GRAB YOUR BIG CHIEF TABLET… LIGHTS, CAMERA, JOB! SMELLS LIKE TEEN MONEY MARTIAN ALMA MATERS THE NEW KIDS THEY’RE BACK! POLL

GRAB YOUR BIG CHIEF TABLET… …a #2 pencil bigger around than your thumb, a flimsy plastic protractor and a strange metal contraption called a compass—equally adept at drawing blood and circles, but useless when it comes to finding your way out of the forest. It’s back-to-school time! Parents love it. Kids hate it. Advertisers market the heck out of it. This issue of EP celebrates all things back-to-school-ish. We hope you enjoy it! Cheers, Steve LIGHTS, CAMERA, JOB! by Thomas McIlheran, Sr. Media Manager When it comes to getting a job, which is better: to be seen and heard, or the tried and true—the written word? As the first YouTube generation comes pouring out of college into the workforce, a new business application tool has emerged—the video resume. The birth of the video resume is a tragic story of a Yale student who submitted a video titled “Impossible is Nothing” to an investment bank in the fall of 2006. Not only did he NOT get the job, his video became a hysterical YouTube sensation and he has been unable to land a job within his desired field to date. Despite the fact that this attempt crashed and burned, enough people felt his approach had merit. There have been other people who have used video resumes to successfully land jobs. There are also those that hope the fad takes off and they can capitalize on the opportunity, creating career sites catered to the ideas of video resumes. Some such sites are Jobster, HireVue and ResumeVideo. While all offer a unique spin on incorporating video into the hiring process, the gist is the same: Applicants put a face to the name on their printed resumes. But there are some glaring hurdles to overcome if video resumes are going to become the norm. First off, not every person has film editing experience, or even access to a video camera for that matter. If you can’t do it right, you shouldn’t do it at all. And since the playing field is not level in this manner, most employers can’t require that applicants supply video footage of themselves. Secondly, watch out for the lawyers. Many companies will reject resumes with pictures or even screen the names of applicants in fear of lawsuits about hiring discrimination by sex, race or even attractiveness. With such barriers in place, it’s hard to imagine that video resumes will be hitting the mainstream very soon. While non-profit and promotional companies may entertain video resumes, law firms and financial firms will stick to the tried and true for now. SMELLS LIKE TEEN MONEY

Just how big is the back-to-school market for advertisers? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in October 2006, 20.8 million 16- to 24-year olds were either enrolled in high school (10.3 million) or college (10.5 million). That’s a lot of young people looking for new clothes, backpacks, dorm room furniture and more. So how do companies tap into this lucrative group? There are several things to consider. First and foremost, know your timing. If you decide in July that you want to launch a back-to-school campaign, you’ve already missed your opportunity. To be most effective, your marketing needs to hit in August, if not sooner. Second, know who are you talking to. Today’s teens are tech savvy, and the most media-aware group in history. Breaking through to them can often be a difficult task because they are bombarded with messages all the time. In addition to television and newspapers, youth-focused publications are a popular source of information for high school students. Their high-impact design, full-color pictures and portability make them attractive to students. When targeting college students on campus, you want your brand to be where they are—from high-traffic areas such as billboards, classrooms, student dorms, bookstores, off-campus bars and other common areas in and around campus. And don’t forget that college students turn to their campus newspapers for news, information about campus events and entertainment. They are a cost-effective way to tap into a group that wields some impressive discretionary spending power. Finally, student e-mail or direct mail campaigns allow for even more highly targeted messaging. As cell phones and other mobile communication devices become the predominant form of entertainment and messaging, it’s a natural step for marketers to be there, too.

MARTIAN ALMA MATERS Sure, we’re located in the heart of Longhorn country. But a quick survey reveals while over two dozen of us bleed burnt orange, the rest of us got our “smarts” somewhere else. Art Institute of Dallas Art Institute of Houston Belmont University Corpus Christi A&M East Texas State University Elon University James Madison University Kansas City Art Institute King’s College London Maine College of Art Midwestern State University Minnesota State University Parsons School of Design Savannah College of Art and Design Sullivan County Community College Texas State Technical College Texas State University Vanderbilt University University of Houston University of North Texas University of Texas University of Vermont University of Virginia Westminster College

THE NEW KIDS You remember them. They stood off to the side on the first day of school, not quite sure where they fit in. Not these guys. They’re SicolaMartin’s newest clients, and we’d pick them for our kickball team any day. McLane — Offers distribution and logistics services to convenience stores, drug stores, mass merchandisers, quick service restaurants, movie theaters and more. Parallels — Provides desktop and server virtualization software that enables users to run Windows side-by-side with Mac OS X on any Intel-powered Mac. Professional Datasolutions — Delivers enterprise-wide software and services that meet convenience store and wholesale petroleum marketers’ specialized needs. THEY’RE BACK! With a headline like that, it’s only natural you’d think we’re talking about the returning UT students. Au contraire. In fact, we’re talking ACL (and not the kind in your knee, either). This year’s lineup at the Austin City Limits Music Festival “The Sound and the Jury” has something for everyone. If you’re looking for the pseudo mainstream, Bob Dylan or Ziggy Marley just might fit the bill. For the slightly more obscure, check out The Sippy Cups or Blonde Redhead. Regardless of what floats your boat, bring your sunblock, your bugspray and plenty of liquid (in 2004 and 2005, the temps hit 113° and 108°, respectively). Oh, and if you don’t have a ticket in your sweaty little hand, you’re outta luck. They’re so long gone it’s not even funny. POLL WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK? I’m Just A Bill   >> watch Conjunction Junction   >> watch The Preamble   >> watch Interjections!   >> watch view results

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