Buchanan Whisky, Wells Fargo, Adidas… and More

Water, Inc., Promo Leads, Buchanan Whisky,Wells Fargo… and other brands targeting the U.S. consumer right now. Check our prior Sales Leads columns.

• Water, Inc. 

Merlot Marketing, Inc. (Merlot) has been named agency of record for Water, Inc., the premier distributor and supplier of water filtration and purification products, whole house water treatment systems, decorative plumbing and luxury appliances. The agency will lead regional and national public relations efforts, key branding strategy and graphic design to support new product launches and Water, Inc’s existing catalogue of products.Since 1977, Water, Inc. has been at the forefront of healthy and sustainable living by offering the latest technologies in water filtration and purification for the home. In addition to successfully launching private label brands nationally, Water, Inc. and its network of dealers and drinking water specialists have grown to be the premier Western US representatives of quality drinking water systems and luxury kitchen appliances. The company’s territories include California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Hawaii.    The first collaboration for the new partnership was the rebrand of the HousePure® suite of products, which work together to reduce chemicals and toxins throughout the entire home from point-of-entry to point-of-use. Merlot worked closely with the Water, Inc. team to create a fresh new look for the HousePure logo and develop a storytelling brochure that introduces the unique product categories and the numerous benefits of water purification for the home.

• Promo Leads 

As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics come to an end, global digital marketing firm Promo Leads reports increased interest in online advertising and lead generation for sports-related industries. According to online lead generation platform Promo Leads, the volume has more than doubled itself in fields like wellness and health, fitness, sports apparel, physical education and others. This is in addition to a general rise in all industries over the past few months, which can be attributed to the brand’s rising popularity during this period of time.Overall, 2021 can be marked as a year of bloom for digital marketing and lead generation, as the COVID-19’s implications continue to be felt globally. The combination of high unemployment rates and local lockdowns results in many turning to the virtual sphere as a way to work from home. That’s where Promo Leads’ proprietary platform comes into play, with its quick, simple and secure campaign creating mechanism. 

• Buchanan Whisky 

This summer Buchanan’s Blended Scotch Whisky is reuniting friends, families, and communities with Buchanan’s La Reunión, a pop-up market experience that celebrates the vibrancy of local Hispanic culture while giving back to the neighborhoods that need it most. The multi-city curated events will bring together local Hispanic businesses – from florists and artists to designers and chefs – to celebrate the many traditions and sazón that make each community so unique. At each Buchanan’s La Reunión event, Buchanan’s is making it easy for guests (21+) to give back through the brand’s Pull up a S[eat] with Buchanan’s initiative. By donating meals through local charity partners Rethink Food (New York City), No Us Without You LA (Los Angeles), Target Hunger (Houston) and Buddy System MIA (Miami), the program feeds food insecure neighborhoods and amplifies the voices of those inspiring change.Buchanan’s La Reunión kicked off in New York City the past weekend during one of the city’s biggest celebrations of Dominican culture. New Yorkers 21+ enjoyed an experience that safely brought block-party vibes to Brooklyn with interactive programming that highlighted the best of NYC.Missed Buchanan’s La Reunión in New York? Don’t worry, the event will be popping up during cultural celebrations later this summer in Los Angeles and Houston, culminating in Miami during Hispanic Heritage Month and one of the biggest weeks in Latin music.Fans will also have a chance to win a trip for two to Miami. 

• Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo announced a new wave of support for entrepreneurs including an initiative focused on mentoring 500 women-owned businesses called Connect to More℠, and a second phase of funding from its Open for Business Fund aimed at providing 93 nonprofits with access to experts that can help grow their businesses. Connect to More is one example of how we’re supporting the success and sustainability of women-owned businesses through access to expertise and specialized resources. As part of the program, Wells Fargo partnered with the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center where women entrepreneurs can gain complimentary support through its signature Milestone Mapping Coaching Circles. Born from the challenges of COVID-19, participants get hands-on help setting and reaching business goals from a network of peer mentors.Connect to More will offer Milestone Mapping Coaching Circles throughout the year and into 2022 with the goal of helping 500 women-owned businesses. Each Circle is open to all women-identifying business owners in the U.S. and provides a biweekly opportunity for women entrepreneurs to work through specific challenges, celebrate milestones, attend workshops, and connect with small business experts and mentors. Those interested in applying must complete an application, and upon acceptance, will be placed in a Circle.The company is also distributing more than US$55 million to 93 nonprofits from its Open for Business Fund, a roughly US$420 million small business recovery effort. These grants will make experts in business planning, accounting, financial management, legal, marketing and more available to small business owners for coaching and guidance.

