What was the project?
We launched a new brand campaign titled “How Business Goes to Market” for ZoomInfo to enhance awareness of our comprehensive go-to-market capabilities.
What problem were we solving?
We aimed to address the perception that ZoomInfo was only about sales and data, and to shift the focus to our broader, unified platform that aids in customer acquisition and growth through a robust tech stack and multi-channel outreach.
What we did?
We initiated the campaign with TV spots and reinforced the message through audio spots, social posts, and high-value banner ads. We also incorporated the campaign into major events, such as Dreamforce, to reach our target audience. Additionally, we integrated our solutions into a cohesive platform rather than separate brands, aligning internal teams and extending these enhancements to our customers.
What were the results?
We successfully elevated our brand's visibility and highlighted our shift to a comprehensive platform. Our campaign increased mental availability and brand awareness, as tracked by BlueOcean and biannual surveys of sales and marketing leaders. We strengthened our connection with key purchase decision drivers and demonstrated our commitment to modernizing go-to-market strategies for businesses of all sizes.
Credits
Agency: Colossus
ECD/Art: Travis Robertson
ECD/Copy: Greg Almeida
ACD/Art: Armeen Shaidani
ACD/Copy: Matthew Cermak
Art Director: Tyler Sugg
Copywriter: Evangeline Condakes
Studio Manager: Rachel McEntee
Head of Production: Nicole Hollis-Vitale
Executive Producer: Trisha Dowley
Assistant Producer: Brittaney Kelly
Managing Director: Jon Balck
Account Director: Hayley Richards
Brand: ZoomInfo
CMO: Bryan Law:
VP, Brand, Content: Meghan Barr:
CD: Brian Moore
Principal Brand Manager: Aly Hayes:
Production: Golden
Director: Fons Schiedon
Managing Director: Matthew Marquis
DP: Joe Picard
Editorial: Cartel
Editor: Eddie Ringer
Asst. Editor: Alex Segal
What was the project?
Revise and refresh the brand identity and visual assets of ZoomInfo to create a more consistent and sophisticated marketing approach.
What problem were we solving?
The visual brand expression wasn’t particularly unique and felt a bit dated. Additionally, there were no clear guiding principles for the marketing and sales teams to execute designs and presentation decks.
What did we do?
To revitalize ZoomInfo’s brand, we provided a comprehensive set of services focused on creating a more cohesive and sophisticated visual identity. We began by establishing clear design principles, which guided the revision of the logo and wordmark, ensuring they remained impactful while reflecting the brand’s essence. We also developed product marks and adopted new typography to modernize the brand’s look.
Our work included refining the color palette and introducing new design elements, such as cohesive iconography and product illustrations. Additionally, we defined a photography style that aligned with the brand’s refreshed image, resulting in a consistent and powerful visual identity across all brand touchpoints.
What were the results?
The results of our efforts were significant. The refreshed brand identity led to increased brand recall and mental availability, enhancing ZoomInfo's presence in the market. The reach of digital display content expanded, thanks to the more cohesive and compelling visual approach. We also streamlined the design team's processes, reducing SLAs and increasing efficiency. Additionally, we empowered the sales and marketing teams with self-service design templates, enabling them to create on-brand content more easily. Finally, we provided vendors, content creators, and partner agencies with clear, actionable guidelines, ensuring consistency across all external communications.
Credits
Brand: ZoomInfo
CMO: Bryan Law
Creative Director: Brian Moore
Sr Brand Design Lead: Megan McCall
Designers: Ran Jing, Jon Scott, Liz Emmert, Monica Schweiger, Shriya Srinivas, Claire Mcintire
Principal Brand Manager: Aly Hayes
What was the project?
Refresh a legacy brand to make it look and sound as iconic as its products, attracting a younger, savvier audience without losing its history and loyalists.
What were we solving?
Bose lost some focus and direction following the passing of Dr. Bose in 2013 and amid growing competition in the headphone market. While Bose was known for "Better Sound Through Research," the research also showed that this technical approach wasn't connecting with the audience. We needed to look back at our history and realign our brand mission, vision, and values to move forward and grow the business.
