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What I Learned When I Disconnected

Lindsey — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:35:58 +0000

In my last post, I wrote about the need for us to disconnect in order to recharge our batteries, and I mentioned the trip I was taking to Iceland the following week as a perfect opportunity for me to take my own advice. Having been back in the office for a few weeks, I’ve had time to reflect on my trip and wanted to share a few things I learned.

1. With the right tools, you can tackle even the biggest project. One of the adventures I had in Iceland was climbing a glacier. Standing at the base of it, I felt as small as an ant. Climbing it, however, wasn’t as hard as I imagined because we were prepared. Our guide helped us to fasten crampons over our boots and outfitted us each with an ice axe to use as a walking stick during the climb. Without the right gear, climbing the glacier would’ve been nearly impossible. The same is true for projects at the office. It can be easy to become overwhelmed, but with the proper preparation and using the right tools, you can reach your goals one step at a time.

2. Pay attention to the details. Brand experience involves more than just your customers’ experience using your product or service. It includes interaction with your brand at all levels. This trip was my first experience with Icelandair, and it was my first international flight. While boarding the plane we were greeted by friendly staff and offered bottles of Icelandic Glacial water. When we got to our seat, we found a pillow and soft blanket to make our overnight flight more comfortable, and the headrests bore a special message in Icelandic. Had I been forced to use my jacket as a pillow or had the flight attendants seemed more rushed, I probably wouldn’t have thought twice about it. But because I had such a positive experience, those details of the flight have found their way into the conversation each time someone asks me about my trip.

3. Know your audience. I devoted a post to this before, but it’s worth repeating. On our first full day in Iceland, we went on a volcano and glacier tour. Our group of five squeezed into a supersized SUV with a mountain guide, not knowing what to expect but excited for the day. After about an hour of driving, the guide deflated the tires, and we went off-roading across a sandy field in the middle of no-where. Our guide, sensing our excitement, played to our enthusiasm. Before we knew it, we were driving through a river, the water reaching the doors and spraying over the top of the vehicle as we drove faster. Our guide knew this is the type of experience we wanted. However, he described another tour he had earlier in the week during which a woman had a panic attack as they tried to drive up an icy slope, causing him to turn around and find a less adventurous route. Would the other tour group have enjoyed our off-roading adventure? Absolutely not. And we would’ve been bored following the safe route. But because the guide got to know us and tailored the tour to match the type of trip we were looking for, we had an experience we’ll never forget.

If you haven’t yet taken my advice to disconnect, try it out this weekend. Not only will you enjoy your weekend more, you’ll be amazed at the clarity and perspective you gain!

Newest Tech Isn't Always the Best Tech For The Job

Mark — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:53:57 +0000

That title may be just common sense to most of us. Messages from many tech firms, however, would have us believe that the next release of their product is going to revolutionize the industry – be it video production, personal computing, cell phones, etc. The truth of the matter, though, is that true innovation happens on rare occasion and often takes a few years to really become practical.

So when is it actually important to invest in new technology?

As I said, true technological innovation doesn’t happen every day. My first generation iPad is a great mobile tool and helps with my project workflow and communication a lot. But would the newest iPad truly change how I work, would it really add much value to my projects?

Even when a product is truly innovative, that doesn’t mean it is the right tool for the job. I recently wrote a blog post pointing out the limitations of some new cameras on the market: cameras capable of producing RAW (uncompressed) video. These cameras, honestly, are a great leap forward in technology. But there are some significant limitations, and just because they are new and more advanced doesn't mean that they are the right tools for every production.

My point isn't to complain about the blinding pace of innovation in the video and computing worlds, but to rather focus on what is important: doing good work with the tools that match.

I'm always watching the development of new technology, (like this awesome new camera stabilizer, MoVI) because often there is new equipment that I have to consider investing in. The key, however, is to do a good old-fashioned cost to benefit analysis. Will this new piece of technology save time and cut cost? Will it produce a better end product?

There will always come a time when the answer is yes to those questions and I will buy a new computer, a new camera, a new lens, or a new microphone. But all of those decisions should be driven by production needs, not by the release date.

Can You Disconnect?

Lindsey — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 02:33:01 +0000

Dictionary.com defines weekend as any two-day period taken as a weekly rest from one’s work, usually occurring between Friday evening and Monday morning. But all too often our nine-to-five becomes 24/7, and taking a Sunday afternoon break from our email to spend time with family becomes the most adventurous thing we do all week. Why do we feel like rebels for turning off our laptops or letting a call go to voicemail? In order to be able to give 100% to our job, we have to be willing to disconnect and take a break from it.

