Our Beginnings

Our Beginnings

Corporate America was under attack. Consumer confidence was down the drain. Advertising executives were sobbing while they slept. And a team of extremely successful – and somewhat nutty – marketers thought it was a great time to create a new advertising agency. An agency that could give every client a level of strategic thinking, creativity and innovation that would actually improve their business. And after much blood, sweat and tears, we are happy to say that TTD is alive and kicking, and a much, much better idea than our in-laws assumed.

Our Beliefs

The Almighty Brand .

Growing it, tending to it and keeping true to its identity at all points of consumer interaction are vitals that every marketing agency advocates. And yeah, you can include us in that group. But what brought Thomas Taber & Drazen together, and what gets us bouncing out of bed every morning excited to work, is a belief system that defines our very essence.

The belief that ingenious strategic marketing begins with a deep and thorough insight into our clientÕs business. Oh, and a work ethic that can only be described as fanatic.

The belief that great advertising based on truly human, relevant, and effective communication doesnÕt attempt to sell anything. It makes consumers want to buy.

The belief that everything done for a client – whether itÕs a multimedia campaign, logo design or a status report – ought to be handled as though it were the only thing we do.

The belief that itÕs impossible to create outstanding work without clients who hunger for it as much as we do.

And finally, a belief that the agencyÕs partners – not junior level folks – should take responsibility for and work directly on all of our clientÕs businesses. As we like to say around hereÉ

This is no time for lightweights.

Our Services

It takes more than creating a clientÕs newest ad to make a significant difference to their business. It entails a collection of brain cells stretching in all directions until we get to that epiphany, exposing a fantastic idea that will resonate with your target in a distinctively gripping and relevant way. This requires being media neutral. And having a full armory of marketing services within armÕs reach: strategic marketing (our expertise in this are could fill its own website), direct marketing, digital media, sales promotion, media planning/buying and interactive marketing. WeÕve appointed a hand-selected group of marketing-savvy individuals to take care of the actual production. Oh, and we also create some pretty captivating ads.

Key People

Bryan Thomas  CEO

-Bryan has been a key figure in the Denver advertising community for over 25 years. He founded Thomas & Perkins Advertising in 1984, and by the early 90Õs had turned it into one of the WestÕs advertising powerhouses. The agency quickly earned a reputation for jump-starting challenger brands, not only building the brands up, but improving sales almost instantly. BryanÕs shop generated successful strategies that dramatically increased the day-to-day business of national retailers like Gart Sports (now The Sports Authority), Diamond Shamrock (a gas retailer spanning Texas to Michigan) and CellularOne. All these companies experienced a significant 8%-20% boost in their same-store sales. Bryan left his agency in 2002 to found Thomas Taber & Drazen in cooperation with three incredibly talented partners. And considering the notable portfolio of accounts theyÕve pulled together already, it seems history is definitely starting to repeat itself.

Bob Taber Managing Partner, Strategic Planning

- YouÕve probably spent the last three decades seeing BobÕs work in everything from travel to restaurant advertising. A 30-year advertising veteran, heÕs spent his career at prestigious national agencies in New York, San Francisco and Seattle. Before relocating to Denver in 1999, he was Senior Partner, Director of Strategic Planning at Bozell Worldwide in New York, taking strategic control on such accounts as The New York Times, Merrill Lynch and Bell Atlantic Mobile. BobÕs strategic work for the ÒMilk MustacheÓ campaign was key in reversing a 20-year decline of milk consumption. His strategic expertise was acknowledged with Effie awards for campaign effectiveness for his work with Ray-Ban sunglasses, Purina O.N.E and Telluride Ski Resort. And as a University of Oregon School of Journalism professor, he led student teams to the finals of the American Advertising Federation's national advertising competition. However, BobÕs most treasured prizes are his two sons: a twenty-something and a toddler. Now thatÕs a lifetime of success.

Daphne Fink Taber  Managing Partner, Account Services & Direct Marketing

- DaphneÕs focus is directed towards one goal, results. Since diving headfirst into direct marketing at New York advertising agencies Bozell Worldwide, Wunderman Cato Johnson, and Lowe Worldwide, her enterprises have produced strong business results for such clients as Bristol Myers Squibb, USPS, American Express and Whitehall-Robbins. DaphneÕs initiative for the AMEX Senior card program counteracted a competitive ambush, cutting attrition among senior members by 50%. Prior to starting Thomas Taber and Drazen, she headed up the direct marketing department at Thomas & Perkins, where she handled Wells Fargo, Quest and CellularOne, to name a few. Since moving to the Rocky Mountain region, Daphne has turned into quite the skier. But not surprisingly, she wishes the results were just a little stronger.

Spike Stevens  Director, Interactive Strategy & Creative

- Our resident interactive marketing whiz, Spike spent some time experimenting with various odd jobs (roof repair, data entry, pet psychic before convincing a small Boulder shop to hire him as a junior art director. Over the next few years he spent a lot of time with his butt in a chair and his hand on a mouse as he developed an aptitude, insight and zeal for interactive development and design. By the time 2000 rolled around he had co-founded 23airmail, an interactive agency based in LoDo (Lower Downtown Denver), creating work for Apple, Porsche and Vail resorts. In 2004 Leo Burnett, Chicago, landed Spike as a contract Interactive Creative Director. There, he worked with the in-house McDonalds, Altoids and U.S. Army creative teams. His next adventure was leading the creative team at DenverÕ ad agency rabble+rouser as Creative Director. Besides overseeing all work for Weber Grills, Spike continued to lead the integration of traditional and interactive marketing before finding a home at TTD. And in case you were wondering Spike got his nickname (heÕs still Michael on his birth certificate) from his 4^th grade math teacher. Thanks, Mr. Sharman.

Dirk Van Slyke

Dirk has spent nearly twenty years at agencies such as The Richards Group and GSD&M. HeÕs helped build global brands on B2B and B2C clients such as Continental Airlines, Origin Systems, Birkman International, BusinessSuites, Doubletree Hotels, Jiffy Lube, Neiman Marcus, Wyndham Hotels and more. He also ran a successful marketing firm for years. Most recently, he helped take a medical ID company international, thereby tripling sales. Dirk knows a clientÕs problems are not solved by just a great idea. To compete and win in todayÕs marketplace, it takes flawless execution and the ability to see the big picture–something Dirk has gained quite a reputation for. DirkÕs also a dedicated husband and father of two. And he can make some of the best pancakes you will ever eat (or at least that is what his children say).

