Tag: branding

Trending from G/L: Modern Family gets smart with REALTORS brand integration

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Trending from G/L: Modern Family gets smart with REALTORS brand integration

Branding

With the value of paid advertising on traditional platforms continuing to decrease, opportunities for brands to find new ways to reach their target are becoming commonplace. One of the big trends over the past year has been the rise of sponsored content and native advertising. Integrating your brand into the content of a media form as the role of digital media has evolved will most certainly continue to rise.

In both news and entertainment programming, brand-crafted messaging is now commonplace. But doing it well isn’t as simple as just creating an ad. It requires the brand itself and the content vehicle working together towards seamless integration. It requires the brand to relinquish control and allow a different set of decision-makers to take the reigns.

A recent integration on the ABC smash hit Modern Family was relatively subtle, but in a good way. The National Association of REALTORS® partnered with the show’s writers to craft the episode’s messaging, and did so without compromising the show’s entertainment value. You can view a clip from the episode here.

While the clip is a minute long, the REALTORS brand doesn’t get mentioned until the very end, and even in doing so, it’s essentially mocked by Sofia Vergara’s Modern Family character. Those are the kind of moments that internal marketing managers have traditionally been horrified of, but it works due to the connection with one of the show’s main protagonists:

With Dunphy, portrayed by actor Ty Burrell, the group sensed an opportunity: a main character on one of television’s most popular comedies who sells real estate.

“He’s now one of America’s best-loved Realtors,” said Elizabeth Mendenhall, incoming president of the association.

As Adweek points out, brand integrations aren’t a new thing, but since this one didn’t focus on a consumer product in particular and more on an organization, it definitely stood out:

“Phil Dunphy is a Realtor—he was written that way by the show’s creators,” which makes the integration seem natural, said Sean McBride, executive vice president, executive creative director at Arnold. “And the amazing character they’ve developed already embodies many of the attributes that are important in a Realtor: He’s honest, he’s helpful, he’s sincere.”

The Modern Family actor himself had this to add:

“I’ve always admired a company that allows themselves to be seen in an imperfect light or allows themselves to be poked fun at,” he said. “That’s the strongest play.”

Overall, well done. One of the big fears about sponsored content is that it will interfere with the programming and it seems like that was avoided here.

Have any questions about helping your brand stand out? Drop us a line and we’ll be happy to chat.

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You’re Never Too Small for Inbound Marketing

Dan Diveley
VP of Business Development

You’re Never Too Small for Inbound Marketing

Advertising

So much has been written about using social media to support inbound marketing. Day-to-day I speak with all size marketers, and I understand that the use of inbound marketing for smaller companies gets a little confusing. Because of this, I thought I’d pass along a real world example that was successful.

I was conducting an interview to prepare for a meeting with a manufacturer who was considering working with Geile/Leon. The prospective client provided me with several distributors to talk to, and all but one were well established in their territories and had a steady line of business generated from the traditional sales process.

One distributor I spoke with told me he contracted to sell this manufacturer’s product line two years ago. His assigned territory had not been a hot sales zone for many years, so in a way it was similar to the challenges of a new market for the manufacturer.

His first year was tough. The manufacturer’s brand wasn’t very well known in the territory—mostly due to a lack of advertising support—so it was up to the distributors to build the brand. Another issue was that there is little difference in quality, cost, and performance of this brand and the other comparable products in this category. He had considered adding more sales people, but worried about adding this additional expense while waiting for sales to grow.

Then, over the Christmas holiday he was talking to his son who was home from college. They discussed the challenges he was facing and his son said, “Most people go online to find stuff, so why don’t you do something to get them to find you?”

This was an epiphany for him – as a small marketer in a very specific business, he didn’t consider this option.

After doing some research, he decided to take the plunge and create an inbound marketing strategy, despite the fact that his distributorship is small, with just one location serving a two state area. With some marketing agency help, an inbound  marketing strategy was outlined that includes:

  • Developing personas of his customers so he had a clear understanding of who he was targeting
  • Using online ads to drive traffic to his site and increase his search placements
  • Incorporating the appropriate social media sites to promote content and interact with the target audience
  • Developing a list of key words and phrases and constantly monitoring how they are performing
  • Creating content (videos, blogs, white papers) about issues important to his target audience
  • Making the website more user-friendly, allowing customers to easily respond to offerings
  • Initiating a sales strategy to turn prospects into customers

After just six months, his new program began to bear fruit. Website visitors increased 300%, while leads from visitors resulted in increased sales – in fact, many of those leads were from companies he hadn’t pursued. And now, thanks to increasing content and improving online traffic, he has reduced his spend on online ads and pay-for-clicks because search engines are listing his site on the first page now.

