So what does “’hands on help from’ experienced people” actually mean?

One of the selling points of Blue Horse is the experience of our core group.

Consider that our Director of Media, Narkis Erlichman comes to us having worked at Burnett in Chicago, at McCann in New York and at Optimedia in Seattle.

Laura Rodriguez worked at DDB Needham and McCann in Los Angeles. Our pr folks, Steve Johnstone (winner of the Dorothy Thomas Black Award last year) and Susie Falk both have extensive backgrounds in their category. As does our president Tom Thiede and partner Bill Sheahan.

And if you get past all that, I spent twenty years at Leo Burnett and then some more at EuroRSCG Tatham.

One would hope that all that firepower would be invaluable in terms of strategic thinking about your brand. And you would be right.

But it also comes in handy when you have a quick turnaround situation on your hands. Like our good client Wal-Mart. They are partnering with the Milwaukee Wave soccer team to develop an abandoned piece of property in Cudahy. Naturally, things get contentious and we wanted to make sure that the supporters of the project were well represented at the planning commission meeting.

So Steve Johnstone comes to Bob Welke and together they come up with a direct mailer that is both an invitation and a way to visibly show support at the meeting. The copy is written on a Friday afternoon and by the following Wednesday, it’s been approved, printed and mailed.

And hundreds, yes–hundreds, of people show up at the meeting, cards in hand to support the project.

This was a low-cost, short-turnaround and creative answer to a difficult situation. And while it took two meetings to do it, Wal-Mart finally got the green light.

That’s what “hands on help from experienced people” actually means. It means you get answers that work. As we say in our mission, our job is not to make ourselves look good. Our job is to make our clients look good. So we don’t have to do TV commercials when postcards will work, especially postcards that double as on-site signage.

Our thanks to our good friends at Wal-Mart for giving us this opportunity.

Digg it?

Janesville

Everyone is saddened to hear about the closing of the GM plant in Janesville.

It was no surprise. Many observers were impressed that it could stay open as long as it did; given its age and the models it was producing.

The city of Janesville is actively lobbying for a new auto plant. And that’s all well and good. They are well qualified in labor, geography and management to be deserving of that. We wish them nothing but success.

But we can only hope that the rest of us look at this and realize that this is yet another sign that we have to change our thinking.

We still see where billions are being poured into widening highways while light rail and the KRM route is neglected. Letters to the editor, radio mouths and politicians all growl “why me?” They don’t see the need for anything that doesn’t have tires. They don’t want to pay the price. Let’s stick with cars and buses. Let’s pay $4 a gallon. Even while the automakers are shutting down.

Politicians like to recite what they have done. But there is a critical difference between doing things and accomplishing something. There was a time when just obeying the speed limits and getting a job was good enough in this part of the country. We still enforce the speed limits (boy, do we ever). But getting a job is a whole new ball game. A lot of people in Janesville are out of a job. And their children aren’t going to have any new ones. At least not making cars.

Those children have to grow up in a different culture. A culture of diversity. A culture of instant communication and empowerment. Times are tough right now and it’s hitting a lot of people like a punch in the gut. Homes are being lost. Jobs are being lost. The future is being lost.

And we’re spending billions to widen a freeway.

This area has tremendous potential. And there is accomplishment. Chancellor Santiago at U.W.M. is accomplishing things. Others are as well. Business leaders are calling for leadership that will not simply react to cost, but make smart decisions about investment. People with courage know that building walls to keep change out is not the answer.

Janesville is being forced to change.

Hopefully, that’s not the only way to go.

Digg it?

Here’s your chance to be on stage.

On May 31st, the Milwaukee Rep will be putting on one heckuva party.

It’s their annual Gala dinner and auction. The theme is “Unforgettable” and that’s what it looks to be. For the occasion, The Rep’s Powerhouse Theatre stage is being expanded and converted into a 50’s style cabaret. Popular vocalist Jimi Ray Malary, who has delighted audiences in the roles of Nat King Cole and Duke Ellington in previous appearances at the Stackner Cabaret, will return to Milwaukee for a performance at the Gala.

