Author: Geile/Leon

Why B2B Content Marketing Has High ROI

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Why B2B Content Marketing Has High ROI

Advertising

Now that 2023 is in full swing, we’re starting to hear more and more about how this year’s marketing trends are taking shape. More than ever, B2B marketers are investing in content marketing because they are gaining tangible ROI.

In a recent Chief Marketer survey, 62% of those surveyed said that content marketing has the highest ROI out of any channel. The majority said that articles, videos and blog posts are the most effective for moving prospects through the funnel.

And since 80% of respondents said that they need to demonstrate measurable ROI on their marketing efforts in 2023, content marketing makes sense…and cents. Digital media more than any other marketing avenue allows for more precise customer journey tracking. Maybe that’s why nearly 80% of marketers in this survey said that their budgets were increasing or staying the same in 2023.

With the opportunities for personalization, hyper-specific targeting and tight control over the consumer’s journey through the sales funnel, B2B marketers are wise to invest in content marketing. What does your content marketing program look like? Get in touch and find out what a comprehensive content marketing strategy and on-brand creative content can do for your brand.

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Should Your Brand Take a Stand? Here’s What You Need to Know to Decide

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Should Your Brand Take a Stand? Here’s What You Need to Know to Decide

Return On Empathy

Empathy is a tricky thing. It’s powerful, but only if it’s authentic. If brands don’t use it earnestly and in good faith, then their customers can smell a fake from a mile away. And there’s nothing people hate more than a brand trying to approach a cultural touchstone opportunistically with just profits in mind.

How can brands do it right? It has to be a natural fit with the brand itself, aligning with their corporate values and brand reputation. That’s what being authentic is all about. When someone sees it, they shouldn’t have to think twice about why you’re doing it.

The latest Trust Barometer research from Edelman, which surveyed more than 32,000 respondents from over 28 countries, a majority of consumers want businesses to do more to address a wide range of societal issues.

This same survey illustrated how fine of a line it is for brands to walk, with respondents admitting that brands taking a stand is fraught with risk of politicizing the issue. All of these top issues listed are very important to many in our country.

When an issue is so charged with emotion, the last thing someone wants is to feel like a company is making light of it solely for the sake of increasing sales. When considering whether your brand should take a stand on one of these or other issues, revisit your branding and your company culture. Check to see if there are any common threads that would make this issue something that your brand lives and breathes or whether it’s simply just a matter of trying to jam a square peg into a round hole.

We are all unable to forget the backlash from brands who do not approach these issues with empathy. Remember the Pepsi commercial that implied that systematic racism could be fixed if we all just enjoyed a Pepsi together? Yikes.

It’s this authenticity, rooted in the core of the brand, that makes it a trustworthy source of information and empathy. It takes honesty rooted in action. Not something you do once, but something you live, day in and day out.

No matter what challenge your brand faces, we can help. We can help inject your brand with empathy and make it relevant through our Dynamic Branding process. Get in touch now and let’s talk about it!

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AI, ChatGPT and the Future of Copywriting

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

AI, ChatGPT and the Future of Copywriting

Trending Now

Many of us who spend (probably too much) time online have probably seen chatter lately about ChatGPT, a new AI writing program. Many are pretty amazed about how well it can write. Naturally, that has led to all kinds of excitement about what it could mean for the future of advertising, journalism and literature. It’s also left a certain segment of people a bit terrified. 

Namely, copywriters, journalists and writers of all types. 

However, writers worth their weight in words don’t need to worry about our eminent demise at the hands of our robot overlords. There are many reasons why those with talent and creativity will always be able to offer value that AI simply cannot. Here are a couple of the many reasons why great writers can’t be replaced, no matter how many breathless panic pieces are written to make you think otherwise. 

 

AI Can Only Recycle Ideas

When someone uses ChatGPT or any other, similar software, they face the same limits that all technology runs up against: it can only perform as well as the information it is given. That means that you describe what information you want it to find, but it will be unable provide any ideas beyond what’s out there already. 

If you use AI, then you won’t be generating any new or disruptive ideas. All you’ll do is take what everyone has already done and shuffle the deck chairs around a little bit. But to find something new, to make connections that no one else has ever made and to communicate a unique selling proposition…you need a unique idea. That’s simply not available through AI right now. 

 

Wit Does Not Compute

One problem many ChatbotGPT users have found involves humor. Or more specifically, the program’s complete and utter lack of it. This shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone who has watched movies in space ships and/or stations run by a computer, like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Moon or Flight of the Navigator (minus the scene where the spaceship’s computer does its Pewee Hermann impression, of course). 

