MP+G Marketing Solutions

MP+G Marketing Solutions is a virtual brand and marketing agency established in 2006. A virtual agency means we work wherever our clients need us to be and we partner with other top consultants who are experts in their fields. Our team brings clients more value by providing years of experience combined with high-quality expertise and low overhead. We believe in creating strong, strategic partnerships with our clients; partnerships built on mutual respect and trust. We’re not just consultants; we become members of your team.

MP+G is a certified, woman-owned small business and a targeted vendor for the State of Minnesota. As a U of M contractor, we bring:

• a research-based approach to our work
• experience working with and communicating to diverse audiences across the state
• flexibility and expertise managing disparate needs and concerns
• and a one-stop shop option for all a client’s marketing needs, saving valuable time with sourcing, estimating, and invoicing.

Our background in brand strategy and marketing communications runs deep. We started our careers working with big corporations, cutting our teeth in the consumer-packaged goods industry with high-profile companies like Tonka Toys, Star Tribune, International Dairy Queen, and General Mills.

Now we bring that expertise to work for our clients, creating distinctive branding and effective marketing campaigns for organizations with purpose—and whenever possible—a shared interest in education, equity, health, and the environment.

We provide spot-on strategy, clean, crisp design, and clear, concise content that compels audiences to action. We make good use of resources—our clients and our own—and provide successful solutions for their branding, marketing, and communications needs.

Mary Pat McNeil is the owner and sole proprietor of MP+G. Mary Pat is a passionate, on-trend brand strategist. Her creative voice and vision and knack for spot-on strategy and award-winning content delivers results on time and within budget. Her 25+ year background marries a unique combination of brand strategy, advertising, public relations, promotions, licensing, retail, e-commerce, and nonprofit marketing experience bringing a broad and deep perspective to her work.

From developing strategies and integrated campaigns to rolling up her sleeves and writing content, her work has helped “move the needle” for clients. Her fresh innovative approach has won multiple state, national, and international awards.

Greg J. Smith is the lead Creative Director with experience on both the agency and corporate side of the business. As Director of Creative Services for International Dairy Queen, his work earned him the marketer of the year award. His clean design and strong use of type is refreshing and powerful.

Organizations/Positions: Minnesota School PR Association (MinnSPRA), ‘Clean Water Summit’ Minnesota Landscape Arboretum volunteer, ‘Road Salt Symposium’ Fresh Water Society volunteer, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Master Water Steward Program participant, Master Gardener annual conference guest speaker, MSBA Leadership Conference workshop speaker, MinnSPRA ‘Good Trouble’ School Communicators member, Minnesota Association of Government Communicators (MAGC) member

Awards: Printing Industries of America Awards, International Newspaper Marketing Association (INMA) Award, General Mills Eagle Award, five MinnSPRA and five National School Public Relations Awards, two MAGC Northern Lights Awards

Certifications: Minnesota certified woman-owned small business, State of Minnesota targeted vendor, Constant Contact Solution Provider, Minnesota Water Stewards

Goods and Services Offered

MP+G serves as a full-service agency providing brand strategy and identity work as well as a complete menu of marketing services from research and communications planning to campaign development and execution. For brand work this includes a brand platform containing brand positioning, brand personality, brand promise, key messages, and brand identity with logomark, tagline, and style guide. Marketing research includes backgrounding, focus group management, surveys, and other forms of audience research to develop evidence-based messaging and strategy.

Other marketing services include copywriting and design of print and digital marketing materials, website content, design, and development, video scripting and production, social media campaigns, electronic newsletter templates and content, PowerPoint presentations, promotional products, and signage. Public and media relations, photography, illustration, and print services management are also available.

Featured Projects:
To help you become better acquainted with our work and how our work might benefit your department, we have chosen the following examples for your review.

Hennepin County Chloride Initiative (HCCI)– Low Salt, No Salt Minnesota™
Marketing Research, Branding, Campaign Development
Salt pollution is a growing problem. HCCI —a collaboration between multiple watershed districts, watershed organizations, nonprofits, and cities in Hennepin County with support from the county and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency—was formed to help reduce the use of road salt. MP+G worked closely with HCCI to develop Low Salt, No Salt Minnesota, a research-driven campaign designed to help communities maintain winter safety while reducing chloride-based deicer use and its harmful impact to the environment.
THE CHALLENGE: How to get people to reduce their use of deicing salts? MP+G’s detailed research provided insight into target audience beliefs, habits, and practices and refined HCCI’s initial assumptions.
THE SOLUTION: A toolbox for property managers and their teams. MP+G conducted target-audience interviews to inform a comprehensive market research report. This detailed report provided insight into target audience beliefs, habits and practices and helped develop key messaging. The research further informed the development of:

