Radiant Orchid - Pantone's color of 2014!

Radiant Orchid - let's face it, purple hues are in this year y'all!  As far as trends go, purple has been on the rise in the past few years with a lot of brands going to that color palette for primary or secondary colors.

The Radiant Orchid color is a paler purple look, ideal for secondary color schemes.  Take a look at it here!

Read More

Ron Burgundy - Master content Marketer?

We all saw the Dodge Durango commercials, the incessant teasers of the Anchorman 2 movie, the guest Anchor spots on ABC and a North Dakota news program - Ron Burgundy was all over the place.  The movie was a success, generating over $100 Million in domestic ticket sales, and inevitably creating new movie quotations for years to come.  Over the top - yes.  Borderline obnoxious, some would say yes as well.  But... a marketing genius?   I would absolutely say yes!

By blurring the lines between comedy and advertising, the content strategy used worked across several media platforms generating enormous buzz for the movie - AND created key advertising and product opportunities for brands like Dodge, Jockey, and Ben & Jerry's (who doesn't like Scotchy Scotch Scotch ice cream?)  Ron Burgundy, the Movie character, became a brand ambassador for several key retail brands!

So, do you have what it takes to create a viral buzz across multiple media platforms a la Ron Burgundy?  Will Ferrell and Adam McKay have created a "sucker punch" advertising platform, can you?  Read More

Here's one of Will Ferrell's original commercials for Old Milwaukee:

Twitter tricks for newbies

I am one of the unfortunate few who still has trouble with the pound sign - you know what is now famously known as the hashtag.  I've used them wrong in every form and placement, so yes, I'm a #twittertard (yes I just made that hashtag up, and will probably not get anything from it)

So that being said, here are 10 #twittertricks that can be useful to all

Read More

Brand Positioning: Getting your startup's name out there

So you have this great product, a slick website, and an ad budget with plans for global domination.  Your logo is spectacular and inventory is in the warehouse - you are ready to make a name for your Brand.  The social media is up and running, and you are pinning that fantastic product to various boards.  You are ready to go, and then...poof.

That's what happened to me, and is still a constant struggle, getting the brand out there for more traffic - and more sales.

How do you get your brand discovered by the mainstream - one word is needed... Articles.  Posting articles to media outlets - both online and hard copy - is an effective method of brand discovery, followed closely by the tried and true method of referrals.

Check out this article to see what the stats say on effective brand discovery.  Read More

Ditch the Pitch? Why the Elevator spiel falls short

It used to be an old adage - can you make an impression on someone in the time it takes to go up a floor in an elevator?  Well, unfortunately with the need-it-now mentality of today's instant access crowd, an elevator ride is pretty much a yawn-fest.

So, how do you get your point across quickly to the millennial crowd?  Try throwing a Memory Dart - a phrase that will be short, sweet and to the point - pun intended!  You want to get your point across in under 10 seconds with something that won't come across like a poot in church.

Think of your Memory dart as a verbal business card y'all, and make that impression!

Read More

Carrots? Why incentive programs work for business

Everyone knows these idioms - "carrot and stick approach" or "you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar."  These are old sayings that are true in every sense of the word, and work well for business.

Motivating employees is key to every business' success, especially in this market.  Money is an obvious motivator -  bonus programs, Visa cards, etc all work wonders, especially in sales-oriented businesses.

With Safety programs, providing premium brand name items work wonders with motivating employees to maintain safety standards in the workplace.  Rewarding success at any level is a must in today's workplace, where keeping employees is a huge issue in the millenial world we live in.

Read More

Custom Imprinted Eraselets: Fun-ctional School fundraising product!

My wife gets full credit for finding this fantastic product!  Custom imprinted Eraselets are essentially eraser bracelets!  With the silicone bracelet still growing in our industry (I should know, I'm wearing two as I type) the Eraselet is a perfect off-shoot that is made specifically for kids to use in the classroom.

Made in the ole USA, I have placed the custom imprinted Eraselets in to several programs, including the Atlanta Silverbacks, who used it for giveaways at youth soccer games, to Gwinnett Science, who is using this for their Science Fair program, to Alabama's Safe Routes to School program, promoting awareness of walking safely to school.

Here's a video of how this unique eraser bracelet works, try this out for any of your back to school promotions!