Carlton-Bates was recognized at this year’s Channel Marketing Awards. The annual event is sponsored by the National Electronic Distributors Association (NEDA) and CBC took home two awards.
In the Web Promotion category, www.carltonbates.com received a Gold. This new site is intended to serve as a “bridge” site until a complete e-commerce site launches next year.
For the Integrated Marketing category, the Platinum winner was CBC’s Energy Industry Campaign. It was an internal campaign sent to employees to excite them about the company’s potential with customers in the energy industry. Included was an eight-page brochure, microsite, a CD of high-energy music and energy bars and drinks.
Congratulations, Carlton-Bates, and thanks for letting us create award-winning work for you. We really get a charge out of it.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Almost Human
In the fast-paced, quickly outdated world of smart phones and other cellular gadgetry, one thing has remained the same over the past two years – Apple’s iPhone is all anyone seems to talk about.
And we’ve noticed there’s a reason for that. An outstanding product on its own, iPhone’s consumer-targeted marketing efforts have created a substantial amount of hype and garnered the phone immense popularity. Upon its release, its slick touch interface and clean overall design dominated others in its category. But looking past these dominant features, Apple may have done the smartest thing of all for its phone by only making one – one device, one name, one operating system and one place to buy it. To this end, Apple never had to be branded as another cell phone company; it merely projected its already stellar image on to a phone.
This new, singular offering, brought something entirely new to the table, where other cell phone companies tender devices of every size, shape and color imaginable. Further contributing to this marketing madness, many providers offer the same phones, but under different names. With this sort of confusion all around, thoughts of the iPhone dominate consumers’ minds, though it has only a 2% share in actual cell phone sales.
One company hopes they’ve found a way to fight back. Hot on the heels of “There’s a map for that” ads bashing AT&T’s seemingly inferior coverage, Verizon introduced a series of eyebrow-raising, “iDon’t” ads, criticizing the iPhone for its shortcomings and touting two phones running a whole new operating system from Google called Android. The Motorola Droid and the HTC Droid Eris are two Android-based smart phones made by two completely different manufacturers. By running the same operating system on these phones and others, Verizon has the ability to brand multiple phones under one recognizable name. Google Android is free to any cell phone maker who wants it, so it will turn up with more providers eventually, but Verizon is the first company to take these steps toward a more unified offering.
Every phone manufacturer and service provider has been looking for the elusive “iPhone-killer,” but have fallen short without the ability to brand one device. However, AT&T and Apple might finally have some competition if this line of Droid-driven phones proves half as good as its branding effort.
The lesson we learn from this and hope to apply with our clients is the need for brand simplicity and consistency. Consumers are being bombarded with too many competing messages to give them any reason not to remember your brand. And the fewer brands you have, the fewer brands you have to support. Not to mention, the more likely you will be to create brand awareness, understanding and, hopefully, preference.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
New Member of the Sells Agency Family
Laura Kuykendall, who usually just produces ads, completed a much more important project last Friday. Always willing to work past five, Laura delivered Lucy Elizabeth at 5:35 p.m. Mechanical specs were 6 lbs. 14 oz. and 20 inches long. With a full head of hair and clean bill of health from the doctor, both she and husband John seem pleased with the results. She'll be out for the next few weeks bonding with Lucy and recovering from the exhausting project. Congratulations to Laura, John and Lucy. We look forward to having Lucy intern at the Sells Agency in the summer of 2027.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
We've Got Mike Mania!
Boss's Day is this Friday, but since Mike is going to be out of town, we're celebrating today. And in full Sells Agency tradition, food is involved all day long. From donuts and biscuits and gravy for breakfast to chicken spaghetti and cheese dip for lunch – even cake for an afternoon snack – an agency-wide sugar coma is expected from the staff by 4:00 or so.
But we really do appreciate Mike as a boss, and we’re glad to take a day to show him how much. If you know Mike, you can imagine what it's like to work for him. There are no boring days with a boss whose energy level never goes below "full-blast."
Enjoy the day, Mike! Now excuse us while we treat ourselves to another piece of cake.
But we really do appreciate Mike as a boss, and we’re glad to take a day to show him how much. If you know Mike, you can imagine what it's like to work for him. There are no boring days with a boss whose energy level never goes below "full-blast."
Enjoy the day, Mike! Now excuse us while we treat ourselves to another piece of cake.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Unsocial Media
You’re one of the more successful car companies – Honda, to be exact – and you have a new vehicle debuting this fall. To build buzz, you do all the things a good marketer in 2009 would suggest. You release a few camouflaged photos to pique interest. You create a teaser website to capture emails of potential buyers. You set up a Facebook page so you can keep fans updated. There’s only one problem. When you unveil the car, people think it’s ugly.
Not borderline unattractive, but Elephant Man/Shrek/Joan Rivers ugly. It’s the 2010 Honda Crosstour, basically, an Accord sport-ute/wagon/crossover. See for yourself here. And, we admit, from some angles, it’s a car that only its mother could love. That’s the problem with social marketing. You don’t always control the message so you can’t hide the truth.
So what should you do when post after post contains comments like “very disappointed,” “betrayal of your brand heritage,” “inept PR,” and (our favorite) “if I had a wallpaper of this car, I’d have to find a way to clean vomit outta my keyboard”?
Well, Honda deleted some of the comments. Not a wise move. Honda says it was only in instances of foul language, but now they look like oversensitive censors in addition to poor auto designers.
