Launch Agency Recognized with DFIWMA Interactive Marketing Awards
By: Alexandra | Published: 05/10/13

Launch Agency digital work garnered four awards at the Dallas-Fort Worth Interactive Marketing Association’s (DFWIMA) 2013 Excellence in Interactive Marketing Awards (EIMA). The award ceremony was May 9, 2013 at the Omni hotel in downtown Dallas.

Nature Nate’s Honey website was awarded 1st place for Most Effective Online Brand Awareness Campaign. Online Brand Awareness was judged by the look and feel of website creative as a reflection of the brand, including the site experience, overall design, usability, use of technology, etc. Nature Nate’s is a Texas-based premium honey distributor that provides raw, unfiltered, regional honey in major grocery retailers.

Promised Land Dairy’s rich media banner campaign was awarded 2nd place in both the Best of Show and Most Innovative Online Brand Creative categories. The Best of Show placement indicated the 2nd highest score of all entries, across all categories. The rich media banner campaign consisted of pre-expanding rich media ads created by Launch Agency, delivered on the Rocketfuel display platform via Pointroll. Each 4-week flight featured a video unit of a dairy farmer pulling a wheelbarrow of milk canisters across the computer screen. The farmer would fall, causing the milk to “spill” into an integrated 300×250 companion unit containing the farm-fresh ingredients specific to that quarter’s seasonal flavor of milk. The resulting ad unit highlighted one of Promised Land Dairy’s seasonal milk varieties, including Very Berry Strawberry, Mooberry Blueberry, Creamy Dreamy Orange, and Marvelous Mocha. Promised Land Dairy  is a Texas-based premium milk made only from Jersey cows, available in a variety of sizes and flavors at major retail grocery stores.

The Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County’s (CACCC) Gala “Impact Moment video” was awarded 3rd place in the Most Effective Non-Profit/ Public Service Campaign category. The 2012 Impact video was a 90 second film which showed the severity of child abuse in Collin County through numerical facts and statistics, described the wide scope of services available and delivered a compelling call to action to support the mission of the CACCC. The video debuted at the 2012 annual fundraising Gala to an audience of more than 900 attendees, and has been used as a PSA piece. The CACCC’s mission is to bring safety, healing and justice to children victimized by abuse or neglect. They have provided free services to over 43,000 children to-date.

The DFWIMA‘s Excellence in Interactive Marketing awards banquet is an annual event recognizing DFW area leaders in the field. The 2013 winners demonstrated thought leadership, superior execution, outstanding metrics, and innovation in areas of online, interactive marketing from work completed in 2012. Entries were submitted entirely online (via custom webpages and entry forms) and judged by a distinguished panel comprised of representatives from academia and media. Entries were judged according to 1) creative (execution and functionality), 2) clarity of advertising message, 3) performance, and 4) overall experience.

2013 ADDY-lation for Launch Agency
By: Alexandra | Published: 02/21/13

Launch had an impressive showing February 20th at the 2013 Dallas ADDY awards. The 2013 awards, which highlighted the best individual ads and campaigns created by Dallas-Fort Worth area agencies and companies in 2012, were determined by a group of industry experts outside the Dallas-Fort Worth market. After long valet lines, a “major country music star” performance and a stand-up comedy routine, Launch managed to take home six trophies—three times what the agency pulled in the prior year. Here’s the breakdown:

Silver ADDY’s:
  • Nature Nate’s Website
  • Launch Christmas Card (2011 edition)
 Bronze ADDY’s:
  •  Nature Nate’s Press Kit
  •  Sam’s Club Cookbook
  •  Consonant Pain App
  •  Boston Terrier Rescue of North Texas Logo
Launch is a full-service advertising agency based in the Dallas/Fort Worth area founded in 2003. They are nationally recognized for award-winning creative work, and for competitively positioning and marketing both fast-growth and mature companies.

