The Opportunity Behind Opt-ins

The potential for direct mobile marketing is growing exponentially every day. In 2010, nearly three quarters of the world’s population were carrying mobile devices in their back pockets. A recent study by the Journal of Electronic Commerce Research reported that the average mobile phone user has their device accessible nearly 14 hours a day. Figures like these have marketers salivating at the prospect of reaching out to consumers one-on-one.

But is the sky really the limit with opt-in mobile marketing, or are users just hitting the ignore button?

The magic behind permission-based marketing is that the relationship between brand and user truly becomes mutually beneficial. The brand targets the user in a personalized, intimate fashion, while the user receives only those messages that are relevant to him/her. Right now big brands like McDonald’s and Nike are sending subscribers messages about the limited-time McRib and the latest neon kicks.

Users who choose to receive these messages are also at liberty to pass the text along to others in their circle. The viral nature of these messages can be extremely powerful, as we all know that messages from a friend or family member earn far more traction than those from Corporation X.

There still remains some mystery behind the future of mobile marketing. For years industry experts have raved of the potential for Location Based Services (LBS) – but we’re still waiting for the boom. Will mobile marketing suffer the same anti-climax? Are marketers just dreaming the impossible dream? Or is our culture really ready to embrace true one-to-one advertising?

It's Nothing Personal

A moderate degree of thick skin is necessary for any service-based business. Especially a creative one. And yet, even I won’t completely heed the advice of my own article, because as I’m writing this I picture the reader smiling at how clever I seem to be – and if they don’t, I’ll figure “they just didn’t get it”.

Ego is a hard thing to avoid when it comes to something we’ve created.

I’m always trying to make myself a better artist. I constantly buy books on how I can improve my skills. I watch more online tutorials than I do TV shows. I eat and breathe my profession but none of that matters if I can’t give the client what they want. And in the end, that’s what I keep telling myself. It’s what they want. What they’ve hired me to create for them.

When I started out in this industry, I used to choke on my own ego. Hearing someone say "You know I don’t think it’s there yet" had me fighting off the demoralized look that would instantly want to mutate my face. My attitude was completely defensive (at least on the inside) and by the time the client left me to the revisions, I felt frustrated and hurt. What do they know? Why would they hire me if they don't trust my judgment? I've been doing this for at least a year – I'm obviously a professional.

I couldn’t have possibly done a good job in that state of mind. In fact, at that moment I had just failed at my job. Why? Because my job is to make great looking stuff for other people. Not for myself. If you paid someone to remodel your kitchen wouldn't you want it exactly the way you want it? You may not be a professional renovator but you know what you like when you see it, right? So why is the situation different when you're the "builder" and they're the customer?

There is nothing wrong with being upset because you've missed the mark. It's natural. But it's something that you bounce back from, and if given the chance, you come out the other end with a better product. When you take things personally, the only thing you want to do is defend your decisions. So much effort is spent on justification that you can't even begin to consider the next step, which is "Ok, so how do I fix this?"

Anytime someone is critiquing something I’ve created, I remind myself that they are speaking about the thing they are looking at, not about me. Yes I crafted it, cared for it and watched it grow but if I can't detach myself from the things I make for other people then this business will drive me crazy.

We all have egos. And that’s not a bad thing. I love my ego. It got me where I am today. Yes I have skill, but my ego is what convinced me my skills were worth something. The trick is not to let it get in the way.

I don’t know if I’ll ever completely rid myself of taking creative criticism to heart, but I’ve gotten a lot better at it. This job is not who I am, it’s just what I do.

So I hope this found a few of you. Some will use it, some won’t. Either way I’ll try not to take it personally.

Getting Creative with QR Codes

In 2008 we posted an article on the emergence of QR codes, which at the time were most popular in Japan, with North America slowly waking up to the mobile possibilities. In just three short years, we’ve seen this tool adopted across many industries, for many different purposes.

For those who didn’t catch our last article (and have somehow avoided hearing about these things elsewhere) QR codes are two-dimensional bar codes that can contain any alphanumeric text and often feature URLs that direct users to sites where they can learn about an object or place (a practice known as “mobile tagging”).

We are seeing more and more use of QR codes on product labels, billboards, transit shelters and on building exteriors. But the possibilities for QR codes stretch beyond just marketing. This groundbreaking mechanism for linking spaces to information is inspiring new thinking and innovation across many industries. QR Codes are now being used for things like commercial tracking, logistics and inventory control.

Right now, the largest obstacle that industries face with using QR codes is awareness. It is arguably still a new form of technology, and many people still don’t know what they are – or at least, aren’t familiar with them enough to keep an eye out. Another challenge for marketers is that the website they are directing consumers to might not display properly on every mobile device.

Prepare for this tool to have some pretty long legs. QR codes are able to store quite complex information in an impressively small matrix. Some of that innovative thinking I mentioned has already taken place, and you might just end up face to face with a QR code when you go to a concert, park your car, buy a bottle of wine, check into an airport, or even RSVP to a friend’s wedding.

