There is no perfect answer for this one because we are all different and have a different working style. Better yet, let’s identify what kills creativity and we just might unblock enough to become the artistic genius we are.

1. Multi-tasking and distractions
Some of us can work on tons of things at once. I have tried this. Eventually, there are so many piles on my desk here and at home that I forgot what I was supposed to be doing in the first place. There is no way I can focus on a project while returning emails, talking to clients on the phone, eating lunch – well, you get the picture. All the attention and energy should be on one thing at one time!

2. Lack of sleep
We love working our own hours. However, that can mean evenings, early mornings and weekends that are work-filled and without much sleep. Lack of sleep is a creativity killer! How do you focus on a task and be inspired when all you want to do is close your eyes? Just sat through a quick meeting with someone that was excited by how little sleep he gets and oh yeah, he yawned at least 3 times in 10 minutes. Work is still going to be there tomorrow. Go home, sleep and come back tomorrow with a fresh perspective.

3. Fear of rejection
We all want to please clients, but we don’t take it personally. Sure, we are presenting to clients all the time and sometimes they don’t agree with our creative vision. We use the creative (sometimes negative) energy and retool it and get back to the drawing board. If we are hired for being creative, clients believe in us.

4. Financial insecurity
How can we focus on a project when all we can think of is overhead, credit cards and the mortgage? As a creative agency, we are constantly working and proposing projects on a speculation basis. We know that our clients do appreciate our pricing because we focus on less projects, work one-on-one with our clients and provide an on-time and on budget service.

5. Pressure and Deadlines
Clients have high expectations and that’s ok. They pay the bill. But how can we be creative under pressure? Some of us have no problem with it and others deliver even better under strict deadlines and conditions. Our objective is to stay focused on the task completion dates and to over-deliver for our clients. At Edge, we make a promise to the client and then allow some time in the project structure for us to go the ‘extra mile' within the time allotted.

What are your creativity killers? Love to hear from anyone and their opinions.

Spring, more than New Year’s, is a time for new beginnings. Things suddenly feel so alive. Snow melts, birds chirp, trees are budding and some rivers overflow.

Everyone greets spring in a different way. Why not take some time to clean out a closet? Start a new hobby. How about a walking routine? Any way you look at it, it is a kind of rebirth and renewal that is involved with healthy well-being. Healthy environments can be equated with healthy living. Healthy living creates a sense of peace and harmony and growth.

Corporations can also be green with Green Branding. By using a certification mark or logo, you show that your company and/or its’ products are environmentally friendly. The ‘go green’ agenda comes from consumer demand for products that do not harm the environment. Green marketing strategies create brand value for a product and/or company and recognizes that environmental issues have the potential to impact brand value either positively or negatively.

The reality is you just can’t opt out. Consumers will support companies that promote themselves as green. Being green may add cost to your products but consumers seem to want to pay.

Earth Day is April 22nd and a new initiative has been proposed to extend the sentiments of peace and harmony with nature. Called the ‘Green Generation’, this program begins on Earth Day and ends on the 40th official Earth Day in 2010. Next year’s Earth Day is not an end to this environmental awareness, but the date will mark a reassessment day. It will be a chance to evaluate the efforts of how people worked to make this planet better. Learn more at www.earthday.net

A brand is a collection of associations and experiences connected with a service or an entity like a business, town, city etc. A brand is now considered a cultural accessory and a personal philosophy.
Consider the golden arches of the McDonalds corporation or the swoosh of Nike.

Two aspects of a brand:
1. psychological
2. experiential

Careful brand management implies intelligent crafting of a campaign and creates value. A brand that is widely known has brand recognition. Once it builds positive sentiment, it achieves brand franchise. A brand with franchise would be Pillsbury. Most consumers have the warm, fuzzy sentiment to the Pillsbury doughboy, Poppin Fresh and his trademark Woohoo sound when someone presses his tummy. Would it change their minds to know that Pillsbury was part of the Guiness corporation until 2001?

The brand name can become a trademark. In this case, trademark registration becomes necessary to protect proprietary rights to the brand. Again, look to Nike, McDonalds, Sun-kist oranges etc.
Does anyone know your brand? There is often a gap between brand image and brand identity. The brand owner wants to bridge the gap so consumers recognize the brand and to decide what it is.

Today’s tv commercials have tried hard to create an image that is sometimes disconnected from the identity. Did you recognize the monkey and know it is the new symbol of Subway? Did you recognize the purple doll-like sidekick in the commercial and know it was a Yahoo ad? However, most Americans see the headline for ‘Vote for Change’ and know it was an Obama campaign ad. Look at a billboard that says in blue type, ”Kill off the Ranger”, and Canadians know it was for Kokanee beer.

Take time to craft your brand. Trust your agency working on this for you and then work hard to go from brand image to brand identity to brand recognition. Get there and you’ve got gold!

At Edge, we love working with clients on their brand. Read our case studies to see some examples of how we work with clients on building their brands.

Advertising during a recession is an opportunity for investment that:
1. Solidifies customer base
2. Gains new customers
3. Makes inroads on competitors by understanding that advertising is an investment, not an expense

Business owners have given excuses not to advertise:
"People do not have money so our ads are wasted."
"We can slash this budget since our competitors have cut advertising as well."

Let’s look at both points:
Really, your customers don’t have any money? Our clients and their customers are still employed and still have disposable income. Businesses need to continue to reinforce where customers should spend their dollars.

Cutting your ad dollars because your competitors did is a pessimistic approach. Rather than waiting for business to return to normal, cash in on the opportunity rival companies just handed you. Don’t withdraw into a shell, stand out and expand. With this, you are better positioned when the upturn in the market occurs. Recessions are not that long. In the last 50 years, average recessions were 10 months and the GNP only declined about 3%.

Recognition increases when advertising increases and recognition decreases when advertising decreases. Deciding not to advertise cancels sales growth for your company. The decision to advertise in a recession is smart business.

At Edge, we work with clients that are effected by this recession. When budgets are tight, we work even harder to create tactics and business strategy plans that work within budgets. We look for opportunities that may be out there (including new target markets that are easy to get to) and new ways of promoting the products and services our clients offer.