You down with PPC?
Ambitious? We’re looking for a PPC & SEO Manager to run PPC campaigns and monitor paid search budgets. Applicants should be well-versed in principles of SEM and SEO and be able to ensure our online marketing efforts have the highest possible ROI for our clients.
Email your resume to: jobs@mdradvertising.com
Agency takes home Best of Show, Best of Sales & Marketing & Other Top Honors
February 2020 – The MDR team had a rockin time celebrating some major accomplishments at this year’s American Advertising Awards held at the Ortiz International Center. Top awards included Best of Show for Water Street Oyster Bar rebrand, Best of Sales & Marketing for Southwest School of Art in San Antonio and Special Judges Awards for USS Lexington Museum and 20/20 Vintage. The team also one several gold, silver and bronze Addys for NavyArmy Community Credit Union, Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority, CC Polymers and Tennis Success
2019 is looking to be a great year for Texas home builder Hogan Homes. The year started with the grand opening of their new Harbor Heights community in Aransas Pass followed by a huge Open House Weekend sales event featuring numerous open houses in each of the five communities, promoting buyer incentives, summer giveaways and lenders onsite.
New offerings as well as new marketing initiatives have help boost homebuyer traffic. First half numbers are up across the board as they’ve seen an increase of over 120% in new website visitors, as well as generating over 3,600 virtual home tours since March. They’ve also had a 16% increase in traffic to their five model homes and a 20% increase in sales since the new year.
Hogan Homes attributes a lot of their success to their in-house staff as well as their marketing partner, MDR Advertising. “Hogan has the floorplans, the designs and the customer service homebuyers are looking for,” said Rebecca Childs, Account Manager at MDR. “We’re fortunate to have a great client and product to promote. We are really proud of the results we’re helping them achieve year after year and we certainly love helping Texas residents find their dream home,” adds Childs.
Downtown development continues with opening of new vintage store specializing in rare finds
20/20 Vintage – A Vision for Vintage and Unruly Things is located at 423 William Street in downtown Corpus Christi and opened this summer. The store is a collection of strange, exotic, and exceptional things that you won’t be able to find in just any store. It will be featuring eclectic artwork by Becky Smith, as well as curated works by other artists. It will also be bringing the vintage style by Metropolisculture, Kimberly Rios.
The store partnered with Texas-based advertising agency, MDR to develop a unique store identity. “We aimed to create a brand identity that captures the quirkiness, yet timeless quality of the items found in the store. The custom illustrations are an ensemble of unique objects and creatures that are artwork in themselves,” said Sara Kilsby, Senior Art Director at MDR.
20/20 Vintage owner, Monica Ellison, the wife of local attorney Scott Ellison, is a devoted mother of 3 and has been active in Corpus Christi for quite some time, helping with community and school initiatives. “I am beyond thrilled to be a part of the Downtown movement happening in Corpus Christi, and excited to announce that 20/20 Vintage will be opening its doors in our new brick and mortar store front,” said Ellison, “None of this would have been possible without the support of my loving family and friends.” Now, with her passion for all things strange and unruly, she’s enjoying her first start-up business.
The retail electric cooperative continues to expand its member base
2019 is off to a great start for NEC Co-op Energy as they posted some of their best first quarter numbers ever. For decades, the non-for-profit retail electric cooperative has grown and expanded its reach and influence across South Texas. They’ve consistently offered members and communities competitive rates as well as honest and simple pricing that’s easy to understand. That’s especially enticing in Texas’ uber-competitive retail electric market. Now, NEC is bringing more people into their community.
Over the 1stquarter of 2019, NEC Co-op Energy member enrollment increased by 30%, a big growth from the 1stquarter of 2018. Additionally, over the 1stquarter, the average cost per new customer fell by 20%, the member gain far exceeded member loss, and the number of new users on NEC Co-op’s website increased by 41.83%.
Some of this growth can be attributed to the brand strategy and tactics the co-op has embraced. They work with Texas-based marketing and advertising agency MDR to reach new potential customers and continue their steady growth. Stephen Rybak, Principal & Chief Creative Officer at MDR commented on the numbers: “NEC’s growth is exciting and proves that consumers are looking for an honest and straightforward deal when it comes to their electric provider.”
In an ever-evolving media landscape, clients are becoming more difficult to reach, but NEC Co-op’s growth proves that the high-quality services of an agency like MDR pay off. “We’ve been their advertising and media partner for the past 15+ years and it’s nice knowing that good branding, creative and a strong media strategy always win out with consumers,” said Rybak.
Lauren Clayton recognized as a Corpus Christi Under 40 Recipient for 2019
CORPUS CHRISTI – June 17, 2019 MDR’s own Lauren Clayton was honored along with 25 other individuals by Corpus Christi Under 40. The award was created back in 2006 to bring recognition to those men and women under the age of 40 who are committed to making a difference in their careers and their community.
“I cannot begin to express how deserving Lauren Clayton is to be selected as one of this year’s CC Under 40 recipients,” said Stephen Rybak, MDR’s owner and Chief Creative Officer, “I have no doubts she will also play a vital role in the future of our agency and how we continue to evolve and attract new talent and new business.”
Since joining the MDR team, Lauren has been instrumental in the growth of the company and client base. In the last five years, Lauren’s work has almost tripled MDR’s media accounts and evolved the company’s analytics and reporting abilities tenfold. While serving as Board President of CC Montessori school, she was responsible for the school’s highest success rate ever and facilitated their growth and recovery from hurricane Harvey. Not to mention she is an incredible wife and mother of two, and also very active in the community. MDR is lucky to have her, and so is Corpus Christi.
