Category: Culture & News

Audent Global Asset Management Selects KemperLesnik as Agency of Record

Posted on by KemperLesnik

CHICAGO, February 28, 2024 – Audent Global Asset Management, an advisory and investment management firm primarily serving high-net-worth individuals and family offices, has partnered with KemperLesnik for public relations, content creation, social media and event support.

KemperLesnik will work with Audent Global Asset Management (“Audent GAM”) to help grow awareness of Audent GAM’s brand and distinctive investment services among consumer and B2B audiences, primarily through a complementary mix of media relations and social media efforts ranging from executive positioning to content development to ad campaigns. The agency will also provide event support by coordinating speaking and sponsorship opportunities at regional and national events.

“We wanted a communications team with a demonstrated track record of understanding and explaining the nuances of complex industries and delivering impactful results, which is why we chose the KemperLesnik team,” said Gregg Kaplan, senior vice president at Audent GAM. “The agency’s proven expertise and thoughtful approach aligns perfectly with our objectives.”

Led by its CEO and CIO Paul Feinstein, an award-winning wealth management advisor with 25 years of experience, Audent GAM delivers holistic financial planning through custom portfolios, and three investment funds that combine traditional and alternative investments, such as options, venture capital and real estate. The firm utilizes state-of-the-art technology to construct portfolios and provides daily, active stewardship of client investments. Audent GAM also offers its technology and services as a resource to RIAs.

“Telling our clients stories, no matter the industry or the medium, is at the heart of what KemperLesnik does best,” said David Prosperi, executive vice president and managing director at KemperLesnik. “We are excited to collaborate with Audent GAM and deliver on a strategic communications plan that can help the team achieve their business goals.”

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About KemperLesnik
KemperLesnik is a Chicago-based public relations, content creation, social media management and event support agency. Founded in 1976, it serves clients nationally and specializes in the insurance and financial services, professional services, and sports, recreation and hospitality sectors. Ranked by Crain’s Chicago Business among Chicago’s top PR agencies and recognized by PRSA for creative campaigns that deliver powerful results, KemperLesnik produces strategic business- and consumer-targeted communications programs that integrate earned, shared, owned and paid media tactics. Along with sister company KemperSportsLIVE, KemperLesnik manages media for local, regional and national events, such as the Maui Invitational. Learn more at www.kemperlesnik.com.

 About Audent

Based in Los Angeles, Audent Global Asset Management is a full-service investment boutique focused on tailoring portfolios to align with clients’ individual goals for capital preservation, income, and growth. Founded in 2020, the firm’s clients range from successful individuals at the beginning of their wealth accumulation cycle to established family offices charged with pursuing multiple investment objectives. Audent uses its three flagship funds in conjunction with customized strategies to achieve their clients’ goals and objectives. Audent also helps registered investment advisors (RIAs) grow their business through access to the firm’s online platform. Visit the website and follow the team on LinkedIn to learn more.

Brand Super Bowl playbook: Scenario planning for everything Taylor Swift | PR Week

Posted on by KemperLesnik

Audrey Wayne, Senior Account Director for KemperLesnik, explained to PRWeek why she thinks brands will have more fun in 2024.

Marketers are ready to pounce on the biggest topic of Super Bowl LVIII. Bet that at least one of them will fumble.

by Chris Daniels February 08, 2024

Sportsbooks are giving the San Francisco 49ers the edge to win Super Bowl LVIII, but there’s no shortage of off-field wagers. Will Taylor Swift make it to the game? If so, what shade of lipstick will she wear? And will the pop megastar be shown on the CBS broadcast sporting a foam finger?

And then there are commercials and social media conversations.

PRWeek interviewed sports comms experts, many of them on-the-ground in Las Vegas to support client programs, to get their best bets on what to expect Sunday.

First, get ready for fun to make a comeback in a big way. Audrey Wayne, senior account director at KemperLesnik who leads the firm’s sports, recreation and hospitality practice, wagers we’ll see “a lot of brands have more fun this year.”

