Check out our breakdown of the winners and losers below. Do you agree or disagree?

• Most Valuable Ad: Chevy Silverado – Apocalypse
• Best Low Budget: Doritos – Man’s Best Friend
• Celebrity Sack: Pepsi – King’s Court
• Championship Chuckle: Chevrolet – Happy Grad
• Illegal Use of $$$$: CocaCola – Superstition
• Creative Fumble: Xfinity – Fastest House
• Should Have Punted: Go Daddy – Cloud

Overall, we think the evening proved that the Salt Lake market is teeming with creative thinking and individuals who aren’t just chasing “shiny objects” but looking at the digital arena as a critical component of any marketing strategy. As Craig said: “It shouldn’t be ‘digital’ or ‘new media’ anymore. It’s about engagement and integrated media strategy.”

If you remember anything at all, I’m betting it was a story.  No big surprise.  Stories are more entertaining, informative and memorable than facts, figures and philosophical diatribes.  Anybody that’s had any training in public speaking knows that.  Just ask any Toastmasters Club honcho.  Or, take a Dale Carnegie course.

In his book, What’s Your Point, Bob Boylan, author and consultant in the field of effective presentations, urges presenters to, “Tell stories.  They grab the audience.  You will be real when you tell your own stories.  They build on the feeling of ‘trust me.’  People love to hear stories, especially personal ones, and your familiarity with the story makes the words come more easily and believably.”

In advertising, I believe stories are critical to snagging and holding attention – whether we’re dealing with a YouTube video or a primetime television spot.  They are imperative when developing and strengthening brand awareness and preference.

The TV spot hailed as the best of the past century, Apple’s “1984,” told a riveting story, as do many of the most memorable Super Bowl spots over the years.  Remember the classic “Mean Joe Green” Coke spot from 1980? I still do, and I have a spotty memory.  Remember the pint-sized Darth Vader VW spot last year?

I believe the value of today’s highfalutin’ technology will be greatly minimized unless we learn how to apply the time-proven art of storytelling to it.  But it’s not an easy task in this time-crunched, media-overloaded society.

That fact is reflected in this comment by James Clunie, a judge for the prestigious 2011 Communication Arts Advertising Annual.  He is quoted in the Editor’s Column of that issue as saying, “I’m always surprised at how much time people expect you to engage with their brand.  I don’t have time up upload a picture of my face to a Web site so I can see what I look like sitting behind the wheel of a Jetta or on an American Standard toilet or whatever.”

Randal Rothenburg, president/CEO of the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau), noted in a recent Advertising Age article, “New technology does not change the human desire for sense-making narrative or the need for us to understand the world through tales well told.  But the technology does change how we learn stories, how we tell stories, and who hears them.”

“We are concerned our industry is more concentrated on counting likes and clickthroughs than forming deep relationships with people, and that subsequently consumer interaction with brands is largely limited to likes, short comments, and critiques.  From this angle, interactive media is in its infancy.”

That relates directly to Richter7’s foundational belief that human beings are big bundles of feelings, and that emotional impulses drive behavior, brand relationships and product loyalty.

It’s up to us to figure out how to be better at storytelling within these technological confines.  What is clear is this — if you tell a story well, it will get passed on, and commented on positively, via multiple technological tools (think Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) at a speed and depth like never before.  And that’s the best kind of advertising — because it’s free.

And by “freshness”, of course we mean Google’s new Freshness algorithm that favors frequently updated content in the search results delivered to you. Amit Singhal, from Google, says that “search results, like warm cookies right out of the oven or cool refreshing fruit on a hot summer’s day, are best when they’re fresh.” While that may be true, it could also affect your website’s search engine rankings, especially if others in your market or category are updating their platforms on a more regular basis.

This new algorithm update stems from the completion of their Caffeine (aptly named!) web indexing system last year, which crawls and indexes the web for fresh content much quicker and on a much larger scale. The new Freshness algorithm further builds on Caffeine and impacts roughly 35 percent of searches. Different searches have different freshness needs and Google’s new algorithm accounts for that, differentiating between what queries require recent content and those it is less relevant for. For example, if you are searching for information on when the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting will take place, you are more likely than not interested in the 2011 tree lighting and not 2008 or 2004. However, if you are searching for a cookie recipe, timeliness is less critical. As a result of this, the search results that will be most affected include those in the following categories:

1. Recent events or hot topics (latest news about NBA lockout, Occupy Wall Street protest, etc.)
2. Regularly occurring events (elections, X Factor results, etc.)
3. Frequent updates (best SLR camera, safest SUV)

This freshness shift shouldn’t be seen as a detriment, but rather an opportunity to increase our search rankings by making sure content is relevant, updated and takes into account both social media and search. Now, more than ever, analytics, keyword research and trending topics should have an impact on the content we push out on the web, in social channels and press releases. Let’s shift our thinking to “real-time” so we can really embrace the “freshness” and provide our target audiences with the updated, relevant content they are looking for.

