Sequential marketing explained: A new approach for lead conversion
The best marketing ideas are also designed to work hand in glove with our natural tendencies as consumers. That’s exactly what sequential marketing campaigns are designed to do. As humans, we love narratives, patterns and puzzles. For as long as people have been entertaining each other, we’ve known the value of a good story — or a dramatic cliffhanger. Sequential marketing takes advantage of this tendency by presenting a sequenced narrative of ads that can be viewed across a variety of devices. Today’s brands are using sequential marketing techniques to first convey their story or message before moving people through the sales funnel. It’s an approach that has proven remarkably effective, as studies have shown that sequenced ads of this sort are far more effective than non-sequenced ads. The basics of sequential marketing To help break down the process a little further, let’s take a closer look at how it all works. Sequential marketing can be simply summed up as a series of ads served to prospective customers in sequential order across a range of devices, including laptops, mobile, and tablets. Typically, these ads will tell a story of some sort that’s designed to engage the reader or viewer and convince them to take the next step of their sales journey. The data we have on sequential marketing underscores its efficacy. According to a recent study published by Facebook, people exposed to sequential marketing techniques are 87-percent more likely to visit a landing page than those who don’t see sequenced ads. Additionally, the value of sequencing rises the longer the sequences carry on; ads with three sequences, for example, performed better than two sequence ads, which in turn outperform conventional ads. Facebook admits that some marketers may find this counterintuitive; in a world where the demands on our attention are legion, doesn’t it make more sense to quickly and forcefully present a prospect with a call to action? As this research shows, the opposite is typically true. Humans are social animals — we love narratives and stories. When done properly, sequential marketing plays directly in to these tendencies and harnesses them for the benefit of the brand. Sequential marketing in action To further crystallize the concept of sequential marketing, let’s outline an example. A consumer is browsing a website on her smartphone searching for a new piece of jewelry. As she browses, she sees a video that tells the story of another woman — one who received the same piece of jewelry as a wedding gift. Then, the next time the consumer logs in (perhaps this time on her laptop), she sees a new ad that picks up where the last ad left off. This time, she sees a woman wearing the same jewelry going through milestones in her life– raising children, attending graduations, etc. The sequential ads are designed to tell a compelling story about this woman that’s aimed specifically at a given buyer persona, based on data that’s been gathered and analyzed. If this is executed skillfully and paired with smart attribution modeling and high-quality leads, the impact on sales is significant. The sequenced narrative resonates with the prospective customer, and she progresses through the sales journey with enthusiasm. Now that we’ve covered the basics of what sequential marketing is and does, head over to our site to learn more about how BIGEYE can assist your brand through sequential marketing. Be sure to check back for our follow up post that explains the best practices for incorporating sequential marketing into your next campaign.
How to Develop a Global Marketing Strategy and Brand Campaign
To help you lay the groundwork for marketing success, let’s discuss the basics of running a global brand campaign, and the pitfalls you’ll need to sidestep. Global marketing strategies 101 If you’re a smaller business, the idea of a global marketing campaign may seem a bit ambitious. Yet the truth is that traditional barriers to entry have reduced dramatically — or in some cases, have outright collapsed. Thanks to the rise of the digital economy, social media, Big Data, cloud computing, and modern technological tools, an effective global campaign is within the reach of most enterprises. When designing a new campaign, the first thing to understand is that “global” doesn’t mean “one size fits all.” Marketing done well is targeted and tailored; in order for it to resonate with audiences it must be relevant. What a buyer in urban Japan finds relevant may be much different than what appeals to a buyer in rural Canada. Your buyer personas should incorporate local preferences and be updated periodically. It’s also important to have feedback from people who are well-versed in any new markets you’re about to enter. We’ve all heard the horror stories about mistranslations. Pepsi’s “come alive with Pepsi” campaign was literally translated as “Pepsi brings you’re ancestors back from the dead” in Mandarin, while Coors brewery’s “Turn it loose” campaign in Spain was colloquially translated as “this product will cause diarrhea.” Navigating local cultures, idioms and laws Translations aren’t the only potential trouble spot; when you aim for a global market, it’s imperative