“Corporate identity as an idea describes the personality and image of your business”. This description serves as a guide for anyone. It helps steer everyone from, young entrepreneur to seasoned CEO in the right direction. This means they can approach their corporate identity (and business) in a simplistic way.
Take a moment to think about corporate identity from a designer’s perspective. It becomes clear that corporate identity consists of a range of elements. These elements are a visual represent your business.
These include:
company logo;
stationary set (business cards, letterheads, and notebooks);
apparel;
signage;
products and packaging;
marketing initiatives (websites, blogs, social media and advertising);
and communication outlets (email signatures).
Now that you understand what a corporate identity is and where it functions, here are 6 reasons why your company needs a fresh CI.
Logo
1. Identification and Differentiation
Identification and differentiation go hand in hand. Your corporate identity is a means of introducing your company to audiences. It also helps you differentiate yourself from your competitors. Much like two people with the same names or a set of twins a corporate identity allows your business to begin to own a unique sense of character. It defines identity amongst others that may be similar. Before you address anything else, your company claims a position of competitive advantage.
Product Branding
Stamps
2. It Communicates Your Brand
A strong corporate identity functions like a channel. It strengthens your brand, the company’s values, aims, look and feel or character. One example would be, if your business is a craft style restaurant. Your brand values might include messages like handmade, authentic, simple or original. A corporate identity and logo structured around this might then communicate rough textures, old style font choices and a handmade look and feel to the elements (recycled paper menus or chalkboard labels on notebooks).
Websites
3. It Says “Professional and Credible”
An awareness of corporate identity shows that you are mindful of the message. It may (or may not) communicates that you care enough about your customers to invest in company resources. These efforts aim to achieve the appropriate image for the brand. This immediately increases your company’s level of professionalism. Once your corporate identity has achieved its goal, it helps the customer start to align themselves with the brand. Some exciting things begin to happen for your company.The customer is able to relate to the company through the visual cues of corporate identity. This is a lot like engaging in a lengthy conversation with a stranger. A level of trust, validation and credibility is established. Consider the number of times you have chosen a product based on the fact that you recognise the identity of the company. Corporate giants like Apple have been able to apply their identity well. They have developed a strong fan base following. Followers of the brand will often buy an Apple product based on the trust they have for the brand identity. How often do you hear an Apple customer complain about product prices is or that they’re considering switching to a different brand? This credibility is partly owed to the actual reliability and customer satisfaction associated with an identity. This is in alignment with its brand.
Folder
Letterhead
Business Cards
Website
4. Memorability
A Strong corporate identity is worn on your business like a brightly coloured polka dot shirt at an all-white party; while hopefully more tasteful it will most certainly be memorable. Think of it as another part of that validation process clients or customers go through to develop a bond of trust and credibility with your business. If a potential client has seen elements of your corporate identity somewhere else and remembered it, they are left either with the knowledge that other people are making use of your services or will have your company at the top of their heads to recall when services are required. This will tell you something about the existing impact of your current identity [if any] and if it is yielding measurable returns.
Logo
Folder
Letterhead
Business Cards
Website
Notebooks/Notepads
Accessories
Envelopes
Memory Sticks
CD’s & Covers
5. Business Success
The final advantage of investing in a strong corporate identity is the potential for attracting new business and maintaining existing clients. Should your company be a long standing one a refreshed identity says ‘I’m up to date and relevant’ whereas for the start-up breed it says ‘I’m new try me out’? In both scenarios a stronger corporate identity has the potential benefit of attracting clients better suited to the character, values and aims of your company and offerings.
You have eight seconds or less to get the attention of your target audience. How are you going to use it?
Up to 50% of readers who land on your website will lose interest and leave within eight seconds or less. This alarming statistic has been proven by numerous marketing studies from around the world, including that of MarketingSherpa, a global research institute that specialises in tracking results of marketing initiatives.
In addition, surveys indicate that if you do pass the zero-to-eight-seconds-to-grab-the-attention-of-the-online-reader test – you only have around another 30 seconds to hold it. This begs the question: how are you using that make or break period of time in your business space?
Consider what will lead them to you in the first place.
Members of your target audience will predominantly go to your website for one of two reasons. It will either be because you promoted a specific offer, or because they conducted an online search for your kind of products or services. In both these instances, the zero-to-eight-seconds rule comes into play.
Be bold and different in your punch line.
When you would like to promote a specific offer, you should have a strong, catchy punch line for your campaign. This should ideally comprise no more than six to ten words, as you want to say just enough to entice your audience to click on the link to read more. But not so much that you bore them.
To accomplish this, you need to put yourself in your target audience’s shoes. Cut to the chase and say exactly what they would like to see. Most importantly, you need to make sure you stand out. For example, a tagline like: ‘Special accounting packages for small businesses’ will very likely not get many clicks, as it is too same old, same old. Something like: ‘What every small business owner has been waiting for’ – on the other hand – will get an entire different result.
Let us look at another example. ‘Custom-made designer dresses for women’ versus ‘Dresses to die for, made for all diva shapes and sizes.’ In this case I believe it is quite obvious which one will get more clicks.
What your company can offer must be crystal clear.
A similar approach should be taken for the second scenario. When someone searches for products or services like yours on the Internet, your positioning statement that immediately appears under the name of your company needs to, well – make a statement. But yet again, with the emphasis on the needs and desires of your target audiences in mind. Too many businesses make the mistake of singing their own praises first. Another key element that you have to take into consideration – is that your offering must be crystal clear. If it doesn’t unmistakably demonstrate what you do and the value of it to your readers straight away, you will lose them.
How? Well, it is admittedly not easy. Any professional copywriter will tell you that it is much more difficult to write short content than long content. This is because you need to use as little words as possible, to make as much impact as possible.
Let’s say the first line under your website reads something like: ‘Mervin & Kie is a family business that was established two decades ago to serve the construction industry.’ Does it immediately tell the reader what you do? No, not really, because there are a host of different disciplines, services and products in the construction space. Does it tell the reader what you can do for him or her? No, because you are talking about your own company instead of addressing the needs of your reader. While a statement like that could very well fit under your ‘More about us’ section, it is definitely not suitable to captivate your target audience instantly.
Here are two examples of good positioning statements:
You could be the star of the show without breaking the bank – in a one design only Elegance luxury ball gown.
As long as Kiddies ER have your back, you won’t have to worry about your child in a medical emergency – ever again.
Imagine every click on your website could convert into sales.
