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For buildings that need to operate at the highest efficiency possible, U&S Services is the company to call.

They help famous Buffalo locations such as KeyBank Center, Solar City and The Richardson Olmsted Complex by providing not only building facilities solutions, but the analytics necessary to operate at greater efficiency. To help promote their unique capabilities, we collaborated on a new responsive website, allowing visitors to learn more about their key services and explore the work they’ve done across a wide range of industries.

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As the most visited winery this side of the Mississippi, Three Brothers offers visitors a unique destination along the Finger Lakes Wine Trail.

With three wineries and one brewery on site, the well-known stop wanted help capturing the radically different personalities and offerings of each. We created fresh label designs and supporting collateral for existing brands that needed new life, as well as exclusive hand-illustrated packaging for their new Red Apple Bombshell hard cider line, bringing the brand to life with the right amount of personality and “just the right amount of tart.”

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Driving awareness and growth for a local financial institution.

Situation

With nearly a century of community banking in Western New York, Evans Bank needed a full-scale brand refresh that would leverage its history and highlight its distinct position as the local bank with community ties and a customer-focused way of doing business. The bank was also looking to capitalize on the departure of Greater Buffalo Savings Bank and facing competition from national bank chains coming to town. To combat the competition, we needed to leverage the Evans’ motto of “A better way” to let Western New York know that—as new banks come and go—Evans in the only bank in town that provides both neighborhood service and comprehensive financial solutions.

Solution

We completed a full-scale rebranding project, complete with three phases of research, including IDIs, focus groups and market awareness research, to tell the story of Evans’ unique combination of personal service and comprehensive financial solutions, while positioning the bank for successful expansion beyond Western New York’s Southtowns. The original rebrand included a new, shortened name (from Evans National Bank), the development of a more modern logo and tagline, a full suite of collateral materials, and a fully integrated advertising campaign to put the bank’s distinctive story in the local spotlight. Since rebranding, we’ve also infused the new brand into the bank’s physical environments, using key touchpoints like in-branch signage, ATM kiosk graphics and strategic promotions for new financial center openings. In addition, when new banks bought out other bank chains, we took full advantage of the acquisitions, targeting displaced customers who were looking for a better way of banking. 

Results

Since our initial engagement with Evans more than ten years ago, the bank’s assets have grown 133%, topping the $1 billion mark in 2016. We continue to support and evolve the brand through new financial center openings, brand awareness campaigns and targeted competitive advertising, tapping into a wide variety of channels and marketing opportunities, from billboards, commercials and digital campaigns, to ongoing web work and strategic promotions, like Evans’ most recent campaign aimed at winning over displaced First Niagara customers.

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You’re invited: Lunch & Learn at High Tech Rochester

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We’ve all heard the adage “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but when it comes to package design, consumers spend approximately seven¹ seconds making their purchase decision, and those decisions are based on looks, so it’s imperative to make sure yours stands out.

But how? Here are five things to consider for creating an effective package design:

1 – Know the brand 
Like any form of communication, relaying information in a way that’s consistent with your brand makes the communication more on point, more compelling and ultimately more effective. The product name, the font selection, the overall look and feel and how your product differentiates itself from the competition is all about brand. In an environment where products are commoditized, it’s important to understand your brand so you can leverage it properly and articulate it in a way that creates stopping power.

2 – Know your customers 
Are they old, young, male, female? Are they familiar with your brand and loyal to it, do they shop based on price? The more you know, the better. What words motivate them, what buzz words resonate with them, do they buy the product based on function or aesthetics? A good understanding of who is buying your product and what their motivations are will aid in the design and communication process to make sure your product not only grabs attention on the shelf, but also conveys information in a way that best connects with your potential customers.

3 – Consider how it will be sold and displayed
Package design is changing. The days of having a product on a shelf where you can touch it, feel it, read every word and compare it to the competition is now blurred with having a product online with one front view. Whether it is the traditional retail model or the new online one, packaging needs to communicate from several distances. How will your product communicate from across the aisle, what will get attention when your product is displayed as a group? When customers stop and view your product from several feet away, what will entice them to pick up your package vs. a competitor? When they pick up yours to learn more, what information is going to convince them to buy? This traditional model changes with online sales and gives way to what communicates effectively in a smaller image online.

4 – Know its purpose
The main purposes of packaging are to protect a product and brand it. But it serves other uses, as well. Are you heavily marketing and advertising your product? If so, it should be quickly recognizable on a shelf. If not, perhaps your product needs to be more educational and differentiated to command more attention on the shelf. Your packaging can also drive consumers to learn more about your other products or your company mission and beliefs. And with new nutritional label regulations and a more health-conscious society, the role of packaging is quickly becoming more informational with nutrition-related callouts like “gluten free” prominently featured.

