Blog ME

Grab a coffee, pull up a chair.
 by Mindy Justis

Top Reasons Transit Was King at CES 2017

Each year, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) proves to be a major stage for unveiling the latest innovation, gadgets, gizmos and all the things that make the geekiest among us, well, geek out! CES 2017 proved no different, but this time around it had an extra tug on the heart strings of #teamME because of all the talk of a topic near and dear to our world – transit and the technology circling the industry. Technology, like connected and autonomous vehicles (yes, these two are indeed different from one another, but that’s for another day).

 

But it’s also more than that.

  • Technology betters the day of an expectant mother who gets to her prenatal appointment because an integrated transportation data system brought together appointment scheduling and route planning to get her to her doctor.
  • It saves a life when a connected vehicle senses and communicates to the driver about the hazards around them.
  • It raises up the underserved by giving a worker the chance to easily connect with buses, ridesharing services and rapid transit options to safely and reliably get to a job.
  • It gets essential cargo to those that need it most when two semi-trucks connected through technology platoon to move goods more efficiently.

 

In other words, in addition to how we move, it’s why we move. And, what will move a community forward.

This philosophy is why Columbus won the U.S. Department of Transportation Smart City Challenge. Columbus bested 77 other destinations for the opportunity to build an intelligent transportation system like none other in America.

It’s a concept a lot of the major auto manufacturers are taking note of in a big way. Honda – which has its North American hub in the Columbus Region – announced in 2016 its participation in the Smart Columbus project, and then expanded on that announcement at CES 2017 as it unveiled plans for a new Cooperative Mobility Ecosystem. Sure, the system’s goals include congestion reduction and the efficient movement of vehicles, but it all boils down to a theme that resonated at CES 2017: Products that make people happier can both create joy and empower them to better lives every day.

Now, that’s a concept #teamME can get behind!

in Featured / Technology / Transit 0 comments
 by murphyepson

Wednesday Weigh-In: Our Must-See Holiday Movies

There’s nothing like piling on the couch with those we love and turning on a tried-and-true, favorite holiday movie as the snow falls outside. (You can’t deny that just thinking about it probably made you smile!)

So snuggle up, grab a cup of hot cocoa and add these holiday favorites to your queue from the jolly #teamME.

 

When You Need to Chuckle like Santa
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

 

When You Need a Bit of Nostalgia
It’s a Wonderful Life
Home Alone

 

When You’re Exchanging Gifts with Your Gal Pals
The Holiday

 

When You Need a Little Hope
Miracle on 34th Street

 

When You Need Your Heart to Grow Three Sizes
How the Grinch Stole Christmas

 

When the Family Gets Together
Polar Express
Elf

 

From all of us at MurphyEpson, we hope you enjoy the time you have with your families and friends this holiday season.

in Marketing Team / teamME 0 comments
 by murphyepson

The Interns of #teamME!

MEET CAM HOUSEHOLDER

Welcome to #teamME! Tell us a little about yourself.

I am from Lewis Center, Ohio and currently attend The Ohio State University as a strategic communications major with a minor in legal foundations. I love to read and write as well as run, swim, and go on road trips with my housemates. My biggest loves are my two adorable puppies, Gunner and Oliver, my family, coffee and the Madewell blog.

 

OK, now it’s time for some rapid fire.

If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone, who would it be? Urban Meyer or Eleanor Roosevelt

What’s your spirit animal? A bird – when I was in elementary school my dream job was to be an ornithologist (bird scientist) at Cornell. Oh, how things change, but I still love how happy & resilient those little guys are.

What was your first email address? (Don’t be shy.) camohouse@hotmail.com because my dad used to call me Camouflage. It could’ve been a lot worse.

What was your first job? I was a lifeguard (AKA glorified janitor) and swim instructor at North Orange Pool.

What’s the next country you want to travel to? Italy to study abroad! * fingers crossed *

If you were a Crayola crayon, what would your name be? My all time favorite Crayola color is called Macaroni and Cheese and its this super happy yellow and the name says it all. They say you are what you eat, right?

