mycalgarymarketingblog

Giving Something For Nothing

2010-03-10T12:55:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to overstate the value of giving back to the community in which your business resides, but often businesses don't recognize just how far the goodwill of giving can go. You may believe that contributing either in kind, or on cash only benefit the recipients of your donation, however with the right messaging often the ripple effect of your drop in the bucket can reach far further than you'd expect.

When a local oil businessman, the late Theodore Rozsa donated $3 million to the University of Calgary for the now renowned Rozsa Centre over ten years ago, he originally intended to provide the donation as an anonymous donor. However at the urging of his counterparts over time he ultimately allowed his generosity become public and the facility to become his namesake. While his humble demeanor and a desire to not make a show of his generosity was the original basis for his decision, ultimately he recognized that allowing the Rozsa Centre to be named what it is would set a selfless philanthropic precedent for his industry peers.

So let's bring this back to the entrepreneurs and Rozsa's-to-be. Calgary businesses, both for-profit and not-for-profit benefit tremendously from an entrepreneurial spirit that drives the city forward. There's no shortage of budding charitable organizations, independent not-for-profits (I’ll call the NFP’s hereon), and events that can use your help.

Though there's no denying the fact that cold hard cash is required to keep every business or charity going, but often the particular skillset that you apply to your business will make a huge difference to others. NFP's have the same needs as the rest of us, they need web designers, accountants, communications/PR Specialists, event organizers and operations managers, etc., however the nature of their trade often requires social entrepreneurs to be all of the above. With this in mind it becomes clear that any time, help, advice, or experience you can impart can and will go a long way.

Of course there is the marketing and good PR side of involvement with NFP’s, and I’d be remiss if I failed to mention them. Your brand and presence with NFP organizations often establishes a positive sentiment with participants, volunteers, and other donors in a manner that conventional brand building and advertising simply cannot achieve. Think of this as just an added bonus to your giving back though, it shouldn’t be the only reason you decide to have a kind heart.
I've been on both sides of this fence and can provide a few pointers for both sides on making the relationship a good one;

Successful businessperson providing the hand up:

Inquire as to how your contribution will be used and be clear on what the objectives of the NFP are and don't be shy about holding the NFP to those objectives

Apply the same business principles that made you successful to the NFP, if you've had success with your business and industry; constructively share every ounce of that expertise you've acquired over the years with your new friends.

Realize that your time and contributions deserve recognition. Remember why you're doing this, not for the sake of marketing but because giving back will give you the warm fuzzies. The recognition you receive should be out of gratitude and for the same reason that Dr. Rozsa said yes to putting his name on that building.

Do your homework on the NFP, get to know its people, and ask a lot of questions. Not only does this help to ensure you're giving to a cause that will deliver, but also helps build a collaborative relationship.

For the NFP...

Value the time of your benefactor, they certainly are not obliged in any way to lend their time to you so make sure that when you speak to them you have a clear sense of purpose and a long term vision for your organization that includes their participation.

Make your benefactor your partner and have an open invitation for them to attend your meetings, events, and social gatherings. If they’re doing what they are with you for the right reasons, then your benefactor wants to be a part of what you’re doing so don’t think of them as “the photographer”, or “the accountant”, they are a part of your team now.

Be open to using a business minded approach to your organization. A not-for-profit called Room to Read, which you may have heard of, pioneered the concept of using Fortune 500 Company business principles to NFP’s. While some NFP’s bleed a significant portion of proceeds to overhead, Room to Read took a streamlined approach and used a Starbucks-like growth target when they first opened in 2000 with a library in Nepal. In 2008, Room to Read established a library every 4 hours and distributed a book every 3 minutes.

There are a number of Calgary organizations that link up individuals who want to give back, with those who are looking for a hand up such as Volunteer Calgary. Alternatively, the next time you see a fund raiser, charity race, silent auction, info booth, or hear about a NFP from a friend, ask questions, get involved, and don’t be shy, you’ll be amazed at what you get back when you give something for nothing.

