Growing into One of the World’s Largest Agencies

In 1967, Morris Jacobs retired and handed the agency over to his son-in-law, Chuck Peebler. Peebler was determined to see the agency grow, and he wasted no time in setting Bozell & Jacobs on a path of aggressive growth—he acquired his first agency, Emerson Foote, Inc., that same year.

Dynamic and sociable, Peebler was just the man to lead the company through the series of mergers and acquisitions to come.

“I’m not hesitant about meeting people,” Peebler said in a 1972 profile in The New York Times. He attributed this trait to the fact that he attended five different high schools. “Since the ninth grade, I’ve been going up and saying, ‘Hi, I’m Chuck Peebler. Can I play with you?’”

David Bell, a Bozell & Jacobs employee who joined the company in 1974 through a merger, said Peebler’s openness to new ideas and talent made him a good leader during acquisitions.

Following the 1967 merger with Emerson Foote, Inc., Peebler relocated the agency’s headquarters to Foote’s New York office. With a solid base of clients on the East Coast and no longer dependent upon Midwestern customers, Peebler implemented one of the most aggressive campaigns to increase billings in the advertising industry.

By 1971, Peebler’s efforts had been rewarded with billings amounting to approximately $50 million for the year. Soon after, he purchased Glenn Advertising Agency, a firm located in Dallas, Texas, whose clients included American Airlines and Quaker Oats Company. In 1975, he purchased Knox Reeves Advertising Agency, a Minneapolis-based company that had a large account with General Mills. With these acquisitions and the new accounts they brought to the company, Bozell & Jacobs reached the $100 million billing milestone by 1975. By 1979 billings had skyrocketed to $287 million, making Bozell & Jacobs one of the top 20 advertising agencies in the United States.

In the early 1980s, Peebler arrived at the conclusion that Bozell & Jacobs had grown as much as it could in the U.S. market. He began to look for a candidate with worldwide contacts and foreign accounts to merge with. He found Lorimar Telepictures. Lorimar Telepictures was a holding company that produced television shows including “Knots Landing” and “The Waltons.” It also owned advertising agency Kenyon & Eckhardt.

Peebler happily agreed to a merger with Kenyon & Eckhardt and, in 1985, Lorimar purchased Bozell & Jacobs the two agencies merged into one. Together, they formed Bozell, Jacobs, Kenyon & Eckhardt, later changing their name to Bozell Worldwide, the 14th largest advertising agency in the world.

During this period, Bozell & Jacobs created some of the most well-known campaigns of the era. These include “Pork: The Other White Meat” for the National Pork Producers Council; the Milk Moustache ads featuring celebrities for the National Milk Processor Board; Verizon’s “Can you hear me now?”and many more campaigns for companies including Chrysler Jeep, Excedrin, Old Home Bread, Pace Picante, Merrill Lynch, Mutual of Omaha and Union Pacific.

After three decades of leading Bozell & Jacobs into the big leagues, Peebler retired in April 1999. In 2001, he was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame. When he passed away in April 2009, Bozell noted the many ways that Peebler’s reign was still alive in the agency’s culture today. Among them were Bozell & Jacobs’ culture of collaboration, an attitude of solving problems, rather than selling services, and embracing change.

“He loved this business and this company.  And it showed.  I was lucky enough to have worked with him on a few things in the ‘90s.  And I still have several notes and memos with kind words from him in my files. They meant a lot to me then … and now,” said Kim Mickelsen, who was with Bozell & Jacobs nine years under Peebler’s leadership.

In 1997, the company grew again with a merger with TrueNorth, and then was acquired by Interpublic Group in 2001. Later that year, Mickelsen, Robin Donovan, John Bauer and Scott Moore bought the company, re-privatizing it and taking it back to its employee-owned, Omaha roots.

As opponents of SOPA and PIPA, Bozell joined in by blacking out its website on Wednesday, January 18. This blackout got mentions on Omaha.com and Silicon Prairie News.

To learn more about SOPA, PIPA, the blackout and our thoughts on the matter, please read our Insights postings here and here.

Jerry Stoner joins Bozell as executive creative director. For more than 23 years, Stoner has been creating award-winning marketing campaigns for a wide range of regional and national brands including McDonald’s, Chevrolet, Cessna and many more. He will lead the creative team in developing branding strategies and translating them into quality campaigns for all media. He studied at Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich., and also attended the renowned Advertising Center in Los Angeles, Cal.

Managing principal Kim Mickelsen said, “Jerry is a valuable addition to the executive team. His strategic prowess will enhance our creative process and continue the agency’s current momentum.”

Stoner will oversee all creative output from the agency and set the path for even deeper integration of creative with other departments, strengthening the strategic planning process.

“I will be a champion for great creative work based on solid research and insights, and I will mentor employees to do the same,” Stoner said. “We will continue to grow and seek out increased opportunities to do conceptual work with new clients.”

Mary Palu, who has worked at Bozell since 2004 as a business and engagement developer, has been promoted to partner-in-charge of brand navigation. She has more than 15 years of marketing experience and has worked with many national and regional clients including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, West Business Services, Borsheims, ADM and The MSR Group. Before joining Bozell, she worked for Ketchum in San Francisco, where she managed marketing communications for a number of national brands including Dreyer’s/Edy’s Grand Ice Cream, Haagen-Dazs, Kikkoman and Sutter Home. She earned her undergraduate degree from University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In her new role, she will oversee the Brand Navigation team, working to provide exceptional strategic planning and account service to all Bozell clients.

Deanna Meyler, Ph.D., director of strategic planning and insights, has more than 10 years of quantitative and qualitative research experience. With a doctorate in sociology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying and understanding the motivations of consumers unfolds easily for her. Prior to joining Bozell, Meyler worked with marketing agencies imc2, TM Advertising and Cheil. In these roles, she planned, implemented and analyzed research and developed strategic marketing plans for clients of marketing firms in the Dallas market, including Bausch + Lomb, Johnson & Johnson and Texas Tourism.

Kerrey Brennan, copywriter, has worked in advertising at several Omaha companies, including Nobbies. She comes to Bozell with five years of copywriting experience, as well as experience in account service, media buying and producing. Her client work has included First National Bank, Godfather’s Pizza and Methodist Health Systems. Brennan has a journalism degree from The University of Kansas with an emphasis in strategic communications and advertising.

Sean Galusha joins Bozell as the company’s help desk and IT support. Prior to joining Bozell, Sean worked in residential technical support at Cox Communications. He graduated from University of Nebraska-Omaha in December 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in English.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Bozell’s focus is on our clients’ customers, understanding marketplace attitudes and behaviors to both create winning marketing and sales strategy, as well as impactful advertising, digital marketing, social media and technology solutions that produce results. For more information, visit Bozell.com.

The 60-second TV commercial titled “Heartbeat” is part of First National Bank Omaha’s “Born & Raised” advertising campaign, which emphasizes the bank’s ties to Omaha spanning more than 150 years. “Being recognized among the world’s best financial marketing and advertising agencies is a special honor for our entire creative team,” Meyer acknowledged. “Bozell and First National Bank Omaha are proud to have been born and raised in this great city and we share the same passion for the people and traditions that make our community so unique.”

“The overall campaign seems to have struck a chord with our customers and employees based on the positive feedback we’ve received since the TV commercials first aired,” First National Bank President Daniel O’Neill reported. “The community spirit and traditional values portrayed in the campaign are typical of the families and places touched by First National Bank over its long history in Omaha.”

In addition to “Heartbeat,” the Born & Raised campaign includes four other TV spots dedicated to First National Bank Omaha customers, employees and community values. The spots were produced by Mighty Films with original music by RMW. The campaign also includes a variety of print and out-of-home advertisements based on the same creative concept.

The Midas Jury is comprised of client and agency leaders from creative and marketing disciplines, as well as internationally recognized experts in financial policy and communications.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska, Bozell’s focus is on our clients’ customers, understanding marketplace attitudes and behaviors to both create winning marketing and sales strategy, as well as impactful advertising, digital marketing, social media and technology solutions that produce results. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Donovan is also the author of the award-winning blog Menologues, a humorous yet informative look at the trials and tribulations of menopause by someone who’s been there. Experiences from this and her experiences in advertising have been incorporated into the heroine of her first release, Donna Leigh.

Donna Leigh is a menopausal ad exec. When she receives the shocking news that a former colleague has been brutally murdered, she knows her vitriolic relationship with the victim will plant her squarely on the suspect list. She jumps right into the investigation in order to keep the wolves away from her door and manages to amuse, as well as impress, with her effective but unorthodox sleuthing.

“Donna Leigh is a menopausal woman, but you don’t have to be menopausal to relate to her. She could be your mother or your aunt, but she could just as easily be your co-worker and friend. She’s not every menopausal woman, but she is representative of the dynamic and vivacious qualities that exist in the majority of menopausal women today.”

Learn more about Is It Still Murder, Even If She Was A Bitch? and read an excerpt on Donovan’s website: rldonovan.com. Purchase your copy at writelife.com.

The AIGA Nebraska Awards recognize professional designers for superior work based on AIGA national standards in 30 categories for traditional and digital marketing.

Bozell’s awards included: Motion/Video for First National Bank’s Heartbeat video from its Born and Raised campaign (Silver Award); Advertising/Promotional Design for VP Buildings’ Company History Video  (Silver Award); Self-Promotion for First National Bank’s 25-Year Club Invitation (Bronze Award); Photography for Borsheim’s Picnic Engagement (received in conjunction with Bill Stutzman/minor white studios) (Bronze Award); Book for The Borsheims’ Signature Collection (Bronze Award).

The OMMA Awards, a national digital marketing competition, celebrate the year’s most innovative and brilliant online advertising creative, campaigns and websites across 70 categories within three disciplines. The show nominates three finalists for each category and one winner is chosen from the finalists.

Bozell was named a finalist in the Retail category for the Westlake Hardware website redesign and in the Healthcare & Fitness category for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska website redesign.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Bozell’s focus is on our clients’ customers, understanding marketplace attitudes and behaviors to both create winning marketing and sales strategy, as well as impactful advertising, digital marketing, social media and technology solutions that produce results. For more information, visit Bozell.com.

The 2011 summer interns at Omaha-based marketing company Bozell, worked with Husker legend Matt Davison to rebrand and develop a strategic plan for his nonprofit, Creating Captains.

The Bozell internship program offers college students an opportunity to gain real-life marketing experience. Each intern worked in the departments suited to their interest and skills. As part of the annual program, a nonprofit client is assigned to the intern team. Throughout the summer, interns worked directly with the non-profit client. This summer, they worked with the program, Creating Captains.

