Recently, we worked with HeimLantz of Annapolis and Alexandria to define a new corporate identity for their brand. You can see what their old site looked like in this image.

From Old:

Former website for heimlantz.com

They gave us the freedom to work our magic to design based on the needs of their target audience. We created a new brand identity from an updated logo to signage, print collateral and a website. Take a look below, click images to see larger size.

To New

Partners at HeimLantz in Annapolis, MD with new wall signage

Corporate identity for HeimLantz

Brochure for HeimLantz’s Alexandria location.

HeimLantz.com

People love to be recognized as experts. This means you should tap the expertise of your customers. Ask them their opinions and reward them for it. They’ll appreciate you for realizing that they are experts and they’ll be free with their words of wisdom for you. Not only will you win another sale, you’ll increase the chances of them engaging in word of mouth marketing for you.

Many marketers offer incentives in order to gain ambassadors. By asking and appreciating their opinions, they’ll do the work for you on their own. By trusting in them, they’ll show their gratitude by buying more and recommending your products or services on the street and online.

I think the strategy behind Apple’s iPad launch is genius, and they are poised to dominate the tablet industry just like they dominate the smart phone industry. Many think that the iPad fell short of expectations. I don’t disagree with that, but I think that there is a method to Jobs’ madness. Here’s why:

It really didn’t matter how silly the iPad seems (just a large iPhone), people were going to buy it anyway. Apple was smart to launch early to take advantage of this brand loyalty. What happens if nobody likes the product? They can buy the second version. Apple could launch a 52″ iPad TV and people would buy it. It would be silly for Apple to stretch itself thin and try and meet an outrageously low price point and pack their product full of technology if people will buy it anyway.

Fewer expensive components means that Apple can come in at a very competitive price point. With the exponentially decreasing price of technology, Apple will hopefully be able to meet the same price point with the second iPad, and also include a camera and other important equipment. And since the first version is pretty cheap, Apple will probably be able to raise the price on this second version, just like the progression of the iPhone pricing.

By the time other companies are coming out with their tablets, Apple will be launching the second iteration of it’s iPad. Apple will have had a chance to work out the bugs, add newer technology and benefits, and probably get more bang for the buck than the first time around.

So that’s what I think. I know I’m beating a dead horse, but we couldn’t stop talking about it in the office and we wanted to see what our readers thought. Let us know!

-Andrew

The Cyphers Agency would like to announce that we have won two new accounts: Severn Savings Bank and River Glass Designs.

Severn Savings Bank is a local financial institution in Anne Arundel County with a mission to enhance the community by investing in the climate, culture, commerce and people of the Chesapeake region. As Agency of Record for Severn, we will be supporting their 2010 marketing plan, including a new brand launch. Look forward to a fully integrated campaign coming your way.

River Glass Designs, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, is a glass company that specializes in custom glass structures, like showers, mirrors, staircases, etc., for  home builds and remodels. As their Agency of Record, we will be executing brand development and applying that to a new website, collateral, and more.

We’ll keep you updated as we dive into some great creative and strategic work. Check back for news soon!

This morning, our account executive Anna shared with us a piece she read from Advertising Age. The piece, entitled “Why Metrics are Killing Creativity,” really hit home to those of us in the ad world.

Don’t get us wrong; metrics definitely have a place of importance in the ad world. We are realistic, we know our clients have to measure success somehow, to see a return on their investment. But it becomes tough when we’re ONLY thinking about numbers. When metrics inhibit taking risks or executing strategic creative because we’re not considering anything but how many impressions, leads, clicks, conversions, etc. we’re going to get, we’ve become sorely misguided.

While numbers can’t be everything, neither can creativity: don’t do it for the sake of doing it. This is where strategy comes in. Having a cool ad is one thing. Having a fresh, big, new campaign that is targeted at your audience and will resonate with them on an emotional level is another. The latter, if done with strategic purpose, can (and will) deliver the numbers and metrics that we rely on. But to get there you have to put the metrics aside and step outside of the numbers box.

And as much as metrics has become the norm for measuring success, we cannot and must not deny the emotional aspect of branding. Emotional connections are what cause people to identify with brands. Its the break from the norm, the challenge of convention, that stays with consumers. Not the numbers.