This is just one example of how success can come from inbound marketing – even if you think your business is too small to benefit from it. If you dive deeper into who your audience truly is and what they are looking for, a strategic digital marketing strategy takes shape.

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Trending from G/L – Selfridges takes stand for body positivity

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Trending from G/L – Selfridges takes stand for body positivity

Advertising

The fashion industry is an incredibly difficult place to differentiate your brand. With so much competition, there are so many different directions to potentially go in. And yet, the beauty standards portrayed throughout the industry in media tend to strive for an ideal of beauty that is somewhat unrealistic for a majority of their audience. Body positivity is something that is discussed, but is oftentimes shuffled off to the side.

One of the first major forays into body positivity from a large brand perspective came from Dove and their Campaign for Natural Beauty. Indeed, Dove took a gamble in promoting the campaign during a Super Bowl ad, hitting audiences on one of the nation’s largest stages. The campaign evolved and had numerous offshoots and viral videos, which elevated the Dove brand to legitimately arguing for a discussion on the way we view ourselves.

And yet, for every positivity-focused campaign like that, there were moments that seemingly moved the needle backwards. An example of that came in 2013 when Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries made additional statements regarding his desire for A&F to be exclusive for the “cool kids” by limiting the sizes their clothes were offered in. Perhaps not so surprisingly, Jeffries stepped down from the company only a year later.

But the struggle for fashion-focused brands to target a wider audience has continued. People with certain body types feel excluded. Runway models continue to show that divide. And being able to tell stories of different body types is a very tricky area for a brand to hit the right tone.

Selfridges, a large British department store, seems to have hit that body positivity message in a short film that produced that focuses less on the products they offer and more on the women who wear them. It’s a very vulnerable look at five women don’t seem to fit the mold of traditional beauty, but speak eloquently on why they’re happy in their own skin.

Again, it’s a very difficult message to tell, but by allowing the women interviewed to be shown in such an uncut fashion allows us to connect with them and feel their personal body positivity. The film’s director has this to say about her inspiration:

“For so long underwear advertising has been dominated by sexualised imagery of women in heightened poses and impossible designs. When in reality, this is worlds apart from the everyday act of putting on your pants and the choices we make in the morning. I hope the film helps to cut through the noise and show amazing women appearing stripped back, as they are, speaking truthfully. All five have achieved great things and for that reason I wanted to go back to basics – finding out how they felt about themselves. I would love people to feel inspired by these women; leaving them more positive and celebratory of their own bodies.”

What did you think about the film? Let us know your thoughts here or via social media and we’d be happy to hear it.

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Winning Habits of B2B Brands

Dave Geile
Creative Director Managing Partner

Winning Habits of B2B Brands

Advertising

In B2B it isn’t always about price to your customers. You need more. In a Buyersphere Report I read recently, it cited several of the strongest attributes of B2B brands and suppliers that win business, and why customers bought from them. I cherry picked the ones we believe strongly in and apply to our own potential new business customers. Here are a few results from the study and my thoughts behind them.

Awareness

The biggest and strongest attribute was simply, “I heard of them.”  Two thirds of buyers polled said they had previous knowledge of the company selected. So get your company out there, and be seen in the right places and in front of the right people. For B2B brands, more than 75% of industrial buyers go to search engines or directly to supplier websites for information. Frankly, I found that number to be surprisingly low. But remember, not every communication you put out needs to sell something. Get people aware of your company philosophy, and tell them “why” you do what you do, not just what and how. Our company operates under a philosophy created by Simon Sinek. “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” You need to give yourself some greater value-added.

