Reilly Connect Scores Big Results for Kellogg’s with the Help of NBA Legend, Dominique Wilkins

Reilly Connect helped Kellogg’s  team up with famed NBA slam dunker, Dominique Wilkins, at the 2019 National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show on October 2 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. Wilkins’ attendance supported the launch of Kellogg’s® latest snack innovations Rice Krispies Treats® Dunk’d an indulgent confection bar with the irresistible combination of the classic Rice Krispies Treats® dunked in creamy goodness coming exclusively to convenience stores in early 2020.

Wilkins, who earned the nickname “The Human Highlight Film” for his highlight-worthy slam dunks, is one of the most respected players ever in the NBA and earned numerous accolades both during and after his career including a place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Wilkins is a staple in the Atlanta community having played for the Atlanta Hawks for eleven seasons and currently serves as the team’s vice president on the executive staff.

Reilly Connect’s  powerhouse traditional and social media experts broke through the competitive media clutter by putting NBA-Legend Dominique Wilkins front and center as part of  our strategy to draw  prominent focus  on Dunk’d.  We achieved 128,671,676 media impression via an all-out media blitz with on-site registered media, powerful snack influencers and by mobilizing interest via custom content on Wilkins Instagram page.    

“Teaming up with Dominique helped us put a full court press on our media outreach efforts across traditional and social media channels,” said Susan Reilly.  “In addition to helping us score big, Dominique Wilkins was a true pleasure to work with and an inspiration to all given his immense accomplishments following his monumental success in the NBA as an inspirational speaker, successful entrepreneur and doer of lots of good works,” said Reilly.

Reilly Connect Awarded PRSA Silver Anvil For Its Work To Support Kellogg’s & Girls Scouts In NYC Homeless Shelters

Reilly Connect was awarded a prestigious Silver Anvil from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for its work on behalf of Kellogg’s and Girl Scouts Troop 6000 intended to serve girls living in the New York City homeless shelter system. 

In April of 2018, Kellogg’s held Troop 6000’s five-day cookie sale event at the Kellogg’s New York City Café in Union Square and set out to help the girls sell 6,000 boxes of cookies through a local and social media blitz along with “real time” video content. More than 420 million media impressions were generated by PR teams in Chicago and New York which snowballed into national media coverage showing its heartfelt support for Troop 6000. The results: Troop 6000 sold nearly 36,000 boxes of cookies over the five-day event. 

“Nearly 40 percent of people living in homeless shelters in New York City alone are children according to the Coalition for Homelessness,” said Susan Reilly, president, Reilly Connect. “Our team put its heart and soul into playing a small part to help these young girls experience glimmers of joy and success during a difficult time in their lives.”

Since 1944, the Silver Anvil – which symbolizes the forging of public opinion – has been annually awarded to organizations that have successfully addressed contemporary issues with exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness. Silver Anvil Awards recognize complete programs that incorporate sound insights and analysis, planning, execution and evaluation. They must meet the highest standards of performance in the profession.

“We really appreciate Kellogg’s giving us the opportunity to help demonstrate its support of young girls through its commitment to Girl Scouts and specifically Troop 6000,” said Reilly. “Our firm is devoted to #PurposefulPR and this effort to help children living in homeless shelters further validates our mission and vision,” added Reilly. 

The Silver Anvil Award Ceremony was held on June 6th at the Edison Ballroom in the heart of Manhattan. To view all PRSA 2019 Silver Anvil Finalists and Winners visit:  http://anvils.prsa.org/silver-anvil-awards/2019-silver-anvil-finalists.

