The International Academy of the Visual Arts just announced winners for the 2012 Communicator Awards and Mightybytes earned four of them!
In the website category:
And in the interactive category:
This was the 18th Annual Communicator Awards and the winning entries were selected by the International Academy of the Visual Arts.
]]>Check out this workshop on all things content marketing!
Content Jam: The Secrets of Content Marketing is a workshop in Chicago that will help you craft best practices for telling great stories, understanding content management, helping readers find you, and measuring success. Featuring industry experts sharing stories and ideas in a fun and casual environment, you will walk away from this interactive event with a solid understanding of how to create, manage, promote, share, and measure your content marketing efforts.
Register for this Workshop!
Content Jam will include the following sessions:
Good content marketing is all about telling compelling stories. In this one-hour session, Jill Pollack (@jillwritergrrl) will use storytelling techniques to unlock your inner writer and tap into your own creative spirit (while remaining true to corporate philosophy and marketing goals). Whether you write blog posts, website articles, or old-fashioned emails and print collateral, this session will teach you the secrets of interacting with your reader and beginning a profitable conversation.
In this session you will learn:
Think of this session as creative writing with a sprinkle of call-to-action and a dose of marketing message. Through brief writing exercises and discussion, you will learn to use details, images, narrative arc, and more.
Since your content marketing materials will lead people back to your primary digital presence—your website—you need to match what’s “out there” with what’s “in here.” In this session content strategist Hilary Marsh (@hilarymarsh) will share how to create a cohesive editorial calendar—prioritizing topics, coordinating all digital efforts, and developing the right mix for your key audience(s)—so that people who are drawn to you through your marketing efforts can learn more and start interacting with you.
In this session you will learn:
In this session, Andy Crestodina (@crestodina) covers some of the most effective tactics for creating and promoting online content.
In this session you will learn:
This session covers the fastest, cheapest and most effective web marketing tactics available. Real world examples and impact on Analytics will be discussed throughout. Andy will share his template for content marketing (and links to all the resources) with attendees.
Good content marketing efforts are for naught if you can’t measure their effectiveness and plan accordingly. In this session Tim Frick (@timfrick) will share an in-depth look at measuring the metrics that define online success for your business or organization. Learn how to measure website visitor interactions, track how social media and content sharing efforts affect site performance, and make informed decisions regarding where to focus efforts moving forward.
In this session you will learn:
In this session you will go beyond mere reporting of data by pulling actionable insights that can have significant impact on reaching marketing goals.
Sessions will take place in dedicated rooms four times over the course of the afternoon. Attendees can attend sessions in any order they wish.
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: Networking and lunch for those who arrive early
12:00 to 12:30 p.m.: Welcome, introductions, panel discussion of basic terms
12:45 to 1:45 p.m.: Session one
2:00 to 3:00 p.m.: Session two
3:15 to 4:15 p.m.: Session three
4:30 to 5:30 p.m.: Session four
5:45 to 6:00 p.m.: Action items: tomorrow’s to do list
6:00 p.m.: Field trip to The Long Room (two-block walk from conference)
Space is limited for this event. Reserve your seat now.
Content Jam: The Secrets of Content Marketing
Date: Thursday, June 14, 2012
Time: 11am to 6pm
Place: 4043 N. Ravenswood, Chicago
Cost: $195.00 per person
Networking: There will be an after-event soiree at The Long Room on Irving Park immediately following the conference.
]]>Mightybytes’ new web application for Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture streamlines process for matching visitors with local volunteers to encourage city exploration.
New process significantly reduces workflow and volunteer response times and offers improved convenience.
(CHICAGO) March 7, 2012 – Mightybytes’ new web application streamlines the process for booking visits on Chicago Greeter, a free service provided by the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture (COTC). The site allows visitors to explore the city by matching them with friendly and insightful local volunteers who know the area. These visits can be customized to a specific neighborhood, language, or special interest and can vary from historic landmarks to unique shops and places to dine.
