Tailoring banking to social media

On social media, financial institutions must navigate the balance between tradition, innovation, and modernity. With Capital Bank, our digital agency takes on the challenge of adapting the rigid and institutional communication style of a bank to the interactive and engaging environment of social media. Blending professionalism with playfulness Working with a financial institution requires a unique approach. Unlike our other clients, where a casual and playful tone is often appropriate, for Capital Bank, we must maintain a serious and professional image. Our strategy involves merging these two worlds: combining the formality of the institution with the dynamism of social media by creating content that is both informative and engaging. Institutional messages are essential for maintaining transparency and public trust. However, to attract and retain audience attention, we must also incorporate lighter, more interactive elements such as: Please note that animations play a crucial role in any digital strategy. They enhance content by making it more dynamic and visually engaging, while also simplifying complex topics. The art of adapting financial communication Working with a bank presents a unique challenge. It’s not just about posting content; we must make sure that the content resonates with the audience while respecting the institution’s values and image. To achieve this, we adopt a personalized approach: Collaborating with a financial institution undoubtedly represents one of the biggest challenges for a digital agency. Our primary role is to make financial communication both informative and engaging. Through our innovative approach and expertise in content creation, we balance tradition and modernity while generating public interest and engagement.

Tchakayiti, our bilingual culinary blog

i7’s pilot and test project Our culinary blog Tchakayiti holds a special place in our hearts. The first project we launched upon starting i7, through the years, it has become both our pilot and test project. For those who are jut now discovering it, Tchakayiti is our CEO Annick’s flagship project. It has become her space to share her love for Haiti’s culinary culture and showcase her talents in content writing, food photography, and styling. From the very beginning, i7 handled the design and programming of the website, giving it an attractive and functional interface. In 2023, we modernized the site, highlighting our expertise in design and web development. Each article is written to captivate readers while adhering to web standards for keyword optimization. The site’s content is optimized for search engines, demonstrating both our content writing skills and our SEO expertise. Tchakayiti, a testing platform Tchakayiti is not simply a culinary blog that showcases our skills. This blog also serves as a platform to test our approach and expand our range of services. Through it, we highlight the diversity of our offerings, and experiment with digital tactics and strategies. Annick’s passion for food photography has paved the way for a broader exploration of product photography, which we now incorporate into our services. The blog thus acts as a platform to demonstrate our abilities in content writing, SEO, photography, social media, and email marketing. Our services and experiences with Tchakayiti Will Tchakayiti ever make a comeback on social media? Definitely! But when it makes its comeback, the goal, which we have yet to define, will no longer be to drive traffic to the blog. No matter the direction we take on social media with Tchakayit, it will always involve exploring and experimenting to deliver quality content and share Annick’s passion for food and food photography. This shift in strategy reflects our ability to adjust our digital marketing tactics based on observed results. It also highlights the notable distinction between social media and email marketing, two communication platforms with different objectives and outcomes. More than just a project, Tchakayiti is an adventure that we cherish and carefully nurture at i7. This blog embodies our commitment to providing quality services in content writing, photography, SEO, social media, email marketing, design, and web development, while also serving as an experimental platform for our strategies and innovations.

What makes a blog?

In Haiti, we often misuse the term “blog.” A blog is not just a simple Instagram account or a Facebook page. It is a dedicated website focused on a particular subject. For example, the i7 blog discusses current topics related to the world of advertising. The culinary blog Tchakayiti shares stories and recipes related to Haitian cuisine and gastronomy. The definition provided by Larousse is clear: A blog is a “website on which an internet user keeps a personal chronicle dedicated to a specific subject.” So, what does maintaining a blog entail? To run a blog, you need to publish articles regularly. Experts recommend publishing on a weekly basis. We don’t do this for i7, due to time constraints and because we use this format mainly for sharing important information. However, for a blog to be successful, it needs to be constantly fed with content. This is exactly what Annick does with her culinary blog Tchakayiti, which we mentioned earlier. Before publishing these articles, of course, you need to: Once the article is published, you need to promote it by sharing it everywhere: As you can see, an Instagram account is definitely not a blog. It is rather a platform to promote your blog. Running a blog involves a lot of work. So, avoid using the term lightly.

Be like a fruit loop in a world of cheerios

Before you alert the press and tell them that i7 lacks originality, we ask that you read this through. We agree that this sentence sounds a bit cliché, and can seem unoriginal to say the least, yet…it says so much in just a few words. Be like a fruit loop… Simply put, when it comes to your brand image, dare to be different; dare to express your unique personality; dare to go where no one else has gone before. In Haiti, most companies tend to play it safe. This results in everyone using the same voice, the same words, and putting the same message out there. Such tactics only lead to a lack of differentiation between brands in an already saturated market. So how do you become a fruit loop? How do you differentiate yourself on Social Media? By being different.  Surprise your followers with messages and images that are unique to your brand. Showcase your products in a new light.  Don’t follow a set of rules. Instead, experiment with your messaging while listening to your audience. Find what resonates with it and adapt your messaging accordingly.  The beauty of Social Media is that it allows for quick tweaks to your strategy, something that is difficult to achieve with traditional media. So again, why not take advantage of the flexibility it offers? Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why not be a fruit loop? As “The Lovemarks effect” so eloquently puts it: “Look at the coolest designs around and head in the opposite direction.”