to consider questions of cultural sensitivity. Additionally, not everything translates across cultures and languages. A brilliant tagline might fall utterly flat in another culture or language. Local expertise is the best way to ensure mistakes aren’t made, whether that means consulting with someone informally or finding a local business partner. When in doubt, it’s a good idea to aim for the universal — something that is recognizable and all-inclusive. You can still add local twists and flair to universal content. Even if your creative work is calibrated for global appeal, you should also be cognizant of jurisdictional differences. The rules and regulations governing marketing and sales vary from place to place — some areas are highly regulated when it comes to spam, user privacy, email marketing, etc. are a virtual free for all. Awareness of these differences are a key part of successful global marketing strategies. Developing creative work that’s global in nature and negotiating the intricacies of jurisdictional compliance can be a tall order for some small-to-mid-sized firms. That’s one reason why it’s often a smart idea to partner with an agency that specializes in global marketing campaigns. Luckily, agencies like BIGEYE have the knowledge to avoid pitfalls and enough experience to understand where costs can be reduced (one example: by building an internal database of words or phrases you’ve previously translated, you can dramatically lower external translation fees). The takeaway Thanks to modern technology the barriers to entry for global marketing campaign are lower than ever. Before you get started, however, we encourage you to weigh all of the above considerations carefully. To learn more on how to develop an effective global marketing strategy, contact our strategy team today!
Understanding the Top Trends Within Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing isn’t new – in fact, almost 70% of brands already use this tool according to the annual Influencer Marketing Report hosted by Forbes. What’s changed is how people use it. Using the internet to enhance our lives has become almost second nature. Five or ten years ago, tagging a mobile GPS to remember your parking spot, outsourcing your love life to a deluge of dating apps, or crowdsourcing where you want to eat dinner on Friday night simply wasn’t the norm — but today it is. Video rules the influencer sphere: Although Instagram is often cited as the most popular social media platform for influencers and celebrities, video is the most popular medium to get the word out. In a world where SnapChat, Instagram, Facebook (and many others) offer disappearing videos and live-streaming options, static imagery can feel too permanent or too official. Or worse — be confused with a paid ad. Disposable and live videos offer snack-sized vignettes rather than full-scale productions, yielding an opportunity to showcase glimmers of authenticity in an otherwise highly curated and Photoshopped social landscape. There are only but so many filters you can apply to an on-the-go Instagram story. For example, former contestants of the multi-million dollar Bachelor and Bachelorette reality television franchise have long been criticized for selling themselves out as brand influencers, posting photo after photo of tagged, brand content across their social media accounts. While these would-be celebs are, indeed, influential, the negative attention around their brand partnerships undermines their credibility and effectiveness. Where a posed photo and brand copy rings false and may invite a deluge of derogatory comments, a quick, candid video of these influencers can feel less contrived and subconsciously encourage more adoption and less scrutiny. It doesn’t hurt that Instagram and SnapChat stories don’t always allow comments that would otherwise lead more receptive viewers. Bottom line: more video, less photo. Don’t forget your micro-influencers: It’s great if you have A-list celebrity connections (or a budget that will make it look like you do), but micro-influencers can be just as effective and, in some cases, more effective than big-name campaigns. Consider the near cult following of popular, local athletic trainers or the sway of regional political and sports figures. For location-based or niche marketing efforts, these endorsements are sometimes more effective than national and global figures because the influencers appear to be more authentic, relatable, and genuine. Even after your brand reaches a national scope, there is no reason not to include micro-influencers to target special interest groups and regions. Here’s an example. In 2013, just outside Raleigh, North Carolina, a suburban housewife and her husband created a holiday video of their family singing in their pajamas. The video parodied the song “Welcome to Miami” by Will Smith as the couple danced around with their kids in matching holiday attire singing about their “Xmas Jammies.” What started as a fun family prank turned into a regional phenomenon with more than 17 million views on this one video alone. The Holderness family now has their own website, YouTube channel and millions of followers who eagerly await their parenting tips, product recommendations, and – of course – musical parodies. While they may not be red carpet royalty, this family wields tremendous influence over the young-parenting crew in North Carolina. Local clothing brands and child-friendly products clamor for their attention and a quick product nod because what the Holderness family says, goes. Bottom line: Sometimes you really do need to think local, not global. Avoid freebie freeloaders: The word is out. Influencer marketing is working. But as the popularity of this medium has grown, so has the new wave of aspiring tastemakers entering the blogosphere in hopes of receiving free swag, comped trips, and insider perks. This is great news if you are just starting your influencer marketing program and need to people willing to endorse your brand. Budding bloggers don’t follow the pay-to-play model celebrities live by. While Kylie Jenner can charge upwards of $100,000 per Instagram post, emerging internet personalities will often try or promote brands for free in exchange for access to your products and a turn riding your company’s coattails. This can often be a mutually beneficial relationship, but it’s important to choose where you invest your time, money, products, and energy with care so you don’t get taken advantage of. You want those individuals chatting about your products to mirror your brand values and have a big enough following to matter (otherwise you’re just sending people free products). To avoid giving too much away, create a budget that will help you evaluate just how much you’re willing to invest in influencers and what you hope to get in return. Map measurable KPIs against these figures (such as how many people are viewing your influencers’ blog post, how many likes did you get, is there a way to collect leads, etc.) and doggedly enforce your return on investment. Influencer marketing should be fun and exciting, which is why we’re here to help. Click here to learn more about other influencer programs we’ve supported and how you can get involved. We guarantee your next influencer campaign will feel more authentic and engaging than your traditional marketing mix. Be sure to check out our website to learn more about our services and contact information.
TV Ads Aren’t Just a Thing of the Past? Personal Care Ads are Back
While TV ads aren’t suitable for every product, you need to look no further than brands such as Proactive, the Magic Bullet, or George Foreman to understand how longer advertising segments – also known as direct response television (DRTV) – can educate and engage audiences. Reframing personal case advertising as education: Trademark DRTV tools such as customer testimonials, before and after footage, and tutorials all educate your customers rather than strictly selling to them. We know that customers crave this type of content based on the deluge of YouTube tutorials and channels dedicated to trying, showcasing, and testing personal care products. And long format TV ads were the original platform for beauty “vloggers,” so why stop now? Longer TV ads are valuable when building awareness about your products and helping potential customers understand something new. For personal care advertising, this is especially important because you are asking customers to switch brands or interrupt their current personal care routine. According to a recent Nielsen report, price and quality are two of the biggest factors that influence a consumer to switch brands. In both cases, DRTV can more thoroughly educate your audience and demonstrate value or pricing than shorter media options. Getting the best band for your beauty buck: Infomercials are also a great place to test market segments and messaging. Because long format ads run after major programming dies down, the cost of this media is, well, cheap. But that doesn’t make it invaluable. A traditional 30-second television slot during primetime can cost an average of five million dollars, depending on the channel; so if you’re going to advertise during peak hours, your messaging better be on point. Infomercials allow you to test audience response and gauge the effectiveness of your content without blowing your budget. Once something works, you can take it to primetime. But don’t assume that the “graveyard shift” can’t give you a real return on investment from any testing you do run. The US market for infomercials is slated to exceed $250 billion, making it more valuable than network cable, coming in at only $97 billion. Direct response television has a surprisingly large audience, covering a wide genre of viewers, age brackets, and demographics. It’s okay: we’ll admit we secretly watch late night TV ads if you (and the rest of the country) do. If your goal is to build a brand, understand your audience, and refine your marketing mix, DRTV might be a good option to supplement your other advertising outlets. In many cases, you can use DRTV ads to send potential customers to your website and social media accounts, expanding your sphere of influence and customer engagement. For ideas on how TV ads can help your business regardless of your budget, contact us or click here to learn more about our services. We believe that the best marketing strategies blend old and new media together to find unique ways to communicate with your audience.