Al DeSaverio  Senior Art Director / Graphic Designer

- How would we survive without Al as art director, graphic designer and de facto studio head? His comprehensive 25-year advertising and web design background has included such well-known Denver ad agencies as Barnhart Advertising, Karsh & Hagan and Thomas & Perkins. And if you talk to someone from AT&T, The Colorado Lottery, Wells Fargo and CellularOne, weÕre sure theyÕll remember AlÕs deft design sense, infectious laugh and unlimited supply of energy.

Dawn Morris  Print Production Director

- With more than 15 years experience as a print production manager, itÕs no surprise that Quest Dex Direct chose Dawn to establish their method for pricing and production of high-volume direct mail at their brand-new in-house agency – quite the sentence and quite the responsibility. Before Quest, Dawn was in charge of production at Thomas & Perkins, DenverÕs biggest full-service ad agency at the time. Now at TTD, she administers, well, everything. From tent cards to high-end collateral to a slew of direct responses to ad campaigns, Dawn always manages to get everything out on time while getting our clients the best prices. Way to go, Dawn.

Our Work

Altitude – When itÕs time to go for the kill, we get psyched. The opportunity came when Altitude Sports & Entertainment, a rookie TV network with exclusive rights to the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche, discovered they needed to be carried by Comcast Cable to survive. So the gloves came off and we launched a multi-media attack informing diehard Denver fans that Comcast was refusing to play ball. Next thing you know, ComcastÕs phone lines were ringing off the hook from ticked-off fans. And two weeks later, on the weekend of the NuggetÕs opening game, a deal was made. Sweet.

Built Green – Our work for Built Green, the nationÕs premier organization endorsing environmentally responsible housing, was based on one purpose— to prove that itÕs worth shelling out a little more for a Built Green home. Even if youÕre not a Òtree hugger.Ó That thereÕs just as much value in it for the buyer as for the environment. Not even a year later, their sales are up 31%. Great for Built Green. Great for the Earth.

Colorado Farm Bureau Insurance - Colorado is a great place to live. Well, if you donÕt mind the hail, the tornadoes and the sporadic wild animal attack. And who knows ColoradoÕs nooks and crannies better than Colorado Farm Bureau Insurance? Nobody. They just needed some clever insurance marketing to let people in on that. So we created a print and radio campaign with a humorous take on the risks inherent in owning a home or car here. The result was record-breaking awareness of Colorado Farm Bureau Insurance. (And the perils of bighorn sheep).

Einstein Bros. Bagels – After years of trying to build up their lunch business, Einstein Bros. Bagels decided it was about time they went back to their roots, breakfast. And using our expertise in food advertising, thatÕs exactly what this campaign did by focusing on strengthening the brand name while conveying their unique quality and quirkiness in an overly routine world.

Einstein Bros. Cafe – With approximately 400 stores around the country, Einstein Bros. Bagels needed to stand out from the onslaught of restaurant advertising to successfully launch their new cafŽ concept. Currently in test markets, our campaign targeting women 25-44, puts a twist on the fast-casual lunch market, infusing it with quality and charm.

Great-West Healthcare – WeÕre not usually big on metaphors. But this time the temptation was just too strong. Healthcare advertising is usually a money game. And

as a company overwhelmingly outspent in a category that demands awareness to be merely considered, Great-West Healthcare needed instant brand recognition. And there were just too many parallels between the pioneering spirit of AmericaÕs great West and the pioneering spirit demonstrated by Great-West Healthcare in limiting health care costs, to ignore.

ICON Advisers – Clients who have a passion for their brands are the perfect match for us. Even if their passion is to be totally dispassionate. As a rapidly growing investment firm, ICON knew their financial marketing needed to express their strictly quantitative, non-emotional method of investing. Such a distinctive approach necessitated an equally distinctive branding campaign. Even if it was a little more poignant.

John Atencio – Market research informed us that women who wear John AtencioÕs boldly unique jewelry are confident, independent, and not at all timid when it comes to expressing themselves in a distinctive manner. The end result was a print and outdoor campaign featuring bold products juxtaposed against oh-so-droll headlines. Thus prompted distinctive ladies everywhere to remember that they were the perfect match for AtencioÕs designs. The result? AtencioÕs most profitable holiday season in its 25-year lifespan, with a 27% revenue spike over last year.

Johns Manville – We love a challenge. And Johns Manville, a foremost builder of home products, certainly gave us a good one. Their Intellectual Property Department was worried there were a surplus of great ideas floating around the company that werenÕt attaining fruition, or more significantly, ideas the company didnÕt legally own. So we came up with a poster and guerilla campaign that was placed in all of their facilities nationwide, urging employees to patent their ideas with the IP Department. ItÕs such a shame you canÕt patent ads.

Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center – When people think of attorneys, noble might not be the first word that pops into their heads. But the lawyers at Rocky Mountain ChildrenÕs Law center definitely earn that title. They work diligently to further the healing and healthy development of abused and abandoned children, working at one-third of their usual rate to ensure every foster child finds a loving, permanent home. ItÕs an honor to represent them. And a pleasure to say that our first direct mail advertisement for them received their best response in their 24-year history.

RTD – Sure, taking the bus is practical, but most white-collar commuters agree-- itÕs not really their thing. Our out-of-home campaign for the Regional Transportation District of Denver emphasizes the distinctive and inherent advantages of taking the bus while branding the experience as being a little more hip. A mere four months after its launch, RTD ridership was at an unprecedented high.

The Baltimore Examiner – We couldnÕt have picked a better time to launch The Baltimore Examiner. BaltimoreÕs only daily newspaper wasnÕt a local favorite, and in general, the newspaper industry was losing its hold on consumers. As a result, readers were practically pleading for something new, and the Examiner was going to deliver (shameless puns notwithstanding). A campaign of motivating teasers endorsed product trial, enabling the quality of the paper to promote its own benefits.

The Washington Examiner – As a free, local newspaper in the tremendously

media-savvy DC market, The Washington Examiner had a lot of work to do. Usually local papers – especially free ones - are seen by both consumers and advertisers as being too unsophisticated to be taken seriously. Our launch campaign was intended to permanently dispel them of this idea.

WOW! – As a reasonably small cable and Internet company, WOW! is the loveable underdog, duking it out with the Comcasts of the world for subscribers. No doubt about it, itÕs a tough business, requiring a flood of cross-channel promotion and direct marketing. But all our effort is being rewarded, as much of our branding and creative work has established new industry response standards.

Our Clients

That's why we look for companies who understand the power of true client-agency collaboration, and share our passion for both brilliant ideas and execution.

Colorado Farm Bureau Insurance , DVDPlay , Great-West Healthcare , Hach Homeland Security, Technologies , ICON Advisers , LandWell Company , Built Green , ManiaTV! , Park City Mountain Resort,  Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center , WOW! Internet Cable Phone

Our Press

DVDPlay Hires TT&D - AdWeek, July 5, 2007

The Art of Numbers ‰€Ò US Ad Revew, Volume No. 56.

