11 Reasons Why I am Thankful for Thanksgiving

Senior year of high school, I could not wait to leave for college. Senior year of college, I can't wait to go home. As much as I have loved my time at the University of Georgia, I have grown to cherish the rare times I get to go back to my northern roots in Ohio. Especially for us out-of-staters, the week of Thanksgiving brings a lot to be thankful for.  

1. Nothing tops Northern Fall.

Nothing. November is absolutely beautiful up there. Until the winter blizzards and below-freezing weather hits for three months - then I am eternally grateful to go back south. 

2. My dog. 

One of the worst parts about leaving for college is the fact that I can only see my dog four times a year. You can't text your dog like you can text your parents (even if your parents are extremely sub-par texters). Therefore, I am prompted to make the most out of our short time. Unfortunately for Bailey, that involves dressing up. 

3. Rooting on your hometown team with people that actually care.

I have run into a grand total of 2 fellow Cincinnati Bengals fans in the south. I have to go to extreme and creative measures in order to get friends to watch the games with me, so nothing is more refreshing than going out to watch at home with true (and willing) fans. Who knew the sound of old men slamming their fists and beers would be so comforting? Who dey. 

4. The local Turkey Trot

Because you are secretly dying to know which of your high school friends are still in shape enough to complete this annual run. 

5. Realizing just how small your town is.

You would think that after leaving town for 4 years, you lose track of the people still there. Not the case. I can't go anywhere without running into an old teacher, classmate, friend's parent, etc. There is something nostalgic and heartwarming about reconnecting with the ones who have known you since childhood. The longer I am away, the smaller it seems to get. 

6. The Mirror Lake Jump

Which I am still yet to complete, but promise myself each year that this is the year. Perhaps the most insane college tradition (regardless of snow or below-freezing temperatures, thousands of college kids WILL jump), but what else can be expected from a rivalry as rich as Ohio State v. Michigan?

7. Old friends are the dearest friends.

The biggest downfall of attending an SEC school is the awful separation from my hometown friends... the friends I have had since sixth grade who will remain my best friends for the rest of my life. Distance genuinely sucks, but it has made me realize how special they are. When I come back for break, it's as if nothing has changed at all, and we can carry on right where we left off.

8. Sleeping in your Childhood Bed

Nostalgia at an all time high. Waking up in your childhood home is a warm feeling, especially when parents are there to provide coffee, eggs, and pancakes. 

9. Black Friday Shopping 

I fall into the category of the crazy souls that wake up at an ungodly hour to participate in Black Friday. I knowingly put myself at risk, (Fact: more people die from Black Friday shopping than from shark attacks) but I do it for tradition instead the deals. My mom and I have gone every year since I was in middle school. The event has created a bonding experience over the past 9 years that no one except my mother and I can share. 

Plus I usually manage to get a few pairs of shoes each year...don't mind that.

10. Family 

If there has been anything in my life I have taken for granted, it has been my family. After years of teenage bickering and (frankly) being a diva, I have grown to realize how awesome and supportive they have been this whole time. I have even grown to love their company (which is a far stride away from the girl who wouldn't take them out in public). This gratitude extends from my immediate family out to all of my grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts. There is nothing more special than sharing life and a meal with them. 

11. Feasts on feasts. 

No commentary needed, but duh.

8 Signs You were Born a Runner

I never considered myself a "runner" until I joined the school track team in 7th grade. Up until that point, I was a soccer player. That's what I was born to be and that's what I would be. If you ask any other collegiate runner how they got into running, few would tell you that running was their main sport growing up. My guess is that 85% of us are transfers. We come from all kinds of diverse backgrounds - soccer, basketball, cheerleading, tennis, softball, swimming. One of my training partners is even an ex-ballerina. (Then there are the other 15%...so uncoordinated that running was really their only option to begin with.)

I find it fascinating that so many of us just "fell into running." How does this transition happen? There are several red flags that reveal you might just be a runner:

1. Symptoms develop at a Young Age.  
I surprised a lot of people, including myself, when I started breaking records. Not my neighbors. Supposedly, they had their suspicions since I was in 1st grade. I will start off by saying that I have never been a morning person. I learned to snooze my alarm at a very young age, and as a result, mornings before school were complete chaos. From my window, I could see when the school bus would roll up to the stop, a little under 50m away from my house. Unlike the rest of the kids patiently waiting, I went into a 30-second panic mode in order to get down the stairs, grab my lunch, and flat-out sprint to catch the bus. This happened often enough that my neighbors took notice and would jokingly time me. To this day, they claim that my success in running started from bus stop sprints. Six years old, red flag number 1. 

