InteractiveDaySanDiego.com - before the redesign.

The new concept coming together.

Our mood boards

The NEW InteractiveDaySanDiego.com

We also created a mobile site for those who are on the go.

Visit InteractiveDaySanDiego.com today!

Mindgruve makes San Diego Ad Club’s Interactive Day website interactive!

SAN DIEGO, CA – March 31, 2011 – Mindgruve, a San Diego-based digital media firm and proud sponsor of IDSD 2011, took the lead in redesigning this year’s IDSD website. Incorporating new user trends, creative web design techniques and pure awesomeness, Mindgruve’s redesign strategy challenges outdated functionality and embraces new hardware technology while pushing the limits of the interactive web experience geared toward event attendees.

Aimed at keeping the site’s key content on one scrollable page, while also working toward conversions and high-level content clicks, an intuitive, yet unexpected “funnel” approach was implemented in the redesign. Clean web design trends and user needs were kept in mind by focusing the creative on a casual, spontaneous and edgy illustrative look that delivers the information in an entertaining way without overwhelming the user.

Using only jQuery 1.5, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, @font-face technology and absolutely no flash, the most clever thing a user will experience is the interactive animation and contrasting rollovers that send users the main call to action in stages; “Save the Date” rolls into “Register Now” as the event date approaches. Additionally, the user can scroll the page at their leisure or be taken to the four key areas – Register, Speakers, Schedule and Become a Sponsor.

Mindgruve takes it one step further for those using mobile devices. To reflect the conference theme (which is interactivity – just in case anyone was confused), the mobile site will encourage smart phone users to stay connected and engaged during IDSD with real-time tweets, likes, comments, directions, session schedule and more, making it a truly interactive experience.

Less than a month after launch, the site is already gaining recognition as users tweet and comment on the great use of HTML5 and web design. Mindgruve CEO, Chad Robley, states “This project pushed Mindgruve’s ingenuity and the limits of creativity. It’s one of our best works yet!”

About San Diego Ad Club
The San Diego Ad Club is San Diego’s oldest continually operating business association. They strive to provide their members and the entire San Diego advertising community with programs that provide the competitive advantage they need to advance their careers and their businesses. www.sandiegoadclub.com

Mobile advertising is becoming an integral part of advertising strategies due to the fact that it can conveniently reach consumers right in the palm of their hands. This year, it seems the best way to reach users are through apps as they are being downloaded everyday for almost any occasion, opening the door to integrate mobile advertising more fluidly in a campaign while search, shop and share tools, such as QR codes, continue to play a major role.

With 95% of mobile users downloading and using free apps, worldwide mobile app revenue will triple to $15.1 billion and downloads will more than double to 17.7 billion this year alone. While it is estimated that 51% of the US will have smart phones by the end of 2011, the popularity of tablets are growing as well with speculation that 50 million Americans will own a tablet computer in the next year. To keep the increasing number of tablet and smart phone users engaged through apps, iAds – a new form of mobile advertising that explores the capabilities of smart phones and tablets through rich media – is needed. Even more so when considering that mobile app revenue, especially for free apps, is made by cost-per-click mobile ads. While CPC mobile ads are a great way to advertise, CPC ad dollars are often wasted because users frequently click or tap the ads by mistake. In fact, a survey conducted by Pontiflex and Harris Interactive found that 47% of mobile app users click ads unintentionally with 61% being 18-34 year olds – the most active group of mobile users. However, the survey also found the solution that 71% of app users prefer in-app ads that don’t take them out of the app.

The Tron movie and Campbell’s Soup in-app ads are great examples that showcase the ease of use and creative possibilities of mobile advertising. The Tron movie in-app ad was one of the first highly interactive and graphical iAd campaigns featured on the iPad, utilizing videos, a photo gallery, theater locater with showtimes, preview and purchase of the movie soundtrack, and sharing through email and social media. Similarly, the Campbell’s iAd featured reformatted condensed soups, recipes, coupons and links to download all within an interactive and convenient interface. A survey focused on the success of iAds even stated, “consumers shown an iAd remembered the brand five times more often than TV ad respondents and the ad messaging three times more often.”

Based on our research of in-app mobile advertising, there are endless possibilities in combining full interaction and emotion with user-friendly aesthetics. Mobile advertising is different from online advertising; with innovative technology and interface capabilities such as swiping, sensors and GPS, it makes sense to create an app within an app for a more uninterrupted, engaged experience.