“We’re four years from the onset of COVID. Elmo has proven we’re all struggling but doing it with millennial dark humor. And with more millennials in management roles, I suspect you’ll see more of that tone of voice,” she says.

The looming U.S. presidential election is another reason brands will take a light and humorous tone.

“I’m predicting brands letting their whimsical, creative flags fly before the winds change toward more serious notes in the fall,” says Wayne.

Many experts say you can’t overestimate just how much this will be the Taylor Swift Super Bowl. Shaun Clair, cofounder of Gray Wolf, says the record Grammy Award winner, and girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, could create a “a mono-trend Super Bowl versus a multi-trend Super Bowl.”

“Brand marketers will be chasing engagement with their social media posts. And where is the engagement? Taylor Swift,” he says.

Clair cites a study from Montclair State University’s School of Communication and Media that shows Swift is set to “overwhelm online discussion around the big game.” It found that when the Chiefs and 49ers advanced to the Super Bowl, Swift-related #SuperBowl posts on X outnumbered those about Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, 49ers signal caller Brock Purdy and Kelce combined.

Social mentions of the pop icon and the Super Bowl hit 2 million in the week after the Chiefs advanced to the big game. The conversation thread, “Taylor as a national treasure,” also increased 100%.

Michael Schiferl, Weber Shandwick’s EVP for integrated media strategy, predicts this could be the first year that conversation on Super Bowl Sunday isn’t driven “by the game itself, halftime acts and the ads, in that order.”

“Love her or hate her, Taylor Swift may upend those three categories,” he says.

Speaking from the Super Bowl media center at Mandalay Bay Resort, where he is supporting client Super Bowl ads like the Doritos Dinamita spot with Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega, Patrick Wixted, SVP and client services director at Ketchum Sports, agrees that Swift will be a massive topic on social media.

“Brands intent on being part of the game-day conversation should absolutely scenario plan around Taylor topics the same way they plan for in-game happenings and audience reactions to game-day commercials,” he says. “Brands that have historically not seen a role for themselves on game day may find it advantageous to be part of the conversation.”

Wixted is betting at least one brand will fumble the ball.

“Someone’s going to try too hard and fall flat or get called out for it,” he says. His advice for brands to avoid potential “Bad Blood” from her rabid fan base? “It’s got to feel right for the brand, like a no-brainer. If you have to put a lot of effort around it, it’s probably too much.”

Wixted also predicts a brand will score by using the MSG Sphere.

“A lot of brands are already running ads on the exterior, but I think we’ll see a brand use the Sphere on game day in a way we haven’t seen before,” he says, adding it could be in conjunction with AR or mixed reality. “The Sphere really is a marvel of technology and everything marketers dream about.”

Chris Console, EVP and North America Sports Lead at BCW, says it’s a good bet that Swift will be the biggest trending topic from the game. However, he isn’t counting out challengers for share of conversation.

“I predict that there will be something else that drives conversations even more after the game,” says Console. “This feels like a year where a brand that doesn’t have a commercial airing during the Super Bowl pulls an upset by scoring the most media conversations and social chatter following the game.”

“That said,” he counters, “the intersection of sports and pop culture is reigning supreme.”

And, of course, what happens in Vegas, won’t stay in Vegas. Good strategy could set brands up for next football season, evan as far as Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, says Michael Jacobson, SVP at R&CPMK, who leads the agency’s talent and influencer group and builds programs for major sports and entertainment moments.

“The halo that we typically see post-Super Bowl will have more of an impact at the start of the next NFL season because of all the storylines that led up to this moment in time more than any prior Super Bowl,” he says. “I think when we get to the fall, we’ll see more engagement from different audiences and greater overall engagement and fandom.”

https://www.prweek.com/article/1860848/brand-super-bowl-playbook-scenario-planning-everything-taylor-swift

But is X still the place to be during the Super Bowl? | PR Week

Posted on by KemperLesnik

KemperLesnik’s senior account director, Audrey Wayne, talked to PRWeek about the role of X during Super Bowl week.

