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Let's Talk About Stuff.
Our Blog
Our goal in posting our blogs is three fold: To introduce timely industry news that is relevant to our clients; to post items we find interesting and entertaining, and finally, to give you a glimpse of TSW US “Behind the Curtain”. We take the business aspects of what we are doing very seriously, but we like to have fun, hopefully that shines through here.
Our Blog is a puzzle being assembled. Sometimes the individual pieces of the puzzle don’t look like the whole picture once completed – You have to keep adding pieces one at a time to make the image clear. We hope you keep coming back to see how the TSW US puzzle takes shape.
Cocktail Friday - the Impact of Patriotic Branding
These are all key questions to ponder when walking down the beer aisle this weekend. Just in case you are curious, we are attaching some research from Kidd.com on the Purchasing Power of Brand Patriotism. http://www.kidd.com/branding/purchasing-power-patriotism-businesses-shift-american-branding-summer/
Newspaper Readership: Print or Digital?
This article is a great read which highlights that print is still the core way to digest news. With huge levels of discussion about the newspaper industry falling by the wayside, it is great to read an article that clearly outlines the importance of newspapers to the news industry.
In the US alone, 169 million people are engaging with the news and 81% of them engage with a printed product.
In an era where we are told printed advertising is dead this clearly outlines that it just simply is not. To find out how you can advertise to this target market please get in touch with Christian at christianprosser@thespecialistworks.com, you can also follow this link to our website and view the plethora of US newspapers with whom we currently work.
Wit & Wisdom Wednesday - John Adams
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. John Adams
Our founding fathers are not only a fount of wisdom, but are quite witty in their delivery as well. John Adams is one of our favorite wits. This quote about Facts is so applicable to marketing and advertising it hurts. When you examine advertising based on performance, you look at facts. Attribution is not nebulous and yield is calculable. The smoke and mirrors approach that used to work is out the door, and none too soon. We are ready to confront facts.
Art Tuesday - Dubiousness
Sunday Musings
Memorial Day
Cinco De Mayo
Today we mark Mexicos defeat of the French in a day long battle at Puebla. Why do a multitude of Americans celebrate a minor military victory in a neighboring nation? Honestly, because we like a good party. We like to learn about our neighbors. We like eating tacos.
It doesnt really matter why at this stage of the game.
What matters is that we DO.
In a big way.
Sometimes advertising is about creating a movement where there really isnt one. The Tecate Beer and pitchers of Margaritas consumed today are testament that it works.
Throwback Thursday - You've Come a Long Way Baby
It is Throwback Thursday at TSWUS, and we are highlighting a vintage Virginia Slims ad in honor of our Womens Network Series Spring Session today. While attitudes about smoking have changed dramatically, these ads still resonate. In a large part, this series is about everything but the product. Embracing the idea that glass ceilings no longer exist for women, (especially at TSW) is embodied in the story told in this series. What was it like historically, where are we today, and whats next are all focused in very limited copy, and heavy imagery. The ads project positive movement to a more opportunity rich future for women. The enthusiasm behind the idea leads to the product being embraced as a symbol of that momentum. Is this about cigarettes? Yep. Is it an amazing brand campaign that still resonates today? Yep. "You've come a long way baby."
Cocktail Friday: SweetWater 420
The SweetWater 420 Fest originated in Oakhurst, Georgia in 2005 as a way for SweetWater to combine all of the elements it was most passionate about in one location. It brought together music, beer, and environment. Guests can drink SweetWater beer while watching headlining musical talents. Little Five Points Candler Park became the festivals new home two years later until 2013. Environmental awareness continues to be a huge part of the festival, which also includes musicians, local artists, and vendors.
The SweetWater 420 Fest uses a variety of print, television, and social media to promote and advertise. It is important in advertising and marketing to understand your target audience and be able to locate them through different media. Locating the perfect fit for advertising is exactly what we do here at The Specialist Works US! SweetWater understands their main audience can be located through these sort of media and their use of them relates directly to their awareness and attendance.
Cocktail Friday: Celebratory Wine
When it comes to new experiences, companies can also partake in change. Rebranding is a marketing strategy where an established company or organization changes their appearance with a new name, term, symbol, or a combination of the options. They do so with the intention of developing a new and different identity among the minds of consumers, investors, competitors, and other stakeholders. Normally, radical changes to a brands logo, name, image, marketing strategy, and advertising themes occur.
A successful example of rebranding would be Apple. It is said that Apple has possibly one of the best rebranding stories of our era. In the early 1990s, Apple was suffering from low sales, low consumer interest, and competition was taking consumers away. These were issues until Steve Jobs took over the company in 1997. Jobs presented an image of minimalism and modernity. He did this with new innovative products and a series of advertising and marketing campaigns that focused on experiences as opposed to purchases. Through this, they were able to attract a new, diverse customer base. A little change and introspection can be healthy and exciting. Whether its the thrill of traveling to a new country or the excitement of reinventing your brand, new experiences are valuable exercises in learning and growth.