Getting to Know AFFIRM – Part 4

Happy New Year from everyone at AFFIRM! As we settle in for another successful year after a nice holiday break, I thought it would be fun to let our readers get a sneak peek into what we typically do outside of work. For this post, I asked “Where could we find you on a typical Saturday?”

Danny: At a live music show.

Katie: In a yoga studio, at the park with my dog, or drinking a craft beer somewhere near my house in Bay View.

Karissa: In the summer, I’ll be on the lake – paddle boarding, swimming, and soakin’ up the sun. When it’s colder, I’m a big fan of fuzzy blankets and cheesy rom-coms, but I also enjoy hiking, shopping, spending time with family, anything really. I’m not picky.

Amy: Well it depends on the season, but for sure at brunch at The Knick or in the Third Ward! In the summer, I’ll be checking out the festivals in Milwaukee. In the fall and winter, I’ll be watching college football and basketball.

Cathy: I’m usually at home during the day doing boring stuff like cleaning. Evenings are more relaxed; go out with friends for dinner or drinks

Ryan: You can’t find me. On the weekends I am conducting secret missions and flying around the world.

Erik: At home brewing a meticulous pot of coffee; probably off to the library for a bit in the afternoon.

Rick: Kids’ sports, family outings, back yard, deer stands or sitting somewhere with a Bloody Mary and a chaser.

Steve: It depends on the time of year but it’s usually one of three things. It could be on a golf course, at a Badger football game or working in the yard!

Traci: On a typical Saturday, you will find me sipping on a cappuccino, running errands, spending quality time with family, and finishing the day with an Old Fashioned or craft beer.

Laura: No such thing as a typical Saturday for a mom of two, but most likely would be cheering on my kids at a soccer, basketball or baseball game depending on the season, regular weekend chores, and in the evening, either a family movie night at home, a date with my husband or a night out with friends.

Meaghan: On a typical Saturday, you could usually find me catching up with friends or spending time with my family. Either way I like to be on the go!

We’d love to hear from our readers as well. What do you do on a typical day away from the office?

Getting to Know AFFIRM – Part 1

 

Well, it’s official. You are reading the FIRST installment of “Getting to Know Affirm”. As I’m sure you’re aware by now, we’ve recently re-branded ourselves. We decided it was time to change our name to something that better describes what we do and how we do it. We provide positively engaging marketing (we don’t sell toner or paper clips.) In honor of the re-branding process, I thought it was fitting to ask a survey question that actually relates to what we do. What did I learn? It’s shocking that our office doesn’t constantly smell like Old Spice.

What is your all-time favorite marketing campaign?

Ryan: Old Spice, “The man your man could smell like” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE

Danny: The original Miller Lite Beer campaign in the late ’70’s/early ’80’s featuring famous former athletes and comedians arguing over “Tastes great” and “Less filling”

Katie: Old Spice, “The man your man could smell like”. I also love new Southwest Wedding Season commercials! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRZ_xX-CuP0

Karissa: The 2015 Budweiser Super Bowl Commercial – “Lost Dog” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAsjRRMMg_Q

Erik: I don’t know about all-time, but this child abuse PSA designed to be seen only by children is a great campaign in recent memory: http://www.fastcocreate.com/1682912/the-child-abuse-psa-designed-to-be-seen-by-children-only

Amy: Old Spice: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like! (link above) Otherwise a not as funny but great commercial is the Budweiser 2014 Super Bowl commercial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQB7QRyF4p4

Cathy: I don’t know if it’s my favorite, but the one that immediately came to mind was the Get a Mac campaign. I will admit to rooting for poor PC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eEG5LVXdKo
And if you’re looking for a more current one – I do enjoy the Kristen Bell & Dax Shepherd ads for Samsung. http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/kristen-bell-dax-shepard-kill-you-cuteness-their-latest-samsung-ads-164856

Josh: Guinness is good for you.

Traci: I’d say the Anti-Smoking “Truth” campaign. It was very hard hitting public service announcement that really made an impact for me.

Steve: That question is like asking what’s your favorite dessert or song – way too many choices! Here are my top three:
1. Volkswagen – Think Small. It’s an older campaign but a testament to the fact that Volkswagen never tried to be something there weren’t.
2. Apple – Get a Mac. Simple, clever, and people could easily relate to the people and benefits.
3. Old Spice – The Man Your Man Could Smell Like. Proof that even great marketing can resurrect an old, tired brand.

Rick: Quiznos Subs – Spongemonkeys

Roe: The Fireside Dinner Theatre – High School Musical

Laura: I have many favorites, but two that are sentimental faves:
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup: “You got your peanut butter on my chocolate. You got your chocolate in my peanut butter. Two great tastes that taste great together.”
Tootsie Pops: “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop? The world may never know.”

