We thought we’d take advantage of Communications Arts’ recent highlight of this Minnesota Zoo online game, and remind you that you should visit http://www.whopooped.org/. Tucked amid the snickers and giggles, is a fun, educational game that launched last year as part of the Africa! exhibit campaign for the Minnesota Zoo. It gained national attention when Rachel Maddow included it in a segment of her MSNBC show that reaches an audience of 1.1 million viewers. Rachel considered it laugh-out-loud fun and tweeted the site to more than 1,000,000 of her followers.

Communication Arts, now in its 51st year, continues to showcase the current best-from industry veterans to tomorrow’s innovators-in design, advertising, illustration, photography, and interactive design. Preston Kelly’s Minnesota Zoo print campaign for Africa! recently appeared as one of 155 winning projects from 6878 entries in Communication Arts’ Advertising Annual 2009.

Minneapolis (Feb 12, 2010) Preston Kelly has been selected as the branding communications partner for Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP, formerly Virchow Krause. Baker Tilly is the 17th largest CPA and consulting firm in the U.S., and a member of Baker Tilly International, the 8th largest accounting and business advisory network in the world.

Preston Kelly will lead the strategy and communications initiatives as they relate to increasing awareness and strengthening the firm’s brand within the U.S.

“Our company has been around for nearly 80 years, so we’re simply looking to build on a strong operating platform combined with our newly acquired international brand, “ said Tammy Barboni, Chief Marketing Officer. “We’re confident that Preston Kelly will guide us in these efforts both internally and for top-level clients.”

The high quality of Baker Tilly Virchow Krause’s expertise and service is something that Preston Kelly will look to communicate and leverage among companies that can benefit from the many services the firm provides. Many of its current and prospective clients are increasingly seeking a partner who can provide unique industry insights and have dedicated, talented professionals working on their behalf.

“From experience, we know that transitioning to a new brand is a very energizing process,” noted President Chuck Kelly. “Our strength is bringing ideas to the process that everyone, both employees and clients, can rally around and get excited about.”

About Preston Kelly
Preston Kelly is a full-service, independent agency that creates Iconic Ideas for its clients including: financial services, insurance, restaurant, consumer packaged goods, outdoor recreation and retail. The agency has been honored with top awards including 3 EFFIES in the last 4 years, Best of Show at the Minneapolis Ad Competition – The Show, and MediaWeek’s Media Plan of the Year. Preston Kelly is a member of Worldwide Partners, the world’s largest network of independent marketing and communications firms. To learn more about Preston Kelly visit www.prestonkelly.com, become a fan on Facebook at www.tinyurl.com/prestonkelly or join the conversation on Twitter at www.twitter.com/prestonkelly.

About Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP
With staff totaling more than 1,400, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP provides a wide range of accounting, tax, assurance and consulting services. The firm has offices in Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York, Washington, DC, and throughout Wisconsin.

Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP is an independent member of Baker Tilly International, the world’s 8th largest network made up of 145 high quality, independent accounting and business firms in 110 countries, with more than 25,000 professionals. The combined worldwide revenue of independent member firms exceeds $3 billion.

Yes, there are many places you can see Super Bowl spots, but AdForum is a year-round resource for information on the global advertising industry, including profiles on more than 20,000 agencies and 70,000 ads. Adforum also sends the Top 5 Ads of the Week via mobile and email to a list that is over 200,000 and growing.

Or, if you’ve had plenty of the Super Bowl hype and would rather just focus on the future (Vikings in Super Bowl XLV perhaps?), we’ve made it easy and listed our featured spots below.

Monday — Minnesota Zoo – Africa 2009

Tuesday – HowStuffWorks – Flying Car

Wednesday — Be the Match – 60-second

Thursday — Chairman Bob – Watermelon

Friday – Taco John’s – Mind Crunch

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Andy Santamaria: What do you do tell clients who don’t know what Twitter is or how it can help them?

Peter Tressel: We get them familiar with it. First, on a personal level, then for their business. We tell them to create a personal account and listen for a while. As soon as they get their feet wet, they dive right in. My favorite thing to do during a client meeting is to pull up Twitter Search and type in the name of their biggest product. They see all the tweets about their company and instantly recognize the value.

Chris Preston: They’re just blown away, saying, “Hey, they can’t say that about our brand!” or “There are this many people talking about our product?” After that, they’re itching to get into the conversation.

AS: What are the questions that clients ask you about Twitter and social media?

Peter: Our clients typically ask three questions, “Why is this necessary? How do I engage in this? and What’s my role?” We tell them, “You just have a chair at the table.” People have been having conversations about brands for decades, but we haven’t been able to listen. Twitter is an invitation to come sit at the table and join in the conversation. However, joining the conversation means listening first. After you understand your customers, you can better understand your role. A good basic Twitter strategy is “Don’t be stupid.” Thankfully, our clients are really smart marketers and they get it pretty quickly.

