Pinterest, the latest thing in social media, reportedly has grown 226 percent in the past three months.

In case you missed the memo, Pinterest is a “pin-board” type social image-sharing site. Starting out with an emphasis on women posting about recipes, fashion and celebrities, it is now spreading to topics – and users – of all types.

Not only are businesses getting on board but also the U.S. Army, Navy and National Guard, with the General Services Administration currently negotiating terms of service for federal agencies to jump in. And the Obama 2012 campaign made its entry on March 28.

The point is that Pinterest – the site the Washington Post once called “digital crack for women” – is gaining street cred as a dynamic viral medium, as people who share a common interest view, re-pin images or share them via email, Facebook or Twitter. It’s also a juggernaut in directing referral traffic to websites.

Is it a tool that would work for your business and reach your target audiences? We can help you decide. First, though, if you haven’t already, you might want to check out Pinterest and determine for yourself if it’s all it’s “cracked” up to be.

Stay tuned for our very own, Next-Mark, Pinterest..

On a personal level, I don’t tweet. Nary a chirp. That’s because I know my audience and its demographics.

On the other hand [spoiler alert!] I have been known to be a ghost twitterer for clients. Usually, that’s because a company lacks the staff and/or time and/or expertise to keep their tweets relevant and keep followers on their trail.

For businesses, tweets are more than random thoughts distilled to a sort of modern-day haiku. Rather – when they are right for a company and its outreach goals – they are part of a comprehensive and cohesive marketing plan.

In that context, the tiny tweet can loom large.

If you’re already sold, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Tweets should portray your brand identity, that is, your corporate personality. (As I used to tell people in media training, “be yourself” – unless you’re really boring. Then be someone else.)

It’s all about the customer. Content should be about things important to them. Engage them with points of interest, even if they seem a little off track. As long as they remember you said it, you’re staying top of mind.

Have fun. Think of tweeting as less a chore than a creative outlet.

However, if you ever need a ghost twitterer . . .

The 2012 Sarasota Film Festival Film Guides have been released and can be picked up at various locations around town. There’s some of our design extraordinaire, Rob Welling’s, handy work in there so be sure to pick it up and check out the impressive list of films and events.

The Opening Night Film & Party is scheduled for April 13 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, with a Red Carpet at 6:00pm, Film at 7:00pm and party at 9:00pm. Did you get your tickets yet? If not, click here to purchase them online.

This years opening film is Robot and Frank – a dramatic comedy featuring Hollywood stars Frank Langella, James Marsden, Liv Tyler, Susan Sarandon and Peter Sarsgaard. For more information on this film and to purchase tickets from the online box office click here.

This event is only a couple weeks away, hopefully we’ll see you there!

Here are some shots of Next-Mark employee’s, friends, and other guests enjoying the fantastic Sarasota Film Festival Kick-Off event at Selby Gardens. The location for the event was perfect as the sun set over the Sarasota Bay guests enjoyed refreshments provided by local favorite, Libby’s Cafe. For a full event schedule check out the Sarasota Film Festival.

Entrepreneur magazine and The Values Institute recently explored the reasons some brands manage to stay on top. Among the leaders, they found a common denominator: Today’s most trustworthy brands have created relationships with consumers through experiences that trigger a visceral (and positive, of course) response.

They also identified five values that influence trust in a brand: ability (company performance); concern (care for consumers, employees and community); connection (sharing consumers’ values); consistency (dependability of products/services); and sincerity (openness and honesty).

How would your company’s “trust index” fare?

Yeah, yeah, we realize that not every company can be an Amazon or a Coke or a FedEx. That said, however, it can integrate certain of their strategies and tactics at a scale appropriate to its business and target markets.

Need a jumpstart or a tweak to get on the right path? Trust us: We can help.

With March Madness just getting started I thought that this would be a pretty appropriate topic: Brand Identity and Basketball. I can’t help but think about how the thought process that goes into filing out a bracket can be related to the consumer-decision process across different industries. You’ve got your constant powerhouses in college basketball like Kentucky, UCONN, Duke, UNC, and Syracuse – these are the major Brands of college basketball and regardless of how hot that ‘what state is that again’ school maybe, it’s tough to bet against the big guys.

The automotive industry is notorious for this – for example the new hyundai ellentra is great looking, cheap, reliable and when matched up with luxury models in its class there’s not much that differentiates the two but the price tag, but how many of you would purchase a hyundai? I rest my case.

Even when given all the statistical data showing that the less known team or brand is superior most people would rather go with what or who they know. So let’s start building powerhouse Brands people…

Last month, I was asked to do an on-line video testimonial for the “champagne and chocolate facial” at a local spa. I was happy to do so, as I truly enjoyed the experience. (Did I mention there was champagne? AND chocolate?) At any rate, I was reminded of an article I read recently noting the growing trend of on-line reviews and testimonials for products and services. My spa owners said they plan to use the footage to make their web site more personal and friendly, as theirs is definitely a hands-on industry. According to the article, other companies have seen the power of public comment on sites such as Yelp and Angie’s List as a driver for building business. The point is that this is a trend that is gathering speed. Is it right for your business? It may be. We can help you decide and, if so, make the best use of positive customer feedback. Chocolate or no chocolate.

As premiere sponsors of the Sarasota Film Festival, we at Next-Mark are excited to support what is, at its core, a superior marketing event for our community. Not only does the Festival showcase the best in independent filmmaking but also the best in Florida cities.

And it does it in a very smart way, with a full schedule of programs and events that – much like Sarasota – appeals to everyone from the most avid supporter of the arts to the youngest among us, all fueled by the energy of enthusiastic volunteers (another thing we have a lot of around here).

Our team has been working diligently supporting all of the marketing communications visuals around town including advertising, signage, outdoor banners, digital and social media and more.

The bottom line is that, as participants, we have to say we can’t wait. And, as marketers, we have to say: Bravo, Sarasota Film Festival. Bravo.

I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Tom Sherak, President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences speak to a private audience at the Ringling College of Art + Design in Sarasota last night. Beyond the fascinating Hollywood stories about this year’s Oscar presentation, he reminded the audience of something important, “Oscar” is a brand and one of the most recognized brands worldwide.  It has endured for more than eighty years and continues to thrive.

We at Next-Mark look at brand strategy on a daily basis. Ultimately, we strive to assist clients create, build and sustain their brands through every economic, social and cultural cycle.  Will your brand thrive?  Let us know how we can help.