Press Releases

PROVIDENCE, RI – DECEMBER 1, 2011
TribalVision, a marketing consulting firm with offices in the U.S. and Belgium, is pleased to announce its ‘Expert in Export Strategy’ certification for the U.S. market, as designated by the Belgian Trade Commission for Wallonia.

Following a November 2011 meeting in Manhattan with Trade Commissioner Edith Mayeux at the Consulate General of Belgium, TribalVision was officially approved by the Belgian Trade Commission to serve as a designated resource for Belgian companies looking to expand their sales footprint beyond Belgian soil. TribalVision’s unique business model that combines sound marketing strategy in Europe with on the ground tactical implementation in the U.S. differentiated TribalVision from other firms competing for the BTC designation. In today’s increasingly competitive playing field, business owners are continuously challenged to seek new opportunities to stay ahead. With TribalVision’s help, SMEs who once were limited by geography can now open up new markets with a level of detail and implementation that at one time was only possible for larger multi-national firms.

Under the ESE (Export Strategy Expert) program, TribalVision will benefit local Belgian businesses by working with the Belgian Trade Commission to craft and implement clear export strategies for their clients. TribalVision has built a robust methodology leveraging its dual platform, beginning with an assessment of their Belgian clients’ resources and opportunities in the U.S. Armed with clear strategy as well as TribalVision’s firm tactical support for the implementation of the export strategy, many companies will be able to expand faster than they ever imagined without disrupting their local operations at home.

As TribalVision’s founder and CEO, Chris Ciunci states, “We are excited to begin working with the Belgian Trade Commission to help Belgian companies realize their potential in the U.S. market. We understand that entering a new market with little first-hand knowledge or business connections to work with can be a daunting task. It is our job to ensure that an intelligent, cost-effective marketing strategy is crafted and executed in a manner that optimizes success and minimizes costly mistakes.”

About TribalVision
TribalVision is a marketing consulting firm whose mission is to help small to midsize businesses market smarter. As a marketing department for hire, TribalVision is a flexible, cost-effective alternative to the traditional marketing solutions available to the global business community. TribalVision’s value-add includes strategy crafting, channel-mix optimization, tactics implementation, executive leadership services and brand building.

To learn more, visit tribalvision.com, contact mmorris@tribalvision.com or call us at 401-272-1300.

PROVIDENCE, RI – DECEMBER 1, 2011
TribalVision is pleased to welcome consultant Chris Jacob to the company’s diverse group of experienced marketing professionals.

Before joining TribalVision, Chris worked as an analyst for Altman Vilandrie & Co., a technology focused consulting firm that specializes in offering analytical product marketing, investment and financial strategies for Fortune 500 telecommunication companies. During his time at AV&Co., Chris worked on a range of projects from new product development to marketing and sales strategies for some of America’s largest communications providers. Chris has also contributed to Gizmodo, a leading technology blog where he reported on industry developments and product announcements. His unique technological orientation combined with his experience in the online media industry makes him a valuable asset to the TribalVision team.

“I’m looking forward to working for such a unique company,” said Chris Jacob. “TribalVision’s ability to have a large impact on small and midsized businesses by working directly alongside our clients and partners is what drew me here, and I’m excited to be a part of that process.”

About TribalVision
TribalVision is a marketing consulting firm whose mission is to help small to midsize businesses market smarter. As a marketing department for hire, TribalVision is a flexible, cost-effective alternative to the traditional marketing solutions available to the global business community. TribalVision’s value-add includes strategy crafting, channel-mix optimization, tactics implementation, executive leadership services and brand building.

To learn more, visit tribalvision.com, contact mmorris@tribalvision.com or call us at 410-272-1300.

PROVIDENCE, RI – NOVEMBER 22, 2011
TribalVision founder and CEO Chris Ciunci participated this past weekend in the CIBER Case Challenge located at the University of Connecticut Campus in Storrs, Connecticut. Hosted by the University of Connecticut’s Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), the eight annual Case Challenge featured sixty undergraduate business students from fifteen universities across the country and around the globe. Divided into teams of four, the Case Challenge presented students with an exceptional opportunity to network and collaborate with peers from different universities as well as to gain exposure to new business specialties including finance, operations, management and marketing. Each team of students was given 24 hours to develop a strategy to extend American Express’ operations internationally before presenting their business case and solution to a panel of judges.