Now all of the comments on the Facebook page weren’t bad. One fan, Eddie Okubo, wrote “Interesting design. I would get this car in a heartbeat.” Nice, huh? Well, turns out Mr. Okubo is manger of product planning at Honda. Ouch. When this was discovered, it made the company look desperate and unethical. Honda immediately removed his comments and said that it violated their policies.
But the damage is done. Honda is now about to introduce a product that has tons of buzz, but none of it good. And word is spreading about the public’s opinion of the car. Very few people will spend $30,000+ on a car that their friends and neighbors think is ugly.
What can you learn from this story? Two things: 1) Even a company like Honda can get burned by social media if the product isn’t perfect. 2) The new wave in marketing may be viral, but not all viruses are good ones.
Our advice to clients? Don’t let your desire to jump into social media get ahead of itself. While there are numerous opportunities in social media, there are just as many potential pitfalls and problems. Being “cutting edge” is great. Being cutting edge while also being strategic and successful is even better.
Not borderline unattractive, but Elephant Man/Shrek/Joan Rivers ugly. It’s the 2010 Honda Crosstour, basically, an Accord sport-ute/wagon/crossover. See for yourself here. And, we admit, from some angles, it’s a car that only its mother could love. That’s the problem with social marketing. You don’t always control the message so you can’t hide the truth.
So what should you do when post after post contains comments like “very disappointed,” “betrayal of your brand heritage,” “inept PR,” and (our favorite) “if I had a wallpaper of this car, I’d have to find a way to clean vomit outta my keyboard”?
Well, Honda deleted some of the comments. Not a wise move. Honda says it was only in instances of foul language, but now they look like oversensitive censors in addition to poor auto designers.
Now all of the comments on the Facebook page weren’t bad. One fan, Eddie Okubo, wrote “Interesting design. I would get this car in a heartbeat.” Nice, huh? Well, turns out Mr. Okubo is manger of product planning at Honda. Ouch. When this was discovered, it made the company look desperate and unethical. Honda immediately removed his comments and said that it violated their policies.
But the damage is done. Honda is now about to introduce a product that has tons of buzz, but none of it good. And word is spreading about the public’s opinion of the car. Very few people will spend $30,000+ on a car that their friends and neighbors think is ugly.
What can you learn from this story? Two things: 1) Even a company like Honda can get burned by social media if the product isn’t perfect. 2) The new wave in marketing may be viral, but not all viruses are good ones.
Our advice to clients? Don’t let your desire to jump into social media get ahead of itself. While there are numerous opportunities in social media, there are just as many potential pitfalls and problems. Being “cutting edge” is great. Being cutting edge while also being strategic and successful is even better.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Movies We Love
Around here, we’re all fans of cinema in one form or another. Though our tastes may differ, there is one genre on which we can all agree. Elusive and never screening nearby, it’s the independent film or documentary highlighting our craft. Design, typography, copy, form and function – many a fascinating plot has unfolded within the story of advertising.
A favorite and resident of many of our DVD collections, "Helvetica" is a feature-length independent film centered on the prolific rise of one typeface and the way type, as well as design and global visual culture, affects our lives. Love it, hate it or even notice it, Helvetica is a big part of our world. How big? Watch.
Also from director Gary Hustwit, "Objectified" has raised many an agency eyebrow. This feature-length documentary moves the focus of design critique from the page to the everyday, examining the form of the physical objects that fill our lives. The film has been screening in select cities since March and will be available on DVD soon. It is the second of a three-part “design trilogy” with details on the third film “to be released soon.”
Among the new and noteworthy, "Art and Copy" was released in August after several film festival stops, and trailers have us pining for a local screening. In the film, director Doug Pray introduces the creatives behind some of the most recognizable and significant campaigns of our time – from “Just Do It” and “I Love NY” to “Got Milk?” and “Think Different.” Hear the stories of how these radical thinkers influenced millions while maintaining relative obscurity outside the industry. It’s the ultimate inside look at agency life and the birthplace of big ideas. If you’re near us and you’d like to take a look, email gotinfo@artandcopyfilm.org to ask for a screening in Little Rock.
And finally, our favorite type foundry, House Industries, has a new film in the works. Details are few, but check out this preview featuring the late, great Ed Rondthaler and his thoughts on the clarity of the English language.
A favorite and resident of many of our DVD collections, "Helvetica" is a feature-length independent film centered on the prolific rise of one typeface and the way type, as well as design and global visual culture, affects our lives. Love it, hate it or even notice it, Helvetica is a big part of our world. How big? Watch.
Also from director Gary Hustwit, "Objectified" has raised many an agency eyebrow. This feature-length documentary moves the focus of design critique from the page to the everyday, examining the form of the physical objects that fill our lives. The film has been screening in select cities since March and will be available on DVD soon. It is the second of a three-part “design trilogy” with details on the third film “to be released soon.”
Among the new and noteworthy, "Art and Copy" was released in August after several film festival stops, and trailers have us pining for a local screening. In the film, director Doug Pray introduces the creatives behind some of the most recognizable and significant campaigns of our time – from “Just Do It” and “I Love NY” to “Got Milk?” and “Think Different.” Hear the stories of how these radical thinkers influenced millions while maintaining relative obscurity outside the industry. It’s the ultimate inside look at agency life and the birthplace of big ideas. If you’re near us and you’d like to take a look, email gotinfo@artandcopyfilm.org to ask for a screening in Little Rock.
And finally, our favorite type foundry, House Industries, has a new film in the works. Details are few, but check out this preview featuring the late, great Ed Rondthaler and his thoughts on the clarity of the English language.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
And we shall name it “Stevie.”