One exciting new restaurant in Utah to keep on the radar is BRIO Tuscan Grille, a classy Italian restaurant opening at Fashion Place Mall next to Nordstrom this Monday. It’s known as being “upscale affordable” Italian cuisine in a family-friendly atmosphere, and I just found out for myself that their tiramisu alone is enough to drive crowds to that restaurant.

To kick things off and get acquainted with the Utah community before it officially opens its doors for business Sept. 12, BRIO is hosting a free grand opening block party tomorrow, Sept. 10, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the parking lot it shares with Nordstrom. Celebrations will include food samplings of BRIO’s favorites, a build-your-own sundae bar for kids, a charity fundraiser dunk tank with Murray Fire and Police Departments, photo booths, craft tables, bocce ball tournaments, raffle-prizes from Fashion Place retailers and more. Some local head honchos, including Mayor Peter Corroon of Salt Lake County and Mayor Dan Snarr of Murray City, will also attend and all proceeds will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Murray.

So what we’re telling you is that, if nothing else, keep the first BRIO in Utah in your sites. It’s going to be a big deal and after you try their tiramisu, let us know what you think.

We’ve heard it countless times, but strategies shouldn’t (can’t!) be silo-ed anymore. Think of some of the most memorable campaigns you’ve seen recently; The Old Spice “Man Your Man Could Be” comes to mind (though now slightly tainted by the long locks of Fabio…) This campaign originally aired during the Superbowl but then was posted to YouTube where it received tens of millions of page views. Following that and the overwhelming buzz (particularly on Twitter) the commercial began to receive, they took it one step further – directly responding to tweets via YouTube.

The results were phenomenal. The company saw a 107% sales increase and had a combined 135 million YouTube views. Individual products that were slipping in sales even saw spikes after being shown in the spots.

Another interesting topic was the evolution of the traditional marketing funnel – with social media, we’ve seen a new approach: awareness building –> favorability –> likelihood to recommend –> intent to purchase. Studies have also shown that consumers exposed to a brand through social media and paid search are more likely to search for the brand later and fall lower in this funnel to begin with.

As we develop marketing strategies for clients, it’s no longer individual departments (advertising, digital and PR) meeting separately and coming together with multiple ideas at the end to see if everything fits together. We now approach things from an integrated stance from the very beginning. This applies to in-house marketing departments as well. To promote a new product launch, store opening, company milestone, etc. sit all departments down in one room and brainstorm how it can be promoted across all platforms. Should a Facebook page be created for your new product, supported by paid search on certain terms and a TV or print campaign that drives people to connect on the Facebook page? Would a social media hub on your website help generate excitement and drive consumers to platforms where they can talk about your offering with other like-minded individuals? How can you build an army of advocates?

The possibilities are endless but should operate as a cohesive effort rather than individual tactics. This way, you will be hitting your target audience from multiple angles and ultimately see the greatest return on your investment.

During the five weeks of the “No Pants” policy, we are encouraged to wear anything but pants; instead, suggested leg wear can range from shorts and skirts to lava lavas. Whoever is caught wearing pants will be fined one quarter for their treason. No exceptions. During this time, we will also be collecting clothing items to be donated to the Volunteers of America. The needy are usually forgotten during the summer months, and this is our version of a Christmas in July.

Salt Lake City historically registers its hottest days of the year in July and August, with temperatures last year topping 103 degrees. Each day the temperature exceeds 100 degrees, we will hold a “Cool Down” party, providing treats for everyone in the agency.

This past week has been successful, and most have not worn pants. Unfortunately, some have been caught by the “knickerbocker police” and have had to pay up. They were warned. One week down, four to go. Stay tuned for updates on our progress over the next four weeks.

Alohamora!

It’s no surprise that working at a creative agency, we like to have fun in a plethora of ways. For example, yelling out magic spells at unnecessary times.

Incendio!

