Have you ever watched a black belt Karate expert blast his bare hand through a stack of bricks? It is a powerful demonstration of focus and commitment.

Austrian pines command the lilac-filled hilltop in Highland Park.

I remember people who could perform such acts remarking that it is not difficult—all you need to do is concentrate on a point beyond the stacked barriers. But I don’t buy that.  I think it requires confidence, commitment and good technique.

Focusing beyond the target with commitment has always struck me as special and worth building upon. People are noteworthy when they demonstrate this combination. Heroic figures resonate in our hearts when their break-through accomplishments become their historic legacy.

My home city, Rochester, New York has been blessed with such heroes. George Eastman, Susan B. Anthony and Frederic Douglas all quickly come to mind, and there are many others. Two of my favorites were Frederick Law Olmstead and Dr. John R. Williams. Each of them was dedicated to our natural surroundings. Olmstead designed Highland and Seneca Parks and Williams sought out and planted the great variety of magnificent trees at Oak Hill Country Club. Both focused upon a world beyond their own days to create ongoing majesty for people to enjoy.

I used to find it a bit unsettling that people would spend lifetimes devoted to causes that would only be realized after their deaths. Now I do not. Maturation, parenting, as well as working and sharing with others altered my perspective. Today I am devoting more and more energy to building little legacies, and I suppose that, while recognition and kudos are impressive stacks to assemble, the internal warmth that accompanies legacy-focused action is simply more fulfilling.

At Archer Communications, it is more rewarding for us to help companies realize ways to perpetually grow than it is to design a single step in the process.  But, even as a step in the process, we seek to comprehend a company’s overall strategy so that our work is synergistic with it.

We want each client to build its own legacy, no matter how personal or how ambitious. Our process is intentionally flexible and customizable to build each marketing communications strategy beyond short-term success and to deliver sustainable gratification. By aligning ourselves with a client’s purpose, we accentuate a deeper legacy for them, and hopefully contribute in a small way to the betterment of our world.

Jeff Lennox

Today I read that large cable and TV networks are fearful of GoogleTV.

Why are they so afraid? Is it because they operate in an old style advertising lead network? Is it because they are afraid Google will force them to evolve? Afraid of changing the way they have been doing things for 50+ years?

Simple answer is YES!

GoogleTV plans to offer the viewer unlimited options allowing you to search the internet through your TV. Basically, the idea is they will sell TVs with Google enabled web browsers and keyboards so you can type in your search and get the streaming video right into your TV. I looked at this intro video. In a nutshell they are making your TV a web browser but instead of having to own a device to see the web like the computer, iPad or iPhone you will be plugged in directly to your TV. Think mega-sized-computer-screen if you own a large 46″ plus TV! Wow, that would be cool.

You can watch your game, downsize the video and, at the same time look up stats on your team on the web page… or, you can view  a news story while tweeting about it in real time with friends around the world. You have all the videos on the internet at your fingertips (think youtube, hulu, etc…) and all your photo viewing programs like picasa, Flickr, Shutterfly, Snapfish, etc… all right there for you to see or share with your friends.

That brings up the other side of having all this technology in your living room. Being a mother and having a house with other people sharing the same TV, I can tell you the problems will start very quickly. I happen to have one of the newer TVs that can go to the internet with a browser. It is definitely NOT Google by any means but you can browse certain things… I say certain things because I haven’t had the chance to really sit down and play with it. Why? Because I have a husband and a daughter who would rather watch their shows.  They get bored watching me play around with it– so basically the browser is never used.

I can just hear the arguments from people fighting over the keyboard (instead of the remote)

OK. The geek in me says the Google TV sounds like a great idea. The only problem I see with it is what I mentioned above. The TV tends to be where families gather to watch something together. Having so much control over the bazillion things you can watch on the internet is very intriguing, but I do not think it will bring families together, and it definitely will not help with the couch-potato pandemic sweeping the country.

