Melodies in Marketing

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Sustainability Officers Working with Marketing Leaders - Sometimes sustainability leadership comes as an additional role for a marketing leader. But increasingly this position is being filled with qualified individuals from a technical background. This AdAge article discusses how these two roles can work together to properly communicate green objectives & accomplishments as part of a firm’s corporate social responsibility programs within a public relations & advertising context.
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Vehicle Eco-Calculator - Todd And and his team from Leopardo construction created this tool for management to use for considering the petrol efficiency and ecological impact of proposed vehicle purchases.
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Webinar for Sustainability Reporting 101 - Presented by Addison Communications, this free webinar on sustainability reporting may be worth your while. It’s on Wednesday 23 July, between 1-2pm U.S. EST (GMT+5).
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The Green Bottom Line for Consumers is First Personal - This article by the Hartman Group, a research firm, confirms similar findings about consumer interests as does Clorox and other firms: The personal realms are where people care about the most. Skip through the first 1/3 of this article and also see their great Body-World Continuum Graphic.
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Michael Pollen and What’s Wrong with Environmentalism - In this excellent interview with Yale University, Michael discusses sustainable agriculture, world commodity prices, a 3 prong solution, and some terrific insights that tie into the ’sustainability is personal’ topic within healthier living. Money quote: “your health is inseparable from the health of whole food chain that you’re a part of…there’s a direct connection between the health of the soil, the health of the plants, the health of the animals, and you as eater.”
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Nanotech & The Unknown Risks - This is a very promising field, which can help us design lighter and stronger materials among MANY other uses. But with all new technologies, we must be aware of social, economic, and environmental risks. This article also by Yale University sums up the concerns quite well. As paraphrased by writer Carole Bass, the raw materials of nanotech are most commonly carbon and metals like silver, iron, and titanium which at the nanoscale, take on new and unpredictable properties. This makes them versatile and valuable, but it also makes them potentially dangerous in ways that their larger-scale counterparts are not. Case studies, research, and the current state of affairs are given.
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Sustainable Print Marketing - The choice of paper is a great first step. Until I find or write further on this unique subject, I’ll just point you to New Leaf Paper as the best sheet supplier in North America. But these articles by ‘Notes on Design’ about Ink Considerations and Working with Printers, provide excellent introductions.
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Japanese Packaging Reduction Design - Very clever PingMag article with great pictures and stories. Features include Nissin’s Cup Noodles transition from polystyrene to paper, ‘Nobori’ shop banners turned into tote bags, and aluminum drink cans with concave-convex patterns that reduce material and improve grip (based on research by NASA).
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The State of LEED - While many are familiar with LEED building certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, this article by GOOD Magazine discusses the current state of affairs with LEED certification, some valid concerns, and how the guidelines will be revised in the Fall.
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Nanopaper and its Potential - This article by MIT Technology Review, discusses current R&D into making super strong paper fibers and weaving that results in a material stronger than cast iron and tougher than bone.

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Au Revoir !

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Here is a look at my current reading list over the next few months. Not quite all the books, but most.

One of the best aspects of reading business, design, and communication books is all the advanced material so well explained and enlightening, that one just cannot meaningfully retain from magazines (as opposed to Journals). To learn the subjects even better, take notes and write yourself summaries that add personal relevance, related topics, and other contextual detail. The last thing you can do, is try to teach others what you learned - the passion will flow because at this point, you’ll understand the material so well and the story will be yours.

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What’s on your Reading List?

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After one week since Blogger Social, it’s been great looking back at the whole experience. The only general expectations I had would be that everyone would be really friendly and smart in their own regards. While this held true, there were other things I noticed and felt. In follow-up to being tagged by Ryan Barrett of CheapThrills, it is these feelings that I’d like to share:

• As much as I wanted to try to speak with everyone at least briefly, there just wasn’t enough time. But I damned made sure to do the best I could; only about 10 people got away because of different schedules, seating, timing, etc. There were some dear folks with whom I had wanted to spend more personal time with - our interaction was circumstantially brief - and which left me a little sad. However, this difference of wanted v. actual time used, ended up with me having excellent conversations and dialog with individuals - on an unanticipated intellectual or social plane, and a few times on a personal and extended basis.
   
• The informal blogger profile booklet really helped in quickly getting to know everyone and identifying individuals I had wanted to speak with. It was this complete picture of professional and personal background information, painted by an impartial 3rd party, that made everyone seem so human and approachable - regardless of what industry we came from, what stage of life we’re in, our relative ’success’ level, etc. Secondly, the informal profiles immensely helped shorten ’small talk to conversation’ cycle time (Yes, I am a process/productivity geek - time is valuable; let’s make the most of it).
   
