I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not much of a sports fanatic. Sure, I’ll go to the occasional football game or accidentally stop on ESPN while I’m flipping channels, but generally I’m not one that’s going to turn on a football game. That said, when it comes to Super Bowl Sunday, I usually make an exception—not for the game itself, but the commercials.

Unlike most in the advertising industry this year, I waited all last week to see this year’s Super Bowl commercials. I wanted to see them just like I always have, during the game, not on YouTube days before the actual event. While countless lists will abound today about which ads were the best and which brands could’ve done better, what I noticed more than anything this year was countless commercials starring dogs.

Whether it was the new Volkswagen commercial with a heavy pooch looking to lose a few pounds, a dog bribing its owner with Doritos, a Sketchers-wearing bulldog moon walking over the finish line, or the dog who survived the 2012 apocalypse in the Chevy Silverado ad, it seemed almost every commercial during the big game this year featured man’s best friend.

While dogs have long been staples of Budweiser’s classic commercials, 2012 seems to be the year of the dogs. And when you look at consumer statistics, it makes sense to feature man’s most faithful companion.

According to the U.S. Humane Society, in 2011 39 percent of Americans owned at least one dog and 30 percent of those owners had two or more dogs. Dogs and other household pets have become staples in the American family with many owners shelling out hundreds to thousands of dollars on toys, health care, grooming, pet supplies, etc. all for their pet. Last year, the American Pet Products Association estimated that Americans spent a record $50 billion on their pets alone.

With consumers showing significant spending power when it comes to their pets, it makes sense that Super Bowl marketers would want to ride the wave by including pets any way they can in their commercials and products.

In total last night, I counted five commercials that featured a dog as one of the main characters. When done right, these commercials can not only position a product like Doritos in a new way, but also remind consumers that such products and brands are to be enjoyed by literally the whole family.

Of all the ads featuring dogs, I think my favorite was Sketchers’ :30 spot featuring Mr. Quiggly as he moon walks his way to first place. What was your favorite ad from the big game?

Each year at the Day of Love, our pre-Christmas celebration, we recognize team members who have reached significant landmarks in their careers at L&S. This year, three employees were honored for 10 and 25 years of service.

John Pohlman

Twenty-five years ago, John impressed the leadership of Lawrence & Schiller with his professionalism and intelligence when he assisted Scott Lawrence as a producer on a commercial shoot. Shortly after, he joined the L&S team and has worked his way up to executive vice president.

John’s leadership, wisdom and composure have proved invaluable to L&S over the years.

Shelly Johnson

As an account service team member, Shelly has proven her ability over the past 10 years to produce the best outcomes for her clients. She successfully manages a substantial flow of projects, primarily for Midcontinent Communications. Her leadership and foresight are assets on the account service team.

Chris Matheson

Ten years ago, Chris was living in Sioux Falls but traveling to Los Angeles to produce commercials for Boston Market. He was hired to take the quality of Lawrence & Schiller’s broadcast production to the next level. With hard work, creativity and humor, Chris has done just that. By surrounding himself with talented individuals and ensuring L&S stays true to its brand, he has helped our agency produce effective and award-winning work for clients.

The entire L&S team wants to thank John, Shelly and Chris for their continued dedication and leadership. Feel free to congratulate them on their accomplishments in the comments section below.

Paul Schiller & Craig Lawrence

The Lawrence & Schiller staff also honored Paul Schiller and Craig Lawrence, the founders of Lawrence & Schiller, for their 35 years of partnership. A plaque with the four logos that have represented L&S over the years was given to both men.

With the weather getting colder and snow starting to fly, I’ve already started thinking about next summer when temperatures will again reach into the 80s and 90s and I can spend more time outdoors enjoying longer, warmer days. And while I daydream about enjoying the nice weather rather than bundling up and rushing inside to escape the cold, those in the travel industry are already a step ahead of me, with destinations and industry members preparing for the 2012 summer season.

Several industry leaders have already shared next summer’s travel outlook. The U.S. Travel Association is predicting that 2012 leisure travel will increase 1.5 percent throughout the next year. Also, hotel performance leader Smith Travel Research (STR) is predicting slightly slower growth next year for those in the travel industry. STR expects occupancy numbers to increase to 60 percent while room rates see mild increases throughout the year.

In addition to modest travel growth next year, destinations will also encounter consumers with new vacation priorities like increased vacation spending coupled with more intrinsically focused trips.

