Introducing the #HolidayLeadershipSeries on #DebbieLaskeysBlog

With the arrival of the holiday season, it's time for the memorable end-of-the-year advertising campaigns and familiar music to hit the airwaves. Our TV's, radios, and computer/tablet/smartphone screens will be bombarded by reminders of the season. Since I've been honored to share several inspiring series on my blog over the last year including my #FallBacktoReadingSeries, #SpringLeadershipSeries, and #OlympicsLeadershipSeries, I'm going to end the year with my #HolidayLeadershipSeries.

I've asked 10 thought leaders the same five questions so that they can share their expertise as it pertains to leadership and marketing specifically during the holiday season. To begin the series and also get into the holiday spirit, my responses to the questions follow below.

However, before we begin, let's recognize the holidays that begin the traditional end-of-the-year holiday season: Halloween and Día de los Muertos.

According to History.com, "Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities including trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes, and eating treats."

According to History.com, "The Day of the Dead (el Día de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink, and celebration. A blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion, and Spanish culture, the holiday is celebrated each year from October 31 to November 2...Though the particular customs and scale of Day of the Dead celebrations continue to evolve, the heart of the holiday has remained the same over thousands of years. It's an occasion for remembering and celebrating those who have passed on from this world, while at the same time portraying death in a more positive light, as a natural part of the human experience."

QUESTION: What BRAND or PRODUCT is the most memorable during the holiday season?

DEBBIE LASKEY: My favorite holiday brand is NORAD. Read more from its website:

"The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a United States and Canada bi-national organization which defends the homeland through aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning for North America. Aerospace warning includes the monitoring of man-made objects in space, and the detection, validation, and warning of attack against North America whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles, through mutual support arrangements with other commands...Headquartered in Colorado, NORAD's mission has evolved over the years to meet changing threats. Through outstanding bi-national cooperation, NORAD has proven itself effective in its roles of watching, warning, and responding. The men and women of NORAD are constantly watching the skies and waterways of the United States and Canada.

The modern tradition of tracking Santa began in 1955 when a young child accidentally dialed the unlisted phone number of the CONAD Operations Center (the predecessor of NORAD) upon seeing a newspaper ad telling kids to call Santa. The Director of Operations, Colonel Harry Shoup, answered the phone and instructed his staff to check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole.

Thus, a tradition was born, and every year since, NORAD has reported Santa's location on December 24 to millions of children and families across the globe. Every Christmas Eve, thousands of volunteers staff telephones and computers to answer calls and emails from children around the world. Live updates are provided through the NORAD Tracks Santa Website (in seven languages), over telephone lines, and by email to keep curious children and their families informed about Santa's whereabouts and if it's time to get to bed.

Each year, the NORAD Tracks Santa Website receives nearly nine million unique visitors from more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Volunteers receive more than 12,000 emails and more than 70,000 calls to the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline from children around the world. NORAD Tracks Santa has become a magical and global phenomenon, delighting generations of families everywhere and is funded through generous contributions that cover everything from computer servers, website design, video imaging, Santa's tracking map, and telephone services."

QUESTION: What is your favorite holiday ADVERTISEMENT?

DEBBIE LASKEY: This print ad from 1993 was timeless with its "Ingle Ells, Ingle Ells. The holidays aren't the same with J&B." It reminded marketers to try different spellings of their brand names for effective and compelling storytelling. The ad was timeless because it referenced the famous holiday song JINGLE BELLS while also incorporating it into the brand's name.

QUESTION: What is your favorite PIECE OF MUSIC or SONG during the holiday season?

DEBBIE LASKEY: While melodies such as Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and "The Christmas Song" also known as its first line "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" sung by Nat King Cole are timeless (and everyone can hum them), my favorite holiday song is JINGLE BELL ROCK, because it was a repackaged rock version of JINGLE BELLS.

(Listen here: https://youtu.be/7jnGgdDhjAo?si=yx7c9XYcvmHeJR3W)

QUESTION: Whose PERSONAL BRAND stands out during the holidays? (Think outside the box and no religious choices.)

DEBBIE LASKEY: My choice is Queen Elizabeth, who, during her record-breaking 70-year reign, gave an annual Christmas message to her subjects to uplift them.

According to GoldenTours.com, here are ten interesting facts about the Royal Christmas Speeches:

(1) George V delivered the first Christmas broadcast to the world in 1932.

(2) Rudyard Kipling, writer of The Jungle Book, wrote the 1932 speech.

