ThomasBoston's 22nd Anniversary T-Shirt design was inspired by our friend Dr. Tom Potterfield, erstwhile president of Velcro USA Inc. and ITP.
Strategists. First it’s about your goals; what you do + why it matters. And then defining paths to achieve measurable outcomes.
Tacticians. Because it comes down to how you present Brand values, features + benefits. And how they’re aligned across touch points to produce +
sustain revenue streams. And loyalty.
Collaborators. Big-city talent in the deep ‘burbs, powerful in
our sum + a great value. Proven + insightful problem-solvers.
And receptive, nice people with whom to work.
Process-Driven. If outcomes drive process we can only go where we’ve already been. People who ‘know what they like when they see it’ – an outcome without going through the rigor of process – may be unhappy here. Only those ready for the joy of things new + more effective. And their rewards.
Design-Driven. Connected + balanced, in fulfilling its function, a design becomes beautiful. Well-designed things work better + have intrinsic value. And command better profit margins.
Story-tellers. Brand is an authentic story. The goal: for people to embrace its truth as part of their own Brands. And live it.
Holistic. Marketing is a complex set of emotive + transactional factors. Our view is macro + micro. The goal is proper balance that comforts risk + encourages purchase intent.
Deliberate. Brand is developed step-by-step to form a fully-trusted presence. A 95% effort will falter; the last 5% is most critical.
Budget Warriors. A small Brand must pay strict attention to every dime + nickel it spends. And the value for its investments. We get it. (And have no further ‘philosophy’ for this.)
Accessible. No layers of management, or tech- or marketing-speak to endure. Minimal bullshit. And we return calls.
People who find simple refreshing. There’s plenty of noise. Simple cuts through it.
Branders. Not only creators of logos + websites – though 80% of clients require them – but developers + guardians of the standards, values + story. And builders of momentum + equity.
A real number.
We hope you’ll take a peek around + get to know us. Better yet, give us a call + let’s chat. 508 497 8900
> Read about ThomasBoston Whole Brand™ services.
> Read about ThomasBoston leadership
> See ThomasBoston Client + Category List
> Read what people say about ThomasBoston
> Read how to get your very own ThomasBoston 22nd Anniversary T-Shirt
A Brief Overview of ThomasBoston
Note: this page is under construction – a work in progress. Please visit us again soon.
We started Thomas Marketing Services in 1989, during the midst of what was then thought of as a ‘recession,‘ with charter clients Kurzweil Applied Intelligence, the pioneer in voice recognition software who we took through to IPO; also A.L.E. Systems, a manufacturer of pulsed power supplies for laser applications, which was successfully sold to a private buyer.
Our first big break came in 1990, when we were selected to help Velcro® Consumer Products Group consolidate + restage the entire consumer products line, which until then had been organized according to markets, not product lines. Long story short: we reduced 170+ products to just over 100, which were sold in blister packs, clamshells + folding boxes. All packages were tri-lingual: English, French (had to meet Canada regs) + Spanish. And we designed every mechandiser + POP displays/planograms for all distribution points, Home Depot to Walmart.
We went on to introduce Velcro™ Toys, Velcro™ salon rollers + dozens of new + restaged products for consumer Automotive + Marine - well over 500 packages + goodness knows how many sales support tools, brochures to trade show booths – over a dozen years.
We also worked Velcro Industrial Products, where were involved in new OEM fasteners for Textile, Medical Products, Aerospace, MIL-SPEC, Automotive + Personal Care (infant + senior) groups.
In addition, we worked with Velcro Group (development) global product + Brand businesses in Spain, the UK, Australia + South America. All told, 17 years as Agency of Record, working with some amazing + dedicated people such as Tom Potterfield, who I met when he was a mere marketing mortal, then rising to President of this $400 million business. And a dear friend.
Mid-90s, we were brought into a pitch where we beat off 4 larger agencies for the Brand + marketing communications business for a small manufacturer, KeyTek. This company was blazing a niche market driven by market demand for a solution, which was defined by its president, Pete Richmond as EMC (Electro-magnetic compatibility). We took the company through over 2 dozen product introductions + upgrades + a number of management team changes, which culminated in the business being bought by Thermo Electron, the precursor to today’s Thermo Fisher Scientific, with whom we also worked to help assimilate Brands within their process. All told, a relationship that ran over 14 years.
The year we started with KeyTek, we had the good fortune to have Bill Carew wander into our offices in Marlborough. Then a principal at Carew & Driscoll Associates, a 3 person benefits consultant + broker, Bill was ready to get his business into high gear.
We launched Bill + partner Brian Driscoll, as CarewDriscoll, which through M+A became Ovation Benefits Group, which Bill leads as CEO. The firm is almost 100 strong + the leading independent benefits consultant in New England with national reach. (And now with in-house marketing capability.)
And along the way worked of some great projects for some other great small brands: Andrew Abu REALTORS®, Marilyn Green + Co. REALTORS®, as well as in Dunkin’ Donuts + Baskin-Robbins franchisee support, for Allied Domecq QSR (prior to buyout + Dunkin’ Donuts’ IPO).
We enjoy working in new categories + have expert resources in place to address a range of specific challenges.
Thomas Marketing Services finished its re-branding to ThomasBoston in 2011, to reflect changing market conditions + best practices in online + offline Brand communication. The ‘experts’ declared the era of ‘push marketing’ over. It became all about ‘pull marketing’ – attraction rather interruption. And all due to the many choices + touch points people could access via the Web. Consumers became more powerful.
And Brands were forced to tell the truth or risk being sent to the Fail Blog. ’Authentic’ rules. And Brand came front + center as a strategy to build awareness + ring the cash register.
Our business became focused on holistic Brand practices, now no longer just about marketing but about the heart + soul of a business + how it engages ‘friends.’ How they adopt a Brand as part of their own Brand. And how a Brand encourages them to tell two friends . . .
Today, a strong Brand program is a proven strategy for business growth. It significantly moves the needle. And anybody who claims ‘Brand is squishy’ simply hasn’t measured it. It can be done. We can help.
Needless to say, the rules have changed in our first 22 years. And we’ll roll with change the next 22, early adopters who vet each new technology + practice for effect + value before leveraging their power for positive change.
And still never afraid to break the rules if that’s what it takes to break through the noiseof 24/7 communication + prompt a sale. And BTW, don’t count ‘advertising’ out.
ThomasBoston 3.0. So far.
We could write volumes here + would be glad to tell you more if you ask. But this is not about us.
It’s about how we can help your business become more profitable. And you, more successful. We have the tools readily at hand. And if we’re a fit, we’ll roll up our sleeves + make it happen for you + with you as long as you need us.
In short, we can have your back for all things Brand, marketing + Web. Affordably.
And we’re fully clear on this: Ensuring your success is the only way we succeed. To this end, we will go all out.
Call me + let’s get to know each other. 508 497 8900
