BrandExtract: News & Events

Strategies to improve trade show success rates

2009-11-01T00:00:00

October is prime time for BrandExtract�s online �Cat Bowling� game

2009-10-05T00:00:00

Have a strategy before jumping into social media

2009-10-01T00:00:00

Branding through social media: leveraging knowledge

2009-09-25T00:00:00

BoyarMiller brand identity and Web site developed by BrandExtract debuts

2009-09-23T00:00:00

Integrated branding firm BrandExtract wins five WebAwards for excellence

2009-09-21T00:00:00

New BrandExtract Web site is robust branding resource

2009-09-14T00:00:00

How CEOs can get more bang from their marketing spend

2009-09-01T00:00:00

Houston Business Journal article describes BrandExtract role in Jones School rebrand

2009-07-07T00:00:00

Brand Building: How to Use Social Media to Have a Two-Way Conversation with Your Customers

2009-07-01T00:00:00

BrandExtract President Bo Bothe honored with '40 Under 40' award

2009-05-22T00:00:00

BrandExtract develops brand strategy for Chemstations

2009-05-20T00:00:00

Houston Technology Center honors BrandExtract President Bo Bothe

2009-05-15T00:00:00

If your brand were a person, who would it be? (Smart Business Dallas)

2009-05-01T00:00:00

Positioned for Success (Smart Business Dallas)

2009-04-21T00:00:00

Bo Bothe of BrandExtract judges 2009 Rice Business Plan Competition

2009-04-20T00:00:00

BrandExtract CEO Jonathan Fisher outlines marketing strategies that can fuel your company's success in today's economic climate

2009-03-16T00:00:00

BrandExtract launches Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School brand

2009-03-12T00:00:00

BrandExtract launches PPC LOAN rebrand with new Web site

2009-01-12T00:00:00

BrandExtract launches PPC LOAN rebrand with new Web site

BrandExtract Receives Outstanding Community Volunteer Medal

2008-12-01T00:00:00

BrandExtract Receives Outstanding Community Volunteer Medal

Shelli Manning Joins BrandExtract Creative Team

2008-12-01T00:00:00

Shelli Manning Joins BrandExtract Creative Team

BrandExtract VP Tom Dennis joins AMA-Dallas board

2008-11-21T00:00:00

BrandExtract VP Tom Dennis joins AMA-Dallas board

BrandExtract Wins Five 2008 BMA Awards of Excellence

2008-11-20T00:00:00

BrandExtract Wins Five 2008 BMA Awards of Excellence

BrandExtract�s �Cat Bowling� Scores Record Single-day Page Views; Teachers, Players and Parents Give the Interactive Game High Marks

2008-11-04T00:00:00

BrandExtract’s ‘Cat Bowling’ Scores Record Single-day Page Views; Teachers, Players and Parents Give the Interactive Game High Marks

BrandExtract Unleashes New Version of Wildly Popular Online �Cat Bowling� Game

2008-10-08T00:00:00

BrandExtract Unleashes New Version of Wildly Popular Online ‘Cat Bowling’ Game

BrandExtract Wins Seven 2008 American Graphic Design Awards, Three Entries Selected for December Design Annual

2008-10-02T00:00:00

BrandExtract Wins Seven 2008 American Graphic Design Awards, Three Entries Selected for December Design Annual

BrandExtract Wins Three 2008 WebAwards in International Competition

2008-09-30T00:00:00

BrandExtract Wins Three 2008 WebAwards in International Competition

BrandExtract's Internal Branding Work Reported in Houston Chronicle News Article

2008-08-18T00:00:00

BrandExtract's Internal Branding Work Reported in Houston Chronicle News Article

BrandExtract's Web Site Technology Helps Law Firm Alert World of Olympics Ticket Scam

2008-08-11T00:00:00

BrandExtract's Web Site Technology Helps Law Firm Alert World of Olympics Ticket Scam

BrandExtract Rebrands Rignet

2008-06-10T00:00:00

BrandExtract Rebrands Rignet

BrandExtract Launches New Brand Identity for Applied Diagnostics

2008-05-12T00:00:00

BrandExtract Launches New Brand Identity for Applied Diagnostics

BrandExtract Recognized as a 'Leading Entrepreneur' at Houston Technology Center�s Annual Gala

2008-05-09T00:00:00

BrandExtract Recognized as a 'Leading Entrepreneur' at Houston Technology Center’s Annual Gala

