STANANDLOU MARKETING/ADVERTISING

by Pete Blackshaw

Published: August 11, 2010

Ad Age Daily

So with all this relentless talk about Twitter accounts, Facebook fan pages and cool new apps, I have a serious and timely question. Do brand websites still matter?

Yes, I know — even asking this question is a bit digitally sacrilegious. Websites are to digital strategy as models are to fashion, but do we really need them?

I mean, didn’t things seem a tad curious during the World Cup when brands like Adidas and Nike actively promoted their Facebook page — not their primary website — at the end of their TV spots? Just this weekend, I saw a similar cross-feed to Facebook for Kohls. Talk about kicking the ball into a different goal.

Think about all the hoops we’ve jumped through to register proprietary domain names, in every country and business type — this perpetually rationalized by an almost unstoppable parade of GoDaddy ads (titillation and all). As a domain-name collector myself, it’s hard not to feel a twinge of asset deterioration.

But before you start penning the “ditch the brand website” memo, hold your tweets for a moment. Websites are not going away — they might be more important than ever — but they serve a different and evolved purpose today, especially in this new “social” context.

Think wholesale, less retail. Think distribution, less destination. Think serving, less selling.

(more…)

What a great day! Just got off the phone with Brandy Beverly who has accepted our offer to join the STANANDLOU and 504 family! We are extremely fortunate and thrilled to have someone of Brandy’s experience, talent and professionalism join our team as Account Director.

I personally look forward to working with and learning from Brandy as we take STANANDLOU to the next level of our journey. Brandy will officially start on July 15 but we hope to get her in for a couple days before for client introductions and stuff!

Welcome aboard, Brandy!

STANANDLOU client Stewart L. Skloss, founder of Pura Vida Tequila Company, hosted a Pura Vida Tequila Tasting Party at Mo’s Steakhouse, in Houston, TX, last night! We sampled three different Pura Vida Tequilas, Silver, Gold and Anejo, and I gotta tell you, they were excellent!

After sampling the tequilas pure (sipping shots) we then sampled 10 incredible mixed drinks using Pura Vida Tequila. Good? No, GREAT!!!

I cannot wait till the next tasting. In the meantime, I’m going to be real nice to Stewart in hopes I might be able to coerce out of a "pre-launch" bottle of Anejo before the distributors hog them all!!!

PHOTOS

all photos here

PHOTOS
Note from Reggie:
“Thought things couldn’t get any better. I found out yesterday things can always get better, Even though you are happy with the way things are going for you now. I Meet a lot of nice people in Austin. Our Austin friends are learning about neurofibromatosis and showing compassion about all who are affected by NF. Shouldn’t surprise me. I always walk away feeling great, as I know the new friends I met feel the same. A big thank you to all who took time to take photos with me! You are all very special to me!”

About Stryker

Stryker is a broadly based, global leader in medical technology that delivers exceptional results. We are one of the largest players in the $35.6 billion worldwide orthopaedic market and our products help medical professionals improve their patients’ lives in over 120 countries.

We are a company that sets high standards. Our growth has come from offering an unparalleled variety of innovative, high-quality products and services resulting from the dedication of our employees. Through better products, simplified surgical techniques and improved hospital efficiencies, we are creating cost-effective solutions in systems throughout the world.

World News with Charles Gibson / Buc-ee’s Key to Success? Clean Bathrooms When Beaver Aplin asked us to create a series of billboards for Buc-ee’s, I thought, “Great, we can do some really cool stuff!” When he told me he wanted to focus on promoting the “cleanest bathrooms in the world,” I sniffed a great campaign! Four years later, Buc-ee’s billboards and “restrooms fit for a king” are synonynous with the brand. So much so that here’s what ABC News had to say… VIDEO They didn’t show this particular billboard in the newscast but I think this one pretty much sums it all up.
VISIT THE BUC-EE’S PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE

Lantern Awards of Texas

The BMA-Houston Lantern Awards of Texas competition was created more than two decades ago to bring recognition to top-quality creative work and the rising standards of marketing thinking in the business-to-business ‘space’ – long before most had even heard the term “B2B”.

Since that time, the Lantern Awards Gala has become an annual celebration of B2B marketing excellence in Houston and throughout the state of Texas. Hundreds of business marketing professionals gather to view the field of finalists in an elegant gallery-like atmosphere, to network with their peers over dinner, and then applaud the winners as they are announced.

Lou didn’t have anything better to do over the rainy Labor Day weekend so he started playing with the blog…then he started watching some STANANDLOU videos and TV commercials…then he went back to looking at the blog when…BAM!!!, it hit him. He didn’t have a beer!!!! I know, we couldn’t believe it ourselves. Oh…I guess he came up with this Vlog thing later.

STANANDLOU has added media planner and buyer, Sarah Sides, and account executive, Sarah Springer to the staff at the Houston full service advertising and marketing agency. Sides and Springer were added to assist with new clients Kolache Mama, Renaissance Health System, the Houston Dynamo and existing STANANDLOU clients.

Sarah Sides comes on board with more than five years of experience in the advertising and marketing arena. Formerly with McCann-Erickson/LCI Media in Houston and Garden Ridge nationally, Sarah has extensive knowledge buying all media in markets throughout the U.S. for a wide variety of clients.

“We are thrilled to add someone of Sarah’s background and experience join our media team. Her enthusiasm for media and identifying client opportunities cannot be understated,” said Michelle Reed, vice president of STANANDLOU Marketing // Advertising. “She is the perfect addition to our client focused media team.”

A team player in the office or on a volleyball court, Sarah’s dedication to her work is evident as a former supervisor noted. “Her excellent communication, negotiation and leadership skills helped streamline and organize our department, so we could take on our greatest task, that of bringing the media buying and production in-house,” said, Annette Miller, Director of Marketing for Garden Ridge.

Sarah earned her Bachelor of Liberal Arts with a concentration in Advertising, and a minor in Marketing from the University of Houston. While in school, Sarah was involved in several school and local organizations such as Houston American Advertising Federation, Alpha Chi Omega, and Young Active Professionals.

An 8-year agency veteran, Sarah Springer joins The STANANDLOU staff as account executive for S&L clients Me

xican Restaurants, Inc., Renaissance Health System, Obesity Surgery Specialists, Noel Furniture, and Honours Golf Club.

Sarah has managed all aspects of client accounts from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies and is also an accomplished copywriter having written copy for client web sites, direct mail and other media.

“The first thing you notice about Sarah is her energy and enthusiasm for the job,” stated Reed. “Her ability to properly se

rvice a wide variety of clients and jobs simultaneously, and all with a smile, is indicative of her wonderful qualities.”

Sarah graduated from Texas A&M University with a major in journalism with an emphasis in public relations.

About STANANDLOU Marketing // Advertising

STANANDLOU Marketing//Advertising is a full-service communications firm based in Houston, TX. with estimated billings of $14.5 million. Started as a creative boutique in 1988, the agency has grown into a full-service agency regionally respected for pushing the creative envelope and providing strategic results. Clients include JourneyLite, Noel Furniture, Kolache Mama, Renaissance Health System, Stryker, Mexican Restaurants, Inc. and Buc-ee’s.