Planning for TODAY Show’s 60th Business Anniversary Began on 59th Business Anniversary

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Pauline Bartel

TODAY debuted on January 14, 1952 with television host Dave Garroway. Sixty years later, viewers still tune to this popular news-and-information morning show to discover what has happened in the world since they went to bed the night before.

On January 14, 2011, TODAY began a countdown to its 60th business anniversary. The show posted a request on its website (www.todayshow.com), asking viewers to submit their favorite memories of TODAY, which would guide the show’s preparations for its 60th business anniversary.

Kudos to TODAY for investing a year in planning its milestone business anniversary! TODAY recognized that a 60th business anniversary happens only once in a business lifetime and that the celebration of a milestone business anniversary requires at least 12 months of strategic planning.

TODAY’s 60th business anniversary festivities spanned the week of January 9, 2012 and culminated on January 13, 2012 with a star-studded celebration that included:

  • Illuminating the Empire State Building with TODAY’s colors of red, orange and yellow. This was the first time in history that the iconic New York City skyscraper was illuminated to honor a television show. Also glowing with TODAY’s colors were the Falls at Niagara Falls, the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas and the Sears Center in Philadelphia.
  • Flying the Goodyear Blimp over the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles with a “Happy 60th TODAY” display message.
  • Broadcasting a message of congratulations from President and Mrs. Barack Obama.
  • Receiving from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg an official proclamation, designating January 13, 2012 at “TODAY Show Day.”
  • Reuniting former hosts Hugh Downs, Barbara Walters, Jim Hartz, Meredith Vieira, Katie Couric, Tom Brokaw, Jane Pauley, Bryant Gumbel and Deborah Norville.
  • Examining the role women hosts played through TODAY’s history; remembering the triumphant and the tragic events TODAY covered during six decades; exploring the legacy of TODAY on its 60th business anniversary.
  • Having actor Tom Hanks present a six-layer business anniversary cake decorated with “60 TODAY” and offering a champagne toast.

This 60th business anniversary celebration can inspire companies that will reach a milestone business anniversary in 2013. Transform your business anniversary into a “sell”-abration. Don’t squander the promotional opportunities a business anniversary offers. Take the time to plan your business anniversary “sell”-abration; in fact, start your planning for 2013 TODAY.

Happy 60th business anniversary, TODAY show!

 

 

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Chamber’s 45th Business Anniversary Drives Membership Engagement

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Pauline Bartel

Photo is courtesy of Rod Bacon.

January 2012 marked the launch of The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County’s 45th business anniversary promotional campaign. The theme that Bartel Communications created — “Your Chamber: Celebrating 45 Years as Your Destination for Success” — and the initial business anniversary promotional campaign activities have already driven increased membership engagement. Among those activities were:

  • Kick-off of The Chamber’s 45th business anniversary at the January 2012 networking mixer held at the Hilton Garden Inn (www.HiltonGardenInn.com) in Clifton Park, NY
  • Debut of The Chamber’s 45th business anniversary 2012 calendar, featuring dazzling photographs of Saratoga County by Mark Morand of Mainframe Photography (www.mpiphoto.com)
  • Countdown to the “Every 45 Days” prize promotion. Beginning on February 14 and for every 45 days thereafter during 2012, member businesses will offer special, one-day promotions that are available only to Chamber members on the designated days (i.e., February 14, March 30, May 14, June 27, August 10, September 25, November 9 and December 24).
  • Introduction of the “Passport to Success” points contest that allows Chamber members to earn reward points for attending and bringing guests to events, participating in the “Every 45 Days” prize promotion, sponsoring Chamber events, etc.
  • Display of The Chamber’s billboard for three weeks on Route 9, south of Ushers Road in Clifton Park, resulting in an estimated 124,968 total “eye on” views, according to the billboard’s sponsor Lamar Advertising Company (www.lamar.com)
  • Coverage of The Chamber’s new Board of Directors and the 45th business anniversary by the local media.

How well did these initial 45th business anniversary promotional campaign activities drive membership engagement? The Chamber’s statistics show:

  • 41% increased attendance at the January 2012 Chamber mixer over the January 2011 mixer
  • 275% increased attendance at the January 2012 educational event over the January 2011 educational event
  • 4% increased total members in January 2012 over January 2011.

As the business anniversary consultant guiding The Chamber’s 45th business anniversary promotional campaign, all I can say is: “We ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”

Visit The Chamber’s website (www.SouthernSaratoga.org) for the upcoming events that “sell”-abrate The Chamber’s 45th business anniversary year.

