Occasionally, companies looking for marketing, advertising or public relations support will ask the invited agencies or those responding to a proposal to provide “comps,” that is, samples of specifically what they would do for the company.  We never do.

It’s not because we can’t compete but because it isn’t fair – either to our agency, which is being asked to work for free; our existing clients, who deserve all our time; or the prospect, who would not see a true reflection of what a truly strategic approach would accomplish.

And that’s the key:  No one can know what an organization needs without knowing the organization. On the surface, it may look as though a few bells and whistles will suffice, while, deeper down, more relevant content may be needed. The point is that comps are shots in the dark – very unlikely to hit the target.

So how do you gauge what an agency can do for you?
 
A good place to start is their web site, particularly any case studies. Do they work with clients in businesses such as yours or have they addressed issues similar to those you face? Did their efforts bring measurable results? Do you like their design aesthetic?

Nose around a little more, looking, for instance, at their blogs. Are these people you want to work with and know? Check out their credentials. Are these the quality of people you would want on your team? If you’re still interested, ask for a meeting. Any professional agency would be happy to chat with you about your needs at no charge.

At Next-Mark, we stand on our competencies and ground all we do in strategy. We don’t create materials in a vacuum and work to sincerely understand our clients and their goals. We also showcase our client work on the portfolio section of our website.

 
If that sounds good to you, we may be good for you, as well.

We are very proud to be partnering with the Sarasota Film Festival for the third consecutive year. In collaboration with artist Vince Fraser, we have created some of our most dynamic work to date. We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase our capabilities in our local market and internationally. Special recognition goes to Steve Wroczynski, our Director of Creative Strategy for leading this project.

Whether you are strolling down Main Street or reading local publications, you can’t miss Next-Mark’s influence on the festival this year. Our favorites are the building wrap at the Hollywood 20 theater downtown, the large-scale mobile billboard, and the traditional (not so mobile) billboards alongside Route 41.

The festival emphasizes the best in cinema alongside exciting programs and events, with more than 180 films screened each year including features, documentaries, shorts, and kid – friendly picks. SFF brings the best new and veteran independent filmmakers to our community each year.

Take a look around the city this week, pick up a couple of local publications and check out the films and events at the film festival. It’s well worth your time.

The Next-Mark leadership team often shares stories of brands and companies that have influenced our perception of the marketing industry and shaped the way we do business. Our focus tends to center around the start-ups that beat to different drums, color outside the lines and embrace the unconventional.

Vineyard Vines provides a whale of a story that continues to inspire us.

According to www.vineyardvines.com, brothers Ian and Shep Murray founded the retail company in 1998 to escape miserable Manhattan desk jobs. They traded their business suits for bathing suits by selling ties so they wouldn’t have to wear them.

With no business plan or exit strategy, these brothers simply wanted to have a good time, make awesome products and share them with everyone.

Since selling their first 800 ties in less than a week in 1998, the brothers have opened several retail stores across the country and expanded the Vineyard Vines brand to include clothing accessories for men, women and children.

The pink whale trademark is a feel-good, welcoming symbol that encapsulates the young, energetic, fun and colorful company that is Vineyard Vines.

Check out their amazing story below and learn why “Every day should feel this good.”

Our leadership team of professionals includes an eclectic blend of youthful and seasoned talent, united by their commitment to our clients’ marketing, communications and business strategy needs. This blog is part of a series of posts designed to showcase what makes each member of the team tick.

One of the most energetic (and loquacious) members of Next-Mark’s leadership team is Michael Morrison. Mike is a strong copywriter and seasoned spokesperson. But, what makes him tick?

Convinced there was more than his curious library of random facts and unconventional methods of striking conversations with strangers, we decided to venture into the mind of Michael Morrison.

Describe your childhood.

I was spoiled. I am fortunate to have been raised on a bayou where I enjoyed wakeboarding, boating and swimming. My parents and I lived in Southport, Fla. (near Panama City) for the majority of my childhood. It was an incredible environment where anyone could get around by foot, bicycle or boat. Perhaps my fondest childhood memories are of Independence Day. We typically outshined (pun untended) the neighbors with our magnificent fireworks displays.

