Brave Moments

Walter was a huge man standing 6'6 with hands that would swallow the small foam cups of coffee he consumed through the halls of a 41 patient Psych ward in south central Kansas.  Other than my father he was the the most influential man in my life.

He was a  Holdeman Mennonite and had been excommunicated from his home church for choosing to work in the mental health field. This was in direct opposition to the the church doctrine which believes in blind faith. They believe that man's fall was when he began to use his mind and make sense of all that is the Grace of God and not for us to question.

Walter was of that world and not of that world. He liked good Scotch and Kool cigarettes and more coffee please! Suffice it to say he liked and practiced almost all that went against his church and it cost him in many ways. What he got in return was the total respect of his peers and patients by teaching folks to talk about the here and now. He was a master at observing patients as they conducted their lives and relationships on the milieu and feeding that back to the patient in a down to earth way that was Walter.

The therapy was based on the here and now and it strikes me that most of us could benefit from the here and now as we often feel guilt over the past and fret the future..... Today I dropped a crappie bed  in to the lake and installed a solar light on my garage and later realized how happy those two simple things had made me.....for the moment!

Walter died over 10 years ago and I miss him! I Loved talking to him, listening to him, watching him and admiring the size of his his brave character! David Brooks refers to this human connection and love as inter-penetration. I wish for all a Walter or two in your life  and a few spaces of time every day of  "moments."

Mark Zuckerberg "Wolf in Facebook's Clothing?"

The recent new product announcements from Facebook have many a marketer scrambling, OMG if you are not in the liked list adios to your email marketing plan. It seems to have put many in panic mode especially those firms in the email marketing space. Mr Zuckerberg like other techno visionaries can create fear in some as his behemoth seems intent on gobbling up more and more market space and the eyeballs that keep a lot of us folks in business. Indeed all of this hyper-focus is legitimate as he now has over 250 million of us facing up daily.

Mr. Zuckerberg is the current fair-haired wunderkind loved or hated depending on your facial point of view. Of course things can and often do change. You may recall how things changed for a guy named Case and a little company called "America On Line". Let's all take a deep breath and see how this rolls out. I for one am not afraid of the Big Bad Wolf.

Bruce Springsteen - How Rock Legend Engages Audience

I have been told by my wife that I am a music snob. I am guilty as charged in that I like to think I "know" what is groundbreaking and or significant in the world of music or at least in my strange combination of genres. I have always gravitated towards two things, lyrical content and whatever elicits that visceral rush. You know the feeling. Like the opening riff in the Who's "Baba O'Reily" or "Happy" from the Stones. You feel it right in your gut.  It may also come in a ballad with a chorus that you sing at the top of your lungs and don't care who hears you! Please no Jimmy Buffett allowed....I told you I was a SNOB!

This week I watched the newly released documentary "The Promise" of the making of Bruce Springsteen's follow up album to his 1975's masterpiece "Born to Run." The long awaited "Darkness on the Edge of Town" was released in 1978 after a protracted legal battle with his manager over the rights to his music. Both now have in some way made amends although I doubt many of us would have forgiven someone who essentially kept us from our art and passion not to mention the ability to make a living.

Springsteen and his E-Street Band were and are family. The pressure Springsteen mentions as band leader must have been immense and you can see it on his face and in his obsessions in the studio. Shouldering the responsibility of his mates with a lack of funds due to the lawsuit must have been a bitter pill especially after the huge success of  "Born to Run" and a Time Magazine Cover declaring him Rock Star Royalty. The lawsuit    meant the band could only tour and after a two year absence in the studio the viability of the band began to come into question.

He was 27 and although the theme of his masterpiece Born to Run was about Hope and "Getting Out" he was now in a different space."Darkness" was more about all of those Jersey places, people and things of which he was still very much connected but could not ignore or escape and did he really want to. He spoke about pulling back those layers of what is a tough existence and dealing with the raw emotions perhaps for the first time. It was Springsteen truly becoming a Man.

Heady stuff that was driven by a more bare-bones sound that was crafted perfectly with the message. It is the message that struck me even more this week, more than when my friends and I said "wow" after the first listen 32 years ago. I sat literally on the edge of my couch this week as  I watched him talk, craft, mix, play, sing and share his heart.

"The Boss" has sold more than 120 million records but by all accounts he is a down home humble guy involved with his family and even seen at the public bowling alley on weekends.  What I think sets him apart from most musicians is his passion for his craft, respect for those who came before him, his altruistic nature and his willingness to step out from under the Rock Star God Status. He has continued to release meaningful work that never disappoints. Springsteen concerts are legendary for their length and his personal connection with the audience. He understands what few do in that the magic is on loan and only occurs when both performer and audience are truly engaged.  Springsteen's connection involves the rare and precious baring of his soul as witness to the commonalty of the human condition.

