New infographic: Discover the wild side of Florida!
BIGEYE named Ad Agency of Record for Central Florida Region
ORLANDO, Fla. – Nov. 19, 2014 – BIGEYE, a full-service integrated advertising agency based in Orlando, today announced it has been tapped by Fantastic Sams® Hair Salons for advertising services across the Central Florida region. Fantastic Sams is one of the world’s largest full-service hair care franchises, and BIGEYE’s region will cover approximately 19 locations that include Orlando, The Villages, Palm Coast, and more. BIGEYE was chosen among several highly qualified agencies for its strong regional presence, creativity and experience in providing clients with the full scope of advertising services backed by research and strategy. Under the agreement, BIGEYE will be responsible for media research, strategy, planning and placement; traditional advertising efforts; digital marketing; and emerging media. “We’re thrilled to be working with such a well-known national brand in the beauty industry,” said Justin Ramb, CEO of BIGEYE. “Through this partnership, our goal will be to elevate the company’s brand across the Central Florida region and ultimately, reach new consumers who are looking for quality as well as value in services.” [quote]Fantastics Sams is the latest addition to BIGEYE‘s growing list of national brand clients.[/quote] As client demands increase, the agency also is staffing up. BIGEYE has announced several key hires this year and more than doubled its staff since 2013.
Concept Innovation: What Does it Take to Innovate?
As of today, statistics show that 260,000 people in America drive electric cars. For those currently in the market for an automobile purchase, an electric car might seem like an impractical form of transportation. Electric cars are dissimilar from gas-powered vehicles, as evidenced by the shortage of charging stations in relation to Chevron locations on stretches of open road. And accessing a full charge reportedly takes hours, so in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, why would a driver choose to spend thousands of dollars on such non-traditional methods of transport? At a Tesla event in October 2014 in Los Angeles, the brand’s CEO and Chief Product Architect, Elon Musk revolutionized the way in which we think about electric cars, and may have left a lasting imprint on their perceived reputation in the coming years. To really “rev the engines” of auto-hungry consumers, the new Tesla Model D features a dual motor, meaning the car has more power and more efficiency than its predecessors. With a starting sticker price of $89k, the car goes 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds, contains a photo and radar system that works up to 150 miles per hour, and parks itself. I have to admit, I do love Musk’s thinking here. While electric cars aren’t an entirely new concept, Tesla has certainly altered the entire concept of what it means to park one of these vehicles in your garage. What we once considered an impossible feat is now totally within reason – and then some.[quote] Tesla took a grand idea, made it even better, and then released it out into the world.[/quote] As Tesla shows us, novel ideas – often mixed in with a little good old fashioned elbow grease during the concept development phase – always have the opportunity to be reworked and improved. At our Orlando marketing agency, we refer to this as “optimization”, or, in agile and lean methodologies, the industry buzzword used is often “iteration”. It is through this iteration in the Tesla automobile example – coupled with constantly striving for continued enhancement – that gas-guzzling sedans become hybrids, which in turn, become electric cars, and eventually, super-powered electric sports cars. So what really motivates, or in this case, “drives” us, to take these types of conceptual risks when the end result could prove disastrous? What does it take to drive concept innovation? Perhaps it’s the notion that taking a chance on a new idea could be radical enough that its change is seen and felt around the globe. Musk prides himself on his work ethic, often mentioning the innate ability to work upwards of 100 hours per week. This innovative spirit can’t solely be attributable to his intense corporate commitment – even as the company’s CEO, I have to believe that the stimulus for success must be as a result of a much larger motivating factor. The Musk family prides itself on this willingness to take risks. In this case, with the forethought to implement a radical idea by delivering a revolutionary product that, in turn, incited change in the automotive industry in real, tangible ways. As marketers, business owners, and experts, I believe that it is this