AS: Can you tell me about a success you’ve had with social media?

Chris: We really saw the power of the new web with our Minnesota Zoo site called whopooped.org. Rachel Maddow, from MSNBC, came across it on the PR Newswire and tweeted about it. At the time, she had 600,000 followers and she even talked about it on her show. All of the sudden, exposure grew exponentially. Even if just one-tenth of her followers ReTweet her message, it makes a noticeable difference. They might only have 30 followers each, but it spreads quickly. In the first two days we counted a couple thousand tweets about it. They also got 45,000 visits to their site the first two days compared to a standard 400-500 visits per day.

Peter: We won five of the 25 awards for the “Best Zoo and Theme Park Advertising” this year at the Brass Ring Awards. Those five campaigns will only be a drop in the bucket compared to the whopooped.org website and the Tweets about it. It has actually given the Minnesota Zoo a chance to grow their reputation on a national level.

AS: What do you tell clients who understand it but say, “I don’t have time for this because I’m busy running my business.”

Peter: They make time for it. Once they see the conversation happening, they want to be a part of it.

Chris: Initially, clients have many concerns. They’re worried about how it’s going to work. They think we’re going to be managing their social media forever and it’s going to cost them a ton of money. They want to know their ROI and so on. We actually manage their accounts for a little while, which alleviates those fears. We help generate content for the first month and the clients usually take over half way through.

Peter: We advise them to check it at the beginning, middle, and at the end of the day. We really urge our clients to offer their followers things of genuine value. If there is value in what they say, like coupons or interesting conversation; the customer is rewarded and they will want to go visit their Facebook page or Twitter page.

AS: At the heart of it, this new web is all about human connection. It’s a medium to bring your customers to your brand, product, or physical location, and making them a part of it. Do you agree?

Peter: Definitely. Almost every campaign that we do here has, what we call, an “Iconic idea.” The idea is an umbrella that supports everything, so Twitter and Facebook are just another outlet.

Chris: If you’re a business wondering how to get into Twitter and Facebook, I’d advise you to get a personal account going. Just be yourself and speak for yourself, not your cafe or shop. Once you’re comfortable with the conversation, create your business account and join in … One of the frustrating things for businesses is not understanding how to function in a certain space … Businesses have to make a commitment for at least six months and participate regularly. You don’t have to post things all the time, but you can still listen.

Peter: I think you should be honest, when posting to Twitter and Facebook, and it should also be useful … think about the brand persona that your company has and stay within that character.

AS: How do you use Twitter to share something new?

Chris: We are big believers in iconic ideas that hold multi-media campaigns together. We have Iconic Thursdays, where we ask our followers who or what is iconic in Minneapolis. It could be a sports team, political figure, or historical building. We really try to develop a conversation that is relevant to our business philosophy.

AS: Should businesses share their innovations on Twitter?

Peter: It really depends. Our clients have really exciting new products and businesses ideas. Although, you want consumers to help shape them, we like the element of surprise and coordination. If you’re a mom-and-pop shop, it makes a lot of sense because you’ve already got that local feel. If you’re trying to influence 15 competitive markets, then it probably isn’t a good idea to leak innovations before you’re ready to make the full splash.

AS: How do you feel about companies being transparent on Twitter?

Chris: Transparency is fabulous, for the most part. It makes consumers feel like they’re part of your brand. It gives your core fans information that helps them become better evangelists.

AS: What do you tell clients about approaching conflict on Twitter or Facebook?

Peter: We tell our clients to use their discretion. They’re experienced marketers and understand that dealing with issues on Twitter is like other situations, except it’s public.

Chris: One of our clients, Roundy’s, has had very positive results dealing with issues one on one. They’ve managed to turn disappointed customers/bloggers/ into evangelists. Their customer base is huge and it’s inevitable that one of them will have a bad experience. If someone posts something negative on Facebook or a blog, they usually reach out one on one… we have typically seen more success when our clients do something like send a replacement (product) instead of just talking about it or apologizing.

AS: What is your final advice for businesses trying to embrace the new web and generate buzz?

Chris: My advice to start would be to pick something that you’re well known for, something people are truly passionate about and build your entire program around it. It probably can’t be what you want (your customers) to be passionate about . . . your customers are going to pick what they like and make it (their own).

We have launched a new campaign for the Minnesota Zoo to promote its new seasonal summer exhibit, Africa!. The exhibit, which first came to the Minnesota Zoo in 2006, is back to provide visitors the feel of a real African savannah. The integrated campaign features TV, radio, print, online banners and out-of-home as well as a window display and in-store posters at Macy’s.

A featured tactic in the campaign an Iconic Idea that is stinking up the internet. Who Pooped.org is educational, irreverent and kid friendly to help teach children (and adults, too) about the eating and digestive systems of three African animals – giraffe, zebra and ostrich.