Our Super Bowl 2016 review

Today, we’re not writing about social media per se. Instead, we will talk football, American football to be more precise. You read right, the digital agency that we are will talk about #SB50 (Super Bowl 50). For those of you who may not know it yet, Super bowl Sunday is a big day for the American advertising industry. On Super Bowl Sunday, millions – if not billions – of people gather in front of their big screens to watch either the game or, like us at i7, simply wait for the ads that are aired before, during and after the game. Needless to say that with so many watching and expecting exceptional ads, advertisers all strive to put their best work out there. The end goal? Create an ad that will be powerful and unforgettable so as to boost sales. By now, we assume you understand we’re not here to pretend to be sports analysts. Instead, we’re here to do what we do best, and that is talk about our favorite field: advertising. This year, even though we were unable to catch the ads, sorry the game, live – it fell during our #Kanaval weekend here in Haiti (Carnival) – we still took the time to catch up on the commercials and comments posted via Social Media. While, some may have found many favorites among the aired commercials, we must say that this year’s Super Bowl left us wanting for more. We were unimpressed. In our humble opinion, there were not as many great ads as we’ve seen in the past. We still picked a few to share with you, however. Below are the ads that caught our attention either through their use of humor, emotions or their well-executed storytelling. #3 – T-Mobile ‘Restricted Bling’ This ad wins at funny. You can’t help but laugh at the stupidity of the comments made and be puzzled by Drake’s oddly composed attitude. We were expecting him to snap, which obviously never happened, and that is what earned this ad the third spot on our list. #2 – Heinz ‘Wiener Stampede’ This year, dogs once again won our hearts. There is something about the dogs and the image of that family holding hand that strikes an emotional cord and makes you smile, especially that last frame of the child and dog licking his face. To us, this ad speaks of Heinz as a brand that brings families together. #1 Jeep ‘Portrait’ Our all time favorite this year isn’t your typical emotional or loud ad; instead it is an ad that showcases the art of storytelling. Jeep caught its brand’s history in less than one minute in an unexpected and touching way that sets it apart from other commercials aired during that event.

What does i7 stand for?

That is the burning question on every single person’s mind when they first hear our company name. We must admit that when we picked that name, we didn’t really think it would create such a turmoil. Sure there is a meaning behind the name “i7,” but did we think we’d have to explain it right away? Not necessarily. But since our work involves shedding light on a brand or product, we must do the same for our company brand and reveal the story behind its name. We’ve left you pondering long enough. However, before we share the simple explanation behind i7, we have one request. We kindly ask that you read and pronounce our name in French. English may have become an important part of our everyday language in Haiti, but when we chose to call our company i7lab we were definitely thinking in French. Plus “ee-set” sounds way better than its English counterpart that makes us sound like wannabes of the “i” family (we are talking about the iPad, iPhone, etc. family here for those of you who just got confused by these last few words). So again, our company name is i7, short for i7lab, pronounced “ee-set-lab.” The i7 part hides seven words that reflect our global vision, the very same words that flood your Instagram and Twitter feeds, if you follow us on social media. They are: identify • imagine • invent • illustrate • innovate • inspire • inform At i7, we make it a point to: There you have it. The i7 mystery is finally solved. Remember, it’s pronounced “ee-set” 😉

Introducing our Instagram #ideacasserole

Thousands of ideas run through our minds daily. Some we use right away, others we don’t. We realized our clients and audience know nothing about this message, artwork or content creation process. That is one of the main reasons why we decided it was about time we shared our creative explorations with the world and created our #ideacasserole for Instagram specifically. You must be wondering why we picked a casserole. Truth be told, our founder is obsessed with cooking, she even has her own foodblog, Tchakayiti that you should absolutely read. She is convinced that her brain works the same way; her brain is a casserole where creativity, taste, colors and copy simmer together. Now were we to launch a communication campaign our answer would probably have been worded differently. We would probably elaborate on this thought and tell you that: A casserole is used to mix spices, taste, aromas in order to create a delightful dish. That’s the same principle we adopt at i7. Ideas taken from here and there lead to the creation of messages that meet our clients’ approval and to which you are exposed daily. Yes, we are referring to the messages that earn us and the brands we work for double clicks or likes on social media. When we came up with this #ideacasserole concept, we quickly realized that Instagram was the best social platform to use for that purpose. Where else could we mix in doodles, scribbles, random but not so random thoughts, crazy ideas into a delightful dish? No where else, at least not continuously. We thus invite you to follow us and exchange ideas with us on Instagram. C’mon, it’s easy. All you have to do is pull out your phone, open Instagram, click on that little search icon, look for @i7lab and select #follow. See you there 😉

Why have a digital marketing agency in Haiti?

Many people ask us that question and go as far as telling us that not expanding our service offerings is not a smart move. To these people we say that we chose to focus on digital and digital only so as to allow the Haitian market to improve its presence online. In Haiti, we tend to create a web presence with little to no planning when in reality a company’s marketing strategy should guide all its communication or promotional efforts, both online and offline. Simply put, your brand and product cannot be showcased online if they are not in line with your overall brand strategy. It is thus important to devote time to digital strategies that meet the needs of the local market, your brand’s target and of the chosen online platforms. Only then will you be able to maximize your online presence and boost your brand visibility. Our focus on online advertising, social media and content marketing allows us to offer you targeted and personalized services that you may not always find at big agencies that offer a wider range of advertising services. We take the time to understand your product and your audience’s needs to put together a digital strategy that enhances your presence online while still staying in line with your overall advertising strategy. We deploy customized tactics to help you communicate better with your online audience whether it includes those living in Haiti or a more widespread audience.

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