How Clear Brand Voice Cuts Through Chaos

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Turn on any news channel, scroll through social media, or check your inbox — the noise is deafening. Between funding cuts, censorship battles, and the daily drumbeat of crisis communications, arts organizations are drowning in static. Every message feels urgent. Every email screams for attention. Every grant application demands a different voice. But here’s what we know from our work with bold brands: the organizations that thrive aren’t the loudest — they’re the clearest.

The secret isn’t turning up your volume; it’s tuning your frequency.

When Triangle Youth Music came to us, they were lost in their own noise — classical versus jazz programming, internal identity and board confusion, and a name that read as elitist and off-putting. Through research, we discovered their true signal buried under a dysfunctional brand: fun, challenging, and inclusive opportunities for bright young musicians who are “Shaping the Future of Music.” That simple, clear message cut through years of static and gave everyone — board, staff, students, parents — something coherent to rally around. Clarity became their competitive advantage.

In today’s oversaturated landscape, practical clarity is your superpower.

While others shout into the void with generic messaging about “excellence” and “community impact,” your crystal-clear brand voice becomes the frequency people tune into for relief. When Resource Depot declared “ENF” (Enough Already) as their rallying cry, they weren’t just making noise — they were making a clear statement that cut through environmental messaging clutter and gave supporters something specific to champion. Your distinct voice becomes the oasis in the desert of sameness.

So how do you find your signal in all this static? Start with what we share in every basic DRMTM workshop: strip away the program talk, the industry jargon, and the borrowed language that sounds like everyone else. Ask yourself: if someone heard your message in a crowded room, would they know it was yours? Your brand voice isn’t about being perfect — it’s about being unmistakably, authentically, courageously you. Ready to cut through the noise? Let’s tune into the frequency and amplify your signal like a stack of Marshall amps.

Here’s to Crystal Clear Communication,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

P.S. Feeling lost in the static? Schedule a Brand Signal Check with DRMTM at hello@thedrmtm.com. We’ll help you find your frequency and turn up the volume on what matters most.

Your Treatment Plan: Holistic Health for Sustainable Success

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Over the past two weeks, we’ve diagnosed the chronic pain plaguing arts organizations and explored why your brand serves as the heartbeat of organizational health. This week, we’re prescribing your personalized treatment plan for building systematic wellness.

Tell Us Where it Hurts

Let’s make a plan for healing. Whether you need intensive care, ongoing treatment, or preventive care, DRMTM can design the right treatment plan for your organization.

• Bring in DRMTM to align your board around a clear, powerful vision everyone can champion.
• Work with our creative team to write fundraising appeals grounded in compelling brand messaging.
• Get our experts on your grant team to send exactly the right message about your unique value.

Why This Approach Works

The cure isn’t another quick fix or temporary distraction. It’s the slow, steady work of building organizational health from the inside out, starting with a brand that serves as the strong, steady heartbeat of everything you do.

Your community needs what you offer. Your mission matters profoundly. When you address the root causes — unclear purpose, misaligned messaging, disconnected stakeholders — rather than just managing symptoms, real healing becomes possible.

Your Organizational Wellness Consultation

The chronic pain that plagues so many arts organizations isn’t something you have to live with. We’ve seen organizations transform from crisis mode to strategic growth when they commit to building systematic health rather than treating individual symptoms.

Ready for Your Check-Up?

If your organization has been operating in chronic pain mode, it’s time for a comprehensive health assessment. We’re here to help you diagnose what’s really causing the pain and create a treatment plan that addresses root causes, not just symptoms.

Whether you’re dealing with board confusion, fundraising frustration, or community disconnection, we have the expertise and tools to help you build the organizational wellness that leads to sustainable success.

Schedule Your Consultation

Schedule a consultation with DRMTM to discuss your organization’s specific pain points and explore how strategic brand work can serve as the foundation for sustainable organizational health. Reach out to us at hello@thedrmtm.com to book your organizational wellness consultation.

Here’s to Holistic Healing, Surale + Laura + Cheryl

The Path to Wellness – Why Your Brand is Your Organizational Heartbeat

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Last week, we diagnosed the chronic pain plaguing so many arts organizations — board dysfunction, budget stress, and the exhausting cycle of treating symptoms rather than causes. This week, we’re exploring the path to real organizational wellness.

The Path to Organizational Wellness

The path to wellness is slow and steady, with a focus on board health, sustainable finances, and a relevant purpose that resonates deeply with your community. What’s interesting is that most leaders don’t think to consider their brand as the heartbeat of their organizational health.

If you are protecting your living brand — which represents your reason to exist — then you are safeguarding your health as an organization.

Your brand isn’t just your logo or your marketing materials. It’s the clear expression of why you matter, how you’re different, and what unique value you bring to your community. When your brand is strong and aligned, everything else follows: board members understand their role in advancing a clear mission, funders recognize your distinct value proposition, and audiences feel genuinely connected to your purpose.

Strategic Health Over Symptomatic Relief

In a recent article, we stressed “stop being surprised, and start being strategic.” Being strategic absolutely starts with your brand, no matter if it’s in good shape or needs intensive care.

Consider this:

• When your board can clearly articulate your organization’s higher purpose and unique position in the community, they become powerful advocates rather than confused bystanders.
• When your brand messaging is compelling and differentiated, grant applications write themselves.
• When your community understands exactly what you stand for and why you matter, individual giving becomes organic rather than forced.

Your Holistic Health Assessment

DRMTM has created a comprehensive approach to organizational health that addresses every pain point, trigger, and aggravation you can imagine — including board alignment and budget growth. Our services work together as an integrated wellness plan:

• Brand strategy and development that serves as your organizational immune system
• Board training and alignment that strengthens your leadership brain function
• Fundraising strategy and implementation that improves your financial circulation
• Community research and engagement that keeps your mission relevant and vital
• Strategic planning support that ensures all systems work together

Ready for Real Healing?

The chronic pain that plagues so many arts organizations isn’t something you have to live with. When you address root causes — unclear purpose, misaligned messaging, disconnected stakeholders — rather than just managing symptoms, real healing becomes possible.

Next Week: We’ll share your personalized treatment plan and specific ways DRMTM can help you build systematic organizational health.

Ready to Stop Treating Symptoms? Your community needs what you offer. Your mission matters profoundly. Let’s talk about building health from the inside out, starting with a brand that serves as the strong, steady heartbeat of everything you do. Contact us at hello@thedrmtm.com.

Here’s to Strategic Wellness, Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

August is typically a time for rest and rejuvenation, but we know many of you are feeling anything but refreshed. The chronic organizational pain that’s been building over the past few years has many arts and culture leaders wondering: Is this just our new normal?

We don’t think it has to be.

This month, we’re offering a special three-part prescription for the most persistent pain points plaguing arts organizations:

This Week: Where It Hurts – Diagnosing the real sources of organizational pain
Week 2: The Path to Wellness – Strategic healing over quick fixes
Week 3: Your Treatment Plan – Holistic health for sustainable success

Each week, we’ll explore how your brand serves as the heartbeat of organizational health, and how addressing root causes rather than symptoms can lead to real, lasting healing.

Where Is This Pain Showing Up Most?

We’ve been speaking with arts organizations about their struggles to serve their mission and audiences. As cultural causes, they’re feeling the dull, numbing ache of a chronic illness they can’t shake.

It comes in the form of shrinking funds cutting off circulation, the overwhelming brain fog of never knowing what’s coming next, and the persistent tension headache of constantly fighting for relevance.

This pain is showing up most in the brains of our operations — our boards — and in the gut — with our budgets, leaving many organizations feeling chronically unwell and unsure of the cure.

Board dysfunction manifests as confusion about purpose, disagreement over direction, and an inability to make decisive moves forward. Budget stress shows up as the constant scramble for funding, cutting essential programs, and the exhausting cycle of crisis management rather than strategic growth.

The Temptation of Quick Fixes

When the pain increases, the easiest thing is to give in to distraction — a temporary fix, like reaching for another aspirin instead of addressing the underlying condition. This shows up in chasing new ideas that creep away from mission, pursuing grants that only add taxing programs, or focusing on shiny projects that aren’t creating stronger community connections.

We see organizations constantly exhausting themselves with solutions that treat symptoms rather than causes.

What’s the Real Diagnosis?

The truth is, most arts organizations are treating individual symptoms rather than building systemic health. They’re putting band-aids on budget problems without addressing the underlying brand confusion that makes fundraising difficult, while struggling with board dysfunction that stems from unclear organizational purpose.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone, and more importantly, you don’t have to stay stuck in this cycle of chronic pain.

Next Week: We’ll explore the path to organizational wellness and why your brand might be the missing piece in your healing plan.

Feeling the Pain? If your organization has been operating in chronic pain mode, we’re here to help. Schedule a consultation with DRMTM to discuss your specific pain points and explore solutions that address root causes, not just symptoms. Reach out to us at hello@thedrmtm.com.

Here’s to Healing, Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

We’re back from an incredible month immersed in the heartbeat of American arts and culture. From the healing harmonies at Chorus America in St. Louis to the powerful advocacy conversations at AFTAcon in Cincinnati, we witnessed something extraordinary: a field that refuses to be diminished, no matter the challenges.

And we have some thoughts.

Stop Being Surprised. Start Being Strategic.

Here’s what we need to talk about, arts family: We have got to stop acting shocked every time we’re attacked, unfunded, or dismissed when politics and priorities shift.

Yes, robust government funding speaks well of a nation, and yes, we’ll keep advocating for it fiercely. But here’s the truth of where we are: We must do a better job of ensuring our communities first know about — and believe in supporting — the arts organizations that enrich their daily lives.

This isn’t about abandoning advocacy. It’s about expanding it beyond the halls of power into the hearts of our neighbors.

The Pivot Problem

Too many of our organizations are stuck in permanent survival mode, constantly pivoting when tough times hit instead of proactively building the community connections that create resilience. This is especially brutal for smaller organizations whose budgets lean heavily on government and NGO grants.

Less pivoting. More pro-activity. That’s the mantra we’re bringing home.

The Healing Power of Connection

At Chorus America, we were reminded why this work matters so profoundly. Soprano Renée Fleming’s presentation on the scientific role of music in physical and mental health through neuroarts research was nothing short of revelation. We heard stories of people recovering from dementia, Parkinson’s, and traumatic injuries through the power of musical engagement.

But perhaps even more powerful was witnessing how choruses are healing our cultural divisions. We were moved by decades-old multicultural choirs and multi-generational women’s chorales exploring stories together through song. No matter how divided our country may be, the choirs of St. Louis and America are holding a glowing torch for what the cultural arts mean to our healing and our future.

When voices unite in harmony, something magical happens that transcends politics, generations, and difference.

“Art Tells the Truth”

This quote, displayed in Cincinnati’s Duncanson Foyer at the Taft Museum of Art, perfectly captured the spirit of AFTAcon 2025. The return of Americans for the Arts after COVID and leadership restructuring was nothing short of the not-to-be-missed event of the decade.

Hearing new CEO Erin Harkey repeatedly say “Tell me what you need” made it clear: this new AFTA is in service to its organizations and the creation of “a just, inclusive, and accessible nation.”

“The road ahead requires courage, collaboration, and our consistent and persistent advocacy,” she declared. And you know what? That’s exactly what we witnessed. Courageous conversations. Deep listening. Bridge-building over challenging currents.

We all left as advocates, aligned with purpose and passion.

The Truth We’re Taking Home

Despite our struggles — maybe because of them — the arts are more inclusive, more resilient, and more connected than ever before.

But resilience isn’t built on hope alone. It’s built on strategic action. On brands that create community connection. On messaging that moves people to action. On relationships that weather storms because they’re rooted in authentic value.

This is where strategic branding and consulting creates the sustainability that addresses community connection essential for resilient operations. This is where the work we do at DRMTM becomes more than pretty logos and compelling copy — it becomes the foundation for organizations that thrive rather than merely survive.

Now Get Back to Work!

The conversations are over. The inspiration is gathered. The path is clear.

It’s time to stop waiting for the next crisis and start building the community connections that will carry us through whatever comes next. It’s time to transform our advocacy from asking for support to earning it through undeniable community value.

The road ahead requires courage. Good thing we’ve got plenty.

Here’s to Building Bridges,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

P.S. Ready to get courageous with your brand? Our virtual door is always open. Sign up for a complimentary bold conversation with our team today! Click HERE to schedule.

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Last month, we spoke about courage in the face of uncertainty. Today, we shine a light on the extraordinary advocacy happening across our field — the passionate, determined efforts of arts and culture leaders who refuse to be silenced or sidelined.

Across our nation, arts leaders are doing exceptional work keeping us informed, connected, and mobilized. From grassroots organizing to national campaigns, the response to these unprecedented challenges has been nothing short of inspirational. You’re not just preserving institutions — you’re resisting the destruction of creative expression in public life.

