Our interns met with local non-profit Safe Places last week and got a look at what the organization does for our community. It was an introductory meeting more than anything else, but it showed us that Safe Places is in desperate need of donations.
If you aren’t familiar with the organization, it is an advocacy group that provides a number of services to the area, like anger management classes, interventions for youth who have been exposed to violence or abuse, and trauma counseling, among many other things. It even houses Pulaski County’s rape crisis hotline.
Safe Places doesn’t get much funding from the government despite being a non-profit organization. The grants they receive provide some support, but never-ending operating expenses mean Safe Places is still short by an intimidating amount. Private donations are welcomed, but they are consistently few in number. Though police, hospitals and other local agencies rely on Safe Places to aid in some of their responsibilities, monetary compensation for their services is rarely offered.
That’s where we come in. Our interns will be helping Safe Places revise their marketing strategies, making them effective enough to get the donations they so urgently need. This includes an overhaul of their website, brochures, press releases and newsletters.
If any organization deserves recognition in the minds of our community members, it’s Safe Places. The valuable services they provide are offered nowhere else, so it’s important that we find them the support they need. We’ll be sure to report back as our interns make more progress throughout the summer.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Interns Make an Entrance
Our Career Clarity program kicked off Monday with our first batch of interns arriving to the office. They will be with us through the end of July, working in account services/PR, copywriting and art direction/design. Here’s a look at the chosen few:
Account Services/PR: Sarah Kurrus, Vanderbilt
Sarah comes to us from right here in Little Rock. She’s had other internships at PR firms in Little Rock and Nashville, but we’re betting ours will be her favorite. Sarah is the community service type and likes to travel. She’s involved in leadership programs at Vanderbilt, including within her sorority.
Copywriting: Robert Haynes, UCA
Robert is from North Little Rock and works for his school paper as ad manager and designer while classes are in session. He’s a big gamer and has no problem talking at length if someone asks him about his favorite RPG (that’s role-playing game for the rest of us). Our advice? Don’t ask him about his favorite RPG.
Art Direction/Design: John Cater, UALR
John is a graphic designer and illustrator from Lonoke. He freelances in web design and has completed several sites that will be used by his school. We’ve discovered he’s also a big video game fan, so he and Robert should get along just fine.
We’re excited to welcome our interns and watch the program as it gets underway. Next week, they’ll begin their very own project helping a local nonprofit, Safe Places. Until then, we’ve got them hard at work. Cream and sugar, please.
Account Services/PR: Sarah Kurrus, Vanderbilt
Sarah comes to us from right here in Little Rock. She’s had other internships at PR firms in Little Rock and Nashville, but we’re betting ours will be her favorite. Sarah is the community service type and likes to travel. She’s involved in leadership programs at Vanderbilt, including within her sorority.
Copywriting: Robert Haynes, UCA
Robert is from North Little Rock and works for his school paper as ad manager and designer while classes are in session. He’s a big gamer and has no problem talking at length if someone asks him about his favorite RPG (that’s role-playing game for the rest of us). Our advice? Don’t ask him about his favorite RPG.
Art Direction/Design: John Cater, UALR
John is a graphic designer and illustrator from Lonoke. He freelances in web design and has completed several sites that will be used by his school. We’ve discovered he’s also a big video game fan, so he and Robert should get along just fine.
We’re excited to welcome our interns and watch the program as it gets underway. Next week, they’ll begin their very own project helping a local nonprofit, Safe Places. Until then, we’ve got them hard at work. Cream and sugar, please.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
A Cinco de Mayo to Remember
Competition at the first Sells Agency Nacho Bowl was fierce, but we have to admit that our creativity far surpassed our scores. All four of our teams helped prove that it’s not whether you win or lose – it’s how goofy you look when you play the game.
The Bowl and the Beautiful, starring Jason, Emily, Kristen and Allison, quickly learned that bowling and dresses didn’t mix. The team went 0-2, but Emily emerged victorious with the prize for lowest score.
Amber, Thad, Leigh and Casey teamed up as the Bowling Stones. Coming into the match as underdogs, the team surprised themselves with a record of 1-1 and had a great time.
The Alley-pinos played well together and dominated their first opponent. EnchiLaura and Gregamole looked like pros while Markarita and Jade No Carne had some great frames.
The team to beat from the beginning was Spare Me. Mike, Rachel, Jon and Lauren came armed with wrist guards and their own bowling balls. Jon’s first game score, complete with five consecutive strikes, was the high score for the day.
The Alley-pinos took on Spare Me in the heated championship round – complete with heckling and scheming. Both teams bowled well and, as chance would have it, Mike bowled a spare in the last frame to defeat the Alley-pinos by four.
