the official domus, inc. blog » Branding

Company Website vs. Social Media – Which holds more value?

Greg Smore — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:46:47 +0000

Just a few short years ago, the effectiveness of a company’s web presence was dictated solely by the strength and prevalence of its website. But as companies across the globe have begun embracing social media, an interesting phenomenon has occurred over the past year. In some cases, company Facebook fan pages have received more unique visitors than the company’s corporate website counterpart. See the specific example from a Webtrends whitepaper titled, “The Effect of Social Networks and the Mobile Web on Website Traffic and the Inevitable Rise of Facebook Commerce”:

[Webtrends] analyzed the website traffic of Fortune 100 websites based on ‘unique visits.’ The study revealed that 68% of the top 100 companies were experiencing a negative growth in unique visits over the past year, with an average drop of 23%.

To ascertain if Facebook had a part to play in this decline, unique visits to a brand’s website were compared with unique visits to its Facebook page (obtained using fan count as a proxy) within a three- to five-month period. In a sample of 44 companies, 40% exhibited higher traffic to their Facebook page compared to their website.

Based on these statistics alone, one can glean that social media as a whole is increasingly pertinent to a company’s overall marketing and communications campaign. Company websites will continue to lose ground as additional web traffic is divided among various social media platforms such as Twitter, Google+, etc. With that being said, companies must make themselves accessible on every social media platform in order capture the web traffic of their clients or customers. Social media continues to expand its reach, which provides new opportunities for companies to reach audiences that may never have visited their company website directly in the past. The data presented above tells a compelling story; social media is a viable communication strategy, and it’s time to build an integrated campaign to take advantage of the opportunities that social media presents.

Determining the appropriate communication mix is the ultimate challenge for many businesses. Domus, Inc. can provide a tailored assessment of your brand in order to develop targeted strategies that fit your company’s situation.

Follow Domus, Inc. on Facebook and Twitter through the following:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/DomusInc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/domusinc

Greg Smore is a Senior Account Manager at Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact CEO and founder of Domus, Inc. Betty Tuppeny at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805.

It takes a village to create a great campaign.

Joanne Michael — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:31:57 +0000

Today’s rapidly shifting marketing and media landscape means that client and agency professionals must be more integrated than ever before. We can no longer think of ourselves as marketing managers, account managers, media planners, art directors, copywriters or research managers. We are all buyers, sellers and enablers of media and must work together to achieve a successful campaign.

Here is what I have recently witnessed within the industry. The lines between public relations and social media are blurring. Account managers need to be well-versed in analyzing technical data, interpreting those results and translating those results into strategic recommendations. Media professionals need to understand the brand strategy and all of the media options available today including social, online and mobile campaigns as well as established channels like broadcast and print. Likewise, creative and production teams are learning new technology and software programs in order to keep pace as well as how to translate TV or print concepts to online and mobile. And everyone needs to have in-depth expertise within a client’s business.

At a recent Ad Club Second Annual Media Innovation Day, attendees were polled about how the fluctuating advertising environment is impacting their profession. The outcome indicated that media professionals, in particular, are increasingly working with other departments within their companies. When asked which departments they work with “very often,” 31% included their brand planning department and a quarter cited their creative departments. Over half described the use of other departments within their company to develop client campaigns as “very important.” And 32% use their analytics departments to measure every client campaign.

Some other interesting statistics are that Americans have access to:

1 trillion web pages
65,000 iPhone apps
10,500 radio stations
5,500 magazines
200+ cable TV networks

At Domus we take a holistic view of our clients’ business objectives, including their target audience and how they consume media, react to all forms of advertising and what their brand preferences are. Our strategic planning approach allows us to understand the extraordinarily complex dynamics of the marketplace from the very start of a project to better equip ourselves and our clients to make decisions about how to connect with customers across all the available platforms. In this way they can achieve the greatest results and analyze the outcomes in qualitative and quantitative terms.

Joanne Michael is an Executive Vice President at Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact CEO and founder of Domus, Inc. Betty Tuppeny at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805

Public Relations in the Age of “New” Media

Amy Whilldin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:55:54 +0000

Communications and media as we know them are evolving at a rapid pace. The manner in which we communicate and what is considered “media” is ever-changing. I remember public relations in the era of blast fax distribution and the pre-World Wide Web era. I realize that I’m dating myself by making these statements, but the fact remains: those of us in public relations are ever-challenged to keep abreast of “new” media and to discover ways in which to use it to our – and our employers’/clients’ – best advantage.

Take social media, for example. Consumers are increasingly relying upon social media for their information – going to a company’s Facebook page, for example, before visiting a company’s website. And consumers demonstrate their brand preferences (and loyalty) by following and liking their brands of choice on Twitter and Facebook. In fact, a recent Nielsen report states that 53% of active online adult social networkers follow a brand, that social networking and blogging now account for nearly a quarter of total time spent on the Internet and that Americans spend more time on Facebook than they do on any other U.S. website. Pretty compelling statistics…and pretty valid reasons why public relations professionals need to include social media as part of their overall communications tactics.

Naysayers may dismiss these statistics, but I recall a similar conversation about the World Wide Web nearly 20 years ago. Enough said.

But beyond B2C communications lies the evolution of “media.” Media is ever-increasingly an online vehicle as printed media – printed news media, most especially – fades away. Writers and editors rely on social media platforms to magnify their voice and reach in the hope that it will (1) increase their reach and (2) drive traffic back to their articles/website, thereby increasing their readership and the value of their advertising.

Even what we consider “media” sometimes comes into question: are bloggers considered media, for example? In my opinion, creating online content does not a member of the media make; however, those with the forum and the voice may not be afraid to use it. So we as public relations professionals must manage these relationships just as we must consider social media platforms as media relations tools – platforms for engaging with the media and platforms for communicating with our various publics.

