Val, what are some common trends that you see in today’s university recruitment materials?

 College recruitment starts as soon as high school students take their SAT tests. Schools carefully assess personal information and scores to target students for their recruitment efforts. I saw it happen with my own kids. Following the SAT, they were inundated with mailings. But we didn’t even look at most of it, because so much looked the same. The standout pieces employed personalization, unique mailer shapes, vibrant colors, and great photography.

Then how can schools really grab students’ attention?

 It’s hard to really hold the focus of someone at this age, but there are ways. For example, my daughter received an envelope with a personal message to her about her desired profession printed on the outside. It demonstrated to her that this school understood her interests and wanted to make a personal connection with her, so she opened it.  Another mailing included a sticker with the school’s mascot on it. She used the sticker, and the school got simple promotion because of it.

Are prospective students the only target audience for these recruitment materials?

 Not at all. The parents are just as important, because they have such an influence on their kids’ decisions. Ideally, colleges want to create an image of the school that parents find credible and that students find attractive.

Is it easy to develop a campaign that appeals to both groups?

It’s not easy, but it’s possible. But it’s also okay for two parallel campaigns to run. This is a more customized approach, because both students and parents have different priorities when looking for the right institution. For example, when we interviewed focus groups of both students and parents, we found that “academics” was not the main concern of the students.

What were students more concerned with?

 The first thing students wanted to learn about a university was the quality of life on its campus. Basically, how nice are the dorms. For Cal U, conveying the campus lifestyle became a major focus of the imagery in the recruitment material. The campus and the new student housing are really beautiful, but capturing the vibrancy and energy of that on-campus feel in a photograph can be challenging. That’s why it’s so important to have top quality photography in college recruitment materials.

When you say “top quality,” what exactly do you mean?

 Here, “top quality” refers to capturing a moment that is genuine, rather than posed. Now, that moment might be set up, but if it appears as natural as any other day on campus, then you’ve framed a good shot. With Cal U this wasn’t too difficult, because the campus is already beautiful and the actual enthusiasm of the students is very apparent.

In the focus groups, were there differences between what appealed to college-bound males and females?

 Yes. Females in the group really responded to the bright, sunny imagery that we took of Cal U’s campus. So, it was essential for us to accentuate this brightness in our photos. However, both genders wanted to see attractive, neat, and clean looking students in the images. They want to visualize themselves associating with the type of students presented. The focus group also revealed that the “grungy” style that once appealed to kids has almost vanished. My kids also agreed that they were drawn to colleges that appeared clean, neat, and well organized.

What were the parents looking for?

Parents are emotionally invested in their children’s education and want to be sure that they’ve helped to make the absolute best choice for their kids. Marketing recruitment materials to parents should be taken as seriously as it is for the students. Parents want to see factual information that reflects the value of their educational investment.

But isn’t the bright, clean, well-organized campus an image that most colleges are trying to convey? What can schools do to set themselves apart?

 The best university recruitment materials are able to communicate the personality of the school, along with the features of the campus and people. At Cal U, the University’s core mission is “Building Character. Building Careers,” a value that its President makes an effort to instill in the daily life of every student on campus. This is a strong message, especially for the parents of these students. Anyone can get a degree from a school, but without gaining a degree of character through the university experience, a student’s future is less certain.

How will Cal U’s recruitment materials change with the University’s continuing growth?

 I imagine that these materials will constantly evolve, just as the school itself is evolving. The curriculum and campus continue to expand with more and more accolades for quality. With that, the students and faculty are becoming even more diverse. So the recruitment materials must reflect these enhancements. Any university will change over time, and even the personality it wishes to portray may change.

Will the Internet ever negate the need for printed recruitment materials?

 Online content is a significant aspect of recruitment that plays a big role in the decision-making process, but so do print materials. Traditional advertising can evoke first-time awareness to get students to investigate further. Direct mail materials showcase the imagery that students may first associate with a particular school so they can envision attending. All these elements work in concert to help students and parents make up their minds. What we have learned about Cal U is that once students actually visit the University and see the remarkable campus for themselves, they are sold on the school. The materials we create attempt to get them to do just that.

