I recently watched research professor Brene Brown's heartfelt and compelling presentation on
TED.com. She speaks to the fact that
vulnerability is at the heart of creativity. I couldn't agree more.
As the head of a Minneapolis advertising and marketing agency that specializes in green advertising, organic marketing, yoga advertising, social change communication and the LOHAS consumer, i've found again and again, that it's
companies who are willing to peel back the layers and show the world who they really are—are the organizations who end up with strong, memorable and authentic brands.
Let's face it. It's not easy to be vulnerable. But the fact is, everyone and every business has weaknesses or insecurities that they would prefer to ignore...or keep hidden.
But the power of vulnerability and transparency is that those apparent shortcomings make us who we are. They become brand diferentiators. Points of uniqueness. And when we are willing to shine light on those dark places,,,they are the parts of us (and our brands) that make us most loveable.
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.
When our client, Minneapolis produce distributor
H. Brooks and Company decided it was time for a brand evolution, a key element was their website. This family-owned business that began more than 100 years ago with a few dollars and a produce cart, has grown into an award-winning company deeply rooted in relationships with farmers throughout the world. Their brand promise?
Fresher delivered faster.Their new site is just that. Fresh. Fast. Juicy. And delicious. This mostly business-to-business site offers existing clients innovative marketing and resource tools, while serving as a gateway to new business.
As a
Minneapolis marketing agency specializing in organic branding, the organic industry, and wellness marketing, our team worked closely with Brooks to create a digital representation of not only their brand—but their brand promise. Response has been enthusiastic, but perhaps more importantly, this site is a vital step toward introducing healthier food to our communities one byte at a time.
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 your company hosts a conference or annual meeting, take a break from Orlando, LA or NYC, invite colleagues to a green beach for a change of venue and change of heart. Resorts like
Eco Tulum's Cabanas Copal.
On the Mexican Riviera and near stunning Mayan ruins, a venue like Copal may not have the amenities of a resort hotel—like electricity. But you might be surprised at the creativity starlit nights, brightened by torches or candles and accented with the gentle whisper of waves can inspire.
As the owner of a green marketing company and leader in social change communications, organic branding and the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) consumer, I've launched countless green ad and wellness campaigns. When you live and work in this category, it's not only important to walk your talk—it's vital. That's why I'm heading to Copal for my company retreat. And that's where i'll recharge—becoming one with my own source of renewable energy.
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 I visited my
homeopath this week, an extraordinary woman who is also a MD, it struck me
how much
alignment exists between the modalities of healing and branding.
Like a homeopathist, at firefly180 we begin the brand process by looking for patterns, past history, current perceptions and challenges. We look at what's working. What's not working. We look at tangibles like products and services delivered. And we look at intangibles like how an end-user "feels" when they receive that service.
As the head of a green Minneapolis advertising and marketing agency, who specializes in working with green marketing companies, the organic industry, wellness marketing and the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) consumer, I always knew our approach was holistic. But I didn't fully make the connection that our
organic and sustainable branding approach is as holistic as the clients we serve.
Funny how seemingly everyday experiences can bring new insight and depth of understanding.
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.
We live on a small planet. And when it comes to green marketing, our planet is even smaller. So if you live in the U.S., I encourage you to
think outside our continent when shopping for green companies and services. Check out the UK's
Green Provider's Directory.
This non-for-profit organization is a leading service for green, organic and fair trade products. So the next time you shop online, vote with your wallet and choose businesses that align with your values.
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.
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.
Thanksgiving may be over, but the
season for giving thanks has just begun. That's why I plan to spend tomorrow joining a roomful of others in a day-long sitting mediation. Why? To dedicate one day to immersing myself in gratitude.
As the head of just one of the few green marketing agencies in Minnesota, I spend my days creating advertising and marketing campaigns for yoga advertising, organic branding, social change communication, wellness companies and progressive businesses.
It's such a gift to create work that is in complete alignment with my values. I feel such gratitude for my clients. My colleagues. And the good we are doing together. Tomorrow is a day to give thanks. And to be fully present to that gratitude.