Does your company need assistance navigating the evolving world of social media? Do you have the tools necessary to harness the power of social media in order to communicate your messaging in a cohesive and an articulate manner? Domus does! Put our expertise in public relations and social media to work for you. Visit www.domusinc.com today and be an active part of the conversation that’s taking place in the world of social media.

For more on this topic, see “Public Relations in a Social World” posted on COMPREHENSION – PRSA’s blog: http://comprehension.prsa.org/?p=3557.

Amy Whilldin is an Account Director at Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact CEO and founder of Domus, Inc. Betty Tuppeny at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805.

The Right (and Wrong) Way to Attract Twitter Followers

Greg Smore — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:30:41 +0000

One of the best ways to measure a company’s Twitter presence is to take an inventory of its followers. With that being said, companies and individuals put an extraordinary emphasis on obtaining as many followers as possible, and with good reason. It may seem like a popularity contest, but more followers means that more people are seeing the messaging of that company or individual and ultimately raising the visibility of that brand or person.

It’s so important that some people will do anything they can to increase their followers. But there is a right and wrong way to attract followers. Politicians have taken to Twitter to spread their campaign messages (some have ulterior motives, but we won’t name names in this blog). In the early stages of the GOP nomination process, Newt Gingrich boasted that he had 1,325,842 followers, whereas Mitt Romney and Michele Bachman have not even cracked the 100,000 mark. However, it was later learned that more than 80 percent of Gingrich’s followers were dummy accounts and were obtained by an agency that is paid to bolster Twitter followers for a fee http://gawker.com/5826645. As you can see, this is the wrong way to attract Twitter followers.

There are numerous ways to legitimately increase followers. Kevin Rose, the founder of Digg.com, discusses 10 ways to increase followers in the following TechCrunch article: http://techcrunch.com/2009/01/25/kevin-rose-10-ways-to-increase-your-twitter-followers/. Here is one excerpt that specifically caught my eye:

“Start a contest. @jasoncalacanis offered a free macbook air if he reached the #1 most followed spot. That never happened, but Jason added thousands of followers…brilliant.”

Domus has developed and implemented numerous Twitter contests for its clients. A recent Dacor contest included various product giveaways and successfully increased the company’s followers from under 700 to 3,366.

The most important aspect of attracting followers is that a company’s Tweets should fulfill some need. Dacor’s Twitter feed is populated by useful information regarding the company’s products, money-saving deals, recipes and the occasional contest/giveaway. Contact Domus to learn more about our Twitter strategies and how we can help your company.

Adapt or Die

Kate Toy — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:08:15 +0000

It’s not something you can easily say to a client, but “adapt or die” is a very true statement when it comes to social media. Most likely, your client made his or her way in the industry through forward thinking, willingness to change and a little bit of risk. And it shouldn’t be any different now. Social media requires all of those things – and then some. When your CEO balks at the social media tactics you suggest, ask him the 6 questions below from JeffBullas.com. Hint – the current research appears after the question.

In the past few months, have you either professionally or personally:

Answered or responded to a direct mail letter or brochure? (Current research shows only 3% have responded.)
Did you follow up on a mainstream media advertisement such as TV, radio, magazine or newspaper? (22% of those polled did.)
Did you go to the Yellow Pages to look up a company to buy a product? (3% of those polled did.)
Did you Google and search online when looking to purchase a product or service? (97% of those polled did.)
Did you use your Peer to Peer Network via Facebook, Instant Messenger, Twitter, LinkedIn or other social media service to get the URL of a website for a product that you were looking to buy? (80% of those polled did.)
And now for your ace in the hole…
So why are you still using traditional marketing for your company when you yourself have minimal response to it?

Hopefully this is where your clients see the light. If not, just remind them that the social media dark ages will be a lonely (and unprofitable) place.

Kate Toy is a Senior Account Manager at Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact CEO and founder of Domus, Inc. Betty Tuppeny at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805.

“Organized Communications” is Key to Success in a Creative Environment

Joanne Michael — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:06:08 +0000

We work in a fast-paced environment that thrives on creativity and inspiration. At times, it may seem easier and more efficient to bypass established systems in order to get a project completed for a client. However, the core competency of advertising agencies and other creative outlets is not simply the production of creative work. It’s the efficient management of that project which requires the ability to carefully control, document and communicate workflow to deliver the best results. If this cannot be done, even the most creatively successful agency might find itself in a state of chaos. By establishing and adhering to well-established workflow and communication processes, agencies will actually save time in the long run, deliver a better product and satisfy their clients.

Since each client is unique, Domus develops the most appropriate reporting and communications systems to meet their needs. This can include any or all of the following: creative briefs, decision reports, weekly hot lists, weekly status reports, monthly client meetings, quarterly and annual results analysis as well as other customized reports requested by the client. Many of the above reports we are now converting to a digital dashboard that allows our clients easy access to this information at the touch of a button.

Domus’ workflow and communication processes have been proven over the years. In fact, we are often called upon by our own clients, to help them establish their internal processes and systems to improve their marketing communications efficiency.

So the next time you’re considering bypassing a process for the sake of speed, remember the importance of standard procedures in the creative environment and how ultimately it will help you deliver better product in the end.

Increase Marketing ROI in Three Easy Steps

Betty Tuppeny — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 21:34:25 +0000

Yes, we all know how hard it is to build a brand in today’s economy. All of the tried and true marketing wisdom seems to be in question for new whiz kid technology brands as well as the blue chip brands. But here are three easy steps to having your brand remain strong and even accelerate, in these challenging times:

1. Have a point of difference: Yes, this is Marketing 101, but it’s surprising how many brands, seemingly in a panic over retaining old customers and gaining new ones, slowly, but surely, are moving away from this key basic. Having a point of difference means understanding your market needs, knowing what perceptual space each of your competitors has claimed and then (based on your brand’s core competencies) differentiating your market-relevant message so that it resounds and grabs the minds and hearts of your target audience.

