Blog

Topic: Advertising

Oct26

Not creative? Try asking better questions.
by Casey Baksa in Advertising, Branding, Public Relations, Social Media 0 comments

It's a common practice in life, and particularly in business, to anoint a specific group of people "the creative ones." Searching for a clever idea? Ask the creative ones. In need of a snappy paragraph? Have a creative person write it.

While there's no doubt some of us simply have a knack for thinking outside of the box, the long-held presumption that only certain individuals are capable of churning out Grade A ideas is one that should be put to rest. Just because you don't wear skinny jeans, listen to indie rock or go to gallery openings doesn't mean you lack the capacity for... read on
Aug12

Going International? Austin Powers Is Not Your Guide.
by Maggie Hames in Advertising, Business, Design, Interactive Services, Public Relations 0 comments
Over the course of 2011, TrendyMinds has been fortunate enough to work with several clients on an international level. Whether they’re new to the market or old-timers on the scene, international audiences require a different approach and a decent amount of research.

To avoid a cross-cultural blunder and embarrassment for both agency and client, be sure to cover all the bases. Just because characters in the movie Austin Powers use the term “randy” on a regular basis, doesn’t mean it’s appropriate in the UK.

Here are some things to consider when launching an international campaign:
1. ... read on
Jan03

Giving Back: A Trendy resolution
by TrendyMinds Staff in Advertising, Branding, Business, Design, Interactive Services, Miscellaneous, Public Relations 0 comments

The beginning of the year is an exciting time at TrendyMinds. Our pro-bono program is kicking off (for the third consecutive year), and we’re beginning to get to know a new “class” of worthy organizations. This year our program is giving $50,000 worth of in-kind creative, strategic and interactive services to non-profits here in Indiana and around the country. In the past three years, we’ve contributed more than a quarter of a million dollars to nonprofits. That’s a pretty amazing program to be a part of, if you ask me.

Half of the fun of our pro-bono program is the voting process --... read on
Nov08

Humanitarian Aid Up in Smoke?
by TrendyMinds Staff in Advertising, Branding, Business, Public Relations 0 comments

Indonesia has been hard hit recently. In quick succession, a tsunami and then a volcano knocked around the country. Because the Indonesian government is stretched thin trying to house, clothe and feed evacuees, corporations based in Indonesia are stepping in to fill the gaps. In an effort known as “corporate social responsibility” corporations are taking an active role by paying for disaster relief teams.

Sounds great, right? Well, kind of.

One of Indonesia’s largest tobacco companies, Sampoerna (owned by Philip Morris), along with other big-name companies in Indonesia, paid for a... read on
Sep22

Smart phones—smarter PR
by TrendyMinds Staff in Advertising, Public Relations, Social Media, Technology 0 comments

Every now and then, I spend time working in the yard. Usually I avoid it like a child going to a dentist, but occasionally I find it therapeutic.

Recently, I was sitting in our back courtyard -- one of my favorite places to hold client meetings -- enjoying the peace and quite of my surroundings. As I was noticing the flowers, bushes and trees around the space, I couldn’t help but remember all of the work that we put into this area just a few months ago.

It was a grueling process. We hauled in plants, mulch and dirt. We dug in soil that was hard as steel. We were dirty, sweaty and... read on
Jun24

The Key to Client Satisfaction
by TrendyMinds Staff in Advertising, Branding, Design, Interactive Services, Promotions, Public Relations, Social Media 2 comments

I was sitting in a meeting the other day listening to a woman speak about her dissatisfaction regarding a previous agency she had tapped to handle the advertising and public relations needs for her company. Her chief complaint was feeling that her company was not the number one priority of the agency. She further explained that there didn't seem to be any type of consistent project management system in place, and as a result, projects weren't completed when promised.

Project management is a major problem for many advertising and PR agencies, yet implementing a few tidy processes may... read on
Jun11

When Stupid is Smart
by TrendyMinds Staff in Advertising, Branding, Public Relations 4 comments

When I first heard that Chevrolet sent out a memo to its employees announcing that they were forever ditching the term “Chevy” to maintain its brand consistency, my jaw dropped. How could a huge corporation who had the best of available branding consultants, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, do something so stupid? Why on earth would they want to eradicate the nickname “Chevy” which has immediate emotional connections with their customers (the type of deeply rooted connections that every brand dreams of having), and insist on a brand name that doesn’t?

“Chevy” has been used for about a 100... read on
May21

Buying the milk for free
by TrendyMinds Staff in Advertising, Branding, Business, Design, Interactive Services, Promotions, Public Relations, Social Media 7 comments

From Pepsi to Folgers to Doritos to the neighborhood business down the road, corporate decision makers are letting the public call the shots on marketing strategy. They’re asking you – yes, you -- to come up with slogans and taglines, jingles and theme songs, logos and business names, products and flavors.

Let’s take a behind-the-scenes look at how this crowdsourcing phenomenon was born, shall we?

Scene: Boardroom. Marketing meeting.

CEO: Sales are down nationwide for Big Box USA. Consumers aren’t responding to our current promotions. What’s our next move?

CMO: Well, we have an... read on