Lightpierce: Core

It’s time to put some real context into advertising

I just came across an interesting post over at MarketingProfs Daily Fix about a company called Neurofocus, “an innovative company applying the latest advances in neuroscience to the world of advertising and messaging.”According to Ted Mininni’s article at MarketingProfs, the Nielsen Company apparently is looking to partner with Neurosoft and their capability to track consumer brain responses to various product touchpoints at 2,000 per second, stating that,

“…“This alliance will enable us to gather truly unique insights about consumers’ attitudes and behavior about which they themselves may not even be fully aware and will complement our other measures of consumer behavior.”… 

Sigh.

Does marketing and advertising really need to be this complex? Or can it still work with just a simple formula of community, familiarity, confidence and convenience, just like it did for generations before us who didn’t have to don a sensor loaded cap (or ask anyone to) in order to guage an experience.

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If you want something done right…

If you want something done right, do it yourself!

We’ve all heard that at some point in our lives — we’ve probably muttered it ourselves in the direction of our source of aggravation a time or two as well…why isn’t he getting it? Out of frustration, we usually just take over the task and do it, unnecessarily increasing our own workload and possibly adding an unwarranted burden to our deadline.

However, let’s think about this for a minute. If someone is seemingly just not getting it, is it a sign that the subject of your frustration is truly dense, or could it because of the role model leading him? What if we took the statement, “if you want something done right, do it yourself” and turned it inwards to ourselves, approaching it instead from the viewpoint of a “do as I do” standpoint?

For example, from our very earliest days of childhood, we all learned and reflected back the model of behavior and environment presented to us. Positive role models, environments and balanced control usually get things accomplished. Constant nagging and lectures on correct behaviors by our parents and other senior people, however, are largely ignored because of the negative feelings attached to them.

For me, the idea of this came while working at my study, and having my children tug constantly at my arm for something. My response would be, “just a minute, let me finish this” or “I can’t right now”. Invariably the situation would turn around a mere few hours later, when I would have to tell the kids numerous times that it was time to go to bed. Their non-verbal response, as they were dazed by the glow of the television monitor, being the same “let me finish this first” as I had unwittingly taught them earlier. Except in this case, I was the boss, and they had no choice but to comply now.

So what’s the bottom line? If you want others to buy into your great idea, then be excited and knowledgeable about what you’re selling. If you want things done now, lose the phrase “just a minute” from your own vocabulary. Create and constantly build a “One Another” culture, setting expectations not with words and compliance dictates, but rather with your own behavior and responses.

Do unto them, as you would have them do unto you, and you’ll get things done more efficiently, effectively and effortlessly.

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This post is a rework of an article originally posted at Squint in May of 2006. 

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See the dream, not the obstacles

Bill Strickland is curing “spiritual cancer” in his community.

(visit site to view video)

“Bill Strickland’s journey from at-risk youth to 1996 MacArthur ‘genius’ grant recipient would be remarkable in itself, if it were not overshadowed by the staggering breadth of his vision. While moonlighting as an airline pilot, Strickland founded Manchester Bidwell, a world-class institute in his native Pittsburgh devoted to vocational instruction in partnership with big business- and, almost incidentally, home to a Grammy winning record label and a world class jazz performance series. Yet its emphasis on the arts is no accident, as it embodies Strickland’s conviction that an atmosphere of high culture and respect will enervate even the most troubled students. “

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Hilarious Goals

Think back to the last time you had a good belly laugh. How’d it make you feel?

No doubt the rush of endorphins produced by that moment of unbelievable hilarity made you feel great. The concerns of the day melted away and you were on top of the world – for a moment at least. It’s likely even, that thinking back to this moment put a smile on your face, and perhaps even caused you to giggle a bit.

Now, think about your goals, the directions you’re moving toward and the things you’re working on right now. Are they too releasing those all powerful feelings which come from the natural high of an endorphin rush? If no, then why not? Why is it highly unlikely you’ll ever read a business pundit suggesting you set goals so ridiculous in scope (as far as stretching your current capabilities beyond where you’ve ever gone before, but still attainable) that an outsider to your plans would deem your idea “hilarious”?

Some of you may find the very notion of setting hilarious goals ridiculous. But think about this, most everything that we believe and hold dear on a spiritual level deep within our souls has some hilariously unbelievable notion to it. Just remove the dogma, and look at the stories from any world religion if you don’t believe me.Don’t dream big. Make unbelievable dreams. Plans so vast, they give you and all around you a good belly laugh now, and good, warm feelings from here on out. Big dreams induce stress; hilarious dreams bring on a sense of well-being.

Remember, Noah was led to build an ark in the middle of a desert and then fill it to the brim with two of every creature around. How hilarious an idea was that?

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This is a repost of the article initially wrote at Squint in November of 2006. My good friend, Victor Howard, expands nicely on the thoughts here in his latest article at BP Trends [pdf]. Check it out, it’s worth a read for businesses out there looking to innovate and transform their companies.

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Eyes wide open

For those of you who might be new around these parts, this is my third attempt at hosting a blog at Lightpierce.

In the first try back in 2003, Light //Shadows started off well enough, but soon began to get too personal for a business domain — at least as far as I’m concerned. Then in December of 2005, Light //Shadows was replaced with Squint, the posts of which were, initially, heavily influenced by what I came away with from SxSW ‘06. That was followed by what was my intent to be a “behind the scenes” look at the company. What ended up happening though, was my discovery that I really like to keep certain details about my intentions for the future of Lightpierce really close to the vest. So again, as it was with the first try, the blog started drifting off from the original intent for it. So now, here we go again.

Welcome to Lightpierce Core.

Here I’ll post those things which align with the core values I want to build with Lightpierce. Items will be shared that speak to the core energy needs on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level that, I believe, one needs to build anything of substance. Opinions will be spoken about those things that revolve around what I see as being the core business of Lightpierce.

Finally, it is my hope that through this site, you’ll be able to see the core of what Lightpierce is about, thus achieving a level of transparency without giving away the farm with specifics.

So welcome. Here’s to hoping we both stick around a while.

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