Month: June 2011

Cloud Computing Firms Need Recognition

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Cloud Computing Firms Need Recognition

General

dropbox artwork

Hello readers. I’m Robert Mews, the new guy at G/L (a.k.a. the digital marketing strategist). This is my second week at G/L, and the final piece of my initiation is writing this blog post. I decided to talk about cloud computing, because it is a topic near and dear to my heart. I just purchased a home server that allows me to access all of my personal content from anywhere that I have Internet access in the world. I also use Dropbox for some of my files. It’s a pretty sweet deal, especially when you have a personal laptop, work laptop, iPhone and iPad, like I do.

The benefits of cloud computing are great. Easy access to files on the go. All your content syncs between devices. No more recording files to thumb drives, CD’s, or emailing yourself the file. That process was a headache, and I’m glad to leave that behind.

dropbox artwork syncBusinesses also stand to gain from cloud computing. More employees are mobile and more will be in the future. Which means business leaders need to give employees a cheap and effective way to share documents. The advantages for businesses are that most cloud computing services are cheaper than enterprise solutions.

However, there are two problems with cloud computing. One is the security risk. If your content is accessibly from an Internet connection, it’s possible that someone could hack into your files and do some damage. I’m sure the cloud computing community is making sure that doesn’t happen, since their business relies on peace of mind and convenience.

The other problem has been an explosion of these cloud computing services, and more confusion lies in the difference between the B2B and B2C services. As a consumer or business leader, how do you choose between all the services? Who has brand recognition? I think we’re getting past the cloud computing ‘education’ period and finally into the period where people are starting to use these services. It’s an important time to think about gaining brand recognition.

The only way these cloud computing services survive is if they develop a smart marketing strategy. I gravitated toward the Dropbox service because they gave me more space for conducting small tasks. I’d get free space if I watched a video demo. Then I’d get more free space if I shared the Dropbox service via Facebook or Twitter. As a business leader of the cloud computing service, you should be thinking about how to incorporate smart ways to expand your service and gain valuable name recognition. Dropbox is a leader because of it’s way of incorporating game mechanics (do this task to gain more space) and social sharing (share us for more free space). Who will emerge as the leaders is yet to be decided. I think we’ll see more heavy marketing by these services in the near future.

I welcome your comments and look forward to talking more about digital marketing with you in the future.

Artwork courtesy of Dropbox.

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Want to Write and Publish a Book?

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

Want to Write and Publish a Book?

General

My neighbor and friend, Janet, is a phenomenal writer. She always wanted to publish a book, but finding a publishing company and the expenses associated with publishing got in the way….until now. I just got an email from Janet directing me to a site called CreateSpace—a self publishing site that allows aspiring authors to launch their literary works. There is no inventory to worry about; books are printed on demand and shipped. As far as distribution, there’s the opportunity to have your book distributed through Amazon.com and eStore channels. This is a collaborative model allowing authors to get advice on cover design and marketing. Pretty cool! And by the way, Janet’s book, Shake the Middle Tree, is a great read and now available to the world!  Happy reading, and start working on that best-seller you’ve always wanted to write.

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Nidec Motor Corporation featured in The NY Times

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Nidec Motor Corporation featured in The NY Times

General

Exciting news for Geile/Leon Marketing Communications PR client, Nidec Motor Corporation! The industry leader is prominently featured in The New York Times “Wheels” blog by engineering writer Tudor Van Hampton. G/L’s PR team has collaborated with Van Hampton in past stories for other clients over the years. The focus of the piece, For E.V.’s and Hybrids, a Free-Spinning Alternative to Rare Earths, recognizes Nidec’s leadership in an emerging technology called switched reluctance and the developing market for the technology in hybrid cars for the future.

This is an excerpt from the blog: “Essentially, you can get the same type of performance without needing to use rare-earth magnets,” said Scott Nieberle, a vice president at Nidec Motor Corporation, a switched-reluctance motor manufacturer based in St. Louis… Nidec Corporation, the Japan-based parent of Nidec Motor, owns nearly 500 patents in this area and has motors running on industrial machines worldwide. The company hopes to boost its presence in the hybrid automotive space, and claims it would not take much to make these motors cost-competitive with higher-volume magnet motors.”

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Symphony Musicians Will Play Around on Fox 2 News Tuesday Morning

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Symphony Musicians Will Play Around on Fox 2 News Tuesday Morning

General

World-class symphonic musicians don’t normally get up to play early in the morning, but three members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will Tuesday morning to promote a good cause.

The three musicians will appear on Fox 2 News at 9 Tuesday morning to promote the Parties of Note event, taking place next Tuesday, June 28. They may even convince Fox 2 Anchor Randi Naughton to join them in a tune!

