Top 8 Social Media Stories from 2014

Looking back at 2014, it was a pretty amazing year; it was filled with heart break and overwhelming joy. When it comes to brands and their digital marketing, things were no different. The social media marketing team at our Chicago marketing agency decided to put a list of the top 8 greatest stories to be talked about on social media in the last 12 months- Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc. are what generated the stories.

1. Zuckerberg's comeback against trolls. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that his company was going to partner with UNICEF to help fight Ebola. Their plan was to bring internet connectivity to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone and help improve the medical efforts in the region. Trolls said that Facebook was using this as an opportunity to improve the brand's recognition. Zuckerberg fought back. 
2. One man's ability to match with 2,000+ women on Tinder. Blake Jamieson is an up and coming content marketer and utilized his branding abilities to optimize his Tinder profile, a "hot or not" dating app. He matched with over 2000 women because of his efforts. 
3. Tweets at Brazil's expense during the World Cup. When Brazil's team was down 5-0 at the half-point of a match in the 2014 World Cup, the comedians (professional and self-proclaimed) came out of the woodwork on Twitter and launched jokes at the national team. 
4. Reaction of brands during biting incident during World Cup. Uruguay soccer player Luis Suarez bit the Italy's Giorgio Chiellini after the Uruguay team lost the match. Some brands took this as an opportunity to win the internet. This was simply great internet marketing from some brands. 
5. Michelle Phan got sued for copyright infringement. The makeup genius and YouTube star Michelle Phan got sued by Ultra, an electronic dance music label,  when they discovered their music was used in some of her videos without proper licensing. 
6. US Airways Twitter photo incident. When a social media rep for US Airways accidentally sent out a photo of a plane in her…. YouKnowWhat, the mishap went viral. Oops. 
7. Kim K and her nude photo break the internet. Well, at least they tried to. Brands tried to jump on the bandwagon and #BreakTheInternet by creating so much buzz that servers would have to shut down. Did it work? Well, no one at our Chicago marketing company had any internet problems that day. 
8. Ice Bucket Challenge. You couldn't expect this to be left off the list. For almost a month, social media users, brands included, saw and participated ice water being dumped over people to raise awareness for ALS (Amytrophic Lateral Sclerosis). 

See, when social media marketing is done correctly, it can have tremendous reach; this is why hiring a Chicago marketing agency is important when your business needs to gain serious exposure. Talk to Integraphix and see how we can help your business gain success! 

GEICO Pokes Fun at Itself in New Ad

Sometimes, to have a successful marketing campaign, you have to have a sense of humor and be able to poke some fun at yourself. At least, that is what GEICO Insurance and their lead creative marketing agency are teaching us.

GEICO and their lead creative agency have made some memorable ads. They created the campaign that was very self-aware with the "So easy, a caveman could do it." That whole campaign was about advertising. The last year, they've been running the "Everybody knows that" campaign.

It was the recent campaign that sparked the "Hump Day" ad with Caleb the Camel. This ad went viral and was GEICO's most popular ad, by far. Now, they have released a spoof of the ad.

While many consumers feel that GEICO's ads are overplayed or no longer funny; however, this ad might be able to change their mind.

Does your business need to find a marketing agency that can create ads that are memorable and get the point across? Then contact Integraphix -- we are a Chicago marketing agency and would love to speak with you.

2015 is the Year for Wearable Tech

2015 is the year that we will see wearable tech move from "Ehh, maybe" to "That's it, I'm buying it!". Watch for wearable tech to become a hot item next year (which is only a couple weeks away).

According to our Chicago marketing company analysts, the love for the new wave to fashion/technology is at an all-time high with Americans ready to embrace it. 10 percent of Americans already wear some sort of wearable tech such as fitness brands like Fitbit, some already wear the Samsung watch as well. 45 percent of Americans stated that they are interested in the idea of purchasing wearable tech, such as the Apple Watch.

While 10 percent does not seem like a large number in the grand scheme of things, it is vitally important for the future and reading the signs for product adoption. Apple is expecting 10 million buyers of the Apple Watch next year, when it's released; this will set the purchase desire for consumers even higher, even if for other brands.

Intel is going to jump on the wagon as well with a flashy new bracelet that utilizes Facebook, Google, and Yelp.

Aside from the general consumer, there are big desires for the wearable tech have come from those in the medical, construction, and customer service fields; people in these fields can utilize the video, web, scanning, and photo tools on the job.

These gadgets will also change the way things like social media marketing and other digital marketing options operate and plan. This could mean some shakeups for marketing plans for some businesses.

Does your business need to adapt for the wearable tech era? Then contact Integraphix, a Chicago marketing agency.

Tweet a Photo & Toyota Will Donate Car Seats to Buckle Up for Life

Toyota is taking social media marketing seriously this holiday season with a new digital marketing campaign, paired with Buckle Up for Life and Cincinnati's Children's Hospital.

For every photo that is uploaded to Twitter (and Instagram) with the hashtag, #BuckleUpForLife, Toyota will donate 10 car seats to the Buckle Up for Life organization, through Dec. 31.

