Public Art for our Public Airport

Published
by
Jen
on November 10, 2008
in Public Art and Wichita Mid-Continent Airport
. 0 Comments

We all know that the democratic process isn’t always fast or pretty, but none of us would choose the expediency of authoritarian rule.

The process for developing public art is equally time consuming and sometimes messy, but neither would we favor the efficiency of a single art buyer.

As more and more communities work to reap the cultural and economic benefits of public art, we thought you might like to peak behind the canvas a bit to get an idea of how you get something of the people without looking like it was created by the people.

Grab a caffeinated drink and journey on with us.

Continue reading ‘Public Art for our Public Airport’

What This Election Taught Us About Branding

Published
by
Deanna
on November 10, 2008
in Branding and Politics
. 2 Comments

Whether or not your candidate won on November 4, we can all learn something from Barack Obama’s successful presidential campaign.

He had a single, voter-resonating message – change – and stuck with it. And he bolstered traditional tactics by using new media in ways never before seen in an election. Working with chief strategist David Axelrod and campaign manager David Plouffe, Obama crafted a strategy that made him Advertising Age’s “Marketer of the Year.”

Businesses Can Learn Much from Obama’s Campaign

Here are just a few of the lessons:

  1. Consistency. Obama’s branded “change” campaign set him apart from the pack. As branding guru Al Ries points out, do you even remember Hillary Clinton’s creative? Here she was, the beneficiary of Bill Clinton’s eight years in office, with the most experienced campaign team, yet her message kept morphing into something different. (If you can’t remember, you’re not alone. There’s a number to keep track of. First, came “Experience,” then “Countdown to change,” then “Solutions for America.”) McCain threw out numerous branded images and hoped one stuck. Maverick. Straight talker. American hero.The public and media’s infatuation with Sarah Palin drowned out McCain and, at times, made it feel like he was second on the ticket. Obama, meanwhile, stayed with his message: Change.
  2. Resonance. Obama had the luxury of distance from George W. Bush’s policies. McCain did not. And if McCain tried to create that same distance, Obama would remind us how often McCain voted Bush’s position. You heard it often enough to recite it, too: 90 percent.
  3. Tactics. Obama successfully employed social media to speak directly to his supporters and, equally important, to get their feedback. He listened. And learned. Obama created a groundswell of support at the micro level and communicated with his base via what insiders call MyBO, or “MyBarackObama.com.” He used email, text messages and Twitter. If you attended an event, he sent an email saying thanks. If a candidate attacked him, he refuted the attack with a video, delivered directly to your inbox. These tactics helped him earn votes. But they also helped him harvest an unprecedented $650 million from more than three million supporters. That war chest allowed him to purchase the ads he needed to win: $160 million on broadcast media, almost $14 million on print, $12 million on digital media. Note that while his social media campaign was phenomenally innovative and effective, he still spent the bulk of his outreach dollars on traditional media.

Applying the Principles
Whether you voted red or blue, remember that branding principles, properly executed, can help you succeed. Know your audience. Speak to their dreams. Create a vision of what you will do. Choose the right message and stay with it. Work tirelessly and well using both traditional and new media tactics. Reach out and energize new customers. Give them the tools to convert others to your product or service.

And once you’ve made the sale, remember to keep building and deepening the relationship. What’s happening now that Obama won the election? The millions who used MyBarackObama to organize 35,000+ groups and host more that 200,000 events are now being encouraged to continue the community, to stay connected, to collaborate, to add members and to move forward. Together.

Winning Is Only the Beginning
Check out the new transition social media site, appropriately named Change.gov. It lets you upload your ideas for the country, apply for a job, check out the developing face of the new administration and more. Want to see images of the election? You can view them on Flickr.

A brand is what people think of you. And that perception constantly shifts. So you must keep building your brand. Every day. It will be interesting to watch Obama these coming weeks and months.

Talk To Us
What social media strategy do you think was most successful in this past campaign?

