Problem Solvers: Pandemic Edition

Businesses come to a full-service agency like ours for creative out-of-the-box ideas. Necessity is the mother of all invention, right!? Some of our best, and most creative work happens within constraints caused by the highly specific needs of our clients — let alone while reacting to recent challenges caused by the pandemic. This last year we’ve worked with our clients in innovating, exploring and tackling each new challenge as they manifested. Seeing the results of our efforts and success for our clients fuels our desire to wear our victory capes every day. A whole-hearted thanks to them for entrusting our MCS Advertising team. 

Problem: No Dirt Vehicles in Stock During Dirt Season

Solution: It’s Christmas in July! Nothing says fun and unexpected like mountain sleds on the sand dunes in a creative video showcasing available snowmobile stock. This video campaign allowed Rexburg Motorsports to offer what they did have available, despite snowmobiles not being “in season.”

Problem: New Building, Needed More Patients 

Solution: We created a new look, media plan, website and awareness campaign offering a full-spectrum of medical services driving patients with little or no insurance coverage to the Community Council of Idaho’s newest 5C3 non-profit clinic. The next problem to solve: where to park now that people know There’s a Doc for That.

Problem: Supply Chain Challenge 

Solution: Pivoting from pushing potentially frustrating specific price and item specials that were in short supply, we opted to show how full of merchandise Modern Home is; taking the pressure off of individual furniture pieces by featuring storewide interior footage. While folks were stuck at home, re-integrating fresh video into the advertising strategy helped propel Modern Home to a happy ending for 2021.

Problem: Reach & Exceed Fundraising Goals

Solution: After our 2020 virtual campaign raised a little over $12,000, we were determined to reach the $15,000 goal for 2021. We freshened up the campaign look and used everything we had learned last year to reach our goal. We felt like we had won the whole cow and more when Shepherd’s Inn exceeded their goal this year.

Authors:

MCS Staff

Avoid Cause-washing

As different causes take the center stage for their respective seasons, it can be tempting for brands to maintain relevance by applying a splash of color behind their logo for pride month or slapping a pink ribbon on their social media posts in October. The practice of “cause-washing” starts down a slippery slope into losing consumer trust, ending on the cancellation express. Performative allyship is out. Accountability and action are IN!

So how do you market and interact with the general public while steering clear of the inevitable muck that follows painting yourself a different color every time the opportunity arises? 

Consider your current business practices, then evaluate to see if your current choices are in alignment with your values. If you value conserving resources, what are you currently doing as a business that reflects that? Is there something that you could adjust to be in better alignment with your values? Choose your causes based on your values.

You might actively contribute and support a cause by having a donation jar, donating portions of proceeds, or hosting some kind of fundraising event. The possibilities are endless. Just be clear about who and how you are contributing before popping that pink background onto your marketing materials. 

Be In Conversation with Your Target Audience

Make sure to take the time to educate your audience about the causes that you support. Seek to highlight the voices of people who are experts in those areas. Use social media, email lists, and other points of contact to help increase awareness and share resources during the month and throughout the year. 

As you authentically engage with your audience both in conversation and marketing, you will foster a community of loyal consumers and increase your ability to create a positive impact for those causes you care about.

Author

Jessica Cale

Designer/Fontographer extraordinaire

Summer 2021: MCS Memories

Lisa: It’ been a fabby summer — from river floats with fam & friends, to visiting Steve’s parents in the Black Hills.

But our trip to Napa Valley wine country takes the cake — definitely a bucket list item — with the highlight being an old-fashioned train tour making several vineyard stops, up and down the valley.

Steve: A 4-day mountain biking trip to Oregon over Memorial Day kicked off the summer on a high note for me. Insider intel on locals-only trails kept us in the sweet spots and out of the crowds.

Dave: Our summer highlight was a week-long trip to Connecticut for a college friends’ reunion. It was our first trip to the East coast, and the first time I’ve dipped my feet in the Atlantic Ocean. 11/10 would go again.

Stephanie: We had a lot of plans this summer. It was very go-go-go for us. I think my favorite was camping in Island Park. It was the most relaxing part of the summer.

