The Tendo View

I participated in and won my first Halloween hat contest today in the office. And I bet you want to see a picture. Well, you’d be underwhelmed because there was nothing sexy about it. It wasn’t particularly slick or expensive either. My recipe:

• a) Create something that’s a spin on “hard hat.”
• b) Sew 37 strips of paper onto the brim of a hat I already owned. On each strip, type a phrase such as “saying good-bye,” “waking up when it’s still dark outside,” “affording a home in San Francisco,” “canceling a gym contract,” “the bottom of bunk beds,” and “the mountain when you’re learning to snowboard.”
• c) Use a really small font so that my audience has to step forward to take a closer look and interact with me until they figure it out.

When it’s time for your next creative effort (or costume contest), remember the following formula: simple idea + clever content + engaging execution = big win. (Note: big budget not required)

Happy Halloween!—Anna Marie F. Panlilio, marketing specialist