How Out of Home Advertising Supports Destination Marketing
Let’s start with the obvious question. What is out of home advertising or OOH? OOH is a broad term, encompassing any type of advertising where brands interact with potential customers outside their homes. This includes billboards, point of sale displays, bus or street signage, and guerrilla or grassroots marketing events — to name a few. Unlike many emerging digital trends, which focus on highly customized, targeted campaigns, OOH marketing uses broad with mass appeal to attract large swaths of potential customers. Destination marketing efforts focused on communities or destinations are ideal candidates for this tactic because they may attract a variety of market segments and personalities. Why OOH is great for destination marketing: Imagine yourself living in New York in the dead of winter. There is a foot of slushy snow and an icy breeze biting at your heels as you enter the subway. You sit down, look up, and there are pictures of Florida’s sunny shores beckoning from the subway walls. Visit St. Pete-Clearwater has captured hearts and minds (and wallets) of New Yorkers for close to half a decade using this visceral, out of home strategy. The ads are generic, with tag lines such as, “Feel It,” “Craft It,” “Live It,” “Love It,” allowing a wide variety of viewers to connect with the ad at once. Calls to action included website links, text message prompts, social media, and even a sweepstakes opportunity. Potential travelers could interact with this destination marketing campaign in a variety of ways, ultimately leading to a booking. This is the quintessential picture of how and why OOH campaigns are ideal for destination marketing. When done correctly, they can reach a wide variety of customers by appealing to a shared emotion. In this example, it’s a desire to get out of the cold New York snow. Regardless of your vacation style preferences, this universal need resonates. Taking out of home marketing to the next level: A key to keeping out of home advertising relevant is successfully connecting it to your brand’s digital ecosystem. In addition to linking back to your website and social media accounts, consider taking advantage of digital signage or beacon-based marketing opportunities that give the illusion of a more personalized OOH experience. Today’s digital signs can update and optimize content in real-time, giving marketers more nuanced control over their out of home experiences than ever before. When linked with CRM data, social media, or other analytic triggers (such as weather conditions or traffic patterns), out of home marketing is also primed to become a critical direct response tool to encourage on-demand booking. Virtual payment options such as Apple Pay, PayPal, and payment via Twitter can all enable instant bookings as customers interact with your brand on the go. This eliminates one of the major hurdles of OOH marketing, which is the “cooling period” prospective customers experience between the time they see your out of home trigger and when they are able to research your destination and make booking decisions. Let us help you craft an out of home destination marketing campaign that will capture travelers’ imagination and encourage them to explore your venue and engage with your omni-channel strategy for a unified and immersive marketing experience. OOH marketing is often a low-cost, high-impact opportunity within the travel industry and a great way to build brand awareness. We have worked with brands like yours to transform the travel industry, check out our website to learn more about our services and contact information.
How to Unlock the Customer Journey Using Marketing Attribution
Analytics have been a long-standing source of knowledge about the customer journey since the ability to track online behavior became available. But, just as we’ve evolved from the the days of Alta Vista and Ask Jeeves, so have our tracking methodologies. Marketing attribution modeling is the next wave in data collection and synthesis. That isn’t to say that web analytics have become obsolete. Analytics reveal the “how:” where has a customer surfed, what are they doing on the site, where are they completing activities, and what they are purchasing. Marketing attribution modeling supports this by providing insight into the customer journey itself. It reveals the “why” behind those activities. Analytics and attribution are a great pair. Analytics fundamentally help you refine your experience, while attribution reveals what experiences are most effective. By optimizing both, you can tailor your budget to simultaneously invest in the platforms and channels that matter most, while choicefully making the enhancements that will make those investments most effective. Here’s how it works. Analytics provide foundational insight into marketing efforts: Picture this: your shiny new website is up and running. You just launched a few digital test and target campaigns. Your social media presence is on point. And your prospect emails are scheduled to send. Or so you think. Web analytics drill down into the heuristic performance of your digital marketing experience. You can track where customers are spending time on your site, where people are falling out of the e-commerce process, whether they are clicking your banners, how your social media presence is trending, and what they are searching to find your brand. This is the foundational information