UBIQUITOUS Issue 7

2017

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ISSUE

07

THE END OF THE PLAIN PLANE PAGE 6

VIRGIN The Unbridled Journey of an Empire PAGE 2

CANNES

, FRANCE

PARIS, FR

ANCE TELLURID

i n ki ng h T Red etreat R

SAINT MA

REHOBE

E, COLOR

RTIN

T H, D E

GLOBE TROTTING

ICELAND

WHERE RED THINKERS EXPLORE Who doesn’t love to travel and take some time off? At Red Thinking, it’s an even more interesting dynamic because our team has the ability to go to anywhere they want; and, if they so choose, not all of it needs to be PTO. They can pick and choose what day is true vacation (buzz off!) or when they may actually want to hop online, check-in and get some work done. The choice is theirs. One of us chiefs laughed out loud when looking at the photos submitted for this page. Shout out to Normandy Beach, NJ, but this edition motivated Shay to book a trip a bit further off the beaten path — as we went to print! Balance is key. Not all of us have had that reiterated to us throughout our careers. Now, get to globe trotting!

NASHVIL INI, G SANTOR

IRELAND

NORMAN

LE, TN

REECE

MYRTLE

ANA PUNTA C

DISNEY

C BEACH, S

H, N J DY BEAC

ADO

2017

CONTENTS

THE END OF THE PLAIN PLANE PAGE 6

2 VIRGIN The Unbridled Journey of an Empire

OUR RED THINKING VALUES WORK TO LIVE (NOT LIVE TO WORK) DO WHAT YOU LOVE GIVE BACK BE PROACTIVE DELIVER WHAT YOU PROMISE (AND THEN SOME)

10 WANDERLUST NECESSITIES

Red Thinkers and Their Favorite Travel Gear 12 SOUTHWEST AND THEIR WHY

How WHY-Based Language and Practices

Led This Airline to Extraordinary Success 14 A PACK-HACKING GETAWAY

Tips and Tricks on How to Travel Smarter 16 PROFILE

Fiona Hughes

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TH E U N BR I D L E D J OU RNE Y OF AN EM PIR E

ISSUE 07

2017

NOT EVERYONE AGREES AS TO WHEN THE WORLD-FAMOUS VIRGIN BRAND WAS BORN. When 15-year-old Richard Branson launched his first successful business, the brand was there in nascent form, although without its now iconic name or logo. The competitive drive, disruptive approach to market and irreverent gutsiness was all there.

“Student” magazine released its first issue in 1968, over a year after Branson began working on it. He had successfully pitched advertising space to London businesses and then managed to sell over 50,000 copies to a target demographic no one else in publishing had paid much attention to: baby boomers. The launch was so successful that he decided to leave high school and focus on running the new business full time.

Most sources (including Virgin Group’s website) trace the brand back to 1970, when Branson launched a mail-order business selling discount albums. Branson had recognized an opportunity when a newly passed law made it legal to sell records at a discount. Named “Virgin” because, as Branson claims, he considered himself a virgin in business, the enterprise quickly succeeded, generating so much demand that he had to scramble to hire enough people to meet it. It is likely that many of Branson’s customers were baby boomers just like himself, hungry for new music but on a budget.

Only months after the business took off, a 7-week long postal strike ended it. Undeterred, Branson shifted to a brick-and-mortar discount retail model.

The 1971 launch of the original Virgin Records shop is often cited as the birth of the Virgin brand that almost everyone on the planet now knows so well.

The original logo might not be so recognizable, though.

Designed by a well-known English artist named Roger Dean, it features naked twin girls and a dragon, reflecting the sensibilities of the music scene –and market- at the time. But it was soon to be replaced.

In 1973, Branson looked at the recording industry that supplied his stores and found that it was failing to sign new artists he felt were relevant and appealing to his generation.

In a move that typifies even today’s Virgin Group market philosophy, Branson launched his own record label. Turned down by the major record labels, 19-year old musician Mike Oldfield became Virgin Records’ first contracted artist in 1973. His “Tubular Bells” album, which the industry had snubbed as “too hard to market” became a mammoth hit for the new label.

It yielded hundreds of weeks in the charts, a grammy award, featured music in the hugely successful movie “The Exorcist” and millions of album sales. The Virgin name quickly began to be associated with disruption, a connection to the boomer demographic that the establishment was failing to serve—and startling success.

In 1977, Branson signed legendary punk band the Sex Pistols. This was after they had sworn on live TV, been banned from playing live across most of the UK and been summarily dropped from two major record labels. They were hot, but to the industry bigwigs, they were too hot to handle. To make things more challenging, Branson was not the only independent label seeking to capitalize on the Sex Pistols’ proven appeal to youthful audiences.