(3) The idea for a Royal Christmas speech was first suggested by Sir John Reith, the founder of the BBC.

(4) Queen Elizabeth II made a Christmas speech every year except 1969. (That was because a special documentary film about the Royal Family had been made during the summer in connection with the Investiture of The Prince of Wales. Therefore, it was decided not to do a broadcast at Christmas, but The Queen issued a written message instead.)

(5) The most people to tune into the Christmas broadcast was 28 million in 1980.

(6) The first televised broadcast took place in 1957.

(7) The Queen's Christmas Speech was usually filmed at Buckingham Palace but occasionally took place at Windsor Castle and Sandringham House in Norfolk.

(8) The broadcast was always recorded a few days before Christmas.

(9) The Queen's Speech addressed global, national, and personal events.

(10) The Christmas message was always broadcast at 3pm on Christmas Day.

QUESTION: Since this is a leadership series, what is your favorite LEADERSHIP QUOTE?

DEBBIE LASKEY: My favorite all-time leadership quote is from author and leadership expert Mark Herbert: "Leadership doesn't require you to be the smartest person in the room. It requires you to block and tackle for others."

Mark explained in a previous post here on my blog, "The best leaders recognize the elements that need to be represented in a complete strategy and integrate them. They don't try to be the first chair to use a musical analogy, they conduct the orchestra. I have watched people step up and do amazing things when they were given permission and freedom to make mistakes without fear of failing. The other is being sure that credit and success are in abundance rather than scarcity."

I embrace this quote because it is a constant reminder that the best leaders are those who value their team members and always have their backs.

Get ready to be inspired by 10 thought leaders. Tune into #DebbieLaskeysBlog every Monday during November and December - plus Boxing Day on December 26th. I will also share a series recap on December 31st. Happy holidays!

SHARE THIS: Leadership doesn't require you to be the smartest person in the room. It requires you to block and tackle for others. ~Mark Herbert #HolidayLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: J&B and The Royal Family.

Read more about the Royal Christmas Message:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Christmas_message

Watch the Queen's final Christmas message on December 25, 2021:

https://youtu.be/T3ACe_3eKnw?si=1ao75D8fCPynUctw

Watch the Queen's first Christmas message on December 25, 1957:

https://youtu.be/mBRP-o6Q85s?si=GoZrpMCxAF5owX81

Let’s Celebrate National Internet Day!

How many hours a day do you spend on the Internet? If you’re like most people, it’s a lot. So, since today is National Internet Day, let’s celebrate the history of something that has become so important to our daily lives, the Internet.

According to InternetDay.com, “On October 29th, we celebrate the most important invention in human history. While the internet may not  have been possible without a million other monumental inventions that came before it, it’s hard to find any other invention that has had such a monumental impact on mankind. That’s why, since October 29, 2005, we’ve been celebrating the anniversary of the first internet transmission. It is a chance to celebrate the people who helped build the internet, while also giving us a moment to reflect on all the ways that it has changed our lives forever.

The Internet, defined as a remote connection between two computers, was first achieved on October 29, 1969 (just a few months after Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon). In the glow of a green monochrome screen deep in the bowels of the computer science department at UCLA, a young graduate student picked up his phone and called the computer lab at Stanford. He was preparing to send the first message over an Internet connection. The men on either end of the phone are Charley Kline and Bill Duvall.

While not as famous as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldren, Leonard Kleinrock, Charley Kline and Bill Duvall were the key players in the first Internet connection. Working on the ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), a network funded by the United States Defense Department, that connected four independent  terminals installed at ULCA, Stanford, the University of California at Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah, Charley Kline attempted to send login information from UCLA to Bill Duvall at Stanford.

It’s impossible to calculate the effect of the Internet on society as a whole. That’s like trying to figure out how the telephone and printing press changed the world. We started with chat rooms, email programs, and some basic websites and wound up in the midst of a cultural revolution.”

The marketing arena has also changed exponentially with the advent of the Internet – with ads on websites, cobranding campaigns, and more. In addition, consider all the social media channels that have impacted marketing and advertising in the last couple of decades.

How will you celebrate the Internet today?

Image Credit: The Hans India.

To read more about ARPANET:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARPANET# 

To read about the Information Superhighway:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_superhighway 

To read about an important woman in the history of the Internet:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_J._Feinler 

Fun Marketing Stories Surrounding the 2024 World Series

While you’ve likely heard lots of stories about the superstars of this year’s World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees – plus the fact that these two teams have met 11 previous times in the fall classic – have you also heard about the fun wagers?

