5 Ways to Actively Engage Your Sponsorship Opportunity
How many times has your business been approached for a sponsorship opportunity at a local event? Although you may support the cause, it can be tough to make the case to spend the money on the sponsorship, which is often a pricey investment. So how can you determine what you’re getting back from that sponsorship investment?
There are several factors to consider when you not only want to enhance your company’s position as a great community partner, but also make sure that your business gets the best return on its sponsorship investment.
Popular advice will tell you that a good sponsorship should hit three key areas: first, the sponsorship should align with your brand; second, the sponsorship should allow you the opportunity to showcase your products and services; and third, and most importantly, a sponsorship should elevate your brand above your competitors as a “good neighbor” that invests not only dollars, but heart, into the community.
“How do you feel about using # (pound) for groups. As in #barcamp (msg)?”- Chris Messina (@factoryjoe)
It all started with a post on a new social media platform called Twitter in 2007. By June 2009, the #hashtag we all know and love was born when Twitter officially hyperlinked all words proceeded with the pound symbol (#), making it a feature of the network.
Used as a way to categorize relevant content, topics, current events, and common interests, #hashtags function through an irrigation system that essentially flags important topics within a post.
As the years passed, more and more websites picked up on this technique. Google introduced the feature on its social network in September 2012, while Facebook caught on in June 2013. The #hashtag has sprawled across the Internet, becoming a common form of communication on multiple social platforms.
In fact, the #hashtag has become so big that it has already left an indelible mark on the culture we live in. It became a practice of writing style during the 2009-2010 Iranian election protests, allowing people both inside and outside of Iran to communicate on the topic using #IranElection. It has even become the center of many jokes; one of which is the hilarious digital short from Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake.
Aside from the cultural implications of the #hashtag, businesses have also benefited from the widespread use of this categorizing technique. For starters, it can be used as a business research tool to expand social influence. What is everyone talking about? What do they have to say about a certain topic? Although different options are available, gathering data from #hashtag trends is a useful and informative place to begin.
On top of that, the use of #hashtags allows consumers to connect directly with one another. If a business or organization is successful in creating a #hashtag that is tweeted about by a larger group, then the individuals of said group will be able to discuss what brought them together in the first place. If people are talking about your brand or using your #hashtag, then you’re clearly taking the right actions.
The #hashtag has certainly come a long way in the past six years. From the pound sign, to the number sign, to the hashtag; who knows what kind of implications it may have in the future. One thing is for certain: the #hashtag is here to stay.
It is certainly an exciting day at Martino Flynn! To be fair, every day here is exciting, but today is exceptional: following the Rochester Business Ethics Award luncheon earlier this week, we are ecstatic about Martino Flynn being one of only three ETHIE Award winners in the Greater Rochester area!
Held annually, the award ceremony recognizes local businesses for their efforts in maintaining a high standard of ethics while continuing to grow as a company. Partner Ray Martino gratefully accepted the award on behalf of everyone at Martino Flynn.
Proud, we are! You can tell that everyone in the office feels privileged to have even been nominated for such a prestigious award, let alone being honored with the statuette. As we walked in to work this morning, we saw the award on display at the front desk, signifying all of the hard work and dedication that has been put into satisfying our clients with nothing but the utmost of ethical behavior.
Receiving this award is proof that hard work and a strong moral compass can lead you to great things. We’re giving ourselves a well-deserved pat on the back today! Congrats to Tuesday’s other winners: D4, LLC, for the large business category and Saelig Co., Inc., for the small business category. It’s nice to see that when it comes to ethical business practices, we’re in good company.
The Definition
Motion graphics design is a graphic design approach to time-based media or animation.
The Vertigo title sequence designed by Saul Bass.
The Overview
Motion graphics design existed before the 1900s. However, many credit Saul Bass as its true pioneer. Bass was one of the first to use motion graphics to design interesting title sequences for feature films. A few of the most famous include The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), Vertigo (1958), and Psycho (1960). Today, every movie is expected to have a standout title sequence that is often more compelling than the movie itself.
The Evolution
Recently, motion graphics design has expanded well beyond title sequences—even beyond the video format itself. More interesting is how this new form is integrating with interactive design, as advancements in technology and programming have made it possible to implement motion graphics design into websites. It includes everything from simple transitions triggered by a mouse hover to complex animations that occur as a user scrolls down the page. Some even help create unique experiences for each user based on his or her interaction with the website.
In fact, motion graphics have begun to evolve in a way that’s similar to how traditional graphic design evolved with the introduction of the World Wide Web. Just as graphic design is no longer static with the Web, motion graphics are becoming less static as well. (Of course, the term “static” here does not refer to movement—obviously, there is movement in all motion graphics—rather, it refers to the content’s ability to change.) For example, the title sequence in Vertigo is going to appear the exact same way every time you watch it—just as a brochure is going to be the same every time you read it. However, with the use of programming a Web page layout may change because the user clicks on something. Similarly, with interactive motion graphics, a user may be able to control the timing of animation with the position of the mouse.
The Wilderness Downtown designed by Chris Milk.
The Proof
Here are a few examples of how this new form of motion graphics has started to appear in interactive websites:
Motion graphics have just recently started to integrate with interactive design. As interactive and motion graphics design continue to merge, websites will provide more dynamic and interesting experiences.