Despite his exclusivity contract with the band, other labels managed to obtain Sex Pistols music — and even worse, a high quality bootleg album was being widely distributed. Branson likely understood that his label’s bold, upstart image would be burnished by signing the boldest, most controversial young band in the world. But he had to ensure his version of their first studio album was the one everyone noticed. He did so, but only with significant trouble and cost.

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Premiering at number one on British charts upon release, Virgin’s launch of “Never Mind The Bollocks” is legendary. London police entered a Virgin Record shop and threatened to charge the owners with indecency for displaying the album’s highly controversial cover in their window. At issue was the word “bollocks,” which many found offensive. When a Virgin shop manager was arrested, it was suspected by some that Branson actually had encouraged him to put the album in the window, thus courting the response — and the publicity.

Branson said:

“It looked like a signature.

It had attitude. It had energy.

It was in-your-face simplistic.”

To mount a legal defense for his arrested shop manager, Branson hired high-profile Queen’s Council John Mortimer, who won the case, much to the chagrin of the establishment who were seriously offended by the band, the label and the punk movement in general. But rather than relent, the band celebrated the Queen’s 1977 Silver Jubilee by playing “Anarchy in the UK” live on a boat in front of the houses of Parliament. The band became a household name, as did the record label that dared to publish it.

When major retailers refused to sell “Never Mind The Bollocks,” England’s youth simply turned to smaller, independent shops like Virgin Records to find the new music that resonated with them.

Many of them never went back.

Around the time Branson signed the Sex Pistols the hippie-inspired logo artwork began to look a bit out of touch. The music and cultural scene was shifting. He needed a logo that reflected the Virgin attitude and energy independent of such shifts.

Also, because Branson was already beginning to think about expanding his business beyond the music industry, the new brand image had to be unrelated to any specific industry. It had to reflect a culture without constraining it. Legend has it that a young designer sketched the “tick mark” logo on a napkin and Branson immediately fell in love with it. Influenced by the simple, direct, bold sensibilities of the new punk movement he was now a part of, and with an eye to expand, Branson immediately adopted it. When asked about the moment he first saw what his designer friend was sketching on a napkin,

And, for many observers, that was the moment when the Virgin brand was really born. The year it was officially adopted was 1979.

What happened next, and continues to happen today, is a phenomenal example of the power of great branding. Perhaps the most important aspect of the Virgin brand philosophy is the marriage of business model and brand image. Branson’s approach to business is to find markets in which consumers are left short, and then delight them with a new value proposition. He does this by understanding what people want, largely by understanding what he wants as a customer himself. Then, he views a particular market from the perspective of a business virgin. Someone who has no experience in the sector, who is unsaddled by existing barriers, assumptions and business models. Who, in essence, is free to view the market anew, with the goal being to find creative new ways to deliver value beyond the existing model.

Adhering to this approach, his group has successfully shaken up business models hundreds of times, entering a dizzying array of industries around the world.

In 1984 Branson was stranded in Puerto Rico when American Airlines cancelled his flight to the British Virgin Islands. Determined to arrive for his date with the woman he was later to marry, Branson chartered a plane. He then wrote “Virgin Air, $39 single flight” on a borrowed blackboard and sold all the remaining seats on his plane to other stranded passengers.

A frequent flier, he was often disappointed by poor service, uncomfortable seats, lousy food and shoddy treatment at the hands of the airlines. His experience getting to the islands prompted a call to Boeing, who were able to provide him with a used 747 and favorable terms for a year — once they understood that their new customer owned the now-famous Virgin Records and was serious about his new airline concept. Branson decided he would turn a profit within a year, or else return the plane.

Determined to provide superior service, Branson hired experienced pilots but trained new cabin crews who’d had no experience working with other airlines.

He took entertainment industry skills and applied them to the airline.

This resulted in more than just comfortable seating; stand up bars in first class, free limo services and even live onboard entertainment set the brand apart.

Fliers were delighted. Though Virgin Atlantic was successful, Branson eventually had to sell Virgin Records to finance its enormous growth. He has reflected that the event, though admittedly causing him tears, was well-timed, coming just ahead of the collapse of the record industry.

IT YIELDED HIM $1,000,000,000.

2017

After launching Virgin Atlantic, Branson started getting into even more business ventures. Since the 1980’s the Virgin Group, which controls the brand, has gotten into — and sometimes out of — hundreds of business ventures, across a dizzying array of industries. Observers note that Branson is himself a mirror of his target market. When he sees a way to improve the customer experience, it is often derived from his own experience. He is quoted as saying,

“There is no point in going into a business unless you can make a radical difference in other people’s lives.” He also says, “I know that there’s need for Virgin to come in and attack a marketplace, because I know that I’m frustrated by having to experience bad service in that particular marketplace.”

