“It took me four years to paint like Rafael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” Pablo Picasso
This is one of the most famous quotes in the art world, from one of the most iconic painters, but what on earth does it mean?
Does it mean painting with immaturity or naivety? Does it mean painting rainbows and unicorns…? It’s funny when you think about this statement and compare it with Pablo’s actual paintings. Many of these are for mature audiences, wouldn’t you say?
The art world is in a buzz about this – because there are so many different views. But here are a few points I could relate to.
Painting like a child means to paint without favouring one sense
Children tastes, smell, try to hear, touch, and see everything they can. It is not about one specific thing alone, but the entire experience to them.
Each factor excites them!
Painting like a child means to embrace curiosity and questions
Children don’t create routines. They don’t ask a question or heed a warning and obey. They are filled with questions and get attracted to the unknown and foreign.
What do we do?
We cling to our comfort and run in the opposite direction of anything new or foreign.
Painting like a child means to say what you really think and see – No Hypocrisy
Children have no filter. They say what they see and experience. When they don’t like something, there is no hiding it. (Ask any mother, when the kid begins to cry…Phew…Not fun!) But, when a kid is happy, he can make everyone around him feel just as happy!
What’s this got to do with anything?
Sometimes we go around thinking we need to copy Coca-Cola’s marketing efforts – and sure, they are doing something right! However, the real magic comes in when you are yourself. Simple and straightforward marketing that doesn’t shy away from new things like social commerce and that doesn’t fear being outspoken about your identity and about what makes you different.
Yes, this could be challenging for you – get a team to help you!
I know just the right one 😉
It’s 1 December 2016 as I am writing this and Christmas is around the corner. Before you judge me and think that my article is premature, just like all the decorations you see everywhere, this is actually not about Christmas at all… (or maybe I’m trying to trick you into reading this!)
This article is about yesterday.
The No-Nonsense-November month ended…Or was it Movember, the month where all the Tom Selleck’s roam the world, lips held high…
No, in fact, following the massive trend of big, beautiful, blow-dried beards, November has turned into No-Shave-November.
Being the team player that I am (and of course the fact that I can grow one handsome beard) I didn’t touch my beard this November. It was fun for a while…
Nonetheless, this morning when I took a pair of scissors and trimmed off the first bit – it was like a wildfire that could not be tamed.
It felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders – all the shampooing, conditioning, beard oil and wax; it was too much for a humble ol’ fellow such as myself. What a relief it was to wave my beard goodbye for a while.
It reminded me of that famous and utterly relevant expression that change is as good as a holiday.
Some people are dreading that Christmas time is here. They complain about the ads, decorations all over the place and the money-guzzlers looking for another way to get into your pockets.
I’m not going to be a hypocrite – I admit, I used to be one of them. But something changed – The holiday is good, because of change.
This isn’t my normal kind of article. It’s more of a merry, jingle, jolly carol.
Christmas time is about more than what we see, or buy, or hear… It’s about a time where you can trim the weights you are carrying and enjoy life without any bells or whistles (no pun intended).
If you’ve ever had a beard that was long and full, or hair that hung right down to your bum, you’d know it isn’t easy to part ways with it. To remind you – It has literally grown on you (okay, so this time the pun was intended)! Don’t let that stop you from having a great time with the family and loved ones this season.
Rest, relax and keep an eye out for Rudolph!
The consumer and his behavior are changing, as we know it. Yes, for a second time.
They have changed from consumers buying only from physical locations and businesses to the consumers who buy online and internationally, and now, to consumers who no longer waste only time on social media, but maybe money too… (Unless of course, they buy your products)
This is the social media shopper and experts say he is here to stay.
Are we there yet?
If you don’t have the option available on your social media accounts for consumers to click and buy, then yes, you are behind.
We’ve slowly seen consumers become more comfortable with the idea – and now they might even begin to demand it.
There are already a fair amount of conventional and startup companies that have created apps that focus on mobile and social commerce. This has been indicative of the trend. However, something has changed.
Instagram joined the cause, and now there really is no time to procrastinate.
With Instagram’s new app, Giftagram, social shopping exposure has increased to more than 500 million people per month.
Why is this good?
Looking at all the changes, it’s safe to say that the trend in consumer behavior is that they want to be switched on 24/7 and be ready to buy.
This is great news for the people that have something to sell, because if executed correctly, your sales are bound to increase.
