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Aug 30, 2018, 10:14 AM
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Rich Romig
Clients choose an agency based on different criteria, but chief among them is the belief that the agency will simply do a better job than the others it competes against. At the core of that belief is the client’s personal experience with agency personnel or its leadership team. Once the credentials and capabilities are established and the speculative (spec) work shown, it’s people-to-people connectivity that often seals the deal, the way the right seasoning elevates a recipe into something great.
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Aug 27, 2018, 11:01 AM
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Nicole Bump
Joe Pulizzi in his over-the-top orange suits. Content marketing legends like Ann Handley and Jay Baer. And of course, Tina Fey. Who wouldn't want to see Tina Fey?
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Aug 23, 2018, 12:14 PM
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Alan Kittle
I recently completed the privileged role of chairing four judging panels at this year’s DMA International Echo Awards in New York City. I was joined by over 100 judges, reviewing shortlisted submissions from over 20 countries across three grueling days.
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Aug 22, 2018, 15:44 PM
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Zach Nelson
This insurance brand is a leading provider of property and casualty insurance that prides itself on providing superior customer service. The company had built an effective customer acquisition model through its large network of affinity partners, but rapid and revolutionary changes in the property and casualty (P&C) insurance category were making this model increasingly difficult to sustain.
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Aug 22, 2018, 05:20 AM
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Alan Kittle
Soundtracks can enable powerful movie marketing. The hit Titanic song "My Heart Will Go On," sung by Céline Dion, was a great marketing tool. Titanic went on to become the second-highest grossing film of all time, and the soundtrack is in the top 50 album sales of all time. Some say the movie made the soundtrack, but this misses the obvious synergy between a movie and its soundtrack.
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Jul 31, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
It can feel daunting for a packaged goods brand to make an emotional connection with its customers—especially in the days of Amazon. Zach Nelson, VP of Marketing Strategy at Harte Hanks, explains how brands like Coca Cola surround commoditized products with "lifestyle wrappers" to create emotional connection and stay with the consumer between purchases.
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Jul 31, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
It is the essence of omnichannel marketing: surrounding customers with relevant, coordinated messaging across channels, in the right moments. Zach Nelson, VP of Marketing at Harte Hanks, explains the strategy he calls "The Surround."
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Jul 26, 2018, 15:44 PM
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None
On the topic of technology, new author Tej Bhattarai, Marketing Campaign Director, examines best practices for selecting and implementing the right tools for your omnichannel experience—and Laura Watson, Director of Strategy, explains the irony in using technology to be more “human” in your communications.
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Jun 13, 2018, 15:30 PM
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Nicole Bump
Content serves as our brand’s turn in the digital brand-buyer conversation—and each of our turns in that conversation must deliver some value to the buyer. To deliver that value at every interaction, you must have a deep understanding of your customers, what they’re trying to accomplish and wh
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Jun 12, 2018, 15:26 PM
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Greg Costello
They’re the annoying ads you can’t wait to click through so you can see the video your aunt sent you of the cat chasing the laser pointer. Nobody likes pre-roll ads—in fact, YouTube has started killing “unskippable” 30-second ads, requiring the welcome “Skip Ad” button to come in after about five seconds.
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Jun 12, 2018, 08:23 AM
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Harte Hanks
SAN ANTONIO, May 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Harte Hanks (NYSE:HHS), a leader in developing customer relationships, experiences and interaction-led marketing, won three platinum awards in the international 2018 Hermes Creative Awards for innovative email campaigns the company produced for Sony Electronics.
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Jun 7, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
Your brand's content is not only competing with other brands—it's also competing with the likes of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime content for attention. You can stand out by delivering real value. Nicole Bump, Director of Content Marketing at Harte Hanks, explains.
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May 29, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
We know content is important, but it can be a big challenge to create a steady stream of high quality material. Nicole Bump, Director of Content Marketing at Harte Hanks, provides three tips for producing valuable content on the regular.