BrandExtract Develops New Brand For Uson

2008-05-07T00:00:00

BrandExtract Develops New Brand For Uson

BrandExtract Wins Two Bronze Quill Awards

2008-04-29T00:00:00

BrandExtract Wins Two Bronze Quill Awards

BrandExtract Develops New Brand For Data Projections

2008-04-28T00:00:00

BrandExtract Develops New Brand For Data Projections

BrandExtract Joins Entrepreneurship Institute's Texas Advisory Boards

2008-02-01T00:00:00

BrandExtract Joins Entrepreneurship Institute's Texas Advisory Boards

BrandExtract Appoints V.P. of Business Development

2008-01-01T00:00:00

BrandExtract Appoints V.P. of Business Development

BrandExtract Expands Talented Staff

2007-10-26T00:00:00

BrandExtract Expands Talented Staff

BrandExtract Redesigns Marathon Oil Corporation's Web Site

2007-10-12T00:00:00

BrandExtract Redesigns Marathon Oil Corporation's Web Site

BrandExtract Supports Houston Technology Center's Annual Gala

2007-09-24T00:00:00

BrandExtract Supports Houston Technology Center's Annual Gala

BrandExtract CEO Jonathan Fisher joins Literacy Advance Board

2007-08-17T00:00:00

BrandExtract CEO Jonathan Fisher joins Literacy Advance Board

BrandExtract Appoints Cynthia Shanley Director of Communications, PR

2007-06-22T00:00:00

BrandExtract Appoints Cynthia Shanley Director of Communications, PR

A �Break Through� for BrandExtract and Genesys Works

2007-05-21T00:00:00

A “Break Through” for BrandExtract and Genesys Works

When It Hits Ya: BrandExtract Introduces New Stripes Brand on TV

2007-05-14T00:00:00

When It Hits Ya: BrandExtract Introduces New Stripes Brand on TV

BrandExtract�s Bo Bothe Co-Chairs AIGA-Houston Design Legends Gala

2007-05-07T00:00:00

BrandExtract’s Bo Bothe Co-Chairs AIGA-Houston Design Legends Gala

BrandExtract Sponsors Rice Alliance Award Winners

2007-04-26T00:00:00

BrandExtract Sponsors Rice Alliance Award Winners

BrandExtract Wins Multiple Awards in 2006 Art Directors Club of Houston Contest

2006-11-11T00:00:00

BrandExtract Wins Multiple Awards in 2006 Art Directors Club of Houston Contest

BrandExtract Receives Top �Best of Texas� Honor in BMA Lantern Awards Competition

2006-11-09T00:00:00

BrandExtract Receives Top ‘Best of Texas’ Honor in BMA Lantern Awards Competition

New Genesys Works Name and Logo Provide �Genesis� for BrandExtract�s Latest Branding Effort

2006-09-15T00:00:00

New Genesys Works Name and Logo Provide “Genesis” for BrandExtract’s Latest Branding Effort

BrandExtract and Bravo Zulu Merger Unites Award-winning Branding Firm, Cutting-edge Internet Site Development Company

2006-06-18T00:00:00

BrandExtract and Bravo Zulu Merger U

BrandExtract the Perfect Medicine for LSMP

2006-03-16T00:00:00

BrandExtract the Perfect Medicine for LSMP

BrandExtract Is On the Move

2006-02-27T00:00:00

BrandExtract Is On the Move

Business Growth Drives BrandExtract Staff Expansion

2006-01-01T00:00:00

Business Growth Drives BrandExtract Staff Expansion

Three Red Flags When Shopping for Creative

2009-02-01T00:00:00

Trade Show Basics

2008-12-01T00:00:00

Why Everyone Gets Burned with a Bake Off...

2008-10-01T00:00:00

BrandExtract � Helping Companies Grow

2009-05-12T00:00:00

Branding Your Health Care Practice

2009-03-01T00:00:00

Marketing in the Digital Age

2008-10-01T00:00:00

Nonprofit Websites that Work

2007-09-01T00:00:00

Chemstations

2009-10-30T00:00:00

BrandExtract: Total Safety brand strategy case study

2009-06-12T00:00:00

BrandExtract: Uson brand strategy case study

2009-06-12T00:00:00

Air-Tight Branding: How BrandExtract used its tried and tested methodology to launch a new brand for the leak testing experts.

BrandExtract: Lone Star Medical brand strategy case study

2009-06-12T00:00:00

Simpler Is Better: How BrandExtract helped a medical manufacturer define a strategic position and build value in advance of an acquisition.

BrandExtract: PPC Loan brand strategy & management case study

2009-06-12T00:00:00

Marketplace Bridge: How BrandExtract helped a commercial loan originator renew its brand, launch a new product and defy a recession.

BrandExtract: Stripes brand strategy & management case study

2009-03-10T00:00:00

Texas-Sized Brand: How BrandExtract helped an established convenience store chain transition from one giant brand to another.

BrandExtract: Varel drill bits brand strategy case study

2009-03-03T00:00:00

Going Deep: How BrandExtract retooled a drill bit manufacturer's brand and helped cut through the noise at 2009's Offshore Technology Conference.

BrandExtract: Global Santa Fe brand strategy case study

2009-03-03T00:00:00

Sea Change: How BrandExtract harnessed the power of internal communications to help establish a new identity, voice and culture for a global enterprise.

