Drama, romance, action, sci-fi, sensationalized truth or scandalous gossip, everyone loves a good one. Storytelling is a powerful medium. A society’s stories reflect its values, goals and attitudes. Some stories are universal. And some of the best, most powerful stories are non-fiction.

Some of us record our stories in journals. Some of us express our stories through poetry. Song, film, theater and the family dining table are all storytelling forums.

This ancient art, and yes it is an art, revitalizes our human interactions. From blogs and hundreds of television channels to publications and college curriculum, stories are everywhere. The thirst for a good story, an authentic story, is also emerging in marketing tactics.

Do you have a story to share? There are so many ways in which to tell your story to your employees, clients, prospects, or let us tell your story to the media, who can then tell it to the world. Whatever your story, we’ll give you the ideal platform to express yourself. It’s story time. Connect with Click.

What has been celebrated in song by artists from Janis Joplin to Pebbles? Learn about a global icon that continues to tell its original company story in new ways.

A company’s story illustrates the organization’s history, along with how the history adds value and credibility to the brand. It also includes a summary of products and services. For the affectionately named “Benzy”, its story has been a global symbol of prosperity for over a century.

The idea for the 'Star' logo came when Paul and Adolf Daimler, the two sons of the company's founder remembered that their father, Gottlieb, marked a star above his own house on a picture postcard of Cologne and Deutz, and had written to his wife that this star would one day shine over his own factory to symbolize prosperity.

In June 1909 the company registered both three-pointed and four-pointed stars as trademarks. Although both designs were legally protected, only the three-pointed star was ever used. From 1910 onwards it began to appear on the cars as a design feature on the radiator. The three points of the star were meant to represent Daimler's ambition of universal motorization: "on land, on water and in the air".

Over the years the logo evolved, to include the 'Benz' laurel wreath, and then in 1923, the three-pointed star enclosed in a circle was registered as the official trademark. Since then it has changed little, and is now a powerful symbol and an integral part of the Mercedes-Benz brand.

From the beginning, the Benz story has been about prosperity. The symbol has been consistently used to translate that message in a way that their target audience can emotionally connect with.

What do you want your story to be today, tomorrow and a century from now? Begin crafting your story by calling us today.

Too often our conceptualization of an idea is limited to the most obvious interpretation at hand. When you think of sharing your story, don’t focus simply on what people will read or hear; think about what they’ll see.

After all, the visual part of your story is a powerful, instant communicator. Did you know studies show that images deliver 80% more impact than the written word? A printed document makes many statements beyond the words.

Consider the image you want to portray through your printed piece. Details such as stock texture, color and weight will influence the end result. For example, if you are printing a brochure for your boutique chocolate shop, you may want to use a matte, warm white paper with texture. All of these details will give the final product a richer more approachable feel than if you were to print on glossy vibrant white paper. However, if you are printing a flyer promoting an event at a trendy club, you may want to print on a glossy smooth paper that will make the ink colors appear bold and crisp. The right paper selection can make a difference in the emotional response to your printed piece.

Let us help you express the emotional impact of your brand.

Should your web site look just like your brochure? Are there special considerations to make when designing across mediums?

One of the greatest areas of brand disconnect exists between printed collateral and online presentation. The challenge is to achieve a balance between printed materials and the web, while retaining the intricacies of each medium’s differences.

When designing print materials, you have the ability to target a certain demographic, at a predetermined size and message content.

Designing online gives you the ability to craft your message content, but not necessarily your audience or exposure. Since the world can access your site, you need to consider the viewer’s resolution (how large graphics and words appear on a screen). This determines how much can fit on a screen without having to scroll down or even worse, scroll left and right. Web sites should be designed within a "safe area," based on current web standards that allow for the variety of resolution settings from monitor to monitor.

Similarly, a viewer’s plugins must be considered. Not every computer has the same browsers, operating systems (Mac vs. PC) and programs. Therefore the designer must create something that works across every platform.

If these seemingly simple factors are not incorporated in your planning processes, the room for misinterpretation or missed story lines can cost you. And, you might never know it.

The beauty of the web is that you have the ability to recreate your story nearly instantaneously. You can update, extend or rewrite your story and the changes can make an immediate impact on your market position and bottom line.

PR tells stories for and about businesses. Public relations practitioners are gifted storytellers, capable of crafting a narrative that will captivate the media. By utilizing the third party voice, PR informs and educates the public about your organization; in essence, telling your story.

What does it take to make a great story for the media? While plots and themes may differ, there are some basic elements that exist in any great story.

A Media Kit
A media kit is your storybook. It is a chronicle of your company that will be provided to the media in a consolidated format. Some basic aspects of a media kit are press releases, company fact sheet, principal biographies, frequently asked questions, product photographs, clippings of previous print coverage and if applicable, TV clips on a CD.

Press Release/Media Alert
A press release or media alert may be the most important element of your media kit because it is the initial piece you will send to the media to grab their attention and persuade them to feature your story. No doubt you know that your release or alert must have a "hook", something that captures the media’s attention and convinces them to want to learn more.

Company Fact Sheet
This document outlines the company’s history, its mission/vision, and other pertinent facts about its existence. Details can include its establishment date, core competencies, location(s), contact information, number of employees, and earnings.

Principal Biography(s)
This is the story of you - your expertise, education, hobbies and how you came to be where you are today.

Frequently Asked Questions
This document answers most journalists’ who, what, where, when, why and how of a product, collection of products or services.

Product Photographs
The composition and quality of photographs are vital to print media. A professional is your best option and your materials should meet the industry’s standard for resolution. It is not the media’s responsibility to take your product photos. In fact, most will not. If you want your story to be told, your visual presentation should match the quality of the publications that you desire coverage from.