One of the “parties” for sale is a one-night opportunity to play music with a few members of the symphony. The musicians will play folks with all levels of musical ability, from beginners to talented amateurs. Folks can buy this and 29 other “parties” on the 28th by attending the Pick a Party event taking place at the Interior Design Center of  St. Louis from 6pm-8pm. Proceeds from the sale of the parties benefit the St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association, a client of St. Louis PR Agency Geile/Leon Marketing Communications.

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“Skeletons” Pick Up 3 Telly Awards

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

“Skeletons” Pick Up 3 Telly Awards

General

Geile/Leon’s Metro Imaging “Skeletons” TV campaign raked in 3 National Telly Awards. For those of you wondering exactly what a Telly Award is, the website says it best: “The Telly Awards honor the very best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions, and work created for the Web.”

G/L cleaned up with 2 Bronze Tellys in the categories Local TV & Local Cable – Health and Wellness as well as Local TV & Local Cable – Visual Effects. And we took home a Silver Telly (Best you can get!) for Local TV & Local Cable – Campaign – Business-to-Consumer.

G/L would like to thank our client, Metro Imaging and our creative partner Coolfire Media for helping us win these awards, among others. We are so lucky to have clients that let us do what we love — make commercials out of talking X-Rays.

Check out the whole campaign on the G/L YouTube Channel.

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CRAZY TO RE-BRAND OR CRAZY NOT TO?

Ben Edmonson
Senior Art Director

CRAZY TO RE-BRAND OR CRAZY NOT TO?

General

 

In 2008, when Wal-Mart ditched the hyphen in favor of the burst, they definitely got it right. With a campaign centered around their new tagline — “save money. live better.” — their success has come largely from keeping the consumer in mind. It is that brand to consumer connection where success can either make a splash or go off the deep end. Some companies have gotten it right, but why is it when it comes to branding overhauls most ad agencies leave consumers scratching their heads?

The answer is simple, but in order to get there we need to take a step back. To fully understand the woes of re-branding, we first must understand what branding is. Simply put, the ultimate goal of advertising and branding is to take a simple word or phrase associated with your product or service, and plant that in the mind of the consumer. Sounds easy enough, right? Brands like Starbucks, McDonald’s and Gatorade make it look easy. Over the years, the automakers have done the same thing — Toyota has done it with reliability, Volvo has made the connection with safety and BMW has made consumers believe that they actually invented driving. Yes, the awesomeness of branding is nothing short of powerful, but then again — it has to be. In such an advertising heavy world, how else can you turn potential buyers into die-hard consumers?

Getting your target audience to notice your brand, and your brand only, takes a lot more than just a new logo. You need a smart advertising agency that understands branding from the consumer viewpoint. Placed in the right hands (or minds, rather) a powerful marketing and advertising firm can take your brand from the somber depths of mediocrity to great heights for years to come. Whether it’s a complete overhaul or strategic planning, your brand’s messaging and appearance in the minds of consumers needs to stay sharp so it can continue to capture its target audience.

Let’s face it, advertising has changed drastically since the turn of the century — just look how successful companies use social media. You can’t reach consumers the same way you have in the past and expect the same results. With oversaturated markets and a short amount of time to capture consumers’ attention, the need for re-branding is more apparent now than ever. Your brand is your face, personality and essence of your company — everything it stands for. Call me crazy, but you can’t afford to throw it out in the consumer world, only to get buried on the bottom shelf of consumers’ minds.

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Copywriting: the good, the bad and the ugly

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Copywriting: the good, the bad and the ugly

General

David Droga, chairman of Droga5, recently wrote an article, Sweating Ad Copy Like ‘Mad Men’, for The Wall Street Journal about the “totem pole of ‘real’ writing” for ad agency copywriters. What constitutes good writing from the bad when it comes to advertising? Some headlines and taglines are written with such simplicity and clarity it could be considered poetry, while others can leave you cringing from cheesiness or scratching your head in confusion.

I think that what really separates great writing from the rest is the ability to get out the most essential message in the least amount of words. Most billboards have 8 words maximum -how can we trigger action in 8 words or less? The answer to that is creativity. As writers, me must delicately finesse and distill our copy to its most simple and captivating state. As Droga5 mentions in the article, some of the advertising’s most memorable lines have been as short and sweet as, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” “Where’s the beef?” “A diamond is forever.” or “Got milk?”

Clients will give you a myriad of features and benefits they want the copy to convey, and your job is to decide what actually needs to be said in that first, powerful line of headline copy or those precious 30 seconds of airtime. Remember: information overload is a turnoff for consumers, too many messages will just distract. Brainstorm about what speaks to your audience–what inspires them, moves them? And live by the mantra that less is more.

I think great writing is minimalist writing. Strong. Powerful. Simple. And when executed properly it really is an art, moving people to think and act differently. It takes time, endless brainstorming and lots of rejection to get the perfect line, but it’s worth it.

 

 

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Heartland Bank Employees Donate, Then Dress Down

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Heartland Bank Employees Donate, Then Dress Down

General

Heartland Bank, a client of St. Louis PR Agency Geile/Leon Marketing Communications, allowed its employees to “dress down” on Friday, June 11 in exchange for a donation to the Joplin, MO Tornado Relief Drive.

