News & Insights
The Transition from Paid to Earned Media: Why It Matters in 2025
In the evolving landscape of marketing, businesses are rethinking their strategies, and many are opting for a transition from paid to earned media. But what exactly does this mean and why is it happening? Let’s break it down and explore how the synergy between paid, owned and earned media can tr...
Joining Nonprofits’ Boards Can Advance Young Professionals’ Careers
This is an underrated bit of guidance for ambitious professionals in their first decade of a career they love. Where your career path leads from here will be shaped as much by your professional growth outside the office as inside it in years to come. Be a volunteer leader Don't leave t...
Crafting Your Story: The Key to Effective Public Relations Messaging
That time-honored opener is undefeated in terms of commanding an audience’s attention. Everyone is ready to learn what comes next, eager to follow along as the speaker paints a picture. The listeners’ level of interest nears its peak. You’ve got them right where you want. Filmmakers and repor...
Mastering Video Best Practices: A Guide to Creating Impactful Video Content
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, mastering video marketing best practices is crucial for businesses looking to drive engagement and build brand awareness. With the demand for video content continuing to rise, companies must develop effective strategies to ensure their videos resonate wit...
5 Media Training Tips for Anyone Preparing for a Media Interview
Have you ever watched an interview and heard the featured guest say, “Wow. That’s a great question. I’ve never been asked that before.”? As a viewer, it’s a compelling moment that will seemingly reveal something new about the guest. In these moments, it’s easy to applaud the interviewer for thei...
5 Reasons Why Every Eligible Voter Should Vote
If you are one of the millions of eligible voters who are not planning to vote during Election 2024, shame on you. Are any of these excuses yours? “My one vote doesn’t matter.” “I don’t live in one of the swing states that will decide the presidential election.” “I don’t like any (or either) ...
Brand Advertising in an Election Year: Is It Worth It?
At first glance, halting brand advertising in the heat of a U.S. presidential election season might seem like a wise move. Political advertising sops up inventory and boosts costs for everybody, after all. But is going dark always smart? Our view: Maybe not. It depends on what’s being markete...
2024 Dr. Sheila Brooks NABJ Entrepreneur Scholarship
2024 Dr. Sheila Brooks NABJ Entrepreneur Scholarship The 2024 Dr. Sheila Brooks NABJ Entrepreneur Scholarship was created to honor Dr. Brooks' lifetime of service with NABJ. Among her many contributions, she was the first national scholarship and internship programs co-chair, a national execu...
The Best Media Contact Lists Are: Wide. Deep. Up To Date.
Smart communications advice is every PR pro’s stock-in-trade. Deep, rich media contact lists are their treasure. At SRB, our relationships power effective public relations as much as our agency’s nearly 40 years of experience. Who you know is as vital as what you know to deliver results in ...
5 Ways Internships Can Grow Workplace Diversity
A year after the Supreme Court overturned affirmative action in college admissions, the ruling’s effects are reverberating well beyond decisions about who gets into top schools and who doesn’t. Minority students are worrying about how they’ll fare in the job market too, according to the Wall Str...
AI Needs Cultural Smarts for Inclusive Marketing
Pocstock CEO Steve Jones sees serious flaws in the artificial intelligence platforms that marketers are using to find stock images of multicultural people. “AI amplifies stereotypes that exist in society,” Jones told marketers at American Marketing Association’s recent online symposium devote...
Influencer Marketing
Celebrities were among the earliest influencers, especially famous entertainers who enthralled fans and swayed consumers in person or print, over the air or on a screen. But that was eons before social media grew pervasive and reverse-engineered the process, changing life for generations born after ...
Insights: SRB's Focus Groups Experience
One hallmark trait of storytelling is research. Generally, journalists take a deep dive into the topic, issue or incident. While marketers lean into analyzing personas and targeted audiences when they conduct market research, the outcome is the same – to craft a compelling narrative. An imp...
Employee - Volunteer Programs Brighten Communities and Workplaces
President George H.W. Bush inspired a national service movement in his 1989 inaugural address when he compared America’s many clubs and volunteer organizations to “a thousand points of light." He did not specifically mention employee-volunteer programs then, but three decades later, those company-sp...
WABJ Establishes Community Impact Award in Honor of Dr. Sheila Brooks - News Release (Published March 5, 2024)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 5, 2024)– The Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) recently honored SRB Communications’ legendary founder, president and CEO, by establishing an award in her name. Street Sense Media received the inaugural Dr. Sheila Brooks Community Impact Award during a recent...
