From the success of Netflix’s Stranger Things to the cultural phenomenon of Pokémon Go, it’s never been more obvious that nostalgia sells. Emotion-based marketing campaigns are particularly successful with the millennial market. That’s why it’s no surprise that more and more brands are tapping into the past in the digital age. I recently had the…
Read On from Nostalgia Marketing: Dairy Queen’s #MissionMixtape Campaign
“You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.” – Maya Angelou. For the month of April, our team took a look at the history of digital marketing and public relations, to get a better understanding of where each industry is headed. Take a look at how the PR…
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the many marketing terms thrown around regularly as a “need-to-have” for your website, but what is it really? Why is it so necessary? And where did it come from? To answer those questions we need to take a look at the big picture and go back almost 30 years….
Ok, don’t freak out. PR isn’t dead (we have the awards to prove it), but a strict media-relations strategy is not as effective as it once was. Relying solely on media gatekeepers to disseminate your message and reach your audiences is becoming a thing of the past. Today it’s critical for brands to recognize that…
Spring has finally arrived and it was a jam-packed month here at lotus823! As the outside world was in full bloom our team was sharing tips for how you can bring your marketing campaigns to bloom through integrated strategies. Read on to catch up on everything you missed, including reports from the International Home +…
Our team just wrapped up a whirlwind week at the International Home + Housewares Show (IH+HS) in Chicago. IH+HS is hosted each year by the International Housewares Association and has become one of the biggest trade shows in the nation! The latest and greatest products within the housewares industry were on display, with some brands…
Read On from Everything You Missed at the 2017 International Home + Housewares Show
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” We’ve all heard this iconic idiom, but it really rings true for those of us that work in social media. When you only have 140 characters to convey a brand’s message, using photos can really help tell the story. Eye-catching and engaging imagery can make the difference between…
In the world of Housewares, March Madness is about more than basketball. It’s about the countdown to Chicago. The race against time that has as much to do with product samples and press booth appointments as it does about dinner reservations and making sure your comfortable shoes are ready for prime time. As a member…
Read On from The Mad World of the International Home + Housewares Show
As my colleague and good friend Katie mentioned in a recent blog, social media plays a vital role in impactful marketing campaigns. If you’re just starting out on the social front, have no fear! We’ve rounded up our top five tips for seamlessly integrating social media into your very own marketing campaign: Know Your Audience…
Read On from 5 Tips for Integrating Social Media Into Your Marketing Campaign
Looking to boost awareness for your brand, but not sure where to begin? Do you need a public relations strategy? Do you need to start utilizing social media? Guess what – you need both, and here’s why. First, your brand needs to establish a brand identity and voice. All of your marketing materials should have…
Celebrating 15+ Years of lotus823: Leadership, Growth, and Building a Woman-Owned Marketing Agency in New Jersey
March 9, 2026
More than fifteen years ago, I took a leap of faith and founded lotus823, guiding its vision and strategy with my husband as a supportive business partner. What started as an idea has grown into a thriving integrated marketing agency in New Jersey, built on strategic thinking, operational excellence, and a leadership philosophy that...
Building Community Over Followers: The New Social KPI
May 4, 2026
In the early days of social media, there was one metric that indicated success: follower count. Brands, creators, and businesses chased big numbers, believing that scale alone translated into impact. But today, that equation is shifting. Audiences are more discerning, algorithms are more complex, and attention is more fragmented than ever. A large following might...
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Is Earned Media Enough Anymore? The Shift to Amplified PR
April 27, 2026
For decades, earned media has been considered the gold standard of public relations. A feature in a respected publication or a product mention from a trusted journalist carries credibility that paid advertising simply can’t replicate. But while earned media remains one of the most trusted forms of brand exposure, the media landscape has changed...
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Why Long-Term Creator Partnerships Outperform Campaign Bursts In Influencer Marketing
April 20, 2026
Let’s start with a hard truth: Most one-off influencer marketing campaigns don’t deliver the ROI brands expect. They may generate impressions and short-term reach, and they may even look good on a report. But when it comes to building brand trust, driving meaningful engagement, and influencing purchasing decisions, campaign bursts often fall short. That’s...
Read On from Why Long-Term Creator Partnerships Outperform Campaign Bursts In Influencer Marketing