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May 29, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
Content that never sleeps! Kate Sullivan, Senior Director, Digital & Social Media at Harte Hanks, explains an insider tip for creating an always-on content machine. Check out how to create lots of content from a few simple steps.
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May 29, 2018, 11:07 AM
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None
Content is still king, but only if it delivers value to those that engage with it. Nicole Bump, Director of Content Marketing at Harte Hanks, explains how to deliver this value by understanding the buyer's journey.
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May 11, 2018, 15:44 PM
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None
What an exciting and yet challenging time to be in marketing. The demands placed on us as marketers are constantly expanding and are being driven from all areas that impact our customers’ and potential customers’ lives. Perhaps none is more top of mind at the moment than trust. People share their information with us in the two-fold belief that we first will respect it, and second, that we will use it in a way that is genuinely relevant to them.
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May 9, 2018, 10:26 AM
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Rich Romig
It’s practically a rite of passage. Every copywriter or art director kvetches at some point (and many never stop) about the quality/usefulness of a creative brief. Sometimes it’s an ongoing problem that can only be solved by an overhaul of the document itself—or the infusion of new personnel who simply know how to write better, more actionable briefs.
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Apr 30, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
For customers that avoid marketing messages, it's best to forget about "marketing" altogether. Instead, focus on creating value. Nicole Pawluk, Director of Strategy and Planning with Harte Hanks, explains.
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Apr 17, 2018, 15:27 PM
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Thea Crelin
The digital revolution has disrupted industry after industry. Now it’s happening with insurance. There are three good reasons insurance has resisted the digital revolution up to this point—and they must be reckoned with for the industry to progress.
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Apr 12, 2018, 15:44 PM
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None
Let’s start with Toys“R”Us . The childhood icon is closing its doors. What went wrong? How could they have avoided this fate? I’ve brought back a piece from October that explores how Toys“R”Us could have saved its stores. If your brand has a brick and mortar presence, click through to learn from their mistakes.
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Apr 5, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
DeShelia Spann, Director of Strategy at Harte Hanks, explains why content is one of the few things that will remain constant in B2B marketing—and how to use it across the buyer's journey.
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Apr 5, 2018, 13:53 PM
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DESHELIA SPANN
For several years now, the concept of personalization has been largely driven by quantitative and qualitative data. Leveraging demographic and firmographic insights to engage with existing and potential customers became the go-to-market strategy for many marketers.
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Mar 29, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
Harte Hanks Strategist Beth Curtis-Clarke explains why B2B brands need to go beyond metrics and facts to humans and emotion in their marketing—and provides tips for getting started with storytelling.
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Mar 22, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
Account based marketing (ABM) is a hot trend in B2B businesses, but not everyone is getting it right. Alex Gill, SVP of B2B Strategy at Harte Hanks, explains some of the mistakes brands are making with their ABM.
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Mar 19, 2018, 13:49 PM
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Karl Hellman
The following is an interview by Dr. Karl Hellman with Alan Kittle, SVP Creative and Strategy at Harte Hanks. Karl was curious about Alan’s perspective after an extended series of meetings with clients across the USA and Europe. Karl’s question topics ranged from the 5 Pillars of Best-in-Class Marketing to social issue advertising.
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Mar 15, 2018, 15:58 PM
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David Chandler
That’s not how we do things at Harte Hanks. We believe communication is critical to creating attention-grabbing creative work. That’s why we employ an agile process—one in which our clients are included in every step of the journey, from brief to delivery. It’s only by doing this that we can create content that truly engages your customers in the moments that matter
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Mar 15, 2018, 15:58 PM
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David Chandler
That’s not how we do things at Harte Hanks. We believe flexibility is crucial when it comes to creating truly creative work. That’s why we employ an agile process that allows us to react at a moment’s notice. Because to reach your customers you need to create relevant, engaging content, and you need to do it quickly.
