At Sandstorm Design, we live and work by the “Yes, and” marketing strategy. It is one of our core values and reflective in absolutely everything we do. So what is the “Yes, and” marketing strategy? For us, “Yes, and” is a way of thinking. It is being open to new ideas, thinking outside of the box, and drawing outside the lines. It is doing what is asked for, or expected, and then coming up with something new and interesting to also think about. It is always striving to be better, and innovative, and three steps ahead of what’s next.
If you’ve worked with us before, the “Yes, and” marketing strategy is very evident in our creative work. Usually, we will give you one concept that’s exactly what you want (we hope), and another that gives you a new idea to consider. The goal is that, regardless of which concept you go with, we challenge you and show you something unexpected.
And, until now, we sort of thought that we coined the “Yes, and” marketing strategy phrase. Recently, I came across this article that proved otherwise. It also outlined how special “Yes, and” truly is (we invent airplanes ☺), and how the counterpart “Yes, but” also plays into the mix.
Check it out: http://www.odemagazine.com/doc/71/yes-and-people/
The Sandstorm crew gathered on Sunday afternoon with bowls of guacamole in hand for our marketing firm’s annual Guac-Off. I had suspected the competition would be steep, but my poor minimalist recipe really didn’t stand a chance. The colors and flavors of the different guacamoles on the table were diverse, intriguing, and sometimes shocking (chocolate guacamole?!). Once the tasting began, some of us couldn’t even tell which was ours. I personally made one round to taste them all, and a second round to try to identify mine.
In the end, it was a snazzy, secret ingredient that made the winning dish stand out. Janna and her husband Tim used smoked paprika (yes, smoked paprika) in their recipe and won the trophy! There were so many tasty guacamoles, but this one was definitely one of the more creative. Congratulations Janna and Tim!
Sandstorm Design is so excited to announce the launch of a new web site for a new firm, Partridge IP Law. Having the opportunity to work with this unique law firm from inception has been such a privilege. We created their new identity and brand, starting with the logo and print work before moving to the web. And while the firm might be new, the attorneys are experienced. Their new web site showcases this expertise with detailed bios and a very active blog. We absolutely loved working with Partridge IP Law, and couldn’t be happier to announce this launch!
Sandstorm Design is proud to announce the launch of our second Blue Cross Blue Shield interactive health care web application, AskBlue for Federal Employees. Federal employees have the opportunity to answer a series of questions and get a customized recommendation to help them find the right insurance plan. Along the way, learning moments are integrated throughout the experience, educating the user to make better decisions. We love working with Blue Cross Blue Shield as much as we love creating interactive tools to make people’s lives a little easier, and that’s why we’re so excited to launch this quick and easy-to-use web application to help Federal employees!
The idea of Google advertising on TV is a little weird to me. They’re a search engine, and the leader in their industry…what do they need to advertise for? But when I saw the first commercial in their “Search Stories” campaign, I was very impressed. They took something as quick and trivial as a 20-second search, and demonstrated the monumental impact that it has on a person’s life.
Before learning search engine optimization and working at an interactive marketing agency, I never really understood the importance of search engines. But in today’s world, Google is the first place that most people turn for literally every decision they make. If you have a question, odds are that Google can answer it. And that is a really important thing. Because in doing so, Google, a search engine that is mathematically pulling data based on relevance, obtains a persona and a voice. It’s your trusted advice-giver, resource, and industry-expert for everything life throws your way.
And it knows me so well! Today, I found this fun little tool that lets you create your own Google Search Story. I built a quick one about a user’s first experience with Sandstorm Design. Check it out, and please share your stories with us too!
How do you improve upon something you already feel is absolutely, fantastically wonderful? With Sandstorm Design’s annual Guac-Off approaching this Sunday at 4:00pm, this question keeps nudging its way into my head.
Let me make this clear: I love guacamole. I am a frequent visitor of the many awesome Mexican restaurants all over Chicago, and I have yet to try a guacamole I didn’t like. The flavors and textures span such a wide range with so few ingredients – smooth avocado, sweet onion, bold cilantro and tangy lime paired with salty corn tortilla chips. How could I possibly enhance such a winning equation in order to win our marketing firm’s Guac-Off?
And as the newest member of the team at Sandstorm Design, I must say, I am certain my competition is steep. Creativity is, after all, how we use marketing and web design to improve upon already excellent brands. Even as a newcomer it is quite apparent to me that taking something great and making it better is what our marketing firm does everyday. So I can only imagine what this team can do with a couple avocados!
Lucky for me, I love guacamole just a smidgen more than I love winning. So even if my dish doesn’t win, my tummy most definitely will.
Sandstorm Design is so thrilled to announce the launch of Sinai Health System’s online annual report! This year, their annual report has taken a different shape—as a unique online experience. Presented in a linear style, viewers can flip through the mobile-friendly report page by page, like an online book. We had a fantastic time working with Sinai Health System on this inventive and creative venture. We are so excited to announce this launch!
This September, I was on sabbatical volunteering in Peru. I had been accepted to a program through the Karikuy organization working to promote Peruvian tourism to English-speaking countries. Specifically, I was selected to do field research and travel writing to help develop the Peruvian Wikipedia, contribute to the Karikuy blog, and add content to the various Karikuy media galleries. So I spent the my time there exploring the country, learning everything I possibly could about Peru and Peruvian culture, capturing my journey on film, and sharing my experiences through articles, blogs, and video-longs along the way.
You can check out some of my work here:
http://www.karikuy.org/blog/
What attracted me most to the organization is that they truly want people to experience what life is like in Peru; and see, smell, touch, taste and hear everything that Peru has to offer. This is really rare in the tourism world, as most companies and organizations put their focus on Machu Picchu and the famous Inca Trail. And since Julio, the Program Director, is a native, he shares with the volunteers all of the hidden gems and lesser-known aspects of the Peruvian landscape, culture and life. (For instance, I learned that Peruvians are incredibly superstitious. The will not eat fish after 3pm (convinced it is no longer fresh), and believe that a red sunset means that there is going to be an earthquake.)
One of the greatest parts of the program was the people I was able to meet and share my travels with. There was not a single person I met that I didn’t like or have loads in common with. This was especially true with Elle, my roommate, who ironically enough also works for a boutique marketing and interactive firm specializing in user-centered design…all the way in Australia! :)
Overall, the experience was extremely rewarding and educational. I was able to familiarize myself with a country and a people in a way I never would have been able to on a typical vacation…and my life is forever changed for the better as a result.
