Outdoor Advertising exposes consumers to marketing messages in their every day environment.  Whether through freeway billboards, bus shelters, mall banners or stadium signage, Outdoor provides the opportunity to reach a locally targeted audience. This medium has several advantages when included as a component of an integrated advertising campaign.
Benefits of Outdoor Advertising

• Larger than life appeal: Outdoor works best using visually compelling images combined with simple, bold statements.
• Geographically targeted: By selecting specific products or venues, Outdoor reaches a large, local audience. There is also opportunity to tie in messaging with the venue, to ensure that the copy is relevant and connects with the prospect’s mindset.
• High frequency: Most Outdoor campaigns run a minimum of 4 weeks, and often a minimum of 12 weeks. Although each set of eyes may only view the message for 2-4 seconds at a time, the length of the campaign ensures that impressions are high and builds memory units with your core audience.

Outdoor Advertising in Action
Understanding the power of Outdoor, Chapman University is launching signage at Fashion Island shopping center in Newport Beach, CA as part of an integrated marketing and advertising campaign to build brand awareness within their local community. The Outdoor strategy includes wallscapes and ad panels and will be visible at the shopping center through the 2012 holiday season, providing exposure to an affluent audience during the heaviest traffic time of year.
The designs leverage existing branding elements from print and online media that have been running for several months to maintain consistency across campaign platforms. However, to tie in with the holiday shoppers’ mindset and elicit an emotional response from the Fashion Island audience, the signage incorporates the message of the “gift” of education.
To learn how Outdoor Advertising can positively impact your integrated marketing campaigns, contact Orange Label today.

Orange Label Art + Advertising is comprised of an integrated team of THRIVING BRAND LEADERS. Each and every team member embodies specific expertise in the advertising world, in conjunction with the ability to comprehensively understand the goals and objectives of each client. This month, we are highlighting our endlessly creative and energetic Integrated Advertising Coordinator, Brianna Donath, as a Thriving Brand Leader.

An Orange County native, Brianna received a dual degree in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in English at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. During her time at Chapman, Brianna worked on marketing projects, strategic media plans and ad campaigns, and was a part of the university’s nationally ranked public relations competition team.

After graduating and acquiring a background in retail sales and client management at Metropark Clothing and through various internships, Brianna joined OLAA’s integrated account service team armed with experience in campaign strategy, messaging, media planning and event production. She utilizes this background and her impressive skill set on a daily basis for a variety of Orange Label clients, including Chapman University, Seattle Talent and Ageless Alliance. Both her clients and her co-workers admire her focus and dedication, positive personality, unexpected sense of humor and ability to consume massive amounts of chocolate.

Brianna is excited by the challenge of creating advertising solutions using a combination of both strategic research and creative thinking. The mystery solving component of uncovering the best way to blend these two ways of thinking is what ignites the core of Brianna’s passion for advertising, and she hopes to continue to develop that passion through her work with the OLAA team.

Have you wondered what those little black and white boxes are on ads these days? Quick Response codes, more commonly known as QR codes, are barcodes that consumers scan with their smartphone to immediately direct them to a web page or a carefully targeted landing page. By leveraging advancements in technology and the popularity of smartphones, QR codes are bridging the gap between offline and online advertising.

QR Code Tips
To be an effective tool, the QR code destination must be compatible for mobile viewing. A common issue today is that companies jump on the QR code band-wagon without understanding the true dynamics of mobile marketing. The QR code must be a convenient and appealing method for users to get more information. There also needs to be a clearly defined incentive to scan the QR code. QR codes should never be used as a stand-alone tool as its purpose within a mobile marketing strategy is to connect the online and offline mediums, provide additional information and incite immediate consumer engagement.

QR Codes in Action
OLAA client St. Francis Medical Center launched a three-month integrated advertising campaign in late June. The campaign promotes the hospital’s Family Life Center and brands the “Sweet Beginnings” experience that St. Francis offers to new mothers and their babies.  Mobile marketing is a key component of the advertising strategy. The campaign includes a QR code as part of the call to action which leads to a mobile website that introduces “moms on the go” to “Sweet Beginnings” with a unique online experience that differs from the hospital’s main website. The mobile site creates an additional benefit to the user by offering a new and convenient means of accessing information. The mobile site also offers moms the option of viewing in English or Spanish.

The mobile site is promoted via a QR code, which can be found on mall banners and print ads. Traffic is also driven to the mobile site through radio and text campaigns. A mobile strategy utilizing a QR code was implemented for this campaign due to the relevancy with the target audience of young mothers. The incentive to use the QR code is clearly defined with a label of “For Moms on the Go,” which reinforces that the destination is optimized for mobile and relays that the site provides key information for expecting moms.

The QR code is synced with Google analytics, which allows for tracking and quantitative results, such as the number of scans the QR code has received. As the campaign moves forward, St. Francis is receiving a positive response and is making a powerful impact on Sweet Beginnings patients.

Want to see how these little boxes can make a big impact on your business? Contact Orange Label today.

When developing the visual elements of a distinctive brand, the initial stages of the creative process are crucial. The members of the OLAA Art Department understand this importance, and practice the skill and knowledge needed to bring a brand to life, to instill the longevity, vibrancy and presence that it needs to stand out among its competitors.  To help express that knowledge, Cade Garrett, Art Director, and Sheri Audette, Graphic Designer, demonstrate their Thriving Brand Leadership by sharing how they approach the branding process.

Be Aware. Cade believes that the most important first step is to simply take it all in. “I think it takes a lot of awareness, insight and background. Knowing what’s out there, what’s been done, what’s being done and what hasn’t been done is important to keep things fresh. To really bring something to life it can’t be sprung from a dead idea, it has to be something new.” 

Be Open.  For Sheri, the biggest ‘do’ is also the biggest ‘don’t.’ “In general, do consider everything. Don’t limit yourself.  Consider all the possibilities of what the visual elements for which your brand will be used. Consider every possibility that your name, logo mark and brand can be a part of.” 

Be Purposeful. Cade: “A brand should be strong enough to have an impact to the point that it moves the consumer. It’s not just about public awareness; it’s about creating a need or a want within a consumer.”

Be Consistent. Both Cade and Sheri believe that working from a mindset of consistency from the start is pivotal to connecting all of the visual elements.  Cade: “The most important thing is consistency. In terms of a brand, whether the brand is a good brand or not depends on whether consistency is something that looks great and has a great message.” Sheri: “Consistency builds association. It strengthens a memory and connection that creates trust in consumers.”

Orange Label Art + Advertising is committed to our clients’ success. We believe that it is our purpose to empower our clients such that they lead their marketplace and experience a growing demand for their product or service. This month, we recognize Orange Label client Seattle Talent as a THRIVING BRAND LEADER.

