It’s my privilege to work with a team of talented designers. One of them — Rachel Getsinger, Pivot’s senior design lead — takes the lead on many of our logo and branding projects. Recently, she has introduced Color Theory 101 to our clients when we present logo color options. In this month’s article, I’m passing […]
The right information in the right place
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My coworkers and I sometimes joke about our clients’ predilections for stuffing as much information as possible into an ad. To illustrate this, our designers created a presentation called “Applesauce.” It starts with an Apple Watch ad — simple and clear, with a single image and very little text. “Applesauce” then imagines what would happen […]
Brewing up some lessons in marketing
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One of the most popular events at the Farwest Show is the annual Pub Crawl. So in this, the Farwest issue, let’s talk about — you guessed it — beer. Before we go on, I must confess that for a Portland native and current resident, I fail my city in two major ways: I don’t […]
Lessons from a rebrand
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Tillamook Creamery — and the cheese, ice cream, yogurt, and butter it produces — is an Oregon Coast institution with international reach. Its products are available around the globe. I’m passionate about Tillamook cheese. It’s the only cheese I will buy, and their ice cream is a treat. Recently, in celebration of their 110th anniversary, […]
Looking at your marketing strategy
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I have the privilege and joy of working alongside my brother Erik at our marketing agency, Pivot. He’s usually the one who sits in meetings, silently following the conversation for a while. Midway through the meeting he breaks his silence and asks a question that is so thoughtful, on the nose, and (often) paradigm-shifting that […]
Start here: your marketing budget priority list
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Wouldn’t we all love to have the advertising budgets and marketing teams of Nike or Apple? Unfortunately, that’s not in the cards for most of us. Generally, small- and medium-sized business owners must prioritize their time and money. Are you wondering where to start, or whether you’ve covered the most important things? Here is my […]
Does your customer’s experience match your marketing?
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Imagine this scenario: you see Apple’s commercials. They’re full of young people having fun, living their best lives (we’ve all seen them). You see Apple’s advertising — slick, smooth, promising technology that changes your life and leads you into the future. You hear about Apple’s products and how innovative and game-changing they are for the […]
When the well runs dry
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When it comes to social media, customers expect to hear from the brands they love regularly. That means you need to post multiple times a week — maybe even every day! Maintaining a good social media page — whether on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, wherever — is often a lot of fun, but let’s be […]
Brand positioning
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The thing that beats price, quality, or service every time 1. Quality: “We have the best products or services around. No one can beat the things we sell!” 2. Price: “You’ll pay less with us than you will anywhere else. No one can beat our prices!” 3. Service: “We have better service than anyone else. […]
Five business books worth reading
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I love reading in just about any genre, but I don’t love reading books about business. The writing is often dry, the information sometimes unhelpful, and the tone often a little too boastful for my taste. That said, the right book can make a significant impact on work habits, creativity, and overall outlook. Here are five […]