Patterson/Bach Communications, Inc.

My dad was recently cleaning out some old filing cabinets when he came across his game day program from the 1965 Orange Bowl Classic. Alabama (YEAH!) vs. Texas (booo).

Not only is it incredibly interesting from the view of this Alabama fan, seeing the old legends of the game, but the graphics and designs in the book are absolutely CLASSIC! The ads are simple, direct, and easy to understand. Car ads are the best. What appealed to readers nearly 50 years ago, still hooks people today – style, power, and dependability. And the white space in the design is used to draw the eye to the product. Today, it’s “white space? I’m not paying for white space.”

And the illustrations in the ads and the program are awesome! Obviously no computer-generated garbage. Everything was illustrated by hand with traditional media – BY REAL ARTISTS! It is certainly refreshing to see what some talented artists can do.

Look at the attached ad from Florida Power & Light promoting Florida. No stock photography, no Photoshop. Just pure talent and time, from people who put their hearts and soul into their work. It may be hokey by today’s standards, but still it’s – CLASSIC!

“Inspire a Generation,” the slogan of the 2012 London Olympics, stirs up more than just athletic motivation. While yes, the Olympics will be swarming with weight-lifting champions and springy gymnasts inspiring young, athletic hopefuls, generations will also find inspiration outside the stadiums. From your soap to your breakfast sandwich, the Olympic rings will begin to infiltrate your every day. In the race for Olympic marketing, how do official sponsors use the event to sell their products? How do they engage consumers? Can your business use the Olympics as a marketing theme – without getting in legal trouble?

This year’s Olympic organizing committee, London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), pays for the majority of the Olympics through merchandise, broadcasting rights, and, of course, sponsorships. Corporations will shell out millions of dollars to pay for the Olympics in exchange for the rights to splash the London 2012 brand on their products. These companies like Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Visa, and Adidas, can freely use the Olympic logos, as well as phrases associated with the games. As sponsors, they are guaranteed recognition through multiple media channels – whether television, print, or digital media.

These sponsors are paying money most of us simply don’t have available to use in our advertising. But, we can learn from how they use the games to their advantage to engage their audiences. McDonald’s implemented a contest to send families to the 2012 London games by enticing children ages 8-11 and their families to showcase how they spend family mealtime with a short video. Innocent is the official smoothie and juice of the Olympics and will give away tickets to the games through their “Tweet for a Seat” campaign. Followers send a tweet to Innocent telling them who they’d bring with them to the games and why, with the hashtag #tweetforaseat. Engaging consumers by invoking creativity and allowing them to feel like they’re a part of the event is a good way to promote your product.

According to a recent report, there have been over 600 accounts of ambush marketing in correlation with the 2012 Olympics during the past four years. Expected to be the biggest clash between official sponsors and those trying to piggyback, the London Olympics may have more marketing than athletic competition. LOCOG isn’t planning on letting anyone get away with ambush or guerrilla marketing though. “Ambush Police” will be patrolling all advertising and marketing efforts surrounding the games, and those found guilty of unofficial advertisements can pay up to $31,900 in fines. So, what exactly does LOCOG have under their official control? Almost everything. You can be found guilty of ambush marketing for using words like “games,” “gold,” “silver,” and “bronze.” What options does this leave unofficial sponsors this summer?

If your business is a restaurant, bar, or eatery, you’re in luck. LOCOG has provided official posters for you to download to promote that you will be showing the Olympics in your establishment. Though limiting in creativity, it draws in customers who may be looking for a place to gather with friends and family while celebrating the games. LOCOG supports communities commemorating the Olympics and wants people to enjoy themselves during the events. Putting together children’s games and handing out unmarked medals is another great way to get customers in the Olympic spirit without breaking any rules.

Patterson/Bach is already hard at work on the research and branding phases of a complete advertising and public relations campaign for a new attraction in Orlando’s famous tourist district. Our account services include primary research; branding; creative development; media planning and buying; website design and programming; digital media; and public relations for the attraction.

Prepare yourself for an indulgent experience traveling through both the historic and delicious world of… Stay tuned as Patterson/Bach helps the new attraction unveil itself to Orlando and tourists from countries around the world.

CenterState Bank has launched a thorough customer feedback program developed and supported by Patterson/Bach. The localized program ties into CenterState’s “We Believe in You” campaign, highlighting positive relationships built through community banking.

CenterState branches will display feedback forms in custom, localized holders featuring the Bank’s community presidents and feedback mantra, “We Believe in Listening to You.” The feedback form’s goals are to reinforce excellent customer service among team members who receive positive feedback, as well as working to improve areas of the community banking experience. CenterState desires to continue working hard to always make its customers’ banking experiences better.

Contact P/B if your company is in need of a successful and positive customer communication campaign by calling 407-645-1880.

