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And That’s a Wrap: A Summary of Stacey’s Internship

Posted on by Stacey Donelan

After eight great months, my time has come to an end as the HMG Creative Social Media and Marketing Intern. I have had the wonderful opportunity to work on and contribute to a variety of different projects for HMG and before I say my final goodbye, I’d like to share with you what I’ve accomplished during my time here:

Client Projects
During the first few months of my internship, I dove straight into client highlights which just so happened to be featuring two of our biggest clients, OneStar Foundation and Precision Stock Picks.  Although these two companies participate in extremely different industries, we conducted the same type of work for the both of them–web development and redesign.  After this work was complete, I assisted in drafting blog posts, social media promotion, and even helped in producing press releases that were pitched to local media outlets highlighting the launch of their awesome new websites.  Take a look at these project summaries and the several other client features I produced by clicking on the blog links below:

HMG Blog Management
Another of my main responsibilities was to manage the HMG Creative blog.  This included anything from editing and scheduling content to brainstorming some of my own topics to contribute to the blog.  Some of these personally drafted posts included The New Hot Commodity: Instagram and Workin’ on WordPress.

Not only did I focus on organizing the HMG’s blog initiatives, I also was assigned the task to reach out to industry experts in hopes that they would be able to contribute their knowledge as an HMG Guest Blogger. 

12 Days of HMG Christmas

Ah, the infamous 12 Days of Christmas campaign.  This, I am very proud to say, was my first ever real campaign to plan and execute pretty much on my own (of course I had a lot of help from my awesome co-workers!).  The purpose of this campaign was to provide our audience with industry advice with a holiday-spirited theme.  The campaign gave me a chance to work closely with the HMG Crew and was so rewarding to see the finished product!

“Share the Love” Campaign

This social media campaign was so much fun to work on and I am excited to say I had a hand in HMG’s first ever, donations-based campaign!  Overall, the campaign was a huge success and gave me more valuable campaign experience to carry with me throughout my public relations career.  Oh, and a fun fact: my sorority, TriDelta, supports St. Jude annually as their national philanthropy so it was great to contribute in another way to a wonderful cause.

Miscellaneous Projects
In addition to the main projects I mentioned above, I performed a variety of other tasks during my time at HMG.  Of course, I focused daily on the HMG social media accounts.  Looking for interesting stories to post or just fun quotes to retweet.  I also drafted up a variety of different email series and newsletters.  It was so rewarding to see this appear in my inbox and know that I had hand in their creation.  I ended my time here focusing on the creation of the new text for the new HMG Website (coming soon, so be on the lookout)!

As you can see, my internship encompassed a variety of tasks, projects, campaigns and a whole lot of writing.  It was such a great experience and leaving here, I am very confident to embark on this newest chapter of my life I’d like to title, “The Professional Life of Stacey Donelan.”  I’d like to give a big thanks to the HMG Crew for the support and knowledge you’ve bestowed upon me.  And who knows, maybe somewhere in the near future, I’ll be asked to contribute my industry expertise to the HMG Blog!  Until next time….Hook ‘Em!

Why I Loved Being an HMG Creative Intern

Posted on by Stacey Donelan

It seems just like yesterday I was frantically calling the office on my way in for my first day at HMG.  I think I passed the office building about three times before I actually realized that was where I needed to be.  Ha, what a newbie!  After a friendly greeting, these eager beavers put me straight to work, which has been the best part of my internship—there was always plenty of work to be done.  No matter how big or small, there was always something I could be doing and no, it actually didn’t require me to make a coffee run!  There are many more aspects I loved about being an HMG Creative Intern that I’d like to share with you in one of my final blog posts.

I was more than an intern. Yep, you heard that right.  Although you might assume I was just a coffee-running, copy-making, good-for-nothing but the grunt-work college student, I am very proud to say…you’re WRONG.  My work was so far from this definition and half of the time I actually was referred to as a the HMG Social Media and Marketing “Coordinator.”  Every member of the HMG team treated me with the utmost respect and as a true employee, something that is very rare to find at any internship and was truly appreciated!

They even used my ideas! I was always encouraged to present my personal opinions and insight.  I was often invited to team meetings where I was asked to contribute my thoughts and ideas and I even took charge on two of our major campaigns.  This has left me with great experience and the confidence to embark on my future careers.