In addition to posts on social media, Toyota is also pushing ads on social media that will target Millennial parents and show pets and other objects strapped in, in addition to the children, of course.

Toyota knows that one of the best ways to succeed at social media advertising is to get people involved; by having ordinary people submit their own images and use a simple hashtag, people are more inclined to be involved because the level of commitment is small while the reward for commitment is great. This will also likely get their friends and family to do the same, utilizing word-of-mouth marketing, or WOM. 

Safety and philanthropy are big hits for younger generations of parents, as is social media. It is a perfect strategy for Toyota, we will see how this turns out. The near deadline will encourage people to jump right in, too.

Does your business need a social media campaign and strategy that will make an impact like Toyota's? Then contact Integraphix, our social media team will work with you and help create a plan to succeed at social media marketing. 

Advertising News: Budweiser Plans to Keep Its Clydesdales

In the spirit of the season, we thought we would give you a gift… a gift that is the news about Budweiser has decided to keep its clydesdales in its advertising schedule.

Last week, the beer brand decided to make it known that it had plans to keep the iconic horse in its advertisements for the foreseeable future. This was in response to some news, broken by +Wall Street Journal, that Budweiser that Budweiser wanted to put the horses out to pasture in favor of a more modern approach that appealed to Millennials. Budweiser posted on Facebook and Twitter about their response to the rumor, "Don't believe everything that trends. The Budweiser #Clydesdales aren't going anywhere."

If you have been a fan of the clydesdales being featured in recent Super Bowl ads, then you'll be happy to know that they will be featured in the 2015 ads as well. The ads are going to be pertaining to responsible drinking, one of the ads will be alongside Lyft, the popular ride-share app.

"What about that rumored appeal to Millennials?" You ask. Well, since Millennials tend to favor the craft beers and hard ciders, the brand has decided to focus on nostalgia via using wood crates for beer and pull some heart strings with its Holiday Buds campaign.

Do you want an icon for your business that has the potential to become famous, like the Budweiser Clydesdales? Then talk with Integraphix-- a Chicago marketing company. As a Chicago marketing agency, we have over 20 years of experience with branding, advertising, and creative marketing.

Ads to Come to iPhones: Apple Launches New iAds

Apple, a serious player in the tech game, has shown that is is serious about digital advertising with its new mobile ad venture. Apple has recently allowed advertisers access to publish ads for iPhones, iPads, and Macs in hopes of gaining real success with its iAd business.

Over the past year, Apple has been planning programmatic mobile advertising with hopes of serving up some iAds via companies like AdRoll. In the past, iAd was considered to be a high-end marketing tool for businesses with the most cash.

Apple has wanted to have wanted to create mobile ads in-house for a w
hile, hence, their purchase of Quattro Wireless. Now, with partnerships such as Adroll and The Rubicon, they can begin to meet the benchmark set by Facebook, Google, and Twitter.

How will a partnership with AdRoll help? Well, AdRoll is a firm that allows marketing firms to use their own data to supply ads across a variety of platforms.

Higher-ups at Apple and AdRoll believe that this move will reshape and revamp the mobile advertising scene.

Ads will be given data from the iTunes and App store as well as info from Apple Pay so ads will be targeting appropriately. The ads will show up in apps that allow iAds.

How effective will the ads be in terms of getting consumer attention and making Apple a big player in the mobile ad game? Time will tell. As a Chicago marketing company, we're excited to see how this plays out; it could indeed change the landscape.

Do you want to advertise with iAd? Then contact Integraphix -- a digital marketing firm to help you create great ads that you'd be proud to display on Apple's new advertising platform.

Target Will Be Using Location Based Marketing on Black Friday

Despite the immense popularity with shopping online, it seems the trip to the actual store will dominate this Black Friday as crowds of people head out to get their hands on incredible deals. The only hangup for some brick and mortar stores is how to get through to people who use their smartphones for price scanning.

Target has found the answer: location-based marketing. Their plan this Black Friday is to use location beacons in their stores that communicate to consumers via the Target app, telling the consumers where to go in the store by linking products to a store map. On Black Friday, the app will help shoppers find the best deals within the store they are in, making it a much more personal user experience.

Users of the app will be able to build shopping lists in the app and search for products and find out where they are in the store. As a Chicago marketing company, we think this
is a huge leap forward in enhancing the shopping experience.

The app is Target's attempt to transcend the ideal shopping experience between physical and online stores. A bold move, will it pay off? Another great move that should pay off for them this year is their decision to use Apple Pay. 

As a Chicago marketing agency, we love a great idea that is paired with another great idea, it's what makes for successful marketing. The beacons and the payment system that Target will be offering on Black Friday should give them a nice competitive advantage.

Does your business want to gain more sales and expand its reach? Perhaps take a new approach to its existing target market? Then hire Integraphix, a Chicago creative agency. Call us at 847-537-0067 or visit our site.

Doritos Flavored Mountain Dew. Has It Gone Too Far?

That's right, boys and girls, Mountain Dew is currently in the product testing stage (specifically taste-testing) stage of a Mountain Dew blend that tastes like cheese Doritos, called "Dewitos".

