Happy New Year from Integraphix LA

http://www.integraphix.com/los-angeles-creative-agency

Top 10 Ads On YouTube with Most Views From 2014

Every year, brands role out ads; some of the ads are great and some of the ads fall flat are go barely noticed. Since it is #ThrowbackThursday, and the year is coming to a close, our Los Angeles creative agency thought it'd be fun to revisit some of the best YouTube ads from this year. Here they are, in order from least to most views. 

10. Heineken "The Payphone with Fred Armisen"

This ad had 13.8 million views

9. Budweiser "Friends are Waiting"

This ad had 19.5 million views

8. P&G "Pick Them Back Up"

This ad had 19.7 million views

7. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 "Then & Now"

This ad had 22.1 million views

6. Duracell "Trust Your Power: Derrick Coleman"

This ad had 22.7 millon views

5. Devil's Due "Devil Baby Attack"

This ad had 48.8 million views

4. Always' "#LikeAGirl"

This ad had 53.3 million views

3. Budweiser "Puppy Love"

This ad had 53.4 million views

2. Nike Football "The Last Game"

This ad had 73.3 million views

1. Nike Football "Winner Stays"

This ad had 98.4 million views

Your business needs to be noticed and digital marketing is becoming a huge tool for brands to use, such as YouTube. Does your business need to noticed on the web? Yes, yes it does. That means hiring an internet marketing company that knows what it's doing. Talk to Integraphix, a Los Angeles marketing company that knows how to get you noticed and talked about on the web, such as YouTube. 

Tide Detergent Has Won the Heart of Americans and Here's Why

Did you know that there is a 38 percent chance that your clothes have been washed in Tide in the last week? Unless, of course, you do not wash your clothes or you are currently going "au naturel".

Even for those of us who are really into fashion and hygiene, it is hard to be excited about something like laundry detergent. People don't generally line up around the block to buy detergent like they do for iPhones. However, Tide has some how broken the chains placed on detergents and moved from a household item of necessity to a household item that is loved.

Tide is a product that is often used by families for generations, it has been able to retain brand loyalty. It has gained some serious market share and it is becoming a fortress for other brands to try and move, even fellow Proctor & Gamble detergents.

So how did Tide become at the heart of America? That answer lies in both history and in our olfactory abilities.

Before World War II, Americans would have to wash their clothes by hand and with traditional soap; this was even more arduous by the fact that the soaps at the time did not dissolve in the hard water. People wanted a synthetic soap or detergent that would dissolve in water (whether they voiced it in those words or not). It was in 1945 when chemist Dick Byerly, from P&G, discovered that if he made a mix of one part alkyl sulfate with three parts sodium tripolyphosphate. The compound lifted the stains from clothes like a magic wand and immediately got rushed to the production line.

The product got its brand name when Richard Dupree, P&G president at the time, noticed how clean the sand at the beach looked after the tide washed over it.

A major part how how P&G's marketing turned Tide into a home necessity was the fact that they managed to get a box of Tide into washing machines that were sold in stores, as they were just hitting the sales floor and getting popular. This allowed homemakers to use Tide before they had a chance to try anything else, creating brand loyalty right away.

As for the olfactory, the scent of Tide is associated with comforts of home. It is like baking cookies to laundry detergent; it makes us think of home, mom & dad, and comfort. That is a trait that is priceless for a product that is used in the home. Or any product, really.

Americans spend $2.8B on Tide every year.

Do you want to become like Tide, even get set on the right path? Then contact Integraphix, a Los Angeles creative agency. As a Los Angeles marketing company, we have the resources to help your business to move to the next level.

Throwback Thursday: Urban Outfitters' Blood Splattered Kent State Shirt

In honor of #ThrowbackThursday, our Los Angeles marketing firm went down memory lane; we didn't go too far, just back a few months.

Back in September of this year (2014), the internet witnessed Urban Outfitters put a shirt for sale that may or may both have been trying to capitalize on the Kent State shooting that happened May 4, 1970.

Urban Outfitters evoked the emotion still tied to that tragedy with the bizarre sweatshirt, displaying the school's name on the front and covered with what appear to be blood splatter marks.

The item was first discovered by +BuzzFeed soon after the retailer put the faux-vintage sweatshirt up for sale on their site; they claimed to only have one for sale and that consumers should "get it or regret it!" Then they slapped a jaw-dropping $130 price tag.

The sale of the sweatshirt sparked intents backlash against the retailer on social media; this was not the first time the retailer has been caught possibly being insensitive towards a controversial/sensitive event or group of people. Urban has been caught with Navajo-Indian (coming in white charcoal, Obama/black) inspired clothing and shirts that seemingly glorified terrorism, and a t-shirt that is reminiscent of the shirts Jews had to wear during WW2/Nazi Germany.

It is possible that the shirt was an elaborate PR stunt, regardless, it was one bad marketing mistake.

Sometimes, a creative team does not realize a mistake is a mistake until after it is made; however, a great marketing firm can spot a mistake before the launch. If you want a creative agency that knows a bad idea before it is published, then hire Integraphix -- a Los Angeles creative agency.

Star Wars' Holiday Special: A Marketing Goof

Inspired by the #ThrowbackThursday theme, or #TBT for short, we looked back at some of the worst marketing ideas that we have witnessed. It was November 17,1978, the world was hot off the recent release and blockbuster Star Wars movie.