As a judge, Chris was able to interact with students and provide feedback to the young entrepreneurs. Commenting on his experience, Chris said, “I was very impressed with all of the teams participating in this event and feel privileged to have been selected as a judge. The students’ level of preparedness and their unique, creative solutions for international business problems were thought-provoking and sophisticated, especially given the limited time frame of the challenge.”

In Europe as well as in Providence, RI, TribalVision works with its clients to help them market more effectively and efficiently in today’s broad and rapidly changing marketing communications environment. At the CIBER Case Challenge, Ciunci was able to impart his experience with marketing strategies and global competitiveness in the context of international business research and education. He was delighted to award first place to the “Luminary Consultants” team as well the Best Presenter award to Stephanie Bedard from the University of South Carolina, and the Best Q&A award to Ahmed Khairat from the American University of Cairo.

About the CIBER Case Challenge
To learn more about the CIBER program or the annual Case Challenge, visit www.business.uconn.edu.

About TribalVision
TribalVision is a marketing consulting firm whose mission is to help small to midsize businesses market smarter. As a marketing department for hire, TribalVision is a flexible, cost-effective alternative to the traditional marketing solutions available to the global business community. TribalVision’s value-add includes strategy crafting, channel-mix optimization, tactics implementation, executive leadership services and brand building.

To learn more, visit tribalvision.com, contact mmorris@tribalvision.com or call us at 410-272-1300.

PROVIDENCE, RI – OCTOBER 31, 2011
TribalVision is pleased to announce that Younes Lattenist, the company’s Co-Founder and Director of EU Operations, was recently interviewed by the Belgian National Business Television channel “Canal Z” to discuss how QR codes fit into a company’s overall marketing portfolio.

Canal Z is a business news outlet that attracts approximately 315,000 daily viewers from local and international business communities. Canal Z executives requested an interview with Younes after reading his thoughts in Trends Tendances Magazine on the role sound marketing strategy plays in the long-term health of a company. For their weekly media and marketing segment, Canal Z looked to Younes to explain the latest marketing trend – QR code technology – and how business owners should incorporate this new tactic within their marketing mix.

In his interview, Younes discussed the reasons why so many companies are falling short in effectively leveraging this new technology. He alleged that while many companies have jumped on the QR code bandwagon, a small percentage are sophisticated in their approach and an even smaller percentage are tying their campaigns to clearly articulated marketing objectives. The firms that are ‘best in class’ in their QR code approach are using the technology in ways that bridge the digital divide between traditional and online media – in essence integrating both worlds into a coherent and powerful communication engine that delights early-adopter consumers who are looking to be engaged with a brand.

About TribalVision
TribalVision is a marketing consulting firm whose mission is to help small to midsize businesses market smarter. As a marketing department for hire, TribalVision is a flexible, cost-effective alternative to the traditional marketing solutions available to the business community. TribalVision’s value-add includes strategy crafting, channel-mix optimization, tactics implementation, executive leadership services and brand building.

To learn more, visit tribalvision.com, contact mmorris@tribalvision.com or call us at 401-272-1300.

PROVIDENCE, RI – APRIL 1, 2011
The Rhode Island Small Business Development Center, The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, and John H. Chafee Center hosted a new workshop series, “Marketing for International Business”. The series, which was presented by Rhode Island based marketing firm TribalVision, is geared toward small to mid sized business owners interested in learning more about building online brands and attracting business on the international stage. The marketing series is part of a cluster of international business classes that are being offered by the three resource partners. To learn more and to register visit www.risbdc.org and click events and training.

The marketing workshops were held at the Larry Freidman International Center for Entrepreneurship at JWU. The audience was composed of existing companies looking to export, bankers, JWU MBA students and start-up’s. A total of 38 participants attended. Chris Deignan from Hope Global, a world wide leader in textile manufacturing and innovation said “The Marketing for International Business workshops helped me outline a strategic approach to the world marketplace by breaking down the elements of planning and implementation. Chris Ciunci explores practical, alternative marketing tools and innovative avenues for companies to find their global voice.”

Luana Sousa a recent MBA JWU graduate said, “as an alumna of Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School, JWU, I was particularly pleased to witness a more proactive and visible role of both Johnson & Wales, RISBDC and RIEDC in serving the international business community of RI”.

“We are guiding businesses to understand the vast global network by helping them leverage knowledge by connecting businesses to university students and offering a tool-kit of practical business resources. More and more local businesses are looking to operate overseas, but many of them are unsure about how to speak to an international audience,” said Sixcia Devine, Regional Director at RISBDC.

