January 5, 2007
Word on the Street: More Fun With Kids
Katie's Corner: The Value of Professional Photography
Mindbender: Stop Global Warming–Buy a Map!
Stacy Speaks: Charity Drive Ends 2006 With a Bang!
Greetings!
Happy New Year to you and yours!
And after the greetings, comes the pressure—that New Year Change the World pressure. Have you been feeling like you should be planning great strides for self improvement in the coming year? Everyone else is, aren't they? Shouldn't I be dieting, running two miles a day, spending more time with my children, my cats and my goldfish? Should I stop watching so much TV, stop reading People and insignificant blogs, stop driving and start riding?
The pressure of it all! Well, Rome wasn't built in a day and I'm not going to change overnight. But maybe if I focus on a couple of things, I can get some momentum going and take it from there. Maybe two is a good start...
Lately, I've been doing a lot of evening business events and remodeling a room in the basement at home. Add in the holiday hustle and I haven't been to my exercise class in two months. Outside of injury, that's the longest layoff in six years.
What is usually a three-times-a-week ritual had stopped
entirely and I feel the effects. Tonight is the night when I return to the House of Pain—where I go and subject myself to reality, and will surely be feeling it for the next couple of days.
But I know that in four weeks I'll be back to normal. What is normal? Feeling much better, walking taller, bending down easier, hustling through the day, able to eat without guilt. Sounds like a good deal to me. Bring it on! Having a workout buddy who has followed the same path of absence, but will be meeting me there tonight, is a great help.
I'm also subjecting myself, willingly, to the guidance of a business mentor. He's making me "man-up" to some procrastination on things I have talked about, but never gotten around to. I don't think I would ever be accused of being a slouch, but prioritizing can be a challenge with so many hats to wear and being subjected to the unexpected all day. Setting goals, taking action and reporting progress are the only roads to take. Being accountable to someone I respect and has been down the same roads is, again, a great help.
So, by now you see a little pattern here. Doing things alone is sometimes a recipe for disaster, but having a partner in the process, for me, is a key to success. I relish the teamwork and the responsibility to that other person. Ever find that true in your life?
OK, so have I inspired you to identify two things you've been wanting to do and can do with the buddy system? First step is to plan realistic goals. The only thing left is to make it a part of your life. Soon, like working out, your body and mind will actually relish the thought and hunger for the activity.
Call me if you need a buddy!
Tim Padgett
tim@peppergroup.com
“The only lifelong, reliable motivations are those that come from within, and one of the strongest of those is the joy and pride that grow from knowing that you've just done something as well as you can do it.”
—Lloyd Dobyns and Clare Crawford-Mason
“The greater the loyalty of a group toward the group, the greater is the motivation among the members to achieve the goals of the group, and the greater the probability that the group will achieve its goals.”
—Rensis Likert
 |
Word on the Street: More Fun With KidsGreg Whalen—professional voice-actor, comedian, longtime friend of the Pepper Group—and our own Todd Underwood, recently voyaged out to Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo to get answers to some of life’s burning questions. They spoke with anyone willing to talk on camera and were surprised at the willingness of people to open up to a couple of strangers standing around with a camera and microphone. In fact, they got much more footage than was expected that day and should be able to keep you entertained for months to come.
Why, you might still ask, did we spend valuable work hours putting these videos together? In addition to enriching the content we offer in the Pepper Mill, we wanted to remind you that we offer full in-house multimedia/video/animation capabilities.
And now, click on the link below for our fifth installment of Word on the Street, in which we go directly to people on the street for More Fun with Kids.
www.peppercornlearning.com/word-on-street05.wmv
|
Katie's Corner: The Value of Professional Photography
Why buy a professional when you can do it yourself?
There is a little artist in all of us. And, since we rely so heavily on our visual skills to primarily assess a situation, the art of photography can seem obvious. So what, then, does the professional photographer bring to the project that we cannot replicate ourselves? Though a camera is a tool that one can easily obtain, in the hands of a professional photographer, value is added on several levels:
-
Style
2005 EPICA Creative Award Winner for Advertising Photography
By Jean-Babtiste Degez, Paris
NIKE SHOX "BREAKDANCER" CAMPAIGN
Style is defined in many ways as it applies to the image. It might be defined as a specific genre or simply the way the lighting and composition collectively hold the image together. The image can be positive if the elements compliment one another. Conversely, it may be viewed as negative if the elements are at odds with one another.
