Yes, that’s right, there is not one thing I am REAL or passionate about. I am hopelessly devoid of being or worth and my one saving grace is a Wendy’s hamburger. According to the little pigtailed girl with red hair and freckles,”if that doesn’t work, there is nothing anyone can do.” But au contraire mon fraire!

Alas, I can let my voice be heard via the internet in hopes that my passions, and thus, my self worth, can be redeemed.

I ask you this- Where is the community building value in telling someone “Whoa. You’re 0% REAL” and “At this point, you might as well just give up.”

Wendys Facebook REALNESS CHALLENGE

How does this translate into a positive and value added customer community building experience?

This is precisely the response I received via the Wendy’s Facebook Realness Challenge promotion this morning when visiting their fanpage.  Further more, if I were not a somewhat well-adjusted individual, confident in my being and presence, it may have been just the sort of thing to send me off the deep end.

Imagine this scenario, tragic as it may be-

You are an individual who is, trying as you may, struggling with life. Certain conditions, such as chronic depression, exist within individuals as we all know, which leave them with a devalued sense of being and self. How would receiving a message of this sort impact someone in that state of being? It’s demeaning enough to me, although I would consider myself an average consumer, well adjusted in my metal health. Could you imagine the possible impact it could have on someone who might take it in a different manner?

Imagine the mindset of someone who has recently been laid off from work, struggling to find a job with a decent paying wage- or one at all. You are reduced to taking a job at a fast food restaurant making wages well below the means which will support your family. Your mortgage is slipping away, foreclosure looms, and the bill collector’s call 24/7. This scenario is one in which an individual may be reduced to a state of low self worth and depression. Reading such negative feedback as that which I received from the Wendy’s Realness Challenge may have been setting the table for the latest nightly news headline-

“Unemployed gunman, offended by Wendy’s promotion, opens fire on unsuspecting lunchtime crowd.”

We have all heard similar stories and it’s a deeply disturbing commentary on today’s society. Although a very real fact, we will leave that for further discussion in another forum.

The Wendy’s Corporation has always given me a favorable impression as a fast food provider for a number of reasons. For starters, there is founder Dave Thomas, whose BIO reads as a testament to what one man’s will and resolve can achieve not only in his advancement, but to all those his life touched. Although a high school drop out, Dave built a thriving business based on the principles learned from his adoptive grand mother- “Doing the right thing and treating people well.”

Through the assistance of his business successes and “doing the right thing”, Dave charitably gave of himself to his community in the form of national adoption reform efforts (himself having been an adoptee), Cancer research, formation of various medical facilities as well as a host of other philanthropic endeavors. Five values, self admittedly, governed the life of Dave Thomas:

1. Quality is our recipe
2. Do the Right Thing
3. Treat People With Respect
4. Profit is Not a Dirty Word (leading to #5)
5. GIVE BACK!

After reading his bio and the struggles life threw at him, Dave easily could have been that guy on the evening news instead of the shining example of entrepreneurship his legacy will stand to be.

There was a quality to Dave’s recipe for sure. From his insistence of dirty mop water’s inability to clean a floor to Wendy’s use of never frozen, 100% all beef patty’s, Thomas was a quality guy all the way. “Just Be Nice” was a frequent quote I remember hearing as a motto. I remember the Wendy’s Commercials of the 80’s featuring Dave, who always seemed as the nice, neighborly guy you could always count on to borrow a cup of sugar from or to check in on you when you where ailing. He just exuded “niceness” with his kind demeanor, gentle smile and soft voice.

Wendy’s is also to be commended for their animal welfare program. Of course we are eventually going to eat you Mr. Cow. To some, animal welfare programs may seem a bit silly, but from this writer’s point of view, it makes sense to add to the quality of food you put in your body. Ours is a time when it has long been the corporate norm to cut corners (something Dave was adamantly against) by using food stuffs that are either of questionable origin or genetically and chemically enhanced to boost a companies bottom line with little attention to our health. This is evidenced by such noble efforts as those launched by Food, Inc and the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution. Such animal welfare reform programs are revolutionary in there impact on the food industry. I imagine Mr. Thomas is smiling down on these efforts.

Last, but not the least- As the parent of a teen who has been a Wendy’s employee throughout her formative years, now heading to college, I have been proud of the work place environment and the values instilled in the Wendy’s corporation which have been impressed upon her. These same “work hard”, “do the right thing”, “give back” principles have surfaced in how she presents herself and I believe she owes it in part to her experience as an employee of the corporation and Dave Thomas himself.

Despite all this, there is but this one minor cloud which hangs over my current impression of the Wendy’s brand. All though it has left a frown on my face and a somewhat bad taste in my mouth, I find comfort in the fact I believe Wendy’s will find a way to “do the right thing” and rebound from this temporary blunder.

