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.
Branding

Halloween Marketing Campaigns:

Let’s face the scary truth — while Halloween is one of the most anticipated holidays of the year, many brands find themselves playing to the trends and putting their name out there in a world of overflowing fall clichés. It’s hard to blame them though. With pumpkin spice-flavored everything, flannel in all directions and the obligatory bird's-eye-view photo of boots in the leaves, what’s not to love? But what about campaigns that focus on the spirit of Halloween itself? Sure, most brands don’t have a tone of voice that fits a scary movie script or [a color palette that resembles the Halloween norm](https://intrinzicbrands.com/why-purple/), but there...
Posted by Courtney Morgan
Public Relations Uncategorized

Startup Success:

Were you part of the recording-breaking crowd that attended an [FC Cincinnati](http://www.fccincinnati.com/) game this year? Cincinnati’s newest professional sports team seems to be taking the city by storm and is making its mark, [setting attendance records](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/07/17/fc-cincinnati-outdraw-every-mls-match-with-record-crowd-of-35000/) in its inaugural season that outshine even the major leagues. I’ve never played soccer, nor did I grow up around soccer fanatics, so to say that I know little about soccer is an understatement. I do find the organization and it’s success interesting though. Enough so that I thought it would be worth attending a FC Cincinnati session at [Cincinnati PRSA’s Media Day](http://www.cincinnatiprsa.org/media-day/). The football club’s President and General...
Posted by Abby Otting
Public Relations

The Integration Imperative:

There was a time when a PR professional could say: “I just do public relations” for this client or company. And maybe, back in the proverbial day, that was true. You could operate in a silo, faxing news releases to your carefully cultivated contacts at the newspaper, TV stations and magazines on your list, securing placements, calculating the ad equivalency, patting yourself on the back and sending a bill. That’s no longer the case. I was reminded by this fact at the [Cincinnati PRSA](http://www.cincinnatiprsa.org/) Media Day last week, where keynote speaker and industry colleague Aaron Perlut showed examples of amazing, disruptive campaigns that were successful...
Posted by Abby Otting
Uncategorized

Cincinnati Design Week:

For those who may have missed it, the [AIGA Cincinnati Design Week](http://cincinnatidesignweek.com/) event, [“Bending the Boundaries of Interface](http://cincinnatidesignweek.com/#openfieldcreative)," contained great nuggets of user interface (UI) thinking and strategy, which was shared by the panel of experts at [Openfield Creative](http://www.openfieldcreative.com/). The discussion challenged us to rethink our traditional definition of user interface and user experience (UX). Since interfaces are evolving so rapidly, we should approach UI in a broader sense, deciding how we can design a specific experience for someone, regardless of the interface or even lack there of. Here are five insights I compiled from the perspectives of the panel: #### 1. Approaching UX is...
Posted by Abby Otting
Design Design Thinking

Staying Inspired:

As a graphic designer, my job hinges on creativity. Staying inspired can be an exhausting and daunting task. I have found that being inspired doesn’t necessarily rely on waiting for inspiration to hit, but actively searching for it…in other words, staying motivated to be inspired. When I am feeling the pressure to be inspired, I have found that I can replenish my creative juices before they run dry by incorporating three simple practices into my routine. ### 1. Never stop learning. My peers are my biggest source of motivation. This industry is constantly evolving at a rapid pace. By staying on top of what others...
Posted by Abby Otting
Branding

Intrinzic Insightz:

'Tis the season…for all things pumpkin! Every fall, more and more companies introduce a seasonal spin on their core offerings. We’ve seen the good (the PSL), the bad (pumpkin Pringles) and the ugly (pumpkin spice toothpaste) when it comes to brands rolling out a pumpkin product. While some fall flat, there are several that integrate well into the brand. In honor of the official kickoff of the season, we thought we’d focus this week's edition of Intrinzic Insightz on pumpkin promotions that seamlessly connect back to the brand and are a smart strategic move on behalf of the company. > I think [Sam Adams](https://www.samueladams.com/craft-beers/harvest-pumpkin-ale) has...
Posted by Abby Otting
Uncategorized

Constructive Criticism:

Marketing, advertising – and more broadly, creativity – is a tough business. Clients, users, audiences, co-workers and others subjectively review the work we create everyday. Feedback, both good and bad, is ubiquitous. In my role as the primary conduit between clients and creative, understanding how to give and get feedback is crucial to keeping both parties happy. Here are a few tips: ### Giving feedback Providing “good” feedback doesn’t have to be difficult. Sometimes client-service people are in a position to relay feedback from a client team and other times we’re advocating for the client position before sharing. In either case, three simple rules can...
Posted by Abby Otting
Uncategorized

Pursuing Intrapreneurship:

Cincinnati is quickly becoming known as a hotspot for startups. Around the city, startup support companies and inspirational conferences are the new norm. We are very familiar with the term “entrepreneurship” in this city, but what about “intrapreneurship?” When I learned that this year’s [Bold Fusion](http://hypecincinnati.com/bold-fusion/) topic would be intrapreneurship, I jumped at the opportunity to attend the conference. ### What is intrapreneurship? Intrapreneurers are disruptive. Not disruptive like that kid in class who prevented everyone from getting work done…Disruptive like bringing to light topics and ideas that a team might not have originally seen. They take the norm of the company - whether it...
Posted by Abby Otting
Branding Design

The Bold Fusion Experience:

As a designer, I’m constantly reminded how important it is to stay inspired, which can sometimes be much easier said than done. Sure, you can check out the local art museum or go on a hike, but for me, I’ve found the most valuable inspiration comes from simply listening. Listening to other people’s stories of the battles they’ve endured throughout their careers — triumphs and failures, struggles and victories, the pretty and the ugly. Recently, I was lucky enough to attend [Bold Fusion](http://hypecincinnati.com/bold-fusion/), Cincinnati’s largest [young professionals summit](https://www.facebook.com/HYPECincinnati/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10154660712435827), where I was able to do exactly that — listen. I was excited to surround myself with...
Posted by Courtney Morgan
Branding Design Public Relations Uncategorized

Intrinzic Insightz:

At Intrinzic, we believe in keeping up with the latest industry trends and best practices. In celebration of [Book Lovers Day](http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/08/09/celebrate-book-lovers-day-these-treats/88313796/), we asked the team to share their most inspiring business-minded books. Here's a list of those that rose to the top: > [The New Rules of Marketing & PR](https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Marketing-PR-Applications/dp/1119070481/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1470058467&sr=1-1&keywords=the+new+rules+of+marketing+and+pr), by David Meerman Scott - This book, now in its fifth edition, is a great primer on ways social media and PR can (and should!) be used together in any contemporary marketing campaign. The book shows how marketers can combine smart strategy with digital tactics to build their brands. It’s an easy-to-follow guide I’ve used...
Posted by Abby Otting

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