What trends in university recruitment materials do you think are effective? Who’s doing a good job? 

Additionally, Chris is a poet and, in her free time during the past two years, she has engaged in over 800 hours of pastoral visits with patients of Family Hospice & Palliative Care and at UPMC Shadyside Hospital.

We asked Chris to share some of her poetry here, and to talk about the connections between her personal avocations and her professional career.

I have always envisioned advertising as a lot like poetry. It seeks, with quintessential words and images in the forum of a graceful space, to enchant, enlighten, enliven and engage audiences with the unique experience and virtues of an organization, commodity or service.

 I am ultimately interested in discovering and revealing essence — in individuals or organizations. As I see it, brand marketers are a bit like pastors and poets. We seek first to deeply listen and observe; to discern, clarify and elicit; and then to evocatively communicate the soul purpose and unique product or service that each organization and business contributes to our highest collective good.

 For inspiration, please enjoy Chris’s poetry below. How would you describe the soul of your organization or business? How do you communicate its essence?

YOUTH, HONEY HUNTING IN THE HIMALAYAS

Who lowered this ropey ladder

aswarm with bees

like angels descending, ascending?

He who climbs through clouds

high above the ravenous gorge,

sweat-glazed, weighted with gear of the hunt,

his veins bulging like the thick vines

clutching the mountain,

must have the faith of Jacob.

Though virginal,

he too must truly believe

that his descendents, like the rock-mingled dust

sloughing from the cliff at each debriding touch,

will people the blessed earth,

and that the hive above

flows like a river of gold.

CONSTRUCTION ZONE

The Last Apples

On the final precipice,

above bulldozers and snorting backhoes

that gouge and rout the raw earth,

an old apple tree,

its roots exposed by the gnawing beasts,

rears its gnarled and heavy head.

A wild breeze electrifies its leaves,

and a shock of sunlight

irradiates the gold and ruddy fruit.

As jackhammers fire artillery-like rounds

at the road below, and dump trucks

haul the vanquished land away,

the air on this last hill remains

rife with bees

and the pungency of falling apples.

THE SEPARATION

These redwoods that we loved,

cloud-wrapped on the California coast,

are more committed than we.

Pillars of individuality,

each has sprung from secret, ancestral roots;

each has sounded for centuries the long “I”

while lifting insects, birds and mammals

in a solitary skyward quest.

Yet with solidarity they stand,

a tenured intercourse of limbs,

branches so wed, so intricately knit

that even the stricken trees among them

stand upright in the weft.

Even the mist assists them,

the morning mantle of fog vaguely drifting west

as, in the east, at the forest’s edge,

the boughs of one great tree, its left side still enmeshed,

grope the free air toward distinction.

POETS

We are ocean

hauling treasures from the depths,

heaving them on shore

with tranquil

or tempestuous throes.

A wanderer,

lonely with longing,

stoops to lift a seashell from the sand;

admires its honed,

exquisite beauty

and, pressing it against an ear,

hears, at last,

clear voices of the ageless deep

echoing

the vast, unspeakable soul.

Sometimes there’s a fine line in direct marketing (and social media) between cultivating a relationship and spamming.  In this case I’m pretty sure Ford drives (pun intended) right over the line without even seeing it.

Several months ago I opted-into a mobile marketing campaign run by Ford.  I saw a television commercial for the new Ford Escape and at the end of the spot it asked me to send a text message to learn more about the SUV and “promotions in your area” (this was a national TV spot).  Since I’m in the business of helping companies with text message marketing, I texted in to see how this campaign worked.  If I remember correctly the campaign asked me for my zip code, via text message, and then replied with a current financing offer in my area.  I believe there was also a number to call if I was interested in speaking with a dealer.  In the end it was a fairly straight-forward, and pretty lackluster, mobile marketing campaign.

A few weeks had gone by when I received another text message from Ford.

“Ford: Thanks for your interest in Ford! Your local area dealers still have great offers. Reply w/ur full name 2 B contacted. Msg+Data rate apply. Stop=Optout”

While this message is not only very vague (what are these great offers?) the only call-to-action is basically “reply now so our salespeople can attack you”.  It’s bad enough to receive a message like this once, but since initially opting into the campaign I have received this exact same text message EVERY TWO WEEKS.

