7 Steps to Craft a Compelling and Authentic Brand Story
A brand story is a narrative that encompasses the history, values, mission, and purpose of your brand. It goes beyond just the products or services offered by your brand and delves into the emotional connection it aims to create with its audience. A brand story typically communicates the essence of your brand, illustrating what sets it apart from competitors and why stakeholders should care about it.
A compelling brand story helps to humanize your brand, making it more relatable and engaging to consumers. It can create a sense of loyalty and connection among customers, as they resonate with the brand’s values and mission. A well-crafted brand story can also help to differentiate the brand in a crowded marketplace and establish a unique identity that sticks in the minds of consumers.
Overall, a brand story is a powerful tool for building brand awareness, fostering customer loyalty, and shaping the perception of the brand in the minds of consumers.
Developing a brand story involves several key steps to ensure that the narrative effectively communicates the essence of the brand and resonates with the target audience. Here are the steps typically involved in developing a brand story:
1. Curate Your Brand Identity
Start by defining your brand’s mission, values, and unique selling proposition.
Understand what sets your brand apart from competitors and what value you offer to your customers.
2. Know Your Audience:
Identify and understand your target audience, including their demographics, preferences, and behaviors.
Consider what kind of story would resonate with your audience and how it can address their needs and aspirations
3. Launch Research Initiative:
Conduct market research to gather insights about your industry, competitors, and consumer trends.
Use customer feedback, surveys, and interviews to understand how your brand is currently perceived and what aspects of your brand resonate with customers.
4. Craft Your Brand Story:
Develop a narrative that reflects your brand’s history, values, and mission.
Create a compelling story that connects emotionally with your audience and communicates the essence of your brand.
5. Choose Your Brand Voice:
Define the tone and voice of your brand story, ensuring it aligns with your brand’s personality and values.
Determine whether your brand voice is casual, professional, authoritative, playful, etc.
6. Create Consistent Messaging:
Ensure that your brand story is integrated into all aspects of your brand’s communication, including marketing assets, website content, social media posts, and customer interactions.
Maintain consistency in messaging to reinforce your brand story and build brand recognition
7. Test and Refine:
Test your brand story with additional research or through feedback mechanisms to gauge its effectiveness.
Continuously evaluate and refine your brand story based on customer feedback and market insights.
The Top 10 Questions We Get Asked as a Marketing Communications Agency (and the ones you should be asking)!
A marketing communications agency can be a powerful partner, but when considering a partnership with one you should take care to do your research first. How do you find the right one? Here the top 10 questions you should be asking when engaging a marketing communications agency to provide the most insights into whether they can provide you with results and most importantly, whether they’re a good fit for your business. Let’s dive in!
1.What is your process for developing a marketing strategy tailored to our business?
Understanding how a marketing communications agency crafts strategies for each client speaks volumes about their approach and effectiveness. The key lies in truly delving into a client’s story and who they are as a brand. It starts with asking about their business, grasping their narrative—this lays the groundwork for tailoring a marketing strategy that resonates. So, when you inquire about their process for developing such strategies, you’re not just seeking a checklist; you’re evaluating their depth of understanding. It’s about ensuring they align with your business goals, dive into your target audience and competitive landscape, infuse innovation, and prioritize measurable outcomes.
2.What specific strategies can you implement to increase our brand visibility?
In today’s world, there’s no shortage of marketing tools, but what truly matters is not simply having them to play with but knowing how to wield them effectively and adapt them in real-time. It’s all about understanding the purpose behind each strategy and how they contribute to your goals. So, when you ask about specific strategies aimed at boosting brand visibility, you’re probing their creativity as well as their strategic prowess. It’s about verifying they can think outside the box to elevate your brand’s presence, tap into new audiences, and propel your growth forward.
3.How can you help us reach our target audience more effectively?
When you ask a marketing communications agency how they can assist in reaching your target audience more effectively, you’re tasking them with addressing one of the biggest challenges for any business: connecting with their audience. By acknowledging this challenge, you’re signaling to the agency the importance of their role in overcoming it. It prompts them to exhibit their expertise in understanding your audience’s nuances, selecting the most appropriate channels and messaging, optimizing campaigns based on data insights, and continuously refining strategies to maximize engagement and conversions. It assesses their ability to customize their approach to resonate with your specific audience and achieve your business objectives.