2. You actually looked forward to the gym class mile.
Secretly, of course.

3. And therefore, you are part of the minority group that "enjoys" running.
Whenever "going on a run" is brought up in casual conversation, the most common responses are along the lines of "Gross.", "Why?" or, "No thank you, but absolutely not." If you respond any differently, you might be a runner.


4. You are known as "fast girl" (or boy) in your sport. 
In my soccer career, opposing coaches never vocally respected my jersey number or footwork or passing abilities. Instead, my identity was "fast girl." Coach after coach would yell to their players to "Mark the fast girl!" When your speed takes emphasis over your skills, red flag that you might be a runner.

5. Freakishly competitive nature, no matter what the competition entitles.
Competitive nature and racing go hand-in-hand. Many successful runners are not just competitive on the track, but also with the ridiculously random tasks in life. I remember my 2nd grade class held a competition that whoever read the most books was dubbed the "Star Reader." I doubt I read a single book that whole year, but all of a sudden I was knocking out three or four entry-level books a night (competitive nerd). When I realized my classmate Matt was still ahead of me, I upped my game and the daily question each morning became, "how many books did you read last night??" It got to the point where the teacher had to set a limit. Whether it is book-reading, eating competitions (I have talked a lot of game about completing the Fudruckers 3-pound burger challenge...success pending), push-up records or keg-stand records, the challenge will almost always be accepted. 


6. You love to prove people wrong. 
Some spectators like to believe they know everything when it comes to sports. Especially when they do not, and especially when they are on the internet. In high school, I acquired my first anonymous internet hater. This person would create very snarky weekly posts on Ohio's high school running forums. The common theme was that I was a mediocre high school runner, choked in big races, would never amount to anything in life, etc. I honestly can't think of  a soul (besides my mother) that would actually read these forums, but I got a kick out of it. The year the posts started was the first year I won a state championship...coincidence?

7. You are driven by setting and breaking goals.
Running is an individually-motivated sport, so being goal-oriented is key. There is no better feeling than setting the bar high and crashing through it. 

8. You can't stop. 
Sometimes during a long season, nothing sounds more appealing than a week free from two-a-day workouts and ability to sleep in. A shared fantasy among the running community is to "quit running forever, eat lots of fast food, get fat and happy." However, whenever I am actually on a break, I don't know what to do with myself. I'm left with too much energy, no outlet, and a 2-day span before I crave going on a run. If you don't consider yourself a runner yet, be careful before starting the habit. Studies have literally proven that running is additive. 


My parents have never logged a mile in their life. There is no genetic requirement, no expensive lessons, no fancy equipment required. All a runner needs is a goal, the drive to reach it, and a pair of running shoes. 

Remember what l told you about the selfie era?

A very special guest will be present at tonight's AFC North matchup between the Bengals and Browns...

The proclaimed selfie queen, Leah Still. I discussed her story a few weeks ago, and support continues to flood in. 

I am so touched to see the NFL continue to back Leah and change the lives of children all across the country as they fight against cancer. 

Tonight's game is dubbed "The Battle of Ohio," but this little girl represents a greater victory than a win of any football game. 

Fans, cheerleaders, football players, and the opposing teams can rally behind Leah and what she represents: hope and love. What better way to channel these virtues than a selfie? This is one the four-year-old will surely frame.

Last week, I mentioned that selfies were not quality photos. They just aren't. There is rarely artistic value. However, it is the quality of the people in the photo that really matters. Following the lead of the #SelfieQueen, the NFL is still #LeahStrong. 

On that note, let's go Bengals.      

The era of Selfie Marketing is here to stay

We are diving head first into the era of selfies. The selfie phenomenon has taken the younger generations by storm, but older populations are taking part of the movement, too. The rise of Instagram has created the perfect platform for selfie placement. 

Who can Participate?

Anyone with a camera-phone. 