To heighten the engagement, having the in-app ad relevant to the actual app and following through on what is advertised is imperative. For example, since mobile gaming is the most popular app category, even mimicking a highly interactive game can engage and connect with users more.

Two additional features that should be utilized are location based ads combined with special offers. 57% of users are more likely to engage with an ad that is relevant to their location while 17% of consumers make purchases because of those ads. Ads containing local coupons, deals or newsletters are more likely to be clicked on as well. Lastly, don’t forget to also incorporate social media to top off the experience and allow others to be engaged.

As iAds and in-app ads are reinventing mobile advertising with fully interactive experiences and emotional impact, there’s more to be said about mobile websites and mobile search. Stay tuned for Mobile Advertising Part 2 in next month’s blog.

*BONUS* Check out this video that showcases the “flashy” interactive things that can be done with in-app ads:

With Red Bulls in hand and an awesome concept in mind, the Mindgruve Development Team joined fellow developers and designers at the 1st Annual Hackathon SD, brought to you by the folks at OpenCandy! Their mission: create an award-winning mobile application in only 23 hours.

Countless energy drinks, candy bars and three short naps later, we developed an app – The Golden Sanctuary – sure to be useful for people on the go, travelers and anyone else in search of the cleanest throne in the city – as well as some funny stuff to read and do once you get there. Check out our wireframes, comps and highlights from the event!

February 18, 7:05PM:
Team Mindgruve puts their thinking caps on and prepares for a long night ahead.

February 18, 7:45PM:
Team Mindgruve sketches out an awesome wireframe to set the plan in motion, determine navigation and much more.

February 18, 11:18PM:
As the clock draws closer to midnight, Team Mindgruve finalizes the logo as they begin to create a mock homepage in their dimly lit refuge.

February 19, 2:08AM:
While the rest of San Diego is sleeping, all teams stay up in the wee hours of the night, designing, mocking and coding.

February 19, 6:32AM:
Good morning! Team Mindgruve refuels with a somewhat nutritious (do licorice and Oreos count?) breakfast as they continue the HTML and CSS coding process.

February 19, 9:55AM:
Team Mindgruve makes coding look so easy, they can even do it with their eyes closed!

February 19, 10:00AM:
Shortly after 9:55AM (while Chris and Matt code their hearts out) our designer/designated photographer, Nate, is down for the count.*

Sorry, no picture available – for obvious reasons.
*PLEASE NOTE: Nate is the last to take his well-deserved nap.

February 19, 5:49PM:
As the final hour approaches, Team Mindgruve looks lively and adds the finishing code and design touches.

February 19, 8:00PM:
TIME! Laptops down! The coding may be over, but apps must be presented, a winner announced, then celebrations galore at Voyeur!

Curious to see this mobile app in action? Pull out your smartphones and try it out - http://thegoldensanctuary.com. Plus, there’s more to come! If you have any ideas on what you’d like to see in this quirky app, leave us a comment below with your suggestions!

If you’re impressed with our work and want to develop a mobile application for your brand, please contact Michael Garten at 949-698-2983 for more information on how we can partner.

As 2010 comes to a close, we’re recapping Mindgruve’s Top 3 Predictions for 2010 and looking forward to what 2011 will bring.

First, at the beginning of 2010, we said SEO and social media would be huge and they were. In addition to Google and Bing’s search results that feature Facebook and Twitter posts, Clickz notes that link building through social media can help generate leads, while the recent Facebook-Bing partnership indicates the growing importance of social media’s relationship with search.

Second, as the use of smartphones and location based mobile apps increased, so too did the growth of geo-targeted special offers. Keeping in line with American Express’ research which finds that one of the top five consumer buying trends is checking in to claim deals.

Finally, though Twitter was big for business, we believe Facebook’s ability to customize and personalize content took the lead as it launched Facebook Places and Facebook Deals (Gap’s overwhelmingly successful Facebook deal comes to mind), while use of FBML tabs increased with many companies, such as Procter & Gamble, creating branded shops within Facebook.

Moving into 2011, we’re armed with our three predictions for what will make its mark on digital media.

1. Visual Impact
The launch of Yelp’s Augmented Reality marked the beginning of visual search and helped pave the way for other visually focused apps/tools, such as Google Goggles, which is placing increased importance on instant information retrieval through images.