4.How will you measure the success of our marketing campaigns?
This is really two questions in one. Inquiring how a marketing agency will measure the success of your campaigns asks them to outline their methodology for ascertaining the impact of their efforts. It leads them to discuss the metrics they prioritize, such as conversion rates, ROI, website traffic, engagement levels, or customer acquisition costs, and how they track and analyze these metrics over time. It underscores the importance of not only implementing campaigns but also measuring their effectiveness and adjusting strategies based on data-driven insights, certifying your marketing efforts are yielding concrete results.
5.What is your approach to content creation and distribution?
When you ask a marketing communications agency about their approach to content creation and distribution, you’re essentially investigating into their commitment to delivering high-quality, tailored content that connects with your audience. This question gets them to discuss their creative process, emphasizing how they craft content uniquely tailored to your business’s voice, values, and objectives. Furthermore, you’re interested in their distribution strategy — how they make certain your content reaches the right audience through channels carefully selected to align with your target demographic and business goals. It goes beyond a standard content production plan; it proves their dedication to producing exceptional content that reflects your brand identity and drives meaningful engagement with your audience.
6. Can you provide case studies or examples of past successful campaigns similar to what we’re looking to achieve?
Requesting case studies or examples of past successful campaigns comparable to your objectives is essential. Such evidence showcases the agency’s expertise and track record, providing proof of their ability to deliver results. In addition, reviewing these case studies offers how they may apply proven techniques to your campaigns, aiding in the alignment of expectations and risk mitigation. Ultimately, it enables you to make a well-informed decision about partnering with an agency that has an established history of achieving goals similar to yours.
7.How do you stay updated with the latest trends, technologies, and changes in themarketing landscape?
To gauge a marketing agency’s effectiveness, look at how they stay relevant. This involves staying updated with trends, technologies, and changes in the marketing landscape. Asking about their strategies for staying ahead of the curve gives rise to discussions on their commitment to learning and innovation, be it through conferences, professional development, publications, or digital tools. It displays their proactive approach to adapting strategies and embracing emerging technology for your business’s benefit.
8.What is your process for communication and collaboration throughout the duration of our partnership?
People value trust and enjoyable experiences when they enter into a partnership. How an agency fosters transparent, efficient, and productive working relationships is crucial. You want them to detail their communication channels, update frequency, and feedback solicitation methods. Additionally, you’re keen on how they keep alignment and accountability, whether through meetings, tools, or account managers. This gauges their commitment to open dialogue, proactive problem-solving, and fostering a collaborative atmosphere for mutual trust and success in the partnership’s duration.
9.Do you offer integrated marketing services, and how do you ensure consistency across different channels?
Integrated marketing services and consistency across channels ensures a cohesive brand experience for your audience across various touchpoints, maximizing the impact of your marketing efforts. A good agency knows maintaining consistency across channels is critical to building trust and credibility with your audience, and it’s their job to harmonize your brand’s message with every piece of content. You need to guarantee your brand’s identity remains intact across various platforms, reinforcing its impact and resonance with your target audience.
10.What sets your agency apart from others, and why should we choose you?
Finally, this may seem extraneous, but it delves into the unique value proposition of the marketing agency and helps you understand why they stand out in a crowded field, uncovering their distinctive strengths and advantages over competitors. This enables you to make an informed decision based on their expertise, track record, or innovative approaches that align with your marketing objectives. Moreover, it assists in determining if the agency is a good fit for your business, ensuring that their capabilities align with your needs and goals.
Don’t do it alone. Reach out to us for a marketing partner with two decades of propelling of clients’ brands forward. If we can help, contact us at 941.544.2765.
Influencers, Gen Z, and their impact on the Marketplace
Micah Katz, Marketing Intern
In today’s digital landscape, we are bombarded from the time we wake up to the time we go to bed. This constant exposure shapes our preferences and influences our purchasing decisions.
