Meridian Group seeks a highly organized, motivated team player to work as a Project Coordinator on a wide variety of integrated marketing efforts for the launch of a national cause marketing campaign. Project Coordinator would provide direct support to the Project Manager, and work in a team environment coordinating all efforts of an integrated cause-related campaign. Responsibilities may include: assisting the client team with day-to-day account projects, monitoring trends, editing, writing/content development, media relations activities, presentation building, quantitative and qualitative client research, conducting and contributing to brainstorming sessions, in-depth ROI analysis and reporting, along with day-to-day administrative duties. This position will provide a strong foundation for development in the public relations, social media and advertising industry. Complainers, Debbie-downers, and buzz killers need not apply.

Applicant responsibilities include:

• Coordinate project development and overall campaign management
• Assist with day-to-day account projects for all integrated marketing efforts
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research, monitor trends, etc.
• Produce monthly and quarterly ROI reports under Project Manager supervision
• Coordinate with management, marketing, and public relations teams to ensure all strategic and tactical initiatives are produced on-target and on time
  
• Participate in weekly client status meetings, produce meeting reports and manage associated follow up
• Manage overall project/campaign tracking and communicate internally and externally on a consistent basis
• Network with key government and non-profit entities under supervision of Project Manager
• Support Project Manager on day-to-day client communication
• Provide monthly analysis of all associated marketing activity
• Perform additional duties as assigned by management

Applicant qualifications should include:

• Must be a self-starter with a positive attitude
• Solid project-management skills and attention to detail
  
• Strong oral and written communication skills
  
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills
• Ability to organize and manage multiple project priorities simultaneously and effectively
  
• Ability to produce high-quality work under tight deadlines
• B.A. in Marketing/Communications/Media Studies/Journalism or related field, or comparable experience
• Proficient writing ability and computer skills
  
• Prior experience preferred
• Social media experience a plus

Email resume to Joe Takach

Meridian Group seeks an experienced Project Manager to take a strategic role in managing the day-to-day activation of a national cause marketing campaign. The Project Manager would report directly to the VP of Corporate Communications and work in collaboration with the Sr. Account Manager. The successful candidate will conduct targeted marketing outreach to implement a cause marketing program to a core audience of independently owned and operated businesses and the general public at-large. The Project Manager will be responsible for overall strategic planning, coordination and implementation of all integrated marketing strategies, day-to-day client communication, conducting qualitative and quantitative research, monitoring trends, and providing detailed ROI reporting and analysis. The Project Manager will also be responsible for managing a Project Coordinator. This candidate should possess a background in marketing, public relations, have a strong, working knowledge of social media applications, and experience in networking and relationship building. We are looking for a type “A” personality with type “B” people skills who is just as capable presenting to C-Suite executives as they are printing their own labels.

Applicant responsibilities include:

• Lead project development and overall campaign management
• Effectively manage day-to-day account projects for all integrated marketing efforts
• Coordinate with management, marketing, and public relations teams to ensure all tactical and communications efforts are produced on-target and on time
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research, monitor trends, and produce applicable reporting docs
• Participate in weekly client status meetings, produce client service reports and manage associated follow up
• Produce monthly and quarterly ROI reports along with Project Coordinator support
• Manage overall project/campaign tracking and communicate internally and externally on a consistent basis
• Provide monthly, and quarterly analysis of all associated marketing activity
• Create and execute project work plans and revise as appropriate to meet changing needs and requirements
• Network with key government and non-profit entities as relevant
• Identify resources needed and assign individual responsibilities
• Review deliverables prepared by team before passing to client
• Effectively apply agency methodology and enforces project standards
• Perform additional duties as assigned by management

Applicant qualifications should include:

• At minimum, five years integrated marketing experience
• Preferred management experience
• B.A. in Marketing/Communications/Media Studies/Journalism or related field
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to organize and manage multiple project priorities simultaneously and effectively
• Proficient writing, editing, and proofreading abilities. AP Style familiarity a plus.
• Proven ability to produce high-quality work under tight deadlines
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Efficient project-management skills and attention to detail
• Proven experience resolving project issues, developing cross-departmental consensus, collaboration and coordination in difficult business situations

Email resume to Joe Takach

A spot we did for Virginia Zoo in Norfolk that will be shown at movie theaters throughout Hampton Roads this summer.
Thanks to Al at Earworks for the great sound work. We found out that biscotti is an excellent way to mimic the sound of a bug being eaten by a chameleon. Ah, the important things we learn in advertising.