Reilly Connect Named PRSA 2019 Silver Anvil Finalist for Kellogg’s Support of GIRL SCOUTS LIVING IN NYC homeless shelters FIRST COOKIE SALE

Reilly Connect was recently named by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) as a Silver Anvil Award Finalist for our work on behalf of Kellogg’s and its support of Girl Scouts of Greater New York (GSGNY) Troop 6000’s first-ever cookie sale. Troop 6000 is specially-designed to serve the thousands of girls living in the New York City homeless shelter system. Started in February 2017, Troop 6000 meets weekly in shelters across the city and is led by trained troop leaders – women and mothers also living in the shelter. Kellogg’s hosted Troop 6000’s five-day cookie sale event at the Kellogg’s New York City Café Union Square in April 2018. 

Reilly Connect collaborated with Anthem Worldwide and was given the charge to help Kellogg’s build awareness and to encourage people to buy cookies during the five-day cookie selling event. We blitzed local and social media with a predisposed interest in Girl Scouts and the homelessness. Reilly Connect’s video production experts extended the story reach beyond local New York media through creation of original video content about Troop 6000 and the cookie sale. The Cafe helped mobilized Union Square businesses and residents and inspired prominent influencers to share information about the event across social channels. The availability of ordering cookies digitally was also promoted.

The girls set out to sell 6,000 boxes of cookies. The efforts of our Chicago and New York-based teams collectively generated 420 million media impressions. The coverage spurred hundreds of people each day to visit the Cafe to buy cookies and thousands to post comments and words of encouragement to the girls across social media. Troop 6000 sold over 32,569 boxes of cookies.

“Reilly Connect is focused on purposeful PR and the results of this event are testimony to our devotion to work with clients like Kellogg’s who are dedicated to making the world a better place,” said Susan Reilly, President, Reilly Connect. “The joy and excitement on the faces of these beautiful girls during a difficult time in their lives will forever be a cherished career memory.”

The Silver Anvil Awards Ceremony will be held on June 6 at the Edison Ballroom, 240 West 47th Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue, in New York City. Silver Anvil winners and Award of Excellence recipients will be announced at that time, along with the “Best Of” Silver Anvil.

“We are particularly proud to be among the prestigious list of agencies who have also been named as finalists,” added Susan Reilly.

To view all PRSA 2019 Silver Anvil Finalists visit: http://anvils.prsa.org/silver-anvil-awards/2019-silver-anvil-finalists

Susan Reilly To Participate In Innovative Marketing Panel At 2018 Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) Annual Conference

Susan Reilly, President & Founder of Reilly Connect will participate in the “Innovations in Business Marketing” panel of experts at the Women’s Business Development Conference Connect & Celebrate: Chicago Conference. The WBDC Connect & Celebrate: Chicago Conference is the annual gathering of local and regional women business owners and corporate, government, and community partners who gather for a day of learning, connecting, and celebrating.   

“I am really honored to be invited by WBDC to be part of this panel and to share my love for marketing and expertise along with the other esteemed panelists,” said Reilly. The session is scheduled for Friday, September 14 at 2:00 p.m. and will be led by moderator Matthew Doubleday, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Wintrust Financial Corporation. Ms. Reilly will be joined by panelists Lisa Emerick, Former Associate Publisher, Crain’s Chicago Business and Jean Marie Saidler, Founder/President, JMS Marketing, Inc.  

Click here to register and learn more about the 2018 WBDC Chicago Conference.

Sweet News Helps Girl Scout Troop Started in NYC Homeless Shelters with First Cookie Selling Program

If you need a story rooted in kindness and goodwill to restore any wavering faith in mankind then the success of Girl Scout Troop 6000’s first-ever Cookie Selling Program may be a welcome respite from the negative media chatter across all channels. Here’s the sweet scoop:

Girl Scout Troop 6000 recently kicked off their first ever Girl Scout Cookie Program® with an original goal of selling 6,000 boxes of cookies over a six day period. The new Kellogg's® NYC Café, an immersive brick-and-mortar cereal café in the Union Square neighborhood served as the perfect stage for Troop 6000 to test their cookie selling skills. What is unique about Troop 6000 which is part of Girl Scouts of Greater New York (GSGNYC) is that it is specially designed to serve the thousands of girls living in the New York City homeless shelter system. Each week, Troop 6000 meets in shelters across the city, led by trained troop leaders – women and mothers also living in the shelter. Troop 6000 was established in March 2017 through a partnership between New York City’s Department of Homeless Services, the Girl Scouts of Greater New York and Mayor Bill de Blasio and today includes over 300 members. 

