valentine's day

Valentine’s Day: What’s with all the hype?

valentine's day

Each year, just prior to February 14, sweethearts the world over strip every retail location of chocolates, roses, and those greeting cards with the lacey frills. It’s Valentine’s Day – but really, what’s all the hype about?

 

It all began long ago as a Christian feast honoring a martyr named Valentine. As folk traditions evolved, the day began to focus on romance and love. According to one legend – believe it or not – Saint Valentine had defied an emperor’s orders by secretly marrying couples, thus sparing these new husbands from serving in the military.

 

But, what’s the connection between Valentine’s Day and the greeting card market?

 

According to https://corporate.hallmark.com/valentinesslideshow/#:~:text=Hallmark%20founder%20J.C.%20Hall%20began,greeting%20card%20designs%20in%201915, Hallmark founder J.C. Hall began selling Valentine’s Day postcards in 1910. At about this time, postcards were declining in popularity … which, in 1912, prompted Hallmark to add greeting cards to its line.  So, while Hallmark didn’t actually invent the holiday, it did solidify it by permanently connecting Valentine’s Day to the practice of sending cards.

 

Interesting, right? But, is February 14th now simply a sprawling marketing scam? Maybe not. Instead, I’d call it a clever way to market an otherwise mundane product, the greeting card, to the public.

 

According to: https://www.driveresearch.com/market-research-company-blog/valentines-day-statistics/

  • As many as 52% of consumers celebrate Valentine’s Day
  • 45% of Americans who celebrate incorporate some type of travel
  • The average consumer spends nearly $200 on their Valentine
  • 46% of consumers will receive a gift they don’t actually like, including candy, flowers and – you guessed it! – greeting cards

 

This DriverSearch report also notes that mixtapes are the least desirable of V-day gifts, with only 13% of people expressing interest. As a musician, I disagree – and so have curated two playlists, one for those who love Valentine’s Day, and another for those who … don’t.

 

Valentine’s Day: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5W0wr7l2PMA97rcAG6YfHD?si=0ab2ff3fa81940ef

ANTI Valentine’s Day: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0hUCfbwggcTty80FZGLeWX?si=e24860dbb70e4bc3

Intern Insights: Are Your Photos Worth A Thousand Words?

In the digital world, visuals are essential to grab attention, convey messages, and make a lasting impression. In this blog post, I will walk you through the basic elements and techniques to take the best eye-catching photos. By utilizing these tricks, you’ll be able to consistently generate high-quality images for your future projects.

A picture is worth a thousand words

A well-crafted image portrays a message better than a one-thousand-word essay (with far less effort too!). It is important to create the best quality work when representing your brand. Is your photo relevant to the work it is connected to? Is it a dynamic photo that will catch your eye when scrolling through your social feed? An article with an attention-grabbing image is far more likely to generate engagement than a poorly chosen one.

Know your equipment

Knowing your equipment increases your capabilities as a photographer. Once you understand the basics, you can step out of your comfort zone and experiment with different settings to create some fun effects. Also, know how to upload your image to your computer without losing resolution. Regardless of how clear the picture is, it can become blurry if the process is handled incorrectly.

Master composition

Set yourself up to take a picture with a visually pleasing background that conveys the intended message and mood. Also, make sure you are successfully lining up your photo. One way to do this is by utilizing the grid. The grid is a helpful composition tool featured in many cameras and smartphone apps. Using this feature can help you to align your subject within your frame and maintain symmetry.

Fix your lighting

Understanding the different qualities of natural light versus artificial light is also important. Different types of lighting can impact the mood, color temperature, and overall aesthetic of your images. When taking photos outdoors, it is important to learn how to harness the natural light to your advantage and to avoid shadows and sun glare. When taking photos indoors, it is still ideal to take advantage of the natural lighting. Whether or not natural lighting is available, it is important to make your lighting look as natural as possible.

Combine these skills to take the perfect photo

Remember, a well-crafted image can make or break your project, leave a strong impression, and help grab attention. By harnessing these skills, you will be equipped with the knowledge to elevate your photography, helping you and your business increase engagement and polish your aesthetics.