Florida’s Front Lines

Here in Florida, where DRMTM is based, we’re facing additional attacks at the state level that cut straight to the heart of cultural sustainability. Last year’s complete slash of arts funding, though somewhat restored this year, was just the beginning. The threat to tourism tax dollars designated for cultural arts still looms large over our communities.

We barely escaped the dismantling of tourism development councils statewide before the legislative session ended, and we’re not out of the woods yet. You can imagine what tourism in Florida means to the support of our arts and culture. It’s intertwined like seagrass or coconut husk — much like an old married couple that has sewn its years of love and labor into a magnificent tapestry that can’t be torn. Divorce between these two is unthinkable — our structure would simply crumble.

Your Power Remains

Art isn’t a passive language. It is the most powerful of all human expression.

Much of the art we honor today was created in resistance to the same threats we are facing right now: censorship, control, and weaponization of the values that hold us together. Shame on any government or group willing to sacrifice their support of the freedoms art and culture represents.

As we wrote last month [LINK], we will all continue to stand in our humanity, doing what arts and culture does best: bring people together. When your autonomy is threatened, arm your board and staff with the tools of advocacy. When your funding is cut, rally your community. Build your foundation on them.

Although unhindered government funding of the arts should remain a hallmark of a great nation, we know our community cultural organizations have always been cared for most by the people they serve. Keep your brand’s higher purpose in the center of everything you do. Communicate your values again and again, inviting people to belong.

The Eternal Flame

You are resilient. Arts and culture will prevail. Always has, always will. The human spirit’s need to create, connect, and express is unquenchable — it outlasts regimes, survives censorship, and emerges even from the darkest periods of history with renewed vitality.

In dividing times, you create spaces of connection. In fearful times, you inspire courage. In times when identity is weaponized, you remind us of our shared humanity.

In resistance and resilience,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

DRMTM is your thought partner in these challenging times. Reach out to schedule a conversation about strengthening your brand’s voice and values.  https://scheduler.zoom.us/laura-morse/drmtm-bold-brand-conversations

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

We stand with you in what has become an unthinkable moment for arts and culture in America. The very expressions of humanity that have carried us through our darkest hours — our stories, our music, our creative spaces — are now caught in the crosshairs of a widening cultural divide.

From national art institutions to your local children’s library, we’re witnessing unprecedented challenges to the foundational belief that human expression deserves to be protected, honored, and shared. Many of you have reached out, voices filled with a mixture of determination and concern, asking how to navigate these treacherous waters while staying true to your mission.

When the Ground Shifts Beneath Your Feet

The language that once united us in our efforts to create inclusive, representative spaces has been weaponized. Words like “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion” — which at their heart simply acknowledge our shared humanity — have become lightning rods in the current storm.

But remember this: The politics of the moment may claim certain words, but they cannot claim the timeless values behind them or the actions you’re employing. When your museum shows ancient artifacts from multiple civilizations, when your theater produces works from varied perspectives, when your dance company incorporates diverse movement traditions — you’re not being “political.” You’re being human. You’re being arts and culture.

It’s still true: actions speak louder than words.

Return to Your Higher Purpose

When you don’t know what to do, go back to basics. Just as the overwhelmed fundraiser goes back to the simple task of working the money, arts leaders must return to the work of focusing on their purpose.

Your mission probably hasn’t changed. The world around it has. Again.

Ask yourself: What is our higher purpose? What human need does our organization serve? How do we articulate that need without getting blown to bits in today’s verbal minefields?

Flexibility Within Firmness

Every organization’s situation differs. Some will gain more by holding firm in resistance, making bold statements that honor their values regardless of consequences. Others need strategic flexibility to remain resilient and continue serving their communities through uncertain times. There is no single right answer. Only the answer that aligns with your organization’s unique role, community, and circumstances.

Reimagining Our Language

If certain terms have become weaponized in the war on woke, consider alternatives that carry the same values: unity, representation, community, pluralism. We have other great choices. But remember—it’s not about finding perfect terminology. It’s about focusing on people and acknowledging their humanity.

Words matter, yes. But people matter more.*

Listen Before You Leap

Now more than ever, understanding your community’s mind is essential. Use surveys, focus groups, and roundtable discussions to listen deeply. Then serve accordingly.

The data you gather may surprise you. In tumultuous times, people often crave connection and meaning more than ever — precisely what arts and culture organizations are uniquely positioned to provide.

You’ve Weathered Storms Before

Remember: You survived a global pandemic. You activated strategies, pivoted programs, reimagined delivery methods, and continued your work when the world shut down. The resilience you demonstrated then lives within your organization now.

This moment calls for the same courage, creativity, and commitment that brought you through before.

The Path Forward

As you navigate these uncharted waters, consider these guiding principles:

1. Center on your values without becoming entangled in terminology wars
2. Strengthen community connections when divisiveness threatens
3. Focus on human experiences rather than political positions
4. Tell stories that transcend the current moment
5. Find strength together with other arts organizations

We don’t pretend to have all the answers. Every organization’s journey through this landscape will be different, influenced by factors that may be invisible to outside observers.

But this we know for certain: The arts have survived centuries of challenge precisely because they speak to something essential in the human spirit. It will survive the destruction of DEI and the woke wars. What you do matters profoundly. Perhaps now more than ever.

Here’s to Standing Strong,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

 DRMTM is your thought partner in helping to solve these issues and more. Let’s talk. Reach out to us at https://scheduler.zoom.us/laura-morse/drmtm-bold-brand-conversations to schedule a conversation.

 *We love how VocalEssence captures this perfectly in their messaging:

Mission: VocalEssence draws upon the power of singing together to nurture community, inspire creativity, affirm the value of all persons, and expand the influence of choral music.

 As a professional choral organization, we live our values in order to:

• Bridge societal difference,
• Remain open to continuous learning,
• Celebrate singing as an essential human expression

For more, see VocalEssence Who We Are.  

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Honesty Zone – this article is a good 4 to 5-minute read and worth it if you’re even THINKING of working on your brand in the next couple of years. If you’re both time-pressed and hungry for strategic insights, this article is perfect for that coffee break epiphany moment!

The hard truth about cultural branding? Timing is everything — and most organizations leap before they look.

We’ve all felt that brand itch: the nagging sensation that your visual identity doesn’t quite match your ambitions, your messaging sounds like everyone else’s, or worse—your internal team can’t consistently articulate why you matter. But before you race toward that shiny rebrand horizon, pause to consider whether you’re truly ready for what comes next.

At DRMTM, we’ve guided numerous arts and culture organizations through transformative rebranding journeys, and we’ve learned one critical lesson: the most successful projects begin with honest self-reflection, not color palette debates.

The Brand Readiness Revelation

Your brand is intensely personal — your collective identity, your mission embodied, the foundation of your uniquely important message. And yet, we consistently see organizations dive into rebranding without fully understanding what they’re committing to.

The pattern is predictable: initial enthusiasm gives way to resistance when the process challenges preconceptions. Team members who swore they wanted “bold and different” suddenly retreat to “safe and familiar” when faced with truly breakthrough ideas. The board that unanimously approved the rebrand starts second-guessing when they see concepts that push beyond their comfort zone.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

Successful rebranding requires more than a cool new logo or catchy tagline — it demands organizational readiness to embrace change, challenge assumptions, and get vulnerable with your authentic purpose.

How to Know If You’re Actually Ready

Before embarking on a brand transformation journey, ask yourself these revealing questions:

1. Is your leadership stable and aligned?

Brand evolution requires steady guidance. If your executive director is leaving, your artistic director is battling the board, or you’re undergoing significant structural changes, pause the rebrand conversation. A brand project led by a leadership team in flux almost always results in wasted resources and half-measures.

2. Do you honestly know what your community thinks?

Not what you hope they think—what they actually think. Most organizations operate on assumptions rather than evidence. Are you regularly gathering objective feedback from audiences, non-audiences, donors, and partners about how they perceive your organization? If not, you’re building on quicksand.

3. Can your organization handle healthy disruption?

Transformative branding should challenge assumptions and push comfort zones. Does your culture embrace informed risk? Can you have productive debates without descending into drama? Do you retreat to “we’ve always done it this way” when faced with new perspectives?

4. Are you resource-ready?

Branding isn’t just a creative exercise — It’s an investment with ongoing implementation needs. Beyond the initial development costs, consider:

• Will you need to update signage, materials, and digital platforms?
• Do you have staff capacity to manage consistent application?
• Is your budget realistic not just for creation but implementation?

A beautiful new brand that’s inconsistently applied or that sits unused because you can’t afford to implement it is worse than your current imperfect brand.

5. Are you seeking evolution or validation?

Perhaps the most revealing question: Are you genuinely open to change, or are you secretly hoping for external validation of what you already believe? The most successful clients approach branding with genuine curiosity rather than predetermined conclusions.

The Readiness Assessment Approach

At DRMTM, we begin every potential brand partnership with our Brand Readiness Assessment — a diagnostic tool that evaluates an organization’s capacity for meaningful brand evolution across multiple dimensions:

• Alignment between internal identity and external perception
• Clarity about current brand strengths and weaknesses
• Organizational culture and change-readiness
• Resource capacity for implementation
• Leadership stability and decision-making processes
• Research foundations and community understanding

The assessment isn’t about grading your efforts — it’s about setting up for success. Sometimes the most valuable outcome is recognizing you need six months of groundwork before launching a rebrand.

Whether your organization is large or small, DRMTM’s expert consulting support can create your readiness plan and position your branding project for success.

Your Next Steps

If you’re contemplating a brand evolution, start with honest self-assessment. Remember, delaying a rebrand until you’re truly prepared isn’t time wasted — it’s strategic wisdom that will ultimately lead to more transformative outcomes. Sometimes the bravest decision is recognizing you need to strengthen your foundation before building your beacon.

When you’re genuinely ready to create a brand that boldly articulates your mission, authentically connects with your community, and strategically drives your future growth, we’re here to guide the journey.

Want to review your brand readiness? Schedule an appointment to talk it over by clicking HERE. 

Here’s to Ready, Set, Go!

DRMTM

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Let’s talk about the elephant in the cultural center lobby: relevance. It’s that nagging feeling when your programs are stellar but attendance is slipping. When your mission statement sounds impressive but doesn’t move hearts. When you’re speaking, but your community isn’t listening.

The Truth About Relevance in 2025

Here’s the bold truth: If you don’t know where you’re going and why you matter, you don’t have a brand – you have a logo and some nice fonts. Relevance isn’t just about being current; it’s about being necessary to your community’s cultural fabric.

Signs You’re Facing a Relevance Revolution:

• Your identity feels disconnected from today’s community needs
• You’re leading communications with programs instead of purpose
• Your brand speaks more about you than the people you serve
• Your messaging sounds like it could belong to any arts organization
• Your visual identity doesn’t reflect the diversity of your community

The Power of Research-Driven Relevance

Remember this: You are what they think you are. Not what your board thinks. Not what your marketing materials claim. What your community actually experiences is your brand. This is why understanding your relevance requires asking tough questions and listening harder than you speak.

Getting Real About Relevance

Want to measure where you stand? Answer Yes or No to these critical relevance points:

1. Purpose Clarity

• Can you articulate your higher purpose without mentioning a single program?
• Does your mission statement make people feel something?
• Are you solving real community needs or just running nice programs?

2. Community Connection

• Do your materials speak more about your community than about you?
• Are diverse voices and faces authentically represented in your storytelling?
• Can people see themselves in your brand?

3. Bold Communication

• Have you eliminated insider language and jargon?
• Does your messaging inspire action or just share information?
• Are you brave enough to stand for something meaningful?

The Relevancy Reality Check

Time for some real talk: Your answers should say Yes to at least six of the nine relevance points. Below that? You’re likely struggling to connect meaningfully with your community. But don’t panic – this is fixable.

Your Next Bold Moves:

1. Survey your stakeholders (yes, ALL of them) about what truly matters to them
2. Audit your materials for jargon and replace with human language
3. Look for places where program information drowns out your purpose
4. Gather testimonials that reflect your community’s diversity
5. Ask yourself: “Could any other organization say exactly what we’re saying?” Learn to speak from the uniqueness of your mission.

Relevance isn’t a destination – it’s an ongoing dialogue with your community. It requires constant attention, authentic listening, and the courage to evolve. When you nail it, though? That’s when your brand becomes not just seen, but sought after.

Ready to revolutionize your relevance? Start by giving your brand an honest assessment. The first three organizations to reach out this month will get a complimentary relevancy assessment with DRMTM. Email us at hello@thedrmtm.com.

Here’s to being sought after,

DRMTM

How’s that for keeping it real?