Reilly Connect in collaboration with Kellogg’s, GSGNYC and its PR team blitzed the media to spread the word about Troop 6000’s cookie selling attempt. Hundreds of people lined up each day to open their hearts to Troop 6000 and to satisfy their love for Girl Scout Cookies while helping the girls reach their goal. As the news coverage spread each day so did the lines. By week’s end Troop 6000 had sold 32,569 boxes of cookies thanks to the generous people of New York who came in droves and the monumental positive traditional and social media coverage that inspired them. The coverage came in multiple waves and continued well beyond the cookie selling event to include follow up stories reporting on Troop 6000's success. More than 82 stories were generated across television, print and social media. Stories spread to ten local markets and to date more than 450 million media impressions have been generated. 

The girls of Troop 6000 showed their sales grit, the people of New York stood in line patiently with smiles and warmth to showed their love for the girls and to stock up on their favorite cookies. Our collective PR teams showed our resilience at flawlessly managing the media bombardment. Reilly's video production talent also created shareable video content on the spot to help tell the wonderful success story of Troop 6000’s Cookie Selling program to media who could not attend extending the reach of our efforts well beyond New York.

Girl Scouting build girls of courage, confidence and character to make the world a better place. Girl Souting is for girls and gives all girls a voice. The Girl Scouts of Troop 6000 shouted loud and clear. Their voices were heard and people listened and responded with kindness and generosity. Reilly Connect's teams in New York and Chicago were so honored and proud to be part of this life-changing week for these girls and their efforts to make the world a better place were felt by all.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program® is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world—and helps girls earn money for educational activities, community projects and travel opportunities. All net revenue raised from cookie sales (100 percent) stays with the local councils and troops. Kellogg® is the parent company of Little Brownie Bakers®, which is licensed by Girl Scouts of the USA, and has been baking Girl Scout Cookies since 1973.

Reilly Helps Kellogg's & Girl Scouts Slam Dunk Guinness World Record

More than 3,200 Girl Scouts, family members and friends of Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GSGCNWI) joined together on January 6 to break  the Guinness World Record for most cookies dunked in milk at one time. The dunk, which took place at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL, was part of the GSGCNWI Cookie Rally to kick off its 2018 Girl Scouts Cookie Program. Reilly team was tapped by Kellogg’s to collaborate with the Girls Scouts of Greater Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana on media outreach surrounding the record-breaking event.

“Our team showed its video production and media relations chops again at this really fun event filled with young girls, their families and friends all with sparkles in their eyes as they prepared to make history,” said Susan Reilly, President Reilly Connect.  “We were PR challenged because the event was the Saturday after New Year’s when so many people were on holiday singing fa-la-la-la la or Auld Lang Syne so we tapped our mobile production team to capture the event and pushed out footage with wonderful shots and comments from the girls.” 

 The media relations’ team effort resulted in 18 traditional and online media placement including:  NBC News 5, ABC7 Eyewitness News, Fox News Chicago, Time Inc.’s Food & Wine, the Daily Herald  and the Chicago Tribune totaling approximately 15 million impression.

“Our combined forces with the GSGCN PR team really ignited our media success,” said Reilly.  “The substantial coverage is testimony to our media relationships in Chicago and our mobile production capabilities which helped us secure same day coverage since crews were tight.” 

Pictured from left to right: Nancy Wright, CEO, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana; Girl Scout Clodagh Sampin of Troop 20277; Girl Scouts Colleen Marks and Madeline Melzer of Troop 20804; and Wendy Davidson, President, U.S. Specialty Channels, Kellogg Company, celebrating the record-breaking win—setting the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for most cookies dunked in milk at one time.

