Colgate and the NDA
A 20 Year Partnership with a Bright Future
Early tomorrow, we’re off to Honolulu for the 97th Annual National Dental Association Convention! And, it’s the 20th Anniversary of the Colgate – NDA partnership; I’m humbled to have been involved since the program began in 1990.
In addition to the camaraderie and scientific sessions, it’s a special honor because conferees can take part in the island’s wide range of attractions, including Pearl Harbor and tours featuring President Barack Obama’s famous haunts.
NDA really is a special family. Over the years, they’ve done so much good volunteering their time and talent to Colgate’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures and many other community and public health initiatives.
Each year, I proudly share this case history with students as a testament to the power of partnerships. The program is a great example of how an idea can blossom into a sustainable program that’s institutionalized throughout the corporation.
Millynneum is honored to work with Dr. Marsha Butler, Maria Diaz Santiago, Dawna Michelle Fields and their team of professionals who work tirelessly to make the program happen. More than 100 million children and their families have been served in 80 countries over the past 20 years and there’s a bright future ahead.
Historical tidbit: The NDA got it’s start at Buckroe Beach in East Hampton (VA), where I’m grew up.
Independence Day
Freedom Isn’t Free
Lizette Alvarez’ July 2, 2010 New York Times about Iraqi Vet Brendan Marrocco made many Americans take pause. After losing all his limbs, Brendan is making a miraculous recovery with the aid of family, physicians, therapists and his trusty caregiver Michael, who lives with him at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Spirit Intact, a Soldier Reclaims His Life
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/04/nyregion/04soldier.html?adxnnl=1&ref=todayspaper&adxnnlx=1278252020-YReb5CgvNx4bVMV4zHkv%20g&pagewanted=all
Take the time to read it. Send the link to others. Allow the contributions of our US Armed Forces time to sink in—we’re are so fortunate.
Then, make it a point to make your actions stand for something positive, in the honor of American veterans.
There’s no time like the present to press forward. If you’re reading this with all your faculties in tact, you’ve got nothing in the world to complain about!
It’s July 1—Happy New Year!
Readers of this blog know that I take a mid-year break to recharge and celebrate the mid-year mark. As corporations start a brand new fiscal year, I take time to recharge and take stock of finances; it’s a breather to remain fiscally and physically fit.
June certainly ended on a high note. I was honored to work with OUTSTANDING summer learners on the undergraduate and graduate level throughout the month. Entrepreneurship for Media Communications (CCNY) and Writing Essentials for Public Relations & Corporate Communications (NYU) final projects and oral presentations were tremendous!
I’m always energized by the talent out there, talent which inspires me to excel and complete scores of outstanding projects on my desk.
BP: Bad Press—A Case History
Difficult Situations Call for Decisive Solutions
As the BP Oil Disaster in the Gulf unfolds, my crisis communications learning module is basically writing itself for the Fall semester.
It’s a pure mess.
What’s particularly disturbing are offers of help from other countries that have seemingly fallen on deaf ears.
Note to the White House and Congress—take the help; bend the rules or enact new legislation. Time is running out in that hurricane season will soon be in full swing soon.
“It’s like cleaning the ocean with a toothbrush,” one environmentalist put it as he observed the number of vessels currently deployed to assist in the clean up efforts.
CNN’s Anderson Cooper points out BP Corporate Communications has dispersed bloggers to the region to put a sunny face on a dark situation. Pardon the pun re: the bright yellow and green British Petroleum logo.
The sun has eclipsed into an epic environmental disaster.
As noted by my talented NYU Writing Essentials for Public Relations and Corporate Communications students: “There’s no clear message. Don’t they have a plan?”
Ah, out of the mouths of tomorrow’s communications leaders.
Our three Saturday “intensives” included a real-time exercise where teams
strategically devised solutions for BP’s global headquarters (United Kingdom), the United States Louisiana regional outpost, community / employee and government relations.
As I tell my undergraduate, continuing education and graduate students, “You embody the solution! Today’s corporate communications official is a unique hybrid of knowledge worker, writer, corporate/product evangelist. If you’re in the room, be a part of the solution. Arm yourself with knowledge, because indeed, it’s a war out there and you’ve got to be prepared for battle. Be resourceful; help your managers; dig deep!”
Texas Textbooks
A Textbook case of MisEducation
Let’s get one thing straight. Textbooks contribute to a child’s education. But shame on government leaders who are rewriting history.
It just isn’t right!
Here in the hood, we have True North books. Run by former New York Institute of Technology professor Monroe Brown, it’s a treasure trove of historical books, accentuated by community discussions about Black history. We’re very lucky to have Brother Brown in our midst.
However, even if you don’t have a True North books within walking distance, nearly everyone has access to the world via the Internet. While everything online isn’t pretty, the availability of “true knowledge” outpaces the trash. Take a moment to surf the web for historical sites. At the least, you’ll broaden your conversational skills.
