Doug Garnett

But can DRTV establish brand for a product?

According to Doug Garnett, author of the recently released book Building Brand with Direct Response Television, the answer is yes—if done correctly. The problem is that all too often DRTV is mis-used—or underused—by marketers who aren’t quite sure how to utilize this powerful medium, or are wary of it.

“There is a huge lack of information out there about the combination of DRTV and branding,” says Garnett, who serves as CEO of Portland agency Atomic Direct. “This book started as a series of writings I did for clients to help them learn about this unusual medium, so that they would be able to turn around and use it on their own products.”

Targeted to marketing managers, brand managers and other marketers, Building Brand is a collection of articles and case studies that Garnett has put together to demonstrate the power of DRTV and to teach people how to harness it for maximum brand impact.

One such case study discusses Atomic Direct’s campaign for Kreg Tool. The company had released a product called the “Kreg Jig,” a woodworking tool used to join two pieces of wood, that was sitting on the shelf virtually untouched. The product was what Garnett calls a “shelf potato”—no one bought it because they didn’t know about it.

But ever since Atomic created and launched a 30-minute infomercial for the product, the Kreg Jig has been doing extremely well online and in retail stores like Lowe’s. Garnett’s book discusses how Atomic was able to create a successful, lucrative brand for Kreg, and how marketers can do the same for their own products.

“I wanted a book that was useful throughout,” says Garnett. “Some people will use it as a reference book, jumping from chapter to chapter or case study to case study, while others will read it start to finish.”

The most important thing, he continues, is that whether readers browse through or consume the entire book, they come away with an understanding of how DRTV helps build brands. A brand is not just a company name or a logo—a brand is each consumer’s experience with the product and with the company, says Garnett. Smart marketers know how to craft short- and long-form campaigns that not only sell products and services, but that also help develop relationships with consumers, thereby increasing customer loyalty and establishing a trustworthy brand that will have them coming back for more.

The key to building a successful brand, says Garnett, is the effective implementation of the “Six Degrees of Brand DRTV.” Maximizing the following ingredients will ensure a well-rounded and impactful brand-building experience:

Longer Time Formats. “Traditional advertising doesn’t know what to do with length,” says Garnett. “But with longer time formats, DRTV is able to lead people through the process of ‘here’s my idea’ to ‘here’s why you need it.’”

Communicating to Heart & Mind. “Be sure to balance rational thinking with emotional appeal,” he adds. “Remember that you’re communicating with people’s hearts and minds.” DRTV allows time to emphasize both the product and the emotional connections involved.

Direct Sales (Phone & Web). “DRTV creates immediate direct sales, but it also creates immediate bonds with customers,” says Garnett. Marketers must nourish both.

Sales through All Channels (Retail, Catalog, etc.). “Of course you do want to be getting direct sales,” he continues. “But to focus on them exclusively reduces potential. Create a balance between retail sales and direct sales.”

Inexpensive Media. “DRTV is very inexpensive compared to other forms of advertising. In certain cases your phone sales and Web sales will even pay for the medium.”

Brand Execution. “Are you delivering the brand, and how are you delivering it? Testimonials do a wonderful job of communicating brand; brand is meaningless unless we’re talking about how the brand relates to someone’s life.”

And while many may think that television, and thus DRTV, is losing its audience with the abundance of new media now available, quite the opposite is true.

“The problem with new media is that it has no way to reach out,” explains Garnett. “If you think about the Web, it lets people know that you exist, but if they don’t know you exist, they won’t find you. The vast majority of advertising aims to reach out and touch people who don’t know about a product or service. TV is the single most effective way of doing that.”

He continues, “What’s funny is that new media is making TV stronger. TV has never been more vital and alive than it is today. People are watching more TV than in the past; even the advent of DVR has made advertising more effective because the ads people care about, they stop and watch. People pay attention to see if something interests them. All these prognosticators who proclaimed ‘the death of TV’ were wrong.”