Where did you go to college? THE Ohio State University (GO BUCKS)

 

Phew. What a doozy. Catch your breath and tell us what you do at MurphyEpson.

I help manage social media accounts for some of our clients and after that whatever anyone at the agency needs help with!

 

What do you do outside of work?

Outside of work most of my time is spent studying, working on the executive board of my sorority, running, swimming, playing flag football (poorly) and hanging out at any of the coffee houses in the Short North with my housemates and a pile of homework.

 

You’ve got one day in Columbus. What do you do?

Wow…only one day? Wake up early and run the Olentangy trail, then go to Misson Coffee House with a good book. Once I’ve OD’d on Carmel lattes, go to Tiger Tree for my shopping fix and hit Brassica for lunch. Of course I would have to squeeze in The Columbus Park of Roses and then dinner with my housemates at The Pearl.

 

What’s one piece of advice you would give to an agency newcomer?

Smile and don’t be afraid to be yourself (cliché I know). Everyone is here because they have something valuable to say.

 

Give us a note you’d like to end on.

Follow SADD on Twitter & Facebook and Go Bucks!

 

 

MEET COLIN CAVANAUGH

Welcome to #teamME! Tell us a little about yourself.

Hello! My name is Colin, and for the past few months I’ve been working as an intern for MurphyEpson. I am from Dublin, Ohio and I’ve been playing instruments such as the guitar, drums, and piano for half of my life, and I also enjoy writing stories and poetry. I have also been employed at Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers for over three years, and I may or may not know how to make the sauce… but I digress.

 

OK, now it’s time for some rapid fire.

If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone, who would it be? I’d have to say Dave Grohl. I’m sure it’d be an awesome conversation, as I have plenty of questions for him. The man also drinks coffee like it’s water, so I’m confident we’d have more than one cup.

What’s your spirit animal? A dog. Dogs are the greatest blessing we as humans have and we should strive to pet each and every one.

What was your first job? I was a cashier at Cici’s Pizza.

What’s the next country you want to travel to? I’ve always wanted to travel Europe, and if I had to pick one country it’d be Ireland

If you were a Crayola crayon, what would your name be? Cerulean Blue; it’s the color of a clear blue sky on a nice day!

Where did you go to college? I did my first year at Ohio University, and I am currently enrolled at Columbus State with the intention of transferring to The Ohio State University next fall to pursue an English degree.

 

Phew. What a doozy. Catch your breath and tell us what you do at MurphyEpson.

I mostly do research for social media and blog posts and I have gotten my go at writing a few myself. I’ve done a range of work from designing graphics to coming up with slogans for clients. I also do other “intern-related” tasks that have helped me get my feet wet in an office setting.

 

What do you do outside of work?

I mostly write music or spend time with my girlfriend, friends or family. Going to concerts is one of my favorite things to do, and I love spending my time with animals and exploring the different parks and nature around Columbus.

 

You’ve got one day in Columbus. What do you do?

I’d start with a chicken and waffle breakfast at Hangover Easy, then I’d take my pick of Columbus’ many metro parks such as Highbanks, Rocky Fork or Glacier Ridge. After a few hours of exploration, I’d grab lunch from a Chipotle or Bibibop and head to a record store or a guitar shop. I’d then continue to shop at an Urban Outfitters before having dinner from any place that can serve up a good burger. Ideally I’d finish the night with a concert or a Blue Jackets game before going home to watch Netflix with a bowl (or 2) of ice cream.

 

What’s one piece of advice you would give to an agency newcomer?

It seems like a lot at first, and it can be, but one thing that I’ve learned is that a drink of water and a quick stretch can do your mind wonders. I try to write in the style that people like to read and I try to have fun with coming up with slogans. Don’t be afraid to voice your ideas or add your own touch to something!

 

Give us a note you’d like to end on.

“I’ve experienced great things, I’ve experienced great tragedies, I’ve done almost everything I could possibly ever imagine doing, but I just know that there’s more.” –Dave Grohl

 

Sweet! If you’d like to learn more about #teamME, catch up with our Swiss army knife of marketing, Angela DelBrocco!

in Advertising / Columbus Marketing / Featured / Marketing Team / teamME 0 comments
 by murphyepson

Wednesday Weigh-In: Thanks and Giving

The MurphyEpson team believes in credit where its due. From snaps at our weekly production meetings to showing gratitude to the one who gets the coffee brewing each day, we believe in “thanks.”

