For the past 8 years I’ve been running my own business and trying to build a company that adheres to certain corporate status quo.  My entire life I’ve always been the type of person to go against the grain.  I never felt like I should have to justify why I was home sick, or why in Canada we get 2 weeks vacation out of 49 weeks in a year.  How was I supposed to see the world with only 2 weeks off a year?   I remember when I was in my early 20’s I worked for a law firm for a few months and got laid off because I would come into work one minute late, I’m not kidding though, that was their reasoning, “you are always 1-2 minutes late.”

We are conditioned to work like robots and unfortunately employers feel that it is the society norm to treat their employees like children, who must obey on command.   This type of mentality and office practice is stifling our creative flow, our individuality and our ability to perform to our best abilities.  As a business owner, I only want people working for me who feel passionate about what they do, we have created a mutual respect in the office with regards to holidays, sick days and personal days and because of this mutual trust, my team works hard, is excited about their projects and are constantly bringing new ideas and creative vision to the table.

When employees feel that they are appreciated and are contributing to the overall growth of the company that’s when you see a company prosper, that’s when you see increased internal moral and that’s when you see clients gravitating to work with a business that infiltrates a positive environment.

Google is a perfect example of how a company appreciates their employees and how during the economic downturn they thrived financially and gave all their employees 10% raises plus a $1000 holiday bonus.  At their facility they have playrooms, beautifully colourful office areas, nap pods, slides, daycare and so much more!

Work can and should be fun, if it’s draining and dull then the results will affect every aspect of the business and the success and outcome of the company.  Status quo are for those who are afraid to challenge themselves and for people who don’t trust that their employees are there for a bigger purpose than just a 9-5 job, and if that is the case then the probability of high turnover is almost guaranteed.

Leave the hierarchy to the days of Medieval Times.  In the 21^st century where we are constantly fighting for freedom and equality, that notion is not just for grand justice, it starts in our every day lives and so many times people feel like they are the slave to the “corporate man.”  When you step outside the status quo you may be pleasantly surprised to see the talent that emerges and the reality that people could actually feel energized and excited to work with your organization and you!

So for those of you who have not yet seen Gap’s new logo, your doing yourself a service.  It baffles me when multimillion dollar companies create visual identities that have absolutely no creative ingenuity at all.

After all their creative marketing initiatives via commercials it seems as though Gap’s recent efforts to re-brand have fallen off the creative totem poll into a flash back of 1990 Helvetica.  I would have loved to know what their market research was on this brand identity.  What this brand tells me is that not only does Gap not have a solid grasp on their own image, they clearly do not understand their clientele and that’s just sad.

As a retail, fashion outlet, you look more now like an insurance firm with this logo.  It’s the opposite of memorable and has no emotional connection at all to the consumer.  In fact, in my eyes it just repels me to the bone.  Ever heard of the saying “if it aint broke!!” Gap claims that their efforts to change their brand was to create a debate and get the public to submit designs of their own “We’ve had the same logo for 20+ years, and this is just one of the things we’re changing. We know this logo created a lot of buzz and we’re thrilled to see passionate debates unfolding! So much so we’re asking you to share your designs. We love our version, but we’d like to see other ideas.” Are you kidding me??  of course you want to see other ideas, how could you possibly be proud of the outcome of this experiment?

Of course you want the public to submit their ideas now, since you probably spent thousands of dollars on the creation of something that a first year graphic design student in 1989 could have come up with.

The new logo was created by “Laird and Partners” and I think the public agrees they really dropped the ball on this one, especially since Gap is now reaching out to the public to fix their error.   In my opinion the original logo was great the way it was, timeless, original, memorable and recognizable as the company image.  This new logo looks like any other boring run of the mill company.  It’s a sad day for the fashion and design world I’ll tell you that much.

branding, marketing, web design toronto, los angeles

Recently over the past few months we have expanded our company to offer more marketing services now with expanded knowledge in social media marketing and bringing on new members to our team!

This year we got our client Mayavii Skin Care to launch their new brand and website at the Hugo Boss gifting suite where they showcased their skin care line. It was really my first time at TIFF and it was definitely an interesting experience. There were aspects of TIFF that I really enjoyed, mostly like how excited our clients were during the entire experience, it was very rewarding. However my impression of this time is tainted by all the ego flailing around about esteem, prestige and status.

Maybe if I was more interested in films I could appreciate this event a lot more, but I’m surrounded by the whole celebrity hype and it’s getting quite annoying. What’s the deal with all this enamor? I’m so not into the worship that famous people receive and I personally think that it’s a flaw in human behaviour.