A Black woman hits glass ceiling then breaks ground as her own boss - Washington Post Feature (Published August 2, 2022)
After leaving a job as a television news producer in 1990, Sheila D. Brooks started her own company producing news stories and documentaries. She converted a bedroom into an office at the house where she lived in New Carrollton, drummed up three small contracts, hired an assistant and persuaded a ba...
SRB Communications Celebrates 33 Years in Business - Washington Informer (Published June 21, 2023)
With statistics revealing that only one in four businesses surpasses 15 years, SRB Communications celebrating 33 years on June 25 is more than an anniversary; it’s a sign of resilience, talent and distinction. While changing industry trends, a recession, the COVID-19 pandemic and more c...
Veteran D.C. business woman receives lifetime achievement award, induction into Minority Business Enterprise Hall of Fame - The Afro (Published January 4, 2023)
The Capital Region Minority Supplier Diversity Council (CRMSDC) recently inducted Sheila Brooks, founder and owner of D.C.-based SRB Communications, into the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Hall of Fame during the 50th anniversary of its Leaders & Legends Ceremony. Th...
Howard University Announces Historic Miner Building’s Rebirth, Jumpstarts $785M Campus Master Plan - News Release (Published February 1, 2022)
WASHINGTON – Inspiration and idealism joined forces on Wednesday, February 1, when Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA announced the beginning of extensive renovations during a groundbreaking ceremony and “hard hat” tour at its Myrtilla Miner Buildin...
Their history, their words: Reflections of three female journalists
In recognition of Women’s History Month, SRB’s March Blog is spotlighting three female journalists whose careers demonstrate personal courage and conviction in the service of equality. Lucile Bluford (b. 1911-d. 2003) Sometimes called “The Matriarch” or “the Conscience of Kansas Ci...
Masterful marketing has been mandatory for pioneers in Black theater
While he may be best-known for his Madea character, Tyler Perry is much more. He is a producer, filmmaker, playwriter, director, actor and philanthropist. But most of all, Tyler Perry is a master marketer. Long before he became a household name and billionaire media mogul, he recognized the impor...
Let’s make a 2024 Multicultural Marketing Strategy Bucket List
Each year we ask ourselves, “What would our marketing team do if we had unlimited time, money and resources?” As we wrap up 2023 and get ready for the unknowns in 2024, we invite you to dream with us and craft your 2024 Marketing Strategy Bucket List. Beyond your routine to-dos and...
Meeting the Growing Need and Demand for Multicultural Stock Photography
In terms of diversity and inclusion (DEI) in visuals, marketing has come a long way since two candidates for the Fairfax, Virginia County School Board handed out campaign materials in 2011. First, was Louise Epstein, who distributed signs and fliers that were graced with three smiling, multicultu...
Cultivating Connections: How Social Listening Shapes Authentic Relationships
On November 2, 2023, some of the SRB team attended the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's premier annual event for marketing, advertising, PR, communications and media professionals. We’re sharing key takeaways from the event including the importance of social listening and connecting with our...
We Need More DEI in Our Workplaces and Social Spaces
You’ve probably seen the dismal news piling up this year about Corporate America’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion principles or DEI for short. Maybe you read that hundreds of DEI jobs have been slashed since 2020, including top executive positions at Disney, Netflix and Amazon amo...
How NABJ Redefined Mentorship for Me
I can still vividly recall that day in December 1977, my senior year at the University of Washington in Seattle, when a colleague and I stumbled upon a flyer on the bulletin board. That flyer led me to discover the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) – a national organization dedicated ...
Minorities’ Trusted Leaders Are Valuable Allies in Public Health Crises
Faith may move mountains, but trust moves people to action in a crisis. Trusted friends, family members and influential leaders in our personal circles guide us through life’s difficulties when we’re worried, overwhelmed, misinformed, uninformed or complacent. The Black community’s proactiv...
Multicultural Marketing Speaks to Everyone
Advertising’s “mainstream market,” the wealthy white America engine that has driven this industry for decades, is getting run over by multicultural Americans’ swelling numbers and spending power. Their interests and aspirations will power marketing in the decades to come as shifting demogra...
Stand up for diversity and inclusion on World Press Freedom Day
May 3rd is the United Nations’ 30th annual World Press Freedom Day and an opportunity for a shoutout to multicultural journalism. SRB Communications specializes in multicultural marketing. We champion this slice of the media world at every opportunity. We cultivate relationships with multicultura...
