Play a Team Sport – Tips for Healthy Brands and Healthy Living

Regular readers know that I am doing 50 healthy things this year in honor of my 50^th birthday. Here’s number 21 – play a team sport.

As mentioned in previous posts, I recently returned from a two-week road trip. This post is the sixth and final in a series about lessons learned from the road.

The final destination and main event on our road trip was a weeklong baseball tournament – the Perfect Game 17 and Under World Wood Bat Association (WWBA) Championship. Perfect Game is one of the largest scouting organizations in amateur baseball and the host of events throughout the country. This particular tournament was huge, with about 300 teams competing.

The KCBarnstormers. All photos by Christi Patterson.

My son, Griffin, and his teammates will be seniors in high school this fall. They all love baseball, and they all hope to play in college. This summer has been filled with a number of showcase tournaments that were well attended by college coaches looking for talent. The WWBA Championship was a great opportunity for the boys to strut their stuff. They played their hearts out – going 5-2 against some of the stiffest competition in the U.S. All of their parents and coaches were extremely proud of their efforts.

Even more than the wins, though, I am proud of the young men they are becoming and the life lessons they are learning. Baseball is the ultimate metaphor for life. As the lyrics to an old Dire Straits song say, “some days you’re the bat; some days you’re the ball.”

Griffin’s coach, Karl Carswell, founder of the KCBarnstomers organization often tells the players that the “game will never love you back.”

However, he encourages them to give it their all anyway. In his words, Karl and his team have “formed a baseball environment where players, parents, and coaches have found common ground. We are all interested in the development and training of our players and coaches individually and collectively. When done properly, teams are built around players and coaches who push each other to be better everyday.”

This philosophy certainly benefits a baseball team, but I think it benefits brand teams as well. The best brands are built in an environment that stresses both individual and group achievement as well as continuous improvement. They’re also built by encouraging respectful debate on the way to finding common ground.

Karl also stresses the concept of being “a finisher” – the player who runs hard down the baseline every time, the player who makes the opposing pitcher uncomfortable by taking a good swing at every hittable pitch, the player who slides hard into every base every time, and the player who backs up the same base with maximum intensity every time for just one opportunity to make a great play.

“No one knew they were making a great play before it was made and when you decide not to try, you are deciding not to make a great play,” Karl says.

Indeed. Are you the person on your team who is performing like a finisher? Or are you the person who is stuck in your comfort zone, afraid to try a new idea because someone on your management team might think it’s too risky?

Like baseball players, many of the most successful brands didn’t know they were “making the great play” before it happened. They were just working with intensity at every viable opportunity.

It’s harder than ever for brands to stand out from their competition. But it’s certainly achievable if, as Karl says, you “flipping play your heart out, and separate yourself from the guys who won’t understand.
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Expanding Your Fitness Horizons – Tips for Healthy Brands and Healthy Living

Regular readers know that I am doing 50 healthy things this year in honor of my 50^th birthday. Here’s number 19 – Expand your fitness horizons.

As mentioned in previous posts, I recently returned from a two-week road trip. This post is the fourth in a series about lessons learned from the road.

One of my biggest concerns about being on the road for so long was that I would get out of my normal exercise routine. I did get out of my “normal” routine, but that turned out to be a good thing. While visiting our daughter in Greensboro, AL, I was searching for a gym. As it happened, I needed to look no further than the local city park.

Thanks to Rural Studio, an off-campus, design-build program of Auburn University, I was able to work out in the beauty of nature on equipment more typically found inside a gym. The Lions Park project offered an excellent mix of cardio, strength and flexibility training.

Rural Studio gives architecture students a hands-on educational experience while assisting an underserved population in west Alabama’s Black Belt region. The Rural Studio philosophy suggests that everyone, rich or poor, deserves the benefit of good design. To fulfill this mission, the Studio focuses on community-oriented projects. It also focuses on “what should be built, rather than what can be built.”

This project certainly provided me with a fun workout. However, the whole time, my mind was actually preoccupied with thoughts about how our clients and all brands can learn valuable lessons from Rural Studio. First, it took a tried and true product, gym equipment, and put it into a whole new distribution channel, broadening access and expanding the target audience. Second, it took a relevant audience need and built what the market truly needed, not just what the company wanted to build. I wish I could take my clients here for a strategic planning session. This project is one of the best examples of “out of the box” thinking I have ever seen.

 

Looking to Old Traditions for New Solutions – Tips for Healthy Brands and Healthy Living

Regular readers know that I am doing 50 healthy things in anticipation of my upcoming 50^th birthday. Here’s number 12: brewing my own Kombucha.