With technology like Google Goggles, we believe we will see more brands extend their traditional marketing by directing consumers, who will snap pictures of products or promotions, to conversion-centric mobile hubs. Though only a handful of brands are testing out the popularity of the goggles, it’s worth mentioning that mobile photo application Instagram sees “two to three photo uploads per second” and mobile photo sharing applications are increasing. This is important because it’s highlighting the visual shift away from text-based content in real-world settings, giving us a glimpse of consumer interests and their willingness to view the world through a phone.

2. Television Plus
Television + interactive + mobile + ______. The point is that we saw traditional TV shift in 2010 with social media’s growing role in television and the increase of timeshifting TV viewers, giving way to a less traditional, more engaged television experience in 2011. With enhanced television technology, such as the new Apple TV and AT&T U-Verse capabilities (e.g. mobile TV applications, pause and play from multiple TVs, XBOX connectivity), consumers are given the opportunity to view what they want, when they want it and on the platform of their choice. This leads to what Advertising Age aptly refers to as a fractured media market.

To leverage the user’s new viewing habits advertisers must take advantage of existing channels (social sites, websites and online broadcasters) to deliver ever-increasing opportunities for personalized engagement through the new technology. We’ve already begun to see advertisers seamlessly adapt to the shift in television with shorter ad formats. Furthermore, with the introduction of more integrated marketing like that of Columbia Sportswear and a “real-world testing environment” for interactive TV (backed by CBS and Time Warner), it’s clear that the need to provide branded, engaging experiences doesn’t end with TV, but could now start there.

3. On the Move Marketing
Mobile is BIG and getting bigger every day. According to a study by Wilson Electronics, 4.6 billion phones are in use around the world. In addition, a recent Nielsen survey shows that mobile e-mail is used more than desktop email, while mobile social media use has increased to an average of 3.1 hours per week by user. Furthermore, out of 300,000 mobile users, 30% preferred using their mobile phone to discover breaking news.

The takeaway: consumers are on the move and unlikely to sit still in 2011, meaning  marketing efforts will have to move as well. With mobile phones, as well as tablets and laptops, the need for instant gratification and convenience is growing, as is the use of QR codes, in-app advertising and geo-targeted mobile ads. Brands will need to adjust their mobile websites, traditional and digital marketing campaigns, and mobile email strategy (an important factor to play up since RingCentral discovered a large majority of business professionals do business through a smartphone) in order to fit into a consumer’s on the go lifestyle by offering targeted, topical points of interaction.

There you have it! Our predictions for 2011. Since new trends are rapidly developing,  we’ll continue to keep our finger on the pulse of the industry, bringing you insights and best practices. We wish you a happy holiday and an even happier new year!

Marketing within apps and games is revolutionizing how marketers reach new consumers

Due to the continued innovation of the smart phone, mobile apps have become a huge part of the new media industry. In particular, mobile games have seen a big benefit from this rise in popularity, accounting for 5%, or $500 million, of U.S. gaming sales in 2009 alone. These new mediums have given marketers a whole new venue to reach its specific target audiences directly and engage them in a way they have never been able to before. There are many advantages to the use of mobile ads and we believe that they will become a very effective marketing method due to their specificity and diversity.

One advantage is the potential for massive exposure because there are now over 49 million smart phone users. Recent mobile phenomenon such as Angry Birds and Words With Friends has shown that it is possible for marketers to get millions of impressions from a single app or game. Compared to console games which feature less intrusive advertising, mobiles games offer more direct advertising in order to leave an impression on its audience. This new medium also allows for a wide range of creative possibilities because of advanced smartphone technologies such as touch screens and gyroscopes that result in more clicks. For example, Greystripe has shown that their interactive ads for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment increased overall product awareness by 19%. Advertisements can now be just as engaging and interactive as apps themselves which will leave a bigger impression on users. Aside from engagement and production, there are also significant advantages demographically.

Mobile ads allow marketers to more accurately and effectively target advertisements toward certain demographics. In general, smart phone users are a valuable demographic because they are generally between the ages of 18 and 35 and have a large steady income. However, ads can still be placed within many games or applications to reach many specific demographics, making marketers campaigns much more effective. Marketers also have the option of reaching selected demographics by creating ads for a specific app store. Android users tend to be younger than Apple users while Apple users tend to be wealthier and more educated. Finally, ads can be highly localized because of most smart phones built-in GPS capabilities. This makes them particularly useful for local businesses and companies looking to reach potential consumers in a new and captivating way.