At the forefront of this advertising onslaught are influencers, whose numbers have grown exponentially since the pandemic and have amassed huge followings on social media platforms. They wield immense power, and their curated lifestyles and products create a sense of aspiration and desire among their followers.
This has become a key strategy for brands looking to reach younger audiences. Their influence on Gen Z’s social media personalities cannot be overstated. They portray a glamorous lifestyle that, when examined, creates a sense of inadequacy among those who don’t understand that an influencer’s life is based on half-truths and deception. Companies and brands are able to profit from these half-truths because people are more likely to buy products due to word-of-mouth marketing.
The profitability of influencers is only going to grow. Being able to capitalize on those that would do almost anything to make money has allowed companies to grow exponentially, especially with how spending has unparalleled convenience and access in this digital age. As this symbiotic relationship between brands and influencers continues to grow, it’s important to ask how it will affect us in the future.
While navigating this digital landscape, we must evaluate the impact of influencers on our choices and strive to maintain a healthy balance between aspiration and reality. Businesses profit from cheaper means of advertising, which leads us to figure out where this new way of marketing will lead us. Businesses will continue to sell, our consumerism will only grow, so we must find a way to keep the world in check. It might be stricter limits on sponsorships online or a shift with the coming TikTok ban, either way, it will be worth keeping an eye on.
Seven Questions to Consider When Mapping Your Digital Public Relations Strategy
2024 has been a year of continuous evolution for public relations. In this era, here are seven questions to consider as you manage your PR strategy:
1. IS AI A TOOL TO BE USED OR AVOIDED?
As AI becomes more and more prevalent in our daily lives it’s easy to understand why this tool can make your job easier. Its functionality takes out some of the guesswork, streamlines processes, and adjusts messaging as needed. But, it’s not a replacement for a dedicated PR team member, because it doesn’t understand the importance of connection and the “relationship” part of the PR role. It’s a helpful tool, no doubt, but don’t let it take the place of engaging your audience on a personalized level.
2. HOW DO YOU FIGHT THE SHRINKING NEWS HOLE?
Traditional news outlets are facing an ongoing process of retraction. Since less space is available, whether digitally or in print, it’s more important than ever to make your pitches unique and attention-grabbing. Also, building, growing, and maintaining relationships with the media is equally important. Your email is not the only one hitting their inboxes, so a compelling pitch and a phone call could do more for your story than a single social post. Just because there’s less space for news, doesn’t mean there’s less space for yours.
3. WHAT DIGITAL OPPORTUNITIES DID YOU MISS?
If you didn’t take the time to understand your customers and create compelling content that speaks to them directly, then you’ve failed to connect your project or product to their lives and experiences. Your messaging must be consistent, strategically designed, and used over multiple platforms to ensure it reaches as many as possible.
4.HOW DID THOSE DIGITAL MISSTEPS IMPACT YOU?
Social media is vitally important, but so is your website presence and how you raise awareness among your base. Your website should be a one-stop shop for the information you’re sharing with your audience, a standardized repository that keeps messaging accessible for all. Social should lead to your website and vice versa. Create a circle of information that encourages your base to feel they have multiple ways to access your services.
5. DO YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE AND CAN YOU ANTICIPATE THEIR NEEDS?
You can’t predict the future, but you do need to take steps to learn more about those you’re trying to reach.Social media may be the most obvious approach, but looking ahead by leveraging other forms of communication is crucial. For instance, are there opportunities to combine a grass-roots, feet-on-the-street approach to tailor information directly to your audience?
6.HOW IMPORTANT IS THE POWER OF STORYTELLING TO YOUR DIGITAL CAMPAIGN?
Your product or initiative will always connect more directly with your audience when you engage on a personal level. Remember, your customers will be attracted to your services for a number of reasons, but can you tell a personal story, maybe even about yourself, to humanize and relate to them more profoundly?
7.WHY SHOULD PEOPLE LISTEN TO YOU?
Brands are now their own news outlets. They leverage their digital platforms to tell their own stories. But, while brands are targeting specific audiences for specific reasons, your role as a PR professional is to understand audiences regardless of the reason. This is reflected in the ways in which you represent your client digitally, in writing, and in informing through your own expertise. Your digital footprint will only expand as a result.
