Fender wanted something custom.

After almost a year and a half in development, we launched the much anticipated Fender Custom Shop website. Known as the home of the flagship custom guitars from the famed Fender brand, the Custom Shop is home of some of the most exclusive and spectacular instruments on the planet. “We had a challenge to make the site easily accessible but still incredibly deep for the fans of these guitars and guitar makers,” says Glen Hall, resident Brainyard web guru. “So we studied the user behavior and preferences to carefully craft the experience they really care about,” Hall adds. We had to connect the user interface to a rather elaborate enterprise back end at Fender that manages complex databases. Perhaps our biggest challenge and proudest moments are when no one ever ‘sees’ that stuff. But knowing that this intricate set of data is interwoven to support the user experience is like a great song – sheer art.

Being that we’re all musicians at the Yard, this was a labor of love (or as Trevor puts it ‘labor of lust’). We fought to stay on track for what we knew the visit wanted to see and feel about the brand. In the end, we created a site that on the surface appears simple and creative yet it is deep in its content and information. What we hoped for has happened. People come in for a visit and stay for coffee. And like a great coffeehouse, they keep coming back.

After 58 years of making music, I think it’s fair to say that Guild knows a thing or two about building a fine acoustic guitar. Capturing that kind of passion was not easy. There’s lots of other companies who are bigger and more modern but only a handful can claim to have been around longer or have the distinction of being a great American brand like Guild Guitars.

At the start of the project we went out to the new-old New Hartford, CT factory where the flagship Traditional Series line is being built. When you see the tooling and machines that still exist that made some of the most recognized guitars on the planet, you harkens back to the time where music was the voice of a nation, of the world. Our job was to make sure that the classic nature of the products and the brand was not compromised. So we set out to build a website that had not only function and appeal but heart and personality representative of the grand Guild name.

Right away, you are struck with the sheer classic beauty of the instruments and Guild’s unwavering commitment to quality and style. “That’s what I like most about the site…it’s not overstated or ostentatious” says Trevor G, the Yard’s senior web designer. Yet you can navigate your way to any need you may have even if you are a long time owner or a newbie looking for information. Videos, stories, insights populate the site in a manner that appears more like a conversation than a one-sided soliloquy. Check it out …and never stop making music.

Being the agency for Guild Guitars, we get to be privy to some cool stuff. One of those things was the design and building of the latest Standard Series guitars. It’s been awhile since a new line of guitars from Guild had hit the market. These newer, more affordable sisters of the flagship Traditional Series, retains all of the pedigree of the former and adding nuances that sets the Standard Series apart in a category all to itself not only within the Guild line but within the market space. It’s price to features such as wood choices, construction and finishing, now shows that Guild can make a more affordable US build guitar without a single compromise to quality and tone. A new tradition in tone – The Standard Series from Guild.

Finding stuff guitar players care about is not a hard task for us. After all, that’s what most of us do when we’re not doing what we do. So when it comes to stuff we believe the Guild customers will care about, the ideas must pass our own test. Each month we want people to want to spend time with the Guild brand in a meaningful way, so we work hard to develop content that is interesting, informative and intriguing. The last thing we want is a bunch of selling. Well, it’s proven to be a treasure trove of stuff the Guild fan cares about. And that’s very cool. Check out the stories as they are human ones, not just propaganda.

Our love of Elixir® Strings continues with two new re-branding campaigns.

The artist campaign features Kaki King, who in 2006 Rolling Stone named as the sole woman and youngest artist honored on “The New Guitar Gods” list.  And, Gus G., heavy metal guitarist who currently tours with Ozzy Osbourne and his own band Firewind.  Check out their interviews on ElixirStrings.com.

See these ads in guitar mags and websites on newsstands everywhere.

Guild: A Tradition In Tone Ad

When you think of great American guitar brands, you just can’t help but think of Guild.  It’s one of those guitar brands that you know about, have played, likely owned at one time in your life if you’re a long time player. What’s so cool is that these guitars really sound uniquely like a Guild. And after a few strums, you can hear what many great hit songs were recorded
on.

We just got back from the new factory in New Hartford, CT and could not have been more impressed with the operation.  Our take on this cool guitar company was to harken back to what makes Guild special – their long 57 year tradition of making memorable guitars and that distinct, rich, balanced Guild tone.  Happy Playing!!!  See this ad in guitar mags on newstands
everywhere.

Our good friends continue to advance the art of guitar making.

Check it out at andersonguitars.com

Brainyard idea maven, Mike Mac Lane got a wild hair one day and said, “I’m tired of trying to launch a product the same old way…so I’m going to stay up all night until I come up with a great idea.”  So, he went to Starbucks after dinner and loaded up.  He started to write down ideas, read stuff in mags comparing how others were promoting stuff, and after hours of this and more crinkled up wads of idea paper it was getting near midnight…and still nothing.  He fought nodding off a few times and while watching some You Tube videos of an offbeat band he likes, it came to him.   “Late Night Video”.  Wow, what a stroke of genius he thought, “I’m watching video really late at night.   I think there are lots of people doing the same thing.”  After shooting some cool demo videos of the new DJM-2000 Mixer, Mike stayed up all night till Midnight on a Monday and launched the video to the world.  In less than 48 hours, over 30,000 people watched the video.  Mike smiled and went to bed.

Pioneer DJM-5000 Print Ad

They all know about the DJM 5000.  Why?  Because in the Fall 0f 2009 we were everywhere they were.  I don’t think we could have screamed any louder, any longer or any more than we did through emails blasts, print ads and online media.  And the result was clear.  They said at that year’s DJ Expo, “Ok…shut up…we hear you already…the new DJM-5000 is here and we love it.”   We promised not to scream anymore.  All were happy.

Continuing to set the Standard for the Professional DJ

Check it out at PioneerDJ.com