tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88158458989090834992009-03-24T08:20:43.660-07:00Active minds at TorqueIan Lawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07456916967456736633noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-84657323153614262192009-03-16T05:41:00.000-07:002009-03-16T05:51:06.354-07:00

According to the British Medical Journal (BMJ) article: Dynamic Spread of Happiness in a Large Social Network, happiness is a fundamental object of human existence.The intent of the study was to go beyond the well known contagious of emotions between people in close proximity and over short periods of time (such as mirroring a smiling when another person smile).Researchers were interested in “how

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-12631849111451310392009-02-21T14:43:00.000-08:002009-02-22T16:27:30.223-08:00

We develop over fifteen corporate and product logos for clients each year. But seldom does an organization embrace their new mark and sense of identity as completely as BOMA Chicago, the Building Owner and Manager Association, Chicago chapter. Now over 100 years old, the association is clear about the need for change, from staff and services provided, and across members and the many other

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-47740357284706002132009-02-17T06:08:00.000-08:002009-02-18T04:24:02.765-08:00

We all know more and more people out of work these days, and so the number of people building their personal networks is up dramatically. So is participation in associations, turnout at networking events and attendance at seminars. People are rethinking their careers, whether they’ve lost their jobs or if they expect they might.I’ve heard people say they’ve let their networks atrophy during their

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-32182374946007002942009-02-05T16:13:00.001-08:002009-02-05T16:17:14.083-08:00

Apple announced late last year that 2009 would be the last year it would participate in Macworld Expo, a show built around Apple’s own brand aficionados. Apple is one of the world’s most loved companies, often cited as a leader in everything from brand cachet and product development, to revenue generation and stock price performance. Why did they take so long to shut down their participation at

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-41251941677185009062009-01-29T18:13:00.001-08:002009-01-29T18:34:19.910-08:00

Re-inventing, then re-presenting a business to keep pace with changing markets is important, especially now. Given the economy, perhaps most held down by general fears and a concern for how to compete, it’s a good time to shake things up and refresh a business’s value to its customers. Obama says this is the new spirit for the American people. We’ve taken it to heart.The trend these days has been

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-85377045235551674582009-01-06T13:06:00.000-08:002009-01-06T14:04:47.252-08:00

Businesses are structured around departments with differing functional concerns. Tension between these functions is complementary, as it challenges stakeholders to do their best, and also meet the needs of the opposing disciplines. However the tension between Sales and Marketing takes on a more ideological tone, becoming more charged than tensions between other disciplines.All business operates

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-74082783888499208092008-12-10T15:51:00.001-08:002008-12-11T06:43:33.872-08:00

In the space of one day (yesterday) I had three meetings in which clients told me: no, we don’t want to do all of that [proposed marketing]. We do want everything, but less of each. In one case, the client is just looking for 100 leads. He has developed such an efficient selling process, designed to close exactly the number of new clients he’s targeted, with far lower volume of marketing

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-84663607166160876032008-11-11T08:05:00.001-08:002008-11-11T08:44:52.030-08:00

Are you feeling a surge of networking activity during the looming forecasts of financial disaster? It seems networking is up everywhere, people turning to tribal membership organizations, both online and those that meet in person.I am a member of MENG Marketing Executive Network Group, whose president Richard Guha put out an email asking, “Will you have a job in 2009? How can MENG help?” The

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-74142081832816960892008-11-10T14:44:00.000-08:002008-11-10T14:46:55.257-08:00

Bicycle, a venerable American brand of over 130 years, came to us looking for a concerted positioning and solid brand image for their aggressive marketing objectives in 2009. Bicycle needed more than a make-over, it needed a full reconsideration of its target, including a new focus on Moms and Family.We dove into the research and profiling of the customers, their buying patterns and what the

Ron Aichholzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08032316929474145208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-53411052602391114792008-10-27T05:04:00.000-07:002008-10-27T05:49:13.680-07:00

If you are responsible for marketing, either as an agency, a business manager or a consultant, you have probably rejected such terms as "Web 2.0" and "portal," in a quest for terms with more meaning. I have, and I owe a recent speaking experience a debt of gratitude in reshaping my opinion. What I discovered was a much better purpose for these well-recognized terms. That is, to expand the

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-40096215717533489302008-10-16T15:10:00.001-07:002008-10-16T16:04:02.796-07:00

I’m pleased to announce key projects delivered for prominent clients in Q3, including a phase I community platform website for US Playing Card, bicyclecards.com, a logo mark for BOMA Chicago and brand standards for Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.In the face of tremulous financial news, these three organizations are leaning into the storm of economic uncertainty. The watchword for all three has

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-41860515070037953372008-09-22T11:00:00.000-07:002008-09-22T12:58:50.050-07:00

If you read any of the major marketing publications (or come into earshot of marketers in conversation) then you’re likely pretty familiar with issues of the role of marketing coming under scrutiny. But lately, have those topics passed? Is the marketing community on to something new, (Web 2.0, ROI, research??). My observation: the conclusion is far from conclusive. The debate over raising the

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-78859349643183684182008-06-17T15:35:00.001-07:002008-06-17T16:05:16.179-07:00

Kevin Masi will speak as a panelist on Tuesday, June 24, at a luncheon at the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. A member of the Chamber’s Mid Market Forum, he will lead a panel discussion on five priorities in brand building for businesses today. Masi explains, “Many companies see marketing as the management of mass media advertising. Many more are driven by their products, by running operations