But for the time of year filled with turkey, mashed potatoes, football and those we hold near and dear to our heart, we wanted to express our thanks in a special way.

Here’s our Thanksgiving edition of Wednesday Weigh-In on what #teamME is thankful for:

Mark: I’m thankful that the team does GREAT WORK every day!

Missi: So many things to be thankful for that I could write a book but if I had to narrow it down to a small list, it would be these things:

A healthy, bright and kind-hearted daughter

An amazing career with awesome co-workers

Great friendships that help me get me through life

Leah: Cozy Saturday mornings on my couch with coffee, cats and my laptop. And cookie dough, because why not.

Elizabeth: I am so blessed and thankful for my relationships with family and friends, including those with fur and four legs. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Cindy: The chance to do meaningful work, family, friends and a healthy body (not sure about the mind sometimes!) so I can travel to some pretty fun places.

Nick: I am thankful for my family, friends, church community and chocolate.

Rachel: I’m thankful for my coworkers who get me through long days, friends who get me through long weeks, my precious pup who gets me up for early mornings and macarons and meditation that fill in the gaps.

Jeanna: I’m grateful for my work/life balance!

Erin: I’m thankful for the countless memories made on a daily basis as my little twin girls grow to understand what the holidays are all about. Like the fact they can now say “turkey, gobble gobble!”

Cam: I am thankful for a college internship with co-workers who make me laugh, 51 amazing housemates that support my skinny pop addiction, a short commute from home so I can visit my two gorgeous puppies whenever I’m in need of puppy snugs, a family that keeps me smiling and excited about the little things (like clean crawl spaces and potluck dinners) & the Buckeyes!

 

We hope you have the happiest of Thanksgivings and find time to reflect on what you’re grateful for.

in Uncategorized 0 comments
 by murphyepson

It’s Greek to Me – Adventures in Athens and Beyond

It was so exciting to set off for the land of gods, goddesses and blue domed churches with white-washed walls. Finally! I was scheduled to see Greece in July of 2015 but the news stories about the bank closures resulted in the tour being canceled.

I decided I was going in 2016 no matter what. So I stashed lots of euros in my shoes and off I went in late September. Sans tour.

Turns out, the media gave Greece a bum rap last year. Every Greek business owner I spoke with said 2015 was their best year ever for tourism profits despite the summer banking crisis.

And 2016 looked to be doing pretty well, too. It was packed everywhere we went. We ran into a couple from Cape Town who said they’d been in June and were back again because they liked it so much. Same for another couple from Yorkshire Dales in England. We were the newbies among so many repeat visitors. They had lots of good tips, though, that you couldn’t get from any old guidebook.

The Parthenon was my favorite ancient site on the mainland with the Oracle of Delphi coming in at a close second. I took Greco-Roman history and love mythology so it was a goosebump-inducing time when I saw where Plato and Socrates stood and orated.

But now I know what “it’s Greek to me” really means. Trying to find your way around a strange city is hard but trying to do it in a language that doesn’t even have the same letters is even tougher. In all fairness, most signage was in English as well as Greek but we still couldn’t read or say any of it… remotely. My brain and tongue stuttered so hard on the Greek symbols and syllables that by the time I looked at the English it was too late… I was already totally befuddled.

Being resourceful, MacGyverish-type travelers, we took cell phone pictures of where we wanted to go and showed it to locals who’d direct us when to get off the plane, bus, cab or ferry. I think the only thing we didn’t ride were the donkeys in Santorini!

We also noticed lots of graffiti on all of the buildings in Athens. When I asked the locals what it meant, they said they didn’t know as they didn’t understand it.

Having spent my entire career as a writer, it reminds me again of how important clear and concise communication is. When I find myself using esoteric verbiage in something just to un-bore myself, I remember: what’s the point if no one gets it?