SXSWi 2012 Interactive Trends Infographic by Launch Agency
By: Alexandra | Published: 05/09/12

SXSWi 2012 Infographic Chart by Launch Agency

SXSWi 2012 Conference 3 More Trends Impacting Advertising Agencies
By: Alexandra | Published: 05/08/12
We received an overwhelming amount of information (and associated swag) at this year’s SXSW Interactive conference in Austin. While the seminar topics seemed quite diverse, Launch Agency Senior Copywriter Alex Slotkin pointed out three key memes that surfaced and seemed of particular relevance to the advertising industry as a whole in the first part of this blog series, SXSWi 2012 Conference Top 3 Memes for Advertising Agencies. 
In that first blog post, the three key memes from the 2012 SXSWi Conference were identified as : 1) The changing role & function of ad agencies, 2) the increased importance of content creation and curation, and 3) social as the new norm. From a social media perspective, there were three additional memes that were trending within the SXSWi seminars that closely correlate with the above:
1.    Agile, real-time marketing is driven by technological innovations: Just as the rise of social networks has caused shifts in public relations and customer service, new breakout technologies are now driving change in agency and campaign structure. “Multi-channel” campaigns are now a must, and agencies have to staff for this and consider campaigns that parse content into “snackable” portions across a variety of platforms while maintaining a core brand idea.
2.    “Big Data” has personal privacy implications: As more content is created and shared on the internet daily, businesses and marketers are gleaning increasingly more and deeper data on people. These massive data sets are being referred to as “Big Data” and marketers are using this information in a more intentional way to analyze trends, predict consumer behavior, and personalize marketing experiences. The downside of this data glut is the myriad personal privacy and data ownership issues. We’ll certainly hear more about this meme as technology pervades more and more of our time and resources.
3.    With social as the new norm, the “Fear of Missing Out” is amplified: Consumers now have to keep up with the Joneses online as well as off-line. There is increasing pressure to have the latest technology, join the newest platforms, download the hottest apps, and create the most interesting posts. JWT led an excellent seminar on this topic of “FOMO”, and developed a very interesting short video on the subject which can be viewed here.  Brands and marketers can ultimately respond to this social media “FOMO” by easing it, escalating it, making light of it, or teaching consumers to cope with it.
All of these memes/trends from SXSWi point to a drastic shift in how we live, communicate, and market/sell in this high-paced, technology-saturated modern age. Launch Agency has created an infographic as a final installment in this blog series, as a quick-hit summary of these memes and more from the 2012 SXSWi conference.

 

SXSWi 2012 Conference Top 3 Memes for Advertising Agencies
By: Alexandra | Published: 04/20/12

This year’s SXSW Interactive conference (held annually each March in Austin, Texas) was especially overwhelming, both in terms of sheer numbers (an estimated 24,000 uber-geeks were in attendance this year) and in terms of the topics covered. In fact, this year Launch Agency got extra coverage on the social media end of the spectrum, courtesy of New Media Specialist Alexandra Watson, who will be providing her take in a second installment of this blog series titled “SXSWi 2012 Conference 3 More Trends Impacting Advertising Agencies”.

Despite the large and varied nature of the conference, a few key memes seemed to surface that were of especial relevance to Launch and the advertising industry as a whole:
1. The changing role & function of ad agencies: There was much talk of the need to “think more like a startup” or tech company, where ideas are developed and brought to market more rapidly, then improved in an iterative way. Also, there was some buzz about the need to “make things,” going beyond the usual agency core disciplines to actually create new products that demonstrate our range of thinking and ability to actually bring these ideas to market. The thought is that it harnesses the varied skill sets within the agency and can lead to actual products that can either be sold to clients, or create  separate businesses unto themselves.
2. The increased importance of content creation and curation: Our media landscape has been utterly transformed by the huge glut of data and content available via the Internet. In order to stand out, we need to make sure the work we’re putting out there is relevant,  specifically targeted to a receptive audience and built for easy sharing. A broadcast mentality no longer works (but the good news is the barrier to entry and the risks associated are now far lower). Further, we can help manage the info-clutter and can build brands that become de facto authorities on relevant topics by taking on the role of curator. Going beyond mere aggregation, this entails having a definitive point of view, both in what we link to and how we wrap those links in our own authorial voice.
3. Social is the new norm: Brands ignore the power of social media at their own peril, as it has become the way by which the majority of people now communicate and discover. With so many new social services coming out, it can be confusing to know how to best capitalize on this phenomenon. But the key strategies of identifying and reaching key advocates, engaging them in authentic conversations and making social content easy to share are key. If we do our jobs right, and pinpoint our audience precisely, social media can become the ultimate word-of-mouth marketing tool for our clients.
This only scratches the surface of what we learned and experienced at the conference, but we’ll follow up with a second post plus a Launch summary infographic.

