LaunchPad media

By Alex Poulos
Producer and President, LaunchPad media

How can you turn a company’s image into a catchy tagline?

How can you tell if a slogan will keep its sparkle over time, and not get dull with repetition?

In the art of slogan-writing, there are more exceptions than rules. But here are some things to consider when slogging through possible slogans:

Does it evoke a good feeling? A slogan should not be an empty platitude. It might resonate as something hopeful, like the Army’s “Be all that you can be.” Or it can inspire the imagination, like DeBeers’ “A diamond is forever.” Or it could tickle the funny bone, like Almond Joy’s: “Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t.” But people should feel something.

Contests, Coupons and Comedy can be a howling success

By Alex Poulos
Producer and President, LaunchPad media

“Trick or treat?”

For marketing to be effective in a recession, the trick is to offer a treat.

The treat might be a coupon, a chance to win a contest, or just comedic entertainment.

A good example is a Halloween micro-site we’ve created for Promotion In Motion candies. Visitors are invited to guess the number of candies poured into a jack o’ lantern. Four popular candies are featured: Sour Jacks, Cookie Dough, Sqworms, and Sun-Maid Chocolate Raisins. You should visit the site to appreciate the comedy — the animated ghastly hand that pours the candies, the audio of a werewolf howling, the spooktacular background…

By Alex Poulos
Producer and President, LaunchPad media

When you design a website, you are creating a personality.

It may seem like you’re just reproducing the corporate image, but it’s got to be more than that if you want it to be welcoming, interesting, and persuasive.

Voice

When you write web text, you write in a voice. You may think you’re merely pasting already-approved text from marketing and advertising materials. But when people read prose at a site, they can either feel that it’s sincere or entertaining…or that it’s just blah-blah advertising. Text should never be just “filler.” If it’s not informative or meaningful, it shouldn’t be there. You don’t want to risk people being turned off by useless text because they might give up on the site and go in search of more useful information.

By Alex Poulos
Producer and President, LaunchPad media

Boston is “the hub of the universe,” according to local legend. (Even though Oliver Wendell Holmes actually referred to our Statehouse as merely the “hub of the solar system.”)

That seems like a stretch, especially to astronomers. But Boston may be trending toward a similar claim to fame. We might become the hub of web design and interactive agencies – just on planet Earth, though.
LaunchPad media is proud to be part of Greater Boston. (Watertown is a suburb.) And many other web design and interactive agencies are thriving here, as well.

By Alex Poulos
Producer and President, LaunchPad media

Brainstorming is often random.

A great idea can occur to you while showering, driving, or even sleeping.

But when you want multiple people to assess needs and develop a creative solution, you must take the initiative. You can’t just wait and hope for inspiration.

Here are 7 keys to effective brainstorming…