Creative Concepts

We are so excited to announce that we have expanded into the Netherlands.  Why the Netherlands?  And what does expansion mean?  Ok, one thing at a time so let’s first get to why we chose the Netherlands.

Nicoline Maes, Director of Business Services (and most recently Director of Business Development/Netherlands as well), moved with her family from the Netherlands to the U.S. in 2006 and in 2007 came on board to Creative Concepts.  At this time, Nicoline began working on developing our client reporting tools and then added working with David Borzo to the mix where the two became a very effective content management team.  Together David and Nicoline have managed our writer assignments and schedules as well as having developed content topics while editing drafts of blog entries, Facebook updates and more.  While Nicoline was helping to bring success to our clients she became a true believer in the power of social media as well as our other services: public relations, design and branding, events and video production.  When the opportunity came for Nicoline and her family to go back to her homeland in the Netherlands, she happily made the move and took with her the goal of expanding Creative Concepts internationally.

There’s nothing like a sweepstakes or contest to get people talking about your brand! When you offer a prize through Facebook, Twitter or blog, you not only increase your fan base but often times these new followers ramp up the conversation as we have seen with client Bigelow Tea on their Facebook page and client Ecover who showcased a fantastic contest called 30 under 30 which garnered hundreds of mentions on all channels.

With numerous client prize winning adventures under our belt, we at Creative Concepts, are supporting The Children’s Aid Society Recipe Contest which helps to promote one of their missions: healthy eating for kids and their families. Submissions for original and healthy recipes are being accepted on Facebook only until July 24th which is just one way The Children’s Aid Society is hoping to expand their online community to those who care about needy kids and their families in the New York metro area. Winners will receive gift certificates at some of New York City’s hottest restaurants like Four Seasons, Gramercy Tavern, PRINT, Mae Mae Cafe and Al Di La in Brooklyn. We’re also using this opportunity to tap into the powerful mom blogging community, by asking the Meal Makeover Moms to be on our panel of judges in addition to Julie Negrin, Erica Wides and Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez of PRINT. And the final fun detail: on July 29th, we’re announcing the winners at New York City’s famed Union Square Greenmarket, where local and organic fare is the name of the game.

A successful contest in today’s social media landscape not only helps draw new fans, but it also solidifies a brand’s core values so please help support The Children’s Aid Society and enter your recipe today!

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Kipling from Ecover greets guest Majora Carter

This year, to mark Earth Day, Creative Concepts‘ client Ecover hosted “Bringing Earth Day Home,” a chic yet homey cocktail event in New York City, designed to showcase the products and the brand with a larger overriding theme of showing how the attendees could live a sustainable and stylish lifestyle. Guests mixed and mingled with Ecover’s Kipling and with eco-celebrity interior designer and host of the event Robin Wilson while sipping organic wine and noshing on organic hors d’oeuvres and desserts and locally-sourced cheeses. Various experts shared tips on greening home life, and Ecover sent guests home with re-usable goody bags full of cleaning products.

Goody bags from the Ecover “Bringing Earth Day Home” event

Real-life meet-ups personalize a brand by putting a face and a voice with the product. Events like “Bringing Earth Day Home” are invaluable to brands; they allow consumers to see how products and services can be part of their everyday life. They also offer brands — or, more specifically, the people behind them — the opportunity to interact with their target audience in a genuine, spontaneous way. Forging that real-life, face-to-face connection is key to building brand recognition. Social media offers brands an invaluable way to connect with consumers outside of a brick-and-mortar store — in their own homes, in fact, or in the car or wherever they are connecting with their networks. Ultimately, though, nothing beats a face-to-face meeting with customers and clients.

Ecover Products featured at the “Bringing Earth Day Home” event

“We so believe in the power of social media,” says Valorie Luther, founder of Creative Concepts. “Our clients get to reach out to their customers and make a difference whether they are sharing expert information or answering questions.  But we also believe in meeting customers face to face, which our clients are doing with interesting intimate events that build off of what has been established online.  The event  we just produced for Ecover was all about sharing sustainable and stylish tips with the guests (which included great food and wine).  Attendees walked away with full size Ecover products in their goody bags which we know from experience makes an impact.  When you combine the online efforts with offline meetings, a brand has made a difference!”

Taking the time to meet face-to-face with clients and consumers is key to building a successful brand. Creative Concepts is committed to the idea that social media allows companies to connect with consumers on a daily basis, but we also believe that going the extra mile and hosting an in-person event is the final step in connecting with the very consumer who has helped you build your business.  It’s a thank you….and the perfect way to say how much you appreciate their support.

Have any event stories to share?  We want to hear from you so please share you thoughts via the comments.

All photos by Kate Eiseman

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