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September 27, 2010

Cool Social Media Infographics

Category: Design, Marketing — Tags: , — Sarah @ 10:20 am

Social media has exploded into the marketing world with more force than a bursting bottle of shaken Diet Coke. And while having a presence on everyone’s favorite procrastination tools definitely does not mean you can forgo traditional marketing strategies, many businesses are taking full advantage of the world of social media and using it as a smart supplement to their printed materials and promotional items.

It’s actually crazy to think about how far social media has come in such a short time. We recently came across this awesome article by Grace Smith that showcases some amazing social media info-graphics. These bright works of art display information about how the social media world is evolving and how different types of companies are taking advantage of social media. As we read the post, we learned a lot about social media, we got to marvel at some beautifully laid-out charts, we basked in some vibrant colors, and we had a jolly good time overall. If you’re curious to find out more about how social media has grown, or if you’re like us and get an emotional high from a well-designed chart, we suggest that you pop over there and check it out.

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September 20, 2010

The Role of Humor in Marketing

Category: Marketing — Tags: , — Sarah @ 8:50 am

The other day we had a chance to catch up with an old buddy who happens to be studying Humor Theory in graduate school. (It is, in fact, a real thing you can study, apparently.)  He mentioned that there’s a prevailing idea in the world of Humor Theory that we use humor to find our intellectual peers, and that we view people who share our sense of humor as “our kind of people.”

No wonder we get along so well with other people who get a kick out of The Office.

Everyone Loves the Class Clown

Integrating humor into your marketing efforts, then, can be a smart move. By letting yourself be a little silly, you’re making your company seem more real to your clients. You’re giving them a taste of your personality. And if a target’s sense of humor jives with yours, they’re going to feel a strong connection with you and feel comfortable starting a business relationship with you.

Geico’s a great example of a company whose humor has taken them places. According to Geico’s own website, since their humorous Gecko ads came on the scene in 2000 followed by those hilarious Caveman commercials in 2004, they have attracted millions of customers. True, you’re probably not positioned to set up quite as big a marketing campaign as Geico has, but that doesn’t mean your sense of humor can’t win you plenty of new clients, too.

Not Sure How To Start?

Of course, going from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds isn’t necessarily the way to go when it comes to integrating your funny side into your marketing. If you’ve had a very no-nonsense, conservative image up until now, busting out with a random wisecrack is likely to confuse your potential clients instead of entice them. Not to worry, dude. We’re happy to assess the situation and, if it will work for your business, help you figure out how best to introduce your clients to your inner comedian.

And maybe even help you find your Caveman.

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September 15, 2010

Using Promos for Top of Mind Awareness

Category: Newsletters, Promotional Items — Tags: , , , — impressadmin @ 11:25 am

Your customers can spend their money anywhere. While your customer service might be outstanding, you may need to go a step further to make your customers feel like their business matters. Don’t overlook the importance of promotional items and corporate gifts – they serve as constant reminders of who you are and what you do.
You can certainly distribute items at tradeshows, but think about sending quality promotion items after business is completed. Besides putting your name in front of your customers, it helps them remember your name when it’s time to place the next order. Use promotional items to build brand awareness and strengthen customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Smart use of promotional items will leave your customers asking, “Santa who?”

Your customers can spend their money anywhere. While your customer service might be outstanding, you may need to go a step further to make your customers feel like their business matters. Don’t overlook the importance of promotional items and corporate gifts – they serve as constant reminders of who you are and what you do.

You can certainly distribute items at tradeshows, but think about sending quality promotion items after business is completed. Besides putting your name in front of your customers, it helps them remember your name when it’s time to place the next order. Use promotional items to build brand awareness and strengthen customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Smart use of promotional items will leave your customers asking, “Santa who?”

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September 13, 2010

The Golden Ratio

Category: Design — Tags: , — Sarah @ 12:11 pm

What do the Parthenon, flowers, beautiful faces, angelfish, Rembrandt’s self portrait, shells, and rectangles have in common?

