We’re celebrating another year of being in business.

And what a difference a year makes. We’ve aggressively expanded our digital capabilities, adding a talented Web and video director, Tony Tharae, to our team and producing great work like Qualcomm’s corporate overview video. We’ve entered an exciting new chapter in our history and can’t wait to begin another promising year filled with the optimism and laughter that has kept us alive for the past 26.

Clearly, we couldn’t have done any of this without the people who make it possible—our supportive clients and dedicated Baker colleagues.

Thank you, all!

The brain has always fascinated me. From an early age, I recognized that not all people process information the same way. For instance, my sister was the artist in our family. I was the student and athlete. My father was the tinkerer who was completely hands-on with all his grown-up toys (cameras, hand radios and sports cars). Then, I thought the labels were appropriate to reflect our different personalities and aptitudes. Now, I have a different perspective. Those labels actually revealed much more: our different brain types and preferred modes of processing and learning styles.

My father was a tactile/kinesthetic learner who preferred to learn through experience —moving, touching and doing. My sister was a visual thinker who thought in pictures and always responded well when teachers used visual aids, diagrams, handouts and overhead slides. I was a combined type — auditory and tactile/kinesthetic. I learned easily through listening (lectures, discussions, tapes, reading books), although the athlete in me equally preferred learning through doing and being shown how.

I was thinking about all this the other day while listening to a speaker at the 2010 Council of Communication Management Annual Conference. I wondered if communicators considered their constituents’ different brain types — not just their preferred styles but also how their brains process and recall information — when engaging them.

So what if a company told its most important stories — ones that reveal who they are, what they do and stand for, why it matters and how they are different — addressing all three learning styles? Would there be a measurable difference in audience response and engagement by using this approach?

I think so. The time has come to recognize that a workforce is made up of diverse brain types that learn and process information differently. Don’t assume that everyone is getting your message or remembering it if you say it one way.

By the way, what’s your preferred learning style?

Within the corporate, accounting, securities, not-for-profit and regulatory communities, there is a growing sentiment of combining financial and sustainability information into “one report,” a phrase coined by the lauded book, One Report: Integrated Reporting for a Sustainable Strategy by Eccles and Krzus. This trend has inspired numerous articles and most recently, the August 2nd launch of the International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC) by the Accounting for Sustainability Project (A4S) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

I came across a highly readable perspective on this timely topic by global professional services firm, KPMG, titled, “Integrated Reporting: Closing the loop of strategy.” While there are many thoughts on this emerging trend and on how to proceed*, this paper presents a complex, potentially daunting subject in ways that any organization — regardless of its level of sustainability integration — can understand and consider. Most enlightening is its clarification of the difference between an “integrated reporting” approach and the literal creation of “one integrated report” to which some may reduce the concept.

Rather than advocating the strict combination of sustainability and annual reports, KPMG suggests that such a one-size-fits-all model may not accommodate the needs of diverse stakeholder groups. The risk would be either an overabundance or insufficiency of information, muddied further by obtuse legal reporting requirements. Instead, companies should tailor the full spectrum of information and its delivery, so it is easily accessible, clear, comprehensible, complete and balanced.

In short, KPMG advocates integrated corporate reporting, defined as a strategic framework for managing, measuring and communicating a company’s total performance in an integrated, standardized and comparable way. Integrated reporting refers to addressing and focusing equally on the comprehensive set of economic, environmental, social and governance factors that impact the business today and tomorrow — through the combination of vehicles that best meet stakeholders’ communication needs and preferences. Very helpful in this article is the discussion of the reasons, considerations and benefits associated with integrated reporting, and of the key steps toward implementing it, based on:

-The degree to which sustainability has been baked into the business (the management perspective)

-The information needs of diverse stakeholders (the communication perspective)

Excellent food for thought any company considering — or ready to begin — the road to integration.

*Note: Another good paper is “What does your reporting say about you?” by PricewaterhouseCoopers. It, too, advances the value of integrated reporting and discusses how to evaluate and align external and internal reporting within this framework to meet business, board and stakeholder needs.

“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” —W.B. Yeats

That’s been a pretty good description of the cloud of fear that has collected around many of us who’ve spent our careers producing printed communications. Since, print has been declared dead in the last couple of years.

Well, the new beast is taking shape, and it’s not so rough after all. In fact, it may turn out to pretty damn sexy and even, gasp, profitable! Witness the latest reincarnation of Gourmet as Gourmet Live to be released for the iPad later this year. The iPad is allowing Conde Nast to pull a Lazarus on this much loved brand. But this new creature will be part magazine, part social media resource with a game component similar to Foursquare. It will feature content from it’s  backlog of recipes as well as new content available for a small fee. (Gourmet Magazine Revived for the iPad)

Wired magazine also shows what the future may hold for publishing with downloads recently exceeding it’s newsstand sales without cannibalizing them. Wired is also breaking new ground and acting as an early leader in establishing conventions for digital publishing. (Introducing WIRED on the iPad)

But this isn’t an Apple love-fest. Adobe is playing a key role in enabling much of this revolution with it’s new software offerings for Creative Suite 5, or if you’re on a first name basis with it like we are—CS5. CS5 is providing powerful new ways for content developers to digitize their content straight from their printed projects while minimizing development costs. Apparently Adobe has been the motor under the hood of Wired magazine’s new digital offering. (Creating Digital Magazines)

In a way, it may be that the website has died a little. As devices like smart phones and tablet computers offer more attractive vehicles for content, the website may grow to be more utilitarian in nature, like the PC itself. Enter Flipboard. Billed as your social media world presented as a magazine experience. A new app for the iPad. Okay, so maybe this is an Apple love fest after all. But this app is a great example of how the website is being transformed by the app. And the exciting new possiblities of presenting and monetizing content. (Flipboard, New “Social” iPad Magazine will be Powered by Semantic Data)

From this spot in the road, we may have to correct, the masterful Yeats’ gloomy vision with the more stylish, if not remotely linguistically comparable Don Draper by way of Balzac — “Our worst fears lie in anticipation.”

