Judging the South Dakota ADDYs

Design Director Shannon Phillips served double-duties in South Dakota, serving as one of two judges of the American Advertising Awards while also being the featured presenter at the AAAF Black Hill’s January Luncheon. The AAF Black Hill’s local competition includes agencies from the Rapid Cities area, and is part of AAF District 8 encompassing Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The AAF Show is February 22.

Named to Ad Age’s “Best Places to Work” for 2nd Year

Johnson & Sekin has been named to Advertising Age’s illustrious “Best Places to Work” for the second year in a row. Ad Age’s Best Places to Work is comprised of just 50 companies nationally, with Johnson & Sekin claiming the #21 spot for agencies with fewer than 200 employees, up from its #30 spot on last year’s list. J&S is also thrilled to be recognized for having an employee pool that’s at least 50% female. This year’s list consisted of just three Texas-based agencies, with J&S being the only headquartered in Dallas. The overall scoring system factored in six key satisfaction areas: employee benefits, company culture, employee development, company environment and employee perks.

The full release can be found here:
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dallas-johnson–sekin-named-to-ad-ages-best-places-to-work-for-second-straight-year-300774424.html?tc=eml_cleartime

Rolling On with Santa’s Helpers

Holiday Santa's

We love our clients for so many reasons, and one is their support of our annual holiday donation initiative. Instead of another Christmas tchotchke, they happily accept a bike donation in the their name to WFAA’s 49th Annual Santa’s Helpers.

Bikes are generally the most requested Christmas gift, but those wishes oftentimes go unfulfilled; that’s why this is the 7th year we’ve donated on behalf of our clients, vendor partner and agency friends.

 

Taking a Shot at J.R. Ewing Bourbon

Southfork Distillery has selected Johnson & Sekin as agency of record for their legendary J.R. Ewing Bourbon. The Dallas-distilled bourbon is inspired by the most notorious bourbon drinker in history: J.R. Ewing from the TV show “Dallas.” The international hit aired 357 episodes over four decades. After the initial run from 1978 to 1991, the show was revived in 2012, with J.R. Ewing Bourbon becoming a staple of the show’s three-year run. Fun fact: the J&S building appears in the opening credits of the show. The agency will produce various advertising and promotional campaigns for the brand.

Creating Greener Pastures with Teys USA

Teys is the second largest meat processor and exporter in Australia. The company – family owned since 1946 – is now in partnership with Cargill and exporting to 40 countries around the world.

J&S has been selected as agency of record for Chicago-based Teys USA, and will begin branding a variety of fresh beef, lamb and pork products available at retailers and foodservice around the country.

Packaging, websites, social media and advertising will launch in early 2019.

Humbled to be Named “Hunger All Star” by No Kid Hungry

The new “Fuzzy’s Chips In” charitable initiative for Fuzzy’s Taco Shop raised  $140,00 for No Kid Hungry this past September (a +56% lift over last year’s campaign). We’re grateful to report that the Washington DC-based organization helping to end childhood hunger named our work for Fuzzy’s a “Hunger All Star,” which is a designation earned by the top six #HungerCantWait campaigns of 2018. The recognition was announced by Nation’s Restaurant News, and featured a video starring some of amazing Fuzzy’s clients. See it here:

https://www.nrn.com/workforce/restaurant-employees-engage-no-kid-hungry

Raising a Record $225,000 for Meat Fight

For the 5th year, J&S provided advertising, PR and social media for the Texas BBQ competition known as Meat Fight. D Magazine columnist and food writer Alice Laussade created the event in 2010 to raise money for the fight against Multiple Sclerosis after her brother was diagnosed. This year’s Meat Fight campaign, based on the video game Street Fighter, featured the likenesses of the 12 celebrity chefs who battled Texas Monthly BBQ Editor Daniel Vaughn. The $225,000 raised in one day, and $276,372 raised in 2018, are both new Meat Fight records. The event even gained coverage in Texas Monthly, Dallas Morning News, Food Bitch, D Magazine and Culturemap. In five years working for Meat Fight, J&S has proudly helped raise $962,372 for the cause.

Scooping Up $140,000 for No Kid Hungry

One in six children in the U.S. faces food instability, meaning more than 16 million children go hungry every day. That’s why September’s “Dine Out for No Kid Hungry,” when restaurants across the country raise money to help end childhood hunger, is so important.

For our first project for Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, J&S introduced a new cause marketing initiative called Fuzzy’s Chips In™. A donation of $2 scored Fuzzy’s Fans a free chips and queso on their next visit. It’s “Queso for a Cause,” if you will. The program resulted in a record $140,000 in donations, a +56% lift over last year’s efforts.

Raising $23K on North Texas Giving Day

The 10th Annual North Texas Giving Day had a record 2,690 non-profits participate in the one day event where donations are bonused by the Communities Foundation of Texas. J&S helped raise nearly $23,000 for our non-profit partners at Meat Fight and the Adaptive Training Foundation. ATF’S donations totaled $16,000 and will help fund one amputee veteran in their rehabilitative program. Meat Fight donations totaled $6,372 and will help purchase 6 therapeutic bikes for those living with Multiple Sclerosis.

Blake’s Named 2018 Best of Denton County

Blake

Blake Pyron is the first business owner in the State of Texas with Down Syndrome, and now he’s a top business in Denton County. Blake’s Snow Shack was recently voted to the prestigious 2018 “Best of Denton County” list. A record 16 million votes were cast, and Blake’s world famous snow cones came out on top for the county’s “Best Frozen Dessert” in the Restaurant/Food category. Blake Nation came through in a big way, helping him top the previous two-time winner and a regional brand with 124 locations in 7 states. Rumor has it that Hawkeye from KSCS, Bill Bowen from 99.5 The Wolf and country musicians Josh Abbot, Pat Green and the entire Eli Young Band cast their support for the Sanger native. Sweet, sweet victory.

Taco Time with Fuzzy’s Taco Shop

After a formal review, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop has named Johnson & Sekin agency of record. The Baja-style taco joint celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, having grown to 146 units in 19 states. In fact, the brand ranked #7 on the recent Nation’s Restaurant News “2018 Fastest Growing Chains.” Initial work for the brand will begin this Fall, including positioning, branding, promotions, social media, cause marketing and even culinary ideation.

Named Pizza Inn “Supplier of the Year”

Pizza Inn continued celebrating their 60th Anniversary at their Annual Convention, this year at Walt Disney World. Various franchisee and employee awards were distributed, and Johnson & Sekin was honored to be named  “Supplier of the Year.” The distinction comes as J&S celebrates its 2-year anniversary with the brand, and enters seven straight quarters of positive same-store sales for the once-struggling brand.
“We consider Johnson & Sekin a part of the Pizza Inn family,” said Denise Pedini, EVP of Marketing. “They go above and beyond to create unique and creative advertising ideas for the brand and have taken the lead on all of our creative including branding for our website, social media, print marketing, and in-store marketing.”