According to TripAdvisor’s 2012 Travel Trends Forecast, 31 percent of people are expected to spend more on travel next year than they did this year. Seventy-nine percent will spend at least $3,000 on vacations in 2012, while nearly 1 in 5 will spend $10,000 or more.

Another trend will be consumers’ shift to more experiential getaways, with several consumers citing increased interest in cultural trips, cruises and all-inclusive vacations as top 2012 vacation interests. Rather than simply haphazardly crossing destinations or vacation icons off of vacation wish lists, visitors in 2012 are looking for vacations that provide a deeper sense of meaning and more intrinsic, valuable memories both for themselves and their families.

For travel destinations weathering the winter season as best they can, early predictions for the 2012 travel season seem optimistic. With visitors exploring a new type of vacation and spending expected to increase, 2012 could be a year of strong growth.

With the holidays officially upon us, the season of giving is in full effect—a time when many consumers will open their hearts and wallets to give to their favorite non-profits and philanthropic organizations. While the American Red Cross found that 72 percent of individuals cite charitable giving as important during the holidays, this year holiday giving is getting a little easier through the help of mobile devices and electronic payment systems.

Through electronic payment cards embedded within smartphones and other digital technologies, holiday giving is now as easy as scanning your smartphone over your credit or debit card. These technologies and websites, like mgive.com, are a great way for consumers to connect with non-profits and show their support in a more practical, digital way this holiday season.

And these types of giving are not just good ideas. Several brands have already started putting digital donations into practice. For example, working with Square Inc., the Salvation Army has equipped bell ringers in large markets like Dallas and New York with a mobile card reader that has the ability to collect donations directly from consumers’ credit cards.

Even eBay is using mobile QR codes that connect with interactive digital store fronts, allowing window shoppers to scan virtual toys displayed on the window display. Toys scanned come to life in the virtual environment and benefit  the Toys for Tots organization.

With donations and non-profits adopting more robust mobile technologies, consumers can now give to their favorite charities even while on the go. Non-profits looking to reach out to consumers this season in new ways should focus on digital engagement, even if it’s simply though reaching out on one’s own social media channels. Engaging with consumers in the spaces they frequent most will keep you top of mind when it comes to holiday giving this season.

QSR Magazine released the list of “100 Ways to Improve Your Drive Thru,” with categories in Customer Service, Management, Look and Feel, Technology, Operations and Design. With speed and accuracy as the top drive-thru characteristics a consumer demands, quick-service restaurants should stay on top of their drive-thru experience not only to ensure satisfaction, but also to offer a point of differentiation.

I pulled my 13 favorite tips, but click here to see the full list.

• Who wants to eat a salad by hand or use his dry-cleaning receipt as a napkin? Provide the appropriate amount of napkins, utensils, and condiments.
• Offer breakfast. According to Technomic’s 2009 Breakfast Consumer Trend Report, 22 percent of consumers named the availability of drive-thru service as one of the top three reasons they visit their preferred breakfast restaurant.
•  Drive-thru staff should start the ordering process rather than relying on guests to initiate the order.
• Clean the windshields of waiting cars. No one does this, which is precisely why you should.
• Hire for personality. Engaging, articulate, and naturally pleasant personalities are specifically effective in the drive thru.
•  Appoint a troubleshooting staff member who is capable of stepping in wherever necessary to fix drive-thru issues.
• From litter on the ground to hazy windows, dirty and ill-maintained drive thrus negatively impact consumer confidence.
• Install a trashcan with an extended chute next to the lane, a simple product customers universally value.
• Use an order-confirmation screen. Providing the customer a visual rundown of the items ordered and the final total helps certify accuracy. Better yet, an order-confirmation screen is routinely cited as one of the top drive-thru improvements consumers want to see.
• Installing noise-reduction technology at the order post minimizes customer angst while improving speed and order accuracy.
• Grant customers the ability to place an order ahead of time, by phone or online, and pick it up in the drive-thru lane.
• On-the-go, multitasking drive-thru consumers want packaging that keeps food safe and contained. Identify packaging that protects the product and the customer’s lap.
• Institute a special drive-thru value meal complete with drive-thru-friendly items easy to eat while driving.

More than 60% of revenue comes from the drive-thru in the quick-service restaurant business, so implementing these improvements can help keep  drive-thru lanes full and help increase revenue. What improvements would you most like to see?

