Well, the last couple of weeks have been chaotic – a real whirlwind of buttoning up projects and helping clients check their lists for the end of the year. Since I plan (operative word “plan”) to take the last week of the year off, I wanted to make sure everyone got my Christmas message with plenty of time to spare…

2008 has been a seriously wild ride – a real crazy one. It’s been eye opening. It’s been filled with wonder, learning, progress, and new opportunities. Some opportunities were there from the beginning, and others revealed themselves in ways that still astonish me. I’ve found new friends and lost some old ones. God has blessed me with the perfect family. And, simply put, I have everything I could have ever wanted.

I just wanted to thank you ALL!

So, with my hand on my heart, my present to you –

Here’s hoping this holiday season is just as rewarding for you and yours.

God Bless!

Keep Cooking!
Andrew B. Clark
-The Brand Chef

Steve Woodruff over at Sticky Figure recently posted the story of “A Boy and his Legos.” It’s a sweet, simple tale of a boy who, on his 7th birthday, receives a cool new box of Legos that, once assembled, is supposed to be one of those exciting and intricate “outer-space thingamajig’s.” But when the box was opened, the boy and his parents find that there are bags of precious blocks missing!

I can see it. In seconds, and with innocent passion and excitement, the birthday wrapping is obliterated with a flurry of glee and breathless expectation. The laminated and embossed photos on the box virtually promise of hours – if not a lifetime – of excitement and imaginative adventures in outer space. And emblazoned on the box, no smaller than 3” square, is the big, red, “Lego®” logo – promising quality, creativity and adventure for everyone. But as the box top is flung over the coffee table onto the sleeping dog, the contents – or lack thereof – holds nothing but disappointment.

What a heartbreaking experience.

So, say you’re the parents of that little boy. What do you do?

1) Apologize to your sobbing son and chalk it up to another flub of the commercial marketing machine.
2) Take the box back to Super-Mega Mart and hope they’ll take an opened box return?
3) Apologize (again) to your sobbing son and write a scathing post on your blog, Twitter and Plurk about the negative experience, comment on toy / consumer blogs and forums about how Lego’s piracy scarred your son and how he’ll never be an architect or fighter pilot because of the experience?!?
4) Create a consumer action group and file a class action lawsuit against Lego®?
5) Call Lego® and ask for replacement packets or a new box altogether?

Let’s say you work at Lego® and this problem confronts you. How do you handle it?

1) Ignore it. The box has shipped and there’s nothing you can do about it?
2) Provide the customer a claim ticket and refer them to Super-Mega Mart for return/replacement procedures?
3) Offer a discount on the purchase of a future Lego® product?
4) Offer a replacement package at cost, including shipping and handling?
5) Overnight the replacement box with additional Lego® swag and an apology letter addressed to the boy?

This is one situation where TRUE Branding (Truthful, Relevant, Unique, Engaging) is tested. Lego® has a simple choice to make. And that choice will be based on their policies, procedures, culture, mission and commitment to their customers… Their Brand.

What do you think happened? I can’t say, but trust me when I say that the story ends with everyone happy.

How does your brand react in a situation like this? Does the customer walk away satisfied? Or do they simply walk away?

Food for thought.

Thank you Steve (Follow him on Twitter @swoodruff) for letting me use this experience to make my point.

Until next time…
Keep Cooking!
Andrew B. Clark
– The Brand Chef

I have some fellow bloggers (Angela and Mike) that are big… no… HUGE advocates for the use of advanced technology in the classroom. They counsel and coach educators, businesses, boards, parents and just about anyone that will listen on the advantages of learning through advanced technology – kind of like a “School 2.0.”

I read their blogs daily. I follow them on Twitter (@AngelaMaiers and @mikesansone). Basically, I (stalk) aspire to be like them – both personally and professionally. They have passion. They have a drive that is unmatched. And their commitment to furthering education and literacy has been nothing less than inspiring.

So… That’s pretty much where my appreciation of their efforts stopped… Until this morning.

For the last three weeks, my daughter’s 8th grade Wellness class at Carlisle Middle School has been working on PSAs for Alcohol abuse/education. They were given the opportunity to create a print ad, an outdoor display ad, or a 5 minute video for their PSA.

Now, of course, being a print designer at heart, I would have chosen the print ad or outdoor display – also because they just sounded easier. But, my daughter and her friends decided to grab gauntlet and throw it down… And boy did they… Madison revealed the video (also created into a DVD for the class) to our family this morning.

Check this out.

…cool huh? (beaming dad) I think they had fun…

So, why the huge hat tip to Angela and Mike? Because, along with Carlisle’s teachers and staff, they get it.

Education needs to keep up with technology and utilize the advancements that are available to students to create an acutely aware, well educated and technologically advanced society. This is our future.

Could I have done this when I was in 8th grade? Heck no. I could barely button my coat. But through people like Angela and Mike, and the staff at Carlisle, as well as other schools around the nation; our children have the potential to change the way the world communicates… thinks… interacts… lives.

I’m impressed with all of you and I just wanted to say “Thanks” and brag on my baby for a little bit…

God bless.

Keep cooking!
Andrew B. Clark
- The Brand Chef