As we transition to 2011, it is important to reflect on your firm’s performance this year, as well as your goals for the New Year. By analyzing your successes and failures, assessing your overall growth, and establishing long and short term goals, you can determine exactly how your firm’s branding and marketing needs have changed. It is also important to consider relevant changes in your target audience or the competitive landscape that may affect your marketing plan. With the help of a marketing and branding agency, you can develop tailored strategies to suit each initiative. Incorporating web, media, print or press efforts, you can implement a cohesive marketing plan that effectively communicates your brand and positions you for success.
Posts Tagged ‘strategic marketing plan’
3Q10 Noteworthy Communications
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
On the heels of a wildly popular multi-spot advertising campaign, Proctor and Gamble’s Old Spice and its Brand Manager have been named Marketer of the Year by AdWeek. For decades the company attempted to reconcile an outdated brand identity and a fresh, young audience, while competing with edgier new brands like Axe, which emphasizes sexual appeal in their branding messages. However, with their 2010 campaign, Old Spice managed to appeal to the sense of humor of male cologne-wearers, and the lust of female cologne buyers. In the process, they reinvented iconic brand elements, transforming old to experienced, clipper ships to yachts, and sailors to spokesman Isaiah Mustafa, clad in white pants, for an effective brand update that remained true to their nautical roots.
3Q10 Inside the Industry
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
With the increasing significance of the Internet in marketing schemes, it is more important than ever to maintain a prominent online presence. Developing and implementing a sophisticated SEO strategy can enhance your firm’s visibility, improving search results and driving traffic to your site. A deep investigation into your firm’s most effective and descriptive keywords can lead to better page titles and URLs, while additional resources, such as Google’s directory and Place pages, are also important factors in search engine algorithms. Search engine optimization can be a complicated process, but with some effort, you can improve your site’s search-ability to gain new clients and grow your business. The team at Articulation Agency also provides guidance and assistance with SEO marketing, as well as a full range of branding, marketing, and online public relations services.
2Q10 Noteworthy Communications
Thursday, June 24th, 2010
With a higher marketing and advertising budget than any other event in company history and over 230 hours of related programming, ESPN’s efforts supporting the 2010 FIFA World Cup comprise a comprehensive, multi-platform campaign across traditional, integrated, and social media. In addition to their national TV and digital strategies, the company’s widespread print and outdoor efforts feature thirty-three original murals depicting the unique story and history of each participating country. Following an 80% jump in viewers from the 2002 to the 2006 games, the massive efforts support an additional expected increase in viewers of 25-50%. FIFA’s official partners and sponsors, including Adidas, Coca-Cola, Visa, Sony, McDonalds, and Budweiser, are also contributing campaigns, while unofficial endorsers are forced to engage in controversial ambush marketing to participate in the marketing craze.
2Q10 Inside the Industry
Thursday, June 24th, 2010
It’s hard to argue that Facebook marketing isn’t here to stay. A Facebook page is quickly becoming a necessary complement to many companies’ online branding strategy. While the platform doesn’t have the branding and design user experience that a traditional website delivers, it certainly is convenient way to instantly reach and push content out to all those who “Like” your page. It is also easy to maintain and update, from almost anywhere. But that doesn’t mean anyone should do it! Instant distribution certainly is a powerful feature, but to maximize the impact of your Facebook marketing, it should be integrated and managed as part of your overall marketing plan and messaging strategy. It may make sense to get professional help, as we currently manage the social networking platforms for several clients across multiple industries. This includes a recent launch of green documentary called Happy Planet, which also featured the song of our musician client, showing another powerful benefit of social marketing platforms.
2Q10 News from Inside Articulation
Thursday, June 24th, 2010
Articulation recently underwent efforts to refresh elements of their own brand. Focusing on the website homepage and the Portfolio of work, the visual update maintains the same color palette and style long associated with the firm’s core identity, while implementing a bold new design to emphasize recent work and successes. It is important to periodically revisit your branding strategy to ensure that your visual identity evolves as your company does. Adjustments to your look, when consistent with the overall brand, can take advantage of new services, features, and technologies, as well as repositioning your firm to reflect current focus, goals and offerings. A brand refresh can also serve as a new and interesting touch point to reach out to past and current clients and prospects.
1Q10 Noteworthy Communications
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010
As social-media evolves to become a must for nearly any marketing plan, it is important to assess your firm’s strategies. In a recent project for an emerging singer-songwriter, Articulation created and leveraged a strong presence on several social networking sites to drive traffic to his website and to other profiles, to gain exposure and listeners, and interact with fans. With most sites now linking to each other through easy-to-use applications, you gain a complex web of avenues to reach your target market, allowing you to engage in ongoing conversations with frequent touches. While Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are the most common networks, industry-specific communities offer unique audiences, while media-sharing sites like Youtube and Flickr, blogs and forums can be equally effective tools in a multi-tier marketing scheme.
1Q10 Inside the Industry
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010
Spurred by their recent giveaway of a free bag of chips for the signing up of new fans, SunChips Facebook page gained nearly 200,000 fans in a matter of days. Following up the efforts with a free song download for all fans and a promise of more giveaways in the near future, the company is set to gain a significant following on the ubiquitous social networking site which could translate to real-life profits. PandaExpress, Baja Fresh, T.G.I. Friday’s, 1-800-Flowers.com, The Children’s Place, and many other companies have also begun using giveaways as a means to expand their fan base, promote their offerings, and build brand awareness. As with any strategy, it is important to assess whether the strengths of your company’s offerings can be effectively conveyed through this type of method before including it in your marketing plan. When executed appropriately, a fan giveaway can be an excellent marketing resource as well as true testament to your product.
1Q10 News from Inside Articulation
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010
Articulation partnered with a leading provider of branding, interactive, and content services for athletes to develop the design framework for the firm’s corporate identity brochure and print materials. The company, which provides branded content that reflects the individual interests and personas of each unique athlete, contacted Articulation to develop a Brand Blueprint, or creative brief with a multi-tier strategy demonstrating the marketing potential of an individual athlete. The team at Articulation contributed significant identity and design efforts to the brochure, which has since been successfully employed as part of their marketing and branding process.
1Q10 Current Projects
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010
Throughout the first quarter, Articulation Agency worked closely with a synchronous web training provider, developing and executing a multi-tiered marketing plan corresponding to the launch of their global online learning platform. Challenged to effectively convey the firm’s unique position in the industry as the leading provider of live, instructor-led online training, the team incorporated strategic branded messaging throughout their website and marketing materials, with additional emphasis on the company’s deep experience and unique expertise. The project, which involved significant research, custom website design, core messaging, content development, an email marketing campaign, and press materials, helped to solidify the company’s substantial market presence by reincorporating their core values and benefits into their brand identity.