The Digital List creates engaging and conscious content for OBAGI

by Jonathan Marshall

This month, just in time for the holidays, the Digital List is proud to announce our newest client, and leader in skin health, Obagi Medical Products, Inc. TDL has been asked to provide conscious content strategy throughout Obagi's eight-week social media campaign on Facebook. TDL will provide blogs, content for an editorial calendar, press releases, articles, social bookmarking and reputation management to help kickoff the new year and promote the launch of Obagi's new website.

Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Obagi Medical Products, Inc., is a global, specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, markets, and sells proprietary skin care systems in the physician-dispensed skin care market.

Since its founding in 1988 with the creation of the Obagi Nu-Derm^® System by leading skin care experts, Obagi has continued to grow, and in 1997 the company officially began operations as Obagi Medical Products.

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Over the years, Obagi Medical Products, Inc., has developed clinically proven skin health products and systems primarily for the dermatology, plastic surgery, and related aesthetic markets. Using its Penetrating Therapeutics^™ technology, Obagi products are designed to improve penetration of prescription and cosmetic agents across the skin barrier to minimize premature aging, skin damage, hyperpigmentation, acne, sun damage, and the signs and symptoms of rosacea.

Obagi has launched several successful systems of products in addition to the Nu-Derm System, including the Obagi-C Rx System, the Condition & Enhance System, the ELASTIderm family of products, the CLENZIderm M.D. System, Blue Peel, Blue Peel RADIANCE, and the Rosaclear System.

Because Obagi systems and products contain prescription-strength formulations, the systems are available only through physicians, primarily dermatologists, plastic surgeons, medical spas, and other skin care and medical professionals.

Obagi Medical Products, Inc., sells its products through a direct sales force in the United States and internationally through distribution partners in over 47 countries across North America, Central America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Silver Star Communications teams-up with The Digital List to raise social awareness and hit the slopes for some Spring Skiing!

by Jonathan Marshall

Silver Star Communications provides communications, broadband, wireless, and business solutions to communities in Eastern Idaho and Northwestern Wyoming. They currently have offices and retail locations in Afton, Freedom, Thayne, and Jackson Wyoming, as well as Soda Springs and Driggs, Idaho.

Silver Star began as an independent, family-owned telephone company over 60 years ago, and has grown into a full-scale technology company offering advanced, reliable services. Millions of dollars have been invested into Silver Star's communications and broadband infrastructure to ensure that their customers will be able to keep pace with the rest of the world using their robust network.

In order to raise social and online awareness of their company, Silver Star Communications tasked TDL to develop a social media campaign that would drive traffic to their site, build fans on Facebook, and allow them to cross-promote their broadband products with local partners like Grand Targhee Ski Resort. And they needed it all to be done in 6 weeks!

TDL, a premiere Ocean Beach Creative Company, put together a comprehensive online marketing plan that included Facebook ads, banner ads, content strategy, development of additional, social media integrated pages on Silver Star's website, and a fan acquisition campaign on Facebook. The campaign encouraged new fans to "Like" the brand in exchange for an entry into a drawing to win Ski passes to Grand Targhee. The drawings would award 10 lucky winners every week, and allowed winners to ski an entire day on the mountain anytime before April 15, when the ski season was closed.

The campaign was an instant success, and in six weeks, it increased online sales of Silver Star's broadbrand products, website traffic by 1000%, Facebook fans by 6000%, fan engagement by 10,000% and got people up on the ski hill for spring skiing!

TDL welcomes Sheridan Chiropractic

by Jonathan Marshall

Chiropractors fix people. They put them back together, rehab injuries, provide stress relief and even help with digestive/stomach problems. With all of the minor stressors in today's fast-paced, global environment, people can significantly damage their health by not taking care of themselves. Alongside consistant chiropractic adjustments and manipulations, massage, exercise, yoga, rest and a mindful diet will keep all of us active and happy well into our senior years.

Both Dr. Sean and Dr. Shamus specialize in muscular skeletal conditions which include symptoms of neck, shoulder and arm pain, headaches, sinus conditions, stress and fatigue issues, low back pain, leg pain, digestive/stomach problems, difficulty sleeping, fibromyalgia and spinal stenosis. They also treat patients for auto accidents and work injuries and their office staff is extensively trained to execute and process the extensive paperwork involved with any type of insurance claim.

