The Importance of Visually-Appealing Content
Click here to learn about the importance of creating visually appealing content…
By: Lauren Williams
Living in a digital age, we’re constantly surrounded by visual content. Despite the growth of new technological trends, visualizing your content is important and it’s not going away. So, why is this important to us as marketers? Let’s take a look at some statistics from Venngage…
65% of us are visual learners
Content with visuals increases a view rate by 94%
People are 85% more likely to buy your product after watching a video about it
Our brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text
Due to our psychology, humans are naturally more drawn to visuals than text alone; therefore, visual content is crucial to boosting reach, engagement, and eventually sales.
So, what are some ways to make your content visually-appealing and capture the eyes of your consumers in the overflow of information out there?
Color
Coloring is crucial to branding any company, such as their logo, and it’s important to choose the right colors for your company. For example, in the U.S., the colors red and yellow are commonly used for fast food chains because they can signal hunger and happiness to the human mind. Once a brand has these colors, it’s important to stay consistent and use reminder advertising to keep them top of mind.
2. Images
Pictures are one of the main ways a brand can increase viewership and reach, hence the rapid growth of social media in the past decade. You want to make sure to use the right images in your content, focusing on quality over quantity. To ensure a quality image, make sure to have a good photographer and be able to edit using a tool such as Adobe Lightroom.
3. Videos
Sometimes even more useful than images are videos since they are more engaging to consumers (*cough* *cough* the success of Tik Tok). Some reasons behind the appeal of videos are their longer shelf life, their appeal to Millennials and Gen Z, and their ability to be repurposed on several platforms. Studies show that “50% of millennials and Gen Z generations said they ‘couldn't live’ without video in their daily lives.”
4. Graphics
When you need to send out important textual information, graphics are a great way to do it. Some popular tools to create graphics include Photoshop and Canva. You can make graphics visually-appealing by branding them to your company’s colors, fonts, and keeping them free of clutter.
Visual content is crucial to marketing your brand and there are endless creative ways to make it. What are some other ways you’ve seen or created content that’s visually-appealing?
Sources:
https://venngage.com/blog/marketing-psychology/
https://strategicfactory.com/2016/11/the-psychology-of-color-how-to-make-your-brand-stand-out/
https://later.com/blog/video-on-social-media
https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/feature/youtube-video-data-watching-habits/
How Some Creative Marketing Exploded Crumbl Cookies Into a Huge Success
Click here to learn more about Crumbl Cookies…
By Lauren Williams
If you’re a fan of dessert, you’ve probably tried or at least seen Crumbl, a cookie company founded in Utah in 2017. “From the store’s first menu of one cookie flavor, chocolate chip, four years ago, to today’s menu of about 150 flavors in 252 stores across the states, the franchise has taken a giant leap up” (Herald Journal). Crumbl also experienced a 93% growth in sales in 2020 alone, with the second runner up only at 37% (Nation’s Restaurant News). How did they achieve such rare growth? It’s thanks to some genius marketing. Let’s dive into it.
From its branding to its cookie flavors, Crumbl’s success is largely attributed to the company’s creativity. Down to every detail, the cookie experience is unlike any other and people are obsessed. They give new, unique cookie flavors every Monday, causing fans to crave and look forward to it every week. Not to mention, they’re served in a cute pink box with Crumbl plastered on it (simply perfect for posting onto socials).
Speaking of socials, their social media presence has also played a large part in its growth. This past year, I have personally seen countless Instagram stories tagging the brand. The digital word of mouth (and free!) advertising has been extremely helpful for the company. They stand at 1.2 million followers on their Instagram page @crumblcookies, which is full of drool-worthy shots and quirky captions featuring all their unique flavors.
Crumbl cookies is the perfect example of how creative marketing and branding can go a long way for any company. Without it, they wouldn’t be able to differentiate themselves from all the other cookie brands out there and wouldn’t have grown into the cookie monster of a company they are today ;)
Sources:
5 Tips on How to Stay Organized for Back to School
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by Lauren Williams
In-person classes are coming in full force for many of us in the upcoming weeks. During COVID-19, we became accustomed to a virtual routine, and many forgot what it’s like to manage their time with added responsibilities such as commuting to school and extracurricular activities. While getting back to school is exciting and brings lots of new opportunities, it also comes with its challenges like staying organized. Here are 5 of my personal tips to help you better your organization, increase motivation, and boost productivity overall.
Invest in a planner and/or a calendar - This is my biggest tool to stay on top of my work, especially when I have a lot going on. Keeping things written in a planner or on a digital device is crucial to making sure you don’t forget to do anything.