As TV viewership continues to increase, there has never been a better time to start implementing direct response television into your advertising mix. Don’t let your product become a shelf potato—leverage your potential and build your brand with DRTV.

Wanderlust Circus welcomes attendees to the Rosey Awards.

Acrobats and aerialists and hand balancers, oh my! In addition to celebrating the great creative works produced by the Portland community and toasting to this year’s winners, attendees of the 2011 Rosey Awards were also treated to big top-themed performances from local troupe, Wanderlust Circus.

Presented by the Portland Advertising Federation (PAF), the Roseys have been awarded every year since 1957 to honor creativity and original thinking for work produced in Portland and Southwest Washington. This year’s event was held at Refuge in Portland, and featured free food compliments of KOi Fusion and Addy’s Sandwich Bar, hosted cocktails, and plenty of entertainment.

Checking out the nominees.

As for the awards, honors were handed out in more than 30 categories, including new ones this year such as Vehicle Design and Buzz Marketing. Judges Steve Kissing (from Barefoot Proximity), Joe Alexander (The Martin Agency), Dan Carlton (The Paragraph Project), and Mathias Appelblad (BBDO) bestowed the following work with the coveted Rosey:

Best in Show
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
Client: Chrysler
Project: Born of Fire :120

Branded Entertainment
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
Client: Old Spice
Project: Mano a Mano en el Bano

Cinematography
Agency: NORTH
Client: Deschutes Brewery
Project: Landmarks

Cinematography
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
Client: Levi’s
Project: Legacy

Consumer Environment/Exhibit
Agency: Grady Britton
Client: Travel Portland
Project: Portland LIVE

Identity Design
Agency: Mutt Industries
Client: Gerber Legendary Blades
Project: Gerber Re-Brand

Identity Design
Agency: Sandstrom Partners
Client: Kobrick Coffee Company
Project: Kobrick Coffee Brand Identity

Multiple Channel Campaign
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
Client: Dodge
Project: Dodge Journey Search

Package Design
Agency: Liquid Agency
Client: New Deal Distillery
Project: New Deal Packaging

Package Design
Agency: Sandstrom Partners
Client: Kobrick Coffee Company
Project: Kobrick Coffee Packaging

Television (over $150k budget)
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
Client: Chrysler
Project: Born of Fire :120

Vehicle Design
Agency: Henry V
Client: Tillamook
Project: Loafster: Custom Vehicle Build

Websites/Interactive Rich Media (over $50K budget)
Agency: StruckAxiom
Client: TCBY
Project: TCBY.com

Websites/Interactive Rich Media (over $50K budget)
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy
Client: Nike
Project: Better World

The People’s Choice Award was given to Sandymontana for the agency’s branded entertainment project for New York fashion designer Prabal Gurung. Additionally, Awards of Excellence and Awards of Merit were also handed out to several deserving agencies and companies.

For a full list of winners, visit www.roseyawards.com.

MCINTYRE DIRECT
Title: New products catalog
Client: C.C. Filson
Channels used: Consumer direct mail catalog
Demographic: Men and women of all ages who work and play outdoors and want the best in apparel for rugged conditions.
Objective: Introduce new products for this outdoor apparel and luggage manufacturer in a way that connects with the brand’s heritage and 100-year history of quality. Lift sales.
Outcome: This fall catalog worked powerfully for both customers and prospects. Dramatic sales increases in a down economy. New products were successful. Winner of the catalog industry’s top award: MCM’s 2011 Catalog of the Year.