Creating Captains is a youth football program designed to teach positive values and build character, both on and off the playing field, regardless of athletic ability. Davison created the program to share his experiences as an athlete and leader. The profits from Creating Captains go directly to the Food Bank for the Heartland’s BackPack Program. The BackPack Program provides food to students in need of healthy meals on the weekends and is an effort to eliminate the child hunger crisis in Nebraska.

“I was not sure what to expect going into this,” said Matt Davison. “We were just really excited to see what the Bozell interns could do for Creating Captains.” Davison had some goals laid out for the program, and he left it up to the Bozell interns to decipher a way to carry them out. There was a need to increase overall awareness of the program as well as increasing donations and camp attendance.

The interns took Davison’s goals into consideration and came up with two major goals. There was a goal of increasing camp attendance as well as one for increasing donations made to Creating Captains to benefit the Food Bank for the Heartland’s BackPack Program. The pieces designed to increase camp attendance, such as the camp brochure, had a more youthful feel to grab the attention of a younger audience. Those designed to increase donations, such as the donation book, were designed with a “high-class” feel to attract a more well-established audience. Every piece was designed to increase overall brand awareness.

“I was really pleased with the outcome,” said Davison. “It is so amazing to have all of these great pieces to use for our program.” Davison plans on implementing the ideas presented by the interns as he moves forward with Creating Captains. To compliment the new look and feel of Creating Captains, Davison has signed on with Bozell to create a new website for his program.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company in Omaha, Nebraska. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

About Creating Captains
Creating Captains is a nonprofit foundation started in 2008 by former Husker football player Matt Davison. Through the platform of athletics, Creating Captains teaches youth across Nebraska about showing great character, having the courage to stand in the face of peer pressure, becoming a leader in their community and promoting respect for their peers.

Michelle Rierson comes to Bozell with a diverse background in design, broadcast, digital production and marketing. For the past three years, she has worked as an independent consultant. Rierson will take on the role of project and small business manager, handling digital project management and campaign integration. She will also direct the launch of Bozell’s new small business unit.

Lisa McCallan is joining Bozell as a connection planner, integrating research from Bozell’s Smartargeting data analytics and targeting division with strategic media planning and buying for clients. A Lincoln native, McCallan has eight years of experience in market and media research, campaign strategy and placement in television, radio, cable and online media at companies including Cox Media, KPTM and Waitt Radio.

Jennifer Fisher joins the agency’s brand navigation and account management department full-time after holding an internship with the company for the last nine months. Fisher is a 2011 Creighton graduate with majors in business administration and marketing, and a minor in dance.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Bozell’s focus is on its clients’ customers, understanding marketplace attitudes and behaviors to both create winning marketing and sales strategy, as well as impactful advertising, digital marketing, social media and technology solutions that produce results. For more information, visit Bozell.com.

Bozell & Jacobs, 1930s-1960s

While Bozell & Jacobs (B&J) worked to establish itself as an agency during the 1920s, they became closely associated with its first and largest client, Nebraska Power Company. This led to a reputation as a utility agency and helped win additional utility accounts for the agency.

These early clients included Midland United Company in Indiana, United Gas Company of Houston, Electric Bond & Share Company in New York, NY, and Public Information Program of the Electric Industry in Washington, DC.

In order to service their clientele all over the U.S., B&J opened new offices in these key areas which allowed them to spread their reach. High-response campaigns like the Nebraska Power Company ad “Are you working for your husband’s second wife?” raised B&J’s profile, too.

But the founders of the agency wanted more. And when Nebraska Power Company turned public in 1943, leading to the end of the account, Leo Bozell and Morris Jacobs became even more determined to create a greater variety client base.

“Even though municipal ownership … captured Omaha, and even the state, B&Js’ reputation spread throughout the electric industry nationally. We of B&J were kept hopping throughout many states,” Jacobs wrote in his memoir.

Jacobs worked hard to collect these new clients while Bozell held down the fort in order to maintain the ones they had.

“I always believed in the law of averages. I thought then (and I still do) that if an advertising agency man will consistently make a certain number of new business calls daily, he will get new business. I believed strongly in this approach, and constantly urged it on all B&J personnel who were available,” Jacobs wrote.

Jacobs’ math was good. Between his adamant efforts and the agency’s strong reputation, it wasn’t long before new accounts were blossoming up all over the country.

In 1948, the agency secured a high-profile client—Elizabeth Arden. Jacobs was introduced to the glamorous cosmetologist through a mutual friend, Sol Rosenblatt, and the brand gave B&J the opportunity to open its New York office and to flaunt its advertising skills in a new niche. The account itself died quickly, however, as “Miss Arden didn’t believe in paying her bills on time … The Omaha National Bank became perturbed (to say the least). So did the Periodical Publishers Association,” according to Jacobs’ memoir.

B&J also nabbed the high-profile Mutual of Omaha account in 1949 following a leadership change. Tasked with the project of finding a radio show for the company, Jacobs reeled in a young radio commentator, Bob Considine, for the job. Though he was unknown at the time, Considine quickly became recognized as the official voice of Mutual of Omaha, and went on to become nationally recognized for his radio commentating—while still representing Mutual of Omaha and giving talks at several of the company’s meetings.

B&J’s reputation also grew from the founders’ exceptional community service and civic work. Bozell held positions as commander of the Omaha Post of the American Legion, president of the Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Democratic Committee, among many others. Jacobs served on several boards including Creighton University, Community Chest, what is now University of Nebraska Omaha, and several other leadership positions.

“I have stated on many occasions … that we must ‘pay rent for the space we occupy on this earth.’ We pay that rent by service to the religion of our choice, service to our nation, service to our city and state,” Jacobs wrote of these contributions. “There is no question—as a result of what we did, Bozell & Jacobs gained great respect and fine standing in Omaha.”

B&J saw slow but steady growth throughout World War II and the postwar era, with new offices established in Shreveport, Louisiana; Seattle, Washington; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Los Angeles, California; New York, New York; and Washington, D.C. Billings more than doubled between 1951 and 1956 to $20 million. The company entered the 1960s as an international agency with a list of clients that rivaled all competitors.

In Sponsor Magazine’s August 24, 1957 edition, it listed B&J among its seven outstanding agencies for general knowledge of the business. It described the agency as “an example of a small agency that was rated as unusually strong in buyers’ understanding of markets and stations, of flexible usage.”

Though the agency experienced major growth and success during this period, it was also healing from a major personal blow—Leo Bozell passed away from a heart attack in 1946.

“We had a marvelous personal relationship. We were intimate friends, as well as business partners. There was an absolute minimum of friction between us. Leo Bozell was as fine a person as I will ever meet,” Jacobs wrote in his memoir.

Bozell’s death was a significant loss for his partner and friend, but Jacobs kept the business rolling—and brought in the company’s next leader: his son-in-law, Chuck Peebler. Peebler, a dropout from Drake University who had previously worked at the management level of a department store, joined B&J in 1958, the same year he married Jacobs’ daughter, Susie.

“It soon became apparent Chuck had the ability and was ‘built’ mentally for the advertising business. Even though he had no previous experience in the agency business, he ‘took to it,’” Jacobs wrote.

Jacobs’ slowly removed himself more from the company. In 1965, Jacobs sold the company to Peebler, his nephew Alan Jacobs and a group of key employees. At 28 years old, Peebler was president of the company. The new leadership would soon boldly lead the company into a new era of even greater rapid growth.

“What they have accomplished at B&J, at this time of writing [1978], has been phenomenal. It has certainly given me a personal thrill,” Jacobs wrote.

The Bozell internship program offers college students an opportunity to gain real-life marketing experience. Each intern will work in the departments suited to their interest and skills. As part of the annual program, a nonprofit client is assigned to the intern team. Throughout the summer, interns work directly with the non-profit client. This summer, they are working with the program, Creating Captains.

“The goal of the program is to provide our interns with as much ‘real agency’ experience as possible,” said Nicole Frazier, business engagement developer and head of the internship program. “They work on real clients on a day-to-day basis within their departments, but the addition of managing and running point on their own client really allows them an experience unlike other internships.”

Creating Captains is a youth sports program designed to teach positive values and build character, both on and off the playing field, regardless of athletic ability. Davison created the program to share his experiences as an athlete and leader.

The profits from Creating Captains go directly to the Nebraska Food Bank’s BackPack Program. The BackPack Program provides food to high school students in need of healthy meals on the weekends and is an effort to eliminate the child hunger crisis in Nebraska.

“We want to challenge the kids who attend our camps to be leaders in their schools and communities,” said Davison. “We believe many of the kids who attend our camps have the ability to make a huge impact on their peers.”

The Bozell internship program is run by Frazier and project manager Kevin Jones. The program gives interns hands-on experience at a marketing agency and helps to build their portfolios.

“The Bozell Summer Internship program is designed to give students hands-on experience in all aspects of the marketing business. The students work with real clients on real campaigns. It is fun, challenging, real and rewarding,” said Nicole Frazier, business engagement developer and intern coordinator. “The internship program is our opportunity as professionals to contribute to the future of the marketing industry by helping to build its potential leaders.”

The Bozell Summer Internship program is designed to provide students with the tools necessary to begin a career in marketing. Over the course of the summer, the five interns will work side-by-side with Bozell employees on multiple projects for a variety of clients. In addition to their regular client work, the summer internship team is assigned a project for a local nonprofit organization where they take the lead from start to finish.

The 2011 summer interns are:

• Jennifer Fisher, Brand Navigation – Creighton University
• Rob O’Doherty, Brand Navigation – Northwest Missouri State University
• Jordan Becker, Design – Iowa State
• Joseph Burke, Production – University of Nebraska-Omaha
• Chelsea Christensen, Social Media – Creighton University

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company in Omaha, Nebraska. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Through the free web application, users can input any web address, and QRinkle will create a downloadable QR code directing users to that URL. The easy-to-embed code can then be added to posters, brochures, advertisements, just about anything. QRinkle also offers advanced campaign tracking through Google Analytics, and integrates the QR code campaign results into your website’s analytics data, making it easy to assess the QR code’s effectiveness.

“QRinkle was designed to not just help people use QR codes, but to make using them easy and effective as possible,” said Scott Rowe, Bozell’s partner-in-charge of digital marketing.

Why would Bozell offer this program that’s fast and easy for anyone to use for free? Because they can. Bozell’s computer programmers wanted to prove how quickly they could create a simple yet effective web solution.

“We wanted to prove that quick-response development of an app was feasible in our organization,” Rowe said. “We’ll continue to build and improve QRinkle over time, but if you wait to plan out every phase, to unveil all stages at once, you’re behind by the time it launches.”