If you think you may have some of these physical symptoms, give these knowledgeable brothers, and Menifee Chiropractors a call today!

Meltin in the Mornin...

by Jonathan Marshall

Let’s face it: when it comes to nutrition, nowhere is there more confusion than around eating fat. With issues ranging from low-fat, high-carb diet fads to the introduction of hydrogenated oils into the food supply, and the vilification of naturally saturated fats (which people have been eating healthily for years), it’s understandable why we are confused about what to eat and how to cook for our families. Cue-in: Melt.

We are very proud to announce the partnership of our 2010 flagship client, Prosperity Organic Foods, and their proprietary product, Melt. Rich & Creamy Melt®, an organic butter alternative that is truly delicious, I have four packages in my fridge right now.

Melt is the perfect blend of the healthiest fats and oils that supports healthy weight when replacing other fats in your daily diet. Melt delivers an ideal combination of healthful saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fats for optimal nutrient content and absorption, weight management, thyroid function, heart health, and digestive health. In addition to being soy-free in late 2011, Melt is +95% organic, trans fat free, and gluten free. Prosperity Organic Foods products do not contain coloring agents or artificial ingredients of any kind and they never will.

TDL, a Digital Marketing Agency in Ocean Beach, has been asked to implement a fully-loaded online assault to increase brand recognition, awareness and boost user adoption in the product's first year into the market. TDL will develop several on-brand social media marketing campaigns including sites like Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. TDL will also increase the product's online presence through a tactical blend of Organic SEO, Public Relations, Conscious Content, Traffic Generation and Online Advertising.

So are you in the market for a reasonably-priced, healthy butter alternative that doesn't sacrifice taste for you and your family? Check out the Melt website, you can order directly from there or their fan page on Facebook!

The Digital List partners with Tru Health & Wellness to establish a healthy online presence

by Jonathan Marshall

The Digital List (TDL) has been tasked with creating and implementing a comprehensive SEO and Social Media campaign for Tru Health & Wellness, a local personal-training and nutritional counseling company located in Mira Mesa.

TRU Metabolic Nutrition and TRU Personal Fitness Programs are tailored to a client's individual and specific needs. As a promotional partner and client myself, I can confidently say that Craig and Dave (owners) are knowledgeable, experienced, and personable business professionals. After training with Dave for four months, I had dropped a few pounds, completely re-aligned my diet and nutritional goals, gained significant flexibility and increased strength.

In order to further develop the Tru Health online brand, TDL will develop a social media campaign that leverages off-line seminars, builds their fan page by increasing visitors and engagement, and drives new business and repeat clients to their state-of-the-art fitness facility.

The Digital List, an Ocean Beach Creative Company, looks forward to developing a strategic-partnership with Tru Health & Wellness, and helping elevate their content and brand personality while simultaneously creating new business.

The Original Copywriters...

by Jonathan Marshall

Albert Lasker was perhaps not as well-known as David Ogilvy, but many can argue that he was just as crucial to the art of advertising as it is known to creatives today. He invented Modern Advertising and his influence spanned outside of advertising into baseball, philanthropy and public health.

As an aspiring Copywriter, I truly appreciate the vision, wisdom and abilities that Albert Lasker used to create and progress the critical aspects of the written word. I have attached a story that was sent to me earlier today, if you appreciate a clever tagline as much as I do, you will be fascinated with this man, and his story. Enjoy.

Albert Lasker can justifiably be called the founder of the modern advertising industry. Albert, the son of a wealthy Galveston, Texas banker, Morris Lasker, became interested in journalism in his early youth. Upon graduation from high school, his first job was with the Galveston Morning News. Disapproving of his son's journalism career, Morris Lasker managed to persuade his son to try an advertising position with the Lord and Thomas agency in Chicago, Illinois. Albert Lasker reluctantly accepted the position with Lord and Thomas, fully intending to only stay a few weeks to satisfy his father. Surprisingly, Albert Lasker was with Lord and Thomas for forty-four years.

