Hear From Us

TV Spot Helps 89-year-old Realize His Dream

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:49 GMT

While we normally rely on research to ensure that our campaigns for clients are effective, sometimes we get to witness it first-hand. Charlie Ball, an 89-year-old World War II veteran, will graduate from Arkansas Tech University this weekend, all because he saw a television commercial for the Arkansas Tech University Accelerated Degree program.

Ball first arrived in Russellville in the fall of 1941, but his studies were soon interrupted and replaced with pilot lessons from the U.S. Armed Services. Seven decades later, he is now receiving his Bachelor of Professional studies degree in public relations. Hey, with that degree maybe Mr. Ball wants to come help us out at the agency? He certainly proves that it is never too late to achieve a goal in life.

To learn more about Charlie Ball’s story, read this news story from KARK.

Optimizing Headlines in the Age of Google

Wed, 09 May 2012 12:46 GMT

Ever wonder why some websites and search results are rated so much higher than others? They may have great content and witty headlines, but more importantly, they have excellent search engine optimization. It is something that has to be taken into consideration when crafting headlines and copy for our clients. But how can companies write intriguing headlines when Google doesn't appreciate their wit or humor?

Check out this article from Jonathan Rick with some tactics for optimizing SEO without sacrificing your writing style.

Pixel Perfect Goes Social

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:53 GMT

Pixel Perfect is the creative partner of the Sells Agency- helping us with all things digital and helping our clients make sense of digital marketing. They have recently extended their reach to social media so be sure to check out their Facebook page and Twitter, and visit their website to learn more about everything they do.

Fayetteville Photo Shoot

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:35 GMT

Jon and Kati spent a majority of last week in Fayetteville doing a photo shoot for the upcoming 2012 Fayetteville Guide. While we are still a few weeks away from having a completed guide, we thought we would give you a behind-the-scenes look into the shoot. Here are some photos from the shoot, and we will be sure to share the final pictures when we have those.

Also, a belated happy Administrative Professionals day to all of you! Or as we call it around here, Amberfest. We definitely couldn't get anything done around here without Amber, so we are celebrating her all week!

Arvest Ranks Highest in J.D. Power Study

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:55 GMT

J.D. Power and Associates just released the 2012 Retail Banking Satisfaction Study. For the fourth consecutive year, Arvest Bank has received regional awards, ranking highest in both the South Central and Southwest regions – the only bank in the study to receive the award in two regions. The 2012 study was conducted with more than 51,000 banking customers throughout eleven regions across the U.S.

Arvest Bank received scores significantly higher than regional averages in five factors analyzed by the study – account activities, account information, facility, fees, and product offerings. The South Central Region is comprised of five states: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. The Southwest Region is comprised of six states: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma and Utah.

There are many factors that contribute to Arvest’s highest ranking in the study. Arvest Bank has some of the lowest fees in the nation, a highly rated in-branch experience and offers 12-hour weekday banking, along with Saturday hours at many of its more than 230 locations. Arvest also provides a wide variety of desirable checking and loan products as well as many customer conveniences including online banking, mobile banking, deposit image ATMs and other electronic services.

To view more information and ratings overview for the J. D. Power and Associates 2012 Retail Banking Satisfaction Study^SM, visit http://www.jdpower.com.

TaMolly's In-store Signage

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:20 GMT

Your favorite department store. The corner pharmacy. Even your bank.

Many businesses target customers and encourage sales using in-store point of purchase materials. It's a growing part of a multi-channel marketing approach and for good reason. It provides enormous opportunities to offer your customers additional incentives to make purchases, creates powerful impressions that will help build your brand, drives customer loyalty and generates buzz about your business.

As we continue to implement a new marketing plan for TaMolly's Mexican restaurants, we recently refreshed their in-store materials. We started by producing large signs that promoted their weekly specials and new gluten-free menu.

We created table tents and napkins promoting appetizers and desserts. Then we made a special label for their gallon-sized jugs of brewed tea.

We even made special signs for the bathroom mirrors!

And a little something fun- stickers for the kids!

Got a few minutes? Become a better writer!

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:29 GMT

Have a few extra minutes today? Become a better writer now! Don't worry, the agency is not producing infomercials now, but we are always looking for ways to improve our writing. We like to stay on our toes since solid writing is the basis for most of our client work.

Finding time to focus on ourselves is hard to do, so we thought this quick exercise from PR Daily was worthy of our attention. Check out their tips for improving your writing here.

Last Call for Career Clarity Applications!

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:22 GMT

Are you a college student still wondering what you're going to do all summer? Don't worry, it isn't too late to apply for the Sells Agency Career Clarity program!

We are looking for one account services/ public relations intern, and one art direction/ design intern for our 10-week program beginning May 21. The applications are due this Friday, March 30.

