When you set a high bar, as we did with the Road Trip campaign, you need to keep in tip top shape (and maybe do a little pole vaulting training) for the next challenge. In 2022, ARCIFORM asked us to jump into a new, out-of-box campaign. We asked, “How high?” They said, “We want to get our story out there; we want people to see our work and we think that will sell itself.” We put on our marketing hats and thought about all the marketing avenues we could take. After a while we doffed those hats. Looked at each other. And decided, “Oh, heck, let’s not market them.”
From Once Upon a Time to Happily Ever After: People Love Stories.
Feb 8, 2024 | by: Peter Herring
Instead, we decided to tell inspiring stories about them and their beautiful work. Iconic Magazine was born! Iconic doesn’t look like an ad, sound “adsy” or put people off as ads sometimes do. In fact, Iconic doesn’t try to sell anything to anyone. It just tells great stories – in pictures and words – about fabulous remodeling jobs done by very cool folks. We produced three issues each in 2022 and 2023, and are continuing into 2024. It’s a gorgeous engaging, online magazine, designed by Snow B Designs and created in Issuu, which lets the reader flip through the pages and delivers a physical magazine feel.
Because we’re dealing with the very visual remodeling industry, Iconic is photo-forward, full of delicious full and vignette shots of both projects and people. A main article usually deals with a highlighted project, but rather than presenting a boring explication of what was done, it tells a story, including interactions between ARCIFORM and the client families, any dramatic challenges encountered, and of course the stunning result. Other articles include “how-to’s” and DIY information, plus a fun feature we added in year two called, “ArciFiles.” Arcifiles profiles members of the ARCIFORM and Versatile Wood Products design-build team, from designers to craftspeople, as well as creatives and craftspeople from companies that ARCIFORM partners with. We then added the Community Directory of industry-related vendors plus nonprofit organizations connected with the Portland design build sector. The effect of both these additions is to place ARCIFORM at the hub of a creative community.
Goodwill: That Warm Fuzzy Feeling Equals Hot Marketing
SBD often highlighted ARCIFORM’S participation with, or donations to, various nonprofit organizations. In this way, Iconic helped to garner “goodwill” that accrues to companies that help out in their communities. Goodwill translates to brand preference for socially responsible companies; when the time comes for a prospect to remodel, many will give preference to the company that stands for something more than business and profit. Social impact also helps with top-of-mind awareness and brand name retention. When prospective clients associate ARCIFORM with social equity organizations they will recall them more frequently and favorably. Research shows that this is particularly true of Millennials, who represent ARCIFORM’s up-and-coming market.
Gather Round, Target Audience, It’s Storytime!
Everybody loves stories, especially if they have happy endings. So Iconic’s readership grows and grows, with nearly 17,000 impressions and 5,500 reads as of this writing. More importantly, ARCIFORM receives hot lead calls from readers who “loved what they saw” in the magazine. The stories do more than any ad, social post, email or mail campaign could do – not that we don’t use those tools to market Iconic. And it does it all without ever saying, Call Now! Or, this special deal won’t last! As the old adage goes, Iconic shows, it doesn’t tell. So it fits the bill – it does all the work of “normal” marketing without feeling like marketing. As with the Road Trip, it invites readers to live vicariously in others’ remodeling adventures, and then perhaps take the adventure themselves. With ARCIFORM, of course.
Storytelling as marketing makes perfect sense when you realize that our human DNA, those molecular spirals that drive us, are coiled around story. From sitting around fires swapping tales of the day’s hunt or legends about our ancestors, to stories that tell us how to do something, or find someplace in the world or in our hearts, stories are our major mode of sharing information. Unlike facts, they grab ahold of us, mesmerize us, lull us, intrigue us, warn us. Just pronounce the words, once upon a time, and part of us relaxes, while we also prick up our ears, eager for a good yarn. We’re simply wired for stories. For this reason all good marketing uses the power of storytelling.
The best marketing feels organic to your audience, not forced or intrusive. Iconic Magazine allowed us to get outside of that “hello, you’re being marketed to” box and simply show readers what great work ARCIFORM does, how friendly and approachable they are, how they overcome challenges, and know their stuff inside and out. It’s entertaining. But many readers are considering, or likely to consider, remodeling their vintage home in the near future, and they will certainly put ARCIFORM on the top of their list .
Once Upon a Time / Happily Ever After Can Be Your Story, Too
Snow B Designs is a mom-run company, and Snow has told a story or two (thousand) to her two kids in her time. Our team is made up longtime professionals who, legend has it, have done national/international work for multifarious Fortune 500 companies, but now prefer helping local midsize companies because...well, because nurturing local is a mom thing. Together, what we like best is to listen to your story, from your origin myth to your latest plot point. And then, we like to find the ideal way to tell it to your target market – those who want to hear it most. That’s what we’re about. You could say, that’s our story. And, yes, we’re sticking with it.
Need to get your story heard in the marketplace? Call Marketing Mom: Snow B Designs. We work like a mother for you!
MAKE SURE TO READ PART TWO OF THIS BLOG SERIES:
ICONIC Road Stories: How to Market without Marketing
Adventure Afoot at Christiane Millinger Rugs Jun 21, 2023 | by: Peter Herring Christiane Millinger Rugs (CMR) is one of the best, most internationally connected, and most knowledgeable purveyors of widely diverse styles of fine handmade rugs in Portland and the nation. Christiane’s passion for rugs and her extensive knowledge of the history, natural materials, and techniques of hand weaving, plus her personal connections with international weavers and renowned designers, drive the brand. But the CMR website did not convey this. As well, Christiane said that she was losing sales to other rug sellers in town who were more trendy, though they lacked CMR’s diversity and depth. Also, CMR is the exclusive dealer in the Portland area for several international designers, and this information was downplayed on the site. While the company has walk-in and online business, as well as a small dedicated group of interior designers and architects who bring their clients to CMR, many designers in town turn to other purveyors. We did initial qualitative research with Voice of the Customer (VoC), one-on-one interviews with a mix of customers and professional designer clients. VoC research tells us, in the customers’ own voices, what triggers their search for rugs, how they search, how aware they are of the product qualities, experiences they seek, and other valuable information that helps us develop strategies and the correct voice and messaging to use in marketing the company.
How SBD Creates a MOTHER of a Marketing Campaign for You
Secrets of How SBD Works Like a MOTHER for You Revealed !
We understand that when facing challenging economic periods, one must plan for the worst to keep their business stable and moving forward. However, while recessions present challenges, they also create opportunities. Companies that stay consistent and strong in their marketing and branding throughout challenging times, have proven to win bigger in the long run.
Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to do photo styling. It all started back in my 20s, my first real job out of college (I'd had a cool internship at the design agency, Nemo before that) was as the Creative Design Manager for Papa Murhpy's Pizza. Not only did I get a fancy title for a graphic designer, I got to attend the commercial video and photography shoots. It was during this time that I realized photo styling was something you could do professionally. And since that, I've always felt it was something I enjoyed and wanted to do more of.
As we mumbled behind masks in person, 2020 became the year for digital communications, including websites, which assumed an even greater role as the primary public face for brands – from Mom & Pop sized shops to larger companies. Here are a few of the websites we built or rebuilt this year, along with the brand strategies behind them.
At SBD we know that the design elements you see are just the tip of the marketing iceberg. For instance, that font we choose for you? That’s not just another pretty typeface.
Women changed the demographics of the advertising industry, they changed the whole approach.