Dear DRMRS and Doers,

Welcome to 2025! While folks are still busy making (and breaking) their New Year’s resolutions, we’re declaring something bigger: 2025 is officially The Year of the Bold Brand.

Why? Because playing it safe is so 2024. And if you’re not updating your strategy for success with your brand in mind, you’re still in the 20th century.

At DRMTM, our 2025 goals include leading revolutionary brand strategy that builds democracy and capacity, drives fundraising, and creates lasting cultural impact for arts and culture organizations just like yours.

Your Strategic Strike Force

Yes, we build the sector’s best brands. But we’re also an expert consulting firm available to guide your current brand’s focus and growth. That nagging question about sub-branding your new initiative? We’ve got you. Board members stuck in 1995 about your rebrand? We’ll help you navigate that conversation. Need to know if your brand is truly serving your community? Let’s dig into that research.

What’s Coming in 2025

Each month, we’re dropping knowledge bombs on the topics that keep arts leaders up at night:

• Brand relevance (who you are to people) in the age of AI and immersive experiences
• Building authentic brand culture (HR, listen up)
• When to evolve vs. when to overhaul your brand
• Making your board your biggest brand champions
• Sub-branding without losing your focus
• Brand democracy: if you build it they will come
• The connection between bold brands and fundraising success

Plus, we’ll share some insider-info about how to get your whole team to actually agree on that new logo. (Yes, it’s possible. We have evidence.)

Ready to Go Bold? Don’t wait for a crisis to think about your brand strategy. Whether you need a full transformation or just a strategic gut-check, we’re here with the expertise, tools, and let’s be honest — the most fun you’ll have while tackling serious organizational change.

Here’s to bold, bolder, boldest,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

P.S. Got a burning brand question? Hit us up here on Calendly. First three organizations to reach out in January get a free Happy Half Hour strategy session to ask us anything about your brand.

Chorus America Collab is a Dream Come True

Dear DRMRS and Doers,

When Chorus America invited DRMTM to share our branding wisdom in their award-winning publication, The Voice, we couldn’t help but sing from the rooftops! From presenting at their Atlanta conference to diving deep into brand strategy for their national magazine, 2024 has been a harmony of creative collaboration with this incredible organization.

Your cultural organization or national arts agency can also discover how a bold brand is the key to greater impact. Our latest article breaks down the what, when, and why of cultural transformation through strategic branding. Enjoy reading The Voice and getting to know the incredible brand culture of Chorus America. We know you will love them as much as we do!

Click Here To Read Article!

Finished reading? Email us here at hello@thedrmtm.com to chat with our team about bringing this strategy to your organization or conference.

Here’s to incredible collaborations,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Have You Been Kheli-fied Yet?
​Meet Our Culture Transformation Guru

Dear DRMRS and Doers,

Real talk: building a bold brand isn’t just about killer logos and punchy taglines (though we love those too). It’s about creating genuine cultural transformation from the inside out. That’s why we’re over the moon to introduce you to our brilliant brand culture expert, Dr. Kheli Willetts.

Why We’re Impressed and Obsessed
​Picture this: 25 years of nonprofit and education leadership + a PhD + super-powers in IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access) = one absolutely incredible force for organizational change. Kheli knows how to turn big ideas into real, actionable culture shifts that stick.

The Kheli Effect
When major players like the National Museum of African American Music and the Bullock Texas State History Museum need to level up their cultural game, they call Kheli. As DRMTM’s primary IDEA and brand culture operations consultant, she’s our secret weapon for helping organizations walk their talk – from mission statements to daily operations.

Super-Powers Include:

• Nonprofit genius
• Arts programming mastery
• Community engagement magic
• Leadership transformation
• Infrastructure development skills
• IDEA implementation expertise

But Wait, There’s More
​Because being amazing at one thing isn’t enough, Kheli also serves on the board of the Texas Association of Museums and spent 15 years dropping knowledge in higher education.

Ready to Get Kheli-fied? If your organization is ready to transform its culture from the inside out, you’re in luck – Kheli is part of our DRMTM family. And trust us, family doesn’t let family build brands without solid cultural foundations.

Click this email link at hello@thedrmtm.com to request a culture chat. We’ll connect you with Kheli faster than you can say “cultural transformation.”

Here’s to building better brands from the inside out,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear DRMRS and Doers,

Can you believe we’ve reached our final Bold Brand truth? What a journey it’s been exploring these fundamental principles together. We’ve saved one of our most powerful insights for last – one that cuts to the heart of why people truly connect with arts and culture organizations.

Here’s #10 on our list of Bold Brand truths:

People join causes that reflect who they are, who they want to be, or how they want to be perceived.

Think about the last time you shared a social media post about attending a premiere performance, or proudly displayed your museum member tote bag, or mentioned serving on a theater’s board of directors. What motivated that share? That display? That mention?

Let’s be honest – we’re all painting a picture of ourselves through our choices and associations. And that’s okay – it’s fundamentally human.

Here’s the fascinating truth: When people choose to support an arts organization, they’re not just buying a ticket or making a donation. They’re making a statement about their values, their cultural awareness, or their community involvement. They’re saying, “This is who I am” or “This is who I aspire to be.”

Remember our very first Brand Truth about connecting community to your cause, not your programs? This is exactly why that principle is so powerful. Nobody buys into your mission because they desperately want to attend your quarterly board meetings (well, maybe a few!). They join because supporting avant-garde theater makes them feel culturally adventurous. They donate because being a patron of the arts aligns with their self-image as a community leader. They volunteer because they want to be seen as someone who gives back. They show up because you provide a place for them to feel elevated and artistic, and they like the perks!

This insight completely transforms how we should approach our messaging:

• Stop the “we” parade: Instead of “We present groundbreaking contemporary dance,” try “Discover your adventurous spirit through boundary-pushing performance.”
• Paint the picture: Rather than listing program features, show how participation enriches lives and shapes identities: “Join the cultural pioneers shaping our city’s artistic future.”
• Create belonging: Instead of “Support our youth orchestra,” try “Be the spark that ignites the next generation of musical brilliance.”

Start by asking these amazing questions. Expand beyond your usual suspects for extra-insightful answers:

1. What does association with your organization say about someone?
2. What aspirational identity does your cultural cause offer?
3. How do your current supporters want to be perceived?
4. What community status or recognition comes with different levels of engagement?

Combine Identity + Impact

The most powerful messaging (and fundraising!) connects personal identity with meaningful impact. For example:

• “Visionaries like you understand that art changes lives…”
• “Join fellow cultural champions in making our city a beacon for creative expression…”
• “Be remembered as someone who helped transform our historic theater into a contemporary masterpiece…”

Remember: This isn’t about manipulation – it’s about recognition. People genuinely want to support meaningful causes. Our job is to help them see how their personal values and aspirations align with our missions.

Ready to reimagine your messaging through the motivation lens? Here’s your quick action plan:

• Audit your current communications: How often do you lead with “we” statements versus “you” invitations?
• Map your identity offerings: What different types of involvement or support speak to different personal aspirations?
• Craft messages that mirror: Help people see themselves – or their ideal selves – in your cause.

Struggling to shift from “we” to “them”? Reach out to DRMTM at hello@thedrmtm.com for a free chat to transform your brand approach.

Here’s to Reflecting Your Best Self,

Surale, Laura + Cheryl

P.S. We’ll conclude this series in December with a summary and goal plan for 2025 to adopt the DRMTM Bold Brand truths! For now, we’d love to hear which truth resonated most with you and your organization. Drop us a line and let us know!

Dear DRMRS and Doers,

Welcome back to our journey through DRMTM’s Bold Brand Truths. Today, we’re tackling #9, and it’s a big, sometimes scary one:

Accountability Counts.

In our exciting field, we love to talk about creating magic, inspiring awe, and transforming lives with art and culture. But there’s a critical, less glamourous piece to our work that we often overlook: accountability. Accountability is the backbone of a bold arts brand. It’s what forms trust, thus allowing us to create magic, awe, and transformation.

Why? Because trust is the currency of connection.

When people align with your brand, they’re not just appreciating your art — they’re buying into your values, your culture, your promise. They’re joining your family. And just like in any family, trust is paramount.

But here’s the thing: trust is fragile. It’s built slowly, over time, through consistent actions and transparent communication. Yet it can be shattered in an instant by a misstep, a broken promise, or a values misalignment.

So, how do we build and maintain this trust? Through accountability.

It must show up across all operations and in addressing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (DEIA) in our mission and profession. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Embrace the messy middle: We’re living in complex times. It’s okay – commendable, even – to admit that you’re still figuring things out. Your audience appreciates honesty over perfection.
• Walk the talk: Accountability isn’t just about training manuals and mission statements. It’s about the hard, ongoing work of truly reflecting and serving your community. Are you actively engaging in difficult conversations? Are you making real, structural changes?
• Own your mistakes: When you miss the mark (and you will, because we’re all human), own it. Apologize sincerely, explain what went wrong, and share how you’ll do better.
• Invite feedback: Create channels for your community to share their thoughts and concerns. And more importantly, listen and respond.
• Be transparent about your journey: Share your accountability goals publicly. Report on your progress — both the victories and the challenges.
• Question yourself regularly: Are we being authentic in our approach? Are we avoiding controversy at the cost of progress? Are we truly serving our entire community?

Accountability isn’t about being perfect.

It’s about being honest, open, and committed to growth. It’s about recognizing that as arts and culture organizations, we have a unique responsibility and opportunity to lead by example in creating more just and inclusive communities.

Yes, there’s fatigue around serving communities and DEIA discussions. Yes, the current political climate can make these conversations challenging. But here’s the truth: our missions as arts and culture organizations demand that we persist. We must continue to evolve, to reflect, and to strive for better — not despite the challenges, but because of them.

It might feel vulnerable. It might be messy. But it’s also where the real magic happens — where trust deepens, where communities truly connect, and where your brand becomes not just bold, but beloved.

Ready to boost your accountability quotient? Here are some questions to get you started:

1. When was the last time we publicly shared our progress (or challenges) on accountability initiatives?
2. How do we currently gather and respond to community feedback?
3. Can we identify a recent misstep? How did we handle it, and what did we learn?
4. Are our efforts integrated into all aspects of our organization, or siloed?
5. How are we measuring the impact of our accountability efforts?

Remember, accountability isn’t a destination – it’s an ongoing journey. By committing to this journey, you’re not just strengthening your brand. You’re creating a more equitable, inclusive, and vibrant arts and culture landscape for all.

Struggling with how to approach accountability in your organization?

We happen to have some expertise in this area. Email us at hello@thedrmtm.com and we’ll schedule a call to talk about our consulting services.

Here’s to brands that don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk,

​Surale, Laura + Cheryl

P.S. We’d love to hear about your accountability journey! Join us on our socials to share a moment when owning up to a challenge led to unexpected growth – let’s learn from each other!

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Welcome back to our journey through DRMTM’s ten Bold Brand truths. We’ve reached #7, and it’s one that resonates deeply throughout human history: Tell a great story.

“Let me tell you a story.” When someone begins a sentence this way, there’s a reason we are instantly captivated. Our brains are wired for narrative. Stories aren’t just entertainment; they’re how we make sense of the world, connect with others, and find meaning in our experiences. For arts and culture organizations, storytelling isn’t just a suggestion — it’s essential to your brand’s success.

Why is storytelling so vital? Here’s the heart of it:

1. Emotional Connection: Stories bypass our logical defenses and speak directly to our hearts. When you share a compelling narrative about your mission’s impact, you’re not just informing — you’re inviting your audience to feel something profound together.
2. Relevance and Relatability: Through stories, you show how your work touches real lives. This builds relevance and helps individuals see themselves reflected in your mission.
3. Authenticity: Stories provide a genuine way to communicate your values and purpose. They reveal the human side of your organization, fostering trust and connection.
4. Diversity and Inclusion: Storytelling allows you to magnify diverse voices and experiences, acknowledging the rich tapestry of your community.
5. Memory and Impact: People may forget facts and figures, but they remember stories. A well-told story can leave a lasting impression about your organization’s value and meaning.

Arts and culture organizations are uniquely positioned as storytellers. You’re not just sharing narratives — you’re preserving and creating them. Your exhibitions, performances, and programs are living stories that reflect and shape your community’s identity.

Stay tuned for our next post on 8/21, where we’ll reveal the keys to harnessing the power of storytelling in your brand communications. We’ll also throw in some questions to get you going on your storytelling journey.

Struggling to find your story? We’re here to help. Reach out to us at hello@thedrmtm.com for a free Happy Half Hour consultation to help you craft a narrative that resonates.

Here’s to telling tales that touch hearts,

P.S. We’d love to hear your stories! Share a powerful moment from your organization’s journey and we’ll share it on social media — let’s inspire each other!

