by AMA Knoxville | Jan 14, 2016 | Featured News
We would like to thank Colby McLemore with Colby’s Photography for being one of the Knoxville American Marketing Association’s (KAMA) Sponsors. Colby McLemore and his team focus primarily on advertising imagery, both in the digital world and in print. They specialize in images that involve people telling the stories and benefits of products or services as well as architectural and product photography, both of which have won many awards. As you may know from attending our events, they do business portraits and corporate events as well.
You’ve undoubtedly already seen their work on websites, billboards, and print advertisements around Knoxville, as Colby happens to be one of Knoxville’s favorite and most talented commercial photographers. He has won Gold and Silver Addy awards, and Knoxvillians have voted him the best Knoxville Photographer in both The News Sentinel andCityview three or more years in a row. He’s also highly respected by his peers, having been named one of the International Top Ten Commercial Photographers in a contest sponsored by the largest and oldest photography trade organization–the Professional Photographers of America. He has also been named Photographer of the Year by Tennessee’s Professional Photographers Association (TNPPA), Top 10 Photographer of Tennessee, Fuji Excellence Award, Kodak Gallery Award, and many others.
But Colby isn’t just an exceptional commercial photographer; he’s also fantastic to work with. He somehow manages to combine a laid-back attitude with exemplary professionalism, making his photography projects both timely and painless. Here’s what a few KAMA members have to say:
“If you’re looking to convey a message through an image with no words, Colby can make that happen.”
– John McCulley
“[Colby is] thorough, detail-oriented, professional and passionate…a true craftsman…fantastic experience from start to finish, and beyond…I was pleased with the experience, the final product and the communication – he hit the trifecta from downtown (literally)!”
– Daniel Monday, KAMA president
“Whenever anyone asks me for photographer suggestions, the first name that comes to mind is Colby McLemore…he has blown me away. He always goes the extra mile for clients…he’s not satisfied until you’re satisfied…gorgeous photos…I highly recommend Colby.”
– Ana Ritchers, KAMA VP of Communications
“extremely knowledgeable…I couldn’t be more pleased!”
– Bethany Yandell
Lucky for us, Colby strongly believes in giving back to the community and is an active volunteer on KAMA’s communications board, the Professional Photographers of America’s National Council, Tennessee’s board of the American Society of Media Professionals and many more. In this spirit, he’s offering business portraits at a discount for all KAMA members. (This is a deal you seriously don’t want to miss! If you haven’t yet experienced Colby’s style and expertise, now’s the time to do it!) And if you’ve been looking for other advertising photography like architectural shots of the place you or clients work, group staff photos, lifestyle advertisements—Colby’s Photography has you covered. We’re proud to have him as a member of KAMA and are thankful for his sponsorship.
If you’d like to know more about his services or talk to him about getting your discounted business portraits, check out his website.

by AMA Knoxville | Nov 21, 2012 | Featured News, Special Events
Here are some thoughts to consider long before that Thanksgiving meal settles. Thanks to KAMA member Kathleen Atkins for contributing this guest post:
Last year, I documented the day after Thanksgiving shopping madness I have annually participated in and has been dubbed by retailers and consumers as the biggest shopping day of the year — Black Friday. The article was based on a tweet from @LauraLPotts: “Black Friday is like zombie apocalypse: you’re either one of them, or you’re locked inside praying that loved ones don’t get trampled.”
This evening, as I’m scouring the Internet doing my research, I’m prepping and flipping through Black Friday ads that have been pre-released, scanned, and posted on various web sites. I’m beginning to formulate my plan of attack.
But this year is different.
Nearly all of the stores are now opening at midnight or earlier. Gone are the days of 5 a.m. store openings I was accustomed to in the “early days.” Black Friday has evolved into Black Thursday, a round-the-clock, nationwide, sleep-deprived shopping massacre.
Black Thursday is the new Black Friday.
I will be among the thousands lined up on a sidewalk or in a parking lot with red blood-colored cranberry sauce stains on my shirt, and everyone will be facing the store’s front door just waiting for the doors to open. Traffic will be at a standstill in Turkey Creek and West Town Mall, and the struggle to obtain the best deals has never been so perilous.
The zombie shopping fever has spread, and I’m afraid it’s hit a pandemic level. I can’t help but wonder, what would Rick from The Walking Dead do?
Zombies in The Walking Dead are quite similar to Black Thursday shoppers:
- They devour any living thing (deal) they can catch.
- They never sleep.
- They are more dangerous in large numbers.
- Loud noises attract large herds of them.
- They stand still or shuffle around rather slowly. However when in pursuit, they move much more quickly.
- They may turn what would normally be a harmless household item into a weapon.
As I prepare to head out into the darkness the evening of Black Thursday, I will be double-knotting my tennis shoes and keeping in mind that the swiftest shoppers can be far more dangerous than the walkers roaming the earth.
by AMA Knoxville | Nov 5, 2012 | Featured News
As the number of mobile users increases, the need to integrate mobile strategies into marketing initiatives is increasing as well, a topic discussed by our own founder and lead advisor Brian at a Knoxville AMA event last week.
