Changing pop culture
Changing pop culture.
An ongoing singer, songwriter competition was created to build a culture change for Pepsi cola in the Southeastern United States.
It takes 5 to 7 years to affect a significant culture change. We had to create a long-term solution to keep Pepsi out front and loud. In 2011, Coke sold 1.59 billion cases for 17 percent of market share. Diet Coke sold 926.9 million cases for 9.9 percent of market share, edging out Pepsi, which sold 891.5 million cases for 9.5 percent of market share. In the Southeastern United States, the percentage market share differentiation is far greater. Coke, first bottled in Vicksburg, MS, found itself the darling of the Deep South thereby cementing it as a “Southern” icon. A group of independent Pepsi bottlers offered us a challenge. Pepsi wanted to assert itself as ‘the’ definitive softdrink choice of Southerners. Define Pepsi as “A Southern Original” and help move the needle on market share in the Southeastern states.
Changing pop culture.
An ongoing singer, songwriter competition was created to build a culture change for Pepsi cola in the Southeastern United States.
It takes 5 to 7 years to affect a significant culture change. We had to create a long-term solution to keep Pepsi out front and loud. In 2011, Coke sold 1.59 billion cases for 17 percent of market share. Diet Coke sold 926.9 million cases for 9.9 percent of market share, edging out Pepsi, which sold 891.5 million cases for 9.5 percent of market share. In the Southeastern United States, the percentage market share differentiation is far greater. Coke, first bottled in Vicksburg, MS, found itself the darling of the Deep South thereby cementing it as a “Southern” icon. A group of independent Pepsi bottlers offered us a challenge. Pepsi wanted to assert itself as ‘the’ definitive softdrink choice of Southerners. Define Pepsi as “A Southern Original” and help move the needle on market share in the Southeastern states.
Our engaging UI interfaces really bring folks into the fold.
Music brings us all together.
Our research determined 4 major demo groups, all having very different cultural interests. We did however find a very strong common component within all 4 groups – Music. Our research then turned to how we could use music to solve an engagement issue. Attempting to affect culture change requires years of commitment. We need a long-term solution that caused continued involvement.
We designed a recurring music contest that is primarily social media and app driven. A conventional advertising component including radio, print ads, outdoor posters and point of sales supported the ongoing music contest by displaying QR codes for quick access to voting and competing. The point of sales efforts included specialty items like guitar picks and scan-and-win prizes as well as premium point based prizes like headphones.
Music brings us all together.
Our research determined 4 major demo groups, all having very different cultural interests. We did however find a very strong common component within all 4 groups – Music. Our research then turned to how we could use music to solve an engagement issue. Attempting to affect culture change requires years of commitment. We need a long-term solution that caused continued involvement.
We designed a recurring music contest that is primarily social media and app driven. A conventional advertising component including radio, print ads, outdoor posters and point of sales supported the ongoing music contest by displaying QR codes for quick access to voting and competing. The point of sales efforts included specialty items like guitar picks and scan-and-win prizes as well as premium point based prizes like headphones.
We designed premium giveaways to sweeten the sizzle.
Smarter everything
Smarter everything.
VIAI is a marketing and smart communications agency that plans and builds unprecedented experiences for innovative companies.
As a communications consultancy specializing in smart solution opportunities, VIAI helps connect related businesses with their customers. From comprehensive smart cities transformations to smart products and services, they bring creative perspective to a conventional thinking industry who, over the years, have begun to pivot into more disruptive, entrepreneurial and innovative markets. VIAI works with companies (who historically enlist conventional marketing tactics) to create new, contemporary media products that explains complex ideas simply. They help launch companies into new markets they may not have otherwise considered.
Smarter everything.
VIAI is a marketing and smart communications agency that plans and builds unprecedented experiences for innovative companies.