Write to-do lists - Similar to my previous point, humans innately forget things. Our brains aren’t designed to remember every little thing we have to do, so write your tasks down! Not to mention, it’s always satisfying to physically cross something off a list once it’s completed.
Keep your living and work spaces clean - A clean living space can do a whole lot more than you would think. Starting your days with something as simple as making your bed can have a big impact. Clean space = clear head = better focus for the things that matter to you.
Keep a consistent routine - Why are the most successful people so successful? Because they keep a consistent routine. This can mean doing a little work each day or getting everything done early in the week. Whatever works for you, just stay consistent.
Download an organizational tool - If you prefer keeping your tasks organized digitally, there are tons of online resources for you. Notion is a popular app that keeps your to-do lists, notes, and more all in one work space. However, there are many alternatives that you can check out here.
Are Video Resumes the Future of Job Applications?
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Lauren Williams | August 13, 2021
Have you seen or heard of video resumes? They are exactly what they sound like: an opportunity to showcase your professional worth to employers in the form of a short video.
While digital resumes aren’t brand new, they’ve been growing fast through TikTok’s trend of #TikTokResumes. TikTok has partnered with many companies such as Chipotle, Target, and WWE asking for video resumes on job applications (TikTok). With these popular companies hopping on, it could be a trend worth looking into!
Videos offer a great opportunity for a potential employer to get to know you on a personal level, more so than any piece of paper ever could. According to Forbes, “75% of hiring managers believe a standard resume is insufficient in evaluating a candidate’s soft skills and 76% say a pre-recorded video of a potential candidate would be useful.” They can also be a way to stand out against other candidates and showcase your creativity.
So, how can you make your video resume great? An easy way is to create a 1 minute video through TikTok. Forbes gives some great tips here, including focusing on outcomes rather than skills, sharing stories to make the employer curious to talk to you more, and discussing challenges you have overcome.
To find some examples of real people that got hired through video resumes, check out #TikTokResumes on TikTok. With so many popular marketing roles available to apply for with a digital resume, such as Content Creator, Social Media Manager, Copywriter and more… what would you include in yours?
Sources:
Is Remote Work Here to Stay?
Click here to learn more about remote work…
LAUREN WILLIAMS | JULY 23, 2021
Since COVID-19 struck in March of 2020, we’ve all become accustomed to living in an online world and WFH (working from home). Many companies are allowing remote work to continue, despite states reopening. Some love this idea while others can’t wait to get back into the office. Will it become our new way of life? Let’s talk about the pros and cons.
First, let’s discuss some of the advantages of WFH. For companies, they can increase their talent pool substantially, recruiting potential employees from anywhere. They can also save on commercial real estate expenses due to less workers in the office. For employees, they can experience increased health and fitness in a variety of ways. Without having to commute to work, time and stress are reduced. Due to this, they have more time for other priorities such as friends, family, side hustles, and creative projects (all known to improve overall well-being).
Of course, we have to look at the other side of the coin as well. One disadvantage is ever-lasting tech issues that everyone has had to deal with at some point. Another is the need for self-discipline. While self-discipline is a skill that can be improved with time, a healthy work-life balance is difficult to manage without it. Lastly, nothing can replace the quality time of in-person gatherings. Since working remotely oftentimes means the inability to spend time outside of work with clients and/or co-workers, there is a lack of social interaction and networking opportunities.
It’s clear that WFH comes with its advantages and disadvantages for employees and companies alike. “While in-person office work will probably always be a staple, it's worth noting that by 2025, most workers will work at least five days a month from home and that 84 percent of current remote workers prefer working from home” (Leyes). Let us know what you think in the comments below. Should companies allow employees to WFH if preferred?
Sources:
A Story That Won’t Collect Dust on Your Shelf: This Is Going To Hurt
Click here to learn more about the influential novel, This is Going To Hurt…
MARION VESPREY | APRIL 26, 2021
A book with the words—This Is Going To Hurt— sprawled across its cover in large, intimidating font, may not seem like your average book. However, this book is far from average.
As of the writing of this post, This Is Going To Hurt: Secret Diaries of A Junior Doctor has amassed a rating of 4.4 stars by over 180,000 users on Goodreads. Moreover, author Adam Kay has won three awards at the National Book Awards following the publication of this book:
Popular Nonfiction Book Of The Year
New Writer Of The Year
Book Club Book Of The Year
What’s So Special About This Is Going To Hurt?
Part of what makes This Is Going To Hurt so influential is that it is composed of the diary entries written by Adam Kay during the course of his years as a junior doctor.
