PPB February 2019

securing speaking and consulting gigs, but amazingly enough, it’s therapeutic for me, allowing me to re ect on and think about the bigger picture. PPB Have you encountered any challenges with blogging, and if so, how did you resolve these challenges? Quicksell Early on, I wasn’t getting much feedback—positive or negative. I thought my words were just blowing out in space and I became a bit discouraged. During that time, I missed a couple of weeks and became inconsistent. I soon realized the inconsistency was beginning to make me not so relevant. But I read something (here we go again) on one of Seth’s blog posts about, ‘Becoming Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable…” I don’t believe that was the context of his message, but that resonated with me. I had become extremely uncomfortable and realized I had to become cool with the notion that not everyone was going to blow up my phone with well wishes. From that, and the fact that I believed in what I was doing—writing and sharing positive thoughts, making people think and making a difference—was what helped me to persevere. WATER COOLER Color Us Coral Pantone announces its Color of the Year and calls attention to a crucial cause. For 20 years, Pantone professionals have combed through the world’s hues to select a color that encompasses the year ahead. In 2019, bringing warmth and pizazz to design, Pantone announced its selection as Living Coral, described by the company as “an animating and life-af rming hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge.” The selection was inspired by technology becoming even more ubiquitous, which coincides with a greater desire for connection, along with valuable digital experiences. On the other hand, Living Coral is a color that is speckled throughout nature, mainly in ocean life with the organisms it’s named after. The color choice serves as an ode to Mother Nature and the energy, food and shelter she provides, but also as a call to action—as ocean temperatures continue to rise, the world’s treasured coral reefs are dying. The warmer oceans are triggering coral to eject the algae that gives it its luminous color, causing the coral to turn white, known as bleaching, and die off in large numbers. According to a 2017 report by the United Nations Educational Scienti c and Cultural Organization, if this situation persists, coral reefs could become extinct by 2100. Pantone’s Color of the Year raises awareness about this grim fact. This year, we can expect an upsurge in market products that integrate the splendid shade, from runway fashion to book covers, home design, cosmetics and wearable tech. After all, this is the rst time since 2012 that Pantone has announced a vivid shade—Tangerine Tango was named Color of the Year 2012—and customers are prepared for a vibrant refresh. Promotional products companies can incorporate this shade into their products, whether it’s the product itself (like a Living Coral-colored coffee mug), printing on the product or the packaging. This also provides an opportunity for companies to grow their philanthropic footprint, offering to donate a percentage of sales of a coral-colored product to an organization dedicated to ocean restoration, like Oceana, the Coral Restoration Foundation or the Coral Reef Alliance. Cliff Quicksell’s Top Tips for Blogging • Think through the process and determine what your message will be about • Identify your audience • Examine your bandwidth and whether you have the time • Consider your motivation and why you are thinking of writing a blog • Keep the content relevant and interesting • Make the content about the reader • Determine posting frequency • Be consistent, otherwise you’ll become irrelevant • Have fun! | FEBRUARY 2019 | 65 THINK