Rex & Co. (fka Laura Bo Creative)

Category: Marketing

  • Tell Her I Hate Scary Movies…

    Tell Her I Hate Scary Movies…

    The below is an email I sent in response to someone who was part of a team dynamic I was getting to know. I was brought in because of my previous work. Edited for privacy.

    Here’s my take — FUCK NO. She can take her satisfaction and eat it. 

    As far as answering her questions, I could ask the same thing except I don’t have to. I will not spend more than 20 minutes addressing this situation past this email. 

    After that point, I will move along and do my thing, and do what I am good at (noted below). If she wants to play difficult, she picked the wrong person to do it with. 

    She knows how to do keywords – that’s cool. SEO, PPC, and Advertising are successful when the brand, the messaging, the platform and the target are aligned. Right now, based on what I have seen and heard — they are not. So let’s get on with it…

    *I think there are still some unanswered questions about Laura, and I think for me, those questions are do the skills that it takes to fill a concert hall translate to the skills that it takes to sell a subscription technology product?* 

    holy toxic hellhole. this is a fucking startup, and calling bullshit is an important part of my skillset.

    *And also, what functions would she perform?* 

    i don’t perform, and I am not a robot. I am a person, and clearly I am here to remind everyone that your product is also for humans.

    *I kind of struggled to get an answer out of her when I put that question to her when first we spoke. She said well I kind of do everything and so I said well do you do paid media and she said no I don’t do that and I said will you do PR and she said no I don’t do that* 


    The ability to do everything, and having a preference and/or skillset are NOT mutually exclusive. In the current context, I see that the best use of my time is to stop wasting time and resources. Let’s start with the messaging, solidify the audience on both the product front and fundraising part.  Pitch Decks -take that off of Founder X’s plate so they can focus on the product. Adjust and expand on the decks –  Work with you (Founder Z) to align the lanuguage in the upcoming fundraising campaign. Prepare for it.  Evaluate the current “resources” that are available that she still hasn’t made available and stop wasting everybody’s fucking time.

    *so is it content?* 

    yes

    *Is it business development?* 

    duh it’s a start-up in the fundraising and product development stage…

    *Is it email, social, higher level strategizing?* 

    all of the above, why is this even a question? Higher level strategy is the fucking top, it dictates the email, the social, the ads, etc. I don’t care how many fucking keywords you put in a website, if it doesn’t connect to the right investor or the user, or command some type of attention it’s wasted money. also impressions are trash.

    *And what support will she need?* 

    none from her. I will need information, and open communication from all parties involved if anyone expects me to stay on the project, let alone for free. ‘Founder X’ has been an absolute pleasure to interact with, and has provided me with plenty to dig into. 

    *Will she need design support, copy support, what is it?* 

    no, not at this point in time.

    *So those questions are still unanswered for me and I can’t full-heartedly give my blessing until those questions are answered to my satisfaction.*

    As previously mentioned She can take her blessing & satisfaction and eat it. 

    Cheers! 

    Me.

    P.S. As a Chief of anything, this is petty AF. Girl needs to do her research. The passive aggressive digs are sad. I am not here to prove myself. Her immediate need to defend and deflect is just screaming red flags at me. I will build a temp site myself at this point, a brand guide is future shit. The waitlist WILL be better, and people will TRUST your brand and product.

    death to the ego. call me whenever. 

    I am not meant for the land of corporate. that’s ok. all of this made me realize that I don’t do what I do for the credit, I’ve spent most of my career having other’s claim my work, sitting back waiting for someone to notice. But I’m not here for that these days. I noticed. I am the problem FINDER, gap filler, and solutions expert. I want to be in and out before I get bored. Those who have taken my advice have succeeded. I like to shake shit up, force people out of their comfort zones, and call it how I see it.

    END RANT. for now.

  • Unsolicited Advice: Natural Peanut Butter Packaging is WRONG

    First of all: shout out to Paul Brown, the guy who invented a tiny little valve that changed how stuff comes out of things back in 1991, I was like 3 years old at that point. Yet the ketchup people didn’t start using it until 2002. WHAT? Not to mention the guy made millions. But moving on….