 

Justin Picciuto

Public Relations Intern

SCG Advertising & PR

Promotional Products Work From Home

Promotional products and apparel are an excellent way for companies to build engagement with customers and employees. Strategies have shifted slightly with so many employees working remotely or in a hybrid schedule. We increasingly take into account what items would improve productivity in a home office or move easily with the employee between home and office.

TECHNOLOGY

All those Zoom meetings mean that we need to stay connected and organized.

  • Chargers
  • Ear Buds
  • Mouse Pads
  • Cord Organizer
  • Camera Cover
  • Ring Light
  • Branded Desk Organizers
  • Pens

APPAREL

Since your fellow Zoomers are only seeing the top half of you, you might as well have warm toes with branded socks or slippers. Logoed apparel keeps comfortable clothing professional for those on-camera moments.

TRAVEL

Traveling from home to office is a marketing/recruitment opportunity with branded bags, laptop sleeves, phone wallets, or pop sockets.

GIFT OPTIONS

To keep distribution simple, consider a gift program that allows recipients to select from a range of items that are delivered to their preferred address.

We’ve all seen the social media posts of connections starting a new job with a delivery of employer swag, but I recently saw something even cooler. A departing employee received an Alumni gift thanking them for their service and wishing them luck in their new endeavor. We’ve talked to clients about using “return tickets” officially giving employees in good standing permission to change their minds if the grass isn’t greener within a specified period of time, but this takes it one step further.

There are so many ways to use company swag to reach customers and potential employees. Contact SCG today to brainstorm ideas and make your next event memorable.

 

What if you decide to abandon Twitter?

Tada Images – stock.adobe.com

One of the best-known of all social media platforms, Twitter, is in the process of dramatically altering itself. Some changes that have already been implemented – or are thought to be coming soon – are concerning both to individuals and organizations that have utilized Twitter for years. So, in the event you find yourself making a decision about shifting away from Twitter, here are several alternatives to consider.

TumblrIt began as a microblogging platform in 2007, and has a vast number of users. Tumblr’s fanbase may not be as passionate as those of other platforms, but the site offers a wide variety of options for posting and sharing text, images, video, audio, and links.

LinkedInMore sophisticated than many other social media platforms, LinkedIn’s emphasis is on helping users locate new clients and employees, and share details of professional successes. While it may be business-focused, it’s the online home for individuals in a broad range of endeavors.

Hive SocialOn the rise since 2019, Hive Social’s audience has grown by one million users since changes began at Twitter. The platform enables users to post content without length limitations and already offers an editing function. The key drawback with Hive Social is loading time and a few other technical irregularities.

Discord – Beginning as a communications app for sharing voice, video and text chat with friends, game communities, and developers, Discord has steadily expanded. It is currently popular for networking, particularly in the music, entertainment, and sports sectors, with emphasis on internal group chats.

MastodonIt’s a federation of independently operated interconnected servers, offers microblogging features akin to Twitter, but also features other functionality allowing for message that are 500-characters in length. Mastodon also offers extensive privacy features, plus the ability to hide spoilers and add trigger warnings.

Post – For now, there’s actually a waitlist for joining the platform. Post is intended to be “A Social Platform for Real People, Real News, and Civil Conversations,” and is geared toward journalists who want to share stories without being edited.

Or … do nothing – Sometimes, taking no action is the most appropriate action. If you have an audience on other platforms and all is going well, it may be fine to simply step away from Twitter without identifying a replacement.

For more information about the recent and upcoming Twitter changes, check out the following articles:

https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/25/elon-musk-says-twitters-new-multicoloured-verification-will-launch-next-week/

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2022-11-07/twitter-layoffs-media-verification

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/24/musk-twitter-suspension-policy-00070819

https://www.fastcompany.com/90804776/elon-musk-massive-changes-twitter-one-week

Advertising Week 2022: What the Future Has in Store for Marketing

Advertising Week NYC 2022 wrapped up recently on October 20th, concluding four days of networking, speaking lectures, discussions, and other marketing-related events. Advertising Week is a major gathering of advertising and communications professionals, who come together to discuss the latest trends, strategies, and perspectives in the industry. The recent event in New York marked the first in-person event Advertising Week held since the start of the pandemic, signaling the industry’s desire to meet in person again and not just on Zoom calls.