-Younger Generations: 

Pre-teens and teenagers love their selfies. They are the biggest drivers of this movement. These kids either love to show off their braces, or crave peer engagement but have nothing better to take a picture of.

-Baddie Winkle: 

Baddie Winkle has defied age boundaries. She has been dubbed "World's Coolest Grandma," and her fame has stemmed purely from hilarious selfie content. Her selfies have paved the way to 355k Instagram followers and appearances on ABC News and Australia's Today Show.

-Celebrities: 

As crazy as Miley Cyrus might be, she knows how to reach her fan base. At concerts, she takes a break from her performance to pose and snap a selfie with fans in the crowd. Later, she posts them on her Instagram and Twitter accounts. This is an easy, yet highly effective way for her to connect. 

-Rising Techno Stars? 

I am unsure if "The Chainsmokers" group actually qualifies as techno stars. As annoying and catchy as their single, "#Selfie," has proven to be, it was played on all the mainstream radio stations and made its way into the 16th position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

What's the draw? 

The truth: Selfies are rarely quality pictures. They are not artistic or significant. They clog Instagram timelines, and will often lead to an "unfollow" if an individual posts too many. 

HOWEVER. There are several striking features to the art of a selfie. 

1- Convenience. 

No need to pester and recruit a stranger off the street to become your personal photographer. 

2- Bonding Aspect. 

I once fit 11 people into one selfie. In that context, selfie-taking became an "event" as a crew squeezed together to fit into the shot.

3- Individual Expression

There has been a spur of creativity in the selfie realm. The "donut selife" is a recent trend. 

Business Value? 

High potential. Individualism and consumer customization is the buzz in the marketing world. Dove's "True Beauty" and Coca Cola's "Share a Coke" campaigns have shown major success because of the emphasis on the individual consumer. The selfie, the ultimate form of individual expression, should be integrated into the content mix of a company's social media strategy. 

The NFL has a Soft Spot, too

Over the past year, there has been an appalling amount of negative limelight surrounding the NFL. The Ray Rice domestic abuse scandal dominated the news in September after TMZ publicly released a video of him slugging his then-fiance. That same month, the Viking's star running back, Adrian Peterson, was reprimanded for beating his four-year-old son with a tree branch until he was bloodied and bruised. These stories are shocking to hear, but unfortunately, are not uncommon within the NFL community. Player arrests, failed drug tests, and lawsuits make headlines frequently.

Adrian Peterson mugshot & son's scars

A new story has developed over the current pro-season, gathering explosive awareness and support since August. This story stands out. It does not have any association with violence, law-breaking, or abuse. This story means more than a 60-minute football game, and more than a win or a loss. This story is about a father, his four-year-old daughter, and a national effort to fight for her life. 

Leah Still was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer, in June. In late September, she underwent almost six hours of her fifth surgery to remove the tumor. Fortunately for Leah, her father is the defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals...and he brought the entire NFL to her side. 

The Bengals franchise and fans have shown overwhelming care for Devon and Leah since her diagnosis. The team gave him permission to take as many paid absences as he needed, then went above and beyond to support their player by spreading national awareness. The franchise posted his story on the team's official website and spread the word through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

It wasn't long before Leah's campaign went viral. The Bengal's marketing department created the hashtag #LeahStrong, which has been trending on Facebook and Twitter over last two months. After her surgery went well, the campaign continued with the hash-tag #StillStrong to further create awareness and funding for cancer research.

Major news sources took hold of the story. ESPN, The Today Show, Fox News, and The Ellen Show were just a few mainstream outlets that had something to say. 

In response to the awareness generated, millions of dollars of donations have poured in from across the country for pediatric cancer care centers and research initiatives. Support has come from an array of unlikely sources. The New England Patriot's Cheerleaders all wore Still's jersey during their game against the Bengals on October 19th. Ellen DeGeneres donated $10,000 for cancer research. The Indianapolis Colts franchise matched her $10,000 contribution. Devon's jersey sales have exceeded $1.2 million, and the revenue will be donated back to support Leah's cause.



With all the scandals saturating NFL news, this story gives the league a refreshing new light. It allows the league to become more than just the touchdowns, million dollar contracts, and Sunday night entertainment. This story places family, community, support, and love at the forefront of the entire NFL.   