Seattle Talent is a premier management, development and placement facility committed to attracting and fostering young, inspiring talent in the acting, modeling and singing industries. By maintaining relationships with top agencies and scouts, Seattle Talent elevates their young stars to the highest level of opportunity in each talent category. Being a thriving brand leader in the fast-paced, highly competitive entertainment industry would be a challenge for any brand, but for Seattle Talent, it’s been an opportunity to be recognized as a top acting and modeling school in the Northwest.

Seattle Talent has combined the power of a brand refresh with the impact of an integrated mobile advertising campaign to achieve thriving brand leadership. By implementing a rebranding strategy that encompassed a sophisticated logo, modern color scheme and font treatments that reflect a high level of reputation, Seattle Talent has positioned themselves as a distinguished leader in their industry.

Using the momentum and excitement created around a new brand identity, Seattle Talent also launched an integrated digital advertising strategy. This includes a consumer-focused mobile site, direct response-driven landing pages and a comprehensive PPC campaign. Since the launch of their mobile site and digital campaign, Seattle Talent has experienced dual success with increased lead generation as well as the elevation of their brand to a level that matches their distinguished reputation as a thriving brand leader.

Want more? Contact Orange Label today to learn how your brand can thrive.

A powerful brand helps a company to distinguish themselves from the competition and when proactively managed, the brand should naturally evolve as the organization evolves. However, when faced with competitive pressures from another brand gaining more market share, if the target demographics’ perceptions have changed or when significant internal changes have occurred, it may be time to consider refreshing your brand identity.

 
At Orange Label, we underwent a rebranding process five years ago. Our company was founded in 1972 as Hunter Barth Advertising and after 35 successful years of service, we changed our name to Orange Label Art + Advertising. Why? To be viewed in the marketplace as a valuable and relevant resource versus just another advertising agency. We connected our forward-oriented vision of powerfully helping companies become THRIVING BRAND LEADERS with the identifying characteristics and qualities of Orange County—specifically lifestyle, vitality and innovation.

 
The change of our identity informed our logo, positioning and marketing materials as well as our internal operations. The make-up of our team has evolved, our services are more comprehensive and how we deliver those services is more powerful. The result is that we have expanded to a more diverse client base and profits have improved. But most importantly, our clients are more successful.

Want to learn how a refreshed brand can improve your bottom line? Contact Orange Label today.

Wrap it Up, Get Noticed on the Road

Vehicle wraps are a powerful addition to an integrated marketing strategy that allow companies to mobilize their brand identity throughout their local community.
Headquartered in Burnsville, MN, Orange Label client Coordinated Business Systems saw the value in this unique opportunity to reinforce their strategic branding efforts, and ended the year by extending their corporate “brand look” to their new Ford Focus sales and service fleet. As you can see, the vehicle wraps leverage fun, eye catching graphics that drive visual attention while continuing to reinforce Coordinated as the market place leader in office technology solutions.

Recognized for their “team” approach to technology and customer service, the NASCAR style graphic approach was a great fit for them.  The robust  100% coverage design layers in a combination of existing brand elements that also appear throughout their integrated advertising plan such as their downtown Minneapolis Skyway ads, print ads, brochures, stadium ribbons and boards, website and landing pages, as well as their radio ads.   The impact of “driving” the brand out into the community is an exciting and fun way of getting attention and creates lasting memory units.  This strong visual presence is win-win for the company, employees, community, customers and prospects.

To launch the new look, fifteen employees were presented the first of these hot, new exciting cars prior to year-end.  And to add excitement to the unveiling, the roll-out was televised by the local NBC affiliate which featured Coordinated President, Jim Oricchio, situated high above the company parking lot, mega-phone in hand, shouting; “Gentleman, start your engines.”  As the engines engaged and the race flags waived, the newly wrapped cars sped out into the community.

Want to learn how you can make a powerful impact with branded vehicle wraps? Contact Orange Label today.

It is the mission of Orange Label to empower our clients such that they become THRIVING BRAND LEADERS. As part of this philosophy, we believe that our job is to help our clients become successful, resulting in powerful and growing demand for their product or service. One sign of a THRIVING BRAND LEADER is recognition by the outside world and we want to congratulate two of our clients that recently received recognitions of high honor in their industry.

 Orange Label client Greenwell Farms, a gourmet coffee producer located in Hawaii, was recently announced as the first place winner for their 100% Kona Coffee in the “Kona Division” during the Hawaii Coffee Association’s 2011 cupping contest! It is clear to see that Greenwell’s commitment to “proudly offering Kona Coffee to discerning gourmet coffee drinkers around the world” is not going unnoticed! For more information about Greenwell Farm’s award winning coffee, click here. To read more about the 2011 cupping contest, click here.

 The second congrats goes to Orange Label client, Daughters of Charity Health System, for being recognized by U.S. News and World Report Best Hospital Rankings for two Los Angeles hospitals! This ranking recognizes the stand that the Daughters of Charity Health System has made for providing the utmost quality of compassionate health care through its people and practices. To read more about the U.S. News and World Report Hospital Rankings, click here.

As consumers are increasingly relying on their smartphones to seek out information, having a presence on the mobile web has become an important element in a comprehensive web strategy. Orange Label client, Recovery Now TV strives to be the leader in their industry in the digital realm and as a response to this shift, recently launched an integrated mobile campaign.
 
To engage with a mobile audience, Orange Label launched Recovery Now TV’s  optimized mobile website this month that detects when users are visiting from any smart phone. This enhanced website includes key features such as treatment-related videos, an informational blog, links to treatment centers and contact information with a click-to-call phone number, in a streamlined design that is easy to navigate from a small screen. A cost-effective mobile PPC campaign was launched in conjunction with the site, to drive activity and generate leads.

The inclusion of a mobile campaign has already proven to be a valuable addition to Recovery Now TV’s digital strategy (created by Orange Label Art + Advertising), as the launch has already resulted in facility admissions.

Ron Gardenhire for Coordinated Business Systems

Incorporating a celebrity spokesperson in an advertising campaign is a powerful way to engage with your audience. When using a celebrity spokesperson it is important to position them in ways that will get attention. Coordinated Business Systems has featured Ron Gardenhire, the Minnesota Twins manager in their radio commercials going on 5 years. In 2010 and continuing in 2011 Ron and the President of Coordinated, Jim Oricchio have been highlighted in humor-oriented messages. The outcomes of have been:

1. More “talk” in the marketplace about Coordinated

2. Greater Brand Awareness for Coordinated

3. Faster recognition of the “Solutions” offered by Coordinated

Click the links below to listen to the Coordinated Business Systems Radio Commercials featuring Ron Gardenhire:

Document Management Radio Commercial

SmartPrint Radio Commercial

ProActive Managed IT Services Radio Commercial

To learn more about Orange Label’s radio advertising services, contact us today.

We recently posted about using milestones to leverage an Integrated Advertising Campaign and featured Starbucks’ new logo in celebration of their 40th Anniversary as a prime example. As a follow up to that post, we are featuring an example of an execution strategy for the business-to-business category. 