As most companies and people lately search for products or services on the Internet, you cannot afford to make light of the message you need to craft to stand out. But it doesn’t end there. Keep your eye on this space as we will soon share vital information on how to improve your chances of converting those clicks to sales or inquiries. This will be done in my next blog post titled: ‘So you have your target audience’s attention. Now what?’ Please feel free to get in touch for more information on BWD’s professional business writing services.
In this day and age it is not enough to just have your presence online, simply having a website is not enough. Every single business you can think of has a website. So what makes your website different from the rest? What makes your company’s site stand out from your competitors?
Well the thing you need to know is that your website’s home page is the bridge between the customer viewing your site or finding a better site to visit. If your home page doesn’t capture the viewer they will not view the rest of your site.
So let’s get straight to the point.
Is your home page strong enough to keep your customer’s interest?
Your Home Page
Your home page needs to be both aesthetically pleasing and give the viewer as much information to keep them on your site, or else you will lose your customers within the first 5 minutes. Less is more do not over complicate your home page, it needs to be able to summarize your whole business in that page.
The important things you need to keep in mind when creating your home page
Who you are
What you do
What action should the visitor take
3 main features of your business
Clear and easy way to contact you.
Who you are?
What you want to make clear with the 1st glance of your site is who you are. Make sure you have a clear representation of you such as a logo and slogan of who you are.
What you do?
This is a clear statement of your business’s main function, whether you provide a product or service. Do not over complicate it by giving long tedious explanations of your history (save that for your about page), provide them with a strong summary of what you do.
What do you want the visitor to do?
This is a where you need to guide the website user on what to do next. It is an expansion on what your company does by giving them an action to purchase or learn more about the company. This can be a clear call to action or statement asking the customer to join, click, contact, subscribe or buy. This is a either a button / link, contact form, newsletter application, or social media action.
Depending on what your company does this is an action they need to take on your site in order to do business with you. For example if you provide an online service where the user needs to be part of your database to have access to your service, you would need an apply now button or a join now form for the user to fill in.
3 Main Features of your business
Instead of making your customer guess what it is you actually do or sell, its easier to give them a taste of your specialty. That way they feel the need to view more of your work.
Clear and easy contact
Contact details need to be clear and easily accessible. The key is not to annoy the visitor by making it hard for them to get a hold of you. Do not add in all the complicated contact details of your business, a simple email and phone number will do.
So when it comes to your home page you need to make sure that your site captures your user and doesn’t confuse them. Your user needs to get onto your home page and have a clear and brief understanding of who your company is and what your company can do for them.
It’s a simple thing of catching the client’s attention with a good looking site without over complicating why it is you want them to do business with you. Don’t know where to begin? BWD provides professional web services in which we can help create a winning home page for your business.
Siya: Over the past 10 years, many companies didn’t see the need to have a website. The technology has advanced that now companies see the need to have websites. A website tells your clients what your business is all about. The website also helps to bring new clients. There is an English proverb that says, “A picture is worth a thousand words”. The importance of having a website is evident. Our entrepreneur for today started the business building websites in 2006. He saw a gap in the market and he decided to start this type of a business. Let me go and have a chat with him about his business.
Each week, the entrepreneur will be given three tasks by their mentor, which they need to complete in a day in order to take their businesses forward. They will be expected to give the mentor a feedback on how they perform their tasks. Each entrepreneur will also have an opportunity to pitch for an investment of 10,000 Rand for making moves into their business based on the strength of the pitch and financial management of the entrepreneur. The judges will use their discretion to decide how much they want to invest into the business. They can invest any amount between R0, 00 to R10, 000.
Bongani [inaudible 00:01:56] company in 2006 after he was fired from his first job as a web designer.
Bongani: I am the founder of Breeze Website Designers. I grew up in Majematsho in Mafikeng. I had a normal childhood. I attended my primary and higher primary school at Monthsiwa. When I got to high school, my parents sent me to boarding school for three years. After high school, I went to UJ, formally known as Wits Tech.
Vusi: I met with Bongani at school, Bongani was my [inaudible 00:02:43] at Wits Tech. When I was in second year, he was doing his third year. He helped me out with a project, so ever since then, I’ve known him. I lived with him and we also worked together in the same office.
Thuso: I always like to say that he’s a special person in a sense that he’s got his own way of doing things and sometimes we find him funny, his way of doing things and sometimes they kind of make sense. He started selling cow dung around his neighbourhood in the rural village of Majematsho and I think that’s basically where his humble beginning started.
Bongani: I sold cow dung because I wanted to have money for the December holidays. People wanted something to make their grass greener. My strongest quality is that I am a good organiser.
Thuso: He’s not gonna do things [inaudible 00:04:16]. Like we get to a place, the booze is too expensive, there’s no way he’s gonna sit there and spend 20 bucks and pretend like he enjoys it.
Bongani: My weakest quality is mainly, to be honest with you, that I can’t say no to people.
Vusi: Because of the temper of character, he can’t say no. And generally, I think he likes having people around him.
Thuso: I would say he’s a bit untidy but I think you kinda get to live with it. From the high school days all the way to the [inaudible 00:04:54] days. You know, the guy has a different version of keeping a place tidy. He’s had his own version of doing that.
Vusi: I like that Bongani is a hard worker. He doesn’t give up when things get tough.
Siya: Explain what do you mean by web designing?
Bongani: We help companies to have online presence. Meaning we market them on the Internet. Clients are attracted by what they see out there about any business. Through a website, a business can get clients from overseas.
Siya: Sounds like you know what you are talking about. What made you get into this business?
Bongani: To be honest, this is something I have always wanted to do. This is my third attempt in business. The first business failed because of cash flow problems. The second time around, my car got repossessed. After every attempt, I would go back and find a job. I have an IT Diploma so it was easy to get a job.
Siya: Where did you get the capital to start your business?
Bongani: I didn’t need much money to start my business. I used my savings to start the business. My savings would last me for three months.
Siya: How many employees do you have and what are their roles if you have any and how long are they here for?
Bongani: I have three employees. The first one is Edward. Edward is a Web Designer and also a Graphic Designer. I have worked with him for a while now. The second employee is Chezelle. She is Graphic Designer. The third employee is Sibusiso, who deals with accounts.
Chezelle: I enjoy working for Bongani. As a person, I can see he’s very outgoing and exciting and he’s not afraid to take any chances and he goes out and does what he wants to do. He’s really an outgoing person.