George Lucas was looking to create another hit in between his previous movie and the next release, scheduled to hit theaters in 1980 (The Empire Strikes Back). George decided that a holiday special would keep his fans happy and tide them over.

The result was one of the most embarrassing things to air on TV and made 13 million CBS viewers its victims. Yes, you may be wondering, "What about Jar Jar Binks?" And the answer is, yes, it was more embarrassing than Jar Jar Binks. Why was it so bad
? You tell us; would you want to watch a move about Chewbacca needing to get home to his family on the planet Kashyyyk so he could celebrate Life Day with them in their treehouse home.

A couple days before the movie aired on TV, they had the promo that said, "Will Chewbacca get home to his planet in time for the big Wookiee celebration?" *face palm*

As a professional copywriter for a Los Angeles creative agency, I cringed when I read that line from the promo… I cringed when I heard about the idea for the TV movie. I cringed when I realized a marketing guy at CBS gave this the green light.

Well, you have to have bad marketing to appreciate great marketing, right?

Has you company had bad marketing in the past that rivals the Star Wars Holiday Special and wants to change that? Then hire Integraphix to see what good marketing can do for your business!

Has this Lingerie Brand Hit a Marketing Stroke of Genius?

Aerie has been known for its lingerie quality and beautiful models. However, they have recently made some bold marketing decisions that seem to be paying off. Big time.

Earlier this year, the lingerie brand has decided to no longer Photoshop models. That is correct, they no longer Photoshop or do any image retouching to the shots of the models for their ads. The ROI on this decision has been a 9 percent jump in profits of the last quarter, in addition to receiving l
ots of public approval.

Anything from birthmarks to tattoos are left on the models in their ads. Some critics still comment on the fact that the women are models and therefore have "perfect bodies". However, since the women are not Photoshopped, it means that whatever body types that are shown in the ads are (likely) natural and thus, achievable. Many consumers still feel that as long as the images aren't altered, the women in the ads are relatable and inspirational.

Aerie has put together the campaign to get women between 15 & 21 to "get real and think real"; this campaign has seen incredible success. This Los Angeles creative agency is a firm believer in the campaign. On the other end of the spectrum, Victoria's Secret has seen some flashback from their "Perfect 'Body'" campaign.

In addition to this decision, Aerie has also decided to show items on women in many body types to give every woman an idea of how an item would fit them.

Marketing is all about finding the thing that makes you stand out, like Aerie did. Of course, it requires having a creative agency that is able to find the solution. Does your business need to hire a marketing agency that can get you a great competitive advantage? Then chat with Integraphix! 

A Brief History of Digital Advertising

With sites like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, AdSense, etc. ruling the digital ad world, there has been a lot going on over time. Here is a brief history of digital advertising.

Does your brand want to expand its reach? Then you need advertising and internet marketing work! Talk with Integraphix, a Los Angeles marketing agency with over 20 years of digital marketing and advertising experience. 

How Much Some Iconic Logos Cost to Create

Looking back on the history of some famous brands, we can see their logos from day one until present day. For some, they have changed a lot while others have changed very little. Some logos cost a lot to create while others cost next to nothing. Have you ever wondered how much a logo cost to make? Well, as a Los Angeles logo design agency, we can tell you exactly how much some famous logos were worth at the time of their creation.

Logos that cost a lot:

1. 2012 Summer Olympics-- London Olympics. This logo cost quite a chunk of change. A total of $665,400 for the logo that some describe as Lisa Simpson doing unspeakable things; a less crass description is that it looks like blocks having a seizure. Google it. It was created by Wolff Olins, who believes that it echoes London's qualities of a modern, chic city. 
2. Pepsi logo. This one cost a cool $1M to create. Created in 2008 by a design agency that is unnamed, it was rumored to be an Obama '08 ripoff. Allegedly, the design agency wrote a 27 page document explaining the cost and how the design was of a "breathtaking strategy" and had inspirations from Da Vinci, Yin-Yang, etc. 
3. BBC logo. This one, the simple "BBC" in three blocks, cost a whopping $1.8M to create. 1.8 million dollars for three letters in blocks. They created the new logo in 1997 to sharpen their image and have a logo that looks better on screen using Gill Sans. 

Logos that were free. 

1. Microsoft logo. This one was still a bit expensive but cheap compared to others. In 2012, the tech giant was designed in-house and would have cost between $250k and $500k if a branding firm had recreated it. 
2. Google logo. The original logo, not the one they have now, was actually created by one of the co-founders using GIMP software. Sergey Brin was happy to have been able to use the software. 
3. Coca-Cola. The original logo was created by Frank M. Robinson, the co-founder and bookkeeper of Coke. He liked the way the two C's looked because they would be nice in advertising. 

Logos that were cheap. 

1. Twitter logo. The original Twitter logo was bought from iStockPhoto, designed by Simon Oxley. According to research, the image cost $15. 
2. Nike logo. This one was designed by a graphic design student back in the early 70s that Phil Knight found. The student needed money for oil paints and charged $35 for the logo. Knight actually did not like the logo but hoped it would grow on him. 

However, despite some of the success from logos that were free or cheap, you can never go wrong with a professionally designed logo. As a Los Angeles graphic design agency, we love helping brands establish their identities with a great logo. Need a logo? Then hire Integraphix! 

