Whether it is animation based or back to the old school mascot ways, putting a face to a name allows customers to get to know you and your brand on a much deeper level. It allows them to remember your brand and to make a physical connection or interaction with it. Contact us to find out how we can create a memorable brand experience and interaction for your audience.

Our Top 5 Mascot and Character Based Marketing Campaigns:

El Tabador,  Spokesperson for Kudo Mobile http://bit.ly/eltabador
Martin the Gecko, Spokesperson for Geico http://bit.ly/GJzgHz
M&M’s http://bit.ly/GFE0B6
Tony the Tiger, Frosted Flakes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0Hx7-0l2mg
Snap, Crackle + Pop, Rice Krispies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTOiFkxrVPI

As the boldest hue of the spectrum, it stimulates energy, says desirable and confident, and encourages an enthusiastic response from those in its warm embrace. When used properly, it is heartfelt, authentic, and often used to represent significant moments in a long-term relationship.

Whether red is the right color for your product, brand or next campaign is part of a broader creative process, and one that will hopefully determine how to create that certain passion, zeal, and loyalty that your customers will have. Take a look at Virgin? Has Richard Branson ever put a foot wrong? Possibly, but customers still love his products whether they be banks, cell phones, transatlantic flights or any of his 300+ global brands. His fans are loyal; love his stunts and his near-death adventures.

Take another loved company with a strong, though sadly recently deceased leader – Apple. With iThis and iThat and iStores that are packed with passionate paying customers, I sometimes wonder if their fans go beyond making rational purchasing decisions or have transcended to a level of irrational love for everything Apple. And building a series of micro-stories around the nerd-like PC and the cool-kid on the block, Apple, really cemented their position in the market, not just here but on a global level.

Stories like this can really connect a company or product with their audience. It’s an approach that can place your brand authentically in the marketplace and allow for that passionate connection with your customers. It has to be told well and must be heartfelt. If you’re looking to create some passion for your product, uncovering the narrative elements of character, plot, setting, and perspective are essential tools for unleashing a brand’s hidden potential. But it doesn’t have to be all that serious. Take Old Spice. For years, the unwanted present from Grandma that ended up in the bin instead of the bathtub, but add a fantasy-like character that appeals to both male and female demographics, an engaging visual narrative with an ever changing plot – and the market’s perspective for this product took a 180-degree spin. The rebranding of this product was a total success and people love this product.

At the end of the day, great products and brands need passion. Not just by the creative team putting together the next campaign, but passion in the marketplace, from point-of-sale to final consumption and beyond. It’s the core of creating that long-term relationship with your customers and who knows, getting it right might turn into more than a simple affair, maybe even true love…for your product that is.

Check out Richard Branson’s blog

Click here to See Apple’s Mac PC campaign

Click here See Old Spice successful re-brand campaign

With today’s tools, it no longer has to be that way. Measuring the success of a marketing strategy is your feedback loop to success. In fact, there’s so much access to data these days that the more important questions to ask are what, when, and how should I measure.

Are you trying to measure perceptions/opinions?

A good way to measure mind shifts is to do some benchmark research and then repeat that exact same research after a given period of time.  Compare the results for your measurement – does the marketplace see you differently than they did when you did the benchmark. (Depending on your size, budget etc. you should probably repeat the research every 2-3 years to get accurate results.)

Are you trying to measure a change in traffic (initial interest) either in your location or online?

Online is easy — track hits and unique visits with a tool like Google Analytics.  Drive them to a specific landing page and simply monitor change/activity.

Offline is a little less scientific.  You can guestimate foot traffic.  Or you can ask people (as they check out or you engage with them) how they heard of your business.

You can also use a unique phone number or e-mail address in your marketing and track the number of inquiries that way as well.

Are you trying to measure inquiries or trials?

Again, this will differ on and offline.  Online, you can track things like e-newsletter sign ups, downloads of coupons or e-books and requests for more information.

Offline, you might monitor phone calls and requests for proposals, bids or initial meetings.  If you’re a retailer, you could also count redeemed coupons or how many samples you give out.

Are you trying to measure sales (new or residual)?

This should be pretty easy — just track sales.  You’ll need some historical data so you have something to measure against.  Be sure you divide up the data so you can track new versus repeat customers.  For our purposes — you don’t need to boil down to the nitty gritty.  That someone came in and spend $42.37 is enough.  You don’t need to record that they bought a hammer, a box of nails and  a garden hose.

Of course… the key to effective measurement in marketing is understanding why you’re doing it in the first place.  Measurement isn’t an afterthought.  It should be built into your marketing plan’s strategy.

Knowing what you are trying to accomplish will tell you what you should measure.  But…it’s a what, not an if.

We’re talking one color, yellow, with many shades of meaning; some so polar opposite as ‘happiness’ and ‘hazard’ that I sometimes wonder if we’re the ones who’ve gone a little color blind. I mean, its just one color, right? Well yes, and no.

