Cincinnati, Ohio—02.17.12—To position itself for continued growth, Empower MediaMarketing has created The Empower Group, an independent network of agencies. Empower MediaMarketing also is taking three of its service offerings and [...]]]> Empower MediaMarketing focusing on media agency services;
Powerhouse Factories expands services as strategic creative agency

Cincinnati, Ohio—02.17.12—To position itself for continued growth, Empower MediaMarketing has created The Empower Group, an independent network of agencies. Empower MediaMarketing also is taking three of its service offerings and merging them with Powerhouse Factories, a brand design consultancy. Both companies are now part of The Empower Group, one of the ten largest networks of its kind in the United States with annual billings of $250 million.

“An unprecedented rate of change continues to transform the marketing landscape,” said Jim Price, Empower MediaMarketing president and CEO. “Anticipating and responding to these changes requires a diversity of talent to grow our clients’ business. The Empower Group allows us to build on Empower MediaMarketing’s 27 years of expertise in media and continue to evolve our complementary services through an independently-owned network.”

Focused for Results
As part of the network’s launch, Powerhouse Factories’ offering will expand to include Brand, Commercial and Product Innovation; Consumer Experiences, including social media and word of mouth marketing; and Analytics and Data Visualization.

Jim Price is CEO of The Empower Group and also will remain president of Empower MediaMarketing. Nancy Koors is president and chief operating officer of Powerhouse Factories.

Moving forward, Empower MediaMarketing will focus as a full-service media agency, providing media services spanning online and offline channels to clients, including U.S. Bank, Meijer and Bush Brothers & Company. Strategic creative agency Powerhouse Factories will provide its expanded service offering to clients, including P&G, Marzetti, and Chiquita. Powerhouse Factories also will provide creative services to Empower MediaMarketing clients.

About The Empower Group: As one of the ten largest independent agency networks in the United States, The Empower Group includes media agency Empower MediaMarketing and strategic creative agency Powerhouse Factories. Empower MediaMarketing can be found online at its website, its blog, or via Facebook and Twitter. Similarly, Powerhouse Factories can be found online at its website, its blog or via Facebook and Twitter.

 # # #

CINCINNATI, December 8, 2011— A pair of Empower MediaMarketing executives – CEO Jim Price and Vice President of Word-of-Mouth Marketing (WOMM) Jessica George – recently received two [...]]]> Jim Price Named 2011 “Media Maven” by Advertising Age Magazine
Jessica George Chosen as 2011’s “Rising Star” by Adweek Magazine

CINCINNATI, December 8, 2011— A pair of Empower MediaMarketing executives – CEO Jim Price and Vice President of Word-of-Mouth Marketing (WOMM) Jessica George – recently received two of the advertising industry’s most coveted honors.

On October 16, Advertising Age magazine named Price one of its “Media Mavens” for 2011, and one month later, on November 21, Adweek magazine named George its “Rising Star” for 2011.

In honoring Price, Ad Age cited Empower’s growth since he took over as head of the agency in 2009. The magazine wrote that revenue for Empower, one of the largest independent media agencies in the U.S., is up 22 percent in the past two years, driven heavily by a growing move into creative services to execute the plans Empower creates. “Such things as digital design services and developing word-of-mouth marketing plans now make up nearly 40 percent of agency revenue for a shop that was 100 percent media planning and buying in 2005,” the magazine noted.

Building Out with Big Data
The Ad Age write-up also noted Empower’s August 2011 acquisition of Cincinnati-based Market Intelligence Group, a marketing analytics firm focused on database management, marketing dashboards, data mining, customer segmentation and retail- and shopper-marketing analytics, making Empower one of the few agencies that can take retail site selection into account for a plan.

The article went on to say that ”among the surprising ways Empower has been stepping off the media reservation under Mr. Price was with an Addy-winning multicultural PR campaign aimed at establishing a client’s brand with Hispanic moms, and a social-gaming promotion for Chiquita Brands’ tie-in with the 20th Century Fox movie ‘Rio.’”

Rising Star
George was named the 2011 “Rising Star” in Adweek magazine’s annual Media All-Stars feature, which the publication describes as “honoring the most creative thinkers and innovative leaders in the agency business.”

Adweek honored George for creating Empower’s WOMM group when she joined the agency in 2008. The group “revolutionized our company by helping others think much deeper about the information [needed to] deliver a true media and marketing plan,” Price told the magazine.

Adweek cited George’s “impressive results” for Empower clients.

“For Rust-Oleum’s Cabinet and Countertop Transformations lines, her team invited influential DIY bloggers to work with the products and share their experiences with readers online. Together the blogger campaign resulted in more than 230 million impressions at a cost-per-touch of just .00039 cents.”

