Did anyone happen to catch the recent 60 Minutes interview of Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin? If you didn’t, check it out at the provided link, before continuing with this blog.

I’m a fan of Coldplay. I find their music infectious and intelligent, and appreciate that the band has remained humble despite being one of the most successful recording acts in the world. Their album, "Viva La Vida", has sold an incredible eight-and-a-half million copies and their current world tour is nearly sold out.

I don’t know how much buzz the profile garnered, but as a creative, I noticed a real gem in it that I felt merited further focus and discussion.



What’s that in the “frame grab” you ask? These are Chris Martin’s notes to himself and his bandmates, one of many posted on the walls, a whiteboard and even Martin’s studio piano (he scribbles on it in green marker),

More precisely, they are reminders of key principles which have helped Coldplay become astoundingly successful-  a “secret formula” if you will, of philosophical beliefs and strategic tactics that the band employs consistently, covering everything from song construction; to photo / video guidelines; to marketing and public relations positioning; and general business.
 
In the interview, news journalist, Steve Kroft, framed Martin’s practice as somehow aberrant, stating: “He is a compulsive worrier and list-maker. He sends himself electronic messages, and scrawls notes on scraps of paper, on his hands, and anything else that's available, lest he forget some brilliant idea. Like many artists, he is openly, gloriously neurotic.”

“Neurotic?”

I call it pure business acumen- (beautifully) equal parts creative and analytical.  

How many new ideas or profound realizations arrive for many of us at unexpected moments? Insights that you just can’t afford to forget? What do you do? Grab a pencil and jot ‘em down, of course! Most designers I know keep idea/sketch books handy and I’ve got plenty of notebooks and post-it notes full of marketing, design, business and leadership lessons that I’ve either come to realize myself, or have picked up from others much wiser than me.

“The most powerful element in advertising is the truth”…
“Always have a point of view”…
“Make an emotional connection”…
“Don’t be afraid that a concept will go over your customers heads. If you assume they’re dumb, they may be smarter than you”…
“Safe is risky”…
“Advertising can’t create product advantages, only convey them”…

And so on.

I keep them where I can always be consciously reminded of their powerful truths. If you happen to be the kind of person who instinctively organizes your standards and observations into digital files- congratulations! If you prefer a bulletin board, whiteboard or post-it’s, I can relate. If you use a green sharpie on your white grand piano, then ummm… well, o.k…. maybe Martin is a little bit more obsessive than most.

But, based upon what I can clearly see in Chris’ notes, he is a man that is more calculating than confused; more cognitive than compulsive; more analytical than anxious. I see someone who is introspective and intelligent, and not inappropriately impulsive. Creatives, take note.

Coldplay’s “mysteries”, revealed:

1. Albums must be no longer than 42 minutes, or 9 tracks.
2. Production must be amazing, rich, but with space, not overlayered, less tracks, more quality, groove and swing. Drums/rhythm are the most crucial thing to concentrate on; difference between "Bittersweet" and "Science of silence." [A reference to The Verve and Richard Ashcroft solo]
3. Computers are instruments, not recording aids.
4. Imagery must be classic, colourful and different. Come back in glorious technicolor.
5. Make sure videos and pictures are great before setting release date. And highly original.
6. Always keep mystery. Not many interviews.
7. Groove and swing. Rhythms and sounds must always sound as original as possible. Once Jon has melody, twist it and weird it.
8. Promo/review copies to be on vinyl. Stops copying problem, sounds and looks better.
9. Jacqueline Sabriado, ns p c c, face forward/review. (?)
10. Think about what to do with charity account. Set up something small, enabling and constructive. Ref J. Oliver Fifteen [a reference to Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Restaurant in London]

I recently came across an interesting discussion on Linkedin regarding effective graphic design. The original post was called, “Creating a Graphic Design Piece that Sells,” by a person who was promoting a direct marketing firm.  Stating, “Here’s what all great pieces have in common” he followed with: "Use one dominant element per page; minimize typeface variety; utilize white space; use informational graphics where appropriate; and make the logo visible."

My instinctive response was, “Can effective design be reduced to a simple standard formula? Isn’t effective design based on criteria?”

No sooner than I had thought this, than another group member, posted this reply:  “This approach assumes that design is to be judged on some standard of design, independent of anything else. First comes an objective in regard to marketing materials. Marketing establishes an objective (or objectives) and develops a strategy to realize those objectives. Design not only does not perform independent of these things, but to be successful, it must assume that marketing did their job correctly and visually enable the strategy to effectively work, to realize the objectives. Good commercial design (i.e. graphic design) when done well is a measurement of how well marketing did their job."

This designer's thoughts were similar to mine, but I believe there's a little more to it. Criteria is the foundation of effective design and includes more than just objectives and strategy. It includes things like a thorough understanding of who your audience is, how they are unique, where they are, what they do and what their passions are. It includes understanding attributes, benefits, strengths and weaknesses of the brand. A study of competition, how to stand out... and much more. The designer should help contribute and synthesize all this in the design process.

I think more thought leaders (CEO’s, CMO’s, CTO’s), are recognizing the rich benefits of seamless collaboration between disciplines and "departments". I believe it is critically important that marketers understand design methodology and that designers be actively engaged in criteria development from the start- not sitting and waiting for the next “order”. How can you achieve full creative potential with an assembly-line mentality? You can’t.

The same holds true for interaction between web designers, programmers, PR, strategists, media planners, writers, etc.  Here at Renaissance we are about seamless collaboration. Our designers are intelligent, strategic thinkers who have a broad range of individual capabilities. And we use all of them to achieve the best results for our clients.

Many years ago, legendary ad man, William Bernbach had the vision to combine copywriters and art directors into two-person teams—they had commonly been in separate departments. So, why did we ever stop there? Fragmenting the brand internally will inherently, weaken it externally. The bottom line is that the more diversified skill sets you put on a problem from the onset, the better your chance of arriving at an effective solution. In my opinion, this is one “general” principle of design that if utilized uniformly, would allow us to say with conviction, “Here’s what all great pieces really have in common”.

In case you missed it, June 13th, 2009 marked the occasion for the World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) when thousands of unabashed, planet-loving souls took to the streets en masse and au natural to celebrate the non-polluting effects of bike riding.

And on a more serious-minded note- you’ve likely heard about Brad Pitt and his earth-friendly entourage’s efforts to “Make it Right” in the lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans by building 150 sustainable residences for people whose homes were ravaged by Katrina.

Green is fun. Green is hip. And Green most certainly is our future. But Green Living can be very expensive, making it impractical for many outside the cultural elite.

…Until now.

Renaissance Creative and StalwartBuilt, an extreme green homebuilding science company, will soon announce a high-profile project expected to draw national attention and advance the evolution of high-level, affordable “Beyond Green” living.

StalwartBuilt president, Julius Poston, a long-time developer and green building innovator from the Florida Panhandle, may just have cracked the affordability code. StalwartBuilt is responsible for building the very first LEED Platinum “Net Zero Energy” home in the Florida, and the Southeast region.

LEED Platinum is the highest rating possible from the nonprofit U.S.G.B.C (United States Green Building Council) that uses an extremely stringent, national, third party certification system for green homes.

