It should come as no surprise that having an idea is one thing, and actualizing that idea is entirely another. Take it from us; many are the things that serve to stand in the way of an idea coming to fruition, and what's more, these obstacles can be the difference between a truly game changing idea that comes to fruition, and one that never sees light outside your office walls. 

Ideas are what drive us forward as a people. They are paramount to progress in art, in science, and in moral society, and that’s why our team at STARMEN is pleased to share its foolproof plan for getting those ideas off the ground!

It should come as no surprise that having an idea is one thing, and actualizing that idea is entirely another. Take it from us; many are the things that serve to stand in the way of an idea coming to fruition, and what's more, these obstacles can be the difference between a truly game changing idea that comes to fruition, and one that never sees light outside your office walls. 

Ideas drive society forward. They are paramount to progress in art, in science, and in moral society, and that’s why we are pleased to share our foolproof plan for getting those ideas off the ground!

First, stand firmly behind your concept

As a general rule of thumb, the best way to help your idea take flight is by standing squarely behind it, and going at it with gusto. Consider what makes this idea worth pursuing. What will it accomplish for the betterment of the team or client? What problems does this idea solve or current gaps does it fill? Only once you can truly advocate for your idea can you fully master the art of selling that vision to motivate others to stand with you behind the cause. 

Second, blueprint your plan of action

Once you have fully wrapped your mind around the idea, you’ll be in good shape to start mapping out the steps required, including the often underthought middle parts of materializing a new idea -- the part where creative exploration gives way to the meticulous, the tedious, and the nitty gritty. It is in this lengthy, drawn out period of tireless work that most great ideas tragically fizzle. Scott Belsky, author of Making Ideas Happen and founder of online portfolio platform Behance, dubs this part of an endeavor the “project plateau.” For artistically-driven individuals, this plateau can be particularly painstaking because it is the time when creativity is at a standstill, and laborious task management is at an all-time high. As Belsky adds, “To escape this pain, we generate a new idea (and abandon the one we were working on). This process can easily repeat itself ad infinitum, without us ever finishing anything meaningful.”

Team STARMEN ardently believes that careful planning and strategic delegating can help your project avoid such a fate. By mapping out the forecast of a project, you’re allowing those involved to have a clear picture of present status and next steps, which leaves little room for doubt or lingering notions of “how will this all come together?” What’s more, when everyone on the team is weighted only with tasks they are truly competent and capable of fulfilling, they’ll be more likely to come through, leaving the team as a whole running efficiently, and the project progressing on schedule.

“All great inventions emerge from a long sequence of small sparks; the first idea often isn’t all that good, but thanks to collaboration it later sparks another idea, or it’s reinterpreted in an unexpected way. Collaboration brings small sparks together to generate breakthrough innovation.”
— Scott Belsky

Now that your vision is clarified, and a plan of action’s in place, it's time to get going! 

Third, be patient

With all of the moving pieces required to materialize your idea, it’s imperative to constantly circle back to that all-important first step. Remember why you embarked on this journey to begin with, and you’ll be much less likely to make decisions in haste or try to rush tedious parts of the process. However, there are a few steps you can take to alleviate any doubts that your venture is moving toward its target. When holding meetings with team members, be sure to commence with each person reviewing next steps for his or her respective responsibilities, as well as a brief synopsis of what each person is taking away from the meeting. This recap should be no more than 20 or 30 seconds per person, and can save immeasurable time down the road because it will confirm not only the overall productivity of your meetings (whether or not goals, feedback, and notes are being clearly communicated, for instance), but it also will help hold individual team members accountable for what they are working on.

Fourth, remain focused

This idea, with you at its helm, is premised on a single, solitary concept. Reduce cluttering that vision by remediating new ideas to the backburner. There may come a time and a place for new endeavors to roll out, and when that time comes, those new ideas will deserve the same undivided attention as the one presently before you. 

Another excellent way to remain aligned with your objectives? “Avoid a reactionary workflow,” Belsky iterates. In a typical workday, we’re inundated with messages -- from our social apps, text messages, array of email accounts, and instant messengers -- and that’s not even considering phone calls and interpersonal conversations. As such, we, as professionals, are suspended in a constant state of reaction, responding to these various entities with little time leftover for proactivity -- which is essential to moving whatever we’re working on forward. To counter this, schedule yourself time each day where you’re totally unplugged to incoming communication, and can focus on outgoing productivity. There is a time and a place for conversation and connectivity, but progress is what truly moves ideas from ethereal into the ether of reality.

Innovation is perhaps the cornerstone of our modern society, and for good reason. Innovation helps us progress; it heals us, enriches us, and entertains us. It connects us as a people in ways prior generations could never have dreamed. But all too frequently, marketers with raw ambition aim to catapult their campaigns into fresh, new territories simply to be the newest or the most different, all without a clear motive in mind.