3 Marketing Lessons to Learn From Horror Movies

The season of costumes, candy, corn mazes, haunted houses, and other things that scare us in the night is upon us. Due to this, our Los Angeles marketing agency thought it'd be fun to think of marketing lessons

from horror movies.

Horror movies go up in popularity this time of year; however, there is more to learn about horror movies other than we make poor decisions when a knife-weilding murderer is chasing us. We can learn about marketing.

So what can we learn? 

1. Begin with a plan. Better yet, plan before you begin. Every good killer in a horror movie comes to the starting gate with a plan; the good ones have a plan that is different than the other killers in the world. In the movie Scream, the killer (actually two of them) go in with their plan that they will call their victims to scare them into submission before entering the house to finish the job. As for going in with a plan that is completely different than his competition, look at Freddy Krueger; his plan was to get teens when they fall asleep. As a LA marketing firm, we can tell you that the ability to plan, and be unique, is going to be huge for you and your chances of being successful. 
2. Don't get yourself stuck in a corner. In every horror movie, we see one of the victims get stuck somewhere with no exit because they ran without thinking. Their panicked state of mind has blinded them and they are now stuck in a trap. Sometimes, we do the same thing with our marketing efforts, we act before thinking; we chose to hide in the closet instead of actually running out of the building that the killer has cleverly booby-trapped. 
3. Don't be afraid to adapt and edit. If you have ever seen the movies I Know What You Did Last Summer then you know all the different ways that guy gets his victims. The man in this movie is not afraid to switch things up to get the job done. The worst way to attempt success is to not be willing to switch things up and adapt to what the landscape demands. 

Now, keep in mind we are not advocating being a murderer but in these movies, these guys have some lessons to teach us about marketing. If you need assistance help with your marketing, then contact Integraphix! 

4 Brands that Saved Themselves from Marketing Doom

A crisis will happen for any business. For some businesses, these are much worse than others. Once a brand is in reputation hell, it requires some serious marketing and public relations to get going on the track to being successful again.

Here are 5 brands that were on the brink of extinction if they hadn't been able to turn their reputations around after some serious disasters.

• Tylenol. The Tylenol brand was in trouble after their scare in 1982. The news was that 7 people in Chicagoland (Chicago and its suburbs) had died suddenly after taking Tylenol. Authorities tested the pills in the area and discovered that eight bottles had high levels of potassium cyanide in them; the bottles came from different production factories and stores, so the contamination was in a dangerous source. Johnson & Johnson, owner of Tylenol, ordered a recall of 31M bottles and did inspections. The conclusion was that someone bought eight bottles, refilled them with the poison, then returned them to the store; who did it? That was never known. Tylenol went back to shelves with tamperproof packaging. What also helped was how swiftly they responded and worked with authorities. 
• Perrier. Back in 1990, the producer of fine water, Perrier, was in serious hot water (pun intended) after it was discovered some of their water contained benzene. Perrier prided itself on being "naturally pure" and now it had been called out for containing a toxic substance. 160M bottles and worked with the FDA. Only 13 bottles were actually contaminated and it was concluded that a worker forgot to change a filter, allowing benzene to slip through. On their own, the brand did not revive itself but after being sold to Nestle in 1992, Nestle was able to bring the brand to celeb status with aggressive marketing campaigns. 
• JetBlue. Back in 2007, the airline that was built on customer service marketing was found to be in violation of customers. A major snowstorm grounded plans on the tarmac for up to 11 hours. This led to a major uproar, naturally. After this, JetBlue shifted how they operate and truly with the consumer at its core by pre-cancelling flights if dangerous weather is imminent. 
• Domino's. In 2009, some of its employees, who were of the immature variety, posted a YouTube video of themselves violating the ingredients. What made matters worse was that it was found that the HQ did not know about the incident until consumers told them about the video. Oops. Domino's set up several social media marketing efforts with Twitter accounts that controlled the issue's complaints, etc. Now they dominate corporate social media. 

Sometimes it takes a major fallout to shake a brand into perfection. Don't let this happen to your brand, get in contact with Integraphix, a marketing agency with over 2 decades experience. 

What You Need to Know About Blogging

When you blog for your business, there is a fine line between having a captivating blog and going too far. There are some things that you need to remember to have a successful blog.

• Mention any and all
  
  sources. If you pull information from someone, such as statistics, images, etc. then it is only courtesy to tell your readers where you got the information from. This is not only courtesy but you also need to avoid plagiarism. As a marketing firm in Los Angeles, we post blogs all the time and it can be tiring to always cite info on a deadline but it's worth it. 
• Do not start fights. If you have an issue with someone or another firm, company, etc. do not start or continue the feud on your blog. Your blog is for posting helpful information or making sales. 
• Don't be misleading/pulling bait & switches. If you have deals on your blogs, then hold to them. If you offer 40% off on something, then hold to that 40% off and don't switch it to 25% because they missed some tiny detail. 
• Have a purpose. Don't let your corporate blog become something that talks about anything from news to nature. Now, if you want to tackle these angles but with your consistent focus, then that's fine. Let me explain, if you are a fellow LA creative agency and you have a post about your mom's cooking, then tie into your industry such as, "5 lessons to learn about branding from Grandma's pie." I don't know how that would be done but I'm sure it can be done. 
• Get permission to borrow things. If you find photos or info that you would like to use, then just ask permission. Chances are that the owner of the info or photo is perfectly fine letting you utilize it. 
• Include calls to action. As a creative marketing team at Integraphix, we can tell you that there is a difference in ROI from blogs when you include a CtA. 