Renaissance Creative partnered with Julius and StalwartBuilt almost two years ago, developing brand identity, a website and promotional materials for the company; coordinating public relations; and providing architectural assistance during product development.

Unlike so many modern green home concepts, the StalwartBuilt LEED Platinum home, located in Callaway Corners, a new single-family workforce housing development in Panama City, reflects the coastal vernacular of its Florida setting.  Yet, the home’s building science boasts the state-of-the-art in green-o-vation.

Photovoltaic solar panels. Geo-thermal heating. Honeywell air filtration for 98% allergen-free interior air quality. Cost & waste saving modular construction. Extreme wind-load strength.

And much more.  

And the price tag? Just $125 a square foot, not including the lot.

The history-making home is now the model for a soon-to-be announced regional initiative that will be putting hundreds of “Beyond Green” homes in neighborhoods that need them the most.

Hey, naked bike riders may attract gawkers. And movie stars may get lots of ink. But Julius Poston and associates, including Renaissance Creative, are getting it done. We are quietly and definitively making the dream of a hyper-green home an affordable reality for ordinary folks.

How cool is that?
 

In challenging economic times, the natural response of many companies is to cut back on marketing. A new survey by the American Association of National Advertisers reported that 77% of marketers plan to reduce their media budgets in 2009. In fact, down economies are when businesses need to increase their marketing efforts. Marketing during periods of decline not only enables companies to more easily capture the limited amount of available work during slowdowns, but also to increase market share permanently, when conditions improve.

The key is not doing more, but doing more for less by taking advantage of free and/or low-cost marketing opportunities. The most effective is promoting your website. There are many simple, substantive ways you can help yourself, dedicating little more than your own time. Below is a list of 10 FREE or LOW COST strategies to maximize your website’s visibility and page rank; and ultimately, your company’s revenue and market share.

1. Provide Valuable Content – For successful search engine optimization (SEO), content is king. Provide information on your site that your target audience will appreciate. Make yourself a resource. COST: FREE

2. Write Effective Meta Tags – The three most important are your Title, Description and Keyword tags. Titles are the text seen at the top of browser windows on all pages. These are the most important to search engines. They indicate what each individual page is about. They should be succinct (not exceeding 75 characters), include high traffic keywords and for most businesses, be geographically specific.
Description tags are the descriptive copy web-surfers see when organic search results pop up. This information helps people determine if they want to visit your site, so make them strategic (use keywords), informative and compelling (250 characters or so).
Keywords are a list of words and phrases relevant to the content of your site. They are not as important as Titles and Descriptions, but still help. COST: Once written, an hour or two of coding time

3. Secure Inbound Links – Incoming links into your website increase traffic. Also, when Google and other search engines see multiple incoming links into your site, they assume it’s important and rank it higher. Encourage as many relevant links into your site as you can. This can include strategic “partners”; satellite offices; Chambers; subs, etc. One-way links are considered the most natural and desirable, though “reciprocal links” are fine, if they are logical. COST: FREE

4. Submit Your Website to Directories – Submit your site to key directories, providing as much information as possible. Then scouting the numerous other business and specialized industry directories. The important ones include: Google Local Listings (aka Google Maps); Yahoo Local; MSN Live Search; and the Open Directory Project (dmoz.com). COST: FREE

5. Blog – Want links? Become a resource; encourage inbound traffic; publicize new content; and encourage others to pick up your stories, all in one step! The secret to blogging: Don’t worry about being a journalist; keep it short, conversational and dedicate a set period of time to it (an hour or two a week). COST: FREE

6. Pinging Services – If you’re going to put in the time to blog, make sure people know. Each time you make a new entry, visit Google Blog Search Ping Utility at http://blogsearch.google.com/ping and type in your blog address. Pingomatic.com is another good one. COST: FREE

7. Write & Submit Articles – See #5 Above. Submit content to article directories for abundant backlinks. Go to www.ezinearticles.com to begin. COST: FREE

8. Write and Distribute Press Releases – Yes, you can do it yourself for only the cost of your time. Distribution is free at PRlog.com COST: FREE

9. Leverage Social Networks – Linkedin for professionals; Facebook for friends and family. Both provide invaluable exposure for your website and your content and there are many more. COST: FREE

10. Promote Yourself In Online Forums & Blogs – Participate in online groups. Get started by investigating Google Groups (groups.google.com) COST: FREE

Not long ago, as part of an art presentation I was giving for my daughter’s third grade class, I directed the students to use their laptops to log on to a clever website (mrpicassohead.com) where users can create their own Picasso-inspired masterpieces. Before I was able to get to the site myself, nearly all of the children had logged on, jumped headfirst into the site’s interactive toolset and were creating their own artwork. By the time I stood to walk around the class to answer questions, my own daughter had captured a frame grab from the site and converted it into a customized screensaver, while another child was already e-mailing a copy of the file to his parents.

Is there any question about how this generation of future homebuyers will look for their new homes?

Well over half (57%) of American households have broadband and they spend more than 30% of their media time, online. According to a 2008 NAR survey of Home Buyers and Sellers, 87% of homebuyers said they used the internet as a resource when researching residential real estate. That’s 2% more than those who said they consulted a real estate agent! Does this mean that Realtors are no longer relevant and/or that traditional advertising is dead? Not by a long shot!

The survey also reported that a healthy 47% of searchers looked at newspapers or other print ads (5th place, behind Internet- 87%, real estate agents-85%, yard signs-62% and open houses-48%). And that of the 87% percent of home buyers who used the Internet to search for a home—well, 87% of those folks eventually purchased through a real estate agent! These statistics tell us that real estate marketing (still) relies on strategic, integrated marketing utilizing both on- and offline media to deliver targeted messages to various audiences; and on the expertise of trained professionals to help homebuyers navigate the market and assist them with these large, life-changing transactions.

But, what about those third graders?

I suppose the critical point is that they’re in third grade-- and still growing and evolving. And unless you are in denial about the Internet’s importance to marketing, you should be continuing to evolve, as well! Your media mix —whatever it includes—will ultimately run through or revolve around your website. It is, or at least it should be– the hub of your marketing wheel. And while it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the seemingly unlimited creative possibilities of Web 2.0 with its streaming media (web video), mobile media, blogs, widgets, podcasts and syndication technologies like RSS (really simple syndication), there’s no excuse not to understand the basics of online marketing. If you are not getting the desired results from your website, here are some helpful hints and best practices to consider before investing in a potentially under-performing site.

