Monthly Archives: June 2010

For The Person You Can’t Get a Gift For…

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Everyone has a person like this – someone who just doesn’t fit your gift-giving pattern. Hobbies are different, interests are different; more than likely, you’ll just mess it up trying to buy something for them.

Why mention this? Because the good folks at 1800baskets.com asked me today (yesterday? what time is it exactly?) an interesting question: what are my five top reasons for giving a gift basket?

Obviously, my top reason is if I cannot figure out what to give someone – gift baskets are a great general-purpose gift.

And my other four? In no particular order, they are:

  1. Business. Why risk offending someone or giving a wildly inappropriate gift when a basket does the job so well?
  2. Group gift. A basket for the office or other group gives something for everyone – with plenty left over.
  3. Special events. Celebrating an event? Forget weird theme gifts, and get a gift basket that pleases everyone.
  4. Impulse events. For those times you’re tempted to send a ‘thinking of you card’, why not add on a gift basket – and then they’ll KNOW you’re thinking of them!

So if these ideas appeal to you, drop by 1800baskets and order some gift baskets today!

Guy Kawasaki, Chocolate Pantsuits, and This Weekend

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What do Guy Kawasaki, Chocolate pantsuits and “Diamond or Square” have in common?

In a nutshell – Strategic Objectives.

This PR agency is involved in all three:

  • They were the people involved in the famous Shreddies shredded wheat campaign “Which do you prefer – square or diamond” ads.
  • To promote Cadbury, they created the Cadbury Chocolate Couture Fashion Show, where all costumes were made out of chocolate.
  • And Guy Kawasaki, one of the people behind the original Macintosh computer marketing campaign, is a guest speaker at the 2010 IABC (International Association of Business Communicators) World Conference. Also along with him, Judy Lewis, co-founder of Strategic Objectives, is a Moderator on the power of PR to influence, the power of buzz, and social media (among other things).

The Toronto event, going from the 6th to the 9th of June, 2010, is a meeting of some of the most influential people in the Public Relations business. And as the example of Strategic Objectives shows, they are influential: these companies do the marketing that makes us think, and makes us choose.

Highlights of the convention (besides Guy’s and Judy’s parts, of course):

  • Communication in the new reality – with traditional media slowing down, but new media coverage uncertain, how can people be reached effectively? This session discusses the options.
  • Don’t talk to the media – in this media climate, unprepared speakers are like lambs thrown to the wolves. How to speak and what to say to make a memorable, yet positive, appearance is the topic of this session.
  • Words are not enough – most communicators uses images, yet companies often forget the power of imagery. Here’s how to put it to best use.

It sounds action-packed this weekend (well, PR-action packed, that is). To all those visiting Toronto for the sessions, I hope you enjoy the event!