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

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

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

by Fred Gaede, Chief Creative Officer What’s your process for taking notes during a meeting? Do you use your smartphone or prefer a legal pad and pen? Maybe you would prefer to simply record the meeting and listen to it later. However you choose to go about it, proper note taking remains an important aspect of generating good creative. In marketing, a good creative solution has to be more than simply eye-catching or clever. It has to work! It not only must capture the audiences’ attention, it also must to deliver on the approved strategy and value proposition. This information is typically what is covered in a creative launch meeting.  Of course you

by Randy Mitchell, Creative Director If you were a student in my marketing class back in 2009, I am deeply sorry. Like a fool I stood in front of you and babbled on about strategy, concepting, workflows, tactics and social. And somewhere in that caffeinated wall of words, I devoted 30 seconds to the creative brief. Wait, what? It may provide little consolation now, but please know that I have learned my lesson. Over and over again. The creative brief is a topic that everyone wants to discuss in depth. In fact, it has become a focal point in every class I teach, from MBA level marketing down to creative basics. We debate it,

by Randy Mitchell, Creative Director The time: 10,000 years ago The place: Prehistoric Los Angeles The event: The very first marketing meeting A small group of Paleoindians is gathered around a rock. They are locked in a heated debate over a timeless marketing question: “What should our tagline be?” The meeting drags on and on. It’s an epic decision and consensus seems eons away. Before they realize it, the meeting’s momentum begins to fossilize. Literally. Our intrepid marketing ancestors have been entirely engulfed by thick, black goo. I cannot confirm that this actually happened in ancient La Brea. However, I can say beyond a doubt that the tagline tar pit is real.  Agencies and clients frequently disappear

by Fred Gaede, Chief Creative Officer In my previous blog  we discussed the issue of allowing the abundance of easily accessible and reasonably priced stock images take control of the creative process. After jotting down your initial ideas, there is a great temptation to turn to stock image sites for a quick visual solution. The trouble is, you often find yourself settling for a less than perfect image, and by doing so, diluting your concept. The most important part of being a Creative requires that you be exactly that—creative! One must apply the creative process, not just in the initial ideation, but also through to the final execution. You must be innovative

by Fred Gaede, Chief Creative Officer As a designer, I am the first one to raise my hand and say, “Guilty!” I have been guilty of letting the availability of stock images guide my creative instead of turning things around and letting my creative direct the choice of imagery. The situation typically goes like this: one of your B2B clients has a rush project. They need to communicate a particular message to their audience in a creative and graphically pleasing manner. It could be anything. The scope of the project really doesn’t matter. You have been tasked with solving a problem and solving it quickly.  As you walk out of the launch meeting,