    I am hoping that this message finds the people who work for the companies who make natural peanut butter. While I understand it is also generally stored in glass jars — that is a YOU problem to figure out. Call me when you are ready for product testers, but please look into this. We have rinsed and tested it ourselves, and it’s AWESOME.

    The oil sits on the top when stored in the cabinet. You can shake it up before use so it mixes well, and then squeeze it on whatever you want.

    For anyone who bought one of these peanut butter jar accessories, I am sorry for you. It would still create a mess in my kitchen, and I don’t want another kitchen “tool”. This one even got a write-up in the New York Times.

    Sincerely someone who appreciates convenience, but is also worried about the future.

  • Rex’s Room – The Original Concept Notes

    Rex’s Room – The Original Concept Notes

    In 2021 I set out to open a place in the neighborhood, it got lost in the chaos of life, and has since evolved, but these are the notes.

    It’s meant to be the village hub, about “It takes a village”.
    And I keep coming back to the mixing of generations and cultures. 
    A place for parents to be people, A place for people to be people

    Raise your hand if you have/want kids
    Raise your hand if you know someone who has kids
    Raise your hand if you have been bothered by kids in a restaurant.
    Raise your hand if you have judged someone with kids in a restaurant. 

    I would imagine there are a lot of hands raised right now…

    The vision had a corkboard wall dedicated to spreading kindness, joy, support, advice, as well as community resources like workshops, classes, etc.
    Write out the “manifesto” what would we write on the wall when you enter, what is the purpose, why are we here? 
    “Be gentle with other generations” – community board with notes –

    What is one thing you wish people would stop saying about your generation?
    What is something you don’t understand about other generations?
    Ask a question to another generation.
    And then also include a generation chart and polaroids of multi-gen visitors (self-submit).

    NOTE: How can we accommodate different generations?

    This led me down a path of research post-baby. Going to a restaurant with a baby was an extreme anxiety-inducing event for me. There had to be another way — I was given a book called Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff and it felt like fireworks and lightbulbs. Notes from an internet dive into related issues such as family dining and child development coughed up some of the below notes.

    Kids learn emotional regulation from us, but some of us don’t get to learn it from anybody else, so who are we supposed to learn it from? 

    “It’s that we all have different definitions of what is appropriate and expected in a public space, and often that changes depending upon the mood you’re in, the stress you’re under, and how the planets are aligned.” Via article on Scarymommy circa 2016/2020 here

    Bon Appetit Article Sources/Refs:

    https://www.todaysparent.com/baby/postpartum-care/the-excruciating-loneliness-of-being-a-new-mother/ (2018)

    https://www.vox.com/features/23191527/urban-planning-friendship-houston-cars-loneliness (2022)

    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691614568352

    https://www.heart.co.uk/lifestyle/parent-sparks-debate-selfish-let-children-cry-restaurants/

    Quote to respond, which came from the original post via buzzfeed as of April in 2023 https://www.buzzfeed.com/rossyoder/restaurant-etiquette-for-2023

    Ross Yoder -> NY-based food editor. Say hello — ross.yoder@buzzfeed.com

    https://www.parents.com/is-it-ok-to-bring-kids-food-to-restaurants-7506891

    One solution could be to never go out to eat until your kids are in college. But then they miss out on the valuable lessons that can be learned in a restaurant setting, such as how to behave themselve

    s in public and use their manners. Another solution—sharing a meal or letting your kids eat off your plate.

    Using their manners article – 22 manners your kids should know? WHY? https://www.parents.com/kids/development/social/25-manners-kids-should-know/

    How restaurants can create a more inclusive experience for kids with autism article is here

    “The relationship between children and restaurants is always going to be slightly strained. It’s nearly impossible for a restaurant to cater successfully to everybody, and one of the most obvious clashing points is always likely to be that between young families and people who don’t like the presence of children.”  https://www.them-apples.co.uk/2010/03/should-kids-be-allowed-to-eat-in/

    https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/kristen-bell-lets-kids-order-nonalcoholic-beers/story?id=101661812

    What happened to American parenting?