As a Los Angeles native, I’ve heard about them and would like to share, especially since all have a marketing impact on tourism, commerce, personal branding, or brand identity (or a combination).

MAYORS

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a challenge, “My good friend, Mayor Bass, I am challenging you. If we win, you have to wear the New York Yankees jersey around City Hall in Los Angeles. If we lose, which we won't, I will wear the Dodgers jersey around City Hall here in New York. Looking forward to this great rivalry for many years, and I am waiting to see you wear New York Yankees pinstripes in City Hall in Los Angeles.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass responded, “Alright Mayor Adams, you're on. I can't wait to see you wear the Dodgers jersey in City Hall and all around New York City. Go Dodgers!”

GOVERNORS

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a challenge, “Here's my wager to you, Governor. If it turns out that I win, and I will, I'll be requiring that you display in your office some Yankees memorabilia. If the opposite occurs, we'll talk about that then, but I would have to do the same for you. So that's my wager to you, Governor Newsom, you'll have to show some of our great Yankees swag, our memorabilia, right in your office and show a lot of visitors once we win this series, so let's play ball.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom responded, “Hochul, game on. When the Dodgers take home the trophy, I expect to see Dodger blue not in the corner, but proudly displayed all over your office. Look, I recognize for the first time in 40 years, we've got the Dodgers and the Yankees squaring off in the World Series. Mad respect. And mad respect for the Yankees proud past, your history. But as we say in California, we're in the future business. California knows not only how to win championships, but to mint them."

SHERIFFS

Errol D. Toulon, Jr., New York’s Suffolk County Sheriff, challenged Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna to a bet: the Sheriff from the losing team’s city should wear the other team’s hat. Toulon is a former bad boy for the Yankees and said on Instagram, “When we beat the Dodgers, I would expect Sheriff Luna to wear a Yankee hat for the entire day. And if for some reason the Dodgers should win, I will wear a Dodgers hat for a day." Sheriff Luna responded by accepting the challenge.

ARCHBISHOP OF LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK CARDINAL

Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez and New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan announced a friendly wager: If the Dodgers win the World Series, Cardinal Dolan must send Archbishop Gomez a box of New York-style bagels. If the Yankees win, Archbishop Gomez must send Cardinal Dolan a box of Randy’s Donuts.

According to OSV News, in addition, “Both prelates will be directing their respective followers to take part in the rivalry by making donations to baseballunites.com, a site that will direct funds to both the New York-based John Cardinal O’Connor School and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ Catholic Education Foundation. Whichever team wins the World Series will earn their region’s educational institution 60 percent of what’s raised; the losing region will get 40 percent.”

According to Archbishop Gomez. “Baseball truly unites us as a country, but in every contest there has to be a winner, and that will be the Dodgers! I know my friend Cardinal Dolan is a good sport, and I’m going to enjoy the New York bagels that he will be sending me. I’m also grateful for this chance to highlight the great work of our Catholic schools in LA and New York and across the country. Go Blue!”

According to Carinal Dolan, “I’m grateful to my brother Archbishop Gomez for agreeing to this friendly wager. I’m looking forward to three things: 1. A great World Series with the Yankees winning their 28th Championship; 2. Enjoying Randy’s Donuts; 3. Raising awareness of and support for the John Cardinal O’Connor School and the Catholic Education Foundation of Los Angeles.”

PINK’S HOT DOGS AND GRAY’S PAPAYA

Pink’s Hot Dogs unveiled a temporary makeover by becoming Dodger blue to celebrate the team in the World Series. According to co-owner, Richard Pink, "We painted the front, we painted the floors, we painted everything to recognize that the Dodgers made it to the World Series. We are so proud to support the Dodgers. This is the fourth time in Pink's 85-year history that we have turned blue, Dodger Blue. We did it in 2017, 2018, and 2020."

Pink’s also added a special promotion to its menu: a Blues Dog, a bacon chili cheese dog that costs $7.17. The $7 commemorates the seven times the Dodgers have won the World Series, and the 17 cents represents the number on Shohei Ohtani’s uniform. Proceeds from the Blues Dog will go to the LA Dodgers Foundation, which aims to “improve education, health care, homelessness, and social justice for all Angelenos.”

Pink’s also challenged Gray’s Papaya, a New York hot dog restaurant, to a World Series bet, with the loser promising to donate $1,000 to a charity of its choice.