Previous Coverage
Proof of prior coverage is a method to substantiate your company’s credibility and the viability of a story. All materials should be properly labeled. Today’s journalists expect to find a web site page that contains materials that would traditionally appear in your media kit.

Any well-written story is wrapped in truth, authenticity and inspiration. Make sure yours makes the statement you intend and desire. We’re here to help. Connect with us. We’ll connect you to your audience.

In the elaborate meccas of food and wine, the average set of pots and pans don’t cut the mustard. An upscale cookware company found the right spice for sales and loyalty.

With the proliferation of luxury pan this and luxury pot that, consumers are taking their time to select brands, often endorsed by their favorite line-up of Chef Megastars. So, when a leading upscale brand’s advertising ROI started to slip, they turned to the magic of the human touch and a good story for sales revitalization.

The marketing team identified their top retailers and markets and explored a co-branded relationship to promote their upscale cooking experience. The goals were to reintroduce their cookware to their established audience and recruit a new audience of cooking connoisseurs.

The strategy employed included coordinating a series of demonstrations featuring a celebrity chef, a company spokesperson, recipes, discounts and giveaways. These limited run engagements were promoted through public relations initiatives, direct mail to the retailers’ select clientele, targeted print advertising and in-store displays to attract an audience and ultimately drive sales.

The workshops took place on the weekend during prime time shopping hours in a nearly self-contained area of the store that could double as a TV set. Each location featured a celebrity chef’s live demonstration and guests who acted as sous chefs. The finished dish was then enthusiastically consumed by all. Each guest was given cookware brochures with recipes and coupons valid for that day only. The event was an interactive forum for the chef to cook, a spokesperson to divulge the intricate details of the cookware’s sustainability and solid investment details and have the attendees participate in the sensationalism. It’s called co-parenting, and is a savvy marketing technique that gives customers power by soliciting their perceptions, insights and ideas.

By creating an experience for the attendees, the company utilized word-of-mouth storytelling to promote their brand and increase sales beyond the event; memorable, effective and emotionally riveting.

Are you maximizing your event’s effectiveness? Find out. Inquire with Click.

The big game generally sets the tone for the year’s creative. What did this year teach us? What trends emerged?

Television It’s the beer, the babes or the bombs. Superbowl ads usually feature one or all of these three ingredients and the creative usually sets the trends for the year. Informal polls show that this year’s ads appealed to one of two spectrums - the lauded or the loathed. Some of the most celebrated include storytelling highlights such as these:

• Visual Attractiveness
• Creativity (is not synonymous with originality)
• Sense of humor
• Originality (it can be creative but not original)
• Element of surprise
• Emotional appeal

In what an industry executive has coined the “Attraction Age”, a story will make the difference. Stories move you, excite you and allow you to dream. A story is capable of generating an emotional connection so strong that you receive the message in a completely different way; a way that touches the heart and makes you more receptive.

Storytelling seems to play well with a spokesperson(s). Recent examples of these types of ads include Allstate, Jenny Craig and Dove. Dove’s debut of “girls’ self-esteem” during the SuperBowl turned heads and hearts through the powerful personalized appeal of a story.

Sex, sizzle and cheesy gimmicks seem to be losing advertising steam. When you are ready to sell through emotion, call us.

Internet Trends
It creeps up on you with delight and surprise. It’s the condensed TV commercial that comes to life on screen and connects to a banner ad. It holds your mesmerized gaze for :06 to :10 and it allows for trackable activity. Rich media can be seen on the larger portals. Some of the most popular proponents of this medium include fitness, movie and auto companies. Add excitement with a short flick. Set up your rich media with Click.

Radio Trends
Referred to as the theater of the mind, the latest radio spots include popular music, custom sounds, slice of life scriptwriting and layered audio all punctuated by a delectable rhythm. In a world where the voice is the star, distinctive tones and creative delivery tend to set the most memorable stage.

Don’t get lost in the shuffle or the switch. Make your spot stand out with Click.

Industry Trends and News
It’s been a busy month. To learn more about Univision’s sale, the new CW network and COX’s purchase of Cable America, visit http://www.click-marketing.net/connections.html.

Radio
The genre trend that is taking hold in Phoenix is Reggaeton. Reggaeton is a hybrid of bomba and plena which decodes to Jamaican reggae and hip hop rap all mixed into one. Since its stateside, New York area introduction over two years ago, it has been the most influential radio format (besides the “Jack” format) to make a dent in many markets. Local stations such as KISS104.7, Power 92 and Latino Vibe 95 have added the beats to their playlist rotation. This hip hop, reggae blend has resurrected many failing radio stations across the country. Keep your ears open for the next generation of sound.

Trivia. The first 10 people who can accurately identify one of the genre’s most popular artists will win a click prize. E-mail your answer to connect@click-marketing.net by March 31st.

Music is the universal language of life. It moves, grooves, cries and dances with you. What are doing to move your customers? It is surprising why more companies do not make custom music a part of their marketing arsenal. Your mind might jump to cheesy jingles or the good ol’ days of orchestrated art. Remember the tree-hugger, candle ceremony Coke commercial? “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company...” Or how about this one, “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz oh what a relief it is.” It’s appropriate to discuss the usage of pop icon hits in today’s commercials. From the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and the diva herself - Madonna, brands are eager to pay substantial licensing fees to link their brand with these beats. Of course not everyone has the cash to fork over to BMI and ASCAP, but there are many ways to incorporate sound into your TV and radio commercials as well as presentations and online tools. Create your sing-a-long today with Click.