Literal Label
Literal Label was a relational art based digital marketing agency founded by Salem Roberts. It ran from 2014-2020 and was based in Nashville, Tennessee.
In his hybrid role as artist and brand editor, Roberts was constantly exploring and defining context both digitally and across multiple channels. He worked to co-create spaces, or experiences for people to enter into and make their own meaning, allowing for human connection.
"None of the work I did existed without the spectator, or customer, as an active participant in the work," says Roberts. "That's how I approached experiential branding for global businesses with Literal Label."
Literal Label served corporate clients across the globe in their marketing communications and brand development, having opened up new online revenue streams for nationally known TED speakers, retail brands sold by Whole Foods, and co-creating education content for Fortune 500 companies including LinkedIn and Nissan.
Founded in 2014, Literal Label went global in its first year contextualizing the brand of a Swiss biotechnology startup, which then raised over $320k in capital. In 2017, Literal Label also established its own independent publishing press with distribution through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Literal Label was known for work that focused primarily on brand storification, customer experience, sensory branding, and bringing warm analog experiences into the digital sphere.
"Understood the subtle nuances of my company"
I originally brought Literal Label on to help me with some landing page content. After one meeting they completely understood the subtle nuances of my company and were able to distill them down into some very concise, beautiful and easy to comprehend copy. Since then I have worked with Literal Label on content for everything from explainer videos, to emails, and even some video editing.
— Wesley Belden, CEO, Waffle
"Truly understand brand"
These guys truly understand brand, user experience, and tying it all together in the right voice, the right website, the right content, everything. Can't say enough good stuff!
— Courtenay Shipley, CEO, Retirement Planology
"Bring 'art' to our messaging and direction"
They understand just how to balance creativity, your brand and positioning and apply it to literally everything you do. From how we show up to conferences to our business cards and all of our customer experiences, Literal Label has definitely helped us fulfill our brand promise down to the detail. Literal Label is our go-to resource for marketing strategies and the implementation of those strategies. Sometimes you're too close to your own message, we depend on Literal Label to bring a fresh, creative approach. They bring "art" to our messaging and direction.
— Jennifer Way, CEO, Way Solutions
"Makes our brand stand out"
Literal Label created a website for CellSpring that projects the creativity of our company's values. The site aesthetic, layout and original photography work together seamlessly in a way that makes our brand stand out in a crowded industry. We know this to be the case because we receive compliments on the website in pitches and meeting with our customers all the time.
— Kramer Schmidt, CEO, Cellspring
"Excellent brand positioning strategy"
I was thrilled with the results of the challenge Literal Label worked on with me. Not only did I receive excellent brand positioning strategy, including a position paper, but both scholarly and marketing research to back it up. The results exceeded my expectations and cost was extremely reasonable for the value I continue to receive.
— Lora Stevenson Obrohta, Co-Founder, Mother’s Digital
"Defines and unleashes the business"
Literal Label has been instrumental in starting my business, not only hitting the mark with my brand, but working with me patiently to flesh out ideas and develop my course. They struck a delicate balance with my brand that both defines and unleashes the business. Literal Label brings very fresh and unusual approaches to the table, while listening intently to mine. I'm fortunate to have found them as partners!
— Bonnie Regan Walker, CEO, Point in Time