1. Avoid 100% Flash websites. My creative brain loves the slick, dynamic look and seamless experience all-flash sites can provide, but search engine traffic is an important part of our clients’ business models and search engines can parse little content from Flash-based sites relative to HTML and CSS. In addition, if you have a lot of site content, or think it will need to be updated more than 3-4 times a year, then it makes sense to stay away from 100% Flash for budget reasons. I prefer balancing usability with creativity by combining HTML and CSS with some Flash, as a little Flash can go a long way to enhance user experience when used creatively and intelligently.
2. Mission Critical: Content – For successful search engine optimization (SEO), content is king. Your site should provide valuable information that references specific terms and concepts unique to your site with text on as many pages as possible, weaving keywords into compelling copy. Often, it’s not the broad keywords you might have imagined people are using to find you, but very specific ones. Search engines typically index the first 500 words of copy on each page. Site maps (outlines of your site) help search engines, as well.
3. Always use title tags, or page titles, that are relevant to the content of specific pages. Title tags define page titles, which are seen at the top of the browser window. Search engines place significant emphasis on this text when conducting searches and returning results. In most cases, your titles should describe what you sell and where your business is located. They should be succinct (usually not exceeding 75 characters), strategic and compelling since this is the link text in search engine results. Besides a good title tag, you should have a good description tag, which is hidden text that search engines use for page summaries. These should also be concise (1-2 sentences), informative (tell me what I can do here) and clear (what is the content of the page).
4. Avoid title tags with too much competition. A Google search for “Jacksonville real estate” puts you in competition with a universe of 3,050,000 other pages with the same links. “St. Johns County real estate” reduces it to 411,000. “Ponte Vedra Beach real estate” drops it 244,000. Try to be specific and localize.
5. Remember that conversion is your ultimate goal. Top placement may be a by-product of successful online marketing, but conversion is king. SEO is just one part of the process. To be effective, your online marketing should convert visitors into customers. This means considering such factors as your own unique selling points, calls to action, site navigation, conversion and conversion path.

By simply keeping these few principles in mind, you should at least be on equal footing in the competitive online marketplace. More likely, you’ll find yourself ahead of many and might even be able to teach your third grader a thing or two!

Recently, while driving to work and listening to automotive executives getting scorched by Congress on satellite radio, I found myself shaking my head in astonishment at these embattled CEO’s. Like many, it wasn’t the “spectacle” of their treatment that shocked me, but the way these top-level leaders seemed plaintively disconnected with us ordinary folk-aka, their customers.

While there are no doubt many forces- economic, political and otherwise which have contributed to their troubles, at the root of it all seems to be a gaping hole in their understanding of the consumers who use their products. They’re not connected to us. We’re not connected to their brands. And that’s what I’d call, a “design problem”.

I’m not referencing the lack of aesthetic refinement of any particular American make or model. Perhaps to the surprise of some, great design isn’t just about looks or style. Nor is it an issue related specifically to engineering, price, performance or service following the sale. Rather, it’s about the cumulative nature of all of these qualities and how a company’s products and services make their customers “feel” over time.

Great design emerges from a specific kind of organizational “culture”. It is guided by a commitment to understanding your customers (and your “brand advocates”, including your internal team and supply chain), on a human level, so that you can connect with them there emotionally. It’s a problem-solving process that can be utilized in every facet of your business. And in today’s world, it is fast becoming not only a powerful competitive advantage for those all-too-familiar companies that clearly “get it” (Apple, Target, BMW), but a survival tool for those hoping to compete in a tumultuous new economy — a world where companies are increasingly being forced to choose between operating as standardized commodities, or class leaders. I’d theorize that the fact that American automakers occupy neither space distinctly or consistently is a potential source of their problems.

So, how can we utilize the power of design to its full potential in our businesses? A great way to start is simply understanding what design is and the methodology behind it. And don’t worry– you don’t have to be Steve Jobs or Michael Graves to do this.

While design was one of my responsibilities years ago, it rarely rose above my roles as a writer, marketer, strategist and generalist. But, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside some great ones for many years, and so have come to understand their processes well. Whether you’re talking about industrial, environmental, graphic, interactive or experiential design or whether you’re referencing product development, marketing, branding or organizational attributes, the methodology remains wonderfully, consistently effective.

It is a process based on inquisition; exploration; anticipation; innovation and continual trial and refinement. It is focused obsessively on user-experience (i.e. What’s in it for the customer?). It’s about fostering positive emotional connections with users by focusing on the most sublime details (this is where professional designers are worth their weight in gold and where brands — some knowingly, some unwittingly — often make that choice between invariable “commodity” or “class leader”). Oh yes, and be forewarned: The design “process” never, ever “ends”, because time inherently presents us with new sets of problems to anticipate and resolve.

Many people fail to recognize design as this type of a problem-solving “tool”. They understand it only as one recent prospective client did, when in the course of attempting to pay our firm a compliment, noted our reputation as a creative agency, and said that we are great at making things, “pretty”.

As we noted in a subsequent blog post (http://www.rencreative.com/blog “Pretty?!! Please!!!”), design isn’t about being “pretty”, "good-looking" or even "kinda cute". Design is about criteria-based problem-solving. And only when a project’s criteria calls for “pretty”, will it be designed in such a way because form follows function.

This is where much public understanding of design tends to get lost.

You see, design is not art. Art is subjective, based on an artist's personal expression. Design is objective, based on well-organized performance criteria.

Good design is not influenced by the designer’s personal feelings and is only beautiful when it works beautifully — when it effectively achieves what it is designed to achieve.

My iPod is a work of art. But, it works because it can hold a thousand songs in a smooth, elegant case about the size of a book of matches. Same thing with my iPhone. It’s sleek and beautiful and it’s a working computer that’s thinner than my wallet! These things make me feel good about my purchases of them, good about the Apple brand and thus more likely to purchase the next new gizmo Apple puts in front of me.

I trust the company because they provided me with great products and services that have translated into positive memorable experiences, over time. They’ve elevated their brand for me, to the point where I not only use their products loyally, I’ll pay more to get them, because I recognize the value they extend over the long run through the quality of their design. So often, so many companies waste so much money throwing more media dollars after bad brands, when they could have dedicated their budgets to creating stronger brands that require less marketing across the life of their products!

This is not say that good design has to cost more. Just look at Target. They’ve created a design-driven company, whose entire business model is, “great design for less!” Same with IKEA. Their commitment to design runs throughout their products, retail spaces, marketing efforts and no doubt, their entire internal structure.

Meanwhile, American automakers seem confused. They don’t understand their customers and they’ve admitted it. They say they can’t figure out if we want better gas mileage and lower prices; or more room and greater safety for ourselves, and our families.

Hey, how about both?!

If Steve Jobs can cram 1,000 songs into a gorgeous matchbook; if Target can give us haute couture for $19.99, then we know it can be accomplished! And if you want to make sure your brands transcend the competition in lasting, meaningful ways by connecting with us on an emotional, human level —– then by all means, leave the jets parked on your day trips.

Ultimately, not every company has to be a BMW, UPS, Apple, Starbucks, Disney, Samsung or any other of the many organizations that understand “design culture” and employ it throughout every aspect of their businesses. You can choose to utilize design methodology to attack any individual problem and integrate it to whatever level your personal business philosophy begets – or your customers demand.