Orange Label client, Martin Whalen Office Solutions celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2011 and they are using it as a cornerstone for their marketing activity. Using this milestone anniversary as an opportunity to leverage Martin Whalen’s longevity, and position Martin Whalen as a leader in Office Technology, Orange Label developed an Integrated Advertising Platform that includes result-driven campaigns supported by a year-long calendar of events, promotions, advertising and PR.

To kick-off the campaign, Martin Whalen recently launched its 75 Year Anniversary Office Technology Upgrade Sweepstakes. Promoted through radio advertising, customized landing pages and salesmarketing handouts, the sweepstakes features Chicago Cubs and White Sox ticket giveaways. In addition, three grand prize winners will each be presented with a $7,500 office technology upgrade for their business.

Benefits of this promotional strategy include the opportunity to:

• Reach a focused and relevant target demographic
• Generate qualified leads
• Increase brand exposure
• Support local businesses
• Position Martin Whalen as a thriving brand leader 

This year marked Starbuck’s 40th Anniversary, and like some companies, they’ve used the milestone as an opportunity to bring new life to their brand. This milestone marks the fourth refresh of the Starbuck’s brand in the past 40 years. One consistent element that has remained is the Siren, a mythological figure who represents the romance and creativity that inspired the founders of Starbucks 40 years ago. While the jury is still out about the new logo, one thing rings true, they’ve created a real “buzz” around their identity. To read more about the refreshed new logo and brand, visit www.starbucks.com/preview.

When the opportunity presents itself, Orange Label Art + Advertising will leverage client’s milestones to launch integrated campaigns much like Starbucks did with their refreshed logo strategy. Integrated campaigns leverage several different media vehicles to deliver the marketing message. When consumers are reached multiple ways, such as with traditional and digital forms of media, the marketing messages and brand are reinforced. Whether it’s through a refreshed logo, sweepstakes promotion, open house or media campaign theme, leveraging company milestones is a great way for a brand to stay top of mind with current customers, prospects and their community.

O’Connor Hospital’s New Advertising Campaign:  “My O’Connor Story”

It is Orange Label’s observation that, “your customers are often your best copy writers.” Authentic and candid customer comments can be one of the most relatable sources for messages you can communicate to your target market. Orange Label clients throughout the years have leveraged their own customers into powerful and integrated advertising campaigns – sharing engaging messages of success and customer benefits.

For this reason, we are excited to announce the launch of a new advertising campaign for client, O’Connor Hospital – located in San Jose, CA. The advertising campaign: “My O’Connor Story”, features real people and real stories. The campaign consists of service-line specific stories with real patient experiences. Each five week campaign will be supported by an integrated mix of local print, radio and online. In addition, O’Connor Hospital will be launching a campaign specific landing page that will show case all of the O’Connor stories. Visitors to the page will be able to browse through the featured stories and view the print ad creative for each.

“My O’Connor Story” adds a unique “realness” to O’Connor Hospital’s advertising that powerfully connects to the hospital’s positioning, It’s the Way We Care. The first story to kick-off the campaign promotes O’Connor Hospital’s Wound Care Clinic – sharing a local resident’s heart-warming story of overcoming her struggles with a diabetic wound and how the Wound Care team was able to heal her wound. With the power of the patient’s words, the story highlights the real patient benefit with O’Connor Care and tells the story of why the patient states, “I have my freedom back.”   (See link to image of “My O’Connor Wound Care Story” at the bottom of the post)

“It was so inspiring to meet the O’Connor Hospital patients and listen to their stories of how O’Connor Care made a difference in their lives. The stories that will be shared this year through the “My O’Connor Story” campaign are touching, motivating and attention-grabbing… I am excited to see how these stories will encourage others to make O’Connor Hospital part of their “story” of health and healing,” said, Integrated Advertising Supervisor.

My O’Connor Wound Care Story

Applied Imaging Thrives with New Services

In today’s rapidly changing economy where budgets often get pinched and industries demand change, finding a business that can adapt to those changes, has the capacity to expand, and still provide superior service to their customers is uncommon. Applied Imaging, Orange Label client since 2005, has had the opportunity to thrive during this tough economy as well as offer new services that enhance their superior product offerings.

Applied Imaging is an Office Technology dealer that provides Managed Print Services and Document Management located in Grand Rapids Michigan. Early in 2011, Applied Imaging will be officially launching the addition of a Managed IT Services division. In addition to their new services, Applied will also be expanding from the Western Michigan region into Detroit by the end of 2011. Their growth will be accompanied by the addition of a new and dynamic website, a landing page strategy, print marketing sales materials and a aggressive radio campaign. Orange Label Art + Advertising has strategically helped create all of the marketing initiatives to ensure the marketing messages are powerfully integrated.

Real Results

The Power of an Integrated and Consistent Promotional Strategy

Greenwell Farms is a family-owned business (located on Kona, Hawaii) that has been growing, processing and roasting some of the finest 100% Kona Coffee since the late 1800’s. With their long heritage in quality and tradition, it is no surprise that Greenwell Farms is known as the experts of Kona Coffee! In 2010, Orange Label Art + Advertising – a Orange County Advertising Agency, refreshed the Greenwell Farms brand identity, while also implementing a new Social Media Strategy. The new organic brand and new presence on a variety of social sites, successfully increased customer engagement throughout 2010! In addition, Greenwell Farms experienced the true power of an integrated and consistent promotional strategy, with a significant increase in annual sales and overall brand awareness.

2010 Summary of Key Performance Indicators & Learning:

• 29% Increase in Overall Site Traffic
• 17% Increase in Store Traffic
• 20% Increase in Site Referrals

Orange Label recently launched Greenwell Farms Social Media presence. It included a revamped Blog, Facebook page, Twitter and YouTube. Please be sure to go check it out.

Dont forget to purchase $75 or more of some 100% Kona Coffee this month to get free shipping!

Lucas Business Systems and Astro Business Technologies, a California Central Valley Xerox Global Imaging Systems Group enlisted Orange Label Art + Advertising to create a brochure that would not only have great creative, but also generate real results! Additionally its a road-map for sales people to tell an intricate Lucas / Astro / Xerox story. Working with their Director of Training & Development and Director of Managed Print Services, Orange Label orchestrated a compelling message that differentiates from the competition. Each step, including their initial work-flow assessment, branded Managed Print Services program, Green Initiatives and Follow-up Service Guarantees is synergistic with how the sales people are trained.

Real Results
Tulsa Rib Company Loyal Patron Club

Tulsa Rib Company, a leading, family-owned restaurant located in Tustin, CA, known for their legendary ribs, famous Tulsa  Potatoes, tasty barbecue and friendly people, has been working with Orange Label for the past several years.  It has been a goal, through the duration of the relationship between Tulsa and Orange Label, to create and implement effective marketing tactics, which generate real results.

