Meditation and Life at Orange
Here at Orange, meditation has become a daily practice and a huge part of our culture, especially in such a fast paced industry. Twice per day we gather as a team and take 20 minutes to close our eyes and slow down. We can't say enough about how impactful meditation has been in our lives both personally and professionally and this isn't the first time we've covered it in our newsletter - but how does it impact business, sales, or even customer relations?
Former meditation skeptic and Senior Contributor at Forbes, Stephanie Denning, writes about how meditation changed her life, not only personally, but in her work life. In the article she showcases business leaders who swear by the practice and the successes they attribute to meditation.
In her interview with Elizabeth and Sukey Novogratz, authors of the book Just Sit: A Meditation Guidebook for People Who Know They Should But Don't, we hear about more than just the results. The two explain how meditation impacts the brain over time and why it's proven to be so effective. The benefits at work include better decision making, less stress, and more resilience.
Read the article to find out for yourself and give meditation a try.
Photo by Christopher Katsarov / The Globe and Mail.
Keeping Calm - Life at Orange
Speaking of mindfulness and meditation, The Orange Lounge was mentioned in an article from the New York Times this past week detailing a recording session for the popular meditation app "Calm".
The article highlights the work of Spencer Sunshine, one of our finest engineers and an absolute ray of sunshine to all of us here. Spencer works with Tamara Levitt to record the soft and relaxing meditations that over 52 million users have access to. It's not easy to build a relationship between one woman and millions of users, but Spencer does it with ease. When working with clients whose values align with our own, the results are amazing.
The author of the article, Amanda Hess, details her experience with Levitt's hypnotizing voice, her visit to the Orange studio, and the importance of meditation in an increasingly busy world:
"We are often said to be living in an “attention economy” where advertisers and content creators and technologies are competing to gobble up the scarce resource of human attention. Calm wants your attention too, but it wants you to pay attention to thinking about attention — and the ways you waste it on self-hatred and stress and the endless scroll of social media."
Don't believe us? Read for yourself.
The Power of Mindset
Austrian psychotherapist Viktor Frankl viewed life through a different lens than most. In 1942, he and his family were taken prisoner by Nazi Germany and spent more than three years in concentration camps. On a daily basis his family endured unthinkable circumstances. Despite these conditions Frankl was relentless in his quest to figure out why some survived and some didn’t – why some persevered while others gave up hope.
In Frankl's search to explain the perseverance that fuelled his survival, he notes that “if we choose to pay attention, we will find life is constantly knocking at our door, presenting us opportunities in the form of a choice or decision. And when we default to optimism, — it nearly always increases the odds for better results."
In his recent article "The Power of Mindset”, Forbes contributor Ryan Wines takes Frankl’s heart-wrenching story and applies the lessons to modern life, with special emphasis on those who consider themselves creative leaders. "A positive mindset can literally open up better possibilities and increase the odds of better results".
Frankl wrote, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” No matter how hopeless a situation may seem, consider it an opportunity to choose your mindset despite life's circumstances.
Read the article to consider how this thinking can impact your life.
Simplicity Make a Roar
The long anticipated remake of the childhood classic, The Lion King, is set to be released in theatres this Friday, and the internet couldn't be more excited.
Known for the star-studded cast, out of this world animation, and haunting nostalgia, audiences are absolutely buzzing about the film and any details they can get their hands on.
This week, new posters were released that feature the celebrity voice actors facing the characters they voice. While the concept is seemingly simple, they've left a bold mark that fuses together both the nostalgia of the past with the rising stars of today.
These posters are a reminder that even the most basic ideas done right can make a huge impact.
Take a look for yourself:
Be Your Best Self
Living your best life can look different for everyone, whether that be getting a promotion at work, going on that luxurious vacation, or spending money on a shopping spree. To Ryan Estis, it's a simple cup of coffee.
This week we're highlighting the story of a barista named Lily working a shift on Christmas Eve that changed Ryan's perspective on life.
While it's easy to lose sight of why you're doing what you're doing and to get caught up in the day to day, this talk is a stark reminder that there's importance in even the most mundane tasks and that what we do has an impact on those around us - whether we want it to or not.
We hope this talk starts your week with a positive focus and allows you to see the joy and purpose in all that you do. When you choose to show up everyday as your best authentic self, it gives you an opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting impact on those around you.
So what kind of impact will you make?
Nike Celebrates U.S. Women's Soccer Win
"We'll keep fighting, not just to make history, but to change it forever"
Minutes after the U.S. Women's National Team won the World Cup, Nike released an inspiring and motivating ad that pays tribute to the soccer champs, while touting a message of empowerment for women and girls in sports and in general.
The ad coincides not just with the women's victory but also with the battle the team has led for equal pay. And while it celebrates the win, it also celebrates the young girls and women who watched it, while giving a nod to gender disparities around the world.
Burn Bright, Not Out
In 2019, The World Health Organization declared burnout to be an “occupational phenomenon” and is now included as an official medical diagnosis. According to a 2018 poll, burnout makes employees more likely to take sick days, to seek other employment, and even to visit the emergency room. So what can we do about it?
