Hear from the Brunner Marketing Team as we give agency news updates, awards announcements and valuable insights on the ever-changing digital landscape.

Perspectives from Brunner Marketing Team | Brunner

Brunner Marketing Team

Stay informed with the latest updates from Brunner.

Stay informed with our latest updates, where our commitment to being good people drives everything we do. Explore insights that highlight how our collaborative approach and rich experience empower us to deliver innovative marketing solutions while nurturing lasting client relationships.&nbsp;

Agency Updates | Brunner

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Brunner has announced job promotions for 20 employees in recognition of the outstanding work they’ve done in their roles, both for the agency’s wide range of clients and in service of the company’s continued growth. The promotions took effect July 1.&nbsp;“We’re very focused on having ‘good people creating great work’ for our clients. These 20 individuals have certainly demonstrated that ethos in their work and have shown they are ready to take on a new level of responsibility,” said Erin Stoner, Brunner partner and CFO. “These are top performers. It’s our pleasure to recognize and reward them through career advancement right here at Brunner.”&nbsp;In addition to delivering excellent work week after week, these employees consistently demonstrate Brunner’s company values — heart, curiosity, perseverance, integrity, and tenacity — in carrying out their responsibilities.&nbsp;Below are the Brunner team members who have been promoted and their new job titles. Congratulations to everyone!&nbsp;Creative Services Team&nbsp;<ul><li>Jonathan Banks, Creative Director&nbsp;</li><li>Chrisy Celestin, UX Design Manager&nbsp;</li><li>Sinping Ku, Sr. Art Director&nbsp;</li></ul>Digital Experience Team&nbsp;<ul><li>David Kir, Sr. Web Developer&nbsp;</li><li>Anthony Satkowski, Sr. Web Developer&nbsp;</li></ul>Integrated Marketing Communications Team&nbsp;<ul><li>Tatum Amos, Sr. Specialist, Communications&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Matthew Cancilla, Director, Data Management&nbsp;</li><li>Katie Collins, Associate Director, Integrated Planning&nbsp;</li><li>Ivy Ferko, Manager, SEM&nbsp;</li><li>Francesca Ferrante, Sr. Specialist, SEM&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Alaina Greco, Sr. Specialist, SEO&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Dan Kuzio, Associate Director, Programmatic, Paid Social &amp; OTT&nbsp;</li><li>Wayne Lucas, Lead Database Operations Admin&nbsp;</li><li>Nick Lucchi, Sr. Specialist, Media&nbsp;</li><li>Jordan Mitrik, Manager, Content Marketing&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Lindsay Motta, Sr. Manager, Communications&nbsp;</li><li>Jason Piskurich, Lead, Programmatic, Paid Social OTT&nbsp;</li><li>Donna Jean Roberts, Sr. Specialist, Programmatic, Paid Social &amp; OTT&nbsp;</li><li>Rachel Rock, Associate Director, Programmatic, Paid Social &amp; OTT&nbsp;</li><li>Amber Tipton, Sr. Specialist, Programmatic, Paid Social &amp; OTT</li></ul>

Celebrate the achievements of Brunner’s team members who have been promoted for their outstanding contributions to client success. Learn more.

Brunner Promotes Team Members to Recognize and Reward 'Great Work' for Clients

Brunner is actively growing and earning awards. Stay in the know of all the Brunner happenings.

Stay updated on our latest achievements and growth as we continue to earn accolades in the industry. From award wins to exciting new initiatives, keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening at Brunner.

Agency News and Client Updates | Brunner

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At Brunner, creative that excites is in our DNA. From dynamic visuals to compelling storytelling, hear from our team about how we captivate and inspire.

At Brunner, creative that excites is in our DNA, and we’re ready to make your brand shine. Explore insights from our team on how we craft dynamic visuals and compelling storytelling that captivate audiences and inspire action.

Creative Content and Perspectives: Trends and POVs | Brunner

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Lights, camera, action! Discover Brunner insights on creating engaging video content that continues to innovate.

Lights, camera, action! From storyboarding to the final cut, discover how we produce video that captivates and inspires. Whether it’s live action, animation, or something totally out of the box, explore how we bring stories to life and make audiences want more.&nbsp;

Video Production Content and Perspectives | Brunner

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A video spot for Brunner client WesBanco won a Silver ADDY Award in the 2023-2024 Pittsburgh American Advertising Awards competition.&nbsp;The “Let’s Talk” campaign received the award in the Film, Video &amp; Sound category. The 0:30 spot highlights the importance of retirement savings, especially for younger adults.&nbsp;The ADDY win celebrates the Brunner team’s creativity, as well as WesBanco’s vision to provide meaningful and helpful financial guidance to consumers. Learn more about <a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/our-work/wesbanco" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brunner’s 17-year relationship with WesBanco</a>.

Brunner client WesBanco won a Silver ADDY Award in the 2023-2024 Pittsburgh American Advertising Awards competition. Learn more.

Video Spot for WesBanco Wins Silver ADDY Award

At Brunner, media is in our DNA. From ad targeting to ROI tracking, hear from the experts in media.

At Brunner, media is in our DNA, blending data-driven strategies with creative execution. Explore our insights to optimize your media investments and engage customers at every touchpoint on their journey.

Our Perspectives on Media: Trends and POVs | Brunner

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Unlock the power of paid search engine marketing with insights from our SEM experts.

Unlock the power of paid search marketing with insights from our SEM experts. Discover tailored strategies, industry trends, and best practices that drive clicks and conversions for your brand.

SEM Content and Perspectives: Industry Trends and POVs | Brunner

When Brunner welcomes you as a new client for search engine marketing, our first step is analyzing what you already have under the SEM hood.&nbsp;&nbsp;That means our <a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/what-we-do/media/sem" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SEM team</a> members use their expertise to evaluate how your accounts are set up — and most importantly — how they are performing.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The goal is ensuring every client gets the best possible return on their paid search spend.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“As Michael Jordan — one of the greatest basketball players of all time — is quoted as saying, ‘Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.’ That is how Brunner approaches all search campaigns: You’re either first or you’re last,” says Brunner Partner <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-amos-30b36b1/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kevin Amos</a>, who oversees the agency’s digital marketing team.Only the top 3% of Google partners make the Premier Partners list, the most rigorous status to earn. For Brunner, being at the top in SEM is built on years of experience and a continuous commitment to rigorous training, strategic processes, and key partnerships. That approach led to Brunner earning Google Premier Partner status for 2024, the third year in a row.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Delivering Big Results for Clients&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>“The Google Premier Partner badge is considered a big deal and we love the status,” Amos says. “But the most important thing is moving the needle for our clients and helping them achieve their goals.”&nbsp;&nbsp;For new SEM clients, the Brunner team’s work often delivers dramatic results. After an account is restructured, clients usually see drastic performance improvements for key metrics including cost per click, cost per conversion, and click-through rate.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We’ve always been cutting edge,” says Amos, citing the team’s long-time partnerships with Google, Bing, and other leading SEM platforms. Those relationships have allowed Brunner to provide input on innovations and get early access to new features and functions under development.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Through these partnerships, we can bring an extra level of sophistication and benefits that other agencies can’t bring to the table,” Amos explained. “We get first notice of new things our partners are doing, and we can take that to our clients as an exclusive.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Top 3% of Google Partners&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>Brunner’s SEM team has been working with Google for years and has been a Google Partner since 2016. In 2022, Google launched the Premier Partners program to recognize and reward top performers. Earning <a href="https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9702452" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Google Premier Partner</a> status is based on three factors:&nbsp;<ul><li>Performance — Premier Partners must have an optimization score equal to or greater than 70% on their Google Partners manager account.&nbsp;</li><li>Spend — Premier Partners must maintain a specified spend level through 90-day spend across their managed accounts. This level reflects their role in helping clients consistently identify new growth opportunities and sustain their success using Google Ads.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Certifications — At least 50% of account strategists must be certified in Google’s platforms and tools. At Brunner, that number is 100%.&nbsp;</li></ul>The Google Premier Partner badge recognizes the Brunner team’s commitment to elite performance and impact, says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-navickas-16328368/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Luke Navickas</a>, Brunner’s associate director of paid search.&nbsp;“We can put our expertise up against anyone,” Navickas said. “We have a ‘test, learn, optimize’ mentality.’&nbsp;We train our teammates to understand what’s happening down to the granular level. We want to be the best.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Proven SEM Team Expertise and Certifications&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>All members of Brunner’s SEM team earn Google Ads Search Certification each year. In addition, most team members have Google certifications in specialties including:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Google Ads App&nbsp;</li><li>Google Ads Creative Certification&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Google Ads Display&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Google Ads Measurement&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Google Ads Shopping&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Google Ads Video&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>In addition to Google certifications, SEM team members earn Bing Ads Accredited Professional Certification for search advertising, native and display advertising, and shopping advertising.&nbsp;Taken together, these credentials demonstrate the Brunner team’s expertise in running paid search campaigns that reach each client’s target audiences, on the top search platforms those audiences are using.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Google Premier Partner Benefits for Brunner Clients&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>As a Google Premier Partner, Brunner gets exclusive Google benefits to extend to clients. Those benefits include:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Ongoing access to Google’s current product betas&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Monthly Google insight reports on changing consumer behaviors and industry trends&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Promotional offers that give Google Ads credits to client advertising budgets&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Access to 24-hour advanced ads support to resolve any client account issues quickly and efficiently&nbsp;</li><li>Strategic and sales support from dedicated Google representatives for assistance with Brunner client accounts&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul><h2>Brunner’s World-class NPS Scores from Clients&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>Clients have taken notice of outstanding SEM results, and they value the close working relationship with the SEM team. Brunner’s most recent overall net promoter score, which measures customer loyalty and satisfaction, is 75+. NPS scores can range from –100 to 100+. Anything above 50 is considered excellent — and anything above 70is&nbsp;considered world-class.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our clients know we are fully engaged in their accounts,” says Navickas. “When a client asks, ‘why does this happen?’ we have the answer. Their goals are our goals.”&nbsp;Note: This article was originally published on May 12, 2022, and has been updated for 2024.

As Brunner’s SEM team continues to deliver big for clients, we’ve maintained a Google Premier Partner status for 3 years. Learn more.

Brunner’s SEM Team Maintains Google Premier Partner Status for 2024

Brunner’s SEM Team Maintains Google Premier Partner Status for 2024, Continues Delivering Big for Clients

Creative campaigns for two Brunner clients — Church’s Texas Chicken and Goodwill of North Georgia —&nbsp;won Gold and Silver ADDY Awards at the Atlanta Ad Club’s American Advertising Awards Gala on Feb. 22.&nbsp;Gold ADDYs recognize the highest level of creative excellence, and Silver ADDYs honor work that’s considered outstanding. This year’s competition received just under 600 entries, a record number.&nbsp;“As we celebrate our victories, our enthusiasm drives us to serve up more compelling, creative, and captivating campaigns for our clients in the months and years to come,” said Jeff Maggs, Brunner managing partner, Atlanta. “Given that a Gold ADDY signifies the highest level of recognition, we’re especially thrilled to celebrate these victories for Church’s, who just named us agency of record in 2023.”