Social Media for Local and Little Guy Retailers

2010-02-15T13:10:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago during the superbowl Twitter was abuzz with the social media campaigns that big advertisers such as Pepsi opted towards rather than the traditional advertising media. And while we all know about the cool, fancy campaigns the big guys are putting on, perhaps how social media could work for the little independent retailers needs a bit of mention.

I'm pretty into biking as some of you know, and while right now I only have two bikes, I'm looking for a third as an urban commuter. No, I don't plan on becoming a too-tight jeaned, hipster who erroneously (or ignorantly) refers to my single speed bike as a "fixie", I just want an inexpensive, easy to maintain bike for urban commuting.

So a couple weeks ago when I walked by a new bike store called BikeBike just off 17th Ave and 14th street, I was pretty intrigued. If I'm not mistaken they'll be opening their doors for the first time tomorrow, but they've built quite a base for themselves already using social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and Blogspot. As a matter of fact they have 295 facebook fans, and 205 Twitter followers.

One of the greatest benefits of social media for small businesses like BikeBike is that it allows a constant flow of information between your business, and your target market. Any marketer will tell you that the dividends this pays in building customer loyalty is well worth the investment of time. More to the point, what is unique about social media is that it allows consumers to select what businesses communicate their messages to them, and that selectivity in turn enables them to be a bit more receptive to your message. When there are literally thousands of ads vying for their attention every day, them adding you to their Twitter feed is like you being invited to skip the line and to go round the side to the VIP door to the hottest club in town the night that Lady Gaga is headlining (or whatever band you like, Tegan and Sarah, The Killers, Rolling Stones, Kenny G, whatever, just not Nickelback because they shouldn't headline anywhere).

What I'm getting at is that social media can be your blockbuster ad campaign and if you're savvy with that stuff already, it won't cost you a dime. But be warned, it can be a bit tricky. My biggest piece of advice for businesses looking to use social media, can be summed in three words, consistency, consistency, consistency. If you have a blog- try to blog at least once a week, if you are on Facebook- put something up every couple days, if you're on Twitter- you should have tweeted when you started reading this, and tweeted again by this paragraph (kidding... but really). Not only do you have to be consistent in terms of quantity, but also quality. Just because you got in through the VIP entrance doesn't mean the bouncer won't kick you out of you start sending the wrong signals. Each of your posts should have some significance with regards to you or your business, they could consist of interesting articles, comments on how things are running today, local events/whats happening, etc. Even feel free to throw in the odd PG personal comment, but try to keep at least 4/5 relevant to your business somehow.

This consistency and the fluid level of two way communication between business and consumer is part of why BikeBike has done so well to garner fans and followers. They are always providing their audience with updates on their business and they've done well to ensure that their content has meaning and value, reinforcing to me why I chose to follow them in the first place.

So obviously for a good example of Social Media done right, check out their website at Bikebike.ca which has links to their Twitter feed, Facebook, and Blog. Even better yet, stop by their location when they open this week.

I'll talk a bit more about what sort of content is appropriate for social media in a subsequent post as this one's getting a little long. Social Media can be pretty daunting at first and depending on your business size could become a pretty high involvement thing. So for businesses interested in social media but that have competing priorities (you know, like running your business...), redlime marketing offers a full range of services from consulting, planning, and setting up a social media presence, to helping actively managing and monitoring that presence. If you'd like to learn more you can contact me at rafael(a)redlime.ca, Tweet me, or simply reply to this post.

Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you all next soon!

The Changing Fashion Retail Scene in Calgary

2010-02-03T09:39:00.000-08:00

I remember a time in Calgary when girls/women went crazy about heading to West Edmonton Mall to visit the Forever XXI, when Abercrombie was a foreign retailer, and Coach was Holt Renfrew only. Well all that is changing now as more retailers are setting up shop in a city where big names were once scarce.

A lot of big US retailers are now popping up in Calgary's newly reno'd malls such as Southcentre, Chinook, and Market Mall. This of couse is in response to the opportunity offered by Calgary's young, dynamic population, and the level of disposable income the city's oil industry affords.

