Our job as marketers usually requires using words to communicate, sell, motivate and inform. Sometimes we just run out of them and have to make them up. And popular culture is fickle. It is never satisfied with existing words and phrases, so we constantly evolve and create new words to …
A cute little puppy named Cheddar shuffles down the beach in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He’s sniffing and investigating all the sights and sounds. He stops and looks out into the water and sees seagulls swooping down and plucking their fish dinners out of the ocean. Cheddar is just three weeks …
Mind Trick 1: Say your brand name or tag line a different way in order to stand out. “Zoom, zoom,” whispers the little kid, and a snappy little Caribbean-flavored jingle kicks in. It’s the 2003 commercial that launched Mazda’s repositioning back to its roots as a sports car. The whispered “Zoom Zoom” …
Think about this morning. You probably got up from the same bed in the same house you’ve lived in for years. Perhaps you took a morning jog around the neighborhood.You probably run the same route each day because now you know which one works best for you. Your earphones are …
Fast & Loud is an off-beat reality TV show that features a hot rod shop in Dallas called the Gas Monkey Garage. The guys there buy cars, make them into super-fast hot rods and then sell them. Usually, they start with cars are old and beat up. But sometimes they start …
Bobo and Elroy, a couple of clever chimps, are hanging around the monkey bars. As usual, the subject of human behavior comes up. “I can’t believe humans say we try to imitate them,” says Bobo. “Yeah,” says his buddy Elroy. “Have you seen the scowl on Donald Trump’s face when …
Promoting major seasonal events, like county fairs, has one big drawback — the weather. When it gets too cold, too hot or too rainy, visitors (aka the customers) stay home in large numbers. A few bad weather days can make the difference between a successful year or a bust. So …
BOARDMAN, OHIO — Coupons are coming to the Canfield Fair! Farris Marketing, the Boardman-based marketing firm, has added a new feature the Fair’s website (www.CanfieldFair.com) that allows fairgoers to download and print discount coupons for these vendors. “Fairgoers can save money on some purchases and vendors can increase sales,” says …
Do you remember how you felt when you were young as the summer began to fade? You started thinking about heading back to school with a mix of excitement and dread. Maybe you were heading to a new building as you moved up a grade. All kinds of questions popped …
Farris first created a website for the Youngstown- and Columbus-based architectural firm BSHM several years ago. It is now being given a new look and added functionality through technology that will enable company personnel to make additions and changes to the site. An extensive portfolio of over 100 projects the …
Look around the next time you’re at a restaurant, the mall, a baseball game or a movie theatre. Almost everyone has a smartphone in their hand. People want information at their fingertips and at a moment’s notice — and that’s how they get it. Supplying some of the largest chunks …
Everyone wants a great Brand Image. They want their product or service or organization to be in demand, popular, desired, and the envy of all the competition. Sounds a lot like what we boys wanted when we were in junior high. Back then everyone had a suggestion on how you could …
Heidi Daniel, director of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, has been named Librarian of the Year by the Ohio Library Council. The award honors a librarian whose recent accomplishments have impacted the library profession and library service. Heidi was chosen for the honor from among the approximately …
Farris Marketing has been selected to create a new website for the Medina Municipal Court in Medina County, Ohio. The new site, which is being completely reorganized and redesigned by Farris, will feature easier navigation and greater visual appeal. The website will provide detailed information about the Court’s divisions and …
Not long ago, I received an email from a client who was concerned about Flash. Facebook recently urged Adobe to kill off Flash — their nearly 20-year-old platform —citing security vulnerabilities among other reasons. Google and Mozilla, developers of the popular web browsers Chrome and Firefox, also made announcements that …
Farris Marketing recently completed a large and complex website project for the Ohio Association of Magistrates (OAM). This statewide organization represents the interests of over 500 Magistrates in Ohio. Farris designed a completely new database-driven website for OAM with many enhanced capabilities, including searchable profiles of all Ohio Magistrates. Like …
Choosing a brand name or changing your existing brand name is challenging. I’m always looking to develop a name that has “Bark” — grabs attention and stands out from the crowd and also“Bite” — it grabs you with emotion or some other connection. There is much speculation out there as …