I do agree that being able to just search for your favorite TV show is awesome. I already do that on my computer if I miss a show. I can always go to abc.com or fox.com and catch up (and with less commercial interruption!). Viewing it all in a large screen TV would definitely be a plus too. Mac actually pioneered this idea with their AppleTV. Oh yes! Apple thinks of all of these things first and then Google jumps in the bandwagon. The problem for Apple is that Google is a behemoth. Most elitists go for Apple, the world goes for Google. Sad but true. (Go Apple! )

The big cable TV conglomerates will need to adjust to the new era or be left behind. The music and print industries know this very well. Once the internet moves in, it is going to be an all out war. The way they generate money will have to change, and I am sorry to say that users  will suffer for it. We will inevitably have to view more ads online and pay for subscriptions to see our shows. Otherwise, how will they make the money to keep making expensive and cool TV? Early on, watching TV shows in abc.com for example, there were no ads! Now you watch any show and they plug in 4 to 5 areas where they place ads and force you to look at them. The only cool thing is they tell you how long it is going to last and actually have a count down, but still, they are annoying. Get ready for more of the same.

The buzz is going crazy on the internet about this Google TV. It even made headline news across the country! As one writer for the Los Angeles Times put it “…whenever new technology emerges that allows consumers more choices, it is inevitably a destructive experience for the companies making money off the old model, since they are the ones who find it most difficult to embrace and take advantage of the sweeping changes.” See the story here and also take a look at the comments.

We are talking a hot button for all things creative now. One comment says “If you go back a hundred years, actors earned money by actually doing live performances. Now, through the magic of TECHNOLOGY, they have been able to do one performance (~1 month of work) and make 20 million dollars. What technology giveth, it may also taketh away. By the way, the people who invented that technology that enable you to make a load of money, never made 1/100 of what the artistic exploiters made.” So true, but that is also the beauty of invention and capitalism!

There are a lot of contrasting and passionate views that this GoogleTV has touched upon. Having TV giants be afraid of an Internet company was unheard of 10 years ago. The truth is if you do not embrace new technology you WILL BE LEFT BEHIND. It is true for the internet, for your career, for everything you do and use. It is everywhere. Sitting there and closing yourself to it will do you no good. The good news is you can pick and choose what you want to deal with (like fuel efficient cars) and what you don’t (like 3-D TV LOL!!).

To me, the real worry is what will these big companies do to control what we can or cannot have access to and if they will be able to charge us for it. That’s in a near future, as for now, I can still plug in my Xbox to my HDTV and watch Netflix or get on Facebook and send likes to all my friends… and I don’t need GoogleTV to do so.

Archer is pleased to announce that this year’s 2nd Annual Emerging Artists Expo at the 42nd Annual Corn Hill Arts Festival was a tremendous success! As the Expo’s sponsor, we strove to create an inviting, interactive, and fun atmosphere at the main entrance to the Expo. If you stopped by to visit the A-Team, you may have walked the red carpet, posed for paparazzi pictures, and created artwork to contribute to the gallery displayed in the Archer tent.

“Everyone at Archer is extremely pleased with how the weekend went. We really tried to make the Expo the highlight of the Festival. I feel that people really enjoyed the activities we offered at the entrance of the Expo and interacting with fresh, young, Rochester-based talent,” said Jeff Lennox, President of Archer Communications.

Jeff continues, “For most of these artists, the Expo was their public debut. It was a chance for them to sell and display their artwork to a large and diverse audience. I am pleased that Archer could partake in supporting these passionate and brilliant artists.”

Be sure to check back to the Emerging Artists Expo page (www.archercom.com/emerging-artists) throughout the upcoming weeks! We will be updating the site with red carpet pictures, video interviews with the artists, and more!

Archer Communications would also like to congratulate Heather Swenson on winning 1^st place for the Emerging Artists Expo category. As promised, Ms. Swenson will be presented with a customized website to showcase her portfolio of work throughout the year. “I am grateful to Archer Communications for providing me with such a generous gift. This will really help me gain exposure to the public and help me keep in contact with other artists,” said Swenson. She continues, “I gave out a lot of business cards at the Festival, but everyone also kept asking me if I had a website. Getting a website has been something I have been putting off, so I am thrilled that Archer is going to help me finally put my art on the web.”

