When I meet someone and they ask about Bluetext, I often reply with a simple “Bluetext is one of the top branding and marketing agencies in Washington, D.C.” That usually leads to a conversation about our team, our services, our clients, and eventually their needs and challenges. People generally understand branding and marketing, and therefore are able to talk about their business challenge in the context of the services we deliver.

I was at a dinner last week with a group of agency leaders from the top branding and marketing agencies in Washington and something that someone else said really struck a chord with me. He talked about solving problems and addressing challenges for his clients. As a leading marketing agency, I believe our clients think of us in a similar manner. We are more than a branding firm. We do more than design and build award-winning websites. We do more than execute PR and content marketing campaigns for our clients. At the end of the day, every company has some sort of marketing challenge they are trying to overcome. At Bluetext, that is what we do for our clients. We solve their challenges through a mix of strategies and tactics, and there is no one size fits all approach.

As you start to think about 2017, I would strongly suggest not specifically thinking do I need a new website or do I need to get more articles, but instead think what are the challenges my business faces and what type of agency is required to solve them. Does that agency have the creativity, passion and expertise to get their hands dirty and help me achieve my goals? Does that agency have the resources to think about new channels? A PR firm will tell you that you need more PR. A website agency will tell you need a new website. At Bluetext, we will analyze your challenge and recommend a campaign, solution or strategy to help you achieve your business goals. In my view, that is what a top marketing agency does. To learn more about what makes us a top agency, reach out today.

As of a few weeks ago, there was an organization on the cusp of doing something it had not done in more than a century. No, I’m not talking about the Chicago Cubs winning its first world series since 1908 – which for a die-hard Cubs fan would be a welcome development.

Earlier this month, IBM appointed Michelle Peluso as its Chief Marketing Officer. A global technology powerhouse adding a marketing executive is typically a news item that causes ripples rather than waves. But this case is different – Ms. Peluso is IBM’s first CMO…ever.

That’s 105 years, folks, without a CMO. While the company has cycled through a handful of logos during that time, the CMO role has remained vacant. Yes, it has had marketing leaders for various business lines, but never someone in this role at the C-suite management team level. As some coverage of the hire has indicated, one motivation for IBM has been a tangible transformation of the CMO role. Marketing budgets are larger, and the expanse of business areas that CMOs touch extend far beyond what they did even just a few years ago.

Rather than routing through IT departments for digital tools, CMOs are owning the acquisition of digital services and software, which has become core to nimble technology brands. In IBM’s statement on the hire, the company indicated that it reflects the, “transformation of marketing – investing in digital skills, using data to deeply understand clients…and build consumer-grade experiences.”

Who IBM hired is as significant as the newly-created role. Peluso formerly served as CEO of Gilt (in addition to a global chief marketing and internet officer position at Citigroup), reinforcing the fact that she will have a seat at the C-Suite table. One reason that CMOs are gaining more respect is that marketing has shifted from a hard-to-measure line item in the budget to a data-driven operation where success can be evaluated with precision. The desire for industry leaders to bring aboard marketing professionals skilled in data analytics explains why 41% of marketing and advertising executives find it “somewhat challenging” or “very challenging” to find skilled professional talent in today’s marketplace, according to a 2016 survey by The Creative Group.

As Spider-Man’s uncle Ben wisely observed, “With great power comes great responsibility.” For CMOs, more power means more responsibility – and accountability.  James Thomas, Chief Marketing Officer at Allocadia, noted earlier this year in IBM Commerce’s own blog that nearly 6 in 10 CMOs say they feel increased pressure from their CEO or board of directors to prove the value of their marketing. Thomas went on to say that as marketers spend more time on digital, analytics and analysis, there is a danger of short-changing creative. Striking the right balance between data-driven marketing operations and strong creative will prove to be a challenge for CMOs in the coming months and years, one we will be monitoring as we deliver digital and traditional marketing campaigns and creative services to our clients.

For more insights for today’s CMOs, download our CMO’s guide to sponsored content:

Bluetext’s Chief Creative Officer, Jason Siegel will be speaking at MediaPost OMMA VR/AR in New York during Advertising Week on September 28th.

MediaPost saw the need for an event focused solely on Augmented and Virtual Reality as these new mediums have taking the marketing world by storm. The event will explore how marketers can take Virtual and Augmented Reality from the novelty phase into an opportunity to enrich branding and deepen consumer relationships.

Jason will be part of a panel discussion titled “Retailers Follow Pokémon Go”, which will examine the overwhelming success and influence of Pokémon Go, and how retailers can learn from this case study and incorporate AR or VR experiences into their marketing strategy to appeal to in-store shoppers.

Other topics the event will cover include:

• How different types of VR/AR experiences map against specific brand goals.
• Where do you start…small?
• How to distribute experiences efficiently and connect VR/AR campaigns to other marketing platforms and programs.
• Who are the players and how should marketers and agencies vet them?
• Storytelling in 360 degrees

Make sure to tune in for the conference live-stream on September 28th at 4:00pm EST here. And to learn more about Bluetext’s VR work, contact us today:

In its mission to connect people with experts across a variety of fields, Expertise recently reviewed 256 advertising agencies in the greater Washington market to identify the best of the best. Bluetext is honored to have been named as one of the 20 best agencies in the region. We were judged on more than 25 variables across six categories:

• Reputation,
• Credibility,
• Experience,
• Availability,
• Professionalism, and
• Engagement.

