A Full Day at INTA
May 17, 2011
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Strategic Personal Branding For Today’s Trademark Lawyer. That was the title of my workshop with moderator extraordinaire Jim McCarthy of McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff and co-panelists Deb Knupp of Akina and Paul Reidl, a.k.a. The Wine Lawyer. We played to a packed house of more than 100 attendees.
Jim began the session by highlighting one of the best executed brand strategies -- Be Like Mike. Music with an African-inspired beat provided the undercurrent for a Gatorade commercial highlighting Michael Jordan’s fantastic exploits on the basketball court combined with footage of everyday folks who, indeed, want to be like Mike.
It’s a great lesson in personal branding and, of course, the slogan’s alliteration helps. The lesson is simple: Define your brand and execute it. Here, if you drink Gatorade, you will achieve Michael Jordan’s excellence.
The executing part of the branding strategy usually provides the biggest challenge.
Deb talked about strategies to overcome those challenges, including an exercise where you fill in the blanks of the following sentence: I (action verb) for (target market). It’s a simple exercise, but very effective.
I followed up with some media strategies culled from my years of experience as an attorney, writer, television news writer and producer, and conference producer. For example, I suggested that attorneys build credentials by writing for legal journals and speaking at legal association events, like the INTA Annual Meeting. Then, attorneys can expand their media presence by writing for publications that target clients.
I used the United-Continental merger as an example. If one of the airlines goes by the wayside with its trademarks -- logo and name -- permanently retired, the valuation of the trademarks in the good will category could be good fodder for publications targeting the aerospace market.
Paul anchored our presentation with a personal story. At the height of the recession (or depth of it, as the case may be), Paul started his own law firm on February 1, 2009. Despite the detractors, and there were many, Paul cultivated his 30 years of experience to form his brand -- The Wine Lawyer. Prominently in his strategy wheel is the social media spoke.
I aimed to celebrate with friends at the A’s game. But the weather proved too miserable for the group to make the trek to the Oakland Coliseum. So, I took up Jim on his invitation to MBHB’s party at the Irish Bank. Although the INTA Annual Meeting attracted about 9,000 attendees this year, it really is a small world. At the Irish Bank, I ran into Brian Daniel, my task force leader last year. Under his aegis, I produced the most successful workshop at the 2010 INTA Annual Meeting in Boston. My legal writing workshop drew about 160 people.
I also saw Alan Kaufman and Sunita Koneru, both veteran attendees of the INTA Annual Meeting. I first met them last year at a cocktail party.
Now, I’m up at dawn to recap yesterday’s events and getting ready for another day.
david@davidkrell.com
Strategic Personal Branding For Today’s Trademark Lawyer. That was the title of my workshop with moderator extraordinaire Jim McCarthy of McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff and co-panelists Deb Knupp of Akina and Paul Reidl, a.k.a. The Wine Lawyer. We played to a packed house of more than 100 attendees.
Jim began the session by highlighting one of the best executed brand strategies -- Be Like Mike. Music with an African-inspired beat provided the undercurrent for a Gatorade commercial highlighting Michael Jordan’s fantastic exploits on the basketball court combined with footage of everyday folks who, indeed, want to be like Mike.
It’s a great lesson in personal branding and, of course, the slogan’s alliteration helps. The lesson is simple: Define your brand and execute it. Here, if you drink Gatorade, you will achieve Michael Jordan’s excellence.
The executing part of the branding strategy usually provides the biggest challenge.
Deb talked about strategies to overcome those challenges, including an exercise where you fill in the blanks of the following sentence: I (action verb) for (target market). It’s a simple exercise, but very effective.
I followed up with some media strategies culled from my years of experience as an attorney, writer, television news writer and producer, and conference producer. For example, I suggested that attorneys build credentials by writing for legal journals and speaking at legal association events, like the INTA Annual Meeting. Then, attorneys can expand their media presence by writing for publications that target clients.
I used the United-Continental merger as an example. If one of the airlines goes by the wayside with its trademarks -- logo and name -- permanently retired, the valuation of the trademarks in the good will category could be good fodder for publications targeting the aerospace market.
Paul anchored our presentation with a personal story. At the height of the recession (or depth of it, as the case may be), Paul started his own law firm on February 1, 2009. Despite the detractors, and there were many, Paul cultivated his 30 years of experience to form his brand -- The Wine Lawyer. Prominently in his strategy wheel is the social media spoke.
I aimed to celebrate with friends at the A’s game. But the weather proved too miserable for the group to make the trek to the Oakland Coliseum. So, I took up Jim on his invitation to MBHB’s party at the Irish Bank. Although the INTA Annual Meeting attracted about 9,000 attendees this year, it really is a small world. At the Irish Bank, I ran into Brian Daniel, my task force leader last year. Under his aegis, I produced the most successful workshop at the 2010 INTA Annual Meeting in Boston. My legal writing workshop drew about 160 people.
