Join us for the launch event of the 3-part Royal Studio's 60th Anniversary Celebration! Let's start where it all began at the famous Royal Studios Memphis with the legendary Mitchell family. As an ode to the Studios' patriarch Willie Mitchell, we will celebrate the rich history of Royal and it's talented founder with live music from soul jazz band the Bo-Keys and legendary musician Don Bryant. Be immersed in the Studio as if you are apart of a Royal session as the music unveils around you. Dinner will be served by the famous Yvonne "Aunt Von" Mitchell who has cooked for Melissa Etheridge and Bruno Mars among many more Royal artists as a way to welcome them into the Royal family. Do not miss this unforgettable night as we take a walk down the memory lane that put Memphis music on the map. Seating limited. Buy Tickets and Get Your Soul On.
Marriage takes work, time and grandiose amounts of effort. When you propose you are saying to that person “I choose you and am willing to put up with you for the rest of my life.” And put up with them and all the baggage that comes with them you shall. A business-client partnership is no different.
Saying I Do
When you say I do and take on a client, there are understood vows. Vows that you will protect their brand, help them in times of crisis and be a catalyst of innovative thinking. As the ad agency, you are to be the provider and protector. You said “I do”, now you must follow through by taking measures to make the marriage a successful, long lasting and happy one.
In Times of Crisis
That baggage that was promised? Yeah, it’s just as real as an actual marriage when you beginning working with someone new. Any previous damage is now yours to inherit. But inherit with a smile you will as you are lucky to have such a desirable partner. Implement your crisis communication and strategic planning to avoid any future messes. Your goal remains to protect your client and their brand at all costs. Keep this marriage from becoming a divorce by developing effective strategies to fix any given problem before it even arises.
Following the Brand
To avoid internal crisis between you and your client, stick to the mission and objectives of your partner. Not listening to your client’s wants and needs is just like not listening to your spouses’… and we can guarantee that your client will give you far less chances to redeem yourself than your spouse. So, if we want to keep the boxing gloves where they belong---in the ring--- then let’s make sure to tune in our listening ears. There’s no worse faux pas than drifting off brand or strategy because a lack of due diligence. Be an intuitive spouse.
Making it Last
It’s one thing to fall in love and it’s another to stay in love. To keep the spark from burning out with your client, your work and ideas need to come to fruition. Don’t just skim the surface. Bring the innovation, creativity and energy that spawns a new perspective of the client’s beloved brand. Your ideas must be fresh and new, unlike any other brand in that industry segment. But still maintain your client’s identity. You must give your client the confidence and trust to stay with you long term.
A Long and Happy Marriage
Making your marriage last with your client is important. All good things come to an end. But your relationship doesn’t have to. What’s most important is their happiness in your marriage and your ability to communicate honestly and efficiently. This can be achieved through a compilation of managing crises, listening to desires and bringing the best ideas for their company to fruition. Don’t strive for a mediocre marriage with your client. Strive for one that will last beyond the golden years.
YouTube video advertisers have less than five seconds to convince viewers their ad is worth watching to the end. Many viewers decide to skip the ad - 94% in fact. More than half of viewers are on mobile which means videos need to be short and focus on recall. Especially given that YouTube is scrapping 30-second videos and offering only shorter 20, 15 and 6-second video options. The later 6-second bumper ads are becoming increasing popular.
To hold viewer attention, many advertisers are evolving content to fit YouTube by using more creativity, different formats and interactive components to engage viewers. What’s your take on pre-roll ads?
YouTube Pre-Roll is changing marketers’ approach to video advertising
You’ve encountered them… those show-stopping pre-roll video ads on YouTube. Most viewers lack the patience and interest to continue watching them to the end. Capturing and keeping the attention of viewers is demanding advertisers be more creative. Simply loading up a current 30-second TV commercial is not enough. The video has to be eye-catching as well as relevant.
Keep messages simple and entertaining.
Many advertisers waste valuable time screaming “don’t skip” while cramming in a smorgasbord of rapid fire messages praying one of them resonates with viewers. Those tactics are inherently ineffective. Data shows that making messages interactive can capture viewer attention. For example, one advertiser challenged viewers to a staring contest offering winners a prize. Others posted totally unrelated but irresistibly entertaining video content like cute animal videos while quickly selling their products or service... not a good idea. Here is an example :
Find a fitting format.
Altering the format of pre-roll can help effectiveness also… shorter pre-roll ads for mobile, longer pre-roll ads for desktop viewers with more time. Advertisers should also avoid having a pre-roll ad longer than the video clip people are trying to watch.
Use an engaging call to action
A strong call-to-action makes video ads more effective. Instead of a hyperlink to your brand’s website… continuing the visual experience can help. For example, a virtual reality experience that allows viewers to interact with your product, like being able to change product styles and colors or letting viewers select alternate commercial storylines and endings.
Make sure your ad is relevant
Relevancy of your ad matters. Simply attaching your ad to a popular but unrelated video is a crap shoot. The chances of your unrelated content connecting with viewers interests is slim. Placing ads with videos that relate to your product, exponentially increase your chances of engagement. For example, placing an ad for a dance studio with a video of a dancing dog.
Those are the words to live by if you're Ceil Walker, the charismatic CEO of Walker & Associates, a locally owned advertising, public relations, and marketing firm that represents large clients as McDonald's and NASA, and as homegrown as the Memphis Art Park and the Racine + Southern Dance Exchange.
"My mom has little plaques and coasters around the house that say; 'Success is the best revenge.' She's always taught me to gracefully let things go and work as hard as you can to be successful, and the rest won't matter someday, says Cecilia Walker, Ceil's daughter and the senior vice president of business development for the firm.
So, life has given you lemons. A client may have done something the public didn’t find too sweet, and if you’re representing them it’s your job to fix it. What do you do? The answer is clear, make lemonade.
Directions are as follows:
Squeeze situation until disaster is completely drained
3/4 cup of damage control
Add a pinch of spin 1 apology (to dilute)
1 cup of humility
1 cup of swift action
Assess the pitcher, add hyperbole when needed . Continue adding sincerity until you reach the desired taste.
"When Ceil Walker took over as CEO of Walker & Associates after the death of her husband, there were plenty of people who didn't think she could do the job.
Deloss Walker, a once-poor Arkansas farm boy, founded the notable Memphis advertising agency in 1965 and managed the campaigns of several prominent politicians such as Bill Clinton and Al Gore.
But after his death, longtime employees and clients had their doubts that Deloss Walker’s wife, Ceil — 21 years his junior — would be able to continue the Walker & Associates legacy."
