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All it took was a few easy steps to help do our bit to lessen our Carbon Footprint when traveling. If you want to know how, read on… Last in year Italy I unwittingly had made a small contribution by flying Norwegian Airlines Transatlantic as apparently they have the lowest Carbon Footprint for Transatlantic Flights. […]

You may have noticed we talk about sustainability a lot at Allard PPC, and you might wonder why.  There are the obvious answers — that we care about the environment, that we want the world to understand our values. But what makes us credible?  Here are the facts:  At Allard PPC, we do care about […]

Efforts to save the Celery Fields show how environmental activism can bubble up from the grass roots.

Given the degree of Awareness these days (at long last!) to the #ClimateChange Challenges we all face, there’s no better time to show what CAN be achieved when we all pull and work together. Thats Communities, Businesses, Government and more. We’re all in this Challenge together.  If your wondering “ How does Climate Change affect Oceans? ” and ” what can I do? ” You’ll be inspired to see what others have successfully achieved from all walks of life on every corner of this planet.

The price tags were daunting for some of the proposed fixes for Florida’s water quality problems. At Sarasota County’s Water Quality Summit in early June, the numbers cited were daunting.

Oil and gas industry ‘listening’ to climate activist Greta Thunberg Despite the dark news about the environment on almost every front, we at Allard PPC are finding potent reasons to be optimistic about the future these days. We read news articles like the one linked above and realize we are justified in our optimism. After […]

The devastating effects of plastics on our environment continue to generate news headlines. Allard PPC founder Ross has found algae-free clear waters on his #coastalyomping trek through Europe. But in ports along the way, he also documented flotsam and jetsam in ports, disappointing reminders of the need to do more to protect our oceans and […]

Credder Aims to Aggregate Scores of News Articles Fake News! We hear it nearly every day when people don’t agree about the facts or apparent slant of a news story, and frankly, it’s not doing anyone any good. You might recall our article from December 2017 Innovators Start News Rating Website, in which we talked […]

With the effects of climate change being felt worldwide, now is the time to act.

Here’s a quick roundup of efforts at the national and international level to clean up our oceans and address climate change. –The city of Sarasota stopped short of banning plastic straws, commissioners did ban single-use polystyrene products in public places. All eyes are on a bill in the Florida Legislature, which would make it illegal […]

After a recent trip to the West Indies we saw first hand the proliferation of single use plastic more-so Water Bottles littered along much of the coast , so we take a insightful look at Problematic Plastic with informative charts and what we can do to help keep #protectingourplayground in this BBC article…

When a community rallies around environmental causes, good things happen. Case in point: UK’s Surfers Against Sewage campaigned for the government for a Deposit Return System to help save our oceans, which are choking on plastic. In part because of the collective actions of SAS members, the European Union overwhelmingly approved a complete ban on […]

If WE don’t act, who on Earth will? Global ocean conservation group Surfers Against Sewage  asked the question in its Spring 2018 Pipeline newsletter, which details the nonprofit’s efforts of advocating on behalf of our oceans. Florida’s red tide and blue-green algae environmental crises have polluted our shores and resulted in unprecedented loss of life […]

Our founder Ross will be yomping about in Florida, his native England and across Europe to tell the story of the importance of clean water all around the world. Protecting our natural resources is our passion and aligning businesses with environmental causes is one of our firm’s missions. Follow AllardPPC on Instagram and check out […]

Florida wildlife conservationists have issued a BOLO — Be On the Look Out — for nesting sea turtles and other wildlife as summer beach season reaches its peak. Here at Allard PPC, our founder Ross wants to remind boaters and beachgoers to watch out for sea life and be mindful of our annual seasonal reptile […]

Loggerhead sea turtles started laying eggs this year before the official nesting season began May 1, according to Mote Marine Turtle Patrol volunteers. View this post on Instagram Fittingly Turtles arriving on Turtle Beach 🏖Hope they can dodge the Red Tide 😷#663coastalyomper A post shared by Allard PPC (@allardppc) on Jun 11, 2018 at 11:09am […]

Join us today at Allard PPC as we celebrate International Surfing Day and embrace this year’s theme “Protect and Enjoy.” Looking for something to do? In Southwest Florida, the Suncoast Surfriders will hit the Treasure Island Beach at 10 a.m. for a beach cleanup, yoga and a surf and SUP event. Our founder, Ross, has […]

Time to hit that Trail hard preparing for this summers #630coastalYomping Adventures in South West England along the renowned South West Coast Path #swcp and part of the #EuroVelo long-distance cycling route. We love our #eMTB’s which will be our primary mode of transportation even for some Bike Camping or as I prefer to call […]

We all love our mothers here at Allard PPC, but the mother we all love best is the one we’re standing on. You read that right. Of course, we mean our Mother Earth, the magnificent blue marble, the drop of life in an ocean of space, our home. If you didn’t already know it, today […]

We haven’t decided what to call ourselves at Allard PPC. We toyed with fish huggers, maybe “oceanophiles.” Whatever the name, we are a bunch of ocean conservationists, inspired by our founder Ross, whose lifelong love affair with the ocean is contagious. We are continuously amazed at its beauty and a bit worried about its future, […]

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. — Margaret Mead Ask anyone what their mental image is for Florida, and most will conjure a beach scene complete with palm trees and some gentle turquoise waves, despite relentless marketing by less […]

Making a Difference for Florida Beaches #663CoastalYomper #630CoastalYomper “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead We’re all passionate about the ocean at Allard PPC and our sister company VRA Associates. We have ocean lovers of every stripe, and […]

