Procrastination at its finest

Well, it's official. One month ago, I made my infamous announcement and now, I have yet another...

After three weeks of corporate detoxing, soul searching, networking, and interviewing, I was faced with making the choice between a handful of wildly different job offers; or the option to venture out on my own. [Editor's Note: "poor job market" is not a concept I agree with.]

As I contemplated my next move, I kept three things top of mind:

1. Did anything about the job remind me of what I did not like at the Big Red X or were there any other major "red flags"?
2. Which opportunity would allow me to continue to focus on becoming the best version of me?
3. This quote by the amazingly talented graphic designer, Jessica Hische:

Her words as designed by me

In full disclosure, not every offer made it past #1. In fact, I started to wonder if I had set the bar too high and would regret turning down what, on the surface, appeared to be a perfectly good opportunity. But that was just it. I wasn't searching for "good". I was searching for FREAKING awesome.

And so when the peeps at Brand Networks, a thriving social media agency, offered up a position as the first Social Insights Strategist, I squealed with excitement and happily accepted. If you know me personally (or even stalk my online life), it's easy to see that I am a l w a y s connected. I don't intentionally "procrastinate" either, it's just that I can't help but want to stay dialed-in and soak-up information like a sponge. Be it Facebook-ing, tweeting, pinning, researching, or simply strolling through a store, I enjoy experiencing the world through seamless connections between my online and offline life. I feel extremely lucky to have found such a kick-ass company and my version of a "dream job" that allows me to stay connected and get paid for it.

And that, my friends, is procrastination at its finest.

PS. Deelightful Studios officially has a Facebook Page! Be sure to hit that "like" button to get updates on the latest inspirations, fashions, and all things creative.

Top 10 reasons why the ADDYs are awesome for advertising

Every year creative agencies, marketers, advertisers, and students alike gather up their best work and compete for their chance at ADDY Gold. Simply put, the ADDYs are like the Academy Awards of the ad business. It's a chance for marketers to celebrate their success, collaborate as a community, and to be recognized for outstanding creative excellence- all while having a really good time [re: drinking heavily and shouting obscenities].

I have been fortunate to attend three out of the past five local ADDY award shows put on each year by the Rochester Advertising Federation. This year I opted out for reasons I won't get into. But as I followed (okay, stalked) my industry friends' Twitter feeds, Facebook updates, and Instagram posts during last night's show I knew I was missing out on more than just a good time. I reflected on the two years I spent working at an agency and how much I miss being a part of the action, not just on the outskirts as I often feel [note: working on changing that].

I imagine it's like this for most professions, but for anyone who has never been a part of the ad industry it may be hard to understand the love/hate relationship so many of us feel for the business from time to time. So for those of you who are thinking about advertising as a profession, are in the industry and looking to re-ignite your mojo, or just plain miss it and need a slap in the face for as for why you should go back, just think of the ADDYs. Or in my humble opinion, the top ten reasons why they are so awesome.

10. Umm, resume builder, duh. I'm putting this last because while it's a bonus, it shouldn't be your MO for adding work to the show. However, for those that are more junior and just starting out, having an ADDY under your belt is instant street cred and can help validate that yea, you do know what the hell you are talking about which is exactly why you don't want to be relegated to foam core duty.

9. Brotherly-Sisterly Love. Even amongst teams within the same agency, it's nice to spark a little competition and put a few wagers on which submission will win. That kind of competition is as healthy for team spirit as congratulatory cheers and man-hugs can be. So hug your AE. High-five your uptight Copywriter. Thank your receptionist for helping you make 18 copies of those pitchbooks.

8. Competition. Sure it's fun to prance back to your seat as you brush past your old boss while holding the ADDY Gold, but the spirit of competition runs much deeper. Displaying your best work for your local competition to see is much like stripping down naked. If you are in tip top shape, you are going to look the best, and if your not, well it will definitely spark some motivation for when you get back to the office. Moral of the story: it pushes the community as a whole to be better, regardless if the goal is to claim the title or defend one.

7. Networking. Especially for the Freelancers. It's an awesome venue to connect with potential agencies you want to work with or people you'd love to collaborate with. Just don't be the HR guy that trolls the room looking to poach candidates from every winning agency.

