Strikingly Effective

Newest Web Site Showcases Law Firm

2010-07-08T13:12:00.007-05:00

The most recent Catalyst-created web site, which went live last week, is for the law firm of Gilliland & Hayes.

The site is designed to be attention compelling and appealing to those seeking legal counsel, while reflecting the dignity and high professional standards of the long-established, widely-respected law firm. To reinforce the geographical scope, as well as the substantial litigation services of Gilliland & Hayes, we utilized dramatic photos of distinctive court houses around the state. This also serves to vividly contrast the site from so many others that use bland and trite stock photography.

One of the hallmarks of the site is its highly-efficient, user-friendly cross-navigation and information structure. Site visitors can easily find, and move between, the various interest points to cross reference the information. This provides convenience for those searching among specific areas of practice, explanations of those services, attorneys concentrating in particular areas, and the attorneys practicing at each of the five Gilliland & Hayes offices around the state.

Prior to developing the site, Catalyst conducted a branding analysis for Gilliland & Hayes which led to our creating a new firm signature and branding statement to set the tone for the site.

More proof that "One person's trash is another's treasure."

2010-07-08T09:27:00.027-05:00

Catalyst is fortunate to have a varied and immensely interesting client base. Here is an example of how the involved, hands-on service we provide turns into fascinating, exciting experiences.

A recent find at the Kansas Underground Salt Museum caught our attention: a pile of trash left by miners in the 1950s. We consider it delightful, not because we have a fascination with trash, but because of the well preserved stories it tells about brands of that era.

As you're probably aware, access to the mine has always been by one small hoist. That limited entrance space, and obviously the same for exiting, means virtually anything taken down into the mine has stayed there. This includes vehicles, machinery, boxes and, yes, even their trash. When something being used by the miners was no longer needed, it was just easier to leave it in a mined out area; after all, who was ever going to see it anyway?

As a communications major in college we learned about the different aspects of branding. The most interesting part to me was the historical perspective: how well-known brands change over time. Looking at the trash pile was like looking at vintage snapshots of several long-established and still-used brands. There were cans of Campbell's soup, boxes of Arm & Hammer baking soda, projector lamp light bulbs and boxes from Westinghouse Electric Supply, tins of Velvet pipe and cigarette tobacco, and even pages from a 1953 Raybestos-Manhattan calendar. (In case you're not familiar with the name, Raybestos-Manhattan was a major producer of automotive parts such as brake linings and clutch facings as well as industrial rubber products.)

Through research, we have found that Raybestos-Manhatten had also been an asbestos producer. That, of course, was before it was known that asbestos caused lung cancer, mesothelioma, and various other fatal conditions. Asbestos was once seen as a marvel of technology, and was used in the manufacturing of numerous products.

The Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired CBS in 1995 and adopted its name to become CBS corporation. However, the Westinghouse Electric brand lives again, after BNFL acquired the commercial nuclear power businesses of CBS in 1999 and restored the name. (Now the Westinghouse Electric Company is owned by Toshiba Corp.)

Velvet pipe and cigarette tobacco was produced by a company called Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company. A man named Christopher Foulks owned a snuff mill in New Egypt, New Jersey in the early 1800s and his business gradually evolved into the fourth largest tobacco company in the United States. In 1996-1997, they had become the first tobacco company to settle smoking related litigation brought by the Attorneys General of several states. In 1998 Liggett signed tobacco litigation Master Settlement Agreement and 1999 saw the formation of Vector Tobacco, Inc. Liggett Vector Brands, Inc. then sold L&M, Lark and Chesterfield brands to Phillip Morris Companies, Inc.

Today's branding and packaging of Arm & Hammer baking soda is virtually unchanged. The same goes for Campbell's soup. Talk about consistency...and success. Both are still popularly recognized, used, and relevant 60 years later. May the same be said for Catalyst in 2038!

Catalyst's Newest Explore Hutchinson

2010-06-22T09:24:00.016-05:00

Catalyst Creative's newest additions to the team went on tour Thursday to become more familiar with the city of Hutchinson and discovered what the city has to offer residents and tourists alike. Carry Farris, Office Manager and Account Executive, and Jerrod Ketchersid, Public Relations Coordinator, had fun learning all about the local spots. The "Free" FAM (familiarization) Tour, hosted by the Greater Hutchinson CVB showcased:

Reno County Museum

A great place to experience Hutchinson history, the Reno County Museum had several exhibits that caught the eye of the Catalyst crew. Their Transportation Gallery included a Schuttler wagon, an Amish buggy and an Indian motorcycle and side car! The museum also had an exhibit that consisted of all the favorite things the Historical Society staff could find going through their stores of artifacts! The majority of these items had never been placed on display before this exhibit. The doctoral exhibit was interesting, though was met with several onlooker's cringes as they checked out the foot-pump dentist's drill. And we thought going to the dentist today was a pain in the neck!

George Pyle Park

The revitalization of George Pyle Park was evident as Jim Seitnater pointed out the new landscaping, stone, and river work done to help spruce up the curb appeal.

Lloyd's Loft/Armstrong Antiques

Stationed above Armstrong Antiques, Lloyd's Loft told its own story in the fine detail and work that went into fully restoring this old boarding house. While renovations were first being done on the building, a sign on the northern wall of the building was found...evidence that the loft wasn't always there. This outdoor sign featured an advertisement for Selz "Royal Blue" shoes. As an interesting fun fact, Lloyd told the tour that back then, one was not allowed to use the word "royal" in advertisements or products unless it was directly related to the Royal family. He told the group that Queen Elizabeth herself commissioned Selz to make her shoes and the store was thus able to use the word "royal" in its product line.

Cool Beans

It's in the name! The FAM tour stopped at Cool Beans to cool off, drink some lemonade and enjoy a cookie. Records, posters, and pictures of famous musicians spiced up the walls and ceiling of this old but still-used train station eatery.

Hutchinson Zoo
Construction of the new rehabilitation center at the Hutchinson Zoo is going well. The new center will have areas for wounded animals, animals with minor ailments, as well as a section to quarantine animals that have more serious illnesses.

Dillon Nature Center
Jim from the dillon nature center greeted the group outside of the visitor center and talked about the various points of interest around the area. We then toured the inside exhibit and stepped outside to check out the lake and local vegetation.

Hutchinson Art Center

On our final stop, the tour group explored the Hutchinson Art Center. The galleries featured work from artists across the state. From there, we were encouraged to participate in Hutchinson's Third Thursday event that featured an Art Walk. Artists displayed their work up and down Main St., musicians played on many of the street corners, and there was plenty to eat from local vendors.

Other fun places discussed during the tour were the Hobart-Detter Field, Fairgrounds Water Park, tennis courts, Farmer's Market, Fox theater, Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center and the Kansas Underground Salt Museum.

2010-06-21T22:38:00.005-05:00

Note: I heard Sarah Evans, Sevans Strategy (#4) recently at the Free State Social in Lawrence. She is contagious. Her savvy in all things PR and her focus on new media has earned her a spot on Entrepreneur's 10 Hot Startups. Congrats @prsarahevans! -Jill

10 Hot Startups

Why these independents made us say 'Wow!' Learn how yours can, too.
Entrepreneur's StartUps - June 2010

A "hot" startup company isn't the entrepreneurial equivalent of a winning lottery ticket. Probe a bit beneath the surface, and what you'll find is a combination of creativity, determination, hard work, great products and services--not to mention a strategy that produces rapid growth. They are the companies that capture the hearts and minds of their potential customers and, with them, that indispensable thing called market share. They're invariably run by men or women with an eye for sustainability--and expansion. The list runs the gamut of sectors. Some have venture capital money behind them; most were bootstrapped. Some are service companies. A few are manufacturers. Others are retailers. And while we routinely receive news of hot startups, and it's usually impossible to compare apples to oranges--or in the case of this list, apps to beer--these 10 independents, with their fast-paced success and future potential, are the ones that made even our seasoned staff and contributors say, "Wow!"

1. Cigar City Brewery
Tampa, Fla.
Founded: 2007
Self-described "beer geek and home brewer" Joey Redner had been around craft breweries for years. He had worked for both a craft beer brewery and an importer. He wrote a column about craft beer for the St. Petersburg Times. And, all the while, he thought about what it would be like to run his own enterprise. In a city the size of Tampa, it was only a matter of time before someone opened up a local craft brewery--and in 2007, he decided to be the one to do so. Using local flavors like guava and high-end ingredients, Cigar City Brewery's brews are more expensive, but have caught on far beyond the Tampa city limits. "We have a great demand in the northeast. People from Philadelphia were calling their relatives in Tampa and asking them to get our beer," says Redner. Launching a beer company is no easy task, but those thirsty customers have driven up brewing volume tremendously: The company sold about 1,000 barrels in 2009. By the end of the first quarter of 2010, it had already exceeded that threshold and was on pace to sell more than that per quarter throughout the year, marking more than a 400 percent growth in 12 months.

