Marketing

 by murphyepson

Who’s the Thanksgiving Turkey?

Ah, the most delicious holiday is upon us; filled with family, friends, thanks and of course—mouth-watering food. When it comes to the annual autumn gathering, some people love the turkey most while others prefer mashed potatoes, stuffing, veggies or pie. No matter your favorite, Thanksgiving feasts wouldn’t be complete without each dish, just like #teamME wouldn’t be complete without each member of our cornucopia serving up great work and client service in their own unique way.

Naturally, we needed to know which fare we each would be if we were, indeed, Thanksgiving food. We each took a quiz to find out and the results are in. Check out who’s what if we were Thanksgiving food. You’ll never guess who’s the main turkey:

This year, and every year, we are so thankful for an awesome team filled with many unique professionals with an array of talent, and for the clients we serve. Happy Thanksgiving from #teamME.

in Company Culture / Design / Marketing / teamME 0 comments
 by murphyepson

#teamME’s 3 tips on Culture and Clients

Zheijang University is one of China’s oldest, most selective and prestigious institutions of higher education located in the city of Hangzhou, the capital of the Zheijang Region in Eastern China—and their students came to learn from #teamME. Zheijang University is one of China’s oldest, most selective and prestigious institutions of higher education located in the city of Hangzhou, the capital of the Zheijang Region in Eastern China—and their students came to learn from #teamME.

The students wanted an inside look at a full-service advertising and PR agency to discuss organizational culture, client management and what drives effective communication in the world of business.

Here were the top three takeaways from our conversation:

  1. Client relationship building: Listen. Then provide strategic and timely communication recommendations, maintain a positive attitude, be open and view your client as a person not just a client to exceed expectations and build trust.
  2. Client management: Some client goals will be challenging. Managing expectations by setting a clear scope, schedule and budget in the beginning will lead to successful solutions in the future.
  3. Organizational culture: Every company has a different culture. From creating divisions for accomplishing specific goals to all-inclusive atmospheres where everyone has a hand in each project. Work to understand your culture and be willing to serve as a team player.

Though #teamME is always convening fascinating conversations, the students of Zheijang University put a face on our international brethren. The students, studying various career paths from teaching Chinese as a foreign language to broadcast news and TV production, may not all be entering the world of advertising and public relations, but they seemed eager to hear our stories and takeaways, so they can test them in their fields someday. It was a great reminder that no matter where we are born, we all aspire to learn from each other to become our best selves. MurphyEpson was delighted to share our best practices, but more importantly to learn from such a fresh, engaged and brilliant group of students.

#teamME is sending a huge thank you to Pat McAloon for organizing the trip and to the students of Zheijang University for taking a leap out of their comfort zone.

For more information on Global LT visit, global-lt.com or connect with them on social media.

Facebook: @GlobalLT

Twitter: @GlobalLTUSA

in Advertising / Client Relationships / Clients / Columbus Marketing / Company Culture / Marketing / Marketing in Columbus / Marketing Team / Organizations / Public Affairs / Public Relations 0 comments
 by murphyepson

Welcome our storytelling summer intern, Joey!

Welcome to #teamME (again!). Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a senior Journalism and Economics student at Miami University, born and raised in Columbus. I’m interested in storytelling and I can’t wait to get started this summer doing some exciting work in PR!

 

OK, now it’s time for some rapid fire.

 

If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone, who would it be?

Jordan Peele. Key can come too.

 

What’s your spirit animal?

The fox. I really dig that sly and mysterious vibe

 

What was your first email address? (Don’t be shy.)

jsquad31@yahoo.com. I still use it for spam.

 

What was your first job?

Summer camp counselor.

 

What’s the next country you want to travel to?

Hungary. Budapest was the only major city that I wanted to visit but couldn’t when I was studying abroad.

 

If you were a Crayola crayon, what would your name be?

Zesty Orange. Zesty anything, really.

 

Where do you go to college?

Miami University.

 

Phew. What a doozy. Catch your breath and tell us what you do at MurphyEpson.

As an intern, I’m trying to gain experience in all facets of the advertising and public relations industry. Some of my responsibilities include helping set up for public events, sitting in on meetings, in-person communication and writing drafts for client’s projects. Basically, I insert myself wherever I can help #teamME.