Overall, from concept to website, QRinkle took the four-person Bozell task force the equivalent of two days to complete.

In addition to the free QR code generator, the agency creates branded QR codes that integrate a company’s logo in with the pixels, such as the Bozell QR code attached. Bozell also flexes its marketing muscles with strategic integrated planning to help clients get the most from QR codes.

Learn more at QRinkle.com.

About Bozell

Bozell is a creative marketing communications company in Omaha, Nebraska. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

“We take great pride in delivering strategic creative campaigns for our clients that produce results. It is a great honor to have those efforts recognized,” said Kevin Hutchison, general manager of Bozell.

For each category, Pinnacle, Platinum and Gold Awards are awarded for three business levels: large business, small business and nonprofit. No honors are given in cases where an entry does not meet the level of quality held by the AMA.

Entries were judged on the effectiveness of the campaigns in reaching identified goals according to a set point system. The campaigns were judged by a panel of “distinguished members” of another AMA chapter.

2010 Borsheims Signature Collection Catalog

The honors Bozell collected were:

• Pinnacle Award for Small Business Communications for the agency’s quarterly newsletter, Thinking

• Pinnacle Award for Large Business Direct Response for the Borsheims Signature Collection Catalog

• Pinnacle Award for Small Business Interactive Media for the blog, Menologues

• Gold Award for Large Business Total Marketing Campaign for the Borsheims
  2010 Holiday Campaign

• Gold Award for Small Business Total Marketing Campaign for the Red Mango Grand Opening

Campaigns must have been executed between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 of 2010 to qualify. The awards were announced at an evening reception on Friday, April 15, 2011, at the 1316 Jones Building.

About Bozell

Bozell is a creative marketing communications company in Omaha, Nebraska. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

The moment ignited an interest in this glamorous profession in the newsboy—a young Morris E. Jacobs, who would grow up to be co-founder of Bozell & Jacobs marketing agency.

In fact, Jacob’s first job as a newsboy was already preparing him to pursue his dream.

“I was not aware of it at the time, but I was putting ideas together with communication to sell my papers. And that’s what we’ve done to sell products, ever since,” Jacobs wrote in his memoir, The Story of Morris E. Jacobs and His Years at Bozell & Jacobs. “I was considered a pretty good ‘hustler’ as a newsboy because I was fortunate enough to have ideas on how to market my product.”

Jacobs was also a hard worker and determined to do anything he could to increase his profits. He sold newspapers from 6 a.m. until he had to run to school in the mornings, and rushed straight back to collect from other newsboys after school. Additionally, Jacobs often spent the night on a bed of newspapers on Saturday nights so he could earn a few extra bucks stuffing the Sunday edition.

The hard work paid off—Jacobs caught the attention and affection of Omaha World-Herald publisher Gilbert Hitchcock. Hitchcock encouraged Jacobs to go to journalism school and helped pave the way for him to attend the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

While at the school, Jacobs supported himself with a position in the subscriptions department of the local newspaper, the Missourian. Here again, Jacob demonstrated innate marketing savvy: one of his major tactics for securing new accounts involved teaming with a photographer, and taking pictures of residents around town “and telling the residents their fame was to be spread across the pages of the daily Missourian. Naturally, they would want to subscribe. Usually, the stories and pictures appeared,” according to a September 12, 1948, Omaha World-Herald article about Jacobs.

Though he wasn’t able to complete the journalism program, Jacobs was still able to land a position as a night police reporter for the Illinois State Journal on his departure. A year later, he returned to Omaha as a reporter for the Omaha Daily News. While at the Daily News, Jacobs was first introduced to a man who would become a lifelong friend and business partner, “tough city editor” (according to the Omaha World-Herald) Leo B. Bozell.

Jacobs eventually moved on to other papers, moving out of town and then returning yet again. In 1919, Jacobs was approached by J.E. Davidson of Nebraska Power Company. He had developed a relationship with Davidson through his reporting, but now Davidson wanted him to hire him for something else. He needed advertisements to campaign against a proposed decrease in electric rates being discussed by the City Council.

Jacobs created a total of 20 ads and made the campaign a success. Davidson was so pleased he hired Jacobs on a monthly retainer to do more advertising work. It was the beginning of a new business.

Not too long after, Bozell returned from service in the army with an opportunity to be secretary of the Omaha Real Estate Board. But he also agreed to work with Jacobs on some marketing on the side. Davidson had made Jacobs head of advertising and public relations, and recommended him to a few other companies. Work was piling up.

They worked long hours to build the business. Jacobs worked on marketing for clients during the day, while Bozell was at his job with the Omaha Real Estate Board. They met around 5 or 6 p.m., when Bozell got off work, and he would continue the marketing late into the night. Meanwhile, Jacobs went to the Bee News, where he was the night police reporter. When Jacobs got off his shift, they often met again in the middle of the night.

“Still Leo and I had never said to each other formally ‘Let’s start an agency.’ We just drifted into it,” Jacobs wrote. Nevertheless, the pair incorporated Bozell & Jacobs in 1921, and both left their other jobs to work for the agency full-time in 1923.

The agency’s first office was a small one-desk space in the Securities Building. As the business grew, it relocated to a space in the offices of Darlow Advertising Agency. The services of the two businesses complemented each other, and Bozell & Jacobs acquired new work through the connection.

Another early client was Fr. Edward Flanagan. Flanagan hired Bozell & Jacobs for help publicizing an organization he founded for homeless and neglected boys—soon to be called Boys Town, a name created by Jacobs and his brother, who also did some work for the agency.

Bozell & Jacobs created a pivotal awareness campaign for Flanagan with the famous photograph and slogan, “He ain’t heavy, Father … he’s my brother!” along with fundraising appeals and more. Later, Jacobs joined Flanagan on a trip to Hollywood and secured a movie. The film was released in 1938. Spencer Tracy, who played Fr. Flanagan in the film, won an Oscar for Best Actor. Boys Town’s benefited greatly from the publicity and garnered major donations from viewers and MGM itself.

“Bozell & Jacobs has a right to be mighty proud of what it did for Boys Town. In my opinion, the work our office did for Boys Town is the finest Bozell & Jacobs ever did in its history,” Jacobs wrote.

The successes with Boys Town also gave the emerging agency a high profile and laid the groundwork for more work in the years ahead. During the height of the Great Depression, a time when many established businesses faced bankruptcy, these two hard-working, talented ad men managed to pull out ahead. By the end of the 1930s, Bozell & Jacobs was among the most well-known advertising agencies working in the Midwest.

“By now we were beginning to feel pretty sure of ourselves. We liked being in business for ourselves, even with all of its risks and long hours,” Jacobs wrote.

“It is a great honor to be recognized for our innovative strategy and results. We are very proud to receive this honor for our work,” said Steve Kuegler, managing partner of Bozell Smartargeting™.

Bozell won two awards for its VP Builders Recruitment Campaign: Business Direct Mail, $2,000/M/Dimensional and Business Integrated Marketing. The campaign was a soft introduction to VP’s new brand position to builders. The message revolved around VP’s loyalty and served as a recruitment tool for new members. Research efforts broke down VP’s target demographic into four groups based on VP’s penetration in each market and the level of opportunity for recruitment. The strategic approach dramatically reduced cost per thousand and increased the response rate dramatically over the previous year.

The marketing agency also won three awards for its Borshiem’s 2010 Holiday Campaign: Consumer Catalogs, Consumer Direct Mail over $500/M, and the 2011 Consistent Achiever Award. The campaign used extensive research of Borshiem’s customer purchasing patterns to divide the customer base into two distinct groups. Then, a campaign was developed with messaging that catered to the buying patterns of each group. The campaign drove traffic to the store and resulted in a significant increase in revenue leading up to the holidays.

The Consistent Achiever Award is one of the three highest honors presented at the AMBITs. It can be awarded to any entry in any of the 24 categories in the show. The award recognizes a campaign that ran at least two consecutive years and returned outstanding results in year over year application.

Bozell Smartargeting™ offers state-of-the-art strategic database marketing solutions such as monitoring customer behavior, identifying emerging customer needs, developing and testing new products and targeting highest-potential prospects. Other solutions offered include scoring existing customers based on actual return on investment, matching type and frequency of communications to diverse target segments and providing precise market intelligence in the development of strategy.

About Bozell

Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

As general manager, Hutchison sees his role as continuing the agency’s legacy of growth to propel Bozell to greater heights. “In addition to deepening current client relationships and building upon our existing base, I will be actively searching out new opportunities and integrating agency functions and skill sets such as digital marketing, social influence marketing, public relations and mobile-based technology,” he explained.

Another legacy that Hutchison will extend is the agency’s commitment to creative problem solving. “Our industry is changing daily, and solutions you used a few months ago may not work today,” he observed. “This constant change is one of the things that make marketing so exciting, as well as challenging. That’s why Bozell is committed to creative integrated marketing solutions for its clients that range well beyond traditional advertising.”

Before his promotion to general manager, Hutchison headed a staff of 15 as partner in charge, Brand Navigation. In that role, he was considered one of the agency’s experts on the Bozell Process, the proprietary methodology behind the company’s advertising and communications efforts and the basis for its creative strategies. “It’s critical that our clients understand how we arrive at our strategy recommendations, whether it’s the launch of a major integrated brand initiative or guiding a new concept from feasibility to market introduction,” he explained.

Over his career, Hutchison has served in various management positions in the banking, credit card processing, retail shopping and non-profit sector. He started his advertising career in 1997, joining Bozell in 1998 where he spent six years as an account supervisor and management supervisor in charge of major clients in the energy, real estate, consumer product manufacturing, financial and banking industries. He rejoined Bozell in 2007, after holding key supervisory positions with advertising agencies in Omaha and Denver, Colorado.

Hutchison is a board member of the American Marketing Association (AMA) Omaha, where he serves as a programming advisor. He is also a past president of Mid-America Direct Marketing Association, a former board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands and was active in the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Omaha. As a member of Utility Communicators International (UCI), his byline has appeared in an online utility magazine. In addition, he has been a speaker at UCI and not-for-profit organization events.

A Nebraska native, Hutchison graduated from Asbury University in Wilmore, Ky., with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts. He has also completed advanced studies with the Bank Administration Institute (BAI). In addition to spending time with his family and pets, Hutchison enjoys running and is a supporter of Hearts United for Animals, a no-kill shelter and animal welfare organization.

About Bozell

Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Mohr explains, ““What a tagline is meant to do is answer the question, ‘What do we want to communicate to our audience every time they come in contact with our brand?’”