Utah Mountain Resort Picks Thomas Taber and Drazen - Adweek, April 16, 2007

Ad Leaves Fans Snickering - Rocky Mountain News, February 5, 2007

Creative Coverage - Adweek, December 30, 2006

Colorado Insurer Goes Local in Print Push - Adweek, December 14, 2006

Newspaper free for all - ColoradoBiz, July 2006

Examiner gets ready to roll out daily paper - Baltimore Biz Journal, March 31, 2006

Agency No One's Heard Of Wins Most Addy's In Region - Adrants, March 2006

Bagel Chain Turns Gourmet - Adweek, March 28, 2005

Denver Agency Intros D.C.-area Paper - Adweek, February 1, 2005

TTD Leads Nuggets Fan Revolt - Adweek, November 12, 2004

Great-West Unveils Its First Ad Campaign - Rocky Mountain News, July 30, 2004

Big Ad Players Grabbing Bulk of Denver Biz - Denver Business Journal, February 27, 2002

Four Ad Executives Open An Agency In Denver - New York Times, October 8, 2002

New Ad Agency Emerges From Denver Dustup - Adweek, October 7, 2002

Former N.Y. Ad Man Sold on Denver - Denver Post, October 4, 2002

Employment

WeÕre always on the lookout for the most talented (and nicest) people out there.   All positions:  HR@ttdusa.com    Click here for information on our Internship Program

Contact

New business: Bryan Thomas, CEO  bryant@ttdusa.com  

Print Production: Dawn Morris, Print Production Director  dawnm@ttdusa.com  

Research: Bob Taber, Managing Partner, Strategic Planning  bobt@ttdusa.com  

Account Management and Direct Marketing: Daphne Fink Taber, Managing Partner, Account Services & Direct Marketing  daphneft@ttdusa.com

  Interactive: Spike Stevens, Director, Interactive Strategy & Creative  spike@ttdusa.com 

Thomas Taber & Drazen  1614 Fifteenth Street Denver, CO 80202

  General 303-468-3550  Fax 303-468-3551

Bagel and A Shmear

Ingredients:

Breakfast (do not substitute lunch)

The Challenge

In 2005 new marketing management at New World Restaurant Group, parent company of Einstein Bros. Bagels, called in Thomas Taber & Drazen to help position a new fast casual concept, Einstein Bros. CafŽ.

They planned to convert all 360 bagel shops into a quick casual lunch destination. After seven unsuccessful years promoting lunch at Einstein Bros. Bagels with declining same-store sales, they believed their best strategy was to kill the old concept and replace it with a new one.

TTD facilitated a structured, collaborative two-day work session with NWRG management – from the CEO on down to the assistant marketing manager, 22 people in all.

The first task was to understand the Einstein Bros. brand and how it could be leveraged in the CafŽ concept.

Insight

Consumer research showed that Einstein Bros. owned bagels.

And bagels are breakfast.

What breakfast-oriented brand has ever made the transition to lunch? Not DunkinÕ Donuts or milk (two brands weÕve had direct experience with.) Not IHOP, Aunt Jemima, or orange juice – despite ÒItÕs not just for breakfast anymoreÓ – no brand has made the transition from breakfast to lunch.

Strategy

TTD recommended returning Einstein Bros. Bagels to it roots: fresh, wholesome bagels and coffee with a quirky personality and quality product that give the brand authenticity.

TTD believed that the consumerÕs rushed, mindless morning rut of getting the same coffee and the same breakfast sandwich at the same fast food or C-store day after day could be disrupted by promoting fresh bagels and shmear, craveable breakfast sandwiches and Darn Good¨ coffee.

Besides, the typical Einstein Bros. Bagel store was too small and in the wrong location for the CafŽ concept – a sit-down lunch destination.

Solution

ÒAnything But RoutineÓ speaks to the unique product offering, quality ingredients, made-to-order freshness and quirky in-store experience that are Einstein Bros. Bagels. The tagline became the rallying cry for new, refreshed store-interiors, new crew uniforms, an updated customer service training program, new in-store POP and a revised menu with renewed focus on breakfast items.

ÒIntroducing a shmear campaign against fast food breakfastÓ outdoor bulletins launched the new advertising campaign September 2005 in key markets.

Results for Einstein Bros. Bagels

Same-store sales were +5.5% in 2005, the first increase in nearly two years. More than 90% of that increase came from breakfast.

Retail promotions increased featured breakfast sandwich sales 158%.

Einstein Bros. CafŽ Positioning

Meanwhile, NWRG had invested in developing and building the CafŽ concept in six stores in Denver and Colorado Springs. Concurrent to refocusing Einstein Bros. Bagels on breakfast, we launched a test market campaign for Einstein Bros. CafŽ.

The CafŽ concept features private booths covered in brightly colored upholstery with table delivery and pick-up of gourmet sandwiches and salads served on real china and silverware.

Relative to the Bagel brand, CafŽÕs appeal is more female than male, more social get-together than single grab-n-go, sophisticated and professional rather than quirky and funky, and at a higher price point.

CafŽ raises the bar on quick casual. For the first time, busy, demanding professionals have a place for lunch worthy of entertaining a client, meeting friends or colleagues or just taking a Ôtime-out.Õ

TTD positioned Einstein Bros. CafŽ as ÒHandcrafted gourmet sandwiches worth lingering over.Ó

Inspiration at Every Table

The test market advertising campaign consists of television, out-of-home and print ads. The unique, distinctive handcrafted sandwiches and salads take center stage in every execution. ÒInspiration at every tableÓ speaks first to the culinary offering, but also to the sophisticated professional woman in her desire to have a rewarding experience.

The advertising challenges casual dining concepts in quality, artistry and atmosphere – at a quick casual price.

Results for Einstein Bros. Cafe

Following just six weeks of advertising, post-test research, conducted by Harman Atchison, concluded,

ÒThe Einstein Bros. CafŽ campaign created significantly higher advertising awareness compared to previous

Einstein Bros. advertising.Ó

¥ Awareness of CafŽ was comparable to that for the Bagels brand which had been in-market for nearly a decade;

¥ Nearly 40% were aware Einstein Bros. had converted its Bagel shops to CafŽ;

¥ Most significantly, CafŽ realized a shift toward lunch visits from 17% to 27% of transactions.

Alas, it takes more than effective advertising to grow a successful new concept. Management at New World Restaurant Group and new investors decided to focus resources – financial, operational and marketing – on building the Bagels brand.

Good decision. After seven consecutive negative quarters, Einstein Bros. Bagels is enjoying its 15^th consecutive positive quarter since we refocused their business on breakfast.

Anything but routine, indeed.