Welcome to the wonderful world of Harry Potter! In 1997, this young wizard was welcomed into the hands of millions of readers across the world. Now, 14 years later, Harry Potter has his own theme park, movies grossing over $6 billion dollars and a cult following of fans.

“Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” hits theaters across the country today. The film has sold out over 2,000 show times across the country. The world premiere, which happened last week, had Potter enthusiasts lining Trafalgar Square for over 24 hours just to get a glimpse of the movie stars.

Here at the agency, we wanted in on the Harry Potter craze. It all started last week with our own R7 Horcrux Challenge. Richter7 was being threatened by the status quo and needed to find the horcruxes to destroy such a horrible foe. To battle these demons, us muggles were put on teams and taken on a hunt in and around the building to find the horcruxes. Today, our magical adventures will land us in the theater with friends, popcorn and wizardly spells to enjoy the end of the Harry Potter saga.

You may think we’re huge fans, but we’re just muggles looking to get in on all the fun. Parties are being thrown, costumes are worn and theaters are sold out everywhere. Harry Potter has definitely made his mark. If you aren’t having as much fun as we are here at Richter7, give us a call and we’ll see what we can do to help.

A lot went into the Apple Beer campaign, from setting the right, rustic mood to express the German heritage of their brand to creating the appropriate slogans to communicate the core messages. The winning Apple Beer campaign features slogans such as, “Drink every night without worrying about your friends staging an intervention,” and “Yeah, it’ll give you a buzz. If you’re Hypoglycemic.”

In all of this, we just want to continually produce work for our clients that stands out. So when we’re able to win the most total national ADDY’s in our district, we hope, more than anything, that our clients feel they are always receiving top notch work.

Forget about deciphering the future, or trying to envision what new technology or digital tools will appear next.

Pause from that frustrating pursuit for five minutes while we peer into advertising’s distant past, in order to re-discover what the future will require – no matter what quirky Facebook rip-off or magical mobile app surfaces next week.

Look backwards for a moment.  Way back.  Keep going.  And going.

1925, bingo.

Lord & Thomas was the largest ad agency in the world at that time, and forerunner to what later became known as Foote Cone Belding (which itself became a behemoth in the ad industry).   Although his name never appeared on the door, L&T’s creator was Albert Lasker, a tireless taskmaster and one of the advertising industry’s greatest pioneers during the first half of the 20th century. With the assistance of Claude Hopkins, one of the first great professional copywriters, Lasker transformed brands such as Kleenex, Kotex, Pepsodent and Lucky Strike into household names.

That year, his agency published a series of magazine ads.  (Imagine that, an ad agency practicing what it preaches.)  The long-copy ads, mostly devoid of graphics, taught tenets of truth that may well be eternal.  Here are some excised jewels from that series.  See if you agree.

1. “Look for two certain qualities in every advertisement: ‘Fire and Feeling.’  Elements which, possessed, make one man a super-salesman.  And lacked, another a misfit.  Which make one ad sway millions to buy.  And left out, make another costly mediocrity.  ”
2. “The advertisement that trumpets ‘Here Is the Greatest Thing on Earth’ is, in modern advertising practice, judged a liability.  Only medicine shows and street carnivals any longer employ ‘barkers.’  Avoid boast and bombast.  For the whispered word is often more potent than the shouted.”
3. “When you find a winning story in advertising, stay with it.  Don’t, in the struggle for ‘something different,’ change it.
4. “The true science of headlines is to strike the right balance.  Not common-place, for that’s without excuse.  Not bizarre, for that’s a costly folly.  Not indefinite, but definite and compelling.”
5. “Many slogans can apply to ten or fifty products, but your claims as to the exclusive features of your product can apply only to yours.  If your ad copy features generalized slogans or extraneous ‘human interest’ leads more pertinently than your product, then change your copy.”

Sound familiar?  Some things never change, and shouldn’t.  These principles, circa 1925, apply every bit as much today, whether we’re creating a Flash banner or a matchbook cover.

I have long believed my job is to sell my clients products and services.  Awards are a bonus for doing that job right in the first place.  With that in mind, I offer a sixth excerpt from the Lord & Taylor ad series – again illustrating that the past can be totally applicable to the present:

• “The object of advertising is to sell.  Its only court of judgment is a profit sheet.  Men may deceive themselves, but profit and loss columns – never.”

Hats off to Mr. Lasker and Mr. Hopkins for leaving us a history lesson that has never gone out of style.