With just one year to go until the 2012 elections, candidates are already setting up campaign headquarters and producing new advertising campaigns to lure voters to their side of the political line. Although just 42 percent of all eligible American voters turned out in last year’s Mid-term election, with next year being a General Election year, voter turnout will undoubtedly be higher, especially if youth voters turnout in the high numbers we saw in 2008.

With more young people reveling in digital communications and using social networks to stay up-to-date on issues, more campaigns are reaching out to these voters by speaking to them through online chat platforms and social media debates.

Just last week, Mashable reported that Fox News will be hosting a series of debates through Google+ Hangouts, something sure to resonate with younger, digital voters. Previous Google+ Hangout debates have garnered more than 6.1 million viewers according to Nielsen and received more than 18,000 questions for the candidates.

Digital political engagement doesn’t end there, though. Individually, several candidates have realized the influence of social networks not only on the under 30 segment, but also on those digitally active boomers. As a result, several candidates like Mitt Romney and John Thune  have set up active accounts on spaces like Twitter and Facebook and may consider further moves into places like Google+ or Pinterest. Other platforms are also under development to connect voters with the issues that matter most to them in a more streamlined, mobile way.

With the average American population spending 21.7 hours online every week and the expected increase of mobile devices over the next year, the opportunities to reach potential voters in newer, more robust online spaces are huge. Candidates who connect with their audience not only through similar issues and causes, but also the evolving mediums will garner the most respect from their followers and possibly increase their political reach across several social and digital spheres in just a short time.

It may be just the beginning of November, but the holidays are right around the corner. And with them, holiday travel and winter trips. As consumers aim to get away this holiday season, travel destinations and daily deal sites are already offering incentives to visitors who book their snowy season vacations early.

JetBlue Getaways recently announced a $30 travel deal good for $300 towards a vacation package of three nights or more in December. The deals went fast as consumers in Austin, Boston, New York and Washington D.C. purchased more than 2,500 of the deals. 

With airline costs expected to increase by 10 percent come December, even more consumers will be looking to save where they can throughout the holidays, either by driving to their destination or jumping in on the last minute daily travel deals.

But while consumers may be looking for deals online this year, research suggests holiday spending will actually be up slightly compared to last year despite fears of a double dip recession and high unemployment numbers. According to the American Express Spending & Saving Tracker, American families will spend an additional $200 per person on their trips this season, meaning more opportunities for travel destinations to recover from first quarter when weather and natural disasters hampered travel to many Midwest destinations.

With 30 percent of Americans poised to take holiday vacations this year, travel destinations that experienced a slower summer have an opportunity to reach out to winter travelers by offering trips available only in the off-peak season. By showcasing what your destination has to offer in the winter months, whether it’s snowy ski runs or a tree lighting celebration, destinations can entice visitors to get away with family and splurge on those weekend trips they may not have been able to take this summer.

If you haven’t been keeping up, a host of presidential hopefuls have been duking it out in debates and, more passively, through television advertisements. So, how does one position them self as capable of leading the free world? Let’s breakdown some of the current political ads and see what candidates are doing right and what they should be doing differently if they hope to be living on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Mitt Romney

Seeing as how Mitt Romney is considered a front-runner for the Republican nomination, let’s take a look at one of his campaign ads first:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz3XgYLqCjg&feature=player_embedded

The spot itself is hopeful: inspirational string instruments, swooping aerial shots of wheat fields and a speech sprinkled with the word “freedom.” The ad is surprisingly void of any slams on the current administration, which is commendable (though his website has a slew of videos that aren’t as non-confrontational).

My ADvice: Differentiate. Romney certainly looks the part, which is a really big problem. He looks like anybody who has ran for president in the last 75 years. If Mitt wants to win he is going to have to stand out from the pack. I’d prescribe a fun, memorable catchphrase. Something like “Mitt’s Legit” or “dotRom.”

Rick Perry

Perry shot on to the election scene with a substantial following and a significant, though somewhat controversial, record as Governor of Texas. However, the Perry buzz has fizzled a bit since officially announcing his run for the White House. Here’s a recent spot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8EL5Atp_vF0

If this ad does anything well it’s the painting of the current administration as a failure that has produced disastrous (did you hear those wailing sirens?) consequences. The ad loses a bit of steam during the second half by resorting to the expected shots of the Statue of Liberty, flags and roaring fighter jets.

My ADvice: Lighten up. First, lighten up on the advertising production costs. The spot looks cool, but it probably cost more than what a lot of people have made in wages this year. And it doesn’t even let viewers know much about you. Secondly, have some fun Rick Perry. Your state may be infamous for its capital punishment record, but that doesn’t mean you can’t clown around a bit while you’re out campaigning!

