 |
Young Electric Sign Company has offices all across the Western states.
We’ve often created universal literature for the 87-year-old company
with just a single contact point, even though they have offices from
Mississippi to San Diego. Literature with a local address, however,
together with photos of recognizable nearby signs has more sales
impact. We created just that for the Electronics Division of the
company, promoting digital, electronic displays with eight different
product sheets, all localized to eight different YESCO divisions.
Long-time clients will remember our office located near 4th
South, 4th East. It was ten plus years ago and we were Randall
Smith Associates at the time, but some regulars and employees
go back that far. The building has been in the news a lot lately.
Known as the 337 Project, the building was turned, inside and
out, into a work of art — or, many works, to be exact. With 42
rooms and 144 contributing artists, literally every available
inch was memorable. Particularly so, if at one time you worked
in those offices 40 hours a week. Here’s our old office.
The most unlikely sources can be the source of sound marketing principles.
Here’s one with some really smart insights: How to “Truck” the
Brand: Lessons from the Grateful Dead. The section on “Create a Community”
is particularly relevant in today’s connected world.
Randall took his parents, now in their mid-eighties, to visit New
York City last month. His Dad said, “Well I’ve seen Times Square
before, but of course the lights weren’t on. It was during the war.”
Randall thought it was about time they saw it again — with the lights on.
/ modern8 designers Bryan Wilson, just bought a new house and Maralee
Oleson, dislocated her little toe. / Until the TRAX construction project is completed,
parking in front of our office will continue to be tricky. If visiting, we suggest parking
on 600 West, the nearest cross street, or alternately, in the newly constructed parking
lot behind our office, also accessed from 600 West. / If you would ever wish to comment
on what you read in the modern8 eNews, send us an
email. We’ll read it for sure and probably respond.
|
|
Love songs proclaim you’re the only one but in business it’s not
often the case. Do your customers identify you as the only one?
Fill in these blanks: Our brand is the only _________ that _________.
In the first blank put the name of your category (software training
company, auto cooling parts supplier, sign company). In the second
blank put the thing that truly differentiates you (that empowers
Linux training, that delivers overnight, has offices throughout the
west). Can your competitors make the same claim? We’re talking about
significant differentiation. “Quality since 1930,” may be a differentiator,
but it has limited beneficial value and everybody claims quality.
In my journalism classes at the University of Utah we were taught to
get out the primary facts in the first paragraph of a news story. The
Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. The technique tells the reader
whether the rest of the story is worth reading. The same approach tells
your customer whether they should be interested in your products or
services. Here’s how brand strategist, Marty Neumeir describes the
process for Harley-Davidson:
What: The only motorcycle manufacturer
How: that makes big, loud motorcycles
Who: for macho guys (and macho “wannabees”)
Where: mostly in the United States
Why: who want to join a gang of cowboys
When: in an era of decreasing personal freedom.
Taking our own medicine, here’s how modern8 fits the bill:
What: The only graphic design firm
How: that offers strategic consultation (in addition to creative services)
Who: for B2B inbound marketing communications
Where: in Utah
Why: who want to re-position their business
When: in an era of un-differentiated, look-alike competitors
Your own “only, only” statement becomes the litmus test against future
brand decisions and keeps you on target and on message.
— Randall Smith
With the Perception Branding strategy in place, identity and promotional
literature created and implemented, Action Facilities Management was
ready to complete the final leg of the marketing plan: the Web site. We
created an HTML site with embedded Flash that capitalized on the brand position
reflected in the tagline, “We administer retail maintenance, so you can
manage your business.” Repurposing content from the brochure, the Web
site describes the nationwide handyman services all ready in place from
Manhattan to San Diego for small retail operations.
If you are having trouble viewing this email, visit http://www.modern8.com/newsletters/may07.html
modern8 eNews is a free, monthly email publication
www.modern8.com
801.355.9541
561 West 200 South
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Subscribe | Unsubscribe
Copyright©2007
modern8 Corporation.
All Rights Reserved
|
|
