“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” – Peter Drucker

There is some debate whether Drucker actually said this but since his passing, we’ll never know. Either way, it’s a safe assumption that he believed it.

The Importance of Company Culture

If culture is so important, do you think it’s disingenuous to strategize it? After all, transforming a company’s culture can be one of the toughest undertakings an organization can assume. I’ve seen plenty of organizations that have tried basically everything with little success.

Continue…

Email Marketing

It is estimated that by 2022, the number of email users will grow to 4.3 billion people – that’s half of the world population. *Cough, cough* that’s a lot of potential customers. If you aren’t using email marketing to reach your customers, then you are missing out on a multitude of benefits for your business.

Continue…

Initially, we titled this article “Vision vs. Mission” to clarify the difference between an organization’s mission to accomplish something and its vision to make an impact. The final title, as you may have already noticed, lost the word “versus.” Strategically, we want to demonstrate that while mission and vision are two different thoughts, they are by no means competing. One has a more in-depth focus than the other, but the two work in tandem.

Continue…

“Purpose Driven Creative” – We say that to clients all the time. We discover, design and develop with a client’s core purpose as our compass.

Honestly, most clients don’t really care. No seriously, many don’t give two shits about the purpose behind their brand culture, their web presence, or their marketing strategy. I’ve sat in plenty of meetings with great people who don’t understand the idea of purpose as it relates to their business. I’ve spent countless pitch calls defining the difference between brand identity/logo colors and a comprehensive brand strategy. Most don’t get it.   Continue…

There is no denying the importance of a brand logo, just ask anyone who ever bought a car, a pair of sneakers or even a box of cereal. It’s one of the first things a customer will notice about your brand, and it’s something they’ll continue to see as they build a relationship with you. A great logo will distinguish your business from its competitors and will help your customer form an emotional attachment to your product or service.

Continue…

In history classes growing up, we’ve studied the importance of the printing press and how it led to a revolution: the rise in literacy rates and the spread of knowledge across the world. More recently, however, we have encountered another revolutionary invention that democratized the digital world and pioneered graphic design. The introduction of the Macintosh computer in 1984 changed the design world forever with its featured font menu. After taking a calligraphy class at Reed College, Steve Jobs understood the importance of typeface and later integrated this feature into his computer. This type menu has transformed design forever and become an integral part of artistic composition. As you devise your branding and marketing efforts, keep in mind the importance font plays in identifying with target audiences, gaining the attention of consumers and creating an image that resonates with them.

Continue…

Keeping up with target audiences can be a challenge in today’s world since social media was brought into the mix. This year, South by Southwest is hosting some of the most intelligent brand and marketing specialists. Technology is booming and more fast-paced than ever before, so the demand for insight and guidance has never been greater. At these four panels you will hear directly from industry leaders on how to build your brand, grab your target audience and keep their attention. These events range from beginner to intermediate, and are perfect if you want to delve deep into the newest marketing trends.

Continue…

The world of marketing is ever-evolving, and though there is no universal marketing strategy that will “just work” for every type of company, some marketing professionals make it seem like they possess the secret formula. Now that digital marketing has taken over, there are many new aspects of marketing that we must take into consideration when creating our marketing strategies. I went to multiple masterclasses on digital marketing that were held during weekend one of SXSW, and I’m here to share my key takeaways on where to focus your efforts when creating your digital marketing strategy. There are also several trustworthy websites that share news of digital marketing trends and helps you to make an informed decision.

Continue…

Identifying your target market isn’t easy, and it takes time. Once you’ve identified your target market, you need to get in front of them, grab their attention and give them a relatable reason for why they should choose your product or service. This is where it gets tricky–it is up to you to also give your customer something in return for their attention. In other words, you had better know your audience.

Continue…

All successful brands have one core element in common, consistency. Would we all have memorized the Nike slogan (“Just do it.”) if their marketing team used a new slogan for every product? Would we be able to see a yellow “M” and instantly think of McDonalds if the color changed every week? Brand recognition is difficult to achieve. However, once it is acquired, that brand can then work its way into the consumer’s evoked set. This essentially means that your brand is then stuck in their head, for quick recollection when needed, which is exactly where we want it.

Continue…