There was a taste testing on the campus of Kent State University, in Ohio. The testing included other flavors such as rainbow sherbet, lemon ginger, and mango habanero.

As a Chicago marketing agency, we weren't sure if this was a real product or a stunt, like the pumpkin spice condoms, but no, this is real. A Pepsi spokesperson confirmed the rumor that they are indeed testing new flavors of Mountain Dew and have given consumers the chance to taste the Doritos-inspired flavor.

Has it gone too far? Our Chicago marketing company understands the Locos Tacos, using a Dorito as the taco shell (it only makes sense, people!). Then they released Doritos that tasted like Doritos Locos Tacos (so a chip based on the taco based on the chip) and now this?

Where does it end? Will there be Doritos-flavored lip balm? (Someone at Frito-Lay might be thinking that's not such a bad idea).

Let us know what you think! Comment below or let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+! 

AOL Rivaling Facebook for Marketing

Facebook is known for its "people-centric" marketing but it is no longer the only player in the game. Now, AOL is making a major play to get in on the social media marketing efforts. AOL claims it has the ability to ID 100 million consumers and target ads at them with great accuracy, even across all devices.

AOL is combining their Adap.TV platform with their AdLearn Open Platform to create One. This new platform will launch in February 2015, giving a much better experience of video programmatic buying and banners/displays. AOL believes it will make marketing much easier for professionals. AOL boasts a 93% accuracy rate for this new platform.

For marketing agencies across the country, especially for a Chicago marketing company, cross-device technology ads are huge and the execution of these marketing tactics are key. Brands are running to be able to effectively target consumers across all devices since so many peo
ple have the ability to be focusing on two screens at once.

Facebook launched Atlas recently to take advantage of data for consumers who are constantly switching between screens.

With One, AOL claims that advertisers are now seeing a 30% increase in the effectiveness of their ads with the new ability to reach such data.

The role of social media marketing, among other internet marketing efforts, is becoming much greater in the world of marketing. As a Chicago marketing agency, we are very excited to see things take shape with both Atlas and One, but time will tell.

Does your business desire to have a greater presence on the web, including social media? Then explore your marketing options with Integraphix!

What Does McDonald's Food Consist Of? New Transparency Campaign

Last week, fast food giant, McDonald's, launched a new campaign that centers around the brand being honest and transparent about their practices. The campaign is being launched in the U.S. and will be called, "Our Food. Your questions."

This is not the first transparency rodeo for McDonald's, as they have run similar campaigns in Australia and Canada in the past. They plan to answer questions like, "What is a McNugget?" "Is pink slime really in burgers?" etc.

The drive for the campaign is to improve the perception of their food quality and combat depressing sales with Millennials against chains like Chipotle and trendier burger joints like 5 Guys, as well as others.

The videos explaining everything will be featured on a dedicated part of the company's website as well as social media- Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. As a Chicago marketing agency, we hear a lot of what McDonald's does since they are just down the road and we think this is a mighty fine idea.

In one video, the question is asked, "Is the beef in McDonald's burgers real?" And in response, the host, Grand Imahara (formerly of Mythbusters) visits a beef supplier for the chain and witnesses the grinding and inspection process for the beef that goes into a McDonald's burger.

The chain is also handling questions with their social media marketing efforts, encouraging consumers to ask questions, where they give prompt, real responses (not automated) that contain a link to the videos.

This could prove to be a smart branding move for the chain, let's see if it pays off or if it… flops (lame joke?)

Have any questions about marketing or about our services? Then contact Integraphix! We'd love to help you navigate the complex world of marketing. Talk with one of our specialists today.  

5 Easy Ways to Have Better Content Marketing

The concept of content marketing is that if it used the way it should be, it is a great and wonderful to make your business more memorable. The operative phrase there being, "used the way it should be." You cannot create content that is broad and generic content, or duplicated content (yikes!), and expect it to be a useful tool for your business.

We have 5 ways to make sure your marketing efforts are working for you! Sit back and read while enjoying a Coke.

1. Write case studies. These are wonderful tools because they show that you have true, real, wonderful, proven knowledge and efforts in your industry that others can capitalize on. When you show your target audience that you can do what you say you do, it gives them confidence; it encourages them to think that you can reproduce the positive results with them. Stories create powerful messages that you can leverage with prospects. Use details. 
2. Remember repetition. Keep in touch with people and be memorable. We hardly remember the stranger that we met the one time at the place and we did that thing. Using emails, blogs, videos, posts on social media, etc. to keep in touch. We also emphasize the need for consistent and quality posts on your blogs, articles, newsletters, and any other print marketing efforts you use. If you have one post in January and don't do another until August, that's not good for business. 
3. Be descriptive. We as humans like to have details; we like to be able to picture things that are said in words. If I described a cat to you, would you prefer, "A small tiger looking thing. 4 legs. A tail. 2 ears" OR  "An animal that is a foot long, 10 inches tall. It has white fur with black brown stripes and a long, curly tail. It has eyes that are intense and give purposeful stares. Its 4 paws are soft and gentle. And don't ever, ever put it near water"? 
4. Use imagination. This includes using description but it also means using creativity. Content marketing means being able to tap into your well of imaginative words, descriptions, images, etc. Successful execution of this enables consumes to remember you on a deeper level and see how you can meet their needs. 
5. Use your voice. Write the way you speak while still being appropriate for your audience. If you cuss a lot, maybe it is best to avoid that but the point is to sound like a person, not a robot. No one likes reading something that sounds like it was automated. Ultimately, it does not matter if it was or not but we like to know that we deal with real people and something was hand-crafted. 

