Category: Culture & News

I recently received my Master’s Degree in Digital Media and Storytelling from Loyola University Chicago, where my courses focused on some of the most important skills hiring managers often look for: how to write, produce and edit powerful digital content. Loyola created this program to develop effective storytellers and communicators in today’s digital world. This program gave me the skills and advanced industry insights needed to succeed in content marketing, and KemperLesnik gave me the chance to use these skills for our clients’ benefit.

Content marketing has taken hold as an invaluable tool to help develop a brand’s voice and engage a target audience through meaningful stories. The main difference between content marketing and traditional marketing is the value that a viewer gains from the content to which they are exposed. With traditional ads, consumers typically try to avoid them. Content marketing, when done well, prompts these same people to seek out the content and want to consume it – the content adds value to their lives somehow, whether that value is educational, entertaining, inspirational or otherwise useful. Even more powerful is content that a consumer finds so valuable that they decide to share it on their personal social media pages, showing their personal identification with the story or message, and further extending the reach of that content.

Traditional marketing has always been about sharing a message or story that captures someone’s attention and motivates them to act in line with business objectives. The key difference now is whether a company can strategically create and distribute relevant and consistent content to acquire and maintain a clearly defined audience. With the goal of driving profitable consumer interactions and positive brand association, content reigns supreme in getting brands closer to reaching this objective.

The most effective yet underutilized medium is video marketing, which is projected to account for 80% of all Internet traffic by 2019. Video often has the misconception of being expensive and difficult to execute well. However, with the falling cost of professional grade equipment and rising quality of smart phone cameras, video is becoming easier and faster to produce than ever before. Video also offers the opportunity for reuse and repurposing for different means, which ultimately translates to getting more content produced and disseminated. In this way, video content also comes with a longer shelf life than other mediums and has the potential to be recirculated for future use.

Content, especially when disseminated strategically and consistently, also brings added benefits to a company’s online presence with stronger social media marketing. Video content specifically drives much greater reach and engagement than written content, with the chances of getting a page one listing on Google increasing 53 times if it contains a video. Quality content contributes positively to search engine optimization by generating natural inbound links to a company’s website and increasing search engine rank, leading to increased website traffic. Instead of focusing on paid social to cut through the noise of the Internet, focusing on content marketing can be an effective and engaging way to boost concentrated SEO efforts and reach the right audience.

Overall, content marketing is a powerful tool for communicating a message in a creative, visual and engaging way. KemperLesnik recognizes the value of strategic integrated digital content marketing and is pushing the envelope on creativity and innovation to develop meaningful content for our clients. Our vast content capabilities are as diverse as our clients’ individual marketing objectives, and we customize our creative strategy to accomplish those goals. Whatever the medium or outlet best suited to the specific needs of each project, KemperLesnik is ready to capture, produce and distribute content and help our clients stand out with impactful content marketing.

 

KemperLesnik, Chicago

The Professional Fighters League Mixed Martial Arts organization recently hired KemperLesnik to support PFL events in Chicago and in Washington, D.C. The KemperLesnik content marketing team aided PFL by capturing, editing, and publishing original behind the scenes video content with fighters leading up to, during, and after the live events. During the engagement, KemperLesnik published multiple pieces of content for Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and PFLMMA.com to enhance the viewer experience around the live events.

 

CHICAGO (July 13, 2018) – KemperLesnik, an award-winning public relations, events, sports marketing and content marketing agency, was recognized at the 2018 PRSA Chicago Skyline Awards for its work in media relations and issues management. KemperLesnik received Skyline Awards of Excellence for two client campaigns in separate categories.

In the Media Relations – Consumer Services category, KemperLesnik was recognized alongside its longtime client, Streamsong Resort, for the campaign “Betting on Black: The Launch of Streamsong Black.” Streamsong Resort redefined the Florida golf experience when it opened two of the best courses in Florida in early 2013. The resort opened a third course in September 2017, Streamsong Black, which was one of the most highly anticipated course openings in the golf industry that year. Streamsong Black was covered by every major publication in golf throughout the year and was awarded “The Best New Course of 2017” but GOLF Magazine.

The agency also took home an Award of Excellence in the Issues Management category for the Aon Affinity Travel Practice’s “Creating a Savvier Traveler,” campaign. Based on the three most common travel insurance misperceptions identified by the Travel Practice’s customer service team, KemperLesnik created an integrated campaign to educate consumers about travel insurance – from their options to what the fine print means – so they can make more informed travel insurance decisions and reduce their risk of a claim denial.

“We are fortunate to work with clients like Aon and Streamsong – companies that are true partners and value creative thinking, execution and results,” said Amy Littleton, Executive Vice President, Managing Director of KemperLesnik. “Client partnerships like these set the stage for collaborative teamwork and award-winning campaigns that get recognized across industries.”

This annual PRSA Chicago competition is modeled after the PRSA National Silver and Bronze Anvil Programs and recognizes leading projects and programs executed by communication practitioners in Chicago.

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As you grow in your career, naturally you should take on more and more responsibilities. This new workload will likely feature tasks that are quite tangible – managing people or interfacing with clients more frequently – and those that are a bit more subconscious – for example, the need to elevate your thinking from tactics to strategy.