Regardless of how you use it, here are some handy tips to help keep you “thinking” like a designer:

1. Define the problem: Gather all the criteria by gathering all the stakeholders. Design is a collaborative process. The more brains you involve in problem-solving, the more effective your solutions can potentially be, though someone should always clearly lead.
2. Put yourself in the place of your customer: It seems so obvious, yet is so easy to forget. You’ve got to intently focus on the user, at all times.
3. Inquire: Ask these important questions: What’s in it for the customer? What are their desires / needs / fears? How can I address these wants / needs or anxieties and foster positive emotional connections with users by answering these concerns? How do my products and services make people feel? How can I connect with them on a human level? (Hint: Use your gut).
4. Anticipate and Innovate: As we are fond of saying at Renaissance, “Think forward”. Anticipate change. Study consumer, cultural, media and technological trends and consider how your product or service might intersect with these shifts down the road.
5. No idea is a bad idea: Everyone has a creative gene, from the Creative Director right down to the mail room. Never be overly critical or dismissive of a new approach. Consider all ideas thoughtfully and respectfully.
6. Never be satisfied: Test your ideas, measure their results and never stop refining.
7. When in doubt, consult a professional.

If you elect not to integrate the principles of design into your organizational culture, it doesn’t mean that you’ll end up sweating in front of a microphone, getting flogged by an elected official. But if you do, I promise that your customers (and your people), will notice. They’ll feel that you care. They’ll stick by your class-leading company in up or down economies. And when they shake their heads, it won’t be because you are so woefully disconnected, but because you are so consistently, astonishingly good.

No, this is not an article about health food or ways to make your website more "earth-friendly". It's about using search engine optimization (SEO) effectively, to make your website more profitable. These days, there seems to be as much buzz about SEO as there is about that other global trend, "going green". And while I'm as passionate about the earth as anyone, my goal here is to help make your business more sustainable!

While I am a steadfast proponent of integrated marketing that targets the public through multiple channels (on and offline), there's no denying that nearly all commerce today ultimately runs through or around someone's website. Everyone from retailers, to Realtors, to physicians, to landscapers increasingly rely on websites to help their prospects find them. That means it's critically important for businesses to make their websites as visible as possible. It also means there's a lot of competition to contend with.

Some people assume that the best paths to visibility are through such methods as listing your information in online business directories; using paid advertising strategies such as pay-per-click (PPC) and/or banner advertising on niche portals; or leveraging social media, by doing things like blogging and/or creating pages within sites like Facebook, MySpace or Linkedin.

It is my experience that while each of these elements has the potential to contribute to a well-rounded online marketing campaign, none, alone or in tandem are as important as focusing on the intrinsic content, structure and overall quality of your own website to achieve high page rank in "organic" (non-paid) search results.

Paying for visibility on niche portals (think, Realtor.com, for Realtors), offer the value of targeted marketing, but nowhere near the power of simply being found via organic search on major search engines like Google, MSN, Yahoo or AOL. And while I hesitate to confer even more importance on these internet moguls- the fact is that most consumers today conduct searches by going straight to their homepages and using their browser bars to look for, well… everything!

Understanding this, one might mistakenly assume that utilizing PPC programs offered by the major Search Engines themselves (such as Google Adwords), might well be the Holy Grail for search visibility. But, not so fast– there are other factors to consider: 1) Once again, you're paying for search results. When you quit paying, you quit getting results. 2) Despite the fact that you're paying to appear on the first page of results, you are also clearly identified as an advertiser, separated physically (via position on the page), from organic search results. Organic results are universally perceived as more credible, thus making them more likely to be clicked on. 3) Paid results through one search engine won't necessarily help you with another, whereas a well-built, optimized site will provide increased visibility across all search engines; and oh, by the way—cost you less in the long run.

Finally, social networking is terrific if you've got all day to blog and upload videos, but most do not. And while blogging can be a powerful tool to increase search visibility, beware: If you start a blog and let it go stagnant, it can hurt your search rankings, as search engines will ultimately treat your site the way you treat your blog— by ignoring it, based on the assumption that it just isn't as relevant as it once was. And advertising on social sites? Hey, you might as well interrupt my neighborhood pool party to show me your ad and risk getting pelted with onion dip. Get out of my social space, already! (Think Facebook's recent revolt).

So, what's a website to do, to get a look? Focus on "organics"!

1. The most important elements to consider when building a site are that it be well-organized, easy-to-absorb and simple-to-navigate. You want to establish a unique selling point, call to action and focused conversion path. A visitor landing on your home page should know within 3-5 seconds where to go next to purchase your product, register for information, or perform a desired action. Last year, Google announced that their Page Rank system was beginning to factor in landing pages' load times. People want information quickly and Google was responding to this. So should you. If your conversion path has multiple steps, such as adding products to a shopping cart then checking out, make sure each step is clear and intuitive.
2. Focus on quality content! Provide valuable information relevant to your business that references specific terms and concepts unique to your site with text on as many pages as possible, weaving keywords into compelling copy. Often, it's not the broad keywords you might have imagined that people are using to find you, but very specific ones. Search engines typically index the first 500 words of copy on each page.
3. Pay CLOSE attention to title tags! Nothing is more important than these single lines of code that define page titles, seen at the top of your browser window. These are the link text for search engine results. Ideally, they succinctly describe what your business sells and where you are located.
4. Avoid tags with too much competition and be geographically specific (i.e. instead of "Doctors", "Florida Doctors" or "Jacksonville Doctors", think, "Jacksonville Beach Pediatricians").
5. Keep content fresh and updated. New content to existing sites is automatically indexed when added. If new information is added frequently, it indicates that your site is current and relevant!
6. Avoid 100% Flash websites. While search engines are getting better at it, they can still parse very little content from Flash-based sites. Balance usability with creativity by combining HTML and CSS with some Flash in contained areas, or transitions.
7. Try to cultivate as many relevant incoming links into your site as possible. These is a powerful strategy for achieving great search results, but manipulation can lead to penalization. For more on this topic, refer to the, "Link Your Way to Better Search Results..." entry in this blog.
8. Add a "site index" (an "outline" of your site). This can help search engines, as well.
9. Make sure your web address is present and highly visible on all other marketing materials.
10. Understand that search optimization is a process. Search algorithms and methodologies are constantly being refined by Search Engines to suit public demand. If you don't have time to deal with it, find someone who does. Think of your website as one of your most valuable employees and dedicate the same time, effort and resources to keeping them "happy".

By just following these few simple rules, you'll have your website well on its way to "going green" and visitors flocking to your online environment!

Recently, as part of a theological study I’m involved in with my Church (called Blueprint for Life, co-authored by Michael Kendrick and Ben Ortlip), I came across a terrific illustration of the importance of, “thinking forward”. The study utilized a short historical essay on the WWII-era Pomeranian Calvary Brigade of the Polish army to highlight the relative value of time when taken in consideration of planning only for “today”, vs. planning for “eternity”.

The story applies beautifully to all of those who become too comfortable with any aspect of life, not anticipating change and innovation, nor planning appropriately for the future.

We believe in this principle with such conviction at Renaissance Creative that we use the phrase, “Think Forward” in conjunction with our logo and brand identity. It’s how we help our clients think about their own products and services and the mindset that we apply to all of our creative work. Because failing to do so can have serious consequences, as Kendrick and Orthlip’s history lesson shows:

"Colonel Mastalerz was one of the most prestigious men in all of Europe- a decorated soldier and leader of the Pomeranian Calvary Brigade. As head of the 18th Lancer division, he was in charge of defending the Pomeranian Corridor. Built around the strength of its 84 infantry regiments, the Polish military had reigned supreme for two decades, turning back numerous assaults and defending their borders victoriously.