2. Be consistent: Again, a basic that we were all taught in “packaged goods school.” But, now consistency is what you need to convey not only in your paid advertising, but also in your social media, public relations, promotions, event marketing and especially in your customer service and employee communications. If your customer service reps or employees can’t describe what your company and brand(s) stand for, you’re missing a great opportunity for the most natural viral campaign. Now, everyone is a star on Facebook – and they talk about their lives, including their work – make sure they are ambassadors, not complainers or destroyers of your positioning.

3. Measure, adjust, measure, adjust, measure, adjust: Well, you get the picture. This approach is common now in online advertising, BUT it needs to be applied to every facet of your brand’s marketing mix. Gone are the days when you implemented an “Annual Planning” cycle and re-wrote the next calendar or fiscal year’s plan to launch on a certain date. The “measure, adjust, measure, adjust” approach must be built into each program. When you are developing a promotion, from the onset, you need to know what the monthly, weekly and, dare I say it, daily success hurdles are that your brand needs to clear. And, they must be actively managed on an ongoing basis to reallocate, increase support or pull the plug.

It’s back to school time (let’s face it, that feeling never goes away) and that can mean back to branding basics. If you want to learn specific examples of how these three easy steps for better ROI worked for marquise brands, visit the Success Stories section at www.domusinc.com If you want to chat online, leave a comment on this post. If you want to chat in person as to how Domus can help your brand, call or e-mail me directly at 215-772-2805 Or betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com.

Betty Tuppeny is the CEO and founder of Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact Betty directly at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805.

Brands could use a lesson from “I’m Listening” with Dr. Frasier Crane: listening to your customers is the web’s true branding function

Betty Tuppeny — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:32:13 +0000

Picture a brand, very simply, as an ongoing conversation with a consumer, business decision maker or any audience you target. From your brand’s first introduction, through ongoing discussions, encounters and experiences, you build a relationship with each person. That relationship is fragile and can be breached at any point. It takes focus, investment and consistent messaging to ‘brand’ – defined as winning the minds and, most importantly, the hearts, of your users.

Everything in the advertising/marketing industry has changed dramatically, yet, I believe, has stayed completely the same. Recent research shows that consumers and businesses have shifted spending to brands that create, maintain and strengthen their relationships while delivering both value and values. This reflects the principles of a classic marketing approach – listen to your target and speak with them, not at them.

The internet has created (even forced) a new, transparent, immediate, measureable and wide-reaching, yet specific means of relating. This approach is a far cry from early messaging, during the onset of the ad industry, when brands talked at, not with, their audience.

What has not changed is that in each medium – traditional PR, advertising, events, social media, digital messaging and on every brand’s web site, what you are saying must be based on the customer’s needs. They want to be friends with the brands that are high quality, great value, connected to their lives and to their communities. This means using internet presence management to listen to customers and to strategize your brand’s conversation based on the ‘voice of the cusomer.’ A myriad of online products and services to measure what your customers are saying exists now and needs to be a mandatory part of a brand’s marketing mix.

Go to www.domusinc.com to learn more about how Domus’ branding products and services offering can help you hear your customers better or contact her directly at 215-772-2805 and betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com to qualify for a brand assessment analysis utilizing the proven Domus Voice of Customer Tracker (DVCT®)

Betty Tuppeny is the CEO and Founder of Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia.

Why Agency Performance Evaluations are Important

Joanne Michael — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:54:42 +0000

As the saying goes, you’re only as good as your last project. But what is the cumulative effect of all of your projects? Do you know how your agency is performing not only on individual projects but other key factors such as responsiveness, business understanding, communication, added value?

According to a recent ANA (Association of National Advertisers) survey, while marketers deal in data, qualitative performance still tends to carry more weight in evaluations than quantitative ones such as media cost savings, sales or market shares. Leading qualitative performance criteria identified by survey respondents as something they measure with their agencies include:

In this same survey, 92% of marketers with sales of more than $5 billion annually have agency review processes vs. 74% of smaller companies. Overall, of 117 marketers participating in the survey, 76% said they have a formal evaluation process for traditional creative agencies and 68% have one for traditional media agencies, but only 47% do for digital agencies and 25% have one for direct-marketing, PR and multicultural agencies.

If you currently do not perform regular agency evaluations with your client, ask. Don’t be afraid of the feedback. Remember, in any relationship, there will be ups and downs and areas for improvement. Look at the performance review as an opportunity for open, honest dialogue with your client about how to strengthen and improve your service. Remember, the average client/agency relationship is only three years. If you want to defy that industry average, regular performance reviews are a good way to start. At Domus, we conduct quarterly performance reviews, and we’re proud to say that our top three clients have been with us 15, 13 and 8 years.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Joanne Michael — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:13:20 +0000

Most agencies claim that their number one goal is to ensure that each and every client has a top performing team to deliver the highest quality work, results and client satisfaction. But, can traditionally-structured agencies deliver on this promise when they have a finite set of resources? The Domus business model is client-centric by design, a model that we believe is a smart and efficient alternative to the traditional ad agency. By the term “client-centric” we mean that Domus conforms to a client’s particular account and their specialized needs.

Some clients need technical writing, others need help with media buying, others want efforts devoted specifically to social media – we cater to all of these needs and evolve as the client’s needs and objectives change. By using this approach we’re able to be nimble and move with the client – our clients aren’t locked into a rigid, 12-month plan; as their focus changes – so do we. They move, we move. We believe each client and each project presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. That’s why we develop customized teams of specialized resources to fulfill each client’s unique needs.

