Business Issue: To create a refreshed brand direction of a successful 30-year-old company while applying it consistently to multiple business lines. The new brand direction must enhance the brand identity and brand equity that had been earned over the course of three decades.

Recommendation: Create a positioning tagline that reflects the core values and existing brand equity. EMSI is known for its leadership role and has always introduced innovative solutions to the industry. We recommended that the positioning tagline simply say, “lead and innovate.” We also recommended the creation of a communications theme that supported the company’s direction. The communications theme would provide a level of flexibility by being able to introduce different themes over time without affecting EMSI’s core brand identity. We implemented a communications theme called, “BE”.

Solution: Evolve the company’s existing logo identity to create a current and forward-thinking image.

Approach:

• Research competitive brand positioning and communications
• Interview company leaders and customers
• Develop key messages that would support a timeless brand
• Build an integrated brand communications program that will support image perception, marketing and sales efforts

Media:

• Printed collateral
• Printed trade advertising
• Internet-based communications
• Direct marketing communications
• Printed and electronic selling tools

Result: EMSI now has a cohesive brand in place that reflects the company’s core vales of industry leadership and innovation.

“What impressed me most about Quill Advertising was their quick understanding of our business and the ability to develop creative design and a brand refresh that was both relevant and just enough leading edge to get all stakeholders excited”.

Rob Brook – Executive Vice President, Examination Management Services, Inc.

Business Issue: To create a fresh approach that would be noticed by C-level executives and corporate council decision makers.

Recommendation: Create a consistent series of ads that would strike a relevant chord with the audience. Use images that the audience could identify with while linking the subject of each ad to the hot topics of IP litigation.

Solution: Use interesting photographic images and headlines that the targeted audience could relate to.

Approach:

• Research competitive brand positioning and communications
• Interview practice leaders
• Develop key messages that would support advertising messages and efforts
• Build an integrated advertising campaign that would promote the need for Winstead’s services
• Research media and place advertising within targeted trade publications

Media:

• Hart’s E&P
• Offshore Magazine
• Oil & Gas Journal
• Electronic Business
• Semiconductor International
• Texas Lawyer
• Corporate Council

Result: Winstead has increased market awareness of its IP litigation practice group and has received numerous inquiries attributed to their advertising campaign.

Business Issue: To create an integrated brand approach for Tyler Technologies and Odyssey.

Recommendation: Showcase the difference of the redesigned Odyssey. To capture a sense of movement and change, Quill created a brightly colored abstract design, and a new tagline, “Moving Forward”.

Solution: Create a brand direction far different from all other competitors, free from the worn-out icons: gavels, scales of justice, etc. overused by competitors.

Approach:

• Research competitive brand positioning and communications
• Interview company leaders and customers
• Develop key messages that would support a timeless brand
• Plan and implement an integrated brand communications program that will support image perception, marketing and sales efforts

Media:

• Printed and online communications
• Printed collateral
• Industry tradeshows
• Internet-based communications
• Direct marketing communications
• Printed and electronic selling tools
• Flash-based presentations and rich media e-mail

Result: Increased sales leads that led to the closing of several multi-million dollar deals were attributed to the re-branding efforts for Tyler Technologies and the launch of Odyssey.

“Our re-branding efforts for Tyler and the launch of Odyssey were hugely successful! The ‘Moving Forward’ campaign made an enormous impression in our industry. Our expectations were exceeded across the board. Our sales team has already generated significant leads and have also closed several multi-million dollar deals”.

Brian Miller – Director of Marketing and Sales, Tyler Technologies

Business Issue: Introduce Pace Picante Sauce produced in the United States to a market where salsa picante is not only an everyday staple, but indigenous to the country’s culinary heritage.

Recommendation: Craft a three-phase marketing plan with a focus first on the test market city of Monterrey. Design an advertising campaign consisting of television, print and collateral materials, including a recipe booklet. Initiate a public relations campaign and identify community involvement programs to influence the "hearts and minds" of our target audience.

Solution: Based on the positive results of our marketing analysis and focus groups, develop a "slice of life" advertising campaign. Additionally, spearhead a series of public relations and community involvement programs, detailing the benefits of the Pace Picante Sauce product line.