A direct mail piece that we created for Acxiom was a recent winner in the national Stevie Awards, also known by the less interesting name of the American Business Awards. Competing against companies from across the nation, Acxiom’s mailer took home the trophy in the category of “Best Marketing or Sales Brochure or Kit.”
This complex piece was part of the company’s efforts to increase awareness of the company’s broadening role in integrated marketing initiatives through multi-channels. The target audience was influential industry analysts and media.
The piece included a large, metal box, printed on the cover with a mosaic representation of Acxiom’s iconic ‘X.’ Inside were collateral pieces that outlined Acxiom’s capabilities and a video player which included a presentation from John Meyer, CEO and President.
Pictures don’t do it justice. Call us and we’ll be glad to show you the real thing.
This complex piece was part of the company’s efforts to increase awareness of the company’s broadening role in integrated marketing initiatives through multi-channels. The target audience was influential industry analysts and media.
The piece included a large, metal box, printed on the cover with a mosaic representation of Acxiom’s iconic ‘X.’ Inside were collateral pieces that outlined Acxiom’s capabilities and a video player which included a presentation from John Meyer, CEO and President.
Pictures don’t do it justice. Call us and we’ll be glad to show you the real thing.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
What's Not in a Name?
In today’s ultra-abbreviated, text message-directed world, shorter is synonymous with cooler. From common contractions to the most outlandish of acronyms, full-sized words no longer stand a chance.
As marketers take note of the public’s tendency to truncate its terminology, the names of many popular businesses have shed letters in response. Take, for instance, Kentucky Fried Chicken or the International House of Pancakes. There was a time when consumers had to wade through these mouthfuls just to get their hands on a cardboard bucket of chicken or a buttermilk short stack. The less cumbersome names KFC and IHOP not only reflect patrons’ preferences, but also help cast a younger, more modern glow on the companies.
McDonald’s has responded similarly, to a smaller degree, by referring to themselves as “Mickey D’s” in some advertising. Though the name change is unofficial, it is fueled by consumers’ popular vote. It’s a logical progression that will surely appeal to the company’s younger targets.
However, a name change has been known to backfire on a business, often when the move is made without the blessing of the consumer. Let’s take a look at UPS, who recently attempted to reinvent itself as “Brown” in advertising. Though certainly the most appropriate color choice, its use as a name does not create a very memorable impression of the already familiar, already abbreviated company.
Also flirting with this dilemma is beloved chain pizza parlor, Pizza Hut, who is currently test-marketing a switch to “The Hut.” The motivation for such a change can’t be to shorten the name. “The Hut” only subtracts two letters from the equation, but adds elements of ambiguity and inevitable confusion from franchise faithful. In the case of “The Hut,” hoards of text-enabled teens might be most attracted by lowered prices on their latest stuffed, oddly shaped or otherwise incongruous pies.
In short, the positive results are plenty when a trimmer, trendier business name is applied properly. Consumers feel involved, established companies maintain their relevance and to-go orders take much less time. But if we’ve learned anything from UPS and Pizza Hut, it’s that this process is most successful when started by consumers and driven by their words. Words like, “If it ain’t broke…”
As marketers take note of the public’s tendency to truncate its terminology, the names of many popular businesses have shed letters in response. Take, for instance, Kentucky Fried Chicken or the International House of Pancakes. There was a time when consumers had to wade through these mouthfuls just to get their hands on a cardboard bucket of chicken or a buttermilk short stack. The less cumbersome names KFC and IHOP not only reflect patrons’ preferences, but also help cast a younger, more modern glow on the companies.
McDonald’s has responded similarly, to a smaller degree, by referring to themselves as “Mickey D’s” in some advertising. Though the name change is unofficial, it is fueled by consumers’ popular vote. It’s a logical progression that will surely appeal to the company’s younger targets.
However, a name change has been known to backfire on a business, often when the move is made without the blessing of the consumer. Let’s take a look at UPS, who recently attempted to reinvent itself as “Brown” in advertising. Though certainly the most appropriate color choice, its use as a name does not create a very memorable impression of the already familiar, already abbreviated company.
Also flirting with this dilemma is beloved chain pizza parlor, Pizza Hut, who is currently test-marketing a switch to “The Hut.” The motivation for such a change can’t be to shorten the name. “The Hut” only subtracts two letters from the equation, but adds elements of ambiguity and inevitable confusion from franchise faithful. In the case of “The Hut,” hoards of text-enabled teens might be most attracted by lowered prices on their latest stuffed, oddly shaped or otherwise incongruous pies.
In short, the positive results are plenty when a trimmer, trendier business name is applied properly. Consumers feel involved, established companies maintain their relevance and to-go orders take much less time. But if we’ve learned anything from UPS and Pizza Hut, it’s that this process is most successful when started by consumers and driven by their words. Words like, “If it ain’t broke…”
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Hey! Look! More awards were deposited into our account!
Last week, the Arkansas Bank Marketing Association presented the winners of their annual awards, recognizing the best creative for the state’s financial institutions. The Sells Agency is pleased to announce that we received 13 awards, plus four judges’ awards (including “Best of Show”).
Being honored by the bank marketing industry is a great feeling. Even better is that all three of our banking clients were recognized: Arvest Bank, Centennial Bank and Southern Bancorp. You’ll also notice that the winning creative came in a wide range of media, including print, television, radio, outdoor and interactive.
Here is a complete list of winning work from the Sells Agency. The next step is the National Bank Marketing Awards, to be announced in September. You can bet that we’ll keep you posted.