• a branding platform including the Low Salt, No Salt Minnesota name for the initiative, brand identity – logomark and the “Clearing a path to safety, savings & sustainability” tagline
• a campaign strategy

Other elements of the campaign included:

• a recruitment letter template
• marketing toolbox with a customizable PowerPoint presentation, explainer video, a legal guidance video, social media clip, brand assets, and informational materials
• a high-end, branded ice chipper for program participants

RESOUNDING RESULTS: Low Salt, No Salt Minnesota is being well-received.
• Our clients hosted pilot presentations both in-person and online. Other organizations including Capitol Region Watershed District, Nine Mile Creek Watershed, and the City of Plymouth either have hosted sessions or have sent letters out to target audiences.
•  Over two dozen staff from cities and watersheds attended a Train-the-Trainer workshop.
• MPCA is looking at training Green Corps members to help deliver the program in various cities, and Freshwater will use Minnesota Water Stewards for pilot presentations and to help find properties to receive the formal presentation.
• Hennepin County created a new position to help watersheds and cities with water education and responsible for giving the Low Salt, No Salt Minnesota presentation several times a year.

“MP+G’s approach, which included market research to identify key messages and materials tailored to those messages, was truly impressive and sets them apart. MP+G demonstrated a deep understanding of our target audience, and their market research provided valuable insights that informed the development of the campaign. Every aspect of the campaign was carefully crafted to resonate with our target audience,” Jessica Vanderwerff Wilson, CFM, Water Resources Manager, City of Edina, HCCI

Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Environmental Health Division (EHD)
Communications Research, Video, and Informational Campaign
In partnership with The Watson Group, helped EHD to improve their outreach and effectiveness in communicating with a diverse Minnesota population about cancer and the environment. Work included conducting messaging research—focus groups and key informant interviews, analyzing data to better understand the communications needs of target audiences, developing an animated video and a series of information sheets using an equity lens -- testing with target audiences –as well as designing a new “Cancer and the Environment” webpage.  
RESULTS: Developing evidence-driven messaging has provided a solid foundation for a colorful, engaging, animated video which communicates quickly and effectively with those seeking an introduction to cancer and the environment. The information sheets provide more in-depth detail around topics such as how MDH monitors cancer rates and trends, what MDH does to protect people from cancer, and environmental injustice. The new website engages visitors with topics from “What Causes Cancer?” to how to contact MDH EHD with concerns about cancer and the environment.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Forestry Division - Arbor Month
Media Relations and Marketing Campaign
Each year, the DNR looks to draw media and public attention to Arbor Day and Arbor Month in Minnesota. ‘Daily Dose of Trees’ was the DNR’s first-ever social media campaign. It exceeded expectations and was so successful, the DNR determined they would repeat the same theme the next year. How MP+G brought the campaign to life: 

• A detailed communications plan–clearly identifying strategies and tactics for all audiences and defining key messages.
• Attention-getting theme graphic and tagline– “Get your daily dose of trees for a healthy you and me!” uniquely captured the essence of the campaign
• Imaginatively designed infographic poster–endorsed by the Minnesota Department of Health and distributed to school nurses, pediatricians and clinics, physicians’ assistants, public libraries, and elementary school principals across the state.
• Inaugural social media campaign–a video clip and meme-based social media campaign designed to boost traffic to DNR/Arbor Month microsite increased social engagement received large volume of shares and views on Facebook and Twitter.
• Newsworthy media angles– pitches, press releases, and a companion media kit for key outlets piqued media interest, gained exposure, and landed a KARE 11 interview, a free full-page ad in the Rochester Visitor (audience reach 2.7 million visitors per year) and numerous news articles and event placements for the DNR.
• Arbor Month webpage–a themed web banner served as a header for the microsite.
• Hashtags: #DailyDoseOfTrees and #31DaysofTrees challenge were posted, retweeted, and shared by partners and affiliates.
• Themed event banners– retractable banners for display at events, a tree planting ceremony, and in-lobby at DNR headquarters.

RESULTS: “MP+G helped bring the second year of the “Get Your Daily Dose of Trees” Arbor Month campaign to a new level. They understood our target audience, millennials, and how to capture their attention. Their idea of making testimonial videos of millennials talking about how trees have improved their health was effective and engaging. MP+G went ‘beyond expectation’ to keep the campaign on track, moving forward, focused, and successful. MP+G’s strategic placement of social media ads over six weeks used a limited budget to make 577,000 impressions; resulting in 5,023 clicks and 15,000 video views; increased page likes by 114; and 900 entries for a 31-day challenge. Impressive numbers for a government agency. I recommend using MP+G to help with your marketing campaign,” Jennifer Teegarden, Forestry Outreach Specialist, Minnesota DNR

OTHER RELEVANT EXAMPLES
To provide an idea of the broad range of projects and clients we serve, here are a few shorter briefs of selected projects.

