Inspiration for our Everyday Work

“Customer connections don’t require abundant experience, but rather a desire to be authentic and gutsy.”

How to Call Upon your Vagus Nerve

• Compassion: Approach interactions with genuine care. Compassion not only builds trust but also reduces stress for everyone involved.
• Authentic “Me” Time: Prioritize moments that recharge you, whether that’s a walk, meditation, or time with family.
• Face-to-face Conversations: Whenever possible, meet customers and colleagues in person. There’s no substitute for the connection of real-world interactions.

Build a Culture of Authenticity

Bringing it All Together

A Season for Gratitude

Perhaps you’ve heard this tale before:

In a quaint little village, three shoemakers had shops on the same street. One day, the first shoemaker put up a sign in front of his shop that read, “The Best Shoemaker in the Country.”

Not to be outdone, the second shoemaker, a few doors down, put up a sign that read, “The Best Shoemaker in the World.”

The third shoemaker, who was more modest but clever, thought for a moment and then put up his own sign. His sign simply read: “The Best Shoemaker on This Street.”

It may seem like customers care primarily about a brand or a product when they are willing to stand in long lines overnight for a product release; however, one must look past the product and recognize what the brand message or the product is promising. This is what the customer cares about. A customer doesn’t love their Apple watch more than they love the efficiency, style, and prestige the product promises. That kind of purchase has nothing to do with a device that tells the time. Instead, the purchase is about how it will make the customer feel.

Building a story brand

Messaging with a customer focus isn’t new, but it appears to be something to revisit frequently within any organization since the needs of customers are constantly evolving. New York Times Best Selling author Donald Miller presents a framework in how to get this done in his book ‘Building a Story Brand’. In these pages, Miller suggests that companies must identify the ‘hero’s journey’ their customers are experiencing and aim to play a supporting/guide role within it.

Companies should aim to be the Yoda rather than the Skywalker, or the Doc Brown rather than the Marty McFly. Miller’s Story Brand outline shows how companies can keep customer messaging as its highest priority.

• A character (your customer)
• Has a problem (customer’s unfulfilled need)
• And meets a guide (you/your company)
• Who gives them a plan (your company’s promise)
• And calls them to action (your company’s product in use)
• That ends in success (customer’s needs successfully met at or above expectation)
• That helps them avoid failure (the uncomfortable alternative of living with unmet needs)

Every single movie, from Top Gun to Toy Story, moves along this formula. It is natural and comfortable for your customer to do so as well. It’s what they are secretly hoping for! All that is required is for companies to know their guide/mentor role within their customer’s story.

Conclusion

So what hero’s journey is your target customer currently experiencing? How can you appear in their path as a viable mentor? Studying the likes of Doc Hudson, Mr. Miyagi, Albus Dumbledore, Goose, and Wilson the volleyball may help drum up some ideas. Recognizing the needs your organization satisfies will inevitably bring you closer to your customers. Making your marketing message about them and filling their needs is the key to ultimately riding off into the sunset.

I’m not an Olympian by any stretch, but I have an Olympic story. My mountain shadow Olympic ski parka has hung in the same closet now for over 20 years. I don’t wear it much (never really), but I love it. Who knows, maybe it will be back in style in ten years (along with my USA Roots beret). I don’t really see it as a warm parka though. It’s a sentimental object imbued with the memories I made while wearing it in the chilly air of the Ogden Ice Sheet. In 2002, it kept me warm as I watched hours and hours of Olympic curling. In 2024, it keeps my memories of that time in vivid color.

I’ve always been a big fan of the Olympic games. When the entire world is watching, it makes sense to me to check out sporting events I might not normally give much attention to. I enjoy a nice Olympic binge for two weeks, and that tends to satisfy my Olympic-competition craving for the next four years when these same sports will then suddenly become interesting once again.

These games aren’t all about the wins or losses though. I love the human element, the stories of the individual athletes, the history of the host cities, and the historic venues, the volunteers… Volunteering in various capacities during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City is a fond memory. Working behind the scenes made it seem like I was getting a sneak peek into the theme and visual design of those Olympic games before anyone else.

I really have grown to love the graphic design behind each Olympic games and how it evolves each year. More and more, host cities are seizing the opportunity to use branding and design to accomplish more than basic way-finding signs and universal-language iconography. They are creating stories that can influence the human family. This is one of the reasons why graphic design is so exciting to me: a host city, who may never again be in the same kind of global spotlight, gets to step up to a world-wide microphone and speak. What is it they’ll wish to say?