2. VeryMeri
Encino, Calif.
Founded 2006
Whenever first-grade teacher Meri Zeiff saw one of her students wearing a shirt that said, "Spoiled Brat" or something similarly negative, it bothered her. After years of listening to her daughter gripe about the same pet peeve--and her desire to start her own company with positive T-shirts for kids--her mother handed over $2,500 and told her to do something about it. That something was the launch of her T-shirt company, VeryMeri. In addition to creating kid-power T-shirts--sentiments include "Peace, Dude," "I'm a lucky ducky," and "Imagine"--she also donates a percentage of her profits to charity. Now, the company takes submissions for T-shirt designs to be voted on by the public. Each winning designer has his or her T-shirt produced and 3 percent of profits from the sales of those shirts go to a designer-chosen nonprofit. More than $50,000 has been donated to various charities so far. Do the math.

3. Smule
Palo Alto, Calif.
Founded: 2008
As the app world explodes, one of its perennial hit-makers is Smule (aka Sonic Mule), the iPhone application developer responsible for popular mobile phone apps like "I am T-Pain." "Ocarina," and "Magic Piano." Founders Jeff Smith and Ge Wang, both tech company veterans, have grown the company fast, landing nearly $12 million in hard-to-get venture capital in two rounds over the past year, allowing them to invest in more people, more infrastructure and more app development. Smith says Smule has "three gigantic things in the hopper now," presumably apps, although he declines to specify. The company is also building the "Sonic Network," a cloud network of its application users, which allows users to connect with each other through the network. Smith suspects it will ultimately be a building block for the company, uniting users.

4. Sevans Strategy
Elgin, Ill.
Founded: 2009
When Vanity Fair magazine calls and wants to feature you as a leader in your field of expertise, it's a good day. That's what happened to Sarah Evans, founder of Sevans Strategy, a new media and public relations consultancy. In the six months since she founded her business, Sarah has landed a beefy six-figure client roster that includes Fox News Chicago, Fox Corporate, Qmobius and Radio Shack. Evans is a highly prolific tweeter and Facebook participant, using social media and public relations as part of the counsel she provides to her clients. In addition, she's become a prolific speaker on social media topics, boosting her notoriety and spurring her projected 120 percent growth in 2010 alone, including the hire of three full-time employees.

Go to full article for rest of list http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneursstartupsmagazine/2010/june/207004.html

Recounting of a First Day

2010-06-08T09:21:00.002-05:00

I was always the kid that got completely excited about the first day of school. I'd get my clothes out the night before, pack and re-pack my supplies and books, read the first few chapters of each book before school even started. I'd race up to the school to look at the paper taped to the front door of the school a few weeks before classes started that told me what teacher I would have and who all was in my class. Yes, I was nerdy like that.

Apparently I haven't changed much. Today was my first day at Catalyst Creative Services, and you better believe I was prepared. Clothes were set out and ironed. I perused the company website to make sure I had everyone's name right. I glanced a few times at the scanned image of the business cards that would be waiting for me. Yes, I'm still nerdy like that.

Having become accustomed to working second-shift, my sleep schedule needed a major overhaul. Getting up at 7 a.m. was, of course, a battle in itself. I think I'll go to bed a little earlier tonight. My mind is reeling with the realization that I have a professional job with professional responsibilities...and I love it. I knew almost immediately that I would like the place, Jill brought coffee from Starbucks. I sit here in awe as I look at my desk, my computer, my telephone, my pencil holder. I know that sounds weird, but it is a completely different atmosphere than I am used to. I can't help but think, "Yeah...this is what I spent four years of my life in college trying to achieve."

So far, I've started learning about our clients, done research for one of them, and am now blogging. Social media is encouraged. I think I'm gonna like it here. What are my expectations from this place? I don't know for sure...yet. I'm still figuring out the lay of the land. I relish the prospect of all the opportunities that Catalyst has to offer me. I look forward to meeting new faces, going to events, and doing my best to provide a positive image for clients we serve. And, of course, getting to know Hutchinson better.

When It Comes To Social Media, Many Marketers Jump The Gun

2010-05-17T13:27:00.002-05:00

NOTE: I heard Jeremiah OwYang at the Free State Social in Lawrence, KS recently. He is a thought leader and shares industry research freely. If you are interested in Social Media, I recommend following him. -Jill

Is your company really ready to interact with customers--and critics--online?
Jeremiah Owyang, 05.17.10

Greenpeace's organized brandjacking of Nestle SA's Facebook page is making CMOs afraid of social media. There is good reason for this: The power has clearly turned to those that participate, and now detractors are starting to organize using the same organized marketing campaigns that companies create.

Greenpeace takes issue with Nestle's purchase of palm oil from farmers who are destroying forests. The organization prepared a frontal assault with prepared assets such as off-brand logos, detrimental videos, and called for their Twitter followers to attack Nestle's Facebook page. Nestle, the giant food company, was unprepared. It apparently lacked qualified community managers, a community policy and an advocacy program. Proof of the power of online communities: Today the Swiss company said it will work with a nonprofit organization to probe the firm's palm oil suppliers.

Many companies jump into social marketing before they are ready. The opportunities to connect with customers, learn from them and benefit from word-of-mouth marketing are irresistible. But CMOs must first establish the internal resources and processes that are necessary for their companies to be successful in social marketing.

Here is a checklist to help marketers prepare for social media interactions:

--Have a strong understanding of your customers: Brands must have "socialgraphics," the measurement of how your customers and consumers are using social technologies

--Do a social media audit: Who in your company is already using social tools, where are they and what is their status? Get the same information about your competitors.

--Develop business processes: Develop a triage for how information from different business units and geographies will be cascaded to certain groups in real time.

--Create a crises response plan: Incidents move faster in social media. Develop scenario planning. For instance, how would your company react if some of its products turned up in an unflattering YouTube video on a Friday evening before a three-day weekend?

--Create qualified roles: Brands need at least two specialists dedicated to social marketing: the social strategist and the community manager.

--Develop the right organizational model: Social media spans multiple business units, so a new organizational model will appear--even informally. There are at least five organizational models, including organic, distributed, coordinated, multiple hub-and-spoke and holistic. Organizational models around social will depend on size and culture.

--Have education programs: Don't expect employees to grasp new forms of communication quickly, especially disruptive ones like social tools. Develop internal methods for sharing and experimentation. Allow internal experts and peers to share their expertise and experiences.

--Create a measurement strategy: New media requires measurement. The old adage holds true: "You can't improve what you can't measure."

--Have the mindset to "fail fast." Plan for mistakes to be made. Encourage active sharing around "opportunities missed" without being punitive. New practices require risk and change--embrace this as your customers likely already have.

Social marketing isn't anything like traditional advertising and direct marketing. It is relationship-driven. Engaging with customers, and critics, creates significant changes in the way people think, act and measure success within organizations. To learn more about getting prepared internally, watch our no-cost recording outlining in detail the resources needed for success.

Jeremiah Owyang, a Web strategist, is partner, customer strategy, at Altimeter Group.

Junior Programmer Going Places!

2010-05-06T22:52:00.000-05:00

Our junior programmer, who's actually a senior -- at Hutchinson High School, is off to Anaheim, California, to compete at the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference.

We're very proud of Travis (Baker) and wish him, and his five classmates who also qualified to go, much success and lots of fun on their southern California adventure.

Travis took first place in Java programming in the Kansas competition and will be the only representative from our state in that category at the national level. Business Professionals of America is the premiere organization for students interested in pursuing careers in business management, office administration, information technology, and related fields.

As low key as Travis is, he almost became animated when talking about the competition and you could tell how excited Travis is about this opportunity. And on his behalf, so are all of us at Catalyst.

Apron Strings Anniversary

2010-04-20T15:13:00.003-05:00

Congratulations are in order as Apron Strings Kitchen Store celebrates its second anniversary. Anne Dowell has done an exemplary job of creating a true destination shopping experience. Not only does she continually merchandise the store with a fascinating selection to keep it fresh and interesting, Apron Strings is just a fun, welcoming place to visit.

We also want to thank her again for letting us be a part of all this. From coming up with the name and branding for the store to developing the oft-visited web site and the popular “What’s Cookin’?” email management system. Catalyst is proud to be contributing to Apron Strings’ success.

Americans Using TV and Internet Together 35%

2010-03-23T05:50:00.001-05:00

Americans Using TV and Internet Together 35%
More Than A Year Ago

March 22, 2010

Americans increased their overall media usage and media multitasking according to The Nielsen Company’s latest Three Screen Report, which tracks consumption across TV, Internet and mobile phones. In the last quarter of 2009, simultaneous use of the Internet while watching TV reached three and a half hours a month, up 35% from the previous quarter. Nearly 60% of TV viewers now use the Internet once a month while also watching TV.

“The rise in simultaneous use of the web and TV gives the viewer a unique on-screen and off-screen relationship with TV programming,” said Nielsen Company media product leader Matt O’Grady. “The initial fear was that Internet and mobile video and entertainment would slowly cannibalize traditional TV viewing, but the steady trend of increased TV viewership alongside expanded simultaneous usage argues something quite different.”
Behind The Rise in TV and DVR Use

Each week, on average, Americans watched roughly 35 hours of TV and two hours of timeshifted TV via a DVR. The growth in viewing is due to a number of factors: The DVR brings added convenience while high definition programming and flatscreen TVs have boosted the quality of the experience. Digital delivery, via cable or satellite, is delivering more channels and more choice to the home than ever before.