6. Confidence. We all need a pat on the back from time to time as re-assurance we did the right thing, chose the right career, took a smart risk. If your client's aren't helping to pump you up, feel free to put your pride in a little lucite statue- even if it's just until the next time someone asks you to make the logo bigger.

5. Humility. A vast majority of creative types have an ego (yes, even you). Some are more recognizable than the others, like the Account Planner who claims to be a "social media expert" (c r i n g e). But even if you don't have an in-your-face attitude, it's necessary to not always be the best. It keeps the Type A's in check and forces the heavyweight agencies to realize there are more fish in the sea.

4. Community. There is something to be said for a room full of stunningly funny, creative, and hardworking people. Competition or not, at the end of the day every agency, freelancer, and company is there to celebrate the art of the business. To toast to the ability to create emotion and connect people through the power marketing, in every form it takes.

3. Inspiration. Obviously the highlight of the show is the work. Seeing the submissions while putting it into the context of the creative process is remarkable. It's amazing how much effort is put into a single piece of work; how a problem can turn into an opportunity which then sparks an idea that is crafted into a beautifully constructed communication. I especially like looking at the student submissions. Each year they seem to get better and better. Knowing there is a fresh crop of talent waiting to jump into the industry is exciting and is a testament to the hopeful and curious spirit we should all still have.

Side note, big props to the team this year for putting together the submission Web page for all to actually take in the beauty of the work- especially awesome for those that didn't get to go. 

2. It's a celebration, bitches. As much as you hear "don't get drunk in front of your co-workers" from any kind of professional advice, I assure you, and I say this with caution, almost anything goes and can be forgiven during a state of euphoria while attending. Even needs to let loose and doing so in front of your co-workers can be therapeutic. Plus, it's funny to remind Kim from Accounting what she did the next time she bugs you about your time sheet.

1. Passion. The raw emotion and excitement that is elicited when you prep for the big night, see an old colleague, and hear your name or company announced as a winner speaks volumes for the passion one has for the industry. Reasons 10 through 2 all contribute to the zeal the ADDY's are about: no guts, no glory. We put our heart's into our work, pull over-nighter's or skip our lunch, not for some trophy, but for the glory of coming together as a creative community to celebrate a common passion.

 Congratulations to all the winners of the 2012 Rochester ADDY awards!

Anything vs. Everything

This quote perfectly captures my current state of mind. I'll keep this short since I don't think it needs much of an explanation.

As much as a cop out answer it may seem to be (especially when interviewing), I believe one of my biggest downfall's can be my superwoman mentality. I am willing to bet a lot of creative, planner, Type A personalities would agree. While it's great to be inspired and want to act on a million ideas, it flat out sucks when all that motivation has a reverse effect and paralyzes you with the inability to make your next move.

These words are a great way to remind oneself to never be afraid to try something new. But to recognize when you have stretched yourself too thin. Have lost your focus and need to reset. Or accept that you have failed and move on. Because finding the balance between trying anything and maintaining everything is hard. And until I find the balance, I'll gladly stare at this little mash up I put together using one of my favorite Ashley Goldberg prints.

PS. To see more of Ashley's awesome art, visit her site Kitty Genius.

Notebooks with style.

Lately my mind has been swirling with thoughts. Projects at work. Chores that need to get done. Clothes I want to buy. A month full of events. Not to mention, just getting through daily life. Even though my iPhone has become a third appendage, I find myself being most productive when I can write things down with a good old [blue] pen and some paper. And yes, I'll admit, when I am writing a to-do list sometimes I write things down just so I can immediately cross them off and feel a sense of accomplishment.

But I think it's time to graduate from over-sized, neon post-its and upgrade to a big girl notebook. Something that I can carry around and quickly jot a thought down at a moments notice, without experiencing thumb cramps. Plus, it's a great excuse to indulge my stationery obsession. Below is a round up of stylish notebooks that have brought an onslaught of indecisiveness. So please, help a sista out and leave a comment with which one is your favorite.   

