Month: January, 2010
Back to Reality
January 25, 2010 Personal
I’m back. I’m back from the best weekend ever and my body is tired, but my heart is full. I was treated to an unbelievable weekend by a group of unbelievable friends. I am so blessed to have such amazing people in my life. Until next time, I am left with many awesome memories…
Are We There Yet?
January 20, 2010 Personal
I cannot stand the anticipation. I am like a little kid the night before going on vacation to Disney World. Asking my parents “Is it time to go yet?” or “What time do we get there?” or “When will we see Mickey?“ Although I have grown up since those days, I still feel the excitement before going to Disney World. All of the awesome memories I have from many trips past, and knowing that this upcoming trip will be just as much fun as the last. There is something different about this trip though, this trip is with 8 of my best friends! The fact that we all live in different cities and actually found a weekend that we can all get together is a victory in itself. I just cannot wait to see my girls, reminisce about our days at the U, laugh, dance, and create many more memories that I will forever hold close to my heart.
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BEST WEEKEND EVER!!!!!!! I can’t wait for our next trip
Branding Spotlight: Nike
January 19, 2010 Business, Photography
I spent last Friday night like most girls in their 20’s do, sitting on the couch, watching CNBC, and taking notes. (Joking- I do realize that most girls in their 20’s are not spending their Friday nights watching CNBC!) Anyway, I stumbled across a show called Swoosh! Inside Nike . This peaked my interest for many reasons. First, is that I love anything Nike. When I was in college our athletic teams were sponsored by Nike. After about the third day of triple sessions we would walk off the soccer field and into the locker room only to find bags and boxes of Nike stuff for each of us. Uniforms, t-shirts, warm up suits, cleats, running sneakers…you name it, we got it. It was like Christmas in August and definitely the only good thing about preseason. Second, I have always been interested in successful businesses and how they market themselves. Being an undergrad major in business marketing, it is always interesting to hear the history of how these now mega-companies got their start and their early marketing strategies. Third, since I am now starting my own business it is clear how important branding is on so many levels. So, why not learn from a company that has just about mastered their branding, marketing and advertising. Here are some of the strongest points from the show:
1. Logo. The most iconic part of Nike is their logo. The swoosh. The swoosh is identifiable around the world. The best part is that Nike paid $35 dollars for this logo. So it isn’t necessarily how expensive it was to create your logo, or even what it looks like, but rather your placement of it and how identifiable it is.
2. Advertising. Nike has also mastered what they call “iconic advertising”. Using strong words and messages to get their point across and evoke emotion. We all know “Just do it” and can all relate to that slogan. The “Just do it” makes us think that us regular people can be just like those athletes we see on TV. By being part of Nike we can be empowered like the athletes that endorse the Nike product.
3. “The Deep Dive” Nike employs a three part system to stay ahead in the industry. This Deep Dive can be used in any industry, including photography. The Deep Dive is:
- Research the playing field;
- Create a strategy; and
- Fiercely throw resources at it.
This seems simple enough but has been the master plan behind everything that Nike does. When any new idea or issue comes up, using the Deep Dive, Nike formulates and executes a plan. I believe that if this Deep Dive works for them, it can work for me too.
So, by focusing on logo placement and identification, evoking emotion through advertising (by using our images), and formulating a plan and executing, our small businesses can too achieve greater things without necessarily needing lots of money or incredible resources. With a little hard work and perserverence we too can be branding geniuses like Nike. So what are we waiting for?
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You never cease to amaze me! You go girl – JUST DO IT!
Flavor of the Week: Kindle
January 18, 2010 Personal
I absolutely love the Amazon Kindle. If you don’t have one you should head over to Amazon and order one. This nifty little machine allows you to read and store 1,500 books. I know, I can hear all you skeptics now…”but I like having books!” Well, so do I, and if you are anything like me, you already have a housefull. My shelves are so packed with books that I certainly don’t need anymore. Also, why not do something good for the environment? Think of all the trees you are saving by downloading books to the Kindle instead of buying the paper copies. Another perk of this little ditty is the price tag associated with purchasing the books. Yes, they are cheaper then if you went to the store and bought them yourself, and you can save gas by not having to drive to the bookstore. Also, you can download any of the over 300,000 books in just 60 seconds. Just look at this little beauty…
Project 365: Part I
January 15, 2010 Photography
Project 365 has been going well so far. I have actually been staying on track and taking pictures of well, just about anything! Here are a few of the random pictures I have taken so far. More to come…it is only the second week of January!
Covered Bridge
January 14, 2010 Personal
While on a recent trip to Vermont, I had the opportunity to take some pictures of the Cornish-Windsor Bridge. This was the longest covered bridge in the United States until 2008 when the Smolen-Gulf Bridge opened in Ohio. When you are driving from Windsor, VT, immediately upon entering the bridge you are in New Hampshire.
“I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning…to the end
He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth…
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own;
the cars….the house…the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard…
are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left.
(You could be at “dash midrange.”)
If we could just slow down enough
to consider what’s true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile…
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy’s being read
with your life’s actions to rehash…
would you be proud of the things they
say about how you spend your dash?”
- Linda Ellis
In loving memory of my grandfather
Elton Davis 1924-2010
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Outta sight but embedded in our hearts
My Mom and I were heading to her hometown of Windsor, Vermont for our annual family Christmas party and I started to think. I have been traveling to Vermont for family get-togethers for the past 28 years, why have I never opened my eyes and appreciated the natural beauty all around? I didn’t want to waste this trip so I made my mom pull over at Lake Sunapee so I could snap a few shots. It was freezing, and she waited for me in the car…but I managed to get a couple that just make me want to crawl into bed with a hot cup of cocoa.
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I love pattern pictures, and the one of the ice in the water is really really nice. Good work!
Project 365
January 2, 2010 Photography
Ahhh, new year’s resolutions. I never used to make them, until last year, an no, I didn’t keep it. So this is not a new year’s resolution. It is merely a challenge to help better my photograph skills. The idea behind Project 365 is to take at least 1 picture a day for all 365 days of the year. Now, I know myself and know that I will not take a picture everyday next year. However, there will be days where I take lots of pictures, so I figure that will make up for the days I miss. I guess this should be called Project 300, or something like that, but it just doesn’t have the same ring to it!
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Oh! Jealous! This looks like such a blast!!