Strategy:

• Situational analysis/market research
• Target market profile
• Three-phase product introduction advertising campaign and public relations/community involvement programs
• Long-term account planning and implementation

Media Strategy:

• Televisa – regional and national daypart soaps/food/homemaking programs
• BUENHOGAR - homemaker magazine
• Cocina Fácil – cooking recipes and suggestions
• Contenido – Reader’s Digest type magazine
• Saludable – focuses on health and diet
• Selecciones – Reader’s Digest in Spanish
• TV Tele-Guía – TV guide in Spanish
• VANIDADES – fashion, beauty, cooking, short stories magazine

Results: Based on capturing 22% market share in a period of six months in Monterrey, the planned second phase rollout to the city of Guadalajara was initiated. With similar positive results in Guadalajara, a third and final countrywide rollout phase was completed. Pace Picante Sauce become Mexico’s brand leader.

Business Issue: Over the years, Hughes & Luce’s client mix has changed from giant corporations to smaller, more agile emerging businesses. The firm needed to update its brand communications to reflect this.

Recommendation: Create a new advertising campaign that would deliver refreshed brand messages to a broad business executive audience.

Solution: Create a greater understanding of the evolution of the firm through the facilitation of a series of brainstorm Q&A sessions, conducting a communications audit and presenting new messages and communications that better represent today’s Hughes & Luce.

Approach:

• Establish current key messages
• Create an advertising campaign to deliver refreshed brand messages
• Research and create a media strategy
• Place printed advertising
• Integrate refreshed brand messages and look and feel to other printed and online communications

Media:

• Electronically delivered to audience
• Printed advertising publications:
• Forbes
• Inc.
• BusinessWeek
• Fast Company
• Fortune
• Fortune Small Business
• Money

Result: “We decided to go with Quill over several competitors because we felt, given their rich creative talent, we would get some real out-of-the-box thinking on our advertising and overall messaging materials. We also felt they would team well with our lawyers, and in doing so, help us create some real excitement throughout the firm about the upcoming advertising campaign. They have not disappointed us in the least. They have brought us great ideas and have been terrific to work with.”

Rick Davis – Chief Marketing Officer, Hughes & Luce LLP

Business Issue: To create a brand approach that would reflect the level of sophistication of Carrington Coleman’s practice.

Recommendation: Maintain and integrate “The Art of Law” as the driving theme on all printed and online communications. Establish key firm-wide messages and support new business development efforts through the creation of flexible presentation materials and an entirely redesigned Web site.

Solution: To build a graphic approach that projects an upscale image while maintaining the firm’s distinct unpretentious personality.

Approach:

• Conduct key partner interviews
• Establish key messages
• Write partner biographies, firm overview and practice group descriptions
• Establish brand look and feel for internal and external communications
• Establish brand graphic standards
• Apply new brand look and feel to printed collateral and online communications
• Support new business development with the creation and delivery of tools
• Research and plan advertising media

Media:

• Printed and online media

Result: “We chose Quill Advertising for three primary reasons. They demonstrated excellent creativity and creative initiative on our behalf as we pursue some major efforts to support our business development plan. Quill has also provided excellent client service across their team. I have worked directly with five of their team members who demonstrate consistent commitment and competence in each of their areas. Finally, Quill has a strong working knowledge of our industry while not being limited to a traditional line of law firm thinking. Quill has been an excellent choice for Carrington Coleman.”

Bill Bourland – Director, New Business Development, Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal, LLP

Business Issue: Continue to raise public awareness of the need to conserve water in general, especially Dallas’ water resources, while experiencing the most significant drought in the area since the 1950’s.

Recommendation: After achieving a 65% advertising recall rate and a 69% overall change in behavior in 2005 during Year One of Quill’s assignment, compared to 51% recall rate and 53% behavior change in 2004, Quill recommended continuing the successful approach of promoting household water conservation tips through various forms of advertising. In an effort to continue to improve advertising recall and changes in behavior, Quill created more of a vibrant, graphic look for the visual advertising than had been used in 2005.

Solution: Produced an integrated advertising campaign utilizing multiple forms of media (print, radio, television, outdoor, transit and Internet) in order to reach as much of Dallas’ population as possible, in multiple languages.

