- Stradella Road
Stradella Road was named agency of record for Real Mex Restaurants, a Mexican full-service casual dining operator. Real Mex Restaurants brands include El Torito, Chevys Fresh Mex, Acapulco, Las Brisas, El Torito Grill, Pink Taco, Who Song & Larry's and Sinigual.The agency will develop a unique social media voice for each of Real Mex Restaurants' eight brands.
"The ability to share the stories and passion behind our food, restaurants and hospitality is an important part of forming a genuine connection with our guests," said Steve Greer, head of marketing, vice president of Real Mex Restaurants. "Stradella Road's unique approach to social media and capabilities impressed our Real Mex team on all fronts."
Real Mex Restaurants spent $921,000 on measured media the first 11 months of 2016, per Kantar Media.
- Doner
Brightpeak Financial, a division of Thrivent Financial, named Doner as its first agency of record. The agency will oversee brand strategy, marketing and advertising. First work will break later this year.Brightpeak Financial develops content, tools and financial planning products and resources for clients. The company currently work with more than 7,500 Americans nationally, with 80% of its services provided digitally.
"If we are to attract a new generation to our products and services, we need to do things differently," said Lisa Steffes, CEO & president of Brightpeak Financial. "We were immediately impressed by Doner's ability to grasp our difference as a digital-first business that provides simple, straightforward solutions. Doner came to us with smart, creative ideas built around simplicity, transparency and trust that will resonate and position us for dynamic growth."
Brightpeak Financial spent just under $1 million the first 11 months of 2016, per Kantar Media.
- Brand Definition
Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government organization responsible for developing Irish enterprises in world markets, named Brand Definition as its North American agency of record. The agency will handle public relations, social media and content strategy to promote Irish businesses operating in North America.The United States and Canada are important commercial partners to Ireland. The United States is Ireland's second largest export market ($3 billion) and Irish companies employ tens of thousands of people across the country.
"Ireland's commercial momentum and economic contribution in the United States and Canada is very strong," said Sean Davis, director of North America, Enterprise Ireland. "Brand Definition has the leadership and organizational depth to have an immediate and lasting impact on Ireland's innovators and entrepreneurs and also on how Enterprise Ireland works with our client companies in North America."
- Marketsmith Inc.
Marketsmith Inc. was tapped by American Financial Resources Inc. (AFR), a nationwide home mortgage lender, to develop digital marketing initiatives. The agency will support AFR's two divisions: eLEND, a B2C unit, and AFR Wholesale, a B2B company."AFR chose Marketsmith for their unique data-driven approach to marketing, as well as their approach to understanding customers on a deeper level," said Jennifer LoBianco, chief marketing officer of AFR.
- Bob Gold & Associates
Ooyala, a video solutions company that enables companies to monetize video and TV across all screens, tapped Bob Gold & Associates to promote its range of products."We are absolutely thrilled to join forces with Ooyala, a company that, for ten years, has been leading the charge to help deliver video content directly to consumers on every screen," said Bob Gold, president and CEO of Bob Gold & Associates. "With our agency's vast experience within the video delivery and OTT space, we are confident that we have the knowledge and resources to elevate Ooyala's impressive scope of products."
