By Patrick McNerthney
My first gig after graduating college was for a small public relations firm. Now, when you’re in public relations, you don’t call anything “small” unless it somehow benefits the story. Thus, we referred to our public relations firm as “boutique.” Seriously, that’s what we did. Which is also why I only lasted a year in that business: in public relations, you’re basically fibbing all the time. I mean, the entire firm consisted of myself and one other boutique guy, literally.
Let’s face it. In advertising, we expect people to know they’re victims of advertising too.
(This is pretty much the other guy, my boutique boss.)
Speaking of which, my next gig was for an actual advertising agency. I was basically everyone’s lackey, but some of the writer-types took me under their collective wing for mentoring and such because they liked the weekly newsletter I wrote. Which was great, since poor Peggy (the woman charged with editing that newsletter) hated it and me and my penchant for wandering narratives, dirty limericks, smart-aleck humor, and everything else I still do that’s not remotely close to being “AP-style.”
I’m pretty sure Peggy eventually “went on to a new opportunity.”
Anyway, my writer-mentors(unbeknownst to me), had a powerful lesson to teach about Big Company Advertising: it pays to be consistent, generous, and thoughtful when creating an advertising campaign. That means effective ad campaigns are hospitality-minded, outward focused, and of service; NOT “persuasive,” “argumentative,” or “influential.” In fact, they also taught me the great advertising truth: It is impossible to make someone do what they don’t want to do. Nope, doesn’t happen. What great advertising people do is connect what their clients have with what their client’s customers think they want.
(Okay, what people think they want is a whole other story we can get into later.)
I know right? The whole thing is a head trip. But it’s critically important. These writers also pointed out:
- Great products work far better than great ads do. And if your client is a service-based product, the key to the equation is SERVICE (don’t let the client forget that).
- A simple test for brand marketing: if you can substitute one company for another and the ad still makes sense, it’s not an effective ad.
Okay, okay, I’ve nerded-out on advertising stuff enough. Why am I telling you this? Because these key ingredients to effective advertising are the same key ingredients to creating VIRTUALLY ANYTHING: a business, a relationship, a safe and stable work environment where everyone can flourish, or heck, even a great high-school softball team. Think about it. What happens when you’re:
- consistent, generous, and thoughtful?
- hospitality-minded, outward focused, and of service?
- good at connecting what you have with what others want?
- irreplaceable, un-swap-out-able…when you’re not there, people notice, and miss you?
Yep, it’s pretty magical—you may not become a Fortune 500 company, win spouse of the year, get on the cover of Time magazine, or even claim victory in the state softball championship. But you will create a lot of connection and change people’s lives for the better. And that’s success.
Over to you. Certainly your work as a caregiver of the elderly, children with challenges, and anyone needing help with life’s daily tasks is based on creating connection and changing people’s lives for the better. And while you likely possess the key ingredients that make for effective care (and effective advertising!), it doesn’t hurt to have a little help. And that’s where Fine Art Miracles (FAM) comes in.
FAM champions creative expression as the perfect tool to help your residents and loved ones overcome the anxiety and depression they experience from social isolation. That means the act of simply making through Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Multi-Sensory Sessions, Art2Go packages (April features Charlie Harper Animals, it’s soooo cute!!), Drama Therapy, and even more helps your residents and loved ones reconnect with their self-worth, sense of mastery, confidence, optimism, community, and belief that they matter. And that’s a sure-fire way to take them where they need to go.
So what are you waiting for my newfound advertising genius friend? Give FAM a call or drop them a note to learn more. FAM is happy to share, answer any questions you might have and help you get started.
Hmmmm, I wonder whatever happened to Peggy. I’m not certain that she left because I drove her insane. Maybe I should track her down and send her a card or something? Or, then again, maybe not. She certainly had her fill of my writing, and I’d hate to give her another mental breakdown. Might push poor Peggy over the edge.