Winner – Centennial Bank “Annual Report” for Collateral
Winner – Arvest Bank “Hybrid Giveaway Microsite” for Electronic Media
Winner – Southern Bancorp “Southern Hospitality Newspaper” for Newspaper/Color
Winner – Centennial Bank “Hot Dog Ad” for Newspaper/Color
Winner – Centennial Bank “Outdoor Name Change Campaign” for Outdoor
Honorable Mention – Centennial Bank “Bug and Mobile Branch Wraps” for Outdoor
Winner – Centennial Bank “Name Change Radio” for Radio/Single Entry
Winner – Southern Bancorp “Southern Hospitality TV” for TV/Single Entry
Winner – Arvest “Changing World Business” for TV/Single Entry
Honorable Mention – Arvest “Changing World Consumer” for TV/Single Entry
Winner – Southern Bancorp “Arkadelphia Campaign” for TV Campaign
Winner – Arvest Bank “Changing World Campaign” for TV Campaign
Honorable Mention – Centennial Bank “Name Change Campaign” for Total Campaign
Best of Print – Centennial Bank “Hot Dog Ad”
Best of Radio – Centennial Bank “Name Change Radio”
Best of Television – Arvest Bank “Changing World Campaign”
Best of Show – Arvest Bank “Changing World Campaign”
Being honored by the bank marketing industry is a great feeling. Even better is that all three of our banking clients were recognized: Arvest Bank, Centennial Bank and Southern Bancorp. You’ll also notice that the winning creative came in a wide range of media, including print, television, radio, outdoor and interactive.
Here is a complete list of winning work from the Sells Agency. The next step is the National Bank Marketing Awards, to be announced in September. You can bet that we’ll keep you posted.
Winner – Centennial Bank “Annual Report” for Collateral
Winner – Arvest Bank “Hybrid Giveaway Microsite” for Electronic Media
Winner – Southern Bancorp “Southern Hospitality Newspaper” for Newspaper/Color
Winner – Centennial Bank “Hot Dog Ad” for Newspaper/Color
Winner – Centennial Bank “Outdoor Name Change Campaign” for Outdoor
Honorable Mention – Centennial Bank “Bug and Mobile Branch Wraps” for Outdoor
Winner – Centennial Bank “Name Change Radio” for Radio/Single Entry
Winner – Southern Bancorp “Southern Hospitality TV” for TV/Single Entry
Winner – Arvest “Changing World Business” for TV/Single Entry
Honorable Mention – Arvest “Changing World Consumer” for TV/Single Entry
Winner – Southern Bancorp “Arkadelphia Campaign” for TV Campaign
Winner – Arvest Bank “Changing World Campaign” for TV Campaign
Honorable Mention – Centennial Bank “Name Change Campaign” for Total Campaign
Best of Print – Centennial Bank “Hot Dog Ad”
Best of Radio – Centennial Bank “Name Change Radio”
Best of Television – Arvest Bank “Changing World Campaign”
Best of Show – Arvest Bank “Changing World Campaign”
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Boob Tube Still King
For you marketers out there who may think traditional TV has been overturned as the king of media – think again.
According to a recent study commissioned by the Nielsen-backed Council for Research Excellence, consumers on average spend 67% of their daily media time with TV. Even 18- to 24-year-olds – who spend more time with mobile and other out-of-home media than any other group in the survey – spend a majority of their screen-time with TV (56%).
But surprisingly, those in the youngest group were not the biggest users of computers. That distinction goes to 35- to 44-year-olds. This group spends almost 40% of their screen-time with computers, by far the largest percentage among the various groups. But even among these heavy-users, television still received the lion’s share of attention (almost 55%).
We could break down newspaper and radio usage and find similar stories of so-called old school media maintaining dominance in the very different environment of today. How all of these percentages will shake out in the near-future remains to be seen. Mobile, for example, has only just begun to make its presence known. But for today, at least, new isn’t necessarily better.
Daily minutes spent with four screens:
Source: Ball State University Center for Media Design, Sequent Partners
According to a recent study commissioned by the Nielsen-backed Council for Research Excellence, consumers on average spend 67% of their daily media time with TV. Even 18- to 24-year-olds – who spend more time with mobile and other out-of-home media than any other group in the survey – spend a majority of their screen-time with TV (56%).
But surprisingly, those in the youngest group were not the biggest users of computers. That distinction goes to 35- to 44-year-olds. This group spends almost 40% of their screen-time with computers, by far the largest percentage among the various groups. But even among these heavy-users, television still received the lion’s share of attention (almost 55%).
We could break down newspaper and radio usage and find similar stories of so-called old school media maintaining dominance in the very different environment of today. How all of these percentages will shake out in the near-future remains to be seen. Mobile, for example, has only just begun to make its presence known. But for today, at least, new isn’t necessarily better.
Daily minutes spent with four screens:
Source: Ball State University Center for Media Design, Sequent Partners
Friday, May 1, 2009
We Think Bob-Bob Would Be Proud
We’re not sure how many of you remember, but this full-service advertising agency started out as a formidable public relations firm, Bob Sells Public Relations. Over the years, and following the “retirement” of the senior Sells, we took on more and more advertising and marketing clients and the agency’s primary focus shifted.
Knowing how vital public and media relations are to any well-executed marketing plan, we’ve been working with clients to place more emphasis on long-term PR efforts. It’s been exciting to get back to our roots! We’re still that full-service agency you’ve always loved and trusted, but we’ve beefed up our PR department and people are taking notice.
Most recently, the Northwest Arkansas PRSA chapter took notice at their annual APEX awards, held on April 29. The Sells Agency received three out of 14 awards given for outstanding work in the PR/Communications field. No other agency received more!
