LIBERTY TOWNSHIP – Marquee Creatives, a boutique consulting firm that specializes in strategic marketing and corporate events, found unique ways to promote their clients’ messages when COVID-19 changed the basics of how their business is done, says Aundrea Cika Heschmeyer, president.
“We have served everyone from small business owners looking for guidance on launching their dream project to million-dollar national companies trying to break into a new arena. What ties them all together is their deep desire to do something memorable,” she says.
One of the firm’s initiatives was Reuben Rescue, a campaign for Kravitz Deli that prepared to salvage its St. Patrick’s Day tradition in a new way. The campaign was nominated for a Resilience Award presented by Digiday Media and set the company’s marketing standard during the COVID-19 era.
Marquee also shifted its approach to assisting its nonprofit clients with development and fundraising services. Staff created a comprehensive development plan for Warren’s Brite Energy Innovators, as well as a corporate sponsorship program and the incubator’s first-ever annual appeal.
When gathering restrictions prohibited planned fundraisers for Inspiring Minds-Youngstown, Marquee created direct mail, digital and social media campaigns to reach donors. The organization raised more than $25,000 to fund its expanded summer program and an on-site school program in the fall, and was featured on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.
The firm collaborated with Liberty Township trustees, who sought to support their retail corridor during the lockdown on Liberty for All, a campaign that showcased local merchants.
Other nonprofits Marquee assisted included the Autism Society of the Mahoning Valley, which executed a virtual version of its integrated summer day camp, and the Simply Slavic festival, which was broadcast virtually to viewing parties on YouTube and Facebook Live.
Marquee upgraded its in-house technology to grow efficiently and facilitate team collaboration and offered varied professional development training to members that allow the work of the entire team and all clients shared visibility with the click of a button from their own office’s comfort and safety.