Award of good deeds...

noreply@blogger.com (Will) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:42:00 +0000

Friday we were honored to receive a bronze medal at the 54th Annual Art Directors Club of Houston Award Show for our work on the Cristo Rey Jesuit logo. The format of the show does not provide time for acceptance speeches. However, if it did, we would thank Father T.J. Martinez, Susan Martin and all of the amazing staff, faculty and board members involved for trusting us with such an important project. Opportunities such as these are what drive us to do �the Magis.�

Thank you.

Speaking of social media...

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:26:00 +0000

This week I presented to two marketing classes at Houston Baptist University on the subject of business-to-business social media applications and strategies. Beyond the case studies, it was surprising how many students had not stopped to consider how their facebook pages might impact their careers. More and more, employers are looking at candidates� twitter streams and facebook posts as part of the vetting process.

As you can imagine, questions ranged from �Are you hiring?� to �Is there really a job with the professional title of �Facebooker?��

So, here are my top five tips for those students looking to advance their careers and stand out.

Recognize the importance of networking. Sign up for LinkedIn NOW and grow your relationships. Invite everyone you meet (and like) to join your network.

Put yourself in a position to meet and interact with working professionals � attend business and industry events. Most organizations have student chapters or ambassadors. Ask everyone you meet about internship opportunities � even if they are unpaid.
Be respectful of those you meet and learn a bit about what they do and how you might be able to help them someday. It is better to give than to receive. By showing you care about them, they might care to help you.
Come prepared. If you are fortunate enough to get an interview, do your homework. Know something about the company and the people you are meeting.
Remember, most companies see hundreds of resumes and candidates, so the responsibility to stand out is yours. Always follow up and stay in touch; you never know when they might call you back. We have followed up with people up to a year after we interviewed the candidate for the position.

At the end of the day it�s simple, follow the golden rule and be patient. You have a lifetime ahead of you.

TEI Houston

noreply@blogger.com (Bo) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:20:00 +0000

Last Thursday we participated in The Entrepreneurship Institute's Houston Forum at The Rice Jones Graduate School of Business where over 100 entrepreneurs and company leaders gathered for the day to discuss the state of their businesses and hear speakers such as Tony Parella, President and CEO of Shared Technologies speak about building good businesses. For the second time, Nancy Barry spoke about generational differences and how to embrace them and Dr. Stephen Klineberg of Rice University talked about the changing demographics in the city of Houston. As board members, we moderated or spoke on panels ranging from Maximizing Human Capital to Smart Marketing. As sponsors of the San Antonio, Houston and Dallas chapters we're always amazed at the conversation and collaborative spirit of these events. Our thanks go out to Jan Zupnik, Jack Freeh and all those at TEI for their support and professionalism.

Check out TEI when you get a chance!

Aimee Receives �Big Head� Accolades

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:49:00 +0000

This quarter�s Big Head award for employee excellence went to a very deserving individual � Aimee � who exemplifies our core values.

A versatile, experienced writer, Aimee brings Web sites, brochures, ads and other marketing materials to life by writing copy that is interesting, engaging and persuasive. Clients and coworkers know that copywriting is in good hands when it�s in Aimee�s.

Dependable, responsible, creative, smart, funny, empathetic�these are just a few of Aimee�s many strong points. What I admire most is her willingness to try new things, and the way she soaks up feedback and applies it when a similar situation presents itself.

Aimee is a coworker who can be counted on to follow through, meet deadlines and keep an eye on the details. She has outside-the-box ideas and you can tell she enjoys what she does.

Our clients appreciate the value Aimee brings. So do we! We�re proud that you�re our quarterly BrandExtract Big Head winner.

Doing Good for the Community

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:33:00 +0000

It�s funny how yesterday, a day that started off so gloomy with thunderstorms, turned out to be such a bright day. We spent the day volunteering at Habitat for Humanity. We hammered, sawed, tiled, installed cabinets, framed walls, and cut through bathroom counters to insert sinks.

We worked hard and we laughed a lot, just like we do in our everyday work.

BrandExtract helps companies and people grow. Habitat for Humanity helps people and communities grow. It was the perfect matchup from a cultural perspective.

Community involvement is a passion of ours and it�s always such a tremendous morale booster.

Give us materials and tools and we�ll put our creative talents to work on building something, whether it�s a brand, a home, or goodwill.

We had barely finished yesterday before we started talking about �next time� at Habitat for Humanity. We�ll definitely do this again. It was fun and really, really rewarding.

