(MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.)-May 16, 2012 — A commercial produced for The Mosaic Company by broadhead has been selected as a 2012 Telly Award winner, earning a Bronze award in the long-form online category for its television commercial, “Celebrations.” The spot marks the broadcast debut for Mosaic’s premium fertilizer brand, MicroEssentials®, The Next Generation of Fertilizer.

Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards honor outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films. For its 33rd season, the Telly Awards joined forces with YouTube to give the public the power to view and rate videos, and fielded 11,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators and corporate video departments in the world.

“We’re thrilled to have such an impactful commercial, and we’ve certainly seen an increase in web traffic and brand recognition as a result of its success,” says Kevin Kimm, director of marketing, The Mosaic Company. “This award is a testament to the hard work of our marketing department in conjunction with the team at broadhead.”

“Celebrations” ties the evolution of fertilizer to the growth of a family farm over three generations. Acknowledging a lack of fanfare and flashy milestones in the fertilizer technology industry until now, the spot culminates with its portrayal of a modern family reaping the rewards of a successful farming operation, thanks to advanced crop nutrition. Viewers are invited to meet the next generation of fertilizer, MicroEssentials.

“Mosaic has a great vision for the MicroEssentials brand, and we’ve really enjoyed bringing that vision to life in this spot,” says Dean Broadhead, president and CEO of broadhead. “Having great broadcast assets like this ad will help advance Mosaic’s brand with its publics.”

The 30 second version of the spot is set to run again in the fall of 2012 on the Big Ten Network, RFD-TV cable network and regional local networks, while the long-form version can continue to be seen at www.MicroEssentials.com.

“The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,” said Linda Day, executive director of the Telly Awards. “The Mosaic Company’s accomplishment illustrates its creativity, skill and dedication to its craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.”

To view “Celebrations” in its entirety, click here.

Do you mail to anyone under the age of 50? According to this piece Sheri recently read, that’s an ineffective tactic. Instead of investing in mail volume, invest in new messaging, creative treatments and multichannel efforts to reach a younger audience.

Phil checked out this interesting infographic on the growing interest in Pinterest. Did you know that buyers referred from Pinterest are 10% more likely to buy something and spend 10% more on average?

With the use of mobile devices growing at full speed, John found this piece about the anatomy of a perfect mobile email quite useful. Images, ergonomics and color palettes all matter in creating the perfect mobile experience.

“Everything we know is wrong” is the title of the presentation that remained in the back of my mind this week. Yes, we’re in a digital age, but we need to remember that it’s not just about digital, but rather the combination of digital and TV. And the effects of TV advertising are actually getting bigger as time passes.

What about you?

Problem-solving? Mitch has got you covered with 11 Ways to Get Better Solutions. One unique way? Vary the stress pattern. Saying “cereal is not getting to market fast enough to maintain freshness” makes you wonder if your other products get there faster. However, saying that “cereal is not getting to market fast enough to maintain freshness” prompts you to figure out how to make the distance/time shorter.

Amanda also learned something new this week about Make-or-Break Verbs. Do you know the difference between a “dynamic” and a “dynamo” verb? Verbs like has, does, goes, gets, and puts are dynamic, but you can’t envision the action. “Dynamos,” on the other hand, offer an instant picture of a movement. “Why have a character go when he could gambol, shamble, lumber, lurch, sway or sashay?” Right?

Whether or not she was inspired to read this due to our recent photoshoot, Sheri’s got the lowdown on how to get the best farm photos. Look for a camera that’s convenient to carry around the farm, read the manual and shoot from all angles. Photos are a great way to tell your food production story.

And lastly, Ryan’s got his eyes on the FDA’s plea to curb farm antibiotics. Conversations between the FDA, meat producers, veterinarians and other key players will continue to ensue as everyone works to ensure safety and efficiency in the meat production process.

Alex and Jeff keeping it interesting.

In February, independent research firm Gilmore Group gathered information from the hundreds of nominated companies by surveying over 5,769 individuals.

“We’re amongst good company on this list. It’s an honor to be recognized for our efforts,” says CEO/President Dean Broadhead. “Creating a positive work environment has always been a focus because we believe it translates into better ideas and results for our clients.”

The winners will be celebrated this June in Minneapolis.

Sue learned more about Google’s practices for better managing the health of its staff via behavioral cues. Did you know that shelf placement matters in the fridge? Google found that moving water bottles to eye level increased the company’s water intake by 47%.

John listened to Jonah Lehrer discuss ways to foster creativity in the workplace. One way? Go for a walk or take a nap. It’s more likely that a good idea will pop into your head then, as opposed to during a company brainstorm session…and doesn’t that sound like a great excuse for a midday break?

After reading about the 6 Habits of True Strategic Thinkers, David’s working on refining his “strategic aptitude,” because swallowing “every herdlike belief, and safe opinion at face value can cost your company its competitive advantage.” Instead we should be questioning everything as true critical thinkers are apt to do.