I also saw Alan Kaufman and Sunita Koneru, both veteran attendees of the INTA Annual Meeting. I first met them last year at a cocktail party.
Now, I’m up at dawn to recap yesterday’s events and getting ready for another day.
The Maltese Falcon
May 15, 2011
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
And so a full moon shines brightly over San Francisco as the INTA Annual Meeting is underway.
At the kickoff reception, I immediately noticed an energy missing from the 2009 Seattle and 2010 Boston meetings. Perhaps the healthier economy is the major factor. Also, approximately 9,000 attendees will be here. That’s quite an increase compared to the last two years. I also enjoyed meeting friends and colleagues on INTA’s stalwart team -- Ralf Mangual and Jessica Tuquero. I also had the opportunity to chat with Alan Drewsen, INTA’s President.
I connected with another old friend and colleague -- not to mention trademark attorney extraordinaire -- Sonja Keith of Classic Media. Sonja oversees the trademark portfolio of Classic’s properties, including The Lone Ranger, Lassie, Richie Rich, Underdog, and Casper the Friendly Ghost. We talked trademarks at the legendary John’s Grill. Detective story buffs will note that John’s Grill is mentioned prominently in Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon as Sam Spade’s hangout. I had the Sam Spade Special, a meal described in the book -- Sam Spade went to John's Grill, asked the waiter to hurry his order of chops, baked potato, sliced tomatoes and was smoking a cigarette with his coffee when...
It’s the stuff that a carnivore’s dreams are made of.
david@davidkrell.com
And so a full moon shines brightly over San Francisco as the INTA Annual Meeting is underway.
At the kickoff reception, I immediately noticed an energy missing from the 2009 Seattle and 2010 Boston meetings. Perhaps the healthier economy is the major factor. Also, approximately 9,000 attendees will be here. That’s quite an increase compared to the last two years. I also enjoyed meeting friends and colleagues on INTA’s stalwart team -- Ralf Mangual and Jessica Tuquero. I also had the opportunity to chat with Alan Drewsen, INTA’s President.
I connected with another old friend and colleague -- not to mention trademark attorney extraordinaire -- Sonja Keith of Classic Media. Sonja oversees the trademark portfolio of Classic’s properties, including The Lone Ranger, Lassie, Richie Rich, Underdog, and Casper the Friendly Ghost. We talked trademarks at the legendary John’s Grill. Detective story buffs will note that John’s Grill is mentioned prominently in Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon as Sam Spade’s hangout. I had the Sam Spade Special, a meal described in the book -- Sam Spade went to John's Grill, asked the waiter to hurry his order of chops, baked potato, sliced tomatoes and was smoking a cigarette with his coffee when...
It’s the stuff that a carnivore’s dreams are made of.
INTA -- Last Day of Annual Meeting
May 26, 2010
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
A full morning.
I took a Boston Duck Tour through the streets of Boston and on the Charles River. Our esteemed, personable, and knowledgeable guide, Captain Kidding, even let us take turns at the wheel when our amphibious bus became a boat.
We embarked on a tour of Fenway Park following the Boston Duck Tour. Because I am passionate about baseball history, learning about the home base for the Red Sox up close and personal was a necessity. We walked on the warning track, faced the Green Monster, and marveled at the scuff marks left by scores of baseball.
Tonight, I’m off to the Grand Finale as the 2010 INTA Annual Meeting comes to a close.
david@davidkrell.com
A full morning.
I took a Boston Duck Tour through the streets of Boston and on the Charles River. Our esteemed, personable, and knowledgeable guide, Captain Kidding, even let us take turns at the wheel when our amphibious bus became a boat.
We embarked on a tour of Fenway Park following the Boston Duck Tour. Because I am passionate about baseball history, learning about the home base for the Red Sox up close and personal was a necessity. We walked on the warning track, faced the Green Monster, and marveled at the scuff marks left by scores of baseball.
Tonight, I’m off to the Grand Finale as the 2010 INTA Annual Meeting comes to a close.
INTA Annual Meeting
May 19, 2010
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Next week, approximately 8,000 people working in trademark law will gather for the International Trademark Association Annual Meeting. This year, INTA’s Annual Meeting will take place in Boston.
Beginning with a keynote speech and cocktail party on Sunday, May 23rd, INTA’s Annual Meeting will provide workshops, seminars, and networking opportunities galore.
Lawyers. Paralegals. Marketers. We’ll all be there to learn about everything from the effects of the Madrid Protocol on your client’s trademark portfolio to how to improve your legal writing skills. I have the privilege of moderating the workshop on the latter subject in the ‘pole position’ time slot. Effective Legal Writing Workshop takes place on Monday, May 24th, 10:30 a.m.