5 – Be aware of production limitations
Finding production partners and designing to your printer’s specifications can make the packaging process more effective and less costly. Such partners can show you new materials and printing techniques and educate you on what is and is not possible. And what might be considered a minor point could actually be a major one down the line when your product is being mass produced. Knowing key pieces of information, like whether the colors you’re choosing for your design will print well on your packaging material is crucial. It’s also important to have your packaging files created and released to your printer error-free in their desired format, and labeled with the correct version names to avoid costly reprints.

1: Business Insider

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11 years of Twitter – What’s Next?

Do you remember your first tweet? Today, we remember the first-ever post on Twitter, penned by CEO Jack Dorsey on March 21, 2006: “just setting up my twttr.”

Twitter was created in 2006 (with the original name Twttr), by four friends who met working at a podcasting company. At the time, Dorsey said: “I want to have a dispatch service that connects us on our phones using text,” – and so, Twitter was born. Since Twitter’s founding, there has been major growth in competing social media platforms, drawing people away from the rapid-fire social media feed. From Facebook’s newest feature, Messenger Day (which allows users to incorporate stickers and filters in a 24-hour story), to Instagram Stories and Snap upping its game through the addition of facial and geo filters and the ability to save any snap taken to a memory, the social media world is changing daily.

And while it can be argued that Twitter has come a long way in 11 years, with more than 200 billion tweets now posted annually, the question still remains: Could Twitter become obsolete?

Twitter has earned the very important role of providing populations of all generations and demogrpahics the news all day, every day – and usually before any other medium. On January 15, 2009, a photo posted to Twitter broke the news of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger’s US Airways flight landed on New York City’s Hudson River before any traditional news outlets, something that has now come to be expected. Now, we look to Twitter first when news breaks.

Twitter has continued to remain innovative, pushing live broadcasts with pro sports leagues and the US Presidential Debate last fall, and adding the Moments/Explore tabs to aggregate trending content for users.

As of June, 2016, Twitter had 313 million users, and the majority of them chime in through the mobile app. However,  the number of Twitter users substantially lags behind Instagram (600 million) and Facebook (close to 1.9 billion). Much was made last year when news came out that Snapchat had more daily active users than Twitter, and more and more people are questioning the value of Twitter’s audience. Comparatively, there are 2.8 billion snaps created every day, versus only 500 million tweets.

In terms of Twitter demographics, 79% of online Americans use Facebook, 24% use Twitter, 31% use Pinterest, 32% use Instagram and 29% are on LinkedIn, according to a 2016 Pew Research study. Instagram and Facebook also attract more of a female following than Twitter which is almost even when comparing male to female use, according to the Pew study.

Twitter is much more populated with younger users than older adults. Approximately 36% of online adults ages 18-29 are on the social network (compared to 88% for Facebook, 59% for Instagram, 34% for LinkedIn and 36% for Pinterest in this all-important demo, according to Pew).

Twitter Tips for PR Practitioners

Even though many are predicting Twitter’s demise, here are 5 key ways you can still use this valuable platform in your social media marketing:

Reporter Outreach

Twitter remains the go-to medium for reporters to gather leads and promote their stories. Communicating with the media through tags and direct messages is an effective complement to your public relations strategy, and can be bolstered by positive comments and retweets.

Influencer Support

Targeting key community and industry influencers to request the promotion of news grows the reach of posts beyond traditional audiences. Providing those influencers with approved copy and creative assets is key.

Breaking News

Twitter allows for a large amount of volume for breaking news, as opposed to Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, each of which operates through an algorithm that encourages fewer, more-engaging posts.

Third-Party Content

Retweeting and interacting with other tweets offers the ability to create an online community without having to invest time and resources in original content creation.

Visuals

Showcase an event or product by posting up to four photos in one tweet and tagging 10 people. Twitter also allows videos, with a time limit of 2 minutes and 20 seconds. And while GIFs don’t allow tagging, they offer another visually-appealing way to post on Twitter.

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So you want to spread the word about your brand. You’ve developed a public relations strategy and think you should capitalize on social media, too – but you can’t put your finger on how it integrates with your PR plan.

Understanding how to utilize social media and PR together can be tricky. In this post, we’ll discuss how social helps you accomplish your PR goals, and we’ll lay out things to keep in mind when creating your social media strategy.

Before thinking about how to complement your PR with social media, be sure to abide by best practices for social media. The not-so-secret key to good social media is high-quality content. Consider these points when mapping out content for social.