But with all the big names popping up in the usual destionations I'd like to bring a bit more attention to an awesome new locale that young fashionistas who don't come into the core often may be overlooking. I walk by Fashion Central every day and have been watching it progress into a very chic, very cool destination that should soon be an anchor in the Calgary fashion scene with a more unique and indepedent style than any of the traditional destinations have to offer. With seven street-front shops including Murale and Betsey Johnsony, and eighteen interior units fronting on an internal sky-lit atrium, its looking very promising. The project will include both recognized designer brand stores not typically found in shopping centres, and local and Canadian fashion designer boutiques.

Located on the corner of Stephen Avenue and First Street SW, Fashion Central replaces what used to be a corner with nothing but a dodgy Subway and a hole in the wall (literally) Bratwurst kiosk. It takes more than a little bit of vision and savvy to turn that into what it is today and you can now visit a Deville for a rich cafe just a few feet down from where the Subway used to be. That vision is to the credit of Encorp Inc, the company also responsible for another great concept, Art Central just a couple blocks away.

I've got to say, as a Calgarian I love developments like this because I really believe it inspires culture in the city and brings people into the core for reasons besides earning a paycheck from the man. Its great for the city and it creates a more vibrant community, especially as more people migrate to downtown living. I encourage everyone to check it out as more stores open over the next few months.

What to do when you don't get it right the first time

2010-01-29T13:42:00.000-08:00

So this blog post today was originally going to be about the importance of goal setting, but the whole Toyota recall thing has reminded me of something else I wanted to talk about a couple months back. For some people what I'm going to say is going to be pretty obvious, but for others, perhaps not so much.

Toyota effed up in a big, grand, failblog sort of way. To develop a brand as shiny as theirs with solid vehicles such as the best selling Corolla and Camry, takes years of work and millions of dollars. It starts with engineering a reliable product priced to provide value, and marketed to communicate value. After a decade or so of providing value, then your product might, just might become a hallmark of excellence, an international best selling vehicle, and a perennial Top 10 on Consumer lists. That sort of capital takes time and money, and it can all be whisked away in just a couple weeks time. Toyota would likely be lucky if this doesn't cost the literally billions in lost sales.

The simple fact of the matter is that mistakes cannot be avoided, but its important to realize that there is a certain way of dealing with them. To walk away with even a modicum of grace from a negative situation, as a business owner or service provider you need to understand that its not the event that defines you or your business, its your reaction to that event.

A couple months ago I was shopping for a new bicycle and I was allowing myself a pretty generous budget. Looking for a specific brand I went to one of Calgary's major bicycle retailers, but not the one where they know me by name. I made the pretty long detour to the shop and decided on the bike that was right for me. I'm an educated consumer so I actually knew exactly what I wanted, but I wanted to test the service and play dumb (if I'm going to drop a couple grand on a bike I at least want to know I'm buying it from a nice guy). Well I was flat out ignored for about half an hour while I stood beside the bike that I wanted. There were sales people in the area and one helping another customer but I received no acknowldgement, no eye contact, and no offers for help or indications that they'd call more staff to assist me.

I've worked retail and I know when you're short staffed, or super busy, customer service is tough. But thats just not a good example of how to manage the B2C relationships, or any relationships for that matter. So rather than tell everyone about my negative experience I actually took the time to email the customer service manager. First thing the next day I got an email from him saying that he could make excuses, but that wouldn't change the fact that they didn't come through. He offered me a proposal on how to improve my experience with the retailer and more importantly he offered me an apology. I ended up buying the bike at cost and of course I'm happy with how things ended but still can't help but have that bad taste in my mouth from the first experience.

When the boom happened here in Calgary two or three years ago and retailers were placed at the will of employees who were in high demand and spoiled rotten, the quality of customer service in this city tanked. A lot of mistakes were made every day and some people couldn't be bothered to care. For you, if that situation ever comes along, whether you are the manager of 2 employees or two thousand, the willingness to apologize and admit the customer was wronged and committing to a mutually agreeable solution will often turn a negative experience into a positive opportunity.

