How Long Does It Take to Establish a Brand that Works?

Brands don't happen over night. image credit: Latimre Appleby

Brands don’t happen over night.
image credit: Latimre Appleby

In my career I have built, enhanced and even created numerous brands for multiple organizations in healthcare, higher education, and other industries. And people always ask me, “How long does it take to establish a brand?”

My answer: five years.

In the first phase, you’ll develop your brand. This requires qualitative and quantitative marketplace, stakeholder and competitor research; positioning and brand platform formation; and creative execution, messaging, and brand guideline and internal collateral development. You’ll need careful planning and patience—and about 18 months.Read full post...

Show your True Colors: Diversity for the Win.

shutterstock_303148076The term “diversity” is popping up more and more in in the news and within our organizations. Why? Diversity is great for business—it’s a key driver of innovation, and it’s crucial for companies that want to attract top talent. Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is no longer just “training” that your employer requires you to complete—it’s a crucial factor in the culture of successful organizations. Read this case history about how Sodexo used D&I to improve employee engagement and foster creativity.

Have you ever wondered how D&I affects your brand?Read full post...

3 Things Your Content Should Do if it’s Aimed at Millennials

Believe it or not, I happen to be an early (1986) millennial, and my brothers came around at the end (2000 & 2002) And we all

I happen to be an early millennial (1986), and my brothers came around at the end (2000 & 2002) And the three of us consume content very differently, and much differently than mom and dad.

If you’re not a millennial, you probably have a mental image of how we behave—we can’t put our phones down, we can’t pay attention to anything for more than a few seconds, we aren’t following the traditional 9–5 workday and we can be kind of difficult.

It’s all true.

But we’re also an important demographic—and we’re changing the way marketers do their job.Read full post...

July 28, 2015
July 28, 2015

AB&C Public Relations Team Wins State, Then National Press Awards

Educating beach-goers in Dewey about protecting their skin.

Educating beach-goers in Dewey about protecting their skin.

Leah Haugh and Dante LaPenta made some statewide and national PR noise for Aloysius Butler & Clark. The pair won first place awards from the Delaware Press Association and the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW). Let’s see how they made it happen.

Working with the Delaware Division of Public Health, the AB&C public relations team was tasked with spreading the word on spreading sunscreen as well as getting screened for skin cancer. And as the behavior change marketing experts at AB&C know better than most, getting people to even consider a behavior modification (like turning off the tanning bed) is no easy task.Read full post...

July 23, 2015

The Delaware Council on Gambling Problems Chooses AB&C for Public Awareness Campaign

Delaware Council on Gambling Problems, Inc. The Delaware Council on Gambling Problems (DCGP) has selected Aloysius Butler & Clark, a full-service marketing communications agency, for a public awareness campaign that links Delawareans affected negatively by gambling with services provided by the DCGP. The agency will provide website development, public relations, social media, paid media and creative services.Read full post...

July 16, 2015

Aloysius Butler & Clark Wins Three Golds and “Best of Newspaper Campaign” from the New Jersey Ad Club

Jersey-Awards

Three of AB&C’s healthcare clients were among the winners.

Wilmington, DE—Aloysius Butler & Clark won five awards at the 47th annual Jersey Awards, hosted by the New Jersey Advertising Club. Ads for three of AB&C’s New Jersey healthcare clients—Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Holy Name Medical Center and Cooper University Health Care—were among the winners.Read full post...

July 14, 2015

Cecil County Health Department Chooses AB&C for Opioid Misuse Campaign

The county's public health campaign the campaign will target misuse of  prescription opioids as well as heroin.

The county’s public health campaign the campaign will target misuse of prescription opioids as well as heroin.

Elkton, MD—The Cecil County Health Department has selected Aloysius Butler & Clark for a public health campaign focused on opioid misuse. In an effort to link Cecil County residents with prevention, treatment and recovery resources, the agency will provide public relations, social media, website development, paid media and creative services. Funded with a grant from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the campaign will target misuse of  prescription opioids as well as heroin.Read full post...

Why is Inbound Marketing so Important?

thumbs-upWhether you have separate teams dedicated to marketing and new business development, or you have one person responsible for both, you need to start an inbound marketing program. What makes inbound so important?

Let’s start with something everyone (especially our b2b clients) realizes: The buyer’s journey has changed. There’s now this Zero Moment of Truth—the moment when a person identifies a problem and then heads to Google to research a solution. If you don’t come up on that first page, chances are your competitors do, and they will snag that lead and eventually that paying customer.Read full post...

The Future of Mobile Ads

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is stirring up conversations and sparking new ideas in the minds of advertising and business professionals. A breeding ground for networking opportunities and business partnerships, the weeklong advertising festival can be seen as “the SXSW for the international set,” complete with celebrity appearances and musical performances. According to the Cannes Lions website, “We believe creativity is the driving force for business, for change and for good. That’s why we are campaigners for creativity: we inspire creative bravery that changes the course of communications. Our awards set a global benchmark for what good creative looks like, and our annual Festival connects those with a similar vision.”Read full post...

Read more in
June 29, 2015

F&M Trust Chooses Aloysius Butler & Clark for Social and Digital Media

F&M Trust Logo

F&M Trust is an independent community bank headquartered in Chambersburg, PA.

CHAMBERSBURG, PA—F&M Trust has selected Aloysius Butler & Clark, a full-service marketing communications agency, to develop social media and digital media campaigns. The campaigns will support the Central Pennsylvania–based financial services company in reaching its growing base of individual and business customers.Read full post...

Color Schemes Set the Tone

Munsell color sphere

Munsell color sphere

What is a color scheme?

As Dictionary.com defines it:

an arrangement or pattern of colors or colored objects conceived of as forming an integrated whole

As designers, we are trained to seek out color schemes to communicate an idea and to justify its use in our work, whether it’s a graphic logo, a painting or even an interior space.Read full post...

Read more in

Is it Time for Media Training?

Media training will help ensure—if you land that interview with your dream outlet—that you are ready.

Media training will help ensure—if you land that interview with your dream outlet—that you are ready.

If you’re asking the question, the answer is probably yes. If you’re in a position to speak on behalf of your company or organization in front of the “fourth estate,” you should have some understanding of how the media operates and how to get your messages across effectively. Good media training can get you there.

As the spokesperson for a company, product or issue, you should be credible, comfortable and knowledgeable. With proper training, you’ll be able to develop effective messages and determine the best ways to communicate those messages. You’ll be prepared for interactions with the press: at a press conference or trade show, in a phone interview, or—the unthinkable horror—in an ambush interview. In training, you’ll participate in “mock” interviews that will force you to confront issues, tackle possible negative perceptions and explain your positions convincingly.Read full post...

Read more in

How the Message Specialists Can Help

shutterstock_131357477I would be wealthy if I had a nickel for every time a member of the faculty, staff, administration or board said, “I didn’t realize you could help with that.”

Far too often, the marcom (marketing/communications) and public relations office is brought into a situation requiring communication to internal and external stakeholders late in the process. I have learned through experience that the more people understand what marcom professionals do, the better the outcome.Read full post...