SRB Works With Howard University to Spotlight Myrtilla Miner’s Education Legacy
Howard University had one eye on its future and the other on its past in February when leaders gathered outside the Miner Building and formally kicked off a $1 billion, multi-year campus construction program. We played a role in that event. Starting last summer, SRB Communications worked closely ...
Friendly Conversations Can Foster Better Collaboration
Successful team meetings and memorable dinner parties share one important characteristic. In the end, it’s all about the people around the table with us and the quality of that shared experience. Great results, like good times, flow from stimulating conversations, sharp questions, laughte...
Black History Month 2023 in Review
Black History Month 2023 began with the funeral of a Black man beaten to death by Memphis police and ended with an uproar about a racist rant on YouTube by the Dilbert comic strip’s creator. In between, a controversy burned over whether a revised Advanced Placement course about African Amer...
The Importance of Research in Multicultural Marketing
In our 32 years in business, SRB Communications has thrived as a minority and women owned advertising and marketing agency. During that time have operated at a half-dozen different locations up and down K Street, NW. But there has been one constant – our focus on diversity and multicultural ma...
Advice for Black Business Owners with Dr. Sheila Brooks
As we at SRB Communications celebrate 32 years in business, I would like to pay tribute to Black entrepreneurs across the United States. We are a persistent group of people who have achieved success despite the many obstacles placed in front of us. As a veteran entrepreneur and business owner, I’m o...
How to Network Like a Pro: Gen Z Edition
Transiting into a career field in any industry is not as simple as walking into a company with a printed résumé. So, how can you land a professional role at your ideal company in the current digital climate? Use social media to network! Social media platforms can make networking easier and hiring...
Let’s Be Honest: 5 Steps to Create Authentic Marketing
Advertising and PR hit their targets more often when consumers perceive messaging as authentic and trustworthy, honestly promoting a product or service they identify with. How can marketers boost their communications’ authenticity quotient? Here are five suggestions: 1. First, Know Your C...
Black Icons in Communications
We love Black History Month. Exploring the rich history created by the millions of African Americans is not only important, but so rewarding. With all that it has to offer, we want to highlight a few of the icons in our own industry. The Black trailblazers that broke down barriers in communications ...
Put the MOJO in Your Website Redesign
There isn’t a task more daunting than a website relaunch. Stakeholders have visions of non-existent content management system (CMS) widgets for the product team to devise. Meanwhile, marketers wait with baited breath for what promises to make everything business-wise magically better. “It’ll onl...
Loyalty Marketing: Building a Relationship with Consumers
The goal of marketing is to better advertise the products or services of your business. However, we all know as marketers how difficult of a task that can be. Consumers are naturally very wary of our attempts to court them, and rightfully so. We all experience the barrage of marketing facing us each...
SRB in 2022
New Work As an agency specializing in multicultural markets, we welcome the opportunity to work with clients from varying industries and sectors. We have exciting projects on the horizon in health disparity messaging, Fortune 100 company rebrands, equity of voice in nature conservation profession...
Guide to an Optimized Website Launch
Creating a new website or updating an existing one gets everyone excited; newness always does. It’s a new branded look that also implies progress within your business, whether you intend it to or not. It requires more care than most tend to put into it. It’s important to develop a plan tha...
2022 Marketing Trends
Who said 2021 could go by that quick? Each year seems like it goes by faster than the last. What’s even crazier is how the anticipated 2021 marketing trends turned out to be so different from what actually occurred; some being down-right opposite. The trends below are things we have been observing, ...
A Beginner's Guide to NFTs
At its core, marketing is about innovation. Marketing is about creativity. Marketing is a constant battle to capture your audience’s attention, and you can only do that if you are in tune with the most current methods to deliver an experience that stands out. Right now, the application of b...
Social Media News You Need to Know
The social media industry has been very active recently, and a few platforms have shared big news. Both Facebook and Twitter have announced some changes to their businesses. Social media platforms are always changing, and we can often ignore them. It’s usually an updated “terms of agreement,” a new ...
Dr. Brooks Social Rebrand: Sheila Dean Brooks, Ph.D.
In business, it’s often said that you sell yourself, not your company. As CEO of SRB Communications, Sheila Brooks, has spent years developing her own personal brand. We’re excited to announce the next evolution in Dr. Brooks’s brand. The name of her social channels, Brooks Business Report, ...
Social Media is the New Department Store
To save time and money for both customers and businesses, social media has become the new department store. During the pandemic, companies had to pivot their strategies to fulfill the needs of their customers. The trajectory of buying products in-store was always thought to be dominated by online sh...
