Ever wondered how full-service ad agencies are able to offer you such a wide array of expertise? Agencies don’t always do all the work themselves. Often, the expertise comes through their relationships with qualified vendors. In fact, at BrandHive, maintaining good relationships with vendors is a must.

In building good relationships with our vendors, BrandHive focuses on three things:
1. Trust
2. Open dialogue
3. Accountability

1. Trust is primary. Our clients view our vendors’ work as an extension of our own, so quality is our top concern. Highly qualified vendors are more likely to hang around when treated as a valued partner, not just a supplier. We carefully select vendors that have proven themselves worthy of our trust and then make every effort to earn their trust in return.

2. Trust can only develop through open dialogue. We talk a lot. That’s because keeping the dialogue open allows our vendors to understand our expectations, deadlines, and unique client needs.

3. Lastly, in any good relationship both parties need to be held accountable. Unfortunately, mistakes will be made, sometimes on the vendor side and sometimes on the agency side. When that occurs, the party responsible needs to own the mistake and take actions to rectify it as soon as possible. Mistakes not acknowledged (and therefore not corrected) mean flailing relationships and unhappy clients before too long.

In the hive, we recognize how valuable our vendors are in serving our clients. As someone who has direct contact with multiple vendors every day, I go out of my way to be open, honest and respectful with our vendors. Not only does it pay off in better work for our clients, but it makes coming to work a whole lot more fun every day as well.

SALT LAKE CITY – June 26, 2013 – BrandHive’s PR team is expanding. The full-service marketing firm, which specializes in natural, sustainable and organic products, is pleased to announce that local public relations pro Anna West has joined the team.

“Despite the changing face of journalism, BrandHive continues to have strong PR successes,” said Jeff Hilton, co-founder and chief marketing officer. “Though traditional media outlets are becoming more scarce, we are seeing tremendous new opportunities in social media, niche publications, online news outlets and blogs.”

West comes to BrandHive after more than seven years working for Crowell Advertising. There she focused on consumer PR for health care, tourism, retail, sports, arts, entertainment and nonprofit brands. West holds an M.S. in health education from Utah State University, and worked for the Utah Department of Health prior to Crowell as a spokeswoman and social marketer. In January of 2013, Catalyst Magazine named her one of 100 culture catalysts in in Salt Lake City and she is a member of the board of directors for KRCL. With this new addition, the BrandHive PR team boasts five members.

My first Vitafoods experience in May of 2013 was unforgettable. It kicked off with a party hosted by BrandHive client, OmniActive.  The event was held on the outdoor deck at La Perle du Lac, on the edge of the Lake Geneva, Switzerland.  In addition to an informative talk by Dr. Jorg Grunwald, President of Analyze and Realize, who provided an update on EFSA claims, there was a terrific jazz quartet, amazing food, and the wonderful company of international colleagues. The warm, sunny weather that evening brought a parade of walkers, bikers and joggers along the lake path and the city really came to life.

The next day I easily navigated my way from downtown Geneva to the Palexpo exhibition center via the quietest train I have ever experienced (thanks to Swiss engineering expertise). Hitting the tradeshow floor, one immediate difference soon became apparent.  While most US tradeshow exchanges are handshakes and the occasional hug, the European “kiss hello” was offered by almost everyone. I had a few anxious moments as I worked on my aim and tried not to bonk anyone’s glasses.

After spending a few hours on the floor show it appeared that most ingredients and finished goods were primarily marketed toward “prevention” and healthy aging. Similar to what we see in the U.S. market, heart, cognitive, joint, and skin health products seemed to predominate. Emerging interest in protein supplementation was prominent at this show. In addition to enriched foods for the elderly, there were products targeting vegetarians, dieters and children. The targeting of product benefits to clearly defined small niches was in line with the trend towards “personalize nutrition” that was also a hot topic at the show.

In the afternoon, it was fun to participate in a long-standing Vitafoods tradition — a Norwegian specialties buffet at the Epax stand!  The smoked salmon with our client Gunilla Traberg’s special mustard sauce was a real treat.  A party theme perfectly suited to a Norwegian company with a 170+ year history in marine Omega-3s, this event was extremely well attended.

BrandHive has been designing the Epax Vitafoods stand graphics and event invitations for many years. It was great to see the stand in action and to attend the educational events they host. This year’s topics were the Effects of Marine Omega-3s on Telomeres, and PUFA’s affects on Inflammation biomarkers, both presented by Dr. Morten Bryhn, Scientific Advisor to Epax.

In the evening, the Nutrition Business & Technology Awards Gala was held at the Starling Geneva Hotel with Jeff Hilton acting as the event host for the second year in a row. Several BrandHive clients were nominated for awards, including Epax 1050 TG for Outstanding Application in Health Management, and Gencor Nutrients’ Libifem for Most Innovative Ingredient. While neither client walked away with an award this year, it was an honor to have them nominated and recognized for their efforts in product excellence.