Note: Little Brownie Bakers®, a Division of Kellogg’s®, is licensed to provide Girl Scout Cookies for Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

Reilly Gives TheFitExpo™ PR & Social Media Muscle

More than 15,000 fitness enthusiasts pressed the flesh earlier this month at TheFitExpo Chicago—one of the largest, most interactive health and wellness events in the Midwest. The event, now in its third year, included a star-studded celebrity line-up. Topping the list of the buff and tough world-famous athletes were Tae Bo® creator Billy Blanks, 4x Mr. Olympia Champion Jay Cutler, vibrant group fitness instructor Jessie Hilgenberg and emerging talent, professional athlete and trainer King Pito Gator.

“Team Reilly was tapped because of our multi-channel marketing expertise and experience as health and wellness public relations experts,” said Susan Reilly, President, Reilly Connect. “As an experienced Chicago Public Relations Agency, our team ignited advanced  and onsite marketing efforts through a mix of influencer marketing , social media conversations and traditional publicity.”

The two-day event, held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, brought the heat to Chicago to jump start summer fitness for attendees ranging from bodybuilders and powerlifters to jiu-jitsu and karate participants, personal trainers, group exercise instructors and competitive athletes. The Expo provided various types of entertainment including fitness competitions, group exercise workouts, healthy eating demonstrations and family-oriented fun. Around 600 unique exhibitors showcased the latest in health and fitness services and products.

Coverage highlights included: WGN’s Maggie Carlo putting her athletic prowess into play with a live feature segment starring Billy Blanks; King Pito Gator opening up about his personal transformation from being a victim of domestic abuse to becoming a fitness guru on a live talkback segment with ABC7; And bodybuilding dancers, The Brutez, strutting their stuff on Windy City Live sparking coverage engagement across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Team Reilly also took advantage of Snapchat by sharing multiple video snippets of Billy Blanks leading his group workouts.

“It was great seeing fitness icon Billy Blanks reach the eyeballs of almost 75,000 viewers in minutes on Chicago’s very own Snap Story,” said Reilly. “Snapchat gave the event a bump while showing us the power of celebrity influencers.”

TheFitExpo™ is produced by National Fitness Productions and continues to be on the cutting edge of everything fitness. TheFitExpo™ takes place in six markets across the U.S including: San Jose, Anaheim, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Chicago. TheFitExpo™ will return to the West Coast at the San Jose Convention Center July 29-30, 2017.

Susan Reilly To Present Influencer Marketing Expertise At Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition 2017

Susan Reilly, Reilly Connect’s President and Founder, will share the agency’s insights as influencer marketing experts at this year’s 2017 Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition (IRCE). The session, Fire Up Your E-Commerce Sales with Influencer Marketing, will take place on June 8, 10:30 AM at McCormick Place West, Chicago. Co-presenting with Reilly is Chief Marketing Officer of Industry West, Ian Leslie. Together, the duo will topline influencer marketing strategic planning, budgeting, and measurement along with success stories.  

“Influencer marketing has been getting a great deal of attention, yet it’s still not well understood,” said Reilly.  “Ian and I know from experience that influencers can educate your target audience and inspire them to learn more and trigger sales—but where to start can be daunting. Our session is designed to quantify the tools, talent, time, technology and financial resources needed to include a smart influencer strategy as part of a brand’s marketing mix,” added Reilly.

Celebrating its eleventh year in Chicago, the IRCE is the world’s largest e-Commerce event with 9,700+ attendees, 600 exhibitors and more than 200 speakers. Over four days, the IRCE will bring together the brightest minds and most innovative strategies in a series of course-changing, global events.

“Whether you are a marketer with senior-level expertise, or just launching your career in internet marketing, influencer marketing is a powerful way to get people with the same affinities to talk about your brand with authenticity and credibility,” said Reilly.  “Our session has seats for 1,000 so register now and get there early to learn more,” added Reilly. 