A humorous or cheeky tone is just more nebulous than what a computer can understand, it seems. Clever humor is often about playing off misdirection, understanding intangibles about the human experience, and once again, making a previously unseen connection between seemingly disparate ideas. Those just aren’t in the cards (chips?) for AI. 

 

But Here’s a Secret: It’s Not All Bad. 

It’s hard to admit, but copywriters can actually use AI to their advantage. It can be useful as long as it is considered a tool, not a crutch. In fact, it could free up copywriters to focus on creating even better creative concepts that a computer could only dream of. If computers did dream, that is. 

Sometimes there’s a tedious task that’s mostly just searching out existing copy and organizing it. Have at it, bots! Need to gather a bunch of information, specs or data for long-form copy, like a whitepaper? Let the bots round it up for you. Wondering how a certain demographic might describe your client’s product or service? Or maybe a competitor’s? Release the bots! 

Maybe the bot could provide a perspective that runs counter to your preconceived notions. Sometimes a perspective shift is valuable, and there are plenty of perspectives on the internet. Everyone has an opinion, and understanding a multitude of opinions is invaluable to a copywriter. 

In many ways, when used correctly, AI could conceivably help us do better work than ever. Naturally, of course. No bots, no brain chips, no holograms. Just some creatives in a room with markers and whiteboards, making jokes that no computer could ever make. 

If you want to talk to a real human about how your brand could benefit from the unique and boundlessly creative ideas that only an experienced marketing communications firm could provide, especially one that’s been doing it since before the internet was even a thing and phones couldn’t fit in a pocket, get in touch! We’d love to chat.

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In 2023, empathy is more important than ever for brands to embrace in their marketing efforts

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

In 2023, empathy is more important than ever for brands to embrace in their marketing efforts

Branding

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost three years. In 2020, the world’s history took a dramatic turn as the pandemic changed the way we lived our lives. It changed how people wanted to interact with businesses and in turn, pushed businesses to change the way they serve customers.  That also means that it’s been nearly three years since we began discussing  Return on Empathy™.  ROE as we call it, states that brands who infuse empathy into their marketing efforts can realize both tangible and intangible benefits.  Empathetic brands experience increased brand loyalty for their efforts.

When we first introduced this metric, we predicted that demand for more empathy in marketing and communications was here to stay and that brands had to get on board if they wished to remain relevant in their markets. That has proven to be true.  While the pandemic seemed to precipitate consumers’ desire for brands to be empathetic,  many other societal topics and consumer concerns continue to drive the empathy movement in marketing.  This graph featured in MarketingCharts  highlights what societal topics are on marketer’s minds:

A 2020  IPSOS study conducted on behalf of PepsiCo Beverages reported that 94% of respondents stated that empathy is important to making society work, and 85% reported that they believe brands demonstrating real empathy is critical to creating customer loyalty. Fast forward to today and we still see marketers addressing empathy in marketing.  A 2022 Vericast Survey of 316 U.S. marketing decision-makers found that almost half (46%) of respondents find it challenging to express empathy in ads, and a similar share (44%)  are struggling to strike the right emotional tone given what is happening in the world.

And that’s not all. Empathy needs to be demonstrated not just in marketing efforts but at touchpoints throughout the customer journey – the total brand experience.  The March/April 2022 EcoConsultancy Future of Marketing Report found that 60% of respondents agreed that the ability to navigate changing consumer behaviors and expectations will be very significant to success, which leads to why “improving the customer experience and customer journey management” is a top-three priority for marketers over the next two years. 

The demand for empathy from brands is nothing new. In the mid-2010s, neuroscientist Antonio Damasio used data from around 20 years of research to determine that emotion is critical to the decision-making process. While it took a pandemic to create a flash point, consumers have shown how deeply they value empathy.   And so, Return on Empathy™ continues to become increasingly important to a brand’s success.

Now is the time to ask yourself if your brand has remained empathetic during these seismic shifts in the marketplace. We would love to discuss how we can infuse some empathy into your marketing and communication and share 5 actionable strategies to ensure your brand is relevant to your target audience. Get in touch with Tim Leon ([email protected])  and he will schedule a quick, 15-minute chat to talk about it.