Divya Gautam, a current MBA student at JWU attended all three workshops said: “The workshops were very informative and it helped me a lot in strengthening my knowledge in understanding business development needs more accurately. It was overall a wonderful experience.”

“We continue to see a strong trend of local businesses moving towards global operations,” said Kathy Tufts, at the international trade office at RIEDC. “Recent data found that Rhode Island exports last November jumped 36 percent from November of 2009. Whether expansion is in the near future or at the back of business owners’ minds, these workshops are designed to give companies a head start on creating a presence that can operate on a global stage.”

Future International Business Workshops include:

Export Documentation April 13th and

The Netherlands, Your Gateway to Europe May 4th.

Workshops will be held at RIEDC Further information is available at www.riedc.com and www.risbdc.org or call 401-598-2702 to reserve your seat.

PROVIDENCE, RI – FEBRUARY 14, 2011
TribalVision, a Rhode Island based outsourced marketing company , announced today that it will open a European office. Following extensive talks over the few past months, TribalVision has partnered with top-notch consultant Younes Lattenist to create a second office in Belgium.

“Bringing Younes on board represents a perfect marriage of marketing and strategy,” said Chris Ciunci, founder and CEO of TribalVision. “We’re really excited about the prospects and opportunities this expansion will bring.”

Ciunci and Lattenist were first introduced by chance through a mutual acquaintance and immediately connected over their shared interests in marketing strategy and common values. The two discussed Ciunci’s company and its goal to help small to mid sized businesses market smarter by providing access to affordable, cutting edge resources and strategies that were previously unavailable to smaller companies.

“When I saw what Chris was pulling together,” Lattenist said, “it resonated with me given my own experience working with companies who oftentimes severely lacked the marketing expertise needed to survive in today’s ultra-competitive business climate.”

After learning about TribalVision, Lattenist, who was working for McKinsey at the time, offered to bring his consulting expertise on board with TribalVision’s revolutionary  business model. Conversation soon turned to serious discussions about the prospect of opening an office in Belgium.

“At least five companies that I had recently worked with immediately came to mind that could use TribalVision’s outsourced offering,” Lattenist said. “It was clear to me that there was a real need for this type of marketing in the business world, and I felt that there would be a warm reception for TribalVision’s solutions in Europe.”

Ciunci added, “TribalVision’s customer value proposition begins with developing a sound business strategy. With Younes’ background as a McKinsey strategy consultant, we could not have found a better fit.”

Building out a European footprint also has long term benefits for the TribalVision as more and more businesses look to expand abroad.

“In such a global economy, having a second office abroad is a huge asset,” Ciunci said. “Even small to mid-sized companies are operating globally. Ultimately, we hope to offer on-the-ground marketing support to clients looking to expand internationally.”

About TribalVision
TribalVision is a marketing consulting firm whose mission is to help small to midsize companies market smarter. As a marketing department for hire, TribalVision is a flexible, cost-effective alternative to the traditional marketing solutions available to the business community. TribalVision’s value-add includes strategy crafting, channel-mix optimization, tactics implementation, executive leadership services and brand building.

To learn more, visit tribalvision.com or call us directly at 1-866-208-6128.

Firm’s “virtual CMO” approach combines tribe-building techniques with a metrics-driven focus.

PROVIDENCE, RI – NOVEMBER 15, 2010
Recognizing that more companies than ever are in need of streamlined, cost-effective marketing solutions, TribalVision has created a new model for outsourced services that leverages the power of today’s interactive Web 2.0 channels.

“At a time when enterprises are looking for every opportunity to cut costs and boost margins, marketing is certainly an area where they can’t afford to waste money,” says Chris Ciunci, TribalVision founder & CEO.