 

What do you do outside of work?

Go out with friends, play board games, read and work on extracurricular projects.

 

MurphyEpson has cultivated quite the culture of philanthropy. What’s your favorite way to give back to the community?

I love to participate by volunteering in community events such as 5Ks or city parades put on by the Recreation Department in my home town of Bexley.

 

You’ve got one day in Columbus. What do you do?

Spend the day at the Short North and then see either the Clippers or the Jackets game in the evening, depending on the season.

 

Give us a note you’d like to end on.

Go RedHawks!

in Advertising / Columbus Marketing / Featured / General / Marketing / Marketing in Columbus / Marketing Team / Public Affairs / Public Relations / teamME 0 comments
Fathers Day
 by murphyepson

Dads Know Best: The best advice our fathers ever gave us

Dads say the darnest things, but sometimes they say the sweetest. Just in time for Father’s Day, #teamME spent some time reflecting on the best advice our dad’s ever passed down to us.

Enjoy the wealth of #teamME dad wisdom:

“The man who knows how will always have work. The man who knows why will be bossin’ the jerk. And the one who knows why and can make it sell, will run the company, and be rich as well.” – Marie Keister, President + CEO

 

“My Dad has always told me (in my career and personal life) to appreciate people for who they are and not try to change them. I think this has really taught me to be compassionate to others. He also leads by example with this, he has never tried to force me into any decision and trusts in who I am. I think that’s pretty awesome.” – Erin Hanna, Art Director

 

“I was sobbing after my third car accident in about 6 months during college when I called my dad who had just moved out of state. He said, “Are you hurt? Is the other person hurt?” I said no one was hurt, but proceeded to tell him my car was un-drivable. Dad told me that’s what insurance is for and to call my agent. He knew how to put things in perspective and focus on the positive which he did for me right up until he died on Father’s Day in 2012.” – Cindy Byington, Senior Account Manager

 

“The best advice my dad has given me is to take on opportunities that bring me outside my comfort zone, because it’s those experiences that will help me grow as a person.” – Mitchell Isler, Intern

 

“Slow down and take life one day at a time,” and “Make sure you’re changing your furnace air filter every 4 months.” – Nick Hoffman, Account Manager

 

“My dad was always advising me to be patient – a skill I’m still learning to master to this day I regularly hear one of these when we’re together:
“Mindy, remember patience is a virtue”
“Don’t forget that patience is bitter, but it’s fruit is sweet”
“Say your prayers Mindy: Lord give me patience, and give it to me now” – Mindy Justis, Senior Account Manager

 

“The best advice my dad ever gave me was when he told me that when something bad happens or goes wrong, you have the choice to either dwell on it or move on and overcome it. He suggested that I to do the latter.” – Joey Hart, Intern

 

“Ain’t No Problem” – Missi Burris, Art Director

 

“I was having a teenage moment back in high school (probably about an A- on a test) and I asked my dad how he handles life’s ups and downs. He told me without hesitation, “Easy, just be a shark.” Immediately after my initial thoughts of “okay my dad is officially losing it” and I’d rather be a mermaid, he explained, “Every shark has a fin on its back to keep itself stable and persist forward no matter what waves they are navigating—and you have the power inside to do just the same.” – Angela Delbrocco, Account Manager

 

“No matter if my dad is talking to my siblings and I or the players on his teams, he has always said, “Good things happen to good people.” – Tim Bates, Account Coordinator

What’s the best advice your dad ever gave you? Tag @murphyepson and share the wisdom. While you’re here, take time to get to know a little more about our team and the work we do. Or, “like” us on Facebook to stay in touch!

in Advertising / Columbus Marketing / Featured / General / Marketing / Marketing in Columbus / Marketing Team / Social Media / teamME 0 comments
 by murphyepson

Join #teamME in welcoming back last summer’s intern, Tim as an account coordinator!

Welcome to #teamME (again!). Tell us a little about yourself.