Employees from all of Heartland’s St. Louis banking locations contributed hundreds of items and cash, that were delivered to Joplin Friday evening.

Pictured below are David Minton, President and CEO of Heartland Bank, and Laura Strong, Marketing Coordinator.HB Joplin Pic

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St. Louis Construction Industry Facing Serious Challenges

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

St. Louis Construction Industry Facing Serious Challenges

General

The Associated General Contractors of St. Louis, a client of St. Louis PR Agency Geile/Leon Marketing Communications, released results of a two-year study today on the local construction industry workforce. Two major challenges are on the horizon; a future shortage of skilled craftworkers and a profound lack of women and minorities joining the construction trades.

New Study Points to Challenges Facing St. Louis Area Construction Industry

Three leading industry groups calling for action to address workforce and business development issues

 

 220px-Construction_Workers

ST. LOUIS, MO (June 9, 2011) — Results of a two-year research project focusing on St. Louis’ construction industry workforce and business reveals critical challenges facing an industry that contributes more than $2.5 billion to the area’s economy. Chief among them are the facts that skilled construction craft workers will be retiring faster than they can be replaced, and that the industry as a whole has failed to attract the numbers of minority and female workers that are reflective of our overall metro regional workforce. The development of minority, women, and disadvantaged business enterprises is also lagging.

Results of the study, which was conducted by the Public Policy Research Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and sponsored by the Associated General Contractors of St. Louis, the St. Louis Minority Supplier Development Council, and the St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers, were presented today to several St. Louis construction industry leaders including construction business owners, labor leaders, educators, governmental officials, and minority/women business and community leaders.

“A major reason for conducting this study was to get an accurate assessment of the success or failure of efforts over the past 50 years to build a construction business climate that reflects our regional demographics, and to entice young people including minorities and women into the construction field and into construction business ventures,” said Len Toenjes, President, Associated General Contractors (AGC) of St. Louis.

“While the study shows a clear racial/gender gap in the local construction workforce, it also provides us with a call to action to address this challenge in new and more meaningful ways.”

That racial/gender gap is clearly defined by these critical findings:

7% of the St. Louis area construction workforce is comprised of non-Caucasian males

12% of the St. Louis area construction workforce is female (includes office and clerical workers)

81% of the St. Louis area construction workforce is comprised of white males

And it’s not just a lack of minorities and females in the local workforce that poses a challenge to the St. Louis construction industry. A future workforce supply gap is looming on the horizon. According to the study, for all the workers who were in the St. Louis metro area construction workforce in 2007, nearly one-quarter are projected to retire by 2017.

“Community development will take a serious hit if we are unable to infuse the construction workforce with skilled craft workers in the future,” said Dennis Lavallee, CAE, President, St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers. “That’s how important a robust and healthy construction industry is to the overall economic health of the St. Louis region.”

James Webb, President and CEO, St. Louis Minority Supplier Development Council, agrees with both the workforce findings and the business development aspects of the research. “Minority-owned firms traditionally have been at a disadvantage in terms of having access to capital. While this survey clearly defines the serious challenges facing our industry, it also provides an excellent opportunity for our organizations to work with business and community leaders to develop solutions that will positively impact the entire community.”

The study results have established a benchmark from which future workforce and business development initiatives can now be identified and developed. All 3 sponsoring organizations today proposed that a “Construction Task Force” be created, which would include all construction and community groups, and would be responsible for establishing best practices to address these challenges.

The task force would be made up of purchasers of construction services, contractors, subcontractors, minority/women business leaders, labor representatives, and training providers, as well as civic and community leaders. “The time to act is now,” says Toenjes. “The future of the local construction industry depends on all segments of the business community working together to find real solutions that in the end not only benefit our industry, but the economic well-being of the entire metropolitan area.”

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2 St. Louisans You Should Know, and Should Want to Know!

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

2 St. Louisans You Should Know, and Should Want to Know!

General

Guess who made the list of St. Louis Small Business Monthly’s “Top 100 St. Louisans You Should Know to Succeed in Business” Our very own Dave Geile and Tim Leon–Managing Partners of St. Louis PR Agency Geile/Leon Marketing Communications.

Each received a nice write-up by the editors (see attached).

Now, this isn’t the first time our fearless leaders have been prominently featured in this publication. As the agency was celebrating its 20th anniversary, Dave and Tim were the focus of the article “How to Create a Successful Business Partnership”, which was published in spring of 2010.

As Tim put it, “Like a marriage, you have to work on the relationship every day. It comes easy for Dave and me because we understand each other’s roles and our strengths and weaknesses. We have the same vision of success for our business and life.”

Congratulations bosses!! We’re ALL glad to know you!! And I’m not being paid to say that. Well, I kinda, sorta am.

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