It’s no secret that the marketplace today is vastly different from yesterday’s, and the intensity at which that is true indicates that we’re in store for even greater change come tomorrow’s. 

As an agency, STARMEN creates brand experiences every day to appeal to a wide variety of audiences, and the strategies developed from each endeavor are carefully crafted so our clients and their products receive the maximum exposure necessary to create movement. Whether that translates into social action, amplified brand awareness, or product sales, there is considerable variance in the methodologies through which each demographic is best attained.

One such target market we’ve studied extensively is the millennials. Aged 18 to 33, these individuals are coming of age, and coming together in ways never thought possible.  Often referred to as the “me” generation, millennials are frequently beleaguered with claims of a poor work ethic, technological dependency, and overall arrogance. 

But ask Snapchat CEO, Evan Siegel, and he’ll tell you that sense of entitlement is truly just his generation’s way of carving their own way through the world they are ever so slowly inheriting. It is for this very reason that millennials are impossible to ignore, and essential to truly understand. 

Here, STARMEN has identified three key objectives that make marketing to and engaging with this demographic a most rewarding endeavor:

First and foremost, master mobile.

Without question, the gentlemen and women of Gen Y go for it in life with gusto, and they are unapologetic about their place in the world. Adventure-seeking, independent, and tech-savvy, this population is as diverse as they come, but one vital element unifies them all: mobility. 

However, it’s worth noting that these active creatures are not the movers and shakers of their parents’ generation. Steadfast in their ambitions, millennials are taking the world by storm, and they won’t let anyone or anything -- not societal norms, crushing student debt, or perhaps least of all, their parents’ expectations -- stand in their way. 

And with them at every step  -- or at least 88% of them! - is a mobile device that connects them to the rest of the world in increasingly new ways. It is precisely this camaraderie between man and mobile machine that makes marketing to millennials a uniquely challenging operation. 

Thus, we think the best medium for reaching your consumers is through their trusted mobile sidekicks. This could mean you have a well-designed mobile website presence or that you’ve strategically placed ads on other mobile entities. It could mean you’re active on social media, tapping into the daily lives of millennials through comments and likes. 

Or it could mean you craft a targeted campaign that integrates your product into mobile entertainment content. Whatever your methodology, mastering the mobile landscape is essential for reaching millennials. Plain and simple.

Focus on the long-term over the short.

If your brand is having trouble communicating with this generation, it may be time to rethink your approach. As a group, millennials will not take kindly to a hard sell, particularly one for a brand or product they can’t directly relate to. Additionally, they can smell phoniness from a mile away, so your best bet is to focus on building a real, long-term rapport with this generation. Connect with them on a human level. 

While this may mean the point of sale -- the coveted return on your investment -- comes at a later time, the extent to which your company builds an authentic relationship with millennial consumers will ultimately mean the implementation of a truer, longer-term loyalty to your brand.

In other words, why be the brand they haphazardly toss into their cart on an impulse when you can be the one they drive to three different shops trying to track down? Millennials are nothing if not impassioned creatures, and that commitment will come back to you tenfold.

Tackle content in ways that prioritize connectivity over persuasion.

As a generation pillared by authenticity, millennials respond more positively and more deeply to content they perceive as being both relatable and aspirational. This means that oversaturated, highly-Photoshopped celebrity endorsements no longer plant the seed. Instead, the millennial audience seeks the opinions of their peers, a circle of confidence growing ever larger thanks to the prevalence of mobile technology and the interconnectivity provided by the Internet.

This also means that there’s room for a more conversational approach when crafting your campaigns. Successful campaigns of late have involved a shift in emphasis from the livelihoods of consumers to their personalities. Don’t talk at them, but with them. Make them laugh. Make them fall in love. Leave them in awe. Expose their quirky, mundane habits. Throw it back, and let them reminisce, or let them pitch in. Or both. 

Our takeaway point is this: appealing to their broader senses of self will help propel your brand further in the minds and hearts of millennials, and that’s the ultimate key to driving a long-term relationship with this class of consumers.

Innovation is perhaps the cornerstone of our modern society, and for good reason. Innovation helps us progress; it heals us, enriches us, and entertains us. It connects us as a people in ways prior generations could never have dreamed. But all too frequently, marketers with raw ambition aim to catapult their campaigns into fresh, new territories simply to be the newest or the most different, all without a clear motive in mind.

Innovation is perhaps the cornerstone of our modern society, and for good reason. Innovation helps us progress; it heals us, enriches us, and entertains us. It connects us as a people in ways prior generations could never have dreamed. But all too frequently, marketers with raw ambition aim to catapult their campaigns into fresh, new territories simply to be the newest or the most different, all without a clear motive in mind.