Bose also lacked comprehensive brand guidelines to define its visual and verbal expression system. As a result, each product line and campaign had its own unique look and feel, disconnected from the larger brand.
We also needed to sell this significant brand shift across all levels—from executive leadership to corporate and store employees.
What did we do?
We defined brand positioning, brand strategy, and brand expression (visual/verbal), alongside a full-funnel go-to-market approach.
We focused on brand-building with sales activation strategies that articulated Bose's value proposition, while crafting an engaging content strategy and executions that humanized the brand, enhancing consumer relevance and brand affinity.
What were the results?
This led to the expansion of our customer base, heightened cultural relevance, and bolstered brand equity scores, resulting in a remarkable $630 million in incremental sales.
Our brand expression guide became the copy and design bible for our internal teams, agency partners, influencers, and brand partnerships, making it easier to activate creative executions with a consistent market approach.
A new brand. A new way forward.
This project encompassed an entirely new brand strategy, visual and verbal identity, naming, logo, editorial content strategy, website as well as brand and product campaigns.
From solo product brand to parent brand with sub-brands
Before CollegeWell, brand awareness was limited for Private College 529 Plan. There was no mission, purpose or values for audiences to align or connect with. And options for providing value around educational content were limited. Building a parent brand with an endorsed structure opens opportunities for growth and added value through education, content, and connection. With CollegeWell, we could now help parents earlier in the college savings journey, from finding their path to saving and paying.
Private College 529 Plan “PC529” was a single product brand with decent market penetration within a very focused, narrow target audience. Existing accounts were reaching maturation, and we needed to ensure continued growth into the future. This led to multiple changes, taking the marketing and investing of our plan in-house and pursuing a re-brand to position, uncover our target audiences and build out structured marketing strategies.
This new path forward took a lot of faith, imagination, and willingness to carve new paths. CollegeWell isn’t just another college savings resource and 529 plan. It’s an experience meant to answer and solve parent frustrations. It’s warmth, empathy, and clarity where there’s little. And it's meant to be an unexpected breath of fresh air in a sea of sameness.
Creative Directors: Brian Moore, Ly Wieintruab, Carlos Perez
Marketing Strategy: Melissa Koehler
Art Director: Halina Wojtkowski
UX: Jason Levin
Content Strategiest: Caroline Roberts
Copywriter: Diana Thomas
Designer: Misha Bove
“Your Best Sleep Ever”
More than 70 million adults in the US alone suffer from sleep issues related to a noisy bedroom or a racing mind. The challenge Bose faced was convincing a tech-savvy audience that there is a new and effective solution to getting the good night’s sleep they so desperately crave.
Many sufferers weren’t aware or were skeptical that sleeping with noise-masking earbuds would be the right solution for them because it was an unfamiliar use-case and Bose has not established itself in the health market.
Additionally, Bose’s reputation as an audio brand known for noise cancellation headphones created expectations of streaming music and its noise reduction technology, neither of which are included.
Creatively, we needed to propose and demonstrate a new technology that addresses an urgent need to a skeptical audience. Our various messages had to be layered through the customer journey to make it easy to explain the value of a product with single functionality and intended for a specific use.
For the launch of our 1st generation, we focused primarily on the moments before and during sleep. For Sleepbuds II, we focused on the end benefit — waking up refreshed and ready to take on the challenges of the day ahead. The promise of your best sleep ever helped convince people who have been looking for a solution to try Sleepbuds instead of a “sleep divorce” ( sleeping separately from their partner, more common than people may realize).
The creative was developed with teams working fully remotely and the broadcast creative was footage captured and submitted by selected influencers and Bose employees. The campaign was carried through digital advertising, email, site and social media with editorial articles created to support sleep health and product awareness.
Creative Director: Brian Moore
Marketing Strategy: Carly Rancourt
ACD / Art Director: Kelly Wencis
ACD / Writer: Susan Hamilton
Writer: Jon Pelland
Producer: Abbe Novack
The family of Bose Soundlink Speaker line had not been updated in a few years but was reinvigorated by the launch of Soundlink Flex. This new bluetooth speaker is a powerful, rugged, waterproof speaker that could keep up wherever life takes you.