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.
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.
If you think social media is a fad—think again.
Then check out this YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVXKI506w-E.
Not only are the graphics and stats interesting and fun—if you've been trying to convince your company or your client to jump on board, this four-minute video might just do the trick.
Thankfully, my clients are way ahead of the game. They
understand the power of a message that's communicated instantly. And they have come to know that sometimes email is just much too slow. As the head of an advertising and marketing agency that specializes in organic branding, the organic industry, social change communications and the LOHAS consumer, I work with many progressive companies who work hard to maintain their sense of immediacy.
And while many of us aspire to live our lives in the present moment, by the time you've finished reading this sentence, that moment has passed.
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 haven't tried Sambazon's acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee), you don't know what you're missing.
This company has virtually single-handedly created a global market for what was once a beverage known mainly to South Americans.
My family has long been Sambazon fans, but when I recently learned the product was being sold in Costco, I knew they had become mass market mavens. Pretty impressive for a product that is relatively new in this country and that most people still mispronounce.
What's their secret? Like I advise all my clients in the organic industry or those who are launching breakthrough progressive products or services—
the key to building your brand is through education (Why acai matters)
and through story (How acai has been vital to native cultures for thousands of years, etc.)
Good marketing's got juice. I tip my glass to Sambazon.
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.
Today is October 12 and this is the view outside my office door.
Look closely, you'll see a herd of deer running by. But it's not the deer that are surprising. In a season that is generally all about crunching through colorful fall leaves, those of us who live and office near Minneapolis are looking for snow shovels.
J
ust as weather can take us by surprise, so can marketing campaigns. As the head of a green advertising agency with a focus on organic branding, the LOHAS consumer, yoga studio marketing, green energy marketing and social change communication, we strive to create surprise. We live in a media climate that is in continuous hyperdrive. And yet there is a pervasive cookie-cutter blandness that stifles most marketing messages.
Today, an early snow generated national media and shook up millions in my region. Tomorrow, I hope the same is true for
green marketing companies like mine. The stories of our clients are unique. Their messages are relevant. And their potential to generate change is as refreshing—and as surprising—as snow in October.
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.
It's a beautiful thing when green marketing, organic branding and social change communication become supercharged through media.
One of my favorite organic tea brands, Zhena's Gypsy Tea, got a great media hit recently when Jennifer Aniston prepared cocktails at a party using the Zhena's Super Berry Blend. Zhena, the founder of this brand, is an incredible visionary, authentic spirit, green goddess and master tea blender. I couldn't be happier for her.
Mass media has incredible power to educate, enlighten and inspire the mainstream. The organic industry, green companies and progressive businesses have amazing stories to tell. Put them together and you have a force for change. It's
a win for green business. And a win for consumers who are exposed to new ways to live healthier and more sustainably.
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.
According to Forbes, in 2008 consumers spent $23 billion on organic food. That's a 16% growth rate. Even with the double digit growth this category has seen over the last decade, organic represents just a tiny percent of total food purchased in the U.S.
That's good news. Because there's still lots more room to grow.As the head of an advertising and marketing agency that specializes in organic marketing, organic
promotion, green communications and LOHAS advertising strategies, I am passionate about supporting the efforts of organic companies. These are businesses that are working to improve the health of people as well as the planet.
Before starting my agency, I worked as VP communications for the Organic Center, a non-profit dedicated to educating millions about the health and environmental benefits of organic. I've had the privilege of walking organic fields with farmers, eating meals prepared by the nation's premier organic chefs and creating messaging that educates and inspires action—including the groundbreaking coffee table book,
Core Truths.
The seeds of change have been planted. It's up to us as marketers to help bring in the harvest.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director for firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
Ben & Jerry's announced today that they're working on developing an ice cream formulation that can be shipped and sold warm so that the end consumer takes responsibility for the energy required for freezing.
While they haven't cracked the recipe riddle, this is
a great example of a company that's pushing the boundaries. Thinking differently. And pioneering a process that could save millions of pounds of C02. That they're messaging about it now while in the development phase is a praiseworthy approach to green public relations.