that allows you to understand whether the digital experience you created is working. What it doesn’t reveal is the deeper motivations and behavioral drivers that make this experience successful. Attribution goes deep on customer journey and behavioral modeling: But what happens if you discover people are visiting your site, but not purchasing on it? How do you know whether clicks via your emails or via your social media channels are more valuable? And how do you balance your marketing mix? Attribution modeling helps you answer these questions by revealing big picture behavior patterns such as device switching, online and offline performance, and engagement. Instead of considering each individual metric or KPI as a stand-alone measure of success, attribution creates a holistic picture that shows how all your marketing tools are working together. Attribution modeling answers four key questions that every marketer should know when trying to build an amazing customer experience. Am I seeing and successfully measuring every customer touch point? When simply looking at KPIs, it’s easy to focus solely on the last channel a customer visits before conversion, but there are many channels and factors that contribute to growth and retention. Attribution weighs each element and links them together so you can understand what’s engaging and inspiring your customers toward action. This helps you determine where you can better support them and what information or channels might be missing from the equation. What is the value of each of these touch points? If you get stuck only focusing on the last place a customer visits before they convert, you might also be calculating your ROI incorrectly. Suppose a customer finishes a purchase using a link from an email, but they had originally heard about your brand via a digital banner, visited your store downtown, spent time on your website, and read social referral sites prior to purchasing. Calculating your ROI based on that one email campaign might look high (and may be extremely effective in reality), but leaves out the other factors that led to that purchase. Good planning starts with having the right information. Do customers have the right information at the right time along this journey? Attribution also helps you understand how customers are moving in between channels, which gives you an understanding of what is engaging them. For example, you might discover that people aren’t spending much time on your social channels, but average time spent per site on your customer testimonial page is high. This may suggest that your social content isn’t focused enough on reviews and past customer experiences. Knowing where a customer spends her time and how she moves between your campaign touch points can help you place the right content in the right places at the right moment in the customer journey. Are any efforts redundant or underutilized? Similarly, this will tell you whether the balance of your spend is aligned to your customers’ needs. In the same example above, you might find that investing in social media simply isn’t as valuable as investing in site content. Attribution allows you to test these theories until you have found the sweet spot for your marketing efforts. Learn more about how attribution works and how we can support your transition to a hybrid approach that blends traditional analytics with new attribution techniques to get ahead of your competition by contacting us today.
Why Last Click Attribution Will Leave You in Last Place
For years, marketers have relied on last click attribution to assign value to their marketing campaigns. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, you probably already understand the concept because it isn’t a new idea — we just have a new name for it. Last click attribution assumes that no matter how many times a customer has interacted with a brand prior to purchase, the promotion, email campaign, television ad, or digital banner that drove them to the point of sale gets the credit for that purchase. This is great news for the strategist and designer who created those campaigns and hopes to prove the positive value of their work, but bad for your business. The problem with last click attribution is it also leaves critical supporting efforts out of the equation. This makes sense when you think about it. For example, it is unlikely that a brand new customer who has never heard about your brand would receive a random email and decide — not only to open that unsolicited email — but to purchase from it. More likely, that customer found your company on a search engine or saw an intriguing ad, interacted with your site, signed up for your email newsletter, and purchased with some knowledge of your brand. If we rely solely on last click attribution, we might assume that email is the critical factor driving customers to purchase and scale back on the supporting content (and corresponding marketing spend) that, likely, captured that customer’s attention in the first place. Omni-channel attribution provides big picture marketing support: Still not convinced? According to a study by one of the most reputable digital marketing sources, ClickZ: “customers interact with a brand 4.3 times over a two-day period before they finally make a purchase. In addition, the average U.S. shopper consults a total of 10.4 new and traditional media sources prior to purchasing.” The internet has given consumers access to more information