Dealing With the Trolls

Published
by
Todd R.
on November 7, 2008
in Blogging, Comments and Trolls
. 2 Comments

photoBlogging can be scary. We understand that. It requires a high level of transparency. Heightened honesty. A willingness to listen. And often a generous helping of patience.

Something happens to certain people when they go online. All decency and kindness leaves them, and they transform into angry trolls, stomping all those who dare get in their way. Having a troll loose on a blog, forum or even the newspaper comment section can derail meaningful exchange and chase off more reasonable commentators.

But you don’t have to let the trolls ruin your day and deny you the numerous benefits a blog affords. A few simple steps will help keep the trolls under the bridge where they belong.

Recognize that negativity is different from trolling.
There are going to be some people who just don’t like your brand, a certain position you take on a topic or the way your hair looks in a particular picture. Just because they disagree doesn’t mean that they’re the enemy. In fact, their voice can be the spark you need to generate valuable conversation.

The key to differentiating negativity from trolling is to remember that a troll is simply there to pick a fight. Their comments will be mean, irrelevant and probably anonymous. There’s no reason to publish such comments.

Create a comment policy.
It’s OK to not post every comment that is submitted. While some might claim that moderating a blog stifles authentic dialog, allowing offensive or off-topic comments will have far more damaging effects. But it’s important to have a set of guidelines in place for what will be blocked. Here’s the summarized comment policy we’ve set up for our blog:

Comments may not post immediately. We review them first in an effort to remove foul language, commercial messages, irrelevancies and unfair attacks. Thank you for your patience.

Reach out.
It’s possible that the trolls are individuals who have a valid frustration with your company, and just don’t know how to communicate it. It might be worth your time to send a quick email to the individual explaining why you blocked the comment and asking if there’s anything you can do to remedy the problem. Sometimes a personal communication is all it takes to defuse a thorny situation.

Dealing with trolls can be frustrating, but remember the Three Billy Goats Gruff. They knocked the troll into the river, making the bridge safe for all who followed. Use your wits and you, too, can make your blog a place where people feel free to speak freely without fear of attack.

What advice do you have for beating back the trolls while encouraging lively discussion?

Photo by Ken Davis.

The “New” Pepsi

Published
by
Todd R.
on November 5, 2008
in Branding
. 2 Comments

You may or may not be aware that Pepsi is preparing to launch a new logo and look for their products.

It seems like Pepsi is changing its logo all the time. For many companies, this would be considered a flawed strategy. We think it’s spot on for Pepsi.

Pepsi has always branded itself as the edgy, progressive, youthful opposite of Coca-Cola, the classic, traditional, unchanging cola.

Since a brand is much more than a logo or packaging – it’s the gut feeling people have about a company – it makes sense for Pepsi to constantly evolve.

Agree? Disagree?

Just a Bunch of Health Nuts

Published
by
Carol
on November 4, 2008
in Wellness
. 2 Comments

After glugging our way to victory in the YMCA’s August “Eight-A-Day Water Wellness Challenge” the October “Stretch to De-stress” challenge had us competing against other local businesses to see who could complete the largest number of stretches over a five-day period. We came out on top with 30 percent participation and averaging 12 stretches per person.

We may have looked a little odd doing stretches at our desks, but that made the non-stretchers among us laugh, which added to their stress relief as well.

The YMCA’s traveling corporate cup will grace our offices once again throughout the month of November.

Do you have any tips for staying happy and healthy this winter? We want to hear them!

Celebrating the Learjet Legend

Published
by
Deanna
on October 31, 2008
in Event and Learjet
. 0 Comments

Members of Greteman Group joined the thousands who gathered at One Learjet Way on October 25 to celebrate the Year of Learjet finale. The day kicked off with a commemoration ceremony that included a Learjet 24 flyby by renowned pilot and aerial cinematographer Clay Lacy.

If Lacy’s name isn’t familiar to you, his work is. He’s shot scenes for everything from such Hollywood blockbusters as Top Gun and The Right Stuff to airline commercials. That coupled with his other flying experience – air race, alrline, experimental, military, private – has racked up 50,000 flight hours, earning him more time flying a jet than any person worldwide. Oh, and did we mention that he was born and raised in Wichita?

