Generation Brand ME

If you can't beat 'em...join 'em.  That's my new motto. 

"I must be getting old, because I don't understand these kids today. The world today."  I've found myself recently using this famous line I've heard my parents and grandparents proclaim too many times to count. 

What I'm realizing, however is that I don't have to understand much of anything (although in all honesty I make every attempt to try).  What I've learned to do is join in. Facebook, Twitter, Google, LinkedIn and the list goes on and on.  Embracing the future regardless of the generation I belong to.

I started my career in technology.  Technology was the key.  I came out of college in the 90's when everything was booming.  Getting a job required picking which job you wanted not fearing unemployment after 4 years of investment and dedication.  My official degree was Scientific Technical Writing with an emphasis in Environmental Science.  At the time of graduation few knew what to do with a scientific tech writer.  At one point I served coffee to my boss and filed paperwork, but my title was a technical writer.  I want to thank that boss for allowing me to pour his coffee because it made me want to explore other avenues.

I dabbled in programming, marketing and sales.  Technology was fresh and raw when I got into it and was moving fast.  I wasn't sure I could keep up.  No, I didn't want to keep up.  Janus, IBM, Motorola the brands I was working with were big but I was small.  They had a brand identity but what was mine?

Brand Identity was the hot topic when I worked in advertising and still is.  The branding strategies and titles change, but the consistent theme is you can take a product to market but if you don't have an identity to create a loyal customer following it's going to be short lived.  I live with a marketer. My husband identifies trends in the flavor and fragrance world.  The consensus we've come to is that with the advent of technology a brand that wasn't possible before without huge media budgets and large marketing departments is now feasible with an idea, a computer and one person. 

We call it Generation Brand ME.  I look around at the generation that's becoming and I see a lot of self- promotion.  Websites, blogs, app developers, athletes and this list goes on and on.  I read about a 14-year- old girl yesterday who started her own company due to her parents encouragement because she wanted to buy a car.  Now she's running a corporation.  Technology is allowing the individual with the idea to become a brand.  Scary, but brilliant.

When I decided to start Lapis&Moss online my girls were immediately intrigued.  They love technology, art and writing so it seemed like a good introduction to the world of business and branding.  While a kid needs to be a kid, there's also nothing wrong with using fun techniques to introduce concepts that are going to help them to identify and grow there personal brand down the long road. 

We decided to start with a basic branding concept: the business card.  It's your calling card, your signature.  It's such a basic tool, but if done well it can draw people in and tell them who you are and where to find you.  I had just created mine and they wanted in on the action. 

At first I told them to just use what I had designed.  They immediately protested telling me that my picture and fonts and didn't represent who they were.  Really got me thinking, maybe these kids are smarter than I'm giving them credit for.  They haven't been tainted by a world that revokes individuality and they want to embrace the Brand ME.  So I said, "Go for it."  The images were designed and created by them, however as a team we decided that the fonts would stay the same, as consistency can be a really good thing when developing an overall brand. 

Cate's design. Her card reads:
Cate Banks
Fashionista, Photographer and Future Broadway Star
Co-Founder of Lapis&Moss
www.lapisandmoss.blogspot.com

Ava's Design. Her card reads:
Ava Banks
Doodler, Dreamer and Future Animator
Co-Founder of Lapis&Moss
www.lapisandmoss.blogspot.com

I was impressed with what they came up with.  Their images and words certainly represent their personal brand, but they were consistent with the overall theme. 

Generation Brand ME can be a positive.  Individuality is a good thing as long as it is accompanied by accountability and responsibility.  We can teach our youth and ourselves how to self-promote.  Always remember, however, to throw in some humility and compassion.  That's the key to a great brand.  

Letting go of expectation

I woke up with an urge to go exploring on Saturday. There's something about moving  that forces you to take note of all the nuances that you might have missed during your stay.

Living in Ohio the majority of my life I've spent most of my time between Dayton and Cincinnati. My parents were born and raised in Cincinnati. Dad grew up in Reading and Mom grew up in Anderson Township.

We traversed back and forth each week between cities. At times I wasn't sure which one to call "home."

As I grew older the trips to Cincinnati became fewer and fewer. It wasn't until 7 years ago I decided to pursue my doctorate at the University of Cincinnati that I fell in love with this great city all over again.

Cincy was on my my mind when I awoke. We love to go to the market on Saturday mornings. There's something about buying fresh and local that makes getting out of a warm, cozy bed on a day-off that much better. We decided break tradition and try something new. We decided to explore the Findlay Market located in the Over-The-Rhine National Historic District. So glad we did.

Findlay's Market is Ohio's oldest surviving Municipal Market. First impression of the market is a step back in time. The market is dripping with authenticity and for a brief moment I feel as if I'm living metropolitan in Ohio. The periphery of the market is lined with unique vendors selling their goods while the central portion of the market displays fine local meats and foods. The architecture creates the perfect escape to daydream of a market that once was full of hustle and bustle. Where, at one time, people wandered purposefully to buy their daily needs, neighbors knew one another and vendors knew their customers by name. Today we would call that the grocery and how I wish that customer service and social experience still existed. It was a great daydream over a hot bowl of Pho.


In the Waiting Line from Zero 7 on Myspace.

As satisfying as Findlay's Market was we were craving more exploration. We were already on the move so we decided to dig deeper. We headed over to the historic district of O'Bryonville. 

Years ago Dave and I worked for a Media Agency in Mt. Lookout. Occasionally on a lunch break I would head over to O'Bryonville to a store called Indigenous. 

Fortunately for me (and everyone else) Indigenous is still thriving. It's a handcrafted gallery of more than 150 local and and regional artists. The choices are plentiful and include pottery, jewelry, art  class, stained glass, wood, metal, fiber arts, prints and more. 

While at Indigenous I fell in love with felt artwork by a local artist named Sarah Miller. While checking out we learned that her work was being featured at a local art festival called Maker's Fest, being held at Washington Park. Our Saturday adventure wasn't meant to end quite yet.

We ventured back to Over-the-Rhine and the festival was a beautiful display of local artistry. I found several artists who's work deserved to be highlighted. For more information about their these artists please click on the L&M Co-operative tab above. You will find links to their sites and Etsy shops in this section.

I started Saturday morning with the expectation of a single adventure, Findlay's Market.  Letting go of all expectations that day led to a true adventure.