Get In Touch
Get In Touch
Philadelphia has a beautiful and complex urban environment and all Philadelphia advertising agencies should make excellent use of outdoor advertising. But many businesses aren’t sure what outdoor advertising options exist or how to use each one. Here’s an easy guide to the major types:
1. Highway Billboards. These are full-sized classic billboards along major freeways and commuter routes. They are among the most visible forms of outdoor advertising and our Philadelphia advertising agencies know that they get more eyeballs than virtually any other out-of-home advertising channel. Highway billboards are great as an element of a major campaign for a large business, or to advertise a business drivers may want to pull off an exit for.
2. Urban Billboards. Billboards can target many groups beside the commuter crowd. Many primary and secondary urban streets have billboards that are often slightly smaller than highway billboards. They also get less visibility; however, they have a huge advantage in that they stand out more and aren’t usually surrounded by other billboards. This option is rewarding for smaller businesses and neighborhood hot spots, especially as they can start to feel like a part of the neighborhood themselves.
3. Wallscapes. Have you ever seen an entire wall of a downtown building turned into a large ad? If so, you have seen wallscapes. Wallscapes are a terrific channel because they can completely dominate a particular street or block. We use wallscapes in particular as unveiling points for new products or campaigns and to reinforce brand awareness from other urban media.
4. Posters. Posters can be located almost anywhere in the urban landscape. Popular locations include the following: bus stops, subway stations, and information kiosks. Posters are crucial for targeting neighborhoods and poster saturation is an effective way to enforce brand or message awareness. For large campaigns, posters are the ultimate local support tool. Posters benefit from being artistically designed and clever, as they are an ubiquitous part of the urban environment and need to catch the eye. The more memorable a poster is – the better.
5. Bus. Advertisements on the sides of buses and other public transportation work best for specific niches. Many bus lines cross multiple types of neighborhoods, so the best messages are those that appeal to many demographics. Audiences may only see a bus ad for a fleeting second, so it must grab attention and leave them curious for more.
How have you seen Philadelphia advertising agencies make good use of outdoor marketing opportunities? What is your favorite example?
One of the big marketing buzzwords these days is data. Data means information about your customers, your desired customers, their habits, and their relationship to your product. Usually, when people talk about data for marketing, they’re talking about big data for marketing: endless gigabytes of information gathered from the web about consumer behavior. However, this isn’t the only kind of useful marketing data that the computer age offers, nor is it the right kind for every business – but every business does need a healthy focus on it in order to stay profitable in today’s world.
Knowing Which Data You Need
It’s useful to understand the different kinds of data available to companies today and which are most useful for each business. “Big data,” or wide-lens behavior data about consumers’ browser usage, online shopping habits, and mobile device usage, gets most of the spotlight these days, but it’s often not practical for small to medium businesses. For example, if you run a single retail boutique, you probably shouldn’t invest in online behavior statistics for tens of thousands of consumers nationwide, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use data for marketing.
Search Data
One form of data that is eminently useful for a small business is search data. Let’s say you run a local barbecue chain. Everywhere on your website you talk about mouth-watering “barbecue.” But what do people search for when looking for good barbecue in your area? If they type in “bbq” instead of “barbecue” then you could be missing out on a lot of potential traffic.
Many small businesses use free data to solve this problem. By simply creating an account with Google AdWords, you can plug in hundreds of possible search phrases and see which ones get the most searches in your area or worldwide. That can then directly inform your ad strategy, allowing you to buy online ads that display by those popular searches, or it can simply inform your SEO and web content to increase traffic to your site organically.
Measuring the Results
Another form of neglected data is marketing data itself—that is, gathering data on your own marketing efforts. It’s great that your new campaign corresponded to a 20% increase in sales, but which aspect of that campaign got the biggest share? Was it the billboards, the social media push or the mailings? Could you have done something different to make it a 30% gain in sales instead? If you aren’t gathering operational data about your marketing processes and resource usage, then all the consumer data in the world is just money slipping through your fingers.
These are just a few ways that marketing data can be harnessed by literally any business to get ahead. You don’t need the budget of Facebook or Apple to put data to use—you just need to identify the type of data that’s right for you.
Rubber Manufacturers Association’s Annual National Tire Safety Week kicks off on June 1st and United Tire & Service—a group of 17 independent tire stores in the Delaware Valley—would like to take the opportunity to educate the public about five key tire safety tips:
1. Check tire pressures and adjust at least once a month
Proper air pressure is important for both long tire life and vehicle safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the leading cause of tire failure related accidents is under- inflation. That is why it is imperative to check and adjust tire pressure at least once a month, especially before long trips. Tire pressure should be set to the vehicle manufacturer’s specifications which can be found on the driver’s door jamb or owner’s manual.
