Tips and Tricks to get your product some "Face Time"

When you are bombarded with messages everyday, it’s paramount to be able to stand out in a crowd. Consumer brands have struggled with being able to captivate the attention of the public, and as a result marketing efforts have shifted towards getting “in the face” of the buyer.

Face-to-face marketing is more personal and more effective than email, phone calls, and direct mail. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, keep in mind that it’s also more expensive and time-consuming. Pricing aside, let’s look at what makes this marketing concept so effective.

A unique face-to-face marketing campaign can create a personalized brand experience that is engaging, stimulating, and memorable. If the consumer is left feeling good about the brand, chances are they will continue to choose your products over your competitors. Can you say "win-win"?

Starmedia is ready to help you bring your brand to life. Contact us today to show you how to incorporate this medium into your existing campaign.

StarMedia Case Study: CHRD

At the StarMedia Advertising Agency, the client is always the number one priority. We've worked with clients regionally, nationally and internationally. Through the relationships we foster with our clients, we act as brand and advertising stewards, consistently and creatively producing solutions so that our clients can reap the results.

Here is the Case Study of the Cree Human Resource Development, one of our clients we have been working with in the last year;

The unemployment rate for the Cree population is around 25%, out of a labor force of 7,500. This number is particularly high, well above the federal and provincial averages. This unemployment rate doubles in the 15-24 age demographic.

The CHRD was designed to give the Cree, especially this large segment of jobless youth greater access to the proper resources to find employment. The CHRD wanted to enliven their materials. At Starmedia, our job was to create a strong visual product, well organized for ease of use. With the rich visual tradition in which the Cree culture is steeped, we thought it best to incorporate traditional motifs into a modern look of the CHRD, which would appeal to the Cree labor force.

Designing the CHRD materials became an interesting proposal for Starmedia design. It was our first experience working with the native Cree language, Iiyiyuu ayiimuun. In fact the materials were trilingual as French and English featured as well. The blend of these three languages required smooth lines and carefully modulated colors.

The colors for the material were selected through extensive research of the Cree traditions, and application of this new knowledge to the psychology of color: The greens express the northern boreal forest evoking growth, discovery, and respect. The burnt umbers and oranges of the autumn hearken the fall when folk tales and legends were told in the community. Red was used as a symbol for strength and courage. All of these colors correspond to the deep white background, suggesting the frozen tundra and winterscapes of the northern Quebec climate.

To see more please visit the CHRD Case Study or see other Case Studies on Our Clients page.

My Boss Bought Cheap Chairs and Now My Back Hurts

I used to have a good chair. It had 3 levers on it that would stabilize my lumbar and spine. It was smoky grey and I called him Chester. It is true that Chester had some holes in him and a cigarette burn or two but he was comfortable and the wheels worked great.

Then I left for the week-end, to live my real life, and when I returned to work on Monday Chester was gone. In his place was some piece of black crap with no personality. But then I said to myself, “Hey, Chester had a great run but everybody gets old and maybe it was his time. I’ll try the new chair.” My new chair is crap. Oh yes, it looks expensive, with its mesh covering, but it was a bargain stool of pain.

Within a week I started to have lower back pain and when I complained, management told me that it was because I stopped going to the company gym and was getting a gut. Can you believe that? Now I was the problem, not the cheap chair that only has ONE lever. One lever! The thing just goes up and down. I’d rather just sit on a yoga ball!

It should be at this point that I link this article to something pertaining to advertising or design, so here goes nothing. Sometimes advertising campaigns should be left as they are. I know… it’s a shocking thing for an advertising firm to say. I think a lot of companies have a good thing going and completely changing it just isn’t the best idea. In our world filled with instant gratification and the desire to constantly claw our way to the top, we often completely forget what we’re climbing for.

Chances are that I’ll get used to my new chair and perhaps it really was for the best, but it is possible that my old chair was better. When you make a decision to update your corporate branding or your advertising, check to see what it is about your old campaign that was working. Perhaps there are some elements in that campaign that can be salvaged and incorporated into your new one. Keep in mind, advertising doesn’t always have to be shocking to be successful and not everyone likes drastic changes. I hope your chairs keep you comfortable and your advertising expresses what your business stands for.

Jimmy

Why Super Cala Fragilistic Expialidocious would make a terrible company name.

It is possible that this post might come up as more of a rant than an advice column, but please sift through my complaining to truly hear the real message – a long business name can ruin your advertising campaign and lose you money.

I admit that coming up with a business name is a tricky endeavor, especially when there are so many businesses out there that have probably already taken the short and catchy names like Pete’s Plumbing and The Plumb Guy, but just because someone suggested that Plumbing with Pete the Plumb Guy would be a great company name does not mean you should go with it. Here’s why…

Logos rarely if ever look good when your company has a huge business name. You should be able to manipulate the size of your logo to suit your advertising campaign and the longer your name, the bigger your logo will have to be. Imagine the cluttered-ness of your business cards. Oh my! Plus, logo designers will hate you. This I assure you of.