But I digress. Back to Greece and its islands.

 

Best Experience
Drinking wine and seeing the Parthenon lit up at night from the top of Lykavittos Hill.

 

Worst Experience
Getting seasick on the fast ferry to Mykonos. The entire boatful of 200 people got sick! It was like a bad movie.

 

Best Myth Justification for Stupid Manmade Law
Athena (goddess of wisdom) and Poseidon (god of the sea) fought over patronage of the city of Athens. The city said whoever gave them the best gift would get naming rights. Poseidon gave them a spring of salt water. Since they couldn’t drink the water, Athena won because her gift of an olive tree provided not only food, but also wood to build boats and houses. Legend has it that most of the women voted for Athena which ticked Poseidon off. He told the men in the city from there on out that women were forbidden to vote. Ironically that next week we may see the first woman U.S. president. Take that, Poseidon!

 

Biggest Letdown
We visited Knossos – the palace of King Minos and home of the mystical minotaur – but no labyrinth! The guide said the palace had over 500 rooms so that would explain why people were always getting lost.

 

Quick Observations
Sadly, Greek wine is not fine.

Greek cheese, however, is great. And so much of it: Metsovone, kopanisti, kefalotyri, saganaki, kefalograviera, katiki domokou, graviera and the list goes on.

Once people heard us speak and realized we were Americans, they started talking to us about our presidential election. One woman from Jerusalem was very well informed. When we remarked on it she said, “We can’t afford not to pay attention to politics where I’m from.” Made me blush to think she probably knew more than I did about the issues.

Despite not-so-stellar performances from both presidential candidates and all our other problems, a well-to-do woman from Buenos Aires said to me, “I would love to live in America. You have no idea how hard it is to live in Argentina. You have it so good.”

Ah, a light at the end of the artfully-painted tunnel.

 

Amen and Efcharisto (thanks in Greek)

Cindy Byington

Cindy Byington is our dog-loving, tea-drinking, Senior Account Manager and creative veteran. If you’ve ever been to Grandview, you’ve probably crossed paths.

in Featured / General / teamME 0 comments
 by murphyepson

We Found Our Swiss Army Knife of Marketing and You Need to Meet Her ASAP

Name: Angela DelBrocco
Title: Social Media Strategist + PR Account Coordinator

 

Welcome to #teamME! Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi there! Ang from CLE here. And I’m so excited to be in Columbus working with #TeamME. I joined the team with a background in developing strategic public relations initiatives, writing for multiple platforms and publics, working closely with media to earn positive coverage and connecting those efforts to the digital world through online content marketing and social media strategy. I’ve worked with clients across diverse industries including banking, beverage, consumer home goods, hotel, non-profit, retail, restaurant and transportation. I love fall, everything Cleveland, all adorable animals and ‘Learn How to Salsa Dance’ is on my bucket list.

 

OK, now it’s time for some rapid fire.

If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone, who would it be? Alive? Michelle Obama. Deceased? Abe Lincoln.

What’s your spirit animal? Depends on the day; could be a tiger, elephant, panther, dolphin, Beyoncé…

What was your first email address? (Don’t be shy.) I really can’t believe I’m sharing this… StowBabe08@aol.com. Stow is my hometown and apparently I was a “babe” when I was in middle school.

What was your first job? I was 15 years old without a driver’s license, obviously, and made my mom drive me to my job as an administrative assistant for a lawyer/life insurance salesman three times a week. I learned Quickbooks (and paid my boss’s bills) along with every function of Microsoft Word and Excel before I could drive.

What’s the next country you want to travel to? Italy.

If you were a Crayola crayon, what would your name be? Antique Ruby – I’m an old soul with a lot of fire.

Where did you go to college? The Ohio University (Go Bobcats!) and The University of Akron.

 

Phew. What a doozy. Catch your breath and tell us what you do at MurphyEpson.

I’m an ME branded Swiss army knife: I’m sharp with many talents.

Blade 1: Social/Digital – develops social strategies, manage online communities, creates e-newsletter and blog content, report findings and metrics.