BoyarMiller Breakfast Forum

noreply@blogger.com (Bo) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:13:00 +0000

On Thursday, September 10th, we attended the BoyarMiller breakfast forum. One of three forums the firm holds each year. This one was focused on The Current State of the Capital Markets and included the following speakers:

Paul B. Murphy, Jr., Chief Executive Officer � Amegy Bank of Texas Commercial Banking
Andrew D. Kanaly, Chairman and CEO � Kanaly Trust Equities and the Public Markets
Tom Fish, Vice Chairman � CBRE | MelodyReal Estate Finance
Thomas M. Hargrove, Managing Director and Co-Founder � GulfStar Group Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions

The presentations were insightful and played well of one another. While most of the information was not positive, there were a few bright spots that provided a ray of hope for 2010 and beyond. View the event spotlight at BoyarMiller.com or view the press release for more information.

Debt produced by decade. Download the presentations from the BoyarMiller site.

Today was an award-winning day!

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:06:00 +0000

We found out today that we�ve received five Awards of Excellence from the Web Marketing Association!

What makes this news especially exciting is that the WebAwards is a prestigious, juried show.

Thousands of Web site entries are received from all over the world � so the competition is fierce and draws some of the best in the business. Each site is judged on each of the seven criteria: design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copywriting, ease of use. Awards are given for Best of Industry, Outstanding Web site and Standard of Excellence.

Five sites developed by BrandExtract were judged as excellent: Chemstations, Graham-Pelton, Hughes Watters Askanase, Rignet and Tellepsen.

Congratulations to our employees. who put their strategic thinking, expertise and creative juices into creating these sites, and to each of these clients of ours for their inspiring collaboration and partnership.

Cristo Rey Jesuit Opens its Doors

noreply@blogger.com (Bo) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:16:00 +0000

I thought I would post this from one of our non-profit clients. We are excited to have been a part of such a great experiment! We look forward to the future leaders that get a great Jesuit education. Below is a letter from President Fr. T.J. Martinez S.J.

Dear Friends and Supporters of Cristo Rey Jesuit,

August 10, 2009 will be remembered by all of us associated with Cristo Rey Jesuit as an historic day. 83 students, from across the city of Houston, coming from the most economically disadvantaged homes and communities, began a journey that will prepare them for acceptance into colleges and universities around the country. These four years will change their lives, their futures -- and the city of Houston -- forever. Through the various lenses of photographers on deck that day to record history in the making, I invite you to click on the following link to experience August 10th the way we did, realizing that your faith, support and conviction in our mission made the miracle of Cristo Rey Jesuit happen a year earlier than expected. Viva Cristo Rey! Viva Cristo Rey Jesuit!

Click here to see photos of the first day

BrandExtract Talks Branding In Dallas

noreply@blogger.com (tom) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:36:00 +0000

This week BrandExtract�s founding partners, Bo Bothe & Jonathan Fisher, will present part three of their Branding 101 Series to a sellout crowd in Dallas. Over the last 3 months the partners have traveled north to speak about our process with the DFW American Marketing Association�s Branding and Strategy Special Interest Group. This in-depth look at the anatomy of a brand and the important steps every company should take in managing their position in the marketplace has been a great success.

These presentations have be the start of some wonderful conversations. Let�s keep talking!

BrandExtract Launches FosterQuan Website

noreply@blogger.com (Bo) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:56:00 +0000

On Monday, our firm launched the newly redesigned Foster Quan Web site developed in our SAM content management tool. FosterQuan is the nation's second largest immigration law firm with offices in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Washington, D.C. and Mexico City. The firm is focused on developing its Web presence and this is an outstanding first step. Special thanks to our clients Steve and Kelly. I'd also like to thank Greg, Sherrill and Dann for all their hard work on the site.

Where Do You Draw the Line Between Brand Identity and Personal Identity?

noreply@blogger.com (Bo) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:29:00 +0000

I was reading a post on brandchannel.com that was discussing the economy and how many companies are relying on their employees to promote their brands more heavily these days. Those of you that know us will know that we have always prescribed to that sentiment but it is even more important today. To quote brandchannel.com "Social networking platforms are straining employer/employee relationships as brand engagement conflicts with personal rights and freedom of speech."

Knowing this, where should the line between personal and professional relationships be drawn today?
Do you have both clients and friends on facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn?
What kinds of information do you share?
How do you protect both your personal and professional brands today?

You might want to follow the discussion on brandchannel through the link above but we'd love your thoughts.

NOTE: Special thanks to brandchannel.com for the image and the question!

Jason Is Our First Quarterly BrandExtract �Big Head� Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:35:00 +0000

We awarded our very first quarterly Big Head employee award (our logo is a head bubbling with ideas � get it?) last Friday to Jason, who is one of our senior designers.

If you haven�t had the chance to work with Jason, you�re missing out. Jason is creative, generous, hard working, totally committed, and a really really good problem solver. In other words, he�s the embodiment of BrandExtract�s company values.

Jason�s the guy you want at your brainstorming session because you�ll end up laughing so much you�ll forget you�re working � but then out of all that zaniness will come a knock-it-out-of-the-park idea or concept.