ability to stand behind a vision and go out on a limb – when the potential for professional failure may be the ultimate outcome – that creates truly noteworthy brand and product innovation. It’s not enough to purely be driven by revenue, it’s about delivering actionable changes in the way we see and interact with the world. There is no doubt that although there is a major, well-publicized dependence on oil in our country, the reason Musk is interested in electric cars is because he understands that this may be the way we will be mobilized in the future. As an industry professional, I encourage you to ponder what it is – product, service, or idea – that you’re conceptualizing, and any possible ways that you may be able to iterate and improve upon it. Whether this pertains to providing your customers with an enhanced service experience, or in taking a thought-provoking marketing campaign, and making it even more impactful. Think critically about how your service or product may positively impact your target audience, and in a greater respect, its potential to create societal change. And remember, all is not lost if you find yourself constrained by a restrictive budget – uncover opportunities to innovate that may be low- to no-cost for your business. They do exist, and oftentimes, provide far greater return on investment than those opportunities that require a substantial allocation of your marketing dollars. While we all may not make an impact on our industry in as revolutionary a way as Elon Musk has succeeded in doing in his, we can still seek to impact the lives of our customers. The team of strategists at BIGEYE’s Orlando advertising agency possesses the expertise to help you kickstart concept innovation for your brand. For budget-friendly ideas to create innovative concepts, contact us today!
Gobble, Gobble it all up, The BIG Recipe Exchange
This Thanksgiving holiday, BIGEYE is giving thanks for the cornucopia of delicious recipes we plan to indulge in with family and friends! We’re all to familiar with the amazing community of fantabulous cooks that surround us, so we thought there’d be no better time than the present to launch “The BIG Recipe Exchange” – sharing our love of scrumptious side dishes and main courses alike! Here’s how it works — we’ve created a BIG Recipe Exchange board on BIGEYE‘s Pinterest page to cultivate a mouthwatering assortment of holiday recipes. We encourage you to engage with the board by pinning your own recipes and “favoriting” the ones that make you want to tie your apron strings, don your oven mitts, and get to cookin’. Then, as we approach the week of Thanksgiving, stay tuned for an email from BIGEYE, featuring all of our noted “fan favorite” recipes to offer some inspiration as you prepare your own Thanksgiving feast. Who doesn’t want to partake in an added dash of deliciousness this holiday season? Our team at v just can’t get enough of turkey and all the trimmings – and we guarantee that you’re sure to uncover something new to add to your table spread! Let the pinning begin! Instructions: Share your favorite recipes by sending the pin to info@bigeyeagency.com (BIGEYE) on Pinterest or by emailing the recipe to megan@bigeyeageny.com. If possible, please include an image of your masterpiece. Once your recipe is shared, visit the Pinterest board to “favorite” your top recipes. Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving, from the BIGEYE Family to Yours!
BIGEYE and Downtown Arts District Select Mural Contest Winner
ORLANDO, Fla. – November 3, 2014 – BIGEYE, a full-service integrated advertising agency based in Orlando, and the Downtown Arts District (DAD) this week announced the winner of its “BIGEYE on the Arts” contest – local artist German Lemus. “Our selection committee had a difficult decision to make with such highly talented artists submitting some of the most creative mural designs,” said Justin Ramb, CEO of BIGEYE. “Ultimately, Lemus’ design captured the essence of what we were trying to accomplish with this contest. We’re extremely thankful for all of our community partners who helped make this project a reality.” Lemus’ mural is currently under production, and will be on display along highly trafficked Anderson Street on BIGEYE’s building at 500 S. Magnolia Ave., right next door to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The mural is meant to celebrate the ad agency’s new neighbor, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and the area’s booming cultural corridor. “The City Beautiful has finally blossomed into a hub of creativity, and I am in the front-row seat,” said artist German Lemus. “This design reflects how our city is roaring with bright colors, elegance and splendor.” Lemus will receive