That is our promise and we deliver on it.

Domus, Inc. is an integrated digital and traditional marketing communications agency that delivers unconventional thinking and out-of-the-box strategies that help our clients sustain growth and demand brand awareness. For more information, please visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Client/Agency Collaboration Leads to Success

Joanne Michael — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:43:20 +0000

There are many different client/agency relationships. Some clients like to direct their agency on exactly what they want, including creative development and media selection. Other clients hire their agency for their expertise and counsel but may be hesitant to discuss certain business matters.

At Domus, we believe in a collaborative team effort. This includes complete immersion in our clients’ business. Our responsibility is to constantly evaluate market dynamics as well as client data and translate that understanding into strategies and recommendations that builds our clients’ business.

We think like you, work like you, and take your marketing objectives as seriously as you do. When clients and agencies partner in this manner it leads to overall marketing success. This team approach is the essence of what we do every day for the life of our relationship with our clients.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…well, not if Domus can help it…

Kate Toy — Tue, 10 May 2011 17:12:55 +0000

When Dacor, a manufacturer of luxury kitchen appliances, requested some onsite help at KBIS, I was thrilled at the opportunity to go. As a PR practitioner I spend years – literally, YEARS – cultivating relationships through email, phone, and the occasional LinkedIn friend request (if, and only if, the editor requests me first). An industry event like a trade show gives us PR folks the opportunity to meet face to face, exchange a friendly handshake, talk shop, and hopefully make a lasting impression so the next time I send a pitch that editor is a little more inclined to open my email.

For those of you who don’t know, KBIS aka the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, is the premier event for those in the kitchen and bath industry; designers, manufacturers, architects, dealers – they’re all there. This year’s event took place April 26^th – 28^th in Las Vegas, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Everything is very high high-end and high quality. The best of the best go to KBIS, and I was proud to be there with Dacor.

For a PR person, the actual trade show only takes up a small portion of the work and effort we put in. We usually begin about 3 – 4 weeks ahead of time by hitting the phones to schedule booth appointments with editors. We then worry about the press releases and press kits. (Dacor’s press kits were 4gig USB drives made to look like miniature cooktops. Very cool.) From there, we finally get onsite at the actual event and our job is to make our client’s day go as smoothly as possible. As with most things, it’s much easier said than done. However, Dacor runs their marcomm efforts like a well-oiled machine and, along with the Marketing Manager and VP of Marketing, we successfully fielded over 25 media appointments, three video shoots, one radio broadcast, and countless other inquiries. Not too shabby.

While quite important, trade shows are not just about the media. Dacor had a steady stream of customers visiting their booth, and to give something back to those who stopped by, every visitor received a blue Dacor pin. If the visitor was seen on the show floor wearing the pin by Dacor’s mystery spotter they won a set of cookware. One of the winners even offered to have Dacor use his home as a case study! Sometimes a worthy case study can be hard to come by. It’s a great opportunity for Dacor to document a customer’s experience with their products – and it fell right in our lap.

Some companies elect to save their new product announcements for trade shows, others hold a press conference to release company news, while some have an event that’s more about fun with some company messaging weaved in. Dacor chose the latter, and it was an overwhelming success. They commissioned Jeff Lewis, reality TV star on Bravo’s “Flipping Out,” to come to the booth for a two hour meet and greet with show attendees and a customer cocktail event at the end of the day. Visitors were lined up around the booth the entire two hours waiting for their chance to chat with Jeff and snap a photo or two. The response was so positive that Jeff even stayed a bit longer and came to the afternoon event early so he could greet even more guests. The late afternoon cocktail event was also extremely well received, with over 100 guests who noshed, drank, and mingled until the very end.

Events like this are a ton of work but the results are well worth it. Dacor instantly saw a spike in media coverage on the days surrounding KBIS and they now have coverage lined up for the next couple of months. More than coverage and media hits, Dacor made an impact on customers and media, which created a lasting impression that will continue to serve and benefit the brand long after the trade show is over.

Clients are people too!

Joanne Michael — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:13:35 +0000

It may seem a like a minor detail when you’re facing pressing client deadlines and mounting workloads, but taking the time to get to know your client can help cultivate a stronger relationship. It can be as simple as remembering your client’s birthday, recognizing a significant milestone in their life or an accomplishment by one of their children, or helping a client’s spouse network for a new job. These types of gestures will go a long way in building a strong personal relationship with your client.

Remember that clients are people too and getting to know them on a personal level helps to build trust. Take the time to get to know your client by going out for lunch or a quick cup of coffee. Clients tend to be more relaxed under these circumstances and may talk about business in a way you wouldn’t hear in a formal meeting which will benefit your business relationship as well.

Has Jeopardy Jeopardized Its (Own) Brand?

Betty Tuppeny — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:21:04 +0000

While it is the epitome of the convergence of the advertising and entertainment worlds, one has to wonder if IBM’s brilliant Watson initiative has discredited the Jeopardy brand.

As the CEO of an ad agency that merges classic strategic marketing with state-of-the-art digital Public Relations, Advertising and entertainment solutions I am also a relatively new Jeopardy viewer.

I’d learned within one minute on normal shows (the time it takes to feed my cat), Alex Trebek is asking the first question.

Last night after seven minutes of background, new game guidelines and several promotional cutaways, I wondered if the Jeopardy franchise hadn’t jeopardized its own established brand by selling or giving its co-branding rights to IBM.

Strategic alliance programs are Domus, Inc.’s forte (ConAgra, Fisher-Price, Caesars Entertainment) but NOT if they dilute brand power. They must be carefully developed to be a WIN-WIN-WIN (i.e. equal wins for each brand, in this case Jeopardy and IBM and the third win is a synergistic path for the viewer).