DVRs, now found in 35% of American households, continue to gain popularity. Those age 25-34 watch nearly three hours a week of timeshifted TV, while those age 65 and older watch just more than an hour.
Growth in Online and Mobile Viewing

Online video consumption is up 16% from last year. Of note, approximately 44% of all online video is being viewed in the workplace. The research shows that Americans watch network programs online when they miss an episode or when a TV is not available. Online video is used essentially like DVR and not typically a replacement for watching TV.

Active mobile video users grew by 57% from the fourth quarter of 2008 to the fourth quarter of 2009, from 11.2 million to 17.6 million. Much of this increase can be linked to the strong growth of smartphones in the marketplace.

“It seems that, for the foreseeable future at least, America’s love affair with the TV will continue unabashed,” said O’Grady. “We seem to have an almost insatiable appetite for media, with online and mobile programming only adding to it.”

For complete data and methodology, download The Nielsen Company’s Three Screen Report.

Report: Google And Bing Add Market Share

2010-03-17T16:41:00.000-05:00

A MediaPostPublications.com article Rob Garner

Every few months, the company I work for releases a report called the Enterprise Search Share Index, which tallies up actual search clicks referred to our clients, measured through our proprietary analytics system. The goal is to take a view of search share based on actual referrals, one that is purposefully skewed toward enterprise-level sites across a number of major verticals, as opposed to all sites across the Web.

Since we've been publishing these reports, the results have been markedly different from other research studies that report on the same points. The bottom line is that we see Google as generally a higher referrer to enterprise sites, and while Yahoo and Bing are significantly lower in terms of overall share, the gap between the two is narrowing at a quick pace.

The chart below presents enterprise search share performance in views of both year-over-year, as well as month-over-month.

Google hits 80% market share for enterprise level businesses

Google increased month-over-month to command an 80.17 % natural search traffic share to enterprise-level Web sites, while Bing share increased slightly from January to February by 0.09%, to 7.16% overall. Yahoo decreased to a 9.34% share, losing 2.9% search market share year-over-year.

AOL declined in share year-over-year, from 1.95 % in February 2009, down to 1.49 % market share in February 2010. AOL share remained stable month-over-month. Ask.com's search market share increased slightly in month-over-month share by 0.01%, going from 0.37% up to 0.39 %.

In the month-over-month view, again only Bing and Google made any significant gain in market share. AOL and Ask.com somewhat surprisingly leveled off month-over-month.

Bing making an impact, and preparing to overtake Yahoo

Overall, Bing's gain in share has had the greatest impact on both Yahoo and AOL. While Yahoo's loss of almost 3% of the search market is significant, AOL search users are migrating elsewhere, with AOL losing almost 25% of the entire search business. That 0.45 % loss in search market share is a blink and blip for Google, but a much bigger chunk for AOL.

I've also been monitoring trend data in the search share race, particularly what I believe to be the inevitable catch-up in market share for Bing (against Yahoo). Based on current trends, we see them overtaking Yahoo later this year, possibly even before there is any kind of direct syndication of Bing results into Yahoo properties.

On that last note, enterprise search marketers should start gearing up for the change from Bing to Yahoo. It's not a bad idea to start with gap analysis, understanding what you currently gain from both channels, and what content strategies you will need to cover any missing areas for the changeover. But nothing seems to be stopping Google from further increasing their dominance for enterprise-level businesses. I predicted not too long ago that Google would go as far as 85% market share in 18 months, and that prediction is coming closer and closer with each month.

How OLD can be refreshingly NEW

2010-03-09T23:24:00.000-06:00

In this day of everything high tech and new-new-new. Chris and Gail Barnes have been daring enough -- and savvy enough -- to return their Smith’s Market to the “good ol’ days”.

With the recent remodeling of the exterior, the building at 211 South Main once again has the classic, distinctive look it had when the home of “Fine Fruits & Vegetables” first opened in 1933. In those early days, Smith’s Market didn’t occupy the entire building, but over the years the store’s popularity has led to several expansions.

During the most recent expansion, the Barnes also returned the interior to the nostalgic look and feel of the old fashioned produce market, while incorporating all the necessary modern day conveniences.

The Barnes utilized the services of Catalyst Creative Services to add refinements such as brand-enhancing in-store signage, collateral materials, product packaging, and higher-impact graphics for their wholesale delivery vans. The Catalyst-designed Smith’s Market web site reflects the vintage appeal and reinforces the branding. Catalyst also provided the Barnes a more effective, versatile, and easily useable e-mail management/distribution system for the Smith’s Market electronic newsletter.

As your mom used to say, and Smith’s Market continues to remind you: Eat Your Vegetables. (And visithttp://ieatmyveggies.com/)

Nielson snippet

2010-02-24T14:39:00.000-06:00

Radio is second only to TV for Americans, according to a recent Nielsen study, "How U.S. Adults Use Radio and Other Forms of Audio." Among key "advertising-based" media platforms, live television had the highest reach and daily usage (95.3%, 331 minutes), followed by broadcast radio (77.3% reach, 109 minutes). Other highlights of the report show that radio consumption is indeed heavily tied to the car and weighted heavily towards the employed. According to the report, the unemployed, retired and students tend to be "lighter than average" consumers of radio.

So much for "no discounting".

2010-02-22T13:10:00.000-06:00

"These days it's all about the offer. Remember the "new normal"? The post-recessionary consumer takes pride in finding the best deal and will not settle for less. It's time to buck up and realize that just being you won't seal the deal. No matter how many times you've won "Most Popular," if you aren't anteing up a strong offer, the suitors are going elsewhere."

I ran across the above in an article that was about something else entirely but it could be a discussion unto itself. For a long time, the strongest brands didn't discount. Now, of course they positioned themselves as the best value and promoted the heck out of their brand and that sometimes included sales. But the strongest, most profitable brands didn't win on price alone. Their communications platform didn't revolve around discounting.

The climate is changing. Although it is still true that people will pay for what they want and it isn't always the cheapest, you must be percieved as a great value. "I didn't pay the least amount possible, but I got a good deal on the best product/experience/service." is the new bragging rights phrase.

Comparision buying is the "new normal". You need to know your competitors well, and be ready to adjust your plan accordingly, if needed. Studying the competition has always been an important part of a marketing plan. But now more than ever, you have to be poised to take action if necessary. Whether it is refining your message, your audience or your product, the public doesn't stand around and wait.

The only answer to a good deal isn't deep discounting. A strong offer can be made with value added offerings or promotions with a twist that underscores a good deal.

Interesting and Entertaining article

2010-01-25T09:02:00.001-06:00

From an industry publication ADWEEK

Windows of Opportunity
Open and shut strategies for effective social media advertising

Jan 25, 2010
-By Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal

As 2010 begins, one would like to think there's finally been a breakthrough in social media marketing. It would be wonderful if an "expert" would just give us all a set of tried-and-true principles for leveraging the power of the Web to deploy effective brand messages. But the stark reality is we're still in the Wild West. You can carefully plan and consider every variable and you're still just as likely to get an arrow in your back as you are to strike oil. And here's the kicker: It'll always be this way.

You don't have to become a Facebook fan of futurist Ray Kurzweil to create effective advertising, but you would do well to understand and embrace a key principle in his writings: accelerating change. The rate of technological, social and cultural change is increasing, and nowhere is this more pronounced than in social media. You can let this principle endlessly frustrate you, making you wish you would've listened to your parents and gone to medical school. Or, you can appreciate it for the one thing it predictably and consistently provides: windows of opportunity.

If accelerating change creates windows of opportunity in social media, it helps to spot them as they begin to open and sense when they're about to slam shut.

Let's look at a couple of windows that, in our opinion, are closing fast, as well as some that are just now opening wide enough for a brand to leap through (keep in mind that bigger brands may need a fair amount of lubrication in order to fit through window openings of any size).

User-generated video contests (closing): In 2007, it somehow seemed cool when TurboTax gave Vanilla Ice something to do by letting him judge nearly 400 entries for the Tax Rap contest. Fortunately for all of us, this didn't reinvigorate his rap career. By the time A1 Steak Sauce got people to "Sing for Your Beef" in 2009, the idea of getting people to make a difficult-to-sit-through video about a brand seemed a bit overdone. Video contests that were successful in 2009 changed the model in some way, like upping the ante on the prize and the final distribution outlet (good examples are Dorito's "Crash the Super Bowl" and Tourism Queensland's "Best Job in the World"). But we can't ignore the writing on the wall. Video contests won't generate buzz this year, and "innovative" or "groundbreaking" won't be words used to describe them.

