Category: San Francisco Ad Agencies
January 24th, 2012

The New Mortar Website: Thick-cut, Applewood-smoked and Surprisingly Low in Nitrites.

Finally. Finally. FINALLY. Yes, it took us three years to finish, but here at Mortar we like to drag things out as long as possible to build up maximum excitement for their arrival. (And to drive Jojo up the wall. Girl does a mean sideways cartwheel.) We’re thinking about creating a supplementary site to our new site, called “What Life Was Like When We Started Our Website Redesign.” Swine flu was poised to decimate us all. Ricki Lake was running for president.* Michael Jackson was still alive (RIP, PYT). Alexa and Sylvie weren’t even born yet.**

But no more dwelling in the past. Be here now. Allow us to present The New Mortar Website. Cleaner, meaner, and glistening with bacon-y goodness.

Why bacon, you ask? It’s our way of communicating what Mortar’s goal has been all along – to change the conversation. Everyone else talks about ads. We prefer to talk about love. Love of bacon. And Miles Davis. And good conversation. Because when you talk to your customers like people, rather than customers, they tend to like you a lot more.

In fact, conversations are what drive our whole approach. The conversations your customers are having about your brand now, and the ones you want them to have in the future. So instead of starting with Flashy-Expensive-TV-Spot and working backwards, we start by identifying the right message. (Plus, walking backwards makes us dizzy.)

Today, we’re considered a rare breed of agency that does advertising, branding, research and PR all under one roof – but we don’t see any other way to do it. Maybe one day, our approach will be the norm. We can’t understand why it isn’t already.

Pray tell us what you think of our (extremely) late and great site. Direct all comments to Mr. Butz.

 

 

 

 

*Not really, but how would you remember? It was eons ago.

**Also not true, but those youthful complexions will fool you every time.

September 22nd, 2011

Let’s Dance!

Mortar is proud – really proud – to announce the launch of Avinger’s new website.

Avinger is a medical device company devoted to developing innovative treatments for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) –  a very common, very nasty disease where your arteries clog up and cut off circulation to your limbs, heart and brain.  Most patients leave it untreated too long, which has a lot to do with why PAD is the leading cause of amputation in patients over 50, and is responsible for hundreds of thousands of amputations every year. Yes, we said “amputations.” As in – you leave the hospital with fewer limbs than you had when you entered. 
 Avinger believed there was a better way to fight PAD, so they created one. Let us show you what they’re up to:

Need a tissue? We understand completely.
We’re proud to be a part of Avinger’s amazing work, and pleased to see their shiny new website make its debut. We hope you never need their products – but it sure is nice to know Avinger is there if you do.

Speaking of dancing – other clients? The gauntlet has been thrown down. Right about the time the site launched, look what showed up at Mortar Global HQ.

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Y’all just got served. It is on.

All we can say is, “It was our pleasure, Avinger.” (Well, that and “Somebody get a really big ice bucket.”)

 

September 6th, 2011

Back In Black.

So, check out our freshly painted entryway:

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Slimming, no?

IMG_0485

Yet kind of intimidating. Should we rename ourselves "Mordor?"

Mordorwasthecase

Snoop likes it.

Ridethebusintomordor

On second thought…nah.

One does not simply walk into Mortar, but if you don't mind the World's Slowest Elevator, come up and see us sometime.

 

May 5th, 2008

Mortar is #1! (In our hearts.)

The new AdAge 2008 Agency Report is out and Mortar is ranked 346th out of all the agencies in the U.S. Also, Mortar’s revenue grew more than 35 percent between 2006 and 2007, making us 51st fastest growing agency on the annual list.

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Of the San Francisco-based agencies on the list, we are number 14, narrowly missing our friends at Buder Engel and Kadium in a tie for twelfth.

April 19th, 2007

Need some Brand DNA?

I like what Seth Godin posted this morning:

At 5, the clock radio at the hotel started playing Steely Dan. I knew it in less than a second. Two notes.

Same thing happens when I see just the edge of the New Yorker
sitting in the pile of mail or the formatting of an email from a
friend. I could probably tell a Starbucks just from the sound and the
smell of the store. They all have brand DNA.

Do you? Does your blog? Your company? I don’t think it happens by accident.

It definitely doesn’t happen by accident. If you need some help with your Brand DNA, Mortar360 can help.

Mortar360

Want to find out how compelling your brand is? Is your marketing organization robust, or
just a bust? Use Mortar’s patented Brand-O-Meter™  to get the skinny.

Then give us a call 415-772-9907 x112 or send us an email and we can  give you a clear view of where your brand is, where it could be, and how we’ll get it where it needs to go, together.