It's been a very busy Q2 and Q3 at Twin Creek Media.

As a Kelowna marketing agency with a special focus on internet marketing and web design, we never seem to be able to breathe long enough to update our portfolio with new launches and interesting case studies.  In this project update, we'll give a taste of what the team at Twin Creek Media has been doing over the last 6 months.  (We can't tell you all the goodies though... our clients don't want us to spill the beans about their new competitive advantages and we have trade secrets to keep!)  You'll just have to hire us to reap the rewards of an integrated marketing campaign.

We have been creating new brand identities, database-driven websites, corporate brochures, direct mail pieces, running radio campaigns, shooting videos, building blogs, and driving web traffic through email marketing, search engine optimization and pay per click tactics like Google Adwords and Facebook Ads.  Just one item in that list is powerful, but done together, business goals are targeted with a type of marketing synergy that is amazing to watch.

A Sample of Completed Projects

Okanagan Regional Library

Completely redesigned website, photography, animation, print materials, and Facebook and Twitter efforts lead to many people to rediscover the library's relevance in the 21st century | Name the Marmot Contest big hit with 3000+ kids (and their parents!)

Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors

Promotional videos and unique email marketing campaigns draw people to national conference at the Delta Grand Okanagan

Case Furniture Gallery

Online contests builds brand awareness & drives retail store walk ins | Local media get VIP treatment at private event

Quantech Software

Online industry survey reveals what customers really want | Targeted email marketing campaign generates many new leads

SJF Sports

Internet marketing strategy leads to blog and intense social media campaign using Facebook and Twitter | Web traffic increased by 109.4% in 2 months

Our Okanagan

New Okanagan business networking website attracts 800+ new business/association sign ups | Employment, investment, and collaboration opportunities excite valley residents Watch the recent by Global/CHBC here.

The Greenery Garden Centre

Massive online photo contest creates a fun customer experience | web traffic soars with 600+ submissions & 3000+ votes

A Sample of Current Projects

Best Western Inn Kelowna

Search Engine Marketing Analysis reveals what Google thinks |Internet marketing campaign begins to take a leading brand higher than ever

Quantech Software

SEO and Website Usability Score Cards uncover the missing ingredients that will turn "tire kickers" into buyers | Web development focuses on amazing user friendly site which supports Sales & Marketing Dept's goals

Impact Radio Accessories

Continued magazine ad design, catalogue, and eCommerce website improvements assist in great sales performance for 2010 | Work done over the last 4 years spur on international expansion

Clement Turf Farms

Strategic research and industry surveys get to the heart of exactly how where the new revenue opportunities lie | Integrated marketing campaign underway involving both digital and traditional marketing tactics

Okanagan College - Green Business Awards

Easy to use Wordpress blog-style website will help students organize and promote the local Green Business Awards competition

Curious about what we do? Check out some samples of our work below.  We've highlighted project work that shows the culmination of research, strategy, branding, copy writing, photography, design and programming. 

More examples of our projects can be found on our main site. Make sure to check back every so often for updated projects and let us know what you think!

Client: Our Okanagan
Project: Website Development by Twin Creek Media

Client: End Of The Roll
Project: Website Development by Twin Creek Media

Client: Okanagan Regional Library
Project: Website Development by Twin Creek Media

Client: FilmStar Auto
Project: Website Development by Twin Creek Media

Client: Impact Radio Accessories
Project: Website Development by Twin Creek Media

Client: Impact Radio Accessories
Project: Ads Designed by Twin Creek Media

Client: tekmar
Project: Corporate Brochure Designed by Twin Creek Media

Client: The Greenery
Project: Post Card Mail Out Designed by Twin Creek Media

Client: Case Furniture Gallery
Project: Website Development by Twin Creek Media

Client: Case Furniture Gallery
Project: Email Newsletter Designed by Twin Creek Media

As part of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce's Breakfast Education Series, Twin Creek Media was invited to give a presentation on the topic of Social Media Marketing for Business. The presentation is included below for reference. Press play, and use the arrows to navigate through. When you're finished, don't forget to "share" the knowledge with others using the buttons below.

Please connect with us and let us know what you think...
Web: www.twincreekmedia.com
Twitter: @twincreekmedia.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/twincreekmedia

The presentation covers:

• What is social media?
• What's the "big idea"?
• What are the benefits for small businesses?
• How are others successfully using social media for marketing and promotion?
• What are the current trends?
• How do I get started?
• Good tips and tools?

Twin Creek Media was invited to give a presentation to musicians and band managers at a recent Music BC event in Kelowna, BC. Below is the presentation that we gave...

The presentation covers:

• What is social media?
• What's the "big idea"?
• What are the benefits for musicians?
• How are others successfully using social media for marketing and promotion?
• What are the current trends?
• How do I get started?
• Good tips and tools?

Okanagan Valley Entrepreneur's Society - Using Social Media to Drive Business: Entrepreneur's Edition

Town Hall Series Event
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010, Ramada Hotel Kelowna

Speakers:
James Shaw - CEO/Creative Director, Twin Creek Media
Susan Knight - Radio Announcer, SunFM99.9
Nick Kellet - Entrepreneur and Creator of GiftTrap board game

Do you Twitter? Are you Linked in? Is your face on Facebook? Have you updated your blog today?
A decade or so ago these questions would have puzzled most people. Today's entrepreneur faces these questions daily. Have you ever said to yourself "Should I jump on board and do what everybody else is doing or should I wait to see what happens?" or "I don't have time to do it. I need to work on my business!"

Note: the video was shot impromptu with a hand held device.  Apologies for the low image/audio quality!