Get to Know Your Customer
As marketers or business owners, you’ve probably heard the term “Target Audience.” In all honesty, this term seems cold and technical when in reality that’s the exact opposite of the way you want to interact with your customers. Think of finding your target audience as getting to know your customer....
Halloween Ads: A Trick or a Treat?
The holiday season is always anticipated by many. Slowly the world around us transforms into a uniform theme for the latest big event. It’s honestly quite magical. In October, we get to see jack-o-lanterns light up porch steps, and homes become haunted houses. Even the ads we see on TV join the fun ...
Social Media Marketing 101: Insider’s Guide
Whether you’re starting up a new side hustle, working your way to becoming an influencer or just a marketer looking to expand your skills, you need to know how to market on social media. Since its inception, social media has been a tool for businesses to market not only themselves, but their product...
How to Build an Influencer Marketing Strategy
(If You Haven’t Already) Thankfully, the days of agencies dismissing influencer marketing as a fad are behind us. While many people used to claim that investing in influencers was a waste of money, it’s safe to say they’ve been disproved. In 2021, 67.9% of marketers will use influencer marketing....
Instagram Updates Marketers Should Know
In the world of social media marketing, the only thing more constant than change is politicos posting something that sets the internet ablaze with fury. But for us marketers, we’re used to planning for a shift in tactics with the updates to social platforms always imminent. The newest player in q...
Marketing Lies to Avoid
Marketing can be done wrong. In the industry, marketers tend to rely on clichés to get a point across, and it tends to detract from their mission. Clichés occur as a result of recycling the same practices until they become stale and predictable – the opposite of what marketing should be. Many of ...
SRB Website Launch Secret Sauce
Working in tandem with the website and digital leads for a mostly seamless website launch is always the number one goal. As we've highlighted in our website and branded launch blog, putting extra care and though into what the communications strategy should be requires planning ahead. What did S...
Guide To an Optimized & Branded Website Launch
Creating a new website or updating an existing one gets everyone excited; newness always does. It’s a new branded look that also implies progress within your business, whether you intend it to or not. It requires more care than most tend to put into it. It’s important to develop a plan that covers t...
Video Production Process Guide
When setting out to produce a video for your agency or a client, there are many factors to consider. It could be as simple as grabbing a camera and just shooting, or it could be as complex as producing a full feature film. The complexity of your production will be determined by the purpose of the vi...
Marketing On a Budget
It’s clear that the economy has been crippled by the recent pandemic and many small businesses are hurting because of it. In order to curtail company spending, leadership often makes large cuts to the marketing budget during hard economic times. However, this does not mean you can or should stop ...
How to Remain a Relevant Writer
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting shutdowns and isolation have left many of us with extra time on our hands. We filled in all kinds of ways – walks, exercise and hobbies. Some people have used that time to fulfill lifetime dreams of writing that first book. Three years ago today, our CEO, Dr. S...
Podcasts for Budding Entrepreneurs
Hello, new entrepreneurs! So, you’re ready to dive into the business world and dominate your industry? That’s great! But have you worked out how you’re going to make your dream a reality? Sometimes, inexperienced entrepreneurs jump into new business ventures without really knowi...
A Marketer's Role During A Global Pandemic
As marketers, we hold a great deal of responsibility during this global pandemic. While healthcare staff, first responders, and other essential workers focus on the physical health and security of citizens, it is the responsibility of marketers to help people cope with our “new normal”. This not onl...
How to Build a Buyer Persona
Hello, thanks for dropping by! You’re just in time to help me create a buyer persona for my new company. A buyer persona is an essential part of any marketing strategy. Personas help create categories in which a company can tailor its messages to. For this business, we’ll have to construct a pe...
Building a World of Accessibility
They say marketing is a reflection of society and society is a reflection of marketing. However, if you were an alien that just landed on earth and looked at the ads the marketing industry produces, you would never know people have disabilities as accessibility representation is rare. When it comes ...
Past, Present, and Future: History of Black Women In Marketing & PR
Women’s History Month is about more than history. It’s about the expanding recognition of women’s accomplishments; not just those of the past or current but encouraging the women of the future as well. As women, we must hold each other up. We remember the past to inspire ourselves today. However, we...
The State of Corporate Social Responsibility
The murder of George Floyd last year spurred a national movement for racial justice and prompted demands that businesses do more to combat racism. Companies could no longer hide in the void of silence. Although many brands had taken steps to become more socially responsible&n...
SRB New Website Press Release
WASHINGTON – SRB Communications, a full-service advertising and marketing agency based in our nation’s capital, has launched a new website showcasing its expanded services and commitment to the changing digital landscape. “The new website was optimized to highlight our agency’s commitment to deli...
