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Davis Advertising

The New Year’s Resolution “Make-Your-Own Ad” Campaign

The research shows it. So will the look on people’s faces just a few short weeks from now. But it’s nothing you haven’t heard before. News flash: New Year’s resolutions are difficult to keep. Studies have demonstrated that one third of resolutions are out the window by the end of January and, by July, half [ … ]

The best and the worst of holiday advertising

Holidays are inspiring, warm and full of wonder. But they are also stressful, frantic and let’s be honest here, a little wasteful.  The same is also applicable to holiday advertising. There’s a plethora of holiday ads these days from the emotional to the outright crazy (think super bowl ads with a big white beard), but [ … ]

What type of gifter are you?

The Holiday season can be stressful, especially since your gifting abilities are put to the test.  Here is a list of  some of the most common ‘gifting personalities’ that we all see during the holiday season. We’ve even  created a little video to give you a lazy way out from reading the rest of the [ … ]

Small Ad Space, Big Results

Taking control of ad space is like moving into a new home. Sometimes new residents have a large house to work with, a building that delivers so much square footage that interior designers and decorators drool; other times people are moving into a studio apartment, one with hardly any space beyond the bed and kitchenette. [ … ]

Copywriting: when the message gets lost in the buzz

“We’re committed to excellence.” Everyone from an airline company to a baby food company has used that phrase in their ads. But what exactly does it mean? Nothing, to be precise. Catch phrases and buzz words like “unique,” “innovators” and let’s not forget “state of the art,” are so overused in marketing and advertising that [ … ]

The Ad Factory – Part III – The Glue

It takes a village to raise an ad – a village of talent and expertise aided in no small part by Post-it Notes, a little bit of popcorn and a lot of passion. [This is the last in a series of blog posts featuring the agency’s various departments and how they function both independently and [ … ]

The Ad Factory Part II – The Creative, Art and Production Teams

Once a Davis account executive (The Ad Factory, Part I – The Account Executives) has a solid understanding of a client’s goals and expectations, the project is broadened to include any number of others in the company: creative team staff, art department designers, production department videographers or radio producers, the agency VPs and even the [ … ]

The Ad Factory

It takes a village to raise an ad – a village of talent and expertise aided in no small part by Post-it Notes, a little bit of popcorn and a lot of passion. [Over the next few weeks, the Davis blog will feature our various departments and how they function both independently and interdependently to [ … ]

Are You Pinteresting?

You’ve probably heard of Pinterest, the virtual cork board where users pin pictures of everything from their grandma’s classic chocolate chip cookie recipe to minimalist posters and shiny new convertibles. But Pinterest is more than a photo sharing social media pretty face. What started out as a beta test two years ago has grown into [ … ]

Emotional Advertising

Ever driven by a billboard that made you smile for the rest of the day? Or watched a television commercial that nearly brought you to tears? Chances are you’re thinking about one now as you’re reading this. (And we don’t even mean the ones with Sarah McLachlan and the saddest animals you’ve ever seen in [ … ]

Thinking Long Term and Seasonally

As the seasons change, so do consumer needs and attitudes While the reasons for thinking long term when it comes to advertising are many – agencies and clients need time for strategizing, creating, purchasing time slots, etc. – the bottom line is that companies that keep the seasonal ebbs and flows of consumer needs and attitudes in [ … ]

Formulaic Advertising

Think back to the last perfume ad you saw. It probably went very much like this: A beautiful woman in a glamorous gown floats down a palatial stairway. Cut to a scene of a gothic masquerade party. Everyone is dancing when this young beautiful thing glides into the party and all eyes on her. Close [ … ]

On- Camera Etiquette

It’s not as easy as it looks, folks. We admit our production team is pretty amazing, but talented as they are, they can’t perform miracles. A good majority of our clients produce video at some point, be it commercials for television or demonstration videos for their websites, etc, and a lot of our clients like [ … ]

Making Dealership Ads That Stand Out Means Creating a Theme

Think about it: if you take all the dealership ads that run on a daily basis, and add in the nationwide automobile manufacturer ads, car advertising can start to seem ubiquitous. Everyone, it seems, is trying to tell viewers they have the lowest prices, that they’re the most trustworthy place to purchase a car.

Create an Identity, Not an Ad

As humans, we are wired to attach meaning and identity to everything. It’s in our tribal nature, from what we wear to what kind of coffee we get. Find a person drinking Starbucks and a person drinking Dunkin’s, and ask them both, at the same time, which is better. Then sit back and watch the [ … ]

Promotional Email Anatomy 101: Subject Lines

Whether you’re offering a deal or spreading the news about your latest product, there are countless reasons to master the art of the promotional email. But while promotional emails offer a low-cost and efficient way to communicate with consumers, they can be tricky. Given the amount of emails many individuals receive each day – especially [ … ]

Mobile Advertising on the Move

The advertising industry has undoubtedly seen a shift in recent years with the onslaught of online and social media marketing.  And now, with the rise in smartphone use, more people are turning to their phones for online information and entertainment. According to PCMag.com, a study by Nielsen showed that about 44 percent of Americans own [ … ]

Keeping Radio Listeners Tuned In

How many times have you tuned into a radio station that’s just flowing with great songs, only to get hit with less-than-appealing commercials that lead you to turn the dial? It happens a lot, which is unfortunate because not only does it interrupt your listening pleasure, but it also hurts the advertiser. According to the [ … ]

Stock Photography: Pick your Pics Wisely

Stock photography is made up of pictures that are licensed for specific uses, and can come in handy when you don’t want to hire a professional photographer for your latest project. Today, many stock photography agencies have large databases online so you can easily search for pictures using keywords and categories. While stock photography is [ … ]