Tactically, they were superior. Their training and horsemanship were unsurpassed. Their determination and bravery had earned them an international reputation as one of the fiercest fighting units the world over. But on the morning of September 1, 1939, even Col. Mastalerz knew that Poland's string of victories was about to end.

The horses of the Polish calvary grew skittish and reared up restlessly. A deep rumbling sound shook the earth, growing louder by the minute. In the distance, Mastalerz could hear the sound of trees cracking and falling to the ground. Through the morning mist, the 2nd and 20th Motorized Divisions of the Third Reich made their way toward Masterlerz and the small hamlet of Krojanty. The invasion of Poland had begun.

In the hours that followed, Polish soldiers on horseback fought a war of attrition against a German unit of tanks and armored cars. It was one of history's great juxtapositions. The unthinkable was happening. It was a contrast equal to the Wright Brothers observing a space shuttle launch, or Alexander Graham Bell witnessing an Internet Videoconference. Residents from two different worlds met in an iconic exchange of ideologies, as one bygone era surrendered indefensibly to the next. Time and technology had marched by unnoticed. And that changed everything”.

Just like the Polish army, we as marketers must continue our push to evolve. Enduring success will be enjoyed not by those looking to leverage the tried and true, nor those satisfied with remaining in lockstep with their peers; but rather, by those willing and committed to thinking forward and considering: What's next? How can I do this differently? How can it be improved? What changes can I anticipate (cultural, media, technological)? How can I leverage these trends?

Our industry today (integrated marketing, advertising, public relations and brand communications) is characterized by profound change– extreme shifts in technology and fragmentation of media, all occurring at unbelievable speed. Is there really any question that the ways we deliver messages must always continue to evolve?

As the Pomeranian Calvary Brigade proved, if you’re not committed to the process and looking far enough ahead; you’ll one day find yourself at the unwelcome crossroads of time and technology; of the past and the future; of foresight and hindsight. And you’ll have no choice but to surrender to those who eyes were fixed on a point on the horizon, much farther than your own.

As Kendrick and Ortlip so eloquently put it, “the advance of time has a great way of correcting nearsightedness”.

Note: The Blueprint for Life Study from which the story of the Pomeranian Calvary is referenced, is a truly enlightening (and exceptionally well-developed and designed), multi-media resource that takes valuable, secular-styled lessons for intentional living and goal-setting and applies them to Christian principles. I highly recommend this $59 study for groups or individuals. You’ll find many more brilliant illustrations you can apply to every area of your life. www.blueprintforlife.com.

It was nice of you not to say anything about my back.
How did I find out that I have a problem?
Well, the Live Search team at Microsoft recently released its list of the top, “How to…” search terms for 2008 and one of the contenders was, “How to lose back fat.”

Over the past year, I’ve been working on losing weight and honestly, I thought the problem was a little lower– say in the caboose area.
But obviously, with millions of Americans searching for ways to lose
upper dorsal torso poundage, I’m figuring I might be carrying a few extra bricks up top as well, that everyone’s just been too polite to point out.

Back fat wasn’t the only thing occupying enquiring minds.

People also clicked to find out:
• How to tie a tie
• How to avoid tan lines
• How to save money
• How to write a resume
• How to lose weight
• How to make money
• How to improve your marriage
• How to save on home heating bills
• How to cook a turkey
• How to brine a turkey
• How to argue with your spouse
• How to choose a pediatrician
• How to reduce stress in your life
• How to be happy at work
• How to make gravy
• How to recycle cell phones
• How to pronounce “Palahniuk”
And to answer your question, it’s “Paula Nick”, and he’s the guy who wrote  Fight Club, which was turned into a Brad Pitt movie about a brawl-picking sociopath. 

And I found all that out by doing a Quick Search.

One of the fascinating things about this list—and a great lesson for marketing types—is how very personal and sweetly neurotic it is. Look behind the questions asked and you’ll see a host of concerns:
• “Am I doing this right?”
• “Am I pronouncing this correctly?”
• “Will I be warm enough?”
• “Am I loved?
• "Will I be successful?"
and
• “Why are you staring at my back?”

As you may recall, 2008 was an election year. So how come questions like, “How to pick a presidential candidate” or “How to understand Electoral College Votes? or “How to spell “Wasilla?” didn’t make it to the top?

You see, human concerns are vitally personal. That’s why marketing messages, however rational and well-thought out, have to connect with deeper emotions. They need to touch the brain stem, not just the brain cells. The personal is primal.

As we search for ways to engage the people who are our target markets, we have to keep in mind that what they’re searching for comes from the heart and make sure that we speak to those deeply-felt desires.

Now, I have to go. I’ve got to work on my Lats.

Another sign of the apocalypse: In case you haven’t heard, The Snuggie (Yes, that Snuggie!) has sold out! I am officially reconsidering everything I thought I knew about marketing. Hot off the Advertising Age newswire comes 2009’s most compelling story, which reveals that The Snuggie sold over 4 million units in (3) months last year, resulting in over $40 million in sales, and a 4-6 week waiting list.

Surely you’ve seen the television ads portraying seemingly normal people —with straight faces no less — engaged in all sorts of daily routines (sitting on the couch, talking on the phone, reading a book, etc.) cloaked in what looks to be cult-issued, the-spaceship-will-be-here-any-time-to-pick-me-up robes.

You probably thought, as I did, “Oh my God, you have got to be kidding me! Is this a joke? They’ll be lucky if they sell even one of those ridiculous things…”

The goofy garment — basically a blanket with sleeves and a hole for your head —and its surreal commercials spawned an organic, positive viral response including a couple of hundred YouTube parodies, SNL skits, Facebook Fan Clubs and celebrity comic monologue jokes.

But, the joke is squarely upon all of us cynics.

According to the Ad Age article, Scott Boilen, president of Allstar Marketing Group of New York, the man behind The Snuggie, says they can’t process orders fast enough. Online orders continue to pour in; The Snuggies have sold out at Walgreens and Bed, Bath & Beyond; and they’re now headed for the big time: Walmart.

So I, as a marketer, I ask: What gives?

Boilen claims it’s a combination of price and timing, that in this economy, with people stuck at home, looking to save money on things such as heating bills, etc., that The Snuggie at $19.95 (plus a free booklight!) is simply a bargain too good to pass up!  

Boilen says the DRTV model (think Ronco products), usually involves breaking even on the initial television/online launch, then moving into profitability with the introduction of the product onto retail shelves. But The Snuggie didn’t wait, enjoying almost instant success. So again, what’s going on?

I’m sure that (thanks to the recession), Boilen and his infomercial pals enjoy fire sale media pricing that allows them to come in from the cold, wee hours of programming to bask in prime time hot spots at reduced rates. But still…

Is it truly a viral joke that turned remunerative? Or just a classic example of behavioral marketing, where the “chronology of purchase intent” lines up in perfect harmony for sales conversion?; (i.e. near-broke consumer, shivering at home, longs for immediate, fleecy security; sees the commercial and instantly buys into Snuggie’s irresistible value proposition).  