Fun atmosphere. Coming into HMG office every week was always a joyful experience.  The close-knit team welcomed me every day with a warm hello and provided me with plenty of laughter throughout the day.  The atmosphere around the office was laid back and one of the best aspects of working here (in my opinion) was getting to wear jeans whenever I wanted!  Who doesn’t love that?!

Gained a wide variety of experience. From social media and blogging to learning the foreign concepts of website development, I can truly say I have learned a vast amount of knowledge that I feel confident will carry me into this new chapter of my life as I start the search for a real career!

All in all, I couldn’t be more grateful for my time at HMG Creative.  I truly appreciate all of the opportunities and responsibilities given to me as the Social Media and Marketing Intern and I can only hope that I will be remembered as a great intern.  So as you can see, an HMG Internship is one of a kind, so my advice to you college students is: be on the look out for the next internship opportunity available and maybe you too can be as lucky as I was to experience it!

5 Reasons why HMG is YOUR Creative Agency

Posted on by Daniel Alvarez

Local, as in—we’re from here, we work here and we employ here. As you already know, Austin is THE place to be; a thriving economy, a driven talent pool and all the BBQ, beer and live music you could ask for. Having our HQ here also helps connect us with some of the nation’s brightest entrepreneurs who are changing the way the Internet and its users operate. We’ve also had the pleasure to work with major staples in the local business community such as OneStar Foundation, WhaleShark Media and The State Bar of Texas.

When we say full-service we really mean it. We go past the web and focus on creating brands. We’re an extension of your business and work with you to create a lasting presence both on and off the Internet. From branding to email marketing to graphic design and printing, we have you covered.

Ten-year tenure. Say that ten times fast. Well, before you get caught up in a tongue twister, listen to this. We started in 2003 and haven’t looked back since. We’ve learned a lot from our successes but even more from our failures. These types of experiences can only be had over time and have been tried and proven over again. This is what we give you, a proven approach that has been molded and continues to mold with new technologies, new clients and new ways of thinking.

Okay, so we do branding, web and print. We’ve been blowing minds since ’03. We have a solid presence in the local community. But what does that mean to you, the business owner? It means nothing if we can’t deliver. Deliverability is the most important part of the process, because without it, we’d be out of business and you’d be pissed. So we avoid all of that by delivering a quality product that we stand by.

Coolness. Yes, I said it and yes, I meant it. We’re not only a happy bunch of creatives, developers, account executives, payroll administrators and interns; we are fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. We are the person you saw during SXSW at the Dawes show singing every word of “When My Time Comes.” We are the person who bumped into you at Tacodeli who accidentally spilled the “roja” sauce on your shirt- sorry. We are the person who wears a legitimate fireman costume on Halloween and pranks co-workers on April Fool’s. We are the group of people who work late to deliver on a last-minute project. We are HMG Creative and we are your creative agency.

The Scoop on SXSW

Posted on by Daniel Alvarez

As the month of March rolls around, Austinites (and now, people from across the globe) are preparing themselves for the one festival that brings together over 50,000 locals, techies, musicians, hipsters, film makers, producers, celebrities and many more. Yes, South By Southwest or “South By” for those of you in tune with the local lingo has quickly become the go-to festival in North America. Boasting musical acts from over a thousand artists, countless indie movie premieres and hundreds of technology start-ups, SXSW feeds the souls of those in attendance.

In addition to the many fun-filled events, there’s a lot of business that goes down during the nine days that make up SXSW. And as a creative agency that specializes in working with startups, we take this time seriously, both as a networking opportunity and as a chance to help these young entrepreneurs realize their dreams.

Over the years, SXSW has been the launch pad for many major players in the tech and web-based industries. So much so that the third largest social network, Twitter, launched at SXSW back in 2007. The launch of the micro-blogging platform was so successful that Twitter’s servers became overloaded with users during the event. But not every story is as big as Twitter’s, there are hundreds of smaller companies making a name for themselves each year during the festival- and we’re excited to be part of that growth.

As a progressive digital agency with over nine years in the biz, we know how much hard work goes into building a reputable brand and a dominant online presence from the ground up.We can help get you to the next level through proven marketing techniques, creative web design/development and a plan of action that works.

Are you planning on visiting Austin for South By Southwest? If so, make sure you give us a call, Follow us on Twitter, or come say hi when you see us front row at The Flaming Lips and Green Day concerts!