He exemplifies an employee who continues to grow and move his skills forward, and this year is no exception. Jason cares about BrandExtract and everyone he works with and can always be counted on for added support and the occasional life ring when it�s most needed.

Lastly, he�s a man of many talents � design, 2D illustrations, 3D modeling, Flash and Web designs, painting, sculpting and a whole lot more. It�s rare that you�ll find him without a smile on his face � he gets that much enjoyment out of his work.

Congratulations, Jason on being selected for this quarter�s Big Head award!

AMA Crystal awards are over the top

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:21:00 +0000

This past month was one of the biggest and most spectacular American Marketing Associations� Crystal awards show ever. Guest were Twittering and e-mailing comments during the show and for several days afterward: �First, let me say WOW!!� and �Words fail me... What a truly OUTSTANDING event Friday night.� �Definitely, the most beautiful awards presentation I�ve ever seen, and I heard the same all night long.�

As in previous years, BrandExtract designed the shows� brand and marketing materials. With hundreds of entries and only a few winners the show�s popularity has grown every year. The challenge put to BrandExtract was to step up the shows image in preparation for setting new benchmarks - and wecreatively nailed it, thanks to the work of Will Cunningham, Aimee Moore and Robin Parrish.

This year�s marketing and show theme �Prix� featured three beautifully supported messages for show concept, Execute, Flaunt and Indulge, each one demonstrated the marketing mastery of the entrants' efforts and the evening on display.

Hundreds of attendees were mesmerized by extravagant stage performances with over-the-top costumes as dinner and winners were served up. The team of the Crystal Awards committee did an outstanding job of demonstrating just how far creatively they are willing go. We all wonder how far they will go next year to improve on this effort.

In planning for next year - how should the AMA leverage the energy from one night into something more? After the hangover and glamor of winning what are we left with? Can the AMA make the jump to leverage this event into social media beyond this one day window. If you have suggestions for extending the awards frenzy and buzz please let the AMA and us hear from you. We hope you enjoyed the event and if you missed it - please make plans to attend next year - you won't be sorry.

Congratulation to our client, Total Safety for being a finalist in the show.

BrandExtract Supports Tom Dennis and the Dallas/Ft. Worth AMA

noreply@blogger.com (Bo) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:59:00 +0000

On Wednesday of this week, Tom Dennis, vice president of Business Development and BrandExtract unveiled the Special Interest Group branding work we did for the Dallas/Ft.
Worth AMA Chapter. In late 2008, Tom was asked to be the Vice President of Programming for the chapter and he stepped up to fill the role in a big way. To build their brand, the chapter spend 2008 and 2009 developing the infrastructure, planning and organizational systems to deliver a better experience for its members, and the SIG branding was one of the external examples of this effort.

Special thanks goes to Tom, Abbey, Jason and the rest of the BrandExtract team for this pro bono effort. We would also like to thank AMA President Paige Johnston, incoming President Michelle Lemire of Mary Kay, Inc., and the entire board for trusting us with their brand and the outstanding work they are doing in the Dallas/Ft. Worth community.

Tom Dennis "focusing" before the big event.

-- Here are some more photos from the event!

Tom Dennis presenting the new brand.

New banners with the brand identity.

An award for service to the board!

Our speaker for the event with past and future presidents.

Barriers to Breast Cancer Care ��Photovoice by Susan G. Komen Houston

noreply@blogger.com (Bo) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:34:00 +0000

Last month, we completed a book for the Komen foundation based upon Photovoice. The project is based upon gathering images that capture the feeling, emotion or situation behind a cause or issue. The Komen project contained stories about the barriers to breast cancer care in the city of Houston. BrandExtract was commissioned to do the work and we provided our services at no charge to ensure the quality of the piece. We are very proud to have been a part of Komen's book and are excited about the awareness the project can bring to others.

As a side note, the organization allowed me to dedicate the book to my mother, Rosemary Vitaro Bothe. My mom is a two time breast cancer survivor and her determination and strength should be an inspiration to us all never to give up.

-Bo

More progress for Cristo Rey Jesuit

noreply@blogger.com (Will) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:05:00 +0000

A quick update to the progress of Cristo Rey Jesuit's terrazzo crest: It's almost finished! The process was faster than we anticipated, so we were not able to document the many stages. However, Mark Bazin, Associate Director of Technology at the school, did set up a time-lapse camera and should have a compilation of the entire project posted to their Web site soon. We will post that link as soon as it becomes available. In the mean time, here are a few images from color selection, frame work and (almost) finished product.

Is Your Brand Hitting a Home Run?

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Is your brand rising above the clutter, or does it blend in with the crowd.

Consumers are showered every day by thousands of ads and promotions from TV commercials to social media advertisements to contests and sweepstakes, and increasingly, to mobile messages and e-promotions. For a brand to be noticed it must break through this clutter of information.