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Mar 15, 2018, 15:58 PM
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David Chandler
That’s not how we do things at Harte Hanks. We believe collaboration is key when it comes to creating truly creative work. That’s why we employ an agile process—one where teams are fluid, and everyone works together. Because to reach customers in the moments that matter you need to create relevant, engaging content, and you need to do it quickly.
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Feb 20, 2018, 15:11 PM
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David Chandler
Agility is everything in this new age of agency. Customers expect to be spoken to in the moments that really matter to them, so brands have to be prepared to respond, and rapidly, creating content that is relevant, timely and—above all—engaging.
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Feb 15, 2018, 08:48 AM
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Rusty Langford
By using social media as a customer support channel, you give customers the option to solve their issues when and how they want. You can also use social to proactively mine insights about your trending support issues.
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Feb 6, 2018, 14:01 PM
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Iain Fuller
Direct mail is still one of the most effective methods of engagement out there. these seven principles can help your message break through and acted upon.
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Feb 6, 2018, 09:25 AM
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Rich Romig
You could argue that with each increasing Roman numeral, there are fewer and fewer Super Bowl “ads” to review. Sure, there are 30- and 60-second short, brand-sponsored films, special effects bonanzas, comedy routines, music videos—most with a little product demo or placement within—but many aren’t “commercials” in the selling-something sense of the word.
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Jan 30, 2018, 16:14 PM
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Michael Behrenhausen
We recently set up a conversation between Harte Hanks CMO Frank Grillo and Kimberly Whitler, Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, to discuss the current and future state of retail both digital and physical. The two ended up having a lively, insightful exchange of ideas.
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Dec 14, 2017, 14:44 PM
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None
In the highly competitive banking industry, regional banks face enormous challenges without the benefit of huge marketing budgets and resources that national banks enjoy. To remain profitable in a highly-connected era, this regional bank realized they had to adapt to customer needs in more relevant ways—both quickly and cost effectively.
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Nov 27, 2017, 14:46 PM
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Steve Acuna
Just in case you didn’t know, there’s still only 24 hours in a day. And the constant demands on our time and work/life balance are nothing new. Only now, there are more options, more channels, and more content vying for our attention during those 24 hours.
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Nov 10, 2017, 10:24 AM
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JD Metcalf
Consumers are demanding a more personalized banking experience. Right now. If banks wait to offer this form of on-demand engagement, they risk being left behind. But many banks, including major brands, don’t have the resources to build a personalized, automated system.
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Oct 27, 2017, 10:18 AM
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Alan Kittle
Artificial Reality? Virtual Reality? Frivolous, empty fun, right? No use, of course, for the serious-minded architects of brilliant branding. Well. Think again.
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Oct 23, 2017, 16:18 PM
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Frank Grillo
Even though many agree that pushing content is unwise, we keep doing it. I wonder if the problem is rooted in the marketing term “content” itself. Do digital shoppers say to themselves, “Mmm, what I need right now is some good old-fashioned content.” I don’t think so! In that early, learning phase of the buyer’s journey, aren’t they thinking something more like “Mmm, I would like to learn more about this and how it relates to my life, how I feel, what I need, or what I want to do.”
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Oct 20, 2017, 15:44 PM
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None
Customers in all industries now demand relevant, personal communications and exceptional customer experiences—financial services is no exception. Bank of America knew it needed to connect with its massive client base in more relevant ways, not only to maintain existing clients, but also to cross-sell and add value.
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Oct 18, 2017, 11:38 AM
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Nicole Bump
Stories are the thread that holds the fabric of society together. Storytelling lets people see things they haven’t actually seen. Our primitive ancestors told tales of their discoveries, fears and heroism. Storytelling was our early survival masterstroke.
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Oct 17, 2017, 15:44 PM
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None
Welcome to our first edition of Harte Hanks Quarterly magazine, showcasing the latest marketing news and views.
