Never Too Busy for Courtesy

By Pam Hadder

The Blame Game
Some blame it on technology, some blame it on the fast pace of living, and some blame it on an uncertain economic future, but basic courtesy is falling by the wayside - on that point most of us can agree!  You will have your own examples, but maybe you can relate to some of these: no response to emails, voice mail hell versus living voices, and service people who begin talking before you can communicate your needs.  At SWJ, we still believe that basic courtesy is essential, so regardless of the underlying causes, we are never too busy or too jaded for basic courtesy.  Not only does courtesy assist with efficient use of time and resources, courtesy is noticed and appreciated and it builds collegial relationships; whether by digital communication, by phone or in person.  Committing to basic courtesy shows our respect for others and that we appreciate their time and contribution.  Basic courtesy is the first vehicle we use to acknowledge other human beings - it tells others that they matter.

Everything New is Old Again
It's not NEW - the trend began several years ago.  SWJ used to send out seasonal promo items to key suppliers and clients.  Although we sent thousands, we could count the thank you responses on one hand! After years of this we have opted to support a select number of worthwhile community causes instead.  For example, donations to a local theatre group working for social justice, a pizza party for a core area daycare or educational support for a single parent.  We find that these small gestures of support are always acknowledged with a sincere thank you.  However, when we mail out correspondence of any kind - supplier client, personal or service - we are somewhat mystified as to why people do not acknowledge receipt. It takes repeated follow up by phone or email to cajole, or sometimes extrude, a response. We hate to use the dreaded "Request a Delivery Receipt" or "Request a Read Receipt" but sometimes, in a critical business context, we have to resort to robotic insistence for some acknowledgement.

Bucking the Trend
I recently read in an online forum that if we are frustrated by the epidemic lack of basic courtesy, we can address the problem by: a) committing to basic courtesy ourselves; and by b) embracing random acts of courtesy every day - such as opening a door for a busy parent with kids in tow, taking out garbage for an elderly or infirm neighbour, letting a car merge into a busy traffic lane, or stopping to allow pedestrians to safely cross a street versus rushing to turn our vehicles ahead of them.

WE Still Matter
Yes, we are all working harder with greater uncertainty - and yes, technology is training us all to be knee-jerk reactionaries who sometimes confuse social media with in-person realities. Rather than normalizing aggression and rudeness, consider that basic lesson of leadership; we are each capable of influence and our actions affect others, whether or not we consciously connect to or buy into those impactful realities.

Brands of Influence

The Globe and Mail featured an article (Jan. 31, 2014) containing results of an annual list of influential brands as released by Ipsos Reid.

Roughly 5,000 Canadians are surveyed and asked branding questions about a brand’s trustworthiness and innovation, and whether it plays a central role in those consumers’ lives (presence; corporate citizenship; and engagement).

Included in the Top 10 Most Influential Brands in Canada, according to Ipsos Reid, were:

Google

Facebook

Microsoft

Apple

Visa

Tim Hortons

YouTube

President’s Choice

Walmart

MasterCard

President’s Choice and MasterCard were both new to the top 10 this year.  Other fast-growing brands included Netflix, Hudson’s Bay Company, and McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada.

Interesting differences were seen in how the genders, generations and regions view brands.  The Millennial generations love YouTube, Pinterest and Netflix, while Gen Xers find The Weather Network as more influential than their Boomer or Millennial counterparts.  Among iconic Canadian brands, Tim Hortons is very influential in Ontario, while the CBC ranks particularly high among men, Boomers, and those from Quebec and the Maritimes.

In 2013, the Most Influential Brands study was also conducted in 15 other countries to find the most influential brands in the world, including the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Australia, China, Taiwan and Singapore.

Easy as X-Y-Z

By Wendy J. Miller

The basics of marketing are simple. Take a product or service, which we’ll call X. Anticipate what potential consumers want, Y. Align X with a promise to deliver Y to produce the client’s goal, Z – be it trial, positive perception, or brand loyalty. Repeat.  Here’s the rub: to be successful, the formula needs to ring true in reverse too: product/service X + trial/perception/loyalty Z needs to deliver on brand promise Y.

