What we do.

Whether we’re doing a brochure, ad, website, or complete integrated program the basic steps of our reality-based process are the same:

Diagnosis: identifying the key realities
To help you get where you want to go, we start by looking at how things really are. We talk with company executives, key team members, customers, partners, and investors. We review internal documents from business plans to customer research, and external documents such as white papers and studies. We analyze your competition, noting what they say versus what they really do. We assess the impact of trends. What business realities have changed? What’s changing? We identify unfulfilled needs, and find windows of opportunity in competitive gaps. If budget permits, we conduct primary market research to hear from the customer and test hypotheses.

Strategy development: Reality-based positioning
In a collaborative workshop with you we discuss our findings and initial recommendations. Applying the Reality-Based Marketing Triangle as an analytical model, we recommend a brand platform: what you should stand for. This organizing principle informs our positioning strategy or value proposition for each of your market segments. Verticals (types of industries) and horizontals (types of influencers). For “Early Stage Branding” clients, we figure out how to best impact strategic partners and investors. Incorporating your ideas and feedback, we finalize this in a “Brand Book” or briefing document which becomes the foundation of all communications.

Planning: who does what and for how much
We work with you to plan the programs and creative vehicles that will express your brand in all media, from the web to print. Together we decide which business initiatives to support with marketing programs, for best ROI on your budget. Retain us for a project package, such as positioning, website and brochure. Or, use us as a full-service agency to plan and execute an integrated program. If you have an in-house graphics department, we suggest the best way to work together so that you get the best value out of what we bring to the party.

Execution: Reality-based creative and production
Our creative work is reality-based too. It’s fresh. Relevant. It attracts the right kind of attention. It differentiates you meaningfully. It’s strategic: it’s about the right things. It’s clear, simplifying the most complex concepts. It makes an emotional connection, which is key. Every business decision has a left brain (rational) and a right brain (emotional) component. As for execution, we handle every stage from concept through production. With budget realities in mind, we show you how to save without cutting the wrong corners.