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AI On The Best Dallas Advertising Agency

Peter · February 2, 2024 · Leave a Comment

What Is The Best Dallas Advertising Agency?

I asked ChatGPT to recommend a few Dallas advertising agencies.

As more and more people turn to AI for recommendations, I thought, why not ask it for some advertising agency recommendations – in this case… what is the best Dallas advertising agency?. Here ya go…

This is important — Oh, how did these guys get on the list? Hey Dallas – are you on this list? Is your advertising agency SEO stuff optimized for AI search?

The Question and Answers:

Peter: “I need to find an advertising agency in Dallas that understands digital marketing. Can you recommend one?”

ChatGPT 4: “Based on a quick search, here’s what I discovered.

“If you’re looking for an advertising agency in Dallas that specializes in digital marketing, here are some highly regarded options:

Agency Partner Interactive: Known for creating online experiences that significantly enhance business revenue, they offer services such as SEO consulting, technical analysis, and various online ads management. They have earned recognition from the SMU-Cox School of Business ‘Dallas 100’ list for 2020.
Nativz: They specialize in digital marketing, data analytics, web design, and development. They are highly regarded for their expertise in marketing analytics, content creation, and digital advertising.
Online Marketing Gurus: A global digital marketing firm, they are recognized for their performance-focused approach, especially in YouTube marketing, and have earned the trust of numerous international clients.
Adapts Media: This agency is a Digital First creative marketing agency. They are experts in multi-pronged marketing strategies, including copywriting, content creation, SEO consulting, and on-page optimization.
Wpromote: They are known for their challenger mindset and continuous optimization of digital campaigns. Their services include inbound marketing, integrated marketing, SEM, and marketing technology solutions.
Redonk Marketing: A no-nonsense digital agency focused on user experiences that build brands, deepen customer relationships, and grow businesses. They specialize in creative and B2B digital services.
Groove Jones: This creative technology company produces next-generation experiences for world-class brands, with a focus on AR/VR/MR/XR technologies.
InboxArmy: Specializes in targeted email marketing solutions, offering transparent packages for businesses worldwide.
Straight North: An internet marketing agency with a focus on SEO, PPC, and responsive websites.
Thrive Internet Marketing Agency: Known for delivering significant improvements in online leads and conversion rates. They offer comprehensive digital marketing solutions including SEO, web design and development, social media marketing, and more.

Each of these agencies offers a unique set of skills and expertise, so the best choice depends on your specific needs and goals in digital marketing. It’s recommended to explore their websites and possibly reach out to them directly for more information about their services and how they might align with your requirements.”

Hmmm. Are these what you’d list as the best Dallas advertising agency?

Have you bought the definitive book on how to build a high-profit agency…?

How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency – If not, go for it.

Improve Your LinkedIn Profile Fast (2023)

Peter · September 27, 2023 · 2 Comments

Go To My LinkedIn Profile To See How To Seriously Improve Your LinkedIn Profile In Four Minutes

I’ve added a video and audio to my Wowzer LinkedIn profile here. Go click on the photo and the little speaker.

You can have one of your own little powerful videos instead of just your photo and your voice / audio message care of those baby speakers in your LinkedIn profile. Both of these active audio and video assets are a better way to tell the world what you do or who you are. Plus, you can change these out whenever you want.

How To Maximize Your LinkedIn Profile

To add the video, click on your photo and follow the instructions.

For the audio, go to your profile and hit “the pencil” to edit your section. You will see “Your Audio Recording” and then edit “name pronunciation”. Use it to add your fabulous audio message.

Why Improve Your LinkedIn Profile?

Allow me to be obvious: Tell your story, sell yourself, sell your company, and entice people to click onward. This is your opportunity to make your personal brand shine and STAND OUT!