When Branson’s team identifies a business vertical that lets down consumers, they hire talented people, often from within that industry, but re-think the business. With fresh eyes, the team’s goal is to apply the “business virgin” creativity and out-of-the-box thinking to the model, to improve the value proposition while retaining profitability.

They do this in everything from sports to retail to travel, banking to aerospace to healthcare. Unlike many brands, value is not generated by industry expertise, but the opposite. Virgin’s value is its focus on the customer experience regardless of industry practices. By dictating the attitude, the mold-busting philosophy and the service promise, the brand drives many business decisions. Rather than being defined by an industry, the Virgin brand promise shapes the industry itself.

Perhaps because the brand has so much flexibility (and popularity) it is highly valued as an asset.

In many cases, the Virgin Group no longer owns or controls its businesses, but, upon the sale, licensing or reorganization of each, allows for the retention of the brand, as part of the value and ongoing strategy of the business. Many businesses have been acquired, built up, sold off and even reacquired once brought into the Virgin brand family, but none of them are left unchanged by the Virgin Group. By improving businesses in this way (and then sometimes selling them), the Virgin Group’s value has skyrocketed into the billions.

Of course, no discussion of the Virgin brand could be complete without mention of Richard Branson’s many publicity stunts. While perhaps less important to the success of each business entity in his empire, Branson’s adventures nevertheless have proven to help. Every time he breaks a speed record, falls into the sea and nearly drowns, dons a wedding dress or drives a tank through Times Square, Richard Branson elevates the visibility of anything Virgin.

While the stunts are impossible to ignore, it is Branson’s development of the Virgin brand, as well as his leadership and vision which can largely be credited with the success of the Virgin Group. He has indicated that he believes his companies are well-staffed and well-run, even without his input.

But the fact is that the man himself is a part of the Virgin brand — and likely always will be. It is likely that the next major test of the brand will be how it continues once he no longer is around to jump off buildings and fly into the jet stream in a balloon.

Hopefully his spirit will live on, as well as the brand that reflects it.

FAVORITE STUNTS! Around the world in a hot-air balloon — Since 1987 Branson has made numerous attempts at circling the globe by balloon, never quite successfully.

In fact, he is lucky to have survived. He has also broken several ballooning world records.

Wedding Branson — To publicize Virgin Brides in 1996, Branson shaved his beard, put on makeup and allowed himself to be photographed in a white wedding dress.

Cola War — To launch Virgin Cola in 1998, Branson drove a tank through Times Square in New York and pretended to destroy its famous Coca-Cola sign.

Jumping Off a Casino — Celebrating Virgin America’s first flight, Branson bungee jumped off the 407’ tall Palms Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. He was hurled into the building twice and emerged in one piece, but with ripped clothes and probably some minor bruising.

Crossing the Channel — Branson crossed the English Channel by amphibious car, wearing a tuxedo.

Losing a Bet — A friendly wager over whose Formula 1 racing team would place best resulted in the loser (Branson) serving as a female flight attendant — on the winner’s airline.

Can’t Get It Up – When locked in a battle against giant rival British Airways, Virgin often employed guerrilla marketing tactics. When the BA-sponsored London Eye was having erection difficulties, Branson placed an airship above with a giant sign reading “BA Can’t Get It Up!!”

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ISSUE 07

FEATURE

By Christopher H. Sterling

The title words come from a 1966 advertising campaign by Braniff Airways, a company briefly clever in its use of airplane colors and design but not at much else. The carrier went bankrupt twice and disappeared years ago. But their phrase summarizes the fascinating story of how airlines have identified their aircraft for nearly a century.

THE END OF THE PLAIN PLANE

Before we dive in, let’s get clear on two terms: livery vs. logo. As the ever-useful Wikipedia puts it: “An aircraft livery is a paint scheme applied to an airplane, generally to its fuselage, wings, empennage (tail fin), or jet engines. To promote their brands, airlines typically use a standard livery, prominently displaying their logo or name, that is applied to all or most of their fleet.” Up to and during World War II, there was precious little livery design and color evident. That situation changed fairly quickly after 1945, yes, but also has continued to evolve. An airline logo, on the other hand, is a design element used throughout a company — on its aircraft, in advertising, on uniforms, and on stationery, for example. A logo today is most often a clever design making effective use of words, images and/or color. Some have been around for decades — the leaping kangaroo of Australia’s Qantas, or the blue-on-yellow flying bird of Lufthansa are just two examples. An airline logo is virtually always evident on airliner vertical tails as a part of the overall livery.

But it wasn’t always that way...

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SILVER PLANES IN THE AIR (THROUGH 1945) The earliest airlines — the oldest, KLM and Qantas, date back to 1919 — didn’t worry much about how their airplanes looked. Just getting around (and then staying) financially viable was far more important.

