CaliberPulse

We are experiencing a significant pivot in the way business works. No doubt about it, we are living in unusual times. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic is significant and transformative. It has radically transformed our social and economic fabric. And in the coming years, it will be viewed as a significant pivot point in […]

May 8, 2020

In these uncertain times, companies from small businesses to major brands are turning to digital marketing and social media to offer valuable content, build brand credibility and engage with audiences. Consumers across the globe have dramatically increased their reliance on technology. So, including these tactics in your marketing strategy enables you to access to nearly […]

April 28, 2020

When it comes to the NFL’s biggest game of the year, it’s an opportunity for many businesses, especially grocery stores, to promote big sales for the game-day party. However, using the trademark-protected words ‘Super Bowl’ could land you in hot water.

February 5, 2016

96% of visitors to a website don’t become customers or engage during their first visit. How do you bring them back? The old advertising adage used to be that a potential customer needed to hear, read, and/or see your message three times before they engage in your product or service. The latest statistic is that it can take up to seven digital interactions with people before they become a customer. How can you speed up this process? By retargeting, also called retracking or remarketing (by Google). Retargeting is an online marketing technique that focuses on people who visit a website. When a user visits a website, a cookie tags a code from the site and is placed on the visitor’s browser to allow an advertiser to target that consumer as they interact online. For example, if someone visits Overstock.com and places something in a cart but leaves the site without purchasing it, a cookie is placed on the visitor’s browser. That user may find that while visiting another site, an ad for Overstock appears featuring the very item they placed in the cart. The next time they see an Overstock ad on another site it may even offer that same item at a discounted price.

March 16, 2011

At Caliber, we don’t let trends influence our creative. However, we do like to stay informed of what is going on in the creative world. As the years pass, design elements such as techniques, colors, and fonts change. One year, we’ll see a lot of red usage with serif typefaces; another year, we’ll see green in everything with san serif typefaces. 2010 seemed to be the year of re-branding and we foresee this trend continuing into 2011. As companies try to refresh their look to appear more modern or launch new advertising campaigns, here are a few new creative trends we may see and some existing trends that will continue.

March 8, 2011

It will come as no surprise to those of us paying attention to trends that advertisers are asking more of their audiences than ever before. In previous years, the modus operandi has been for advertisers to show pictures, play music, and try to impress while target consumers relax on the couch. Relax no more, audiences. In 2011 and beyond, advertisers will be putting audiences to work. The new rule of engagement is, in fact, “engagement”. New online ads will require the audience to “click” for the full story or experience that will drive a message home. It is predicted that online ads will, more and more, link an end-user directly to the point of purchase, cutting out any waffling a consumer may feel while considering a buying decision. The engagement revolution is not exclusive to online ads. Print and TV ads are, increasingly, requiring that audiences scan a code to find a hidden message or receive the chance to win some coveted opportunity that only those “in the know” get to access. The end goal of these more complex processes is to create loyalty through participation and to turn that loyalty, ultimately, into sales and evangelism.

January 25, 2011

In December, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released new guidelines concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising (now including blogging and microblogging). These guidelines are intended to ensure that consumers are made aware if third-party endorsements are influenced by advertisers and marketers. Translation: blogging and micro-blogging evangelists (including celebrity spokespeople) must reveal that they have received free products or incentives of any kind that may have influenced a positive endorsement of a brand or product.

January 18, 2011

“Buy low, sell high” applies just as well to market and mind share as it does to stocks. Astute marketers recognize that the current weakness in economic activity can be turned into an opportunity for growth. In fact, a recent global survey of chief executives conducted by McKinsey & Company found that 20% of organizations plan to increase their marketing budgets over the next year. Now, what do these firms know that the 45% planning to reduce budgets don’t? Simply that advertising investments during a recession can pay off handsomely.

June 29, 2009

Regardless of your political affiliation or philosophy, here's a great example of getting a message across using social media, in this case a YouTube ad. What makes it so great? Instead of asking your coworker at the watercooler, "Hey, did you see that Dodgeball ad last night," you can forward the link to her. Businesses or organizations which come up with an original and engaging message strategy can rely on their audience to spread the message, as opposed to hoping enough people were sitting in front of their television between 7:05 and 7:06 p.m. Thursday. Why does this ad message engage you? How do you feel watching it? Enraged? Angry? Disgusted? My guess is that's exactly what the Arizona Economic Council was going for. The Call to Action is the last screen - the Council's Web site, where you'll find a petition to sign on the right side of the homepage. I'd love to hear if this ad strategy is working. According to YouTube, the video has been viewed more than 2,000 times. How many viewers have visited the Council's Web site? How many of those have signed the petition?

June 5, 2009

Part of the “Low-Cost, High-Impact” Smart Marketing Workshop One way to reduce your marketing cost and a simple one, is to share your advertising. Take a 60-second radio spot and share it with two other businesses. That gives you 20 seconds each. Develop a direct-mail piece that advertises two businesses and share mailing lists and the costs of the development and postage. Find the right partner. The best business partnerships are ones that have similar customers and credibility. Clothing store and shoe store Drywaller and Painter Restaurant and Nightclub Green products and Recycling plant A great example is Tucson Originals, www.tucsonoriginals.com. A number of Tucson restaurants formed this organization to market their businesses as a group. Their Web site features all of the businesses in the partnership as well as upcoming events and specials. By working together they not only get to share advertising costs but also harvest the power of a larger customer base.

May 27, 2009