Local First Arizona announced a partnership with O.H.S.O., the well-established local craft brewery, distillery and restaurant group, to create a limited edition beer to showcase delicious local ingredients and hometown pride. The Sonoran Sipper is a cream ale with hibiscus lime zest featuring a variety of locally sourced ingredients. The Sonoran Sippers malted barley comes … [More]
Suns and Mercury Ink $115M Arena Naming Rights Deal
The Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and United Wholesale Mortgage, announced a 10-year, nearly $115 million dollar naming rights partnership — one of the largest in the NBA and WNBA — to name the downtown Phoenix arena after UWM’s consumer-facing brand, Mortgage Matchup. The home of the Suns, Mercury and more than 100 sporting and entertainment events a year will now be named … [More]
The Power of Communications
The Importance of Amplifying Your ‘How’ and ‘Why’ in the Age of Semiconductors
In today’s business environment, innovation alone isn’t enough. To stand out, companies must communicate both how they innovate and why (just ask author Simon Sinek). A chip breakthrough, a new platform or an AI-driven solution can transform industries, but only if people understand the purpose behind it, trust its technology and — of course — adopt it. That’s where … [More]
Arizona Major Events Host Committee Rebrands, Formalizing Global Event Bid Strategy
Arizona Major Events Host Committee announced it has rebranded as the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance, formalizing Arizona’s position as a national and global leader in attracting, planning and hosting world-class events. The Alliance will continue to serve as Arizona’s front door for all major sports, entertainment and commercial events, carrying forward the state’s … [More]
Arizona Cardinals Pen Multi-Year Partnership with Avnet
The Arizona Cardinals Football Club and Avnet, a global technology solutions leader headquartered in Phoenix, have agreed to a multi-year partnership. This collaboration brings together two Arizona-based organizations that share a commitment to community and education. A significant part of the relationship is investment in initiatives that uplift and empower communities … [More]
Carvana Partners with NBA Hall-of-Famer on Marketing
Carvana, an industry pioneer for buying and selling used cars online, announced a first-of-its-kind integrated brand partnership with basketball Hall of Famer, entrepreneur, and cultural icon Shaquille O’Neal, launching with the debut of the world’s first AI-powered Shaqbot. Designed to make car shopping simpler, easier, and more fun, Shaqbot brings Shaq’s signature voice, … [More]
Arizona Ad Agency Expands to San Francisco with Acquisition
Chandler-based Commit Agency announced the acquisition of San Francisco’s Gumas Advertising, the originator of Challenger Brand Marketing. This bold move expands Commit’s national footprint, strengthens its leadership team and solidifies its position as the unrivaled authority on helping challenger brands compete and win at a time when budgets are shrinking, costs are rising … [More]
Marketing Solutions for B2B Performance Bring ROI through Automation
Necessity is famously the mother of invention. With uncertainty surrounding marketing budgets big and small, the current need for B2B marketers is almost universal: the ability to accurately measure ROI, justifying every line-item to the penny. Here’s a wide-angle look at the trends shaping the quest for more accurate ROI measurement. Looking at a campaign broadly from … [More]
Your Reputation Is Your Résumé – Guard It Well
Deeper than brand, it starts with integrity
We’ve all heard the saying, “Your reputation precedes you.” In today’s hyper-connected world, that’s not just a phrase, it’s a reality. Before you enter a room, pitch a client or apply for an opportunity, chances are someone has already looked you up. They’ve scanned your LinkedIn, read what others have said, maybe even formed an opinion based on a single post or interaction. … [More]
Taking a Fresh Look at the Need for Target-Specific Advertising
Advertising pixels had a good run. While the run isn’t over, it’s certainly slowed down in a world where web users can opt out of re-targeting. Considering all the work cookies did on behalf of marketers, an old-school approach is needed to recapture the data lost whenever someone opts out on their browser. Although contextual targeting for web marketers offers a realm of … [More]
Valley Startup Poised to Enter $21B Influencer Marketing Industry
Social Strudel announced the public relaunch of the first platform to gamify micro-influencer marketing, emerging from private beta with enhanced features that give brands full control over creator advocacy. The global influencer marketing industry, valued at $21.1 billion in 2023, continues shifting toward authentic micro-influencer partnerships, and Social Strudel's … [More]
Beyond the Fab: Arizona’s Chip Industry Creates Opportunity across Sectors
When a single industry grows fast enough, it doesn’t just expand. It accelerates everything around it. That’s what’s happening in Arizona, where the semiconductor surge is lifting more than just manufacturers. Kiterocket, a Phoenix-based communications agency, was recently named agency of record for SEMI, the global association representing more than 3,000 semiconductor and … [More]
The Cautionary Tale of Skype’s Rise and Fall: What Other Businesses Can Do to Avoid the Same Fate
Skype, the platform once synonymous with video calls, just shocked the world by shutting down after 22 years. How is it possible that a once-dominant business — with more than 300 million users at its peak — could fail? “If it can happen to Skype, it can happen to any business that stops innovating or becomes invisible,” observes Jason Kocina, Media Relations Agency’s … [More]
Carvana Launches National Campaign with Hollywood Veteran
Carvana, an industry pioneer for buying and selling used cars online, today announced a new national campaign in collaboration with Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor Jon Hamm. The campaign highlights how easy it is to sell your car to Carvana, as Hamm brings his signature humor and relatability to a series of new ads launching across digital, broadcast, and streaming … [More]
Tech-Enhanced Real Estate Yard Signs Offer New Way to Compete
The introduction of HomeSmart’s SmartSigns and SmartRiders leverages QR codes and NFC (Near Field Communication) tags, allowing potential buyers to scan or tap for easy access to property details and photos delivered right to their enabled mobile devices. This “smart” yard sign suite was designed to eliminate reliance on traditional marketing methods like onsite physical … [More]
Carvana and Pickleball Association Grow Sport with New Multi-Year Partnership
Carvana, the leading e-commerce platform for buying and selling used cars, and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour) announced the extension of their multi-year title sponsorship agreement. This renewal builds upon the tremendous success of their initial partnership, which began in 2022 and has helped propel pickleball to new heights as America's fastest-growing … [More]
Forces and Factors Impacting Marketing Performance
The CMO Council’s inaugural Marketing Vitality Index forecasts waves of vitality, volatility and velocity in 2025
Are marketing dollars going to the right places? What’s the bang for the buck? The index indicates CMOs should allocate spend to mostly digital channels that engage target customers more actively, more visibly, and can be measured and optimized. Smarter spending is also being driven by increased competition and audience fragmentation. Audiences are spread out in a plethora … [More]
PR & Marketing Co. Reaching New Heights with Rapid Growth, Impact
Evolve PR & Marketing, the largest public relations agency in the Valley, continues its dynamic expansion, reaching new heights with rapid growth and industry-leading impact. Under the visionary leadership of President & CEO Jennifer Kaplan, Evolve has transformed from a boutique firm into a formidable presence, now home to a dynamic team of 25 full-time publicists and … [More]