Eddie: Working for Bongani has been good. I’ve learned a lot from him. I don’t think you can tell much between him as a person and him as an employer because he is the same guy.
Siya: According to our research, you do a good job, yet you don’t have many clients. How does that affect your business?
Bongani: It has a negative impact on the business. Most of the time, we work on projects. We don’t have retainer clients. Retainer clients pay every month for the job we do. We usually create a website and also an internet marketing strategy. We usually work for them for about six months to a year. We have short term clientele so I am pressured to find more business to sustain BWD.
Siya: What are you expecting and what’s the biggest outcome that you have as well? Out of your journey with Making Move, what do you want to achieve?
Bongani: My biggest goal is that I want my clients to know the importance of having a website. When they know the importance, they will then see why I provide the service. They won’t want a website if they don’t know the importance of it. I hope Making Moves will help potential clients understand the importance of a website. I want them to know how internet marketing works and that a website is not expensive. A website is a cheaper form of market compared to other media ways of marketing. With the website, they can measure their outcomes.
Tumi: I have read your financial. I see you buy from certain shops. I don’t know why are you buying burgers with the company’s money.
Siya: Your mentor is here to have a look at how you operate your business. According to our research, you guys are doing a great job. That mentor is coming here to give you the critical eye. Your mentor will look at your business and tell you where you’re doing right and wrong.
Tumi: I’m Tumi Frazier, an international speaker, author, and life coach. I’m a health fanatic as well. I love sports extremely. I am very humble I think and what you see is what you get and I am a conduit for empowerment. I love empowering people. I am straightforward. I’ll go for whatever I believe in in life. I really believe in excellence. Anything I do, I really do it 110% or I don’t do it at all. I believe that people have the potential in them, they just need to be directed somehow. As a life coach, I’m more of a sounding board. I really don’t tell people what to do, because I believe you already know. People, a lot of time, will tell you, “I was thinking I could do this or that.” All I do is really channel you to making the best decisions ever so that you understand that whatever decision you make has both rewards and consequences.
I’ve been in this business for probably over 15 years however I’ve had to re-brand myself and take Tumi, as a speaker and author, outside the business. That, in itself, has happened over the past seven years. Mentorship is critical. Actually, extremely, extremely important. A lot of businesses, especially young entrepreneurs, fail not because they don’t have great ideas or great energy or enthusiasm. It’s because they lack guidance. Having somebody you look up to, you know, that you can always bounce things off is very, very critical. Sometimes you feel like you’re losing hope, you know. That’s the kind of person who will say, “Hey, I’ve been there and this is how I came through that.” And you can also learn from their own mistakes, that way you don’t reinvent the wheel.
Siya: Here is your mentor. Her name is Tumi. This is our young entrepreneur for today. His name is Bongani. He’s in the web designing business. He’s passionate about what he does and he’s also got this never say die attitude about him. I mean, he’ll tell you about all these trials and tribulations in his business. [inaudible 00:12:24]
Tumi: Will do. We’ll see you later. How are you?
Bongani: I am well, thanks.
Tumi: This is where everybody is.
Bongani: Yeah, this is where everybody is. That’s Chezelle. She’s a Graphics Designer. That’s Eddie. Eddie’s a Website Designer and Graphics Designer as well.
Tumi: Wonderful. So you guys are you enjoying what you’re doing here?
Eddie: Yes.
Tumi: Wonderful. So you wanna show me the kind of work you do, anything that you’ve done recently for the client, any project you’re working on?
Bongani: Yes, I show you quite a number of things. Eddie, maybe if you can just open up the latest [inaudible 00:13:11] that you’ve worked on quickly. This is the latest project that we’re working on. We’re actually presenting this in about an hour. It’s called the Hustlas Theatre. What they asked us to do was to create a brand around street performers. The ladies said what they want is that they want to create some form of like a festival for street performers. So they want a concept and a brand [inaudible 00:13:31] so this is what we came up.
Tumi: And Hustlas that’s what they call themselves. That’s the brand.
Bongani: Yeah, that’s the name of the brand, Hustlas Theatre. That’s the rationale around the logo.
Tumi: Did you designed the logo?
Bongani: Eddie designed the logo.
Tumi: Okay.
Bongani: My first impression of the mentor, was pretty much that she was quite knowledgeable. As a mentor and a person who has been in business, she will give me good advice.
This is our photography studio which also doubles as a boardroom.
Tumi: Okay.
Bongani: So if the client would need some pictures for their website or maybe for their posters or pretty much anything, then we just take pictures.
Tumi: You do photography as a single service, other than just web design, as part of the web design?
Bongani: Yes, we also do photography services.
Tumi: Okay, interesting.
Bongani: We mainly [inaudible 00:14:35] for our photography services.
Tumi: That looks really nice. Okay, so should we go back and go sit down so that we can have our chat and figure out what it is that you need and how we can help?
Bongani: Yes, we can do that.
Tumi: Okay.
When did you start your business? Just give me a bit of history in terms of where you started and what really led you to…really going into an entrepreneurial kind of venture.
Bongani: I started the business in 2006.
Tumi: The same one?
Bongani: The same one.
Tumi: Okay.
Bongani: It gave me problems.
Tumi: What were the problems?
Bongani: The problem was that it wasn’t covering my daily expenses. I stopped the business and went to look for a job. I tried again back in 2009 I think…between 2009 and 2008 with no success.
Tumi: It gave you problems again, how come? Did you do anything different from the time you started in 2006 and again in 2009?
Bongani: I looked at my mistakes from the first time, then tried to fix them the second time around. My first mistake when I started was targeting clients that knew very little about websites. [inaudible 00:16:10]
Tumi: Totally different type of client, okay.
Bongani: Right now, I am on my third year with this business.
Tumi: What was causing you to have problems in 2009?
Bongani: My problem was the cash flow, I would say that was my main problem. It caused me so much problems that my car got repossessed.
Tumi: Part of the game, that’s what entrepreneurship is about. I mean, we all go through some of those experiences from time to time.
Bongani feels cash flow is his main problem. As we spoke, I saw that cash flow is not his main problem. His main problem is that he does not market his business. Even if I can give him lots of money, he will fail because he doesn’t market his business. Maximize [inaudible 00:17:12] these other things and give him the other business, then that money is going to be used up and that will be it.
So you design and host the website? Do you leave it to someone else to host the website?
Bongani: We host most of the websites. We make most of our money from maintaining our client’s websites.
Tumi: Web development.