With more and more individuals realizing the importance of a solid education in this economy, academic and career-focused institutes are becoming more aggressive when reaching out to prospective students. Using a targeted online marketing strategy, one educational organization has implemented a successful digital advertising campaign to attract new students.

Sarasota County Technical Institute (SCTI), a specialized training school, provides 39 different programs and offers continuing education for those who are currently employed and in need of new licenses or certifications. SCTI began 2012 by rolling out a digitally focused campaign from Patterson/Bach. The graphics, which run through geo-targeted online advertising, such as Google keywords, seek to usher potential students to the SCTI website where they can learn more about the school from current students, SCTI alumni, and prospective employers. The ads feature the message, “Get the education you need for the career of your choice,” highlighting SCTI’s profession-focused academic plans. The ads are scheduled to run throughout 2012, giving SCTI maximum coverage through a high-traffic environment.

In the campaign’s first month of running, the ads have received over 219,000 total impressions, including increased clickthroughs and site visits from mobile and tablet devices. Of all visitors to SCTI’s website, 35% are new visitors. The ad campaign is growing visitors and raising the amount of potential student interest.

Call Patterson/Bach for creative, effective solutions to your advertising needs at  (407) 645-1880.

There’s a funny thing about people who make predictions. History continually corrects them!

“This telephone has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communications. The device is inherently of no value to us.”

Western Union internal memo, 1876.

Being in a creative business means keeping an open mind. It means looking at things from different sets of lenses so as not to miss the opportunity that lies before us. Clients pay us for innovative thinking and creative ideas that cut through the clutter. Whether the economy is good or bad we cannot lose sight of this.

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”

Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.

What’s important is to keep moving forward. The economy has been bad more than four years, with no predictable end in sight. The pundits on both sides of the political spectrum, economists from every major university, and all the elected officials who can get their hands on a microphone continue to make predictions.

“The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a ‘C’ the idea must be feasible.”

A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith’s paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.

Sometimes life deals us a terrible blow. It is truly in the worst of times that we come to appreciate not only the great fruit life offers but also the subtleties of normalcy, a simple leisurely coffee, an hour of playtime with your child, or a moment with your spouse that reminds you why you got married in the first place.

“We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.”

Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.

As we look to the future it’s imperative to not lose sight of the fact that this is only temporary. Economies, countries, and, for that matter, the world operate on timelines and cycles that cannot be seen nor accurately predicted. Just ask the weatherman next time a hurricane is coming to tell exactly where will landfall be.

“640K ought to be enough for any body.”

Bill Gates, 1981.

The economy will eventually come around. Companies large and small will begin to grow again. There will be opportunities for employment, and innovative thinking will be rewarded.

And there is one thing I do know for sure . . .

“This too shall pass.”

King Solomon, The richest man in the world. B.C.

Like most Americans, this Sunday I will spend the day celebrating the woman who raised me. It is the one day a year everyone stops and thanks these women for the time and effort they put into supporting their families. Due to my economic status—broke, college student—I usually make my mom a nice dinner and offer to do chores she spends her “spare time” accomplishing. After all, it is about giving our moms a special day, not necessarily the money spent.

However, others must feel differently or be in better economic standing than I, because Mother’s Day is one of our nation’s largest gift-giving holidays.  According to National Retail Federation, Americans are expected to spend $18.6 billion on the holiday this year, with the average consumer spending $150.

As a brand, standing out among your competition is one of the most important Mother’s Day marketing strategies.  This can be achieved through various tactics, but the key is to be creative and avoid falling into a typical advertising routine. Make sure to take advantage of the emotional appeal the holiday holds and the relationships the day celebrates.

Mother’s Day is the perfect time to use the social media sites your company—hopefully—already has.  Never under estimate the power of social media. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube can be just as helpful as any advertising campaign.

As part of your social media marketing strategy, hosting a contest is a tactic that connects all your various forms of social media and can increase company exposure. Mother’s Day contests can vary depending on the product or service provided by your company, but there is a perfect contest out there for everyone.

Try hosting a ‘Why We Love Mom’ video contest. Spouses can help their children create videos sharing why their mom is so special and upload the entries to YouTube. Urge your following, on both Facebook and Twitter, to comment on their favorite video. Those participating in the contest will also be encouraging their own friends and family to comment. These friends and family members could be an audience your company has never reached before. The video with the most comments at the end of the contest wins and receives a special gift for their extraordinary mom. This gets your brand extra attention during the holiday craze. And depending on the scale of the contest, it may even generate media buzz.

Mother’s Day is a great holiday to start making use of the newest social media trend, Pinterest. People who use Pinterest most are females between the ages of 25 and 54—sounds like moms to me. If your company sells items or services moms would love, start pinning pictures of your offerings. Make sure each picture links users back to your company website. Mothers will then be able to like and repin your pictures for all of their followers to see.

