Promotions and contests can stimulate short-term sales. They’re also a powerful tool for educating consumers about a brand, even the stuff that doesn’t seem so sexy on the surface, and gathering valuable information. A recent web promotion Ideopia created for Reliance Medical Products presented an entertaining quiz that educated prospects about the benefits of dealing with an American Manufacturer. In addition to driving engagement on an important brand value, visitors were required to answer questions before entering the quiz. Just the kind of stuff that you might use for customizing email… who knows? Let us know if you would like a tour of this project.
After working on the Raleigh-based Urban Food Group’s Vivace restaurants for several months, Ideopia will now handle all UFG eateries, including Coquette (French bistro); Porter’s City Tavern; and Frazier’s (steakhouse).
Working our way up the East Coast, we’re pleased to announce a new partnership with Long Island-based MDI Doors. MDI doors are sold in over 500 Home Depots. Ideopia won the branding, web and public relations business in competition with four New York agencies.
Thanks to our new client, celebrity hairstylist DS Parada, Ideopia, Raleigh, is getting a buzz. Don is a favorite of the New York fashion scene and tames the shag for a who’s who in politics, Hollywood and business.
Huge kudos to our friends and clients at the Ronald McDonald House for their most successful Red Tie Gala fundraiser ever; and to Vivace and Urban Food Group on their new restaurant in Charlotte.
Oh yeah, and some people here want you to see a video about what happens at Ideopia when the executive branch leaves town.
Would you buy a bottle of wine from this hairy humanoid?
I admit it. I am a Neanderthal when it comes to wine. I like my vino cheap, and I make my decisions based on cool graphics and interesting names more than woodsy aftertaste. This is how I came in possession of a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon ($4.99) from Sasquatch Cellars. Afterall, who better to be an expert vintner than a large, hairy humanoid.
Brand myths, like Sasquatch, can differentiate products in a commodity market. Add a clever back story, which Sasquatch Wine Cellars takes a shot at, can capture a loyal and profitable cult following. Presumably the tin foil hat crowd in Sasquatch’s case. Here’s the upshot: when you uncork your Cabernet for a romantic evening, it cannot smell and taste like benzene. It doesn’t matter how sturdy and robust the marketing is if the product stinks.
Fonts on the web are probably one of the biggest frustrations for web designers, who want to extend branding from other forms of communication to the web. You have two options: 1) Choose from a handful of rather boring overused fonts, or 2) turn your text into an image, which makes it invisible to search engine.
Mike Davidson, founder and CEO of Newsvine, created Scalable Inman Flash Replacement (sIFR) to tackle this exact dilemma. sIFR uses javascript to convert that drab old web font into any font you wish. What’s unique about this process is that the HTML is untouched, so search engines aren’t affected.
sIFR fares well across various browsers, too. Since it’s Javascript driven that’s all that is required for it to work properly. If Javascript is disabled, the text just reverts back to the web font default. Slick eh? To find out more visit sIFR ’s home page .
Last week, a certain Ideopian had a minor fender bender, which left a golf-ball size crater in her bumper. Three days later, a pile of mail arrives, including 8 letters from personal injury attorneys and 3 chiropractors, all triggered by the filing of a police report. Triggers work because they allow you to present tailored communication at the exact time your prospect wants it. Smart marketers are always looking for them. For example, high pollen counts trigger radio ads for allergy remedies, and weddings trigger campaigns for housewares. Every product or service has a trigger.
At a luncheon meeting on Friday, February 6, The Clermont Chamber of Commerce, Ohio, recognized Ideopia with its 2009 Innovative Business Practices Award for businesses under 50 employees.
The award noted Ideopia’s commitment to creative advertising, marketing solutions that deliver results for its clients, innovative new services, and a family friendly workplace. See complete release and awards video produced by the Chamber
Social networking site LinkedIn is now sharing data with Anderson Analytics in an effort to better understand how people use Social Network Marketing. Using Anderson’s web-based tool, you can now find out what type of SNS user you are.
Initial analysis of LinkedIn network data concludes that:
Most users connect to people they know, including phone contacts.
They prefer the business oriented look and feel of LinkedIn to other SNS.
Users tend to be more senior (56% are “individual contributors”, 16% are management level, and 28% are director/VP level or above).
And, the greater the number of connections, the greater the likelihood of higher personal income.
The recession, economic downturn, or however you choose to spin it is a natural part of the economic cycle. It’s also a golden opportunities for marketers to build brand awareness and sales, both short and long-term; take advantage of media deals; and to outmarket more timid competitors. Our first Slightly Soiled White Paper by Ideopia CEO, Bill Abramovitz, explains why.
Comments and ideas about the topic are most welcome!
Promotions and contests can stimulate short-term sales. They’re also a powerful tool for educating consumers about a brand, even the stuff that doesn’t seem so sexy on the surface, and gathering valuable information. A recent web promotion Ideopia created for Reliance Medical Products presented an entertaining quiz that educated prospects about the benefits of dealing with an American Manufacturer. In addition to driving engagement on an important brand value, visitors were required to answer questions before entering the quiz. Just the kind of stuff that you might use for customizing email… who knows? Let us know if you would like a tour of this project.
After working on the Raleigh-based 
Thanks to our new client, celebrity hairstylist 