Bongani: Maintenance.
Tumi: Maintenance.
Bongani: We make most of our money from maintaining our client’s websites.
Tumi: Do you optimise?
Bongani: Yes, we do.
Tumi: So how does a project come to an end if you optimise? [inaudible 00:17:45] if you’re going to optimise thereafter because then that becomes a consistent…
Bongani: To be honest, the issues that…I am the only person who can do Search Engine Optimisation. I can’t sell that service because if I do, I would have to do the work myself. I am currently training Chezelle to do that job.
Tumi: Is she ready to that? [inaudible 00:18:15] to take on the optimisation part?
Bongani: Yes, she is ready.
Tumi: In this case, particular case, the entrepreneur is the one who needs to sort himself out. He has great ideas and offers great services. I mean, they’re doing great work. All he needs to do is to be proactive. He mustn’t wait for business to come to him.
You have a studio and great services. You need to go and market your business. So there’s so much, in terms of the procure of services, that you can actually go out and market and capitalize [inaudible 00:18:42]. You have these other services. You are only focusing on web development, that is giving you problems. So we need to correct that.
Bongani: She picked up that I am not proactive in sourcing clients.
Tumi: He needs to go and tell people about his services. And that’s it.
Do you have a company profile? Because what I have here is your biography.
Bongani: I have a biography and a company profile.
Tumi: How does your profile look like? Do you have around here? When you go see a client, what do you show them?
Bongani: I give them the business profile.
Tumi: Where is it?
Bongani: It’s in my computer.
Tumi: You don’t have it on a hard copy?
Bongani: We can’t keep up with printing because we do new projects every week. For example, the Hustlas Theatre, we going to put it the company profile.
Tumi: This biography needs me to sit and read and busy people don’t have time for that. So I need to just be captured. You are a creative individual, show me creativity. That’s what I want to look at.
I have studied your financials. I see you buy from certain shops. I don’t know why are you buying burgers with the company’s money. It’s important because once I’m helping you to generate more funds, I have to have the confidence [inaudible 00:20:32] manage them. If you can’t manage that, then we are wasting time.
Bongani: The reason for that is I only pay my employees. I don’t play myself.
Tumi: For proper financial management, even if you don’t…call it salary for the purpose of this…When an auditor looks at your books, he will want to know where is the money going. Rather than assign it to something, [inaudible 00:21:40] or whatever. When you go and buy a burger, you won’t be using the company’s money. When you go buy car tyres, you won’t use company’s money. So that’s proper financial management.
Young entrepreneurs believe if they use company’s money, it’s okay. You can’t sit and wait for business to come to you. Even if you sell fatcakes, you must tell people so that we know.
Let’s just get a procure of services [inaudible 00:22:00]. That way when I give you tasks, we know how does everything work together.
Bongani: We do websites which is straight forward. A website is usually a content management system website which makes it easier for client update. We also do graphic design which is broad on its own. Graphic design includes brochures, annual reports, and many more.
Tumi: I see you have a brand, I think. You didn’t tell me about all this from the beginning. In fact, you don’t even have this in our thing. You know that? This branding, you don’t have more information…You didn’t put this in on the information you sent to us. How come? You don’t consider it to be a service? Because this is stunning. I mean, all organisations do this on a yearly basis.
Bongani: Yeah. We also brand mouse pads.
Tumi: And how do you market them? Who do you sell them to?
Bongani: We pretty much wait for clients to ask us.
Tumi: How do you wait for a client to ask you?
Bongani: Well, what I simply do is I print maybe 30 and hen every time I see a client, I give them one.
Tumi: Bongani, how do you develop something and you call it a service and then wait for your client to ask you? How would the client know you do such things? That doesn’t make sense at all.
You can’t sit and wait for business to come to you. Even if you sell fatcakes, you must tell people so that we know.
Let’s get down to business. Your first task, I need you to go look at the current clients, existing business and clients because I need you to go source repeat business. I need you to go sell optimisation, go sell branding, go sell social media management.
His first task is to go and she his existing clients and sell his other services to them.
Secondly, I need you to go to some of the Government agencies that deal with entrepreneurs. I want you to get onto their database so that they can use your services when they design something. Speak to the people who handle marketing because they deal with web developers. Also, sell your procure of services and get on their database.
I know that some of the Government entities, they deal in entrepreneurs. They always sponsor for free websites, marketing branding, etc. This is what they do all the time. He needs to put himself on their database so that they can call him when there is a job.
Thirdly, you have an excellent team. I want you guys to put your heads together, come up with something that’s ‘wow’. When you go and present you must take it with you. You must come up with something that you will leave with your client. I’m sure that you can come up with that in a few hours.
I want to see something that’s [inaudible 00:25:24], that says they’re inspiring, that says they are creative. You know, that’s what creatives are. You want to see what they’re capable of.
Bongani: I don’t think it will be a problem. This is what we do every day. We have a business profile just that it’s not printed. It won’t be a problem to register with NYDA or SEDA. I’ll download the forms from the Internet. I will have to call clients I have worked with to get repeat business.
Tumi: It’s been good. Goodbye.
Bongani: Go well.
Siya: Tomorrow, you have to do all your tasks. Today, your mentor gave you tasks to do. Tomorrow, we have to see you doing your tasks. We need to see you putting a plan and everything into action. I will catch up with you in the morning before you go do your tasks. We will be monitoring on how will you do when performing your tasks. So, how do you feel about tomorrow?
Bongani: Super excited.
Siya: I’ll see you tomorrow morning.
You are still watching Making Moves on SABC 1 Mzansi fo Sho. Today, our entrepreneur has to do his tasks. Don’t forget that he is on web design business. Yesterday, his mentor gave him tasks that he has to do and complete by the end of the day. I am going to have a chat with him and find what he has prepared for today. Will he be able to finish them all today? Remember, he has until the end of the day to finish all his tasks. He has no choice but to finish them today. Let me go and have a chat with him and hear what he has planned.
Good morning. How are you?
Bongani: I am well, thanks.
Siya: Today, you to do the tasks that your mentor has given you to do. How have you planned going about your tasks?
Bongani: First, I will sort out my profile. I will go to Jetline and collect my profile. I have already submitted the artwork. My mentor suggested I call up clients for new business. I thought outside the box and I am going to approach a cement company. Pretty much the biggest if not the second biggest cement company in all [inaudible 00:28:10]. I will try and close a deal that I have been busy with. I have a client corporate gift for the cement company.