About Empower MediaMarketing: Empower MediaMarketing is a marketing agency that helps its clients talk to and with customers through an integrated mix of paid, owned and earned media experiences. For more information, visit us at our website, or join the conversation on our blog, on Facebook or via Twitter.

The announcement was made by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), a consortium of nine professional communication organizations that [...]]]>  New York, Oct. 18, 2011– Ashley Walters, Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) Manager for Empower MediaMarketing in Cincinnati, has successfully completed the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations, entitling her to use the APR professional designation.

The announcement was made by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), a consortium of nine professional communication organizations that directs this competency certification program.

Walters manages the influencer group of Empower’s WOMM team, helping clients navigate the social space, secure celebrity partnerships and build grassroots programs. Her efforts have earned accolades from Advertising Age magazine for “Top Marketing Campaign of the Year” and “Best New Product Launch of the Year,” as well as industry awards from PR Week, Holmes Group SABRE and PRSA. In March 2009, Walters was honored as Cincinnati PRSA’s Young Professional of the Year.

The Examination for Accreditation program aims to improve the practice of public relations by assessing competence in 60 areas of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the profession. The Examination is designed for public relations professionals with five to seven years of job experience and/or a bachelor’s degree in a communication field. Candidates who successfully complete the rigorous process, including presenting his/her portfolio to a Readiness Review panel of three peers and sitting for a computer-based Examination, are granted the APR.

“Earning the APR reflects a mastery of the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to succeed in our increasingly complex profession,” said John E. Forde, APR, Fellow PRSA, 2011 co-chair of the Universal Accreditation Board. “Practitioners who achieve the designation are demonstrating their commitment not only to our profession, but also to a strong code of ethics and to the betterment of their organizations and clients.”

About the Universal Accreditation Board: The UAB was established in 1998 by a coalition of public relations professional organizations that today includes the  Public Relations Society of America. For more information about the UAB and the APR designation, visit www.praccreditation.org.

About Empower MediaMarketing: Empower MediaMarketing is a marketing agency that helps its clients talk to and with customers through an integrated mix of paid, owned and earned media experiences. For more information, visit us at our website, or join the conversation on our blog, on Facebook or via Twitter.

Website Development for Chiquita, totes>>ISOTONER Singled Out

CINCINNATI, September 26, 2011—Empower MediaMarketing has been awarded two of the Web Marketing Association’s 15th annual WebAwards. Websites designed and developed for Chiquita Brands (NYSE: CQB) and totes>>ISOTONER both won outstanding website awards for outstanding achievement in web development.

Chiquita & Rio: Party On Into Produce
 

Website Development for Chiquita, totes>>ISOTONER Singled Out

CINCINNATI, September 26, 2011—Empower MediaMarketing has been awarded two of the Web Marketing Association’s 15th annual WebAwards. Websites designed and developed for Chiquita Brands (NYSE: CQB) and totes>>ISOTONER both won outstanding website awards for outstanding achievement in web development.

Chiquita & Rio: Party On Into Produce


Chiquita’s award is for a microsite promoting Rio, a 3-D animated movie from Twentieth Century Fox. The site uses gamification to engage parents and kids with fun, relevant content about Chiquita Bananas and other nutritious Chiquita products. In addition to bringing the brand’s entire product offering to consumers, it helped increase traffic to the Chiquita site.
smarTouch: Give the Gift of Touch

totes>>ISOTONER’s award is for a microsite supporting the smarTouch glove launch. The site was at the center of the launch that included a smart blend of paid, owned and earned media to encourage purchase. By standing out from the noise of holiday gift promotions it helped the brand increase sell-thru at retail by 19.4 percent.

“These awards are hard-earned recognition for our clients and our teams creating results-oriented work,” says Jim Price, Empower MediaMarketing president and CEO. “Receiving these awards underscores the effectiveness of Empower’s Digital Design & Development offering.”

The Web Marketing Association’s WebAwards recognizes “the people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective and best websites on the Internet today.” Each website is evaluated by a panel of expert judges and is ranked on a point system.

Empower MediaMarketing is a marketing agency that helps its clients talk to and with customers through an integrated mix of media. Empower’s services include strategic marketing communications, market intelligence, digital design and development, media planning and buying and word of mouth marketing. For more information, visit us at our website, or join the conversation on our blog, on Facebook or via Twitter.