What’s up everybody – I’m back! As you may already know, I was so fortunate to have spent last summer interning here at MurphyEpson as a professional sponge and taking in as much as I could. Then when August came around, I took my talents back down to southeastern Ohio for my senior year at Wittenberg University. On campus, you could find me busy involved in many organizations or on the ballfield as a first basemen and two-year captain of our varsity baseball squad. In May, I received my Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a Business Leadership track.  During my job search, I couldn’t help but think about all that I had learned here, so I contacted Marie and guess what, MURPHYEPSON… I’M COMING HOME! (Shout out LeBron’s announcement). These days I’m filling my time exploring unknown parts of the city I grew up in with old friends and new. Most of my enjoyment in life comes through writing, sports, social media trends, coaching and teaching, family, friends, food, fashion and really, really good coffee.

 

OK, now it’s time for some rapid fire.

 

If you could pick up a new skill in an instant what would it be?

My skill would be to know every lyric to every song ever created. I’ve thought a lot about this while in the car with others or whenever I’m out with friends. Nothing is more embarrassing than when a really popular song comes on and everyone knows the words, but you’re stuck there mouthing the wrong lyrics.

 

What’s the strangest talent you have?

This is a blessing and a curse, but I am an exceptional whistler. Name a song and I’m pretty spot on with my rendition. I practice a lot and my family members and friends who have lived with me can get a little annoyed which gets me in trouble. At the end of the day, it’s a nice trick to pull out of the bag.

 

Who’s someone you really admire?

Recently, I really admire Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not only because of his ability to stretch the floor, snag clutch boards, knock down big threes but because of his courage to speak up and create awareness for mental health. I think it takes a strong individual to embrace and add avenues to further the conversation.

 

What’s something you want to do in the next year that you’ve never done before?

I feel like this is pretty typical for recent college grads but I want and expect to travel outside of the country. After talking with a few of #teamME’s world travelers, I’ve decided that I want to go to Europe and do a major cities tour and then when I’m a little older, hit the best tropical beaches.

 

At which store would you like to max-out your credit card?

I’m a huge shoe guy. Right now I own close to sixty pairs of all different types of styles. My answer would be Journey’s because you can purchase just about any kind of shoe in their B&M stores as well as online.

 

Choose a movie title for the story of your life.

Emperor’s New Groove because I’m entering a new stage in my life right now and to be honest, it’s feeling pretty groovy!

 

What are you reading right now?

“Make Your Bed” by Retired U.S. Naval Admiral, William H. McRaven. The book is based on the graduation speech McRaven gave at the University of Texas that has over 10 million views on YouTube.

 

What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time?

Most people that play sports videogames like to play against each other for fun. Not me. I set up franchises of my own, act as the general manager, and play against the computer. Things get pretty serious.

 

Phew. What a doozy. Catch your breath and tell us what you do at MurphyEpson.

Here at ME, I’m working as an account coordinator where I’ll be collaborating with our account managers and art directors on various projects and community managing our agency’s social media platforms, amongst other things. I’m happy to be back and excited to get to work!

 

MurphyEpson has cultivated quite the culture of philanthropy. What’s a charity you wish more people knew about?

One of the freshman baseball players on my team at Wittenberg this past year, Jack Hollinshead, created a non-profit organization called, My Inner Warrior. The mission of the charity is to provide physical fitness opportunities and sports equipment for children living in low-socioeconomic areas around the state of Ohio. Jack has multiple team sponsors (Wittenberg University, Baldwin Wallace University, and various high schools) which work to obtain donations. All donations go to events and equipment which the youth can use for as long as they are participants in the organization.

 

What’s the coolest thing you’re working on right now?

Besides this blog post, the coolest thing I’m working on right now are social media posts for our agency and for a client.

 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard?

My parents have always told me to be work as hard as I can to always be a good person because good things happen to good people. It’s pretty simple but simple and deep beats abstract and shallow.

 

Awesome. To learn more about Tim, connect with him on LinkedIn and check out his last blog post!

in Advertising / Columbus Marketing / Featured / General / Marketing / Marketing in Columbus / Marketing Team / Public Affairs / Public Relations / teamME 0 comments
 by murphyepson

#teamME gained some additional wittiness around the office. Meet our summer intern, Mitch!

