Our branding of Owens Corning insulation with the Pink Panther was so successful that it began to dominate the company's public image, while, in fact, home insulation was a only small part of their complete product offering. Left out of the action were products which were less visible because they weren't consumer products, but industrial materials - such as industrial fibers for reinforcing composites in the marine, automotive, aerospace, office products, bath products and highway paving industries.
      In a move to communicate to the public and to the financial sector the broader range of Owens Corning products and markets, OC asked us to create this full page ad (kept light in the spirit of the Panther), illustrating their complete line.
      As a corporate ad, it served primarily a public relations function, and was used by Owens Corning plants and facilities in local advertising, such as high school yearbooks, special newspaper advertising supplements and event programs. The content was kept very general to maximize shelf life.


Miller/Gardner was a Toledo accounting firm which needed to compete with the local branches of the "big four" national accounting firms. Our marketing plan called for targeting small businesses, a segment which the larger firms could not handle efficiently because of the big four's greater overhead and the lower billings of the smaller clients. This series of ads focused on their knowledge of small business problems and positioned them as the firm with the experience and expertise to handle smaller accounts. These small space ads ran in the business section of The Blade.



Vickers, a manufacturer of thousands of different components for aerospace applications, was perceived by the industry as a large but unexciting supplier of basic parts. Their stock P/E ratio was weak and they thought they were undervalued. They wished to create a greater public profile for themselves and communicate the exciting potential of their major markets. While the products themselves were basic, the projects they provided parts for were not: the newest and most exotic jets, the space shuttle and Apollo moon missions.
      In order to add a touch of glamour to their uninspiring image, we created an ad series which focused on the more exciting and visually interesting end products. The design was also calculated to create dramatic interest, with a montage of identifiable symbols of space and cutting edge flight. A subtle listing of some of their primary products fades away in the background, implying a much longer list. The theme, "Performance Starts Here," makes the point that great and exciting missions are made possible by the little parts which don't fail. The company has since been acquired by Eaton.


Lutheran Home of Toledo is a senior housing facility on the east side of Toledo offering independent living quarters, assisted living and nursing care. The agency has been a steady and valuable community presence for many years and enjoys a very positive image among residents. This series of ads targeted seniors who had once lived on the east side and moved away during their lifetime, luring those who now need a skilled nursing facility with a come "Home... Again" theme. The series ran in The Blade and neighborhood publications.



This ad for Frank's Kraut in the Chicago market resulted in this regional producer of sauerkraut driving out their chief competitor, the national Del Monte brand. Using the time-tested "theirs and ours" format, we portrayed "theirs" as filled with extra chemicals, additives and preservatives (illustrated by chemical beakers with the names of the chemical additives) and "ours" as completely natural - the only ingredients being cabbage, salt and water. The side-by-side comparison turned out to be a compelling story for the mostly elderly and ethnic consumers of Kraut in this market, for whom "natural" is an important benefit.
      The loss of a huge market share to Frank's following the publication of this ad led to the decision by Del Monte to cease distribution of sauerkraut in the Greater Chicago region.


The educational market, like all others, is competitive. And among the most competitive sectors is attracting non-traditional students - working professionals - to a master's degree program. In the Toledo area, there are no fewer than six universities competing for the same degree-seeking adult. The question becomes: just what are the prospective students looking for in a graduate program? The answer, said the research, was a program that was quick - two years or less part time - and easy. Our multi-media promotion sought to make the degree look easy and fun, with bright colors and back-to-school-days imagery. The spearhead of the advertising were billboards placed in key approaches to the major business clusters around town, one board each for the four degrees available. Newspaper and radio were also a part of the promotion.