When Bigger Isn’t Better: The Advantages of a Smaller Agency

In today’s world, it seems that bigger is always better. Portion sizes are larger, cars are larger, homes are larger, and in the United States, people are even larger than they were decades ago. Warehouse stores like Costco allow you to buy bigger quantities of household products and foods. Super-sizing is available at almost any fast food chain. The ‘bigger is better’ mentality is everywhere.

But how big is too big? When do we stop paying attention to quantity and size and start paying attention to substance? Marketing agencies exist to deliver solutions to their clients that help them solve their marketing problems. Is a prerequisite to this being large?

Below are five advantages that smaller agencies have over larger ones: Read the rest of this post »

Posted by Rebecca Reed Manager, Client Strategy
Monday, March 8, 2010 AT 12:08 pm

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5 Reasons I’ll Share My Email Address with E-Retailers

A prospective customer’s email address is arguably one of the most powerful assets an online marketer could ask for. Despite changes in the online world, email remains an effective and direct way of developing and expanding e-retailers’ relationships with their customers and prospects. Having worked in advertising for several years now, I’ve become particularly aware of the tactics that marketers use to retain my contact information. Fortunately for those marketers, that doesn’t mean I’m harder to rope in if there’s a truly great incentive waiting for me.

So without further ado, here are five reasons I’ll gladly give a web site my email address:

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Posted by Kristen Collosso Interactive Designer
Friday, March 5, 2010 AT 10:06 am

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Fostering a Creative Work Environment

At an ad agency, the need for creativity is obvious– It’s our bread and butter. If we’re not creative, we’re not doing our jobs. But I think fostering creativity is important for any workplace. Creativity is what helps people come up with new goals and directions, and solve problems without an obvious answer.

So how do you foster a creative work environment? Creativity is hard to pin down. We even talk about it in the abstract, turning it into some ephemeral, fairy-like “muse.” So when thinking of how to help people to be creative, we have to bring creativity out of the abstract. My favorite way to make things tangible is through lists.

Here’s my list of what I think creativity needs in order to thrive: Read the rest of this post »

Posted by Sonja Foust Marketing Manager
Wednesday, March 3, 2010 AT 12:35 pm

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Offline vs. Online

I recently attended an account strategy seminar and met some very interesting & innovative people. There was a mix of people from account managers and principles from either the online or the offline world of advertising & marketing. Some offline agencies did a little online, and some online did a little offline marketing strategy and design for their clients… After having a variety of very good conversations between seminar topics, one question continued to surface…

How do you transition offline marketing strategy into online efforts?

This question could use some attention. It not only comes up in account strategy seminars, but also in client conversations. Read the rest of this post »

Posted by Nathan Spotz Manager, Client Strategy
Monday, March 1, 2010 AT 3:41 pm

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Behavioral Economics and The Bachelor: Why Jake is a perfect example of predictable irrationality

I never thought I’d read a book on behavioral economics and have it stick with me. But Dan Ariely’s brilliant take on the subject, Predictably Irrational, has made quite an impact.

Besides being written in a conversational and engaging style, the facts within are fascinating. Who knew that we were so easily and willingly manipulated as a society of consumers? Since finishing the book, I’ve been noticing examples everywhere of the content covered. Decision paralysis in the grocery store. The Achilles’ heel of arousal. And so on. But one popular television show really demonstrates some of the principles that Ariely covers. And those principles are dramatically and glaringly obvious—in high definition.

The Bachelor is a reality TV phenomenon that continues to capture American audiences each season. Every week millions of viewers tune in to see which woman will get the boot, or how many Mean Girl mini-dramas will break out on set. At the epicenter of the harpy hurricane is the Bachelor. This season, it’s an affable and bland airline pilot named Jake. Read the rest of this post »