STUDIO H

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start, so we’ve created a package that makes it simple.

It’s important to define and build your brand. After all, it’s a foundational piece in your marketing and one you don’t want to be without. If you already have a brand, now may be a good time to evolve it, keep relevant, let your customers see you stronger than ever.

At STUDIO H Advertising & Design, we get to know you and create a brand that is uniquely yours. A well-designed brand will confirm your credibility, connect with your target audience emotionally, motivate them and create loyalty.

We are confident in our abilities and prices. Contact us for the cost of Package A and then compare with other agencies. And make sure you check out our award-winning work: www.smallagencybigideas.com

If you’re well established and your brand already conveys your message, let’s skip to Plan B. STUDIO H is happy to create a custom-designed package just for you. Whether it’s new business cards, an updated website, electronic or print collateral, social media marketing, signage, promotional products, trade show booths… we’ve done it all and love what we do and we want to do it for you.

Call or email today.

208.964.2787
hara@smallagencybigideas.com

My topic today really has nothing at all to do with advertising. So anyone looking to find the secret to unlocking the door to the creative soul and creating a marketing campaign that will have the masses lining up at 4 in the morning to purchase your product or service… it will not be found in today’s blog. (And in all honesty, if I knew the answers above I would not be blogging in the first place—unless it was from my ‘winter home’ in Bermuda.)

This morning I had the rare opportunity to spend time with 3 professional women that not only share a common interest of mine, but to whom I truly felt connected with by the thread that tied us all together on this rainy October morning: breast cancer.

Dr. Florence Gin, Susan Ashe, Pam Pyrc and myself were all part of a panel that were asked to speak on a half hour radio program about breast cancer for the Spokane Forum on Clear Channel radio stations. There was an instant rapport with this group of vivacious and intelligent women. 4 different personalities and perspectives but one very solid common goal: to promote awareness about breast cancer and save the lives of wives, girlfriends, mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sisters, aunts and friends.

Dr. Gin struck me as the kind of radiologist I would want on my side if I was faced with a breast cancer diagnosis. With her kind face, gentle manner and wealth of knowledge I could sense her empathy and ability to put her patients at ease in an anxiety-filled situation. 

Susan Ashe simply carried herself in a manner that bespoke the fact she is a cancer survivor. Immaculately dressed and extremely well-spoken, there was something invisible yet completely perceptible that indicated this woman had walked through fire and came out forged like steel on the other side of it. There was something so incredibly awe-inspiring yet approachable about her. More than once during the interview I felt tears behind my eyes listening to her story of courage and survival.

Pam Pyrc, Marketing Director for Inland Imaging, is always the picture of charm and optimism. Armed with information for the ‘Every Woman Can’ campaign it was clear to see how passionate she is about her work of educating the Spokane community about the availability of low and no-cost mammograms and the importance of early detection. Pam always reminds me of the best friend who would literally DRIVE you to your mammogram appointment to make sure you got it done, and then take you out for a lovely glass of Merlot afterwards.

Angela Monson, host of the Spokane Forum, had a southern accent that reminded me of Paula Deen. Her upbeat approach and casual style put the entire panel at ease and made the interview seem more like we were a group of friends meeting for coffee than sitting in a radio studio talking about such an intense topic.

My own experience with breast cancer was almost a year ago. After my 40th birthday I had meant to make time for a screening but always seemed to be preoccupied with other things that seemed more important. Never one to miss a doctor’s appointment, violin or chorus lesson for my daughters, somehow I managed to push that looming mammogram to the bottom of my own ‘To Do’ list. Of course, being the multi-tasker I am, I was able to come up with multiple reasons besides just lack of time available, to put it off. While I did have insurance, I had a high deductible and simply could not rationalize the expense when being a single mother of three has always meant we continuously stretch things this way and that to make ends meet. There was also the nagging thought of ‘what if something is wrong’ creeping through my mind. I won’t lie and say that there are not times I prefer to be blissfully unaware. I’m like an ostrich in that respect. I can stick my head in the sand and assume the rest of the world cannot see my butt in the air. And the last and final reason… from what I had heard about mammograms it sounded like something equivalent to being put in a medieval stock. Except it wasn’t your head and hands being confined in an uncomfortable manner… it was ‘the girls’.

Fortunately circumstances took place that eliminated one of those concerns. A friend on Facebook had posted an upcoming ‘free mammogram’ event. It was a one-day-only opportunity for women over 40 to schedule and receive their annual screening free-of-charge. It was enough for me to put my other excuses aside and schedule an appointment. 

I approached the day of the mammogram with dread. I was quite certain from what I had been told that I would wind up feeling like my breasts had gone 8 rounds with Mike Tyson. To my complete and utter delight the procedure itself registered as slightly uncomfortable but nothing even resembling painful. The technician who worked with me was helpful, knowledgeable and was so pleasant I was immediately put at ease. I was stunned by how quickly I was in and out and smugly patted myself on the back for taking care of business. I made a mental note to schedule another in a year and put the entire event out of my mind.

