Ten Years

Well, we did it! Ten years in the biz.

It's been a real whirlwind with something like 85 clients over the years and some 500 plus ads.

We've had a ton of fun. You can see the latest newsletter here: Ten Years in Vancouver Advertising.

When I first tried cracking Vancouver as a copywriter in 2008, my business card was Golden Goose Eggs.

 Now, we have metal, metal cards.




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8 Years

We are now 8 years old! Here is our latest Vancouver advertising newsletter.

Our latest, latest, latest work

Man, we’ve been busy. We just finished a huge campaign for Dr. Bernstein that spans TV, radio and digital. We re-branded three established industrial companies. And zombies. Yes, zombies.

Click here to see our latest, latest, latest work.

(It's Not Just) Kids These Days

The whole world's gone digital. Is your business ready to face an audience that lives behind a screen?

Here's our latest newsletter.

Our Latest, Latest Work

Here is some of our latest work. To see the full newsletter, click here.

Breathe New Life Into Your Brand

See the full newsletter here:

Immersion Creative October 2010 Newsletter

If You're Not Online - You Don't Exist

It's time to get all existential. Don't fade into obscurity. Get an online presence today.

Click here to find out how: Vancouver advertising help.

Read the rest of the newsletter here: SEO newsletter link.

Does Alcohol Have You Under Its Spell?

Toronto Psychologist Donna Ferguson of DF Psych has released a self-help book for those who have problems with heavy drinking.

Immersion Creative helped with the look of the booklet, which can be downloaded on her website. You can read the first chapter of the 10 Setps to Quitting Drinking guide here, or, for a small donation, you can get the whole 10-step, self-help manual.

PRIMED website has launched

Here is our latest project.

If you want to be a nurse, you must write the CRNE (it's like the BAR exam). PRIMED can help you prepare with a two-day intensive course.

Here is the website: PRIMED Educational Associates

PRIMED Educational Associates

PRIMED Educational Associates has the ultimate CRNE prep course for nurses wishing to practice in Canada.

THE PROBLEM:

No awareness.

Here are a few of the promotional materials we made for them, as well as a social media package.

THE RESULT:

They went from having 4 students at the first course, 5 at the second, to a jump to 27 after our efforts.

Here are some posters we put up around campuses.



Here are bookmarks to give out with CRNE study guides.



Here's a testimonial:

"Immersion Creative was vital to the growing success of our business. We had a good product, but nobody knew about us. Through social marketing and creative advertising Mike helped us acquire 540% more students."

An Innovative Approach to Law

Immersion's latest branding - Miller Titerle

A different kind of law firm.

Haalsa Online Referrals

Haalsa - online referrals is finally up and running. I did a complete branding/start up kit for this new company over the summer.

If you have a young company, and you would like to spread the word without spending much money - it may be right for you.

Click here to find out more

Art to Boot

This was Immersion Creative's entry to the Blundstone Art to Boot contest. Special thanks to artist Angel Stehlen.

Immersion Experience #2

I am currently doing my second complete "Immersion Experience."

Normally I research everything I can about my clients and their competitors before beginning a major project.

With an Immersion Experience, it is even more involved. I work right in their office. I bring my laptop and meet the staff. I listen to their music, and I develop an understanding of how they sell. I learn from the people who know their business best - the client themselves - and then I build communications tailored to their personality and style.

I will post our new creative as soon as it hits the public. But for now, it's all under wraps.

Here's to the power of the headline.

The University of Nebraska did a little experiment in interesting headlines. They ran two ads for the same thing.

The first was something like: "Great part-time campus jobs."

The second said: "Crybabys need not apply."

Guess which one got 65% more hits?

You can read about it here: Ma-ma-ma-ma mama's boy

Where do I get my clients?

People always ask me where I get my clients from. There are some referrals, some chance meetings, but mostly, they come through social media.

I have three Twitter accounts, eight blogs, two Youtube sites, a Perfspot page, Plurk, Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn and I am on several forums.

7 of my 18 clients were found through social media. That’s about 40% of my business.

I can do the same for you. Contact me today at mike@immersioncreative.com and I’ll show you how you can bring customers to you like a magnet, without paying a dime for traditional media.

Immersion Creative Updated Client List

Pardon Services Canada
Haalsa Online Referrals
Pet Place
Primed Nurses Training
DF Psych
Agoo Apparel
Leg Huggers
Mr. Cool Ice Cream
Rob Hadley, Hypnotherapist
Nika Shoe Repair
Small World Studies
English Bay Bikes
Xpedia
Polygone
Golden Eagle Charters
Staples Online
Lee Gardens
Plus two others...