The questions inherent to marketing and PR can be daunting and extend far beyond those listed here. But starting from a place of looking inward, you’ll better understand what those outside of your organization may see. It’s an old, and let’s face it, cliché saying, but you often need to take a few steps back in order to move forward more efficiently.
Marketing Continuity: There is NEVER a right time to pause your marketing activities
It is not uncommon for me to hear, “Let’s pause our marketing communications for now.” This kind of interruption can be a serious mistake for your business and your brand.
An enduring marketing communications strategy is built on consistency along with solid best practices, which includes a steady flow of activities within your marketing ecosystem.
Imagine you’re a customer, and the brand you love isn’t consistent with its messaging. They speak and act differently from day to day and don’t communicate often. You’ll eventually completely tune out. That’s why marketing continuity is so important. Because without it, your biggest fans won’t know what you stand for, won’t hear what you’re saying, and ultimately will stop listening.
What is marketing continuity?
It starts with consistency. Although it isn’t the sole focus, marketing continuity is all about maintaining a consistent flow of content driving engagement, and disseminating communications across all your marketing platforms, whatever channel the activity is on. It’s vital to succeed with your marketing strategy.
By being consistent across your platforms, you’re showing your customers that your marketing identity is unified and cohesive. The more prospects can identify with your marketing message, the higher the probability they will engage and invest in your value proposition.
Why does it matter?
Making sure you’re speaking with continuity and consistency is crucial because your marketing identity is everything to your business. Continuity matters because it lets people know what you offer. It leaves a lasting impression on potential and existing customers alike.
Finally, marketing continuity is important because it helps set you apart from competitors. Wherever your brand is, competitors are also likely to be. A consistent message across all your channels means that people will know who you are and what you do and will be able to pick you out from the crowd.
That’s why putting real effort into establishing and maintaining your marketing communications activities and its continuity is so important for your business’s success. It will benefit you now, but more importantly, it will have a lasting impact and benefit you well into the future.
If our team can help, please feel free to contact me directly at josephgrano@next-mark.com or call 941.544.2765.
Next-Mark Shines at American Advertising Federation (AAF) Suncoast Awards
The Sarasota-based marketing and communications agencyearns 11 awards for creative excellence.
Sarasota-based marketing and communications firm, Next-Mark, earned a total of 11 awards at this year’s American Advertising Federation’s (AAF) 2024 ADDY® awards, Light Up the ADDY’S, at the Suncoast district awards ceremony.
Of the awards, spanning multiple categories, Next-Mark excelled in several categories including Out-of-Home & Ambient Media, Print Advertising, Online/Interactive Microsites, Sales & Marketing, Magazine Design, Elements of Advertising, Film, Video & Sound, and Advertising/Media Industry Self-Promotion. The most noteworthy of which were two Gold ADDYs, one for Out-of-Home & Ambient Media and the other for Advertising/Media Industry Self-Promotion, as well as the prestigious Judge’s Choice Amy Award for trade show design.
“It’s an honor just to be recognized in one category, but to be acknowledged for several, it really cements Next-Mark’s belief that marketing communications is integral to a larger business strategy,” says Joseph Grano, Founder and President of Next-Mark, LLC.
Among the work commended were local standouts for project partnerships with the City of Sarasota, St. Armands Circle, International publishing giant, Elsevier, and The Sarasota Players. Each of these bodies of work aided in propelling local businesses forward in the Sarasota area this past year.
“Being a business locally based in Southwest, Florida and working with other local businesses here has allowed us to connect to our community with a greater purpose. The satisfaction we get from contributing to the vibrant area we live, and work is immeasurable.”
About AAF
The American Advertising Federation protects and promotes the well-being of advertising. They accomplish this through a unique, nationally coordinated grassroots network of advertisers, agencies, media companies, local advertising clubs, and college chapters. Headquartered in Washington, DC, they are the “Unifying Voice for Advertising.” The AAF has more than 200 local clubs across the U.S. representing nearly 40,000 advertising professionals, connecting, and leading the industry.