As a communications consultancy specializing in smart solution opportunities, VIAI helps connect related businesses with their customers. From comprehensive smart cities transformations to smart products and services, they bring creative perspective to a conventional thinking industry who, over the years, have begun to pivot into more disruptive, entrepreneurial and innovative markets. VIAI works with companies (who historically enlist conventional marketing tactics) to create new, contemporary media products that explains complex ideas simply. They help launch companies into new markets they may not have otherwise considered.
We named VIAI by combining via (by way of) with an “i” representing Internet. So communications by way of the Internet.
Creative + simple messaging for the digitization revolution.
While VIAI’s potential client base is very broad and non-industry specific, the common vertical for the type of work they take on is smart technology and smart solutions. Despite buzz words or trends in terminology (see IoT and “on the edge”) VIAI seeks to inspire clients and communicate to their customers with an emphasis on intelligent solutions, primarily via technology, digital innovation and smart systems. Industries they’ve worked in include the obvious like engineering, medical, energy and disaster relief to not so apparent smart solutions for beverage, real estate and educational enterprises.
Creative + simple messaging for the digitization revolution.
While VIAI’s potential client base is very broad and non-industry specific, the common vertical for the type of work they take on is smart technology and smart solutions. Despite buzz words or trends in terminology (see IoT and “on the edge”) VIAI seeks to inspire clients and communicate to their customers with an emphasis on intelligent solutions, primarily via technology, digital innovation and smart systems. Industries they’ve worked in include the obvious like engineering, medical, energy and disaster relief to not so apparent smart solutions for beverage, real estate and educational enterprises.
We connect smart companies with uninitiated customers by simplifying complex concepts.
It’s easier when your audience knows what the heck you do.
Some of the best new ideas never see the light of day, not because they aren’t viable, relevant or timely but because the market simply doesn’t understand them. VIAI’s team has been involved in smart communications solutions since the internet went commercial and they collaborate with clients to create relevant stories and viable outcomes. Inventing things and bringing unique, efficient and, quite frankly, better products and processes into the world is just half of the job. Articulating intuitive narratives and capturing customer buy-in is the other half to making ideas stick and creating new, exciting products for the betterment of society.
It’s easier when your audience knows what the heck you do.
Some of the best new ideas never see the light of day, not because they aren’t viable, relevant or timely but because the market simply doesn’t understand them. VIAI’s team has been involved in smart communications solutions since the internet went commercial and they collaborate with clients to create relevant stories and viable outcomes. Inventing things and bringing unique, efficient and, quite frankly, better products and processes into the world is just half of the job. Articulating intuitive narratives and capturing customer buy-in is the other half to making ideas stick and creating new, exciting products for the betterment of society.
An elegant name and business model needed an equally elegant brand and website.
Investment for all
Vesdor opens doors for the rest of us.
Vesdor is an online real estate platform which allows investment opportunities to non-accredited investors.
This real estate company had a problem—they were doing too much business. For 15 years they had been doing deals in one of the hottest markets in the country and wanted to expand exponentially. They needed to go digital, but a snappy website and marketing campaign alone wasn’t going to do it.
Vesdor opens doors for the rest of us.
Vesdor is an online real estate platform which allows investment opportunities to non-accredited investors.
This real estate company had a problem—they were doing too much business. For 15 years they had been doing deals in one of the hottest markets in the country and wanted to expand exponentially. They needed to go digital, but a snappy website and marketing campaign alone wasn’t going to do it.
When the Feds give you an opportunity like this you should take advantage.
When the Feds give you an opportunity like this you should take advantage.
In 2012, the JOBS act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act) was passed, relaxing many of the country’s securities regulations. Before this, real estate investing was only open to accredited individuals and groups. Now with fewer restrictions, non-accredited individuals could invest.
Our client challenged us to optimize their conventional processes, expand their geographic reach and find a way to broaden the investor pool.
We leveraged the “crowdfunding” process and technology to take advantage of the loosened criteria around non-accredited investing. Kickstarter and GoFundMe have set precedents for success in crowdfunding, so we simply applied it to real estate. By exposing the properties through a well-advertised web portal, we were able to increase inventory exponentially. We decided to set ourselves apart from other competitors by offering a lower minimum investment and target non-accredited investors.