Tulsa was looking for a way to say thank you to their many loyal Tulsa-goers, so Orange Label assisted in developing the Tulsa Loyal Patrons Club – an offer that rewards frequent customers by offering $10 towards the next Tulsa meal, for every $100 spent in the restaurant. To kick-start the promotion, the campaign was featured in ads running in OC publications and supported by in-restaurant promotion. The club proved to be a hit. Loyal Patrons were grateful for the rewards and the number of customers in the club has grown dramatically. It is safe to say there are even more loyal Tulsa-lovers now!

“Our Loyal Patron Program has increased traffic into the restaurant and increased guest check totals!”

- Liz Parker, Co-Owner of Tulsa Rib Company.

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San Jose, CA based O’Connor Hospital is celebrating their 120th Anniversary. To promote this milestone, a unique logo was developed and it has become the focal point of an aggressive local print and mall banner campaign. The logo was also used to recognize the 120 years at The Spirit of O’Connor Gala in October to raise funds for O’Connor’s Imaging Services department.

The strategy of promoting O’Connor Hospital’s 120th Anniversary has generated strong market pressure and further enhanced the core identity of “It’s The Way We Care”.

Click Here for Samples

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Rochelle Reiter (949) 631-9900
rreiter@OrangeLabelAdvertising.com

ORANGE LABEL ART + ADVERTISING ANNOUNCES NEW CLIENT, CALMONT WIRE AND CABLE, INC.
Agency to Re-vitalize Calmont’s Brand for 2010 to Grow Business

NEWPORT BEACH, California (December 8, 2009)—Orange Label Art + Advertising, one of Orange County, Calif.’s longest-standing privately held advertising agencies, announced today that Santa-Ana based Calmont Wire and Cable, Inc., who engineers custom wire and cable solutions for a broad range of industries, has retained Orange Label Art + Advertising as their Agency of Record in order to re-launch the Calmont brand. Orange Label Art + Advertising credits Calmont’s selection to its specific branding process, including the ability to capture the “essence” of a company’s brand through creative research and design.
The opportunity in 2010 is to reignite the Calmont Wire and Cable brand such that it supports a sustainable new business strategy, produces a steady stream of qualified leads and achieves meaningful revenue and net profit growth.   “We are revamping our brand image to be consistent with what we deliver to our customers,” said Bobbe Monteleone, President of Calmont.
Calmont Wire and Cable, Inc., founded in 1958, designs and manufactures wire and custom cable for medical, aerospace, military, robotics, computers, telecommunications and other precision applications requiring custom design. One of its early successes was developing extrusion technology to produce the first Hula Hoops for Wham-O. Currently, Calmont specializes in ultra-flexible and ultra-miniature wire and cable.
The Orange Label team created the positioning statement: Discover. Design. Deliver.  to accurately portray the innovative and unique culture at Calmont Wire and Cable, Inc. Over the next few months, the new Calmont Wire and Cable brand will be unveiled as well as collateral and support materials. “We are excited to be working with such a talented group of people that really cares about the product they deliver and how it is delivered and used in the world,” said Rochelle Reiter, VP and Co-Owner of Orange Label Art + Advertising.

ABOUT ORANGE LABEL ART + ADVERTISING
Orange Label Art + Advertising, formerly Hunter Barth Advertising, is one of Orange County’s longest-standing privately held advertising agencies. Founded in 1972, the agency currently represents clients from across the United States, in a broad range of specialties. The agency principals are Wes Phillips, Ian Crockett and Rochelle Reiter. Key differentiators for the company include its ‘Orange Exploration’ approach to fact-finding, powerful ‘View from the Field’ research technique, and ‘The Juice’ different-and-better client branding method. For more information about Orange Label Art + Advertising, visit www.OrangeLabelAdvertising.com.

ABOUT CALMONT WIRE & CABLE, INC.:
Since 1958, Calmont Wire and Cable, Inc.’s mission has remained the same—to design and manufacture innovative technical solutions for critical applications requiring unparalleled performance. Calmont is known for supplying innovative solutions for a wide range of industries and applications (medical, aerospace, military, instrumentation and robotics). At Calmont, under the direction of Founder, Bill Chilcote, the first prototypes of a multi-lumen catheter were developed. Today, the multi-lumen catheter has become commonplace in operating rooms throughout the world. Calmont’s cables are used extensively in the medical market for ultrasound, electrode, defibrillator, EKG, dialysis, handheld instrument, catheter, implant and other applications. Their cables are specified and used by some of the largest medical manufacturers in the world. For more information, visit www.Calmont.com.

#  #  #

Donnellon McCarthy
Orange Label Art + Advertising built its foundation on long-term client relations. However, even by these standards, the 25 year relationship with Donnellon McCarthy, a Cincinnati-based office technology dealership, is remarkable and extremely newsworthy in the advertising industry. Even though they are b2b, we’ve used business-to-consumer advertising strategies with morning drive radio as the backbone of a strategy that has also included marketing materials from corporate brochures to delivering truck and vehicles wraps.

During the twenty-five year relationship, Donnellon McCarthy has remained independent in spite of two very significant roll-ups in the copier/office technology industry. They have passed the baton from one generation to the next, transitioned from selling analog to digital technology, experienced significant organic growth and expanded geographically to have a marketing area that includes Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

At the Vistage Economic Summit recently, Economist Alan Beaulieu, president of the Institute for Trend Research in New Hampshire cited several tips for business owners as the economy comes out of the recession, one being “Ramp up on Marketing and Advertising.” Read all the tips below!

Tips for business owners

Economist Alan Beaulieu says business owners should take action as the economy comes out of recession:
• The beginning of 2010 will be a golden time to expand: equipment and real estate will be inexpensive, interest rates low.
• Borrow as much money as possible because future interest rates will rise.
• Hire the exceptional talent that will be available through 2010.
• Cease activities that don’t create profit; eliminate unprofitable products.
• Ramp up marketing and advertising.
• Look for ways to sell in western Canada, Brazil and Australia. These countries are positioned for strong future growth. Russia and China are not positioned for growth.
• Define and tout your competitive advantage.
• Lead with optimism. Be the chief cheerleader.

List cited from The Orange County Register, October 2, 2009

Color Theory. There is a reason logos are designed with a color scheme in mind. Color says a great deal about your brand. Here is a quick overview of what some colors represent:

RED: associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love.

ORANGE: represents enthusiasm, energy, joy, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation.

BROWN: suggests stability and denotes masculine qualities.

YELLOW: is the color of sunshine. It’s associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy. It evokes pleasant and cheerful feelings.

GREEN: symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money. Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color for the human eye; it can improve vision. Green suggests stability and endurance.

BLUE:  is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven. Blue is linked to conciousness and intellect.

PURPLE: is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.

