Our Process

We take a channel-agnostic, idea-centric approach to branding, advertising and marketing: Insights define the customer. The customer inspires
the strategy. The strategy shapes the creative idea. The creative idea is supported
by the channels. The channels are defined by the insights.

Our approach is defined around this chain of events. All our capabilities exist
only to deliver against this simple, but powerful approach.

Capabilities

  • ADVERTISING
    Stone Ward is in the creativity business. Not the agency business. In fact, the days of silos are long gone. Our advertising agency practice works in cross-discipline teams to create ideas strategically targeted to our clients' prospects and customers. We execute those ideas flawlessly across any channel, which means our professionals are adept at creating print, broadcast, out-of-home, interactive, even guerrilla advertising that gets noticed and gets results. Our marketing strategists work in tandem with our creative teams to gather insights around our clients' businesses, their category, competitive set, product and service lines. Our media planners and buyers study the associated media behaviors for these targets, analyze media opportunities and negotiate value pricing for media placements. The result is a true integrated approach to advertising that many agencies talk about, but not many can really accomplish. That, and our ability to put together measurement plans for the advertising campaigns we create, means that the value and ROI our clients receive for the advertising investments they make often exceed expectations.
  • DESIGN
    The most successful brands have always understood the importance of design, of translating their company’s ideas and beliefs into a language people understand. The purpose of design is to communicate, to embody an idea and make it real. Good design isn’t just visually significant, it has meaning. It has the power to inform, alter, persuade and ignite. Our design services include:    * Identities – naming, identity development, identity and brand guidelines   * Annual Reports – print and electronic   * Print – collateral, poster campaigns, book design, editorial design   * Packaging – packaging design, product design and visualization   * Environments – space planning, environmental graphics, signage, public art   * Exhibits – trade booth design, displays and graphics, point-of-purchase   * Signage – exterior and interior, wayfinding and informational systems
  • INTERACTIVE
    Stone Ward Interactive provides our clients with capabilities far beyond the typical full-service agency. We don't just create static HTML websites for our clients – we provide strategic analysis and expert technical implementation that solves real world problems and we've been doing it for more than a decade. The very nature of technology's rapid evolution can be overwhelming – even intimidating. Making what seems complex usable and simple is vital. To this end, we've created a team of experts in the areas of digital strategy, interactive design, human interaction and content management. Stone Ward has designed and built content-managed intranets and corporate sites for Fortune 500 corporations, created a successful integrated campaign for the world's largest non-profit organization revolving around a social engagement website, and we've engineered a blog designed to promote one of the nation's best colleges by allowing existing students to write honest, non-edited posts about life and school. Stone Ward is proud of the work we've created in this medium and we relish the opportunities ahead as we continue to play a role in the empowerment of this incredible phenomenon of social connectedness.
  • PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
    Stone Ward Public Communications brings together the best of our public relations, public affairs and digital earned media practices under one umbrella we call LINK. Building brands, managing reputations, aiding our clients in being part of critical national conversations, and finding new and existing channels to LINK them with their targets is the sum of what we do. Public communications often has a 7:1 return over traditional advertising expenditure and an exponential increase in brand perception and credibility. Today, we have a growing network of affiliates and partners across the nation, and are ready to maximize our affiliations with over 40 firms across America to partner with your company. Stone Ward’s wide-ranging Public Communications services include:   
    * Community and Government Relations   * Interactive Reputation Management   * Event Planning and Management   * Grassroots Mobilization and Coalition Building   * Issues Management and Crisis Communication   * Media Publicity   * Media Relations and Training   * Public Affairs   * Public Policy Research   * Word-of-Mouth Public Relations
  • 360 FILMWORKS
    360 Filmworks is Stone Ward's internal broadcast production company. Its full-service production capabilities include film and video production, complete editing suite, audio booth and animation and graphic capabilities. Being housed within Stone Ward provides 360 with a built-in team of copywriters, art directors and designers along with its own producers and editors all under one roof. It's not uncommon for a 360 producer to grab an unsuspecting creative as he or she walks by to ask an opinion about anything from a color treatment to a timing issue. And immediate access to experts in a wide variety of industries and disciplines is an invaluable advantage that 360 brings to the table. With years of feature film experience, Tommy Walker, brainchild and director of 360 Filmworks, understands the complexities of any shoot and can organize the most productive crew, teaming the right talents for a particular need. 360 Filmworks produces numerous television spots and internal marketing communication videos throughout the year, but is equally proud of its independent short film, Zombie the Musical produced for the national "48-Hour Film Project." Zombie was honored with three local awards including a highly coveted "Audience Award." Having all these resources in-house allows 360 to offer an efficient production process for your company that simply can't be matched by a typical production house.
  • EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
    Power to the people. Your employees and the places they work, such as contact centers and retail locations, are an important and often overlooked channel. Employee engagement is an exciting and ever-growing practice that expands Stone Ward’s effectiveness — and yours. Rooted in adult learning theory, this employee-facing discipline focuses on creating “employee brands:” a brand that complements your external positioning, and drives ownership and accountability among your personnel. We offer you extensive experience in internal communications, sales and service training design, development and delivery, and key support enablers such as quality assurance program design and reward-and-recognition structure. Our practice covers all aspects of performance support across all “live” channels, including contact centers and retail locations.    * Internal brand planning   * Employee communications   * Corporate meeting planning/on-site management   * Intranet design, execution and maintenance   * Internal contests and promotions   * Employee roadshows   * Employee recruitment advertising

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