To an outsider, marketing can seem like a straightforward task: bring your brand ethos to life and get the word out to relevant people. Of course, we know that this is far from simple in practice, with complex challenges at every stage and with every...
Recently I attended the Connect conference at the Cucalorus film festival in Wilmington, NC. It was a week filled with amazing films from filmmakers around the world put on by some of the most talented people in Wilmington. Cucalorus never disappoints with its daring films and...
I recently attended Cucalorus Connect, a technology and innovation conference and one of the three main components of the Cucalorus Festival held in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. One of the breakout sessions called “Hustle in Comfort: Building Amazing Teams” was led by Dory Weiss and Mike...
One of the most important things to us is knowing our clients' businesses like the back of our hand. Going beyond just reading product spec sheets, brand books and other onboarding documents. We take the time and make the effort to soak up everything we...
Have you ever thought it would be cool to predict the future? Yeah, us too. Though we’re not going full crystal ball and tarot cards, we’ve got some pretty important insight into the future. No, we’re not going to tell you who you’re going to...
This Fall is comin’ in hot. Taylor Swift debuted a new song and music video that’s breaking records (duh) and throwing shade at Kimye (double duh). The kids are back in school. And the Game of Thrones finale still has us picking our jaws up...
It’s been six years since I started working in the outdoor industry and, like many, that’s six years of attending both Winter and Summer OR Shows. But in all that time, this is the first opportunity I’ve had to attend The OutDoor Show in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The...
Just last week the GoPro Mountain Games took over Vail, CO and man, it was hot, but it was a blast. I could tell you a lot about the event… but to keep this blog post focused on marketing, let’s head to Gear Town. Here’s...
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? For some people, including myself, it would be the ability to fly. To get that bird’s eye view, that distinctive angle that so many photographers and filmmakers seek to find. A little over 5 years...
Grand openings are exciting news for communities and retailers alike. With decades of experience planning and executing retail grand openings, we embrace the opportunity to introduce a new location into a market. However, once the grand opening is complete, the work has just begun. For most...
Feminism. The advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. Millions of women around the world stood together on Saturday, January 21 for The Women’s March on Washington in order to support this one word and everything it represents. One word....
Blair Wheeler is our Outdoor Marketing Specialist and social media influencer. With more than 20K followers on Instagram, Blair has worked with brands like Hurley to make a huge difference in the outdoor space. Check out our interview with Blair to find out more! 1. How...
This post was written by InSites guest blogger, Meg Hadzinsky, a senior at Cleveland State University. I ascended the steps to Sweeney Marketing and Public Relations in Rocky River, Ohio to interview the firm’s founder and CEO Jim Sweeney, an industry thought leader who pleasantly surprised...
We are still celebrating our Bulldog Media Relations award for our work with Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores – and wanted to unveil a few of our campaign secrets. Last summer, Jo-Ann challenged us to develop and implement a strategy to secure local market TV news...
Born in Bodrum, Turkey, Karsu moved to the United States when she was three years old. She has always had a passion for film. As a young child, she would constantly be filming her surroundings with her family’s camcorder. As a middle school student, she joined...
If you want to really make an impact with your next marketing and public relations campaign, one of the first things you should do is put time and thought into quality messaging for your brand. Strong messaging, is an essential building block for campaigns and...
It’s that time of year again - the South by Southwest Interactive! Part music/film festival, part tradeshow, this conference has increasingly become the platform for not only the latest in technology, but the latest in marketing. Here are four need-to-know takeaways: The race for virtual reality. VR...
Chances are if you have never worked in Marketing/PR or on the media side before, it’s not easy to understand how much time, energy and thought goes into getting media coverage. It’s almost as though getting great coverage is like magic. You ask for it...
When securing media coverage, there are a variety of ways to go about getting the perfect coverage. Here are four considerations to keep in mind next time you are working with media to create great editorial opportunities. Seize the opportunity. Pay attention to what is going...
In an era of decreasing attention spans, it is important to capture a video viewer’s attention before they simply flick their thumb and scroll past your post. Social videos can be an extremely effective tactic for brands that want to produce low-cost, high- traffic ads...
For many corporations the whole year culminates with a large holiday marketing and media relations campaign. The end of the year is the perfect time to sit back and reflect on the hard work and success that was put into holiday campaigns that took countless...
