HIGHRETURN Volume 30 Issue 01
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
TROZZOLO.COM
Find Your Difference
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Digital ROI Pitfalls
TA B L E O F CONTENTS PAGE 02
Moving the Needle PAGE 04
Getting Past the “So What? ” Question
M OV I N G T H E N E E D LE // By Pasquale Trozzolo, Executive Chairman
What makes you
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Don’t Let Digital ROI Cloud Your Strategy
When companies hire a marketing agency, they
PAGE 06
often find themselves facing hard questions
Client Highlights
that can reach all the way back to their original
PAGE 09
The Passing Lane PAGE 09
In Memoriam
business plan. Mission statements are written and rewritten. Then vision statements. And
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8th & Wyandotte Update
on and on. Does this sound familiar? For most clients, it’s all beside the point. What companies really need is to figure out what they’re offering
During Trozzolo’s three decades of challenging clients to defy convention, we’ve seen one scenario play out over and over: FINDING WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE IS KEY. NO ONE STANDS OUT BY FITTING IN. That’s why this issue of High Return is focused on finding what makes your company or organization different from all the rest, and how you can make that difference relevant to the audience you want to reach. It means asking hard questions – another Trozzolo tradition. We think you’ll love the results.
that customers can’t get anywhere else. Imagine yourself on a busy playground. You – your company, in this scenario – want to play with the kid who has the ball. Problem is, that kid has choices. He’s cynical. Everyone wants to play with him. He’s the consumer, after all. His parents’ mailbox is stuffed with invitations. He knows playing ball is fun – that’s not the issue. He’s got so many offers, sometimes he gives up and doesn’t play at all. Then it’s your turn to ask him to play. You know what he’s going to say, right? “What makes you so special, anyway?” And you’d better have an answer. One that no other kid can truthfully say.
trozzolo.com 816.842.8111 © 2018
so special , anyway? “I’m nice.” That should be a given.
Chipotle is a great example of how differentiation is paramount
“I play by the rules.” Also a given.
in both importance and timeline when it comes to brand building.
“I have a ball.” So does everyone else.
Yours is probably there, buried in a stack of papers, hidden in a
You’re going to have to figure out what makes you – your
memory from those glorious startup days, or staring you right in
brand – unique. It’s your brand difference, and it’s the first
the face. Discovering your brand difference can take a fresh mind,
thing companies should determine when building a brand.
which is why we’re here when you need that help.
Decades ago, Dove differentiated its soap by pushing
So what do you say to that kid?
its “one-quarter moisturizing cream.” In recent years, the
“Play at my house, and my mom will make us pizza.”
brand’s “Campaign for Beauty” tackled women’s self-esteem
“If you pick me, I’ll post video highlights on social media.”
issues and focused on faces, races and body types typically
“I’ll teach you a new way to dunk that I just developed.”
excluded from beauty marketing. Both tactics worked so well
Any of those could work. Whatever you do, don’t tell him
because they carried messages that were completely distinct
that playing with you will be just like playing with any other kid.
from the competition.
He might just take his ball and go home.
To find your differentiator, you might have some tough conversations ahead. A quality product, amazing employees, great customer service, ethical business practices – these accomplishments don’t grow on trees. They’re worth being proud of. They just don’t make successful brands. Drill deeper when you’re thinking about what sets your company apart. Get out of your office and talk to the people in your company. Study your customer feedback, the bad and the good. Talk to your customers – or people you want as customers – and find out what would make them play ball. For Chipotle, that difference was obvious from the outset: It presented its Mexican “fast casual” food as a healthy, ecoresponsible alternative to other chains like Taco Bell, and focused on choice, letting hungry customers build their own burrito bowls the way they want them. People feel good about themselves for eating that 1,100-calorie Chipotle dinner after hitting the gym, because that chicken was free of antibiotics,
Five questions to ask yourself 1. Why was this company started in the first place? What made the idea so unique back then? 2. Why do your most loyal customers trust you? What keeps them coming back? 3. Think of a competitor or an organization similar to yours. Now, what makes you different from them? Example: LinkedIn is like Facebook, but more professional. “Professional” is LinkedIn’s differentiator. 4. What problems do you solve for your customers better than anyone else? 5. What would your customers miss most if your company went away?
