The Pollack Group

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Senior PR Manager at Bob Evans Farms, a consumer packaged goods company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Pollack Group, and what were your goals?

The Pollack Group was hired to lead PR for our company's "Our Farm Salutes" program. The program supports America’s service members, Veterans and their families through volunteerism, strategic partnerships, grant opportunities, awareness and donations. Our goals included: strengthen and reaffirm BEF's connection to its signature Our Farm Salutes program through earned media and raising awareness of BEF's support for America's military heroes.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Pollack was selected as our PR AOR previous to my start date at BEF.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

The scope of work included press release development and distribution, media outreach, interview coordination, partnership coordination and media monitoring across three pillar Our Farm Salutes programs.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked directly with the President, VP and Group Supervisor. The extended team included 2-3 account associates.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our Farm Salutes exceeded our initial goal for earned impressions in fiscal 2022.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Pollack's project management style included weekly status meetings with documented updates and timelines. The team was also readily available for one-off calls as needed.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We appreciated the team's deep knowledge of the current media landscape, best practices and overall care for the project's success. The team was also helpful with navigating several pivots throughout the program.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

NA

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Mike Flaskey is the President, Founder and CEO of Mike Flaskey Entertainment, Inc., a full-service lifestyle and entertainment company that brings experiential brand activations to life through golf tournaments, concerts, sports, and live events. In this role, Mike identifies and executes turnkey solutions for brands and organizations looking to amplify their brand awareness through unique events and experiences.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Pollack Group, and what were your goals?

We launched the first ClubCorp Classic Golf Tournament in Dallas TX and needed a full spectrum of Digital Marketing and Strategy. The Pollack Group was hired to handle this crucial element.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

The Pollack Group was our go-to Digital Marketing company when I was the CEO of Diamond Resorts. I sold Diamond to Hilton in August 2021 and hired the Pollack Group

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.

The agency helped spearhead the social media and digital marketing efforts for the tournament. Their team created a visual brand aesthetic, social media templates and best practices, a brand voice, and worked in tandem with our teams to create visually engaging and relevant content throughout the campaign. They used Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to tell the story of the tournament and find new audiences. 

The agency also showed an ability to collaborate, whether it be with our teams, external partners, and engaging with celebrities and influencers participating in the tournament. 

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Stefan, President Jacob, Content and Social Media Director

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

the entire project was carried out with extreme professionalism, high-quality deliverables and a sense of urgency throughout. Jacob in particular shone in his role.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Extreme responsiveness and proactivity from The Pollack Group, particularly with Jacob. Great availability from them for phone calls, urgent deliverables, etc.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They were a complete one-stop shop for all our digital marketing needs. Eventually this project evolved to other ones for Mike Flaskey Entertainment

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

They are consummate professionals, who went out of their way to help our start-up in every way possible.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the former president and CEO of USO. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Pollack Group?

We retained The Pollack Group as our agency of record, assisting us with general PR and communications. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Pollack Group serves as our agency of record, providing everything from press releases, blog posts, media mentions, and similar things — these were all part of their services. 

What is the team composition?

Stefan (President) was our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with The Pollack Group?

The Pollack Group had a contract with another nonprofit, which was how we contacted them. We liked them so much that we hired them for ourselves. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $50,000–$200,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership lasted from July 2014–July 2018. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

The Pollack Group had a highly professional operation. Stefan, in particular, was immensely talented; they were well-connected, especially in the LA media market.

How did The Pollack Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was excellent. To communicate, we mainly used emails and texts.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their experience in the LA media market was impressive. We were dealing with the organization's owner, and we felt they had ownership of the project. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Leverage the experience and know-how of The Pollock Group’s senior team to create value for your organization.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of marketing of a fintech company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Pollack Group?

We were looking to gain more exposure for our brand, product, and services within our targeted vertical segments.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’re trying to introduce our fintech solution to the US, so my engagement with The Pollack Group includes creating a US-centric messaging map that would enable us to work with reporters and industry experts to drive awareness of our products and services.

We’re targeting several verticals, each of which would have a customized message and strategy that The Pollack Group would deploy through social media and content marketing.

The digital channels they’re utilizing are Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and our blog. They have admin access to these channels, where they manage, publish, and monitor all engagement.

What is the team composition?

Our primary contact is with the senior account director, but we also interface with Stefan (President) and Stephanie (VP).

How did you come to work with The Pollack Group?

The Pollack Group was already connected with a few people from our company through prior engagements.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $200,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in July 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We went from having zero exposure in our chosen verticals to having significant placements in their key industry publications. We’ve also improved our social media followers and engagement by 50%, so The Pollack Group has been a critical component of our ongoing success.

How did The Pollack Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They excel at project and account management. Their weekly meetings are highly organized, and they’re always prepared to report and provide us with progress reports and analytical insights on our campaigns.

