Life is good, and we’re growing. Like, really growing. ADG is on the lookout for brilliant people. Talented people. Nice people. People who want to wrap their arms around great big ideas and squeeze hard. If you believe making your mark means more than just leaving your thumbprints on fantastic work, let’s get together. We’d like to hear your story: careers@adgcreative.net.
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Advertising, like most elements of business, is all about the impossible quest for perfection. Achieving it. Failing at it. But always pushing towards it. The coal furnace that powers this grand endeavor is our relationship with clients. Without that partnership, it all goes cold.
Not surprisingly, in any given week, you’re bound to stumble headfirst into a conversation at ADG where someone’s batting around ideas for how to foster better relationships with clients. While we’ve been very fortunate to work with great brands that offer us a good deal of latitude in the solutions we bring, there’s always room for improvement. If there weren’t, we wouldn’t deserve the business in the first place.
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The concept of “mobile first” in web design has become somewhat of a buzzword in the interactive industry. It’s on track to quickly become the next “Web 2.0″ term we all despise hearing fall from the lips of almost-techie types, over-trying to earn street cred. But what’s the meat of the term? What does it mean and how does it affect your business? As much as we creatives get spindly hairs with cliche labels, the philosophy of starting with mobile is grounded in data and not merely a shiny word pair. The “mobile” prefix is slightly misleading, but we’ll get to that.
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A few weeks ago, a couple of us ADG-ers attended Photoshop World 2012, where we got a sneak peek at Photoshop CS6 (beta) in action. Um, wow. Besides the interface being totally redesigned with a much darker and more modern look, there are many new features—large and small—that are more intuitive and that will be sure to blow your face off while speeding up your workflow.
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Your PR firm has scored you an interview with a national publication. That’s the good news. The bad news: it’s still too early to call it a success. Preparing for an interview is sometimes overlooked, but it’s a crucial step in promoting your brand through the media.
Work with your PR firm. And consider some of these tips on how to prepare:
KNOW THE OUTLET
It might seem simple, but take the time to really understand the outlet that is interviewing you. Is it a national publication? Does it have a political viewpoint? Who reads it? Getting a better sense of the reporter’s perspective and the audience he or she writes for will help you prepare an answer that has relevance.
KNOW THE STORY AND TIMEFRAME
Journalists are always on deadline. Be aware of the reporter’s time constraints. Also, get a sense of the story angle the journalist is looking for so you can provide relevant information.
IDENTIFY YOUR MESSAGE
Have a strong sense of the message your company wants to convey through the story. Develop up to three main talking points with support points for each. Messages can include calls to action, the mission of your organization, why your product is needed, etc.
Once you identify what you want to say, practice saying your main message. Work it into a memorable, brief quote or sound byte. This way, you know exactly what message you are conveying and won’t risk stumbling over your key point during the interview.
DETERMINE POSSIBLE QUESTIONS
Some journalists will share the questions they intend to ask in an interview. But not always. That means that it’s important to put yourself in the journalist’s shoes for a moment; think about what you would want to know? By creating a list of questions and having the answers to them locked and loaded, you reduce the chance of getting caught off guard. Not only will it help you look and sound better during the interview, but having general answers prepared provides you with more control over the message.
PRACTIVE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
Some people are very comfortable in front of a camera or being interviewed. For others, the thought of being put on the spot is terrifying. That’s okay. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. But if you find yourself nervous, unsure, or just out of practice, do a mock interview with a co-worker, friend or your PR agency. The more times you run through it, the more comfortable you will be during the interview. And that will translate into a better piece.
ADG Creative is a strategic communications firm specializing in branding, interactive, learning and gaming, and software development. We combine process, experience and extraordinary creative talent to tell our customers' stories in unique, memorable and usually unexpected ways, leveraging both conventional and new media platforms.