About Next-Mark, LLC
Next-Mark, LLC is a full-service, award-winning marketing communications agency based in Sarasota, FL. It helps business leaders beat their growth targets by delivering better competitive insights, more powerful branding, stronger strategies, and faster results. Breaking away from the constraints of traditional marketing service organizations, the Next-Mark team facilitates new conversations about a client’s brand, integrating experience, analytics, and innovation in developing strategic marketing solutions to meet clients’ individual needs. Next-Mark focuses on internationally and nationally recognized brands along with growing companies across a broad spectrum of categories, including healthcare, technology, hospitality and entertainment, technology, tourism, retail, destination, real estate, environmental, marine products, and tourism. With clients from California to South Africa, its roster includes industry leaders such as Comcast/NBC, LexisNexis, Elsevier, Nuance Communications, CMX/Cinebistro, along with Florida-based clients including The City of Sarasota, DWYLA Landscape Architects, John Cannon Homes, Willis Smith Construction, St. Armands Circle, Sweet Sparkman Architecture and Interiors, Michael Saunders, Yarnall Moving and Storage, CitySide Apartments, and Barancik Foundation, among others.
Super Bowl Sunday is a time-honored tradition for most Americans, and it’s no different for our team at Next Mark. Whether it’s tuning in for the game, ads, or halftime show, there’s something for everyone. You can probably guess here at Next Mark, being marketing and communications professionals, the ads are our favorite part. Seeing how companies marketed their brands on one of TV’s biggest nights, not only provides us with entertainment and laughs but also gives us insights into what works and what falls flat So, we polled the team on our favorite and least favorite ads from the night to give you our Next Mark Super Bowl LVIII Ad Review.
The Good
Star power and comedic timing propelled ads from State Farm, CeraVe, and Dunkin’ to the top of our list. With appearances from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, Michael Cera, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Matt Damon, and Tom Brady, it was hard for viewers to not be engaged. Whether it was the humor behind “neighbuh,” a coincidental naming incident, or a marital spat, these ads left a lasting impact on us.
The Bad
It’s no surprise that this year, unlike any other year, some Super Bowl ads didn’t leave a lasting impression. Snapchat and CrowdStrike were our team’s lowest-ranked ads. Both companies relied heavily on flashy visuals and fell short on delivering a clear message.
Honorable Mentions
Super Bowl LVIII delivered a plethora of ads that left our team with insight. It’s moments like these that provide us with inspiration and sparks of creativity. It motivates us to continue to propel our clients’ brands with content that leaves lasting impressions and creates meaningful conversations, even if they start with a bit of humor. As we look to the future, our team remains dedicated to excellence and innovation in our work.
A theme we saw and adored this year was the prevalence of TV reunions and references. Tina Fey and the 30 Rock cast teamed up for Booking.com, while Zach Braff and Donald Faison (Scrubs) reunited for T-Mobile alongside Jason Momoa and a surprise appearance from Jennifer Beals, wrapping up a Flashdance reference. The Suits cast made appearances for both T-Mobile and E.L.F. Beauty, adding to the nostalgia factor. Beyoncé shone in Verizon’s ad, weaving in references to notable pop culture events from the past year. Uber Eats boasted a star-studded cast, with Jennifer Aniston and one of her Friends co-stars, David Schwimmer, among the highlights. These ads showcased the power of celebrity collaborations and humor to captivate an audience and create a memorable viewing experience.
Each year our industry makes predictions and identifies prevailing trends for the year. Here is our list for 2024.
Brand stories continue to fuel business.
Every Business starts with a brand promise. It is core to your success. Now, more than ever, it is time to nurture your brand to sustain and enhance brand identity and equity.
Reputation Management is a PR discipline.
Public Relations in the digital age is more important than ever. PR has evolved from traditional media relations to digital reputation and crisis management. Every online review, comment, or conversation can impact your brand positively or negatively in the future.
New technologies continue to emerge, but don’t let them monopolize your decision-making.
Remember, whether it’s the latest AI application or the latest software solution, do your research and be aware of your choices and the potential impact on your business.