If color theory was simple, not only would I be looking for another career, so would every other designer, painter, artist, and decorator. And decisions to paint the second bedroom sunshine or spring yellow wouldn’t result in a public Sunday afternoon brawl at the local hardware store (admit it, we’ve all been there.)

So while understanding that yellow is the first color to be seen by the human eye, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right color for your brand or next campaign. How it feels, what does it taste like, is there a yellow song, and how it is remembered in the context of its surroundings – these are important questions, not just for yellow but for all colors of the spectrum.

Color theory not only asks how color works, such as additive RGB or subtractive CMYK, it aims to guide the creation of a harmonious color combination. Yet from the early notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton’s early color wheels to present day online color tools, considering the color for your logo, brand, or campaign remains a fun part of the creative process.

And its not like we’re about to run out of color combinations anytime soon. The human eye can distinguish over 2.8 million different hues. I’m no math wiz but picking two or three unique colors that work well together, and resonate with your audience, that might just take more than a Sunday afternoon in the paint section.

And to add to the natural and psychological associations that each of us have with color, why not throw in some cultural meanings as well. Did you know in Japan, yellow represents courage? Or that in China, adult movies are known as ‘yellow’. And in warm-hearted Mexico, marigold yellow can be associated with death?

Well for more fascinating reading on the meaning of yellow and color theory, I highly recommend a visit to  http://www.colormatters.com/color-and-design/basic-color-theory

and for more info on the history of the colour wheel please visit http://www.colorlovers.com//blog/2008/05/08/history-of-the-wheel

So here’s the deal.  You should have a minimum 3-5 years’ experience designing in an agency environment, and the book to prove it.  You should also have intimate relationships with graphic design tools like Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign.  If you do, we want to hear from you.

Base Skill Set:

• Strong design portfolio with 2+ years education, 3+ years design experience.
• In-depth knowledge of Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
• Experience working within a team environment.
• Experience working in a Mac/PC environment.
• Web design experience is an asset.

Desired Skills:

• Critical thinker with effective attention to detail within deadlines.
• Passion for design and eagerness to collaborate with creative people.
• Self motivated, organized and accountable.

Compensation commensurate with experience.

Full-time and Contract positions available.

Degree required.

Starting with Facebook Pages, which offers a great way to promote your business, connect with potential clients and advertise through targeting. The pages for your brand allows you to customize a landing page or even put your entire website on your facebook page, for example here is how we did it for Century Park . Customizable tabs allow you to add as much customized content as you wish well keeping your fans in one place. You can upload imagery, post polls, contests and videos (as we did on RedMoon)  using facebook as a great way to remain interactive with your fans while keeping them up to date. There are very few limits to what you can do with your Facebook fan page.  Another great example of a well done fan page, and one of my personal favorite is the page for the new Muppet Movie. They offer a great deal of ways for their fans to be part of the hype. I highly recommend checking this page out (especially the tabs on the side) http://www.facebook.com/muppets

One of the features that really impressed me on Google+ is the hangout feature. You can now “hangout” with up to 9 friends in a live chat – basically a little mini online “house gathering”. This feature is accessible on your computer and on your mobile phone. Going back to The Muppet Movie social media campaign, they took advantage of this feature by hosting a “hangout” session with Miss Piggy. Feedback from this was super positive as fans of the iconic character got to hang out with her for almost 30 minutes and ask her questions about the movie and even her fashion. See more of the Muppets Google+ page

Like Facebook, Google+ allows you to share pictures, videos and instant message your friends (or fans). As a business application, you could host meetings, share presentations, images, videos and all the while have live chats with your board for example.

So why use both? While facebook is more established and well known giving you a larger fan base, Google+ offers advancements in SEO and is more geared toward businesses – it also has more applicable communication applications that are not necessarily marketing related. By promoting your brand on both websites you will expand your audience base.

Check out these other great campaigns using both platforms

Pepsi

Facebook Fan Page

Google+ Page

 
Macy’s

Facebook Fan Page

Google+ Page

Good Morning America

Facebook Fan Page

Google+ Page

Now that we know that we should continue to market during a recession and that we can capitalize on building our brand and gaining market share better than ever we need to know What to do? and How to do it?

Here our 5 tips for Marketing in a recession.

With social media being a huge part of any marking campaign today we must look to a wise, well thought-out, cost friendly, dynamic and effective social media marketing campaign. Seem like a lot, it is!

1. Start by making sure that your social media profile stays up to date, relevant and interesting.

No matter what the economic situation a great story always gets heard.

2. Develop a great story around your product or brand and share it with everyone you know. Remember to keep growing your story.

Most Internet usually begins with a search engine connecting people with brands and businesses based on their specific searches.

