Marketing Association for Credit Unions, Toronto, ON (2026)

The Marketing Association for Credit Unions (MACU) is a non-profit organization supporting and enhancing the professional development of credit union marketers through education, networking and recognition.

03/06/2024

Semi-Deep Thought of the Day -- The Magic of Make-Believing

You know what I love about the saying 'Make Believe?' It is that we all instinctively think that we have to be child-like to practice it. It was never told to you that only this juvenile mindset is an absolute requirement, but you believe it to be so. This is just a profound memory of when you last did it, when you were 'all in,' where you could easily suspend belief in the 'reality' of the here and now.

Remember the last time you were fully immersed in a world of your own making? A time when you could easily grab your imagination and dance in any world you created, experiencing it all in your head as a new reality.

That we somehow lost this magic is something not worth growing up for. Make believing is just you in a universe that could easily exist. All you have to do is make it ... and believe it to be real. So much joy is within our control!

Dedicated to the memory of Ernie Coombs - aka Mr. Dressup, who showed us all that any reality can be all reality at any age. Miss this Make-Believer and guide to all possibilities.

Go to that Tickle Trunk and grab whatever costume you need today to be joyful. Silly sometimes is the only sanity.

Oh and watch this most excellent documentary --> Prime Video: Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe

03/04/2024

Attention all packaging designers! Are you focused on improving user experience? Here's a Sunday special free idea for you.

Have you ever had to cram necessary information onto a label and resorted to using a small font size [9 / 8 / 7 pt fonts]. What about those of us with less-than-perfect eyesight?

Consider adding a QR code to your label information that directs users to a website displaying the same text in a more legible font size. This small change can make a big difference for those struggling to read the fine print.

Big thanks in advance for stealing this idea!

Let's work together to create more empathetic designs and improve user experience. Share this idea with your colleagues and steal away - it's sure to be appreciated by many.

02/29/2024

How I almost got fired from a job I loved...

Let’s go back a few decades, to a much younger version of me. The version of me in my first true marketing job. I was employed as a Chartist at Seaboard Advertising in BC. A chartist's main job was determining which outdoor advertising would go on which specific location within the myriad of locations available within their market. It was here that I first encountered working with real brands on real campaigns – I loved it and dove in with all the vigour because I was executing real marketing! I’ve only worked here a few months when my ‘mistake’ happened. So let’s go to the day in question. I had worked on placing superboards for – PepsiCo brand – so no small potatoes here. The campaign in question was about their new logo and the new package design for the tortilla chips. If memory serves they took up 7 of the 10 superboard locations in the city. Superboards are usually twice as big as a billboard in that they are 40 feet long versus a 20-foot billboard. It has a much bigger visual impact and is preferred by advertisers looking to make a statement. So, if you work in outdoor you get to know the location of every billboard, transit shelter, mall poster ad, etc across the province and you always do a visual check to see what is on the board, has it been graffitied – is the paper falling down – and just what is in the market at the time – as old campaigns should be covered up, etc. The funny thing is – if you work there long enough you will do this for the rest of your life – and for some reason, you can’t stop looking at them.