Those who know me know I have trouble sitting still, and if I’m not multi-tasking, I’m bored. This makes disconnecting difficult for me. The thought of turning off my cell phone or not opening my email just to “check in” stresses me out. It’s not that I think things will fall apart without me and I’m not expected to take my work home with me, I just like knowing what’s going on – it’s my personality. But I’ve realized that never disconnecting from work is like never unplugging your cell phone from the charger – eventually, no matter how long you charge it, you never have a full battery. So I decided to make a change.

What better way to get over my fear of disconnecting than to take a vacation somewhere where there’s no other choice than to do just that? I’m gearing up for the biggest vacation I’ve ever taken – a trip to Iceland. I’m pretty sure I won’t be trying to take calls or check my email while I’m hiking across a glacier or relaxing at the Blue Lagoon. Sound exciting? Follow me on Twitter – I’ll post pictures.

Am I excited? I can’t wait! But I’m also excited because I know when I return, I’ll be refreshed and ready to dive back into work. In fact, studies have shown that employee productivity increases after a vacation. I challenge you to disconnect, too. Whether you have to take a plane, train or automobile to recharge or just walk around the golf course, the choice is yours. But you’ll be glad you did.

Gravity Supports "Walk for Hope"

Dawn — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:04:17 +0000

This past Saturday was the second annual Walk for Hope event in Harrisonburg - a community event to raise awareness for depression and suicide, sponsored by the Austin Frazier Memorial Fund, four local colleges (Blue Ridge Community College, Bridgewater College, Eastern Mennonite University, and James Madison University), and RMH Healthcare. Once again, Gravity was honored to work with the planning team to help with social media and registration leading up to the walk, as well as participate in the event at James Madison University. Over 600 registered participants walked with their colleges (as students, alum, or friends) from various points around campus, converging on Godwin Field, where other neighbors and friends from around the community welcomed them with cheers and encouragement. The crowd gathered together for uplifting and supportive messages from leaders at each school before breaking out to share their own messages of hope with various crafts, express themselves through rhythmic drumming, or learn more about support organizations in the area.

It was wonderful to see so many people come together with smiles, hugs, and understanding, knowing that we've all experienced loss from suicide or possibly struggled with depression ourselves. And we were glad to be there with our good friends from the Frazier family, seeing how a great idea from Bibb Frazier has blossomed into such a powerful cause - bringing together people of all ages and walks of life to shine a light on something that shouldn't be a spoken about in hushed whispers, to share our stories and memories, and know that there is help when we need it. So that we know we're not alone.

Messaging That Stands Out By Being Far Out

Dawn — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:35:32 +0000

I always shake my head and wonder why some ads are weird or crazy just for the sake of being memorable. What in the world am I supposed to take away from GoDaddy commercials - especially their recent Super Bowl commercial with a sexy girl having a sloppy make-out session with a nerdy guy? I have nothing against nerdy guys finding love with cute girls, but instead of a sweet or sexy kiss, it was just a gross free for all with awful sound mixing. I did remember it was for GoDaddy, but I have no idea what the point of the message was or what kissing even has to do with domain registration or web hosting. And I certainly was not intrigued enough to go find out.

There are times when something outlandish connects well with a brand’s image or puts a clever spin on the message, so marketers have to find that sweet spot. Pay attention GoDaddy – these brands got it right:

Oreo’s “Whisper Fight” – Another Super Bowl spot, Oreo not only made silly work for them, they really knew where and when to debut the message. They had an audience already excited about watching guys throw each other around in order to win a battle (of sorts), and they were hunkered down with beer and snacks. So they put fierce competitors in a library, had them get worked up over cookies and cream, and then made them stick to the social convention that you have to whisper. Complete chaos ensued, but at a muted level. And while laughing at how silly the whole scene was, you were wondering which part of an Oreo was your favorite and that maybe you should eat some right now and decide.
Sears “Connecting Flights” – This is actually the second spot in a series of misleading ads that end with the stars running into Sears appliances – but it is the best executed. This well-timed spot hooked everyone with a very realistic holiday movie trailer about lost loves reconnecting at the airport. And while you never know who or what you may find at the airport, it won’t be the top 10 appliance brands – apparently they can only be found at Sears. A clever twist to deliver a fairly simple message.
Old Spice’s 2010 “Smell Like a Man” campaign - Using an attractive man with a sexy voice who cooed over little things that women love while the background and activities change around him, those infamous commercials succeeded in appealing to a new audience – women, the primary purchasers of a family’s hygiene products. Following each spot was like watching a dream or fantasy unfold, with the actor sliding seamlessly from standing in a bathroom to sailing on a boat to riding a horse. Surreal and silly, yet they made Old Spice relevant again and their body wash sales rose significantly. Here's the original spot (and my personal favorite):

GoDaddy, your marketing team needs to go back to the drawing board and figure out your audience first, then you can focus on clever messaging that will help you stand out.