Hamza Khan is a multi-award winning marketer and entrepreneur, and a self identified “recovering overachiever”. In 2017, he published his book The Burnout Gamble after his TED talk by the same name struck a chord with online audiences. He felt the need to speak out about his experiences in hopes of teaching how to achieve more without burning yourself out.
In both his book and his talk, he illustrates the 12 stages of burnout along with tools to help identify if you may be at risk. Through compelling and deeply personal stories, Khan shows how resilience and awareness can lead to better outcomes.
Not only does curbing burnout make employees healthier, it leads to higher productivity, improved creativity, and increased happiness and satisfaction at work. If we want better outcomes at work, learning about burnout is a must.
To learn more about building a culture of resilience rather than burnout, you can buy his book The Burnout Gamble here.
Advertising as a force for good
Continuing the conversation from its award-winning film “The Talk,” Procter & Gamble recently released a new film designed to spark reflection and conversation on the discriminatory biases we all hold in some form or another. Watch the new spot below and be sure to a look at last year's equally thought-provoking film by clicking here.
How To Get Stuff Done By Giving Things Up
In an increasingly digital world where new technologies and trends emerge everyday, it’s important to learn how to adapt.
Expert consultant in digital organization and transformation Martin Danoesastro has long studied what it takes to make an impact in an industry that moves fast and is constantly changing. In his 2018 TED Talk “What are you willing to give up to change the way we work?”, he makes a bold case for why organizations that are built on bureaucracy and that only have room for one leader often stifle innovation.
First, he paints a picture of departments separated by floors that require multiple handovers to move projects forward, meetings that go on for hours without getting anything done, and an endless chain of command that prohibits creative freedom. In a digital business, this seems ludicrous.
In contrast, Danoesastro presents a model that includes shared workspaces, multidisciplinary teams, and more autonomous decision making. With only a few adjustments to the team’s structure, communication is stronger, work flow is more efficient, and most importantly team members feel empowered and motivated to do the best work they can.
Danoesastro says the secret to a creative, fast, and flexible team that is aligned on goals while also being creatively autonomous is staying true to the “why” and not losing sight of the reason that the team exists in the first place.
In order to change the way an organization works, new behaviours means giving up old behaviours as well. However, in a world where everyone is connected, consumers expect things instantaneously, and change is the only certainty, change has to start at home.
Understanding Gen Z: The next generation
of super creatives
This month, both Snapchat and Spotify released reports on the content trends of Gen Z as their economic, political, and social power increases. Snapchat’s report Into Z Future estimates the purchasing power of Gen Z at “$44 billion in the United States alone, with some estimates putting this figure much higher, making their engagement a boon for brands”. With market demographics shifting and younger generations becoming increasingly relevant, here are some of the most prominent findings from the reports that could help you and your brand grab their attention:
Gen Z takes pride in authenticity, and they expect the same authenticity from brands. The days of perfectly curated photos are slowly being replaced with off-the-cuff live videos and “finsta” accounts that prioritize spontaneous self expression over perfection. While Millennial pink may grab the attention of some, the use of film filter apps like Huji are on the rise.
Social causes take the forefront of Gen Z purchasing and content consumption habits. Gen Z grew up in an era of social progress, and have used their online platforms to explore and challenge societal norms. It should come as no surprise that they expect brands to follow suit. According to Spotify’s report, 68% of Gen Z said “brands need to promote more progressive values and play a more meaningful role in society”.
Creativity is multi-platform and multimedia. Those in Gen Z aren’t afraid to mix the content they post and consume between video, music, augmented reality, illustration, and other media. In order to get their attention, try diversifying media and platforms experiences.
Whether you’re ready or not, Gen Z is quickly becoming a powerful force of creative, socially conscious, authentic consumers and if you want to stay relevant, it’s important to learn to adapt.
5 Lessons on Leadership From Kawhi Leonard
“I’m always trying to see what way I can lead so when the opportunity comes,
it won’t just hit me in the face” -Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard is one of the most dominating basketball players in the NBA. He's so focused on the game that he often appears unenthusiastic or indifferent. After the Raptors beat the Warriors in Game 4, Kawhi was asked how he maintains his composure under so much pressure. His response summed up exactly what makes him so special: "I don't play hero basketball. I'm not playing for fans. I'm just playing to win."
So what can we learn from this? In a recent article, business strategist and author Hugh MacPhie takes a moment to consider what leaders can learn from the NBA great.
It's more than just talk: "Don't just talk about how great you are", says MacPhie, "strive to be one who actually delivers". Leaders should seek out those within their organizations and celebrate them, not only for the results they deliver, but also for putting the team before the self.
Take time to recharge: Leonard was rested for 22 games during the regular Raptor's season. That’s about a quarter of the year. The lesson MacPhie draws is not to let ourselves get burnt out, so that we can focus on key performance moments where we add the most value. Take that vacation – not simply for personal benefit, but because you will be more productive and impactful to your organization when you come back.
Keep it cool under pressure: Okay. That one is a little easier said than done. But your team is watching you in good times and in bad. Consider what Pascal Siakam said about Kawhi when the Raptors won Game 3 of the NBA Finals: "He’s always been that guy who you can look to when something goes bad. He just has that calm demeanour. It gives you peace, knowing that everything is going to be OK. And I feel like that every time I’m on the floor with him.” Many times when the Raptors were significantly behind, everyone could feel that quiet confidence and because of it they believed that they could still win.
