The 2011 Consumer Electronics Show has come and gone, leaving behind an array of consumer gadgets hopeful of becoming the next big thing. Among them are smart TVs, also known as connected televisions. Though most are focusing on how the move back to television will improve electronics sales, we believe it is far more important to discuss how this traditional platform will improve the digital marketing arena. The shift to smart TVs will give the digital ad world countless new areas of engagement to explore, increased interaction on larger screens and new functionality in much the same way, if not more, than other smart technologies.

With sales of connected TVs increasing by 38% in 2010 and the home theater market growing at a surprising rate (pre-Super Bowl excitement a contributing factor), the consumer demand is giving agencies good reason to explore new engagement opportunities. The importance consumers are placing on traditional home entertainment (combined with the amount of time spent in front of a television and viewing from multiple screens, such as smartphones or laptops) is creating the perfect scenario for digital advertisers to become a consistent, integral part of the experience.

Projecting that 40% of U.S. televisions will have internet connections by 2014, a recent Futurescape study also notes that 63% of viewers want more out of their television experience, including show information and shopping capabilities. Aside from basic internet connections provided by various devices like Apple TV, Google TV and Boxee, steps to increase television interactivity are on the rise as television networks are utilizing check-ins, a feature made popular by numerous smartphone applications like Foursquare, to help increase viewership, promote specials and improve pre- and post-show engagement levels.

In addition, the “couch potato” days of viewing are being replaced with increased mobility. The growth of smartphones and tablets have allowed for unique opportunities to create engaging experiences that move with the viewer, making the smaller, portable screens a digital “training ground” for the larger smart television market. Just as it was for smartphones and tablets, the key to this technology taking off is its value to the user. With it, consumers will find that television can adapt to their lifestyle as more apps and customization tools are created to check the weather, update their Facebook profile, see sports highlights, shop and more – all related to what they’re watching.

This new era of television is not just something to be aware of, but something to get excited about. As we mentioned in a previous blog, television is becoming more than just television. It is an opportunity for digital advertisers to create connections with consumers and now, with new features and capabilities, becoming a powerful ad forum once again (if used correctly). When taken advantage of, this channel can only help extend reach as well as seamlessly provide integrated and interactive opportunities to enhance viewer (and brand) engagement.

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!

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.

The past few years have seen many innovations in the world of mobile marketing, one of the biggest being the use of digital barcodes. Digital barcodes, or Quick Response codes, are barcodes that, when scanned using a mobile device’s QR code reader, lead users to promotional information designated by the creator. We believe digital barcodes will help mobile marketing finally break into the mainstream. They create a more intimate experience for users as well as increase the effectiveness and response time of opt-in marketing campaigns.

The biggest advantage to a digital barcode campaign is an increase in user engagement. Digital barcodes create a more enticing, personal experience for users that is hard to replicate in other mediums. They also have the ability to quickly show the success of a campaign based on the number of scans per location, which can be measured at any time. Additionally, digital barcodes can drive quality traffic to a company’s website or landing page, allowing for targeted marketing. Finally, consumers that use the bar codes are showing an immediate interest, making it easier for companies to get visitors to interact with their product or service.

This is perfectly demonstrated by a digital barcode campaign that was recently launched by Calvin Klein to support their new lines of X jeans. Billboards were placed in New York and Los Angeles with a digital barcode on them in place of the normally racy billboard. If scanned, the ad promised an uncensored version for private viewing. With the campaign, Calvin Klein enticed consumers to visit its site under their own volition and to engage with their new product in influencer markets.

QR Codes have also been used for other types of campaigns. The nonprofit group Women of the Storm used digital barcodes to rally support for restoration of the Gulf Coast after the BP oil spill. The Be the One Campaign, with the assistance of ScanLife, created a digital barcode that leads to their website. This barcode was then put on display in Times Square as well as printed on stickers and T-shirts. To date, it has resulted in over 120,000 people signing up to support their cause.

While there are many advantages to a digital barcode campaign, there are some drawbacks to be considered. The technology is still very new and in most cases requires a smartphone. Marketers will also need to make sure they have a significant web presence. With this type of campaign, companies must ensure that consumers will remain engaged once they hit the landing page or the campaign is destined to fail.