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From Sharp Minds Come Sharp Business Anniversary Planning

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Pauline Bartel

In 1912, Tokuji Hayakawa’s invention of a snap belt buckle that required no holes for fastening marked the beginning of Osaka-based Sharp Corporation. A century later this global company remains “dedicated to improving lives through the  use of advanced technology and a commitment to innovation, quality, value and design.”

The sharp minds at Sharp believe in advanced planning, as evidenced by the January 1, 2012 launch of the company’s 100th business anniversary promotional campaign. Among the promotional elements are:

  • A 100th Business Anniversary Logo. This specially designed logo appears in television commercials, newspaper and other print advertisements, websites, product catalogs, internal and external publications, presentation materials and business cards. The 100th business anniversary logo will be used through December 31, 2012.
  • Updated Website. The company’s website has been refreshed with a new design and layout for easier navigating and searching. A 100th business anniversary section details Sharp’s history, the life story of the company’s founder and fascinating chronicles about many of Sharp’s unique products. The website will be updated throughout 2012 with 100th business anniversary news and information.
  • Centennial Events. Sharp has planned 100th business anniversary events that will be rolled out as 2012 rolls on.

Congratulations to Sharp on its 100th business anniversary! Congratulations, too, on using your sharp minds to plan your centennial business anniversary ahead of time! As a result, you have a whole year to SELL-abrate!

 

 

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Which Business Anniversary Will Your Company SELL-abrate In 2012?

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Pauline Bartel

Here’s a cause for celebration in 2012 — your company’s business anniversary!

Whether your company is approaching a milestone year (one ending in 0 or 5) or an in-between year, celebrating your business anniversary with a promotional campaign is like throwing an anniversary party and getting some fabulous gifts:

  • New Outreach Opportunities. Celebrating a business anniversary demonstrates to customers and prospects that, while others have come and gone, your company has flourished. You’ll win recognition for your accomplishments and spread awareness of your products and services.
  • Stronger Key Relationships. Employees, customers and others have made your success possible. An anniversary is a perfect occasion to acknowledge those contributions. You’ll stimulate a sense of pride in your supporters for what they’ve helped you achieve and reinforce their roles as advocates for your company.
  • Competitive Marketplace Advantage. Celebrating your business anniversary trumps your competitors. Some may not even realize how long they’ve been in business; others may not recognize a business anniversary’s marketing potential. You’ll bring attention to your company, stay in the spotlight throughout the year and gain competitive marketplace advantage — vital in tough economic times.

As a result, your business anniversary becomes a “sell”-abration, contributing directly to your company’s future success.

Kick off the celebration of your business anniversary with your first gift — free business anniversary ideas for planning your promotion from Bartel Communications, Inc., the business anniversary experts.

Download these free resources from the home page of our website (www.paulinebartel.com) to get started:

The brochure “The Bartel Years(TM)” is a roster of business anniversary symbols for a century of “sell”-abrations. Use these symbols to inspire an array of business anniversary ideas for promotional campaigns.

The Special Report “The Top 10 Business Anniversary Ideas For SELL-abrating Your Business Anniversary” is filled with business anniversary ideas for promotional campaigns directed to customers, prospects, employees and the community. Pick one or two business anniversary ideas, add your own creativity and you’ll be “sell”-abrating in no time.

Congratulations on your company’s business anniversary in 2012! May the ”sell”-abrations begin!

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Salt & Pepper: Symbol of the 14th Business Anniversary

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Pauline Bartel

Salt and pepper is the symbol of the 14th business anniversary, according to “The Bartel Years(TM),” the roster of business anniversary symbols for a company’s first 100 years of success.

An essential mineral for human life, salt or sodium chloride has been used for millennia to preserve or to season food. This crystalline compound was once considered so valuable that Roman soldiers received their wages in salt. In fact, the Latin word for salt — salarium — is the origin of the word “salary.” Salt is produced by evaporating seawater or by mining rock deposits, and salt production is one of the world’s oldest chemical industries.

For black pepper, berries from the pepper plant are harvested and then dried. These dried fruits called peppercorns are ground into powdered pepper, which has been used throughout history as a seasoning. Highly prized as a trade item, peppercorns were once used as a form of commodity currency. In fact, the term “peppercorn” still exists today as a metaphor in contract law. A peppercorn is a nominal amount — such as a dollar — that one party gives to another in order to create a legally binding agreement. 

The commercial connotations of salt and pepper were the inspirations for including this culinary couple in “The Bartel Years(TM)” at the Number 14 spot.

This year marks the 14th business anniversary of Bartel Communications. For our business anniversary community service project, we donated canned goods plus containers of salt and tins of pepper to the food pantries in the village of Waterford, NY, where Bartel Communications is located.

