Art school meets shop class
Aaron Butcher wasn’t looking for a job, per se. But he looked juuuust enough to find us—and we’re glad he did. Among many things, Aaron’s…
Carnegie-Stout Public Library: Something for Everyone
This past spring, we partnered with Carnegie-Stout Public Library (CSPL) to create an awareness campaign centered on the library’s menu of incredible, state-of-the-art resources and…
Four Levels of Social Media Involvement
Oftentimes we have clients asking for input on their social media strategy. “What platforms should we use? How far do we take it? Should we…
DB&T: The Titanic Dinner Invite (UPDATE)
UPDATE: DB&T and McCullough receive National Award. We’re pleased to announce that the custom invitations we developed, designed, and fabricated for Dubuque Bank and Trust’s Titanic:…
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROOFREADING
From cover letters and proposals to search-optimized content and trade-show booths, one misspelled word can ruin the credibility of the entire piece and maybe even…
Top Three Benefits of Creative Outsourcing
76% of marketing managers believe that outsourcing creative work to an experienced agency increases marketing campaign ROI by up to 500%.* Of course, in-house creative and marketing teams…
Content Marketing: There’s gold in them therrrr hills
So you’ve read and reread my last post. You’ve shared it with all your colleagues and friends. You’ve waited patiently for the next installment. And…
What’s old is new
Reclaimed wood is a bit of a hot commodity these days. With plentiful pallet project ideas out there, it’s easy for anyone to get in on…
GOING VIRAL
Having a piece of content go viral is every marketer’s dream—and for good reason. Who doesn’t want to see their message being shared by thousands…
Getting Palpable About Paper
As humans, we are very visual and much of how we interpret the world comes through the sense of sight. An additional sense we don’t…
Half empty? Half full? It’s more than a cup
If you managed to get by the last few weeks without hearing about the Starbucks cup controversy then good for you. But there are definitely…
7 Trade Show Essentials
7 Trade Show EssentialsIt’s no secret that trade shows are an excellent way to build awareness of your brand and tell its story. They present…
Silos & Smokestacks: It Takes An Iowan Exhibit
While the population exponentially increases, the amount of arable land continues to shrink. It’s not the best combo. Luckily, we Iowans have a tradition of…
The Case for Creativity
Confused by the visual above? It’s a real-life example of creative thinking making a major impact. These shade balls, used in drought-stricken Los Angeles, are…
Meet the Newest Guy
If it seems like we’ve been hiring a lot lately, it’s because we have! We’re not trying to make a habit of it, but hey,…
Content Marketing: A Look Behind the Curtain
Content marketing. As a phrase, it’s used so much it’s at risk of becoming another corporate buzzword. But unlike other popular pieces of business jargon,…
Stock vs. Original Photography
Pictures tell stories. Stories enliven your brand. There’s no doubt visuals will tie into nearly every piece of collateral your company creates, so the question…
Meet the New Guys
Get to know the new faces at MC! Brad (on the left) comes with 10 years of experience as a word surgeon and Brandon (right)…
The Direct Mail Dance
So you’ve decided you want to get down with some direct mail! You have your sales literature and a targeted list of contacts—what’s the next…
Ad Writing 101 — Whiskey Optional
Assuming you’ve completed your SWOT analysis, have chosen the product or service with a unique proposition, and have a clear target audience as detailed in…
Welcome to the Radio Jungle
Writing successful radio is one of the more challenging—and therefore more rewarding—advertising opportunities. The combination of copy and audio must link in an intricate dance…
SEO: Avoid over stuffing
While the math behind the Google algorithms may be impossible for us normal people to understand, pleasing this search engine giant doesn’t need to be…
Email Marketing: The fork in the road
There are two diverging paths you can take when it comes to email marketing: the eye-catching eblast with design elements and links, or the simple…
The 3 Rs of TV Commercials
Alright! You’ve decided a TV commercial is the perfect promotional opportunity for your new product or service. But before yelling, “action!” think about the three…
What Does Your Brand Wear?
WHAT’S THIS “BRAND” THING YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT? At its core, a company’s brand is the gut feeling a person has about the organization. It’s like…