But alas if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em right? So I take advantage of this cultural phenomenon and help my client climb the ladder to success! You can’t always fight the system and this is certainly not something that’s going to change any time soon. Some people are just born to be admired!

branding, marketing, web design toronto, los angeles

So you are about to design a new website and you want to know what the best possible solutions are to enhance your online business presence. I often come across clients who ask me many questions that they really aren’t sure who’s answer is correct because there are so many different views on good web design. “Should I avoid flash?” “What things should I do for Search Engine Optimization?” Here are a few tips that I think are the most important to follow.

1. Choose a professional web design company. People tend to hire freelance or student designers to develop the face of their business online in order to save money. In the end chances are you won’t get the education you need to understand the benefits of how a website can create an effective ROI or develop the website to allow expansion in the future. If you are truly budget driven then I would recommend renting a template until you are able to invest in this aspect of marketing.

2. PLAN FOR MARKETING. Development is only fraction of the cost. More often than not people have this idea that when they develop their site an influx of traffic will come and they will just reap the rewards. Like any business success is not likely overnight and a marketing strategy should be in place at the same time as development to ensure that results are achieved.

3. Be cutting edge. When you stand out with design and functionality and come up with new and creative ideas then chances are you will get picked up faster by media and online interest.

4. Search Engine Marketing has changed. Everyone has their say about what to do with SEO and how to achieve results. The bottom line is that it takes time and money like ever other marketing initiative. The most important aspect of good SEO is: Good, relevant content, things like articles, blogs etc. that are constantly changing. External online efforts, social media, blogs, directories, cross linking. Solid coding and good and clean programming.

5. Understand your business model. Know how you are going to make money and create a website that is an extension of your business and not just an online portfolio. With today’s technology there are ample opportunities to capitalize on a profit driven resource from your website.

6. Use rich media. Videos, good copy writing and professional photography will all add to the success of your website and provide a trustworthy representation of your business. The more transparent you are the more your audience will want to communicate with you.

7. Be authentic. People know when they are being sold a story or a gimmick, be true to your business, make sure your copy writer is creating copy that resonates with what you feel and your true passion about your business. Communicating authenticity is going to get you clients that appreciate what you have to offer them.

8. Don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo. Do something different, understand what makes you unique and use that to be the focus of your website and marketing initiative. You want your potential clients to remember you from the 10 websites they see online. When you stick out, you draw attention which normally converts to online leads.

branding, marketing, web design toronto, los angeles

9. Listen to the professional. if your web developer is advising you against an idea you have, chances are they are doing it for good reason. Don’t focus on something that can be detrimental to your success, a good designer wants to create something they can showcase and be proud of so if you hired them, then you should trust them to build you the best online presence for your business.

10. Sign up today! Always have calls to actions on your home page to start building your list of people. Even if they don’t convert to clients you can keep them on your list for future marketing initiatives. Offer something for free like a tips sheet so that the benefit is mutual.

For more information about building your online business visit our website @ www.u2r1media.com

branding, marketing, web design toronto, los angeles

I’m sitting here in Manhattan Beach LA wondering how I’m going to write about how excited I am about launching our new online look and overall updated brand. This has been a challenging year for me, growing in the face of adversity is the most difficult and most rewarding way of evolution. Fortunately I’ve managed to stick to my guns when it comes to challenges and saw them as nothing but opportunities for prosperity. Mind you some days were rougher than others, but today I am excited to start a new!

Launching our new look means a lot more than just a face-lift for U2R1 Media, we’ve worked really hard this year to expand our services and support to our clients. Having the opportunity to experience what my clients go through when they launch or re-brand and the thrill that comes with it, is exhilarating! We are also excited about our team growing and more members are joining our family.

Mostly my dream to launch and evolve in LA is coming to fruition, this has been something I’ve been building towards since opening my company in 2002. The journey begins again and every day is a new adventure, no matter where the wind takes me.

I would like to give much thanks to our amazing team, this launch was definitely a unanimous effort and I believe I speak for everyone when I say that we are all very proud of what the results turned out to be.

Here’s to shooting for the stars and landing on the moon! No task is too large, no dream is too big and when in doubt remember that just a change in thought can change your entire life!

Check it out! www.u2r1media.com for the new Multi-Sensory Experience! oh and don’t forget to share it with everyone

Cheers!

Sari Gabbay – Founder, Prosperity Creator.
U2R1 Media Inc.

416-345-8271
www.u2r1media.com

branding, marketing, web design toronto, los angeles

As we continue our quest to work with companies to help improve our environment, society and community we want to offer a tips guide on small things that businesses can do to enhance their social conscious footprint.

