Minnesota Public Relations Blog: March 2014Minnesota Public Relations Blog

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Spyglass has been selected to create a 10th anniversary campaign for the 2014 Ivey Awards

Spyglass announced it has been selected to create a 10^th anniversary campaign for the 2014 Ivey Awards, an annual award show celebrating the renowned theater community of the Twin Cities.

“The Iveys is an amazing success story and a perfect example of someone having a great idea and going big or going home,” said Molly Rice, co-founder and chief executive officer for Spyglass. “For nine years the creative work promoting the event has been outstanding, so we continued the tradition and added to it. We are proud of our award-winning work, and are so excited to create the 2014 Ivey Awards tenth anniversary campaign. The opportunity says a lot about what we can bring to the table – and how high the bar is for Twin Cities’ creative work.”

Founded in 2004 by visionary Scott Mayer, The Ivey Awards increase awareness and appreciation of Twin Cities’ professional theater by providing a celebration for both those working within the theater community and those in the audience.

The coveted AdFed award recognizes excellence in creativity among Twin Cities’ advertising agencies. The 2013 award-winning Spyglass campaign theme – “Celebrating the Heroes of Twin Cities Theater” – featured energetic, engaging imagery of actors transformed into archetypal superheroes with theater-inspired names like “Proscenia,” “Smash Hit” and “Ghost Light.” The campaign also featured well-recognized Twin Cities’ landmarks – including the Mill District, the Minneapolis City Hall Clock Tower, the State Capitol and Foshay Tower – as the backdrop of the characters’ dramatic acts of heroism.

“We’re thrilled with the momentum the Spyglass campaign has been able to generate for The Iveys in 2013, and are excited to see what Spyglass will come up with for our 2014 campaign,” said Mayer. “Spyglass’ creative work last year perfectly captured the spirit of The Iveys and maintained our tradition of using stunning photography to tell our story, and, best of all, it increased event attendance and awareness of Twin Cities’ professional theater.”

Supporting and growing the thriving local arts community runs deep at Spyglass, as this latest win follows the news that the Hennepin Theatre Trust has selected Spyglass to develop the brand, engagement strategy and campaign creative for the “Made Here” initiative. Made Here brings artists from around the state of Minnesota to feature and sell their work in underutilized downtown Minneapolis storefronts. Presented by Andersen Windows, this ambitious project showcases artist-led projects and includes pop-up galleries, showrooms, performances, interactive designs, music and seasonal displays. The 40+ exhibits are expected to attract thousands of in-state and out-of-state visitors annually. Made Here is set to launch July 11, 2014.

Job - The Goodman Group - communications/public relations intern

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Job - Lola Red - Public Relations Intern

Job - Nemer Fieger - Account Executive/Publicist

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Job - Schuler Publicity is looking to hire an Assistant Account Executive

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Gage Expands Team with Four New Hires

Gage, a Minneapolis-based behavioral marketing agency, announced today it has added four new employees to its growing team: Sam Zastrow, engagement manager; Luke Mueller, senior developer; Logan Wilberts, user experience architect; and Nick Bukosky, network administrator.

Sam Zastrow has been hired as an engagement manager, where she will support the Microsoft team by providing technical and customer support for both the client and its end users. She will also oversee the management of various projects, focusing primarily on Microsoft ExpertZone, a retail sales and loyalty community. Zastrow comes to Gage from Energy Resources, where she led event and outreach strategy and management, as well as content and resource development.

Joining the technology team as a senior developer is Luke Mueller. Mueller is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer, and will focus much of his time developing and maintaining software solutions for Microsoft ExpertZone. Most recently, Mueller worked as an independent software consultant and has developed software solutions for a long list of major corporations, including General Mills, 3M, Honeywell and Target Corp.

Also joining the Gage team is Logan Wilberts. As a user experience (UX) architect, Wilberts will work to enhance the way users interact with client systems, focusing heavily on Microsoft projects. Previously, Wilberts was a UX designer at The Nerdery and Taylor Corp., and has a background in both graphic design and web design.

Gage has also added Nick Bukosky as a network administrator. Bukosky is tasked with managing Gage’s internal servers and network equipment, performing patches and software upgrades, and supporting the IT team. Prior to joining Gage, Bukosky worked as a systems administrator at Dakota Drug, Inc.

“While Gage has seen tremendous growth over the past few years, our priority has always been on meeting and exceeding our clients’ needs and expectations,” said Tom Belle, president and CEO of Gage. “We’re excited to welcome these four talented individuals to the Gage team, and know that their diverse skillsets and experience will be an integral part of our continued success.”