5 Things the Road to Success is NOT

My experience as a University of Georgia cross country and mile runner has shaped my character in more ways than I can count. Like the majority of athletes, I have always been driven to reach success. However, my definition of success has dramatically transformed over my past three years at UGA. Through victory, defeat, heartbreak, and breakthroughs, my road to success has been an evolving journey, and it will continue to be that way. 

For an outsider looking in on my track career, it might appear that my path has always been full of blue skies and podium appearances. They might be surprised to hear the real story behind the medals, and I have been even more surprised to discover that the road to the medals has not been exactly what I envisioned it would be.   

5 Things the Road to Success is NOT:

1. A STRAIGHT SHOT DOWN THE HIGHWAY

There are those perfect times when the journey is like a road-trip with your friends: windows down, perfect weather, great music, clear roads. 

Anyone who has driven through Atlanta at rush-hour knows that this is not always the case. You will get stuck in traffic. You will get bored with the drive, and wonder if the destination is really worth all the trouble? You will get lost. You will get back on the right track, then wind up lost again. You will hit an occasional pothole that slows you down, or get involved in a serious accident that changes your destination completely. 

I have fallen in races. I broke my foot the week of the SEC championships. I have been slowed down by anemia, mono, strep, food poisoning, the swine flu, the regular flu, strep again. You name it. I have been disqualified. I missed qualifying for a national championship by less than half a second. Twice. The truth? As rough as all of these experiences were at the time, I am thankful for those struggles and potholes. They make the victories and clear roads sweeter. 

2. CONSISTENT 

Coming out of high school with list of accolades, including a state championship title, I assumed that my triumphs would carry over into immediate collegiate success. I was wrong. I ran slower times in my freshman year of college than I ran during my freshman year of high school. By the time the SEC cross country championships rolled around, I felt so weak that I could not physically finish the race. I was confused and humiliated with my performance. I later learned that I had become severely anemic, and learned a bigger lesson that the road to success has its peaks and dips. I was clearly in a dip, but I had a choice. I decided to let go of my embarrassment, overloaded on my intake of iron, and get back into training with a new fire (and raised hemoglobin levels). At the SEC championships one year later, I had the best race to that point of my career and captured a 4th place podium finish. 

No matter how consistent I am with my diet and supplements, I can still get sick. No matter how consistently I see the trainers, I can still get injured. In the unpredictable world of track & field, the only thing I have complete control over is my attitude and behavior. Although the road to success is not consistent, attitude and work ethic SHOULD be.

3. EASY

You've heard the phrase, "If it were easy, everyone would do it." Cliche? Yes. Overused? Yes. True? Yes. I've been knocked down more times than I can count. I've accumulated a leg full of spike scars. I've woken up before the sun comes out every day to get my miles in before class. The road to success can be lonely. If you are the very best, you might look around and notice that few others have hiked to the same "above and beyond" level. It's all fun and games until you reach that point in the race where you can't tell which burns worse - your lungs or your legs - and it takes all of your strength not to collapse before the finish line. In my case, going that extra mile is not just a metaphorical phrase, and it makes all the difference.

4. GLAMOROUS 

My freshman year at Georgia, I was nothing more than a mediocre college runner. My goals were mediocre, my work ethic was mediocre, and as a result, my performance was mediocre. I looked at the girls grabbing the top spots at NCAA meets like they were a foreign breed of humanity. In my head, they did not put in the hard work; they were simply born fast. In my head, I did not think racing was painful for them. I did not think they had to give anything up to reach that level. They lived in a perfect world of speed, glamour, and awards. 

One year and 14 seconds shaved off my mile PR later, I found out that I was completely wrong about those girls. I had worked my way to the "All-American" status that I had previously gawked at, but realized it required all of my mental and physical strength, plus some. Unfortunately, races never became any less painful. In fact, they hurt like hell. I traveled to compete almost every weekend, so my "glamourous" Friday nights were replaced with carb-ing up on pasta dinners and watching HGTV in a hotel room before calling it a night at 9:00pm. When I was actually in town, numerous tears were shed walking around UGA's hilly campus after grueling workouts. 

The awards are glamorous. Getting there is not. 

(Completely worth it though).

5. ENDING

The road to success will never end. You might reach your goal. You might exceed your goal. What does that mean? Time to go find yourself a new goal. 