Lauren joins two other MDRers who have received this honor. Nancy Zuniga, Account Services Director (2016) and Stephen Rybak, Principal (2010).
MDR is looking to add to it’s growing media department! Think you have what it takes? Take a look at a few of the job requirements. If you sound like a good fit, send us your resume.
• Help develop media strategies with our media team
• Plan and negotiate with media vendors
• 3+ years experience purchasing media preferred
• Have experience with industry leading media buying software
• Have experience working with billing and accounts payable
• Be a team player and enthusiastic problem solver
• Passion for our clients and delivering results
Ambitious minds can reach us at jobs@mdradvertising.com
MDR attracts new clients and adds more talent, prompting major relocation
Since 1974, those seeking creative advertising and media often look to a quaint house on Santa Fe Street. It’s been a long-time fixture of the neighborhood. But steady growth has caused this team to finally outgrow their home. Soon, the agency plans to relocate to a more efficient and modern space in Downtown Corpus Christi.
“This move not only signals a new chapter in our company’s story, but it will allow us to better serve our clients,” says Stephen Rybak, Owner and Chief Creative Officer. “The new office will be more efficient, with more open workspace where our team can collaborate and share ideas.”
The agency move comes at a time of revival of the downtown area. “This is an opportunity to be involved in the rebirth of the soul of our city,” says Nancy Zuniga, Account Executive. “The timing for it couldn’t be better.”
With demolition of the new space almost complete, the plan is to completely renovate the 11th floor of the Wilson Building. Located at 545 N. Upper Broadway, the building was originally constructed in 1927 as The Nixon Building. Perched above the iconic balustrade, it was the first skyscraper to rise above Corpus Christi.
“It has tons of character and history,” says Rybak. “As an evolving agency, we really value that. We thought it was only fitting that our company—which thrives on being original—would create its new home in one of the city’s historic buildings. This concept, uniting the old with the new, is what has kept us successful for so many years.”
The move will be a big shift for the agency, whose first clients were some of Corpus Christi’s oldest and most recognized businesses, including Whataburger, Andrews Distributing, USS Lexington, Red Carpet Carwash and Menger Automotive. Today, they continue to attract notable clients like NavyArmy Community Credit Union, NEC Co-op Energy, Port Corpus Christi, Del Mar College, Shiner and HEB. MDR has made a name for itself over the years, building honest relationships with its clients and forging ahead as one of the city’s longest-living and most recognized ad agencies—a rare breed this day and age.
“Our home on Santa Fe is full of history and great memories, serving us well for over four decades,” says Fred Dotts, one of the agency’s original partners. “But we have no doubt we can recreate that same magic in our new space.”
As the new office continues to undergo construction, the group plans to be moved in by this spring.
MDR Takes Home “Best of Show” and 27 Other Awards
Corpus Christi, TX – (February 22, 2018) The American Advertising Federation recently held its annual American Advertising Awards in Corpus Christi. With almost 200 entries, agencies from the Corpus Christi and Victoria region competed for recognition as the best in the industry. The awards, presented to a sold-out crowd, covered all facets of advertising, ranging from broadcast, print and out-of-home to websites and digital media.
MDR received the coveted “Best of Show” for an Integrated Campaign for the USS LEXINGTON Museum on the Bay. Top honors included two Best of Broadcast Awards for NavyArmy Community Credit Union and Outlets at Corpus Christi Bay; Special Judges’ Award-Creative Radio for Shiner Strawberry Blonde, and Best of Out-of-Home for the USS LEXINGTON. Other awards included eight Gold Addys® for NEC Coop Energy, Charlie’s Place, Bolivar Peninsula, NavyArmy and Shiner Beers.
“Navy Army Community Credit Union has worked with MDR for the last 15 years. They’re not just our agency, they are a partner and an integral part of our marketing team and strategic growth plan. They bring creativity, professionalism and valuable solutions to every project and we couldn’t be more proud of the work we do together,” says Ashley Smith, Chief Marketing Officer at NavyArmy.
Winners from this competition will go on to represent Texas at the regional level, and from there, go on to compete nationally.
“I think a big part of our success is that we partner with forward-thinking clients, who allow us to push the limits,” says Nancy Vasquez, Account Director at MDR. “They let us have fun and try new things, and it truly becomes a cohesive relationship. That’s when the best work happens.”
About American Advertising Awards®
The American Advertising Awards are the world’s largest advertising competition with over 50,000 entries nationwide. They represent the true spirit of creative excellence by recognizing all forms of advertising from media of all types, creative by all sizes and entrants of all levels. The American Advertising Awards is the only creative awards program administered by the advertising industry for the industry.
Do the math and you’ll see MDR’s campaign helped produce traffic at the newly opened Outlets at Corpus Christi Bay. Just in time for Back-to-School shopping, the “OUTsmart. INstyle.” theme is fun and energetic with looks that reflect a 90’s hip hop vibe. The theme’s focus was on value and savings on big brands at a fraction of the price. MDR wanted to create something that would resonate with parents of school age children, many of whom grew up in the 90’s. The center saw a 19% spike in traffic during the month that led into a wildly successful turnout for Texas’ tax-free weekend.
