O'Toole-Ewald (OTE) is a Manhattan-based art appraisal firm with over 80 years of history.
Indiepay Site Launched
GO FISH COSTA RICA SITE LAUNCHED
Costa Rica is a place of uncompared beauty and unparalleled fishing opportunities. With the world's quickest access to two different oceans, ripe with opportunity to catch prize winning fish, Costa Rica is a fisherman's paradise. We have partnered with a tourism group that specializes in running fishing trips in the country. Take a look to learn more, www.gofishcostarica.com.
VERIFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES SITE LAUNCHED
Over the last year, SCG Creative has collaborated with our partner/sister company/good pals, Verificient Technologies to push the nascent automated remote proctoring company from inception to launch, and beyond. Step by step we have undergone many challenges with Verificient Technologies to take an idea into a 10+ person Education Technology company. This is the latest iteration of the Verificient Website and one we are truly proud to put the SCG Creative name on. Check out the site at http://www.verificient.com.
USA HORN SITE LAUNCHED
Over the last few weeks, we have had the pleasure to work with America's premier saxophone resource, USA Horn. USA Horn's owner, Mark Rakita, is a veritable wealth of knowledge on saxophones and instruments in general. He store sells many hard-to-come-by saxophones that are truly one of a kind. View the store at http://www.usahorn.net.
HEARTHCABINET WEBSITE REDESIGN LAUNCHED
We are pleased to announce that we have been working over the last few months with Manhattan-based ventless fireplace manufacturer HearthCabinet. HearthCabinet designs and manufacturers the only ventless fireplaces approved for New York City. Check out their bespoke products at www.hearthfireplaces.com.
HIVALGO SITE LAUNCHED
Startups are a breath of fresh, disruptive air to many industries that are rife for renewal. We have had the pleasure over the last few months to work to name and brand a startup concept that would bring humongous change to the food chain we all take part in everyday. We worked to take the business plan behind Specialty Commodities, Inc and develop it into a new brand known as Hivalgo. Take a look at www.hivalgo.com to find out more.
SCG's What is a Brand
What is a brand?
In today’s world, brands touch nearly every part of our lives. Are you thirsty? Reach for a can of Coca-Cola, a Starbucks latté, or a bottle of Evian water. Feeling under the blue? You immediately grab for a Klenex tissue or pop a Tylenol – never a foreign sounding “Paracetamol.” That being said, have you ever really asked yourself, “What is a brand?” If we copied a Jay Leno “Hits the Streets” segment and asked everyone we crossed that question, we would probably get back many different answers. “It’s a company’s logo,” or, “it’s a company’s image,” might be two of the main responses we would get.
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as "name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's product as distinct from those of other sellers, e.g. music." The word branding itself comes from the tradition of branding cattle with a distinctive symbol so farmers knew whose cattle belonged to whom. This concept was later spread to companies, products, places, and on from there.
This information is all great for starting to understand what a brand is, but it’s all a bit technical and dry. Here at SCG, we believe in a more simplified, comprehensive definition of a brand. To us, a brand is “a promise of value.” For a customer it is important to find out just what exactly that promise means and if that promise is held. A company’s promise of value is often its most valuable asset. What value promise does your company or organization communicate to your client base? How is it perceived by your client base? Moreover, through what medium is that promise made? Over the following weeks we will be running a series of blogs about “what is a brand?”. Through this series of blogs, we hope to work hand in hand with our good friends and clients to provide some food for thought and some important questions to ask about where your brand stands today. We believe that through this series of blogs you will be able to develop the tools and knowledge necessary to strengthen your promise of value, which can only lead to an increase in your business.
In order to determine how your promise of value is conveyed to and perceived by your client base, it is crucial to know the “8 P’s” of branding, also known as the marketing mix. In the early days of branding, the 8 P’s started out as the 4 P’s: price, product, promotion, and place. As branding and the business environment has changed over the last several decades, the 4 P’s have been expanded to include people, process, partners, and physical evidence. By understanding how all 8 of these elements come into play in your brand identity, you can move to strengthen your brand and as a result, your business. What is one of the main ways that the “8 P’s” of your brand are experienced by your client base? Your website.
Thirty years ago, your brand’s promise of value was conveyed through a brand media kit that could be easily distributed to prospective customers. In today’s world, this ambassador or mascot for your brand is embodied by your website. When a client is not on site in your storefront, the website is the strongest way to communicate your brand experience. As potential customers explore your website, they start to develop an understanding of what kind of value promise your organization offers. With that in mind, it is important to have a website that is captivating to its audience and draws potential and existing customers back for more. At this point, there is no turning back. When a modern consumer has a new business or service need to be met, they often turn to the internet to get informed. A strong website built for 2013 and beyond becomes a key investment for your brand for years to come. So, you need to ask yourself, “does my current website represent the best my brand has to offer to my customers?” In the 21st century, a weak website equals a weak brand.
How do you know if your website represents the best your brand has to offer? Here at SCG we have a rubric that helps us to analyze and understand the quality of your website and brand positioning. Take for example one of our recent web projects that we completed for Ultimate Sound and Installation (LINK). Not only do we think this site boasts a spiffy web-based brand experience, but it also rates strongly on every question on our rubric. When we analyze websites we ask ourselves some of the following questions:
-Does your website clearly communicate what you do in less than 30 seconds? If someone falls on your site and they don’t know who you are or who you target, you can guarantee they’re bound to jump somewhere else before long.