So, what are you waiting for? Click here for more information, and get the application here!

The State of the News Media 2012

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:17 GMT

As a marketing firm we are always interested in the topics of news and social media and how these ever-evolving industries can best be utilized for our clients. The Pew Research Center’s report “The State of the News Media 2012” has been released, and this comprehensive annual report contains a lot of information relevant to the marketing industry and how consumers are accessing news today. One major issue addressed in the report is the fundamental challenge for news organizations to maintain a presence on mobile platforms and social media channels.

Other interesting topics covered include information on digital media, the mobile market and the role of social media in news today.

You can read a full overview of the report here, as well as access the full report.

ATU-Ozark Photoshoot

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:47 GMT

We are excited to begin sharing with you a new campaign for Arkansas Tech University’s Ozark campus.

Arkansas Valley Technical Institute became part of the Tech system in 2006, and we have been marketing their brand across the River Valley since then. They have experienced tremendous growth in that time and recently came to us for a new branding campaign.

The new campaign features graduates from the Ozark campus in two of their most in-demand programs – allied health and technology. Jason Masters was the photographer for this project.

We will share the whole campaign soon, but in the meantime, here is a peak at some production stills from our recent photoshoot!

Good News at Arkansas Governor's Conference on Tourism

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:15 GMT

Last week several of our associates had the pleasure of attending the 38th Annual Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism. The conference is held in different Arkansas cities each year, and 2012’s conference took place in West Memphis.
We attended interesting sessions about topics ranging from social media, the impact of the 150th Civil War anniversary on Arkansas tourism, digital marketing and culinary tourism in Arkansas.
One of the most interesting topics covered was the economic recovery in Arkansas in 2012. We all know that the financial crisis of recent years has taken its toll on almost every industry - tourism included. University of Arkansas economist Kathy Deck gave a wonderful presentation on where the tourism industry in Arkansas is heading, and we are happy to report that the future looks bright!
Also, we’d like to offer a special congratulations to the Reed’s Bridge Battlefield Preservation Society, which received the Arkansas Heritage Henry Award for making a significant contribution towards the preservation of Arkansas’ legacy. They have done a great job maintaining the Reed’s Bridge historic site and educating Arkansans about the history of the battlefield in Jacksonville. For more information on Reed’s Bridge and the work of the Preservation Society in Jacksonville click here.

PRSA Unveils New Definition of Public Relations

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:22 GMT

In January we told you about the Public Relations Society of America’s international campaign to modernize the definition of public relations. The “PR Defined” campaign allowed everyone, from public relations professionals to the clients that hire them, to voice their opinion on what the evolving definition of public relations should be.

The previous definition of public relations, which had been held since 1982 was:

“Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.”

Following a public vote last month, here is the new definition of public relations by PRSA:

"Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics."

The public vote took place over two weeks in February and drew 1,447 votes, with the winning definition receiving 46.4 percent of the vote. PRSA CEO Gerard Corbett expressed his thoughts on the new definition in a blog post on the organization’s website, "Simple and straightforward, this definition focuses on the basic concept of public relations—as a communication process, one that is strategic in nature and emphasizing mutually beneficial relationships.“

Undoubtedly, the final definition will have its share of critics, and PRSA says that this is just the beginning, not the end of the debate. The PR Defined blog will stay open for discussion on the new definition, so check it out here and leave your feedback.

The Pull of Pinterest

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 13:24 GMT

We know we aren’t the first people to write about the Pinterest trend. Communications consultant Shel Holtz recently confirmed there are now more than 50 million blog posts referencing or featuring the social media site. Clearly Pinterest is doing something right. Because these days, a new form of social media isn’t groundbreaking news, but what about a social media outlet that sucks you in and has you asking yourself: Why am I so addicted to Pinterest?

Pinterest is a site that allows members to create digital boards as a way to organize and catalog images they find on the internet, and anything is game - from recipes, to a pair of shoes, to something they find on an interesting blog. Virtually anything can be “pinned” to different boards the user creates. With over 10 million users, the content on Pinterest is almost endless.

Pinterest has been around since 2008, so why are we just now hearing so much about it? As social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, continue to evolve, people find themselves overwhelmed with status updates and comments. There are those of us who can’t make dinner without creating a Facebook album of our meal, or risk depriving followers of our opinions on the big game.

In a recent article by Fast Company, Dr. Christopher Long, a professor at Ouachita Baptist University, explains how Pinterest serves as a much-needed escape from the day-to-day content sharing of other social media sites.

“It’s not a place where I have to worry about being bombarded by other people’s over-sharing of uninteresting or annoying daily experiences or about accidentally revealing intimate details of my day-to-day life,” Long said.