CASE STUDY: Built Green Changing green perceptions

Built Green is a non-profit promoting the building and buying of environmentally responsible new homes in Colorado. Staffed with the assistance of the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver, Built Green is funded by home builders, building materials and appliance manufacturers, subcontractors, retailers and industry-related businesses throughout the state.

Built Green asked Thomas Taber & Drazen to jump start a marketing communications campaign to build awareness and increase its market share of newly-constructed home sales in Colorado.

Inside Out Reveals ItÕs Economics, Not Environmental for Home Builders

In 2003 just 10% of ColoradoÕs new-built homes were Built Green. How to get builders to buy into the industry-serving, if not environmentally-saving, purpose of Built Green?

To build green requires revamping a builderÕs organization from top to bottom. Design, materials, construction, labor, sales and marketing must adjust to meeting Built GreenÕs 220 standards in 11 classifications from siding to energy use, water conservation and indoor air systems using higher quality materials and advanced construction methods.

To recoup the investment, builders must price their Built Green homes about 6% more than the same house that doesnÕt meet Built Green standards. On a $350,000 house the extra $21,000 for building green can break a sale if prospective homebuyers arenÕt convinced of the extra value in a Built Green home.

Non-Built Green builders couldnÕt justify the added cost of building green given the perceived lack of consumer demand. ÒIt just doesnÕt pencil,Ó as one builder CFO put it. Without demand for Built Green homes by prospective buyers, builders had little motivation to raise the price of new houses.

Outside In Pinpoints Resistance to Paying for Saving the Environment

Consumer research, including focus groups, a segmentation study and ongoing A&U surveys; led to targeting two segments based on how consumers relate to environmental issues. Dubbed ÒGreenback GreensÓ and ÒSprouts,Ó these were the largest segments that were willing to pay more for green products, but had to be convinced that there was something in it for them.

Secondary research from the National Association of Home Builders said most consumers were not willing to pay more for environmentally friendly homes. A segmentation study by Roper ASWÕs Green Gauge Report pinpointed the motivations behind buying green – or not – for five segments of consumers:

The True Blue Greens are already in the fold. The fact that the percentage of Built Green homes sold and the percentage of True Blue Greens are the same is not coincidental. These are the most motivated to buy a green-built home.

Greenback Greens, those who can afford and are willing to buy green, and Sprouts, the middle majority that looks most like the rest of America in their political and environmental beliefs, represent the next rings in the concentric circle of the potential target audience. Their motivations for buying green are based on the belief that it has to be better for them personally, and their families, if they are going to spend extra for environmental do-goodism.

Focus groups with prospective and recent homebuyers who care at least somewhat about environmental issues dug into perceptions of Built Green. The startling revelation was that while Built Green means environmentally friendly, environmentally friendly means homes made from recycled and reused materials. They see Built Green homes as lower quality, not something worth paying more for. Subsequent primary research confirms that Òquality materialsÓ and Òbetter builtÓ are not top-of-mind associations with Built Green. In fact, two-thirds of respondents donÕt believe a Built Green home is higher quality or better built than a comparable home that is not to Built Green standards.

The problem

How can Built Green increase the perceived value of its homes when environmentally-friendly is seen as made from low quality, recycled materials and not worth the extra cost?

Positioning

A Built Green home is a better built home.

For home buyers looking for quality, Built Green means a better built home because itÕs built to a higher level (checklist) by dedicated builders (Built Green members) providing quality workmanship and materials (sponsors) with attention to environmental details (building green).

Consumer insight

The target audience has a high degree of confidence that environmentally friendly homes are made with reused and inferior, yet costly, recycled materials. They believe that Built Green homes are better for the environment than for the owner. That paying more to be environmentally friendly, when Òmy little family isnÕt going to save the planet,Ó would be environmental fanaticism bordering on the irrational.

Three-year marketing strategy and tactics

1. Disrupt perceptions that Built Green homes are better for the environment than they are for the owner.

2. Demonstrate how a Built Green home is better built. Promote methods, materials and sponsors that support Built Green.

Advertising must Òshake, rattle and rollÓ perceptions that Built Green homes are lower quality and not worth the extra cost. The target audienceÕs high degree of confidence that environmentally friendly and higher quality, better built homes is an oxymoron must be challenged. No new information extolling the virtues of Built Green will be allowed into the prospectÕs mind without first challenging their ingrained beliefs.

To provide proof of performance, the TTD-proposed Built Green Project Home demonstrated advanced construction methods and higher quality materials that go into building green. The Project Home offered opportunity for sponsor visibility, demos, instruction venue to subcontractors, tours for schools and regulatory agencies, cooperative projects with environmental groups and comparative performance data to a non-Built Green home.

Given a small budget, the entire Built Green advertising campaign was competitively bid out to one Denver TV station in exchange for periodic live coverage on its morning news program. The Project Home would be covered during key spring and fall construction phases, coinciding with scheduled advertising.

Sales materials for participating buildersÕ sales offices and model homes provide Built Green details to serious homebuyers. Research among new-home homeowners shows that when introduced to Built Green by builders and their sales staff, the likelihood of it influencing their home purchase decision is significant

Finally, new signage and print advertising surrounded the HBAÕs Parade and Tour of Homes, and for display in participating buildersÕ model homes. Small tutorial signs appropriately placed throughout these show homes explained the many features and

benefits of Built Green.

Results

1. Since campaign inception total awareness of Built Green increased significantly to 46% of new-home buyers (from 32%)

¥ Awareness of Built Green is higher than any other environmental-building program

2. The percentage of buyers influenced to purchase a Built Green home increased from 5.6% to 21%

¥ Nearly 45% of those aware of Built Green said it was a purchase decision factor; almost 60% said it will be important in their next home purchase

¥ Those aware of Built Green are significantly more likely to rate a Built Green home as higher performing on eight measures such as energy efficiency, water conservation, durability and resale value than a comparable non-Built Green home

3. Built GreenÕs share of newly-built homes sales increased to 22% (up from 16% the previous year)

4. The 2006 promotion garnered more than 17.8 million impressions with a 7:1 return on promotional investment

[From Exclusive Resort RFP 2007]

RTD Case Study

First, we recognize that integrated marketing is planned at the client level, proposed at the agency level and executed by a number of bestin- class partners, of which the agency is one.

Our expertise is brand development and strategy. Our skill set includes advertising, direct

response and collateral. But our experience is in how all the pieces fit together to create a

marketing communications synergy that makes a difference in our clientsÕ businesses – regardless of marketing communications disciplines employed or media determined to best reach the target audience.

TTD is especially good at integration because of our experience, structure, collaboration and creativity. We strive for brand communications that connect with customers and prospects with humanity, regardless of the point-of- contact the consumer may have with Exclusive Resorts.