Celebrate the creative success of Brunner’s campaigns for Church’s Texas Chicken and Goodwill of North Georgia, which won four Atlanta ADDY Awards.

ADDY Awards for Church’s Texas Chicken and Goodwill of North Georgia

Creative Campaigns for Church’s Texas Chicken and Goodwill of North Georgia Bring Home 4 Atlanta ADDY Awards 

Explore key strategy insights from our team.

Discover valuable insights from our strategy experts as we explore essential marketing principles. From defining your brand position to understanding your audience, our insights will help you create effective strategies that drive results and growth for your business.

Our Perspectives on Strategy: Industry Trends and POVs | Brunner

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Every company should be able to say clearly who they are, what they do, and how their products or services help customers. For Brunner clients, those answers are foundational to their brand strategy, which supports everything else we do for them.&nbsp;To lead Brunner’s brand services, Brunner has promoted Patrick Culhane to vice president of brand strategy. Culhane, a native of the United Kingdom, has been with the agency since 2015.&nbsp;“During his years with Brunner, Patrick has served in several roles, from group account director to director of business development. All along, one thing has been a constant — Patrick’s passion for strategic and creative work,” said Ken Johns, Brunner partner and director of client experience.&nbsp;“Patrick’s natural curiosity, plus his energy and excitement for the work we do for our clients, has made him a valuable member of the agency from the day he walked in the door. He just has an enthusiasm for the work that is special and contagious.”We caught up with Patrick to ask about his background, his approach to brand strategy, and what Brunner clients can expect working with his team. Congratulations on the new role, Patrick!Q:&nbsp;You’ve held a number of positions at Brunner and various marketing roles prior to joining the agency. How do your background and experience ladder up to this new role leading Brunner’s Brand Strategy team?&nbsp;I have been blessed to have worked with many impressive brands and marketing experts over the years. I led the implementation of brand strategy at my agency in the UK for the work we did with Diageo, Pepsi, VW Commercial Vehicles, and Castrol. In the years I’ve been at Brunner, I’ve had the opportunity to enhance my brand strategy skill set by applying it to clients including Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Goodwill of North Georgia, Cold-EEZE, and Church’s Texas Chicken. Across all our clients, I’ve developed an enhanced understanding of consumers and their motivations.&nbsp;Q: How do you define brand strategy? Why is it so important?&nbsp;Brand strategy is the rigor you apply to a plan that ensures your best brand strength aligns with your target audience’s passion points — and is communicated in a way that separates you from your competitors. Having a solid brand strategy is increasingly vital because marketers’ budgets have to accomplish more every year. Few brands can afford to win while sounding the same or only talking about what they want to communicate vs. what consumers truly care about.&nbsp;Q: Can you share examples of a few brand strategies you’ve developed and describe the value they created for those organizations?&nbsp;

Get to know Patrick Culhane, Brunner’s new VP of Brand Strategy, and his vision for driving brand success. Learn more.

Meet Patrick Culhane, Brunner’s New VP of Brand Strategy

Meet Patrick Culhane, Brunner’s New VP of Brand Strategy and All-around Brand Enthusiast 

Video spots for two Brunner clients — YellaWood and Vespyr — have won <a href="https://www.graphis.com/competition/advertising-awards-2024/recent-winners/?category=&amp;entry_type=&amp;region=north-america" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Graphis Advertising Awards 2024</a>, which recognize the world’s best creative work.&nbsp;We’re honored to partner with each of these brands and develop creative campaigns that resonate with their target audiences.

<h2>YellaWood: Graphis Platinum and Gold Awards for ‘Beavers’ Spots</h2>Brand, Client: <a href="https://www.yellawood.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YellaWood</a>, Great Southern Wood Preserving Inc.Platinum Awards: “Save the Heist” and “Roasting Marshmallows” | Gold Award: “Bocce”Campaign Objective: Solidify YellaWood brand pressure treated pine as the go-to lumber choice of builders for outdoor building projects including decks, porches, fencing, and garden structures. The video spots feature a ragtag team of beavers — nature’s master builders — who pursue the best and risk it all to get their paws on YellaWood. <a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/our-work/yellawood" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">See case study</a>.Campaign Channels: Social media platforms, local cable TV, broadcast TVSupporting Brunner Teams: Account Management, Brand Strategy, Creative, Media

<h2>Vespyr: Graphis Silver Award for ‘Two Mothers’ Spot</h2>Two MothersBrand, Client: <a href="https://coldeeze.com/?variant=45604134158616" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cold-EEZE</a>, Vespyr BrandsSilver Award: “Two Mothers”Campaign Objective: Build awareness among health-conscious moms that Cold-EEZE is both natural and highly effective. The video spot features “two mothers” — the character of Mother Nature advising a real mom who is seeking natural remedies to treat her colds.Campaign Channels: TV, CTV, paid social mediaSupporting Brunner Teams: Account Management, Creative, Media

Celebrate the success of Brunner’s award-winning video spots for YellaWood and Cold-EEZE. Discover the creative that earned the prestigious Graphis Awards.

Video Spots For YellaWood, Cold-EEZE Win Prestigious Graphis Awards

The <a href="https://blackmarketers.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Black Marketers Association of America</a> recently named <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlynstrong/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kimberly Strong</a>, an account director at Brunner, to its list of the <a href="https://blackmarketers.org/blogs/top-20-black-marketers-we-admire-in-2023" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Top 20 Black Marketers We Admire in 2023</a>. In its announcement, the BMAA cited Kimberly’s ability to align marketing efforts with business objectives and her “extensive experience developing integrated marketing campaigns that drive business growth.”&nbsp;Kimberly joined Brunner’s account management team in August 2022, bringing in-depth experience from roles she has held in corporate and nonprofit settings. She’s based in Brunner’s Atlanta office.“Kimberly is everything that is right about Atlanta. She clearly belongs on the BMAA’s list and frankly will likely be named to many more lists before her career ends,” said Brunner Managing Partner <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-maggs-b3ba265/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jeff Maggs</a>.

Get to know Kimberly Strong, Brunner’s Account Director, and her achievements that earned her the 2023 Top Black Marketers We Admire Honors.

Meet Kimberly Strong, Recipient of 2023 ‘Top Black Marketers We Admire’ Honors

Meet Kimberly Strong, Brunner Account Director and Recipient of 2023 ‘Top Black Marketers We Admire’ Honors

Search engine marketing is an important — and highly effective — piece of the marketing mix for many companies, including plenty of Brunner clients. Paid search, also known as SEM, can be very complex and changes constantly. You need a solid plan for keywords, campaigns, and budget to make the most of every dollar — especially on the dominant platform, Google.&nbsp;We’re excited to share that every member of Brunner’s SEM team has earned the new Google Ads Search Professional Certification to ensure we can deliver the best possible results for our clients in this category.&nbsp;“We’ve found that Google’s certifications keep the team sharp on the ever-changing Google Platforms, which translates into helping our clients win,” said Brunner Partner <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-amos-30b36b1/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kevin Amos</a>, who leads the agency’s marketing intelligence and media teams. “Layer in ‘who got the best scores’ keeps things competitive in nature and adds to our commitment of continuous learning and professional development for our team.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Staying Current with Google’s Ever-Changing Platform&nbsp;</h2>The Google Ads Search Professional Certification is designed for true industry experts who are dedicated to staying updated in a field that’s in constant flux. Google frequently updates its platform and best practices, making it vital for marketers to stay current.&nbsp;Brunner is a continual <a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/perspectives/google-premier-partner" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Google Premier Partner</a>, and we understand the platform inside and out. We also have our own best practices for SEM. While we might not always see eye-to-eye with the latest Google implementations and recommendations, we maintain a test-learn-optimize mentality to ensure our clients are using all the features to drive maximum results.&nbsp;<h2>A Tough New Level of Google Certification&nbsp;</h2>In the past, Google Ads certifications were often seen as a formality. But with the new Google Ads Search Professional Certification, the landscape has changed dramatically.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-navickas-16328368/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Luke Navickas</a>, Brunner’s associate director of paid search, likened this process to taking the SATs under a watchful eye.&nbsp;“The new certification process is rigorous, involving proctor supervision, strict test-taking conditions, and heightened security measures to prevent cheating,” he explained.&nbsp;Here’s how the test works:&nbsp;<ul><li>Test-takers can work on only one screen.&nbsp;</li><li>They must keep their camera active to provide a 360-degree view of their surroundings.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>They are not allowed any secondary devices or notepads.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Even seemingly innocuous items like hats and gum are prohibited to ensure an exam’s integrity.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>In addition to Navickas, the entire SEM team has earned the new certification:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Mike Cancilla, SEM senior manager&nbsp;</li><li>Mike Cummings, SEM senior specialist&nbsp;</li><li>Francesca Ferrante, SEM specialist&nbsp;</li><li>Ivy Ferko, SEM senior specialist&nbsp;</li><li>Nick Lucchi, media specialist&nbsp;</li><li>Ryan Lucas, SEM specialist&nbsp;</li><li>Emily Melnek, media specialist&nbsp;</li><li>Gabriel Monteleone, SEM senior manager&nbsp;</li><li>Emily Nobers, integrated planning manager&nbsp;</li><li>Adam Shaffer, integrated planning associate director&nbsp;</li><li>Justin Shaffer, integrated media and operations associate director&nbsp;</li><li>Max Villarreal, media senior lead&nbsp;</li><li>Alex Weilersbacher, SEM lead&nbsp;</li></ul><h2>Brunner’s Commitment to Search Engine Marketing Excellence&nbsp;</h2>The Google Ads Search Professional Certification is just one of several certifications Brunner requires for the SEM team. All paid search employees must complete six Google Ads exams, in addition to three from Bing Ads. Plus, we mandate annual recertification to ensure our team’s knowledge remains sharp.&nbsp;Our paid search senior leadership team meets regularly to assign priorities for certifications. We also encourage our team members to pursue as many qualifications as possible within the paid search space and across various platform channels. This not only benefits our team members but, most importantly, our clients.&nbsp;<h2>Interested in Learning More about Paid Search?&nbsp;</h2>If you’re looking to get started or expand with search engine marketing, we’re more than happy to chat. Our SEM team is driven by a passion to deliver exceptional results for our clients, and we’re eager to help you achieve your digital marketing goals. Let’s talk!

Brunner’s Search Engine Marketing team earned the prestigious Google Ads Search Professional Certification. Learn more. 