The formula works wonders with concrete brand promises, which marketers make when a product is different in a meaningful way from its competitors. For example, Apple makes a new computer. Recognizing consumers’ frustrations with their PC’s knack for crashing, Mac creates a series of ads poking fun at its counterpart’s inadequacies. The message resonates with Steve, so he goes and buys an iMac. It doesn’t crash. Steve tells his friends. Some, encouraged by his testimonial, buy one too, and tell their friends. The story practically writes itself, especially advertising supports what you friend has already told you.  It’s a “true” confirmation of the message you need/want to hear.

But when a product is materially similar to its competitors’ (like in the soft drink industry), marketers often need to make intangible brand promises to differentiate the offering. Ultimately, their goal is to link their brand with a highly desired feeling or esteemed value so that consumers have something to buy into – a perceived reason to favour one product over another.

In the past, this has been accomplished this through traditional advertising. For example, Coca-Cola has been selling “happiness” for decades through cinematics.  First there was “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” (and, of course, that would lead to world peace) and now there’s “Open Happiness” which continues to market Coke to the world.  But these days, people are much more media savvy and reluctant to drink the corporate Kool-Aid, er, Coke. 

So rather than just tell consumers through traditional media that Coke is happiness, Coca-Cola has begun to show consumers how great Coke-flavoured happiness can be by bringing it to real people, and then sharing it with others through social media as a form of brand testimonial.  This act makes an abstract brand concept more concrete, more tangible, more real.

Does it make everyone want to run out and buy a Coke? Probably not. But that’s not what it aims to do. It is intended to increase positive perception about the drink and support its brand promise – happiness – so that you, and your friends, can share a global feel good moment, courtesy of Coca-Cola. 

Summer is a Loaded Word!

By Pam Hadder

Industrial revolution economists imagined how time-saving technologies and devices would reshape our world. It was predicted that a 

20-hour work week would be the norm by the 1980s, resulting in the luxury of more free time, increased wealth and improved health for the average worker.  These benefits were expected to arise out of the time-saving and productivity-boosting efficiencies of increased mechanization.   Despite some good intentions, this humanistic vision has not been realized.  Yes, working conditions have improved over all, and people are living longer, but women, children and the poor are still exploited around the world for a minority class of wealthy business owners. Global capitalism and corporate greed have burgeoned, ensuring that the financial benefits reaped by technological development remain polarized – the gap between the haves and have-nots remains and widens.  And the real kicker – the average person is working longer and longer hours with less and less leisure time, and with limited power to change the established structures of control.

Sometimes I wish that I did not know about the potential good for mankind presented by the industrial revolution.  Instead of working more efficiently and having more time for family, recreation and creative pursuits, people are increasingly pushed to be constantly engaged and plugged in for business.  To do otherwise is to risk being labeled as out-of-touch, un-hip, washed up, unmotivated and so on. 

And so, what to do about summer?  Summer adds a layer of complication; yes, summer is problematic!  Despite the constant pressures of busy-ness and the dog-eat-dog aggression of our neo-capitalist world, summer still elicits steamy, soft-focus images of relaxation, repose and the simple appreciation of our natural environment.  Summer gently engages our bodies and our imaginations, leading us on a very human path to our origins and most basic instincts for living.  Pair “vacation” with summer and you risk some extraordinary push back – you’re doing what, going where, for how long?  Don’t you know the world will stop if too many of us unplug, take off our shoes and head off barefoot down dusty trails?

Henry James, an American writer born during the industrial revolution, once said, “Summer afternoon, summer afternoon: those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”  Beautiful yes, and precious, and significant – so, why not serve yourself a generous piece of summer. Savour each taste, each sound, each colour; every scent and every memory – and be conscious of their importance to your well being.  Summer remains a loaded word, so resist the pressure to deny your humanness, and layer your summer moments with all of the positives you need to remain whole and connected to your personal purpose.

It's All Relative

By Pam Hadder

Recently newspapers have been discussing the Bank of Canada’s concern over the glut of condo developments in Toronto – the worry is that the current condo building spree is out-pacing demand.  The result could be a significant drop in property values, and the Bank of Canada has a healthy stake in urban real estate, so that would never do!