To illustrate its versatile and power, we looked for adventurous ways to showcase it benefits and performance. We cast real people doing exciting and adventurous endeavors and told their story and connection to music.
The portable bluetooth speaker market is competitive with many offerings. The target demographic might first consider price but can be swayed by performance. We focused on a mindset that enjoys music moments with others that wants a speaker that is easy to use, full of features with quality that won’t disappoint.
Creative Director: Brian Moore
Market Planner: Anke Meurrens
ACD/Art Director: Mike Hoffman
Copywriter: Dustin Grinnell
Producer: Michael Pellham
"Without Sound, They're Just Sunglasses"
Building on the success of the first generation of Frames, Bose launched Frame Tenor & Soprano. Two new styles with improved audio performance that more perfectly fulfilled the promise of the product line. Bose heard customer feedback and focused on elevating the fit, finish, and details that matter most.
As with our first generation of Frames, we not only had to explain the tech, but get people to believe that it could coexist with fashion and not feel like they were wearing a gadget. The team leaned into the mindset and attitude of our target, the adorners. We highlighted the attitude and idea that confidence sells. It's that feeling you get when you put them on. You look good. And you know it. The same feeling you get when you wear that jacket. Grab that handbag. Rock those shoes. This campaign is about that feeling. That attitude you have when you're on top of the world. Where anything is possible. Because of you. You are edgy and iconic. Elegant and beautiful. You are YOU. An individual. A moment. A statement.
Creative Director: Brian Moore
Marketing Strategy: Crystal MAckenzie
ACD / Art Director: Jorge de Corral
ACD / Writer: Billy Krolick
Art Director: Tina Lauring
Copywriter: Julia Levens
Director: Giovanni Messner
DP: Todd Banhazl
Photographer: Jussi Grznar
"Designed for Sports. Engineered for Sound"
Building on the success of the first generation of Frames, Bose launched Frame Tempo, the high-performance sport audio sunglasses made for tough workouts. Designed for comfort and performance, we targeted athletes and people looking to push their exercise goals. Beyond the audio performance, the main benefit was carrying one less device while being active.
We sought to capture a moment of elite athletes at peak performance. "Captured in FLOW." Whether it was right before they launched down the mountain or on mile 87 of a heart-pounding road race. This was them at their best. In the zone. And we can FEEL it.
Up close and personal. These are real athletes working hard. We feel their intensity. Sense their power. Get energy off their adrenaline. And to do that, we see it. On their FACE. They sweat. They strain. They push. They focus.
Glasses as character. The glasses are their gear. It's what's powering them through. We can feel it. The power. The beat. They reflect the activity and environment. And they feel powerful.
Creative Director: Brian Moore
Marketing Strategy: Crystal Mackenzie
ACD / Art Director: Jorge de Corral
ACD / Writer: Billy Krolick
Director: Giovanni Messner
DP: Todd Banhazl
Photographer: Jussi Grznar
"Hearing in your Hands"
Hearing aids and hearing health is a growth category with a sizeable underserved population. It is estimated that 27 million adults are suffering from mild to moderate hearing issues in the U.S. alone. Unfortunately, multiple barriers are keeping these people on the sidelines. Hearing aids are expensive, and the process of getting them is confusing and complicated by an industry that wants to maintain control over it. There is also an enormous stigma about wearing hearing aids, which is reinforced by poor marketing that only targets older individuals.
People have been writing to Bose and asking them to make hearing aids for years. Tapping into the brand promise of helping fulfill their highest human potential — so they can do more, feel more and be more, Bose launched a health division to tackle this serious issue. After Congress passed the Over-The-Counter Act in 2017, allowing CE brands to sell hearing aids, an FDA-regulated medical device, directly to consumers without a prescription, Bose moved quickly to launch. Many believe this will create massive disruption in the category. A trusted brand like Bose has the opportunity to leverage its authority in audio and bring relief to many hearing sufferers and family supporters. That’s what they set out to do.