Within the many elements of Olympic branding, and one that seems to garner significant attention each go around, are the pictograms illustrating each of the different sports featured during the games. Whether you’re into design or not, it is likely you’ve got an opinion about these each time they’re introduced. Click here to get a visual timeline of notable designs.

Fast forwarding through the years and we see notable design decisions indicating layers of meaning in these curious little icons. These pictograms become multifaceted in their messaging: represent the sport, extend the brand, support a theme, and represent the host city. That is a heavy lift for any designer to build. Years of examples demonstrate how this can be done in different ways through angles, organic lines, positive and negative space, and so on.

I’m excited to see the 2024 Olympics pictograms show a very out-of-the-box thinking compared to previous years. The geometry, consistent across sports, speaks to the art history and culture of Paris. There isn’t a human figure in any of the pictograms, but rather a representation of each sport’s field of play and associated equipment. The symmetry in each design reminds me of the competition of the sport.

This imagery and branding helps set the stage for the stories that will unfold during these games. However, I would argue the charm of the Olympics IS story. The victories, defeats, medals or last place finishes lose all interest without a broader context. Each individual athlete brings that gift to the table. The Olympic branding is simply the party décor and the custom gift wrapping. The reason they are so valued in conjunction with the games is how they help the color of our Olympic memories from fading.

Marketing is a lot like a puzzle

Simple, right? You have a bunch of pieces that you’re trying to assemble into a clear picture. I have these things. I need people to buy them. Make me a flyer. Easy enough.

Filling In the Blanks

Jason’s Take

Love it! Flipping over puzzle pieces, when the missing pieces aren’t on the floor, under the sofa, we use our imaginations and our ingenuity to fill in the blanks. And we stick with it because puzzle-solving is fun. Marketing—like puzzle solving—is not always linear. Everybody has their own go-to steps and tactics. But also we marketers have to change up our preferred tactics sometimes. Okay, I’m getting way too transcendental. You just got me thinking about stuff here.

Every year, the Targa team conducts a thorough analysis of the past year and anticipates trends for the upcoming one. This strategic approach keeps us ahead of the curve, enabling us to support and promote our clients in impactful ways. Join us on this exciting journey as we explore key B2B marketing trends for 2024!

1. Elevate Your Brand: A Crucial Focus

In a landscape flooded with marketing content, standing out is paramount. As consumers face an overflow of copycat messages, the significance of an authentic brand has never been higher. At Targa, we’re built on a foundation of passion for branding, viewing it as a critical differentiator for our clients. Helping our clients create, protect and evolve their brands across all touchpoints is one of the greatest values we bring to the partnership.

2. Authentic Storytelling in the Age of AI

With AI and ChatGPT becoming integral to content generation, the value of authentic stories and content that resonates with real humans is on the rise. Combat the influx of automated messages by ensuring your marketing content, both written and visual, remains unique, genuine, and insightful. The value of REAL stories and REAL content that resonates with REAL humans will become increasingly valuable. Forge deep, meaningful connections between businesses and customers through compelling narratives.

3. Intentional Marketing: A Strategic Imperative

With AI and ChatGPT becoming integral to content generation, the value of authentic stories and content that resonates with real humans is on the rise. Combat the influx of automated messages by ensuring your marketing content, both written and visual, remains unique, genuine, and insightful. The value of REAL stories and REAL content that resonates with REAL humans will become increasingly valuable. Forge deep, meaningful connections between businesses and customers through compelling narratives.

4. AI Needs Real I: Blending Automation with Human Expertise

While AI tools have streamlined content creation, the need for marketing experts remains undeniable. As content marketing teams evolve, the value lies in experts who can ask the right questions of AI, strategically refine results, and add a human touch. This synergy ensures marketing efforts retain authenticity and resonate with the target audience.

5. Analytics to Insights: Navigating the Data Deluge

Marketers are immersed in data, metrics, and numbers. However, the challenge lies in transforming this abundance of data into meaningful insights. At Targa, we believe in translating numbers into genuine stories that make sense. By discovering the meaning behind the metrics, we empower successful marketing campaigns with a clear roadmap.

Embark on 2024 with Targa as we navigate these trends, ensuring your marketing strategies are not just trends but enduring pillars of success. Let’s make this year a fun and wild ride together!