Siya: Nice, you are going to show them what are you made of.
Bongani: My mentor said I must put myself on government database. I am going to register at SEDA in Braamfontein. I have the documents with me.
Siya: It seems like you’ve got everything and all your ducks in a row. You feel confident today?
Bongani: Super confident.
Siya: That you’ll do everything in time?
Bongani: Without a doubt.
Siya: All right. I see you are ready to go.
Bongani: I am on my way.
Siya: Time waits for no man. You only have today to finish all your tasks. I will catch up with you after you have completed your tasks.
Bongani: I decided to take this opportunity to close this deal that I’ve been chasing for a while. I am at the print shop to collect my company profile. As task one, my mentor said I should have a printed business profile. When I go meet clients, they will be able to see what our company does. I am going to meet Craig and see what the printing looks like. My mentor said it must be eye-catching.
Hi, Craig.
Craig: Bongani, how are you doing, man?
Bongani: Good, and yourself?
Craig: Good, thanks.
Bongani: I’m here for my business profile.
Craig: We printed one and it looks good, right?
Bongani: Okay. Did I explain to you that I printed this was because I’m doing a profile on Making Moves and my mentor asked that I have a profile that’s ‘wow’. It has a ‘wow’ effect. Do you think this is ‘wow’ enough?
Craig: It will do the job but next time, you might want to consider this one.
Bongani: Okay, what’s good about this one?
Craig: Well, it’s bound much better and it looks a bit more professional.
Bongani: Okay. I like it. How long does it take to print this one?
Craig: It’s about five days.
Bongani: Five working days. Okay. All right. Thanks, Craig! Bye.
I’ve just completed my first task, which was to have a printed copy of our business profile. My friend, Craig managed to print it quite well but he said that this is not necessarily the best option that he could give me but from what I see, I like it. He said the best option that I can get, it takes about five working days to print. This should be good enough to take to my second task which is to go to the largest cement manufacturer in SA.
I’m here outside the office of one of the biggest cement suppliers in SA. My task was to pretty much upsell to an existing client but I decided to take this opportunity to rather close this deal that I’ve been chasing for a while. Let’s see how it goes.
I’ve just came out a meeting with a cement manufacturer and I can say it went well. I started the meeting by giving the client the gift that I had for, which was a BWD, which is a Breeze Website Designers branded notebook. They liked it. We discussed their requirements and then I pretty much sort of gave recommendations of how I can help them achieve their objectives. They sounded pretty much happy with it but since this is a big organisation, they pretty much still need to talk to other management people and they should take a decision in the next two weeks and I should hear from them within then. Otherwise, from here, I’m going to attend to my third task, which is going to SEDA to drop off the database registration forms.
I’m here in Braamfontein to do my third task. My third task is pretty much database registration. Database registration simply means registering on an organisation’s supplier database. I’m here to register at SEDA. So this will pretty much give me an opportunity to be sent a request for code. Whenever they need my particular services. I’m going to go in and see how it goes.
I’ve just submitted my forms. The reception lady checked them. She said that all was good. She explained to me that SEDA does not issue vendor numbers but from what she gathered, I should be listed on the database probably next week and I should expect to be sent requests for [inaudible 00:34:00] within two weeks.
Siya: How do you feel that you have completed all your tasks today?
Bongani: Honestly, I’m a bit tired but I’m glad and relieved that I have done what was expected of me.
Siya: Tomorrow, you have to pitch for our three judges. There is R10, 000 to be invested in your business. Everything is dependent on your pitch. The judges will use their own discretion to say how much will you get. R0, 00, R10,000, it’s all up to you. Good luck. It’s raining now. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Bongani: Thanks, Siya.
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: Are you taking me seriously?
Bongani: I am.
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: I’m not joking.
Bongani: How are you?
Siya: I am well, thanks. How did the preparation go? Are you ready for your pitch?
Bongani: My preparations went well. I am ready to pitch.
Siya: Are you well-prepared for everything?
Bongani: I am well-prepared, nothing will go wrong.
Siya: Our judges are waiting for you inside and remember, you have four minutes.
Bongani: Thank you.
Siya: Go do what you do best.
Bongani: Good day, judges.
Phuthanang Segoati: How are you?
Bongani: Good, and yourselves?
Tumi: I’m good, thank you.
Phuthanang Segoati: Welcome to your pitch. You’ve got four minutes to pitch and convince us as judges why we should invest in your company.
Bongani: Okay. My pitch is quite simple. What happened is that on Monday, I hired a [inaudible 00:36:00]. The guy’s fresh out of school so what I’ve realized is I only asked for his portfolio today. So the guy is very talented, very good. He’s much better than everyone at the office. What I need is basically another computer for him, which is an iMac. An iMac costs around R23, 900 so you can invest the 10 and I can raise the R14, 000. I also brought his portfolio just to show the kind of work that he does. He can pretty much do work on the computer, he can do work with the pencil, he’s pretty much an artist. If I lose him, I’ll be losing an asset for my business. I’ll pretty much be doing myself a disservice and my company a disservice. The 10k will be used to make sure that he has a computer.
Phuthanang Segoati: So having this guy in your company as part of a team, how is it going to grow your company?
Bongani: It’s…what I can say is that he’ll pretty much generate the invested amount within the first two months. He’ll probably triple it within three months. They guy’s super talented.
Phuthanang Segoati: Does he bring clients with?
Bongani: No, no, no. He’s fresh out of school. He needs someone like me to make sure…
Phuthanang Segoati: But how’s he going to do that? I know he’s talented but you need the clients for him to be able to do the work.
Bongani: I’m the one that brings the clients in. He’s the one that does the work. He’s a money-making machine in waiting. He just needs me to point him in the right direction and he generates that.
Tumi: So you have a need for this kind of service in your business.
Bongani: Yes.
Tumi: That’s pretty much what we’re asking.
Bongani: Yes. Like I said, he’s efficient. He’s quick. He knows what he’s doing. He’s extremely talented.
Phuthanang Segoati: I looked through your bank statements that you sent to us. I note that you’re using a business account for personal reasons also. I know the bank that you’re using. They’re going to give you also a debit card which is tempting that you could use it at an ATM machine. You could go to the pizza shop. Like one of the items there is pizza and another one is a retail food shop. So what I want to know is how do you…why are you doing that?