Need assistance setting up and/or managing your blog? Then contact Integraphix! We have great copywriters with extensive experience writing for corporate blogs. 

5 Tips to Make a Splash with Marketing on Instagram

Using social media is great for business. When you remember to do your social media marketing correctly, then you get serious traction. One of the top social media platforms in the world is Instagram. It is a great tool to use for businesses that provide products, content, or services that benefit from visual representation.

So how do you market on Instagram effectively?

1. Remain true to your brand. Make sure that your images say a clearly defined message that is true to your brand. Your brand has a personality and what you post on Instagram, and all social media, should be an extension of that personality. 
2. Share your experiences. The best way to connect with your brand with consumers, especially on an emotional level, is to show how people benefit from your services and/or products. Consumers will see the images on your Instagram and wonder what it would be like to benefit from your company. 
3. Use beauty where you see it. The best photos are not always in nature, it is showing something in an artistic way, even if it is man-made. If your company makes sandals, Then show people enjoying a stroll downtown while wearing your sandals! Your company makes shovels? Show people building a playground with your shovels. As a LA marketing company, we can tell you that there are lots of amazing shots to be taken here, and likely in your city too! (If you're in another city). 
4. Inspire others to take action. Get people to do something after viewing your photos. Inspire them to create their own moments with your brand. 
5. Research your target market. This is a must for any marketing, and any marketing firm in LA will tell you this. If you don't research your audience, then your images could fall flat. What do people love about your brand? 

Just because you are using social media marketing does not mean it is going to be worthless or that it does not require good work. As a Los Angeles marketing firm, we love all marketing and have years of experience in the field, including social media marketing. Contact Integraphix about how we can help your company get noticed on social media. 

A Brief Explanation Why to Use Taglines When Branding

Why should you use a tagline when branding? Well, some believe that they are useless/have overrun their course. However, many other marketers believe that it is just a matter of creating ones that are effective, creative, and memorable.

First, let's distinguish a tagline from a slogan. A tagline is a message your business has for a long time, perhaps forever. Nike's is "Just do it". A slogan is like a tagline but for a specific product, service, or campaign; so maybe Nike would create a slogan for a new running shoe. Understand?

So why should you use a tagline for your business? Will it really make for good branding?

What are the benefits of a tagline? 

• A good tagline will help you send a clear message of what your brand desires, needs, gives, etc. If your sandwich shop has the tagline, "Premium quality ingredients. Delicious Sandwiches." then people know you don't settle for ingredients that fell off the back of a truck but rather select ones that took effort to grow/make. 
• It will help you stand apart from the competition. Now say your competition's tagline is, "Good sandwiches fast."Well, sure, they might get their food ready faster than you but maybe they get meats that are not as tasty. Most people would rather wait an extra 2 minutes and get something worth eating than quick and mediocre. 
• Good taglines provoke emotion which helps consumers connect and take action. "Wow, this place cares about their customers because they get really awesome ingredients; this Swiss cheese is divine! I like them, they show love for us!" 
• It helps you be versatile. Now you don't have to name your shop, "Joe's Sandwich Shop" because people will know what you sell because of your tagline. 

How can you make a great tagline? 

As a Los Angeles marketing company, we have over 20 years of experience creating taglines. It can be tough but when you have a real understanding of the business, then they come much more easily. 

1. Think about why you created the business. What was your promise when you created it? Back to the sandwich shop example, your promise could be to make sandwiches something people desire for lunch and not just settle for. 
2. Remember to use personality. Use a personality that is appropriate for your target market. 
3. Use pathos- draw on emotion. 
4. Be inspired! 

If your business needs a great tagline or a new slogan, then contact Integraphix. Need to do some rebranding? We do that too. 

9 Marketing Concepts to Learn From Apple

So yesterday, Apple had their large, annual event announcing the new iPhone and iOS software. Why is it one of the biggest and most talked about events? It is so popular because of the following and influence that Apple has.

Even if you are not an Apple fan, you have to admit they have done a great job with marketing and is a large reason why they have such a dedicated following.

Since the company is clearly great at being creative, what are some marketing lessons that we can learn from Apple?

1. Learn from great marketing minds. Jobs was great when it came to thinking up marketing ideas and showmanship, however, he was also smart enough to recognize the greatness in others. When Apple was a small company in a garage, he recruited the marketing guru that was Mike Markkula and get his insight. He gave Apple marketing concepts to adhere by and they did, in fact, they still do. Steve also tapped into the
   