Yesterday, I talked with my friend and colleague Daryl Grecich, INTA’s Director of Marketing and Program Strategy, about the upcoming Annual Meeting. Daryl pointed out some changes for this year.
We’re looking forward to a great Annual Meeting and here are three reasons why.
First, we’re able to attract a large number of professionals who work in the trademark arena -- lawyers, paralegals, marketers. In addition to the educational opportunities, the attendees will be able to benefit from the networking opportunities.
Second, the workshops and seminars provide more than just Continuing Legal Education credit. They are paramount to INTA’s mission of providing good, quality education to practitioners.
Third, the Annual Meeting helps us advance INTA’s work through its committee meetings. These meetings reveal ways we can build on our success and allow us to program future events, forums and conferences.
This year’s Annual Meeting also features a number of new events. For the first time, we have a half-day workshop dedicated to in-house counsel. Alexander Macgillvray, General Counsel of Twitter, Inc., will be the keynote speaker. The workshop provides an outstanding opportunity for in-house counsel to talk about commonalities and differences in how they manage their responsibilities. Generally, in-house counsel deal with fewer resources, so the workshop will help them learn strategies on benchmarking internal resources and managing outside counsel.
Additionally, we have our first art show in the exhibition hall. The art show will display creative work by INTA members, attendees, guests and staff.
david@davidkrell.com
Next week, approximately 8,000 people working in trademark law will gather for the International Trademark Association Annual Meeting. This year, INTA’s Annual Meeting will take place in Boston.
Beginning with a keynote speech and cocktail party on Sunday, May 23rd, INTA’s Annual Meeting will provide workshops, seminars, and networking opportunities galore.
Lawyers. Paralegals. Marketers. We’ll all be there to learn about everything from the effects of the Madrid Protocol on your client’s trademark portfolio to how to improve your legal writing skills. I have the privilege of moderating the workshop on the latter subject in the ‘pole position’ time slot. Effective Legal Writing Workshop takes place on Monday, May 24th, 10:30 a.m.
Yesterday, I talked with my friend and colleague Daryl Grecich, INTA’s Director of Marketing and Program Strategy, about the upcoming Annual Meeting. Daryl pointed out some changes for this year.
We’re looking forward to a great Annual Meeting and here are three reasons why.
First, we’re able to attract a large number of professionals who work in the trademark arena -- lawyers, paralegals, marketers. In addition to the educational opportunities, the attendees will be able to benefit from the networking opportunities.
Second, the workshops and seminars provide more than just Continuing Legal Education credit. They are paramount to INTA’s mission of providing good, quality education to practitioners.
Third, the Annual Meeting helps us advance INTA’s work through its committee meetings. These meetings reveal ways we can build on our success and allow us to program future events, forums and conferences.
This year’s Annual Meeting also features a number of new events. For the first time, we have a half-day workshop dedicated to in-house counsel. Alexander Macgillvray, General Counsel of Twitter, Inc., will be the keynote speaker. The workshop provides an outstanding opportunity for in-house counsel to talk about commonalities and differences in how they manage their responsibilities. Generally, in-house counsel deal with fewer resources, so the workshop will help them learn strategies on benchmarking internal resources and managing outside counsel.
Additionally, we have our first art show in the exhibition hall. The art show will display creative work by INTA members, attendees, guests and staff.
The Luxury of Time
February 12, 2010
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
When tackling a project that requires writing, one cardinal rule stands out -- start early.
During the new year’s holiday, I started working on a piece concerning the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for Krell’s Korner. Krell’s Korner is my column in the New York State Bar Association’s Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Journal. The piece about the memorial will appear in the Fall-Winter 2010 issue.
The deadline is May 21st.
During the massive snowstorm that hit the East Coast on Wednesday, I finished the first draft. I also completed a double-check of the footnotes against the format rules in A Uniform System of Citation (18th Edition), a.k.a. The Bluebook.
The Bluebook has a rule for every type of citation in a legal brief, legal memorandum, or law review article. The EASL Journal follows the law review citation requirements.
So, just a few tweaks for another draft and I can send the column to my editor for comments.
That’s one approach.
But I will use the next couple of months to do the following three things.
First, I will send the draft to some potential interviewees for the column with the luxury of time to respond. The column will stand alone, but interviews will enhance it. If I give myself a deadline to get the interviews by April 1st, I will have six weeks to get the interviews and, in a worst case scenario, another six weeks to incorporate the new information into the column.
Second, I will take a break from the column for a couple of weeks because absence makes the editorial mind grow sharper. After a break, I will see areas for improvement that I did not see during the adrenaline rush of writing.
Third, I will work on other projects. Now that the first draft is finished, I have the time, attention, and energy to focus on looking for consulting projects and a full-time position. I can also practice for my Stop Writing Like A Lawyer™that I’m hosting on February 25th at my alma mater -- Villanova Law School in Villanova, Pennsylvania. In May, I’m moderating a writing workshop at the International Trademark Association Annual Meeting in Boston.
