When we launched our Quote to Self project, we weren’t just interested in what our friends and colleagues here in Minneapolis thought. We wanted insights from around the world, and we’ve been fortunate to receive answers from six continents. (If you know anyone living in Antarctica, we’d sure love to hear from them!)
Our team recently took our question to three major central European cities: Budapest, Prague and Vienna. Throughout the week in Europe, we encountered travelers and locals who were intrigued by our question – and sometimes a bit stumped.
On the streets of Budapest, Hungary, we crossed paths with a woman named Carola. When prompted with the question “What advice would you give your 15-year-old self?” she answered with no hesitation:
“Live your dreams, because when you look back when you’re older, you [may have] missed opportunities.”
Carola turned 15 in the Holland region of the Netherlands, just as the “love and rock-and-roll” decade was coming to an end. The ’60s were known for changing political and cultural mindsets, even in Europe. It was common to find Europeans riding around on Vespa scooters or cruising in their British Mini Coopers. In 1962, the premiere of “Dr. No” launched the longest continually running film series in history, the James Bond movies. London transformed to become the fashion capital of the world. And British pop music took over, leading to the true glory of the 1960s: The Beatles.
Wondering what other advice we’ve received? Follow our Quote to Self Instagram and Facebook pages. Have a nugget of wisdom you’d like to share? Visit our Quote to Self website to participate. We want to hear from you!
June 27, 2019 | Creative, Culture, Quote to Self Project, Research
As we enter the halfway point of our Quote to Self project, our inboxes have overflowed with inspirational advice from across the nation and the world. Of course, in true Fusion Hill style, we’ve also had some fun remembering songs – like Alphaville’s “Forever Young” – that embrace being a teen (with a touch of rebellion, perhaps).
While we’re certainly finding some themes emerge as we sort through all the submissions, we’re also finding joy in the variety of ideas and respondents. We’ve received submissions from all ages including one from Laosue, who is currently attending college and was 15 just four years ago.
Laosue turned 15 in Owasso, Oklahoma, during a time when Drake’s “Hotline Bling” was on the radio, “Fifty Shades of Grey” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” were on the big screen, and Taylor Swift was embarking on her 1989 World Tour. 2015 was also the year Lin-Manuel Miranda premiered his groundbreaking musical based on the life of Alexander Hamilton.
His advice to his 15-year-old self is personable, authentic and also inspiring:
“Trust in the process and stay true to who you are. Things will always get better, so speak your truth.”
Wondering what other advice we’ve received? Follow our Quote to Self Instagram and Facebook pages. Have a nugget of wisdom you’d like to share? Visit our Quote to Self website to participate. We want to hear from you!
May 29, 2019 | Creative, Culture, Quote to Self Project, Research
Picture yourself at age 15. Then – once you’ve stopped cringing at your fashion choices – imagine how you felt at that moment in time. Just on the verge of independence, you might have been getting your driver’s permit, juggling high school activities and even starting to think a little bit about post-graduation plans.
At age 15, we were becoming our own individual, and it was an exciting yet challenging path to navigate. That’s why we’re asking the question:
What advice would you give your 15-year-old self?
Each month, we’ve been featuring a different piece of advice, and we’ve been impressed with just how humbly wise the submissions have been. This month, we look to Kelly, who turned 15 in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2004 – the year Facebook launched as a social networking site for Harvard students. And Google introduced Gmail to the public. Most of us were watching Shrek 2 and the final season of Friends. And the U.S. brought 102 medals home from the Summer Olympics in Greece.
Looking back, Kelly wishes she could tell her 15-year-old self:
“Enjoy. Enjoy. Enjoy. Do not stress about the future – it won’t turn out the way you envision it anyway. Relax about growing up and don’t be in a hurry. The moment to be young, unattached and living carefree is now. Live it up!”
What memories do you have of being 15? And what advice would you give to yourself at that age? We’d love to hear from you!
Visit our Quote to Self website to participate. And to see the project in action and watch for your own quote, visit and follow our Quote to Self Instagram and Facebook pages.
April 24, 2019 | Creative, Culture, Quote to Self Project, Research
In honor of our 15th year of Insight & Imagination, we recently kicked off a special project called “Quote to Self.” If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the submissions on Instagram answering this one question: “What advice would you give to your 15-year-old self?” It’s been exciting to hear the sage advice (and see some great throwback hairstyles) rolling in from our research participants, clients, employees and friends from all corners of the country. And while it develops week by week on Instagram, the project will go global in May and culminate in a consumer insight report with an exhibit at our September anniversary party.
Here’s a spotlight on one of our early contributors – Jose:
Born in July 1965, Jose from Hazel Park, Michigan, turned 15 in 1980, when Rubik’s cube and Pac-Man were released and became popular icons. In that same year, Mount St. Helen’s erupted and the USA men’s Olympic hockey team won gold – after defeating the Russian team in the “Miracle on Ice” – while Blondie topped the charts with “Call Me.” When we asked Jose what advice he’d give to his younger self, he stated:
“Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid of what anyone else thinks. They don’t care or can’t know what you are capable of achieving. Be weird, be bold, be ready to step out and feel new air on your face.”
What memories do you have of being 15? And what advice would you give to yourself at that age? We’d love to hear from you!
Visit our Quote to Self website to download an editable form and submit your responses to quotetoself@fusionhill.com. And to see the project in action and watch for your own quote, visit and follow our Quote to Self Instagram and Facebook pages.
March 21, 2019 | Creative, Culture, Quote to Self Project, Research
While some best practices for communicating with consumers—like having a clear and consistent brand voice and honoring your brand’s values—are timeless and universal, how the marketing world carries out its objectives has evolved. The growth of social media platforms has caused a shift in the location of advertisements, and marketers need to be aware of the differences, strengths, and weaknesses of each platform in order to choose the best tool for effective communication. Having a clear understanding of an industry’s objectives can also help determine which platform to use.
In order to transform consumers into long-term advocates, it’s essential to learn strategies that can be applied on each platform to attract, engage, and convert consumers. Of course, attracting an audience is all about grabbing their attention long enough to further engage them, so striking visuals and brief copy are essential. Engaging your audience goes hand-in-hand with understanding what they find important and demonstrating that your brand gets it. Once the audience is hooked, compelling them with actionable content and an emotional connection will convert them into advocates.
Interested in learning more about how to effectively communicate with consumers in this digital world? Visit our Insight Library to download the full report.
March 20, 2019 | Creative, Research
