As a creative agency, we often get asked “Where do your ideas come from?” The truth is that sitting behind a desk makes creative ideas harder to come by. For real creative inspiration, it’s important to change your view. Get up, get out of the office, take in a sunset, or simply take a walk. The ideas will start to flow. See video at: https://jschmid.com/get-out-to-get-creative-inspiration/

Canadians got a big surprise late Thursday afternoon, when the union representing Canada's postal workers suddenly called for a nationwide strike.  The move came hours after the federal government announced major reforms to Canada Post, instructing the Crown corporation to end home delivery and close some rural mail outlets.  Canada Post lost $448 million before tax in the first half of 2025, following a loss before tax of $30 million in the first half of 2024. Why did this happen? The union representing 55,000 postal workers says it was caught off-guard by the government's changes and argued Canada Post and the government are creating the conditions that drive down demand for its letter and parcel services. Canada Post workers do not currently have a collective agreement. They've been in contract talks for almost two years over issues like wages and part-time workers, while the postal service keeps incurring significant financial losses. Earlier this month, the union rejected the government's offer of a 13 per cent pay increase, saying it fell short of the union's demand for 19 per cent. While CUPW said it was willing to work with Canada Post to allow weekend delivery and the addition of part-time workers, it said the corporation walked away from the negotiating table. What happens to my mail now? Canada Post said in a statement that no mail or parcels will be processed or delivered during the strike, and service guarantees for items already in the mail are suspended.  "No new items will be accepted until the national disruption is over," it wrote.

As Amazon, Walmart, and Target race to out‑discount one another during summer deal season, Etsy has taken a very different approach. Instead of trying to beat the giants at their own game, Etsy launched its cheeky, defiant “Shop Other Jeffs” campaign — a celebration of the thousands of non‑billionaire sellers named Jeff who make pottery, lighting, furniture, and handcrafted goods across the country. As noted by Retail Dive, the message is simple and sharp: there’s more than one Jeff worth shopping from. And more importantly, there’s more than one way to win in retail. For catalogers, this campaign could serve as a blueprint. Read more here-Why Catalogers Should Lean into Their “Non Billionaire, Non Big Box”