Three Fresh Ideas: Thanks for everything

Vol. 6, November 2022

Hi, readers!

I hereby refuse to skip Thanksgiving.

I know that other, jingle-jangle holiday is racing straight toward me, trying harder every day to get my attention. I noticed the neon Santa wrapping paper screaming next to the blow-up swimming pools. I saw the flocked trees spinning near the jack-o’-lanterns. And a certain coffeeshop chain has been shoving red-and-green cups into my hand for nearly a month.

I say this not just as a lover of big family dinners but as a business leader: I will give Thanksgiving its due.

Thanksgiving is about noticing what’s good and celebrating that with gratitude. I happen to think that’s a brilliant approach to life.

In fact, if the culture of WordsFresh could be expressed in one holiday, this is it. Gratitude is the culture our team has created at work. We share how that happens in an article below.

Personally, I’m a big fan of gratitude, but I found the daily practice of keeping a standard gratitude journal quickly became rote. How many times could I basically list all the people I love, plus my health?

Then I started using The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal created by Sophia Godkin, PhD. She invites me to consider who makes me smile like a kid, one privilege I may have overlooked, a little thing that meant a lot to me, a time I was in the right place at the right time, a cherished learning experience, a second chance, and so on. As advertised, it takes about five minutes, and it’s been a revelation of riches.

In this season of thanks, all of us are grateful to our clients who enable us to do the work we love. I also want to express gratitude to you, dear reader. Thank you for joining us as we explore new ideas in this ever-changing, always-exciting intersection of business and communications.

Gratefully,

Mary Pat Nimon

President

Video courtesy of kurzgesagt.org.

Fa-la-la-late to your holiday party? Not with these get-work-done tips.

Cheers to you: We’re feeling festive right now. And while we’re all looking forward to a four-day holiday weekend, there’s still just as much work on the table. Same for you?

Fortunately, copywriters and other creatives are deadline-driven. We thrive on fitting all our work into a shorter holiday week (at least when we’re motivated by gingerbread and gift-giving).

So this November and December, if you’re snowed under with must-dos, try one of our WordsFresh work hacks…and see if it doesn’t help you get to your holiday parties on time.

• “Put a ⭐next to the most important item on your to-do list and vow you won’t quit work until it’s done. You’ll find yourself taking care of that task first.”
• “I organize my entire life on Trello (the project-management tool WordsFresh uses), so I set up detailed to-do lists and reminders. I take time every Sunday to lay out my coming week.”
• “I remind myself that our clients want to celebrate the holidays, too, so I try not to inundate their calendars with last-minute meetings to tie up loose ends. Like us, they’re juggling personal and professional to-do lists.” (Ed. note: Bonus: this means fewer meetings!)
• “Stay off social media during the workday, block off ‘focus time’ in your calendar … and, if possible, avoid meetings on the day of the holiday party.”
• “I love marking tasks off a handwritten to-do list. I write tomorrow’s to-do list at the end of each workday.”
• “As a project manager, I would begin mentioning the holiday party several days in advance to anyone who could request work from the team. Any deadlines for that day would be set for “noon” not “end of day.” I’d have a gentle but firm “no” for any last-minute requests (but with a promise to follow up ASAP the next business day). (Ed. note: She does this so gently, nobody even realizes they’re being “managed.”)

Mmm, mmm, good … idea

What’s the star of your Thanksgiving menu: the turkey or the side dishes?

According to the Campbell Soup Company, 66% of people prefer the sides. So this autumn, Campbell’s dished up a limited-edition, sides-only plate for sale on its website SidesSeason.com. And we think it’s delicious.

For $15, you could buy a silicone plate featuring five compartments of varying sizes to hold helpings of your favorite carbs, sauces and salads … and never let them touch. (Genius!)

Naturally, the plate is microwavable (for leftovers). And naturally, it sold out almost immediately.

More fun than the kids’ table

Why do we love this idea so much?

Because Campbell’s didn’t just produce a quirky plastic-y plate. Their campaign keeps the legacy brand relevant by folding in a lot more goodness.

Savory holiday recipes on the microsite feature soup in a supporting role. An official-looking “State of the Sides” report offers entertaining tidbits along with mouthwatering photography. There’s even a charitable component: the price of each plate sold is donated to Feeding America, the company’s long-time nonprofit partner aimed at alleviating food insecurity.

It all plays well on TikTok. And while no one we know serves bowls of soup on the Turkey Day table, those green beans aren’t going to casserole themselves, so most everyone reaches for a can of cream of mushroom soup.

What clever promotions do you love this holiday? Tell us, because we’ll probably eat it up.

Our newest Lead Writer is one smart cookie.