Overcoming ‘white coat anxiety’ for a life-enhancing experience at Mayo Clinic’s Executive Health Program

White Coat Hypertension: A condition occurring when blood pressure readings at a health care provider’s office are higher than they are in other settings, such as at home. It’s called white coat hypertension because people who measure blood pressure sometimes wear white coats. From the time I nearly passed out (did pass out?) getting my […]

You Were a Good Girl, Rosie!

I should have known better, wouldn’t you think? I was already outnumbered. Why would I willfully and intentionally let my opponents (my wife and two daughters) run up the score when daughter Abbey asked to get a puppy? Beginning in August 1992, Susan had me outnumbered 1-1. Then Abbey made it 2-1 in February 1997. […]

Dancing with Allie

Dear Allie, Allie and Darrin at the 2015 World Series Parade. “Do You Believe in Magic?” I do. (What I cannot believe is that you are 16 today. Where has the time gone?) Also, I cannot believe that I am one of those people who always wonders where the time has gone. When I wore a younger man’s clothes, I promised […]

Driving with Abbey

Dear Abbey, “How Do You Like Me Now?” The author and daughter, driving. You know, that Toby Keith tune really has nothing to do with anything. But that song means everything to me. It represents 17 years of some really great times that you and I have spent together in the car. More on that […]

What if they treated us like Disney ‘guests’ at the grocery store?

My family recently had the good fortune to cruise on the *Disney Fantasy for a relaxing family vacation. The Disney Fantasy * As a marketing professional, I’ve long been fascinated with the Disney Way. In fact, when Disney came to talk to my college communication class, I pretty much decided I wanted to go to […]

Colorado Buffalo Stampede

JUNE 10, 2010 — Came across an article today about the University of Colorado leaving the Big 12 Conference. The article, titled “Buffaloes Start College Realignment Stampede” (article by Greg Hall at KC Confidential is no longer online) reminded us of a more literal stampede by a singular Colorado Buffalo many moons ago. (Can one […]

Looking Back at the 2004 Google IPO

When it comes to search engines, we’ve had a lot of experience. Having implemented online optimization and marketing campaigns for our clients for a decade now, we’ve been around since the early days of the industry. And it was clear from the beginning that Google was — and is — ahead of the field. That’s why it is […]

Marketing and Minor League Hockey

We recently attended our first Missouri Mavericks minor league hockey game in Independence. Though we’ve been to over a hundred minor league games in the past, this marked the first time actually sitting and watching a game in its entirety (more on that later). And wow, what a nice experience! With four children (two families) in tow, we […]

Google Recognizes Darrin Widick as a Qualified Google Advertising Professional

Kansas City, MO (Feb. 9, 2005) – Darrin Widick, president of Kansas City advertising agency Widick Marketing Inc., has completed Google’s certification process and is now recognized by the Mountain View, Calif. web property (Nasdaq: GOOG) as a Qualified Google Advertising Professional. Widick is among the initial group of 100 international recipients of this designation. […]