Website SM Marketing

Website marketing and advertising are not just about showcasing products or services—they are about creating an emotional connection with the customer. Many organizations fall into the trap of focusing solely on the technical aspects of their offerings, such as form, fit, and function. While these details may feel sufficient from the company’s perspective, they often fail to resonate with customers. Customers don’t purchase based on features alone; they buy because they believe the product or service will solve a problem, improve their lives, or make them feel a certain way. That emotional connection is what transforms a casual viewer into an engaged buyer.

Here’s an example I pulled from the City of Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department. They have an event rental space at Will Rogers Gardens, and to advertise it, they created an image where they crudely cut out Taylor Swift and other celebrities and pasted them into the garden scene. While I know the intent was to be funny and entertaining, they missed the mark. To be funny and entertaining, you also have to connect that emotion to a buy decision. Every advertisement needs two parts: first, the “entertaining” hook that answers the customer’s “what’s in it for me,” and second, the conversion piece that makes the customer say, “I need this because of the value you’ve shown me.” Without both, the ad fails to motivate action.

That’s why design and content must work together to convey balance, clarity, and emotional value. For example, when I recreated their concept in about three seconds, the difference was clear: their version lacked balance, had poor logo placement, and felt unfinished. Mine, by contrast, was symmetrical, had colors that matched, and was visually appealing. That’s the power of design tied to marketing intent—it doesn’t just look better, it feels more trustworthy, communicates professionalism, and helps convert attention into action. This illustrates the core truth: effective marketing must connect emotionally and clearly show value to drive real results.

OKC Parks poorly designed social media post

Redesigned in 3 seconds professional rendering