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The Winter Watchlist: G/L’s Top 6 Marketing Documentaries

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

The Winter Watchlist: G/L’s Top 6 Marketing Documentaries

Communications Agency

We are right in the middle of holiday season, and baby, it’s getting cold outside. That means it’s the perfect time to snuggle up with your cozy beverage of choice, a warm blanket in front of the fireplace (or space heater) and something good to watch. So we’ve come up with our favorite marketing documentaries for your viewing pleasure. That way you can consider it time well-spent on professional development. At least that’s going to be our excuse when get caught making hot toddies on a Tuesday afternoon…

Without further ado, let’s get on with the doc talk! 

 

Art and Copy (Free on YouTube, Available on Prime Video)

For any creative or simply anyone who appreciates a timeless and flawlessly executed campaign, this documentary tells the stories of some of the most successful ones of all time, plus interviews with the creatives and strategists behind them. It’s a masterclass in taking an idea from concept to execution, using as case studies like Got Milk?, VW and Just Do It, plus interviews with Hal Riney, George Lois, Dan Weiden, Jeff Goodby, Lee Clow, Phyllis K. Robinson and Rich Silverstein amongst many other industry luminaries. It should be required watching for anyone in the field and is even available for anyone to watch on YouTube! 

 

Untold: The Rise and Fall of And1 (Netflix) 

People of a certain age no doubt remember the iconic street ball brand, which made t-shirts that were far classier than the No Fear fad of the same era. More importantly, And1 helped democratize hoops and produced highly rewatchable videos with some of the sickest moves you’ll ever see on a court. So what happened? Discover more about the marketing miscues that caused their downfall in this Netflix documentary. 

 

Helvetica (Available to Rent on Prime Video)

How did such a simple sans serif font prove to be such a tour de force of a whole era of design? It may seem simple, but to appreciate the effect of Helvetica in how we appreciate not only graphic design, but also industrial design…just check out that iPhone you have in your pocket. For what would seem on the surface level to be such a simple font could inspire a paradigm shift in the way we think about compelling design. Sure, you may have to shell out the $4 to rent it, but think about it as a professional investment…and a good excuse to stay planted on the couch in your comfort accoutrements of choice. 

 

Fyre (Netflix) and Fyre Fraud (Hulu) 

This takes us back to the ancient times of 2019, when we had no pandemic and putting thousands of people on a tiny island didn’t cause a second thought. However, in this case, it totally should have. That’s because the brand was built upon a great idea hyped by influencers that masked a monumental level of chaos and criminally neglectful behavior. Why there are two documentaries listed, you may ask? The Netflix documentary was produced by the social media agency that was hired to promote the festival and work with influencers, and it (unsurprisingly) puts the yeoman’s blame on the organizer of the festival. The Hulu documentary, however, was a created by a third party with no vested interest and it paints a bit of a different picture. Interesting to compare and contrast, and anything that buys us a little bit more time snuggled up instead of shoveling snow is greatly appreciated! 

 

McMillions (HBO)

Let’s go back to the 90s once again, this time for the fast-food game that gripped us all: the McDonald’s Monopoly game. We all got the game board in the newspaper (it’s impossible to write this without severely dating myself) and hoarded the game pieces with the hopes that we would score big and win prizes or even cash! However, it seemed like we just got stupid Baltic Ave over and over again. Did you ever know anyone who won? Of course not, and this documentary investigates the coordinated heist behind it. 

 

Pepsi, Where’s My Jet? (Netflix) 

In the 90s, Pepsi rolled out a loyalty program called Pepsi Points. It featured a kid who looked like he would’ve been the coolest dude at my elementary school and the offer of a $32 million Harrier jet for anyone who collected seven million points. Everything about it looked totally tubular in that cringey-in-retrospect 90s way, but it turns out that it worked a little bit too well. Find out what happened when someone attempted to redeem his seven million points for the jet and the series of missteps that led to this public relations fiasco in this great documentary. 

But it doesn’t stop there! We’ve got even more great ideas for your viewing pleasure. Add these honorable mentions to your winter watchlist, as well, and thank us later! 

 

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Gaining Confidence: My Summer as a G/L Intern

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Gaining Confidence: My Summer as a G/L Intern

G/L Culture

When I found out I got the internship at G/L, I was really excited to finally gain experience at an agency. My goal throughout my college career has been to get experience in as many different industries as I can to have a good idea of what I want to do by the time I graduate from Mizzou. At school, I enjoyed my strategic communications classes that put us students into a team that acted as a mock agency, so I was excited to get an internship with a real agency this summer. 

Admittingly, I was a little nervous at the start. Having to juggle multiple campaigns at once seemed daunting – at my previous internships I only had to focus on one and that got overwhelming at times. I was eager to learn how it all came together and how everyone worked together to get things done. 