Obtaining contracts to carry mail provided the subsidies that kept many airlines afloat. And until about 1930, very few people flew, concerned about high costs and what they deemed unreliable safety.

The first airliners were generally a silver or grey metallic color even though their fuselage and wings were largely covered in cloth.

There were a few exceptions. Some fuselages of the early British Imperial Airways (a forerunner of today’s British Airways) were dark blue, as were the KLM airliners that made the trek from Amsterdam to Batavia (now Jakarta). The look of most airliners was notable for something else: the large letters on the wings and either side of the fuselage, on the wings and on the tail, showing that specific aircraft’s registration letters.

If one looked carefully, one could also see (in relatively small black letters) not only the name of the airline and its home city but also of that specific airplane.

For in those formative years, fleets were typically very small and individual aircraft often carried names.

American Airlines dubbed their planes “City of…” using an American city on their routes. London’s Imperial Airways reached back to classical names.

Airliner names usually appeared below the cockpit windows while the name of the airline ran above or below the passenger’s windows. The iconic flying boats of Pan American up to 1941 are a good example.

As war broke out, airlines of neutral countries painted their national flags prominently on airliners — as with Pan American’s flying boats. The hope was to avoid unwanted attention from warplanes — and it usually worked. Airlines from fighting nations such as Britain simply camouflaged their planes if they flew passenger routes at all. Passengers were largely from government and the military, flying on high priority missions.

HEYDAY OF PROPELLER AIRCRAFT (1945–58)

The end of World War II saw an increase in airline liveries becoming more varied ad creative — at least Design changes slowly became evident in the 1930s. in the U.S. British and European carriers, on the Most airlines developed their own logos and these often other hand, retained a sober approach much like appeared on tail surfaces. A “cheatline” (sometimes their pre-war airliners. Nearly all of them were an arrow) above or more usually below the row of government-owned and showed the carrier name passenger windows added a sense of sleekness and on all-metal fuselage. But here some airliners soon length. A very few companies began to use promotion became almost flamboyant in their use of color and on their aircraft — such as “The Lindbergh Line” which design. Airlines sought liveries that worked equally ran the fuselage length on TWA’s DC-2s. well on their small two-engine airplanes (often DC-3s) and the growing number of larger four-engine types One other thing — the appeal of prewar airline (such as the Douglas DC-6 and -7, and handsome advertising (and of the look of their relative handful Lockheed Constellations). of airliners) was directed at an elite audience able to pay for the privilege of flying. These potential fliers One important factor in all this was the growing sought safety, of course, but also the stability and airline use of specialized design consultants. In 1948, respectability (and often the national identity) of one such consultant recommended that Northwest adopt an all-red tail that became iconic in decades the airline they chose. Airliner liveries were subtle, to follow. BOAC (immediate predecessor of British understated and distinguished.

2017

Liveries became more important in as fares became more reasonable and the new tourist class filled seats in big jets. As tourism became a dominant aspect of passenger flight, so, too, did the effective use of eye-grabbing liveries and logos that often illustrated the appeal of “getting there” faster.

In 1963, Lufthansa’s look got its first standardized use of logo (the crane), lettering and colors. As with most airlines, these have been refreshed at least once a decade since, but the core identity has remained the same.

JUMBO JETS (INTO THE 1980s) Airways) employed another firm two years later and emerged with white fuselage tops (which also aided in cooling the interior) and a distinguished dark blue livery that they used for years. Over the next decade or so many other carriers adopted the white top look. For years, the now defunct Eastern Airlines carried a “Fly Eastern Airlines” sign that ran in large italic letters along the fuselage above the passenger windows.

One helpful design change came about 1950 when international rules allowed airliners to display their registration letters in much smaller type toward the back of the fuselage or low on its tail — and thus clearing fuselage space for more creative and artistic ideas that were being designed by livery consultants.

FIRST JET REVOLUTION (1958–69) Pan American took advantage of its early introduction of the Boeing 707 late in 1958 by totally redesigning its aircraft livery and introducing the light blue globe logo it would use to cover airplane tails until its demise in late 1991. Most carriers sought to emphasize their new jet services with simpler liveries using fewer elements and more straight lines. The intent was to convey an uncluttered appearance that emphasized the faster jets. But designed as they were for the growing use of jet airliners, the new airliner liveries sometimes looked out of place — almost too racy — on slower propeller aircraft.

Introduction of the Boeing 747 jumbo jet in 1969 inaugurated the most recent stage of airliner livery design. After an economic dip in the early 1970s, passengers soon filled the fast new jets. Advertising the wonders of “getting there fast” dominated newspaper and especially color magazine advertising, all of which prominently featured the airline’s livery and logo. Firms such as Landor & Associates, with over 30 airline clients, led the way.