Providing what is essentially a marketing department for hire, the TribalVision outsourced model offers several key benefits to business owners looking for ways to cut costs during these difficult economic times. These benefits, according to Ciunci, are as follows:

1. A no-overhead approach. “For most small to midsize companies today, an annual investment of well into six figures for an inhouse department just doesn’t compute. With our streamlined cost model, there are no health and retirement benefits to pay, and no executive salaries to absorb.”
2. Marketing becomes a variable expense. “Our clients pay only for the services they use – for the length of time needed. This lean and flexible approach is markedly different than maintaining a year-round staff of inhouse professionals.”
3. Top-flight talent at reasonable rates. “TribalVision has developed a nationwide network of trusted partners and freelance service providers. This enables us to assemble virtual teams of seasoned pros to execute a host of creative, new-media and marketing strategies/tactics.”
4. Cost-effective leveraging of Web 2.0 tools. “The use of mass media has always been expensive. We get comparable or better results with the interactive tribe-buiding strategies at our disposal. It’s not unusual to cut the cost of the overall effort in half.”
5. Metrics and measurement for maximum ROI. “An important linchpin in the TribalVision strategy is the development of effective infrastructures for tracking and measurement. There are so many low-cost channels for getting your message out there. Plus, we’re not afraid to ask the tough questions. Like how many customers did we bring in this month? How do we increase that next month?”
6. Higher quality at a lower cost. “The way TribalVision can elevate the quality of the overall effort, while lowering a client’s cost structure, is really the icing on the cake. The level of expertise we offer is something most companies think they can’t afford – nor find under one roof.”
7. Unbiased, bottom-line focus. “We still think our biggest value-add is the ability to help companies market smarter. Our open-architecture model eliminates entrenched interests – enabling us to function as a strategic advisor who’s completely aligned with our clients’ best interests.”

Firm also using Web 2.0 e-book medium for client brand-building efforts.

PROVIDENCE, RI – MAY 3, 2010
Taking advantage of the Web 2.0 tools that the firm espouses to its clients and followers, TribalVision has launched an e-Book entitled Build Your Tribe to communicate its own brand story in an engaging way.

“The idea of storytelling is a central tenet of our core philosophy,” says Chris Ciunci, founder and CEO of TribalVision. “And what better medium could there be than a book format? Especially since an e-book can be published so quickly and cost-effectively.”

Operating essentially as a marketing department for hire, TribalVision’s value-add is in leveraging today’s low-cost Web 2.0 tools to effectively level the playing field for small and midsize enterprises. Its usage of e-books as a tribe-building marketing channel is an example of the postmodern “pull” marketing that has arisen in the face of the decreased effectiveness of traditional “push” marketing.

“Consumers in general are tired of the “pardon my interruption” techniques that have long been the staple of mass marketing,” Ciunci explains. “They really don’t want to be ‘sold’ anymore. So our job is to find a way to get your company into the conversation, without alienating the very people you’re trying to engage.”

Another attractive characteristic of an e-book is its ability to communicate on a more comprehensive and deeper level than the typical marketing piece or advertisement. When written and positioned the right way, it can be a powerful tool for establishing thought leadership and moving mindsets.

“In today’s ultra-competitive marketing communications environment, it’s getting harder and harder to stand out from the crowd,” Ciunci says. “Especially when you consider the ground traditional media has lost in terms of audience and effectiveness. New media channels such as e-books, white papers and webinars provide a way to build trust and credibility by providing content to readers that is directly relevant to their goals, desires and needs.”

With this in mind, TribalVision also offers a soup-to-nuts package of services to its clients: from initial content development through design and distribution. For the distribution of its own Build Your Tribe e-book, the firm chose Issuu.com, an innovative web-based solution for online publishing that has quickly gained favor among major content providers, corporations and the research community. The accessibility and ease-of-use of Issuu was a major factor in its selection.

“The technology is at a point now where it’s both self-serve and plug-and-play,” Ciunci concludes. “The only investment needed by a client is the development cost of the e-book content itself. With our ability to function as a virtual CMO, we’re also equipped to source top-notch talent through our nationwide network of partners and subcontractors. This enables us to produce a high-quality product for a surprisingly low cost.”

Marketing firm using low-cost video to tell story of its unique approach.

PROVIDENCE, RI – APRIL 22, 2010
It’s a problem facing many marketers today. How do you get an attention-deficient and time pressed public to quickly learn enough about the key benefits you offer?

TribalVision, a new firm with a paradigm-breaking approach to providing outsource marketing solutions, decided to produce an engaging illustrated video to provide a thematic framework for its overall website experience. The two-minute video quickly takes the viewer through the key pain points a target prospect would have – while communicating the big-picture philosophy behind the company.

“The new age of marketing is all about telling stories,” says Chris Ciunci, TribalVision founder and CEO. “So our first goal was to tell a story that business owners could relate to. We actually established the business owner as the main character of our story, which unfolds through a sequence of animated illustrations. We thought it was a great solution for promoting our brand in a memorable and telegraphic way.”