-Is there a call to action on this website? Customers want an interactive brand experience! What useful content do you provide to keep your customer’s interest. Do you have blogs or press that you update frequently on the site? This keeps people coming back and raises your position in search results. Ultimate Sound has a fantastic interactive app (go check it out!) that allows you to preview what your house after getting the Ultimate Sound treatment.
-Does your website design reflect your expertise stylistically and is it visually appealing to the customer? Have you noticed lately how many websites have become works of art? Website styles have changed more over the last two years than they have over the last 10. If your website has a dated color palette or a clunky navigation experience customers will be turned off. Your key content needs to be accessible within three clicks. What we love about the Ultimate Sound website is the bold grey and yellow color palette. It gives a distinct, reassuring feeling that really conveys a well-planned brand visual identity.
Make your website the strongest platform for a potential customer to discover the promise of value your brand brings. Make your website a reason for your current customers to come back. Raise your brand awareness.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SCG
SHAFALI FATALE SITE LAUNCHED
As a creative agency ourselves, we love to work with other organizations that have creativity as the corner stone of their brand. We have had the pleasure to collaborate with bespoke, "twister" cocktail sari designer Shafali Patel to reposition her brand and launch a new website. We conceptualized her new brand name Shafali Fatale to more clearly convey her brand image to her potential customers. Then we created a minimal style website that perfectly matches her brand aesthetic. Check out the evolving brand at www.shafalifatale.com.
SINO BARITE SITE LAUNCHED
The global market can be a difficult place to operate in when it's something you're just not familiar with, that's why companies turn to creative branding experts like ourselves (not to toot our own horns). We were approached by SinoBarite, a Chinese mineral resource company looking to enter the USA market and advance their global presence. They were looking for branding efforts that helped portray their identity as a burgeoning international brand to American consumers, and we delivered.
Check out the new SinoBarite site at sinobarite.us.
COMPANY CATERED EVENTS SITE LAUNCHED
Over the last few weeks we have had the pleasure to work with an outstanding New York City catering company. Company Catered Events provides bespoke catering services for charities, corporations, and large scale private events. Their team is both creative and sophisticated.
Check out the new Company Catered Events site at www.companycateredevents.com.
PIVOTAL PHYSICAL THERAPY SITE LAUNCHED
What can you say about Manhattan's Pivotal Physical Therapy? Their holistic, attentive service is unparalleled and everyone that works there is about as kind and charming as it gets. We have had the pleasure to help their practice redesign their website to create a best-in-class product. If you need physical therapy, this is where you need to go. Check out their website to find out more.
Check out the new Pivotal Physical Therapy website at www.pitovtalpt.com.
FARRELL LIMOUSINE SERVICE SITE REDESIGNED AND LAUNCHED
We have had the pleasure to work with Farrell Limousine Service over the years. When it comes to luxury private car service in the New York area, no one does the job like Farrell. We redesigned their website and helped them to integrate some great new digital services for their customers.
Check out the newly redesigned Farrell Limousine Service site at www.farrellslimo.com.
Complexions Dance Website Launch
Visit complexionsdance.org !
MY CAPE COD GETAWAY MOTELS SITE LAUNCHED!
My Cape Cod Getaway is our rebranding initiative for three up and coming hotels in the Cape Cod area. Located next to the Nantucket Sound, these hotels needed a new best-in-class website to go with their new refurbishment and improvements. We think we delivered just that. Take a look at that great design!
Check out the new My Cape Cod Getaway site at www.mycapecodgetaway.com.
EDUCATION AFFILIATES FCU SITE LAUNCHED!
Education Affiliates FCU (EAFCU) has been the go-to financial institutions for New York-based teachers, educators, creative professionals, and artists since 1979. We were so gracious to have the opportunity to work with the EAFCU to create a new website that'll offer all kinds of new services to their members.
Check out the new EAFCU site at www.eafcu.org.
NYC SMILE SPA SITE LAUNCHED!
For over 30 years, the Smile Spa of New York has built its reputation on the quality of their dental work, exceedingly high level client service and a uniquely pleasant and painless dental environment. Drs. Michael Krochak and Joshua Perlman are two of the most respected, well reviewed dentists in New York City. We were really excited to help their practice rebrand and launch a new website.
Check out the new site at www.nycsmilespa.com.
JCOHENCHIRO.COM LAUNCH!
Jonathan Cohen is a born and raised Manhattanite offering a new take on chiropractic services. His offices are located at 333 West 52nd Street. We were thrilled to develop a website for his new chiropractic office.
Check out the new site at www.jcohenchiro.com
ULTIMATEINSTALLATIONS.COM NEW SITE LAUNCH!
Ultimate Sound & Installations are experts in audio, video, security and motorized shading systems for residential, commercial, corporate and design communities throughout the NY Metro Area. We had a great time designing a website that communicates the high quality services this brand can provide. If you're looking for audio-visual installations for your home or office, this is the place to go.
Check out the new site at www.ultimateinstallations.com!