Five Tips for Creating Healthy Routines at the Office

Posted on by James Trumbly

You sit in your car for a thirty minute commute. You hoof it into the office where you sit for another eight or nine hours. Then it’s back in the car and home where you plonk down on the couch for the evening. In fact, many Americans spend an astonishing fifteen hours a day sitting—and it’s showing up in our waistlines. Studies have linked sitting for more than six hours a day to numerous health problems including obesity, cancer, heart disease, and shorter life spans. But the good news is that even if you spend all day at the office, you can incorporate these five healthy tips into your routine for better health.

1.     Stand Up
Stand up whenever you can, but at least once an hour. Sound impossible? Try standing when you’re on the phone, when you’re waiting for a printout, and when you’re flipping through a file. Walk to a co-workers desk instead of sending an email. Take a trip to the water cooler. Take every opportunity to stand up and get your blood flowing.

2.     Challenge Your Exercise Expectations
Exercise doesn’t have to mean an hour at the gym. It can mean a brisk walk around the building on your break, 10 wall-pushups, or a quick jog in place at your desk. It can mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator and parking farther away from the building. Build exercise opportunities into your day in order to increase your overall activity level.

3.     Get Double Benefits During Lunch
If your typical lunch consists of a sandwich from the deli eaten at your desk, it’s time to change it up. Pack a healthy lunch the night before and include some fruit and veggies. Double up on the health benefits by taking twenty minutes to walk around your building or go for a brisk jog when possible.

4.     Switch Out Your Snacks
Wave good-bye to the vending machine and reach into your drawer for a banana or an apple with peanut butter instead. Choosing snacks that consist of fruit, vegetables, and protein can help you feel more awake during the afternoon and can also keep you full longer, helping you say no to the Jelly Belly jar on your co-workers desk.

5.     Pick a Partner
Ask a co-worker to jump into your new healthy routine with you. You’ll feel a lot less conspicuous doing squats at your desk and noshing on celery if you have a friend doing it with you.

If you feel chained to your desk, remember that it’s possible to create active routines even within the confines of the office. Creating healthy routines means making good choices every day, one small step at a time.

How One Nonproft Shatters Expectations with New Technology, Innovative Website

Posted on by Amy Kauffman

The OneStar Foundation, a preeminent state-wide organization based in Austin, TX providing resources for the entire nonprofit sector recently abandoned old, cumbersome technology to better serve its public.  The shift is one that sets an ambitious tone for outreach and opens up increased opportunities for all nonprofits in the state.

This week OneStar announced the launch of an updated, redesigned website and a refreshed brand image through a partnership with Austin-based HMG Creative to further initiatives for nonprofits in Texas.

OneStar Foundation connects faith-based and community organizations, businesses, government and foundations to resources and information about the nonprofit sector as well as facilitating public-private partnerships to drive community solutions and ultimately, build a better Texas.

In efforts to stay ahead of technology and better serve its audience, OneStar Foundation and HMG Creative partnered for the robust rebranding and web development project.

“We conducted several interviews but selected HMG Creative because we wanted the best end-product possible; we believe that their services will result in a long-term advantage,” said Elizabeth Darling, President and CEO of OneStar Foundation.  “Among many requirements and expectations that are necessary to be a leader in our sector, the most important are an easy-to-manage web platform and an impressive brand image, HMG gave us exactly that.”

HMG Creative increased site functionality, accessibility to information and updated the overall look and feel of the brand to connect with OneStar Foundation’s central audience.  With a refreshed online image and updated technology, OneStar Foundation can further their mission of educating, connecting and providing resources to build a stronger nonprofit sector in Texas.

Check out OneStar Foundation’s new website at www.onestarfoundation.org.

OneStar Foundation’s thrive for innovation continues with the launch of the Texas Connector, an online nonprofit mapping tool which boasts the most comprehensive nonprofit statewide database of any state in the country. Texasconnects.org goes live today after its debut at the Texas Nonprofit Summit in Austin.

To learn more about this project or how we can develop solutions for your company email: amy@hmgcreative.com

Hyde Park Baptist Church—New Email Templates

Posted on by Stacey Donelan

Hyde Park Baptist Church, located deep in the heart of Austin, Texas, reached out to us with the need to create a stronger, more appealing way to communicate to its members.  With that in mind, we were able to assist HPBC by creating email templates that would allow them to send out customized weekly messages to a variety of groups.  The email templates provide a consistent and organized theme that allows for a variety of people to receive announcements and other information without the dread of reading, yet another, boring black and white email.

University Ministry Example

General Ministry Example

Do you want to improve your email strategy?  Just a simple change can bring great results.  Contact HMG Creative to get started.

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