They and other creators of new liveries now had huge fuselage and tail spaces on which to draw and color.

Braniff, the carrier noted at the beginning of this piece, drew attention with its startling use of a simple idea — painting each of its airliners a different overall color. The orange version of their 747 jumbo was quickly dubbed “the flying pumpkin.” But the idea, one of the first “jelly bean” liveries, worked — you couldn’t miss one of those airplanes at any airport, or even at a distance in the sky. And thanks to widespread advertising, you knew that mono-color jet was a Braniff plane.

COMPETITION AND CONSULTANTS (1980s TO THE PRESENT) Airplane liveries have became increasingly important over the past few decades as more and more carriers crowded into the fast growing market. Differentiating between aircraft has largely become a matter of discerning a tail logo. Today, many of the new low cost carriers in Europe and America are taking things a step further by plastering their telephone numbers or websites in huge, billboard-style letters along the fuselage. More traditional use of the billboard approach was to simply highlight the airline name — as with the final Pan American (Pan Am) livery.

Others took a more artistic approach — such as the dramatic wild animal photos featured on Frontier tails or the Inuit (“Eskimo”) portrait on Alaska Air. Southwest colored their aircraft in dramatic styles relating to the states the airline served, designs that often flowed to the engine pods and across the bottom of the airplane. Others soon followed suit, carrying at least one color around the fuselage.

Coming full circle, some airlines celebrated their history (often on key anniversaries) by re-creating one or more of their historic liveries (sometimes dubbed “retrojets”) — such as American Airlines’ iconic silver finish with their striking orange bolt of lightning as a cheatline that dated to the 1940s. Some seeking yet another revenue line have created “logojets” which are essentially a flying billboard for a paying sponsor.

In the end, of course, how much of this matters to the flying consumer? Probably not very much as an actual traveler, since most of us board through a “jetway” which provides little or no chance to see the airplane we are traveling in. But liveries often show up in magazine and billboard ads. Even substantial books are appearing devoted to the livery/logo development of such individual airlines as Lufthansa, Pan American, Swissair, and British Airways. These suggest that the role of good graphic design in the competitive airline business remains alive and well.

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MOPHIE BATTERY PACK Melanie: I always travel with it so I don’t have to fight for an outlet at the airport or worry about running out of battery during long days out and about on trips — especially since I don’t have a camera and use my phone for photos.

BEATS EARBUDS Molly: Going or coming back from vacation — there is no better method to a relaxing travel day than noise canceling headphones! Drown out what you don’t want to hear, turn up what you do. I’d hate to travel without them!

CANON 5D MARK III CAMERA Krystal: Capturing the world around me and making memories everywhere I go is what I love. It doesn’t matter if you have a DSLR, point and shoot, or just your iPhone, the best camera is the one you have.

CLEAR Fiona: Best invention ever “for now until everyone else catches on!”

Enrolling in this allows you to scoot through airport security ahead of everyone else (including those with TSA Pre!!). Great for anyone who travels a lot!

HOODED TRAVEL PILLOW Tom: Stay warm and cozy with the Hooded Travel Pillow. Made with micro-fleece and soft memory form. It’s easy to stow and great for any long journey.

TSA PRECHECK Shay: Skip the majority of the airport security line and keep your shoes and belt on. No need to take your liquids and laptop out of your bag. Once you try it, you’ll never let it run up for renewal.

Although, apparently Fiona has me beat with ‘Clear.’ Noted.

2017

BOOKS! Taylor: Whether it’s waiting in the airport, flying on the plane or sitting in an awkward Uber on the way to my hotel, a page-turning book is my go to travel buddy. Reading takes my mind off the flight and makes the time seem to breeze on by. You won’t find me traveling without one!

HOPPER APP Hannah: I love traveling to new places but the cost of just getting there can be hard to get past.

Whenever I begin to plan a trip I put my vacation dates into my Hopper app. As time goes by the app notifies me when it is or isn’t best to buy my plane tickets. It help makes me feel confident that I’m getting a great deal!

FLIGHT 001 LAUNDRY BAG Tracy: If you are an over-packer like I am, there’s nothing grosser than packing away your dirty clothes at the end of your trip in the same bag with the clean clothes you didn’t end up wearing. No sense in having to clean them all once back at home.

These flat bags turn into a duffle that holds a lot of dirty gear without smelling up your luggage.

BACKPACK HYBRID Brandon: Fits perfectly above or below the airplane seat. Light weight and really durable.

BOSE SOUNDLINK MINI

GLOBAL ENTRY

Juan: Perfect for getting ready in your hotel room,

Jen: The ability to bypass the often crazy

or pregaming with friends, a portable bluetooth speaker is a must when you want to jam out away from home.

lines when I am returning to the U.S. after an exhausting international flight… priceless!!