GOLDEN LASSO
Title: Every Mistake Has a Solution
Client: Bradley Johnson Attorneys
Channels used: Print, direct and online media to consumers and the trade.
Objective: We like to say: Clients get the work they deserve. They don’t always like to hear that—but it’s true. We work with our clients to leverage who they are in a way they can stand behind. The clients who don’t back down from that, get work that works.
Outcome: We’ll let Brad tell you: “I attribute a lot of awareness to the campaign—but the most unexpected result is the way it impacted our team. It brought us together to believe in, and stand for, who we actually are.” — Bradley Johnson, Bradley Johnson Attorneys

ATOMIC DIRECT
Title: Exceptional
Client: Kobalt Tools
Channels used: National cable
Demographic: DIY customer or customer gifting a DIYer; particularly during the holiday season.
Objective: Drive holiday retail sales while offsetting television advertising cost with direct sales.
Outcome: The Kobalt Double-Drive campaign drove outstanding results as it built retail and direct demand for a 2011 holiday introduction. Double-Drive is a superb example of leveraging Atomic’s “Six Degrees of Brand DRTV” that maximizes campaign effectiveness across all sales channels—from the phone to the Web to the retail store.

In June 2011, ColorGraphics Inc., a Cenveo company, added a Gunther Series III intelligent inserting line to complement their expanding commercial mailing capabilities. This new line of equipment is not just an inserter; it’s a full production line. Its capabilities include collation, in-line folding, four-way match mailing, selective envelope inserting, co-mingling of versions, variable length documents, in-line metering, and high-resolution ink jet capabilities. It has the most robust integrity system available in the market.

The benefit of using the ColorGraphics Gunther line on your next direct mail campaign is its significantly increased production and folding speed. It has a 100-percent guaranteed match for package content integrity for HIPAA or PHI mailings, and versatility with OMR, 2D, QR, and linear barcodes. ColorGraphics chose Gunther due to the company’s reputation in high-integrity production workflows.

“We need to prove the accuracy of mailing of each individual page within an envelope,” says David Carns, ColorGraphics general manager, “and this system does that by providing reports that confirm integrity down to the individual envelope, proving that each piece was produced accurately and intact.”

The cost savings to the client is derived from the Gunther’s faster throughput speed and the reduced need for offline folding, inkjetting and metering. The equipment reads and collects information from a variety of barcode formats for integrity and machine control, making it flexible as well as efficient. The in-line folding and accumulating system folds documents of varying page lengths and inserts them into a #10 or 6 x 9.5 envelope, while processing the collected barcode information through three on-board networked computer systems to monitor, process, and control the information flow throughout the inserting process.

Recently, ColorGraphics was honored by the Mailing and Fulfillment Service Association with a First Place award for Mail Ingenuity and Problem Solving. Contact ColorGraphics at 206-682-7171 or at www.colorgraphics.com.

As 2011 fades slowly into the rearview mirror, most of our clients are of the opinion that it didn’t end any too soon.

Entering 2012, although there are some “signs of life” in a number of sectors of the economy and some of our clients are beginning to see at least some return of very modest economic growth, the year has produced wide variations in month to month activity, overall levels of demand are still uncertain, and the overall economic climate remains extremely tenuous.

It’s true that 2011 was, for most clients, better than 2010, but that’s definitely a low hurdle to compare with. And it’s also true that the Puget Sound region is in better shape than a number of other parts of the country. The concern is whether or not a strong local economy could buck negative national, or even international, economic events, should they happen.

This is not a question to be taken lightly. After a number of what can only charitably be called “challenging” years in the economy, many firms have seen their markets shrink, their financial position weakened, and their marketing plans in disarray. The majority of our clients are engaged in various marketing activities, and the way the economy actually moves in the year ahead will have major impact on their businesses. In fact, it’s harder today than ever before to justify expenditures on marketing activities that are not clearly focused on specific, measurable goals when faced with an economy like the one most firms will face in 2012. Such activities as “branding exercises” may work well in marketing classes or theoretical discussions, but in the real world of today’s business environment, such expenditures have to be justified financially, or are likely to be a tough sell.

