For Central Washington University, the time was right for a change. Not close enough to Seattle to be considered a cosmopolitan urban university, yet too far from the east side of the state to be considered one of the big greater Spokane universities, CWU had fallen into collegiate purgatory. A massive re-branding and marketing campaign would be necessary to dig them out. Can of Red founder Ryan Bentz while at Desautel Hege Communications helped devise an integrated marketing and branding plan that would eventually turn the school's image around from a small farm town school to the quality university it is. Included in the plan: new tagline, graphics standards, identity usage, media buying recommendations, audience-specific strategies and tactics, and research conclusions.
The Family Maternity Center at Holy Family Hospital had recently finished a major overhaul on their maternity facilities. Understandably, Holy Family wanted all the moms- and dads-to-be to know about the center's renovation so parents would choose Holy Family for their birthing experience. A marketing campaign was created that would communicate the maternity center's key messages to these target audiences with the goal of increasing head count for the year by 20%. Using radio, billboards, print advertising, and collateral, this goal was met and exceeded for the following year.
The Squaxin Island Tribe's Little Creek Casino was the new kid on the block. Other casinos around the southern end of the Puget Sound were established and already had a regular customer base. The casino wanted to appeal to a slightly younger audience than its competitors. Radio spots were edgier. The print ads were more modern. And the television used younger talent. Ongoing research showed that the marketing campaign was working as headcount of target audiences began to double and the big spenders made much more frequent visits.
Changing behavior and thought patterns through effective design and strategic planning. That's one of the major points of marketing. And that's what New America Capital wanted to do with their direct mail campaign to renters throughout the Portland and Vancouver area. Using compelling photography and savory copy, we were able to generate leads from renters who were interested in buying their first house.
One of the things the city of Spokane, Washington is best known for is its abundance of parks. The Spokane Parks Foundation, an endowment created to help preserve and protect the city's parks, works tirelessly to raise funds to help fulfill its mission. In 2003, Can of Red founder Ryan Bentz created a donor information kit including brochures on planned giving and the endowment as well as testimonials to provide potential contributors. In late 2003, he developed a targeted direct mail campaign that went to the Foundation's frequent contributors as well as past contributors. The mailing was a success and the Foundation was able to give a total of $94,788 to the parks in 2004.
The College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) had a compelling story to tell: Many of the children thought to have attention deficit disorders and subsequently end up taking medication for treatment may have vision disorders causing their behavioral and/or academic problems. Can of Red founder Ryan Bentz was instrumental in the development and execution of the media strategy behind their national campaign. Hits in the Chicago Sun-Times, Seattle Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Good Housekeeping and other large communication channels demonstrated to them the value of media relations to their cause.
The National Council on Disability Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee was tasked to create a toolkit for federal agencies to help them reach out to people with disabilities from diverse cultures to meaningfully engage them in the agencies' programs and services. Since budget and survivability of the toolkit were significant concerns for this project, Can of Red founder Ryan Bentz created a Web-based toolkit that would help address both concerns. Printing costs, aside from the initial distribution of the product would be nonexistent. And since it is Web-based, the client would be able to manage updates easily and quickly. The kit contained collateral to be printed by the agencies for use, example radio and television PSA scripts, resources and pertinent contact information and useful facts and statistics to help foster understanding and awareness.
Through such enterprises as the Camas Institute and the Northern Quest Casino, the Kalispel Tribe of Indians continually give back to the community. While much of this is through charitable contributions and sponsorships, the Tribe also provides a valuable economic presence that can be felt across all of Eastern Washington. Amidst the everlasting debate around tribal gaming, the tribe believed it was important to communicate this value to the community. Following a series of focus groups, telephone surveys and omnibus polls, as well as careful evaluation of economic impact figures, the Tribe ran a campaign of television, print and radio advertisements explaining this positive impact. The campaign also featured a companion Web site where target audiences could learn more about the Tribe and its history, culture and present-day situation.