Jon Huntsman

Governor Huntsman is further back in the polls but has a loyal following and a strong record as the leader of Utah. A longtime motocross racer, Huntsman is considered by many to be a Republican long shot. Below is one of his early ads:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biqIuX3uX0U

The best part about this ad is probably the scenery. Everything else is a bit…clunky? The disconnect starts with the narrator. His script tries to balance a vision, accomplishments and a jovial tone, but just comes off as silly (I can’t say I’ve ever heard the colloquialism “…not in it for the balloons.”). Strange copy paired with music you would hear floating out of a piano store in the mall doesn’t bode well for a would-be President…

My ADvice: Governor Huntsman needs to figure out who he is. What is the Huntsman brand? Is he Huntsman the diplomat? Huntsman the businessman? Or Huntsman the former member of high school band “Wizard?” It’s obvious he wants to appeal to a broad range of voters, but what isn’t obvious is who Huntsman wants to be.

The Presidential race is heating up, and as media consumers brace to be inundated with a brutal amount of political advertising, I have a final point for all candidates regarding their inevitable and invasive advertising: Be to the point. Be candid. And spend heavily on memorable catchphrases and well-designed buttons, because those are the things that really stick.

Imagine sitting in a movie theater, impatiently waiting for previews to end and your featured film to start. A booming narrating voice catches your attention as a sensational, exciting action movie trailer begins. Flashing lights, dramatic colors and pulsing screen shots immediately catch your attention. But wait, is this…what…a bank commercial?

Click here to watch the commercial.

Kiwibank of New Zealand is aiming to push consumers to switch banks not through traditional marketing tactics, but in what seems like a launch for a new movie or video game. Green Ops: Operation Easyswitch closely resembles the video game Call of Duty or any spy/action flick, and has been all over the bank’s interactive YouTube channel. From a “first-person-shooter-point-of-view” style, visitors can see humorous clips encouraging them to switch banks, follow a team of Kiwibankers as they complete missions to save customers from bad banking experiences and link to a website to start the bank switching process.

The campaign is different and innovative, and it reaches the correct audience in an appropriate manner. There is a noticeable disconnect between young customers (16-25 year olds) and their banks. This demographic often sticks with the bank their parents use, and their parents might even still do a lot of their banking for them (deposits, savings, etc.) no questions asked. Starting a conversation with this age group welcomes the idea of choice and control. They don’t have to bank with their parents’ bank. By giving a thrilling twist to switching banks, the process seems more tangible and easier than what young consumers have been imagining.

This eye-catching, glamorous campaign easily grabs the attention of those hard to reach Millennials through a medium they know – video games and Hollywood. Humor and intrigue takes social media by storm, as younger age groups like to be in the “social media know” and be more apt to pass something great along through the grapevine. Banks successful at these practices will move toward being the “cool” bank to use by image-conscious Millennials.

While a Call of Duty–themed campaign may not be the right fit for all banks, it’s important to remember reaching certain audiences will require taking a leap of faith. Whether it’s trying a new medium, tweaking a message or coming up with a new, big idea, the right campaign will not only resonate with a certain demographic, but lead them to a desired action.

For those in the travel industry the value of traveler reviews cannot be overstated. Whether gearing up for a cross country flight or booking a one night stay just a few hours from home, travelers everywhere turn to recommendations from friends, family, and, yes, even online strangers, in an effort to minimize hotel hassles or potential vacation nightmares.

Sites like TripAdvisor  and others have carved out nearly unmatched name recognition with travelers looking for hotel and destination reviews. But, combine that well-established user base with  crowdsourced content and new digital technologies, and you create the opportunity for travelers to not only influence visitors in the planning stage with post-trip reviews, but also through real-time information while on their trip.

For those unfamiliar with the term, crowdsourcing involves “outsourcing” the collecting of information, feedback and ideas to an already active and accessible community, giving you more information and content from a variety of personal sources. A buzz word in the advertising industry right now, crowdsourcing has helped establish new company constructions like Victors & Spoils, an entire ad agency using crowdsourcing for creative ideas, and even helped to solve a molecular puzzle in the fight against AIDS.

If users and consumers can utilize the sharing of information to solve problems like these, using crowdsourced content for travel would take the experience of planning a vacation from a personal choice to a collective discussion. Vacations could be even better thanks to recommendations from your own friends or live alerts about events happening at your destination while you’re there.

