Touchdown or Fumble? Brand Awareness Lessons from the Most Iconic Super Bowl Ads

The Super Bowl is an event that transcends the sport of football and has become a cultural phenomenon. Over the years, the ads aired during the game have become as anticipated as the showdown on the field. Every year, companies shell out millions for  30 precious seconds of air time, hoping to capture a magical moment of brand awareness that resonates with the audience. Countless campaigns have soared to iconic status, becoming part of our everyday culture. Others have landed with a thud. 

There’s so much to be learned from every marketing or advertising campaign. In this blog post, we’ll dive into some of our favorite “touchdowns” and notorious “fumbles” from past Super Bowl campaigns, extracting valuable insights into effective brand awareness strategies.

 

Touchdown: Budweiser’s “Puppy Love” Commercial (2014)

As dog lovers, Budweiser’s “Puppy Love” campaign definitely made our list. The commercial featured a heartwarming story of a friendship between a puppy and a Clydesdale horse. The ad resonated with viewers emotionally and received widespread praise, becoming one of the most beloved Super Bowl commercials in recent years.

The lesson: Emotional connection is king. People remember stories that make them feel something, and Budweiser masterfully tapped into that with their adorable furry friends.

 

Fumble: Nationwide’s “Make Safe Happen” Commercial (2015)

Nationwide’s commercial during Super Bowl XLIX, which featured a young boy lamenting all the life events he would miss due to a preventable accident, sparked controversy and backlash for its dark and somber tone. Many viewers found the ad depressing and inappropriate for a Super Bowl audience.

The lesson: Recognizing when and where your message lands is crucial. While serious messaging can be impactful, understanding the context in which your audience engages with your brand is crucial to avoid alienating them.

 

Touchdown: Doritos’ “Crash the Super Bowl” Campaign (2007-2016)

For nearly a decade, Doritos’ “Crash the Super Bowl” campaign invited consumers to create their own commercials for the chance to have them aired during the Super Bowl. This crowdsourcing approach generated immense buzz and engagement, with the winning ads consistently ranking among the most popular during the game.

The lesson: Don’t be afraid to empower your audience to be part of your brand story. Sometimes, the best way to promote your brand is to let your fans create their own magic.

 

Fumble: Mountain Dew’s “PuppyMonkeyBaby” Commercial (2016) 

This bizarre concoction of a puppy, a monkey, and a baby might have aimed for quirky, but it landed squarely in the “annoying” territory. Unhinged marketing can be effective, but only when it resonates with your brand identity and doesn’t alienate your audience. 

The lesson: There’s a fine line between being memorable and being off-putting. That’s why you should exercise caution and ensure that your attempts at creativity align with your brand identity and resonate with your target audience.

 

Field Goal: Apple’s “1984” Commercial (1984)

Apple’s iconic “1984” commercial, directed by Ridley Scott, aired during Super Bowl XVIII. While now considered iconic, this ad was initially controversial. The dark, dystopian imagery and political undertones went over some viewers’ heads, and it wasn’t immediately clear what product was being advertised. However, the ad’s boldness and originality eventually won over audiences and critics alike.

The lesson: Brand awareness can be a marathon, not a sprint. If you’re playing the long game, ensure your brand narrative is consistent and resonates with your audience over time.

 

Ready to Make Every Snap Count?

One of the marketing principles we constantly reiterate is that brand awareness is a journey, not a destination. It’s about consistently moving the ball down the field, learning from each play, and adapting your strategy based on the ever-changing game. So, take inspiration from these iconic ads. Celebrate the touchdowns, analyze the fumbles, and remember: the most important element is creating a brand experience that resonates with your audience long after the final whistle blows.

Want to brainstorm some winning brand awareness strategies for your business? Contact Green Apple Strategy today! We’re a team of passionate marketers who can help you tell your brand story and score big with your customers.

How Video Marketing Works to Capture Your Audience’s Attention 

Capturing and keeping your audience’s attention is a constant battle. You pour your heart into crafting compelling messages, but sometimes words just don’t cut it. That’s where video marketing comes in—a potent force that can capture attention and forge a deeper connection with your viewers.

We’re passionate about helping businesses harness the power of video marketing, and we’ve seen how it transforms brands from faceless entities to relatable, engaging forces. Ready to get started? First, let’s look at why video is so valuable.

