Meet Dawn Franklin: Graphic Design Intern

Websites: Aesthetics vs. SEO

Is your website stunning but secretly useless? We sit down with our web developer to tackle one of the biggest tensions in web design: beautiful aesthetics versus real-world functionality. Sonia breaks down what she looks at first when auditing a website, why design and art are not the same thing, and how every site has to serve two audiences at once — real humans and search engine crawlers. You'll walk away knowing exactly what's quietly killing your conversions and your Google rankings. In this episode, you'll learn: * How to audit your website's SEO health (starting with H tags and page content) * Why your website needs at least 300 words per page and what happens when it doesn't * How to map a user's journey through your site to maximize conversions * The role of calls to action, site architecture, and FAQ pages in SEO performance * Why low-res photos and unoptimized images could be costing you more than you think * How to balance your brand's personality with a seamless user experience Whether you're a small business owner who DIY'd your website or a brand ready for a professional rebuild, this episode is packed with practical, no-fluff web design and SEO advice you can actually use. 🎙️ Life of the Brand is brought to you by GriffinWink Advertising. Learn more about our web design and development services at griffinwink.com [https://griffinwink.com].

Meet Dawn Franklin: Graphic Design Intern

Meet Dawn Franklin — Texas Tech graphic design graduate, American Advertising Awards winner, and one of the most creatively curious people to walk through the GriffinWink doors. In this episode of Life of the Brand, we sit down with Dawn for a conversation that's equal parts inspiring and real. She shares how she went from a small-town upbringing in Sweetwater, Texas to earning Gold and Judges' Choice at the Lubbock American Advertising Awards (on her very first submission). Her winning campaign, Crafted Cryptid, is a multi-platform branding concept built from scratch that blends American folklore with beverage packaging design, motion graphics, and social media strategy. But this episode isn't just about trophies. We talk about what it actually feels like to step into agency life for the first time. Dawn opens up about her creative process, her love of conceptual design and Adobe Illustrator, and the mentors who helped her realize that art was never just a hobby. Dawn is heading to Chicago after graduation, and if this conversation is any indication, the industry is in great hands!

Social Media Content Days

If you’ve ever wondered what actually goes into a successful content day, this episode is your behind-the-scenes pass. On this episode of Life of the Brand, we sit down with our Social Media Manager, Megan, to break down how we plan, produce, and deliver custom content days for our clients at GriffinWink Advertising. From strategy and shot lists to on-site execution and post-production deliverables, we’re covering the full process. Great content isn’t created by accident. It’s built with intention. Whether you’re investing in professional marketing services or building an in-house content team, this conversation will help you understand how to make your next content day actually move the needle.

When to Change Your Ads (And When Not To)

How often should businesses really update their creative, and how do you know when it’s time to make a change? In this episode of Life of the Brand, Brian Wink unpacks one of the most common (and costly) questions in marketing: when to refresh creative and when to let it ride. We break down the difference between changing creative vs. rebranding, why even great ads can become “wallpaper,” and how data (not gut feelings) should drive creative decisions. Brian shares practical guidelines for updating creative across platforms like Google Display, Facebook ads, YouTube, OTT/CTV, streaming audio, and traditional media, along with the analytics marketers should be watching closely. You’ll also hear why strong creative requires alignment between creative and media strategy, how buyer personas should actually be built, and the biggest mistakes businesses make when personal preferences get in the way of performance.

Meet Amanda Ruvulcaba: Account Executive in El Paso

In this episode of Life of the Brand, we sit down with Amanda Ruvalcaba, Account Executive, to talk about what makes marketing in El Paso truly unique and why relationships matter more than ever. With over 30 years of experience in advertising and media, Amanda shares her journey into the industry, how her background shapes her relationship-first approach to client service, and why digital marketing has become one of the most effective tools for businesses today. From understanding local culture and brand loyalty to clearing up common misconceptions about marketing in a border city, Amanda offers thoughtful insights for business owners who want strategy, not noise. You’ll also hear why El Paso businesses thrive on trust, how focusing your budget beats “being everywhere,” and what excites Amanda most about helping local brands grow. We wrap up with a lightning round that shows the personality behind the title such as marketing trends, real-world transparency, and yes… wine preferences included.