2. Inspect tires regularly for abnormal wear or damage
Visually check your tires for uneven wear, looking for high and low spots or unusually smooth areas. Also check for signs of damage, such as a bulge in the sidewall or a nail in the tread. If you see any irregular wear or damage, have your tires checked by a tire professional.
3. Rotate tires every 5,000 miles or according to your owner’s manual
Regularly rotating your vehicle’s tires will help your tires wear more uniformly. Unless your vehicle’s owner’s manual has a specific recommendation, the guideline for tire rotation is approximately every 5,000 miles. Wheel balancing should be checked and corrected whenever tires are rotated.
4. Maintain steering and suspension in proper alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can knock your front end out of alignment and damage your tires. A vehicle’s alignment can also change over time under normal operating conditions as a vehicle’s steering and suspension parts wear. Misalignment can cause accelerated tire wear, poor handling and performance and increased fuel consumption. Have a tire dealer check the alignment periodically to ensure that your car is properly aligned
5. Always select the right tires for your vehicle and driving environment
Choosing the right tire for your vehicle depends on the driver’s driving habits and needs. There are many tire options from various manufacturers, the decision should be based on the vehicle and the driver’s needs and expectations. For example, if you drive a lot of miles each year and in all types of inclement weather, than a tire that provides long tread life and outstanding wet and snow traction may be the best option.
Finally the snowy season is behind us, and road crews are busy repairing the potholes and cracks in the roads. Any impact to a tire, such as hitting a pot hole or striking a curb can damage the tire, the wheel and or steering and suspension parts. United Tire & Service warns drivers not to have a false sense of security if you do not see or feel any changes to your vehicle after hitting a pot hole. The damage caused by potholes isn’t always something that is visible. National Tire Safety Week is the perfect opportunity to get your car (and tires) checked out and make sure they’re in good shape for all of those summer road trips.
“This past winter has left behind terrible road conditions that may have led to damage to your tires and suspension parts,” says Paul Pidgeon, General Manager of United Tire & Service. “Many of these problems can be serious safety hazards and are often overlooked by the untrained eye. They can range from steering and suspension issues, to tire wear and alignment complications, which is why a professional tire inspection is crucial to ensuring each drivers’ safety. National Tire Safety Week is the perfect time to make sure your tires and vehicle are in good condition.”
Beginning June 1st and running throughout the month of June, United Tire & Service will be offering a free tire inspection and alignment check, valid at any of their 17 locations. The United Tire & Service team encourages anyone who has not had their car recently inspected to come in and take advantage of this offer, and receive a free tread depth gauge key ring.
United Tire & Service has 17 locations in the Delaware Valley with even more to come. Each facility offers the best and most competitively priced brand name tires and all aspects of automotive repairs including oil changes, tune-ups, tire balancing and more. For more information on United Tire & Service please visit www.unitedtire.com. And make sure to stay connected on Facebook.
On May 6, 2014 Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop announced its expansion to a second location in the burgeoning Fishtown neighborhood. The restaurant officially rebranded from Chink’s Steaks a year ago, laying down the foundation for this successful expansion to one of Philadelphia’s most desirable locations. Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop is set for a late summer/early fall opening at the intersection of Frankford and Girard in the long vacant space of the former New Acropolis diner.
“I could not be more excited about opening in Fishtown,” said Joe Groh. “It’s been a big year for the restaurant – from the name change to new menu items – I wish we could open the doors tomorrow!”
The original location on Torresdale Avenue, which has been cooking each cheesesteak to order and handcrafting sodas, milkshakes and egg creams since 1949, will remain open! It will most likely be closed on Monday’s and Tuesday’s, allowing Joe the freedom to split his time between both restaurants. Extended hours at the new location will be added to cater to the area’s late-night crowd.
“This move was inevitable for the continued success of the restaurant,” added Groh. “We’re hoping that the larger space and vibrant location will create a whole new generation of Joe’s lovers.”
The new location will feature all of the menu items regulars know and love while introducing an expanded pickle and pepper bar. The space will have room for 50-60 guests who will be served tableside. The restaurant will also boast a custom grill in the front window, paying homage to the restaurant’s roots.
Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop has been consistently revered as one of Philadelphia’s top cheesesteaks by the likes of Craig LaBan (in 2002), Philadelphia Magazine, City Paper, and more. Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop is also the only cheesesteak restaurant ranked in YELP’s top ten Philadelphia restaurants, sandwiched right between Morimoto and Amada.
Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop at 6030 Torresdale Ave is open for business 10:30 am through 8:00pm, 7 days a week. In addition to their cheesesteak menu Joe’s Steaks + Soda Shop also proudly serves burgers, hot dogs, hot sausage sandwiches, specialty and traditional milkshakes, sundaes, floats, egg creams, house-made soda’s and homemade cupcakes. For more information please visit www.joessteaks.com or follow us on social media!
