Natural Advertising

The business of heading an advertising and marketing firm can feel like a competitive space.

So can running a yoga studio. But I've found, along with my friend and client Suzy Schaak, owner of Pure Yoga, that there's always enough clients, business and growth for all. 

We've chosen to reverse our warrior.

Like this elegant yoga pose which opens to the infinite, business in the green, wellness, LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) yoga marketing and yoga advertising arenas, there is infinite opportunity. Clients, students and customers are naturally drawn toward brands and businesses that speak their language. That align with values and philosophies. And that allow them to feel heard and nurtured.

Businesses that operate in fear and constriction miss the opportunity to expand. But by opening, trusting and allowing, they'll find— along with Suzy and me— that increasing your bottom line starts with increasing your capacity to reach higher.


Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a Minneapolis-based branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing. 

It's a new year. A new beginning. And unlike the forest which is still sleeping, 2012 is just beginning to open its eyes. How this year unfolds is up to each of us.

Since we are the change we hope to see, we can start to shape 2012 by expressing gratitude for all the experiences good and not so good that have brought us to where we are today. 

I often go to the woods to reflect. Celebrate. And recharge. Today as I as I sit in the trees near my fire pit, I can't help but be inspired.

While the world spins, politicians shout for attention, tragedies occur and reality TV stars appear on magazine covers—nature remains steadfast. This life stream is our center. It anchors us. And with each passing season reminds us of the cycles we experience in our own personal and professional lives. 

As the head of a green advertising agency near Minneapolis where I spend my days working on brands that create change in the world, I can't help but bring in the new year with thoughts of more greenness. More new beginnings. More hope. More confidence in the inherent goodness in all of us. And more awakening.



Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a Minneapolis-based branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing. 

 I never tire of watching the world below from the window of an airplane. Clouds become desert dunes, highways become human arteries and lakes become rain puddles.

There's always something new to discover. And I found it recently while walking along an Atlantic beach. The ocean created a forest of trees in the sand. It seemed so obvious in the moment and I wondered why I had never noticed before.

The same is true for great advertising and marketing. Sometimes it is the most simple messages that have the most lasting and profound effect.

I've spent my career working with LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) Consumers, green marketing, organic branding and social change communication. My team and I strive for simplicity amidst the complexity. This is no small task. But the result is worthwhile.

Sometimes it is the most simple message that is most obvious. Even when we've never noticed it before. 

it's no surprise that extraordinary wisdom is found in nature. She has a story all her own. We need only attune our eyes and ears to see the forest through the trees.


Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a Minneapolis-based branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing. 

 Nature has much to teach us. Even a tree can become an office chair for an afternoon—especially during a visit to the east coast on an uncharacteristically warm winter day.

As the president of a progressive, socially and environmentally. mission-driven advertising and marketing agency near Minneapolis, it's no accident that my Twin Cities office is in a natural setting.

What better way to craft strategy and creative for green energy campaigns, yoga marketing, Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) marketing and wellness advertising, than with the sky above me (skylights) and miles of native grass and wildflowers out my door.

Nature is all about cycles. While messaging and graphics often change to reflect the "season", each cycle brings new growth and discoveries. 

So let's take it from nature and spend some time celebrating the cycles while approaching marketing fearlessly—even when you find yourself out on a limb.



Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a Minneapolis-based branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing. 

In ancient times, we strolled the beach looking out at what looked to be a finite horizon. An end point. One that if visited, would plunge us into darkness. The unknown.

Today when we stand by the sea, the experience is more expansive. We know that the horizon as an end point is an illusion. Such is the case with creating green ad campaigns, wellness marketing, social change communication and organic branding.

To grow, all businesses and brands need to evolve. Flex. And grow. There's no end, just an ever increasing spiral.

As long as the brand maintains its integrity at the center, the spiral expands almost effortlessly. When it becomes unclear, the brand and the business tend to wobble. So revisit your brand. Take care of it. Listen to it. You'll be rewarded with messaging and creative that sings and a business that flows as gracefully as the winter waves at this New Jersey nature preserve.

Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a Minneapolis-based branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing. 

Who says sustainable brands can't be sexy? Not River Moon Coffee, a new brand nestled along the St. Croix River in Stillwater, Minnesota. 

When founder, Geoff Schodde hired me to help his team craft a highly experiential brand that spoke to his passion for perfect coffee, beauty and pleasure—while at the same time supporting small, artisan shade-grown coffee farms, the journey was as delicious as his beans. 