The national branding experience of the four partners at Thomas Taber & Drazen attests to our accomplishments. Major national brands including Volvo, DunkinÕ Donuts, Bank of America, Milk Mustache, Hertz, CellularOne are where we cut our, admittedly long, teeth. Experience grounds integration.

We also learned the pitfalls of large advertising agencies and their sister promotion and direct marketing agencies organized in corporate silos, each with bottom-line responsibility on their accounts. The duplication of account management, creative and media people in those structures makes them not only inefficient but difficult to manage from a brand perspective. Each account director and creative leader wants to set the course for the brandÕs communications.

At TTD we eliminate duplication of structure. One account director and one creative director on a brand, regardless of disciplines or media employed. One strategy, one message executed across several media and multiple disciplines, each with its role to play in the media mix. Experience plus structure enables integration.

Our collaborative process creates the opportunity for integration. Client and agency collaboration requires involvement, and when weÕre actively involved in the clientÕs business we make the greatest difference. We all look at the business from a broader perspective, collectively generating fresh perspectives and new ideas regardless of execution. Finally, creativity makes integration seamless to the consumer. When each piece of communication does its job, yet consistently reflects the brand, the consumer sees one brand.

CASE STUDY OF INTEGRATED MARKETING :

RTD – INCREASING RIDERSHIP

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) is ColoradoÕs largest public transportation system, servicing the Denver metropolitan area and much of the Front Range. For years RTD had been recognized as one of the countryÕs most effi cient transportation systems.

Yet despite being ranked ÒNorth AmericaÕs #1 Transportation System in Õ03,Ó RTDÕs ridership had experienced little growth.

And for good reason. The majority of daily commuters were accustomed to driving. Furthermore, public transportation had long been perceived as not only an inconvenience, but a service primarily utilized by blue collar workers.

Thus, TTD had to determine how not only to overcome routinized commuter habits but also well-established stereotypes. In order to do so, we needed to identify the appreciable attributes of public transportation and then leverage those benefits in a way that would convince commuters that there were compelling advantages to taking public transportation.

Insight: Secondary research revealed that there was considerable support for taking public transportation in the metro area. Because Denver has the third worst traffic in the country, the average driver spends over $700 in gas a year while waiting in traffic (a number that was escalating rapidly, given the elevated gas prices). They also spend 36 hours a year sitting in traffic and two full work days a month are spent just commuting to work. Primary research revealed that there were also subtle benefits to taking public transportation. Riders, for example, were often less stressed, had more free time and found public transportation, (contrary to popular belief) more convenient than driving.

Brand Promise: Commuters who ride RTD at least once instead of taking their car to work, will realize that riding the bus or train is more enjoyable.

Solution: The agency developed a fully integrated ÒDrive Less. Ride More.Ó campaign that communicated the attributes of RTD in a witty and engaging way that not only illustrated benefits, but created an attitude designed to overcome the perceived Òblue collarÓ imagery identifi ed with riding the bus—to actually make riding the bus feel kind of cool. The media strategy focused primarily on reaching drivers when they were commuting. This was supported through bus wraps, bulletins, 30-sheets, banners and radio spots. It was also important to maintain an advertising presence during non-commute times, which was supported through newspaper and TV.

Results: Ridership numbers showed an 11% increase. The work was covered by local TV news reports and RTD has received more than 1,000 calls and e-mails in response to the campaign.

Great-West Healthcare: Case Study

10/27/08

Challenge

With double-digit percentage increases over the last several years, rising health care costs are the number one concern among business owners. Management is forced to pass on some of the cost to employees, reduce benefits, or drop coverage altogether. Some say itÕs even preventing companies from creating and filling new jobs. Many companies shop and change health care providers annually as they struggle to keep their health care costs affordable.

Health benefits brokers work with human resources and benefits managers to determine the best health care plans for their company. Great-West Healthcare specializes in self-funding plans where employers pay only for costs incurred, which can save companies as much as 18% versus traditional fully-insured plans. However, there is a lack of understanding how self-funding works among brokers and human resource executives.

Human resources make a recommendation to the CEO/CFO who review and make the final decision as to which health care plan to carry. C-level executives are reluctant to sign a provider theyÕve not heard of.

Insight

Great-WestÕs innovative cost control and savings often get it invited to the dance, but lack of brand awareness and familiarity with self-funding leaves it sitting on the sidelines in the final analysis.

Strategy

Great-West needed to be seen as a national health care provider, increase brand awareness among health care influencers (brokers & HR) and decision-makers (C-level executives), and educate on the benefits of self-funding.

TTD developed national and local advertising campaigns that positioned Great-West as a national player in a category dominated by Blue Cross, United Healthcare, Aetna and Cigna: brands familiar to health care decision-makers.

Solution

TV spots and four-color spreads featuring expansive Western vistas began to seed the brandÕs values of hard work, innovation and perseverance. ÒNew ideas from the frontier of health careÓ helped build Great-WestÕs image as a big national company at the forefront of providing creative health care solutions.

Trade publications were used to build awareness among insurance brokers, HR managers and C-level executives. A spot market campaign ran in tandem with the trade campaign in three Great-West top-producing markets: Denver, Kansas City and St. Louis. A combination of spot TV, cable, radio, national business publications and local sponsorships was used to increase local awareness among business executives. This fully-integrated advertising campaign drove traffic to a website which educated health care influencers and decision-makers on Great-WestÕs products, allowed them to test their companyÕs readiness for self-funding and submit a request for quote.

Media focused in key months when companies are looking to renew health care plans.

Once the brand-awareness foundation was built, a direct mail campaign launched to educate high-producing brokers, major national accounts and prime prospects on the benefits of self-funding.

Finally, an annual national sponsorship of the PGAÕs International Golf Tournament held at Castle Pines Country Club provided a national television audience of C-level executives and a weeklong entertainment venue for major national account prospects.

Results

After three years, the advertising campaign significantly increased brand awareness for Great-West in its target markets:

Denver: +42%
St. Louis: +63%
Kansas City: +113%

Sales in these markets increased an average of 8%

Park City Mountain Resort – Engaging

Consumers Beyond Just Booking A Vacation

Insight

Park City Mountain Resort targets skier families. Although moms plan and book most family vacations, 61% of kids help decide the family vacation destination. 91% of moms want the family vacation to have various activities for everyone in the family. Most importantly, moms want the kids to be happy on the family vacation, because if the kids arenÕt happy, no one is happy!

Strategy

We needed to demonstrate that Park City Mountain Resort and the town of Park City have an abundance of adventures and activities for every member of the family. We also wanted to provide a way for every family member to participate in planning the family vacation. This would heighten each family memberÕs excitement and anticipation for the vacation.