Seimetz A Panelist At Radio Mercury Awards Workshop
By: Rebecca | Published: 02/27/12

One of our own is honored to be able to share her knowledge and expertise on radio marketing. Launch co-founder and principal Diane Seimetz has been invited to participate as a panelist at the Radio On! Creative Workshop, located in downtown Dallas, on March 7th. She will discuss the experiences she’s had working closely with such clients as Park Place Dealerships, Sam’s Club, Promised Land Dairy and others, and how to write engaging, compelling radio creative.

Diane will be joined on the panel by:

Seats are limited, so register now! Tickets are $125/person and include the panel, lunch and a session by guest speaker Roy Williams, best-selling author of The Wizard of Ads. Click here to register!

Launch Agency Makes Inc. 5000 List. Again.
By: Michael | Published: 11/04/11

Inc. magazine seeks to recognize and to celebrate the creativity, dedication, and hard work that entrepreneurs put into building their companies. The Inc. 5000 annually ranks the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. And for the second consecutive year, Launch was honored to make the list.

We moved up a few hundred spots, landing at #3145 for 2011. There are more than 27 million businesses registered in the U.S. so the ranking puts the agency in some lofty company.

The Inc. 5000 are catalysts for job creation and growth. In fact, the 5000 created 370,592 jobs in the last three years.

Launch Principals Michael Boone, Diane Seimetz and Dave Wilgus would like to thank Jane Berentson, Editor, Inc. magazine and her staff for the list and recognition. And, of course, credit goes to our client partners, and our creative, talented staff.

SIGGRAPH 2011: Make It Home
By: Jon | Published: 09/01/11

I recently returned from SIGGRAPH 2011, Vancouver, BC. SIGGRAPH (or Special Interest Group on Graphics and Interactive Techniques) is a premier international computer graphics, video, animation and new technologies conference.

SIGGRAPH 2011: Make It Home

The overall focus centered around the idea of community within the animation/effects/interactive industry.  This was a chance to acknowledge the key companies and individuals that have steadily helped push and grow the computer graphics industry and specifically the SIGGRAPH family.

Of course great work, ideas and inspirations were all around. While last year saw a heavy industry push towards “stereoscopic 3D,” that emphasis seemed to have faded.  Interactivity, through gaming and online productions, still held high interest. And some of the best, budding ideas were found in the student/research expo, “The Studio.” One incredible prototyped development actually measured an individual’s heart rate and vitals simply through web cam use and its recordings. Virtual reality and immersive interactive environments were prominent again; 3D printers were also on display and demoing capabilities.

The lectures at SIGGRAPH balanced technology with the human element and thoughts on the industry. The keynote speaker was Cory Doctorow, an industry blogger and Wired contributor.  He spoke specifically on the effect patent laws are having on the individual and creativity. Production teams/directors from some of the latest features, Rango, Thor, Pixar’s La Luna and Cars 2, and Smurfs, shared personal and technical insights as well.

Finally, the SIGGRAPH animation showcase gave attendees a chance to view some of the strongest visualizations and productions from the past year. Enjoy just a few unique styles and amazing ideas from around the world — some beautiful, some dark, some funny, but all very well-crafted:

La Luna (the latest Pixar short – trailer, and another beautiful piece on its way)

Paths of Hate (Jury Award – trailer)

Hezarfen (student piece)

Coke “Siege” (commercial spot, Wieden + Kennedy, Nexus/Fx, Mat)

Amnesty International “Death to the Death Penalty” (commercial spot, Pleix)

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (Best in Show – trailer and iPad app)

Meet Buck (student piece)

Words With Ad Friends
By: Alex | Published: 09/17/10

To get an insider’s view of the exploding mobile gaming market and the role advertising is playing in it, Launchers Alex Slotkin and Kevin Byrd attended the Dallas Ad League’s September luncheon featuring Paul Bettner. As co-founder of McKinney-based mobile game studio New Toy, he’s responsible for the incredibly addictive iPhone app Words With Friends.

