The Story

Last week’s Washington Bankers Association (WBA) Marketing Conference in Seattle left a lasting impression on us. Jeff and I came away from the conference energized and excited from the great people we met and a couple great presentations.
Specifically, we sensed that there was a general unofficial theme at this year’s marketing conference–a common thread […]

We like to tell Creative Brand Communications’ clients, colleagues and the world at large that brands can be touched, tasted, seen, smelled and heard. All of them. So I thought we’d take a few minutes and dive into each one, because they’re not common sense for most people. Let’s start with sound […]

Okay. So I understand that what I’m about to say is completely risky, especially knowing that I’m a former member of the Umpqua Bank Creative Strategies Team (that’s outside-the-box for Marketing). But you have to put all that aside and understand that I’m putting my own reputation at stake in an effort to give you […]

I’m not always this literal. But this time, I really mean that your brand doesn’t stink. On the other hand, it doesn’t smell too good either. Why? Because you’re probably not thinking about how smell is part of your brand.
But it is.
Brand experiences are multi-sensory. You can […]

Not the “I’ve been in banking for 30 years and I know everything” kind of experience. The kind of experience that we all look forward to at Starbucks—the smell, the lighting, the wood, etc. The kind of experience Jet Blue delivers every time we step within 30 yards of their terminals at the airport. And the kind of experience visionaries like Umpqua Bank create with their coffee, chocolate coins and retail atmosphere.