The Bowl and the Beautiful, starring Jason, Emily, Kristen and Allison, quickly learned that bowling and dresses didn’t mix. The team went 0-2, but Emily emerged victorious with the prize for lowest score.
Amber, Thad, Leigh and Casey teamed up as the Bowling Stones. Coming into the match as underdogs, the team surprised themselves with a record of 1-1 and had a great time.
The Alley-pinos played well together and dominated their first opponent. EnchiLaura and Gregamole looked like pros while Markarita and Jade No Carne had some great frames.
The team to beat from the beginning was Spare Me. Mike, Rachel, Jon and Lauren came armed with wrist guards and their own bowling balls. Jon’s first game score, complete with five consecutive strikes, was the high score for the day.
The Alley-pinos took on Spare Me in the heated championship round – complete with heckling and scheming. Both teams bowled well and, as chance would have it, Mike bowled a spare in the last frame to defeat the Alley-pinos by four.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Hey, you! Check out this TV spot.
We recently created our first television spot for our new client, QualChoice Health Insurance. Designed to look nothing like your typical insurance ad, we personally think it accomplishes that pretty well. The accompanying print follows the same visual look, as will the three TV spots to follow in May. See the campaign on stations in Little Rock and NWA. But, if you just can't wait, you can view the first spot here.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Accomplishments from NWA
Leigh Allison has been a fixture of our public relations department since joining the Sells Agency in early 2007.
She recently received Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), a mark of distinction for those in the public relations industry who demonstrate their commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice. Only an average of 300 people attain APR status per year throughout the United States.
Leigh’s commitment to the industry extends to her role in the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the leading organization for area PR professionals committed to strengthening and advancing the industry. PRSA recently named the Northwest Arkansas chapter the fasted growing “boutique” chapter in the nation.
She currently serves as president of the chapter, plus she was chair of the hospitality committee that recently organized and hosted the successful “Building Your Brand” PRSA Communications Conference held in Rogers in October 2009. The conference boasted 100 participants from Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Much of her focus is spent managing her clients’ various public relations needs, including strategic planning, media relations, issues management, event publicity and executive training. In the banking and finance industry, she works closely with regional giant Arvest Bank, whose assets now reach beyond the $10 billion mark. Her work with Arvest includes media markets in both Arkansas and Missouri in addition to working on bank-wide initiatives.
Aside from banking, she helps promote one of Arkansas’ best tourism products, the city of Fayetteville, and is very familiar with the healthcare landscape in Northwest Arkansas through her work with Mercy Health System of NWA and HealthSouth of Fort Smith.
After beginning with the Sells Agency in January of 2007 as a public relations account coordinator, Leigh advanced to become an associate account executive in a little over a year and then earned the title of account executive in October 2008. Two promotions, an accreditation and even her own blog entry – what more could anyone want? Seriously, though, congratulations to Leigh on reaching yet another milestone in her career.
She recently received Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), a mark of distinction for those in the public relations industry who demonstrate their commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice. Only an average of 300 people attain APR status per year throughout the United States.
Leigh’s commitment to the industry extends to her role in the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the leading organization for area PR professionals committed to strengthening and advancing the industry. PRSA recently named the Northwest Arkansas chapter the fasted growing “boutique” chapter in the nation.
She currently serves as president of the chapter, plus she was chair of the hospitality committee that recently organized and hosted the successful “Building Your Brand” PRSA Communications Conference held in Rogers in October 2009. The conference boasted 100 participants from Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Much of her focus is spent managing her clients’ various public relations needs, including strategic planning, media relations, issues management, event publicity and executive training. In the banking and finance industry, she works closely with regional giant Arvest Bank, whose assets now reach beyond the $10 billion mark. Her work with Arvest includes media markets in both Arkansas and Missouri in addition to working on bank-wide initiatives.
Aside from banking, she helps promote one of Arkansas’ best tourism products, the city of Fayetteville, and is very familiar with the healthcare landscape in Northwest Arkansas through her work with Mercy Health System of NWA and HealthSouth of Fort Smith.
After beginning with the Sells Agency in January of 2007 as a public relations account coordinator, Leigh advanced to become an associate account executive in a little over a year and then earned the title of account executive in October 2008. Two promotions, an accreditation and even her own blog entry – what more could anyone want? Seriously, though, congratulations to Leigh on reaching yet another milestone in her career.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Tiger makes a commercial. The Sells Agency makes a TV appearance.
Nike launched a controversial ad featuring Tiger Woods with a voiceover by his deceased father, Earl. Released last week, just in time for his debut at the Masters, this TV spot had more free coverage in both the mainstream and social media outlets than even Nike could’ve paid for.
