CobornsDelivers Serves Northstar Commuter Train Travelers

It’s official!  Starting tomorrow, Dec. 1, we’ll be delivering groceries directly to Northstar Commuter Rail travelers at the Coon Rapids-Riverdale station.

We’ll deliver between 4 - 7 p.m. on weekdays, so you can pick up your groceries on the way home from work.  Orders placed by 10 a.m. can be picked up the same day - which means that you can order the ingredients you forgot for dinner and pick them up on your way home without having to run to the store!  Delivery will be free on any order of $25 or more.

For more information, click here.

Tags: CobornsDelivers, coon rapids food delivery, food delivery northstar rail, Northstar commuter rail

Taking Chances With Career Move

I am the newest member of StoryTeller  and I am so happy to be part of this amazing and inspiring creative team.  I have to admit, leaving the comfort of a corporate job that you can do in your sleep is a bit nerve-wracking but after spending the last 20 years in Corporate America (working for two great companies,  Xerox Corporation and RR Donnelley) I knew there had to be more to my life.

As Celine Dion put it in her song titled “Taking Chances” she clearly poses the question that I have asked myself many times… “what do you say to taking chances, what do you say to jumping off the ledge?  Never knowing if there is solid ground below…”  I knew I had to take the chance to find the happiness that I aspire to find.   I had to jump off Corporate America’s ledge.  With all of the social media platforms today and the transformation of how businesses are marketing themselves, ( despite the lack of solid ground),  I don’t think it’s ever been a more exciting time to be part of this movement.

What I know is when it’s all said and done, no matter how much money you make, if you don’t love getting up in the morning and going to work, or believe that what you do makes a difference, than you shouldn’t be doing it.  I feel so lucky to be able to take my years of “selling” experience, and now help our clients sell “their” stories through Social Media and online video.

I know what we do makes a difference.  That’s a great place to start.

Oh by the way, if you are interested in hearing Celine’s Taking Chances check it out here.

Tags: Celine Dion, Good Business, R. R. Donnelley, storyteller, Taking Chances, Xerox

Look to Future Without Forgetting Past

On a recent trip to Chicago a couple of friends and I decided to visit the Museum of Science and Industry. If you’ve never been, I recommend checking it out. I spent four hours wandering around the different exhibits and only made it about three quarters of way through the museum. There is plenty of cool stuff to check out.

My favorite exhibit and the one that inspired this little blog post of mine was The U-505 Submarine Exhibit. It walks you through the American capture of the first German U-boat on June 4th, 1944 off the coast of West Africa.

Now, I have a pretty good handle on my World War II history so I found myself more interested in the presentation of the exhibit. What made it so great for me (besides actually seeing the German sub itself) is how the exhibit tells the story of the submarine’s capture. It’s done through a series of wall writings, videos and even a little old school hologram action.

Doing what I do for a living, the videos caught my eye. They might not be considered special by today’s standards. In fact, they were simple documentary style. They didn’t have any flashy graphics, the lighting wasn’t great and there weren’t any fancy editing tricks. They were just plain old black and white video with a voice over and a music pad underneath. I’m sure you can imagine what I’m talking about, but just in case you need a visual click here.

I guess I can’t say for sure why… but I was captivated by these videos. Perhaps it’s my love and fascination for stories and lifetimes that were before my own. It also may be that after years of working on different sides of video production where the goal is to stay ahead of the game and be on top of the next best thing to make your video look bigger and better I just wanted to be reminded of how easily a great story can be told.

It made me think about how easy it is to forget about the place where we came from when our sole view is continually on where we’re going.

Tags: Chicago, Documentary video, German U-Boat, Museum of Science and Industry, StoryTeller Media & Communications, U-505, Video Production

Grassroots Campaigns: Unpolished or Authentic?

Does anyone else find grassroots campaigns utterly fascinating?  When I hear stories about successful campaigns, like the one centered on the release of the 25th anniversary edition of Michael Jackson’s Thriller - in which groups of dancers around the world “spontaneously” began doing the iconic dance to the album’s title track to get people thinking about the cd - I get inspired.  (Side note: the campaign worked, at least for me: I bought the album a week later.) › Continue reading

Tags: Grassroots Campaigns, Michael Jackson, Paranormal Activity, Thriller

Three Tips for Compromising on Color With Kids

My daughter recently wanted to paint her room lime green, and that can be a tricky color to choose, especially with conflicting mother/daughter opinions! So in order to keep the peace, we went together to the store to look at samples. She had plenty of ideas on what color was “the one,” which didn’t jive with mine, of course. But what I realized is that if I stick with my “parental principles” for choosing color, we can usually make everyone happy.

• Match the bedding: If we have agreed on bedding, that is the best place to start choosing a wall color. Holding color samples up to a pillowcase or sham can be very helpful, as opposed to just choosing a color that looks good to a child in the store.
• Tell the child there is extra space in the garage.  “Take your blanket — and leave your cell phone on the counter.”
• Ask an associate: There is nothing like a professional to give an objective opinion and take the pressure off mom or dad. They also can act as a middle man, since most often, if it’s someone else’s idea, it’s fine (as long as it’s not the parent’s, right?). And likely, the associate will read between the lines and help steer the child in the direction of a good color choice!
• Try it out! It never hurts to get a trial size quart to go and put the child’s dream color on the wall. In the natural light of their room, even they will quickly see if it is not going to work out. And maybe you will realize that even if it’s not your top choice you can live with it…

It's bright. But is it right? We can both live with it -- for a while, anyway.