Getting to Know Staples Marketing – Part Seven

photo courtesy of: http://www.ca.co.za/blog/right-career-path-2/

Sure, everyone here is interested in marketing or advertising of some form. I mean, that’s why we’re here, right? But let’s just say, for a moment, we weren’t. A career in marketing just wasn’t a part of any of our plans. What the heck would we all be doing? Well, read on to find out.

“Question 7: If you didn’t work in marketing, what would you do?”

Erik: It would’ve required a very different career path, but I’m going to say build furniture.

Ingrid: I don’t work in marketing.  Hahahahaha  🙂 (Okay, she got me – she works in Accounting!)

Ryan: I would own and work a restaurant bar on a tropical beach.

Cathy: I’d go to Culinary Institute of America and become a chef. Then open my own restaurant.

Josh: I would run a small movie theater or bowling alley that also serves really good sandwiches.

Amy: I would work in the sports industry, maybe doing sports marketing or something.

Katie: I would open a pit bull rescue and save ALL THE DOGS!

Traci: I’d still be in the arts in some shape or form, probably own an art gallery. If my husband had a say, we’d be running a brew pub!

Laura: Teach theatre classes to kids.

Steve: I’d work in some form of healthcare as a physician or specialist, possibly sports medicine.

Danny: I’d be a lawyer.

Karissa: I would love to be a pediatric nurse. I love working with and helping kids!

Roe: I might be a stock broker or financial planner, helping people maximize their investments.

Getting to Know Staples Marketing – Part Six

“Getting to Know Staples Marketing” is continuing with the travel theme for another round of vacation-related questions. When I asked everyone where their favorite vacation spot is, it was assumed that people would answer with destinations they’ve been to and enjoyed. After reading everyone’s answers, the question began popping up around the office about places we HAVEN’T been, but would love to go. That leads me to my next question:

If you could go anywhere in the world (assuming money was no object), where would you go?

Amy: The Maldives or Bali

Katie: I’d go to Australia and New Zealand for the surfing and the scenery!

Traci: Paris, France to see the Eiffel Tower. My husband’s answer would be Belgium, for the sole purpose of drinking their beer…I’d consider that too!

Josh: Giza, Egypt

Danny: Australia

Jenny: Greece!

Cathy: I’ve been there before but didn’t spend nearly enough time, so if money and time were no object, I would go to Europe – starting with Italy. I would spend most of the time there – at least a week in Rome, a week in Sicily to meet remaining relatives and tour the island and spend a week in Capri. Then I’d have to see the areas I haven’t visited yet – Tuscany, Venice and hang around Lake Como. After that, I’d want to see Crete, Belgium, Paris and London. And, maybe a stop in Amsterdam.  😉

Ryan: I would travel through every country in Europe, for a 3 month Summer Vacation!

Ingrid: Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, England, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Scotland, Portugal

Laura: I would go to Ireland and Germany to find family and ancestors, then spend some additional time on every continent.

Erik: Belgium & Austria, touring all the Trappist monasteries that brew beer, bringing some of the best of everything home.

Steve: Laucala Island, Fiji

Rick: Africa

Roe: I would like to travel through Europe, especially Italy.

While we’re on the topic of places we’d like to visit, check out this list of completely unreal destinations throughout the world. I might have to change my answer…

http://www.emlii.com/1229e050/22-Ravishingly-Beautiful-Places-That-are-Hard-To-Believe-Truly-Exist

Getting to Know Staples Marketing – Part Four

 

 

We all have days when we wish we could just win the lottery, right? This week’s installment of “Getting to Know Staples Marketing” will give us a glimpse into what everyone here would actually do if it happened for them.

Question 4: What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?

Amy: I would give some to my family, save some, go on a shopping spree, and buy season tickets to the New York Knicks.

Josh: Donate a big chunk and then do a little traveling.

Danny: Call my lawyer.

Cathy: I would find a talented chef who shares my vision and open an Italian restaurant.  Something that is authentically Italian, but with some modern updates.  But not an Olive Garden.

Katie: Plan a huge trip around the world!

Erik: Pay off debts.

Jenny: Fly all my friends to Jamaica and have a giant party!

Rick: Rent a cabin, stock it with good food and great alcohol, and take as long as we needed to think about it. Or not think about it.

Laura: The first thing I would do is to hire a competent PR person to handle the deluge of media and requests for donations, and a fantastic financial planner to help me use the money in the wisest way possible.