Solution

Park City Mountain Resort Vacation Planner

TTD designed, built and launched a revolutionary Vacation Planner in October, 2007.

The elegant planner, using the Adobe Flex framework, allows the head of household to set up the vacation, including sub-accounts for other members of his or her family.

Once family members log in, they can explore the planner using criteria they set with a simple visual filter. When a family member finds an activity they want to add, they simply drag and drop it into their individual Vacation Portfolio. The planner provides a calendar view and map view of each family memberÕs activities. When everyone has finished exploring and planning, a single master schedule is created in PDF format.

The Vacation Planner lists town amenities and businesses, thus, providing an additional advertiser revenue source to Park City Mountain Resort.

Results

¥ Park City Mountain Resort Online Vacation Planner visitors:

¥ Visit more than twice as many pages than the average parkcitymountain.com visitor

¥ Spend more than three times as long on the site than the average parkcitymountain.com visitor

¥ Are 41% less likely to exit the Online Vacation Planner than the average parkcitymountain.com visitor is to exit the Web site

[Mrs. Fields]

Grease Monkey Case Study

The Challenge Grease Monkey was getting squeezed. With rising gas prices, drivers were driving less and putting off their next oil change as long as possible. Grease MonkeyÕs 16 pt. full-service oil change was being undercut by car dealers offering oil changes as loss leaders, and discount tire shops and big box stores couponing oil changes for half or even a third the price at Grease Monkey.

Grease Monkey International is 95% franchised and requires easily executable promotions. Thomas Taber & Drazen was asked to develop off-the-shelf promotions that would maintain car counts while increasing sales.

Insight Gas-crunched drivers are willing to spend more to save more. Drivers dedicated to preventive maintenance for their cars know that a well-maintained vehicle is a fuel-efficient vehicle.

Strategy TTD developed a number of seasonal maintenance packages and a fuel efficiency package that included services beyond the full-service oil change, such as a fuel injection cleaning which can increase gas mileage and a carÕs performance. Other elements of the full-service oil change, checking tire pressure and air filter, for example, were emphasized in their role in fuel efficiency and vehicle performance.

Solution ÒSummer/Winter Prep PacksÓ and the ÒFuel Saver PackÓ were priced at a savings to the customer, but an increased average ticket for the Grease Monkey franchisee. TTD created support materials from in-store posters, counter cards and menu reminders to out-of-store banners, readerboard messages, and print, radio and out-of-home advertising.

Results With Thomas Taber & DrazenÕs support, franchisee participation reached an all time high, 96%. The stronger advertising emphasis coupling a branding message with promoting maintenance packages, caused Grease Monkey to experience a reverse in declining car counts and sales. Average tickets were also up 5.6% over previous years. The maintenance packages were such a success, franchisees regarded them as the Òbest promotions weÕve ever done.Ó

[from Del Monte]

CASE STUDY MONEYGRAM

CHALLENGE:

TravelersExpress MoneyGram faced the daunting task of stealing business from gargantuan Western Union, which held nearly 80% share of the money transfer market. Outspent by Western Union 10:1, MoneyGram was a distant second in brand awareness and consumer preference.

Money transfer users tend to be lower-income—skewing Hispanic and African-American—who wire money across town or internationally to help family members and friends. They think of Western Union first because itÕs the Òfastest way to send moneyÓ and easily accessible.

A majority of MoneyGramÕs sales are through exclusive agreements with grocery/mass merch chains including Wal-Mart, Albertsons, Super Valu, Vons and Kroger. Money transfer is not a significant revenue generator for them; so itÕs not given high-priority.

How could MoneyGram drive traffic and increase sales for itself and its retail partners?

INSIGHT:

Through focus groups, secondary and ethnographic research we learned Western Union owns the generic benefits of money transfer: speed, reliability and convenience—the transaction of sending money.

What Western Union didnÕt recognize was the emotional connection between sender and receiver. MoneyGram could level the playing field by turning the transaction into an interaction.

STRATEGY:

TTD recommended MoneyGram enhance the connection between the money sender and receiver. ÒClosing the loopÓ helps family members and friends stay connected.

SOLUTION:

MoneyGram co-marketed with in-store brands— AT&T phone cards and Kodak film/disposable cameras—and the storesÕ photo processing services and movie rentals to reward sender and receiver for their transaction.

Coupons were given to MoneyGram customers for free film and processing for an extra set of prints to share with family back home, free 3-minute long distance phone call to confirm the money was received, and a free 10-word message to tell them you love them.

The campaign was supported with danglers over the money transfer counter, window decals, cashier buttons, floor and shelf talkers near support brands, shopping cart signage, closed circuit audio announcements of the offer, check stand dividers and signage, and FSI inserts.

The host retailerÕs employees responsible for money transfers were provided training on how to further reinforce the connection and ensure the money transfer counter was appropriately arrayed with promotional materials. A small incentive and sweepstakes to reward those with the highest transaction count for the week were implemented.

RESULTS:

Projected to increase transactions by 20% per store per month, the program was tested in Albertson stores in two DMAs.

Expectations were exceeded in the first month with an average increase of 28% over the previous month and a 24% increase over comp-store sales.

ÒClosing the loopÓ reinforced MoneyGramÕs relationship with AlbertsonÕs and helped close a national two-year contract with the chain.

[From Del Monte]

CASE STUDY DVDPLAY

CHALLENGE

DVDPlay launched its movie rental kiosks in several Safeway store regions early 2006. Based on Red BoxÕs successful launch in McDonaldÕs restaurants, DVDPlay assumed it could achieve the same. However, it quickly learned movie rental kiosks in a grocery context were a foreign concept to consumers. Rental sales stagnated.

Located along the Ò4th wallÓ among Coinstar, ice machines, customer service and oversized bags of dog food, DVDPlay kiosks were invisible to the exiting consumer.

With heavy capital investment required for each kiosk, DVDPlay investors were growing anxious. How could DVDPlay increase awareness and rental sales quickly to prove their revenue model and ensure long-term viability?

INSIGHT

Items located at the Ò4th wallÓ are considered destination purchases.

Grocery shoppers tend to follow a specific shopping pattern and path. Research revealed lack of awareness and no contextual reference to rent movies were barriers for shoppers.

STRATEGY

TTD recommended a test program targeted at high-frequency core Safeway shoppers (profiled groups using frequent shopper cards, including the Safeway mom, who has kids at home aged 2-15) to increase DVDPlay awareness and disrupt shopper behavior.

SOLUTION

Working closely with DVDPlay, Safeway (and its Blackhawk subsidiary) and other potential co-op brands, TTD created a four-pronged campaign to intercept SafewayÕs consumers at: a) home; b) in-store prior to check out; c) check-out stand; and d) online. The campaign was implemented in Northern California and Denver.