We were honored for our work on the city of Fayetteville’s eNewsletter, Mercy Health System’s “Move to Mercy” press kit and Mercy Health System’s “Sister Anita” illustration. We’d like to thank these clients for all of the hard work they put into these projects and for recognizing that dedication to public and media relations will long outlast the effects of any one campaign.
Isn’t that right, Bob-Bob!
Knowing how vital public and media relations are to any well-executed marketing plan, we’ve been working with clients to place more emphasis on long-term PR efforts. It’s been exciting to get back to our roots! We’re still that full-service agency you’ve always loved and trusted, but we’ve beefed up our PR department and people are taking notice.
Most recently, the Northwest Arkansas PRSA chapter took notice at their annual APEX awards, held on April 29. The Sells Agency received three out of 14 awards given for outstanding work in the PR/Communications field. No other agency received more!
We were honored for our work on the city of Fayetteville’s eNewsletter, Mercy Health System’s “Move to Mercy” press kit and Mercy Health System’s “Sister Anita” illustration. We’d like to thank these clients for all of the hard work they put into these projects and for recognizing that dedication to public and media relations will long outlast the effects of any one campaign.
Isn’t that right, Bob-Bob!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
In Honor of AmberFest
Today we celebrate the agency's most recognizable face – the person who this office could not survive without and the one whose vacation week sends us into sheer panic. Today we celebrate Amber.
We at the agency think our chipper-voiced, problem-solving office manager is so deserving of praise that we host a special event in her honor. Around here, April 22nd is known as “AmberFest,” the year’s most anticipated day. Perfectly planned potlucks for breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack help us celebrate the amazing woman who always keeps us on our toes. If we’re not as attentive as we should be today, we’re probably telling Amber how much we appreciate her and how wonderful she is. Or we might be asleep from all the food we’ve eaten.
If you talk to Amber today, feel free to tell her how you appreciate her, too. And happy Administrative Professionals Day to all of the wonderful people who keep offices everywhere from falling apart.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
A New Face for Fayetteville
The Fayetteville A&P Commission has decided to re-brand its logo along with a new tagline with the goal of attracting more visitors to the travel destination in Northwest Arkansas.
Fayetteville is a great place to visit and we want everyone to know what the city has to offer. Because the Razorback brand dominates recognition throughout the area, we determined during the GOST planning process that there was no better way to attract tourism to Fayetteville than by leveraging Razorback red.
The new logo features “Fayetteville,” the most important aspect, in a red collegiate font and the tagline “Are You Feeling Fayetteville.” The Fayetteville A&P hopes that this logo redesign will help highlight what gives the city its unique feeling:
• Fayetteville is a stand-alone getaway experience
• There is a loyal following of the Razorback brand
• Fayetteville is a destination beyond sporting events
This classic logo design combined with the new ad campaign captures the essence of Fayetteville that includes art admirers and football fanatics. See the logo for yourself here, and check out the campaign on our home page under “Recent Work.”
Fayetteville is a great place to visit and we want everyone to know what the city has to offer. Because the Razorback brand dominates recognition throughout the area, we determined during the GOST planning process that there was no better way to attract tourism to Fayetteville than by leveraging Razorback red.
The new logo features “Fayetteville,” the most important aspect, in a red collegiate font and the tagline “Are You Feeling Fayetteville.” The Fayetteville A&P hopes that this logo redesign will help highlight what gives the city its unique feeling:
• Fayetteville is a stand-alone getaway experience
• There is a loyal following of the Razorback brand
• Fayetteville is a destination beyond sporting events
This classic logo design combined with the new ad campaign captures the essence of Fayetteville that includes art admirers and football fanatics. See the logo for yourself here, and check out the campaign on our home page under “Recent Work.”
Friday, March 13, 2009
If a Tweet falls in the forest
To marketers, the appeal of social networking isn’t hard to recognize. A quick and usually free opportunity to promote your product may sound like a great idea, but too often, marketers get what they pay for. The effectiveness of these efforts still falls short when compared to that of well-executed creative and well-timed media.
We’re not saying there’s no value to social network marketing. It can be a powerful tool when used to reinforce existing impressions and brand loyalty. Users may want to follow upcoming Riverfest events on Twitter, or Facebook fans might look forward to news about the Race for the Cure in their area. Established brands like these can easily keep devotees up-to-date through social networks.
But capturing the attention of new followers still presents the biggest challenge. Even the most intricate fan page can’t replace the original impression that only a campaign makes. If you’re looking to make such an impression, let us know. We’ll have a solution that’s not limited to 140 characters.
We’re not saying there’s no value to social network marketing. It can be a powerful tool when used to reinforce existing impressions and brand loyalty. Users may want to follow upcoming Riverfest events on Twitter, or Facebook fans might look forward to news about the Race for the Cure in their area. Established brands like these can easily keep devotees up-to-date through social networks.
But capturing the attention of new followers still presents the biggest challenge. Even the most intricate fan page can’t replace the original impression that only a campaign makes. If you’re looking to make such an impression, let us know. We’ll have a solution that’s not limited to 140 characters.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Beautiful car. Shame it won’t go.
Auto shows are places where manufacturers show off their latest ideas with what they call ‘concept cars.’ They’re sleek, pretty and most always completely impractical. Because these vehicles are never meant to be driven, they often don’t start or even offer the potential to propel themselves in any kind of forward motion.
Unfortunately, many advertising campaigns work the same way. They are great ‘concepts,’ but they’re never meant to actually do any of the work that’s required of a campaign.
We’ve all seen an ad that fits this description – it’s clever, it’s entertaining, you even tell your friends later. But when someone asks you whom the ad was for, you have no idea. At best, you may know what category, but you aren’t sure which company or product specifically.