Here at Neff Associates, we are a full-service, Philadelphia-based marketing firm. We have made a lot of recent, exciting strides. After receiving a plethora of awards in 2013, we started off the New Year with two prestigious National awards. First up, was the Ragan and PR Daily’s ACE Award for Communication Excellence in Branding. Next, we were honored with a Bulldog Award (the only industry awards chosen by journalists and bloggers) for Excellence in Media Relations and Publicity. Notably, Neff Associates was the only Philadelphia organization to be recognized in either of these prestigious, national awards.
Additionally, Company President and Founder David Neff was recently chosen to be the only Philadelphia Official Delegate at the first Media 4 Social Impact Summit held at the United Nations in New York City. He was one of only 100 international media leaders to participate in this exciting conference and collaborate to leverage the power of media and strategize campaigns to drive social change and help solve pressing global issues.
In addition to these distinctions, Neff has added an abundance of new clients to their already diverse list. The agency is in the process of launching a chain of 17 independent tire and auto repair stores under the newly branded United Tire & Service. In addition to new PR clients, on the creative front, Neff is busy branding, and developing websites for, two new real estate projects.
Across all disciplines the agency has expanded with impressive new hires and increased their staff overall by 60%, including continuing to develop the creative department and bringing Interactive in-house. “My colleagues and I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into our work day-in and day-out,” says President and Founder David Neff, “and it’s very gratifying to see the agency grow and be recognized for excellence on an international level.”
With the growing popularity of social media as a news source, and the consumers’ desire for instantaneous information, we have to stop and question the industry – is the ‘exclusive’ still relevant? Are people still going out and purchasing a newspaper for the ‘big scoop?’
I know my journalist friends are probably vexed by these questions, but as a seasoned PR pro, I can’t help but question how sustainable the notion of exclusivity is in today’s media landscape.
So before you go throwing your favorite news outlet the first look, check out this list of pros and cons:
PROS:
CONS:
As the newsrooms shrink and the media landscape evolves, the future of the ‘exclusive’ is probably not dead. Yet. But what is becoming more and more important, is that as publicists, we must assess each PR initiative on a case by case basis AND adequately research the news source and writer before pitching away willy nilly!
In DEATH to the MASS PITCH, yours,
Kylie Flett
On April 28th 17 independent tire stores in the Delaware Valley held their grand opening event. The company, United Tire & Service is uniting in order to team-up against the big box retailers and national tire dealers. By joining forces, this group of tire dealers and auto repair facilities are able to offer the consumer the most competitive pricing on big name brands like Goodyear and Bridgestone – while still providing the high level of customer service expected from a local center. This comprehensive retail platform provides these independent dealers with a brand identity and the buying power to, not only survive in such a competitive marketplace but to also become leaders in it.
“We are now able to compete and win with every major national tire center chain,” says Ken Sylvester, President of United Tire & Service, “without compromising our mission to not only meet our customers’ expectations but to exceed them.”
All locations will remain exactly the same – including the same store managers and ISE certified technicians – with the exception of a new branded identity and increased buying power.
It is estimated that six new independent tire centers will join the group by the end of 2014, with more to follow thereafter. Each store is dedicated to contributing to their local community’s economic development and expects employment to increase across the network by over 10%. As a collective group, United Tire & Service will be ranked as the largest independent tire group in the region. In fact, they are the second largest tire group period, preceded only by the area’s mega chain Pep Boys.
“We hope this real life David & Goliath story inspires other small business owners to hold their own against industry conglomerates,” says Ken Sylvester.
United Tire & Services celebrated the 17-store launch with a grand opening and ribbon cutting event at The Main Line store in late April. As the brainchild of five independent tire dealers, that were formerly part of Goodyear Tire Centers and exclusively sold the multinational brand, the United Tire & Services network can now offer their customers every major tire brand and virtually every automotive service available.
In honor of this exciting venture United Tire & Services made a donation of $5,000 as well as a percentage of proceeds from opening day sales to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), an organization very close to their hearts. MADD is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. The donation was made in the name of Ian Mann, a mechanic who was tragically killed by a drunk driver.
United Tire & Service now has 17 locations in the Delaware Valley with even more to come. Each facility offers the best and most competitively priced brand name tires and all aspects of automotive repairs including oil changes, tune-ups, tire balancing and more. For more information on United Tire & Service please visit www.unitedtire.com. And make sure to stay connected on Facebook.
Philadelphia’s favorite casual clothing line will soon be calling a 2,600 square foot Center City location home. With a focus on fabric quality, the perfect cut, detailed construction and ineffable style, Duke & Winston’s new home at 1822 Chestnut Street is an exciting venture for the hometown brand, as well as the burgeoning Philadelphia retail scene.
