Everyone wants a safer, healthier world, but it can feel overwhelming to see how we achieve it. We have so many opportunities for behaviors to target as we affect change, from healthy habits to smoking to violence prevention to road safety. All of these areas require long-term, sustained work to push toward a large-scale change, but change is possible.

In a world buzzing with distractions, there’s a timeless habit that continues to enrich overall health – reading. Whether you prefer fiction to nonfiction, adventure to romance, self-help to science there are many books to immerse yourself in and kickstart your reading journey.

Where should you even start? We have compiled key benefits, steps to change your behaviors and resources to read more below.

With over 30 years of experience in behavior change marketing, VI is one of the country’s most experienced agencies in the industry. But what exactly is behavior change marketing? 

Behavior change marketing is all around you, engrained in your everyday life. Picture your daily routine. Do you brush your teeth for exactly two minutes? Swap disposable water bottles for reusable ones? Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies? Say “no” to tobacco? Odds are, you’ve been affected by behavior change marketing. 

Behavior change marketing, or social marketing, uses marketing principles and techniques to influence audiences to voluntarily accept, modify, abandon or reject a behavior. Sound intimidating? Don’t worry; it’s kind of our specialty. Let’s get into the weeds of how it’s done.

There’s no shortage of books about how to positively change your behavior. Lucky for you, I’ve read many of these books and think about habits as part of behavior change for my job daily. The science of behavior change is much more than changing one small thing in your life, but one way to change behavior is to impact habits and make change easier for people. It’s important to consider barriers to habit change, and to fully understand what it really takes to change your behavior.  

You’ll find conflicting research about how long it really takes to change habits. Some say 28 days, others much longer. Recent studies say it actually depends on the habit. If something is an easier change to your life, it may take less time to adopt it. If it’s a full-scale change to how you’ve lived your life, give yourself some grace and don’t give up if it takes more time. One of the greatest takeaways in the books referenced below is that dedication in the process to change is potentially even more important than the change itself.  

I think it's apparent that in marketing today we can no longer tout the "big sale" or the "new feature" and truly believe that our message is going to resonate with our audience. Heck, our audience no longer wants to be seen as an "audience" or a "consumer" or a "prospect." They want to be seen as a human. 

We write a lot about emerging marketing trends, channels and strategies at VI. It’s obviously important to stay ahead of consumer habits. However, we never lose sight of the importance of a brand. Regardless of how and where they are purchased, consumers ultimately buy brands. Look at the shoes on your feet and the food in your pantry – you bought those items because there is value to you in the brand.

The financial services industry may be slow to change, but consumer desires are rapidly evolving. This presents a significant opportunity for forward-thinking financial institutions to redefine their approach, separate themselves from stifling regulations, and embrace a 'can do' attitude. In today's competitive market, banks and credit unions must shift from a 'maybe' mindset to become solution-minded premier partners for their clients, offering personalized advice and creative solutions that go beyond generic products.

VI Marketing and Branding is honored with the 2023 Empowering Women Award presented by The Journal Record. Read the article here. 

I’m not a huge movie buff. It’s been at least a year since I’ve been in a movie theater. But one movie that I can’t wait to see?

Barbie.

Recently, Meta Platforms launched their latest social networking app and took the internet by storm. Threads, Instagram's text-based conversation app, allows users to share text, images and videos, and engage with others through likes, reposts and replies. Dubbed the “Twitter Killer,” Threads boasted a staggering 30 million sign-ups in less than 24 hours, and less than a week later became the fastest-growing social platform in history, surpassing 100 million users and growing.

As consumers increasingly turn to the internet for researching financial products and services, digital marketing has become an indispensable component for banks and credit unions. Establishing a strong online presence allows financial institutions to engage with potential customers, position themselves as thought leaders and build lasting relationships. In this article, we will explore ten essential digital marketing tips that can help banks and credit unions thrive in the ever-changing online landscape.

In today's dynamic digital landscape, businesses face intense competition and the constant challenge of distinguishing themselves in a crowded marketplace. To thrive amidst these challenges, business owners must unlock the potential of search engine optimization (SEO). 

Ready to uncover the amazing benefits of SEO marketing? We have some valuable tips and insights that will help business owners like yourself make the most of this powerful strategy. Let's dive right in!