The Bank of Canada is also bemoaning our country’s slow recovery from “economic crisis” – a crisis that we know is as contrived as all other financial wheeling and dealing around the globe.  Stop for a moment and consider who valuates currency –  who decides which country has more economic clout versus another, and who waves the magic wand to determine what commodities are the top contenders?  Really, nothing has changed and the only crisis is one of ongoing, age-old power struggles.  We have unlimited human ingenuity and a finite but vast storehouse of materials for survival and enjoyment – it’s the same basic playing field that humankind has wrestled over for eons.  However, we must buffet the storms of contrivance generated by regulatory bodies in our country and across the globe – the vocal few, the minorities with decisive power; the crisis generators who enact code red situations.  And to what end?  Simply to decide who gets a bigger piece of pie, and who dies because they go without.

There is more than enough talent, raw material and food for all to share.  No person should be struggling to get by without water, food or shelter.  It’s all about the leveraging of minority perspectives – how certain self-serving views are marketed to the masses.  No matter how bad the outlook seems, and no matter what blather is spun by governments and popular information channels, know this to be true – nothing has changed except perception, and individuals need to understand their power to oppose these human mythologies.  

Perpetual Interview???

By Pam Hadder

Through thick and thin, the majority of our core business has come via referral – a natural byproduct of work well done.  However, SWJ President, Wendy j., once remarked on how working in our industry is like being on an endless job interview. It is true that sometimes there is a sense of having to prove oneself, despite repeated demonstrations of ability! So, like other firms, we have been known to compete for business.  Enter the world of RFQs and proposals – oftentimes a dark-skied place of fuzzy lines, fiery hoops and highway robbers!

Sound less than appealing?  Well, truth be told, very few of the current RFQs that cross our path are properly written and administered – we are becoming increasingly wary and discriminating of any RFQ/RFP offers. Typically what unfolds is an unrealistic list of demands, at times even including the supply of our recommended strategy and creative solutions – all this without payment, and within short timelines.  Some false assumptions are at play here:  a) we work for free, even though no one else does, and b) we are willing to compromise professional standards and ethics for the almighty dollar. 

People pay us for our strategy and for our creative ideas, that’s our bread and butter!  Consider if you needed life-saving surgery, would you ask the surgeon to do a demo for you before you committed to the procedure?  What about a meal in an established restaurant known for its signature salad – would you demand the recipe?  How about electrical services – would you try and dicker with the red seal professional about his approach?  If so, you are NOT our potential client.  As a very basic first step, there needs to be a climate of trust and respect before we agree to move forward with any new client.

Maybe you’ve been “burnt” before?  We agree that our field has become over-run with posers and talkers. In one month alone we had three clients come to us, all of whom had been underwhelmed by the same web firm.  They had each spent thousands and did not yet have what they were promised – like them, we were rather astounded!  Obviously the web firm had a very effective salesperson, and a sketchy implementation process. As such, we recommend that you do your homework – ask about relevant work samples, ensure that you are clear about your budget and expectations, and don’t fall prey to the “friend-of-a friend” mentality. The bottom line is you need capability, integrity and results.

Want to work with us?  We are friendly, good-natured people with extraordinary passion and purpose in our chosen field: strategic marketing and advertising.  We will work alongside you and your team within your defined budgets and timelines to help you achieve your personal and business goals.  We can also guide you through a strategic process to define goals and priorities and/or refine existing goals. Most of all, our solutions are timely and effective – and we can demonstrate real results, proving the effectiveness and value of our strategy and tactics.

Since 1999, we have lived and breathed our corporate motto: On time. On budget. On strategy. Life is just too short for mediocrity.  We are interested in partnering with like-minded individuals to achieve meaningful, powerful business results, while opting out of futile dances with disrespectful, disengaged thinkers. From where we stand, the time for interviews is over – we’re ready to work; now how may we help you?

Working Naked Day and Other Crazy Holidays

By Wendy J. Miller
Who knew that February 1 has been celebrated as Working Naked Day since 2010?  It was created by  home office expert Lisa Kanarek created the event to celebrate the sort of freedoms that one gets from working at home. She could have gone with “Work in Pajamas Day” but she was trying to make a serious statement.