Blade 2: Public affairs/involvement – coordinates public meetings, composes press materials, seeks media opportunities and manages any incoming requests.

Blade 3: Copywriting – Brainstorms big ideas for engaging our client’s audiences and composes various marketing materials.

Blade 4: Account coordination/management – Assists with project work proposals, budgets, pitches, timelines, day-to-day coordination, learning the client’s core business/goals and building a strong working relationship.

 

What do you do outside of work?

What don’t I do outside of work? Seminars, industry meet-ups, cooking, hiking, kayaking, volunteering, nights out with friends, nights in with family and whatever else catches my fancy.

 

MurphyEpson has cultivated quite the culture of philanthropy. What’s your favorite way to give back to the community?

In any way I can. Volunteering my time is normally how I give, but I’m also known to make an extra sandwich to handout to anyone asking for money on the side of the road. I don’t always have the funds to give, but every Italian always has the extra food!

 

You’ve got one day in Columbus. What do you do?

The Columbus Park of Roses.

 

What’s one piece of advice you would give to an agency newcomer?

Learn. How. To. Prioritize.

 

Give us a note you’d like to end on.

Shoot me a note (adelbrocco@murphyepson.com) with a book, article or movie recommendation. I love making new connections and need a new book/movie to dive into.

 

Awesome! To learn more about Angela, connect with her on LinkedIn!

in teamME 0 comments
 by murphyepson

The Worst Advice We’ve Ever Heard About Social Media

We all know that one person who travels once and becomes an expert on all things foreign. Or that one person who has a kid and becomes an instant expert on all things parenting. It’s slightly exhausting for all involved and can quickly lead to eye rolls and frustration.

That’s how social media specialists can feel when Aunt Viola or Cousin Lyle decides she or he is an expert on all things Facebook. So before you add Aunt Viola as an administrator on your Facebook Page, read on to hear the worst advice we’ve ever heard about social media.

“Hire an intern to handle it.”

Speak these words and watch every social media specialist cringe before your eyes. Although interns can be vital to the day-to-day operations of a business, and, in turn, a business can be vital to their learning, social media should not be something you hand off to the youngest member of your staff. Because social media is one of the newest elements of digital marketing, (or marketing in its entirety) many companies assume the newest members of their team should handle it. But social media specialists, like any occupation, have studied and trained on how to handle the digital voice of a company. Social media is an extension of your customer service and the public-facing aspect of a company – don’t handle it lightly.

“Sync your platforms so that when you post on Facebook, it automatically posts on all of them.”

This is the part of the scary movie when everyone’s screaming “don’t go in there!” But seriously, step away from the auto-post. Instagram loves hashtags. Eleven to be exact. But if you post eleven hashtags on Facebook, people will raise a brow. Not to mention, if the same person follows you on three platforms and they’ve seen your post once, they are going to breeze right through it on your other platforms. That’s why social media specialists frame one post differently across all networks. What works on Instagram – from the size of your photo to the length of your copy – will not work on Twitter.

“You have to join Snapchat.”

No. No, you don’t. You don’t need to join any networks that don’t target your desired audience or fall within your capabilities. If you don’t have the manpower (or womanpower!) to manage seven platforms, then don’t create a presence on seven platforms. Not to mention, new platforms are trending every few months. But if they don’t serve your mission or vision, they aren’t for you. If you only have a few hours a week to dedicate to social media, choose one or two platforms and rock them like it’s nobody’s business.

“Don’t worry so much about responding to messages or comments.”

Not only is Facebook watching – they time you from the message you receive to your first reply – your audience is, too. When someone comments or messages your platform, this is your chance to shine. Respond timely, concisely and thoroughly. All in all, consult the experts when it comes to social media. You don’t think twice about it when it comes to your personal health. So why risk it when it comes to the health of your brand?

 

Voted Most Likely to Cheer You Up in Under 140 Characters, Rachel Sharkey is our social media strategist by day and cake pop master by night.

