FUEL

If you’re a guy looking for a positive community of other men, check out the SC and FL chapters of Camo Hat Club.  They’re committed to  creating gatherings where men can navigate the complexities of life together, one conversation at a time. Go to camohatblub.com to join a club or start one of your own.

What’s in a name? For this men’s mental health breakfast club, a lifeline. From Dennis, Camo Hat Club founder, “Men tend to camouflage their emotions. Wearing the camo hat in a public place with a group of other men in their own camo hats will hopefully generate curiosity and conversations and actually do the opposite of camouflage – make it incredibly clear how to identify them!” We were so glad we had the chance to get our hands on the old brand system and elevate every component: the logo, the script, the camouflage pattern... And ultimately create modern apparel men would want to wear. To learn more about joining a club or starting your own, go to camohatclub.com.

Did you know? (We didn’t.) June is officially Men’s Mental Health Month. ❤️ We have our latest recipients of the FUEL for Good Grant, the incredible team at Half a Sorrow, to thank for bringing so many vital mental health insights to our attention. For example, how 80% of all suicides are men. How loneliness is a risk factor comparable to smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure. And how close relationships with other people have more of an impact on our physical health and longevity than our genetics...

The importance of male friendships cannot be overstated - please meet the Camo Hat Club. Check out camohatclub.com to learn more about its mission to save lives starting with real conversations over breakfast.

For hospitality’s best-in-class, “soft” and “hard” brand families matter (we’ll explain)

Read along as we break down some of the best soft and hard hospitality brands building on their brand perception to fuel their marketing, grow their guest bookings, and expand their big picture empire to more locations than we thought possible (or visitable).

FUEL is proud to announce that we are now certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation’s leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women.

https://www.fuelforbrands.com/press/brand-building-agency-fuel-certified-by-the-womens-business-enterprise-national-council/

Hospitality’s best-in-class brands have a secret strategy: data dependency.

Which hotel brands are bringing in more bookings with surgical customer data strategies? Both the familiar and less familiar. From Marriott’s crazy amounts of testing and data aggregation to Airbnb’s simple “Smart Pricing” tool, the holy grail remains the same for all brands: meaningful data applied meaningfully.

Celebrating New Beginnings!
Strata Platforms, in collaboration with Global Location Strategies, hosted an incredible dinner experience in Greenville during the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC) Spring Forum to mark the launch of the new company. We were excited to support with a number of brand pieces, from a pop up banner, signage, table cards, menus, printed napkins, and stickers.

Welcome Strata Platforms to the world - the latest innovator of site selection software! We couldn’t have worked with a smarter team to bring this new brand to life, from its name and brand strategy to its complete brand identity, culminating in a debut website designed with room to grow.

Check back this week for individual brand components and the thinking that brought them to life!

That feeling when a logo starts taking shape... Our design for Strata Platforms – a site selection software provider – took much of its inspiration from the actual brand name, “strata,” because of the incredible amount of inherent meaning. The name represent the layers of data and variables its software sifts through and then organizes; it speaks to the complexity of the decisions its clients make; it also evokes the breadth and depth of the company’s own expertise and offerings, which gives  the brand room to grow through its software stack and future offerings and capabilities.

We stacked three abstract platform shapes to form an uppercase ‘S’ that symbolizes the strong foundation and stability that Strata Platforms offers its clients, while the contemporary design of the logo conveys the company’s commitment to innovation and progress in the industry.

What do you think?

Why does your brand story need to unfold on screen? Because it’s the best way to demand – and hold – attention.

Can you, can anyone, prove the ROI of branding? The data/numbers say 100%. Check out Mary Church Cornette’s take on how branding is at the core of building brand value.

The ROI of Branding: Building Brand Value, Backed by Stats Can you, can anyone, prove the ROI of branding? The data/numbers say 100%. Read our take on how branding is at the core of building brand value.

One of the best parts of our FUEL for Good Grant program is the opportunity to meet new people with hearts committed to our community. This session's grant applicants were all exceptional, and we appreciate so much their taking time to share their organization with us. Greenville is lucky to have them all.

This session, we have selected the Half a Sorrow Foundation, focused on improving mental health for individuals and organizations by promoting real conversations. Learn more about the foundation at https://halfasorrow.org/.

Cheers to Amy’s magical weekend as she tied the knot! A few weeks ago, we gathered to celebrate this amazing couple and express our gratitude to Amy for her invaluable contributions at FUEL.

Amy, you’re not just a colleague, but an integral part of our team, and we’re always here to celebrate every special moment in your life—both at work and beyond! 💖

Another year, another FUEL Flame Award!

This award has such a special place in our hearts because it recognizes someone who consistently shows up for the team through their commitment to our collective success. From supporting our mission to living our values, thank you, Ally, for all that you do to make FUEL the special place that it is!

Merry, merry! Some of the FUEL team enjoyed a wonderful dinner together to celebrate the holiday season. Coordinating schedules during this time of year always gets a bit tricky, but we are grateful we get to come together as friends to enjoy the season!