Strategy/Tactics/Media:

• Create communications in multiple languages including: English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean
• Media research, planning and buying
• Focus group testing
• Print advertising placements in The Dallas Morning News and a variety of ethnically-targeted community newspapers
• Radio traffic sponsorship spots, :10 - :15 (English and Spanish languages)
• DFW-area television broadcast affiliate advertising (English and Spanish languages)
• DFW-area cable television advertising (English language)
• Outdoor billboard advertising (English and Spanish languages)
• Transit advertising (English and Spanish languages)
• Internet Web banner advertising on major local news Web sites (English language)

Results: Through the use of multiple forms of media to communicate both indoor- and outdoor-oriented household water conservation tips, Quill increased advertising recall rates and behavioral changes achieved through the 2005 campaign.

Business Issue: Communicate Thunderbird’s advantage over traditional M.B.A. programs by highlighting the connection between the needs of global business development and global educational programs, like those offered by Thunderbird.

Recommendation: Initiate a global advertising/brand awareness program using world-class publications. Make contact with a Washington lobby group to open doors to appropriate granting agencies. Prepare a program to make personal visits to U.S. corporations for funding.

Solution: Initiate a strong and deliberate advertising message to differentiate the M.I.M. from the M.B.A. and to better define the advantages of the M.I.M. for both the students interested in international management and international institutions looking to hire them. Advantages include:

• Thunderbird is the oldest and largest graduate school of international experience, with 50 years in global education.
• More than 9,000 companies in the 50 U.S. states and 133 countries employ 25,000 Thunderbird graduates in management positions.

Approach:

• Research to determine brand awareness prior to campaign launch
• Target market analysis
• Develop advertising messages focused on a three-tier marketing approach
• Fine tune marketing/advertising campaign based on first-year results of brand awareness and student recruitment

Media:

• U.S. News & World Report
• BusinessWeek
• The Economist
• Far Eastern Economic Review
• Visíon
• Visão
• Washington Post
• The Wall Street Journal
• World Trade Magazine
• New York Times
• Forbes
• Fortune/Europe

Result: Thunderbird became AACSB accredited and eligible to be ranked among all accredited business schools. The U.S. Department of Commerce awarded Thunderbird a $2 million grant for the purpose of establishing The American Business Centers in Russia. U.S. News & World Report and BusinessWeek ranked Thunderbird #1 for international business education.

Business Issue: Determine the information the field sales force wanted, needed and actually used, and how they preferred to receive information.

Recommendation: Place all sales communication and support under one umbrella theme called “teamOne”. The key message promoted by teamOne will be “Supporting One Common Goal”. Each support group will be identified by a name that promotes their areas of focus, but will be subservient to the overall teamOne message and goal. The overall appearance and tone of teamOne will be consistent.

Solution: Implement an overarching strategic communication plan to drive efficient information to the sales force and drive new profit. Enhance and expand sales communications tools consistently both visually and verbally. Create a unified sales communication approach. Create a “Common Voice” using a consistent internal brand theme. This internal brand direction will offer “one” resource to the field. Consistent content and visuals will provide both internal and external teams with a unified identity.

Approach:

• Phase one: Conduct a survey to evaluate the communication needs of field sales representatives. Analyze survey results and build communications plan
• Phase two: Create a unified/common voice integrated communications platform and theme
• Phase three: Prioritize, schedule and distribute unified/common voice communications
• Phase four: Build and distribute overall teamOne communications:
• HTML e-mail invitation for roll-out conference calls (4 individual regions)
• Weekly HTML e-mail conference call reminders
• Templates for PowerPoint presentations/conference calls
• Field Guide – Portable book communicating new procedures for Sales Operations
• Deliver themed internal launch materials: Coffee mug, hats, bags for internal launch party
• Single-source/password-protected online repository
• Quarterly sales success story/profile eMercials – “How They Landed the Deal”
• Weekly HTML e-mail Sales Action Checklist
• Monthly HTML sales brief newsletter
• Monthly Webcast presentations and on-demand presentation access
• Quarterly themed sales promotions
• o Downloadable presentations and tools
• Phase five: Track and measure communication use and effectiveness

Result: “The services and deliverables are fantastic. The fact everyone was immediately energized and wanted to talk about the new communication approach is a compliment to solid planning and the understanding of the information and tools used in the selling process.”