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-24048193243182195552008-05-28T17:00:00.000-07:002008-05-29T13:54:24.118-07:00

Huge crowds attended Chicago's Green Festival 2008 at Navy Pier on May 16 and 17.At the show, Torque's first engagement with the City of Chicago's Department of Environment (DOE) was distinguished by the successful delivery of their centerpiece space and booth dedicated to their energy conservation programs. In partnership with WRD Environmental and Terracom Public Relations, Torque delivered a

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-26294652663779395412008-05-07T15:20:00.000-07:002008-05-07T15:23:47.327-07:00

Not so many years ago, the more stuff companies made, and the more they advertised, the more they could sell. It was a marketplace that absorbed everything that could be “pushed” out into it. But with the flattening or globalization of the world prices have tumbled, products proliferate and options abound. Mass media has become saturated with advertising, “pushing” this growing mass of products

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-76015365968207462872008-03-05T14:18:00.000-08:002008-03-05T12:29:56.543-08:00

Underneath a surface of fear, a substrate of wisdomAt the International Builder Show, there's so much bluster and showmanship, it’s tough to see below the surface to what’s really going on.On the surface, there’s a tone of nonchalance. The message is that everything is really OK—we’re just toughing it out. But when no one else is within earshot, people talk in hushed tones about their fear and

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-10498079769586094002008-02-15T14:18:00.002-08:002008-02-15T14:20:24.079-08:00

Taylor Johnson and Olesker (TJO) has 30 years of helping real estate companies succeed in the Chicago market. Their media savvy and brand building skills have made them one of premier PR agencies in the region, and this year they took on not only a new partner, but a new identity. Torque was engaged to redefine their business brand, logo, emarketing and web site and sales tools – all in light of

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-1892870270427408892008-02-11T12:43:00.000-08:002008-02-15T14:37:27.235-08:00

It is no longer news that the housing industry is embattled, and that the effects are rippling through adjacent industries (Wickes Furniture Co., a venerable regional manufacturer, cites the housing slump as a key cause of furniture sales slowdown that forced last week’s Ch. 11 announcement).This week, the International Builder Show (IBS) returns to Orlando, FL. As always, Torque will be in

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-22823349215306118932007-12-20T12:10:00.000-08:002008-01-08T13:27:40.526-08:00

The world is verging on the new year, and is celebrating its twelve months of productivity and change. The tradition is to take stock of all that happened, then look forward to set visions for a shimmering future. Of course the big question burning in everybody’s mind is what the heck will next year bring, especially in marketing and branding.We’ve been struck by the rate of change in business,

Eric Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07183290955585579188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-44630782089292235672007-12-20T11:56:00.000-08:002007-12-20T12:06:47.613-08:00

2007 has been a year of insights. 2008 will be a year of putting them to work. I suggest that the following fifteen points, born out in countless business and marketplace scenarios that we have all been observing and living through this past year, will bring success to the companies that capitalize on them. The dramatic changing power of several key trends comes from new technologies as well as

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-37583018382972465232007-11-19T15:25:00.000-08:002007-11-19T15:52:57.271-08:00

According to a recent report from Nielsen BuzzMetrics, which measures consumers' brand perceptions on the Internet, U.S. consumers most closely associate the word "false” with advertising. The study also showed that consumers typically place more trust in recommendations from other consumers than in advertising. The report goes on to recommend that advertisers need to do a better job building

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-48549515158266935352007-11-16T12:29:00.000-08:002007-11-16T13:34:21.523-08:00

How do you express appreciation for your customers at the year-end holidays? Gift baskets, popcorn buckets, chocolate reindeer: they don’t always make the right statement.Our colleagues at Heartfelt charities offer an excellent alternative.They make customized greeting cards, and the proceeds from the sale go to the charity of your choice. The cards achieve two very wholesome outcomes: The first

Ron Aichholzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08032316929474145208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-18158693261098054182007-10-24T09:00:00.000-07:002007-10-23T10:59:56.382-07:00

Torque is running out of room on our award shelves- we've recently been awarded eight new American Graphic Design Awards by Graphic Design USA magazine. This annual competition has been held for over thirty years to recognize outstanding work in print and collateral materials, advertising and promotion, corporate identity, and other areas of graphic design. We see our accomplishment as no small

Eric Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07183290955585579188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-68663377790691173322007-10-18T02:38:00.000-07:002007-10-18T02:54:26.032-07:00

In a recent conversation, a friend confided that he wished we could simply create the ads and produce the marketing materials without having to worry about all the other program elements and business process needs. There are days when I wish it were that simple, too. And lucky for us, that sentiment runs deep in most marketing and ad firms. In fact, this offers an opportunity to those who do roll

Kevin Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028948732104220845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815845898909083499.post-22522841632951097422007-09-18T14:47:00.000-07:002007-09-24T13:43:25.322-07:00

Torque has finally sat back long enough to reconsider its own "shoes" for going to market. The result- a whole new look and sense of purpose.This Old House and Extreme Makeover are doing it. Why can’t we? Actually, our identity is a reflection of real change in action. Our bold new logo just happens to be the most visible piece, the cherry atop the sweet cake we’ve been baking for some time now.

Eric Masihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07183290955585579188noreply@blogger.com0