Brunner's SEM Team Earns Google Ads Search Professional Certification

Brunner's Search Engine Marketing Team Earns Prestigious Google Ads Search Professional Certification

Dan Magdich’s career has been a fasten-your-seat-belt adventure from his first lessons as an ad agency intern to his current role leading the award-winning Creative team at Brunner.&nbsp;In July 2023, Brunner promoted Magdich from director of creative services to VP, executive creative director.&nbsp;“Dan has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication, an unparalleled drive for creative excellence, and a passion for the work and the agency. As Brunner continues to expand, Dan will continue to remain a vital part of the growth of the people and the agency as a whole,” said Ken Johns, Brunner partner and director of client experience.&nbsp;“Dan ‘gets it’ — not only as a creative leader of the organization but as a leader overall. His unique set of skills and experiences, his dedication to our clients, and his enthusiasm for the work makes me excited to see where he leads us creatively.”&nbsp;We caught up with Dan to ask about his career, his vision for Brunner Creative, and how he works with clients — plus any advice he has for creative up-and-comers. And hey, congratulations, Dan!&nbsp;Q: What’s been the arc of your career in creative roles and how have those experiences prepared you to become VP, executive creative director, at Brunner?Once upon a time I was an intern with nothing more than a portfolio and an endlessly creative curiosity. A creative director at Ten United took a chance on a kid who knew squat about advertising. She saw creative potential and that was enough.Looking back, 18-year-old me would have never imagined collaborating with brands like Google, Dropbox, Church’s Texas Chicken, Starbucks, Marvel, The Home Depot Rental, Nationwide. Even now as I rattle off this growing client roster it seems bonkers.My next steps:&nbsp;Ten United became Engauge (then Moxie and now FKA). I spent 7 ½ years with Engauge, progressing from intern to senior art director and absorbing an insane amount of industry knowledge along the way— how to pitch, the inner workings of production, and to always sleep on the red-eye flights.

Meet Dan Magdich, Brunner's VP and Executive Creative Director, whose creative curiosity drives innovative campaigns. Learn more about his vision and leadership.

Meet Dan Magdich, Brunner VP and Executive Creative Director

Meet Dan Magdich, Brunner VP, Executive Creative Director Who Runs on Endless Creative Curiosity

As an independent integrated marketing agency, Brunner delivers great results to its clients based on the expertise, collaborative spirit, and dedication of its team members.This month, the agency announced promotions for 17 employees who have excelled in their roles on teams across the agency, in service of clients and Brunner itself.&nbsp;Each of these team members consistently demonstrates Brunner’s company values — heart, curiosity, perseverance, integrity and tenacity — in carrying out their responsibilities.“We have such a talented, passionate and hardworking team here at Brunner. This year’s promotions recognize individuals who not only have excelled in their roles, but also have demonstrated they are ready for the next level in their discipline,” said Erin Stoner, Brunner partner and CFO. “We’re delighted to be the place where each of these team members can continue to advance their careers.”Here are the team members who have been promoted, along with their new title. Congratulations to all!Analytics Team<ul><li>Scott Duda, Lead Data Scientist</li></ul>Integrated Marketing Communications Team<ul><li>Cooper Amos, Sr. Specialist, Programmatic, Paid Social &amp; OTT</li><li>Brady Ashe, Associate Director, SEO</li><li>Mike Cancilla, Sr. Manager, SEM</li><li>Chrissy Lynn, Sr. Director, Media and Operations&nbsp;</li><li>Katie Mickschl, Manager, PR</li><li>Gabe Monteleone, Sr. Manager, SEM</li><li>Luca Pugliano, Manager, OTT, Programmatic &amp; Paid Social</li><li>Justin Shaffer, Associate Director, Integrated Media &amp; Operations</li><li>Max Villarreal, Sr. Lead, Media</li></ul>Client Service Team<ul><li>Brad Cook, Associate Director, Client Service</li><li>Jen Pflug, Associate Director, Client Service</li><li>Ibrahim Sabbah, Sr. Account Manager</li></ul>Creative Services Team<ul><li>Caitlin Brunner, Sr. Copywriter</li><li>Michele Huber, Post Producer</li><li>Dan Magdich, VP, Executive Creative Director</li></ul>Shared Services Team<ul><li>Brian Klingensmith, HR Director</li></ul>

Brunner announced promotions for 17 employees who have excelled in their roles on teams across the agency, in service of clients and Brunner itself. Learn more.

Brunner Celebrates its Talented Team in Round of Promotions

Good People. Good Work. That’s the Brunner way. And we at Brunner pride ourselves on these core tenets when partnering with clients and executing their visions.&nbsp;&nbsp;We recently partnered with <a href="https://goodwillng.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goodwill of North Georgia</a> to help build a brand campaign that celebrates all the good that the organization does to give back to local communities.&nbsp;Our campaign, Go Big on Good, was recognized by the <a href="https://www.ama-atlanta.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American Marketing Association, Atlanta</a>, with an Integrated Campaign: Non-Profit AMY award at last night’s AMY Awards celebration.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Go Big on Good was developed to build a deeper, more meaningful understanding of Goodwill’s mission with their key audiences (goods donors, shoppers) by highlighting how donations go further in their hands. The campaign was designed to attract and engage younger and more diverse communities who support organizations engaged in positive social changes. All while driving more traffic into the retail locations during promotional periods,” said Brunner’s Jeff Maggs, managing partner, Atlanta.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brunner’s creative work features actual unique product finds procured from local Goodwill of North Georgia locations. Using imaginative stop-motion photography, these smaller procured items would contribute to a much larger whole when seen from a different point of view. That approach helped the audience visualize how Goodwill can maximize small amounts of good. With every donation and purchase, community members become a part of something much bigger — job opportunities for North Georgians. The campaign conveys to shoppers and donors alike that when they shop at or donate to Goodwill, they “Go Big on Good.”&nbsp;Goodwill of North Georgia is a mission-oriented organization whose purpose is simple: PUT PEOPLE TO WORK. With one virtual and 14 physical career centers across North Georgia, Goodwill provides job training and placement services to anyone in the community. The support of donors, shoppers, and community partners is the fuel that enables Goodwill of North Georgia to maximize their efforts in helping job seekers overcome employment barriers. In Goodwill’s hands, every dollar goes further. &nbsp;

Brunner partnered with Goodwill of North Georgia to help build a brand campaign that celebrates all the good that the organization does to give back. Read more.

Brunner Wins BIG on GOOD

Social media is a key way to communicate with your customers. Hear from our teams.

Social media is a key way to connect with your customers and foster meaningful relationships. Hear from our experts as they share insights on building authentic engagement, crafting compelling content, and staying ahead of trends in the organic social landscape.

Organic Social Media Content: Industry Trends and POVs | Brunner

organic social media

Brunner’s own Vicie Simpson is the 2023 recipient of the Black Excellence Award, given by the Public Relations Society of America’s Pittsburgh chapter. PRSA Pittsburgh established the award in 2020 to recognize and encourage young, talented Black men and women who are building careers in communications, public relations, and marketing.We had the chance to catch up with Vicie and hear what the Black Excellence Award means to her.﻿Name: Vicie SimpsonRole at Brunner: Social Media Community Management SpecialistEducation: Point Park University, 2021Q. What does a typical day at Brunner look like for you?The fun thing about working at a marketing agency is that each day looks a bit different. As a social media community management specialist, I work closely with my clients on scheduling social media content. Mostly I am attending to their audience and searching for engagement opportunities on all of their social media platforms.Q. The PRSA Black Excellence Award recognizes young Black professionals working in public relations, marketing, or communications. What does winning this year’s award mean to you?Receiving this year’s award means a lot to me. I’m extremely grateful to have received an award that honors both the value of my work ethic and the social inclusion that being a Black woman represents. I want to emphasize that Black people have fantastic and successful news to share. Nothing the world attempts to say or show about us can define who we are because we are a product of excellence.Q. What advice can you offer Black students or young professionals who are just starting their careers in these fields?I would advise them to leave their shadows and comfort zones behind! By demonstrating your abilities, you will discover your true passion and realize just how valuable you are to this world. You never know what steppingstone you are providing for the next young Black girl or boy.Q. What can people already in PR, marketing, or communications roles do to encourage more Black students and young professionals to enter the industry and to support their success?People in public relations are already there to ‘influence’ or ‘drive’ an audience to that company or group. But enforcing the notion of representation is not the only essential aspect we need to see from our colleagues and professional contacts, as well as businesses. Individuals in public relations who sincerely want to see more Black people share their success stories should encourage the authentic value we bring to these professions. Allow more space for Black individuals to feel the same as everyone else. We understand that we will always be a part of a movement, but all we want is the same genuine support that everyone else receives. Continue to assist Black businesses and employees and share resources that can help them, just as you would for anyone else.Q. What do you enjoy most about your job?What I enjoy most about my job is that my work environment encourages personal development. Within my first year, I have already seen personal and professional improvement. Personally, I’ve developed more self-assurance in my ability to communicate and I am establishing just who I am in the work field. Professionally, the quick speed of social media has helped me to learn and apply new skills much faster, like mastering a new marketing tool. These newfound skills allow both me and my clients to flourish.Q. Where would you like to see yourself in the future?I’d like to see myself become more defined in the marketing industry and support people in need. I may be an entrepreneur of some sort, using my own methods to help someone’s business succeed. I’d like to be able to assist people in need by providing them with ideas or other services. I want to learn more about marketing and its tools so that I can be a well-rounded marketing resource, and maybe even have my own firm. I definitely want to help others – whether that’s with employment, housing, or other causes. Supporting the success of others is a major goal of mine. I want to be able to share the fantastic experiences I have had in discovering the actual meaning of ‘support,’ because so many different people in different parts of my life have been so supportive of me.

Brunner’s own Vicie Simpson is the 2023 recipient of the Black Excellence Award, given by the Public Relations Society of America’s Pittsburgh chapter.  Learn more.

Meet Brunner's Vicie Simpson, Social Media Pro and 2023 Black Excellence Award Winner

With bold leadership and dedication, Michael Brunner — Brunner’s founder — has led the company to huge successes over the years, culminating in his recent win&nbsp;as an inductee to the&nbsp;American Advertising Federation (AAF) Pittsburgh’s&nbsp;2022 Hall of Fame. And we couldn’t think of anyone more deserving than Michael.&nbsp;More than 30 years after its inception, Brunner remains one of the top 100 independent advertising agencies in the country and a key reason for that success is Michael.&nbsp;“I am honored to be listed not only as an inductee for the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame Award but also to be listed with so many other talented winners here in Pittsburgh,” Michael said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Last December, after more than four decades in the advertising business, Michael announced his retirement as chairman and CEO of his namesake agency. His goal had always been to make Brunner one of the best advertising agencies in the country, and with Michael’s foundational leadership and drive, Brunner continues to thrive and grow with that goal in mind. Now, Michael continues to serve the company in a chairman emeritus role, providing valuable insight and guidance along the way.&nbsp;&nbsp;AAF is the oldest and largest advertising trade association in the county, and this award is the ultimate form of recognition, honoring legends who have significantly and uniquely contributed to the industry.&nbsp;See the full list of <a href="https://www.aafpgh.org/event/hall-of-fame-gala/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ad Feds’ 2022 Hall of Fame and Hall of Achievements Award winners</a>.