All multinational marketers will have to comply with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs consumer data collection, storage and usage practices. Some are having a more difficult time than others due to the cross-border nature of their work. As a company that is international in scope, we at Allard PPC understand our responsibility […]

Adventure, Challenges and Comparisons on England’s South West Coastal Path and Florida’s Coasts and Wetlands Some people look at the current state of the environment in many places on the globe and see a disaster unfolding. While there’s a lot to be concerned about, we have a different viewpoint. We look at the same slices […]

Seeking Solutions for Today’s Non-Profits At Allard PPC and VRA Associates, we’ve always looked for ways to do good in the world while we’ve built our business and helped others build theirs. In the process, we’ve seen shortcomings in the ways some non-profits advance their causes and in the ways businesses try to support them. […]

Innovators Start News Rating Website There’s no doubt there’s a lot of negativity circulating these days, and right alongside it is the feeling that things are getting worse not better on many fronts. But we’re perennial optimists at Allard PPC and VRA Associates, and we’ll tell you why. Young people. By young people, we mean […]

Our Recommendations on Where to Begin Just as good customer service is just a part of how we do what we do at VRA Associates and our sister company Allard PPC, so too is passing along useful information when that’s appropriate. Today, the information involves cybersecurity. We all know this is among the most important […]

Environmental Sustainability is a Top Priority for a Growing Number of Consumers People often look at a rising superstar and say it’s a case of “overnight success.” But anyone who pays attention to these things knows that almost always there are years, sometimes decades, of work that go into the “overnight.” It’s just that no […]

We recently read a report by Nielsen that indicates a growing desire by consumers to have access to more plant protein. This is good news for a number of reason because we’ve known since the 1970s that not only is animal protein bad for our health and wellness, it’s also hard on the planet. Learn […]

Sustainability is Good for the Planet and the Bottom Line England’s South West Coastal Path has been front and center for us here at Allard PPC and VRA Associates, with our founder Ross Allard, returning home recently to hike the coastal path and bike nearby trails while trying to raise awareness of the environmental issues […]

People Exposed to Nature are More Likely to Protect It We care about the environment at Allard PPC and our sister company VRA Associates. Our founder is intensely interested in environmentalism, and we try to lead by example. In fact, at this writing, Ross is headed to Britain’s South West Coast to hike its historic […]

We’re Sending a Figurative “Message in a Bottle” to Draw Attention to Water Issues You must pay close attention sometimes in order to hear a cry for help, especially a subtle one that shows up in events that could easily be lumped in with what’s “natural.” Natural covers a lot. Even when the cry comes […]

Sometimes we can’t help but do a good natured face palm when we read what marketing gurus are telling companies about how to treat customers. In this case, the news is that customers appreciate transparency, knowing the why and how of what they’re getting for their money. As an aside, we think that’s true whether […]

The Perils and Pitfalls of Failing to Plan Holiday Promotional Giving Terry Goodkind famously said, “Reality is irrelevant; Perception is everything,” and that holds true in most instances. But in the world of promotional products and the deadline driven process that carries an order from being placed to being filled, reality can be a very […]

Long ago, it wasn’t uncommon — at least in New York — for an unhappy customer to stand in front of a store holding a faulty product and complaining loudly to anyone who would listen. This tactic was the quickest way to get a response from the store owner, and almost always did. What’s old […]

Among the most important commerce for any company is new business. It is evidence that your company is flourishing and means someone has discovered your product or service and went so far as to give you their hard-earned money in exchange for it. But every bit as important is repeat business because it’s a foundation […]

Newspapers have known for decades what is proving to be true in social media more recently: Visual content is a far more potent marketing tool than any group of words. Learn more here; Instagram, Snapchat Adoption Still Surging in US and UK Facebook’s appeal fading further among teens and young adults

We Think It Better Reflects Who We Are At Allard PPC and VRA Associates, we recognize that you can’t give clients advice if you don’t follow it yourself, and that’s why we are constantly looking for ways to better convey what we’re about. It means a lot to us that we give our clients great […]

We’ve watched certain of our clients who are ahead of the pack do very well with loyalty programs. They grow and keep their customer bases by proactively building relationships with people using these programs. It turns out, this truly does light up customers and grow sales right along with closer bonds between our clients and […]

Despite the fact that nearly everyone walks around with their face in a screen, a significant number of marketers are failing to embrace the digital marketing arena. Only nine percent of marketers, with Allard PPC among them, have been working in digital for at least two years. We’re also on the forefront of embracing the […]

The Information Superhighway is no longer just a metaphor. Smart Cars are rapidly rapidly changing and enhancing how marketers reach potential customers. In an odd juxtaposition, marketers are able to reach across channels to potential buyers while keeping their messages and target services personal. Learn more here: The Connected Car Opportunity

It’s Also Changing for the Good How We Relate to One Another We recently returned from some globetrotting that we undertook to promote and grow our companies and, of course, for some fun and relaxation. Don’t worry. This isn’t Allard PPC’s blog version of a vacation slideshow. We promise. We’re telling you about our travels because, […]

It’s true that Millennials love their social media, but their clear favorite is Snapchat, with Facebook and Istagram following close behind. E-Marketer estimates that there will be 43.9 million monthly active users in 2017. Learn more here: Young Millennials Are All About Snapchat

