All channels of your communication need to be moving in the same direction: visual, audio, text otherwise you’re working against yourself.

Sometimes the art of communicating ideas is about the art of communicating through color. I’ve been aware of the Pantone annual report for several years, as many other Montréalers do, I have friends who work in the fashion business and use the info religiously to plan their work.

Last year the Pantone color of the year was Turquoise, in 2009 it was Mimosa, in 2008 it was Blue Iris, etc.

Well, this year (2011) the Pantone color of the year is Honeysuckle:

Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

You know how they say a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, a color is something that is beyond words…it’s primal.

Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues…[it] may also bring a wave of nostalgia for its associated delicious scent reminiscent of the carefree days of spring and summer. - Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®

Color goes inside of you and activates something in your soul, it communicates an idea that just goes without saying.

Color is a powerful communication tool, so how are you going to get it working for you?

For more about color read: Color: Messages and Meanings (A Pantone Color Resource) By Leatrice Eiseman

Why does Pro Tools make it so difficult to love them?

I’ve been using Pro Tools for the last 14 years, always upgrading when necessary even though they were typically slow to keep up with the Mac OS updates. I’ve been using the original Mbox with the LE version for most of my time with PT. I used to use Pro Tools FREE in the OS9 years (that was truly brilliant marketing).

As things slow down for the holidays I’m finally sitting down to look seriously at upgrading to Pro Tools 9…excited at the idea of not being tied down to using their hardware. As it turns out I’m not even eligible for their upgrade/crossgrade because I own an ‘original’ (meaning ‘old’) Mbox and will have to buy a full version ($629)…so much for rewarding my loyalty!

My recent purchase of Logic Studio ($499), which comes loaded with a lot more stuff than Pro Tools ever did has left my budget for purchases a bit thin so I don’t see the upgrade to Pro Tools 9 happening anytime soon.

So should I bite the bullet and cough up the dough? Or keep running on OS 10.5 with Pro Tools 8.0.1 (version 8.0.3 doesn’t work with my Mbox)… Or migrate all of my production work over to Logic and kiss the whole Pro Tools fiasco good-bye?

THINK OF RADIO IMAGING as the packaging around your radio station.

Imagine for a minute, a box of Tide, Coca Cola or Wheaties sitting on the grocery store shelf in a plain brown package with black crayon lettering and drawings to describe what’s inside: Soap. Soda. Cereal.

These companies put a lot of money, time and research into their products, why would they give up when it came to creating it’s distinctive packaging?

Why should you…?

Download this free report and get your radio imaging back to where it should be…the distinctive packaging for your product.

5 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Radio Station’s Imaging (.pdf 520kb)

DOWNLOAD NOW

In the case of this Virgin Radio TV ad the visual supports the imaging statement…”stay fresh”.

Translation: Don’t Get Old Too Fast…Stay Fresh!

Whether I’m lecturing on the subject of radio, writing for media or how to market your small business, one of my main mantras is that sex doesn’t sell…fear sells! It’s one of those pesky survival instincts that we still carry around from our caveman days.

If your message isn’t relevant to my immediate situation (and survival) I won’t pay attention to it. Craft your message so that it’s relevant to my immediate situation and your message will be burned into my memory.

What’s On Their Mind
Think about what’s on the mind of your potential client as they are discovering your message. Are they exposed to your message while reading a magazine? What’s the subject of the magazine and how can you craft your message to coincide with what they’re thinking about? Perhaps they are exposed to your message in the form of a poster in a hockey arena…how can you create a relevant message to sell your product/service?

Being Relevant
If you’re a home decorator and you’ve decided to attract all of the hockey Moms of your neighbourhood at the arena with a poster, play up the fact that while they’re “…stuck here at the arena, who’s updating the look of your home so you won’t look ridiculous when all the other hockey Moms come over for coco later”…?

How can you make your small business message relevant for the places you’ve decided to do your marketing?

One marketing message for all situations won’t work, you need to make it relevant!

That said look at this awesome :30 second story, told without a voice over at all: