In today’s ever-connected world, it can be confusing (to say the least) to know where to focus your marketing efforts. Do I invest in SEO? What about TikTok or Instagram? Should we start a podcast? The answer is no — kind of. In Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less he describes why … Continued
A while back Miller Brewing Company had a headline snafu. But not just any snafu. A billboard-sized error. They wrote the following headline for a billboard, which they paired with an image of their beer: A tasty contradiction. Except they spelled the last word “contraditcion”. Whoops. Typos happen. They’re always going to happen. The important … Continued
When we onboard clients at Duft Watterson, we nearly always start with a basic brand position question: “If someone stopped you in an elevator and asked what makes your company unique in the market, could you say it in 12 words or less?” The answer is almost always no. We call this important sentence a … Continued
Maybe you want to launch a new product. Or perhaps it’s time for a brand refresh. Whatever the reason, choosing the right advertising agency can make all the difference to your success. An agency essentially functions as an extension of your team. You should be able to interact with them seamlessly and trust them completely. … Continued
We’ve all been there. You hit send on an email. Then something makes you take a second look and there it is — bam! — a spelling error. You immediately wish you could take the email back and fix your mistake. But it’s too late. How can you avoid this kind of faux pas in … Continued
Who is the modern American Santa Claus? Has he had an influence on marketing? Whether or not you believe he has, one thing is for sure: Santa Claus has become a popular mass media figure and his image is replete in department stores, shopping malls, and decorations throughout the world each December. Santa Claus, or … Continued
As a marketer, you are by default a communicator. That means, when it comes to getting a message across, you’re expected to know what to say and how to say it. Your writing needs to be as clear as humanly possible. So if you’re mixing up your idioms, how can your audience expect to trust … Continued
When questions about SEO come up in meetings, I often find that my answers are somewhat abridged. Someone will ask what SEO is, and I’ll say something like, “SEO is search engine optimization; it’s essentially the art and science of making sure that when someone searches Google for the services or products you offer, your … Continued
If you’re a marketer, this scenario might sound familiar: you toss out an idea in the conference room that sounds like a winner. You build it out and bring it to life. But once the idea gets executed, the result doesn’t, well, feel right. You feel like a failure. But should you? According to most … Continued
Apparently, there’s an election happening pretty soon, which means if you watch TV, listen to the radio or hop on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat or TikTok in the next 40 days, you might see a political ad or two. Sadly, political advertising has always been the ugly step-child of the advertising world. For some reason, … Continued
Given our agency’s deep experience marketing healthcare, from brand advertising for hospital systems to marketing service lines, Medicare Advantage and health plans, I’m often asked what elements make it the most effective. It’s a timely question, not just because of how noisy the market typically is, but also because of COVID-19 and the reality that … Continued
Just as the world we live in is constantly changing, so is the social media landscape. Apps, tools and ways of reaching our audiences are continually evolving. So when Instagram launched a new video format called Reels recently, marketers quickly took to their phones to check it out. Both are social media platforms – two … Continued
For business leaders and marketers today, managing marketing during a recession is complicated. As you review advertising budgets, your initial reaction might be to make cutbacks, especially if revenues are down. As intuitive as this may feel, decreasing dollars allocated for marketing could cause more harm than good. In fact, we contend that maybe you should … Continued
LinkedIn shows brands their page followers Remember that time when Sally Field won an oscar and in her acceptance speech she tearfully gushed, “You like me, you really like me!”?’* It was a moment that even 35 years later we (old people) still remember. Perhaps even the younger folks know about it as it’s become … Continued
Sure, we love drinking craft brews, but can marketers like us learn from how breweries market in a down economy? You bet, I connected with four pros and gleaned marketing tips we can all put to work. The Road to 2020 The craft beer industry was a thing of beauty for many years: outrageous growth, … Continued
I’ve noticed my shopping behavior shifting dramatically over the last couple of months. Not only am I spending more, but I am also buying new brands and products that I haven’t purchased before, mostly to stock my pantry and substitute products that aren’t available. While toilet paper and milk have been returning to the shelves, … Continued
The year was 2013. I had recently moved from Idaho to Washington, D.C. I was without a car for the first time in my life, relying solely on public transit to get around. So when it came to grocery shopping, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to depend on my usual buy-in-bulk grocery … Continued
COVID-19 has caused a gigantic shift in the business world. From new work-from-home policies to limiting corporate travel, much has changed about the way we do business. Fortunately, we live in a day and age where many employees can successfully work remotely. But many companies are doing more than just altering their policies. Many are … Continued
We in marketing often turn to technology, pop culture and even futurists to try to divine, ‘What’s Next?’ Our interest in knowing what lies ahead has intensified over the years as technology ratchets up our need to understand trends and our role in creating them. But COVID-19 has forced all of us to look forward … Continued
