Author Archives: Cathy Monetti

Cathy Monetti

A writer by trade, Cathy founded the firm that is now Riggs Partners in 1987 and has served as the firm’s lead creative strategist since that time. She is a voracious student of all things Next.
posted by Cathy

Sep 06, 2011 @ 2:26pm

Time to Shine

When you’ve spent years in the creative business, you learn that most ideas – even the best of ideas – peak. Then, in order to keep them relevant, you reinvent. But once in a great while, you develop a gem of an idea with a life bigger than its time.

Fifteen years ago, Teresa Coles and I started CreateAthon simply out of a desire to give back. We joked that we worked in an industry with no redeeming social value – so we put our industry talents to work round the clock for local nonprofits. It was a good idea. It was ahead of its time. And we couldn’t have imagined how it would grow.

Of course, the world has shifted in the last fifteen years. Pretty dramatically, I’d say. From economic downturns to natural disasters to new digital connections, there’s a new attitude of we’re all in this together. The result? The role of nonprofits is more elevated than ever before, because we recognize the need to create good in our world.  The Millennials, the most civic-minded generation America has seen in a long time, are leading the way with their passion, commitment, and willingness to volunteer.

The advertising industry has shifted, too. I’ve watched digital communication repaint the landscapes we were accustomed to, clearing the way for a new spirit of collaboration. It’s an exciting time to work in this business. It’s even more exciting as I’m getting ready to roll up my sleeves for this year’s CreateAthon.

What’s remarkable is not that our little idea grew into a national CreateAthon network providing pro bono marketing to hundreds of deserving nonprofits across the U.S. What’s remarkable is that CreateAthon has become a movement.  In a world that’s embracing powerful movements to impact our communities for good, CreateAthon stands ready to grow faster than we’ve seen yet.

It’s time to shine, baby.

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posted by Cathy

Aug 25, 2011 @ 2:00pm

New Work: The Sunshine House

We’re pleased to have just launched our first work for The Sunshine House, a national brand of early education centers. The Sunshine House came to us looking for a way to be more competitive in a crowded market. In a landscape that’s cluttered with generic stock photography and interchangeable brand messaging, it’s easy for one childcare development brand to get lost among the rest.

That’s why we walked Sunshine House through our disciplined strategic process to determine a new brand positioning: support for families. The shift in brand messaging from kid-centric to family-focused was designed to differentiate from other childcare development brands and resonate with working parents. The Sunshine Helps program provides real life benefits engineered to help busy working parents—everything from more convenient hours to gift cards for a month of free housecleaning.

Next, we replaced Sunshine House’s enrollment discount program with a Kohl’s retail partnership. Teaming up with Kohl’s helps Sunshine House demonstrate its commitment to supporting families by offering practical incentives that add real value, rather than discounting one of the most important decisions a parent makes (childcare).

We’ve had a blast working on this brand to build a strong community of Sunshine families.

Strategy and creative team: Kevin Smith, Cathy Monetti, Ryon Edwards, Julie Turner, Kathryn White.

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posted by Cathy

Aug 18, 2011 @ 7:00am

10 lessons from Social Crush, Day 2, Part 1

It is the grand gift of a new communication paradigm that has left many of us feeling overwhelmed rather than in-the-digital-know. Starting tomorrow, and every morning following, ask yourself:

What is it that we can stop doing?

Repeat with me so I will know you heard correctly:

What is it that we can stop doing?

According to Kipp Bodnar from Hubspot, a presenter who knows a thing or two about magnetic content, it goes like this:

Experiment. Track. Then STOP (if it is not working), or DO MORE (if it is working).

the gospel according to Kipp

Does this rock your world the way it does mine? I can’t remember a single time in any aspect of my life, personal or professional, when I was encouraged to just give something a try to see what happened, knowing full well I had permission to simply STOP if things didn’t work out as I planned. This concept (is that even the right word?) is truly a game-changer, and I believe it will impact the way we create, innovate and evaluate across a broad business — if not cultural — spectrum.