   mind of advertising genius Lee Clow; Clow was the mastermind behind the famous 1984 ad that Apple ran in the NFL championship game. 
2. Make a product worth marketing. It is hard to do marketing for a product that is junk. Let's be honest, the smoothest ad can only do so much. Apple created great products and then the marketing to match. As any leading Los Angeles marketing firm will tell you, you can only do so much with creativity, there has to be some quality products behind it that back everything up. 
3. Take a stand. Three core concepts that Markkula gave to Apple were these: 1) Empathize with customers, 2) Focus on doing a few things excellently, and 3) remember the values of simple & high quality with everything that's done. This was applied to the products, the products, and how the business conducted itself. One thing Steve Jobs was known for was insisting on quality of consistency and taste across everything they did. Apple stands for unity and consistency, just look at how they handle their events. 
4. You have to spend money. You can't do good marketing without spending some money; you don't have to spend a lot as long as you spend it well. Steve Jobs was a fan of big gestures and showmanship and it worked! The 1984 commercial, all their events revealing the iPhones, iPads, iOS software, etc. Don't spend money if you don't have strategy, research, and a vision. If you're just going to spend money and hope it works out, you're wasting time and money. 
5. Make it an experience. People love to be part of an experience. The Apple store is an experience. Their keynotes are experiences. Using an Apple product is an experience. You get the idea. Tell stories and get people involved and connected. 
6. Build mystery and excitement. People love suspense and surprise, why do you think people camp out for their keynotes and everyone wants to know what the next product will look like and do? Don't be so quick to tell everyone everything about things, hold something back for them to discover or at least hold off until the end to tell it. Maybe intentionally leak some info, a photo, spread some rumors, contradictions of rumors, etc. This is a great, yet difficult, digital marketing tool. 
7. Make consumers brand evangelists. Apple has one of the best examples of brand evangelists. People who own Apple products are not afraid to flaunt them and mention them in person, online, etc. Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most potent forms of marketing; to be successful, you have to harness that energy. 
8. Don't talk too much. Many of Apple's ads don't talk about the product but rather the people who buy them and how their lives are improved. 
9. Use pictures. People love visuals over words, we like to look at them. Many of Apple's ads have a great picture with minimal wording. Take the unveiling of the MacBook Air for instance, Jobs slid the computer from a manila envelope and people went nuts. 

Hiring a marketing firm is a big decision but when you need to get your product and name out there, then you have to. As a marketing agency in LA, we have tremendous experience getting companies the recognition they desire. Contact Integraphix - a Los Angeles marketing company. 

How to Create Tweets that Generate Engagement

The point of doing social media marketing is to get people to pay attention to your brand on the Internet, especially on social media sites. Good social media can generate lots of attention for your brand and help build your brand loyalty with consumers. Of course, you have to smart about it, you can't just create tweets and expect everyone to love them no matter what. Your tweets need to peak interest and they can do that if you publish tweets in one of these ways.

Rocking your internet marketing is not super easy but it can be done well if you work at it. One rule of thumb, every tweet should have a link and/or image attached.

1. The content sharing tweet. This is the most basic tweet structure. Make sure that you include the twitter handle of the author the they can get the credit. After all, they will see that you liked their work and might do the same for you in the future. Tag on a hashtag that's relevant so your tweet can be spotted. This structure goes like --> 
1. *positive comment about article* ARTICLE TITLE *www.linktoarticle.com* by @TwitterUser #HelpfulHashtag 
2. The problem & solution tweet. This one is for the people that worry about problem; when they see that you offer a good solution, they will love you. You can be answering something very specific or something very common, either way, it's good. 
1. Wondering how to fix [this problem]? Then check out [solution to problem] right here >> www.solutiontoproblem.com via @TwitterUser #HelpfulHashtag 
3. The question. This is a great way to get people to answer questions you ask and get into good conversation on twitter. Now, you have to have some solid followers that already like to engage to some extent, otherwise this will fall flat on its face. Have a good question and a link to something, like an article, at least include an image. 
1. We'd love to know [insert question here]? #HelpfulHashtag *link to article or image*
4. The retweet with a comment. This one is one of the easiest to do as well. Many people simply click retweet but you can do them one better. Instead of doing that, you can say retweet, then click on "retweet with comment" or on the web, you can copy and paste their tweet, then throw a RT in front of it with your comment. It gives extra info plus your thoughts. 
1. [Your thoughts] RT "@TwitterUser: their tweet here" *link* #HelpfulHashtag
5. The advice tweet. Giving tips or advice about things is a great way to establish credibility and be an industry leader, a least appear as one. 
1. 5 ways to improve your marketing *link to a blog, like yours*#HelpfulHashtag
6. The love tweet. This is not a romantic love tweet but rather giving an endorsement for something. Say why you like certain content and are sharing it. Remember the author's twitter handle and give some love. 
1. This is a great read from @TwitterUser about [certain topic] >> *link* 
7. The fact tweet. People love to learn facts about things, especially things they like. If you're in marketing then giving a fact about marketing is a great idea (or whatever industry you're in). Say something that will encourage followers to take more action like visit your site, or something. 
1. #DYK that [fact here]? Find out how that came to be, read more >> *link*
8. The inspirational tweet. Give something that people can read and feel good about. This often takes the shape of a quote. 
1. [inspirational quote] @TwitterUser #HelpfulHashtag #AnotherHashtag 

Taking the time and doing Twitter right takes time and effort. If you do not think you can provide these things, then you should seek a Los Angeles marketing firm that can do it for you. 

Note: This is not like a magic wand. It is not guaranteed that these will make you infamous on social media so don't freak out when something from here does not work. 

How To Create A Facebook Post Worth Engaging

Just about every company has a company Facebook page. This means that there are millions and millions of corporate Facebook posts made every day. It can get quite overwhelming when you see 20 companies post something within 10 minutes of each other and all you went on Facebook for was to see who liked your photo.

The worst part about corporate Facebook posts is that they often lack something that encourages consumers to engage. Companies like to think that people engage with corporate social media the right way takes a lot of effort and creativity.
a post simply because it's from that company. Let me tell you, even my most favorite brands don't encourage my engagement unless it's a cool post. Doing

Part of the reason companies sometimes put out less than stellar posts is because of time; creating a creative, engage-worthy post can be difficult when you have only five minutes. So what can you do?