The first Learjet 35, now on permanent display at Bombardier Wichita, made a beautiful backdrop for a ceremony that included words by Mayor Carl Brewer, Bombardier Learjet VP and GM David Coleal and VP John Dieker. Employees who worked on the original Learjet 35 program were recognized onstage.

Photo credit: Brandon Chauncey

Eleven Bombardier aircraft made for a stop-you-in-your-tracks static display, while a mockup of the new, all-composite Learjet 85 midsize aircraft had everyone talking. The interior, designed by Wichita’s own Bill Goings and Laurie Cox, includes a sleek black and white cabin with a stunning raw silk headliner. This will be one gorgeous, high-performance jet.

A small evening reception for customers, state officials (including aviation-booster Gov. Kathleen Sibelius) and partners looked ahead to new opportunities while reflecting on all that’s happened since 1963 and that first history-making flight. When the Learjet 23 took to the skies over Wichita, it created a new category of flight. Business aviation. And a new breed of traveler. The jetset.

Sonia had great fun reconnecting with longtime friend Don Grommesh, who helped Bill Lear develop the original Learjet.

Two Stellar Brands

Published
by
Deanna
on October 28, 2008
in Branding
. 2 Comments

Two great examples of branding took place recently. First: LawKingdon’s much-anticipated open house celebrating its new brand and revamped offices. The other: a presentation at the WSU School of Art & Design by renowned air-to-air photographer (and father of our very own Ashley Bowen Cook) Paul Bowen. Here are a few highpoints about each.

LawKingdon – Inspire. Create. Achieve.

We’ve worked with this outstanding architectural firm for years, assisting with environmental graphics on everything from the Provo (Utah) Towne Center to the Keeper of the Plains Plaza at the rivers’ confluence in downtown Wichita. When LawKingdon decided it was time to develop a brand that more truly conveys their architectural philosophy – they turned to us. We’re glad they did.

LawKingdon gutted its offices and completely re-imagined them, creating an innovative, must-experience environment. What walls remain are covered in vibrant yellow, red, gray and black graphics showcasing the firm’s work and approach.

Dennis Smith has grown this employee-owned and managed firm from 27 team members in 1994, when he was named president, to approximately 100 today (six work at the Dallas branch office).

One of his first initiatives was to diversify the company, moving it into health care, hospitality, new retail markets and special projects.

Dennis says our 3D invitation has been a huge hit with customers, who’ve been displaying it on their desks and telling LawKingdon how much they love them (the cards and the firm).

To learn more about LawKingdon, visit their new website. And be sure to check out some more photos from their newly designed space.

A Conversation With Paul Bowen

One look at Paul’s body of work tells you this man is a master. But  what’s not so immediately apparent is an equally important component of Paul’s incredible success. Early in his career, he branded himself as as aviation expert, and even more specifically, an artist who knew how to capture an aircraft in flight. He says, as a freelance photographer, “I’m unemployed until the phone rings.” Constant innovation, a to-die-for Rolodex and a willingness to strap himself into the tailgunner position of a B-25 (practically hanging out of the plane at 10,000 feet) has kept Paul in demand for 30+ years.

Paul blazed new trails, showing us mortals images previously the provenance of angels. His first in a long list of now-famous, otherworldly vortices photographs was of a graceful Learjet rising out of a cloud bank over California. Others have emulated the technique, but Paul will forever be linked with these groundbreaking images. “We’ve milked it for all it’s worth,” Paul laughs.

Wichita Eagle aviation reporter Molly McMillin asked Paul questions we secretly wanted to. Most scared moment? Once when, after half an hour of shooting out of the open back of his B-25, he looked down and saw the strap buckling him in had come undone. He “changed his pants” and went back to shooting, he said.

Today, Paul has published four books and his work has graced the covers of 950 magazines. He has been inducted into the prestigious Canon Explorers of Light program. You can see his work for yourself at his website.

GG brand director Ashley Bowen Cook shares much with her famous pop. Including the fact that they each got airsick the first time they flew. To this day, both are afraid of heights.