Brains on Fire

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  Brains on Fire gives thanks

  Posted on November 26th, 2008 by Spike and currently 11 commenting.

  For just about everything…

  And what random thing are you thankful for?

  Tags: Brains on Fire, Brandy Amidon, Carrie Woodward, Cathy Harrison, Greg Cordell, Greg Ramsey, Jack Welch, Joe Dannelly, Justin Gammon, Kathie Conway, Matt Geib, Matt Reese, Robbin Phillips, Slice of Life
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  Giving Thanks

  Posted on November 26th, 2008 by Justine and currently 0 commenting.

  I was going to write about the power of organizational purpose today, and never underestimating the value of alignment. But then I woke up and made the mistake (again) of watching the news. “Catastrophe”. “Disaster”. “Meltdown”. “Anxiety”. Just a few of the words that got thrown out within 5 minutes.

  So I decided instead that I was going to spend my few minutes this morning sharing some things that help me to put life in perspective.

  First off, for me nothing gives perspective like nature. My husband and I chose to move to Asheville for the mountains. And of all the mountains, I love the Appalachians the best. Not because they are the grandest, or the most awesome. The snowfall is laughable at best, at least down on this end, if you’re a serious skier. No… I love them exactly because they are old and worn. Because these mountains used to be taller than the Himalayas. And they have endured and weathered century after century. Because you can look out and see ridge line after ridge line. And that makes me feel small. And reminds me that no matter what happens, or how stupid people can be, Nature will endure.

  Second, and I say this as a scientist, I find solace in the fact that there are some things in life we will just never understand completely. As marketers we strive to predict consumer behavior. We spend millions on models for economic forecasting. We talk about branding as a science. But the simple truth is there is something magical about human behavior. Those emergent properties of “self” and “soul” that, even if you choose to believe are rooted in biology or physics, are certainly not able to be dissected. Inspiring people will always be more art than science.

  Third, I’m thankful for mess. That’s right. Messiness. Noise. Asymmetry. As a mother of two young children, embracing mess is pretty much a survival strategy. But it’s more than that. Without messiness there would be no life, no beauty, no creativity. Complete order is pathological. Did you know that the only time your heart beat is perfectly regular is just before you’re about to have a heart attack? That’s right, a normal, healthy heartbeat has noise, fluctuation. Life emerges at the intersection of chaos and order. So sometimes what we need to move forward, and find a better solution, is exactly the kind of volatility we are in right now.

  Lastly, and certainly not least, my family is healthy, I can take a hot shower every day, I have hot food to eat and a house with heat (& air conditioning). I have clothes I wear once a year – and a dozen pair of shoes that are designed for only one outfit. We have two cars, 4 car seats – so we don’t have to switch them, a magical washing machine for our clothes, and our dishes…

  Alright I could go on, but you get the point.

  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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  Preach on, Brother Cordell!

  Posted on November 25th, 2008 by Robbin and currently 2 commenting.

  Matthew Tennison took some amazing photos of Greg Cordell, our Chief Inspiration Officer as he inspired the AIGA Central PA chapter about word of mouth marketing movements. Check them out. He totally captured Greg’s spirit.

  Tags: brains on fire speaking, word of mouth marketing movments
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  Now that’s Loyalty.

  Posted on November 24th, 2008 by Justine and currently 18 commenting.

  My father often jokes with my brother, sister and I about how the best thing we’ll inherit is a membership in USAA. Those of you who read our blog fairly regularly have seen Spike (a fellow USAA member) post on them a couple times. But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share my love today. We’ve been thinking a lot about loyalty lately, and when I asked myself what company I was truly loyal to, there was only one name that I could honestly list – USAA.

  So then I asked myself why? Why am I so loyal to these guys? Why have I twice passed up slightly better rates to get financing through them instead of another bank? Completely irrational right?

  Well first off loyalty should be irrational. It should signify that you have such a strong relationship with a brand or company that you’re willing to overlook the occasional snafu. And a competitor that can offer you a better rate. In fact I would argue that price is hardly ever enough to create that strong of an emotional connection in the brain.

  So what rewards are strong enough? My personal opinion is that too many companies fail to truly understand the concept of a reward, at least as far as the brain is concerned. Points that get you $5 off after spending $1000? – seriously that just isn’t significant enough for my brain to equate a state of pleasantness with shopping at your store.

  What is significant enough is being treated like a person. Every time I call USAA I get a REAL PERSON on the line. Amazing in an era of customer no-service. And, get this. When I enter my account #, the person ACTUALLY knows it when we start talking. He or she does not ask me to give it to them again. They can actually see all my account information in front of them. And they can and do stay on the phone as long as I need them – always friendly, always helpful. If they can’t resolve something, they talk to somebody who can. Sometimes they even give me their personal line and email. And if they say they’ll call me back with an answer, they ALWAYS do.

  This experience goes farther to creating loyalty than any points-based program can do. My brain learns, through repeatedly excellent service, to equate USAA with help, advice, and friendly people. That builds trust and confidence. THAT is a reward. Knowing that they will always be there – not having to worry about my house, or car – THAT is a reward.

  Just to show that I’m serious – here’s a list of everything I do with USAA: car loan, car insurance, home mortgage, home insurance, retirement accounts, investments, credit card, checking account, savings account

  In fact – the one program I really don’t even pay attention to? Their points-based “loyalty” program on their credit card. Ironic, huh.

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  Fire Cam – NoShavember

  Posted on November 22nd, 2008 by Spike and currently 3 commenting.

  God help us.

  Tags: Brains on Fire, Eric Dodds, Eric Whitlock, Greg Cordell, Greg Ramsey, Joe Dannelly, Matt Geib, Slice of Life