A Job Worse Than Mine
A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Puppet
Where to Find Lost Productivity
This could be a milestone year for lost productivity during the NCAA tournament. Last year American businesses lost an estimated $1.2 billion in worker productivity during the games. And that was before the Internet feed was as widely available or of as high quality as it will be this year. So the tournament's early rounds are likely to evolve from a shared screw-off venture - people crowded into bars and huddled into break rooms - to a solo one with everyone quiet in their cubicles.
The good folks who allow us to see the tournament on our computers have even programmed a "boss button" which enables workers who are sneaking a peak at the games to dump the screen when their supervisor comes by looking for signs of actual employment-related activity. Here's what pops up on your screen when you hit the "boss key."
No wonder we're in a recession.
We Attracted Crowds and Superheroes to the Society Exhibit
Dale and I have represented Society Insurance at the Wisconsin Restaurant Show for more than a decade. I really enjoy working for Society Insurance. It's a class company with a very talented group of marketing reps. It's truly a pleasure and fun working with them. However, tradeshow work is tough duty, especially if you're a puppet. I have to be familiar enough with the company and its products so that I can converse intelligently with show attendees. And I'm expected to be continuously witty ... all the while having Dale's hand in my back. And when show traffic experiences a lull, we literally end up talking to ourselves.
As usual, this year we attracted more than our share of prospects, customers and media. On the last day of the show we even attracted a superhero. Spiderman took a break from working at a nearby exhibit and had his representative ask if he could have his picture taken with us. Naturally we said, "Yes". Then we thanked him for saving the world ... and for selling software, which is why he was at the show.
I have to admit that the person inside the Spiderman costume made me feel better. It was nice to meet someone who has a worse job than mine. I decided to post his picture so that the rest of you can feel good about yourselves too.
Even Spiderman was attracted to the Society Insurance Exhibit at this year's Wisconsin Restaurant Show
How to Communicate Without Using Many Words
I'm a big fan of white space. Ads and web sites that cram as much as they can into available space under the misguided belief that people will actually read them look unprofessional and are usually ineffective.
Generally, billboards are forced to make good use of white space. But even in that media some creators seem to believe that everyone is a speed reader and blessed with binoculars for eyes.
Ads that make use of white space to stop readers in their tracks to figure out what's going on get my attention ... especially when the lack of words actually serves the intended message. Take this Swedish McDonald's two-page spread which promotes the chains' enormous coffee servings, with the words, "Extra Large Coffee" in the lower right hand corner.
It takes awhile to get this almost blank ad. Reducing the size of the actual ad makes it even more difficult, so I'll help. If you look at the corners of the page you'll notice stains from a giant coffee cup. Get it?
Here's another winner. It's for a French Wonderbra, which is the only word on the page. But you have to stare at the photo awhile before grasping the humor.
And finally, this Japanese ad for the E3 camera with "The Fastest Autofocus" (which are the only words at the bottom of the page) grabs attention and again makes the reader think ... which should result in "remembering".
If white space isn't sufficiently saucy for you, the latest McDonald's campaign in Sweden has gone all red.
The ad -- which ran full-page in major Swedish newspapers, reads, "We don't hire Turks, Greeks, Poles, Indians, Ethiopians, Vietnamese, Chinese or Peruvians."
In small print at the bottom of the page: "Nor Swedes, South Koreans or Norwegians. We hire individuals. We don't care what your surname is. Because ambition and determination have nothing to do with your nationality. McDonald's is one of the most integrated companies in Sweden, with as many as ninety-five nationalities working for us. Join us at mcdonalds.se."
I guess everyone should have an equal opportunity to flip those patties over.