News

"May the best work win."

That was the slogan for the 2015 Internet Advertising Competition. And we're proud to say that our work was among the best. 

MadAveGroup won the 2015
IAC award for Best Non-Profit Online Video.

The winning video - "Become a Newsboy" - was created for the Old Newsboys Goodfellows Association of Toledo, Ohio, a non-profit organization that's been providing coats and shoes for the city's needy kids since 1929. (Watch the video below.)

The goal of the video is to attract the next generation of Newsboys so the organization can continue to serve the community for many years to come. The audience is 22 to 40-year-old people who see the value in giving some of their spare time to a worthwhile cause.

The Web Marketing Association presents the Internet Advertising Competition awards each year to celebrate "outstanding achievement in Internet advertising."

MadAveGroup won its first Internet Advertising Competition award in 2014 for the Facebook content created for Spirit Services.

Video production credits
Videographer: Bob Seybold
Editor / Audio Engineer: Chris Zaharias
Producer / Director: Scott Greggory 

BusinessVoice (our On Hold Marketing agency) and SensoryMax (our Sensory Marketing agency) were both recognized with Bronze awards at the 2015 ADDY Awards ceremony. The event was presented by the American Advertising Federation / Toledo.

SensoryMax won for the Essence of Lincoln signature scent it developed for the Lincoln Motor Company.

SensoryMax Director Michael Seay said he's confident that this is the first time an ADDY Award has ever been presented for a scent. "It's still an unusual concept to most folks, so it's really exciting to us as more and more people see the value in Aroma Marketing," said Seay. "To win another award for it is gravy!"

Essence of Lincoln also contributed to SensoryMax earning national media coverage, as well as the title of 2014's Scent Marketer of the Year.

The BusinessVoice team was acknowledged for a humorous On Hold Marketing production it created for Binkelman Corporation. Titled "Stream of Consciousness," it features wall-to-wall thoughts on a variety of topics, from ugly shirts to dump trucks, and canned chili to spare teeth.

You can hear the winning work in the video above.  

MadAveGroup has produced the new music video for singer / songwriter Jaime Mills, "Ain't Enough Whiskey in the Bottle." The song is from his Jerome Productions recording "Long Hard Road."

Based on a true-life struggle, the video tells the story of an important decision in Jaime's life, and then follows him on a journey - both literal and figurative - as he commits to that decision.

Inspired by the authentic sounds of Bob Seger, Michael McDonald, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings, Jaime describes his music as Americana; a fusion of country, blues and rock.

"The preparation and care that was put into the creation of my music video far exceeded my expectations!" wrote Jaime. "I am absolutely thrilled at the end result, and I am equally excited knowing that MadAveGroup is handling one of the most important aspects of my career."

Video Production Credits
Producer / Director: Scott Greggory
Camera Crew: Ron Matanick & Thom Ovacek
Editors: Chris Zaharias & Scott Greggory

"WOW! WOW! I am so moved. It is beautifully done and you have captured so much feeling. I can't thank you enough. This is wonderful!"

That was Tracey Edwards' reaction to the video above.

Tracey is President of the Old Newsboys Goodfellows Association, a group of volunteers that has been providing coats and shoes to Toledo's needy children since 1929.

"The Old Newsboys is one of our city's oldest and most beloved organizations," said MadAveGroup CEO Jerry Brown. "For many years, our staff has raised and donated money for the group's annual paper sale, but last year we decided we wanted to do more, so we offered to create a video for them."

A MadAveGroup team met with Ms. Edwards and other Newsboys and determined that the focus of the video should be new member recruitment.

"There's always a need for the work the Newsboys do," said Scott Greggory, Mad Ave Group's VP of Creative Services. "A great number of the current Newsboys have been members for decades, so we created a recruitment tool to attract the next generation of Newsboys."

The short-form video includes a look at the 2013 paper sale at various spots in Toledo, Maumee and Sylvania. During in-studio interviews, seven members describe what makes the Newsboys organization so special and the benefits they derive from serving in the all-volunteer group.

For more information and details on how you can join the Old Newsboys, visit www.ToledoNewsboys.org.

Video Production Credits
Producer & Director: Scott Greggory
Videographer: Bob Seybold
Editor & Audio Engineer: Chris Zaharias
On-Camera Interviews: John Pezzino, Pat Markland, Yvette Gordon, Tracey Edwards, Dave Hendricks, Laurie Renz-Gast and Rachel Doran

The MarCom Awards is a competition that recognizes excellence in the concept, writing and design of print, visual, audio and online marketing and communication materials.

MadAveGroup has been honored with three 2014 MarCom Awards.