1. Set aside an allotted amount of hours to give back to the community

2. Provide free services/products to members of the community or those in need

3. See if your company’s products are disposed of properly or efficiently- can they go elsewhere or be reused?

• Note: remind companies that its easier to prevent the generation of waste than it is to recycle

4. Re-gift office equipment (such as computers)

5. Support local businesses (such as by sponsoring events)

6. Support local suppliers

7. Establish a program for minorities (help them get jobs and climb corporate ladder:
example of program: Career Bridge-is a program that helps new Canadians/immigrants to get a job, the Government will sponsor their cost for a certain amount of time. Great way to get talented individuals)

8. Donate to a cause: make sure it aligns with your company goals/values. Can be a great way to highlight certain characteristics about your products/ services

9. Create products and services with the environment in mind: recyclable material, low
impact, sustainable or reusable material, avoiding toxins, etc

10. Reduce ecological footprint: reduce the amount of waste your business creates. Includes major production procedures and small in-office activities such as printing

11. Replace paper with electronic documents

12. Spread the word: publicize your company’s waste prevention efforts (write something in all print material that highlights your businesses waste prevention efforts)

13. Improve employee benefit programs

14. Improve working conditions for employees

15. Apply for awards: once you have accomplished your waste prevention goals, apply for awards that recognize your company’s accomplishments

• Example: CalRecycle has an award program that recognizes businesses of all sizes that have enthusiastically embraced waste prevention
• Source: http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/ReduceWaste/Office/

branding, marketing, web design toronto, los angeles

As part of our new brand and marketing initiatives, U2R1 Media’s new Prosperity Package is now available for download! Just click on the image below, it’s packed full of what you need to jump start or improve your business, what goes into branding, the process of web design and marketing and more! Please feel free to share it with anyone who you think would benefit from it. We look forward to your feedback.

Enjoy! Your Multi-Sensory Experience Awaits!

Sari Gabbay – Founder, Prosperity Creator – U2R1 Media Inc.

www.u2r1media.com

Twitter – @CreativeCo_U2R1

Facebook Fan Page

branding, marketing, web design toronto, los angeles

Question: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT MONEY?

Before you answer that, think about it for a minute. Many people know that they desire money or the things money can buy but somehow are constantly struggling with it and trying to understand why it doesn’t come easy to them. In a recent consult with a client, who is a fabulous life coach, we were discussing how he wanted to expand his marketing efforts, but felt that he was held back because ” I have trouble selling my services so in many cases I give them away for free and as such don’t have a lot to spend on putting myself out there.”

My advice to him was the following:

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In so many instances I see people struggle with finding monetary value and charging people for what they are worth. We would never walk into a store and buy a shirt and not expect to pay right? So why is that shirt more valuable than what you have to offer as a service?

When this happens there is usually a negative subconscious energy around money. Meaning for some reason you think that money and spirituality or healing or (whatever term you decide) do not go hand in hand.

Why? Probably because you were raised in an environment where you saw money as the driving force of the negative relationship with your family, thus you separate the two energies from being harmonious to being separate and individual. Money = negative therefore how can I charge something negative for something so wonderful and positive? And Voila! your mental blueprint around money was established.

So my advice to you is to love money… Love what money can do for you and other people, because of this mental block you are actually not allowing yourself to help more people, you can’t invest in your marketing initiatives and actually be the facilitator you so desire to be.

“I have trouble selling my services so in many cases I give them away for free”

What does this really mean?

“I don’t see the value in what I offer therefore I don’t feel like I can charge people for it”

IS THAT TRUE??? No it’s not. So change your state.

“I offer a service that will enhance and enrich people’s lives and the lives around them, therefore the way people appreciate my service is through monetary rewards”

and if you are still not comfortable you can add “and through those rewards I will continue to share my wealth with the rest of the world, growing and expanding my practice and what I was meant to do here. (oh and having a nice house just because it MAKES ME HAPPY!!)”

Money is just energy… You define what it is… We created it and yes it is the root to a lot of bad but it is also the root to a lot of wonderful things. We can’t fight society we can only work with the tools we have and if our intention is always to share, then we’re good.

So why do you feel guilty for the things you have? Guilt is an illusion.. Enjoy life, do what you love and love the things you have.

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Many times in life we don’t know where our subconscious blockages are coming from and we react to our circumstances based on the present situation. Our movies however have many, many layers to them and nothing is ever what it seems. We all need guidance on how to be the best person we can be, whether it be in business, relationships, family, friendships.

If you feel like you have blockage around money then think back to where in your past you first defined the meaning of money to you. Then see the layers unravel.

If you want to learn more about how to create Business Consciousness contact me @ 416-345-8271

Yours in Light!

Sari Gabbay – Founder – U2R1 Media Inc.

www.u2r1media.com

Follow: @CreativeCo_U2R1

branding, marketing, web design toronto, los angeles

What does that exactly mean? As we evolve as a society and humanity more and more people are becoming aware of the fact that their actions effect more than just the immediate circle around them. Look at the large companies like BP for example? Have you noticed that a lot of mainstream companies are now being more socially conscious and environmentally aware?