While you’re here, we recommend you read 3 Tips for Working with Creatives When You Have an Engineering Mind.

in Social Media 0 comments
 by murphyepson

3 Tips for Working with Creatives When You Have an Engineering Mind

Yes, I have a relentless desire to understand how things work, troubleshoot problems and plan ahead like a chess player. But five years ago, when I decided to semi-retire from my life as a developer, I made the jump into a new role as Chief Operations Manager (VP of Operations, COO, you get the point) here at MurphyEpson. Now, I work with a team of passionate and creative thinkers who exceed our clients’ expectations every day, making our team proud and our clients even prouder.

However, as an engineer walking into a creative environment, I had a lot of knowledge to share, but also a lot to learn. We think differently. We plan differently. Yet we all have something extraordinary to bring to the table.

 

Here are my three biggest tips for working with creative minds:

  1. Get to know the visual thinkers
    Adobe InDesign is not a software that I want to start learning at this stage in my career. And it’s a good thing (for everyone involved) that I don’t have to. Our designers have a good understanding of how to utilize the latest design tools to bring campaigns, branding and so much more to life. Engineering minds default to technical, not always understandable, items and your designers can share that technological information visually to make it relatable to the public.
  2. Distilling, crafting and editing is all part of the process
    Our copywriters who specialize in digital advertising, public and media content creation work to share your most relevant and easy-to-follow content. Sometimes that means they distill your 50-slide, copy-heavy presentation into a slim 15 slides with guidance for visuals. These experts know how to craft a message and deliver it in a way that is meaningful and impactful to the desired audience. It’s important to trust their craft – and, after all, humans now have a shorter attention span than goldfish.
  3. The whole is greater than each of its parts
    Together – as #teamME – we achieve success. Do we need creative, outside-of-the-box thinkers? Of course. Do we need hyper-organized and efficient communicators? No agency could function without them. Do we need analytical, engineering-minded folks like me? We wouldn’t be MurphyEpson without us. It’s our add-on. Our bonus. Our difference-maker. Always learn about others strengths but don’t lose sight of your own. A true skill set can be modified to apply in any setting.

 

Voted “Most Likely to Give Great Dad Advice,” by #teamME, Mark Keister is MurphyEpson’s skilled COO.

For more on the thoughts of our trusted team, check out our goals for October in last week’s Wednesday Weigh-in!

 

in General / teamME / Uncategorized 0 comments
 by murphyepson

Wednesday Weigh-In: New Month, New Musings

We’ve heard the saying before: “new year, new me.” It’s verging on cliché and has created a flurry of memes that mock it to a pulp.

Often we forget that each month, week and day bring an opportunity to start fresh to some capacity. So, #teamME took the opportunity to set one small goal for the upcoming month of fall foliage, OSU tailgating and fun-size candy bars. (Which, by the way, have you ever thought of how many fun-size candy bars one must eat before it’s no longer fun?) Without further ado, here is this week’s question:

What is one goal you would like to accomplish in the month of October?

Erin: To carve pumpkins, for the first time, with my two lil’ pumpkins. And then bake and eat all the yummy pumpkin seeds!

Marie: Get our new clients off to a strong, solid start.

Mark: Clean my desk!

Nick: I hope to create a standard project file structure for use in keeping ourselves organized.

Rachel: Discover new, innovative content ideas for social accounts and find a Halloween costume my dog will actually keep on.

Elizabeth: I would like to help the triplets make wise decisions about their college selection(s) for next year.

Stephanie: Procrastinate less.

Leah: Visit with family and friends in Circleville at the Pumpkin Show and eat as many pumpkin-flavored foods as possible.

Missi: To not eat all of the Halloween candy I bought before handing it out to the trick-or-treaters.

Colin: A goal that I’d like to accomplish this October is to rethink our organization of office supplies and how/when we order them.

Jeanna: For October, I would like to write my next day’s to-do list at 5pm each afternoon and host at least one dinner for friends – backyard bonfire included!

Angela: In October, I’d like to go to as many pumpkin patches possible, drink as much hot apple cider as I can and sign-up for a seminar aimed to advance my presentation and speaking skills.

 

Learn more about the wonderful people behind MurphyEpson or read about our Graeters-Loving, Buckeye-Cheering Planner, Nick!

in General / teamME 0 comments