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Agency + Client: A Love-Love Relationship

Agency + Client: A Love-Love Relationship

Lisa Harmer

Campaign and Program Director

Agency + Client: A Love-Love Relationship

Why the best partnerships are built on trust, creativity, and a little bit of magic

Ah, Valentine’s Day—the season of heartfelt connections, grand gestures, and, of course, love. But while romantic relationships get all the attention, there’s another dynamic duo that deserves the spotlight: the agency + client relationship.

At Targa, we don’t just see our client partnerships as transactional—we see them as true collaborations built on mutual trust, creativity, and a shared passion for success. It’s not a love-hate relationship (we save the drama for our creative brainstorming sessions). It’s a love-love relationship—one where both sides thrive, grow, and create something amazing together.

So, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, let’s talk about what makes an agency-client relationship truly special.

1. Great Communication = A Lasting Connection

Any successful relationship—whether personal or professional—starts with great communication. The best agency-client partnerships thrive on clarity, honesty, and a shared vision. We actually love “tough conversations” because they help us deliver better results.

At Targa, we keep the conversation flowing, ensuring every project is aligned with our clients’ goals. No ghosting. No guessing games. Just open dialogue and strategic collaboration that leads to results.

2. Creative Sparks Keep the Fire Alive

Let’s be real—no one likes a boring relationship. The same goes for marketing. Creativity is the spark that keeps the magic alive in every campaign, brand strategy, and content piece we create. There’s nothing better than when our clients ask us to bring some saucy ideas to the table.

We bring fresh ideas, bold thinking, and innovative approaches to every project, helping our clients break through the noise. Whether it’s crafting a brilliant campaign concept or refining the smallest details in messaging, we ensure that every touchpoint is engaging and meaningful.

3. Trust Is the Ultimate Love Language

In any great partnership, trust is everything. Clients need to know their agency isn’t just executing tasks but truly invested in their success. We’re always looking for ways to take every project up another notch.

At Targa, we don’t just “do the work”—we think big, act strategically, and care deeply about every brand we support. Our clients trust us to challenge ideas, solve problems, and bring expertise to the table. And that trust? It fuels our best work.

4. We Have Fun Together

What’s a great relationship without a little fun? The best agency-client partnerships laugh together, brainstorm wildly, and celebrate wins along the way.

Yes, we take our work seriously, but we also know that marketing is an exciting, ever-evolving space. We bring energy, enthusiasm, and a touch of irreverence to keep the process engaging and enjoyable.

Because at the end of the day, great work comes from teams that genuinely love what they do and who they do it with. We look forward to our weekly check-in meetings as much for the project collaboration as for updates on all the fun life details: new babies, ski vacations, dog training tips, weddings, movie reviews, and unusual hobbies.

5. We’re In It for the Long Haul

A truly great agency-client relationship isn’t just a short-term fling—it’s a long-term partnership built on trust, results, and a shared vision for the future.

At Targa, we’re not just here for one campaign or one project. We’re here to grow, adapt, and evolve alongside our clients, helping them navigate the ever-changing landscape of marketing and branding, and their ever-growing careers.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Targa!

This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating the partnerships that make our work so fulfilling. To our amazing clients: thank you for trusting us, inspiring us, and collaborating with us. We love what we do because of you.

And if you’re looking for an agency that believes in love-love relationships, let’s chat. Because when strategy, creativity, and collaboration come together, the results are pure magic.

Let’s create something unforgettable together.

Successful Client Agency Partnerships

Successful Client Agency Partnerships

Lisa Harmer

Campaign and Program Director

Successful Client Agency Partnerships

From Day One to Done Right: How to Kick Off with a New Ad Agency

Choosing the right ad agency is a big decision, especially if you’ve worked with others before. You’re not just looking for great ideas — you need a team that truly gets your vision and feels like an extension of your business.

At Targa, we understand that the first steps together are critical to building trust and laying the groundwork for success. That’s why our onboarding process goes beyond the basics, offering a collaborative, personalized experience that prioritizes your goals and ensures a seamless transition. Ready to see what sets Targa apart? Let’s dive into how we make starting fresh with a new agency not just easy, but exciting.

