New Goodwill Campaign From Solve Freshens Brand, Activates Mission

Long known as a place to drop off gently used donations when decluttering your home, Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota looks more like an eclectic retailer for millennials in new work from Solve. The new campaign was created to drive home the purpose of Goodwill, which is eliminating barriers to help people get jobs. While not widely known, the workforce training and services Goodwill provides sets it apart from other charities.

“We needed to evolve our brand perception to better align with our mission. Since 1919, we’ve been transforming lives by eliminating barriers to work. When you donate or shop at Goodwill, you help Minnesotans go to work,” said Melissa Becker, Marketing and Communications Director, Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota. With over 50 retail stores throughout Minnesota, the organization helps move 4 people into the workforce every single day.

The new campaign includes television, OOH, and video content for digital and social. A partnership with St. Paul’s Lake Monster Brewing has outfitted the brewer’s taproom with soft seating sourced from area Goodwill retail stores. Taproom POS carries the message that all items are for sale from Goodwill with proceeds going to its local services and programs.

“HOW IT ALL ADDS UP” :30 TV

Lake Monster Brewing “Taproom Installation”

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Solve recently wrapped filming new work for client Indian Motorcycle with award-winning, Los Angeles-based RSA Films. The campaign represents the initial work from Solve since winning the account in late 2017. The production also marks the first commercial work of acclaimed actor and motorcycle enthusiast Ewan McGregor, who recently joined RSA’s directorial roster. The production took place on location in California. The 2018 campaign will debut on television and print this spring.

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A group of True Value Associates gathered recently outside the Retail Support Center in Chicago with well-wishing signs and cheers. The gathering was a sendoff for President & CEO John Hartmann, as he embarked on a cross-country Town Hall bus tour to meet with True Value Retailers. The tour will give Retailers the chance to further discuss the benefits and opportunities regarding the company’s proposed partnership with private equity investment firm ACON International.

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Solve welcomes Pedro Bacic as Associate Creative Director/Art Director. He joins the agency from Leo Burnett in Chicago where he spent the last 5 years. Bacic has worked on an impressive roster of brands during his career, including Samsung, Chevrolet, Ford and McDonald’s. He began his advertising career in Brazil at JWT, before relocating to the U.S., where he worked at DDB Miami. “We’re excited to have Pedro on our staff,” said Managing Creative Director Hans Hansen. “His international experience and strong creative agency pedigree will have a great impact on our work.” Bacic’s passions outside of advertising include playing guitar, traveling and spending time with his family, who will be relocating to Minneapolis to join him in early April.

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Top Ten Craft Brewery Takes Bold Step To Tackle Mainstream Beer Market

Solve’s campaign for Founders Brewing Company’s new premium lager, Solid Gold, highlights the brewery’s hell-bent philosophy of taking risks. Representing an active play from Founders to go after a larger segment of beer drinkers outside the confines of craft, Solid Gold is a departure from the Grand Rapids, MI-based brewery’s typical lineup of bold, heavy hitting ales. It’s their take on a classic, mass style – a drinkable premium lager brewed with the highest quality ingredients. Anchored by the tagline “Brewed To Take On Life,” the beer’s messaging centers around ignoring the voice inside your head that urges you to play it safe. The campaign breaks March 5, in conjunction with Solid Gold’s national distribution rollout.

MediaPost has the full story – head to their site to learn more about the story behind Solid Gold.

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NPR Shares Story Of Copywriter’s North Korean Hockey Adventure

Solve copywriter Alex Frecon was recently interviewed by NPR regarding his 2017 trip to play hockey in North Korea. The interview is being broadcast on NPR programs “Only A Game” and “Here & Now” reaching NPR’s national audience throughout the Winter Olympic Games.

A native Minnesotan, Frecon responded to a post on Reddit asking “Hey, who wants to come to North Korea to play hockey with me?” The post, from Scott Howe of the Canada-based Howe International Friendship League, was more than hockey fanatic and beer league veteran Alex could ignore. And the rest, as the NPR interview explains, is a colorful adventure story of how Alex Frecon traveled to Pyongyang, site of the North Korean national hockey rink, to play a series of “friendlies” against the North Korean National Team. Listen to the full interview and see video coverage of the entire trip to North Korea at Boston’s NPR News Station WBUR.

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Solve welcomes Rachel Madden as Account Director. She joins the agency from Catapult Marketing where she led the Nestlé account. Madden brings additional high-caliber brand experience having worked on Walgreen’s, Campbell’s and Clorox earlier in her career. Well-versed throughout the marketing funnel, Madden has a proven track record of significantly contributing to her clients’ success. A graduate of Ithaca College in New York, Madden played collegiate rugby while earning her degree in International Relations. “Rachel has a keen mind and a strong sense of urgency – we value both,” said Solve CEO and founder, John Colasanti. “We’re excited to have her join our team as we look toward great things in 2018,” he added.

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Florida-based Financial Services Firm Chooses Solve Following National Search

Raymond James, a premier financial services firm, has awarded agency-of-record duties for its national advertising account to Minneapolis-based Solve following a competitive review led by search consultancy The Burnett Collective. Known for their client-first commitment and customer service orientation, Raymond James financial advisors are among the industry leaders in client satisfaction and reputation. The St. Petersburg, FL-based firm reported record net revenues and net income for fiscal year 2017.

“We believe that Raymond James occupies a unique space in our industry, providing advisors innovative resources and advanced technologies so that they can offer their clients both sophisticated and personalized advice and service,” said Mike White, Chief Marketing Officer of Raymond James. “After a thorough review, we were very impressed with Solve’s understanding of our brand, mission and culture. They demonstrated provocative creative thinking and a deep understanding of what makes us different to a growing number of financial advisors and their clients,” said White.

“In our business, we’re exposed to a vast number of client corporate cultures,” said Solve CEO and founder John Colasanti. “Raymond James’ culture is unlike any other in its unwavering commitment to their financial advisors and their clients. It’s no wonder they have such high satisfaction ratings. Their client-first culture is the very foundation of a powerful brand story we’re eager to begin sharing,” added Colasanti.

As national agency-of-record, Solve is responsible for all creative, media, research and digital deliverables.

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Campaign Marks First Work From Agency Following Account Win

Inspired Closets, a premium brand within the $10 billion home storage and organization category, is unveiling a national campaign this week from new AOR, Minneapolis-based Solve. Sold through a selective network of branded dealers across the country, Michigan-based Inspired Closets offers custom-designed closets as well as pantries, mudrooms, laundry rooms and garages.

“The closet is a room that’s easy to overlook; we’re going to change that. Inspired days start in Inspired Closets,” said Solve CEO and founder John Colasanti. A television spot tells the tender story of a mother returning to the professional workforce now that her children have reached school age, her “work experience” as a parent not to be discounted by hiring managers. A print ad headline reads, “Get ready. To take on the world.”

The campaign kicks off this week with the sponsorship of the 2018 HGTV® Dream Home in Gig Harbor, WA. As the exclusive sponsor for home storage and organization, Inspired Closets has designed and installed organization solutions for closets, a pantry and the garage within the HGTV Dream Home. The national campaign includes broadcast, print, digital and social content in addition to the HGTV sponsorship and dealer support.

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Solve just wrapped shooting new content for client American Standard. Continuing to expand the recently launched “Porcelain Valley” brand campaign, the content features highly innovative new products being introduced in 2018. The new work is set to debut later this month across a range of touch points. Solve partnered with Chicago-based The Norman Brothers.

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