We all know branding and marketing is important for the growth and success of a business, no matter the industry. But it seems the more digitized we are the more convoluted the activity of “marketing” gets. Jostling for eyeball space has become ever so laborious. So should you be doing your own branding, design and advertising? Whether it’s difficult or not isn’t the point as much as the effort (and time) it takes to get results. And how good is your content and strategy? Chances are a company isn’t the best at what they do and also just happens to have an incredible creative design acumen as well.

So the critical decision that businesses often grapple with is whether to handle their marketing efforts in-house or to enlist the expertise of a professional branding agency. Both approaches have their merits. Here’s why hiring a marketing agency can offer a strategic advantage.

Expertise: You do what you do — let the pros handle the rest.

Marketing agencies are home to a diverse team of professionals with specialized skills across various facets of marketing, including digital marketing, content creation, SEO, social media management, etc. By outsourcing marketing to an agency, companies can tap into a wealth of expertise that may be challenging to assemble in an in-house team. Agencies stay abreast of industry trends, ensuring that their strategies are cutting-edge and aligned with market demands.

Cost: Agencies aren’t as expensive, you say?

Contrary to popular belief, hiring a marketing agency can often be more cost-effective than maintaining an in-house team. Building an internal marketing department involves recruiting, training and providing ongoing professional development — not to mention the costs associated with salaries, benefits and office space. Agencies operate on a fee-for-service model, allowing businesses to scale their marketing efforts up or down based on their needs without the long-term financial commitments associated with full-time staff.

Agility: At scale!

Marketing needs can vary over time, especially for growing businesses. Marketing agencies offer a high degree of flexibility and scalability, allowing companies to adapt to changing circumstances seamlessly. Whether launching a new product, entering a new market or adjusting to shifts in consumer behavior, agencies can swiftly adjust their strategies to align with the evolving needs of the business.

Objectivity: A fresh set of eyes

Internal teams may become entrenched in the company culture, potentially leading to a lack of objectivity. Marketing agencies bring an outsider’s perspective, offering fresh and unbiased insights. This external viewpoint can be invaluable in identifying untapped opportunities, addressing weaknesses, and crafting innovative strategies that may not be apparent to those deeply ingrained in the day-to-day operations of the business.

Sure, there are benefits to having an in-house marketing team, but the strategic advantages of hiring a marketing agency are hard to ignore. From access to specialized expertise and cost-effectiveness to flexibility and fresh perspectives, outsourcing marketing to an agency can be a game-changer for companies seeking to enhance their brand presence, reach wider audiences and achieve sustainable growth in today’s dynamic business environment.

We are honored to receive a prestigious (and back-to-back) Graphis award for advertising. Graphis Inc. is an international publisher headquartered in New York City, holding annual awards for the world’s best in visual communications. Earlier this year we won for their 2024 poster award category, and we’re excited to say we’ve now received an award in the advertising campaign series category.

The Client

The series we created is for FACE by MD, an aesthetic facial and body rejuvenation center founded by medical professionals rather than plastic surgeons, a differentiator we utilized during the brand development, interior design and marketing campaigns for the client.

The Ads

The ad series was used in various media channels. Naturally, we developed for multiple ongoing digital applications like social media, websites and digital ad placement. Additionally, for this retail client we wanted to take advantage of conventional advertising avenues. We love an opportunity to engage audiences with physical advertising, featuring full-page publications, retail displays and bus ads coupled with unconventional and captivating brand collateral.

Look up articles on AI in creative circles — the results would be an overwhelming amount of commentary bemoaning the existence of AI and warning the end is nigh for human-made creativity (how broad). Every generation has its personalized apocalypse and yet, here we all stand. While there are indeed issues that always, inevitably, arise from nascent technologies, there are also opportunities that come along with it, hence how and why these technologies came into being in the first place; the human condition of “because we can.” And if we can we do.

What opportunities does AI present creatives, more specifically in the branding, marketing, advertising, graphic design fields? Where many would decry that AI will take gigs away from creatives, we argue it has and will create more prospects for people.

Efficiency isn’t a word we typically think of when we consider art and creativity. However, when designing visual strategies in the real-world, tinkering with campaigns and product ideas, it has become immensely inspirational due to fast-product efficiencies in the design process.

For us designers AI is yet another tool, albeit a sophisticated one that can really churn up creativity and inspire new directions in product design and conceptual imagery. Our use of AI applications have been remarkably helpful in many of our projects and processes in the last year. Image generators (we’ve used a few) have helped us, quickly, explore creative routes when presenting concepts to clients. We, of course, present visually. How cool it is to be able to generate ideas that came from your own brain, quickly, that can articulate to the client what can be.

And sell it.