1. Use an idea that has been proven to be successful
We're not saying to rip off someone else's post and use it for yourself, no, that is plagiarism and just
lame. Don't do it. Rather, a famous quote that is relevant to your business that your consumers will like is a great idea (you can use other ideas too). Then, put your own spin on it. Put on your own colors, theme, fonts, etc. Make sure the branding is consistent too.
2. Create a graphic to go along with it
Every post you put on social media should have some sort of graphic or photo to go along with it. Studies show that people are much, much more likely to engage with a post when it has an image or graphic rather than just words. When your content has an appealing graphic or image, you'll get 94 percent more views than without that image or graphic. As a Los Angeles marketing company, we use Canva all the time (we were not compensated for our endorsement, we genuinely like the site, check it out).

Always make sure you have permission to use a photo or graphic- either buy it or create it. If you simply pull an image off the internet and use it, you can wake up to a nice letter from an attorney with a fine. (The fines can be THOUSANDS of dollars). Buy some stock photos, subscribe to iStock, create in Canva, etc.

3. Create a superb headline & summary
Creating a headline that generates interest can be hard, even for those of us in a creative marketing firm. When you read newspapers, the headlines are what draw you in to read the article; that same principle applies here. Once you do that and apply it to the graphic, write a summary of what is being talked about.

4. Give people a reason to engage- call to action
You want people to do something about your post. Ask a question to generate interactions or encourage people to read further, perhaps visit your site, etc.

5. Hashtags are your friend
Using hashtags increases interactions. When you use 1-2 hashtags, posts average just under 600 interactions, 3-5 equals about 400 interactions, etc. The more hashtags you use, the fewer interactions because then people just get annoyed and ignore it. Hashtags connect your post to topics of various discussions and searches. You can use them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, even Google+. 

6. Post when people will see it. Each social network site has peak times for businesses. Facebook, your best bet is between 1 and 4 PM during the week, especially Wednesday. Twitter: 1 and 3 PM weekdays, especially Monday & Thursday. LinkedIn: 7-9 AM, 5-6 PM weekdays, especially Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday. Google+: 9-11 AM weekdays. Pinterest: 2-4 PM and 8 PM- 1 AM. The afternoon is best for weekdays while night to morning is best on weekends, Saturday morning is prime.

Do Copyright Laws Matter for Marketing?

When it comes to marketing, one has to be extremely creative and efficient. A lot of the time, a marketer or marketing team is able to create an idea that is truly original; however, sometimes a creation is inspired by an idea that is already done.

Is that copyright infringement? No. As long as you abide by the copyright laws. When you create a work and copyright it, that work is yours and no one is allowed to reproduce it without your permission.

You can get around copyright by changing the words, design, work, etc. enough so that it does not reflect the original work and does actually become your own; however, if you let your work show its true source, such as purely copying it, then you will get hit by a lawsu
it or fine for the infringement.

Why does it matter? For one thing, it is a matter of ethics/not being a jerk and also showing that you can be creative without stealing. Although, on a more legal level, it matters because otherwise you will face serious penalties if you get caught… when you get caught.

Using an image, music, art, graphics, literary works, dramatic works, movies, etc. without expressed permission from the creator and copyright holder are ways that people get caught for copyright infringement.

It can be hard, however, as a Los Angeles marketing firm, we know that you can definitely be successful in marketing and creativity without breaking the law. Be smart and be safe when creating work, my friends!

If you have any questions about the issue, then contact Integraphix. 

Marketing to Millennials According to Millennials

Any smart marketer knows how to identify the ways to their target market and how to appeal to them. However, many "smart" marketers claim that Millennials are too hard to market to, or, they claim that Millennials are something they are not. Sure, Millennials love to take photos with their smartphones, use the internet, and other electronics. However, that is not hard to market to.

As a marketer and a millennial, I always find it interesting when companies fail to identify the needs of the generation. There are 86 million people in the Millennial generation and they all have money to spend, especially as some are now in the working force and have salaries (of course, some are paycheck to paycheck too).

One of the best ways to reach into the minds of a Millennial is to do social media marketing as well as other forms of internet marketing. Of course, we still respond to plenty of traditional marketing, like ads on TV or along the streets. Companies who ignore this generation are missing out on a huge segment of the consumer world. There are some tips for fellow marketers who may not be graced with the awesomeness of being a Millennial as well.

1. Remember, we're a smart bunch. Yes, we do tend to engage more with the world from behind a screen but that doesn't mean we are misinformed. Due to our love for the internet, we are a well researched group and love absorbing news about everything. We see something we like, we research it and post about it, gaining more knowledge from peers. The point? Make sure information is accessible. Have a marketing tool, like an ad, with something quick and easy to understand and then put more information on the web and/or social media. Marketing to Millennials has to show why the product is necessary and will make life better, even when a life is full of everything it might need. 
2. Keep buying online easy. We do a lot of our shopping online, especially tech, clothes, and media. As long as the purchase process for online is easy, then you will get the sale. Customer service and shipping will be a great touch. 
3. Be conversational, social, and human. We don't care if your company has something go mass viral on the internet, we would rather interact with a company that is human and engages with its consumers. The generation enjoys conversing that is one of the biggest things Millennials do with brands, talk/engage. The more that it's done, the more brand loyalty is established, which turns into steady sales. A viral video is not a bad thing with Millennials but if it does not generate conversation, then it will fall flat when it hits this generation. 