Two days later Inland Imaging contacted me and said they needed to do some additional procedures. Mildly concerned initially I was put at ease when told that this was a fairly common occurrence with a baseline mammogram. I was scheduled for a secondary mammogram and back-up ultrasound the following week.

The following week my world turned upside down. Immediately following the ultrasound I was notified that there was an area of concern in my right breast and that a biopsy was necessary. As hard as I tried to be unemotional and rationalize that this was not a breast cancer diagnosis, I was in such a state of shock that holding back the tears would have been the equivalent of holding water back in a dam once the floodgates had been opened. I cried non-stop for an hour. I was scheduled for a biopsy the following week.

That was the longest week of my life. For the first time, Supermom had to ask for help. Friends and family came out of the woodwork to support me emotionally and to try and help me remain positive. My phone was full of encouraging messages and my mother came by every day. As much as I tried to remain positive, dark clouds of uncertainty built each time I thought of my daughters. What would happen to them if something happened to me? How would they react if I became too ill to care for them at times? If the worst scenario occurred, how would they adjust to everything in their world changing? I began to realize how selfish it had been for me to not have taken better care of myself all these years. I began to look at everything in a new light. Everything previously fuzzy became crystal clear. I reevaluated my life and my relationships. It was completely evident to me where my importance in this life was. It was also evident to me who truly loved me and who loved me only when I was convenient to love. I took note of these things and did some serious emotional housecleaning when all was said and done.

The day of the biopsy I was terrified. Not only was I scared that I was about to get life-changing news I was not prepared to hear, but my fear of needles is so legendary it is spoken of only in hushed tones. Both my mother and father came with me to the appointment. As far as the procedure I had nothing to fear. My technician was a woman named Rosemary but who I refer to simply as ‘Angel’ and the surgeon treated me as though I were family. They explained everything so there were no surprises and the biopsy was far less painful that what I had expected.  I breathed a sigh of relief and prepared myself for the agony that comes with waiting for news that will literally rock your world.

The news when it came was an enormous relief. While the biopsy was negative for cancer, the cells had the capability to potentially become cancerous. The course of treatment was to closely monitor the areas of concern every six months. The resounding message was how this was a perfect example of the importance of early detection and routine mammograms. It had nothing to do with luck. It had everything to do with being a proactive participant in my own health. 

Like the group of women I was with this morning, this is a topic near and dear to my heart. My friends will tell you that I am the human equivalent of an Outlook alert when it comes to this all-important appointment. I strongly believe this is not a conversation to be whispered about among just women. This is a topic that men who love women should be talking about. Our daughters should be educated about this at a young age to dispel any notion that there is anything silly or shameful about a woman’s body. Make it funny… make it serious… however you choose, just make it known and make it a priority. It is no coincidence that our breasts are so close to our hearts.

Kristi Erban

I realize there are better reasons to wake up in a panic at 3 a.m… An overlooked car payment, the report that has been on your ‘To Do’ list for a month and is now due on Tuesday, and whether or not ‘Whitney’ is going to get cancelled before the full season is over. However, my 3 a.m. panic was centered around luggage.

Hara and I have a saying around STUDIO H… “I love you more than my luggage.” Now I am putting a LOT of faith in Hara when she says this to me because I have never actually seen her luggage. I have a sneaking suspicion that my Converse-loving friend most likely has similar taste in suitcases, but in my case, I can state with all sincerity, that if I love something more than my luggage, it is no small matter. 

While my obsession with footwear is well-documented among my friends and therapist, my love affair with luggage is known and whispered about only by those in the sacred circle. ‘Lola’ (doesn’t EVERYONE name their luggage?) is a large, sassy, red crocodile-print Brighton. ‘Lizzy’ is her smaller, purple crocodile-print carry-on sister.  

Lola and Lizzy have been on all my favorite adventures. They have viva Las Vegased, made the scene in Seattle, and walked the red carpet in LA. But on our last adventure Lola was manhandled by luggage gorillas and sustained some abrasions and contusions on her once perfectly polished exterior. I find this particularly ironic since I had to pay $50 just to get her there. You would think this price would not only guarantee she would get to our destination without a scratch, but ensure she’d be sipping complimentary champagne on the journey. Lizzy, safe and sound with me in coach, made it to California looking as beautiful as the day I bought her. I vowed I would never again subject Lola to such shabby treatment… and in my new mantra of cheap and cheerful never pay $50 ON TOP of my airfare to check a bag (fabulous or not) when I fly.

Which takes me back to my 3 a.m. panic. In my excitement for my upcoming LA excursion (the Liz Taylor jewelry exhibit has been consuming my thoughts for over a month now) I had forgotten about this solemn vow I made to Lola and now was faced with the daunting task of packing for a 4-day vacation in (insert gasp of horror here) sweet little carry-on Lizzy! Lizzy has never been forced to do the heavy lifting. Usually reserved for nothing but shoes and a curling iron, how could she be expected to be my everything? That is a lot of baggage for baggage! 

