Last week, I attended the annual American Business Media Top Management Meeting in Chicago. Rather than its typical multi-topic conference approach, the meeting focused primarily on presenting the results from a major industry study and recommendations from the consulting firm Booz & Co.
I found the approach refreshing, more like a deep-dive seminar than the typical panel-led sessions of most conferences (did I just telegraph my opinion of most conferences?). The Booz & Co. study (as reported by Hamsa Ramesha for Northwestern University’s Medill News Service) focused on “pathways to profitability” for B2B media companies in a period when traditional media is shrinking and digital media is expanding.
As ABM member companies are fully involved in events, digital and print media, it was not a Print vs. Web thing — most companies are way past that. This study was more focused on the question: “Based on the reality we’re living in, what must your company become to be successful in five years?”
Perhaps one of the reasons I really enjoyed the study results may be the way in which the findings and recommendations so closely correspond to much of what we at Hammock have been focused on during the past couple of years.
While I plan to write much more about this in the coming weeks, let me preview it by saying that the Booz & Co. study finds that for business-to-business media companies to succeed, they must focus on one of two pathways: Being a company that serves end-users (subscribers, attendees, etc.) or being a company that serves marketers (custom media, marketing services, etc.). While companies can offer services that target both end-users and marketers, Booz & Co. have not yet found an example of how a company has become a leader in both strategies.
It makes sense to me why they have not, but the reasons why that is so are going to be a part of my follow-up posts on the topic. (How’s that for a tease?)
In the meantime, let me say, we at Hammock know exactly what our pathway is: We are going to continue to serve savvy marketers in their efforts to generate more profitable relationships with their customers or members.
Our services will grow to include even more ways to help marketers accomplish that goal via print and all forms of digital and online media. Our services will also grow in ways that will offer marketers the means to measure and manage such programs in ways that clearly provide tangible business benefits to our clients.
We look forward to the continuation of this journey. And I look forward to posting more about it over the coming weeks.
One of the perks of my work at Hammock Inc., is the chance to visit interesting, often unusual places in order to immerse myself more fully in our clients’ activities. Or maybe embed is a better word to use when describing my trip to the annual Modern Day Marine Military Expo aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA.
Co-sponsored by our client, The Marine Corps League and the Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM), the event brings together Marines of all levels of experience and military suppliers for three days of equipment inspections and discussions.
The show has grown steadily over the years, and took an enormous leap this year, growing by 30 percent over last year, with 400 vendors and 8,200 attendees. Besides producing the League’s member magazine, Semper Fi, we also produce the Expo directory; we increased the number for this year by 16 percent, and they were all gone halfway through the three-day show.
Besides attendance, this year’s show may be regarded as a turning point because it occurred as the Marine Corps reshapes itself for future challenges. Every few years, The Marine Corps steps back, looks at the world in which it has to function and makes shrewd calculations about how that world will change in the near future and what the Corps must do to adapt.
This year, the Corps’ new Commandant General James Conway signed off on the Vision and Strategy 2025 report.
Traditionally, the Corps has been America’s “First to Fight” force, moving first and fast to trouble spots to take and hold positions, then turning them over to more permanent forces such as Army troops. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, however, the Corps has maintained an ongoing military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It’s not unheard of for the Corps to play this role, but it’s not their preferred modus operandi. The Corps’ leaders are looking forward to relinquishing that role in the near future and resuming its “expeditionary” function – with Marines based on ships close to potential trouble spots and areas with critical American interests at stake.
The report sees the Marines of 2025 as lean, agile and flexible – able to fight or conduct community and ally building activities or both at the same time. And, as General Conway said at a formal dinner during the Expo, the vendors have to bring the Corps the tools it will need to turn that vision into reality.
Those tools will include new land, sea and air craft, new weaponry, new armor for vehicles and troops, integrated and protected digital communications that will give corporals battlefield awareness and intelligence that today’s commanders lust after.
They will also include robots – which were a special focus of the show, at an “obstacle course” where ‘bots ranging from lawn-tractor sized automatons to toy-like devices the size of shoeboxes. Far from your sci-fi robots such as that on Lost in Space or “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” these machines can nevertheless save lives by doing reconnaissance, bomb detection and disposal, retrieval of wounded and, yes, fighting.