Love it or hate it, the spot seems to be helping Tiger’s reputation, which is what Nike was banking on. According to Zeta Interactive, a company that monitors message boards, blogs and social media posts, Tiger’s public perception is on the rise – as if it had any other way to go.
The day prior to the Masters tournament, Woods’ online reputation was at 51 percent positive and 49 percent negative. Just two days later, the positive number had reached 69 percent and the negative fell to 31 percent. Not surprisingly, Nike’s online reputation rose between ten and 15 percent, too.
We were invited to share our two cents on the Nike spot with KARK and KARZ viewers last week. Click here to view the news segment – and the Nike ad itself. Here’s hoping our already stellar reputation garners a few extra points in the polls!
Love it or hate it, the spot seems to be helping Tiger’s reputation, which is what Nike was banking on. According to Zeta Interactive, a company that monitors message boards, blogs and social media posts, Tiger’s public perception is on the rise – as if it had any other way to go.
The day prior to the Masters tournament, Woods’ online reputation was at 51 percent positive and 49 percent negative. Just two days later, the positive number had reached 69 percent and the negative fell to 31 percent. Not surprisingly, Nike’s online reputation rose between ten and 15 percent, too.
We were invited to share our two cents on the Nike spot with KARK and KARZ viewers last week. Click here to view the news segment – and the Nike ad itself. Here’s hoping our already stellar reputation garners a few extra points in the polls!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sells Agency Movers and Shakers
They grow up so fast, don’t they? Like a proud parent, we have watched as talented and ambitious college grads begin their advertising careers with us and evolve into independent, multi-faceted and service-oriented employees. Lately, several of our junior level associates have surpassed our great expectations and therefore deserve some recognition – and new titles. That’s why we’re proud to announce the promotion of three junior associates, Jason Rogers, Lauren Carrigan and Allison Drennon, plus the addition of one new associate, Casey Wormington.
Jason works in Little Rock in the creative department and was promoted from associate art director to art director. Frankly, he’s so talented we forgot he wasn’t a full-fledged art director. He has been with the agency full-time for one year and worked part-time for two years while attending UALR. He has primary art direction and design responsibilities on multiple accounts, including Carlton-Bates, Rx Solutions and the Jacksonville Advertising and Promotion Commission. His exceptional work for the agency has won several industry awards.
Lauren joined the agency’s Little Rock office in late 2008 as junior copywriter and quickly rose to the position of copywriter. She has created concepts for nearly every client within the agency, including Fayetteville’s current marketing, Rx Solutions’ materials and the new QualChoice campaign that will debut in April. She is the agency’s resident grammar enforcer and handles our summer internship program as the Career Clarity Coordinator. Had she written this blog entry, it would be much more clever – our apologies.
As a member of the account services team, Allison’s experience in both public relations and account service has enabled her to move from account coordinator to associate account executive in the 18 months she’s worked for the agency. She’s also a newlywed and has recently moved from our Northwest Arkansas office to Little Rock. All that change doesn’t faze the multi-talented professional who has always worked closely with clients in both central and Northwest Arkansas.
And because we scoop up talent whenever we find it, we knew we had to hire Casey, who has filled the account coordinator position within the Northwest Arkansas office. She has experience as a print advertising coordinator for a nation-wide auto parts business and has a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Drury University. We’re looking forward to watching her excel as well.
Jason works in Little Rock in the creative department and was promoted from associate art director to art director. Frankly, he’s so talented we forgot he wasn’t a full-fledged art director. He has been with the agency full-time for one year and worked part-time for two years while attending UALR. He has primary art direction and design responsibilities on multiple accounts, including Carlton-Bates, Rx Solutions and the Jacksonville Advertising and Promotion Commission. His exceptional work for the agency has won several industry awards.
Lauren joined the agency’s Little Rock office in late 2008 as junior copywriter and quickly rose to the position of copywriter. She has created concepts for nearly every client within the agency, including Fayetteville’s current marketing, Rx Solutions’ materials and the new QualChoice campaign that will debut in April. She is the agency’s resident grammar enforcer and handles our summer internship program as the Career Clarity Coordinator. Had she written this blog entry, it would be much more clever – our apologies.
As a member of the account services team, Allison’s experience in both public relations and account service has enabled her to move from account coordinator to associate account executive in the 18 months she’s worked for the agency. She’s also a newlywed and has recently moved from our Northwest Arkansas office to Little Rock. All that change doesn’t faze the multi-talented professional who has always worked closely with clients in both central and Northwest Arkansas.
And because we scoop up talent whenever we find it, we knew we had to hire Casey, who has filled the account coordinator position within the Northwest Arkansas office. She has experience as a print advertising coordinator for a nation-wide auto parts business and has a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Drury University. We’re looking forward to watching her excel as well.
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