Monday, March 17, 2014

The BrandLab and Minnesota Public Radio are co-hosting the third in a series to discuss race and opportunity in business

WHAT:

The BrandLab and Minnesota Public Radio are co-hosting the third in a series of Fearless Conversations on race and opportunity in business. This session will be moderated by Minnesota Public Radio Daily Circuit host Tom Weber and will feature Alfredo Martel, SVP, Caribou Coffee; Mike Fernandez, corporate VP of community affairs, Cargill; and Carla Vernon, business unit director, General Mills.

WHY:

Statistics show people of color are under-represented in the marketing industry — not only in the Twin Cities, but nationwide. This opportunity gap is fed by persistent and often subtle forms of bias, which flourish largely due to the industry's failure to have open, honest conversations about race. The BrandLab is bringing this discussion out into the open.

“There's an urgent need to reflect diversity in marketing, and conversation is going to be key to making a change,” says The BrandLab's executive director, . “Even well meaning firms can let longstanding biases get in the way. Identifying those roadblocks starts with talking about things that might make us uncomfortable.”

WHO:

Minneapolis nonprofit The BrandLab is on the cutting edge of change — not only locally, but nationally. Supported by more than two dozen national and international corporations and agencies that call the Twin Cities home, The BrandLab is working to change the face of advertising and marketing — literally. This first-of-its-kind group is wholly committed to reflecting America's racial diversity in their industry's work, its workplaces and its workers—quickly.

WHEN:

April 17^th, 5:00-7:30 p.m.

Networking at 5:00; conversation from 6:16-7:30.

WHERE:

The Illusion Theater

528 Hennepin Ave. #704

Minneapolis

HOW:

Tickets for this Fearless Conversation are available only at Eventbrite.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Job - NEMER FIEGER – Public Relations / Social Media Intern

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Minnesota Online Marketing Agency aimClear® Expands with Two New Hires

aimClear, an online marketing agency, dominant in audience targeting and customer acquisition, added two experienced professionals to its expanding team of holistic marketers. Jeremy Mayes joins the Duluth office as senior analyst while Kevin Watterson expands the St. Paul office as account manager.

“aimClear has experienced incredible success, as noted by two years in a row on the Inc. 5000 list,” said Marty Weintraub, founder and evangelist of aimClear. “We are excited to welcome new talent to help propel our growth and service our expanding list of global clients.

Veteran Internet marketing professional Jeremy Mayes brings 20 years of experience managing and directing online marketing initiatives for agency clients and in-house organizations to his new role as senior analyst at aimClear. Mayes diverse backgrounds in conversion optimization, PPC, affiliate marketing, SEO and social marketing coupled with his in-house and agency experience make him an incredible asset to aimClear and its clients. Mayes comes from Illinois-based Triumph Higher Education Group, where he led paid and organic search efforts as marketing director. In his new role, he will provide strategic online guidance to agency clients ranging from incredible startups to blue-chip brands.

Kevin Watterson brings nine years of communication experience to his new role as account manager. Prior to aimClear, Watterson directed the Communications Department for the GOP Caucus in the Minnesota House of Representatives, overseeing a team of media writers and handling media and public relations for the Speaker of the House, House Majority Leader and other legislative leaders from 2009 to 2012 as director of media services. In addition, he played a lead role in writing editorials and managing the Caucus's online presence including Facebook, Twitter and its external website. Watterson will support public relation and social media efforts for the agency’s top global clients.

Friday, March 14, 2014

QUITPLAN® Services’ Sleek New Site: Setting a New Industry Standard for Tobacco Cessation

Long considered a model for providing tobacco cessation services, QUITPLAN® Services has launched a new and completely redesigned web site, www.quitplan.com, as a gateway to free help for all Minnesotans who want to quit tobacco.

The quitplan.com site offers multiple tools, access to services and volumes of content to give

tobacco users the kind of help they want to quit. The site launch coincides with new offerings from QUITPLAN Services that respond to insights revealed in formative research: Tobacco users seek out different ways to quit, and want to be able to choose from lots of options that might work for them.

“The new quitplan.com is a fresh online experience that removes judgments and provides positive support for tobacco users. We know smokers want to quit, and we don’t need to convince them of that. Instead, we’re motivating them to make an attempt by providing a site packed with tips, techniques, interactive quizzes and the support to stay motivated. Beyond the content on the site, visitors can choose from a variety of services, including new text messaging and email programs that appeal to a digitally-savvy smoker,” said Kathy Schlecht, Director of Interactive for Clarity Coverdale Fury.

The new website has also been fully translated into Spanish, further expanding accessibility to

QUITPLAN Services. In addition, the site is fully responsive, allowing access via desktop, mobile and tablet.

