Minding the Credibility Gap

How you’re torpedoing your online credibility without even knowing it.

Packaging - More than a Billboard

We tend to think of the role of packaging as an “attention getter.” Something that makes the consumer stop while walking down the aisle, and reach for our product versus the competition. Packaging however, has many other roles that shape consumer perception. As specialist Jill Ahern in an interview for “Brand Packaging” describes,

“Packaging actually shapes the selection perception, use occasions, storage, disposal, and nearly every other facet of a consumer’s relationship with products. If you think about every product you saw an advertisement for, used, or consumed today, you probably saw or touched the packaging as much or more than the product itself. “

Lover Brand Archetype

“Lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They're in each other all along.”

― Rumi

Without a brand, you’re simply a commodity. Without a strong brand, you’re destined to blend in with the herd.

SEO is evolving, and it’s happening fast.  If your SEO strategy still involves keyword stuffing, buying backlinks, and spamming your website in blog comments, you’re not doing your site or brand any favors. Instead, it’s likely that you’re negatively affecting your search rankings.

An estimated 27,000,000 million pieces of content are shared each day (1) and the typical consumer’s media consumption is expected to average 15.5 hours a day in 2015. (5)

Incredible figures like these have led to speculation and predictions online over recent years that the glut of content marketing will outpace demand and implode on itself. The good news, Content Marketing and the Internet are alive and well, but the pace of content generation demands re-evaluating the efficacy of this strategy.

Top 3 Digital Marketing Trends for 2015 - 2016

2015 may be only a couple of weeks old, but staying ahead of the curve is of utmost importance in the marketing world. Here are three strategies to make sure you’re ready for the challenges of 2016 ahead of time.

The Power of Color

Of all forms of non-verbal communication, color is the most instantaneous method of conveying messages and meanings. With colors you can set a mood, attract attention, or make a statement. By selecting the right color scheme, you can create an ambiance of elegance, warmth or tranquility, or you can convey an image of playful youthfulness.

Of the 5 senses, the print marketing industry logically invests considerable time and money developing eye-catching graphics to appeal to the sense of sight. The other senses including smell, hearing, and taste (unless you make a habit of tasting ads for good measure) aren’t as applicable to the print medium. That leaves one more sense that is grossly underutilized: touch.

Reaching the consumer through traditional means is becoming increasingly difficult. With the abundance of mobile devices, easy access to media, and the constant barrage of commercials, consumers are becoming adept at filtering all the advertising "noise" out. Integrated marketing can give you the edge over your competition by using creativity and an interactive element to gain your customer's attention.

Bob Hawke, former Prime Minster of Australia, once said, “The things that are most important don’t always scream the loudest”. With so many exciting printing techniques available today, it’s easy to lose touch with the essence of your product by overdoing your packaging and design. Bright colors and patterns can grab a consumer’s attention, but when all your competitors are following the same idea your box can get lost on the shelf.

For years, the common associations of corrugate packaging have been “effective”, but “dull”.  A medium once reserved only for shipping containers is finding a new lease on life.

A meticulously planned marketing campaign and a novel product, although a great combination, isn’t enough to guarantee booming sales numbers. “The last 10 seconds of marketing”, referred to by retailers as the point where a consumer reaches for a product on the shelf, can almost single handedly make or break a sale.