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I forgot to blog this when it happened, but consider it a historical pointer. SlideShare ran the “World’s Best Presentation Contest.” Winners are here. My primary comment is that I hope these are not, in fact, the world’s best presentations. Not to be a downer.

The winners are all extremely strong as examples of graphic design and layout. And that’s great, but that’s not the same thing as a great presentation. In many cases, the stunning visuals aren’t used in the service of a sticky idea. The visuals aren’t used to make ideas concrete, they’re simply adding decoration. For instance, check out the presentation for the Sustainable Food Lab. This is a great example of a feel-good presentation — anyone who watches it will say, “Wow, that was cool.” And a week later, no one will remember anything about it. There’s no focus, there’s no sharp unexpected hook to call us to attention, there’s no story. I wish it were stickier — it’s a great cause.

From the top of a story on Wal-Mart in today’s NYT:

“A confidential report prepared for senior executives at Wal-Mart Stores concludes, in stark terms, that the chain’s traditional strengths — its reputation for discounts, its all-in-one shopping format and its enormous selection — ‘work against us’ as it tries to move upscale.”

In other news, a therapy session for Earl Swatstorm concluded, in stark terms, that Earl’s strengths — his tough-guy manner, his fanatical attention to money, and his obsessive collecting of “B.J. and the Bear” memorabilia — will actually ‘work against him’ as he tries to find a girlfriend.

I’€™m very excited to announce that our book has been selected for the MarketingProfs Book Club! This will be a great chance to discuss the ideas in the book and talk shop about making ideas stick. Why is Jared so damn sticky? What are some of the worst SuperBowl ads in recent memory? How did Hamburger Helper’s brand manager get her team to build more empathy with the product’€™s core customers? We will dive into questions like these, as well as non-marketing sticky ideas (e.g., Why do some of Aesop’€™s fables stick better than others?). Should be good fun.

I’d encourage anyone who likes the book to join in the fray. And if you haven’€™t read the book, maybe you can get a free one: we’€™re giving away 50 signed copies for free to kick off the club. (But move fast — to be eligible for a free book, you’ve got to sign up by Friday at 5pm PST). All the details are right here, including a very cool ‘€œbonus’€ available to anyone who signs up. See you in the Book Club! (And a huge thanks to CK and Cam for making this possible.)

Check out Gavin Baker’s post discussing an interview with Gary Erickson, the founder/owner of Clif Bar. One quote from Erickson: “For me, stories are useful for a couple of reasons. First is, I’m not very technical when it comes to business. I can talk a bit of techno-language and theory, but it’s boring. Second, people relate to and remember stories. Their eyes roll back in their heads when you start talking theory, but stories are engaging. People are inspired by stories and parables.” And thanks to Gavin for linking the interview with our book!

Here’s an excerpt from a punchy, funny book review by Richard J. Tofel that you won’t be able to read because it’s in the WSJ. The book being reviewed is 101 Mission Statements from Top Companies by Jeffrey Abrahams. Chip and I are both continually shocked by the fact that the average corporate mission statement is long on statement and short on mission.

Alcoa is a big company. They make some of the best aluminum on Earth. Once upon a time, they made all of the aluminum, but that is another story. Our story is about vision. What is Alcoa’s vision? “At Alcoa, our vision is to be the best company in the world.” What?

Hershey is a less-big company. They make some of the best chocolate on Earth. Hershey has a 65-word mission. It includes “Undisputed Marketplace Leadership” and “top-tier value creation” from a “portfolio of brands.” Not one of the 65 words is “chocolate.” Huh? …

In fact, a certain kind of mission statement — well phrased and properly promulgated — can inspire companies and the people who work in them. It can help managers remember what they’re trying to accomplish and what’s beyond the scope of their enterprise. It can guide a company’s decisions about allocating capital. But to do so it must have content, and most of the samples on display in “101 Mission Statements” don’t.

A few pass the test, though. Johnson & Johnson’s adherence to its “credo” saved the company from disaster. Its pledge of “first responsibility” to “doctors, nurses and patients, to mothers and fathers” was cited, in 1982, as the reason for the famous recall of Tylenol, one of J&J’s products. Ben & Jerry’s sells not just fine ice cream but “euphoric concoctions.” (True enough.) The Coca-Cola Co.’s flagship product is so iconic that the company can allude to its own historic advertising when defining its ambition: “to benefit and refresh everyone it touches.”

Achieving such clarity does not require that companies operate in an especially exciting line of work. Progressive Insurance’s vision is prosaic but compelling: “to reduce the human trauma and economic costs associated with automobile accidents.”

As always, a sense of humor can make a difference. What defines the identity of a particular breakfast-food manufacturer? Not the key words “excellence” or “shareholders” or even “unique.” Instead, the Kellogg Co. says of itself: “We build Gr-r-reat brands and make the world a little happier by bringing our best to you.” When you get it right, you can even leave out the word “cereal.”