Location

Don’t sweat it, nearly 50% of B2B buyers said location was not an issue in their decision to purchase. B2B products are not location dependent. But you be the judge. After pointing that out, it was interesting the study pointed out that nearly 20% of buyers ended up buying from a supplier within a distance of about thirty miles. This may be in support of my last point below, but we try to go see clients on a regular basis, no matter where they are. For me, our product is easy to ship anywhere. We are a brand driven strategic marketing firm. An “Idea Factory” if you will, and those ideas ship nicely in a handy little zip file. But don’t let location get in the way of personal contact.

Quality

The study said that 65% agreed that their chosen supplier simply had the best product or service. Pricing was less of an issue, with nearly 50% agreeing their selected supplier did offer the lowest price. But my marketing experience of the past tells me, you don’t want to be the lowest price. If customers are always shopping you on cost alone, you are just a commodity. You need to have added value, a unique selling proposition, a strong brand and employees who deliver on the brand. Then you can offer the highest value, not the lowest price.

Understanding

This was the fourth most cited reason for awarding business. The study said nearly 60% of buyers said the final selection of the winning supplier was because they understood their needs, and their business, better than the others. So do your homework. Go in with a full grasp and understanding of what your potential customers “pain” is, then take a look at what you have in your portfolio that will fix the problem for them. We have worked in many distribution channels of all types, done new product naming and launching, corporate images and market brand positioning. We have made huge efforts to go deep into B2B brands to find their “why” and their unique selling position.  But even after all this, we will never know our clients business as well as they do, so we don’t act like it. But we do know marketing and brand positioning, and these basic principles apply to most any B2B business.

The human touch

Don’t underestimate it. In a world of digital communication, it can make all the difference. The Buyersphere Study asked respondents about what their most memorable communication during the buying process was. For 88% that communication came from the winning supplier, and most mentioned personal contact even if it was by phone.

Want to help your B2B brands get to the next level? Contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

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What the Evolving B2B Purchasing Process Means

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

What the Evolving B2B Purchasing Process Means

Advertising

Audience SegmentationLet’s get one thing straight; the B2B purchasing process is not a one-size-fits-all message. Everyone has to be talked to differently. If you don’t, there are plenty of other competitors out there that are willing to craft a direct message to their intended target. Which means they get the business, not you. (more…)

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B2B: Build Your Brand With Instagram

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

B2B: Build Your Brand With Instagram

Branding

instagramThe best brands tell stories. Stories that their clients and customers relate to, find compelling, elicit emotion and most importantly – motivate. The content that is created and shared on Instagram can solidify a brand’s identity and relationship with their audience. But, sharing the correct content is always key. (more…)

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Effectively Launching Your B2B Twitter Identity

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Effectively Launching Your B2B Twitter Identity

Digital

Years ago businesses would’ve paid top-dollar to be in the room engaging with their target audience, listening to their needs and wants, and (hello!) responding to them. Twitter and social media are as close as we’ve gotten so far.

I first heard that mentality a few years back from social media advocate, Scott Stratten. So, how does this translate to brands today? Twitter in the B2B space is imperative and ever-lasting, providing opportunities that are beneficial to your brand’s identity. How To Build The Perfect Twitter Profile

Facebook was an easy transition because, for so long, it stood alone. It gave social media ‘outsiders’ the ability to learn at their own pace. Now we have Google+, Instagram, Vine, etc. It can get overwhelming. But, the one I hear to be the most challenging (but oh so prevalent) is Twitter. If I had a quarter for each time I heard “I just don’t get it” – well, I’d be on a private island (tweeting, of course).

While it can be intimidating to those who are unfamiliar, especially as a business, Twitter in the B2B space is important, and you need to participate. Sorry to bring down the hammer, but no more holding back! Here are a few steps I suggest when approaching Twitter:

Immerse Yourself:
Don’t knock it ‘til you try it, right? You must immerse yourself in the platform to see its worth. Research the ins and outs of Twitter, watch a few videos, read a few blogs. Learn what a tweet, retweet, favorite, list, reply, etc. is all about. But, always remember the most valuable social media lesson – LISTEN. Watch and listen, and things will start to make sense.

Set Goals:
How can you measure success without setting goals? Determine what you’re ultimately trying to do with a presence and participation on Twitter. If we’re talking B2B, I think it’s safe to assume it’s to garner more sales, correct? How many more? What’s important to you? Your business? Your brand? Think big picture, and then we’ll get to the strategy.