Mohr contributed a few tips for getting the strategizing process going. He emphasizes the importance of quantity over quality to get the brain searching for out of the box solutions including: “Start with one line, write the meaning of that line, and take that meaning and write it 100 different ways. Then you take a line with a little different meaning and write that in 100 different ways. Repeat and repeat until your brain is tagline mush.”

Once immersed in the process he then suggests, “Step away for a day, go to bed, try to take it off your mind, and come back and see what the next day brings. Your brain is going to be in a different place tomorrow than it is today and that different place might lead to a better insight you didn’t have before.”

And to finish the process Mohr suggests that your new tagline will guarantee that you “sound the way your audience would expect you to sound, something that rings true to them…Get nitpicky.”

Once you’ve arrived at your new tagline it’s time to “see how the tagline works across different marketing mediums” and test it with your various audiences, both internal and external.

If you follow a rigorous process for selecting your new tagline Mohr believes that “you’ll have a greater chance of creating a tagline that’s solid…like a rock.”

Mickelsen joined Bozell in 1990 as a management supervisor in the account service department, was promoted to vice president in 1992 and to senior vice president in 1994. With a background in strategic planning and direct client service experience, Mickelsen formed the Bozell Interactive Services unit in 1996 to further serve clients in the emerging media categories. In 2001, she became a co-owner of the agency.

Throughout her career, Mickelsen has worked with clients involved in energy production and delivery, biotechnology, computers, banking and financial services, telecommunications, health care, insurance, architectural and industrial products, retail and food service. She continues to work with Bozell’s interactive team, helping clients strategically integrate online communications into their overall marketing plans. She is active in social media and the development of innovative technical and creative solutions, content platforms and emerging technologies to succeed in today’s evolving communications environment.

Prior to joining Bozell & Jacobs, Mickelsen was vice president of marketing and director of account services for G&N Communications and had previously spent four years in account service at another Omaha agency.  Her client-side experience includes five years as advertising director for a regional seed corn company.

A frequent speaker locally and regionally at professional trade group sessions as well as colleges and seminars, Mickelsen teaches integrated marketing at Creighton University as an adjunct professor and has taught classes at several other universities. She is currently on the executive committee of the United Way of the Midlands Board, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Nebraska Shakespeare and on the Friends of Jacobs Place Advisory Board at The Omaha Home for Boys.

Mickelsen has served as president of the American Marketing Association of Omaha, on the board of the Omaha Federation of Advertising, the MidAmerica Alzheimer’s Association as well as the YWCA of Omaha, and Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries. A Nebraska native, Mickelsen graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with a bachelor’s degree in advertising and political science.

Mickelsen was honored at the 18th Annual Nebraska ADDY^® Awards Banquet and Show in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Bozell received paper anvil awards for work on behalf of the Borsheims, Menologues, Red Mango, Right at Home and Tate and Lyle.

“Winning the awards was the culmination of an integrated, agency-wide effort to produce outstanding work for our clients, “said Kim Mickelsen, Bozell managing principle. “We are honored to be recognized by PRSA.”

Awards of excellence were reserved for outstanding entries that did a superior job of meeting the stated goals and in achieving results. Awards of merit were determined by the judges as entries that met stated goals and demonstrated good results, according to PRSA Nebraska.

About Bozell

Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

After 11 years at 13801 FNB Parkway, Bozell will now share the Old Market Lofts building in the Old Market with other local businesses including Nomad, Urban Wine Company and Anytime Fitness.

Bozell has worked closely with Randy Brown Architects to design a collaborative, open workspace to inspire creativity and big ideas. “We are excited to relocate to a space with a vibrant environment and great surroundings,” said Kim Mickelsen, Bozell managing principle. “The space will reflect Bozell’s integrated approach to developing innovative and creative solutions to meet our clients’ needs.

For more information about the move, please read the Omaha World-Herald article.

About Bozell
Bozell is an integrated marketing communications company with offices in Omaha and Kansas City. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

As a business and engagement developer in the Brand Navigation department, Fereday contributes to communication planning and account service on multiple clients including Alegent Health, Borsehims, Tnemec and College World Series.  She brings a breadth of experience in brand management, media, digital and event management to Bozell. Fereday was previously employed by Starcom Worldwide developing national strategy for clients including Macy’s, MillerCoors and most recently Procter and Gamble. She graduated from Creighton University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Siebler also joins Bozell as a business and engagement developer in the Brand Navigation department and leads strategy and planning for multiple accounts including Tate and Lyle, OPPD and Right at Home. Siebler has more than 16 years of marketing and management experience and previously served as senior director of business recruitment marketing at the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and as senior manager of marketing communications at Lincoln Financial Group. He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

In her role as copywriter, Harn is responsible for concepting and writing for clients including Borsheims and Alegent Health. She previously served as a copywriter at Target’s internal agency inHouse, writing for Target media in all forms including TV broadcast, in-store marketing, online, social and traditional. Harn graduated from Creighton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication. She was also an award-winning writer at the Miami Ad School in Minneapolis where she studied copywriting.

About Bozell
Bozell is an integrated marketing communications company with offices in Omaha and Kansas City. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

“We are always proud of the work our design team does, for every project. They are immensely talented. It’s a great feeling to have that talent recognized by AIGA Nebraska,” said Kim Mickelsen, managing principal of Bozell.

The awards were determined by a group of three judges chosen for their expertise in design and marketing. Gold, silver and bronze awards were given for 17 different design categories, but the judges had the right to withhold an award placement if they deemed that none of the work earned the recognition. Submissions must have been created and implemented in a campaign within the last year.

Bozell was honored with the following awards:

Silver, Motion/Interactive, Ourmaha TV Spot for Catholic Charities

Bronze, Website, InvestNebraska.com for the Invest Nebraska Corporation

Bronze, Corporate Communications, Event invitation for the 25 Year Club

Bronze, Website, for NebrWesleyan.edu for Nebraska Wesleyan University

Bronze, Self Promotion, Camp Wannatailgate for Bozell

Bronze, Corporate Communications, Thinking for Bozell

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska, and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Ask a Social Expert Anything…

by Meghan D’Arcy

The young professional generation is comprised of thinkers. Unlike our parents and grandparents, we won’t stay at our first job after college for 40 years and become complacent. We want to chase opportunities, explore our options and find our calling. Sometimes that means working jobs that make us horribly miserable until we find The One. In Scott Bishop’s case, it took three cities, one professional group, countless networking events and nine years after college to realize his dream and he’s enjoyed every moment of the journey. Well, maybe not every moment, but doesn’t that sound poetic?

“I finally got to the point where I wasn’t happy with where I was. I just decided to jump off the bridge and find out if I could swim. I’ve always believed that you have to scare yourself every once in a while to test yourself,” Bishop said. After working for years in the marketing and sales industries, Bishop had found himself working as a marketer for a publishing company in Chicago, Illinois. It was traditional marketing with no room for creativity and certainly no need for digital marketing, which Bishop found himself drawn to. So he left his job, moved to St. Louis, Missouri and started his own company, Crave Engine. Crave Engine specializes in digital marketing and social media to provide businesses with an online presence, help them generate awareness and increase sales. “Why I like to go to work is that it allows for creativity. You actually get to solve problems and get paid to do it.”

Crave Engine has been in business for a year and a half and Bishop has no intention of trying to grow the business or turn it into an agency. It’s been his life for the past year and a half, in fact he admits he doesn’t really have hobbies outside of work. That’s lucky for him considering he now works two jobs after moving to Omaha two months ago to accept the position of Director of Social Influence at Bozell, an integrated marketing agency. His responsibilities at Bozell are the same as at Crave Engine, but he enjoys that he now has a team and can really focus on his interests. At Crave Engine he takes on many other duties such as billing and searching for new business, and that hinders his ability to research and truly know digital marketing inside and out. But he still maintains that starting his business was one of his best decisions, and one that has affected his entire career and life.

“Everything I’ve done in the past year and a half has led me to where I am right now. For some people that’s not a big deal, but I’m finally at a place where I’m happy, I’m living in a town that I actually consider home, I like living here, I like the people here, I like where I work and I like what I do. That’s just a very different place from where I’ve been since I got out of college,” Bishop said. If he’s had to read and write a lot, forego fun activities for work activities and postpone settling down, it’s all worth it to be in Omaha and have what he has now.

Bishop has always been a go-getter. While living and working in Chicago, Illinois, Bishop and two friends started Social Media Breakfast, a networking organization. It was held in the morning to attract high-level executives who can’t make happy hour events because they have families. It also consisted of mini-roundtable discussions rather than presenters and panels, and seats were limited to 50 or 60 instead of 200. Leave it to a marketer to increase demand.

Bishop advises anyone in any industry to make use of every opportunity that presents itself. “Everything is a stepping stone for something else. No one’s going to pick up the phone and call you, you have to go out there and make things happen. And then all of a sudden things just start falling in your lap and you don’t know where they came from but if you really want to analyze it, they come from the last year of working your tail off.”

To learn more about Crave Engine, visit craveengine.com. To follow Bishop’s blog, check out realtimemarketer.com.

Please read the entire article here: B2B Omaha – Foursquare Pays Dividends

DRAKE’S NEW LOGO GETS AN ‘F’

Drake University wanted to break through the noise and the clutter and grab the attention of young people searching for the right college.

So, it picked a symbol of academic mediocrity: “D+”

That got attention from a host of critics, including university faculty and alumni. Publications from Ad Week to the Chronicle of Higher Education wrote critical articles.

Despite, the criticism, Drake says the D+ campaign — The Drake Advantage: your potential + our opportunities — appears to be performing as intended since it launched earlier this year. Tom Delahunt, Drake’s vice president for admission, cited a 63 percent increase in admission inquiries over last summer and more than twice the visits to its admissions web page, even before the campaign garnered national attention.

The campaign highlights what the university has to offer, and the website notes: “When it comes to choosing the college that fits you best, there’s simply no higher grade.”

Yet advertising experts consulted by The World-Herald described the effort as shortsighted, saying the association with mediocrity could cause long-term damage to an institution of higher learning.

“It’ll break though the clutter, but make them more of a laughingstock,” said Robin Donovan, an owner of Omaha-based advertising agency Bozell.

Adam Wagler, an advertising lecturer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said “D+” could wreck Drake’s brand equity.

“It may be pretty efficient right this second, gets some laughs, gets some web traffic,” Wagler said. “But at the end of the day, it’s an academic institution … and how does something like that serve them?”

The campaign came from a desire by the university to differentiate its recruiting materials from others in the mailbox full of propaganda that deluges prospective college students, Delahunt said.

