Client Showcase: Centennial Motion Graphic

There’s no room for healthcare-speak in this short Centennial motion graphic video we developed for White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles. Illustrated with vibrant custom and stock images, it speaks to the deeply personal side of health care—and the story of how a community and a hospital partner to create a better future. As the “kick-off” piece for the Centennial celebration, it sets the stage for their deeper story to be told throughout the year.
 
We love the way the richness of the images pairs with music and words to create a sampler of the White Memorial experience.
 
You can see the rest of the video package here.

How to Get Your News Release Picked Up

Want to increase the chances of your news release being used? Add images, graphics and video—which will not only make hungry journalists happy, but can help increase views by as much as 77 percent.

This infographic also shows that what PR professionals think journalists want and what journalists actually want aren’t always the same thing. For example, while 75 percent of journalists want access to video, only 43 percent of PR professionals think they’re important to journalists.

As the need for video grows, start making the case now for resources to produce them—and see your news coverage and Web activity grow.

Image Source: www.proactivereport.com

Seven Ways Almost Any Business Can Use QR Codes

With mobile smartphones being the wave of the future, QR codes continue to offer intriguing new ways to connect with your customer. If you haven’t yet used these, here are just a few ideas:

1. Register for an event
2. Invite customers to take a survey
3. Take consumers to visually-driven collections on Pinterest—recipes, popular baby names, recommended books
4. Offer deals
5. Connect to a video that targets their interest
6. Link to your business card information
7. Link to an information-rich relevant page on your website

What unusual applications for a QR code have you seen?

Feeling burned out?

Then we’re glad you stopped by. No need to leave your office—you can just step into this three-minute visual oasis entitled “Little Things”—a peaceful place of beauty —and find a momentary oasis that can breathe new life into your perspective and creativity.

Be well.

CMBell Company Wins Two SIAA Awards

It’s a good day to say thank you to our capable creative team—and to our clients—as we celebrate winning two awards in the 10th Annual Service Industry Advertising Awards competition.

A gold award was given for Walla Walla University’s “Because I Said So!” direct mail piece for parents of high school underclassmen, developed with their marketing and enrollment services team. A bronze award went to the U-Can video produced with the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

We don’t produce work to win awards—but because we want to contribute to our clients’ business successes. But it’s an added bonus to have it recognized in a national competition and to recognize the dream team who made it happen.

NAICU Video Debunks Myths About Private Higher Education

 The video we produced with the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities showed at their national meeting this month—debuting a campaign debunking nine myths that can be associated with private nonprofit higher education. The video offers a much-abbreviated version of their web page that unpacks the topic in more detail, and is based on research and messaging NAICU developed for the campaign.

This combination—a short high-level video paired with a more in-depth treatment on-line—works together well because it allows you to deliver messages in varying depth for different media and audiences, depending on their level of interest.
 
But here’s the test. Did it change your mind about some of these myths?

What We Like About "God Made A Farmer"

Sometimes you don’t have to talk about your product or service in detail, you can just evoke a feeling—and that’s what this Ram trucks Super Bowl ad does so well. Here’s how we call it:

Yes, on the artful, arresting and evocative use of still images.
Yes, on the voice of an American legend, Paul Harvey.
Yes, on a message that speaks to something deep in each of us—our need to celebrate honorable work.
Yes, on their creative way of engaging social media by connecting clicks to donations.
 
So what do you think? Was there a Super Bowl ad you liked best?

New Year's Wishes

A New Year's Prayer from CMBell Company on Vimeo.

From all of us at CMBell Company—a prayer for the New Year. Wishing you peace, hope and health in 2013.

Merry Christmas from CMBell Company

We wish all of you—our clients, readers and friends—a joy-filled holiday season and a prosperous, healthy and peaceful new year. In the spirit of the holiday, we share with you a quote we posted a few years ago.
 
Sometimes the best gifts can't be wrapped. This season, consider these priceless gifts:
 
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.
—Oren Arnold

Bring Your Mission Statement to Life

Walla Walla University’s mission statement comes to life in this motion graphic, which was designed to be shown at their “Paying for College” workshops and on their Web page.  

Interpreting a company mission statement in this way amps up its emotional impact and provides yet another social media communication tool that is more likely to get shared.

What other mission statements have you seen interpreted in fresh ways?