Needless to say, it is the biggest Day Two takeaway for me from Social Crush, an incredible, all-encompassing seminar held this week in famously hot Columbia, South Carolina. Here are a few more:

2.  People don’t like to be marketed to. They like to have their problems solved.

3.  Kipp’s Formula for Success (and I believe anything he says)

  • Get the basics right
  • Maximize content discovery
  • Create conversion ubiquity
  • Test and fail fast
  • Optimize for maximum leads

4.  Ebooks and webinars rock.

5. You can get it done 15 minutes a day. (Okay, maybe I don’t believe everything he says.) But here goes:

  • 5 minutes Twitter/Facebook
  • 5 minutes LinkedIn answers/groups
  • 5 minutes Google alerts

Remember, monitor, then spend time where it is working!

6. You must have a schedule for what you are going to publish.

7. You can never publish too much stuff if your content is good.

8. Make it clear what you want your reader to do. Make it clear if you stand six feet away from the computer.

a lot of good stuff in here

9. It’s important to have a rhythm to your posts.

10. The web compounds over time, just like a 401(k). The results are exponential. Keep at it.

So that was just Kipp’s presentation, and there were three following it, including great tips on legal, SEO, new tools, blogging and more. Another day, another post.

Until then.

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posted by Cathy

Aug 16, 2011 @ 10:25pm

13 lessons from Social Crush, Day One

the crowd at Social Crush Columbia

Here’s the crazy thing. My biggest takeaway from Day One of this large and impressive social media conference, called Social Crush, is such a simple thought:

Listen. And respond.

We already knew that, didn’t we? And yet how easy it is to forget.

It’s like going to a cocktail party and feeling out of place. You get a little nervous, and before you know it, to be charming and interesting, you start blabbering on and on and on about Every Little Thing You’ve Ever Done and the stranger in front of you nods mechanically and quickly makes a move for the cold hors d’oeuvres.

Listen.

Do you know who you are talking to? What do they care about?

And respond.

Where do your interests overlap? How can you make a connection?

We need more creative farmers, it's true

I made a note in my very fabulous We Need More Creative Farmers sketchbook, made ‘specially for me by my friend and former art director Larry Thacker.  (I interviewed him when he was a young VCU grad just because I liked his name. Seriously.) Anyway, I made a note with a big ol’ star to remind me every time I find myself in social media the-toolbox-keeps-expanding overload: (whew) Just listen. And respond.

Here are the other Big Takeaways for me.

2. There’s a difference between being a social brand (one person’s job) and a social business (5 percent of everyone’s job). ~ Thanks Tim Moore

3. An advocate is someone who talks about your brand when you’re not listening. ~ Tim Moore, again

4. Offer real value. And use Farmer English. ~  Thanks Ty Downing

5. Follow local influencers. And wear great shoes. ~ Victoria Harres

6. Promote other people in ways that don’t benefit you.  ~ Victoria, again

7. Humanize the brand. (There is so much to say about this! Another post, another day.) ~ Victoria

8. Inspect your audience, and your content, frequently.  ~ Victoria

9. Work the phrase “That would be hot!” into my presentations/client conversations. (Oops. That was a note to myself. Just liked it. Tim? Ty? Skeeter? Kip? Not sure.)

10. There is no control in social media. There is only training. ~ Mike Brito

11. To coordinate your efforts, have a hub and spoke model. ~ Brito

12. The platform doesn’t matter. The content does. ~ Glen Gilmore

13. (on the future of social) Keep your eyes on the customer and understand their behaviors. You’ll be fine. ~ Brito

Looking forward to Day Two.

*Editor’s note: There was so much smartness flying so fast around the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center that some, or all, of the comment credits in this post may be wrong. The author accepts full responsibility for such matters and begs the forgiveness of any offended party. Particularly @glengilmore.

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posted by Cathy

Aug 11, 2011 @ 2:42pm

New Work: Literacy 2030

 

Literacy 2030 is an initiative lead by the Central Carolina Community Foundation that unites literacy organizations across the Midlands of South Carolina. With the admittedly aspirational goal of achieving 100 percent literacy in South Carolina by 2030, the organization supports literacy service providers by facilitating member communication, encouraging collaboration and providing access to funding sources.