Perhaps one of the biggest buzzwords across industries today, innovation is the driving force of thousands of initiatives embarked upon each year by companies and their marketing teams, big and small. Yet for the thousands of new companies and products put forth into the marketplace, very few stick around long enough to make a huge impact in the way we as humans live our lives. That’s because most self-proclaimed innovators are eagerly in pursuit of the what without a truly impassioned why.

Simon Sinek outlines this point very poignantly with his concept of the Golden Circle. Perhaps the key takeaway from Sinek’s concept is this: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” 

As an agency, we work to develop strategies for our clients that expand on this very principle. We recommend our clients aim to answer the following before they embark on any new marketing or branding campaign. Not only does it allow them to get to the root of the why behind their innovational work, but it also saves them the hassle of needing to realign an already in-motion project later down the line:

1. Why is my company important or special to its industry?*
   
2. Why should a customer choose my product over others in the marketplace, and what benefits does my product have over the competition?
   
3. Why should existing and potential customers align themselves with my company?
   

*This is perhaps one of the most important questions your company could ever hope to answer because it is the single-most important factor in assessing your necessity and relevance to your industry.

Innovation is an intangible what, qualitative in nature, and therefore cannot be measured by the numerical data you’ll no doubt reference to assess your campaign’s success. Thus, innovation on its own will not suffice as a motivational tool for any initiative. 

Instead, consider the ultimate customer experience that could be had with your brand and the output from your innovational endeavor. Ultimately, you most likely want to enhance the user’s life in one way or another. But how, and again, why? 

For this reason, we believe that at every step of the brand development process, checking the pulse of a project’s decisions is crucial. The appropriate answer to any choice driving a creative or content process should never be “because that’s what everyone else is doing”. Riding the coattails of another shop’s innovation will always, without fail, lead you farther away from what’s truly authentic for your company, and lead you closer to the clutter.

In marketing, like in life, it’s often all too tempting to take the road of least resistance. At the end of the day, opting to ride the coattails of another organization means one essential thing for your brand: someone else is not only in the lead (leaving you in its shadow), but that leader is also in the driver’s seat, dictating the journey for yours, despite the inherent company to company idiosyncrasies.

And so, we believe that only by first identifying the why behind your company’s what can your organization truly experience authentic brand growth. When people can align themselves with your company’s values and innovational spirit, they will care about your company’s output.

We believe the key reason to buck the trends lies in that very point. The things that make your company unique to its industry are the very points that justify your company’s existence and relevance to its market. But in marketing, foregoing the tried and true in search of a new idea or way of communicating with consumers can mean the difference between a campaign that merely satisfies the status quo and one that is truly groundbreaking.

2015 promises to be an exciting (and disruptive) year. Everything is changing fast … especially, the way consumers interact with their online environments. Paradoxically, the digital age is requiring branding and marketing to become more human.

In reviewing what the branding and marketing gurus are expecting to happen in the New Year, we see some inspiring trends. Put on your helmet, and fasten your seatbelts. Here we go.

2015 promises to be an exciting (and disruptive) year. Everything is changing fast … especially the way consumers interact with their online environments. Paradoxically, the digital age is requiring branding and marketing to become more human.

In reviewing what the branding and marketing gurus are expecting to happen in the New Year, we see some inspiring trends. Put on your helmet, and fasten your seatbelts. Here we go.

The Vernacular of Human

In 2015, we will need a new language, a vernacular of human. We need a standing-in-the-grass-barefoot dialect that connects us to our global system. How we communicate, co-act, collaborate, innovate, interplay, interrelate, and live with our customers depends upon it. Are we using language to force, manipulate or trick others to act? Or are we using language to share understanding and knowledge so that everyone can understand and feel empowered to act — to draw closer together?

It’s impossible to address human-speak without addressing listening, because this common language of human is a language of listening. It has a lot of space between the words. The Vernacular of Human is a language of invitation, curiosity, playfulness, respect, care, and clarity. How are you listening to your customers? How are you learning from them? Listening and learning from your market needs to be built into your brand's strategy, and social media provides the perfect platform for tuning into this conversation.

It’s Time to Actually Care

As Tim Sanders wrote in his internationally best-selling business book, Love is the Killer App, “The old, loveless ways don’t work anymore.” Customers want to know you care.

From personal brand to company brand, it’s your care for your customers that’s going to build loyalty. Care can be expressed in many ways, from personalizing the customer experience, and creating meaningful content to providing a seamless experience across platforms, and beyond. Your imagination (or ours, if you’ve hired us) is the limit, and nothing less.