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

We know you’ve been anxiously hanging on the cliff where we last left you in our exploration of DRMTM’s Bold Brand Truth #6: Be Human. In our first post on the subject, we discussed why being human matters in arts and culture branding. If you missed it, you can catch up here. Now, let’s bring it home.

How do you know if you’re hitting the mark on being human? As we tend to do at DRMTM, we suggest asking your audience. Here are some questions to help you gauge your organization’s human touch:

1. “When you interact with our organization, do you feel like you’re talking to a friend or an institution?”

2. “Have our programs or exhibitions ever made you feel deeply understood or less alone?”

3. “Can you recall a time when our communications made you laugh, cry, or feel inspired?”

4. “Do you see your community’s stories and experiences reflected in our work?”

5. “How comfortable would you feel sharing a personal story or feedback with us?”

These questions aren’t just about gathering data – they’re about opening a dialogue. They show your audience that you care about their experiences and perspectives, which is a deeply human gesture in itself.

Remember, being human in your brand communications isn’t a one-time effort. It’s an ongoing commitment to authenticity, empathy, and connection. It’s about constantly listening, learning, and evolving alongside your community.

So, take these questions and run with them. Use them as a starting point for deeper conversations with your audience. And most importantly, be prepared to act on what you learn. After all, being human isn’t just about saying the right things – it’s about doing them too.

Ready to get even more human? We’re here to help. Reach out to us at hello@thedrmtm.com for a free consultation on infusing more humanity into your brand communications.

Here’s to creating art that touches hearts and changes lives,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

P.S. We’d love to hear how these questions work for you. Drop us a line and share your insights – let’s learn from each other!

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

It’s almost Independence Day. Ready for fireworks? We’re looking forward to celebrating the 4th of July and some down-home democracy around the BBQ, but we’ve also gotta get a little work done to keep the country running. So welcome back to our journey through DRMTM’s ten Bold Brand truths. We’ve reached #6, and it’s a doozy:

Be Human.

Sounds simple, right? Yet in the world of arts and culture branding, we often forget this fundamental truth. We get caught up in lofty mission statements, impressive statistics, and polished presentations. But here’s the kicker: your audience isn’t looking for perfection – they’re looking for connection.

Why does being human matter so much in brand communications? Let’s break it down:

1. Warmth wins hearts: When you’re warm and approachable in your messaging, you’re inviting your audience into a relationship, not just a transaction.

2. Vulnerability builds trust: By showing your organization’s challenges and growth, you create authenticity that resonates deeply with your community.

3. Empathy creates belonging: Understanding and reflecting the emotions of your audience makes them feel seen and valued.

Remember, folks: it’s not about us, it’s about them. Our job in arts and culture isn’t to put ourselves on a pedestal – it’s to be a mirror reflecting the needs, hopes, and experiences of our communities. We’re not just showcasing art; we’re nurturing the human spirit.

Let’s talk about the magic that happens when arts organizations embrace their humanity:

• Education becomes inspiration: Instead of lecturing, we’re sharing discoveries together.
• Performances become experiences: We’re not just putting on a show; we’re creating shared moments of awe.
• Exhibitions become conversations: Art isn’t just for viewing; it’s for sparking dialogue and understanding.

And let’s not forget the healing power of art. In times of joy or sorrow, triumph or tragedy, art gives voice to the inexpressible. By being human in our approach, we make that healing power more accessible to all.

Remember, being human isn’t about being perfect – it’s about being real. It’s about showing up authentically, warts and all, and saying, “Hey, we’re on this creative journey together.”

So let’s ditch what’s not genuine. Let’s be warm, vulnerable, and empathetic. Let’s reflect the beauty, complexity, and messiness of the human experience in everything we do. After all, isn’t that what art is all about?

Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll dive deeper into practical ways to assess and improve your organization’s human touch. We’ve got some insightful questions coming your way that will help you gauge how well you’re connecting with your audience on a human level.

Struggling to find your human voice? Drop us a line at hello@thedrmtm.com. We promise a real, live human will respond – no chatbots here!

Here’s to Keepin’ It Real,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

P.S. Did this make you feel things? Good! That means we’re doing our job. Share your thoughts with us – we’re all ears (and hearts).

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

It’s June already. That means it’s time to drop the next number in our 2024 series about DRMTM’s ten Bold Brand truths. These insights are brought to you courtesy of our signature workshops, and you can catch previous articles on our website under thoughts. Let’s go.

Here’s #5 on the list of creating a bold arts and culture brand: Talk like a real person, not a robot.

Messaging is the most honest, human part of your brand. It must be compelling, inspiring, informative, persuasive, meaningful and memorable. Oh yeah – and simple to understand. So we all need to agree on something here: let’s quit it with the jargon, acronyms and insider language.

If you currently use any of these words, terms or tools in your primary messaging, STOP and BACK AWAY:

The words “IMPACT, INNOVATIVE and TRANSFORMATIVE”

• We love big, bold words. But these three here are overused and losing their luster. Is that new urban dance program really innovative? If yes, then be sure to describe how. But most organizations throw these words around with nothing to back them up. Be sure to pull one of these big guys into a headline when you have something incredible to say.

CHARTS AND GRAPHS

• Don’t get us wrong — these visual aids are awesome. Just be sure to use them sparingly and in the right way to support your information, not detract from it. Charts and graphs can add clutter and confusion when used in narratives solely to break up content or provide visual interest. Let other brand design elements highlight key information.

TECHNICAL DATA

• We see so many organizations lift program data and financial information right out of their grant reports and use it in primary messaging to show impact. This is a short-cut way to write and your mission deserves more. Your messaging should be warm, captivating and human to tell a success story, not read like an outcomes report to your funder.

INDUSTRY JARGON

• The FATA is offering CPE credits on Art and ACEs for ATCB certification and credentialing. We think you get it.

MEANINGLESS LANGUAGE

• “Leading with our bold vision to inspire and connect humanity through the Puget Sound Sound, we at The PS Orchestra and Social Center, Inc. are vital influencers and conveners, emblemizing our values of being exceptional, innovative, diverse and inclusive, and authentic. IDEAS—Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Strategies—is a comprehensive transformation process, guided by our vision and values, to assess and improve all aspects of our operations, concerts, and programs, and to spur sustainable change.” Again, we think you get it.

Avoid unnecessary eyerolling, awkward silences and, at worst, total loss of interest. The homework here is easy! 

• Take this check list and start revising. Go through your most community-focused messaging, collateral and web pages to determine where you can make instant improvements using our anti-jargon insights.

Stuck on a messaging treadmill of innovative transformation and can’t get off? Email hello@thedrmtm.com and we’ll help you fix a few problems for free in just half an hour.

Here’s to Keepin’ It Real,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Another month, another truth! Thanks for following along with our 2024 series revealing DRMTM’s ten Bold Brand truths from our signature workshops. You can catch previous articles on our website under Thoughts.

What’s #4 on the list for creating a bold arts and culture brand?

What makes you different makes you desirable.

We are a people in pursuit of the exceptional. We want the shiny new thing, the stand-out style, and often wacky but definitely-different-version of the ordinary thing. That’s why we love scrolling through 4,000 Met Gala photos to view what is the most creative, compelling or off-putting designs one can wear. The sky’s the limit, but for heaven’s sake DON’T BE BORING. Don’t offer us the same. And we’ll adore you for it.

Human nature craves something special, unique. But special and unique are also incredibly subjective and personal to each one of us. Arts and culture organizations can labor under the burden to constantly shift, entertain and captivate — only to miss the mark at the most fundamental level of your brand and stray from what makes you “you.” So how do you show your community how special, unique and different you are from the organization down the road?

In branding, this is differentiation. Let’s break it down by the DRMTM definition.

• Differentiation isn’t just one thing — it is found in all the ways you set yourself apart in meeting your mission. It’s about character, distinction and delivery. Difference should be rooted in higher purpose, brand culture, and an authentic connection with community.
• Difference doesn’t have to be BIG; it has to be REAL. Trends hold us for a moment, but authentic, memorable brands last forever.
• Difference can’t sacrifice consistency. Reliability builds trust in who we are and what we offer.

How do you know what makes you different and desirable? Do Our Differentiation Check-Up.

• Go straight to your core values and take a good look. Do they sound like everyone else? Could they belong to the bank down the street? Do they use standard, overused words like quality, excellence and innovation? If so, you need a messaging makeover. Your core values should reveal the heart of who you are. This is your difference.
• Your difference is not in what you do – it’s why and how you do it differently. What is the approach you take? The beliefs behind it? Your method or process for creating and sharing? That’s what sets your theatre, museum or performing arts center apart from the one across town.
• Go back to research. Ask your community what makes you different. What is the ONE THING people should know about your organization? The answers usually reveal your most unique differentiators. If they can’t tell you what makes you different from any other organization doing what you do, you have work to do. 

Are you feeling desirable or dull as a dish rag? Email hello@thedrmtm.com to talk about differentiation over zoom and coffee.

Here’s to Being Desired,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Happy Spring! Thanks for following along with our 2024 series, as each month we reveal one of DRMTM’s ten Bold Brand truths from our signature workshops. If you apply these tried-and-true principles, you will build a brand capable of increasing your organizational capacity in every way.

What’s #3 on the list for creating a bold arts and culture brand? It’s no secret – successful brands make emotional connections.

We like to think it’s our ability to reason that guides our judgement on how we spend our time and money, but alas, we are only human. We are ultimately ruled by emotion, and we make emotional decisions big and small. Are Girl Scout cookies really that good? Yes, yes they are when they are sprinkled with Girl Power and little Suzy asks you to support Troop 402 with those big brown eyes asking you, personally, to help her win the patch for most boxes sold. How can you not?

There must be millions of books, articles and blogs about the power of emotion in selling — whether it’s an item or an idea. Business thrives on understanding the psychology of consumer decision-making and spending trends. Smart nonprofits and cultural organizations focus on this, too. Knowing what is driving community and audience support of your cause is vital to growth and sustainability.

Just ask yourself what motivated the last five purchases you made. How much did need and reason drive your decision, and how much was about want, appeal, or mood and lifestyle enhancement?

In branding, it comes back to this: How does the cultural experience you provide make people feel?

Sure, folks will use the reasonable part of their brains to determine if your mission is effective and your finances sustainable before they hand over their big donor gift. But to passionately support you, they must feel a deep emotion in their hearts. Sometimes that emotion is attached to history, a program, or a person. Whatever the reason, it’s your job to know why people feel the way they do and keep them feeling great every time they encounter your brand.

 Our Tips: Go ahead. Just ask. “How you feeling?”

• Back to research! Ask how an exhibit, performance, event, or program made an audience member feel in three or four adjectives. These words tell you everything!
• Find out how your current visual brand (logo, colors, style) hits people emotionally. How do they feel when they view it?
• Are you telling great stories that make emotions soar? Ask why people care about your mission.

Struggling to make that emotional connection? Email hello@thedrmtm.com to talk about it with a free conversation over coffee.

Here’s to Leading With Emotion,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

THANK YOU for the awesome response to last month’s #1 Brand Truth, Connect the community to your CAUSE, not your programs. Many of you wrote back to let us know that one really hit home and prompted plans to refocus your message. Dream. Come. True.

If you’re new to this series, we’re presenting DRMTM’s ten Bold Brand truths as discussed in our signature workshops. This list is based on years of learning people’s habits about giving their time and money. These truths not only build your brand but build CAPACITY.

What’s the #2 tried and true truth of a bold arts and culture brand?Your brand is not about you – it’s about THEM.

Yup. That’s right. As much as your brand is built to capture your raison d’être, your real reason for existing is for your community. So everything we as nonprofit cultural organizations do is for and about them. At least that’s the way it should be. We live to serve.

And guess what. You are what THEY think you are. It doesn’t matter how clever we craft the look and copy, how much we post on social, or how many impressions we gain from media —  if our mission and message don’t resonate, we create a communications wasteland of lost opportunity. Our friend Brian Sooy, in his book Raise Your Voice – A Cause Manifesto, says “your cause truly becomes meaningful when your audience says it does, and not a moment earlier.” So we may love our really sick logo, but if it doesn’t connect with them, we’re caput.

Here’s your word to remember: RELEVANCE. It’s why great brands speak the language of their people and give them what they need. Attaining relevance in the minds and hearts of an audience is the greatest sign of a brand aligned with its purpose and community.

So, how do you know your brand is truly relevant? Our Tips:

• Only in-depth research can tell us what is in the minds and hearts of our audiences — and our relevance there. So get ready to research.
• Understanding your external perception begins with internal research. Start there and ask: “How do the people inside my organization perceive our brand?” 
• Then you have to ask people outside your organization how they perceive your brand. The magic of this research allows you to compare internal perceptions against external perceptions to identify gaps in alignment. 
• The gaps tell you where things are off, and where to get to work.