"Real or fake?" Viral videos (stubbornly open): A couple of years ago, Ray-Ban had otherwise intelligent people arguing about whether or not a guy could catch sunglasses on his face in just about every conceivable circumstance. In 2009, MSi got more than 2 million of us to watch a guy in a unitard catch a laptop in his crack. Here's one rule of thumb: It's always fake. We'd like to think the whole "fool me twice, shame on me" principle applies here, but there's a sucker born every day (and he has a wallet). Brands willing to go there in 2010 might gain sales, but not necessarily respect.
Short-form pre-rolls (wide open): There are few things more annoying while watching Web videos than 30-second pre-roll ads. Fifteen-second ads are more tolerable, but still give you that moment to get vexed and click away. A 2009 study from MTV U.S. found that a 5-second pre-roll combined with a 10-second lower-third overlay is the most effective and audience-friendly advertising for Web video. This year, smart advertisers will create lots of very short, very high-impact video ads, and it'll work. Our advice: open with a 5-second pre-roll that can stand alone, but follow the content with a 5-second post-roll that completes the thought and sticks with people.

Enabling tribe leaders (opening): Seth Godin taught us to think in terms of tribes (he also taught us that you can look like Dr. Evil and be successful).

Utilizing tribe leaders is key for effective social media marketing in 2010, and it's important to remember that tribe leaders are often just normal people who represent the values of their tribe members. Ford got a lot of things right with its Fiesta campaign, which involved approaching 100 social media moguls, giving them a Fiesta and an assortment of "missions." The content wasn't always that compelling, but the idea was on the right track. Some of the most innovative campaigns of 2010 will be rooted in this principle.

This year, don't be the bird who mistakes a closed window for an open one. For starters, you'll break your beak. Worse than that, you'll probably get fired.

Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal are a North Carolina-based comedy duo and co-founders of Rhett & Link.

If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.

2010-01-13T16:35:00.004-06:00

Website developers tend to think the internet will solve all marketing challenges.
Public relations practitioners see PR as the answer.
Design firms believe graphics will do the job.
Advertising agencies place full faith in print and broadcast ads.

We certainly respect the aspect of the
marketing mix for what it can do. But
we're also very aware of what each
cannot be expected to accomplish.

That's why we believe our responsibility is
to be a Catalyst for evaluating all the tools
of marketing communications in relationship
to your specific goals, and then strategically
utilize those that will be most instrumental
in achieving success. That kind of synergy
will optimize your marketing investment.

Have we hammered home the point?

5 Social Media Implications for brands in 2010

2009-12-28T12:25:00.002-06:00

From one of our industry publications: Adweek

5 Social Media Implications for Brands in 2010
Dec 23, 2009
-By Sienna Farris

Social media strategists are dusting off their crystal balls to make their predictions for 2010. Recently, I took mine out at the FrogPond in an attempt to see the future and, lo and behold, my crystal ball had miraculously transformed into a Magic 8 Ball. I shook it and asked if some of my predictions for 2010 would come true, but the plastic thingy read, "Cannot predict now." At first, I thought it was busted, but then I realized my 8 ball was quite savvy. Technology changes so quickly in this space, it just couldn't keep up.

Despite this, I pushed on and below you will find my top 5 social media implications for brands. Remember, these are the ones that were more likely to get a reading from the 8 ball of "It is decidedly so" than "My sources say no."

1. Social media marketing will finally transition from "nice to have" to "must have": Brands that haven't embraced the medium will understand that social media marketing is not about slapping a brand page on Facebook and hoping for the best. Efforts will start with a sound strategy, a commitment to participate, and a willingness to listen and respond. This may seem obvious, but there are brands that still aren't fully engaged. As more brands like Ford and Pepsi hire heads of social media to lead the charge, 2010 will be the year that brands realize that social media is no longer a novelty; it's serious business.

2. Location-based social networking is here to stay: More consumers will use smartphone applications to tell their friends where they are and who they are with (i.e., Four Square & Loopt). 2010 will be the year for brands to figure out how to market to them. Local bars/restaurants have been the main advertisers. However, opportunities shouldn't be limited to food. For example, luxury retailers could target consumers checking in at upscale restaurants and invite them to sample sales or give discounts.

3. Experimental social media budgets are key: How can you predict what's going to be the Twitter topic of 2010? You can't. But that doesn't mean you don't have the opportunity to be a pioneer. Creating an emerging media budget will give your brand the flexibility to participate in communities and embrace technological platforms before your competitors do.

4. The division between the virtual world and the physical world will continue to blur: Digital technology enables consumers to understand the world around them as well as others. These advancements are accelerated by smartphone usage. You'll see more companies using simulations and augmented reality to provide users branded text overlays and 3-D virtual demos on their phone viewfinder.

5. Crowd sourcing will turn social media into a direct sales channel: Social media is typically thought of as a vehicle for branding and relationship marketing, but there are direct sales opportunities. For example, Best Buy celebrated opening day for the movie New Moon by asking its Facebook fans what their favorite vampire-themed films and books were. They put 50 of those items on sale on BestBuy.com. Many fans thanked Best Buy for listening to them and readily purchased the products.

The most important thing for brands to remember is that we should spend less of our efforts trying to predict "what's next for 2010" and focus on adapting quickly to changes in consumer behavior and technology. The one certainty is that social marketing strategies will have to evolve with whatever comes our way next year. ###

To discuss this topic further and how it relates to your brand contact us at Catalyst Creative Services. We'll look forward to hearing from you!

2009-12-23T13:05:00.001-06:00

Study: More Cellular-only Homes as Americans Expand Mobile Media Usage
December 21, 2009

The latest Nielsen Convergence Audit – an annual survey on voice, video and data products – shows a rise in households who have “cut the cord” by trading their traditional landlines for wireless cellular services and an increase in mobile media device usage among a diverse set of households. The survey collects more than 32,000 U.S. online and mail respondents.

Cutting The Cord
While an overwhelming majority, 88%, of U.S. households have a wireless phone in 2009, most still maintain a traditional landline at home. However, this is changing. In the second quarter of 2009, over one in five households reported they are wireless cellular only—an increase of 16% from the past year. This increase comes from the two-thirds of households who have dropped their landlines as well as from young adults that started new households with just a wireless phone service.

Expanded Mobile Media
This year all media player products in the market have seen growth. Given an increase in availability, product options and cost reductions, these types of products have become more mainstream. With one-third of households owning gaming devices and digital video recorders, they are becoming well established products that continue to exhibit healthy year-over-year growth rates. Growth of portable MP3 music players without video capabilities leveled off in 2009 at 25%. Adoption of other alternative media player products is still in the early stages, although all have exhibited growth this year. Most notable are devices that offer video capabilities.

Download more highlights from Nielsen’s 2009 Convergence Audit.

Not The Same

2009-12-23T12:56:00.003-06:00

"When two do the same thing, it is not the same at all."

Sure, we provide all facets of marketing communications as a full service
advertising agency. And we do it very well.

However, we also do it differently than a traditional agency. We realize
different can be just different -- not necessarily right or wrong. But we
believe that once you become more familiar with why and how we're
different, you will consider our approach right for you.

The first step is to establish a comfortable, trusting partnership. So often
there seems to be an almost adversarial relationship between agencies
and their clients. We won't be a part of that. Our style is to be a Catalyst
for working in harmony -- to be a member of your team.

We are proud of our long-lasting relationships with clients, some nearing
30 years. That should tell you something!

"Catalyst has provided public relations and marketing
services for The Health Fund since the inception of
our organization in 1987. We have been impressed
with Catalyst's traits of excellence including common
sense in the midst of any situation...The Catalyst
staff cares about our success beyond the
'business' of the relationship."

Kim Moore, President,
United Methodist Health Ministry Fund

Catalyst Holiday Wishlist

2009-11-23T15:43:00.013-06:00

We were honored that The Chamber turned to us for assistance in developing a way to remind all of us in Reno County of the value of doing business locally. Hopefully, you are now aware of “The H Factor” with the explanation “Hometown spending helps us all”. And this holiday season is a great opportunity to put The H Factor into practice. So in that spirit, here are the wish lists of some of us at Catalyst:

Bill - a shopping spree at any (or all!) local stores selling books.

Judy - I would like a electric car starter from Good Vibrations Auto Sound & Accessories.

Ed - The perfect gift for me this year comes from Hayes Sight & Sound. I need new 10” speakers for my Boston Acoustics tower speakers or a new HD LCD big screen TV to replace my ancient TV’s of yesteryear.

Konny - Gift certificates/cards from Smith's Market would be wonderful. I love their t-shirts, the fruits, salad dressings, nuts - pretty much everything there!

Travis - Bioshock 2 from Walmart - hope it releases soon...

Jill - Flowers from Absolutely Flowers on my desk every day of the year! Fresh flowers make any atmosphere better - They make you smile when you see and smell them!

A Great Joint Promotion from Underground Vaults & Storage and The Salt Museum!

2009-11-20T10:51:00.011-06:00

More than ever, it’s heartening to know there are good corporate citizens. And we’re particularly pleased when that news involves our clients. A generous offer from Underground Vaults & Storage has made it possible for Kansas Underground Salt Museum to increase the promotional outreach for its Salt Academy. Thanks to UV&S, more school children will have the unique hands-on learning experience in a “subterranean classroom”. This joint promotion is also a bonus for the entire community as it attracts more visitors to Hutchinson.

