I was recently asked to answer an intriguing question for a media interview. The question struck me in such a way that it warranted a rather opinionated response. I thought the topic, and my response, would make a good Blog entry.
We did something a little unconventional, but very much in the spirit of Vitamin’s corporate culture. Just over a week ago, we surprised our employees with Apple iPhones.
Needless to say, they were thrilled to find iPhones hidden away in their filing cabinet doors. They really deserved the reward as a result of their stellar performance during the first two quarters of this year.
Our action was a rewarding employee bonus, and it turned out to be a tremendous PR prize for our design and marketing firm. While Vitamin is well-known in Maryland (our headquarters is in Baltimore) and we work with clients nationally, the iPhone news was the most far reaching and buzz worthy we have experienced to date. We garnered more than 10 million media impressions – and that’s a conservative estimate.
Wanna know how? Read on…
What a crying shame. As everyone already knows, Eisner Communications, one of Baltimore City’s largest and oldest ad agencies, abruptly folded over night. I held back from writing about this topic for so long specifically because it hits so close to home. Knee jerk reactions aside, it’s time to get down.
I am constantly evangelizing an employer’s responsibility to his or her team. This responsibility encompasses far more than fair wages and good benefits; compensation packages are only the tip of the iceberg. In fact, what’s even more important are the qualities – honesty, morality, caring and compassion – that are seemingly slipping and fading quickly from corporate America.
True, the bottom line is key; but what good are revenues, growth and perceived esteem if you compromise good natured humanism?