As the head of a marketing and advertising agency that specializes in green pr, natural advertising, organic promotion, LOHAS consumers and organic internet marketing, we are often called on to create advertising strategies and pr campaigns that break through media clutter.
One of the best strategies to deepen existing relationships and attract new customers is to
share the back story of your marketing message. Go beyond simply telling your audience what you're doing. Let them know why it matters. Why it's unique. How it will benefit them. And the world.
Ben & Jerry's has built a great brand that speaks to quality, deliciousness and social activism. The warm ice cream concept extends their brand story. How will the next chapter of your brand story read?
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director for firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
As the head of an agency that specializes in the LOHAS consumer, eco advertising, organic campaigns, yoga advertising and green energy, it's
critical that the work we create isn't just show-stopping—it needs to get results.
Recently, I've been working with a client on an extensive brand evolution. We've created new market positioning, designed a new logo, ad campaign, direct response material and more. My client was quite certain that they already had sufficient technological infrastructure to measure response. Until they found out that they didn't.
Fortunately, company leadership saw the wisdom in tackling the challenge head-on and a new system will be in place shortly. It's not uncommon for companies to invest heavily in strategy and creative and neglect the information architecture to measure and quantify results, maintain current databases and create a structure that allows the marketing team to better boost sales.
If you are one of those companies, know you're not alone. But I encourage you to take the steps necessary to ensure that your marketing efforts are hitting their target. While a move into the database world may feel like a step back, it will actually help propel you a quantum leap forward.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director for firefly180 marketing—
a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing,
wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing
As consumers, we're really pretty simple. We want a product that tastes good. And as a bonus, one that's good for us.
But when it comes to bottled water, a product that's marketed as having premium taste with additional health benefits, the truth may be downright slimy. Some call bottled water the biggest advertising trick of all time. Others question why we're shipping water around the world in an era of climate change. But the simple truth is that the water itself may not be as much of a concern as the plastic bottle itself. Why? Plastic is not only made from petroleum and causes massive waste issues—it can leak a plethora of toxins including arsenic and the hormone disrupter Bisphenol A.
As a leader in environmental advertising, LOHAS marketing, eco business and organic branding, I've spent much of my career working in the organic industry with organic companies. Recently I worked in partnership on best-selling artist Jack Johnson's All At Once world tour and online community. A key piece of the messaging we created focused on the waste issues of single use bottles. (Check out www.allatonce.org.) I'd also recommend a great new documentary on bottled water called,
Tapped. Find out more at http://current.com/items/90641196_bottled-water-sucks.htm.
In the meantime, do the right thing for yourself and the planet. Buy a stainless steel reusable water bottle and start refilling. You'll save money and a whole lot more.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director for firefly180 marketing—
a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
In today's edition of
Environmental Leader about McDonald's creating prototypes for green restaurants, the issue states:
"...The restaurant is treating the 10 locations as “learning laboratories,” said McDonald’s V
ice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Bob Langert, in a Q&A with DailyFinance. One of the green prototype stores, in the Chicago area, uses 25 percent less energy than similar locations. Energy savings and waste reduction are central to McDonald’s corporate social responsibility strategy, Langert said. Globally, the restaurant consumes $1.7 billion annually in energy and it spends another $1.3 billion handling its waste. McDonald’s has more than 31,000 locations worldwide..."
Does this new effort amount to greenwashing? Or a super-sized step forward? While it may be too early to tell, as an expert in natural advertising, organic advertising, organic promotion and LOHAS marketing, I've worked on many leading-edge advertising strategies and attended more than a few green energy conferences.
When a company the size of McDonald's initiates a move in a more sustainable direction, the outcome can only be good. While the franchise is far from perfect and their desire to reduce waste and energy consumption is all about increasing their bottom line—what's wrong with that?
The beauty of green and sustainable marketing is that doing what's right is generally rewarded with doing well. Who knows? Maybe a McOrganic menu is right around the corner. I would be lovin' that!
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