Learn more about attendance here.

Susan Reilly Accepted Into Forbes Agency Council

Forbes Agency Council Is an Invitation-Only Community for Executives in Successful Public Relations, Media Strategy, Creative and Advertising Agencies

Susan Reilly, Reilly Connect’s President and Founder, has been accepted into the Forbes Agency Council, an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies.

Reilly joins other Forbes Agency Council members, who are hand-selected, to become part of a curated network of successful peers and get access to a variety of exclusive benefits and resources, including the opportunity to submit thought leadership articles and short tips on industry-related topics for publishing on Forbes.com.

“It is great to be accepted into the Forbes Agency Council,” said Reilly.  “We have been at the forefront of rethinking the approach to communications, marketing and public relations, using data-driven insights, analytics and technology as integral parts of our creative solutions. We look forward to a healthy exchange of knowledge and success traversing a complicated and changing terrain.”

Forbes Councils combines an innovative, high-touch approach to community management perfected by the team behind Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) with the extensive resources and global reach of Forbes. As a result, Forbes Councils members get access to the people, benefits and expertise they need to grow their businesses — and a dedicated member concierge who acts as an extension of their own team, providing personalized one-on-one support.

Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, says, “We are honored to welcome Susan Reilly into the community. Our mission with Forbes Councils is to curate successful professionals from every industry, creating a vetted, social, capital-driven network that helps every member make an even greater impact on the business world.”

About Forbes Councils

Forbes partnered with the founders of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) to launch Forbes Councils, invitation-only communities for world-class business professionals in a variety of industries. Members, who are hand-selected by each Council’s community team, receive personalized introductions to each other based on their specific needs and gain access to a wide range of business benefits and services, including best-in-class concierge teams, personalized connections, peer-to-peer learning, a business services marketplace, and the opportunity to share thought leadership content on Forbes.com. For more information about Forbes Agency Council, visit https://forbesagencycouncil.com/. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com.

Reilly Connect Welcomes Digital Planalyst Sam Arieven

Sam Arieven recently joined Reilly Connect as a digital planaylst, playing a key role in the planning and managing of our paid, owned and earned media campaigns. Sam supports Reilly’s senior digital strategy team and takes a prominent role in supporting our account teams by identifying, targeting and managing Reilly’s influencer marketing campaigns.

Sam was previously a digital media planning assistant at Mediacom in New York where he worked on the day-to-day management of multiple campaigns on the firm’s largest account, Bayer Pharmaceuticals. While with Mediacom, Sam managed a variety of paid digital initiatives with varying strategies and objectives and obsessed on a daily basis about hitting each campaign’s KPIs. Sam's brand experience on Bayer included: Aleve, Alka-Seltzer, Bayer Aspirin, Phillips, Miralax, Berocca and the Coppertone portfolios. Across these campaigns, partners ranged from smaller programmatic ad networks to larger direct partners, including Amazon, YouTube, Yahoo, Time Inc. and many more. Sam’s digital media and brand management expertise will help Reilly Connect provide clients with the finest counsel and approach to utilizing influencer marketing.

“Reilly Connect affords me the opportunity to work across multiple channels within digital media and learn as much about the industry as possible at a fast pace,” said Sam Arieven.

Sam holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Communications Arts from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He has also completed coursework at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. In addition to serving as a valuable resource to Reilly Connect, Sam enjoys listening to music and has a strong interest in professional sports. While a native of the East Coast, Sam loves the Midwest and is enjoying his new home on Chicago's north side.  

Ike Reilly Heard and Seen on I Am Chris Farley Documentary Premier’s Tonight on Spike TV

I Am Chris Farley, a new documentary detailing the behind-the-scenes story of comedic genius Chris Farley, features a touching musical tribute and candid interviews by artist and songwriter, Ike Reilly. The title track song, “Born on Fire,” is also on Ike’s recently released album of the same name—on Firebrand Records, a newly launched label founded by Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave and Ryan Harvey of the Riot-Folk Collective in collaboration with Rock Ridge Records.  