Bongani: I have explained that to Tumi that the issue was mainly because I don’t draw a salary from the company. So what I do is I do what they call [inaudible 00:38:46] basically but she advised me that…
Phuthanang Segoati: But you must draw a salary, whether it’s R5,000, R2,000.
Bongani: Yes, this is definitely what I’m going to start doing. It’s that advice that I took into consideration from my mentor.
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: In the context of you and you building a career for this guy, how are you going to keep hold of him?
Bongani: To be honest with you, at the moment…because the company’s still fairly…it’s a young company, we’ve got a number of things that we’re doing. I can pretty much say I can keep him by making him do interesting things, so he won’t be bored. If maybe he gets bored with illustrations, we have a photography studio. If he gets bored with that, he can do websites. So there’s different things that he can pretty much do so I’ll make sure that he’s always doing interesting work. That’s how I can keep him.
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: How are you going to maximize on his potential?
Bongani: To be honest with you, like I said, I only hired the guy on Monday. I only saw the type of good work that he can do, on Monday. Yesterday, I was [inaudible 00:39:52] so I did not have a lot of time to sort of think. I’m sorry. Today I was [inaudible 00:39:58]. Yesterday I was studying so I haven’t had time to…
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: What you’re giving me is a lot of excuses. I’m asking you to think on your feet, as a business person, as a leader, as an entrepreneur. How are you going to maximize on him?
Bongani: I’m going to get bigger clients basically.
Phuthanang Segoati: So you don’t have a plan. So you’re thinking about a plan as you’re standing there.
Bongani: Not that I don’t have a plan. I’m definitely going to get bigger clients with this guy, without a doubt.
Tumi: As good as he is, somebody else is going to notice that, somebody that can even give him more than you would. And of course, when people know they’re good, the market is all going to come chasing after them. So if you then invest in this machine that you want to buy and six months, three months later, some big organisation or even the very same client you’re going to be exposing him to who’s larger, has more resources, would then poach him, then what?
Bongani: I think a competition for resources is [inaudible 00:40:59] to the situation. I can’t really stop myself from moving forward because I’m afraid that my resources are going to get poached. It happens all the time. It is the reality of the business. We’re still a fairly small company but the difference between us and bigger agencies is that the staff has the ability to do pretty much anything they want. Initially I was hiring him for two weeks but then I decided, “No, let’s make it a month.” Then after a day, I decided, “No, this guy I want to keep.”
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: [inaudible 00:41:35] and we’ll call you back shortly.
Bongani: All right.
Phuthanang Segoati: I don’t think that he planned for the speech and just took things for granted.
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: I really feel bad. If you’re going to come and have four minutes to come and invest for money, use the four minutes. I think at the same time, what he’s thinking about is, “This is going to change the world.” No, it’s not. It’s what you have in your mind.
Tumi: Yeah, I think he didn’t think it through. Having somebody like that is more often intellectual capital that you’re going to use to generate more business, more funds. And in essence, the reason I was asking because there’s somebody else is in the office and they do have very good machines, you know that the other designers are using.
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: Adequate machines.
Tumi: Oh yeah, very adequate. Of course, he can add on when he needs more specifics later on but…rightfully so, he doesn’t really have funds to pay him.
Phuthanang Segoati: In terms of his financials, he mixes business and personal expenses which is not good for a business, especially if you’re coming to us for money from people we look at.
Tumi: Because it says you can’t manage what you have already.
Phuthanang Segoati: You can’t manage what you have.
Tumi: Okay, let’s call him in and let’s see how the other tasks went.
Hey, Bongani. Welcome back. How are you feeling?
Bongani: A bit anxious.
Tumi: After that whole gruesome drilling. Yeah, you’ve got to be prepared at all times, right?
Bongani: Without a doubt.
Tumi: Now, the three tasks that I gave you the last time we were together, how did that go?
Bongani: Task number one was that to make sure that we have a printed portfolio. That was done on the day. Task number two was to upsell to a client, an existing client but I took it a bit further to try to close a big cement company. The last one was to register on a supply database. I registered at SEDA. They said they don’t issue supplier numbers but they just put you on the database. As soon as the need arises for your services, then they will call you.
Tumi: So you’ve achieved all your…
Bongani: A hundred percent.
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: Your pitch did not give me context of the big picture. You did not use your whole time allocated. You pitched for hardware. This has no potential unless there’s thinking and application of that thinking in line with a game plan. I was very, very disappointed with the fact that with such great work and the fact that you’ve got the skill set to be able to identify opportunities and people, in people, you then have to go to the next step which is to say, “How am I gonna use this for my greater good?” You have to be selfish. “How am I gonna keep this to make me grow?” His job is help to make you rich, don’t be ashamed of it. Are you taking me seriously?
Bongani: I am.
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: I’m not joking.
Bongani: No, I totally agree to what you say.
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: I feel that the need here is for us to educate you as much as we can on this program on having foresight, thinking forward, thinking big, and knowing what’s important.
Phuthanang Segoati: Based on your pitch today, because that’s what the investment was for, the judges were not convinced that they should give you the money because you didn’t convince them properly, in terms of how effective are you going to use the money for. But all the best. You’ve got potential. Take all the advice and make use of it and you will succeed. Thank you.
Tumi: All the best.
Bongani: Okay, thank you.
Tumi: Thank you for coming.
Dr. Jack Ledwaba: Thank you.
Bongani: Thank you.
Siya: How are you?
Bongani: I am well, thanks.
Siya: I see you smiling, it means it all went well.
Bongani: It was bad.
Siya: What do you mean it was bad?
Bongani: I didn’t get the money but they showed me my mistakes that I have to work on. The advice I got is more valuable than the money I came here for.
Siya: They gave you nothing?
Bongani: Yes.
Siya: What kind of mistakes did they identify in your business?
Bongani: They didn’t like how I manage the business. I couldn’t convince them where the company is headed, hence they didn’t invest anything. They said they can’t invest in a business that doesn’t know where it’s going.
Siya: All the best. Remember that the feedback will help you grow your business. Good luck going forward. I’ll see you later.
Bongani: Thanks, Siya.
Siya: Our judges gave him reasons why they didn’t invest money in his business. They also gave him constructive criticism on why they couldn’t invest. They told him what he needs to improve. The judges didn’t want to invest in a company they feel doesn’t have proper direction. Continue watching Making Moves on SABC 1 Mzansi fo Sho. Money is not that important when you come to the show. The journey you get to travel is of great importance. Continue watching Making Moves on SABC 1 Mzansi fo Sho. We bring you entrepreneurs who are making moves with their businesses. Goodbye. I will see you next week.
