the mash

In the distillation process, the mash is where raw ingredients come together for the start of something awesome. Our blog works the same way. We load up the hopper with relevant facts, smart insights and random thoughts, then watch new ideas bubble up.

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Strategic Planning: Control the things you can

One key way to win strategic planning this year: start with what you can control. By first focusing on the elements you know and understand well, you not only avoid “analysis paralysis,” you create openings in your understanding so you can better tackle surprises when the time comes. Learn from Interrupt CEO and veteran strategic planner Bill Rossiter on the best way to approach this annual company exercise.

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5 tips to expand your brand's shelf life

Pop stars have a saying: you’re only as relevant as your latest hit. But the old adage is useful for describing brands, too, as they seek to stay true to themselves while adjusting to ever-evolving consumer preferences. Learn how to keep your brand on top with insights from Executive Creative Director and Brand Strategist Anita Holman.

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A Rebrand Roadmap for Complex Channels in the Residential Space

So you’re ready to embark on a rebrand—but you’re staring down a complex pipeline of audiences and distribution channels. How do you ensure a successful launch across all stakeholders while juggling everything from communications and sales training to merchandising and inventory management? Our Director of Client Services Bethany Sanker explains how to navigate a rebrand through the whole value chain.

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The Latino audience is the fastest-growing in our industry. How can your brand succeed with them?

Know thy audience—it's a key marketing commandment. And a fast-growing portion of that audience in the United States is Latinos, nearly 20% of the population contributing $3.2 trillion—with a T—to the country’s GDP. Knowing their spending power and inclination towards entrepreneurship, the smartest companies will work to capture this market share by honing a smart strategy. We tell you how.

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Staying ahead of the demographic shift

Constant evolution isn’t just a luxury in brand management, it’s a requirement; your brand must align with your target demographic’s changing generations, not vice versa. Here, Interrupt’s Executive Creative Director and Brand Strategist Anita Holman explains how brands can evolve their strategy to capture new consumers entering their target demographic and avoid being overtaken by more agile marketers.

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Three critical questions to ask yourself during strategic planning

Repeat after us: you are not just a manufacturer of products. And one of the best times to remember that is during your strategic planning sessions. Whether you’re a large, multi-billion-dollar corporation or a small business, the way you approach your strategic planning process is crucial to your success. And one of the most important pieces is identifying your real purpose, beyond the product you make. Read on for three critical questions to consider.

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Made(ish) in America

If you’re a manufacturer of American-made goods, you already know the value of the “Made in America” claim has ebbed and flowed over the past few decades. Recently, however, it seems to be making a comeback. Bill Rossiter, agency owner and principal, discusses Morning Consult’s “Made in America” report and shares how you can leverage the power of Made in the USA on your own homegrown products.

the double r interrupt logo

Make your mark: how we design logos

How does a logo go from an idea to a reality? At Interrupt, it's a time-intensive and thorough process of taking ideas and identifiers then distilling them down to their visual essence. It takes many different brains coming together, fashioning countless iterations, to create something that stands out from the crowd and represents the core of a company. Take a peek inside the process.

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7 tips for successfully navigating a merger or acquisition

So you’re managing a new acquisition. How do you prepare to create one happy family? In our experience guiding c-suite leaders as they navigate the process, we've noticed there is no one-size-fits-all solution. But there are seven critical questions that make the difference between a graceful implementation or a floundering one. Learn how to answer them with confidence and ensure your newly expanded organization can thrive.

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What a box of Legos can teach us about the power of built-in branding

As marketers, there’s a lot we can do to build a compelling story around a brand or product. But when users can readily and consistently separate your product from the competition, you’ve got something special. Our Director of Brand Content Jen Molnar explains how a Lego sorting session sparked an ah-ha moment on the importance of developing distinctive (and memorable) physical product features.

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When the brand is you: two companies that made our individuality their success

The strength of your “fan following” is also the strength of your brand. And one powerful way to build that loyalty is to allow your customers’ creativity to shine through in your marketing. Associate creative director Erin Kunz explores the brands that shaped her adolescence and how embracing user-generated content helped them build an even stronger identity.

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7 Tips for Making the Most of Your Agency Partnership

You’ve put in the company’s time. You’ve devoted the company’s money. So naturally, you want to see a high return on investment in your agency. While a lot depends on choosing the right partner, there are seven things you can do to maximize your relationship and get the most out of the branding, marketing and creative work you commission.

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How adaptive ball fields are bringing a community together—and what it can teach us about inclusive building  

When the city of Mason approached the Challenger Baseball League about building an adaptive field, Jen Christmas was all in. Not only did she co-lead a $2.5 million capital campaign—she discovered the game-changing power of having the right people ask the right questions. It leads to adaptive construction that does more than comply with laws; it brings together a community of people in ways that weren’t possible before.