In the immortal words of Dave Thomas- “Do The Right Thing” and “Treat People With Respect”. JUST BE NICE.

-Brand responsibly, considering how your social media and promotional actions may impact your community. Weld you media message with responsibility and fore thought- Your next value meal might come at the price of a bullet and be your last.

I came across this BRILLIANT article which further cements the notion of building on your network of connections. Although the ideas presented in the article are targeted towards building your network as a musician, I believe it is also a viable signal to other areas of business. Knowing not only the best means to connecting to your network, but also your customer or fan base is VITAL in building your business success. Forging truly emotional bonds, those of meaningful interaction, are not only a key to succeeding in business-

It is the KEY to a fulfilling life.

So, without further a due, here is the fore mentioned article on networking by Tom Hess of Tom Hess Music Corporation.

http://www.tomhess.net/Articles/HowToMakeTheRightConnectionsInTheMusicIndustry.aspx

I have long admired Mr. Nelson for his willingness to challenge the bounds of acceptance and for always pushing the envelop. One has to wonder if and how this latest escapade will inspire a new movement in how music is viewed and distributed, even if it is by opening up people to creative thought.

Prince: ‘The Internet Is Over’ | Billboard.com: http://bit.ly/co1L9S

Still on the cutting edge, or has he just fallen off?Thoughts?

In a productive chain of circumstances, this step should begin in the planning stages of creating an album, usually around the time you begin rough tracking. If you hope to effectively promote your album and push your music to the world, you should already have a solid marketing plan in place upon completion of your masterpiece. You have worked hard to refine your sound and put your best foot forward, so why would you sell it short by waiting until it was finished to consider your strategy in packaging and promotion?

Take a peek at the post entitled “Knowing Your Graphic Designer” written by Dan Fonseca- Then consider getting to know us as at Upon a Branch as your branding friend!

Knowing a graphic designer

Social Media, it’s a modern day mystery. To some it’s the Rubix Cube meant to conquered and cracked. If only one could line up all the colors and connect the dots, then the world would be mine. Social Media can easily be looked upon as nothing more than a social mixer, where you mingle and shake hands, exchange conversations and “get to know” each other. Granted, even though social situations can often be daunting enough in our face to face every day life, the point is social media allows us yet another chance to get to know some new folks, broaden our world, and maybe…just maybe- Find our next customer or sale. Successful businesses are NOT built on better advertising, contrary to popular belief. They are built on forging bonds and growing long term relationships…

Here is an interesting link I would like to share.

Using Social Media to Get to First Base | TalentZoo.com.

Love is making the most of the time we are granted in this world. Love is a smile and a hug. Love is looking out for your fellow man, woman and child. Love is sharing your heart and being a kind soul. Love is lifting up the spirit of another, sometimes at the sacrifice of self. Love is giving more today than you did the day before. Love is never offering a harsh word, and sharing the hurt when you do. Love is forgiving those who have done you wrong and praising those who have done you right. Love is shining light to show the way. Love is life. For without love, we are but a vessel for death.

I love making an impact on the world around me. Giving of myself freely to better my fellow man. I love volunteering to feed those who have a need to be feed. I love helping to mentor a child. I love loving my fellow man, woman and child!

February is the month of love! Where is the love? Right here…2010love! http://www.facebook.com/pages/2010love/277521733117

We are a loose branding and design collective of visual mad scientists.

Our mission: To boldly go out on a limb in an effort to invent tantalizing results via creative experimentation. The core of invention is free thought- Pure wreckless creative abandon. Invention is the genesis of transforming something common into something special- Something other.

We bring imaginative ideas into being and spark a flame with your brand. Our goal is to set the world on fire thru engaging visual Alchemy.

Let us help you invent a unique, effective and consistent message that builds long-term brand equity. We will put some spunk in your stride and some soul your glide in an impassioned effort to define your vision, strategy and brand position. We specialize in creating visually engaging identities that provide that punch in the gut which captures consumers on a primitive, emotional level.

These identities result in greater market share and a viable brand structure that develop your brand equity. A brand is more than a logo, a product, or a company. Let us create a brand for you that will scream “HEY WORLD, LOOK AT ME!”

Before consumers ever touch your product or use your service, your brand has signaled a host of messages to them. An effective brand shakes up the consumer, leaving them with an indelible perception of your identity, your brand, YOUR MARK!

“The true value of your business and the key to your success rests in your brand. We will free you to paint in broad strokes and leave your mark on the world.”

