HT DESIGNS_ BE INSPIRED

Make your trade show booth a brand to be remembered

These days, it isn't enough to just display product and have a well-designed booth. Engaging the visitor and keeping their interest longer than 5 minutes is easier said than done.

There are a few brands in the extreme sport and outdoor industry that still stand out in my mind - seasons after the fact.

Vans Skateboarding shoes always hosts a waffle breakfast - the waffle being the shape of their outsole. They have a lineup down the aisles long past the breakfast hours.

KEEN Footwear host fund-raising events and after parties in their booth that actively gets people involved and at the same time is helping out one of their charitable organizations. The buzz around their booth is incredible and draws people in to see what the commotion is all about.

A camping booth serves up Smores in the middle of the afternoon. Nothing hits the spot more than some melted chocolate and marshmellows when you have been walking around the tradeshow floor for 8 hours.

Sex doesn't always sell but you can't go to an extreme sports show without seeing the "REEF" girls or the well built ICE-BREAKER dude wearing nothing but his briefs and a woolly goat head.

These are just a few stand-out ideas from one industry that show creativity and how being unique makes a brand remembered long after the trade show is over.

Corporate Buzz Words

Attention CEO’s, VP’s and anyone putting together a motivational speech, PLEASE stop with the same old Buzz Words and analogies! We are entering into a new year and it is time to retire:

Summit / Base Camp / Everest
Next Steps
Synergies
Team
Outside the Box
Bandwidth
Pioneer, Etc…..

It is at the point now that I almost cringe when I hear a client talking to me about their “base camp” stories.I first heard the phrase at  retail conference about 3 years ago, and at the time I thought it was insightful and a fresh way of referring to the “start” of great things to come. Usually it was closely followed at the next meeting where the word “summit” was tossed around.

I can fully understand how corporations like to give talks that are not always about gross/revenue/dollars/budget but ladies and gentleman it is 2012. It is time to come up with new buzz words and phrases to inspire your team.

True leaders don’t need to follow gimmicks or use trendy catch phrases. True leaders influence their team through their own passions and create their own buzz words!

Blaze your own trail and motivate your staff with your original stories and analogies!

Heinz Serious Good Pasta Sauces

These are great, fantastic and seriously cute artwork!

The retro type faces are great, and I love how they show all the ingredients and kitchen tools that are used to make the Heniz pasta sauces in the shape of an image that shows the type of sauce, cheesy, tomatoe saucy, mushroom sauce, and the most hilarious one is the "creamy" sauce shown as a cow! Very eye catching ads. Would love to try the sauces, I have a feeling they are only sold in New Zealand!

Designed by: DDB, New Zealand
Source: Ads of the World

Infographics don't have to be boring!

I really love the above info graphic designed by Kelli Andreson, its well designed, well thought-out as well as fun and playful! Created for Collaborative Fund the info graphic aims to teach people how they can share rather then buy, to emphasis "The Profit in Sharing".

"The infographic is a play on the familiar form of the exploded diagram—typically used to diagram complex engineered machinery (like car engines…assembly instructions for children’s toys, etc…) Employing this format underscores the point that this is an in-depth, detailed study of modern consumption."

I really like the colours, and the vintage style of the illustrations and text. And fun things such as the $ signs on the trees, reflecting on the old saying "money doesn't grow on trees." I like the use of the explode diagram and the "blue print" grid that's subtle in the background.

Source: Kelli Anderson

Nike Extreme Concepts

I found these fun concepts at Access Agency (run by the man behind 'The Cool Hunter') for Nike Extreme experiences. "When you are Nike, you just do it. There’s absolutely no point being timid or ordinary. You blaze trails, create trends, draw attention."

They are definitely above and beyond methods agencys use to create buzz for their clients! I personally would love to see the huge water slide become a reality! Anybody else have a favourite?

Source: Access Agency via The Cool Hunter

Conceptual Business Card

I saw this over at Applied Arts and again at Lovely Stationery. It was a business card designed for a Investment Advisor. Its the more conceptual approach to a business card, which doesn't always work and clients don't always go for it. But this one seems pretty appropirate and fitting (not that I know anything about stocks, but I still got it!)

Designed by Rethink:

“Ideally, you can trust your financial advisor to sell before a downturn and buy stocks before they go up. And so, a double-sided business card to communicate this dual promise.”

 

Inbound Marketing_New rules of Social Media

I had picked up "Inbound Marketing" by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah the other day at Indigo to read on the airplane. 

 

I was hoping to get insight and perhaps some new direction into social media.
What I soon discovered though was that it wasn't really meant for someone who is already in the marketing industry. 

That being said, it is a great introduction for a business owner or a marketing "newbie" so that they understand what social media is and how they can use it effectively to reach and convert customers. It is well written and a must read for entrepreneurs needing to promote their business without a large marketing budget.

 

KEEN Boots Give Back 2010

It started as Boots On The Bruce with a $50K donation going to the Bruce Trail Conservancy, and then it expanded to Boots Across Canada connecting people from coast to coast with the Trans Canada Trail. This year KEEN has launched BOOTS GIVE BACK partnering once again with the Bruce Trail Conservancy, the Trans Canada Trail, and adding new partnerships with Project Canoe and Wildlife Rescue (BC).

 
All KEEN wants you to do is be creative and take photos of your boots (or shoes) while playing in the outdoors (anywhere without a ceiling).

Then upload the photo on the KEEN website (www.keencanada.ca and then click on the Boots Give Back logo on the bottom right).

Not only could you win free gear, but KEEN Canada will make a donation of $5 for every pair of shoes (they don't even have to be KEEN footwear) pictured to the organization that you choose from the drop down menu.

The target is 15,000 pairs of Boots, so upload lots of photos this summer (June 1, 2010 to October 31st, 2010)

Viral Marketing Works _ United Breaks Guitars

Viral marketing does work... Check out the video of "United Breaks Guitars" by David Carroll that over 7 million other people have watched. 
 

If the embedded video does not show up on your computer then, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

Unique Marketing Concept

Swiss Skydive advertised themselves by giving potential customers a view of what they could be experiencing. They posted stickers of the skyline from a bird's eye view onto the bottom of elevators!

SwissSkydive.org