Of course I could opt-out but at this point it’s become interesting to see how long they’ll keeping sending me the same useless message.  When I get the message I wonder about the marketing manager at Ford, and if they approved this “hit them over the head until they buy” technique.  I also wonder how many people have opted-out.  Maybe I’m the only person left.

While this type of messaging isn’t technically spamming, I would imagine the results are the same – people are leaving or ignoring the messages, and Ford is missing an opportunity to create some interest in their cars.

Why not link me to some information about new models, or maybe even a mobile video?  Could you tell me what the “great offers” are?  If I had a chance to learn a little more about their product maybe I would be open to reaching out to a dealer for a test drive.  I may not be ready to buy today but now that you have my attention at least give me a reason to consider a Ford when I am ready.

Coincidentally I recently received an email from Infiniti with an “exclusive look” at one of their upcoming SUVs.  I clicked onto their site and watched a short video highlighting some of the features (something I could do over my phone as well).  Am I going to buy the Infiniti?  No, not right now, but which car company do you think will be higher on my list when I’m ready?

Justin Mastrangelo is president of JA Interactive, a company that helps organizations manage SMS marketing campaigns through their proprietary JA.TXT software. Justin is also a board member and past president of the American Marketing Association in Pittsburgh.

I love to oil paint and show my work in exhibits, and one of the groups I really enjoy my membership in is the Upper St. Clair League for the Arts. Every spring for about the last four years, the Lois Guinn Frame Shop and Gallery gives us the opportunity to have a group exhibit. In past years I’ve sold work at this show, so I try not to miss it. The gallery is in McMurray and sits about three miles past South Hills Village Mall. The owner, Ms. Carrie Hutsko, is very cooperative and helpful in putting on this exhibit and the artists appreciate it.

This year the show will run from Saturday, March 26th to Sunday April 10th. The Opening Reception is on Saturday, March 26th, from Noon to 4:00 p.m. Many of the artists will be there to talk about their work. Below are the three pieces I’m submitting this year:

This first one is my newest still life oil painting. It’s called “Salt and Pepper” and it is 11×14 inches. The idea for this painting took shape last year while spending a day photographing various still life set ups using perishable items found around the house. Soon I realized that using the little girl’s gaze might be fun and interesting. After considering several objects to pair her with, I went with the one object that would put a bit of a twist on very common household items found on dinner tables everywhere: salt and pepper.

The next painting was completed just prior to “Salt and Pepper.” This painting is called “Steelers Ornament” and it is 5×7 inches. In this, I was channeling my enthusiasm for the Steelers and their playoff hopes into a little holiday-themed still life. Every year I try to do a holiday-themed painting that print on a greeting card to send to various media outlets, galleries, and friends. That way the painting doubles as a holiday card and a promotional piece! I was particularly proud of this year’s card since it was mailed just after the Steelers big win over Baltimore during their second regular season matchup in early December. What great timing!

Finally, the third piece I submitted (which may not be hung due to space limitations) is a little 5×7 oil landscape called “Light in August”. I actually did this one about ten years ago. Its been sitting in a closet for much of that time but I finally decided to display it. This painting depicts a scenic little creek in Mingo Creek Park, close to where I live.

Hope you can make it to the show reception on March 26 or anytime during the exhibit.  If not, you can see more of my work at JoeWinklerArt.com or read about other paintings along with other art happenings around Pittsburgh on my blog at www.WinklerArt.Blogspot.com.

Lois Guinn Frame Shop and Gallery is located at 3339 Washington Road (Rt. 19 South) in McMurray.  Click here for directions.

As an agency production manager, my world is all about getting a creative idea to reach its final destination, usually in print, online or into the hands of a waiting client.  I’ve been doing this for a while, so sometimes I’m asked to advise newcomers to the business on how to keep jobs running smoothly and efficiently.

One word pops into my head: Communication.

This word makes me think of a train: a lot of linked rail cars and workers in every car doing their specific functions.  To keep this train running smoothly, railroad job performance, functions and processes must be clear. Communications within, and between each car must be precise. If the process is good and communication is clear, it’s likely to be a smooth ride. If not, the whole operation is in danger of a crash. The results are costly – or worse – even life-threatening.