Because the competition was so tough, we’re especially proud to be recognized for the hard work we put in for our clients across a variety of projects and industries, from Google to Intel to Cisco. To learn more about Expertise and their work to identify the best advertising agencies in Washington, click here. And to put Bluetext’s expertise to work for you, reach out today:

As companies mature and think about how to take their business to the next level, invariably one of the toughest questions to answer is when is the right time to hire a marketing agency. Every company is different. As one of the top marketing agencies in Washington, Bluetext meets with companies of all shapes and sizes, and it is safe to say has seen it all. From the CFO who is dabbling in marketing to the head of business development to the person who just graduated last week, companies tackle marketing in different ways. So when someone asks “when the right time to hire a marketing agency is?” I pulled together some telltale signs that would suggest it is time to call in the professionals.

1. The only money you are spending to get your name out there is the same industry tradeshow you have been attending for years, and you only go because “everyone goes.” I would be willing to bet that the money spent on that show could be spent on some much more effective tactics
2. When someone says that they went to your website and has no idea what you do. This is a problem. You need clarity. You need a digital platform that delivers for your business. Prospects need 6-7 touches as a minimum before they want to engage with your company. The message, design and impact of your website needs to be clear and differentiated. If not then it is time to call a top digital marketing agency.
3. You have no plan. How do you expect to grow a business with no marketing plan? Too many times we hear people say that they need to get around to focusing on marketing. That is likely a sign that it is too late. If you are selling a B2B product, a b2b marketing agency should be able to help you create a plan, determine the resources required to execute it, and then help deliver results with impact.
4. You think of marketing and business development as the same department…enough said.
5. You have to pinch to view your website on your phone…enough said.
6. You are constantly looking at your competitors and talking about how great a job they are doing with their brand and positioning. We hear this all the time.
7. Every vendor that calls with a marketing idea sounds like a smart plan. A good b2b marketing agency can not only help you craft and execute a plan, but also help you sort through all of the opportunities that exist for promotion and help you point your arrows in the right direction.

So there you have it. Seven signs that it is time to hire a marketing agency. I am sure that this list can go on and on. Please share other thoughts in the comments zone and I will update the list accordingly. And if you don’t know what to do, give us a call. We have worked with companies across many industries to tackle many different marketing challenges to help them take their business to the next level.

Bluetext is excited to announce that our Chief Creative Officer, Jason Siegel, has been recognized for this year’s 40 Under 40 Awards presented by DMN. The event celebrates 40 individuals under the age of 40 who not only display innovative, digital marketing techniques, but are actively reshaping the craft of the business. The DMN 40 Under 40 Awards will honor the exceptional marketing achievements of the winners on Thursday, September 29th at The Dream Downtown in New York City.

Jason is recognized for embracing the tidal shift toward technology and data-based marketing strategy that customers now demand, discovering cutting edge opportunities to reach new prospects and wow existing clients. He is acknowledged as a pioneer in web design, creative communications, and interactive strategies, continuously challenging himself and his peers to take ownership of the customer experience.

Learn more about the full list of award recipients and purchase your tickets to join the celebration here!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably browsed a popular news site and seen a sponsored post. You might not have known it was sponsored at the time, but we promise it was there.  Whether it’s a BuzzFeed “listicle” promoting an upcoming movie or a Forbes post on a new piece of software, sponsored content is everywhere. While it may have been clunky in its early days, sponsored content is becoming increasingly tailored to the platform it’s being published on. Brands are now creating great content that users want to read, instead of boring content that users inevitably scroll past. Great sponsored content is engaging to the reader, but gets your name out there in the end. However, it takes work to create this type of content and integrate it into an effective campaign. You have to know what news outlet to work with, what kind of content to create, and how much money to put behind your campaign. In today’s content marketing landscape, sponsored content is a key tool for any marketer looking to create exposure for their brand.

That’s where we come in. At Bluetext, we have experience creating effective, engaging sponsored content for our clients. If you’re a CMO looking to get a greater understand of how our process works and what factors we consider for our sponsored content campaigns, download our eBook.

If you are a CMO or executive at a DC-area organization seeking to hire a digital marketing firm, do you Google search for “Top DC digital marketing firms” or “Top digital marketing firms?” Maybe you don’t use a search engine at all, but that’s a conversation for another day.

The point is that for many organizations, there is significant perceived value in having a marketing agency that is “local” – whether it’s a b2b marketing agency, b2g marketing agency or b2c marketing agency. The true value of engaging with the best “local” marketing firm as opposed to just the best marketing firm period is a more nuanced consideration that depends on the specific needs of your organization. To help with that decision, I’ve assembled five key questions to ask yourself before deciding if your marketing partner should be local:

How much value do you place on face time?