Michael Brunner, founder of Brunner, is inducted into the AAF Pittsburgh Hall of Fame, celebrating his impactful career and leadership. Learn more.

Michael Brunner Honored as AAF Pittsburgh’s Hall of Fame Inductee

Founder Michael Brunner is Honored as AAF Pittsburgh’s Hall of Fame Inductee

Our team uncovers the latest trends and insights on OTT platforms so we can continuously test, learn and optimize. Explore our OTT content. 

Navigate the dynamic landscape of OTT and connected TV with our expert insights and strategies. Explore innovative approaches to reach incremental audiences and elevate your media mix for greater impact.&nbsp;

OTT Content and Perspectives: Industry Trends and POVs | Brunner

Unlock the potential of programmatic display advertising with our collection of resources and expert insights.

Dive into our expert insights on programmatic display advertising and discover how to reach your audience with precision. From best practices to innovative strategies, we’ll guide you in maximizing your brand’s visibility and impact.

Programmatic Display Content: Industry Trends and POVs | Brunner

programmatic display

Note: This article originally appeared on the Roku website as a <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fadvertising.roku.com%2Fmarketer-spotlight%2Fbrunner&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cbzangaro%40brunnerworks.com%7Cfb8dbe8da836406b603e08da7099a4a9%7C75f07833328847a295d9784dafd3c511%7C0%7C0%7C637946102432147755%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=1KCWyCuB%2Bzbjqpd%2F2M1ACe%2FNbr4NbOfpqyQohmW82f4%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">partner spotlight feature about Brunner</a>. Republishing with permission from Roku.The Pittsburgh-based marketing agency, Brunner (pronounced “Brew-ner”) has partnered with <a href="https://www.roku.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Roku</a> to offer their clients access to Roku’s <a href="https://advertising.roku.com/resources/blog/streaming-strategies/roku-oneview-incremental-reach" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">OneView</a>, the ad platform built for TV streaming, to help performance marketer’s fuel growth through TV streaming ads. This partnership has helped Brunner deliver streaming success for their clients and redefine possibilities to achieve their awareness and conversion goals. The partnership has been so successful for their clients that Brunner is consolidating their spend from other large ad platforms into OneView.Brunner is no stranger to being nimble with an eye towards innovation. Since 1989, Brunner has adapted their business model to stay in front of the consumer decision journey and meet the needs of their clients’ business goals. This has meant evolving from a small creative shop to a full-service marketing agency with a specific focus on developing their performance marketing services. As they saw consumer media consumption behaviors changing and the need to find a post-cookie solution, it only made sense to identify strategic partners, such as Roku as a next step in their evolution.We sat down with Ryan Bopp, associate director of channel marketing at Brunner, and Rachel Rock, display manager, to talk about their partnership with Roku and what convinced them to make such a major commitment to OneView and Roku.<h2>What makes Brunner special?</h2>Ryan:“I think it’s our willingness to grow and evolve as an agency.”The team at Brunner works to remain adaptable to the ever-changing marketing ecosystem. They have a culture of experimentation that enables them to learn fast and evolve to keep up with developments in media. “Although our core focus is on understanding our client’s target audience and pairing those insights with the best channel mix to achieve their goals, we always leave room for innovation as it’s in our DNA to keep an eye towards what’s next,” Ryan explained. “We have teams focused on developing everything from virtual reality (VR) apps and non-fungible token (NFT) projects to customized data warehouses and client facing BI reporting systems. We’re always pushing the norm of what a marketing agency is, especially on the digital side. What makes us different and fuels our culture is our people, or what we like to call the A-Team. We cherry-pick from the bigger media firms and corporate organizations, focused on people who embody that hunger for change, intellectual curiosity, and a solution-oriented mindset. You can find technically skilled people who rest on their laurels anywhere, we strive to be better. Our clients deserve better.”The agency has remained small deliberately—with fewer than 200 employees between two offices–to preserve an authentic culture built upon relationships, both professional and personal.<h2>Why partner with Roku?</h2>Evaluating a partner involves more than crunching numbers and ticking boxes. When Brunner looked at Roku as a potential partner, they found a media company with a commitment to innovation much like their own and a deep understanding of what their customers need and how to deliver it.“There’s a very close, 1-to-1 comparison between who we are and what we stand for and what Roku is all about,” Ryan explains. “Performance is excellent and the platform is easy to use, which are phenomenal things, but more than that we feel like Roku invests in solutions before the need comes up. You anticipate our needs and that makes it feel like you’re a true partner of ours.”Brunner needed a marketing solution for a post-cookie advertising model. Roku was right there with a solution—a direct consumer relationship, less reliant on cookies or mobile ad ids. This new approach empowered Brunner to evolve their performance marketing practice to meet this new advertising paradigm.Ryan:“Roku moves just as fast or faster than the marketplace, and that gives us the confidence to go to a client and say, ‘we have a great TV streaming partner, and they solved this issue for you’.”“A perfect example: Roku had solutions for a cookie-less world when some people weren’t even talking about that future. Without naming names, we’ve worked with the dinosaurs of the DSP OTT CTV world. They’re producing the same thing they’ve been putting out for 10 years and presenting it as the solution for a different problem. Working with Roku has addressed that frustration.”Another must-have for Brunner was ease of use and a hands-on customer success experience. Once again, they found a perfect fit with Roku.“Roku has the most customer-centric reps we’ve ever worked with. Ease of use is a big deal for any agency. We are always looking for cutting edge platforms, but adoption is usually a problem because training can put an unneeded stress on media teams. When we found Roku, we had one person on it—Rachel. She was able to handle all the onboarding, learn all the ins-and-outs quickly, optimize the set up and then train everybody else.”For Rachel, ease of use includes ease of testing. Being able to evaluate and quantify the effectiveness of new tools is a priority for her. Through her experience testing OneView, she not only validated its performance but got involved in Roku’s own beta tests and user experience (“UX”)&nbsp;iteration process to help make it even better.Rachel:“It’s our responsibility to test the viability of our client’s media mix, and with that it means testing the viability of the tools we use to manage the client’s business. We need to use the best tools available to us. With factors like the deprecation of the cookie, it becomes essential to seek out new tools. That was the origin of our conversation with Roku. There have been fresh challenges coming up every quarter since then, but with Roku it feels like we have a partner who shares a genuine interest in helping our clients succeed.”“I personally have done several interviews with your UX teams, I’ve participated in every beta I’ve been able to, and that’s because you are genuinely interested in making this the most user-friendly DSP out there. The same just can’t be said for everybody else.”<h2>How did you decide to invest so heavily in OneView?</h2>In the two years since they kicked off this partnership, Brunner has gone all-in on TV streaming, increasing their investment by 10x and shifting other media assets to streaming. To Ryan, this bold move was an obvious next step.Ryan:“We were seeing better prices and better performance in OneView, so that was the starting point. We proved the performance first, and then we were able to add things on. Remarketing off of the view of a video ad in streaming TV to run a display ad. So then, we see performance drastically out-perform traditional display ads. At that point, it was time to talk about moving all our display ads over to OneView.”Brunner found that OneView drove cross channel results, causing a 300% lift in paid search. The platform’s precise insights allowed his team to be specific about what was causing this cross-channel effect.“It’s not just that OneView works, it’s that it’s easy to prove what works,” says Ryan. “It’s easy to prove in-platform but also in terms of your bottom line when you’re looking at your whole media mix model of what other channels and&nbsp;<a href="https://advertising.roku.com/resources/blog/streaming-strategies/how-to-measure-tv-streaming-impact-with-cross-channel-analysis" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cross channels</a>&nbsp;are affected by it. Streaming and linear TV are traditionally designated as awareness (channels) but we’re also seeing our branded paid search lift substantially (300%) by running an awareness campaign. At that point, is it awareness, or are you running a conversion campaign? And that’s what we’re able to do in the platform.”<h2>How did you drive client success with OneView?</h2>OneView gave Brunner an out-of-the-box TV streaming and cross-channel ad solution they were excited to take to clients. Rachel told us about how brands she worked with were able to adapt Roku’s Core 6 framework.&nbsp;OneView and the&nbsp;<a href="https://advertising.roku.com/advertiser-solutions/the-roku-core-6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Core 6 framework</a>&nbsp;helped Brunner deliver creative to match streaming customer’s viewing habits.Cross-device capabilities made it possible to reach TV streaming audiences on any device they use, and incrementality testing–to evaluate how much each element of a campaign contributes to its overall results–proved these methods were delivering results for clients.Rachel:“When you’re talking first-party data, the ability to attribute site visits or other actions taken on a client’s site to OTT exposure is a massive, new opportunity. It’s one of the biggest reasons clients have been excited about running their media in OneView. For things like discovery commerce and consumer-focused identity, it’s a no-brainer that those have been excellent in terms of performance for us. Roku’s scale, first-party, third-party audience data segments, and household ID policy. These things make it that much easier to reach our audience.”On top of that, the team can run incrementality testing and measure the success of the Core 6 framework for their clients.“Brunner has increased spend in streaming 10x in OneView since we began working together, and that’s due to the results we’ve seen from implementing Core 6.”<h2>3 Success Stories From Brunner and OneView</h2>Brunner used OneView to solve unique marketing challenges for these three brands and helped them tap into new opportunities for growth.<h3>The Home Depot Rental</h3>The Home Depot Rental saw 60% of its total rental contractor conversions last year come from non-obvious attributes that Brunner layered into their typical targeting.† Those were attributes they learned from their first TV streaming flight with in OneView.Rachel explains, “The Home Depot Rental is opting for a full-funnel strategy this year. They’re going to prospect, lookalike, and remarket. They’re looking at interactive ad units and moving to an evergreen presence rather than just focusing on peak season. That’s been huge for them.”<h3>Edgar Snyder &amp; Associates</h3>The personal injury law firm of Edgar Snyder &amp; Associates was a pioneer user of traditional television to market legal services.As Rachel told us, “Last year, we helped them through a massive shift, moving 30% of their budget to OTT. They have since seen a major increase in search brand-lift traffic, an average decrease of 65% in their cost per site action, and a decrease of 80% to their cost per site visit.”‡That increase in search is having a positive impact on other marketing practices. They too will kick off a full-funnel strategy this year.<h3>Mitsubishi Electric</h3>TV streaming led to 300% increase in search lift for Mitsubishi Electric.**That lift was one of the first big streaming wins for Brunner and their clients. Those results have helped Ryan and his team prove the impact of streaming and sell it to new businesses.&nbsp;† Roku Internal Case Study, Home Depot: Q2 2021 – Q2 2021‡ Roku Internal Case Study, Edgar, Snyder, and Associates: Q3 2021 – Q1 2022** Roku Internal Case Study, Mitsubishi: Q1 ‘2020

Explore how Brunner leverages Roku’s platform to drive innovation and success in marketing campaigns.

