All Hopped up for Chicago Craft Beer Week
At TRIS3CT, we don’t just drink craft beer. We’re appreciators of the entire craft beer movement. (Maybe it’s the independence in us.) So when the chance to get involved with the 3rd annual Chicago Craft Beer Week presented itself, we bellied up.
Working closely with the event organizers, we developed this year’s CCBW logo and helped with the overall branding and development of the website. You can check it out .
And now that the hard work is done, we’re ready to imbibe. This Thursday night, we’ll be heading to Chicago’s historic Garfield Park Conservatory for the opening party, Beer Under Glass. Then throughout the week, more than 200 venues in nine neighborhoods (plus the ‘burbs) will be hosting events.
Yes, we’ll be out late on a few school nights. But it’s all in the name of supporting the depth and breadth of local craft beer and honoring those who enrich our community of beer lovers.
For more information, visit . And for updates on CCBW, follow it on or like it on .
People are talkin’ potty
Nothing like a taboo topic to really get people talking. In fact, The New York Times, NPR and Facebook are abuzz about the new Cottonelle Brand work that’s giving everyone a potty mouth.
Still taking part in the fictional town of Where the Sun Don’t Shine, familiar characters “battle” it out to see who has the best name for their Cottonelle dry toilet paper and flushable moist wipes routine. The new program engages consumers by asking them to try the two together and then share their name for it on Facebook.
It hasn’t even hit the airwaves and people are already talking.
Check it out: NPR
We’re about to get all digital up in here
From Austin to San Francisco and back, digital marketing conferences across the country this year have been fantastic. SxSWi and EdSocialMedia have, among other things, confirmed our belief in content development, opened our eyes to a great, new tool in content distribution, and blown our minds with what Google has been up to lately. We sent a couple of our digital peeps – Amy Rubin, Digital Strategy and Kevin Babcock, Account Director – to check out what’s hot. And wouldn’t you know it, they came back with 3 things.
1) The New School on “Content”:
Content is still king but the rules have changed. There’s no longer a need for massive scale to prove value. Content can work on a niche level, with a modest budget, and create real results for a brand. Here are just a few ways the content game has changed:
Old School: High production value drives content views and buzz
New School: Video content value affects brand perception and goals
Content Value > Production Value. It’s pretty simple. And it turns out, Bob Garfield agrees.
Old School: Measure effectiveness in views
New School: Measure effectiveness in engagement
“Views” are no longer the gold standard. Comments, likes and shares not only signal engagement, they also enhance SEO value.
Old School: Virality is a matter of scale
New School: Virality is a matter of degree
What’s more valuable to your brand: any 3 million views or 30,000 targeted views? It’s time to get smarter about how we distribute our content….
2) Google+ and SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
With Google and its fancy new “+” property under one massive Web umbrella, it makes sense that Google would prioritize content shared in its own channel when it comes time to serve search results. Put simply, sharing your content on G+ enhances its SEO value, giving your content a better chance to be viewed by your target.
3) Google’s Project Re:Brief
With Internet advertising finally reaching the age of majority, Google decided to challenge cross-generational ad teams to reinvent some of the industry’s most iconic ads from the past 50 years. And the result is some mind-blowing creative and technical work (check out the evolving work samples and documentary videos at ).
Next year we plan to go back and dive even deeper down the digital rabbit hole. And while we acknowledge that it’s hard to keep a finger on the pulse of the ever-changing digital world, it sure is fun getting our hands dirty.
It’s good to be #3. (Word on the street is we turned down the first two spots.)
That’s right, we’re #3 on the AdAge Best Places to Work list. Sure, it took a little lobbying, but after turning down the #2 slot we made it to our favorite #3 position (a substantial move from last year’s #17 spot). How the heck did we do it? We did it the old fashioned way – by adding more fabulously talented people and growing our business.
We think everyone who’s been a part of our little “t” family deserves a big ‘ol bear hug for making it possible. From friends, family, co-workers, Jimmy John’s delivery guys, building security, pallet man and our favorite fat truck driver – many, many, many thanks.
Want to see more? Check out the full article.
Know what else is cool? Being named to Crain’s Best Places to Work in Chicagoland. Oooh yeaaah. It feels good to be liked. Read all about it.
March ’12: In Like a Lion, Out Like a Ham
Here at TRIS3CT, we don’t mind hamming it up once in a while. (It’s what happens when you work across the street from a pork processing plant.) And this month, we have 3 things to brag about.
1. Never Lost in Translation.
Chief Marketer recently published a story written by our very own Soraya Faber, Trisect’s SVP, Group Account Director and Multicultural Strategist (yes, all those things). The article, titled “Five Wrong Turns in Multicultural Marketing and How to Make Them Right,” describes strategic marketing that reflects the diverse cultural landscape of America.
