Marketing Fun

I have a lot of fun thinking about great marketing ideas. Especially when I'm the target of them.

I went out to Timothy O'Toole's Pub the other day after work with some coworkers. Two of my coworkers ordered and shared a bucket of Bud Lights. A bucket, (this was the first time that I had seen it ordered) is an aluminum bucket with five (assumed standard number) bottles of beer, packed in ice. It's pretty showy, and takes up a lot of table space.

Some time into the evening, this guy walks up to our table, and interrupts, "Excuse me. I'm a representative of Anheuser Busch. I noticed you were enjoying a bucket of Bud Lights. Here's a sample of our new aluminum-bottled Bud Light, try it out." After spending a bit of time clearing some space on the table, he set down a new bucket of this new sample, and walked away.

This dude totally hit the jackpot with our group. We started analyzing the new bottles, trying it out, and discussing how it seemed to keep the beer cooler for longer. And how drinking from an aluminum bottle differs from the classic glass bottle. I don't know how frequently this kind of thing happens, but it was the first time that I had experienced it. And it was fun. I tried to track the guy to see how he decided who to approach, but I lost sight of him. I never found out whether he only targeted people that were already drinking Anheuser Busch beers, those having competitor beers, or anyone else. But what he tried with us worked, and I will undoubtedly seriously consider this new aluminum bottle the next time I see it available.

Companies and businesses should give out free stuff more often.

What do you do?

I have a bachelor's degree in psychology. No engineering degree, business degree, degree in medicine, law, or any other advanced degree. Perhaps that is the problem with me. But I am so incompatible with education systems that I see little other choice than to try to go out and work.

I've tried doing independent consulting work, and I've thought about starting my own business (I haven't come up with any ideas good enough to get started). Neither of those self-starter ideas seem to be able to consistently pay the bills. Neither seem like realistic ways to make a living.

Just 2 weeks ago I started working at the entry level for a small consulting firm (that just got bought out by a larger 2nd-tier consulting firm, but the assimilation is a slow and unsure process). With about 30 total employees, I was excited at the opportunity to have a large direct impact on the company, its clients, and how things are operated. I've only been working for 2 weeks, but I can already feel my goals slowly fading out of sight.

It seems as if positions in companies that call for thinking and innovation require advanced degrees, or years and years of time with the company, learning its processes, specific operations, and other such details that may not be applicable anywhere else. Experience is still more highly valued than ability. That really annoys me.

I would like to ask everyone that reads this post to please respond. Please tell me that I am incorrect, and that I am devoting my energies improperly. That there is something practical and decent out there for those of us that have a measly undergraduate degree and like to think, solve, and innovate. Please tell any story that connects you to great work. I desperately need some ideas.

Getting By in a New City

Well, maybe not just getting by; that's easy to do. But living comfortably, practically, and even fashionably in a new location can be difficult.

So I finally moved to Chicago 2 days ago. I came by train (which might I add, is a very dramatic way to leave home&family). I fit all of my belongings into 2 suitcases and a backpack, which seemed a little excessive to me. Others didn't agree. Luckily, I was moving into a house with a few roommates, and many household items were accounted for. I didn't have space to bring pans, utensils, a mattress, detergents, toilet paper, and those kinds of things. Some items are easy to buy, but from where? And how do I get to and from the store with that stuff? And how much will all of those little things cost? Lots of little details.

And then more questions and issues. Which bank should I join, and what should I do with my money? Where do I do laundry? Where do I go to get my hair cut? Where should I go to buy clothes and shoes for work? What can I do around here for fun? There are probably 100 bars within comfortable walking distance; which should I go to? So many questions. Asking roommates, coworkers, and other people yielded surprisingly inconclusive and little truly valuable information. The same with web searches. Maybe I'm just bad at extracting information and recommendations from people and the web. Or maybe it's just tough, and I should just adventure, experiment, and deal with it.

But wouldn't it be sweet if there were some reliable source of information for those kinds of things?

Work Attitudes and Age Differences

This is written from the perspective of a 21-year-old recent college graduate with a lucky middle-class origin. I refer specifically to the office setting. Hopefully that's sufficient background information.

Explicit age ranges aren't crucial to the attitude issues that I'm interested in discussing, but I would like to distinguish between younger and older workers. The younger category is likely to include new college graduates, high school graduates, and people that return to school; people that are seeking a career, and something to do for a living. The older category is likely to include workers that have been in the same position for years, people that have settled for and stayed with last-resort jobs, and more jaded folks in general.

I've noticed differences between the attitudes of younger and older working people. It's kind of odd, and slightly disturbing. You might've also noticed it in some way or another. Younger working people are curious, ambitious, and seek potential. They want to find interesting work, and work that they value. They are quick to try new things, and are willing to implement ideas and innovations if there is potential to improve overall efficiency and benefit. They understand that work is work, but they make genuine efforts to align their careers with their life values. Older working people are apathetic, unenergetic, and stagnant. Regardless of how they got to where they are, they don't see themselves going anywhere. Work is something they just have to do, and they deal with it because it pays the bills. Changes in the workplace are bothersome, and new ideas that require adaptation and implementation are an unwanted hassle.

These are some thoughts that may arise:
1. Work is inherently bad, and will never be fun or stimulating.
2. People may start out as younger workers, but over time, working turns them into older workers.
3. Times are changing, and the potential for (and practicality of) finding work that aligns with personal values is much greater now than ever. People that grow up during this time have corresponding expectations. Also, this alignment reduces the effects of #2.

I'm really hoping for #3.