Should you use Social Media?

What is the difference between Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn?

How should entrepreneurs use Facebook?

How often should you update your Facebook fan page?

How to use Linkedin for business purposes

Quick Review of the Kodak Zi8

Click to jump to Kodak's product page

This is not a marketing related article like most of the posts on this blog, but it may interest readers in the marketing/production/design world nonetheless.

Do you shoot interviews?  Customer testimonials?

Aspiring product reviewer or blogger?

Impromptu capture-the-moment-around-town videos?

Work events, grand openings, parties, birthdays, dog eating soap bubbles?

Using the Kodak Zi8

I just bought the Zi8 on the weekend for $180 at London Drugs.  It's the easiest video camera I've ever used.  We had a $3000 Canon XH-A1 in our studio that we pulled out for pro shoots and mini-interviews.  Although the little Kodak can't really compare on a low light/zoom/quality optics level, it's ridiculous how good it is.  The 1080p mode is great.  The videos are very very good, and with the electronic image stabilization there is zero shake noticeable in playback, with video shot just handheld.

I took video inside and outside over the weekend. The outside video is exceptional (because the little lens works best in bright light).  The indoor video with lower light is a bit grainy, but still looks really good.  Audio is great.  I videod a birthday party and even got decent "blowing out the candles" footage in near pitch black.  I hooked it up on the spot to my 50" LCD TV with the supplied HDMI cable, and we all had a good laugh... everyone was totally blown away by the audio/video quality.  "That little thing made that video?!"

It has lower shooting quality levels too: 720p/60fps and lower, but I'll probably never use them.  The 60 frames per second is better for sports so you can slow-mo the action later, but unless you're running around chasing the action, this camera will be useless for most sports. (Remember, it has no optical zoom.)

Walk closer or back up to zoom.  That right.  Use your feet.  Digital zoom only crops the image...don't use it.  Actually this is kind of a novelty in itself.  It's sooooooo small that moving around is natural.  You can get down low, run close, move sideways... it adds to the creativity.  I enjoyed the low tech for once.  It's like using a prime lens on a DSLR still frame camera like the Canon 7D.  The fixed focal length lens limits you in a sense, and frees you up to move your body and find cool angles.

Kodak Zi8 dimensions

Summary

This is simply the best "home video camera" that I ever used.  It's like a microscopic pro camera that you can take anywhere.  I bought a 16GB SDHC card that gives me over 2hrs of recording time at full 1080p.  I jacked the camera directly in with USB and copied the clips to my Macbook Pro.  They playback just fine, and the format is .MOV so they should be easy to edit with iMovie on a Mac (haven't tested it yet).  It comes with bundled software for a PC, if for some odd reason you're a PC person.

It could be better if...

I wish it came with a case, but I'll find something that'll work.  And it would be nice if the lens had a little powered cover to keep dust and fuzz off.

In the end, every family should own one of these.   Every company should own one of these.  They're just too easy, too cheap, and too much fun to ignore.

NED, our company goldfish passed away a couple of months ago.  He (or she?) was a real part of our team and witnessed many client meetings atop the glass table in our meeting area.  He even had a name plate with "Receptionist" engraved on it.  NED was over 2 years old when he died all of a sudden from unknown causes. We all miss you NED.

Randomly, this video found it's way into my email inbox.  It reminded me of NED and the funny things he would do in his bowl.  I can almost picture him grooving out to tunes with his headphones on...

We always like to give credit to fellow artists...

Song: Soundtracks & Comebacks by GoldFish.  GoldFish is Dominic Peters and David Poole, an electronic jazz duo from Cape Town, South Africa. www.goldfishlive.com

Animation: The music video was directed and animated by Mike Scott. www.bruandboegie.co.za

Since 2004, Twin Creek Media has been a strategic and creative marketing agency located in Kelowna, British Columbia. The firm has carved a place in the marketing world by becoming known for integrated marketing: combining the best of internet and digital with the traditional mediums of print, radio, and TV.

We've structured our company a little differently than other marketing agencies.  We have 4 people on our executive team, and 12 part-time specialists on our creative team.   Clients get consistent leadership and project management, while scoring the specialized resources that make up our "dream teams".

Normally, clients get "A" there, "B" the other place, "C" somewhere else, and run around between various companies fitting things all together.  The result: lack of clarity, lack of continuity, lack of harmony in the marketing message.  Instead, at Twin Creek Media clients get a well-rounded range of marketing services... from assessing the need, creating the materials, and choosing the right tool(s) for the job.  We fit in very nicely with SMBs (small/mid sized businesses) - companies with 10 to 50 employees.

Twin Creek Media aims to be the gold standard in integrated marketing.  Roughly half our staff are Gen X and Y - we understand the digital world.  We live the internet.  We breathe Google, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogs, digital video, SEM, SEO, mobile apps... we know how to integrate the best of what today's technology has to offer with what is tried and true in the advertising universe - the big 3: print, radio, TV. 

"We love integrated marketing. Assessing your market and understanding your target audience is critical.  Creating the concept, designing the visuals, and crafting the words are undeniably important.  But the correct delivery of the message is crucial for successfully engaging your audience.  Marketing channels are all different and each have there own strengths and weaknesses.  We want to use the right marketing mix for each client." - Cara Reed, Account Director

We will not limit our services to one industry or one marketing tool.  Imagine marketing channels were colours of the rainbow... (oh boy, here comes the metaphor!) We will not limit our offerings to one colour.  If you want an just an expert in the colours of black & white, there are a million of them these days... just Google it.  We want to use any and all colours appropriate to tell your marketing story!