Words like “natural” “chemical free” “no preservatives” etc. are becoming a big marketing message. That’s because the people aka society is now more actively involved in making this world a safer and more peaceful place.

So what does it mean to integrate consciousness into business development?

What I’m doing at U2R1 Media is expanding our services into the realm of socially conscious business consulting. AS WELL as integrating “holistic” (for lack of a better word) practices into business development.

The approach is simple. How can you increase your sales and communicate to your clients from an authentic representation of yourself, as well as be a company who is not only bottom line driven but wants to make a difference, small or large on the rest of society.

Every action, has a direct effect on the rest of the world.

U2R1 – we are all part of one entity.

If you want to discuss areas of your business that you think you need to improve please feel free to contact me for a consulting session. One on one.

We can cover all aspects of your business, Start up or Existing or even if you are an employee who needs guidance:

Marketing
Sales
Internal day to day issues
Stress related situations
Fear & Doubt
Finances
Etc.

No matter what there is a solution to every situation, sometimes you just need guidance and someone else to help you open another door.

Cost is $125/hour and we do offer package rates.

feel free to call the office: 416-345-8271

or email: sari.gabbay@u2r1media.com

Experience the Multi-Sensory today!

With true authenticity.
Sari Gabbay
Founder – Prosperity Creator

www.u2r1media.com

branding, marketing, web design toronto, los angeles

This blog was written by our Senior designer/developer Lydia Jackson

As designers and developers, our job is continually evolving-be it the technologies available or the styles and standards of the web. When I first started at U2R1, about four years ago, we were using HTML tables to code and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) was a brand new technology. At that point, flash was the only way to create animated interactivity and social media didn’t really exist. Can you even remember the time before Facebook and Twitter?!

It really is amazing how much technology has changed in such a short time. Now, we don’t blink when we see websites with tabs, accordions, and interactive sliders. We expect to see social media links like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, as they have become essential tools utilized to further our connection with businesses and brands.

In addition to the technologies and interactivity, the design of websites has far surpassed anything we could have imagined in the 90′s, with our animated gifs and basic text sites. The possibilities of design are now limitless and offer a vast opportunity to any business looking to enhance their brand and build their sales.

At U2R1, we specialize in creating those unique designs to make a website more than just a website. Sure, in today’s world, a website is a necessity, but a badly designed website can actually hurt your business and your customers’ trust in your brand. However, a well designed website is an investment with the potential for continued return for years to come, be it new leads, brand awareness, online marketing, or even e-commerce sales.

It is our job to ensure that your online investment has all the elements necessary to give you those returns. With all that in mind, here is a simplified list of the things we recommend to include in your website design:

1. Your logo. You brand is the most important visual on your site, so make sure it isn’t obscured or overpowered by anything else. It needs to be clear and recognizable to ensure your brand has maximum marketing power and resonates with viewers.

2. Clear Basic Navigation. A beautiful website is great, but not if the viewers aren’t sure how to get around and find information. Having clear navigation located near the top of the page is the best way to ensure users don’t get frustrated and enjoy their experience on your site.

3. Quick contact form or link. First and foremost, your website is a lead creator, so ensuring those leads actually get through to you, your website should have a simple form or call to action button linking them to a contact page.

4. Testimonials. As a business, you can’t get a better recommendation than a good testimonial from loyal client. If you can manage to get video testimonials, the impact is even better!

5. Regularly updated content. This could be a latest blog post excerpt, a news feed, a Twitter feed, or a variety of other things. Not only does it help your SEO, but it also shows your clients that your site is current and that you care to keep them informed regularly.

6. Social Media Links. Today’s world is all about social media and connecting on a new level as a customer and as a business. Having your social media profiles quickly linked through easily accessibly icons enhances the effectiveness of those accounts as marketing tools.

7. A Share link. Whether it’s just an ‘email a friend’ link or a full AddThis button, making it easy for users to share your site is a great way to get free endorsements!

8. Footer Navigation. Not only is it important for SEO, footer navigation links are useful for users to quickly get around after scrolling to the bottom of a long page or to find hidden links or subpages that may not be shown in the main navigation or only through a drop down.

Most of these are pretty basic, but their impact–when designed well–can make a huge difference on the success of your website.

Want to see how we can work with you to enhance your online presence?

Call us for a complimentary consultation with us at U2R1 Media.
Experience the Multi-Sensory and see the difference for yourself!

Written by: Lydia Jackson – Senior Designer/Developer – U2R1 Media Inc.

Follow us on Twitter: @CreativeCo_U2R1
or Join our Facebook Fan Page

www.u2r1media.com

Toronto, Los Angeles, Branding, Web Design/Development, Marketing

branding, marketing, web design toronto, los angeles

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