Home: Door hangers targeted shoppers at their homes. FSIs were sent with local Safeway circulars. Coupons were used in a variety of promotional offers to create trial while showcasing the kiosk itself to establish visual awareness. Co-op funding with another complementary brand (e.g. Redenbacher popcorn) was included to provide additional consumer reach, relevancy and funding.

Ò4-wallsÓ (pre-check out): To disrupt shopping patterns and build demand, key brands and/or store department/sections were either aligned with a movie title, e.g., Ice Age in the frozen food section, Little Miss Sunshine with Sunny Delight orange juice, or the ritual of watching a movie, e.g., RedenbacherÕs popcorn, Coca Cola. Cross-category aisle intercepts and floor decals (shelf and floor talkers), as well as cart signage and window/door decals, were used to feature movie titles. In-store radio and gas pump toppers were included.

Check-out stand: As a final reminder to rent a movie and view the adjacent Ò4th wallÓ kiosk, ads were placed in monitor toppers, E-POS register signage, dividers and shopping list tear pads. Rocketbux text-in coupons and Catalina Checkout Coupons (trial offers with purchase of complementary products, segmented by lifestyle, offer, day of week, market and site location) were used to stimulate trial or repeat purchase.

Online: Using current customers as well as pre-qualified email lists, bundled offers based on volume (buy three, get one free), themes (Academy Awards) and occasion (family fun, girls night in) were deployed in two-week waves.

RESULTS

Test market stores outperformed all other stores by 44% higher average weekly revenue. A +64% lift in average rentals over pre-period occurred.

Promotion redemptions resulted in 58,243 rentals. Overall, the campaign attracted more than 22,000 new customers, creating investor confidence for further investment, as well as adding to a robust database.

WeÕd say that warrants two thumbs up!

EXTRA

TTD played a crucial role in introducing DVDPlay to other retail brands, e.g., Burger King and 7-Eleven. It developed campaigns that integrated the unique aspects of the retailerÕs brand with DVDPlay offers.

Case Study: LongHorn Steakhouse

Casual Dining Competitors Raise the Bar on LongHorn Steakhouse

Rare Hospitality owns and franchises more than 200 LongHorn Steakhouses throughout the eastern and central U.S. For 20 years the brand enjoyed a loyal clientele drawn to its hearty steaks, cold beer, friendly staff and Òkick-back, chow-downÓ laidback style.

As casual dining competitors such as PF ChangÕs, Cheesecake Factory and the steakhouse-from-down-under raised the bar in performance standards, LongHorn hired TTD to reposition and upgrade the brand.

Creating new, loyal guests who think of LongHorn as their first choice in steakhouses was the goal.

The Problem

How can LongHorn attract new, loyal customers when itÕs seen as middle-of-the-pack in a glutted Texas roadhouse segment and new competitors are upping the ante in casual dining by giving guests a $40 experience for a $20 dinner?

Insight

The consumerÕs decision-making process starts with a dining occasion. Only a small set of restaurants come first-to-mind for a given occasion and its performance expectations. Extensive consumer research measuring 15 casual dining concepts showed that LongHorn Steakhouse was 7th, 8^th or 9th in preference for these occasions:

The dining occasion (not food-type) defines performance expectations.

On 49 performance standards for food, service, atmosphere, menu and value measured, LongHorn ranked in the middle of the pack. It didnÕt stand out on any performance standard.

CoupleÕs Night Out is Greatest Opportunity for LongHorn

CoupleÕs Night Out is the second-highest volume occasion for casual dining.

Population trends point to older couples without children: more Boomer households 45 64 yrs. old as the number of households with children has peaked.

The casual dining experience is a respite for busy professional couples. Stress, work and the high pace of life fuel the need for a time-out.

Solution

TTD, through a number of work sessions with LongHorn management, developed a differentiating brand position that evolved the brand and elevated the dining experience.

A comfortable Western-style Steakhouse

For high-paced adults in need of an escape for the evening, LongHorn is a comfortable Western-style steakhouse that satisfies your tastes with tender steaks, refreshing drinks and personalized service in an atmosphere that allows you to relax and unwind.

The LongHorn Brand Book

TTD created a brand book capturing the vision of the new positioning: lighter, fresher more colorful menu offerings; elevated service standards; new, more professional uniforms; and more sophisticated, comfortable, clean interior dŽcor.

Results

Thomas Taber & Drazen worked with LongHornÕs marketing and research groups for more than a year analyzing an extensive 2,500-consumer study of dining occasions, their drivers and casual dining restaurantsÕ performances, as well as secondary category research, and developing the brandÕs evolution.

TTD captured the brand in nearly every operational aspect – menu, interior, exterior, uniforms, service style, pricing strategy, even a guide for real estate locations.

All this was captured in the 20-page brand book: The Saga of LongHorn Steakhouse and How it Became AmericaÕs Favorite Steakhouse.

Following implementation, LongHorn increased monthly same-store transactions an average 9%, while the average ticket rose nearly 8%.

Examiner Launch Case Study (Washington) from Case Studies

Baltimore Examiner from JM

Washington

Background

In February 2005, Clarity Media Group launched the Washington Examiner; a new free local daily distributed throughout Washington DC and the surrounding suburbs. However, launching a new major daily was no easy task. With the newspaper industry in a state of instability, in a market which had a history of well established papers and dismissive consumer attitudes towards free, local papers, the Examiner faced some tough challenges.

The newspaper industry was struggling. Consumers were becoming increasingly more likely to turn to the internet for their news than they were their newspapers. Consequently, overall circulation was flat or declining for most papers; among all newspapers total daily circulation was down 1.9% and Sunday circulation was down 2.5%. Not surprisingly, the largest circulation growth among any of the 50 largest papers was a mere 0.6%.

In addition, newspapers were experiencing increased competition for advertising dollars from online sits such as Craigslist and ebay. While internet ad spending increased 21.4% in 2004, newspaper spending had dropped 14%.

Competition among DC papers was fierce. The DC area had two well established papers: the Washington Times and the marketÕs Ò800lb GorillaÓ the Washington Post with a circulation of 700,000 on weekdays and over 1 million on Sunday. Furthermore free, local papers were perceived as lesser quality than larger paid dailies, causing concern that households would immediately opt-out of their free subscriptions.

The Examiner however, was unlike your average local daily. It offered advertisers an opportunity to reach preferred consumers without the waste. With a total distribution of over 260,000 the ExaminerÕs Òcontrolled circulationÓ targeted the top 1/3 income households – these Ôpreferred readersÕ were educated, affluent readers between 25-54 years old, with household incomes of more than $75,000.