To quote Kay, the book includes reminiscences of the “funny and the mundane,” but also the moments that were in retrospect “extreme and unreasonable” during his 97-hour work weeks. Yes, you read that right—97 hours. While this book is nonfiction, it certainly reads like fiction.
As a doctor-turned-comedian, these two professions whose work are commonly seen as incongruous come together to form the foundation of this 288-page novel. Despite the stressful nature of the job, Kay miraculously finds a way to reveal his humorous, sarcastic side in a field often viewed to be technical and unrelenting.
I Don’t Like Reading — What’s In It For Me?
Adding reading to your weekend to-do list may not be ideal for some. Fortunately, This Is Going To Hurt is in easy-to-read format (although maybe not emotionally), with an estimated reading time of three hours.
This Is Going To Hurt is a book that does the job of immersing readers into a story a little too well. Not only does it raise awareness of the high burnout rate among healthcare workers, but it also highlights society’s ignorance of the often behind-the-scenes nature of their work.
It is a book that simply does not lose its touch even after being read, reread, and then reread again. For anyone looking for a laugh or a painstakingly honest look into the National Health Care system, be warned...this is going to hurt.
In House vs. Agency Marketing
Click here for the pros and cons of agency & in-house marketing positions…
AUSLEEN ACOSTA | APRIL 9, 2021
As we go on to explore the endless possibilities of the marketing world, this inescapable question seems to follow us - agency or in-house marketing? The choice of working at an agency or in-house is completely based on preference, and it’s important to know what’s the best fit for you!
Marketing agencies are firms that are responsible for building value for multiple businesses at a time. Full-service digital marketing agencies usually have multiple employees dedicated to different departments such as search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, social media management, web design, content marketing, etc. in order to drive the biggest results for your business. This differs from in-house marketing because in-house marketing involves people that work exclusively for a company. These employees are paid to specialize in the company’s product, philosophy, and culture and use this information to leverage their brand.
There is no better or worse, but there are different pros in each route in regards to skills, creativity, and adaptability:
Skillset: When you are working at an agency, you will be surrounded by professionals who specialize in different aspects of marketing, whereas in an agency, you will be working alongside different parts of a business such as operations, product, communications, etc. If you enjoy working in fast-paced environments, agency life might be best for you because you could dip your toes in many different aspects of marketing.
Creativity: If you value creativity in your work, agencies would be a great option because you are not limited to marketing one product or service because you’re handling a wide variety of accounts at a time. Your mind will always be moving to try to find solutions for different unique businesses. However, in-house marketing is good if you like to be creative in finding a deep understanding of specific problems and competitors.
Adaptability: Since in-house marketing is dedicated specifically to a single company, communication is fairly easy and you could finish marketing tasks efficiently. This allows you to have a more malleable agenda. Considering agencies are handling multiple clients at once, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by high-priority tasks and task coordination can be an issue between the company and the agency. If constant communication is one of your priorities, in-house marketing can be a great route for you.
Do you have an idea of which marketing route to take? Please let us know in the comments below!
Whitney Wolfe Herd: World's Youngest Self-Made Female Billionaire
Click here to learn more about the woman-boss that is Whitney Wolfe Herd...
AUSLEEN ACOSTA | MARCH 12, 2021
On February 11th, 2021, the CEO of Bumble, Whitney Wolfe Herd, became the youngest self-made woman billionaire! Aside from founding Bumble, the second-biggest online dating company, and signing her deal with her baby in her arms, there is so much more to her empowering story.
Whitney was originally a co-founder and Vice President of Marketing of Tinder but later filed a lawsuit against Tinder for sexual harassment. Her former boss and boyfriend, Justin Mateen, had sent threats, derogatory texts, and later stripped her of the co-founder title. She was eliminated from this co-founder position because “a girl in such a role makes the company seem like a joke.”
This led her to create Bumble, a dating app where women have to make the first move. She took the stigma of women waiting and hoping for a man to ask them out, and changed this out-dated and traditional role of dating. Bumble was created to empower women and became a crusader against misogyny on its app. Herd built a multi-billion-dollar empire aimed to dismantle the common experience of women - sexual harassment. She took her trauma and experiences to create a platform that protects women. Bumble reported $417 million in revenue in the first nine months of 2020 and had a 70% year-over-year growth. At 31 years old, she has a $1.5 billion net worth. Herd states, "The power lunch is no longer just for men... we all deserve a seat at the table."
