Chances are you've had the gloves off fighting for your 2009 marketing budget. And if recession-driven CRU predictions are looming like a black cloud, it may be time to remember what drew you to marketing in the beginning. In pursuit of customers, we use our marketing dollars to attract and retain, to be charitable in our communities, to add value and to grow businesses. And while the pace of retail marketing can be as relentless as a Twitter post, it brings a continual opportunity to learn and grow as professionals. So in honour of the month of romance, we invite you to join Suburbia staffers in celebrating this big love we call marketing, and we hope you'll find some inspiration in the process.

Rust Never Sleeps.

"Marketing never stands still so there are always new areas to explore," says Account Supervisor Jacquie. Nowhere is this more apparent then when we're tracking the latest trends. In truth, major consumer trends evolve over the course of a few years. But from the practical (mobile tipping points) to the bizarre (cosplay), trends give companies an opportunity to shape their vision, offer new product ideas, or pinpoint how and what to learn in order to connect with a particular consumer or group. Far-flung ideas or products that at first glance seem improbable can become the next Snuggie blanket (with sleeves). And while some may balk at the world moving faster, the next generation calls it FSTR and wouldn't dream of slowing the pace. From a marketing perspective, this access to new ideas, products and thinking is as invigorating as the first endorphin rush of new love.

Connecting Globally.

"We get little crash courses in worlds that are so eclectic and different from our own - everything from high finance to high fashion - it satisfies our insatiable curiosity about the world around us," explains Bonney, Production Manager. It's a quick stones-throw until the next culture's fascination-of the-moment ripples into our own markets. We see cultural overlay in products like Tamagotchi and Mugen Edamame (the "endless soybean" toy - it captures the joy of popping bubblewrap). We love that marketing is the gateway to these alternate worlds and just seeing what's possible makes us feel part of a larger fabric.

Design is cool.

Design Director Jeremie states, "What we do is cool. There is craftsmanship and art in our work, but most importantly, it's a tangible connection with people, our client's customers." Perusing the pages of Communication Arts is like a love affair with ideas, expressed visually - a new font, radical typography, images that make you catch your breath, illustrations that dance and move on the page. Design is strategic, beautiful and continually evolving. "To bring out an emotional response from the viewer and tie it back into a product or service is a very difficult job, but when it's done right it inspires me to be a part of this creative world," says Senior Art Director Russ. Designer Steph shares a few of her sites for inspiration:

www.cpluv.com
www.smashingmagazine.com
www.kitsunenoir.com/blog
www.qbn.com

Great Thinking is Sexy.

"Distilling a product's key attributes and benefits or a brand's essence down to a single phrase or word is the like capturing the Zen of a perfectly placed rock or whorl of white sand in a Japanese garden", says Catherine, Account Management and Special Projects, in a philosophical moment. To the uninitiated, it's difficult understanding the challenge in this task because the end result is brilliant in its simplicity. Critics may dismiss the gravity of "Dove is one-quarter moisturizing cream", "Just do it", "Love the Skin You're In", "Got milk?" or "The uncola", but we can't underestimate the power of marketing, and the thinking behind it, to shape popular culture. Check out Seth Godin's blog1 as a great place to re-ignite your mental fire.

Inspiration.

Are you feeling the love? If so, wrap a familiar cliché in your arms and fan the embers of desire for what we do. With this in mind, CEO Mary-Lynn forwarded a note to the team, pointing us to the following blog post for inspiration:

See John C Jay's blog2 post (John C Jay is Executive Creative Director and Partner of Wieden+Kennedy which was recently named "Global Agency of the Year") in which he talks about the state of the world today, and whether we dare to find optimism. He writes, "No one can deny the global pain this is all afflicting. But for better or worse, this is creating a self-editing process of talent, brands, organizations and leadership. What is real, what is authentic and more importantly, what is innovative will survive and grow. This honesty and being true to your values is not just a wonderful personal trait, it is the foundation for any great design or brand."

We couldn't agree more.

1 Seth Godin's blog: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/

2 To access John C Jay's full blog post: http://blog.honeyee.com/johnjay/archives/2009/01/17/what-is-real.html

Photo references: Kimou Meyer, www.rainbowmonkey.de, http://www.theselectseries.com/faesthetic