Kevin Endres

In my latest file in The Philosopher Files, I ruminate on Robin Wall Kimmerer and her astounding Braiding Sweetgrass and connect it with the scarcity paradigm within which so many (of us) operate... https://lnkd.in/gMGqVfZV #ecologicalcrisis #transformation

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Read this part twice, "in order to identify issues and THEN address them." Seek to understand and then to solve. Also...processes can be tested; communications can be tested. Not everything is/or requires a tech solution. #citizenexperience #equity #efficiency #bpr

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Worth reading from NiemanLab: Readers prefer to click on a clear, simple headline — like this one By David Markowitz, Hillary Shulman and Todd Rogers In an era when people trust news less than ever, how can journalists break through and attract the attention of average people to provide information about their communities, the nation and the world? By not complicating things. Our research, published in Science Advances, shows that simple headlines significantly increase article engagement and clicks compared with headlines that use complex language. In our research, typical news readers preferred simple headlines over complex ones. But importantly, we found that those who actually write headlines — journalists themselves — did not. We first used data from The Washington Post and Upworthy to see how language features, such as word length and how common a word is, changed how many people clicked on an article’s headline. These datasets included over 31,000 randomized experiments — also known as A/B tests — that compared two or more headline versions of the same underlying article to determine which one generated the most clicks. Headlines with more common words — simple words like “job” instead of “occupation” — shorter headlines, and those communicated in a narrative style, with more pronouns compared with prepositions, received more clicks. For example, The Washington Post headline, “Meghan and Harry are talking to Oprah. Here’s why they shouldn’t say too much” outperformed the alternative headline, “Are Meghan and Harry spilling royal tea to Oprah? Don’t bet on it.” This example illustrates how sometimes a more straightforward headline can generate more interest. In follow-up laboratory experiments, we found that typical news readers focused more on simple rather than complex headlines because the writing was easier to understand. When journalists participated in the same experiments, they didn’t show any preference for simple headlines over complex ones. Put differently: Those who write the news appear to be less responsive to simple writing than regular audiences. Generations of communication consultants have advised that communicators follow the rather crass acronym KISS: Keep it Simple, Stupid. We suggest a modified version applied for journalists. Since KISJ isn’t all that simple, we propose: Keep It Simple, Staffers. Simplicity increases the number of people who click on a news story headline and improves reader recall of the material in the article. Most importantly, simplicity boosts reader engagement, such as how much attention they pay to the information.

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Marketing Dive's Chris Kelly on the Campaign Trail: StreetEasy illustrates the house-hunting odyssey as Renaissance art. A confluence of factors, from the pandemic to rising interest rates, has created what has been described as the most unaffordable housing market in generations. Navigating the market, from open houses to mortgage approvals, is difficult for many consumers. In New York City, that experience is particularly fraught, with the addition of apartment brokers, co-op boards and a dwindling housing supply that gives renters less than a 1% chance of finding an apartment that costs less than $2,400 a month. If finding a place to live in most places is a journey, finding one in New York is an epic odyssey. That insight is illustrated in classical fashion in the latest campaign from StreetEasy, the New York-focused real estate platform owned by Zillow. “The strategy behind this was being able to talk about the buyer’s journey in New York City, knowing that the journey in New York City is very unique,” said Jason Ferguson, creative director at StreetEasy. “We get NYC, we get New Yorkers. How do we find a way that we can connect with New Yorkers and show them that StreetEasy has the tools and the resources and can connect them with the right people?” Created with Mother New York, “Let The Journey Begin” kicked off last month and will run throughout the year. The campaign spans Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Pinterest, YouTube, Spotify and connected TV. On the out-of-home (OOH) front, the effort appears on MTA subway cars and taxi tops and includes a takeover of the Broadway/Lafayette station, along with large-scale, hand-painted murals in the Williamsburg and Nolita neighborhoods. Those OOH activations are perhaps the campaign’s most effective element as they imagine the steps of the buyer’s journey in the style of Renaissance frescos — a “natural” look for the campaign, according to Nedal Ahmed, executive creative director at Mother New York. “When we talk about words like ‘odyssey,’ you can see where your brain gets this place of drama and the illustration style of the time,” Ahmed said. “With the Renaissance, there’s such a great, iconic visual vocabulary there, and I think New York also has an iconic aesthetic, so having these two really interesting aesthetics come together is a really fun treat for us.” Along with pairing two iconic visual styles, the campaign extends the brand’s work of speaking to a New York audience that is particularly adept at tuning out advertising that is part of the Big Apple’s visual clutter. “[New Yorkers] are savvy enough to appreciate a message that’s clever, aligned with beautiful visuals and is something that speaks to the experience of what it’s like to live in New York,” Ahmed said. “Having that creative excellence and that comfort of really targeting our creative to New Yorkers was really exciting.” via @marketingdive