I have learned that the road to success is not always what it appears to be from the outside, but the journey itself makes it worthwhile. 

Best (and Worst) Ways to Handle the Junior Job Crisis

Junior year.


That phrase alone sends chills down my spine. Common knowledge states that junior year is the toughest year in high school and college, and from personal experience, I have found this to be true.

During junior year of high school, "college" finally becomes a tangible place, and application deadlines approach fast. Choosing a college is Life Changing Decision #1. (For any UGA Marketing 4450 student reading this post, congrats! You have passed this phase and correctly chosen to attend the best university in the country. Go Dawgs.)

Life Changing Decision #2 brings higher stakes to the table. At this point in your life, you have selected a college. Fallen in love with the college. Finally know your way around the college's bus system. Comfort with college life is usually established by the time junior year rolls around, but it is quickly replaced with sheer panic and a new question:

What in the world are you going to do after school? 

Professors ask. Academic counselors ask. Parents ask (daily). Even your hometown dentist asks. What in the world are you going to do?

As this question resonates and you realize that college will, unfortunately, end one day, there are several essential ways to prepare during junior year. That being said, there are also several junior year mistakes to avoid.

1. Resume Building
Worst Ways:
You realize your resume has not been updated in over a year. Or perhaps, (gasp), you don't have a resume. You immediately sign up for every club on campus - regardless of whether it applies to your major or whether you enjoy it. You are now a part of eight different organizations with ten meetings a week. Oh! And you just saw a flyer advertising the school's new Lip Syncing club. Performances at the nursing home every month, so if you attend just one meeting, that will really prove to employers that you are well rounded and devoted to the greater good of society!

…Do NOT do this. Unless you are genuinely passionate about Lip Synching, there is no need to wear yourself thin so you can write down "one more thing" on your resume. There is a difference between being well-rounded and being an apathetic member of eight random clubs.

Best Ways:
Get out of your comfort zone, but don't force anything that is not the right fit. Involvement is great when passion is present. If you might be interested in a club on campus, get off the couch and go to the first meeting! Give it a genuine try, and if the club turns out to be up your alley, get into a leadership position. Stick with quality experience over a large quantity of half-hearted bullshit.


2. Internships
Best Ways:
Internships have become the norm for college students and are especially emphasized for business majors. They can be a scary and foreign new realm, but they often segway into exciting professional opportunities and skills. Make a list of three companies you would absolutely love to intern for, start there, then research and apply for a secondary list of five or six positions. Dip your feet into potential internships with career fairs and keep your eye out for new postings.

Worst Ways:
Confession: I have never had an official internship. As a NCAA cross country and track athlete, I travel to compete year round with one month at most off of traveling. One month is clearly not enough time to complete an official internship. During my junior year, I panicked that I had no internship experience and a gap on my resume. As a result, I responded to over ten fall positions posted by a variety of companies, most of them headquartered in Atlanta. I received follow-up emails and interviews for several of the positions and came to the realization, "what the heck was I thinking?" I had absolutely zero time for a fall internship in Atlanta with cross country practices twice a day and twelve hours of class. Lesson learned: find a position that you are ACTUALLY AVAILABLE for. It is a commitment, so make sure that the position is valuable way to spend your time and that you, in turn, will bring value to the position.


3. Networking
Worst Ways:
At the first career fair I ever attended, I walked up to a recruiter for a company I had never heard of. As you can imagine, the interaction did not go well and I walked away feeling extremely unprepared. Do not blindly jump into networking. On the flip side, do not inappropriately hound down someone because of their status. I had a friend show up to a bible study and admitted "I am only here because I heard the Marketing Executive of XYZ company will be here. This is a perfect networking opportunity." No, that is extremely inappropriate timing. My friend proceeded to interrogate the executive about internship positions and pitch her qualifications. The executive was noticeably aggravated. If you are dressing business formal to a bible study that calls for jeans and a Tee, you are doing it wrong.

Best Ways: 
Be yourself. Be genuine. Be gracious. Do your research and show excitement in the company! If you can't express genuine excitement, then go network with a company where you can.

4. Exploring all Options 
Worst Ways: 
"I want a job with company XYZ. I will only accept position ABC. Anything else will be stiff-armed."