So 3:05 finds me standing in my closet trying to figure out how to pack 4 days worth of clothes, shoes and accessories in a bag designed to fit in an overhead bin. I’m pretty sure if given an ENTIRE overhead bin I could not get this accomplished. 

3 hours and 22 minutes later I had achieved the impossible. I had paired down to the bare essentials. Two pairs of pants, 3 sweaters, 3 scarves, pajamas, a make-up bag and one (hard to type through the tears) pair of shoes. All of this included with the carefully strategized outfit I will wear on the plane (another blog in itself).

I began the process of laying out everything I had planned to take with me on the bed. First of all I don’t think Lola AND Lizzy could have accommodated all of those things. Just the hair products could have easily filled one bag. I put myself in the ‘if you were stranded on a deserted island’ mentality. After a 10 minute diversionary scenario that involved Pina Coladas and Gary Sinise I returned to the task at hand. 

Long story short I realized I could do without the back-up outfits, shoes that were only feasible for sitting down for lunch at The Ivy, and enough lotions, potions and pharmaceuticals to fill Rite Aid. 

And now for the clever transition to how this pertains to advertising (cue dramatic music). 

In an economic climate where every advertising dollar counts, have you revised your strategy to maximize the effect of your bare essentials? Have you laid out all the bits and pieces and decided what the bare essentials are? Have you tested each element to see what should stay and what should either go or be replaced? Are there odds and ends like collateral or sponsorships that need to be reviewed and evaluated? 

STUDIO H can help you come up with a revised media strategy as well as provide you with the essentials you need to pack your Lizzy and send your business on a whole new trip. We’re all about the journey… especially if it involves Pina Coladas and Gary Sinise.

Kristi Erban

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending the Wellness Celebration and Rally at the Spokane Convention Center. The entertainment for the afternoon was an ‘Extreme Makeover’ fashion show featuring a variety of local women who had accepted the challenge of not only a complete makeover, but displaying their new look on the catwalk in front of over 200 attendees from the Spokane community. 

While as a casual observer I would have been mildly aware of the courage it took for the participants to take part in such a personally revealing event, I had an inside view into the process that gave me a deeper perspective than just a mere spectator.

I have always been proud to say that Hara Allison and I have been friends for 20 years. What a wild ride it has been. I too, at one time, painstakingly rehearsed how to pronounce my dear friend’s name.  

When I first met Hara I remember thinking how she fit her name…. Unique and hard to define. In the course of a 20 year friendship I have seen her redefine herself numerous times as a mother, as a business-owner, and as a person. I tease her that every few years she completely overhauls something big in her life and indeed she does. Her fearlessness has inspired me on multiple occasions and I have silently applauded every achievement I have been fortunate enough to witness. However, as I watched her yesterday I was able to applaud LOUDLY this most recent and beautiful metamorphosis.

As an admitted girly-girl I never attempted to recruit Hara to the team. I have always admired the fact she can leave the house in 15 minutes looking beautiful and on numerous occasions have glanced enviously at her comfortably Converse-encased feet as my own feet retaliate LOUDLY to my addiction to 4 inch heels. So when Hara first told me about her impending makeover I was not only surprised but wondered who on earth was going to manage the process. I relaxed a bit when I found out it was the illustrious Linda Davis. I knew that Linda would not try to make Hara into something she was not… Just make her a more defined version of her beautiful self.

In the course of just over a month I saw my friend work incredibly hard to release her inner peacock. She worked out religiously, had her colors & make-up done, bought a wardrobe that incorporated color, had her first manicure in 10 years and cut her hair. I also saw her overcome the fear that lies in all of us. To put ourselves out there to be ‘judged’… perhaps the most terrifying component of any change. But I also saw her making these changes by being authentic to herself and to who she was at her core.

I saw all of these element in bits and pieces but was still not prepared for the moment I saw them all come together. I can only describe it as a moment of overwhelming admiration for not only her transformation, but for the courage it took for my traditionally behind-the-scenes friend to stand confidently on that runway. 

I soon became aware that every woman on that stage had friends and family in the audience feeling the same emotion. I saw husbands and sisters and children and parents in awe of their own peacock working that catwalk. The mixture of pride and awe on a cold, rainy Thursday afternoon was so unexpected, and to me that was what made it all the more precious… a seemingly ordinary day that became full of extraordinary people who had fulfilled an extraordinary experience. At the end of the day I found myself exhausted just by the sheer emotion of it all.

It reminded me we all have the ability to release our inner peacock. For some of us it may be a makeover… for some it may be embracing and living an authentic life… for some it may be finding the precious beauty in something seemingly ordinary. No matter how busy our lives become I challenge you to find something every day that ignites your colors or allows you to ignite the colors in another. Do not be afraid of judgement or failure. Choose to be boldly beautiful in your OWN way and on your own terms. Life is a catwalk… Get out there and work it.

Kristi Erban