Agency News

CONNECTICUT Cronin & Co., Glastonbury, has been tapped by MassMutual, Springfield, to relaunch the insurance company's Blue Chip Enterprises Initiative. The program, sponsored by MassMutual in conjunction with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, honors small businesses that have overcome challenges and achieved inspirational success. Cronin will craft a national print direct response campaign, collateral materials and direct mail executions to support the effort and help promote the winners next year. Ad Pros in Danbury has celebrated its first birthday by launching Renoir Communications, a public relations unit. Agency clients include the Housatonic Valley Tourism District, Eaton Corp. and HealthCapital Financial Group. MASSACHUSETTS NetMarquee has developed and launched a consumer information Web site for Lexmark International, a Lexington, Ky., printer manufacturer. Visitors are directed to the "Home Printing Center" from Lexmark's corporate site. The center contains information about buying and owning computer printers. Needham, Mass.-based NetMarquee will update the site regularly and send out e-mail newsletters to registered users about the new content. Lexmark is a six-figure account. The BSH unit of Bronnercom in Boston has launched a national trade campaign for Aquent Partners, the Boston-based employment service that works for clients worldwide. Black-and-white spreads target advertising and communications firms using headlines such as "No one is perfect. Except on their resume." Spending may top $10 million. Ads direct readers to Aquent's Web site and a toll-free information number. Carat Freeman in Newton has been selected to handle media strategy and planning for Akamai Technologies of Cambridge. Media spending is in the mid-seven figures and includes both print and online efforts. Creative chores are handled by TFA/Leo Burnett Technology Group, Boston. Akamai is a global provider of Internet delivery systems designed to improve the performance of corporate Web sites and protect sites from crashes due to overloads. Benes Communications in Lexington has been selected to design the 1999 annual report as well as a logo and collateral materials for PerkinElmer, a provider of pharmaceutical, chemical and medical products in Wellesley. Benes has also been tapped to create the 1999 annual report for Oak Industries, a Waltham-based manufacturer of engineering components. Lowe Grob Health & Science in Cambridge has been retained by Avitar in Canton for integrated services including advertising, market research and public relations. The shop's first assignments include media and investor relations, ads and collateral for the client's OralScreen and HairScreen tests for drug abuse. Harpell/Martins & Co. in Maynard recently crafted a pro bono print effort for the UNICEF Charity Auction held at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston. A print ad that ran in The Boston Globe and the Improper Bostonian began: "Our first item up for bid is Food, Water, Medicine, Shelter, Protection and Hope for millions of children. Do I hear $50?" The piece was designed to illustrate that a $50 ticket donation can make an enormous impact in needy people's lives. Miller/Shandwick Technologies in Boston has added SkillsPoint.com, Morrisville, N.C., a Web site that allows users to buy instructor-led training. Barrett Communications in Cambridge has completed projects for Softrax Corp. of Canton, a maker of business management software. Items include trade show materials, product databases and direct mailers. Samuel Cabot in Newburyport has launched a revamped Web site (www.cabotstain.com) that allows consumers to "dream in color" as they search for Cabot siding, trim accent and deck colors. The site lets users search for nearby Cabot dealers, e-mail questions to home-care experts, view technical data and "paint" homes online. Allen & Gerritsen in Watertown has broken a national trade campaign for Engage Technologies, a unit of CMGI. The colorful spread ads use images of battery-powered toys to tout Engage AudienceNet, the client's online advertising and marketing network. Carat Freeman, Newton, is handling media chores. Smith & Jones Advertising + Marketing in Worcester has completed a logo design project for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette's new Web site, eWorcester.com. The site features news, entertainment, sports and interactive discussions, mainly based on material appearing in the daily newspaper, which recently signed an agreement to be purchased by the New York Times Co. for $295 million. EPS Communications, Boston, has created a pair of business-to-business catalogs for Osram Sylvania in Danvers. EPS has also developed a fall apparel brochure for Susan Bristol of Boston. Beyond Design has opened at 623 Main St. in Woburn. The advertising and graphics firm will provide creative design, copy and production. The agency is led by Debbie Campbell, who for 14 years was a co-owner and manager of Graphic Trends. Cone in Boston has developed a cause-marketing program for ConAgra in Omaha, Neb. Dubbed "Feeding Children Better," the corporate initiative is designed to raise awareness of, and help eradicate, hunger among the nation's kids. Red Brick Design in North Chelmsford has been selected by the Massachusetts Natural Gas Collaborative to create an identity program. The consortium includes: Bay State Gas, Berkshire Gas, Boston Gas, Colonial Gas, Commonwealth Gas, Essex Gas and Fall River Gas. The activities of the collaborative include working with manufacturers on rebate programs, contractor training and consumer awareness. The Weber Group, a Cambridge-based unit of the Interpublic Group of Cos., has launched a national Hispanic unit. GrupoLink, Miami, will focus on creating communications programs for clients looking to tap into the Hispanic market. Separately, Weber has added four clients in its emerging business practice: BuyWiz, New York, an online shopping concern; Intranets.com, Woburn, which develops intranets for small businesses and organizations; PurchasingCenter.com, Burlington, a business-to-business e-commerce service; and Vigil Technologies, Waltham, a maker of business software. Kinder & Associates in Centerville has been engaged by Cape Cod Cooperative Bank for market research. The shop has also been tapped by the Community Foundation of Cape Cod, the Business Information Center of Cape Cod and the Southeastern Massachusetts Manufacturing Partnership for marketing workshops and seminars. Public Image Corp. in Newburyport has added several public relations clients. They are: WaterSide Inn LLC, Newburyport, for community and media relations supporting the development of a 67-room waterfront inn; Beauty Therapies, Brookline, for media relations for skin-care products; GPU Energy, Reading, Pa., for crisis-management planning addressing Y2K scenarios; SNR, Chicago, to promote its Paradigm software program; and Mark's Moving & Storage, Framingham, for newsletter development. Accent Communications in Beverly has been awarded Web site development projects by Press Accent and Marriott Northeast. NEW HAMPSHIRE Staking its claim as a player in the local financial services marketplace, Tracey/Edwards of Manchester has been named agency of record for Provident Bank, Amesbury, Mass., United Kingfield Bank, Bangor, Maine, and Watertown Savings Bank, Watertown, Mass. "Several factors, including the emergence of mainstream e-commerce, have made this a very exciting time for financial institutions," said agency president Kevin Tracey. The shop will craft a combination of product and branding ads for the banks.

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