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Laissez les bons temps rouler - It is Mardis Gras!

Let the good times role. It is "Fat Tuesday". 

According to History.com, " Many historians believe that the first American Mardi Gras took place on March 3, 1699, when the French explorers Iberville and Bienville landed in what is now Louisiana, just south of the holidays future epicenter: New Orleans. They held a small celebration and dubbed the spot Point du Mardi Gras. In the decades that followed, New Orleans and other French settlements began marking the holiday with street parties, masked balls and lavish dinners. When the Spanish took control of New Orleans, however, they abolished these rowdy rituals, and the bans remained in force until Louisiana became a U.S. state in 1812. 
Louisiana is the only state in which Mardi Gras is a legal holiday."

Mardi Gras, and it's unique relationship to Louisiana, is a great example of how culturally different the US is from region to region. Advertising to New York and to New Orleans isn't apples to apples. If that is the approach it won't resonate for both audiences. Response patterns, collections issues, offer sensitivity and imagery may all need to be adjusted depending on the geographic and demographic targets you are trying to reach.

Cocktail Friday: Margaritas!

Its Cocktail Friday here at The Specialist Works US and we are celebrating with margaritas! National Margarita Day 2017 took place on the 22nd, but we are keeping up the holidays spirit by continuing on through the week. National Margarita Day was founded by Todd McCalla to spread his love for margaritas around the world. 

The classic margarita was invented during the 1930s or 1940s in Mexico. There are many different theories of when and how exactly the recipe was created, but no matter the case we are thankful it came to be! Frozen margaritas were later invented in the 1970s in Dallas when a bartender converted a soft serve ice cream unit into a frozen margarita machine. Whether you prefer a classic margarita on the rocks, straight up, or frozen, its the most common tequila-based cocktail in the United States today. 

The day is meant for friendships and fun. Its Friday! Grab your co-workers and enjoy a nice cold margarita over delightful conversation to kick-start the weekend. 

Want to make your own to celebrate? 

Ingredients:
 3.5 cL (7 parts) tequila
2 cL (4 parts) Triple Sec
1.5 cL (3 parts) lime juice

Preparation: Rub the rim of the glass with the lime slice to make the salt stick to it. The salt should stay on the rim and never mix into the cocktail. Shake the other ingredients with ice, then carefully pour into the glass.

Throwback Thursday - Dairy Queen

Its Throwback Thursday here at The Specialist Works US and this weeks ad shows a Dairy Queen ad from 1956. Talk about a super sweet Sweet 16! This ad beautifully uses white space and well-illustrated pictures to welcome all Dairy Queens customers to their 16th birthday celebration. This ad uses a fantastic method of making the consumer feel a part of the company.

The first Dairy Queen logo was simply the company wordmark on a blue background. Signs at DQ locations also added an image of their signature soft-serve cone. Both can be seen in this image and it is even said for customers to stop at the sign of the cone with the curl on top. This ad embodies the 1950s vibe because lets be honest, ice cream and milkshakes were huge. It is also apparent that Dairy Queen was effective in this approach because today there are more than 6,400 stores in more than 25 countries.

Wit and Wisdom Wednesday - Steve Jobs on Teamwork

"Great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a team of people." -Steve Jobs.

Its Wit and Wisdom Wednesday here at The Specialist Works US and we love this Steve Jobs quote. While Jobs had many different accomplishments including being an American entrepreneur, businessman, inventor, and industrial designer, he knew the value of teamwork. Society may remember Jobs most for his groundbreaking work with Apple, however without the help of fellow colleagues, it may not have come to be. It takes many different parts to make a well-oiled machine.

We here at The Specialist Works US understand that. Everyone is valuable and appreciated for their given job, but it takes those jobs coinciding successfully for our overall goal to be met for our clients. Teamwork is necessary in not only advertising and marketing, but for all businesses to operate efficiently.

Cocktail Friday: Old Fashioned Cocktails

Cocktail Friday

Old Fashioned Cocktail

Its Cocktail Friday here at The Specialist Works US and we would like to acknowledge how to get Back to Basics with some Old Fashioned Cocktails. The first documented use of the word cocktail was in 1806. The first use of the name "Old Fashioned" for a Bourbon whiskey cocktail was at the Pendennis Club, a gentlemen's club founded in 1881 in Louisville, Kentucky. It is said the recipe was invented by a bartender at the club in honor of Colonel James E. Pepper, a prominent bourbon distiller.

Just as it is acceptable to enjoy an Old Fashioned Cocktail, it is also acceptable to stick to some old fashioned and consistent forms of advertising and marketing. While we are in a new age and technology is constantly evolving all around us, there are some characteristics and approaches that have traditionally had a steady success rate. A few tips are to understand how to help consumers, find an emotional connection with them, and to make sure your message is coming across consistently. Old fashioned or new, studying your audience and clarifying your message will always be in style.

If you would like to keep it Old Fashioned as well, here is the recipe and preparation!
Recipe:
4.5 cL (1.5 U.S. fl oz) Bourbon or Rye whiskey
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 sugar cube
Few dashes plain water
Preparation: Place sugar cube in old fashioned glass and saturate with bitters, add a dash of plain water. Muddle until dissolved. Fill the glass with ice cubes and add whiskey. Garnish with orange twist, and a cocktail cherry.

Presidents' Day

The Specialist Works US will be closed Monday, February 20, to celebrate Presidents Day. Washingtons Birthday is a United States federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February to honor George Washington, the first President of the United States, who was born on February 22, 1732. This event is now widely known as Presidents Day and is often used to honor all who have served as president. We wish you a safe and happy holiday!

Profit with a Purpose - Samaritan Boxes

Proud of all of our staff for pitching in on the Samaritan Boxes. We collected enough toys and supplies from the request list to complete 30 boxes!

Profit With a Purpose

At TSWUS we are committed to giving back to our community,One of our areas of focus is in supporting charities helping children. While we are all in the holiday spirit, we are also very focused on needs not just presents. Today we were lucky to deliver a donation of necessities to our local Ronald McDonald House to help support children and families that are spending the holiday season in the hospital.

Proud to Announce

We are so excited to share the good news of our UK team's great success! Taking the lead and showing them how it's done!
Double Winners at the Drum Network AwardsThe Specialist Works: welcome to extraordinary performanceTHESPECIALISTWORKS.COM

Proud to Announce

Look upon this and marvel! Check out the amazing Clash of Kings mural in the tube station. Compelling!
On the winning team at The Drum Creative OOH AwardsThe Specialist Works: welcome to extraordinary performanceTHESPECIALISTWORKS.COM