“This is really the kind of thing we strive to do for all our clients,” Ciunci continues. “A typical prospect is going to visit 5 to 10 websites before he/she decides which firms to engage with. So more than ever, you need to establish some wow factor to cut through the clutter. A memorable story can do just that.”

The second goal of the video was to create a visual narrative that reinforces the TribalVision brand – while creating a corporate identity that can be leveraged across all marketing mediums. The unifying element is a stick-figure with a red tie that represents the typical small business owner.

“The video isn’t a singular tactic,” Ciunci explains, “but part of the wider marketing strategy we’ve charted. It’s also a good example of our overall value-add as a marketing department for hire: The way we provide an overarching vision to each client’s marketing effort, instead of working within tactic-driven silos.”

The third goal of the video is to demonstrate TribalVision’s capabilities as a cost-effective resource for potential clients – particularly the firm’s ability to assemble virtual teams of seasoned pros to fit the needs of a particular client, campaign or project.

Tapping into a nationwide network of talent, TribalVision sourced an animator in New York by scouring online animation forums – and invited him to bid on the project. The voiceover was sourced in a similar way using voices.com, a unique Web 2.0 tool for pre-production. The scriptwriting was handled in-house.

“It’s a level of expertise and coordination that most small to mid-size companies don’t think they can afford,” Ciunci says, “and it’s a direct result of our open-architecture, Web 2.0-driven business model. We were able to produce a high-quality product on a relatively modest budget. The total cost of the video was in the thousands, as opposed to the tens of thousands it would have cost through a typical ad agency.”

TribalVision is now leveraging the impact of its video through multiple marketing channels, including its company blog, email marketing campaigns and social media initiatives. “Our knowledge of cost-conscious Web 2.0 tools isn’t something we just use as a selling point,” Ciunci concludes, “it’s something we utilize in a major way – even for ourselves. If we want clients to buy into our approach, it’s imperative to walk the walk, and to practice what we preach.”

Objective advisor approach is transparent, cost-effective and focused on metrics.

PROVIDENCE, RI – APRIL 22, 2010
For decades, the typical marketing model has relied on expensive push marketing to broadcast generic selling messages via the mass media. Viewing that model as broken and ineffective – as today’s consumer has grown resistant to traditional interruptive media tactics – TribalVision was created to leverage the new-age pull marketing techniques that are effectively leveling the playing field for small and mid-size enterprises.

“This overall philosophy is actually reflected in the first half of our name,” says Chris Ciunci, TribalVision founder and CEO. “Today, it’s about finding prospects who are genuinely interested in your service or product, and who are willing to engage in a conversation with you. Once that permission is granted, you have an outstanding opportunity to build your tribe. And to tell your unique brand story in a variety of ways.”

The “vision” part of the name has to do with the need to develop a clear and concise overarching strategy. This is in contrast to the tactics-driven marketing effort that many companies undertake by default.

“In my previous life as a CMO for a national financial services firm, the pitches I received always amazed me,” Ciunci says. “These were firms who supposedly had my best interest in mind. Yet they seldom proposed solutions to save money, or to make the overall spend more efficient. The focus was usually on selling me as much creative, PR or whatever as possible. I couldn’t help but ask myself: ‘Is this really putting my interests first?”

This inherent conflict of interest is a major problem that TribalVision is designed to solve. The company’s “helping companies market smarter” credo is at the core of its client-centric approach.

“As an impartial fee-based advisor, we’re actually incentivized to make sure each marketing dollar a client spends will work harder and go farther,” Ciunci explains. “Since we find ways to market more efficiently, there’s more money left that can go straight to the bottom line – or be used for other tribe-building initiatives. This open-minded and collaborative approach is truly aligned with a client’s best interests.

Another way TribalVision is redefining the marketing landscape is through its emphasis on metrics and accountability. While many marketing consultants are focused on taglines, “branding” and other grey areas, TribalVision applies the analytical rigor and bottom-line focus that is often lacking. The company also prides itself on the ability to develop the infrastructure to provide the real-time reporting and analytics that are crucial to generating revenue, enhancing profitability, and maximizing ROI.

“We’re living proof that creativity and concreteness can go together,” Ciunci concludes. “And we’re not afraid to ask the tough questions. Like how many customers did we bring in this month? How do we increase that next month? Marketing today is a substantial investment. You can no longer rely on “instinct” for the success of your program.”