It is true that recent reports of economic activity seem to be improving, there has been a slight down-tick in the unemployment rate (at least nationally), and there does not seem to be much inflation on the horizon. However, business and consumer confidence indicators continue to be shaky, at best. And remember that in the long run, when it comes to economic activity, perception has a tendency to become reality. If people don’t think things are getting better, they will make choices that will result in things not getting better. And right now, we don’t see a whole lot of reason to be positive, based on that.

I’ll leave a detailed discussion of the economy to others, but the bottom line is that the one thing that is clear about the economy this year is that nothing is clear. The economy may continue to grow, and may even accelerate the growth of last year. Or it may limp along at the anemic rate of growth it demonstrated in 2011. Or just possibly, it may return to no or negative growth. All of these are possible. And each outcome has different ramifications for firms in the marketing space, whether printers or graphics firms, Internet marketers or agencies.

These economic considerations don’t have to govern the results achieved by individual companies. Even with the weak economy of recent years, some of our clients have achieved record-setting profits and growth because they understood what the economy was likely to do and how it was likely to affect their customers, and they had developed plans and strategies to deal with the realities they faced.

The following are all important considerations for any owner or manager for the next few years.

• First, make sure that investments in all marketing activities start with an understanding of what the “market” is likely to be. Too often, marketing activities are driven from the inside out. By definition, “marketing” begins with understanding markets. Take the state of the economy into account, and have clear and measurable objectives. The ability to at least estimate a positive Return on Marketing Investment (RMI) will be critical to funding successful marketing campaigns, both in 2012 and beyond.

• Develop and have available for rapid implementation “contingency marketing plans” to deal quickly with a sudden downturn in the economy. Too often, when the business climate worsens, firms have a tendency to see “marketing” as a cost that can be reduced or eliminated. But what makes much more sense to us is to have ready for rapid implementation contingency marketing plans and budgets, which are built around assumptions of a weaker economy, and which are designed to defend or protect market position, not to increase it. And even though these should be based on lower levels of expenditure in most cases, we don’t believe that marketing should be seen as an “avoidable cost.” A prudent investment in marketing is always warranted, but once again, the key here is to have expenditures that are tied to specific targeted outcomes. When the economy moves in unexpected ways, the companies that will do the best are the ones that are most prepared. Don’t wait until the storm hits to buy rain gear!

• Finally, focus on the real inner strengths of your business. Even in the worst of times, companies that focus on the things they do best will experience demand for their products or services.  Understand what your real strengths are, and be ready to play to those strengths.

Of course, 2012 may well be a “breakout year” for the economy, but at this point, betting on that could be dangerous. However, whether the economy is strong or weak, focusing on “outcome-based” marketing plans, and identifying the expected “RMI,” can make a huge difference in the results your marketing programs achieve.

Gerry Michael, MBA, CPA, is the managing principal of the West Coast division of Carlson Advisors, LLC, a CPA and consulting firm which has advised printing industry clients for over 35 years. To learn more, visit www.carlson-advisors.com/offices-seattle.html.

By Dena Beatty, Executive Director, SAG, Pacific Northwest

Many producers enjoy moving out of the major markets into other parts of the country to find unique filming locations. One problem they often face is the dreaded travel budget. Transporting talent to locations from New York or Los Angeles can become very expensive, but if producers choose their location well, there’s no need to overspend. The trick—find a location where you can hire local!

One location that can ease your travel budget woes is the Pacific Northwest. The states of Washington and Oregon are a Mecca for the arts, and this has resulted in an abundance of professional actors who call the Northwest home. Washington and Oregon also have a diversity of work, which translates to exceptionally versatile performers. The Northwest plays host to numerous local and national commercials, educational videos, studio and independent films, video games, and television series. The abundance of diverse employment opportunities has developed a well-balanced talent pool that includes on-camera and voice-over actors, singers, dancers, stunt coordinators and performers, and background performers.