As a marketer, I give kudos to IBM but as a Jeopardy viewer, I felt ripped off. It was like I was watching an innovative infomercial. (Should it have been marked “Paid-Programming” to warn the viewers?)

A brand is valuable. Successful co-promotions must add to the value of the brand while simultaneously maintaining the brand’s individuality.

That’s elementary, my Dear Watson and in this case my dear Alex.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree?

Good Creative is Hard to Find and Harder to Produce

Christian Kauffman — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 20:32:27 +0000

Truly good creative is hard to find and even harder to produce on a consistent basis. Think about the best creative campaigns you have seen recently then compare that to all the creative there is on the market. Mind-boggling how small the percentage of quality creative really is. Often one good idea will spawn many knock-offs and wannabes trying to cash in on the popularity of someone else’s hard work. It’s not easy for creative professionals. Their livelihood is based on their ability to produce top-notch, successful creative ideas on a regular, recurring basis. And, when you consider that many concepts don’t even make it to production, you realize what a daunting task creative professionals have.

Who really knows what good creative is? Something so subjective is difficult to quantify. Are there really any new ideas out there or is it a matter of presenting historically good ideas in new and fresh ways? One of the most difficult things creative minds have to do is keep their ideas fresh.

A successful creative professional must possess, beyond talent, a zeal for the work they are generating and a general curiosity about all things life presents. Success is less about the nuts and bolts of creativity and more about the passion one has for producing work that is truly creative. The required inspiration will not come from sitting in an office attempting to force creativity to reveal itself in an exciting way. The moments of inspiration will often result from the life we lead. The connectivity of life provides unrivaled inspiration that needs to be captured and channeled into fresh creative ideas – it’s all connected; the sources for new, engaging ideas are all around us. Look at the art of movies, music, galleries, fashion, and interior design. What’s hot in books, what commonalities do traditionally revered books share? Take a lesson from some geeks – study up on tech innovations. Social settings are filled with information about what inspires others; lively debates can create and change ideas that can then be converted into creative concepts. Creative derived from nature will innately touch the observer in a real and meaningful way. Nature is never wrong in its design and can be a powerful and unending source of creativity.

When looking for some inspiration:

Know your audience – research, research, research. Knowledge is power and you can never assume to know your audience without doing some serious ground work.

Check out popular blogs and read the feedback. Sometimes the comments are more stimulating than the blog post itself and this is where you see the ideas of the post challenged or, sometimes, agreed upon.

http://www.brandflakesforbreakfast.com/

http://www.damniwish.com/

http://beautifully-webdesign.net/

http://crenk.com/

http://ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com/

Like the great TV series Law & Order, rip it from today’s headlines. Stay current on the news. National and world news are noteworthy because they are of interest to the masses. Use current events to develop fresh creative ideas.

Be social media engaged. What is trending on Twitter? What is the Buzz on Google? What information are people sharing on LinkedIn. What posts are getting the most comments on Facebook? Much like the news, these are things that people are interested in.

Trends are hip. Trends are cool. Trends are a surefire way to engage an audience. Translate a trend in one industry into an idea for a completely different industry. Play off what’s hot right now or what is trending to be hot in the near future.

The ever-evolving world of technology is a vast resource for new ideas. Stay current and use new technologies to enhance and expand creative ideas. Use technology to reuse good ideas in new ways.

Don’t let your skills get outdated. Stay current on your programs. Learn all the new facets of your tools like InDesign and Photoshop and experiment with them. Check out http://creativelive.com/courses/ for some free live courses. Search for tutorials on YouTube.

Go green – recycle. Had a great idea that lead to a great campaign before? What was at the core of that idea that was so good? Find it and reuse it (just in a new way).

Be a radical – always develop a concept that’s way out there. Think of some big, crazy ideas and let them settle into the confines of your project.

Use shock and awe to get a reaction. Not all good creative is good because people like it. Sometime the offensive or repugnant can elicit more interest than a safe idea.

Look at what is bad and think of how you would fix it. Now take the good ideas from your fix and apply them to your project.

Team up with someone to work on a project. There is strength in numbers and the pay off could be tremendous.

Seek the support of friends, especially those that are not in the business. Have an open mind in social situations and let your friends and family be a source of ideas. They are, after all, consumers.

Take a break. Clear your head. Sometimes you must unclog the pathway so that new information has a way in. Get out and play.

Does Milk Have A Longer Shelf Life Than the New Gap Logo?

Domus Blogger — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 20:37:20 +0000

Two weeks ago Gap unveiled a new logo, to the chagrin of many customers and fans. Not only was the logo not well-received, but it was changed within a week. Milk has a longer shelf life.

Social media is an excellent tool for reaching your audience and getting feedback, but where do companies draw the line between accommodating what their fans want and standing by the changing identity of their brand?

Social media gurus praised Gap’s response and considered it a sign that the company was listening to its audience. Others felt that their reaction was a tad hasty, citing the length of time that the logo existed to the public was simply too short for them to adapt, and gave their audience a little too much say in the new logo’s fate. Where’s Gap’s credibility moving forward? They seem like pushovers.

I’m not saying to ignore your public completely. After all, they’re the reason your brand even exists, however you need to use the tools at hand to ease the transition for them.

Let’s face it – it takes folks awhile to adapt to change. Yes, change is inevitable, but most of us don’t like it. However, would we be happy today still thinking that the world was flat? I should hope not. Change is necessary and brands must evolve.

Companies should obtain useful feedback by deploying Facebook and Twitter as part of the communication stages and explain the thought process and reason for change leading up to the big reveal. In the case of Gap, social media outcries were the reason for the abandonment of the new logo. Had the audience felt more involved maybe they wouldn’t have had quite the same reaction.