Once clients are engaged we begin building the idea and, way more often than not, employ vendors to compliment the campaign, prototype, what have you. These contractors are often 3D animators, videographers or other producers who likely wouldn’t have been engaged if we didn’t use our AI tool to woo the client on the idea. Quickly. Efficiently.

The Creative Catalyst

AI image generators have fundamentally altered the way designers like us approach creativity. They are powered by advanced deep learning algorithms that have been trained on vast datasets, enabling them to generate high-quality visuals that rival the work of human designers. Here’s how AI image generators have become a creative catalyst in some of our work:

Amplifying Imagination:

AI image generators serve as a wellspring of inspiration. They can take a simple concept or idea and transform it into a visually stunning reality. Whether we’re brainstorming ideas for an ad campaign or visualizing a product prototype, AI has helped us explore creative possibilities we might have missed otherwise.

Rapid Ideation and Exploration:

The speed at which AI image generators operate is a game-changer. In the past, developing multiple design concepts was a time-consuming process. Now, we can generate a variety of design options in a matter of minutes, allowing us to explore different directions and refine our vision quickly.

Bridge concepts inspired by AI image generators for use in real-world design applications.

Data-Driven Design:

AI image generators can analyze data and generate visuals tailored to specific audiences or demographics. This data-driven approach helps us create designs that resonate with target consumers, ultimately leading to more effective ad campaigns and product prototypes.

Customization and Brand Consistency:

One of the remarkable features of AI image generators is their flexibility. We can input brand-specific guidelines, color schemes and design principles to ensure the generated visuals align perfectly with a client’s brand identity. This level of customization guarantees brand consistency across all marketing materials.

Time and Cost Efficiency:

Designing from scratch is time-consuming and expensive. AI image generators allow us to create stunning visuals without the need for a large team or extensive resources. This cost-effectiveness frees up budgets for other crucial aspects of advertising campaigns.

Real-World Applications

We’ve had the privilege of using AI image generators in various projects, leading to remarkable results for our clients.

Conceptualizing Ad Campaigns:

When brainstorming concepts for ad campaigns, AI image generators help us visualize how different creative elements will come together. This aids in presenting compelling visual pitches to clients, increasing the likelihood of approval and collaboration.

Product prototyping and design for entering new markets.

Product Prototyping:

AI image generators play a pivotal role in bringing product prototypes to life. Whether it’s creating 3D renders, packaging designs or mock-ups, AI-powered visuals enhance the presentation of prospective products to clients and stakeholders.

Personalization in Advertising:

AI-driven personalization has become a trend in advertising. We’ve used AI image generators to craft personalized visuals for campaigns. This approach resonates with consumers, resulting in increased engagement and conversions.

The use of AI image generators has added to (and in some ways transformed) our creative process, injecting a new level of efficiency and innovation into bringing clients along and frankly has helped with getting things approved and implemented. These powerful tools have expanded our creative horizons, enabling us to explore, iterate, muck about and produce visuals that captivate audiences. As the technology continues to evolve, designers can anticipate even more exciting applications of AI image generators in shaping the future of design and advertising. Embracing these tools allow us to elevate our craft, delight clients, broaden the work landscape to include other producers heretofore not on the budget sheet and deliver impactful campaigns and product prototypes that leave a lasting impression.

A lot of people think it’s hard to measure a company’s brand. That’s because it often is. It’s easy to proclaim the immense value of brands like Coca-Cola, Apple, Nike. These companies have become synonymous with the term “brand” even to those not in the realm of branding and advertising. What’s difficult is evaluating the brand value of all the bajillion other companies that aren’t immediately recognized by a French fry flinging clown or an encircled three-point star emblem that makes you smell fresh luxury leather at the sight of it.

What is brand value?

Brand value is a term used in marketing and business to measure and assess the intangible worth or value of a brand. It is also referred to as brand equity. Brand value represents the financial and non-financial worth that a brand adds to a company’s products or services. Various factors make up the abstract equation that sums up brand value, the result not just of design elements and ad spends but things like perception, retention and feelings. All these things are a part of brand value and the resulting solutions can significantly impact a company’s profitability and success — long or short-term.

Some key components are:

Brand Awareness:

The level of recognition and awareness that consumers have about a brand. High brand awareness often leads to higher brand value.

Brand Loyalty:

The degree of customer loyalty and attachment to a brand. Strong brand loyalty can lead to repeat business and long-term customer relationships.

Perceived Value:

The perception of the quality and reliability of a brand’s products or services. A positive perception can enhance brand value.

Associations:

The mental and emotional associations that consumers have with a brand. This can include the brand’s image, reputation and values.

Differentiation:

The extent to which a brand stands out from its competitors and offers something unique or distinct. Strong differentiation can lead to higher brand value.