We're at GreenBiz's VERGE 2015 this week, where there have been some great conversations about accelerating sustainability solutions in an interconnected world. From smart cities , to next-gen buildings, connected transportation and food and ag tech, the debates and discussions between companies, organizations and people leading...
Managing Instagram can be a challenge for marketers – the platform has limited desktop tools and doesn’t allow its API to be accessed by third party platforms. This prevents scheduling posts ahead of time and makes managing engagement a little tricky. Plus, it’s difficult to...
As a former television news producer I can say that there is a very fine line between public relations professionals being persistent and being annoying. Plus, let’s face it, as PR professionals it doesn’t exactly make your day when you make media follow up calls...
I was recently asked by a marketing executive how it feels to work in a marketing and public relations agency where you do not need to defend your job and work everyday. To put this in perspective, we were discussing the need in corporate marketing...
You may have seen my post last week - Outdoor Retailer Guerrilla Marketing Success - so the fact that I'm writing a second post this week about the trade show means I'm still obsessed...
I've attended Outdoor Retailer just about every 6 months for going on 5 years now. So I'm no stranger to the big product demonstrations, the volumes of beer-thirty parties and other booth traffic-driving strategies. But sometimes, it's the little things that catch the eye...
With so much buzz about maximizing the ROI for marketing and public relations, it’s no wonder a top question of clients is how do we show the measurable results of our work. To effectively present your successful results, here are a few tips: Determine the type of...
I was fortunate enough to attend the GoPro Mountain Games last week in Vail Village. For those who didn't attend, it is definitely something you should try and do at least once in your lifetime! Between the events, concerts and vendors. Oh, and it's in...
Too often we see clients jumping right into tactics. Let’s create a video. Let’s send out a news release. Let’s create an Instagram page. Spending time strategizing provides a chance to document the situation, document your goals/expectations, document the target audiences and more. Plus, it will...
After you cut through the clutter to get noticed and secure deskside media meetings, the first reaction is often, now what? Don’t worry, you are about one-third of the way to a having a successful deskside media experience. The next step is to coordinate the meetings....
We know trade shows can be an expensive operation. Between the booth space, travel and manning the booth with the right amount of experts and sales people, having an efficient and effective trade show marketing strategy is important to deliver the best ROI. Having just returned...
The ever-changing media industry has made deskside meetings more and more difficult to secure. But in-person meetings can be invaluable. Sweeney recently conducted deskside meetings in New York City with more than a dozen editors and editorial assistants at key consumer publications, including: Real Simple,...
We've worked in the lighting industry for the past 7 years, so LIGHTFAIR International (LFI) is a trade show we frequent. It's always fun to see how companies continue to make the show more entertaining for trade show attendees. After working media appointments at our client's...
College students have heard time and time again that real-world experience is invaluable, especially in the public relations and marketing fields. And it’s true, so once you finally land an internship (congratulations!) then what? Here’s one intern’s advice on what you can do to make the most...
It's an understatement to say many were impacted due to the earthquake in Nepal. With more than 5,000 deaths reported, and destruction beyond belief - Nepal needs our help. And it doesn't matter how you help, how much or what you contribute - even 50...
When you go camping, it is typical to bring the same equipment and to “set up camp” in a way that looks pretty similar no matter where you go camping. Each camping trip is different but has the same fundamental similarities. It’s like good branding;...
One of the first questions we typically always ask our clients is: who is your target audience? If you are not sure who your company’s target audience is, rest assured, you’re not alone! That’s one of the best parts about incorporating strategy into marketing and...
Today, Pew Research Center published its findings on U.S. teen's use of social media (ages 13-17) based on a survey that was conducted beginning Fall 2014 and ending just this past month. While this research covers the landscape of technology use in regards to what teens...
It’s easy to assume your brand message is exactly what consumers want to know during a pitch. But that’s not always the case! A window salesperson came to my house yesterday to sell me what he referred to as the best premium windows on the market....
Yesterday, we read this NY Times article - Biggest Advertisers Are Sending Their Dollars to Digital - and it sparked some debate in the office. I highly respect the NY Times and its journalistic standards, but this article wreaks of inconsistencies and lack of clarity...
Your tweets just got a little louder. Earlier this month, Twitter announced a partnership with Google, granting the search engine giant full access to user’s tweets. Starting in June 2015, tweets will appear in Google search results real-time. With an average of 6,000 tweets posted per...
Have you ever wondered why some people constantly post personal information on social media while others are very careful about the type of information they post? Being a naturally curious person, I was compelled to learn why some individuals are cautious while some are not...