Great brands like Apple, Disney and BMW bond with their customers in a way that builds loyalty and differentiation. When a brand really "connects," it has a distinct meaning and a clear set of associations for customers. A position is the essence of what a brand stands for and, when clearly defined, makes it easier for the consumer to make the desired purchasing decision. But more than that, brands must be creative to grab attention. Outside-the-box creativity and strategic focus are absolute musts � without it, your brand will fly out.

Special thanks to our client Wendy Stanley at Data Projections and her daughter for allowing us to use their photo.

That's Our Bo!

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:28:00 +0000

I know it looks like Bo Bothe is the opening act for the Houston Business Journal�s Battle of the Business Bands, but he�s really on stage receiving his award as a �40 Under 40� honoree. A crowd of nearly 500 packed Warehouse Live for the event.

When Bo was presented with his award, his youngest daughter yelled out from the audience, �That�s my daddy!�

Bo's oldest daughter proudly helped him show off his award to friends and family while the battling bands prepared to take to the stage.

Family�friends�good music�and recognition for professional and community excellence � it doesn�t get much better than that.

Congratulations to Bo and all of the winners.

We're Speaking and Attending the Online Marketing Summit!

noreply@blogger.com (Bo) — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:20:00 +0000

Below is some information on the OMS. A number of us are attending the conference and I am honored to be filling in as a speaker in the afternoon. I have spoken to a number of my co-workers and some others who have attended the conference and they have said it was very worthwhile to attend. One very interesting thing is when you sign up they give you a marketing toolkit to promote the event. This includes, logos, boilerplate information like the copy below and other great marketing tools. That is what I call social media. See the propaganda below!

Online Marketing Summit Whistle Stop Tour Coming To A City Near You

The premier educational event for marketing professionals is coming to your neighborhood with its 18 City Whistle Stop Tour. From Boston to San Francisco, join 4,000 of your marketing peers as they share ideas, hear from expert practitioners, and learn best practices in the areas of: Social Media, Search, Email, Analytics, Behavioral Targeting, and Website Strategy.

Request a discounted seat today with discount code

Rock-Solid Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Will) — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:12:00 +0000

Designers have a reputation for obsessing over details, and when we design an identity or logo there is no denying that stereotype. In basic terms, designing an identity is essentially creating a system of details with a logo most often as the focal point. And while a logo alone does not make a brand, it goes a long way to help make it memorable.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be monitoring the progress (and the details) on one such �labor of love.� The crest we designed for Cristo Rey Jesuit is being re-created as a 6' x 9' terrazzo inlay for the entry way floor of the new school. We couldn't be more thrilled! In today's world of Tweets, Facebook Friends and everything else, it's a very gratifying feeling to see your design set in such a permanent medium.

We hope it represents the school well, by leaving each person who walks through their doors with a sense of what Cristo Rey Jesuit stands for.

Below is the first step - the steel frame in which the terrazzo will be poured. National Terrazzo Tile & Marble has generously donated their time, materials and talents to this project. They have paid special attention to every detail of the design, and the final product is going to be breathtaking.

We will keep you posted on the progress.

Tonight's HTC Gala to Salute Bo Bothe

noreply@blogger.com (Cindy) — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:37:00 +0000

Houston Technology Center�s annual Celebration of Entrepreneurs gala is tonight and one our own will be honored as a featured entrepreneur.

BrandExtract President Bo Bothe will be among the local entrepreneurs HTC will pay tribute to in recognition of the significant impact they make�driving economic diversity�creating new jobs � and ensuring a vibrant future for Houston.

Tonight�s event will be like a who�s who of local business, drawing more than 400 business leaders and entrepreneurs. Last year, BrandExtract CEO Jonathan Fisher was selected as a featured entrepreneur.

Our firm is one of HTC�s preferred service providers. In addition, Bo and Jonathan serve as advisors for HTC client presentations to help emerging technology firms test venture capital pitches and marketing presentations.

Congratulations to Bo and all of tonight�s honorees! For those of you being saluted and who are reading our blog, this evening�s program (and the invitation you received) were designed by two of our talented graphic designers, Jason Merchant and Abbey Mora.

We like Mike!

noreply@blogger.com (Will) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:24:00 +0000

Over the past few months, we have been working with Mike Dean on quite a few projects. For those of you that don't know Mike, he is an illustrator extraordinaire, man of many styles and hats, and just an all-around good guy to work with.

Below are a few examples from the projects he has been lending his talents to. Happy viewing!

TEI Dallas President's Forum

noreply@blogger.com (Bo) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:54:00 +0000

We're currently listening to Arthur W. Hollingsworth, Founder of Lone Star Investment Advisors. He is speaking about the economy and he is a great speaker. He is talking about the economy and why he believes we have already started moving out of the downturn! I love this guy, other than sound economics, the positive discussion is refreshing. I think I am going to send him a thank you note for being positive. The challenges we still face were an interesting part of the discussion so it wasn't all rosy!