My two cents: This is a “girly thing”. It’s a “mom thing”… and a “kid thing”… But, before you start sending me nasty e-mails, please let me qualify. I’m not a sexist. I’ll even own up publicly that I love to take baths (albeit, with a beer); I saw Titanic at least three times; and have Norah Jones on my Ipod. So back off.
 
Proof of my theory: When I first saw the commercial, I turned to my wife and said , incredulously, “Can you believe this?!!” She giggled, but said, “Shoot, I bet both of your daughters (ages 6 and 10), would LOVE one of those things! They’re always wrapped up under a blanket, on the couch reading, just like that!”
 
Next, for fun I posted the Ad Age Snuggies article on my Facebook profile, labeling my post and link to the article with the same cynical title of this blog: “Tim is convinced the end is near: adage.com/article...”

Within minutes, I received a response from a friend and former Account Exec at RC, now a stay-at-home mom: “OMG! This is so funny! My 7 year-old-daughter has been BEGGING me for this blanket! She walks around with her blankets acting like she has one...”
 
I then recalled my wife’s comments and started putting it all together: The ridiculous name–– Snuggie… Rhymes with Huggies… Snuggle®  (you know, the fabric softener with the teddy bear); the simple commercial with the mom and the little girl at home… It all started making sense. My marketing brain kicked in and I thought, “Oh, how I’d love to take a look at their tracking sheets and demographics. This is all about moms and daughters!”
 
Finally, it occurred to me that I had recently seen an even more surreal version of the Snuggie commercial, one noticeably showing more men in these things– large groups of people, wearing them outdoors at football game and on camping trips. Yep, a classic product extension effort– trying to get the guys to buy in!
 
I was utterly satisfied that I had so quickly and shrewdly dissected and analyzed the fundamental forces associated with The Snuggie’s surprising success –– that is, until Ed (one of the Partners here), weighed in and blew things up:

“I really don’t know what the big mystery is. Why are you making a big deal out of this? They’re functional. They’re cheap. They’re warm. It’s good design. I’d buy one”.

Hey–– I wonder if they make those things in Florida Gator colors?
 

Recently a prospective client, in the course of attempting to pay us a compliment, noted our reputation as a creative agency that was great at making things, “pretty.”

“Pretty?” Sorry, but we don’t do “pretty.” Or, "good-looking". Or, "kinda cute". We do design. Criteria-based design.

Form does not follow, “pretty”.
Form does not follow, “cool”.
Form follows FUNCTION.

In professions like architecture or industrial design, there seems to be little confusion over this. But in advertising, marketing and graphic design, sometimes even those in the profession don’t know the difference between art and design. Thus, titles like “the art department” and “graphic artist” instead of “design department” and “graphic designer”.

Art and design are not just different. They are basically opposites.

Art, in the traditional sense of the word, is subjective, based on the artist's personal expression. Design is objective, based on well-organized performance criteria. Good design is not influenced by the designer’s personal feelings and is only beautiful when it works beautifully—when it effectively achieves what it is designed to achieve.

Good design is performed by designers who know the difference between self-indulgent art and criteria-based solutions. Sure, visual beauty, poetic copy and artistic imagery are often a part of what works in marketing. But not because they’re pretty. Rather, because project criteria may call for it.

At Renaissance, we believe knowledge, talent and problem-solving design ability are beautiful things.

So please- feel free to call us “pretty.” Just smile when you do it.

We recently experienced a great illustration of the ever-increasing desire for, and nuances involved in, securing inbound links as a strategy to improve page rank in web search results. More about our example in a bit, but first, a little explanation.

“Link popularity” is a measure of the quantity (and quality) of other web sites that link to a specific site on the World Wide Web. It’s one prominent way that Google and other search engines determine your “page rank” or the position your website appears on search results. As you know, it is the mission of all websites within their respective business categories to come up on that coveted first page of search results- the closer to the top, the better. After providing quality content and utilizing proper engineering including the development of optimized title tags and meta-descriptions, this is considered one of the more reliable ways to the top.

The philosophy behind link popularity is that important sites will attract many links. When search engines see a site with multiple links into it, they assume that the site must be an important, trusted source of relevant content and thus, rank it higher, as those are the kinds of sites they want their users to find when they conduct searches through their portals (so their users will be happy and conduct even more searches- Cha-ching!).

By contrast, content-poor sites will have difficulty attracting any links. So naturally, people hoping to improve their page rank in search results typically want to have as many incoming links to their sites as possible.

But be careful: not all links are considered equal!

While sheer numbers may help, inbound links from reputable directories and other relevant www. sites are weighted more heavily than an inbound link from say, a friend’s personal webpage, or two websites that you own whose content has nothing to do with each other. Obvious attempts to manipulate search results through any variety of questionable link tactics may be considered “BlackHatSEO” and using them can backfire, as search engines will PENALIZE you if they discover you’re using them.

When you create your company’s website, you should indeed encourage as many relevant people as you can to link into your site. This can include strategic “partners” or affilliates; satellite offices or business divisions; customers; chamber-of-commerces; subs/vendors, etc. One-way links are considered to be the most natural, credible and thus, desirable to have. But, if you don’t have these, you may consider utilizing “reciprocal links” or “link exchanges”.

Link exchanges are a strategy wherein you offer to link your website to another, in return for them linking theirs back to yours. There are reciprocal link exchange directories that you can submit your website to, to help facilitate potential connections. You may even consider paying people for links. But in ALL cases, be discerning and make sure incoming links are from QUALITY sites, that are also RELEVANT to the content of your site. You may say, “You already said that”. We’ll, you’re right and I’m doing it again (purposefully), because it cannot be overstated! And remember, the latest search algorithms for Google and Yahoo have evolved to maintain higher favor towards one-way (non-reciprocated) links.

Beware of tactics like “link farming”. This is the practice of trying to create excessive reciprocal link exchanges for a site. A “link farm” is a page set up to do nothing more than to secure outside links into your website. This is definitely a “no-no”, and search engines see right through it.

An effective way to build good one-way linking is by distributing articles through content sites or article directories. These types of articles usually contain one-way links back to the author’s website. Every time a new person uses one of the articles for content in their own site, they are providing the author a new incoming link and subsequently, increased page rank.

Link campaigns, in all of their forms (and there are many different strategies, limited almost only by creativity), require careful consideration. Professional guidance as part of a comprehensive SEO strategy is recommended, but if you don’t have the budget for professional help or are a committed “do-it-yourselfer”, then try to reflect upon whether the tactic you are utilizing “feels right” ethically, and in consideration of the ultimate “real value” such a strategy will provide the end users of your website; for this is what search engines care about and focus on.

As I noted earlier, we recently had an experience that illustrated the increasing popularity of using link campaigns as an SEO strategy and the types of issues that can arise and need to be considered before implementing them.