Mobile ads are an exciting addition for marketers looking to publicize their products in new mediums. They offer a different level of diversity, creativity and engagement that is difficult to find in other marketing venues. With many companies redeveloping their digital strategies and embracing in app/game advertising, innovation is sure to continue and these ads will become a mainstay for marketers moving forward.

In 2008, President Obama’s presidential campaign changed political marketing in various ways, but as a digital media agency we were intrigued with his use of social and mobile media to connect and garner support from the American people. After witnessing the overwhelming amount of success Barack Obama had with his voters, 2010 midterm election candidates on both sides of the aisle are embracing the power of new media, such as geo-targeted mobile ads, social websites and appealing designs that evoke a sense of sociability and openness, to connect with voters in time for election day.

Similar to President Obama’s mobile marketing efforts, candidates running in the 2010 midterm elections have stepped up their mobile advertising through geo-targeted mobile ads. Rep. Michele Bachmann used this tactic to target Minnesotans specifically at the state fair this past summer and as the Star Tribune notes, “campaigns are spending more of their budgets on sophisticated web ads that zero in on specific locations and demographics,” and rightly so. As we discussed in a past blog, mobile phones are a hyper-personal medium. Targeting smart phone users based on age, location, gender, search terms and residence can create awareness among groups of voters that matter most to a campaign’s overall success.

In addition to geo-targeted mobile ads, political parties have increased their social media use (of note, Republicans now hold eight of the top ten Capitol Hill Twitter spots, while 300 members of congress have turned to Facebook to stay in touch with the voting public) and taken steps to create community websites for constituents to interact with the political party and fellow voters. This past May, the GOP did this very thing when launching America Speaking Out. Its purpose is to solicit policy ideas from community members, who then vote for their favorite policy idea in order to create the GOP’s “Pledge to America.” The integration with Facebook and Twitter take this concept a step further as community members are able to share a policy idea and/or vote with their network of friends.

Finally, it doesn’t just end with new media channels. Design now plays an integral role in making sure the brand of a political party is open and inviting, encouraging a stronger social relationship. America Speaking Out moved in this direction with their website design and color palette in order to speak to voters who are unhappy with current leadership. Another intriguing web design change came from the Democratic National Committee. Armed with a new logo (reminiscent of Facebook and Twitter icons) and website redesign, the party’s new look was created to reflect what the DNC wishes to represent to America – “a community.”

Based on our observations of the new social media and mobile methods being used for the 2010 midterm elections quickly approaching, it’s obvious that new media is changing the face of political campaigning. With that said, we are confident that the new media tactics and strategies used today will empower politicians and political parties to expand their social reach by creating a network of supporters who will help spread their message to the American people.

Through a strategic social media campaign, Mindgruve increases superfood community to over 50,000 members in seven months.

SAN DIEGO, CA – July 7, 2010 – Seven months after launching the Sunfood Facebook page, San Diego-based digital media firm, Mindgruve, has produced a series of key social media engagements to propel the online community, Facebook.com/Sunfood, to over 50,000 members.

Closely collaborating with Sunfood, Mindgruve continues to improve their efforts by utilizing a custom-built weekly deals Facebook tab, weekly product sample giveaways, targeted Facebook ads, website display ads and email marketing. “This is a huge milestone for Sunfood and our online community. Mindgruve’s guidance and knowledge of this space has allowed our Facebook Page to become the hub for all conversations relating to raw foods and superfoods, and given us countless opportunities to directly connect with our consumers,” stated Brian Bowers, Sunfood’s Director of Product Development.

With an average of 300 people joining the page daily, Mindgruve is actively working to create and implement additional features for Sunfood’s Facebook Page, including custom tabs that will give health-conscious individuals the ability to shop within Facebook, contribute to important topics of conversation and find recipes for their lifestyle.

“Every day Sunfood is doing their part to share the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. With an average of over 600 monthly interactions, it’s clear that Sunfood’s page members are actively seeking this information. We’re eager to help Sunfood provide valuable insights through more integrated features, such as custom applications, as well as other exciting initiatives, including SunfoodTV and a Superfoods Community,” explained Chad Robley, President of Mindgruve.