What do I mean by this? As a “doer” in the PR world, you are given tasks that don’t necessarily require a lot of consideration, such as monitoring for news stories. A “strategist” on the other hand, must be able to monitor news and think critically about what that news means. She must then create news that drives the right messaging to the right audiences, and, ultimately, contributes to the overall success and impact of the PR program.

Thinking as a strategist doesn’t always come naturally with a step up in your career; however, it takes time, and is a conscious effort. As I have grown in my career, here are two things I’ve learned to elevate strategic thinking:

1. Be a sponge – managers, account directors and others in senior roles are in those positions for a reason – they have developed the ability to think and act strategically. Use that to your advantage by learning everything you can from them. Pay attention – and ask questions! Learn how these people practice strategic thinking and implement suggestions that will work for you. Use the lessons others have learned to cultivate your own ability to think for yourself.
2. Think like the client – all of our clients have their own goals and agendas, and it’s imperative that you align your thinking to support their priorities. Without shared thinking, and therefore alignment on strategic objectives, your PR activities may not contribute to the overall program goals. Shared alignment; however, does not mean order taker. As professionals in a PR agency, our clients pay us to be advisers. We aren’t fulfilling that role, if we agree to activity without first thinking through things strategically. The trick is to know how to strike a balance between delivering what the client wants and ensuring that activity will lead to optimal result.

Consistently thinking strategically is important and beneficial for multiple reasons. It’s important for your own professional growth, as it pushes you to constantly strive to do better, and it proves your value to clients and supervisors. It’s beneficial as it helps to strengthen relationships with clients, sets an example for those around you and helps you to become a leader.

Seeing the bigger picture is a learned skill. Thinking like a client and being a sponge of ideas and information will help you to see that picture and enable you to grow into an effective PR strategist.

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CHICAGO (July 9, 2018) – KemperLesnik recently activated the partnership between PepsiCo and Marcus Theatres with an Uncle Drew Movie. The Premiere took place on Wednesday, June 27 at Country Club Hills Cinemas. Activities included a blue carpet, photo booth, basketball arcade games, DJ, throwback timeline through old Pepsi and basketball artifacts, and a post-movie press conference.

CHICAGO (June 29, 2018) – For the third consecutive year, KemperLesnik was chosen as a winner of the Chicago’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. This prestigious title is only given by the National Association of Business Resources to companies that “deliver exceptional human resource practices and an impressive commitment to their employees.”

The National Association of Business Resources assesses companies “based on categories such as communication, work-life balance, employee education, diversity, recognition, retention and more.” These values are held in high regards at KemperLesnik to ensure a strong work culture and environment to learn.

“The biggest point of differentiation at KemperLesnik is our people,” said Steve Skinner, CEO of KemperLesnik. “Our primary goal is to attract and retain the best talent in the industry, and it is gratifying to know that our people value the agency as much as we value them.”

KemperLesnik will be honored on July 27, 2018 at the Drury Lane Theatre and Conference Center along with the other award winners in the Chicago area. Upon winning this award, the National Association of Business Resources provides each company with “a complimentary assessment report and benefits throughout the year.” KemperLesnik will then analyze the report to determine how they continue to grow and support all of their employees to the best of their ability.

For a complete list of all of the 2018 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, visit: http://thebestandbrightest.com/events/chicagos-2018-best-brightest-companies-work/winners/

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Video games have always had a special place in my heart. From an early age, I immersed myself in single-player console games. I remember playing Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts with the feeling of total control over the development and destinies of the characters brought to life within each game. My passion for video games was fostered by these experiences which later expanded to include multiplayer games and console-internet playability as popularity grew. As a result, I could now share my love of video games with other people around me and online. It is hard to believe that this hobby that I have had since I was young, has now grown into a competitive, video game-centric industry that has increased from $130 million to about $1 billion in revenue in five years.

It became routine for my brothers and I to invite friends over almost every day of the week to hone our skills on our first “esport,” Halo 3. Unfortunately, big changes in future installments of the Halo series created a game that was no longer what we initially loved to play, and others within the community felt the same. Luckily, we found another game that gave us the same drive for improvement – League of Legends.

My younger brother and I were heavily inspired by the “professional” scene as we continued to play and learn about League of Legends. The celebrity status of the best players and high quality production created a global community which added to our appreciation of the game and validated our passion for esports. This global community created a necessity for a seasonal tournament on a large scale that culminated with the annual League of Legends World Championship. When I saw news that a university within a reasonable distance was the first school in the United States to offer scholarships for League of Legends, I knew I had an opportunity on my hands.

I was accepted into the Computer Networking program at Robert Morris University and qualified for a 70% tuition scholarship for being decently skilled at League of Legends, which felt unreal. I was able to pursue two interests at once, but ultimately knew that my passion was in esports and my sights were set on going pro in esports.

Throughout my time at RMU, I was a part of three different League of Legends teams. Through my tournament and event experiences on these teams, I came to appreciate the people involved in esports: the players, the game designers, the event coordinators and the fans. Because of this, I am happy that the esports scene continues to expand to create a need for companies like KemperLesnik to help stimulate the growth in esports.