Back In Office and Action
The pandemic cast many of us out of the office and kept us captive in our homes for months. We traded in our work clothes for sweatpants, moved our meetings from the conference room to Zoom rooms, and converted our living space to office space. Working from home was a challenge for most at first, bu...
Make the Most of Video Content
In video marketing, it’s always good to ask “How long should my video be to capture the viewer’s attention?” The answer to this question is not as simple as you would think. This also depends on a few factors such as the video content, the viewing platform, your target audience and the purpose of yo...
Diversity and Business: Recipe for Success
We’ve all seen it before. A pride month like Black History Month comes around and it seems like every other company is tweeting a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. and then calling it a day. Supportive? …Not really. There’s so much more a company can do to enact diversity, equity, and inclusio...
How to Host a Virtual Event
Kids are going to school… online. Adults are going to work… online. People are meeting up with friends… online. COVID-19 has truly pushed everything, and everyone online, so why would events be any different? One thing is for sure, these events don’t need to be a somber reminder of the current...
Operating A Business During A Global Health Pandemic
A conversation with Dr. Sheila Brooks, president, founder and CEO of SRB Communications, about the challenges of operating a business in a pandemic. Question: What have been the biggest challenges to operating your business during the coronavirus pandemic. Answer: Operating during this global h...
Best Superbowl Ads Of 2021
Marketers eagerly await the Superbowl every year like the rest of us, but for a different reason. When everyone is taking a snack break during the commercials, that’s when marketers are glued to the TV. Superbowl ads are viewed as the height of excellence in the field. These ads are literally the NF...
2021 Marketing Trends
2020 brought forth a whirlwind of emotions and unexpected experiences. However, we have entered a new year and we now have new things to look forward to. 2021 is particularly going to be a unique year for marketing, and one of the best things that 2020 taught us was to be prepared for anything. This...
Spreading Cheer With 2005's Best Holiday Ads
Here at SRB Communications, we believe that one of the best ways to raise spirits during the holiday is to share some cheer. What better way to do that, than to reflect on some impactful holiday ads? So, set aside your, “Bah Humbug!” and enjoy a few ads that we feel are the best of the season. 1....
Holiday Marketing Tips For 2020
2020 has dampened the Holiday spirit making it harder for businesses to market themselves. While this year’s holiday season has already proven to be different, it doesn’t mean that we can’t create an effective holiday marketing strategy and spread some cheer at the same time. So, strap on those...
Data Privacy: The Ethical Dilemma Within Digital Marketing
Consumers are becoming more aware of the actions taken by the companies they buy from. A company’s social responsibility to its community is under more scrutiny than ever before. People are looking to connect with businesses on a personal level and build relationships on shared values. If the values...
Recruit and Retain the Best Talent
This year marks the 30th anniversary of SRB Communications. In honor of this accomplishment, our blog series, Lessons Learned, will highlight five key lessons that founder and CEO, Dr. Sheila Brooks learned during 30 years as an entrepreneur. This week we offer the final piece of advice in...
Their history, their words: Reflections of three female journalists
In recognition of Women’s History Month, SRB’s March Blog is spotlighting three female journalists whose careers demonstrate personal courage and conviction in the service of equality. Lucile Bluford (b. 1911-d. 2003) Sometimes called “The Matriarch” or “the Conscience of Kansas Ci...
Masterful marketing has been mandatory for pioneers in Black theater
While he may be best-known for his Madea character, Tyler Perry is much more. He is a producer, filmmaker, playwriter, director, actor and philanthropist. But most of all, Tyler Perry is a master marketer. Long before he became a household name and billionaire media mogul, he recognized the impor...
Let’s make a 2024 Multicultural Marketing Strategy Bucket List
Each year we ask ourselves, “What would our marketing team do if we had unlimited time, money and resources?” As we wrap up 2023 and get ready for the unknowns in 2024, we invite you to dream with us and craft your 2024 Marketing Strategy Bucket List. Beyond your routine to-dos and...
Meeting the Growing Need and Demand for Multicultural Stock Photography
In terms of diversity and inclusion (DEI) in visuals, marketing has come a long way since two candidates for the Fairfax, Virginia County School Board handed out campaign materials in 2011. First, was Louise Epstein, who distributed signs and fliers that were graced with three smiling, multicultu...
Cultivating Connections: How Social Listening Shapes Authentic Relationships
On November 2, 2023, some of the SRB team attended the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's premier annual event for marketing, advertising, PR, communications and media professionals. We’re sharing key takeaways from the event including the importance of social listening and connecting with our...