You may be surprised at the level of artistic endeavor that abounds in this sleepy little neck of the woods. Anywho, so I set out to the nature center hoping to get some sensory stimulation, to no avail! Instead of fleeing in dejection feeling as if I had let myself down by not consulting something of sorts to plan my way, I set out to the woods. After all, this was MY day so I opted for some needed ME time. If you don’t know Darke County, we are blessed with an excellent park system, its quaint and unprentuous- nothing but nature, and my favorite park being Shawnee prairie, the central HQ for the park system. It’s the one park that does have the amenity of a nature center, yet tastefully done. I don’t know whether it’s the stigmatism of the park having been settled on what was once prime Native American ground or what? But a spirit definitely runs through the place. It’s also the site that I did my first major featured show as a nature and wildlife artist. So back to my hike/walk.

I set out in the woods on a decidedly Fall-like day. It wasn’t quite warm but not really cold. Mild, I guess. This particular section of woods affords a huge variety of landscape to soak up, ranging from wooded trails to prairie tracts and a clay marsh swamp- one of the most unique features of the preserve. Before this continues to sound like a long and sappy PR pitch for the center, having set the stage for my present train of thought, I let my mind wonder.

First I mulled the current thoughts of the day. My daughters fast approaching sweet 16 party next week, a business offer I had been presented, a prospective romantic interest, life direction, and the bigger picture of life in general. As you can see, I am prone to do A LOT of thinking, and this on a day when I vowed to forget it all! HA!!! Feeling weighted down enough; I started to allow myself to drift off to more weighty issues outside of myself. Knowing that the area was once inhabited by Native Americans of the Shawnee tribe (among others) I slipped back to that time to wonder what it must have been like to exist in that day- that mindset. Would it be an easier existence or wrought with greater hardships? In hindsight it all seems irrelevant. It’s all a matter of space and time but nonetheless, I felt a rather romanticized connection to that day long ago.

I continued on my trek through the preserve, which is several hundred acres large and encompasses a trail system of a few miles. My thoughts moved on next to the surrounding plant and animal life, the streams where teaming (yes! A chance to use the word teaming!) With waterfowl resting in their annual flight to warmer climes. I took a minute to envy those ducks. Free to roam, free to fly, free to get shot at unsuspectedly by some game-hungry hunter, then the bubble broke. The grass is definitely greener!!!

Leaving the ducks behind, I noticed what was green and alive only a few weeks ago was now taking on what, at first thought, was a dead and dull tone of brown. Upon further observation and thought, I was seeing so many colors hidden below that surface, proving that things in life are never what they seem on the surface. We all need to take the time to check things out and go deeper. Society has conditioned us to rush, rush and most of the time we act solely on impulse. I’m not totally discrediting impulse, its served me well in the past, yet my years upon this earth have allowed me to see that pattern for what it is. At this juncture, you are no doubt waiting on me to shed some words of wisdom on what I perceive that to be. I won’t! LOL. Call me stubborn; call me an unscrupulous tease, my point being that perception is just that, something different to each of us.

Moving from browning seedpods ready to bust at the seams to spread the new life of next spring, my interest was drawn to the trees that dot the landscape in that area. Trees everywhere. I like trees. Trees are like people, each one is unique and so full of character, and they come in all varieties, even within their own perspective genus and species- that botanical knowledge finally finding a home. Feeling at home as I was among the Oaks and towering Maples, the sparsely dotted pines, an occasional Catalpa, I wondered what type of tree I would be? The sun was starting to glaze me to a nice warmth by this point, so I kicked back to ponder the thought for a few moments. I lay myself down on the ground to take the weight of the world off me. It’s always nice to get close to the earth and feel our roots, the dust we rose from and the dust we will return to: The one constant in life when viewed under the proper light which makes us feel whole.

There I stayed becoming one with the trees. Being one of THEM, for once feeling as if there was a place that I fit in with no qualms, no objections, and no doubts. I was a tree if only for a few seconds. For the record, at that instant I was a mighty Oak, roots well planted and my branches reaching out to the world, not only to shade and protect, but also flowing free in the breeze. I towered above the forest, yet I was still small under the sky compared to the sun, the clouds or the stars. Although my leaves had been ruffled by the changing season, I knew next spring I would see greener days again. I remained there prone in a state of bliss.

After a few seconds of warmth, the sun slipped behind the clouds and a cool breeze reminded me that it was time to move on. I had spent enough time wondering about the things of the world. Such are but a few of the thoughts that slipped though my head on this day and such begins what I would like to launch as a daily ritual, for a whole year my wish is to travel around with a small pad, no eventually I am sure that will grown to several or even many small pads full of all the random thoughts that pass through this maze that is my brain…

“I never before knew the full value of trees. Under them I breakfast, dine, write, read, and receive my company.” – Thomas Jefferson