a $750 cash award for participation, and art supplies to complete the project will be donated by Sam Flax of Orlando. A local panel of community leaders reviewed and named Lemus the winner from the qualified submissions. Those panelists were: City of Orlando Commissioner Regina Hill Barbara Hartley, Downtown Arts District Craig Leicester, Aloft Orlando Downtown Wagner Dos Santos, BIGEYE Seth Segura, BIGEYE Dana Loncar, Consensus Communications “I’ve known German for many years now, as his work has been displayed at several events in the arts community throughout Central Florida and he curates and operates the Culture Xchange Gallery in the Fashion Square Mall,” said Barbara Hartley, executive director for the Downtown Arts District. “His work embodies his passion and dedication to the arts and the local community. It’s great to see his work featured in this public space.” The mural is anticipated to be complete the week of Nov. 3, just in time for the grand opening events at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
BIGEYE Continues Agency Growth, Hires Project Manager
Sep. 19, 2014 – ORLANDO, Fla. — BIGEYE, a full-service integrated advertising agency based in Orlando, today announced that Kendra Strink has joined the team as a project manager. BIGEYE continues agency growth by bringing the total number of employees to over 30.“This is just the latest in a series of key hires we are making as we are working to one of the top agencies in the Southeast – from a company growth and revenue standpoint,” said Justin Ramb, CEO of BIGEYE. [quote]“We have been in an aggressive growth period and will continue to see the same progression through the end of the year and into 2015.”[/quote]Strink joins BIGEYE as a project manager after serving as a traffic and production manager at various full-service agencies. She will serve as a liaison between account services and the creative team – responsible for the management and organization of all workflow. A graduate of the University of Central Florida, Strink holds a bachelor’s degree in molecular and microbiology.In addition to Strink’s hiring, BIGEYE also has promoted Lindsay Wiseman to digital strategist. Wiseman was previously an account coordinator with the growing agency.News of Strink’s hire and Wiseman’s promotion comes on the heels of another recent new hire announcement touting four new additions to the agency’s team. Since last year, the number of employees at BIGEYE has more than doubled.In addition to these new hires, BIGEYE is looking for an account manager and interns. For more information on careers at BIGEYE, visit https://www.bigeyeagency.com/careers/. [featured] If self and industry growth drives how you work, BIGEYE wants you to join our team! Contact us today! We want to know what you can bring to the table. [/featured] About BIGEYE BIGEYE is a highly creative and strategic advertising agency that establishes meaningful connections between brands and consumers through the fulfillment of consumer needs and wants. Founded in 2002, BIGEYE was recently named Central Florida’s Best Ad Agency in the Orlando Business Journal’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards. For more information, visit bigeyeagency.com. Contact Wágner dos Santos 407.839.8599 x203 wagner@bigeyeagency.com
Take It to the Street! BIGEYE On the Orlando Arts
In celebration of the art scene evolving in the city of Orlando, BIGEYE is partnering with the Downtown Arts District to hold a mural design contest among local artists for BIGEYE on the Arts. Designs should pay tribute to BIGEYE’s new neighbor, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and the booming cultural corridor in Orlando. Artists will submit designs to info@bigeyeagency.com, where they will be uploaded to Downtown Arts District’s Facebook page for viewing. Designs should also give a nod to the BIGEYE brand, as it will be placed on one of the agency location’s external walls, facing east on Anderson Street. CHECK OUT THE EVENT PAGE BY CLICKING HERE! Key Dates: Wednesday, Sept. 10: Call for entries Monday, Oct. 6 at 5 p.m.: Deadline for submissions Tuesday, Oct. 7: Deliberations with committee – selection of winner and designated runner-up / winner notification pending Board approval Week of Oct. 6: Final winner notification Friday, Oct. 17 – Wednesday Oct. 29: Production Thursday, Oct. 30: Mural is up! Submission Guidelines: Mural size to be approximately 16’w x 8.5’h. Entries will only be accepted electronically (.png, .jpeg, .PDF) to info@bigeyeagency.com beginning on Sept. 10, 2014 and must contain the following information: In the subject line of your email, please include the following: “BIGEYE on the Arts Submission,” and list the following in