We loved developing this identity system and branding platform, and we’re hard at work on a website to be launched in mid-September.

Strategy and creative team: Cathy Monetti, Ryon Edwards, Kathryn White, Kendra Schaefer (thepixellary.com)

 

 

 

 

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posted by Cathy

Aug 03, 2011 @ 5:12pm

Spotify: A Reason for Hope in the World

Between 24-hour news cycles and the sorry economy and the terrifying and distasteful catfight over the debt ceiling, it’s no wonder many people are feeling a bit downtrodden. I’ve been thinking a bit about that lately and want to offer this different perspective:

I find something new to be excited about every single day.

Today it’s spotify.com, an on demand digital music service with more than 15 million tracks you can play instantly on your computer, your cell phone or your home audio system—for free. The service is supported by all the major labels, so there are not many content gaps. You can build your own playlists, see what your friends are listening to, and maintain your account via cloud so it can travel with you.

How extraordinary is it that we live in world in which a music library of 15 million tracks is available at the click of a button, wherever you are?

It’s the same in this business. In the old days (last year?), our work was all about interruption. But today, the toolbox is filled with countless options for actually creating connection.

Think about that for a moment. Whether you are a nonprofit or a marketer or a business owner looking at this from the side of brand, or an individual looking at it from the side of the consumer (and we’re all both at one time or another, aren’t we?), connection is a wonderful goal with a consequential outcome. Connection offers a meaningful exchange—and getting a bit dramatic, but still— isn’t connection the point of life?

I’m excited, everyday, to find new ways to connect brands and causes to the people who will embrace them, to those whose lives will be enhanced because of the connection. I think it’s one of the most beautiful things about our world right now.

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posted by Cathy

Jul 28, 2011 @ 4:43pm

New Work: Goodwill Industries

 

Nobody gets more out of it than Goodwill. After spending several months in Discovery and Brand Development for this new RP client, of that we are sure.

A donation of I no longer need it toys, clothing, household goods, furniture, computers, books and more ultimately funds job training and placement services for thousands and thousands of people. In fact, Goodwill of the Upstate/Midlands spends 92¢ of every dollar they make on this mission.

It’s both an honor and a pleasure to work with our friends at Goodwill, sharing their brand story and reminding people around the state that a donation to Goodwill is a donation well made.

More to come as this cross-channel branding campaign makes its way to the marketplace!

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posted by Cathy

Jul 20, 2011 @ 5:39pm

Four very funny rules, for work, for life

May I start by saying I have never seen a single episode of 30 Rock? I’m not sure why that’s so, or even that it’s relevant here. (And I’m certain it makes me look stupid rather than discerning—even more reason to simply not mention it.)

And still I couldn’t wait to read Tina Fey’s book, Bossypants. I love the name.

It is a fantastic read, start to finish. Funny as all get-out. And smart, as in “I-need-to-remember-this” smart. For instance, I was struck by her rules for improvisational comedy and immediately vowed to remember them anytime I am involved in a creative meeting. (And aren’t they all?)

Tina Fey’s “Rules of Improvisation That Will Change Your Life and Reduce Belly Fat”

Improv Rule 1:  Always agree.

The magic of improv is making do with what you are handed, no matter how ridiculous it might be; opening yourself to accepting what comes your way without judgment or editing. I think of it as truly looking at things through someone else’s lens. Tina’s example:

Actor: “Freeze, I have a gun!”

Bad improv response: “No you don’t. You’re pointing your finger at me!”

Good improv response: “The gun I gave you for Christmas? You b@#**#@!”

 

Rule 2:  Say “Yes, and. . .”

Think of the new places you’ll go if you not only accept what you are handed, but you add to it. Take the outrageous and make it outrageous-er; push it someplace farther.

Tina’s example:

Actor: “I can’t believe it’s so hot in here.”

Bad improv response: “Yes, it is.”