So, when a weird mushroomy-looking thing in a jar showed up in the mail, my husband, Randy, just rolled his eyes. He is used to the many strange food items that regularly appear in our home. However, when I explained that this current iteration was called a SCOBY (acronym for symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), he squirmed a little. SCOBYs are also called “mothers” because of their ability to reproduce. They are the integral ingredients in brewing Kombucha, a fermented tea the Chinese called the “Immortal Health Elixir.” It’s been around for more than 2,000 years and has a rich anecdotal history of health benefits.

My homebrewed Kombucha.

Russians and Germans have long extolled the benefits of Kombucha, but only since the 1990s has it gained popularity in the U.S. While no large-scale studies have been done on Kombucha here, research has concluded that many of the nutrients and acids it contains in large quantities such as B-vitamins, antioxidants, probiotics and glucaric acids can be beneficial. Proponents say drinking Kombucha aids in liver detoxification, helps arthritis, improves digestion, boosts the immune system and even potentially prevents cancer.

So, how does one brew Kombucha? It’s not too hard really. It involves a mixture of black tea, organic sugar, distilled water and the SCOBY. Here’s a basic recipe.

The magical mixture has to ferment for about 10 days before you bottle it. The waiting period was tough. It kind of felt like a throwback to the days of supervising my kids’ middle school science projects. But the result was worth it.

It turned out to be a slightly effervescent, slightly sweet, slightly vinegary drink that is hard to describe. In many ways, it’s analogous to the creative process – putting a variety of ingredients together, waiting for them to percolate, and combing old and new strategies to develop a solution that will cure a plethora of issues. Cheers to healthy brands and healthy living!

What are some old strategies you have revived to solve current challenges?

Cultivating New Perspectives – Tips for Healthy Living and Healthy Brands

Regular readers know that I am doing 50 healthy things in anticipation of my upcoming 50^th birthday. Here’s number 10: cultivating new perspectives.

I have been somewhat involved in Kansas City’s local food movement for a few years now. I am a member of the Powell Gardens board of directors. One of its gardens, The Heartland Harvest Garden, is America’s largest edible landscape — where every tree, shrub, flower and groundcover helps tell the story of where food comes from. It’s a learning garden focused on seed to plate education, with an emphasis on our area’s rich agricultural heritage.

I am also a member of the Community Supported Agriculture Program (CSA) at Cultivate Kansas City’s Gibbs Road Farm. Each week, farm manager Alicia Ellingsworth and her crew provide my family and many others in our area with amazing, organic veggies.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a lecture sponsored by Cultivate Kansas City. The speaker, Dr. Vandana Shiva, is a physicist, ecologist, activist and author who is changing the way the world thinks about food, agriculture and sustainability. Dr. Shiva’s lecture, “Cultivating Diversity, Freedom and Hope” addressed the value of diversity in nature and in society, as well how the monoculture of the mind can destroy that diversity at every level.

Photo courtesy of http://www.cultivatekc.org

I learned a lot about her views on food and agriculture, but I was even more struck by the fact that many of her opinions are relevant for marketers and brands in every category as we try to navigate an increasingly complex environment.

Her opening remarks were, “Diversity is the web of the world. It is not an an enemy of efficiency.” Of course, she was speaking primarily about biodiversity in agriculture, but I think it’s also a powerful thought if we apply it to our dealings with each other. I am often frustrated by interactions in which people have come to believe that those whose opinions differ from theirs are the enemy. We certainly see it in American politics, but I think this mindset also creeps into the workplace and even into friendships.

Personally, I am grateful for friends, colleagues and clients who share differing points of view. I appreciate thoughtful dialogue that spans both sides of an issue. Making room for various viewpoints ultimately results in better work and better communication – both personally and certainly for strong marketers.

Dr. Shiva also shared some thoughts about how to communicate with various factions. She summed it up by saying, “The simpler we can be the better. Simplicity is the highest level of eloquence in communication.”

Sounds like a smart creative director I know. Great advice for healthy brands and healthy living.

What are you doing to learn to broaden your perspective? Please share.

 

 

 

 

Beating the Smoking of Our Generation – Tips for Healthy Brands and Healthy Living

Those of you following along know that I’m committed to doing 50 healthy things this year in honor of my impending 50^th birthday.  Here’s #2:  Walking meetings

I first got this idea when I attended a Kansas City TedxKC event last fall.

This talk by Steve Illardi, a neuroscientist who studies depression, covered “life hacks” to enhance brain function.  He focused on the problem of too much sitting, saying it is “the smoking of our generation.”  He espoused the idea that physical inactivity takes a toll on the brain, not just the body. Conversely, key circuits in the brain are activated by physical activity.  He even went so far as to say that exercise keeps your brain young by generating new cells. (Sounds good to me.)