The best content marketing is done with a motivation to be remembered and talked about, not just gain eyes on your words. Don't let your business suffer from another subpar post or newsletter, contact Integraphix about your marketing. We have a team of dedicated professional copywriters who can help you or even handle the work entirely. 

What to Know About Naming a Business

The process of naming a business is sometimes one of the hardest decisions one can make. Your business's name is supposed to be something people will remember, describe your business, and let you stand out.

There are many challenges to naming your business; aside from the creative necessity, one may find that getting a name for a business requires patience and a knowledge of legal matters. So what are the various hurdles?

• Trademark law. This is one of the hardest things to overcome when you are thinking of a business name. You have to find a business name that has not been trademarked yet. The American trademark laws are not so lenient, either. As a business owner, there are two things to consider: confusion and dilution.
• Confusion is the chance that your business name will be confused with another brand. This is not only a worry about confusing consumers but could be a legal issue. One example I, even as a Chicago marketing company creative, is "Belvita" and Velveeta". Belvita makes energizing morning bars & Velveeta makes cheese. 
• Dilution is when your name/branding attempts to mooch or steal another company's, even if your names have no confusion. So, if your company name is "Ricky's Auto Shop" but your trademark is styled after the legendary "Carl's Auto Garage" by mirroring script, etc. then that's no good. 
• The penalties. If your business name violates a law, then the business could face some serious penalties. 
• No longer being able to use the name
• Being forced to recall products with the name on it
• Frozen inventory/seized inventory
• Monetary compensation
• What will your URL be like? Having a long but cute name might be good and dandy for your business but what if your site's URL is now going to be really long? That will make your internet presence hard and any search engine optimization will be a bit more difficult. At the very least, consumers will have some trouble remembering your site. 
• The realization that good products make great brand names. Sometimes we go into the idea of naming a business with the idea that we will be the next Apple or Nike; the reality is that they had to make great products before their names became great. 
• You have to love it. No good business name was created because the person thought, "Yeah, I guess it'll do." You have to think of a name that excites you; even better, it can excite those you ask for advice. 

As a marketing agency in Chicago of over 25 years, we have lots of experience with branding and naming a business. Is your business in need of marketing assistance? Then contact Integraphix! 

How to Effectively Use Images for Online Marketing

Having a great content marketing strategy means having great text, obviously, but it also means having great images to go along with that text.

Having good images with your text adds a lot of value! It will add a lot of good SEO value to your posts via captions, meta descriptions, alt tags, etc. and it will also make your post much more appealing to the human reader. Images get noticed. According to research, content that has an image has a 94% better chance of being read than image-less content. If you do social media marketing, then posts/tweets with images are much more likely to get liked, retweeted, favorited, and shared than posts/tweets without images.

Depending on what your strategy is, then there are different images to suit you. What types of images are best to include in your strategy?

• Blogs. When doing a blog, an image is a must. Look at this blog, we have an image. They are used to wrap up the core message of the content and be helpful visuals for social media shares. 
• Products. When you have an e-commerce site, then images are an even bigger must. You can't have a successful e-commerce site without images. "The description says, "Awesome gray shirt" so I'll just take its word for it." Make sure the images are high-resolution. 
• Even if your site is non-ecommerce, using images helps your appeal. 
• Infographics. These can be huge for content. These are fantastic for social media, people love infographics because they share well and are often full of information people like to know. 

A main thing to remember is that you need to optimize your images! For proper optimization tips, contact Integraphix about search engine optimization and other marketing assistance. 

Top 10 Marketing Slogans in History

We have all heard and seen marketing slogans all over the place. They are what companies use to identify themselves in the world. A slogan or tagline says what they company believes in, their goals, their mindset, etc. all in one sentence, phrase, or word. So what are the top 10 in history? Our brilliant minds put themselves to work and created this list: 

10. What happens here stays here. -- Las Vegas

What is great about this one is that it gave the impression that going to Vegas was like going to an exclusive, incredible party. The party is so great that you not only will not have the ability to describe what occurred but you're not allowed to. 

9. The best a man can get. -- Gillette

Men are tough and require tools for hygiene and personal care that can deliver. A man can use a razor that is going to break and/or give a poor quality shave. 

8. Melts in your mouth, not in your hand. -- M&Ms

One thing that is sad about chocolate is that it melts in your hand if you hold it for more than a second or two. However, M&Ms are special, they have the candy coating to prevent them from melting in your hand (the coating will still melt a bit, but the chocolate is intact). 

7. When it absolutely, positively, has to be there overnight. -- FedEx

When you send packages, you don't want them to take a month to arrive! You want them there the ASAP! Sometimes, timeliness is more than a luxury, it's a necessity. 