On my first day, Tim Leon told me that if there are other things I see in the office that I’d like to try, tell him and he’d make it happen. I decided to take advantage of that sentiment – it couldn’t hurt to gain experience in different areas.

Before I knew it, in addition to writing copy for social media posts and writing blogs for the website, I began to write press releases and take headshots of everyone in the office. I was able to gain experience getting to know our clients in different ways. I was given beneficial feedback to help sharpen my skills as a person in the marketing world. It all clicked: I had to take initiative in order to gain valuable experience.

I learned a lot by taking initiative. I was able to gain more experience and really gauge what role I think I’d like the most in the future. One thing that was always highlighted no matter what area I was working in was just how important it is to pay attention to detail. One word really can really make a difference – especially when it comes to social media that tends to have small copy. Even if you’re posting the same thing to each platform like Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, your audience is different on each so it’s important to cater the captions to them specifically. You have to make it mean something to them.

This attention to detail will always stick with me in my future work. For example, before I even started to work on anything at G/L, they showed me their social strategy for their biggest clients. They wanted me to fully understand the voice and tone of each brand before I got started so that I could understand the goals. This really opened my eyes – I had never approached social media in such a strategic way before. 

Not surprisingly, this attention to detail has really helped give me confidence in my abilities and what I’m doing. At previous internships, social media was done more on-the-fly rather than planned out. While that taught me many things, being thrown into it made me feel unsure of myself given the fact that I didn’t have much experience in the field. At G/L, I was able to make up for that. I gained confidence in my writing skills and that I can, in fact, write effective copy in specific tones. 

As I wrap up my time at G/L, I can confidently say that I can picture myself working at an agency in the future. The teamwork and variety of clients is an encouraging and fun way to work. It has been fun to flex different parts of my brain to strategize campaigns for clients. I can’t wait to bring this experience with me back to school and into my career.

 

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Why Brands Need to Choose Their Words Carefully…and Empathetically

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Why Brands Need to Choose Their Words Carefully…and Empathetically

Communications Agency

The world is changing in many ways. How we communicate is maybe one of the biggest changes we’ve seen. Not only the channels of communication, but also through drastic shifts in the tone and content of what we say and how we say it.

In turn, copywriters have to adapt, as well. That means being more empathetic than ever.

Of course, empathy has always been perhaps the most important tool in a copywriter’s arsenal. They have to take on the brand’s tone in a pitch-perfect manner, understand the problems of the audience with whom they are communicating and find a way to communicate the brand’s promise without activating the gag reflex so many consumers have when they encounter a sales pitch being shoved down their throats.

You’ve heard us talk a lot about Return on Empathy™ for brands. But personally, ROE has been a very important north star when it comes to writing copy at Geile/Leon. Today, we’re going to talk about how that is translated into the creative process and executions.

First of all, fear no longer works. Consumers are smarter than ever, and trying to motivate with fear will do more harm than good. They can seek out reviews, product specs and influencer opinions to find all the nitty gritty details that they need.

You have to act as a sales docent, leading them to the top of the mountain where the solution lies. You know what they need; all it takes is leading them to the correct path and solving their problem together.

Next, storytelling is a large part of that journey. Decisions are not made simply on logic alone. A huge dose of empathy, relatability and personality should be present throughout. You can use your story to explain how the brand empathizes with their pain and why it is so driven to solve that problem better than anyone else. For example, half the fun of a Southwest flight is the injection of the flight crew’s personality into your journey.

Finally, you not only must tell a compelling story, but it has to be communicated clearly and concisely. Don’t make your customers wade through the details, bogging them down with information that isn’t relevant or interesting to the customer. Especially in campaigns focused on generating awareness, you want to pique interest first and foremost.

Speaking of which, always keep in mind where you are on the sales funnel. When you’re in the conversion stage, you’re about to take the final step in your journey with the consumer. This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for! It should the exciting conclusion to the story, so don’t peter out with some boring or inauthentic copy when the finish line is in sight. Make sure you finish with a flourish!

Just like every person has a story, so does every brand and every product. But it’s not enough to simply tell it. You have to make it interesting, but also relatable. Or else it’s just someone telling you about a dream that’s only interesting to the person who had it. Empathic marketing is all about telling a story where your customer is the protagonist, not your brand. That’s how you make connections that don’t just sell a product, but instead provide a solution in a way that lets the customer be in charge.