Going back to the Golden Age of Hollywood, the Northwest has been a top location choice for filmmakers and advertisers. This stability has allowed the Northwest to not only create and grow a stable workforce of talented performers, but also a network of support organizations and personnel to ensure each project has the resources and help locating the right talent for the job.

Both the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) keep offices in the Northwest, and both organizations have a strong network of franchised agents. There are a number of casting directors who live and work in the Northwest who are familiar with both the local agents and the local talent. It is the goal of SAG to ensure that every project has access to their exceptional professional talent roster. Filmmakers and advertisers interested in hiring local talent can contact our office for assistance in locating casting directors, agents and talent.

The advertising and film industry in the Pacific Northwest realizes that it is the goal of each producer to complete a successful project on time and on budget. This is why when you shop for locations you should make sure you put Washington and Oregon on your list. There are many beautiful locations in the U.S. and around the world, but when you shop for value, it’s hard to beat Oregon and Washington for the total money saving package!

For more information about the Screen Actors Guild, please visit www.sag.org. We also encourage you to spend time in the production center where you will find valuable information about hiring and working with SAG talent.

By Phil Parrish Guest Columnist

UV offset printing is not new; it’s been around for a number of years. What is new, and a real game-changer, is affordable, ecologically friendly and intelligent H-UV printing.

The science behind UV printing is fairly simple. In conventional printing, inks are dried through a combination of heat from infrared lamps, oxidation and absorption into the paper (dot gain). UV printing uses specially formulated inks with photo initiators that dry immediately when exposed to UV light rays from lamps located on the press. Because the inks dry instantly, there is almost no dot gain, resulting in much higher image fidelity and more accurate and richer color reproduction. In addition, high gloss and unique texture UV coatings can be applied in-line, giving you “spectacular” results that can literally make images jump off the page.

For this reason, UV printing has been the preferred printing method for sellers of high-ticket products—such as auto manufacturers and high-end retailers like Tiffany and Nordstrom—who need their printed materials to represent exceptional quality and to differentiate their products and brands from the “run-of-the-mill.”

Up to now, the only downside to UV printing has been the higher costs, both in dollars and cents and in its ecological impact. The amount of electricity used to power the broad spectrum UV lamps is very high, and these lamps give off a tremendous amount of heat.  So not only does it require a tremendous amount of energy to power the lamps, but it also requires more energy to cool down the environment around the press. In addition, some light wave lengths used in conventional broad spectrum UV printing generates “bad” ozone, which harms the environment.

There’s got to be a better way, right? Now there is! The breakthrough came when press maker Komori teamed up with ink maker Toyo to develop inks that are highly sensitive (that’s what the “H” in H-UV stands for) to a very narrow spectrum of UV light. So instead of using the “shotgun” approach of conventional broad spectrum UV printing, this new award-winning technology uses the “laser” approach of a very narrow band of UV light. The result is a press that can give you the “spectacular” results of UV printing with no VOCs, is ozone-free, and consumes 75 percent less power than conventional UV.

Now that high-impact, eco-friendly and economical H-UV printing is available, this is a great time to investigate what it can do for your marketing materials and brand. Spectacular results, cost-effective printing that even improves your sustainability initiatives—what’s not to like? Yes, H-UV printing really is a game-changer. You can get more information at www.huvprinting.com.

Phil Parrish is the president/CEO of PrintWest, Inc. in Woodinville.

Having just celebrated our 80th anniversary in Northwest Advertising, it gave me an opportunity to think about what has changed and how the business will continue to evolve in the coming years.

There are, of course, the obvious changes from traditional print and television to digital, and the shift from delivering information with the hopes of driving a purchase to building experiences that engage people. But I think the more dramatic shifts have been in local business and culture.