• Visuals: Show, don’t tell. Engaging visuals help users to interact with your content. Those in the business know how important visuals are, as 74% of social media marketers use visual assets in their social media marketing, according to HubSpot.
• Brand voice: Develop a clear and consistent brand voice so people identify with your brand’s purpose and personality.
• Add value: The social media space is noisy. To be heard, offer something valuable. Educate or entertain your audience. Create something original that people will remember.
• Experiment: Play around a little. Feed your audience various types of content, at different times of day, to see what they prefer. And don’t be afraid to try something new. If you’re first in the door to emerging social media tools (Facebook Live, for example), you might be rewarded for being an early adopter.

Armed with these basics, you’re ready to start creating awesome content.

So, how does social integrate with PR? In a recent post, we discussed media relations basics, which help you get the news media to tell your brand’s story. Social media also promotes your story, except now you’re the one who’s telling it.

Think of social media as your brand’s personal newsroom. Remember the basics for good content creation while using various platforms to promote events, announcements and achievements. For example, if you’re hosting an event featuring a notable speaker, try creating a social media graphic with one of that speaker’s most interesting quotes. It’s an easy way to spread the word while creating distinct, visual content.

Similarly, try creating longer-form content like blogs, videos and infographics to push out via social. These pieces paint a more vivid picture of your offerings, and they help people form deeper connections with your brand. For that speaker you’re hosting, you could do a brief Q&A with the speaker on his/her background, presented as a podcast or blog post. That content is easily packaged and promoted through social media.

Aside from content marketing, social media is also a great tool for connecting with reporters. Following a reporter on social is useful for learning about what he/she likes to write about. Also, sharing a reporter’s relevant stories via social develops a positive relationship that may pay dividends in the long run.

Now you’re ready to start using social media to enhance your PR efforts. To make it easier on you, we’ve included several resources below that will to help you make the most of your social media marketing.

RESOURCES (Twitter list, PR activations for events, etc.)

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Last night’s Super Bowl was a battle between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots– and the advertisers. In the first ever Super Bowl overtime period, the Patriots took home a memorable win. But who won the advertising game? According to the USA Today, Melissa McCarthy’s “Hero’s Journey,” for the Kia Niro was ranked highest on their ad meter. We thought it’d be fun to ask TMG and MDPR groupies to share their favorite ads. Here’s what they had to say.

Tide’s “No Stain Deserves Fame” 

I really like the funny ads. I love a good laugh. My favorite was Tide “No Stain Deserves Fame,” with Terry Bradshaw. And I loved it because it shows that even old men can do laundry. A great nod to P&G’s efforts to bring more expand their target.

-Meg Hunter, Business Development Manager

84 Lumber’s “The Journey”

This ad had it all. It was beautifully shot and immediately hooked me in with the intrigue of going to their website to find out more, a CTA that I always think is smart. In this case the website crashed, but it was quickly made apparent that you could find the video on YouTube. The video was amazing, and right up until the end I wasn’t entirely sure how 84 Lumber fit in. The ending was fantastic, and really promoted such a positive message that was also on-brand for 84 Lumber. The YouTube video had 3,121 views as of halftime of the Super Bowl. It was over 2.8 million by Monday morning at 9 a.m., and generated a TON of social media conversation.

-John Jiloty, Vice President Social Media & Content

Kia’s “Hero’s Journey”

Anything Melissa McCarthy gets involved in is deemed to be humorous. She’s a phenomenal actress in my opinion, and her lighthearted personality and sarcastic demeanor just made this one of my favorite ads last night.

-Sarah Richheimer, Social Media & Public Relations Coordinator

Honda’s “Talking Yearbook” 

Didn’t see many but the one that resonated the most was the talking yearbook ad. It was entertaining and humorous but I didn’t see a strong relation to the car company tagged at the end. Honda I think. I’m also very disappointed that I have to wait until Halloween to see the next series of Stranger Things.

-Dave, Creative Director 

Honda’s “Talking Yearbooks,” Bai’s “Jentleman,” Skittles’ “Romance”  

I was really looking forward to a few hours of entertainment and unplugging from all that is going on in this country, so I tended to favor the more humorous and less political ads. My three favorites were Honda (Yearbooks), Bai (Jentleman) and Skittles (Romance).

And unlike many Buffalonians, I loved the outcome of the game.

-Dick Shaner, Senior Vice President, MDPR

Ford’s “Go Further” 

Because we’ve all been there and see a little bit of ourselves in each person’s struggle. The brand message is based on truth and reality. You can see how there’s synergy between Ford’s internal and external brand communication. It inspires behavior and action from Ford consumers and employees to “Go Further” when you find that you’re stuck.

-Blake Carbone, Brand Manager 

Ford’s “Go Further” 

My favorite was the Ford ad. I love the kind of TV spots that are engaging and intriguing at the same time. They immediately suck you in with interesting scenarios and beautiful visuals, leaving you wondering where the spot is headed and who it is for. When you do find out, it makes a lasting impact and there is little chance you will recall the commercial but not the company it was for. This spot simultaneously positioned Ford as the reliable company you have known for generations that will never, ever leave you stranded, and as the company that will lead transportation into the future. Perfect for the Ford brand that has fanatically loyal older customers and that has to appeal to a new younger audience to stay relevant.

