september 2011
	let's make a daily-deal Deal-a-day web sites are proliferating across the Internet. Chicago-based Groupon is adding 150 employees a month and LivingSocial outgrew its third Washington office in just two months. Groupon, the No. 1 daily-deal site has grown from 2 million subscribers to 85 million during the past year and a half, while second-place LivingSocial went from 120,000 subscribers to 28 million. In just three years, daily-deal sites have changed the business model of local advertising by delivering faster results than traditional marketing methods. Store owners get immediate revenue and can see exactly how many customers will respond to a specific offer. The deals work better for some businesses than others. If you're running a hotel or salon and some of the rooms or chairs are going to sit empty, it makes sense. For restaurants, where margins are thin to begin with, the sudden influx of customers can overwhelm staff. Plus, you may draw in diners who come only for the deal and never return.
	It's no secret that daily deals are a successful marketing technique because it's in our nature to love bargains. The fact that there is a time limit or deadline forces people to make quick decisions, thus the huge success some deals have. Traditional ways of advertising are no longer paying off, and new ones can be challenging. Google search results are unpredictable. Reviews on third-party sites can hurt as much as they help. But, deal-of-the-day offerings are not free advertising, as the business offering the deal ultimately pays for it in lost income. Some small businesses have jumped on the daily-deal model as a way to hook new customers in the digital age. Others are simply using on-line coupons. Savvy retailers should consider adding these tools to their marketing tactics. Top Deal Sites Groupon • LivingSocial • Woot • RTownShopper (local) • Hautelook • Coupons.com DealOn • The Dealmap • myUncleVinny
	bricks-and-clicks strategies payoff in 2011 BTS sales Early reports of the 2011 Back To School shopping season show reasons to be hopeful. Overall retail sales were up 4.4% in August, just shy of the 4.6% increase predicted. Many national retail chains exceeded their sales expectations. That's pretty impressive considering how the Debt Ceiling debate and S&P downgrade shook consumer confidence plus, Hurricane Irene closed many stores on the East Coast during the critical last weekend of August. Parents are still willing to spend money on their children but they are taking time to do their research first. They look on-line for coupons and special promotions with most preferring to purchase at the actual store. This results in fewer shopping trips and therefore fewer opportunities for retailers to grab impulse sales.
			BTS sale numbers are an early indicator of what sort of holiday season we can look forward to as well as what marketing strategies will be successful. Brands must use a clicks-and-bricks approach to reach consumers who become more savvy every year. Aggressive on-line campaigns must be coordinated with a bold in-store presence. On-line, keywords such as "deal," "discount," or "free shipping" are being used more frequently. Compared to last year, paid-search campaigns were up 10% in July with revenues increasing 18%. Although today's parents use social media, most surveyed indicated that they prefer to receive emails directly from the store or brand with deals vs. using Facebook or Twitter. Finally, campaigns must start early and continue late since many people wait for last minute deals to purchase.
			packers yearbook ad When Jewelers Mutual got an opportunity to advertise in the 2011 Packers Yearbook, we needed a football themed concept that appealed equally to men and women. The well known saying, "The best offense is a good defense" seemed fitting for both football and the protection provided by a good insurance policy. This idea became the base upon which we built the rest of the ad. Using a ring to symbolize an "O" for offense and surrounding it with "Xs" for defense visually communicates the headline idea. Below the headline, a sub-head followed by contact information creates the call-to-action. Using a Packers green chalkboard as the background with distressed gold headline type completed the look making this ad a perfect fit for the yearbook. click here to see a larger version
			award winners Leibold has received seven American Graphic Design Awards from Graphic Design USA. The national competition honors outstanding work across all media: print and collateral, advertising and sales promotion, corporate identity and logos, Internet and interactive design, packaging and POP, broadcast and motion graphics. Over 8,000 entries were received and only 15% were awarded certificates of excellence. click here to see the winners