This technology is an exciting look into the future of marketing. We are currently utilizing one on our building for our Google business listing and believe that digital barcodes offer many options for engaging the audience with creative, versatile opt-in marketing campaigns. While there are still some issues to work around, this technology offers the ability take mobile marketing to a whole new level.

If you or your company is interested in learning more about the potential for digital barcode campaigns, please contact Michael Garten by phone (949.698.2983), on Twitter or through Linkedin.

Online video is a major part of the interactive world and many say it’s the future of marketing. However, it wasn’t until recently that we’ve seen companies actively use it to reach audiences online. Toyota (apart from the recall woes faced earlier this year) and Levi’s have shown great leadership with their current campaigns. Inspired by Reel SEO’s tips for creating a web series, we believe these brands hit the nail on the head with content that centers on universal truths for the target audience, encouraging them to contribute, watch and share with others.

Toyota
Toyota’s Sienna Family changed the way we viewed automobile advertising, especially after the now famous Swagger Wagon music video took the web by storm. Armed with (self-professed) A+ parenting skills, the family gave parents and minivan drivers the opportunity to chuckle at the well-known steps new parents take to meet varying family needs. Taking a step back from traditional car ads, Toyota developed a campaign around an engaging, sitcom-style series of online videos that don’t push warranties, pricing and the like.

Already, millions have gone out of their way to meet the family. As Spork Marketing Blog notes, unlike traditional TV advertising, “online video viewers have elected to watch your content – it’s not being forced upon them.” With nearly 3 million YouTube channel views and over 4 million views of Swagger Wagon alone, Toyota has achieved an online video marketing success.

Levi’s
The popular clothing brand grabbed Mindgruve’s attention with “Ready to Work” (an extension of their “Go Forth” campaign), which documents the new pioneers of Braddock, PA, through an 11-part online video series.

Unlike Toyota’s series of laughable family quirks, this series of online videos pull at the heart strings by tapping into the idea of hard work, a theme integral to America and Levi’s roots, while also highlighting a very real concept many have faced in light of economic highs and lows, starting over. These personal narratives will be carried through the entire series as it showcases the potential of Braddock residents, including Braddock’s Mayor who expresses his passion for the town with heartfelt tattoos.

Still early in the campaign, Levi’s made the right decision to captivate their audience by leveraging their Facebook Page and YouTube channel. The use of their social network makes the series easily accessible to those already interested and is sure to help spread the word about this resilient community and Levi’s brand.

Done correctly, online videos can be an engaging medium and possess the ability to enhance your marketing with repeated viewing, sharing and meaningful discussion. While there is no surefire way to guarantee a hit, choosing and executing on a theme universal to your audience is a good first step.

Using robust Facebook Page capabilities, Mindgruve drives the community to 25,000+ members in under six months.

SAN DIEGO,CA – May 5, 2010 – Since launching the Sunfood Facebook Page in January, San Diego-based digital media firm, Mindgruve, has provided a series of social media initiatives to build the online community, Facebook.com/Sunfood, to over 25,000 members.

Leveraging a custom-built weekly deals Facebook application, an Earth Day Giveaway contest and other weekly promotions, Mindgruve continues to support Sunfood’s efforts with targeted Facebook ads, website display ads and email marketing. “The success behind our Facebook page is directly related the amount of work Mindgruve has done behind the scenes to help us develop the community. We couldn’t have met 25,000 members without their quick work and strategic planning in launching efforts like our Earth Day promotion and weekly giveaways,” explained Brian Bowers, Sunfood’s Director of Product Development.

As more people continue to join the page, Mindgruve moves to develop more immersive features for Sunfood’s Facebook page. The page will soon feature custom tabs, which will allow for shopping within Facebook while also giving health food enthusiasts increased opportunities to contribute and interact with other members.

“With nearly 100 interactions and almost 200 new community members every day, the success we’ve seen has been amazing. As Sunfood continues to find the best new superfoods, we look forward to developing innovative ways to share them. These include SunfoodTV, an online video channel for recipes and product reviews, and Superfoods Community, a superfood-specific online community focused on health, lifestyle and personal growth,” stated 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

Through a comprehensive holiday marketing campaign, Mindgruve drives record sales at Sunfood.com

SAN DIEGO,CA – January 29, 2010 – Over the 2009 holiday season, San Diego-based digital media agency, Mindgruve, helped release new products, launch social media efforts, and unleash email and internet marketing campaigns that resulted in record sales for client, Sunfood.com.