-Duane Bombard, Vice President, Creative Director

Tiffany & Co’s “Introducing Lady Gaga for Tiffany Hardwear”

I found Tiffany & Co.’s ad with Lady Gaga the most striking. In the sea of highly produced, spectacular ads, it was very cool to see such a simple and intimate take like this. Seeing Gaga play the harmonica and talk about her approach to life while casually lounging on the floor definitely brought a new, casual and edgy element to this brand without sacrificing their integrity. Her closing message of “[society says] it’s too pretentious to talk about how creative you are… I don’t feel that way at all, I think it’s empowering and important” was also epic to hear as a creative professional, and a reason why I’ve always been a huge Gaga fan. Between this ad and her halftime performance, Gaga definitely killed it.

-Emily Pumm, Multimedia Specialist 

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What’s better than Buffalo in late January? Pretty much anything.

And where better to seek refuge from the gray skies and bitter cold days than the Sunshine State? Okay, I know, it could be worse (as we communally reflect on the winter of 2015), but turn down a chance to join over 40,000 golf enthusiasts in sunny Orlando for the 64^th Annual PGA Merchandise Show? No way.

While this may be the first time I stepped foot onto the royal blue carpets lining the Orange County Convention Center halls, I was no stranger to the impact the PGA Merchandise Show can have on a brand’s image and a company’s long-term trajectory.  In my past life as an account manager at an NYC PR agency, I put in four years working on the United States Golf Association account. Three U.S. Open Championships and a handful of U.S. Women’s, U.S. Senior’s and U.S. Amateur’s later – I spent countless hours working alongside golf brands of all sizes.

More recently, I’m leading public relations for our Martin Sport division, whose golf clients include New Era Golf, OnCore Golf and the LECOM Health Challenge PGA Web.com Tour event at Peek ‘n Peak Resort.

From small artisan shops and scrappy startups looking for their big break, to the behemoth brands in golf seeking renewed relevance with big-named ambassadors and hi-tech innovations, the more than 1,000 exhibitors packed into the giant hall are all in search of one thing – to be noticed.

So here I am – two days, 20,000 steps and 12 hours later – to tell you what, and who, stood out at the 2017 PGA Merchandise Show.

The Next Generation of Wearable Technology

Gone are the days of relying solely on your laser range finder or clunky golf cart GPS units to determine your distance to the green.  Thanks to the rise of smartphones, GPS technology is appearing in unexpected places. From the Zero Friction’s DistancePro GPS glove which provides the distance to the front, center and back of green on 35,000+ golf courses at the flick of your wrist, to the super lightweight GoGolf GPS which clips effortlessly onto your glasses or hat, weighing less than 1/3 of an ounce – convenience is taking a front seat in the world of wearable technology.

Golf Simulators 2.0

Yes, we all agree, TrackMan simulators are awesome. But no longer are they the only name in the golf simulator game. The Sky Golf booth was buzzing with activity at the show – and for good reason. Their one-of-a-kind SkyTrak home practice system brings the technology the pros use to the everyday golfer. By connecting wirelessly to your iPad or PC, SkyTrak accurately captures and displays launch data, ball flight information and trajectory as soon as you hit the ball.

If setting up a net in your house is not your thing, try sharpening your skills through the practice of visualization. This year, virtual reality-based learning platforms including the Aguila Golf and Ikkos golf app were all the rage. Entering a 360-degree immersive learning environment with the help of your smart phone helps to improve your game all from the comfort of your couch.

The Crossover Appeal

With sports apparel sales jumping 42% in the past seven years to a more than $270 billion industry, it’s no surprise that mainstream fashion brands are looking for a piece of the pie. Just as Ralph Lauren did in 1990 with the launch of their Polo Golf line, international lifestyle brands like New Era – whose New Era Golf line’s ambassadors include the likes of Dustin Johnson and Davis Love III – and the progressive menswear line, Bonobos, were soon to follow.

Rise of the Underdogs

In a world where established brands like Titleist, TaylorMade and Callaway own the vast majority of the market share, innovation and differentiation are prerequisites for rising to the top. Enter one of the stars of this year’s Show – Volvik. While the neon-colored golf ball company has been on the market for 35 years, it was the announcement of their latest spokesperson, Bubba Watson (who made a guest appearance at the show), that put this Korean golf ball manufacturer into the headlines. Volvik’s not alone – after making history with the first-ever hollow metal core ball, Buffalo-based OnCore Golf is gaining serious traction with the addition of their signature tour ball hitting the market this spring.