Capabilities.

Approach & Capacity.

WB Marketing’s approach to constructing and launching a plan for marketing, creative design, advertising, and public relations services for clients is simple: Listen, Craft, Review, Deploy, Track, Learn, Retool.

Our approach is based on:

A strategic, well-defined plan,
a comprehensive, holistic approach that serves your communication needs,
close collaboration, open communication, and ownership of everything we do on your behalf, and
flexibility and adaptability to evolve with you as your needs change.

The first step in listening is facilitating in-person discovery meetings where we meet your team and learn your current processes, roles and goals. We listen carefully and then we clarify by asking specific questions to ensure WB Marketing understands what marketing and advertising services are needed by our clients to meet each outlined goal in the timeline requested. Our discussions will include confirming the targeted audience for each goal and what deliverables are desired. Research and analysis is collected through live as well as digital means. Competitive analyses are beneficial to benchmark similar municipalities growth in various advertising and media campaigns.

WB Marketing meets internally to craft unique, creative strategies for results. Based on our seasoned team’s experiences, we frequently have developed, implemented and managed similar goal-oriented annual plans. We brainstorm all aspects of the annual strategies collaboratively. From graphics and digital strategies to earned media gained by telling the client's story through content on the client's website and media opportunities secured through pitching and press releases. Each piece of the client’s proposed plan is viewable to them in a shared, easy-to-read format.

Each team member has their tasks to contribute to completing the campaign deliverables. The WB Marketing team meticulously proofs each other’s work before sending for approval to the client. We check each other to confirm our methods are staying on brand. The message must be consistent and instill trust.

Our comprehensive 360 communications deployment includes rolling out tools specific to our client's needs. For some, this could include an updated, easy-to-navigate website that incorporates search engine optimization with informative and evolving content and ways to connect to the correct department. Targeted digital campaigns that drive results. Media placement that makes sense. Proven earned media through public relations using strategy, not just tactics.

Tracking measurable results is important not only to prove performance but also to gain knowledge for campaign improvements. Proven earned media results to measure success are a part of the tracking process. Prior to beginning a digital campaign, WB Marketing will perform a Google Analytics Goal and Event audit for the pertinent website, ensuring updated GA-4 data is in place. We also make recommendations on tracking for other forms of media. Our strategy is comprehensive.

WB Marketing learns by evaluating data month over month, quarterly and annually. This helps define and continue successful PR, marketing and advertising efforts. Specifically, digital metrics tell us what worked, what did not and how to pivot. Following online trends and best practices contributes to our understanding of the media landscape.

After discovering what is working and may not be working via digital metrics, online trends and plain old organic feedback, we retool the messaging via a team approach to best fit the overarching and changing needs of the campaign.

Listen.
The first step in listening is facilitating in-person discovery meetings where we meet your team and learn your current processes, roles, and goals. We listen carefully and then we clarify by asking specific questions to ensure WB Marketing understands what marketing and advertising services are needed by the City of Hampton to meet each department’s outlined goals in the timeline requested. Our discussions will include confirming the targeted audience for each goal and what deliverables are desired. Research and analysis is collected through live as well as digital means. Competitive analyses are beneficial to benchmark similar municipalities growth in various advertising and media campaigns.
Craft.
WB Marketing meets internally to craft unique, creative strategies for results. Based on our seasoned team’s experiences, we frequently have developed, implemented, and managed similar goal-oriented annual plans. We brainstorm all aspects of the annual strategies collaboratively. From graphics and digital strategies to earned media gained by telling the City’s story through content on the City’s website and media opportunities secured through pitching and press releases. Each piece of the client’s proposed plan is viewable to them in a shared, easy to read and follow format.
Review.
Each team member has their tasks to contribute to completing the campaign deliverables. The WB Marketing team meticulously proofs each other’s work before sending for approval to the client. We check each other to confirm our methods are staying on brand. Such great importance is placed on this because we’re serving the City’s constituents. The message must be consistent and instill trust.
Deploy.
Our comprehensive 360 communications deployment includes rolling out tools specific to the City’s needs. For the City, this includes an updated, easy to navigate website which incorporates search engine optimization with informative and evolving content, and ways to connect to the correct department. Targeted digital campaigns that drive results. Media placement that makes sense. Proven earned media through public relations using strategy, not just tactics.
Track.
Tracking measurable results is important not only to prove performance, but also to gain knowledge for campaign improvements. Proven earned media results to measure success is a part of the tracking process. Prior to beginning a digital campaign, WB Marketing will perform a Google Analytic Goal, Conversion and Event audit for the pertinent websites. Also, we make recommendations on tracking for other forms of media. Our strategy is comprehensive.
Learn.
WB Marketing learns by evaluating data month over month, quarterly and annually. This helps define and continue successful PR, marketing and advertising efforts. Specifically, digital metrics tell us what worked, what did not and how to pivot. Following online trends and best practices contributes to our understanding of the media landscape.
Retool.
After discovering what is working and may not be working via digital metrics, online trends and plain old organic feedback, we retool the messaging via a team approach to best fit the overarching and changing needs of the campaign.

Capability and Skill.

As a full-service marketing, advertising and public relations agency, we have a wide set of capabilities.

The following is a summary of our services.

Strategy & Consulting

Your success begins with understanding your customer, target audience and the competitive marketplace. This includes mapping out the journey the customer has with your brand from first image to follow up marketing and engagement. Our process enables you to define this path and develop a clear picture of who, where, how and when.