A. The Early Years

Albert Lasker began his job at Lord and Thomas as an office clerk. After a year, Lasker asked for and was granted a chance to try his luck as a salesman, soliciting accounts in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. He was an immediate success. Before the next year was over, Lasker made another daring move. He asked Mr. Thomas to put him in charge of a few accounts that were not making any money so he could practice copywriting. Within a year, he achieved a dramatic success with a hearing aid company. Both Mr. Lord and Mr. Thomas were impressed with Lasker's ingenuity, which in turn caused a fond rapport to develop among the three men. In 1903, when Mr. Lord retired, Lasker purchased his share of the business, thus becoming a partner in Lord and Thomas.

B. Search for Principles of Advertising

Through his early experiences at Lord and Thomas, Lasker discovered the power of advertising and became consumed with the quest to uncover the underlying principles of advertising. He found his answer in 1904 when John E. Kennedy, a former member of the Canadian Mounted Police who was working as a copy writer for Dr. Shoop's Restorative, offered this explanation. -- "Advertising is Salesmanship in Print ('and on the air')". Kennedy went on to explain that advertising should give the potential reader the reasons why. In essence, advertising should explain why the product being advertised was a better buy than competing products or alternative uses of the consumer's limited budget. Albert Lasker saw merit in Kennedy's views and explanation of the principles of advertising. He hired Kennedy to work with him at Lord and Thomas. Kennedy stressed that the way the ad copy was written was crucial to advertising. Lasker began to perceive the need for a copy writing department. He hired several young newspapermen and trained them according to Kennedy's advertising prescription. Thus Lasker created the first systematically trained copy writing staff in America. Kennedy soon left Lord and Thomas to establish his own business but not before Lasker was able to obtain the knowledge and understanding of advertising he needed.

With the new emphasis on copy writing, Lasker started Lord and Thomas on the road to becoming the industry leader. In 1908, Lasker hired Claude C. Hopkins, one of the most gifted copy writers of all time. Hopkins shared Lasker's views of what advertising should be. He was quick and effective. Hopkins was able to develop an effective advertsing campaign within 24 hours of visiting a client. With Hopkins aboard, Lord and Thomas would soon become the largest advertising agency in the world. Some of the most memorable accounts of these early years were: The California Fruit Growers Exchange which later became the Sunkist Growers Inc., and Van Camp's canned pork and beans.

C. Ventures Outside of Lord and Thomas

Leaving the active management of Lord and Thomas to Claude Hopkins, Albert Lasker engaged in politics and briefly baseball between 1918 and 1923. In 1918, Lasker went to New York to direct the publicity program for the Republican National Committee during the congressional campaign. In 1920 he led the unsuccessful drive to make Hiram Johnson the Republican presidential candidate. He then took charge of the publicity for Harding's successful 1920 presidential race. In the process he introduced "modern" advertising techniques to politics. Upon Harding's inauguration, Harding appointed Lasker chairman of the U.S. Shipping Board, where he served for two years.

In 1916, Lasker purchased a large block of stock in the Chicago Cubs baseball organization. He soon became the controlling stockholder. In 1919, amidst claims that gamblers had bribed ball players to throw the World Series, Lasker took it upon himself to do something to restore the game to it's former, honorable place. He fought long and hard for an outside, unbiased authority to run the game. And so it was that Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis became the first baseball commissioner. During this time a good friend of Albert Lasker's became a stockholder of the Chicago Cubs organization, William Wrigley, a Chicago chewing gum manufacturer. In 1925, Lasker sold his interest in the Cubs to Wrigley. Lasker is largely responsible for the decision to change the name of the playing field from Cubs Park to Wrigley Field.

D. The Second Advertising Career While Lasker was away, Lord and Thomas slipped from its position as the largest firm in the advertising business. Returning in September of 1923, Lasker set out to regain the industry leadership position. Some of the important accounts of this time were Kimberly Clark, Pepsodent toothpaste, and American Tobacco Company's Lucky Strike cigarettes.

In 1926, Lasker entered a new advertising medium - radio. He introduced his "Salesmanship in print" formula to radio and the radio commercial as it is known today was born. Lasker had the ability to capitalize on emerging opportunities. The Amos and Andy show was created by Lord and Thomas as a medium to advertise Pepsodent. Later a struggling young comedian named Bob Hope was given a chance to make a success of a radio show for Pepsodent. Lord and Thomas were the first to broadcast the Metropolitan Opera, " authentic" police and FBI dramas and to chain sponsor Football games. For a brief time in the 1930's, Lord and Thomas regained its position as the biggest advertising agency in the world.