From the era of local “patriotism” and strong partnerships to anti-parochialism
Specific to the Northwest, I am often a part of conversations about why more “local” businesses don’t use local agencies. It’s easy to blame local businesses, but I think we are using an outdated and false assumption when we think of what a local business is. Most companies today don’t think of themselves as local, even if they are based here. Consider that until the late ‘90s, Cole & Weber’s client relationships were all local and many spanned decades: The Oregonian for 65 years, Boeing for 28 years, and Safeco for over 25. Back then, businesses thought local even if they operated globally.

Take Boeing, for example. Their roots were firmly planted in the Northwest and they were proud of being a part of this community and their role within it. (As an aside, their deep connection to the Northwest may be part of why Harry Stonecipher wanted to move the headquarters from Seattle.) There was a sense of local patriotism and in every case, that sense of patriotism created a business culture of partnership and intimacy.

In those days, proximity mattered. In fact, we had offices in Seattle, SeaTac and Tacoma to be closer to our clients. Because it was a time when “sales” and “marketing” were used interchangeably and most CEOs were not experienced marketers (many came from operations), agencies were valued partners at the highest levels. While not marketers, CEOs understood that brands were built over time and that they needed an agency partner to help drive their brand forward. Along with the emergence of television, like most Mad Men-era agencies, Cole & Weber thrived by bringing the CEO the “big idea” that would build their brand and increase sales. This valued partnership created a sense of incumbency on the part of local agencies—almost as if we were entitled to the local business—that continued through the mid-‘90s.

When the Internet emerged and dot-coms were flourishing, the business culture actually shifted from “local patriotism” to one of “anti-parochialism.” Suddenly, businesses (and consumers) had the world at their fingertips and didn’t want anything related to where they were based. We were actually told we wouldn’t be included in several big reviews for local clients because we were “local.”

While most CEOs were still not experienced marketers (many were entrepreneurs), they wanted to have the presence and feel of a big brand to become attractive for a purchase or going public. Having an agency outside of the local market added credibility to the story. And proximity no longer mattered. Most dot-coms had a distributed culture where people worked remotely so they didn’t see the need for an agency nearby.

During this time, we also saw the rise of specialist agencies. Forrester calls it the “unbundled era” where clients began to unbundle their marcom needs with specialist vendors. In the end, the Internet ushered in an era where successful Northwest businesses didn’t have the same local patriotism as the industry leaders of past decades. They were global from the start. Amazon is a great example. It’s physically based here, but given it’s an Internet business, it doesn’t appear culturally tied to the Northwest in the same way Boeing was.

The post-parochial partnerships of today
Today, we have moved past the anti-parochialism of the past, and CMOs care more about the quality of your ideas than where you are located. One of our biggest clients is the International Olympic Committee in Switzerland and while our network has European offices, they work with Seattle because of the ideas we bring.

Increases in complexity, constant optimization and the ability to innovate have all helped to return relationships to one of intimacy and partnership. More data and more accountability have again increased the importance of marketing within most organizations. The complexity of managing all the data that’s available today, along with integrating all the experiences consumers can have with a brand, requires a true business partner. CEOs and CMOs want a partner that can be adaptive to tweak and optimize programs in real-time and they want a partner that can help them be more innovative in areas beyond their advertising. Agency partners need to help them invent new media and build experiences that involve people with their brand. This era of adaptation and innovation takes a high level of involvement and partnership.

This era of stronger partnerships driven by innovation and rapid adaptation is good for Seattle agencies. And it’s not going away. If anything, the need to be able to adapt and innovate in real time without losing sight of a larger brand vision will only increase as our ability to track and measure continues to grow. Our city is consistently ranked at the top of the most innovative cities lists. There is a cool intersection here of technology and creativity—sort of a Gates/Hendrix mash-up that can drive our culture if we embrace it. It can give clients a reason to come here and others a reason to stay.

Whether you are a small agency working with regional clients and the long-tail scraps of the multi-nationals, or you are a multinational yourself, it’s important for agencies of all sizes to embrace an innovative culture that’s adaptable, tech-savvy and mischievous. We can’t just be a place that’s livable or anti-parochialism will return—and for good reason.

