Best Billion Campaign Ever

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It’s no surprise H&R Block has a certain open window to advertise. The use of that window this year and last, is so strong and so compelling that any average millennial will dive deeper into this offer. Kansas City, Mo.-based H&R Block is embarking on a “Get Your Billion Back America” effort, which is kicking off across media channels after debuting a few spots during the NFL playoff games on Sunday. The tagline is based on a study H&R Block said it undertook last year, re-checking 1,200 self-prepared tax filings for consumers to see how many missed out on bigger returns thanks to preparation missteps. More than half of them could request more money from the government, collectively adding up to more than $1 billion, per the brand. Read more

branding and marketing

For Those Who Do Not Believe In Branding and Marketing

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So… you are one of those people that don’t believe that branding and marketing works…

Well…

Why do so many companies spend millions of dollars for just a few seconds of air-time on the Superbowl each year?

Why do millions of people flock to Starbucks every morning?

Why has Apple taken over the phone industry?

Why has Nike signed more athletes than any other brand?

These answers are way too obvious. Read more

The Future is Here and Paper is Not Included!

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Whether you are an “extreme couponer” or just like to keep an eye out for good deals, you are probably used to finding these in the Sunday newspaper or in the stack of weekly circulars at the local grocery store. You get home, grab some scissors, and start snipping away. Then, you begin to sort and organize into different piles by month, store, or expiration. Well, put down those scissors and pick up that smart phone; the paper-coupon era is becoming extinct.

It is confirmed that more than 110 million people and about 70% of digital coupon users will use coupons on their mobile device this year. This number has increased dramatically compared to the 92 million people that used digital coupons in 2012 and the 103 million people back in 2011.

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TNT’s Edgy Brand Makeover and New “Boom” Tagline

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TNT’s brand makeover began with two wildly successful guerilla-marketing stunts in 2012 and 2013 titled “A dramatic surprise on a quiet square,” and “A dramatic surprise on an ice-cold day” following a year later. Both ads featured pedestrians stumbling upon a large red button with a sign pointing to it that read, “Push to add Drama.” In “A dramatic surprise on a quiet square,” those who were brave enough to press the button were exposed to an elaborate live sequence of car crashes, fights, police shoot outs, heroic football players, and a girl in a bikini riding a motorcycle. Read more

#WorldsToughestJob Media Strategy

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American Greetings Cardstore decided in the Fall of 2013 that it would take its traditional marketing budget and go online instead. This was the beginning of the cards company’s journey in digital media. For Mother’s Day it offered a unique job opportunity to over 15 million viewers and 12 people applied to the job posting.

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Who is Alex Trebek?

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CBS took a gamble on Jeopardy 30 years ago. It has had to stay fresh by doubling the question values and adding video clues via The Clue Crew in 2001. And then a stroke of luck and good decision making came by way of lifting the five-game limit in 2003 and making it the first syndicated show to air in high-definition in 2006. But the accomplishments and achievements are mind boggling:

1992- Jerome Vered wins $34,000 to become the shows highest single-day winner which stood for more than 10 years.

1993- 11 foreign countries are producing their own version of Jeopardy.

2000- 30 countries.

2001- The dollar values double and Trebek shaves his mustache.

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Effective Marketing Strategies We Can Learn From Disney

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Did you know that Walt Disney spends 600 million on media marketing each year? This is NOT Walt Disney but the motion picture studio. However, it has garnered them 1.84M Twitter Followers and 13M Facebook Likes which kills everyone including Warner Bros. Pictures, Universal Studios, 20th Century, Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Lions gate. Disney beats out everyone so bad that the closest group is Universal studios at 2.7M Facebook Likes. Read more

Another Year of Super Bowl Commercials?

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Each year, I watch the trends of the Super Bowl commercials. This year I decided to take a poll and see what the audience thinks. The people I polled ranged in age from from ten to fifty-five years-old. I found the most popular spots to be:

  • “The 80’s Called and Wants Their Store Back” by Radio Shack
  • “Time Machine” by Doritos
  • “Puppy Love” by Budweiser
  • “Dad’s Sixth Sense” by Hyundai Genesis
  • “Wonderful Pistachios Stephen Colbert” by Wonderful Pistachios
  • “A Better Web Awaits” by Squarespace (They’re a Super Bowl newcomer.)
  • “Romance” by Chevrolet

The consensus among the twenty people I polled was that these seven spots were the clear-cut favorites. “Puppy Love”, an ad for Budweiser beer, is a great example of a feel- good spot, and I believe the world will rank this as one of the highest of this year’s Super Bowl advertisements. In years past, humor has been a key aspect to the theme of the Budweiser brand, featuring monkeys one year and babies talking the next. However, this year was very much a free-for-all.

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3 of 13 Key Marketing Initiatives

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Debbie Szwast | November 06, 2013 | Stevens & Tate

In the past few years, the retail marketplace has changed significantly. New technologies are impacting consumers’ attitudes and purchasing decisions. To stay successful, businesses need to evaluate and update their marketing strategies, programs and processes on a consistent basis. As the new year approaches is an opportune time to do so.

Stevens & Tate released a white paper discussing 13 key marketing initiatives to improve success. Below are a few items you can start focusing on today to make an impact in the upcoming year.

1. Media Plans and Strategies

The media landscape is constantly changing—new technologies and trends are emerging rapidly and existing platforms continue to evolve. This is providing new opportunities to market to your target audience. To reach today’s consumers, create a strategy that not only reaches them where they are looking, but also addresses what stage they are in the buying cycle.

Remember that media planning is not one size fits all. Develop your media strategy around your core audience, focusing on mediums where they are most engaged. However, don’t overlook the value of creating integrated campaigns with related messages across multiple platforms. This allows you to significantly increase your reach and frequency to build awareness, interest and interaction among those who matter most.

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The Connection Between Search Engine Marketing and Social Media: How They Go Hand-in-Hand to Enhance Results

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It may not be surprising that search engine marketing is the greatest way to drive traffic to your website. In fact, take a look at your website analytics right now and I can almost guarantee that search engines are among the top five producers of website traffic. Now consider this: social media—overall content, interactions, and links about your brand—plays a significant part in the search engines’ algorithms to determine search ranking results. So, even if you have questioned using social media as part of your attraction marketing strategy before, I urge to you to look more closely at the impact you could make to your brand by getting involved in social to help your search engine results.

Obviously, the goal of search engine marketing is to help make your brand show up in top rankings within the search engines when people conduct queries. There are a few key actions that you can take to help make this happen. This includes:

  1. Making sure the backend code of your website is properly optimized
  2. Enhancing your website with current, relevant content—this is a significant factor in rankings
  3. Refreshing and updating your website content frequently
  4. Including more links from outside, reputable sources that link back to your website
  5. How often your website is shared in social media
  6. How often people visit your website from social media

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