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	<title>Meers</title>
	<link>http://www.meers.com</link>
	<description>Digital to social. Advertising to branding. Inspired, insightful thinking. Strategic problem solving with measurable results.</description>
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		<title>The Digital Waves Came Crashing Down</title>
		<description><![CDATA[There’s an ongoing discussion in advertising agency land about traditional shops migrating toward digital and digital shops hoping to figure out traditional. If you have hung around me very long, you have likely heard me say that digital is not a department, it’s a mindset. And unless the CEO of any given agency has a digital mindset, the agency is not going to get there. This discussion presented itself again this week during a conversation with a friend. We were discussing various agencies and digital shops, and where they stand on their respective journeys toward a digital mindset. It was a lively conversation, weighing the pros and cons of how everyone is doing. Kansas City is a small town when it comes to the advertising [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.meers.com/2012/02/the-digital-waves-came-crashing-down/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=the-digital-waves-came-crashing-down</link>
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		<title>Email Engagement and the Spam Wasteland</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In the days of direct mail dominance, marketers would eagerly send 10,000 pieces of mail, knowing that 9,500 of them would hit the recipients’ trash receptacles – most without even a glance.  This was okay.  Heck, it was great! After all, 500 responses would surely sell at least 200 raincoats, right? Somebody get my ROI calculator. Unfortunately, many marketers continue to apply the same thinking when using direct mail’s younger, sexier and less expensive protégé: email.  Who cares if 75% of your list isn’t responding, right? You’ve got 25% opening and 7% clicking … seriously, where’s my ROI calculator? Wait a minute. Not so fast.  There’s a very real danger in this approach that can have a lasting effect on your bottom line. It all [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.meers.com/2012/02/email-engagement-spam-wasteland/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=email-engagement-spam-wasteland</link>
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		<title>The Year of Mobile (Finally)</title>
		<description><![CDATA[With increased demand for smartphones and tablets, innovative devices being launched by equipment manufacturers, the “here and now” engagement of social media, and more companies dipping their toe in the water of mobile marketing in a bigger way, 2012 will be the year of mobile marketing. Individuals will be using their smartphones and tablets for texting, emailing, searching, browsing, gaming, social networking, watching, shopping, buying and more. Expectations will be set by progressive marketers in terms of the mobile experience, resulting in mobile, as an established content and communications vehicle, taking its seat at the table alongside traditional marketing vehicles. Read why 2012 will be The Year of Mobile Marketing.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.meers.com/2012/02/the-year-of-mobile-finally/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=the-year-of-mobile-finally</link>
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		<title>NWMSU Students Meet Meers</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Adink, Northwest Missouri State University&#8217;s student advertising club, began organizing its annual Off Broadway ad agency tour in 2001. Every year since, a busload of students has visited a variety of advertising agencies located in Kansas City — most of which are either on, or just off, Broadway, one of KC’s main arteries. We were thrilled to host a group of these incredibly enthusiastic and engaged students at Meers this past Thursday afternoon. With a discussion lead by our recently graduated Meersians (Caitie Akridge, Jenny Greene and Allison Clarke), we offered a peak behind the scenes of what life looks like at one of KC&#8217;s fastest growing shops. Many thanks to Wendy Whelan and Jacquie Lamer for the opportunity to share an afternoon with some smart [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.meers.com/2012/02/nwmsu-students-meet-meers/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=nwmsu-students-meet-meers</link>
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		<title>Cheers@Meers: The Best &amp; Worst of 2011</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The fifth installment of the popular series, Beer @ Meers, was held in early January, where six Meers’ team members reviewed their favorite developments from 2011 and what it means for 2012. The evening kicked off with Sheree Johnson, Director of Business Intelligence, telling stories of the biggest marketing and social media blunders of the year. Highlights included Chrysler’s dropping the “F” bomb and insulting Detroit, the trainwreck that was The Charlie Sheen Show, and J Lo’s Fiat commercials. Topping the list was Netflix’ rate hike and subsequent spin-off company, Qwikster which lost the company 1 million customers. Next, Senior Account Manager Julie Parker took us through the evolution of Facebook over the past eight years, including the transition to Timeline. As one of the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.meers.com/2012/02/cheersmeers-explores-best-worst-of-2011/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=cheersmeers-explores-best-worst-of-2011</link>