The obsession with measurement continues.
We hear it continuously, “How do you measure marketing success”? The question should now be “How do you choose among an abundance of measurement tools to measure your success?”. Make the accurate choice to correctly measure marketing and communicative effectiveness.
The Social Media evolution continues.
What was once a revolution is now an evolution. We continue to see social media evolve with new emerging choices. Remember, it is first about reporting the news and telling your story. However, social media platforms are increasingly becoming e-commerce ecosystems, which is expected to impact the digital shopping landscape significantly. In the future, we anticipate major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to lead the way in integrating more prominent shopping features into their user experience. This includes streamlined shopping journeys, enhanced product discovery, immersive experiences, and social proof to drive future purchases.
The investment in curating authentic content continues to be core to marketing communications success.
Content must be authentic, fact-based, and aligned with your brand. It’s clear that nowadays, strong content serves as a basis for business credibility and integrity.
Companies will embrace sustainability and purpose-driven marketing.
As environmental concerns continue to take center stage, consumers increasingly seek brands that align with their values. To achieve success, it will be essential for businesses to adopt sustainable and purpose-driven marketing strategies that are authentic to the brand. It’s not enough to showcase eco-friendly initiatives. Instead, brands must actively incorporate sustainable practices, support social causes, and authentically validate their purpose.
CRM solutions are no longer a nice-to-have, but a must-have.
Client Relationship Management is now a business essential, whether it’s Salesforce, HubSpot, or a proprietary solution, CRMs provide a new level of intimacy with clients and prospects alike.
Street-level and grassroots marketing are more than viable, they are a reality.
How do you get closer to your customer beyond a digital touchpoint? There is a need to get beyond the emails, and digital tracking and reach out on a more personal level. Events, high-touch promotions, street-level campaigns, and neighborhood domination will continue to grow.
2024 will be a year of continued economic growth and a new wave of marketing communications tactics, issues, and opportunities. Ultimately, be curious, conscientious, and courageous in your choices for 2024. If we can help, contact us at info@next-mark.com or call 941.544.2765…
Every year has its highs and lows, its wins and losses, and like in marketing and communications, how you see them is all about perspective and how you choose to grow from them is entirely up to you. Though our year had its challenges, we know our resilience and accomplishments are far greater and stronger than the tribulations we faced to earn them. So, we would like to take a moment to look back on 2023 and be proud of what we have achieved this year.
MARKERS & MILESTONES Without further ado, let’s dig into peak Next-Mark moments, shall we?
Hosts with the Most We made our way around town in 2023 and word on the street is we like to have a good time. Our team organized and hosted some of the biggest events in Sarasota of the year. From the freshest block parties to engaging, intimate gatherings and tailor-made hospitality launches, our events were instant hits.
Supporting Local Organizations We were the corporate sponsor for FPRA’s (Florida Public Relations Association) Central West Coast Chapter in 2023. It was a pleasure to champion our coast’s community of PR professionals and help support them as they foster connections and provide education in the public relations and communications fields.
15 Awards to Back It Up
Recognizing our Core Business Although the Next-Mark team isn’t typically one for boasting, we came out on top quite a few times this year, and if we can’t plug ourselves in our Year in Review, when can we? With thirteen ADDY awards and one Statewide Caribbean Gold Angel Award from the AAF (American Advertising Federation), it’s safe to say we worked our tails off to produce unparalleled work for our clients this year.
13 ADDY AWARDS
1 Statewide & Caribbean Gold Angel
Oh, and we can’t forget about the celebrity around the office, our Manager of Client Experience and Development, Travis Cornwell, who received a Rising Star award from FPRA.
1 Rising Star
In the Headlines This blog may be about us, but we’re really all about our clients’ successes day in and day out. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to catapult their businesses to the front and center of audiences and showcase the incredible work they do. 5 Front Page Cover Stories
Onwards & Upwards Like with all new endeavors, it takes time to cultivate and establish them. When done right, though, the results are well worth the effort. We are proud to report we increased our Salesforce client base by 40% in 2023.
