We’ve been here before. The video depicting the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer is shocking, nauseating and obviously unjust. But it’s certainly not the first time a black man was murdered on camera by an officer of the law. But as protests continue in cities across this country and around the world, the awareness surrounding Mr. Floyd’s death endures and the consciousness persists ... for now. But as we’ve seen so many times before with similar tragedies in the black community, justice is slow to come, if at all. Just ask the

“Stopping advertising to save money is like stopping your watch to save time.” – Henry Ford To say the coronavirus pandemic has had a negative impact on the U.S. economy is a huge understatement. Almost 40 million Americans have filed unemployment claims because of the pandemic. This affects consumer spending, which makes it that much more difficult for certain industries to recover from the economic loss. ​As marketers, we’re anything but safe from economic downturns. In fact, a recent survey from Gartner revealed 65 percent of chief marketing officers (CMO) and marketing leaders are bracing for moderate to significant budget cuts

Your website is a living, breathing thing that exists to help tell the story of your brand. To do that, it needs several things: Content to help the site thrive and grow. A design that breeds creativity and promotes ease of use. A call to action or some type of opt-in that entices users to want to engage with your brand. But most importantly, your website will suffer from neglect if you don’t take care of it properly and maintain it regularly. So, let’s take a look at a few elements on your website that, with a

As the digital marketing strategist at Brand825 ... I spend a lot of time online crafting social media strategies and digital ad campaigns for our clients. At least, I thought I spent a lot of time online. Then the coronavirus happened. Between work and trying to maintain personal connections with other humans, I’m online all day. All. Day. And I’m not alone. According to The Next Web, apps like TikTok (47 percent) and Snapchat (18.5 percent) have seen major growth in interest and usage during the last couple of months. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are seeing surges

The 5 Elements of Every Great Brand Story There are more brands vying for our hard-earned dollars than ever before. Take something as simple and ubiquitous as a sponge. Do you know how many different companies sell sponges? It’s a lot more than you think. So how does a sponge brand, or any other brand for that matter, separate itself from the pack to be the most attractive to consumers? ​It’s all about the story. ​Personally, if I’m having to choose between different brands offering the same product, I’ll often pick the brand that tells the

You've Found Yourself In the Middle of a Pandemic. Empty streets, empty schools, empty bars, empty grocery stores. We are living through a very strange and uncertain time in our country, to say the least. For the first time ever, many of us are working exclusively from home, or homeschooling our kids, or trying to remain positive during a quarantine, or trying to figure out which of our Facebook friends panic-purchased the most toilet paper. Strange times, indeed. And for many of us who run businesses or brands, this coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is uncharted territory. There

Some days, I have a hard time getting my creative juices flowing. It has been especially difficult during the last few weeks, as we have banded together apart to stay at home and curb the coronavirus outbreak.​ As co-founder and chief creative officer of Brand825, our clients (and my livelihood) depend on my ability to be creative, so I don’t have the luxury of off-days. If you find yourself staring at a blinking cursor on your computer screen, a blank canvas or whatever your particular outlet may be, here are three things you can do to instantly