by thesavageway | Jul 24, 2014 | services
Photography. There truly is an art to taking a photograph. Your professionals have gone to school and studied the craft for years to master this art – and it shows. But, in this day in age, most people have a smartphone with a built-in powerful camera. The opportunity to take a beautiful photo is just a finger tap away.
Here at #thesavageway, we watch social media all day long and we notice photos. Some are high quality and creative while others are out of focus or have terrible lighting. We know that not everyone is a professional photographer, but there really is no reason to have a blurry photograph let alone post it to your Facebook page. Knowing how to use your phone’s camera is one of the first things that we teach our clients.
When we are not teaching how to focus on an iPhone, we watch the photo trends (yes, there are trends) as we are scrolling through our news feeds. The easiest portal to analyze is the visually driven Instagram. Past trends that we love include the personal point of view that traveller @MuradOsmann does so well.
We also adore the Where’s Waldo angle of @AndrewKnapp who finds a way to add his dog Momo in every picture.
One of the photo trends we love these days is the foodie “aerial view.” This bird’s-eye view allows the audience to appreciate the overall scene and gives a different angle of food.
A few of the Instagram accounts that do this overhead view very well are national accounts @SweetGreen and @ThugLifeForevs .
Left: SweetGreen Right: ThugLifeForevs
Locally we appreciate what the guys at @ThePlaidPenguin are doing and love how @KeiaIsHungry utilizes this angle.
Left: The Plaid Penguin Right: Keia Mastrianni
These images always get us to stop scrolling and look. They are clever and memorable. Exactly what a photo on Instagram is supposed to do. This bird’s-eye view is a great way to showcase food pictures. It shows the beauty of food that a close up doesn’t always capture. Photo trends come and go, as all trends do, but a quality picture lasts forever.
by thesavageway | Apr 14, 2014 | clean graffiti
Here at #thesavageway, we are taking a moment from the hectic pace of the everyday to look back at some of our awesome past clients.
About ‘Stache House Bar and Lounge:
Located in Charlotte’s historic South End neighborhood this bar and lounge features high-end liquor, craft beer and a variety of flavored hookah. Stop in any night of the week (expect Monday when they are closed) and you are sure to groove to a wide array of DJ’s with music ranging from neo-soul and jazz to house and 80’s dance pop.
We began working for ‘Stache House during the construction phase of their Historic SouthEnd location at the end of 2012. Getting to join/contribute to the branding conversation from the beginning is beyond ideal and one that we do not always get to participate in. We were recruited by Morgan Tadlock, formerly General Manager, Partner and Creative Director.
We focused on creating their brand and identifying their target market. This project was also the first opportunity we had to work with Pink Toast Ink – an extremely talented local graphic designer. Here are some examples of the ‘Stache House branding we created.
Beyond the branding, we consulted with the owners of ‘Stache House on their Social Media and creating their Areas of Content (or what they should be talking about online).
One of the elements of our company that we thoroughly enjoy is getting to create and work big events. We planned the ‘Stache House Grand Opening celebration in January of 2013. Complete with Media Night, VIP Party and Opening Night.
The media and crowds came out in full support of this fun, new bar/lounge and hookah bar. We were beyond happy with the support from the community and knew that the owners of this hip, new hot spot were happy with a job well done.
Fast forward to February 2014, we recently rekindled our relationship with ‘Stache House through an eco-friendly Clean Graffiti campaign in the SouthEnd neighborhood.
(Clean Graffiti is an eco-friendly and green form of advertising. These branded, positive messages are strategically placed on dirty sidewalks and a clean message remains. Not only is this an innovative and creative way to get a business’ marketing initiatives out to the public in a place that you typically would not be able to have a logo or message, but there is no use of any harmful chemicals or sprays – It’s just water!)
Work Hard. ‘Stache Hard.
by thesavageway | Feb 17, 2014 | clean graffiti
This is Part Three in a five part series diving into Clean Graffiti in the Queen City. Clean Graffiti is a service that #thesavageway offers; it is a unique, green form of advertising available since 2012. With several clients in the books, it is time to reflect on the practice. This piece is about Social Media Usage of Clean Graffiti.
In this day in age, Social Media is as common as drinking a glass of water or showing up for work. As a business, if you are not utilizing social media in all of its forms (that fit your business), you are missing out on a huge marketing opportunity. In fact, according to the Social Media Examiner, “Increased exposure is the top benefit of social media marketing: A significant 89% of marketers stated that increased exposure was the number-one benefit of social media marketing.”
But what do you do to make your business stand out on social media when the market is flooded with competitors? One way that #thesavageway has found to aid in market differentiation is through Clean Graffiti.
Clean Graffiti is an eco-friendly and green form of advertising. These branded, positive messages are strategically placed on dirty sidewalks and a clean message remains. Not only is this an innovative and creative way to get a business’ marketing initiatives out to the public in a place that you typically would not be able to have a logo or message, but there is no use of any harmful chemicals or sprays – It is just water!
Charlotte companies have been using #thesavageway’s Clean Graffiti throughout the city to attract attention to their brands through natural, alternative media. Be it event driven (NODAWEEN), Running Routes (NODA BREWING RUN CLUB) or just Brand Awareness (ORTHOCAROLINA), Clean Graffiti has lead to an increased use on social media. By including the “@” sign or “#” in the body of the message, it signifies to the public to engage on social media.
Example posts from Instagram of Clean Graffiti in Charlotte.
Check out this piece in the Huffington Post about other industry leaders using Clean Graffiti to attract business.
In a constantly changing online world, it is important to remember full-circle marketing tactics and finding a way to reach your customers not only in traditional ways but through innovative means as well. Clean Graffiti is another way to capture the attention of your potential customer and #thesavageway is proud to offer this green advertising medium to the Charlotte market.
by thesavageway | Nov 25, 2013 | services
NoDa : Charlotte, NC’s Historic Arts District is a neighborhood full of limitless creativity found in the minds of local artists, fine culinary experiences, and unique microbreweries. NoDa is a destination in the Queen City and this hub of originality needed a face; a way for people to see the life that is the heart of this community. Enter Instagram.
Screenshot of @NoDaCLT’s Instagram
When #thesavageway was hired on as the local event promotion team behind the annual neighborhood fundraiser event, NoDaWEEN, it became clear that photo-driven Instagram was needed to bring the event and the neighborhood to life. Little did we expect for this social outlet to literally take off.
@NoDaCLT, the Official Instagram of the NoDa Neighborhood, was created in the beginning of August 2013 when #thesavageway was brought on to brand manage. Within 3 months, the followers grew from 0 to 1,500+ followers. Talk about Insta-neighborhood love!
By correlating with the existing NoDa social media portals and strategically creating content, the account began to form. Pictures were focused on the heart and soul of the neighborhood; those familiar faces and places that make 36th and North Davidson alive.
@NoDaCLT Instagram Neighborhood Examples
Branded images for the event NoDaWEEN also were incorporated.
@NoDaCLT NoDaWEEN Instagram post examples
This account began with a need for online representation for a client’s event; however it grew into something much more substantial than that. Social media is people-driven and at the end of the day we all want to be able to relate to the places and things that we love. People love NoDa. People are great supporters of this neighborhood and all of the art forms that come with it. #thesavageway simply established a fun, relatable portal for neighbors and visitors to enjoy.
If you are interested in finding out more about #thesavageway’s services and boosting your social media, email [email protected].