Social media is a tool to help you engage your customers and have them engage with you in return. The feedback is quick and candid. And sometimes it’s harsh, but that’s part of its appeal. Use social media effectively, test a few things out; social media is essentially a focus group without a filter – and it’s free. See what your audience wants, ask them a question. Believe me, they’ll answer loud and clear. Be prepared for ANY answer. And put it to use so that the change, whatever it may be, pleases both company and customer.

Domus is an innovative marketing communications firm that incorporates state-of-the-art technologies and classic marketing principles into effective marketing campaigns. For more information visit us at Domus, Inc. and Domus Digital.

You Just Got Iced – Smirnoff Thanks You!

Domus Blogger — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:33:16 +0000

Companies are responsible for increasing sales and driving brand awareness, however, sometimes consumers take it into their own hands. One of the more recent campaigns is “bros icing bros” – where one “bro” is surprised by another “bro” with a Smirnoff Ice alcoholic beverage. The recipient of the surprise is then supposed to drop to one knee and chug the drink. And so became the act of “getting iced.” Videos of friends surprising friends by placing Smirnoff Ice bottles in unexpected places flooded Youtube, Facebook, dedicated blogs and other social media sites skyrocketing the advertising stunt into a phenomenon.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, Smirnoff Ice is not exactly popular among the fellas. It’s considered a “girly” drink, along the lines of a wine cooler; and if you ask any “bro” he won’t admit to liking it. Yet, thanks to this mindless (or brilliant) marketing stunt, men are flocking to liquor stores purchasing cases of the drink so they can laugh at their friends as they’re shamed into drinking such a girly beverage. However, Smirnoff will have the last laugh as sales of the beverage have increased and Smirnoff Ice is now a household/fraternity/locker room name.

This situation is a double edged sword for Smirnoff. On one side, sales of the beverage have increased and brand awareness is most likely at its peak, but on the flip side, the game is mocking the beverage and poisoning any positive recognition the beverage had. The viral campaign will eventually lose its appeal, so should Smirnoff capitalize on its 15 minutes of fame or deny any connection? We’ll see what the brand does with future advertisements and promotions, but it would be foolish for them to not leverage this newfound popularity in order to sustain beverage sales. Any reputable communications agency can put a positive spin on the product; might as well let Smirnoff ride this out in the meantime.

Family gatherings, office happy hours, and house parties may have just become a lot more interesting. Feel free to stop by YouGotIced to see the “icing” yourself.

Domus, Inc. is an integrated digital and traditional marketing communications agency. For more information, please visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Google’s Nexus One Android Phone – Success or Failure?

Marco Padovani — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:39:21 +0000

Google’s Nexus One phone was an interesting marketing experiment – introduce a new, self-branded phone that Google sold directly, not through the wireless carriers. Unfortunately, sales never reached high enough targets and this week Google announced that it has ended production of the phone (through its manufacturing partner, HTC) and is closing its web store.

The questions of why the phone failed and even whether the phone failed are even more interesting, though. We’ll never know for sure, but here are some thoughts.

First, assuming the phone did fail (which we’ll come back to later), one possible reason is that Google did not pay enough attention to its four marketing Ps – product, price, promotion, and place (distribution). Let’s assume that the phone itself was good, so that leaves the other Ps.

First let’s look at the distribution channel (place). Cell phones – more than most other products – are inextricably entwined with their service provider, so attempting to bypass the service provider was already a daunting gamble by Google. Even Apple, which garnered enough interest in its phone independent of the network, still chose a service provider with whom to partner.

The cell phone distribution channel is especially important because of the marketing effort that the service providers put into their phones. First, there’s the next P, price. As everyone knows, you can always get phones for less than the retail price when you buy from the wireless carrier (as long as you accept the two-year commitment). So why buy outside of the wireless carrier? We’ve all been conditioned to think that way.

And finally, let’s consider the last P, promotion. Google didn’t just introduce a branded phone. More importantly, it also introduced a phone operating system (Android) that it hoped to induce others to use in their phones. One of those manufacturers who immediately decided to do so was Motorola. They, in conjunction with Verizon (as opposed to Google’s approach of going it alone), launched a huge advertising campaign for the new Droid phone (“Droid Does”) at the same time that Google started selling its Nexus One. With Verizon’s massive marketing push, everyone knew about Droid, everyone got a good price for Droid, and everyone associated the name, “Droid”, with “Android”. Where did that leave Nexus One? Apparently nowhere.

However, all of the above was based on the assumption that Google did fail with the Nexus One. What if, though, the primary purpose of the Nexus One was to generate enough buzz about the Android operating system to propel all Android-based phones (i.e., Google-based phones) to mainstream success? Once the buzz did its work, the Nexus could happily be retired. In that sense, maybe the Nexus One was an outstanding success. Android-based phones are quickly challening the iPhone for smartphone market share. Google never was in the physical product business anyway.

Domus, Inc. is a marketing communications agency specializing in integrating the digital and social media worlds with classic marketing principles to deliver high returns on investment for our clients. For more information, please visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Internet Presence – Pay Attention to Local Review Sites

Marco Padovani — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:41:19 +0000

So many companies put extensive resources and budgets on search engine marketing and brand building advertising. But how many of those same companies apply effective resources to monitor and address online reviews and complaints about their products and services? In reality, “buzz” about you on these sites might well be more important than the number of page 1 Google rankings or any display metric. Today, shoppers regularly go to sites like yelp.com, epinions.com, and others to find out what experiences others have had with companies they’re interested in doing business with. If the comments written about you are predominantly negative – especially in comparison to your competition – then increasing the public’s awareness of you will just increase the number of people who get a negative opinion of you.