Today, we heard entrepreneurial presentations from the following business leaders:

Tony Parella, CEO of Shared Technologies speaking on corporate culture
Linda Hayes, Founder of Worksoft discussing when to engage venture capital
Nancy Barry, Speaker and author spoke on generation Y and are they ready for the real world?
Mark E. Speese, Chairman and CEO of Rent-a-Center, Inc. who spoke on making a great idea better

Jonathan, Tom and I helped to present and moderate panels on corporate culture, transitioning from commodity to value-added services, Web 3.0 and outsourcing. Beyond getting a good gauge of what is going on in the marketplace and the confidence of business owners, we were able to share best practices, ideas and thoughts on how to better manage and grow our businesses. Our relationship with TEI has been great for our firm and a valuable investment for our firm.

The best takeaway from the day is business owners are cautiously optimistic.

Rice Business Plan Competition � Day Two

noreply@blogger.com (Bo) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:38:00 +0000

It was another long and interesting day spent at the RBPC. I judged six business plans in the social ventures track and we were able to provide the teams with feedback in the afternoon so that they could improve their presentations. The companies we reviewed were working to do the following things:

Develop low-cost environmentally friendly cooking devices in Africa
Use text messaging to alert people about counterfeit drugs in Africa
Make fuel from a wild plant in India to power villages
Provide telemed services to rural Africa
Distribute low-cost necessities to developing countries
Provide a time released TB medicine in rural areas

Some specific insights were that many of the teams were proposing using text messaging as a vehicle for mass communication, many of the teams had developed strategies where microentrepreneurs would manage the distribution or operations in rural areas and I believe it is hard for american investors to understand the cultural and market scale of countries like Inida, China, Kenya and others. The global opportunity to both help people and advance capitalism is great. Judging by today, people are not just seeing it, they are understanding it.

The plans were well done, the investments viable and even as social ventures, the businesses all planned on operation as "for-profit" entities. The energy of the teams, insight of the judges and the overall great job done by the Rice Alliance staff and volunteers have made this a great experience. Tomorrow I will be judging the Wildcard round in which teams will have a chance to improve and put themselves back in the running for big prizes.

One special note to Robin Parrish who developed all the materials for the event. I have gotten a number of compliments on the guide and other graphic elements. Thank you Robin for your hard work on the event, the team at the Rice Alliance have had great things to say about you!

How Google is Changing the Way We Connect

noreply@blogger.com (Bo) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 04:19:00 +0000

Over the past six months, I have spent a good deal of time observing human behavior and the way people are using social media as both personal and business tools. This has brought insights to light on human interaction with technology and its effects on marketing and communication. For example, I have observed that people seem to be less and less interested in visual aesthetic. One example of this is Google. When considering this in context with the phrase "form follows function" coined by architect Louis Sullivan in 1896, I began to think about the way people find and create a connection with something or someone.

As a designer, the combination of information, aesthetics and feeling is critical in communicating an idea or engaging an audience in a brochure or Web site. The idea that an interface as "ugly" as Google has such power is both exciting and frightening at the same time. When you look at Facebook, Twitter, Google, Amazon and even the iTunes store, the visual aspects of these examples take a back seat to solid information design. Usability is far more important than the emotional qualities of the interface. While in some cases emotion and visual design are important to the user, information and accessibility seem to outweigh any visual properties.

This brings me to my point. As people get used to viewing our world through interfaces such as Google, are we being conditioned to expect less emotional connection with the visual qualities of something and more connection with the information being presented? A good question to ask is, over time, will our first impression of a person, place or thing be more about the information we get instead of the visual first impression we all use today.

Google is not only changing the way we get information, it is creating a shift in the way people feel about design and aesthetics, and we are changing the way we connect with the world one click at a time.

BrandExtract: RT @ricemba: Professor Vikas Mittal examines the beliefs of impulse shoppers: http://bit.ly/3AlU9c

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:46:55 +0000

BrandExtract: RT @ricemba: Professor Vikas Mittal examines the beliefs of impulse shoppers: http://bit.ly/3AlU9c

BrandExtract: BrandExtract wins four Lanterns and five Excellence awards. Special thanks to our clients, suppliers and staff. Great job! #lant09

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:39:59 +0000

BrandExtract: BrandExtract wins four Lanterns and five Excellence awards. Special thanks to our clients, suppliers and staff. Great job! #lant09

BrandExtract: Not sure how to measure social media? Social Media Insider article lists 100 ways. http://bit.ly/3RpDnZ #social media

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:46:14 +0000

BrandExtract: Not sure how to measure social media? Social Media Insider article lists 100 ways. http://bit.ly/3RpDnZ #social media

BrandExtract: Employee newsletter pitfalls http://bit.ly/3mHc0B Add poor writing to this list.

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:29:08 +0000

BrandExtract: Employee newsletter pitfalls http://bit.ly/3mHc0B Add poor writing to this list.