2. Time For a Bigger Trophy Shelf.
We don’t actually have one. But if we did, it would need an extension. This month, our Scott Naturals TV spot “Tube Empire” won a gold Addy, and our Uni-ball Cup of Misfit Pens promotion earned two bronze Addys, a bronze Reggie, a finalist nomination at the Effie Awards and a feature on Facebook Studio. As if that wasn’t enough, our founder Dick Thomas was inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. A job well done is thanks enough, but no one turns down a shiny desk statue.
3. Limited Edition 100th Employee “t” Shirt.
We believe in real-time celebrations. So on the first day of work for our 100th employee, Melissa Victores, the agency got together for a little brouhaha. 100 employees is a huge milestone for our growing agency. And since it’s our people that got us here, we created a limited-edition shirt featuring every employee’s name. The little “t” symbolizes the small, scrappy, entrepreneurial spirit that has defined us since 2005.
3 Things Learned on Campus
Last week, a few us took a little road trip down I-57 to visit our alma mater, the University of Illinois. Our mission was two-fold: 1) Drop some serious engagement marketing knowledge on the advertising students; and 2) Recruit a few bright-eyed seniors for our summer internship program.
24 hours later, we left campus impressed, energized and nursing one of those “creeper” hangovers. We also took away the following 3 important things:
1. Stay positive. There’s nothing like being around a smart, curious, un-cynical group of students that reminds you why you dropped that freshman accounting class and got into this business in the first place. Every day we get to think of ideas. We get to see them enter the world. And sometimes, we get to do something no one has ever thought of before. These students were all looking forward to entering our world. Which is why we should all be looking forward to our next brief.
2. Stay connected. Not in the lame, LinkedIn way. But in the get-out-of-the-office-and-expand-your-point-of-view way. Use your connections to do a guest lecture. Sit on a panel discussion. Or judge an awards show. Putting yourself out there forces you to think harder. To craft a point of view. To re-examine what you know. We found reconnecting with the U of I truly energizing. It even let one of us lobby Dean Jan Slater to re-evaluate our grade in Advanced Creative Campaigns. Outcome still pending.
3. Stay hydrated. When it’s 2AM, and you are closing down a with a round of even stickier shots, it is far too late to start hydrating. However, breakfast will get you on the mend.
Nuts About Mustaches
Way back in November, the men of TRIS3CT banded together in mustachioed unison to raise money for prostate cancer research. The result, like their ‘staches, was hair-raising.
In just one month, the “Hairiachis” raised over $2900 with events like a mustache-themed bake sale and a whiskey-themed happy hour. We even gave away Men of Trisect calendars with every $10 donation. It’s amazing what an upper lip can do when you let it run wild.
But the Hairiachis were perplexed – Why should all this hairy charity stop in “Movember”? Cancer doesn’t, right? Don’t fret. You can still donate money to prostate cancer research and download the first-ever Men of Trisect 2012 calendar. It looks fabulous hanging in a cubicle, woodshop, women’s lounge, handball court or massage parlor.
Tickle the ‘stache to download your very own Men of Trisect calendar.
Congratulations to the mustachioed men of Trisect. If prostate cancer had nuts, you just kicked ‘em really hard.
It’s 2012! What the Dickens? Respect.
1. The little “t” would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year. If 2012 is anything like 2011, we’re in for quite an exhilarating ride. Bring it.
2. Doth thou like to party like it’s 1843? Then come one, come all to check out the glossies from our DICKensian Holiday Party. Held in honor of our commander-in-chief, Dick Thomas, this year’s soiree feted the agency’s past, present and future. And it featured a colorful cast of characters, including: street urchins, socialites, chimney sweeps and—of course—our very own Tiny Tim (Nelson, that is). Ye olde merriment was had by all.
3. The sun doesn’t have to shine to feel the warm glow and praise for our latest work for Cottonelle. Phase two of “Where the Sun Don’t Shine” broke Jan. 1 and employs television and print ads to remind people that toilet paper this nice deserves respect…a Jonathan Adler-designed toilet paper roll cover.
Peace. Love. & Toys.
Our Holiday for Hope Gift Drive is in its second year of bringing joy and toys to kids in need. To get our fellow employees to open up their hearts, we placed miniature pallets on their desks with care, in hopes that a pile of gifts might soon be there. And, to get our closest friends in the spirit, we sent them holiday cards they could transform into a real-life toy – for each card we sent out, we donated one more toy to Dreams for Kids.
We’re just giddy that this year’s gift drive was our best yet and that we’re able to spread so many warm wishes.
TRIS3CT Featured in PROMO
PROMO recently published a story written by our very own strategist and aspiring musicologist, Kevin Gilbert. The article, titled “Break the Retail Planning Cycle by Connecting with Shopper Rhythms,” describes how a revolution in data and new technology is shattering old ideas of what’s possible in targeted communication.
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