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Cocktail Friday Tactile Interaction

 It is Cocktail Friday at Elarbee Media, and today we pay homage to a very little used but beautiful item in our collection. This hand carved wooden wine stopper gets a lot of attention as an object of Art sitting on my desk at the office, but little practical use as a wine stopper. Once Cocktail Friday is in full swing, there is little reason to suppose there will be leftovers.

As an object of Art in the office it is a gorgeous example of fine hand carving. The tactile nature of the execution makes it almost impossible not to hold the wood and run your fingers across the scoring.

Because so much of what we do in our business is fleeting and flat in its execution, we crave the interaction of touching objects. If we feel that as people, we feel it as consumers also. Engaging consumers with a physical and tactile interaction with your product creates a bond…and perhaps a sale.

We Are Hiring

Elarbee Media is hiring for Account Coordinator and Media Planner/Buyer positions. We are also looking for 2 Summer interns, and are happy to work to coordinate credits in additon to paid internship hours. For more details e-mail Kelly@elarbeemedia.com. 

Throwback Thursday IBM Electric

It is Throwback Thursday at Elarbee Media and we thought we would highlight a breakthrough in technology. The electric typewriter. We saw this ad, and though immediatley that it was different. Why? Well, it does two things. It highlights new technology, but it also combines two mediums - photography and graphics. The graphics aren't only surrounding the photo, they are becoming part of it through extension. 

When you first see the image, it looks like a photo, but the flatness of the red extension cord pulls you back in. The layout is clean and simple, and the trickery of the combined photo plus graphic makes you do a double take. CLEVER! The color choices are also compelling. We like it. (Not enough to buy an electric typewriter though) 

Wit & Wisdom Wednesday - Caldwell on Storytelling

 “Many Southern writers must have learned the art of storytelling from listening to oral tales. I did. It gave me the knowledge that the simplest incident can make a story.” Erskine Caldwell

It is Wit & Wisdom Wednesday at Elarbee Media, and we are happy to be back in the South for the some much needed office time. If you read our blog regularly, you will know we are fans of Southern literature and of Caldwell in particular. Having been on the road in meetings over the past two weeks, we have come to realize just how much of our role in client relationships and new business development is actually dependent on storytelling. 

In business, this is called a "case study", but in its most effective application it is actually just a story. The ability to convey a message to another person or group in a memorable and meaningful way can be the difference between success and failure. Dry data points are a great supporting items to follow up with, but rarely win the day. 

The most effective business story telling I have seen in action is by a close friend from Texas. Like Caldwell, he manages to take a small mundane incident, and envelope it in a level of hilarious detail that makes it memorable. Almost exclusively, the stories are self-effacing, and that enhances their value to the audience. Someone that would poke fun of themselves is surely worth listening to. It builds trust. There is, however, always a gem mixed in with the humor that is the intended if subtle takeaway. Without realizing there is a "lesson" underway, the audience hangs on every word. 

This Wednesday tell a story. 

Art Tuesday Perspective Checking

It is Art Tuesday at Elarbee Media and today we are focused on perspective. We are not speaking of artistic meaning of the word, but in terms of “changing” ours.

This Howard Finster-esque picture is by Colette (7). It was only natural for her to see a board with blue-green paint on it and assume it was a “canvas”. It was an ocean ready to be filled with fish. What it was, in fact, was a test board to choose a front door color for a beach rental property.

How you look at something determines its value to you, as well as how you approach and employ it. Having children around can often impart some of the most important lessons, ones we had learned long ago but forgotten,

In our business lives, change is a constant. Being able to see that change as a canvas ready to be painted is a valuable skill, and one we needed to be reminded to employ.

Cocktail Friday - Cheers Jess Barrows!

It is Cocktail Friday at Elarbee Media and today we are reflecting on a month of having Jess from our UK partner the Specialist Works in our offices. Jess went home earlier this week, and we already miss her. Much like the image of bottle caps in a tray that we chose to pair with this posting, having someone from outside in the office for an extended time feels very different. Like a cider cap in a tray of beer caps often times is it very different, and foreign.

Working across cultures has its own unique challenges. With the help of our capable “translator” Jess Barrows, we know we will be fine. We are fortunate to have had such an enthusiastic and supportive liaison, and we can’t wait to move forward with greater understanding and facilitated communications with her help. Cheers Jess!

Art-Tuesday - Haunting Art

Art speaks to us. When we hear but fail to listen, it often haunts us. We are not talking about “decorative” Art, but of the soul sharing, emotionally explicit variety of Art. It is the kind of Art that makes you uncomfortable.

When something speaks to you and you walk away have you lost out or does the haunting mean as much as the initial experience? Does being memorable have as much value as being present?

For advertisers, is the message and imagery that stays with people more important than continued exposure?

Power of Imagery - Rorschach Plate VIII

Unusual in our exploration of Rorschach Slides to date, Plate VIII has significant amounts of color – soft pastel colors. While we have seen bold and meaningful reds, in slides 1 to 7, this is the first slide that completely rejects the black and white. Why?

Does the power of color extend to pastels? Do we react to soft colors with the same gravity and passion ignited by the more stark black, white and red? Does it mean something less to us for its softness? Is there welcome and comfort where there may have been power in a different color choice?

Whichever side of the debate you fall on, it is clear that color has an impact. It changes not only the message, but also the openness of the recipient. Positioning advertising messages with the appropriate colors for both the audience itself AND the desired audience interaction is crucial.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day from Elarbee Media.

Cocktail Friday Champagne Saucers

It is Cocktail Friday at Elarbee Media and today we broke out these adorable Champagne saucers. They are tiny at only 3 inches high, but very old-school in their look and feel. Why are be breaking out the Champagne saucers you ask? Because we have had a very productive week, and it is time to celebrate. Cheers to all of you!