Forget the past. Focus on the task at hand: Like all of us, Kawhi makes mistakes. But he doesn’t obsess over them, nor does he worry about the next game, or where he will be playing next year. He just focuses on what needs to get done now.
Most important of all? While raw talent is key, for high-performing teams, attitude matters just as much. There are four or five other players in the NBA who are arguably as talented, if not more talented, than Kawhi Leonard. But his determined leadership makes those around him better. So, if you can find star performers like that, give them the autonomy to do what they need to do. And do whatever it takes to make sure they stay next year!
And while we're on the subject...
Try not to smile at this:
On Making Others Heros
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget
how you made them feel." — Maya Angelou
Orange is proud to feature our guest contributor this week, Richard Mills. Rich is part of the family here at Orange, and has made a lasting impact in the entertainment business. Not only is he the Founder of Global Creative Partners, but he has also left a legacy through his 25 years of service as an Agent and Vice-President at one of the leading entertainment companies, The Feldman Agency. To learn about adaptability, connection, and communication from one of the best, read on!
The important truth that I have learned is it’s really not about you... it’s really about your family, your partners, your team, your customers, your community and over time, your legacy.
Making a difference in today’s rapidly evolving world is possible - if one chooses to pivot on the traditional perspectives that we grow up with.
As most of us developed our social strategies to get ahead in life from a young age, we generally thought that everyone else must think just like we do. But when we grew older, we soon encountered the perspectives and opinions of others which showed the growing complexity we would have to live in. In time, the by-products of this strategic challenge are often experienced as chronic stress, being overwhelmed, conflict with ourselves and with others, lack of focus, general resignation and analysis paralysis. But it does not need to flow this way.
A quick little pivot I learned as I adapted to moving through 5 elementary schools in 6 years gave me a little, quirky advantage to adapting to change - it is listening with great intention.
Having had to adapt as the new kid constantly in school, the key to my social survival as well as thriving quickly, was listening very intently to those around me. Avoiding danger and amplifying opportunity helped me to be able to fit in and make friends very fast - and this became a marketable skill once I started attending sales conferences and travelling far and wide to service clients.
As I now look back, that “life hack” has served me well as I have navigated over 30 years and a million flying miles, making my path in the accelerated uncertainty of the entertainment business. As this process continues for me, I have never been more excited about the future as well as the pace of exponential change and opportunities it will bring.
By first making friends - which later evolved to growing meaningful relationships to support my life and career - this strategy his evolved to create a wider global network over time. The truth for me in all of this, is people want to be in life and business with those they know and trust best. Being of value certainly helps this along.
I quickly realized the power of connection and as importantly, that not all of the talent is on the stage. I discovered my growing inventory of friends could know my other friends who had solutions they needed or had similar interests and challenges. By staying interested I could make meaningful connections. For me, I can now clearly see the underlying purpose in what I do is to be of service and create value. And this is my “Why”in life that also provides clarity and fine focus as I navigate what I create and value most.
I believe the quickest way to a potential friendship is a great conversation, one where you ask a lot of questions and just LISTEN with great focus AND intention. It is amazing what you can discover about the magic in people. In time I called this “listening for the gold” and my intention was to be of service. I have come to believe that service flows by seeking to understand first and THEN seeking to be understood.
As time went on, I further refined this approach into how I could make someone a hero in their own story - by helping them get closer to what mattered to them in life. This perspective is something I enjoy greatly as it often creates unforgettable moments and lifelong friendships and relationships.
I am most grateful for the role I play in creating value for my direct circle and being able to share what I discover on my journey with them. As I am always thinking about my closest relationships in the start of my day as a specific gratitude practice - at some point in time they may reflect back a thought or a connection, or not. I find life more fulfilling now that my rituals reflect this “we not me” perspective - and it definitely makes life more workable and creative. And I smile much more.
I have even applied this philosophy to my Instagram account so that I share a reflection of what I experience in life and travel. Along the way I discovered my passion for photography. I am now working on a book of the best of the moments I have caught along the journey so far.
I am regularly surprised by people that find me in a crowd, at events or in airports to mention to put up more sunrises/sunsets or a quote that they found inspirational or more pics of Jack my golden doodle. It's really not about likes as it about being aware of the unseen impact that you can make.
Sharing a great picture, experience or quote goes a long way when you filter this effort towards making a difference - be it a smile, a useful thought or some fuel to spark an idea. It also shortens the distance between friends. And isn’t that what is at the heart of real engagement?
Human connection thrives when you don’t make it just about you - and communication flows easier if you can pivot to experience and consider another’s viewpoint. And this has become a gift I am perpetually grateful for.
To hear more about making others a hero in their own story, listen to "The Reid Hoffman Story: Make Everyone a Hero" on The Masters of Scale podcast:
Three Things Successful People Tell Themselves
"Let's go invent tomorrow rather than worrying about what happened yesterday." — Steve Jobs
We all have an inner critic, and it can arise at the most inopportune times. Maybe you're about to tackle a new creative campaign, or about to give an important presentation to a key group, or maybe you just want to be a happier, more confident person. Rhett Power's article "Three Things Successful People Tell Themselves" offers a few good reminders on how to hush those negative thoughts, while targeting positivity and success. Though the article is focussed on entrepreneurs, we believe the tenets hold true no matter what your passion.