Best Ways:
Don't shut down any opportunity too fast! Striving for a clear goal is great, but realize that nothing will ever go as perfectly planned. My roommate graduated with a degree in genetics, but the month before graduating, she landed a job as the head marketer for a startup company. One successful year later, she is still loving the position, though originally, getting into business never crossed her mind. Don't miss out on an amazing job or experience because you were too engrossed with one narrow path.


Bottom line, take a deep breath. Keep working hard, but relax! Position yourself for greatness and great things will fall into place, one way or another. Until then, enjoy junior year.

7 Simple Ways You can Change Someone's Day (In under one minute!)

Ever have one of those days where all you want to do is throw on some sweats, crawl back into bed, eat Chick-fil-a, and watch Netflix for the rest of the year?

I am thoroughly convinced we all do. Perfectly normal.

Last year during finals week, I was studying late at Jittery Joe's in Five Points. I had been cramming a semester's worth of Finance material all evening, and at 10:45pm, fatigue took its toll. The things I would do to curl up and sleep: endless. As I was losing the battle against my drooping eyelids, I recognized in agony that it was time for another coffee and comfort food. S.O.S.

However, my mood quickly changed after a rare occurrence at the counter. The barista took a good look at my appearance: extra large sweats, a stained t-shirt, a frazzled up-do (half resembling a bun, half resembling a pony), and red puffy eyes (no makeup. Sorry world). Yet instead of wincing or taking a secret Snapchat to send her friends, she smiled while handing me my Big Joe coffee and brownie. On the house. After calculating the Time Value of Money for six hours, that was the first smile I could manage all evening.

Changing someone's day is a simple, yet powerful gift to give. The good news? It's not hard. The great news? It might make your day too. Here's where to start:

1. Rewind history. Utilize Snail-Mail. 
When was the last time you received a handwritten letter? A postcard? Care package? Anything? Heads up: One of life's most thrilling moments is to open the mailbox and see a personalized message instead of a credit card bill. Anyone born into Generation X or earlier will absolutely light up. Grandparents might shed a tear of joy. All it takes is a simple note and a stamp.

2. Alert someone if there is food in their teeth. Politely. 
What is worse than having food stuck in your teeth? NO ONE TELLING YOU THERE IS FOOD STUCK IN YOUR TEETH. Slyly gesture the spot on your own tooth and wink if appropriate. (Do not wink if it would be creepy and advance the awkwardness.)

3. Dish out the compliments! 
The key: be genuine. Do not pull a Mean Girls "Oh, I love your bracelet" ...but I will bash on it the second you turn your back. That is not the point here. However, a truthful, "Oh I love those Toms!" will surely add some pep in the recipient's step.

4. Parking Services needs lovin' too. 
"Man, the parking ticket distributors won't let you get away with two minutes! I really appreciate the fine work they're doing." - Said absolutely no one ever. Receiving a parking ticket would oppose the entire theme of this post, right? Yes. But the reality is: there are some detested occupations out there, and someone has got to do them. Many profanities have been dedicated to Parking Service employees and workers of other messy jobs, which is exactly why they need to be shown more love. Instead of glaring down the next ticket distributor you see, try out a head nod and smile.

5. Spontaneous Post-It Notes trump Serious Post-It Notes
If you've already unleashed the Post-Its to write your grocery list, why not leave a funny Post-It for your roommate to find? A doodle, a note, or any kind of scribble will do the trick. Don't be afraid to get creative with the placement (Ex: the middle of the dreaded Organic Chemistry textbook to add some needed motivation).

6. Put away your phone, LISTEN, Engage, Ask a question. 
Society has become accustomed to carrying on multiple conversations at once. I am guilty of this myself. But are we really "listening" if we are in the midst of texting three people back while checking the latest emails on our laptops? Put aside the distractions for a minute and take interest in what is going on outside of your personal bubble.


7. Buy someone a coffee. Or a donut. Or a beer! Stranger, friend, neighbor, whoever. 
Three bucks can go a long way. Just three little bucks. THREE BUCKS! However, those three bucks can make a lasting impression - an impression that there are still good people in this busy, tech-crazed world. My "on the house" Big Joe coffee helped keep me keep sanity through my finance studies, and that is greater than three bucks could ever buy.

I challenge you to cross an item off this list. Who knows? You just might change someone's day.