I felt so bad missing Working Naked Day so I thought I’d better check what “special” holidays there are in April.  Here’s what I found:

April 2013 Daily Holidays, Special and Wacky Days:

1.       April Fool's Day

2.       Dyngus Day 

3.       International Fun at Work Day

4.       International Tatting Day

5.       Children's Book Day

6.       National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

7.       Reconciliation Day

8.       Don't Go to Work Unless it's Fun Day 

9.       Tweed Day

10.   Hug a Newsman Day

11.   Walk Around Things Day

12.   School Librarian Day

13.   Tell a Lie Day

14.   Go for Broke Day  

15.   National Walk to Work Day 

16.   Plan Your Epitaph Day 

17.   Sorry Charlie Day

18.   Caramel Popcorn Day 

19.   No Housework Day

20.   World Health Day

21.   All is Ours Day

22.   Draw a Picture of a Bird Day

23.   Name Yourself Day

24.   Winston Churchill Day

25.   Golfer's Day 

26.   National Siblings Day

27.   Eight Track Tape Day 

28.   Barbershop Quartet Day

29.   National Submarine Day

30.   Big Wind Day 

31.   Russian Cosmonaut Day

32.   Scrabble Day

33.   Ex Spouse Day

34.   International Moment of Laughter Day

35.   Look up at the Sky Day 

36.   National Pecan Day

37.   Reach as High as You Can Day

38.   Patriot's Day 

39.   Rubber Eraser Day

40.   Titanic Remembrance Day

41.   National Eggs Benedict Day

42.   National Librarian Day

43.   National Stress Awareness Day

44.   Blah, Blah, Blah Day

45.   National Cheeseball Day     

46.   Pet Owners Independence Day

47.   International Juggler's Day 

48.   National High Five Day 

49.   Newspaper Columnists Day

50.   National Garlic Day

51.   Look Alike Day

52.   Volunteer Recognition Day

53.   Kindergarten Day

54.   Girl Scout Leader Day

55.   National Jelly Bean Day

56.   Lover's Day

57.   National Zucchini Bread Day 

58.   Take a Chance Day

59.   World Laboratory Day

60.   Executive Admin's Day (aka Secretary's Day or Administrative Professional’s Day) 

61.   Pig in a Blanket Day

62.   East meets West Day

63.   Take Your Daughter to Work 

64.   World Penguin Day  

65.   Hug an Australian Day

66.   National Pretzel Day

67.   Richter Scale Day

68.   Babe Ruth Day

69.   National Prime Rib Day

70.   Tell a Story Day

71.   International Astronomy Day

72.   Great Poetry Reading Day

73.   Kiss Your Mate Day 

74.   Greenery Day

75.   National Shrimp Scampi Day

76.   Hairstyle Appreciation Day

77.   National Honesty Day

Come on!  How crazy are some of these?  Notice there isn’t a Puddle Jumping Day - yet...

International Women’s Day – Why It Matters

By Pam Hadder

What were you doing on March 8?  March 8 was International Women’s Day (IWD) in Canada and around the world, and it is typically marked by events celebrating the achievements of women.  It also is a critical time to address global structures that continue to disenfranchise and disempower women, while seeking ways to narrow gender equity gaps.  In many countries including China, Nepal, Viet Nam and Uganda, Women’s Day is a national holiday, but this is not the case in Canada.  Many countries also acknowledge International Women’s Week (IWW), in an effort to both be inclusive and to extend the messaging and interaction time for women’s issues and celebrations.
  

So, why is IWD/IWW so important, and how did it originate?  As a result of growing social consciousness movements, and the awareness of female oppression, 1975 was declared the International Women’s Year by the United Nations.  Why March 8?   March 8 coincides with the famous 1917 “bread and peace” protest by Russian women which deposed its oppressive monarchical structure and marked a time of great societal change.  Today we are not engaged in a World War like the Russian women were, but violence, murder and starvation are very real issues on a global scale, and the appalling truth is that one in four women and girls will be the victims of sexualized violence in their lifetime, and that many women and children around the world live in poverty and without political agency to escape their plight.  Within global structures of masculinized and militarized power, women are denied equal participation, a voice, and even life itself.

Forbes recently released its updated list of global billionaires – there are just 1,426 people that monopolize world fortunes – less than 2,000 out of billions of human beings on the Earth. The majority of these uber-wealthy types are males, with Americans leading the way, despite their vocal complaints over depressed economic conditions in their nation.  The gap between the haves and have-nots is widening within tumultuous, uncertain times – somehow, a select few manage to hoard massive stockpiles of wealth while others starve.

