Adams Jette Marketing
+ Communications
100 Argyle Avenue
Suite 202
Ottawa, ON  K2P 1B6

Tel: 613.235.5445
Fax: 613.235.5514
info@adamsjette.com
www.adamsjette.com

WARNING: INCOMING CLICHÉ

Everyone wants to "think outside the box." (It's over. You can relax now.) These people--including professional marketers--are constantly trying to come up with new and exciting ways to market their businesses, to stand out from the crowd, to be heard above the noise.

You can't blame them, I suppose. The competition for attention and dollars is fierce. And everyone wants a piece of the action. To get it, sometimes they do silly things.

Snapple, for example, wanted to promote a new line of frozen treats. It opted to produce a 25-foot, 17.5-ton popsicle in the middle of New York City--in 80-degree heat. Union Square was soon flooded with sticky goo and firefighters had to close off streets to hose down the asphalt.

In 1926, a Berlin company dropped foil-wrapped chocolates on people to advertise their services. People were injured. (Remember the WKRP episode where they dropped Thanksgiving turkeys on the city because the marketing department thought they could fly?)

Instead of silly stunts, why not deliver extraordinary products and services as a way to stand out? If you are truly extraordinary, you can count on that being a real differentiator.

For example, if you own a hamburger stand, forget about dreaming up new hamburger variations (chocolate, honey-dipped, etc.). Instead, deliver normal--but extraordinary--hamburgers. Prepare them as if they are five-star dinners. To you, they are! Make them faster, hotter, better!

Here's another example: If you run a non-profit organization that deals with the public, you could focus on creating outstanding service standards, such as one-hour response times. Be the very best at what you are currently doing and you will stand out.

A department of the Government of Canada, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada's mission is to build a stronger and more competitive Canada, to support Canadians in making choices that help them live productive and rewarding lives and to improve Canadians' quality of life.

To do this, we:

• develop policies that make Canada a society in which all can use their talents, skills and resources to participate in learning, work and their community;
• create programs and support initiatives that help Canadians move through life's transitions--from families with children to seniors, from school to work, from one job to another, from unemployment to employment, from the workforce to retirement;
• create better outcomes for Canadians through service excellence with Service Canada and other partners; and
• engage our employees, establish a healthy work environment, nurture a culture of teamwork, and build our leadership capacity.

"It is always a pleasure working with Adams Jette. They are quick to get up to speed, highly focused and willing to listen, three qualities that ensure we get top quality communications advice and products. When we work together, we expect great things and we are never disappointed. I am pleased to recommend them."