Adventures in Life

By Zach Knutsen

By day, I'm a graphic designer and front-end developer at Morse + Harris. I sit behind a desk for hours at a time, feverishly using some of my favorite things (color, texture, typography and pixels to name a few) to funnel my thoughts into cohesive and (hopefully) inspiring ideas for our clients. As a designer I pretty much draw upon the world around me to breathe life into the details of my work. When I got the opportunity to go to Morocco with a group of friends ... soaking up life like I've never done before ... I jumped at the chance! From Marrakech to the beautiful Atlas Mountains, we explored it all. What a dream!

Now that I'm back home, I'm feeling extremely inspired. Life changes when you experience the world outside. You can't even help it. It just ... happens. (Love it!) So enjoy some photos from my adventures in life, and begin preparing your adventure. You won't regret it!

Survive the Convenience of Fast-Forward

By Brittney DeRuiter

Super Bowl Sunday – the one day of the year when people just might give the fast-forward button a rest in order to watch the commercials. While true that most individuals watch the Super Bowl in real-time, it is safe to assume that DVR’s everywhere will still get a workout. If history repeats, then Super Bowl XLVII is going to have everything from pistachios and chips to soft drinks and beer, but despite the best attempts to have funny commercials less than 50% of the products and brands will be remembered.

In today’s world, technology has assured that there is a lot of noise with little retention. Thus to increase the awareness and viewership of an advertisement – especially on TV – the message must be wrapped in an entertaining package. With fast-forward and other ad skipping devices, 2 seconds is all a commercial has to capture the audience. So now the question becomes – how. How does one create a commercial that is both entertaining and enhances brand awareness?

One example is Allstate Insurance. Allstate has found a way to walk the fine line of entertaining and brand awareness. Not only are their commercials entertaining, but they also include a simple message: “Accidents happen, so get Allstate to be protected from Mayhem.” The message is simple with a direct call to action serving as the main focus. Allstate increases brand retention because the entertainment evolves around the industry and expresses the message directly through imagery.

The key to making a commercial, which can survive the convenient fast-forward button, is to remember that simple is best and entertainment is a must. Create a direct message first and then find a way to creatively display that message through entertainment – not the other way around.

Hit the Ground Running in 2013 – Start Social – Start Small

By Brittney DeRuiter

Based on current marketing trend reports, 2013 will continue to capitalize on the popularity of social media marketing.

Part of the allure –social media marketing tactics are budget conscious by taking advantage of platforms such as Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. The beauty of social media is two-fold because not only can you reach a wide, engaged audience, but you can do so affordably.

The best way to decide where to start is to evaluate which platforms are optimal for reaching your target audience. For example, Pinterest rose in 2012 to be the second largest utilized social media platform. However, it is not necessarily the best avenue for every type of business. Evaluating the different social media offerings and their reach will help you decide where you should invest your time and efforts.

Once you know which social avenues to travel, it’s time to make a commitment to create continuous and current content. Without this continuous effort negative impressions can occur. Simply placing messages on Facebook or other sites is not enough to create a relationship with consumers. If social media is going to be part of your company’s 2013 marketing plan, have an outline of how it fits into your overall marketing efforts and be ready to stay committed. With that commitment, you will be able to capitalize on the opportunities given through social media. The best strategy is to start small, be engaging and be visual.

Introduce one social media avenue into your plan each quarter and focus on just that. Start with one outlet. Engage users by sharing, liking and placing comments to enhance your awareness levels and credibility. Share videos, photos and ideas. Once you have a strong following on one medium, move to another that can be easily intertwined.

The 2013 online marketing trend will continue to spotlight social media, so profit from starting small, being engaging, and using visuals to push your business’ presence to the next level.

Making Websites Work

By Stacey Harris

According to BusinessInsider.com, there are currently more than 644 million active websites on the internet with more than 6 million new URLs registered in the fourth quarter of 2011. To say that consumers are bombarded with digital information daily is an understatement, and the competition for their attention continues to grow.

Therefore, it’s never been more important to ensure that your company’s website is working for you.

What makes a website effective?

Think like your customer and take a good look at your company’s website.

• Is the site easy to navigate?
  Visitors need to be able to easily find the information they are looking for – and quick! Make navigation simple. Make it easy to find and clearly defined. Put important information on multiple pages with clearly labeled links.
• Is it attractive?
  Websites are sometimes the first and only impression a potential consumer receives about your organization. Make that impression count! Use appropriate color schemes, fonts and meaningful graphics. Don’t clutter the site. Quality photography, line breaks, and bullet points can capture the visitor’s attention.
• Remember content is King (or Queen)
  Content rules when it comes to the quality of your site. Is the content meaningful? Useful? Does it serve the purpose? Is there a call-to-action? Content must hold value for a site’s visitors. Provide truly interesting and valuable information and visitors will be back again and again.
• Is it Dysfunctional?
  Each component of your website should work accurately and quickly. Poorly constructed or broken components will lead to frustrated and disenchanted customers. Links and items such as site search, event registrations, and contact forms should work as expected. In addition, double check all copy, figures and facts. Functionality is about making the site work for your purpose.
• Usability
  Usability includes content, functionality, navigation and more. The best way to make sure visitors stay on your site is through valuable content, clear organization and attractive design. Pages should load in less than 20 seconds and offer minimal scrolling. Layout and navigation should be consistent, and the site should be compatible on all browsers.

What’s the Purpose of your Website?

By Stacey Harris

The first website was published on August 6, 1991 by a 36-year-old physicist in the Swiss Alps. Since then, websites have changed considerably – thanks to major advances in technology and valuable lessons society has learned since that first site.

In the beginning companies wanted a website because the internet was new and exciting. Then it became essential to have a company site because “everyone had one.” Back then, it didn’t matter what your website looked like or whether or not it served a purpose. The main thing was simply to have a website.

Today, the marketing game as it relates to websites continues to evolve. Fancy and colorful websites that are cluttered or hard to navigate aren’t necessarily functional. Just having a website presence isn’t enough. As the internet continues to grow more complex, so do consumers.

That’s why the first question we ask our clients is “what is the purpose of your website?”

This question may seem simple, but it requires a great deal of thought. Do you want to drive visits to a brick and mortar storefront? Will you sell products or services online? Is the website meant to be informational only? It’s necessary to think about your business needs.

Identifying the reason behind your website will help dictate how the site should look along with the functionality. Sites can have multiple purposes. If that’s the case, then those purposes need to be prioritized so that the content and design can follow. Keeping the purpose(s) of your site in mind will help during the building process and will allow your organization to better reach and engage your target audience.