- Composition
Good composition brings all of the visual elements together in concert to express the purpose of the image. The image maker intentionally directs the viewer to the “core” of his photograph, richly and effectively communicating key messages.
- Impact
Impact causes the viewer to connect with the image, eliciting the specific emotions that are desired. Feelings of happiness, trust, empowerment, sadness, wonder or other emotional connections can be derived through an effective image.
- Story
A skilled professional understands that the image they are capturing must tell a story. That story should stimulate the imagination of the viewer. The beauty of art is that it adapts itself to the personal inclinations of the recipient. The viewer may read his own story into the image or derive a personalized message.
- Lighting
The use and control of light refers to how dimension, shape and roundness are defined in an image. Whether the light source is man-made or natural, the proper application of light is necessary to enhance an image. Conversely, inferior lighting can ruin a photograph’s value.
- Color
The balance of color in an image supplies harmony to the subject. An image in which the tones are cohesive can produce positive emotions. If the balance of color creates static or conflicting effects, the emotions extracted can be disconcerting or troubling.
- Technical Excellence
A professional command over the use of equipment is extremely important in getting the most from the images captured. With a professional, you can be assured that not only will the images exist in the proper resolution and file formats, but they will be exacting in focus, sharpness, exposure and speak to the physical properties of the finished print. And while Photoshop is truly remarkable software that can enhance any image, it’s not a substitute for the skills of a professional photographer.
Although the success of a piece ultimately depends on the synergy of the copy, placement, space, photo and theme, the visual art is truly the most captivating aspect. In fact, some of the most successful print advertisements have few or no words; they simply convey their message through one singularly stunning impression.
Without strong visuals, you can only achieve so much. The amateur image may, in fact, even cause a distraction to the other elements. The layout, design, copy and creative intent may suffer when it cannot support a weak picture. Use a powerful visual. It may be the defining factor between a good marketing ROI and an outstanding one.
Katie Anderson
katie@peppergroup.com
|
Mindbender: Stop Global Warming—Buy a Map!
Meteorologists have discovered the source behind our unseasonably warm
temperatures. STOP GLOBAL WARMING—BUY A MAP!
|
Stacy Speaks: Charity Drive Ends 2006 With a Bang!
The beginning of the New Year is a great time for new things—new plans, new diet and exercise regimens, and new resolutions to do new things more often. But at Pepper Group, sometimes we stumble across a new idea that just can’t wait until after the first of the year!
This past holiday, our Pepper elves developed the idea to create The First Annual Food and Clothing Drive to give a little something back to our community. Not only did we all scour our closets and pantries, but we also summoned the help of our clients, vendors, families and friends to help support our cause.
Overall, we had a great response! In just over a month, we collected 40 bags and boxes full of hats, mittens, shoes, sweaters, sweatsuits, coats, non-perishable foods, toiletries and dress clothes. Some of the more unique items collected included suitcases, curtains and baking pans. In the end, our drive brought in roughly $7,500 of donated items—definitely a great start to a new Pepper Group tradition.
After our team loaded all of the donations into the PepperMobile (okay, okay, Tim’s SUV), the only two Peppers who could still fit in the car dropped off our collection to a very worthy (and grateful) organization—Journeys from PADS to HOPE.
While it’s true that there’s nothing as heartwarming as giving back to others who really need it, we found that having others volunteer to join our effort really made this experience even more special.
We’d like to thank everyone who donated their time—or their sweaters—and also send a special thanks to Best Travel, BLDD Architects, CopyCo Solutions, Gleacher Center, PeopleFind and Schirmer Engineering for their very generous donations.
It may be a New Year, but come November, keep an eye out for Pepper Group’s Second Annual Food and Clothing Drive. Sometimes after the diets fade, the cookie dough ice cream miraculously finds its way back to your freezer, and you realize you’re just not ready to give up your nail biting habit, you find that what’s left in the “New Year” are the old traditions—and that’s not half bad.
Stacy Olah
stacy@peppergroup.com
 |
Spicy Marketing by Seasoned Professionals |
|
| To add or remove your subscription, click here. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome! ©2007 Pepper Group |