Cans of vegetables, beef stew and tuna fish will satisfy the basic needs of hungry area families. We included the salt and pepper to remind recipients that life is always better with a little seasoning.

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The Sapphire: Symbol of the 45th Business Anniversary

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Pauline Bartel

The sapphire is the symbol of the 45th business anniversary, according to “The Bartel Years(TM),” the roster of business anniversary symbols for a company’s first 100 years of success.

Second in hardness only to the diamond, the sapphire has been considered since ancient times a symbol of longevity and endurance. Tradition also ascribes to the sapphire the qualities of candor, faithfulness, sincerity and truth. The star sapphire is known as the “Stone of Destiny” because travelers believed the gemstone would bring good luck on journeys.

This latter association inspired me in creating the branding message for the 45th business anniversary that The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County will celebrate in 2012:

“Your Chamber: Celebrating 45 Years as Your Destination for Success”

The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County has long been the business destination for its members in the upstate New York region, and members who have taken advantage of The Chamber’s many business-development services have found success.

The Chamber’s 45th business anniversary promotional campaign will feature graphic images of compass, map and GPS to represent the “Destination” theme and the color sapphire blue to reflect the 45th business anniversary symbol. Plans for the 45th business anniversary promotional campaign so far include:

  • A Chamber billboard with a GPS graphic to be displayed on Route 9 in Clifton Park, NY, the town in which the Chamber is headquartered
  • Sapphire-and-silver color scheme for The Chamber’s 45th Anniversary Awards Dinner, including the debut of “The Sapphire,” a cocktail that blends champagne and blueberry syrup and features a blue-tinted, sugar-rim garnish. A ”mock-tail” version will also be available.
  • The 45th Anniversary Spring Classic Golf Tournament, featuring sapphire-and-silver tee signs and golf towels, sapphire golf balls and sapphire shirts for all golf tournament volunteers.

And you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

Businesses seeking success in southern Saratoga County have one clear destination: The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County (www.southernsaratoga.org). Happy 45th business anniversary in 2012!

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Marketing Partnerships: Give to Receive

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Pauline Bartel

At this season of giving, wise men and women business owners seeking to form great marketing partnerships are guided by a star principle: Give to receive. A backstory from my firm, Bartel Communications, illustrates this point.

In 2007, we launched a new business anniversary consulting service. The Bartel Way(TM) uses integrated marketing and public relations strategies to position products and services within the context of celebrating a business anniversary. In short, this strategic system helps businesses transform anniversaries into “sell”-abrations.

We had transformed our own 10th business anniversary into a “sell”-abration with wondrous results:

  • New and repeat business
  • Strengthened key relationships
  • Competitive marketplace advantage

Wanting to bring those same results to other businesses, we needed a marketing partner with a broad reach into our target market. We found that partner in The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County, which was marking its 40th business anniversary.

Our gift to the Chamber was The Bartel Way(TM).

Bartel Communications led a team in planning, executing and publicizing the Chamber’s 40th business anniversary. The branding message — “Celebrating 40 Years of Passion, Endurance, Loyalty, Strength” — that we created was incorporated into aspects and activities of the Chamber’s milestone business anniversary year celebration. The results?

  • 35% increased attendance for the kick-off event, the 40th Anniversary Awards Dinner, and record attendance for other Chamber events during the anniversary year;
  • 158% increased sponsorship revenue and 58% increased total revenue for the 40th Anniversary Awards Dinner and increased event and sponsorship revenue for other Chamber events during the business anniversary year;
  • 1.5 million positive print and broadcast media impressions;
  • 4 industry awards, including two Awards of Merit from American Chamber of Commerce Executives and the 2008 Mark of Excellence Award from the American Marketing Association, representing the Chamber’s first-ever honors.

The Chamber’s 40th business anniversary campaign spotlighted our new business anniversary consulting service, positioned Bartel Communications as the business anniversary experts and earned the Chamber’s deep gratitude. As a result, the Chamber regularly refers member companies to us for business anniversary consulting services. 

Give to receive — the star principle of a great marketing partnership.

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Counting My Blessings Includes My Clients

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Pauline Bartel

Today, in writing out my Thanksgiving grocery list, I remembered to include all the ingredients for the traditional roast turkey dinner I’ll serve when my guests gather to count our blessings.

A month ago, in writing out my Thanksgiving card list, I remembered to include all the clients I serve throughout the year as a public relations, marketing and business anniversary consultant. Without those wonderful clients, my firm would be out of business. That’s true for any company.