and no drive-thru was involved. Volume 30 Issue 01 Ú 03
Getting Past the “So What?” Question THERE’S A QUESTION EVERY REPORTER IS ASKED WHEN SHE TURNS IN HER FIRST STORY. INVARIABLY, AN EDITOR IN A RUMPLED SHIRT WILL SAUNTER OVER, HOLD UP HER ARTICLE AND ASK, “SO WHAT? ” Variations include, “Why does this matter?” “Why should I care?” and “Did you think about your readers?” What those grizzled old journos want – and what your brand needs – is relevance. Once you’ve figured out the news – your brand difference – you need to show your audience that it matters to them and why. That’s not always an easy sell, because relevance is about making an emotional connection.
Psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs allows us to view brands from an elemental vantage point, based on five P’s:
1 2 3 4 5
PURPOSE Does this brand share and advance my values? PRIDE Do I feel proud or inspired to use this brand’s products or services? PARTNERSHIP Does this brand relate to me and work well with my life? PROTECTION Do I feel safe and secure when doing business with this brand? PERSONALIZATION Are my experiences with this brand continuously tailored to my needs?
One of Trozzolo’s clients, GEHA, is the leading national health and dental provider exclusively serving federal employees. We focus messaging to prospective members on the pride they feel as part of the team that keeps America running, alongside GEHA’s relentless championship of federal employee health for more than 80 years. 04 Ú trozzolo.com
We work exclusively with federal employees, and know the pride they have in their roles. We also understand the pressures they and many federal agencies are under on a daily basis. That’s the reason GEHA made ‘We Stand By Those Who Stand For Us’ our brand/ campaign rallying cry.” Sherry Gibbs Vice President, Marketing and Growth, GEHA
INTEL
Don’t let digital ROI cloud your strategy ROI. IT’S THE NO. 1 THING CLIENTS ASK TROZZOLO’S
“Digital media has been the shiny new toy for many years,”
MEDIA BUYING TEAM ABOUT. WHICH TACTICS ARE
says Shelley Porter, Trozzolo’s media director. “But people
BRINGING IN THE MOST RETURN ON INVESTMENT,
forget that shiny new toys require batteries. Traditional media
AND WHICH ARE EATING UP BUDGET WITHOUT
provides the power that keeps digital media working.”
ANY RESULTS? If that’s your only focus, digital mediums such as paid search
Traditional media helps build that background to keep your name top of mind once they enter the consideration set,
and Facebook ads often get the most credit for leads. If paid
and then as they move down the funnel to digital placements
search is bringing in 10 leads a month but you aren’t able to
encouraging them to convert.
prove leads brought in from radio, why wouldn’t you pour all of your money into paid search and cut radio? With the trackable nature of digital, media budgets started to shift in favor of bottom funnel converters (such as paid search) instead of awareness placements (like radio or
AWARENESS
outdoor billboards). The problem with following the ROI to focus solely on digital? You aren’t necessarily getting your message out in
ENGAGEMENT
front of new customers. Let’s say you’re introducing a new product. If your
CONSIDERATION
target audience is unfamiliar with your brand, what would drive them to search for it? If a banner ad pops up to sell you something you’ve never heard of, what’s going to
CONVERSION
make you want to buy it? You need that contextual background to boost awareness of the brand before you’re driven to purchase. Recently, traditional media has regained credibility. Clients
Using a strategic media mix is important. It helps paint a larger picture of how various mediums work together. Having
and media planners are remembering a long-standing truth:
your customer hear a traffic sponsorship on their way into work
The broad awareness of traditional mediums like TV and
as they pass your billboard on the highway will then trigger
outdoor help fill in the top of the funnel, guiding your audience
them to recognize your name when a Facebook ad pops up.
