• Give Your Clients What They Want

    July 15, 2015

    • by Emily Foster, IHAF

    Does the title of this blog frighten you? Don’t worry. I’m not going to tell you to make the logo bigger or to infuse neon green into your corporate brand palette. Beyond hearing “yes” to the sometimes-random requests they make, do you know what clients really want? They want to know that the in- …

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  • Real Patients. Real Stories. Real Collaboration.

    June 01, 2015

    Telling your company’s brand story can sometimes seem like a life-or-death proposition. For Baylor Scott & White Health, one of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the country, their brand IS life or death. And they've spent years perfecting the process of storytelling...navigating …

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  • Collaboration Inside & Out

    May 26, 2015

    If orange is the new black, collaboration is the new integration.

    Remember when agency integration was all the rage? Just a few years back, clients and agencies focused heavily on the importance of strategically communicating across multiple channels. While still important, integration has been …

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  • (25 Ways to) Love the One You’re With

    May 18, 2015

    • by IHAF Staff

    When 1970’s folk rocker Stephen Stills released his break-away hit single Love the One You’re With, we’re pretty sure he wasn’t talking about internal/external agency collaboration. Regardless, Stills’ lyrics are prolific calling us to live in harmony with one another, “If you can't be with the one …

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  • Lights, Camera, Collaboration!

    May 11, 2015

    Advertising is transitioning, evolving with its viewers, moving from the perspective of “I” the brand to “we” the consumers. As part of this evolution, many companies are seeking both innovation and engagement with their target audiences. Consumers want to be motivated and inspired—seeking …

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  • Are We There Yet?

    October 06, 2014

    How many times have we heard that question, repeated over and over and over again from the back seat? Despite our best efforts to silence the question with a satisfactory response, it seems we never get there ourselves. Can the same be said for your in-house agency?

    This month at IHAF, we’re …

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  • Changing Your Relationship Status

    June 02, 2014

    As the service-minded design group that once was blossoms into a strategic superpower within your organization, you’ll find your team’s credibility growing—and your responsibilities tripling. What do you mean you can’t design an award-winning logo, lead an international conference call, present …

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  • Creative Respect: Earn It, Don't Expect It

    May 26, 2014

    Over my career, I’ve had many conversations with in-house creative colleagues related to getting respect from clients. Actually, I had one last week. Common refrains include, “They just don’t get it” or “They don’t understand design” and my personal favorite, “They’re art directing me!” So, how do …

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  • Are You Stuck in 51/49 Thinking?

    May 19, 2014

    A number of years ago, when I was at Bose, we embarked on a transformative journey—a journey to eradicate 51/49 thinking. What is 51/49? It’s a term we used to characterize the balance of power between the in-house agency and its clients. On one hand when you’re in house, you all work for the same …

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  • Keying In on KPIs

    May 14, 2014

    Taking the time to establish annual success metrics for your in-house agency may not sound like fun to a creative team, but it can reap rewards throughout the year—particularly when it comes to managing clients. Nothing boosts success better than clearly defined key performance indicators (KPIs) …

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