 

Some new technologies which took a lot of the spotlight were the metaverse and Web3. The metaverse refers to a digital universe where participants will be able to interact and carry out various activities together, while Web3 refers to a vision of a new type of internet that gives more power and influence to regular participants and creators, rewarding them more for their contributions. For example, social media sites currently harvest and monetize user data for themselves. In a theoretical Web3 internet, users could monetize and sell their own data.

Advertisers and marketers at the event were enthusiastic about these new technologies and the prospect of being able to use them to reach audiences in new and exciting ways. One common talking point was how the metaverse and Web3 would shift the dynamic between agencies and clients. For example, with the metaverse offering a more immersive online experience, which users have greater control over, how would that impact traditional advertising strategies? Could current models or strategies even work in a metaverse? Speakers encouraged advertisers to dream big and get creative in this completely new frontier. The main thing to remember is that in a theoretical Web 3 internet, power would be decentralized, meaning that larger companies would no longer hold all the influence and ownership power. This dynamic would greatly influence the strategies and approaches marketers can use.

Speakers also discussed the role of creators and influencers in marketing, and how marketers approach working with them. With a range of creator styles and objectives, there were many ways company executives outlined. For example beverage company Diageo said they work with creators for more purposeful objectives. Back during the pandemic, they recruited singers to perform at bars, helping bring back people during the pandemic. They also teamed up with prominent food influencers on Youtube to teach their audience how to prepare certain drinks like cocktails using the company’s products. Another important discussion point was how a company defines a creator. When a company is trying to reach a range of different audiences, what counts as a “creator” might change based on the audience. A DoorDash executive said at a previous event that they consider their delivery drivers to be the creators who best advertise the service, for instance. Companies also should know how active their role should be in creator content. Some companies like to take a hands-off approach and let an influencer do their thing, while other companies like Equinox play a more authoritative role and monitor creator content more closely. In Equinox’s case, they want to closely monitor misinformation in the fitness space, so they closely watch what things their creators are promoting so common myths don’t get shared.

Another major talking point was the presence of diversity in the industry. While there were various events focusing on diversity during the event, the overall consensus seems to be that diversity initiatives have seemed to be slowing down ever since the start of the pandemic. With the financial pressure the global pandemic has put on companies, combined with recent rises in inflation and fears of a coming recession, many companies have seemed to put diversity efforts on the back burner for now, which some criticized.

If one thing’s clear from the event, it’s that a lot is in store for marketers in the coming months and years. New technology, changing trends, and emerging strategies are going to all change how the industry operates and marketers are going to need to reevaluate how they reach their audiences.

 

Links to some interesting podcasts recorded ahead of Advertising Week New York 2022:

Great Minds: Dan Robbins, VP, Marketing, Roku

Uncommon Thinking: The Creator Connection – The Evolution of Brand Building

The Sonic Truth: Taking Risks, Measuring ROI, And Development of Long-Term Strategy in Audio

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a woman-owned, full-service, advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey. If you need assistance contact your Account Manager or visit our website at: SCGADV.COM

Brynne Springer

The Importance of the Intern… from an Intern

Brynne Springer

Any student past or present understands the importance of internships. As an Advertising major concentrating in Art Direction and Copywriting at Temple University, internships are a great way to build my portfolio and strengthen skills needed within the field. This summer, I worked as an Account Coordinator Intern at SCG’s Haddonfield office and will be continuing my role during my senior year this fall. Through working at SCG, I gained valuable knowledge and practical experience in the advertising industry.

Since I started college a semester before Covid-19 spread into existence, I never had the opportunity to work in-office at any of my prior internships. From my first day, I felt at home right away at SCG. I was welcomed by the team and greeted with my own desk (which was very exciting). The open and warm attitudes of my coworkers helped acclimate me to my work as well. Coming into my position, I had little-to-no experience working in the hiring/recruitment space in advertising. At SCG, I was able to grow my experience not only in recruitment, but in copywriting, art direction, public relations, and social media. I have sat in on client meetings, created my own client reports and presentations, and even wrote my first press release. As a creative who loves to wear a lot of different proverbial hats, it is great to be immersed in so many different areas of work.