Salt Academy
2009-2010

Underground Vaults and Storage has provided a grant opportunity to USD 259 that will pay for bus transportation to and from the Kansas Underground Salt Museum in Hutchinson for 4th grade classrooms and chaperones.

4th grade curriculum includes elements from the 4th Grade Science Assessment such as

Geology: classifications of rocks, property identification and understanding of the geological environment underground
General knowledge about the mining of rock salt and how it is used.
Introduction of concepts such as the importance of airflow in the mine and how people, machinery and salt, move around the mine
Understanding of how miners are environmentally responsible and of mine safety practices
Includes use of higher level thinking skills throughout

Materials provided to teachers for classroom use via e-mail or website

Pre-tour information and activities
Graphic organizers
Simple hands-on experiments demonstrating chemical reactions that can be conducted in their classrooms
Opportunity to write about their experience and post online (available January 2010)
Links to resources about salt
Quiz

Tour: 2 1/2 hours from early arrival at KUSM until they are back on the bus.
After descending 650 underground on the hoist, students will experience a walking tour that is handicap accessible. It will include the galleries, an area that is only available to school groups where students will be able to harvest their own salt, the Underground Vaults and Storage exhibit and the gift shop if desired.

Number per tour: 36 maximum including 1 adult per 12 students. We recommend that one classroom equal one tour time. Tours will begin 30 minutes apart.
Cost: $6 per student and one adult per 12 students is required and free. Additional adults will pay the special chaperone rate of $11.00 when booked at the same time as the group. (All prices include tax)
To reserve your tour time call Tonya at 620-662-1425. Toll free: 866-755-3450
Book your Salt Academy soon and remember that April and May fill up quickly!

Trendy Lexicon

2009-10-08T13:21:00.014-05:00

At Catalyst, we love expanding our vocabulary with the hip and trendy lexicon of teens, celebrities, techies and gear heads – well, not all of us. Here are some cool new words to for you to try – because being fohr-oh-fohr is so blah! Scroll down to see our favorites.

digital nomad

n. A person who uses technology, particularly wireless networking, to work without requiring an office or other fixed address.

intexticated

adj. Preoccupied by reading or sending text messages, particularly while driving a car.

BANANA

(buh.NAN.uh) acronym. Build absolutely nothing anywhere near anyone. A person who is opposed to new real estate development, particularly projects close to their neighbourhood. —adj.

slacktivism

(SLAK.tuh.viz.um) n. Activism that seeks projects and causes that require the least amount of effort.

ad creep

n. The gradual expansion of advertising space to non-traditional surfaces such as floors, bathroom walls, cars, and the sides of buildings.

street spam

n. Advertisements posted on telephone poles, traffic lights, and other public areas.

fictomercial

(FIK.toh.mur.shul) n. A work of fiction in which a company pays the writer to incorporate the company's products into the story.

guerrilla benching

n. The surreptitious and unauthorized installation of a bench in a public space.

groundhog day

n. Something that repeats endlessly, without changing. Often used to describe repeated business meetings that cover the same ground without resolving issues or deciding upon a course of action. From the movie Groundhog Day, in which a man

(Bill Murray) continually awakes to relive the same day.

mullet strategy

n. A website design where a site's main or most visible pages are professionally written, edited, and laid out, while the rest of the site relies on content supplied by volunteers and site visitors.

Web rage

n. Extreme anger caused by World Wide Web frustrations such slow downloads, nonexistent links, and information that is difficult to find.

dot con artist

(dawt.CAWN ar.tist) n. A person who runs an Internet-based scam or fraud.

nymrod

n. A person who insists on turning every multi-word term into an acronym.

clue stick

(CLOO stik) n. A metaphorical stick used to "hit" a person in an effort to remedy that person's ignorance or incompetence.

po-mo

adj. Mildly pejorative contraction of postmodern.

talking hairdo

n. A television journalist who is superficial or who is concerned with appearance more than substance.

404

(fohr.oh.fohr) adj. Relating to a person who is out of touch or clueless.

Jill

I find “guerrilla benching” particularly amusing.

I don’t care for “groundhog day” only because I have too many of them myself

But the word that I learned the most about was “nymrod”. I have always liked the word nymrod, which I thought meant obnoxious and dim witted …no, turns out it means “a person that insists on turning every multi-word term into an acronym”. I still love it and now I can even use it correctly. Although when you think about it, how often would that chance come up?

I have two favorites. The first “intexticated“. Even though I have been known to do it occasionally, we know it’s wrong to do. Texting while driving is a bad as being intoxicated while driving, maybe even worse. The second is what I strive to be…A “Digital Nomad“. I want to be able to work anywhere, anytime. The ability to do that will ensure I can also play more and travel more.

Bill

Although I’m not entirely convinced our vocabulary needs more words -- we need to concentrate on using the existing words more accurately -- I do find “intexticated” and “slacktivism” particularly clever ways to describe certain new behaviors. Conversely, I do not care for “talking hairdo” because it inherently suggests gender bias. There is far too much empty headed chatter today coming from about anyone who can get his or her face on TV or attract a blog following.

Konny

404 (fohr.oh.fohr) adj. Relating to a person who is out of touch or clueless.

Great word or ummm….number word? I think now and days communication is so short and to the point. I use social media like Facebook and Twitter to keep up with my friends that live in other states. When we actually talk they don’t have to tell me everything because I already know! So to my friends not on twitter yet or other social networks – you guys are so fohr oh fohr!

Travis

Umm… I guess; but I’m not sure I like any of these words… lol?

Web Rage – When a web master forgets to fix portions of a website, it’s called being lazy. This is very frustrating and this word reflects best of what I think of about 90% of the web.

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-09T16:38:00.033-05:00

The holiday signaling the end of summer, Labor Day is the last three-day weekend for extended time with our families, a spectacular season-ending barbeque, or one more quick get-away. Labor Day was created to celebrate American workers’ economic and social achievements throughout the years. And what better way to celebrate than to relax and enjoy the last days of summer.

For the Catalyst Crew, we all had our own way of enjoying the three day weekend.

Ed – I spent the weekend catching up with chores and playing with my kids. The highlight of the weekend was barbequing with neighbors, friends and family on Sunday evening. We also broke out the washers game since the weather so nice.

Judy - I spent Labor Day weekend cleaning out my basement and the whole house. I guess you can say I did my fall cleaning. My son Kyle came over to visit – which was a nice surprise - and I got to see him again the next day. Kyle and his wife Abby brought us to a great Mexican Restaurant in McPherson.

Jill – The Labor Day weekend started with what every SaltHawk has been looking forward to for weeks...the HHS vs. Rockhurst football game at home! It did not disappoint, HHS won and all of Hutchinson was very happy. Makes for a good Labor Day party conversation.

The rest of my weekend was spent with family (and pets)! The work is never done on our property so mowing, trimming, weeding, and raking swallowed most of the weekend. Add a little work inside too, and viola...the weekend is over!
We did fit in grilling out and lounging in front of the chiminea, it was lovely.

Travis – Birthdays are fun especially on a three day weekend. We had a party, for my birthday, at Carey park’s main gazebo which included most of my family from both sides. Then afterwards I went to my friend’s house and we spent the rest of the weekend gaming.

Bill — Although I did manage to sneak in some relaxing moments reading in the hammock swing, a sense of guilt compelled me to volunteer as an assistant for Brenda’s latest home decorating project. That meant stripping wallpaper in the master bedroom, then rolling and brushing on the paint. (A direct reversal from the wallpaper-hanging party we had just a few years ago.) In all fairness, I must admit she did the largest share of the work by far. But, again in fairness, the whole darn project was her idea in the first place.

Konny – I had a chill weekend in Texas with my family. We had a smoke out - I am talking about an all day, ribs and brisket smoke out with Stubbs barbeque. I also got to try beer butt chicken for the first time! It is also called beer can chicken.

Marc – I spent the weekend DJing in Old Town Wichita, visiting the zoo with my wife and having a picnic with friends and our guinea pigs!

Kansas CASA launches state wide web site

2009-08-30T13:13:00.003-05:00

The state association of CASA is based in Hays, Kansas. I really like Hays and a benefit of having a client there is several visits I had the pleasure of making during the project. Janette Meis, the state director, is an organized and dedicated person to the organization. It was satisfying to help make the portal for all 24 programs to work for them. Not just "work" as in it functions (!) but a tool that helps the programs be more productive. They are too often short staffed and the streamlined functions of the new site has several features that will make quick work of keeping their sites updated.

A public relations campaign was conceived to implement as the web site was being developed. You'll see local volunteers highlighted on the individual program's sites. A tactic to not only honor the hard working volunteers, but bring home the message that no one wants to have to comprehend, and that is need exists even in "our" (insert the name of any one's town) town.

You can take a look at the news release that was issued to launch the site here.