Often nations like Canada look to “others” or “Third World” countries, and speak of their need for aid – we are told how lucky we are to live in our great nation, and the “other” is deserving of our charity; our pity.  Canadians like to distance themselves from poverty, violence and inequity – as if it is an isolated issue in a far off land. We like to see the Third World other as less educated, less technically adept and less empowered.  But did you know that India’s literacy rate is far higher than our own and that Afghanistan has more women in political leadership roles than Canada, Britain or the USA? And did you know that Canada is on World Vision’s giving list – for meals and school supplies for needy kids, but that only 1% of the funds they raise actually go to Canadian kids?

Denying gender-based inequity is almost criminal in its ignorance, but those who speak out are often labeled as frustrated radicals or left wing malcontents.  The uncomfortable truth is that women and children are much more likely to live in need, and are more likely to experience physical violence in Canada and around the world.  Indigenous women face further barriers and they suffer increased levels of poverty and violence, exacerbated by endemic racism in our country.
  

So does International Women’s Day matter?  Hell yes!  What can you do?  Read, stay informed, share your findings and make choices in work and in your personal dealings that reinforce fairness regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation. I leave you with the profoundly powerful words of Winnipeg Indigenous mother, poet, activist and humanitarian, Althea Guiboche.  Althea recently began making bannock to feed to hungry and homeless people in Winnipeg; we hope you will visit her Facebook page, “Got Bannock?” and consider how you might be part of the solution:

AGIMAAWAG  AKINA – Everyone Counts
By Althea Guiboche

I feed those people
who are wandering around
the cold, the hungry
the homeless sitting on the ground
the down on their luck
the ones asking for a buck
the ones who need someone
to show them some love
to show that they care
These are someone’s loved ones too
everyone has a story
everyone has a past
whether good or bad
I don’t look at that
we are all connected
we all belong
agimaawag akina
Everyone counts.

Whoa...it's Valentine's Day???

By Pam Hadder

It looks like the annual-reminder-of-all-things-romantic is upon us!  Depending on where you are at in life, Valentine’s Day can be fantastic, stressful, lonely, dreamy, or anticlimactic – or some crazy mixture of many emotions!  The Buddha once said that “He who loves 50 people has 50 woes; he who loves none has no woes.” It appears that love is high risk and high maintenance, yet it continues to reign supreme as humanity’s elusive muse, inspiring writers, artists, scholars and everyone in between.

No matter how you define it, or whether you feel you have ever known it, love is a hot topic. Wildly paradoxical, love is jet fuel for commerce, and a beacon of hope in a world of power struggles.  So when it comes to the complexities of love, we hope you can take time to reflect on what really matters:  self-love so you can be vital and energized for interactions with others, tolerance to allow room for other viewpoints and values, and humour to let joy shine through – even in difficult spaces and places. And what about human kindness, gentleness, and paying it forward (just because)? These accessible feelings are the humble stepping stones and the smaller bits that make up the much glorified version of LOVE to which we are taught to aspire.

      

But, hey, don’t take our word for it – here’s what some other folks have to say about love:

“My love, you know you are my best friend. You know that I’d do anything for you…let nothing come between us…” – Sarah McLachlan 

"We've got this gift of love...like a precious plant...keep watering it" – John Lennon

“Love does not dominate; it cultivates.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” – Mother Teresa

“All that we love deeply becomes part of us.” – Helen Keller

“Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” – Zora Neale Hurston

“To fear love is to fear life…” – Bertrand Russell

“Only do what your heart tells you.” – Princess Diana

“Love is all we have; the only way that each can help the other.” – Euripides

“Love is what you have been through with somebody.” – James Thurber

“Your words are my food… you are everything to me.” – Sarah Bernhardt

“What love we are given, we’ll have forever…” – Leo Buscaglia

“Love…it surrounds every being and extends slowly to embrace all that shall be.” – Kahlil Gibran

“Do you have to have a reason for loving?” – Brigitte Bardot

Holding On...

By Pam Hadder

Let’s talk about business. Things are different, very different – the only thing that is certain it seems is uncertainty. Are you feeling like things are in a holding pattern?  Are you finding customers are slow to make decisions but quick to judge based on minimal information?  Everyone is an expert, but few embrace quality or accountability.

Are you frustrated by negativity, short attention spans, and lack of vision? Are you puzzled by the huge investments being made in material assets such as new construction, building refurbishment, and equipment, while human issues and the day-to-day working realities take a back seat?

