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Brand Development

Today, the concept of a brand identity extends well beyond logos and color palettes into a natural and engaging interactive experience. That's why it is vitally important that a brand consistently fulfill a purpose from the start. In our brand development process we ask:

  • What are the current behaviors defining your brand?
  • What purpose does your brand fulfill in people's lives?
  • How do people experience your brand and how does the brand act and behave?
  • How does your brand exist as an animation or interface? How is it personified?
  • How social are you, and how do you add value to social networks? Are you a social network?
  • What useful tools or applications can you create that is of value to people in exchange for the right brand behavior?
  • How do you stay consistent across everything you do, and how does each effort serve as a force multiplier for the next?
  • Are you creating a conversation and earning media and attention?

Brand Design

Led by the results of the brand development process, our brand designers integrate web interfaces, social, mobile, web applications, retail applications, merchandising, digital and traditional forms of advertising into concerted programs and platforms that provide value in exchange for the desired brand behavior.

Campaigns

Grounded in the brand’s purpose, we unleash our media, technology, creative and strategic talent to develop campaign platforms that will reach, engage and drive the right behaviors. It's an approach that leads to consistent, integrated, brand experience campaigns that work for your brand, your internal systems, the sales force and ultimately the people who choose to consume your product or service. And thanks to our unique approach and in-house production capability, we’re able to deliver it for less.

Media Design

A core component to the development of our clients’ programs, our media design offering consists of planning and buying and spans across all channels and platforms. We design media-neutral programs and platforms where useful ideas can break through traditional constructs and serve a purpose in people's lives.

Retail/Shopper Marketing

Whether they are buying online, through mobile devices, word of mouth or at retail, our retail marketing offering starts with an understanding of shopper behavior that we derive through analytics, brand planning and shopper research. We then bring together retail, technology, creative and media talent to create integrated solutions – such as merchandising, POS displays, promotions, digital advertising, branded experiences, internal communications, production and channel marketing – to move someone from a shopper to a buyer.

Digital Advertising

While we are a full-service agency, we are also obsessed with redefining how people connect, interact, advocate, champion, review and improve brands within the digital realm. As a team, we seek to capitalize on the convergence of media, technology, creativity and strategy to create useful ideas that further a brand’s purpose in people’s lives. With a holistic approach to the digital landscape, we design and architect made-to-order, one-of-a-kind user experiences that range from mobile applications and widgets to web tools and microsites to full interfaces and e-commerce solutions. At Jacobson Rost, we don’t believe in bolting on a digital overlay. We believe in designing personal digital experiences.

Social

Not only do social networks move markets and lead opinions, but they can also provide our clients with the opportunity to listen, learn and converse with the community of potential and current consumers through a unique brand experience. Our social offering works together with interaction design to create useful ideas that keep the conversation moving forward to the benefit of the brand while delivering a return on interest and investment – especially as the next generation of social networkers evolve to become more transaction-focused.

Public Relations

Seeking to drive behaviors that further a brand's purpose in an increasingly complex world, our integrated public relations team works to develop breakthrough strategies and useful PR ideas that exceed expectations and embrace the full spectrum of media options.

Mobile

There are four billion mobile phones in people's hands today. Tomorrow promises many more. As marketing increasingly becomes more of a service, mobile devices provide the opportunity for our clients to deliver value through applications, promotions and other useful ideas that make life a little better. Our interaction design group – with licensed Apple® App designers – creates mobile interfaces to create rich experiences, sites, applications and integrated digital signage that can further a brand’s purpose, provide data and help your brand provide value in exchange for the right customer behavior.

Internal Communications

We often find the most useful ideas are those that help us get beer on the floor, nuts on the shelf or a boat engine into a dealer's showroom. We work upstream with our clients to ensure that the internal sales and distribution teams are informed and inspired to fulfill the brand's purpose through their daily efforts.

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Who We Are

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Ann Manzeck

Ann Manzeck

Senior Accounting Associate

With a sharp eye and an even sharper sense of humor, Ann has been handling the accounting and talent affairs on all of our client work since 2001.

She is inspired by the comforts of family, home and nature.

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Becky Dunton

Becky Dunton

Account Executive

Since joining JR in early 2005, Becky has helped develop brand positioning and marketing strategy, as well as advertising and marketing campaigns for a large part of our client portfolio – from Leinenkugel’s to Azteca Foods to Fisher Nuts to Mercury Marine.

She is inspired by the outdoors, so spends as much time as possible hiking, swimming and exploring state parks.

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Bianca Bertolini

Bianca Bertolini

Art Director

With a keen eye and enthusiastic approach, Bianca has brought a fresh design perspective to many of our beer and food brand assignments and has offered a helping hand on nearly every other account since her start in 2009.

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Brian Kayser

Brian Kayser

Senior Digital Developer

Brian has 8+ years experience in the industry, offering our clients the latest in digital development and interactive solutions. Brian works on digital projects throughout their complete development lifecycle, and ensures that our team remains ready for the ever-evolving digital future!

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Colette O’Dea

Colette O’Dea

Associate Media Director

Since her start in 2008, Colette has immersed herself in crafting sound marketing plans and leading media program development for a variety of our packaged goods and service accounts.

She is inspired by her son’s artwork, as it reminds her to enjoy life’s events as if she were experiencing them for the first time.

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Devin Wyngard

Devin Wyngard

Devin joined the JR team in the summer of 2011. With a passion for technology and the digital marketplace, Devin continues to push the envelope every day. As part of the media team he works on planning, managing and optimizing campaigns to achieve the best value possible for his clients.

