Social Change Marketing

As the president and creative director of firefly180, an advertising agency that specializes in green marketing, organic branding, social change marketing and the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health & Sustainability) consumer, clients often come to me uncertain about where to begin. The answer is easy. Just dive in!

While in Los Angeles meeting with a client, I did just that. Literally. And figuratively. While diving into the Pacific in January may not be for everyone, it's an experience you won't want to miss.

It's the paths less traveled that bring the most memorable results.

And this is one of them. Pure fun. Pure awakening. And pure letting go of what most people would consider. Of course, when diving into marketing, there's aways a plan. At firefly180, we start with brand architecture and strategy and build creative from there. It's the same when diving into a wintry ocean. Only that plan includes lots of towels, followed by a long soak in a hot tub. 

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. 

Today is the winter solstice. One of my favorite days of the year.

Living here near Minneapolis, it's dark before 5pm. This is a time of going deep into the quiet. And it's a time to rediscover that the light we seek actually comes from within. It is in the darkness that we shine most brightly.

As I worked this week creating ad campaigns, motion graphics for websites and brand architecture for clients in progressive business, the organic industry, wellness marketing and social change, it struck me that the process of creation is much like the solstice. Every time we are called upon to create, we face darkness. The unknown. Whether putting words to a page or computer screen, the fact is, the surface is always blank. Dark. 

What gives creative force life, is the light we bring from within. It's the knowledge, intuition, instinct, experience and knowing that we call upon in partnership with our clients that makes great advertising and marketing. This is our time to shine brightly.



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. 

We can all take ourselves a bit too seriously. Wavy Gravy, the Woodstock clown activist famously said, "We're all just bozos on the bus." How true.

So in the midst of work. Life. Deadlines. And holiday celebrations, join me in taking time to play. Recharge. And dance through life. As the president and creative director of a green advertising and marketing agency near Minneapolis, I make it a priority whenever I am on either coast to dip my feet into the Atlantic or Pacific, no matter what my schedule or weather. 

Creativity comes from within. So when it comes to shining light on yoga advertising, social change communications, the organic industry or wellness marketing—try to work in some play time by the sea.You'll nurture new ways of seeing life and work. 



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. 

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. 

There is a Zen proverb that says, "The snow falls, every snowflake in its place." The idea that a seemingly random event actually embodies a higher intellegence is very much at the heart of green advertising, organic branding and social marketing.

With fall well underway and winter not far into the future, I've been thinking a lot about how great creative and strategy seem to "fall" into place. There's a moment when widely disparate ideas and concepts merge. The dots connect. And a stillpoint occurs.

That's the magic of marketing. And that's why fall is such a great reminder of letting go and trusting in the process.

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. 

As a leader in the arena of green and wellness marketing, I know how vital it is not to simply position a product, service or approach—but to establish credibility. 

Trust. It's at the center of every relationship. Campaign. Brand. And message. So when I was asked by friend and client Spring Forest Qigong recently to share my family's story of healing, I was honored. You see, long before Spring Forest became a client, their now president, Qigong Master Lesley Vincent, saved my son's life.

Stories have the power to inspire. And to heal. No amount of money spent on advertising, media relations or brand DNA is as potent as an individual experience. So as you create marketing campaigns—whether they're in social change communication, green marketing, yoga marketing or organic branding—remember the importance of experience. We all live lives through our senses. And when it comes to testimonials, they flow through the mind, but open the heart.

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. 

Neuromarketing is a new field that uses MRI technology to measure brain response to marketing messages.

And while I'm sure it has much merit, as a marketer and branding expert in the areas of green marketing, organic branding, social change communications, the LOHAS consumer and wellness marketing, what I'm really most interested in is the heart.

Brands create an emotional doorway that open space for consumers to connect with products and services deeply and with resonance. A box of crackers for instance (Annie's Cheddar Bunnies) represent not only cheesy, organic, healthy snacking—they "feel" fun, playful and trustworthy.

The heart after all, has its own intelligence. And at the end of the day, it's an emotional connection that transforms buyers, into brand evangelists. 




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 shared my story recently while being interviewed during a video testimonial for Spring Forest Qigong. It's a story I've told many times. And it's a story that never loses its power.

My son's life was saved thanks to an extraordinary woman and facilitator of healing. Lesley Vincent, now president of Spring Forest Qigong, came into our lives after my then 13-year-old son had brain surgery and a tumor removed. Unfortunately, after the surgery, he experienced seizures 18-hours-a-day and the nearly 30 pharmaceuticals he was taking daily for seizure control not only had no effect, he was left in a drug-induced fog and was depressed, hopeless and losing the will to live.

Lesley, working with both the energy of qigong and teaching my son to become his own healer, worked miracles. Literally. She has become one of my closest and dearest friends and a mentor to my son, who is now in college and hoping to become a healer himself.

As the head of a green advertising agency that specializes in wellness marketing, organic branding, social change communication and yoga advertising, I know the power of healing stories. We all have them. And it's a gift when we share them.

Stories come alive in surprising ways. From the days thousands of years ago, when first peoples gathered around fires, to today when we share with others in person or online, our stories validate the past—and open doors to the future.  

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 wind fills our clothes like sails, tickles the leaves until they laugh and whispers secrets in our ears. I heard and felt the wind while standing on a cliff near the Mayan ruins of Tulum in February and I heard it again today in the kirtan recording, "Into the Wind." 