the body of your message: Artist’s Name Artist’s Contact Information – email address and phone number Artist’s statement Artist’s mural experience and description of previous mural projects completed Rules: All eligible entries must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Oct. 6, 2014, and will be judged by a panel consisting of: A representative from BIGEYE A representative from Consensus Communications A representative from Downtown Arts A representative from the Orlando City Commission A representative from the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center One preliminary winner and one runner-up will be initially notified during the week of Oct. 6, 2014, pending approval and selection of the final design by the Appearance Review Board of the City of Orlando. Upon Board approval, the designated winner should be prepared and able to begin production on the mural no later than Oct. 17, 2014, with a completion date of Oct. 30, 2014. The winner agrees to make him or herself available for media inquiries during the production of the mural, and to participate in an unveiling ceremony on a date to be dually agreed upon by contest representatives and winning artist. $750 cash prize to be awarded to winner for participation. Paint supplies to be donated by Sam Flax to fulfill project requirements. No obscene text or images that could be offensive will be allowed. The winning artist will receive a monetary prize and the opportunity to display his/her work in a prominent location in Downtown Orlando[CM1] . Entries will be judged on the following criteria: Does the design and description illustrate the stated goal? Is the design easy to distinguish to a passerby via car or pedestrian? Is the design able to be translated to the necessary size requirements (approximately 16’w x 8.5’h)? Does the design speak to downtown Orlando’s culture? Does the design combine elements that represent BIGEYE and the arts presence through the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center? Does the design incorporate BIGEYE’s name within the design? (logo cannot take up more than 20% of the mural area). The artist maintains ownership of the work. BIGEYE will have rights to the licensing of the artwork for reproduction for promotional and other use. BIGEYE will not be held liable for complications that may occur while the mural is in production.
BIGEYE’s Aggressive Growth Strategy, Hires Multiple Team Members
ORLANDO, Fla. – Aug. 14, 2014 – BIGEYE, a full-service integrated advertising agency based in Orlando, today announced that due to recent client growth it has hired four new employees, bringing the total to over 22. The number of employees at BIGEYE has doubled since last year, and plans call for a continuation of this aggressive agency growth through the end of the year. “We are always on the lookout for new talent, and to meet growing client demands, we saw the need to add to our team,” said Justin Ramb, CEO of BIGEYE. [quote]“Our employees represent some of the best in the industry, and we are looking forward to finishing out the year on top.”[/quote] New employees include: Megan Bobiak joins BIGEYE as a business development manager. Bobiak brings more than a decade of experience in the industry. Prior to joining BIGEYE, she spent the majority of her career as the marketing director for BankFIRST, a Central Florida-based financial institution. In 2012, Bobiak was recognized as a 40 Under 40 nominee by the Orlando Business Journal. She graduated from Florida State University and received her Certified Financial Marketing Professional certification from the School of Bank Marketing and Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. Bobiak is a member of the Key Initiative Committee for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida. Lauren Steckroth joins the account management team as a manager and will act as a strategic partner and the liaison between the creative team and clients. Prior to joining the agency, she worked at Lowe Campbell Ewald and MRM//McCann, both part of the Interpublic Group. While there, she handled digital customer relationship management (CRM), TV and radio for both General Motors and Nissan. Steckroth is focused on operational efficiencies to ensure clients receive high-quality work. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich. Justin Sooter joins BIGEYE as a designer. With experience in both graphic and web design, Sooter joins BIGEYE after successfully completing an internship with the growing advertising agency. Sooter is a recent graduate of Flagler College in St. Augustine. Aubrey Rangel joins the agency as an account coordinator. Rangel comes to BIGEYE after working with another local advertising agency. She is a recent graduate of the University of Central Florida. In addition to these new hires, BIGEYE is looking for an account manager and interns. For more information on careers at BIGEYE, visit https://www.bigeyeagency.com/careers/. About BIGEYE BIGEYE is a highly creative and strategic advertising agency that establishes meaningful connections between brands and consumers through the fulfillment of consumer needs and wants. Founded in 2002, BIGEYE was recently named Central Florida’s Best Ad Agency in the Orlando Business Journal’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards. For more information, visit bigeyeagency.com. Contact: Wágner dos Santos, BIGEYE 407.839.8599 x203 wagner@bigeyeagency.com ###
Listen to the top eight TED Talks on marketing now
Inspirational speakers can really motivate people to think differently and make smarter choices. When it comes to the marketing world, one good innovative idea can mean the difference between branding success and downfall. TED talks serve as an idea platform for viewers across the world by delivering interesting discoveries and starting conversation about topics people may forget about. Compiled below are BIGEYE’s Top 8 TED talks on marketing; these articles hold unique perspectives on how to attain true success in our ever-changing industry. From consumer preference and perception to branding, these talks are thought provoking and even humorous. 1. Malcolm Gladwell: Choice, Happiness, and Spaghetti Sauce This talk discusses the importance of striving for preference rather than perfection. There is no perfect solution to make every single one of your consumers happy. Your product or service must be adaptive to diverse opinions and tastes. Gladwell uses a brand of spaghetti sauce to prove that offering specific choices creates your own niche market, which in turn, increases sales. 2. Rory Sutherland: Life Lessons from an Ad Man Value is a matter of perception and persuasion, which is better than compulsion. At least that’s what this TED talk is centered around. Rory Sutherland discusses why it is important to use perception to your advantage. To be successful, businesses must understand it is seen through a consumer’s eye. The examples featured throughout this talk prove that simple manipulation of perception can create the best solutions to marketing problems. 3. Joseph Pine: What Consumers Want Customers like to think that what they buy is authentic and real. However, Joseph Pine makes it clear that selling authenticity is tough because there is no such thing. But, there is such thing as creating “artificial” experiences and still make millions. Consumers want to buy experience more than anything, and this talk emphasizes the importance of staying true to who the business is in order to provide the most authentic experience possible. 4. Morgan Spurlock: The Greatest TED Talk Ever Sold This talk is particularly interesting because Morgan Spurlock documents his journey and presents it in clips. He shares his quest to make a completely sponsored film about sponsorship, and takes you into the offices of different businesses. Not only is this talk funny, but it also educational as it explores the way many business go about brand marketing. 5. Sheena Iyengar: How To Make Choosing Easier It’s easier for consumers to feel overwhelmed by choices. Even walking into a convenience store to buy toothpaste can be a headache. With 50 different options staring you down, it can be difficult to make a fast decision. In this talk, Sheena Iyengar reveals a solution to this problem by giving businesses ways to improve the experience of choosing. 6. Dan Cobley: What Physics Taught Me About Marketing Using Newton’s second law, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, the scientific method and the second law of thermodynamics, this marketing director from Google explains how marketing and physics have more in common than you may imagine. 7. Josh Luber: Why Sneakers Are A Great Investment The secondary market for sneakers in the United States represents a 1.2 billion dollar industry. In this talk, Josh, who is one part sneakerhead and one part data geek, explains how Nike’s customers made almost twice as much profit as their closest competitor last year. 8. Mary Norris: The Nit-Picking Glory of The New Yorker’s Comma Queen Meet Mary Norris, a charmingly precise, well-spoken copy editor from the New Yorker. Copywriters and wordsmiths of all sorts will swoon at her detail orientation toward word selection. About Mary, a reader recently wrote, “Please, could you expel, or, at least restrain, the comma maniac, on your editorial staff?”. Interested in learning more from a team of industry experts? Contact us today!