E. Years of Discontent

In the mid 1930's, Albert Lasker began to lose interest in business affairs. One reason was undoubtedly the successful achievement of his goal of industry leadership. More importantly was the death of his wife, Flora, in December of 1936. After 33 years of marriage, her death left him discontented and caused him to seek new friends, activities, and distractions. Lasker became disenchanted with the advertising business stating the pioneering had disappeared. As the use of advertising grew, major clients began to question and evaluate the advertising campaigns developed by Lord and Thomas. This angered Lasker, causing him to voluntarily give up major accounts with Quaker Oats, RCA and General Electric. Lasker retired as president in 1938 from Lord and Thomas after his son, Edward, failed to embark on an advertising career. He retained ownership, but Don Francisco became the active manager of Lord and Thomas. In 1942, Albert Lasker decided to leave Lord and Thomas. He decided to liquidate the firm so that the name Lord and Thomas would cease to be used. At this same time he was instrumental in creating a new firm to carry on the work of the existing clients. The new firm was named " Foote, Cone and Belding" and its owner-managers were Lasker's three senior executives at the time - Emerson Foote in New York, Fairfax Cone in Chicago and Don Belding in California. Lasker solicited all of his clients to continue with the new company. All but one client stayed with Foote, Cone and Belding.

F. The Last Decade

Having retired from the business in 1938, Albert Lasker entered into a new life of public affairs and philanthropy. He met Mary Woodard Reinhardt, a New York industrial designer in 1939. They were married in 1940 in New York. His financial contributions and active promotional activities were responsible for major expansions in the nation's medical research activities. He and Mary established the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation to support medical research. In 1944, he spearheaded a fund raising drive that nearly doubled the amount of money spent on cancer research in the United States. He pursued the idea of getting the federal government more involved in medical research. Through Lasker's efforts the National Institutes of Health was established over the period of 1946- 1950. During this period he became ill and on May 30, 1952 he died at the age of 73.

Conclusion

Albert Lasker's ingenuity and unique ability to explain the product being advertised using the philosophy of "Advertising is Salesmanship in Print" have earned him the title of Founder of Modern Advertising by his peers. His focus on the ad copy and establishment of the copy write department were crucial to the advertising industry's evolution. Lasker's creative use of coupons, radio, and potential to see alternative uses for products were keys to his success and the success of Lord and Thomas.

Hawaii sounds nice...

by Jonathan Marshall

Relocating to Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico? Unipack, one of San Diego's premiere Global Relocation companies, is your domestic relocation source for the move. Every year, they perform over 1000 transfers to all three of these locations and they have it down to a science. With their experience and volume, you can be assured that you will receive excellent service throughout the corporate relocation process at a great price. Their transportation services include:

• Door-to-Door household goods and personal belongings

• Door-to-Door vehicle

• Door-to-Port household goods and personal belongings

• Door-to-Port vehicle transportation
• Air transportation of your household goods and personal belongings

Unipack can design a tailored-proposal that will fit all of your needs. Contact them directly today to start the process or request an online quote and they will get back to you shortly.

In an attempt to bring their international business onto a much larger platform and increase their already-visible digital presence- Unipack needed an San Diego Internet Marketing Company like The Digital List to implement SEM best practices, social media strategies, monitor analytics and website activity, and educate them on the always-changing world of Search and Digital.

TDL looks forward to our future business relationship, and we are excited to help grow both their online and offline business.

One of San Diego's Leading Trash Removal Companies makes a move to create Online Presence

by Jonathan Marshall


Starting later this week, I will be implementing a full SEO/Social Media campaign for one of San Diego's most reliable full-service, trash-removal companies. Tonight, I drove out to Los Olas in Cardiff during a beautiful sunset along the 101, where I met Jon and Mark Hall, father and son, and owners of Reliable Hauling.

A couple solid house margaritas and a delicious fish taco later we were talkin' shop- SEM best practices, social media strategies, analytics and website activity, and the always-changing world of Search and Digital.

As one of the few Trash-removal companies that donate what they pick up, I was pleased to hear of the already-stellar reputation Reliable Hauling has maintained offline. This just makes my job easier. Reliable Hauling's trustworthy, hard-working brand will carry over perfectly into their online personality.

I look forward to our future business relationship, and am excited to help grow their digital business.