Surgery blows—especially when your schnoz is involved. But with the FDA’s recent approval of their new product Propel™, our client Intersect ENT is poised to revolutionize chronic sinusitis treatment for good.
Unlike anything in its category, Propel is a spring-like device made of a flexible, lightweight plastic polymer. This innovative design serves to gently prop open the sinuses after endoscopic surgery. The device also delivers an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid directly to the sinus lining, which keeps patients’ noses from flaring up like a bull seeing red. The result? Improved post-surgical outcomes, and reduced need for oral steroids that can have nasty side effects. It’s genius, really.
Inspired by Propel’s iconic design, Mortar created a distinctive logo to establish the brand identity for our client’s inaugural product. Evoking the shape and warmth of the sun, the mark quickly conveys the elegant nature of the device. See?
There’s also a website on the way, and we designed a trade show booth for Propel’s debut at the American Academy of Otolaryngology’s convention this September in San Francisco. If you’re in town, stop in and rub elbows. Or noses.
There’s nothing scarier than walking into a room full of geniuses and asking for money. Well, almost nothing. Zombies are scary. Wolves are scary. Concepts born of too many vodka-pineapples are scary. But still, meeting with venture capitalists is scary.
So why do most venture capital websites do nothing but talk about themselves? That’s not very friendly, is it? Not what a good host would do, right? These poor entrepreneurs are laying it all on the table. They’re presenting, defending and explaining more than a “venture.” It’s their baby. The thing that’s consumed their every waking moment – not to mention their bank accounts. So, when Bain Capital Ventures approached us about a new website, we suggested they put less emphasis on the “us” and more on the “you.”
Yes, you. If you’re an entrepreneur with an earthshaking idea, that is. The refreshingly simple site is uncluttered, down-to-earth and friendly, all the way from the tone of voice to the typeface. The entrepreneur-focused Innovation Center provides an online toolkit to help startups get started—complete with how-to articles, local networking opportunities, and even weekly office hours hosted by Bain.
But enough about us. We’d love to know what you think.
MORTARBLOG:"It's so dumb it thinks soy milk is Spanish for "I am milk.""
But seriously, folks, the grid is really dumb. You would not believe how much power goes to waste every day, and how much grossness gets spewed into the atmosphere every day to make all that power that's going to waste. Fortunately there's a simple, free way to start doing something about it. Which is where Mortar client Genability comes in. We could explain what they're up to using boring old words, but we'd rather share our new animated short, "Giving People Power Over Their Power." It's narrated by our pal Ed Begley, Jr., and it has mole people and birds that drop money and even a pony!
Please take two minutes and fifty-seven seconds of your day to check it out.
Pretty cool, right? Did you laugh? Did you cry? Did you want to punch the PG&E guy? (Don't.) OK, then tell all your friends about WhatsMyPower.com, and let's all help make the grid a little smarter.
Lord knows this world could use a little less dumbassery.
It’s not bowling. It’s not golf. And whatever you do, don’t call it “bocce.”
It’s Lawn Bowls. And it’s the next big thing in American sports. Like Mahou Sensei Negima, the metric system, and boxed milk, Lawn Bowls is just another train that our nation inexplicably missed. 20 million people around the world indulge in this delightful diversion, while only 17,000 do in the U.S. The game has been around for 500 years – so exactly why haven’t we recognized its undisputed awesomeness yet?
No sport becomes an American pastime overnight. Do you think baseball was popular in its germinating stages? “Hey guys: Let’s all put on tight, non-breathable pants, have someone throw a rock-hard leather ball at our faces, then dive headfirst onto dirty vinyl bags all day long.” Yeah. Maybe later.
Sports gain popularity through awareness – which is what Lawn Bowls lacks in the U.S. That's why the United States Lawn Bowls Association came to Mortar. And it’s why Mortar is on the hunt for sponsors of all shapes and sizes for the USLBA.
If your brand is looking to gain awareness and boost its image, this is a low-risk move with a potentially huge payoff. Although Lawn Bowls is a sport you can play whether you’re 19 or 90, the average player age is 50+. With the exploding number of baby boomers entering the market each year, these leisure beavers are looking for a fun, low-impact activity to keep them from having to tend to the garden all day and converse with their one-eyed curmudgeonly neighbor.
Not many sports could be more appealing to this crowd – or for your brand. Think curling, but on grass: challenging, fun to play, and with massive potential for cocktail consumption. It’s ideal for TV coverage, but without the need for big slabs of ice and bitter cold. You play on a manicured grass court, and there’s unlimited opportunity for social activity off the green.
Brands, are you listening? Get in the rink before someone else beats you to the jack. Download USLBA's full sponsorship deets here to learn more about why this could be the best decision you’ve ever made. If you’re interested in being a national, regional, local, or event sponsor of the USLBA, contact Craig Patterson at craig@mortaragency.com or (408) 802-9122.
You guys know about debt settlement, right? We’ll break it down for you, just in case: You decide you need a new suit. You buy it. Your boss decides s/he needs a shiny new Gulfstream…which means you get downsized. Suddenly, you’re awash in credit card debt. You need help. A “debt negotiator” appears. They tell you they can negotiate your nut down to pennies on the dollar. You are happy. Then you discover how the racket really works. You are sad. First, they want a big-ass up-front fee. Then, you’re asked to fund an account that will be used to pay off your debts – yes, for pennies on the dollar – but that isn’t real helpful if you don’t have any pennies to begin with. The whole thing is a lot like high school. Remember the 300-pound bully who used to throw you against your locker, steal your lunch money and give you a swirlie? When that 300-pound bully is your credit card company, you need a bully to bully that bully. Or at least get their attention. If you had an eagle with a knife in its mouth, you'd be all set. But we'll assume you don't. (If you do, call us, we want to check that out.)
Would like to renegotiate your repayment terms. Also: is an eagle with a knife.
The good people of the AFCC noticed what was going on in the debt settlement racket market, and saw an opportunity. Not the “let’s check the poor people’s couch cushions for change”-kind of opportunity, but the kind that could actually help people get a fair shake in the credit game – a game that’s patently rigged. So, they created a brand new model called “no advance fee debt settlement.” Here’s how it works: You agree to a fee. The AFCC goes to work. Your debt goes down. You pay your debt. You pay your fee. You’re free. A simple, strong idea, worthy of a simple, strong name. Which Mortar was proud to give them.
So. Even if your credit’s good, check out the American Fair Credit Council. They’re a good friend to have, in an economy where one can never have too many good friends, feathered or otherwise.