For readers the Examiner offered a new, easier to read compact layout; stories were kept to 500 worlds or less and there were no jumps between pages. Editorial had strong local news, opinion, business, sports and entertainment sections and boasted a tightly edited world, national and regional reports.

Strategy

In order to neutralize dismissive attitudes towards free papers, TTD branded the Washington Examiner as ÒThe local paper with a bigger view of the world.Ó The campaign paired local news with national and world headlines to demonstrate that the Examiner was more than just a local paper.

The launch consisted of a fully integrated, multi-media campaign targeted to both consumers and advertisers. The media strategy focused on reaching white collar professionals when and where they were commuting and was supported through TV, radio, print, direct mail, outdoor, online and collateral.

Marketing Objectives with Quantitative Goals

Increase month-to-month sales 5%, maintain a high level of readership, 90% or more among subscribers and minimize opt-out subscriptions.

Target Audience

Women, primarily, and men, 25-54, top one-third income-households, college educated, white collar professionals

Busy, on-the-go people find it more and more difficult to find time to read the major daily newspaper every day, if at all. And the weekly neighborhood newspaper is limited in its coverage and credibility. No one source provides adequate coverage in an easily digestible format that is well-written, graphically engaging and intelligently edited. These Òneed-to-knowÓ readers are looking for a personally-relevant news source.

Budget

$1.5 million

Quantitative Results

In the first six months the Examiner experienced double digit increases in sales revenue.

The paper immediately overcame any negative connotations associated with free dailies, generating an overwhelming positive response to the relevant local news, comprehensive articles and easy to read format. After six months the Examiner had a 98% readership according to CAC, and less than 3% opt-out rate among subscribers.

Baltimore

CASE STUDY: EXAMINER Launching a new newspaper

The Baltimore Examiner Newspaper

In April 2006, TTD launched The Baltimore Examiner, a free, local, daily newspaper home-delivered to the top 1/3 income households in Maryland. Examiner households were affluent, educated, families with heads of households 25-54 years of age. The ExaminerÕs concise, tabloid format, focusing on local and lifestyle news, attracted female readers which in turn attracted advertisers.

The campaign objectives were to get home-delivered households to read the Baltimore Examiner and drive retail traffic for advertisers.

TTD executed a two phased consumer campaign:

¥ Pre-launch phase: created excitement and anticipation for The Examiner.

¥ Launch: gave home-delivered households editorial and promotional reasons to read The Examiner.

One week prior to launch

The Baltimore Examiner was revealed via billboards, cable TV, spot radio and radio traffic sponsorships.

One day prior to launch

Examiner households received a door hanger encouraging them to pick up The Baltimore Examiner from the their doorsteps the next morning. It also highlighted the paperÕs editorial content and the $50k gift card giveaway sponsored by Target, MacyÕs and Best Buy.

Launch Day

Examiner households received the paper in a branded polybag highlighting

the $50k giveaway. Local coffee shops in Examiner neighborhoods distributed

Examiner coffee sleeves and were visited by The Examiner street teams who

performed Random Acts of Kindness such as buying coffee for patrons and distributing the paper. The street teams wore branded t-shirts and displayed window clings in neighborhood storefronts (with their permission of course!)

The $50k Gift Card Giveaway required readers to find the entry form and instructions in the paper and to enter the sweepstakes via examiner.com. Entrants were required to complete a short questionnaire which helped profile entrants for future promotions and efficiently track number of entries. Each week, for ten weeks, five winners won $1,000 gift cards and were showcased in the following weekÕs Examiner.

Results

¥ Sold out of ad space in first issue

¥ 4 in 5 household readership according to CAC (Certified Audit of Circulations)

¥ A less than 4.3% opt-out rate occurred among home-delivered households

¥ Read by 2.34 adults per household

¥ Redemption of launch promotions was 21%

[Exclusive Resorts]

CASE John Atencio

John Atencio – Elevating A Regional

Brand Into A National One

John Atencio Designer Jewelry is a regional designer of fine jewelry with 12 retail stores in Colorado, Arizona, California and

Illinois. The company had been experiencing gradual growth of 5% or less per year for a three-year period.

To accelerate its growth, the company decided to expand its national wholesale effort, which had only marginally performed to that point. On the national level, John Atencio was up against some well entrenched brands including David Yurman and John Hardy. The company had low awareness and no effective advertising to support sell-through of its various jewelry lines among national jewelry and department retailers.

The category is dominated with well-known designers featuring marquee jewelry pieces with very little information beyond the designer name, devoid of any brand persona. To break through the established category genre would be a tall order for John Atencio. It needed to identify core attributes of its brand among its consumers and further define that in a national context. Primary research was conducted to do so.

Insight

Secondary research revealed that a growing trend among married females, 34+, purchase their own fine jewelry and, in some cases, regularly collect fine jewelry from designer lines. Primary research revealed the John Atencio consumer is a self-assured woman who wears jewelry to uniquely express who she is. She is not pretentious, glamorous or self-absorbed, and doesnÕt need jewelry to define her feelings and emotions, but rather, reflect them. Her self-assuredness leads her to avoid Òfashion fadsÓ and seek out quality, distinctive style and individuality in the jewelry she wears. She gravitates to John Atencio jewelry because its look is distinctively unique and its feel is wonderfully substantial. When she wears John Atencio its prominence does not go unnoticed—by her or her admirers.

Positioning

For the discerning consumer who is confident in who she is and bold in how she expresses it, John Atencio jewelry is the amplification of that confidence and boldness.

Solution

The agency rolled out a national campaign with magazine ads featuring a fresh, simple focus around a specific piece of Atencio jewelry. The media strategies were two-pronged in their approach: regional John Atencio outlets were supported by newspaper, out-of-home, in-store POS, direct mail, catalogues, website and mall kiosk executions focused around key holidays (with a heavy focus in the fourth quarter); and the national prong highlighted style, glamour and travel publications supported by targeted direct mail, website and catalogues. The advertising created bold statements that reflected the attitude and tone of the John Atencio consumer. The campaign began defining and differentiating the Atencio brand among the fashion clutter of the industry.

Results

1. Anecdotal information from the companyÕs sales force indicated awareness of John Atencio had increased ten-fold among wholesale customers.

2. Five new national retailers were added to the companyÕs roster. Three new lines of jewelry were sold into current clientsÕ jewelry collections.

3. Annual retail sales grew 27% over the previous year.

4. The JA retail stores reported tremendous consumer buzz was stimulated by the ad campaign. The company received more unsolicited mail commenting on the ad campaign than ever before in its history.

5. The wholesale segment of the business increased approximately 17% over the previous year with several Atencio jewelry lines being incorporated into major department storesÕ jewelry collections, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Marshall FieldÕs and Lord & Taylor.