Putting on a party for 400 is quite a task. This year The Rep is fortunate to have Wendy Blumenthal and Ed Hashek as Co-chairs of the Gala. Wendy and Ed, in turn, have the support of dozens of staffers and board volunteers to get the job done.

This year looks to be the best Gala ever. Right now, everyone is hard at work bringing in silent auction items. The list already includes weekends in Door County, Colorado and New York plus airline tickets, Brewers and Admirals tickets and dozens of other fun items. And oh, yes, the folks at Great Lakes Distillery are donating some of their award-winning Rehorst gin and vodka for special signature martinis.

To add to the fun, attendees will be able to use hand held remotes to monitor the current status of all items and to make their bids.

The Gala is the one big fund raising for The Rep. This is an organization that’s not just a source of great theater, it’s a real civic treasure for Milwaukee. Tickets are still available (I think – they were going pretty quickly as I write this). To get in on the festivities – and have dinner on stage – contact Lindsay Rocamora at 224-1764 (lrocamora@milwaukeerep.com).

Digg it?

Creativity, Wisconsin-style.

Recently, an article appeared in ADWEEK, one of the trade publications our agency subscribes to. It was written by Alex Bogusky, a very highly regarded Creative Director. Mr. Bogusky is co-chairman of Crispin Porter + Bogusky. The agency is located in Miami, but in 2006, they opened an office in Boulder, Colorado.

Anyone who is in politics or business of any kind here in Wisconsin ought to read it. It’s in the Art & Commerce section of the March 17th issue.

In the article, Mr. Bogusky tells of a meeting the mayor’s office invited him to when they decided to move. (I was impressed already). At the meeting, Mr. Bogusky was told, “Boulder isn’t looking for any new business.” It seems they only allow 1 percent growth per year and that they manage that growth very carefully.

“But,” said the Boulder folks, “yours is a creative company working in the field of creativity and employing creative individuals, and that is exactly what we want to invite more of into our community.”

Mr. Bogousky’s reaction was simple. “Oh, baby. I was home.”

I was born and raised here. I worked here for a number of years. Then I spent the majority of my career elsewhere, having returned in 2006. I love Milwaukee. And I believe that we have a tremendous future.

If we can manage to change our thinking.

When I was a boy, the machine shops and the breweries were going pretty much full blast. Life was good. But we were insulated from a lot of things. We didn’t really need to think creatively. All we needed to do was to keep the second and third shifts going.

Today, we’re a community divided. There are some folks out there who have seen the future and know that doing more of the same doesn’t cut it anymore. They are the ones who talk about connecting Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee. They are the ones who know that growing U.W.M. is vital.

But maybe too many of us have a home in the ‘burbs with two cars in the garage. Our interest goes about as far as our last property tax bill. So we vote for the guys who tell us they’ll build a wall to keep people out, the ones who define anything new only in terms of cost instead of value.

There are too many people here who have a vested interest in well, frankly, not doing anything. When I was in high school, the first thing I learned on the debate team was to try to take the negative side – of anything. It’s a lot easier to find the weak link in any argument. You only have to find one. It’s easier to ridicule and use sarcasm on anything and anyone who might have a creative solution. Want an example? Take a listen to some of our local radio yokels.

Here in town there’s an outfit called Strive Media Institute. They train inner city youth to work in the media industry. They have shelves full of awards for their work. They have graduates who have gone on to college (with scholarships) and have gotten high level, meaningful positions they might never have even known existed.

Last month, Matthew Johnson, the director of Strive, decided that he just could no longer make a go of it here. He’s moving his headquarters to Chicago.

Creativity. It’s finding new solutions to old problems. It’s trying and failing and trying again. It’s what the future is all about. As Alex Bogusky said, “It’s not the job. It’s how you do it. Creativity and excellence are synonymous.”

Creativity. It solves problems. In education. In government. In business.

But it doesn’t thrive unless it’s welcome.

Is it welcome here?

Digg it? ::