We Need More DEI in Our Workplaces and Social Spaces
You’ve probably seen the dismal news piling up this year about Corporate America’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion principles or DEI for short. Maybe you read that hundreds of DEI jobs have been slashed since 2020, including top executive positions at Disney, Netflix and Amazon amo...
How NABJ Redefined Mentorship for Me
I can still vividly recall that day in December 1977, my senior year at the University of Washington in Seattle, when a colleague and I stumbled upon a flyer on the bulletin board. That flyer led me to discover the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) – a national organization dedicated ...
Minorities’ Trusted Leaders Are Valuable Allies in Public Health Crises
Faith may move mountains, but trust moves people to action in a crisis. Trusted friends, family members and influential leaders in our personal circles guide us through life’s difficulties when we’re worried, overwhelmed, misinformed, uninformed or complacent. The Black community’s proactiv...
Multicultural Marketing Speaks to Everyone
Advertising’s “mainstream market,” the wealthy white America engine that has driven this industry for decades, is getting run over by multicultural Americans’ swelling numbers and spending power. Their interests and aspirations will power marketing in the decades to come as shifting demogra...
Stand up for diversity and inclusion on World Press Freedom Day
May 3rd is the United Nations’ 30th annual World Press Freedom Day and an opportunity for a shoutout to multicultural journalism. SRB Communications specializes in multicultural marketing. We champion this slice of the media world at every opportunity. We cultivate relationships with multicultura...
SRB Works With Howard University to Spotlight Myrtilla Miner’s Education Legacy
Howard University had one eye on its future and the other on its past in February when leaders gathered outside the Miner Building and formally kicked off a $1 billion, multi-year campus construction program. We played a role in that event. Starting last summer, SRB Communications worked closely ...
Friendly Conversations Can Foster Better Collaboration
Successful team meetings and memorable dinner parties share one important characteristic. In the end, it’s all about the people around the table with us and the quality of that shared experience. Great results, like good times, flow from stimulating conversations, sharp questions, laughte...
Black Icons in Communications
We love Black History Month. Exploring the rich history created by the millions of African Americans is not only important, but so rewarding. With all that it has to offer, we want to highlight a few of the icons in our own industry. The Black trailblazers that broke down barriers in communications ...
Loyalty Marketing: Building a Relationship with Consumers
The goal of marketing is to better advertise the products or services of your business. However, we all know as marketers how difficult of a task that can be. Consumers are naturally very wary of our attempts to court them, and rightfully so. We all experience the barrage of marketing facing us each...
Guide to an Optimized Website Launch
Creating a new website or updating an existing one gets everyone excited; newness always does. It’s a new branded look that also implies progress within your business, whether you intend it to or not. It requires more care than most tend to put into it. It’s important to develop a plan tha...
2022 Marketing Trends
Who said 2021 could go by that quick? Each year seems like it goes by faster than the last. What’s even crazier is how the anticipated 2021 marketing trends turned out to be so different from what actually occurred; some being down-right opposite. The trends below are things we have been observing, ...
A Beginner's Guide to NFTs
At its core, marketing is about innovation. Marketing is about creativity. Marketing is a constant battle to capture your audience’s attention, and you can only do that if you are in tune with the most current methods to deliver an experience that stands out. Right now, the application of b...
Social Media News You Need to Know
The social media industry has been very active recently, and a few platforms have shared big news. Both Facebook and Twitter have announced some changes to their businesses. Social media platforms are always changing, and we can often ignore them. It’s usually an updated “terms of agreement,” a new ...
Social Media is the New Department Store
To save time and money for both customers and businesses, social media has become the new department store. During the pandemic, companies had to pivot their strategies to fulfill the needs of their customers. The trajectory of buying products in-store was always thought to be dominated by online sh...
Get to Know Your Customer
As marketers or business owners, you’ve probably heard the term “Target Audience.” In all honesty, this term seems cold and technical when in reality that’s the exact opposite of the way you want to interact with your customers. Think of finding your target audience as getting to know your customer....
Halloween Ads: A Trick or a Treat?
The holiday season is always anticipated by many. Slowly the world around us transforms into a uniform theme for the latest big event. It’s honestly quite magical. In October, we get to see jack-o-lanterns light up porch steps, and homes become haunted houses. Even the ads we see on TV join the fun ...
