Silver Addy - Interactive Media HTML/Other
Objective: Revamp the online presence of Angling Unlimited, the top fishing charter in Alaska, by introducing a fresh design, adding content and simplifying the navigation.
Obstacles: Tightening restrictions on catch limits force the emphasis of the expedition to be more experience focused rather than catch focused. Communication needed for approval and direction strains when time zones and long work days conflict.
Solution: Absolute Marketing Group developed a multi-tiered plan of attack to solidify Angling Unlimited as the elite fishing experience. From a design perspective, high resolution photographs, an eye- catching flash graphic and an overall clean look elevated the status of Angling Unlimited above the majority of the charter competition.
A Content Management System (CMS) enables the hostess team to upload pictures taken from the shore and boat directly into an excursion-specific photo album where pictures can be viewed by friends and family at home. In addition, a weather report and fishing blog by the lead Captain keeps current, past and potential customers in the know.
Objective: Create an online presence for a boutique in Fargo's rejuvenated downtown.
Obstacles: Unleashing the unique style of a boutique on the web is a tightrope walk between trendy and over- the-top, free-spirited and canned.
Solution: To keep the integrity of SHANNALEE, the design team unclenched the creative grasp and let her create a look that was all her own. The decision to keep the look slightly rough and funky, keeps the site pure. Using the suggestions of the Interactive department keeps the site clean and user-friendly.
A key component of the boutique experience is to constantly keep in touch with the local community. Through opt-in email marketing, a personal bio and a comprehensive list of events at the store, SHANNALEE keeps her company image local and personal.
Objective – Create a complete content management system for the F-M Business Journal.
Obstacle – Prior to coming to Absolute Marketing Group, the F-M Business Journal website had severe readability and flow issues. The chief task was to make the site more beneficial and convenient to the user while making the content easily manageable for the F-M Business Journal staff.
Solution – Absolute Marketing’s web team developed a framework for inputing a variety of items ranging from advertising to an archive system for past stories. Using metrics for webviews, the F-M Business Journal was able to charge for advertising. RSS feeds, an event schedule and local calendar enrich the users' interactive experience. In all, the publisher had a completely customizable online system to supplement the analog (paper) version of the Fargo-Moorhead publication.
Objective – Create a simple online presence for CMDI.
Obstacles – The biggest challenge in developing this site dealt with the determination of the magnitude and scope of the entire site.
Solutions – A practical presence best suited CMDI. For one, the amount of involvement the owner intended to have was minimal. A more traditional businessman, the website provids a resource to current members of the co-op or for those who need general information rather than a lead generator or an interactive dialogue with the online community. In this particular instance, Absolute Marketing simplified the site as much as possible whilst keeping its same standard of design. CMDI is a non-profit and Absolute Marketing made sure it stayed extremely frugal, as it does with for profits and non-profits alike, making sure to provide only what the client actually needed to satisfy its online objectives.
Gold Addy - Interactive Media/HTML/Other
Silver District Addy
Objective: Aid in the rebranding of Grazies Italian Grill during its transition from serving a primarily business clientele to a more broad public demographic.
Obstacles: Located in a business complex, the public perception of Grazies was that it was more of a happy hour bar and grill than a middle to high-end restaurant with a full menu.
Solution: The website facilitated the transition through design and function. The design of the site reflects a sense of class. High-end food photography combined with warm, inviting tones exudes prestige while the diversity of the real life chefs placed against an illustrated background mutes the business-only luxury stereotype.
Simple navigation and email marketing efforts provide utility for those first visiting the site and a reason to stay engaged. Coupons redeemed through the email marketing efforts became a highly successful part of the campaign as other members of the community were introduced to Grazies Italian Grill.
Objective: Introduce a new real estate company into the Fargo-Moorhead market through a multimedia campaign.
Obstacles: 80 percent of buyers and sellers first look online to explore real estate options. The website needed to not simply hit the ground running, but immediately excel in this highly competitive industry.
Solution: Absolute Marketing Group worked feverishly to develop the most user-friendly real estate site in its market. Categorizing the menu and simplifying the navigation of the site instantly introduced buyers and sellers to portions of the site dedicated to them. Clients familiar with REALTORS® who joined the company could search listings by an agent they had a previous relationship with or be connected to a new agent through the agent’s BlackBerry. Simple features such as a mortgage calculator and regional Multi-List Service (MLS) added to overall customer satisfaction.
Gold Addy - Interactive Media/HTML/Other
Objective: Promote the largest outdoor advertising vendor in the Midwest online.
Obstacles: Bringing a company that lives on a large-scale outdoors and has several capabilities to the comfort of a potential client's home can create clutter, a lack direction and an inability to demonstrate the exceptional skill the client exhibits.
Solution: Creating a clean, user-focused site became essential in the case of Newman Sign’s website. The first impression given by the site is extremely crisp and inviting. As a media vendor, it is important to obey all rules of graphic design or falter in the presentation of professionalism. Through carefully planned navigation, the user is able to access any component of the site without being redirected to the home page. Lastly, the site also needs to act as a portfolio. The final product delivered a site as expansive and easy to comprehend as an Interstate billboard.
Objective: Develop an online presence for a non-profit geared at maximizing the potential of rural communities. Also, create a micro site within ngplains.org to feature the Meadowlark Institute, a side project that aims to bring about social change to rural communities.
Obstacles: Including an offshoot company that focuses on social change within another company that focuses on economic change creates separate marketing avenues that could only be addressed through the Internet as chosen by the client.
Solution Absolute Marketing made the Meadowlark Institute a prominent part of the menu bar at the top of the homepage in order to aid those looking specifically for it or for those who were intrigued through any content on the site. Once inside the Meadowlark Institute page, it was treated as a separate page entirely whereby the user could not get back to the Northern Grate Plains institute without clicking the back button on the browser. This was done to keep both sites related but mutually exclusive thus lowering the hosting costs of two sites and keeping the relationship two as thin as possible.
Silver Addy - Interactive Media - Website, consumer
Objective: Entice and invite families and business owners alike to the most luxurious hotel in south Fargo.
Obstacles: It was important to balance families, wedding parties and business travelers so that all felt equally welcome. Corporate brand standards needed to be observed.
Solution: Absolute Marketing Group delivered a website in addition to a full media campaign that encapsulated the class and luxury of a modern hotel with an inviting look to families and business travelers. Focusing on presentation rather than booking information bolstered the Ramada’s reputation and helped it become one of the most booked hotels in Fargo-Moorhead.
Objective: Completely reinvent a former restaurant bar and grill in order to attract young professionals through a full campaign. Establish an immediate, response-based online presence.
Obstacles: The location of Big Ds bar and grill had a history of misfortune when it came to nightlife and dining. Fargo’s downtown, miles away and littered with bars, caused for serious competition.
Solution: Solid efforts by the client to provide exceptional drink specials and local music favorites aided in changing the tide of nightlife. For promotion, the rebrand featured a sexier design that appealed to entire demographic. The interactivity of flash and function allowed for one of the most engaging bar websites in the market. A dedication to email marketing including, but not limited to, free drinks, waived cover charges and advanced notice of the areas most popular acts helped sustain this high-energy establishment. Recent marketing efforts on social networking sites continue to make Big Ds one of the most popular spots in the area.