I honestly have no idea of how long it will take for Toyota's image to recover, its probably too soon to even measure what they're doing to correct the situation. When quality and reliability is the core competency that you use to stalk the big three in sales for decades, the big three being able to turn around provide trade-in incentives on the premise that their accelerator pedals don't suck, really hurts the team. The recall has to be just the beginning because with that they're only fixing their cars, not their image. Their best bet? Fix the cars, admit they screwed up rather than blaming the supplier, and then promise that this was an opportunity forcing them to be better than they were when they were at their best.

I've been bad...

2010-01-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

I preach all about the importance of social media for small businesses and yet I don't bother to update my blog, what am I doing??!?! My oh my... So maybe this blog I'll just spend some time updating on whats new.

Anyways, things have really been picking up of late with redlime which has been fabulous, we just picked up a couple new clients this January and I'm looking forward to a busy February especially with some of the not-for-profits we're working with (more on that to come in later posts). We also just developed a very good software package for condo boards and residents so if any one is on their condo board and would like a quote, let me know. The package basically facilitates communication between tenants and the board with functionality to include web forums, voting, posting of important documents, etc etc.

Also new, I'll soon be moving into some new digs at Keynote Calgary which is an awesome new development on Mcleod and 13th avenue SW here in Calgary. The folks at Keynote have been fantastic and I'm very excited about moving in. There will be a Sunterra, Starbucks, and an RBC in the base of the building and CH2M hill is the anchor tenant in an adjoint office tower. Just to dispell any rumors that have been floating around as well, CH2M hill is actually expanding their Calgary office (not closing it down as some have said).

Lastly, I've started full blown training for the Calgary Ironman 70.3. I've only actually got one duathlon under my belt and probably have no business entering into a half Ironman, but I'm hitting the pool 3 times a week and riding about 100kms a week through winter, running has been tough but I've been getting hours in there too. I'm thinking of starting a training blog, but clearly one blog is enough of a challenge...

Anyways, more this weekend.

Cheers,

Raf

The Importance of Having a Website

2009-11-09T08:44:00.000-08:00

So its been a little while since I put up a blog post, I know, I've been bad. It my defence its mostly because I was over in Europe on vacation for most of October, and for the past week I've succumbed to the dreaded h1n1.

Anyways, this blog post is going to be about the importance of having a website for a small business. Seems like a no brainer doesn't it? Well a recent poll of 200 small and medium sized businesses in Canada found that of those surveyed, 26 percent of businesses smaller than 49 people did not have a website, while 16 percent between 50 and 99 employees did not have one. If you stop and think about how big a company actually is to employ 50 people, then think that there are any companies out there that size that don't have their own spot on the web, its pretty astounding.

For many non-tech savvy entrepreneurs the thought of a website can be intimidating. But its important to realize that the website is the centre of your marketing strategy and all media should lead back to your home on the web. Whether a potential customer is looking at brochure, a business card, or a print ad, they'll be looking for your web address to find more resources to educate them on their decision on where to take their business. And with that sort of bare minimum set, if you don't have a website, chances are your competition does.

Content should be king on your business' website. When someone enters www.yourwebaddress.com they are looking to find more info on your business, so give that to them. Be excited about your website and think of your website as a magazine and your business is the story. Then put a lot of time into the strategy you want for that story. Think about why you love your business and what you offer, think about your brand, and think about what you want viewers to walk away with from your site.

Setting up a website can be a lot easier than you think if you have the right help. A lot of web designers and marketing companies target big businesses for their clients since relatively speaking its easy to make a nice big site with just a few talented individuals. There's nothing wrong with this but it might leave the proud entrepreneur feeling a little left in the cold with lots of enthusiasm but not a lot in the budget for a massive flash site. (I'm going to make a shameless plug for redlime here, can you feel it coming?)