and choices than ever before, which means purchases are not happening by accident. People are spending more time researching the brands and products that fit their values, needs, and use cases … and they are finding what they are looking for. To be successful in today’s market, your brand needs to have a presence across all the touch points that inform and educate customers prior to purchase. That’s great advice in theory; but in practice, we understand your brand has budget limitations and can’t realistically be everywhere at once. Omni-channel attribution helps you understand which channels are most effective so you can direct your resources to your most valuable marketing efforts. By understanding the big picture of how your customers are seeking information and making their purchase decisions, you can determine whether customers spent more time on your website reading white papers, or more time on review sites prior to clicking that email and cashing in on your latest promotion. That information allows you to invest accordingly. Multi-channel marketing proves the purchase cycle is non-linear: What you are likely to find is that the customer purchase cycle is non-linear. Traditional marketing funnels that suggest buyers move from education and discovery, through selection, toward purchase in a downward, narrowing motion are dead wrong. Instead of limiting your customer view to an antiquated behavior model, cross-channel attribution modeling reveals the circular nature of the modern consumer’s journey and breaks free from the static funnel. We know the funnel model has blind spots because if customers are, indeed, visiting 10 media sources and interacting with a brand 4.3 times prior to purchase, it is unlikely that they are following a linear purchase cycle. Attribution allows you to understand how they are moving in and out of the funnel to evaluate multiple brands at once, pressure testing your products before committing to a purchase, and using your content and marketing collateral to support the socialization of their purchases. The benefits of understanding this process allow you to move from a strictly transactional relationship with your customers and build meaningful interactions with them. It should go without saying that the stronger your brand’s relationship is with its customers, the bigger their lifetime value will be. Click here to learn more about our attribution services and how we can help you understand your customer needs so you can begin building lasting relationships with the people that make it all possible.
The Art of Nostalgia: Marketing to the New Millennial Mindset
Miami’s new Brickell City Center – an interactive, luxury shopping concept that blends urban design, food, entertainment, and commerce together – is living proof of the new “new” millennial mindset. The Center’s eco-friendly, temperature-regulating “sky ribbon” guides pedestrians along a suspended path among the high rises of Miami’s financial district. Along the way, they’ll find unique dining options, like professional golfer Erni Els’ restaurant, and one-of-a-kind shopping experiences, like Saks Fifth Avenue’s most luxurious store to date (complete with a marble staircase, five star restaurant, wine bar, personal shopping salon, and shoe library). At first blush, this opulent shopping center might seem just plain opulent; but underneath the glitz and glamour expected of the Magic City, an emerging trend is shining through. Debunking the millennial myths: To put it simply: Millennials are spending less time on their phones and craving authentic, real world experiences. You might call it a correction on a generation that over-rotated into the digital world. According to the New York Times: “[Generation X] adults 35 to 49 were found to spend an average of 6 hours 58 minutes a week on social media networks, compared with 6 hours 19 minutes for the younger [Millennials]”. While that isn’t a dramatic difference, this figure does help debunk the pervasive myth that millennials are social-obsessed narcissists who can’t tear themselves away from their digital devices. The reality is, millennials don’t spend more time on social media than the generation before them … in fact, they spend less. While over 90% of the United States’ population has access to smartphones, the digital generation spends less than an hour a day on social networks. That’s a pretty encouraging statistic for those who worry we are losing touch with the world around us. Marketing to the real millennial audience: As digital marketers, it also means we need to stop stereotyping millennials. Aside from being the fastest growing demographic with disposable income to burn, our youngest generation isn’t that much different from the baby boomers or Generation X in terms of attitudes toward financial responsibility and work-related matters. Time magazine cites a PwC study that indicates, “the similarities in attitudes across generations are striking. More than 60% in both [millennial and baby boomer] generations agree that work interferes with their personal life. Both generations highly value things like flexible hours, job sharing and telecommuting”. Marketers have a tendency to assume the only way to reach the millennial market is by bombarding them in the digital world or appealing to the stereotype of a spoiled millennial demanding more flexibility and more pay for less work from behind the anonymous screen of their sleek, new