If you think your brand could use a healthy infusion of empathy (and what brand doesn’t?), then get in touch. Let’s talk. We love to talk about empathy, but what we really enjoy is listening to our clients’ stories and helping them tell them.

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How Voice of Customer Research Helps You Develop Empathetic Marketing Campaigns

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

How Voice of Customer Research Helps You Develop Empathetic Marketing Campaigns

Dynamic Branding

 

You’re probably aware of what your customers want and how they feel. But do you truly understand them? In order to remain relevant, you need to listen to your customers and evaluate why they feel the way they do. This gives you an opportunity to truly connect with them and even increase your Return on Empathy™, making your brand a star in their eyes.

 

One part of our Dynamic Branding process is conducting voice of customer research. This step is useful to gain an insight on many issues your brand may be facing such as irrelevancy, entering a new market and other shifts in the landscape. It gives us a leg up on what your customers are thinking, pointing us in the right direction. Once we create a new brand positioning statement it validates that we have reached your target audience. Additionally, it can gauge current brand perceptions before the Distilled Thinking process begins. Regardless of where your brand is in the market, voice of customer research can get you back on track and at the top of your game. 

At G/L, we conduct voice of customer research via one-on-one interviews either in-person or online. It typically only takes eight to 10 of these interviews to validate the direction that we are going. This research gives us a clear answer on not only how connected customers are to your brand, but also what they think of it. You want a complete picture of your target audience and what they are thinking in order to be the most successful you can be. What is their impression of your brand? Are they satisfied with the products or services you provide? What do they think can be changed for the better? These are just some of the questions that will be answered and once we understand how the customer is connected with the brand, we can build off that to meet their unmet emotional needs and create a stronger customer experience.

 

In turn, this connection leads to Return on Empathy™ , which is invaluable to any brand. According to a study by Method Communications, 42% of Americans say that empathy has decreased over the past year and 81% of them find that concerning. If a company can show empathy (and be genuine about it), creating a campaign that acknowledges what your customers are going through and thinking can really leave an impact. In fact, 55% of customers are more likely to purchase from a brand that shows empathy than from one that doesn’t.

Voice of customer research gauges if your customers think your brand is empathetic or not, giving us a good starting point on the direction we should go. If we discover that customers think your brand is empathetic, great! Let’s build on that. If they think it isn’t, we can help your brand get a refreshed look and message to help improve that attitude for the better.

 

Let’s help your brand create an empathetic campaign to increase your Return on Empathy™. At G/L, we have the tools and personnel you need to conduct voice of customer research to help your brand be at the forefront of customers minds. With the right research, we can help your brand be the best it can be.

 

 

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Trends on How to Gain, Keep and Break Consumers’ Trust

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Trends on How to Gain, Keep and Break Consumers’ Trust

Trending Now

Given how turbulent and uncertain the past couple of years have been, it is more important now than ever for brands to earn and keep consumers’ trust. Morning Consult’s Most Trusted Brands of 2022 report examines the 10 largest economies in the world, including the United States, and unpacks why trust is important, how it’s built and how it’s broken. In this report, they do a deep dive on the most trusted brand in each country and on the top 10 most trusted brands in the United States. Let’s look at some key insights of the results and see how they can benefit your brand.

Consumers are more likely to trust local brands 

As they say, there’s no place like home. A shared home, whether it’s local, regional or national, gives consumers a reason to trust your brand and even take pride in it. While it may take awhile, spending time to gain consumers’ trust and loyalty will pay off. In fact, in six out of the 10 countries surveyed, the most trusted brand originated right there. The most trusted brand in 2022 in the United States is Band-Aid, which was founded in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Making your civic and/or national pride a central part of your brand messaging to your fellow citizens can help establish your brand and increase its popularity – simply because they share an origin.

Consumers tend to trust small businesses

The popularity of shopping small has increased ever since the creation of Small Business Saturday in 2010. They have become the most trusted in the United States, with 77% of Americans saying that they trust “a lot” or “some” of small businesses. While it can be difficult for small businesses to gain a large following, they can give their consumers a personal and memorable experience. This makes consumers feel good, earning their trust and satisfaction. Also, Gen Z is less likely than older generations to trust established brands, which means there is no better time for your small or new business to enter the market.

Engender trust through high quality and value

One way to gain – and keep – consumers’ trust is to provide them with a good value for the price and high-quality products and services. These two factors are the highest rated among Americans when it comes to factors that build trust with a brand. Consumers feel good when they can be confident that they won’t be wasting their money when spending it on your brand, so don’t make them regret it. If consumers can’t trust their money with your brand, then it will be difficult for you to regain their trust and convince them to purchase from you in the future.