WRAPPING UP THE WRAPPED Our culture is one of “how can we step up”? It’s in our name, after all. We are always looking toward the next step in growth for our team and clients, but you can’t grow without building on what came before. Moving into 2024, we take with us all our experiences from 2023, the good and the challenging, while never losing the values that got us here in the first place: kindness, loyalty, and trust. From the Next-Mark team to you, May the joy of gathering with friends and family, cozying up with festive traditions, and the spirit of giving fill your heart with warmth this holiday season. Warmly wishing you and your loved one’s good tidings. Till next year!
Looking to hit the next mark in your business goals in 2024? Let us help you achieve those New Year’s resolutions.
Sarasota-based marketing and communications agency receives Statewide and Caribbean Gold Angel Award
SARASOTA, FLORIDA (November 29, 2023) –Next-Mark, a full-service marketing and communications agency serving clients in Florida and nationwide, was recently recognized with AAF’s Gold Angel Award for their exemplary public service work in advertising during the 5th Annual American Advertising Federation District 4 Angel Awards ceremony in Tallahassee, FL.
At this year’s Angel Awards, competing in the category of Organization or Cause Promotion, Next-Mark received a Gold Angel, the highest accolade awarded in a category, for their community-based work with Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation.
“Although we create for a wide variety of businesses, it’s incredibly important to us that we participate in and support organizations doing great work in our own community,” says Joseph Grano, President of Next-Mark, who accepted the award on behalf of his team. “To be recognized by our peers for the work we do in our region with local non-profits who are making a difference in our community is just an added bonus to the gratification we get from doing these kinds of projects.”
Every year, the American Advertising Federation District 4 conducts the Angel Award Competition, honoring the very best in public service advertising by honoring campaigns that demonstrate exceptional results and execution. The awards combine two missions of the organization: to utilize industry expertise to address community issues, and to celebrate and honor advertising excellence. Entrants consisted of a variety of advertising service providers, public service organizations, and special interest causes and groups located in Florida and the Caribbean.
“Seeing all of the excellent work in public service advertising created in Florida and the Caribbean year after year is incredibly inspiring. Creativity and innovation continue to evolve in our market, while dedication to creating an impact grows stronger each year,” says Giavona Williams, Governor of AAF District 4. “The award-winning work always gives a deep look at the current issues that impact us. This year was no exception. COVID, social issues, fundraising challenges, drugs; public service advertising addresses it all,” stated Mike Weber, Chair of this year’s Angel Awards competition.
The AAF District 4 is one of 15 regional American Advertising Federation (AAF) Districts nationally. It is comprised of 18 local federations located throughout Florida and the Caribbean. The AAF District 4 is different from any other advertising trade organization because it is comprised of a network of professionals that represent all disciplines of advertising at all levels. The District’s goal is to inspire, inform, and educate advertising professionals, mentor advertising students, monitor legislative issues, recognize excellence, promote public service causes, and help build our economy. For more information, visit https://www.4aaf.com/.
About Next-Mark
Next-Mark, LLC is a full-service, award-winning marketing communications agency based in Sarasota, FL. It helps business leaders beat their growth targets by delivering better competitive insights, more powerful branding, stronger strategies and faster results. Breaking away from the constraints of traditional marketing service organizations, the Next-Mark team facilitates new conversations about a client’s brand, integrating experience, analytics and innovation in developing strategic marketing solutions to meet clients’ individual needs. Next-Mark focuses on internationally and nationally recognized brands along with growing companies across a broad spectrum of categories, including home services, architecture, government, healthcare, technology, hospitality and entertainment, tourism, retail, real estate, environmental, marine products and tourism. With clients from California to South Africa, its roster includes industry leaders such as Comcast/NBC, LexisNexis, Elsevier, Neuroflow, Nuance Communications, CMX/Cinebistro, Medecision, CGI, California Pizza Kitchen, along with Florida-based clients including The City of Sarasota, Willis Smith Construction, St. Armands Circle, Sweet Sparkman Architecture and Interiors, Get Coastal Exteriors, John Cannon Homes, Yarnall Moving and Storage, CitySide Apartments, and The Met Sarasota among others. For more information, visit its website at www.next-mark.com.