At this exclusive virtual event on September 22, 2021 Brand Decision Makers and Marketing Service Suppliers will share and accelerate knowledge on key topics including multicultural marketing, e-commerce marketing and marketing technologies. To find out about virtual networking solutions at PortadaLive involving a myriad of brand decision makers, please contact Sales Coordinator Michelle Lopez at [email protected].

• El Dodo

The Dodo — the no.1 animal brand on digital — announced the official launch of El Dodo, the first Spanish language channel dedicated to animal content. The channel is currently on Facebook with plans to expand to additional platforms with original, localized content later in 2018.El Dodo is an editorial-driven effort that will feature originally produced stories, as well as live videos focused on animals and animal issues for Spanish-speaking animal lovers across the U.S. and around the globe.The Dodo’s enormous success throughout 2017 — including developing Comeback Kids: Animal Edition: the Facebook Watch show that has made The Dodo the no. 1 media publisher on the platform — and climbing the leaderboard ranks to become a global top 10 media publisher (Source: Tubular) have proven that animal content is universally loved; it’s one of the few content genres that transcends borders. 35% of The Dodo’s existing audience live outside of the U.S. and an increase in viewership from Spanish-speaking communities and countries prompted the launch of El Dodo so that these fans can consume content in their native language, while preserving what they already know and love from The Dodo. Since soft-launching in mid-November on Facebook, El Dodo has already garnered over 600,000 followers and has seen strong success among international viewers.

• Adidas

Ajax and Adidas, in collaboration with the Bob Marley family, released the 2021/2022 Ajax third kit. The kit is a tribute to the Ajax fans and the love shared by the club and its fans for reggae legend Bob Marley and his iconic song, Three Little Birds. The black kit features red, yellow and green details. On the back of the jersey, just below the collar, it features a subtle reference to the iconic song, with three little birds sitting on Amsterdam’s Andreas crosses. The kit will be worn in this season’s European matches, alongside Ajax’ home kit.The story of Ajax, Bob Marley and Three Little Birds started in August 2008, when Ajax played a friendly match in Cardiff, against Cardiff City F.C. The Ajax fans were asked to remain in the stands after the game. To entertain the patient fans, the stadium DJ played several tracks, one of which was Three Little Birds. The rest is history. The fans instantly embraced the song as their own and have been singing it at every game since.Across generations, no musical artist has influenced the world quite like Bob Marley. His legacy and messages of hope, love, justice and unity remain as powerful today, as when they were written. The kit features a jersey, short and socks. All product is available from August 20 onwards, and available on ajax.nl/shop, adidas.com, in Official Ajax Fanshops (ArenA, Kalverstraat and Bataviastad) and through selected retailers around the world.

• Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Nonprofit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has launched its first-ever Direct Response Television (DRTV) campaign. Airing on national broadcast and cable outlets, the campaign will run mid-August through early November. Driven by data, research and dedication to progression, CMN Hospitals deemed DRTV as an authentic next step for the organization. While it isn’t the only marketing mechanism utilized by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, it is anticipated to be a key contributor to a rise in fundraising and awareness alike. Unexpectedly, the campaign is on the heels of an uptick in positive child COVID cases, which directly affects the organization’s network hospitals. Children’s hospitals are on the frontlines when it comes to protecting the health of future generations, but they can’t do it alone. CMN Hospitals is a 501c-3 nonprofit dedicated to protecting kids’ health by raising unrestricted funds for 170 children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada. The organization was founded in 1983 as a telethon.