“Ike serves as Reilly Connect’s creative director on broadcast campaigns and always brings a fresh and slightly quirky perspective to our client assignments," said Susan Reilly, President. "His unparalleled skill in bringing together copy, music, and—when appropriate—laugh-out-loud humor, results in killer creative that is both memorable and motivating."

I am Chris Farley is a beautiful collection of interviews from friends and family and is an honest portrayal of his genius and his demons. Along with Ike’s music, he is interviewed as part of the documentary reflecting on his friendship and college days with Chris at Marquette University.  

You can download “Born on Fire” for free from the documentary’s website. I Am Chris Farley making its world television premiere on Spike TV, Monday, August 10, at 9pm ET/PT.

Reilly Connect Tapped As Uno Pizzeria's Creative Agency

Reilly Connect announced today that it was selected to handle advertising creative development for Boston-based Uno Pizzeria and Grill.

Reilly Connect’s President, Susan Reilly, was anything but cheesy when she said, "We took a quirky approach to this pitch to showcase our strengths at entertaining consumers with simple humor and an element of fantasy. Pizza is just a happy food and pizza lovers are like a cult. With Uno's deep dish heritage in Chicago and our killer creative team, we easily tapped deeply into our own passion for pizza as we approached this competitive pitch.”

Dee Hadley, chief marketing officer for Uno’s stated, "We wanted a creative team that showed the same passion for this assignment as we do and Reilly Connect did just that. With the Reilly Connect team led by accomplished creative director and artist, Ike Reilly, the pitch was one of the most unique we have seen in our history and certainly among the five competing agencies."

The campaign includes television, radio, and brand activations with a late summer target launch date.  

“The Uno’s win speaks to Reilly Connect's creative strength and   continued success helping new and established consumer brands develop successful campaigns across multiple channels including traditional and digital advertising, brand activations, social media and PR.  

Founded in 1943 by Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo, Uno’s soon became Chicago’s finest Deep Dish pizzeria restaurant, introducing a trick where the crust curved up the sides of the deep metal pan. Uno’s has grown from a small pizzeria started in Chicago to 132 restaurants. Today, Uno’s still draws its identity and inspiration from the artisan heritage of the original. Each restaurant still makes its deep dish pizza dough fresh every morning.

Reilly Receives Certification from Women's Business Enterprise National Council

Reilly Connect received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). WBENC was founded in 1997 and is the nation’s leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America’s corporations.  

"As a firm that is 100% women-owned, the WBENC certification and resources will help us introduce our talented team of integrated digital communications experts to companies and government agencies who are truly devoted to giving highly-qualified firms an opportunity to show their commitment to supplier diversity," said Susan Reilly, president and founder. “This certification also aligns well with our expertise at marketing to women whether through paid, owned or earned campaigns,” added Reilly.

Susan Reilly Named One of Top Women in PR by PR News

Susan Reilly, president and founder, Reilly Connect was among the finalists of PR News’ first-ever Top Women in PR Awards program.  The honorees are for women who have made bold advances in managing crises, developing brand messages, protecting and building brand reputations and creating content for digital platforms - for their own organizations or for clients.

“Women have been the backbone of the industry since Ben Franklin was named the Father of Public Relations so it is really an honor to be among the immensely talented honorees,” said Susan Reilly.  “Many of us are equally as brilliant as Ben and most are better looking,” said Reilly.

Reilly Connect is an award-winning digital communications and marketing agency committed to helping brands rethink their approach to communications, marketing and public relations, using data-driven insights, analytics and technology as integral parts of our creative solutions. We help brands develop valuable relationships and deliver the promise of hope, inspiration, trust, confidence, happiness, and pleasure. With a strong heritage in consumer public relations, we are experts at making headlines. Our competitive advantage is having the know-how to parlay those headlines into digital communications and marketing campaigns.