along the customer journey to conversion – in this case, buying
And then when they’re ready to purchase, you’ll be there
your new product.
waiting in paid search to complete the journey. Volume 30 Issue 01 Ú 05
Client Highlights Global Entrepreneurship Week As Kansas City geared up to participate in the 10th annual Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), the Kauffman Foundation needed a powerful integrated creative campaign. We used the language and look of the maker community to develop an overall creative theme: “Free Your Ideas.” We also partnered with The Roasterie, Ruby Jean’s and Niecie’s by placing inspiration on coffee sleeves, cups, napkins and stickers. The campaign reached a total of 5,849, 022 impressions in the Kansas City area, with 15 GEWKC-related media placements. Traffic to the website was up 290 percent, and registrations were up 175 percent over the previous year.
06 Ú trozzolo.com
Loews Kansas City Trozzolo has been working with the downtown convention hotel developers since the beginning of the project several years ago. Our role has been to shape public opinion, build support and help navigate the political landscape. The Trozzolo PR team oversaw the communications strategy for the project, connected project developers with key stakeholders in city government and managed press events. We were proud to both attend and help manage the groundbreaking event with Loews Hotels in March and look forward to the grand opening in 2020.
KC Tech Council announcement about the possibility of 640-mph Hyperloop
Kansas City Aviation Department
pods between KC and St. Louis. As a strategic partner of the
Our clients at the Kansas City Aviation Department wanted to create
KC Tech Council, the key organizer of the Missouri Hyperloop
a visually compelling poster to help announce a new airline service,
One coalition, Trozzolo’s role was not only to announce the
Icelandair - Kansas City’s first nonstop transatlantic flight. This was
news, but also to position Kansas City as a technology leader.
big news because it meant easier access to Europe from KC. Our
All local TV stations, print, online and radio news outlets
team concepted a vintage-style poster that used the beauty and
Virgin Hyperloop One was preparing to make a major
covered the announcement, as did Forbes for a national story.
wonder of Iceland as a draw. The poster art became the backdrop
The news quickly spread to social channels, further boosting
for the press announcement and was used on social media and
perceptions of the region as a tech hub on a national level.
within several other marketing elements, to international acclaim. Volume 30 Issue 01 Ăš 07
C L I E N T H I G H L I G H T S : C A S E S T U DY
McDonald’s Co-ops: Happiness Served Locally TROZZOLO’S PR WORK WITH MULTIPLE OWNER CO-OPS HAS TAKEN US ON A ROAD TRIP ACROSS THE HEART OF AMERICA. WE REPRESENT MORE THAN 500 MCDONALD’S RESTAURANTS IN SIX STATES, WORKING WITH MORE THAN 80 COMMUNIT YFOCUSED MCDONALD’S OWNER-OPERATORS.
Omaha
Kansas City
March Madness was a perfect chance
On one day every year, Kansas City Chiefs
to bring awareness to McDelivery.
fans buy miniature flags at McDonald’s to
We branded a photo booth on wheels
support Ronald McDonald House Charities
and drove it to tournament stops, including the Sweet 16 in
of Kansas City. In 2016, Trozzolo created a
Omaha, where fan photos came printed with an Uber Eats
tradition, taking a 15-foot Chiefs Kingdom flag on a tour
code. The activations were a huge
of 25 communities – from KCK and Knob Knoster to the
success, driving the region’s double-
Plaza and Friday night high school games – where fans
digit growth in new eaters and trips for
signed the big flag and committed
Uber Eats McDelivery, as well as growth
to buy their own. With more than
in average daily guest counts.
5,000 signatures on the flag for a second straight year, 2017 broke the fundraising record, raising
Nashville
$337,000 – a 35 percent increase.