Everybody's got a secret, Sonny, 

Something that they just can't face, 
Some folks spend their whole lives trying to keep it, 
They carry it with them every step that they take. 
Till some day they just cut it loose 
Cut it loose or let it drag 'em down, 
Where no one asks any questions, 
or looks too long in your face, 
In the darkness on the edge of town.
From Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen 

Brands; Like Neglected Children, Sometimes "Take A Village"

I am often amazed at the number of large companies that buy promotional products  (I call them Branded Assets) and have no idea what they spend in the category. It is often an afterthought even though the company dedicated resources to develop it and marketing minds and dollars to sell it as the "best in the industry". What often happens is a fragmented spend across the various departments.  Some department hot shot thinks they will get a better deal from their cousin or they want to help out their poor dear cousin. You end up with multiple vendors and a brand  diluted with different color combinations, sizes, fonts and product applications and most likely a higher price.   In addition these products which should be considered an asset to your brand are in the  well intentioned (maybe) hands of a person who has no idea about the audience or the message.

I have contracted national programs for some of the largest companies in the world and only a handful have control over reproduction of their logo on merchandise that ends up in the hands of the consumer.  The purchase of branded merchandise tends to be delegated in the 11th hour by the 11th person  increasing the  cost of production, shipping and opening opportunity for error and oversight.

Multi-tasking and prioritizing are one of our most important functions these days, If you are in purchasing for a logistics company your have to focus on the fleet. If you are in the fast food business, food and shipping are always on your front burner.  Now enter Joe in Sales and he has the big trade show next week which is a new market for the company. New products have been developed and your brand should be center stage at the show.  Joe in sales says he is needing 300 of something very cool that will resonate with this new target audience printed with the new product logo. He also needs two table covers and hands over the shirt sizes for the 6 other sales people working the show. "Now these have to be embroidered" and delivered here,  the rest you can ship with our booth".  Of course the front burner mentioned earlier has now boiled over and flamed up and demands immediate attention. In turn, the  trade show get's passed to an assistant perhaps in another department totally removed from marketing and brand integrity.  This person has no idea what is meant by target audience and was told to find something cheap.  This lack of focus can wreak havoc on a brand in too many ways to discuss herein.  Witness McDonald's recall of the Shrek Drinking Glasses containing Cadmium  and the untimely bad press that ensued as they then began receiving questions about the safety of Happy Meal Toys. We don't know the full story but somebody lost a job as there was no excuse for that happening other than someone probably cut cost and corners.  Of course most damage is not of the same magnitude but problem branded merchandise can and does wind up in the hands of your largest asset, the customer.

Another inherent issue is that branded merchandise purchases cross a number of departments.and once again the focus is gone. There are purchases of branded awards for HR, Safety Vest for the Safety Program,  Pedometers for Wellness, Logo Shirts for the Trade Shows,  Product Launch Promotions,Sports Sponsorships, charitable Outreach and the list goes on and on. One can understand with all of these hands involved consistency can quickly fly out the corporate window..

So what is the answer? The first thing is there must be a a new dedication and commitment to Brand Integrity. Getting a handle on your branded asserts should be a company wide effort.  It is a great time to  revisit your Mission Statement,  Brand Message and Logo Standards. Consolidation of vendors and the development of  quality partnerships with them is essential.  A new open and honest partnership means both are involved in the development of  procedures and guidelines that enhance the program and deliver the brand message consistently and on time.  Finally, it occurs to me that  the companies who lead lead their respective spaces  have similar attributes and philosophies. They have a team of folks in  alignment with the direction and goals of their executive team and are able to  engage new employees as well as customers with the brand and message. Consistency of Brand Application and Brand Integrity MUST be a part of that equation.

The Duke, Godfather of Social Media

 I worked for the Duke early on in my career. No not John Wayne but a great man known as the Godfather of the Apparel Industry in the Midwest. Duke Vunovich was a self made man and a natural salesman and... a Social Media Junkie before its time. I learned a lot about the apparel industry, fashion and piece goods from Duke. I learned how to up-sell and increase business within your customer base and merchandising tools that earned the trust of my customers. All of this was essential for my survival but more importantly The Duke taught me the value of creating a story and a  history with the customer.                        

