There was an older couple standing in the waiting area of Miller’s Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills, N.C. She was agitated. He waited head down, with arms folded. She informed the hostess that “someone else was sitting at their table.” She paced back-and-forth, ringing her hands and stopping periodically to sigh loudly. Everyone else pretended they didn’t see or hear her. The lady implored the hostess, telling her — and everyone else within earshot — that they had been coming to the place for more than 20 years, and they ALWAYS sat in the corner booth.
Yes, humans are creatures of habit. And scenes like this play out every day. There is comfort in routine, and changing our habits is difficult and even frightening some times. But our insistence on routine — doing it the same way, every day — blinds us to possibility. If we never try new things, we never get the reward.
The same holds true in marketing. Business owners often find comfort in the status quo and are reluctant to shake things up. At the end of the day, ask yourself, “Are we ready to try something new or are we creatures of habit?”
Bold Brands not only accept change, they seek it.
Monday, May 29: Love and Marriage: A 20 Year Retrospective
On Monday, Sue and I headed back from Ocracoke and a great Memorial Day weekend, where we celebrated our 20th anniversary. Great times and only eight stops on the way back; breakfast at The Hatterasman, peaches at Morris Farm Market, half a bushel of crabs at Billy’s Seafood, gas at The Border Station, dinner at The Virginia Diner…
Monday, May 29
Tuesday, May 30: Rolling in Dough(nuts)
On Tuesday, Marketing & Partnerships Coordinator Sophie Fisher and I met with Buck Ward, owner of Segway of Richmond, where we learned that they are now they are the new Pedego dealer in RVA. Thanks to my buddy Mark Creery at Data Directions for the intro. (As a side note, our Creative Director Art Webb must’ve taken inspiration from the Segway brochure Buck gave me, as he took the day off and rolled around RVA with his family on Segways.)
Intern Kennedy Heidel, a rising senior at JMU, won the Above & Beyond Award this week for jumping in feet first and being super awesome, or totally “lit” as the cool kids say. We found out she likes selfies, and selfies with food. Say hi on Instagram (@kennedyheidel)
Wednesday, May 31: Serving Up Something Good
On Wednesday, all of the Madison+Main-iacs traded in our marketing hats for hair nets (or giant beard nets in Kent’s case) and headed out for a morning of volunteer service at FeedMore, which is Central Virginia’s core hunger-relief organization. It takes 50 volunteers every day to help the organization serve more than 200,000 individuals in the region, and we were glad we could help.
If your company is looking for a great team building activity that actually helps our community, skip the paintball and get in touch with FeedMore instead.
Thursday, June 1: Lights, Camera, Wittman!
On Thursday morning, we worked with one of our favorite people, U.S. Congressman Rob Wittman, shooting some web videos with our friends at BES Studios. Great stuff, fun times, and we’ll be posting the finished product soon. Meanwhile, back at the office, we received our Telly Award in the mail from last year’s TV ad we shot for the campaign. #BoldBrandsWin
After work, our Communications Manager Kent Brockwell met with the leadership of the Richmond Rugby Foundation at O’Toole’s to offer some pro bono marketing and PR consultation. The foundation is looking to boost awareness of youth and adult rugby in Richmond. Fun fact: There are more than 10 rugby teams in #RVA and rugby has been played here since before I was born a.k.a 1963.
Friday, June 2: Wheeling Toward The Weekend
If you are driving the back roads of eastern Virginia this weekend, keep an eye out for our friends at CowanGates. This weekend, they are forgoing the suits and donning some spandex as they hit the road for the Colonial Crossroads Bike MS event. In honor, and memory, of the firm’s founder Frank Cowan, the CowanGates cycling team will be pumping the pedals all weekend to support MS awareness and research funding. It’s not too late to make a donation.
Me? I’ll be working in the yard this weekend, making sure my farmer’s tan stays nice and mocha. Oh, and I have to binge watch 11 more episodes of House of Cards before I can begin season 5. #dontjudgeme #spoileralert #MakeAmericaUnderwoodAgain
Oh, and my mother just called. She’s in Richmond. #surprise #yay
Have a great weekend.
Change is not popular; we are creatures of habit as human beings. ‘I want it to be the way it was.’ But it you continue the way it was, there will be no ‘is.'”
– Robin Williams