Welcome to #teamME! Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi! I’m going into my senior year at the University of Cincinnati where I have dual majors in Political Science and Economics. I plan to go on to graduate school to study public policy, and eventually I want to work to create change for causes I care about. I love music (besides listening, I play the drums), and I love to laugh and tend to see humor in almost anything. Some of my favorite times are watching stand-up specials with my girlfriend or waiting until way too late at night to start an eight-hour game of Risk with my friends.

 

OK, now it’s time for some rapid fire.

 

If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone, who would it be? Why is it rapid fire? This is the toughest question … Kofi Annan? The Dalai Lama? Pope Francis? I feel the need to pick someone with profound ideas and experiences. Okay, Kofi Annan – final answer. I would hope to learn something from his commitment to peace and his distinguished career in diplomacy and international governance.

 

What’s your spirit animal? I love every animal.  With that said, I think I’m pretty similar to a giraffe in that I’m sort of lanky and awkward and I exclusively eat leaves (just kidding, but I am a vegetarian).

 

What was your first email address? (Don’t be shy.) mji1108@yahoo.com – not too bad, right?  The only reason I changed it was the thousands of spam messages per day.

 

What was your first job? My first real job was here at MurphyEpson, where I went around to events in Columbus wearing a shirt that said, “Pick Up Poop.” And yet here I am at ME again…

 

What’s the next country you want to travel to? I would love to visit a Spanish-speaking country (maybe Costa Rica?). I have five years of Spanish language coursework under my belt, but I’ve never used it in the real world.

 

If you were a Crayola crayon, what would your name be? Robin’s Egg Blue?  That’s pretty close to my favorite color and I like that it’s oddly specific.

 

Where did you go to college? I go to the University of Cincinnati. Last year my younger brother chose to go to Ohio State, so now I’m the only one in my family to go to college somewhere else. But who knows? There’s always grad school.

 

Phew. What a doozy. Catch your breath and tell us what you do at MurphyEpson.

I complete duties as assigned. I hope to get a feel for a little bit of everything that goes on at ME, with a focus on learning about reconciling the competing interests of various groups.  That’s what good policymaking is all about, and it’s what I hope to do in my career.

 

What do you do outside of work?

At school, I volunteer at a dog shelter and a tutoring program, and I’m the vice president of membership for my service fraternity. Now that I’m home, I spend a good chunk of my free time eating and exercising. To relax, I love to be creative – either playing music, making things, or working on random projects. I also prioritize time with my family and friends.

 

MurphyEpson has cultivated quite the culture of philanthropy. What’s your favorite way to give back to the community?

So far, my favorite volunteer work has to be the time I spend at the animal shelter. The staff members are selfless, and they work hard every week for free. The dogs I meet have nothing but love to give, and I think we could all do well to learn from them in that regard.

 

You’ve got one day in Columbus. What do you do?

Spend the morning at the zoo, being careful not to miss the red panda or the penguins, or any newborn baby animals that might be around. Lunch in Historic Dublin (I can’t leave out the hometown). Next, a tour of thrift stores and record shops downtown to see if there are any good finds. Dinner, coffee, and ice cream in the Short North. If there’s time, live music or stand-up in the evening. If someone good is playing Nationwide or one of the major theaters, fantastic. If it’s a local band in a diner nearby, that’s great too.

 

Give us a note you’d like to end on.

“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Awesome! To learn more about Mitch, connect with him on LinkedIn!

in Advertising / Columbus Marketing / Featured / General / Marketing / Marketing in Columbus / Marketing Team / Public Affairs / Public Relations / teamME 0 comments
 by murphyepson

Meet Our Homerun-Hitting Summer Intern, Tim!

Welcome to #teamME! Tell us a little about yourself.

What’s up! I am from Westerville, Ohio and am about to embark on my senior year at Wittenberg University as a Communication major with a minor in Psychology. I love sports, especially baseball. At Wittenberg, I am a two-year captain of the baseball team and have been the starting first basemen since my freshman year. Other than sports, I like to spend my time with friends and family taking trips, eating at good restaurants and visiting cool places around Columbus that usually end up highlighted on my social media.

 

OK, now it’s time for some rapid fire. 

If you could have a cup of coffee with anyone, who would it be? Larry Page and Sergey Brin – I feel like they could throw some great advice my way.