Paul and his brother started New Toy a couple years ago after building their design and development experience at big firms like Microsoft-owned Ensemble Studios where they worked on the $50 million launch of Halo Wars. Their “aha” moment came after watching a young girl play Nintendogs on a Nintendo DS. There was huge potential to tap this market of non-traditional players with casual games that didn’t require monster budgets or long development cycles. Games that relied on social aspects to hook players and get them evangelizing to friends and family. The iPhone provided a killer platform to make it happen.

By following this “blue ocean strategy” of game niches that aren’t crowded with competitors, New Toy has made a name for itself. Words With Friends has a user retention rate twenty times that of the App Store average. Player engagement is thirty times longer. Their free, ad-supported version of the game pulls in one billion ad impressions per month. As Bettner emphasized, consolidation in the mobile advertising market (such as Google AdMob and Apple iAds) is leading to higher quality, more engaging ads that bring better results. Moving forward, New Toy is looking for innovative ways to integrate advertising into games, such as partnering with Skittles to turn all the game’s tiles into colored candies for a month.

According to Bettner, we can look forward to a new Farmville-like game from New Toy later this  year, and another “____ with Friends” game he wouldn’t reveal, but it will no doubt be on everyone’s mind before too long. We at Launch can’t wait.

A Top 10 List for Email Marketing
By: Alison | Published: 09/03/10

Like most successful agencies, Launch has focused an increasing amount of energy and resources on interactive communications. We do a lot of email marketing as part of integrated campaigns for our clients, including Park Place Dealerships, and offer this Top 10 List of pointers:

1. Focus on one message with one call-to-action
Keep the message simple and be clear about what the reader’s next step should be. In general, the click-through button should be large enough to see from a few feet back.

2.  Remove alternate paths that would distract from the call-to-action
Don’t feel the need to duplicate the website’s navigation. Direct traffic to your end goal.

3. Keep it easy on the eyes
Large blocks of copy are difficult to read onscreen. Make use of bullets. Remember that people tend to read in an F-shape (left to right, up to down).

4. Keep the most important information at the top
Many email users view their emails in a preview pane, so keep the most important  information at the top of the email. That may be all some people see.

5. Remember your medium
When designing, remember that there are only a handful of web-safe fonts. If you stray from this list, your copy will need to be saved as a graphic. But use too many graphics, and your email could be flagged as spam.

6. Craft your subject lines carefully
If a subject line doesn’t pique their interest, they may delete the email without opening. To improve your open rate, keep your subject lines as relevant as possible and avoid common spam keywords like “Free.” Shorter subject lines test better than long ones.

7. Timing is everything
Deploy emails at various times to see what works best for your database. Generally speaking, mid-morning and mid-afternoon are preferred. Emails sent mid-week (Tuesday-Thursday) tend to perform better than those sent on Monday or Friday.

8. Clean your database
Any email effort is only as good as its list. Keeping your database clean will help you deliver the right message to the right people.

9. Know the CAN-SPAM regulations
Make sure you’re familiar with CAN-SPAM before you start emailing your database. A tarnished email reputation can be difficult to combat. Click here for a CAN-SPAM compliance guide to learn more.

10. Test and optimize
Last but certainly not least, be sure to test your email before you deploy. Yahoo and Hotmail recently made subtle changes to their back-end email coding. The revisions were not announced because they were so minor – unless you’re an email marketer. The only way to be certain your email will appear correctly is to test before deploying. Open a few free accounts and take a moment to review them all. It could save you from embarrassment later.

Once that email has finally deployed, track your results. Over time, you’ll spot performance trends in day, time, subject line, offer, etc. and be able to optimize for greater success.

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