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Today, businesses and nonprofits have to constantly evolve while being true to their mission and values. With this many quick shifts, it can be easy to lose sight of what attracted loyal clients in the first place. So, how can you make your brand stand out from the crowd while remaining authentically you? 🌟 Align Values | Having a set of values that are foundational to your organization is essential to maintaining an authentic brand culture and a clear path forward. 🌟 Energize Voice | When the verbal elements of your brand work together as a unified message, everything becomes cohesive and in sync. 🌟 Refresh Creative | Create a compelling message and visual strategy that highlights what matters most to your brand and market. #changeleadership #values #brandawareness #marketing ----- 👋 Hey! I’m Eben from ShiftUp, a strategic change agency delivering: 🌿 Growth Strategy & Marketing 🔅Brand Culture Activation We help purpose-driven leaders co-create what’s next. 🔶 Ready to get Shift done? Schedule a Free Alignment Meeting > https://lnkd.in/gcr2K3RR

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Take my course. Need to be where your audience is – but do you really understand how your web presence affects the consumer buying process? This online AIA, IDCEC and NKBA CEU helps sort it out. https://bit.ly/4cjLxHq

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Here at North Star, I am the lead writer and @Michelle Cohl is the managing editor. She is the keeper of all the instructions, requirements and parameters that we have to meet in order to give our clients what they want. I hate instructions, requirements and parameters so I tend to try to ignore them and write the assignment the way I want to. Michelle then summons me, shows me the details I was supposed to remember and tells me to go back to work - at which point I tend to argue for why these parameters don't make the work better. What follows is usually a dynamic process in which the two of us figure out a puzzle: How to check every box the client wants or needs, while still getting the benefit of our very strong instincts as writers. The result is excellence. Making it work requires each of us to recognize we have different strengths and points of emphasis, but that we both value the same thing - the absolute best work for our clients. I don't think this works with every combination of teammates, but you need both the appreciation of the process and respect for the other person's instincts that are different from yours. We've been honing and mastering this process, and our approach to it, for nearly five years. I'm very proud of how we do it. And I'm grateful to have such a good teammate who is so different from me in some ways, yet shares the same commitment to value. #teamwork #honordifferences #dynamiccollaboration #clientvalue #contentmarketing #commitmenttoexcellence

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Pardon me for my great editing skills. Make or buy dilemma is very real. It took me around 90 minutes to edit this video. A professional would have taken far less time and quality would have been better. Anyways Customers rarely buy what the business thinks it is selling. Peter Drucker. #marketing #consumerinsights #consumerbehavior #MarketingMaestro