The Value of Video Marketing

Why is video marketing such a game-changer? The stats speak for themselves:

  • People retain 95% of a message they watch in a video, compared to 10% when reading text. (Source)
  • Incorporating videos on landing pages can result in a staggering 80% boost in conversion rates. (Source)
  • Videos are shared 12 times more often than text and image content combined. (Source)
  • 92% of video marketers in 2023 say video gives them a good ROI. (Source)

These numbers paint a clear picture: video is more engaging, memorable, and effective at driving conversions than traditional marketing tactics. But what makes it tick? Here’s the magic behind the curtain:

  • Emotional connection: Videos tap into our emotions, allowing us to connect with brands on a personal level. A well-crafted video can evoke laughter, tears, or awe, instantly forging a bond with your audience.
  • Storytelling power: Videos let you subtly weave in your brand narrative, showcasing your values, mission, and the people behind the scenes.
  • Visual impact: Let’s face it, words can be dry, and it takes work to read them. Videos bring your brand to life with vibrant visuals, dynamic motion, and engaging design. This multi-sensory experience leaves a lasting impression on viewers.
  • Versatility: There is an incredible range of styles and formats you can pull from: explainer animations, product demos, live streams, and customer testimonials.  The possibilities are endless with video. There’s an approach for every message and every audience.

Captivating Video Marketing Ideas to Capture Attention

We’ve successfully filmed and edited many different types of videos to cater to the diverse needs of our clients. If you’re not sure where to begin, consider one of the following videos to jump in and start creating. (And if you need a little more guidance, we’re always here to ideate, plan, and execute a comprehensive video marketing strategy for you!)

 

Company Overview Videos 

Embedding videos on your website is a game-changer. It allows you to convey information in a visually appealing manner. To understand how, take a look at one of the videos we created for The Gardner School, providing a glimpse into their ethos and environment. 

 

Client Testimonial Videos

Let your satisfied customers do the talking! A video testimonial builds trust by showcasing real people’s positive experiences with your brand. This video we created for Crain Construction shares clients expressing their satisfaction with the projects they completed with Crain.

 

Campaign or Brand Videos

Videos for specific campaigns or initiatives can be tailored to add a personalized touch. The video we crafted for United’s Project UNITE initiative is a prime example, effectively conveying a message and generating enthusiasm for their efforts to bridge the digital divide in Middle Tennessee.

 

Thought Leadership Videos

Videos are a great way to share your knowledge and build credibility. You can establish yourself as an industry expert with video masterclasses, Q&A sessions, or insightful interviews. Our master-class style video for textLIVING positions the brand as an authority in its domain, fostering trust and credibility.

 

Lights, Camera, Connection: Leverage the Power of Video Marketing

In a world saturated with content, video marketing emerges as a powerful way to capture the hearts of your audience. If you’re seeking a way to stand out and forge meaningful connections, don’t underestimate the power of video—because, after all, it might just be love at first watch for your audience.

Ready to take your marketing to the next level with video? Contact Green Apple Strategy to start creating your marketing masterpiece!

How To Hone Your Social Media Strategy

Social media is a powerful marketing tool, but it can be challenging to plan and execute successfully. Because there are so many different platforms with changing algorithms, it can be a challenge to make content choices that resonate with your audience. Although it may seem complex, the best practices of content creation also apply to social media. In this blog, we wanted to get back to basics, reminding you of the simple but effective way you can cut through the noise and consistently engage your audience. 

 

Define Your Target Audience

If your content doesn’t resonate with your audience, it’s missing the mark. But the best way to determine what might increase follows, clicks, and shares is to have a solid concept of who your audience is. Your target audience is the group of people most likely to be interested in your product or service. Take a moment to clarify who that is. If you’re working with a marketing agency, they should be able to tell you who is most interested in your brand, including demographic features like geographic location, income bracket, and interests. With this information in hand, you can tailor your content more accurately to address the needs of your potential customers. 

 

Figure Out Where Your Audience Is 

Defining your target audience will also help you to know which social media platforms to focus on. If your audience is on TikTok, posting on LinkedIn won’t reach them. Determine the platforms your clients and customers prefer before creating content for them. Defining your target audience will also help you to know which social media platforms to focus on. If you’re feeling a little confused about how to determine this, our recent blog can help you identify which platforms are right for your business.

