How to survive a creative presentation to Darth Vader
by Randy Mitchell, Creative Director It’s the day of your big creative presentation and you’re about to take center stage. Are you nervous? Please. Everything is iced. The strategy is inspired, the budget is on the penny and the creative is exceptional. You live for moments like this. Besides, the room is alive. The clients are geeked about the new program. In fact, their whole month has been leading up to this meeting. Then Darth Vader walks in. [caption id="attachment_6724" align="alignright" width="300"] Don't let Darth Vader throw you off your presentation game.[/caption] The chatter stops. Clients scramble madly for their chairs. Someone whispers, “I thought he was in China this week.” Darth Vader slashes his business card
3 creative awards that actually matter
by Randy Mitchell, Creative Director Creative awards season is looming. You know what that means. Agencies and clients alike will compile a shortlist of their finest work, compose “can’t-miss” entries, and fantasize about winning more shiny trophies than their competitors. The whole pageant might seem silly to outsiders, but the marketing world loves its awards more than ever. In fact, a recent Google search for “marketing awards 2019” produced 577,000,000 results. This year you can enter competitions for interactive marketing, digital marketing, content marketing, event marketing, influencer marketing and countless other disciplines. At first, the endless list of awards shows seemed a little overwhelming, but as I scrolled through them all a wild
When it comes to agency selection, it’s about the music they play, not about the sound system
by Gary Mattes, CEO When my lovely wife, Lisa, agreed to marry this guy, she took on all but one task in the wedding planning. Boy, did I get it wrong! (That’s my task, not my choice for a wife.) The one task assigned to me was arranging the music for the reception party. She knew that I had strong opinions on music and “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang was not being played at my wedding. It had been played at every friend’s wedding for years. I arranged to meet with a couple of event DJs. One DJ had great playlists. He was somewhat of a musical dopplegänger to me and seemed
Journey Journal: The world’s greatest rebranding expert
by Randy Mitchell, Creative Director This summer I witnessed true genius take shape. For a few memorable weeks, the world’s greatest rebranding expert set up shop under my own roof. It was a wild, exhilarating and constantly surprising experience. In fact, I’m still trying to find the right words to capture it all, so please bear with me. Legend in our garden This unexpected story started back in early August. It was a warm, tranquil summer evening and my wife and I were catching up on our yard work. I was watering a parched garden bed when I had the unsettling sensation that someone was silently observing me. I cautiously looked up, and there
How to Create an Editorial Calendar You’ll Actually Use
by Kathryn Brill, Social Media and Content Marketing Specialist The end of the year is fast approaching, which can only mean one thing. No, not holiday food—planning your content marketing for 2019. This crucial activity involves budgeting, taking stock of the successes and failures of the past year, and often, putting together an editorial calendar. These shiny documents often represent sincere hopes for the next year and a genuine desire to follow a strategic plan for content marketing. However, putting one together can be overwhelming, and frequently these calendars are abandoned quickly after hitting snags in the new year—or never used at all. But when used right, editorial calendars are some of the
The great debate: Does spec creative belong in your B2B marketing RFP process?
by Randy Mitchell, Creative Director If you’re a sensitive creative, please skip over the next sentence because I am going to use a four-letter word. That offensive term is spec. Sorry. I’m blushing too. Spec creative is essentially speculative conceptual work that is intended to demonstrate how a prospective agency partner thinks. In this capacity, spec is occasionally required in the B2B marketing RFP process. The company issuing the RFP might challenge the agency to “show us some ideas” based on very limited input. Some people insist that spec creative is a necessary evil. I can’t agree with the necessary part. But evil is spot on. There are multiple reasons spec is unwelcome, and some
Taking the Time to Keep it Short: Reducing Clutter for More Effective Communication
by Fred Gaede, Chief Creative Officer “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” You’ve likely heard this quote before. And while its origin may be under dispute, its underlying truth is not. Keeping your communications short and to the point takes effort and it takes additional time. This is true for copy as well as for design. While you may need to sacrifice a bit of style, keeping your messaging free from unnecessary distractions offers great benefits. According to one study, the average attention span of a modern human is about 8 seconds. When it comes to digital marketing and effective communication, I would say that it
If a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words…: How B2B Video Drives Brand Awareness & Sales Conversions
by Jeff Andrews, VP Client Services We live in a world filled with video. It’s been a staple in B2C for years. Is it time for you to consider video in your B2B world? You bet. Why B2B Videos? Videos provide a snapshot of your brand: We all know that videos can be more engaging than reading. They’re quick, easy to consume and tend to be more memorable than the written word. Short 60 to 90-second videos can create top of funnel awareness for your brand and demonstrate what differentiates you from your competitors. Videos create trust: Videos are a great way to put a face to your company. They can give insight into
Insider tips to guide your B2B marketing RFP development
by Randy Mitchell, Creative Director I am about to violate a sacred rule. I’m going to give you a look behind the curtain of the agency world. What is the clandestine topic that is such a taboo? B2B Marketing RFP development. Specifically, the candid opinions agency and industry insiders have about RFPs. First, a word of warning: Our insiders are not shy. They have pointed views on why some RFPs are truly effective and why others are destined to fail. So let’s get started with this inside story before the marketing police show up at my door. Wrong first impression If someone put you on the spot, how would you describe your company? That’s often the
How to identify the winner before you ever send your B2B marketing RFP
by Randy Mitchell, Creative Director “RFP stands for really frustrating process.” That’s an opinion voiced by clients and agencies alike, and their vexation is understandable. The marketing RFP process, particularly the on the B2B side, is an inexact science. It’s a complex, time-consuming, high profile assignment that is initiated out of necessity. In many cases, it’s also an uncertain path with loosely defined parameters. However, it is critical to get every aspect of the process right, because an ineffective B2B marketing RFP can lead to the wrong marketing agency, wasted time and lost revenue. Here’s a radical notion: Let’s eliminate the guesswork from your B2B marketing RFP and choose your agency right now. Simply