Illardi’s talk really hit home.  I spend a lot of time in meetings – as do all of my associates and clients. And you guessed it, we are mostly sitting.  In our business, solving problems and generating ideas are keys to success.  Maybe those hours sitting in conference rooms are not only endangering our health but also preventing us from doing our best work.

So to remedy the problem, we are instituting more walking meetings at Kuhn & Wittenborn.  We are fortunate that our office is located at Crown Center, the campus of Hallmark’s world headquarters.  During inclement weather, we have an elaborate maze of skywalks and underground tunnels in which to conduct our walking meetings.  And of course during nice weather, the grounds of Crown Center are beautiful. Our goal is to do at least one walking meeting each day – creating healthy lives and healthy brands.

Could this idea work for you?  Try, and send me your pics.

50 Ways to Get Healthier in 2014

I am going to turn 50 in August.  It’s a hard, cold fact — even though in my head, I’m only 25.

Since I can’t turn back the clock, I’ve decided to make the most of it.  I’ve never made a public New Year’s resolution before, but this year is different.  I’ve decided I’m on a quest to make 2014 the healthiest year ever.

To that end, I am pledging to do 50 things this year to improve health – for myself, my family, my friends, my colleagues, my clients, my community, or the world.

I’ve already done the first thing.  I just traded in my old, gas-guzzling Volvo for an all-electric, emission-free Nissan Leaf.  I’m counting on this purchase having an impact, even if it’s small, on the air quality of Kansas City.  (And yes, it makes me feel better knowing that Nissan will tow me for free if I forget to charge my new car, and I end up stranded.)

I’m still formulating the rest of the list. My vision is that some of these things will be small and personal, while others may be larger and more organized. I would love your ideas, input and participation.  Stay tuned.

Wishing all of you health, happiness and success in 2014.

A New Beginning for the Main Artery – Getting to the Heart of Healthy Brands

Regular readers know that the Main Artery has covered many topics over the past couple of years, mostly pertaining to cardiovascular marketing.  For more than 25 years, I have had the privilege of working with clients in a variety of industries. The combination of working with great clients and dealing with unexpected health challenges in my family led to a special interest in healthcare, and in particular, cardiovascular marketing.

However, a New Year leads to new perspectives.  I’ve been thinking for awhile now that I’d like to expand the subject matter covered in the Main Artery.  At Kuhn & Wittenborn, we work with clients whose products and services make life better.  Some improve our physical or financial health.  Some show us ways to have fun and learn new things.  Others keep the lights on and protect the environment.

Going forward, the Main Artery will get to the heart of how to creatively make all of us – our clients, their customers and each other — happier, healthier and more successful.

I believe we all get smarter through shared knowledge.  I love to exchange insights, ideas and strategies that work.  I hope you’ll join me.

Five Ways Cardiovascular Marketers Can Use Pinterest

The surprise social networking success of 2011 may be exactly what your brand needs to boost engagement in 2012.

Pinterest is hot. It came out of virtual obscurity last year to become one of the top ten social networks, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Pinterest is an image-based platform that focuses on lifestyle issues. It almost looks like an upscale women’s magazine. The basic premise is this: users create and name boards about any subject they like (Places I’d Like to Visit, Healthy Meals, Hobbies, etc.). People post (“pin”) relevant photos and articles on the boards and follow one another based on interests. Photos are displayed in a pin board-type feed that is simple, yet visually appealing.

Today, the audience is heavily female, and there are many topics that are relevant to cardiovascular marketing: diet, exercise, almost every aspect of health and even a Go Red For Women board.

So, how can you take advantage of this community? This article from Mashable offers five ideas.

1. Host Contests

Contests can range from creating the “Best Board” to earning the most Repins. Users could post photos of their best heart healthy meals, best ideas for exercise motivation, or photos of themselves in a red dress to support heart health and awareness. Similar to photo contests on Facebook or Twitter, Pinterest offers a way to build visual between your brand and target audience.

2. Conduct Social Media Focus Groups

You can use boards to get reactions to new developments in your heart and vascular institute. For example, are you adding items to your cafeteria menu, redecorating a waiting room or adding a community workout facility? Because of Pinterest’s commenting ability, it’s an ideal platform on which to introduce new ideas and gather firsthand opinions. As users Repin a photo, you can gather more intelligence, and ultimately decide whether you should move forward with an idea.

3. Showcase Brand Personality

Pinterest’s photos offer unlimited possibilities to showcase your brand’s personality. For instance, you could have a Pinterest Board of photos that features your philanthropic outreach and community events. You can post past and present photos that showcase new construction, past milestones, employee honors, etc. Each Pin allows for a description and a link to the original story. Therefore, you can quickly connect an audience with stories, mission and future plans, all via photo Pin.

