Recently came across this idea from a couple of type designers in Chattanooga, TN. They have developed Chatype, a custom typeface for the City of Chattanooga! This typeface (font) will be used on all city signage, bike lanes, etc. and will create a fresh new identity for the city!

Let’s do this for the City of Rochester! Let us know what you think.

Viral Marketing Made Easy With Automated Facebook Post

1. One-Way Communication – Not only is it important to get your message out to others, it is important to have communication channels open both ways. Receiving information can be as valuable as reporting information. Today’s consumers want to be heard and there are more ways than ever to make that happen, if they can’t communicate with you they will turn to someone who they can communicate with.
2. Not Asking for Business – Asking for business over the internet involves trust, to gain rapport with potential clients have a few small conversations about their business giving them tips and ideas. By this point they will already have an idea of what you can offer them, send them a message not only asking for business but indicate what else you can do for them.
3. Over Exploration – You start by checking in with your usual social media sites and posting ideas and responses, but with thousands of links and websites to visit it’s easy to get lost. Set a specific amount of time to social media so you don’t end up surfing the net all day long.
4. Inconstant Messages – If your company sells coffee keep your messaging to relevant news about your store and industry, posting a random YouTube video might not reach your intended audience. If you don’t have a relevant post, that’s okay, comment on a potential customers page or retweet from another vendor. No message can be better than the wrong message.

For more information on how to use social media to your advantage visit: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/218160

Trend #1 – Online Expectations, Offline Experience. When heading into a retail environment the new age retail shopper wants the convenience of online shopping combined with personal recognition and service that comes with brick and mortar stores.

Trend #2 – Shopper Know-How. Retailers are now using mobile technology along with such things as QR codes and mobile sites to increase their customer’s purchasing experience. This instant access to information is allowing a new spin on comparison shopping, retailers are responding to this with new promotions and increased information to their client base.

Trend #3 – Redefined Retail Cartography. As technology continues to fuse with the traditional market place, retailers are beginning to rethink the layout of stores. Companies are now trying to recreate an engaging customer experience at every phase of the purchasing decision.  Increased interaction through the shopping process is designed to speed up the decision-making, and drive customers towards purchase.

For the full Future of Retail report visit: www.psfk.com/future-of-retail

PG was the first company to bring this technology to Rochester and is excited to be on the cutting edge of what will undoubtedly be the future of mobile technology.

Visit the Channel 13 website for the full story and video clip.

With the Internet so accessible through had held devices the traditional PC method of accessing the internet has begun to go by the way side. Pew reports that nearly one third of smart phone users no longer bother with high-speed broad band connection…not a problem, right? Wrong. The smart phone is a non-programmable appliance that lets us access the internet but the connect is controlled by large corporations that can regulate use. Right now every new and innovative idea can be posted on the internet and implemented via software, no regulator or gatekeepers to keep you out. Accessing the internet through smart phones could change that. Regulators, in this case large corporations, could decide what information gets accessed and therefore slow the pace of innovation and human progress.

Read the full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jul/17/smartphones-internet-corporate-threat

QR codes can hold information that direct Smart Phone users to company websites or other avenues to gather information about products and services. This is an additional way to increase website traffic, band awareness and SEO rankings.  Another important benefit of attributing Quick Read codes to your business is the fact that a business can track who accesses their information through these codes. This is a cost effective way to gain knowledge about who is interested in the products and services associated with a particular firm. Although QR codes are not necessarily new technology they are being used in a new innovative way to grab attention of new and existing customers.

Here is a simple way to do guerilla marketing! Infographic graffiti.

It has come to be said that we are all gamers now. We live in a game generation. The term “game” doesn’t necessarily mean we play actual games, but it also refers to the fact that everything we do is much more interactive. Everything around us is significantly more interactive. Between advances in technology and social media, so much of what once was very elementary has evolved into something very exquisite.

So what does this mean for marketers and advertisers? We have entered a state of needing advertising and marketing efforts to be over-the-top (to an extent) and engaging customers. Brands are no longer just a logo, they are a personality. How do companies/brands interact with their customer? Integrating social media campaigns, QR Codes and special events are just some of the ways marketers and advertisers are meeting the increasing demands from consumers.

Pam Sherman, author of the article, also gives some more background and plot to Michael and Lewis, the faces of Philipson Group. Hope you enjoy the article as much as we did!

Michael also made an appearance in the IPA Bulletin talking about mobile web and QR Codes. Check out the article on page 8 of the bulletin (10 out of 44 electronic).