Launched in 2001 by ClearWay Minnesota, QUITPLAN Services originated as a phone helpline, with an online program added in 2003. Today, QUITPLAN Services provides access to all tools in both English and Spanish at quitplan.com or by calling QUITPLAN Services at 1-888-354-PLAN.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Job - Kohnstamm Communications - Assistant Account Executive

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Bercom/HANDy Paint Products Chooses Maccabee as Public Relations Agency

Bercom, Inc., the Chanhassen, Minn.-based national manufacturer of the HANDy Paint Pail, HANDy Paint Tray and other products sold in home centers, paint and hardware stores across the United States, has chosen Minneapolis-based Maccabee Public Relations as its agency for media relations, social media marketing and communications.

Learn more about HANDy Paint Products at www.bercomincorporated.com and follow it on , and .

Haberman helps launch indoor farming - Urban Organics

Something big is brewing in the old Hamm’s building in St. Paul, Minn., and it’s not beer. It’s organic produce — kale, Swiss chard, Italian parsley, cilantro and more. And tilapia.

Because this is indoor aquaponics, where fish and plants help each other grow — it's the ultimate in locally sourced produce, YEAR ROUND!

Minneapolis marketing firm Haberman has had an outdoor garden for years — but we never had salad in the winter. Now the agency is helping launch indoor farming — its founder and CEO Fred Haberman is one of the partners in this new facility, Urban Organics. The mission — to inspire a better food system for the people, by the people. And the agency has created and launched this new website to spread the word.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Job - Weber Shandwick - Senior Account Executive – Financial Services

FREE MN PRSA APR STUDY WORKSHOP

Calling all PR pros with five or more years of experience! Did you know this year marks the 50^th Anniversary of the APR distinction? It’s true.

If you’ve been interested in pursuing your Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) or curious to learn more about what’s involved to earn our profession’s highest accreditation, 2014 is a perfect year to make it a priority!

Join us for a FREE APR Workshop, April 5 & 6, and hear from an excellent slate of local, seasoned professionals presenting on the APR Key Skill Areas. Come for a few hours or all weekend. If you are further along in your APR process, please feel free to bring along your Questionnaire and/or Readiness Review portfolio materials. We will have examples of some past APR candidates’ portfolios for your review. Contact Karen Lyons at or by March 30 to register or to inquire. We’re here to help!

MN PRSA APR STUDY WORKSHOP

Saturday, April 5 (8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.)

Sunday, April 6 (9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.)

Prime Therapeutics

Monday, March 10, 2014

Job- Verisk Analytics - Marketing Analyst

Hirsch joins Maccabee Public Relations

Leila Hirsch has joined Minneapolis-based agency as its newest Assistant Account Executive. Before joining Maccabee, Hirsch served as a public relations and marketing intern at Style-Architects, a boutique creative services company. Prior to that, Hirsch was a public relations intern at the Mall of America, where she completed dual internships in traditional public relations and fashion.

Friday, March 07, 2014

Job - Maccabee PR - PR & Social Media Marketing Strategist

Thursday, March 06, 2014

Rankin Named President of Clarity Coverdale Fury

Minneapolis-based advertising agency Clarity Coverdale Fury announced announced March 5 that Rob Rankin has been named President & CEO of the agency.

Rankin has been with the agency for 18 years in a variety of capacities, most recently as V.P. and Director of Brand Development.


Rob Rankin

Founder Tim B. Clarity, who remains actively involved in the agency and manages a number of the agency’s key brands said, “Rob’s business acumen and marketing savvy make him a perfect fit for this role. Of equal importance is that in his 18 years here, Rob has not only developed a deep understanding of our culture, but has helped shape it.”

"It's been an absolute privilege to work with such a talented group of people. It's an exciting time in the history of our industry, we have a great leadership team in place and we are looking forward to taking on the challenges that face our clients’ brands," Rankin said.

Job - Exponent Public Relations - Community Engagement Account Executive

Neuger Communications Group Joins Forces With Henry Schafer Partners

Neuger Communications Group announced that it has acquired Henry Schafer Partners in a deal that significantly enhances the media relations and social media expertise of the Northfield-based integrated marketing and communications firm. The agreement also means a stronger presence in the Twin Cities market for the expanded firm. The company’s Twin Cities office will be located in the North Loop of downtown Minneapolis.

Neuger Communications Group is the largest firm of its kind based in southern Minnesota. Now in its second decade of operations, the firm provides integrated services including strategic planning, communications audits, branding, web and app development, brochure creation, and traditional and social media services.

As a regional firm with both local and national clients, Neuger Communications Group serves organizations in a wide range of industries including manufacturing, financial services, senior services, healthcare, heavy equipment and agriculture, and nonprofit organizations. Henry Schafer Partners has built a 10-year track record of excellence in serving clients with an array of communications services, butwith a particular emphasis in public relations.

David Neuger, president and CEO of NeugerCommunications Group, said, “Our mantra has always been delight the client … delight the client … delight the client. I am exceptionally proud of the Neuger team and its ability to do just that. This opportunity to join forces with Henry Schafer brings with it quality people who will dovetail nicely with the terrific people at Neuger who have been delighting clients for the past 10-plus years.”