The existing website was friendly, but cumbersome because it used an outdated data tool in tandem with emails and faxes to match visitors and volunteers. After researching user demographics, Mightybytes streamlined and refocused the site around all three sets of users and developed an intuitive three-phased web application for COTC staff, volunteers, and Chicago visitors.
The resulting site accomplishes several tasks:
In order to help the Chicago Greeter team make site updates and more efficiently manage data, Mightybytes focused on streamlining workflow steps across all parts of the booking and administration process and then created simple interfaces to support each step in that process.
”Usability was the most important factor in redesigning interfaces for Chicago Greeter,” Mightybytes Art Director Joy Burke said. “Our lightweight design paired well with a strong visual hierarchy and easy-to-understand workflows to achieve a very user-friendly system.”
Users of the site agree, noting that the site is not only intuitive but also saves time as well.
“Because of the improvements that Mightybytes implemented, our workflow time has been significantly reduced and our volunteers are responding to visitor requests far more quickly than ever before,” said Katie Law, Manager, Chicago Greeter. “It is so convenient to be able to access our database from any computer—even from a mobile phone.”
The site’s creators see where a solution like Chicago Greeter could be applied to many different scenarios both in and out of the travel and tourism industry.
“Chicago Greeter is great for those travelers who are looking for recommendations or historical background from people who know their neighborhood best,” said Mightybytes owner Tim Frick. “The product could also be easily extended to other cities or to organizations interested in matching up volunteers with those who need services.”
The Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture markets Chicago as a premier cultural destination to domestic and international leisure travelers; provides innovative visitor programs and services; and familiarizes visitors and residents with the city’s vibrant neighborhoods, cultural attractions and creative industries. The Chicago visitor industry serves 40 million visitors annually, generates $11 billion in direct spending and $616 million in taxes, and sustains 124,000 jobs. For more information, visit www.ExploreChicago.org.
Mightybytes is a triple bottom line-friendly creative firm that executes design-driven marketing communications and online interactive solutions. The company employs smart design and clever storytelling as the underlying forces that drive its process while its technical expertise cuts across media formats and platforms to set it apart. Mightybytes works primarily with cause-driven clients, helping them prosper, grow, and achieve measurable business results. For more information, visit www.mightybytes.com.
For more info, check out the Chicago Greeter entry in our portfolio:
View the Project
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a trendy term bandied about these days by everyone from Molson to Method, from Tyson to Timberland. Corporations large and small have hopped on the CSR bandwagon in efforts to drive sales and prove to customers the value of their conscientious efforts. But what companies say and how they operate day-to-day can be worlds apart. How do you differentiate the lip service from companies who build socially responsible practices into the core of their business models?
Join us for a lively discussion of what it takes to solve social and environmental problems using the power of business. Tim Frick and Nancy Goldstein of CompassX Strategy will separate the serious from the superficial using case studies and examples of responsible marketing done right . . . and wrong.
Tim and Nancy will also cover B Corporations, a new kind of socially responsible business structure, legislation for which is currently being reviewed by Illinois Senate and Illinois House Judiciary committees. Mightybytes and CompassX Strategy are two of only a handful of Illinois B Corporations. Find out what being a B Corporation means both personally and professionally, as well as how to become one.
Informative slides! Thought-provoking videos! Tag team song-n-dance routines by two fun presenters! Really, how can you pass this up?
This event is free and open to the public, so bring your friends!
Date: Wednesday, March 14th
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Place: Columbia College’s Hokin Hall, 623 South Wabash, Chicago
The challenges of marketing a socially responsible business will be covered during this panel discussion at the UIC Innovation Center, February 10th.
UIC’s Liautaud Graduate Marketing Association and Net Impact will present a panel on conscious communication, which will cover best marketing practices for sustainable and socially responsible businesses. The panel will discuss challenges that accompany marketing a socially responsible business or organization and the unique set of skills and demands necessary in the always evolving field of marketing. Topics pertaining to the following will be addressed:
In addition to Tim showing out for Mightybytes, representatives from the following organizations will also be on the panel:
Panelists will answer questions posed by UIC professor Cheryl Nakata relating to trends, resources, tools and strategies used to raise awareness for their respective businesses and organizations.