As a leader in green and social marketing and the head of a Minneapolis advertising and marketing agency, I listen to the wind. It's often said that as marketers, we have our ears to the ground. But, just as importantly, we need our heads in the clouds. 

It's there we find inspiration. Dream big dreams. Tap into creative and cultural expansiveness. This is the essence of LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability)  marketing and of the LOHAS consumer. This values driven style of brand development is evident in green marketing, organic branding, yoga studio marketing, social change communication and more.

How do you recognize it? Anywhere you find businesses who are passionate about doing well, and doing good— you'll also feel, hear and touch the wind.

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. 

While I'm not a big sports fan, I am definitely a fan of green. So when friends invited me to a Twins game the other night, I have to confess I was a bit more excited about the green and eco-conscious Target Field stadium than I was about the game itself.

There are all kinds of way to weave green into our daily lives. Sports is one way. Marketing is  another. As the head of a Twin Cities marketing and advertising agency that specializes in green ad campaigns, green energy marketing, social change communications and wellness marketing, I know the power of consumers to create change in the world. Often I hear people say that they feel powerless to make changes. They feel that one person can't make a difference. They're right. And they're wrong.

The perfection lies in the fact that when each of us as individuals says, "yes," to a change, there are others doing the same. They often feel alone, but are actually connected to the whole. Change happens in magical ways. Twenty years ago, who would have ever imagined a green baseball stadium? The world IS changing. All we need to do is get in the game.

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. 

In my business, all marketing whether it's green advertising, yoga studio marketing, organic marketing, renewable energy marketing or social change communication—it's all designed to drive response.

Great marketing is about creating movements. Inspiring action. And building momentum. So, speaking of driving, when the clutch gave out on my car on my way to a meeting last week, I couldn't help but feel...well, rather stuck. Especially as I waited on the side of the road for a tow truck.

Stopping gave me time to think. And to ponder next moves. What to do? Buy a sexy new hybrid? Or stick with my trusty ride that has driven many a mile powered by biodiesel.

In the end, I decided, 'Why buy new, when used will do." It's the ultimate in re-use. To some, new is sexy. To me, saving resources to restore our planet is sexier.


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. 

 As in life, green marketing and social change communications is like a labyrinth.

There is a beginning. There is an ending. But the path is never a straight line. As I walked a labyrinth overlooking the ancient Smoky Mountains of North Carolina last week, ringed with stones, shells and sacred objects—I couldn't help but see the parallel.

As a leader in the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) market and head of an advertising agency that specializes in creating meaningful marketing, I've explored and appreciated this meandering journey with clients again and again.

The thing is, whether creating messaging around climate change, organic food or even green printing—there is no step-by-step guide to ensure success. Each approach is unique. Each step is new. And every business or organization deserves the same level of mindfulness as a journey through a labyrinth.



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. 

A striking new peer-reviewed study in Environmental Health Perspectives found that in just three days by replacing canned and other prepackaged foods with fresh, organic meals, the body's levels of BPA and phthalates dropped dramatically.

The same is true when it comes to marketing. As the head of a Minneapolis green advertising agency that specializes in organic branding, yoga marketing, LOHAS marketing and social change communication, my team and I know that a prepackaged approach can be as toxic as chemicals.

Each brand, message and audience is unique. By attempting to apply off-the-rack strategies that may have worked for others, a business or organization could well be cheating itself of a fresh, nutritious and delicious opportunity.

The power of good green marketing is not so much what's visible from the outside—but what's within. So before you go shopping for convenience, consider the quality of ingredients first. Is your approach to marketing a cheap, quick fix? Or is it healthy and designed for long-term growth.


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 heard the Dalai Lama speak recently. In his wise and loving way, this great spiritual leader shared his vision for world peace. He spoke of those who spend their lives praying for it. But laughed heartily at the thought. Because while he fully acknowledges the power of prayer, he clearly knows that action is required beyond intention.

It's the same for great brands. As the head of a Mpls. based advertising and marketing agency that specializes in green marketing, organic branding, social change marketing and the LOHAS consumer, I know very well that as much as you wish for your message to be heard. It won't be unless you find a way to give it a voice.

And whether your brand whispers or breaks sound barriers, is all in the way you craft your message. The key is to truly, deeply understand and respect your target audience. And to be clear about creating a message that doesn't just inform or educate—but that actually serves.

As consumers, we have developed selective listening. The messages we are most likely to hear are the ones that answer one question: What's in it for me? It's not that we're simply self-serving. It's just that we're mindful about what we're taking in.

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 director most known for his hugely commercial Jim Carrey films, including, Liar Liar and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Tom Shadyac, has crafted a deeply personal documentary that speaks to the beauty as well as the excesses of humanity and our inherent oneness with life.

I AM chronicles Tom's journey from a life-changing injury to his subsequent quest for enlightenment. I had a chance to meet Tom after the opening and screening of the film in Minneapolis.

As we shared our stories of healing and transformation, I was struck by the how the power of our own personal experience can inspire change.

As the head of a mission-based advertising agency that specializes in helping businesses and organizations do well and do good, I know well how to move people to action.

Having worked to grow the organic industry, bring yoga to the mainstream, pioneered renewable energy marketing and lead the way in social change communications, I am a full-on believer that we as individuals can be a force for good.

As I shared with Tom, life is much like that field of poppies in. The Wizard of Oz. The further we travel, the more likely we are to fall asleep. Good green and mission-based marketing is a wake up call. So is this film. Join me and discover what's right with the world.

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.