Who are your heroes?

My dad was the greatest influence in my life. He was a witty, charismatic and hardworking Vietnam veteran who dedicated his life to making mine better. He had this wisdom about him that challenged me to see the world from different perspectives. I’m fortunate and eternally grateful for my dad – my hero.

What influenced you to choose this career path?

I embarked on this unlikely career path out of fear. I originally entered college to become a computer-networking expert. Like many computer nerds, I was incredibly shy. So, I decided to take a public speaking course at the local community college. The rest is history.

How long have you been doing this?

I’m getting old! I began my communications career as a production assistant at a Panama City Beach, Fla. television station when I was about 17-years-old. Following undergraduate school at Florida State University (Go Noles!), I decided to give the “sales thing” a shot at a competing television station. After a year or so, I returned to FSU where I earned a graduate degree in communication. I landed an incredible position as a public information officer for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement where I gained real-world experience in public relations. I later served as the primary spokesperson for the Walton County Sheriff’s Office in Northwest Florida before deciding to enter law school and work with Next-Mark. So far, I’ve enjoyed (almost) every minute of my career.

Describe yourself in one word.

Industrious.

What is your favorite song?

Rocket Man by Elton John. He also puts on a heck of a concert.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpower to be?

Flying. Definitely flying.

Which areas of the world would you like to explore and why?

I do quite a bit of leisurely travel. I think my next stops will include New York City, Sydney, Maui and Napa Valley. Traveling is my addiction.

What do you do in your spare time?

I’m the quintessential beach bum. My car is always equipped with a towel, sunscreen and flip-flops.

When are you completely satisfied with your work?

I’d like to say, “When Joe gives me the thumbs up.” In reality, I think there’s always room for improvement. I’m definitely my harshest critic…

Our leadership team of professionals includes an eclectic blend of youthful and seasoned talent, united by their commitment to our clients’ marketing, communications and business strategy needs. This blog is part of a series of posts designed to showcase what makes each member of the team tick.

Joseph Grano, Next-Mark’s leader and consummate marketing professional, founded the company in 2005. As the face of Next-Mark, he has been the engine behind our clients’ success and the company’s growth for almost a decade. But, what makes him tick?

In this, the fifth installment of our ‘What Makes Us Tick?’ series, we delve into the mind of Joe Grano. Our clients and partners know and appreciate his strategic thinking skills and ability to put them at ease, but what they read below may surprise them.

How would you live your life if you had a week to live?

I would totally unplug – I’d toss my cell phone into the Gulf.

What was your childhood dream?

My number one dream was to be married and have a family.  I am truly blessed in that department.  Being the son of first-generation American entrepreneurs, I also always dreamed of owning a business – I guess you could say I am living that dream. Most importantly, I dreamed of doing something I truly loved to do; I never wanted to dread going to work each day.  I have definitely accomplished that.

What inspires you?

I profoundly value real creativity and innovation that transforms lives and impacts perception.  In our business we get to do this every day.  Powerful.

What are your personal philosophies?

The things I value most in business and in my personal and professional life are loyalty and honesty (that includes others telling me what I don’t necessarily want to hear).  Call me “old school,” but without these values, you are lost and living an inauthentic life.

What is the last book you read?

“Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell.  I really appreciate the way Gladwell challenges you to think.

If you pick one living person to have lunch with, who would it be?

Bill Clinton.  He truly is the most important President of my lifetime and probably one of the wisest people on the planet.  His work post-presidency is changing lives worldwide.  What intrigues me most about him is that he is imperfect (just like the rest of us) and willing to admit it.

What is your favorite song?

That’s a very hard one.  My iPod includes opera, rap,  Broadway, pop and everything in between.  I play several instruments and really appreciate a broad-range of musical genres. Billy Joel, James Taylor and Elton John probably represent the last 30+ years of my life in song and emotion.

Which areas of the world would you like to explore and why?

I have had the good fortune of traveling extensively in North America and Europe. My next big frontiers are Australia and South Africa.  Both areas intrigue me.

How would your friends describe you?

You’d have to ask them.

What do you like most about your profession?