Have you seen any unique uses of QR Codes in your travels?

Organization 101: Tips for Your To-Do List

Let’s face it: most of us fantasize about being more organized with our time. But the ugly, scattered truth is – most people are not very well organized. We are not born to be. But it’s a skill that anyone in any profession can learn, to increase productivity and work more efficiently. My mother was an organized person, so I was fortunate to learn a few tricks that have served me well.

Being organized is about being in control. Control of how you handle paper, email, the phone, your time, and all other tasks and responsibilities that make up your workday. It’s about being aware, and prepared. Proactive, instead of reactive.

On any given day, a BSL Account Executive needs to manage a variety of projects for a diverse set of clients. This means collaborating with strategists and writers, designers and developers, and ensuring that what needs to get done, gets done.

In this article we tackle… The To-Do List.

Customize your list
You should have all tasks and appointments included in the list. The list may be ordered chronologically, by category, or by priority level. No style is better than any other – it’s about what works for you. One good tip is to have a "Keep In Mind" list for items that are not immediately relevant, but that you don't want to forget about.

Respect your list
Just like email, your to-do list is something that needs your attention. It is its own priority. Start your morning by reviewing your daily items. Taking just five minutes at the beginning and end of each day will help you focus on what you need to do, and ensure you are keeping your lists up-to-date. At the end of the day, check off your accomplishments and add any new tasks or goals.

Inspire your list
Start each item with an action verb. Don’t just make it an item – make it an action item! By starting the item with “Call…” or “Schedule…” or “Submit…” you save yourself the extra time in planning how to accomplish the goal. With an action verb staring back at you – all you have to do, is do it.

Stay tuned for my next installment of Organization 101: Managing Your Inflated Inbox.

For Your Inspiration: Marian Bantjes

This past fall I attended a conference featuring speaker Marian Bantjes, a Canadian typographer, designer, artist and writer. I first learned of her from TED Talks, where she was classified under graphic design (a topic my eye is always keen to).


Her talk was similar in format and content to what I had previously seen - showing lots of work, old and new, as well as pushing the sale of her book "I Wonder". Generally I dislike these types of ego boosting/sales pitch talks, but her style, philosophy and "wonderment" stayed with me. I found myself reflecting on what she had to say - not only in her words, but in her style of visual communication. There is something quite intriguing and essentially human in her obsessive patterns and handwork, organic swirls, the flourishes and ornamentation. Her emotional approach to design draws you in, by combining formality and structure with an organic fluidity.


So I might originally have scoffed at those attendees who raced to buy her book at the shop outside the theatre (they actually sold out), however weeks later - here I am, with my own copy from amazon.com, which now sits centre stage on my coffee table.

Board Games by Candlelight, Anyone?

Did you ever stop and think about what your environment would be like if all the lights were off? Imagine looking at a global landmark such as the CN Tower encased in darkness?

Well on March 26th at 8:30pm you can experience it for yourself. For one hour, people all over the world will be participating in Earth Hour™ to take a stand against climate change. Started in Sydney, Australia by the World Wildlife Foundation, this now-worldwide event unites us in a 60-minute stand against climate change. Earth Hour™ essentially brings climate change to the forefront and encourages all to think about energy conservation. Washing your clothes in cold water, unplugging anything not in use, keeping your appliances up to date, turning off the lights when not in the room are just some of the ways in which you can do your part!

As an individual, I’ve always embraced conservation and nothing makes me happier than when my passion and my work align! So I am thrilled that BSL is working with Hydro Ottawa to create an ad campaign to raise awareness for this cause.

While we prepare for the big event, we want to know– how will you be spending your hour without power?

Social Media a Good Bet for Your Brand

Recently I gave a social media presentation at a conference in New Orleans for one of our clients’ sales and development partners. The subject: how small to medium enterprises could integrate social media into their communications. As I was researching the presentation, I came across a couple of stunning infographics that summed up some recent demographic research about Facebook and Twitter. A couple of numbers really jumped out at me. On Facebook: 41% of users follow a brand and of those people, 51%
will purchase that brand. On Twitter, the numbers are even higher: of those users (25%) who follow a brand, 67% will purchase that brand.

Imagine for a second we were talking about odds on a horse at a race. Your odds of the Facebook horse winning are one in two. The Twitter horse, two in three. Pretty good odds, I would say.

Put another way, if you attract 5000 people to your Facebook fan page, you may very well sell over 2500 widgets.

The implications for the people at the conference were far reaching and inspiring. First of all, the question for many people became how, not if, they should be active on social media. Fewer than half of all users follow brands on Twitter and Facebook. How do you boost that number? How, and what would they do to attract the right kind of fans or followers, and how do you provide them with valuable information to engage in meaningful dialogue with them?