Make a Plan:
To me, this is still very different than setting goals. This is how we’re going to get there. This plan may very well be tiered. It could include: establishing an identity, working toward increasing your brand’s awareness, targeting the folks you want to connect with, providing valuable information to your targeted audience to create authority, being human and not just a robotic sales-hungry account. Goals are far easier to reach if you know how to get there.

Start Talking:
Jump in! Now that you have the steps in place, you need to start conversing. If you’ve targeted the folks you hope to begin a relationship with, start replying to things they have to say. Prove that you have something valuable to say as well. The easiest way to ramp up your identity on Twitter is to get comfortable and show that you want to be there. Why you are there will come through in your content.

Do I believe there is a place for every business on Twitter? It’s debatable. But social media is ever-evolving, as is your audience. So, do yourself a service, and be prepared. Be goal-oriented. Be proactive, not reactive. Make a stand for yourself. Prove that you belong, and that you are the valuable authority in your industry. This is your chance. Twitter is your platform. Hop up there and take advantage of it.

Don’t know where to start? Follow us on Twitter or contact us using the form below and we’ll get you acclimated.

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Geile/Leon Wins Two Telly Awards for Union Pacific Safety Initiative

Mary Sawyer
Vice President of Public Relations

Geile/Leon Wins Two Telly Awards for Union Pacific Safety Initiative

Advertising

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications has won two 2016 Bronze Telly Awards for online videos produced for a Union Pacific Railroad initiative that raised awareness about the safety concerns and legal implications of taking high school senior photos on or near railroad tracks.

Playing on teens’ desire to look “cool” and not foolish in front of their peers, G/L created two videos that likened railroad tracks to busy thoroughfares (such as highways and busy downtown streets) and asked teens a simple question: “You wouldn’t get your senior photo taken here…so why would you do it on the tracks?”

The videos, shared socially and digitally by Union Pacific, greatly resonated with their audiences. The videos have been featured in articles on popular photography sites including SLR Lounge, Fstoppers, and PetaPixel, and were also included as part of a Nightline ABC story.

“Changing behavior and perceptions through a campaign is no easy task,” said G/L President and Brand Strategist Tim Leon. “We were able to use social media content and two online videos to connect with both the teen and photographer audience. By producing such creative content, we were able to get widespread viewership and impactful results with a minimal budget.”

Leon explains that G/L presented the two concepts to Union Pacific in a rough cut format, but the story was so engaging that the client decided that additional work wasn’t required. With solid strategy, good creative and proper execution, he says, a campaign can exceed expectations and more effectively compete against campaigns with bigger budgets.

The Telly Awards was founded in 1979 and is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films. There were more than 13,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents. More information can be found here.

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The Value of a Strong Brand

Dan Diveley
VP of Business Development

The Value of a Strong Brand

Advertising

As we continually tell clients: Even the best products and services often get lost in a crowded marketplace. Trends come and go but a strong brand plays a vital role in a company’s long-term success.

But what is the value of a strong brand?

We who work in marketing already know that companies that work to build a distinct and strong brand enjoy many benefits. These include how customers feel about the organization, reasons why the company’s products/services are distinct from the competition, and even how it affects employee morale. But these are intangible benefits and their values are often hard to measure.

However, there are tangible values associated with a strong brand, according Trevor Hulett, Managing Director of Investment Banking for R.L. Hulett, a well-established financial services firm that offers a variety of services including assistance with mergers and acquisitions. Simply put, Trevor says a stronger brand leads to a higher gross margin on sales of products/services which equates to a higher valuation of an enterprise.

For example, to determine the value of a business to sell or purchase, Hulett considers the enterprise value. The enterprise value includes asset value (tangible values) plus working/current liabilities and all intangible goodwill, which may include its brand, a strong management team, unique technologies or innovations. A major aspect of goodwill comes from its brand.

Hulett says that a company’s enterprise value is increased through a strong brand, as well as its value in attracting potential investors or buyers. These investors and buyers are willing to pay more for a company with a strong brand because after all, a strong brand leads to: better name recognition that breaks through a cluttered market; “word of mouth” endorsements; better customer loyalty; and an engaged and excited workforce. These benefits add to a company’s success and therefore, the overall value.