No two days (or usually hours) are alike. We work with a diverse group of clients and colleagues.  We can go from pharmacy to boating to arbitration to children’s issues in one hour.  I am lucky!

Describe your childhood.

I grew up in a first generation Italian-American family in Buffalo, NY with five brothers and one sister (and yes I was the middle child and only left-handed family member).  My parents spent every day of their lives making sure their children had a better life than they did. Not having college degrees, they valued education. Probably, one of my parents’ proudest days was when I graduated from business school.  Although we had our share of challenges as a family, including having two handicapped brothers, we never wanted for anything, especially love.

What do you do in your spare time?

Spare time is at a premium these days.  I enjoy regular workouts, but I really try to stay focused on my family whether it’s our boys’ games, family time together or traveling. We are also are huge dog lovers and have two very spoiled Havanese; they bring simple joy into our lives every day.

When are you completely satisfied with your work?

Never.  I admit it, I am a perfectionist and I always push for more.  Each day, we deliver projects to some of the most important brands in the world.  I have very high standards, as do our team members.  We know when it’s time to complete a project, but we always learn from each experience and always strive to do better.

What’s the most important day of your life?

Actually, there were three. The day I got married, and the days that our two sons were born.  It’s hard to see any of these as more important than the other.  Our son Nicholas is now 17 and a junior in high school.  Our son Joseph will turn 20 in January and is a college sophomore. We are truly blessed.

What’s your favorite pig-out food?

Pizza. However, it has to be from a Buffalo pizzeria.

Do you believe there is intelligent life on earth?

I am truly amazed by human competence and potential.  I started my career with no cell phones, fax machines or pagers (imagine that!) and have seen a storm of innovation in my adulthood that has profoundly changed our world.  We can only imagine what’s ahead.

Is there anything you’d like to add?

Not at the moment.  I will as soon as this is published.

Our leadership team of professionals includes an eclectic blend of youthful and seasoned talent, united by their commitment to our clients’ marketing, communications and business strategy needs. This blog is part of a series of posts designed to showcase what makes each member of the team tick.

One of the wittiest members of Next-Mark’s leadership team is Dennis Limbach. Dennis was built to be an expert editor and persuasive journalist. But, what makes him tick?

Convinced there was more than his award-winning writing skills and his astonishing ability to reduce paragraphs to single words with the stroke of a pen (it’s mind-blowing), we decided to venture into the mind of Dennis Limbach.

Who are you?

I’ve never been one of those people who had a plan for life. Whenever I started out in one direction, I always seemed to get detoured somewhere else. For instance, I always said I was “wrecked on the reef of journalism.” I entered college as a natural sciences major, but began writing for the school newspaper and became much more interested in that. Later, as a Florida newspaper reporter, I liked to write different things. I was a travel writer, food and restaurant critic, wrote editorials and a political commentary column. That last got me recruited onto the staff of a U.S. Congressman in Washington, D.C., as press secretary, speechwriter and – later – legislative director. After that, I was an energy lobbyist. You just never know.

Who influenced you to choose this career path?

Interestingly, it wasn’t my dad. He was a self-made design engineer: dropped out of high school to support his family, went back to school later and worked his way up from a draftsman. He didn’t really fully understand my desire to read books and write stories. He was a manufacturing guy. He would never have stood in my way, but my world was a little alien to him. I was fortunate to have many elementary and high school English and History teachers who took an interest in me, helped me, even inspired me.

When are you completely satisfied with your work?

The right answer here probably is “Never.” However, years as a newspaper reporter taught me the importance – no, near sanctity – of deadlines. I’ve had editors rip pages out of my typewriter (yes, I predate word processors) and say, “That’s it, this is going in the paper now. You might not get the Pulitzer for this one, but it will be on time.” I learned from that. I learned to work fast AND accurately. I learned how to do the very best job I could in the time I had. I think everyone should have to work in a news organization for a couple of months. The healthy respect for deadlines AND accuracy that gets drummed into you is a terrific life lesson … one society may be losing sight of to some degree these days.

Describe your childhood.