Mark Schaeffer, Executive Director of Schaeffer Marketing Solutions asks, “What does marketing look like when the internet surrounds us like the air that we breathe?” Just imagine. Innovation is in the air.

The Social Revolution Is Real

In an interview on Robert Thomson’s Leader Inside Out podcast, thought leader, Tom Peters, said that “being a social organization is no longer an avoidable topic. We must talk about this. It’s incredibly for real. It’s a revolution.” Peters mentioned that MIT Management professor Douglas McGregor’s futuristic take, “Empower or die!” (circa 1940s) is now the name of the game. Branding strategies must include the design to become a social company that empowers the underserved. Although this is tough, gritty work, an art, and a balancing act, it’s no longer optional.

Peters also said that the use of social media to this end is an electronic form of his well-known creed, MBWA or "manage by walking around," i.e., “being in touch with the action.” And everyone has got to do it. In 2015, there will be many more ways for people and their companies to be “in touch with the action,” as new social media platforms and advertising opportunities open up. What's more, it’s going to be important to mix it up.

As well, it will be increasingly crucial to be a participant in your customers’ lives, rather than communicate ‘at’ them as a disparate entity. How are you going to empower your customers to act? Yes, 2015 is The Year of Participation … the year of a being a truly social company in every way. It truly is the time to empower or die.

Social media maven, Tara Hunt, talks about the importance of being an active participant in customers’ lives and offers 5 key principles for doing just this in her book, The Whuffie Factor: Using the Power of Social Networks to Build Your Business. Miss Hunt's key takeaways include:

1. Stop talking, start listening - focus on individuals, and understand the needs of a community
2. Become part of the community you serve
3. Create amazing customer experiences
4. Embrace the chaos - communities are made up of people, and people are not predictable
5. Find your higher purpose - what can you give to the community, and still be profitable?

Content Your Customers Will Thank You For

Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs, shares her approach to digital marketing in 2015. “We’re taking the notion of ‘brands are publishers,’ and pushing the boundaries of that further,” she said. “We’ll focus on enormous empathy, and customer experience … We’ll focus on more relevance, and new inspiration (rather than just the tried and true). And we’ll focus on being generously useful. 2015 really will be the year we create and curate content our customers will thank us for.”

Ardath Albee, CEO of Marketing Interactions, stated, “The days of preaching to customers, rather than exciting and informing them, are rapidly coming to an end. And marketers that can effectively connect with prospects will win.”

Words As Currency

Social content is the rising marketing star. Excellent content can be used in many different ways, but content must be outstanding in order to be dynamic, flexible, and useful. Words are thoughts first. Furthermore, thoughts are the substance of every brand. They can be molded, carefully crafted into just the right words, and then those words shape worlds.

According to Ann, writing matters more now than ever before, and this is especially true in the video/podcast/Instagram world. “Good writing is like an iceberg — use your best words to convey the depth under the surface. That means you’ve got to choose those words well, and write with economy, and the style, and the end reader in mind. (There’s that empathy thing again!)”

Longer Copy, Too, in 2015

An interesting phenomenon catalyzed by Google, is taking place in this world where everything seems faster and shorter. Copy needs to be longer. Longer, really? Yes. As David Wells states in his Inbound Now article, 10 Online Marketing Trends and Predictions for 2015, “Over the last few years, marketers increasingly appreciated a long copy over short one, and we’ll see this trend blooming in 2015. The length and value of the content will be more essential than ever for effective SEO – Google already labels content of less than 200 words as "thin content," and [the search engine] has two special algorithms in force, Panda 4.0 and Pay Day 2.0, that are specifically aimed at reducing the ranks of low quality content.”

Visual Storytelling Will Take Off As Never Before

Ekaterina Walter, CMO at Branderati, said in TopRank Online Marketing’s blog post, 21 Digital Marketing Trends and Predictions in 2015, “In the age of infobesity and increasing digital noise, visual storytelling will continue to emerge as a strategy for not only standing out, but also for nurturing and growing vibrant and engaged communities. The ability to craft visual stories that inspire emotion and spark the movement will help companies get noticed, and amplify their message throughout those communities.”

Additionally, the use of short-form video is growing exponentially. Facebook videos have exceeded YouTube in this regard, but visual storytelling will increase everywhere across media platforms. There are already many fabulous apps for visual storytelling, and we’ll see more of this in 2015.

More Mobile

Some predict that mobile will supersede the use of desktops in 2015. Whether this will actually come to be or not, mobile usage will continue to grow, and along with it, marketing opportunities targeted to consumers on the go. The beauty of mobile for marketers in 2015 is that it will allow for a more intuitive, human-based interaction with customers.

"Pay to Play," and the Math Behind It

Free advertising is going away. Free ad space is dwindling, and it’s no longer a free-place market. 2015’s Pay to Play environment will require more money allocated for online ads.