With the Olympic games just around the corner, Emily’s got her eye on social media gold medals. Brand executives are hopeful that they’ll be able to create even stronger connections between their brands and target audience during the games. And although a mother I am not, I personally got a little teary over Procter & Gamble’s Olympic campaign.

I also enjoyed reading this piece on Design Thinking. It’s a good reminder that “the harmonization of right brain and left brain thinking,” is not exclusive to designers, but rather something that’s inherent in all smart, creative people.

What did you enjoy reading this week?

This entry is a documentation of what I personally experienced at a day-long photo shoot on a dairy farm in Little Falls, Minnesota. We went in praying that a cow would give birth to a calf, so we could film that moment of extreme pride for the cow and the dairy farmer when the calf arrived. We hoped that this emotion would translate into a visual campaign sharing the pride of agriculture with all.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

6:32 a.m. – Alarm doesn’t go off. I’m late.

7:00 a.m. – After applying mascara at stop lights, arrive at office.

7:15 a.m. – Meet co-worker, Lori Maude and pick up client at hotel to head to Little Falls, Minn. An hour and 50 minute drive.

9:20 a.m. – Arrive at photo shoot location. It’s way too cold for just a fleece jacket.

9:25 a.m. – Associate Creative Director, Jon Montgomery runs to Wal-Mart and returns with all remaining winter merchandise. Fleeces, blaze orange caps and camouflage hunting gloves.

9:57 a.m. – Associate Creative Director, Jon Montgomery preps and fluffs set straw for first model heifer.

Associate Creative Director, Jon Montgomery

10:48 a.m. – First pregnant cow is brought forward to the set and is ready to give birth. Cameras and crew are ready to document this occasion in an attempt to capture the emotion dairy farmers experience when a new calf is born.

10:49 a.m. – Mama cow is angry and goes bowling for people. Cameras and crew flee the birthing pen. All equipment and people are safe.

10:50 a.m. – Angry mama cow is sent to a private area to calm down. There’s a diva on every set.

11:55 a.m. – Second cow is ready to give birth. This one is calmer and a pleasure to work with.

12:20 p.m. – Waiting. This is her first calf so the birthing process can take more than an hour.

12:50 p.m. – The baby calf is making its way out. First the front hooves and legs followed by its large head. It’s a boy!

12:52 p.m. – Our dairy farmer model, Brooke wipes the slime off of the calf while the photographer captures the first precious moments of his new life. Mama cow is tired, but proudly looks back to make sure her new baby is doing well. He is a healthy and hungry boy.

1:02 p.m. – Baby calf is rolled away in a wheel barrow to be bottle fed his first meal, while mama cow is put into a stanchion. Brooke attaches a portable milk tank and proceeds to gather the first milk, or the colostrum. Colostrum is thick and full of antibodies and nutrients– the perfect meal for newborn calves. In about a week, this mama cow will provide regular milk for this dairy farm to profit from.

1:24 p.m. – Lunch break.

2:04 p.m. – The crazy mama cow is back and she’s ready to give birth. This time, we’re shooting from behind a gate and at a safe distance. Even though we’re not crowding her, she knows we’re here and isn’t happy. Because we don’t want the baby to suffer from any birthing complications, the crew leaves the area and within 5 minutes, mama cow delivers a beautiful baby girl!

2:10 p.m. – The crew is back to capture Brooke, the new calf and her mama together, but the mama soon gets upset and stands up.

2:15 p.m. – The birthing pen is cleared and mama is kicking up hay and stomping the ground, just missing her newborn’s head.

2:25 p.m. – Hector, Brooke’s assistant, carefully ushers angry mama cow into the stanchion. Mama gets locked away while Brooke is shot cleaning off and feeding the new calf. Even though she’s locked up, mama cow keeps a close eye on her baby while the crew attempts to capture the pride of a dairy farmer on film.

2:50 p.m. Lori, the client and I begin our long trip back to Minneapolis. I sit exhausted and amazed by what I have just seen.

If you’ve never been to NAMA (as the conference is simply referred to), here’s a top 5 list of things that are sure to happen!

Top 5 Things You’re Bound to See at the 2012 Agri-Marketing Conference

1. Beth Burgy will speak.

This year, our very own Beth Burgy is serving as the national NAMA president. In that role, she’ll get to talk. A lot. She gets to address both the students and professionals, so we’re sure inspiration will be instilled in all!

2. Awards will be distributed.

It’s always great to see the excellent work being done for clients whose business is to serve the agriculture and rural communities. We’re very proud of the work we do for our clients and look forward to seeing those who are nominated for national awards receive that recognition.

3. We’ll show our clients our appreciation for their continued partnerships.

Each year, we’re fortunate enough to have several clients join us at NAMA. It’s a great opportunity for us to spend a fun week together and extend our thanks for continuing a partnership to make their business successful.