• While there was a LOT of enthusiastic conversing going on, there were also a couple times when I felt general content and satisfaction in the air without the need for words during little mini-breaks; maybe a few folks were around us, but there was no awkward rift, no pressure to start conversation again right away - the small talk was truly genuine and had a pace of its own. That feeling was extremely comforting.
   
• Speaking with and listening to so many individuals from a variety of professional backgrounds and experiences, helped really exhibit the relative nature of all reality. In a mixed social setting with no professionally organized agenda (explicit and implied), we’ll all dramatically contribute to the very healthy and important virtue of open-mindedness, while seeing each others’ professions and point-of-views in new ways (or at least be more inclined to).
   
• I came away with a better understanding of what my unique passions are, where my strengths lie, in which direction I want to drive forward, and realistic idea of how to get there. What is my passion and career direction you may ask? It’s heavily leaning toward green marketing, innovation, and sustainable product development. But as I learned from a few folks, opening our minds to diverse and different work opportunities can also help us grow in ways perhaps we’ve never considered before. The path is never quite straight, nor must it be.
   
• Time is now more valuable than ever before - Any and all acquaintances and friends I decide to maintain online, must have some level of genuine ‘interestingness’ or geniality. Novelty is not an option (unless it’s so remarkable and entertaining, while not interfering with my ability to be professionally and socially productive). If I have an opportunity to develop a future relationship with someone I have only very weak ties now, I’ll let it develop on its own accord and timing.

With all that said, it was an amazing experience that I will cherish. For all the folks I met last weekend, previously ‘known’ and unknown, it was marvelous meeting you and I hope that we may remain in good company for a very long time.

Susan Bird, Tim Brunelle, Katie Chatfield, Matt Dickman, Luc Debaisieux, Mark Goren, Gavin Heaton, Sean Howard, CK, Valeria Maltoni, Drew McLellan, Doug Meacham, Marilyn Pratt, Steve Roesler, Greg Verdino, CB Whittemore, Steve Woodruff, Paul McEnany, Ann Handley, David Reich, Tangerine Toad, Kristin Gorski, Mack Collier, David Armano, Ryan Barrett, Lori Magno, Tim McHale, Gene DeWitt, Arun Rajagopal, Rohit Bhargava, Anna Farmery, Thomas Clifford, Lewis Green, Geoff Livingston, Kris Hoet, Connie Reece, Cece Lee, Toby Bloomberg, Seni Thomas, Darryl Ohrt, Joe Kutchera, Paul Dunay, Marshall Sponder, Chris Kieff, Tara Anderson, Jason Falls, Paul Soldera, Roberta Rosenberg, Saul Colt Todd Andrlik, Nathan Snell, Ryan Karpeles, Jennifer Laycock, Neil Vineberg, Cam Beck, Mike Arauz, Matthew Bailey, Heather Gorringe, John Rosen, Cathleen Rittereiser, Tamar Weinberg, Rita Perea, Linda Sherman, Matthew McDonald, Kaitlyn Wilkins, Terry Starbucker, Jennifer Berk, Jane Quigley, John Wall, Scott Monty, Kevin Horne, Virginia Miracle, Amanda Gravel, David Polinchock, Shashi Bellamkonda, David Berkowitz, and Vahe Habeshian

For all the dear individuals I know online, but whom I’ve not yet had the pleasure to meet or speak with, I look forward to an opportunity with you someday soon.

Mille Grazie e Arrivederci!

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Just a little over a year ago, on April 4th, I began writing this blog.

Before jumping in, I spent a LOT of time commenting on blog posts (just about everywhere!) and getting to know the various individuals that write exceptionally well AND connect to their readers.

Then I began organizing the big blogroll you see in the right margin. Its prominence is intentional - many of these writers deserve attention for their passion; some of them have helped me come to where I am today - please explore!

I started off slow and didn’t write as often as I wanted to. Perfectionism haunted my spirit as I didn’t want to come off as a person writing blurbs and editorial. The purpose of an excellent blog is to flesh out what stirs excitement within you while providing a conversational atmosphere to share and learn from others.

After one year, it has been a fantastic experience. Thank-you for your kindness and acceptance of me. Special gratitude go to Mario Sundar and CK.

With that said, I leave you with a song from Yann Tiersen’s album: Les Retrouvailles , The title: Loin des Villes. The video compiled from one man, his brother, and his father traveling to see family in China. Enjoy!

Video Link to YouTube

[image credit: hazymat]

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In a major economic address at Cooper Union yesterday, Senator Barack Obama called for a modernization of our regulatory framework. He made the case that while markets are the engine of American progress, the government’s role as a steward is critical to the function of the free market.