And some marketers are already on the pulse, anticipating future travelers’ needs and meeting them with crowdsourced content. One example is Trippy, a new travel service launched earlier this month. Using crowdsourced vacation information from your own Facebook Friends, Trippy is able to pull in tips and recommendations from those within your own circle to help you plan vacations a bit more easily.

Even Ogilvy Worldwide’s Public Relations department got in on the crowdsourcing trend by prompting readers to book their next trip using crowdsourced content.

As more users post vacation tips, photos, reviews and recommendations on sites like TripAdvisor and as mobile devices allow consumers greater access to that content any time, the opportunity for marketers to reach out and engage in the travel conversation expands. Creating a space for visitors to meet digitally and share trip ideas will only increase the value of your destination in the minds of your most social travelers.

(This blog entry is the second in a series titled “An Exploration of Ethanol.” If you missed the first part, you can get caught up here.)

Refining ethanol is undoubtedly a more complicated task than creating a marketing campaign to sell it. However, getting folks on board with the idea of making food for cars instead of people is an incredible challenge. Let’s take a look at three marketing musts for ethanol producers and also some examples of ethanol marketing done right.

Be Simple.

Ethanol has been shown to be less efficient than more widely used fossil fuels, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other benefits. The best way to communicate these perks (renewable, American made, conflict free, etc.) is to talk to consumers in a very direct, uncomplicated way. Take a look at these spots from Growth Energy’s “America’s Fuel” campaign.

The ads were just one part of a $2.5 million effort by Growth Energy—a corn-ethanol trade group— to keep Brazilian sugarcane ethanol out of the country and to extend tax credits for corn-ethanol. The spots manage to do that while also bolstering ethanol’s brand presence, all in fifteen seconds.

Be (Positively) Aggressive.

Great advertising presents a conflict that lends itself to conversation amongst consumers. Ethanol marketers have to “draw a line in the sand” in their advertising so that consumers know that there’s the “old, stinky gas” and then there’s the “new, cleaner corn gas.”

Ethanol marketers can benefit by emphasizing this conflict in their advertising.

You may remember these spots from POET. POET is one of the country’s largest producers of corn-ethanol and launched this campaign for the same reasons that Growth Energy launched their “America’s Fuel” promotion. The conflict in these ads is evident: ethanol vs. fossil fuel; farmer vs. businessman; rural vs. metropolis; America vs. everyone else. Put simply: the ads strike a perfect balance between aggressive and effective.

Beware The Biofuel Backlash

The final must for corn-ethanol marketers: be weary of the growing resentment towards your product. You know people are upset when even a NASCAR endorsement deal doesn’t sway public opinion. Push the positives: job numbers, foreign oil displacement and reusability.

Guessing the future of corn-ethanol in America is probably as easy as making your way through one of those creepy corn mazes. But while uncertainty continues to surround the corn-ethanol industry, you can be sure that ethanol marketing campaigns are going to work that much harder to sway flustered fuel users.

Corn used to live a simple life. The vivacious vegetable we know as corn today originated around 7500 B.C in the wilds of Mexico. Back then it was known as “teosinte.” Teosinte later became corn, which was raised and eaten, sometimes right off of the stalk, sometimes mashed into cornmeal to make tortillas or a mushy corn pudding. Corn used to just be food. Now corn is also fuel, which means corn is busy. Very busy.

In a method called the “dry-grind ethanol process,” corn is sent through a hammer mill to turn it into corn flour. The flour is then slurried (or “mixed”) with water and given a heat-stable enzyme before going into a liquefaction process that requires jet-cookers to steam the flour to above 212°F. Next is saccharification—where another enzyme is added—followed by fermentation, and finally by distillation and recovery (you can find a more detailed explanation of this process and others here). Ethanol fuel has made corn a lot busier. Good thing there’s a lot more corn.

The USDA released data in May that projects corn production for 2011-12 to be around 13.5 billion bushels—the third highest harvest on record. That’s a lot of corn. And a lot of it’s going to making corn-ethanol, the controversial bio-fuel that, according to a story from Forbes, used 38.4% of the total U.S. corn crop in 2010 (up from 5.9% in 2000). But is corn-ethanol worth the effort and investment? It depends who you ask.