If you see something online, take a moment to search for more facts. You don’t have to be a Rhodes scholar to be scholarly. Make time to stay current. Be informed and then share what you’ve learned with others.
News flash: some new Bed-Stuy residents are rewriting history. There’s a move afoot to renamed a portion of Bed-Stuy the “Bedford Corners” landmark district due to the influx of new neighbors.
Names can change (I’m fine with progress), as long as you don’t erase the vast contributions of those who contributed in days gone by. Why? Because old heads are watching and passing along the knowledge for new generations. If we all practice the each one, teach one philosophy, then history remains true, despite changes and the influx of a vibrant new mosaic.
Plus, it will always be Bed-Stuy Do or Die, Harlem, South Side, Crenshaw or Southeast to those of us in the know—if you know what I mean! Because we remember Spike Lee’s NYU thesis film is titled “Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads.”
Not Bedford Corners, a new beginning. True history resonates with those in the know. Alas, what’s old is new and what’s new is old; it’s all how you look at things.
The Jewish community has done an excellent job of retaining their history. Even though action may lead his cinematography repertoire, Steven Spielberg has contributed to history with Schindler’s List and documentaries that keep the plight of his people front and center—for the world to consider.
Maximize Your Momentum
It’s true—what you put out into the universe comes back 10 fold! I’ve experienced this on a variety of levels this spring.
CCNY Ad/PR Workshop Classes
Students tend to do a tremendous job when they’re inspired to excel. This semester,
my colleague Professor Mike Macina and are extremely proud of our class, and all seniors. They’ve raised the bar on what can be accomplished in one semester in support of the New York Organ Donor Network (NYODN).
Don’t Forget Haiti
At last count, 28,000 people have improved shelter. But that’s a drop in the bucket; millions are still destitute as a result of the hurricane earlier this year.
While the mudslides are grim and the situation is still dire, there is a glimmer of hope. Children are starting to go back to school. While they’re in tents, you can tell from the smiles on their faces that any sense of normalcy can lead enhance self esteem.
What to do? Do something. Soledad O’Brien’s CNN “Rescued” special was tremendous. People like Sean Penn are doing their part. It’s incumbent on each of us to do what we can to help out.
The trick is to do something. Keep the pressure on. Ask questions of your local representatives. Contribute. Ask exactly what the Red Cross and other organizations are doing.
Through it all—give. Then make a point to give more!
A Fantastic Friday of Cultural Understanding
April 23, I had the pleasure of attending a Korea Symposium sponsored by the CCNY Powell Center for Policy Studies. I made new friends within the CUNY network; aligned myself with colleagues with roots in China, Korea and beyond.
It always fascinates me how our stories are similar and somewhat familiar, despite the fact that they span continents. Young people who have left small towns for the big city. A young woman from China told her “career-centric, follow your dream” story during our lunch discussion. This was my story 25 years ago.
DMV Express
It was literally like clockwork. I renewed my license in about 18 minutes at the DMV Express location near the corner of 8th Avenue and 34th Street in midtown.
The reason I marvel at the experience is because I can still remember the process taking a day at a Brooklyn location in the heat of summer a few decades ago. In this case, bureaucracy has improved.
Associates and security were pleasant and efficient. Mr. Gilliam, who took the photos, and I even chatted about our Brooklyn roots. He had friendly banter with everyone in his line as he kept things moving, allowing us to pause and take a final look in the mirror prior to our digital snapshot.
To the gentleman who answered B #194 Friday—thanks again for efficiently handling the final steps of my renewal. Hmm … I might want to play that number, because it was my lucky day.
Showing posts with label NYU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NYU. Show all posts
Monday, July 12, 2010
Saturday, March 22, 2008
CAROL H. WILLIAMS’ PHENOMENAL
ADVENTURE AS TOP AD EXEC
Industry pioneer Carol H. Williams shared a wealth of wisdom during her keynote address at the 2nd Annual Diversity in Advertising Leadership Conference and Career Fair, sponsored by
Her poignant comments were directed to more than 500 students and young professionals from throughout the
Carol pioneered icons like the “Pillsbury Doughboy.” Early in her career, she created Secret’s longstanding “Strong Enough for a Man—But Made for a Woman,” indelibly branding the personal care product in the mind of the consumer.
Now, she heads Carol H. Williams Advertising (CHWA), which boasts $350 million in annual billings and is based in
“Not bad for a girl from the South Side of Chicago,” says Carol, who attended Northwestern University and was once awed by the skyscrapers downtown on Michigan Avenue that she once never thought she’d never set foot in, much less have office space in. Often, she was the lone woman and loan African American in advertising’s persuasive corridors of power when she started in the business in 1968.
Challenging the audience to embrace these “exciting times,” she warmly relayed an office exchange about Barack Obama’s bid for US President. A fellow “Southsider” she said many in her generation of baby-boomers never thought they’d see a Black man on the brink of possibly leading this country. Further, she said the new media landscape was virtually redefining the nature of politics and the national Presidential election, with unique media partnerships between CNN, YouTube, Telemundo, Univision and the Congressional Black Caucus.
