Most unique logo application goes to…

Having been in business for over 30 years in the Willamette Valley, we love exploring around town and seeing our brands on billboards, vehicles, garbage cans (on the can, not inside), store windows, you name it! We’re always excited to see how and where our brands and logos are being used by clients to reach out to their audiences.

But this week, we discovered what is definitely the most unique application EVER of a logo designed by our staff here at Creative Company. It really deserves some kind of an award, so we decided to blog about it.

Willamette Valley Fruit Company has turned their logo into a CORN MAZE! And it’s absolutely breathtaking – check out their blog post about the airplane trip to take photos of the maze: http://wvfco.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry100915-220348

The maze was created as part of Willamette Valley Fruit Company’s Berry Prairie Harvest Festival and Corn Maze, supporting local nonprofits Marion-Polk Food Share and Hope Station. Please check out their website for more information: http://wvfco.com/harvest.php and join us in the maze between now and October 30th.

Photo Credit: Willamette Valley Fruit Company

Marketing Mistake #1 – My logo is my brand

The mistake: believing that adding a new logo to everything is building a brand

Fact:

A brand is being built by the experiences and interactions all audiences have with your organization—whether you’re managing it or not. Every interaction—whether visiting you online or in person, calling on the phone or receiving a mailing—is creating the impression, the experience of your brand.

A strong logo and visual vocabulary is important to build recognition and help you stand out, but it’s not a brand. Building a brand integrates your company story, vision and values; your audience expectations and the benefits you provide; and the persona that distinguishes you from others in your category, or other choices your audiences may have.

Branding also elevates you above the generic or commodity perspective, away from competing on price. You will increase your perceived value and add context, depth and richness to your organization or your product when you create a brand.

If you’re slapping your logo on everything and calling it good, figuring you’re already branded… you’re missing out on the power of positioning, of authentic branding. Find out how you can create the brand that truly reflects what your company product stands for or what audiences care about when they purchase your product—attend BrandACT, my one-day intensive marketing workshop.

Enroll now, space is limited. Contact Creative Company at 503.883.4433 or sign up online at brandact10.eventbrite.com

Visit brand-act.com for more details. See us on YouTube.

Multiple media at one time – multi-tasking!

A recent report from Ad-ology summarizes a new study …

“Fewer people are happy with just one form of media in front of them. Blog reports of 3-screening consumers – TV, computer, and mobile phone – abound. This fragmented attention might mean trouble for marketers who want to pitch their latest products and services.

“Gfk MRI’s MediaDay 2010 survey shows that some consumers enjoy being engaged with multiple media formats while others are still content to devote themselves to one form of media at a time. Using one media form exclusively is somewhat linked to age.

“Consumers over age 35 who engage with one media format exclusively:

• Magazines 55%’
• Internet 51%
• Newspaper 52%
• TV 50%

The media format that enjoys the highest percentage of exclusive consumer attention is magazines.”

For me (and I’m over 35!) … I almost always have a magazine open or the computer on while I’m watching TV … what about you? This rampant multi-tasking points to a few other issues marketers are having

• Choosing the best media channel to meet the targeted audiences
• Creating messages, content, ideas and visuals that grab consumers when they’re not really paying attention.

Thus even more reason to use the power of branding to visually and conceptually tie together multiple channels of communication, helping your audiences to recognize you, your value and your message.