    I spent the better part of 2020 at home with my boyfriend and my pets, online scrolling, consuming content, and being isolated like the rest of the world. My anxiety has skyrocketed. 

    “No parent goes to a restaurant and wants their child to misbehave. Not a single parent.”

    Every parent has a horror-story about a meal gone wrong – https://www.austinchronicle.com/food/2017-03-03/the-difficulties-of-dining-with-kids/

    “In many ways, the innovation of the children’s menu changed the ways that families move through public spaces, for better and for worse. Indeed, the children’s menu is the story of America, from Manifest Destiny to the postwar baby

    The Brain Dump

    Given my background in branding and marketing, I like to tackle strategy backwards. Here were my notes for an ad campaign and/or pitch deck about the project concept:

    Calling Ridgewood parents

    Rex’s room – a place for parents to be grownups and parent at the same time

    First and foremost we are kid fucking friendly. 

    The space was created for parents to be able to feel like an adult without having to find a sitter or feeling like they are disruptive in a regular cafe setting. 

    First time parent? We got you. 

    Thinking about kids? We got you.

    Looking for comfort classics? We got you. 

    Picky eater? We got you. 

    Call it a practice place. But we also serve beer & wine, seltzer and non alcoholic stuff DUH. 

    Private nursing rooms that are not a toilet. 

    Private stalls like rolo’s or something like phonebooth style for nostalgia (this would probably be more expensive since they would need to be soundproofed) 

    Sound Proof Space or Dining Space for a larger group, a meeting, etc. 

    Private events ?

    How to be a community space but also profit? 

    Minimal overhead & staffing

    Partner with local spots for vendors and food

    What kind of random shit do we sell that’s profitable?

    Easy classics 

    Drip coffee

    Chicken nuggets

    Grilled cheese Add apple

    How do you create a space that makes parents feel relaxed, and also is engaging enough for kids to stay occupied but not overwhelming?

    Interior design and sound muffling, ceiling design, 

  • Perspective on Industry Experience

    Perspective on Industry Experience

    Industry Experience Perspective

    Recently I was thinking about resumes, the rules for job applications, the interview process, and the absurdity of what minimum qualifications are theses days. How your experience and experience for a specific industry to Industry.

    And it made me think about how I’ve been in so many different Industries and that’s a large part of the reason I’ve been successful in past roles. Not to mention if I am interested in something, I will absolutely believe I am capable of doing it and learning how to do it on the fly.

    Why do you want someone that’s only been in one industry, or doing the same thing at the same place for like 10 years? That seems unbearably narrow-minded and honestly counterintuitive when you really think about it.

    New hires, consultants, contractors, vendors, etc. are generally brought on when a company is experiencing growth or is stuck.
    You’re bringing them on to either fill a gap, expansion or because of what you think you know about their expertise and experience in a role/industry.

    Too many brands are ignoring the aspect of curiosity.

    A new hire, a new contractor, or any new relationship should bring new things to the table.

    A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. A NEW SOLUTION.

    Both of those things often come from experience working in different Industries, roles, companies, teams. Someone who can look at a problem differently, flip it upside down and shake it the fuck up.

    That’s the point. The basis of it at least. I will come back to this…

    To be continued – with examples…

  • Marketing Lifecycle Metaphor – The Amoeba BB


    Customer amoeba baby – marketing lifecycle metaphor

    Marketing is not a funnel and it’s not a flywheel. It’s like a wave. It’s like a fluid amoeba. Blobby wave, I have to draw it I guess, but And it moves because people come in and out. I may have been. A customer of parenting stuff and then My baby’s not a baby.

    And then i move out of it — I’m not the target now. But maybe if there’s a baby in my life: friends, family, or whatever baby shower, I will suggest it or I will get it for them, you know. I don’t think that always gets accounted for. It’s not really a secondary target group as far as I’m concerned.

    Funnels and flywheels don’t work because you can’t control the path of the target, you can guide it, you can block it, you can try to trap it, but there are all of these “other factors” that you don’t know and/or have no control over because in the end control is an illusion.

    **