If you're in the fitness industry – or any industry for that matter – you know the impact that technology continues to have on literally everything. From a product perspective – how they are designed and developed to how they're used...
With more than 1.35 billion users on Facebook globally, it’s no wonder marketers have used Facebook as an influential way to reach consumers. In the past, a significant number of a brand’s Facebook fans would consistently (and constantly) receive content without the company shelling out...
This past week I had the privilege of speaking with UNCW students on a panel of local media contacts and other public relations professionals - and boy did we have a packed house!! The panel session - Media Relations: It's Complicated - aimed to encourage discussion...
As a marketing agency that works in the building space, we have attended a number of Greenbuild tradeshows – but none that have had the hype and vigor of this year’s set in The Big Easy. While selecting New Orleans as the venue at the end...
I'm a sucker for the outdoors. Photos of any beach, mountain, forest, trail, whatever, always make me want to double-double tap on Instagram (really, they should allow you to double-like something for extra emphasis...
When introducing your brand to media, securing desk side media meetings can be extremely helpful for building relationships. Meeting media face-to-face not only allows you to capture the media’s direct attention, but also puts a face to your name to help make a more...
Facebook likes to constantly remind us that social media is always evolving. One of its most recent changes is big news for brands that use contests/promotions to garner Page Likes (as opposed to Post Likes). According to the Facebook Developer Blog, the days of “Like to...
The Outdoor Retailer Summer Market is hands down one of our favorite trade shows of the year. It brings together the most passionate outdoor enthusiasts to showcase and talk about the latest innovations. While we're at the show to meet with media and launch promotional activities...
The phrase “but first, let me take a selfie” has a whole new meaning. Snapchat is steadily becoming a marketer’s dream for increasing brand awareness and direct marketing. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the app, Snapchat allows users to capture and send...
If you haven’t already, it’s time to changeover your Facebook brand/company pages to the new layout. Beginning June 13, all pages will automatically change to the new layout. The changes are not drastic, but do require some tweaking here and there to make sure the...
Kaleigh May, a bright and promising senior from Rocky River High School, invested several weeks of her time over the past year shadowing agency personnel to learn about the world of marketing and public relations. We are grateful to the counselors at RRHS (most especially...
Last week we headed to Raleigh for NCPRSA’s InSpire Awards, where Sweeney was not only honored with an Award of Excellence for our Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores Magic with Fabric and Trim campaign, but also an overall win for the Bronze Social Media category. Working...
We recently had a few laughs with a client about social media - "It's got to be easy if a 5 year old can do it!" - was the gist of the conversation. While we all know there is much more to social media marketing that...
Last week we had the honor of winning a 2014 Digiday Retail Award emphasizing Sweeney as one of the best and brightest in digital marketing. Our campaign was a finalist under the category Best Digital Brand Marketing Campaign. Working with Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, we...
I know, it's a bold claim. But I'm 99% sure it's true. Warby Parker offered me the best shopping experience I have ever had when purchasing something online. "Why", you ask? Let me explain. I needed a new pair of prescription glasses and didn't want to...
Brands who use Instagram as a marketing tool should assess brand identity on the platform when creating an Instagram strategy. Just as you would think of visual criteria for ads, brochures and other marketing collateral, Instagram is a another form of visual representation of your...
In the spirit of the holidays, we wanted to recap some fun, festive ways brands are celebrating the season. 1. Believe Campaign: Create Your Letter: Macy's Believe campaign is providing a fun way to compose your letter to Santa! Check out its interactive list making website...
We kicked off our tour of the Greenbuild 2013 show today and the expo hall was buzzing - and bumping very loud club music at 9 a.m. It's always fun to wake up to Biggie in the morning. As an agency that works to support brands...
During the month of October, we are taking a look at social media services and breaking down their key attributes to introduce you to some of the latest players in the game. Click to learn more about the Investigating Social Media Services series. While Vine is...
During the month of October, we are taking a look at social media services and breaking down their key attributes to introduce you to some of the latest players in the game. Click to learn more about the Investigating Social Media Services series. Kickstarter is a...
During the month of October, we are taking a look at social media services and breaking down their key attributes to introduce you to some of the latest players in the game. Click to learn more about the Investigating Social Media Services series. SDL SM2, formerly...
During the month of October, we are taking a look at social media services and breaking down their key attributes to introduce you to some of the latest players in the game. Click to learn more about the Investigating Social Media Services series. We recently stumbled...