And marketing analytics will bloom. 2015 will be the year of hyper-segmentation and micro-targeting. Jay Baer, President of Convince and Convert, said in TopRank’s Online Marketing blog, ”It’s already happening, but 2015 will be the year of paid amplification. With content marketing reaching near-ubiquity, the success pendulum will swing toward boosting consumption of content. That will put a new focus on math, testing, and optimization as content production and content distribution become equally important.”

Back to Basics

Pam Didner, Global Integrated Marketing Strategist for Intel Corporation, said, “Digital marketing will continue to morph, and promotion channels will be further fragmented. The major change for 2015 is NOT about digital marketing. The major change will come from marketers going back to basics: Reevaluate the target audience. Determine what works, and what doesn’t. Reprioritize and be smart about resource allocation and investment.”

So, while the tools are rapidly changing, the marketing basics remain the same, and are essential to guiding all marketing efforts.

Time Trumps Money

There has been a growing trend of companies outsourcing their marketing. William Aruda reported in Forbes that “time trumps money,” and that 2015 will see this trend continue as companies realize that outsourcing can be much more economical, efficient, and effective. If time truly is money, then it might be time to outsource your branding and marketing so that your internal time and energy can be focused on what your company actually does.

You probably have a lot of questions about what 2015 will hold, and what you need to be doing with your brand and marketing initiatives. Give us a call, and we can talk about designing a brand strategy that yields the greatest return, based on the above insight, as well as our own successes.

As a branding agency based in Hollywood, we're aware that you don't always need an excuse to party. But sometimes you have a solid reason to celebrate, and here at STARMEN, we certainly do! 

After scoring over 12 design awards this year, we wanted to pause and thank the people who made it all possible- our clients and creative team. Their support allows us to do what we love and take risks. To show our appreciation, we hosted a private event for a night of Re/VISION, a chance to celebrate the past and preview our future with the people who matter most to us.

As a branding agency based in Hollywood, we're aware that you don't always need an excuse to party. But sometimes you have a solid reason to celebrate, and here at STARMEN, we certainly do! 

After scoring over 12 design awards this year, we wanted to pause, and thank the people who made it all possible- our clients and creative team. Their support allows us to do what we love, and take risks. To show our appreciation, we hosted a private event for a night of Re/VISION, a chance to celebrate the past, and preview our future with the people who matter most to us.

In addition to honoring our clients and team, we were excited to present our recently remodeled office. We wanted to complement the historic features of our building by fusing some elements of classic Hollywood into the decor. Since the area has such a rich history and background, we decided to reach out to the people who know the area best - the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. They put us in touch with a company that dug through their archives to unearth the perfect photos for our walls. Originally shot back in 1923, these images were scanned at a high resolution to create custom black and white landscapes. The aerial view of the Hollywoodland sign is a trip back in time, and we have no doubt that Harry Chandler, the LA Times publisher who built the sign, would be proud to see his work displayed on our lobby wall. Though the sign was a $21,000 billboard for Chandler's real estate development, and has since evolved in both appearance and meaning, its iconic message will always remain: "This is a place where magic is possible, where dreams can come true."

It's All About the Details

As a design agency, we believe that love is in the details. Some of our favorite details in the office are ones that adorn the lobby. And most of them are functional, in addition to being artful and unique. The vintage Vista 500 tube radio that sits among our bookshelves provides an ambiance that hasn't been felt for over 50 years. The new acoustic gramophone also radiates tunes as an iPad is nested inside (a great blend of vintage and modern technology). Our 1920s cash register did likely function at one point, but now collects glances instead of bills, and weighs a lot more than you would guess. An old typewriter reminds us that instead of typing away on our smooth iMacs, our industry's ancestors once used those bold, bulky keys for communication.

The Dramatic Before and After Changes

During construction, we knocked down the wall to our neighboring suite, and created a fresh and open floor plan, complete with a new lobby and lounge area, creative lab, and meeting room.

STARMEN looks forward to continued growth, and an even bigger office to accompany that growth in the years to come!

The way you learn it in marketing school, marketing is a science. How could it not be, with all that jargon that puts everything into neat compartments? Unique Selling Proposition. Positioning. Niches. The four Ps. The Marketing Mix. All those rules of advertising and copywriting. Close fast and early.

The way you learn it in marketing school, marketing is a science. How could it not be, with all that jargon that puts everything into neat compartments? Unique Selling Proposition. Positioning. Niches. The four Ps. The Marketing Mix. All those rules of advertising and copywriting. Close fast and early.

So if marketing is a science, how come some people do it better than others?

