October 29th, 2007
All of a sudden I saw a huge tree growing out of a dry wash. It could have been the only tree in the county, as far as I knew. As I drove closer I noticed there seemed to be something hanging from the tree. Lots of things, suspended from the tree in large clusters like huge wisteria blossoms. I was nearly on top of the tree when I realized that these giant blossoms were composed of shoes. Hundreds of them. What a odd thing to do with your only tree! It would have been funny anywhere, but in a landscape where I’d seen little but sand and sagebrush for several hours it was hilariously bizarre; radically out of context. It sure did get my attention!
Read the whole article »
October 22nd, 2007
Sometimes I wonder if messages from the past are so different from this one. As citizens of the future, we usually ascribe deep spiritual significance to ancient petroglyphs, but what if it was just some kid defacing a rock?
Read the whole article »
October 20th, 2007
These petroglyphs are on a sandstone wall about 100 feet off the ground in a stunningly beautiful area near Lake Mead. The interpretive signage suggests they may have had religious or ceremonial significance. Although their exact meaning has been lost, the images are still reaching audiences 1000 years later.
Read the whole article »
October 19th, 2007
We normally focus on advertising TO ourselves here at TBYB. What if we advertised FOR our own goals, but TO others? What kind of visible public commitment could you make about your goal?
Read the whole article »
October 17th, 2007
Just north of Portland, Oregon on Interstate 5, I passed a huge sign for Rosa Parks Way. It occurred to me that naming streets is one way a community advertises to itself what its collective values are. For example, this sign may be reminding the citizens of Portland that there is no longer room in the world for racial intolerance; and that it’s important to stand up (or sit down) for what is right.
Read the whole article »
October 14th, 2007
For the next 3 weeks I’m celebrating the achievement of a huge goal with a three week road trip in my new RV. Seeing America, baby! Normally I stay pretty close to topic on this blog, but since I believe it was personal advertising that got me into the position to be able to do this, I’m considering that anything that happens during the trip IS on topic.
Read the whole article »
October 10th, 2007
My early ads in the RV ad campaign were mostly just pictures that I downloaded from manufacturer’s websites. They worked well to keep the idea in my consciousness, and prompted me to take many actions that I’m sure I would not have otherwise. However, as the campaign went on I discovered a few other techniques that were so effective they produced huge shifts in my mental journey from impossible to inevitable.
Three of the four methods below use a variant on visualizing your desired future reality with you (or your home) already in it. I’ve written about that pretty extensively in the Put yourself in the picture series. Basically you use technology like your digital camera and/or Photoshop to help you make a picture of that future.
The fourth method uses large high-resolution color images that change very frequently. Think TV. Although this method was not at all technically sophisticated, I was surprised by how much it engaged my attention and emotions.
Read the whole article »
October 4th, 2007
I just met a HUGE goal, largely due to a relentless advertising campaign I’ve been waging on myself for the last couple of years. Two years ago purchasing a motorhome seemed impossible. By last month it felt inevitable. Today I have a new RV sitting in my driveway. I’m completely convinced advertising is what made the difference.
Read the whole article »