› Continue reading

Tags: Bright Paint Colors, Compromising on Color, Kid's Rooms, Kids' Bedrooms

Music Makes it Memorable

I wouldn’t say I’m a music junkie, spending all of my free time putting mixes together on my computer or at the record store perusing old vinyl LPs (born after 1984 just went ‘huh?’).  Yet one of my favorite things to do at my job is to sift through our music library for the perfect sound for a video piece.

When I first started as an editor, that process involved placing CD after CD into the tray, listening to one track at a time. Obviously, it was a little monotonous, but well worth it when I would stumble upon the style or feel I’d been searching for. Sometimes, I would hear a song on the radio or TV, and, thanks to the Internet, I could usually track down the artist and song.

I was thrilled when iTunes, and its ‘Genius’ feature emerged. Now, I could input a song title, and it would find a list of similar songs. If Dave Matthews wasn’t quite perfect for the project, maybe John Mayer or Norah Jones could fit the bill. At about the same time, professional music libraries began to provide search engines for their content online. Looking for something to accompany the chase scene in your latest action film? No problem. Search ‘chase’, ‘up tempo’, or ‘action’, and you’re in business. For example, you’d be amazed at how many different tunes pop up when you search ‘golf’!

The real challenge is to find the sound that best illustrates, and works alongside, the story you are trying to tell. There have been many times when I think I’ve got the perfect song that, after laying it down, just doesn’t fit with the story. Back to the drawing (or in this case, sounding) board! Of course, that’s half the fun. When you find the perfect pair of story and song, it makes all the difference in the world. It can bring a flat tale to life, or give an emotional piece an extra boost. Music can often be as important to the story as pictures — especially if done right.

So while even though the search for song, has become easier, the true satisfaction lies in unearthing the right tune to bring the perfect mood to your composition.

Tags: dave matthews, itunes, john mayer, music, norah jones, sound, storyteller, video editing

Top Holiday Toys Under $20

This holiday season, almost everyone is a little more budget-conscious.  Luckily, we have some great products for less than $20, perfect for any budget.  Here are our top picks:

• Extreme Dot-to-Dot Books - $15.95 for set of 2: We’ve mentioned these a lot lately, but it’s just because they’re so cool. Some of the puzzles have more than 1,400 dots to connect - which makes them great for kids and parents alike.
• Dizios - $19.95 : This is like dominos with a colorful twist, and is great for family time.  It might be the perfect family activity for that lull between the present-opening and dinner.

› Continue reading

Tags: All Around the USA BrainBox, Cook it in a Cup, Dizios, Extreme Dot-to-Dot Books, Top Holiday Toys 2009, Top Holiday Toys on a Budget, Toys Under $20, Ultra Stomp Rocket

Top Holiday Stocking Stuffers

I reveled in those Christmas mornings of old.  One of my sisters would shake me awake; we’d tiptoe down the stairs, jittery with excitement, and peer around the corner at the fireplace mantle.  We’d gleefully pounce on our stockings and exclaim as each treasure was discovered—even the predictable apple and orange found in the stocking’s toe.  It seemed absolutely magical (although I’m sure there was plenty of fighting and arguing that has been conveniently forgotten with the passing of time).  Now I want to create that sense of wonder for my own children—while keeping the family Christmas budget in mind.

What are some good stocking stuffers?  These gifts help children develop a variety of skills and are tons of fun:

• Arty fun: Arts and crafts are good choices for stockings: think of paintbrushes and paints, crayons and coloring books, glittery stickers, fun pens and pencils, beaded jewelry-making kits, Silly Putty and Play Doh.  Visit an arts and crafts store in person or on line and you’ll be amazed at the options.  Kids can also create their own books, t-shirts, masks, monster dolls, and puzzles.

› Continue reading

Tags: Dot to Dot Super Challenge, Gift Ideas, Holiday Gift Ideas, Holiday Gift Necessities, Holiday Stocking Stuffers, Make Your Own Puzzle Kit, Monster Doll Kit, Play Doh, Practical Holiday Gifts, Silly Putty, T-Shirt Making Kit, Travel Toys, Zingo!

Three Key Steps Before You Hang Wallpaper

Wallpaper is back in a big way for 2010, and even better, it’s an easy way to update your home while staying on budget. I spoke with Leanne, decor manager of Hirshfield’s Maple Grove location, to get her three top tips on hanging wallpaper correctly:

• Ask Questions: People often overestimate their ability or underestimate the scope of a project and end up frustrated. Make sure that you ask plenty of questions before beginning your project, and you can always give your local store a call for help.

› Continue reading

Tags: Romo, Romo Wallcoverings, Three Steps to Hanging Wallpaper, Wallpaper, Wallpaper Prep Work

Think You Can’t Measure Social Media? Think Again

As social media continues to gain ground, many are questioning how to really measure its value.  While traditional public relations efforts can produce hard figures like ad equivalency values and pinpoint exactly how many people may have tuned in to a particular television segment or picked up a copy of a print publication, the reach of social media has generally been more difficult to define.

David Berkowitz recently put together a list of the top 100 ways to measure social media.  While some are more easily measured and analyzed than others, the fact that such a list exists at all demonstrates not only that social media is more than just a fad, but also that it is a valuable piece of the communication equation.

Here are some of the easiest ways to measure social media success if you’re just getting started:

• Number of impressions: The number of people that have the potential to receive you message, which includes any fans on Facebook, blog readers and Twitter followers (and followers of people who retweet) can be a good gauge of how effective your .
• Comments: It’s always a good sign if people are engaging with your brand via social media, so if your content is interesting enough to inspire people to leave feedback, you’re probably on the right track.
• Fans, Followers & Growth Rate: This can an easy way to assess if the content you’re producing is interesting or if you need to make some adjustments, and it’s probably the most basic way to capture your success with social media.

Tags: David Berkowitz, social media measurement, television ratings