 

Create Engaging Content 

When it comes to creating engaging content, let your target audience, brand goals, messaging, and brand voice help guide you. Varying content to include infographics, photos, and videos is essential. It can be easy to get carried away, investing in content or formats that don’t resonate with your audience. Remember to engage in self-reflection to accurately assess your approach. What might grab someone’s attention? Don’t be afraid to conduct research on competitors or other accounts your audience is following. Other brands and influencers can give you creative ideas about how to effectively present your content. There are dozens of social media marketing tools that can help you organize ideas, strategize, create images, post content, and measure results. Take a look at this blog to read about the five tools we’ve come to rely on over the years.

 

Identify Your Benchmarks and Goals

Katie Shayotovich, one of Green Apple’s Marketing Strategists, always makes it a priority to research and identify industry benchmarks for each client she manages. 

“Looking up benchmarks for your industry can help you understand if your engagements and impressions are hitting the mark. For example, here are higher education benchmarks for 2023. These benchmarks can help a brand determine what their realistic goals should be and help strategize content ideas.”

It’s important to set goals and strategic pillars for your content, and accurate benchmarks can help you set realistic and achievable social media goals. These goals can then help you assess how content is performing. Part of your goals should also be deciding what you want prospects to do when they interact with your social media presence. Do you want to build brand awareness? Drive them to the website? Fill out a contact form? Share your content and increase your social media reach? What helps you turn a lead into a customer? The answer will be different for every organization.  

 

Review Analytics Monthly 

Take a step back and look at the analytics. Longitudinal data from previous months or years will equip you with meaningful insights that can guide your future content creation. Understand what performed best and adjust your strategy accordingly. 

Determine how often you want to assess your reports for actionable data. We recommend reviewing reports monthly, but you can also check your analytics throughout the month as needed, especially if you notice a large spike or drop in engagement. If you’re brand new to social media reporting, this analytics template is a great starting point. But don’t get too caught up in the granular, shifting details. Instead, take a holistic viewpoint when it comes to assessing data. 

“These days, the follower count doesn’t matter as much. Growing your followers is important, but it doesn’t determine an account’s success. This is a common misconception I run across often. When reviewing analytics, your community and engagement numbers are more important and a better way to determine how engaged your audience is,” Strategist Katie Shayotovich explains.   

She also recommends conducting an in-depth quarterly digital marketing audit to identify opportunities that can keep your brand even further ahead of the curve. 

 

Let Us Help You With Your Social Media Strategy

Honing your social media strategy is an ongoing process that requires adaptability and a deep understanding of your audience.  If you need some guidance and support from marketing and PR experts, we’d love to help you set and reach social media goals that can move the needle on your brand recognition. Reach out any time to start the conversation. 

5 Tools to Manage Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

Social media has become the cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy in an increasingly digital world. But with the ever-evolving landscape of platforms, algorithms, and user behaviors, staying on top of the trends is overwhelming. At the same time, managing requests from team members and finding the right balance between helpful and sales-oriented content can feel like an unwinnable battle. The good news? There are dozens of social media marketing tools that can help you organize ideas, strategize, create images, post content, and measure results. The challenge is identifying the right mix of tools without wasting time or resources.
 

5 Tools to Manage Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

How can you embrace the right content marketing tools that will help you guide your social media strategy toward success, efficiency, and meaningful connections with your target audience? After simultaneously managing social media for numerous clients over the years, here are a few of the tools we rely on daily:
   

1. Sprout Social

Sprout Social has been our go-to social media management platform for years because it offers a wide range of functionalities that empower us to optimize social media strategies for our clients. Its intuitive scheduling and publishing capabilities allow users to plan, create, and schedule content across multiple platforms, saving valuable time and ensuring consistent messaging. The platform’s robust analytics and reporting features provide in-depth insights into audience engagement, allowing businesses to track their performance, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions. It also offers social listening capabilities that let you monitor brand mentions, engage with your audience, and stay on top of industry conversations.

 

2. Airtable

Planning is a critical part of social media success. Airtable is a tool that has enhanced our ability to organize ideas and collaborate around social media campaigns. From content calendars and campaign planning to tracking engagement metrics and influencer partnerships, Airtable enables you to centralize all of your ideas and streamline workflows.
 

3. Canva

Images and visuals have become increasingly important in social media content. Social infographics are one of the most effective types of social content we create for our clients. Canva is a content marketing tool that allows us to create compelling, professional graphics in a short amount of time. With its vast library of templates, graphics, fonts, and images, Canva offers endless creative possibilities to design captivating posts, banners, infographics, and more. It also allows you to build consistent branding across your social media platforms — which is incredibly valuable for brands who don’t have the budget to hire a professional designer.
  