Conscious Communication
Marketing for Non-Profit and Sustainable Organizations
UIC Innovation Center
1200 W. Harrison St., Chicago
Friday, February 10th
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
This event is free to UIC students, faculty, and staff. Non UIC-affiliated guests: $5.00.
Light refreshments, beer, and wine will be served. (ID’s will be checked)
Langley Center for New Media’s 2nd Annual Content Marketing Retreat will take place Thursday January 26, 2012 and Friday January 27, 2012 on Whidbey Island just north of Seattle.
The conference covers the entire life cycle of content marketing (see image at left), from strategy and creation to curation and measurement. Tim will give two presentations on best practices for analytics and measurement.
According to a recent study by the Custom Content Council with Roper Affairs, custom content helps build awareness, drives purchases and improves relationships with customers. The survey reveals:
How well-oiled are your content marketing efforts? If you find them a bit squeaky perhaps this is the right conference for you. You can register by clicking the button below.
Register for Content Marketing Retreat
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Attend Wednesday’s Chicago Drupal Meetup Group (CDMUG) event to learn what’s new in the land of Drupal.
Bryan Zera will be presenting all the fun things you can do with Drupal’s Features Module.
One of the biggest challenges developers face when building Drupal sites collaboratively is managing version control for elements like views, taxonomies, content types and any content that’s stored inside the database. Enter the Features module, which allows you to package settings that are normally held in a database into a module file which can be version controlled using your favorite source code management tool.
Bryan will talk about how Features works, how it’s used to develop Drupal sites collaboratively at Mightybytes and what caveats you must watch out for when using it.
Here are the details for this event:
6:00 - Doors Open, Arrival, and Socialize
6:30 - Meetup Starts: Hello and Community Updates
6:45 - Presentation: David & Ryan - D7 @FieldMuseum
7:30 - Presentation: Kelly Meath - My First Module
8:00 - Break with Questions and Answers
8:15 - Presentation: Bryan Zera - Features Module
9:00 - Beer @Dick’s Last Resort (315 N Dearborn St)
Two of Mightybytes projects were selected by The International Academy of Visual Arts to receive 2011 W³ Awards.
The winning projects are:
Winning entries for The W³ Awards are selected by the International Academy of the Visual Arts. The IAVA oversees all judging and provides strategic direction for The W³ Awards judging. Less than 10% of all entries are selected as Gold Winners.
]]>Mightybytes is looking to add a smart, talented developer to our smart, talented posse of digital pros.
If you dream in PHP, Drupal or jQuery/jQTouch, we want to talk to you!
This developer at Mightybytes will work with project managers, information architects, and designers to bring the functional end of web projects to life.
We have a fun and flexible creative work environment that carries with it the usual challenges of any deadline-oriented business. We appreciate autonomy and creative thinking as well as good communication skills. We hold ourselves to a high standard, and we really appreciate a job well done. And if you happen to have an appreciation for brewing beer, all the better!
This is an onsite contract-to-full-time position with a 90 day trial period. Working remote is possible but this is not a virtual position. Compensation relative to experience. If you are an overseas or recruiting firm, don’t bother us. (Seriously!)
]]>Mightybytes recently won three American Graphic Design Awards from Graphic Design USA magazine.
The projects recognized were:
Juried by Graphic Design USA magazine for nearly five decades, the American Graphic Design Awards recognizes outstanding achievement in graphic arts of all kinds: print, packaging, point-of-purchase, internet, interactive and motion graphics. It’s open to everyone in the community, attracting over 8,000 entries in this year’s contest. Only the top 15% are awarded, and we’re honored to be part of that crowd.
Nine previous Mightybytes projects have also earned these awards. For more information on Mightybytes’ industry recognition, check out our Awards page.
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