Los Angeles-based Grandpoint Bank launched on June 30, featuring a new identity designed by Baker. Prior to the launch, the Baker team worked with the founders to create a platform that reflected not only their deep industry expertise but also their service philosophy of highly personalized banking: helping clients achieve financial success through a spectrum of customized services accessible through one point of contact.

Baker used this platform to build the visual components of the program. In addition to a new logo and tagline, the elements included proprietary brand imagery, stationery, signage, collateral and a website — all for which Baker created a distinct look-and-feel that could extend effectively and consistently across customer touch points.

Read the case study or Grandpoint’s launch press release.

I heard about the “Three E’s” many years ago from author Max Carey, and still find them to be true today. I have adopted my own versions and they are at the core of our client relationship philosophy, actually they’re probably at the core of all relationships.

Empathy, Enthusiasm, and Expertise.

2. Enthusiasm. I’ve never won a new client, or kept a client without truly being excited about the opportunity to help them create and execute.

John Wooden said, “As a leader, you must be filled with energy and eagerness, joy and love for what you do. If you lack Enthusiasm for your job, you cannot perform to the best of your ability. Success is unattainable without Enthusiasm.”

Indeed, it is imperative that a client sees and feels your energy. It comes from within and is expressed in different ways. It’s in the rigor you exert and the depth you go to think about their situation. It’s expressed in your quality of ideas, by your timeliness and sense of urgency aligned with your client to help find the best solution — one that will be a strong and enduring foundation for them to build from.

If it’s not truly there, then move on. You’re not going to satisfy your client if you’re not inspired by their challenge to give it your best. It’s something you simply can’t hide.

At the heart of the creative soul is the desire to do something because you find it deeply rewarding. It must come from a passion and a desire to find the best answer. So if you want to do good work, stay honest with yourself. It will naturally follow.

“The Lakers continue to be a juggernaut on and off the court.”Forbes magazine, December 2009.

I’m once again a proud Lakers fan having watched them pull off their 16^th NBA finals victory in game 7 of the 2010 World championship, the 5^th since Kobe joined the team 11 years ago.

It’s an understatement to say I’m happy they won! Truthfully though, it was so much fun to experience the team’s drive to win, I would have been happy even if they hadn’t.

Don’t misunderstand me; it’s really wonderful to have one of the winningest teams in the NBA, right here in my own hometown. However, the reason I’ve been a loyal Lakers fan for most of my adult life is because the Lakers as an organization, as a team, consistently deliver the highest level of talent and the highest level of entertainment year in and year out. Once again proving it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose it’s what you bring to the game! And Lakers, you bring an awful lot!

Many people erroneously think that social media is just for the younger generations, but a new study released by the AARP has proven that it’s just not the case. In fact, more than 27% of Americans aged 50 and older use social networks (with Facebook being the most popular), while 40% of all adults over age 50 consider themselves extremely or very comfortable using the Internet.

Earlier studies have shown that the fastest growing segment of social media users are adults over 44, which means that it is crucial that online marketers do not overlook the social web as a valuable tool to communicate with their older audiences.  They are tech-savvy and ready to embrace new ways of communication, and it is important that marketers keep up with their audiences in this arena.

I can’t call myself an early adopter. Although I appreciate the latest techie gadget from afar, I would rather spend my cash on a new pair of Nicole Miller shoes or designer skinny jeans that make me look as good as the money I paid for them. However, after watching the demo of Apple’s latest and greatest, my calendar is marked, with alarm button set for June 15th; iPhone 4′s pre-order start date.

A few months ago I heard a TED talk by Simon Sinek called “How great leaders inspire action.” One of his prime examples was Apple and how they “sold” their products; in essence, what makes them so special. On paper, they don’t have better materials than anyone else. They don’t have access to a more talented pool of people than anyone else. But why are they different? The answer is in the question: WHY? Why do we do what we do? By WHY, we are asking, “What is our motivation? What is our purpose? What is our belief?” The core of any brand. Although I don’t have access to Apple’s brand guidelines, if I had to guess, their core belief might sound something like this: “In everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently.” Apple’s success is not in retrofitting their products to this core understanding of themselves, but their ability to create products that continually reflect this core belief year after year. Instead of selling the product, they are selling an idea. When my PC friends fire off their list of complaints regarding Apple products, I can’t spar in technical speak. When they argue how elitist Apple is, I pretty much shrug my shoulders. But with so many gadgets out there that change and become updated every other second, iPhone 4 made me stop and mark my calendar in anticipation of such an ingenious device. iPhone 4 showed me a new way to see an old staple. iPhone 4 inspired me to buy who they are… and it’s pretty damn sexy.