We had always admired artist reps Friend + Johnson’s keen eye for talent. When they came to MSLK looking to connect with a younger generation of art buyers through social media and online, we jumped at the chance. F+J’s experience connecting talent, budgets, and the entire production process is truly their greatest asset, hence the new tagline, “Connecting Creatives, Creatively.”
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1. CHALLENGE
Established artist representative agency, Friend + Johnson, was looking for ways to connect with a new generation of younger art directors online and in social media. Furthermore as an image driven brand, F+J lacked a strong foothold in organic search engine optimization. In fact, users Googling the phrase "Friend + Johnson" lacked certainty that they had found the right company.
2. STRATEGY
We helped that F+J move their existing site to a new platform that would allow their site to be searchable and user friendly. Not only would the new platform control the website, but it would also manage their entire image database, email list, and CRM, allowing F+J to send more targeted promotions. We recommended the creation of a blog, which would become the centerpiece of their online presence adding written content to the brand. We established a list of popular SEO key phrases that describe the work they do and created an editorial content plan to be employed throughout the site. We then created a social media contest to kickstart their following.
3. DESIGN
We created a bold, modern logo and consistent voice for the brand. We added a new tagline, "Connecting Creatives, Creatively" which inspired everything from animations and interactions online, to the variety of content on the home page and spirit of our social media contest. Large, scalable images dominate the artist portfolio pages, making it optimal for very large monitors while also responding to the needs of tablets and smart phones.
4. SUCCESS
After our redesign, 31% of users found F+J through Google. We were also able to help F+J earn spots in the top five search results for some of their target SEO key phrases. Our direct mail and social media campaign helped generate their largest spike in traffic, up 55% from before, with 23% of that traffic coming as referrals from Facebook. As a result of our social media contest, F+J's Facebook fan base grew by 10% and fan activity engagement increased by 21%. The website was also honored with a Webby Award for its effective visual design and user experience.