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When I started my own agency, one of the #1 pieces of advice I received was to write a book. A business book. Because then you get speaking engagements. Because then you have a platform. Because... [fill in the blank[. I have news for you: I will never write a business book. Not only do I not think I should have to write one to be taken seriously as a marketer for other businesses... I also want my life to be multi-faceted and rich with more than business 365-24-7. I read copious amounts of articles, newsletters and more to keep up with my industry every day. But when I read books, it will nearly always be fiction. I believe it's one of the best ways to raise empathy (a business skill!) and Harvard Business Review backs me up (link in comments): "When it comes to reading, we may be assuming that reading for knowledge is the best reason to pick up a book. Research, however, suggests that reading fiction may provide far more important benefits than nonfiction. For example, reading fiction predicts increased social acuity and a sharper ability to comprehend other people’s motivations. Reading nonfiction might certainly be valuable for collecting knowledge, it does little to develop EQ, a far more elusive goal." There are many studies that show reading fiction raises empathy. It connects you to people whose stories are not your own, whose backgrounds and contexts may be far different from yours. Again from HBR: "One reason fiction works so well in the workplace is that characters, plots, and settings in foreign locales help anchor difficult discussions. The narrative allows participants to work through sensitive and nuanced issues in an open and honest manner." On that note, I'm currently reading Graham Greene's Our Man in Havana because I head to Cuba next month. And on p. 5 the protagonist starts bemoaning the poor globalized marketing of a vacuum cleaner he sells in his shop and how it doesn't play in Cuba as it would in other parts of the world. Relevance to work took 5 pages. 😎 So if I ever write a book, it will be fiction. Or a series of essays on things I'm passionate about outside business: foster care, women and sisterhood, Christian culture, travel, food. If that is a detriment to my career, that's a product of too narrow constructs of our professional culture and not a reflection on my person. Now, what fiction are you reading? #businessbooks #growthmindset

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This should be normalized. The other (and most common) method is dusty… … like, “moth ball dusty”. Charging by the hour is indeed a race to the bottom. As an agency or creative partner, your goal is to produce something that impresses, garners attention, and helps to put that product/service into the minds (and hearts) of an audience. How does an hourly agreement help make that thing sing, if the underlying “approach” is to do it as efficiently as possible? Less hours = less cost. That simply gives you a shittier experience and output. And then you want to blame the agency or the campaign?! Stop. Just stop. If we are supposed to be in this world where “transparency” and “trust” are part of every company’s “core values”… then start being transparent. Expose your budget for said project or said agency engagement and I promise you that the right agency, creative partner, or production company will be worth their weight in gold. (Like Mischief ⤵️) Or, you can keep playing the dusty game of hourly engagements and keep wasting everyone’s time. #realtalk

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Without a doubt, this is one of the most difficult markets to crack. This client is doing everything right: a new location, a handful of 5-star reviews, strong on-page content, and a few relevant local citations. Each dot on the maps below represents a search for the phrase "wildlife removal." The numbers in the dots show their ranking at the time of the search. A dot with a 1 means they were the top result, while a dot with 20+ indicates they aren't even showing up. In April (and May, though the scan was run in April), they barely appeared anywhere. Today, they’re in the Top 10 across much of their target area. With some focused efforts on building out localized content for the north side of this map, they should be able to dominate the entire region. animalcontrolmarketing.com

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Great storytelling isn’t just for authors—it’s the backbone of powerful marketing. Kurt Vonnegut’s timeless insights on story shapes remind us that the universal appeal of narratives lies in their structure and ability to evoke emotion. Whether it’s “someone gets into trouble and gets out of it again” or another classic transformation arc, these patterns resonate deeply with audiences. As marketers, mastering the art of storytelling enables us to shape brand narratives that captivate, connect, and drive action. After all, every brand has a story to tell—how will you shape yours? #Storytelling #MarketingStrategy #BrandNarrative