Duke loved the Fashion Industry and the Fashion Industry loved him. By the time I went to work for him he was well into his 70's and had a following that would make any Twitter Hound proud. There were generations of them that would stop in our showroom and relate memories of their childhood in their parents clothing store and Duke's sales calls and various exploits. Duke would often be invited to their homes for dinner and often times he was offered a warm bed. People were just drawn to Duke and when he had the floor you had to listen and hated it when you missed something.  He was a man larger than life and  how he lived life! His memory for the sales numbers, budget and forecast only were exceeded by the stories from 50 plus  years in an industry that he single handedly changed by bringing new value to the manufacturer, retailer and the traveling salesman.

Enter Duke's Vision and persuasion of local investors and banks that built the Kansas City Apparel Mart on the banks of the Missouri River. The hard working road men now had a place to call home and the retailers had a place to come to see everything at the same time each and every season.  Old  Cowtown Kansas City became important again in  the industry. Duke ran the show at the Mart from day one and had no tolerance for those who would not keep their showrooms in good neat condition and were not open and ready for business during all appointed hours. He knew people had a choice and he never took their business for granted. The Dallas Market was soon to become the 3rd largest market in the country. and Duke's presence in the market south of the Red River was just as strong. He had  three showrooms and a southern following from Gulfport to El Paso.

His rolodex, the computer of the day was huge and he would rifle through it to connect and check the pulse  of customers and vendors like we are learning to do again with Social Media. "Make sure I see you in Dallas" he would say " "we have the best mix of lines in the market that are reordering and shipping so you can make your season".  And they would always show up and often we were their first stop each season, even when the retail climate was soft because there was the certainty that we cared and we would support them with inventory and re-orders and  they and Duke had been through the good and the bad before....they had a history! The Duke would welcome every one of them with a hug and kiss and a "where have you been?" He would get them a drink and a sandwich as he sat them down at the "round-table" to visit. There was always a camera handy and Duke would take the customer's picture in a moment of engagement which invariably led to request for somebody else to snap a photo of them with the Duke! The pictures were huge as he always had photo albums on the round table that all had to see. The connection didn't stop there though as those new photos and new stories were always sent out following the shows with a personal note of thanks. Duke handled the Major Department Stores in our territory for years but he valued more those Mom and Pop Stores where a history also meant loyalty.

When it was time to leave  the Duke's arm was around them again and most likely there were more kisses accompanied by laughter and obvious affection that is often lacking in our own business relationships today.   There were promises to see him at so and so and the open invitation to see Duke at the piano bar singing the oldies, kissing everyone and sipping his Dewars and water. His smile, his laugh, his history and knowledge of the business were as engaging as you get and I was fortunate to understand that and  fortunate he was my mentor when I was so young.

Duke Vunovich. built his business in the mid-west but was known and loved in the industry from LA to NYC. He has been gone now for over a decade but a lot of what he taught me remains. The skill set he shared with me is evident in so many things I do and now more than ever in my passion as a student of Social Media. Duke worked the story and was making a history up until a few days before he died in 1998. I miss him and have yet to meet his equal in the ability to engage a targeted audience. These days we focus on the conversations and hope that we  influence and have significant reach...... I know this much.......The Duke's passion, wisdom and stories are "retweeted" still by many and often.

kevin kirkpatrick blog: Dear Dan Hesse at Sprint, I'm writing you today......

kevin kirkpatrick blog: Dear Dan Hesse at Sprint, I'm writing you today......: "Dear Mr Hesse, I am one of your first customers in your home market of Kansas City and after numerous attempts to get your attention it ..."

Community or Alienation in the Social Media Age

The Railroader Behind
his two Brothers

My Father is 82 years old. He is my mentor, my inspiration and my best friend. He taught me or gave me most all I show as natural sales and marketing ability. He taught me humility and pride. He gave me my work ethic and my love of sports. He is the strongest man I have ever known, experiencing more loss than some 5 men combined. He grew up in a several small Midwestern towns with names like Schell City and Caruthersville and Slater. It was the late 20's and  early 30's and the Great Depression had its grip on the entire country. My Grandfather was having a tough time keeping food on the table. He was a Dentist and his patients were more concerned about  food, clothing and shelter.            

                                    Who had money to fix their teeth?         

Most of us will never truly understand the depths of  dark hopelessness that were byproducts of the Great Depression.  It got really dark in Caruthersville Missouri, a river town in the Boot Heel. Diphtheria and the winter took my Dad's baby brother Quentin at age 3. He is buried there and had to be left behind when the dental patients dried up and the young Irish family had to pack up again and seek opportunity elsewhere. They made their way North and West to Saline County and a town of 2,000.  Slater would be different and it felt different from the moment they drove downtown and heard all of the activity at the Train Depot. It seemed like the people dressed in nicer clothes too.  The Railroad was keeping this little village going during those tough times.  Almost half of the town was involved either directly or through a family member and prospects begin to look up for the Dentist and his young family.