Good improv response: “Yes, and this can’t be good for the wax figures.”

(As Tina says, now we’re getting somewhere.)

 

Rule 3:  Make statements instead of asking apologetic questions.

It’s difficult to get any traction when every idea is preceded with a disclaimer. Instead, go boldly. Then everyone is clear about where the idea stands.

Tina’s example:

Bad improve: “Where are we?”

Good improve: “I told you we shouldn’t have crawled into this dog’s mouth.”

 

Rule 4: There are no mistakes, only opportunities.

Go with it. Whatever happens in the scene—props that misfire, lines that get misinterpreted—great improv actors just work with what comes along, and the scene gets richer and funnier.

 

When reading Bossypants, I spent a lot of time thinking about improv and the many similarities it has to creative brainstorming (or creative conversations of any kind, really.) We highly efficient humans are quick to apply “yes, but” to ideas that are simply in their infancy. I made a vow then to remember this lesson from the very funny, and very courageous Tina Fey, who reminded me that by giving an idea an unfettered moment to grow and change, greatness might just emerge.

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posted by Cathy

Jul 07, 2011 @ 9:15am

When Endings Are Beginnings

at Swarthmore

Swarthmore is a fine liberal arts college located just on the outskirts of Philadelphia. There is much to say about the Swarthmore experience, not the least of which is the way a visitor can be moved simply by the school’s idyllic campus: an arboretum dotted with old stone buildings, antique rose gardens and long, long lazy lawns perfect for philosophic conversations and college courting. (I’m quite sure these lawns have seen a bit of both.)

I visited there recently to celebrate the graduation of my eldest stepson, Carson Monetti (highest honors in Philosophy, thank you very much). He walked us oh-so-casually around the campus while I snapped photo after photo. And then we came upon The Tree.

“What’s the story there?” asked my husband.

Turns out the tree is a 30-foot oak that began a descent into death some time ago. Rather than remove it, Swarthmore and the arboretum agreed to paint it red, demonstrating the tree’s ability to transcend the natural limitations of regular existence (a dead tree) and be transformed into something new (a work of art).

I find this story of transformation profoundly important. But I have to say I love my own story, too. I was mesmerized by that red tree from the moment I saw it, imagining a band of idealistic college co-eds descending upon it under the cover of darkness, paintbrushes in hand, transforming it into their own powerful statement. Day dawned, in my story, and the red tree lived on in spite of Administration, simply because it was so. . . Swarthmore.

I love that campus. I love that red tree.

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posted by Cathy

Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:00pm

The power of unplugging

As you’re reading this, I’m miles away from the office. Nearly 2000 miles away, to be exact.  (Thanks to the magic of the Internet.) It’s time for a family vacation, and my husband and I have gathered our three kids and headed off for an adventure.

Arizona

In the week before I left—which was as busy as my return is sure to be—I worked my way steadily through a to-do list in preparation for one thing: a week in Sedona. Colleagues asked me, “Will you be checking your email? Will you be available?”

After a pause, I answered, “No, I’m totally unplugging.” And that was that.

Our world has changed since I started an advertising agency in 1987.  Over the years, it became increasingly easier to stay connected. Enter today, when we’re all one email, text message, or tweet away. It’s always been tempting to take the work home with you. It’s even more tempting now that work can fit in the palm of your hand.

But there’s something necessary about disconnecting.  Whatever your job—“creative” or not—your brain needs an occasional refresh to keep producing your best ideas.  Research documents that our brains often solve problems or generate new ideas when we’re not thinking about them. Creating mental distance by unplugging allows you to truly experience the things that enrich your creativity anyway—sunshine, laughter with your family, the luxury of uninterrupted sleep. All the while, the work you left at work is simmering in your subconscious.

You might not be at the Grand Canyon for a week, but you can leave your phone at your desk during lunch. You can go home from work, make a nice dinner, and eat it on your porch instead of at your laptop.  You can declare the occasional email-free morning.

And when you return, you can tackle your work with fresh eyes. In this business, sometimes a pair of fresh eyes is exactly what you need.

 

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