New Descriptor Better Captures Company’s Values and Goals At Allard PPC and our sister company VRA Associates, we understand that words have tremendous power when you’re talking about others, but it’s particularly true when you’re talking about yourself. So we think long and hard about how we want to portray ourselves to the world. We […]

More consumers are spending most of their time on devices using apps rather than browsing, and this should be a sign to marketers to pay close attention. They’ll want to focus their investments on where consumers’ eyes are. Users are concentrating their app time in five so called “core” activities: listening to digital audio, social […]

Internet Service Providers may be celebrating the decision by Congress to allow them to sell user data previously protected as private. But they should consider repercussions that will follow if they sell that information because many users will see as a betrayal. That opens the door for a number of consequences, among them users taking […]

Vote with Your Wallet and Change the World One Purchase at a Time Over the years, we have used this space to promote our business of course. But parallel to that we see it as a space to promote our values as well, values that are anchored in doing what’s best for our clients, our […]

Anyone seeking the public’s attention who’s been paying attention knows that you can’t just scattershot your message and hope for results. Technology has made it easier for consumers to skip or totally ignore advertisements, and many are opting to do just that. We’ve seen this coming for a while now at Allard PPC. In fact, […]

Finding the Right Social Media Mix Isn’t a “Set It And Forget It” Job Twitter’s ongoing problems should be a cautionary tale for all businesses and organizations that rely to any degree on social media in marketing. Despite its place at center stage in the news cycle — thanks to what some called the “Trump […]

For more information, visit: https://sarasotavision2050.blogspot.com https://twitter.com/PublicGood2050 https://www.facebook.com/groups/citizensforsarasotacounty/ https://www.facebook.com/celeryfields/  

The #SceneOnGreen in coastal areas around the globe extends beyond the shoreline to take in the vitally important seagrasses. These flowering underwater plants have been on earth since the age of the dinosaurs and help protect nearby coral reefs. Long understood to have antimicrobial effects, they also hold sediment in place against erosion and are a […]

Join Us In This Effort To Make the Returns on Investment Reach More than the Bottom Line We’ve always been strong proponents of #ThinkGloballyActLocally at Allard PPC and our sister company VRA Associates, but we want to be clear that there’s a lot of “local” out there. And of course, it’s all global. We also […]

More than even their Baby Boomer parents or grandparents, Millennials see travel as an integral part of living a great life. It’s why they account for 50 percent of shoppers in the travel retail market. And unlike their forbearers, these explorers take on the challenge of planning their trips themselves, finding just the right adventure […]

We’ve been saying for while now that loyalty programs pay companies back with a hefty ROI because consumers love them. Why? Because who doesn’t want to feel special? And we’ve never found anything that makes people feel more special than a gift of Tervis. Read more: RETAIL LOYALTY PROGRAM: AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO BRING MARKET […]

The New Year capped off a roller coaster ride for Facebook during 2016 and ended with a robust fourth quarter despite heavy criticism for what some believe was the social media giant’s role in swaying the presidential election. Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged as much and hinted at a role for Facebook in uniting a deeply divided […]

We Scour the Industry in Search of the Promotional Products That Deliver December may be a high point of holidays, but it’s January that steals the limelight for the promotional products industry. It’s when we meet with others in our industry to talk about what’s hot and what offers the best promotional advantage for our […]

The Wild West had its snake oil salesmen and the Internet has bogus and misleading ads and fake news. Look at what Google and other companies are doing to combat bad players in cyberspace, going so far as to remove spammy ads, counterfeiter ads and fake news items by the millions. Read more here: Google […]

SciFi fans well remember when “I Robot” first made artificial intelligence something of a dirty word. Every since then, people have always thought about the potential downside to AI whenever they think of its benefits. Now, marketers believe consumers are ready for this technology. And though caution is still warranted, most people worry more about […]

The growing prevalence of mobile wallets is making the holiday shopping season easier on a lot of people. Marketers are also getting a benefit since the wallets are a two way street, offering convenience to the shopper and an avenue for markekters to share information with consumers. Learn more here: THE MOBILE WALLET IS MAKING […]

At Allard PPC, We Never Forget That You Put Your Trust in Us As this roller coast of a year speeds to a close, we at Allard PPC want to use this opportunity to thank all of you for choosing us and for trusting us with the future of your business. If you know what […]

Standing out in a sea of competitors is becoming more and more difficult in today’s marketplace. It’s why we at Allard PPC have long embraced loyalty programs because they work on so many levels. Even better, they allow us to apply them to data-driven campaigns in which we can, using existing and emerging technologies, to be […]

Retail executives say they are able collect, share and analyze real-time data that can be useful to supply chain and inventory management, as well as in delivering personalized promotions and enabling e-commerce. Learn more: Among Marketers, IoT Is Seen as Critical Emerging Technology; More businesses are in mature deployment stages this year

The debate may rage over the politics of corporations and whether they are “people,” but increasingly savvy business owners understand that many consumers “vote” with their wallets when it comes to choosing which brand they back. More and more, consumers are looking for companies that are good corporate citizens and want to put their money […]

Mystery is great for romance, but when it comes to marketing, the communication and transparency between a marketing agency and its clients is key. At Allard PPC, we know this. It’s why we use Campaign performance analytics to understand and help our clients understand how we achieve the highest ROI. We’re not shy showing how […]

Our Marketing Experts Can Help Your Business Reach Its Full Potential — For Less Than You Expect It often surprises our clients when we tell them one of the aims of Allard PPC is to save them money on marketing. Though it’s the lion’s share of what we do, we feel that delivering the best […]