Complete with poop oriented sound effects and visuals, the interactive game allows you to help the animals digest their food while learning about their eating and scatological habits in a fun and entertaining way.

Executive Vice President and Creative Director Chris Preston said, “It’s the first time I’ve ever had to tell a client that an idea is total crap before they see it!  My daughter started giggling when I was reviewing the ideas at home, so I knew we were on the right track.” The game will be promoted through print, online banners, social media outlets and at various events throughout the Twin Cities.

In addition, the new broadcast and print elements of the campaign challenge people to see how much they really know about these familiar African animals. A second glance at the print and TV may be needed to make sure you are seeing correctly. A Giraffe with black and white stripes is the center of the campaign with the headline prompting “If this looks right to you, it’s time to visit”. Additional executions include a Zebra with tiger stripes and an Ostrich with the distinctive giraffe hide pattern on its neck.

The Africa! exhibit features animals of east Africa including giraffes, zebras, gemsbok, wildebeests, and ostriches who will all live together on six acres of land on the Minnesota Zoo’s outdoor Northern Trail.  The exhibit is open through September 7th.

About Preston Kelly
Preston Kelly is a full-service, independent agency that creates Iconic Ideas for its clients including: financial services, insurance, restaurant, consumer packaged goods, outdoor recreation and retail. The agency has been honored with top awards including 3 EFFIES in the last 4 years, Best of Show at the Minneapolis Ad Competition – The Show, and MediaWeek’s Media Plan of the Year. Preston Kelly is a member of Worldwide Partners, the world’s largest network of independent marketing and communications firms. To learn more about Preston Kelly visit our website, become a fan on Facebook or join the conversation on Twitter.

The Minnesota Zoo is located in Apple Valley, just minutes south of Mall of America. For more information, call 952.431.9500 or visit www.mnzoo.org. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).

• We will be doing our gift registries for the twins and shopping for a lot of baby furniture
• Going to Wrightsville Beach, NC – boyeeeee
• Recovering from jet lag
• Painting and the archaic task of reglazing windows that are 68 years old
• Buying a new BBQ Grill – going to Rainbow to get some steaks and then grilling out
• Going to the Minnesota Zoo
• Going to Mall of America to ride the Avatar
• Planting the pots on the porch.
• Putting the sailboat out on Lake Calhoun
• Planting in our garden and having a bon fire
• Seeing Angels and Demons
• BBQing lamb kabobs
• Singing iconic karaoke songs on my patio while our friend Mark plays the guitar
• Sunset boat cruise around Martin Lake
• I’ll be hanging out at the cabin
• Working on last minute wedding details, but at least near the lake enjoying much needed time at the cabin
• My fractured foot and I are staying close to home
• Making chocolate chip cookies for breakfast, reading on the deck, probably grill something, and take a walk
• Family in from out of town
• I’m grilling a couple racks of baby back ribs (purchased on special for $2.99/lb at Rainbow)
• Cabin on Bone Lake — blatz and brats — God Bless America

So, now we’ve gotta ask — What are you doing for Memorial Day?

Are you a busy guy? A typical schlub? Or, is there a typical schlub in your office/family/bedroom who could use a hand?

A guy for whom the intricacies of buying/signing/sending a Mom’s Day card was too much to handle for various reasons busy/hung-over/NBA Playoffs?

If so, this free Mom’s Day Card/Song/Movie is provided as a public service by your friends at Preston Kelly.

Just plug in the required email addresses and you’re good to go. Imagine Mom’s face when she hears this lame/sweet/searing tribute of prodigal love. (Hey, we figure it’s better than nothing and might keep you in the will.)

Send your Mom’s Day card »

Can you guess which ones Chris and Chuck are reading?

• The Shack, William P. Young
• Friday Night Knitting Club, Kate Jacobs
• The Road to Serfdom, F.A. Hayek
• Jitterbug Perfume, Tom Robbins
• God’s Scretaries: The Making of the King James Bible, Adam Nicolson
• Wicked – The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Stephen L. Carter
• Midnight Bayou,Nora Roberts
• Every Fixed Star, Jane Kirkpatrick
• Term Limits, Vince Flynn
• City of Thieves, David Benioff
• Heart and Soul, Maeve Binchy
• Beyond Einstein, Michio Kaku
• Then We Came to the End, Joshua Ferris
• The Moonstone, Wilkie Collins
• Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls
• For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway
• Quiet Strength, Tony Dungy
• Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies, Charlene Li & Josh Bernoff

Have you read any of these books? Got a suggestion for our next new book?

Many awe – and many “awww” – inspiring eggs were created. But participants crowned Charlie’s “Northeast Ninja Egg” as number-one-best egg in the beauty-contest part of the competition.

Ironically, it was “Garden of Irises” that took first prize in the feats-of-strength category. Linda rolled with skilled precision – landing her egg closest to the nucleus in the egg-rolling part of the competition.

Click here to check out more photos.

View the spots on our Facebook Page.