“We outgrew our Northern Liberties location months ago!” states Duke & Winston Founder and President, Seun Olubodun. “This move was inevitable for the brand’s continued success due to the need for a much larger space combined with Center City’s highly desirable vibrant atmosphere and broad base of clientele.”
Founder and Designer Seun Olubodun and HRH the Duke, the English Bulldog mascot of the eponymous brand, will be setting up shop in their new digs with a soft opening on Wednesday, May 14th, just behind the launch of their 2014 Spring/Summer line. This season, the brand focuses its attention on t-shirt and tank styles locals know and love, as well as an expanded women’s line. As always, the brand draws inspiration from Duke, who is the face and name of the company, but also historical elements combined with preppy and nautical themes. The new collection launches Wednesday, May 7th and can be shopped here, http://duke-winston.com/shop.htm.
Duke & Winston will celebrate the move with a formal Grand Opening event in June, please save the date of Wednesday, June 11th – more details are soon to come. For more information on Duke & Winston please visit the website, www.duke-winston.com or connect with us on facebook www.facebook.com/dukeandwinston and @DukeandWinston on Twitter and Instagram. The new Duke & Winston showroom is located at 1822 Chestnut Street and is open Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 7 pm, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm and Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm.
With social media’s international reach, it was only a matter of time before word would spread about the catastrophe happening in Nigeria. Almost three weeks ago, over 200 + girls were abducted during the middle of the night from their dormitories by Nigerian, Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram. It’s believed the young women, ages 15-18, are now part of a human trafficking ring to be sold into marriage in exchange for money. With the help of social media, supporters are seeking to increase support and ultimately #BringBackOurGirls.
In a recently released video, alleged leader Abubakar Shekau, admits responsibility for the abduction of the group of young women. “I abducted your girls,” said Shekau. “There is a market for selling humans.” In the video, Shekau calls for an end to Western education, as it is believed to be sinful.
Since the news broke, supporters from around the world, along with a handful of celebs, have taken to Twitter in support for the Nigerian victims and their families. R&B singer Chris Brown joined the discussion and tweeted the now popular hashtag, #BringBackOurGirls, which was retweeted over 10,000 times to his 13 million followers. Joining Brown would be a plethora of folks like Hillary Clinton, Mary J. Blige, Amy Poehler and Malala Yousafzai to name a few.
So, has social media helped leverage awareness for the campaign? Yes. As a result of the campaign, a handful of initiatives have been created so this doesn’t fade away and lose momentum. The campaign has resulted in increased pressure on the Nigerian government to take action in helping the victims. Additionally, online petitions as well as an array of digital artwork, photographs and videos have erupted over numerous platforms so this does not go unnoticed.
Show your support by tweeting and tagging #BringBackOurGirls!
Radnor Township and Radnor Police are pleased to announce the official addition of their inaugural K-9 Police team. The dogs are important resources to the department but were not even an option until the community stepped in. Specifically, local business owner Michael Smyth of The Great Britains Automotive Group, who proudly sponsored the K-9 Unit, by providing a special Black Pack Edition Land Rover LR4. The 2014 LR4 is specially fitted and will be used by the department to transport the expertly trained K-9 duo, ‘Rover’ and ‘Discovery.’
“The addition of the K-9 Unit will allow Radnor Police Department to maintain the highest level of safety and security for the community,” says Chief William A. Colarulo, Radnor Police Department.
The dogs will specialize in protective bomb sweeps, searching for hidden suspects or missing persons, and are being trained to assist with investigating crimes such as burglaries and robberies. The Radnor K-9 Unit will provide state-of-the-art proactive police sweeps in several of the local colleges, schools, and small to large-scale community events. Rover and Discovery will graduate from training on the second week of June, fully certified for Patrol and Bomb detection duties, and Radnor Police and Radnor Township are celebrating with a formal ceremony on Wednesday, May 14th at 11:30am at Land Rover Jaguar of the Main Line.
“We are extremely pleased to be able to have the opportunity to help Radnor Township continue to be one of the best communities in the US,” says Michael Smyth. “Having Rover and Discovery on patrol in a Land Rover LR4 is very exciting and also consistent with the rich history of our brand “
Although the K-9 team can be deployed for many reasons, including the tracking of missing persons, criminal suspects and the detection of bombs and other explosive materials – the unit will still need regular training and yearly re-certifications. The Radnor Township, Radnor Police Department and The Great Britains Automotive Group are also looking to add another vehicle, in order to double the capabilities of K-9 unit. Donations to help the Radnor Police K-9 Fund can be made out to Radnor Police K-9 Fund and dropped off or mailed to: Radnor Police K-9 Fund, 301 Iven Avenue, Wayne PA, 19087.