They share reports through PowerPoint and Excel, and we typically communicate through email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with their commitment to industry knowledge and expertise. They understand how to create our product in the ever-evolving fintech space, because they dove in and gained experience to help us develop engaging strategy and content.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any constructive feedback on their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would advise you to have clear goals and objectives and ensure that you have a concise brief that you both agree on.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We have a law firm with three offices, two of which are in California and one in the Midwest. We do mostly plaintiffs work, and I’m a partner in the law firm. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Pollack Group?

We were seeking to put our name with another law firm that we joint ventured with to work on a new area of cases and law that we hadn’t done before. Our partner has done it in the past, but we need the public domain to know that we’re in-taking and interested in pursuing these cases. 

We’re also very sensitive to looking like we’re doing mass advertising. We want to look like a high-end firm doing selective cases for a certain clientele. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope of The Pollack Group’s work includes outreach to media outlets for on-air interviews, as well as traditional marketing directly to potential clients. It’s a two-tiered effort. 

Getting on-air interviews at local news stations is very important to establish credibility and name recognition. That’s a large task initially, and it works in tandem with a media push that’s mostly digital ads. 

Their team also created a website for us. We worked together on the content for the website for an entire package, both in the digital space and in the media. 

What is the team composition?

We work with a few different people on the team. Stefan (President) leads the charge directly, and then there’s a different team dealing with the website creation, search, and ads. 

The third team is mostly led by Stefan, too, and they deal with getting us in the news channels and on-air interviews.

How did you come to work with The Pollack Group?

We used them in the past, and we were in the same geographic area. We had past experience with them, and it was a job well done. It was before the digital space evolved, and I knew them at the time as a traditional PR firm. Now, they’re a modern marketing firm because of the digital space and the internet. 

After a quick conversation, we understood what they did, and I sought them out directly based upon my understanding of what they did and how they grew with the times. 

How much have you invested with them?

Our investment varies based upon time, but the monthly range is between $20,000–$30,000 per month. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in November 2019, and we’re still working with them. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

I’m in the service business as well, and I know that anyone can be a number; anyone can be a client. However, with The Pollack Group, I feel they dive in and understand our project's sensitivities and goals. 

There’s a relationship that has developed between my team and The Pollack Group, which enables everyone to work more efficiently. They really understand what I want. 

Putting ads on the internet is something that anyone can do, but understanding entire projects and making entire packages are things that they understand and implement at a very high level. I’m extremely satisfied with their creativity and work product. They do a stellar job. 

How did The Pollack Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is excellent. I have no complaints. They’re more aggressive at reaching out to us than we are to them. There’s a top-down approach, so everyone understands our theme and sensitivity to not looking like we’re advertising for personal injuries and things like that. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their personal touch is most impressive. They care about what they do, and they care about their clients, which goes a long way. It’s not just a job for them; it’s about doing well. 

They’re long-term thinkers, and they’re not thinking about retention on a single project. They want to keep us as a client. For us, there have been 10–15 years between projects, but we went back to them. They really want to take care of clients. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They have to trust the relationship and provide as much detail as possible upfront in the initial meetings with the group to make sure they understand their goals. 

Once they communicate to The Pollack Group that information and invest the time to explain where their head is, they can translate that into a project and develop all the necessary plans to implement the project, be it in the digital space or to get some press. Invest time with them upfront to develop the project. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

In my time working with Pollack, I was the director of marketing for a retail data company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Pollack Group?

We brought Pollack on to help expand our profile as an industry leader in the retail trends space. We wanted to be a brand that consumer packaged goods (CPGs) and retailers could rely on to help grow in the market. 

We had a lot of data on advertising, promotions, and pricing. This data is used by CPGs and retailers for competitive intelligence to plan their own advertising and promotions out to the market. Our goal was to share some of that data to move marketing strategies forward and use it as a relationship builder for some of the largest media publications and companies in the US.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Pollack expanded our name within the media industry as the go-to source for key retail insights, looking to help predict how shoppers might behave during the holiday seasons. Because of Pollack, we became a trusted source in that space.

We knew we had rich data. We knew how to tell a story with that data. But we didn’t know exactly how to package that data in order to get the most beneficial response among the media companies we targeted.

This is where Pollack really helped us in terms of packaging. They had the expertise on what the reporters found important and what they tend to gravitate towards. They helped us refine our data, our messaging and how we packaged and positioned to gain more traction than we had prior partnering with Pollack. 

What is the team composition?

We had a team of 2–3 at any given time over those four years. We worked closely with a dedicated account manager and Stefan (President & CFO).

How did you come to work with The Pollack Group?

They were a reference by one of the companies that we acquired back in 2012–2013. That was our decision criteria at that time. We were aware of a variety of different PR firms that could potentially support us, so having that personal reference was great.

