By Dave Saunders Chief Idea Officer “Native Advertising” is a word that has been buzzing pretty loudly without much explanation for the past year or so. Content curated for social and mobile channels has brought with it new avenues for your marketing message. Paid posts, sponsored messages, shared posts and twitter testimonials are all new forms of time tested techniques; the testimonial, the advertorial, celebrity endorsement, etc. An increasingly savvy audience requires marketers to figure out new ways to weave a marketing opportunity into the delivery of truly desirable content. Do you…

By Dustin Hennessy, Account Services Intern   Organized apprenticeships first began in the late middle ages and were common among craftsman. Today, we refer to these positions as internships. Here at Madison+Main, we place a lot of importance on our internship program because we understand how valuable an intern can be on our team. Initially, we have had between two to three interns per semester but this summer… we’ll have six! What are the benefits for us? 1. Find future employees while evaluating talent – Internships bring talent. At Madison+Main…

By Lindsey Durfee, Marketing Administrator Traditionally, the MS Society hosts an annual Bike MS: Bike Virginia fundraising event where participants ride from Richmond to Williamsburg and back over the course of two days. This event challenges folks to a 150-mile course, with an option to add an additional 25 miles on the first day – a hefty amount to pack in! Have you been itching to sign up but were overwhelmed by the 150-mile commitment? Have no fear! The National MS Society has created an opportunity for people like you…

I use the Madison+Main Weekly Report as a way to tell you what we did this past week, but I figured I’d start off by telling you something we didn’t do last week. Unlike many other businesses, we opted not to travel to Denver with the Greater Richmond Chamber for the annual intercity visit. I think RVA collectively suffers from a sort of inferiority complex and these visits only serve to keep us in a 2nd tier city status. Think about it. When Richmond needs a service, they hire a…

By Lindsey Durfee, Marketing Administrator  Last year, VCU’s Center for Human-Animal Interaction (CHAI) did a study on the value of having dogs in the workplace called “Benefits of Taking Fido to Work May Not Be Far Fetched.”And we couldn’t agree more with their findings! 1. Lower stress levels 2. Higher levels of job satisfaction 3. Positive workplace perceptions At Madison+Main, we encourage our employees to bring their pups into the office on Fridays. We call them “Dog Fridays” – simple, sweet and to the point – and feel that they…

This week I wanted to say thanks to so many people who have given us positive feedback on the M+M Weekly Report. Our little email list has grown to over 4,000 and we do our best to keep it interesting. Save the date! M+M’s May Mixer is Wednesday, May 15th at Rosie Connolly’s from 5 – 8pm. Visit our Facebook Event page to let us know you are coming. I dropped my 5th grade son Jack off at school the other day and it got me thinking. The bus loop at Alberta Smith…

Madison+Main recently signed with a new client in the greater Richmond area: Davis & Green Electrical. We’re excited to announce that we will be helping them with their brand and marketing strategies. About Davis & Green Electrical Davis & Green Electrical is an electrical contracting company that focuses on commercial, industrial and residential electric work throughout Central Virginia. The family owned and operated organization has been serving the area for over twenty-five years. Five Fun Facts: 1. Davis & Green Electrical is open 24/7 for emergency services. 2. Davis &…

We’re excited to announce that we have recently signed with M. L. Bell Construction! The Madison+Main team will be helping out the local company with their brand and marketing strategies. About M. L. Bell Construction M. L. Bell Construction is a general contracting company that employs the “build it like you own it” philosophy to all of its work. The Richmond-based business offers engineering and construction services to local, regional and national clients, including design, building, construction management, facilities management and drywall. The team has had successful projects in healthcare, restaurant, retail…

Greetings from the beautiful Kingsmill Resort and Spa, along the beautiful James River, in beautiful Williamsburg, Virginia. It’s so beautiful here, I may just puke. I am just now wrapping up a couple of days of inspiring speakers and tremendous networking opportunities at the Virginia Council of CEOs retreat here at Kingsmill. In fact, the entire retreat turned out to be slightly profitable, as I cleared $250 at the poker table last night. It was a stellar week at Madison+Main, and this week we have decided to tell the story…

It was a challenging week for everyone, but we got through it. When I opened up my Richmond Times-Dispatch it seemed like there was bad news every day. Blasts in both Boston and Texas filled the airwaves, terrorist manhunts flowed for 24 hours a day on CNN and most Americans got a big shock when they filed their taxes on Monday. Despite all of this, the Madison+Main team continued to work throughout the week, but our thoughts with those effected by Monday’s horrific events. Monday 4/15 – In the midst…