So, if you’re not already monitoring these sites and honestly addressing posted concerns, you might want to think hard about your current marketing allocations.

Domus is a full service marketing communications agency that combines classic marketing experience with digital marketing expertise to effectively deliver improved business performance for our customers. For more information, please visit use at http://www.domusinc.com.

“Project Natal”, “Kinect”, and Naming Strategies

Marco Padovani — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:17:52 +0000

Last year Microsoft introduced the world to an up-and-coming technology called “Project Natal”, its Xbox appliance that enables gamers to interact with Xbox games without any hand-held controllers. This week at the E3 conference Microsoft is finally introducing it for delivery this holiday season. But as part of all of the fanfare, Microsoft officially named the device “Kinect”.

Now, “Kinect” is actually a good name for the product, and the device has the potential to be incredibly successful, but that’s not the point of this blog post. Rather, I’d like to muse about the strategy to use one name for the many months leading up to the actual launch, and then change the name just before the launch. Microsoft has always done that with its operating systems. For example, Windows Server 2008 was referred to as “Codename Longhorn” from early 2005 through August, 2007, when Bill Gates announced its official name in anticipation of its February, 2008 release.

Although that might be fine with operating systems, especially those designed for the corporate server market, Project Natal – er, uh, Kinect – is different. It is a consumer product, not a corporate one. And 2010 is not 2005. When Microsoft announced Project Natal in 2009, it released a video showcasing its capabilities. That video has been on the Top 10 viral video charts every month since then. It has received millions of views, and virtually every gamer has heard about it. Moreover, forums and social media sites have been abuzz over it non-stop.

In other words, social media is the name of the game in 2009/2010, for those companies who know how to use it well. Microsoft certainly did use it well this past year, getting the whole gaming world knowing about and discussing their upcoming product. But they didn’t hit a home run because of their naming tactic. Some of that branding value will now disappear because the word “Natal” no longer exists for Microsoft. They absolutely can – and will – spend lots of money to imprint the new name in people’s minds, but a more nimble and cost-conscious company might have come up with the final brand name a year ago. Then they could have gotten their branding done for them without a massive advertising campaign (allowing that money to be used more effectively elsewhere).

Domus is a marketing communications agency specializing in integrating social media, digital, and traditional advertising and PR into effective brand strategies. For more information, please visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Let Dying Brands Die

Marco Padovani — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:34:49 +0000

Everything has a natural cycle of life – even major brands. Yesterday the Wall Street Journal reported that Ford Plans to Kill Storied Mercury”. Although as early as 1985 Mercury was still dominant US brand, since then it has increasingly declined. In 1985 Mercury sold over 500,000 vehicles, but by last year that number had dropped to just over 92,000.

For 25 years (and especially over the last 10) the brand has declined. As such it is a good business decision for Ford to cut its losses and move on. After a certain point, there is not much that can be done to revive a dying brand, no different than a dying person.

That doesn’t mean that there is no room in Ford’s line-up for another brand – Volkswagen does very well with multiple brands – but just no longer Mercury. Mercury’s demise began when it no longer stood for anything special, unless you consider replicating a Ford sister car with fancier trim as something special.

As such, hopefully Ford Motor Company has learned the importance of brand management for its future. Good brand management means that you don’t only declare and communicate the position in the consumers’ minds that you intend to hold, but that you consistently and exclusively deliver products and/or services that meet the consumers’ changing ideas of what that position means. Mercury failed to do so.

Moreover, it’s a recognition that sometimes a brand position can be squeezed into non-existence by other brand positions. Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln represented a “ladder of brands” strategy, giving people smaller stepping stones between levels of prestige. But when foreign auto makers started selling higher quality cars with more standard features at lower price points, Ford had to respond by improving its main Ford brand, which squeezed Mercury from the bottom. Similarly as Lincoln offerred cars at lower price points, it squeezed Mercury from the top. That has left no distinguishing position for Mercury.

Domus is a Philadelphia-based advertising and PR firm as well as a digitial and social media marketing agency. For more information, visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

World Cup of Branding

Marco Padovani — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:37:17 +0000

In less than a month, the most-watched sporting event on the planet will begin, the 2010 World Cup. But an associated competition is now well underway – brand sponsorship and advertising, specifically the rivalry between Adidas and Nike. Adidas is currently the biggest world cup brand, sponsoring major players and fully one-third of the teams going to South Africa. But Nike is not far behind, sponsoring some of the biggest names in the sport as well as their own teams. Worldwide, Adidas sells about $1.8 billion in soccer gear while Nike sells about $1.7 billion.

This week Nike launched their official World Cup campaign with a new three-minute video created by Mexican director Alejandro Inarritu (Babel, 21 Grams). Called “Write the Future”, it features soccer stars like Wayne Rooney, Franck Ribery, Cristiano Ronaldo, Landon Donovan, and Ronaldinho, as well as non-soccer stars such as Kobe Bryant, Roger Federer, and Homer Simpson.

Adidas, on the other hand, won the rights to be the overall World Cup official sponsor, so it will be interesting to see who wins this battle as Adidas counters Nike’s move.

Domus is a marketing and digital advertising agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Rebranding vs. Improving Branding

Marco Padovani — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:42:10 +0000

Advertising Age is reporting that AT&T is “undertaking an ambitious rebranding effort under the banner of “Rethink Possible” to reposition itself as a “lifestyle company”. In other words, AT&T is implicitly declaring that it is losing the marketing positioning battle in the minds of consumers and wants to try something else to retain and gain customers.

Similarly, last month, Comcast decided to rebrand itself “Xfinity”. (“Simply put, XFINITY is about offering our customers more — more HD, more speed, more choice and more control over their services…”) Or, alternately simply put, Comcast is feeling the pinch of Verizon Fios’ competition and wants to try something else to retain and gain customers.