We discussed all kinds of options – Twitter is great for customer support; Facebook provides a terrific platform for discussion to engage with and learn from your followers, both Twitter (using services like Twitpix) and Facebook provide easy tools for photo sharing, which can be at the heart of great photo contests around the usage of your products.

How would you get people to follow your brand? How would you keep engaging with them?

BSL Helps Alcatel-Lucent Bring their Vision to Barcelona

Ever heard of the expression “PowerPoint on steroids?”

BSL works with a lot of B2B clients, and in the world of business it’s all about the presentation. Every business has a story to tell, and these stories need to be communicated to myriad audiences – clients, customers, partners, boards, tradeshows, etc. For a lot of B2Bs, this story can be complex. It can have a lot of facts, figures and details that while crucial to the plot, aren’t always sexy on the surface.

When Alcatel-Lucent approached us about developing a multi-module presentation to be shown at Mobile World Congress in February, the challenges were significant – from a limited timeframe to being able to highlight the features of a revolutionary new product (the “lightRadio” cube) in development.

Integrating video, motion graphics and Flash technologies, the five-part presentation is designed to illustrate the ‘Wireless Around’ world that ALU is helping realize through some pretty exciting 4G innovations, and the successful transformation of many of the world’s largest wireless networks. The BSL video team worked for weeks creating a virtual world that helps bring ALU’s vision of Wireless All Around to life.

We developed the presentation to be shown on a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, as part of a one-to-one interactive demonstration by Alcatel-Lucent representatives from their booth at MWC. This gave presenters the ability to move throughout the booth, while the modular interface allowed presenters to jump back and forth to specific areas of interest to individual customers.

The presentation was officially debuted at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain in February, where Alcatel-Lucent was able to successfully tell the ‘Wireless All Around’ story to one of the biggest exhibition audiences in the world.

NAC Welcomes Canada's Best to the Stage

When an artist steps onstage at the National Arts Centre, a little bit of magic happens. Performing to an audience on one of the most prestigious stages in Canada not only offers a major boost in confidence, but in your career too.

It’s an experience that Simone Deneau, the newly minted Producer of Variety and Community Programming, wants to extend to more artists across the country.

“Getting a break in the arts is what we are all about,” says Deneau. “We think we can help discover the best Canadian talent, and give them the national exposure they deserve and need.”

NAC Presents is a new program focused on showcasing artists who have earned the “NAC stamp of approval”. While many of these artists are most familiar playing smoky bars and lounges across the country, NAC Presents offers a chance to perform in a venue that is not only beautiful and intimate, but also has the high-quality acoustics and production value that only a national stage could offer.

Leading up to the launch of NAC Presents, BSL was engaged in the development of a full brand strategy and visual identity for the exciting, new program. Offering such a unique opportunity to artists across the country, it was important for NAC Presents to make their mark: Canada’s artists, on Canada’s stage. BSL was responsible for the original logo design and corresponding marketing materials for the new brand launch.

“The beauty of performing on one of our smaller stages is that you can hear absolutely everything,” says Deneau. It’s an experience artists are already enjoying – to be the focal point of the audience, rather than background music in a bar. This series will incorporate established Canadian artists into the mix as well.

Over the past few months artists like The Good Lovelies, Anique Granger, Justin Rutledge, Rae Spoon, and Royal Wood have performed sold-out shows to enthusiastic audiences in the NAC’s Studio and Fourth Stage. In 2011 Harry Manx, Paul Cargnello, Patricia O’Callaghan, and Bruce Cockburn are also set to perform.

QNX to Developers: What have YOU worked on lately?

I was scrolling through my Facebook feed this morning, and noticed a friend posting a plea for any talented developers that might be looking for a job. I would have lingered a little longer on it, but all of the good developers I know are spoken for. So I said a little prayer for him and scrolled on.

In this day and age, everyone is after a good developer. They are our modern day heroes. They’re the ones who take all of this magical, mysterious technology and actually make those applications you’re dying for. And depending on the company, they could make a whole lot more than just games for your phone.

Software developers are responsible for powering most of what we encounter every day. From creating special effects in movies, to changing the way we shop online, to making sure our medication is safe to take, to making a plane be able to fly, and even keeping us cool in the checkout line. This world runs on the work of developers.

Imagine working somewhere that actually did all of those things. Sounds a little ominous (like some sort of Head Office of Earth or something) – but it is in fact, a reality. This reality is called QNX, and they happen to power most of the world. QNX Software Systems is a global company based in Ottawa, and develops software systems for virtually every industry – from electricity and television stations to space travel and even the Internet itself.

At this very moment businesses all over town are taking their call for a good developer to Facebook, Twitter and maybe even a few newspapers. But for those lusted-after developers who are looking for more than just the ol’ been there/done that – QNX has good news.

BSL has created a recruitment campaign (launching this weekend) that dangles a pretty juicy carrot over the heads of the area’s most talented developers. Be on the lookout for QNX’s official call to Be Here and Do This. Or This. Or This.