‍Welcome to The Kick Off, the advice column that provides hot tips and persuasive tricks for managing your projects (and clients) like a pro.The Tractorbeam client services and project management teams are at the center of our work - and they know it. From mediating client scope to translating feedback, the opportunity for ease or difficulty presents itself at every turn. But fear not! This column is here to help you navigate the ins and outs of your projects, your teams, and your clients with sustainability and confidence in mind!‍How do you handle being the center of the details and the alarm bell while keeping your eye on the prize and maintaining your sanity? Truthfully, how annoying is too annoying?‍Turns out, the limit does not exist.You have to be pretty incessant to ensure you’re meeting client requests/expectations, so there’s no way around it, but there’s a way through it. I feel like the team generally responds best when you’re:1. Upfront2. Considerate of their time/workload3. Kind-Estephanie<figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div id=""><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/63603f72b65f65576676460c/64358962c30c92c8097ddb13_Screenshot%202023-04-10%20at%2010.55.11%20AM.png" loading="lazy" id="" width="auto" height="auto" alt=""></div><figcaption id="">Image caption goes here</figcaption></figure>Our jobs are to ensure the client’s brand challenge is being addressed and deliverables are on time, and if that means being kind of annoying, then so be it. Making sure the internal team meets the deadline is a part of our job. There are two ways of looking at concern: Would you rather not ask about deliverable progress or say anything if the output doesn’t match the brief and then miss a deadline or the client sees we did not meet expectations (therefore losing the agency and the client money and wasting everyone’s time)? Or would you rather be seen as a bit of a nag and be on time, with quality creative output, and have a happy client (which may lead to more money for the agency)?There is always a kind way of approaching project status updates with your internal teams – ask nicely, say please and thank you, be flexible, move barriers that are in their way, listen when they feel frustrated, and defend them to the client if need be. That’s all part of the job too, and how you can curb being seen as the resident asshole and do well at your job.-Michelle<figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div id=""><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/63603f72b65f65576676460c/64358962c30c92c8097ddb13_Screenshot%202023-04-10%20at%2010.55.11%20AM.png" loading="lazy" id="" width="auto" height="auto" alt=""></div><figcaption id="">Image caption</figcaption></figure>Initially, I had a hard time coping with the inevitable: Being a potential annoyance is part of the job description. With frequent check-ins and abundant communication, you can avoid missed deadlines. Project managers must carry being an “annoyance” to prevent the client from becoming annoyed. Equally important is encouraging designers, giving words of affirmation for a job well done, and effectively communicating with the client to establish achievable deadlines.-Kelli<figure id="" class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div id=""><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/63603f72b65f65576676460c/64358962c30c92c8097ddb13_Screenshot%202023-04-10%20at%2010.55.11%20AM.png" loading="lazy" id="" width="auto" height="auto" alt=""></div><figcaption id="">Image caption</figcaption></figure>That’s the million-dollar question. How do Project Managers ensure key milestone dates are hit successfully while striving to maintain a healthy process for everyone?Throughout my career, I’ve benefited from working on both sides of the coin in this regard. I get it. I’ve seen that regardless of which side you’re on, there can be annoyances either way you look at it. Everyone has a part to play. From my experience, here’s a few things I know for sure:1. &nbsp;It’s an imperfect balance. Commit to staying positive along the way, and this will benefit everyone.2. &nbsp;Lead with empathy, and be willing to understand the perspectives of your teammates.3. &nbsp;Over-communication is key to the success of the team.4. &nbsp;Do what you say you’re going to do, and if you know you can’t speak up quickly — this builds trust.5. &nbsp;Check yourself from time to time. Is it me? Am I the drama?6. &nbsp;Be willing to accept constructive feedback and create a healthy understanding where you can express it.7. &nbsp;Keeping our clients happy is the ultimate name of the game. Be able to distinguish when it’s for the greater good or not.-Meghan

The KO

What am I looking at?It's always my first question. And it's almost certainly a tell that I can't quite keep up with the frenetic pace of inputs and gear-shifting that's required by my job/existence in this present darkness.&nbsp;I'm constantly asked for my opinion of xyz or my approval of abc and I routinely find myself asking THIS QUESTION to whoever has put something in front of me:<blockquote id="">What am I looking at?&nbsp;</blockquote>How did we get from point A to whatever point we're at now? Can you provide me with a brief history of nearly everything before I engage with this subject? It drives everyone insane and sends me into recurrent bouts of self-reckoning.I could surely use this space to lament TikTok culture and our ever-shrinking attention spans, futilely shaking my fist at the universe. But that's not what this site is for, so you will be spared.&nbsp;You, also, have every right to be asking us: What am I looking at? Context is intended to answer "the question" by means of explaining who we/Tractorbeam is as an agency: people, thinkers, doers, mischief makers, and the like. Like, I see the work these people are producing. I think it's great! (Or fine! Or terrible!). But how did we get here? How am I supposed to respond to this? What difference does it make in my context, if any?We are not, for the most part, professional journalists or writers. We are just a group of people who really care about what we do. This publication is a means of unpacking how and why we do said things, where we succeeded, where we fell short, how we can do it better next time. How we figure out, over and over again, what we are looking atWhat we publish here will not always be literal. Sometimes, it will just be a peek inside someone's mind as a means to understand a creative process and an analytic approach. Sometimes, we will just be stanning someone whose mind we admire.That's what you're looking at. The beginning of the answer to my tired question... "as if a magic lantern threw the nerves in patterns on a screen" to quote a poem no one read in high school.Here is some context. I hope it helps.

