Archimedia Studios

Greatest Steve Jobs Marketing Moment

Few can argue the genius of Apple’s Steve Jobs. His passion, creativity and innovations will endure for generations. Through the years he has consistently demonstrated an “Outside the Box” approach to marketing which included; Opening Apple Stores, iTunes, digital storefronts (the App Store), to name just a few. However,  the “Think Different” campaign in our opinion was simply marketing and advertising tactical  brilliance.

Believe it or not, people once saw Apple as a washed-up relic of tech’s olden days, if they thought of the company at all. The dramatic Think Different campaign changed that forever. Its simple tribute to “the crazy ones” and footage of iconic celebrities, artists, and historical figures reminded the world Apple was here to stay while suggesting that, just maybe, a computer could be more than yet another box on your cubicle desk.

Do not do this!

Ok, well we thought we have seen and heard it all in job interviews but  kids, here are  some of the absolute “do not do’s” on an interview. You might say after reading these, “no one would ever be that stupid”……well afraid so. Schools probably need to start teaching interview skills…Ya Think!

  1. Candidate said the more he was paid, the harder he worked
  2. Candidate said he had been fired from past positions, but still included those managers as references
  3. Candidate said getting an interview was important because he wanted an opportunity to show off his new tie
  4. Candidate listed her dog as a reference
  5. Candidate listed-yes, the moonwalk-as a special skill
  6. A husband and wife team looking to job share submitted a poem they had co-written
  7. Candidate listed ‘versatile toes’ as a selling point
  8. Candidate wrote that he would be “a good asset to the company” but somehow omitted the last two letters in “asset.”
  9. Candidate’s email address contained the phrase “shakinmybootie”
  10. Candidate mentioned that he had survived a bite from a deadly aquatic animal
  11. Candidate used first name only
  12. Candidate asked, “Would you pass up the opportunity to hire someone like this? I think not.”
  13. Candidate insisted that he be paid for the time he spent interviewing with the company
  14. Candidate shipped a lemon with resume, stating, “I am not a lemon.”
  15. Candidate included on his resume the fact that he had been arrested for assaulting his previous boss.

Archimedia Studios Announces Custom Mobile Apps

ARCHIMEDIA STUDIOS ANNOUNCES CUSTOM MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT

(Atlanta GA.) Archimedia Studios, a leading Design, Marketing and Branding firm to the film, music and corporate sectors for over 30 years,  announces that the company is expanding their client service offerings to include customized Mobile Apps.

With the continued growth of the smartphone and tablet, more consumers and fans will be getting their information from their iDevices.

“Brands are in the business of connecting with consumers. If there is one medium that’s perfectly suited for connecting with people, there is nothing better than mobile. It’s intimate, immediate and inimitable.” Says Vince Spagnolo, President of Archimedia Studios.

“One of the most vital aspects for successful cross-channel marketing is in the maintenance of consistency across channels and, in turn, maintaining the best user experience throughout, at every point that a consumer may touch. The difficulty is in how you combine the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ channels, not just to coexist, but also to contribute to each other to achieve customer conversion across multiple touchpoints.”

“We feel the mobile app can be uniquely positioned to provide this type of powerful cross-channel marketing solution. Wherever your consumer or fan is, they expect to find you, and they expect to have the same great experience across all channels. Maximizing communications with those consumers and fans will strengthen relationships, drive more revenue and differentiate the brand.” (Spagnolo said)

The company has a long standing tradition in embracing, adopting and adapting the ever changing “mediascape”.  Accompanied by their  “One Company, Total Solution” approach to orchestrating integrated  cross-channel marketing strategies,  Archimedia  Studios’ solutions have been proven to achieve  measurable growth, profitability and differentiation for their client’s brand in the least amount of time.

“Simple, powerful, profitable, brand differentiation is and will continue to be our trademark” (Spagnolo said).

Mobile Apps for client brands will be made available for  download from all the most popular app outlets, such as iTunes. Apps will also  support both Apple and Android platforms.

What Does Twitter have in Common with Old-School Advertising?

It’s the Headline! What?

Twitter has become the place for sharing content links. If your content catches attention on Twitter and spreads, suddenly you’re getting significant traffic from people who may have never visited your site before.

What you share on Twitter is not just about the actual value of the content. It’s also about whether the content gets viewed and appreciated in the first place.

… the difference is in the headline.

Your headline is the first, and perhaps only, impression you make on a prospective reader. Without a headline or post title that turns a browser into a reader, the rest of your words may as well not even exist.