Our agency is a partner in another outside venture: Americas Education Guides (www.americaseducationguide.com), founded by Jacksonville publisher, Michael Clements. These comprehensive specialty publications cover accredited public and private schools; colleges and universities; and other educational facilities for several major metropolitan areas in the United States, including Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Palm Beach, Miami and the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Our guides and AEG website provide valuable information to families inquiring about local educational options including test scores; school ratings; private school data; demographics; state requirements and more. They are also endorsed by the district superintendents and state Governors in their respective markets. (Shameless plug: We’ve recently begun selling marketing licenses for nationwide territories, partnering with both independent publishers and major newspapers in a business model where we provide the content/production; our partners provide ad sales and we share revenue. It’s a terriffic opportunity in a “recession-proof” field- education. One sales pro can make significant income very easily in the first year, so if you or someone you know might be interested, just e-mail us. We are already talking to potential partners in Charlotte, Baltimore, Boston and Dallas. But, back to the point…)

To generate income from our AEG website, we are currently utilizing a combination of Ad-sense, a Google program that allows Google to place contextual ads on our site in exchange for a (small) share of the profits; along with banner/text ads that we are selling, ourselves.

A couple of weeks ago, we received and inquiry from a digital ad agency based in the United Kingdom seeking to place advertising on the AEG website. The agency specializes in instigating “bespoke campaigns” for their clients. That is, they actively seek out high-quality specialized, informational websites and place targeted, “well-optimized text links” for their customers on websites that fit the desired targeted demographics of their clients. The agency claims that their research shows that these types of ads have a 17% higher CTR (Click Through Rate) than graphical banners. They also indicated that they had two clients who wanted to place ads on our website, including a telecommunications company and a financial institution.

When I responded to the inquiry to provide rates/terms and get more information about exactly what kind of ads they were looking to place, they explained that they were not seeking to place “text ads” per se, but to imbed text links within articles that are posted on our site dealing with educational issues. (i.e. inserting one- or two-word text-based “adverts”, using words such as "loans", "savings", etc., into our existing articles, perhaps adding a short sentence or two of related copy to make it blend well with the nature of the article and theme of our site.

While if not overused or misused, this kind of tactic can potentially be a sound strategy for an advertiser looking to increase their website’s link popularity, as owners of the site they were looking to imbed within, we had to ask ourselves if this was good for our own business and users.

Providing hyperlinks from certain words/phrases within your content to allow users to explore certain subjects further; gain clarification on issues; etc., is not a bad thing. But, to do it gratuitously or alter content to force in language that makes the link seem more “natural” for the sake of paid advertising- well, that begins to negatively impact the quality and integrity of your site.

Finally, the fact that the agency indicated a desire to use words like “loans” and “savings” instead of the advertisers name in the imbedded link was a red flag and a nail in the coffin on our end.  Those are what are called “blind links”, which are links created to intentionally hide the ultimate destination of a link until the user has clicked on it.

Blind links are usually used for deceptive or advertising reasons. People assume they’re going to click to find more information on a subject, when instead they are led to an advertiser. Search engines frown on them and more importantly, as owner of a website, I’m really not inclined to use them (even when offered payment), because I know that in the end if I mislead my users and betray their trust, well that will ultimately end up costing me much more than I ever could have hope to make by allowing them in the first place.

In conclusion, to improve your SEO and page rank via link popularity, by all means– get out there and start looking for meaningful inbound links from quality sites. Remember that one-way links are better than reciprocal links. But know that link exchanges and even paid links are fine, as long as they are relevant and you are not engaging in practices that could be considered deceptive, manipulative or otherwise of disservice to your users. If you’re unsure about whether what you’re doing is right or wrong– as with all things in life, always take the high road and you’ll never go wrong.

Has your budget for holiday gifts and decorations been pinched this year, like all the rest of us? No problem! Give the gift of beautiful, artistic Origami ornaments! It’s FREE, courtesy of, Renaissance Creative.

By going to our promotional site at www.sendingpeace.com, you can learn how to create your own Origami dove! Download any one of (3) original illustrated holiday designs, incorporating Birds of Peace, Christmas tree and New Year’s champagne glass themes. Easy-to-follow interactive instructions allow you to fold and create your ornaments at your own pace. Print as many as you like (decorate your whole tree!). Let your children try. And pass the fun along electronically to your friends.

We’re running the promotion in conjunction with our own internal holiday card campaign and launch of our new corporate website! Our agency has undergone its own “transformation” over the past 18-months, from a brand development firm that previously specialized exclusively in real-estate, to a more diversified agency with stronger emphasis in interactive, public relations and designed communications across multiple industries.

As part of our annual holiday card campaign we sent clients, vendors and associates printed, foldable Origami cards that recipients then had to go to our holiday site for folding instructions; access to our other designs; and to be able to share with friends. A forwarding link encouraged all visitors to check our new corporate site.

We think it’s a fun, uplifting campaign; a great way to save a few dollars; and a good example of the type of thinking that marketers need to be employing in today’s consumer-driven, content-rich, “what’s in it for the user?” digital world. And remember what I shared with you about forward thinker, Jonathan Baskin’s, theory (see my earlier post: Brand: Are You Buying It?), that successful brands are increasingly using integrated campaigns employing “gaming” as a behavioral model (where one clue or piece of useful information leads to another, with each step providing a valuable takeaway, useful towards claiming some ultimate goal or prize)? This is a simple example of that same approach.

Like all of our marketing and design efforts, our creative team on this project (Designers, Emily Rawitsch and Russel Quadros; Writer Kate Norton; and Interactive guru, Jim Davis); began by considering behavioral trends: 50% of all consumers say they will spend less on gifts this holiday season, 25% significantly less. Then we asked a few key questions: What real benefit could we provide users, particularly in light of the strained economy? How could we make it compelling and interactive? How could we make it viral (easy and appealing to share) to potentially tap into social networks? And how could this help us link into an ultimate expression of our own brand? This is what we came up with, and we sincerely hope you, your family and friends enjoy it!

“Branding doesn’t work anymore”.

Hey, I didn’t say it! Jonathan Baskin did in his book, Branding Only Works on Cattle. In it, Baskin challenges the relevance of traditional branding and its effectiveness in today’s digital world of fragmented media and connected consumers who “aren’t paying attention, don’t believe or can’t remember stuff, anyway.” If you are a marketing professional, or anyone involved in advertising or brand development, with an agency or in-house—go buy this book!

Tony Fortunato, interior designer and thinker here at RC, checked Baskin’s book out from the Downtown library, and passed it along to me just before Thanksgiving. A few days on a farm in South Carolina gave me plenty of time to absorb it, but it’s not going back to the library anytime soon. We snagged it for another 3 weeks and now Ed Bondi (one of the partners here), has it! So, save yourself some time and just click on the title link above and order it from Amazon. No—they aren’t commissioning me, but you might want to! Heck, Ed read about three pages, came back to my office and said he had been “liberated”! That’s the effect that this book will likely have on anyone who has made a career of developing and promoting brands, who are honest and willing to ask themselves tough, introspective questions. And while I don’t agree with every point that Baskin makes, his core ideas are fundamentally, undeniably valid.

These include the fact that there exists a dichotomy between branding and business reality that is becoming ever more noticeable. That branding over the years has mutated into a big, vague, esoteric “idea.” That somewhere along the line, branding separated itself from marketing (and hard sales absolutes) and in doing so, absolved itself from corporate culpability. That branding is qualitative, not quantitative, but there exists a “multi-billion dollar Creative Media Industrial Complex, dedicated to maintaining its status quo.”

