Insights from Nebo

Picture it: One day you are on top of the world conquering the social media algorithm. The next, a social media platform announces a new feature that has your social media strategy shaking in its boots.

But, as we see often, social media users aren’t quite ready for the change these platforms are trying to make. Yes, I am looking at you Instagram Reels—but we will save that post for another day. 

Today is a momentous day for the social media world: the last day to use a failed social media update that didn’t gain traction. I’m talking about Twitter Fleets, the Story function of the social platform that users didn’t want and never asked for.

If you’re a project manager, account executive or manage any client services-related job in an agency, you are often tasked with making sure your clients are “happy.” Of course, customer service and satisfaction are an important part of this role, but this begs the question, what exactly does making your client happy mean? 

At Nebo, I tell our project management team that our clients must have a positive experience working with us. This means that we keep our word. We are responsive and communicate, and most importantly, we care — A LOT. This also means we should be honest, creating a partnership built from mutual respect and transparency, even when it means you need to have difficult conversations with your clients. 

Copy then design? Design then copy? I was first posed with this dilemma in college, as a freshman journalism major working on the plan for the semester’s inaugural newspaper. My goal was to be a writer, but as a student reporter, we had to learn print layout, too. 

This is where I was introduced to InDesign, discovered what kerning was and learned that a pica was a legitimate unit of measurement. Newspaper layout was not my calling, but it did give me an appreciation for design and how it brought copy to life. 

Which brings me to the age-old agency question asked of both copywriters and designers alike — what comes first: copy or design? It’s an important question because it gives you an idea of workflow, but it also lets you know what is valued in any given project. Has the client gotten excited about a particular design element or functionality? Then there’s a chance copy will have to be adjusted to make it work. Is there a quick turnaround time? Copy and design will probably have to work in conjunction to make the date.  

How many times has "Just Do It" crossed your mind as you've laced up for a workout, even if you're not wearing anything made by Nike?

As a copywriter, I understand the power of words. They can shape how people perceive a company or product. Beyond that, they can impact our beliefs and self-image. And they can even transform how we view our world and experience our culture. 

Words influence. Inspire. Motivate.

The last year has been a heavy one, to say the least. And while we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, we’re still in need of something to make our days a little brighter. That’s where the little things come in. 

We’ve got a lot of little things to celebrate here at Nebo — good food, great people, homemade margs, and of course, puppies, kittens and babies. Here’s what’s been keeping us going this month as we continue working apart.

On the surface, the history of Juneteenth appears to be a simple one: On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers made it to Galveston, Texas to deliver the proclamation that all slaves were to be freed, and a year later freedmen celebrated Jubilee Day to commemorate the day they became free. 

But like with most of Black history in America, it’s a more complex story than that. The freedom former slaves celebrated came full two and a half years later than it should have — two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation stated slaves “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”