Don’t you hate it when you start something, but everything gets in the way of you finishing it? Like when you’re one bite into a mind-blowing panini, and someone yanks you into a meeting about timesheets. Or when you’re trying to write a blogpost, and people keep sending you amazing internetz finds like this. Or this.

Or when you’re on your way to a bachelor’s degree. You commit yourself to earning that all-important piece of paper with Latin scribbles on it. But sometimes, unexpected things derail your quest. There’s no need to get into the details of those things, in the same way we won’t discuss what kept you from attending Sally Jenkins’ slumber party in first grade. All we know is, stuff gets in the way.

Since 2002, Mortar has handled the advertising work for Golden Gate University, a school primarily known for its graduate programs. But this summer, GGU wanted to promote its undergraduate program, which deals with a much more specific audience. These are people who have been out of the college game so long they’ve forgotten how insipid college food can be, not to mention what the word “insipid” means. They’re also blasted with continuing education ads left and right – none of which have been effective. Continue reading →

When you’re surrounded by more ads for cloud services than actual clouds, you begin to question whether Bay Area residents ever consume anything that doesn’t come with a heaping side of hashtags. So we consider it a treat when we’re able to work on a brand that sells real, tangible products you can eat – commonly known as “food.”

New Leaf Community Markets is an organic grocery store chain that began in Santa Cruz and gradually spread its way around the Bay Area. After opening a new store in Pleasanton, New Leaf saw an opportunity to introduce themselves to their neighbors through a more distinctive brand. In other words, they wanted to show people they aren’t just a mini version of Whole Foods. We started by crafting a tagline that captures their mission to deliver the freshest, most sustainable, local, and organic products possible. “Purveyors of goodness” encapsulates that idea, and gives New Leaf the approachable neighborhood feel they were after.

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If someone asked you to wear a heavy, clunky necklace attached to wires that connect to electrodes all over your chest, we doubt your answer would be “Sure!” Same goes for every heart patient whose doctor prescribes them a Holter monitor. The device looks like something out of a bad sci-fi movie. It’s no shocker it was invented in 1949.

Problem is, too many medical devices are designed purely from a physician or engineer’s point of view, which blindly brushes aside the most important audience of all: the patient. Like any sensible group of human beings, Corventis had an inkling there was a smarter way to monitor heart conditions besides a big bulky mess of wires. Continue reading →

Mortar is growing its media business and in need of a type “A” Sr. Media Planner or Media Supervisor ready to win over the world. We want someone hungry for the challenge and willing to go the extra mile at every turn. This is an exceptional opportunity to work with a great agency dedicated to doing great work and providing outstanding media solutions for our clients who range from natural gas to hospitals, medical devices to the cloud, and universities to high-end printing. No lack of variety indeed.

In return, the sky’s the limit. We’re a small agency, which means all you need are the right attitude and drive to be a success here at the ol’ Mortar. Take a look at our site and you’ll see, a) we love bacon and b) we’re passionate about what we do – and we look for like-minded individuals. We also love puppies, if you’d like to bring us one.

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