Friday Donuts

Friends, A brand is a powerful thing. It succinctly conveys a large range of attributes, often charged with an array of values and emotions. By and large, brands stay within the narrow confines set forth by the company’s primary line of business. Tide, BF Goodrich and Starbucks are all examples of rule-abiding brands. They are well recognized, yet their association is specific to soap, tires and coffee -respectively. Sometimes, brands transcend. These special brands are generally synonymous with an attitude or a lifestyle. Think Harley Davidson clothing or the Ducks Unlimited edition Chevy Silverado. Their initial association with motorcycles and wetland conservation have broadened to appeal to the wannabe outlaw biker and nature-loving outdoorsman respectively. Another iconic brand, Nordstrom’s, is delving beyond their comfort zone to see whether their brand appeal extends outside the proverbial big box. They are venturing into the realm of designer donuts. So, slick your hair w

Friends, When I wrote this week’s Stream post making a shocking admission concerning baseball, little did I know there would be some baseball karma following me around. 6:00 AM, I leave the house bright and early, looking to beat traffic and get the best donut selection at the usual spot. Unbeknownst to me, Holy Donuts closed their doors this week for an unannounced Spring Break. Strike 1! So I decide to drive down to Habit Donuts, after all, it is not a big detour and they have some awesome treats. 6:30 AM, I arrive only to find-out they open at 7:00. Strike 2!! I’m getting a little nervous. I’m downtown, somewhat of a donut desert. Any donut shop I drive to next will be a detour. So I decide to try LaMar’s off of Santa Fe and 6 th Ave. (fortunately it’s still early and I’ve got some time). Home run!!! If you decided to brave the elements (it’s really not that bad out there), your courage is about to be rewarded with some delicious deep-fried dough. Happy Friday!

Friends, When you hear certain letter combinations in brand names, do you ever catch yourself thinking of the perfect spokesperson? I must confess this sometimes happens to me. Here are a few that hit me this week: Progressive Insurance – Sean Connery. It’s just the perfect combination of “R” and “S” sounds. Noosa Yoghurt – Jar Jar Binks. Yousa agree? Magoosh Test Prep – Jack Black. Think Kung Fu Panda pinky grip. As for Holy Donuts, the purveyor of this morning’s treats, I’ve been debating between John Cleese --perfect English accent—and Frances McDonald as Marge Gunderson, the police officer in the movie Fargo –those “O” sounds are just begging to be messed with. Any others come to mind? Happy Friday!

Friends, People sometimes ask about the writing process for my “donut manifestos”. Many assume I have a dossier of drafts queued-up in cold storage, waiting to be used. Most are surprised to learn I usually write them when I arrive at the office on Friday morning. Granted, I sometimes get an idea early in the week, but, more often than not, inspiration strikes on the drive to work. When it comes to creativity, I think it is good to remain open to ideas. As Mo’at, the sage in James Cameron’s Avatar put it “it’s hard to fill a cup that’s already full”. Remember that meeting where you wanted to sound smart so you neglected to hear what the person preceding you was saying because you were too busy preparing your own statement? Inspiration and writing are often mutually exclusive. Once I start writing, focus demands I shut-out a broad range of new ideas. So, I try to stay open until the last minute and then I decide what to write about. Sounds risky, but I feel it’s the best approach. Su