“To Google” has become a transitive verb most of us use on both a personal and professional level. When we need more information, Google’s search engine is the one we turn to. What many may now be asking is, how did we get here? How did Google hold on to its steadfast search engine dominance above competitors like Safari, Bing and so many others? As of August 5, 2024 (and as ruled by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta), the answer seems to be quite simple: Google is a monopoly.

Blain’s Farm and Fleet , a growing, family-owned and operated specialty retailer since 1955, has named Hiebing as their new strategic creative agency partner. This modern general store, renowned for its unique and vast product offerings, currently operates 45 stores across four states throughout the Midwest and a thriving online business nationwide. To fuel this momentum, Blain’s Farm & Fleet needed a branding partner to help them cut through the noise with breakthrough creative campaigns. After a five-month RFP process, Blain’s appointed Hiebing as their collaborative partner to foster a deeper connection with their growing base and enhance their brand presence.

Imagine if? That’s the question Dr. Alex Gee first asked decades ago when he dreamt up the idea of having a Black-led, -designed and -inspired cultural home in the heart of Wisconsin — unlike anything else in the country. After one conversation in 2021 between Dr. Gee and Hiebing’s CEO Dave Florin, our team was energized and excited to lend our marketing expertise to Dr. Gee’s vision for a space where Black residents could freely celebrate culture, escape microaggressions and harness community brilliance.

Over the past decade, platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter have become early adopters of integrating AI to enhance user experience and engagement. These advancements have provided marketers with valuable insights and trends to better connect brands with their audiences in more meaningful ways. Although AI-powered social media enhancements are not a new concept, the rise of generative AI has increased concerns regarding the ability to create AI-altered content that can be harmful or deceptive to the public.

Imagine a world where technology anticipates your needs, creating seamless and tailored experiences based on the unique context surrounding your prompt. Remember that struggle of convincing Netflix you’re not asleep during your latest binge session? Imagine instead an interface that not only stays awake with you but actively caters to your post-binge cravings. Feeling drained after an epic fantasy adventure? Your homepage transforms into a soothing meditation app. Craving a pick-me-up after a drama? Your interface recommends feel-good comedies.     With the rise of multimodal generative AI, user interfaces (aka UI) are evolving. A world where interfaces can predict trends and anticipate personalized consumer needs is seemingly more possible with the evolution into real-time user interfaces or RTUIs. This future of interfaces is known by various other names like:

Over the past five years, our Insights team developed proprietary research into the older half of Generation Z, which we’ve named “Elder Z.” This generation has since been widely researched and is a frequent topic of conversation in corporate boardrooms and beyond. While we continue to evolve our understanding of this cohort, we wanted to get a head start on also understanding the next generation that will emerge. From presentations and research over the last several months, we’ve been able to better understand Generation Alpha.     Aptly named, Generation Alpha—born between 2013 and 2024—is the first generation in recent memory born entirely in a new century. Beginning in the same year the first iPad was released and Instagram was launched, this generation is poised to grow up as the most connected and diverse population in history. As the children of millennials, arguably the pioneers of internet culture as we know it, Gen Alpha has the advantage of parents who have a positive outlook on the power of technology and understand the culture they are being shaped by. Growing up alongside rapid technological advancement with the internet as their playground, Gen Alpha has the distinct ability to leverage their digital literacy into influence with their millennial parents, who are likely to listen to their wants and encourage this type of independence. In fact, 46% of this generation are already actively influencing their parents in brand and purchase decisions when it comes to food and snacks. Over half of this cohort have an active say in family vacations and activities.     With this much influential authority this early in the game, brands need to heed the potential purchase power this group may soon hold. Gen Alpha is poised to become the largest generation in history, projected to reach 2.2 billion by 2025, outnumbering the Baby Boomer gen according to McCrindle Research Pty Ltd . While this cohort is currently still in grade school, they will be hitting adulthood by the mid-2030s and their vast purchasing power will be up for grabs.

To marketers everywhere, it feels like TikTok has been an ever-present part of our social media strategies. Why wouldn’t it be? The platform has not only revolutionized the way audiences consume content, but it has completely overhauled how social media keeps consumers engaged. At Hiebing, we’ve talked about how TikTok has had a lasting impact on how we connect or search for things on the internet–and while this platform has provided a competitive edge for brands who embraced it, there are plenty of risks to mitigate surrounding the turmoil of their business operations.

For decades, linear TV, also known as traditional broadcast TV, has been the cornerstone of video advertising. Historically, brands attempting to remain competitive in their categories allocated substantial portions of their marketing budgets to linear TV — especially during events with massive reach like the Super Bowl. However, the digital revolution has dramatically altered this landscape. Streaming services and smart TVs have upended traditional advertising models, creating a fragmented marketplace. This revolution has changed how audiences consume content and ushered in the rise of connected TV (CTV) and over-the-top (OTT) strategies.

When we began our journey into exploring the fundamentals of AI , we knew that artificial intelligence was already revolutionizing the field of marketing and transforming the way businesses engaged with their audiences. Artificial intelligence continues to evolve and innovate the ways we can combine prose and data into dynamic storytelling. From the visual allure of images to the persuasive power of language, AI technologies like multimodal models (MMMs) and large language models (LLMs) are broadening the capabilities of AI and shaking up the marketing world. As marketers, we’re interested in ways brands and their agency partners can leverage both tech advances into impactful marketing campaigns. So, which AI model is the right fit for your marketing mix? Let’s find out.

We are privileged to call two amazing communities—Madison and Austin—our homes. In 2023, we continued our work with six commendable nonprofit organizations in these communities that inspire and move us to make a meaningful impact in the world. Our fourth annual Impact Report showcases the collaborations that give our team the opportunity to help shift the world around us.

When Roman Hiebing founded our agency in 1981, it was with a clear vision that a high bar for excellence and “we before me” collaboration would lead to great work. Nestled on the corner of Toomey and Sterzing, just steps away from the iconic Zilker Park, that vision shines brighter than ever before with the opening of our permanent home in Austin. And what better way to pay homage to Austin’s rich, unique heritage than with a stunning, one-of-a-kind neon sign crafted by none other than local artist and icon – Evan Voyles.

Established in Madison, Wisconsin, by Roman Hiebing in 1981, we were built on the foundational pillars of curiosity, excellence and a “we before me” ethos. Easy to say, yet hard to achieve, we live those ideals daily, as our organization crafts meaningful and memorable stories that move the needle for each client we serve. A decade ago, recognizing the vibrant energy and kindred spirit Austin shares with our beloved Madison, we embarked on a journey to extend our presence beyond the Dairyland into the great Lonestar State.