Heather Swenson, an Irondequoit native, is a rising junior at SUNY Purchase College of Art Design. She felt that Expo went very well for her, as she sold several pieces and networked with many of the area’s local artists and art professionals. The 2^nd Annual Emerging Arts Expo was Swenson’s inaugural showing to the general public and she was thrilled as to how many people were intrigued with her work and the process of woodcut lithograph printing. She is also excited to be recognized for her hard work and dedication to her art. Swenson said that, “Winning this honor provides me with affirmation and confidence that I can succeed within a medium that I am passionate about.” You may see Swenson’s work around Rochester at different events this Summer—events she was invited to show at by people with whom she connected with at the Expo.

Stay tuned for updates regarding the release of Ms. Swenson’s new web-based portfolio. And don’t forget to check the Emerging Artists Expo web page for the latest updates!

The 2^nd Annual Emerging Artists Expo: 25 artists, 25 and younger, 25 different styles.

This weekend is the 42^nd Annual Corn Hill Arts Festival! Here at Archer Communications, the anticipation and excitement is building. We are thrilled  to be sponsoring the 2^nd Annual Emerging Artists Expo and wanted to promote a greater awareness for the Expo by creating a microsite: www.archercom.com/emerging-artists.

Talented. Innovative. Entrepreneurial. Fresh. Edgy. These artists are all that and more. Visit the website to learn a little bit about every artist. Connect with them to see who they are and what inspires them. Then, meet the artists in person at the Emerging Artists Expo, located next to the Food Court, at the Corn Hill Arts Festival, July 10 and 11.You can also see photos of the artists and their artwork for a sneak peek as to what you can expect at the Expo this weekend. Throughout the Festival, Archer will also be conducting fun video interviews with all the artists and posting them on the website. The website also features a Twitter feed, a map of the Festival, blog posts, the latest news, and more!

It can be difficult for rising artists to gain exposure to a large audience. The 2^nd Annual Emerging Artists Expo is the place where the premier young artists in the area can be recognized for their creativity, talent, and dedication to the arts. At the end of the Festival, the Corn Hill Arts Festival’s Jurying Committee will select a winner of the Expo. Here at Archer, we believe in supporting and promoting young, promising artists. Thus, to further encourage these artists to pursue their creative dreams and develop their talent, we will also award the selected winner with a website. This custom website will allow the artist to showcase and promote their work online throughout the year.

We hope you will make a trip out to this year’s Corn Hill Arts Festival and visit the Emerging Artists Expo. Come by and also meet the “A-Team” from Archer Communications at the entrance the Expo. We hope to see you this weekend!

For more information regarding the festival, please visit www.cornhillartsfestival.org.

Recently I had a personal issue with my a certain insurance company that has a duck for a mascot. (hint, hint) I was upset and felt really used by the company, so much so that I had a little rant about it on Twitter. I was not expecting much, but I had heard that these big company’s are getting into social media in a big way and that they might be listening in to the conversation in Twitter and other social media outlets like facebook and digg.

Being that I am in advertising and the fact that I did have a compelling and real issue that I felt they should have been more attentive to, I thought, why not see if it is true. Is social media the new way to reach customer service?

At Archer Communications we talk about social media to our clients all the time, and sometimes they do not understand the power of this medium. They often ask us about the ROI, how much is my company going to get out of it, if it is really necessary, and the big question…who’s going to do this? I understand their concerns and believe me, before this experience I was asking those same questions myself. So, as a curious consumer, a proponent of social media, and a detective, I decided to tweet about my issue.

I didn’t know what to expect after my 10 or so 250 character entries. In each of them I mentioned the company by name, over and over again. I was upset and I talked about it. You could say I did a bit of a rant. Well. Tell you what. It didn’t take long at all. I was surprised to have a company representative tweet me about 1 hour after my last post. She was very nice and asked me to tweet her directly the problem with my account. For those of you that don’t use Twitter a lot, you can actually tweet privately to anyone. This means the tweet is not public like the regular tweets out there. You can send private messages to an actual Tweeter account holder and only they can see it. Not only that, but I do have my private tweets sent directly to my phone… and that’s how I found out the rep had sent me a tweet! My phone received a text message from the rep. I was completely dumbstruck. THEY ARE LISTENING! (I know, a little creepy) But, they really ARE listening!

Well, I answered their tweet with a one-on-one “tweet-conversation” with the rep. I told the rep what my problem was and why I was so upset. She said she would look into it. Again, I was not expecting much and to my surprise, I received a call the next day from another representative asking me a few more details about what had happened. They had decided to look into my case again and they would let me know the outcome. In a couple or more days, I received another call with their decision to reimburse me for my claim. Yesterday, I got my check. YAY! I was not only surprised and happy but I also remained with the company as a client.