What’s your spirit animal? A Bear – They’re big and powerful, but more so because I’ve always been envious of their hibernation!

What was your first email address? (Don’t be shy.) timtim10x32@aol.com; I still have junk mail sent to it…

What was your first job? I did pool maintenance for Annehurst Pool of Westerville. Nothing like the smell of chlorine to wake you up in the morning!

What’s the next country you want to travel to? China – to explore their culture.

If you were a Crayola crayon, what would your name be? I would have to go with Mango Tango because I like to have a good time.

Where do you go to college? I attend Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. Tiger Up! I’m a huge OSU fan as well.

 

Phew. What a doozy. Catch your breath and tell us what you do at MurphyEpson.
I try to get involved in a little bit of everything. From sitting in on brand positioning meetings for specific accounts to data entry for metrics, I’m trying to experience the whole gamut of the company all while being a help to anyone who needs it!

 

What do you do outside of work?
Before anything else, I try to spend as much time as I can hanging out and going fun places with my friends and family. Whether that’s sitting on the back porch having a good conversation to going to a game or concert, I try to fill my time with enjoyment. I’m also really big on trying new restaurants (no preference on types of food, I like everything). Other than that, I play baseball for a college summer league here in Central Ohio.

 

You’ve got one day in Columbus. What do you do?
Breakfast at Jack and Benny’s with a couple friends is a must to start the day. Then we would take our talents to Goodale Park for a couple games of whiffle ball. After playing for a while, we would snag some tacos at Balboa on Grandview Ave. Then, before dinner, we would run over to Sole Classics for some new kicks and then end the night with a Dime-a-Dog night dinner at Huntington Park for some Clippers baseball action.

 

What’s one piece of advice you would give to an agency newcomer?
Be open to take on tasks that you may be unfamiliar with and ask a ton of questions; there isn’t anyone here that doesn’t want to help out and you can learn something from everyone!

 

Give us a note you’d like to end on.
“You’re never wrong to do the right thing.” – Mark Twain

 

That’s all for now! To learn more about #teamME, click here.

in Advertising / Columbus Marketing / Featured / General / Marketing / Marketing in Columbus / Marketing Team / teamME 0 comments
 by Marie Silver Keister, APR, AICP

From the #teamME CEO: Our International Women’s Day Checklist

Happy International Women’s Day! Crank up your favorite power anthem and do a happy dance for the women who have come before you. Then, join me in celebrating the women who push boundaries, make their marks and shatter the glass ceiling.

This year’s theme, #BeBoldForChange, calls for all to work toward a more gender-inclusive world. However, unless we know tangible ways to make progress, this theme is merely a mantra. So, make it your goal this week to check off a few of the following boxes and inch our world closer to gender equality.

  • Pay it forward. So many great women mentored me. Take a half hour and mentor the young women who will follow you.
  • Ask for a pay raise. Some studies show women don’t make as much as men because they aren’t as assertive in asking for more money.
  • Take risks. Don’t wait for others to give you permission to do what you know is right for you.
  • Raise your voice. Women won the right to vote because they kept demanding it. Live up to their example and be a force for positive change.
  • Pitch a big tent. Instead of focusing on being left outside the tent, bring everyone in with you: women, men, young, old, rich, poor, a rainbow of nationalities. Pursue equality by being equitable.
  • Create your own path. Are you frustrated by the glass ceiling? Smash it and create your own business.
  • Prepare for Takeoff: Launch or fund a women-focused scholarship — especially in STEM education and careers. Here’s one of my favorites: wtsinternational.org/assets/59/22/2016_Molitoris_Application.pdf
  • Inspire others: Share one of the International Women’s Day videos on social media.

Do your part. Pull your weight. Get it done.

 

And keep this quote top of mind:

“Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”

— Unknown

 

Deemed the “fearless leader” of #teamME, Marie has a way of translating technical jargon into language we can all understand. Also, she rocked colored pantsuits far before they were trendy. Click here to read more from Marie and her business approach and #teamME philosophy.

in Advertising / Columbus Marketing / Featured / Marketing / Marketing in Columbus / Marketing Team / Now Trending / Public Relations / teamME 0 comments