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Photo courtesy Shinola/Detroit LLC.
Shinola/Detroit LLC is running a series of
ads, such as this one, that celebrate the
American worker.
64
|
MAY 2017
|
THINK
AD-ITIVES
Exalting
Enterprise
Shinola campaign celebrates
the American worker in series
of billboards, murals
In the heart of gritty Detroit, luxury
goods maker Shinola is aiming to boost
the visibility of what makes America
great—its workers. The company,
whose journals are offered in the
promotional products industry by
Delray Beach, Florida-based supplier
The Book Company, launched a series
of billboards and murals that tell the
story of enterprising people who made
opportunities for themselves in their
respective communities. Shinola also
is running print ads in the
Detroit Free
Press
this month.
Chief Marketing Officer Bridget
Russo told Crain’s
Detroit Business
Press
in March that the campaign
“embodies the American spirit of rolling
up our sleeves and getting stuff done.”
This spirit is what Shinola also wants to
keep alive in Detroit and in other U.S.
locations where it assembles watches,
leather goods and bicycles.
“The underlying message will
always be jobs, workforce development
and people who are paving the way
either within our four walls or outside
of our four walls doing great things
in their community to move their
community,” Russo added.
by
Jen Alexander
WATER COOLER
Generally Speaking
Knowing a little about a lot can be just as beneficial as being a specialist
You know the phrase ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’? The philosophy of knowing a little
about a lot doesn’t always jibe with long-term business success. Mastery of one skill or subject
makes one more valuable to employers; experts and thought leaders are highly sought after in
sports, academia and industry.
But those of us who tinker, who constantly look for new skills to acquire (if not master) and
new subjects to learn, can be just as valuable to the workplace. Imagine if the one thing you
did really well, better than your peers, was suddenly automated or phased out. Where would
that leave you?
Rather than trading one knowledge philosophy for another, consider adopting the T strategy.
The T strategy aligns generalization, or breadth of knowledge, with specialization, or depth of
knowledge. To visualize it, plot out the subjects you know fairly well on a horizontal line. From
each subject of which you feel you have extensive knowledge, draw a vertical line down.
Looking at your drawing, does it appear that you have extensive knowledge of one subject,
or a little knowledge about many subjects? If you are more of a generalist, consider brushing
up on just a handful of topics or skill sets. Don’t just learn about something, though—learn
how to put it to use. Develop a personal project to apply your newfound knowledge and use
the results to build a portfolio.
If specialization has been your mantra for years, consider learning more about a field that’s
related to the one you’re an expert in. Look for interactive learning opportunities to apply your
new knowledge while you’re still learning; more than just quizzes at the end of a lesson, true
interactive learning asks you to apply what you just learned to a real-life (simulated) situation.
Once you’ve built a foundation for your new skill, find a way to make it enhance what you’re
already great at.