As for the Marines at the show, their interests seemed to correlate with rank and experience. Junior Marines – including a number of newly minted lieutenants, boggled at all the “toys.” Many went for personal items – knives, boots, lights, weapons, flame-resistant apparel. Older, more senior Marines spent more time examining critical tools for battlefield success; their recommendations could soon show up in their hands.
There was a celebrity sighting – R. Lee Ermey, of drill instructor fame from “Full Metal Jacket” – is a regular guest at the show, playing in a golf tournament and signing autographs to help raise funds for the Marine Corps League’s Young Marines program.
More photos of the event may be seen here.
We at Hammock Inc. have a profound respect for great creative work, and especially for work that relates to our clients—in this case, The Marine Corps League. On Jan. 16, the U.S. Marine Corps began airing a stunning new TV recruitment commercial featuring the Corps’ legendary Silent Drill Platoon.
The Marines traveled to 15 locations in 10 states to shoot footage, from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to Times Square in New York, even to Columbia, TN. The video folks shot loads of scenes, probably enough to make a dozen commercials – in fact, they made an exciting teaser preview. Meanwhile, a still photographer and writer documented each location, including moving stories from veteran Marines, from parents and siblings and friends of Marines who came out to watch the taping.
The results are posted at the website, ourmarines.com, along with an extended version of the TV spot (click the video sidebar to view).
One incident is worth noting because it has another Hammock tie-in. Rex Hammock happened to be in New York City at the same time as the Drill Platoon. After filming from about 2 a.m. to sunrise, the Marines went live on Fox and Friends, then boarded a bus to CBS’ Early Show, 11 blocks away. When the bus became mired in mid-Manhattan gridlock, the Marines debarked and marched to the CBS studios. As Rex was leaving his hotel to head out for JFK Airport and an early-morning flight, the Marines were heading back to their bus. “I’ve seen lots of unique things in New York City over the years,” recalls Rex, “But nothing can compare with how impressive — and surreal — it is to chance upon the Marine Drill Team at six a.m. in Times Square.”
From all accounts the platoon took Manhattan without firing a shot.
During the recent Marine West Expo aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., I joined several members of the Marine Corps League including Lt. Gen. Olmstead, former commanding general of the base, on a visit to the Wounded Warrior Battalion West. Around 29 Marines now comprise the WWBW; they have room for 36 and hope to build a facility for more than 100. The formation of the regiment last year gave formal structure, recognition and place among the Marine Corps’ various units, all of which are important not only to the individual Marines who deeply miss their previous units, but also for the Corps and veterans services to be able to focus on helping these brave men and women. All want to remain in the Corps; not all will make it, and for those, the Corps is working hard to help them transition successfully back to civilian life. (Note: If you want someone who will work hard, take any task and get it done better than you could imagine, these are the people to hire.)
Before I left for the Expo, we pulled together 30 or so books from review copies sent to Hammock Inc. for our various magazines. Most were on military or Marine history, a few were novels and one, “The Sandbox,” was a collection from U.S. military bloggers. Most of the Wounded Warriors were touring the Expo when we arrived, so we talked to the major in charge of the battalion, one of his sergeants, and a Corporal Ricco, whom Lt. Gen. Olmstead had been asked to look up for a mutual friend.
When we go to Camp Lejeune in April for Marine South, we’ll take some books there, as well. The Marines also love video games, in part because they grew up playing them but also because they help re-establish manual and in some cases, mental, dexterity.
Very few people will ever go to a trade show where the major selling points for most of the products offered are either how lethal they are or how good they are at preventing the user from becoming a casualty. The Marine Military Expos are just that kind of show, and I am at the 2008 Marine West Expo, sponsored in part by our client the Marine Corps League, aboard the US Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton, CA.
With palm trees dotting the dry landscape and many of the housing units built in the classic Southern California Spanish style, large parts of Camp Pendleton, CA, look like most other small California coast towns. There are shopping centers, McDonalds restaurants, Starbucks, a paintball range, fire stations, signs for dances and other events at the Staff Non-Commissioned Officer Club, little kids with moms in tow walking on the sidewalks to playgrounds.