6. A diamond is forever. -- De Beers Diamond Company

You can get your love a bouquet of roses but they will die in a short amount of time. You can buy her some chocolates but those will be gone in minutes, hours, or a few days at the outside (What? Chocolate doesn't survive long in my home. Regardless of who it's given too.)

5. Great taste. Less filling. -- Miller Lite

When Miller introduced the light beer, it was a struggle for guys to catch on. Fewer calories? That's more of a feminine thing but beer is a manly drink. However, once they mentioned how it is just as great tasting as full beer but you won't get a beer belly, guys were okay with it. Until craft beer became a trend.  

4.Got milk? -- California Milk Processor Board

The California Milk Processor Board created this ad campaign to get people to drink more milk. It is healthy for us and tastes great. A simple question. Effective. 

3. We try harder. -- Avis Rent-a-Car

Anyone can say that they try hard but what does that mean? What's the definition of trying hard? 

2. Just do it. -- Nike

Whatever you're going to do in terms of physical, athletic, etc. decisions, don't hesitate or worry, be confident and just go for it. Thinking about running that 5K? Just do it. Thinking about draining the game winning three next game? Just do it. 

1. Where's the beef? -- Wendy's

We all know the classic TV ad with the old women and the one stares at the tiny patty and says, "Where's the beef?" This made people realize that other burger joints used small patties. Wendy's was paving the way for consumers to get a REAL burger. 

A good advertising slogan can be tough to create. The thing is, you don't create slogans and taglines to be iconic, they become iconic. When it comes to creating a slogan or tagline that is effective, you have to find a great marketing firm. For that, contact Integraphix. 

5 Brief Reasons Your Business Must Advertise

Social media marketing is free, publicity is free, emails are free (unless you utilize a service for email marketing), cold-calls are free, referrals are free and often effective, however, advertising costs money. Why would you do advertising when you have all these free marketing efforts available?

Advertising is one of the marketing tactics that comes with a nice price tag. You have to pay money to run ads and send direct mail and sometimes you have to wait until you see any ROI. However, there is great strategy in advertising and it will be one of the best marketing decisions one could make… if they do it right.

In order to get good ROI from advertising, you have to:

• Be focused on a target market
• Have an effective call to action
• Pay attention to any leads and conversion rates

So why would you advertise? 

• It is a medium that you have control over. When it comes to advertising, you can say exactly what you want the ads to say, how they look, where they should go, etc. Nothing is left up to chance, except for their reception by the consumer, technically. 
• You say who is targeted. Knowing how your target market interacts with the world enables you to know how to publish an ad so only they get appealed to. A personal message aimed at one market is not going to be effective when it is carelessly put out there. 
• It helps create awareness for content. If you have content to share, say like blogs, books, catalogs, guides, etc. then you can use advertising to talk about it. 
• It helps with credibility. People believe that business must be going well when a business is running ads. Now, if the ad is for a "Going out of business sale" then clearly, things are not going well. However, this is generally the case. People pay attention to you and what you have to say because your knowledge has [allegedly] paid off before. 
• It amplifies your other efforts. Advertising helps consumers take notice of other marketing efforts that you are doing. 

When you advertise, journalists find you, referral consumers remember you, you develop fans and brand loyalty, and develop a sense of pride for employees. 

If your business needs to advertise, then hire a Chicago marketing company. As a marketing firm in Chicago, Integraphix has over 25 years of advertising and marketing experience. 

5 B2B Marketing Trends for 2015

Here we are in the 9th month of 2014; we are officially 3/4s of the way done with the year. If this was a football or basketball game, we'd be in the 4th quarter. That being said, we in the corporate world are looking at 2015 and wondering what is on the horizon for our industries. When you are in the creative industry, like marketing, then each year brings something different.

So what is in store for 2015 for the marketing and advertising industry?

1. Micro-targeting. Well this one has been on some radar's for a year or so already. It is now time to really get to know your customers and clients. We need to move past the plans and strategies that are one-size fits all and really get into making custom ideas and plans that fit people uniquely. These strategies will find the small, likely profitable, subsets of our target markets. Why go for these consumers? Well, doing so will allow you to capture more market without doing something you shouldn't already be doing. It will require data parsing to make the one on one conversations that we need for micro-targeting. 
1. Get into buyer persona development and learn how the people think, live, and what motivates them. We do this with major target markets but it's time to give that love to subsets. 
2. Paid placement is here for the long-haul. Social networks, as well as some large publishers, are moving away from earned media and towards paid media. This means that great marketing teams will have to spend more money and especially time on paid placement in order to get noticed by consumers. We have all see an increase in promoted Tweets, sponsored Instagram posts, and how few of our posts on Facebook reach nearly the amount they used to (a 44% decline). 
3. Mobile. Mobile. Mobile. Mobile users are rampant now with the incredible access to smart phones and tablets… now even phablets. We are consumers 24/7 now, no matter what time of day or where we are, we are able to buy, view, and talk about anything. The challenge this coming year will be to create amazing digital experiences that will fit with the lifestyles of our target markets. The time has come for mobile-optimized elements and activities as well as dynamic content that offers an incredible, personalized experience in digital form. Mobile marketing is a fantastic place for engagement with consumers and even in real-time. 
4. Marketing automation that changes the game. In the past, marketing was about responding to things that happened; nowadays, we have tools that allow us to stay a move ahead. The term "real-time marketing" is more real than ever. we have tools like CRM, email marketing, content management, search engine optimization, analytics, lead generation tools, etc. that all help us boost our ability to give quality content and in great time. 
5. Quality content. We have seen the shift to content marketing and a more explosive use of tools such as blogging, articles, and social media to get more words out there. We like to connect with consumers and give them stories to enjoy while the brand loyalty gets stronger. This means that the need for professional writers will be put at the forefront instead of just a luxury. 

