Agents of change: Figment Design compels clients to rethink traditional marketing and advertising
Here’s a line you probably have never heard an advertising agency say, “affordable marketing efforts that work.” A local agency is aiming to change the way we think about long-established norms in marketing and advertising, instead standing behind the aforementioned statement and providing real-time reporting that clients can understand, so you can keep track of your success.
Figment Design has been one of Miami’s top advertising agencies for the past 27 years, and has experienced enough changes to understand and predict the needs and demands of clients that put their businesses into the hands of the agency. Founded by Jeffrey Pankey in 1993, he wanted more than the traditional agency where the norm was “do what we tell you, or you will fail”. He wanted a more personal relationship with clients to help them understand the details behind advertising process and strategy. “We built this entire business on the idea that if you love what we do, you will stay with us,” says Pankey, “if you don’t like what we do, then we should not be forced to work with one another – we wish you the best on your journey.”
With a strong background in Travel and Tourism, their clients range from tourism boards and hotels throughout the Caribbean to right here on South Beach. The company also has a long history in Miami beyond the hospitality industry, working with Care Plus Health Plans, Pasteur Medical Centers, CAC Medical Centers, Simply Health Plans, Miami Children’s Museum, and many other verticals. This diversity has provided well-rounded experience in helping business expand to the next level, as well as rebuilding companies after major downfalls, such as economic downturns, local natural disasters and, now, a pandemic.
“It’s been a very difficult time for us and every business around the world,” says Pankey, “I think if everyone would focus on their surrounding area and do something positive for their community, healing would start sooner and move faster.”
INDULGE sat down with Pankey to discuss the present and future of Figment Design, and their groundbreaking AdvantEdge program, aimed at helping business rebuild after a devastating year.
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THE ADVANTEDGE PROGRAM?
Jeffrey Pankey: Anyone that has started or owned a business knows the struggles of getting it off the ground and then facing the painful dilemma of being too small to have an agency of record but too big to do it on your own. We knew that we had to offer an advantage to smaller businesses that needed an edge over their competition, voila “AdvantEdge” was born...well, created. This is a program that builds a real foundation for companies that are struggling to shell out big bucks on marketing and sets them up for future growth. This particular program is for any business that wants to target their immediate area and 10-30 miles out It’s extremely flexible and dynamic, so you can increase your presence when big events or seasons are a revenue driver.
IS THIS PROGRAM FOR EVERYONE?
JP: One size does not fit all in marketing. AdvantEdge is great for a business that is trying to generate new leads within targeted areas. Our strategy is to spend the money where it will have the greatest return. For example, if we are working with a local company in Coconut Grove, we are going to make sure that our first target strategy is to educate everyone within a 10-mile radius about your nearby business. We are going to do this through radius marketing in digital and social channels. Then we are going to continue to build upon that strategy as we start to gather new data and see what is working well for them. Whether we are getting people to come to your physical address, or getting them to use your local services, this program works.
WHAT ABOUT BIG BUSINESS?
JP: We implement this program for a large national corporation that has local dealers, but at a larger scale and some slight variances. However, many of our larger clients don’t fit this model simply because we are buying television, radio, and digital placement on a much larger scale, and each one has a different buying pattern. But, we pride ourselves on creating strategic plans that are customized for each clients, so we can create an effective plan for any business.
HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED YOUR BUSINESS?
JP: Considering we have a large percentage of travel clients, I’m comfortable enough to admit that it has been a nightmare. For the travel industry, the constant opening and closing of travel, plus additional travel restrictions, and then the hotels simply shutting down for months has been more than tough on the industry. We have built relationships with these tourism clients, many of whom simply closed their doors for months and obviously cut marketing dollars. These are the times when relationships have to matter more than contracts, so we didn’t penalize them for shutting off our services. Fortunately, we have clients outside the travel industry, that were affected but not quite as drastically. Moving into the future, we will continue to find ways to re-invent ourselves.
DOES FIGMENT PROVIDE OTHER SERVICES
JP: We are a full-service agency, which means we provide the majority of our services in-house and only outsource when necessary. We have a team of creative staff that specializes in branding and creative campaigns. Our digital team consists of professionals that work across all platforms including social media. The website team is staffed with front-end designers and developers, as well as savvy coders who can fix anything. When it comes to strategic marketing, we have a group of thinkers that go beyond the visual concepts. Our entire team strategizes from the concept, to the functionality, to the buyers’ journey, and finally to the final call to action, ensuring that every step keeps a consumer engaged. That is the Figment Design way.
For a Free AdvantEdge Analysis visit: https://figmentdesign.com/free-analysis/ or for additional information email contact@figmentdesign.com or call 305-593-7488