The Blog and Pony Show

Author Archive

Amanda Koenn - 5:31 pm April 19, 2012

Schifino Lee to present branding tips, best practices and case studies at April 30th Chamber event.

The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce brings together the leaders of our area’s most powerful businesses to learn from each other, share ideas and promote best practices.

As part of its monthly Competitive Edge Series, the Chamber is hosting a special program on Monday, April 30, 2012 called “Intersection: How Madison Avenue Creates Value for Main Street and Wall Street.” This is an excellent opportunity for businesses to learn about enhancing their brand from one of Tampa’s leading branding, interactive, advertising and marketing communications firms, Schifino Lee Advertising + Branding.

Ben Lee, Principal and Co-Founder of Schifino Lee and Evan Brownstein, Chief Creative Officer will be covering a variety of topics including how to increase a company’s value to customers, a proven step-by-step branding process, several successful case studies showing the impact of branding a company and steps that can be taken right now to grow and enhance a company’s brand.

The Competitive Edge Series program featuring Schifino Lee will be held at the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, 201 North Franklin Street, Suite 201 on Monday, April 30th from 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm. Registration begins at 11:45 a.m. and lunch will be provided by Wright’s Gourmet House. Click here to RSVP for the event or call 813-276-9440.

Amanda Koenn - 3:37 pm April 5, 2012

Quaker Oats prepares Larry for bikini season

When a long-established brand like Quaker Oats decides to refresh their logo the advertising world pays attentions. Schifino Lee wanted to know the details behind the new Larry and the new look, so we investigated.

The makeover was moderate but very effective to convey the message Quaker Oats is selling its consumers, “energy and healthy choices.” Larry is still sporting his classic Quaker hat but has lost his double chin. “We took about five pounds off him,” said Michael Connors, Vice President of Design at Hornall Anderson. The overall makeover included a hair cut, a pricey facelift, and a trip to the gym. Connors and his team shortened Larry’s hair to keep him looking thin. They also removed the double chin and brought in the sides of his face to introduce a more youthful slimmer look. And the final touches included broadening Larry’s shoulders to finalize his healthy energetic appearance.

Overall, Larry is looking pretty good. Time and tweets will tell how effective Larry’s new look will work for Quaker Oats and PepsiCo Inc.

Amanda Koenn - 2:53 pm December 22, 2011

Schifino Lee brings clients together to donate bicycles and helmets to children in need this holiday

Schifino Lee brought together Clark & Martino, P.A. and ToyMakers of East Lake to join forces and provide bicycles and safety helmets to local children in need this holiday season. An initial delivery of 12 helmets and bicycles was delivered on Saturday, December 17th at the Union Street United Methodist Church in Clearwater, FL.

ToyMakers of East Lake is a non-profit organization that restores used bicycles to top condition and donates them to underprivileged children throughout the Tampa Bay area. When Schifino Lee made Clark & Martino aware of this initiative, they thought it would be a great opportunity to promote and encourage head-injury safety by donating new helmets with the bikes.

“We are very excited to partner with the ToyMakers of East Lake on this initiative,” said Dan Clark, Partner at Clark & Martino. “We truly believe in promoting safety through proper precautions, and we are grateful to help these children enjoy a happier and safer holiday season.”

ToyMakers of East Lake was just as enthusiastic about the new partnership. “Under the able leadership of Trevor Charlton, who founded the ToyMaker’s bicycle initiative, we’ve been delivering restored bikes to Tampa Bay children for several years now; including safety helmets is a natural fit and we sincerely appreciate the partnership with Clark & Martino in this effort,” said Bob Helms, President ToyMakers of East Lake.

If you’d like to make a monetary donation to support the initiatives of the ToyMakers of East Lake, please visit www.toymakersofeastlake.org.

Amanda Koenn - 4:13 pm December 19, 2011

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo selects Schifino Lee as agency of record

On the heels of the New Horizon’s branding work, Schifino Lee has also been retained by Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo as its agency of record for creative and media services over the next 2 years to help promote zoo ticket sales, events and fundraisers.

“Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is a pillar to the identity of the Tampa Bay community, and many don’t know about their very important work to preserve our nature and wildlife,” said Paola Schifino, Principal of Schifino Lee. “Schifino Lee is thrilled to be able to contribute to this effort.”

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is a 501(C)(3) not for profit organization and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The AZA is America’s leading accrediting organization for zoos and aquariums and accredits only those institutions that have achieved the highest standards for animal care, education, wildlife conservation and science.

Read the full artical on the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Amanda Koenn - 2:58 pm December 16, 2011

Happy Holidays from Schifino Lee

Wishing you and your loved ones peace, heath, happiness and prosperity in the coming new year.Watch our Schifino Lee Holiday Video.

Amanda Koenn - 7:00 pm November 14, 2011

Schifino Lee Launches Mobile Website for Law Firm

 

When Tampa Bay law firm Clark & Martino, P.A. wanted to make a bold and innovative communications move, they connected with their brand marketing partner, Schifino Lee, to develop and launch a mobile version of the law firm’s website designed for smart phones.