Customer Journey Mapping
Focus Groups
Ideation Sessions
Brand Positioning
Market Trend Analysis
Opportunities Assessment
Marketing Roadmap Definition

Branding

Creating a brand is more than designing a logo or an impressive business card. Your brand must convey the way a customer feels when they interact with you, buy your product or use your services. To help you define your brand, we listen to what makes you different, we assess the landscape, define your future position and we create logos, tags, content, messaging and more to inspire the market to take action.

Logo Design
Graphic Design
Website Branding
Brand Style Guides
Stationery and Print Design
Illustration
Ad Design
Campaign Design

Digital Marketing

If you’re not sure if digital is important for your business, ask anyone under the age of 35 if they’ve ever used a paper road map. Our expertise is to help you build a compelling campaign across mobile, desktop, tablet and text. We can make sure you reach your target customer and drive demand.

Display Campaigns
Video Advertising
Mobile Advertising
Geo-Fencing Campaigns
Search Engine Marketing
Programmatic
Email Marketing
WAZE Marketing
Contesting
Text Message Campaigns

Social Media

Web Design & Development

Web Maintenance & Hosting

When clients are trying to run a successful business, the last thing they want to do is wrestle with technical difficulties with their website. Lots of technical jargon gets thrown around (bandwidth, responsiveness, CMS, domains, plugins, domain name, domain privacy, et.) and knowing what it means is equivalent to learning a new language.

WB Marketing is here to make hosting and maintaining your website much easier.

Hosting - providing the space for your business to live, be visited and experience customer interaction
Maintenance - working regularly to keep your site fully operational, healthy and responsive
In-house staff to answer questions and execute any maintenance issues on a regular or emergency basis
All website work is done in-house, none of it is freelanced out or offsite

Traditional Media

While digital marketing tools are essential to almost every business, traditional media is still an important part of a marketing and advertising plan. We have deep expertise in print design, ad creation, video production, radio spots and negotiating the best rates and placement for our clients.

Print Media Ad Creation
Email Design
Television and Radio Concepts & Production
Media Talent Acquisition
Writing and Development
Video Production & Editing
Radio Spot Production
Media Placement

Print

Print and graphics are still important parts of an overall marketing plan. Our creative team works across all functions of the business to ensure continuity of print, graphics, packaging and copywriting across platforms. Although the market has changed with more focus on digital and online, there are still consumers who are best reached in print. We can make sure you reach them.

Print Ad Design
Interior and Exterior Signage
Special Event Collateral
Annual Reports
Package Design
Copywriting
Ad Placement
Collateral

Video

Video is used more today than ever before to reach a wide audience. Whether you're streaming, watching TV or scrolling through your phone or tablet, you’re exposed to video, pre-roll ads, commercials and snippets that want to convey a message. Our expertise in developing, producing and placing video comes from years of production experience. If you are ready to expand your reach, we can help.

Video Production and Editing
Writing and Development
Corporate Videos
Media Negotiation and Placement
Online Video Posting
Motion Graphics

Public Relations

Developing and communicating your message in a way that resonates and achieves your objectives is important. The market is full of “noise” today. We can help you break through and stand out. Our collaborative approach will help you develop and publish press releases, conduct press conferences, manage media relationships and deliver your message through the right channels at the right time.

Press Releases
Media Relations
Press Conferences
Email Blasts
Special Events
Crisis Control Messaging

WB Marketing was established in 1960 by the late Leonard R. Waters as Waters Advertising Agency. Since then, we have promoted tourism, elected congress members, and opened department stores, theaters and shopping centers. We have organized associations, calmed labor unions, sold cars, promoted municipalities, presented art shows, taught seminars, prompted the press and branded health care businesses. We’ve put words in people’s mouths, hats on their heads, hands over their hearts and money in their pockets.

In 1986, Waters Advertising built their modern facility in City Center at Oyster Point in Newport News. Another significant milestone was reached in 2012 when agency President, Howard Waters, and longtime VP, Sandy Bridgman, became business partners, and Waters & Bridgman Marketing Solutions seamlessly began. By 2018, both partners were considering retirement, but had no succession plan. But long time residents, Jean & Mike Matacunas, recognized the growth potential for the community centric marketing agency. In January of 2020, the Matacunas’ had acquired the agency, made a slight name change to WB Marketing and opened a second office in Downtown Norfolk. Today, WB Marketing continues to service clients across the region, under the direction of owner and President, Jean Matacunas, in it’s sole location in Norfolk.

Although the name has changed, the philosophy of creating client success has not. WB Marketing is proud to still be representing some of the most prestigious municipalities and businesses in not only Greater Hampton Roads, but Virginia and beyond.

Our goal is to grow but never beyond the point where our principals do not have an integral, day-to-day role in the success of our clients. That’s how the agency has thrived for over 60 years. That commitment is what has allowed us to maintain our longevity and financial stability.

Having served more than 92 clients within the past year, and having operated for over 60 years, we have managed to endure financial hardships that have affected the community around us. Our approach to being fiscally conservative and maintaining deadline driven payment terms with our clients and vendors alike have allowed us to survive, thrive and grow despite past difficult financial periods, and even the most recent economic and workforce depressions due to the pandemic.

Capabilities.

Approach & Capacity.

Our approach is based on:

Listen.

Craft.

Review.

Deploy.

Track.

Learn.

Retool.