While I was hearing the senator speak, I could not help but think about the parallels between the financial debacle today and the issues we’re facing with global trade. In his quest to get us out of a recession, Mr. Obama may have given us a framework to alleviate some of our international trade challenges:

1- Update Regulations: He says that “The evolution of industries often warrants regulatory reform – to foster competition, lower prices, or replace outdated oversight structures. Old institutions cannot adequately oversee new practices. Old rules may not fit the roads where our economy is leading… For the sake of our common prosperity, we needed to adapt to keep markets competitive and fair.” In 2006, Charles Fishman wrote something similar in his excellent book, “The Wal-Mart Effect”, in which he says that “[Wal-Mart’s] business model is built on the shopping cart, but in fact, Wal-Mart is a completely new kind of institution: modern, advanced, potent in ways we’ve never seen before. Yes, Wal-Mart plays by the rules, but…the rules are antiquated; they are from a different era that didn’t anticipate anything like Wal-Mart.” Fishman continues to explain that Wal-Mart is just a symbol of the era of mega corporations (i.e. ExxonMobil, GE, P&G, Toyota), whose operations are so large and dominant that they stand astride of Adam Smith’s market forces we rely on to harness them; suffocating inflation and driving manufacturing jobs overseas while mitigating their risk by developing new markets outside the US.

2- Risk Assessment: “Financial institutions must do a better job at managing risks. There is something wrong when boards of directors or senior managers don’t understand the implications of the risks assumed by their own institutions. It’s time to realign incentives and compensation packages, so that both high level executives and employees better serve the interests of shareholders. And it’s time to confront the risks that come with excessive complexity.” This reminds me of the various product safety scandals that the American consumer had to wake up to, due to risk assessments that many importers had failed to fully understand. U.S. manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, or retailers who outsource from outside the U.S. need to ensure that the products they are bringing from overseas are safe. They are liable for distributing the tainted product even if they had no direct knowledge of the risk.

3- International Collaboration: “As we reform our regulatory system at home, we must work with international arrangements …The goal must be ensuring that financial institutions around the world are subject to similar rules of the road – both to make the system stable, and to keep our financial institutions competitive.” Here is where the U.S. needs to take leadership, and work with its trading partners bilaterally or through the WTO to create a regulatory framework, a chain of oversight covering the whole manufacturing and food-production process as well as labor and environmental laws, to regain consumer confidence and keep a fair playing field.

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Greetings readers. My postings have become fewer as of late, and I would like to impart something other than the usual academic discourses, lively musings, topical summaries and other writings I try to carefully craft with your reading enjoyment in mind. This is a bit about little ‘ole me.

As a 1st generation American born to a German mother and Italian father, I was raised in southern California though spent many summers with grandparents and family in Munich, Germany. I attended private Catholic school first at a military academy from 5th-8th grade, then a preparatory high school for the first two years. To my great joy and fondest memories, I spent my junior year as an exchange student in Sweden, then graduated from a public high school in Fountain Valley, CA.

My college major was International Business, though I didn’t know exactly what that entailed beyond a fanciful image of businesspeople shaking hands and making trade agreements. I dutifully studied my courses in community college and hoped of transferring to UC Berkeley. Alas, I was advised it would be near impossible to get in without a minimum 4.75 GPA. So I came to terms with practical reality and continued at Cal State Univ. Fullerton, which had an excellent IB program combined with a minor in German. Soon after I started, I learned of and applied for a U.S. State Dept. scholarship program to study & work in Germany for one year, accompanied by 60 fellow students from across America. I was accepted.

Together we attended language school for two months, then we were sent to our individual cities. I ended up in Bremen (close to Hamburg), studied at the local university, then worked as an intern at OOCL, a large Chinese ocean carrier. I felt at the time that working in international logistics would be the best first step in understanding what really enables world trade, outside sales offices and ‘The Economist’ magazine.

Upon return to my senior year in college, I was filled with a strong sense of direction and purpose: finish the rest of my classes and continue on the logistical path I had begun. Operations management, international marketing, organizational behavior, and cross-cultural communication were my favorite courses. My last semester was quite busy with regular classes, a “Global Logistics Specialist” academic program from another university, and an internship with a freight forwarder. I happily graduated in June 2004, assisted a British logistics trade show co. in LA and Chicago, and completed the logistics program later that summer.

Although the career prospect cards seemed well dealt in my favor, something big changed within me. Suddenly supply chain management and logistics lost their strong appeal. Sales & Marketing seemed much more interesting, but it didn’t seem to have a place in a highly commoditized product environment where pricing was the only important purchasing factor for clients. Everything else in SCM was about materials/inventory management, transportation & warehousing, visible and accurate data, quality control, and accounting. Retrospectively, I’m happy for all that I learned. It helped me communicate better with clients, operational staff, and 3rd parties. It was frustrating though, to give up on some VERY well-paying job opportunities right out of college. I was a bit confused and sad, but my heart told me to press on…

to be continued…

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