WHITE:  is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is considered to be the color of perfection. White means safety, purity, and cleanliness. As opposed to black, white usually has a positive connotation.

BLACK:  is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, strength, authority and mystery.

Are you sending the appropriate message with color? What color is YOUR brand?

Brand is behavior. It is not just what you do, but what you do and how people react, or as learned in the OC Ad Federation Event: How to Create and Market My Personal Brand, it is the “emotional aftertaste.” There is a vast difference in what you claim and how you fulfill the expectations you set. I guess at the end of the day, it is not the perception you have of your self that matters, but the perceptions others have of you. Remember to be consistent and keep it real!

Coke will soon be releasing a new way to pour soda. Over a hundred different ways actually. The new machines have all the flavors your used to as well as new ones that are not available in retail stores. As seen in these videos below taken from consumerist.com a Coke rep. demonstrates the functions of this marvel machine. For now the machines are only being tested in Atlanta and San Diego.

How will Pepsi come back at them?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Rochelle Reiter
(714) 393-0527, (949) 631-9900
rreiter@OrangeLabelAdvertising.com

ORANGE LABEL ART + ADVERTISING RECOGNIZED FOR ITS HEALTHCARE MARKETING PROWESS

Agency wins awards for PacifiCord and O’Connor Hospital Advertising

NEWPORT BEACH, California (June 10, 2009)— Orange Label Art + Advertising, one of Orange County, California’s longest-standing privately held advertising agencies, is proud to add three more awards to their list of recognitions with  Healthcare clients.  Orange Label Art + Advertising received a Platinum Award for its PacifiCord corporate brochure design along with an Honorable Mention for its PacifiCord “The Gift” Magazine Ad in the 2009 Hermes Awards. In the 2009 Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards, Orange Label Art + Advertising also received a Bronze award for their O’Connor Hospital Radio series.

Orange Label’s President, Ian Crockett said, “We’ve been having tremendous success in the Healthcare Industry because clients value our branding knowledge and experience and the fact that Orange Label combines that with our ability to produce direct response. To achieve both with one agency is apparently rare these days.”

The PacifiCord corporate brochure and Gift Ad were part of an extensive branding strategy created by Orange Label to position PacifiCord as a marketplace leader and inform consumers about their capabilities as a Cord Blood Banking Facility. Currently, PacifiCord, which stores stem cells in Irvine, is the only Cord Blood Banking service headquartered in locally. As a HealthBanks Biotech company, PacifiCord has pioneered value-added benefits such as the Cord Blood Concierge Service, flexible financing options and facility tours. More information can be viewed on their webpage www.pacificord.com.

In addition to the success of the PacifiCord Gift series, the O’Connor Hospital radio series also revitalized the local branding of O’Connor Hospital. Wes Phillips, CEO of Orange Label said, “The intent of the radio series was three-fold. First, they [O’Connor Hospital] wanted to increase local community awareness. Second, their aim was to drive specific service activity. Last, they wanted to communicate the “It’s the way we care” spirit in a memorable and creative execution.”

ABOUT ORANGE LABEL ART + ADVERTISING

Orange Label Art + Advertising, formerly Hunter Barth Advertising, is one of Orange County’s longest-standing privately held advertising agencies. Founded in 1972, the agency currently represents clients from across the United States, in a broad range of specialties. The agency principals are Wes Phillips, Ian Crockett and Rochelle Reiter. Key differentiators for the company include its ‘Orange Exploration’ approach to fact-finding, powerful ‘View from the Field’ research technique, and ‘The Juice’ different-and-better client branding method. For more information about Orange Label Art + Advertising, visit www.OrangeLabelAdvertising.com.

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Yesterday (7/16), OLAA member Megan Guerra and I attended the Los Angeles Times’ Online Advertising and Social Media Seminar. The Seminar included a great panel of speakers including: Facebook, Ning, LA Times interactive and Passenger. The panel provided interesting insight, thoughts and recommendations around the world of social media and what it can provide for your business. 

Megan and I felt that one of the biggest take aways worth sharing with you, was the panel’s thoughts on how to best manage your social media presence: 
Be Social With Your Social Media Followers.

Social medial is growing rapidly as more and more people are becoming connected online. For companies, social media provides a way to gain feedback from your customers and your target audience(s). Now many may argue that for a company/brand, this open environment for “feedback” is dangerous, because you are giving people the opportunity to voice the good and the bad.

And it’s the BAD that is feared…

As the panel explained, the worst thing to do is to not be social! In other words, don’t open a social media account and ignore it! So be sure to stay relevant and active with your social media – give your followers a reason to check your Blog, Facbook, Twitter and so on. And most importantly, remember to listen to your followers and be sure to respond (so they know you are listening)!

How to manage feedback…

If your followers’ feedback is good, be happy, it is a FREE customer testimonial! Be sure to respond with a thank you or what have you.

And advice for if it is bad…don’t panic, don’t press delete! Instead, explain your take on the feedback, answer the concern, provide rationale, etc – by responding, you are letting your social media network (your customers) know that you are listening, that you DO care and that their opinion does matter.

So, for those who are in fear or unsure about joining the world of social media, consider the above and remember that staying in communication is key with all business efforts, and now a days, this includes Social Media.

Some Social Media Tips That Will Keep You “Social”:

Take advantage of the FREE network that social media provides and consider ideas such as:

                  –      run a campaign or special offer  (incentive for followers)

                  -      run a survey (gain feedback)

                  -     send messages/exciting news to your followers (acts a  free email blast)

Awards Highlight Orange Label’s Creative Capabilities

NEWPORT BEACH, California (May 11, 2009)—Orange Label Art + Advertising, one of Orange County, California’s longest-standing privately held advertising agencies, is proud to add three more awards to its growing list of recognitions. Orange Label Art + Advertising received a Platinum Award for its PacifiCord Corporate Brochure design, A Gold Award for its Speech and Language Professional Services website and Honorable Mention for its PacifiCord “The Gift” Magazine Ad.

The Hermes Creative Awards were judged by a prestigious panel of advertising professionals and administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. Started in 1995, they recognize industry leaders in concept, writing and design of traditional materials and programs, and emerging technologies.

The PacifiCord Corporate Brochure and Gift Ad were part of an extensive branding strategy created by Orange Label to position PacifiCord as a marketplace leader and inform consumers about their capabilities as a Cord Blood Banking Facility. Currently, PacifiCord, which stores stem cells in Irvine, is the only Cord Blood Banking service headquartered in California. As a HealthBanks Biotech company, PacifiCord has pioneered value-added such as Cord Blood Concierge Service, flexible financing options, and facility tours. More information can be viewed on their webpage www.pacificord.com.