And guess what else. DRMTM can guide this research and take you through an in-depth Relevancy Evaluation. Email hello@thedrmtm.com to get your free consultation on the calendar!

20% OFF FOR OUR READERS! Mention code SILVER LINING to get your discount on a DRMTM Relevancy Evaluation.

Here’s to a Bold, Relevant Raison d’ê​tre,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Let’s get down to it. 

When our team is on the road teaching, we start every session with our ten brand truths. They come from decades of learning how people respond to appeals for their time and money. Your brand, if done well, is undeniable in its power to build capacity across every aspect of your organization.

What’s the #1 tried and true truth of a bold arts and culture brand? Connect the community to your CAUSE, not your programs.

Whaaaa???

Causes connect people to ideals in which they believe or want to belong. The cultural arts connect us to what it means to be human. Your people don’t show up for a program, they come for an experience. They show up to FEEL.

Leading your message with programs and activities can be an endless advertising trap. Lots of organizations offer exhibits and performances. Why should people attend with you?

Your cause tells people why you exist, what you believe in, and how you want to touch the world. Your mission, vision and core values should be packed with purpose, sharing WHY you do this work, which is where it gets meaningful, or ahem, meaningfeel. Your cause creates the critical emotional connection needed for one to identify with YOU for their cultural experiences over another organization.

Programs are important. We’re not dismissing them. But they are secondary to your brand message. Programs can rapidly change. Your mission does not.

So, how do you stop struggling over your message and craft your cause? Our Tips:

• Impart your higher purpose: ask yourself what you really do without mentioning your programs and describe how you do it differently. Hint: It’s not ticket sales, galas, giving tours or offering performances. It’s creating transcendent experiences, forming community, connecting and healing through art, or carving space where people belong.
• Go right now and check your homepage. Is your first message about what’s happening this weekend or is it an invitation into your cultural community?
• Ask your audiences what they believe is your higher purpose. Why do they care about you? Is there a loyalty bond? Why?

Questioning your brand? We’re here to help. Email hello@thedrmtm.com to get your free consultation on the calendar! We promise it’s fun and painless.

20% OFF FOR OUR READERS! Ask about our Bold Brand Assessment if you want to know where your brand currently stands.

Here’s to being a Bold Brand Rebel With A Cause,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

​“Branding is a tool of the empire.” 

That’s what we heard recently in a fascinating conversation with an organization devoted to art, nature and mindfulness. It’s quite a quote, and one we don’t necessarily disagree with. Actually, we would say this is the point of view from which most people first come to know branding – as a cog in the wheel of the big commercial propaganda machine.  And for those of us who communicate on behalf of nonprofit services or arts and culture organizations, the Empire Method of marketing does not represent our truths or values in what we provide or how we speak to our communities.

This quote, entirely, captures why DRMTM came into existence: to turn this idea on its head and teach arts and culture organizations how to understand the power of branding to share their mission and build relationships, not sell tickets or fill up program rosters. If you offer a compelling community experience people want and need, the rest follows.

Throughout 2024, our emails to you will reveal DRMTM’s Truth of a Bold Relevant Brand. We’re breaking down the tried-and-true points from our intensive workshop that teach you how to communicate your value and purpose and build a loyal following. So take notes. You will find some great capacity-building ideas and language to carry into your main messaging and grant writing work.

You don’t want to miss this series! Our first installment is coming February 20th.

And remember, DRMTM is always available to answer your questions with a free Happy Half-Hour consultation. Email ​hello@thedrmtm.com​ to get your HHH on the calendar! Don’t forget to ask about our Bold Brand Assessment.

Here’s to walking with some Darth Vader swagger as your theme song plays,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

​Welcome to 2024! There’s a bright new year ahead, full of possibility. The good news? Anything can happen. The bad news? Anything can happen.

Of course we know everyone is starting off with a very brilliant and easily implemented plan for astounding success so there’s nothing left to do or think about. If. Only.

Working in the creative world of arts and culture is challenging and rewarding no matter what the year may bring. In wrapping up 2023, we had many great conversations with organizations like yours who were asking big questions related to their brand strategy in 2024.

What’s the greatest question asked?

“How do we know if and when we should rebrand?”

Believe it or not, that’s an easy question for DRMTM and one we love to answer. But sometimes the answer is surprising – especially for organizations who want to rebrand but then find out they shouldn’t.

If and when to make brand changes can cause a lot of confusion for organizations. Your brand is a complex, living part of your mission. Making changes makes an impact — good or bad. This is not a time for guesswork.

If your organization is wrestling with real questions about which direction to go, DRMTM can assess your current brand and offer you clarity.

It’s an easy, fun process:

1. Start with our free, expert consultation.

2. Engage in a customized Bold Brand Assessment utilizing DRMTM’s brand research, messaging, design and culture best practices.

3. Get professional advice and tools informing your decision to rework, refresh or rebrand.

As Schoolhouse Rock taught us: Knowledge is Power. Don’t make a branding plan without assessing your brand first. Reach us at hello@thedrmtm.com or LinkedIn to get your Bold Brand Assessment rolling.

Here’s to KiP,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

​It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Streaming apps are in full Holiday movie mode. And so are we.

We’ve all got our favorites. A Christmas Story, The Family Stone, Die Hard, The Holiday, and of course, Home Alone. Little Kevin with his hands framing bright pink lips and an iconic open-mouthed scream of after-shave agony.

What does this have to do with bold branding, you ask? It has to do with Home, and if your family is siloed off in separate rooms, hanging out together in the game room, or heaven forbid, left you all alone.

An alarming number of cultural organizations are feeling alone in their own “homes” because of the fractured culture their complex programming is creating. Recent calls on the DRMTM line are asking how to bring this complexity home under one meaningful brand experience.

It all comes down to your brand and building the right sub-brands. 

Think of your brand as Home. If the foundation is strong, you can build many rooms (programs) with their own décor and ambiance, inviting guests to enjoy diverse offerings and opening doors to connect on deeper levels. These rooms are distinct but well-designed sub-brands, which all support and uplift the roof on your Home.

If the foundation is weak, meaning your home brand is lacking in purpose, cohesion or cultural identity, then mis-aligned programs and sub-brands can create cracks in the walls and quickly erode your house. Guests feel no real connection under your roof and are left without a place to belong or reason to come back, no matter what door they entered through.

Ahead in 2024, DRMTM is building more research and strategy into sub-branding to help your cultural organization firm up the foundation and build loyalty through everything you do. We’ll bring you a lot of thought and tools on this topic so stay tuned.

Feeling Alone at Home? Reach out to us at hello@thedrmtm.com or LinkedIn for a free half hour to talk sub-brand basics.

Here’s to Forced Fun,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

We LOVE this reaction from arts and culture organizations who change the way they think about branding after spending an afternoon training with us:

“DRMTM’s workshop clearly explained how the importance of branding affects the other aspects of your organization. I wasn’t aware that growth and branding were tied so tightly.”

We love blowing some minds.

Even more than that – we love seeing arts and culture organizations of all sizes, knowledge and budgets break through barriers that have been holding them back by learning to lead with a bold brand.

A bold brand is the foundation for strong operations. 100%. Why? That’s where your mission, values and ability to achieve sustainable growth and support live. Your brand’s power to build capacity can blow away your organizational goals.

We learned most small to mid-sized organizations, and even some large ones, don’t know how to utilize their brands to grow and meet goals. DRMTM’s process of research, design, messaging and culture is engineered with capacity growth in mind. By wielding the tools of a bold brand, you align your ability to secure more resources and support for future growth and sustainability.

DRMTM is on a mission to get funders and foundations to award capacity-building grant money so arts and culture organizations can improve brand strategy.

If there’s another thing we keep hearing, it’s “funders don’t award money for marketing projects.” Sad, but true. We think they should. But branding isn’t marketing. To quote our friend Brian Sooy, “marketing is the push; branding is the pull.” The pull is what attracts resources and support to grow our missions.

DRMTM is teaching organizations how bold branding leads growth and working with funders to support them. We see breakthrough, do you?

Let’s talk about how growing a strong brand grows your organization’s capacity.

Schedule a happy-half-hour free consultation to ask us about bold brand training, workshops and funding for capacity-building. Reach out to us at  hello@thedrmtm.com or LinkedIn.

Here’s to breaking through,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Please forgive our recent email silence  — our small but mighty team was on the road building bold brands this summer! Hope you’ve all stayed shaded and hydrated. It’s not quite the Thunderdome, but it’s the Heat Dome. Anyway, we are incredibly glad to reconnect with you here in this late-summer episode of the Silver Lining.

The past months we were privileged to meet more than 100+ arts and culture professionals from the greater Miami, San Francisco and Memphis regions while teaching DRMTM’s Bold Brand methods.

We sat with executives, marketing staff and board members in deep conversation about their challenges, opportunities and how their brand was or wasn’t furthering their goals. What did we hear most often?

Arts organizations don’t want their brand to get lost in promoting programs, exhibits and performances. With a full season of offerings, how do you keep your brand consistent and recognizable on websites, social feeds and collateral?

They want to move their brands forward and make changes but are worried to lose people. How do you grow and maximize opportunities without leaving your community and partners behind?

________________________________________________________

“I never even thought about branding this way. My eyes are open to so many new possibilities. I feel empowered.”

ArtsMemphis Participant

​​​​​​​________________________________________________________

They believe their brand can play a bigger role in strategy but aren’t sure how to execute. How do you approach branding from a capacity-building perspective and convince stakeholders to invest in your brand’s potential?

WELL.  We were more than thrilled to share how even the smallest steps forward with brand research, messaging, design and culture give you greater leverage among all your stakeholders to reach your goals.

Wondering how to move your brand forward? DRMTM can show you how.

We offer free Happy Half Hour sessions to talk over your questions and needs. We will help you strategize, make a plan, or redesign your brand. The sky’s the limit! Come work with the best.

We’re cracking open another ice-cold bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola to stave off the lingering heat while basking in the air-conditioned inspiration of Our Summer of Arts and Culture. Can’t wait to hear from more of you! Reach out to us at  hello@thedrmtm.com or LinkedIn.

Enjoy our summer scrapbook!

Here’s to Chilling With Your Cool Brand,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Our team was asked a great question from an arts organization recently and we just had to share it with you.

“Dear DRMTM – it’s time to renew our strategic plan. Is this a good time to work on our brand, too?”

Actually, YES.

Strategic planning can be a perfect time to review, refresh or rebrand.
Strategic planning affords an incredible opportunity to consider the power and capacity of your brand to support your organizational goals. It energizes the board and staff to embrace your brand at the center of your purpose (fave word 2023), communications and impact.

Branding during planning can also get imperfect results if not done properly.
Branding work during strategic planning also needs to be “planned” ahead of planning so the right amount of time and thought can go into creating an informed, cohesive and meaningful brand. At DRMTM we *heart* strategic planning consultants, but we don’t know any who are branding experts. Neither are boards. Just because the by-laws state branding is a board activity doesn’t mean they should be in charge of designing your logo or writing your mission statement and tagline. But believe it or not, we see this happening all the time.

How to make branding during strategic planning even more successful.
It’s important to hire a branding team who knows how to work closely with your planning consultant to share information, goals and strategies to strengthen your objectives — and one that can design a team of board and staff to lead the creative journey with success. Branding is a deep and distinct process, that woven into plan development enriches every aspect of your mission and operations.

So glad we could explore this great question with you. We’re pouring another round of coffee and are ready for more questions. Keep ‘em coming! Reach out to us  hello@thedrmtm.com or LinkedIn.

Here’s to making a plan,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

So far our team has spent the majority of January hard at work and highly caffeinated. We’re looking forward to a great year ahead and hope you are, too. One of our favorite things to do is deliver our Bold Brand Workshops around the nation (hello ArtsReach San Fran and ArtsMemphis) and teach our process of how to arrive at your most bold, human and captivating brand.

A few weeks ago we claimed our 2023 word to be purpose, even if it is on a lot of other tongues right now. That’s a good thing. We’ve always been about finding your higher purpose and messaging it out loud above everything else you spend your precious communications time on.

So to help you get to that purpose, and revolutionize your message so you will raise more money and grow a more faithful following, simply do this:

Stop using your programs to tell people who you are. Instead, tell people why you exist.

You are more than your programs. This concept is one of DRMTM’s biggest truths. You are not a list of programs. You are a mission, a cause. Programs change. Your purpose in serving your community doesn’t. Talk about your purpose first, not your programs.

It can be hard for organizations to make this shift. It’s a hard habit to break. But when they do, miracles happen. Make this change and you will have an instantly improved brand on your hands.

