Two Knives

As I run across more and more organizations working on the issues of marketing to children and families, I find it more and more important to maintain a laser-sharp focus on what I want to do. Laser-sharp. So sharp that it could slice a soup can. And a tomato. Laser. Sharp.

My working mission statement (DRAFT in red letters) is “to encourage corporations to adopt marketing standards and practices to that improve the health of children and families.”

Now I just have to figure out how to do that.

So, right in the midst of mission-statement-writing and heavy research and networking, I need to make the one decision that may make or break everything I’m trying to do.

Two words: color palette.

I had a great initial meeting with my web design guy and in the middle of the discussion, he asks:

What colors are you thinking of?

Colors? I dunno.

You don’t know?

No. I don’t care.

Um, I think we’ll need more than that to go on.

This is where I would fail, fail, fail as a global corporate marketing brand manager. Because I wouldn’t care what color the website is. And I think you’re supposed to care. I’m sure there are books out there written on it. And conference seminars. “How to Make or Break Your Start-Up Nonprofit: The Importance of Choosing the Right Color Palette.”

Well, I don’t like orange.

Not orange?

No, not orange.

Okay, well, that’s something.

Because no credible organization would use orange on their website, right?

Good thing I’ve got the laser-sharp focus.