 

It depends. Are users watching the game for the game? Or for something — or someone — else?

by Chris Daniels February 08, 2024

Audrey Wayne, a senior account director at KemperLesnik who leads the firm’s sports, recreation and hospitality practice, says X needs to stay in Super Bowl Sunday brand playbooks.

“Until the other platforms can do real-time, X is inevitable for live sports,” she says.

But that doesn’t mean they haven’t shifted some budget to other platforms.

“People do like time to digest, so deep dives will do well on Instagram and TikTok,” says Wayne, who also expects some brand activity on Threads, Meta’s version of X.

However, at 10.3 million daily active users, Threads has a long way to go to catch X’s 253 million DAUs. “Threads will do its best and it’s important to be there, but don’t expect too many needle-movers to come from it this year. If they do it well, they can make it a must for 2025,” she says.

“Twitter has historically been the place audiences and brands turn for engagement around real-time events like the Super Bowl,” says Erin Ledbetter, EVP and head of digital at Ketchum. “But the conversation leading up the game so far suggests this year will look very different,” citing research of year-over-year drops in pre-Super Bowl conversations on X.

“That’s just one more sign that the platform is losing relevance and has failed to become the global town square that Musk promised,” notes Ledbetter. “We’ve seen the early Super Bowl conversation from brands and users alike shift to TikTok and Instagram, but it will be interesting to see what happens on game day. Where will users turn for real-time conversation about the game, the ads and Taylor?”

Taylor Swift, who is dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, is the wild card.

“I think we’re going see more fulfillment of omni-channel than we ever have, because of the growth of a secondary audience for the Super Bowl [who have become fans and followers because of Swift],” says Michael Jacobson, SVP at R&CPMK, who leads the agency’s talent and influencer group.

Her fans, after all, use several apps and many are not X users.

“Twitter is still going to be a huge part of Sunday’s dialogue, and brands need to be part of that dialogue, but I think the conversation is going to be across all social media,” says Jacobson.

“Don’t underestimate the cross-platform opportunities that exist for audiences of all ages that are seeking Super Bowl-related brand content, including during the game itself,” agrees Chris Console, EVP and North America sports lead at BCW. “Brands must meet their consumers where they are, which is no longer in one single place.”

“Instagram doesn’t feed that real-time itch like the others,” says Shaun Clair, cofounder of Gray Wolf, “but provides a slower-moving but more consistent content funnel in the days and hours that lead up to the game.”

But if they had to pick one platform, some say TikTok will rise to the top.

“TikTok is arguably the best in-game and postgame medium,” says Greg Tedesco, U.S. head of digital at Zeno Group. “TikTok has become a force with its algorithm and capability as a search engine. Users will search for reaction to their favorite commercials in real-time, rewatch Usher’s half time performance and dig into on-the-field and in-the-stands happenings [such as Taylor Swift].”

As well, he notes the NFL and its teams “have leaned into creating content native to TikTok, incorporating in-app trends and sounds to reach new and existing audiences.” That means “brands don’t necessarily need to create original TikToks to be a part of the conversation as they can simply stitch, repost or comment to get users and creators engaged,” explains Tedesco.

“TikTok will be a major player for brands and creators during the game, and I think we’ll see a combination of live activations, agile content and proactive brand banter taking place more than usual in the comments sections of trending videos,” says Eric Petersen, SVP and North America social strategy lead at Weber Shandwick.

“However, X will continue to dominate sports-related conversation, which will lend itself as a platform that brands will use to mine for real-time reactive opportunities,” says Petersen. “We’ll also likely see brands who have left X over the past year place healthy bets on Meta’s Threads to complement their real-time Instagram strategies and will tap platforms like Snap and its creative AR filter and lens products to capture younger audiences’ attention.”

“X is for the specific moments that happen—a controversial penalty flag or an injury update, for example,” agrees Clair. “TikTok will be a main platform for brands. It will capture—and help amplify—the big themes and moments.”