4. Neontools Hashtag Analyzer

Using hashtags in your social media posts is a proven way to increase engagement. In fact, including just one hashtag on a post on Instagram can generate 29% more interactions. LinkedIn also has a feature where you can see which hashtags are trending in your network. But how do you know which hashtags will generate the most impressions and engagement? Neontool’s Hashtag Analyzer offers in-depth analysis and evaluation of hashtags, providing users with valuable information such as popularity, competition, and reach potential. By understanding these metrics, businesses can make informed decisions when selecting the most relevant and effective hashtags for their content, increasing visibility and reach among their target audience.

 

5. CapCut

For the past several years, we’ve been actively exploring how businesses can use TikTok for marketing after the platform’s meteoric rise in popularity. Keeping up with the demand to create engaging videos is a challenge many businesses face with the platform. With its powerful video editing capabilities, CapCut provides a way to create compelling video content that stands out, drives engagement, and boosts your overall social media strategy. The tool offers a wide range of editing options and an extensive library of royalty-free music and sound effects, enabling businesses to add a personalized touch to their videos.

 

Let Us Help You Stay Informed About the Tools You Need 

At Green Apple, we recognize you don’t have the time (or even the interest) to keep up-to-date on the latest marketing tools. We believe part of our responsibility as a marketing agency is to equip you with the essential information you should know. The Core, our monthly newsletter, is the best way to stay informed about the latest essential marketing insights. You can sign up here!

How to Audit Your Digital Marketing Strategy

You’ve invested time, energy, and resources into your digital marketing strategy. But how do you know if it’s actually working? Are you seeing the results you expected? Are you falling behind competitors despite your best efforts? These are the questions that many small to mid-size business owners ask themselves as they navigate the ever-changing digital landscape.

At Green Apple Strategy, we believe developing data-driven strategies and keeping tabs on the latest marketing trends is essential. No matter the size of your brand or how successful your current strategies seem, marketing is always evolving. Regular audits help you stay ahead of the competition, adapt to digital marketing trends, and ensure you’re getting the best return on your investment.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the why, when, how, and what of digital marketing audits. We’ll also share insights we’ve gained from over a decade of experience working with businesses in nearly every industry.

What is a Digital Marketing Audit?

A digital marketing audit is a comprehensive review of all the strategies, tactics, and channels your business uses to promote itself online. It provides an overarching view of your digital presence and helps determine whether your current marketing efforts align with your business goals.

A good audit doesn’t just highlight what’s working—it also uncovers gaps, inefficiencies, and opportunities for growth. By regularly evaluating your digital strategy, you can make data-driven decisions to maximize marketing success.

Why Are Audits Important?

Digital trends shift constantly—almost as quickly as a viral TikTok challenge. What worked last quarter might not be effective today. That’s why conducting regular audits is crucial. Here’s how an audit can benefit your business:

  • Keep Up with Industry Changes: Marketing platforms frequently update their algorithms, best practices, and audience behaviors. Without regular audits, your strategy can quickly become outdated.
  • Optimize Performance: Audits reveal what’s working and what’s not, helping you refine your approach to improve engagement, conversions, and ROI.
  • Outperform Competitors: Benchmarking your efforts against competitors can uncover opportunities to gain a competitive edge.
  • Ensure Data Accuracy: By assessing analytics and tracking methods, you can ensure your decisions are based on reliable data.

For example, in a recent mid-year audit, we noticed that changing the size and type of social media graphics for a client significantly boosted their engagement—simply because we adapted to shifting platform algorithms.

When Should You Conduct a Digital Marketing Audit?

The frequency of audits depends on how heavily your business relies on digital marketing. However, we recommend assessing your efforts at least quarterly or mid-year. Digital marketing moves fast, and regular check-ins help you pivot quickly.

Here’s a good rule of thumb to consider:

  • Quarterly audits help fine-tune tactics and make small adjustments.
  • Mid-year audits allow for bigger shifts in strategy.

Annual audits provide a broad overview and long-term planning insights.

How to Conduct a Comprehensive Digital Marketing Audit

A digital marketing audit takes a deep dive into your online presence, analyzing what’s working, what’s not, and where you can improve. Here’s how to get started.

Your Website: Is It Helping or Hurting Your Brand?