While I have heard plenty of internship horror stories from friends and peers, I am glad to say I am not included in that statistic. At SCG, my ideas and contributions are valued and recognized. SCG understands the importance of interns, and you should too. Here are some reasons why interns are an integral part of your company:

 

Excited Interns Make Excitable Work

Interns are excited to get to work and learn all there is to know about your field. Make sure to involve your intern in any way you can—whether that is asking them to come up with ten lines of copy for an ad campaign, drafting ideas for social content, or asking about their thoughts on a meeting they attended. When an intern knows their ideas matter, they gain the confidence to vocalize more of their ideas.

 

Fresh Perspectives

When you have been working in an industry for a while, you tend to stick to a specific way of thinking and carrying out your work. Interns, however, are looking at your client projects with a fresh set of eyes. Sure, not every idea will be one hundred percent doable (because, you know, legal) but new ideas can snowball into successful assets for your company.

 

Word of Mouth Advertising

Your interns matter, so treat them like it. The way you treat your interns reflects your company, and much like a consumer would review a company or product, your interns will too. If your intern had a nightmare experience, word-of-mouth advertising may not be in your favor.

 

Future Employees

Treating your interns with respect also affects your future hires. Students everywhere are looking for employment opportunities post-grad. If your intern was a hard worker who had a great experience at your company, there is a chance they will want to work for you full time. If they felt as though you gave them a negative experience for any reason, you just lost a potential candidate (and potentially more due to word-of-mouth).

Internships are preparing students for their chosen career paths, and your company is a giant part of that process. Your interns are unique individuals with valuable skillsets they can contribute to your company. Remember to treat your interns with respect and be open to their ideas—you never know where they may lead you, and they may end up becoming a full-time hire someday!

 

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a woman-owned, full-service advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey.  We have had a robust internship programs for at least 20 years.

Combatting The National Teacher Shortage

The national teacher shortage the country is facing is well known by now, and many states are scrambling to find ways to fight it, New Jersey included. Some states, like California and Arizona for example, have resorted to lowering the barrier to entry for teachers, including removing testing requirements or even no longer requiring a college degree. While strategies like these may get more teachers in the door, they don’t address the fundamental problems which are driving teacher shortages, such as a lack of young teachers applying.

Here in New Jersey, school districts are facing that exact issue. Some school districts in New Jersey have a reputation of being unwelcoming to new teachers fresh out of college, as well as younger teachers as a whole. According to a report from NJ.com, younger teachers face an uphill battle when starting out their careers in NJ schools. For example, some NJ schools are limited by inflexible employment options which favor seniority over merit/talent. This is a major issue, as studies show younger teachers favor job mobility and flexibility over stability. Some NJ school districts will take away a teacher’s tenure rights and even pay status if they switch jobs, discouraging mobility.

Furthermore, younger teachers tend to have a decent amount taken out of their paychecks. According to the Sunlight Policy Center, new teachers are forced to join the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and an NJ state pension plan, which combined take away around 11% of their pay each year. And when pay increases do occur, they usually favor older teachers and seniority rather than potentially younger teachers who have more talent.

Some of these issues may discourage younger talent from applying to certain school districts. Here are some tips that come from the Sunlight Policy Center and educators themselves that can help schools across the country improve their teacher recruitment:

  • Make teaching more open to new teachers and college graduates, who favor mobility and career ladders over stability. You can also amend current policies which could potentially discourage newer teachers from applying.
  • Offer more competitive benefits packages and salaries to incentivize teachers to apply.
  • Explore options under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to see if you can provide your school with more/better resources to attract and retain teachers.
  • Offer professional development opportunities to teachers to help them refine their skills, such as workshops, seminars, and more. This could be a big selling point to younger teachers.
  • Go to colleges where soon-to-be graduating teachers will be leaving and looking for work. This is a good place to find talent. For example, handing out flyers and pamphlets at teacher fairs or giving them to career advisors at universities can help boost recruitment efforts.
  • Reach out to old teachers who may have left for a specific reason, and see if they would be interested in coming back. Sometimes teachers leave for a very specific reason, such as having a conflict with a certain administrator. Check in on them and see how they’re doing. Even if they’re not interested in coming back, they may have friends who are looking for work and seek them out.
  • Job boards are a great way to attract candidates who wouldn’t normally be able to attend the local job fair. They greatly extend your recruitment reach.
  • Start the recruitment/hiring process as early as possible. Studies show that schools that start earlier often receive more qualified candidates.

