http://www.detroitmakeithere.com/article/20080729/DM02/943478759

Everyone agency has one. This is ours. With Jet’s Pizza, DRIVEN was hired to create a new brand, increase awareness and grow sales. The strategy was to get noticed, be memorable, define the brand and have fun while doing it. Mission accomplished. For better or for worse.

When this spot hit the airwaves, the phones in the stores started to ring, but so did the phones in the corporate offices. Some people loved the spot, but others hated the fact that the guy’s tongue was hanging out. Some folks even went as far as to say the spot was about oral sex. Wow.

Anyways, the Reader’s Digest version is that sometimes, even when your client asks for something innovative and different – even if they sign off on a concept – they’re not always happy with the results. There has to be a tolerance for taking the bad with the good, and every client’s threshold is different.

In the end, we’re still very proud of the work that we created for Jet’s, because it was very different from anything else in the market that we were playing in. But, it was a lesson for our agency that even when things are going well for a client, business relationships and tolerance for risk can create a gap that cannot be bridged.

It’s become increasingly common to have a negative attitude regarding the current economic “situation”.  Sure, it’s difficult to grow business in today’s climate. But we need to look at the bigger picture. It’s about much more than trying to figure out how to get through these tough times. It’s about doing great things every day, both personally and professionally. It’s about going above and beyond to produce cutting-edge work that delivers results. It’s about doing smart work and helping those who help you. It’s about giving back and trying to change the world by doing more.

It’s not rocket science. It’s a pretty simple premise. So we’re going to try it. Driven Solutions Inc. is launching: “Project Give Back.” For each national advertising client we produce an ad for, a percentage donation on each campaign will be given to a charity of their choice. Ideally, we would include a “Project Give Back” logo on the clients ad representing that a portion of the ad went to charity in an effort to help those in need and make the world better for others.

So that’s our little big idea to try and make a difference. If you would like to participate in this program call Driven at 248 548 3393. Lets do some great work while helping those in need.

Small Business Survival Index

It feels like the economy is picking up as companies are beginning to invest in our advertising and marketing services. With media deals as good as ever, it is a great time for business owners and marketing directors to stand out and increase sales and share. We have been able to show great returns for our clients this year in a tough marketplace. Those companies who are investing in themselves are growing faster than those who are trying to save their way to prosperity. It appears that businesses have waited on the sidelines long enough and are now taking matters into their own hands. Those who have weathered the storm are moving forward after a Q1 hiatus.