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ISSUE 07

BRAND PROFILE

By Beth Perl Berman President Compellications

AND THEIR WHY

2017

Remember when flying was fun… and then it really wasn’t? Let’s take a look at the airline that changed all that. Southwest broke the mold. It marketed itself from the inside out as a different kind of airline — and in the process restored some joy back to air travel. Herb Kelleher, Southwest’s CEO, focused far beyond merely transporting people on airplanes.

A leader who was hardwired to think differently and buck current trends, Kelleher transformed a small, relatively insignificant airline into an industry behemoth. Southwest Airline’s resounding success provides imperatives for all business leaders.

funny and helpful. Southwest made flying fun again — even their flight safety recitations are entertaining!

Upbeat, “happy” staff and crew consistently cultivate happy, loyal customers. This, plus fully aligned business practices, produced a thriving business with booming profitability levels. (By the way, for another great example of WHY-based communications see how Jen Sterling rocks her WHY of thinking differently at redthinkingllc.com).

TAKEAWAYS So what are the key takeaways from this and similar success models? How do we light up both our teams and our customers? Simon Sinek, a Top 20 TED Talk speaker, states,

“Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first” Kelleher believed Southwest was unique and focused on the company’s “Why” as he built it from the ground up. He communicated his laser-focused vision of what he believed airline travel should be, especially for the average traveler.

“It is incidental that we fly airplanes,” Kelleher has said, illustrating Southwest’s out-of-the-box approach. This renegade leader centered Southwest’s vision, operations and messaging around the tenet:

“Happy employees, happy customers and keeping LUV in the air.”

Infusing clear, simple WHY-based language and practices company-wide led to this airline’s extraordinary success. Herb Kelleher’s crystal clear beliefs inspired a revolutionary airline culture comprised of engaged (and highly engaging) employees. Flight crews were — and are — lit up,

The point is simple yet powerful. It also begs the question, how does a company accomplish this?

The answer: Market your company from the inside out.

INSIDE Start with your WHY and connect with your people on a deeper level. Share what you and your company are about. Express why you matter — beyond the product or services you offer. Indoctrinate your team in your beliefs and (this is important), allow your team members to live out their “whys” within your business.

Pull your people together toward a common, compelling, repeatable vision. Build your business around that vision. Communicate with your teams using simple, authentic language that resonates with your people — words everyone can use, consistently, to rave about you and advocate for your success.

OUTSIDE Externally, attract and connect deeply with the right customers with repeatable, compelling language that expresses WHY you do what you do. Communicate authentically what you believe and WHY your products and services matter to your ideal customers. Draw people into your vision, into what you are about. Provide compelling answers to the “why you” question.

YOUR COMPANY? Avoid being commoditized in an alarmingly fickle marketplace. With alternatives available in just about every conceivable industry, connecting to your customers is your key differentiator. Authentic, compelling communications is the path to that connection. Start with your WHY. Compel your ideal employees, customers, and A-list talent to: Buy In & Buy/Sign On and Stay.™ Do you know your WHY? It’s time to up your game!

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HOW TO

A PACK-HACKING GETAWAY Tips and Tricks

How to Travel Smarter

The decorations have been put away, the out-of-towners have left and the kids have finally come down from their sugar-cookie highs. It’s a new year. A fresh start. A chance for you to recharge and treat yourself for all the hard work you have put in over the holiday season.

Don’t get me wrong, I love all the joy and merriment December brings, but after that clock strikes midnight on New Year’s, I am all holly jollied out. It’s like they say, sometimes you need a vacation from a vacation. Am I right?

When you do get a chance to plan that much-needed relaxing getaway, consider these creative packing tips to help alleviate some stress when traveling.

SPACE SAVING HACKS Just roll with it! Rolling your clothes in your suitcase versus stacking them helps to create more space.

So, if you are a packing hoarder like myself, you can indulge a little and throw in a few more options.

Options that you probably won’t end up wearing but just like knowing they are there. (Insert inevitable eye-roll from significant other.) For all you sensible travelers, the extra space you get from the rolling technique is great when you plan on bringing any gifts or souvenirs home. “Heavy bag” fee? Not today TSA! When in doubt, layer it out. When packing, the tendency is to place things in your suitcase that fit best, no matter what they may be. It’s like playing Tetris in real life! Next time, try taking your Tetris packing game to the next level and categorize your belongings by layering them. Dedicate the bottom layer for your shoes, another layer for your pants, a layer for tops, then electronics, and so on. You get it. There is nothing worse than having no idea where something is packed, and having to rifle through your entire suitcase.

Your bag ends up looking like a mangled hot mess and nobody wants that.

2017

Have The Sense to Condense: Resist those last minute urges to pack extras (like t-shirts or shoes).