Let’s go back to the day in question, as I was driving to work down Hasting St. heading to Willingdon – where I would pivot to head to the office. En route is one of these superboards located in the back of a parking lot facing the street of a funeral home. It was the first time I had actually read the copy on the billboard. I was aghast and proceeded to race to the office to have it taken down immediately. When I arrived at work I grabbed the walkie-talkie [ yup, I am that old ] and made an urgent request to speak with Bob. Bob was in charge of the bill posters and also would drive around in the truck putting up ads as well. Within a few minutes that felt like hours – Bob radioed back to me – and I made an urgent plea to have this superboard taken down immediately- Bob was most confused – saying to me that it had only gone up the day before. Why should we take it down? – he asked… So, I had to tell him why … and now will tell you too. In the firey graphic style that was all the rage in the early 90s was this vivid picture of the new Dorits’s bag with its new logo on it … and the copy… well the copy said in 5-foot letters “KISS THE OLD BAG BYE” … Remember where I placed this ad… in the parking lot of a funeral home – you could not go here and not see this billboard. Right about now you are probably like Bob… laughing your ass off… I had to wait for him to stop laughing and finally breathe to make my urgent request for an emergency removal. I don't think I ever told my boss – maybe he will read it here today and he too will laugh, just as I do now and use it as a party joke. But for the day in question – I’m not sure Doritos or Pepsi would have joined us in laughing at the obvious humour in it – or for that matter the funeral home in question wanting to greet the recently bereaved with such a sign. So, Seaboard stood to lose valuable advertiser[s], lose a superboard location [which was grandfathered] which was not replaceable and have a Jimmy Pattison company [ PATTISON Outdoor ] getting publicity that they didn’t really want. So the lesson here… it is just this – “This too will pass.” And of course, I never forgot to read the copy lines of the ads I placed in the city ever again. I survived and have one hell of a story that makes everyone laugh. I once even told it at a funeral home – went over well!

So if you worked for Doritos in the 90s or at Seaboard Advertising and have a picture of this billboard copy - please send it to me - it will make us laugh a bit harder.

Happy Mistake Day!

12/21/2023

The 12 Days of Christmas [Commercials]
🎄✨ "Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas [Commercials]! 🎬🎅

The commercial discussed is this series have a hashtag at the end of this post. Click on the hashtag below to watch others in this series.

🎄✨ Here we go. Day 1 of 12.

Ho Ho Ho! 🎅 As we deck the halls and jingle all the way, let's take a merry stroll down memory lane. I'm excited to bring you a festive series that will unwrap not just presents, but the magic of some of the most memorable holiday commercials ever aired! Well ... for me. As always, all opinions are welcome!

Over the next 12 days, I'll be sharing my top 12 commercials that have not only captured the spirit of Christmas but have also set the bar high in the world of advertising. From tear-jerkers that tug at your heartstrings to those that make your belly shake like a bowl full of jelly, we'll explore what makes each one a sparkling star atop the marketing Christmas tree.

But this isn't just about nostalgia wrapped in a bow. Each post will delve into the creative genius behind these ads - the strategy, the storytelling, and the sheer holiday cheer they bring. Whether you're in marketing, a fan of classic ads, or just love a good holiday story, this series is for you! Follow us along with the hashtag below.

So, grab your hot cocoa, adjust your Santa hats, and get ready to be dazzled. Let's count down to a merry marketing Christmas, one iconic commercial at a time! 🌟📺

Okay for the first pre-day .. gonna be a longer post - but, hey it's probably December for you & slacking off is part of your 'benefits' package. Don't worry I've checked with HR [or People & Culture] and it's all okay.

Let's go back to your very image of Santa ... which I am quite sure was crafted by our favourite syrupy drink that quenches your thirst ... Indeed our thirst-quenching Coca-Cola

So the story goes that In the 1930’s when soft drink giant Coca-Cola decided to celebrate the holiday season in their ads, American artist Haddon Sundblom (1899-1976) created an image that still today is considered the definitive appearance of a modern-day Santa Claus. Understandably hard to admit but our culture is often corporately created.

Sundblom created his first Santa Claus for The Coca‑Cola Company in 1931, using a retired salesman named Lew Prentiss as his model and later using himself. His Santa was plump and friendly with twinkling eyes. Sundblom continued drawing Santa for holiday campaigns for more than 30 years. By then, the Sundblom Santa had become an enduring American institution and permanently fixed St. Nick's image as rotund and jolly, dressed in red and white.

Ads as anchors of culture - but, one has to admit, his ads were art.

P.S. More than 40 of Sundblom's original oil paintings of Santa have been preserved in The Coca‑Cola Company archives in Atlanta.

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Toronto, ON

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Website

http://www.macu.ca/

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