University officials wanted something eye-catching. Their ad agency, Stamats, of Cedar Rapids, produced a handful of concepts. “D+” got the biggest response from a 921-person sampling of 15- to 17-year-olds, Drake’s target audience.

“61 percent said they would ask for more information,” Delahunt said. “Only 3 percent had a negative response to it.”

“We found a way to get them to read, to get them to want to know more about our university.”

Delahunt pointed out the campaign was aimed at high school students, not adults. The younger generation is different, he said. He has two teenage daughters himself, who, like their peers, spend a great deal of time watching “The Daily Show” and “South Park.”

“They get irony, they get sarcasm,” he said. “That’s the world they live in.”

Faculty members have been some of the harshest critics. Delahunt said if he had to do it over again, he would have informed the faculty of the D+ campaign before its debut.

Whether the campaign is ultimately successful depends on the quality of next year’s incoming class, Delahunt said. He pointed out the average ACT score for incoming Drake students is 27 and the average GPA is 3.7. The university is highly regarded. In the latest U.S. News rankings of Midwest regional universities in which Creighton University was ranked No. 1, Drake is ranked No. 3.

And the campaign is not limited to a big logo of an undesirable grade. It also includes information on Drake’s academic rigor and vocational opportunities, plus life in Des Moines.

Wagler, the UNL advertising lecturer, is from Iowa and aware of Drake’s academic reputation. He was so amused by an article on the D+ campaign he posted it to his Facebook page.

“I thought it sounded like a Far Side cartoon,” he said.

Donovan said large companies have rejected such campaigns outright, no matter how clever. No advertising campaign should create a negative image for the product it is trying to promote.

“People who are in these big businesses know this, so they will never let an agency get away with something like this,” she said.

Donovan recalled an effort in Hartford, Conn., in the 1980s where a company called Wiremold auditioned advertising campaigns for a product that ran wiring under carpet. One agency came up with an idea seemingly edgy and brilliant: Wiremold is going under.

Wiremold officials stopped the presentation, Donovan said, and asked the agency representatives to leave.

“Smart people came up with it,” she said. “But smarter people would have thrown it away.”

That didn’t happen with Drake’s campaign.

“It’s a cheap trick, and sometimes cheap tricks work,” Donovan said. “But I think the potential costs are too high on this one.”

Ratcliff and Rizzo’s chosen design was created for Porridge Papers, a paper-making and letterpress studio in Lincoln, Neb. Porridge Papers wanted to host a Sweet 16 themed anniversary party to celebrate 16 years in business. Ratcliff and Rizzo used handmade white, bubblegum scented paper to create the wide belly band and the number 16 was die cut out in stencil form. They carefully selected paper with fine shimmery sparkles and printed images from past newspaper articles featuring Porridge Papers. They used over 100 of Porridge Papers’ photos and documents for the wrap. Ratcliff also hand-lettered the invitation using neon ink which was then letter pressed onto thick paper that matched the belly band. This fun, dynamic design has also won many other awards in addition to being featured in Fingerprint.

“I love using handmade elements in design, and I’m so happy that Fingerprint has created more focus on this aspect of the industry,” Rizzo said. “I agree, and it creates an opportunity to see what handmade elements other designers across the country are incorporating into their graphic design,” Ratcliff added.

Fingerprint was created to highlight the design community’s passion for handmade elements and resistance to computer-only design work. The book showcases work created with varying media including mixed media, illustration, letterpress, screenprinting and collage. It also includes essays about incorporating handmade design elements by Debbie Millman, Jean Orlebeke, Jim Sherraden, Martin Venezky and Ross Macdonald.

Fingerprint is authored and designed by Chen Design Associates (CDA), a visual communications company based in San Francisco, Calif. CDA has been in business for close to 20 years and is focused on telling the stories of their clients’ businesses in bold and authentic terms. For more information, visit http://www.chendesign.com.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Ratcliff’s featured logo was designed for Hyp-Yoga. Hyp-Yoga combines hypnosis and yoga for an innovative fitness and weight loss solution. The circular symbol is derived from a meditative symbol of Japanese Zen Buddhism. The circular motion of brush strokes symbolizes the rejuvenating journey of connecting what the mind wants the body to do and what the body actually does. The tall sans serif font represents poise and strength, two important variables of yoga. The earthy color tones are calming, natural and approachable.

“To be featured in a LogoLounge.com Masters volume is something that many designers aspire to achieve. I’m glad that a logo I believe in will be accessible to other designers across the country. What an amazing opportunity,” said Ratcliff.

LogoLounge.com was created to keep designers informed of the newest trends and up-and-coming designers. By the time traditional design books hit the shelves, the logos are already out of date, so LogoLounge.com features both an online and printed option for designers. LogoLounge.com typically receives around 35,000 entries for each book, and Masters Series books highlight exceptional work in specific styles. The featured logos are chosen by a panel of internationally renowned designers and represent the best in current logo designs. Their website offers current trends, logos in the news and featured designers. For more information, visit http://www.logolounge.com/default.asp.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Boshart and Ratcliff’s designs were among 34,000 logos from around the world submitted to a panel of eight international judges. Only 2,000 of these were chosen to be featured in LogoLounge 6, four of which were designed by Boshart and Ratcliff.

Boshart’s logo design was created for TownCommons.com. This logo serves to unify the Omaha community through design, representing it with one collective voice. It uses positive and negative space to show the many elements that intertwine to produce one city. It makes the community feel approachable and cohesive.

Ratcliff has three designs in LogoLounge 6, including a second logo for TownCommons.com. Ratcliff’s logo features simple shapes of trees intersecting to create city buildings, suggesting both can coexist to form one community. The overlapping lines also represent interaction, collaboration and the sharing of information.

The Bras Across the Bridge logo is another of Ratcliff’s designs to be featured. This was created to promote an event to raise money for breast cancer research. The straps are the pink ribbons which represent the cause and the dotted lines represent the bras linking across the bridge. The design is approachable and accessible, representing optimism and hope.

Ratcliff’s final design is for NorthStar, an Omaha foundation dedicated to meeting the needs of North Omaha’s male youths with various programs and support. This logo is strong on its own. The modern star above the lowercase “n” is a youthful interpretation of the typical North Star. It emulates academic achievement and adventure.

“It’s such an honor to be included in a book like LogoLounge 6 alongside designers that we respect and admire,” said Boshart. “It’s also a great opportunity to see what other designers are doing and maybe get inspired by some of the newest and most innovative work out there,” added Ratcliff.

LogoLounge.com was created to keep designers informed of the newest trends and up-and-coming designers. By the time traditional design books hit the shelves, the logos are already out of date, so LogoLounge.com features both an online and printed option for designers. LogoLounge.com typically receives around 35,000 entries for each book, and books are released every year and a half. The featured logos are chosen by a panel of internationally renowned designers and represent the best in current logo designs. The website features current trends, logos in the news and featured designers. The next book, LogoLounge 6, will be released in February of 2011. For more information, visit http://www.logolounge.com/default.asp.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

The Weekly Grind has a Whole New Meaning
By Meghan D’Arcy

Many outlandish yet intriguing creations have been conceptualized while bellying up to the bar, though most of them are quickly forgotten, and those that aren’t are laughed at the next day over a Tylenol and water breakfast. Koozies, the tuxedo t-shirt, Baileys in Guinness, but a talk-radio show for young professionals?

Well that’s exactly where The Weekly Grind was born. After a few too many Scotches and a chance encounter with local radio host Tom Becka at Dundee Dell, Bryan Mohr, a 29-year-old copywriter for Bozell, and his future co-host Michael Shearer, the 30-year-old sales director of Ameripride Services, decided they were tired of listening to “some gray-haired old dude who’s 60” talking about issues they didn’t care about. Armed with liquid confidence and not much else, the pair charged ahead, gaining sponsors and a radio spot before they’d even overcome their hangovers.

That was February 2009, back when Mohr admits, “We were horrible.” A lot has changed since then. They still provide an off-the-cuff radio show, only loosely planned the day before at a coffee shop, which discusses local young professionals and the issues that affect them. They keep things relevant by looking at what is going on in Omaha, and trying to talk to all the right people. But now they don’t have to chase down their guests and plead with them to go on-air, the guests come to them. Like recent guest Wendy Townley, whose new book, Nerdy Thirty, is about turning 30 and all the lessons she has learned. In fact, they’re all for promoting young professionals and their business endeavors, focusing on events, charities and young people doing great things in Omaha, like upcoming guest Ben Cohoon, race director for the Market to Market Relay.

At 10 a.m. every Saturday on Omaha’s KOIL 1180 AM, they go on-air and “just let it rip.” Their natural and unpolished style is part of the appeal of the show for young people. They’re not over-researched or biased; as the show goes on, they “grow with the really organic conversation.” Quite the opposite from other talk-radio shows, ahem Rush Limbaugh (not that we’re mentioning any names), which don’t consider young people’s perspective.

Mohr, who met with me this week, says that one of his top guests has been Mayor Jim Suttle during his campaign in 2009. Although, he had to admit that his favorite guests have been the guys from Lucky Bucket who shared their Brew of the Gods on-air in the studio room. Tough day at the office.

Other recent guests include United Way of the Midlands, Mustaches for Kids, local musicians and an author who criticized Omaha for building two stadiums. Hey Mister, leave the city alone!

What gets these guys out of bed at an unnatural hour on a Saturday to sit in a studio and talk for two hours? Their love for the city of Omaha and all it has to offer. Mohr admits that he’s “not going to say it’s 100% there yet.” But he does say that Omaha is becoming a professional hot spot. He contends that the art community is growing and thriving, bringing hoards of creative young people here, along with their fresh perspective and innovative ideas, in fact, this is a common thread on The Weekly Grind.

“I think what young professionals want when they get out of college is a place where they can have a billion options to choose from to go have drinks and dinner, as well as good career opportunities,” Mohr said. With several Fortune 500 companies and increasing entertainment options, Omaha is quickly joining the ranks of other young professional Meccas, such as Portland, Seattle, Chicago and Austin, whose tech boom made a tiny college town explode into one of the top American cities for young people. And just like Austin, Mohr believes that the growing creative community in our fair city is what’s going to get us there. “We’re not big now, but if we keep building this creative community with great minds, maybe some day Omaha will become a bigger city,” Mohr said. Hear, hear!

To hear more from Mohr and Shearer, tune into The Weekly Grind Saturdays at 10 a.m. on Omaha’s KOIL 1180 AM, or visit theweeklygrindradio.com.

Bishop joins Bozell has manager of social influence and will be responsible for managing all client social media plans and relationships. With a strong background in social media, marketing and sales, he previously owned the social media consultancy CraveEngine. Bishop also served as marketing manager for McGraw-Hill and as business consulting and marketing rep for Franklin Covey in Chicago. He graduated from Bradley University with a Bachelor of Science in business administration.