Think about ads you’ve seen and liked. It’s easy to remember that the ad during the Super Bowl was for an employment site, but was it CareerBuilder, Monster or HotJobs? Was the energy drink on the outdoor board Red Bull or Rockstar? Was the ad in the fashion magazine for Diesel, Lucky or Gap?
As we’ve said before, clarity of message is important if you want to build a brand. You need to visually separate yourself from the competition and then reinforce that with a unique message. Advertising must do all of these things, not simply entertain people. Look at your current campaign. Is it readily identifiable as your brand? If not, then you may have a problem. Could its message apply to any of your competitors? If so, then you definitely have a problem.
It doesn’t matter how entertaining of an ad you have. Just as concept cars are interesting, so are the concepts behind these types of ads. But until they’re fleshed out with a driving message that propels people to take action for your specific product, then they’re nothing more than flashy smoke and mirrors that will never be seen outside of the auto show. And, these days, is the auto industry really worth emulating?
Unfortunately, many advertising campaigns work the same way. They are great ‘concepts,’ but they’re never meant to actually do any of the work that’s required of a campaign.
We’ve all seen an ad that fits this description – it’s clever, it’s entertaining, you even tell your friends later. But when someone asks you whom the ad was for, you have no idea. At best, you may know what category, but you aren’t sure which company or product specifically.
Think about ads you’ve seen and liked. It’s easy to remember that the ad during the Super Bowl was for an employment site, but was it CareerBuilder, Monster or HotJobs? Was the energy drink on the outdoor board Red Bull or Rockstar? Was the ad in the fashion magazine for Diesel, Lucky or Gap?
As we’ve said before, clarity of message is important if you want to build a brand. You need to visually separate yourself from the competition and then reinforce that with a unique message. Advertising must do all of these things, not simply entertain people. Look at your current campaign. Is it readily identifiable as your brand? If not, then you may have a problem. Could its message apply to any of your competitors? If so, then you definitely have a problem.
It doesn’t matter how entertaining of an ad you have. Just as concept cars are interesting, so are the concepts behind these types of ads. But until they’re fleshed out with a driving message that propels people to take action for your specific product, then they’re nothing more than flashy smoke and mirrors that will never be seen outside of the auto show. And, these days, is the auto industry really worth emulating?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
We’re not in it for the awards, but if you’re handing them out anyway…
This past weekend, an industry came together for a night of glamour, awards and somewhat formal festivities. No, we’re not talking about the Oscars – although rumor has it those happened this weekend, too. We’re talking about the Addy Awards.
Sponsored by the American Advertising Federation, local Addys are sponsored by ad clubs all across the country. Ceremonies were held this past weekend in both Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas, and the Sells Agency came away winners in both competitions.
Now, we always say that we don’t create ads for the sake of winning awards. And that’s true. But we still enjoy seeing how our creative stacks up against the competition.
This year, it stacked up pretty well. In the Little Rock competition, we won eight awards – more than any other agency – including four gold, two silver and two bronze. Add in our silver from NWA, and that’s a total of nine awards for five different clients. Here are the details:
Gold – Arvest "Changing World" for National TV Campaign
Gold – Arvest "Changing World" for Special Effects
Gold – Acxiom "Jump drive Mailer" for B2B DM, Flat
Gold – Acxiom "Media Kit Mailer" for B2B DM, Dimensional
Silver – Change for the Better "Poster" for Public Service Poster
Silver – Acxiom "InfoBase-X" for Photography, Color
Silver – HealthSouth "Print Campaign" for Photography, Color
Bronze – Acxiom Corporation "Acxiomimage.com" for Micro or Mini Sites
Bronze – Centennial Bank "$100 Hot Dog Ad" for Newspaper, Fractional Page, Color
Congrats to all those who were honored. The gold winners will move on to the district competition in April. Of course, we’ll keep you posted on those results. Now, back to work creating next year’s winners.
Sponsored by the American Advertising Federation, local Addys are sponsored by ad clubs all across the country. Ceremonies were held this past weekend in both Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas, and the Sells Agency came away winners in both competitions.
Now, we always say that we don’t create ads for the sake of winning awards. And that’s true. But we still enjoy seeing how our creative stacks up against the competition.
This year, it stacked up pretty well. In the Little Rock competition, we won eight awards – more than any other agency – including four gold, two silver and two bronze. Add in our silver from NWA, and that’s a total of nine awards for five different clients. Here are the details:
Gold – Arvest "Changing World" for National TV Campaign
Gold – Arvest "Changing World" for Special Effects
Gold – Acxiom "Jump drive Mailer" for B2B DM, Flat
Gold – Acxiom "Media Kit Mailer" for B2B DM, Dimensional
Silver – Change for the Better "Poster" for Public Service Poster
Silver – Acxiom "InfoBase-X" for Photography, Color
Silver – HealthSouth "Print Campaign" for Photography, Color
Bronze – Acxiom Corporation "Acxiomimage.com" for Micro or Mini Sites
Bronze – Centennial Bank "$100 Hot Dog Ad" for Newspaper, Fractional Page, Color
Congrats to all those who were honored. The gold winners will move on to the district competition in April. Of course, we’ll keep you posted on those results. Now, back to work creating next year’s winners.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The Evolution of an Agency
We just received a phone call from a vendor that went something like this:
Vendor: “Is Sue there?”
Me: “This is she.”
Vendor: “I tried to send you an email regarding last year’s so-and-so project, and it bounced back.”
Me: “Oh, are you calling for Sue Smith or Sue Watson?”
Vendor: “I’m looking for Sue Jones.”
