As more companies look to capitalize on the popularity of podcasting, blogs and social networking websites, traditional advertising and public relations agencies are scrambling to keep up with the quickly changing communications marketplace.
To help keep their clients in the loop, at least two longtime Denver agencies – Morey Evans Advertising and Schenkein Public Relations – have restructured their staffs recently to put a heavier focus on delivering high-tech messages.
Morey Evans, which has been in business for 18 years and counts local companies such as Qdoba and Good Times as clients, reorganized into five new divisions, adding a digital content management arm and a venture capital incubator.
“In today’s market, you’ve got to be inventive to engage consumers,” said president Glenn Morey. “Simply relying on the tried-and-true tools of the trade isn’t enough anymore.”
A recent example of their work includes the launch of a video-on-demand network for automotive advertisers through Vehix and Comcast.
“For the first time ever, auto advertisers are able to advertise simultaneously in cable spots, on video-on-demand and on the Internet in an integrated ad package,” Morey said.
Schenkein, a 33-year-old agency with clients that include Frontier Airlines and First Data, has designated two staff members to specialize in new media practices such as blog monitoring.
“Clients need to know what is being said out there about their brand, so they can recognize issues in the beginning stages and address them,” said co-owner and principal Leanna Clark. “This is hugely exciting for us as an agency because it has so much growth potential.”
The firm has attracted at least one client since launching its new media division – Denver-based ViewMyLife.com, a new social media networking website. The agency is planning a national media campaign to officially launch the site on April 1.
“They’re really focused on the best ways to get our vision and message out there,” said ViewMyLife.com founder Derak Spring.
But other established Denver agencies say they prefer to integrate new technology techniques across the board.
“We’re not putting it in a special box,” said Sharon Linhart, president of Linhart Public Relations. “We expect all of our employees to stay current with the latest technologies.”
Another longtime Denver ad executive, Rob Simon, believes clients prefer smaller agencies that specialize in new technologies. Simon helped found 20-year-old agency GBSM, then left two years ago to start BurstMarketing, which focuses on video and audio podcasts.
“I think companies are going more toward specialty vendors than they are their PR or advertising agencies,” he said. “The competencies you need to keep up with all the changes in Web development really requires that you focus on that, just that.”
Staff writer Julie Dunn can be reached at 303-954-1592 or jdunn@denverpost.com.