Someone's 8th FUELiversary has arrived! Besides feeling like the luckiest agency on the planet to have this woman around, here are just a few of the ways we feel about Christina.

"Always encouraging adventures and fun… and the official keeper of the blackmail photos."

"The OG FUEL employee. She is the biggest FUEL brand-advocate and is willing to do whatever it takes to support her fellow team members."

"She introduced me to the concept of a weekend boyfriend, and I've never been the same."

"She is generous, talented, kind, and has a positive spirit. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a meme from her that will brighten your day.""

"Her contributions to FUEL are countless. She’s our rock."

"She does everything with a smile, and I can always count on her to brighten my day!"

"Thankful for 8 years of Christina's creative thinking, impressive Excel sheets, organization skills, the BEST memes, and daily reminders to go forth and do good!"

To celebrate, we are sharing some of her favorite moments at FUEL over the years! We love you, Christina! Happy Anniversary!

Brand identities have a shelf life. They need a zhuzh every twelve to thirty-six months to remain relevant." So begin's our CEO and Head of Creative, Mary Church Cornette's take on: "7 Ways Branding Agencies Can Help Keep Your Brand Fresh Without a Major Investment."

Read more:
https://www.fuelforbrands.com/article/is-your-brand-stale-bread/

FUEL’s Ally Dodge and Mary Church Cornette (with wingwoman Christina Strayer) attended Career Day at League Academy. While they did have candy, we are convinced our table was the most popular because of the way Ally and Mary engaged students - encouraging them to create an ad explaining why League Academy is a great school. (Template and instructions provided for good measure.)

The best headline and best artwork will win for each grade level with a few runners-up for creativity. The big prize? A gift certificate to the school Spirit Store - and bragging rights of course.

The allure of the DIY website builders is strong. But before you dive in, consider these 10 potential pitfalls of that approach and learn how FUEL can guide you through your website build.

10 reasons to think twice before DIYing your company website Before deciding to create your site as a lone ranger, we gathered up a few considerations. We offer the right team who can help you create the most effective website possible.

Full bleed photography does it every time.

Are you a college student with a passion for creativity and a keen eye for design? Take advantage of our FUEL for Good Portfolio Review, offering you the chance to have your work reviewed by our seasoned creative director (who also happens to be the principal of our agency). Get personalized feedback, gain industry insights, and kickstart your career!

Don't miss out on this opportunity to prepare for what's ahead for you. Schedule your review at https://www.fuelforbrands.com/portfolio-review/

FUEL for Good Portfolio Review Program for College Students Are you an upstate SC junior or senior? Take advantage of our Portfolio Review Program: the chance to have your work reviewed by our seasoned creative director.

Brand design is only part of the branding process. It’s how a brand looks, sounds, moves, and feels. But an effective brand identity is so much more powerful than just appealing artwork. It’s the intentional graphic articulation of a feeling. A gut feeling – a vibe. At FUEL, we think vibes are a pretty big deal. Read on to learn more from FUEL principal and head of creative Mary Church Cornette.

Good Brand Design, It's More Than a Vibe | FUEL Brand design is only part of the branding process. It’s how a brand looks, sounds, moves, and feels. But an effective brand identity is so much more powerful!

An upscale invitation design for a vibrant and inspirational night of supporting the arts. If you missed The 2023 Color Gala , don’t make the same mistake next year! ✨

A round of applause for the team for putting on an amazing event! Creating great work requires great partners, and we are so lucky to work with such incredible people!

📸

The Color Gala, the annual gala for is an evening of dinner, dancing, and supporting the arts in style. As an inclusive and welcoming space for all artists and art lovers, GCCA wanted to ensure that this value was reflected in the look and feel. Upscale and elegant, it is still inviting and inclusive, reflecting a myriad of colors through a gradient that shifts and changes.

What influences travelers' choices when making decisions, and how can savvy marketers tap into those drivers? Research by Expedia provides a wealth of information that travel and hospitality brands can apply in their own destination marketing strategies. Read on for our three key takeaways.

FUEL - What Travelers Want: An Insight-powered Guide for Your Travel Marketing What inspires travelers to take a trip? What specific factors go into their decision of where to go and what to do? Check out three key take-aways that savvy marketers can immediately apply to to their hospitality and travel marketing.

Thrilled to welcome the newest addition to our marketing crew. Kendel Conklin joins FUEL as our Business Development Manager. Good-natured and upbeat, Kendel has a knack for forging meaningful client connections and is bound to take us on some exciting journeys.

Welcome to the team, Kendel!

When it comes to business or product innovation, there’s always a “golden territory” just beyond the periphery of the obvious. Luckily, customers (and competitors) lead us there. Big flops, too.

FUEL - How to use market research to uncover customer desires that can lead to long term brand loyalty So, want to turn your customers’ insights to gold? Let’s explore how to leverage market research to take your customers’ greatest challenges and turn them into grand opportunities, delivering irresistible value they can’t refuse.

The speakers at the 2023 MYOB Mind Your Own Business Conference this year were inspiring, motivational, and thought-provoking. Thanks to , and so many others for their thoughtful keynotes and conversations.