2 More Things.

Pass this newsletter on. I need more subs. Please. Pretty.
2. Buy my new book: “How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency”

Six Books For The Savvy Creative Director

Peter · April 2, 2023 · 3 Comments

Here is my list of the top six books for creative director brain stimulation. I could say more. But, why? Ok, let ChatGPT4 define (in a most boring fashion) what an advertising creative director does for a living:

An advertising creative director is a senior-level executive in an advertising agency or marketing department who is responsible for overseeing the development of the creative concepts and strategies for advertising campaigns. They lead a team of creatives, including copywriters, art directors, designers, and other professionals, to develop campaigns that effectively communicate the client’s message and achieve the desired results.

“Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative” by Austin Kleon. I’ll keep this one simple. From Austin himself: “Nothing is original, so embrace influence, school yourself through the work of others, remix and reimagine to discover your own path.” Hey, just buy this brilliantly well-written and illustrated guide to how to use your head. Afraid to steal? Pablo Picasso on creativity, “Good artists copy, great artists steal.”

“It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be: The world’s best-selling book by Paul Arden.” I worked with Paul at Saatchi & Saatchi London. He was both brilliant and occasionally the most impossible-to-work-with creative director… ever. This is another just buy it. You can turn to any page and get your creative juices following big time. A quote: “Why do we strive for excellence when mediocrity is required?” One more just for you… “What do you do when your client won’t buy?”

“The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles” by Steven Pressfield. Over 25,000 people have given this book 4.5 or more stars on Amazon. Do I have to say more? One more from Steven. “Nobody Wants To Read Your Shit.”

“Building a StoryBrand” by Donald Miller. Yes, the word “story” has become a bit overused in the world of marketing. But… Miller’s book delivers a how-to guide for building out a brand story that delivers a brand’s core positioning and reason for existing in the first place. What is your story?

“Contagious” by Jonah Berger. Directly from the Contagious Amazon page: “The New York Times bestseller that explains why certain products and ideas become popular.” Getting an idea to stick ain’t easy. Here is a guidebook to help the creative director in you to get sticky.

“Popular Lies* About Graphic Design” by Craig Ward. Small. Easy to read (or not) you decide. A book built on lies. From Craig: “This is not a book full of facts. Nor is it a book full of advice. It is a book full of opinions, and confusion between those three is how a lot of these problems begin.”

A Banksy Creative Director: Bonus

And for serious inspiration, I Offer Banksy. Banksy You Are An Acceptable Level of Threat and if You Were Not You Would Know About it

Just to be clear here. This book is not aimed at Creative Directors that might be worried about how AI could end their careers.

The Six Best Books On Branding

Peter · March 26, 2023 · 3 Comments

The Art Of Branding Delivered By The Six Best Books On Branding

Here is my list of the top six books on branding. But, first, some words from my soon-to-be-released new book on how to run a KICK-ASS advertising agency. One of the first subjects I tackle is the importance of branding, as in having a stand-out brand positioning that will make the agency unignorable.

It’s An Agency Positioning Jungle Out There

It’s an advertising, digital, design, branding, experiential, social, influencer, SEO, SEM, PR, e-commerce agency jungle out there. Imagine a client trying to find the right-fit agency resource to work with. I’ve been a client that bought agency services. It isn’t an easy decision.

There are a lot of options. When I do a Google search on “advertising agency,” I get 17.8 million results. When I search “digital agency,” I get 20.3 million. “Media agency” yields 11.6 million.

Want even more potentially head-spinning numbers? IBISWorld reported that there are 7,865 businesses in the digital advertising agency industry. Clutch’s database of advertising agencies lists 9,295 for New York, 2,552 for the UK, 272 for the United Arab Emirates, 1,095 in London, UK, and, get this, 105 in London, Ohio. Ohio!

Yikes.

Regardless of what number you find and how you search, there are a lot of marketing service options for a client to choose from.

The Path to Standing Out Is To Have A Kick-Ass Brand. Get Your Branding Right.