Taxpayers might be displeased to hear that the Congressional Budget Office places the total taxpayer cost of corn-ethanol subsidies at about $16.2 billion dollars for the year. Flex fuel vehicle (FFV) owners are also getting the short end of the stalk, as the Federal Alternative Fuels Price Report shows that ethanol gets less mileage than regular fuel. ConsumerReports.org claims that “there’s no financial advantage to consumers in buying an FFV.” So, who’s benefiting from the production of ethanol? Are there any positives?

In a word: yes. The benefits of corn-ethanol are enough to justify the continued development of the fuel. Consulting firm AUS released a report wherein they showed that communities where distilleries are located see their economies expand by roughly $110 million a year. Also, estimates show that nearly 700 jobs are created in the area near an ethanol plant. Local and state governments see about a $1.2 million a year increase in tax revenue. Finally, ethanol production has the power to generate an additional $19.6 million in household income. You can see that the question isn’t “Does corn-ethanol have any true, non-contentious, unique selling points?” but rather “How can we market corn-ethanol to a skeptical, subsidy-soured public?”

To find out the answers to this corn-fuel marketing conundrum, check back for the final installment of “An Exploration of Ethanol” entitled: “Part II: Buy My Corn Gas.”

A few weeks ago while listening to the L&S Webinar on marketing to Generation Y, a co-worker highlighted an interesting finding from the Pew Research Center saying Millennials consider their cell phone to be a “necessary appendage.”  An appendage…as in equal in value to an arm or leg.

While initially this thought surprised me thinking Generation Y has yet again taken the value of technology to its most dramatic peak, the more I thought about it, the more I decided they were right. And not just for Generation Y—but Generation X and even some Baby Boomers as well.

And who can blame us?  Today’s devices allow us to have gaming, email, Internet, and yes, even a flashlight at  the simple touch of an app on our phones or tablets. Tablet usage alone makes up 20 percent of weekly digital media consumption, and with more consumers poised to purchase tablets this year, we’re bound to reach another level in our commitment to technology.

Just think of the implications on the travel industry. Tablets will completely change the way we plan travel and the way we experience travel. Why carry a map when you can carry your tablet that not only shows you a map of your own destination, but others in the region for day trips or extended getaways. You can take pictures and upload them to Facebook or Google+ in seconds. Even the simple art of exploring new restaurants or attractions on your trip will be easier with augmented reality apps like Layar, which overlays hotels, attractions and even dining searches directly over the window view using your device’s camera and GPS.  With Layar, instead of searching for nearby hotels or restaurants, you can just hold up your phone and the search will populate automatically.

With more interactive apps like Layar enhancing the digital travel experience, travelers will continue find new ways to make their trips last a little longer and memories a little more interactive.

As these devices take on new roles in users’ lives and recreate the user experience, so, too, will our connection with these devices change from seeing them less as an interesting tool and more as “a necessary appendage”.  And who knows? When it comes to vacations, tablets just may become the travel companions we refuse leave home without.

“Did you just Google…finance?!”

For those of you who can’t place that quote, it’s from “Confessions of a Shopaholic.” In the film the main character starts a new job as a writer for a financial publication. The twist comes when we find out she doesn’t have a clue about anything financy (being in debt herself from her shopping addiction). So after failing on her first task, she tries a new approach, Googling “finance,” and is caught in the act by her boss.

When I am faced with a new, and sometimes completely foreign task, I find myself doing the same thing, and praying no one comes up behind me to ask, “Wait, did you just Google…?!”

I know it doesn’t sound like the most prestigious and professional method of discovering new information, but sometimes it’s the perfect starting point. I read the following on one of the Midcontinent Xstream Team members’ blog posts last week and it stuck with me – “my intelligence is now based on how accurate my search criteria is, instead of how diligent I am in the research.”

Like I.T. & iTunes pointed out, although research is important, sometimes the best thing you can do to begin is discover what you need to search for. You need accurate search criteria. You need to research what keywords best filter the overwhelming amount of information on the web, before you drown in it. When I am tasked with something new that I don’t have extensive background knowledge of, my first step is to gain a little basic information on the issue via the web, or more specifically through Google.

At an ad agency like Lawrence & Schiller, we handle clients from all different kinds of backgrounds and industries, which is what makes agency life so exciting! However, we can’t all be experts on every deeply technical issue that comes across our desks. That’s where the simple, introductory Google search comes into play, which on occasion, can uncover some of the most interesting finds.