When the Feds give you an opportunity like this you should take advantage.
In 2012, the JOBS act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act) was passed, relaxing many of the country’s securities regulations. Before this, real estate investing was only open to accredited individuals and groups. Now with fewer restrictions, non-accredited individuals could invest.
Our client challenged us to optimize their conventional processes, expand their geographic reach and find a way to broaden the investor pool.
We leveraged the “crowdfunding” process and technology to take advantage of the loosened criteria around non-accredited investing. Kickstarter and GoFundMe have set precedents for success in crowdfunding, so we simply applied it to real estate. By exposing the properties through a well-advertised web portal, we were able to increase inventory exponentially. We decided to set ourselves apart from other competitors by offering a lower minimum investment and target non-accredited investors.
While we digitized their conventional business their agents still needed traditional collateral for the road.
Conventional business to digital crowdfund platform.
Creating the name was quite a challenge. Our partner-client wanted a single name, one that sounded familiar and connotes investment. And it had to be a .com. Vesdor phonetically represents the word investor while warming it up a little (like “welcome through our door”). The brand reflects a simple, sophisticated consumer-driven product. Intuitiveness was paramount so the message is deliberate and straightforward and the back-end management hierarchy was reduced to only the necessary steps.
We also kept in mind SEC regulations and worked to cover our client’s legal interests.
Then we built a slick, modern site that acted more like an app than a website. Completely responsive and mobile-friendly, the ad campaign encourages the ability to “invest in real estate from anywhere.”
Through Vesdor, now anyone can invest in real estate.
Conventional business to digital crowdfund platform.
Creating the name was quite a challenge. Our partner-client wanted a single name, one that sounded familiar and connotes investment. And it had to be a .com. Vesdor phonetically represents the word investor while warming it up a little (like “welcome through our door”). The brand reflects a simple, sophisticated consumer-driven product. Intuitiveness was paramount so the message is deliberate and straightforward and the back-end management hierarchy was reduced to only the necessary steps.
We also kept in mind SEC regulations and worked to cover our client’s legal interests.
Then we built a slick, modern site that acted more like an app than a website. Completely responsive and mobile-friendly, the ad campaign encourages the ability to “invest in real estate from anywhere.”
Through Vesdor, now anyone can invest in real estate.
We designed their online investment platform to perform more like an app than a website.
In pursuit of the fantastic
Immersive atmosphere, artisan beer and spirits.
RARE by Grist is an immersive bar concept owned and operated by Grist Brewing Company and located in Lone Tree, Colorado. The craft beer and cocktail bar is a 4,500 square foot, 360 degree experience of Victorian-era steampunk, gothic and fantastical interiors with over 99 handcrafted adult libations that you’d just need to see (or drink?) to believe.
The inspiration behind the concept was twofold: On the business side, Grist Brewing Company had the resources (RARE is one of four locations, all located in the Denver metro-area) and knew they needed to be unique – but not just for uniqueness’ sake. We first defined the local demographic and re-named the location (at the time it was called Grist Lab) in order to differentiate it from Grist’s other holdings and to offer us a launchpad for the premium and unprecedented brand.
RARE would turn into a destination spot, drawing customers (and press) from the surrounding cities and would eventually become a word-of-mouth ma-chine (see the success of Meow Wolf). This was to be achieved by creating a wall-to-wall event exhibiting a cast of original dramatic personas and stories as well as interlacing beloved literary characters and tropes from our own world that would become a visual feast for customers. RARE was also to be-come the vehicle for the company’s immersive drinking experience, inter-twining the transformative taproom and bar environment with mixology drinks and incorporating in-house cocktail recipes and avant-garde, experimental brews crafted just a town over at Grist’s production brewery. RARE invites its guests to literally “drink the story” as their product incorporates into an ongoing tale of mythological proportions seen inside.
Immersive atmosphere, artisan beer and spirits.