At Allard PPC, we pride ourselves on being marketing trend spotters and leading our clients to the most effective strategies for promoting their company, product or organization. So we are pleased to point out that our recommendations from a year ago are proving highly effective. In this case, we’re talking about using solid, well-researched, well-written […]

According to ratings giant Nielsen, consumers more and more are seeing their smart devices as an avenue to greater freedom. “Among global respondents, 74 percent say they appreciate the freedom of being connected anywhere, anytime, and 70 percent strongly or somewhat agree that their mobile device has made their life better,” Nielsen says. Learn how […]

Sometimes increased sales isn’t the only objective of a business, says this piece in e-Marketer. Learn how companies are using technology to hone their growth strategies here: Marketers Look to Tech for More Sales, Leads At Allard PPC, we’ve long used data driven campaigns not only to zero in on what works, but also to […]

Advertisers are waking up to a trend among millennials that has them embracing better content over more advertising in order to reach an audience. That’s because a growing number of young people are using ad blockers on their mobile devices and desk top computers. Allard PPC has long recommended beefing up content to its clients […]

Analytics have long been a useful tool for understanding how a marketing campaign is going and figuring out where to make adjustments. In fact, we rely heavily on them here at Allard PPC. Now, modelers are using existing analytics data to predict how consumers will respond, honing in on the images and content that will […]

We’ve been saying this for a while now, thanks to our own experience going from TV to digital for our viewing enjoyment. It costs less, and it gives us greater freedom. Who doesn’t like watching what you want when you want, minus commercials for the most part? This article talks about this seismic shift in […]

Wearable technology has become an enabler of more active and healthy lifestyles for consumers and a source of useful information for marketers. Learn more at: WEAR AND SHARE: HOW WEARABLE DEVICES ARE RESHAPING DIRECT MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES

Impress Your Clients; Make Promotional Gift Giving an Investment in Your Company People like to say it’s not the gift, but the thought that counts, but we all know it’s the gift. That’s not shallow because a gift is the outward demonstration of what you think of someone, how you feel about someone. A valuable […]

The tide is quickly turning toward heavier engagement in digital media advertising.The strong performance of the digital ad market is being driven by several factors, including, not surprisingly, mobile and video. What do advertisers know about this trend that you need to understand? . – See more at: US Digital Ad Spending to Surpass TV […]

We’ve been saying this for a long time at Allard PPC and VRA Associates. Personalization is, in fact, becoming a crucial piece to content marketing strategy. Learn more about this established and growing trend at What Tech Tools Do Marketers Use for Personalization? – See more at: https://www.emarketer.com/Article/What-Tech-Tools-Do-Marketers-Use-Personalization/1014447?ecid=NL1015

Water Week 2016 focuses on sustainability for forests, urban growth and (of course) water. Our takeaway was that social media can play a huge role in encouraging individuals and governments toward conservation. Check out the panel discussion here.

Why Hire a Jack of All Trades When You Can Hire Marketing Specialists in Various Sectors for Less? You put an announcement on LinkedIn or some jobs board in the hopes of hiring someone for your organization who can take on marketing with expertise and gusto. You can hope for a marketing specialist, someone who […]

We were delighted that on the same day our company announced its intention to achieve B Corp status, the BBC wrote this piece about B Corps working to make the world better: Can companies make us better citizens?

We’re Excited About Formalizing the B Corp Values We’ve Held for Years Allard PPC is moving ahead with plans to become a B Corporation, and a critical part of that process is to define who we are as a company and how we expect to operate in the world. If you’ve missed our earlier posts […]

Nowhere is it more “clear” that Florida needs to clean up its water than at the beach these days. In the video below, surfers glide through pea green waters that were once famous for being crystal clear. And check out the cleanup events in the photos below. Come out and join us. You’ll be glad […]

Coastal communities benefit in many ways from the mangrove forests that naturally hug the shoreline. They act as a powerful carbon sink, drawing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As well, mangroves protect shorelines and coastal residents from storms and tsunamis by dampening the effect of waves. Read more about the positive role […]

Individuals, Organizations and Government Are All Part of the Solution to Our Environmental Problems There’s no question that we’re facing some serious environmental challenges these days. The headlines are full of stories about climate change fallout, and closer to home here in Florida, we’re seeing toxic algae blooms choke our waterways, not only destroying wildlife and the state’s natural beauty, but also […]

Even If You Ignore All Other Social Media, Don’t Let The Competition Beat You On Instagram There’s one time when jumping on board an accelerating train is a great idea: When the train is Instagram, and it’s about to leave the station without you. It’s why we at Allard PPC have created some innovative approaches […]

To secure a place for yourself or your company in the current digital marketing landscape, it’s vital to have a good handle on analytics. Why? Because analytics helps you tailor your marketing strategy decisions based on actual data detailing how your target audience responds to your current marketing tactics. There’s research to back it up. […]

Nielsen shines a light on the dynamic landscape that is retail marketing, and, needless to say, things are changing and old paradigms don’t hold up. See more at: ROADMAP TO RETAIL GROWTH: WHY BIGGER IS NO LONGER BETTER 

It should come as no surprise that understanding your customers and their needs and wants goes a long way toward building strong relationships — and sales. This article discusses data analytics and other tactics that help companies have greater understanding of clients and customers. Read more here: Marketers Lack the Skills to Deliver on Customer […]

