Agency Websites

Advertising Agency New Business Failure

Peter · June 30, 2015 · Leave a Comment

San Francisco’s MosaicSF Failed

Way back in 2007, my Oregon advertising agency Ralston360 (we eventually became Citrus after buying the design firm Citrus), decided we’d enter the San Francisco advertising market because, you know, SF needed yet another creative advertising agency.

Since there were only a zillion agencies in SF, we made the strategic decision to break out from the competitive pack by launching a VLOG (video blog for those of you who have forgotten) about the city’s cultural diversity. MosaicSF was created to showcase the quirky lifestyles of the people living in around the bay area. Interviews with Internet startups, bands, actors, pimps, boxers, drag queens, the San Francisco Giants, and even midnight pillow fight enthusiasts, were all a part of the video mix. Our business development director MC’d the show.

We supported the program with a dedicated website, a launch party, ads in SF Weekly (we had a partnership deal with them) and advertised a promotion to win $1,000 all designed by one of our art directors Michael Hofler.

Our goal was to become famous by not being ‘yet another advertising agency’ touting its superior creativity, strategic chops, totally unique marketing philosophy, happy people, cool office furniture, pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge… you got it. The same old, same old.

Did MosaciSF work as an advertising agency new business tool? No.

MosaicSF didn’t deliver enough new business traction in San Francisco. Frankly, I was surprised. Despite our failure, I think, even with crystal clear hindsight, we did everything right. We had the goal of becoming famous (something I tell all my ad agency clients to do to get noticed), created a brand new video program before everyone talked about the power of video, looked like we knew San Francisco (remember, we were introducing a Portland agency to the city), covered a wide range of crazy subjects, built a new brand, delivered attitude and showcased our own digital and analog marketing expertise by putting our talent and money on the line. Why didn’t this work? I actually have no clue. Do you?

Hmmm. Here are a couple of good reasons why our VLOG might not have worked. 1) SF is actually a very small, provincial city and really does not need another agency. 2) It isn’t very welcoming for newbies – especially Oregonians. 3) It is a very ‘who you know place.’ Connections matter. 4) Maybe they don’t like pimps (and, yes, I know we pushed the PC envelope on this one. But, it was about the mosaic after all… see below).

But… we gave it a shot. A type of shot at breaking out that I think more ad agencies need to try. And, importantly, we had a lot of fucking fun and have no regrets. Hey, it’s OK if you want to use your agency’s talent to make things for yourself.

MosaicSF Videos

Below is Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy, our best-viewed video at 54,000 views (!). You can see some others right here on YouTube. There are more, But, you’ll have to search for them.

Great Browser Tool For Writers & Content Hounds

Peter · June 22, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Like to Deliver Super Smart Content? Here’s A Great WordPress (Etc.) Tool.

Here is a weekly report from grammarly – my special content writing and editing friend. I love it.

grammarly automatically spell checks, corrects typos and grammar and reports weekly on my writing activity. I use it daily and automatically. It makes me a much beeetter speller and writer, blogger and human being. Now, I nevvver make any mistarkes. 🙂

Last week’s content rocked – I decided that I needed to put out some large word count missives to help Google love me long-time. As grammarly says…

9828words written

You were more active than 93% of Grammarly users.

Yeah baby, I was in the top 7%.

Here is how grammerly describes themselves:

Check your grammar right from your browser or Microsoft Office. Improve your writing in emails, documents, social media posts, messages, and more.

Here is my weekly report.

	Write a New Text →

	June 15 — June 21

	Your Weekly Writing Update

	“Child, to say the very thing you really mean, the whole of it, nothing more or less or other than what you really mean; that’s the whole art and joy of words.” —C.S. Lewis

ACTIVITY

9828words written

You were more active
than 93% of Grammarly users.

MASTERY

180mistakes made

You were more accurate
than 68% of Grammarly users.

VOCABULARY

910unique words used

Your vocabulary was more dynamic than 89% of Grammarly users.

Grammarly Premium found
152 additional advanced mistakes.

152

Upgrade to Fix Advanced Mistakes

OVERUSED WORDS

Here is the only word you overused in your writing last week.

Tip: You’ll notice a few suggested synonyms (in blue) that you can try next time to keep your writing fresh.

agency

–> Go here and say… to get the browser extension… I want my grammarly.

Overdone Ad Agency Design Fries My Brain

Peter · June 4, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Overdone Ad Agency Design Fries My Brain

I spend a lot of time looking at ad agency websites. I even have a Pinterest website that includes many (that’s it on the left.)

Soooo many are overblown, over baked, over jam-packed with copy and images. These websites also sound alike with about, work, process (‘our agency’s very own special sauce), client lists, photos of offices, contact pages, hip staff photos and long lists of services. Yes, I get it. These are logical sections. But doing what the other 4,000 ad agencies do is not very original.

I Am Beginning To Really Dig Minimalism

I am not yet sure what I really think about Walrus‘ approach (i.e. the talking walrus.) BUT… it is minimal and does not look like any other agency and there is a bit of humor which is sorely missing in the advertising industry, so I will give it a mighty WOW.

2 Minimalist Inspirations

Ad Agency Videos: A Series

Peter · April 16, 2015 · 1 Comment

Ad Agency Videos: Humor Sells

Videos are everywhere. The increasing use of videos for marketing is well known. The power of videos to tell stories is well known. Agencies discuss the power of video everyday.

However, few agencies actually use video power in their own business development marketing.

In an effort to stimulate the use of videos as a business development tool, I offer this ongoing series on which agencies are doing it right and, occasionally, doing it all wrong.

Oh, Canada – Or, What’s Up In Toronto?

Two Tronto agencies have delivered some of the best, very off-the-wall , videos designed to sell the agency and how it works and thinks. If I were a client looking for an ad agency that could deliver a big strategic idea in a way that would get my brand attention, these shops would be on my short list. [Read more…] about Ad Agency Videos: A Series

6 Social Media Tools To Spy On Droga5 and Ogilvy

Peter · April 6, 2015 · 1 Comment

How To Use Social Media Tools To Spy On Droga5 and Ogilvy

I admit it. I put the powerful word ‘spy’ and the agencies Droga5 and Ogilvy in the headline to get your attention. Droga5 and Ogilvy are rather famous so the use of their names should get me some extra views from agencies that are interested in having a better understanding of these industry leaders.

I’ll use them as examples of how you can use some social media tools to spy on any agency competitor or even your perspective clients. I found these tools while building out my advice to my agency clients on how they can create a smarter, more effective blog strategy. An obvious point is coming.

Understanding what keywords, blog subjects, and Tweets are working for other agencies (and prospective clients) will help you write and market blog posts that will work harder to drive traffic back to your website.

To understand what will social media tactics will work for you, it is a good idea to look at what currently works for your competition. To get there, I use a couple of primarily free tools. Most of these tools have a more robust paid version. Dig in. [Read more…] about 6 Social Media Tools To Spy On Droga5 and Ogilvy