About Sunfood
Sunfood is the world’s leading provider of high-quality superfoods, including sustainable, organic and raw products. Distributing over 700 different products, their website has become the nucleus of the growing superfood global community. Sunfood also provides staff experts, educational materials and various other tools used for integrating the health benefits of superfoods into their patrons lifestyles. www.Sunfood.com

The 6th Annual Interactive Day San Diego has wrapped and we couldn’t have asked for a better day of fun and learning with industry thought leaders regarding mobile, web design, online video, SEO, social media, email marketing and more!

Together with SanDiego.com and Chad Robley, sponsoring IDSD 2010 was an honor for Mindgruve and we’re already looking forward to next year! If you didn’t get a chance to check out the event, here are our highlights:

Opening  Session: 2020 Vision: The Most Important Advertising Issues for This Decade with Jack Myers, Founder of M.E.D.I.Advisory Group
Jack Myers kicked things off by discussing the changes happening in the market today, forcing advertisers and marketers to be more innovative than ever. Read the full recap…

Email Plus with Joel Book, Exact Target
Pointing out that email marketing is nothing new and still a very lucrative business, Joel Book explained some key insights, including the fact that 75% of social media users say email is the best way for companies to communicate with consumers. Read the full recap…

SignOnSanDiego.com Social Media Demonstration and Q&A with Mike Hodges, SignOnSanDiego.com, and Indra Gardiner, Bailey Gardiner
Mike Hodges led the group in a social media demonstration, discussing the importance of creativity in order to have more consumer impact. Indra Gardiner also shared her thoughts on how social media guidelines are key to leveraging client and company interactions. Read the full recap…

Advanced SEO with Rand Fishkin, SEOMOZ.org
Rand Fishkin discussed the balance of SEO vs PPC budget and the four areas of SEO acceleration, laying out the formula to increasing individual rankings: low competition + high search volume + high value to visitor. Read the full recap…

Mobile Marketing with Amielle Lake, Tagga
Amielle Lake explained the marketing shift taking place in the industry, moving from traditional to digital to mobile marketing. Noting that the mobile target is millennials, digital moms and techie men, she emphasized that efforts are most effective when it is campaign driven to offer immediate and branded payoff to consumer. Read the full recap…

ValueClick Media Demonstration and Q&A with Tony Winders, ValueClick Media, and Tamara Bousquet, MEA Digital
Together, Winders and Bousquet provided session attendees with insight into the importance of ad exchanges, demand side platforms (DSPs) and ad verification in a media plan. Read the full recap…

Marketing Convergence – Are You Ready? with Warren Raisch, Digitaria
Warren Raisch led the discussion by providing key insights regarding marketing in the industry, noting that mobile is becoming the ultimate Channel Aggregation point and that 92% of social users trust a recommendation from people they know over the marketing channels. Read the full recap…

Luncheon Keynote: The Identity Web with Paul Ollinger, Facebook
Facebook’s Western Region VP of Sales discussed how the internet has changed social marketing to make it enormously effective for marketers, pointing out that relationships and authenticity will allow businesses to truly learn, grow and create a social web. Read the full recap…

“POV” Point of Video with Tod Sacerdoti, BrightRoll
Providing insights into the growing online video space, Tod Sacerdoti noted that online video advertising is the future and is the best place to involve yourself. Also offering tips for moving into online video advertising, Sacerdoti says it is important to test, measure and optimize, as well as remove under-performing content. Read the full recap…

Mindset Marketing with Denny Reinert, Placecast, and Andreas Roell, Geary Group
Using Placecast as an example, Reinert led the session with a special focus on reaching consumers while in the right mindset. For location-based marketing, an opt-in mobile service is the right way to engage with consumers. This and a combination of other factors create relevance and increase purchases. Read the full recap…

Website Redesign for Lead Generation with Rick Burnes, HubSpot
Burnes discussed that the purpose of a website redesign is to be found by more prospects and convert those prospects to leads and customers. All website redesigns should have specific goals in mind, while being aware that some design and taste sacrifices will need to made to generate traffic. Read the full recap…

Digital Download: What You Need to Know About Ad Networks with John Yearout, Undertone Networks
After reviewing the timeline of ad networks over the last 15 years, Yearout pointed out that as DSPs become more prevalent, ad networks need to deliver unique inventory, targeting, products, insights and research to stay relevant. Read the full recap…

