Dovetail

It’s September, so 2027 planning is no longer a “future you” problem.

This is a smart time to start thinking about what next year looks like: campaign priorities, web updates, content strategy, media planning, all of the things that become significantly less fun when they’re handled in a last-minute panic.

Present you might be a little annoyed, but future you will appreciate it.

Click the link in the comments, and we can help you get started with your big 2027 plans!

How do YOU measure creative impact?

Great question! A little complicated, but a great question.

Sometimes it’s clicks, conversions, engagement, leads… sometimes it’s whether people finally understand what a brand does without needing a 20-minute explanation and a support diagram.

Good creative work should look good, sure, but it should also ultimately connect back to the goal! However, you’re measuring efficacy, always keep that in mind when your marketing creativity is creativity-ing.

Brands don’t need to sound like they were assembled in a conference room by seven people who are all terrified of adjectives.

They can be clear, warm, smart, specific. Helpful. Funny when it makes sense.

But undoubtedly, they should be human.

People connect faster when a brand sounds like it understands them instead of trying to impress them with “innovative, results-driven solutions.”

No offense to innovative, results-driven solutions, of course.

Happy Birthday to Jennifer Anania!

She’s our finance whiz, numbers expert, and the person helping keep Dovetail running smoothly behind the scenes. This is very important because some of us see a spreadsheet and immediately need emotional support.

We’re grateful for everything you do for Dovetail, our clients, and our collective access to excellent vegetables from your beautiful garden!

St. Louis Lambert International Airport's Office of Business Diversity does important work connecting small businesses with opportunities, resources, and information that can help them take the next step.

This recent campaign is all about making that process feel more approachable and easier to understand, and we’re proud to support STL’s efforts to share helpful info, build awareness, and make sure more small businesses know where they can fit into the work happening at our airport.

Check out their post for more info!

The Office of Business Opportunities (OBO) administers the USDOT’s DBE, ACDBE, and SBE programs, establishes agency goals, monitors compliance on federally funded contracts, oversees the City of St. Louis Living Wage, and provides education and outreach to small businesses. OBO helps small businesses compete successfully for transportation contracts and related opportunities.

Apply for the program here: flystl.com/get-sbe-certified

It’s coming!

Brand positioning can be tough. The terms, the tactics, the “what actually makes us different?” spiral… it can be a lot.

That’s why we’re thrilled to re-announce Brand Builders Bootcamp, our free webinar designed to help you take your brand from “meh” to much, much stronger.

During the webinar, you’ll learn how to define what makes your brand stand out, craft a position that actually resonates, identify your differentiators, and start turning that strategy into creative work, customer connections, and competitive edge.

Save your spot now: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6462946298278571608

Sometimes you’re the RFP creator, and sometimes you’re the responder. We’ve been on both sides of the process on behalf of ourselves and our clients, so we know why clarity in the RFP process matters so much!

Whether we’re helping shape the ask or building the response, the goal is the same: make the opportunity clearer, stronger, and a whole lot less painful for everyone involved.

TWENTY!

Not two! Not twelve! Twenty.

Big congratulations to Drury Hotels on earning its 20th J.D. Power award, a milestone that says an awful lot about the consistency, positive guest experiences, and friendliness that the company’s been known for over decades.

We’ve been lucky to partner with Drury Hotels on work that supports their brand in a few different ways, from designing their website to creating internal videos that help bring important stories and messages to life for their team.

Congratulations!

We regret to inform you that Q4 has been spotted in the distance.

We’re not saying you should go out and buy your Christmas presents just yet. It’s not here YET, but it’s warming up (cooling down?) and definitely on its way.

Which means fall campaigns, EOY pushes, holiday messaging, 2027 planning… just a whole lot of stuff.

A strong plan now can save you a lot of frantic Slack messages later on, so if you need a little extra push to get prepared, we’re here to help.

https://dovetail-stl.com/how-we-help/

Important opportunity from our friends at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center St. Louis:
Their Furniture Procurement & Installation RFP is due this week, with proposals due by August 28, 2026.

As AMICSTL’s future manufacturing hub continues to take shape, this is a chance for qualified firms to help create the spaces where collaboration, training, innovation, and big St. Louis manufacturing momentum will soon happen.

We’re proud to support AMICSTL’s mission and wanted to help get this in front of the right teams!

Submit your proposal by August 28: https://www.x-rhodesplanroom.com/projects/7256/details/amicstl-furniture-rfp

Final reminder: AMICSTL’s Furniture Procurement & Installation RFP is due this week.

Qualified professional firms are invited to submit proposals by August 28, 2026 to support furniture procurement, delivery, staging, and installation for AMICSTL’s future manufacturing hub.

As the nearly 52,000-square-foot facility continues to take shape, this RFP represents an important opportunity to help create spaces built for collaboration, flexibility, innovation, and the people who will bring advanced manufacturing to life in St. Louis.

Submit your proposal by August 28: https://www.x-rhodesplanroom.com/projects/7256/details/amicstl-furniture-rfp