Thursday was the last day of the show, and the slightly slower pace allowed for several client meetings to recap show highlights and discuss upcoming projects. In the afternoon, I made my final rounds to say “Good-bye”, “Au revoir”, “Auf Wiedersehen” and “Ha det!” before heading back to the hotel to pack my bags.

Overall, Vitafoods was a fantastic experience and a wonderful opportunity to support our BrandHive clients who market in both the U.S. and European markets. Next year Vitafoods will be held on May 6-8, 2014.  I hope to see you there!   http://www.vitafoods.eu.com/page.cfm

BrandHive is buzzing with growth, having added Gary Gonzalez and Meet Nagar to the team.

“Despite tough economic times, BrandHive’s business base continues to expand in the U.S. and internationally,” said Jeff Hilton, co-founder and chief marketing officer. “I think our growth reflects the robust, dynamic state of the natural product industry.”

Nagar now serves as marketing assistant for the agency, providing support, analysis and project coordination for many of BrandHive’s key clients. He graduated from University of Utah in 2012 with a Bachelor’s in Marketing. Previously, he worked as an Associate Chemist at Schiff Nutrition, verifying label claims for chondroitin and omega-3 fatty acids. Nagar enjoys the outdoors, sampling exotic foods and travel.

Gonzalez is BrandHive’s new public relations coordinator. The Seattle native opened his own clothing and digital marketing companies to help him pay his way through college. In 2010, he interned for Real Salt Lake’s marketing team. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Westminster College’s communications program in 2012. The sports enthusiast recently took third place in his age category in the Salt Lake Marathon’s half marathon and was a star member of Westminster’s soccer team.

When BrandHive client OmniActive Health Technologies set out to launch its education initiative – Lutein for Every Age – they wanted to do something flashy that would immediately capture the attention of Engredea/Expo West tradeshow attendees. We had just the idea!

While attendees were waiting patiently for the show floor to open at the Anaheim Convention Center, a flash mob adorned in Lutein for Every Age t-shirts and neon sunglasses formed, singing and dancing to the classic song “I Can See Clearly Now.”

In total, three flash mobs of about 75 people broke out across various parts of the convention center grounds the morning of the show’s opening day. These unexpected flash mobs delivered OmniActive’s message about the importance of supplementing with lutein for maintaining eye health, no matter your age, in an exciting and unconventional way.

The program was even awarded the Editors’ Choice for “Best Marketing Campaign” at the show. Now that’s clearly a win for everyone!

The days of calorie-packed soda are over, as America reaches for functional beverages that heal,sooth or energize instead. BrandHive co-founder, Jeff Hilton, will lead the charge toward effective drinks today when he speaks at the Healthy Beverage Expo in Las Vegas.

We anticipate Hilton’s presentation to be “standing room only” as buyers, distributors and retailers gather to learn more about the innovative delivery formats, trending functional ingredients and condition-specific health benefits that are emerging in the healthy beverage market.

“It’s true that the food portion of the natural health industry is taking off,” said Jeff Hilton, partner and co-founder of BrandHive. “But, the fuel for the rocket is beverages. This aspect of the industry has grown, and we suspect this is only the beginning of the craze.”

The most popular beverage categories include super fruits, beauty-from-within products, drinks powered by vitality-enhancing ingredients, functional teas and enhanced waters. Marketing has evolved primarily through packaging, designs like cans, bottled drinks and powdered single-serving mixes catch the eye on store shelves. These innovations are helping natural health companies meet growing customer demand.

Hilton often emphasizes that the most successful brands are memorable and different, and boast scientific proof of their effectiveness.

“BrandHive intends to stay on top of the food and drink tidal wave,” continued Hilton. “Our job is to provide strong marketing to this industry as the millennial generation emerges as a critical market. Companies that provide choice, give back and connect socially will do well as this generation comes of age.”

SALT LAKE CITY, June 4, 2013 — Jeff Hilton, BrandHive co-founder and partner, will speak at the Healthy Beverage Expo in Las Vegas on marketing and packaging trends in the healthy and functional beverage industries.

Hilton will present “Functional Revolution: Marketing Trends in the Healthy and Functional Beverage Category” on Saturday, June 8, at 11 a.m. PDT at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Attendees will learn new and innovative delivery formats, popular and trending functional ingredients, and condition-specific health benefits most common and emerging in the marketplace.

“It’s imperative to understand how healthy and functional beverages can best appeal to both Millennials and Boomers, distinct groups with totally unique attitudes toward health and wellness,” Hilton said. “And remember, healthy beverages are leading the functional revolution with consumers – even more so than foods.”

Hilton’s session will help beverage manufacturers pinpoint key raw ingredients that are dominating formulation trends and assist them in determining the right functional health benefits; and decisions which can make the difference between product success or failure.

The Health Beverage Expo is dedicated to supporting and fueling the healthy drink segment of the beverage market. Buyers, distributors, and retailers can preview and compare an extensive range of beverages, explore newly launched products, source vendors, participate in exclusive taste-test competitions, hear from top imbibe experts, establish key relationships, and evaluate opportunities to capitalize on this fast-growing segment.