• Gold Award - On Hold Marketing for Applewood Plumbing
• Gold Award - The BusinessVoice Website
• Honorable Mention - On Hold Marketing for Binkelman Corporation

MadAve Creative Consultant Andrea Poteet conceived and wrote the humorous copy for Applewood.

"I'm so excited that the work we did for Applewood was recognized," she said. "They understand that plumbing has a lot of potential for humor and that customers calling because of a plumbing emergency could probably use a laugh. My goal with the script was to put callers at ease, while informing them about Applewood's services. I'm glad the client and the judges saw value in that." (Listen to the award-winning On Hold Marketing production in the video above.)

WebArt, the MadAveGroup's website design and marketing agency, created the award-winning BusinessVoice website. (Read this post for insight on the site's design and features.) 

Listen to the humorous Binkelman On Hold Marketing in the video below.  

What do a broadcast journalist and a marketer have in common?

In Bob Seybold's case, that journalist and marketer are the same person.

By September of 1999, Seybold had worked in radio and TV news for nearly two decades. When he left newsrooms behind and joined our marketing agency that same year, he brought along his news sensibility. And he still applies it to his work today.

"My background as a journalist has served me well," Seybold said, "because so much of what we do as marketers is investigating and explaining, just as any good journalist does. We uncover the pains that a client is facing and then develop marketing solutions to address those needs."

(Left, Bob Seybold in 1988 at WSPD radio and today at Mad Ave Marketing Group.)

Just as a seasoned reporter knows his beat, Seybold and the rest of our Creative team members work to learn our clients' businesses and industries, and even anticipate their needs. "One of my favorite parts of my work is serving clients proactively. I love delivering a draft for a new On Hold Marketing script or an article for their blog before they even have to think about needing new content."

But Seybold is still able to flex his news muscles. In addition to creating marketing copy for many MadAveGroup clients, he develops content for the BusinessVoice News Network. Each weekday, he writes and produces three quick general interest stories that are uploaded to client On Hold Marketing systems throughout the country. Those stories are then interspersed with existing On Hold Marketing content to give callers on hold a unique experience nearly every time they call.

"The technology of marketing has changed a lot in 15 years," Seybold said, "from dial-up Internet and cassette players running messages on hold, to streaming video on smart phones and cloud-based systems that manage and deliver marketing content. But while the tools have changed, the goal is still the same. We want to have a one-to-one conversation with every caller or reader or viewer to show how what our client offers can help them."

And as Bob Seybold reflects on his first 15 years with Madison Avenue Marketing Group and its three agencies, he's also looking forward.

"It's exciting to be part of a company that grew from providing audio messages and music on hold, to now offering a full range of web design and marketing programs, digital signage, video production and aroma marketing, as part of a full-service marketing agency. And I'm excited for our future, as we develop new ways to meet all of the marketing needs of our clients."

As a marketer, you understand how audio and visual elements can be combined to express your brand identity.

But did you know that adding scent to that mix can encourage better recall of your brand?

Essence of Lincoln is a signature scent developed exclusively for the Lincoln Motor Company by our Sensory Marketing agency, SensoryMax, and its partners.

Dennis Carnevale, Lincoln's experience training manager, called the scent "a subtle, yet powerful tool for our dealers to use to help clients make an emotional connection to their store and the Lincoln brand."

"Lincoln understands the unique power of Aroma Marketing," said Michael Seay, Director of SensoryMax. "They see its strength as a legitimate brand element; that it helps people form deeper connections and more memorable experiences with Lincoln."

In an August 2014 press release, Lincoln explained that the scent was "designed to create an upscale, relaxing showroom experience" and that it "exudes luxury and warmth."

The press release also mentions Pompano Lincoln in Pompano Beach, Florida. The dealership has been gently dispersing Essence of Lincoln through its showroom ventilation system for nearly a year, and customer reaction has been very positive.

"We've gotten a lot of good feedback about it, both from customers and employees," said Tony Guerrera, general sales manager of Pompano Beach Lincoln. "It's a great scent. They really did an excellent job creating it."

To discuss how Aroma Marketing can strengthen your brand image and help you meet other marketing goals, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 419/724-7374.

MadAveGroup is pleased to announce the launch of the new Recycle I.T. USA website. (See it here.)

In October of 2013, Recycle I.T. was named the winner of the Madison Avenue Makeover, a contest that included a grand prize of $15,000 in marketing services.

After many hours of consultation, the company's management chose to have us build their new website.

Recycle I.T. USA collects electronic waste - computers, cell phones, printers, etc. - and then recycles the components to keep harmful materials out of landfills.