Now take this analogy into an agency. Everyone has a primary function and a known, proven workflow process should be in place and actively used, so jobs stay on track, on time, and on budget. If the process is ignored, changed or thrown out the window, the result is a communication breakdown between team members. Now the job has the potential to become a “train wreck.” It may not be life-threatening but it almost always means more money, more unbillable time and could even be “account-threatening.”

While we all bring different expertise to an agency, a common skill that should be tops on each team member’s job description is strong interpersonal communications. A team that talks to each other with clarity and uses an agreed-upon process enables efficient  workflow,  less “do-overs”, better work, happier employees and most importantly, well-satisfied clients.  It’s an “on-track” train chugging along at a good and profitable clip – instead of one that’s constantly getting derailed.

It’s no secret that most people aren’t fans of details and paperwork – especially in a creative environment – but, sorry folks – it’s critical to the path of a job’s success.  Job starts, approved budgets, ever-changing schedules, team input meetings, and status updates along the way are the fundamental steps in a good workflow system, and ultimately a great outcome.

While no production/traffic system is 100% flawless, most systems will work, and work well, when they’re used by everyone.  So talk to your production/traffic person and use your workflow systems to their fullest extent. You might just be surprised how much strain it takes out of your day!

The best processes are always evolving, so what tips to you have for keeping your projects on time and on budget? How do you keep all the trains running at your company?

I don’t really remember the moment I decided to go into advertising. I don’t think there was an exact moment. It was the result of a culmination of thoughts, classes and events that funneled me through to the advertising major at Duquesne University. I thought about and dreamed about advertising like most aspiring marketers do – complete with suits, hectic days, ground-shaking campaigns, being a key team member.  And who can really blame all of us dreamers? Our window to the advertising world is through giant ad agency YouTube channels, Hollywood movies, talk of the “heydey” in Pittsburgh, or case studies of revolutionary campaigns at Coca-Cola or Nike.

I graduated from Duquesne University in May of 2009 – a challenging time of the Great Recession. I’ll be real and honest: my first few weeks or months in the business weren’t about suits, pitches, hectic days, or being considered that “fresh, bright, young mind we’ve been looking for.” It was filled with researching, persevering, scouring opportunities for new business, and helpful yet tedious tasks that didn’t fall under my “assistant account executive” role.

They say that “timing is everything” and the timing of my entry into the industry has taught me lessons that I would have had to wait to learn if there was never a recession, if I was able to jump right into those hectic days I dreamed about.

While I’ve learned very much in the last few years, both technical and theoretical (and even personal), I think my main lessons can be summed up with three ideas:

1) There’s always something new to learn. Social media was a mere interest when I entered the field, and now we’re writing successful strategies for our clients on how to capitalize on the new tactics available. Just because there might be time to kill, doesn’t mean you should kill time. During some of my summer days, I did more reading and experimenting with social media than I can even conceive anymore. But all those days built a wealth of knowledge that I’ve been able to pass along to my colleagues and our clients and it has truly helped me make my mark.

2) Small budgets don’t mean small ideas. Budget cuts. Who likes them? Sure, having a huge budget could mean an over-the-top campaign with revenue pouring in from every crevice, but smaller budgets create a refreshing challenge that we, problem-solving brainstormers, can’t get enough of! How can we make true, lasting relationships with our clients’ audiences that drive results, meet budgets and feed the intelligent and creative appetite? Small budgets and big challenges can take us out of our comfort zone, and force us back to the drawing board, but this makes us better strategists each and every time.

3) Passion and resilience go hand-in-hand. Let’s be honest, how many times have issues like budget cuts or other challenges gotten under your skin, even made you a little frustrated or fearful? And that’s just at the workplace. If you have a true passion for advertising, you will find a way to make that shine through something as grey and gloomy as the Great Recession and all those budget cuts and client hardships that come along with it. I’ve realized that it’s my passion in advertising that creates a resilience against tough times and feeds my determination to continue to improve – for my sake, for the agency’s and for our clients’.