The Importance Of Mobile

Reaching customers has become increasingly difficult in our digital world, and as the fastest growing segment of the web, mobile is a part of that. Brian shared that the growth of the mobile web has outpaced that of desktop by 10 times, and smartphone sales have significantly surpassed PC sales in recent years.
Many marketers treat “the web” as a single medium like “print” or “TV” or “radio,” but that’s not how we see it at Pyxl. In reality, “the web” is made up of multiple distinct yet connected mediums on desktops, tablets and smartphones. As a business, it’s up to you to not only reach your audience wherever they are, but also to optimize content to work across devices.
Designing For Mobile To Optimize Integrated Engagement
As Brian discussed, desktop computers provide the most space for content display, and visitors tend to spend more time on a site when viewed on a desktop. However, more individuals are beginning to access information through tablets, which provide less space for content but still include web browsing as part of the experience. Finally, smartphones, which provide the least real estate for content, are focused, with visitors heading to a website looking for specific information on-the-go.

So, how do we integrate web strategies that satisfy all mediums?
Four Strategies For Integrating Mobile
Brian shared four options for companies considering their mobile strategy:
1. Do Nothing
The first option is to simply do nothing, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If your site covers a complex topic, those looking for information are probably expecting to complete deep research, which usually isn’t done on a small device like a smartphone. Brian shared the example of the Provision Health Alliance website, one of Pyxl’s clients. For a healthcare company like Provision, people wanting to know more will most likely seek information through a desktop.
2. Build a Mobile Site on the Same or Separate CMS
A second option is to build a mobile site on a single CMS, which provides easier updates and maintenance. Using a single CMS on two platforms decreases the cost of development with some increase in maintenance, but provides a tailored mobile experience. The downside? There will be an inconsistent experience between the desktop/tablet and smartphone experiences.
3. Build a Mobile App
This is a great option for companies that want to create a distinct experience for customers, separate from that of the main website. For instance, Pyxl client Pilot Flying J has a core website that focuses on consumers and is optimized for desktop and tablets, while its mobile app focuses purposely on travelers looking for a specific location or service.
4. Build a Responsive Site (on a Single CMS)
Building responsive websites is becoming one of the best options for companies hoping to utilize integrated engagement, with the created site adjusting naturally for each distinct medium on which it’s viewed. For companies hoping to integrate responsive web design into their strategy, Brian provided a checklist for success:
- Wireframe. Wireframe. Wireframe.
- Information hierarchy
- Ration and scale imagery
- Readability
- “The fold” is dead
- Orientation – horizontal, vertical
- Less is more
- Test. Test. Test.
Regardless of the option you choose, simply considering and thinking about mobile as part of your greater web strategy is critical to maximizing integrated engagement. If you want success in reaching customers in this digital age, having a mobile strategy is key.
Do you agree? How are you integrating mobile strategies into your marketing initiatives?
Want more information? Here’s Brian’s presentation in its entirety (scroll to the bottom of the page).
by AMA Knoxville | May 10, 2012 | Featured News, Luncheons | Programs
Bart Fricks, COO of the Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants, brings more than 27 years of restaurant experience to the table (yes, pun intended J). Previously with Mr. Gatti’s and then Ruby Tuesday, the man behind the Calhoun’s Restaurant Twitter handle @Calhouns, says being part of the “social party” gives him the opportunity to stay close to customers. Fricks says that managing their many restaurant concepts within the Copper Cellar brand is a challenge but customers follow and engage with the restaurants they enjoy most. Their team, Fricks says it is definitely a group effort at this point, uses tools such as Hootsuite to help space out their posts so they don’t bombard customers all at once with messages from each concept.
The locally-loved restaurant brand first launched into the social web with Facebook pages for Smoky Mountain Brewery and Copper Cellar in the fall of 2009 followed shortly with pages for Calhoun’s and Chesapeake’s. By the end of 2009, the brand had accumulated 1,518 followers. It wasn’t until the group really started joining in the conversation that they saw the biggest increase in followers. Posting each concept’s daily specials, events, and responding to customer feedback and suggestions quickly has driven much of their success in continuing to grow in the social space. Twitter proved to be a bit different story for the brand. Fricks says that in 2009 and 2010, they didn’t do a very good job with Twitter. He took over as the voice behind @Calhouns and began thanking people for following them, retweeting, and jumping in the conversation especially on #FollowFriday where you suggest that your friends “follow” others on Twitter. “More is better on Twitter,” says Fricks, as he encourages the group to be active in the space and comment on what others are saying.
Posting great food photos and monitoring searches like “Where to eat in Knoxville” has helped the brand expand their reach. Fricks says it’s easy to go after big numbers, using an app to buy followers for example, but he’s not interested in that. His goal is for the brand “to be great at a few things” and not try to be everywhere such as places like Foursquare, Flickr, or Pinterest. For now, the brand is focusing on cultivating great conversations with their customers mainly on Facebook and Twitter.