My expertise with the LOHAS (LIfestyles of Health and Sustainability) consumer, green advertising, organic industry and social change communication, served as a solid foundation for the start of this brand. But even more vital were the unflinchingly intuitive and intentional brand touch points that rose to the surface during our brand architecture process.

Brands that want to be a little bit of everything, always amount to a lot of nothing.  Great brands are fearless. And they are truthful. As we dove in, River Moon's unique characteristics emerged naturally and with a voice all its own. One that will speak with clarity, confidence and aliveness. 

Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a Minneapolis-based branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing. 

Never underestimate the power of wind, sun and water.

While all three are great sources of renewable energy, they also have the power to renew mind, body and spirit.

So when friends invited me to sail on the St. Croix River yesterday, I knew there was absolutely nothing else I would rather do.

On a river that has its share of speed boats, our day unfolded by turning off the motor and turning on to the sound of sails slapping in the wind. 

As president and creative director for a green advertising agency with expertise in renewable energy, organic branding, yoga studio marketing and wellness advertising, I know the value of turning off and tuning in. Media fills our heads with noisy messages that all compete for space in our lives. Our job is to filter out the noisy mass market "engines," and claim the quiet. To find the natural cadence of marketing messages that matter.

While summer is in its final hours for this Minneapolis, marketing maven, the sound of silence is always in season. 

Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing. 

Life can be a swirl. So can work. In the day to day discipline of managing your brand, it can be easy to get caught up in endless rushing, quick fixes and short term goals.

But there is a secret to finding the stillpoint. And that is BEING the rock in the river. No matter how much the water swirls around it, the rock remains firmly planted. And while it is shaped by water over time, it is not quick to give way.

As the head of a green, wellness and social change advertising and marketing agency in Minneapolis, my team and I help our clients to create brands that are as grounded as the largest boulders. And whether we're working on green ad campaigns, yoga marketing, organic branding, or speaking to LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) consumers, we strive to create rock solid messaging and brand coherence.

Nature has much to teach us. By finding the stillness, we are most open to resting in the flow.

Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing. 

I just returned from Galveston, TX, an island that was quite literally flattened  by Hurricane Ike just a couple years ago. 

As I walked the beach amidst the massive piles of seaweed that had accumulated on the sand, I was struck by the fact that what looks like an unsightly mess to most, is actually nature's way of restoring itself. (When left on the beach the seaweed traps sand, resulting in erosion-controlling sand dunes.)

As the head of a Minneapolis advertising agency and a leader in green marketing, LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) marketing and wellness branding, I have often experienced the fact that what looks like a marketing mess at first, is actually the beginning of something great. It's only when we deconstruct the tried-and-true, especially when we're working on evolving a brand—that we make space for the beauty and boldness of what comes next.

Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.

With Earth Day just days away, do your part to green the planet by texting TREE to 85944 and fund global tree planting. With this Green World campaign, $5 will be applied to your mobile bill in order to plant five trees on degraded land from Kenya to Mexico.

Trees of course, not only are key to erosion control, they provide food, shade, absorb climate-altering CO2 and produce oxygen.

This viral marketing campaign is just one of hundreds in action for Earth Day, April 22. As the head of a green advertising agency in Minneapolis, I love the paperless and organic nature that technology allows. Also the  immediacy. Fast. Easy. And tree-free, you can literally lighten your footprint and be a part of creating change with the press of a button.

So love your mother. Honor the planet by doing your part this Earth Day. And every day.


Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
 

Nature knows how to let go with such grace. Leaves dance their way down from trees. Rain falls with purpose from the sky.  Each gives back to the planet in immeasurable ways.

As a leader in green advertising, social change communication, renewable energy marketing and wellness marketing, I think it wise to take a lesson from nature. As marketers and brand strategists, we often have difficulty letting go of ideas. Letting go of ego. And letting go of the tried and true.

Let fall be a reminder that each season brings change. With this change comes opportunity and growth. Like leaves or rain, creativity is about renewal. I invite you to step outside, find some leaves to crunch through and let nature begin her lesson.

I came across a great natural weed-killing recipe today. It's supposed to work miracles:

• 1 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/4 cup dish soap

I mixed up a batch right away. With rain nearly every day, it seems that weeds are sprouting through cracks everywhere. As a leader in yoga advertising, green advertising, organic branding and LOHAS consumer strategy, I know that even the best brands can sprout weeds if left untended.

Great brands start with a clear, consistent message and like a freshly prepared garden, are all neat rows and promise. But over time, weeds sprout. When marketing leaders, clients or advertising agencies get a little lazy or bored, seemingly harmless tactics or graphic diversions end up resulting in a garden that's overrun with noise.

