As a student at UT’s Moody College of Communication, I am exposed to many amazing opportunities and professionals with vast experience in the industries of journalism, media and public relations just to name a few. This past week, I had the privilege of attending a lecture by Christopher Ferrel, the Director of Digital Strategy at The Richards Group for one of my courses, Technology, Marketing, and Advertising. After listening to his presentation, I was mesmerized by his concept of a new era that is bound to change the course of digital advertising. The Skippable Era, as he classifies it, is characterized by a feature we all love and embrace; the skip button. To better understand how marketing trends and consumer engagement have shaped digital practices of our current era, Chris poses three essential questions for advertising gurus to consider.

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Today is #InternationalWomensDay, a day dedicated to celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women. In honor of this, we have compiled a list of inspiring, female-built brands that are changing the game. We recommend having Destiny’s Child or Rihanna playing in the background as you read.

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In town for SXSW? Planning a visit soon? Or just an Austin native looking for some weekend inspiration? You’ve come to the right place, as here we’ve rounded up a mix of some of the most popular Instagram Spots in Austin.

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Amazon. The company making big headlines last August when it officially acquired Whole Foods and made many customers question, what isn’t influenced by this all-encompassing tech and commerce business? Ranging from the invention of the Echo and Alexa to selling groceries in a cashier-less brick and mortar store coined Amazon Go, the future of our everyday experiences may sit in the hands of this company. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington with over 40,000 employees, Amazon is the largest employer in the city providing its economy with immeasurable value and its environment with multiple treasured amenities. So, what’s the next step for this booming business? Growth has brought CEO Jeff Bezos and the team to search for a second headquarters location amongst some of the most alluring spots in the US.

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What is Experiential Marketing?
Experiential Marketing is a growing trend that directly engages consumers with brands through the creation of experiences. Brands use this technique to market their products and services by creating an emotional response for the consumer. As traditional marketing methods such as TV advertising are becoming less effective, it’s easy to see why brands are turning towards experiential marketing to create more direct relationships with consumers.

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Designing websites is a form of art. No, I’m serious. You probably don’t think of it in that way, but when creating your site you are indulging in a creative practice. And like bad art, bad websites like this one can be truly painful to look at. Designing a good website is certainly hard, but there are also some pretty simple rules. Today, I’m going to take you through the most common mistakes that website designers make.

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As we approach the holiday season, it is important we understand the power of the holidays on our businesses sales. This year alone the National Retail Federation expects sales in November and December to generate $678.75 billion. This is the season for shopping and attracting new customers—don’t miss out on your perfect chance to reach your target audience. Follow these simple steps for the perfect holiday marketing strategy.

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Hi! My name is Natalie Matthews and I am ecstatic to begin as the new social media and marketing intern at HMG Creative, this semester. Born and raised in Clear Lake, Texas, I have enjoyed dancing competitively for twelve years with my older sister and traveling alongside the rest of our family in our free time. I am an avid cooking show viewer, occasional chef for one and dedicated consumer of all things sweet. You can often find me making my way around Town Lake while listening to some of my favorite artists, ranging from Frank Sinatra to Katy Perry. I am passionate about empowerment, the alleviation of poverty, education and positive living.

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We’ve all been touched by the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales, entranced by superstar endorsers like Britney Spears, and become hooked on brands like Apple through futuristic imagery. The biggest game of the year means the greatest chance to reach millions of viewers between plays. As one of the most important opportunities for marketers to reach large audiences and create buzz about their products, Super Bowl spots have long been an integral institution of the game itself. Super Bowl LII will not disappoint, and we have an early look at some of the most anticipated advertisements to watch out for this Sunday.

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As we all know, SXSW is just around the corner, which means expansive opportunities for the exchange of new ideas, the introduction of multiple industry advancements and crowds of the biggest and brightest innovators of our day and age. Keeping up with the constant stream of developing media and technology can be a big task. Fear not. This time around, we’re bringing you the top 5 panels that will aid in staying on the cutting edge of branding and marketing. Learn what makes these some of the most instrumental topics for the future of our industry.

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