Taking shots

We’ve been working—and playing—hard to help launch a new product for our client, Nine Holes Anywhere. And we couldn’t be more excited. Look out for this cool, golf-style croquet game soon.

A great day golfing for a great cause

Shannon and Chris just hit the links to help raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which strives to give hope, strength, and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Say hello to our fun little video

As part of a recent campaign, we created this fun teaser video to help launch the new iPhone app for Barclaycard US.


The short, catchy video shows off a few of the cool features. Along with the video, we also created banner ads, interstitials and emails to make it the must-have app for Barclay customers. 

What Facebook’s changes mean to advertisers

Almost as soon as Facebook announced new changes, businesses had plenty of questions about the fallout, and what to do about it. In general, the changes show that Facebook is becoming more of a one-stop shop for communication, entertainment, conversation, and ultimately, decision making. That also means people are sharing all of their experiences—both the good and the bad.

For advertisers and brands, they must continue to play within the social space and follow the rules: Don’t talk at people, rather make them want to connect with you. With all of these new changes, users have more to do than ever, and also more to forget about. As advertisers, we don’t want this to happen to us.

What should you do about it?

  • It’s only going to get better and broader. Advertisers can now target everything from initial demographic info to music, food, and lifestyle habits in real time. So, instead of qualifying targets based on “likes,” you will be able to serve targeted ads to actual viewership and usage, which opens up targeting opportunities previously not available anywhere.
  • Make sure you’re easily found. You have social tags on all websites, all social media profiles, and content is bite-sized and shareable for consumers to post around.
  •  Review your social media strategy. See how you can take advantage of the changes to meet your brand goals, while giving consumers relevant content they want.
  •  Review your Facebook profile. Based on the new timeline look and feel, can you adopt that type of design and overview of your business? Make sure you are loading all the content onto your site directly. With sharing statistics now visible to anyone coming to your page, make the content and page shareable. Focus on bite-sized content for pass along value.

New face around the office We couldn’t be prouder to introduce Stephanie Spero as our new director of engagement and strategy. In her role, she’ll oversee our digital and social media strategies, helping round out the expertise we offer our clients. “We’re thrilled to have Stephanie on board,” says Shannon Stevens, co-founder and creative director. “She brings a ton of knowledge and experience in just about every part of advertising.” Most recently, Stephanie worked at Tribal DDB as an account director on several Johnson & Johnson accounts. She has over 11 years of media and account service experience in industries such as consumer and packaged goods, healthcare, pharmaceutical and financial services. Get more details here.

New face around the office

We couldn’t be prouder to introduce Stephanie Spero as our new director of engagement and strategy. In her role, she’ll oversee our digital and social media strategies, helping round out the expertise we offer our clients.

“We’re thrilled to have Stephanie on board,” says Shannon Stevens, co-founder and creative director. “She brings a ton of knowledge and experience in just about every part of advertising.”

Most recently, Stephanie worked at Tribal DDB as an account director on several Johnson & Johnson accounts. She has over 11 years of media and account service experience in industries such as consumer and packaged goods, healthcare, pharmaceutical and financial services. Get more details here.

Google’s demo shows advertising trend at Cannes  There was a lot of talk about the convergence of advertising, entertainment and technology coming out of the big ad fest in Cannes last week. A great example is this collaboration between Google Creative Lab and the band Arcade Fire, which launched last summer and won a top honor at the event. Using Google Maps and Streetview, the interactive music video lets you include scenes from your childhood home. It’s a cool experience—and an effective way to show off their new browser.   Check out all the winners from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.  

Google’s demo shows advertising trend at Cannes 

There was a lot of talk about the convergence of advertising, entertainment and technology coming out of the big ad fest in Cannes last week. A great example is this collaboration between Google Creative Lab and the band Arcade Fire, which launched last summer and won a top honor at the event.

Using Google Maps and Streetview, the interactive music video lets you include scenes from your childhood home. It’s a cool experience—and an effective way to show off their new browser.  

Check out all the winners from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

 

Our direct marketing is flying high At essentia, our mantra is “always move the needle” for our clients. So we were thrilled to be recognized for doing just that.  For our campaign for Barclaycard US, marketing its Frontier Airlines loyalty credit card, we recently took home three Benjamin Franklin Awards for Direct Marketing Excellence from the Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association. We won in the categories: Internet/Interactive, Acquisition to Existing Customer, Financial; Multimedia, Acquisition to Existing Customer; Internet/Interactive, Retention. Check out all the winners.  The campaign, called “Your Inner Animal,” incorporated a direct mail piece, personal URLs and emails. With a response rate of 30%, it blew away the industry average of 1 to 3%.

Our direct marketing is flying high

At essentia, our mantra is “always move the needle” for our clients. So we were thrilled to be recognized for doing just that.

 For our campaign for Barclaycard US, marketing its Frontier Airlines loyalty credit card, we recently took home three Benjamin Franklin Awards for Direct Marketing Excellence from the Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association. We won in the categories: Internet/Interactive, Acquisition to Existing Customer, Financial; Multimedia, Acquisition to Existing Customer; Internet/Interactive, Retention. Check out all the winners.

 The campaign, called “Your Inner Animal,” incorporated a direct mail piece, personal URLs and emails. With a response rate of 30%, it blew away the industry average of 1 to 3%.

Customer’s angry voicemail becomes anti-texting PSA The Alamo Drafthouse in Austin takes movies seriously. So do their most loyal customers. That’s why this hilarious new PSA couldn’t be more on target. It uses a voicemail from an actual customer kicked out for texting. What’s not to like? Warning: there’s a reason they only show it before R-rated movies. Watch it!

Customer’s angry voicemail becomes anti-texting PSA

The Alamo Drafthouse in Austin takes movies seriously. So do their most loyal customers. That’s why this hilarious new PSA couldn’t be more on target. It uses a voicemail from an actual customer kicked out for texting. What’s not to like? Warning: there’s a reason they only show it before R-rated movies. Watch it!

It’s kind of like that A good metaphor goes a long way in advertising, as with this terrific Mini Cooper ad. Just choose your words carefully. A new study shows how the two crime metaphors a “wild beast preying on the city” and a “virus infecting the city” got drastically different responses. 

It’s kind of like that

A good metaphor goes a long way in advertising, as with this terrific Mini Cooper ad. Just choose your words carefully.

A new study shows how the two crime metaphors a “wild beast preying on the city” and a “virus infecting the city” got drastically different responses. 

Creativity is not a concept. It’s like any skill: a disposition you have to nurture.

Axelle Tessandier