Every brand dreams of becoming a brand powerhouse. Most will never achieve it because along with vision and determination you need talent. When you have talent, skill automatically comes with the gift. However, being skilled at something doesn’t mean you have talent. Talent is about having people who turn ordinary into something extraordinary.

In the advertising business, talent is about the people who create a big idea and then execute it in a way that resonates so loudly that you can’t get it out of your mind. At The Cyphers Agency, we hunt and recruit the best talent that money can buy. We make sure they are happy and well taken care of. We think of it as a benefit to our customers. After all, your advertising dollars without talent are worthless. Our success is your success. It takes talented people to run your business. It takes talented people to market your business. Use this advice in every business decision you make.

See!? We hire the most talented!

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

Many people online really loathe banner ads and find them quite annoying when trying to surf the web. We do know this but we cannot deny the large number of consumers online and the number of hours they spend there. We have to live where they live and be in front of them as much as we can. With the right approach, banner ads can be an effective means of advertising.


First of all, like billboard copy, there are golden rules that need to be followed. Keep it short and simple. Short and simple messages have a stronger focus. Unlike most advertising media, using a question in the copy vs. focusing on a benefit pulls more viewers. Statistics tell us this but give very little rationale as to why. In my opinion, it’s because the majority of these questions contain humor. High volumes of e-commerce happen after five. When the workday ends, people go online to be entertained. What better way to entertain than with humor?

Animate. Animate three times and then STOP. Constantly animating banners are a distraction. Over use of animation is what leads to banner ads to get this bad rap. Most web sites limit animations for this reason.

Always end with the logo or name. If someone doesn’t click on a banner, they might at least notice your company name eventually. Just let it sit there. Banner ads may not be the best tool for creating awareness, but every impression helps.

The Cyphers Agency is proud to announce another addition to our ever growing team. Kari Miller joins us as an account coordinator, providing support on the account management front. She will be working with clients such as Plastic Surgery Specialists, Severn Savings Bank, and Heim Lantz, among others, and will help strengthen our marketing efforts.

Kari graduated from Elon University with a degree in Strategic Communications and a minor in Psychology. Aside from advertising and marketing, Kari loves Mexican food, downtown Annapolis, the beach, and country music in the summer. Her favorite tv show is The Office (whose isn’t?) and she enjoys travelling and even spent some time in London. Cheerio!

Welcome Kari, we look forward to working with you.

Over 50 years ago, a CD from the agency that represented Mobil Oil was on-site at their headquarters. He took a tour of the plant and discovered that a small amount of detergent goes into the gasoline. The tagline “drive your Engine Clean” was born.

In todays digital world, we rarely take time to actually know a product or consumer personally. When it comes to primary research, we send off a survey via the Internet.

My favorite way to do primary is through trial and observation. Go visit or buy your product. Try it. Smell it. Taste it. Give it to your family and friends. Watch them use it. Go to a store and observe customers. How much time do they spend looking at your product? How many additional services do they take advantage of? Do they look at the price tag and frown or buy it in bulk?

Firsthand experience gives you important insights that may lead to the big idea. But remember, firsthand experience alone may cause you to think that others may think or behave the same as you. Therefore observation of others is also a critical component of this research method.