This story was updated on February 8 to correct Petersen’s title. 

https://www.prweek.com/article/1860853/x-place-during-super-bowl

KemperLesnik Promotes Two PR Veterans

Posted on by KemperLesnik

CHICAGO, Dec. 14, 2023 – To support its strategic business growth and expand client offerings, KemperLesnik is pleased to announce the promotions of Allyson Marcus to Vice President and Audrey Wayne to Senior Account Director.

Building on two decades of public relations experience with B2B and professional services clients of all sizes, Marcus, formerly an account director leading day-to-day account strategy and supervision, will help lead the growth of the agency’s insurance, risk management and financial services practice. With a 15-year tenure at KemperLesnik and longstanding client relationships, Marcus will leverage her proven success in media relations, content creation, external and internal corporate communications, and social media management, measurement, and training seminars to build programs that meet increased client demand for integrated public relations services.

In her new role, Wayne, who previously served as a senior account supervisor, will help oversee the creation and execution of public relations programs for clients in the sports, lifestyle and professional services industries. She has been recognized for pushing the boundaries of creative content deliverables while implementing tried-and-true public relations and event planning strategies, maximizing awareness and impact with the audiences who matter most to her clients. With more than 10 years of experience in agency account management and in-house communications, Wayne has delivered powerful results for clients ranging from luxury resorts, B2B2C brands and golf to not-for-profits, health insurers, insurtechs, and financial service firms.

“Our clients repeatedly tell us they value the strategic planning, creativity, responsiveness and outcomes that Allyson, Audrey and the KemperLesnik team bring to their businesses,” said David Prosperi, executive vice president and managing director at KemperLesnik. “We put a strong emphasis on industry expertise, professional development, and evolving our agency offerings, all while maintaining our focus on the message development, storytelling, and media outreach that has helped our clients achieve their goals and has brought us success for more than 45 years.”

Marcus and Wayne hold Bachelor of Arts degrees in public relations from The Pennsylvania State University and Marquette University, respectively. Wayne is entering her second year on the PRSA Chicago board of directors as its programming co-chair, co-leads the agency’s pro bono efforts, and is a certified Level III sommelier.

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About KemperLesnik
KemperLesnik is a public relations, content creation, social media management and event planning agency. Founded in 1976, the Chicago-based agency serves clients nationally in the professional services, insurance and financial services, and sports and lifestyle sectors, including wealth management, real estate, risk management, destination resort, golf, basketball, and youth and collegiate sport organizations. Ranked by Crain’s Chicago Business among Chicago’s top PR agencies and recognized by PRSA for creative campaigns that deliver powerful results, KemperLesnik produces strategic business- and consumer-targeted communications programs that integrate earned, shared, owned and paid media tactics. Along with its sister company, KemperSportsLIVE, KemperLesnik helps manage media for local, regional and national events, such as the Allstate Maui Invitational and the McDonald’s All American Games. Learn more at www.kemperlesnik.com.

When Public Statements of Regret are Disbelieved

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David Prosperi, KemperLesnik managing director, on the issue of when public statements of regret are disbelieved. “It is hard to understand nuance in a statement that is not delivered orally or face to face. That is why a good PR professional has to understand the tone and voice of his or her client and then translate that honesty and empathy into the written word or into a video message where those traits can be on display for the recipients to see and take their own measure.”

https://ci-magazine.com/home/when-public-statements-of-regret-are-disbelieved

 

Should Your Business Talk About Politics Online?

Posted on by KemperLesnik

KemperLesnik Executive Vice President and Managing Director David Prosperi on whether companies should talk about politics online. “The decision to take a stand on political issues comes with a risk. It can potentially attract new customers to your business, but the greater risk is that you alienate members of your current or potential customer base who may like your product and price, but vehemently disagree with your political stance to the point that they take their business elsewhere.”

https://www.success.com/should-your-business-talk-about-politics-online/

How the Digital Age Affects Name, Image and Likeness in College Athletics

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The topic of name, image and likeness (NIL) has been a longstanding discussion in the world of college athletics. Despite current discussions on social injustice and debates surrounding the topic, the NCAA’s rules have not waivered despite the world around it- possibly until now.

