Z Blog

The foundation of building a brand starts with taking a new perspective. The world is constantly evolving, and with it, so are our thoughts and ideas. Our people share insights on various topics within the industry in hopes of discovering common bonds and sparking conversations.
Red, White and Blue
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Red, White and Blue:

*By Kara Svenson - Marketing Communications Co-op* With Memorial Day weekend approaching, we take extra time to appreciate and remember those who have dedicated their lives to the armed forces. It’s no secret that veterans also make great corporate employees and business leaders. The lessons learned from training, being in the field, and the strong sense of unity translates very well into the workforce. Successful veterans have risen the [ranks to CEO](http://www.businessinsider.com/15-fortune-500-ceos-who-got-their-start-in-the-military-2015-8) in companies like P&G, McDonalds, Walgreens, Foot Locker and countless others. There are three important takeaways from a successful military career that can be applied to your professional work style. #### Respect Throughout...
Posted by Abby Otting
Entrepreneurs who spark creativity
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Finding inspiration in others:

Being in the creative business, inspiration is at the heart of everything we do. As an agency, we are always looking for examples to spark our work on behalf of our clients. Not only do we look for inspiration for our creative deliverables, but also how we, as leaders of the agency, run the business. There are several entrepreneurs that inspire me. Here a few that rise to the top: **1. Ray Attiyah.** Local entrepreneur and owner of a suite of businesses, most notably his first business – [Definity Partners](http://definitypartners.com/) and his book [Run Improve Grow](http://definitypartners.com/run-improve-grow-book), Ray has more passion and energy for his businesses...
Posted by Wendy Vonderhaar
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Learning from the Mamba:

Whether you’re a basketball fan or not, chances are you’ve heard the name “[Kobe Bryant](http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/110)” or “Black Mamba” buzzing in the media recently. The 37-year-old legend [hung up his jersey](http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25553964/watch-kobe-bryant-addresses-lakers-fans-after-scoring-60-in-last-game) April 13th, after playing in the final game of his 20-year career with the LA Lakers. While witnessing Kobe play through the final few games of his career, I realized there is a lot that can be learned from The Mamba outside the game of basketball. Since many of us watch sports as entertainment, it is easy to overlook the fact that we are witnessing these players’ professional careers on a public stage. And from...
Posted by Abby Otting
brand authenticity
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Being your brand’s true self:

Authenticity is all a buzz in the marketing world these days; but have you ever stopped to ask why? Why are companies working so hard to convince us that they are authentic? But it seems the more they say it the less we believe it. This is probably because corporate America spent decades being anything but authentic – they were the poster-child of inauthenticity because they were creating facades and stories that did not have to have much substance behind them because regular, everyday customers did not have the ability to see behind the facade. And let’s face it; the historically transactional nature of the...
Posted by Abby Otting
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Virtual reality is coming…

Virtual reality is something we’ve all heard about over the years, but it hasn’t quite found its place in the market yet. 2016 will, no doubt, be the year that changes. We’ve got a handful of products about to be released: PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, and most noticeably the [Oculus Rift](https://www.oculus.com/en-us/rift/). I’m sure there will be some kinks to work out at launch, but over time, these products are going to bring VR into the mainstream. Now the real questions emerge: Why is there so much hype around virtual reality? Is it really going to be a game-changer? Well, for some that may be a...
Posted by Abby Otting
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Design doesn’t happen in a vacuum at agencies – collaboration is key:

As students, we are taught to design with integrity and passion, to create beautiful smart and new solutions. This changes when translating that design training to the real world of a marketing agency, where a shift toward [client-focused design](http://www.creativebloq.com/web-design/how-important-client-focused-design-5126323) becomes the priority. Whether designing for emerging trends, digital technologies, tight timelines, budgets, or a client with unclear values or goals, it becomes critical to consider a variety of factors and influences to create thoughtful design solutions. In the agency world, any given project comes with a large number of influencers and factors to consider in the process of creating a design solution. Whether it’s a...
Posted by Abby Otting
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Maintain employee engagement when spring fever hits:

Employee engagement is essential this time of year for client work, but, spring has sprung and I am done! The struggle is real, people! The weather is staying warmer for longer stretches of time, the flowers are blooming, it is light out until 8 p.m. and my attention has turned from my computer to my window. Where not long ago, there was laser focus on work, there is now daydreaming and a longing to be outside. Okay, so it was a super mild winter and you could say cabin fever was at a minimum, but the sun on my face and the smell of my...
Posted by Abby Otting
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ThurZday with Jenn Riegert:

Watch our ThurZday video to meet the left-hander in our bullpen - Jenn Riegert. See how being a southpaw gives her a unique view of her work – and lots of smudges on her hand! With a background in marketing communications planning, media relations, social media and project management, Jennifer applies both a strategic and creative approach to her work. She believes that being left-handed in a world built for right-handed people helps her to be flexible and use both sides of her brain simultaneously. As a communicator, Jennifer asserts that helping clients understand people, and what makes your business valuable to them, is the...
Posted by Abby Otting
Draft great online ad copy
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Draft great online ad copy:

“Brevity is the soul of wit.” That English proverb comes from the second act of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but for copywriters in the distracted digital age of 140 characters, brevity is more than a path to being witty – it’s an imperative. Veteran copywriters will tell you about a time when print advertising had lots of copy. And, many of those ads are still held up as some of the best of all time. Consider this [1915 advertisement for Cadillac](http://blog.hubspot.com/agency/long-copy-ads) – the company still receives requests for copies of this piece 100 years after it was printed. But, the reality of online banner ads, which now...
Posted by Abby Otting
Activities to make your extra day count
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Taking the Leap:

As we kick off Leap Day, have you thought about what activities you’ll partake in? When you think about it, taking a leap can mean so many things - “taking a leap of faith” or “taking a flying leap” - the latter, not as positive. But as many of you know, 2016 is an official leap year. We all get a bonus day! While January 1 is the official declaration of “How can I make myself better,” we could take advantage of Leap Day and channel our focus toward self-improvement. #### As a company Use this day to review your team and company goals. Perhaps...
Posted by Abby Otting

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