So how can Pinterest be a useful tool in the world of marketing? Like all tactics, Pinterest makes a lot of sense for some businesses and no sense at all for others. When it does make sense, Pinterest can provide a fun way for consumers to discover brand values and company culture. Here are a few examples of a few brands that are using Pinterest well to build awareness:

2012 ADDY Awards

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:31 GMT

This past weekend the Sells Agency attended the ADDY awards – presented by the American Advertising Federation–Little Rock (AAF-LR) – which honor a high standard of creativity and excellence in advertising. We are excited to announce that the agency received five awards for work we created on behalf of Sheltair and Arkansas Tech University.

We won a gold ADDY award for our Choose Tech campaign, produced for Arkansas Tech University. This campaign received the only gold award for a television campaign outside of the PSA category. The Choose Tech campaign also received a bronze in the regional/national TV, single spot, consumer services category.

In addition, our Arkansas Tech Accelerated Degree TV was awarded bronze in the local television, :60 second category.

We also won bronze ADDY awards for Sheltair photography in both the campaign and color photography categories.

Special thanks go to Sheltair and Arkansas Tech University for working with us to create these successful, now award-winning campaigns. It’s our honor to work with such great clients on a daily basis and to be a part of a wonderful organization like AAF-LR.

WE WANT YOU!

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:19 GMT

Are you a college student or recent graduate interested in marketing, advertising, graphic design or art? Do you want to spend your summer doing more than babysitting or running to get coffee and making copies? We are looking for one account services intern and one graphic design intern for our 2012 Career Clarity program.

Past interns have completed various projects and campaigns for local non-profits and new agency clients that included website planning and design, brochures and other printed pieces, statewide research and public relations efforts. No matter what the project is, we promise you will be busy, have fun and learn a lot about our industry.

If you are interested in finding out more about the 2012 Career Clarity program, get more information here, and click here to get the application. Applications are due March 30. Please email questions to sarah@sellsagency.com.

Interns will be compensated for their work.

Sells Agency Welcomes New Associates

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:51 GMT

The Sells Agency is excited to welcome two new members to our team team. Elizabeth Luttrell and Lauren Thompson have joined the agency as art director and account executive, respectively.

Elizabeth is a Little Rock native and comes to us from Dillard’s where she worked as a graphic and packaging designer. She has been hard at work bringing client campaigns to life with her creative eye, and we are slowly but surely getting over the fact that she is an LSU Tiger.

Lauren has been working as an account executive for Moroch Partners for the past four years and will be heading up client accounts on both the digital and traditional side for the agency. She has an impressive background both in her work experience and as a member of the Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

We are excited to add these two women and their diverse talents to our team. Welcome, Elizabeth and Lauren!

"There is no love sincerer than the love of food." - George Bernard Shaw

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:41 GMT

How true Mr. Shaw, how true. And, the food is just one of the reasons we love our client, TaMolly's Mexican Restaurant.

They have been an active participant and integral part of our Marketing Clarity process since last summer, when we started market research. After months of hard work from their team and ours, we have a nearly-complete campaign that includes a multi-media approach to reaching the client's target audience through TV, radio, outdoor advertising, newspaper inserts, in-store signage, web and public relations.

The concept behind this work is based on the love and fresh ingredients that go into making TaMolly's food, and how that will carry over into the customer experience. Below are some of the pieces of creative that recently hit three specific TaMolly's markets. Other pieces of creative are still in the works, but we'll be sure to share them with you soon.

And, if you haven't dined at a TaMolly's and experienced their delicious food and fabulous prices, you can find your nearest location here.

Outdoor board:

Newspaper insert:

TV spot:

Happy National Popcorn Day!

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:19 GMT

Arvest first began passing out popcorn at the bank’s first branch, located in Bentonville, Arkansas, many years ago to make their customer’s banking experience more enjoyable. The bank’s 230+ locations are now known for having popcorn on hand for their customers, and today all Arvest branches are celebrating National Popcorn Day.

To get the full history of this fun Arvest tradition, check out the bank’s “Why Celebrate National Popcorn Day?” blog here. And don’t forget to stop by an Arvest branch today for your own bag of free popcorn!

PR Defined

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:18 GMT

The Sells Agency is a marketing firm that offers full advertising and public relations services. Okay, but what does that really mean? In short, it means we work with our clients to define their business goals and set forth a plan, using a variety of communications tactics, to achieve them. Since we wear so many different hats around here, sometimes it is hard to clearly define all our capabilities. Within different industries, and certainly within the field of communications, it is important to clearly articulate what you do. Luckily, for our PR department, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is currently leading an international effort to modernize the definition of public relations.

The practice of what is now commonly referred to as “public relations” dates back to the early 20th century. Over the years, public relations has been defined many ways, with the definition often evolving alongside technological advances and changing roles. In 1982, PRSA adopted this definition of PR, which remains widely in use:

“Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.”