As project manager, D’Arcy will provide account service, public relations and copywriting support for multiple client accounts including Right at Home, Vic’s Corn Popper, Writelife, Market to Market and College World Series. She came to Bozell from Ireland where she researched, studied and taught at University of Limerick. She also previously taught high school English and served as a writer and researcher at Sunguard Analytics, both in Vermont. D’Arcy received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Fine Arts from Saint Michael’s College and a Master of Arts in Linguistics from University of Limerick.

In his role as interactive developer, Dunn is responsible for the development and maintenance of client websites and their supporting systems as well as the development of custom web applications and email marketing campaigns. He provides support on multiple client accounts including Randy Brown Architects. Prior to joining Bozell, Dunn served as an interactive developer at David Day and Associates.

As content and engagement developer in the Dialogue Relations department, Wenstrom will provide media relations, research and editorial support for multiple client accounts including Right at Home and TD Ameritrade. Prior to joining Bozell, Wenstrom served as managing editor of Capital Area Women’s LifeStyle Magazine in Lansing, Mich. and as resident ink slinger at Motion Marketing and Media. She has also worked with several publications ranging from traditional daily newspapers to monthly magazines. She is a graduate of Calvin College, holding a dual Bachelor of Arts in English and Mass Media.

About Bozell
Bozell is an integrated marketing communications company with offices in Omaha and Kansas City. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Now entering its 33rd year, the program is a 10-month study of community issues designed to develop effective community leaders who will strengthen and transform the community. Palu was one of 46 participants who gradated at the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center on Thursday, June 17. Palu was chosen based on her demonstrated community involvement and career advancement.

“Leadership Omaha was truly a one-of-a-kind opportunity to see some amazing things that are happening in our community; but also to see where there is more work to be done,” Palu said.  “It gives you a really interesting perspective on what it takes to create vision for change and then how to work towards turning that vision into action.”

Palu joined Bozell in September 2004 and currently serves as a Business and Engagement Developer where she oversees strategic planning and development for Alegent Health, the Omaha-metro area’s largest healthcare system.  Her other clients include Tate & Lyle, VT Industries and The United Way of the Midlands.

Prior to joining Bozell, Palu served as an Account Supervisor with Ketchum (San Francisco’s) Food & Nutrition Practice and as a Publicist for Paige Poulos Communications where she conducted media relations and event marketing for clients. Palu has a degree in Family & Consumer Science Education with an emphasis in nutrition from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Palu is also actively involved with many community organizations. She is currently serving as President on the Board of Directors for Friends of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, is a steering committee member of VOICE Omaha, and a curriculum committee member for Leadership Omaha. “Mary’s leadership skills and community involvement will continue to transform and better the Omaha community,” said Kim Mickelsen, managing principle of Bozell. “We are proud of her for all of her community and professional accomplishments.”

About Bozell
Bozell is an integrated marketing communications company with offices in Omaha and Kansas City. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com

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When Bozell’s social media director Will Flavell started the long drive from his grandfather’s fishing cabin west of Lincoln to Omaha in the fall of 2008, little did he know that what he thought was just a stomach flu was about to become a life-altering, near-death experience.

As he drove through Wahoo, his appendix burst.

An ambulance took him from the gas station where he collapsed in toxic shock to the Wahoo hospital. He was then was transported back to Omaha to get to the needed medical technology to test and treat him.

It was almost too late to save him. Even following surgery, his life lay on the line as he recovered.

“You’re in a hospital bed all day. It gives you a lot of time to think,” Flavell said. “I thought, ‘if I live, what’s the coolest thing I could do?’” Fly the F/A18 Hornet, of course.

Before he’d even recovered enough to leave the hospital, Flavell was doing pushups to start the grueling training he knew was ahead of him if he were to successfully join the Air Force to pursue his new dream.

Flavell talked to a recruiter and found that pursuing his new dream would be a long trek up a very steep hill. He was at a disadvantage to begin with, having no military experience – they told Flavell not to get his hopes up. But Flavell quickly got to work, signing up for Officer Training School, working out every day after work and studying on the weekends. And this September, Flavell will report for duty.

Along the way he also went skydiving and returned to his old hobby of longboarding.

“That’s the meat of living, the ‘wahoo,’” Flavell said, explaining his new passion for living life on the edge. “Once I’d faced the real possibility of death, it just didn’t seem that big of a deal anymore.”

As Bozell’s first social media director, Flavell helped to develop the firm’s social media marketing services from the ground up, keeping Bozell ahead of the curve as new technologies developed.

“Will has a lot of spirit and tenacity. He goes for everything 100 percent. We are sure that these traits will serve him well wherever life takes him. We feel fortunate to be able to count him as part of the Bozell family,” said Kim Mickelsen, managing partner.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

To enhance the user experience for Facebook fans of the Red Mango’s first Omaha store at Shops of Legacy, 16950 Wright Plaza, Suite 151, Bozell built the My Mango tab that allows anyone to create their own Red Mango treat: Frozen Yogurt Treats, Fruit Parfaits, Smoothies and Probiotic Iced Teas. Facebook fans can select from a variety of flavors and toppings, and will then be presented with the calorie count and list of health benefits for their treat. Red Mango fans can also share their treats with all their friends. My Mango also gives visitors exclusive, local coupons for Red Mango’s delicious and healthy treats.

Build your own treat today at My Mango. And be sure to check out the grand opening of the new Red Mango location on July 24, from 2 to 9 p.m., for free yogurt, live music and free tethered hot air balloon rides.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

(OMAHA, Neb., July 1, 2010) Forty-five local designers stepped out June 23^rd to present their condom fashions at the 2^nd annual Project Runway Condom Fashion Show to benefit the Nebraska AIDS Project. Two of these innovative designers were Bozell employees, Carrie Ratcliff and Jill Rizzo.

The Team: Hardisty-Horsley, Ratcliff, Rizzo and Berry

Ratcliff and Rizzo, both graphic artists at Bozell, teamed up with The Knot designer, Adrian Hardisty-Horsley, to design a raincoat made completely from condoms. Their model, Christina Berry, walked the catwalk at the Magnolia Hotel in downtown Omaha, along with 34 others, thanks to sponsorship from Liquid Courage, a local tattoo shop.

The project unexpectedly fell into Ratcliff and Rizzo’s lap. They were both approached by a hairdresser at the Icon Hair Studio, a sponsor of the event, and couldn’t say no to this exciting event that promoted such a worthwhile cause. “We wanted to bring awareness to AIDS. People tend to forget about it with all the other issues our society deals with today,” Ratcliff said. The three met at a local coffee shop to talk about ideas and decided on a clever spin on the condom’s old nickname: raincoat. The raincoat was fully functional with a hood and brand tag. They also made matching accessories for themselves, including a bracelet and a necklace. They are already thinking about design ideas for next year’s show, and look forward to participating again in this non-profit event.

Christina Berry, the model

This year’s Project Runway Condom Fashion Show was organized by Nebraska AIDS Project’s event manager Gary Winingham with local radio announcer Damian Montez as emcee. The 2010 show was hosted to increase community awareness and raise funds for Nebraska AIDS Project’s prevention, outreach and education programs.

The Nebraska AIDS Project works to eliminate the spread of HIV and offers services to those afflicted by both HIV and AIDS. They believe that this disease can be eradicated and by building a supportive community, those with the disease can be empowered and help educate others. To find out more about their free testing and counseling services, visit www.nap.org.

To read more about the team’s step-by-step process, read Rizzo’s blog post on Bozell’s Insights.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

“Winning the awards was the culmination of an integrated, agency-wide effort to produce outstanding work for our clients, “said Kim Mickelsen, managing principle of Bozell. “We are honored to be recognized by AMA Omaha.”

Bozell received awards for work on behalf of Borsheims, Catholic Charities and Scott Technology Center, as well as Bozell’s intern recruitment campaign.

To see a complete list of the award, click here.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Karissa Armstrong is a small-town girl with a big-town crush, which started during her college years in Lincoln; being a Countess in the Aksarben Ball “was really my first experience into all that Omaha had to offer,” said Armstrong. “I really fell in love wiht the city at that point, and just knew I would come back.”

Originally from Minden, Neb. (south of Kearney), Armstrong graduated UNL with a degree in broadcast journalism, then moved into advertising in San Diego. But family and friends did, indeed, bring her back to the Midwest, and now she’s a familiar face in the Omaha scene, actively involved with All About Omaha, a charitable and social organization aimed at keeping young professionals engaged in the city.

Shout! sat down with Armstrong at the Riverfront’s Pedestrian Bridge to discuss winding career paths, the Torchlight Ball and the city’s image – a conversation that was less interview and more Omaha lovefest.

To read the full interview with Shout!, click here.

In his role as Director of Social Influence, Flavell will help companies develop successful, shareable social media campaigns, while managing Bozell’s social media efforts and staff. Since joining Bozell in 2006, he has had the opportunity to develop a variety of social media strategies for clients including Borsheims Fine Jewelry and Gifts, First National Bank, Right at Home, CARSTAR and many more.  Flavell is a graduate of Kansas State University, holding a dual BA degree in Public Relations and Spanish, with an outside focus in Web-based marketing.

As a Business and Engagement Developer, Goetz will assist clients with brand positioning and brand development. Since joining Bozell in 2006, she has worked with a variety of clients including Right at Home, VP Buildings, Alegent Health, UNMC Eppley Cancer Center, College World Series, OPPD and Market to Market Relay. Goetz graduated with a BA degree in Journalism from Creighton University.

In her role as Manager of Corporate Communications, Spaulding will coordinate the efforts for Bozell’s business development and will be responsible for Bozell positioning and communications for internal and external audiences. She joined Bozell in 2006 as a business development coordinator and in 2007 was promoted to business development manager. Spaulding graduated with a BA degree in Journalism from Creighton University.  She is currently continuing her education at Creighton by working on her MBA.

About Bozell

Bozell is an integrated marketing communications company with offices in Omaha and Kansas City. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

These awards represent the work produced in 2009 for two of Bozell’s clients: Borsheims Fine Jewelry and Gifts and VP Builders.  “We are very proud to receive these awards this year,” said Steve Kuegler, Managing Partner, Bozell Smartargeting™. “It is an honor to be recognized by the KCDMA for our creative ability and innovative techniques in our effort to reach our clients’ targeted audiences.”