Across town was a man named Hugh Montgomery an Engineer for the Chicago-Alton Railroad. He was a tall slender man with huge hands and hair that took some work to keep under his cap. Hugh was my other Grandfather. Yes if not for the depression I would not be relating this small town story. Dad and Mom were brought together by the Great Depression when they were grade-schoolers and would be together until Mom died in 1991.

 Things began to improve for the Dentist and although riches were not theirs he  was able to put food on the table, buy a house and even upgrade his tools and hang a sign as his practice grew. Regretfully he died a few years before I was born. The Engineer made a good living and raised 6 kids my mother being the youngest. The engineer it seems was an inventor type who had created or fashioned various devices and contraptions that would make ones life easier or perhaps more entertaining.  My favorite was the automobile cooling contraption for those hot muggy summer Missouri excursions in "Woody" the wood paneled station wagon. You see my Grandfather in his own way loved  what we call technology making things better and more useful. He had witnessed these advances all of his life and they would come faster and with greater impact  with my parents generation.

 I was curious about the use of the word technology and discovered that it really did not begin appearing in its current definition until World War II. Technology brought inoculations for the disease that killed baby brother Quentin and the polio that struck almost every extended family in the country. We were producing better food stuffs and refrigeration to retard spoilage. Progress and technology brought automobiles to most homes and an improved rail system. It brought Saturdays at the Movies and Fireside Chats with the President on the Radio. Progress and technology brought indoor plumbing and heating for our homes. It brought bigger and better guns which along with the blood of our Fathers would preserve our democracy. The largest weapon in our arsenal and the most destructive was developed at this time and ended the war bringing the Greatest Generation Home.

The human brain is the source for the vision, creativity and deductive reasoning required to deliver technology. The problem is that often times this comes without consideration of scope or impact on everything it will touch both inside and outside including the hard our own psyche.  This has been an issue for man since the day he began using fire. With the good has come the bad and the necessity for new words and verbiage, things like - Gulf Oil Spill, Terrorism, Pandemic and Sustainability.  We find ourselves with a whole new set of problems. We all know what they are... and regardless of your politics I think we can all agree that at times we are terrible stewards of our technology, our planet and our brethren, Will there be new technology developed to fix the mess we have made in the Gulf? 

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This leads me to the Digital Dilemma playing out in this thing called Social Media. It occurs to me that this phase of our digital evolvement may be at critical mass.  Consider this: Over the past 100 plus years we have seen several shifts in the Nuclear family and the neighborhoods where we live. Prior to the industrial revolution it was essential to survival that the extended family stay together. Today our families are scattered around the country and globe and sometimes we don't see each other for years at a time. And when it comes to our neighbors, the days of sitting in your porch swing  visiting on a summer night left with the invention of television and air conditioning. Was this good for us? Did it improve our ability to communicate? Did we become more altruistic? Did it improve our feelings of self-worth and remove any sense of alienation? Now fast forward a generation when Mr. Jobs and Mr. Gates ushered in the PC revolution and soon we were surfing the web and sending e-mails. All of this marvelous stuff was so user friendly you would be hard pressed to find a person under 60 who has not drank the digital kool-aid. 

Ugh more technology creating more issues. Is it the end of the world as our grandparents knew it? Are we moving towards isolation and alienation in a virtual world? I think most of us have had those thoughts at the end of the day when we realize we just spent more time online than off. Most of us knew the Cold War and saw how isolation and alienation lead to bad things.
But Kevin you say these Naysayers are the ones who “just don't get it.” Of course there are those (and I am guilty) of us who claim we do get it. We all say it with a bit of edge and defensiveness. It is the digital divide, the  left and the right, the blue states and red states. “Are ye for me or ‘agin me?” Will we all be sitting in our caves with an unattractive pallor to our skin venturing out only occasionally and certainly not to visit anyone? Will this medium keep us from getting to know each other and changing the way we sometimes hate each other?  I guess I am into this thing so deep that I hang my hat on hope but where is the empirical evidence to support it?  I mean, you now can have a high quality video chat with someone 10000 miles away. We are developing new relationships on line with people from all over the world opening a window of interesting people we might have never met.  We are making connections with old friends and classmates and attending more reunions as a result of these online connections. And what about these offline gatherings with our on-line friends? The commerce side of the equation is emerging a bit slower but is showing great promise. It seems to me that the Golden Rule is back in vogue. No one can say for sure where this all going but you can make a strong argument that positive things are happening. I encourage us all to remain vigilant on that good front. I have just one question for those of you known as influencers. What is up with this Klout thing?