Interestingly, in both situations a company who has faltered in delivering upon the promise of its stated brand position decides to fix the problem by rebranding itself to a new position instead of improving upon its original promise. And just as interestingly, in both situations, the faltering company is being aggresively challenged in the marketplace by a company who dedicates more resources and commitment to delivering its brand promise better and better – and correspondingly communicating its success.

It doesn’t take a marketing genius to determine the better strategy for companies to mimic – especially in this age when consumers communicate with each other faster and more effectively than any one company can do on its own. Continue to invest in your brand promise – improve your product, improve your service, improve your delivery – and then your marketing communication efforts have legitimacy. On the other hand, no matter how many times you rebrand, if you don’t have the commitment to invest in your brand promise (whatever that may be), you’ll continue to come up short.

Domus is a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia offering advertising, public relations, digital, and social media marketing expertise in an integrated approach based on sound, classic principles of marketing. For more information, visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Black Friday and the Commoditization of Brands

Marco Padovani — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:25:13 +0000

This is a tumultuous time period for consumer brands. Large retailers like Walmart and Target are continually squeezing brands’ prices. R&D and manufacturing cycles are getting shorter and shorter, speeding competing products to the market. Supermarkets are pushing private label products over branded ones. Online shoppers can find out just about everything about brands, including the lowest price retailers in the world.

And now Black Friday and the remainder of the Christmas shopping season is getting so competitive that retailers are squeezing out virtually all of their profits to attract customers, who are spending less and less on better and better bargains. Actually, though, retailers are primarily squeezing their suppliers – the packaged goods and other consumer goods companies.

More than ever, manufacturers need to establish their brand positions in the eyes of consumers, and they need to deliver that message in all of the ways that consumers are receptive. People must want and seek out their brands; otherwise, they will get squeezed beyond sustainability. Every marketer today needs to continually ask if they’ve given their brand a reason not to be removed or discounted from retailers’ shelves.

Domus is a full-service marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. Please visit our web site at http://www.domusinc.com for more.

Brand Positioning – Cadillac

Marco Padovani — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:16:00 +0000

Every time I see Cadillac’s commercial for their 2010 SRX crossover, I wince. They come so close with this one, but they still can’t seem to clearly stake out their brand position.

2010 Cadillac SRX Ad

Re-envisioned, reorganized, reactivated, all designed to reignite the soul. The all new 2010 SRX. The Cadillac of crossovers.

First, the commercial starts with a picture of the SRX – a nice car, but it’s a crossover. If Cadillac is trying to reclaim the luxury automobile market top brand position, it’s hard to do so with a car segment that evokes imagery of sport, utility, and fun. These are areas that fit more with Chevy’s brand position (or GMC’s) than Cadillac’s. (That’s not to say that a luxury brand can’t have a crossover – Lexus has one – but it’s easier when you’re at the top.)

Next, the music, imagery, and wording (re-envisioned, reorganized, reactivated, reignite) are all more evocative of upbeat fun and styling. This would seem to be a brand position that Buick should occupy.

Finally, the ad ends with the line, “The Cadillac of crossovers.” So, at the end of the ad, GM finally tries to position the car at the top of the luxury market. But by this point, it has spread its message across three brand positions.

GM has a great opportunity to turn itself around. It finally has an excellent line-up of cars. It just needs to solidify its brands in their correct positions in consumers’ minds.

Domus is a full-service marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more, please visit our web site at http://www.domusinc.com.

Great Taglines and Jingles

Marco Padovani — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:32:00 +0000

How many people over 40 can still remember the great brand taglines, jingles, and slogans from their youth? On the other hand, how many current ones does anyone remember? The era of great jingles and mottos seems to have passed us; however, something has been lost in the process. The fact that so many of us remember so many of them shows how powerful they can be. They keep the brand front and center in our minds – when we’re thinking of the brand category and often when we’re not. Their impact lasts years and decades. It’s hard to calculate the ROI on that.

Domus is a full-service marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. Please visit our web site at http://www.domusinc.com for more.

Store Brand Growth – Cause or Effect?

Marco Padovani — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:38:00 +0000

Marketing research data shows that store brands have been making inroads against branded consumer packaged goods items. (E.g., see Progressive Grocer.) But statistics don’t always tell the whole story. One thing reports like this don’t show, though, is why consumers are switching. It would be interesting to find out how many consumers are deliberately choosing store brands vs. no longer having a choice.

From my own personal experiences, I’ve noticed that several of my preferred name brand items are harder or impossible to find at many supermarkets – their shelf space has been taken over by store brands. Therefore, although I might have preferred a name brand in some cases, I had little or no choice (barring shopping elsewhere).

This is a question name brand manufacturers might want to consider. Their future marketing strategies might need to be adjusted if they are losing sales because of consumer choices or because of retailer decisions.

Domus is a full-service advertising, public relations, and social media marketing agency based in Philadelphia. Please visit our web site at http://www.domusinc.com for more.

Branding Risk by Starbucks

Marco Padovani — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Starbucks is launching a major marketing campaign for its new instant coffee, Via. A major part of the roll out is a huge taste test throughout their 7,500 cafes in the US and Canada.

One possible problem with this introduction, though, is how it impacts the Starbucks brand position. Starbucks became successful by selling an experience and an image. Otherwise, why pay so much money for a product that can be gotten elsewhere for much less? Now, though, Starbucks is starting a huge campaign to convince people that they can’t taste the difference between a fresh-brewed coffee in one of their cafes and some powder added to hot water. The more successful the campaign, the more Starbucks will convince people that there is no need to return to their cafes.

Domus, Inc. is a marketing consulting firm based in Philadelphia. Please visit our web site at http://www.domusinc.com for more.