1. Lanvin, $19, ARWEY
2. Mon Petit, $16, Julia Kostreva 
3. Field Book, $8, russell + hazel
4. A6 Essential Notepad, $10, russell + hazel 
5. Amazing Ideas, $14, Sparrow Nest Script
6. Medium Notebook, $8, Poppin
7. 1970s Style, $9, Really Good 
8. Big Ideas Notebook, $14, C. Wonder

Deelightful Digs: Wallpaper

Wallpaper has an undeserving bad reputation, which can most likely be attributed to its tedious hanging and dreaded removal. The mere mention of the word makes plenty cringe as images of out-dated fruit motifs or tacky florals fill their heads. Meanwhile others, like me, lust for rooms covered in a bold hue, an eclectic print, or luxe textures.

Truthfully, wallpaper has made leaps and bounds since the days in which I grew up with country-bumpkin geese flocking my mother's walls [sorry Mom, thank goodness your taste has changed]. But as a renter, a splash of paint is the furthest I can push my wall-art boundaries which has left me ohhh-ing and ahhh-ing over images of beautifully designed spaces. Check out some of my favorites bursting with personality and wallpapered pizazz: 

Images courtesy of: Hygge & West // Brandon Barre // Saddie + Stella //Niche Interiors // The Wallpaper Collective // House Beautiful

If you decide to take the plunge, consider these few tips:

• Choose a palette. Build your space around a set of 3-5 colors. Don't be afraid to create a palette of both contrasting and complimentary colors. Or go the opposite route and create drama through a monochromatic color scheme.
• Layer, layer, layer. Add dimension to room through a mix of furniture and accessories. If your wallpaper is bold, anchor it with neutral or matching furniture. Think structured couches, a set of matching chairs, or a solid area rug. Once your walls are covered, don't be afraid to hang art such as a well-curated frame gallery or a glossy animal head.
• Choose an accent wall. Perfect for those on a budget or just want to bring an unexpected punch to their space. Likewise, using wallpaper on the ceiling brings an unexpected dimension to a room.
• Go big or go home. Unlike an accent wall, covering every wall including the ceiling works best in small, cozy spaces like a powder room or entryway. And for the brave, mix in well coordinated patterns- stripes and florals, anyone?
• It will only look as good as the quality of installation.  If you can't hire a professional, I recommend reading this post from the DIY Network: How to Apply Wallpaper. 
• Get more than you really need.  Even if you use a wallpaper calculator, always invest in an extra roll. You never know when you'll need more and you can always use the extra in a mix of decorative ways.

So if you are a renter like me, try these crafty wallpaper alternatives to help transform your space. Apartment Therapy also just featured an article on Smart Ways to Use Wallpaper in Small Doses for those who are on a budget or just too timid to go all the way. 

• Decals. Urban Outfitters has a fun assortment if you are looking to add temporary graphics to your walls.
• Hand-painted murals. Ok, this is NOT renter friendly. But when I saw my friend Emily free-hand paint her closet [with an ikat pattern no less!], I instantly fell in love and had to share.
• Tapestries. I'm not talking about the hippie tie-dyed things you see in college dorms. I mean beautiful, exotic fabrics. Or how about a roll-up map? You know, like the one your 4th grade teacher had hanging in front of the chalkboard and would pull down for a quick geography lesson. 
• Washi Tape. To satisfy my wallpaper craving, I created horizontal stripes on one of my bathroom walls using metallic washi tape. It took only one roll and nearly 15 minutes. Best of all, it comes right off and won't leave a mark when I leave. Until I buy a house, I imagine much more washi tape in my future. 

My bathroom

Do you have any other DIY wallpaper alternatives? Feel free to share images of your favorite covered walls! 

Pinterest: A marketer's guide.

If you are new to Pinterest, be sure to check out my last post on Pinterest for beginners.

If it isn't obvious by now, the latest social network to hit it big is without a doubt Pinterest. With growth exploding to 4 million users, marketers from every industry should start paying attention. But do so with caution. The reason Pinterest is so different from any other social site is because it is free of ads and spam, and intends to stay that way. In fact, Pinterest discourages business to use the platform for strictly self promotion. So if you are going to use it, get to know the facts, define a strategy, and create a meaningful experience for your followers. Here is my in-depth overview of the platform through the eyes of a marketer and avid Pinner.

Social Statistics.