1. I will do what makes me uncomfortable
Breaking out of the comfort zone isn't anything new but it is a good reminder. Comfort creates barriers to success and we stop embracing opportunities. The more we get used to our comfortable routine, the lower our tolerance for risk. Instead of opting for the comfortable known, try leaning into the discomfort instead.
2. I will look for solutions not someone to blame
Blaming someone when something goes wrong is the comfortable choice. But by doing so we not only lose ownership of the situation but we look bad while doing so. Tackling a problem head on, although much more uncomfortable, helps gain back that control, while gaining the respect of those involved.
3. I will say no without regret:
Saying no is can be hard, and saying no without regret even harder. But there are rare occasions where it is important. Knowing when and how to say no can help you focus on what is that sets you apart. As Steve Jobs once said, “I’m as proud of many of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand things.”
According to Butler, the trick to changing an unhelpful one-way dialogue is to fill your mind with smart advice. That way, all those legacy recordings can be reprogrammed with valuable new insights and you may switch the dial from sabotage to support.
Facebook Down. Instagram Up.
In a new report from eMarketer, estimates for time spent on Facebook in 2019 has dropped compared to last year. Instagram, on the other hand, is expected to grow its average daily time spent by users by one minute every year through 2021. And Snapchat has apparently plateaued.
eMarketer principal analyst, Debra Aho Williamson, speaks on this updated forecast:
“Facebook’s continued loss of younger adult users, along with its focus on downranking clickbait posts and videos in favour of those that create ‘time well spent,’ resulted in less daily time spent on the platform in 2018 than we had previously expected."
Why Inspiration Matters
“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” — Pablo Picasso
Depending who you ask, the concept of inspiration is either the lifeblood of the creative soul, or a commonplace excuse for the apathetic artist. In his article 'Why Inspiration Matters' Scott Barry Kaufman presents research that claims that inspiration can not only be activated, captured and manipulated, but that it can have a major effect on our well-being as well.
Inspired people are buoyant: According to the "inspiration scale", which measures the frequency with which a person experiences inspiration in their daily lives, inspired people share similar characteristics. They're more open to new experiences for example, and become more absorbed in their work. Inspired people believe in their own abilities and are overall more optimistic.
Inspiration increases our well-being: people exposed to short-bursts of inspiration have long-lasting increases in positive energy and have higher overall levels of purpose and gratitude.
Inspiration facilitates achievement people with more instances of general inspiration in their lives also tend to set inspired goals, which are then more likely to be successfully attained. It's important to note that the relationship between inspiration and goal progress is reciprocal: current goal progress leads to future goal inspiration.
So... how can I get some of that??
Contrary to the view that inspiration is purely mythical or divine, Kaufman says there are things you can do to increase the occurrence of inspiration. First, exposure to inspiring role models, thought leaders and heroes will have a positive effect. Second, a series of small accomplishments will boost inspiration setting off a productive, creative cycle. Third, and perhaps most important is preparation. As Picasso quoted above states "it has to find you working". Getting to work before inspiration hits prepares the mind for the inspirational experience, an essential condition for inspiration.
No doubt you're aware that video is the best performing digital content type, and that you should likely be adding video into your social media marketing strategy.
But what types of video content should you be creating - and which formats and options are gaining momentum? Thanks to Social Media Today and the team from Branex for bringing us this handy infographic of 7 trends that could help you decide. Here are a few of our faves:
1. Go live, young man: With live videos becoming more and more common expect to see more live Q+As and Ask Me Anything sessions.
2. Further immersion: As immersive tech becomes more adopted businesses will continue to wow their audiences with 360 and VR.
3. The end of an era: With more and more people watching YouTube over traditional television, more and more advertisers will ditch traditional TV spots in place of YouTube ads.
4. Teach a man to fish: videos will play a big role in education. Expect to see a continued rise in paid video courses.
How Embracing Your Limitations Can Expand Creativity
“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint,
and that voice will be silenced.” — Vincent van Gogh
In art school, Phil Hansen developed an unruly tremor in his drawing hand. The ailment kept him from creating the intricate drawings he was most passionate about. As an artist, this left him devastated, and purposeless. Then one day a neurologist made a simple suggestion: 'why not embrace the limitation'?
And what happened next was amazing. Hansen decided he would "embrace the shake" and he discovered he didn't need to stop making art, he just needed to find an alternative approach to his creativity. By embracing his limitation he left behind a single avenue to art, but opened up a series of fascinating new laneways to creativity. It completely changed his artistic horizon.
"Limitations are one of the best ways to get ourselves out of ruts", says Hansen. "They help us rethink categories and challenge accepted norms". Whether you're in an artistic slump or just in the mood for some good old creative inspiration, watch the talk below. You'll be glad you did.
Content Worth Sharing: Using A.I. To Combat Racism
Hat's off to this new campaign by Licra, France's International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism.
Created via Publicis Conseil, the campaign entitled "Post Racism" compares the online discrimination of today, with dangerously organized racist propaganda of the past. It works by using artificial intelligence to first detect racist posts, and then pairs those hurtful messages with racist propaganda posters from the past. According to its creators, "this allows us to demonstrate the real gravity of these messages."