During the month of October, we are taking a look at social media services and breaking down their key attributes to introduce you to some of the latest players in the game. Click to learn more about the Investigating Social Media Services series. You may be...
Everyday we receive email after email about services that help you reach your social media followers. From running contests and promotions to monitoring conversations to a service for "this, that and the other"...
There are lots of important considerations when pitching TV media. However, knowing who in the newsroom to pitch is critical. If you have a great pitch and it lands in the wrong person's inbox, your time was not well spent. Here are the key people...
It's no surprise that there was a social media frenzy yesterday about 9/11. While the majority of social media users were posting in memoriam, there was ample chatter about posts that were construed as offensive or distasteful. What do you think? 1. AT&T If you haven't...
As exeQnAtion readers and leaders in marketing, join us for the following Pinterest party to learn some new, fun and exciting ways you can leverage Pinterest! Join Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, HGTV, special guest Tiffany Brooks and four leading bloggers for an online Pinterest party...
Sometimes the marketplace can get so crowded that it becomes a marketing screaming match amongst competitors. You see your competitor has what appears to be the whole kit & caboodle, so you match their marketing strategies and raise them five more...
Many brands use sentiment monitoring as a tool to see "who" is saying "what" about their brand, products and/or services. It can be very beneficial, but also tedious and costly. Before purchasing a sentiment monitoring tool, take a minute and determine what you would do with...
There are many components to keep in mind these days in regards to website design - and many that are always changing with the evolution of technology. From tablets to computers to cell phones, the web is viewed on a variety of devices that have...
In March of 2013, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released the first update to the .com Disclosures guide, which illustrates how to make effective disclosures in digital advertising. 1. The FTC requires disclosure and truthfulness in social media. This applies to traditional online advertising (e.g....
Want to give social media marketing a chance, but feel like you don't have the time? The truth is there are a bazillion social media platforms out there...
Sometimes brands need a new look, style or refresh from an outdated trend. Other times, they need the works - an entire facelift. More and more, brands are relying on simplicity and cleanliness to keep identities timeless - eliminating the need for those dramatic facelifts...
Starting today, your Google+ is getting a makeover. Ever since its inception, Google+ has fought hard to catapult its popularity (190 million active users) beyond Facebook (1 billion active users) and Twitter (300 million active users) - and has yet to do so. Google is...
Tradeshows are a great way to cultivate relationships with media. While many companies focus on customer relationships (as they should), it is also a chance to spread the word about the latest and greatest products and/or services, and position the company in the industry. How?...
LinkedIn is a valuable social media tool for many businesses and is often overlooked as just a resume/job-seeking platform. While it is certainly beneficial for those uses, it can also serve as a tool for marketing your experts and ultimately your company. There is a...
Do you use Pinterest for your business? Just recently, Pinterest updated its design and created a new analytics platform to help businesses better understand their pinners and help users discover and explore even more. Pinterest Design Update Pinterest has always been touted for its exceptional user platform....
With social media continuously evolving, so are monitoring platforms. Want to hear the chatter about your brand on Instagram? Check out some of these Instagram monitoring tools that can help. Hootsuite: Many of you are already using Hootsuite to monitor and schedule posts for Facebook, Twitter...
Last week I was watching an episode of Gator Boys (don’t judge) with a 7 year old and a 5 year old (that’s why you don’t judge). I only expected to see lots of chomping close-encounters, but there was another message in this particular episode....
According to the National Retail Federation, consumers will spend an average of $130.97 per person this year on candy, cards, gifts and more – a total of $18.6 billion. Despite what you hear about Valentine’s Day boycotts and those saying it’s a Hallmark holiday, it’s...
Want to see what’s going on with your brand or company on the web? How about your competitors? While there are many monitoring systems out there that cost a pretty penny, there are also several free ways you can monitor your industry, company, campaigns, products,...
How do you spread the word that your product or service really does work? Case studies. While there are many strategies to get the word out about your successful products/services, case studies can be one of the most valuable in terms of solid proof your product/service...
As humans, we often move too fast and do not give ourselves time to really think about "what we are doing" and "why" with our marketing strategies. As marketers, it is imperative to slow down and reflect. Taking that time to assess marketing efforts ensures...
If you have never won something in your entire life… now is the time to try. In the midst of the holiday season, there are contests all over social media – and with good prizes! We have many clients ask about social media contests and...