I was lucky to have a loving family and didn’t really realize until much later how lucky I was for that … how much my parents sacrificed and put my brother and me ahead of them. My house was the place to which all of my childhood friends gravitated. I didn’t realize how special that was again until much later. My father was spontaneous and had a real sense of fun – which is interesting since he felt a true since of duty and was a tough disciplinarian, too. I’m learning about my mother more now, since she sacrificed herself to the family when I was younger and kind of disappeared into the housewife routine back then. She’s grounded, keeps her eyes on the road, not the stars.

What is the last book you read?

I don’t read much popular fiction. I like history – particularly military history, so the last book I read was Max Boot’s “War Made New.” The philosophy and circumstances of conflict – both political and military – have always fascinated me.

Describe yourself in one word.

Edwardian

What is your favorite song?

Oh, something from the ‘60s – that was my musical decade. Anything by the early Beatles (pre- Sgt. Pepper). Strangely, I’ve always liked “Norwegian Wood” off the Rubber Soul album. See? The ‘60s, I still say “album.”

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpower to be?

This is funny because as a pre-teen, I consumed comic books like most people need food. I spent every dime I had buying every issue published by then-Marvel Comics Group. One superpower? Flight … definitely flight.

What’s the most important day of your life?

The day I first saw my wife.

What’s your favorite pig-out food?

No question – barbecue pork. I’m really pretty much a peasant when it comes to food: hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza. That’s odd for a former food editor/writer and restaurant critic who has cooked and eaten some very lavish meals all over the world, and I’m not averse to a nice dinner, but there is nothing like barbecue.

Our leadership team of professionals includes an eclectic blend of youthful and seasoned talent, united by their commitment to our clients’ marketing, communications and business strategy needs. This blog is part of a series of posts designed to showcase what makes each member of the team tick.

One of the most fascinating members of Next-Mark’s leadership team is Kerry Shaw. Kerry was destined to be a master coordinator and organizational leader. But, what makes her tick?

Convinced there was more than just her advanced knowledge of the Dewey Decimal System and her uncanny ability to multitask, we decided to venture into the mind of Kerry Shaw.

Describe your childhood.

I am the only child of loving, kind and super smart parents. My mom is a retired polymer scientist and my dad is a retired physicist. I think they still love me despite the fact that I was an English major (right Mom and Dad?). I spent time by myself reading, but also became an honorary member of some of the large Italian and Irish families in my hometown, so I didn’t miss having siblings.

How long have you been involved in our line of work?

I have been working in marketing-related jobs since I graduated college (mumble mumble) years ago.

What influenced you to choose this career path?

I remember walking out of my first creative brief meeting thinking, ‘Well, that was fun!’ I’ve also been lucky to have some great supervisors who have supported my work and ideas, and passed along leadership advice.

What do you like most about your profession?

The variety of the work. I love the fact that, in the course of an hour, I can discuss brand strategy, comma placement, and HTML coding.

What would you like to improve professionally about yourself?

My perennial favorite…public speaking.

What is the last book you read?

I’m in the midst of Bringing Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel, a novel set in Henry the 8th’s court, just after he married Anne Bolyen.  I think I know how the story ends.

What’s your favorite pig-out food?

Foods that end with ‘i’ – rigatoni, panini, spaghetti, linguini, ravioli, tortellini, cannelloni…you get the picture.

Which areas of the world would you like to explore and why?

South America, especially Argentina. It seems like such a diverse place; I’ve also heard the food is fantastic.

What do you do in your spare time?

Read (do you sense a theme?). Cook. Hike. Play DJ during pre-dinner dance parties.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpower to be?

My daughters recently introduced me to the pantheon of comic book superheroes. I now know enough to say that I’m a Marvel girl and that Rogue is my favorite; she has the power to take on other superheroes’ powers. (Did I just write a full paragraph on superheroes? Yes, why yes, I did.).

Who are your heroes?

Anyone who stands up for the disadvantaged.

If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

Continue dancing. I started ballet when I was five and danced through my sophomore year in high school. I can still remember the positions and my kids convince me to do the occasional pirouette.

How would your friends describe you?

Loyal.

What’s the side of you that the public never sees?

While I’d like to believe that the public never sees it, I suspect that folks may have seen me singing and dancing while driving.