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Oct 2, 2017, 16:02 PM
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Nicole Bump
Agile marketing is a hot topic—and for good reason. Customers expect brands to interact with them contextually, in close to real time, and marketers are struggling to keep up with this pace of change. We showcased how Harte Hanks is trying to solve this problem at our most recent Marketing Advisory Board meeting.
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Sep 19, 2017, 15:44 PM
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None
A global, top-ten semiconductor manufacturer sells parts for computers, mobile phones, and other devices. Historically, the company relied on distributors to sell small- and medium-sized customers and fielded direct sales teams for large accounts. All sales orders were fulfilled by a global network of independent distributors.
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Sep 19, 2017, 15:35 PM
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None
Marketing. It has until now, been viewed as companies pushing their messaging out into the world and trying to get consumers to buy more. That just doesn’t work anymore. Customers are calling the shots. If marketing is going to have any chance at success, it must be delivering value to the consumer and helping to solve the problems this person has set out to solve, in the moment they need to be solved. This goes beyond one-to-one marketing.
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Aug 28, 2017, 15:35 PM
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None
Harte Hanks CMO Frank Grillo chats about content as the digital equivalent to a face-to-face conversation.
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Jul 11, 2017, 15:35 PM
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Frank Grillo
Marketers occasionally need a reminder that they can lose sight of their true mission, which is to discover and deliver what customers really want.1 When marketers enthusiastically tee up the objective to integrate online and offline marketing, it is easy to get side-tracked: Where is the “customer” in “media integration”?
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Jul 7, 2017, 10:24 AM
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Karen Puckett
A New York Times article asks, “Is there any home purchase more confusing and fraught with anxiety than buying a mattress?” Many people would answer ‘no.’ Somewhat akin to buying a new car, the process can be complicated by myriad choices of brands and models, plagued by hard selling and hidden costs (warranty, delivery), and let’s not get started with the returns process.
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May 24, 2017, 15:00 PM
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Candi Williams
A bad first date is no one’s friend. But a bad piece of content is even easier to run away from and never return. And it turns out the two things have more in common than you might think – we’re not talking terrible pick-up lines and awkward silences either…
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May 3, 2017, 15:04 PM
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Paula Crerar
Content marketing is already a well-established tactic for B2B companies. According to Content Marketing Institute, 88% of B2B marketers are using content marketing. And most marketers already understand how content fits into a demand generation strategy: you create great content, promote that content across channels, encourage people to fill out a form in order to download high-value content, and then deliver those leads to your sales team for follow-up.
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Apr 20, 2017, 11:59 AM
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Kylie Peters
Synchrony Financial understands that those big buys in life often don’t happen on a whim. Behind every major purchase are real people weighing up their options and deciding to part with their dollars to fulfill different needs based on their individual situations. For lenders, it’s important to understand this buyer’s journey so you can better guide potential customers down the path to purchase (using your dollars).
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Feb 6, 2017, 14:22 PM
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Alan Kittle
No football team had ever come back from such a large deficit. No QB had ever won five rings. No Super Bowl had every gone to overtime. The Patriots became, arguably, #GOAT late on the 5th in Houston. No wonder millions took the 6th off work and school!
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Jan 19, 2017, 03:42 AM
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Walt Ruday
How do you get to the answer of determining how one agency sets themselves apart? In my experience in the agency world, most, if not all, advertising agencies talk like they are selling you the same thing: 50% creative idea generation plus 50% management and organization of those ideas so they can conjure up a truly innovative execution.
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Jan 13, 2017, 01:00 AM
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Candi Williams
Data, data, data. It’s at the heart of just about everything today and getting cleverer by the minute. But what does that mean for creativity? Right now, data-driven creative is a much-discussed topic in the marketing world. And for decades, we’ve been marrying data and creativity to make amazing things happen. Here are just some of the reasons we champion the winning pair and some top tips for making it work for your business.