Schools in New Jersey, as well as across the country, are facing teaching shortages that threaten their ability to provide quality education to their students. Instead of using strategies that may only address the surface of the problem, schools should be focusing on methods that will tackle the problem on a fundamental level.

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a long-standing, woman-owned, full-service advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey. We have a vast amount of experience in the education space, working with hundreds of private, public, and charter schools across the country to recruit both students and faculty. 

Tips for the Upcoming School Year

We’re in the last few weeks of summer, and preparations for the new school year are ramping up. And it’s not just students going back-to-school shopping. Teachers too are planning out their lesson plans and schedules. Whether you’re going back to the same school or applying to a new one, here are some tips that teachers can use to help prepare themselves for the new school year:

  • Don’t just be a teacher. Be a learner as well. Go over the last school year to see what worked and what didn’t. Did a certain lesson plan go over really well with the students? Bring that over to this year. Did students struggle with a certain chapter of the textbook? Maybe revise that for this year so the information is conveyed better.
  • Being a learner also includes being a student yourself. Consider exploring professional development options, such as webinars, online courses, and more. Your school may even offer development opportunities themselves. Developing yourself professionally will allow you to improve your skills and talents even further, making you a more valuable teacher and job candidate.
  • Know how you’re going to communicate with parents, students, and colleagues. Being prepared with all the proper technology and apps is crucial to effective communication. Does your school use Google Classroom, Zoom, or something else entirely? Find that out now and make the necessary preparations to get these set up so they’re ready on the first day of school.
  • Set defined goals for yourself for the upcoming school year. Planning out how you want to change or improve gives you something to work towards. Make sure the goals you set are specific and achievable. Vague or abstract goals will only confuse you and not give you a clear path to achieve them.
  • If you’re applying to a new school, make sure your resume is updated with all the new relevant skills that will make you stand out and be competitive. Did you teach a remote class during the pandemic? Put that on there. Being digitally savvy as a teacher has become more important than ever with the increased demand for remote/virtual learning. If you recorded some of these lessons, include them in your portfolio to show schools the lessons you taught.
  • Be willing to work as a guest teacher or substitute. If you’re just starting out, taking smaller positions such as these will give you valuable classroom experience, and allow you to network.
  • Use job boards to find job openings you may not have found on your own. They can greatly expand your job search and allow you to apply to even more schools.

The start of a new school year is always an exciting time. Not just for the students, however, but for teachers too. Teachers get to resume teaching, meet new classes, and have the opportunity to revise and improve their skills further. Follow these tips to get started on the right foot and have a successful year!

 

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a long-standing, woman-owned, full-service advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey. We have a vast amount of experience in the education space, working with hundreds of private, public, and charter schools across the country to recruit both students and faculty. 

 

So much fanfare over the July Jobs Numbers. Here’s what recruiters need to know.

 

It was the first Friday in August. The time slowly inching its way to 8:30 am. It’s only a few agonizing minutes until the jobs number was to be revealed just as it is the first Friday of every month.

The experts had weighed in with their forecast and were bracing the nation for a disappointing number – having predicted 258,000 jobs. This was a precipitous drop from the 372,000 jobs created in July.

A decline in the jobs created made total sense to SCG.  We have closely tracked layoffs for select industries over the past nine years. Those layoffs have been increasing every month over the past 6 months. Those eventually should be reflected in the unemployment rate. Right?

But then, the Bureau of Labor Statistics threw us all a huge curve. They announced the number for jobs created was over double that the experts had anticipated. It came in at an unbelievable 528,000. That’s more than twice the initial projection.  With 3.5% unemployment.

 

What goes into the Bureau’s calculations?

The report is based on two separate surveys.

The Establishment Survey gathers information from 145,000 nonfarm businesses and government agencies for some 697,000 work sites and about one-third of all payroll workers.