Fact: On average, 8 out of 10 people will read a headline, but only 2 out of 10 will go on to read the content. (the old 80/20 Rule)  This is in a typical headline environment, such as a newspaper, magazine, or web page.

Now, think about a Twitter stream…

People are scanning more ruthlessly than ever, looking for interesting tidbits. Your content link is competing with conversations.

Some people will tell you that a good Twitter headline is as short as possible. This is due not only to the 140-character limit that Twitter imposes, but also because in order for your headline to spread, people need room to retweet it. Twitter culture dictates that you give credit to the person who originally exposed you to a tweet when you retweet, so extra space is needed.

The mistake: Too many people, however, focus on “short” and forget about the “as possible.”

A better way to think about it is as long as necessary, but no longer.

Enter the Return of the Short Headline

  • 95% of the most effective headlines from the early years of magazine advertising were eight words or less. This is because magazine copywriters had to write tight headlines due to space concerns, just like Twitter users.
  • Studies done from the direct mail industry show that about 50% to 60% of the most effective headlines are eight words or less, leaving ample indication that longer headlines work, too.
  • On a webpage, there are no space concerns, so web copywriters found that longer headlines communicated more benefit right at the top of the page where eye-tracking studies show people focus, and therefore worked better.

So, Twitter brings us back full-circle at a time when content is the new advertising. But it’s clear that a well-written short headline has power, especially when in a level-playing-field environment where everyone has the same constraints.

Time to up your headline game.

So what are the elements elements of solid headline writing?

Your headlines must:

  1. Be USEFUL to the reader,
  2. Provide him with a sense of URGENCY,
  3. Convey the idea that the main benefit is somehow UNIQUE; and
  4. Do all of the above in an ULTRA-SPECIFIC way.

More tips coming soon!

Is this your Boss?

What you don’t do can make as much or sometimes more impact than what you actually do — and can also say a lot about your leadership style and abilities as a manager.

Here a list of 5 “Do Not Do’s”….Is this your Boss?

  1. Deliver annual performance reviews.Annual or semi-annual appraisals waste everyone’s time. Years ago my review was late, so I mentioned it to my boss. He said, “I’ll get to it… but you realize you won’t learn a thing. You’ve already heard everything I will say, good or bad. If anything on your review comes as a surprise to you I haven’t done my job.” He was right. The best feedback isn’t scheduled; the best feedback happens on the spot when it makes the most impact, either as praise and encouragement or as training and suggestions for improvement. Waiting for a scheduled review is the lazy way out. Your job is to coach and mentor and develop — every day.
  2. Say, “Look… I’ve been meaning to apologize…” Apologies should be made on the spot, every time. You should never need to apologize for not having apologized sooner. When you mess up, ‘fess up.  Right away. Don’t you want employees to immediately tell you when they make a mistake? Model the same behavior.
  3. Hold meetings to solicit ideas. Many companies hold brainstorming sessions to solicit ideas for improvement, especially when times get tough. Sounds great — after all, you’re “engaging employees” and “valuing their contributions,” right? But you don’t need a meeting to get input. When employees know you listen they often bring ideas to you. Plus, the better way to ask for ideas is to talk to people individually and to be more specific. Say, “I wish we could find a way to get orders through our system faster. What would you change if you were me?” Trust me: Employees picture themselves doing your job — and doing your job better — all the time. They have ideas. Be open, act on good ideas, explain why less than good ideas aren’t feasible… and you’ll get all the input you can handle.
  4. Create development plans. Development plans are, like annual performance reviews, largely a corporate construct. (HR staffers love to monitor compliance and alert managers when supervisors are late turning in their employees’ development plans. Or maybe that’s just my experience.) You should know what each of your employees hopes to achieve: Skills and experience they want to gain, career paths they hope to take, etc. So talk about it — informally. Assign projects that fit. Provide training that fits. Create opportunities that fit. Then give feedback on the spot. “Develop” is a verb that requires action; “development” is a noun that sits in a file cabinet.
  5. Call in favors. I know lots of bosses who play the guilt game, like saying, “John, I’ve been very flexible with your schedule the last few months while your wife was sick… now I really need you to come through for me and work this weekend…” Generosity should always be a one-way street. Be flexible when it’s the right thing to do. Be accommodating when it’s the right thing to do. Never lend money to friends unless you don’t care if you are repaid, and never do “favors” for employees in anticipation of return. As a leader, only give — never take.

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