As I mentioned before, “timing is everything.” My entry into the advertising industry may not have been as glamorous or as exhilarating as I once daydreamed it would be, but it was more useful, teaching and effective than I ever thought it could be. I thought that my love for advertising stemmed from business attire or adrenaline-pumping pitches for global clients. But what I’ve realized is that my love for this business is about continuous learning, adapting and problem solving. It’s about pushing yourself to think differently, to come at an issue or a challenge from multiple vantage points, to see the bigger picture. And nothing is more satisfying than being part of a collaborative effort to solve every problem, big and small for our clients.

What is your favorite food?

I’m a huge fan of meat…red meat, in particular. Beef and lamb, mainly. I have to say, though, that I was exposed to all sorts of “exotic” foods growing up, so there’s not a lot I don’t like. Organ meats are probably my least favorite (except for chicken livers).

Who is your favorite character on Modern Family and why?

I really like each and every character on Modern Family (brilliant show in every way). If I had to choose a favorite, though, it would be Jay Pritchett (Ed O’Neill’s character). They say the core constitution of great comedy is comprised of either one sane character surrounded by crazy people or one crazy character surrounded by sane people. Jay is definitely an example of the former…a role which O’Neill plays perfectly.

If you could be anyone for a day, who would you choose and why?

Myself…roaming around London or Paris or Rome. Or maybe John Malkovich.

What are your Top 5 Favorite Things about Pittsburgh?

1. The people are truly the friendliest.
2. The downtown skyline is stunning.
3. The downtown “street-level” experience is very vibrant.
4. There are so many unique neighborhoods.
5. The well-earned sense of civic pride is highly contagious.

As a child, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?

I always thought that I’d become a surgeon. I even majored in pre-med my first year of college. But, alas, I was not cut out for it at all and the dream vanished.

If you could only use one of your Apple gadgets, which would you choose?

Definitely my iPhone. It is the only device in my lifetime so far that exceeds my wildest dreams of old. I reflect on what a miracle it is at least four times a day. I can’t even fathom what the next one will be like (and the one after that, and so on, and so on…). I can’t wait!

What qualities do you most admire in a woman?

A self-deprecating, killer-intelligent sense of humor.  Think Carol Burnett, Ellen DeGeneres, Tina Fey, etc.

If you could time travel, what period would you like to experience in history?

The 1930s/1940s…if only for the music and incredible sense of style.

Can you speak another language other than English? Which language would you most like to learn?

No. I took four years of French in high school and all I know now are a few naughty words. I also know a few choice Greek words.

What are three hobbies of yours?

1. I’m a huge cinefile (the whole history of film, from the silents to the contemporary).
2. I love to read, primarily works of non-fiction, especially biography.
3. I’m extremely passionate about cooking (especially succulent cuts of prime, red meat).

Here’s a look at Pete’s office:

I got these from a great friend and former co-worker at Brokaw in Cleveland. Strangely, she started her career as an art director here at D+CO in the 1990s, before I worked with her in Cleveland. Kismet…spooky…

These are the first and second issues of Mad Magazine, published in 1955. They were purchased then by my father. Luckily, my grandmother saved them and now they are among my most prized possessions.

One of my many fans. I definitely “run hot.” I can’t sleep a wink without a fan on the table next to my head…so much so that I even travel with one.

Another of my prized possessions, this is a signed Marko Spalatin serigraph. It was given to me by a former client who also became a great friend. It used to hang in the living room of her incredible house in Warren, OH. Upon her retirement to Scottsdale, AZ, she sold that house to Dave Grohl of the bands Nirvana and The Foo Fighters (his parents now live in it part-time).

Microsoft Windows PC…EVIL! (I’m definitely a Mac, in every fiber of my being).

Too soon we’ll be coming up on what will likely be one of the most heated and controversial U.S. presidential elections in our history.  We’ll start to see slick, carefully orchestrated campaigns aimed at taking control of the White House; all highly-calculated, costly endeavors. You know how it goes, and if you’re like me, you’re dreading it.