The acquisition brings with it the brands PR for Good and Fieldstone Research, organizations founded by Joanne Henry,Henry Schafer president. PR for Good has a strong presence in the nonprofitfield. Fieldstone Research will broaden the firm’s capabilities at both ends of the communications continuum with pre-campaign market studies on one end of the spectrum and campaign evaluations and assessments at the other.

Joanne Henry has been named executive vice president and senior director of media services of Neuger Communications Group. She said, “This is a terrific opportunity for everyone involved. Henry Schafer clients benefit from this move, Neuger Communications Group clientsbenefit from this move and the newly formed team of employees also benefit. I’m genuinely excited about the possibilities for the future.”

Wednesday, March 05, 2014

Job - Axiom - Social Media / PR Project Manager

Flores Joins PadillaCRT as Group Creative Director

Kevin Flores, founder and executive creative director of The Flores Shop, has joined PadillaCRT as vice president and group creative director. He will direct creative design and digital work in the agency’s Richmond office.

“Our creative group is a source of competitive advantage for us, and Kevin adds to the team’s great depth of talent,” said Lynn Casey, PadillaCRT CEO. “He has a tremendous range of experience and a proven track record of creative success.”

Flores joins PadillaCRT

Flores brings a wealth of management skills to his new position along with broad creative and digital expertise. At The Flores Shop, he led advertising and branding campaigns for clients including Allianz Global Assistance, American Cancer Society, Boston College, ChildFund International, Delta Dental of Virginia, Dunkin Donuts, Kroger, Owens & Minor, Rolls-Royce, Swedish Match and Walmart. Prior to forming his own business, Flores worked for agencies Elevation, PowerPact and RightMinds. He also served in the corporate sector with Circuit City.

“Blending the creative and communications strengths of PadillaCRT as it stretches beyond its public relations roots is a wonderful opportunity,” Flores said. “It offers tremendous possibilities for our clients in terms of the innovative talent, skills and resources available to address their most demanding brand positioning and brand-building issues.”

Flores has been recognized with multiple creative awards from AIGA, The Richmond Ad Club, Aster Awards, Summit Creative Awards, and the Virginia Public Relations Awards, sponsored by the Richmond Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). He has been published in multiple design industry books, including “LogoLounge” and “Designing for the Greater Good,” and has been a guest speaker on HOW Design Webcasts and the HOW Freelancer Design Conference..

Magic Straws Names Griffin Archer Agency of Record

Magic Straws, maker of milk-flavoring straws, has selected Minneapolis-based Griffin Archer as its creative agency of record. Griffin Archer will lead brand planning, creative development, media and public relations across all communication channels. Magic Straws is poised for explosive growth through the launch of a new umbrella brand, Milk Magic™, that will expand offerings and innovations in the milk and beverage enhancement categories – ultimately leading to the decision to bring on an agency partner.

Magic Straws, sold in Target and Walmart, among other national retailers, is an innovative brand committed to helping parents make healthy beverage choices for their kids. Magic Straws leverages licensing partnerships with iconic brands such as Got Milk?® and Dippin’ Dots.

“Magic Straws is not only a brand full of personality, but a brand full of benefits, being all-natural and low in sugar,” said Kelly Thompson, president and chief strategy officer at Griffin Archer. “We look forward to bringing both aspects of the brand into the cultural conversation as a solution. Healthy can be fun.”

Tuesday, March 04, 2014

Job - Twin Cities public relations and marketing firm hiring Strategic Account Executive.

Monday, March 03, 2014

Haberman adds Fenton as BD Director

has joined Minneapolis-based marketing agency Haberman as business development director. Fenton was previously director of business development at Colle+McVoy; she has also worked for Minneapolis agencies Little & Company, Hunt Adkins and Carmichael Lynch, as well as Best Buy Corporation.

“How thrilling to join Haberman on its amazing trajectory — I could not be more excited to contribute to this agency’s growth and future success,” said Fenton. “I’m looking forward to putting us in front of more pioneering companies doing good in the world.”

“It’s auspicious to have Sunny join the Haberman family — we have no doubt her breadth and depth of experience will get us on the radar everywhere,” said Fred Haberman, co-founder and CEO, Haberman.

Haberman’s clients include August Schell Brewing Company, Just BARE and Gold’n Plump Chicken, Earthbound Farm Organic, National Cooperative Grocers Association, Hennepin County, Charity Aware, Organic Valley, Code42 and Urban Organics. The agency also founded the US Pond Hockey Championships, and runs its own employer-sponsored garden, The Dude Ranch, an employee benefit that provides the entire shop with a season full of fresh vegetables.

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