We were given the opportunity to conceptualize, design, animate and execute the concept of a unique LIFEstyle Quiz to help increase Brookfield’s Facebook fan base, encourage interaction and make the home finding process fun! We’re excited to announce that our client Brookfield Homes is providing an alternative way for potential homebuyers to find their new home with the launch of the new campaign.

Introducing the Brookfield Homes LIFEstyle Quiz!

This custom-designed Facebook tab allows consumers to match their unique lifestyle to the Brookfield community that best suits their needs, offering a personalized and interactive experience.

Consumers are greeted by a series of questions to help them find their perfect home.

Whether their idea of a fun weekend is riding a bike through town.  Soaking up sun at the beach. Or enjoying recreational activities in the neighborhood.

The quiz displays a community to complement any lifestyle and a fun animation to accompany each selected answer.

From lively characters to breezy palm trees and well-known cityscapes, every aspect of the animation and design reflects relevant San Diego landmarks as well as the exclusive lifestyle represented at each of the six Brookfield communities.

To view the Brookfield Homes custom Facebook tab, take the quiz or learn more about Brookfield’s San Diego homes, please visit Brookfield’s Facebook page.

To stay up to date on all the new and innovative happenings at Gunn|Jerkens, check back often, follow us on Twitter (@GunnJerkens) and “LIKE” us on Facebook.

One of the biggest surprise new social platforms of 2011 has to be Pinterest. In fact, the innovative social space is one of the top ten most visited social networks today.

What is Pinterest? Pinterest is a simple image-based platform that allows users to create their own category boards on which relevant photos can be posted and shared. Users can also post photos to other people’s boards and follow other users based on similar interests like fashion, gardening or art design, for example.

Brands are also finding Pinterest to be a valuable tool to further connect with their consumer audiences. Here are 5 brands to keep an eye on that are leveraging the new social site to boost their fan engagement:

1. Nordstrom
2. Whole Foods
3. Better Homes & Gardens
4. West Elm
5. The Travel Channel

Check out each company’s Pinterest board to help gather ideas for how your brand can use this new social phenomenon.

To stay up to date on all the new and innovative happenings at Gunn|Jerkens, check back often, follow us on Twitter (@GunnJerkens) and “LIKE” us on Facebook.

If you’re wondering how we’re starting off the year, then wonder no more. Here are some interesting facts about our current state in the electronic world.

1. Social networking is king. Nearly 20% of online time is spent on social networking sites, which reach 82% of the population.
2. Traditional media takes a back seat. In the US, 15% of people read printed newspapers less because of their involvement in social media.
3. Social media supplies the news. Of users aged 18-24 in the US, 53% use their social networking sites as a main source to learn and keep up with the latest news.
4. Apple products lead the way. A whopping 92% of mobile purchases in the US were made using iPads and iPhones.
5. Instagram is on the rise. At the rate it’s going, Instagram will soon be the the world’s biggest mobile social network.

To check out some more statistics and interesting facts, take a look at this article.

Have you noticed anything comment-worthy about how we’re starting off the new year? We’d like to hear your thoughts!

To stay up to date on all the new and innovative happenings at Gunn|Jerkens, check back often, follow us on Twitter (@GunnJerkens) and “LIKE” us on Facebook.

The past 12 months have been filled with fun, laughter, innovation and hope, but now it’s time to move on to what’s next. With 2012 close on its heels, 2011 is at its end–which means preparing for everything that’s in store for the new year.

Social media was undoubtedly a huge part of 2011, and we don’t think it’s going anywhere any time soon. So to make sure you’ve got a head start for the year to come, we’ve got a couple of social media tips for you!

1. Join Google+. The social networking platform is still young, so now is a great time to get on board and ahead of the competition.
2. Don’t Forget the Links. With more people than ever on social networks, you can’t afford not to add links that lead back to your site and/or blog.
3. Button Up. Put social media buttons on your site, blog and emails so you can help others stay connected and help yourself get valuable traffic.
4. Add a Call to Action. If you want people to engage in your content, then ask.
5. More Is Better. Research shows that the more content you have, the more likely you are to get interaction.

To learn some more about social media tips, click here!

Do you have any tips? Let us know!

To everyone in the social media world, happy tweeting and posting for 2012 and Happy New Year from Gunn|Jerkens!

To stay up to date on all the new and innovative happenings at Gunn|Jerkens, check back often, follow us on Twitter (@GunnJerkens) and “LIKE” us on Facebook.

Game On, Santa
In this Best Buy commercial, it looks like Santa has a little competition!

Chorus
Target gives new meaning to Christmas carolers.

Elf Yourself
Ever wonder what your family would look like if you were all elves? Wonder no more (thanks to OfficeMax).
Click here!

Rebecca Black Friday
Kohl’s uses one of the year’s most popular songs to promote holiday shopping.

Believe
Macy’s is using Augmented Reality for a fully-integrated campaign that runs across mobile, tablet, web and Facebook platforms–or so we believe.
Check it out here!

Have you seen any great holiday campaigns? Let us know!