Last winter was one of the coldest winters I can remember. With the snowy season and cold temperatures lasting throughout much of May, I was more than ready for the summer season and long-awaited summer vacations. Surprisingly, though, despite other Midwest destinations and winter survivors faring a similar long, cold winter, the warm weather has been slow to spur summer vacations this year with many families and would-be vacationers booking trips later this season than in years past.

According to a new survey from Travel Ticker, while 86 percent of survey respondents are planning on taking a vacation this summer, nearly 70 percent have yet to book their trips. And it’s not due to lost time or tight budgets necessarily. Forty percent of participants said they have more time to travel this year and 26 percent are better-off financially this year than they have been in years past.

Instead, travelers seem more content to simply take things as they come this season and rather than booking early like they have in the past, wait for those end of the summer travel deals. According to the Travel Ticker survey, 22 percent said they are expecting to find better travel deals this summer, and undoubtedly some steals if they book at the right time. And as those in the industry know, nothing tips the vacation scales quite like a great trip at a great price.

Whether travelers are looking for late season travel deals or just using the summer for a bit of a break from the rushed day-to-day, these late season travelers may be just what the industry needs to overcome early season challenges like a chilly spring and regional flooding in parts of the Midwest.

Additionally, with school set to start in matter of days, many families will take the road in the next few weeks to squeeze in those last few summer trips they haven’t gotten around to planning. And while travelers will benefit as some destinations offer impressive vacation deals, destinations can lure late season vacationers by showcasing photo opportunities travelers can capture during their visit. Leveraging these memory-making moments will show families and would-be travelers your destination not only comes with lasting experiences, but ones they can share back home and in the classroom as well.

Before my internship at L&S, I never wore a watch.

My tendency has always been to run a little behind schedule or exactly on time—never early. Growing up, my family often threatened to leave me at home if I wasn’t ready to go. And now, the people in my life know that “I’ll be there in 10” actually means, “I’ll be there in 20.”

At L&S, all we do is run on time. Monday morning Boot Up, an agency-wide status meeting, begins at 8:15 a.m. At 8:14 a.m., Emily at the front desk announces that Boot Up is starting now in the lobby.

Let me tell you, now actually means right now at L&S. Ready or not.

After being at the agency for three months, I’ve truly learned that when it comes down to it, all we sell is time. Yes, ideas and designs, media placements, websites, press releases, marketing plans, video footage and lots of emails are packaged with it, but at the end of the day it’s the time we put into everything that makes L&S great.

It’s also the nowness, the ‘get-r-done’ mentality, that L&Sers live by that puts the agency on top. A lot of work gets done right now and pushed out the door every day, and “a lot” is an understatement. It’s way more than that.

The longer I work, the more I appreciate and admire efficiency. Managing time is a tough thing to learn, but it’s so important. It’s important to respect other people’s time, and when there’s only a total of eight hours in a work day I know how valuable every minute is. It all adds up.

In my time at L&S, I’ve been given time. The people around me have taken time out of their days to teach me more about public relations, marketing and advertising, and I am grateful. There is so much to learn and understand, and I know that with more time and in the years to come I will truly grow into a professional.

On my birthday in June, someone special gave me my watch. Believe it or not, it took me 22 years to actually wear one and now I can’t leave the house without it. At L&S, I’m continuing to learn how to quickly switch from project to project and how to work in a place that’s different from minute to minute, but that’s how time works. With time, things change. The best way to live and work is in the now, but with a vision for what’s to come and what’s next.

This is the final post from Mari in a series of reflections from the Lawrence & Schiller interns. Take a minute to read their past posts!

Energy companies have a unique problem. It actually doesn’t even sound like a problem at first. You see, energy companies are continually developing new technology that is making consumers’ energy consumption “smarter.” These smarter technologies include improved power grids and more efficient methods for delivering electricity. The availability and development of smarter energy technology puts consumers in a position to pocket significant savings while the energy companies are in a position to provide more reliable service for a lower price. When the energy companies save, consumers save.

It seems that we all benefit from smarter energy technology. So what’s the problem? Well, while the technology maybe labeled smart, many of the consumers (this writer included) aren’t, at least when it comes to electrical engineering. What can these energy companies do to educate their consumers about the newest tech?

 First and foremost, make it simple.

Like I said before, for dimwitted (Get it? Dim? Energy?) consumers like me, it’s easy to get lost in a jungle of technological jargon. Energy companies need to bring their message down to our level. For example, take a look at GE’s “Smart Grid” website. The site is engaging, informative and anything but cumbersome. Instead of flooding the visitor with wordy explanations of the technology, you are given a brief explanation of the Smart Grid and then shown the benefits: carbon out of the air and money in your change jar. The site even utilizes Augmented Reality to let you “hold the Smart Grid in the palm of your hand.” How’s that for accessible?