Why We Prioritize Onboarding

At Targa, our onboarding process is more than a bunch of paperwork — it’s a preview of what it’s like to work with us. While some agencies treat onboarding as a formality, we view it as a critical foundation. We’re not just here to provide services; we’re here to grow with you, understand your goals, and invest in your success.

A Winning Team, Right From Day One

Even before we officially engage, we’re confident that you can tell you have the support of our team and that we are wholeheartedly dedicated to promoting your goals and objectives. We pride ourselves on being quick to respond, adaptable to your needs, and transparent in every interaction. We’re not just a service provider; we are a trusted partner. The un-ad-agency. Together, we will lay out a plan that sets the groundwork for a productive, results-driven partnership.

Products on the shelf

Step 1: Getting the Essentials Sorted

Before we dive into projects, we have to get the paperwork squared away: contracts, NDAs, MSAs, billing info, all that jazz. Once we’ve got these basics handled, we can focus on what really matters: delivering great results.

Step 2: Laying the Foundation

To ensure we’re aligned, we’ll confirm our understanding of your needs and goals. We’ll start with a kickoff meeting, where we’ll go over what we’ve learned about you so far, and discuss any additional insights on your goals, challenges, opportunities, and so on. Our ultimate objective is to be an extension of your team, to the point where you almost forget that we’re not actually on your payroll! The goal here is to ensure we’re fully equipped to support your objectives from the start, and every day after.

Step 3: Let’s Get Acquainted!

Relationships are everything to us, so we’re interested in getting to know the people behind the business. That means you! We want to know about you and your team — hobbies, favorite snacks, birthdays (and half-birthdays…yep, that’s a thing!), kids, pets, you name it. This is business, but we are people. It’s more fun – and more productive – to work with humans you feel connected to.

Step 4: Communication & Project Management

We’ll discuss how you’d like to communicate and how often. We’re flexible: some clients prefer weekly check-ins, while others like project-specific updates. We adapt to your style, your pace, your preferences. We’re experienced with a variety of tools like Asana, Monday, and Slack, so we’ll align with whatever works best for you Additionally, we’ll provide a Targa Welcome Package that includes timelines, workflows, and all the necessary details for smooth collaboration.

Step 5: Let’s Get Rolling!

With logistics handled, we’re ready to get going! Every project at Targa follows a structure — beginning, middle, and end. Beyond that, every project is unique! We’ll establish scope, budget, timeline, and specific objectives; then we collaborate with you on edits and reviews until the project is finished and amazing.

Bringing on a new client isn’t just a process for us; it’s the beginning of what we hope will be a long and productive partnership. At Targa, we know that the first 90 days set the stage for the relationship ahead, which is why we’re fully committed to making onboarding seamless and impactful. But what we really look forward to is a relationship built to last!

Ready to enjoy a unique un-agency experience? Get in touch with us!

 

Jason’s Take

I’m happy to help you with your checklist, whatever your current team
looks like or goals ahead. Alongside our own engagement process, I’ve
shared 5 steps for getting the ball rolling in the right direction.

Email Marketing Trends for 2025: Real Talk, Real Tips

Email Marketing Trends for 2025: Real Talk, Real Tips

Lisa Harmer

Campaign and Program Director

Email Marketing Trends for 2025: Real Talk, Real Tips

Did you know there are about 361 BILLION emails sent every day? That is TOO MANY EMAILS. It’s no wonder the sight of an inbox overflowing with bolded subject lines screaming for attention is universally soul-crushing. For marketers, it’s even worse. How do we craft emails that actually stand out, earn a click, and (gasp) drive action—without ending up in the digital Unsubscribe graveyard? It’s not easy!

We’ve spent the past year obsessing over email trends and tactics: the good, the bad, and the downright cringe-worthy. We’ve attended every webinar, skimmed every industry report, and shamelessly judged our clients’ efforts along with those emails that land in our own inboxes. So grab your coffee (or wine, no judgment), and let’s dive into our top tips for email marketing greatness in 2025.