To stay up to date on all the new and innovative happenings at Gunn|Jerkens, check back often, follow us on Twitter (@GunnJerkens) and “LIKE” us on Facebook.

Now it’s time for the next new thing. Olive, a new film by director Hooman Khalili, is on track to be the first feature-length smartphone-shot film to be released in theaters. You may be thinking that milllions of people each day record videos and make home movies on smartphones, and I’d have to say you’re right. But how many of them do you see making it to your local theater?

Khalili’s movie is likely the first of many more smartphone-shot movies to come. And with the growing number of smartphone users, it seems that the future of movie making may be more accessible than ever to the average person.

Olive is set to come out this month, but if you want to find out more, check out this video.

To stay up to date on all the new and innovative happenings at Gunn|Jerkens, check back often, follow us on Twitter (@GunnJerkens) and “LIKE” us on Facebook.

Running for a total of eight weeks, the hunt presents a new clue each week, which is posted to the Valencia Facebook page. And each clue has fans and residents visiting some of the places Valencia is most known for.

Fans were encouraged to hone their Facebook skills and get ready to snap some pics for their chance to win. Prizes range from Starbucks, iTunes, American Express and Westfield Mall gift cards to the grand prize of the winning fan’s choice: either a spa day or a special date night for two.

This campaign is a win-win for both the Facebook fans and the client. The fans, of course, get their chance to win some awesome prizes and the client receives targeted user-generated content promoting their community from the best marketers they have – their residents!

To stay up to date on all the new and innovative happenings at Gunn|Jerkens, check back often, follow us on Twitter (@GunnJerkens) and “LIKE” us on Facebook.

It’s that time when when the pumpkins are carved, scary movies are everywhere and candy is king. Halloween is a day filled with fun, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn anything from it. Here are 5 marketing lessons you can learn from Halloween!

1. Let Them Know You’re Home: Just like when you’re passing out candy, you have to let people know that you’re open for business. This means updating your website, posting blogs and staying at the helm of your Facebook account. Afterall, no one is going to come knocking when all the lights are off!

2. Tell a Gripping Story: A great way to stir interest and entice visitors is always to set the stage and tell a great story. For those passing out candy, that means transforming your house into a haunted mansion, but for marketers, that means creating presentations and sharing case studies.

3. Pass Out the Goods: Everyone likes to get something for free, but don’t just pass out anything. You want to give something that will make you stand out, and great content will have them coming back for more, just like the best candies will bring the trick-or-treaters in droves.

4. Prepare for Success: When you’re offering something great, chances are people are going to want it, so make sure you can live up to your promises. If new customers come to find that the content they’re looking for isn’t available, you better have more things lined up because nothing is worse than running out of goodies for your visitors!

5. Show Your Thanks to Big-Time Fans: There are always those people who come back time after time. Show your appreciation by giving them a little something extra whether it’s a special perk, retweeting or a shout out. This way they’ll be more likely to come back for more and bring their friends along for the treat!

For more on the topic, please check out this article here!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN from all of us here at Gunn|Jerkens!

To stay up to date on all the new and innovative happenings at Gunn|Jerkens, check back often, follow us on Twitter (@GunnJerkens) and “Like” us on Facebook.

In honor of Steve’s passing, we’d like to recap a bit about his life, his energy and his vision.

Steve co-founded Apple in 1976 with the goal of changing the world. He saw the digital universe as the new frontier, and he was determined to map out his own distinct path. Before long, he and his Apple team successfully launched one of the first lines of personal computers, and in the 1980s, introduced the Macintosh computer to the world.

After leaving Apple for several years, Jobs became heavily involved in Pixar and NeXT Computer. With a fresh start, Jobs felt re-energized and found a new creative tap, which led to bolder ideas and some of the greatest technological products of our era.

Jobs rejoined Apple in 1997 and the creativity quickly followed. Apple soon became one of the most valuable companies in the world, turning out revolutionary products such as the iMac and iPod, and more recently, the iPad and iPhone.

Without Jobs, the world would be a very different place. His ideas inspired, created and moved, and his legacy will live on long after his passing. What do you remember Jobs for most?

We leave you with an inspirational quote from the man himself:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

To stay up to date on all the new and innovative happenings at Gunn|Jerkens, check back often, follow us on Twitter (@GunnJerkens) and “Like” us on Facebook.

Here are five ways that QR codes could help shape the 2012 presidential election:

1. Organization – QR codes can help parties organize drives, functions and events to recruit voters.

2. Donations – Scanning codes through a smartphone could make the donation process simpler, more appealing and more accessible.

3. Endorsements – Celebrity supporters can receive exclusive QR code design art, images and content that will encourage them to share with their followers.

4. Merchandise – Regionalized codes on merchandise could make a statement to like-minded individuals.

5. Voting – QR codes could help tap into voter markets that were once hard to reach.

To learn more, check out this article!

Would you like to see QR codes being used in the 2012 election?

To stay up to date on all the new and innovative happenings at Gunn|Jerkens, check back often, follow us on Twitter (@GunnJerkens) and “Like” us on Facebook.