Scientific method says, in essence, that if two researchers do the same experiment in the same way, they should get the same result. When that happens a couple of times, then the first person who did it is said to be scientifically correct. Does that happen in marketing?

Of course not.

But we all have the same tools. Market research. Public relations. Publications, such as brochures and newsletters. Seminars and speeches. Advertising. Direct mail and telemarketing. Even networking.

We all know the same things to do. Publicity. Newsletters and brochures. Niche marketing. Client surveys. And so on.

Yet, all results are not equal. Some firms emerge as giants, and others, including those that started in business at the same time as the giants, either go out of business or are still two-professional firms.

Why? What are the variables that make a difference in the same thing?

Or then, too, maybe marketing isn't a science. Maybe it's an art.

Maybe one firm, in looking at its markets and its market research, understands better what it sees than does its competitors. Maybe one firm, more than others, is better able to relate the needs of the marketplace to what it does in its own practice.

Or the public relations director of one firm is more imaginative than his or her colleagues in other firms, or better understands what the media want and the process of supplying that want, or is more truly conversant in the language of the firm's profession -- and so gets more publicity for his firm than his or her counterparts get for theirs.

Or the marketing director or partner of one firm has a broader view of potential markets than can be defined in simplistic niche marketing. Or one firm understands better than others how to use seminars more effectively as business tools. Or the partners of a firm are more organized in pursuing contacts with bankers or lawyers or accountants who are in a position to recommend business, and are better trained and enabled in converting prospects into clients.

Ah, that's the art of it. Not the jargon. Not the words.

True, even art has formal structures, and basics that must be learned. But in the final analysis, it's the art that wins, not the formal structure and the jargon.

If you want to succeed in marketing, then, don't hire the scientist. Hire the artist.

This article was reposted with permission from Bruce W. Marcos, via the Marcus Letter.

STARMEN's award-winning Creative Director, Anthony Wiktor, is featured as an 'industry expert' in Web Designer Magazine’s Hot 100 issue (#205), which is currently on newsstands this month. Anthony is featured alongside web design industry giants such as Eric Meyer, Andy Budd, and Patrick Van Kann. The article features experts chiming in on 2013′s hottest web trends, tools, and talent.

STARMEN's award-winning Creative Director, Anthony Wiktor, is featured as an 'industry expert' in Web Designer Magazine’s Hot 100 issue (#205), which is currently on newsstands this month. Anthony is featured alongside industry giants such as Eric Meyer, Andy Budd, and Patrick Van Kann. The article features experts chiming in on 2013′s hottest web trends, tools, and talent.

Anthony shared his thoughts and insights on which web design tools and trends to look for in 2013, including an awesome boilerplate for responsive, a mobile-friendly framework called ‘Skeleton,’ and the emerging popularity of 'parallax' design.

About Web Designer Magazine

“Web Designer” is the flagship publication for international web creatives, offering expert project-based tutorials across modern disciplines such as HTML, CSS, jQuery, Flash, Photoshop, WordPress blogging, and mobile apps. Accessible to hobbyists and professionals of all skill levels, the content is constantly informed by agency profiles, breaking stories, and cutting-edge trends. Each issue features a CD packed with invaluable design resources, and project files for the tutorials in the magazine. Read more from Web Designer Magazine, here.

Through their "Create" campaign, Adonit, a cutting edge consumer creative-technology start-up, is redefining the way we think of "creators." By assembling a group of leading artists, designers, engineers, writers, educators and entrepreneurs, Adonit is seeking to highlight how people across the creative spectrum are using technology to expand productivity and creation in their respective crafts.

Through their "Create" campaign, Adonit, a cutting edge consumer creative-technology start-up, is redefining the way we think of "creators." By assembling a group of leading artists, designers, engineers, writers, educators and entrepreneurs, Adonit is seeking to highlight how people across the creative spectrum are using technology to expand productivity and creation in their respective crafts.

In the field of design, they're tapping into the visionary mind of Starmen's Creative Director, Anthony Wiktor, to better understand his unique creative process.

It's human nature to Create. Early on in life we seek out tools to help us grow ideas into reality. We start with crayons and building blocks, and later in life progress to paint brushes and protractors. We are more than consumers. We are all creators at heart, and to create in today’s digital world, we need tools that empower us to make, build, and develop our ideas. -Adonit.net

Anthony, who is featured in Adonit's new commercial, teamed up with the start-up to offer a fresh perspective on the concepts and practical technological application of graphic design, content strategy, and web development."I was honored to work with Adonit and I appreciate the opportunity to be recognized outside of my technical abilities," Anthony said, "first and foremost I'm a creator. I'm an artist."

Adonit absolutely agrees, and, in fact, this very idea as the springboard for their new campaign: "We believe creativity is found in more than just artists, painters, and musicians. Creators are anyone searching for new solutions to get more out of life."