BrandExtract: Nonprofits experimenting with social media, but missing �full opportunity,� PRSA reports. http://bit.ly/1xhojG #nonprofits #social media

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:24:28 +0000

BrandExtract: Nonprofits experimenting with social media, but missing �full opportunity,� PRSA reports. http://bit.ly/1xhojG #nonprofits #social media

BrandExtract: Five Things Brand Marketing Can't Do by Converting makes some excellent points. http://bit.ly/X7UcZ

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:23:57 +0000

BrandExtract: Five Things Brand Marketing Can't Do by Converting makes some excellent points. http://bit.ly/X7UcZ

BrandExtract: Razorfish study says "deals" are what drive social media engagement http://bit.ly/35n0oz

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:41:55 +0000

BrandExtract: Razorfish study says "deals" are what drive social media engagement http://bit.ly/35n0oz

BrandExtract: Uh oh. Saatchi & Saatchi caught using photos without permission, which violates copyright laws. http://bit.ly/460Zu7

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:34:07 +0000

BrandExtract: Uh oh. Saatchi & Saatchi caught using photos without permission, which violates copyright laws. http://bit.ly/460Zu7

BrandExtract: What does the average entrepreneur look like? New study says it's not the whiz kid you think http://bit.ly/3Q8kQR

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:30:02 +0000

BrandExtract: What does the average entrepreneur look like? New study says it's not the whiz kid you think http://bit.ly/3Q8kQR

BrandExtract: BrandExtract's Jonathan Fisher and Bo Bothe moderated Presidents Forum panel attended by CEOs/presidents. www.tei.net/about_presforum

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:28:14 +0000

BrandExtract: BrandExtract's Jonathan Fisher and Bo Bothe moderated Presidents Forum panel attended by CEOs/presidents. www.tei.net/about_presforum

BrandExtract: Have you thanked someone today? Need an idea for how to show your appreciation? Become a Giving Thanks fan at http://bit.ly/3lhMmX

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:58:18 +0000

BrandExtract: Have you thanked someone today? Need an idea for how to show your appreciation? Become a Giving Thanks fan at http://bit.ly/3lhMmX

BrandExtract: Silicon Alley Advisor has "15 Google Interview Questions That Will Make You Feel Stupid." http://bit.ly/3SpEXc Are you Google material?

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:43:04 +0000

BrandExtract: Silicon Alley Advisor has "15 Google Interview Questions That Will Make You Feel Stupid." http://bit.ly/3SpEXc Are you Google material?

BrandExtract: New study says technology isn't causing social isolation. http://bit.ly/hzCxQ Do you agree?

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:37:59 +0000

BrandExtract: New study says technology isn't causing social isolation. http://bit.ly/hzCxQ Do you agree?

BrandExtract: RT@Smart_Business "You can't just have random people...posting their thoughts on Twitter." Tom Dennis, BrandExtract http://bit.ly/lESuE #fb

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:13:28 +0000

BrandExtract: RT@Smart_Business "You can't just have random people...posting their thoughts on Twitter." Tom Dennis, BrandExtract http://bit.ly/lESuE #fb

BrandExtract: Congratulations to Aimee Moore! She's our quarterly Big Head award winner! http://blog.brandextract.com

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:04:00 +0000

BrandExtract: Congratulations to Aimee Moore! She's our quarterly Big Head award winner! http://blog.brandextract.com

BrandExtract: BrandExtract has been doing good works out in the community for Habitat for Humanity, http://blog.brandextract.com.

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:56:29 +0000

BrandExtract: BrandExtract has been doing good works out in the community for Habitat for Humanity, http://blog.brandextract.com.

BrandExtract: CNET says more than 8 billion minutes are spent on Facebook every day, http://bit.ly/25IHB5 - we're doing our part to contribute.

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:12:59 +0000

BrandExtract: CNET says more than 8 billion minutes are spent on Facebook every day, http://bit.ly/25IHB5 - we're doing our part to contribute.

BrandExtract: CNNMoney.com compares logo makeovers with some interesting before and after examples: http://bit.ly/2zEL8 #branding

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:09:09 +0000

BrandExtract: CNNMoney.com compares logo makeovers with some interesting before and after examples: http://bit.ly/2zEL8 #branding

BrandExtract: Technorati's "State of the Blogosphere 2009" is now out: http://bit.ly/3TnSVX #blog

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:37:09 +0000

BrandExtract: Technorati's "State of the Blogosphere 2009" is now out: http://bit.ly/3TnSVX #blog

BrandExtract: BtoB: Kill the copy clich�s and platitudes in favor of phrases that are original, relevant and have impact. http://bit.ly/2ZMS1

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:44:30 +0000

BrandExtract: BtoB: Kill the copy clich�s and platitudes in favor of phrases that are original, relevant and have impact. http://bit.ly/2ZMS1