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI)—Google ads and search marketing campaign: For the DLI Wage Theft Outreach Project, developed overall strategy, key messages, an ad campaign to serve as a pilot for future campaigns; placed and optimized Google search and display ads for a 3-5-month period, tied to a new webpage design, provided DLI staff training to enable successful self-implementation of future campaigns.
RESULTS: “Working with MP+G, the Labor Standards unit of the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry accomplished a successful public education campaign around the laws we oversee.  The four-month campaign resulted in almost 10,000 new user visits to the Department’s website and hundreds of unique phone and electronic communications.  MP+G’s expertise guided campaign decisions that continuously improved the effectiveness of our messaging, throughout our experience working with them,” Dave Skovholt, Outreach Coordinator, Minnesota DLI

University of Minnesota College Readiness Consortium—email marketing campaign: Created the department’s first email campaign, providing strategy, key messages, tagline, template design, staff training, contact management, content direction, and execution.
RESULTS: “MP+G Marketing Solutions is a one-stop shop for developing an email communications plan. With (Mary Pat’s) insight and direction, we felt confident in carrying out our communication plan,” Julie Sweitzer, Executive Director, College Readiness Consortium, University of Minnesota

Metro Blooms | Blue Thumb – Planting for Clean Water®—served as the primary marketing agency: Wrote Blue Thumb’s first strategic communications plan, created marketing campaign strategies for promoting both the non-profit and its programming, helped envision its fit within the Metro Blooms framework, crafted key messaging, and designed multifaceted campaigns for both its potential members and business partners.
RESULTS: “MP+G has been our go-to resource for Metro Blooms/Blue Thumb’s marketing efforts. They developed a strategic communications plan, several successful strategies for promoting our organization and programming, and identified and clarified our key messaging - giving it strength and consistency. MP+G worked with our staff to improve the impact of our Minnesota State Fair Eco Exhibit, developed a unique look for our online communications from website to social media, and created a valuable range of digital assets for our staff and partners to reuse. Without a doubt, we could not have achieved all these accomplishments without MP+G 's expertise.” Rebecca Rice, Executive Director, Metro Blooms

Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA)—brand strategy, marketing plan, and identity: Conducted discovery sessions with staff and key communicators, performed market research, constructed a strategic communications plan, developed key messaging, tagline and brand identity, social media strategy and provided staff training, produced a launch video; additionally directed annual survey development: developed a creative brief, crafted a survey invitation, question development, and analysis; facilitated focus groups and directed research for a key legislative initiative.
RESULTS: “It has been a pleasure working with MP+G Marketing Solutions on MSBA’s rebranding campaign and marketing plan efforts…They pushed us outside of our comfort zone and helped us to get to a place that is enlightened and sustainable. They’ve done quality work,” Kirk Schneidawind, Executive Director, MSBA

Minneapolis Parks + Recreation Board (MPRB)—marketing communication plans and campaigns: Produced media kits, news releases, signage, and webpages for MPRB initiatives including sustainability surveys, Arbor Month partnerships with Minnesota DNR Forestry, and Webber Park – the first public swimming pool in North America to have a natural filtration system using plants from a nearby pond, rather than chemicals, to treat the water.
RESULTS: “I used to dream that our project signs would someday look so good! What a nice new ‘standard’ to set,” Dawn Sommers, Communications & Marketing Manager, MPRB 
“Thank you for your work on the media kits and reception for the TPL (Trust for Public Land) Award Announcement Day. Your work was key to making the day a success," Jayne Miller, Superintendent, MPRB

Anoka-Hennepin Public School District + Anoka Ramsey Community College—marketing billboard campaign: Developed strategy, conducted student research, crafted a communications plan, creative brief, key messages, billboard concepts, provided creative and photo direction, and copywriting.
RESULTS: "MP+G brought a great deal of experience to the billboard campaign she completed for the Anoka-Hennepin School District. Mary Pat was extremely thorough in all phases of the project, which resulted in an end product that was a credit to Anoka-Hennepin. Bravo! Mary Pat is prompt, efficient and accommodating. She is a joy to work with!” Mary Olson, Director of Communications and Public Relations, Anoka-Hennepin School District 