You can lose it all with one bad experience

According to Morning Consult’s report, bad customer service experiences were one of the top three reasons that global consumers lost their trust in brands. Picture this: you’re shopping for a new product at your favorite store. You ask an employee for advice on what to get, and instead of being helpful, the employee is judgmental and rude. You’re shocked – you’ve always had a great experience with this brand. It turns you away because you feel betrayed and hurt. 

That’s the thing about trust. You can spend years working hard to gain it But with just one mistake, your brand could lose it all. Consumers want brands to deliver on promises, so make sure that you provide excellent customer service with great value and follow through when you say you will. It goes a long way with consumers.Here at G/L, we can help ensure that your consumers will continue to trust your brand. We have created successful campaigns in the past to earn and keep consumers’ trust and we’d love to do the same for your brand! If you’re interested, contact our president, Tim Leon at [email protected], to find out how we can help you gain trust in the marketplace.

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Dynamic Branding: Refresh vs Rebrand

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Dynamic Branding: Refresh vs Rebrand

Branding

It’s important to remain relevant in this fast-moving world, especially as a brand. When your brand falls behind and loses its luster in the marketplace, it can quickly feel daunting and nearly impossible to catch up. Here at G/L, we want to help brands become dynamic so they are able to adapt and remain aligned with the world around them. This does not require having to do an entire brand overhaul, but rather a refresh.

Think of a brand refresh as a home renovation. You evaluate and decide which elements are structurally sound and which elements need to be reinforced or redone. We understand that your brand still likely has valuable brand equity and that some of what inspired the brand still may be true. It just needs a little touching up. We make slight changes to the graphic identity, tone, presentation, and/or messaging to create value and relevance between your brand and the marketplace.

A total rebranding is like completely destroying a building and building a new one to serve new needs and functions. This means creating a new brand identity, brand standards, and/or new message architecture. Our team at G/L will conduct voice-of-the-customer research to identify the problem and fully understand what it will take to regain your brand’s relevance with your audience. Then, we reposition the brand, develop new brand architecture, and communicate this new brand messaging both internally and externally. This ensures that the brand is embraced and understood by all audiences.

That doesn’t sound too bad, right? With our experienced team, we can lead the way to help your brand find relevance with the customer, no matter what path you choose.

One of our many successful rebranding campaigns was with Cottey College, an all-women’s school in rural Missouri. They challenged us to update their brand to be relevant, especially with prospective students that sought a specialized college experience. That’s when we developed the ‘Creators of Incredible Futures’ branding, tagline and campaign. This bold look highlighted the unique students at Cottey College with hero portraits to make them stand out. This messaging was all about Cottey offering students not just a college experience, but also a life experience, which caught the attention of many prospective students. Not only did the fresh modern look catch their eye, but the powerful messaging did too.

Another rebrand we are proud of was for our client Clayco, a full-service national real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firm. The challenge they presented us was to evolve their brand from a local design-build firm to a national design-build firm that was building the structures that significantly improve healthcare, the environment, and our future. The messaging reflects the company’s holistic approach to creating buildings that have an impact beyond the physical structure. As a solution, we created the “Beyond These Walls” brand campaign that highlighted Clayco’s forward-thinking passion to deliver building solutions of the highest standard. This branding campaign is over four years old and still as relevant as ever. We are thrilled to have been involved in the national success that Clayco has had and it has been exciting to see what they have accomplished as a result of the “Beyond These Walls” campaign.

Finally, we sometimes recommend a lighter-touch refresh, like the one we developed for Upper Iowa University’s (UIU) brand. UIU, located in Fayette, Iowa, is a private, not-for-profit university that challenged us to develop an integrated marketing plan to create a cohesive brand and message. Through a comprehensive brand discovery session with UIU leadership, our team developed the ‘Education Built for Life’ campaign. This new brand identity gave prospective students a better perception of the UIU experience for both undergrad students and adult learners who were looking for a university that met them where they were in life and designed an educational experience that helped them succeed. Don’t take our word for it, studies show that after launching this campaign, UIU experienced growth in applications and enrollment.

Doing a brand refresh or rebrand is not something to shy away from or delay. In fact, most companies wish they had done it sooner! Our team at G/L is ready to help you with whatever path you choose. Take the survey on the homepage of our website to find out if your brand needs a rebrand or refresh. If you have any questions about the dynamic branding model or process to help brands regain their relevance, email our branding expert Tim Leon at [email protected].

 

 

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