RARE by Grist is an immersive bar concept owned and operated by Grist Brewing Company and located in Lone Tree, Colorado. The craft beer and cocktail bar is a 4,500 square foot, 360 degree experience of Victorian-era steampunk, gothic and fantastical interiors with over 99 handcrafted adult libations that you’d just need to see (or drink?) to believe.
The inspiration behind the concept was twofold: On the business side, Grist Brewing Company had the resources (RARE is one of four locations, all located in the Denver metro-area) and knew they needed to be unique – but not just for uniqueness’ sake. We first defined the local demographic and re-named the location (at the time it was called Grist Lab) in order to differentiate it from Grist’s other holdings and to offer us a launchpad for the premium and unprecedented brand.
RARE would turn into a destination spot, drawing customers (and press) from the surrounding cities and would eventually become a word-of-mouth ma-chine (see the success of Meow Wolf). This was to be achieved by creating a wall-to-wall event exhibiting a cast of original dramatic personas and stories as well as interlacing beloved literary characters and tropes from our own world that would become a visual feast for customers. RARE was also to be-come the vehicle for the company’s immersive drinking experience, inter-twining the transformative taproom and bar environment with mixology drinks and incorporating in-house cocktail recipes and avant-garde, experimental brews crafted just a town over at Grist’s production brewery. RARE invites its guests to literally “drink the story” as their product incorporates into an ongoing tale of mythological proportions seen inside.
We renamed each location and created an extraordinary cast of characters for a never-ending narrative the company could use to promote future products and continuously beguile new guests and regulars alike.
Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Colorado anymore.
But as fantastic as the aesthetics are, it’s not the only draw. In a market of options, where every bar, brewery and cocktail lounge are all vying for adulation amongst a population with plenty of choices, we realized the product and service offering also needed to step it up in order to stand out. We worked closely with the brewers, mixologists and upper management to create unique and crafted products and programs that carried the dense and be-witching brand beyond the interiors and visual folklore. The art and even three-dimensional fixtures were designed to immerse customers in a booze-fueled realm as well as to become a point of sales display system promoting the meticulously crafted beer and libations. Even magic needs to be built to be sustainable.
Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Colorado anymore.
But as fantastic as the aesthetics are, it’s not the only draw. In a market of options, where every bar, brewery and cocktail lounge are all vying for adulation amongst a population with plenty of choices, we realized the product and service offering also needed to step it up in order to stand out. We worked closely with the brewers, mixologists and upper management to create unique and crafted products and programs that carried the dense and be-witching brand beyond the interiors and visual folklore. The art and even three-dimensional fixtures were designed to immerse customers in a booze-fueled realm as well as to become a point of sales display system promoting the meticulously crafted beer and libations. Even magic needs to be built to be sustainable.
A sense of timelessness and wonder captured all the senses with curated music playlists, art on every wall, windows tinted in motley colors, smells of smoked old-fashioned cocktails and sweet herbs and clocks displayed throughout the restaurant that all failed to tell accurate time.
How to survive a pandemic by way of hocus pocus.
RARE by Grist debuted mere weeks before the outbreak of Covid 19 in early 2020. The federal government’s strict mandatory lockdowns all but crippled the bar and restaurant industry countrywide; so places needed to get creative with their limited ability to stay in business and make money. We created a series of ads for social media as well as print campaigns in local publications and large format art framed and displayed outside the location, easily seen from the nearby highway exit. The purpose wasn’t solely to generate to-go alcohol sales from the establishment (which did happen) but also to generate curiosity for the business using highly conceptual, wacky and even humorous art advertisements. When the mandates inevitably lifted, RARE would be ready. The campaign ginned up enough interest for the wholly new and completely unique bar concept and RARE quickly doubled its revenue from the pre-Covid days.
How to survive a pandemic by way of hocus pocus.