This data estimates the number of people on payrolls in the U.S. economy, the average number of hours they worked weekly, and their average hourly earnings, along with several versions of the unemployment rate.

 

The Household Survey is based on monthly interviews of 60,000 households by the Census Bureau. The participants provide their employment status during the week including the 12th day of the month. The BLS measures unemployment by dividing the total number of unemployed people looking for a job by the total number of individuals in the labor force.

 

Here is the official report based on the July data.

 

As impressive as that number is, we cannot sustain 500,000+ new jobs per month with the 3.5% unemployment. Just not enough talent. That is made even more difficult with the nation’s continually shrinking Employment Participation Rate (the percentage of individuals who are working or actively looking for work).

 

Why is this report essential to recruiters?

SCG sees this information as vital insight into the competitiveness of the recruitment landscape. As the market tightens, recruiters face the need for increased budgets and use of invasive strategies to reach the more plentiful – but less persuadable – passive candidates.

 

For a deeper dive…

Open the July Data link above and scroll to the bottom. You will find access to about 25 in-depth reports.

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a woman-owned, full-service advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey with expertise in recruitment advertising. If you need assistance, contact your Account Manager or visit our website at: SCGADV.COM

Offices: NJ | NY | FL | SD | GA | PA | OH | AZ

recruitment marketing and cats

Recruitment Marketing and Cats

recruitment marketing and cats

Monday, August 8th is International Cat Day!

I was never a cat person. We always had dogs. Then a mama cat gifted me with kittens, twice, and my journey to crazy cat lady began. Don’t worry. We found homes for many and with the support of my favorite vets, we got everyone checked out, vaccinated, and made sure there wouldn’t be more kittens.  Cat behavior is interesting and got me thinking about how it correlates to my recruitment marketing business at SCG.

#1 – Cats are like passive candidates. You can’t force your intentions on them. They have to come to you. If you dangle the right toy/treat/message and wait patiently, they will eventually acknowledge and respond.

#2 – Looks can be deceiving. Our cats are adorable but have a killer instinct, keeping birds, chipmunks, mice, etc. on notice. In recruitment marketing, you need to review resumes carefully and don’t judge too quickly. You also shouldn’t judge on appearance. Some very talented employees may come with tattoos, piercings, or non-traditional hair choices.

#3 – I often find “gifts” from the cats that aren’t necessarily on my wish list. Sometimes it’s about aligning background and experience with the appropriate open requisition and not just judging against the job applied for.

#4 – I’m a morning person. Many of the cats are night prowlers. I try to understand their behavior and adapt accordingly. When hiring for different shifts, think like your candidate. Put your message out on late night radio or tv. It’s usually less expensive than those coveted drive time radio slots or prime time tv. Host a virtual hiring event or just have a chat bot available for questions overnight.

#5 – Like people, cats need to feel welcomed as part of the team. We recently took in a new cat that needed to be rehomed. He hid under the bed for days. Super timid. Then we put a collar on him and his personality dramatically shifted. Suddenly, he engaged with humans and cats alike. It seemed he needed to feel secure in his new home. In recruitment marketing, whether it’s a branded polo shirt, computer bag, coffee mug or something else, welcome new hires with something that says they are part of the team. For those working onsite, also consider a special badge or pin that identifies new hires so that coworkers can spot them and help when they seem lost or might need assistance.

#6 – Every cat has their own language. Who knew…purring is not the official cat language. Some cats vocalize with sounds that are almost words. Our Amelia has a high-pitched trilling meow. Others are almost silent unless they feel threatened and may hiss or growl. Candidates also have different communication styles. In this market, be open to communicating via phone call, email, text…at least in the beginning. Unless it’s critical to the job function, listen to words as much as communication style. Interviewing can be a stressful situation and well qualified candidates may not perform well. When looking for bilingual candidates use bilingual messaging in ethnic media and be mindful of cultural differences/sensitivities.

Catalina is the cat who started it all and is now Queen of the clowder. From a homeless girl in trouble to a beloved family pet who never strays, she’s found her place. May your recruiting journeys be equally rewarding.

Tina Davis

Tina Davis
VP, Account Services
SCG Advertising & PR