Consistency:

How well a brand maintains a consistent identity and messaging across all touch points, including advertising, packaging and customer interactions.

Brand Extensions:

The successful introduction of new products or services under the same brand name. Effective brand extensions can strengthen brand value.

Marketing and Advertising Efforts:

The investments made in marketing, advertising and promotional activities to build and maintain the brand’s image and reputation.

Customer Experience:

The overall experience customers have when interacting with the brand, including customer service, online presence and in-store experiences.

Financial Performance:

The financial impact of the brand on the company’s revenues and profits. A strong brand can command premium prices and generate higher margins.

Measuring brand value can be challenging and may involve both qualitative and quantitative methods, such as brand valuation models, consumer surveys and financial analysis. There are several methods and approaches that businesses and organizations use to measure brand value. Here are some commonly used methods:

Brand Valuation Models:

These models assign a financial value to a brand by estimating the potential future earnings attributable to the brand. The most widely used brand valuation model is the Interbrand’s Brand Valuation method. It considers factors like brand strength, brand loyalty and financial performance to calculate brand value. Other brand valuation models include the Brand Finance method and the Millward Brown method.

Customer Surveys and Market Research:

Qualitative data can be collected through customer surveys and market research to assess brand perceptions, customer loyalty and other brand-related factors. This data can help gauge the strength and value of a brand from a consumer perspective.

Financial Analysis:

Brand value can also be assessed by examining financial data such as revenue and profit margins associated with the brand. The Royalty Relief Method is one financial approach that estimates how much a company would have to pay to license its own brand if it were a separate entity.

Brand Equity Models:

Brand equity models like the Aaker Model and the Keller Brand Equity Model provide frameworks for assessing brand value. They consider dimensions such as brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality and brand loyalty.

Market Capitalization:

For publicly traded companies the difference between a company’s market capitalization and its tangible assets can be considered as the value attributed to intangible assets like the brand.

Competitive Benchmarking:

Comparing a brand’s performance and financial metrics to those of its competitors can provide insights into its relative brand value within the industry.

Social Media and Online Analytics:

Monitoring brand mentions, engagement and sentiment on social media and online platforms can offer real-time insights into brand health and value.

Brand Metrics:

Track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to brand performance, such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), brand awareness, customer retention rates and customer lifetime value.

Brand Audit:

Conduct a comprehensive brand audit to evaluate brand elements like logos, slogans, packaging and messaging for consistency and effectiveness.

Brand Licensing and Partnership Deals:

The value of brand licensing deals or partnerships can provide insights into the perceived value of the brand in the eyes of other businesses.

Let’s do some maths, but with feeling.

It’s important to note that brand value is a dynamic metric that can change over time due to various factors including market conditions, consumer perceptions and competitive pressures. Therefore, it’s advisable to use a combination of these methods to gain a holistic understanding of brand value. And it’s important to also not lose trust in your gut, your intuition. Because at the end of the day brand, while sometimes a measurable science, is also both psychology and a form of art, and art uses abstractions and subtleties to motivate, bemuse, terrify or otherwise emotionally move its audience. And one cannot always succinctly commoditize inspiration.

We are not only pleased but also rather excited to announcement we recently received a Graphis Inc. award for their 2024 Poster Competition. Graphis holds design competitions in various categories every year since basically forever. Major movie and television networks, international caused-based organizations, musical artists and giant brands are the typical contenders. Our contribution this year was for a local business.

The poster series was to promote the opening of a new bistro pub in Denver. We created an immersive narrative for the client for an interesting company story (literally) and customer engagement. The ad series depicts what we call the Three Witches of Taste, representing the various forms of cocktails and what they do for the palate and the mind through stages of inebriation.

Why is a raven like a writing-desk?

The character in the DRINK poster is Edith Liddell (younger sister to Alice from Lewis Carroll’s famous Wonderland). She represents mischief and temptation, having had bewitched the rabbit to coax Alice down the hole in the first place. She’s an instigator, seducer, a temptress — the prototypical party girl.

Il était une fois.

In the DRANK poster we see Laidronette from the French fairy tale Le Serpentin Vert (The Green Serpent or The Green Dragon). She serves as the embodiment of taste and sophistication. All the different alcohols used to make the various high end beer and liquors are guided by her magic — the fairy godmother of manners and savoring brewed, fermented, distilled and vinous nectars.

Second star to the right and straight on ’til morning.

The DRUNK poster shows Wendy the Wendigo. Wendy Darling (after her adventures in Neverland) became a bit of a gourmand, relishing booze in search of a lost nostalgia. She represents escapism, intoxication, excess, the voraciousness of overindulgence and spiritous greed.