2 Percent Creativity - Marketing and Advertising Insights from a Connected Perspective

Google Maps by thevacationeer -- Revver Online Video Sharing Network

More and more people are creating interesting and sometimes funny videos to share with the world. I saw this one last night and have to say, it was fun.

The Art of Team Building - Introduction

I have always loved hockey. Canada's game. Playing hockey and coaching hockey. I have finally gotten around to writing about something that I have been thinking about for sometime—The Art of Team Building. Check out the story over at ChirpInn The Art of Team Building - Introduction.

French Rabbit Wines — Will it Float?

Now here's a definite contender for the 2% creativity category. An absolutely remarkable piece of marketing arrived wedged inside my newspaper this morning. At first, the printed 10 x 10 inch piece came very close to being instantly tossed into my recycle blue-box bin, until I saw these words, "Savour the wine. Save the planet." Well, I had to look.

The caption inside the brochure tells you most of what you need to know, "The Next French [R]evolution: The first fine French vintage wine in a Tetra Pak container". The packaging is really well done. Colors, layout, the whole deal is first class. They have a Merlot, Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon. The slick brochure sets out to clearly convince you of one thing—it is the environmentally correct packaging of the future. With 90% less packaging than bottled wines and a full 1 litre versus the meagre 750 mills of the bottled option, it is hands down, "One Smart Rabbit".

My only question for you smart marketers (and consumers) out there is this. Will it float?

Check the whole story out at French Rabbit.

Glenn

Glenn's Career Update

As many of you may know, for the past 6 years I have been involved in a web-based software and services company called Most Home. Our venture began in 2001 with the development of the Most Referred Real Estate Agent brand, websites and lead management system. In the past three years, we took what we learned building Most Referred and applied it to the development of ClientBuilder for Real Estate Brokers. This 6 year experience has been a tremendous opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a very dynamic industry and to apply our marketing and leadership skills to the business venture. I am very proud of what we accomplished and the people I have had the pleasure of working with during this time.

Well, as you can probably conclude from the subject of this post, it is time for me to move on from Most Home. I am very excited about what lies ahead and the new opportunities that are in store for us. A good friend and colleague of mine, Curtis Cottrell (Most Home's former Director of Creative Services) and I, have formed a new consulting business focused on helping businesses with their marketing, advertising and web development needs. In addition to consulting services, we have also begun the development of a new web-based application that we hope to launch later this year.

Stay tuned to 2 Percent Creativity as I will provide updated information about our new venture (new name, website etc.) as it comes available.

Glenn

Travel Stories Part III - The Rosebud Country Inn, Rosebud, Alberta

The next stop on our trip is the last of the highlights, and what a highlight it was. Imagine our surprise. We were heading to the Alberta town of Drumheller to visit the world famous dinosaur museum. We had also heard about a small town just southwest of Drumheller, that would be a great place to stay for the night. We were fortunate to get the last room in the Rosebud Country Inn when we had called just two days earlier.

As we travelled east from Calgary to our destination, we saw nothing but flat, yellow wheat fields, after at least 45 minutes of driving. The prospects for an exciting night in Rosebud seemed unlikely.

Then, just ahead, we saw a sign that indicated we needed to turn right at the next street and that Rosebud was just 10 kilometers south. Still, as we drove, all we saw were fields of wheat. Then there appeared, almost out of nowhere, a small, green valley—Rosebud.

As soon as we entered this little town, we discovered the Rosebud Country Inn on our left. We quickly checked in and were told we had better get down to the Mercantile Co. and secure our tickets for the dinner theatre. Dinner theatre? In a town with a population of less than 100 souls?

We soon discovered that Rosebud was indeed a very special place. Rosebud is home to the Rosebud School of the Arts and the Rosebud Theatre. That night turned out to be a wonderful surprise for our family as we were very fortunate to not only get tickets to the buffet dinner at the Mercantile Co., but, thanks to a lovely lady named Julie, we were able to get the last seats in the house for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The show was incredible!

The next morning we awoke in our comfy Rosebud Inn suite. We went upstairs to the dining room and enjoyed a tremendous breakfast buffet (although we hardly had any room after last night's buffet at the Mercantile Co.). Our hosts, I believe their names were Cheryl and Bill, were absolutely wonderful. We enjoyed our stay and wished it was for another night, but off to the Dino bone museum we were.

If you are planning a trip the Drumheller Dinosaur and Badlands area, do not miss the Rosebud Country Inn and the Rosebud Dinner Theatre. Truly one of Alberta's best kept secrets!

Travel Stories Part II - The Aspen Grove Bed and Breakfast in Beaver Mines, Alberta

After leaving the Okanagan valley we traveled east to the north Kootenay area of Invermere BC and spent a few days at the Panorama Mountain Resort. The experience at this Intrawest resort was less than remarkable and yet, the most expensive stay of our trip. Thankfully, our next stop was the Aspen Grove Bed and Breakfast in southwestern Alberta. Located just 20 minutes southwest of Pincher Creek, Alberta, this wonderful bed and breakfast exceeded all expectations.

Hosts John and Helen Neudorf have turned their charming French Colonial style home on a secluded acreage in the pristine foothills of Southern Alberta's Canadian Rocky Mountains, into an extraordinary home away from home.

Every aspect of this bed and breakfast will comfort you. The sparklingly clean rooms, the cozy, comfy beds, the full kitchen and common areas, the great hot tub and last but certainly not least, the incredible breakfasts served in their pillared dining room, all combine to make the Aspen Grove a five star on anyones list.

We stayed at the Aspen Grove for three nights and it served as a great base to take day trips from and discover all that southern Alberta has to offer. We travelled to Waterton Lakes National Park, toured a Hudderite Colony near Pincher Creek, made it out to Fort MacLeod to see the Mounted Police fort and musical ride and much more.

Be sure and plan a trip to this wonderful area and more than that, be sure and stay with John and Helen at the Aspen Grove Bed and Breakfast!

Exciting News - Mom's the Word

Today, I got the email. It was an invitation of sorts. One that I had been hoping for since earlier this month. It's something new, very Web 2.0 as JJeffryes would say and very hush, hush. I have been sworn to secrecy as we take it for a test drive and check out what's under the hood. What I can tell you is this - I am liking what I see.

It reminds one of the days when you first heard the hash of your modem connecting to Compuserve and then Netscape and viewing art from the Louvre on a grey background. It's fun again. We'll let you in on it as soon as we can.