Budd McLaughlin has written for some of Huntsville’s most iconic newsrooms over the last 35 years and is now a regular contributor to Ad4!’s Red Pencil Blog. Originally from Pennsville, N.J., Budd first made an appearance in Alabama when he enrolled in Auburn University. As one of Auburn’s first journalism graduates, he then began his […]
Q&A: Budd McLaughlin Read More »
Ever see a TV commercial where the speaking voice just turns you off? That jarring voice makes the product seem unappealing, right? As the consumer, it’s not a big deal; but as a business owner, you’ll quickly learn that having a bad voice-over can seriously damage the effectiveness of your ad. When the person that
Who Speaks For Your Company? Read More »
Last year, when Blue Bell Ice Cream was linked to 10 food-borne infections, including three deaths, the beloved ice cream company faced a public relations disaster. It was bad enough that Blue Bell’s products were recalled and swept off the shelves of stores across the country. But the brand also suffered because of the company’s
Is Your Business Prepared for a PR Crisis? Read More »
Sometimes you just need a second opinion. You’re elbows deep in the day-to-day functions of your business and you rarely get out of your industry long enough to take a breath. We’ve seen it a thousand times, and as a matter of fact, looking in from the outside is what we do best! Ad4! can
Need a Second Opinion on Your Business Development? Read More »
Audio Branding is a crucial tool in our strategic arsenal, right up there with Visual Branding. If you don’t already employ Audio Branding as a component of your brand strategy, you are losing a valuable consumer touchpoint! Audio Branding Strategy can be defined as the discipline of using some unique proprietary sound and/or music to
Does Your Audio Brand Command Attention? Read More »
Ad4! recently completed rebranding and a new website for Limestone County, Alabama. Community Branding is one of our specialties. This was an especially fun project. We love meeting in Athens, home of the Limestone County government. It’s a beautiful and historic area with lots of nice restaurants. But even more than the scenery and food,
Community Branding for Limestone County Read More »
Do you know about sonic logos? Of course you do. Maybe you don’t know them by name, but you’re familiar with the concept. Here is the “Intel Inside” sonic logo: Oh yeah, now we remember Sonic Logos. What could a sonic logo do for your business? A sonic logo or sound branding, helps associate your
Or How to Make a Radio Commercial with The Pickup Truck Girls Special Thanks to Ad4! clients Custom Trucks Making radio and TV commercials that effectively tell your story is difficult. The Pickup Truck Girls from Custom Trucks on Research Park Blvd in Huntsville let Ad4! come into the studio with them as they worked
Anatomy of a Radio Spot Read More »
What’s your story? If you aren’t telling a compelling story about your brand, someone else is probably telling a crummy story about your brand. Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories that you tell. -Seth Godin At Ad4!, we call telling your story your Red Pencil. In a
Telling Your Brand Story Read More »
Ad4! is a strong advocate of community organizations. We each have our organizations of which we are passionate and donate time and energy. My passion is for the American Cancer Society. It’s an obvious choice since I have cancer, but it’s my passion for another reason. No other medical condition effects people across the board
Real Men Wear Pink and Fight Breast Cancer Read More »