Sorenson Media Demonstration and Q&A with Eric Quanstrom, Sorenson Media, and Montana Triplett, Tremor Media
Both industry experts made a point of saying that online video is still the wild wild west for marketing and advertising. A customized user experience should be based on your objectives. Read the full recap…

Google Analytics with Joshua Knox, Google Analytics
Google’s goal, as explained by Knox, is to speed up the web to improve conversion flow. Knox also led the group in better understanding the impact AdWords has in creating valuable traffic when used correctly. Read the full recap…

State of the Industry Roundtable
At the close of IDSD, Panelists Heather Blank, Responsys; Torrey Lincoln, LinkedIn; Brian Lynch, Yahoo!; Paul Ollinger, Facebook offered their thoughts on the State of the Industry as well as some companies to keep an eye on in the coming months.

If you’d like to learn more from or contact the presenters, a list of slide decks and twitter handles can be found at the San Diego Advertising Club Facebook page. We hope to see you next year at IDSD 2011!

Mindgruve Art Director and AIGA Judge/Presenter, Barbara Luna, commented, “The portfolios were amazing this year, which made our decision in choosing a winner extremely difficult. We’re lucky to have such great talent in our area and we hope to continue supporting this event in the future.”

In addition to awarding the Best of Interactive scholarship, one of Mindgruve’s newest designers, Neil Kupras, took home the overall award for Best Portfolio.

Mindgruve looks to increase Tucsongolf.com bookings through improved user experience.

SAN DIEGO,CA – October 8, 2009 – Teaming with San Diego, California-based digital media firm, Mindgruve, TucsonGolf.com has launched their new website to a nation of happy golfers. Keeping in line with their tradition of treating each customer as a VIP, the new site provides a portal to serve every golf outing need. “We wanted to make sure that when a golfer was done with his or her purchase, every aspect of their outing was covered,” stated TucsonGolf.com Co-owner, Chris Smith. He continued, “With Mindgruve, we were able to deconstruct the experience, then rebuild it in an easy-to-use, service-oriented website.”

On the new TucsonGolf.com, visitors can find multiple tools to help them plan their next trip. “First, we redesigned the site to improve navigation. We then integrated a map search tool and custom quoting tool to better help customers find and gauge costs of their upcoming experience. We also provided a robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool for better client interaction,” explain Chad Robley, Mindgruve President.

Just in time for the winter golf season in Arizona, the CRM will ensure a personal level of service unmatched by competitors. “We now have a much more efficient way to maintain a steady dialogue with all interested parties, as well as reach out to them whenever we have specials that they may be interested in,” explained Jay Warren, Co-Owner of TucsonGolf.com. “With the new website, we can serve as their golf concierge.”

About TucsonGolf.com

TucsonGolf.com provides golfers of any level a portal to book travel, tee times, lessons and a variety of other activities in the Tucson, Scottsdale and Green Valley areas of Arizona. Having researched golf amenities across the country, they have built relationships with the best available services to provide premier offerings at reasonable prices.

Carlsbad CVB looks to keep momentum going with San Diego, California-based digital media firm.

SAN DIEGO,CA – After two successful campaigns over the spring and summer of 2009, Visit Carlsbad has once again decided to tap their neighbor to the south, digital media firm, Mindgruve, to take on their interactive marketing efforts over the next year. “Working with Mindgruve, we saw phenomenal results right away for both our spring campaign and our Endless Summer campaign. We received over 15 million online impressions and had an almost 16% rise in ‘room nights’ year-over-year, while most of the industry was experiencing a decrease in occupancy,” stated Sam Ross, Visit Carlsbad Executive Director.

Having moved Carlsbad into the number one ranking in both ADR and RevPar against all other San Diego regions in May, Mindgruve looks to not only maintain that status, but build upon it. “We’re extremely excited about the contract extension with Visit Carlsbad. We had great success through behavioral targeting and retargeting our display ads, as well as email marketing and our deal-centric microsites. In the coming year, we will overhaul Visit Carlsbad’s existing website to introduce in-depth content and improve usability,” said Chad Robley, Mindgruve President.