Gold Awards were received in the category of Business Integrated Marketing for the VP Builders 2009 Builder Recruitment Campaign as well as the Consumer Direct Mail and Consumer Catalogs categories for Borsheims 2009 Holiday Campaign. A Consistent Achiever Award was presented to Bozell Smartargeting™ after receiving Gold Awards for both the 2008 and 2009 VP Builders campaign.

Bozell Smartargeting™ offers state-of-the-art strategic database marketing solutions such as monitoring customer behavior, identifying emerging customer needs, developing and testing new products and targeting highest-potential prospects. Other solutions offered include scoring existing customers based on actual return on investment, matching type and frequency of communications to diverse target segments and providing precise market intelligence in the development of strategy.

More than 400 members in KCDMA are dedicated to bringing quality educational opportunities to its members in an effort to improve the field of direct marketing. This year, more than 80 entries were submitted in 24 categories. The awards were judged by the Detroit Direct Marketing Association and 15 companies were awarded gold, silver and bronze AMBITS.

About Bozell

Bozell is an integrated marketing communications company with offices in Omaha and Kansas City. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies to understand its clients’ marketplace and incorporates innovative advertising, digital marketing, public relations, social influence marketing to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

“Brands live in the hearts and minds of consumers, not in neatly packaged commercials, ads or billboards. Brands are the cumulative experience over a period of time,” said Robin Donovan, managing principal of media and chief administrative officer of Bozell. “Karissa has a unique perspective to media placement that bridges the gap between traditional, Internet and social media platforms. She has extensive experience creating a robust consumer experience that works together to produce exceptional results.”

During her two year career at Bozell, Armstrong’s digital media expertise has impacted clients including Alegent Health, First National Bank, StonehouseGolf.com, WriteLife.com, Corn Refiners Association, CoCo Key Water Resort, Borsheims and Kansas Tourism. Her experience includes search engine marketing campaigns, negotiations and placement of television, radio, print, outdoor and online in more than 10 national markets, creation of sponsorships and promotional opportunities and developing strong relationships with key media partners.

Prior to joining Bozell in 2007, Armstrong developed national media experience in the San Diego Area. Over seven years, she worked with a variety of clients including the San Diego Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Penta Water, TaylorMade, SignOnSanDiego,com and the University of Phoenix. Armstrong holds a Bachelor’s of Journalism from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.  She is also the vice president of All About Omaha, non-profit organization comprised of young professionals ages 21-40 who are looking to get involved both civically and socially and enjoy all Omaha has to offer.

About Bozell
Bozell is an integrated marketing communications company with offices in Omaha and Kansas City. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Received in the Business Multimedia category, the gold award signifies Smartargeting’s contribution to solid strategy, innovation and direct marketing. “This award is the result of our team’s integrated effort to strategically connect with our client’s target audience,” said Steve Kuegler, Managing Partner, Smartargeting. “We are proud to be recognized by KCDMA.”

KCDMA has more than 400 members and is dedicated to bringing quality educational opportunities to its members while improving the field of direct marketing.

Bozell Smartargeting offers state-of-the-art strategic database marketing solutions such as monitoring customer behavior, identifying emerging customer needs, developing and testing new products and targeting highest-potential prospects. Other solutions offered include scoring existing customers based on actual return on investment, matching type and frequency of communications to diverse target segments and providing precise market intelligence in the development of strategy.

More than 100 entries were received in 21 categories. The awards were judged by the Detroit Direct Marketing Association and 19 companies were awarded gold, silver and bronze AMBITS.

About Bozell
Bozell is an integrated marketing communications company with offices in Omaha and Kansas City. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

To participate in the contest, three designers were selected to submit a Web site redesign for Mikee, a specialty-sauce maker that has a line of award-winning kosher products, to communicate the nature and character of the business. Sorensen focused on the usability of the site in his design. The vision of the easy-to-navigate product site was to showcase the sauces and focus on getting buyers to purchase the products.

“It was exciting to see how others took the same information and interpreted it in their own way,” said Sorensen. “But more importantly, this was a great learning tool for the client and for the designers.”

To read the Design Makeover column featuring Sorensen, visit http://www.layersmagazine.com/design-makeover-make-it-saucy.html.

“Networking can be a useful tool for finding a job, turning up new customers and making new business contacts, especially during an economic downturn.

“It becomes a crucial part of doing business,” said Barbara Foster, lead business development specialist at the Nebraska district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration.”

“The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce will honor more than 20 businesses and individuals at a luncheon May 12 at the Holiday Inn, 72nd and Grover Streets.”

The awards include the Corporate Citizenship Award, the Emerging Business of the Year Award, the Minority Business of the Year Award, the Nonprofit Organization of the Year Awards, the Small Business of the Year Award, the Women in Leadership Award, Golden Spike Awards and the Excellence in Business Awards.

The following recipients will be recognized at an 11:45 a.m. luncheon on May 12 at Holiday Inn Omaha Convention Center, 3321 S. 72nd St.:

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP AWARD
Bozell

The Corporate Citizenship Award recognizes an organization whose philosophy of giving has made a significant impact on the Omaha metropolitan community’s health and well being. The award was created to encourage and support corporate social responsibility.

The Corporate Citizenship Award is sponsored by FirstComp.

EMERGING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Veteran Defense Services, Inc.

The Emerging Business of the Year Award recognizes a successful business start-up that has laid the foundation for future growth and achievement by developing sound business strategy and practices.

MINORITY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
ProKarma, Inc.

The Minority Business of the Year Award recognizes a successful ethnic minority-owned firm that has demonstrated business growth and contributions to the community.

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Social Settlement and Uta Halee Girls Village, Inc.

The Nonprofit Organization of the Year Awards recognize organizations for their excellent stewardship of resources and exceptional outcomes.

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Rockbrook Village Shopping Center, Inc.

This award is chosen from the 2008 Small Business of the Month Award winners. This business is recognized for its commitment to strong customer service and community involvement.
The Small Business of the Month and Year Awards are sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska.

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AWARD
Adrian Minks, Omaha Public Power District

The Women in Leadership Award recognizes and honors women leaders who have excelled in their chosen field, devoted time and energy to strengthen and transform the community and mentor and develop others.

GOLDEN SPIKE AWARDS
Anthony’s Steakhouse & Ozone Lounge
Farmers National Company
Hillcrest Health Systems, Inc.
Jensen Tire & Auto
Markel BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar & Mini
Renze Display

This award recognizes businesses or industries that boost economic development and the stability in all areas of metropolitan Omaha. These recipients have expanded their businesses through capital improvements, expanded operations or added jobs over the past five years and have an operating history of at least 10 years.

The Golden Spike Awards are sponsored by Northwest Bank.

EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS AWARDS
CoSentry
CSSS.NET
Hemphill Staffing Solutions, Inc.
Holmes Murphy
Lifespan Technology Recycling
Merchants Credit Adjusters, Inc.
Miller Electric Company
PayPal
Remcon
Right at Home, Inc.
Signature Performance, Inc.
Thrasher Basement Systems, Inc.

This award recognizes outstanding companies with an operating history of at least five years, positive revenue and payroll growth over the last three years, and demonstrates excellence in business practices.

The 2009 Omaha 25 Awards Luncheon is sponsored by KETV and SMITH HAYES Financial Services Corporation. The Corporate Citizenship Award is sponsored by FirstComp. The Golden Spike Awards are sponsored by Northwest Bank. The Small Business of the Month and Year Awards are sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska.

Tickets are $40 per person and $400 per table of ten for members and $80 per person and $800 per table of ten for nonmembers. Reservations are due by Wednesday, May 6
through www.omahachamber.org/omaha25, to reservations@omahachamber.org or (402) 978-7912.

The mission of the Greater Omaha Chamber is to increase business, investment and employment in the Greater Omaha area.

CONTACT: Karla Ewert, vice president – communications
(402) 978-7942, office or (402) 320-4559, cell
Greater Omaha Chamber
1301 Harney St. • Omaha, NE 68102 • 13206 Grover St. • Omaha, NE 68144
Phone (402) 346-5000 • Fax (402) 346-7050 OmahaChamber.org

The Ad Rookie of the Year recognizes an OFA member with five or fewer years in advertising who demonstrates outstanding work both professionally and in the community. Goetz manages the Right at Home, Inc., and Market to Market Relay accounts and provides primary account support for Alegent Health, the College World Series, Inc., and United Way of the Midlands. Prior to working at Bozell, Goetz held internships with the communications department at Metropolitan Utilities District and the marketing department at Alegent Health. She graduated from Creighton University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

“Christin gives her best, day in and day out. She’s an outstanding young woman who’s dedicated and flexible, and we are so pleased to have her as a part of our team,” said Angel Carl, Vice President, Marketing at Right At Home.

Goetz chairs the Omaha Federation of Advertising’s education committee, and over the past two years, has established a seminar for professors at Meet the Pros and the “Smart Spending. Big Profits.” small business symposium. She is also a member of Moxie Paper Press, a young independent publisher in Omaha and is a contributing writer for Food & Spirits magazine.

“Christin is a rising star in the Omaha advertising community. This award is an acknowledgement of her outstanding professional achievements – and those yet to come. She has a tenacious spirit, is forward thinking and is a persistent student of marketing,” said Kevin Hutchison, Partner in Charge, Brand Navigation at Bozell. “She is devoted to our industry and to our community. We are thrilled to have her on the Bozell team and I believe that we will be hearing more about her in the future!”

About Bozell
Bozell is an integrated marketing communications company with offices in Omaha and Kansas City. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

“A couple years ago we recognized the need to make some significant strategic changes to be more competitive. So we first realigned the ownership group to reflect the necessary shift in business capabilities. By adding Corey Meyer, we were able to strengthen the ownership team and enhance the depth of our consulting practice,” said Robin Donovan, Bozell owner and principal, Administration and Business Services. Meyer has a 20-year track record of strategic, operational and marketing consulting working for companies such as Arthur Andersen and Gallup in the consumer products, retail, financial services and telecommunications sectors. The addition of Meyer completes the Bozell ownership team of Mickelsen, Donovan and Meyer.

“The ownership and management teams are leading the efforts at Bozell to place a greater emphasis on dialogue with and between key stakeholders, business partners and customers,” Mickelsen said. With Bozell’s recent acquisition of Orajan, a web design and development company, and the addition of the Dialogue Relations department, which includes social media, media relations, strategic planning and community relations, Bozell is continuing to evolve the way they do business. Bozell has also restructured its creative department into two divisions, advertising and design. In addition to traditional advertising, the company is expanding their design capabilities to better meet the needs of their customers.

