Author: tkaminsky

Better late than never.

I was going to write about this in early May. I procrastinated, started to enjoy the weather and just got busy. Then I was going to write about this on Thanksgiving, but got busy, enjoyed the weather and procrastinated.

So now it’s a rainy Saturday basically, mid-December and I’ve finally slowed down a bit, not enjoying the weather and no longer procrastinating.

It’s about the pandemic—— worry, fear, confusion, scared, grateful, hopeful, and just in awe of the human spirt.

The pandemic has brought so much pain and grief to so many—— loss of loved ones, jobs, homes, friends, dignity, and hope. But with the darkest of moments, there is also a burning light—— within us all. Of compassion, generosity, love, kindness, empathy and a sense of morality. And, at times like these, in spite of everything or because of it, we see amazing all around us. There’s countless examples, I’m sure you’ve seen plenty. But I wanted to stop— — — — — just for a minute. Just to look around, to listen, to watch. To see that the sky is bluer, air is crisper, water cleaner, stars brighter and the birds louder— people talking to one another— neighbors being neighbors, helping each other, sharing and caring. We’re riding bikes, walking more, talking more. We’ve slowed down, a lot. In many cases, come to a dead stop. But is that such a terrible thing? Did we need something like this to appreciate what’s really important in your life. Family. Friends. Health. Love.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard—— really hard. We’ve had to live our lives over the past nine months completely foreign to us. We’re social creatures and instead of embracing one another, giving kisses and hugs we’re crossing the street. We look at you with disdain when you’re not wearing a mask and god forbid if your not standing six feet away. When someone sneezes, no longer do we say “God Bless You”—— no, we run from you like the plague and think COVID! It’s all so counter to who and what we are.

And for most of us, we’ve gotten a lesson in humility—— to do without, to sacrifice, to change our behavior, can’t see friends, not going out, to quarantine, to being in lockdown—— to know powerlessness.

But we’re resilient. We adapt. We persevere. We survive. We’ve learned to live differently.

And as the year of 2020 winds down and we’re ready to close the book on this long drawn out chapter, we’ll look back at this, changed forever, clinging to the old world and poised to start a new one.

Together, with love in our hearts and compassion in our veins.

We will make this a better place.

God Bless

-Tom Kaminsky

Michals Hockey Academy

This is an academy. You come here to learn. But not just about the game of hockey, about yourself too. Your limits, your strengths, your weaknesses, your ability to grow – as a player and a person. This is a jumping off point. From here there is only one direction. And it’s up. This is all things hockey. All things life. (And aren’t they one in the same). This where you laugh, where you hurt, where you soar, and where you win – in every sense of the word.

This is hockey.

This is the Michals Hockey Academy.

what makes a good printed piece

There’s something very special about a printed piece. It’s so different than the immediacy and coldness of an iPad, Kindle, iPhone or laptop we’re constantly on. Yeah, I get it, they’re all great devices and definitely have their advantages, but think about the different experience you have with a printed piece and why.

I personally think a good printed piece slows you down. It allows you to feel and have an emotional connection through a sensory experience. And do you know what is one of the most important aspects of a printed piece? IT IS VISIBLE! You are reminded to look at it again and again because you can see it. It’s kind of like all those digital photographs that are so beautiful and memorable, but we forget to look at because they’re “out of sight,” “out of mind.”

Print leaves a lasting and memorable impression.

Of course and by any measure, it needs to be done well. It should have a solid strategic idea. That goes without saying. But that being a given, think about all of the tools you have at your disposal to accentuate that idea.

Paper, size, color, texture, weight, special effects, good typography, great imagery, the list goes on and on. And is print a dying art? Is our new generation of designers and art directors prepared to take advantage of this medium? Does our younger generation know what it takes to pull off something of such high quality and definition that elevates one’s brand to the highest level?

Can inexperienced eyes tell the difference between good ink holdout and high calendared stock? What is the benefit and pitfalls of each? Why one chooses one stock over the other? Is uncoated paper the right choice? Cast coated sheets? Dot gain?

These are just a few nuances that separate what makes a good piece from a great one. Think about how much money is spent on good photography, messaging and writing. So much work that goes into making a statement about your brand— strategically, distinguishing features, core characteristics, DNA— all of that hard work can go right down the drain with a poorly printed piece.

Our skill sets have changed, the business has evolved and everything needs to be done yesterday. But do you want to risk lowering the bar of excellence by creating something that doesn’t truly reflect your brand, your quality and excellence?

The Harvard Business Review did a study recently about a high-end product through a brand loyalty program by giving consumers a more expensive quality shopping bag with their first purchase. And do you know what the results proved? That their affinity for the brand rose exponentially because they associated the quality of the brand with their own personal taste and societal status. In essence, they became an army of ambassadors for the brand by endorsing and promoting it, as walking billboards, which is FREE, advertising.

Chalk one up for the good old printed piece.

The older and more experienced creative directors who grew up with print have been discarded like the horse and buggy. But shouldn’t we rethink what value they bring to the table. As advertisers isn’t this the renaissance of a new age? We have so many touch points to reach our customers it’s like the Golden Age of Advertising all over again. E-Madison Avenue! Print has that visceral connection that’s as tangible as any other medium and shouldn’t be forgotten. I might shop online, but have to try things on when they get here. Haven’t eaten any bits lately, although I’m sure they don’t have any calories.

Print isn’t dead, it’s just underused. Shit, I still like reading the newspaper. And you can’t get the sports standing in the e-version of the Globe or Times.

 

Branding a hockey team— Exploring your “Why.”

My last blog I ended with “What is your why?” What does that mean? For me, it’s about belief, passion, and love. It drives me, it’s one of the reasons I live for. It’s like a cold burst of water being splashed over your face waking you up to the exuberance of life. What does it mean to you? How does that relate to marketing a hockey team? At the core of any great organization, individual or institution it’s your DNA that’s at the heart of your brand. This is your focus. This is who you are and what you want to market. It is unique to you. That is your exclusivity. The last exclusive brand I’m aware of is the erasable pen from Gillette (correct me if you have any other recent examples). No marketing necessary for that one just let consumers know you have one and advertise the hell out of it. The rest my friends is history.

Everyone claims great people, service and products. However, it’s your persona, methodology, and culture— your DNA that separates you from your competitors. This is your foundation. This is who you are; it is your “why.”

So what exactly are you suppose to do with that? Nothing, except what you’ve always done— be yourself. Just do your thing, run your practices, coach your team. Forge your relationships between your players, parents and other coaches. Mentor, teach, have fun. Isn’t that what drove you to begin with? It’s the game. It’s hockey. The smells, (especially the locker room), the glass, the boards, the ice. The players, the team, camaraderie. Any marketing professional would feast on what you have, who you are— do what you do best and let them do the same.

The most important first step is to take that ethos and build your brand. All of your marketing communications materials should emanate from this single-minded point-of-view. One message, consistent, clear and concise.

Next blog: Plan of action