Orange Label is also very proud of its role in the successful rebranding of Speech and Language Professional Services (SLPS). Orange Label Integrated Advertising Supervisor, Alyse Vultee stated, “Originally SLPS came to us for a logo design and rebranding makeover. Because of our strategy and execution we ended up re-building their website and positioning SLPS as a market leader”. SLPS services the full spectrum of the Speech Pathology industry providing an unparalleled level of commitment and support to families, therapists, and schools. More information can be viewed on their website at www.slpsinc.com.

ABOUT ORANGE LABEL ART + ADVERTISING

Orange Label Art + Advertising, formerly Hunter Barth Advertising, is one of Orange County’s longest-standing privately held advertising agencies. Founded in 1972, the agency currently represents clients from across the United States, in a broad range of specialties. The agency principals are Wes Phillips, Ian Crockett and Rochelle Reiter. Key differentiators for the company include its ‘Orange Exploration’ approach to fact-finding, powerful ‘View from the Field’ research technique, and ‘The Juice’ different-and-better client branding method. For more information about Orange Label Art + Advertising, visit www.OrangeLabelAdvertising.com.

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It’s ironic that someone like me who is opposed to newsletters performs pro bono work by producing two newsletters a year for a non-profit organization called Friends of Golf. But let me start at the beginning and explain my relationship with newsletters.

The concept behind newsletters is extremely noble. You wish to provide valuable information to a particular constituency, usually a customer, client or prospect base. Additionally, you wish to reach out and “touch” your customer on a regular basis and newsletters seem like a good vehicle since you’re also positioning yourself as the source by providing information deemed relevant.

The problem with newsletters is they are hard work. The first one or two are easy. Everyone is behind the initiative and wants to participate and solidify those customer/client relationships. Your team will help build your distribution list, do some of the writing and take photos to spruce up the piece a bit. But after the second one, enthusiasm wanes. Your team is out of ideas. There’s been no apparent return on the investment, which in this case is their time and energy. Your team pretends they’re busy when they see you walking toward them. “Hey, I’d love to help Boss, but I’m working on the most important project in the firm’s history.”

Said another way, “Cut me some slack dude. I don’t plan to waste any more of my valuable time on your inane idea. Our customers don’t have the time to read it and even if they did, they could care less about the five people from accounting that worked the recent Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, Susie’s miniature schnauzer having six puppies and George winning Employee of the Month for his green Initiative. I mean limiting each employee to three toilet paper squares per day? I recently saw Phyllis trading a pack of cigarettes for two squares and Dwight was crouched outside the Men’s Room with a cardboard sign that read, ‘Will work for TP squares.’ Burt should win Employee of this Month since he’s been constipated for the past two weeks.”

Hopefully you’re beginning to understand my feelings toward newsletters. Now, a new form of communication has come along to rival newsletters and the initial excitement they create. It’s called blogging. Here’s how that works.

You’re the boss and you hire a Search Engine Optimization company. They need to justify the $20,000 per month retainer, so they recommend blogging and having all the employees take turns participating. Your employees get excited because they are now part of the marketing effort and have an opportunity to express themselves and be creative. However, they quickly realize that they didn’t have that much to express in the first place and if they could be creative on a consistent basis, they would be making a lot more than the cheesy wage you’re paying them.

So how do you produce newsletters and/or blogs that achieve the objectives stated previously? It’s simple. It’s called entertainment. It’s not enough to just mail something physically or electronically and feel good about the effort because you’ve communicated with your customer/client/prospect base. Something immediately going in the trash does not constitute a “touch” in the marketing world. You need to entertain your audience, not simply provide information that most will view as propaganda anyway.

A dozen years ago, the media sent out newsletters to keep advertisers informed on what was going on at their station or publication. The only one that didn’t get immediately tossed was one that always had a Rock ‘n Roll trivia contest. I couldn’t wait for that newsletter to show up and test my knowledge in that area. Plus, I didn’t stop after the quiz. I would actually read the articles around it and discover that the General Sales Manager’s daughter was a chip off the old block since she set the county record for most Girl Scout Cookies sold one year.

Since my Friends of Golf newsletter is used as a marketing tool to attract sponsors and prize donors, I leverage the famous people that are involved in the organization. Potential sponsors love the association and the chance to “rub elbows”, but I have to be careful since most of the celebrities don’t need or want additional publicity. So I came up with sections of the newsletter (and web site) that members can relate their Favorite FOG Memory. By doing this, I get stories from someone like Johnny Miller who says his favorite memory was meeting Carroll Shelby or Digger Phelps who says his favorite memory was having the opportunity to introduce his idol and longtime nemesis, John Wooden. I get two famous names for the price of one. Plus, when my readers discover that even heroes have heroes, it makes them real.

Readers like trivia sometimes more than hard core information or news. We’ll call this mindless entertainment since readers don’t always want to think. This past newsletter, called FOGhorn featured all the past Honorees since we‘re celebrating FOG’s 30th Anniversary. After giving a few facts about each one, I pointed out that combined they had won 106 Major golf championships and 21 were inducted into a Hall of Fame. Twenty were already in the World Golf Hall of Fame, while the legendary LA Times sportswriter, Jim Murray was in the Sportswriters Hall of Fame.

So the bottom line is if you really want to get serious about newsletters or blogs, you first need to entertain your constituency and soften them up before you inform them.

In my last article, I began a discussion on a “back-to-basics” marketing approach. Making sure that you and your team are really good at the blocking and tackling is far more productive than sitting around and trying to come up with a clever marketing approach. Technology has certainly brought us different ways to communicate messages, but the fundamentals still apply. Technology has also brought more sizzle to marketing messages and has sped up their delivery but it really has not done a lot to make a bad message good.

In the 1990s, there were several copier dealers that thought they could fool the marketplace by advertising “Free Copiers.” They figured that a gimmicky approach would generate leads. Once the call came in, they would at the very last be vendors of consideration, and with a slick salesperson doing some pencil selling and some quick explaining, they might get the deal. Great new marketing strategy? No. In fact, it is one of the oldest and most basic strategies in the history of marketing. Less than a year ago, I received a free Gillette razor in the mail. I liked it, so now I pay $18.50 for an eight-pack of replacement blades.

Many of the Free Copier ads showed up as e-mail blasts or fax blasts, which was thought to be a brilliant use of technology by some. Both mediums are highly targetable and extremely intrusive, which is both good and bad. Telemarketing and direct mail are also highly targetable, but you can refuse a telephone call or throw away and envelope before opening it. You can do the same with e-mails and faxes, but not before glancing at it to confirm it is junk or spam. It is almost like when you were a kid and another kid said, Made you look….”

So why did some office technology dealers find success with this strategy even though the message insulted prospects’ intelligence and the delivery intruded on their space? Because they used the basic marketing principles. They kept the message simple, used the greatest word in advertising – free – to get attention and created the perception that they were the best value in the market without advertising price. The ones I saw also adhered to the basics in delivering the message because they were done with frequency and consistency. Every Monday morning, I would walk in and there would be several fax blast advertising Free Copiers. Same message, same medium, same time. Basic marketing at its best.