According to the site itself, up to 100 million electronic items become obsolete each year. As a result, e-waste is the fastest-growing portion of the nation's waste stream.

Recycle I.T. is in business to draw attention to the problem and provide easy access to solutions. We designed and built their new website to make that mission easier for the company and anyone who wants to recycle their old electronics.

"I couldn't be happier," wrote Barb Bruno of Recycle I.T. USA. "I wish we would have made a documentary of this. What a process, and you made it so easy. Thank you all!"

WebArt provides services to maximize your online impact, including website design and construction, website marketing, email marketing, and online audio and video. For more details, visit WebArt.com, call 866/473-9000 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

SensoryMax - MadAveGroup's Sensory Marketing agency - was named the 2014 Scent Marketer of the Year on June 13th. The award is presented each year by the Scent Marketing Institute during the ScentWorld conference in New York City.

The reasons for the win include 1) our development and use of signature scents as a branding tool, and 2) our strong client relationships, including those with the Ford and Lincoln Motor companies.

Enza Sleva is the Lincoln Client Experience Manager. "As we transform our dealer network to provide a higher level of client experience, we look for ways to engage the senses of every visitor," wrote Sleva. "The Essence of Lincoln scent is an extension of that initiative. We applaud SensoryMax for this recent honor and thank them for helping shape the future of the Lincoln showroom experience."

SensoryMax Director Michael Seay accepts the 2014 Scent Marketer of the Year Award at the ScentWorld Conference in New York City.

SensoryMax partnered with Master Perfumer Rene Morgenthaler to create Essence of Lincoln, the automotive brand's signature scent. Morgenthaler is the man who developed Passion by Elizabeth Taylor, one of the world's best-selling celebrity-endorsed perfumes.

"My approach to the fragrance design was to preserve the rich heritage of Lincoln, while incorporating vibrant, modern elements for a unique and sophisticated signature scent," said Morgenthaler. "I am privileged to be part of revitalizing a classic American brand."

"SensoryMax has shown real professionalism and leadership in the field of Sensory Marketing," wrote Jennifer Dublino, VP of Development for the Scent Marketing Institute. "Their work with Lincoln is making a significant difference not only to the client in terms of a more pleasant shopping experience and a stronger brand that is solidly positioned for the future, but also by demonstrating the efficacy of a well-conceived sensory marketing program that can have similar results for other brands."

To begin a conversation about adding Aroma Marketing and a signature scent to your branding efforts, contact Michael Seay at 419/473-9000 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

SensoryMax, the Sensory Marketing agency of MadAveGroup, has been nominated for Scent Marketer of the Year.

Presented by the Scent Marketing Institute, the award honors the company that has done the most to promote the Scent Marketing industry during the past year.

The SensoryMax team earned the nomination for multi-sensory and aroma marketing programs it developed for Lincoln Motor Company, Ford Motor Company, Virginia Tire & Auto, and Ocean Bank.

The Scent Marketer of the Year will be announced during the ScentWorld 2014 conference in New York City, June 12-13, 2014.

"We approach Aroma Marketing differently than most others in our industry," said Director of SensoryMax Michael Seay. "A signature scent is a powerful marketing tool. It's an essential element of a complete brand experience. I think it's that unique approach that the Scent Marketing Institute appreciated."

Seay said that a signature scent is every bit as important to a brand as its logo. The scent that SensoryMax developed for Lincoln, for instance, highlights the brand's attributes and deepens the customer experience at the dealership level. And because the sense of smell is so closely tied to memory, the scent will reinforce Lincoln's brand identity when a consumer encounters it in the future.

Aroma also elevates the customer experience. That's especially true at Virginia Tire & Auto. The company implemented SensoryMax's Aroma Marketing as part of its recent re-branding efforts, and customers are noticing. Several have even left positive comments on the aroma in Yelp reviews.

But SensoryMax doesn't focus solely on a brand's scent. "Every phase of the customer experience builds on the previous phase," Seay mentioned. "That's why we develop comprehensive Sensory Marketing programs."

What is Sensory Marketing?

SensoryMax uses audio, video, aroma and tactile strategies to stimulate and appeal to the senses of sight, smell, hearing and touch. The goal is to create unique, memorable branded impressions that encourage specific consumer behavior.

A few examples: lighting and video can be used to affect how people move through a retail space; background music will influence the mood, energy and pacing in a restaurant; and aroma can create a more pleasant shopping experience at a car dealership, while anchoring those moments in the customer's memory – often for many years!

About SensoryMax

An agency of MadAveGroup, SensoryMax engages consumer senses to create powerful brand impressions that encourage specific behavior. Learn more at SensoryMax.com or call 419/473-9000.