But there is a sense of purpose and intensity here you don’t find in most small towns. Most of the Marines here have either done at least one tour of a Middle Eastern combat zone, or are training for their first deployment, or getting ready for their next. All of them want to take the best gear they can into the fight, to do unto the enemy and keep the enemy from doing unto them.
That’s the purpose of these expos, to bring the people who make military gear – from socks to rockets – face to face with the Marines who use the products – more than use them, whose lives depend on them. The Marines are not shy about expressing their approval or complaints, nor about offering suggestions to improve the item. And the vendors are eager to hear – many of the representatives here are retired Marines or veterans of other services. Their knowledge helps their companies, and meeting their fellow warriors keeps that knowledge fresh.
What, you may wonder, do socks bring to a military operation? Ask any ground-pounding infantryman – feet are subject to a world of woes. A seamless-toed sock that wicks moisture away from the feet, cushions sensitive areas and even fights foot odor can make a difference in how effective a grunt is, how fast he or she can move, and thus, in whether they come home ok. Don’t even get me started on boots …
And Pendleton’s Marines know about pounding ground. Now in its 66th year as a Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, CA, sprawls over hundreds of thousands of acres of what would otherwise be prime, overly developed California coastline. Originally part of a gigantic ranch when Spain controlled California, Camp Pendleton became US Marine turf in the early days of WWII. After training in its sere, rugged hills and surf-whitened beaches, tens of thousands of Marines embarked for battles that are part of Corps legend – Guadalcanal, Peleliu, Tarawa, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Today it trains Marines for battles in the Middle East, and for missions around the world, including humanitarian efforts such as the aid to Bangladesh after Cyclone Sidr tore through that nation.
The two-day show will be attended by an estimated 3,000 Marines, from privates to generals. The local newspaper, the North County Times, covers Camp Pendleton closely and has an interesting article about the show. As one general said today, his peers don’t buy much – they wait to hear from their corporals, sergeants, master sergeants and gunny sergeants about what’s worthwhile and what’s not. If the Marines want it, I want one, too.
I was privileged to speak today (Jan. 10) to the Old Glory DAR Chapter in Franklin, Tenn., which had invited me to talk about American Spirit Magazine, which we produce for the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
Although it’s been over 3 years since I was the editor, they invited me because the chapter’s program chair is the sister of a DAR member in my hometown, who had asked me to speak to her chapter a couple years ago. Small world, small towns.
Membership dues for DAR don’t include a subscription to the magazine, so the Society exhorts its chapters to encourage members to subscribe. Circulation is climbing, and, we discovered after my first speech, making a presentation to a chapter can spur members to sign up.
Part of my presentation appears in our case study on American Spirit. I also gave considerable props to the Hammock design and production folks who work magic turning words into images, and naturally to American Spirit’s editor, Jamie Roberts, for making each issue a jewel.
About 35 members and several prospective members attended the meeting at the Williamson County Public Library’s main branch. It was a stormy day – rain and thunderstorms punctuated my talk. Then, just as I was about to leave, sirens started to wail. The librarians announced there was a tornado warning—a funnel cloud in the area—and herded us all into a hallway away from windows and outside doors. So we had a chance to chat for about 20 minutes until the all-clear sounded. There wasn’t any panic, but everyone was subdued – we know tornados can hit any time of the year. (In fact. Clarksville, Tenn., got slammed almost exactly 9 years ago.
It was a memorable ending to this American Spirit road trip. Pictured here with me are Susan Walker, Old Glory Chapter Regent; Dee Smothers, Old Glory Chapter Program Chairman; and Ann Blevins, Old Glory Chapter Magazine Chairman..
OORAH! Always up for a challenge, we were psyched when we learned in spring 2006 that the Marine Corps League had chosen Hammock Inc. as the new publisher of its bimonthly magazine, sent to the organization’s nearly 70,000 members. The publication had been around more than 26 years and needed a fresh look, so Hammock designers and editors drafted a battle plan on how to ramp up from a quarterly to a bimonthly publication and revamp the magazine so it appealed to members and trumpeted the organization’s purpose.
The major challenge to us, as explained by the admittedly skeptical executive director, was whether a group of non-Marine and non-veteran writers and designers could successfully capture the deeply ingrained bond, camaraderie and warrior ethos among Marines.