Pretty short and sweet, right? While this statement still holds true, thirty years have passed, and it is time for a rethink. Below are the three definitions of PR that the PRSA is currently gathering feedback on for their “PR Defined” campaign.

Definition No. 1:
“Public relations is the management function of researching, engaging, communicating, and collaborating with stakeholders in an ethical manner to build mutually beneficial relationships and achieve results.”

Definition No. 2:
“Public relations is a strategic communication process that develops and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their key publics.”

Definition No. 3:
“Public relations is the engagement between organizations and individuals to achieve mutual understanding and realize strategic goals.”

We think it’s important to let those of you who hire PR practitioners like the Sells Agency have a say, so which one is your favorite? Go here and give PRSA your feedback.

You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:22 GMT

Our holiday card will have you seeing green, but we promise there are no Grinchs here at the Sells Agency. We can’t say that it was all smiles and kind words as we painted our hands and squeezed 16 people into a circle for the “perfect” shot, but we certainly had fun and the end result was worth it.

From everyone at the Sells Agency, have a safe and happy holiday season, and best wishes for 2012. Merry Christmas!

Click here for a special holiday greeting from the Sells Agency!

We're Trendy

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:57 GMT

Whether in business or in our personal lives, most of us are trying in some way to identify the latest trends. In business, spotting the upcoming trends can give your company a significant advantage over the competition, or even be the catalyst for starting a new, successful company.

As an advertising agency, we are constantly assessing the trends of our client’s industries, which is, of course, part art and part science. We do this by trying to anticipate what target audiences want from a business now and several years from now, as well as paying attention to their business environments.

Some of the potential trends we’ve been paying attention to this year include health insurance products becoming more retail focused, how the banking industry is reacting to new regulations and how those regulations are affecting the customer experience, and the resurgence of travel and tourism and how it is impacted by online, social media and smartphone usage.

During December there are always a plethora of lists that attempt to predict business trends for the upcoming year, so in the spirit of the new year, we are sharing with you one of the more informative lists we’ve read; a discussion on Internet marketing trends to watch in 2012 by Small Business Trends. Click here to check it out.

Account Executive in NWA

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:02 GMT

The Sells Agency is seeking an experienced agency account executive to work in our Fayetteville, Arkansas office. Qualified candidates will have a college degree and two to five years of experience in an agency environment working in the account services area.

This account executive will work closely with our director of Northwest Arkansas in providing top-notch customer service and marketing counsel to our NWA clients including Arvest Bank, Fayetteville Advertising & Promotion Commission and Rausch-Coleman Homes.

Qualified candidates should email a cover letter and resume to mike@sellsagency.com.

Clients recognized as the best

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:48 GMT

The Sells Agency would like to congratulate several of our clients on being named finalists and winners in the 2011 Arkansas Business Best of Business Awards. For the seventh year running, thousands of Arkansans voted for the companies that they think are exceptional. Categories in this competition range from finance to building services to nonprofits.

Arvest Bank took first place in the “Best Bank for Business” category, QualChoice was a finalist for “Best Health Care Insurance Provider” and Edafio Technologies was a finalist for “Best Computer Services Company.”

We agree with Arkansas Business readers, and the recognition is certainly well deserved. Congratulations to the teams at Arvest, QualChoice and Edafio.

National Advertising Division sets rules for Facebook "Likes"

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:45 GMT

How many different companies or businesses do you “like” on Facebook? Your simple click of approval is something that many organizations want, and even set as a condition for giveaways and contests. You may remember that we asked for Facebook “likes” during our Christmas in July giveaway.

Many Facebook users will “like” a brand page to take advantage of coupons and discounts, they will also quickly leave that page if the offer proves to be something less than was promised. As businesses venture into Facebook marketing, it is crucial that they still follow traditional marketing best practices. Misleading or false information can quickly do a lot of damage, and fast, particularly in social media.

While Facebook can be a fun and useful tool for many, the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has recently set some rules for businesses who solicit “likes” on Facebook without being clear about the details.

Check out these articles from Second Wind and the Boston Business Journal for more information on the NAD’s rules regarding soliciting Facebook likes.

Arvest River Market on Ice

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:05 GMT

It’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas tree is up at the agency! Are you looking for a fun activity to kick off your holiday season? Look no further than Arvest’s River Market on Ice taking place now in downtown Little Rock. As a community-focused bank, Arvest is excited to bring this winter activity to the community along with the Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission, Downtown Little Rock Partnership and Little Rock Parks and Recreation.

Our creative department enjoyed working with Arvest to design and create a tree-topper for the Christmas tree located at the rink.

The ice rink, located in one of the open-air pavilions overlooking Riverfront Park and the Arkansas River, is open now through January 8th. For a complete list of hours visit http://www.holidaysinlittlerock.com/river_market_on_ice/.