Guest article: How Brunner continues to innovate with the help of Roku

<h2>TikTok campaigns are effectively reaching Millennials and Gen Z. Learn how you can, too.&nbsp;</h2>When it comes to home improvement projects, do-it-yourselfers span all age ranges, from young adults to seniors.&nbsp;The Home Depot aims to serve them all by offering everything they need to get projects done, including materials, supplies — and a wide range of rental tools, equipment and trucks through the company’s rental operation, <a href="https://www.compactpowerrents.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Home Depot Rental</a>.&nbsp;Working with Brunner, The Home Depot Rental has had impressive success connecting with DIYers through campaigns on various social media platforms. To build on that, The Home Depot Rental team wanted to improve their reach with younger audiences. In particular, the company wanted to connect with Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, who are first- or second-time homeowners and have renovations or ongoing projects to complete.&nbsp;What’s a prime place to find them? TikTok, the fast-growing social media platform where users watch short videos the users create&nbsp;and share on all sorts of topics, including home improvement projects.<h2>What is TikTok and How Does it Work?&nbsp;</h2>According to TikTok’s website, the platform is&nbsp;now the leading destination for short-form mobile video and is expected to reach 1.5 billion users by the end of 2022.&nbsp;It’s no secret that video is a powerful format for storytelling. TikTok puts video storytelling at everyone’s fingertips — including companies that are competing for share of voice on overcrowded platforms. In a nutshell, TikTok creators upload videos of 5–120 seconds in duration and can use a variety of filters, effects, and music to modify their content before publishing.Viewers on the TikTok app automatically see a “For You” page with an infinite, algorithm-curated video feed that is designed to grab their attention. Users can engage with videos by commenting, liking and sharing. Data about user behavior gets circulated back into TikTok’s algorithm to continuously strengthen and deliver relevant content, so users keep coming back for more.TikTok has tons of features and tools to help creators keep content fresh and innovative, and the platform constantly adds new creative elements to keep users engaged.<h2>The Home Depot Rental’s TikTok Strategy&nbsp;</h2>Following Brunner’s recommendation, The Home Depot Rental sought to reach Millennials through a series of campaigns on TikTok, which is hugely popular with Gen Z, born between 1997-2012, as well as Millennials.&nbsp;The Home Depot Rental’s strategy included partnering with Millennials who have become prominent TikTok influencers thanks to videos they create and share about their home improvement projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;THDR worked with one influencer on a video showing how she created a flower bed from start to finish. The video opens with her renting a truck from THDR, then loading it up with flowers and plants, bricks, pavers and mulch, along with a rental wheelbarrow, trimmer and tamper. She then demonstrates how to create a garden step-by-step, ending with a beautiful outdoor space with flowers and plants.&nbsp;These influencer campaigns have delivered significant results for The Home Depot Rental in cost savings and conversions over comparable campaigns on Facebook:&nbsp;<ul><li>A 30 percent more efficient cost per thousand impressions (CPM) than Facebook&nbsp;</li><li>A 68 percent more efficient cost per click than Facebook&nbsp;</li><li>A 21 percent lower cost per conversion for key performance indicators prior to purchase&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul><h2>TikTok’s Growing Popularity With Younger Audiences&nbsp;</h2>Since becoming available worldwide in 2018, TikTok has become one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, especially with younger audiences. Together, Millennials and Gen Z make up nearly 70 percent of TikTok users, as shown by <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1095186/tiktok-us-users-age/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TikTok user demographics</a> as of September 2021:&nbsp;<ul><li>25 percent were between the ages of 10-19 (Gen Z)&nbsp;</li><li>22 percent were between the ages of 20-29 (Gen Z and Millennials)&nbsp;</li><li>22 percent were between the ages of 30-39 (Millennials)&nbsp;</li></ul>The Gen Z generation is unique in that they’ve never known a world without modern technology, including computers, internet and cell phones. Even Wi-Fi and social media have been around for most of their lives. They have grown up with instant access to information and answers.&nbsp;Given that experience, it makes sense that Gen Z makes up the largest single age group of TikTok users.&nbsp;In addition to user age groups, here are some additional TikTok demographics to keep in mind:&nbsp;<ul><li>The <a href="https://sproutsocial.com/insights/new-social-media-demographics/#tiktok-demographics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">majority of TikTok users are female</a>, making up 57 percent of the global user base, and 61 percent of the U.S. user base.&nbsp;</li><li>The U.S. has <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1299807/number-of-monthly-unique-tiktok-users/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">136.42 million TikTok</a> users — that’s 27 percent more users than Indonesia, which has the next higher user base.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Users spend <a href="https://sproutsocial.com/insights/new-social-media-demographics/#tiktok-demographics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">approximately 90 minutes</a> per day on TikTok – that’s almost three times more time than users spend on any other social media platform.&nbsp;</li></ul><h2>Keys to Success For Adding TikTok to Your Media Mix&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>If you’re looking to reach Gen Z and Millennials, TikTok offers a tremendous opportunity. Here are a few key factors to consider:&nbsp;<ul><li>Think back to your target audiences. If that group is heavily Gen Z or Millennials, TikTok most likely should be part of your media mix.&nbsp;</li><li>Whether your company is B2B or B2C, TikTok is the perfect channel for sharing tutorials, product demos and testimonials.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Consider partnering with influencers who are a good fit for your brand to enhance your reach through the audiences they have built.&nbsp;</li><li>For B2C brands, consider frequent posts that showcase your products. TikTok is currently the top app for consumer spending, with a <a href="https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-stats/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">77 percent increase</a> since 2021. One recent Gen Z study found that <a href="https://www.marketingcharts.com/brand-related/brand-loyalty-117438" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">39 percent</a> of respondents are most likely to buy a product after seeing it on TikTok.&nbsp;</li><li>Aim for a combination of both organic posts and paid campaigns, which can allow you to target by users’ interests and activity.&nbsp;</li></ul>As TikTok continues to grow in popularity and users, it will be an increasingly powerful channel for reaching these audiences. Explore opportunities to make the most of its potential for your marketing goals.

Discover how companies like The Home Depot Rental successfully reach young adults through TikTok marketing strategies.

To Reach Young Adults, Companies Like The Home Depot Rental are Finding Success on TikTok

Each company or organization that partners with Brunner has unique challenges to overcome, business goals to meet, and key audiences to reach. We’re honored to work with clients across a wide range of industries and serve as an extension of their teams to create strategic marketing that drives results — and earns recognition.Brunner campaigns for three client partners — <a href="https://www.edgarsnyder.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwsJ6TBhAIEiwAfl4TWBuHvvK761qzbc7vxpD1I_A2MOTS9X1-eLSf-zAP-2lure73DFGOlBoCXWoQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Edgar Snyder &amp; Associates</a> (legal services), <a href="https://www.lvhn.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lehigh Valley Health Network</a> (health care), and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wesbanco.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwsJ6TBhAIEiwAfl4TWMKkDtUAc5Li0p2akPeeCb_TeDew4908THyBd8w-v6Fd2oK3LZm2_hoCakcQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WesBanco</a> (banking) — recently won silver awards at the 2021-2022 Pittsburgh American Advertising Awards, held by the American Advertising Federation Pittsburgh.Here’s how we’re helping these clients deliver messages that resonate with their target audiences and drive their businesses forward.

We’re honored to work with clients across a wide range of industries and serve as an extension of their teams to drive results — and earn recognition. Read more.

From Legal Services to Health Care to Banking, Brunner Client Campaigns Win ADDY Awards

As a public university with stellar academics, big-time research, and a warm, welcoming culture, <a href="http://iup.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Indiana University of Pennsylvania</a> needed unique ways to help future students learn what the school has to offer. The IUP team wanted to reach target audiences in a way that wouldn’t look or feel like any other college’s recruitment campaigns.Brunner, as IUP’s marketing partner, got to work.The result is the&nbsp;‘Get in the Grove’&nbsp;campaign, a set of videos featuring one of IUP’s most beloved campus features — its grove of towering, majestic oak trees — along with enthusiastic students engaged in all types of academic pursuits.<h2>Winning Silver at 37th Annual Education Advertising Awards</h2>In March, the ‘Get in the Grove’ campaign won the Silver Award for the Television Advertising-Series at the 37th Annual Education Advertising Awards. The competition drew more than 2,000 entries from more than 1,000 colleges, universities, and secondary schools. A national panel of higher education marketers, advertising creative directors, marketing, and advertising professionals judged the entries.The campaign launched with videos of :30, :15 and :06 seconds airing on broadcast and cable channels. The spots have exceeded target rating point (TRP) goals across all markets.<h2>Inspiring Students to Envision Their Future</h2>Each ‘Get in the Grove’ video invites prospective students to envision their future at IUP. The voice-overs share inspiring messages about the opportunities IUP offers: “Welcome to the Oak Grove at IUP, where big-time research opportunities are for the many, not just the few, and world-renowned professors ignite ambitions. Search here and there’s no telling how far you’ll grow. Get in the grove … at IUP.”The spots were filmed on the IUP campus to capture the grandeur of those mighty oaks, and include students from a cross-section of academic majors and programs. The Brunner team worked with <a href="https://www.animalstudio.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Animal Media</a>, Pittsburgh, for production.At Brunner, we’re honored to work with the IUP team and excited to see this strategic and creative collaboration continue to deliver results. More to come!

Get in the Grove

Brunner’s 'Get in the Grove' campaign for IUP wins silver at the National Education Advertising Awards. Discover how this creative campaign stood out.

Campaign for IUP Takes Silver in National Education Advertising Awards

‘Get in the Grove’ Campaign for IUP Takes Silver in National Education Advertising Awards

Stay updated on the latest PR trends and tips for building brand reputation and effective media communication.

Stay updated on the latest PR trends and strategies to enhance your brand reputation. Explore insights into effective media communication, relationship building, and the art of shaping public perception in today’s fast-paced environment.