Nashville was one of eight initial markets to introduce the McDonald’s Hot off the Grill fresh beef initiative, and our rollout
To launch McDelivery in KC, we
included feeding B-roll to broadcast media and a
arranged for NASCAR driver Jamie
segment on ‘Pickler & Ben,’ a Nashville morning
McMurray to surprise a class of auto
show. Media coverage garnered a total reach of
tech students at a local college
59,651. Through
with free food, generating local and
engagement with social media
national coverage. The “surprise
influencers, we also secured
and delight” event reached more than 200 students, with
50 Instagram mentions and
popular midday reporter Rob Collins joining for a live report
359,000 total impressions.
that reached thousands of viewers.
08 Ú trozzolo.com
T H E PA SS I N G L A N E // By Angelo Trozzolo, President & CEO
Why we decided to help take the lead on diversity WHEN IT COMES TO DIVERSITY, WHETHER YOU’RE TALKING WORKFORCES OR VIEWPOINTS, MOST EVERYONE AGREES MARKETING AND AD FIRMS NEED MORE OF IT. IT HAS LONG BEEN A POINT OF DISCUSSION IN OUR INDUSTRY, AND THE “BIG” ADVERTISING CITIES LIKE NEW YORK HAVE EVEN FORMED TASK FORCES TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS. Instead of just talking about it, a group of Kansas City leaders have decided to take action. I am proud that Trozzolo is among the founding partners of The BrandLab KC. The BrandLab started in Minneapolis with a vision of a marketing industry that thrives on the insights and creativity of people with diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Because real change starts in the classroom, the BrandLab program introduces students to a whole new world many do not even know exists. The program guides high school students toward and prepares them
In Memoriam Last fall, Trozzolo lost a valuable friend and partner, political consultant Steve Glorioso. A world traveler with a big heart and an uncanny ability to relate to and befriend anyone he encountered, Steve helped make Kansas City what it is today. Godspeed, Steve.
for creative careers, through college and eventually to the workforce. The BrandLab effort includes mentorships, internships and workshops. The results in Minneapolis have been remarkable. While there had been interest in starting The BrandLab in other cities over the years, no city was able to muster enough interest and initiative to take action – until now. Kansas City’s BrandLab effort was officially announced in February. A board of directors has been formed, an executive director has been hired and the first class of interns has been recruited. The BrandLab’s Fearless Conversation: Race & Authenticity in Advertising event drew a sellout crowd in April, and more events are in the works. If you would like to get involved, visit TheBrandLab.org or contact me directly at angelo@trozzolo.com.
I will always be thankful for all the good work Steve did for our agency and our clients. But most of all, I will miss his invaluable friendship.” Pasquale Trozzolo Executive Chairman Volume 30 Issue 01 Ú 09
8th & Wyandotte Update Proventus joins Trozzolo, ups agency tie-wearers by 25% THINGS ARE LOOKING A LITTLE CLASSIER INSIDE THE GEE WHIZ FACTORY THESE DAYS. But it’s not just impeccably creased slacks that Trozzolo has gained. As a leader in the legal field, Proventus Consulting brings nationally recognized marketing, public relations and business development expertise to the agency. The acquisition of Proventus gives Trozzolo a national vertical in the legal field in addition to its healthcare vertical under the Prairie Dog name. Proventus Consulting is led by President Burton Taylor, who was recently named one of Lawdragon’s 100 Leading Legal Consultants & Strategists and featured in Ingram’s 2018 40 Under Forty Class.
Welcome to the Team OUR COLLECTION OF TALENT CONTINUES TO GROW. WE ARE HAPPY TO WELCOME THE FOLLOWING NEW ASSOCIATES TO THE TEAM : Tom Belot Client Engagement Manager Matt Blume Video Director Anna Evans Senior Art Director Cydnei Gunderson Account Coordinator
Agency Awards Trozzolo was honored at the Public Relations Society of America’s PRISM Awards for its work with TouchNet, KC Scholars, Missouri Credit Union, Unity’s Daily Word, the SHiFT jobs website and Kansas Speedway, which was also a Best of Show finalist. Trozzolo was recognized as a “Community Champion” at Nonprofit Connect’s 2017 Philly Awards for its support of KC nonprofits. The Philly Awards celebrate
Caity Heffernan Senior Account Executive Jennifer Hollingshead Account Vice President Taylor Johnson Public Relations Coordinator Janelle Kelly Production Designer
outstanding achievements in nonprofit marketing and communications.