Social Media Marketing 101: Insider’s Guide
Whether you’re starting up a new side hustle, working your way to becoming an influencer or just a marketer looking to expand your skills, you need to know how to market on social media. Since its inception, social media has been a tool for businesses to market not only themselves, but their product...
How to Build an Influencer Marketing Strategy
(If You Haven’t Already) Thankfully, the days of agencies dismissing influencer marketing as a fad are behind us. While many people used to claim that investing in influencers was a waste of money, it’s safe to say they’ve been disproved. In 2021, 67.9% of marketers will use influencer marketing....
Marketing Lies to Avoid
Marketing can be done wrong. In the industry, marketers tend to rely on clichés to get a point across, and it tends to detract from their mission. Clichés occur as a result of recycling the same practices until they become stale and predictable – the opposite of what marketing should be. Many of ...
SRB Website Launch Secret Sauce
Working in tandem with the website and digital leads for a mostly seamless website launch is always the number one goal. As we've highlighted in our website and branded launch blog, putting extra care and though into what the communications strategy should be requires planning ahead. What did S...
Guide To an Optimized & Branded Website Launch
Creating a new website or updating an existing one gets everyone excited; newness always does. It’s a new branded look that also implies progress within your business, whether you intend it to or not. It requires more care than most tend to put into it. It’s important to develop a plan that covers t...
Video Production Process Guide
When setting out to produce a video for your agency or a client, there are many factors to consider. It could be as simple as grabbing a camera and just shooting, or it could be as complex as producing a full feature film. The complexity of your production will be determined by the purpose of the vi...
Marketing On a Budget
It’s clear that the economy has been crippled by the recent pandemic and many small businesses are hurting because of it. In order to curtail company spending, leadership often makes large cuts to the marketing budget during hard economic times. However, this does not mean you can or should stop ...
How to Remain a Relevant Writer
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting shutdowns and isolation have left many of us with extra time on our hands. We filled in all kinds of ways – walks, exercise and hobbies. Some people have used that time to fulfill lifetime dreams of writing that first book. Three years ago today, our CEO, Dr. S...
Podcasts for Budding Entrepreneurs
Hello, new entrepreneurs! So, you’re ready to dive into the business world and dominate your industry? That’s great! But have you worked out how you’re going to make your dream a reality? Sometimes, inexperienced entrepreneurs jump into new business ventures without really knowi...
A Marketer's Role During A Global Pandemic
As marketers, we hold a great deal of responsibility during this global pandemic. While healthcare staff, first responders, and other essential workers focus on the physical health and security of citizens, it is the responsibility of marketers to help people cope with our “new normal”. This not onl...
How to Build a Buyer Persona
Hello, thanks for dropping by! You’re just in time to help me create a buyer persona for my new company. A buyer persona is an essential part of any marketing strategy. Personas help create categories in which a company can tailor its messages to. For this business, we’ll have to construct a pe...
Building a World of Accessibility
They say marketing is a reflection of society and society is a reflection of marketing. However, if you were an alien that just landed on earth and looked at the ads the marketing industry produces, you would never know people have disabilities as accessibility representation is rare. When it comes ...
Past, Present, and Future: History of Black Women In Marketing & PR
Women’s History Month is about more than history. It’s about the expanding recognition of women’s accomplishments; not just those of the past or current but encouraging the women of the future as well. As women, we must hold each other up. We remember the past to inspire ourselves today. However, we...
The State of Corporate Social Responsibility
The murder of George Floyd last year spurred a national movement for racial justice and prompted demands that businesses do more to combat racism. Companies could no longer hide in the void of silence. Although many brands had taken steps to become more socially responsible&n...
Back In Office and Action
The pandemic cast many of us out of the office and kept us captive in our homes for months. We traded in our work clothes for sweatpants, moved our meetings from the conference room to Zoom rooms, and converted our living space to office space. Working from home was a challenge for most at first, bu...
Make the Most of Video Content
In video marketing, it’s always good to ask “How long should my video be to capture the viewer’s attention?” The answer to this question is not as simple as you would think. This also depends on a few factors such as the video content, the viewing platform, your target audience and the purpose of yo...
Diversity and Business: Recipe for Success
We’ve all seen it before. A pride month like Black History Month comes around and it seems like every other company is tweeting a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. and then calling it a day. Supportive? …Not really. There’s so much more a company can do to enact diversity, equity, and inclusio...
How to Host a Virtual Event
Kids are going to school… online. Adults are going to work… online. People are meeting up with friends… online. COVID-19 has truly pushed everything, and everyone online, so why would events be any different? One thing is for sure, these events don’t need to be a somber reminder of the current...
