Get the Scoop on the Topics that Matter Most

Your Source For The Hottest Buzz From Around The Industry.
Creative. Media. Advertising. Marketing. Branding. Online. Search. Social. This is where you’ll find news, updates and insight on everything you need to know to keep ahead of your consumer, technology and the marketplace. Also find tips from our leadership and learn something from an advanced viewpoint—with new directors’ blog posts added every month.

There’s always something new to explore here…so check back frequently to stay up to date on the latest advertising articles. Want to talk about something you read? Get in touch with us, now.

When In the Windy City, Do as the Chicagoans Do.

There is something to be said for Chicago natives. For as much as we hate the city sometimes, we love it twice as much. Saying where you’re from comes with a sense of dignity unique to the Windy City. Your El stop is a badge of honor. The Sears Tower will always be the Sears….

Will Apple’s iTunes Radio Put a Lock on Pandora’s Box?

Apple recently announced an addition to its new iOS7 software, which will incorporate its own version of Pandora’s Internet Radio service titled, iTunes Radio. The service will function very similarly to Pandora, but will harness the data accumulated through the user’s iTunes account in order to see what music the listener currently likes, has liked….

In Life and Advertising, Can Less Be More?

We are busy. Everyone is busy. Each of us manages many different tasks throughout the day, but how often do we pause to think about what we’re really doing? Are we just checking things off our never-ending To Do list, or are we engaging mindfully in actions that will bring us closer to our goals?….

The Biggest Marketing in the History of Marketing is to get you relaxed

So a common conversation I hear often begins with “Does marketing work”? If marketing didn’t work, how did you know about the new shows or movies coming out? What signaled you that the new iPad minis were shipping? Marketing is everywhere from bands to what telephone service you choose. But in my estimation the greatest….

Is Crowdfunding as a Social Media Strategy Here to Stay or Just a Passing Fad?

Have you heard about the Veronica Mars Kickstarter miracle? In just 11 hours, the ever-loyal fan-base of the cancelled show guaranteed that their favorite adult Nancy Drew-esque sleuth would return, this time to the big screen, to the tune of $2 million. The excitement for some is palpable. What exactly is crowdfunding? Is this the sign of a….

5 Keys to Successful Social Media Marketing Campaigns

There are no hard and fast rules for social media marketing campaigns. What works well for one company could fail magnificently for another. Searching for sure-fire techniques is like searching for Amelia Earhardt, answers are out there, but they’re just really hard to find. You want buzz. You want a unique message that says, “This….

The Marketing Lesson of Lance Armstrong

Ouch! Lance Armstrong finally comes clean after lying for so many years. But how did we totally find out about the truth? Oprah Winfrey! Here is an inventive way to get the word out. However, the ratings failed. Let me put it in perspective: 34 million watched Bill and Hillary Clinton in regards to Gennifer….

Targeting The Target While They Are A Target

Here are the numbers just released: 86% of adult Americans who DO NOT want political ads tailored to their interest. The total number of display ads delivered to U.S. internet users in the first quarter of 2011-$1.11 Trillion. Today the amount of display ads are $10.9 billion. That is a staggering number to understand for….

chicago advertising agency

20 Years Later, Start Up Lessons From a Chicago Advertising Agency

Typically when you start a new business, you have no idea what you are getting into or the curves along the way. Being in this position today and having survived 20 years, I feel this list will help any new business start-up. 1. The manager is incompetent Most small businesses fail because the owner does….

Advertising Consultants Say “Why Can’t Politicians Brand Themselves?”

The other day I watched an Old Navy spot. They have used those spots to get a jingle inside your head with dancers, moving cameras, vibrant colors and of course driving home what they are selling. They completely understand the relationship between visual and hearing.