Look at your bag once more about an hour before heading out the door and aim to remove at least 3–5 items. Don’t want to re-open a perfectly packed suitcase? An alternative option is to lay out everything you want to pack and try your hardest to take away one-third. It’s tough. I know. But when you’re in a pickle and the roll technique just won’t cut it, condensing sensibly is the way to go.

Other Space Saving Suggestions: •

Place smaller items like jewelry or electronics inside your shoes for extra storage and easy locating.

•

When using a rolling bag, pack the heaviest items closest to the wheels for a smoother ride to your terminal.

•

Put things that are fragile like perfume or cologne bottles in your socks to create extra padding. With this simple trick, that glorious Fabergé egg souvenir can now stand a little baggage rough and tumble.

Now comes the biggest question of all — WHAT TO PACK? Sticking with items that are simple, have a multipurpose and can come in handy when in a bind are key. Let’s start with clothing.

Keeping It Simple The general rule of thumb is to pack two tops for every bottom. You are more likely to wear pants more than once than a top. Also, try and steer away from packing bulky items as they take up a lot of room. Hitting the slopes and a heavy coat is a must? Simply wear it on the plane and spare yourself from having to straddle your suitcase just to zip it up. We’ve all been there.

For the ladies, a large scarf can do wonders! Just those few yards of fabric can be used for so many different purposes. Use it as a blanket on a cold flight, a blind fold for sleeping, a swim suit cover-up, or as an accessory to give your outfit that extra punch.

Just like a scarf, aim to mostly pack clothing with designs that are simple and can easily be adapted for different occasions. A simple black dress that can be dressed up or down is a perfect example. Say a fancy event unexpectedly becomes a part of your vacation itinerary. Throw in a few bold accessories with that black dress and you are golden!

What about a bathing suit? A common question that always arises while packing. The answer — just throw it in. (Guys, this goes for you too!). You never know when an impromptu dip in the lake, hot-tub or indoor swimming pool will pop in to the mix.

Bathing suits take up very little space and including one in your packing list will prevent you from missing out any unexpected aquatic festivities.

Similar to your clothing, keep your vacay footwear simple and to a minimum as shoes take up a lot of room. Classic black pumps, metallic flats and leather loafers can all be dressed up or down and adapt to a variety of occasions easily.

Some Other Tips To Consider: •

Cover your footwear with shower caps or hotel laundry bags. Dirty shoes sharing space with that pearly white blouse is just asking for a mud massacre.

•

Bring along Ziploc bags in different sizes. You never know when they will come in handy as they can help to organize, prevent leaks or be that saving grace when that no-nonsense TSA

agent insists that “ALL of your liquids be put in a one-quart bag.” Raise your hand if you’ve held up the security line because you had to run to the closest newsstand and buy a bag for a dollar. #embarrassing •

Stick laundry sheets in your bags and have your clothes always smelling of freshly laundered goodness.

Finally, it never hurts to be extra cautious. I always pack what I like to call my “Oh S*%# Supplies” (aka things to bring along in case of an emergency).

•

Throw in an extra pair of undergarments in your purse or briefcase in case your baggage gets lost and going commando in the interim just isn’t your thing. If it is? You do you.

•

Always stow away an extra form of identification and an emergency credit card in a separate bag in case your wallet gets lost or stolen.

•

Make a detailed checklist of everything you pack.

Making that list and checking it twice before you head back home will help prevent any of your precious items from being left behind. Sorry hotels, no more free phone chargers for you!

So there you have it. Incorporating a few of these relatively simple packing tips will get you in better shape to gracefully handle whatever the Travel Gods may throw your way. Travel on, my friends!

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ISSUE 07

PROFILE

Meet Fiona Hughes, our Director of Client Solutions. She spends countless time ensuring our account managers, designers, our chiefs and our clients possess everything they need as we move from ideation to delivery. It’s a challenging and demanding position, certainly. She brings 20+ years of experience in marketing and client-facing roles, adding the dots on i’s and crossing t’s, or soothing any internal or external concerns with a calm and steady British accent. It’s her volunteer experience, though, that’s even more impressive. As a co-founder of Women Giving Back, a non-profit that helps women and children in crisis transition from homelessness and prepare for re-entry into the job market, she’s given the opportunity to pay it forward every day of the week.

When she’s not saving the world, Fiona and her husband, Mackey, love spending time on Bald Head Island, skiing, entertaining at home in Leesburg, or enjoying the company of their three sons.

RED THINKING VALUES DIRECTOR OF CLIENT SOLUTIONS, FIONA HUGHES

“If you see a need, other people have probably seen it also. If you get enough like-minded people together you can usually do something about it.”

2017

We sent Tracy, one of our Senior Designers out to the rolling hills of Loudoun County.