Finalists will be honored on February 27th, 2015 at the Grand Hyatt in New York City at an awards luncheon

Reilly Connect Taps Internet Marketing Strategist, Zack Reboletti

Reilly Connect is pleased to welcome Zack Reboletti, who brings eight years of online marketing expertise, including responsive websites development, search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising, and email marketing campaigns.

“Zack’s diverse online marketing experience in managing both paid and organic search campaigns will help us provide clients with the best counsel and approach to integrating SEM into an overall marketing plan,” said Susan Reilly, President of Reilly Connect. “He has unparalleled passion for digital marketing and an exceptional ability to translate key information needed to make informed decisions about SEM, which is a vital asset for clients beginning to develop an effective online marketing strategy and plan.”

Zack brings diverse experience to Reilly Connect with a particular expertise helping mid-sized businesses grow using up-to-date and ethical SEO as well as other internet marketing strategies. His online marketing career began in 2006 launching a successful online gaming company which he eventually sold in 2010. Since that time, Zack has developed and executed digital marketing campaigns for hundreds of different business, from brick-and-mortar to Fortune 500 companies.

“Zack’s entrepreneurial spirit and business savvy will be a great complement to our team of experts,” said Reilly.

Zack received his Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Psychology from the University of Dayton.

Reilly Connect Powers Creative Team with Diane Ruggie & Sally Weingartner

Reilly Connect is pleased to welcome Diane Ruggie (left) and Sally Weingartner as Senior Creative Strategists. Ruggie and Weingartner bring over 30 combined years of CPG experience with some of the world’s largest and most trusted brands, including Aveeno, Roc, Purpose, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Hanes Brands, Rubbermaid, Sears, General Mills, H&R Block, Safeway, Lenscrafters, Dial, The Clorox Company, Discover Card, Dell, Alltel, American Cancer Society, Alzheimer’s Association, Ameriquest, Bally Shoes, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Busch Gardens, Department of Health and Human Services, Disney Home Video, Gatorade, JCPenney, LifeSource, Milton Bradley, Nokia, and Sears.

“Diane and Sally bring exemplary talent and experience that will help our clients with CPG products targeted to women, do a laser focus on the female point of view and ultimately improve customer engagement and drive action,” said Susan Reilly, President,  Reilly Connect. “The addition of this powerhouse team to our creative talent pool is in line with our continued commitment to identifying specialized senior level resources to help us exceed  client expectations.”

Ruggie and Weingartner were both formerly with DDB Worldwide Communications: Ruggie as Senior Vice President and Group Creative Director and Sally as a Vice President and Creative Director. Their collective talents have earned them a number of awards and recognitions, including several Effies, Addys, Clios, Pinnacles, and London International Awards.

Diane holds a Master of Science in Advertising degree and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism degree from Northwestern University. Sally attended Carnegie Mellon University, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting and Drawing.

Welcome Sam Karow, Reilly Connect’s Senior Media Executive

Sam Karow recently joined Reilly Connect as a senior media executive bringing 20 years of experience consulting, and building innovative, award-winning marketing programs for consumer goods, retail and travel services that have surpassed brand and business goals and exceeded client expectations.

“Reilly Connect tapped Sam to be part of our senior strategic team to help our clients improve effectiveness and accountability across digital and traditional paid media programs along with his expertise leading responsive digital marketing campaigns,”           said Susan Reilly, president, Reilly Connect. “Sam understands the roles of consumer-centricity and analytics in the advertising process and has deep experience in dynamic digital message and data strategies and measurement.”

Sam was previously a media director at Starcom MediaVest Group, the world’s largest media agency, where he led media teams on Proctor and Gamble, Gillette, Kellogg’s, Sara Lee, Miller Brewing, Hanes and others. In addition to serving as a key resource to Reilly Connect, Sam is also a partner at Billups Design.  Established in 2003, Billups develops enterprise websites and ads responsive to consumer needs and devices to embrace and accelerate their journey. Their clients include: Hyatt, Sears, Alliant Credit Union, Algar Ferrari and many others.