It goes to show you that the ability of this company to be in touch with social media, actually brings them ROI in a much direct manner that most people dismiss. Word-of-mouth. Actually it is more like “tweet-of-mouth”, (or “digital-word”? or “type-a-tweet”? “Twordeeted”! hmm… there is a new term in there but I can’t put my finger on it. Lol!) which has become the new customer service in my book. They actually retained a client by their diligent use of social media, and they used it to their advantage. Bravo for them!

I do realize that this is a large company with lots of people working for them and the financial ability to have employees monitor their social media 24/7. But there is help out there for the smaller businesses to get on the bandwagon too! There are programs sold out there like Radian6 or Scout Labs that for a fee they can help you gauge your internet exposure and how it is being received. You can know when someone anywhere on the web is talking about you. There are also a number of free services like Google Alerts that sends you an email whenever you are mentioned on the web, know if they are talking good about you or bad about you with Co.mments and you can search community forums or message boards for your company to see where it is being mentioned by using Boardtracker. Andy Beal goes through these services and lists 26 free online reputation tools on his post for Marketing Pilgrim.

As you can see what happened with me and that duck company was not magic (although it sure felt like it). They didn’t read my mind or were looking at me like “big brother”. They just had their finger on the pulse of their brand, they were ready to jump in to protect their integrity and fix the problem. That’s insight, and that is a smart business move… plus, they retained me as a client which is the best ROI of all! ;-D

By: Michelle Martorell
Creative Director, Archer Communications, Inc.

You don't want your newsletter or email to end up like this!

Recently a customer who was about to start a email newsletter for his company, in order to increase their direct marketing and get more unique visitors to their website, asked us at Archer to design a template for it. We have created many e-newsletters in the past, but usually they have simple layouts to accommodate the stringent rules email clients adhere to. The most notable and well known email clients are Gmail, Lotus Notes 6, Outlook 2007 and mac Mail, to name a few.

The difference with our client was that he wanted a fancier look for the newsletter. We tried to please the client all the while something told me we would have issues. Pizazz! and WOW! get lost in translation when it comes to email marketing if you don’t do it correctly. Some of these fancier looking designs you can achieve on websites cannot be done for email because they get blocked by very finicky email clients. It is not a good feeling to design a beautiful piece only to find out that no one is seeing it. Plus, creating something that works for one email client, may not work for all, and you end up compromising with a very boring e-newsletter or email. A designer’s conundrum… beauty vs visibility. If they can’t see the forest why decorate the tree? (Hey! I just made that saying up and it is so true).

Here is the flip side: If you know what you CAN do, a good designer can make your email work AND look awesome! I did some research and came across solutions where we could give our client the “WOW!” factor and still get it through to their customers. Here are some that stood out the most to me…

First of all, designing for email marketing is not the same as designing for the web. Where as website browsers keep evolving, email clients seem to be going in the other direction, thus making a lot of emails look like nothing is there. Or the email is filled with a bunch of question marks that frankly, I don’t even bother with, because it is too much work to even try and let the email program view the image. Most people would just ignore the email entirely, and there goes your carefully thought out email blast or e-newsletter… In the trash!

Less is more when it comes to email design. I just read a very good article from Campaign Monitor titled “Email Design Guidelines” where they go through step by step on the most basic rules. A good quote from the article that gives you a hint of hope that your email will be viewable is this: “While it’s not without its challenges, rest assured it can be done. In my experience the key is to focus on three things. First, you should keep it simple. The more complex your email design, the more likely is it to choke on one of the popular clients with poor standards support. Second, you need to take your coding skills back a good decade. That often means nesting tables, bringing CSS inline and following the coding guidelines I’ll outline below. Finally, you need to test your designs regularly. Just because a template looks nice in Hotmail now, doesn’t mean it will next week.” Amen to that!

The article itself gets into the actual coding, and may be a bit overwhelming to some that really don’t deal with the code itself. So for the benefit of non-coders, I will try to explain in simple terms what it all means.