CMOs must be honest with themselves upfront about how important it is to have your marketing agency team available for in-person meetings. This should be a factor in the pre-hire evaluation phase – how big a factor is up to the CMO. It can be practically and economically unreasonable to expect a non-local marketing agency to show up on short notice, but it is also true that getting together in-person can foster improved team chemistry and allow for easier oversight.

How specialized are your marketing requirements?

As is the case with any product or service, the laws of supply and demand apply. If your organization is based in Cleveland, there will certainly be sufficient marketing agencies to choose from. But how niche is your product/service or vertical market you serve? Perhaps you need an agency with experience marketing consumer-facing ride-sharing startups, or software for the healthcare industry. All of the sudden, the list of credible b2b marketing agencies or b2c marketing agencies with this type of experience in Cleveland shrinks. It is a tradeoff for CMOs, and based on your specialized your needs are, a non-local marketing agency may be necessary to provide the expertise your organization requires.

Does your marketing agency need knowledge of the local market?

Your local market, for various reasons, may be critical to initial or long-term growth. One of the reasons that leading technology brands turn to Bluetext for b2g marketing and b2g public relations is that we’ve developed unique expertise understanding what makes this market tic and the messages required to reach and influence decision makers.

That’s just one example though; it could be that your local market is a critical early engine for customer growth, or that you need an agency that has strong relationships with local broadcast, print and online media. Even the most skilled national marketing and pr agencies will require time to ramp up in better understanding some local markets.

Do you have the right technology to manage virtual teams?

If you already work with other vendors that are virtual, then you may have the necessary technologies, tools and processes in place to effectively communicate and mange a virtual marketing agency. These tools range from conferencing and collaboration to messaging, presence, video and project management, and it is important to lock in on a set of tools that can be used across all vendors – rather than continuing to add a patchwork of standalone apps that end up complicating rather than aiding vendor communication.

There is evidence that technology vendors recognize the need for more integration. Our own client BroadSoft delivers truly integrated business communications in response to the avalanche of apps and tools that marketing departments can now choose from.

Consider these factors when deciding if a local digital marketing and public relations agency is the best move for your organization. And to learn more about Bluetext, click here:

Last week I was fortunate enough to be invited by BizBash to speak at their DC event entitled “ELEVATE”.

Elevate is a one-day conference where event and meeting professionals are able to rethink and explore the new attendee journey at events. Featuring in-depth workshops on event marketing, technology, design, sponsorships, and other topics, they discovered innovative ideas and compelling insights from the most influential names in events.

As BizBash.com describes it, “Social media has become a key component in all aspects of business, especially live experiences. Understanding new, emerging platforms and how social media and event marketing strategies merge is an integral part of the event marketing process. In this session, Jason Siegel, founding partner of Bluetext, will discuss how to develop a three-part campaign style approach to social media to maximize event reach. Siegel will share new ways to create urgency to register, how to leverage website personalization, insights on interpreting engagement, and how to seamlessly integrate virtual reality to drive interest and registrations for events.”.

The energy and buzz in the Reagan Center was very strong, and it was great to get out and meet a lot of top marketers in the field of event marketing, virtual reality, and all kinds of experiential elements.   Please enjoy the presentation I gave below.

To learn more about how Bluetext can elevate your social presence, reach out today:

When people ask me about Bluetext, I often find myself calling us of the region’s top B2B marketing firms. We work with world class global enterprises. We are on the cutting edge of branding trends and focused on leveraging emerging marketing channels. And we have a world class team of people focused on delivering great results for our clients. So here is my take on what makes us one of the top B2B marketing firms:

1. A top B2B marketing firm works across a wide variety of industries. In my view, focusing on just a few industries can be limiting and lead to tired tactics. Instead, taking the learnings from some industries and applying them into adjacent markets can be valuable to clients.
2. A top B2B marketing firm can tackle a wide variety of marketing assignments, delivering integrated solutions for clients. Clients like integrated service offerings. They like to work with clients who create a strategy then are able to roll it out via many channels.
3. A top B2B marketing firm is working at the forefront of emerging delivery channels. See our recent work for Varonis at bluetext.com/varonis
4. A top B2B marketing firm gives guidance versus simply taking orders. Challenging assumptions, doing things differently, and looking at ideas through different lenses can be incredibly valuable.
5. A top B2B marketing firm starts with goals versus focusing on channels. Understanding where a client wants to go before deciding how to get there can be quite valuable.
6. A top B2B marketing firm should have a seat at the table with you during key strategic meetings.
7. A top B2B marketing firm should push your internal team to think beyond traditional channels and programs to reach prospects in new and unique ways.
8. A top B2B marketing firm is part of the community and recognized for its great work
9. A top B2B marketing firm is able to adjust strategies mid-course.
10. A top B2B marketing has a client roster that you immediately recognize.

So that is my list. That is how I define a top B2B marketing firm. What did I miss? Please share other ideas and I can update the post in the future. And for more insights on B2B marketing, reach out to Bluetext today: