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Cocktail Friday - Sake, Snacks, Surprise

It is Cocktail Friday at the Specialist Works US and today we are sipping sake. Or shooting it, whatever your preference. We're enjoying this delicious Japanese rice wine with our box of freshly delivered Japanese snacks. Every month we receive a box from Japan Crate packed with interesting and tasty candies, and we're always pleasantly surprised by what we find. This month featured sweet animal crackers, coffee-flavored hard candy, and caramel covered pretzels. Japan Crate is just one of many startups using the power of the internet to make things easier for consumers, and profitable for venture capitalists. Subscription services like Harry's, Hello Fresh, and Graze are some of our favorites!

With out having to maintain a brick-and-mortar store, and with much of the process being automated, subscription services enjoy substantially lower overhead than traditional companies. The services integrates themselves into consumers lifestyles, resulting in consistent and habitual purchases. With many of these brands, the time saved is the most important aspect of the process, whether it's search time, cooking time or consumption time. Millennial consumers especially, in search of a better work-life balance, value the flexibility and will happily trade time spent cooking for time spent living. Definitely an idea we subscribe to!

Wit and Wisdom Wednesday - Chinese Proverb on the Proactive

"The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it." - Chinese Proverb
 
It is Wit and Wisdom Wednesday at The Specialist Works US, the first of its kind ever to be published on a Thursday! We apologize for the late post, but we just had to share this qoute with you. Chinese society, in ancient times was, and today still is, incredibly industrious. A culture that has evolved alongside the teachings of Confucius, emphasizing justice, knowledge, and integrity has molded itself into the economic powerhouse that we see today. Whether it's tech startups like Didi Chuxing, to which Uber recently merged with in China, innovative social networks like WeChat, which is arguably the most advanced and integrated messaging platform on the planet, or absolute dominance in the steel industry, Chinese companies have made a mark on the market. 

The point is that in the business world, and world at large, change is the only constant. We say this as we prepare to welcome new staff, new business, and fresh ideas. The company we are today is very different from who we were a year ago, and we couldn't be happier. We took risks, bit off a bit too much, but through diligence and hard work digested all of it. 

(Image is of Mo Tzu, who opposed Confucian ideals to lead his own school thought, Mohism, which opposed adherence to tradition)

Throwback Thursday - Japan 1964

It is Throwback Thursday at The Specialist Works US and today we are going for gold. We are proud to see that the American team is leading in the medal count at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, edging out China and Japan with 32 medals and 11 gold (but who's counting?). 

The Olympics are a global marketing phenomenon, with billions around the world tuning in to share in the spectacle. Nowadays regulations on who can advertise and promote their brand using Olympic buzz have prevented many marketers from being as involved in the games as they previously were - you can thank Coke and Atlanta 1996 for that, as AdWeek writes here. But today we'd like to highlight simpler times. The 1964 Games in Tokyo held a lot of significance, marking the first time the games were held in Asia, were televised internationally, and ran alongside the Paralympics Games. The logo gorgeously unites simplicity, color, and symbolism. Japan is often referred to as the "the Land of the Rising Sun", and the art perfectly embodies this, with a bold red supernova literally rising out on top of the rings. We love the stylistic choices and the design overall.  Good luck to all those in Rio! 

card deck giant has fallen...

Tombstones for Media is a feature we are always a bit sad to publish, but it helps us alert advertisers to changes in the market. Below are a few package insert programs that have cease to publish and our suggested replacement vehicle to reach the same targeted audience.

American Gardner Response Pack replacement program recommended Rodale Gardening Package Insert Program
Country by Mail replacement program recommended Go Mail Values
DIY @ Home replacement program recommended Northern Tool & Equipment Consumer PIP
Explore History replacement program recommended Bookspan History Book Club Ride-Along
Prime Time replacement program recommended Go 60! Card Deck
Products for Woodworkers replacement program recommended Wood Magazine Polybag
Ultimate Outdoorsman Action Pack replacement program recommended American Survival Guide

Details

In Tombstones for Media, we highlight the demise of print media channels, and offer options for replacing the circulation. Details' December/January 16" book was their last printed issue. We GQ as a replacement to reach the affluent male audience.

Art Tuesday: Gifts and Gimbap

It is Art Tuesday at The Specialist Works US and today we are highlighting abstract art from a local artist. Some time ago, a Korean restaurant where I used to frequently eat closed down, and being a regular they decided to leave one of their paintings with me. It was created by the owner's daughter, and we love the way the that the broad pastel brushstrokes blend into each other, weaving over and under its neighbors to create a rich, deeply textured canvas. 

The restaurant sold food, and we sell advertising, but both of our businesses are enriched by the presence of this painting. Our team at TSWUS comes from a wide range of disciplines, with backgrounds in psychology, art, politics, tech, marketing, and hospitality. We have all tried our hands in different careers and businesses - some of which, like the restaurant, are now closed and a part of the past. But we are individuals who are adaptive and creative, so we adapted and created new chapters. Stay sunny and keep an eye on the big picture! As you can see here, it is actually massive (Chick-fil-A Pez dispenser shown for scale). 

Tombstones for Media - Union Jack

Tombstones for Media is a feature we are always a bit sad to publish, but it helps us alert advertisers to changes in the market, and suggest replacement options.   Effective July of 2016, UK Ex-Pat newspaper The Union Jack ceased publishing. Although not strictly an Ex-Pat publication, British Heritage serves the anglophile audience. 

Cocktail Friday - International Beer Day

August 5th is International Beer Day. It is also Cocktail Friday at The Specialist Works and today we are toasting with a Stella. Craft brewing in the United States has been growing at a swift pace, enjoying a 12.8% increase in sales last year. The popularity of craft beer is even more apparent when we look at market share by dollar value, where every fifth dollar spent on brew is now craft. The microbrew market in the US is indicative of the values this country at its best. Never fearful of experimentation, always innovating, and forever optimistic. Flavors stack upon each other, constantly jostling and searching for that secret ingredient to find the right balance between hop and flop. So today, try a beer you've never had before. Live a little. And maybe you'll learn a lot. Cheers!

Wit and Wisdom Wednesday - Jean-Paul Satre on Honesty

The worst part about being lied to is knowing you weren't worth the truth. - Jean-Paul Satre. 

Telling the truth is a two way street. For the teller, there is a certain intangible moral capital that they gain. It allows them to meet reality head-on and be somewhat objective about the world. Being honest doesn't just provide a fuzzy feeling, but also tangibly helps you achieve your goals. Understanding where you stand allows you to better orient yourself towards where you want to go. 

For the person being told, the truth is an olive branch that allows us to connect with the teller. It shows that they treat us with respect and that they have enough confidence in us to share their world. This in turn results in stronger trust, increased interactions, and higher amounts of happiness from these interactions. 

Advertising is the same. As brands become more integrated into our daily lives, consumers are in turn expecting more from the way they are being marketed to. Millennials especially, seek genuine interactions with brands and dislike dishonesty. Be big enough to treat consumers like people, tell them the truth, and most importantly, listen to their response. 

Art Tuesday - Aubrey Beardsley

It is Art Tuesday at The Specialist Works US and today we reminisce on legends. We are incredibly happy to have this Aubrey Beardsley sketch in our office. In this self-portrait Beardsley stands with his hands behind his back, confident and poised. A public and private eccentric, Beardsley never failed to shock or feared reprise. More than anything, his art was honest and insightful, which is really what matters - that expression lets you into the heart of the artist and alters the heart of the viewer. This is also the core of good creative, and perhaps a reason why the work that Beardsley did for playwrights and other brands was so memorable.