Background images will probably be replaced with solid color. If you’d like to reach maximum email client compatibility, you (or your designer) should avoid positioning any elements above any other graphic element – like large images – because of issues with css properties support in email clients. The email client will remove the background image and replace it with a solid color or nothing at all. So images or items floating on top of other images are a no-no.

No repeating backgrounds. Let’s say you wanted a fancy wood grain background that gets repeated throughout the email like many do in their websites. This would also disappear because of the same rule above. So you are better off with solid colors.

No transparent images. Transparent images will also cause problems because they combine with the background so the email client would treat them as a floating image and they could disappear or get the dreaded question mark. They could be faked only if they are treated like a picture, but since email clients tend to move things around, it would simply be better to stay away from that.

Avoid fancy fonts. Unless they are treated like an image, your best bet is to use web friendly fonts that everyone has in their system like Helvetica, Arial, Verdana or Times. Why? Because if your intended receiver does not have Arno Pro Bold Condensed in their computer, most likely the email will revert to one of the fonts I just mentioned and break your design. I can hear moans right now… this is the worst travesty of web designers. I know. All websites are doomed to have the same fonts, but there is nothing worse than things changing on you without your consent. And if they can’t read your newsletter or email, what good does a fancy font do?

Test your design. Often. As mentioned in the article above, you need to test your design to see if it can work in different email clients. There are programs to do this and your designer should be aware of this tool. It will show you a snapshot of how your email will look and show you if things disappear or not. It is an excellent way to fool proof your design. But note that things change constantly and if you have had a certain layout for your newsletter that has been in use for a while, it would be a good idea to test it again every few months to see if it is still as visible as before.

Use a reliable email marketing software. It is one thing to send email to your mom from your own computer, and another when sending an email with commercial or marketing intentions in mind. This is a touchy subject that gets into the murky world of CAN-SPAM (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing) legalities. There are many rules that circle around marketing through email and they are covered in the article “Complying with CAN-SPAM laws” from Campaign Monitor if you want to read more. Things like double opt-in, unsubscribe links, valid reply-to addresses, legitimate from name and other issues can be covered when using a reliable email marketing software. Some of the most well known are MailChimp, Benchmark, Campaign Monitor. These services are easy to use and are very cost effective when used wisely.

It would be also wise to say that when using the email marketing providers, it can also hurt you if you go into a email campaign without thorough thought to your target audience, the branding of your company, and how you present yourself. It should look professional because email marketing is very direct and you wouldn’t want your first impression to your client to be a bad one. For a true professional presentation and great results, always consult a professional interactive marketing agency  like Archer Communications, Inc.! But, even if you don’t use us, imagine those disappearing images, broken text, question marks, in an email you receive, and remember what you (or I) would do with an email like this… Yep… Send it to the trash!

By: Michelle Martorell – Creative Director, Archer Communications, Inc.

How quickly are you getting information about new and innovative ideas, products and services to your potential customer base? Are your rankings on search engines lagging? Are you still waiting for your web updates to go live? If this sounds familiar, it may be because you haven’t experienced the distinct advantage of working with an integrated marketing communications firm. Working with this type of firm—one that combines both traditional and Internet marketing methods—will help you determine the appropriate marketing solutions for your business.

The fundamental principles that drive sales remain the same—determine the needs of your customers through market research, strategically develop and effectively target your audience(s), which will then form the core of your business plan. The challenge of communicating your company’s message has become increasingly complex, because of the constantly evolving world of advertising. web design, email marketing and search engine optimization, to name a few. Social media marketing alone, presents a smorgasbord of choices.

Branding is yet, another important area of your business that needs consideration. Developing a distinct brand in the current ultra-competitive marketplace is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.  It involves creating a strong brand identity, integrating the brand’s message to employees and consumers, and then carrying that message consistently across all forms of advertising and marketing initiatives.

When you make decisions about how to spend precious advertising dollars, it’s more important than ever to look at one’s return on investment (ROI).  Planning your marketing strategies makes sense financially and getting expert advice on how to do so, eliminates waste—ultimately producing an effective outcome.

Hiring an integrated marketing communications firm will give your company a team of skilled experts who can help you realize your goals, overcome challenges and strategically craft a marketing plan that’s customized for your particular business objectives. They can help you reduce the clutter and streamline the process of delivering your message to your target audience.