Joining the argument of whether the NCAA should allow athletes the right to profit through their name, image and likeness is not the point of this piece but rather to shed light on the opportunities the digital age has brought to these students despite the NCAA’s unwavering disposition.

NIL is described by the NCAA as three elements that in essence, represent the right of publicity to collegiate athletes and currently stands that to maintain NCAA eligibility, Division I student-athletes may not promote or endorse a commercial product or service, even if they are not paid to participate in the activity. Athletes may use their image to continue participating in non-athletically related promotional activities if they were initiated before college enrollment.

What these rules and regulations did not account for was the growth of social media and the impact the digital age would have on this audience. From Twitter to Instagram, TikTok and now Clubhouse, social media have grown to create opportunities for student athletes to connect directly with their audience and create a personal brand. Seeing as fewer than 2 percent of college athletes move on to compete on the professional level, social media has proven to create opportunities for athletes to succeed outside of the NBA/WNBA through brand partnerships. As a result, many advertisers and agencies are already assessing current college athletes and their potential worth as influencers to partner with their clients in the event that the NCAA’s rules change in 2021.

Companies such as Cameo, a platform that continues to see exceptional growth around the business model of connecting fans directly with thousands of personalities in the form of customized videos, would be able to extend their footprint in collegiate athletics by being able to offer athletes a revenue cut from their interactions with fans.

Over 25 states have taken to pushing their own legislation surrounding NIL for their students and NCAA is looking to take their case to the supreme court. While the NCAA continues to deliberate over NIL rules, one thing is for certain. This digital age will not stop for them to figure it out.

Click here to see where the NCAA stands.

For additional information on KemperLesnik and recommendations for your brand, please email info@kemperlesnik.com

My Experience as a Newbie on Clubhouse

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If you haven’t heard of Clubhouse yet, you will. I’ve been exploring the new social media app that’s on everyone’s minds these days. Here’s what I’ve learned so far.

 

Clubhouse is an all-audio networking app. Currently, the app is only available for Apple users and requires an invitation to join (meaning you can’t join without a current user inviting you). If you don’t have an invite, you can reserve your username after downloading the Clubhouse app here.

 

The app feels like a cross between listening to a podcast and listening to a conference call. Conversations in Clubhouse take place in ‘rooms’. The room’s participants are broken into two categories. Panelists (speakers) and Listeners. As a listener, if you want to participate in the conversation or ask the panelist a question – you can request to speak by using the ‘raise your hand’ button. 

 

Conversations in Clubhouse are raw and unedited. They cannot be recorded and are not saved. This makes conversations feel real and heartfelt. 

 

What kind of topics are people talking about on Clubhouse? They vary from business advice to climate change. People share ideas, give advice, have healthy debates, and build camaraderie. 

 

Some rooms I’ve joined have felt like group therapy sessions. One person I heard in an entrepreneurship group asked how to overcome depression. While I cringed, speakers in the group immediately jumped in to give encouragement, and to share their own personal stories of struggle. Most of the speakers I’ve heard in Clubhouse have open minds and open hearts.

 

Like any social platform, if you are going to use the tool to grow your business and reap the full benefits, you should show up consistently and join in the conversation. 

 

My good friend Maria Grimm, CEO of the marketing membership site for small businesses Relly, invited me to participate in a marketing-focused room discussing Super Bowl Ads. So, I quickly prepared my thoughts and jumped on. It was like debating ideas and opinions with a few close and highly experienced friends, only with a bunch of other people listening in. 

 

Overall, Clubhouse is the perfect platform for engaging in authentic, thought-provoking conversation. But just like anything, you get out of it what you put into it. So, get out of your comfort zone and participate. Personal brands are being built every day in Clubhouse. Why not yours? 

 

Follow me on Clubhouse @amylitt

The Fundamentals of Holiday Gift Guides

Posted on by KemperLesnik

Holiday gift guides seem like a no-brainer. Have a product or service that makes the perfect gift for fill-in-the-blank holiday? Send the editor a description, image and maybe a sample and it’s done. Right?