Matt: My favorite memory from this summer was when my family went camping at Crescent Lake in Oregon. We went hiking, swimming, boating, fishing, paddle boarding, and even climbed a waterfall. The experience was amazing other than the sunburns and mosquito bites.

Jordynn: My favorite memory from this summer was visiting Dreamscapes Art Exhibit in Salt Lake City, which is Utah’s first environmentally sustainable exhibit featuring pieces created from reclaimed materials. Walking through the exhibit truly felt like a dream.

Kayla: One of the many favorite memories this summer was having my high school friends come to visit from Minnesota. We took the long weekend to travel to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, their first time visiting. It was great seeing them and being able to catch up!

Nick: My favorite trip and part of this summer was visiting my friends in Portland. We went to the ocean, Multnomah Falls, hiked around Portland and went and found a lot of great restaurants and antique stores. It definitely was a trip that recharged my batteries for my final semester at Idaho State!

Authors:

MCS Staff

Summer Vibes ’21

We threw together a sweet summer playlist with some of our favorite summertime jams and the memories behind them in honor of Summer Solstice. Kick back, enjoy the sunshine and tune into our Spotify playlist that’s sure to take you to summer, no matter the time of year.

Listen to the playlist here, or check out individual tracks below:

Lisa: The Middle by Jimmy Eat World – I’m a pitcher’s Mom. Whenever I hear The Middle by Jimmy Eat World, I’m swept back to the summers when Clark was developing his skills as a lanky-lefty. On our way to the park we would crank it up to help shake off the pregame jitters.

Steve: Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin – for me, this song summons a very specific summer vibe. I used to have an old jeepster commando convertible, and I must have played this song a lot in that rig, because hearing it immediately conjures up the sensation of cruising down a two-lane road with the top down on a calm sunny day.

Jordynn: Island in the Sun by Weezer – The first time I went to Cozumel, Mexico my brother and I played this song on repeat every morning to celebrate the fact that we were literally on an island in the sun, so it always reminds me of warm weather and sunshine.

Stephanie: Redneck Yacht Club by Craig Morgan & Pontoon by Little Big Town – Stephanie chose these songs, “cause I’m a redneck at heart” & they get her in her summer flow.

Kayla: When the Sun Goes Down by Kenny Chesney (feat. Uncle Kracker) – Reminds me of summer weekends in Trego, Wisconsin, being on the lake with all my friends and family.

Matt: Have Faith in Me by A Day to Remember – Kimber and I spent our first summer married (2010) in the scorching heat and dense humidity of San Antonio TX. We were still trying to learn and figure out each other’s musical tastes. We got a free Epitaph Records mix CD at Six Flags and quickly fell in love with this song. We played it literally every day that summer and still put it in every playlist we make today.

Dave: Oye Como Va by Santana – In the summer of ’91 – I road-tripped with a group of seven friends from Colorado to Alaska. After driving all night, my friend and I stopped in a remote corner of north-western Montana to watch the sun rise. This song still conjures a very strong memory of that morning: We opened all the car doors, blasted this song (waking everyone else up) and stood on top of the car while we watched the golden rays stream over rolling green hills. It was a good morning.

Author

Jordynn Shaw

Social specialist

For Earth Day: Ads that make you think green

When it comes to reducing our agency’s carbon footprint, OG Capegirl, Lisa, can be a bit obsessive about our office recycling program. It’s not uncommon to find her fishing plastic drink containers out of the trash.

And if you ask her about advertising with an eco theme, she’s got some obsessions there too. She may mention one of her favorite commercials, the Toss the Tube television spot produced by Scott Brand Products to promote their tubeless bathroom tissue. A strong visual illustrates the point. Boom. It’s much more memorable than a recitation of fact and figures.

Another top pick with an earth-friendly message was Patagonia’s now-iconic 2011 Black Friday ‘Don’t Buy This Jacket’ ad in the New York Times. With that killer headline and clean layout, it’s impossible not to read the ad and digest the message: Reduce. Repair. Reuse. Recycle.

It’s advertising 101. A bold message paired with a compelling visual has the power to change people’s habits, no matter if you’re trying to sell more, or less.

Authors:

MCS Staff