We care about water quality here at Allard PPC, so we’re excited to report that it looks like Mote Marine Lab soon will be offering up-to-the-minute red tide reports and forecasting. Read more at “RED TIDE FORECASTING IN THE GULF OF MEXICO ON EVERY BEACH, EVERY DAY? SOON THERE WILL BE AN APP!“

Climate Change Should Be Addressed by Everyone, Not Just Governments When it comes to doing good in the world, business often gets a bum rap for being singularly profit driven with little or no concern about the effect such a stance has on people and the planet. But very often the stigma is undeserved, and […]

Email marketing may seem old hat, but dynamic content and personalization are giving the tactic new relevance. Almost half of marketing professionals surveyed said they’d be employing some of these tactics in coming months and years. See more at Email Marketing Tops Advertisers’ Software Must-Have Lists Contact Allard PPC and let us tell you how […]

Advertisers be aware that visual content oriented social media platforms are bringing more engagement. Snapchat, Instagram and Pinterest are leading this trend. But be warned that the images must be compelling. Learn more here: Marketers Rely on Visual Content for Social Platforms And contact Allard PPC to talk about how we can help you amplify […]

Loyalty programs are increasingly popular with a majority of US marketers, who plan to increase spending on loyalty programs in 2017. Approximately 13 percent of them say those increases will be significant. Read more about it here: US Marketers Plan to Invest More in Loyalty Programs by 2017 Members join because of ease, and desire […]

Google’s Search Engine Algorithm Still Rewards the Most Relevant Content It’s no secret that Google is the overlord of search engine optimization — the tactics and overall strategy marketers use to show up, or try to show up, on the first page of an organic Google search. Google’s share of the search engine market has […]

Business to business (B2B) marketers are doubling down on various marketing technology tools in 2016 as they look for new ways to attract the sector’s increasingly savvy customer base. According to research from B2B content platform Kapost, mid- and senior-level marketers from a wide variety of B2B firms increasingly rely on marketing technology to fulfill […]

Marketers move from experimentation to full rollout Ever since Facebook began selling autoplay video advertising in 2014, the other major social properties—Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat—have become equally aggressive at courting video marketers. As a result, social video spending is growing quickly, as explored in a new eMarketer report, “Video Ads in Social Media: With a […]

If You Want to Reach Customers, Go Where They Socialize With Social Selling We are not the first ones to call Facebook the new town square, but it bears repeating that this and other social selling platforms are where people meet friends, share a laugh, get up on their soapboxes and generally connect to the […]

At Allard PPC, We’re Happy to See Other Businesses Taking Their Environmental Efforts Well Past Earth Day With Green Promotional Products We’ve moved past Earth Day 2016, and what’s heartening for us here at Allard PPC is that other businesses are taking on the mantel of environmental stewardship beyond paying tribute once a year. That […]

Show Off Your Company’s Environmental Values with Sustainable Promotional Products for Earth Day Earth Day, April 22, 2016,  is only weeks away, so time is running out to consider ecologically sustainable promotional products that show your company as being sensitive to environmental concerns — especially considering that the buying public is keenly aware of such […]

The starting point of a creative — and effective — promotional campaign is Premium Lip Balm We’ve talked a lot about how common dental promotional products miss the mark when it comes to putting your practice “out there” because they rarely leave the patient’s bathroom. We’ve told you that patients not only deeply appreciate a […]

Strategic Planning in Marketing is Necessary to the Long Term Health of Any Company When the online magazine E-Marketer asked business owners around the globe what hindsight had taught them about their 2015 priorities, half said they wish they’d have spent more time on strategic planning. More than a third said they wish they’d have […]

Digimarc and Variable Print Are Powerful Promotional Product Tools for Bringing New and Repeat Customers Through Loyalty Programs and Tracking ROI Promotional products have changed over the many years that businesses have been savvy enough to offer them, but never have they changed this much, this fast. Technology that directs users to a website or […]

As A Tervis Authorized Distributor With Premium Status, VRA Associates Can Offer Steep Discounts, Rapid Turnaround At VRA Associates, we are proud to be a Tervis authorized distributor — with premium status — not just because we share values with this great company. We also appreciate how much Tervis products can do for our clients. […]

This is the Time of Year When We’re Scouting Promotional Products Shows for the Products That Give You the Greatest ROI If you’ve been following our blog, you know that technology is becoming more and more of a factor in the promotional products arena, so we are more excited than ever to attend the annual […]

Failing at Strategic Planning is Planning to Fail Some things are best done “seat of the pants” — picking a spot to sun yourself at the beach, deciding where to eat dinner, maybe even deciding where to go on vacation. But marketing — specifically marketing that produces a hefty return on investment — is best […]

Curbing Nutrient Runoff from Human Sources Will Likely Help Abate Red Tide #663CoastalYomper… While we’ve heard a lot of bad news lately about the resurgence of red tide off the Southwest Florida coast, the good news is that there is a lot we can do as individuals and as a community to improve water quality, […]

In this post for #AllardPPCquickHits, we look at promising news for the environment on the coastal cleanup and climate change fronts: “Blue carbon is the ability of tidal wetlands and seagrass habitats to sequester and store carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.” Read more […]

Order Now to Beat New Year Price Increases on Premium Promotional Products All good things must come to an end, and many of our suppliers are telling us that lower 2015 pricing for some premium promotional products will also end at the stroke of midnight Dec. 31. The upside is that our clients have time to […]

Wearable Promotional Products are an Investment in Your Company’s Image Some of the best minds in marketing — and not just ours — think the time is rapidly approaching when marketers must focus on bringing their A-game and that means offering wearable technology. Think fitness trackers and Apple watches, but don’t stop there. Stunning wearable […]