You will want to abbreviate your company name to something you think is cute. Our friend Pete would likely choose something like PPtPG or P3G or even P3G. The problem with this is that the name of your company brands your company. Since your name is too long for everyone to remember you will be branded as the abbreviation. Will it last for years? Simplicity is the key.

Successful advertising needs limits. I’m not saying that you should limit the amount of advertising you do, I’d be out of a job… but keep in mind that long company names result in long slogans and long taglines and long product/service names… and before you know it you have overwhelmed your advertising with incredibly long copy. On the other hand if you abbreviate your name, you run the risk of having the same abbreviation as a more popular company, or an abbreviation that just doesn’t take like SCFL Industries.

Business naming is much too important of a decision to make on your own. When deciding upon a good working title for your company, get some help! If you can’t afford to hire some advertising professionals, then choose the easy route and ask friends, family, employees what they think. Try using the business name in public and seeing what reaction you get. Corporate branding is a work in progress and shouldn’t be taken lightly. You of all people want your business to succeed, so plan plan plan before you make big decisions and, as always, research!

If you need more information on business naming, product naming or anything advertising, I’m your man… woman… feel free to drop me an email – kate@starmedia.ca

Need to talk to a professional? Call us at Starmedia toll free at 1-866-816-5646. We’d love to help!

-Kate

Building a Better Business Card

Business cards are a fantastic marketing tool that no company should go without. To start, business cards provide you with the professional edge that you need when you are out of the office and in the world. Whether you’re on an airplane, at a restaurant or even among friends, business cards are easy to pass out to virtually anyone and even easier for them to keep and remember your business by. Keep in mind, everyone has a wallet.

The key is professionalism. Your business card should embody the following elements:

1) Well Designed Logo – There’s no point to having a business card if you don’t have a logo to put on it. Human beings are extremely visual. Customers will have a much better chance of remembering your business if they identify it with a consistent logo that expresses your business.

2) Information – The address, phone number, email address, fax number and website of your business should be easy to find, easy to read and accessible on your business card. If your card doesn’t inform customers, it’s worthless.

3) Colors – Color choices are incredibly important both aesthetically and financially. Your business cards need to look great, send the right message and be cost efficient to print.

4) Offer Something Unique – Does your business have a catchy slogan? Does your business card stand out from other cards? Having a professionally made business card really can make all the difference in how your business is portrayed.

5) Paper – Splurging on high quality paper can make a huge difference. You need to consider the weight of the paper and the durability. Business cards pass through a lot of hands and are often jammed into wallets. They need to be able to withstand a lot of wear and tear without wearing and tearing.

A good business card can last your company a while, bring in customers and create a professional and reliable image. Don’t settle for mediocrity. Let your company shine through in a well-designed business card.

I Can Do It Myself! Do I Really Need to Hire Designers?

Imagine a group of construction workers were asked to build an important office building, but they weren’t being supplied with any blueprints. The effect would be disastrous! Not only would they not know the specifications of the building, but there would also be mayhem as the workers each had their own way of working on the construction project. Although it is difficult to estimate the exact Return on Investment or ROI of a particular design campaign, it is possible to show the effects design has on advertising and how those effects do, in fact, change a business’ ROI for the better.

The two biggest problems that many businesses face when deciding on whether or not to spend money on design are:

1) Shortage of Time
2) Lack of Money

No one wants to “throw away money” on something they believe they are capable of themselves. Unlike the medicine or law professions for example, design appears to be something even a regular Joe is capable of. With the ever expanding market of “how to” books being released daily, everything seems well within grasp. So why spend money and “waste time” on hiring a design firm to handle your advertising when you can do it yourself?

A lot goes into design that the how-to books can’t begin to explain. Before the actual design process even begins, a lot of research must be performed. The designers need to know not only information about the business they’ve been hired to design for, but also about the competitors and the market. Other factors play into the designing process as well, including color research and image research. Since humans respond better to colors and images, it is important that the designers choose colors and images that are positive and that are appropriate to the business’ market. Once this process is complete, then the brainstorming process begins. Designers rarely work independently. Discussing ideas with other designers gives the design a fresh look and augments its ability to increase a business’ ROI. A good design firm will keep you, the business, involved throughout the design process. By getting extra information from you about how your business functions and what your clientele is like, designers are able to match their designs to your customer base. The most important aspect is a solid focus on the customer. Giving the customer exactly what they want always shows in your ROI.

Like anything else, setting solid goals is the key to discovering whether or not design will pay off for your business. The effects of design on your ROI are long term and won’t appear over night. It takes time for a brand to embed itself in the minds of your customers and potential customers. This is why having strong goals will help your business discover what is working effectively and what can be replaced. From Coca-Cola’s ™ red cans and labels to the golden arches of McDonald’s ™, solid designs create lasting brands. Take a little extra time and spend a bit of money on something that has the potential to bring in lasting profits and notability to your business. Leave the “do it yourself” mentality to gardening and home renovations.

And if I've managed to sway you, then I'm thrilled and would love to hear from you. Yes, I'll even take your order - toll free: 1.866.816.5646 or email me!