2021 Marketing Trends
2020 brought forth a whirlwind of emotions and unexpected experiences. However, we have entered a new year and we now have new things to look forward to. 2021 is particularly going to be a unique year for marketing, and one of the best things that 2020 taught us was to be prepared for anything. This...
Holiday Marketing Tips For 2020
2020 has dampened the Holiday spirit making it harder for businesses to market themselves. While this year’s holiday season has already proven to be different, it doesn’t mean that we can’t create an effective holiday marketing strategy and spread some cheer at the same time. So, strap on those...
Data Privacy: The Ethical Dilemma Within Digital Marketing
Consumers are becoming more aware of the actions taken by the companies they buy from. A company’s social responsibility to its community is under more scrutiny than ever before. People are looking to connect with businesses on a personal level and build relationships on shared values. If the values...
Recruit and Retain the Best Talent
This year marks the 30th anniversary of SRB Communications. In honor of this accomplishment, our blog series, Lessons Learned, will highlight five key lessons that founder and CEO, Dr. Sheila Brooks learned during 30 years as an entrepreneur. This week we offer the final piece of advice in...
WABJ Establishes Community Impact Award in Honor of Dr. Sheila Brooks - News Release (Published March 5, 2024)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 5, 2024)– The Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) recently honored SRB Communications’ legendary founder, president and CEO, by establishing an award in her name. Street Sense Media received the inaugural Dr. Sheila Brooks Community Impact Award during a recent...
A Black woman hits glass ceiling then breaks ground as her own boss - Washington Post Feature (Published August 2, 2022)
After leaving a job as a television news producer in 1990, Sheila D. Brooks started her own company producing news stories and documentaries. She converted a bedroom into an office at the house where she lived in New Carrollton, drummed up three small contracts, hired an assistant and persuaded a ba...
SRB Communications Celebrates 33 Years in Business - Washington Informer (Published June 21, 2023)
With statistics revealing that only one in four businesses surpasses 15 years, SRB Communications celebrating 33 years on June 25 is more than an anniversary; it’s a sign of resilience, talent and distinction. While changing industry trends, a recession, the COVID-19 pandemic and more c...
Veteran D.C. business woman receives lifetime achievement award, induction into Minority Business Enterprise Hall of Fame - The Afro (Published January 4, 2023)
The Capital Region Minority Supplier Diversity Council (CRMSDC) recently inducted Sheila Brooks, founder and owner of D.C.-based SRB Communications, into the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Hall of Fame during the 50th anniversary of its Leaders & Legends Ceremony. Th...
Howard University Announces Historic Miner Building’s Rebirth, Jumpstarts $785M Campus Master Plan - News Release (Published February 1, 2022)
WASHINGTON – Inspiration and idealism joined forces on Wednesday, February 1, when Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA announced the beginning of extensive renovations during a groundbreaking ceremony and “hard hat” tour at its Myrtilla Miner Buildin...
The Importance of Research in Multicultural Marketing
In our 32 years in business, SRB Communications has thrived as a minority and women owned advertising and marketing agency. During that time have operated at a half-dozen different locations up and down K Street, NW. But there has been one constant – our focus on diversity and multicultural ma...
Put the MOJO in Your Website Redesign
There isn’t a task more daunting than a website relaunch. Stakeholders have visions of non-existent content management system (CMS) widgets for the product team to devise. Meanwhile, marketers wait with baited breath for what promises to make everything business-wise magically better. “It’ll onl...
SRB in 2022
New Work As an agency specializing in multicultural markets, we welcome the opportunity to work with clients from varying industries and sectors. We have exciting projects on the horizon in health disparity messaging, Fortune 100 company rebrands, equity of voice in nature conservation profession...
Dr. Brooks Social Rebrand: Sheila Dean Brooks, Ph.D.
In business, it’s often said that you sell yourself, not your company. As CEO of SRB Communications, Sheila Brooks, has spent years developing her own personal brand. We’re excited to announce the next evolution in Dr. Brooks’s brand. The name of her social channels, Brooks Business Report, ...
Instagram Updates Marketers Should Know
In the world of social media marketing, the only thing more constant than change is politicos posting something that sets the internet ablaze with fury. But for us marketers, we’re used to planning for a shift in tactics with the updates to social platforms always imminent. The newest player in q...
SRB New Website Press Release
WASHINGTON – SRB Communications, a full-service advertising and marketing agency based in our nation’s capital, has launched a new website showcasing its expanded services and commitment to the changing digital landscape. “The new website was optimized to highlight our agency’s commitment to deli...