4. Knowledge will be gained and shared.

As usual, the NAMA planning committee has put together a great list of speakers to share industry insights and trends and to help us all be better in our roles as agri-marketers. We’ll also get the opportunity to meet with collegiate students participating in the Student Marketing Competition who may one day become our colleagues. Several members of the Broadhead team, including Beth, Lana and Amanda, were once student NAMA members – and look how awesome they all turned out!

5. Professional beverage distributors (aka the bartenders) won’t lack for business.

Agri-marketers (no different than our non-agriculture counterparts, I’m sure!) love to socialize and mingle with colleagues they may only see once a year at NAMA. That’s why there will be a reception. Or two. Or three. And you won’t have any trouble finding a glass of wine.

Won’t have a chance to attend? Make sure to follow us on Twitter or keep your eye on the #NAMA12 hashtag to be a part of action!

Sure, there are similarities. We pitch new business, have account executives and creative directors, and we spend a lot of time in meetings. I’ll admit, I’ve found that telling non-advertising people about my job is most easily accomplished by explaining it as a Peggy Olson – Pete Campbell – Ken Cosgrove combination. And I can bet I’m not alone.

But, much like doctors feel about Grey’s Anatomy and policemen feel about Law and Order, there’s a point where the similarities stop. Since Mad Men returned from hiatus yesterday, it seemed like the perfect time to compare our agency to Sterling-Cooper-Draper-Pryce. So, with that, we give you…

The Top 10 Reasons Broadhead is Not Like Mad Men (because who doesn’t love a good top 10 list?)

1. John Walker does not wear pressed shirts, a black suit or skinny tie to work. His hair is not greased perfectly into place. Actually, with the recent warm-up, you’ll probably find him in shorts and a t-shirt daily. Alas, a Don Draper, our creative director is not.

2. While I know Dean (and everyone else for that matter) would probably enjoy having their own secretary, we all operate the copy machine and answer our phones on our own.

3. Yes, there is beer in the fridge. However, a bottle of scotch in every cube that is dipped into multiple times daily? I don’t think so. At least none that I know of…

4. Last I checked, our copywriters aren’t coming up with witty pieces of copy at 6:30 p.m. over a glass of scotch at a local smoky establishment. Although, they may be scratching their ideas on napkins. Totally possible.

5. It’s pretty fair to say that women outnumber men in our office. And none of them use a typewriter.

6. Although we’ve lobbied, there is no sandwich cart.

7. No one’s been injured by a lawn mower at a holiday party—though we’ve had some close calls on the ping pong court.

8. Although we are likely to be seen doing karaoke, we do not know the words to “Zou Bisou Bisou.”

9. Jeans and cowboy boots are welcomed attire in our office.

And, most obviously…

10. We don’t need a script to be this awesome!

1. Fear of Missing Out

I’m sure you’re already familiar with the phrase “Keeping up with The Joneses,” but did you know that The Joneses’ online one-upmanship has led to actual anxiety? Now more than ever, individuals incessantly check their networks to make sure they’re up-to-date because they’re worried about missing out.

2. Short-term Nostalgia

It’s no secret that we enjoy cataloguing our lives, but this penchant is starting to be even more pervasive in the digital world. “Nostalgia” as we know it, has expanded to include an obsession with our recent past via check-ins and status updates. Have you noticed that Path and Facebook look like time-stamped scrapbooks?

3. Social Media for Good

Social causes and activists are continuing to leverage social channels to find new recruits, donors and supporters, but there are even more ways in which social media can be used for good. The American Red Cross recently announced that they will start monitoring chatter on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook to help locate emergency victims and send first responders their way. Social media will continue to play a growing role in how the public and nonprofit sectors listen and respond to those in need.

4. Collaborative Consumption

Social media has created a global village, and with that comes globally-consumed content. An article that used to live in a locally-circulated newspaper can be transmitted all over the world in a matter of seconds, and aggregator sites like BuzzFeed and StumbleUpon have made our lives even simpler by sifting through content to find the things that are really worth talking about. It’s clear that sharing behaviors are mimicking the physical world, because content goes viral when it spreads beyond influential spheres to ordinarily people who share with their network.

5. Social Commerce

We’ve already seen what Pinterest can do for brands but expect social commerce on steroids as we move deeper into 2012. Daily deal site Fab has already added a “social shopping” component to Facebook which lets your friends see which items you’ve purchased or favorited, and F-Commerce was created on the insight that 47% of Facebook users would like more shopping opportunities on Facebook. This is going to be a big one, folks.

What else have you noticed?

Each month we’ll provide an overview of our agency and culture, and discuss one of the following topics*:

Tuesday, 3/13 The Importance of Internships to Your First Job

Tuesday, 4/10 My First Creative Job

Tuesday, 5/8 My First Marketing/Communications Job

Please pass along to those who may be interested.  If you’d like to attend, RSVP to us c/o Sue Tincher, stincher@broadheadco.com. Hope to see you there!

*We’ll update our topic schedule as we move forward.