Most of my clients do not want to be pioneers and I don’t blame them. Pioneers had a much higher attrition rate crossing the United States than we do today, regardless of the transportation method. “What’s working well for your clients?” or “I don’t want to reinvent the wheel” are statements I hear very often from clients, especially the new ones. A more recent example of the pioneer spirit was the dot-com industry. It also served as an example by reminding us there are no shortcuts.

Those who have used the Internet to enhance existing channels of distribution have a much better chance of success. Those who tried to change channels of distribution failed, except for a few like Amazon.com, and that is only because they were one of the first and spent hundreds of millions of dollars on radio campaigns. A number of the later entries were banking on their Web sites producing advertising revenue, assuming that intrusive pop-ups, banner ads, etc., combined with all the database information collected, would provide instantaneous advertising success. It didn’t happen, because much like e-mail and fax blasts discussed earlier, the ads are not only intrusive, but annoying. Plus users have conditioned themselves to focus and the content and tune out the advertising message.

The Internet will play a huge role in the marketing of your business, but not as an advertising vehicle. Most of my readers have a website, but it is probably something you have been telling yourself you will get around to upgrading (when you have the time and money) before the competition does.

Yellow Pages advertising for office technology dealers has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. Yellow Pages was valuable when prospects didn’t know one dealer or manufacturer from another. Now that the industry is more mature, prospects know the players from their advertising, word of mouth or personal experience. They may still look in the copier section but it is only to find your telephone number, not to judge the viability of your company.
The Internet is where prospect now “let their fingers do the walking” to search for information and vendors. It will not be long before they expect to purchase low-ticket items using the technology at their fingertips. You need to spend time figuring out how to get prospects/customers to your site, then make sure they stay there. It is just like inviting them to your office for an in-house demo or to put your best foot forward and give them the impression that you are a first-class operation that has it entire act together.

Yellow Pages salespeople used to tell smaller dealers that a full-page ad was their chance to out do the “big guys” for an entire year. A classy, informative website can achieve the same result. Do not forget a basic marketing principle that less is more. Just because you are paying someone does not mean you have to cram information all over your home page. The beauty of a website is it is almost limitless in providing information. Make it easy to navigate and use your marketing savvy to attract prospects to certain pages.

Good, effective advertising does not require a brain surgeon or rocket scientist, just good old-fashioned execution. Think of your advertising as the Green Bay Packers of the 1960s. Everyone knew the power sweep was coming, but the Packers’ execution was so good they could not be stopped. Don’t worry about your competitors’ advertising. Just concern yourself with your own execution and they cannot stop you.

by Ian Crockett, President of Orange Label Art + Advertising

One pitfall of writing a marketing column is always trying to come up with the next great marketing idea, then attempting to communicate it to your readers. The reason I say it is pitfall is because there really are no great new marketing ideas. But there sure are plenty of great old marketing ideas and there are a number of businesses that take these old ideas and execute them exceptionally. Business speakers talk about adhering to the basics or rallying behind a “Back-to-Basics” theme. I once played sports for a coach who had learned under John Wooden at UCLA. Wooden’s philosophy was always practicing the basics. He would never scout other teams or put in special plays or defenses for a certain opponent. His opponents needed to practice to play against his team, not the other way around. In fact, like Wooden’s teams, we were never allowed to watch other teams play for fear we would pick up bad habits or concentrate on something that was meaningless.

Therefore, this month, we are going to discuss, the basics of advertising. What media should you be using to promote your business and what should the message be? Do you reach as many prospects and customers as possible or do you reach fewer with a higher frequency? What is a responsible budget?

To answer these questions, I am going to work backwards and discuss budget first. Some businesses do not believe advertising is necessary, but I am going to make the assumption that anyone reading a column on marketing believes in advertising. In many industries, a responsible budget is between two and three percent of projected sales. In other words, if you believe you can do $5 millions in total sales next year, you should budget between $100,000 and $150,000 for advertising. Which end of the budget spectrum is correct for your business depends on several factors. How aggressive are your growth plans? If you are currently at $4 millions and want to get to $5 millions, you should be closer to the three percent number. If you are currently at $4.8 millions and want to get to $5 millions nest year, you should be closer to the two percent figure. You should be closer to three percent if your business is in the first five year of existence or if you are in a large market. If your business is mature or you are in a small market with lower advertising costs, you can get away with a smaller percentage of gross annual sales.

The next basic is around the message and I will keep it brief since volumes have been written about “Big Ideas” or “Unique Selling Propositions.” The key here is to be consistent with your message and keep it simple. Also, tie your message into how to make money. If, for example, you are a copier dealer, you probably do not want to advertise copiers. Everyone sells copiers and most have the same bells and whistles. Dealers make money on the service, so you should advertise how your service or service programs differentiate you. Labels are good for communicating differentiation. Plus, they provide the salespeople something tangible to sell.

Your slogan is another way of communicating with prospects and customers. Do not make it too cute unless cute or clever captures the flavor of your company. In most business-to-business interactions, cute is inappropriate. Your slogan, as with your overall message, needs to reflect the personality of the company. If your environment is starched white shirts and businesslike, humor or corn will not work. If you have a raucous, fun environment, do not make the advertising too serious. In either case, make sure it is polished. Polish equates to the professionalism of an organization.

Reach versus frequency is one of the oldest arguments in marketing. Anyone who has read my articles for any length of time or heard me speak is familiar with my three buildings analogy. If you have three buildings, do you want your salespeople visiting every office in all three buildings once or visiting each office in one building three times? In the office technology industry, the correct answer is the latter, since not too many sales are made based on one call. (If I had a team of Girl Scouts selling cookies, I would answer differently since nobody can refuse the greatest sales force ever established.)

Selecting the correct media can be a challenge because everything sounds so good, especially when there is a gifted salesperson attached to it. And the truth is just about any medium will work if given a chance. Once again, the flip side is also true. Nothing will work if you do not give enough time. Following is a brief review of four advertising options and how to make them work effectively.

Television
There are two versions of commercial television these days, with a third potentially on the way. Broadcast television, which includes affiliates (CBS, NBC, ABC), is primarily a reach medium due to cost. The most favorable programming for my readers is new-related and this is the bread and butter for the local stations. Cost in the Top 50 markets in the United States can go over $1,000 per 30-second spot. You are depending on a huge impact from a few spots and that is very difficult. Cable television rates are a lot more affordable and you can generally cherry pick the good cable systems in your marketing area. The downside is there are no ratings, so you buy programming on hunches. Of course, some of those hunches can be pretty good. If you want men 35 to 54 year of age, buy ESPN, CNN or the Golf Channel. If you want women 25 to 49 years of age, buy Lifetime, USA or the Discovery Channel. The potential for television is around point of purchase. Imagine television sets everywhere you go and not just in Blockbusters and 7-Elevens. Vendors are encouraged to purchase time and create demand while the potential customer is right there in the store. Wal-mart is already involved in this medium in an effort to generate more revenue from its suppliers.