Shoe Stunt Goes Viral

Our ad for Nika may have been a short-lived exercise, but it has since gone viral online, where it will live forever.

It has been featured on Ads of the World, Best Ads on TV and over 20 blogs.

Check it out here: Vancouver advertising link

Ads of the World

Our Nika ad has been selected by Adsoftheworld.

Exciting! Just to be selected feels rather special. And the client was most pleased.

Here is the link: Nika Shoe Repair

"Realist" Painter Needed

Immersion Creative is looking for a painter for a project. You will need to be very realistic and good at working on a variety of surfaces.

If you are interested, please email some samples to mike@immersioncreative.com

Agoo Active Kid's Day

Last Saturday was Agoo Active Kid's Day where Agoo helped to raise money for Canuck Place Children's Hospice.

There were bands, gymnastics, and fun and games for kids of all ages.

To see some pictures of the event (coming soon), click this link: Agoo Blog.

For upcoming events, be sure to follow Agoo's Twitter, Facebook or Blog.

Follow Immersion on Twitter

Follow these accounts for up-to-the-minute information about:

Vancouver Advertising

Immersion Creative

Ice Cream Truck Advertising

Social Media

I am handling the social media for my two newest clients: Agoo Apparel and Leghuggers.

You can follow their tweets here (Agoo Twitter, Leghugger Twitter) and read the Agoo blog here.

Standing on Rooftops

The weekend photoshoot for Haalsa went very well.

Our neighbours thought we were crazy after having our models scream from rooftops in their best suits, pimp jackets and fedora hats.

I'll post some pictures soon... the website should be up in the next week or so.

Immersion's Summer Intern

Immersion Creative is excited to introduce its new intern, Michelle Chuang.

She is a recent graduate of Johns Hopkins University majoring in Neuroscience. Although Michelle’s background is in science, she has a passion for art direction and copywriting. She is back in Vancouver for the summer before she heads to grad school in NYC where she will attempt to land a job in advertising.

You have been kind, polite and helpful...

For free...for far too long.

Now it's time to get paid!


Here is our latest website.

PSC Referral Rewards

Get paid for every referral you send to Pardon Services Canada.

CBC Radio One

Immersion Creative was on the radio this morning, talking about guerilla marketing.

I spent all night trying to come up with a good way to define when it's appropriate and when it's not. But in the end, it's a call for the masses, like with any artform.

Sometimes people love it, sometimes people hate it. It's like all advertising, I guess.

Here's a campaign we did in Hong Kong. I thought it was pretty fun. And that's kind of the point of it.




(Click for a larger size.)

Pardon Services Canada - Bus Ads

These ads turned out really well. I see them everywhere now.

And for Pardon Services Canada, business has never been better.

Pardon Services Canada Ads Nicked!

I finally got to see the PSC ads up on the Skytrain. They looked great, for a day, and then they were stolen.

When I called Crime Stoppers, they told me I should take it as a compliment.

The Leaf Boat

My first children's book has been published.

You can purchase it online here: The Leaf Boat

Ice Cream Truck Advertising - The Website

It's only the splash page at this point, but it's an awesome website:

Ice Cream Truck Advertising

Online Notoriety

A friend of mine sent me this link. It's great. It says so much about the shift that advertising has taken in the last few years with the advent of online notoriety.
Vancouver advertising link

Actually, I wrote an article in to a similar vein several years ago: Online Notoriety

And now, a soothing interlude from around that time that became on overnight work-break sensation:

Vancouver Advertising Agency Catalogue

I have a side project going on.

I want to catalogue all of the best agencies from Vancouver onto one site to make them easy to find, in terms of their work.

Here is the blog: Vancouver advertising

Here is an article about what I hope to accomplish with this site:

Vancouver Advertising Agencies Catalogued, Sorted and Easy to Find

Immersion Journalism

Immersion Journalism is about submerging yourself in your subject.

Similar to Gonzo Journalism.

Similar to what I do at Immersion Creative.

Here is the Wiki article: Immersion Journalism.

Immersion Creative on Plurk

Oh I'm open to new media, you should be too. You can check me out here:

Immersion Creative on Plurk

Ice Cream Truck Advertising

And now for something completely different.

Immersion Creative has access to a complete fleet of ice cream trucks.

When is the last time someone chased after your ad? Wrap a whole truck, and make your message funky and fun.

If you are interested in Ice Cream Truck Advertising let me know.



Call Mike at 604 537 1874.

Vancouver Creatives Who Like Money

The fourth meeting of the most creative and entrepreneurial minds in Vancouver is tonight.

Join the Facebook Group, and then join us at Yaggers at 6 pm.

Emersion Creative

Do you know what's strange?