laptop. But are we getting it all wrong? While millennials, having grown up with digital devices in their hands, may be more adept with or eager to adopt new technology than previous generations, these studies show that the digital world isn’t entirely replacing traditional means of connecting, but rather, augmenting it. Millennials spend more money on experiences as opposed to material goods than any other generation, according to that same PwC study. They spend less time on social media than their older siblings, and they have the same values as their parents. Who would have guessed? That means that having a holistic, multi-channel, digital, and non-digital strategy is the best way to reach this audience. Sure, they are comfortable consuming integrated advertisements disgusted as clever Instagram posts … but they are also equally (if not more inclined) to be moved by a memorable, guerilla event campaign. Millennials are unequivocally the most important consumer group as they continue to mature and take on the majority purchasing share in the market. Today’s leading digital marketing trends aren’t about being everywhere at once or spraying and praying across digital channels. The most effective digital marketing techniques hinge on understanding how your audience sees the world, anticipating what information your customers need, and how they like to consume it. Striking the critical balance between digital spend and traditional marketing efforts is as much an art as it is a science. And millennials are all about balance. Balance between the digital and real world. Balance between their professional and personal lives. And balance in how they spend their income. The art of nostalgia: Marketing to the new millennial mindset To unlock your marketing potential with this demographic, you need to understand your buyer personas’ purchase path across channels and devices so you can be at the right places at the right times. Our team of digital trailblazers do just that. Let us help you get on board with the millennial mindset to understand your most valuable customer and reach them on all the frequencies they hear.
Love Always Wins in Orlando
Love Always WinsBy: BIGEYE Posted on February 14, 2017 In the midst of tragedy came an outpouring of love into our city from around the world, reminding us that love will always beat hate. This Valentine’s Day, we want to celebrate love. The love of a community. This past year, the Orlando community has unified and strengthened in unimaginable ways, reminding everyone that love always wins. Initial response In the first 17 hours following the shooting, 32,680 people donated almost 1.3 million dollars. In total, 372 pints of blood were donated and used to help victims. In addition to the local response that the Orlando Pulse shooting experienced, global outreach and support was widespread. LGBT pride was honored in many different countries. Through parades, lights, and flowers, the Pulse shooting brought together society in a special way. Local Aftermath Orlando Health gave back to the community by not billing victims of the Pulse Nightclub Shooting resulting in 5 million dollars of unreimbursed costs. Over 50,000 individuals attended the Orlando candlelight vigil with crowds chanting “Orlando United”. As the Orlando community strived to lend support to those impacted by the Orlando Pulse shooting, individuals assisted in all the ways they could. Vigils were held to show the community’s utmost support for victims families, as local companies helped in all the many ways they could. Global Support After the news of the Orlando Pulse shooting was received by the public, people didn’t hesitate to lend a helping hand. Organizations and politicians from around the world instantly began fundraising efforts and sharing messages of support to show their commitment to our community. President Obama and Joe Biden traveled to Orlando, Florida to meet with survivors and families of victims. The Eiffel Tower shined in the colors of a rainbow to honor victims and jetBlue offered free flights to/from Orlando for immediate family/domestic partners of those affected by the shooting. #PrayForOrlando #Pulse #ThoughtsAndPrayers
BIGEYE named Central Florida’s Best Ad Agency 2014
ORLANDO, Fla. – November 5, 2014 – BIGEYE, a full-service integrated advertising agency based in Orlando, today announced it has nabbed top honors as Central Florida’s Best Ad Agency, according to Orlando Business Journal readers. BIGEYE was selected from reader submissions during the Orlando Business Journal’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards nomination period in September. More than 50 winners were selected in their respective categories and announced on Oct. 31. “With so many talented local agencies, we are truly honored to receive this recognition,” said Justin Ramb, CEO of BIGEYE. “We thank everyone who voted for us and ask that you stay tuned for many more exciting things to come from BIGEYE over the next year.” News of this award is just the latest this year for the growing ad agency. Earlier this year, BIGEYE won seven awards at the American Advertising Federation-Orlando American Advertising Awards and a gold award at the Fourth District American Advertising Federation Awards. The award BIGEYE earned was the only gold award given for a mobile app in the state. BIGEYE also is expanding rapidly, announcing several key hires this year and more than doubling its staff since 2013.