Branding takes patience. Diligence. And discipline. So while it's great to start something new, make sure you're not planting an invasive species. Stick with what's native. You and your garden (I mean brand) will grow in beauty, profitability and sustainability. 


Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.

Who needs a cabinet full of pharmaceuticals when nature offers its own medicine chest? 

As the owner of a Minnesota advertising and marketing agency and organic industry leader who specializes in green marketing, organic branding, social change communication and the LOHAS consumer, I have long worked with clients to educate customers about how food can heal.

One of our clients, H. Brooks and Company, is an absolute leader when it comes to offering tools that empower and educate grocery stores, restaurants and shoppers about the health benefits of fruit and veggies. Every marketing touch point is an opportunity to create messaging that not only differentiates your brand, but drives sales.

This recent newsletter illustrates how you can combine classic B-B sales strategy with a holistic message. And who doesn't love the fact that a delicious slice of watermelon can promote heart health and help prevent cancer?

Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing. 

The film, Avatar speaks to a long-buried global desire for a closer connection with the natural world. The beauty of this film is that it speaks not just to enviros and activists, it moves audiences from all political, cultural and psychographic perspectives.

Now, a PRI video report brings the reaction of perhaps the most important audience of all. Rainforest dwellers who now live in the jungles of Ecuador. I spent time a few years ago with the Achuar tribe in the jungles of Ecuador. As a people who have lived in harmony with the planet for thousands of years, it is fitting they are represented in this report.

It's rare for media to strike such a universal chord. As the owner of an advertising agency specializing in LOHAS consumers, creating green ad campaigns, social change communication and renewable energy marketing, I couldn't be happier.

Thanks to Avatar, blue is the new green.

Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.

Food that reflects your personality? That's just one of the trends the Food Channel predicts this year, according to a recent Natural Marketing Institute article published in the LOHAS Journal.
As a brand strategist who specializes in organic branding, green marketing, social change communication and green advertising, this trend seems only natural. After all, food is a brand. And like all brands, food has personality attributes.

A common branding exercise invites businesses to choose foods that represent their brand. For instance, a yoga brand might choose miso, edamame and rice—while a produce company might choose fresh lemons and strawberries. It only makes sense that as consumers continue to seek self-actualizing experiences, we begin to choose and serve foods that represent an actual extension of ourselves.

Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.

If you're interested in giving gifts that matter, consider being part of the greatest polar bear rescue effort in history. The Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) is launching a holiday campaign that urges enviros to give $15 gift certificates to family and friends to help save these bears from extinction. 

Not only is this an affordable and meaningful gift, the resulting effect will last much longer than a cheap tin of chocolates or a plastic bauble. Always savvy green marketers with a keen sense of their brand and message, NRDC is also offering certificates that contribute to protecting the rainforest, adopting Yellowstone wolves, protecting whales and supporting renewable energy. 

For those on your list who care about the well being of our planet and the life it supports, NRDC is offering the perfect gift. And isn't that what holiday giving is all about?


Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
 

When it comes to three-ring binders, there are literally thousands of styles, materials and sizes to choose from. So, as the head of a green marketing agency, when a client needed custom binders for a sales presentation, the choice was simple. We chose green.

Earthbinder, to be precise. Made from chipboard that's 95% post-consumer fiber, these binders are not only cool and functional, they send a message that speaks volumes about sustainability. 

Making an intentional choice about green marketing materials is a must for companies in the business of wellness, organic, social change or environmental sustainability. In fact, when it comes right down to it. The choice is only natural.

Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.

The Oregon Sustainability Center, which is being called the first large-scale “living building,” is projected to have a zero carbon footprint, according to a recent issue of Environmental Leader. 

It used to be that the world of calculating pollution levels was reserved for those who were: A) Nerdy B) Academic or C) True Blue Enviros. But no more. 

Thanks to a marketing climate that increasingly emphasizes transparency, so called green geeks are now mainstream. Fueled by concerns about climate change, more and more businesses are looking to track, measure and reduce their environmental footprint through life cycle assessment. And they're sharing their results with consumers through product labeling and environmental assessment reports. 

As a leader in the field of green energy marketing, social change communication, organic branding and the LOHAS consumer, I've worked with a lot of green and progressive businesses. Being at the forefront of this segment has very much been an exercise in rewriting long-established marketing rules.

Green marketing companies like mine have long known that the surest path to success is to run every aspect of your company in the most sustainable manner possible. In the best models, green companies take a lesson from nature so that waste from one aspect of their business becomes food for another. 

The good news is, the idea is catching on. Why? Because sustainably run companies are profitable companies. 

Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director of firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.