News

"Hilarious!"

That's what Jennifer Weaver wrote about the On Hold Marketing in the video above.

Jennifer was one of several judges at the 2014 Fifth District ADDY Awards, held March 15th in Akron, Ohio.

As a group, the judges presented BusinessVoice with a Silver ADDY for "Binkelmania," a humorous On Hold Marketing production created for Binkelman Corporation. The BusinessVoice entry now moves on to compete at the national level.

Sponsored by the American Advertising Federation, the ADDY Awards is the largest creative competition in the world. Over 40,000 local entries compete in 200 markets across the United States. The Fifth District competition follows the local competition and includes the best entries from Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.

For the fifth time, BusinessVoice has earned a Judge's Choice award at the northwest Ohio ADDY Awards competition.

At this year's ceremony, the MadAveGroup agency won two awards for the On Hold Marketing it created for Binkelman Corporation: a Silver ADDY Award and a Judge's Choice ADDY Award.

ADDY Judge Shaun Culbertson, Interactive Art Director at Adcom Group in Cleveland, Ohio, named the BusinessVoice entry his favorite for several reasons:

"I selected Binkelman's [On Hold Marketing] because of the unexpected comedy, quirkiness and edge! You actually want to wait on hold and hear what is said next. The script's humor is dry and sharp. The [music] and voices are catchy. I think it's very funny and creative. It paints Binkelman's personality as being comedic, but humble. I also like to see creative pushing boundaries and not too afraid to be a little on edge."

"That's exactly the response we're going for when we use humor on hold," said Scott Greggory, VP of Creative Services for MadAveGroup. "Humor is still underutilized in On Hold Marketing, so when you do hear it, it's a pleasant surprise. It draws you into the content, and allows us to deliver the marketing message to you painlessly."

Greggory, who wrote the award-winning production, says humor also makes the experience on hold more enjoyable for callers, while presenting the client as a company that cares about the time their callers spend on hold.

Listen to the award-winning On Hold Marketing production called "Binkelmania!" in the video above. 

Although it's a relatively new concept, aroma marketing is already producing results in even the oldest of institutions, according to an article at Bloomberg's BusinessWeek.com. 

Titled "What Should a Bank Smell Like?," the piece focused on the effect aroma marketing is having in several banks around the world.

SensoryMax client Ocean Bank was named as one of the banks using aroma marketing to its advantage. The Miami-based financial institution has been receiving great client feedback consistently since the SensoryMax team developed and implemented their customized aroma marketing program.

"Your sense of smell can contribute so much to your positive feelings about places and products," said Michael Seay, Director of SensoryMax. "Introducing aroma as a brand component is the next natural step for marketers. It helps a company more fully express its brand identity."

Signature scents also can improve consumers' familiarity and comfort level with a brand, as well as their memory of interactions with the brand, all of which can drive sales. (Read the complete Bloomberg article here.) 

To discuss the strategic use of Aroma Marketing, contact Michael Seay at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 419/724-7374. 

Is there any better way to spend a few hours than hangin' out with clowns?

Sure, there is. But clowns ARE pretty cool. That's why we're always happy to participate in the annual Blade Holiday Parade in our hometown of Toledo. Ohio.

Again this year, members of the MadAveGroup team worked the parade route with folks from Forrester's on the River, the great new restaurant at The Docks. 

As pacers, it's our job to make sure that each unit in the parade stays 50 feet apart. If you've ever seen a float ram into a marching band, or a horse trample a Grand Marshall, you know how important the job of a pacer is.

Speaking of cool clowns, this year's Holiday Parade featured more than 100 members of the Distinguished Clown Corps. The Corps is made up of local businesspeople who pay for the privilege of being a clown. The money raised helps to pay for the parade itself. Distinguished Clowns also appear at charitable functions throughout the year.

MadAveGroup has been recognized once again for "outstanding achievement" in the field of marketing and communications by the 2013 MarCom Awards, an international creative competition that includes entries by media conglomerates and Fortune 500 companies.

BusinessVoice, our On Hold Marketing agency, received the highest honor - a Platinum MarCom Award - for "Binkelmania," a humorous On Hold Marketing production we created for Binkelman Corporation. (Listen in the video below.)    

We also earned a Gold MarCom Award for a series of three radio spots we created for Spirit Services. (Listen to them in the video below.)

"The radio spots we produce for Spirit are not only designed to encourage a specific response," said VP of Creative Services Scott Greggory, "they support the company's brand identity. We want that audio to sound like what their website and social media channels look like. That way, there's a stronger connection with the brand as people move from the radio to Spirit's online world."

"That's one of the advantages of working with an agency like ours. Radio and TV stations are in the business of production and distribution, not necessarily great content creation. We focus on each client's message, supporting their brand identity, and strengthening the audience's perception of their company in a creative way," said Greggory. "Ours is a consistent and long-term approach." 

Tired of hearing about Toledo's brain drain? Then you'll like what MadAveGroup is doing in Toledo's UpTown district.

The agency has been developing The MadAveCollective, an open work space for writers, designers, videographers, photographers, animators, website developers and other creatives who want to work in a relaxed, affordable shared space, yet need a professional address where they can invite clients, hold meetings, and give presentations.