If you’re taking a wait and see approach to adopting wearables and using them promotionally, you’ll be left in the dust. In today’s #AllardPPCquickHits post, take a look at the surge in popularity of wearable technology: Wearable Usage Will Grow by Nearly 60% This Year: Almost two in five internet users will use wearables by […]

In today’s post for #AllardPPCquickHits, we bring you news about a trend that we are seeing crop up in various ways in the marketing world: How do we market to millennials? This article —Are Millennials Getting Your Messages?  — will get you started, but stay tuned for future blog posts from Allard PPC about our […]

Order Premium Promotional Products Now and Show Your Customers You Care Few things worthwhile happen quickly because, by its nature, quality means time spent doing something right. At Allard PPC and our sister company VRA Associates, excellence is something we think about — and practice — every day, especially when it comes to the premium […]

In today’s #AllardPPCquickHits post, we want to point out that the recent red tide bloom off our lovely Southwest Florida coast follows the time when many residents apply their fall fertilizer and heavy rains. We can’t help but think that all this nutrient pollution could be linked to those two events because algae, just like […]

STOCKHOLM — The Nobel Prizes recognize luminaries in various fields, but the profundity of these prizes struck us in our travels to Europe of the summer. We were there to bring back innovative ideas for improving the world and better serving our clients, and we ventured to the Nobel Museum where we were inspired by […]

#FarmEd Plants the Seeds of Sustainability with the Next Generation It’s always a good thing when the aims of an industry are in line with the overall wellbeing of humanity and the planet. That may sound overstated, but #FarmEd is all that — a program that has its roots in the idea of two forward […]

In today’s #AllardPPCquickHits, we’re taking another look at content marketing as part of a B2B strategy. More and more we are finding this is an important part of an overall marketing plan, but as this article shows, it’s important to keep track of what you’re doing. Please see: Content Marketing Valuable for B2B Marketers Who […]

Show Clients Your Care with Premium Promotional Gifts They Will Love We all know that premium promotional gifts come at, well, a premium. Makes sense. Done right, they are powerful marketing tools, as we have discussed in previous blog posts. But now, premium promotional gifts have taken a giant leap forward with the addition of […]

It’s difficult to ignore the heavy rains that are shutting down Sarasota-area fall attractions, especially after our recent visit to the UK MET office and talk there about climate change. Our client, Dakin Dairy Farms, has had to cancel events, and the rains have also closed another fall staple entertainment.

For todays #AllardPPCquickHits post, we congratulate Clinton Devon Estates on its third time win of the Queen’s Award. Organizations such as Clinton Devon in England and our client Dakin Dairy Farms are working to make a positive impact on the world through sustainable farming. They also work toward education future generations through farm education (#FarmED). […]

Researchers, Business Marketers Can Work Together Toward Promoting Sustainability EXETER, England — At Allard PPC, we never miss a chance to show our clients that promoting sustainability promotes their businesses to the large and growing segment of consumers who vote with their wallets. But at a recent visit we made to the MET office in […]

In today’s #AllardPPCquickHits post, we take a look at a recent EU privacy ruling that could have downstream effects. Read the BBC’s Facebook privacy campaign advances after EU court opinion for a gander into developments in online privacy.

Good Content is the Only Answer in the Age of Ad Blocking Apple’s release of El Capitan, its newest operating system, heralded a dramatic change in the advertising and marketing landscape, shifting from a focus on advertisements to good content. It’s the beginning of a movement that could eventually take down some marketers, along with […]

Promotional Gifts Expand Your Reach and Reputation How many times have you received a company’s promotional gifts only to pawn them off on someone else or toss them in the trash without a second thought? The gifts might have cost those companies little, but whatever the cost, the money was wasted or, worse, the gift […]

When it comes to attracting consumers to the content you’ve so laboriously created, you want to get the most ears and eyes on it as possible. In today’s post for AllardPPCquickHits, take a look at information about how and why consumers look at different forms of content over the course of the day. Nielsen reports some […]

How Promoting Sustainability Falls in Line with Allard PPC’s Mission DEVONSHIRE, England — Promoting businesses is what we do at Allard PPC, whether we do it via website design and construction, social media marketing, email marketing or by way of other avenues. But we always aim toward promoting sustainability at the same time. It makes […]

Development Done With Sustainable Water Use the Hope for a Prosperous Future STOCKHOLM — Water has always been a precious resource, necessary for life and huge factor when it comes to human recreation, but in recent years this fact is more and more on the minds of everyone. With increasing pressure on the world’s water […]

STOCKHOLM — As part of Allard PPC’s stated mission to provide “Smarketing Solutions for Business, Community and Planet,” today’s #AllardPPCquickHits post takes a sobering look at water issues around the globe during World Water Week that is now underway here in Stockholm. Along with working for water security for the 1.8 billion people globally who […]

Failing to Plan Your SEO Strategy is Planning to Fail Online Let’s face it: a lot of what goes into Search Engine Optimization — SEO — is a mystery to most people, so too many business owners ignore it in the hopes that whatever else they’re doing with marketing will make up for their SEO […]

Our post for today’s #AllardPPCquickHits is perhaps a not so surprising look at the heavy and growing use of smart phones by different user groups. This is useful not only for current marketing strategies but also looking down the road. Check out: How Many Smartphone Users Are Officially Addicted?

