February 25, 2010 :: Casey Knox
Just admit it
Does Audi really think the American public is that stupid?
February 24, 2010 :: Elaine Levins
Domino's Pizza: Brilliant, or Crazy?
By now, most people have seen the new ad campaign for Domino's Pizza. The basic premise is (if I may paraphrase): Our pizza used to suck but now it's great!
February 11, 2010 :: Casey Knox
Reality Killed the Video Star
MTV reworks its logo and drops its Music television tagline, permanently ridding itself of its original identity of an all music channel...
January 18, 2010 :: Elaine Levins
I Want a Big Ass Fan!
Walking through IKEA several months ago, I happened to look up and notice giant ceiling fans throughout the building. I thought to myself, Those are some big-ass fans. And, it turns out I was right.
January 18, 2010 :: William Levins
Posterous.com is a remarkable and simple blogging and social media tool!
Probably the simplest and best executed blogging tool I've ever seen, Posterous.com allows you to create blog entries by simply emailing or texting. It's so unbelievably easy. Of course, you can link to other social media and add content normally too.
December 9, 2009 :: Casey Knox
Great Men Make Great Alcohol
It seems that our favorite alcohols have been using their history to create memorable commercials in the past few years.
September 12, 2009 :: William Levins
Clever companies spend more on marketing and advertising during recessions and depressions
It seems illogical to increase your advertising budget when everyone else is cutting back or sales are softening, but during all past economic downturns, the clever companies that increased spending ended up better off after the crisis.
July 10, 2009 :: Elaine Levins
Another Way for Businesses to be Greener
While reading the April 2009 issue of Inside Direct Mail (yes, I know I'm a few months behind, but we receive a lot of publications - sometimes it takes a while to catch up), I discovered a brilliant idea.
June 30, 2009 :: Casey Knox
The general public gets a lesson in how good design sells
I was watching TV the other night when I came across a show called The Unsellables. The show's premise is to take homes that have been on the market and won’t sell, give them a fresh new look, and BAM!
June 26, 2009 :: Elaine Levins
Store Brands: Getting Better all the Time
I remember when I was younger, how all generic brands came in white packaging with stark black lettering, announcing the product as potato chips or pasta. Doesn't sound very appetizing, does it?
June 13, 2009 :: William Levins
Gatorade's Rebranding: the good, the bad, the not-so-ugly
While I'm a fan of Gatorade's new edgier positioning, which should help it recapture or retain market share among a younger audience, I believe the seeming abandonment of the Gatorade brand name is a mistake.
June 12, 2009 :: Elaine Levins
GM's Reinvention - Hope or Hype?
People have been talking a lot lately about GM's new television spot, Reinvention, and most of what I've heard has not been positive.
June 10, 2009 :: Christina Smith
America's Favorite Pastime...
I’m a huge baseball fan. More specifically, I’m obsessed with the Philadelphia Phillies. In fact, I have an entire drawer devoted to Phillies attire.
June 8, 2009 :: William Levins
5 Books Young Graphic Designers Should Read
Over the years, I've read hundreds of design, marketing, and sales oriented books. Each one has helped to expand my knowledge and increase my design savvy. I've compiled a few of my favorites that I think every young designer should have in their library.
May 28, 2009 :: William Levins
Leave it in the hands of a professional... or the story of my first straight razor shave
I've always wanted a straight razor shave. I'm not sure why. Maybe I wanted to experience the old-time barber shop days, or maybe it's just cool, but it's always intrigued me. Well, I finally received one and it taught me something.
May 28, 2009 :: Elaine Levins
I am powerless against the infomercial
OK... I work in the marketing and advertising industry, so I should be immune to the powers of the infomercial, right? Wrong!
May 18, 2009 :: William Levins
How do you reach your customers in today's fragmented market?
The marketing world was simple. Buy airtime on the big three networks, place ads in the major magazines and newspapers and consider your job done. OK...it was never that simple, but it was easier. Today's buyers are overexposed, jaded, and tough to reach.
May 8, 2009 :: William Levins
Kentucky Fried Chicken's Viral Marketing Failure
When I saw the KFC commercial, I immediately turned to my wife and said, this is going to back fire on them. And guess what...they've stopped honoring the free coupons, instead you can obtain a rain check – if you go to a KFC for it.
May 5, 2009 :: William Levins
Elementary marketing tips for any business
Sometimes it's good to be reminded of the things we're supposed to know already. So here are some basic marketing tips applicable to any business, in case you've forgotten or neglected the simple things.
April 22, 2009 :: Elaine Levins
Happy Earth Day! It IS Easy Being Green!
Green marketing came into prominence in the 1980s when Ben & Jerry's became one of the first companies to include with its financial report a supplement that contained a greater view of the company's environmental impact.
April 11, 2009 :: William Levins
Branding can reduce marketing and design costs
Good branding is flexible enough to accommodate creativity without sacrificing brand recognition. Moreover, when done well, branding helps creativity by focusing thought on messaging and results rather than spending budget on the graphic design.
April 5, 2009 :: Elaine Levins
Less Really is More
Have you ever stood in a room with ten people talking to you at once?
April 4, 2009 :: Christina Smith
Obamamania & Successful Branding Strategies
Effective branding is an extremely important aspect in creating a successful company. However, nowadays, branding is not only seen as a benefit to a company’s advancement, it is seen in almost everything successful marketing campaign today.
April 2, 2009 :: William Levins
Graphic design is not a commodity - e.g., crowdsourcing design
Crowd sourcing design seems like an economical solution in hard times. There are plenty of design commodity sites where you can purchase canned designs or present projects as contests - but design is not a widget. One size does not fit all.
March 24, 2009 :: Elaine Levins
Different Generations... Different Ideas
It always amazes me just how much difference a few years can make.
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