Me: “You’ve found her. Jones is my maiden name.”
Vendor: “May I have your new email address?”
Me: “Yes, it’s still my first name and ends in @sellsagency.com, but I work in a different department now, so you’ll want to speak with Dan about that project.“
The point is that there has been a lot of change at 513 Center Street in the past several months. Some of us have switched departments, as well as last names, some of us have received well-deserved promotions, some of us are brand-spankin’ new and settling in nicely, and one of us just moved to Denver (the rest of us could’ve done without the latter)!
Heck, even the agency has a new name. Luckily for us, the changes have been good! Even in this tough economy, we’ve had the need to add additional staff members, managed to reach the $11 million mark in capitalized billings for the first time, and business continues to move at a comfortable, break-neck speed. That’s our favorite speed, by the way.
What we’re trying to say is, we’re evolving. And we bet your company is, too. If you’d like to evolve and grow together, give us a call. We promise to make that call as unconfusing as possible.
Vendor: “Is Sue there?”
Me: “This is she.”
Vendor: “I tried to send you an email regarding last year’s so-and-so project, and it bounced back.”
Me: “Oh, are you calling for Sue Smith or Sue Watson?”
Vendor: “I’m looking for Sue Jones.”
Me: “You’ve found her. Jones is my maiden name.”
Vendor: “May I have your new email address?”
Me: “Yes, it’s still my first name and ends in @sellsagency.com, but I work in a different department now, so you’ll want to speak with Dan about that project.“
The point is that there has been a lot of change at 513 Center Street in the past several months. Some of us have switched departments, as well as last names, some of us have received well-deserved promotions, some of us are brand-spankin’ new and settling in nicely, and one of us just moved to Denver (the rest of us could’ve done without the latter)!
Heck, even the agency has a new name. Luckily for us, the changes have been good! Even in this tough economy, we’ve had the need to add additional staff members, managed to reach the $11 million mark in capitalized billings for the first time, and business continues to move at a comfortable, break-neck speed. That’s our favorite speed, by the way.
What we’re trying to say is, we’re evolving. And we bet your company is, too. If you’d like to evolve and grow together, give us a call. We promise to make that call as unconfusing as possible.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Summing-Up the Super Bowl
Advertising’s biggest day has come and gone. The general consensus around the Sells Agency is that the Super Bowl ads may not have met the public’s (possibly) unreasonably high expectations, but they still made the most of the only time of the year where people don’t even think of fast-forwarding through the commercials.
At $3 million for one :30 spot, this is not the time to blow it with mediocre creative. And, while a few did, others managed to stand out. If you need to refresh your memory, visit www.superbowl-ads.com. Otherwise, our insightful observations may be lost on you.
Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head made comic headway, so to speak, in delivering Bridgestone’s message, while the E*TRADE baby brought a friend. Hilarity ensued. Alec Baldwin was perfect as Hulu.com’s spokesperson, and was probably seen by a larger audience than every episode of 30 Rock combined. Coke Zero continued its fake battle with Coca-Cola by parodying Coke’s Mean Joe Green Super Bowl commercial from 1980. We laughed and were nostalgic at the same time.
We were mildly amused by Teleflora’s talking roses and found no creativity whatsoever in Go Daddy’s annual bad-acting extravaganza (but we did go to their website to view the “uncensored” spot, and they are now #1 in their industry – hey, we didn’t say it wasn’t effective).
While the spot itself was pretty funny, the best delivery of message may have been from Denny’s. The Sells Agency staff came close to taking the chain up on their “Free Grand Slam” breakfast offer, but thought better of the idea when we imagined how many people with time on their hands would spend the morning in search of a free meal. And they did – lines were reportedly out the door all over the country. And news coverage was priceless.
Proving that good things come in small packages – Miller High Life’s one-second gimmick worked like a charm. We were watching to see if and when it would really appear and buzz was growing before the spot ever aired. For delivering value, Miller was clearly the winner. See the ad – and some that didn’t air – at www.1secondad.com.
Overall, the result was good buzz, some funny jokes and a great addition to an already exciting game. And, of course, free breakfast.
At $3 million for one :30 spot, this is not the time to blow it with mediocre creative. And, while a few did, others managed to stand out. If you need to refresh your memory, visit www.superbowl-ads.com. Otherwise, our insightful observations may be lost on you.
Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head made comic headway, so to speak, in delivering Bridgestone’s message, while the E*TRADE baby brought a friend. Hilarity ensued. Alec Baldwin was perfect as Hulu.com’s spokesperson, and was probably seen by a larger audience than every episode of 30 Rock combined. Coke Zero continued its fake battle with Coca-Cola by parodying Coke’s Mean Joe Green Super Bowl commercial from 1980. We laughed and were nostalgic at the same time.
We were mildly amused by Teleflora’s talking roses and found no creativity whatsoever in Go Daddy’s annual bad-acting extravaganza (but we did go to their website to view the “uncensored” spot, and they are now #1 in their industry – hey, we didn’t say it wasn’t effective).
While the spot itself was pretty funny, the best delivery of message may have been from Denny’s. The Sells Agency staff came close to taking the chain up on their “Free Grand Slam” breakfast offer, but thought better of the idea when we imagined how many people with time on their hands would spend the morning in search of a free meal. And they did – lines were reportedly out the door all over the country. And news coverage was priceless.
Proving that good things come in small packages – Miller High Life’s one-second gimmick worked like a charm. We were watching to see if and when it would really appear and buzz was growing before the spot ever aired. For delivering value, Miller was clearly the winner. See the ad – and some that didn’t air – at www.1secondad.com.