Samantha Knoten Media Planner/Buyer
Trozzolo and Prairie Dog won silver ADDYs from AAF-KC for creative
Mike Lavieri Public Relations Coordinator
campaigns for United Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, Kansas Speedway and Saint Agnes Medical Center. Proventus won first place in five categories from the National Law Journal Best of the Midwest 2018, including Best Law Firm PR Agency. Prairie Dog won Judge’s Choice (best of all entries) in the 2017 Cardiovascular
Ross Martin Public Relations Strategist Josh McCoy Director of Integrated Channel Delivery Brooke Parker Account Coordinator
Advertising Awards.
Jason Patchett-Gillis Designer
Prairie Dog also won 20 awards in the 35th Annual Healthcare Advertising
Nancy Rigdon Public Relations Strategist
Awards, a contest that covers health-related advertising across the country.
Burton Taylor President, Proventus Consulting 10 Ú trozzolo.com
The future has arrived – on video
In Good Company
CHANGE JUST KEEPS COMING. In the midst of yet
TROZZOLO HAS BEEN ON A SIGNIFICANT WINNING
another growth spurt, we decided it was time to add an
STREAK OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
in-house video production division. So we tapped Matt
WE ARE PROUD TO WELCOME THE FOLLOWING
Blume, most recently the creative director at Kansas
ORGANIZATIONS AS NEW PARTNERS:
City’s Northpass Media, to become our video production
Asante Health
Myers and Stauffer
director, bringing experience with brands like Gatorade,
Children’s Mercy Hospital
MTV and AMC Theatres – not to mention uncanny
City of Gladstone, MO
interviewing skills.
Enterprise Bank & Trust
National Marine Manufacturers Association
Since joining us in February,
H.E. Williams, Inc.
Ozarks Medical Center
Matt has hit the ground running,
Halls Kansas City
Rockhurst University
showing off his ability to take
HighQ
Shick Esteve
creative to the next level with
Kansas Department of Revenue
StaffBridge
his brainstorming, efficiency and lightning-fast editing.
Lee Health
Even better, Matt has an
McDonald’s Greater Tennessee Valley Owners Association
infectious enthusiasm for
Henry W. Bloch School of Management at UMKC Woodside Village
using video to propel Trozzolo’s clients into the future. “We can’t just think about where video is today,” he said. “It’s about where it’s headed.”
Trozzolo and Prairie Dog celebrate 10 years together BATMAN AND ROBIN. HALL AND OATS. LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY. There have been plenty of famous duos in our time. But few have
Congratulations Stellan Foster Kennedy was born to Brendan and Allyssa Kennedy in January. Anna (Downer) Evans, senior art director, married Chris Evans in March. Sarah Chan, account supervisor, got engaged to Nate Konemann in March. Judy Le, PR strategist, is marrying Brady Pyle this summer.
been as prolific as Trozzolo and Prairie Dog. A disruptor in the healthcare industry since 1996, Prairie Dog joined Trozzolo in 2008, helping the agency broaden its client roster and expand into the rapidly growing healthcare marketing category. Since then, Prairie Dog has nearly tripled in size and become a key part of the Trozzolo family of companies.
Meet katie, Trozzolo’s Chief Barketing Strategist
trouble sleeping? Do you find yourself restless at night, staring at the ceiling, drenched in sweat? No? Let us help. Here are a few questions from Trozzolo to ponder before going to sleep. Fair warning: These are bound to keep you up. You’re welcome.
Ò Do your customers only hear from you when you send a bill? Ò How does your website stack up against the competition? Ò Is your team familiar enough with your key messages? Do you have key messages? Ò Is your crisis plan up to date? What crisis plan? Ò Why aren’t you using video as part of your social marketing strategy? Ò Who’s in charge of your social media, anyway? If you need help with any of these, at least you know who to call: 816.842.8111.