City of Brooklyn Park, Edinburgh, USA—brand campaign: Conducted discovery sessions, determined strategy, conducted market research including focus groups, interviews, surveys and competitor analysis, crafted key messages, tagline, identity refresh, advertising and strategic communications and engagement plan, billboards, and social media.
RESULTS: “MP+G Marketing Solutions did a great job working with Brooklyn Park at Edinburgh USA Golf Course. They helped develop a new brand and provided marketing ideas to take the course in a new direction. They were so professional, creative, and tuned into our needs and resources. They came up with great ideas utilizing our input. The deliverables were on schedule and presented well.  I would highly recommend MP+G for any marketing related services,” Jon Oyanagi, Director, Ramsey County Parks and Recreation

Westonka Public School District—served as Director of Marketing and Community Engagement: Responsible for marketing strategy and brand identity, strategic communications plan and materials, research, focus groups, website redesign, e-newsletter, athletics logo redesign, mascot, multimedia, advertising, media relations, online pressroom, social media launch and on-going marketing campaigns.
RESULTS: "Mary Pat has performed a great service for the Westonka School District. Her efforts have improved the quality and effectiveness of our communications…I encourage you to go to our website and look at our videos, eNewsletter and website to see the quality of her work. You will be impressed,” Kevin Borg, Superintendent, Westonka Public School District

Central Public Schools –levy and bond referendums, brand platform and identity, on-going marketing, and communications: From an initial successful levy referendum to another winning building bond campaign, MP+G conducted market research and helped Central Public Schools engage and communicate with their community. We continued our work with a new brand platform to provide direction and key communications guidance, along with a new brand identity. This new positioning and image are complemented and reinforced with on-going marketing assistance including an updated website, electronic newsletter, marketing materials, videos, and local advertising.
RESULTS: “MP+G is well-versed in school branding. Not just outstanding logo design work, but an entire platform that provides direction and key communications guidance. They have a unique process that helps schools get to the heart of their brands and they really listen. We feel confident that our new brand platform communicates the type of school we are and that we aspire to be," Timothy R. Schochenmaier, Superintendent, Central Public Schools

Nova Classical Academy –complete brand strategy, platform and identity, website redesign, apparel, and promotional products: Conducted research to aid Nova’s internal team in creating a new position and promise for one of Minnesota’s top charter schools. Based on the new brand platform, created a new brand identity, and helped incorporate the new look throughout the school’s marketing and promotional efforts. Provided content, direction and design for their new website and signage.  RESULTS: “As a top-ranked public charter school, Nova Classical Academy was in need of a brand update that not only accurately depicted our competitive academic position but also reinforced our brand values. MP+G took the time to listen and learn about our culture. They developed a total brand package: a messaging and values platform along with a new brand identity system and a website redesign that will serve us well into the future." Dr. Brett Wedlund, Executive Director, Nova Classical Academy

For more work examples visit our website:
www.mpgmarketingsolutions.com

Check out our YouTube Channel

Staffing/Capacity

We are a virtual agency partnering with other professionals in the field to provide a full list of brand and marketing services – as outlined above. As a virtual agency, we can scale up or down as necessary to best accommodate our client’s needs and budget while ensuring team quality and the best fit for the job. 

Emergency/Priority Services

We work with clients to meet their communications needs on time and on budget. Any branding, marketing project or communications need requiring priority service will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
 

Geographic Areas of Services

MP+G works with government agencies, cities, counties, watershed districts, universities and colleges, and school districts (over two dozen) across the state of Minnesota. A list of some of our past as well as current clients includes:

School Districts:
Anoka-Hennepin, Carlton, Central (Norwood Young America), Chatfield, Cleveland, Crosby-Ironton, Inver Grove Heights, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Kaleidoscope Charter School, Leroy-Ostrander, Little Falls, Melrose, Nova Classical Academy, Pelican Rapids, Pierz, Robbinsdale, St. James, Viroqua (Wisconsin), Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, Watertown-Mayer, Westonka (Mound), Worthington

Cities:
Mound
Spring Park
Brooklyn Park

State Departments:
Department of Health, Environmental Health Division
Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Division
Department of Labor and Industry

State Associations and Boards:
Minnesota School Boards Association
Hennepin County Chloride Initiative
Minnesota Park and Recreation Board

Colleges:
University of Minnesota College Readiness Consortium
Anoka Ramsey Community College

National Government Agencies:
National Park Service, Mississippi National River & Recreation Area

Non-profits:
Metro Blooms
Blue Thumb - Planting for Clean Water®

Service Categories:
Branding, Marketing, Communications, Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Logo Design, Naming, Taglines, Marketing Research, Focus Groups, Surveys, Copywriting, Content Strategy, Marketing Campaigns, Digital and Print Materials, Advertising, Direct Mail, Graphic Design, Presentations, Video Scripting and Production, Website Content, Design and Development, Email Marketing, Social Media, Public Relations, Presentations, Video Scripting and Production, Email Marketing, Promotional Products, and Signage Design