I am extremely fortunate to have gone to Robert Morris University because it gave me the opportunity to develop my identity and values through the esports program while developing connections in the esports industry. Working as an intern with KemperLesnik has validated my interest to pursue a career to help esports prosper. I have not met a group so willing to actively question and learn things about esports, which gives me hope for its future. I am excited to continue to learn more about sports marketing, PR and event management throughout the remainder of my stay at KemperLesnik. Esports is destined to become a global phenomenon, and I want to be able to look back and say that I helped to build it.

CHICAGO (June 26, 2018) – KemperLesnik, an award-winning public relations, events, sports marketing and content marketing agency, was honored with five Golden Trumpet Awards for its outstanding client work at the 59^th annual Publicity Club of Chicago (PCC) Golden Trumpets Ceremony. This prestigious awards program “honors distinguished individual achievement of public relations and communications,” across the Midwest. Companies are evaluated “for excellence in planning, creativity and execution.”

KemperLesnik was recognized for campaigns in three different categories for five clients.

A Golden Trumpet was awarded to the Ritchie Bros. campaign, “Merging Brands & Transforming A Company” in the Integrated Marketing and Communications category.

Campaigns “Hurricane Harvey” for Aon and “The New Frontier for Travel in the Great American West” for Silvies Valley Ranch were also recognized in the Integrated Marketing and Communications category with Silver Trumpets.

KemperLesnik’s campaign, “Betting on Black: The Launch of Streamsong Black” for Streamsong Resort was awarded a Silver Trumpet in the Media Relations category.

In the Crisis/Issues Management category, KemperLesnik was awarded a Silver Trumpet for the “Creating a Savvier Traveler” campaign for Aon Affinity Travel Practice.

“I am so proud of the creativity and drive of this KemperLesnik team, and I am even more proud of the team’s focus on client service,” said Amy Littleton, executive vice president, managing director of KemperLesnik. “We shine only because our clients trust us to deliver breakthrough work for them.”

For more information on the Publicity Club of Chicago or the Golden Trumpet Awards, please visit https://www.publicity.org.

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CHICAGO (June 19, 2018) – KemperLesnik, the award-winning public relations, events, sports marketing and content marketing agency, has capitalized on its experience creating, operating, and promoting sporting events, activations, and brands by adding esports to its suite of business services.

“Intense competition in esports creates passionate fans, and passion for sports is in our DNA,” said Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president, co-managing director of KemperLesnik. “We look forward to harnessing the power of esports to connect brands with fans, shift perceptions and make emotional connections via content marketing.”

KemperLesnik’s esports division will produce esports events, connect would-be sponsors with esports assets, consult with esports game developers and lead brand activation for esports sponsors. The agency will also lead messaging and positioning strategy, drive mainstream media coverage, execute social media campaigns, lead media event operations, media train players and casters and produce integrated content marketing programs in esports.

“We have built our agency over 40 years utilizing sports to build brands and engage with audiences,” said Amy Littleton, executive vice president, co-managing director of KemperLesnik. “Esports is the next frontier of competition and fandom in sports, and we are using our talent and expertise to help esports continue its emergence into mainstream sporting culture.”

Esports encompasses video game competition at the amateur, collegiate and professional levels. Popular genres vary significantly from multiplayer online battle arenas, real-time strategy, and first-person shooters, to traditional sports games, fighting games, and even card games. Several mainstream esports titles include League of Legends®, Starcraft®, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive®, Overwatch®, NBA2K®, FIFA19®, Street Fighter®, Hearthstone® and many more.

In addition to leading the public relations and content marketing divisions of the agency, Amy Littleton has been named executive vice president, co-managing director. She will manage the agency in partnership with Executive Vice President, Co-Managing Director Tom Valdiserri.

Prior to joining KemperLesnik, Littleton spent close to a decade working in her own PR agency business, as well as in the Business Marketing and Technology Practice at Edelman, at Slack and Company, and at General Mills, Inc., where she supported a nationwide media tour with the gold medal winning U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team.

“Amy has a proven ability to lead teams, grow agency business and make KemperLesnik one of the best places to work,” said Steve Skinner, CEO of KemperLesnik. “Her dedication to the communications industry and commitment to results have secured her recognition as a leader among agency executives in Chicago.”

“Amy is the consummate professional, and I look forward to continuing our partnership as leaders of KemperLesnik,” said Valdiserri. “Our goals for the company are the same – do great work, grow the business, have fun and give back.”

Littleton specializes in strategic communications, reputation management, brand activation and event communications. She is adept at leading global communications programs, managing large teams, leading multiple client relationships and managing financials.

Amy is past president of the Public Relations Society of America Chicago. She sits on the board of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Midwest Division, is co-chair of the Executive’s Club of Chicago, Sports and Entertainment Forum and is a member of GOLF 20/20. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing from Florida State University and a Master of Business Administration from the Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University Chicago. She is a co-author of The Handbook of Strategic Public Relations and Integrated Marketing Communications.

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