RARE by Grist debuted mere weeks before the outbreak of Covid 19 in early 2020. The federal government’s strict mandatory lockdowns all but crippled the bar and restaurant industry countrywide; so places needed to get creative with their limited ability to stay in business and make money. We created a series of ads for social media as well as print campaigns in local publications and large format art framed and displayed outside the location, easily seen from the nearby highway exit. The purpose wasn’t solely to generate to-go alcohol sales from the establishment (which did happen) but also to generate curiosity for the business using highly conceptual, wacky and even humorous art advertisements. When the mandates inevitably lifted, RARE would be ready. The campaign ginned up enough interest for the wholly new and completely unique bar concept and RARE quickly doubled its revenue from the pre-Covid days.
Go where others haven’t
Go where others haven’t.
American Fable is an immersive libations venue concept that seeks to transport intrepid drinkers to a booze-fueled realm of magic and immersion.
People are looking for a more rewarding experience when they go out. After the pandemic and now inflation, people really want to have a nice cocktail but they want an elevated experience for their money. The American Fable experience is an immersive beer, wine and spirits conglomerate that borderlines a magic show but is very much a bar – just a bar you’ve never seen before. One of the goals of American Fable is to create multiple themed venues within a single metro area with centralized management and product production to create high-profit margin vehicles for their beer and cocktails. Whether it’s a joint venture, design build project or outright ownership, the common thread in any American Fable venue is the theme, which is unique to each environment but all share a turn-of-the-century vibe and magical, folkloric and often literary atmosphere.
Go where others haven’t.
American Fable is an immersive libations venue concept that seeks to transport intrepid drinkers to a booze-fueled realm of magic and immersion.
People are looking for a more rewarding experience when they go out. After the pandemic and now inflation, people really want to have a nice cocktail but they want an elevated experience for their money. The American Fable experience is an immersive beer, wine and spirits conglomerate that borderlines a magic show but is very much a bar – just a bar you’ve never seen before. One of the goals of American Fable is to create multiple themed venues within a single metro area with centralized management and product production to create high-profit margin vehicles for their beer and cocktails. Whether it’s a joint venture, design build project or outright ownership, the common thread in any American Fable venue is the theme, which is unique to each environment but all share a turn-of-the-century vibe and magical, folkloric and often literary atmosphere.
Through the proverbial looking glass.
American Fable intends to reset what it means to go out by reimagining the traditional bar and restaurant into created, multi-sensory social venues, building a highly valued brand of products and scaling a profitably sustainable portfolio of properties by promoting and selling self-branded (as well as guest) beer, liquor, wine and merchandise.
American Fable venues are designed to be destination spots, drawing crowds from all over and creating value for the surrounding community. While the company-owned storefronts are planned at around 4,500 sq ft, most concepts can be scaled to any size, making them ideal for existing real estate holding looking for a premium tenant. The turnkey bar/restaurant solutions are prime for partnerships such as mixed-used developers, boutique hotels, existing and proposed restaurant and bars and commercial realtors.
Through the proverbial looking glass.
American Fable intends to reset what it means to go out by reimagining the traditional bar and restaurant into created, multi-sensory social venues, building a highly valued brand of products and scaling a profitably sustainable portfolio of properties by promoting and selling self-branded (as well as guest) beer, liquor, wine and merchandise.
American Fable venues are designed to be destination spots, drawing crowds from all over and creating value for the surrounding community. While the company-owned storefronts are planned at around 4,500 sq ft, most concepts can be scaled to any size, making them ideal for existing real estate holding looking for a premium tenant. The turnkey bar/restaurant solutions are prime for partnerships such as mixed-used developers, boutique hotels, existing and proposed restaurant and bars and commercial realtors.
The immersive experience relies heavily on original, surrealistic art and interior features with a rich backstory steeped in deep magic.
Curation is key. From menus to music and sights and smells, all venues share a connecting heredity but are wholly unique experiences; meaning they can coexist in proximity.
Bars and lounges within the American Fable are worlds of colorful characters and characterful brew. They are magical lands of zythophilic heroes, amber-hued deities, malty rogues and hop-powered dirigibles, where anything imaginable can be experienced within its doors — and through the glass of a pint.