Welcome to Context. This is who we are and why you should care.

Letter from the Editor

“What do you do?”The quintessential American icebreaker, ironically, sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it. Like everybody, I have a few canned responses to the former question and to the natural follow-up query, “so, what does that mean?”As a digital marketing manager (more specifically, an SEO), I spend a significant amount of time trying to explain that I update copy on websites, suggest improvements for site code, and ensure directories and other sites present accurate information for my clients, but I’m not a copywriter, a web developer, or a PR manager.What I’m truly thankful for, however, is that nobody has ever thought to ask me “what is digital marketing?”If I truly spend so much time telling people about what I do and what I do is digital marketing, it should be a softball question, right? Though, if we’re being honest, I don’t think anybody really wants to spend much time pondering the scary, existential idea that none of us have much idea what we do or if we really do anything at all.But I digress.Let’s get down to what digital marketing actually is. In its basest definition, digital marketing is any process working toward placing a business’ products, services, or content in front of potential customers through an online channel. This definition should be perfectly sufficient for use in an academic paper (you’re welcome, students), but I don’t think your average townie is going to find this useful or informative.So let’s give it another shot.To an SEO, like myself, I’ll admit my gut-reaction is to start defining digital marketing in terms of how indexable and valuable your site content is. After all, we want what we’re selling to actually end up in front of users, right?I’ll try to be less conceited and more holistic, though. In my mind, the core of digital marketing - the personified features of it - are flexibility, thoughtfulness, and creativity. Outside of digital marketing, I can’t think of any disciplines where your work is almost fully beholden to a secret machine-learning algorithm that you only know drip-fed pieces of. And, despite existing to satisfy an ever-expanding equation, you still have to consistently create content people actually like?&nbsp;Get outta here.While this meandering op-ed could have answered the titular question in 50 words or less, hopefully exploring the deeper, fundamental elements of digital marketing work is interesting to someone out there. If not, well, thanks for hanging out and making it this far!For the rest of you, maybe this is the start of something and you can enjoy jumping down the rabbit hole. Whether that means exploring a few of our case studies, sending me spiteful messages about the importance of social/PPC/every other medium I didn’t discuss, or just independent researching elsewhere, I sincerely hope you find whatever answers you’re looking for!‍

Have you used them during your sessions? — Figjam is an excellent tool for team collaboration.

What is digital marketing?

In a pre-iOS14 world, the digital team at Tractorbeam was able to create and run a Facebook ad specifically targeting our founding partner, Peter Benanti, who was, at the time, unconvinced of social media marketing’s efficacy. The ad, of course, was served to him promptly and directed him to our agency’s homepage. Meta’s original proposition value was precision targeting, given that they’ve harvested years and gigabytes of user data, and it made Mark Zuckerberg rich because it worked. Much to shareholders’ chagrin, Apple launched its App Tracking Transparency feature last year, prompting users to opt in or out of tracking with most opting for the latter.Day-to-day, however, the general population has likely not noticed a decline in the relevancy of the ads they’re served. There’s still the uncanny sensation of being surveilled and plenty of revenue to reap. The big players’ ad tech has just evolved to circumvent privacy updates, masking identifying information and increasingly relying on machine learning. Social media platforms are in the business of eyeballs; they monitor every swipe, tap, and pause. You don’t have to tell them what you like because everything you do on the app or the site is a data point. The algorithm knows you better than you know yourself.The golden age of social media marketing is long past. Meta is continually mired in <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/10/meta-earnings-company-formerly-known-as-facebook-is-a-mess.html" id="">controversy</a>, and users aren’t as highly engaged as they were before, whether it’s wariness of misinformation or migration to other platforms. DTC brands can no longer expect to make their fortunes on Instagram, and <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-05/facebook-is-politicians-last-resort-for-2022-election-ads?leadSource=uverify%20wall" id="">politicians</a> can no longer turn Facebook clicks into donation dollars and email signups with ease. Organic visibility has become a similarly Sisyphean effort, unless you’re a real Reels power user.In a post-pandemic world, people are eager to venture out, making activations and tactile experiences all the more compelling and perhaps necessary. Sephora, Walmart, and Target are fashioning themselves destinations to discover new brands IRL. People continue to clamor for coverage in legacy media publications, especially the covetous print editions. Brands would be wise to not overly rely on digital channels, neither divesting nor investing in them entirely, and instead explore all avenues of growth, both traditional and new.

