in 140-character increments. 

Recently, I attended a conference in Phoenix with a group of my colleagues.  As we sat on the hotel patio enjoying our lunch hour, one colleague commented on the copious amount of conference attendees glued to their technological devices.  I began to look around and noticed that our entire table was either staring at a phone, iPad or computer screen, and so was roughly 95% of everyone else at the conference. 

After our lunch had concluded, we went back into the main room for the next conference session.  As I looked around, I noticed that even during the speaker’s presentation, a majority of the people in the room were not taking notes, but rather checking emails, shopping online, instant messaging friends or colleagues, or texting.  I had to agree with my colleague’s observation- though there were hundreds of people at this conference, no one was actually there.

Being in the advertising field, I get it.  Work goes on, even when you are not in the office.  I understand the need to check emails and texts and to keep things moving.  That being said, the purpose of my being at this conference was to actually learn something that would help me be more productive and efficient back in the office- so wasn’t I defeating the purpose by keeping to my old ways rather than taking some time to learn new ways? I was surrounded by professionals from a myriad of successful companies- couldn’t I benefit from taking my eyes off of my existing contacts status updates and instead learn about a new individuals life and how they conduct business? 

We live in a world that says the busier we are, the more important we are and the more successful we are.  We live in a world that praises 80+hour work weeks and constant connection to iCommunication devices at work, home, etc. 19% of us have lost our cell phone down a toilet- we aren't even un-connecting for our bathroom breaks! We are missing out on so much valuable information, and life in general, by refusing to be present.  

 Using myself as an example, I work a standard 8-hour work day.  Let’s say I am at my computer for 7 of those 8 hours (Probably 1 to 2 hours on weekends.) Let’s also suppose that I watch an hour of television in the evening, an hour checking my personal emails, online accounts, social media, etc., and spend about an hour cumulatively texting throughout the day. Supposing I live to be 85, I have approximately 744,600 total hours of life.  This means on average, if my technology usage starts at age 20, I will spend approximately 189,800 hours, or 25% of my lifetime staring at a screen. Supposing I sleep 8 hours a day, I will only be present for 50% of my life. 

Does anyone else stop and rethink their life when looking at those numbers?  The average American will spend a quarter of their life in a relationship with an electronic screen. They will miss out on half of their life.

Challenge for the week- Spend the same amount of hours you spend with technology with your family and friends. Take a break to turn off your phone and take a walk through your local park.  Call up an old friend to grab coffee, or have a game night with your family.  Be intentional with your relationships and be intentional about being present, because in the grand scheme of things, 744,600 hours really isn’t that much.

Mood:  Re-prioritized

For further reading and information on American time spent on technology, check the following articles:

TIME Techland: Hourly Breakdown of Hours Spent WatchingElectronic Devices

SixWise: Study conducted by Ball State University’s Centerfor Media Design (CMD) and Sequent Partners for the Nielsen-funded Council forResearch Excellence (CRE)

TechJournal: Breakdown of Daily Time Spent on Electronic Screens