Whenever I tell people about Immersion Creative, they search for it as:

Emersion Creative.

or

Emersion Advertising.

It's a good name as well, actually, as in:
e·merge (-mûrj)
intr.v. e·merged, e·merg·ing, e·merg·es
1. To rise from or as if from immersion: Sea mammals must emerge periodically to breathe.
2. To come forth from obscurity: new leaders who may emerge.
3. To become evident: The truth emerged at the inquest.
4. To come into existence. See Synonyms at appear.

I like to think the end product of the Immersion Experience would be the Emersion Experience.

My latest article

Alright, it's a little ridiculous, but here it is:

Vancouver Advertising meet Immerison Creative Pt. One - The Website

Logo Blues

Some people like my logo.

Some people don't.

You can't please everyone all of the time. Although my belief is a good ad should come pretty close.

So, I'm putting it up for contest, if you have a better idea, let me know, and I'll give you a cool prize.

My newest blog

I just started another blog about Vancouver advertising.

It's called just that: The Vancouver Advertising Blog

Vancouver Advertising

My latest column about Vancouver advertising is out:

Vancouver Advertising and the Great SEO Challenge

Times Are Tough. Advertise Smarter.

It can cost upwards of 80 grand to put an ad in the Yellow Pages for a year.

Madness!

We are in the worst recession in 70 years. It's time to tighten the belt without disappearing completely.

You don't need to advertise less. You need to Advertise Smarter.

For half of your Yellow Pages ad, I will provide you with an integrated campaign that includes:

#1 spot on Google
A TV ad
A radio ad
A print ad
A blog
An online column

If you want Vancouver advertising that gets mad results, contact me today at 604 537 1874.

Facebook Group Challenges the Yellow Pages

There was an article in 24 today about how the Yellow Pages will soon be obsolete as we know it if Facebook has its way with the directory giant.

Not only are the Yellow Pages an enormous waste of paper, trees and resources. They are also ineffective. Almost everything is sought after online now. And an enormous number end up in landfills.

There is now a Facebook Group called: The Yellow Pages must be stopped.

The creator, Jonathan Narvey, wants an opt-in subscription to the 1000 page tomes, so the majority of doesn’t go wasted unnecessarily. Good.

Immersion Creative has also taken notice. I can get anything to the top of the internet. I have been doing it with blogs so far, but in the future, I plan to do more brass tacks SEO.

I offer this to any company with a two-page full-colour spread: I will get you to #1 for half the price of your Yellow Pages ad.

Contact me at 604 537 1874 for more details.

The Great SEO Challenge

To demonstrate my SEO skills on a non-blog site, I have decided to put my own website, Immersion Creative, at #1 for Vancouver Advertising.

Currently, it is at 1393.

Let's see how long it takes to get to #1 (sans blog).

Ready, set, go...

Small World Studies

This was my most recent project at Immerison Creative.

The pretty Russian girl in the foreground is my little mouse.

Small World Studies

How Long Do They Last?

It is one thing to get your name to the top of Google, and another thing to keep it there.

What's the secret? Blogs. Whatever I put up there, stays up there.

Need proof, aieya, of course you do: Here's a breakdown.

If you click on each link you can see their Google placement.

Sustainability Advertising
This has been #1 since March 6, 2005, when I first got into blogging. I started this blog for Creative Wonders, an agency with a focus of sustainability and LOHAS advertising.

Freelance English Copywriter
This has been #1 since August 28, 2006. This was my second blog. I used it to find a job in Hong Kong. Since then, it has given me thousands of dollars worth of freelance.

English copywriter
This has been #1 since June 5, 2007. I started it to own 'English copywriter' as well as just freelance, as I was working at Ogilvy at the time. Some of the spilloffs of this blog have me as the #1 source in things I could never anticipate, such as:

Ogilvy and Mather copywriter Hong Kong and Advertising and Mind Manipulation

The spill-off effects of blogs are huge. I'll get to that in another post: The Spill-off effects of blogs.

Either way, where were we? Yes, after that, I realized I had the power to get things to the top of Google. And they were staying there.

So I tried some more.

A Copywriter in Asia
This has been up since March 6, 2007.

Native English Teacher
I made this for my fiancee, Maria. It has been #1 worldwide since May 8, 2007. And this is a very competitive market.

Vancouver Transit Advertising
I made this for my friend, Jon, who works at Lamar Transit Advertising. It has been #1 since October 22, 2006.

You get the idea. They go up to the top and they stay there.

Why? Because they are real. A lot of scammers will try to sell you on the idea of a quick-fix for fast cash. There is no such thing. Blogs are hard work. But they work. And they last.

Immersion Creative #1 on Google

Well, that didn't take very long.