The first step in a digital audit is to take a good look at your website. It’s often the first impression potential customers get of your business, and 75% of a website’s credibility comes from its design. Ask yourself: Is it easy to navigate? Does it load quickly? Is the messaging clear and compelling? A well-structured, user-friendly website helps turn visitors into leads, so make sure yours is working for you, not against you.

Here are a couple of resources as you start looking at your website: 

SEO Check-Up: Are You Ranking or Sinking?

Next, audit your SEO. Search engines are constantly evolving, and your strategy needs to keep up. Review your keyword rankings, meta titles and descriptions, and on-page content to ensure it all aligns with current best practices. Check for broken links, slow load times, and mobile responsiveness—Google prioritizes sites that offer a smooth user experience. The goal is simple: make it as easy as possible for your audience to find you.

These resources can help get a better understanding of your approach to SEO: 

Content Marketing: Is Your Content a Conversation Starter or a Snoozefest?

Now, let’s talk content marketing. A solid content strategy should attract, engage, and retain potential customers. Take a step back and analyze which blogs, videos, or case studies are performing best. What topics resonate with your audience? Which pieces drive the most traffic? If some content isn’t pulling its weight, consider repurposing or optimizing it based on your findings. The key is to create content that adds value and aligns with your business goals.

Here are a few resources our team has created to help you audit your content marketing efforts:    

Social Media: Are You Winning the Feed or Getting Lost in the Scroll?

Social media is another major player in your digital strategy, so give it a thorough review. Are you posting consistently? Are your engagement rates where you want them to be? Look at which platforms are driving the most interaction and consider shifting your focus accordingly. Social media algorithms change frequently, so staying adaptable is key to keeping your brand visible.

These resources can help you evaluate and enhance your social media efforts: 

Email Marketing: Are Your Emails Getting Opened or Ignored?

Finally, don’t forget about email marketing. Despite being one of the oldest digital marketing channels, email still delivers impressive ROI—when done right. Audit your open rates, click-through rates, and conversion metrics for the best chance of success. If engagement is low, test different subject lines, adjust your send times, or evaluate your email automation journeys for customers. The more personalized and relevant your emails are, the better they’ll perform.

Here are a few tips, tools, and tricks to take your email marketing efforts to the next level:

A comprehensive digital marketing audit is about uncovering opportunities. By regularly evaluating these core areas, you can fine-tune your strategy, stay ahead of trends, and ensure your marketing efforts are driving real results.

The Value of a Deep Dive & Diverse Perspectives

At Green Apple Strategy, we believe a marketing audit should be a team effort. That’s why our audit process involves multiple experts, each bringing a unique perspective to the table.

In addition to our full-time team, we collaborate with specialized freelancers—our network known as “The Orchard”—to ensure that every aspect of the audit is analyzed with expertise. Our collaborative approach provides a holistic view of your marketing strategy and delivers actionable insights tailored to your business.

Ready to Take Your Digital Marketing to the Next Level?

A well-executed digital marketing audit is a strategic advantage. By regularly assessing your efforts, you can stay ahead of trends, improve performance, and ensure your marketing strategy aligns with your business goals.

If you’re ready for a fresh perspective on your digital marketing efforts, our team at Green Apple Strategy is here to help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and start optimizing your marketing strategy for success!

The Impact of Volunteer Time Off for Your Employees & Company Culture

volunteering at Thistle Farms

At some level, every human wants to make a positive difference in the lives of others. We may want to make an impact while feeling like there aren’t enough hours in the day to make it a priority. Volunteer time off (VTO) makes it possible to balance giving back and collecting a paycheck. When coupled with a company’s mission to create a thoughtful work environment, VTO can boost an organization’s reputation and company culture. 

Since Green Apple was founded, we’ve placed great emphasis on the importance of community outreach and have offered pro bono services to nonprofits and organizations across Tennessee, including Survivor Fitness and Thistle Farms. Now, every member of the Green Apple team has the opportunity to receive paid time off to volunteer with organizations of their choice. 

How Volunteer Time Off Works

Companies that offer paid time off for volunteering typically give one or two days a year to do so. Hours that can be used for volunteerism are usually separate from PTO for other uses like vacation or sick days. 