Overall, the result was good buzz, some funny jokes and a great addition to an already exciting game. And, of course, free breakfast.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
A million dollar logo?
Let’s first agree that art is subjective. Your Jackson Pollock is another person’s 1st grade art project… And, so the camps are divided on whether or not Pepsi’s new logo, which is said to have taken five months and upwards of a million dollars to produce, is creative genius or just a big waste of money. It’s only their eleventh logo in 110 years of doing business and most likely their most expensive rebranding effort to-date. This led us to muse on what the client estimate for this logo must’ve looked like!
Here are, what we consider to be, the most clever and the most offensive aspects of the new logo and the pseudo charges associated with each idea:
Type Setting, $250k – the typeface has gone from its long-standing, all caps version to a more modern, all lowercase font. We like the change. In addition, the “wave” from the previous logo’s white interior band is mimicked in the “e” of the new typeface. Good attention to detail.
Pepsi Icon, $500k – According to Advertising Age, the new icons (yes, there are three of them) represent varying degrees of a smile. Notice on the bottles below how the white “wave” changes size. Diet Pepsi gets a “grin,” Pepsi gets a “smile” and Pepsi Max gets a full-blown “laugh.” So, what does that say about the drink itself? Diet Pepsi will make the consumer slightly happy, while Pepsi Max makes them laugh uncontrollably? It’s also important to note that Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max both have “0” calories and Diet Pepsi and Pepsi have the same caffeine content – so why the different degrees of happiness?
Bottle Design, $250k – In both the current bottle design and the previous bottle design, the dominant feature of each icon, the “wave,” is replicated on the plastic container. Alas, the execution of the most recognizable element of one of the world’s most recognizable brands went too far. In our humble opinion, the bottle design would’ve related better to the new logo had it stayed the same.
Take a look at the images below and decide for yourself. We think we could’ve done just as well with a much more down-to-earth budget. Oh, wait – we already do!
Type Setting, $250k – the typeface has gone from its long-standing, all caps version to a more modern, all lowercase font. We like the change. In addition, the “wave” from the previous logo’s white interior band is mimicked in the “e” of the new typeface. Good attention to detail.
Pepsi Icon, $500k – According to Advertising Age, the new icons (yes, there are three of them) represent varying degrees of a smile. Notice on the bottles below how the white “wave” changes size. Diet Pepsi gets a “grin,” Pepsi gets a “smile” and Pepsi Max gets a full-blown “laugh.” So, what does that say about the drink itself? Diet Pepsi will make the consumer slightly happy, while Pepsi Max makes them laugh uncontrollably? It’s also important to note that Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max both have “0” calories and Diet Pepsi and Pepsi have the same caffeine content – so why the different degrees of happiness?
Bottle Design, $250k – In both the current bottle design and the previous bottle design, the dominant feature of each icon, the “wave,” is replicated on the plastic container. Alas, the execution of the most recognizable element of one of the world’s most recognizable brands went too far. In our humble opinion, the bottle design would’ve related better to the new logo had it stayed the same.
Take a look at the images below and decide for yourself. We think we could’ve done just as well with a much more down-to-earth budget. Oh, wait – we already do!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
What does 2009 hold for marketers and agencies?
Interesting story in the Jan. 5 edition of the Wall Street Journal under the headline, “Ads to Go Leaner, Meaner in ’09.” The upshot is: that in times of economic hardship, marketers will be forced to do more with less and focus on getting results.
Sounds reasonable enough, but it makes me wonder why it takes a recession to get national marketers and their agencies to focus on getting the best results possible within reasonable budget restraints. That’s what we’ve been doing for our clients since…well, since we had clients.
You know, there seems to be a disconnect between how business has been conducted on the coasts versus here in the middle of the country. Giant mortgage companies were making home loans to people without requiring a down payment or proof of income or even payments against their principal. Now they wonder how things got so bad. Investment firms were buying and selling things they couldn’t even explain – many of which were basically a giant glob of the aforementioned home loans. Now they wonder why they are going out of business. And now, in this WSJ article, we read how the giant marketing agencies that have been spending bazillion dollar budgets without focusing on getting results are expecting lean times in 2009.
Reading this story makes me so appreciative of our clients and the relationships we have developed with them over the years. To have clients who are focused on getting results and expect their agency to do the same is such a blessing. As we look ahead to 2009, we anticipate that we will continue to do more with less compared to any of our coastal friends and most of our local peers. We also anticipate that we will continue to focus on getting results for our clients. After all, that’s what we do every day. No news here.
Sounds reasonable enough, but it makes me wonder why it takes a recession to get national marketers and their agencies to focus on getting the best results possible within reasonable budget restraints. That’s what we’ve been doing for our clients since…well, since we had clients.
You know, there seems to be a disconnect between how business has been conducted on the coasts versus here in the middle of the country. Giant mortgage companies were making home loans to people without requiring a down payment or proof of income or even payments against their principal. Now they wonder how things got so bad. Investment firms were buying and selling things they couldn’t even explain – many of which were basically a giant glob of the aforementioned home loans. Now they wonder why they are going out of business. And now, in this WSJ article, we read how the giant marketing agencies that have been spending bazillion dollar budgets without focusing on getting results are expecting lean times in 2009.
Reading this story makes me so appreciative of our clients and the relationships we have developed with them over the years. To have clients who are focused on getting results and expect their agency to do the same is such a blessing. As we look ahead to 2009, we anticipate that we will continue to do more with less compared to any of our coastal friends and most of our local peers. We also anticipate that we will continue to focus on getting results for our clients. After all, that’s what we do every day. No news here.
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