When a company decides to rebrand, they often seek out an advertising firm to figure out the most commercially viable fit. But what about when an advertising firm wants to rebrand itself?
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When a company decides to rebrand, they often seek out an advertising firm to figure out the most commercially viable fit. But what about when an advertising firm wants to rebrand itself?
Ad agency CashmanKatz recently rebranded from its former Cashman + Katz Integrated Communications name to better fit with the digital age, said Tony Cashman, the company's president and CEO.
“This allows us to be a bit more intuitive and consistent in URLs, hashtags and social media handles, which aren't always accommodating of punctuation,” Cashman said. “This was something we didn't have to consider 26 years ago when we began.”
From streaming platforms to general web advertising, there are a host of avenues that didn't exist a short time ago for ad firms. And Cashman says he intends to keep getting clients' messages out across newer and older media platforms.
What technologies and platforms do you think will emerge as the most important advertising vehicles in coming years?
The platform we'll all be scrambling to master in the coming years may not even be invented yet. That's how fast opportunities are changing. Social media and digital are inventing new avenues for advertisers at an incredible pace. The most exciting developments continue to revolve around targeting on an even deeper level. And getting more personal, relevant and timely with messages.
When formulating an ad campaign, how do you balance promoting the product with avoiding being invasive or annoying, which can alienate customers?
Being an annoyance doesn't work. We are buying media and delivering it to people when they want it, with messages that are more relevant to their lives. Yes, there are still places for disruptive, clutter-busting messaging to get people to take notice, but mediums today allow us to be part of a conversation with consumers, rather than an unwanted intruder.
Where do you see television as an advertising medium in the future?
It's funny, people have been prognosticating the demise of TV for decades. The same question was asked with the introduction of the VCR, the expansion of cable, DVR and now with streaming platforms. Whether it is broadcast, cable, or custom-programming content like Amazon or Netflix — with the ability to download any content onto desktops, tablets or mobile devices — it makes TV content even more relevant and user friendly. TV has remained a reliable medium and continues to bring new opportunities to advertisers.
How is advertising in the Greater Hartford market different from other areas?
One unique thing about Greater Hartford is how incredibly diverse it is demographically. It's something you don't always see in markets of this size.