It's a remarkable idea, a valiant use of modern technology and a cause worth fighting for. We hope you watch (and share) the video below.
5 Morning Habits of Successful People
'Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others.
Unsuccessful people are always asking, 'What's in it for me?'
– Brian Tracy
It doesn't matter who we are or where we're from, we all strive for some manner of success. It turns out the key to this might start before breakfast. In his article "The Morning Routine of Successful People" Eugene Eaton tells us that part of the secret to how successful people achieve lies in how they begin their day.
1. They Plan:
Successful people take time to plan their day. Benjamin Franklin is famously known to say that "failing to plan is planning to fail". Franklin supposedly woke up at 4:00 in the morning simply to set his schedule for the day. Planning gives your day a purpose.
2. They give priority to the most important task:
Self-development author Brian Tracy is known to encourage people to ‘eat the ugliest frog first,’ which is a much more colourful way of saying, start your day with the hardest and most important tasks.
3. Practice meditation:
The Orange team takes 20 minutes, twice daily to meditate. We believe that regular meditation lowers stress levels, helps focus, and stimulates creativity.
4. Bring energy and optimism to the forefront with exercise:
Studies have shown that people who have a routine of daily exercise tend to be more productive, optimistic, and energetic overall. Busy people find time first thing in the morning to exercise because they know they're likely not to do it if they put it off until later.
5. Get up early enough to have time to do all of the above
You don't necessarily have to wake up before the rooster as Ben Franklin did. Mark Zuckerberg is pretty successful and he gets up at 8:15. The exact hour you wake up actually isn’t what's most important. Allowing yourself enough time to take care of the most important tasks of the day, while your brain is still fresh and productive is what's at stake.
Gary Vaynerchuk's Approach to Content
How to maximize your brand's social content
According to GaryVee, mastering content strategy, creation, and distribution for a brand is a difficult process. But in true Vaynerchuk style, he offers a way to speed up that process, and describes in detail his method for deluging his audience with content on a seemingly daily basis.
Vaynerchuk starts with what he calls the "reverse pyramid" model. At the bottom is a piece of "pillar content" that is then broken down into several pieces of "micro content". Think of your pillar content as a single video for YouTube. From there this can be cut down into several pieces of "micro-content" to be posted to social. You can extract the audio to use in a podcast format. You can pull quotes from the pillar-content to create meme-style graphics or GIF content. And best of all you can garner insights from viewership data to help you know exactly which parts of your pillar content will have the most impact as micro-content.
Below is a link to a presentation of Vaynerchuk's content model in action. It illustrates how his team turned a single keynote into 30+ pieces of content, and then distributed it, resulting in over 35,000,000 total views. Definitely worth a look.
On Corporate Culture
“Maintaining an effective culture is so important that it trumps even strategy.”
– Howard Stevenson, Professor Emeritus, Harvard Business School
As the modern workplace evolves the benefits of a strong culture are more important than ever. Many companies have nice sounding value statements displayed in their front lobby. Enron, who went bankrupt after their leaders went to jail for fraud, had these words stencilled on their wall: Integrity, Communication, Respect and Excellence.
So what exactly is corporate culture?
According to Frances Frei and Anne Morriss at Harvard Business Review:
“Corporate culture picks up where the employee handbook leaves off. Culture tells us whether to risk telling our boss about new ideas, and whether to surface or hide problems. Employees make hundreds of decisions on their own every day, and corporate culture is their guide."
In a blog post, marketer and entrepreneur Neil Patel breaks out four elements that make great culture and why you need to care about it now. "When you put a focus on culture", Patel states, "you’ll have guiding principles. People will know you for this. Employees will live by it. It’ll help get you through difficult times. In a sense, it's the glue that keeps a company together."
Culture is more than words on a wall or a foosball table in the break room. A strong culture can't be faked. It's an extension of your values and thus an extension of your brand. It's good people, doing good work in an environment that is good.
Read Neil Patel's post below and absolutely check out Netflix's corporate culture slideshow.
5 reasons why your entire team should contribute to your content efforts
Many companies rely solely on their marketing teams to create content, however the most successful content campaigns require a team effort. In a recent article by CEO of the marketing company GAIN, Albizu Garcia makes that case that "your team is full of individuals, all capable of sharing unique and exciting perspectives."
"It can be challenging, of course, to rally everyone around content creation - especially those outside of the marketing department - but in doing so, you can add an entirely new, relevant angle to what you produce."
To see 5 benefits this expanded approach can bring (one of which is to highlight company culture!) give a read to the article below.
The Secret To Success? Grit.
The media and content creation game is an exciting and fast-changing business. Our client list boasts many hard-working people with success on their minds. In her must-read book for anyone striving to succeed, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth suggests that the secret to outstanding achievement is not merely talent but a focused persistence on what she calls “grit.” In her New York Times bestseller Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Duckworth’s research suggests that grit trumps talent and intelligence as the best indicator for success.
Grit is informally defined as “mental toughness and courage” and according to Duckworth, it is composed of merely two things—passion and perseverance. It is passion that pushes you to engage in something, and it is perseverance that pulls you through when things get tough.