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Local news is borrowing from corporate playbooks to survive. For all of us who care about informed communities, local news is THE backbone of civic engagement and decision making. But as regional and community newsrooms face crisis after crisis, they’re taking a page from corporate change playbooks to rethink their role and find a way forward. Andrew Morse, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution president and publisher (and former CNN exec), is leading this shift with a big vision and a $150 million plan to transform local journalism (highly recommend giving this NPR piece a read for more - great reporting Dave Folkenflik). What really stood out to me is how the AJC is pulling from the same playbook that big companies use when they’re facing tough times. It’s a clear sign that no one - no matter how established - is safe from the storm of uncertainty. And a good reminder that smart, honest communication and a strong game plan are essential for anyone trying to lead their mission/org through the unknown. Recognize any of these plays? 1. Front-Line Leadership: Morse is leading daily news sessions with Editor-in-Chief Leroy Chapman Jr. He's written front-page editorials sharing his vision with readers. Employees say he regularly attends company softball games. He has met ALL 400 employees in small groups and dinners. Talk about a personal touch. Chapman puts it simply: “Change and the commitment to change really comes from hands-on [involvement], day to day, moment to moment.” We're seeing this called out in many other transformations from Airbnb to Boeing: you can’t lead meaningful change from a distance. Being present builds trust and confidence. 2. Being Honest About the Problems: Morse is crystal clear about the tough realities: “The ad marketplace has been hollowed out by Google and Facebook. We know that news deserts have emerged throughout much of the country." Leaders who call out the problems head-on lay the groundwork for genuine, real solutions. Sugar-coating the story just delays the inevitable and solves nothing. 3. Building an Irresistible Vision for the Future: Morse is clear-eyed about the dot on the horizon he wanted people to march toward: "I did not come here to manage decline. Instead of reading story after story about the futility of this, why don't we grasp onto notions of, 'How do we build for the future?' We've set a vision to be able to transform the AJC from this storied 155-year-old organization into a modern media company.'" Talk about using the past and the future to drive the present. People rally around a vision that’s exciting and authentic. Show them the future you’re building, and more often than not, they’ll want to be part of it. Examples like this one remind us that no one is immune to change. But it's HOW we approach change that truly makes the difference. https://lnkd.in/g3h99swx #media #localnews #changemanagement #pr

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#associations A Cautionary Tale from the romance writing industry illustrating Halmyre's Four Barriers to Association Growth. This, all the while Romance remains the #1 category of fiction, growing and now commanding over $1.44B in sales (just books, not even movies and tv!) So here we have a powerful, thriving and popular profession and an association that was in decline. Some lessons to take-away: - Don't let the voices of a few - in what Halmyre calls "The Board Bubble" -distract you from the true Voice of the Member - Stay focussed on delivering value to all members - and listen closely to those walking out the door. Believe it or not they will tell you how to stay resilient - Diversify your revenue model and ensure resiliency with a solid pricing model - Convene disperate voices, but watch making issues that are not essential to value overly important Is your association vulnerable to one of these growth traps? Drop me a line, I'm intersted.

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Great media interviews can mean the difference between a book that flies off the shelves and one that languishes in obscurity. We work closely with authors to develop message points that resonate with readers and that position the book for maximum media exposure. Learn more at www.wesmanpr.com. #bookpromotion #bookmarketing #authors #bookpublishing #messagepoints #mediainterviews

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The series X-Men '97 is really something different, and I think we can all feel it. There's something rare and powerful when the Disney cartoon about gifted outcasts, chosen families, and dangerous applications of AI starts to feel less like an allegory and more like direct, timely social commentary on the world around us. And when fiction about the struggles of marginalized people welcomes us to consider the exaggerated, expanded elements of human possibility, how can we use those elements to inspire and guide innovators in creating a better, more inclusive world? Let's talk "X-Men '97: Sci-Fi Blueprints for Queer Liberation" at SXSW 2025 to find out. Our proposed #SXSW panel includes: JP Karliak the voice actor who plays Morph on the series; Co-founder, Koppa (the LGBTQI+ Economic Power Lab) Fabrice C Houdart. . If selected, we'll explore what the show is teaching viewers about their roles in the conflict for equality, considering the power of fiction as an educational tool. And we’ll discern how leaders of tomorrow draw inspiration from fictional narratives for guidance on how to imagine a better world – and inform how it's built. https://lnkd.in/g9qYp97X   Anyone can sign up for a SXSW ID account and vote for sessions they find interesting. Public voting runs through August 18th and plays a crucial role in determining 2025 programming. Thanks for your vote for this discussion about how we can find new inspiration to imagine better queer futures.

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If you're interested in #attention and how to make the best use of it, check the this guide from WARC 👇🏾

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Reader Review: “The most attractive thing about this book is that Ed lived with branding for 35 years in the greatest branding company, P&G. That experience makes him a real expert.” https://lnkd.in/g5XAksHD

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