SMZ Advertising "Pawses" to Help Animals in Need

Troy, Mich. — (August 5, 2008) —Some might assume a typical advertising agency that counted among its clients the Detroit Red Wings, the Detroit Tigers, Big Boy Restaurants, the Michigan Lottery, Fisher Theatre, Taubman Centers and Flagstar Bank might not be that concerned with community service.  By volunteering to design the logo for the third annual Michigan Humane Society (MHS) Mega March for Animals, Simons Michelson Zieve Advertising Inc. (SMZ) once again proved its big heart, like its unparalleled ability to generate traffic and consumer response, is anything but typical.  
            “Among our advertising experts who come in each day and devote their time and talents to achieving our clients’ goals is Webster the labradoodle,” said SMZ President Jamie Michelson, of the agency’s four-legged mascot and SMZ Web site star.  “He thought creating the logo was a great opportunity to help an important cause – ending animal homelessness – and we agreed.”  A sampling of Webster’s philosophies on marketing may be viewed on SMZ’s Web site, www.smz.com.
            The logo, designed by art director Alex Drukas, marks the third year of SMZ’s participation in the Mega March for Animals, the largest walk for animals in Michigan with a goal of transforming animal lives from homeless to loved.  Senior Account Executive Jackie Petiprin walked the march’s first year, led last year’s SMZ team in raising $2,500 towards ending animal homelessness, and will participate in this year’s march on Sunday, October 5, at Detroit’s Hart Plaza.  SMZ Vice President and Management Supervisor Ann McGee also volunteers time each week to write descriptions of adoptable pets the MHS posts on its Web site, www.michiganhumane.org.
           While SMZ is proud to support the MHS’s leadership role in addressing animal welfare issues like homelessness and abuse in local communities, its commitment to animal advocacy extends beyond charitable endeavors.  As agency of record for Taubman’s Mall at Partridge Creek, SMZ capitalized on the property’s dog-friendly amenities, including special drinking stations and bag dispensers, in its first TV, newspaper and outdoor marketing campaigns, effectively branding the mall as the only location in Southeast Michigan where canines could cavort among human shoppers.