Where then does talent come into play? According to Duckworth, an obsession with your own level of talent can actually distract you from your potential. Talent is seen as a mysterious quality—you either have it or you don’t. And when you acknowledge that someone is more talented than you, you let yourself off the hook. But there is no mystery behind ‘grit’. It is the surest way to success.
The article below offers six ways to further develop your mental toughness, including seeking out a role model who has the grittiness you seek and working less on developing your talent and more on developing your passion and perseverance. Worth the read.
Facebook lost 15 million users. Now what?
Has social media peaked?
According to Tom Webster, Senior VP of Strategy and Marketing at Edison Research, Facebook has dropped a staggering 15 million users in 2 years. During his interview on the Social Pros podcast, Webster makes the case that social media overall has plateaued across the 12 to 35-year-old demographic. Five years ago, for example, 58% of users said that Facebook was their platform of choice, with 15% preferring Instagram. Today if you put Facebook and Instagram together that total is not as much as Facebook's total 5 years ago. "Facebook may not report this, but we do", says Webster.
But don't sell your Facebook shares just yet. "You would be foolhardy to count Facebook out", Webster continues. "They do have 61% of the U.S. and that's 61% of the country focused one brand". Troubled or not, Facebook is not going anywhere soon.
Webster also offers insight into the current state of all the major platforms including some surprising data on tablet usage, why we shouldn't under-estimate LinkedIn as a social platform, and a few enlightening predictions about the future of smart speakers.
If the most current state of social interests you, you don't want to miss this one.
Be Unashamedly You
Your time is limited. So don't waste it living someone else's life.
–Steve Jobs
With so much emphasis on “authenticity” in marketing and social media these days, we've decided to highlight the mantra of Tanja Barth – be unashamedly you.
In her article about how to unleash personal power simply by choosing to be yourself, Barth discusses how we sometimes assume different personalities depending on with whom we are interacting. We are more wooden and formal with our boss, for example, or more domineering and aggressive when we’re feeling insecure. While we are functioning from a point of pleasing others in order to receive validation, we are missing a vital part of the equation–ourselves!
Being "you" seems easy enough. Yet many of us invest so much time and energy trying to avoid being something that we perceive as “wrong”. One person I am close to has been accused of being “too tough” in some situations and “too kind” in others. Paradoxes aside, when did “kindness” (or “toughness” for that matter) become something to be ashamed of? Barth suggests that we’d have much more freedom and possibly much more success if we simply indulged in our perceived faults. In other words, be kind when you want to be and be tough when you think it’s called for. If we did this to the point where we actually started to enjoy it, wouldn’t the people around us start to enjoy it too? And maybe even perceive it as strength?
Be unashamedly you. When you do, being yourself becomes a tool you choose to use, rather than an unconscious reaction that happens when you don’t know what else to do.
Speaking of Being Yourself...
Instagram is hiding "like counts" to reduce focus on vanity metrics
In late 2017, Facebook published a report which looked at whether social media is good or bad for us. Not surprisingly the results were mixed. But as social media becomes more prominent, so too does the role it plays in society. As noted in Andrew Hutchison's article, this includes how the use of such tools affects our well-being and people's perception of self.
Although Instagram is one of the most popular and visually stimulating social platforms, according to a survey conducted in 2017, it is also "the worst social media network for mental health". The survey suggests that the platform contributes to higher levels of anxiety and depression. When you also consider that teens regularly delete Instagram posts which don't get enough likes, it's clear that such metrics are contributing to these concerns. Perhaps in response, Instagram has announced that they will be testing hiding "like counts" to reduce focus on vanity metrics.
It's an interesting experiment - Instagram, in particular, has become known for the way in which users focus on portraying a perfect image of themselves, often distorting reality for the sake of likes and shares.
Given the shift in focus onto wellbeing, you can expect to see more experiments like this in future, and it makes complete sense for Instagram to be at least testing to see how this changes audience behaviour.
The Flaws of Outdated Marketing
In the year 2000, American author and blogger Seth Godin wrote a manifesto called Unleashing The Idea Virus about marketing and how it was going to change with technology on the rise. He couldn’t have been more right.
Godin explains that the traditional model of advertisers simply telling consumers what to think and controlling narratives is over, and is further being replaced by a consumer driven advertising model in which consumers decide what’s important and share worthy. He calls this concept an “idea virus” and defines it as “a big idea that runs amok across the target audience. It’s a fashionable idea that propagates through a section of the population, teaching and changing and influencing everyone it touches”.
He points out that the brands we wear, the shows we watch, and the messaging that we hold on to the most are likely not because of corporations blatantly advertising it to you, but because of a simple idea virus that is spread from people like you wearing it, raving about it, or sharing it.
Nineteen years later (gosh... has it been that long?) the Seth's ideas are more relevant than ever. The goal of successful marketing is to get people talking–and get out of the way.
As Godin explains, “the marketer is not—and ought not to be—at the centre of successful marketing. The customer should be.”
And the winner is...
When a battle of brands breaks out there's not always a clear winner. In this case however, it appears to be the consumer.
Music streaming platforms Spotify and Apple Music have been duking it out for years. From new features announcements, to arguments over which devices should be allowed on which platform, to advertising spend battles, there seems to be no end in sight to the duel.
