events: 06/25/2008

25 Jun 2008 McKinney headquarters in Durham, NC

You just never know when you'll run into an old college friend. On the street, in the airport or how about in the offices of one of the most talked about magazines on the stands? That's what happened to McKinney President Jeff Jones. He and McKinney EVP Director of Agency Communications Janet Northen were visiting FAST COMPANY where he was told the publisher thinks she knows him. "I don't think so," said Jones who, when hearing her name, changed his story in a heartbeat. "It's been 20 years," he marveled as he and Christine Osekoski bear hugged in front of the amused FAST COMPANY staff. Their reunion continued when Osekoski visited the agency on June 25 with Made to Stick author and FAST COMPANY columnist Dan Heath. "It's exciting that McKinney and FAST COMPANY are coming together," said Jones. "And Dan's Made to Stick is my most dog-eared, referred to book in recent memory. It's full of lessons we can apply every day."

Heath, who lives in Raleigh and earlier worked as a consultant for Duke Corporate Education, McKinney's neighbor at American Tobacco, gave the agency four "made to stick" ideas:

1. ONCE AN IDEA STICKS, IT'S HARD TO UNSTICK. Instead of attempting to unstick the idea, change the turf in an interesting way.

2. IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, GIVE UP. No sense in being a damn fool about it.

3. START A SUGGESTION BOX. It's amazing what happens when you ask your own employees to be strategic partners.

4. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A BEAR, BE A GRIZZLY. Don't hedge. No half-ass. Full steam ahead!