Branding ala brand positioning is a radically important element of marketing that involves creating a unique image and identity for a brand. This is how consumers/clients will think about you. In our highly competitive business universe, superior brand positioning can make all the difference between success and failure. Whether you are a marketer, entrepreneur, or business owner, understanding brand positioning is crucial for achieving long-term growth and profitability.

To help you master your brand positioning, I put together a list of the best books on the subject.

These books offer valuable insights and practical strategies for creating and maintaining a strong brand identity that resonates with your target audience. Each of these books will help to make your company, advertising agency, even you = unignorable.

“Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind” by Al Ries and Jack Trout – This classic book is widely regarded as the definitive guide to brand positioning. It offers a comprehensive overview of the principles and strategies involved in creating a strong brand identity and differentiating your brand from competitors.

“Purple Cow” by Seth Godin. I tell all of my advertising agency clients that they have a choice in their business development program. Be unignorable or be ignored. Read Seth’s book… “The cult classic that revolutionized marketing by teaching businesses that you’re either remarkable or invisible.”

“Building a StoryBrand” by Donald Miller. This book provides a step-by-step guide for creating a compelling brand story that resonates with customers. It offers practical advice for developing a clear and concise message that communicates the unique value proposition of your brand.

“Brand Identity Breakthrough” by Gregory V. Diehl. This book offers a fresh perspective on brand positioning by focusing on the importance of authenticity and personal branding. It provides a framework for building a brand that reflects your core values and resonates with your target audience.

A Sad Advertising Agency Business Development Story

Peter · December 4, 2022 · Leave a Comment

A Very Sad Advertising Agency Story From Keurig Dr Pepper.

Start here: By now, most people in advertising know that Kuerig Dr Pepper’s marketing team (and I must assume their procurement department) are assholes. Why AHOLES? Here is their advertising agency business development story. This from the UK’s IPA, its leader Paul Bainsfair…

“UK agencies react in horror to the bizarre Keurig Dr Pepper 360-day payment terms”

“Global consumer products giant Keurig Dr Pepper is currently running a PR agency search in the United States, where part of the ask is for agencies tendering to accept 360-day payment terms. Those that cannot are being offered the option of financing, at their own cost, through Atlanta-based, Prime Revenue.”

Are you fucking kidding me?

Why Is This Important? Cause An Advertising Agency Pitch Can Hep Your Agency Go Out Of Business

OK, yes you know that this kind of lame client shit is important to pay attention to. But, playing along with this stuff can put your agency out of business…

The cost and effectiveness of agency business development can make or break an agency. Let me give you a – real-world – worst-case example.

A few years ago a Pacific Northwest agency was one of a set of agencies trying to land a major digital account. The client’s pitch team wanted to see each agency’s strategic approach to the client’s marketing goals and the northwest agency built a comprehensive plan that included performing some market research and even the leasing of related technology. The pitch dragged on forever and the agency was racking up staff and hard costs.

The good news… the agency won the account.

Bad news… the pitch became so expensive that the agency almost went out of business – in this case, after winning the account. The agency’s costs included the cost of the initial RFP response and a four-month pitch. Add in the agency’s actual client work plus the client’s 90-day payment schedule. Yikes. The RFP response, managing and crafting the pitch itself (mega labor hours), and the actual work, once won, all added to have the agency essentially working for free for more than six months.

Could the agency have managed this insane scenario? Not sure. Every pitch and client engagement is unique. That said, the agency could have had a better handle on what was coming when they initially interviewed the client. However, I’m not sure that the client was actually forthcoming. Or worse, really knew what they needed in the first place. Or skilled in running a pitch. or skilled in working with an agency.

The takeaway is that agencies should not pitch everything. Period. Spend the time to understand the client’s needs and motivations, its past agency history, know why you should be the winner, and what the search/pitch details are – including payment terms (yes, often hard to gauge) but if anything does not feel right or professional, then bail.

Always keep in mind the cost of pitching and that, at best, an agency will only win 30% of the time.

Now ask yourself, why would an advertising agency pitch that Keurig Dr Pepper account?

Is your agency pitching too much? Read this…