Today on #AllardPPCquickHits, we’re taking a look at the best social media platform for B2B sales and relationship building. It should come as no surprise to those who pay attention to social media that LinkedIn is the platflorm for B2B. Check out the “why” of it: Pre- or Post-Sale, LinkedIn Is Tops for B2B Customer […]

In today’s #AllardPPCquickhits post, we’re looking at something ALL marketers should be watching with a keen eye: Ad Blockers. Apple is leading the charge here with its most aggressive ad blocking software coming out in iOS9, and savvy marketers should be adjusting their strategies accordingly.

If You Rely On Just a Website, You’ll Be Disappointed With Results At Allard PPC, we’re all about empowering our clients to take on marketing for their businesses to the full extent that they desire. If they want just a website from us, we’ll happily provide that — but it will always come with a […]

Instagram is poised to become a major marketing platform with the advent of greater advertising capability. The company predicts upward of $2.8 billion by 2017. Learn why the heavy engagement of Instagram users doesn’t necessarily mean it will benefit advertisers in Brand Engagement on Instagram Is High—for Now.

Early adopters of wearable technology marketing will be the winners The world took its first giant step forward with wearable technology, WT, at the introduction of the Apple watch earlier this year, although to be fair, wearables have been here for a while. Look at fitness trackers, kid and pet trackers, glasses, watches, rings, pendants […]

In today’s #AllardPPCquickHits post, we’re pointing you toward a story about how marketers are using the Internet of Things, IoT in shorthand, to gather valuable insights for future campaigns. To learn about the surprisingly useful information flowing for the IoT and how savvy marketers are making the most of it, read: Marketers Put Internet of Things […]

An Argument for Great Blog Content If you’ve been paying attention even a little to the web marketing tactics that are effective, that are bringing businesses new clicks and clients, you’ve no doubt heard that “Content is King.” That’s why, at Allard PPC, we’ve been encouraging our clients to step up their blog content game […]

Today’s #AllardPPCquickHit reflects on whether consumers are excited about wearables. Apple isn’t giving details, but clearly the Apple watch, the company’s first wearable technology, has been a hit, booting the Apple’s overall financial picture. In “Apple posts record third-quarter as iPhone sales surge,” the BBC explores what’s working for Apple and what’s not. But clearly, the […]

Courts Begin to Tackle Ownership of Social Media Logins and Domain Names An April ruling by a Texas judge puts business owners on notice that they cannot claim personal ownership of social media logins created to promote their businesses. It should also put them on notice that the courts have yet to address many issues […]

Today’s #AllardPPCquickHits story of the day centers on how to rise above the din of the app marketplace and put your mobile app in front of consumers. Mobile apps have never been more popular, but there has never been more competition for the marketers using them. “App Install Ads Help Marketers Cut Through the Clutter” talks about […]

Every morning, in newsrooms around the country, journalists plan “quick hits” for the day’s paper, stories that are important and timely — and useful to readers. A “quick hit” isn’t necessarily the in-depth version of a story. Rather, it’s a story aimed at getting the information out there — quickly. Today, Allard PPC brings you marketing’s version […]

In 2012, 2% of all human carbon emissions were result of plane emissions – via BBC News   In a recent article via the BBC News – Researchers have identified a new way to produce aviation fuel from sugarcane biomass that could deliver substantial cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. The source crops could be grown […]

Every year Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd. Not only is this your chance to give back to the planet Earth but it’s a great and unique opportunity for a meaningful marketing campaign to drive engagement. AllardPPC has a few ideas for you to grow your reach and add an Earth Day social media […]

#AllardPPCletsGoSee and #SceneOnGreen … Who is Dakin Dairy Farms? Hint they’re a 1000 acres of Green in Sarasota County. It’s Earth Day week and what better way to celebrate,  than to take a look at some of the more Sustainable businesses like our own local Sarasota County Dakin Dairy Farms #DakinDairyFarms A quick online search […]

  What’s New With Facebook in 2015? Demographics are Changing: Despite numerous reports in 2014 claiming that young users were abandoning the social network it has become clear that that just isn’t the case. Not only does a younger audience remain but FB has also recently gained a number of new, older followers. Just because you […]

In the latest of new Technology products in our #VRAwhatsNew series we take a look at the Interactive Calendar. Seen at the recent ASI Show Orlando the Interactive Calendar gives the ability to tell “your story.” For example A Non Profit can show how effective their organization is…. Let their volunteers tell their story – […]

It’s a given that the most anticipated Wearables is the iWatch. With that said its timely (pun intended) that Woz spoke about technology we can expect for the future (which is now) to the ASI audience in Orlando It’s no wonder Apple hired the CEO of Burberry from the fashion world. It’s just a start. […]

Our sister company VRA Associates has been awarded Premium Status with Tervis Insulated Tumblers. Quote… “A Tervis Authorized Distributor, awarded Premium status, affording special volume discount pricing. Specializing in large bid opportunities.” Allard PPC’s role will be to help create a fully integrated and seamless solution to almost any Marketing Campaign, Program or Event. With […]

#AllardPPCletsGoSee… The 2015 Surf Show wound up Saturday January 11th with a strong showing in the Resort sector. Consider offering some relaxation and “Hang time” to your guests. Check these Custom Hammocks out. Need more info? info@allardppc.com

#WozUp? Excuse the play on words… This coming Tuesday we expect to hear some fascinating insights on whats in store in 2015 from Steve (Woz) Wozniak the visionary Entrepreneur of Apple fame. We can’t wait… On the agenda, his personal vision on the future of technology, including the Internet of “things,” singularity, no-touch interfaces and […]