Tailoring marketing and branding efforts to Millennials is something that many companies are doing and it is paying off. As a Los Angeles marketing agency, these are things we believe in.

5 Easy Marketing Lessons We Can Learn from Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones, one of the most popular shows on television, offers us more than just great entertainment, it offers us lessons about marketing as well. If you have not seen the show, then you should give it a try. Regardless of that little plug, here are some lessons that we can learn from GoT that apply to marketing.

1. Talk the same language as your consumers. In the show, a character by the name of Kraznys is working on a business deal with another character, Daenerys. When he starts insulting his business partner in a language he believes she does not understand, he gets in trouble. See, it turns out Daenerys did understand the language that Kraznys was speaking; in the end, the deal burns up and it was Kraznys's fault. 
1. Of course, we can learn that we should definitely not insult our consumers, since they'll likely end any deals with us but also to speak the same language as them. Don't try using words that the consumer will not understand, you want them to understand your message; if they do not understand your message, then all marketing efforts will flop. Think like your consumer. Think. Like. Your. Consumer. This is where market research comes into play. 
2. Keep your ear to the ground. Remember to keep close to the chatter and hear what is going on. In the show, Tywin uses information that is gathered through special means to always be one step ahead of everyone else. This is a great concept to apply to marketing; this is why we have things like market research. When performing a market research group, the goal is obtain information that can be used to see where trends are going and stay a step ahead. Info is like gold to everybody but especially an industry like ours. 
3. Just be you. Nothing is worse than someone or something trying to be something they are not. In GoT, Jon Snow tried to convince another group, the wildlings, that he was no longer loyal to his previous group, the Night's Watch. However, his true identity is revealed and he is ousted. It is important to remain true to who you are and who your target market is. Now, you can rebrand and shift but always be genuine. 
4. Be able to adapt and shift. Arya Stark is constantly running to one place, then captured, moved to another, and so on. What we can take away from Arya is that you have to be able to change directions when the times call for it. This does not negate point three above; rather, it means that sometimes rebranding or introducing a new product or structure is needed. For example, in the midst of this gluten-free crazy time, many food brands are preparing their food gluten-free or at least giving gluten-free options. They are remaining true to who they are but still remain true to who they are. 
5. Do not back off promises. In the show, Robb Stark promises to marry a certain woman, Lord Walder Frey's daughter, however, he backs off that promise and decides to marry someone else instead. Do not be like Robb. If you make a promise with your consumers, hold to it. 

If you are looking for a creative marketing agency that is able to adapt and provide top notch marketing, then contact Integraphix - a Los Angeles marketing firm. 

Getting the Most Out of Your Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is a job that requires creativity, patience, intuition, and ability to analyze. There are so many ways you can use social media to build your business and maintain contact with your consumers and clients. According to various social media pros, here are ten things you can do to get great exposure via your social media.

1. Use LinkedIn tags. If you are on LinkedIn, and you should be, you should be using tags. Create a list of groupings that you can send any relevant, helpful, and important news to at times they'll see it. If you use tag connections, you are able to sort them into groups by tags and send them a message at once. 
2. Post at opportune times. If you are doing social media for a business that is B2B, then you are obviously reaching other people in the working world. For reaching people who are likely to be in meetings, try to post on your social media when they are likely to be in between meetings. Meetings are almost always scheduled every hour or half hour; this likely means that business people are likely to be checking social media just before and after the start of every hour, post at these times. 
3. Post popular content. If there is content that is popular with your competitors, your audience, and the audience of your competitors, then you should be commenting on it. You do not want to be copying the info but merely relaying the idea. 
4. Limit the social media platforms. It seems logical to want to jump on every social media platform available but what you want to do is find the ones that will do the most good for your business and work with those. 
5. Use twitter's search. Twitter has the nifty feature that allows you to search for things and people. Use that search to find people and topics that are related to your business. As a creative marketing agency, we look for people and discussions related to internet marketing, graphic design, and web design. 
6. Give things away. Use your social media to give things away that people will actually want to win; perhaps that means some of your good stuff. If your consumers, prospective clients/customers see how good your stuff is that's free, they're more likely to jump in and pay for things too. 
7. Connect with people on Twitter. You can promote your business, you can retweet, but you should also create conversations with people. When people post tweets, give a reply back. When people reply to you, respond back to them. 
8. Connect with email subscribers on LinkedIn and Facebook. Create another layer of connection with people you already know by adding them on these two social networks. 
9. Have good content to share. Having content that is boring or is not relatable, then people will not engage with you on social media. Worse, they might unfollow you. 
10. Use platforms as distribution channels. There is content and there is content that is perfect for sharing on social media. You want to share info that is suited for you consumers, not just random people. The reason this works is because people want more and more valuable information that they would like to share with others as well. If you have good content on your social media that people can talk about, then you've created a good WOM effect. 

If you are looking for a Los Angeles marketing firm or you just have questions about the tips above, then contact Integraphix, or contact us via our twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Google+. 

How To Learn Marketing from Major League Baseball

In honor of Major League Baseball's Opening Day in 2014, we realized that there are things that we can appreciate about the MLB that go beyond just an entertaining game of baseball and hotdogs; we can actually learn some real marketing lessons from them as well.