The Second Way: Emphasize the Benefits.

Placing emphasis on the technology will only get you so far. Instead of telling the consumer about how “advanced” something is, explain to them how this “advanced” technology translates into savings. Telling consumers about savings is fundamental, and it never hurts to revisit the basics. In fact, this may be a good refresher for the American Petroleum Institute. API is the oil industry’s largest trade group and they are currently looking for a new agency to handle its latest advocacy campaign. With plans to spend up to $20 million on the campaign, there should be plenty of cash available to get a message out about how the trade group is using technology and new methods to help consumers save.

Tell us how we will benefit and help us make sense of your business. Those are the two biggest ways energy companies can get through to consumers. Sure, new technology is neat to read about and consumers are happy to hear their energy company is making strides toward cleaner energy. In the end though, consumers like me just want to hear about how your efforts and technology are going to lower our energy bills. That’s what really flips our switch.

Over 100 million people in the US now carry their very own smartphone and there are apps for absolutely everything. They  range from the oddly addicting game of Angry Birds to the ever so annoying “Wooo Button,” where you push a button and a man shouts “wooo!” Seriously?

But with millions of apps being downloaded on a daily basis, there has to be a worthwhile use for at least some of them. For example, as smartphones and mobile apps continue to grow in popularity for industries such as retail and healthcare, some pose the question of whether higher education will adopt them.

According to CourseSmart, the world’s largest provider of digital course materials, they have already begun to make products available for smartphones. This technology is similar to e-reader applications, but they believe the implications of this will result in actual course work or classroom portals. Thus going one step further than simply reading the textbook on your device but actually completing assignments through apps.

Iansyst, an education and technology company that specializes in education and students with disabilities, highlights ten reasons why schools should be prepared to implement mobile tools into their classrooms structure. However, they put it best in saying, the next generation of students expect – not want, but expect – a learning environment to accommodate a mobile lifestyle, integrate today’s digital tools and adapt to individual learning styles.

What better time is there to start digitizing education and making classrooms compatible with mobile devices than when this generation, who had a cell phone before middle school, is looking at college? Technology is hard to keep up with, but by doing so can keep you one step ahead of your competition.

Trying to capture the attention of Millennials is like trying to swat a fly blind-folded with your hands tied behind your back. “A swing and a miss!” This group, ages 16 through 34, is vital to the restaurant industry, but how in the world are restaurants supposed to catch Millennials’ attention in their crazy, fast-paced, jam-packed day, especially when there are countless ads from other restaurants to break through?

A report completed by advertising agency Barkley, consumer researcher Service Management Group and The Boston Consulting Group digs into Millennials’ lives and how restaurants can cater to their jumbled lifestyles.

One interesting trend the research found was that Millennials tend to snack more throughout the day than non-Millennials (ages 35 to 74). Thirteen percent of Millennials eat at restaurants during off-peak hours, compared to six percent of non-Millennials. Their busy schedule often disrupts the normal timing of meals, also playing a part in the odd eating hours. To cater to this trend, quick service restaurants could offer specials or promotions during mid-mornings or afternoons. A “snack break” marketing idea could draw in those who just need a pick-me-up to get through the next stretch of their day, and offering a deal or promotion would add a sweet incentive. Also, restaurants could offer smaller portion sizes to encourage a “snack,” instead of a meal.

The study also found that Millennials eat out more often than non-Millennials and spend an average of $173.95 a month on eating out. While most of that money is spent at quick service restaurants, Millennials were more likely to eat at fast casual restaurants.

Convenience, healthful meal selections, exotic food choices and the experience draw Millennials to specific brands. But, as assumed, there is also definitely a “me” factor involved. While non-Millennials tend to dine out more often with family, Millennials see eating out as an opportunity to treat themselves. Special occasions (33 percent) and the desire to socialize with friends and co-workers (22 percent) are among the top reasons Millennials eat out. And according to Jeff Fromm, senior vice president of sales, marketing and innovation at Barkley, Millennials think, “Do I feel special or unique?  Would I want my friends to see me at this place?”

All restaurant types can capitalize on elevating customer experience. Making the Millennial feel like the center of the restaurant’s world and giving them an adventure is sure to keep them coming back for more.