Mavis Arambula – Sales Communications Manager, FedEx Kinko's Office and Print Services, Inc.

Business Issue: Redefine the perception of the traditional executive suite industry and brand the company globally during expansion into new U.S. and international markets. Position HQ Global Workplaces as the worldwide leader in the executive suite industry.

Recommendation: Introduce a worldwide branding strategy. Present a contemporary upscale image that better represents the high-quality HQ product offering. Define the differences between HQ Global Workplaces and its competitors. Develop targeted messages and a consistent graphic look throughout all forms of communications. Launch localized advertising campaigns into 47 U.S. markets. Introduce HQ internationally, translating communications into French, German, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.

Solution: Initiate a targeted worldwide marketing communications program, capitalizing on HQ's inherent strengths. After merging with the industry's third largest competitor, VANTAS, HQ has more than 400 locations in 26 countries, servicing 67,000 customers. HQ provides the infrastructure (global office access), people (trained and highly skilled staff) and technology (telecommunications, high-speed T1 Internet access and business support equipment) to help businesses succeed.

Strategy/Tactics/Media:

• In-depth research and analysis
• Standardization of newly developed graphic images
• Development of photographic image library for local and corporate marketing applications
• Customized printed fact sheets for centers, and downloadable floor plans for each of the more than 500 centers worldwide
• Marketing/sales support collateral systems translated into multiple languages
• International locations listings
• Regionally customized print advertising campaigns targeted to: consumers, corporate real estate executives and commercial real estate brokers
• Outdoor, airport and taxi advertising
• Radio advertising localized within key markets
• Online advertising
• In-center, customizable collateral and signage
• Promotions directed to new services, and product launches to existing customers
• Trade show booths

Result: "Our business has markedly increased above and beyond our projections. Customer response has been very positive and we're now evaluating a variety of promising new markets."

Deborah Perkins – Director of Global Communications, HQ Global Workplaces

Business Issue: To introduce the American Airlines Flying First Class Conversation Series and increase revenue through private donations and corporate sponsorships, benefiting the C.R. Smith Museum.

Recommendation: Create a marketing plan with a focus on the appeal of guest speakers that have achieved a high celebrity status. Promote the personality of each guest speaker and the notable career accomplishments that they have achieved.

Solution: Plan and establish a marketable brand for the event and market the event series to targeted individuals and area corporations.

Strategy/Tactics/Media:

• Situational analysis
• Target audience profile
• Brand and identity look and feel
• Key messages and consistent communications

Media: Printed and electronic communications and event signage

Result: The inaugural event achieved its attendance goals. The brand and identity communications played a significant role in projecting a professional and current image to the target audience. The event was attended by 78% of the people that were invited.

Business Issue: Convince corporate buyers of managed IT services to switch to EDS Hosting Services. Extend the EDS corporate brand.

Recommendation: Quill Advertising created a highly-targeted direct marketing communications program, positioning EDS as the best choice for IT executives to switch from their existing hosting service provider. Communicate to prospects by asking them if their network is secure from “hungry predators”. EDS is their best option for secure hosting solutions, with over 40 years experience in managing information. Providing prospects with a no-hassle free switch if they choose EDS as their hosting service provider.

Solution: Deliver targeted direct marketing through a visually interesting 3D graphic solution and content

Strategy:

• Strategic planning
• Database management
• Plan and execute an integrated communication program
• Maintain and extend EDS’ global branding efforts
• Plan and execute a targeted direct marketing, sales promotion and lead generation program
• Deliver effective communications targeted to decision makers of IT network services within Fortune 1000 companies

Media:

• Printed communications
• Photo sensitive sound chip that played the “JAWS” music theme when activated

Result: “The JAWS campaign resulted in significant lead generation. The targeted approach, messages and graphic delivery of the communications program gave our sales force the edge they needed to open the doors and obtain the face-to-face meetings they needed to get closer to making a sale.”

Chip Rosales – Marketing Director, EDS Hosting Services

Opportunity: To create a new positioning line that would better reflect the core values of Gardere.

Recommendation: Create a well-rounded understanding of Gardere as a firm, its clients, the way the firm has done business for nearly 100 years, the people, the culture and the firm’s competition. Once this understanding was achieved, we would create key attributes and qualities that represent Gardere and craft positioning lines that would be reviewed and decided on by Gardere’s partners.

