Our advertising portfolio speaks volumes

McKay Advertising and Activation has been privileged to work with a wide variety of clients in a diverse range of industries. Here’s a snapshot of some of our best work.

Beef O Brady's
This is a perfect example of McKay’s Strategy First philosophy paying off big. Our initial fact finding revealed that Beef's core competition was using the same basic ad portfolio as Beef—radio, broadcast and cable, and some web. Leveraging our mobile marketing capabilities, Beef was able to connect with potential consums. This was accomplished by including a giveaway message in their traditional campaign creative. The offer was for them to win a free cheeseburger if they texted in. We put measures in place to ensure a person could only use the message to win one time. The campaign was a huge success with nearly 1,000 people iners on a more personal level through their phone or PDA. It was important that the mobile component integrated seamlessly with their traditional media campaign our PDA data base in a six-month period. Consistent with the personal nature of the PDA, message content was informational, such as special sporting events and Kid's Eat Free on Tuesdays. No prices or specials other than Kid's Eat Free were ever sent. Consumer feedback was excellent, including many emails saying thank you for the game times. Oddly enough, when we sent a Daytona 500 Tomorrow text we had a high dropout rate. NASCAR was never remarketed again. This demonstrates why testing is so critical. What works in one scenario might not work in another.


Medi-Weightloss Clinics
Medi-Weightloss Clinics was a huge success story. While several of their franchise markets had multiple clinics, they were missing the boat by not leveraging their economies of scale through a cooperative (co-op) ad portfolio. It was no small feat to bring more than 80 clinics together in several different markets and get them to all agree on a single plan. Not only did we have to contact 80 different franchisees and make sure their vision for their ad portfolio was fulfilled, many of these clinics were owned by doctors who tend to have very strong opinions. McKay got the buy-in from these individual franchisees to work in regional co-ops, allowing them to achieve far more impactful media spends than they could do on their own. In Birmingham alone, we increased their year-over-year number from January/February 2009 to the same timeframe in 2010 by 275 percent. Co-op teams are now working together, maximizing their marketing dollars, instead of viewing the other clinics in their market as competitors. It’s a beautiful thing!

Comcast Cable
We’ve managed ad portfolios for Comcast Cable that include everything from TV, radio and print production, and direct mail to mobile/PDA marketing and overall local brand development. One of our most successful Comcast campaigns was "Staycation" which ran the summer of 2008. The Ft. Myers market, like many others, was being hit very hard by the recession. After conducting in-depth consumer trend analysis, our expert team came to the conclusion that people were going to cancel their summer vacation plans and stay home. We connected the dots and came up with the concept that home can be a vacation with Comcast services. Can't travel to see mom? Use Comcast Home Phone service and talk to her as much as you want, all summer long. Can't got to the Grand Canyon? Take a Grand Canyon virtual tour using Comcast High-Speed Internet. No vacation? No family time? Get Comcast Premium Movie Channel and make every night movie night.

In the Ft. Myers market alone they had their best June ever, second best July, and best August ever. Startling statistics—especially in the midst of the second worst recession in America's history. For obvious reasons, Comcast Corporate used this campaign in several other markets.

Comcast Divisional Direct Mail
Comcast Atlanta was looking for a printing company that could deliver pieces for all southeast markets including Miami, Atlanta and Houston. In addition, they needed 24-hour turnaround, variable printing service, and a completely in line operation. We came through with flying colors, plus added two regional printing distribution points that allow us to service Atlanta as quickly as Miami.

McKay Advertising and Activation designs and produces every imaginable size and shape letter, postcard, flyer, self-mailer and specialty mailer for Comcast. We combine a wide variety of papers and envelopes with full color offset and digital printing to create mailers that can’t help but get opened. It’s no wonder we’re Comcast’s leading source for direct mail.

Arnold Palmer Invitational
In 2005, the Bay Hill Invitational was in need of a makeover. At that time there was only one other tournament named after a golf legend—the Byron Nelson in Dallas. The Palmer family wanted to name the Invitational after Mr. Palmer. This meant a complete rebranding of the way the tournament had previously been marketed. McKay Advertising and Activation totally redesigned every communication element including brochures, radio, print, and TV. Thanks to our media negotiation expertise, we delivered a campaign with 30 percent more reach and 15 percent more frequency for the exact same budget as the prior year. Despite a postponement due to rain, the first annual Arnold Palmer Invitational opened on March 6, 2006, to a 17 percent boost in sales. That beats a hole-in-one any day.

Bonati Laser Spine Institute
Bonati Laser Spine Institute is a laser surgery group that specializes in back and neck injuries such as bone spurs, bulging discs, spinal stenosis, and pinched nerves. They had been using print to promote seminars across the country, and broadcast TV in larger markets where no seminars were scheduled. Our research uncovered a lack of credibility in their creative. Our solution—a new commercial that featured Cliff Stoudt, 13-year NFL veteran, sharing his successful experience with Bonati that relieved him of serious back pain. We fine-tuned the key markets and negotiated winning media deals. The campaign began in January and, at the time, Bonati was performing 60 surgeries a month. By March they were at capacity, performing 126 surgeries, and have maintained that level ever since.

Lifelink Healthcare
Lifelink Healthcare enlisted our services regarding visual production. They needed a fundraising video to help generate donations for people unable to afford heart or kidney transplants. We leveraged the power of stories, featuring several organ donors and recipients sharing the dramatic impact that Lifelink Healthcare has had on the lives of their entire families.

Roadmaster Truck Driving Schools
Roadmaster Truck Driving Schools was on the brink of shutting down the schools in San Antonio and Salt Lake City. Our research uncovered a major disconnect in their current media spend. For starters, their current target of ages 18-49 was a mismatch for these markets. Several news periodicals had just written stories about how low-income baby boomers with no children were taking to a truck driving lifestyle as a way to see the country with their spouse. In addition, the 18-to-28-year olds were having a tough time qualifying based on poor drug testing and driving records. By aiming at a more mature demographic, changing the media mix to include radio endorsements from top talent, and appealing to the ethnic composition in each market, leads doubled in the second week for each market. Student enrollments began to increase, and we’re thrilled to report that both schools are open today.

Trautwein's ATA Martial Arts


UFC 94