“Sam is a remarkable strategic thinker and problem-solver,” said Reilly, “His addition to Reilly Connect as a media adviser will help us bring invaluable insights to our clients as we collaborate to shape their marketing and media plans and ultimately boost the bottom line.”

Sam holds a Masters of Science degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising from Michigan State University.

Reilly Connect Moves to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile

Reilly Connect officially moved to its new location at 625 North Michigan Ave on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. The relocation team, headed by Daniel Richardson, operations manager spent the last year scouring the city in search of the ideal location. The goal was to find space with a contemporary and professional feel that would help motivate and inspire our teams to work in collaboration and to support Reilly Connect’s continued growth.

“We love the vibe on North Michigan Avenue during the day and the twinkling lights at night and being a stone’s throw from Eataly sealed the deal,” said Susan Reilly President, Reilly Connect. “Our new space is open and airy with great views and puts us in a terrific position to accommodate our growing team of professionals,” added Reilly.

Reilly Connect Wins Public Relations Society of America Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation for Documentary on Portillo’s History

Reilly Connect is the proud recipient of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation for its work on behalf of Portillo’s. The award was given to Reilly Connect for production of the 22-minute documentary, “Portillo’s: Fifty Years in the Making” airing on NBC-TV 5 Chicago December 7th, 2013. The award of commendation recognizes those who excel at video programs directed primarily at external audiences. Reilly Connect was the only winner in PRSA’s Bronze Anvil “External Video Programs” category.

“We are particularly pleased to be named a recipient of the Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation, because Portillo’s is such an American dream story and we were honored to tell it for Dick Portillo, founder and president, said Susan Reilly, president, Reilly Connect and executive producer of the documentary. “Winning in this category is further testimony to the breadth and depth of talent Reilly Connect’s video production team brings to our clients.”

Reilly Connect wrote and produced “Portillo’s: Fifty Years in the Making” which tells the inspirational story of company founder and president, Dick Portillo, and how he parlayed an $1100 investment, into one of the most successful privately-held restaurant chains in America.  A true “rags to riches” documentary, Reilly Connect showcased key chapters in Portillo’s 50 year history through stories told by Dick Portillo and his wife Sharon, Portillo’s employees, and Portillo’s cult-like customers accompanied with nostalgic photos, animation, and original music.

Reilly Connect Launches Brand Activation for AmLactin® Alpha-Hydroxy Skin Care at More Magazine/Fitness Magazine Health and Wellness Expo in NYC

Reilly Connect helped AmLactin® Alpha-Hydroxy Skin Care put its products into the hands of thousands of women as part of the More Magazine/Fitness Magazine 2014 Health and Wellness Expo on April 11 and 12 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC.  Reilly spearheaded the custom creation of the “AmLactin Soft Skin Bar,” where over 12,000 attendees were invited to indulge in a complimentary hand massage with AmLactin.  The Expo led up to the 11th Annual More Magazine/Fitness Magazine Women’s Half-Marathon, the largest women’s half-marathon in the country  which was held on April 13.

“AmLactin sponsorship of the More Magazine/Fitness Magazine Women’s Health and Wellness Expo was a great opportunity to get thousands of women to experience the powerful exfoliating and moisturizing benefits of AmLactin moisturizers first hand,” said Susan Reilly, president, Reilly Connect.  “What better way is there to accomplish this than to treat them to a relaxing hand massage with the product itself?”

Highlights of the Expo sponsorship included the “AmLactin Power Hour” seminars on the Expo stage, featuring AmLactin Brand Ambassadors, 5-time Olympic swimmer and best-selling author, Dara Torres, and leading New York cosmetic dermatologist, Dr. Doris Day.  Torres spoke to an audience with standing room only of overcoming obstacles and achieving dreams at any age. Dr. Day shared professional insights on skin care for runners.