Always a bridesmaid...

The Sells Agency was a finalist for Arkansas Business' Business of the Year award last night. While we didn't bring home the trophy, we still feel like winners. Though it may sound cliché, it really is an honor just to be nominated. Being one of five finalists is something to be proud of, plus we had a good time at the banquet. It was a great reason to break out the suits. Congratulations to the Category One winner, Custom XM printing, and to all of the winners.

Sells Agency a winner in two Addy competitions

Saturday night was Addy night in Little Rock and NWA. We attended both and came home with multiple trophies for several clients including Arvest, Rx Solutions, Mercy Health, TAC Air and even our own agency brochure.

The final results between the two competitions are:
One Gold Addy
Two Silver Addys
Five Bronze Addys
and the People's Choice Award

Congratulations to the creative department, the agency overall and to our clients. Without them, none of these awards would have been possible.

Products of our Hard Work

We love being part of new projects. Whether it’s creating a new look for a client we’ve known a long time, or starting from scratch with one we’ve just met, it’s gratifying to see our ideas grow the legs they need to be successful. We’ve been working closely with one of our newest clients, US CosmeCeuticals, to give their brand new skin care line, Rx Solutions, its own unique personality and introduce it to a test market.

When Conway-based US CosmeCeuticals contacted us last spring about marketing their skin care line, we were excited about the opportunity as well as the challenges that come with branding a completely new product. Already part of a reputable compounding pharmacy within the community, they were armed with an innovative, high-quality product and an always-motivated, “whatever it takes” attitude. What they needed from us was direction, and we were happy to provide the clarity they’d yet been unable to find.

Following some preliminary planning and research, we began developing the brand and messaging. Our first challenge was determining the best way to present consumers the benefits of such a scientific product in an easily digestible manner, like that of most beauty products. For this we created a labeling system which made the products associated with each skin type immediately identifiable. Surrounding this new system, collateral materials were developed, which included original photography and detailed product information. From comprehensive product brochures and new labels to a complete website and seven-foot in-store displays, every component of the campaign was ready for rollout in December.

Now in 2010, we anxiously await the results as Rx Solutions is introduced during a three-month test market. Following this, it is scheduled to be released statewide and later, nationwide. The client’s non-stop excitement has motivated us at every step, and now we’re ready to help Rx Solutions make a big entrance. If you’d like to take a look at this impressive line of products, visit www.rxskintherapy.com.

Shocking News: We Win Electronic Distributors Awards

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.

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.

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.

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.