With more than 20 years of experience in strategic planning, media relations and marketing communications, in California and Nebraska, Sylvia France recently joined Bozell as Partner in Charge, Dialogue Relations. Prior to joining Bozell, she worked at several marketing communications consulting firms, including Bailey Lauerman in Omaha and Regis McKenna in Palo Alto, Calif., as well as owning her own agency in Silicon Valley. She graduated from Florida State University, with bachelor’s degrees in finance and international marketing.

Joining Bozell as Partner in Charge, Brand Navigation, Kevin Hutchison brings to the agency more than 20 years of experience in account management, nonprofit marketing and financial communications. Hutchison previously served as an account director at Karsh\Hagan Communications and also at Bozell as an account director on clients including First National Bank Kansas, MidAmerican Energy, CBSHOME Real Estate and Boy Scouts of America. He received a liberal arts degree from Asbury College.

Cort Irish joined Bozell in 2003 as Broadcast Manager, was promoted to Media Director in 2005 and was recently named Partner in Charge, Media. Currently, he supervises all of the media planning and buying for the agency’s clients. Prior to joining Bozell in 2003, Irish handled media for top agencies D’Arcy and Leo Burnett in New York. Irish graduated from Illinois Sate University, with a double-major in marketing and business administration.

As Managing Partner, Smartargeting, Steve Kuegler works closely with clients to develop their overall strategic database marketing programs. This includes a sophisticated analysis of clients’ customer’s data, evaluation of market factors and analysis of their internal systems. Previously he was vice-president of Database Marketing Services for Bernstein-Rein located in Kansas City, Missouri where he oversaw all aspects of the day-to-day operation of the department, as well as managed the database programs for all Bernstein’s clients, including Wal-Mart, Blockbuster Video, and Anheuser-Busch Entertainment. Kuegler also previously served as branch manager at Dun & Bradstreet Information Services and as the national marketing manager for a database-marketing subsidiary of SPS Payment Systems headquartered in Chicago, IL.

Jill Rizzo joined Bozell in 2006 as Associate Creative Director and was recently promoted to Partner in Charge, Design. Rizzo oversees the design teams for Alegent Health, Borsheims, VT and Tnemec. Prior to joining Bozell, she served as senior design director at David Day and Associates. She was also one of the creators of the Bemis Underground, an actively flourishing experimental gallery space sponsored by the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. She received her bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Creighton University and has also studied at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and St. Olaf College.

Cliff Watson was recently named Partner in Charge, Advertising. Before coming to Bozell in 2002, Watson was a writer for premium outdoor recreation companies including Remington Arms, Perception Kayaks, and Mossy Oak camouflage. His experience also includes extensive work on a wide range of brands, from finance to food service and professional sports to local government. His advertising has been recognized by numerous creative organizations, including the One Club, Art Director’s Club, Clios, and OBIEs. Watson graduated from Rhodes College with a degree in fiction writing.

Scott Rowe was recently promoted to Partner in Charge, Interactive Planning and Strategy after previously serving as Interactive Services Director. Before joining Bozell, Scott co-owned and developed Seeit.com, a national Web site using streaming video to make apartment hunting easier. Previously he worked as a photojournalist for a CBS affiliate. Rowe graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a B.S. degree in broadcasting.

Brian Wetjen joins Bozell as Partner in Charge, Interactive Creative. He founded Orajen, a web design and development company in 2001, and served as co-owner until Bozell acquired the company in July 2008. He also previously served as webmaster for Bellevue Data Communications and was responsible for the design, programming and development of Web sites. An Omaha native, Wetjen graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and printmaking.

About Bozell
Bozell is an integrated marketing communications company with offices in Omaha and Kansas City. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

The social media seminar is the first in a series of three seminars to introduce some of the most relevant issues in marketing and branding today. In addition to social media, seminar topics will include maximizing your visibility on search engines and building marketing databases. Small business owners, marketing managers, marketing consultants, team leaders and anyone seeking to maximize their marketing efforts are encouraged to attend. The Seminar Series will visit three cities in addition to Omaha – Kansas City, Des Moines and Denver.

The social media seminar in Omaha begins at 11:30 with a general session of the practical and successful uses of social media. There will be four breakout sessions including using Twitter to promote your business, successful tactics for social media optimization (SMO), blogging for business and online reputation management.

Each session will have a Q&A period for attendees to get advice on their own challenges. During breaks, the presenters will be available for one-on-one consultation. “We will offer real, practical tips, tricks and tools you can use daily for your marketing plans,” Mickelsen said. “It’s a hands-on session and how-to and we’ll provide worksheets, guidelines, links to free tools and much more.”

Registration is available online at www.sausagefactoryseminars.com and the cost is $159 per seminar. Also, mark your calendars for the next seminar on maximizing your search engine visibility in Omaha on March 26. For the latest on the seminar series, visit the Sausage Factory’s Twitter at www.twitter.com/SausageFactory.

About Sausage Factory Seminars
Using a series of three seminars, the Sausage Factory introduces you to the new way of marketing. When it comes to strategy and messaging mix, it used to be like making a nice, simple soup. But the industry is changing and now you have to throw everything into a bowl, grind it together and make sausage. Each session of the series will teach you some of the most relevant issues in marketing and branding today.

About Bozell
Bozell is an integrated marketing communications company with offices in Omaha and Kansas City. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Bozell received paper anvil awards for work on behalf of the Omaha Stadium campaign, the DOCCENTER launch of www.doclanding.com, the Men’s College World Series, Catholic Charities, Wildsmiles and Bozell.

“Winning the awards was the culmination of an integrated, agency-wide effort to produce outstanding work for our clients, “said Sylvia France, partner in charge of Dialogue Relations at Bozell. “We are honored to be recognized by PRSA.”

The entries were judged by members of the Houston, Texas chapter of PRSA. Awards of excellence were reserved for outstanding entries that did a superior job of meeting the stated goals and in achieving results. Awards of merit were determined by the judges as entries that met stated goals and demonstrated good results, according to PRSA Nebraska.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

The Show, hosted annually by AIGA, exhibits the best in graphic design, photography and illustration produced in the region. This competition includes entries from design professionals and students, featuring both published and unpublished work. More than 900 entries were judged by a panel of individuals with extensive professional experience in the design field.

“The Show is a great opportunity to showcase our most creative and innovative work,” said Brian Wetjen, partner in charge of Interactive Creative at Bozell. “While our first commitment is to produce outstanding work for our clients, our team is honored to be recognized by AIGA.”

Bozell received a gold award for its design of Krista’s Creations’ Web site, http://www.letter-photo.com. This dynamic website allows customers to create custom products based on the artist’s unique photography. Customers can select images from Krista’s vast image library and assemble words out of the “letters” in the photographs. Bozell also received bronze awards for the Creighton Fine Arts Faculty Portfolio of Creative Work, the Bozell New Employee Handbook and the Bozell Office Charms.

About Bozell
Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. Bozell then uses advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

PRINT, a bimonthly magazine about culture and design, recognizes the best design, illustrations and photography being produced throughout the U.S. each year. This highly-competitive competition received more than 20,000 individual entries for the 2008 Regional Annual. Bozell’s entry, the Bozell Culture Calendar ’07 is showcased in the December 2008 issue.

The culture calendar was designed by Bozell designer Aaron Christensen to benefit the United Way of the Midlands. Christensen gained inspiration for the calendar design from Bozell’s unique work environment. Each month features a different aspect of the Bozell culture, including ping-pong games and a hot-dog eating contest.

“Bozell’s Smartargeting group offers complete solutions that allow all types of businesses to communicate with their customers one-on-one,” said Steve Kuegler, Smartargeting managing partner. “With Amy’s technology background and Rick’s creative experience, we will be able to take our existing suite of services to the next level.”

Bozell Smartargeting offers customer behavior database monitoring, identification of emerging customer needs, developing and testing new products and targeting highest-potential prospects. Other solutions offered include scoring existing customers based on actual return on investment, matching type and frequency of communications to diverse target segments and providing precise market intelligence in the development of strategy.

“The success of Smartargeting and the additions of Amy and Rick enable Bozell to better prepare and offer integrated marketing services to a variety of clients,” said Kim Mickelsen, Bozell managing principle.

As director of analytics, Welsh will manage and lead the direction of Smartargeting database storage and retrieval and provide clients with detailed production reports. She spent the past 10 years in many positions including systems and database analysts for the Marketing, Sales, and Network divisions for Sprint Nextel Corporation. At Sprint Nextel she designed and implemented many data warehouses and provided integrated data solutions through-out multiple divisions. She graduated from DeVry University with a bachelor’s degree in business operations. She has experience with many of the major database software companies on the market, but has advanced database training in Statistical Analysis Software (SAS), the market-leader of analytical software.

Anderson is responsible for the strategic and creative development for database/analytics for multi-channel direct programs and campaigns. He has spent 20 years in general advertising and has been in direct marketing for the last 16 years. Prior to joining Bozell, Rick worked with Bernstein-Rein Advertising as Associate Creative Director on such accounts as California Chamber of Commerce, SunCom Wireless, Commerce Bank, Thornburg Mortgage, USAA, Healthfair and Advahome Mortgage. Anderson’s experience includes brand development with multi-channel direct programs on many of the accounts listed.

Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Nebraska and Overland Park, Kansas. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. They then use advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information, visit www.bozell.com.

Adams joins the account executive team working on the First National Bank account. In Adams’ previous position at Velocity Sports & Entertainment in Charlotte, N.C., Specializing in sports and entertainment, she previously served as consulting manager for the Cingular Wireless/AT&T and Toyota Motor Sales at Velocity Sports & Entertainment in Charlotte, N.C. Adams currently serves as vice president of charitable events on the All About Omaha board. Originally from Firth, Neb., she received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Sorenson joins the creative team as art director, working primarily on the First National Bank account. Sorenson previously worked as art directors at Swanson-Russell in Lincoln and SKAR Advertising in Omaha. He is currently a member of AIGA, the professional association for design. A Lincoln native, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Swain serves as interactive project director, where she manages Interactive projects and creates Web site copy. Prior to joining Bozell, Swain worked in the insurance industry for 18 years assuming various marketing and communication roles throughout her career. As a marketing communications coordinator at Mutual of Omaha, Swain wrote award-winning copy for agency promotions. During her nine-year tenure as Marketing Manager at Jefferson Pilot Financial, Swain guided the efforts of all marketing and communications activities for group sales personnel within the Benefit Partners Division. Swain graduated from Creighton University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Bozell is a creative marketing communications company with offices in Omaha, Kansas City and Little Rock. Bozell combines qualitative and quantitative methodology to get close to its clients’ customers. They then use advertising, digital marketing, dialogue relations, technology and innovative creative to provide targeted solutions for local, regional and national clients. For more information visit www.bozell.com.