Tag Archives: marketing

Uncommon Thinkers Welcome

Anyone who has gone through the process of developing a brand position that encapsulates the unique values and spirit of a company or themselves knows it’s not easy, especially in a crowded and competitive marketplace. Even more so for a region that does not like to be defined or put in a box. That is why I like to think of Uncommon Thinkers Welcome, my latest brand development project, as more of an invitation than a label.

It has definitely been a journey moving through the various phases of stakeholder engagement – regional, domestic and international research – brand development and trademark – and final production. GeekWire does a great job of laying it out in this article, and I really appreciate their partnership in helping me launch the brand out in the world.

There are a lot of  fun but smart elements to the campaign.

I worked with each of these partners to provide social guidance and assets to amplify the launch. Of course, there were multiple channels involved to launch the campaign:

It has been an honor to work with so many amazing companies and partners to breathe life into this. I worked with more than 22 companies and partners to pull this off, including a 4-day video and photo shoot across Snohomish, King and Pierce County.

Paid media and much more to come!

Dear Rest of the World

If you live in the greater Seattle area, I hope you can appreciate how daunting it could be to launch a regional marketing video between the pandemic, civil unrest, wildfire smoke and the upcoming election. It felt like threading a very fine needle. I was worried the video would stagnate or suffer potential backlash on social media with comments raging on about homelessness, anarchy and dysfunctional government. Fortunately, it went well because there is truth in the message and delivery.

Leading up to the launch date, I conducted extensive outreach to engage the broader community to amplify the effort. I have been humbled and inspired by the outpouring of support and positive feedback on the effort. Everyone from the UK and Japanese Consulates to Alaska Airlines, Port of Seattle, cities of Everett and Tacoma, and the list goes on. I think we all needed some positivity.

Join by sharing the video across your organization’s channels. You can simply amplify our posts by liking and sharing and/or launch your own custom complementary posts.

I hope every person across the region can see themselves in this video and be proud to share our collective story.

Help tell the world what makes Greater Seattle unlike anywhere else on Earth.

Platinum Hermes Creative Award

I am pleased to say I have just won top honors in the annual Hermes Creative Awards for the Georgia is Built for Business video.

An international awards competition, the 2016 Hermes Awards recognize outstanding work of creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media. The competition has grown to one of the largest of its kind in the world. This year they received over 5,500 entries from the United States, Canada and several other countries.

Only 15 percent of entries received a Platinum Award, which is the highest honor offered in the competition.

This video represents a lot of behind-the-scenes work – 9 versions of the script, countless site visits to places like Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Global Center for Medical Innovation, and the list goes on.

What do leading brands like Home Depot, Delta, UPS, Gulfstream, Lockheed Martin, JCB, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems and The Coca-Cola Company all have in common? See for yourself…

Interactive Holiday Cards

Coming up with a new holiday card each year can be a challenge. But it is a challenge I enjoy.

When you are spending good money on design and development you need to balance the return on investment with cultural sensitivities around the holidays. In other words, do not sacrifice your brand integrity by disrespecting what the holidays are really about.

It was a lot of work, but this year I collected holiday-centric statistics from well-known brands throughout Georgia and put a logistics spin on it.

2014 – http://www.georgia.org/holiday-card-2014

This year my goal was to make a holiday card that could extend beyond our Department, and be usable and distributable by other state entities and citizens of Georgia.

Looking for other interactive holiday card ideas? Here’s a look back at the past two years of holiday cards I’ve worked on.


>>2012<<


>>2011<<

As you can see, HTML, Video and even old Flash have all played a role. Now responsive design and HTML5 is a significant consideration, so that individuals can view it on any type of device whether mobile, tablet or desktop.

It will be interesting to see what manifests next holiday season.

Georgia’s Film Industry

In the past 2 years I have produced dozens of videos dealing with aerospace, agribusiness, manufacturing, life sciences and international trade. Some have even won video awards. But it has been a real pleasure working on this one for Georgia’s film industry. Tax incentives can be a hot topic, but in my opinion this one so clearly demonstrates the positive impact they can provide.

Film Industry Video from Robert Payne on Vimeo.

A few takeaways:

The crew at Devious Maids were very accommodating and helped to capture much of the b-roll. The part with Brigid Capelletti was not planned, but while she was handling lighting we struck up a conversation. Beneath the Carhartts and big knife on her side she proved to be an articulate and intelligent woman. I asked her if she would mind speaking on camera. She agreed but needed to check with her boss. Her boss admitted her to the makeup truck and she came back looking like a completely different person.

The Lifecycle Center is an amazing example of recycling. Now I know where to go to get Italian slate, wooden blinds, door knobs, mantels and much more for cheap prices.

John Raulet probably knows the location of more abandoned warehouses in Southwest Atlanta than anyone else. What he has done with one is what entrepreneurship is all about.

I’ve always thought of Atlantic Station as a shopping center. Now I know there are dozens of talented illustrators and animators creating fictitious characters just above the street.

After the interview at Cofer Brothers I’ll never look at a small Georgia town in the same light again – there is always so much more than meets the eye.

10 Tips for Winning An RFP

Having been on both the submission and judging side of marketing, advertising and public relations Request for Proposals – or RFPs – I have a little insight into winning the business.

A considerable amount of time, billable hours and money go into these submissions, and they are very competitive. It is imperative that you get it right.

But so many people get it wrong. I am consistently amazed when large, globally recognized, award-winning agencies fumble some basic fundamentals.

You want to win, right?

 

Here are a few tips:

  1. Never let a junior employee complete an RFP on your behalf. It does a disservice to your brand, and it is a complete waste of time.
  2. Before you begin the submission look very carefully at how the points are allocated. You will quickly ascertain what is most important.
  3. Read the question carefully and make sure your answer specifically addresses what is being asked. Put yourself in the position of the judge who is reviewing countless other submissions. Did you get all the points that you could, or did you give some up by being vague or not following directions?
  4. Be very specific. Do not answer a question with, we specialize in brand activation and storytelling. Instead, give me an example of how you elevated a client’s brand with a unique strategy that produced quantifiable results.
  5. Make it very easy for the judge to find your supporting materials.
  6. Be aware that your competitors are going to do whatever it takes to win. For example, don’t just mention doing a radio spot or video as one strategy. Actually put one together.
  7. Do your research and then show it.
  8. Bring a senior representative with you to the oral presentation.
  9. Stand up when you present.
  10. Leave the judges with your complete presentation.

And one bonus since we should always turn it up to 11. Be exceptionally strategic and creative. If you are not prepared to kick ass then pass.

Video Awards

I’ve produced and directed a number of videos in the past year. It is always rewarding when hard work pays off in the form of a satisfied company and/or client. It is even more satisfying when there is an award attached to the project.

Silver Telly

Global Trade Video: Silver Telly (2013) from Robert Payne on Vimeo.

silver_tellyThis video required 3 separate shoots, scripting and infographic animation. The end result is a compelling story about diversifying risk and increasing profits through international trade. It is told from the perspective of the business owners. Blue Marble media shot and edited the piece.

Gold Hermes

Economic Development Video: Gold Hermes (2013) from Robert Payne on Vimeo.

Gold_HermesThis video is a culmination of interviews I conducted over the course of almost a year with many different brands in various industry sectors. It has been condensed down into a 2+ minute piece to convey Georgia’s economic development landscape. Blue Marble media shot and edited the piece.

I hope you enjoy watching them!