Latest Posts

For a new approach to testimonials, try Vine

Reprinted from South Florida Business Journal.

Most brand marketers saw value in 6.5-second Vine videos targeting teens when they first came out two years ago. However, those days of teen exclusivity are gone. Vine is one of the fastest-growing media channels for Millennials (18 to 30-something) with nearly 350 billion loop views in the last nine months. (A loop is the term used for each time a video is played on Vine.) Where Millennials go, so, too, will older age groups. (more…)

Local Search: The Social Evolution

Since our previous eTip about Local Search, we find times have changed and local-search-engine optimization (local SEO) is undergoing a social revolution! (more…)

Redefining a destination while warming the hearts of consumers

Greater Fort Lauderdale (GFL) needed a distinctive positioning and a brand-defining campaign that would differentiate it from Palm Beach, Miami and Key West (its closest competitors) and promote the destination both domestically and internationally. The campaign also needed to drive traffic to sunny.org, create desire and ultimately increase hotel bookings.

 

 

The Big Idea

Starmark created the award-winning “Hello Sunny” campaign to develop an entirely new identity for the destination. Hello Sunny took advantage of every medium to brand Greater Fort Lauderdale as a state of mind – relaxed, carefree and happy go lucky. Hello Sunny represents the deeply personal moment when a visitor mentally arrives on vacation. Greater Fort Lauderdale gives you permission to relax and let your sunny side shine through. The new GFL brand resonates with all audiences, and was communicated seamlessly through an integration of print ads, a Fort Lauderdale Vacation Planner, web, social media, TV and outdoor.

Consumer activations have also been a major component of the Hello Sunny brand. Starmark has created and implemented several Brand Bridging events in New York City, Chicago, Boston and Washington D.C., as well as Toronto, London and Sao Paulo. Engagement ranged from free ice skating and pedi cab rides, to 3D sidewalk chalk and a beach on wheels. In each city, Hello Sunny welcomed passersby with a warm smile and a very cool vibe — giving the brand an immeasurable global presence.

 

The Big Results

In the three years since the Hello Sunny launch, GFL has seen unprecedented results with year-over-year growth in occupancy. Last year (2014) more than 14 million people visited Broward and spent $11.4 billion, tourism records show. That increased from 13.4 million visitors and $10.6 billion in spending in 2013. Winter 2015 was another record breaker for both occupancy and ADR. This is the 4th month in a row that GFL has been the #1 destination in Florida in terms of occupancy. And 2015 is record breaking and outpacing 2014 overall.

Sunny.org has also experienced tremendous success. In the months following the launch, website traffic increased by 5%, as did time spent on the site, which went from an average 2:43 minutes to 5:01 minutes. Traffic to hotels page increased by 21%, and sunny.org hotel bookings increased by 54%.

The campaign has also garnered numerous awards including a record number of Flaglers, Addys, a Smartie, Marcom, Hermes and Communicator.

Starmark Redesigns Website for The Mall at Millenia

The Mall at Millenia, Orlando’s world-class shopping destination, is a spectacularly designed 1.2 million-square-foot center, offering 150 of the world’s finest stores, services and eateries. The Forbes Company, owner and manager of the mall, sought a redesigned website to showcase the mall’s fusion of cutting-edge fashion and world-class shopping, as well as the exceptional guest service. (more…)

The Internet of Things, preparing for the next generation of the Internet

At CES this month, there were 900 exhibitors promoting the Internet of Things, also know as The Internet of Everything. Samsung’s CEO said “the Internet of Things is no longer science fiction, but science fact.”

As the ever-changing landscape of marketing evolves, getting a glimpse into what’s coming can help marketers prepare and stay ahead of the curve in connecting with their customers and capturing new ones as well. (more…)

CEOs tap into social sites to extend leadership

Reprinted from South Florida Business Journal.

With most CEOs and company leaders engaging their employees and the community through the use of social media, 2015 will be a good year to either initiate or expand your efforts in this arena. (more…)

Facebook Ad Targeting Core Changes

In Q3 of 2014, Facebook reported a staggering $3.2 billion in ad revenue.

The biggest challenge that businesses face when advertising in Facebook is the bidding wars that result from competing advertisers driving up the prices of one ad to reach that coveted target. The price you pay is dictated by this bidding structure, think of Google Adwords a few years ago; so as more and more compete, the prices rise and so does our advertising budget. (more…)

A look ahead: Radical marketing prep for 2015

Reprinted from South Florida Business Journal.

Marketers planning for the twists and turns of change in 2015 have to consider a plethora of opportunities. Being in front of the curve is no longer an option; it is a requirement for marketers to be passionately, even radically, prepared. (more…)

How iOS 8′s ‘Flat Design’ is changing the world!

With the launch of iOS 8’s “flat design” for its user interface, Jony Ive’s design team finally threw to the curb the skeuomorphic designs of the past. (more…)

Position Fort Lauderdale as the international marine hub to the world.

Record numbers highlighted the 55th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The event spanned seven locations across Broward County, covering more than three million square feet of space and home to an estimated $4 billion worth of boats, vessels and marine-related products. (more…)

Native Mobile App or Responsive Web Design?

In today’s mobile world, one of the most common questions businesses face is whether to create a Native Mobile App or a Responsive Web Design. We receive requests regularly from clients asking to develop an ‘app,’ when what they are really saying is ‘I need to be in the mobile space to reach my clients and prospects more effectively.’ In this article we’ll explore the difference between the two and the pros and cons of each. Let’s start with actually identifying the difference between a native app and a responsive website. (more…)

What’s all the fuss about Apple Pay?

Reprinted from South Florida Business Journal

In Competitive Advantage, we have been predicting that mobile commerce would be coming since 2012.

While other systems – like Google Wallet and Softcard – popped up, they did not take off. But they’re becoming more popular with the launch of Apple Pay. (more…)