 

1. Keep It Simple, Not Stupid

Remember the #1 reason you’re sending B2B emails? Trust. You want to build relationships, deliver value, and—eventually—sell more stuff, more easily.

Let’s face it. There is a lot of crap email out there! I spend one Monday a month doing an objective litmus test of the emails in my inbox. Some emails are too long, others too vague, some clearly have no idea what I do for a living (no, I am not interested in developing off-shore code) and some are so epically bad they literally go straight to our Wall of Shame. However, when we find one of the rare few that piques our interest and actually makes us read, engage, or share the content, we pass it around the office as a reminder of what works. Of course, we always look at the data, too, (see #8) because it doesn’t really matter what we like, it just matters what works.

Pro Tip: Always ask: “Would I open and read this if it landed in MY inbox?” If the answer is a hard no, go back to the drawing board.

 

2. Remember It’s Not All About YOU

Newsflash: Your audience doesn’t wake up excited to hear about your product launch, your webinar, or your quarterly update. They care about themselves.

When crafting your message, you should always ask: “So what? Why should they care?” Are we solving a pain point? Making their life easier? Offering something genuinely valuable? If not, there’s a delete or an unsubscribe in our future.

Pro Tip: Count how many times your email says “we” vs. “you.” Shift the balance in favor of your reader. We went through this exercise with a client and when we rewrote their product launch email from a “We’re so excited to share” tone to a “You’ll love this because” vibe, click-through rates doubled.

3. Be Conversational

Nobody wants to read an email that sounds like it was written by a boring engineer or a stodgy lawyer (sorry to all of my engineer and lawyer friends but you know it’s true!). Here’s a fun fact: Emails written in a casual, conversational tone have a 15% higher open rate than overly formal ones.

So keep your story short, snappy, and—most importantly—human. Your reader should feel like you’re talking to them, not at them. Ask yourself: “Would I actually say this out loud at a conference or cocktail party?” Tell a story that’s interesting, compelling and genuine and you’ll be more popular than the open bar.

Pro Tip: Start with a strong opening line. Something relatable or cheeky works wonders: “Ever feel like your inbox has turned into a digital dumpster fire?”

4. H.I. Is More Important Than A.I

At Targa, we believe that AI and HI (human intelligence) work hand in hand. AI will become more pervasive and incrementally smarter, but it can’t replace humans. The value of REAL stories and REAL content that resonates with REAL humans will become increasingly valuable. Emails that feel genuine—not generated—are the ones people will engage with and remember.

Pro Tip: Tell the story your readers want or need to hear and make it personal. Let AI help you with the polish and the editing but keep the core genuine and human.

5. Start With WHY

Targa always promotes the value of marketing with purpose. Sometimes it’s hard, especially when we have a lot of good, valuable information to share. But every email we send should have a purpose. Are we trying to get someone to sign up, download, or buy? Whatever it is, we have to make that clear, compelling, and easy to act on.

Too many CTAs can dilute your message. So we stick to one primary goal, with a secondary backup option if needed (e.g., “Register for the webinar” vs. “Learn More”).

Pro Tip: Emails with a single, focused CTA get 371% more clicks than ones with multiple conflicting actions.

6. Choose your Own Adventure

Sometimes, it’s okay to give your readers options. A quick roundup email with small, punchy teasers lets them choose what piques their interest. A client’s teaser-style newsletter saw 40% higher engagement rates when they gave readers a few focused choices.

Think of it like headline news, a veritable newsletter buffet—something for everyone, but not too much of anything.

Pro Tip: Track which teasers get the most clicks. Use that data to guide future content strategy.

7. Get @*$%-ing Creative!

It’s true. A little humor, a little shock-and-awe, sometimes even a little swear word here and there can help break through the clutter. Think infotainment: inform + entertain. Remember, you’re not just competing with other emails—you’re up against every piece of content on the internet where we look for news and information. And, guess what. We read it because it’s entertaining! Just like nobody wants to be stuck by the boring guy at a party, you also don’t want to read that guy’s emails. Keep it real, keep it entertaining, keep it fun, keep it weird.