Baskin points out that traditional branding emerged from a time when there just 3 major networks and a handful of daily newspapers. Today, there are 500 cable channels, 1,500 newspapers, nearly 18 million satellite radio subscribers and oh yeah—the world wide web, GOOGLE and social networks! So, simply telling people what you want them to think about your company and repeating it over and over through a limited number information outlets no longer works.

Most of us are really not influenced to purchase things as much because of slogans, logos or clever ads, but rather because of our experiences with products and companies.

If, for example there were no more hipster commercials with “MacGuy”, Justin Long, would that stop you from buying Apple products? Of course not, because Apple’s products and services are innovative, well-designed and consumer-friendly! Your real life experience tells you this, not Apple ads.

Baskin points out that, “we (consumers) determine what brands are”; and our experiences are based on real-time behaviors—how companies interact with us—and the experience we take from those interactions. Baskin uses a great example—Starbucks. Ever notice that they hardly even do any advertising? Instead, they simply concentrate on making the customer experience great. What this all means is that businesses need to worry more about how they behave and how we behave.

To this end, Baskin suggests that traditional branding exercises, like putting big money into silly messages that only serve to “raise awareness” or “plant a seed” in hopes that consumers might remember a brand when they are ready to purchase, might better be spent on making the reality of your product better, faster, more convenient and satisfying. Then, marketing to consumers based on a behavioral model he calls, “The Chronology of Purchase Intent”.

This references a sequence of behaviors  that we all go through when making a purchase decision, including an initial information search (obviously most often via the web or friends); evaluation; alternatives consideration; purchase decision; and least we not forget, post-purchase evaluation. (You want that repeat business, don’t you?)!

So, as a marketer, Baskin says you must think about: Who your targets are; What you want them to do; Where you expect them to buy things; When you think things happen; Why the current step will lead to the next one; and How the steps will ultimately link into an expression of brand. Baskin states that you have to ask these questions, then find ways to intersect consumer behavior with your brand, in ways that compel the customer from step-to-step with the end result being the purchase of your company or product (and a genuinely satisfying experience along the way!).

He believes that integrated campaigns that use gaming as a model (where one clue or piece of useful information leads to another, with each step providing a valuable takeaway, useful towards claiming some ultimate prize—the sale), is a good one to consider when planning brand campaigns in today’s democratized world of abundant choices and information channels.

Baskin’s book is full of clear thought about the modern meaning and delivery of brand. In the very few places where you believe he might sail off into the fluffy world of theory and academia that he himself is railing against when it comes to traditional branding; he yanks you back to reality and compels you to consider brand in a tangible, quantifiable and valuable new context—one infinitely more rewarding for all of us than its current status as a underwhelming means towards “glorified name recognition.”

Check out Jonathan Baskin’s own feisty brand marketing blog at: dimbulb.typepad.com

Can advertising “misbehave?” And if it can, is that o.k? Here at Renaissance, we recently experienced an incident that prompted us to explore the answers to these questions.

A couple of weeks ago, we were put in “time out” by FOR RENT magazine, who declined to run an ad we created for Citigate, a new rental community located in Jacksonville, FL from developer Julian LeCraw. Our branding and marketing efforts for Citigate have been geared towards a target market consisting primarily of young professionals who work in and around the white-collar employment and entertainment district conveniently surrounding the community.

Apparently, our ad, which featured an interesting crop of a beautiful young woman sipping tea and the headline, “I Dare You. Make a Move.”, was deemed “too sexy” for the publication. They specifically noted a policy that prohibited them from running any ad that might result in a potential complaint from any reader who might find it objectionable.

Before we proceed with our discussion, you might want to take a peek at our ad, yourself.

What do you think: Does it suffer from over-“exposure”?

Pretty hot, huh?!!

I’ll admit it. I let the job folder sit on my desk a couple of days longer than usual. I really, really loved it, ummm… creatively speaking! BUT, before you call me sexist and send me to the corner—allow me to make a couple of observations.

First, interestingly, the Designer, Copywriter, Account Manager and (client) Marketing Director for this ad were/are all exceptionally talented, intelligent, empowered women. So rest assured, there was no "Mad Men" foul play in the background here! (Side note: Check out more of lead designer Emily Rawitsch’s award-winning work in the latest Communication Arts Design Annual and Black Book AR100 Competition. Emily is neither a feminist nor a prude—simply a supremely talented designer!).

Second, as far as the “exposure” factor goes, I’m a father of 5 and 9 year-old daughters and very sensitive as to what their innocent, impressionable eyes see. In fact, the original image used in this ad showed the woman in it wearing a ring on her left “wedding” finger, which I specifically asked Emily to remove (it’s now on her right hand). Additionally, unless my daughters will be perusing apartment communities in the rental guides any time soon, I doubt they’d ever even stumble upon this ad. Heck—I see worse every single day in the checkout line at the grocery store, on the covers of People, US Magazine and... Health and Fitness!

Last—and this brings us to the point—the ad is reflective of everything good design should be! Targeted and compelling; Clean and sophisticated; An eye-catching image with a beautiful graphic quality. The copy is smart, edgy and succinct. It ultimately does exactly what you want great creative to do  which is to stand out, be memorable and provoke an emotional response.

Hi. Welcome to the Renaissance Creative blog. Come on in and pull up a virtual chair. This is the place where we’ll share insights, opinions and trade secrets. Here you’ll get a glimpse inside the fast-paced creative world we live in at RC, and studied (and often opinionated) perspective on an unending variety of issues impacting the rapidly-changing world of marketing, branding and designed communications.  

Pay attention, and I promise you’ll get some great takeaways.

I’m not talking about promotional items (though we occasionally give those away, too), but practical tools and information you can use, in language you can understand. Whether you are a design, marketing, advertising or public relations professional; business owner; student; client; employee or digital junkie, we want the RC blog to be a place you bookmark, learn from and when you feel like it- contribute to.

You’ll likely see some recurring themes here.

We’re partial to the changing trends in web design and technology that aim to enhance creativity, communications and business. We’re big on branding, but recognize that it is evolving and understand those who challenge its relevance and effectiveness in today’s digitally-savvy, data-driven, bottom-line world of connected consumers. We love great design and recognize its enduring power in all its forms and various channels of delivery.

And finally, honesty is a theme that is inescapable to me, both personally and professionally.

I believe honesty is the genesis of good design; a requirement of a successful brand; and in my opinion– a fundamental quality for living a truly satisfying life. And on this straightforward note, I’ll leave you with both an admission and a request:

We created our blog not only as a free resource and entertainment venue for our clients and the global-community-at-large, but also as a business tool for Renaissance Creative. So, if you happen to find yourself regularly informed, inspired, enlightened or amused by the information we provide, we ask that you please consider sharing us with a friend, co-worker or others who might also find it valuable.

Better still, if you’re a business-owner, marketing professional or company that desires an energetic, forward-thinking marketing partner– one well-equipped to work in our creatively, strategically and technologically evolving world, then by all means, please contact us. You’ll never get any less than our most sincere best effort. You’ve got my word on that.

Tim Hamby