Farris Marketing recently completed marketing projects on behalf of VacQua Industrial Services. This Youngstown firm specializes in hydro excavating, dry ice cleaning, industrial vacuuming, water blasting and pressure washing surface cleaning. Farris designed a new, visually appealing website for VacQua and also created direct mail materials. All Farris-designed websites include …
Penn-Northwest Development Corporation (PNDC) is an agency whose goal is to bring new businesses to Mercer County by connecting them with government programs such as loans, tax incentives and low-cost land. PNDC selected Farris Marketing for several initiatives to help them achieve that goal. Farris created a microwebsite (MakeItInMercerCounty.com) that …
Mill Creek MetroParks is one of the largest local parks in the United States. With the appointment of a new Executive Director in January 2015, Mill Creek MetroParks is entering a new era that will be marked by increased visibility and community outreach The MillCreek MetroParks board turned to Farris …
When I saw the campaign logos for Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush — two of the early front-runners in the 2016 presidential election — I was struck by how unusual they were. So I sent them — along with logos from the campaigns of Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Rand …
If you happened to be one of the more than 23 million viewers who tuned in to watch NBA finals featuring the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors, you may have noticed noticed a pretty amazing sight. Almost every fan was wearing a matching T-shirt. Yes, the fans, not …
But only one in four websites are mobile-ready. If your website has not been optimized for mobile viewing, it’s difficult to view and links don’t work well. Worse, Google lowers your search ranking. Prospects who do find your website leave quickly and end up on your competitors’ mobile-friendly sites. A …
It was a $5 drill bit. I ran in into Sears, grabbed the drill bit and handed the clerk my cash. I didn’t even want a bag. I wanted to grab my receipt and run. But I had to wait while the register spewed out a half-dozen pieces of paper. …
Every website needs a facelift from time to time; subtle additions to the site or its features should be done on a regular basis. But at some point your website will need more drastic changes — a redesign or revamp. Maybe you sense you’ve squeezed as many miles out of …
A few nights ago, I had a strange dream. My wife and were eating dinner and she asked how my day went. “Let me check,” I told her, and picked up my iPhone. “Hmm, I got four stars from an employee I let leave work early to bring her dog …
A few weeks ago, I was invited to join an elite group that was embarking upon a special mission to save the world and bring all villains to justice. There were three of us: my grandson Nico, age three and a half; my granddaughter Ava, age two; and me. Nico …
These four small pieces of advice can make a big difference for you and your organization. …
When Dorothy stepped out her tornado-blown house in the movie The Wizard of Oz, she saw a landscape that was drastically different than the one she saw growing up on a farm. “I don’t think we’re in Kansas any more, Toto,” she said. If you compare the American consumer market …
There’s a scene in the blockbuster movie Raiders of the Lost Ark that everyone loves. Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford, has just arrived in Cairo when his partner Marion Ravenwood is kidnapped by the Nazis. Indy starts running through a crowded Egyptian bazaar, desperately searching for her. Suddenly, the …
I have a question for you. When snow covers your driveway in copious amounts — as it has done to mine many times this winter — have you tried (a) shoveling it (b) paying someone to plow it (c) driving back and forth over it to tamp it down (d) …
What was the best TV commercial during Super Bowl XLIX? What was the worst? Depending on who you ask and what criteria you use to judge the spots, the opinions differ quite a bit. So sometimes it helps to look at the overriding themes. One theme you might have noticed …
Yes, this is the only marketing plan you’ll ever need — and if it seems simple, that’s because it is. But even though it’s simple, it’s not easy. In fact, this plan is a real challenge. And remember, this just the bones; you have to add the meat. If you’re …
Non-profit organizations play a critical role in in America. The dynamics of their growth are unique and different than commercial, for-profit ventures. But they become more alike once the non-profit organization grows to a certain level. As few as ten years ago, branding, marketing and paid advertising was rarely discussed, …
“Did you get my letter Santa?,” my kids would ask. “Of course!” he would lie. Then he’d wink at us parents and say, “But Santa gets so many letters, it’s hard to remember. Why don’t you tell me what you asked for?” Typically, Santa would officially arrive in most large …
