The Curator News Feed: November 1, 2013
It's November and the Starbucks red cups have hit stores already. Perhaps you have tweeted a coffee to a friend, seen the most clever Halloween costume possibly ever, and taken the PR pitch quiz. But, if not, read on for more on those and our other favorite reads this week.
The Kleenex Connection: 5 Mental Tricks to Jumpstart Creativity While Waiting in Line, Fast Company. I'm the most impatient line waiter. You too? Fast Company's article shares some great tips on how to spark creativity by observing the people around you while waiting in line (or anywhere). I loved hearing the examples of how some big ideas were sparked, not by some big, complicated study, but by watching people and understanding human need and motivation. -- Maria
Amputee Paralympian Has the Best Halloween Costumes, Deadspin. A friend shared this link with me. It's not only the best thing I've seen all week, but probably the most creative costume I've seen in a while. Paralympian and motivational speaker Josh Sundquist especially killed it on the flamingo. -- Maria
How to Get Editors to Read Your Pitch, Inc. The first line in this article summed up how I feel about almost every email that comes through my inbox. Or, what about the amount of times you refresh your outlook just in case a new email from a reporter comes through? I think one of the best feelings in PR is when you land that perfect piece for your client. This article does a nice job of highlighting some of the things you need to do in a pitch to score that article, even if they seem counter-intuitive. -- Annie
Tweeting a Starbucks Coffee is Now a Thing, AdWeek. It's now possible to give the gift of Starbucks coffee via Twitter! Type "@tweetacoffee to" and then the Twitter handle of the recipient before sending your tweet. Gifts are limited to $5, but will likely grow once the campaign proves a success. -- Jennifer
Dear PR People, Please Take This Quiz, What's Next Blog. Most of this is basic, but it's always a good reminder...and good for a laugh, too. -- Dan
How China's One-Child Policy Forced Starbucks to Rethink Its Beijing Stores, Fast Company. This mini case study demonstrates the importance of understanding the context of your audience when they're experiencing your product in your store. I read this article somewhat passively on the bus, but it stuck with me. Clearly the director of concept design understands that one size does not fit all, even in an iconic chain store like Starbucks. -- Megan