“We wanted to go the extra mile in making sure our information is readily available in the most convenient way possible,” said Dan Clark, partner at Clark & Martino. “Creating a mobile website was a natural way to make ourselves more available to the public and legal community.”

While creating a mobile website is fairly uncommon for law firms, Clark & Martino realized the benefits of maximizing accessibility for a highly mobile audience. Having a mobile website results in exponential customer satisfaction gains as more people than ever use their mobile phones to access the web.

“A mobile site can either complement a consumer’s overall brand experience or undermine it. The good news is that companies are really starting to take this seriously as they understand the critical role that customer satisfaction plays in the mobile experience,” said Eric Feinberg, Director of Mobile Strategy at ForeSee, a company that analyzes people’s experiences with mobile sites.

Clark & Martino’s mobile site takes key features from the firm’s traditional website and puts them on a mobile friendly platform that optimizes functionality and usability on the smaller screens. The Clark & Martino mobile website makes it easier for people on-the-go to access the law firm, get directions, interact with staff and learn more about Clark & Martino and its services.

“With people wanting immediate information wherever they are, it makes sense for service providers to consider creating a mobile website,” said Ben Lee, Principal of Schifino Lee. “Making your website more accessible can increase customer satisfaction, greatly enhance the brand experience, set yourself apart from competitors, and grow business in very tangible ways.”

Amanda Koenn - 5:58 pm September 1, 2011

Schifino Lee develops peer-to-peer campaign for Cody Fowler Davis Trial Attorneys

 

Cody Fowler Davis Trial Attorneys is a Tampa-based law firm that litigates complex and protracted personal injury cases involving wrongful death and serious physical and/or emotional injuries stemming from vehicular accidents, premise liability situations, and product liability claims which may entail aspects of insurance bad faith.

The Firm knows the defense approach insurance companies will take because for years the insurance companies retained the firm’s lawyers to represent their insureds. Now they use their unique skills and perspective to help plaintiffs.

In its communications, Cody Fowler Davis Trial Attorneys sought to inform peers that the firm now focuses on personal injury cases and that it puts referring attorney’s reputations as its top priority by providing their clients with exemplary representation. The firm also wanted to differentiate themselves from all other Personal Injury attorneys by focusing on their unique background experience.

Schifino Lee developed a peer-to-peer outreach campaign based on the firm’s values and unique differences that inspires confidence of fellow bar members to refer their Personal Injury cases to Cody Fowler Davis Trial Attorneys.  The campaign consisted of custom photography, print advertisements, direct mail, e-mail and a unique campaign microsite; www.cfdreferral.com.

All of the outreach focused on the following core promise to peers: “You can trust that you are making the best decision for your client by referring them to Cody Fowler Davis Trial Attorneys, P.A. because they have extensive trial experience in Personal Injury cases on both plaintiff and defense sides and possess an impressive combination of credentials that only a few Florida attorneys have.”

 

Amanda Koenn - 3:15 pm August 10, 2011

The Johns Hopkins Hospitals’ Wilmer Eye Institute selects Schifino Lee for brand vision project

August 10, 2011 – (TAMPA, Fla.) – The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins has long been recognized for bringing together ophthalmologists consistently ranked by their peers as among the finest internationally. These doctors are joined by a specially trained and highly experienced team of nurses, technicians and staff cited by patients for their knowledge, responsiveness, and sensitivity. Working together, they have established and refined a flexible approach for delivering state-of-the-art ophthalmic care at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

The ability to change the way the world sees.
Wilmer graduates have had a wide influence on ophthalmology. More than 100 alumni have become department chairs at academic centers around the world. They have brought with them more than eight decades of remarkable achievements that have literally saved the sight (and lives) of millions of people, a legacy of excellence that continues to this very day.

The ability to change the way the world perceives.
Tampa Bay-based Schifino Lee Advertising + Branding, Inc. has created fresh ideas in all forms of digital and traditional media for businesses such as AT&T, Gerdau, USAmeriBank, Lifestyle Family Fitness, Tampa Museum of Art, Vology, Stellar Partners and PlasmaTherm. The Schifino Lee team also has extensive experience developing innovative marketing for healthcare companies such as Atlantic Imaging, Wellcare Health Plans, Pfizer, Novartis and Reproductive Medicine Group.

Communicating the Wilmer vision.
When the Wilmer Eye Institute decided to communicate their unique brand story to audiences in new ways, it selected Schifino Lee and its creative team led by Evan Brownstein, Chief Creative Officer. The assignment: Take the extraordinary vision and accomplishments of Wilmer and design a brand narrative that resonates with donors, potential donors, patients, potential patients, doctors, medical professionals, the media and all audiences.