4. Display Various Sectors of Your Organization

Larger operations can use Pinterest to nicely organize areas of focus and relay them to the public. For instance, you might host several individually themed boards. One board might showcase physician and staff interests, while a specialty board displays ideas related to specific procedures or areas or expertise. Another board might show photos of employees in action.

5. Showcase Communication Between Brands and Customers

Using Pinterest, brands can create Pins and boards that feature customer feedback and product interpretations, and then showcase them for entire audiences. Customers can further relate to products and services, and brands have a way to thank their supporters by integrating them into their communities. For example, grateful patient stories could be featured or patients who want to share stories of how they lost weight, got in shape, etc. could be featured.  Patients and prospective patients could be inspired to return, and you are creating content that keeps fans constantly involved.

It seems that Pinterest holds immense potential to interact with various audiences. Using the power of image, brands can create buzz around products and services, display more in-depth aspects of their businesses, and ultimately create more personal and visually pleasing social experiences for their audiences.

New Cardiovascular Marketing Sensation: Know Your Numbers Video

A video from Mayo Clinic takes viewers back to the ‘80s with a spoof of the 1982 hit “867-5309/Jenny”. It features actual Mayo Clinic staff and cardiologists.

Check out some of the lyrics:

You need to know your numbers,

Don’t let ’em get too high

Jenny please watch your numbers

Blood pressure, lipids and BMI

It’s a fun way to encourage people to pay attention to important numbers, blood pressure, lipids and BMI, that can potentially reduce their risk of heart disease.

It also has high hopes of going viral. To see the video on Mayo’s site, it asks you to create a personal profile, which I did. By spreading the video to your family and friends, you then have a chance to win prizes as part of a related contest.

Here’s the body of the email I got after registering:

Dear julieseifertrobinson,

Thank you for registering for Know Your Numbers! Please find your account details and some tips for promoting your profile below.

Profile URL: http://knowyournumbers.me/profile/julieseifertrobinson

Username: julieseifertrobinson
You can login to the site on: http://knowyournumbers.me.

Some Helpful Tips For Promoting Your Profile

All of these steps can be accomplished on your profile.

1.Share your profile URL via Facebook, Twitter and Google+ (http://knowyournumbers.me/profile/julieseifertrobinson).

2.Send email invitations to your friends and family.

3.Include your profile URL in your email signature.

Best wishes and good luck!

Know Your Numbers Team

Interesting approach. I like it. To watch the video on the Mayo Clinic site, click here.

How Design Thinking Can Transform Cardiovascular Marketing – Part Two

Fostering a culture of innovation can lead to higher engagement and better results.

In my last post, I talked about my recent trip to IDEO, an innovation and design firm that uses a human-centered, design-based approach to help organizations grow. I was so inspired by their thoughts about innovation that I decided a read the book, Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation, authored by CEO Tim Brown.

Regular readers of this blog know that I have a strong belief in the importance of innovation as we constantly strive to produce great results in our cardiovascular marketing programs.

Tim Brown talks a lot in the book about how to inspire innovation within teams. He asserts that it’s critical to develop an environment in which people know they can experiment, take risks and explore the full range of their faculties:

• A culture that believes it is better to ask forgiveness rather than permission, that rewards people for success but gives them permission to fail, has removed one of the main obstacles to the formation of new ideas.

• An important lesson about the challenge of shifting from a culture of hierarchy and efficiency to one of risk taking and exploration: Those who navigate the transition successfully are likely to become more deeply engaged, more highly motivated and more wildly productive than ever before.

How many of us truly encourage our teams to live by these tenets? If not, why not? What are we afraid of? One could argue that healthcare is in need of innovation more than ever before.

Brown goes on to say:

• The most important counterpart to an attitude of experimentation is a climate of optimism.

• Curiosity does not thrive in organizations that have grown cynical.

• Project teams become nervous, suspicious and prone to second-guessing what management really wants.

• To harvest the power of design thinking, individuals, teams and whole organizations have to cultivate optimism. People have to believe it’s within their power (or at least the power of their team) to create new ideas that will have a positive impact.

• Optimism requires confidence, and confidence is built on trust. And, trust flows in both directions.

Do you think it’s hard to be optimistic in today’s environment? Have all of the looming changes in healthcare made you cynical? How can you motivate yourself and your team (and your agency) to regain optimism, reject cynicism and work together to find truly innovative solutions that will create better results than you had last year? These are questions we’ll be asking our team members and clients at Kuhn & Wittenborn in the coming months. We would welcome your stories on innovation too.