Solution: Legal Knowledge. Human Wisdom

Positioning written rationale: A positioning theme focused on Gardere’s understanding of the relationship law plays in business, society and human interaction.

Lawyers pass the bar. Lawyers pass their board specialty certifications. They are tested on the same knowledge. But, knowledge is not enough. Being a good lawyer requires understanding. At Gardere, we go beyond understanding… Knowledge is learned. Wisdom is earned. 100 years of experience has created an institutional memory, an institutional wisdom about how law and people interact. Law is created by people, for people. There’s a reason machines don’t practice law, even though some firms can seem mechanical. People practice law for the benefit of people. Knowledge of the law is a given. What separates us from the rest is the understanding of the impact of the law on human beings. This approach supports the following philosophy of Gardere as a firm: "In our century of practice, we have learned that the law is for and by the people. Even when legal actions involve corporations, the impact is on individuals. It is this understanding that our clients are human beings and not legal entities that gives us insight into the impact of what we do."

Brand attribute checklist:

• Law is for and by the people
• Knowledge is learned, wisdom is earned over time
• Speaks to institutional memory/history
• Communicates the understanding of how the profession impacts the human element
• Wisdom implies propriety and ethical behavior

Approach:

• Communications auditing
• Competitive research
• Client brainstorm meetings
• Written rationale

Media:

• Electronic and printed communications

Results: The newly introduced brand positioning line has been well received by the firm. The branding processes that will introduce “Legal Knowledge. Human Wisdom” will take years of calculated and consistent communications over a sustained time.

Business Issue: To create a fresh approach that would be used to introduce Gardere’s new InterAction CRM system to partners and associates, and maximize use of the system.

Recommendation: Create a consistent series of produced mock-commercials that spoofed the most popular online dating service, eHarmony.com, which claims to use scientific data to provide people with their perfect match. Their success is based on asking the right questions to collect the exact data needed to find out what really makes people tick. The success of InterAction and the whole CRM project is dependent on collecting the right data so Gardere can find out all the client’s needs. Then, “gHarmony” can match the client to the perfect attorney.

Solution: Promote the CRM system by using real Gardere partners as actors to connect with their peers and communicate the benefits of the system.

Terms used within mock-commercials – Pair the name gHarmony with a matchmaking term:

• gHarmony – Perfect match
• gHarmony – Long-term relationship
• gHarmony – The right partner makes the difference
• gHarmony – This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship

Approach:

• Use an existing and well-known matchmaking service to creatively deliver information
• Use real Gardere partners as actors to connect with their peers
• Creatively deliver key messages that support the benefits of the InterAction CRM system
• Introduce the mock-commercials during Gardere’s annual partners’ meeting and distribute subsequently to others online

Media:

• Electronic presentation
• E-mail communications
• Online communications

Results: The gHarmony mock-commercials were well-received and were the buzz of Gardere for months after they were introduced. The light-hearted approach helped partners adopt a more receptive attitude toward the new system.

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Business Issue: Bennigan’s looked to increase revenue. The restaurant’s marketing team engaged Quill Advertising to consult and provide recommendations on how to direct a promotion that could leverage the restaurant’s Irish theme.

Recommendation: Create a national promotion that would involve their patrons and invite others to visit Bennigan’s restaurant and help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. We called the month-long celebration “Blarney Blast”. Blarney Blast would deliver a likable image that would cross all age, gender and ethnic barriers. We invited the consumer to “Come in again and Win again at Bennigan’s”. The Blarney Blast campaign would involve a scratch-off contest that would promote winners to return to the restaurant to redeem their prizes. The grand prizewinner would win an all-expense paid trip for two to Ireland.

Solution: Plan and execute a national promotion to increase revenue before, during and after the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. We would plan to market the promotion to a broad consumer audience using multiple impressions.

Strategy:

• Situational analysis
• Target audience profile
• Promotional and identity look and feel
• Consistent communications delivered to 400 plus stores nationally

Media:

• Printed in-store communications, event signage and scratch-off instant winner game

Results: The promotion appeared nationally and was a resounding success, increasing overall sales revenue over an eight-week period by 23% over the same period the year before.

Business Issue: Increase event awareness, mo