Part 2: Which came first - the Marketing or the egg?

Last week, I identified an important question after my experience with Chaco's "Fit for Adventure" campaign. Which component is more vital to a company's success: the marketing or the product itself?

There are three potential answers to this question.

1.) The MARKETING is important. Nothing else.

Make a product appear to be great! Who cares if the claims are a little exaggerated? It is perfectly fine to post a picture of an average looking burger, as long as it looks stunning after an Instagram filter or four.


The truth is, packaging and marketing DO play a big role in consumer behavior. For instance, I often select my wine based on which bottle is the most attractive. I took a close look at Chaco shoes due to an eye-catching promotional tour. I even made a high involvement decision to buy a MacBook Pro without investigating any other brand...because I liked Apple's marketing and style.

There is a catch, of course. The "marketing over everything" strategy might capture a customer, but only for a one-time sale if the product cannot back up the hype. If a consumer orders a burger expecting the Instagram version and receives a dull looking, dull tasting meal, they will NOT return to the restaurant or advocate the brand in any way.

The last time I implemented this strategy to select wine, I chose a vibrant bottle with an enthusiastic description of all the excellent array of tastes. Great! However, I actually ended up with a drink so foul that it was undrinkable to both me AND my roommates. (To make matters worse - we are by no means 'wine snobs.')

Bluntly speaking, this is the strategy an annoying "Used Car" salesman utilizes. Remember to always dig beneath the claims and scrutinize the product itself, or else you will be driving away with a piece of junk and a heart full of regret.

This answer is: Wrong. 


2.) The PRODUCT is really all that matters. Truly great products sell regardless. 

Build it and they will come. It worked in the Field of Dreams, and it will work for your company. If the product is TRULY the best on the market, then sit back, have a drink, and let the market come to you!

Think about Cali N Tito's, a beloved local Cuban restaurant in Athens. This place has great food and a fun atmosphere - including a live parrot! Yet, Cali's has NO website. 13 followers on Twitter. Instagram? Nonexistent. I have never seen a promotional event or any type of marketing attempts in my four years as a loyal customer. This does NOT stop consumers from choosing Cali's.

Now, take Ford trucks. They are built "Ford Tough," so they must be good. The company got used to dominating the market share, and let that sink into their heads. They started improving the product based on exclusive opinions of management and engineers. After all, engineers and Ford employees know more about trucks than the average consumer, right? Wrong.

Ford eventually started losing market shares and sales. They made such a great new truck, so what was the issue? Well, Ford did not listen to the market. They did not know what the market really wanted.

As great as a product might be, if it is not exactly what the market wants, or is not exposed to the market in a calculated manner, success is limited.

This answer is: EXTREMELY Wrong.


3.) The product and the marketing are equally important. Excel in both and succeed!

Great marketing, great product. Hand-in-hand. Partners in crime. Two peas in a pod - you get it.

Can you think of a powerhouse company that has one element but not the other? Not likely. Across industries - Nike, Apple, The New York Times, one theme is central. These companies know their market, what to say to their market, and how to reach their market.

Ford responded to their decrease in sales with a new branding strategy. "Ford: Go Further." This new strategy platformed customer loyalty through trust. They investigated their market's values, THEN delivered those values. As a result, Ford's F-Series truck gained back Motor Trend magazine's "Truck of the Year" honors in 2012 and carried the success forward.

Simply put, market a stunning looking burger. Create a stunning looking burger. Succeed.

This answer is: THE answer.

Do you remember where you were 13 Years Ago? I Do.

There are certain moments in life so profound they remain etched on your heart forever. These moments are rare. Character defining. Life changing.

September 11th, 2001.

One of these moments. This day was not a defining moment in an individual's life; it was a defining moment for an entire nation and America herself. Thirteen years later, 9/11 brings back nothing less than deep emotion, swelling pride, and a question. Where were you?

I close my eyes, and I am back in Mrs. Rohrig's 3rd grade classroom. I could tell something was wrong. A solemn, eerie wave had passed through the school. The teachers were hushed and crying. A number of my friends were taken home early. A number of teachers went home early. There were whispers all around me, but my age kept me out of the loop.

My classmates and I were eight years old. Naturally rambunctious. But that afternoon, we were quiet. We didn't know why, but we could feel that the moment called for silence.