Anthony's favorite Adonit tool is the JotFlip, a precision stylus and fine pen. Check out the full line of Adonit products at Adonit.net and start creating!!

AIGA’s sold-out Professional Series talk, ‘The Importance of Studio Culture & Identity,’ was held at Continuum’s work-space in Venice Beach.  The discussion brought together STARMEN’s Executive Director, Armen David, as well as Braven Greenelsh, Candice Brokeshire, Michael Stinson, and moderator Eduardo Braniff (CEO of Imagination the Americas).

AIGA’s sold-out Professional Series talk, ‘The Importance of Studio Culture & Identity,’ was held at Continuum’s work-space in Venice Beach.  The discussion brought together STARMEN’s Executive Director, Armen David, as well as Braven Greenelsh, Candice Brokeshire, Michael Stinson, and moderator Eduardo Braniff (CEO of Imagination the Americas).

Armen defined his studio's culture as "a group of like-minded individuals that share unique qualities and purpose.” According to Armen, “Culture is not possible without thought leadership. It starts with a well-defined platform; Mission, vision, and values are essential to defining culture that produces long-term advantage and sustainability.” He also believes that culture is dynamic, and must be embraced, not managed.

The Professional Series comprises conversations about today's business of design. Professionals and entrepreneurs from a range of design enterprises gather to discuss how each are growing their businesses through financial modeling, business development, recruitment and retention, innovation practices and, above all, great design.

Photos by PaulDimalanta.com

Mr. Rogers saw the value of cultivating his own brand. But he did so in a quiet and dignified way that made the tone and authenticity of his show, and his relationship with viewers, unmatched by any television property ever seen before or after. As we consider how many of today's marketers likely grew up with the words of Fred Rogers guiding their way as kids, we can't help but think that we've all too often strayed away from some of those first lessons we heard as children.

Relationship building trumps flashiness.

Mr. Rogers replaced the flashiness of other television entities with a strong effort at building an honest relationship with his viewers by addressing his their concerns (at least as best a television personality might do in the days of a one-way medium). Most of the time, he addressed his viewers directly, even taking them on trips to meet his friends, and introducing guests who stopped by, things that we would do when we are in a relationship with someone we care about.

Don't promise more intimacy than you can deliver. 

Mr. Rogers often looked into the camera, saying things like, "I've really enjoyed talking with you this week. I hope I have answered a few of the questions you've had. I really wish I could know each, and every one of you personally, but unfortunately this television show is the only way we have to talk. If you have other questions that I haven't answered, find someone you love, and who loves you in your own life, and ask them." Really, is there a more perfect mindset that brands should take, online or off?

For brands that appeal to a large customer base, the company cannot have personal relationships with everyone. Social media, however, does provide a way to be more conversational, as it provides a venue for customer contact when they have a problem, etc. The key is to take the appropriate tone with customers, and to demonstrate approachability, but also to be honest about your limits, lest customers be disappointed.

Be consistent in who you are, and what people should expect from you.

From Fred Rogers' first show in 1968 until his last in 2001, surprisingly little has notably changed. Mr. Rogers’ brand - well defined and constant - remained calm in the changing seas of culture. There were many subtle shifts in the nuances of his shows: the anxieties he addressed, and the topics he covered. But Fred always found a way to address them, and meet his audience’s expectations. Mr. Rogers was a trusted friend to whom we could always turn, a prime example of how brands should be responsive to culture, mindful of context, and remembrant of why audiences come to them in the first place. 

Customers' questions are worth answering.

Mr. Rogers took us seriously, asked us what our pain points were, and offered the best solutions he could. Brands might be well served to do this a little more often for their customers.

Brands can take a stand.

Despite his calm demeanor, Mr. Rogers was known for taking a stand for what he believes in, which was consistent with his public persona. Brands too often shy away from supporting something, or else, when they do take a stand, their ‘causes’ are disjointed from their brand and industry.

Mr. Rogers saw the value of cultivating his own brand, but he did so in a quiet and dignified way that made the tone and authenticity of his show, as well as his relationship with viewers, unmatched by any television property ever seen before or since. We can't help but think that we've all too often strayed away from some of those first lessons we heard as children.

Excerpts from Fast Company's expert blogger Sam Ford, 5 Marketing Lessons from Mr. Rogers, 2010.

8 Criterion For Facebook Page Marketing Success

Social media marketing has become a hot topic amongst brand marketers and businesses who are looking to establish themselves within a social network. As a means to promote their products and services at low cost, a lot of marketers are turning to Facebook. But it's knowing how to use the platform, currently the most popular social network out there, that really makes all the difference to your bottomline.