Radio
Radio has always a favorite of mine because you can communicate a very emotional, value-added story and generate frequency very affordably. Although with the government allowing multiple ownership in markets, advertisers are paying the price with large corporations like Clear Channel and Infinity dictating prices. Soon, they will be dictating programming and news content and we all know where that could lead. (I apologize if I digressed into a political agenda).

Billboards
Billboards, like television, can create a larger-than-life image. My belief is it is a great secondary medium. If you are already doing other media correctly, billboards can add to your message. But is is tough to communicate an emotional, value added message with a board. but, like I said earlier, any medium will work if given enough time. If you stay with billboards years after years and have a consistent message, you will be successful.

Print
Business journals, trade magazines and newspapers are targeted at an male demographic. The problem is it is tough to generate frequency because business journals are weekly, trade magazines are monthly and newspapers make so much money from car dealers and department stores that it is very costly to have a consistent presence.

This is a very brief overview. In my next article, I will continue this “Looks at the Basics.” I will discuss direct mail, telemarketing, Internet advertising, Yellow Pages and other non-traditional advertising. In the meantime, make sure that your budget is in line with the parameters, have a message that is consistent and separates you from the pack, and do not get too impatient with how you are spending the dollars. As a former president once said, “Stay the course.”

by Ian Crockett, President of Orange Label Art + Advertising

Branding can be fundamentally defined as the constant and consistent use of the components of your image and identity. These components include your corporate colors, graphics, type style and spokespeople. In other words, branding is making sure the logo is always in the same location, the same typeface is always used in printed material, the correct corporate colors are always used and the same spokesperson is in each of your broadcast messages. Brand development, on the other hand, is the uncovering of a distinction about your company and developing communication based on that distinction.

Both branding and brand development are different functions-branding being tactical and brand development more strategic. Each is vital to the long-term, profitable success of any company. However, it is our agency’s observation that companies find it easier to implement branding tactics than to spend the time, energy and effort required for proper brand development. This is unfortunate because without defining what distinguishes your company from your competition, you run the risk of making your company seem generic or just another commodity. Without a point of distinction or difference in your marketing, your message will more than likely be reduced to hardware features and benefits. When this occurs, you are competing with your competitor’s hardware features and benefits, which could lead to reduced margins and lower revenues.

What is needed is a process that will uncover your company’s true distinction-those unique selling points that none of your competitors possess. After that, create a communication designed to accentuate that differentiation. We have found that many times the outcome of this process is either a powerful method of labeling the way a company a company does business or the way it provides service. In other instances, the distinction is embodied in a powerful positioning statement or is found in a character or method of execution that is developed to deliver the marketing message.

Developing Distinction
As an example, several years ago office equipment dealers began to publicize their customer service policies as a way to differentiate themselves from their competition. Making a distinction was necessary because features on office equipment tended to be very similar. However, within months, a majority of dealers were advertising their “great” service and, just as quickly, all of the messages began to sound the same. As we worked with our office technology clients, we found that the key to their success was to uncover just how their “great” service was different and, more importantly, how this message should be communicated.

During our research, we discovered that some of our clients were willing to guarantee their service performance, in writing. With this information, we helped our clients to develop a “label” or “name” for their performance guarantees. The resulting “The Security Blanket” written guarantees were very effective and helped prospective customers to sense and feel that our dealer client had something they could not get from competitive dealers. “The Security Blanket” allowed our clients to approach prospects and customers in way previously unknown. In fact, one client even went as far as to deliver equipment with a real blanket draped over the machines. After a while, salespeople stopped selling great copiers backed by great service and started selling “The Security Blanket.”

More recently, we have assisted clients with labeling the way they do business. “TeamSourcing” for example, became a very successful label. Its power was in the implication that a customer was getting the resources of an entire team, not just one salesperson. Yet, once again, the key factor is not just the name or label, it is the fact that “TeamSourcing” is unique and creates a perception that the dealer has a unique, differentiating quality that adds values to the prospect.

Acquisition programs are another area where office technology dealers have the opportunity to differentiate their business. Because everyone leases equipment and most dealerships have cost-per-copy or cost-per-image programs, labeling your acquisition programs could set your programs apart and help prospects to perceive them as distinct and unique.

While the preceding were examples of brand development, another approach we have implemented for our office technology dealers have-customer testimonials! Using actual written statements from clients, we have designed a method of creative execution that incorporates the use of unscripted comments from existing customers into the most of the advertising. over time, the marketplace begins to identify our client as the dealership with all the happy and satisfied customers. This approach is very successful, yet requires a complete commitment (time, energy and budget) to consistently implement branding tactics.

Mapping a Course of Action
How can you begin to think about brand development? We use a system called the “Inherent Drama Blueprint” which serves to discover what it is, specifically, that differentiates our clients from their competitors. The trick here is to discern not only what the wants and needs are of prospects and customers (which can best be found through formal market research), but to also ask just what it is specifically that makes a company distinct. This means that our client must take two or three days out of their busy schedule to specifically focus on the company. In addition, our client must involve several key personnel to assist with the process. While this may appear very simplistic, we have found that many office technology dealers are unwilling to go through this process.

The “Inherent Drama Blueprint” has five components that must to be addressed and considered:

1. Key marketing strategies.
2. Key audience profile.
3. The inherent drama of the Company, its products and marketing strategies.
4. Creative strategies for positioning, key copy messages, motivational benefits to constituencies, and graphic driving force.
5. Creative execution.

The “Inherent Drama Blueprint” is a useful toll to uncovering hidden or previously unconsidered distinctions of any company. If you are unable to effectively address the five points, get outside assistance to facilitate the process. The benefit of this investment in time, energy and budget could be the difference between becoming a leader in your market or just being one of the competitors that always struggles to grow revenue and net profit.

by Wes Phillips, CEO of Orange Label Art + Advertising

Welcome to Orange Label Art + Advertising’s Blog. Currently we’re remodeling some stuff. Please check back soon! Dont forget to check out our homepage for more information.

Orange Label Art + Advertising.com

ABOUT ORANGE LABEL ART + ADVERTISING

Orange Label Art + Advertising, formerly Hunter Barth Advertising, is one of Orange County’s longest-standing privately held advertising agencies. Founded in 1972, the agency currently represents clients from across the United States, in a broad range of specialties. The agency principals are Wes Phillips, Ian Crockett and Rochelle Reiter. Key differentiators for the company include its ‘Orange Exploration’ approach to fact-finding, powerful ‘View from the Field’ research technique, and ‘The Juice’ different-and-better client branding method. For more information about Orange Label Art + Advertising, visit Orange Label Art + Advertising.com