So, thirsty traveler, if what you seek is a goblet of vinous sour, a shaker of biscuity ale or a mug of luscious gold, sojourn hither. For within these walls are places of inexplicable adventure and wild sensations of flavor, where we are all in pursuit of the fantastic.
The great Steinbeck penned it well…
There are places in this world where fable, myth, preconception, love, longing or prejudice step in and so distort a cool, clear appraisal that a kind of high colored magical confusion takes permanent hold…
The bee’s knees
Extraordinarily powerful. Utterly intuitive.
This SaaS company from Boulder knew they had a great product. But they wanted to graduate beyond a multi-million dollar software company… they wanted to become a billion dollar software company. We were brought in to create an incrementally scalable, world-class brand with eyes set to the future.
Extraordinarily powerful. Utterly intuitive.
This SaaS company from Boulder knew they had a great product. But they wanted to graduate beyond a multi-million dollar software company… they wanted to become a billion dollar software company. We were brought in to create an incrementally scalable, world-class brand with eyes set to the future.
We deconstructed their old name to give them a contemporary brand for the future of their company. Daily = Diem or Dium so Daily AI became AI Daily… or Aidium.
Big rebrand for big fundraise.
We were hired to rename, rebrand and illustrate what Aidium (formerly Daily AI) had quickly grown into. We also positioned them for a successful series A round of funding. To align the brand with the new mission, we started by putting them through our design thinking process to get to the core of who they were as people, creating a visual identity that coincided with their cultural and strategic brand direction. From our process we were able to initiate phase one, which was to inspire them with a whole new name, logo, website and brand identity that made them want to come to the office every workday – and stay late.
Big rebrand for big fundraise.
We were hired to rename, rebrand and illustrate what Aidium (formerly Daily AI) had quickly grown into. We also positioned them for a successful series A round of funding. To align the brand with the new mission, we started by putting them through our design thinking process to get to the core of who they were as people, creating a visual identity that coincided with their cultural and strategic brand direction. From our process we were able to initiate phase one, which was to inspire them with a whole new name, logo, website and brand identity that made them want to come to the office every workday – and stay late.
Beyond a sellable brand for investors and consumers, the client tasked us with enlivening their employees with inspirational office interiors.
The product is great. They just need to look the part.
Aidium asks one simple question: Why are CRMs in their space so complicated to use? The dominant competitors design on overly complex code, aren’t user-friendly and upcharge to integrate other tools they know their customers need to do their day-to-day tasks. Like most great products, Aidium set out to create simplicity; a powerful, elegant customer relationship management platform their clients could use to grow their businesses without having to deal with disparate and often redundant SaaS tools.
Founded by developers, adopted by high revenue performers and designed to be used by anyone, Aidium builds CRM software solutions for the mortgage lending industry. Believing the digitization revolution is their calling, their goal is to automate laborious tasks and simplify processes in order to improve work-life balance. Their mission is to perpetually evolve the digital experience by offering features to their customers before they even know they are needed.
The product is great. They just need to look the part.
Aidium asks one simple question: Why are CRMs in their space so complicated to use? The dominant competitors design on overly complex code, aren’t user-friendly and upcharge to integrate other tools they know their customers need to do their day-to-day tasks. Like most great products, Aidium set out to create simplicity; a powerful, elegant customer relationship management platform their clients could use to grow their businesses without having to deal with disparate and often redundant SaaS tools.
Founded by developers, adopted by high revenue performers and designed to be used by anyone, Aidium builds CRM software solutions for the mortgage lending industry. Believing the digitization revolution is their calling, their goal is to automate laborious tasks and simplify processes in order to improve work-life balance. Their mission is to perpetually evolve the digital experience by offering features to their customers before they even know they are needed.
In an industry rife with technical jargon, our messaging illustrates outcomes rather than features, allowing them to dream big.
As a SaaS company, their digital presence needed to be as beautiful and intuitive as their software products.
They became the belle of the ball with their new brand at industry trade shows and conferences.