Start your UI project learning how to build a responsive layout grid on Sketch or Figma for your responsive websites.

Digital Marketing Article II

Eight tips for designing dark mode UI. — This article is brought to you by Buninux.com. Visit our digital asset store to level up your desig

Dark Mode UI Best Practices

Learn practical tactics to set text styles in your UI Library. — Have you ever thought that over 90% of UI Design is about Typography?

Typography in Design Systems

Creative Execution

Brand Architecture

Technology

Brand Design

Retail

Fashion

A Whataburger and Magellan Outdoors cooler on a bright orange background

Hospitality

Digital Product/UX Design

Paid Media

Illustration of a Person Lounging Under Palm Trees on a Beach

Brand Audit

Real Estate

Illustration of apartment buildings against a nighttime sky

Agile Development

Food & Beverage

Illustration of People Canoeing Just Outside of Mohonk Mountain House

Stylized illustration of a burger, fries, and popcorn on a table in a movie theater

What appears to be a man covered in chrome looking through a pair of luxury glasses

Tractorbeam is a full-service agency helping brands navigate change. Everything we do is rooted in our passion for brands, experiences, and possibilities. 

Our multidisciplinary team spans four core capabilities:

Strategy

Design

Digital Products

Digital Marketing

Featured Work

Our People

Peter

Eric

Chris

Lindsey

Jessica

Nicola

Macy

Chase K

John Reynolds

Stephanie

Audrey

Ryan

Emily

Estephanie

Kelli

Darbie

Shane

Olivia

Bria

Sara

Madison

Nick

Jon Mendoza

Narely

Brittney

Shannon

Denise

Tractorbeam creates and grows compelling brands that connect, inspire, and drive real impact.

Designing a digital retreat in the Hudson Valley

Honoring the legacy of an industrial icon

Laying the groundwork for a leader in home appliances

Bringing 25 years of radio ads into the digital era

Automotive

Digital art of a car driving on a city street displayed on a computer monitor

Optimizing a luxury resort in the Dominican Republic

Baiting the hook for a performance fishing brand

Box of H2OX fishing line on a dark blue background

Framing up the digital transformation for luxury eyewear

Bringing coastal vibes to the North Texas suburbs

Building community connections with an editorial platform

Cityscape with colored location pins on buildings

An iconic Texas brand with a side of the outdoors

Pointing men's activewear in the right direction

R.O.W Henry Hoodie and retail tags on a blue background

Bridging the online gap for a 150-year-old mountain resort

Boosting box office sales at a dine-in theater experience

Organizations

Setting the table for a culinary goods brand

Working out a modern in-house athleisure brand

Upscale dining in the historic Pittman Hotel

Opening the doors to Deep Ellum’s first hotel

Stack of print assets for The Pittman in Deep Ellum

Tailoring a digital strategy for a luxury fashion brand

Silhouetted Illustrations of Women in High Fashion Clothing

Play like a pro: Creating team sports for companies

Exploring the world with a legacy timepiece

Building a new community in a historic downtown neighborhood

Setting up a Dutch leisure brand for stateside success

Digital art of a living room featuring fatboy furniture with a fatboy logo

Amplifying a family-owned Filipino restaurant

Refreshing the identity of a popular fast-casual burger concept

Creating a vibrant brand for a gluten-free bakery

An eccentric identity for a charming Southern kitchen

Celebrating 50 years of design with Dallas visual artists

Digital DSVC 50th anniversary poster by Tractorbeam

From farm to future: Crafting a modern community with deep roots

Sixty Vines logo on a red and pink background with an organic design

Increasing revenue during the busiest flip-flop season

A creative and digital agency serving fashion, tech, and retail through branding, design, web design, digital marketing, and being awesome.

Tractorbeam builds and grows compelling brands that drive real impact.

Tractorbeam creates and grows compelling brands that connect, inspire, and drive real impact.

Frontier Communications

Whataburger x Magellan

Fordson Hotel

Dacor

Casa de Campo

Samsung Builder

Cortland

Conserva Culture

Mohonk Mountain House

Studio Movie Grill

Black Optical

Freely

Strategy

Design

Digital Products

Digital Marketing

Featured Work

Frontier Communications

Creative Execution

Brand Architecture

Whataburger x Magellan

Brand Design

Creative Execution

Fordson Hotel

Brand Architecture

Brand Design

Creative Execution

Dacor

Brand Architecture

Brand Design

Creative Execution

Digital Product/UX Design

Cortland

Paid Media

SEO

Samsung Builder

Brand Architecture

Creative Execution

Brand Audit

Casa de Campo

Paid Media

SEO

Stetson

Brand Architecture

Brand Audit

Brand Design

Creative Execution

Mohonk Mountain House

Paid Media

SEO

AEO

AIO

Our People

Work with us.