Green Apple provides 16 hours a year of volunteer PTO. The system at Green Apple allows us to choose our own activity and submit a request for time off to volunteer on our own. In addition to volunteering on our own at the place of our choosing, we also volunteer as a team several times throughout the year. In 2022, Green Apple began volunteering with Thistle Farms. Since then, we’ve been working to strengthen our relationship and expand our support for the organization. In December 2023, Green Apple CEO Samantha Owens Pyle joined the Thistle Farms board and was appointed as the organization’s first External Affairs Chair in July 2024. In this role, Samantha (joined by several Green Apple team members) has collaborated with Thistle Farms’ Marketing Director and Vice President of External Affairs to develop a comprehensive strategy aimed at achieving record-breaking Q4 results in fundraising, retail sales, and volunteer engagement.

Benefits for All 

Paid time off for volunteering is a win-win-win situation. For starters, a UnitedHealthcare study shows that of the respondents who volunteered in a 12-month period, 93% said they experienced an improved mood, and 79% reported lower stress levels. There is a real link between personal happiness and productivity at work. By encouraging your employees to volunteer, you may boost their mental health, which would benefit the whole company.

volunteering at YUMEast

Studies show that companies with highly engaged employees outperform their competitors by 147% and are 21% more profitable. In a recent blog, we also suggested several other strategies to boost employee engagement and morale. 

Volunteer time off can be a workplace perk that helps your company stand out from the competition. Adding VTO to an existing list of people-supportive perks (such as remote work and flexible schedules) will also have an impact on engaging current and future employees alike. 

Finally, VTO is a great way to build camaraderie among your team members while they give back. Members of the Green Apple team recently participated in YUM!East, an annual fundraising event benefiting Fannie Battle Day Home in Nashville. Our team in Charlotte also volunteered their time for a cause benefiting the Move For Jenn Foundation. 

TN Titans stuff the bus

Acknowledging social responsibility and volunteerism in your marketing is even a powerful way to leverage your company’s community to create deeper, more personal connections with your customers. 

VTO is a growing employee perk that can set your company apart. A strong internal culture not only attracts top talent but also boosts your external brand, making your business a sought-after place to work and partner with. Ready to align your recruitment, engagement, and brand strategies? Green Apple Strategy can help. Contact us today to build a strategic plan for long-term success, and don’t forget to sign up for The Core, our monthly newsletter, via the Subscribe button in the footer below for the latest marketing insights and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox!

Marketing Planning and the Perfect Timing [A Guide]

Strategy is so important to us that it’s part of our name. So naturally, we are big proponents of planning ahead when it comes to your marketing strategy. The short answer to the question of this blog’s title is that it’s never too early to begin crafting your approach to next year’s marketing strategy. Today, we’ll take a deeper dive into the reasons why that’s true. We’ll also highlight a few factors to consider while you’re doing that advance marketing planning. 


Benefits of an Annual Plan

With sufficient planning, you can keep all of your marketing efforts organized, maintain audience engagement with quality content, and adapt to changes in your industry faster. All of this means you’ll give your business the ability to thrive and stay one step ahead of the competition. 

Ideally, a good annual marketing plan should be high-level, since things change all the time, and act as a guide for multiple stakeholders. This approach is especially helpful for large teams working to stay on the same page and obtain the same end goal. An overarching marketing plan can unite your sales team, your business development team, your in-house and outsourced marketing team, and your C-suite executives.  It’s a useful tool that can help create a streamlined and focused tactical plan that everyone can get on board with. 


Planning for the Busiest Times of Year

While long-term planning is ideal, you should plan at least six months ahead of your busiest time of year. Regardless of whether your busy season is summer or the holidays, giving yourself ample time to prepare is a sure way to drive optimal results. If you’re not sure when your brand sees the most business, it may be time to run an audit on your social media, website traffic, and other indicators of surging interest. With the right data, you can create a solid marketing funnel that can translate increased interest and search queries into qualified leads and sales. 


Strategic Planning 

Rather than using last year’s ideas or “institutional wisdom” to drive your planning decisions, embrace a mindset of data-based continuous improvement to develop a marketing plan based on your organization’s long-term strategy and vision. Data analysis can also help you hone and direct your annual marketing budget. Although it can be tempting to follow a gut feeling about where your leads are originating, the data may indicate a different funnel. For instance, while social media is essential for building brand integrity, email marketing may have more ROI in your annual revenues.  


What Happens When You Need to Pivot?

The best laid plans of mice and men… often need to be reframed in the light of your analytics! While that’s not exactly how the Robert Burns quote goes, it’s definitely something we focus on at Green Apple. The best marketing strategies are nimble and should allow you to drop one strategy or double down on an effective tactic if the data backs it. Don’t be concerned if you need to scrap your current strategy and recalibrate! That should be an expected part of the marketing planning process, and it means you’re committed to an evidence-based approach. If you need help interpreting the data or you need help collecting more information points, we’re here to help. Don’t hesitate to turn to an outsourced marketing team to support your in-house team with all the initiatives they’re launching. 