A couple of months ago I wrote a blog post about the resurrection of Myspace…and this morning I got an invitation to test it out. After poking around, it is certainly much more functional than the old Myspace, but I am sure forward-thinking Myspace does not...
Let’s face it. Not all products and services are going to be 100% perfect 24/7 and not everyone is going to be 100% satisfied. More and more consumers are turning to social media with their questions, complaints and concerns, despite customer service phone lines, Q&A,...
Conducting a Facebook contest is a fun way to engage followers, attract new followers and liven up a Facebook page. But, you cannot just expect the contest to run itself. It is important to have a strategy to help make the contest a success. Following are...
Everyone is talking about the presidential election – and rightly so – but this year, things (let's call them presidential-isms) have seemed to “go viral” faster than ever. After Republican candidate Mitt Romney referred to “binders full of women” during the second presidential debate, within seconds...
When researching blogs for blogger relations campaigns, we often find that bloggers have reviewed a competitor's product. In our experience, bloggers review each product based on its own merits. Within a product review, we have not seen a blogger refer back to a previous review...
Last week music artist Jay-Z launched his new YouTube channel, Life + Times, with a live stream of his final sold-out concert at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The channel will feature original video content including the Brooklyn Nets docu-series “The Road to Brooklyn,” a...
If you are like me, you haven’t looked at your Myspace profile in almost a decade. Just last week we were joking about reinstating Myspace as a social media giant through an underground movement. Myspace must have heard us joking because…they are “bringing sexy back”...
In 2012, many new social media platforms emerged – some more successful than others – and social media will continue to evolve in 2013. One social media platform that continues to grow steadily is Pinterest – which saw a growth of 4377% between May 2011...
Is Discovery Channel the most successful event planner of all time? After all, they did manage to coordinate millions of ‘Shark-themed’ parties (including my own) across the U.S., and the party is still going. We are 4 days in to Discovery Channel’s Shark Week… and...
Inundated with media kits, phone calls and too many choices for your ad dollars? Take a deep breath. Allocating your advertising dollars is not about applying some mathematical formula. It’s about your overall goals for your ad campaign, what you want to accomplish with your...
Whether you are a brand or an individual, Twitter can be the death of your reputation. While Twitter is a place for sharing opinions, news, feelings, etc., it takes just one errant tweet to send your social world into a rumble. Take for example Voula Papachristou,...
Blogging is a long-term, committed relationship, not a date. In order to create a successful blog, you need to give yourself to your readers, and keep giving them reasons to come back. Following are some high-level considerations to make before launching your blog. User-Friendly Blog Design Design your...
As public relations and marketing professionals, we write a lot… and that is an understatement. No matter what we write, we make sure to follow writing processes to help us develop creative, compelling copy that reaches our target audience effectively. These processes may be different...
After months of talking about launching a campaign, a client recently called to inform us they were in a rush to get the first key elements of the campaign running. They wondered how quickly we could get things done, since the finish line wasn't far...
We were recently asked how to keep marketing or promotional emails out of spam filters. While there is no easy or full-proof solution, there are several key considerations when crafting messaging and format. Here are some things to avoid: Phrases such as “Click Here” or those with...
While sitting at a local restaurant watching game 3 of the Stanley Cup on Monday night – NJ Devils vs. LA Kings, if you haven’t been in the loop – I heard from table to table, “Because it’s the cup.” I’ll have another beer, because...
You have decided to pursue an advertising strategy. You are ready to get creative, perhaps even design an award winning campaign. Wait a minute; hold your horses. Developing your goals, messaging (what you want to communicate about your brand/product) and target audience are all key considerations...
What does it all mean? Twitter lingo is important for marketers to learn in order to engage effectively on the social media platform. To begin demystifying the terminology, following are explanations about the lingo that has evolved since the birth of Twitter, as well as...
Instagram has rocked the social media world the past few weeks – first for the much anticipated release of a version for the Android™ mobile technology platform, and secondly, Facebook’s billion dollar purchase of Instagram. A free photo sharing application for use on DROID or iPhone...
If you were scrambling to update your brand or business’ Facebook Page on March 30, you were not alone. The mandatory switch to Facebook’s Timeline format undoubtedly left many pages looking choppy and unorganized. For social media marketers, there are many things to consider about...
Email after email, phone call after phone call and still no response. Now, more than ever, media are inundated with press releases and pitches. How are PR professionals supposed to break through the chatter? While traditional media relations strategies are still important and useful, Twitter has...