Attendance for Jeff’s session is near capacity, contact customer service representatives for more information about the session and conference (www.healthybeverageexpo.com).

Consumer ad developed by BrandHive for Albion Minerals

1.    The primary role of a consumer campaign is to increase awareness

When a B2B company markets to consumers, the role of a campaign is to increase awareness, not to close the deal. Campaigns can increase consumer awareness of a finished or ingredient brand by using visuals and messages that:

• Surprise
• Evoke positive emotions
• Create comfort with the brand
• Lead thinking to a desired conclusion
• Form associations that make the brand memorable
• Satisfy the critical filter of resistance with clinical research
• Facilitate engagement and familiarity

Please note, these same elements are also effective when marketing to manufacturers. High dollar sales are not spontaneous decisions, and manufacturers want to spend time getting to know a brand through its advertising in much the same way consumers do.

2.    Marketing to consumers requires vertical strategies

Unless you want to spend a lot of money to reach consumers through horizontal channels, consider targeting vertical media channels even for consumers.

When marketing ingredients to consumers, brands used to formulate their messages and broadcast them through mass media in order to generate broad exposure. Unfortunately, the proliferation of brand messages has become so overwhelming that consumers have evolved highly effective strategies for tuning them out. As a result, B2B brands today need to use targeted vertical media channels and aim to convert a specific type of customer defined both demographically and psychographically.

Vertical channels attract consumers interested enough in health topics to become educated on ingredients and condition-specific solutions. When these customers are educated on the advantages of a particular product, they are converted into brand “advocates.”

Once converted, brand advocates share brand images and messages across their social platforms, which is how vertical messages spread “virally” into the horizontal exposure brand managers want.

3.    Once you engage consumers, they want a say

What’s the hidden cost for targeting consumers in your marketing? Control of the brand. Today, brand advocates want to engage with the brands they champion. They want to have a say in future offerings and line extensions. They want to be heard on branded websites and blogs. When planning to target consumers, plan early to manage their “feedback loops.”

Campaigns that integrate these 3 points can generate the kind of consumer awareness that a brands retail partners will love.

Jeff Hilton and Gail Frankoski represent BrandHive at VitaFoods 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Every year, BrandHive works with international clients to prepare for VitaFoods, an international event that recognizes excellence in research and development, marketing, and technology within the nutraceutical and function food category. This year was no exception. Here’s a few things that kept BrandHive staff and clients busy during the 4-day event.

One long-standing client, Epax, was shortlisted for the “Outstanding Application in Health Management” award and hosted a presentation titled “Forever Young: Effects of marine omega-3 fatty acids on telomeres” given by Morten Bryhn, M.D., Ph.D.

Another BrandHive client, OmniActive, hosted an elegant dinner at La Perle du Sac, and launched a new vision-health ingredient called “Vision Blend.”

A third BrandHive client, Gencor, was shortlisted for “Most Innovative Ingredient” award and spread the word to those attending about its revolutionary female sexual health product, Libifem.

Other BrandHive clients, like LeSaffre (makers of Red Star Nutritional Yeast) and UAS Labs (The Probiotic Company) were also in attendance.

And, we don’t want to forget that BrandHive’s very own Jeff Hilton presided over the Gala award ceremony. Nice job Jeff.

Start planning now to put VitaFoods on your 2014 calendar and hear about topics as relevant as:

• The rise of preventative, personalized nutrition
• The ongoing popularity of high-protein products
• Copy recommendations to avoid product rejections based on unaccepted claims

See you next year!

Gary here. At the hive, wellness is never far from our minds. That said, my recent experience running a half marathon with my brother was probably motivated more by a healthy sibling rivalry than anything else.

Rewind a few months to last Christmas. Neither my brother or I are “runners” per se, but sports have always been a big part of our lives. As collegiate soccer players, we both considered ourselves to be in pretty good shape, so when he threw out the idea of running a half marathon, I signed us up.

Four months later I was standing with my brother on the starting line, surrounded by 5,000 other runners who all seem a bit more prepared than I felt. I was sure they all:

• Had their own running shoes.
• Didn’t play a soccer game the night before.
• Were happy to be there.

At this point, I started thinking about how far 13.1 miles really is. Needless to say, the few runs I had gone on weren’t quite that far. And then there was the rain. Yep, it rained hard. The entire race.

Rain aside, one hour, thirty minutes and twenty three seconds after the starting gun went off, I managed to haul my cold, wet and tired body over the finish line. My brother was about 30 seconds ahead of me. Much to our surprise we ended up placing 2nd and 3rd for our age group (19-24). Not too bad for a couple of soccer-kicking wanna-be runners.

When it’s all said and done, the race was a great exercise (pun intended) for getting out of my comfort zone. The jury is still out on whether this was a one time thing, but who knows? I do know that when someone asks me when I was the most miserable in 2013, I now have an answer. And if there is a next time, this 23-year-old is going to do a little more training.