Let Us Help You Achieve Your Goals

Need some help getting started on next year’s marketing goals? Check out this Green Apple guide to start planning! Our team is here to help you build an effective strategy to help your brand achieve its business goals.

Kayla Reyes Promoted to Client Relations Specialist

Kayla Reyes

Green Apple Strategy is excited to announce Kayla Reyes’s promotion to Client Relations Specialist. Kayla joined Green Apple as an Assistant Client Relations Specialist in 2021. For the past year and a half, Kayla has leveraged her detail-oriented skill set and relationship-focused approach to lead project management efforts for a number of Green Apple clients. Kayla’s ability to “keep all the plates spinning” by effectively communicating between Green Apple’s team, our Orchard members, and clients has been an invaluable asset for our team. During her time at Green Apple Strategy, Kayla has leaned into every opportunity to grow professionally and learn about the unique characteristics of each industry for the clients she serves.  

To recognize and celebrate Kayla’s hard work and dedication, we wanted to highlight a few specific ways her promotion will empower her to make an even greater impact on our clients.

Offering Strategic Direction and Leading Collaboration 

In her new role as Client Relations Specialist, Kayla will focus on providing leadership and strategic direction for the clients she serves. This shift will allow her to leverage her natural abilities to focus on the end goal and identify areas of improvement to accelerate marketing efforts. She will work closely with Sam Pyle, Olivia Cooper, and others on the Green Apple team to help develop marketing strategies and manage individual projects outside of our client’s ongoing scope of work. 

“I am excited about the opportunity to work with clients on ‘bigger picture’ ideas,” Kayla shared. “I love collaborating with our team to care for our clients and support their marketing needs.”  


Balancing “Day-to-Day” Marketing and the Bigger Picture

In her previous role as an Assistant Client Relations Specialist, Kayla has seen (and managed) all of the steps that make an effective marketing strategy come to life. From brainstorming ideas to analyzing results, Kayla knows what it takes to execute a successful campaign. Her experience will be an invaluable asset for our team as we develop strategies and ideas based on a client’s specific goals and budget. 

“Learning the daily aspect of marketing management has helped me recognize all the little steps that go into helping our clients achieve their goals,” Kayla said. “I’m grateful for the ability to use that knowledge to help our clients make more informed decisions about their marketing campaigns.” 

“It’s been such a joy to watch Kayla grow since joining the Green Apple team, and I’m excited for that to continue in her new role,” said Samantha Pyle, Owner and Chief Strategist of Green Apple Strategy. “Her dedication to creating exceptional results, along with her infectious positive energy, is so valuable for our clients and our team.”

Graphic Design Hacks for B2B Businesses

Today’s B2B businesses have more access than ever to affordable, user-friendly design apps. With a few clicks and perhaps a few YouTube tutorials, anyone can create logos, websites, e-newsletters, and more in just minutes. But how do you know if your graphic designs are helping—or hurting—your B2B business? 

Simply put, good graphic design is important. To put you on the path to success, our team at Green Apple is happy to share some of the best practices we use when developing a graphic design strategy for B2B clients. While there is so much to learn about creating an effective design, we hope this list will inspire you to love and appreciate graphic design as much as we do.
 

Graphic Design for B2B Best Practices


Choose Colors, Fonts, and Logos Wisely

Before you begin any graphic design project, ensure you have a logo, fonts, and colors that appropriately represent your unique brand. For example, a technology company will choose a different font than a creative marketing agency. Likewise, a childcare center will choose different colors than a high-end restaurant chain. Together, these elements tell a story about your brand—you just need to make sure it’s the correct one!
  

Create a Brand Guide

You’ve taken the time to ensure the logo, colors, and fonts accurately represent your brand. When used consistently across all design channels, these key elements establish a strong brand identity. Now, you’ll want to create a brand guide. 

A brand guide is an internal, digital home that lists all the details of your fonts (such as names, typeface, and size), color names and numbers, preferred logo size, and how it can and cannot be used. Make this guide available to anyone working on your B2B graphic design. This way, no matter who is doing the design, a cohesive look and feel can be maintained. Remember: we need this cohesiveness to build a strong brand identity.
 