The Catalyst perspective on “branding”

2009-07-23T14:06:00.002-05:00

Today’s operative term in effective marketing is branding. In one way, it’s just a new slant on a combination of time-honored aspects of successful marketing communications:

Image/Identity
Positioning
Differentiation
Developing top-of-mind awareness
Building relationships with target audiences

On the other hand, properly understood and applied, the branding concept does create a healthy new paradigm for marketing. But once “branding” became a buzz word, many different definitions for it surfaced: a promise, an image, a relationship, a unique position... and on and on. However, these are results of branding, not the brand itself. Settling for these limited viewpoints only truncates, if not negates, the effectiveness of branding.

Branding is, in essence: a person's collected experiences of an entity -- whether an organization, product, or service -- with a certain name.

So a brand is actually a memory -- everything remembered about it through interaction (whether in person, on the phone, at the website...), what others have said about it (personally or in the media), its advertising and other marketing communications, and actual experiences with the entity.

This is why consistency -- of the look, of the feel, of the “attitude” -- is so critically important to success. It's also why:

Successful branding is a continual process and not a one-shot panacea.

Corporate Social Responsibility — is it more than lip service?

2009-07-22T13:28:00.001-05:00

As pleased as I am that there is enough concern within many major corporations that they actually claim to address their social responsibilities, and even have Corporate Responsibility Officers to prove it, it seems the whole thing may be more thunder than lightning. (A reference to Mark Twain’s observation: “Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work.” -- which also happens to be the inspiration for Catalyst’s logo.)

My skepticism comes from the fact corporate social responsibility is deemed an “industry”. And the Corporate Responsibility Officers Association claims that it is now a $37 billion industry. Genuine corporate responsibility should not be a mega industry, it should be a fundamental way of life for a business.

If it were a way of corporate life, one would think the company’s social responsibility performance would be relatively consistent year in and year out. Apparently that’s not true. -- at least based on the results of the CRO Association’s very own evaluations. The association annually compiles a “100 Best” list for corporate responsibility. Of the 100 Best for 2008, only 21 were repeats from 2007. That doesn’t say much for it being a way of life — except maybe for 21%. In the nine years the rankings have been done, just three companies have consistently made the top 100. Only three! So giving credit where credit is due, this exclusive group is Intel, Cisco, and Starbucks —ranked 1, 14, and 35 respectively in 2008.

We can only hope that the real reason for the lack of repeating top 100 corporations is the unbelievably stiff competition.

Are you talking to your customers?

2009-06-29T14:03:00.003-05:00

If you’re not talking to your customers, they won’t talk to you … and by talk, we mean, visit your store or website and buy your goods and services.

So, when the budget gets tight and tough decisions are made, keep in mind that reducing the dollars spent to communicate with your consumers further reduces your ability to sustain (let alone grow) your business.

We recognize some cutbacks may be necessary. But too often, the marketing budget is slashed, resulting in the loss of the main tools driving customers to the door. With a diminished presence in the marketplace, business continue to drop (and can’t be contributed solely to a slower economy).

Whether times are good or bad, customers still have to know you exist. People are still buying. And you have to be in front of them to sustain awareness,. Now, more than ever, you need your customers to think of you first.

In fact, it's the time for you to grow your business and gain some strides over your competitors. Because others are marketing less, you have the chance to showcase your products without as much competitive interference. The opportunity to develop greater brand awareness is greatest at a time of economic strife. Ultimately, you are also able to create a new customer base that will likely increase their spending with you as the economy rebounds, leaving you with a larger market share than you had before.

Now, as at any time, it is vital to evaluate marketing options and make decisions based on most cost effectively impacting your goals while staying within your budget.

YP Softball - Game 1 Winners

2009-05-21T11:06:00.009-05:00

The YP Softball Team made its debut Tuesday night with a win!
Final score of 6 to 1.

Although Konny was worried about her performance, having not played in years, she got on base twice and played right field with no errors.

It took a few innings to shake off the rust and start making throws and batting well. The first three innings were plagued with errors for both teams. But we survived and in the end brought it together for a win.

The strangest part of Co-Ed Rec Softball is its collection of strange rules. For instance, when you walk up to the plate you start with one ball and one strike. It is done to speed up the game, since each game has an hour time limit. They also have different sized softballs for the women and men. The men use a larger ball, which has more weight and is harder to hit out of the park. But of course another twist is that a great hit over the fence will result in an out, not a home run. Another rule for co-ed softball is that if you walk a man, the woman behind him has the option of walking too, making a walk to a man very costly. Sure cuts down on the intentional walks.

But life is full of strange rules, even in the advertising business. It is how you learn the rules and take advantage of them that determines how well you succeed. Catalyst Creative Services, having been in the business for over 35 years, knows the advertising rules by heart and continually keeps on top of the ever changing world of advertising.

Let Catalyst help you hit a home run with your next campaign through strategic planning and great execution.

Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play? Today?

2009-05-19T16:22:00.006-05:00

Yum, the smell of hotdogs on the grill, chips and pop. This will be my first tailgate and I am so excited. Ed and I have joined the Young Professionals (YP) Softball team. Our first game is at 9:30 tonight at Fun Valley Sports and at least two of us at Catalyst will be there ready to win.

Now, we are not pros by any means and just to let everyone know – we have yet to practice. I don’t think I’ve swung a bat since high school. Ed on the other hand has played softball for a while now and I am told he can play. I am just worried about me…..

I am hoping a few people on our team have taken time this past weekend to practice, other than that we are winging it. I think this game will be great fun and besides we are on the recreational “fun” league instead of the competitive league. Since this is almost a completely new team from last year, we will have to find out, through trial and error, who our pitcher, catcher, 1st baseman, and so on will be.

Joining YP and being active in their activities, like softball, is a great way to get to know other professionals in Reno County. Invite your friends to the game and meet the team. Nothing wrong with cheerleaders!

We’ll keep you posted on how the game went.

We eat our veggies...and enjoy them even more now.

2009-05-01T15:04:00.010-05:00

We recently began working with Smith’s Market. You might have already seen traces of what we’re doing for this legendary produce market. But we’ll talk, and brag, more about that at a later date when there’s greater evidence of our creativity. We’re just getting started!

This is about the fact we were already Smith’s Market fans. Of course, each of us have our special reasons. In case you’re interested, here’s what the Catalyst crew particularly favors:

Judy -- “I always go to Smith’s Market for their oranges. I can’t believe how many times I have bought oranges at other grocery stores and they look so good, but when you peel them and dig in, they have no flavor. What a disappointment! I have never gotten one bad orange at Smith’s. They’re always delicious.

During the holidays I go there for candy. They have special kinds of Christmas candy that you can’t find anywhere else here in Hutchinson.”

Ed -- “My favorite item from Smith’s Market is their large variety of snack trail mixes. No matter what food mood I am in, they have the taste that quenches my craving.”

Konny -- “I absolutely love their ruby red grapefruit. Buying grapefruit is usually hit-and-miss, but all six of the ones I purchased - on special - at Smith’s Market were wonderfully sweet and sour. I had my last one earlier today and I bought them three weeks ago!”

Jill -- “All the produce is always just gorgeous. And so reasonably priced. It makes preparing meals fun and satisfying. I feel good serving my family healthy veggies!

You can also find the amazing Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix at Smith's Market. The absolute best!”

Travis -- “Smith's Market apples are sweet and delicious. Red apples are the best kind.”

As for me, and it probably says something about my personality, I am particularly fond of onions. Really good onions. So I appreciate the variety and quality I can always find at Smith’s Market. Plus I really like the wide assortment of dried fruits they consistently keep in stock (unlike some places). And...I agree with Ed about the trail mixes.

So...if you’re not a regular already, we suggest you discover how enjoyable it is to shop at Smith’s Market. It’s been a popular spot since 1933. We just want to make it even more popular!

A treasured Hutchinson tradition

2009-03-05T14:17:00.001-06:00

Among the many things that add vitality to Hutchinson, the National Junior College Basketball Tournament certainly ranks right up there. For 61 years it has brought teams and their fans here from all across the country each March. Not only do they experience a great sporting event, they experience a great community and give us the opportunity to showcase our qualities.

The amazing thing is: this highly successful tournament is accomplished entirely by volunteers — hundreds of local people giving their time and talent to make it happen. And they’ve been doing it for 61 years! That says a lot about Hutchinson. It says even more about the spirit of our people and their willingness to contribute to the continued exceptional aspects of our community.

Now it’s about time to once again savor the results of all their efforts. Let’s all gather March 17 – 22 at the Sports Arena to celebrate The Tournament and what it means to Hutchinson. (In the process, you’ll enjoy some pretty darn good basketball, too!)

Catalyst welcomes Konny!

2009-01-27T12:05:00.005-06:00

Since we already have her on our web site, I’m a little tardy with this. But, we still need to roll out the official blog red carpet for Konny Mork. She’s our project coordinator -- a job that at times will make her feel as if she’s trying to herd cats. Konny is responsible for the scheduling and timely flow of jobs through the agency.

A 2008 graduate of Western Michigan University, Konny has a BBA in advertising and promotion from the university’s Haworth College of Business. We’re proud of the fact she earned Cum Laude recognition, even prouder that she was a Habit for Humanity volunteer while in college.