We’re pretty sure that at some point in your education, some eccentric math teacher introduced you to something called the “golden ratio.” That golden ratio plays into each of the items listed above in one way or another, and that list is just the beginning.

Super Quick Math Lesson Time

Just so we’re on the same page, the golden ratio is roughly 1.618 : 1. (FYI, 1.618 is an approximation – the number is actually an irrational number, one of those decimals that just keeps going forever.) So when we’re talking about the Golden Ratio, we’re talking about a situation where there are two line segments, one of which is 1.618 times as long as the other. Like, if you drew a rectangle with two sides that were each one inch and two sides that were about 1.618 inches, you’d have a rectangle built with the golden ratio.

It would be a pretty hot rectangle, too.

People Dig Gold

It’s been suggested that these golden rectangles have a more universal visual appeal than other rectangles. Other shapes and designs that incorporate that proportion are considered beautiful as well. Artists have picked up on the appeal that the golden ratio provides and have been incorporating it into their designs for centuries. Here’s a site that shows a number of famous pieces of art that involve that popular ratio.

Even Nature’s on Board

Since humans tend to find the golden ratio groovy, it makes sense that artists have used it in their work and continue to do so. But the trippy part is how often the golden ratio is present in nature. In this site compiled by Gary Meisner, plants, animals, and even DNA are shown to be built around the golden ratio.

Why That Ratio?

We can’t speak to why people are into it any more than we can explain why so many people naturally like eating raw cookie dough or watching reality shows on MTV. But its presence in some parts of nature is easier to explain. Here’s a clue to get you started: it has to do with the fact that 1.618… is an irrational number and plants are designed to grow in the most efficient way possible. Next time you need a procrastination idea, check out the gadget on this site that shows how sunflowers use the golden ratio to grow their seeds and why it works.

We Could Go On and On

We really could. From its role in human faces to its role in The Da Vinci Code, there’s a ton of information and speculation out there on the golden ratio. No one knows the full story of the magic behind that special ratio, but at imPress, we’re okay with that. We don’t have to fully understand it to keep it in our back pockets as one of many tools we can use to make your marketing materials eye-catching.

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September 7, 2010

Creativity Comes from the Sandbox

Category: Creativity — Tags: , , , — Sarah @ 11:42 am

We are often asked where we get our creative ideas. And it usually looks like the askers are hoping we’re going to respond, “Creative ideas? Actually, you can pick up a half gallon of them at Stewart’s for $1.39!”

But it’s not that easy. It’s easier. Our ideas come from our imaginations, which are open 24:7, and everything in our imaginations is available at the bargain price of…free.

Of course, keeping our imaginations well stocked with unique thought bubbles does require a little work. We have to read a lot, view art a lot, play a lot, dream a lot, sing a lot, and occasionally do our best to remember what life was like when we were three years old.

Three Years Old?

Of course.

Next time you’re in a creative rut of any sort, watch toddlers. Toddlers’ imaginations are bursting at the seams with ideas. Give a toddler a spoon, and he’s got a microphone, a missile, a catapult, a drumstick, a toothbrush, a phone, a key, a chew toy, and a doll. Then, he’ll lick it, throw it, bite it, balance it on his thumb, and look at it from every possible angle to come up with more fun games. Why? He’s not limited by what’s been done before with that spoon – he just looks at the possibilities. What could I do with this? What could this be used for? And he’s not afraid to try out his ideas and see if they work.

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, each of us gets scolded for using a spoon the “wrong” way, and little by little we lose the capacity to turn any object into a brainstorm of fun, new ideas.

But since we were all toddlers once, we’ve all got the potential to see all those possibilities again. So at imPress, to keep ideas plentiful in our imaginations, we try to look at things from the perspective of little guys and girls sometimes. When it’s time to put together a project, we try not to think about what everyone else does or what we’ve done before. We think, What could be done? What would this look like from a different angle? What does this brochure taste like?

And before we know it, creative ideas are abundant in our imaginations, and all because our inner toddlers reminded us about the world of possibilities.

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