Cincinnati, Ohio—08.03.11—Empower MediaMarketing has entered into an agreement to acquire analytics company Market Intelligence Group (MIG). MIG will bring new capabilities to Empowers’ existing Consumer Insights and Analytics offerings which help Empower clients learn more about their consumers, determine what advertising works and identify how [...]]]> Analytics Company Reinforces New Empower Service Offering

Cincinnati, Ohio—08.03.11—Empower MediaMarketing has entered into an agreement to acquire analytics company Market Intelligence Group (MIG). MIG will bring new capabilities to Empowers’ existing Consumer Insights and Analytics offerings which help Empower clients learn more about their consumers, determine what advertising works and identify how to optimize advertising spend across marketing channels.

Jim Price, President and CEO of Empower said, “MIG’s specialization in marketing, merchandising and operational analytics allows us to continue our evolution to a full-service marketing partner for our clients. It builds on our deep experience of understanding who our clients customers are and where to reach them by allowing us to optimize marketing spend across all channels.”

“For more than a decade, MIG has focused on giving our clients in-depth knowledge about their business, “said Robert Migliara, President of MIG. “Joining Empower allows us to connect the dots between marketing, social media and data analytics. This new relationship means greater thinking and enhanced capabilities for both companies’ clients.”

The combined entity will form Empower’s new Market Intelligence Practice. MIG’s strengths in data mining, management, analysis and visualization, combined with Empowers’ deep experience with the metrics behind paid, owned and earned marketing channels, gives clients the ability to better understand their customers, how to achieve ROI from their marketing investments and spot opportunities in merchandising and shopper marketing efforts.

Empower’s Market Intelligence offering now includes the following analytic capabilities:

• DataWell™ – Data Warehousing, Database Management & Marketing Dashboards
• Full campaign tracking and optimization across all media channels
• Analytical Consulting, Data Mining & Predictive modeling
• Website Reporting & Analytics
• Advanced Segmentation
• Merge-purge and new care of address
• Maximizing Retail Operations
• Site Selection – geographic analysis for retail locations

Since 1998 MIG has enabled retail, casual dining, membership organizations, manufacturing and government to make better informed business decisions through the use of sophisticated data analysis and mining systems. MIG brings a team of top statisticians and quantitative analysts to provide meaningful and actionable insights. MIG is highly-skilled in advanced mathematical, statistical and computer modeling procedures, visualization software and reporting.

Empower MediaMarketing is a marketing agency that helps its clients talk to and with customers through an integrated mix of media. Empower’s services include strategic marketing communications, market intelligence, digital design and development, offline and online media planning and buying and word of mouth marketing. For more information, visit us at our website, or join the conversation on our blog, on Facebook or via Twitter.

# # #

CINCINNATI – June 27, 2011—Empower MediaMarketing announced today that Camille Popplewell has joined the marketing agency as vice president of Growth, a newly created position.  She will be responsible for making clients aware of Empower’s full-service suite of digital services and solutions.

“We created this new position in response to the rapidly increasing client [...]]]>

CINCINNATI – June 27, 2011—Empower MediaMarketing announced today that Camille Popplewell has joined the marketing agency as vice president of Growth, a newly created position.  She will be responsible for making clients aware of Empower’s full-service suite of digital services and solutions.

“We created this new position in response to the rapidly increasing client demand for digital solutions and the resulting need to ensure prospects are aware of the range of digital offerings that we bring to the table,” said Jim Price, Empower MediaMarketing’s President and CEO. “Camille has more than 20 years of brand-building experience and a tremendous track record in driving business results. This will benefit Empower and its clients.”

Popplewell joins Empower from KAO Brands Corporation in Cincinnati, where she was a marketing strategist. In this role, she was accountable for strategic brand consultancy across all KAO brands, including the management of its brand portfolios. Popplewell also helped launch a global John Frieda hair care project — the largest in the company’s history.

Before KAO, Popplewell was vice president business development at Anthem/Schawk, a marketing, design and media services company in Cincinnati. She joined Anthem/Schawk when it acquired Benchmark Marketing Services, where she was vice president market leader.

For six years, Popplewell worked as a brand design strategist at LPK /Libby Persyk Kathman, where she managed a $12 million portfolio of business, serviced all national accounts and helped open offices in Europe and Asia.

Popplewell, who resides in Liberty Township, Ohio, earned a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University.

About Empower MediaMarketing: Empower MediaMarketing is a marketing agency that helps its clients talk to and with customers through an integrated mix of media. For more information, visit us at our website, or join the conversation on our blog, on Facebook or via Twitter.