OTHER BLUE FOOD PROMOTIONS

And lastly, two other restaurants are supporting the Dodgers with limited-time deals:

Randy’s Donuts is selling its Dodgers Blue doughnut with Bavarian cream filling for $3.40.

Panda Express is offering its rewards members a $5 Panda Plate with one side and two entrées with any Dodgers home game win. Naturally, the code is DODGERSWIN.

Did you CATCH other exciting news to add to this list? Chime in and share.

Image Credit: Pink’s aka Dodger Blue’s via KNX News.

Read my similar post entitled FUN STORIES SURROUNDING SUPER BOWL 56:

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/02/fun-stories-surrounding-super-bowl-56.html

Let's Celebrate the National Day on Writing!

The National Council of Teachers of English established October 20th as the National Day on Writing to transform the public's understanding of writing and the role it plays in society.

I recently read a novel entitled, "Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie" by Jackie Lau, and found some inspiring and applicable quotes about writing fiction:

"Not everyone pictures what's happening in a book as they're reading."

"That's the beauty of a novel. What we see - or don't see - in our minds, our pasts...a single novel can be such a different experience for everyone who reads it."

"Books can help people forget but also help them cope at the same time...Even if you write something dark and twisted, it can help readers escape to another world. Or it can show them that other people are experiencing the same feelings that they are, maybe under different circumstances, but similar nonetheless. It can make you feel not alone when you're lonely, or it can simply entertain you when you're bored. There are so many things that fiction can do."

With gratitude and applause to the National Council of Teachers of English, here are some strategies for coming up with ideas for writing:

* Make lists of topics that you are interested in, this could include hobbies, issues, places, etc.

* Make a list of problems that you have seen characters face in movies, TV shows, or books, and use each as a basis for your own story

* Make a list of your most memorable experiences and determine which might be the basis for a piece of writing, perhaps, featuring lessons learned

* Maintain a journal and collect thoughts and descriptions that might be used as the basis for a piece of writing

* Similar to the above, keep a journal for remembering inspiring quotes from books you read - you never know when the quotes will serve as the basis for a piece of writing (or blog post, as the above quotes did)

* Think about "small moments" of life to expand and explore rather than creating large, involved stories

* Read and re-read your favorite authors and look for places where you can pick up where they left off or think how their story could be re-told from a different character's perspective

* Take elements from an existing storyline from a book, movie, or play, and work your own real-life or past experiences in to create an entirely new story

* Make a list of your favorite movies or books and look for patterns in the storylines or look for storylines that can be combined or changed

* Read, read, read - all great authors are READERS who constantly look for ideas from other authors

So, how do you decide what to write about? What are your inspirational secrets? Chime in and share!

Image Credit: National Council of Teachers of English.

Let’s Celebrate Boss’s Day!

Are you fortunate to have a good boss? Does your supervisor ask you for feedback and recognize your contributions in public? Well, today’s the day to celebrate awesome bosses!

First, a little history: National Boss’s Day was started by Patricia Bays Haroski, who was an employee at State Farm Insurance. Her boss was also her father, and to honor him, she registered the date of his birthday with the United States Chamber of Commerce in 1958 as a national holiday. By 1979, the holiday became popular across the United States and also spread internationally. Today, it’s celebrated in Australia, India, Ireland, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Here are some ideas as to how to celebrate:

* Send your boss a card with a meaningful message, perhaps, sharing details about something you learned from him/her/they

* Post a note about your boss on social media

* Bring some doughnuts or other sweet treat into the office to share with your boss and colleagues

* Bring some flowers into the office

* Make a donation to your favorite charity in honor of your boss

Of course, if your boss is not the greatest boss in the world, you can stick with a simple “Happy Boss’s Day” greeting when you enter the office first thing in the morning. They’ll get the message!

Image Credit: Mountaineer eNews.

Let's Celebrate M&M Day!

M&M's have been around since 1941, but do you know how they started? As you think about which color - or plain or peanut on the inside - you favor, let's take a walk down memory lane.

According to company history, after seeing soldiers carrying Smarties, chocolate pellets protected by a shell from keeping them from melting, during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's, Forrest Mars Senior, son of the Mars Company founder, pitched the idea of the candy we know today as M&M's. Manufacturing of the candy began at a factory in New Jersey in 1941. Mars sourced chocolate with the help of Bruce Murrie, the son of a Hershey executive, and as a result, the name of the candy came from both men's names: Mars and Murrie.