Getting the right marketing trends and knowing what will happen before it happens can be tricky. This is why so many businesses hire a marketing firm rather than try to devote non-existing time to it. Hire an agency that can help your business stay current and grow. Contact Integraphix. 

Does Product Placement Harm Entertainment?

When it comes to advertising, it has somewhat struggled to keep great pace with the media of today. In the past, commercials on TV & radio, paired with print ads, would be the bulk of the ads we would see throughout the day.

Now, we have things like online video streaming, DVR, etc. all things that make it hard to run commercials with the same effectiveness they once had. There is one form of advertising that has held its ground with such strength as it always has: product placement.

We see our favorite brands and products show up in shows, movies, etc. and be utilized by our favorite characters. This mental connection is made between the product and the love we have for the character(s) and we become more connected to that product or brand. This effectiveness has made product placement one of the biggest and most popular topics of discussion for any marketing group, just ask the people at our Chicago marketing agency!

Watch any show or movie and look for the product placement; be watchful because it can be very subtle. If you watch one of the hottest shows on "TV"-- Netflix-- House of Cards, you will notice Claire Underwood uses an iPhone and Frank uses a Blackberry. Or, look at the hit show Breaking Bad, Walter White drives a Chrysler sedan later in the series and they also drive a Pontiac Aztec earlier in the series.

One thing to consider is that product placement makes movies and television more realistic. You would not see someone in real life using a cell phone or drive a car that does not feature a logo on it (unless they manipulated it, it wouldn't be bought from the store like that). A bag of chips in the average household does not say "Potato chips" on it without some sort of product name on it.

Create a Great Marketing Plan with 3 Simple Questions

Any company that exists, whether you are a startup or a global business, needs money to survive. It is no secret. Even the nonprofits need money to survive or they could not do their work, though their money may be from donations.

What is interesting is just how many entrepreneurs in the world put their money into marketing efforts that do not have ROI. It is all about the marketing plan and strategy that is put into place that will determine if your marketing plan yields any ROI. The way you market your business is dependent on your industry and your demographic of consumers. Maybe you will gain sales from print advertisements, radio, TV, social media, search engine optimization, etc.

So what are the three questions you need to ask yourself in order to create a great marketing plan?

• Why should someone buy your product or service over someone else? 

This is a question that can be tough to answer legitimately. We like to think, "Well, because mine is better, duh." Every business owner must be able to answer this question; if you are not able to answer this question, that is not a good sign. If you are not able to say why your product or service is better, than no one in the world will be able to figure that reason out in their head and if they can't do that, they won't buy your product or service over competition. If you are not able to figure this out, then you need to hire a Chicago marketing firm.

Once you can successfully answer this question, you will know what your competitive advantage is and this is what you will deliver to your target market(s) in your marketing. 

• Is there a market segment that will appreciate your differences? Are they a big enough group to support your business? 

You will need to be able to differentiate your product or service and identify your target market. You also have to realize if there is a segment of the market that will be interested in and be able to support you with the sales. You might have a unique product, like body-odor scented candles but will people want that? No. 

• What is the best financial way to reach this target market? 

You have to realize this market and the way they are accessible. Is it via ads? Which kind? Or is it social media? Which platform? Etc. You have to research the way they communicate and how they like the messages to be delivered within that medium. 

Hire a Chicago marketing company that is able to help you get noticed and in the right way to gain ROI. Contact Integraphix. 

How You Can Rock Your Corporate Social Media

Having a corporate presence on social media is a must these days. Basically, every company has at least one social media account, if not 2, 3, or more. However, having a legitimate presence on social media for a company is much more than just posting your merchandise, your deals, etc.

Being successful at social media often means having a long list of things you need to do and many of them are correct; having a corporate social media presence that doesn't flop means doing things right, even the small stuff.

So how do you dominate your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, and other platforms? Don't worry your noggin, my friend, we'll tell you how!