Companies, regardless of size and industry, that have services or products that are perceived as being higher in the value chain in terms of strong brand, can charge more. That enhances the gross margin, according to Hulett. Strong brands are good for ongoing business, therefore, but they are also advantageous when it attracting and negotiating with investors, he explains.

Brand is a major aspect of the goodwill or “multiples” that can be assigned to company’s worth in addition to the EBITA (earnings before interest taxes depreciation amortization). A higher gross margin attracts more potential buyers, which will drive a higher multiple on the earnings and a higher purchase price.

Companies who can position themselves better than their competitors will benefit from better pricing leverage. And, as buyers conduct their due diligence with customers, good brand feedback can drive up the multiple on a higher EBITA.

While having a strong brand can add to a company’s value, it is important that be “institutionalized” and not too dependent on the founder or other individuals, so that it can be transferred to new owners with minimum interference.

Hulett cites the importance of companies partnering with strategic marketers who can help to create and shape their brands so that they can be leveraged to grow and enter new markets and new relationships. Successful brands should be clearly defined and well communicated, he says, but also should be “scalable” so that a local brand can grow nationally, or a national brand can become a global brand.

And, like tangible assets, brands must be continually monitored and maintained. They are dynamic, not static. If the opinions of industry leaders and customers change in a negative way, the value of a brand can be reduced.

If you are considering selling, purchasing or investing in a company, I’m sure Trevor Hulett could offer you some good advice. He can be reached at 314.721.0607.

And if your company has the best products and services but is lost in a crowded marketplace, we’d be happy to share our approach to building strong brands. Give me a call at 314.727-5850 or fill out the form below.

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Be Disruptive In Everything You Do – Especially Your Healthcare Marketing

Dave Geile
Creative Director Managing Partner

Be Disruptive In Everything You Do – Especially Your Healthcare Marketing

Branding

Okay, I have to admit it. I have been disruptive most of my life. But in a fun way, just ask my mom. I didn’t think of it as being disruptive at the time. I just thought I was just having fun in grade school. I was sent to the hall, or the principal’s office more times than I care to remember. But you know what? my teachers remembered me. And that’s what I want you to do with your healthcare marketing.

I have applied that talent (and I use the word loosely) to advertising and healthcare marketing for our clients. Take Metro Imaging of St. Louis for example. Metro had a very unique selling position. They could offer unprecedented, upfront pricing for X-rays, CT scans, and MRI’s that hospital radiology simply couldn’t do. Can you imagine buying anything and not getting the costs until after you’ve bought it? At Metro Imaging, you’ll get the complete cost breakdown of your exam, such as how much insurance will cover, what your deductible is, and how much you may need to pay out of pocket. Plus, Metro Imaging can give patients immediate, On-Site Results of their exam, from a real, licensed radiologist before they leave the building. Now think about that for a second.

Better upfront pricing, and patients can get preliminary results of their exams before they leave. So now we are not just selling imaging exams, we are selling peace of mind. So if you have an immediate concern about your medical condition, you can be put at ease right away, instead of spending weeks worrying about the results. You can then talk about it with your personal doctor at a later date. That’s powerful.

I had talked with a few healthcare marketing managers from major hospital systems (you can read more of their insights in our new Healthcare Marketing whitepaper) at the time of this campaign, and they all said, something to the effect of…“You know, you guys really threw us for a loop on that campaign.” I said, “How so?” They said:

“We had several uncomfortable board meetings about your campaign. Our hospital system couldn’t calculate costs of imaging exams up front like Metro Imaging could. It was just too complicated. Plus, we couldn’t figure out how to do the OnSite results thing. We just physically couldn’t do it.”

So, with Metro’s strong, unique abilities and selling position, the next step was to creatively deliver that message in a memorable way. I thought who better to deliver that message than the medical exam images themselves. We call it the Skeleton Campaign. Not only did we produce a memorable and impactful TV campaign, we wrapped entire buses in routes that went right past the hospital locations, telling everyone what Metro could do, and what the hospital couldn’t. A unique selling position, creatively delivered, that actually changed a consumer mindset and behavior. That’s disruptive! And the results were phenomenal!

Healthcare Trends

If you’d like to learn more about the latest healthcare marketing trends, click the link HERE or fill out the form below:

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