Before jumping into using Pinterest as part of your social strategy, it's important to understand WHO you would be interacting with.  Again, Pinterest is growing very rapidly. This data can change on a dime, especially if Pinterest moves away from the invite-only model. According to statistics gathered from Google Ad Planner:

• Daily views are hovering around 1.5 million, with the average user spending approximately 14 minutes curating their boards per day. 
• Pinterest is one of the fastest growing female-dominated networks, 70% of registered users are women.
• The largest age group is between 25 - 34 years old (30% of users). The next largest group being 35 - 44 (25% of users)- that's 55%!
• The average household income is between $25-75k. The breakdown being 35% earning between $25,000 - 49,999 and 34% earning $50,000 - $75,000.
• Compared to the household income, only 25% of users hold a Bachelors degree or higher. Yet 60% of users say they have had 'some college' education.
• Users are more likely to be from the Midwest, though Utah, Alabama, and Tennessee account for the states with the most users.
• If you are familiar with the Mosaic Lifestyle Segments, the top three lifestyles represented on Pinterest are:
• Boomers and Boomerangs
• Babies and Bliss
• Families Matter Most

 Things to remember for ANY business using Pinterest.

• Be authentic. Pinterest as a marketing platform isn't for every brand. Consumer-oriented brands will have a much easier time creating a genuine presence. Like every social initiative, make sure you set clear objectives and can define a plan before jumping in.
  
• Pinterest takes time. If you are going to use it for business purposes, be sure you are willing to dedicate the hours it will take to curate meaningful boards as well as maintaining fresh content.
• Don't be a narcissist. It's important to keep your boards from being a walking billboard for your company. Add pins from multiple sources and create boards that aren't 100% centered on your products or services. 
• Cite your content. If you want to drive traffic to your site and create a valuable experience, make sure to add pins correctly. A follower should be able to click on your pin and be directed to the native site. Failing to do so is a missed opportunity and is frustrating for your followers.  Don't believe me? Check out this interesting infographic.

Define your strategy. 

Mashable put together a great article on this very topic. Start by browsing other brands boards so you can get a sense of how you can make Pinterest work for you. Remember, Pinterest can very easily become time consuming so maximize your efforts by being selective about your strategy.

• Promote your products. While it is the most obvious use, selectively pinning your products onto boards categorized by consumer type can be very effective. Be sure to include the price so that your products show up under the "Gift" filter.
• Illustrate a lifestyle. Creating boards focused around brand attributes and your corporate culture is a great way to illustrate your story. Use your boards as a way to demonstrate how real-life consumers or even celebrities interact with and use your products.
• Get to know your customers. Dive into your followers' boards to discover what makes them tick and use this information for market research purposes. Track pins back to their original source and identify the tastemakers who are your brand evangelists. Not only do those customers make perfect focus group candidates, they will most likely continue to share and spread your content.
• Create partnerships. Discovering pins that contain more than just your company can be a great eye-opener for potential partnerships. Use pins and boards as inspiration to reach out to complimentary product/services that you can collaborate with and extend your footprint.
• Engage your followers. Leverage the power of collaborative boards. Use them as a way to crowdsource your next product or service. Allow your followers to add pins to your boards for promotional contests. Be smart about the real estate in the board title and description; come up with a catchy title and be specific about what your followers should be pinning. 

Ideas to get you started.
The most exciting part of Pinterest (at least for me) is the infinite possibility of what you will find on any given visit. That leaves the door wide open for businesses to reach a broader audience and inspire their followers. While it's important to focus on a strategy and the business case for adding Pinterest to your marketing mix, don't forget to get creative with your tactics. Read on for just a few ideas on how you can get pinning. And be sure to check out the cheat sheet of who to follow.