There’s a shift inside the walls of Meridian Group. Our mantra has always been to “Question everything” and to “Do whatever it takes”. For a few years shy of a decade, I’ve heard, believed it, but never actually felt the floor move. But now more than ever you can feel it. We’ve rearranged our desks, purged stacks of collected junk and vacuumed away years of carpet bunnies.

Some groupies are in smaller offices, some are trapped in cubicles, while others gained large offices. But regardless of our chairs and desks, we are all equal in this change. For some the adjustment is harder than others.

But the real change is not coming from the top branches of our agency tree, it’s deep in the roots of our industry. If you don’t believe it this time, you might rethink your career. Both of our Meridian mantras should now be anyone’s living in advertising. Do with it what you will.

Every Monday brings a new batch of news, projects and agency culture posted to an internal agency forum. It’s like our own Facebook but no one hangs out all day posting useless diatribes of their lives or tagging drunk photos of their friends…okay maybe some of that. This is a snippet from a few months ago:

“COMPLACENCY
We are all becoming a little complacent in our actions, thoughts and work. We need to take actions that move things forward with growth for our clients and the agency….Someone else will take care of it we all said to ourselves. If you do not do take action no one else will. Take action.”

It struck a deep chord within me. Complacency is a VERY dangerous especially when you start ignoring the alarm systems, dangers and deficiencies just to get through the day. The complacent always front their disease with the thought of “that’s not my job”. And for those living in the land of complacency, beware that Sasquatch (aka the truth) WILL find you daydreaming in your cubicle.

Although I’m not immune to my own bouts of complacency, on most days I’m 97.99% dedicated to moving the ship through the muck. And I’m pretty certain that taking some sort of stand is really a matter of survival these days. This is my attempt at doing just that.

Meridian approaches all projects through a process of research, questioning and discovery. We call it the WHY PROCESS. So in my movement to fight complacency, I’ve rewritten it with more of a step by step plan of survival during the changing times of “why me”. (If you are reading this, this slipped by Joe Takach and you’ll find me in the principals office later.)

INSIGHT HINDSIGHT

Hindsight usually occurs after the fact. It’s big picture reality of what was done. We spend majority of our energy seeing a project through completion, but we rarely reflect on it once it’s crossed off the list. We move it through the motions but rarely reflect on the process of pushing it through the gate. It’s that ability to analyze ourselves that brings insight and helps us understand where the tracks need moving. I say bring back the gut instincts.

INNOVATION INCLINATION

In definition, inclination is natural tendency in character, but also means angle between a plane or axis of direction. I’m not expert in geometry, but I know that pushing the right angle does usually mean that you’re at least expending energy in making things move. We all need to take it upon ourselves to take responsibility. None of us are as dumb as all of us. The days of silo hat wearing are over. I will in fact implode if I hear someone ramble the words “That’s not in my job title” because actually – it is!

INTERACTION INTERCONNECTION

Small world happens in big ways. Every interaction you have with people can and will be threaded to you later in life. I’m not talking about the six degrees of separation. I’m talking that interconnection of emotion that you may not have be aware that you even left behind. Now more than ever we have to make meaningful connections with our colleagues, coworkers and clients. It should come natural – or we should make it seem that way. Yes, I know, I’m getting emotional here, but that’s what people remember the most.

There you have it. Rewritten steps to survive this industry in a world where there’s less and less control over the message, the media and your job. Get used to it. No one really knows what the hell the right formula is. Embrace the shifting foundation beneath you and learn to deal with change.

I have noticed lately that some agencies only have one style that they produce for all their clients. In some cases they even use the same photographer for multiple clients. Is this the result of an overzealous creative director or because the clients hire the agency for their particular style? I can’t say for sure but it has always been my philosophy that the approach should be unique to each client, not the person or agency that is developing the work. Then again, the fault might be with the clients that hire agencies based on past work they have done for other clients. I have seen this happen dozens of times when clients, especially they are doing their search through a formal RFP, want to see five or more samples of creative without asking for an entire case study including results or ROI.

