Tegan Quarterly: Summer 2023

Hey there and Happy Fall(ish)!

Here in Dallas, we’re ecstatic to report that 100-degree days are (hopefully) behind us. You know what that means. Time to break out the trusty flannels, fire up Fantasy Football, and hop in line for corny dogs at the Texas State Fair.

We may still be breaking a sweat by 10 AM, but hey, at least we have (iced) PSLs and the Cowboys to ease the blow and get us officially in the mood for fall. (And no, it’s never too soon for pumpkin spice anything.)

As for the summer, it was pretty rad. In the last few months, we welcomed top-notch new clients into the Tegan fold, launched a handful of exciting projects, and even nabbed a few big-time awards.

In between the work wins and cheering/crying over the Women’s World Cup, Laura got hitched, Ryan became a dad, and Morgan went on an epic adventure “down under” that made us all insanely jealous. More on that later.

As for the next few months, our calendars are already filling up fast with cool new projects, launches, and lots of office patio hangs. Fourth quarters are always full of fun surprises, and we wouldn’t expect any less.

With lots of apple pie and pre-game snacks,

–Aaron and John

Cool things we did

Project Launches

Beech Valley Website Redesign

Besides being smart, gracious, and incredibly good-humored about accounting jokes, Beech Valley are world-class experts at connecting organizations to the top 2% of CPA and finance talent. In July, we helped them launch a newly redesigned site with tons of new features, eye-catching design, and elevated content to attract their dream clientele.

Rockcap Brand Refresh

So fresh and so clean, clean. This Dallas-based commercial real estate firm is looking more streamlined than ever with a brand new logo, sharp messaging, new collateral, and a sleek modern site, courtesy of yours truly. Stay tuned for some impressive skyline selfies.

New client partnerships

Shug’s Bagels

Drumming up excitement for fantastic food in our own neighborhood has to be one of the best job descriptions we can think of, so naturally we were thrilled to be named Shug’s official Agency of Record. In preparation for the grand opening of their second location on Lemmon Avenue, our team is taking the wheel with Shopify, SEO, and digital marketing efforts. And, of course, taste testing.

Lyda Hill Philanthropies

Funded by Dallas entrepreneur and philanthropist, Lyda Hill, this incredible organization is committed to funding transformational advances in science and nature, empowering nonprofits, and investing in Texas and Colorado communities. How’s that for a power-packed legacy? The Tegan team will be pitching in with strategic research and planning, along with a full website redesign.

Levine Academy

This summer the impressive folks at Ann and Nate Levine Academy tapped Tegan to help cultivate relationships with both current and prospective students and their families through a number of strategic projects. The Tegan team is heading up market research and analysis, strategic planning, brand messaging, and communication strategy. A-pluses and high-fives all around.

Hot industry trends

Hanging by a Thread(s)
Meta’s Threads, a.k.a. the lovechild of Instagram and Twitter, sure has been busy stirring up the social media pot. While it might not be ready to knock Twitter (formerly known as X) off its perch just yet, it’s forcing companies to totally rethink their marketing strategies.

But is it right for your business? That’s a solid maybe. Let’s weigh the pros and cons.

Pros:
Familiarity: Threads is like the cozy neighborhood pub where everyone knows your name, thanks to its Instagram connection. Transitioning your Insta-followers is easy-peasy, making it an attractive option for businesses with a significant Instagram presence.

Engagement: Threads is the place for casual, friendly banter. Brands can connect with their audiences in a way that feels less corporate and more like a friendly chat over a virtual pint.

Ads? Maybe Later: While Threads currently keeps the ad wolves at bay, Meta’s playbook suggests that ads are probably just around the corner. For marketers, this means a potential goldmine for reaching new audiences.

Cons:
User Drop-off: Threads experienced rapid initial growth but a subsequent decline in daily active users. How do brands keep people coming back? Sustaining engagement and growth as the platform evolves is going to be tricky.

Undefined Culture: Threads still lacks a distinct culture and identity, making it challenging for brands to understand how to position themselves effectively. The tone, language, and social cues are still being defined, sorta like the first week of middle school.

Data Privacy Concerns: While Threads aims to address privacy concerns with decentralized data storage, it has faced scrutiny from regulators, limiting its availability in certain regions like the EU.

Even though it still has a lot of adapting to do, Threads’ integration with Meta’s ecosystem and potential for growth make it a platform worth exploring. If you’re a larger brand looking to tap into more opportunities for casual and engaging interactions, (think behind-the-scenes glimpses and informal, organic storytelling), Threads could be a valuable addition to your social media toolkit. But, experimenting with content that aligns with the platform’s friendly and conversational tone will be key.

Since we’re seeing the majority of Threads users gravitating toward familiar faces and established voices, smaller brands might want to stick to investing in their current social platforms for the time being. As Threads continues to work out the kinks, it’ll be interesting to see if small players will get the opportunity to carve out their own spaces to form meaningful connections with their audiences. Long story short, there’s a whole lot more potential to unravel here.

Agency Awards

Inc. 5000
This is big, folks. Tegan was named by the global multimedia company Inc. as one of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America. We join the ranks of past honorees including Facebook, Chobani, Under Armour, Microsoft, and Patagonia, who all can trace their debut on the national stage back to the Inc. 5000. After following the award since college, Aaron was especially pumped: “It’s a special feeling to see our team join the list with top-performing national brands.”

AMA’s Finalist
For the second year in a row, Tegan was selected as a finalist for “Advertising Agency of the Year” at American Marketing Association’s (AMA) Marketer of the Year awards. As 1 of 5 nominees, our team was recognized for “talent, creativity, and dedication to driving impactful marketing campaigns that have made a significant impact on our industry and target audience.” A compliment if we’ve ever heard one.

DSVC Awards
Our team was also incredibly proud to be shortlisted at The Dallas Society of Visual Communications Awards for our work with The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum’s “Humanity Lives Here” campaign. DSVC’s annual show honors both individuals and agencies doing exceptional work in the visual creative community. Not to brag or anything, but we thought you should know.

Employee Updates

Summer Interns
Tegan’s summer interns brought a whole new level of fun (and Gen Z know-how) around the office. Katherine dove right into her account management intern role and Peter paved the way as our very first digital analyst intern! We hate to say goodbye, but we’ll be cheering these two on wherever their senior years take them.

Summer Vacations

Escaping the ridiculous Texas temps was at the top of everyone’s list this summer. Some of us even got a little campy. John opted to beat the heat by going off the grid in Colorado, and Katie wandered around the rugged Minnesota wilderness like Bear Grylls. Paul made it all the way to Korea with the whole fam, where they visited a green tea farm and got in some spectacular scenic hikes. Morgan takes the cake though, spending three weeks bouncing between Australia and New Zealand, cheering on our National Women’s Soccer Team in the World Cup. (They didn’t win the title of World Champions, but Morgan sure did.)

Movers & Shakers

Kelsey was elected Vice President of Dallas Fort Worth Interactive Marketing Association (DFWIMA), which, if you know Kelsey, is 100% the right decision. We’re super proud to see our favorite Account Director recognized and appreciated for her talent in the wild. And we’re super proud of us for having her on our team.

Love & Marriage

The Tegan wedding streak continued as Laura and Ezra officially tied the knot in June. We couldn’t be happier for them. Little T, the office squirrel, even made a special guest appearance at the wedding, which we will take full credit (or blame) for orchestrating.

The Tegan family added a tiny new member with the arrival of Ryan and Bailey’s adorable baby girl, Josie. Our Slack channels are blowing up with cuteness overload, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.