Starting in early November, Mindgruve helped introduce a series of new products and sales, all supported by email and paid search efforts, that engaged and activated Sunfood’s community. “The results were better than we could have expected. Our community responded to everything we were doing,” stated Brian Bowers, Sunfood’s Director of Product Development. He continued, “by providing organic and recycled material clothing, gift cards and unique holiday gift packages, customers saw the opportunity to promote and share their raw lifestyle with pride.”

As Sunfood’s product offering grew, so did their marketing efforts. Targeted and timely emails were sent to promote deals that ranged from store-wide sales to special discounts on new products. Additionally, the Sunfood.com homepage was regularly updated with banner ads highlighting unique and new offerings. Finally, Sunfood launched a social media effort through Facebook and Twitter, to help guide gift purchases and share specials with their audience.

“We knew the Sunfood audience was hungry for more – more information, more products, more interaction – so when we provided it through our efforts this holiday season, the results were obvious. Sales for November and December jumped 32% from last year, with an over 50% surge between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We also saw a 55% increase in site visits and a 22% increase in page views,” explained Chad Robley, President of Mindgruve.

Sunfood continues to see these numbers rise as they add more exclusive products, such as Maqui Berry Powder, and interact with the Sunfood community through social media channels.

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

1. SEOcial Media
With the recent upgrades by Google and Bing to integrate Facebook and Twitter posts into search results, as well as the powerful new real-time and personalization functionality, creating a symbiotic relationship between SEO and social media will be key to getting results. With many clients already questioning the ROI of social media, this might confuse them even more, but here are some of the basics to get you started:

• The bigger your social media presence, the more your links and content become available for search engines to aggregate.
• The more frequently you update/interact on your social media – especially within popular/trending topics – the more likely you are to rise in the search results, including real-time results.
• Monitoring micro-trends in your social media space will give you insights for adjusting your overall SEO strategy – providing your audience with more relevant and “clickable” results.

The list goes on, and as Google and Bing refine their new functionality, it will become more clear to how to make the most of it. For now, start thinking of your social media as an extension of your SEO efforts and vice versa.

2. Let’s Go GEO
What’s true in real estate is quickly becoming true in digital marketing: Location. Location. Location. The increased use of smart phones, localized search, geo tagging and augmented reality has opened the door to better access your target with relevant information, helping you find them, when they want you.

The area most likely for a boom of growth is the use of smart phones. Applications like FourSquare, Yowza and Yelp provide a location-based way to quickly find just about anything you’re looking for, as well as deals attached to it. Brand-specific apps like myStarbucks add another layer, offering store locators based on a variety of criteria and can alert other Starbucks fanatics of your whereabouts.

On top of that, Twitter is getting in on the act with it’s new geo tagging API. This means that geo tags will quickly be as important as #tags for joining conversations. Recent statistics by the National Retail Federation state that 60% of consumers will use social media to locate deals and coupons. Combine that with eMarketer’s finding that 45% of social network users in the U.S. will be accessing their social networks from their mobile devices, and we believe that location is quickly becoming a key component of conversions.

3. Micro Content Is Big Biz
We know, Twitter was already a big deal in 2009, but this year, people are actually going to figure out how to use it. Additionally, Twitter is in the process of rolling out several business friendly features.

Let’s start with the obvious. The new paid brand accounts offer something that has been lacking for most companies (and their marketing departments): user analytics and improved feed-back functions. These additions, along with rumored ad space, should make providing relevant tweets to your audience a lot easier. Based on who they are and what they tell you, your Twitter now provides unlimited uses, such as a perpetual newsletter, talent recruiting, product/service launches, customer support, niche group building and contests.

Speaking of contests, “Tweepstakes” have become a proven source for increased interaction. And according to a recent Razorfish study, special offers (like contests) drive engagement, “consumers not only want to engage with brands, but engaging with brands is having an inordinate effect on affinity for brands and the likelihood to purchase.” Additionally, “of those surveyed, 64% had made their first purchase from a company as a result of a digital interaction…”

Whether you like it or not, in 2010, Twitter will be a key player in garnering a dedicated audience and encouraging them to partake in your products and services.