How much have you invested with them?

Our investment ranged from $75,000–$100,000 annually.

What is the status of this engagement?

We partnered with them from July 2014–2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The metrics we used were reach and impressions. We were coming from only being featured twice annually by trade publications that only had 20,000–30,000 readers. With Pollack’s help, we had a presence almost every month throughout the year in national media publications that reached millions of people.

It was a really exponential increase in overall impressions and exposure of our brand. Pollack also helped us establish the relationships we wanted with higher-level publications.

How did The Pollack Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed really well. We had a lot of priorities with PR being one of them. So, they were almost an extension of our PR arm in the sense that if we were letting things sit for longer than we should, they would get in touch with us with a plan to move forward with a project.

They were instructive and proactive in applying what we’ve learned from past successes and using the formula to package new data. They’d even handle the entire process on our behalf. It’s always great for a partner to act proactively because at any given point, you’re going to have varying priorities you can’t dedicate as much time to.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In my experience, it’s the personal relationship we built with Pollack. They got to know our business very well as well as our working styles, and they were very respectful of our key selling seasons. They walked a nice line between being too overbearing and trying to shift our focus off our business priorities while simultaneously driving our PR goals forward.

Their commitment to learning our data, our business, and how we work made them a particularly good partner for me. I trusted them to know what we were doing at any given time. I also love the fact that they are able to carry the torch for us in times when our business was busier than usual so that’s a different level of trust besides knowing all of our data.

They knew how we wanted to be perceived by the public and portrayed in national media. And they can easily adjust depending on the time of year or the nature of opportunities that were out on the PR front.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were a few press releases that we made over the years that I’d say needed some coaching and editing in terms of striking the right tone. But to be fair to them, we do have a complicated business if you’re not living it, day in and day out. This wasn’t really a huge gripe, but it could’ve saved us some time. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would say that Pollack does their best work when they get to know you and your business thoroughly. Make sure you invest the time at the beginning of the relationship to share about how your day to day is, your working style, and the product, service or output that your company delivers. 

Don’t just dump data onto them and say run with it. Take the time to share your team structure, your goals, and ideate with them to set up the rest of the relationship for better success.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a serial CEO/President and have hired the Pollack Group on multiple occasions for three different companies across industries. I have retained them at a mobile electronics chain of stores, a health care services, reproductive tissue banking and stem cell banking, and a nonprofit.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Pollack Group?

The Pollack Group oversaw corporate branding, events, and overall public relations. They expertly handled everything from PR pitching to large scale events to attract press.

What were your goals for this project?

Goals were to build brand awareness, increase sales, social media outreach and general brand consistency.

SOLUTION

How did you select The Pollack Group?

Interviewed and screened multiple agencies and found them to be the most compelling, with exceptional client testimonials and great staff.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Following extensive background meetings with Pollack, the scope of their work included retooling of all materials, copy editing, web redesign, ad copy, social media brainstorming and outreach to influencers, etc.

What was the team composition?

We had an active team of four collaborative staff members with constant access to senior management.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Increased sales (double digits) and massive increase in social media metrics across all levels.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Highly effective workflow - very professional and streamlined.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The knowledge of industry, market and channels and their professional approach to all issues faced, as well as their overall creativity.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None...excellent all around with each engagement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive manager for the CEO as well as the property manager for a luxury hotel.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Pollack Group?

We hired them to help with our hotel's PR and marketing needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Pollack Group acted as the PR and marketing arm of our hotels. They oversee all of our campaigns, video production efforts, and events that they organize. They also oversee the B2B and B2C strategy, as well as the tactical implementation of all outbound PR and marketing for all of our entities, since they’re all separate with different needs. Their efforts also focus on all the editorial media for our different entities’ clients. 

They also manage and promote all of the events, and supported B2B travel and hospitality trade efforts. Branding and positioning programs have been run by their team, too. They manage and maintain our blog program, influencer outreach, and social media. All of our collateral material is overseen by their team, as well. 

One specific thing they created for us is a signature event for our hotel. Our hotel became a voting poll for an area, so we would serve them food and create a soothing atmosphere. We would hire someone to do yoga, musicians, and other types of calming activities because of their recommendations. 

What is the team composition?

I work with Stefan (President). I also have worked with his associates. 

How did you come to work with The Pollack Group?

We really needed a PR and marketing firm to navigate all of our marketing needs, and we selected The Pollack Group because they were really creative in their thinking. They thought outside the box and were able to strategize for the company with all its different entities, which is not an easy feat. They understood the owner’s vision and were able to activate and implement strategies that really align with that.

How much have you invested with them?

