B2B Marketing is the number one resource for B2B marketers across the globe and the Elevation Awards USA recognize the best work of the year.

MILWAUKEE – March 23, 2023 – Nelson Schmidt Inc., a leading independent full-service marketing agency, has been shortlisted for awards with B2B Marketing’s Elevation Awards. These honors are on behalf of clients Kent Nutrition Group, Church Mutual, Maytag Commercial Laundry and LiuGong North America. The agency is up for a total of five possible awards:

  • Best Channel Marketing Initiative for the Kent Nutrition Group “Field & Farm” Campaign
  • Best Brand Initiative for the Church Mutual “The Strength of a Few” Campaign
  • Best Demand Generation Program for the Maytag “Customer Stories” Campaign
  • Best Channel Marketing Initiative for the LiuGong North America “Dealer Recruitment” Campaign
  • Best Brand Initiative for the Kent Nutrition Group “Field & Farm” Campaign

The Elevation Awards will be announced on May 23rd.

Best Channel Marketing Initiative for the Kent Nutrition Group “Field & Farm” Campaign

Kent Nutrition Group had been supplying feed dealers with a mishmash of value-priced products, some that were branded, others that were not. The result was a confusing and uninspiring offering that wasn’t providing dealers with the sales they were seeking. So we took 20 existing but disparate value products and brought them together into a single branded line exclusively for their channel partners.

Using insights from researching rural animal feed dealers and their customers, we developed a brand position, value proposition and messaging for the new brand. We named it Field & Farm after the bucolic outdoor lifestyle these consumers live and love. The logo, design palette and packaging are highly inviting and approachable, mirroring the feeling of friendliness felt between rural neighbors.


(Field & Farm Packaging System)

 

Best Brand Initiative for the Church Mutual “The Strength of a Few” Campaign

Church Mutual’s core market, houses of worship, was shrinking. To continue growing their business, they needed to further expand their 125-year-old religious-focused brand into nonreligious markets. The nonprofit and human services segment was a natural fit because, like churches, these mission-driven organizations benefit from a specialty insurance provider that better understands the special work they do. But many food banks, daycares and other organizations in this category had never heard of Church Mutual.

To attract the attention of these passion-led people, we centered the campaign around something scarcely found in commercial insurance marketing – emotion. Church Mutual is a purpose-driven insurance company that truly believes in the missions of the purpose-driven organizations they serve. So we sought out real organizations and showed the real caring connections Church Mutual has with its customers.

And it worked. Follow-up research showed a 146% increase in respondents who stated Church Mutual is “one of the best” commercial insurance providers.


(Sample Print Ad)

 

Best Demand Generation Program for the Maytag “Customer Stories” Campaign

Several years ago, Maytag’s commercial division experienced some small quality-control problems that were easily remedied but resulted in downtime that rightfully annoyed laundromat owners. Although the issues had long been resolved, recent research showed that a significant percentage of current Maytag Commercial Laundry customers would not consider purchasing the brand again. The problem: laundromat owners keep washers and dryers for 15 years on average, so many of them still own the “troubled” machines and were afraid of experiencing the same issues again.

We had already been working to infuse messaging about Maytag Commercial Laundry’s investment in and commitment to quality into every element of their communications, helping to overcome the past negative perceptions. But we knew messaging from the brand alone wouldn’t carry the same credibility as endorsements from existing customers. So we handed the brand’s voice over to laundromat owners.


(Sample Print Ads)

 

Best Channel Marketing Initiative for the LiuGong North America “Dealer Recruitment” Campaign

LiuGong is one of the largest and fastest growing construction equipment manufacturers in the world. Yet only 22% of North America was supported by a LiuGong dealer. In an effort to rapidly expand their presence and take advantage of the booming U.S. construction market, LiuGong identified six strategic geographies and prospective dealers in each of those regions.

Representing a major construction equipment manufacturer in a major U.S. market was a business opportunity of a lifetime for these LiuGong dealer prospects. So, we made a big deal of inviting the prospects to sign up for a meet-and-greet with LiuGong. Quite literally.

Rather than a typical generic email invite, we got more personal, sending a giant, oversized box to each prospect, customized to show that a big opportunity was available in their specific region. This direct mail program has achieved an astonishing 100% conversion rate, with LiuGong adding new dealers in each geography they’ve targeted, and expanding their footprint in North America by an incredible 71%.


(LiuGong North America Dealer Recruitment Direct Mail Kit)

 

Best Brand Initiative for the Kent Nutrition Group “Field & Farm” Campaign

Kent Nutrition Group had been supplying feed dealers with a mishmash of value-priced products, some that were branded, others that were not. The result was a confusing and uninspiring offering that wasn’t providing dealers with the sales they were seeking. So we took 20 existing but disparate value products and brought them together into a single branded line exclusively for their channel partners.

Using insights from researching rural animal feed dealers and their customers, we developed a brand position, value proposition and messaging for the new brand. We named it Field & Farm after the bucolic outdoor lifestyle these consumers live and love. The logo, design palette and packaging are highly inviting and approachable, mirroring the feeling of friendliness felt between rural neighbors.


(Kent Nutrition Group Field & Farm Logo)