Are you struggling to make the right marketing decisions for your company? Tell us your challenges—we’d be glad to help!

Archer Communications is excited to announce that it will serve as agency of record for Empire Attractions, LLC, New York’s newest themed event and entertainment provider.

Empire Attractions, recently established by Doug Waterbury, owns and operates a variety of venues throughout the State, including the Sterling Renaissance Festival, Screamers’ Hollow and the newly created Celtic Rock Festival, located at the Sterling Festival Grounds in Sterling, NY. Other Empire Attraction venues included Sylvan Beach Amusement Park, the Sylvan Beach Screamer Speedboat Thrill Ride and Yesterday’s Royal, located along Oneida Lake in Sylvan Beach, NY; and Santa’s Workshop at North Pole, NY, located on Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, NY.

As agency of record, Archer is responsible for the development, management and implementation of all marketing efforts for Empire Attractions and each of its entertainment venues.

“Although challenging at times, this account has everyone at Archer buzzing with excitement,” said Carol Davison, Sr. VP Client Services at Archer Communications. “These events demand a marketing approach and media mix as unique as the entertainment venues themselves. Branding, media placement, web development and PR are a few of the many responsibilities Archer will take on in 2009.”

Archer worked with the Sterling Renaissance Festival throughout the 2008 season. Prior to that, Carol Davison oversaw the Renaissance Festival account at Davison Advertising for 20-plus years.

Archer Communications is a branding and Integrated Marketing Communications firm, specializing in advertising, public relations, sales promotion, web development, exhibits, events, media planning and buying, Internet marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), packaging and direct marketing. Archer serves a wide range of business-to-business, retail and consumer clients in a diverse range of industries and markets.

For more information, visit us at www.Archercom.com

The Internet has quickly become a place where consumers can come together and share information about their experiences, where they shop, how much they paid and the level of or lack of service they received.

A decade ago, not-so-happy patrons would have gone and voiced their dissatisfaction to ten-or-so of their closest friends. Today, thanks to the Internet, those unsatisfied individuals now have an eager audience of hundreds, even thousands. The upside? The Internet has granted us (marketers) the ability to identify topics of discussion for disgruntled customers and pinpoint areas of our business that are in need of improvement.

Tips to Effectively Manage Your Online Reputation
Pay close attention to online chatter. Websites such as, Epinions.com, Viewpoints.com, ConsumerReview.com and Rocwiki.org were developed to provide mindful shoppers with unbiased first-hand reviews and recommendations. What are consumers saying about you and your products and services? Pay attention and respond accordingly.

If you are getting unfavorable feedback: Act quickly. If your customers are unhappy, how are you going to fix it? Recall? Refund? Tutorial? Upgrade? Remedy the situation fast or, thanks to the limitless nature of the Internet, the backlash will more than likely snowball.

If you are praised by the masses: Determine what you are doing right and keep doing it (unfortunately A+ ratings are hard to come by – the critics are tough and most of us have room for improvement).

For more information, visit us at www.Archercom.com

E-newsletters are an effective and relatively inexpensive way to stay in touch with clients, vendors and influential members of the community, and to keep them informed on both organizational news and industry trends.

Give Them Something They Want!
People will rarely engage in a newsletter that solely explains the benefits of doing business with your organization. To increase the likelihood of people actively reading what you have to say, make sure there is something in it for them. Be sure your content is newsworthy, relevant to the recipient, and includes something interesting, fun and non-promotional.

Update Your List
You can take the time to create a highly engaging and effective newsletter, but it won’t do you much good if it doesn’t get in front of the right people. Update your list with new contacts every month or as necessary and remove those that are no longer relevant.

Archer works web-based companies that help build and maintain targeted contact lists for our clients and enables us to provide fast and easy distribution of our clients’ e-newsletters and e-marketing campaigns.

Do Not Abuse/Overuse
As interesting as you think the day-to-day happenings of your business may be, outsiders most likely do not care. Send a newsletter only when there is news, and pick a distribution schedule that will not get you blacklisted from recipient in-boxes…try once a month or every quarter.

For information on creating an effective-newsletter, please contact Carrie Tschetter, ctschetter@Archercom.com, 585.461.1570 x 216 or visit us at www.Archercom.com