Of course, these are just predictions. The only thing that we are 100% sure of is that the landscape we work in changes daily, if not hourly, and we will continue to do everything in our power to bring industry-leading brand, digital and social media successes to our clients. Happy 2010!

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 the success of their spring campaign the City of Carlsbad has again chosen San Diego-based digital marketing firm, Mindgruve, to create and launch their new 2009 Endless Summer Stimulus Campaign.

The three month marketing push funded by the City of Carlsbad, CTBID and [Energy Co.], involves a comprehensive online and offline marketing strategy designed to promote “20 irresistible summer hotel deals” to families traveling to Carlsbad, CA.

The summer campaign targeting families in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas includes direct mail, a hotel deal microsite, email marketing, paid Google search and online banner advertising to form a cohesive, fully integrated marketing effort.

“The success of the Carlsbad campaign is more evidence of how critical the role of digital media now plays in all Destination Marketing Organizations. The internet is now the epicenter for the marketing mix enabling lower cost of customer acquisition and vastly improving marketers ability to measure campaigns in real time. Additionally, search marketing is shortening the buying cycle and delivering customers at a time of need” states Mindgruve president, Chad Robley.

Mindgruve and the City of Carlsbad’s last integrated marketing campaign proved extremely successful.  Their spring campaign had over 3.5 million brand impressions in the first 60 days as well as a 105% increase in page views and 152% increase in site visitation year-over-year in that same time period. This increase tripled hotel bookings on the visitcarlsbad.com website in the first 60 days of the campaign.

CARLSBAD, CA - Mindgruve, a San Diego-based advertising+interactive marketing firm, announced today they have signed a contract with the Carlsbad BID [Business Improvement District: responsible for improving Carlsbad's tourism market share in Southern California]. As part of the agreement, Mindgruve will be developing a brand platform, logo, and print collateral campaign. However, the primary focus of the marketing investment dollars will be allocated to the internet strategy, microsites, paid search, search optimization, affiliate marketing, social media, and email marketing portion of the agreement.

This partnership was created to jump start Carlsbad tourism in light of the recent downturn in the economy and tourism market. “Carlsbad is home to some of the word’s finest hotels, resorts, golf courses, beaches, and attractions,” says Reint Reinders, President of Reint Reinders & Associates, the consulting firm for the Carlsbad BID. “We will be actively pursuing families who are seeking hotel and attraction deals and packages within several regional feeder markets including Southern California and Arizona.”

Mindgruve plans to develop a series of highly targeted micro websites to promote Carlsbad destination-centric family package deals. “This campaign will be centered around search marketing to families looking to drive relatively short distances for a vacation at a reduced price”, says Chad Robley, President of Mindgruve. “The combination of a world class family destination and value-based marketing approach provides a great opportunity for families to explore Carlsbad.”

San Diego, CA - Mindgruve, a leading advertising + interactive agency in San Diego, recently announced their partnership with Sunfood.com. Founder of Sunfood, David Wolfe, is a world renowned expert on the raw food lifestyle and has chosen to collaborate with Mindgruve as they expand their raw food empire.

David Wolfe is a visionary in the raw food industry and with his expertise and support, Sunfood has flourished to become one of the most recognizable all-natural food brands in the world. In keeping with the times, Sunfood is promoting environmental and social responsibility through their strictly implemented “green” business standards and innovative products. Mindgruve will be responsible for rebranding Sunfood.com, creating a new ecommerce strategy, designing their product packaging and handling all event marketing for Sunfood, amongst other things.

Sunfood has been providing people worldwide with quality products to enhance their health, create longevity and enable them to have the best day ever for over a decade. Since its inception in 1995, Sunfood has acquired a loyal clientele consisting of A-list celebrities and business professionals. Nutrient filled best-sellers like their truly raw cashews and cacao nibs have given consumers an alternate way to eat and live, without sacrificing good taste. The company is now looking to expand and plans on producing even more products and foods in their ongoing campaign to promote health and well-being to all people, everywhere.

The creative team at Mindgruve will be creating the SunFood site so that food-lovers will have free access to shop for SunFood items online while acquiring first hand knowledge about healthy eating from David Wolfe.