It never fails, in every new business pitch meeting we get to the Q&A portion and we’re asked, “so, why Duft Watterson?” Sure, the question comes in many different formats: What makes Duft Watterson different? Why should we choose Duft Watterson? How is Duft Watterson different than the other agencies we are talking to? Sometimes … Continued
Over the last several years, a new term emerged in marketing — brand authenticity. With it, you may have noticed a recent shift in the way consumers are interacting with brands they love. They are asking more questions, trusting less quickly and demanding more transparency. In the end, they are judging businesses by their brand … Continued
If there’s one thing marketers love, it’s a good buzz word¹. Some buzz words represent something completely new, while others are simply new words to represent something that’s been practiced for a long time. For example, inbound marketing. Inbound marketing is not all that new; what’s changed are the channels and tactics that make it work. … Continued
While it’s never guaranteed that the actual football game will be entertaining, for close to 40 years Americans have been depending on Super Bowl ads to make them laugh, cry and feel inspired. In fact, we shared the history of Super Bowl advertisements in a blog post last year, check it out here. We’re doing … Continued
When I had an in-house marketing job and hired agencies, I often felt confused by the middleman between me and the agency creative director. I really didn’t understand the role of my assigned account manager. I wanted to go to the source for my creative needs and media buys. Could my account manager really articulate … Continued
Oh, the holidays! The time of year that curated gift guides fill up our inboxes and newsfeeds. Duft Watterson estimates that 2,543,749* holiday gift lists will be published for the 2019 holiday season. On the one hand, we thought we should skip doing our own since there are so many. On the other hand, we … Continued
As a marketer, you want your brand to stand out. Problem is, everyone else wants their brands to stand out, too. The market is crowded and elbow room isn’t easy to come by. Every day, the average person sees between 4,000 to 10,000 ads, depending on where they live and work. Every second, 6,000 tweets … Continued
Thanksgiving — the time of year when messaging around gratefulness fills our news feeds. Rather than the standard list of things we’re grateful for, we decided to share our thoughts on gratitude, how we put it to work in our office and why it matters. At DW, though expectations are high, we believe gratitude is … Continued
It is not earth-shattering to say that waiting tables is an underappreciated job. But you might not expect serving to make you better at every job you have later in life. I can say from personal experience that my serving background has helped me in project management and client services. Below are several business skills … Continued
Given how many cooking/baking shows I watch, it’s no surprise that I make a lot of comparisons to food. I believe it’s the universal language. The dessert you make may look good, but is it tasty? Do you want to eat it? Would you recommend it to a friend? That’s what matters. Are you able … Continued
All too often, people confuse a corporate blog with a content marketing program. So often, in fact, that I regularly find myself in conversations that go something like this: Client: We need to do content marketing. DW: That’s great! Do you have a business goal in mind? Client: … DW: No problem, tell us why … Continued
I often fall victim to the comparison game. It’s easy to do, especially when people’s most picturesque moments are constantly paraded all over social media. Thoughts fill your mind like, “Well that looks fun, why am I not doing that?” or “Am I behind in life, because I don’t have X, Y or Z?” Comparing … Continued
Creative people have two main superpowers the world needs: They see the world in ways no one else does. They tell stories in meaningful, powerful ways. Since these skills come naturally to creatives, they almost have a responsibility to use them to do good in the world. When most people think of giving, they probably … Continued
Many of us talk a lot, shouldn’t listening be easy? Nope, not really. For years we’ve been told that most people only remember 20% of what they hear. While that number has been challenged, the truth remains that we do not remember all of what we hear. New research shows that the 20% number is … Continued
Graphic designer by day, gamer by night. Those who know me know I love to play a good (and addictive) video game. And the more action the better. Thanks to technology, video games have come a long way — from the days of Pong and Pac-man to today’s insanely realistic graphics, to open worlds. But … Continued
Use customer info, buying stage and triggers to build a customer-centric content calendar Content marketers do not agree on everything, but most align on one core truth: content must be created to meet the needs of the customer. Sounds obvious, right? However, in many cases this is one of the first things that brands forget … Continued
If you pay attention to the media, you’re probably aware there’s a public conversation happening right now about vulnerability. University of Houston researcher Brene Brown kicked it off with her famous TED talk years ago. According to Brown, when we hide our vulnerabilities, we work against our motivation to do interesting and innovative things. She … Continued
Let’s face it, creating content is both time-consuming and expensive. We accept these realities because the rewards of smart content are significant. However, if you think strategically about how you create and use content, you can stretch your content dollars further. Start by considering how you can repurpose content beyond its primary use case. In … Continued