Ingrid: I would determine the dollar amount available after taxes and then invest the money.  A portion of the invested money would be for retirement, some monies would be given to niece, nephew and daughter to pay off college loans once they have completed college and have good jobs and are established.   I would give some of the money away to non-profit organizations.

Ryan: I would walk outside, pop my trunk, grab a golf club and pretend my car is the printer from Office Space.

Roe: I’d invite family & friends to join me on an all-expenses paid vacation in some exotic, warm, fun location.

Traci: I would buy land on Lake Michigan and plan to build the house of my dreams!

Steve: Three Things – 1. Pay off all my debts and those of everyone in my family. 2. Invest enough to have sustainable income the rest of my days without having to “work”, and 3. Keep doing what I love to do at Staples Marketing but give a third of my winnings to charitable causes.

Getting to Know Staples Marketing – Part Three

Image: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/top-rated-recipes/best-macaroni-cheese-recipes/stovetop-mac-cheese

 

It’s time for another installment of “Getting to Know Staples Marketing”. This time, we’re learning about one of my personal favorite topics – food! I wanted to find out what kind of menu everyone would put together if they knew it would be their last meal. What did I learn by asking this question? Everyone else here has much more “grown-up” taste in food than I do. 🙂

 

Question 3: You get to pick your last meal. What would your menu consist of?

Roe: Steak and Lobster!

Ryan: A bottle of Cabernet, Caesar salad, and French onion soup. Filet mignon with sautéed mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes, and asparagus. Mascarpone raspberry sauce cheesecake with Oreo crumbles crust.

Danny: Caesar Salad, Chicken Parmesan over ziti, fried eggplant and garlic bread.

Amy:  Either “Linguine with white clam sauce and a side of steamed broccoli with truffle oil” or “Sushi – Edamame, a tuna and avocado roll with a side of sriracha mayo, and a shrimp tempura roll”. Either one will include red velvet cake and an iced cappuccino for dessert.

Rick: A porterhouse steak, lobster tail and Kendall Jackson Chardonnay.

Cathy: Cappelini with fresh tomato sauce and basil, a bowl of Third Ward Cafe’s Cioppino (they’d re-open to make this for me), a bottle of Nero d’Avola, and a cannoli.

Traci: Filet mignon and truffled mashed potatoes from Carnevor Steakhouse!

Ingrid: I would start off with escargot. Roasted lamb, smashed potatoes, sautéed green beans with almonds.  Of course this would be accompanied by a good red wine. Something with chocolate and nuts, along with good coffee.  Then, a B&B, Jagermeister or Baileys to end the dinner.  Yummy! 🙂 I would not be able walk if I actually managed to eat all of this at one time.  But it would be fun to try.

Katie: Hands down, my mom’s homemade bacon-jalapeno-mac’ n cheese. It wouldn’t be complete without cookie dough for dessert.

Laura: A Caesar salad with homemade macaroni & cheese, mint chip ice cream and a fine red wine to go along with it.

Erik: My wife’s spicy kale salad and a Sazerac. Comet Café’s meatloaf sandwich, but with Carnevor’s truffle oil mashed potatoes because, while Comet’s potatoes are good, those truffle potatoes are incredible. And a couple scallops on the side. With this I’d drink a Rochefort 10, or maybe a bold red wine, like an old vine zin. A small helping each of: chocolate ganache, crème brulee, and Kopp’s grasshopper fudge custard. I’d have a few cups of a Chemex-brewed Sumatra with this course.

Josh: Thanksgiving Dinner (turkey, potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole and cranberry fluff) with Marionberry pie for dessert.

 

Getting to Know Staples Marketing – Part Two

Source: http://thegiftingstore.blogspot.com/2014/01/thegiftingstorecom-survey.html

 

It’s time for the employees of Staples Marketing to answer another survey question! To recap, in my last blog post I asked everyone in the office to tell me what song is the most played on their iPod. Not only did I find a couple new songs I really like, but I learned a little bit about each of my coworkers. This time, I asked another question I feel can give us some good insight into everyone’s unique interests and personalities.

Question #2: If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you like to meet?

Josh: Albert Einstein

Ryan: Hunter S. Thompson

Amy:  Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Laura M: Abraham Lincoln

Rick: My grandpa who passed away before I was born. [Benjamin Panten]

Traci: Andy Warhol

LauraD: Rainer Maria Rilke

Danny: Jerry Garcia

Katie: Bob Marley

Jenny: John Lennon

Steve: The list would include Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther, Abraham Lincoln, and at the top of the list would be Jesus

Roe: Stevie Nicks

Erik: Ray Bradbury

 

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for question #3!