In preparation for the launch of their first hearing aid in 2021, Bose had to address the barriers around marketing a product that people don't really want to buy. The typical customer journey of acknowledging a product and using hearing aids is about seven years. Hearing loss is really about a loss of control and an uncomfortable need for help from others. Bose set out to shorten this timeframe with a product and process that gives control to the customer and makes it easy to incorporate into their life. And back them up with ongoing support.
The creative needed to feel modern and reflect the hearing sufferers who are still vital, in the prime of their careers and highly engaged with their friends and family. We sought to drive engagement by showing control and confidence in common pain point moments. We address stigma with a modern, uplifting tone with target-appropriate talent. In addition to advertising, we developed multiple educational content pieces to enlighten and empower individuals to take action.
The initial reviews of the Bose SoundControl Hearing Aids have hit the market in May 2021, and have been very positive. Bose hopes to continue its growth in this area and serve many more people with hearing issues.
Creative Director: Brian Moore
Marketing Strategy: Gitti Crowley
ACD / Art Director: Kelly Wencis
ACD / Writer: Susan Hamilton
Agency Partner: Bullish
With the launch of Instagram TV, the social marketing team asked the internal creative group to concept, develop and shoot a new series that gave people more insight into what goes on behind the scenes at Bose. The team had an amazing experience digging in the engineering department’s areas to uncover the stories that our real social fans asked for. Working closely with our host, Dylan, the team wrote and edited this short series that received hundreds of thousands of views, increased our social engagement and hopefully uncovered the mysterys of Bose R&D.
Creative Director: Brian Moore
Associate Creative Director: Craig Falzone
Social Strategy: Chris Kelleher
ACD / Art Director: Jorge de Corral
ACD / Writer: Billy Krolick
Art Director: Tina Lauring
Writer: Jon Pelland
Host: Dylan Wack
“Hear the Music. And the Moment”
With the success of Bose Frames audio sunglasses, our product teams built on the open-ear audio format by emphasizing the earbuds' truly wireless, open-ear form-factor by designing Sport Open Earbuds for use while exercising outdoors. They allow customers to listen to the content while leaving their ears fully open for ultimate situational awareness. This enables customers to hear what's going on around them and engage with others around them while listening to their content.
The creative needed to reflect the openness of the product. Sport Open Earbuds are all about letting the world in while you work out. This is not a dark, brooding world. On the contrary, this is an awe-inspiring, "optimistic" one. Open environments help reinforce open-ear. A river reflects an arcing blue sky. Night runs through Chinatown, featuring neons, colorful lights, and out-of-focus warm cityscapes that highlight the lively, bustling humanity of the city. Running with your training partner results in a friendly sprint and challenge. Running along next to you, your Husky "BARKS" as you both navigate wide-open, evergreen trails. The music BUMPS, weaving you through the crowd to conquer the 5k.
Creative Director: Brian Moore
Marketing Strategy: Crystal Mckenzie
ACD / Art Director: Jorge de Corral
ACD / Writer: Billy Krolick
Art Director: Tina Lauring
Writer: Julia Levens
Recorded in Bose’s own state-of-the-art recording studio, Better Sound Sessions connects Bose’s followers and the artists fans through a unique live recording from emerging artist. A great way to demonstrate the brand’s commitment to great music and amazing audio. These videos were featured as retail listening demos as well as content for social channels.
Creative Director: Brian Moore
Creative Strategist: Jon Restaino
ACD / Art Director: Kara Skandier
ACD / Writer: Craig Falzone
Dr. Amar Bose, the founder of the 57-year-old audio giant, once said, "Always dream of things that are better, and think of ways to reach those things." This philosophy and drive to improve people's lives through the research and development of audio experiences are responsible for the brand's longevity and success. Bose is consistently working to improve people's lives, allowing them to do or feel more.
For the company's 50th anniversary, we were asked to research and tell the brand's history. As the art director on this project, I worked closely with my creative partner and many company executives, including some of Dr. Bose's students, to capture the key story points and milestones of the first 50 years of Bose's history. Our challenge was to highlight the highs and lows during that early period and uncover the character and uniqueness that defines the company and its culture.