Ask redlime about our web design services. We do websites big and small to suit whatever your needs may be with the ability to do smaller sites in house, or bigger more complex ones with our partners at OxygenWebs. Don't be intimidated and if you just want to kick tires and ask questions, ask away, we'll even buy you a coffee for your troubles if you'd like to sit down and meet. We'll come up with a strategy and solution to fit your budget and you'll be glad you came to us.

Thanks very much and I'll have a new post up this weekend. Promise!

Alberta Brand

2009-09-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since the last blog and I imagine the next week or two will be pretty spotty with a couple of the team members travelling the globe through the month of October.

But there is a pretty cool new branding initiative that I really like and would like to talk about quickly. Its called "Alberta Brand", highlighting the many things Alberta has to offer to to both individuals and businesses. Ultimately the M.O. to the initiative is;

attract investment, tourism, and workers to the province;
market Alberta’s programs and services;
develop a positive, meaningful image of Alberta; and
increase awareness of Alberta as a great place to live, work, play and invest

Anyways, a good deal of work was done from a marketing research and brand development standpoint and it shows. The brand is polished and really has what it takes to meet the goals I mentioned above, highlighting the value of doing the homework and committing to the image you or your organization wants to convey.

They've even posted summaries of the research and rationale behind the details of the brand. For any marketing geeks out there, or anyone else who just might be interested in things to do in our beautiful province, definitely check it out!

'Til next time!

Advertising with an Edge

2009-08-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

There’s plenty of good advertising out there and there is plenty of bad advertising out there. This week I’m going to make a couple comments of what I think is pretty good advertising that undoubtedly turns heads.

Last week after what could hardly be called public outrage, Coors pulled down a billboard in BC picturing an ice cold Coors Light and a large caption stating “Colder than most people from Toronto” (pictured below). Apparently some Torontonians found it offensive, not all Torontonians though as the ad was actually designed by a Toronto based advertising firm.

If you’ve been listening to the radio lately you may have noticed the new ads Virgin Mobile is running to promote their mobile internet service. The ads themselves are full of innuendo and take the form of a guy calling one of those late night adult 1-900 numbers that always advertise aroused women staying in and talking on the phone to have a good time, because evidently that’s what they do these days. By the vocabulary and intonation in passing it may sound like a 1-900 number but if you listen they’re actually talking about the feature of the new mobile services. The ad airs on CJAY and Vibe.

Some people would argue that ads like these are too edgy to be good for the brand, but nothing could be further from the truth. Edgy or provocative advertising and publicity is a fine line to walk and some would argue that brands such as American Apparel may sometimes cross that line. But if you really know your market, sometimes the risk you take could be a lay up for a slam dunk. (For the record I wouldn’t have considered the Coors ad walking that line until I heard people were actually complaining to Coors about it).

With the Coors ad, chances are they are in the clear because a) People in BC probably don’t live in Toronto, b) even people from Toronto might get a chuckle out of it, and c) if you’re a loyal Coors drinker and lived in Toronto, you’d probably forgive them for it because you know that’s their brand. But most importantly, even if you do get a huge public response from the ad (good or bad), you’re still getting way more exposure than you paid for with the cost of a billboard and an ad design. The same goes for the Virgin ads, they’re pretty borderline and the innuendo is pretty transparent but rarely has an ad like that hurt a company’s bottom line. On the contrary, Virgin has been running ads like that ever since the young Mr. Bronson started Virign records 30 years ago.

The key a really good ad is to know your target market and demographics, this takes time, research, and an exceptional understanding of your customer. After that thought to ad design and ad placement is critical if you want to break through the clutter and evoke a response. This goes double if you want your ad to walk that fine line between clever+provocative and just bad press.

As always if you have any questions or comments feel free to email or leave a comment. I'm going to go enjoy a nice cold Coors Light now (actually I don't drink Coors...).

A Couple Pointers on Building Your Network

2009-08-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

Okay team so here is another blog full of great advice for other entrepreneurs and emerging business people. This may seem pretty elementary to some because it’s so simple, but too often we get so caught up in growing our business through business channels that we end up ignoring opportunities that can be established through our existing personal channels.