“We are honored that The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins chose Schifino Lee for this project,” said Mr. Brownstein. “So many lives have been touched and transformed by Wilmer. By designing a brand narrative that is as innovative as the Wilmer experience, we hope to help Wilmer reach and serve an even bigger audience.”
Ben Lee, Principal and co-founder of Schifino Lee, noted, “More and more healthcare institutions and organizations are realizing that building a brand can be one of the most effective things they do to accomplish their missions.”
Recent examples of this right here in Tampa Bay include:

Moffitt Cancer Center bringing in Joe Hice, the former Chief Marketing Officer of Segway and Director of Corporate Communications for Harley-Davidson Motor Company as Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing;
BayCare Health System naming Stewart Schaffer, former Chief Marketing Officer of Lazydays, as its Chief Marketing Officer;
Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute engaging Schifino Lee to design and create their brand story.
“Hospitals recognize that they are in the customer service business and are adopting best practices of consumer brands. This is a trend we see growing and strengthening,” Mr. Lee concluded.

About Schifino Lee
Schifino Lee is a full service advertising and branding firm based in Tampa, Florida. The firm’s team has come together from a variety of careers and life experiences to strategize, craft and disseminate fresh ideas and messages in digital and traditional media for regional, national and global companies. These clients include AT&T, Vertical IT, Sims Recycling Solutions, Gerdau, and Wyndham Hotels. The Schifino Lee team also has extensive experience developing innovative marketing for healthcare companies such as WellCare Health Plans, Novartis, Schering Plough and Pfizer. As a full-service marketing and communications provider, Schifino Lee offers a wide range of services including advertising, public relations, interactive and marketing communications consulting. The company was founded in 1993 and currently employs a team of approximately 20 professionals.

About The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins
The Wilmer Eye Institute has long been recognized for bringing together ophthalmologists consistently ranked by their peers as among the finest internationally, with a specially trained and highly experienced team of nurses, technicians and staff cited by patients for their knowledge, responsiveness, and sensitivity. Working together, they have established and refined a flexible approach for delivering state-of-the-art ophthalmic care at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and in seven locations around the state. Toward that end, The Wilmer Eye Institute constructed and opened The Robert H. and Clarice Smith Building and Maurice Bendann Surgical Pavilion in June 2009, creating the most modern ophthalmic surgical facility and vision research center in the world.

Amanda Koenn - 3:11 pm April 12, 2011

Spin For Kids

The 2011 Spin For Kids Celebrity Bike Spin took place this past weekend at the Glazer Children’s Museum. The host of this years event was Buccaneer great, #51 Barrett Rudd.

The funds raised will benefit Academy Prep, a Tampa middle school which prepares economically disadvantaged students to achieve acadmic success, and PlaySmart, a national non-profit organization that helps kids reach their full potential through sports.

The event was a great success and included 5 hours of spinning on the lawn of Curtis Hixon park with motivational instructors pushing everyone to their limits. After the intense spin a party was held at the Glazer Children’s Museum with a live band, food, drinks and dancing.

Glazer Childrens Museum on Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa, site of Celebrity Spin for Kids.

SchifinoLee provided all of the marking support for this super event including the logo, flyers and ads.

Amanda Koenn - 12:33 pm December 20, 2010

Season of Giving

For the past 3 years, Schifino Lee has celebrated the “season of giving” with donations to select charities on behalf of our clients and friends. We feel that passing along our success is the best way to honor the people who make it possible. They’ve told us that they really appreciate the gesture, so we are continuing the tradition.
(more…)

Amanda Koenn - 12:43 pm April 14, 2010

Schifino Lee Develops Successful Event With Real Results

In a period of only two weeks Schifino Lee developed a successful event for an investors presentation by ActivoFirst, a Texas-based Wholesale Savings Association whose mission is to acquire distressed assets from the FDIC and troubled banking institutions.

Schifino Lee’s event preparation included creating customized invitations, utilizing database information, handling all RSVPs, producing the PowerPoint presentation, creating an interactive website, obtaining publicity in several Business Journals and planning event logistics such as valet parking and catering.

On Thursday, April 29, Schifino Lee will co-host the event with ActivoFirst’s Anthony Everett.  To learn more about ActivoFirst and the event, please visit www.ActivoFirstInvest.com; and read the recently-published news article from Tampa Bay Business Journal: “ActivoFirst Savings Association to snap up low performing debt.”

Amanda Koenn - 4:58 pm April 9, 2010

I Followed My Dream

I’m proud to be the newest addition to the account service team at Schifino Lee.

I was born and raised in Ft. Myers, and I moved to Tampa to pursue a degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida. I’ve always been intrigued by advertising, I think it’s remarkable how a well-crafted message can influence a person’s feelings and decision making, and do it millions of times.

After obtaining my degree, I began working for Fort Myers-based Moore & Scarry Advertising where I was in Account Service for more than a year.

I was only with Moore & Scarry for 3 months when my fiancé, Tom, got an offer he couldn’t refuse. He took a position in Tampa and we became a commuter couple saying goodbye on Monday mornings and re-introducing ourselves to each other every Friday night.

The situation had to change, but I didn’t want to take just any job in or near Tampa Bay. I wanted a spot in a strategy-based agency that prizes creative thinking. When I found out that Schifino Lee was looking for a new Account Executive, I pounced. This was the job I was waiting for.

After some tough interviews I got past a number of well-qualified candidates and here I am. I’m thrilled to be working with a great team of individuals who do such smart and insightful work. Living in the same town as Tom is pretty good too!