We have a retainer of $14,000 per month. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around September 2010 and our engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

They have really great quality in their work that they’re not only able to submit but also generate and execute. They were able to create that signature event for our hotel, which is not an easy thing to do. We became the number one voting poll in the country because of this event and were featured in a major publication for it. 

Even outside of the statistics and metrics, the clientele that we’re able to attract from their initiatives are extremely important to us. They were able to identify the different brand legs for the entities and strategize for each identity. They were really able to deliver on that. 

How did The Pollack Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done excellent in managing the project. We have excellent communication and they always keep us on track. We wouldn’t have been able to keep all those projects on time without their help and they are able to help manage us. They ensure everything is completed on time, so that’s excellent. 

We use every method of communication. We had bi-monthly meetings in the hotel. Our teams also used email, phone calls, video conferences, and every type of communication method. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their connections and relationships within and outside of the industry make them one of the best companies we’ve worked with. The signature event they created for us and the great marketing campaigns are things we wouldn’t have been able to think of without them. 

They’re able to bring in people they have connections with to see it all the way through to the end. This has been extremely important for us. Stefan is very special. They go above and beyond what is asked and they think outside the box to help the brand. They want the company to reach its potential, which is important for a successful PR and marketing company. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re a great company and they have the bandwidth. I don’t see any area for them to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Other companies hand you off to an account manager, but with this group, Stefan is extremely involved and available. That’s not something other companies do, so that is definitely an attribute to working with them. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re the one of the leading sparkling water maker manufacturers, seeking to disincentivize consumers from buying plastic bottles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Pollack Group?

Before being acquired by a larger company, we’d seen a lot of growth because we focused on getting our PR right. The Pollack Group was one of the PR companies that we worked with. They handled our PR efforts in the US, helping to build the brand into what we are today.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

We relied on The Pollack Group to drive our PR in the US, starting with continuously PR pitching our brand and products. They were in charge of all of the communications around our environmentalism angle, health and wellness, and corporate messaging.

One of our projects involved securing coverage for our cleaning efforts. We flew our team out to clean a beach, and they managed to get the press to attend. Another major project was about showing how the Statue of Liberty was drowning in plastic bottles.

They were constantly bringing us creative ideas — many of them positively disruptive, which was exactly what we were looking for.

What is the team composition? 

The team wasn’t small but still created an intimate work experience. Stefan (President & CFO) himself was involved at all levels along with our account manager. They helped us brainstorm ideas and brought them to life. It was a lot of hard work, but they were definitely in the fray with us.

How did you come to work with The Pollack Group?

Because we’re such a PR-leaning company, it was mandatory that every market has 2–3 PR agencies for each communication vertical. The Pollack Group was already one of our leading agencies when I joined my position.

How much have you invested with them?

We probably spent around $200,000 per year, excluding all of the big events and stunts. With everything together, we spent over $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with The Pollack Group in June 2016, though they were already working with my company since before then. When we got acquired in January 2019, the contract ended.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Our company is a large organization, but we still try to have a positive startup mentality. The Pollack Group was great at adjusting to meet our needs as they shifted, and I liked that they could make things happen in a very short period of time. They definitely managed to build big stories around a lot of the things that we did.

How did The Pollack Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great at managing projects. The team always met their deadlines, were communicative, and stayed transparent throughout. It was like they were a part of our team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Besides their creativity, I was impressed by their ability to create such an intimate working relationship with our team. It felt like we were their number one client, even though they were probably working with others.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing specific comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get them involved early on, even if it’s just an initial idea. When we were brainstorming, we would text each other everything that came to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of Bel Air Investment Advisors. We manage about $9 billion for wealthy families and individuals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Pollack Group?

Close to a decade ago, we wanted our investment professional exposure to further refine and develop the firm's role or image in the marketplace from a branding perspective that would really reflect the strong investment acumen of the firm.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

 We wanted to create thought leaders from our firm and getting them out into various publications, PR avenues, and media. They consulted on that and social media. They helped us with an entire branding revision at one point. They’ve been very helpful for all of our collateral materials and messaging. They’ve been a true marketing partner.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with a handful of people from the president down. We worked closely with Mark (VP).

How did you come to work with The Pollack Group?

I chose them because they were willing to be held accountable to their efficacy and success. So we have goals every year that we set out and try to achieve, and they need to accomplish those goals as part of our agreement. So they're actually willing to put their own success out there from a competitive perspective.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together over a decade again, around June 2010, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We establish goals centered around getting new employees’ exposure in the media, providing ongoing media training, and getting firm exposure in certain areas. They’re accessible, thoughtful, easy to work with, and transparent in pricing. Overall, they’re great partners.

How did The Pollack Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been very communicative.  We use phone and email. They’re also very process-oriented.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re results-oriented.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wouldn’t be able to come up with something negative to say about them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set clear expectations and develop goals. Also, check references or talk to people who've been very similar products before.