Chances are your business isn’t your only interest, and you may have an interest in soccer, cycling, fashion, computers, hockey, cars, anything really. Make sure that people you have relationships with in those communities know what you do, whether they’re your team, on an online forum, facebook, whatever. If they ever need services in line with what you do, they’ll be more inclined to go with somebody that they have something in common with and at least sort of know, than with a stranger from the yellow pages. Moreover, those people will often refer you to other people if they need something (because everyone loves having “connections”). I’m not saying force your key selling points down people’s throats, I’m saying if you’re comfortable with it don’t be shy about sharing your business with people that don’t necessarily know the entrepreneur side of you.

This next tip is a bit more on the B2B side, but worth knowing anyways…

If you’re in tune with the small business community, or have a large social circle, or are just a super friendly person you likely find yourself in a lot of conversations where you have the opportunity to talk to others about your business. And in a city like Calgary you no doubt find yourself talking to other people with their own businesses. But key to the art of schmoozing isn’t telling other people about what you do, its learning more about what they do. Developing a genuine interest and asking a lot of questions about what other people do immediately establishes a strong rapport will identify you as someone easy to work with. Not only this, but it will help you identify whether or how you can find new clients or create partnerships with other businesses.

The last thing is, have a business card at the ready at all times, and make it a good one that fits your personality and business. This is really important because when the other person walks away from the conversation, that’s what they have to remember you by. And I really don’t mean to knock anybody who has business cards with perforations around the side that you can print on your own printer, but spending the extra $50 on printing at a print shop will show clients that you are committed to your businesses and want to relay a sharp, professional image.
By the way, sorry if this post seems a little disjointed, I’m a little hungry right now and ended up rambling and changing the topic of this post a few times. If you’ve read this far you deserve a gold star!

Valuing Your Time

2009-08-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

The biggest challenge that many entrepreneurs face, myself included, is the concept of valuing your own time. Obviously there are a lot of businesses out there that seem to have mastered the concept of assigning dollars the their valuable time (read: lawyers), but for many of us its a forgone concept that must be learned in order to make your business a successful one.

For consultants, the ones who aren't engineers in this city anyways, it is important to do your market research before setting your charge out rate and being realistic about the fact that as a new market entrant you may have to price yourself at a discount to the competition. I once spoke to a now very successful entrepreneur and he told me that even with his many years of experience, his strategy was to enter the market charging literally nothing for his services and only request that if clients are happy with his service, they emphatically refer business to him. You certainly don't have to do this, but he did and it worked for him.

But as your business becomes established it is very important that you use pricing as a lever to manage how much of your time you devote to your work. If you the phone isn't ringing, either you increased your price too quickly, or you are pricing so low that people don't believe you offer value in your product or service (I've seen this happen, to lawyers no less). Likewise if the phone is ringing off the hook, its probably because your services are on a permanent fire sale. Again, this is why its important to do your research on market rates and benchmark off of this, if you find the market charge out rate is in the ballpark of $100/hr, charging $75/hr as a new business is not unreasonable if you are on your first client, but if you feel you offer comparable service, don't be shy to start notching your rate up there.

Enter shameless plug for our marketing company. redlime takes a very strategic approach to marketing and we strongly recommend entrepreneurs or emerging business do their homework on the market, or have us do it for them. Having a solid pricing strategy and marketing plan is a critical component to the survival of any business, its something that we take very seriously and urge you to as well.

If you'd like to pick our brains about what we can do for you, give us a a call or drop us a note!

An Entrepreneur in Calgary

2009-07-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Wow, I have just been brutal with keeping up with blogging lately. Luckily its because we've been busy. My last blog was before Stampede, and of course this being Calgary, the duration of Stampede was busy with things like Nashville North and taking in things such as the rodeo and chuckwagons.

Anyways, just some comments about how business is going lately. At redlime we're obviously an emerging business and one thing that I really enjoy about that is that we work with a lot of other like minded emerging businesses and entrepreneurs. There is a certain energy and spirit that comes out of working for yourself that is difficult to describe until you get right into it. Between that and living in a city like Calgary which is very young and very independent minded, I consider myself lucky to be doing what I do and dealing with the clients that we have.

