We were tired, so we changed the narrative.

Local. Trusted. Reliable.

These are the most overused phrases in marketing. They have their place, but they are severely abused. Take the “marketing company” Hibu for example, they operated on being “local” but they have local representatives and a business model that has been so ineffective they’ve had to change their name, headquarters, and file for bankruptcy protection. 

I mention them because they send us most of our business. People, usually small business owners, are frustrated with their tactics, we see the abuse because we can tell their marketing is suffering at the hands of Hibu, and we swoop in to correct the damage. 

***

My name is Rob Johnson and I am the Creative Director for Wayne Media Group. I have honestly seen the destruction that national marketing companies have caused small businesses, all in the name of an extra buck.

It’s unacceptable. 

So over two years ago, I changed the conversation. I only took clients that I could meet with in person and from that, we grew a good, legitimately local, small business ad agency. We meet with clients in person (sans COVID), form relationships, and advocate for the local business sector in a joint effort to keep things local. We put people back behind an ad agency. Moreover, we rolled out services in-house that no other ad agency has: 

• Soundproof podcasting/recording studio

• Editing, distribution, and advertising services for podcasts

• Videography focused on storytelling in long-form

• B2B networks featuring local businesses commercials and advertising, all in one place

In-house services are important to us because many of our “competitors” will perform a service, but actually white-label another company’s work and pass it off as their own. Another trash tactic that many of our clients despise. 

I am not here to just speak about the negative, but I cannot let garbage advertising tactics remain in the shadows, they need to see the light.

I truly love advertising. It’s one big problem/solution that needs to be addressed and every business is different. We don’t have any templates or “cookie-cutter” models. It’s all customized based on the business we’re working for. We take your best practices, experience, service model, and most importantly, your personality, and turn it into a public campaign that people will respond to.

I personally have been in this space for over six years and it keeps getting better and better the more technology evolves. 

THE FIRST BLOG…

I wanted this to be the first blog under WMG because it’s important that people know what’s important to us. And that is this: 

We are building a network that helps businesses hit their marks. We are building a personalized ad agency that meets with people, shakes their hand (or bows due to COVID), and comes up with a holistic, integrated strategy that is in your best interest. We don’t recommend things for profit, we recommend things that will work. 

Thanks for reading. It means a lot. Until next time. 

Rob Johnson / Wayne Media Group