Case Studies

AMERICAN MOVIE CLASSICS

1. Themeline development for AMC’s re-brand effort in May of 2002.  The channel was aiming to change their programming and add commercials.  With a new look, new theme and new promos, they sought to down-age their audience and attract more ad dollars.

 

 

WE – WOMEN’S ENTERTAINMENT

1. Provided tune-in copy for WE launch working with their existing themeline, “The space we share.”

 

METRO-TV NY

            Cablevision’s New York Metro Channels run tri-state area programming for sports, weather and general entertainment.  They wanted to capitalize on their New York exclusiveness, as well as build awareness, sampling and demand.  The challenge came in creating a themeline for a channel not available in Los Angeles – the feel for which had to come from supplied programming tapes.

• Developed a strategy, themeline and tune-in scripts for Metro-TV.  “Turn On NY” became fully merchandised and appears on the New York/ Metro website shared with New York magazine.

 

DREAMWORKS/SKG CONSUMER PRODUCTS

            Consumer products connected to feature films play an important role in the profit picture for a studio.  Prior to the release of the animated feature Shrek, for example, DreamWorks faced strong resistance in creating important strategic merchandising partnerships from key national advertisers and toy manufacturers.  Many seemed unwilling to gamble on a strange-looking, ill-mannered character with no track record.  The lucky ones who shared the vision of Shrek’s creators have also shared in the most successful DreamWorks film in studio history.

1. Worked to develop stylebook, product, packaging and advertising editorial for several DreamWorks features, including Shrek 1&2, Spirit, Wallace & Gromit and Madagascar.

 

PANAVISION, INC.

            Panavision is considered by many to be the premier motion picture camera and equipment provider in the industry.  When the company introduced their series of Primo lenses, they ran an ongoing campaign in American Cinematographer with the headlines “Achieve”, “Excite” and “Succeed”.  The advertising was aimed at film directors and Director’s of Photography to inform them about the new equipment and persuade them to try it, as well as to remind them of Panavision’s history of leadership in the motion picture industry.

 

PLANET HOLLYWOOD

            As part of an effort to upgrade the image of this theme restaurant chain, the company engaged architectural firm John Farnum Studio to conduct a complete redesign from the ground up.  This included creating ceiling-to-floor museum panels with information relating to Academy Award winning films.  The panels were designed to travel and be switched out periodically in the different stores.

 

AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MORTGAGE BANKING

          RJM client ASMB is the oldest and best-established mortgage training school in the country.  They approached RJM Public Relations and Marketing to help them launch their post-secondary education services in Houston in April 2003.  More importantly, ASMB needed to build a long-term, comprehensive marketing and public relations program that would help them grow their business in many other states.

• Outdoor
• Spot radio
• Small space business trade print
• Press releases to Houston newspapers, including business journals as well as mortgage trade press
• Video news release to Houston TV
• Website
• On-line advertising
• Poster and flyer distribution at local colleges
• Direct Mail
  • Series of postcards to training decision makers at lending institutions.
  • Personal letters to key lending institution personnel.

 

DESIGNWORK STUDIOS

            RJM client DWS built a solid architectural design business serving the powersport industry with such clients as Harley-Davidson and Arctic Cat.  They felt that their talents, most importantly their ability to steward their client’s brands through the skilled application of retail design principles, could help them broaden their business into the wider retail arena.  RJM developed a comprehensive communications platform for DWS and probed the areas of retail most likely to offer growth opportunities in today’s economy.

• Design trade print advertising
• Website
• Direct mail collateral
• Speaking engagements
• Media relations
• Trade show materials and attendance

 

U.S. BORAX

            In an effort to invigorate its dying brand, McCann-Erickson’s long time client U.S. Borax decided to re-position the laundry product “Borateem” targeting younger users. This campaign helped Borateem compete more strategically for shelf pace and build new product loyalties.

 

NEW OTANI HOTEL

            An introductory small-space print campaign for the world-class Japanese hotel New Otani helped to take downtown Los Angeles off the never-never-land list for business travelers and locals.  These ads worked to create business bookings for rooms, banquets and meetings as well as restaurant seatings beyond those of the New Otani’s loyal Japanese clientele. 

 

AMERICAN HONDA HISPANIC

            Honda Motors has been pro-active is reaching out to the lucrative and underserved Hispanic market.  Through La Agencia de Orci, Honda began a multi-pronged campaign to build auto sales with this segment.  La Agencia’s plan started with community sponsorships for schools as well as the Ballet Folklorico and World Cup Soccer and went on to full-fledged advertising and collateral from the ground up. Their initial efforts required a mainstream English-language writer to work with their existing creative team.

• Dealer kits with bi-lingual materials, including a “tip Sheet” and English/Spanish “flashcards” for salespeople to drive home the important cultural differences that could help win sales.
• Print advertising in Automundo, Mecanica Popular, and Mas matched the work that was running in mainstream press in look and feel but spoke to these prospects culturally and in both languages.

 

HALLMARK CHANNEL / HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL

• Participated in 8-months of strategic team planning, positioning and creative marketing development to launch HC – the most successful network launch in television history.

• Strategic marketing documents and proposals
• Focus group materials
• Image advertising concepts
• Naming program blocks
• Print advertising
• Program-specific TV, print and outdoor
• Ad sales ideas
• Tribute advertising
• Trade and affiliate ideas

 

• Since 2000, created annual B-B communications for Advertising and Affiliate Sales groups, including  print campaigns for 2004 through 2009.

• Continue to consult on an annual contract.

 

THE MEN’S SHOW

            Conceived long before FOX’s Men’s Show, Sweeney / Rasmussen films' idea was to produce a smart, global TV magazine show for men.  The show was slated for sponsorship by Gilette and scheduled to be produced and to air initially in Europe.  The demo tape and attending materials generated considerable interest in France, Italy and Germany.

 

SMALL BUSINESS DIRECT MAIL           

            If Mrs. Field's could do it, so could I: set up a business selling home-smoked salmon.  This flyer generated more than a 50% return, earned me less than minimum wage and caused my ankles to swell.  Food-service is best left to the pros.

 

DISCOVERY NETWORKS

            More than a decade of experience writing for Discovery Channel, Discovery Channel Stores, TLC and Travel Channel:

1. Wrote strategic plans, brand documents and focus group materials.
2. Acted as Creative Director for network television image advertising campaigns and network launch materials through Sweeney / Rasmussen Films.
3. Participated in the creation of Discovery’s long-lived themeline “Explore Your World”.
4. Named Discovery Channel guide, “Destination Discovery”.
5. Created ad sales/videos – network overviews, single-program promos and affiliate advertising.
6. Acted as Creative Director and writer for Discovery’s 1996 Olympic film “A World of Champions”, screened at the Discovery Channel Theater in Atlanta.

Created first consumer television campaign for DC Stores.