About Us > Newsletter

Thinkology Newsletter - Fall 2010

• Case Study: Branding Solutions
• Think Marketing is Now Certified
• Taking Great Product Shots

Case Study: Branding Solutions

Differentiating a Brand:

In 2009, Think Marketing was hired by Platinum Equity to assess and elevate their brand positioning.

The Challenge
After nearly 15 years in business, Platinum Equity had grown from a startup private equity firm to being one of the largest and most established private equity companies in the U.S., according to Forbes magazine. Unfortunately, their marketing did not convey this market positioning. Because the company radically changed their creative from year to year, it had never developed an identifiable brand. Constant rebranding made it difficult for their audiences to understand what their brand was and what it stood for.

The Solution
Platinum Equity engaged Think Marketing to evaluate their brand positioning and elevate their brand voice. Working with the executive team, Think took the company through a branding assessment and developed a cohesive direction for their creative.

Research
The rebranding process started with a competitive audit of ten private equity firms, three of which were identified as brand heroes based on brand recognition and reputation. Additionally, a series of interviews were conducted with key partners, principals and business development team members at the firm.

Strategy
Developing a design strategy for Platinum involved outlining brand opportunities and defining how to use brand assets consistently across all initiatives. After determining the core elements that made Platinum unique, we were able to recommend a new brand strategy including messaging, positioning and branding best practices.

Creative Direction
The design program included several different design approaches that would help Platinum stand out in a crowded space and develop deeper relationships with their audiences. Each direction included a unique color palette, brand hallmarks and examples of key marketing materials (e.g. website home page, print ad and corporate brochure).

Design
Think then developed a style guide and a complete marketing campaign with a new look and feel. The campaign consisted of print advertising, direct mailers with html email companions, corporate and business development collateral, decks and event support materials.

The Results
Think Marketing created a cohesive marketing program that surrounded Platinum’s audiences, delivered a consistent brand message, and elevated their lead generation programs.

• Online ads delivered a click-through rate double the average rate
• Direct mail and email campaigns became their #1 website traffic source
• 70% increase in email open rates (166% increase in email click-through rates)
• Campaigns increased time on website by over 600%

Contact us today if you would like to learn about how Think Marketing can help you take your brand to the next level.

---

Think Marketing is Now Certified with WBENC and the California Public Utilities Program!

This is a very exciting time for us at Think Marketing. We are proud to announce that we have been recently certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise Council (WBENC) as a Woman-owned Business. In addition, we have also been verified as a Supplier for the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). And, finally as a Small Business with the Small Business Administration (SBA). We look forward to supporting the California Public Utilities Program and helping our clients meet their supplier diversity goals.

If you would like to know how these national certifications can benefit your company,please let us know.

 

---

Taking Great Product Shots: Our Top Tips to Taking Amazing Product Images

1. Use a plain or white background. The focus should be on the subject, not the background.


2. Always shoot at the highest resolution possible.


3. Don’t be afraid to alter your perspective. Emphasize certain colors, get close-ups, shoot from both horizontal and vertical angles. Just be sure you have at least one shot that is a clear, no nonsense depiction of the item.


4. For images that require resizing, make sure you edit them properly so they remain clear and vivid. As a general rule, make sure your images for print are 300 dpi, while images for web are 72 dpi.


5. Remember to use a new item fresh out of its packaging so there are no scratches or smudges that could impact the end result.


6. Don’t forget to take lots of photos! A higher quantity to choose from makes “the right shot” easier to find.


7. Do not always rely upon Photoshop to turn bad photos into good ones. Photoshop should be used to enhance already great images!

Download this Newsletter (opens PDF)