So, when is the best time to really dig deeper on your organization’s purpose and take on a full new brand or brand refresh project? Our next note takes on strategic planning, boards and a few other things that influence branding decisions and how to approach them at the right time, in the right way.

Until then, we’re sitting by the Nespresso machine and ready to chat. Reach out to us at  hello@thedrmtm.com or LinkedIn and we’ll spend a happy half hour talking about your purpose. It’s time well spent.

Here’s to why we exist,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Welcome to 2023. Somewhere between hanging twinkle lights and singing Auld Lang Syne the holidays impose the inevitable: deciding what new year’s resolution will positively propel us into the future. Those of us who say “what’s the point” when asked about our resolution usually do so based on our past disappointing level of resolve and promptly omit ourselves from the competition. This year, however, the resolution-averse at DRMTM see a point to a 2023 intention: Purpose. Rediscovering and passionately living your purpose.

Recently our head of research, Surale, brought up the drastic trend we’re seeing among arts and culture organizations searching for answers to their make-or-break problems. With survival at stake and communities to engage, they simply want to know and affirm their purpose.

Defining your purpose sounds daunting, like searching for the Holy Grail. But trust us, it isn’t. In fact, DRMTM has been teaching arts and culture organizations how to connect with their higher purpose since our beginning. Here’s how.

Ask the bigger question.

What do you do? We get all kinds of answers when we survey organizations going through our branding process. “What do you do?” is a favorite question of ours. We get responses such as teach and perform music, dance or theater. Operate a children’s garden. Provide art therapy for youth and veterans. Then we ask the next question.

What do you really do? An organization’s higher purpose is at the pinnacle of programs, mission and vision. It’s where your true impact lies. You don’t just teach and perform – you nurture and promote human expression. You don’t just operate a children’s garden – you open eyes to life, creativity and ecology. You don’t just provide art therapy – you promote healing and well-being. You get it.

Have a community conversation.

Do your research. You won’t really understand your purpose until you know if it is aligned with what your community wants and needs from their arts and culture leaders. Are you making a difference? How? Is your presence meaningful to your community? We guarantee that if you aren’t sure of your purpose, the people outside your doors are. They can tell you your purpose.

For all these great reasons, we are pushing purpose in 2023 and beyond until every arts organization knows theirs. Heaven forbid the word purpose shows up on Big Duck’s list of overused words this year, ‘cause we love it and always will. Look for more purpose-full emails this month and February.

Reach out to us at  hello@thedrmtm.com or LinkedIn and we’ll help you find, know and live out your arts and culture purpose.

Here’s to doing it on purpose,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Opening night nerves have never run so high. Returning to the arts stage after so much time away (and under an ongoing public pandemic) carries an intense level of expectation for an engaging but safe experience. For both audiences and performers, we are eager, excited and riddled with anxiety all at the same time.

After 588 dark days, UMS (University Musical Society) of Ann Arbor, MI shared news about their recent opening night calling it “unforgettable” and “a night to remember.” They asked attendees: what words best described how the experience of being back at a live event made you feel?

Now, the DRMTM loves us some juicy, flavorful terms and this little cloud is full of word candy. Besides the obvious biggies like happy and excited  — and empathizing with a few uneasy returners — there is true treasure here. Words like humanized, home, overjoyed, reborn, liberated, uplifted and transported describe what the arts really deliver.

In our DRMTM workshop we ask organizations, “what do you do? what do you really do?” The answer: it’s not managing collections, giving tours or offering performances.

It’s sharing your higher purpose —  like creating transcendent experiences, forming community, connecting and healing through art, or carving space for everyone to belong.

The UMS word cloud proves it. We recommend asking your audiences what it feels like to be back, then chow down on that tasty word burger covered in your extra special sauce. There’s nothing like comfort food to ease any remaining anxiety.

WYT/Worth Your Time

American Decay, the new book by photographer Bryan Sansivero, continues his exploration of the art of America’s abandoned houses. Capturing life, death, sadness and beauty, these works of art are unusually spellbinding.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

Historic sites have long counted on events and celebrations to supplement budgets and care for historic museums and properties. Now plantation weddings and celebrations at sites of enslavement are being reconsidered for good reason. The National Trust for Historic Preservation just issued a new six-part series on the subject. “Reconsidering Celebrations at Sites of Enslavement” explores the history of places of enslavement and recent efforts taken by the National Trust to ethically steward and interpret those sites for visitors. Explore the entrenched meaning behind these places and how the historic preservation field continues to address the challenges of presenting the full story.

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

Does your brand say what you really do? We ask all the right questions to develop your bold, compelling brand. Just email hello@thedrmtm.com. Your next word cloud can be filled with flavorful words, too!

Never settle,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

DRMTM is getting ready for The Women’s March this Saturday and deciding what t-shirt to wear and how to design our posters. It’s a good thing we’re okay at writing words and drawing things. Last year in The Silver Lining we highlighted some protest art and were overwhelmed by the outpouring of artistic creativity, both humorous and solemn.

This year, the same goes for vaccination art. Haven’t seen it yet? Do a Google image search. Wow. Most of it is really positive, inspiring and incredibly uplifting. Yet again reinforcing the fact that art heals — physically, emotionally and communally.

WYT/Worth Your Time

The Vaccine Confidence Arts Response Repository

Developed by the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine, this resource is an open-access collection of recent or current projects, organizations and professionals using arts and culture-based approaches to promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake.

Amplifier

A nonprofit design lab that builds art and media experiments to amplify the most important movements of our times, has joined in on efforts to promote COVID-19 vaccination uptake.

THE VELVET BANDIT

California’s laid-off lunch lady turned street artist: “Soon, she realized that her identity – white, female, approaching middle-age – afforded her ‘the privilege of being invisible… I don’t think anyone’s looking at me like I’m doing anything wrong.’ She bulk-ordered wallpaper paste and headed out in broad daylight.”

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

THE CDC. You heard us, the CDC. And not for the usual reasons, like daily avoiding vertigo from the dizzying job of keeping their Tidy-Bowl boat afloat in the toilet of science v. politics.

The Centers for Disease Control recognize the power of art to move communities, hence its amazing effort, How to Engage the Arts to Build COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence. Get every person you know in public health care and communications to download this guide for partnering with local artists and culture-bearers.

Click here for the CDC COVID-19 Guide.

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

Do you have Brand Confidence? Get your shot. Just email hello@thedrmtm.com. It’s painless and you’re serving humanity by being your best.

Let’s do it,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

Hey there. Back yonder we began this blog to (a) lift the collective spirits of arts and culture colleagues when the virus that still shall not be named put us in lockdown, and (b) recognize all the amazing bold arts brands out there changing the world as the world is changing. We almost turned a corner and started talking about more “normal” things again, but we never really emerged; maybe we actually re-submerged. The quagmire of loss, confusion, irritation, and honest to God anger is as swampy as the Everglades where the pythons live. And we know about this, because as you all know, we dwell in Florida — the hot bed of hot mess.

Only one of our team was born and raised here. Two are transplants from Maryland and Montana. They both followed their parents here who were drawn down, down, down by the sun and lack of a state tax. And drinks in coconuts. Really, Florida is the melting pot within the melting pot. We’ve got all kinds here, which means our culture — and our art — is incredibly diverse and rich. It runs from the Greek sponge divers of the Tarpon Springs Heritage Museum to the Miami City Ballet to the City of Fort Walton Beach Indian Temple Mound Museum, one of the finest collections of Southeastern Native American artifacts you’ll ever lay eyes on.

We also have culture wars here, played out in our politics and urban v. rural attitudes that captivate worldwide attention. We know the rest of you SMH at us but watch for the next news alert to throw out another “Florida man loses two toes to giant green iguana” story. We understand. It’s like reality TV. It makes you feel better about your own crazy stuff. We just ask you to judge us by our art, not our legislators.

Last thing today (don’t worry, we’ll never stop talking about Florida) and we’ll end this with a laugh because song lyrics are art too, amiright? A local school district superintendent didn’t make it two weeks before his first public apology. Now, the man’s had a lot to deal with on the virus that still shall not be named issue running rampant in the 10th largest district in the nation. He’s probably a little punchy. So, he pulled out a Warren Zevon line when questioned what our community could do to support him. Get this answer: “Send Lawyers, Guns and Money.” Props that he went there with Warren even if folks weren’t laughing. But if that doesn’t paint a portrait of Florida as colorful as the royal poincianas painted by our roadside heroes The Highwaymen, it’s gotta be close. Free us, don’t free us. We’re happy to entertain.

Below from The Highwaymen: Wheeler, Charles “Chico”, American, born 1946

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Robert and Flory Kahn in memory of Wolf and Tybe Kahn

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

AASLH/AMA is about to land in Little Rock, AK for its annual meeting next month. The American Association for State and Local History is a bedrock organization for museum professionals, assuring the leadership, support and resources needed to advance the field.

In its registration email recently, AASLH promised its participants a provocative experience in the historic city of Little Rock, but we were just as impressed with AASLH’s bold pre-con setting of other expectations:

“Let’s make plans to travel and convene safely. Let’s experience the history of Little Rock, and our nation, at the intersection of justice and injustice. Let’s challenge the status quo of our profession and get inspired with a renewed passion for telling all of America’s history. Let’s commit to a better understanding of the difficult but essential road to bring justice to history.”

Mic drop. Rearrange your calendars now to be there September 22 – 25.

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

Is your brand mic-drop-worthy? Suitable for framing? Say hello@thedrmtm.com. Up on all the conversations and always ready to help you break through.

Let’s have a meeting on the beach,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

WTF.

We love this acronym, as much as we don’t like acronyms in general, because, jargon. But this one really gets the job done whether you are excited, confused, annoyed, angry or really happy. And it’s mostly SFW, similar to its partner, AF, which DRMTM actually uses in our professional messaging, because, audience! (And no, our name isn’t an acronym. It just doesn’t have vowels.)

Somehow society morphed the use of the “f” word from being strictly mean and repulsive to being a word, when used with “what the,” that conveys something extremely cool, strong, questionable or horrendous — add your own list of adjectives here. They go on and on. It’s the emphasis and accent that you place on the “f” that makes all the difference. You know what we’re talking about here. Say it slowly with a question mark on the end. W   T    F  ?

What once was a salacious and profane word is now pretty mainstream. Not that you want to hear the non-acronym version rolling off the tongue of your six-year-old, but we can tell you that as far as our own kids, hearing “wtf, mom,” raised no alarms, and got a hearty reply of “wtf, kid,” and perfectly captured whatever we were trying to say to each other, no matter the issue.

Our grandmas might still object on some levels, but we think they actually get it. Now they can say the “f” word in public, too. As in my older neighbor lady (who is always proper and genteel) stating her dissatisfaction over the current level of unvaccinated people in our state: “WTF is wrong with Florida?” Well said, neighbor lady, well said.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

WTF also means Wolf Trap Foundation. The only national park devoted to the performing arts, Wolf Trap is nestled in the grand outdoors of the DC area and is reveling in the live audience experience once more. As stated in this recent news clip, “the most noteworthy sound wasn’t heard until the music stopped. The audience had finally returned.” Wishing you all the best as your audiences return.

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

Is your brand expressing wtf in a good way or a bad way? Say hello@thedrmtm.com. Live audience ready and the best at what we do.

WTF as in “wow!”,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

July 4th weekend is coming up, the nation is in a heat wave, and it’s 8,000% humidity outside right now. To know what that feels like, imagine stepping out of a hot shower and putting your clothes on without drying off first. Gross. It’s kinda nice to know there are other places hotter than South Florida right now (like Portland??!!), but we also wouldn’t wish that on our worst enemy.

Speaking of things that happen in the heat of the heat: the number of typically demure women going commando is rising as high as the red mercury in the outdoor thermometer. We blame Lilly Pulitzer, famous for bold colorful design and going without underneath. It all got started when she opened a juice stand on Palm Beach and needed a uniform that covered up all the citrus stains. She took some knockout fabric to her seamstress to turn into a shift dress, and a legendary style was born. Lilly’s school chum Jackie Kennedy would make it legit famous. The bonus of having the dress fully lined meant no undergarments required, which on days like today, makes things a little cooler.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

We hope you enjoyed some PRIDE this month! Keep standing with the LGBTQ+ community even though June is over. RAINBOWS FOREVER. If you didn’t have a chance to join a local celebration, there are still can’t-miss art exhibitions going on through the summer, with several currently online. Thank you to museums, galleries and the web for sharing gay liberation through the arts. Check out current exhibitions at artiholics.com and start with the online tribute to photographer Leonard Fink’s work of the NY movement, who documented West Village life and culture from 1967 to his death in 1992.

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

Is your brand in need of liberation? We’re right here at hello@thedrmtm.com. Fully vaccinated, EDI, and best of all, the best at what we do.