Our Perspectives on Public Relations | Brunner

public relations

On Jan. 27, 2022, the&nbsp;<a href="https://prsa-pgh.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Pittsburgh chapter</a>&nbsp;hosted its annual&nbsp;<a href="https://prsa-pgh.org/2022-renaissance-awards/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Renaissance Awards</a>, held at the Carnegie Science Center. The event honors local organizations, agencies and businesses as well as communicators for their innovative work across all aspects of public relations and marketing communications.In the Integrated Marketing Campaign category, the Brunner team took home a&nbsp;Renaissance Award&nbsp;for its 2021 marketing campaign for client The Home Depot Rental, and an&nbsp;Award of Merit&nbsp;for its 2021 marketing campaign for client Rinnai.In the Media Relations category, Brunner received a&nbsp;Renaissance Award&nbsp;and an&nbsp;Award of Merit&nbsp;for its trade media relations strategies for clients Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) and Rinnai, respectively.“We’re thrilled to start the year off with honors from the Pittsburgh community on our client work over the last year,” said Jordan Mitrik, senior PR &amp; content specialist at Brunner. “These campaigns are built on the foundation of strategy, data and creativity – and it’s fantastic to get recognition while elevating our clients in the process.”The Home Depot Rental: Integrated Marketing CampaignIn 2021, The Home Depot Rental challenged Brunner to target both professional contractors and DIYers through an innovative, compelling integrated marketing campaign that would increase awareness, consideration, and conversions to rent their large equipment, tools, and trucks. The result? Record-setting weeks in rental transactions and surpassed objectives.Rinnai: Integrated Marketing Campaign + Media RelationsAfter Brunner was selected as Rinnai’s North American B2B Agency Of Record, Brunner developed an omnichannel marketing strategy to increase brand awareness across the portfolio. The Brunner team leveraged SEM, paid social, SEO, PR, content, influencer marketing, trade media and research to drive positive results across all channels.RWC: Media RelationsWith an emphasis placed on trade media relations, Brunner helped RWC achieve significant results while reaching key audiences for each of their portfolio brands, including 162 earned media opportunities 20 consecutive months with no negative sentiment.Brunner is no stranger to the PRSA Pittsburgh Renaissance Awards. The agency’s campaigns, employees, and teams have been honored consistently over the last seven years in the Influencer Marketing, Written Content, Reputation Management, Rising Star, and Team of the Year categories. Most recently, Brunner took home Best in Show for its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/perspectives/brunner-wins-best-in-show-at-prsa-pittsburgh-2021-renaissance-awards" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">B2C digital campaign on behalf of client Zep</a>.

Discover how Brunner’s innovative integrated marketing and PR campaigns earned top honors at the PRSA Renaissance Awards. 

Agency takes home four awards for three clients in the home category

Brunner Honored for PR Campaigns at PRSA Renaissance Awards

Brunner Honored for Integrated Marketing, PR Campaigns at PRSA Renaissance Awards

If an agency is not truly entrepreneurial, inventive, and nimble, it’s difficult to thrive in an industry that is often considered one of the most volatile. More than 30 years after its inception, Brunner remains one of the top 100 independent advertising agencies in the country and a key reason for that success is Michael Brunner, Founder. With his continued foresight and progressive thinking, it’s no surprise he was selected as a winner of&nbsp;Pittsburgh Business Times’ 2021 Outstanding CEO and Top Executives Award.“It is a privilege to be considered an outstanding CEO and top executive in the region,” Michael said. “I started this business more than thirty years ago and wouldn’t be recognized for this award without the continued commitment, dedication, and talent from across our clients and agency team.”Under Michael’s leadership, Brunner is always inspired to create compelling ideas to positively impact the lives of its employees and clients. Michael’s goal for Brunner has always been to be one of the best advertising agencies in the country, and his clients will tell you that he and his team are relentless in going above and beyond.See the full list of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2021/08/19/introducing-outstanding-2021-ceo-winners.html?ana=e_pit_bn_exclusive_exclusive&amp;j=90569735&amp;t=Breaking%20News&amp;mkt_tok=NjczLVVXWS0yMjkAAAF_aoDDGPIOmEVI7eYeXLNgLWtcGkUxOudhqcvKSwlLDWy2P9OR061M_ltlOFTl3k__H4qHepbYu57tR6VK1zFN0dqzMqCc00ubx1G1Pwc08DElnXY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pittsburgh Business Times’ 2021 Outstanding CEO and Top Executives Award winners</a>.

Michael Brunner, CEO of Brunner, is honored with the Outstanding CEO and Top Executives Award for his visionary leadership and dedication. Learn more.

Brunner’s Founder is Honored with CEO and Top Executives Award

Brunner’s Founder is Honored with Outstanding CEO and Top Executives Award

Jordan Mitrik joined Brunner on Monday, January 10, 2017. How do we remember the exact date, you ask? Well, it was a fortuitous time. A monumental morning. The day we announced we were partnering with 84 Lumber on their Super Bowl commercial, “The Journey”. More than four years later, he continues to impress our agency with his unfaltering positivity and charisma.A versatile and creative thinker, Jordan leads the development of unique, relevant, and authentic ideas for clients many of which have resulted in&nbsp;local, regional, and national recognition for strong strategic foundations, innovative tactical activations,&nbsp;and impactful creative. He’s earned or contributed to 10+ PRSA Pittsburgh Renaissance Awards, a pair of PRSA ECD Diamond Awards, and a Silver Anvil. He’s also been recognized as a Rising Star and Member of the Year by PRSA Pittsburgh as well as being part of PRSA Pittsburgh’s Team of the Year. And now, he’s the newest member of the Pittsburgh Business Times’ 30 Under 30 class.To learn more about his accomplishments, check out <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2021/04/30/30-under-30-2021-jordan-mitrik-brunner.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">his feature&nbsp;in the Pittsburgh Business Journal</a>, and please join us in congratulating Jordan!

Celebrate Jordan Mitrik’s achievements as he joins the Pittsburgh Business Times’ 30 Under 30 class, showcasing his creativity and strategic impact at Brunner.

30 Under 30: Jordan Mitrik

During a year in which employees worked from home and were challenged to push creativity and strategic thinking to new heights amid insurmountable uncertainty,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brunner</a>&nbsp;rose to the occasion. During the 2021 Renaissance Awards, held virtually on Thursday, January 28, 2021 by&nbsp;<a href="https://prsa-pgh.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Pittsburgh chapter</a>, winners were announced across more than a dozen categories. From the pool of applicants only one was chosen to receive the event’s top honor, Best in Show. And this year, that recipient was Brunner for its B2C digital campaign on behalf of client Zep, which brought awareness to its leading cleaning solutions among consumers.“Receiving Best in Show is an incredible achievement for the agency, but this one feels uniquely meaningful as we close our chapter on 2020,” said Jordan Mitrik, Senior PR and Content Specialist at Brunner. “It represents the hard work and collaboration of our teams and clients during a time of tremendous change.”Each year, the Renaissance Awards honors local organizations, agencies, businesses, and communicators in Pittsburgh for their innovative work across all aspects of public relations and marketing communications.In addition to Best in Show, Brunner also took home four Renaissance Awards in the following categories:Integrated Marketing Campaign Category: <ul><li>The Home Depot Rental Brand Campaign</li></ul>Media Relations category:<ul><li>	RWC 2020 Media Relations</li><li>	Bruster's Real Ice Cream 2020 Media Relations</li></ul>Digital Campaign category:<ul><li>	Zep 2019 Brand Launch</li></ul>“It’s truly an honor to receive campaign recognition across four of our amazing clients,” Mitrik continued. “It shows just how agile our teams are and our unending commitment to delivering value and growing our clients’ business.”

Brunner takes home Best in Show at the PRSA Pittsburgh 2021 Renaissance Awards, showcasing outstanding public relations work. 

Agency receives highest score of all award submissions as well as four additional accolades

Brunner Wins Best in Show at PRSA Awards 2021 

Brunner Wins Best in Show at PRSA Pittsburgh 2021 Renaissance Awards

Aiming to launch their new brand by early 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.afternic.com/forsale/thecarrepairclub.com?utm_source=TDFS_DASLNC&amp;utm_medium=parkedpages&amp;utm_campaign=x_corp_tdfs-daslnc_base&amp;traffic_type=TDFS_DASLNC&amp;traffic_id=daslnc&amp;" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Car Repair Club</a> (formerly PepperFlare Car Repair Club)&nbsp;has named Brunner their agency of record (AOR).“We were drawn to Brunner’s creativity and expertise in building a brand,” said Pete Demko, The Car Repair Club Founder and CEO. “Together with Brunner, we can position The Car Repair Club as not only a one-of-a-kind service but also a subscription program that will help customers save money in the long run.”As the first program of its kind, The Car Repair Club created a simple and affordable monthly subscription program that protects the customer financially against common vehicle breakdowns that accident insurance won’t normally cover. The goal is to launch the brand in early 2021, where Brunner will provide detailed strategy for building overall brand awareness through creative development, public relations, content creation, and much more.“The Car Repair Club has entrusted us with helping to build their brand from scratch,” said Jeff Maggs, Brunner’s Managing Director in Atlanta. “We are very excited to spread awareness of The Car Repair Club’s unique and valuable service.”

Brunner collaborated with The Car Repair Club to launch a new brand, driving innovation and market presence in 2021.

The Car Repair Club Works with Brunner to Launch New Brand

Michael Brunner,&nbsp;Brunner's Chairman and CEO,&nbsp;has been named an honoree in Pittsburgh’s 2020 Smart 50 Awards,&nbsp;recognizing&nbsp;the top 50 executives of the 50 smartest companies for their ability to effectively build and lead successful organizations.&nbsp;“It is an amazing honor to be&nbsp;considered for the Smart 50 Awards,” Michael said.&nbsp;“I&nbsp;appreciate being&nbsp;listed amongst&nbsp;the&nbsp;50&nbsp;other&nbsp;smart, savvy executives and their companies.”&nbsp;It was&nbsp;over&nbsp;thirty&nbsp;years ago when Michael&nbsp;got into the advertising business, but his foresight and progressive thinking didn’t stop there.&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>1991:&nbsp;Michael saw the value in big&nbsp;data&nbsp;before it was big and made Brunner’s first acquisition, a database marketing firm&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>1997:&nbsp;Brunner made&nbsp;its&nbsp;second acquisition,&nbsp;a digital interactive company&nbsp;</li><li>2005:&nbsp;He acquired a creative boutique&nbsp;agency&nbsp;in Atlanta to provide a foothold in one of the nation’s strongest business markets&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>2011:&nbsp;Michael&nbsp;helped&nbsp;launch&nbsp;BHiveLab, an in-house technology incubator that has become a thought-leader throughout the industry&nbsp;</li><li>2017:&nbsp;Brunner won a Cannes Lion and&nbsp;was&nbsp;named PRWEEK U.S.&nbsp;Awards national finalist, for the Super Bowl commercial, and subsequent campaign, with client&nbsp;84 Lumber&nbsp;</li></ul>To this day, Brunner is included in the top 100 independent advertising agencies in the country. One of the key reasons for that success is Michael, making it no surprise to Brunner employees, that he has been named an honoree. It’s difficult to thrive in what is often considered one of the most volatile of industries if the company is not truly entrepreneurial, progressive, and nimble. Through Michael’s leadership, Brunner is inspired to create powerful ideas to positively impact the lives of its employees and the clients Brunner serves. Ultimately, Michael’s goal for Brunner has always been to be one of the best advertising agencies in the country, and his clients will tell you that he and his team are relentless in going above and beyond.

Michael Brunner is recognized as an honoree in Pittsburgh’s 2020 Smart 50 Awards for his innovative leadership and business acumen. Learn more.