• Be good at:
• Communicating. This means that you will need to be a good writer. Now, you're not writing dissertations on your social media, so you don't have to be that worried about writing exceptionally; however, you have to be good. Punctuation, grammar, write like a human (not a robot), and be concise (why use 5 words when you can use 2?). 
• Using images. When you can use an image to draw attention to your post, especially when it helps with the message, then do it! Now, do not go image crazy but use them when you can. 
• Using video. YouTube and Vimeo are great for this. When you have a video that you can share, especially informational, then go for it! 
• Utilizing more than one social network. Sure, your business has a Facebook page but you can also use other platforms as well! Depending on what your business does and where your target market is (in terms of social media), then join more than one! If you're a visual business (perhaps a bakery), then Pinterest and Instagram would be great since you can showcase your pastries and even share recipes (more so on Pinterest). 
• Responding. When you let days go by before you respond to someone on social media, if you respond at all, then you're not doing social media right. Social media is a fantastic tool for customer service and if you respond to things right away, it can vastly help improve (or maintain) your image. If it's a response to a complaint, then you contain the damage that much faster! 
• Not being emotional but having emotion. Do not get angry or frustrated when someone complains about you; do not give your negative emotions a chance. However, show that you have emotion! Say you're happy (and other positive feelings) about stuff. "We're so excited we could get deep dish pizza for our company lunch!" 
• Avoiding "ME". Sure, you want to promote your business but remember, a little of that goes a long way. The majority of your posts should be answering questions, giving tips, conversing, referring your people to someone else's great info, and commenting. Share, retweet, +1, repin, etc. If you can share someone else's post, they will notice and so will your followers. Which kind of person do you like better (in real life): the person who always wants to build themselves up or build other people up? 

Doing corporate social media marketing is not always super easy but it can be done. If you have any questions, then feel free to contact Integraphix. We are a Chicago marketing firm. 

Coca-Cola Strikes Gold with New Marketing Campaign

If you pay attention to marketing news, then you may have heard about this idea that was published today, if you don't, then congrats! We'll inform you.

Coca-Cola has invented 16 awesome caps that you can apply to your empty Coke bottle; turning it from something to throw away to something you want to keep and play with. It's called the "2nd Lives Campaign."

For those of us who want to help preserve the environment and drink Coke, this idea is a win-win. The caps allow you to turn your empty Coke bottle into a squirt gun, pencil sharpener, rattle, paintbrush, soap/shampoo dispenser, bubble maker, dumbbell, sauce bottle, whistle, nightlight, and more. There are 16 designs total.

The message brought forth from the campaign is, "What if Coke bottles were never thrown away?" Kind of an interesting concept, hmm? Whether you truly do use it for a long time or you use it once with the alternate cap and then toss it anyway, it's still very cool and a unique idea.

The idea was created by Ogilvy China (of Ogilvy & Mather). If there's one thing Coke knows how to do besides make a great product, it's make its way into the hearts of people; they did it back in WWII by being the only soda supplier to American GIs, they continue to do it with ideas like this.

As a Chicago marketing firm, we love ideas like this that show true creativity. Marketing and advertising is more than getting products out there and purchased, they are also about making life easier and more fun.

How To Create a Great Elevator Speech

Elevator speeches are a necessity in the 21st century business world, especially when you are in marketing, sales, public relations, etc. If you are trying to gain awareness for your business, then you need to have an elevator speech planned.

The term "elevator speech" is a synopsis of your business that you can deliver very quickly; the term comes from being able to do so in the time it takes to ride in an elevator. Nowadays, it can still happen in elevators but you can also deliver you speech to someone at an expo, trade-show, in the hallway, or at a coffee shop.

Here are a few things to remember when creating that awesome pitch:

1. Try to not make it sound too sales-y but it's okay to have it sound just a tidbit sales-y. You can use adjectives like: original, leading, certified, pioneering, etc. You just have to make sure your pitch still clearly sends the message you want it to and give a good description of your company. 
2. The pitch has to be short. Clearly state the name of your company and what your company does. Give some details, enough to encourage the person to inquire further. Just make sure it is no more than a minute long but shoot for 30 seconds. 
3. Use language everyone can understand. Your elevator speech means nothing if you are using jargon from your industry that is gibberish to people outside the industry. If the person has to use a dictionary to understand what you're saying, you might as well not even deliver the speech. 
4. Consider starting it off with a question. This will get the person involved in the speech and so they feel that connection. You can try something like, "Do you feel pleased with your company's marketing efforts?" Pause for answer, assuming they said no, "Well my company is a pioneering internet marketing agency…"
5. Be comfortable. Nothing is more awkward than hearing an elevator speech that is rigid, fumbled, and robotic. Be loose, know your speech, and act like you've done it before. And know your speech well, that will help. 

If you need help with this or are looking for other marketing tips, then contact Integraphix. 

5 Successful Rebranding Campaigns

Every company has branding, it's just part of the process to create and run a business. Whether you consciously created branding for your business or not, you created one. The concept of holding the same branding for the lifespan of your business is unheard of; at some point or another, there is reason to go through rebranding. There are several reasons to rebrand your business; it can be a scary decision because it means doing something new/different, you are taking your business into unchartered waters. What if it turns out to be a bad rebranding experience and ruins your company? What if it turns the company from a small fish into a big fish? You never know unless you try.

Here is a list of five brands that went through rebranding and what made them successful.