Clear skies ahead,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

Another month dedicated to a great cause! April was Earth Month. We hope you got some time to commune with nature this spring sans-mask. Did it seem like more people were in tune with Earth Day this year? Feels like it. Our appreciation levels over the past year seem to be increasing in the right direction.

Ahem. Not to brag, but we’re going to brag. We can’t help sharing a stellar, bold arts brand DRMTM is privileged to work with. Meet Resource Depot, South Florida’s creative reuse and environmental education center. Our Love Your Mama Earth Day campaign incorporated sassy admonitions from our original mother and directed cause converts to live ENF and adopt green ways by following the ENF Playbook. Check out all the moving parts. This was an all-out Earth Day attack from the website to carefully-calculated email messages.

YOU, TOO, can build a bold, BadA** brand like this!

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

Continuing the Earth theme, how many more ways can we feel suffocated by plastic? If you need help realizing the extent of the plastic crisis, award-winning Brooklyn-based artist Robin Frohardt created The Plastic Bag Store as an immersive installation designed to take place in a storefront retail space made up of hand sculpted items — all made from discarded plastic bags. A premiere film was created as a reimagination of a visit to The Plastic Bag Store. It’s available on demand through May 2nd, so see it now! Thank you CAP UCLA.

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

Is your brand what it should be? Is it built on information, strategy, and bold vision? When you’re ready to punch through, reach out to DRMTM. We’re right here at hello@thedrmtm.com. Fully vaccinated, serious fun, and best of all, the best in the business.

Clear skies ahead,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

Step back, everybody. This was Women’s History Month, and guess what. Despite our off-the-chart-smarts, abundant appeal, and stellar contributions to society across the ages, women are still getting kicked to the sidelines. We’re pissed off and have been for a long time. Nothing new about that. We hear all the time how pissed off we are in every corner of the globe. We actually birthed and raised the very people who are sure to remind us how pissed off they think we are.

We like to think us gals are historically fed up and ornery for all the right reasons and that it makes us better fighters for a better world. Better workers. Better moms and friends. Better artists. Better everything. Because we love calling out the stuff that’s plain wrong and doing something about it. We’re good at fixing what doesn’t work. We don’t mind being happily and effectively PO’d. It’s a pretty righteous position to be in while we plan the take-over.

So to wrap up Women’s History Month, here are links to a 2018 article that will never grow old: A Brief History of Rage in Female Art from our friends over at CNN Style (for the censored version) and Artsy (for the uncensored version). Keep it up, ladies.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

We are BIG advocates for arts and culture improving mental health. The National Institutes of Health has a partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts called Sound Health: Music and the Mind, to expand on the links between music and mental health. It explores how listening to, performing, or creating music involves brain circuitry that can be harnessed to improve health and well-being. Here’s the NYTimes article.

And a BONUS. There’s nothing like getting bold about our fundraising brand, ‘cause bucks mean business and we need them to run. But what’s the real cost? Click the quote to read a powerful piece, including an intro standing up for our Asian American sisters:

“We need to acknowledge that the things that most donors care about, the things that make them feel good, are often the things that will LEAST LIKELY change the systems of oppression and exploitation that make philanthropy necessary.”

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE. Will the real Slim Shady  — So it’s been brought to OUR attention that Friday afternoon is not everybody’s favorite time to join the DRMTM live Bad A** Brand Chat. We thought it would be a great way to end the week, but too many of you are working like crazy before the weekend whistle blows or you’re knocking off early at noon.

Take this fun survey to tell us if you’d likely join us on another day and time or like, never.

Until then, we’ll show up on FRIDAY from 3 to 3:30pm EST HERE. Zoom Passcode: DRMTM

Don’t leave us lonely AND pissed off, please.

Keep on DRMing,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

Happy 45th Anniversary, Black History Month! It used to be just a week. But when something is awesome, you want to have it around longer to celebrate. Black history is American history, so let’s be sure we’re learning and celebrating all year long! We want to throw some love at Netflix, HBO, and others for providing curated collections of the Black experience on film, a favorite (and IMHO, under-appreciated) artform.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

We love Nina Simone. Her legend is a bold, beautiful portrait in truth-telling and change. We can only imagine what her artful song and activist voice would have to say about our present world.

Now meet Nina Simon. Not related by family or name, but Simon is to museums what Simone is to civil rights. Nina Simon is an arts and culture thought-leader and doer helping museums check their egos and motives at the front door – then knock it down and invite the community in. Read about this real-time revolution at OF/BY/FOR ALL and YouTube her TEDx Talks. Your job just got woke.

CLEVER, AREN’T WE?

Missing date night? Or you might feel like you’ve been on one looonnng nightmarish date and need to mix it up? Either way, Chandler Museum AZ has you covered with their Museum in a Box: Date Night Edition. Check this out:

Sweat and Spar: Boxing Fun for Two

Ready for a date night that packs a punch? DRMTM: Yes, we’re definitely ready to punch someone. Don’t worry about your fitness level, grab your partner and step in the ring. Fitness?

Round 1: Duke it out with your partner in a series of jump rope challenges. Whaaaat?
Round 2: Find out who can talk the talk. No question.
Round 3: Weigh in on issues that matter with conversation cards centered on the exhibition Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title. Something older than we are.
Round 4: Take a breather by expressing your artistic side, boxing style. This box also includes movie suggestions, drink recipes, and a sweet treat. Now you’re talkin’!

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

AHEM. INTRODUCING DRMTM LIVE: the BAD A** BRAND CHAT

Wanna own your brand like a bad a**? Get bold with your message? We LOVE talking shop. This is the ultimate brand-building hang out. No sales allowed. EVERY FRIDAY 3 to 3:30 PM EST.

Join us on Zoom by clicking HERE. Passcode: DRMTM

FREE SWAG tossed out in random fashion! See you there.

Keep on DRMing,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

CHEERS, doggonit! Take a moment to celebrate. We broke on through to the other side. We crossed over into the light. Goodbye dumpster fire days of 2020. Although we still see challenges ahead, 2021 is shaping up into quite a year so far. With the streaming video renaissance showing no signs of slowing and vaccines rolling out, why, we’re gonna make it after all. (That’s your cue to throw your cute corona-craft crochet hat into the air. If you don’t get the reference, you’re in the age bracket of “young professional.”)

The DRMTM just got together for goal setting. It boils down basically to “get more done, have more fun.” Now, this seems like a tall order, because we had a lot of fun doing our work last year. But we know we can make it happen, and you can, too. How, pray tell?

1. Look for breakthrough in all that you do. We’ll stay in touch on this one. It is our 2021 word, after all. Do you have your word of the year?
2. Stay inspired. Don’t OD on Tik Tok and Bernie memes, rather, keep it balanced. Yours truly will keep it going with great stuff like this from the Dance Theatre of Harlem:

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

Oh beauty, thou name is Black. We were awestruck by these captivating renderings of beautiful children, Black hair adorned and splendid, captured in the Klimt portrait style by Tawny Chatmon. She states, “Visually, Klimt’s use of gold and decorative elements brought about strong feelings of grace, magnificence, and beauty within me upon my first discovery of his work.” We agree with The Redemption’s ultimate statement: society needs to stop saying Black hair styles are “unacceptable.” We think some folks are just jealous.

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

Look for us again on 2nd Fridays each month! Coming at you with a new email containing incredible fun and cool offers that won’t waste your time or make you mad like most emails inevitably do (except for Duke Cannon emails – we love them). We have an exciting program announcement to share on February 12th, so open that email, okay? Until then, can you do us a solid and click to answer the question below?

Keep on DRMing,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

Congratulations for making it another month. We’ve come through a lot again. It’s the holidays, and we here at DRMTM are taking a moment to grieve losses for ourselves and humanity, light candles in the name of hope and healing, and turn toward grace and gratitude.

We started The Silver Lining as a way to stay connected when we realized the pandemic would separate us from each other for no-telling-how-long. By sharing a little humor and highlighting the generous creativity of arts and culture in healing communities over these difficult months, we hope you’ve breathed a little lighter now and then.

Hope is always on the horizon. Soon we will look back at this dark time and see how much light we made – how blazing, and brilliant, and true it was – how deeply it shined in all of us.

In the spirit of unity and a voice for all, we share this soul-stirring rendition of Broadway for Georgia’s performance of Georgia On My Mind. You’ll see some familiar faces, and you’ll wonder how anyone can sing and smile like that at the same time.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

Well, it’s no surprise to us ‘cause we’ve been talking about it all year, but it’s nice when things get official. Artists Are 2nd Responders is the campaign from Californians for the Arts, the state’s advocates for the arts and culture sector. “A first responder comes in and saves a life, a second responder comes in and helps to rebuild a life.” Read about it and champion this cause in your own community.

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

We’ll be back to business in January 2021. For now we wish you peace, prosperity, and great health.

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

Well, it’s a sunny 84 degrees outside and we seriously just got chills. With the pandemic spiking and the election only days away we needed a lift and our good friends at inspiremore.com were happy to give our spirits a good heft in the upward direction. Gotta be honest here, another virtual “experience” of multi-voice choirs with individuals’ heads in boxes with bad lighting didn’t sound exhilarating at first. But these aren’t your ordinary sing-alongs. These classics – like Bacharach’s What the World Needs Now & Close to You – and renditions of West Side Story’s Somewhere and Godspell’s Beautiful City  absolutely SOAR. The fun of Close to You is the fact that it features 1,000 people from 18 countries dubbed Couch Choir. We are all over that and are signing up for the next sing. We hope you sign up, too!

Can’t Touch This. And if the return of football (hell yay!) and inspire choirs aren’t enough – dance and football together should raise our collective spirits as high as the top of the goal post. Watch Coach Carter of San Jose State Football break it down like the old days as part of MC Hammer’s dance squad.

Feel better? Us, too.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

You wouldn’t expect to see the glow of neon on the 1932 and 1933 Matheson History Museum buildings in Gainesville, Florida. But their outdoor installment, Lights of Conversation, by artist Sylvi Herrick is timely for a public coping with a pandemic and addressing a social conversation about race. In public space weaving luminous colorful lights with poetry by Janessa Martin, the artist’s work builds on current activism about racism and inequalities in America. The exhibition hopes to evoke new discussion and clarity about underlying prejudices and nurture a new and equal future for everyone.

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

We just delivered a great webinar series on research, messaging, and design for fundraising with our digital partner, Achieve. We enjoyed hearing from organizations across the nation (and had Nigeria on the line, too!). If you missed it, you also missed a chance to sign up for our special:

A FREE Happy Half-Hour session to ask us questions and get expert advice. Seriously. It’s free! Email us and we’re yours for thirty minutes. You can talk about the weather, new games you invented under quarantine, or try out your stand-up routine on us. But we suggest you pick our brains with burning fundraising questions. It’s fun. Really!

Just email us and we’ll schedule your H.H.H. a.s.a.p.

Stay well and keep smiling under that mask. We like the way it makes your eyes crinkle.

Keep it DRMY ’til next week,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

Sometimes we need a little change. Maybe not 2020’s kind of change, but we’re all trying to make the best of it. If you didn’t see last spring’s video of little Edward and Annie all gussied up and enjoying a promenade around the Shedd Aquarium outside their glassed-in glacier you missed a real treat. (Here’s the link. We’d never tease you with penguins and not deliver.) The sight of the pair of rockhopper penguins waddling around the visitor’s side of the center reminds us of what we are missing, but also gives us a fresh perspective. We’re happy for E & A’s chance to roam free and safely explore new surroundings while we wait to press our faces to the glass again and escape into their world.

In South Florida, the animals at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary just endured a muggy, lonely summer season. During pre-Covid days, the natives would tend to go off and hide when they tired of the multitude of staring eyes, talk-talk-talking, and weird human smells. But after reopening, the animals are happy – dare we say eager? – to engage with their visiting people. They missed us! Not only has the visitor experience improved, but the animals’ level of happiness did, too. It all seems to say they need some healing and a mental health lift as much as we do. Thank you, zoos, aquariums, and sanctuaries – from all of us.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT at your dining room table. The Gallo Center of Modesto, CA, is celebrating a sold-out performance: a 500 piece puzzle that keeps the Center in the center of things and is raising some serious coin. Old school fun saves the day again. Can we all steal this idea? On it.

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

We’ve been hard at work strategizing the best way to raise money in these “wtf times.”  We have a ready-to-go plan for you. It’s not hard and it costs less than you think.

Our Fall Fundraising Package includes EVERYTHING! You’ll get coaching, strategy and deliverables to launch your next campaign.

Time is ticking and our schedule is almost full.  For a full list of deliverables click here and we’ll be in touch right away.

Show us how you’re staying positive and creative. Post your Insta photos with the hashtag #drmtmsilverlining and we’ll share the love.