In spite of the fact she chose to major in advertising and promotion, Konny ranks Andalusian Spain, Greek History, and Sculpture as her favorite classes. (Some day when she’s not too busy herding cats, I’m going to have her enlighten me on Andalusian Spain.) Now that she’s out of college and has time for hobbies, Konny’s adopted four of them: pottery, painting, visiting art galleries, and cooking. The last is probably one of the reasons she wants to travel around the world to learn different cultures and eat their foods. She also aspires to work on an American Red Cross disaster relief team.

We’re glad Konny stopped off at Catalyst on her way around the world -- and hope she doesn’t consider her tenure here as training for serving on a disaster relief team!

Tribute to Local Businesses

2009-01-22T11:49:00.009-06:00

A while back I reflected on the fact that, as proud as we are of reaching Catalyst's 30th anniversary, it pales in comparison to the 125 year heritage of Fee Insurance. (A client we have been honored to serve for almost our full 30 years.)

We also, though, want to pay tribute to Luminous Neon -- officially Luminous Neon Art & Sign Systems -- on its 80th anniversary. It is such a success story and illustrates the power of great leadership. Leadership that focuses not only on company growth, but also on taking care of their employees and being a great corporate citizen. Mert Sellers set the standards, then brother Ron and now son Tom have carried on the tradition of showing what a difference caring can make. (I hesitated about using that last phrase because so many talk about caring making a difference. But the Sellers don't just give it lip service, they truly live up to it.)

Anyways, congratulations to Fee Insurance and Luminous Neon. Later on we'll add another to the list when we salute the 50 year anniversary of Underground Vaults & Storage. The fact they are a client will not influence our praise!

It’s cold in Hutch but tropical in my daydream

2008-12-18T13:38:00.035-06:00

At Catalyst, we enthusiastically savor the holiday season – the smell of pine, the radiant lights, glistening snow, colorful decorations, and the wonderful merriment of neighbors and friends. But when it comes to being cold , we’d rather not. Well, not for too long anyway. Boy, it’s brrr outside. Oh, and don’t even mention the hassle of starting the car in the morning and driving on ice.

So...let’s say we each had a million dollars – given to us by Santa, since we were all good, of course - and we could take our family on a trip anywhere in the world. Here is where we would go:

Jill

I would take a group of family and friends for an elephant trek on the island of Phuket, Thailand. We would ride elephants through the jungle, relax on the the white sandy beaches, and explore sea caves in canoes.

Jessica

I would be very content to lounge at one of the fabulous resorts in the Maldives (island nation south of India) ... along with several books and lots of sunscreen - making time, of course, to learn to surf and go whale watching.

Bill
I would like to drive through some of the more rural, underprivileged areas of this country and find ways to quietly and anonymously distribute the million dollars (less travel expenses, of course!) to families that otherwise would have little or no resources to brighten the holidays. There would be no better way, in my opinion, to celebrate the spirit of this season.

Konny

The “Paris of Latin America”, Buenos Aires, Argentina. It has hip music scenes, cafés, shops, galleries, and cobblestone streets . I want to go there and dance!

Travis

It is cold but I don't truly fear the cold. If I were to take a vacation to where ever I wanted I would go to Canada. Canada is wonderful around this time of year, it would be an experience. The frozen lakes and snow on the distant mountains would be a worthwhile picture

Judy

I don't like the cold, so I would take my friends and family to Hawaii. My sons have had Christmas vacation there and they loved it! I would just bake in the sun on the beach, eat and drink, and be merry with my family.

Laurie
I would spend some time traveling about Europe with my husband and children. We’d start in Italy, marveling at architecture in Rome and riding gondolas in Venice. Then off to Switzerland to hike through the Alps. A quick jaunt through France, tasting wine along the way, would lead us to Spain to relax on the Mediterranean. From there we’d cruise up to Ireland to explore castles. Then we’d end up in Sweden and Norway to do caving, more hiking, and enjoy the northern lights in Lapland

I think a million dollars could probably get me the dream trip to the South Pacific. The beautiful water, the luxuriously appointed bungalows with see through floors over the water so you can watch the fish on the reef. It would just be heaven to stretch out and relax and take in all of the beauty.

One chance at a first impression

2008-11-12T10:24:00.009-06:00

Web sites are a part of the overall marketing communications of any organization. Not a stand alone beacon out there to solve all communication needs.

Catalyst Creative Services' own website is a distinctive design that represents our distinctive philosophy to marketing communications. Please take a look at it. And while you are there, please visit the samples of our work. In the eMarketing section we feature several of the websites we have designed. Each web site is as individual as the client. No cookie cutter sites built here. Our clients receive raves about the look and feel of their sites. The selection of features is a part of the development that customizes for each client what their customer needs when they visit them online.

It is important that the site does not underwhelm a visitor that has found you on the web prior to having an initial introduction to you in another way. Often a web site is the first impression a potential customer gets...and you know what they say...you only get one chance to make a first impression.

Sustaining their smile!

2008-10-23T15:38:00.002-05:00

You’ve heard it stated before – it’s amazing all the good a simple smile can do. While you might benefit from people smiling at you all day long, not everyone has regular interaction with positive people and can feel a little out of touch.

Most obvious is our older population. Luckily, a Reno County organization is in tune to the fact that our elders, especially those who live alone, need a reason to keep smiling … and that reason could be you!

Faith in Action is a program that began a few years ago in Reno County to connect older residents with a person in the community who made a weekly commitment to visit the person. Today the program has a new name … a process that Catalyst Creative Services helped the organization determine. We suggested a few options and the folks at Faith in Action weighed and measured their choices, ultimately deciding on Friends in Action.

The name evokes the familiar, but stresses one of the most important components of the organization – friendship. This imagery is strengthened by their tagline – sustaining their smiles. Talking with volunteers, it was very clear that their regular interaction with their elder match was something enjoyed by both, and often was the thing their elder friend most looked forward to each week.

We also developed the organization’s new logo and think it’s a great reflection of this smile sharing organization. A rack card was designed to highlight the organization and can be used in tradeshows, to mail to interested volunteers, and many other ways. It’s an affordable and multi-functional marketing piece that will greatly assist Friends in Action in their work to recruit more volunteers.

Catalyst - A Recipe for Success.

2008-09-30T10:37:00.008-05:00

Attention all cooks!
Yes, I mean all cooks; even those that just want to whip up something fast for their activity overloaded children.

Have you seen the Cookbook feature on the Apron Strings website? Catalyst Creative Services web developers have been busy cooking up an online cookbook for Apron Strings that features the favorite recipes of their customers. Of course – this isn’t just any cookbook. There are a lot of unique online features that make the cookbook easy to use and offers Apron Strings a clever way to showcase their customers’ recipes and even a few of their own.

The cookbook landing page features a recipe of the week and the most viewed recipes. Once “inside” you can search for recipes by recipe name, author or even ingredients. In the mood for chicken, but nothing with onions? Specify so when you search, and voila! You’ll have a list of recipes that include chicken, but none that call for onions.

The website is also designed to enable you to find recipes by meal type, main ingredients, event/occasion or seasonal dishes. Using this method, you can preview the recipe card for each recipe, without having to click on it.

Best of all, we’ve made it a cinch to print. Just click the “Add to Recipe Card” box on the recipe you want, then click on the “Print Recipe” button on the bottom right corner of the navigation bar and choose to print as a 3x5 or 4x6 recipe card.

It’s a functional, easy to use online cookbook that features delicious recipes the patrons of Apron Strings have submitted. If you haven’t submitted your favorite yet, it’s not too late. Simply login to the cookbook feature, click “Add a Recipe” under your name in the lower left corner of the navigation bar and submit the necessary details. Once submitted, the recipe will be sent to Apron Strings staff for approval and submission.

As they say at Apron Strings - everyone’s kitchen art is inspiring and tasty!
Share yours today – we’ve made it easy to do.

Renew the Commitment - Vote Yes

2008-09-22T09:47:00.005-05:00

The Kansas Underground Salt Museum is included in the 1/4 cent sales tax issue that will be on the ballot November 4. In an effort to educate the public the Salt Museum is offering free tours to registered voters.

This is a solid approach to promoting the value to voters for supporting the renewal, and the Salt Museum's inclusion. Voter's Nights show initiative on the part of KUSM to do everything possible to make themselves accessible to the voters of Hutchinson.

Their intent is to be transparent. They aren't just paying lip service to making the museum affairs and business plan open to questions, comments, or ideas. They are doing it. Even if the attendance at the Voter's Nights themselves isn't huge, the exercise of making the invitation is credible, strategic public relations. And I hope voters seeking to be fully informed take them up on the offer.

Meeting Our Goal - Great Work for Great Clients!

2008-08-28T13:54:00.004-05:00

Today had a particularly glowing bright spot. Aubrey Paterson, President of Hutchinson Community Foundation, dropped by our office. Her effervescence and bright smile is always welcome, of course. Today, though, it was even better because she'd just received "one more" compliment on the annual report Catalyst recently designed and produced for the Foundation. She said it has elicited an unprecedented amount of positive feedback -- all unsolicited, she stressed. So Aubrey stopped in to share the good news with us. We certainly appreciate her thoughtfulness!

