Client:

Challenge:
Every day 7,000 teenagers become High School drop outs. With 25+% of students failing to graduate on time each year, the US faces an education crisis. In Early 2009, Provost Academy approached Ad-Spark with the challenge of helping enroll 900 students to attend their free public online high school by August 2009. Collaboratively between Ad-Spark's Online Marketing, Provost Academy's talented communications and enrollment departments, Provost's traditional agency, and our Search Engine Marketing Team- Boonze Media Solutions, the initial goal was surpassed.

Ad-Spark Tactic & Solutions:
In partnership with Boonze Media Solutions (Ad-Spark's PPC and SEO Specialists) we developed a strategy and effectively budgeted media plan to utilized Local Internet Marketing Strategies, Paid Search, Search Engine Optimization, Web Site development and building content, ad unit library, and landing page strategy. Using a conservative budget we optimized the campaign and maintained the target cost-per-lead. Ad-Spark's team helped mentor and coach the marketing and enrollments teams for their first ever online high school launch. The campaign illustrated the variable tactics necessary to achieve aggressive goals. There are dangers of not meeting goals by leaning to heavily on one lead source or marketing channel, Ad-Spark strongly recommends clients continue multi-tactical marketing efforts to overall lift and support one another. Targeting was state wide, to parents and students and built awareness and inquires necessary to help Provost's free public online high school succeed.

Successes:
Satisfied client are our #1 goal and Provost is satisfied and continues to partner with us for Internet Marketing. The initial high school enrollment goal of 900 students was surpassed and 1500 students enrolled by target dates. Search Volume and Share of Voice were complete growth margins as were increased Brand Growth and Category Development Indexes measured very high.

Testimonial:
CMO Becky Mazzanobile stated at year end and next year planning summit: "If not for Shea Park, Ad-Spark.com, and Boonze Media Solutions, we could not have accomplished what we did in 2009."
Ad-Spark's Founder, Shea Park says of Provost Academy: "Never have I enjoyed working with a client or challenge as with Provost Academy. They are one of the smartest, hard working committed teams I have ever witnessed. Their product/ a very unique, their online high school is very necessary. I am honored to work with them again in 2010."

Client:

Comverge is a leading Clean Energy company providing innovative solutions that reduce peak electricity costs and increase grid reliability.

Challenge:
Raise awareness and increase responses for 3 niche Power Company's unique "Demand Response" product offerings. Specific products range from "smart" thermostats to home energy automation systems to advance under glass metering gateways to industrial facilities controls. Geo targeting 3 cities in the US, targeting by zip codes and home owners. Ad-Spark set out to build awareness and increase sign-ups from home owners for the opportunity to save money on electric bills and reduce the electrical load and usage.

Ad-Spark Solutions:
Providing targeted internet media planning, buying, and vendor management services for each target market. By leveraging a multi-tactical approach, performance based and local internet advertising, we quickly increased traffic and inquiries for each power company within timelines and testing period. This campaign increases targeted traffic, distributed display ads and generated installation requests/ sign-ups for regional Power Company Services and energy efficiency offerings.

Unlike national campaigns or even DMA targeting, the greater challenge with this project is the niche audience, new technology offering, and geo-targeting. The campaign illustrates the many and varied channels required when the needle in the haystack is at hand. SEO, Local Search Marketing, Google's Content Ads, local interest new sites, advertorial, and web content and video, Buzz, Blog, and Social Media Marketing (SMM) were the channels providing most success in meeting goals.

As a result of the campaign, Comverge reported additional markets that desired testing in 2010 and renewal with 2-3 of 2009's markets. Our goals moving forward are to continue to grow sign ups, phone/ call center traffic leading to the results and goals for each power company: a greater volume of requests for appointments and installation of energy savings devices.

Successes:
A repeat customer is one sign of success; however in this instance the learning's and findings from the 1st market test helped pave the way and benefit all future power company promotions. Additionally, we hope our efforts help citizens and power companies together to find alternative and technological advancements to helping decrease reliance on electricity and increase clean electricity.

Client:

Challenge:
Online Education was in its infancy when KWU approached Ad-Spark in 2000 to generate leads from online marketing and reduce reliance on Direct Mail & lower overall cost per student. At the time there were approximately 5 major competitors in the online education space. Being asked to inform millions of Americans about online education and request they sign up for a free catalog offering their personal information - was extraordinarily innovative. Ad-Spark responded with an aggressive campaign and maintained the client growth and momentum for 6.5 years.

Ad-Spark Solutions
Developed a custom media plan, an affiliate marketing strategy to build their brand and deliver 150 free catalog requests in 1st month's test. From there we became the internet marketing agency for KWU and master vendor managed 5000 placements and partnerships. Relying on 100% pay for performance placements, PPC search marketing, affiliate marketing, CPC performance advertising, and lead generation, we built the partnerships necessary to deliver up to 30,000 leads per month, maintain a target Cost-Per-Lead, quality, and optimize against enrollment goals and GRI & CDI.

Successes:
Within 3 years of working together, KWU tripled in size by student population, teachers, and staff. KWU built a brand from performance based marketing and maintained a top 20 school in its marketing category.

Testimonial:
"I take great pleasure in the opportunity to share my perspective of working with Shea Park. Having spent over a decade in the online marketing arena I have come across very few individuals that possess the professionalism and acumen that Shea has demonstrated during the time I have worked with her. She has been a true asset in the ongoing marketing efforts of our company and I look forward to working with her for many years to come." -Bradley Brownstein, Director of Marketing, Kennedy-Western University

Ad-Spark's Founder, Shea Park: "Never have I been more proud of a marketing project in all of my 12 years and 6+ years of working with KWU. The ultimate compliment to me is when a client renews year after year. After all the years, I can say we always admire our client's visions and love each project. We are committed to meeting their needs and goals. We do not succeed unless our clients are happy working with us."