Mike Doherty is president of Cole & Weber United in Seattle. Visit www.cwunited.com.

It’s an interesting conundrum—times are tough, budgets are tight, and potential customers are bombarded with information and offers nearly 24/7.

As a business, how do you break through without breaking your own budget?

A QR code can be seen in the bottom left corner of this promo poster.

As a guerrilla marketing company, we’re used to working with clients to maximize their impact—using street-level tactics to reach an audience where they live, work, shop and commute in an efficient and effective manner. One of the best ways we’ve found to do that is through the use of QR (quick response) codes.

Whether you’ve realized it or not, QR codes are all around you. First developed and utilized in Japan to track the manufacturing process, they’re those quirky-looking squares that engage consumers on the go.

By utilizing a camera phone with a QR reader, your potential audience actively engages with you and your message. Put a QR code on your poster, bar coaster, flyer, stencil, door hanger or hand bill and you can direct your audience to a destination of your choice—whether that’s a special offer, contest or specialized content on your Web site, a vCard, or a YouTube video. QR codes are a proven tactic to reach your audience and make a connection in an interactive way.

Emerging technology tends to attract an audience that’s curious and looking for a different experience—and by creatively utilizing it, we’ve found that it’s an inexpensive, interesting, and more personal way to reach people who are gatekeepers for their network of peers.

The Microsoft QR code.

And while QR codes rely on technology, that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. We recently executed a campaign for Microsoft Advertising that incorporated graffiti artists and a specialist who generates QR codes with an artistic flair. He was able to give them a code they could include into a genuine piece of art that garnered the attention of the media reps our client was looking to reach.

Babeland's bar coaster.

We were also able to help the sex-positive retail store Babeland reach potential customers by crafting a bar coaster with a QR code linking to promotional offers, and distributing those in appropriate venues. By doing so, we were also able to help them create a database of genuinely interested customers who had clicked through to see what they were up to—a definite advantage in long-term marketing and just one of the many benefits of this application.

The key lies in engagement—in knowing how to find our clients’ audiences and maximizing the outcome by using technology, creativity and curiosity to turn marketing into a personal experience. QR codes might be the current incarnation of that, but they’re certainly not the last. We’ve got our eyes set on how emerging technology and trends can most effectively benefit you and your goals.

Doug Cox is the president and founder of posterGIANT, a national guerrilla marketing company based in Seattle with over a decade’s worth of experience reaching audiences efficiently and effectively.

By John Wolcott, Features Northwest News Service

Jonathan Holbrook has proven once again that even a relatively small video producer and video editing equipment company can make big waves across the country by concentrating on quality products, creative excellence and the foremost needs of his customer market niche.

Jonathan Holbrook shows off the DVGear Apprentice. Photo by John Wolcott/Features Northwest News Service.

Already the winner of multiple awards for his production work and high-tech, high-quality, low-cost products, Holbrook’s market stature just got a fresh boost from the professionally respected industry trade magazine, Videomaker.

The magazine’s test staff put DVGear’s new Apprentice video editing and production computer through a tough series of evaluations and then named it the magazine’s choice for “Best New Product for 2012.” The review article was published in Videomaker’s January issue.

Not only did the test crew rate it as the best new video editing computer in its field, it also noted that the Apprentice is just the low-end of a new computer editing trio that also includes the Squire and the top-of-the-line DVGear Warrior. All of them process quality video projects, including high-definition images as well as standard definition.

Prices range from just over $3,000 for the Apprentice (which is up some from earlier prices posted on the Internet because of recently increased demand for hard drives) to $6,000-$8,000 for Holbrook’s favorite that he uses regularly himself, the Warrior. Price varies depending on how much buyers want to upgrade or add-on to the already super-powerful Warrior.