Focus on the Client

Graphic design for B2B should focus on the experience of the end user, not on the likes or dislikes of the designer. With so many beautiful design elements to choose from, it can be easy to get distracted by our own personal preferences. However, the best graphic designs are created with the user’s experience in mind. 

Focusing on UX means ensuring web designs are mobile-friendly, concepts are easy to understand, calls to action are clear and easy to act on, and all text is supplemented with easy-to-digest photos, videos, and infographics to maintain your audience’s attention. Graphic design for B2B should take your audience on a journey—and make it worthwhile for them to stay on the site.
  

Strive for Visual Clarity

There is much to be said for white space regarding graphic design for B2B. At best, too much information and visual clutter waters your message down and confuses your audience. At worst, they don’t know what action to take, so they don’t take any at all! Let your design focus on one directive or key point at a time. Your audience should be able to intuitively navigate your design, and the design should clearly specify what actions you want a user to take. 

With that in mind, be bold with your CTA  by using stand-out colors to encourage your audience to take action. If your website is blue, a CTA button in a vibrant shade of orange will pop on the page, engage your audience, and enhance click-through rates.
  

We Design with Leads in Mind

The best B2B graphic design strategies work to move the needle in terms of ROI. Our team at Green Apple is here to be a partner in creating effective design elements that support your business goals. Contact us to learn more about our approach to creating visually compelling B2B graphic design to attract more leads and land more clients. 

Five Marketing Myths

Marketing is a critical component of any business’s strategy. When executed well, the right concepts can increase brand awareness, customer acquisition and retention, engagement, and sales. Even with these proven benefits, some businesses hesitate to invest in marketing.

Our team at Green Apple Strategy has compiled a list of the most common marketing myths and misconceptions we encounter as marketing professionals. We hope it helps you advocate for your marketing budget!

Marketing Myths and Misconceptions 

MYTH 1: Marketing, advertising, and public relations are all the same. 

One common marketing myth is that if your business invests in advertising or public relations, you do not need to spend additional resources on marketing. While the three components work beautifully together and can overlap, they serve different purposes.

Public relations builds positive relationships with your audience, while advertising turns them into new or repeat customers. Marketing bridges the gap by taking your audience from awareness to solid business leads primed to make a purchase.

MYTH 2: Small businesses can’t afford marketing. 

Small businesses may have smaller budgets, especially when just starting. It can be tempting to forgo marketing efforts to conserve cash flow. But, without an intentional plan to grow your customer base, your bottom line will eventually become stagnant.  

The right marketing strategies are proven to gain new and repeat customers, resulting in a positive, long-term return on your investment.

MYTH 3: My customers will not respond to today’s marketing channels. 

Modern marketing channels rely heavily on producing a high volume of quality digital content. This can include web, email, blogs, videos, podcasts, and multiple social media channels. Depending on your industry and customer demographics, it can be tempting to think that today’s best practices will not work for you. It could even be intimidating to tackle new approaches, like the ever-changing landscape of social media. In our experience, every business can form the right mix of digital marketing products. You are a subject matter expert with valuable insights to share with customers. With more than 3.7 billion people on social media and 85% of the U.S. population having a smartphone, your audience is already online – your business can meet them there too.
 

MYTH 4: Anyone can do marketing. 

While it’s true that any business can benefit from a marketing plan, not just anyone should create it. When it comes to popular tactics like content creation, you may be able to tackle the more straightforward aspects on your own – things like an occasional blog post, email, or mastering one social media channel. For maximum reach and engagement, you’ll want to increase your content creation to a level that keeps you top of mind with your audience.

Hiring a staff member to keep up with the content demand empowers business owners to focus on other growth aspects. If a full-time staff member is outside the budget, an experienced freelancer or marketing agency can be an excellent strategic partner.

MYTH 5: Marketing efforts should pay off quickly.  

Investing in marketing is like investing in the stock market –a long game. Create a strategy, do the work, and stay consistent, and you will see results. With many of today’s marketing practices taking place in the digital landscape, it will take time for your online efforts to pay off. Continue creating, posting, sharing, and optimizing for SEO. Over time, your content will move up the search engine results page, you’ll become recognized as a leader in your industry, and you’ll see results.

A Partner in Marketing Strategy

Green Apple is here to assist in developing a marketing strategy that works for your business. Our team would be happy to discuss your needs. Contact us to learn more about our effective approach to marketing and get started on a strategic plan that can work for you