Michael Brunner is Named Honoree in Pittsburgh’s 2020 Smart 50 Awards

This fourth quarter,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brunner</a>&nbsp;has more to celebrate than just the successful close to its 31st&nbsp;year. In search of deep B2B cross-channel expertise, global tankless water heater leader,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rinnai.us/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rinnai America Corporation</a>, has entrusted Brunner to serve as its trade advertising agency of record (AOR) through 2021.“Brunner’s knowledge, relationships and expertise with the contractor audience made them an ideal partner for our brand,” said David Federico, Rinnai Brand Director. “Together with Brunner we can position Rinnai as not only a category-leading product but also a master of the trade.”With an immediate goal of enhancing thought leadership in the trade sector, Brunner will put forth a B2B strategy spearheaded by public relations, media relations, content creation, creative development and trade media. Launching in January 2021, the program will sustain over 12-months and cover a wide swath of plumbing, HVAC and engineering audiences.“We are delighted to establish a relationship with Rinnai and expand our B2B client roster,” said Jeff Maggs, Brunner’s Managing Director in Atlanta. “Our depth in the home category is very strong. When you combine that with top-notch clients we believe we’ll be able to execute immediately and cultivate great results.”

Brunner is named the trade advertising agency of record for Rinnai America Corporation, marking a significant partnership.

Agency accelerates new business growth in the Atlanta market

Brunner Wins Trade Advertising AOR with Rinnai America Corporation

Brunner Wins Trade Advertising Agency of Record with Rinnai America Corporation

Our Diversity Recruitment and Adopt a Station campaigns for Atlanta Fire Rescue foundation have now been recognized at all levels of creative excellence – from local to national to global.We’re thrilled to announce gold and silver winners in this year’s Graphis Advertising Annual. This competition originated in Switzerland 50 years ago and showcases work in multiple languages from well-known national and international agencies.On behalf of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation and our brave men and women firefighters, we are incredibly proud to receive the highest level of recognition for the work we have done together.Here is a full list of honors our team and clients took home:Gold<ul><li>Print, Billboard: “Diversity Recruitment” campaign for Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation</li></ul>Silver<ul><li>Print, Public Services:&nbsp;“Adopt a Station” campaign for Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation</li></ul>We are always grateful to work with partners like The Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation that help us produce impactful, award-winning work—something that we look forward to continuing in the future.

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Diversity Recruitment

Adopt a Station

Celebrate the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation’s big win at the 2020 Graphis Advertising Awards, thanks to Brunner’s creative campaigns.

Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation Wins at 2020 Graphis Advertising Awards

2020 Graphis Advertising Awards: Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation Wins Big

From studying engineering to consulting with Fortune 500 companies, Eric Perz revealed some interesting things about his career path and his personal life, as Brunner recently promoted him to VP, Data Science.Q: How did you enter the ‘data science world’?A: After completing a master’s in engineering, I was drawn to the world of consulting rather than a typical engineering job because I’d be able to work on a big variety of projects and industries. Ironically, the parts of the projects I was most passionate about were when I was interacting with the support staff of statisticians. They were coding and working directly with the data, and I decided that’s how I wanted to steer my career.Q:&nbsp;What will be your role as VP, Data Science?A:&nbsp;I always say I have to continue to do the work because if I don’t&nbsp;deeply&nbsp;understand it,&nbsp;then I can’t effectively do the things more associated with a group leader such as writing proposals,&nbsp;engaging with clients and prospects, and supporting innovation. I think&nbsp;a Data Science VP role&nbsp;is roughly&nbsp;50%&nbsp;paid&nbsp;project&nbsp;work,&nbsp;25%&nbsp;administration&nbsp;and strategy,&nbsp;and&nbsp;25%&nbsp;innovation&nbsp;and&nbsp;process improvement.&nbsp;Q:&nbsp;How does this promotion work toward your professional goals?I’ve had some success in the past with integrating data science practices&nbsp;deeper into day-to-day agency processes. This is an opportunity to&nbsp;raise the bar for exactly that.&nbsp;Mostly&nbsp;due to momentum&nbsp;and&nbsp;market&nbsp;demand, full-service agencies have&nbsp;tended to&nbsp;constrain data science to&nbsp;media performance&nbsp;measurement. But, the function can contribute much to creative, UX, and other groups.&nbsp;You can find a lot of chatter about this concept but few concrete examples yet.&nbsp;Brunner embraces the&nbsp;idea&nbsp;too&nbsp;and it’s on my team to find exciting ways to&nbsp;do that and stay ahead of the curve.&nbsp;&nbsp;Q: What is Data Science to you?The term emerged&nbsp;when CMOs were tasked with answering hard questions about&nbsp;marketing&nbsp;ROI.&nbsp;Data engineers and business intelligence analysts, who in their own rights have vast technical knowledge and solve important problems,&nbsp;tended to not have the necessary statistical knowledge to&nbsp;address&nbsp;those&nbsp;tricky questions about cause-and-effect. Now, the expectations are growing for data scientists to have working knowledge about the “full stack” and not just stick to stats&nbsp;(e.g., app development, database administration, automation). Add to that increased focus on business acumen and soft skills. You could&nbsp;call data science the practice of using data&nbsp;to solve problems. And practitioners can fall on a very wide range of experience and skill.&nbsp;Q: How will this promotion help&nbsp;you achieve&nbsp;your goals with Brunner?A:&nbsp;Everyone talks about “AI” but what they don’t say is that AI in most of its forms today is not&nbsp;that&nbsp;useful to a CMO who asks about ROI. I feel I’m in a spot now where I really direct a lot of energy toward this&nbsp;challenge, which is how can we use the advantages of AI algorithms in a manner that also satisfies our&nbsp;stakeholders?&nbsp;I’m already excited by the promise I’ve seen in it.&nbsp;Q: Lastly,&nbsp;What is ‘the dream’ to you professionally or otherwise?A:&nbsp;From a professional standpoint, I think that’s pretty-well covered. Personally,&nbsp;I have two young sons&nbsp;so&nbsp;“the dream”&nbsp;to me&nbsp;is simply&nbsp;being a&nbsp;positive&nbsp;part of their lives as they grow and develop into unique grown-ups!&nbsp;It’s why work-life balance is so valuable to me. I would also very much like to restore a 70’s era Porsche.

From studying engineering to consulting with Fortune 500 companies, VP of Data Science, Eric Perz discusses his career path and personal life. Learn more.

The Secret Life of a Data Scientist

At Brunner, we are always thinking about the cross-channel picture. Hear from our experts.

At Brunner, we are always thinking about the cross-channel picture. Explore our insights to learn how to create seamless, integrated strategies that resonate with your audience and elevate your brand impact.

Integrated Marketing Content: Industry Trends and POVs | Brunner

integrated marketing

Stay updated on the latest business intelligence trends and strategies to make data-driven decisions for growth and success.

Unlock the potential of data with our Business Intelligence team, combining tailored consulting with automation and statistical expertise to deliver valuable insights directly to you. Stay updated on the latest trends and strategies to make data-driven decisions for growth and success.&nbsp;

Our Thoughts on Business Intelligence | Brunner

business intelligence

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Social listening is widely accepted in the world of business as a way for companies to connect with their target audience and find out what that audience thinks about a given product, campaign or initiative.It’s a process of watching hashtags, keywords and digital engagement to identify trending topics and monitor brand sentiment, and roughly 70% of local businesses use it to better understand their customer segments, according to a&nbsp;joint survey from the Atlanta Business Chronicle and marketing agency Brunner.<h2>Social Listening Isn't Enough</h2>Increasingly, though, social listening isn’t enough. The process is evolving to a more advanced iteration known as social intelligence, said Katie Collins, a brand engagement manager at Brunner, which has offices in Atlanta and Pittsburgh.“Social intelligence is using machine learning to analyze social data, and it’s using that data to answer some of marketing’s toughest questions: What are my consumers talking about? What do they care about? What are their expectations of me?” Collins explained.Digital conversation, either through social media or websites, offers a trove of data for brands, which is why many Atlanta companies have embraced the potential of social listening — and why many social listening tools have emerged on the market.“The biggest challenge for brands has been figuring out how to leverage that data,” Collins said.That’s the benefit social intelligence provides: It allows for a deeper level of analysis and a more accurate interpretation of the available data, she added:

Learn how social intelligence tools can provide deeper insights into consumer behavior and enhance your marketing strategies. 

Social Intelligence Tools Allow for Analysis of Consumer Behavior

Social Intelligence Tools Allow for Deeper Analysis of Consumer Behavior

In 2020, Brunner welcomed Dave Stoken as Director, IT, to augment our internal infrastructure team. Learn how he will contribute to the agency’s success.

Brunner Welcomes 20-Year IT Veteran

Brunner Welcomes 15-Year IT Veteran

Secret agent beavers conquered yet another expedition, snatching more than <a href="https://www.yellawood.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YellaWood® brand pressure treated pine</a> at the national ADDYs. Through teamwork and collaboration, Brunner and client YellaWood® were recently recognized with national honors including three gold and two silvers – a continued celebration building upon nearly 30 awards earned at the regional and local levels this year.The <a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/our-work/yellawood" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Woodland’s Most Wanted</a>, a campaign created for YellaWood® brand pressure treated pine, has also been featured in Archive Magazine, and won several Graphis and OBIE awards, according to Zak Cochran, group account director at Brunner.“We obviously felt there was something special about this campaign and it’s great when your peers on all those different levels see something special in the work too,” said Jeff Shill, creative director at Brunner. “The agency, client and our partners all put in the effort. And those efforts were the most collaborative I’ve ever been part of. It’s great to see that get some love. It’s a nod to several good working relationships that enabled the talents of so many people.”Cochran also spoke to the agency-client relationship, touting the trust and collaboration that “always [elevates] the quality of creative work.”As part of this campaign Brunner and YellaWood® pressure treated pine knew what would take things to another level: the introduction of a set of new brand spokespeople…beavers.According to Shill, the power of a brand is emotional connection.“It was critical to both the agency and client when you looked this animal in the eye, you knew it had a soul. Our partner Framestore worked with us to first develop the characters with a backstory and personality traits. Those little touches help the audience believe these beavers really are YellaWood®-crazed builders,” said Shill. “With some vision and hard work we found something at the core of the brand that resonated with a lot of people.”“Winning one national ADDY is an incredible achievement but FIVE is in an entirely different category. Thanks [Brunner] for being such great teammates and for hitting it out of the park for us!” said James Riley, CMO of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Inc., YellaWood® brand’s parent company.The National ADDYs took place Friday, June 26, 2020. Below is a list of awards Brunner and YellaWood® celebrated together:Gold Professional <ul><li>Animation, Special Effects or Motion Graphics: “Lumberyard” for Great Southern Wood Preserving / YellaWood®</li><li>Computer Generated Imagery: “Lumberyard” for Great Southern Wood Preserving / YellaWood®</li><li>Computer Generated Imagery: “Control Room” for Great Southern Wood Preserving / YellaWood®</li></ul>Silver Professional<ul><li>Animation, Special Effects or Motion Graphics: “Heist” for Great Southern Wood Preserving / YellaWood®</li><li>Computer Generated Imagery: “Heist” for Great Southern Wood Preserving / YellaWood®</li></ul>

Brunner's clients shine at the 2020 virtual National ADDY Awards, earning five prestigious honors. Explore how creative excellence led to national recognition.