She urged young people in attendance, which included Asians, African Americans, Latinos, Anglo-Americans and others, to use their innate talents to “take part in this exciting, new revenue generating reality!” By working hard and cultivating your contacts she stressed, “You have the power to transcend time, media and ethnicity” by working together on creative campaigns and dynamic content.
“There were one, two or three of me. From the looks of this audience, there will be hundreds of you. You’ve got to have the courage to push the doors of this industry open even wider,” said the industry pioneer who started her career at leading agencies including Leo Burnett and Foote Cone and Belding.
Carol urges young people to take chances and not be afraid to bare their souls and says, “Creative people pull their clothes off; you have to be willing to share your experiences.”
As they explore “their readiness this journey” into the world of marketing, she implores future and junior ad execs to take a look at who’s in the room. Carol enthusiastically suggested partnerships with classmates and contemporaries, leading to in-depth insight and influence. The long-term result: income-generating opportunities!
She says, “Your dialogue with each other and the consumer is paramount. Your ability to infuse your talent with the needs of the marketplace is critical. You are the ones stepping up. You are the leaders in the field for the next 10 years. Get to know each other. You must share what you know with each other. Yes, you are the leaders!”
Carol offers the following tips for young people entering the industry:
> Don’t be pigeon holed. Learn all you can about various aspects of the industry, the creative and the business/account management side; become “masterful” at the entire business of advertising.
> Know the industry inside out. Understand where it’s going.
> Green thinking is blooming around the planet. Plant seeds and nurture your expertise.
> Understand phenomenal shifts in the “context of community.” Middle Eastern philosophers, poets and Indian Ph.D.’s are gaining visibility in Western culture as leading thinkers and contributors to society.
> Stay grounded. Always remember, “Whose eyes are you looking through?”
> Every step you take is a defining moment in your career.
> You are going to get a lot of “no’s” to your ideas. Look at what you’ve learned, perfect your product/pitch; you won’t always get a no.
> Fear is a constant companion. Fear is inspiration to any hero!
> Advertising is a calling. You must move out and move on to make a difference.
> Manage up. Manage down. Manage laterally. Manage vertically. It’s all in the way you handle tasks along the way. Always strive to answer the phone as well as you kiss your boyfriend or girlfriend!
> Create a “feel good” environment or energy field. Your goal is to heal the sick, to make people feel a little more hopeful! Provide strength, optimism and intelligent choices.
> Obstacles are opportunities in disguise.
“Are you ready?” questions Carol. Inspired by the creative talent in the room, she was buoyed by the possibilities and encouraged all within earshot to “ride the monumental wave of change and not be suffocated by the old paradigms.”
Providing historical perspective, Carol reveals the advertising and marketing communications industry lagged behind for decades, stuck in part by “outdated, depleted and dying mechanisms” to reach consumers – particularly ethnic audiences.
“Now, the dinosaurs … are going the way of the dinosaurs,” she says, noted by the closing or mergers of many former industry leaders. “By maintaining your creativity, you can get out of the quick sand and retain market share—for your clients and your own agency’s growth.”
If we sail too close to the shore
To learn how to be a champion swimmer,
You’ve got to take some risks
And move out into the water.”
For sports buffs, she compared advertising proficiency with former Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordon’s basketball “dunk moments.” Known for his prowess on the court,
“When you become superior at something, the money will come,” says Carol. She encouraged the audience to work hard and most of all, have patience. “Leadership requires more than degrees and technical skills. You must have principles to guide your adventure. Know that our achievements are shaped by the terrain of our lives; always strive to be honorable.”
And, Carol says, “When the world gives you reasons to quit—stay optimistic!”
Peppering her comments with historical references (always the ad woman), she pointed out that fellow Illinois native Abraham Lincoln lost 12 elections on the road to ultimately winning the Presidency.
Her advice: “Keep taking that shot, every chance you get. Dare to be yourself, even in the face of adversity.”
“Don’t let this Armani suit fool you,” said the daughter of a Dad who completed third grade and a Mom who finished high school. “I am an African American woman. I am Kissey … traveling the Underground Railroad.”
To thunderous applause, Carol said, “My $350 million agency is my own personal ‘Up from Slavery’ success story. It’s my badge. I’m bad and I know it! Never let the media use your history against you!”
And, she compels all to develop confidence and “earn the freedom to think and see your ideas impact people.”
Maintaining a youthful spirit, inquisitive nature and passion for Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh and Star Trek anecdotes, she encourages the future advertising leaders to put messages in terms audiences can easily understand.
Thanks in large part to Carol H. Williams, we can now explore new worlds and new civilizations, a la Star Trek.
I’ve heard a lot of advertising and marketing “talk” during more than 25 years in the business. But everyone doesn’t have a message. As a seasoned professional, I was inspired by her presentation.
Carol’s message resonated with my experience in the industry. And, it motivated me to set in motion an exciting chain of events to take my business and teaching contributions to the next level!
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