I thought our political ads were relentless, but after traveling to some other parts of the world, I found a very different beast. First of all, during election time in places such as Peru and the Philippines, political advertisements cover every last inch of space: windows, walls, steps, bathroom stalls, medical clinics, homes, schools, kitchen sinks, beer bottles, menus, convenience stores, churches and cathedrals. Nothing is sacred.

In many developing countries, candidates often lack access to broadcast media, so they stick to grass-roots tactics like posters, stickers, flyers and personal appearances. Politicians motor through the streets with a bullhorn, followed by a zealous entourage wildly waving signs. The crowds go crazy.

In Peru last year, I was swept up in the center of the fervor. One minute I was innocently perusing the wares of Chincherro’s markets. The next minute, screaming people scattered as some sort of ballistics fell from the sky.  Suddenly a hoard of men, faces covered in knitted ski masks (that looked like Shrek), fanned out into the crowd. We panicked a little…

It turned out to be a jovial political rally for a local official promising to support construction of a recreational soccer stadium.  Falling from the sky were soccer balls (not mortars) labeled with the politician’s name. The masks? Traditional Peruvian gear, indigenous to the village. This is a typical political scenario in Peru.

In Manila, Philippines, I found myself in the midst of very different political campaign. The president was recently impeached and the city’s mood was ominous. As in Peru, signs, flyers and caravans with loud speakers were everywhere. But here, the politicians were hostile and the crowd was a mix of angry and fearful.  In addition to the usual face and name tactics, this political campaign also included explosives, coercive tactics and hate messages. In essence, “We blow up your power plants and malls. We kidnap and kill your tourists. But we won’t, if you vote for us.”

Political campaign communication can take many forms. At first blush, our campaigns may seem more refined, but are they really that different than what happens elsewhere in the world? It seems that our candidates may start out with positive messages, but all too often their ads, words and actions descend into the subversive and malicious. Granted, we have not resorted to terror tactics yet, but who knows going forward?

I’m not a political strategist, but as a communications professional who’s been caught up in various extreme expressions of politics around the globe, I wonder – where does U.S. political campaign advertising go from here? Is there nowhere to go but up – or will we sink lower? What do you think?

In the past couple of months, our office has undergone a massive cleanup. We are welcoming in the new year with a refreshed space and a refreshed outlook that better reflects our collaborative culture.

Because I started here on day one with client one, and partly because I’m just a pack rat, I found the whole office cleanup process to be a little difficult emotionally. I had to let go of things that at one point or another had been vitally important. The center of my universe for that moment in time. But now it was trash.

Honestly, this created a sense of melancholy in me that I have a hard time describing. This sadness wasn’t all there was. It was all inter-mixed with a real positive sense of moving forward and making room for the new. Like raking out dead thatch to prepare a spring lawn.

So as I was heaving out mountains of clutter, I came across something that I almost forgot I had. A type-spec that I did nearly 30 years ago for a 4-page newspaper insert in USA Today promoting Heinz Barbeque Sauce.

I remember the project like it just happened. The tissue/spec took me over 20 hours in the course of a weekend to do. The type cost thousands of dollars. At that moment in time it was so important to me to do the job right. At that moment in my career, the craft was all consuming.

When the project was over, I kept the tissue. I was proud of it.

So almost 30 years later, I’m cleaning the office and I come face to face with the prospect of throwing the thing away.

I kept it. And this is why.

That tissue is still a real window into my soul. As antiquated as it is, it reminds me of how important craft should still be to our work. It reminds me of how important it is to go the extra mile to get things right for our clients. It also reminds me of how important it is to take personal ownership in your work whether you’re 21 or 51.

Maybe you’ve heard the metaphor “the river of life.”

That tissue is a leaf on my shoreline. A reminder of just how far I’ve come, and how much further I look forward to going.

Throw it away?

I might frame the damned thing.

Happy New Year, and if you happen to have some career memorabilia, what is it? And why did you keep it?

Then there’s the occasional Ad Age article that can perk up the daily grind. A couple weeks ago, Michael Bush and Natalie Zmuda covered the Ad Age Women to Watch Event and this article gave me that extra pep that reminded me how much I wanted to succeed in the advertising industry. I recommend this to anyone in the business: http://adage.com/article?article_id=145357.