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		<title>Thornhill Joins Meers as Creative Director</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Meers today announced that David Thornhill has joined the firm as Creative Director. David joins the Kansas City-based digital marketing and advertising agency to provide senior leadership for creative development and brand strategy on behalf of Meers’ clients. “David’s extensive agency experience serving top consumer brands will be incredibly beneficial to our clients and future plans,” said Sam Meers, Meers president and CEO. “We’re excited to have this award winning, extremely talented creative professional on board as the newest member of our growing team.” Before joining Meers, Thornhill served as Associate Creative Director at Barkley Advertising, Kansas City. Prior to that, he worked as a Senior Art Director at Bernstein-Rein Advertising, Kansas City and Bailey Lauerman, Lincoln, NE. Thornhill’s work for national and regional brands [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.meers.com/2012/01/thornhill-joins-meers-creative-director/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=thornhill-joins-meers-creative-director</link>
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		<title>Protected: Digital Blue 2012 Speaker Presentations</title>
		<description><![CDATA[There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.]]></description>
		<link>http://www.meers.com/2012/01/digital-blue-2012-speaker-presentations/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=digital-blue-2012-speaker-presentations</link>
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		<title>Blue KC Launches Exchange Marketplace </title>
		<description><![CDATA[Last month, Blue KC announced the launch of the region’s first private insurance Exchange marketplace. During this first phase, Blue KC specifically designed their Exchange to help small businesses manage their healthcare costs, while increasing choice and affordability for employees of small businesses. The Exchange is also available for individuals with Direct Pay health plans, with plans in the future to expand to a large group exchange. BlueKCExchange.com offers the ease and convenience of an online shopping experience, with the enhanced ability to compare rates of up to ten different health plans available through the Exchange. “By offering the Blue KC Exchange to small business employers now, we are bringing cost control and convenience to these businesses two years in advance of what the government [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.meers.com/2011/12/blue-kc-launches-exchange-marketplace%e2%80%a8/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=blue-kc-launches-exchange-marketplace%25e2%2580%25a8</link>
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		<title>Get a Handle on Your Competition</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Communicating direct to consumers is becoming increasingly important as healthcare reform sends millions of individuals and small groups shopping for health insurance. It is likely most health insurance providers (as well as emerging competition like Walgreen’s and Walmart, and other private exchanges) will be turning up the volume in terms of advertising spending direct to consumers. Over $500 million dollars is estimated to be spent by the end of this year in measured mass media by health insurance companies. Understanding the competitive media spend in a Blue plan service area will be critical, including taking into account the local value of the millions of dollars spent by competitors like UnitedHealthcare with media vehicles like Network Television. Recently, the Meers’ Business Intelligence team evaluated competitive tracking [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.meers.com/2011/12/get-a-handle-on-your-competition/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=get-a-handle-on-your-competition</link>
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		<title>An Inspiring Group of Influential Speakers</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The 3rd Annual Digital Blue Conference, to be held in Miami, Florida on March 1-2, will feature presentations and panel discussions that give Blue plans a new perspective on digital marketing. You’ll learn from and be inspired by industry thought-leaders in everything from emerging technologies to consumer trends and how they all affect healthcare. Our great lineup of speakers will help you set your Blue plan apart from the pack while revitalizing yourself and your marketing. Jeremiah Owyang, a renowned authority on new technologies, heads this year’s lineup of presenters. Jeremiah, the leading web analyst and partner for the Altimeter Group, will help Blue plans use new technologies to shake up the status quo and get ahead of the connected consumer. Jeremiah will show real-world [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.meers.com/2011/12/an-inspirational-group-of-influential-speakers/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=an-inspirational-group-of-influential-speakers</link>
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