Advertising Is Good For You

Ads for Vancouver Convention Center

The last time I went to a conference, I left immediately after it was announced that lunch would be followed by team-building exercises and role-playing games.

Advertising Agency: DDB Canada

Source: Ads of the World

20 resumes and 40 business cards FREE from Staples

Participating Staples stores are offering 20 free resumes and 40 free business cards. The promotion ends June 13th.

What a nice thing for them to offer during such an awful economy. I mean it.

Sure, Staples will almost certainly make money on the deal from people who will order more than 20 resumes and 40 business cards.

So why doesn't everybody have offers like this? And that's my point.

Too many companies aren't thinking about what they can do for their customers. And an alarmingly high number of them don't have the agility to implement a promotion that wasn't already in the marketing plan that was approved last fall.

Kudos to Staples. And to CheapToday.com who alerted me to this promotion via Twitter. If you want them to keep you updated about cheap -- and sometimes free -- stuff, follow Joe Wallace at twitter.com/MrCheapToday.

Cool business cards

Source: Ffffound!

Advertising campaign for document shredding service

Advertising Agency: Bradshaw, Portland, Oregon

Source: Ads of the World

My favorite e-holiday card

CLICK HERE to watch the e-holiday card created by TVM Studio and 4 Real Dough and brought to my attention by Copyranter.

My favorite holiday card from an advertising agency

This Instant New Year's Party Kit was developed by McCabe, Duval + Associates in Portland, Maine, and sent out as the advertising agency's holiday card. It includes a series of five 5" x 5" cards.

Card #1:

Card #2 is a cocktail recipe:

Card #3 lists New Year's Eve party music suggestions:

Card #4 illustrates how to dance the Salsa:

Card #5 provides hangover cures:

And the back of each card is a drink coaster:

Ad campaign for VS Digital

"Unforgettable colors."

Advertising Agency: Martins + Andrade, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Source: Ads of the World

Ad campaign for ecological washing powders

Advertising Agency: AIR, Brussels

Source: Ads of the World

The office cubicle turns 40 this year

In 1968, the Herman Miller Company introduced "Action Office," the world's first modular office system or, as it's come to be known, the cubicle.

Below: This is the first commercial cubicle installation, 1969

Believe it or not, Robert Propst, inventor of the cubicle, intended it to bring a sense of respect to the individual worker, creating privacy and offering protection from the indignities -- not to mention  the constant glare of the boss -- that the bullpen office configuration imposed on the worker.

As a result, cubicles were a hard sell when first introduced. Today, they account for 60% to 70% of the office furniture market.

Sources: AZ Central, Time and Ambience Dore 
 

No over promise here

B.N. Yanow is a B2B electrical wholesaler.

Source: Bits & Pieces