Bongani: [inaudible 00:47:49]. Breeze Website Designs will definitely be making moves, without a doubt. As much as [inaudible 00:47:59] but within two weeks from now, I am definitely going to buy the computer because I am keeping the talented guy on board. So the advice that they gave me will definitely be helping me make moves.
In today’s day and age, it is very easy to think of an email as an “everyday” task that can’t be that difficult to create. However, along with modern forms of communication such as texting, & social media platforms, it is important to get your message right in order to avoid tension, confusion or other negative consequences.
After coming from being a graphic design student with no real experience in email etiquette besides from the odd email to a fellow student or a family member, I fell into that category of thinking of emails as that “easy” task that shouldn’t take long to grasp. However, I was very wrong as this transfer over to Account/Project management proved this to be the exact opposite of what I thought it to be.
In writing an email, you have to ensure that you think about what the person on the other end will be reading. To achieve this you can use the following :
Have a clear subject line
Don’t over-communicate
Keep your messages clear
Be polite
Write as if you are talking to the individual in person
Check that your tone is correct and professional
Proof read and if necessary, get someone else to proof read
When you have worked in project management for a while, it can become very easy to form a friendship-type relationship with some of your clients and in return your emails and communication in general do seem to become a bit more colloquial than with others. Although in some areas of the workplace, this can be acceptable such as when in a meeting. However, It is best to keep all your communications as professional as possible. In the end, you need to be respected in the workplace and by speaking to a client as you would do a best friend, you open yourself up to a number of issues.
Lastly, respond timeously. People use emailing as modern day communication. Therefore, not getting a response can be related to you asking someone a question in person and only getting a response 2 days later. This just wouldn’t do. Yes we all live busy lives – I learnt this the hard way as a new Account Manager. However, it is important that you respond to emails as quick as possible to ensure that frustration is avoided.
It’s not the giant leaps we make, but the small steps we take in the short-term – that leads to staggering success in the long-term.
For this reason, we at BWD are continuously putting in some efforts to become better at what we do and in how we touch our world. To improve our services to you, we’ve recruited two new team members from Wits University Alumni. French artist Edgar Degas was quoted saying that art is not what we see, but what we make others see. Alexia Cost, who has a degree in Fine Arts, is poised to help our clients shine brighter in their audience’s universe. I’m also pleased to announce that my own brother Themba Gosahas joined our client services ranks to help enhance our service delivery.
I am thankful for the opportunity I had to help better other businesses as well, through the talk on ‘Content Marketing’ I delivered at the Digital Marketing Exchange seminar at the Hilton Hotel in Sandton. To see whattopicsI am au fait with as a speaker, please click on the image below.
Not a single one of us can say that there wasn’t a woman who played a meaningful role in our lives. BWD was also a proud to sponsor of the illustrious Gender Mainstreaming Awards. The awards aim to identify and celebrate those members of the private sector who actively drive and support meaningful representation of women in the mainstream of their businesses. Watch the video clip here.
To learn from the best of the best, Lesedi, Tshepiso & I also went to the Loeries, advertising industry awards at the Durban ICC.
In addition, we’re doing our bit to help promote UJ and increase the number of graduates that join the UJ Alumni, which is one of the biggest Alumni societies in South Africa. To this end, we created an animated explainer video for them.
We’re also honing the skills of our sales people, so our account manager Jade and I enrolled for a Master Sales Coaching Programme with Ashley Marchament from www.mkinternational.co.za
Finally, to optimise our business processes and help me become a better business person, I’ve been learning from Thuli Magubane, who is a renowned business management guru. She’s also a radio presenter KayaFM.
I would like to thank each and every one of you for forming part of our journey and contributing to our growth.
We’ve had the pleasure of creating a promotional video explainer for the University of Johannesburg (UJ) which informs viewers on the benefits of being part of the UJ Alumni.
Animated Video Explainer Transcript
VO: Now that you have graduated…
VO: Isn’t it time for you to surround yourself with those who can lift you even higher?
VO: This is exactly why you need to join the UJ Alumni.
VO: To remain connected, informed, enriched and advanced.
VO: A deep conversation with the right person can be priceless. Share and learn with like-minded individuals.
VO: Be attuned to exclusive opportunities for jobs, bursaries and information that could advance your career.
VO: We rise even higher by lifting others. Become involved in our community outreaches.
VO: Continue to expand your knowledge wisely through discounts on relevant additional business courses and programmes.
VO: Or just revel in some of the niceties of being part of the inner circle such as discounted offers for beauty, travel and health services.
VO: Choose the amount of benefits you wish to gain by opting for bronze, silver, gold or platinum UJ Alumni membership
VO: 200,000 plus graduates from the University of Johannesburg already enjoy the rich rewards of a UJ Alumni membership.
VO: This includes members from our heritage institutions, RAU, Technikon Witwatersrand and Vista University.
VO: The only question that now remains is…. Where are YOU?
VO: Go to www.ujalumni.co.za now and get connected. Or join or Follow UJ Alumni on Social media platforms Facebook, Twitter or LinkenIn – @UJAlumni.
Check out some of our other explainer videos on our Youtube page or contact us at Breeze Website Designers and get yourself up to standard with your own customized video explainer for your business.
Breeze Website Designers (BWD)’s Graduate Development Programme recently demonstrated that even promising learners and graduates from various creative disciplines still have a lot to learn before they are truly job-ready. Says Bashene Thamane, a multimedia design student from UJ who completed a four-week internship at BWD from June to July 2015: ‘When I came here I thought that I knew a lot of things, but I recently noticed that I do not know what I don’t know.’
Bashene was one of five students who were taken under BWD’s wing to give them a glimpse into the real working world, what it takes for a digital communication agency to function and the people dynamics that are at play. The other four students were Zuko Santi from Midrand Graduate Institute, Thabisile Nkosi from Boston Media House, Billy Mashego from the Tshwane University of Technology and Oswald Mohape, who is also from the University of Johannesburg.
A key take away from the experience that all the students were in consensus about, is that ‘simplicity is the ultimate sophistication’ when it comes to designing graphic elements, such as logos, business stationery and websites. They also learnt that not even the most visually attractive design will fly if it does not serve a strategic purpose. Creative concepts need to present well and convey the intended message to the target audience clearly.