However, contrary to the traditional forms of marketing that we’ve seen from these platforms in the past including billboard ads, promoted social content and often hilarious commercials, Spotify decided to try something new.
Rather than forcing ads on consumers that don’t care, Spotify has a new incentive to choose them over their competitors: a free Google Home Mini. Yes, you read that right.
Any new or existing Spotify Premium subscriber on the $9.99/month plan gets a free Google Home Mini, shipping costs included. This new incentive that’s available until May 9th (or while supplies last) has consumers buzzing about the platform all over social media.
Not only providing users with the service, but also free system to use it through is spreading like… well... an ‘idea virus’ and is certainly giving their competitors a run for their money.
And making their consumers feel like winners.
On Win-Win Solutions
This week we wanted to highlight something called the orange dilemma (how on brand is that?) that teaches a valuable lesson in problem solving, negotiating, and listening - the lessons of which are applicable to many aspects of life. It goes like this:
Imagine two people both in need of an orange to cook with, but there’s only one left. After spending time arguing over who needs it more, who deserves it more, and why they should be the one to get the orange, they took a different approach. Rather than explaining their positions and trying to make solid arguments, they took a step back and considered one another’s interests. As it turns out, one person needed the orange to juice it and make orange juice, and the other needed it to use the peel to make scones.
In Roger Fisher and William Ury’s book “Getting To YES” they contend that negotiation doesn’t always have to end in a draw, and that win-win solutions are possible if you’re willing to listen more than you talk. The lesson of both the book and the story is that focusing on interests and prioritizing one another’s outcomes can help to reach a shared goal if you’re willing to be collaborative rather than combative and listen before you speak.
Next time you’re faced with a dilemma and can’t seem to agree on a solution, try considering interests rather than positions to create a win-win solution. Even if that isn’t possible, negotiations are always easier when you can understand someone’s reason for doing what they’re doing.
Make a Connection
In what was the biggest gathering yet for the seventh annual Social Media Marketing World conference in San Diego, the key takeaway was clear - it’s time to put the “social” back into “social media”. In Dan Gingiss' article he is quick to point out that every leader of every major platform are all saying the same thing-- it's time to make a connection. The article below is loaded with quotable quotes and short bursts of insight that acts as a reminder of the human element behind the data.
Start With “Why?”
By now you have probably already seen Simon Sinek’s TED Talk “How Great Leaders Inspire Action”, and while it’s now 8 years old, the message still rings true. If you need a refresher, here’s what it’s all about:
In his 18 minute long talk, Sinek presents the difference between those who stay afloat and those who thrive both in their workplaces and personal lives. He says that what separates the two is something he calls the “golden circle”.
Essentially, there are many companies who know what they do, and try to create value by how they do it without ever considering why they’re doing it in the first place. Sinek challenges everyone to turn that process on its head by starting with “why?”. He says that companies who begin with considering why they’re doing what they’re doing are most successful and impactful in communicating their brand.
As Sinek says, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”. If you’re struggling with building a brand, creating meaningful content, or trying to figure out what your next project is, check out the talk below for a refresher on how to create with intention and start with “why?”
Creator Spotlight: Peter Szulczewski from Wish
From Forbes’ March 31st publication comes a spotlight on Peter Szulczewski, the founder of one of the current most popular and profitable e-commerce platforms in the world: Wish.
Szulczewski began his career working at Google but noticed that in their pursuit of creating great products and experiences, they weren’t necessarily paying attention to the needs of their users so much as they were assuming what their users would want. He criticized e-commerce platforms for leaving so many people underserved and noticed that they seemed to have forgotten why they were making what they were making. So he took a different approach.
Szulczewski was fascinated with the finances of average americans and his mission was simple: he wanted to provide online shopping experiences that were engaging and affordable for the average american. By starting with his “why?”, he brainstormed with his friends and co-CEO and quickly put together a prototype that soon had tens of thousands of users. After paying close attention to who was using it and how they were using it, Szulczewski leveraged that information to further inform what the platform was.
He catered to low income families with incredibly low prices and shipping costs that curated products based on users recent search and click history. While there have certainly been ongoing issues with quality assurance, they have continued to problem solve all while revenue continues to grow.
Szulczewski’s story is a shining example of how starting with your “why?” can change the world, or at least in his case, the world of e-commerce.
Clear is Kind
“We need braver leaders & more courageous cultures”
-Brené Brown
Our everyday lives rely heavily on the online world where it’s easier than ever to remain anonymous and vague in the ways that we communicate. We avoid tough conversations through fluffy emails and ghosting messages. While it may feel easier to be polite and avoid confrontation, in her blog post “Clear is Kind, Unclear is Unkind”, Brené Brown makes a case for why we need to embrace vulnerability, tough conversations, and own our failures with a sense of curiosity and understanding.
In a study asking senior leaders what needs to change to be successful in a rapidly changing world that is constantly hungry for innovation, the leaders had one answer in common: We need braver leaders and more courageous cultures.
To dig more into what exactly being courageous means, she identified that the greatest concern for these leaders were people who avoid tough conversations, and who avoid honest and productive feedback. Some of the drawbacks of the culture of avoidance and politeness included a “decrease in performance due to a lack of clarity and shared purpose”.