V.I.P. OPEN HOUSE & RIBBON CUTTING

To open The Collective, a V.I.P. party will take place Friday, October 25th from 4 to 7pm at 1600 Madison Avenue, Floor 2, Toledo. The event will showcase the newly renovated Collective space.

At 4pm, Toledo Mayor Mike Bell, a representative from the Toledo Chamber of Commerce and MadAveGroup CEO Jerry Brown will participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony.

At 5:30pm, speakers from the public and private sectors will address the media during a press conference. Among the topics: future plans for Toledo's UpTown District.

There will also be free food and beverages from Manos and Manhattan's, live music, and the opportunity to network with local business and political leaders.

"The idea of The MadAveCollective is to bring a lot of creative energy to one area, so companies and agencies can find the talent they need for specific jobs, and talent can find freelance work," said Jerry Brown. "We hope that UpTown specifically and Toledo as a whole will benefit from that focused energy as well."

Members of The MadAveCollective also will be featured on a website where they can promote their services and portfolios. The site will include a rating system that allows users to choose creative talent based on the input of their past clients.

For more details on The Collective, visit http://www.madavegroup.com/collective/. To schedule a tour or to reserve your space, please call 419/473-9000.

Could your company or your favorite charity use a marketing makeover?

If so, you'll be glad to know that you could win $15,000 in new marketing services from MadAveGroup.

We'll award the services to the winner of the MadAve Makeover promotion, which runs from October 1st through noon Eastern time October 24th, 2013.

"Get creative and let us know why your company or charity wants, needs or deserves $15,000 in marketing services," said Scott Greggory, Vice President of Creative Services. "We're looking for fun, imaginative entries that we can share with the world, and use to promote our entrants at the same time."

You can create original video, audio, graphics, photos, music or an entry of any other format that can be uploaded to the agency's Facebook page.

Win a $500 Prize Package

The person who submits the winning entry will receive a $500 makeover package of their own. It includes a $250 Macy's gift card, a $100 Massage Envy gift card, and a $150 Visa gift card.

The Dates

We'll announce the finalists on our Facebook page on Friday, October 25th. The winner of the $15,000 in marketing services will be announced on Friday, October 31st, 2013.

To enter and upload your entry, visit http://www.Facebook.com/MadAveGroup.  

MadAveGroup has been named among the Best Employers in Ohio for 2013. In the annual survey conducted by BestEmployersOH.com and Best Companies Group, the agency ranked as the 8th best place to work in the "Small / Medium Company" category.

"We've always known we have a great environment here," said Jerry Brown, "but by comparing our company to so many others across the state, this survey and this award confirm it." Brown is the CEO of the MadAveGroup, which provides point-of-contact marketing services for clients throughout the nation from its Toledo, Ohio headquarters.

The best places to work are determined using a thorough company assessment. The two-part process gathers detailed information about participating companies. That information is then combined to produce a set of data which analysts use to determine and rank the strengths and opportunities of each company.

The image below is from the Best Employers in Ohio winners' book for 2013.

Would you consider your last experience as a caller on hold to be "terrific"?

The On Hold Messaging Association presents the annual MARCE Awards, an international competition that honors marketing and creative excellence in On Hold Messaging productions, and yes, that's how one of this year's judges described our work.

"Terrific!" wrote Andy West, Creative Services Director at Sports Radio 92-9 / The Game in Atlanta.

Once again, it was our humorous approach that won praise. Click on the play button above to hear the winning audio. It's for a company called Binkelman Corporation. The entry received the MARCE competition's top prize, earning the most points and a coveted Gold award.

That On Hold Messaging "actually made me laugh," commented another judge, Kurt Kleidon, director of PR and online marketing at Kleidon & Associates. He added that the content was "funny and well written."

Judge Ricky Roo, a broadcast production professional, noted the "Nice delivery of the humor!" and wrote that the funny approach "would keep an on-hold caller waiting to hear what comes next."

BusinessVoice has a long history of making people laugh on hold, creating unique experiences for callers, and differentiating our clients in the process. We've also won 12 On Hold Messaging Association awards, more than any other agency.

Listen to a few samples on our Humor On Hold page, or for more details, please call 866/473-9000.

Steve Evert has been elected to the On Hold Messaging Association's (OHMA) Board of Directors.

An Account Executive with MadAveGroup, Evert will serve a one-year term on the board, while working as the Chair of OHMA's Vendor Relations Committee.

The On Hold Messaging Association exists to promote the benefits of On Hold Messaging as a marketing tool, and to encourage high standards in the OHM industry.

"As a director, I'll be focused on increasing the main and affiliate membership of OHMA, and developing greater value for the organization's membership," Evert said.

Evert joined BusinessVoice in 2009. (BusinessVoice is one of the three agencies that make up MadAveGroup.) Within his first 12 months, he established the all-time sales record for new business bookings by a new member of the sales team. Evert has been the agency's top-seller every year since.

BusinessVoice has played a prominent role within OHMA over the years. Agency president Jerry Brown has served the organization as Chairman and in many other capacities. Other staff members have served in various positions. And BusinessVoice has won 12 OHMA-sponsored awards for creativity and marketing excellence, more than any other agency.