Growing Our Vocabulary

2008-07-31T17:20:00.004-05:00

Bill is responsible for bringing my vocabulary up to speed. He sent me this list of ten words that are a fairly recent addition to popular jargon. I only had heard one of them used - greenwashing. And frankly, the only reason I recognized that word was because a friend recently pointed out I'd been greenwashed.

Perhaps you'll fare better than I did ... if nothing else, you've got a few new words to add to your vocabulary!

Luxcession - Mass-class luxury items taking a hit as the economy continues to affect more and more consumers' purchasing choices.

Dotcomrade - A friend or acquaintance that you met online, but have never met in person.

Greenwashing - The practice of bogus environmental marketing.

Info Snacking - Wasting time at work by surfing the web.

Blacking Out - Turning off any device that people can reach you with (cell phone, two-way, computer, home phone, etc.) in order to avoid someone.

Compunicate - To chat with someone via Instant Messenger while you¹re both in the same room, each on separate computers, instead of actually speaking to each other.

Defriend - To remove somebody from your established list of contacts, considered the ultimate snub on social network.

Generica - Features of the American landscape that are exactly the same regardless of where you are -- such as strip malls and fast food places.

Mouse Potato - The online generation's answer to the couch potato.

Googleganger - Another individual with the same name as you whose records and/or stories are mixed in with your own when you Google yourself.

Coming Home's Got Your Back!

2008-07-08T18:15:00.002-05:00

Gifts! There’s always a birthday, anniversary, or special day that sneaks up on me and I’m left making a last minute gift decision. I prefer having the time to thoughtfully select a gift that will really mean something to the recipient, but I’m not always successful.

I’m hoping to improve my track record and I think Coming Home can help me do this. An added feature to their website is “Got My Back.” You can register here for gift reminders (like Bosses Day), as well as set your own dates that you must remember (like mother-in-law birthday). They’ll notify you via email when the date is approaching – giving you plenty of time to make your gift selections. Plus, they provide lovely gift wrapping free of charge.

What more can you ask for?

Posted by: Jessica

Traditional Media Making A Positive Impression

2008-06-24T11:15:00.012-05:00

A major study released just this week finds that advertisements appearing in traditional media are still "much more likely" to have made a positive impression with consumers than ads running in digital media.

The study, called "When Advertising Works," was conducted by Yankelovich in association with Sequent Partners and The Center for Media Design at Ball State University. Yankelovich, Inc. is a 50-year-old marketing research firm, the country's leader in generational marketing, specializing in consumer value and lifestyle trends. Sequent Partners is a highly-regarded brand-building metrics consultancy.

The study covered a wide spectrum of media. The traditional included TV, magazines, newspapers, radio, and billboards. The digital media included e-mail messages, internet banner ads, social networking web sites, video games, and video-sharing web sites like YouTube.

When asked their reaction to advertising, traditional media ads made a positive impression with a significantly higher percentage of the survey respondents: 56% for traditional media compared to 31% who viewed digital media ads positively. On the flip side -- ads producing a negative impression -- traditional media got the better of its digital counterpart: 13% reported a negative reaction to traditional media versus 21% for digital media.

Another interesting finding of the study in light of today's infatuation with viral marketing: ads that made an impression in traditional media were more likely to stimulate word of mouth than ads that made an impression in digital media.

In today's market, digital media gets a lot of attention. At Catalyst, we strive to develop and implement our client's marketing plans based on what will best meet their goals. For some clients, digital media plays a larger role; for others, traditional advertising remains the more strategic venue. (Of course, the role of public relations and promotion also complement an effective plan.)

We don't serve our clients by blindly adopting trends; rather by weighing the data, understanding the marketing environment, and making every dollar count, so that at the end of the day, we can truly feel confident we've served you well.

Posted by: Bill

A Job Well Done

2008-06-24T10:32:00.010-05:00

It is especially challenging -- and always creatively fulfilling -- to be given free rein by a client. (Not free rein as in "anything goes", but as in "You know our goals, meet them.") Such was the case when the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund was preparing its innovative pilot project in conjunction with the Healthy Congregations in Action initiative.

The goal was to provide the participating churches with a communications campaign to support their efforts to reach out and address health from a holistic perspective -- physical, mental, and social as well as spiritual.

Because the churches were large and small, located in rural areas as well as cities, and had vastly varying needs, the communications materials also had to be wide ranging. The campaign included newspaper ads, radio spots, direct mail pieces, posters, door hangers, and church bulletin inserts.

Created around the theme Hallelujah Health, the materials centered around four thought-provoking messages on healthy eating and physical activity within the context of Christian life. We tried to walk the thin line between making the messages provocative enough to be attention compelling and motivational, while being respectful of the religious context which they represented.

Although we approach our work with the intent of accomplishing goals, not necessarily winning awards, we must admit it is gratifying the campaign was selected for national recognition by a prestigious group -- The Council on Foundations, an association of more than 2,100 grantmaking foundations and corporations.

A couple of samples from the campaign were also featured in an article in the non-profit world's national publication, The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

This is the second Council on Foundations' communications award for the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund. An oral health campaign developed by Catalyst for the Fund's Healthy Teeth initiative received an award in 2000.

Posted by: Bill

I Really Want An Orange Tractor

2008-06-17T20:51:00.007-05:00

I really want an orange tractor... and matching KMW loader, of course. With the 12 acres we have and just a little ole blue ford tractor to take care it, I think it's a legitimate need. Don't you?

Okay, even though orange is my favorite color, perhaps I don't need it (my little blue tractor does work fine) ...but I still want one.

Catalyst has had the privilege of working with KMW Front End Loaders, Sterling Kansas, for about 3 years. We've created great stuff for them and they make a rockin' loader which is a good match for success...effective marketing and quality product. Case in point -- KMW has sold the same number of their loaders in the first 5 months of 2008 as they did in the entire year of 2007.

Now, we're not taking all the credit for their success! Marketing can not take all the credit when a plan comes together and good things happen (nor all the blame when it doesn't). But it is not going to happen without thorough planning and keen implementation.

I have become pretty darn familiar with the fabrication process and I think you'd be impressed to hear me tell you about it...complete with names of the machinery and what duty it performs!
I can't help but feel proud when I see their hard work and commitment to making the best loader. Perhaps I feel that pride because a company I admire for their character and philosophy of business entrusts us with their marketing development.

I guess you can't really blame them, though. We deserve each other. And we'll work our fingers to the bone to make sure it stays that way.

Posted by: Jill

New Faces on First Street

2008-06-11T15:50:00.006-05:00

We’re excited to announce the addition of two talented people to our staff at Catalyst Creative Services. Travis Baker joined us in May, finding his way to Catalyst via the Reno County Teen Job Fair, hosted by the Reno County Growth Coalition.

Travis attends Hutch High and will be a junior in the fall. He’s working with Ed in the website world. All the technical things they do I can’t explain, but I know we enjoy Travis and he’s doing a great job. Travis is also among the 10 percent of new riders to Rcat. He uses the service everyday to get to and from work, which I think is pretty cool.

Laurie Moody is the other addition to Catalyst, although her face may already be familiar to you. We’ve worked with her on various projects over the years. She has a wealth of technical expertise and creativity and we're glad we can work with her on broadcast, presentation, and web projects for our fabulous clients.

She’s the lone K-Stater at Catalyst, having graduated from KSU with a degree in mass communications. When the summer is over, you can find her at Hutchinson Community College where she is the broadcast technology coordinator and teaches during the fall and spring semesters.

It’s great to have Travis and Laurie on the Catalyst team. Aside from being fun to work with, they are another force behind the high quality marketing communications we strive to provide each of our clients.

Posted by: Jessica

Delicious News!

2008-06-04T14:24:00.010-05:00

The Wednesday issue of the The Hutchinson News is always my favorite. I save the Taste section for last and then cut out the recipes I'd like to try. (Please don't ask me how many I've attempted.)

Today's issue did not disappoint! I was delighted to read the article profiling the kitchen demonstrations Anne Dowell is hosting at her new kitchen store, Apron Strings. Catalyst has had the privilege of working with Anne from the beginning of her store's development. We've all been impressed with the way she has implemented her ideas and the quality of store she's brought to Hutchinson, Kansas.

But what I love most about Apron Strings is not the innovative products, the friendly people, or the fabulous demonstration kitchen. I love the ideals on which the store was founded. Anne and her family know the kind of bonds you can build with your family in the kitchen. Everyone needs someone by their side - whether a child, friend, husband, or sister - while they create their own culinary masterpieces (or boring supper dishes).

She's created a store that makes you want to go home and spend the afternoon with your grandma in the kitchen or even take on the task of hosting a dinner party. As I've come to learn, anything's possible in the kitchen and the more instruction you have, the better.

Just ask my sister - our disasters outnumber our successess, but we always have fun. We're counting on Apron Strings to teach us more about the art of food because frankly, we're sick of bonding over burnt cakes and lousy piecrusts.

Posted by: Jessica