CINCINNATI, OH – May 17, 2011 – In partnership with Rio, the new 3-D animated movie from Twentieth Century Fox, to help bring the fun home to consumers, Chiquita Brands International created a microsite (http://chiquita.com/rio/) to engage parents and kids [...]]]> Empower MediaMarketing & Bunchball Gamify Chiquita MicroSite to Engage Parents & Kids

CINCINNATI, OH – May 17, 2011 – In partnership with Rio, the new 3-D animated movie from Twentieth Century Fox, to help bring the fun home to consumers, Chiquita Brands International created a microsite (http://chiquita.com/rio/) to engage parents and kids with relevant content about Chiquita Bananas and other Chiquita products.

The site uses gamification, or game play mechanics, to draw users through the site and to serve up the perfect mix of interactive fun and interesting content throughout the site. The site was designed for Chiquita by Empower MediaMarketing with help from Bunchball.

“The movie’s colorful and exciting story continues online for Chiquita Banana consumers,” said Scott Faucheux, North America Consumer Marketing Manager at Chiquita Brands. “We created an engaging online playground for our Chiquita Banana consumer where the whole family could share in the fun of Chiquita-branded products, the film Rio, and win great prizes including tasty Chiquita Bananas and other nutritious products.”

Consumers that sign in to the site get a virtual passport and earn virtual badges for exploring pages including video clips from the movie, recipes, coloring pages, product information, games and a sweepstakes. The “Make Your Way to Rio” Sweepstakes will award one family with a trip to Rio de Janeiro, provided by American Airlines, and other prizes on the site include exclusive digital downloads and one-year supplies of Chiquita Bananas or other Chiquita products. The promotion will be open to consumers through May 31, 2011.

A Playful Site with a Progressive Sweepstakes
The sweepstakes is progressive and incorporates community badging. By interacting more with the site, users earn more virtual badges, increase the odds of winning a prize and help unlock even more prizes — as a community.

“The Chiquita community themselves have the power to unlock varying levels of prizes, increasing in value, by earning badges through differing interactions with the site,” said Faucheux. “This incentivizes consumers to play more often and also interact more frequently with our brands online. With more than 67,000 badges and approximately one million page views earned to date, this aspect of the site has been popular with Chiquita Banana consumers.”

Chiquita Brands International, Inc. is a leading international marketer and distributor of high-quality fresh and value-added food products – from energy-rich bananas and other fruits to nutritious blends of convenient green salads. The company markets its healthy, fresh products under the Chiquita® and Fresh Express® premium brands and other related trademarks. With annual revenues of more than $3 billion, Chiquita employs approximately 21,000 people and has operations in nearly 70 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit www.chiquitabrands.com

EmpowerMediaMarketing is a marketing agency that helps clients talk to and with its customers using a mix of integrated media. For more information, visit the Empower web site (http://empowermm.com) or Empower’s Gamification News Tracking Site.

Bunchball is a marketing technology company that helps sites unlock, drive and measure consumers’ most valuable behavior. For more information, visit Bunchball online at www.bunchball.com.

Cincinnati, OH – March 8, 2011 – As Empower MediaMarketing builds on a year of record organic growth, Nancy Koors joins the media and marketing firm as Chief Strategy Officer, reporting to President and CEO Jim Price. Prior [...]]]> Industry veteran joins company to help strategic growth and to help company capitalize on change

Cincinnati, OH – March 8, 2011 – As Empower MediaMarketing builds on a year of record organic growth, Nancy Koors joins the media and marketing firm as Chief Strategy Officer, reporting to President and CEO Jim Price. Prior to Empower, Koors most recently worked at Resource Interactive where she served as Chief Operating Officer.

“Nancy’s proven experience in creating and implementing strategic initiatives brings additional perspective and focus to our already strong team,” says Price. “She’ll help Empower take advantage of the constant change impacting every facet of business.”

In more than 22 years Koors has earned a wealth of strategic, marketing and operational experience including mergers and acquisitions, capital raise experience, P&L responsibility, strategic growth plan & execution, marketing communications, product development, organizational re-alignment and operational management. She has worked for or with world class brands, including Johnson & Johnson, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Convergys, P&G, Deloitte & Touche and WHITTMANHART Interactive.

Koors holds a Master of Science in eCommerce as well as an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. She’s served as an adjunct professor of Marketing at Thomas More College and is teaching digital marketing as part of Xavier University’s MBA program.

In 1996, Koors founded the Cincinnati Chapter of the Association of Internet Professionals. She also served on the Board of Directors at Main Street Ventures, a technology incubator.

About Empower MediaMarketing: Empower is a media and marketing agency that helps clients communicate to and with consumers through an integrated mix of media. Empower’s services include consumer insights, media planning and buying, digital creative and development, search marketing, word of mouth marketing as well as analytics. For more information, visit us at the Empower web site, or join the conversation at our blog, Social Study, on Facebook or via Twitter. To follow media convergence trends, visit No Channels.

# # #