By Dave Capano, Dalton Agency, VP, Director of Connection Planning

As is often the case, managers are constantly challenged to do more with less. Part of the challenge often includes being asked to think “more strategically.” (more…)

Every year we’re fortunate to work with some of the next generation and learn from them as they learn from us. Here are the Dalton interns from the Summer of 2012. (more…)

by Karie Hayden, Dalton Agency, Assistant Account Executive

Recently, my Twitter feed, Facebook newsfeed, LinkedIn updates and even Pinterest activity stream are inundated by infographics.  Perhaps I just haven’t noticed before, but doesn’t it seem like every other “report” is now represented graphically? Don’t misunderstand, I like infographics, and they fit the American mantra of, “I need information and I need it now!” But like most things, there is a right time and a right place.

As an information hungry consumer, I present a few tips on improving your infographics.

1. Not everything is easier to understand in pictures.
While “a picture is worth a thousand words” sometimes you can get your point across easier by actually using the words.  Charts and visuals are meant to compliment words.  Some things are just too complicated to say with pictures alone.

2. Interactive isn’t always a plus.
I recently came across an infographic explaining the world’s debt crisis, which is a pretty hefty concept.  The infographic was interactive and by clicking on different parts of the graphic, it displayed different information.  Well, it took me 20 minutes to go through all of the different elements. That information could have been better captured using a simple chart.  So just because you can, that doesn’t mean you should.

3. Make them user-friendly.
One of the more valuable characteristics of infographics in general is that they present information really well on tablets. It’s much more appealing to see an infographic on my iPad if I don’t have to constantly zoom in, zoom out, slide left and right.

So, keep the infographics coming. I enjoy seeing information presented in creative and innovative ways. But do think about what you’re going to say and what the best way to say it is before you slap together a bunch of seemingly related graphics and call it an infographic.

The Dalton Agency is excited to introduce you to our newest client, Yo-Fi Wellness. (more…)

By Scott Nichols, VP, Account Director, Dalton Agency

If content marketing has been around forever, why the new focus?
Historically, to get new prospects most marketers needed to get their message in front of as many potential customers as possible. (more…)

By Scott Nichols, VP, Account Director, Dalton Agency

PART 1
Content marketing is certainly a hot topic these days. According to a survey conducted by the Content Marketing Institute, the average organization spends more than one-quarter of its marketing budget on content marketing. (more…)

by Ellen Repasky, VP, Account Director, Dalton Agency

With 30 millions users, it’s not just for hipsters anymore.  So I’m pretty sure the answer is yes.  Or rather, it’s, “Yes, we should consider it.”

Sure, Instagram started as just a cool way for a small group of cool people to apply cool effects to their cool pics and share them with a group of cool followers on a cool mobile device.  But it’s way more than that now, providing a visually rich environment for a brand’s customers and prospects to share their own experiences with that brand. And likewise, for the brand to share back.  (Just like with Twitter, hashtags are used to increase viewership among like-minded people).

Despite the fact that the jury is still out on whether Facebook’s $1 billion acquisition of the platform will be a good thing (Instagram users fear that FB will use all the location-tagged photo data to target ads at them, among other things), you can’t argue with the fact that, for the right brand, it is a potentially powerful environment.

So who should consider it? Not surprisingly, most brands active in the space currently are consumer-focused.  But b-to-b brands are increasingly using it, oftentimes to share pics from trade shows or events.  But it’s truly a no-brainer when:

• your brand has passionate advocates (e.g., Red Bull)
• your brand is in a category with a high level of interest (e.g., ABC World News or NPR)
• your brand has a story to tell (e.g. TOMS Shoes, National Geographic)
• your brand sells visually pleasing products (e.g., fashion, food, art, travel, etc.)

If you do consider it, just remember to take the time to plan for Instagram as you would for anything else you do to engage your audiences.  Start with objectives, develop a strategy, execute well, and give it the manpower it will need to be successful.

by Brandon Holcomb, Account Executive, Dalton Agency

Recently, I’ve been involved with several website development projects, ranging from content and imagery updates to full-scale website redevelopment campaigns. (more…)

by Rena Kilgannon, President, Dalton Atlanta

Many companies today include YouTube as a part of their marketing strategy. The reason is simple. YouTube is the most popular video sharing site in the world.  (more…)

by Diane Fitzpatrick, Proofreader, Dalton Agency

As a proofreader, I gave up on accuracy online and in texts a long time ago, but I still reread my own messages to improve their clarity and to correct errors. (more…)