1. J.Crew. J.Crew is known to many as a high-end clothing brand that sees customers anywhere from high schoolers all the way to A-list celebrities. They are doing really well and are a coveted brand for fashion lovers. However, they were not always this beautiful in the eyes of the world. It wasn't until 2003 when they hired a new CEO. At that time, they were seeing deep declining sales; however, once they hired the new CEO, they rebranded themselves as a store that sold simple clothes made from quality fabrics. They utilized high-profile faces like the Obamas to wear their brand during the 2008 Presidential campaign; Michelle wore a J.Crew outfit on the Tonight Show. 
2. Pabst Blue Ribbon. In the past, PBR was known as a cheap, low quality beer that was only intriguing to hipsters and frat guys. This blue-collar lager is still not seen as a great beer in the US but in other countries like China, it is seen as premium stuff. They launched a product extension called Blue Ribbon 1844 and put it in some fancy packaging and now it sells for $44 in China, the world's largest beer market. 
3. Harley-Davidson. In the wonderful year of 1985, HD was a motorcycle that was one flat tire away from being wiped off the corporate map. Once they hired the new CEO, their fortune began to change. Harley knew they had to improve their product so they did just that; once they improved their bikes, they focused on being the name they claimed, which was a quality bike made for the road warrior. 
4. Target. Up until the late 90s, people saw Target as just another store, like Walmart and Kmart, that was for bulk purchases and rather low quality. However, Target realized they had to stand out from their competitors, which they did by offering pared down versions of goods from high profile designers, this decision saved Target. Still, Target is number two in the race, behind Wal-Mart, but they are seen as a higher quality store and their clientele is seen as more affluent than their competitors too. 
5. UPS. UPS was, and still is, in a huge battle with FedEx. UPS used to be well behind their competitor in the race, though. FedEx was mopping the floor with UPS with their decisions like overnight delivery. In the late 90s, UPS decided to rebrand and switch their slogan from, "Moving at the speed of business" to "What can brown do for you?" They then launched ads showing mailroom guys to CEOs using UPS and loving their experience. They showed their consumers that they are adapting and looking forward to constantly meet their consumers' needs. 

If you are looking for branding or rebranding needs, then contact Integraphix - a Chicago marketing agency. 

How Creative People Are Different

To be successful in marketing, you have to be of a creative mind. Sure, you don't have to be artistic but you have to be able to think originally, abstractly, uniquely, thoroughly, and so many more adjectives that could be used to describe a creative mind.

So what are some things that creative people do that their non-creative counterparts do not do (or as often)?

• We tend to daydream more. Daydreams are not a waste of anyone's time because they are often how our minds express desires, thoughts, realizations, and allow us time to escape our current moment. Daydreams are a way for our minds to utilize the process that is called "creative incubation" which is how we have those random amazing ideas. 
• We like to observe. A lot. We observe people, objects, processes, social norms, rules, language, interactions, relationships, how other people observe, etc. This is a biggie if you want to be in marketing (internet marketing too) because you have to understand how the mind works when looking for products, especially your product type. 
• We tend to work on our own time. Now, yes, when you work in the business world, you have to work certain times; however, within those hours, you will find that creative minds are doing other things when their creative hours have not come yet or have already passed. Some creative minds do have the luxury of working whenever they feel like it. 
• We are resilient. We tend to not take failure so personally and when we do fail, we look at it as improvement instead of a step backwards. Failing only means one less thing to consider next time, clarifying the road to success. We fail and do it often, if you don't fail often, you are not trying enough. 
• We ask questions; we tend to ask the big ones. We are curious people, we see things and wonder what they are or what could be different about them, etc. We do it through conversation with others or with ourselves (in our minds, of course).
• We like to change things. We see things the way they are and like to shake them up. We like diversity in things as well. 

Being More than Just a Company to Clients

Being in the service industry, like marketing, advertising, graphic design, etc. can be a tough business sometimes. People come to you for a need that is not always tangible and the ability to satisfy their need does not always happen instantaneously nor with the same result every time. For some companies in the service industry, like restaurants, people come to you because their hungry, they order food, you give it to them, and you're both on your way; granted, the satisfaction is still up in the air.

So, how as a company that works in this area, can you make things better for your clients? How can you make sure that you keep your client's happiness your priority instead of just seeing them as a source of money?

One thing you can do is to keep in touch with your clients. We talk to our clients when we have questions for them or they have questions for us; however, do we ever send them emails to see how they're doing and let them know the status of projects without their asking? Chances are, we don't. Now, you don't want to get all lovey-dovey on them and say you love them and their on your mind, that would be creepy. What you can do is like what I said earlier, notify them of statuses without their asking, drop an email saying you wish them a happy holiday (whichever one is coming up), send them a happy birthday email or call, etc. Keep it professional but keep the contact.

Another thing you can do is to ensure the client that you wouldn't advise them to do anything that you wouldn't do if you were in their shoes or if you had to make a similar decision. If the client can't afford something, find a part of your services they can afford and will actually help them. We can't tell clients to spend $10,000 on ads if we know they won't work or if the client only wanted to spend $6,000. They will realize what you're doing and will not like it. As a Chicago marketing company, or whatever city you're in, it's important to have good credibility and an honest word because that's what builds trust, a good reputation, and gets/keeps you business.

It can be tough but it is doable. Seeing or hearing from our clients can and should be a thing that makes us smile; the same concept should apply for our clients.