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Jan 12, 2017, 12:00 PM
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Frank Grillo
We’ve been discussing the importance of meeting customer demands for context and personalization in 2017. So far, we have established that we need to think beyond one-to-one marketing and focus on the small data to succeed in this Age of ‘Me,’.
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Jan 3, 2017, 14:44 PM
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None
While retailers think they’re doing a pretty good job with personalization, customers aren’t so sure. Retailers say personalization is tough because it’s hard to get to know the customer.
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Dec 23, 2016, 07:09 AM
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Simon Lodge
Attention has become more than simply an ingredient of advertising–it’s become the currency of success. In today’s digital age, marketers look to create ‘thumb-stopping moments’; unique periods of time where consumers see enough value in what they’re being shown to pause and fully absorb. Moments that deliver empathy-sparking cues; resonate with an individual’s humour or hit deep, emotional triggers hidden away in the brain’s hippocampus for years.
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Nov 18, 2016, 09:44 AM
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Candi Williams
If you think effective design is just about getting the Pantone colors right and knowing your jpegs from your pngs, think again. Designing something that looks good is one thing. Creating something that people enjoy using again and again, that genuinely engages, and achieves the intended outcomes – that’s a whole different ball game. And one you might find referred to as ‘experience design’ or XD.
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Oct 28, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
We are living and operating in the era of ‘me’. An era where customers increasingly
expect personalized experiences that are relevant, useful and, most prominently, human. We’ve seen it develop in brands – from Coca Cola’s memorable #ShareACoke campaign to the shopping giants like Amazon, eBay and Ocado’s ongoing personalization
strategies.
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Aug 22, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
Developments in virtual reality are gathering pace. Adoption rates are up and the depth, breadth and quality of content is steadily increasing. Forbes reported that from
January to March 2016, $1.1 billion dollars was invested in VR. That compares to $2 billion in the whole of 2015.
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Jun 8, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
Developments in vertual reality are gathering pace. Adoption rates are up and the depth, breadth and quality of content is steadily increasing. Forbes reported that from January to March 2016, $1.1 billion dollars was invested in VR.
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Dec 15, 2015, 15:35 PM
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None
Our latest work for the Samsung Mobile's Global Social team showcases the fun you can have if you add the Gear VR to a Galaxy ecosystem built around your smartphone.
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Dec 15, 2015, 15:35 PM
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None
Our latest work for the Samsung Mobile's Global Social team showcases the fun you can have if you add the Gear VR to a Galaxy ecosystem built around your smartphone.
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Dec 11, 2015, 11:52 AM
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Simon Lodge
As marketers, digital savvies and media gurus, whenever virtual reality (VR) comes into conversation, it’s safe to say we can’t help but drop a bold reference to Minority Report, The Matrix or Back to the Future. These pop-culture films made technologies of the future sexy; or at least provided recognizable uses for them.
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Dec 3, 2015, 11:43 AM
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None
The challenge for any brand is to break through the clutter and keep online communities engaged through authentic communication— particularly at pivotal moments like a flagship product launch. The Galaxy Note 4 was launched in 2014 and had been praised by the tech press for its great productivity features, which Samsung
had promoted across the vast network of its global marketing efforts.
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Dec 1, 2015, 15:35 PM
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None
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Mar 25, 2015, 10:27 AM
by
Alan Kittle
During Twitter co-founder Biz Stone’s session, he talked about his new venture – Super – a heavily visual social platform described on their App Store page as, “Bold opinions become tiny works of art.” It’s Snapchat meets Pop Art! Heavily inspired by Barbara Kruger, this is Biz’s latest attempt to build something that allows users to share their thoughts built off opening statements like, “I LOVE” or “I’M ALL” or even “ONCE UPON A TIME” … the convergence of gallery images and text overlays is anarchic and encourages self-expression and personalization way beyond Instagram or Twitter.
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