Keep it DRMY ’til next week,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

We’ve seen a lot of statements made lately. Most are saying the right thing and are long overdue. As we head into a nationwide presidential election, no doubt we will be heralded with more brilliance and blunders as we hash out what the heck we believe our nation should stand for. We’re so proud of the arts world for stepping up and starting to listen the right way. As arts organizations are reimagining how they will survive and thrive, they are taking responsibility to protect their local culture not only in how they curate community art, but by bringing diversity into their leadership.

Vanity Fair magazine (my mother lovingly calls it “high class smut”) makes a great statement on museum responsibility this month with their article What Should a Museum Look Like in 2020? This important read is in the September issue under a stunning cover portrait in tribute to Breonna Taylor by Amy Sherald, who painted Michelle Obama’s First Lady portrait in 2018.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

SO MUCH TO GIVE. Opositivefestival.org (O+) got our attention this month as a superb example of empowering communities to take control of their collective wellbeing through the exchange of Art & Music for Healthcare. Seriously, brilliant. This amazing nonprofit has grown to serve multiple cities and is taking on COVID in big ways. Check them out. You will clap and maybe even cry a little.    

READY. SET. REIMAGINE.

We’ve been hard at work strategizing the best way to raise money in these “unusual times.”  We have a ready-to-go plan for you. It’s not hard and it costs less than you think.

DRMTM suggests you take these 3 Critical Steps before launching your fall campaign, event, or end of year appeal:

1. Reach Out to Donors the Right Way
2. Engage Donors through Research
3. Make your Ask Based on Donor-Defined Data

Our Fall Fundraising Package includes EVERYTHING! You’ll get coaching, strategy and deliverables to launch your next campaign.

There’s no time to lose.  For a full list of deliverables click here and we’ll be in touch right away.

Show us how you’re staying positive and creative. Post your Insta photos with the hashtag #drmtmsilverlining and we’ll share the love.

Keep it DRMY ’til next week,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com

These past weeks we hit pause and took some time. Like many of you, DRMTM stopped to reflect on the changes life is showing us and how to keep moving forward in active, radical love. We are convinced THIS IS IT. No going back, world. The old ways don’t get it on so many levels. Goodbye and Good Riddance.

It’s time to get on with it, so The Silver Lining is switching from keeping spirits up during quarantine to rallying around each other to bring desperately-needed arts + culture back to our communities. We’ll be dropping this letter on the last Wednesday of the month.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

Honest, healing art and history. Two antebellum plantation descendants came together to honor their shared heritage and the unspoken voices of the enslaved African Americans who were the heart of the home for generations in Migratuse Ataraxia at Klein Plantation. Witness how Alabama’s Wideman Davis Dance Company brings audiences right into the true human emotion and story of their performance.

WHAT NOW? BEING THE HUMAN IN HUMANITIES

We think it’s the end of June, but who really knows. But we do see signs that people are trying to get back to real work, whether that means staggered schedules in offices, social distancing in community spaces, or whatever brilliant ideas creatives are coming up with. Just remember: you don’t need to do everything all at once. Things are not “back to normal” and SHOULD NEVER go “back to normal.” This is a good thing.

We’re learning some valuable lessons and refocusing priorities. So ease back in and let your people know the lights are on, the coffee is brewing and damn it, the sun is going to shine on a better day. Keep it real and human when communicating and simply stay in front of your community with a smile and say “hey, we’re here for you.”

Need help doing this? DRMTM stands ready to talk about whatever will help you get back to doing what you love, which is bringing arts + culture to the people. You can reach out to us by email by clicking on our names.

Show us how you’re staying positive and creative. Post your Insta photos with the hashtag #drmtmsilverlining and we’ll share the love.

Keep it DRMY ’til next week,
Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.thedrmtm.com

If you’re looking for the silver lining this week, it’s glowing a beautiful, bold shade of blended skin tones. We are moved and humbled by the unified voices for justice and human rights in the wake of the horrific murder of George Floyd.

We are also proud of the place the arts hold in paying tribute to the life of our lost brother and the countless Black victims and hundreds of years of oppression his death represents. Demonstration murals are becoming places of public gathering, solidarity, memorials, and maybe even some healing.

On the famous Graffiti Bridge in Pensacola, Florida, artwork typically lasts less than eight hours before being painted over by the next spray can-wielding expressionist. Recently an extraordinary image of George Floyd was painted on Graffiti Bridge, but shortly afterward was defamed with splashes of ugly brown paint that was intentionally racist. The artist repainted, and the mural has since been protected around the clock from vandals by the city’s people and has hosted peaceful demonstrations and candlelight vigils nightly.

No doubt this scene will soon dissipate as the bridge’s tradition of ever-changing illustrations returns. But for a brief moment there was a pause. Not because the art itself was more valuable than the life it represented, but it did what art is supposed to do: lay bare the human condition in all its forms.

Black America hears us when we all stand up and speak out for them. Help us listen, learn, and push your voice to the top. Stay strong, stay safe, stay well and spread love, DREAMERS.

Keep it DRMY ’til next week,
Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.thedrmtm.com

So Monday was International Museum Day. Museums across the world, open and closed, offered up some special delights for their visitors both on site and in the uni-virtual-verse. Thanks, gang! It got us to thinking that there is a museum out there dedicated to just about anything – so we looked up a few that came to mind. Broken hearts? Check. Rubber Chickens? Uh huh. Lost Socks? Yep.

So if you didn’t get a chance to tour a new exhibit last Monday, don’t worry. Just start your own. I’m off to make a museum of old nail polish.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF
Because OMG. Of course creative types are CRUSHING the whole mask thing. Wear a plain, white, boring piece of trash across their face? As if. Check out this Covid-Induced brilliance.

#virusthatshallnotbenamed COERCED QUESTION-OF-THE-WEEK

Question: Where’s the first place you want to go when it’s safe to be around others? Click here to answer.

ALL THE FEELZ
Wash your damn hands. We’ve learned this is imperative to keep ourselves and others safe. But what if you’re homeless and don’t have access to soap, water, or a place to wash? Enter LoveSinksIn. This incredible project from Love Without Walls sets up portable sinks for our most vulnerable people in the highest traffic homeless areas across the good ‘ol U. S. of A. (Home of Unbelieveably Selfless Angels.) ‘Cause everyone deserves to stay healthy, amiright?

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?
We get it. It’s a weird time for life and work. But eventually, we’re going to get back into a routine with new ways of living and fresh, positive insight. Will you be ready to share your gifts with your communities? DRMTM stands ready to help you evaluate, create (or re-create) and communicate who you are and what you stand for. Contact any of us through our emails below, and schedule a call to discuss what that could look like for your success. Forward!

Show us how you’re staying positive and creative. Post your Insta photos with the hashtag #drmtmsilverlining and we’ll share the love.

Keep it DRMY ’til next week,
Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.thedrmtm.com

It was a MOTHER’S DAY MIRACLE. Still snuggled in bed with coffee in one hand and a mimosa in the other (thanks, kids!), it was time for church CBS Sunday Morning-style. Half-way through came joyous weeping into my mama-morning-cocktail as a story took us into zoos across the land. They pointed out that just because people can’t visit, the animals aren’t eating less, dammit. FINALLY a nod to the extra needs and efforts of our critical cultural sector during the time of #virusthatshallnotbenamed. Like, wake up and send some cash and meat + bananas. Now, Nancy P. — send that billion dollars to the IMLS ‘cause Mufasa is gettin’ hangry.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF
For real we’ve been seeing ALL THE BEST people have to give right now. But not for a second will America tolerate the nasty BS some folks are flinging about. We’ll never be OK with discrimination. NEVER. Check out how these Bold AF artists decided enough is enough and formed StopDiscriminAsian.

#virusthatshallnotbenamed COERCED QUESTION-OF-THE-WEEK

Answers to last week’s questions:

In a VERY strange turn of events, the majority of respondents have . . . . drumroll please . . . . .LOST WEIGHT? It’s a #virusthatshallnotbenamed anxiety-induced-sensation and we’ll take it.

Question: Remember going to the MOVIES? What’s your current cinematic experience? Click here to answer.

ALL THE FEELZ
If this adorable doggie doesn’t make you reach for your last square of toilet paper to wipe away the laughing tears, then we may have to officially break up. We at DRMTM basically live for the next installment of this little dude Pluto on Instagram, and because he’s Canadian, we’re gonna go eat some fries and gravy in his name now.

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?
We get it. It’s a weird time for life and work. But eventually, we’re going to get back into a routine with new ways of living and fresh, positive insight. Will you be ready to share your gifts with your communities? DRMTM stands ready to help you evaluate, create (or re-create) and communicate who you are and what you stand for. Contact any of us through our emails below, and schedule a call to discuss what that could look like for your success. Forward!

Show us how you’re staying positive and creative. Post your Insta photos with the hashtag #drmtmsilverlining and we’ll share the love.

Keep it DRMY ’til next week,
Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.thedrmtm.com

How’s it going, gang? Does anybody know what week this is of Covid Confinement? Mother Earth sure does. While we are all in our holes like little cranky squirrels, mama is breathing a restful sigh of relief and outdoing herself in delivering us a beautiful spring outside our windows. Celebrate Earth Day today and listen to the performance of birdsong to uplift your artist soul.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF
Making what they refer to as the “I love you calls,”  The Kravis Center has all hands on deck across all departments picking up the telephone and personally checking on every subscriber. Remember phone calls and talking to people? Old school comfort and perfect at a time like this. And patrons are grateful, especially those who are alone and worried. Thousands of personal calls. Hello? I just called to say I love you.

COVID-19 COERCED QUESTION-OF-THE-WEEK
Are you eating junk food for breakfast? Yes or No.  And Slim Jims count as breakfast meat here. #nojudgement

ALL THE FEELZ
Without question, our senior population has been devastated by Covid-19, and not just health-wise. We can’t visit our family members and they don’t always understand why. So we LOVE this video of a Florida utility worker using his gorgeous voice to lift up a woman on her birthday. We dare you not to smile. 🙂

Show us how you’re staying positive and creative. Post your Insta photos with the hashtag #drmtmsilverlining and we’ll share the love.

Keep it DRMY ’til next week,
Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.
thedrmtm.com

Saying hello again this week and we know y’all agree with us: this COVID-coaster makes for one queasy ride. One moment we are sick of everyone and everything (eye rolling at another “in this together” moment) and the next melting over the commercial with those loving siblings (not slapping on each other like most kids confined indoors) eating breakfast cereal together in their blanket fort.It’s rough riding but you guys are still kicking art *ss despite the nausea!! Let’s get to it.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF
Way to hang in there when things are H-A-R-D HARD. Between payroll protection and stimulus sh*t to figure out, we applaud you. Like bringing arts and culture to the masses wasn’t hard before this, right?As big fans of modern goddess Brene Brown, we believe love and vulnerability in today’s world is bold as bold can be. We are touched by the way art museums are holding each other up and sending the joy of flower bouquets to their comrades in culture. Thanks artnet news for sharing the love. We sure as hell need it.

COVID-19 COERCED QUESTION-OF-THE-WEEK
No question this week because who the heck feels like answering questions?!?

ALL THE FEELZ
Edible art has been a thing for a long time, but we haven’t seen anything like this! Let’s eat this damn pretty thing! Cause I haven’t had a snack in about, um, four minutes.
Photo credit @Silvia Diaz

Show us how you’re staying positive and creative. Post your Insta photos with the hashtag #drmtmsilverlining and we’ll share the love.

Keep it DRMY ’til next week,
Surale + Laura + Cheryl
Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.
thedrmtm.com

How are you doing right now? Bored? Anxious? Mouth still agape at the Tiger King? Be careful. Some things you can’t unsee. 

Welcome to Volume 1 of The Silver Lining. A little info, a little humor and a little dose of some kick*ss arts + culture.

LOOK WHO’S BOLD AF

When your Miami City Ballet Gala gets cancelled and you’ve got food for 500 people, what is there to do? If you’re the Miami Beach Convention Center, you have your catering division, Centerplate, donate those meals to the homeless. Well done, people. Read more here.

COVID-19 COERCED QUESTION-OF-THE-WEEK

Like Miami City Ballet, arts and culture organizations everywhere are sitting down to an angst-ridden re-calendaring session. For the majority of your programs, performances or events:

What are your audiences doing with their purchases? Asking for refunds or donating them back?

Please click here to answer in two seconds. Results will be posted next week.

ALL THE FEELZ

It’s not all bad news and fear these days. Take a look here at how businesses are taking care of our essential healthcare workers. Mmmm, donuts.

Show us how you’re staying positive and creative. Post your Insta photos with the hashtag #drmtmsilverlining and we’ll share the love.

Keep it DRMY ’til next week,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Research + Messaging + Design

If you don’t want different, you don’t want DRMTM.

thedrmtm.com