Initially, the candy was only sold to the U.S. Army, and after World War II ended and soldiers returned home, they were well acquainted with M&M's, which helped make the candy a popular snack in the post-war years. 

In 1949, the famous tagline, "Melts in your mouth, not in your hand" was released. In 1950, a black "M" was printed onto M&M's to give them a unique look, and this was changed to a white "M" in 1954. And during the 1980's, M&M's went on sale in Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom.

Here's an interesting fact: Since it's very easy to eat M&M's, the are the most consumed chocolate in outer space. Astronauts love M&M's!

And here's another interesting fact: M&M's were the official snack of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

M&M's may be such a popular sweet snack due to its marketing and advertising humor. Many of the colors have recognizable personalities, and some even appear during expensive Super Bowl ads.

And in 2023, the world seemed to go crazy with M&M news. Prior to the game, the brand announced that actress Maya Rudolph would take over for the colored spokescandies, who were taking a break from their duties, which included participating in an ad during the Super Bowl. In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, the name of the candy was changed, the inside of the candy was changed, and to be honest, it was hard to keep up with all the drama. But then, at the end of the Super Bowl, the spokescandies held a news conference, and all was right with the world: The candies/characters/brand ambassadors announced their return.

Image Credit: M&M's.

Let's Celebrate World Architecture Day!

Created in 1985 by the International Union of Architects (UIA), World Architecture Day is a day to show appreciation for the work that architects do and to celebrate the inspiring and memorable works of architecture around the world. This day coincides with the United Nations World Habitat Day, aligning the architectural community’s efforts with global urban development goals.

Famous works of architecture have become part of the natural landscape. Consider what the city of Paris would be without the Eiffel Tower, or what New York City would be without the Statue of Liberty, or what San Francisco would be without the Golden Gate Bridge. Without these amazing architectural structures, these cities would lack their artistic souls and brand identities.

 

Here are five quotes for World Architecture Day:

"Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness."
~Frank Gehry

"The best way to predict the future is to design it."
~Buckminster Fuller

"Good buildings come from good people, and all problems are solved by good design."
~Stephen Gardiner

"We shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us."
~Winston Churchill

"Architecture is not just about designing buildings; it's about creating spaces that inspire and uplift."
~Unknown

Here are five messages to share on social media on World Architecture Day:

"Architecture is the art of creating spaces that inspire, uplift, and bring communities together. Happy World Architecture Day!"

"Let's celebrate the architects who envision and design spaces that reflect our values and aspirations. Happy World Architecture Day!"

"On this World Architecture Day, let's commit to creating spaces that nurture creativity, community, and sustainability!"

"Architecture is not just about buildings; it's about creating experiences and environments that enhance our lives!"

"On World Architecture Day, let's inspire future architects to dream big and create inclusive and participatory spaces!"

In addition, many famous works of architecture provide marketing opportunities. Again consider the examples provided above. Paris has become synonymous with the Eiffel Tower, and P-A-R-I-S is often written out with the Eiffel Tower taking the place of the "A."

What's your favorite architectural structure? Chime in and share.

Image Credits from Left to Right: Getty Images, One Life Tours, Britannica, Great Runs, Empire State Building, and Wikipedia.

Let's Celebrate World Teachers' Day!

Did you know that today is World Teachers' Day? Held annually on October 5th, World Teachers' Day is an international holiday to celebrate teachers. Established in 1994, it commemorates the signing of a recommendation by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that outlines standards relating to education personnel policy, recruitment, and training as well as the continuing education of teachers, their employment, and working conditions. 

According to Wikipedia, "World Teachers' Day aims to focus on appreciating the educators of the world."

Do you remember your favorite teacher? Someone who sparked your imagination or introduced you to a subject that became your life's mission? My high school United States Government teacher was that person for me. She was an amazing teacher, and I was lucky to stay in touch with her throughout my life.

Each year, UNESCO mounts a campaign to help give the world a better understanding of teachers and the role that they play in the development of students. According to UNESCO, fewer young people aspire to become teachers, and UNESCO estimates that the world needs over 69 million new teachers by 2030.

So, use today to reach out to a former teacher to thank him or her for inspiring you or promote the field of teaching to a young person.

In the words of Nelson Mandela, "Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world."

SHARE THIS: World Teachers' Day aims to focus on appreciating the educators of the world. ~Wikipedia #WorldTeachersDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.