In the shiny, beautiful world of magazine photography, airbrushing models and actresses is an open secret. How much this affects the self-esteem of girls and women is a recurring topic in the media.
Recently, a British government-commissioned study proposed affixing disclaimers to photos depicting digitally altered models.
Retouched photos turn up in both editorial and commercial photography. Focusing on commercial photography for our purposes, it seems appropriate to ask if we have pushed the perfect, unnatural world depicted in advertising to a new realm.
We want our target audiences to aspire to the world we create with our particular product/service.
Is it right to make that desire, for most women, completely unattainable?
Bob Evans Restaurants core customers are 65+. It’s down on the farm feel doesn’t give it a modern vibe at all. But they’ve embraced the 21st century and are using digital marketing to make it all happen. Columbus AMA President Nick Iannitto asked Chelsea Hamilton, the Field Marketing Communications/PR Manager, how its gone digital without losing its core values.
Whether you’re managing the production of videos, events or interactive media, your mission should be the same: to meet communication objectives in inspiring ways, on time and on budget.
According to Mike Yearling, owner of the Yearling Media Group, great creative and outstanding talent are critical, but behind every success there’s typically something deeper at play: the production process itself. Yearling notes, “Show me a project that aligns the warring siblings of quality, cost and speed, and I’ll bet there is a production process behind it loaded with wisdom.”
Through the years, Yearling has come to define ”wisdom” as the ability to avoid the following seven deadly sins of producing:
Not asking the right questions up front. “I’m always struck by how many downstream production issues can be avoided by just asking the right questions before the spending begins,” Yearling noted.
Not squashing creative ambiguities early one. In discussing creative, words are never enough. He advises using images or reviewing past projects as frames of reference.
Basing your budget or timeline on a Utopian dream. “If you know executives will make a lot of changes, plan for it,” said Yearling. “Nice surprise, if it doesn’t happen!”
Not getting work in front of key decision makes early. Better to avoid a complete project reversal days before the project is due.
Spending 80 percent of your budget on the first draft or cut. Rather than build the whole house at once, show rooms along the way.
Not seeing the forest while gazing at the trees. “Approach your communication initiatives as a comprehensive annual program, and not a bunch of separate projects,” noted Yearling.
Not learning from your mistakes. Before rushing off to the next project, take a moment to reflect frankly on this one first. “Your next project will love you for it,” he added.
This week, I came across a must-see presentation on social media for non-profit organizations. It’s a realistic, manageable approach, excellent for beginners or organizations looking to enhance current social media strategy.
What’s your app? It’s becoming a common question as society embraces iPhones and Blackberry smart phones. But what will it take for one smart phone to dominate the other? That’s the question Columbus AMA President Nick Iannitto asked Berkshire Software’s Justin Munger at the E-Commerce/Internet SIG on Thursday, August 20th. Watch the video and tell us what you think it will take to make one smart phone superior.
Ever wonder what it takes to name a new food item at a popular restaurant? Columbus AMA found out at the August 11th Luncheon at BoMA. An exclusive interview with Liz Geraghty, VP of New Product Innovation at Wendy’s, reveals how they named one of the most delicious items on the menu
With a fear of spending firmly instilled, advertising pocket books have gone from being lined to being stitched closed. Hear how one media company is answering their clients’ demands — without breaking the bank.
AMA International Leadership Summit is this Weekend
This weekend, many of the Columbus AMA officers will be attending the AMA International Leadership Summit in Chicago, Illinois. The Summit, which is totally paid for by the chapter if you are an officer, will be held at the Westin O’Hare. AMA International expects 75 chapters across North America to be represented and 300 marketing professionals to attend. Check back here over the weekend to see their thoughts.
A brief summary of the April Columbus AMA Luncheon
Today, a representative from Google came to Columbus and local marketers turned out in droves – there were at at least 150 people attending. The Google rep covered Five digital marketing trends – more accurately, best practices:
According to the Future Exploration Network, a global strategy and events company, there will be seven driving forces shaping media strategy in the next decade.
If you have time, I highly recommend reading their full report on the Future on Media. If not, here’s a snapshot.