The Thanksgiving cards I sent to my clients included handwritten notes, expressing appreciation for having worked with them this year, thanking them for their business and wishing them an abundance of success in the year ahead. The cards arrived today, and I’ve received lovely e-mails from clients, thanking me for thinking of them. One CEO even mentioned having put my card in a place of honor where all employees can read the greeting.

Have you thanked your clients or customers today? You still have time to send a personal e-mail to each in advance of our national day of giving thanks.

Think of all the blessings you enjoy because of the companies you are privileged to serve and then use every touch point during the year as an opportunity to say “Thank You!” Your clients or customers will feel appreciated; your value in their eyes will increase; and they will be grateful for you all year long because you make every day Thanksgiving Day.

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Happy Birthday to the Author of Gone with the Wind

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Pauline Bartel

November 8 marks the birthday of Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell, author of the much-loved 1936 novel Gone with the Wind (GWTW). Since Miss Mitchell was a private person who shunned the spotlight, avoided interviews and steered clear of public appearances following the publication of her book, I honor her by not revealing which anniversary of her birth GWTW fans commemorate this day. Instead, today, during GWTW‘s 75th anniversary year, I celebrate Miss Mitchell as an author and her novel as a phenomenon.

Here are some things you might not know about Miss Mitchell’s novel when Macmillan published the saga of Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler in 1936:

  • Macmillan’s spring 1936 catalog devoted a full page to announcing GWTW‘s debut.
  • A typographical error escaped the eyes of Macmillan’s catalog proofreaders. The catalog’s inside front cover referred to the book as Come with the Wind.
  • Macmillan initially placed a print order for 10,000 copies of GWTW and planned to release the novel formally on May 5, 1936.
  • The Book-of-the-Month Club named GWTW its feature selection for July 1936.
  • Because of the book-club sale, Macmillan delayed the formal release date for GWTW to June 30, 1936. The publisher still shipped copies of the novel to bookstores in May.
  • The prepublication price of GWTW was set at $2.75. But after considering typesetting and printing costs for the 1,037-page novel, Macmillan raised the publication price to $3.00.
  • Word-of-mouth news about GWTW accelerated the public’s demand for the new book. Macmillan ordered three subsequent printings during the month of June.
  • Before the official release date had even arrived, a total of 100,000 copies of GWTW were in print.
  • First-edition book collectors were confused! Copies of GWTW purchased at publication bore “Published in June” on the copyright page [there had been three printings in June], yet earlier copies carried “Published in May.” Collectors flooded Macmillan with requests for clarification. As a result, Macmillan was compelled to send out form letters explaining that copies of the novel with the May publication date were the real first editions.
  • Bookstores were unable to keep GWTW on the shelves or in their window displays. Proprietors complained that bookstore windows were broken and that thieves were making off with copies of the novel.
  • One month after publication, 201,000 copies of GWTW were in print. By September 1936, with 370,000 copies in print, GWTW was declared the fastest-selling book in history.
  • The one-millionth copy of GWTW was printed on December 15, 1936. Macmillan made this most significant volume a gift to Margaret Mitchell.
  • Seventy-five years after its publication, GWTW continues to sell approximately 250,000 copies each year.

Learn more about Miss Mitchell and her novel in my book The Complete GONE WITH THE WIND Trivia Book: The Movie & More (http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Gone-Wind-Trivia-Book/dp/0878336192/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320763087&sr=1-1).

Happy birthday, Miss Mitchell! Happy 75th anniversary to the timeless Gone with the Wind!

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Candy Corn: The Treat That Does the Trick for Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Pauline Bartel

Keep your fun-size chocolate bars. To me, nothing says Halloween more than a bowl brimming with candy corn.

According to candy connoisseurs, the tri-color confection was created in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Wunderle Candy Company. Today, America’s leading candy-corn maker is Brach’s Confections, Inc., which celebrates its 107th business anniversary this year.

The symbol of the 107th business anniversary, according to “The Bartel Years 200(TM),” is Passion. Passion for candy making propelled Brach’s Confections into its second century of success and inspired candy-corn variations for other holidays:

  • Indian Corn for Thanksgiving has a brown top, orange middle and white tip.
  • Reindeer Corn for Christmas has a red top, green middle and white tip.
  • Cupid Corn for Valentine’s Day has a red top, pink middle and white tip.

These varieties may be popular, but the National Confectioners Association gives the prize to Halloween as the #1 season for candy corn. The trick-or-treat holiday accounts for 75% of total candy-corn sales each year.

To Brach’s Confections, Inc., I wish a very sweet 107th business anniversary. Please keep the candy corn coming. It’s the treat that does the trick for Halloween this year and every year.

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