3.  Make sure that your website is being found by search engine’s like google and their “web spiders” by making it content rich with lots of images, copy and keywords relevant to your business,  brand and product.

With so much happening in the digital world we need to find ways to pack a lot of information into a short and dynamic format that is usually takes under five minutes to review.

4. Make a Video! Video has so many benefits when it comes to getting your message out there.   Make something  great with animation, graphics, and a memorable story and make it go viral (Look for the “how to go viral”  blog coming soon). Get mileage out of your video by cutting a long version and a short version also try cutting your video it into shorter vignettes as it will be easier for your audience to digest a collection of  shorter more specific videos and or commercials.

With the rapid and very exciting advancement of smart phones.

5. All business must now consider some kind of mobile presence. Start by optimizing your site for  Mobile…making it easy for your audience to get to your info on a mobile device.  Mobile marketing campaigns are highly targeted and extremely effective for geographical marketing. Develop an app/game, etc. that gives benefits and offers some kind of reward to you audience.

For businesses and individuals alike it is always important to understand where to best spend your dollars. For most businesses it is very common to do what makes the most sense from a financial and practical standpoint. Successful businesses often understand that we must live and operate within our means. Applying that common principal is key to understand the importance of investing in the future and maintaining a brand presence by keeping an open sign on your front door.

Laying a sustainable marketing foundation that supports future growth and ultimately reminds people that you are there “strong and free” or that you are“just do-ing it” whatever it is that you do, whether it be running shoes http://nikeid.nike.com/nikeid/index.jsp( cool site/store)  or candy http://www.pez.com acknowledging your future today is key to any companies success.
Back in the day a sign, an address and a contact number were big things that showed people who, what and where you are.  Today, showing people “who you are” and “what you are doing there” is a much more complicated process.

To Properly Market ourselves we must always understand our Audience. Start by asking the who-what? the where-when’s? and the why’s

Who is our Audience? and What do they do? Where do they go? When do they go there? and Why do they wake up in the morning? …etc.  This of course leads us to the question how do I get them to know or understand my product or brand?

Today we use it all. Social media, Mobile media, blogging, television, viral video, internet campaigns, mobile campaigns, dynamic content multi-media campaigns, etc. We find what ever way we can to reach out and tap our audience on the shoulder….sometimes in my sleep(bugger off!)
This makes me think that not just for some, but for most of us this new way with Modern technology: Internet, Television, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. could possibly be an easier way to maintain a brand and a presence in comparison to owning a shop paying rent and having a sign and a phone, some 100 years ago.

Who knows though? What if monthly rent on the internet goes up and business on the internet share the same economic dilemma of an era gone by. Will Websites close? Will they put brown paper on our windows(and Macs) Just like the doors on the shops years ago…let’s hope not.

Still you may ask What do I do with my marketing dollars?

We say “hang in there”…”keep with it”.  Just like all industries and maybe even more than some, the marketing industry offers tremendous opportunity for companies to gain market share and to experience growth and prosperity through proper brand management, including brand building and awareness techniques that can help you to be successful and take advantage of a recession.

To see what others are saying about Marketing during a recession check out the links below:
http://www.bsfreemarketing.com/marketing-campaigns-that-relate-to-the-times-marketing-in-a-recession/
http://bx.businessweek.com/recession-marketing/
http://blog.marketo.com/blog/2011/05/strategies-for-b2b-marketing-in-a-recession-part-2.html
http://www.theppcguru.com/six-steps-to-marketing-during-a-recession.html
http://www.imanetwork.org/080911-internet-marketing-thrives-during-tough-economic-times/

And for  reminder of what was being said before the last recession of 2008, check these links:
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5878.html
http://blog.marketo.com/blog/2008/06/7-strategies-fo.html
http://marketing.about.com/od/marketingtipsandadvice/a/mrktrecession.htm
http://www.buzzmaven.com/2008/01/marketing-during-a-recession-get-the-wind-at-your-back.html

Sites like the Government of Canada promote the idea of continuing with your marketing plan…When asked Should you continue to promote your business during a recession? The Government site recommends that in most cases, it is wise to carry on with your marketing plan “History and research shows that businesses that cut back on their marketing during slumps tend to fall short in regaining their customers.”
http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/guide/1627/

As structured as a set is, the process during the shoot is completely organic.
In my experience great footage is usually the outcome of a great shoot.  What’s a great shoot?  A shoot where everyone gels.  There are no bad apples on set. The cast is performing, there are no egos between DP, Director, Art Director and Creative Director and basically everyone is having fun and we all feel lucky to get paid to do this!

The result is a series of images and footage that need to convey a story, and provoke an emotion.  The quality of the final product reflects how well the human interaction and communication took place on set.  If you have a great shoot, it will show on the product. At the end it comes down to this: No matter how organized everyone is on set the fun factor is a “must” to get the best result.

Thanks everyone for such a fun shoot!