I am #1 on Google myself.

I am thinking in tough times, maybe this is where I should focus.

Immersion Creative is the 13th name I have shot to #1 on Google.

Here is the rest of the list: #1 on Google list.

The Superbowl

The Superbowl is the biggest day of the year for advertising.

The cost for a 30-second spot is outrageous: $2.6 million. However, this is a good time to put creativity in perspective. If you were spending that much money, you would want a spot that works.

So the effectiveness of creativity is thrown in the spotlight.

Notice how strategy takes a second seat to comedy?

Companies want people to WATCH that spot, because they spent a fortune on it. How do you make people watch it in the first place? Creativity.

It doesn't matter how useful or informative an ad is. No one wants to watch a boring branding spot. No one except for the owner of the company.

These are multi-billion dollar companies spending millions on a spot. Does creativity work? Of course!

You can see all of the ads here: Superbowl ads

Get #1 on Google With a Blog

I have shot 13 blogs to the top of Google, with hard work, and a few tricks up my sleeve.

Ranked #1 on Google worldwide:

Sustainability Advertising (for Creative Wonders)
Freelance English Copywriter (for me)
English Copywriter (for me as well)
Native English Teacher (for my fiancee, Maria)
Vancouver Transit Advertising (for my friend, Jon at Lamar)
Pardon Services Canada Testimonials (for Pardon Services Canada)
Copywriter in Hong Kong (also for me)
A Copywriter in Asia (yep, me again)
Oslo webdesign (for my friend, Kristian)
How do I get rid of my Canadian criminal record? (for PSC)
Pardon Me, Canada (for Pardon Services Canada)
Remove Your Record (for Pardon Services Canada)

And of course:

Immersion Creative

In progress:

I want to study in Canada (for Small World Studies)
Study in Canada work in Canada (for Small World Studies)

If you would like me to make a blog for you, I have special packages available on my website: Immersion Creative

Why Blogs?

I am a big fan of blogs. In today's advertising world, they are referred to as "long-tail marketing," and they work very well.

Blogs allow you to put forward useful information, as well as your name, on a particular topic.

If you happen to have a car dealership in Vancouver, a blog about things to look for when buying a new car in Vancouver would be useful. People thinking about getting a new car, and researching into different brands and models (and places to buy) would stumble across your blog, and if it was well-written and informative, they would absorb it as well.

This specific knowledge set allows you to become an authority on the matter, and it leads people straight to you on a Google search.

So far, I have set up blogs for everything that I thought could be useful to me, my friends and the businesses I have worked for. So far, I have always managed to get to either #1 or #2 on the Google rankings. It takes some time, and it is very labour-intensive, but it works, and the results stay there indefinitely. The first blog I ever made, for Creative Wonders, was called Sustainability Advertising. It has held the #1 spot for over five years.

New Logo for Immersion Creative

Immersion Creative Article 3

Here is my third article:

Immersion Creative - A new venture

Immersion Creative Case Study #1

Here is my second article:

Immersion Creative Case Study #1: Differentiation

Immesion Creative Open For Business

My latest article is out:

Immersion Creative Open For Business

In Tough Times Clients Look for Better Creative

In a recent study, it was shown that most marketing and advertising professionals sought after more innovative campaigns in tougher times. The Creative Group, in an independent study, polled over 250 professionals randomly selected from over 2000 agencies.

The results were encouraging for small businesses looking to stand out in a once saturated market of wallpaper ads.

“Firms that lack the resources to support traditional marketing initiatives may be willing to stand out on a limb and try something different,” stated The Creative Group’s Megan Slabinski.

In the words of ad legend Bill Bernbach: “Properly practiced creativity can make one ad do the work of ten.”

Immersion Creative Website

My temporary website is up.

The photography is courtesy of my marvelous little mouse.

To see some more of her work, click here

Immersion Creative

Immersion Creative - A New Beginning

Hello, and welcome to the first post of Immersion Creative.

Immersion is a new venture of mine.

For years I have been freelancing for clients. And working for agencies. This means I have been absorbing everything I can about their companies. I have been listening intently to their business problems and offering solutions. I have been an outside observer, seeing how a consumer sees, to help build and shape communications.

This is an immersive process. But now, I plan to take it one step further.

I'm after immersion, I mean complete immersion. As in being there in the flesh.

I'll work with you for a while, to get a feel for what your business is really all about. Every business has its own taste and that's the spice and I'm flavour I'm trying to express.

The idea is to offered custom-tailored solutions to unique brands that need to stand out in a cluttered market. And the best way to do so is to show off their strengths. It's my job to find them.

Either way, wish me luck as I set forth on this adventure. You can see my other blog here:

Immersion Advertising