Think of it like headline news, a veritable newsletter buffet—something for everyone, but not too much of anything.

Pro Tip: Test bold subject lines or unexpected visuals. Just make sure they align with your brand voice.

8. Get It Moving and Shaking

Animations in email get attention. And that’s important when you’re trying to stand out. Guess what else? They’re entertaining! Or informational! Or both if you’re doing it right. Keep it simple and intentional and even a subtle animation can draw the eye, highlight key content, and make your message stick. It’s like email gold! Really. Emails with GIFs see a 25% higher engagement rate!

Think of it like headline news, a veritable newsletter buffet—something for everyone, but not too much of anything.

Pro Tip: The first frame of any animation needs to have all of the content you want to show in a static image.

9. Data Trumps Opinion, Always

Let’s face it, we all have opinions. Some are good, some are bad, some are downright stupid! I had a brilliant boss who always used the phrase “Well, data trumps opinion” and she never hesitated to throw down that gauntlet when someone offered up their thoughts on a specific headline or subject line.

The data is key, and testing is imperative. Here’s a fun fact: A/B tested subject lines can improve open rates by 49% on average! It just goes to show that no amount of creative or strategic suggestions matter if you don’t do the analytics and let the data guide you. Test, analyze, iterate, optimize, repeat. Always.

Pro Tip: Stay focused on the metrics that matter: Click through rate (CTR), Read rate, Unsubscribe rate. Don’t drown in data — swim in insights.

The Final Word

Email marketing isn’t going anywhere. But it’s important to stay up on the trends, understand the data, and lean on the experts to do it well and create emails that people want to read. When you focus on trust, clarity, creativity, and a sprinkle of sass, your emails don’t just land in inboxes—they jump into action.

Ready to level up your email game in 2025? Let Targa help you craft email marketing campaigns that get opened, clicked, and remembered.

LEARN MORE 🚀

Celebrating National Cookie Day the Targa Way

Celebrating National Cookie Day the Targa Way

Lisa Harmer

Campaign and Program Director

Celebrating National Cookie Day the Targa Way

There’s a national day for everything, isn’t there? Some are just plain silly. But National Cookie Day? Now, that’s one we can really sink our teeth into! Not only does it give us an excuse to indulge in our favorite sweet treats (as if we needed one), but it also got us thinking: cookies and Targa have a lot in common. Intrigued? Let us give you a taste:

We’re Not a Cookie-Cutter Agency.

No stale, one-size-fits-all solutions here! At Targa, we do things differently. From how we support our clients to the way we bill, everything is crafted to be as unique as a hand-decorated gingerbread cookie.

We’re a Snack, a Treat, or a Full Meal.

Just like cookies can fit any occasion, Targa is designed to meet your specific needs. Whether you’re craving help with a single branding project, need a special event planned, or are hungry for a complete go-to-market campaign, we deliver the perfect bite every time.

We’re Good For You.

Cookies don’t always have to be sugar bombs; some strike the perfect balance of indulgence and nutrition. Targa works the same way—we mix the sweetness of creativity with the substance of smart, strategic marketing to give you results that feel just right.

Products on the shelf

Making the World a Better Place, One Cookie at a Time.

To celebrate National Cookie Day, we hosted our first annual Targa Cookie Exchange—and it was as delightful as it sounds. The team brought their favorite cookies—some homemade, some store-bought, all delicious—and shared the love (and the sugar). What better way to brighten up a chilly December afternoon than devouring a dozen or so cookies with friends?

But we didn’t want to stop there. We want to share the sweetness with you! Below, you’ll find some of our favorite recipes from the exchange, and we’d love for you to join in.

Our Winning Recipes:

Products on the shelf
Products on the shelf
Products on the shelf
Products on the shelf
Products on the shelf

Why AI Needs HI: Human Intelligence

Why AI Needs HI: Human Intelligence

Lisa Harmer

Campaign and Program Director

Why AI Needs HI: Human Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing industries at lightning speed. As a copywriter, I used to worry that my job would be among those replaced. But after working with AI tools for our clients, I’ve realized that AI isn’t here to replace me or other content creators—it’s here to amplify what we do. For AI to reach its full potential, it needs something only humans can provide: HI, or Human Intelligence.

At Targa, we’re building a future where AI and human creativity come together to deliver incredible results. Here’s how we make the AI-HI partnership work for our clients.

1. AI is a Starting Point, Not the Final Destination

We use AI to kick-start the creative process, to help brainstorm ideas and shape rough drafts. Think of it as an advanced brainstorming session: AI gives us a foundation, but it’s often awkward, incomplete, or a bit “off.” Before AI, we’d flip through old campaign books, scour competitive ads, or dive into a donut-fueled brainstorming session with the team. Now, we can get some quick initial ideas from AI, but those ideas only shine once we apply our creative instincts and insights to bring them to life.

2. AI Needs Thoughtful Direction

Just like a team member, AI performs best when guided. We carefully train our AI tools to understand each client’s brand guidelines, messaging, tone, and product details. This involves crafting and refining prompts, trial and error, and continuously tweaking the inputs to ensure AI aligns with our clients’ voices and needs. It’s thoughtful, scientific, and ongoing—a partnership that grows smarter and more precise with time.

Lisa as Cyborg dall-e 1040x1040

3. AI Excels at Editing and Proofreading (But It Can’t Replace Our Voice)

Let’s face it: reviewing content repeatedly can make anyone’s eyes glaze over, and mistakes can slip through. AI’s mechanical precision is perfect for catching spelling errors, grammar slip-ups, and readability issues. However, it lacks the personality and nuance that connects with audiences on a human level. This is where HI shines—adding the voice, character, and empathy that make content truly engaging.

4. AI Sometimes Just Doesn’t “Get It”

We’ve all been there: plug solid information into an AI tool and receive something…strange. Maybe it’s nonsensical, inaccurate, or just a little “off.” That’s because AI can’t understand industry-specific subtleties, competitive dynamics, or market nuances the way we do. Our expertise in the product’s features, value propositions, and brand story creates a final layer of context that AI simply can’t replicate.

5. Context is Key—for AI and HI

One of our biggest challenges is when clients give us minimal details for a project. Without background information or critical insights, it’s tough to create high-value, on-target content. The same applies to AI—it’s not a silver bullet. To get the best results, AI and human teams both need the right tools, data, and context to generate powerful marketing solutions that truly resonate.

6. AI is a Tool, Not Our Bottom Line

At Targa, we bill for time and materials only. Using AI helps us work faster and more efficiently, which saves our clients money. For example, if a project once took six hours of research and drafting, we can now harness AI to handle research and then apply our HI expertise to refine and complete the draft in two hours. The result? Projects go to market faster and leave room in your budget for more campaigns.

Embracing the AI + HI Power Duo

The future of marketing isn’t about choosing between AI and HI; it’s about embracing both. AI can help us streamline, ideate, and edit, but the heart, creativity, and strategic thinking that make content powerful and engaging will always come from humans. At Targa, we’re proud to use the AI-HI partnership to deliver unique, effective, and high-impact solutions that drive results for our clients. PS…this content was generated by a human, run through an AI editor, reviewed and personalized by more humans. AI+HI at work!

Jason’s Take

We’re all paying big-time attention to how AI supports creative services. AI is a powerful expediting tool for us—and for our clients. To further explain, the fundamental principles of Targa’s marketing and creative services are the same today as when we opened our doors in 2002. We start by aggregating all influencing data—relevant and irrelevant—with the help of our clients and their customers. We then craft on-target messaging (storytelling) and media (delivery tools) with right-time and right-place campaigns.

Today’s AI tools expedite that same aggregating process, capable of swiftly producing both relevant and irrelevant messaging. Our AI-supported human-listening and human-sifting process is no less deliberate and strategic today. AI can often accelerate our collaborative right-time and right-place model. For our clients, this acceleration to market also means fewer billable hours to deliver meaningful campaigns.