Another main focus moving forward will be forging a powerful two-way dialog with consumers. Carlsbad shows a longer than average trip stay compared to other areas (2.5 nights versus 1.8 nights elsewhere). Understanding and promoting why this is will help serve to better solidify Carlsbad as a top vacation spot. Sam Ross extrapolated, “Now that summer is over, we want to make sure that people will continue to take advantage of everything the Carlsbad area has to offer. It’s why we’re in the process of establishing a strong social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, among other sites. Through these channels, we can connect with visitors, helping them be the first to know about our travel deals, as well as allowing them to share stories about, or offer suggestions on, planning the perfect getaway.”

About Visit Carlsbad

Visit Carlsbad is the Convention and Visitors Bureau for the Carlsbad area. It serves approximately 30 area hotels ranging from beach bungalows to luxury accommodations by presenting and promoting vacation ideas, packages, attractions and deals for the area. visitcarlsbad.com.

SAN DIEGO, CA – In an effort to bolster tourism in a struggling economy, San Diego North has chosen to partner with San Diego, California-based digital media firm, Mindgruve. “We were looking for someone who could maximize our dollars and stimulate hotel occupancy. We have one of the greatest vacation areas in the country, if not world, so we wanted to make sure people found us on the internet when they were searching for vacation deals,” explained San Diego North Director of Marketing, Barbara Bovee. She continued “Mindgruve has a great track record of creating results-driven campaigns and that is exactly what we’re looking for.”

Focusing on travelers within driving distance of San Diego, Mindgruve is rolling out a comprehensive internet marketing plan that targets areas such as Phoenix, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and encourages their residents to get away to San Diego’s northern coastline. “We’ve already implemented rich media ads, behavioral targeting and retargeting, as well as instituted an aggressive email marketing plan – all based around the trend of mini-vacations. The average vacation stay for people right now is only 1.8 days, so we want to make sure visitors make the most of everything our area has to offer in that time,” stated Chad Robley, Mindgruve President.

Looking to further engage active travelers, Mindgruve has also developed a Facebook fan page and Twitter account, which allows would-be vacationers to get a first-hand look at everything that is available to them. Barbara Bovee elaborated, “to us, it made perfect sense. Travel is often a very social thing to do. Not just during a trip, but also while planning it and then telling everyone about it afterwards. Through our social media presence, we’ve created a forum specific to our area where consumers can get the latest deals as well as share or plan their next adventure.”

About San Diego North

The San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau represents approximately 300 hotels spanning from La Jolla to Oceanside. By combining the efforts of these hotels to offer a cohesive message, San Diego North engages and incites travelers to explore the northern San Diego coastline and all the amenities it offers. www.sandiegonorth.com

SAN DIEGO,CA – After a successful first year of sales growth with Mindgruve, Sunfood has decided to renew the San Diego, California-based digital media firm as their agency of record. “Mindgruve has been a perfect fit. Working with Chad and his team had an immediate impact on our business – sales are up 30% and our email database has doubled in size as a result of increased reach and traffic. They understand the booming superfood marketplace and have been extremely helpful in defining and targeting our audience,” stated Brian Bowers, Sunfood COO.

With one year under their belt, Mindgruve now looks to play an increasingly vital role in Sunfood’s operations and image. “Initially, we were brought in to help with their internet marketing strategy, but as the relationship evolved, we now drive all of their advertising and marketing campaigns,” said Chad Robley, Mindgruve President. He continued, “Moving forward, we will be doing product consulting and new packaging to fuse seamlessly with a complete brand overhaul. And, of course, we’ll continue to refine and increase the potency of our online marketing efforts to maximize ROI.”

The leader in the superfood marketplace, Sunfood is prepared to solidify their role as an expert and innovator of high quality superfood products. They plan to take the steps necessary to increase conversion and retention of site visitors through various community-building tactics, including a superfood-specific social network, events and an increased two-way dialog between Sunfood and their consumers. Brian Bowers explained, “superfoods are a lifestyle. With the help of Mindgruve, now we can more easily commit to engaging, educating and helping people integrate superfoods into their own lifestyle. In doing so, we will build and maintain a dedicated community that helps people love their health and love their life.”

About Sunfood

Sunfood is the world’s leading provider of high-quality superfoods, including sustainable, organic and raw products. Distributing over 1000 different products, their website has become the nucleus of the growing superfood global community. Sunfood also provides staff experts, educational materials and various other tools used for integrating the health benefits of superfoods into their patrons’ lifestyles. www.sunfood.com