Bashene enthuses: ‘I also learnt about things like guerrilla marketing, which are unconventional systems of promotion that relies on time, energy and imagination – rather than spending large amounts of money on conventional marketing. ‘This could for example involve the likes of content sharing and the use of social media platforms which is ideal for start-up businesses or small businesses who do not have huge marketing budgets,’ explains Bongani Gosa, Creative Director at BWD who mentored the students throughout the programme.
‘This approach also speaks right to the key lesson I wish for each student to take away,’ he says. In the professional space, creatives are not people who can do creative things. They are people who find creative ways to help their clients’ businesses grow. And that as economically as possible. In the same way, we don’t view BWD as a digital communication agency that designs creative elements. It is rather our business to leverage digital elements creatively, to help our clients accomplish their business goals. The difference may seem subtle, but it makes all the difference in the value we add for clients.’
In the spirit of giving back to the communities it serves, BWD will repeat their Graduate Development Programme in 2016. Students who wish to make use of this opportunity, may email their portfolios for consideration to (insert details). Says Gosa: ‘I have to admit that for me one of the most satisfying parts of owning a business; is how it empowers us to touch lives. Our Graduate Development Programme is just one way in which we can rise by lifting others.’
Here at Breeze Website Designers we provide our clients with a variety of corporate stationery items, which help improve look and feel of their companies. Below is a brief breakdown of some of the common corporate stationery items we provide.
Business Card
One of the most common items required by most businesses is the Business card, it is a small card printed with one’s name, occupation, business address, etc.
Letterhead
A Letterhead is a heading on the top of a sheet of paper that usually consists of the name and address of an organization as well as their logo and additional details. This is usually designed in a layout that best suits the company’s look and feel. We offer two different versions of the letterhead design, mainly one that can be printed on an A4 piece of paper and one that is customized to fit a Microsoft word layout.
Envelope
An Envelope is a flat Sealable container with a paper flap, which is used to enclose letters or documents, this is designed usually to match the clients CI.
Folder
A folding cover or holder typically made of stiff paper or card, for storing loose papers. Folders increase the elegance of your documents.
Front
Front & Back
Business Profile
This is a very important piece of stationery that is created in the form of the booklet. It is used to inform your clients about your business and what you do.
Publication Design
We provide high quality publication designs to complement our clients style when their brands are seen in magazines, books, newspapers, pamphlets etc.
Branded Notebook
We create branded Notebooks with your company’s corporate identity parameters.
Coffee Mug
Decorate your office with unique branding
Digital Presentation Template (PowerPoint)
We Provide Digital Presentation Templates that are ready to go, all you have to do is add content and body.
Social Media Cover Picture
We create customized social media cover artworks that can be used to advertise your business across all your social accounts.
Email Signature
An e-mail signature is a block of text that is appended to the end of an e-mail message you send. Generally, a signature is used to provide the recipient with your name, e-mail address, business contact information, or Web site URL. We do it a little different as we create custom artworks that correlate with your company’s look and feel.
Proposal Cover
A cover page beautifully designed within the company’s corporate identity parameters, which also provides the viewer with enough relevant contact information that he/she would require.
Pull Up Banner
We provide high quality ready for print designs, which can be used for pull up banners for events, stands, expos etc.
Vehicle Branding & Wraps
We create custom vehicle branding for any vehicle, so you can advertise your company where ever you go.
Vehicle Branding
Truck Branding
DVD Cover
We provide high quality ready for print DVD covers for all cover sizes.
Events Branding
We provide high quality events branding which you can use at your next huge event.
Billboard
We create crisp n clean billboard ads.
Street Pole Ads
Street pole advertisements can increase traffic directed to your business.
Wall Banner
Office wall banners can be a great way to keep the companies identity flowing throughout into the office space
Indoor Office Signage
Welcome your guests with a lovely indoor signage.
Branded Clothing
We create branded clothing suitable to your company’s identity.
If some random dude walked up to you 20 years ago, and told you that in the not to distant future you would have a packet-sized, voice controlled camera/calendar/flash light/music player/messenger/game console/remote/ map of the whole world, with more processing power than NASA, you would probably have them admitted for a very urgent psych evaluation. Skip forward to today and everyone takes their pocket-sized wonders of technology for granted. The modern age develops at a truly alarming rate, so why is it that the world of advertising is dominated by what is essentially a one hundred year old technology. Although Television has an un-doubtable reach and impact on most demographics, I think its high time advertising focus spreads to something a bit more innovative…I mean it is the 21st century after all.
Tatvertising
They might be the plight of fathers with teenage daughters, the world over, but tattoos needn’t be an identifier for people in gangs, the mainstream acceptance of tattoos means that they have eked out tiny niche for themselves in advertising.
Tatvertising (no I did not make that up) is a new form of advertising, that just a little more permanent than the average billboard. The basic formula for tatvertising is rather simple…person loves brand (or needs money)…person gets brands tattoo…person gets paid…and voilà instant buzz around you brand, much like the recent media storm around the girl with the-literal- dragon tattoo.
Viral Video
You know that feeling when you’re zoning out on the funniest youtube video and out of the blue some guy is suddenly telling you about the latest washing powder from omo? Well those intrusive online ads are thanks, in part to the rise of viral video advertising. The rise in popularity of video streaming websites like youtube, means that brands are clamoring to become flavor of the month on online video platforms. The difficulty with cracking the viral video game is in the fact that unlike tv advertising, viral video needs to go beyond merely telling people about your brand, you need to create content which is compelling enough for people to want to share it.
If you partake in any kind of series or movie watching, I’m sure that at some point you’ve noticed that the super cool protagonist has the same smartphone as you, shops at the same store as you or drives the same car as your boss. Filmmakers place great importance on removing unwanted branding from their scenes, so the next time you see a subtly placed (or not so subtle) Samsung galaxy phone on the next episode of Orange is the new black, just remember that its been put there for your viewing pleasure. I mean all you need to do is try and find all the product placement in the latest Jurassic world movie…Seriously it has more logos on it than a nascar driver.
Interactive Advertising
For the most part advertising is a one-way street, from the humble flyer to multi million dollar tv adverts, adverts work in essentially the same way…advertiser tells viewer something and viewer gets nothing in return for their precious time. This seemingly lob sided relationship between brand and audience is an injustice which interactive advertising seeks to correct. Interactive is a fairly broad term when it comes to advertising and as a result interactive advertising can include QR code which suddenly turn into fun mini games, posters that dispense coffee or even coke vending machines when accept loving hugs as currency…ahh yes we truly are living in the future!