Canadians have shown an increased interest in Social shopping
According to a study recently done by Paypal and Ipsos, the very social Canadians, are doing more than just browsing each other’s news feeds. There has been a tremendous increase in social media shopping in Canada.
The main motivators have been the following:
- Consumers could not resist the discounts and promotions offered when you buys via a social ad
- They saw some great holiday gifts and tried it – now they’re hooked
- Being a loyal and satisfied customer of the brand, they embraced the new way of buying from them.
Keep in mind what consumers are doing. Make sure that you are using social media effectively as part of your marketing efforts. Ensure your success tomorrow.
I heard this story the other day about an old man and his wife. These two have been married for quite some time. They have two adult children, who have moved out of the house, moved to another city, and have started their own families.
So, one day, the Father calls his son and tells him that something shocking has happened. Deeply concerned and desperate to know, the son urges his father to tell him. After some hesitation, the father decides to blurt it out – They were getting a divorce…
The father explained to his son that since their children have left the house, they just had nothing to say to each other. They felt like strangers, with nothing in common.
The son could sense the earnestness of the situation in his father’s voice and decided to handle it very objectively and calmly – he didn’t really know what else to do.
He had barely hung up the phone, before he started dialling his sister’s number, telling her everything their father told him and how helpless he felt.
Her response was vastly different! They were going to both get on an airplane, tell their parents how crazy they were acting and save their marriage. She was a woman on a mission.
After purchasing their tickets and preparing their luggage, she gives her dad a call. She explains to him how her brother told her everything and that they shouldn’t do anything impulsive, they are both coming home and will discuss this when they get there.
When she hung up the phone, the father turned to their mother and said, “Finally, they’re both coming home for Christmas!”
It’s a funny story and kudos to the parents!
What is the point?
They were not getting a divorce; they lied to get their children to come home. Isn’t that what some companies are doing during this period?
It’s the season of giving and Christmas is around the corner – a wonderful season. However, Black Friday fanatics are trampling each other to get to their coveted items before anyone else; because we can get the things we love at discounted prices!
Don’t get me wrong, I love Black Friday – If you take advantage of it…
The moral of my story is this… Some businesses may use Black Friday as a pure marketing stunt where you pay low prices for cheap things, but continue to pay full price for the expensive things; not getting real value for your money!
Go out, enjoy Black Friday responsibly, and get the best deals you can!
Whether it’s to have a great LinkedIn profile, a team page that creates engagement or even for your marketing material; you want professional pictures representing your business and your team.
Corporate photography is all about the image you create in your viewer’s eyes. It’s important to note that it’s not just about taking photo’s while everyone is suited up – it’s an art and has purpose. There are many different kinds of corporate photography, all of which exist to achieve a specific result. We will look at some of them today.
Studio Portraits
The first one we look at is Studio Portraits. This is by far the easiest corporate shots to take.
Lighting plays an undeniably critical role in any photography, but more so in corporate shots. When you take studio portraits, you have full control of the lighting, making it the easiest way of taking high quality, powerful corporate shots.
Outdoor Corporate Shots
Companies want corporate shots taken, to give clients a face-to-the-name. People tend to feel like they know more about a brand if they have a face they can look at. Because of this, studio shots sometimes fall short where outdoor shots work magic.
By either photographing the offices or a location that resonates with the company’s mission, you create a sense of belonging and identity that normal studio shots don’t create.
Beware, though, because you have much less control on lighting, making your job much more difficult as a result.
Paparazzi in the office
This is a very effective way of giving potential clients a “fly on the wall” experience. Instead of taking a shot of someone’s face, you can shoot him or her in action.
This is perfect for a summary feature of your company. It gives readers insight into what your company does and why you’re good at it.
Team Together
I love group photo’s because we all know that though the big guys on the front line do incredible things, they are often supported but the unacknowledged staff in the back. Those folks laying the groundwork and making sure that all functions smoothly, is a part of the team. Taking a professional group photo shows respect and regard for those people, and tells the world that you are a team working together to provide them with your best.
Common Head Shots
Of all styles and kinds, these are the most common of corporate shots.
We see them on LinkedIn, websites, article bio’s, brochures and much more…
For some, this might seem boring, but if done correctly, the image can be very flattering and powerful in creating and maintaining a brand.
Contact Mirror Marketing today for an expert’s opinion on what kind of styles would best suit your company and the image you want to create.
Have any questions or comments? Leave them down here and I’ll get back to you soon…