Clients Earn Five National ADDYs at 2020 Virtual Ceremony

Clients Get the Recognition They Deserve: Five National ADDYs at 2020 Virtual Ceremony

Virtual award shows are as exciting as in-person galas when celebrating the hard work of fellow creative professionals. That’s exactly the attitude Brunner embraced during this year’s online AAF Pittsburgh ADDYs during which the agency was recognized with 15 awards—besting all of the competition.For work completed with clients City of Asylum and Lehigh Valley Health Network, Brunner took home four gold and 11 silver awards, two of which will accompany Brunner’s <a href="https://www.brunnerworks.com/perspectives/it-takes-a-village-2020-atlanta-addys" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">10 accolades</a>, from the Atlanta ADDYs, to the national level. Brunner’s work for City of Asylum was also recognized with silver at the District 2 ADDYs.“To create work for organizations that are doing good in their communities is always rewarding. Being recognized for that work is a nice bonus,” said Kevin Corfield, Creative Director at Brunner.The Pittsburgh ADDYs took place Monday, May 15, 2020. Below is a full list of awards Brunner and its client partners were proud to celebrate:Gold Professional<ul><li>Elements of Advertising, Visual</li><li>Photography, color: “Weapon” “Power” and “Death Sentence” for City of Asylum</li><li>Public Service</li><li>Campaign: “Books in Books” Campaign for City of Asylum</li></ul>Silver Professional<ul><li>Elements of Advertising, Film &amp; Video</li><li>Cinematography—Single: “Partners” for Lehigh Valley Health Network</li><li>Public Service</li><li>Sales &amp; Marketing, Brand Elements: “Weapon” “Power” and “Death Sentence” for City of Asylum</li><li>Print, Single Unit: “Weapon” for City of Asylum</li><li>Out-of-Home &amp; Ambient Media: “Weapon” “Power” and “Death Sentence” for City of Asylum</li><li>Online/Interactive: “Weapon” and “Books in Books” Social Campaign</li><li>Film, Video &amp; Sound: “Weapon” for City of Asylum</li></ul>

During this year’s online AAF Pittsburgh ADDYs, Brunner was recognized with 15 awards. Learn more.

Brunner Celebrates 15 ADDYs from AAF Pittsburgh

While the event may have looked a little different this year, the excitement was still every bit as strong at The Drum Marketing Awards USA virtual awards. Brunner was nominated for three awards.<ul><li>Best Long-Term Strategy: The Home Depot Rental 2019 Regional Campaign Strategy</li><li>Best Brand Content Strategy: The Home Depot Rental 2019 Content Marketing Strategy</li><li>Best Digital Strategy: Zep 2019 Brand Launch</li></ul><h2>Award Wins</h2>Brunner took home the winning honors for Best Long Term Strategy for the team’s work on The Home Depot Rental 2019 Regional Campaign. Even more of an honor, our submission was the only entry nominated as Lynn Lester, Managing Director of Events for The Drum, said, “The judges were very tough, they scrutinized all of the entries, and had one outright winner”.Brunner also received the Highly Commended award for the work on The Home Depot Rental 2019 Content Marketing Strategy.“It’s an honor to have won Best Long-Term Strategy for our work on The Home Depot Rental,” said Kevin Amos, VP Digital Performance Marketing. “The Home Depot Rental’s team has challenged us to create strong, data-driven strategies that have achieved measurable results. And to be recognized for our long-term success only makes our partnership with them stronger.”A full list of winners and nominees can be <a href="https://www.thedrummarketingawards.com/americas/en/page/home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">found on the Drum Awards site</a>.

Celebrate Brunner’s success at The Drum Marketing Awards, where we won two prestigious awards for our innovative campaigns. Learn more.

Brunner Takes Home Two Awards at The Drum Marketing Awards

According to Forrester, “Marketers can use performance marketing agencies to target in-market consumers, drive them to convert in digital channels, and support some organic marketing efforts.”While Brunner has always had a strong media planning and buying arm, we knew that we had an opportunity to enhance our performance marketing chops. To help get us started, we brought aboard two performance marketing veterans, Kevin Amos and Dan Gbur, who built the independent media agency, IMPAQT, so successfully that it was bought by media giant, Merkle.“Not long after the merger with Merkle, Dan and I knew we had to get back to our entrepreneurial, data-driven roots,” said Amos. “But this time around, we didn’t want to start from scratch. We wanted to find a partner with a shared mindset, which is what brought us to Brunner.”Over the last four years, we have been laser-focused on growing our data management, analytics and digital media teams – adopting a multichannel, performance marketing culture. The outcome has produced more well-rounded, results-driving media strategies that have exceeded client expectations. And we’re proud to say that our efforts have now been recognized by Forrester.In June 2019, Forrester published a global overview of 32 performance marketing agencies – Brunner included. In its report, Forrester outlines three segments of performance marketing agencies, differentiated by their channel offerings: performance search agencies, performance social and display agencies, and multichannel performance agencies.Brunner is pleased to be recognized as a multichannel performance agency by Forrester. According to Forrester, agencies in this segment tend to have “a laser focus on driving performance,” which has indeed been a north star for Brunner over the past years. The specific growth of our in-house SEM, social media and display teams has proven critical for reaching consumers at the moment when they’re ready to act – ready to request more info, submit the application, or make the purchase.The last pages of a consumer’s purchase story are quite possibly unfolding on their phone (or another device). Brunner’s multichannel performance marketing expertise gives us the nimbleness to reach that consumer at the right moment, in the right space, and ultimately, drive clear results for our clients.

Brunner is featured in Forrester's NowTech Global 2019 Performance Marketing Agencies report. Learn about our recognition and what sets us apart.

Brunner Listed on Forrester’s 2019 Performance Marketing Agencies Report

Brunner Listed on Forrester’s NowTech: Global 2019 Performance Marketing Agencies Report

An integrated campaign with undercover beavers. Community-building collateral to support firefighters. This is the work we recently celebrated with our clients&nbsp;<a href="https://www.yellawood.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.atlfrf.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation</a>, bringing home 21 awards from the&nbsp;2020 Atlanta ADDYs. We were thrilled to be recognized, along with our client partners, with nine gold, seven silver and five bronze for work across digital and out-of-home initiatives, from 3D billboards to CGI woodland creatures to a firefighter recruitment campaign and fire station renovation.“You know that phrase ‘It takes a village’? Well, it takes a village to do creative work…starting with great clients, strategic partners and talent in our agency,” said Jeff Maggs, managing director. “We drive measurable results. Our work performs. And part of that is doing great work that gets recognized and continues to help build a place with creative firepower.”“We are approaching every problem differently and creatively,” said Jeff Shill, creative director. “We’re really proud of the fact the client was [at the show] with us. It’s one thing to be recognized by peers, it’s another thing to be recognized by peers and clients.”It’s not just our work. It’s a team effort between us and our great partners. Here’s a full list of honors our team and clients took home:Gold ProfessionalElements of Advertising, Film and Video<ul><li>Computer Generated Imagery (CGI): “Heist” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</li><li>Animation, Special Effects, Motion Graphics: “Heist” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</li><li>Animation, Special Effects, Motion Graphics: “Control Room” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</li><li>Computer Generated Imagery (CGI): “Control Room” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</li><li>Computer Generated Imagery (CGI): “Lumberyard” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</li><li>Animation, Special Effects, Motion Graphics: “Lumberyard” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</li></ul>Elements of Advertising, Music With/Without Lyrics: “Woodland’s Most Wanted” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated PineFilm, Video &amp; Sound, Television Advertising: “Woodland’s Most Wanted” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated PinePublic Service, Out-of-Home &amp; Ambient Media, Corporate Social Responsibility: “ARFR Adopt A Station” for Atlanta Fire Rescue FoundationSilver ProfessionalElements of Advertising<ul><li>Visual, Art Direction: “Woodland’s Most Wanted” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</li><li>Sound, Sound Design: “Woodland’s Most Wanted” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</li></ul>Film, Video &amp; Sound, Television Advertising, Single Spot-Up to 2:00<ul><li>“Lumberyard” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</li><li>“Heist” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</li><li>“Control Room” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated Pine</li></ul>Cross-platform, Integrated Consumer Campaign-Regional/National: “Woodland’s Most Wanted” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated PineOnline/Interactive, Social Media Campaign: “Beaver Crawl” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated PineBronze ProfessionalSales &amp; Marketing, Direct Marketing: “Peek &amp; Rappel” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated PineSales &amp; Marketing, Sales Promotion, Point of Purchase, Free Standing: “Rappel” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated PineOut-of-Home &amp; Ambient Media, Outdoor Board, Digital or Animated-Single Unit: “Yoink” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated PineOut-of-Home &amp; Ambient Media, Outdoor Board, Digital or Animated-Single Unit: “Stack” for YellaWood® Pressure Treated PinePublic Service, OOH &amp; Ambient Media, Corporate Social Responsibility: “AFRF Step Forward” for Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation.

Join us in celebrating our achievements at the 2020 Atlanta ADDYs. See how our collaborative efforts with clients led to multiple awards.

It Takes a Village: 2020 Atlanta ADDYs

Unlock the power of your data with insights from Brunner’s data management and analytics team.

Unlock the power of your data with insights from Brunner’s data management and analytics team. Explore how we transform complex data into actionable insights that drive informed decisions and uncover new growth opportunities.

Data Management and Analytics Content and Perspectives | Brunner

data management and analytics

In an era defined by data-driven decision-making, marketing intelligence is the cornerstone of strategic success. Discover insights from our team.

At Brunner, marketing intelligence is the foundation of data-driven decision-making. Explore our insights to learn how to leverage data effectively, target your audience, and stay ahead in a competitive landscape.

Our Thoughts on Marketing Intelligence Solutions | Brunner

marketing intelligence solutions

Getting closer to your customers requires making the most of the data available to you and understanding where you are in terms of data maturity. We’re here to help with our new series on Data&nbsp;Analytics Maturity, coming to you from our Data Science &amp; Decision Analytics team. This series will cover the elusive topic of data. How to gather it, develop it, and structure it so that you can hone in on valuable insights.In our first episode we explain the steps businesses can take to turn “so-so data” to mature data. Our team are experts in helping brands take the first step in having a data plan. At the intersection of data, analytics, and your organization’s business processes lay the insights your business needs to capitalize on to drive success. We’re here to help you progress towards discovering and capitalizing on these data driven learnings.Need help getting started? Contact us to create a plan for success for your business.

Discover how to take control of your data and enhance your business decisions with the first episode of our Data Analytics Maturity Series.

Brunner Marketing Team

Brunner Marketing Team

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