Inward Blog

Viewing entries posted in January 2014

The Best and Worst of Super Bowl Commercials

This Sunday, February 2, 2014, is one of the most exciting days for sports fans all across the country: The Super Bowl.  Every year, the Super Bowl captures the biggest TV audience as viewers watch two NFL teams fight it out for the championship title.  Interestingly, a large percentage of this audience has a greater interest in the commercial breaks.  The Super Bowl time slot is known for having the best commercials of the entire year.  With such a large viewership, companies fight for a slot to promote their brand.  These various companies are willing to pay millions of dollars for only 30 seconds of air time!  With a large audience, expensive airtime, and an unbelievable opportunity for brand engagement, companies put their best foot forward to create some of the best commercials possible.  While many brands hit the nail on the head with stunning commercials, many also seem to miss the mark.  Here are some examples of the best and worst of Super Bowl commercials:

Posted by Allan Steinmetz at 10:00am

, , , , ,

Five Brands with the Best Employee Engagement

This past year we were impressed with several brands that demonstrated how employee engagement can successfully be integrated with a brand's image. These brands have truly committed to employee satisfaction, and it can be seen on the face of every worker. These companies understand the power of alignment between the brand and employee, and creatively brought their brand values to employees by embedding it into their everyday lives at the office. These five brands show that they don’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk.

Posted by Allan Steinmetz at 9:00am

, , , ,

Chipotle- The Superstars of Branding

Branding is one of the most important foundations for building a successful company.  It allows your company to properly communicate its goals and objectives to its clientele, overall establishing an identity.  A strong and successful brand can ultimately build customer loyalty for your company.  Devising and implementing a branding strategy is one of the hardest things to successfully tackle.  Many companies have tried to develop a positive identity and brand for their company but have missed the mark.  One company that has proven time and time again to be extremely successful in building a strong brand is the Mexican fast-food restaurant, Chipotle.

Posted by Allan Steinmetz at 10:00am

, , , ,

Games vs. Gamification: What's the Difference?

Although gamification is a hot topic these days many people still struggle to understand the difference between games and gamification. The confusion is often amplified when organizations try to make a business case for gamification as an internal or external communications vehicle. We've created a cheat sheet to help our clients understand the difference. 

Posted by Allan Steinmetz at 12:00pm

, ,

Five Myths of Employee Engagement Infographic

This infographic created by Michael C Fina accurately depicts many misconceptions in the workplace today. While debunking the myths, it also simultaneously highlights the importance of employee engagement and its key role for maintaining a powerful staff. Having intangible rewards that give employees incentives makes for a higher return on investment and creates an environment of happy campers. Treating each individual equally and applauding their accomplishments are just a few suggestions to becoming an effective and amiable boss. 

Posted by Allan Steinmetz at 2:00am

, , , , , , ,

Four Apps to Gamify Your Life

As gamification continues to be a prominent topic of discussion in the workplace, it is simultaneously growing in the social world. With smart phones becoming a necessity in our lives, apps have become a useful tool to keep us organized, entertained and up to date in our fluctuating world. There are now apps that are designed to help you live the lifestyle you desire, and will reward you for every step towards that direction. Here are some notable apps that can help gamify your personal life. 

Posted by Allan Steinmetz at 9:00am

, , , , , , ,

Tips for Kicking Off the New Year

Happy New Year to everyone from Inward Strategic Consulting!  What better way to kick off the New Year than a fresh start to a healthier and happier lifestyle.  By following some of these quick and easy tips, you can start the year on the right food by feeling better about yourself, both physically and mentally!

Posted by Allan Steinmetz at 9:00am

, ,

Engaging Millennials with Gamification

It’s no secret that the Millennial generation is fond of texting, tweeting, posting, linking, and anything else that involves being connected. This generation has been raised on technology, and the majority of this group probably doesn’t even remember a time when Facebook and smartphones didn’t exist. While studies have shown that some aspects of constantly being connected and “on” result in negative side effects, we would like to point out a very positive effect that could greatly benefit your organization.

Posted by Allan Steinmetz at 11:00am

, ,

Bring Your Inner Child to Work Day

Here at Inward Strategic Consulting we are all about employee engagement, and through methods such as gamification we bring this invaluable asset to tons of great companies every day. But even a team of employee engagement, gamification specialists can get a case of the creative hiccups. So what do we do when faced with this dilemma? Forget the pant suit and the never ending influx of emails for the day. Spending hours behind a desk, computer, or staying in one place for a prolonged period of time can definitely stifle creativity. So get out!

Posted by Allan Steinmetz at 1:00am

, , ,