8 Simple Time Management Tips to Boost Your Efficiency
Let’s face it: we live in a world where we are surrounded by distractions. At any given minute, there are what feels like more than one hundred phone calls to make, thousands of people to chat with on Facebook, and over a million emails to respond to. Sometimes, it seems impossible to get it all done…and oftentimes, that’s because it is. One of the most essential skills I’ve learned in the business world is the art of time management. It’s not easy to manage all those meetings, projects, tasks and interruptions, but luckily I’ve had the luxury of learning a few tips that have helped me navigate through the mess. The team at our advertising agency hopes that the following 8 simple time management tips to help you boost your efficiency help to make your daily grind a little less taxing. 1. Figure Out How Long Things Really Take Notice how sometimes things we think we can get done quickly tend to take much longer, and we find ourselves wondering where the time went? For one day, walk around with a stopwatch and time yourself doing everything you do on a regular day. How long does it take you to brush your teeth? How long is your commute? How long does it take you to go into Starbucks and get your morning latte? Once you figure out how long things really take, you can be more realistic about how much time you need to set aside in your day…and where to trim the fat from your daily schedule. 2. In One, Out One You may have heard this concept before. The idea is that if something comes in (for example, a new pair of shoes), you have to get rid of one of the same thing (in this case, a different pair of shoes). This will keep your clutter to a minimum and will prevent you from getting overloaded with junk. While this may be a rule for personal organization, it also relates to business organization in that every time you get a new business tool, it’s time to get rid of an old one. Some companies use multiple CRMs, project management tools, and pipelines, but don’t use any of them very consistently. Get rid of all those tools, documents and internal projects that are simply causing clutter. 3. Everything Has One Home, and One Home Only How long does it take you to save a file to the right place? Ten seconds, max? Yet for some reason, we’re often apt to save to our desktops or some other place where the file doesn’t belong, only to spend hours looking for that document later on. [quote]Searching for lost documents is one of the business time-wasters, even at the executive level.[/quote] By ensuring everything has one home, you’ll always be able to find what you need when you need it. But, this doesn’t apply only to computer files. You can also apply it to things around your house like keys and shoes, and to items at the office like supplies and paper documents. 4. Be as Paperless as Possible Speaking of paper documents, one of the best ways to reduce clutter is to be as paperless as possible. Who here hasn’t spent hours searching for a single copy of that one important document that you intended to take home and read over the weekend? Invest in an iPad and make sure you’re applying the rules above to manage your documents, and watch all your paper clutter disappear. 5. Manage Your Calendar to Budget for Every 15 Minutes of Your Day There’s rule we have around the office, which is that if we budget for it, it’ll happen. This doesn’t only apply to projects that require funding, but it also applies to time: if you slice out time in your day to address certain things, you can be sure those will get done. Many people do this the night before so they can make sure to assign time to address each outstanding item. If you’re having trouble sticking to this schedule, then try to set up working meetings with colleagues to help keep you on task. In the same way that going to the gym with a friend can help motivate you, working with someone else on a defined task can help keep you in check. 6. No Agenda, No Meeting Early on in my career, I found that meetings tended to derail pretty quickly. So, I started forcing people to provide meeting agendas, which helped us stay on task and cover the areas needed. Along this line, I also didn’t wait until the end of the meeting to instruct someone to send a recap with next steps. Rather, I assigned someone to send this recap at the beginning of the meeting, and worked to ensure this task was complete before the meeting’s conclusion. I’ve found that these two steps seem to make meeting time much more productive. 7. Don’t Underestimate the Power of “Yes”or “No” How often do you spend too long drafting a lengthy response to an email that you could have just answered with “Yes”or “No”? If you think about it, you’ll probably find it’s more often than you think. In 99% of these cases, “Yes”and “No”are fine responses. 8. Use Email Subject Lines to Convey Messages If you’re only listing a short message or response, include it in the subject line. That way, you don’t even have to send a full email, and the person reading can simply look at their inbox to see the response. This saves time for both the sender and the reader. The first time you use this trick with a new person, be sure to write “EOM (End of Message)”so that the person knows the message is complete in the subject line, and then you can use the acronym EOM at the end of subject line responses in the future. We know that demanding jobs can thwart our ability to manage time,