• Art & Design: From typography to photography, Pinterest is the mecca of all things creative. Create boards that inspire your company and embody your brand values. The sky is the limit on this one!
• Architecture & Interior Design: Pin images of famous buildings and celebrity homes. Categorize boards by style, room, color, or pattern. Share how-to's and tips for creating a space on a budget, how to go "thrifting", and re-inventing old, tired furniture. And don't forget about the great outdoors! Landscaping and garden pins are essential elements of every dream home.
• Automotive: Encourage followers to share photos of themselves with their cars. Pin images of iconic models. Create road-trip itineraries complete with places to stop along the way.
• Beauty & Cosmetics: Create tutorials of how to use products. Share beauty tips from professionals. Organize your boards by eyes, lips, face, hair, and nails. Start and follow the trends. Help your followers re-create an iconic "look" by recommending products.
• Communications & Media: Showcase your work. Pin editorials with stunning photography. Get inspired by the other boards to help generate fresh content and layout ideas for your printed or online publication.
• Events: Create boards focused on the event type, special occasions, and holidays. Pin ideas for everything from creating a theme, a menu, the decor, invitations, party favors, the perfect outfit, and choosing a venue. Help your followers manage costs and customize events by posting DIY tutorials. Brides-to-be LOVE Pinterest!
• Education: For K through 12 schools, encourage teachers to share educational content. Pin books by subject matter or age type. Create boards that will help parents continue education outside of the classroom. Colleges and Universities can enlist students to share pins about campus life, athletics, alumni success stories, and content related to degree programs. 
• Fashion: Follow fashionistas and trendsetters. Create boards by article of clothing, collection, designer, color, pattern, trends, and season. Run wild with outfits created on Polyvore to showcase how to style an outfit and accessorize.
  
• Food & Beverage: Pin recipes, duh! Create boards categorized by holidays or special events with well thought out menus. Organize boards by meal type such as appetizers, drinks, desserts, soups, lunch, breakfast, dinner, and snacks. Or let the food pyramid be your guide. Cooking tips, appliances, and useful kitchen products also help add dimension to your boards.
• Healthcare: Pin remedies and activities that will help your followers lead a healthy lifestyle. Create boards to share fitness and diet plans. Help connect people who are struggling with the same disease and offer your support.
• Green & Sustainable Businesses: Create boards with tips on living a "greener" life. Share stories of how others have reduced their carbon footprint. Pin community sources and other organizations that protect wildlife. Encourage followers to share their DIY projects that source recycled materials. 
• Non-Profits: I won't re-invent the wheel. Check out this awesome article for 42 amazing ideas for every type of non-profit.
• Sports: Share photos of iconic athletes and stadiums. Create boards around the season, a certain athlete, memorabilia, and the league history. Encourage fans to share pictures from the games.
• Travel & Tourism: Create boards by destination, state, and country. Each board should contain hotels, restaurants, shopping destinations, and landmarks. Organize boards by the purpose of travel such as Honeymoon, Family Vacation, Adventure, or Sight Seeing.   

Happy pinning!

PS. Follow me!

Pinterest: A newbie's guide.

Over the past few weeks there has been a surge from my online network getting in on the Pinterest action. Its quite possible you are just hearing about Pinterest.  Or maybe you just signed up.  Whatever the case, if you are interested in learning more from a dedicated Pinner this post is for you. And if you are already familiar with the basics, stay tuned for my next feature--  Pinterest: A marketer's guide. 

Launched in March of 2010, Pinterest has quickly become one of the fastest growing social networks. Through my late night cool hunting, I stumbled upon the invite-only beta and signed up. By the time spring turned into summer, Pinterest had changed the way I explored the web. So now I'm officially coining that acronym B.P. which stands for "Before Pinterest" because if you are anything like me, it will truly rock your world.  Of course, don't forget to follow me! 

A view of my boards. I have 17 total (and counting) all on a variety of "deelightful" topics.

What the heck is Pinterest?

Think of Pinterest as a digital white board. A place where you can "pin" anything and everything that you find visually stimulating, interesting, inspiring, or simply want to refer back to later. Each "pin" can be categorized by a theme which allows every user to have complete control over how they customize their "boards". The Pinterest community is driven by social sharing and the discovery of other users' boards.

Why should you use Pinterest?

Pinterest is all about what you make of it. As you can see from a preview of my boards above, I use it in a variety of ways. You'll find a ton of users who, like me:

• discover new recipes
• get fashion, beauty, and style advice
• learn from easy and budget-friendly DIY projects
• plan their dream wedding and/or upcoming party
• find products and companies
• exchange fitness and health tips
• share photography, quotes, and little bits of humor
• explore (virtually) new travel destinations and different parts of the world
• swoon of the lovely interior design and decorating inspiration

The list can go on, and on, and on, and on so check out my next post on using Pinterest for Marketing in a few days to get some more ideas. 

Know the lingo.