The Bloomberg Billionaires Index reveals that self-made women account for less than five percent of the world’s biggest fortunes and out of the 559 companies that went public in the US in 2020, only three, including Bumble, are helmed by women. Whitney has inspired other women to be brave in the startup world and gave business-women a renewed hope. “Whitney’s success will help further the case for investing in businesses that serve a female audience or that are founded by women,” said Austin venture capitalist Kelsi Kamin. “It’s a super exciting time.”
REFERENCES:
Burger King Rebrand: The Start of an Era
The KING of American fast-food has its first rebrand in 20 YEARS, click here to learn more…
AUSLEEN ACOSTA | FEB. 26, 2021
What are the first things that you think of when you hear the words “Burger King?” Whether it’s memories about food poisoning, the impossible whopper, or their greasy food, it’s time to throw those thoughts out of the window because Burger King just went through their first complete rebrand in 20 YEARS!
American fast-food restaurant, Burger King, unveiled new logos, packaging, merchandise, menus, uniforms, and more! The master-minds behind this rebrand is a creative agency called Jones Knowles Ritchie, and they believe that “the new logo pays homage to the brand's heritage with a refined design that's confident, simple and fun... warmer colours bring vibrant, fresh ingredients and the brand’s trademark flame-grilling method to life in packaging, crew uniforms, and digital experiences."
There’s no denying that their rebrand is beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, but the meaning behind their designs is what makes this rebrand even more special. They simplified the original logo in order to enforce the idea that their food is “real, simple, and delicious”, their brand font was inspired by their “rounded, bold, and yummy” food, and their selected bold colors were inspired by their “flame-grilling process and fresh ingredients”. Their main focus was to use their design to get people to crave Burger King! They wanted to shift the customer’s perspective on fast food and capitalize on their fresh ingredients rather than the synthetic and artificial reputation that fast-food restaurants have.
I truly believe that Burger King’s redesign is absolutely brilliant and I hope that other fast-food restaurants follow in their footsteps. What do you think about their new visual identity? Let us know!
REFERENCES:
https://www.dezeen.com/2021/01/09/burger-king-logo-rebrand-jones-knowles-ritchie/
https://www.printmag.com/post/burger-king-rebrands-design-fit-for-a-king
The Negative Effects of Social Media
While it may be fun and make our lives appear to be glamorous, social media has the potential to have a very negative impact on our lives. Read more about the negative effects of social media here…
AUSLEEN ACOSTA | FEB. 19, 2021
Although social media can be a powerful marketing tool, it is clear to say that social media can fuel feelings of anxiety, depression, and poor mental health. Social media has transformed the way we communicate in our daily lives and instead of making us feel more connected, it somehow makes us feel more lonely and isolated. Why is that?
One of the negative experiences of social media is the unintentional habit of comparing your life with others. In a 2016 study by researchers at Penn State University, they stated that “viewing other people’s selfies lowered self-esteem because users compare themselves to photos of people looking their happiest.” Although we are aware that people tend to share content when they are on top of the world, it is inevitable to feel envious towards them. We begin to rethink, “why am I not as happy or successful as them?” This becomes a vicious cycle of jealousy and dissatisfaction that is hard to break. We need to shift our perspective and realize that social media is nothing but a “highlight reel”. When viewing someone else’s curated life online, it’s easy to see their perfect pictures and think their lives are better than yours. It’s rare for people to share moments when they are at their lowest, and the reality is, not everyone looks or feels their best all the time!
Social media has also created a need for external validation. When someone likes a new photo or gives you another follow, there is a rush of dopamine that goes through your brain and leaves our brain craving for more likes. Social media provides immediate rewards and changes the regions in our brain that control emotions, attention, and decision-making. This results in feeling a wave of disappointment and sadness once we stop getting a certain amount of likes on our photos. The key to solving this issue is to use social media in moderation. Social media is special because it allows us to stay in touch with friends and family, but indulging in social media for hours can alter our brain chemistry.
Another common feeling associated with social media is FOMO, which is the “fear of missing out”. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it is loosely defined as, an “uneasy and sometimes all-consuming feeling”. Especially during times of the pandemic, social justice, and political news, the idea of missing out on information can trigger anxiety. This leads to us always checking our phones for the latest news and compulsively responding to every alert. It’s important to remember that the information that you’re desperately seeking will ALWAYS be there, and it’s unnecessary to constantly be checking your phone.
Overall, social media shows damaging effects on our mental health but it’s possible to break this cycle by re-examining our online habits! A healthy media diet includes boundaries, awareness, respect, and communication. We should be as mindful about our media consumption as we are about the foods we eat. Put that phone down!
REFERENCES:
https://www.lifespan.org/lifespan-living/social-media-good-bad-and-ugly
https://www.lexico.com/definition/fomo