During the bus ride home, we could finally be eight years old again. Laughing, teasing, hopping from seat to seat. We had escaped the tension of the strange school day. I shot off the bus, bounded up my front steps, and burst through the door - eager to tell my mom how Taylor's class joined mine because her teacher left. Yet, with a foot through the door, the tension was back.

I will never forget the moment I found out. I heard my mom sobbing on the coach. I saw fire and destruction on the TV. I thought she was watching a sad movie. She embraced me and tried to explain what had happened through sobs. Two planes...Hijacked by terrorists...Crashed into New York skyscrapers...Lots of innocent people...Firefighters...Policeman....Dead.

How can an eight year old comprehend that?

The next day at school, Mrs. Rohrig was released to talk about the tragedy. "Yesterday's events will be in history books. You will never forget where you were on this day."

These words have been etched on my heart ever since.

I am overwhelmed with emotions as I think back 13 years ago. However, I am not bogged down with memories of defeat or destruction. Instead, I am reminded of the day I learned what "the land of the free and the home of the brave" truly meant. The day I learned what a hero meant. The day I decided to become a hero and raise money for the Red Cross - going door-to-door selling my homemade USA cookies, and proudly contributing right under $50. The day I learned what it meant to love the red, white, and blue.

This is how I remember the moment. Rare, profound, character defining, life changing. I will never forget.

Where were you?

Part 1: How I (almost) got tricked into wearing Chacos

I am a midwest girl, born and raised. When I moved down south to attend the greatest school in the country (the University of Georgia), I knew I was due for a culture shock. I prepared myself for the "y'alls" and the fried chicken. I prepared myself for the country music that would surely blast from the back of pick up trucks. I even prepared myself for the madness commonly referred to as SEC football. There was one thing, however, that no one warned me about.

Chacos.

Coincidentally, the first time I was introduced to Chacos was the first time I met my roommate. My initial reaction to the foreign disaster on her feet: "Is she serious? She can't be serious. Oh my gosh. She is shamelessly, completely serious."

I hid my immediate panic and made peace with the fact that I would be teaching this girl a thing or two about style. Not an emergency.

Shortly after, the situation changed. I met my other two roommates. Then took notice of half of the UGA student population. They were ALL wearing Chacos. Red alert.

I gave an honest 110% effort to understand what in the world these people were thinking. (This is what marketers must do, after all.) However, I could not get past the idea of spitting out $100 for a pair of clunky foot embarrassments. Despite my roommates' testimonies of comfort, durability, and trendiness, (TRENDINESS?) I took a vow to never mention or touch a Chaco.

Or so I thought. Last week, I spotted something a little out of the ordinary. Large promotional tents, fake trees, corn hole, and (most exciting of all) food trucks were randomly plopped next to the Waffle House parking lot.

I was certainly not about to miss out on all the commotion. I approached the "Free Wrist Wrap" tent without the slightest clue what a 'wrist wrap' was, but knowing it was free and I probably needed one. As an outdoorsy looking lace was tied around my wrist, I realized what I had stumbled into: one big Chaco party.
Despite my deep distaste for Chacos, I had to hand it to their promotional department and marketing campaign. The fun, laid- back atmosphere was created to spread the word of their "Fit for Adventure Tour 2014." I learned that the tour reaches all across the country, from Colorado to Texas to Virginia. The brand brings adventurous spirit to selected cities by hosting music festivals, outdoor appreciation festivals, and even football tailgating! Who doesn't like music and football?

From the Athens "preview event," I watched a mix of clips of intense mountain climbing and kayaking intertwined with the real Adventure Tour. I became engaged with the company's message and method of spreading it. The tour allows "adventurers" to blog about their experience and share images with the #chacotour tag. After I walked around the preview event and got a good feel for the campaign, I spotted a sign in the main tent.

"Get Fit. Make a Difference. Get Swag." Well that all sounds great! Obtain a six pack while saving the world and getting perks left and right...basically. The catch? Try on a pair of Chacos.

I thought about the proposition for a split second. After all, $2 would be donated to Big City Mountaineers for every try! However, I came back to my senses quickly when I took a closer look to the actual Chacos. (Who were these mountaineers anyways?)

This Chaco situation I found myself in raises a critical question for all companies. Which is more important: the product or the marketing?