Build a Strong Brand on Screen and in Real Life

Posted by: Kirsten Taylor // June 11th, 2012

As a marketer or advertiser, you’re probably very focused on the fact that the world is transitioning to an online society – more and more frequently on mobile devices. You’re probably (and rightfully so) putting in a lot of effort to figure out ways to translate your brand to the online and mobile screens. An article in Ad Age reminds brands that even with this marketing transition, it’s important to keep your brand in the third dimension. Making sure that your actual brick-and-mortar store space matches the personality and promises in your marketing and advertising efforts is what will set you apart from the competition. The store should be an “extension” of the messages you distribute.  The article cites Apple and Prada for doing this successfully. So how can you present your brand in a multidimensional way? Click here.


100% Wired

Posted by: Liz Mortek // November 7th, 2011

It may come as no surprise to hear that nearly 100 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds use social media.  According to PR Daily, a study released last week proves that among all online adults, 91 percent use social media in a typical month.  That equates to 129 million people – or about 41 percent of the U.S. population.  Furthermore, 98 percent of 18-24 year old use social media in a month, investing in Facebook, Twitter and the like, while a still large 82 percent of 55-64 year olds visit their favorite social media sites each month.  The reason, you may ask?  No, this usage is not for work or to check up on brands, rather it is to primarily communicate with friends, citing secondarily, to stay in touch with family members.

@EMortek


Why Big Brands Are Dropping Words From Their Logo

Posted by: Neil James // June 27th, 2011

Why Big Brands Are Dropping Words From Their Logo

A picture is worth a thousand words. So if your logo has three words in it, it’s worth a 1,003 words, right? As a new trend emerging among established brands seems to indicate, maybe not. A new article by The Drum, What’s In a Name – Brands That Dare to Go Bare, spotlights the reasons why major brands such as Apple, Shell, Microsoft and Nike have stripped words from their logos. According to The Drum, going wordless can have considerable benefits. Brands with wordless logos have no need to translate names and taglines into different languages. Dropping words from the logo, however, isn’t for everybody. Most of the brands foregoing words employ iconic imagery that is instantly recognizable – an asset not at every marketer’s disposal.
@NeilAndrewJames


How to Close Your Brand’s Promise Gap

Posted by: Neil James // May 11th, 2011

How to Close Your Brand's Promise Gap

Making the first sale is easy. Whether or not your customer can cash the check written by your brand’s promise, however, is what determines whether you’ll make the second and third sale. If you’re in it for anything other than the immediate short term, you’ll need to make sure that the gap between what you promise and what you deliver is non-existent. How can you do that? Steve Beck has answers in his new article for Ad Age, Five Steps to Help Your Brand Avoid Overpromising. Included among Beck’s tips are assessing your brand’s weaknesses with unflinching honesty and embracing the concept of the perpetual beta, never ceasing to analyze your customer’s wants and your organization’s capabilities.

@NeilAndrewJames



Relevance Radio #3 – When Should a Brand Update Its Tagline?

Posted by: Neil James // September 21st, 2010

When cleaning out our fridge, it’s easy to identify stale and expired products by their expiration date. Unfortunately, brands and taglines come equipped with no such indicator. In our newest episode of Relevance Radio, executive creative director Brian Herder discusses when brands should and shouldn’t update their tagline. Citing real life examples such as Radio Shack, Old Spice and Morton’s Salt, Herder emphasizes the importance of subtlety and gradation in keeping a brand fresh and current.

@NeilAndrewJames