1. Have your profit generators stand out from the crowd. When you have several offerings to your customers, let them know which parts of your business are the real moneymakers, of course, you will have to find a way to do so other than, "Hey! Check out these cash cows! Give us your money!" Point them out by placing the links to those pages in prime spots like the top corners of your site. Mention them in your social media when doing your internet marketing. Make sure the pages for those sites are in spots they cannot miss. 
2. Sell subscriptions to services. Be able to give subscriptions to services that people will want to utilize and experience on a regular basis. For example, if you want to have live baseball streams on your phone, tablet, or computer, you will likely have to subscribe to some service. This concept can help people develop a taste for being a repeat customer to your business. 
3. Utilize segmentation of consumers. The league uses a concept that is dubbed "hub and spoke", which means that they have one central spot that leads to several smaller ones; they have the mass MLB.com which then has links to the different team sites. This concept enables consumers to go to the sites they have interest in, they do not have to waddle through the muck of other information they couldn't care less about. 
4. Target market, go local. Each market of the MLB (cities that have teams) receive different marketing content from the League so it is tailored to their team(s). All the products and services from the League is tailored to those cities, it would not make sense to constantly market Yankees things to the St.Louis region, get it? The Cubs site has info and products that talk about the Cubs and events that Cubs fans would like. 
5. Have tiers for products and services. We can look at this one way in that they have tiers in the stadiums; if you want the best seats (level of your services or products), you have to pay more but it is well worth the money (never offer tiers if you make them all the same, make it worth their time and money, don't be a jerk). Another way to look at it is how the MLB offers different levels for their services like subscriptions for online streaming. The different levels appeal to different levels of interest, budgets, and gives those who splurge for the top tiers a sense of pride. 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Integraphix. 

QR Codes, Where Are They Now?

QR codes were once the coolest thing you could see on a poster; people would get excited to see a QR code and think, "Awesome, I get to use the cool app I downloaded for this!" (Or something like that). They once served a purpose, however, the problem was that the "purpose" they served was not uniform for all industries and those who had the most control over the success or failure of the QR code, retailers, did not make sure they were effective. Why did retailers have the most control? Well, they are some of the most dominating marketing forces in the world, they're everywhere, and they have the most merchandise.

However, the usage of the QR code by retailers was not one that consumers enjoyed very much and it has cost the QR code its power and its life. Retailers were lazy in their usage of the technology; what most of them did was use the codes to direct people to their website or something equally unexciting. The codes just became another vessel for information we already knew about and could get to, they weren't doing anything fun and new. They also did something that turned out to be fatal for the QR codes by putting them just about everywhere; you couldn't walk through a store without seeing at least a dozen of the codes for the same thing, even in the dressing rooms of clothing stores!

It got to the point where consumers were ignoring the codes because they knew it would not lead them to anything worthwhile and so why bother scanning it?

Now, QR code slamming aside, they do have a purpose and can still succeed; they won't disappear completely but they have been reduced. Look for the codes to connect you to things like product descriptions, ordering products, and linking you to more things; for example, some stores are using QR codes to link you to more products that are kept in back so they can keep fewer things on the sales floor (it's a spacial issue, not laziness). Some clothing stores have started using the codes as a way to try on clothes; you scan the code for a clothing item you'd like to try on and then make your way to the dressing room and find that item in a dressing room, ready for you.

If you have any questions about marketing or advertising, then contact Integraphix - a Los Angeles marketing firm. 

How to Help Your Creativity

Normally, this blog discusses things that pertain to marketing and design; consequently, you might find this post to be a bit different than normal but trust me it's relevant. Marketing, advertising, graphic design, even web design, you are in a creative business; so how can you do things to improve your creativity? There are several things you can do.

1. Make a promise to develop your creativity. Developing your creativity is not something that just happens, it kind of takes some work to do so. Set some goals about what you would like to accomplish; also, have people you know that are already real creative to help you. 
2. Expand your knowledge. When you know a lot of things about an area that you want to be creative in, it makes it easier to be creative because your brain is more able to grab at different things. If you want to be a better advertising creator or copywriter, learn different ways to think of ads or writing styles. 
3. Think of your curiosity as a gift. When you are curious about something, think of it the curiousness as something good, not bad. If you have a positive outlook on your curiousness, then you will not be restricted in your thinking when trying to be creative. 
4. Be confident. If you are not confident about your creative abilities, you will find that you will be willing to take more creative risks because other times you did so, it paid off. If you are not confident in something, you won't do it well. When I first started for a Chicago marketing company, I had confidence in my creative abilities but my confidence had to grow because I was finally in the real marketing world and no longer the marketing world generated by a classroom or lecture hall. This means you have to be fighting your fear of failure; if you are afraid to fail, then any failure will be devastating. 
5. Allow time to be creative. You can't always force your creativity so give yourself time to relax and let your mind rest and gain creative juices so when it's time to be creative, you can be. Also, cut out some time each week to let yourself be creative if you are not able to be as creative as you'd like. 
6. Brainstorm new ideas. Allow for yourself to brainstorm and generate new ideas. If you don't, you might get stuck in a rut of the same ideas coming to mind all the time. 

Don't be afraid to let your brain do what it wants to do when it comes to being creative. The best creative minds do not operate within rules or regulations, they run free. The only time rules and regulations come into play is when you then have to apply that creative result to your web design, graphic design, advertising, or marketing.