Not quite.

Holiday gift guide pitching requires strategy and planning — just like any other campaign. To beat the competition and secure prime placement, you need to keep four things in mind:

  • Know the deadlines. While there are certainly some short lead opportunities, the big guides for major holidays require pitching several months in advance. So you’ll be thinking Christmas in July…or even June. Pro Tip: Take a look at the publication’s editorial calendars. For many publications, holiday gift guides run in the same issues year-over-year.
  • Understand your media. Some outlets are traditional and will run a basic photo and product description. Others want to be creative (I once had a publication ask to photograph a product with bikini-clad models- true story). Do your research so you understand that direction before you pitch.
  • Be smart about the products/services you’re positioning. View your brand’s product or service portfolio through the lens of what’s happening in the world. Is it relevant to an emerging or current trend? Representative of an anti-trend? An unforgettable classic? No matter what, have a reason for putting a product or service out there beyond driving sales.
  • Serve it up on a silver platter. A good gift guide pitch makes it easy for the journalist to run with your content. Be sure you deliver a punchy header, solid description, product specs and video – if applicable. Media are stretched thin; if they have to go hunting for more details, you might lose them.

To an outsider, holiday gift guides can be seen as an easy get for PR professionals but this doesn’t mean all guides are a good fit for our clients. It’s important to keep the brand’s core values and goals top of mind as you pitch.

 

The Passion Project: How a leadership training program became an annual pro-bono powerhouse

Posted on by KemperLesnik

In 2018, KemperLesnik sought to engage voices from all areas of the agency to identify ways to improve company culture and cross-functionality. As a result, the Passion Project was born.

The Passion Project is a pro-bono initiative that brings to life the agency’s core value of giving back. Each year, KemperLesnik selects a Chicago-based non-profit organization to receive the full suite of agency services. Through this partnership, the agency helps to elevate the profile of its non-profit partner in the community and maximize the opportunity for positive change.

All employees at KemperLesnik are encouraged to apply to be part of the Passion Project account team, no matter tenure or specialty. By building cross-functional teams, not only do our non-profit partners benefit from having the full-breadth of agency services at their disposal, but KemperLesnik employees benefit from working alongside and build relationships with coworkers outside of their daily functional teams.

Each year, the selected agency team independently identifies the non-profit for which they feel they can make the greatest impact. In 2018, the Passion Project partnered with Beyond Sports Foundation, an organization that works to assist student-athletes from under-resourced communities by giving them the skills necessary to enter and excel in college and succeed in life beyond sports. The KemperLesnik team provided event support and professional development seminars for BSF students within the program.

In 2019, the new Passion Project team selected Cradles to Crayons, a national non-profit providing children ranging in age from birth to 12 who are living in homeless, foster and low-income situations the essential items they need to thrive. Through public relations, content development and social media management, the team elevated the non-profit’s presence among its target audience in Chicago via digital marketing strategies.

The 2020 team jumped at the chance to get involved in the timely discussion of social justice. Multiple non-profits were identified as potential partners through dedication to educating and combating injustices in Chicago. After a careful review process, the team selected My Block My Hood My City, and a beautiful partnership was born. The agency team provides media relations, event marketing support and social media management for My Block My Hood My City.

My Block My Hood My City asks one simple but profound question, “What is something I can do that would have a positive influence on my block?” This approach emphasizes that change starts where you are and, with enough enthusiasm, can spread like wildfire. My Block’s founder, Jahmal Cole, believes that no effort is too big or too small. From organizing volunteer clean-up events across the city to speaking with city officials on the importance of city services and infrastructure, Cole and his following are making a great impact on the city of Chicago.

For KemperLesnik, its organizations like My Block My Hood My City that make the Passion Project program such an impactful and fulfilling success.

For additional information on KemperLesnik and recommendations on how to create your own Passion Project, contact info@kemperlesnik.com