The creative campaign was led by a 22-minute video documentary directed by Academy Award Winner Morgan Neville (2014 Best Documentary Feature: 20 Feet from Stardom). To accompany the film, we created a lavish coffee table book and an immersive digital experience that included additional videos and creative executions—historical photos, product and technology animations and audio clips that allowed users to explore the narrative deeper and at their own pace.
Creative Director: Vic Cevoli
ACD / Art Director: Brian Moore
ACD / Writer: Craig Falzone
ACD / Art Director: Dana Edwards
“Sunglasses with a Soundtrack”
Frames Alto & Rondo were the first Audio Sunglasses from Bose. As we launched this new category, the marketing and communications team looked to leverage the brand's audio authority and build credibility within the fashion sunglass space.
We were targeting the "Adorners," those individuals who are typically the first to know and show when it comes to fashion and technology. They are early adopters of innovation, whom others look to follow. They see their body as a canvas and, in part, express themselves and their personalities through their clothing and accessories. They are highly discerning, seek out luxury, and choose unique items that showcase distinct designs.
To reach this audience, we found ways to stretch the brand's guidelines adding new type treatments, animations, and photography styles that were more aligned with a fashion brand.
Creative Director: Brian Moore
Marketing Strategy: Crystal Mckenzie
ACD / Art Director: Jorge de Corral
ACD / Writer: Billy Krolick
Agency: Collins
With the launch of Bose Frames, we needed to develop a retail audio demonstration that drove people to stores, engaged visitors with a wow moment and closed the loop with social sharing. So, the team concepted a booth that created an instagramable experience in which customers were encouraged to take selfies with the audio equalizer reflected in the lenses, iconically portraying music sunglasses.
The booth's footprint was a mere 4x4 feet and prominently featured in store windows. We enticed customers with a chance to win a trip to their favorite music festival with these easy steps:- Wear the sunglasses.- Snap a selfie with the equalizer reflected in the glasses.- Share on social.
The booth was present in 30 stores across the U.S., running from January to April 2019. It became Bose's most engaging retail campaign with thousands of selfies submitted on social (primarily Instagram), as well as via a microsite.
Ad Club's 2019 Hatch Merit Award
Creative Director: Brian Moore
ACD / Art Director: Jorge de Corral
ACD / Writer: Billy Krolick
Marketing Strategy: Crystal Mckenzie
Visual Merchandiser: Kristen Lauer
Customer Experience Designer: Brook Bayer
"Listen for Yourself"
This is the campaign theme. What does it mean, exactly? These days there are SO many voices telling you what to do, how to do it, where to do it, and reminding you not to forget to tell your friends you're doing it. But only one voice really matters—yours.
We set out to celebrate how Bose helps you express your individuality. Your music. Your look. It's all about you. So make up your own mind. Listen because of how it makes you feel, not because someone tells you to. Don't listen for anyone else. Listen for yourself.
The campaign concept launched across the entire customer journey that included TV, banners, social, email, in-store and content marketing. We found real people with a genuine connection to music and told their stories, revealing how astonishing audio and music fuels their passion.
The campaign went global with "Scene Unseen." A video series, produced by Vice, that traveled the globe shining a spotlight on unique music scenes and their devoted characters in places you'd never expect — Japan's thriving dancehall scene, India's burgeoning underground electronic dance movement, and Mexico's refreshing indie-pop adventures.
Creative Director: Vic Cevoli
ACD / Art Director: Brian Moore
ACD / Writer: Craig Falzone
With the launch of the 2nd generation home wifi speakers from Bose, we concepted and produced a six-episode master class in musical genres with virtual mixtapes personally curated by a DJ and Music Producer Mark Ronson.
Our challenge was to find the right balance of product demonstration and engaging content that highlighted the ease and quality of our one-touch Spotify-connected speaker.
Creative Director: Brian Moore
Creative Strategist: Jon Restaino
ACD / Art Director: Kara Skandier
ACD / Writer: Craig Falzone