8 Criterion For Facebook Page Marketing Success

Social media marketing has become a hot topic amongst brand marketers and businesses who are looking to establish themselves within a social network. As a means to promote their products and services at low cost, a lot of marketers are turning to Facebook. But it's knowing how to use the platform, currently the most popular social network out there, that really makes all the difference to your bottomline.

The proper use of Facebook goes beyond simply setting up an account. Rather, your focus must become more strategic in terms of interactivity with your audience, and this means taking the right steps to increase engagement, and promote peer-to-peer interactions. Simply stated, if a brand makes its community happy, then it has the option to start generating business revenue.

The Altimeter Group compiled data by analyzing companies' posts, comments and 'likes' on Facebook, and began to saw a clear pattern emerge. From this research, they've compiled the following 8 criterion for establishing a truly meaningful presence on the platform:

1. Set community expectations.
2. Provide cohesive branding.
3. Be up to date.
4. Live authentically.
5. Participate in dialogue.
6. Enable peer-to-peer interactions.
7. Foster advocacy.
8. Solicit a ‘call to action’.

So, now that you know the key elements of creating a stand-out social media presence on Facebook, how is your business going to execute a plan aligned with this paradigm? At STARMEN, we are social media experts, taking brands from content to commerce by using a unique approach that bridges people stories to product stories through social media and branded content. 

During our daily industry readings, we came across a refreshing article titled “Our Biggest Brands Can No Longer Be Managed By Nerds,” by brand consultant Tom Hinkes. Companies have been scaling back recently on creatively-led brand solutions, and focusing more on the numbers approach. It was refreshing to hear from a well-respected and experienced brand marketer that great marketing requires a balance of both strategy and creative.

During our daily industry readings, we came across a refreshing article titled “Our Biggest Brands Can No Longer Be Managed By Nerds,” by brand consultant Tom Hinkes. Companies have been scaling back recently on creatively-led brand solutions, and focusing more on the numbers approach. It was refreshing to hear from a well-respected and experienced brand marketer that great marketing requires a balance of both strategy and creative.

More Data Is Not Better Data

“Marketing departments used to be the creative engines powering successful corporations. Now they're overrun by number-crunching nerds. As a direct consequence, despite all the conspicuous focus on "change management," the way brands respond to change in the marketplace has deteriorated. A McKinsey Quarterly article several years ago argued that the key to "better branding" is to build brands "more scientifically." If managers would combine "forward-looking market segmentation" with structural-equation modeling, they could "build a better brand more efficiently." In short: more data, more regressions and more conjoint analysis mean the "brand crisis" is solved. But fluency with buzz words and expertise with spreadsheets do not guarantee brand-marketing competence.”

-Tom Hinkes, AdAge.com

We agree that there is a need for consumer research, but brand marketing is not an exact science, and therefore cannot be driven solely by metrics or statistics. We approach brand marketing with the analysis, discipline and detail it requires, but also with the emotion, vision and creativity that feed a brand’s sustained success.

Situated in the heart of Los Angeles, STARMEN separates itself from the plethora of design companies by remaining independent, creatively led, and modest enough in size to work closely with clients.  The November issue of Runway Magazine explains just this! Runway Magazine called us ‘Hollywood’s Rising Stars,’ and their article illustrates how our boutique design agency has found great footing in the entertainment capital of the world! 

Download the full article here.

Situated in the heart of Los Angeles, STARMEN separates itself from the plethora of design companies by remaining independent, creatively led, and modest enough in size to work closely with clients.  The November issue of Runway Magazine explains just this! Runway Magazine called us ‘Hollywood’s Rising Stars,’ and their article illustrates how our boutique design agency has found great footing in the entertainment capital of the world! 

Download the full article here.

As an award-winning creative agency specializing in brand design, we are proud to announce the redesign of the STARMEN web site. But ‘redesign’ doesn't really cover it. We’ve made more than an aesthetic adjustment or surface-level change, we’ve ‘refreshed’ internally and externally. The new starmenusa.com reflects our new ideas, fresh thinking, and innovative approach to our clients’ brands, as well as our latest design work. 

As an award-winning creative agency specializing in brand design, we are proud to announce the redesign of the STARMEN website. But ‘redesign’ doesn't really cover it. More than an aesthetic adjustment or surface-level change, we’ve ‘refreshed’ both internally and externally. The new starmenusa.com reflects our new ideas, fresh thinking, and innovative approach to our clients’ brands, as well as our latest design work. 

Our LA headquarters are buzzing with excitement! This site has been a labor of love, created with synchronized hard work, absolute enthusiasm, and meticulous attention to effective design. What remains unchanged is our unwavering resolve: We are here to produce solid, valuable results for you! Now, we just look even better!

We warmly invite you to visit our new site, and enjoy our latest work.