Start early. Give yourself the luxury of time.
david@davidkrell.com
When tackling a project that requires writing, one cardinal rule stands out -- start early.
During the new year’s holiday, I started working on a piece concerning the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for Krell’s Korner. Krell’s Korner is my column in the New York State Bar Association’s Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Journal. The piece about the memorial will appear in the Fall-Winter 2010 issue.
The deadline is May 21st.
During the massive snowstorm that hit the East Coast on Wednesday, I finished the first draft. I also completed a double-check of the footnotes against the format rules in A Uniform System of Citation (18th Edition), a.k.a. The Bluebook.
The Bluebook has a rule for every type of citation in a legal brief, legal memorandum, or law review article. The EASL Journal follows the law review citation requirements.
So, just a few tweaks for another draft and I can send the column to my editor for comments.
That’s one approach.
But I will use the next couple of months to do the following three things.
First, I will send the draft to some potential interviewees for the column with the luxury of time to respond. The column will stand alone, but interviews will enhance it. If I give myself a deadline to get the interviews by April 1st, I will have six weeks to get the interviews and, in a worst case scenario, another six weeks to incorporate the new information into the column.
Second, I will take a break from the column for a couple of weeks because absence makes the editorial mind grow sharper. After a break, I will see areas for improvement that I did not see during the adrenaline rush of writing.
Third, I will work on other projects. Now that the first draft is finished, I have the time, attention, and energy to focus on looking for consulting projects and a full-time position. I can also practice for my Stop Writing Like A Lawyer™that I’m hosting on February 25th at my alma mater -- Villanova Law School in Villanova, Pennsylvania. In May, I’m moderating a writing workshop at the International Trademark Association Annual Meeting in Boston.
Start early. Give yourself the luxury of time.
A Social Media Marketing Story
October 13, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Rachel Levy is a Boston-based marketer who reinvented her personal brand. She built a go-to person status in social media marketing by embracing the challenge of mastering the intricacies of social media. The reinvention has resulted in consulting with corporate clients, blogging at www.rachel-levy.com, and Tweeting to thousands of followers as BostonMarketer.
The road to reinvention began on a different path -- job search.
I didn’t know a lot about social media, but I felt that I should know it from a business perspective. The job search transitioned into consulting for clients. I added another layer to my marketing skills.
Her marketing skills were already formidable from experience at Jim Beam Brands, Kraft Foods, and Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston. The experience is vital to Rachel’s keen understanding of social media. Where others see social media as a mere novelty, Rachel sees it as an extraordinary marketing opportunity for corporate America. Unfortunately, the opportunity may be missed.
Social media is a tool for the marketing tool belt. But companies have a lot of room to be more effective in how they utilize Facebook, Twitter, and other social media and networking web sites. They might not view social media as an integral part of a marketing strategy because social media is relatively new. They need to be willing to invest time in developing a strategy.
Once a company develops, refines, and implements a social media strategy, another challenge will manifest. How do you measure effectiveness?
Companies will change measurement tools. Instead of cost per impression, the measurement may be cost per engagement or cost per conversation. The cost will be rooted in time and salary, not a dollar amount in the advertising budget.
To learn more about Rachel Levy’s social media insights, go to her web site at www.rachel-levy.com and follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BostonMarketer.
david@davidkrell.com
Rachel Levy is a Boston-based marketer who reinvented her personal brand. She built a go-to person status in social media marketing by embracing the challenge of mastering the intricacies of social media. The reinvention has resulted in consulting with corporate clients, blogging at www.rachel-levy.com, and Tweeting to thousands of followers as BostonMarketer.
The road to reinvention began on a different path -- job search.
I didn’t know a lot about social media, but I felt that I should know it from a business perspective. The job search transitioned into consulting for clients. I added another layer to my marketing skills.
Her marketing skills were already formidable from experience at Jim Beam Brands, Kraft Foods, and Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston. The experience is vital to Rachel’s keen understanding of social media. Where others see social media as a mere novelty, Rachel sees it as an extraordinary marketing opportunity for corporate America. Unfortunately, the opportunity may be missed.
Social media is a tool for the marketing tool belt. But companies have a lot of room to be more effective in how they utilize Facebook, Twitter, and other social media and networking web sites. They might not view social media as an integral part of a marketing strategy because social media is relatively new. They need to be willing to invest time in developing a strategy.
Once a company develops, refines, and implements a social media strategy, another challenge will manifest. How do you measure effectiveness?
Companies will change measurement tools. Instead of cost per impression, the measurement may be cost per engagement or cost per conversation. The cost will be rooted in time and salary, not a dollar amount in the advertising budget.
To learn more about Rachel Levy’s social media insights, go to her web site at www.rachel-levy.com and follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BostonMarketer.