Additionally, an inexpensive, subtle way to attract Mother’s Day shoppers is to create a blog featuring mothers. This can be done on your company’s website. By highlighting some of the mothers within your company and sharing what they want most out of the holiday, it will not only show customers your company honors moms, but it also gives shoppers extra ideas and showcases what your company has to offer moms.

Mother’s Day may only come around once a year, but that doesn’t mean you should use the same old marketing campaign. Utilizing social media outlets will provide your company with an inexpensive approach to reach your target audience. Take the advertising money you’ll end up saving and spend it on the special mom in your life.

I often forget there is such a thing as “reading for pleasure.” High schoolers stack their lockers and bedside tables with fraying copies of “How to Read Literature like a Professor” and various borrowed “Spark Notes.” Liberal Arts students are dragged through the dusty halls of libraries, falling prey to tactical explanations of AP Style and Robert’s Rules of Order. Once you’ve freed yourself from structured academia, it’s common to fall into a professional routine. When are you supposed to have time to sit down and read for fun?

Luckily, for those of us in the communication sphere of the business world, we can enjoy reading for both pleasure and profession. Inspired by Gini Dietrich’s article, “Reading Fiction Helps Your Career” and Geoff Livingston’s “Nine Books for Communicators,” I decided to put together a short list of reads I think are helpful to those in the PR, marketing, communications, and advertising fields. Whether fiction or nonfiction, these books are both enjoyable and informative.

The Dragonfly Effect – Jennifer Aaker, Andy Smith, Carlye Adler

“The Dragonfly Effect” is a written model that takes concepts from social media, marketing strategy, and consumer psychology to help readers accomplish a solitary, tangible goal. The effect is named after “the only insect that can move swiftly in any direction, and even hover, when its four wings are moving in harmony.” The book flutters around the four “wings” of the model – Focus, Grab Attention, Engage, and Take Action. While the book seems like a straightforward approach to marketing tactics, it wraps the reader into a concept that leads to change – for the better.

The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference” orbits around the thought that ideas, behaviors, products and messages spread through society like viruses. The book selects “three rules of epidemics” or “agents of change” that are visible in all major tipping points of change. If you look beyond the message of the book itself, Gladwell’s writing is a model for communicators. He does a wonderful job connecting with the reader, making you feel aware and eager to learn more.

How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie

Published in 1936, before Twitter, Facebook, and even the Internet itself, Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” is a classic self-help manual for business professionals. What I really like about this book is the fact it’s rooted in a personal, face-to-face approach that is truly the best way to go about building a network. People got along just fine without social media for decades, maybe it’s about time we get back to the past and see what an old-fashioned handshake has over a “friend request.”

For Whom the Bell Tolls – Ernest Hemingway

Besides the fact I have an outstanding appreciation for Hemingway’s work, I agree with Geoff Livingston in his recommendation of this novel. While yes, this is a fictional novel, the beauty of having this on my list goes beyond literary content. Hemingway was essentially the first tweeter. His style is short, sweet and to the point, much like the 140-character personality of Twitter’s posts. See what you can learn about fitting so much thought into so little space while engrossing yourself in the story of main character Robert Jordan’s experience as a dynamiter during the Spanish Civil War.

I hope you’ll take the opportunity to grab a cup of coffee, find a comfortable chair and dive into a book that will open your mind to new business concepts and put a smile on your face.

The Salvation Army kettle bells are ringing outside our neighborhood shopping plazas. The weather report forecasts chilly nights. Local retailers are extending store hours. And Alvin and the Chipmunks have taken over the airways on various radio stations. I guess this could only mean one thing—Christmas is here!

It’s time to book Santa, put on the elf suit, and lure last-minute buyers. But what is the best way to woo these penny-pinching consumers and overcome slow sales this holiday season? Thanks to yet another challenging economic year, coupons continue to be the most effective tool to boost holiday sales.

Coupons are a hit with virtually all demographics. They provide the money-saving incentive to draw customers plus the urgency to buy right away. And coupon promotions are equally attractive to upper and lower-income households, making them a speedy, smart way to increase holiday sales.

Online Coupons
Whether consumers buy in-store or online, they’re researching and shopping the Internet before making a purchase. This shift in the sales cycle has led to the rise of the online coupon. Send your customers a coupon by e-mail, or make them available for download on your Web site. There are also a number of online coupon sites where you can post your coupon (some sites charge a fee for posting).

Offline Coupons
Newspaper, direct mail and in-store are popular offline tactics used to stimulate sales. Newspaper ads continue to perform when they carry the right coupon offer and are placed in appropriate papers that match your target audience. Direct mail allows you to mail your coupon to customers in a narrow geographic market area, such as a 10-mile radius surrounding your retail store. And a coupon distributed to customers in your retail store can bring last-minute shoppers back if the coupon remains valid until Christmas.

No matter how you distribute them, you can be sure customers will respond to the savings and convenience of coupons.