Zizzo Group Three PRSA Paragon Awards

MILWAUKEE – Zizzo Group Marketing + PR + New Media (ZGM+PR+NM) – the region’s most fearless, results-driven, integrated marketing firm – received awards for a social media campaign that helped to build excitement and launch a new restaurant and for its work with U.S. Cellular on its Calling All Communities campaign at the 2010 PRSA Paragon Awards.

ZGM+PR+NM’s work on the U.S. Cellular Calling All Communities campaign, a contest that awards $100,000 to 10 schools across the nation that obtain the most votes from their communities, earned two merit awards. One award was for ZGM+PR+NM’s quick and efficient efforts to inform communities across Wisconsin about the campaign. Within the 43 days of the campaign, ZGM+PR+NM garnered more than 70 media placements statewide, reaching nearly 2.25 million. Due in part to these efforts, Assumption High School in Wisconsin Rapids was one of the 10 Calling All Communities winners nationwide.

With Assumption High School’s win, ZGM+PR+NM was charged with managing media coverage surrounding a surprise event to announce the award. With less than 24 hours notice, and the challenge of keeping the event a surprise, ZGM+PR+NM strategically and delicately reached out to the news media, and successfully coordinated the surprise event. ZGM+PR+NM increased awareness of U.S. Cellular’s community contribution by capturing more than 2.8 million media impressions across the region.

ZGM+PR+NM also received an award of excellence for its social media campaign, “Cooking up Buzz in Milwaukee Through Twitter,” which used the social media tool to generate awareness and excitement for the launch of downtown Milwaukee restaurant, Ward’s House of Prime. The Ward’s House of Prime Twitter campaign successfully created an engaging online presence for the restaurant, boosted online word-of-mouth and helped drive diners to the restaurant and its website. Within 30 days of activation, @WardsMilwaukee had 180 followers who were members of the local target audiences.

“These PR campaigns are good examples of our results-driven capabilities,” said Lisa Ninmer, Vice President, Public Relations at ZGM+PR+NM. “For the Calling All Communities campaign, the team had to work closely with our media contacts throughout the state both to get the initial word out about the campaign and to keep the announcement of Assumption High School’s $100,000 win a surprise for the community. The launch of Ward’s House of Prime gave us the opportunity to use social media to reach our target audience and drive traffic to the restaurant.”

The PRSA Paragon Awards were created in 1983 to encourage members to strive for public relations excellence. The awards recognize outstanding work in the area of public relations, honor creative and strategic excellence, and encourage a higher level of performance among public relations professionals. A panel of judges evaluates the work in 26 categories based on research, analysis and planning, communication action, implementation and evaluation.

About Zizzo Group Marketing + PR + New Media

Zizzo Group Marketing + PR + New Media (ZGM+PR+NM, formerly Zizzo Group Advertising and PR) is the region’s most fearless, results-driven, integrated marketing agency. With the recent acquisition of EXCITE New Media – a leading strategic web, social media and digital marketing agency – ZGM+PR+NM has brought together unrivaled expertise across strategic marketing, public relations, media buying, creative services and new media development. The agency provides counsel to a wide range of regional and national business-to-business and consumer clients, creating programs that drive business and provide measureable results.

ZGM+PR+NM specializes in strategic marketing, advertising, public relations, media planning and buying, branding, research, online and social media, creative services and health care marketing.

A Future 50 Company and a top-10 Milwaukee-area advertising agency, ZGM+PR+NM works with many leading brands, including Adventist Midwest Health, Alliance Federated Energy, Aurora Health Care, Cox Communications, Fifth Third Bank, The Frontier Airlines Center (formerly the Midwest Airlines Center), Grant Thornton LLP, Hearst Corporation, Journal Communications, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Marquette University, McDonald’s Corporation, Media General, The Milwaukee Brewers, Mount Auburn Hospital, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, Tribune Company and U.S. Cellular. ZGM+PR+NM has been recognized as one of Milwaukee’s “Best Places to Work” by Milwaukee Magazine. For more information, visit www.zizzogroup.com.