There seems to be another trend that’s gaining traction; multi-faceted campaigns for a single client that targets a very specific demographic or a different campaign for each business unit or product line. The Martin Agency is making a killing at this approach with the best example being their work for Geico. Does it really make sense to utilize a reptile, caveman and a stack of cash as icons for a single brand simultaneously? I’m a big fan of Martin but this just seems like a blatant waste of the client’s almighty dollar.

Recently, I was in a collaborative brainstorming meeting discussing Social Media opportunities with local marketing firms and I brought up the tool FourSquare as something I thought we should be utilizing for the client at hand. One of the reps, a self-proclaimed “twitter queen” crinkled her nose distastefully and stated that she didn’t think FourSquare was “anything we should be wasting our time on.” Instead, she suggested that we spend more time and resources trying to wring more followers out of Twitter.

It’s a good thing she doesn’t work for me – I’d have kicked her out on her crown.

My problem is not that she so easily dismissed a rising social media tool out of hand even though she admitted that she had no solid research or experience to back up her statement.  My problem is that every idea she brought to the table was based on technology that was a minimum of three years old.  While there’s a lot of value to be found in using a tool that’s got plenty of traction, there’s also a slender window of opportunity to get on board with rising tools and trends. In fact, integrating old and new can create a virtual slingshot effect for your client’s brand.

Users are fickle. Social media veterans know that as one tool wanes (it inevitably will), another gains momentum.  FourSquare is a great example of that. One year after its debut, FourSquare is valued at over 80 million and currently being courted by Yahoo. A number of major brands are looking to sponsor badges within the game and more locations are being added every second.

Admittedly, I’m an early adopter of social media, new technology and tools. I’m an avid reader of several tech and design blogs and if they served food at the Apple store, I’d put in a cot (I’ve measured and I can, in fact, fit under the counter nicely).  That aside, the cold truth is you’re paying for media expertise and advocacy and there’s just no excuse for a marketing firm to ignore what’s intelligent and interesting and rely solely on what’s easy and accessible. As a client, you should expect better than that – in fact, you should demand it.

We believe in asking why and doing so has opened the doors to greater creativity and more thoughtful strategic marketing plans.  Asking why, interestingly, is a common thread amongst a number of social media innovators.

There’s nothing worse than a RSS feed that for one reason or the other never gets updated. Sometimes for weeks on end, the same topic appears. This has happened to me with a local television station, a luxury resort and now with Food Network who has featured Tilapia with Green Beans as the recipe of the day now for over a month. Get recent or get lost.

Our client Wounded Warrior Project was featured on CNN’s Newsroom with Kyra Phillips today, thanks to the PR department’s great working relationship with CNN. In light of Mother’s Day weekend, the segment featured two mothers turned caregivers who have given up their lives to care for their sons. Both young men were injured in the line of duty in the current wars and require full time care. A truly inspirational story!

See their story here.

Meridian Group had a big win last night during the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Pinnacle Awards, taking home the event’s top prize, Best in Show, and a win in the Special Events category! The PR team was honored for the public relations campaign they developed and executed for the STIHL Tour des Trees, a weeklong, 500-mile cycling event to benefit the TREE Fund.

Last year’s Tour kicked off from NYC and was featured on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360° Blog, on TreeHugger.com, and in Bicycling Magazine among others. The team is already hard at work promoting the 2010 STIHL Tour des Trees, which kicks off from Chicago on July 18. Press coverage for the 2010 event already includes the Mother Nature Network, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the Orlando Sentinel. Congrats to the team on a big win!

From Steve Jobs open letter in April:

Apple has a long relationship with Adobe. In fact, we met Adobe’s founders when they were in their proverbial garage. Apple was their first big customer, adopting their Postscript language for our new Laserwriter printer. Apple invested in Adobe and owned around 20% of the company for many years. The two companies worked closely together to pioneer desktop publishing and there were many good times. Since that golden era, the companies have grown apart. Apple went through its near death experience, and Adobe was drawn to the corporate market with their Acrobat products. Today the two companies still work together to serve their joint creative customers – Mac users buy around half of Adobe’s Creative Suite products – but beyond that there are few joint interests.

I wanted to jot down some of our thoughts on Adobe’s Flash products so that customers and critics may better understand why we do not allow Flash on iPhones, iPods and iPads. Adobe has characterized our decision as being primarily business driven – they say we want to protect our App Store – but in reality it is based on technology issues. Adobe claims that we are a closed system, and that Flash is open, but in fact the opposite is true. Let me explain.

Read the rest here.