This isn’t to say that being polite is a bad thing, but it’s to say that politeness can’t be an excuse to avoid tough conversations. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and approach both our successes and failures from a place of curiosity, we can have more fulfilling outcomes for our work and for ourselves.
Brown leaves us with the simple but transformative advice to changing outcomes in our lives both professionally and personally: clear is kind, unclear is unkind.
The Momentum of TikTok
If you know anyone born after the year 2000 you very well may have heard of the newest social media app climbing the charts: TikTok. While many new social media apps have struggled to maintain growth and a stable audience, TikTok has achieved over 1 billion downloads with over half of those downloads being from 2018. And of course, brands are starting to take notice.
The app consists of users uploading short videos up to 15 seconds in length. The social media platform came to fruition after the company behind it bought out a similar platform called Musical.ly. After the disappearance of popular video apps Musical.ly and Vine, TikTok surfaced to fill the void they left.
It’s no wonder Facebook and Snapchat are worried they may have a run for their money.
Click here to see TikTok in action (WARNING!! mindlessly addictive).
Click below to learn more about TikTok and its growing relevance for brand (and your kids).
Unique Media of the Week
Burger King in Brazil is taking competition to the next level using technology, free food, and creativity. After noticing other fast food chain advertisements everywhere, Burger King figured they needed to stand out from the crowd. What better way than to use their competition’s advertisements to fuel their fire?
Burger King created an app that allows users to point their phone’s camera at one of their competitor’s advertisements to watch a visual effect of it burning. After the advertisement “burns”, it reveals a coupon for a free burger. Burger King’s clear, direct, and candid approach to messaging certainly won over some attention. If you can’t beat them and you can’t join them, give out free burgers.
What Stands In The Way, Becomes The Way
“What stands in the way becomes the way”
-Marcus Aurelius
One of the requirements of being successful in the media industry is to find opportunity in obstacles. American marketer and entrepreneur Ryan Holiday makes a case for why successful people use adversity as opportunity and how we can’t always control what happens to us, but we do choose how we react and persevere. In his book “The Obstacle Is The Way”, Holiday explores the stories of successful people throughout history and breaks down the science of resiliency into three main points:
Perception - If you choose to see things as unfair, failures, or insurmountable obstacles, that’s how things will be. The story you tell yourself about something has great impact on what that thing is.
Action - How you choose to act is how you show or fail to show stoicism. If you want to be successful, you need to actively choose to act with creativity, persistence, and ingenuity rather than with blame, shame, or fear.
Will - Your will has to do with how you deal with the things in life you can’t change. It’s about choosing joy in the moments that seem insurmountable when you have no control over the outcome.
Whether you’re nervous to pitch an idea for a new series, unsure about the creative value of your work, or can’t seem to find the funding you need to get your project off the ground, Holiday says “in everything that happens to us, there is a chance to practice excellence”.
If you’re interested in watching the author's animation about the book click below.
Unique Media of the Week: The Coors Light vs. Bud Light Feud
Perhaps in response to weariness of negative media, Coors Light recently released their #RefreshTheConversation campaign. It features the world's very first smart beer tap that they call "The Coors Light”. Essentially, every time Bud Light posts something negative about the competing brand on social media, the smart tap will light up and those present will receive a free Coors Light. The new Coors Light marketing campaign is a shining example of taking negativity and finding opportunity in it. Watch the refreshing spot below:
On Empathy
Making impactful media is about understanding your audience and what they value. If you understand the needs of your client or audience, you’re more likely to effectively deliver outstanding content and what better way to understand a client than through empathizing?
Empathy is the ability to understand and relate to the feelings of someone else, often described as “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes”.
Prudy Gourguechon, critical decision psychologist, writes about how employing empathy in our everyday work can help us to “make better predictions, craft better tactics, inspire loyalty and communicate clearly”. While it’s easy to think about empathy as a soft skill, Gourguechon makes a case for why empathy is absolutely necessary to being effective not only in our personal lives, but especially in our work.
In a business that is increasingly personalized through targeted ads and niche content communities on the internet, it’s more important than ever to be able to make predictions and understand what it is that audiences are looking for.
To get inspired on why empathy is important to learn in order to fuel success, read the full article.
Spotlight of the Week: RAF
The way in which women are characterized in advertising has long been critiqued for being unoriginal and relying on stereotypes. However, this advertisement from Sara Dunlop, Engine, and the Royal Air Force is changing the game. Their belief that “women should be defined by actions not clichés” is reflected in the advertisement in an effective, engaging, and inspiring way.
Social Media in Support of Social Causes
Between kickstarters for inspiring causes and online campaigns like #MeToo, social media has played a large role in advancing progressive social causes.
This past week, platforms showed their support for International Women’s Day by actively building features that will help to raise awareness for the day as well as Women’s History Month. These efforts included Snapchat filters, Facebook stickers, and Twitter hashtags to raise awareness.
While there’s a troubling amount of news about the tragedies in the world, it’s refreshing to see an intentional effort to move social causes forward in media, especially on platforms like social media that are primarily user driven.
Learn more about Facebook’s themed stickers by clicking below:
Click to learn more (7m)