My favorite conversation point of the luncheon is when Fricks exclaims, “I hate coupons.” Most people assume that restaurants are just going to be in the coupon business. He goes on to say that in his experience coupons have a way of abruptly bringing in clientele which the restaurant isn’t quite prepared for, and then service and food quality suffers. “You can’t just hire servers for 4 weeks and expect them to provide great service then let them go,” which is what would be required for a huge influx of customers which a deep offer coupon. To Fricks, great service and quality of food every time a guest comes in to one of their restaurants is the ultimate goal of the brand.
The Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants is continuing to expand its real estate in the digital and social space. New websites for each restaurant concept are coming soon, and Fricks says they are looking into hiring someone to manage their social strategy. So keep on the lookout for new great things coming from this local restaurant family!
by AMA Knoxville | Apr 18, 2012 | Featured News, Luncheons | Programs
After more than 100 years of canning goods and more than 20 years as a national brand, Bush Brothers & Co. has perfected its secret family recipe—in food products and marketing strategy. Scott Daniel, marketing director at Bush Brothers & Co., shared his company’s philosophy on giving customers what they want and doing it successfully at the April KAMA luncheon.
Add two cups of consumer research …
The “secret family recipe” that Bush Brothers & Co. uses as its marketing strategy starts with the consumer. The company’s immediate approach is to find something people want and find a way to make it in a great tasting and affordable way. How does Bush Brothers do that? Through millions of dollars spent on research each year. However, Daniel noted, “You do not need to have a million dollar budget to learn about your consumer.” He explained by mentioning several low budget ways to research a target audience including social media, surveys, ethnographies or even just talking to them—all methods marketers have at their fingertips.
Three tablespoons of open-mindedness …
“Avoid the marketer’s bias by looking outside your own lens when developing products,” said Daniel. Taking advantage of opportunities for engagement with your customers can prevent personal bias from affecting your marketing activities. Instead of doing what just works, do what your consumer wants. An example Daniel used was that if you talk to someone about baby food who doesn’t have kids, he or she is going to have a different opinion about how to reach the audience from what actually may be the correct way. We are all doing something in our business today that reflects our own personal ideas, and Daniel recommends we take a step back, look at research and visualize how the consumer wants to see a message.
A dash of promotion …
Most marketers struggle with promotion versus marketing. Daniel set a parameter that Bush Brothers follows and that the KAMA audience should follow, too. He said, “Promotion should be an element of your marketing plan, not how you go to market.” Since a promotion strategy just gets engagement, lift up a product or service that reflects your target’s needs and wants.
And sprinkle in fulfilling relationships.
Finally, make your customers proud of your relationship with them. If your brand delivers a fulfilling experience for your target audience, they will purchase your product no matter the price. An example given by Daniel was that, more often than not, Folgers will beat Starbucks in a blind taste test setting. However, when picking a brand, consumers will most often choose Starbucks because of the relationship the brand has formed.
Mix and serve immediately.
When cultivated, these elements can result in a marketing strategy that will really stand out. KAMA luncheon attendees all learned valuable lessons from Daniel this month, and we didn’t even need Duke, the iconic Bush Beans dog, there to spill the beans.
by AMA Knoxville | Mar 15, 2012 | Featured News, Luncheons | Programs
Guest speaker Randy Boyd, CEO of Radio Systems Corporation (RSC), hit home with the attendees at the March KAMA Luncheon when he stated that his employees live and talk about the company’s values every day instead of only pulling out the list at each monthly staff meeting.
Boyd shared the seven values that are prevalent in his associates’ daily lives:
1.) “Try a lot of stuff and see what works.”
Boyd points out that in order to innovate, you must fail; therefore, he encourages his employees to not be afraid of failure.
2.) “Be honest.”
“Trust from customers comes from honesty,” said Boyd. It is necessary to be honest within the organization and to be honest with customers in order to have a successful brand following.
3.) “Create an environment of openness and equality.”
There is a feeling of equality in the many offices operated by RSC, with Boyd even going so far as to ensure that he does not have a special parking spot or a bigger desk than his associates. He is even known to move randomly to departments around the office!
4.) “Create win-win-win solutions.”
In order for there to be a win-win-win solution, a company must take into account itself, the expansion of time horizons that enable a win for both parties and all other parties affected.
5.) “Invest in associates.”
Boyd shared the strong focus RSC has on the personal development of its associates by noting that there are dogs always in the office, and that RSC pays for its associates to attend additional schooling.
6.) “Listen.”
Everyone has three processes of listening, according to Boyd. RSC encourages its employees to hone their processes of listening to become a better communicator and professional.
7.) “Have an organization that’s built to last.”
Boyd stressed that building something that will last beyond your tenure is an important thing to take in to consideration.
Boyd’s success is palpable thanks in part to this value system, which shows us that the values he instills in his company are ones that we all can try to practice and learn from today.