What do you get when you put cameras on two groups of highly creative and competitive people for a week? AMC’s The Pitch. It’s over-dramatized to be sure, but I’m fascinated by the show. When we know who we are up against in a new business pitch, we check out them out and try to guess how they’re going to approach the task. Here’s our chance to watch two agencies a week run the gauntlet of a new business pitch.

The fun part about the show is sitting back like a figure-skating judge and scoring the two full-service ad agencies as they move through their routines; developing their campaign recommendations. Who asks the client the best questions? Who brings more energy to their presentation?  Who offers unique thinking? Who proves they really understand the client’s needs? Who ultimately earns the business? Good TV … at least for ad people.

Judson Luke | Post a Comment

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I saw an interesting article in the Dec 12^th Adweek, “A Holiday Tale: The Christmas Tree Wars.”

The article does a good job of framing the business and marketing aspects of the competition between “mom-and-pop” tree sellers vs. the “big box” stores that sell fresh trees in their garden departments. What’s missing in the discussion is what may be mom and pop’s best advantage: tradition. No other time of year is so built on maintaining tradition like the Christmas season. We don’t even like most new Christmas songs, although we also complain that there are so few Christmas songs. Why? Tradition.

What buying a tree from a “big box” store offers in convenience, it lacks in the ability to reinforce good old heart-warming traditions. I’d hate to see mass retailers kill the Christmas tree tradition and I think this might be one case where emotion will win out over practical convenience.  Merry Christmas!

Judson Luke | Post a Comment

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Now this is an interesting story. The Department of Defense has begun engaging the Taliban on Twitter in a sort of Q&A over the war in Afghanistan. For years terror organizations have used social media sites to spread its message to sympathizers. I think it’s fascinating to follow this back and forth dialogue to see what each side is saying. Will much come from this? Who knows, but at least it’s creating some sort of conversation, and that’s what social media does best.

Steve Staedler | Post a Comment

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Much has been written about branding, brand strategy, brand archetypes and brands, in general.  Any seasoned marketer worth his or her salt has read and pulled useful information from countless articles, blogs and posts in an effort to form their own opinion or strategy on how best to define and promote their own brand.

In the interest of full disclosure, you’ll discover nothing new here as I’m more interested in learning the process through which you’ve come to define your brand(s), and why. 

We, like many others, have adopted Mark and Pearson’s brand archetype approach, made popular in their book The Hero and The Outlaw.  You can get your own copy here. (more…)

Dean LePoidevin | Post a Comment

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If you even causally follow baseball, you know the Brewers were a big deal in Milwaukee this year. “Beast Mode” was in full effect. Here at the agency, one discussion about our beloved team spawned an interesting question. The Brewers have all sorts of uniform versions in a variety of colors and styles (I want all of them, but that’s another conversation).

Color choices can have a wide range of implications. We look at the intrinsic meanings of color when building logos and other brand identity. We make recommendations to our clients to help convey specific traits and feelings. We know some organizations have worked to “own” colors. UPS’s what can brown do for you comes to mind. (more…)

Judson Luke | Post a Comment

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Things don’t stay the same for long, and that’s certainly the case in marketing strategies. We’ve seen this time and again, from the traditional newspaper and magazine buys, to the early days of radio and television, to online ads, to search marketing and social media – marketing strategies are constantly in a state of flux, always shifting and adapting with the times.   (more…)

Rosalind Elliott | Post a Comment

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I have been stranded at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee for seven hours and counting, trying to travel to my inaugural PestWorld 2011 experience in New Orleans.  After rerouting our flight and squatting at two different restaurants, working remotely, I took to listening in on different conversations: fellow travelers from my flight complaining of the long day ahead, a mother consoling an overtired child needing a nap, two friends excited about their weekend trip ahead, our server telling us all about her day and how she runs her station.  When the server said “More Money, More Time” and laughed ruefully to one of her customers, it struck a chord. (more…)

Angela Mork | Post a Comment

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My answer to this is no. AdWeek Magazine published an in-depth article this week deciphering the issue of whether or not luxury brands are becoming watered down, so-to-say, by their ever-growing digital presence. (more…)

Rosalind Elliott | Post a Comment

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I came across an interesting blog on Ragan’s PR Daily that asked the question, how would social media have affected coverage of 9/11?  Would it have saved lives? Would it have provided a more detailed account of events occurring inside the World Trade Center and onboard the hijacked aircraft? I think the answer is yes to both questions. (more…)

Steve Staedler | Post a Comment

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A new house, a new hope and 2,000 chicken sandwiches – how can you beat that?

Two weeks ago, the ABC show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was in Fayetteville building a new house that will be used as a shelter for women veterans and their children. Fayetteville is home to Fort Bragg, one of the largest U.S. Army bases in the country, as well as the adjacent Pope Field. Suffice to say Fayetteville is a military town.   (more…)

Steve Staedler | Post a Comment

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