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Janson Straub

Janson Straub

Associate Creative Director/Art Director

Janson joined Jacobson Rost in 2004 and quickly made a significant design impact on many of the agency’s key brands. His strong conceptual skills, amazing design sense and positive energy continue to make our team and our brands that much better.

This image reminds him that in life and bubble hockey, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

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Jeri Dale

Jeri Dale

Proofreader

Unendingly detailed, precise and resourceful, Jeri has made sure all of our i’s are dotted, t’s crossed and legal lines current since her start in 2006.

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Jerry Flemma

Jerry Flemma

President/COO

Upon graduating from Amherst College, Jerry started his advertising career at Interpublic Group's, Lintas: New York office working on the venerable Bayer Aspirin brand. Moving back to his hometown Milwaukee, Jerry joined the account service team at Cramer-Krasselt Milwaukee, developing consumer/trade brand strategy for brands such as GE Healthcare, Master Lock and Yamaha. Jerry joined Jacobson Rost in 1996 and led agency growth by adding clients such as Mercury Marine, Sargento Cheese, and Kohler Company. He became the agency's president/coo in 1999. Today Jerry works actively as a strategic planner on brands such as Johnson Controls, MillerCoors, works with clients on research development plans and supervises talent recruitment at the firm.

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Kathy Ruppenthal

Kathy Ruppenthal

Media Supervisor

Since joining the team in 2005, Kathy researches, recommends, buys and stewards all forms of media for a long list of clients, including Mercury Marine, Kalahari, Society Insurance, Port Washington State Bank and others.

She is inspired by both her kids and importance of a solid work ethic.

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Kurt Schultz

Kurt Schultz

Account Executive

Kurt joined our team in late 2006 and hasn’t stopped bringing energy and enthusiasm to his key accounts, including Leinenkugel’s, George Killian’s, Henry Weinhard’s, THE BOSS Snowplow, Old Wisconsin and Society Insurance.

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Mark DiPietro

Mark DiPietro

Associate Creative Director

Mark is a left-handed Steelers fan who joined our team in 2009. He continues to bring fresh thinking, solid writing and a wicked sense of humor to our beer and food brands, along with many others. He is inspired by the way an air hockey table and a fistful of quarters can transform grown men and women into six-year-olds.

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Mary Brophy

Mary Brophy

Director of Public Relations

Mary touches every account that has a PR element – from community relations and publicity support to crisis communications counseling and event PR. Her vast experience and flexible approach have well-served a roster of clients too long to list here.

She is inspired by the constant growth and change that gardening brings.

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Mike Dahl

Mike Dahl

Content Producer

As Content Producer, Mike manages and produces television, radio and digital projects for the agency. That covers cost estimates, budgeting, scheduling, timing, editing and occasionally plunging down a water slide with an HD camera strapped to his head.   

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Pat Goggin

Pat Goggin

Partner/ Chief Strategy Officer

Pat works with each client to explore what makes people tick in an effort to discover the role our clients’ products and services fulfill in their lives. At JR, Pat is passionately working to build an agency model that creates high-value ideas at a reasonable cost.

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Paula Hunsche

Paula Hunsche

Executive Media Director

Paula focuses on integrating the agency’s growing media capabilities in innovative ways that change how clients’ brands relate to consumers. She is also inspired by traveling, enjoying life, and creating memories with her family.

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Rhiannon Blawat

Rhiannon Blawat

Chief Financial Officer

With eleven years of experience in the professional service industry, Rhiannon came to Jacobson Rost to lead the finance department in March of 2011. She is using her expertise to make sound financial decisions and keep operations running smoothly. She is inspired through seeing the world through the eyes of her children.

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Rondell Prinsen

Rondell Prinsen

Human Resources/ Accounting Associate

Since 1991, Rondell has managed all of JR’s personnel responsibilities including, but not limited to, recruiting, employee relations and the management of personal information and benefits. She also assists with our agency’s accounting work.

She finds inspiration in her family, especially her grandson Parker.

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Sarah Trawicki

Sarah Trawicki

Sarah brings her extensive knowledge of the digital space as well as traditional media platforms to create the most effective and useful programs for JR’s clients. Since starting in 2011, she passionately works to build strategic plans that help achieve clients’ objectives though creative, thoughtful tactics. Sarah is inspired by traveling to new places with old friends, but up north Wisconsin remains her favorite getaway.

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Steve Simoncic

Steve Simoncic

Partner/ Chief Creative Officer

Steve guides the agency’s overarching creative strategy to ensure an idea is big enough to serve each brand’s touch points, channels and customer types. Since joining in 2009, he ensures each of our client’s assignments carry a simple, impactful message that drives consideration, visits and sales.

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Tarrah Singh Beyer

Tarrah Singh Beyer

Account Supervisor

Working with a range of food, beer and service brands since she started in 2005, Tarrah serves as a knowledgeable liaison between clients and the teams within JR to create effective connections with consumers.

She is inspired by new beginnings and the inner strength and confidence of which her two boys remind her.

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Tom Gorton

Tom Gorton

Creative Director

Since 2009, Tom has brought both a fresh perspective and a veteran’s sensibility to the JR team, making sure everything from broadcast elements to promotional programs consistently reflect each brand’s core purpose.

Tom is inspired when capturing genuine spontaneity.

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Toni Rahlf

Toni Rahlf

Senior Account Executive, Promotions

Since her start in 2005, Toni has brought both creativity and precision to her role as she manages the development and execution of promotional initiatives for our clients’ beer brands.

She is inspired by finding beauty in things we cannot plan or control.