Defining a rhythm and pace was the first step. The old version lacked organization—it was hard to distinguish a feature from a department. By establishing a clear framework, Hammock helps readers navigate through the magazine. Adding full-page photography in the front and back of the book (an industry term for “magazine”) and sticking with audience-appropriate fonts and colors gave the publication more visual interest.
We spent considerable time talking with the director as well as other Marines and reading widely about America’s premier fighting force. We proposed a bold strategic move: The publication had been called The Marine Corps League magazine—we suggested changing the name to Semper Fi, the Magazine of the Marine Corps League to tie into the Corps’ motto, Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful).
We found ways to hold onto sentimental favorites (such as illustrations used in every issue of the older magazine that were provided by a Marine vet who was a WWII combat artist), while adding fresh aspects that give the magazine a strength it lacked before.
The new design referenced Marine colors and imagery, including its eagle, globe and anchor symbol. It also tapped into Marine Corps terms, such as “Attention on Deck,” “Roll Call,” “Once a Marine” and “Recon” to identify sections and departments. Strong, masculine fonts and an orderly, “squared-away” format gave it a clean, straightforward and contemporary appearance.
Editorially, we included not only a roundup of League activities, but also selected articles about today’s Corps—written by Marines who work for the Corps’ excellent news service—and features on a variety of topics, from personality profiles of Marine veterans to articles on Corps history, to personal recollections of members.
The results have been outstanding—the Marine Corps League reports that its members love the new look and feel, and members continue to send in compliments and rave reviews. We’re satisfied that our work is appreciated by a group of the bravest men and women we know.
Each issue expands our knowledge and increases our already great admiration for the men and women who comprise the U.S. Marines, who are Marines forever. We look at it as our small contribution to thanking all of them for defending this country and the cause of freedom since 1775.
When Hammock Inc. launched MyBusiness magazine in 2000, we created a website for the magazine, even though the National Federation of Independent Business already had its own site. From the beginning, MyBusinessMag.com has served as a magazine archive, a repository of information for advertisers and freelance writers and a place to offer additional value to print advertisers, with an online package.
Opportunities grew online over the years, and in 2006, we decided it was time to re-launch MyBusinessMag.com, in a fashion that more fully supported the magazine’s editorial mission and continued to offer full archives and advertising information and opportunities.
The new MyBusinessMag.com launched in April 2006, with a daily blog from the MyBusiness editors featuring news, stories and tips for small-business owners. The blog covers politics, business management and unusual stories, and it injects the same personality onto the website that we feature in the magazine.
Traffic to the site has increased 400 percent since the redesigned site launched, a stat we attribute to the new format’s ability to link out to other content and attract significantly more incoming links.
The January-February 2008 issue of Semper Fi: The Magazine of the Marine Corps League is headed for the presses this week, and will be arriving in the homes of some 70,000 Marine Corps League members in early January.
This issue is chock-full of reports on how the League played a leading role in celebrating the 232nd birthday of the Marine Corps on Nov. 10 and then in hosting the National Veterans Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery on Nov. 11.
The issue also reports on the League’s 27th annual Modern Day Marine Expo held aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. in early October. The Expo, and its cousins held in January at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and in April at Camp Lejeune, N.C., bring military suppliers together with Marines who use their equipment. More than just a show and tell for the vendors, the Expos allow the Marines to speak with the suppliers about what works and what doesn’t. And when you are talking about something that can literally save your life and those of your fellow Marines, the talk is direct and to the point.
When faced with a tough decision, do you mull it over for weeks or go with your gut? Do you feel comfortable with your decision once you’ve made it? These are the questions we asked several of the subjects featured in the December/January 2008 issue of MyBusiness, the magazine Hammock publishes for the National Federation of Independent Business.
What we found in our feature “The Power of Trust” was that small-business owners listen to their instincts to help them make important decisions about their businesses, but deliberation is still necessary.
We also talked to some small-business owners who make their communities as much of a priority as their businesses in our inspiring feature “Like a Good Neighbor.”
Check out these stories and more in the latest issue, including a staff favorite on how one Arizona business creates success by blending into the crowd—a crowd of trees, that is.