Her instructions: Grab your camera and spend

Tracy: Choose one thing about Red Thinking that is the most exciting to you?

colleague and… enjoy the fresh air!

Fiona: I can’t choose one! The design capabilities, the culture — predominantly family first and giving back to the community. Although, having grown children would outwardly mean that there is less to manage on the home front, but watching my boys grow up is something I love to spend time doing. Family gatherings are hugely important in our lives still!

Tracy: How would you describe your role at Red Thinking?

I also like the part of the culture that emphasizes giving back. I’m kind of addicted to volunteering – I’m currently working with the third non-profit I helped build from the ground up.

some time with Fiona outside of your day-to-day working relationship. See if you can learn something new about your

Fiona: As I see it, this is a hybrid position that works for the client’s benefit, between the services and strategies Red Thinking provides. It’s client facing, strategizing and complimenting the client’s need with our varied resources and specialists. Internally I can interpret client needs and help to make the magic happen. I help juggle workload to achieve the best schedule, pricing, and quality — all with the client in mind. And supporting the account managers when needed.

Tracy: What drives you to start the non-profits?

Fiona: I see a need and I want to do something about it, so I do. I’m definitely a doer. To me, it’s a logical common sense approach to problems. If you aren’t afraid to tackle it, it will work out. I’ve always said, if you see a need, other people have probably seen it also. If you get enough like-minded people together you can usually do something about it.

Tracy: Why is Women Giving Back important to you?

Tracy: What was your life like before you got to wear slippers to the office and have meetings with your cat on your lap?

Fiona: I have an art degree in Interior Design from the Hammersmith College of Art in London, England.

After my design career, I stayed at home with my kids until I decided it was time to return to the working world. Having been away from my original career for some time I felt it was the perfect time to re-invent myself! Not so easy!

Through my love of real estate and home design, I found my way into a friend’s advertising agency.

Once having tested the waters, I was hooked on everything to do with the advertising and marketing world. I started as a receptionist, gradually moved to an AE position, then moved to traffic at a D.C. based agency — I was there for 8 years.

Most recently I built an internal advertising and marketing agency at one of the largest private homebuilders on the east coast. I hired designers, social media coordinators, digital coordinators — a team of nine. We designed our own ads, built media schedules — it saved a great deal of money and time for the company. Plenty of interesting challenges and opportunities but luckily keeping the plates spinning is something I enjoy; and now I can channel those skills into my role at Red Thinking.

Fiona: We think of this area as being affluent, but don’t understand the underlying needs of the women and children. Most of us don’t realize that there is sex trafficking in Loudoun County, how prevalent the spousal abuse is (a lot of the time financial difficulties manifests itself like that), and how expensive it is to live here. It leads to the invisible need that we (at Women Giving Back) fulfill. The women (and children) don’t just leave with a wardrobe of clothing, but with a new sense of dignity and self-confidence. The face of homelessness in this area is not a shopping cart and bag of possessions — it’s children, teens, and women with nowhere to live.

Tracy: What do you see for yourself in the future?

Fiona: I have no idea how to answer that one.

Someday, I want to have time to make a difference without worrying about the 9–5. Time to make up for the time that I haven’t been able to spend with good friends. Time to travel (Australia is at the top of my list because I have family there). I want to have time to do the things I want to do. But the thing is it’s difficult to say. Even if I didn’t have a job, I’d be doing stuff and be incredibly busy.

Probably too busy to do things I say I want to do. I wouldn’t be happy sitting around “retired.”

Tracy: What’s on your desk?

Fiona: A massive rubber band ball and a very large cat. However, the desk really isn’t where I work most of the time — but the cat is there no matter where I am. These days, my desk isn’t a specific piece of furniture. With our ubiquitous environment, my desk is a surface wherever I may be. Sometimes I’m at my kitchen counter, my deck (where the squirrels are my coworkers), or even at the Women Giving Back office. But always when I’m home, there’s a cat.

Tracy: Tell me, what’s usually in your glass?

Fiona: Usually Bulleit Rye and ginger ale. I’ve always liked scotch–whiskey, probably because my father drank it. When I was a little girl he taught me how to make a Pink Gin. He was in the British Navy and that was an old Navy guy’s drink. Gin and angostura bitters.

Tracy: Let’s end with a random question: There’s a turkey, a deer, and a squirrel. Who do you invite for dinner, and who is dinner?

Fiona: If they are in the yard, they are all pets. The only time they become dinner is if my husband is sitting in his tree in the woods on our property.

If they stroll under the tree, they are fair game for our meal. A deer would probably be invited. Turkeys taste better (Thanksgiving was great — smoked turkey!) and squirrels are just annoying… plus it’s only ok to shoot what you will eat.

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