Much of what is marketed in popular culture is aimed at youth and young adults, but who is actually holding the cash – who is actually in a position to approve projects and spend money? Dazed by the onslaught of technology and social media, the borders between real and perceived value are easily blurred. It is estimated that 80% of the real wealth in North America rests in the hands (investment capital and bank accounts) of adults aged 50 and older.  Despite progress with gender equity in education, government and the workplace, these adults are primarily white and male.  What we are seeing is a polarization of wealth and power, an eroding middle class, and a focus on maintaining the masculinized machinery that feeds capitalist growth.  In uncertain times, the rich are fortifying their reserves of wealth.

What does our future look like if we continue on this path?  What happens when the individual can no longer access the business world?  Small business was the fastest growing sector in 2002 – the local restaurant, the little gift shop, the florist, the consultant.  Currently, these small entities do not receive government benefits or support that we see offered up to big business (sports teams, developers,  etc.), and small business owners are finding it increasingly hard to compete with huge multinational entities:  think of Shoppers Drug Mart selling groceries or Costco printing brochures.   Unchecked, globalization, neoliberal, and neoconservative strategies erode the power of the person. These factors are creating a new age of feudal living, where a rich minority exploits a desperate peasant class, willing to do anything to survive.

Ridiculous?  Open your eyes see the signs, take care with your choices – we can still choose how we work, who we work with, and where we spend our money.  Our daily choices shape the world and we need to choose wisely and lobby for fairness and distribution of wealth and resources.

Gender Neutrality

by Wendy J. Miller

Why is pink used by manufacturers to represent items that are targeted at women?  Do we only like pink or purple?  Did anyone ever think that it might be an actual product that we want to buy and if it only comes in pink – oh well – but women aren’t necessarily buying the item because it’s pink.

It’s already old news that BIC has developed pink and purple pens for women called “for Her.”  “Beautifull smooth with an easy glide,” the pens are described in the technical specs as being "designed to fit comfortably in a woman's hand" with an "attractive barrel design available in pink and purple."  To think we’ve been using man pens for all this time – and without any instructions. 

It is new, however, that Honda has manufactured a vehicle called “Honda Fit She’s” – available in the predictable pink, OR – here’s a new one – “eyeliner brown.”  Currently it’s only being sold in Japan, but the features designed to attract women include a “Plasmacluster” climate control system that is claimed to “improve skin quality,” a windshield “that prevents wrinkles,” a pink interior stitching, “tutti-frutti-hued” chrome bezels, and a little heart shape instead of an apostrophe in the word “She’s.”

What about toys being manufactured as gender neutral so anyone can play with whatever appeals to them?  Currently, McKenna Pope, a 13-year-old girl from New Jersey has written to Hasbro (the manufacturers of the Easy Bake oven) to ask them why the toy is available only in pink.  You see, her little brother wants to be a chef and she is challenging the notion – as traditional as the little oven itself – that cooking is a female domain.  More than 18,000 people have already signed a petition in support of her initiative.

 

Lego developed some “girly” products – one with a hair salon, a rehearsal stage with dressing room furnishings, a pet salon, and a city pool – all in pinks and purples.  Games are also  being developed (like Hasbro’s “Guess Who”) that has fewer female characters than male ones, thereby giving anyone who picked a woman for the guessing game a clear disadvantage.

What kind of message do gender-specific products send? How can we change the minds of manufacturers to make their products more gender neutral? Let’s hear from you...

Blue and Gold!

By Wendy J. Miller

So the magic day is here!  For those of us who have been waiting for years for IKEA to open a store in Winnipeg, November 28, 2012 is historic.

As an advertiser, I am grateful that IKEA is supporting Winnipeg's industry by purchasing lots of media and being publicly visible. As a citizen, I appreciate IKEA "speaking" to Winnipeggers - calling us by name and welcoming us to their new 395,671 square feet of home furnishings. As a consumer, I love that IKEA is inclusive and accessible and that they distributed their catalogue right to my door. Normally novel or valuable things don't get delivered to the part of town where I live.

Will I be one of the first to use their 1,619 parking spaces, 800 shopping carts, 40 check-out lanes or to sit in their 651 seat restaurant? No. I think I'll let the first rush move through from opening until the end of the year. The store will never be "quiet" and without significant volumes of consumers. IKEA stores around the world attest to that. I will go, however, when I get a day off work and can wander around at my comfortable speed, taking as long as I like to look and touch and buy.

I do appreciate you being here, IKEA.  Good things do come to those who wait.