In the magazine’s article, the reviewer noted that tests of the Apprentice were so impressive that even though the equipment is being released as an “entry level” choice, “don’t let (that) fool you, this computer delivers… this computer is a good contender against top-of-the-line video editing machines.”

Videomaker’s evaluators had many technical reasons for the high rating but summed up their conclusions by noting that “this computer is made with only name-brand components … the case is well cooled with five large case fans … there’s 16 gigabytes of RAM memory … the new Nvidia Quadro 2000 … (and) two terabytes of storage in two hard drives” that are able to handle major editing and production tasks.

Also, the equipment is designed to partner with the advanced, high-end Adobe video production products found in its CS5 software suite.

DVGear, a Web-based company, is a division of Tall Taurus Media, LLC, Holbrook’s Everett video production firm that acquired DVGear in 2006.

His success is as much in how he’s structured his business as it is in his savvy use of technology for his video productions and his video editing equipment.

“We’re a Web-based company, so even though we have an office in Everett to do some of our studio work we’ve found that being Web-focused allows us to work with partners who don’t have to be full-time on our payroll but they’re still able to provide their special expertise to our clients,” he said.

Grant Eckstrom’s BE IT Consulting, LLC, for instance, is an Everett-based tech firm that handles support requests for DVGear customers. The firm works closely with DVGear on its equipment development as well.

“Much of our success is also due to the way we treat our customers,” Holbrook said. “We market through our Web site but we don’t have a ‘cart’ to fill up with orders. You have to talk to us so we can provide exactly what you want. Our customers are wide ranging. The Apprentice, for instance, can be used by people making videos at home but it’s also an affordable video editing system for more serious producers, except they don’t have to have deep pockets.”

By using name-brand, reputable parts throughout his equipment, with good manufacturer warranties, he doesn’t worry about failing equipment and neither do his customers, he said. He also likes the fact that “when trouble calls or questions come in our customers are talking to people here in Everett, not in some foreign country.”

He’s surprised that so much of his business comes from East Coast customers, particularly in New Jersey, he said, adding, “I don’t know why, but I think it’s because they know we’re near Microsoft and that gives them confidence and a positive impression.”

Striving for superior products with affordable quality at several levels of use has brought surprises even to Holbrook.

“Even the lower-end Apprentice model impressed us in our tests when we were building it with our IT guys … that’s what we wanted, a superior product with a good profit margin that will edit even real-time video and serve a wide variety of customers at a very competitive price.”

Locally, his video editing equipment also gets a lot of use in schools.

“All the area school districts know us and their video editing programs and studios operators love our products. Many of them use our TriCaster equipment, which allows them to set up their own news studios and learn a lot about video,” he said. “Watching the creativity of kids is really amazing.”

On the Tall Taurus production side of the business, Holbrook also creates programs for local organizations. He recently worked on a presentation for the Red Cross Heroes program that was held in December at the Tulalip Resort Hotel.

And, searching the Internet for his name and products brings up multiple “hits” on YouTube, which he considers one of his best marketing tools.

In 2006, he jumped on the crest of a new wave of business marketing through wall-mounted flat screen televisions that present business profiles and product promotion in the business’ own offices and locations, a new on-site marketing venture for customers.

Spurred by his youthful dreams of making movies, Holbrook’s rising presence in video productions and editing equipment has made him one of the important players in the market. Not bad for someone who describes his background in the field as basically “self-taught.”

He read books for everything he wanted to know or use in the field, then attended classes in the University of Washington’s film and video extension program, then tried everything out by making a couple of full-length features.

One of the films, Customer 152, became the official selection for the 2004 New York International Independent Film Festival. Then, it was named the Best Feature of the 2005 Northwest Independent Film Festival and played in theaters in select cities across the United States.

“It was a thrill,” he said. “For about three months I was a celebrity.”

To his audience of both amateur and professional video producers and editors, he is still a celebrity, proven by the top-ranked attention received for equipment like his new DVGear array of video editing and production equipment.