With the Countdown to November 29th #ShopSmall #ShopSmallSaturday a good excuse to make a visit to our favourite local Coffee House “haunt” BlackGold Coffee Roasters.   AllardPPCletsGoSee Act local – Buy local

Today, social media is a critical part of any marketing campaign. Whether you are new or experienced in the social media world successful long-term social media campaigns require quality and consistency over time to build interest and a following. Below we’ve outlined 3 key tips to begin building a solid social media foundation for successful […]

Full article by Dr Dave Randle can be found here: Sustainable Tourism  The Taste of Pine Avenue Project Recalling of past U.N. actions related to sustainable tourism. An effort to build upon the Sustainable Tourism Workshop and Outcome Document of the 65th Annual UN DPI / NGO Conference and the Samoa Pathway that calls upon […]

#AllardPPCletsGoSee… What makes this project so significant? It involved so many Community Partners. UN recognition: In a recent special United Nations Consultation session at the Patel College in Tampa, the UN recently recognized ALL the Collaborative Partners that brought their diverse range of expertise to the table.

#tbt Time for change. Our Collaborative team took on our recent site migration off a popular Inbound Marketing platform making it anything but static. The Mission and Goal…  To be Informative and Fun. Creative yet Insightful. Easy on the eye and Visual. Mobile: optimized for Smart Devices and Professionals on the go. Provide “Smarketing Solutions […]

It’s no secret the tech sector is sizzling – so are tech-related products.   #AllardPPCletsGoSee Case study: A major countertop and laminate manufacturer took a page from technology companies that use such hot products in their promos…

#tbt Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy – it’s in our DNA: Mount Pleasant Dairy, Exeter, Devon, England – both sides of our family have been Entrepreneurs. Grandmothers and Grandfathers Dairy helped local families during WWII

Customer relations and loyalty are seen as the primary benefits of Marketing Technology. #AllardPPCletsGosee … Marketers say that fully integrated marketing technology would have a positive, strong or very strong effect on their marketing goals, and 88% said the same about innovation

One of the latest trends “Eco-Cycology” reported in the latest TrendWatching briefing, shows how companies are working on taking back all old items from customers, and then actually doing something constructive with them.

Why do we enjoy what we do? Certainly one of the primary drivers and benefits working with clients in Cause Sponsorship programs is the end result; in this case the kids benefitting from the sponsorship donation(s) this past week by PGT Industries to the Child Protection Center in Sarasota.

This blog was due to be posted last week, considering the circumstances we thought it inappropriate to be discussing Sports Event Marketing. Our very sincere condolences to everyone that have been affected including some of our friends and their families from the Boston area.

  A follow up on one of our previous articles… Charities, Universities and Collegiate are all looking for some Fundraising ideas to help create additionalINCOME and AWARENESS. We might have some ideas for you…

As Holiday Season production swings into high gear, it’s a perfect time to address some of the issues we see cropping up in the Tervis Insulated Tumbler ordering process. Namely… Artwork requirements Layout and Design Options Ordering

Is that time off year… Calendar time. Our Suppliers prepare for the September onslaught of requests for one of the lowest tech marketing/advertising tools available – with some of the highest returns.

The numbers are astounding — whilst watching a Sports event such as the Olympics, the latest marketing data from emarketer points to the accelerated rise of Tablet and SmartPhone use whilst watching the TV.  It’s the opportunity to get stats, pictures and tweets on your favorite Team and/or Sports Star whilst the action is taking […]

Ready-Steady, GO! We’re about to get glued to the TV for the London Olympics— which despite doing the necessary “Couch Time” is going to have a lot of us really Motivated to get out and enjoy some physical activity in some form or another. Biking by-the-way is underway this Saturday!

With some of our Swedish friends in town (Thomas Johansson, Ice Hockey Player and Yngve Blomstrom) for July 4th celebrations — then next weeks Kick-Off of their Sunshine Hockey Camp in colaboration with the Tampa Bay Lightning,  we thought this would be a good opportunity to get a factory visit of the Tervis Insulated Tumblerfacility […]

In the midst of a Custom Bracelet program and also a Tervis Insulated Tumbler project for the Child Protection Center, yesterday I received an update from Diane Katzman office that Diane our designer/supplier for the Bracelet project had one of her Bracelets for the London Olympic Games featured on NBC — it sold out!

After last weeks field trip at Lido Key with E.G Bennington the Naturalist and the Eco-Tigers students the ” Scene on Green ” program is on a roll and gaining momentum

After some of our most recent Tervis Insulated Tumbler projects with relatively new Vinyl wrap we knew we had to come up with a far more seamless system to enable customers ;   as well as ourselves minimize the email thread stream and employ some time saving methods.

With the ever rapidly increasing pace of new channels and platforms for engagement the “Golden Age of Marketing Technology’ is giving us unparalleled choices, capabilities and even better — less cost.

Oops – a bit remiss on my blogging for the past few weeks, all for a worthy cause though — several cause sponsorship projects in the works all considering the potential inclusion of Tervis Insulated Tumbler as a fundraiser product with all the benefits of being Made in the U.S.A, Lifetime Warranty, Recyclable and mass […]

  Before February of 2009 we were asked by Robert J along with our companies VRA and Allard PPC to participate in the San Ramon Eco-Festival which was, “WAS” being the operative word here, sadly cancelled due to the recession.