A couple of years back I read an article in USA Today that talked about that entrepreneurial spirit in Calgary and it always stuck with me. So to all my fellow Calgarians and entrepreneurs, have a read through this article and give yourselves a pat on the back.

I'm off to take in the great weather now, got to enjoy it while it lasts.

Oh also I finally replaced my old school Blackberry with the new Tour, sweet!

The Calgary Stampede

2009-06-30T19:16:00.000-07:00

Hey team, haven't really posted anything new of late. Thats not to say that not much has been happening, quite the contrary actually, business at redlime is really picking up which is great especially for this time of year. Anyways, the Calgary Stampede is just a few days away and a lot of effort will be going into getting things done during that busy week for clients (and us) followed by the summer doldrums.

Speaking of the Calgary Stampede, Karo recently did some fantastic outdoor pieces for the Calgary Stampede that I'd urge you to check out on their website, here's two of them

The other reason for my recent lack of blog posts is a splint on one of my fingers following a pretty epic bike crash I got myself into a couple weeks ago. I'll be sure to post again soon and Yeeeeehaaaaaawww!!!!!

Some Unnecessary Proactive Marketing

2009-06-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

Recently some of you may have noticed ads on billboards around Calgary from a French company called Total. The M.O. of their marketing around Calgary is to take a proactive approach towards establishing a postitive sentiment towards their inolvement in the Alberta Oilsands. In my humble opinion, and of the opinion of one of my counterparts at redlime, this endeavor is wholely unnecessary and if anything hinders more than helps.

The ad itself shows a relatively pristine forest on a clear day on the shore of a lake. But in the reflection of the lake is not the trees, but distillation towers from a refinery or upgrader. Visually everything is clean and clear and you'd probably guess that Total operates the most squeaky clean refineries in the world, but its still an refinery.

Given public sentiment towards the oilsands right now, and the fact that many people outside of the oil and gas industry in North America have probably never even heard of Total (though it is very well known in other parts of the world with recognition similar to Shell or ExxonMobil), its just a poorly timed and probably unnecessary ad bringing attention to their stake in the developments.

If Total really wanted to be proactive, and their advertising people had been more discerning, they would have used a mix of PR and print ads in broad reach local publications (The Herald, Alberta Oil, maybe Avenue but probably not) to educate Albertans on what differentiates Total from all the other oil companies.

Often times a lack of awareness of the proactive steps by businesses to be environmentally or socially aware allows smart marketers to advertise postives for their clients that would otherwise go unnoticed. For instance, instead of showing the reflection of a forest in a lake as a refinery, they could have ran an ad in the Herald about the work they've done in France on carbon capture and sequestration, or their plans for the remediation of SAGD sites in Northern Alberta once their production tapers.

Just a few thoughts.

New blog, new website

2009-06-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

Hey world,

So this is my new blog, I had an old one where I tried to be funny but after about two posts I think I wasted my comedic talent.

Anyways, this blog will be focusing pretty much on the world of marketing and advertising and the wonderful city of Calgary. What makes me an authority capable of talking about marketing in Calgary? Well I live in Calgary (born and raised) and am a partner at a new emerging marketing company called redlime. You can check out our website at redlime.ca , its not as mind blowing and snazzy as some other marketing company's out there, but its because we're always too busy doing stuff for our clients to make it as wicked as some of our other work. Also, with web design for clients we sometimes contract work out to make it truly mind blowing, whereas for our site we just do the work ourselves.

Wow, how is that for getting off topic. So other reasons I can provide insight to marketing in Calgary? This is going to sound pretty crazy but basically because I'm passionate about it. Marketing means expressing and creating a message that you want to communicate to a certain audience, and to resonate with that audience your message has to speak louder and more eloquently than every other message that person sees or hears that day. Marketing is the competitive art of communication, and to me, thats pretty cool.

Look forward to my next post and be sure to check out redlime.ca.

Cheers,
Raf