Creative ideas in marketing often come from unexpected places. If your job is dependent on thinking outside the box, there’s nothing more frustrating than the lackluster feeling of being uninspired by your surroundings. It’s easy to feel like you need to go experience something exciting to get your creative juices flowing, like booking a ticket … Continued
Imagine walking into the office of a potential client with a business pitch that’s already been rejected. Scary, right? But, based on your reputation, you managed to keep the meeting, even though you were told there’s no chance of doing business together. Who knows, maybe you can show them you have something unique to sell … Continued
In 2005 I was leading PR and communications for a dot com. Little did I know we were in the midst of a marketing channel evolution. Corporate social media was new, and brands were trying to figure out how it fit into their marketing mix. Blogging was all the rage, but brands weren’t quite certain … Continued
Compared to other mediums, radio is an entirely different beast. It’s 100 percent audio, which can make it more intimidating to create than other forms of advertising. But, when done properly and placed on the right channels, radio advertising can be one of the most effective forms of marketing — and one of the most … Continued
When the time comes to look at new creative work, there’s almost a palpable excitement in the air. This is why you hired your agency — for their creative ideas and execution. Could this be the campaign that sets your brand on an entirely new trajectory? At the end of the day, it’s up to … Continued
When you get down to it, most marketing is essentially storytelling that’s designed to evoke action. We at the agency live deep in the world of brand storytelling and sometimes find ourselves seeking inspiration in unexpected places — like from a punk rock legend. Not long ago, part of the DW team went to listen … Continued
It’s time to use marketing to win the war for talent. I can’t tell you how many meetings I’ve been in over the last two years where people mentioned how hard it is to find good talent. This is true with our clients from the east coast to the west coast and, yes, in Boise. … Continued
Without trust, no relationship can survive. Same holds true for the relationship between you and your agency. To do great work, you’ve got to trust your creative agency. Letting go of some of the control can be hard, but remember, there’s a reason you hired your agency. They eat, sleep and breathe creativity. They know … Continued
Thick-framed glasses, flannel shirt and a cup of pour-over coffee: That’s the stereotypical look of the mythical graphic designer. But like all mythical creatures, the aura surrounding graphic designers is rooted in both fantasy and reality. Understanding them will help you work more seamlessly with a designer or agency. Graphic Designer Myth 1: Designers are … Continued
If you’re a marketer, brand designer or advertising agency, you’re probably just as excited to watch the commercials on Super Bowl Sunday as you are the big game. It’s a day where legacies are created both on and off the field. The winners on both sides walk away with the glory, and the losers get … Continued
In August, I shared some things I learned from wedding planning and how those same things applied to marketing campaign planning. But, now that the vows have been said, let me tell you about the lessons I’ve learned that I didn’t see coming before the wedding. And just like in the wedding planning process, these … Continued
Part 2 of a four-part series You’ve selected the ad agency you want to work with. Now, let’s talk about what you can expect from them. No doubt they want to do amazing work for you. In order for them to be successful, you need to trust them to do their job. And in order … Continued
In today’s fast-paced material world, we’re exposed to a daily barrage of tools promising to make our lives better. This is especially true in the creative field. With new tools like computers, software and cameras coming out every day, it’s easy to get distracted from the most important thing—the idea. It’s no secret that new … Continued
Social media moves quickly. Platforms are constantly changing, being acquired, and drawing inspiration from one another. Twitter increased its character count from 140 to 280 late last year. Snapchat redesigned its user interface earlier this year, adding sponsorships and a newsfeed (this actually resulted in a loss of millions of daily users). Instagram was purchased … Continued
Books provide different perspectives and take us to new worlds. They give a voice to the voiceless. Books help connect us to people from all walks of life. If you read a new book every two weeks, you would read about 25 books a year. Bill Gates claims to read a new book every week … Continued
One of the things companies love about PR is that it can deliver an implied third-party endorsement. That is, people (mostly) think of the media as an unbiased service, bound by journalistic integrity, delivering the news. So, in their eyes, a well-placed article about your brand, product or service in a trusted newspaper represents an … Continued
It wasn’t long ago that I was a wide-eyed, almost-college-grad graphic designer preparing to walk the stage and find my very first big-kid job. I remember the excitement, the nerves and the fear that I hadn’t properly prepared myself for what was next. Thinking back to this time makes me reflect on how I could’ve … Continued
A marketer looks at employer branding We regularly talk about UVPs (unique value propositions) in marketing. So often, that I wonder if our clients think we sound like a broken record. I am sure you’ll be relieved to learn that this blog is not about UVPs – it’s about EVPs. While the two are related, … Continued
Ten years ago, if you told a San Franciscan or New Yorker that you work for a Boise marketing agency, they might have looked at you a little funny. Why? It seems a bit dismissive, right? That may be true, but most people think all great marketing agencies are in San Francisco, New York, Los … Continued