There are a few key terms that any new Pinner needs to know:

• Pin: An image that is either linked from a web site or uploaded from your computer.  If a pin was added from a web site, you click on the pin to back to the original source- this will come in handy later. You can also add a description of what the image is or why you pinned it to give your board an extra personal touch.
• Board: The way in which your pins are organized. You can and should group together pins of similar topics a better browsing experience and to help spread your content. Pinterest has over 30 pre-defined themes you can use to categorize your boards. 
• Re-pin: How content is shared among the Pinterest community. A re-pin signifies that your pin was discovered and added to another users' board.
• Pinsomnia: The unofficial medical condition for loosing sleep due to an obsession with the 'load more pins' option. You have been warned.

Once logged in, this is the main "wall" that will display the pins of other users you are following. The left sidebar is a feed of your most recent activity (pins, re-pins, and new followers). The menu you see in the middle is a list of all the pre-defined themes you can both categorize and browse your boards by.

How you can sign up.

At the moment, Pinterest is still "invite only". If you would like an invite, leave a comment on this post with your email address. You can also visit the site to request access yourself: http://pinterest.com/landing/. Depending on the day and number of newbies registering, it could take anywhere for a few minutes to a few days to receive a confirmation. Once you get a confirmation email, you will need a Facebook or Twitter account to log in.

Discovering content.

The great thing about Pinterest, is that content can be found and shared a number of ways.

• Followers: If you linked your Facebook or Twitter account, you can find and follow boards of friends you are already connecting with on other social networks. You can also follow the boards of any user from the general community. The more followers you have, the more your content will be shared. The more you follow, the more content you will automatically see. Just be sure to follow the users and boards that you are interested in to keep from things getting overwhelming.
• Search: The upper left hand corner features a search menu. You can type in anything to generate a wall of pins, boards, or people containing that keyword.
• Pinners you follow: Is the default view of Pinterst when you are logged in.
• Everything: Allows you to explore Pinterest by topic to discover new pins and follow other users.
• Video: Filters the main wall to show video pins only. 
• Popular: Filters the main wall to the most re-pined images.
• Gifts: If added a comment that contains a $ sign to a pin, a price banner will automatically appear. This filter is super helpful for finding unique gifts within your budget.

The primary, in-app options for adding content.

Adding content.

You can add content and pins to your board a few different ways.

• Add Pin: Allows you to add a pin and description to an existing board from a web page. The easiest way to do this is by right clicking an image from the web site and selecting 'Copy Image Location'.
• Upload a Pin: Allows you to upload a pin from your computer.
• Create a Board: Allows you to create a whole new board (and add a pin) at the same time. 
• 'Pin It' Button: Some sites have a special 'Pin It' button that allows you to directly pin content and see how many times it has been shared by others.
• Social Sharing: You can also share your every pin via Facebook or Twitter.
• Comment: You can add your thoughts to any pin and even us the "@Username" feature to communicate with a friend.
• Like: If you are non-committal, or just want to put extra emphasis on your love of a pin use the like button.

Other useful tips.

• You can edit your profile settings to share more (or less) about yourself.
• You can always 'edit' or 'delete' a pin or even an entire board.
• Learn the basic Pin Etiquette to keep the community respectful and collaborative. 
• Speaking of collaboration, you can allow others to add pins to your board in the Settings menu.
• Don't forget to download the iPhone app.
• Go right to the source and ask for help if you need it.

Please note, I don't work for Pinterest (although I would if they asked me too). This information was put together based on my knowledge, experience, and passion for an amazing new technology and social platform. I hope you found this article useful, decide to share it (why not pin it?), and will comment with any questions. Now get pinning!

Do something.

In my field, I'm constantly surrounded by big ideas and big personalities.  There is never a shortage of information or something to do. Most days, it's very easy to get distracted by something (ie. a tweet, discovering a new Tumblr page, a coffee run, etc.) that has absolutely nothing to do with the task at hand. But those moments often lead to great sources of inspiration. The type of inspiration that sparks clarity and the focus needed to actually do something.

Which is exactly what happened when I came across this quote during one of many distractions the other day:

It was the exact thing I needed after months of feeling, well, stalled. I was psyched to start 2012 off on the right foot, and even though my creative juices have been flowing, I needed that extra push to actually do it.

So here it goes. The official start to my new blog and kicking off what I hope to be a very inspiring adventure. I can't wait to share all of my daily distractions. And I can only hope to inspire someone else to get out there and c r e a t e.

PS. Follow my blog with Bloglovin!