This story is part of the QCBJ’s annual Newsmakers edition. This year-end wrap-up by the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal’s staff includes some of the biggest stories we brought you during 2024. Each story also includes an update on the subject. Excerpts from the original stories as well as the new updates appeared in print in our Monday, Dec. 23 edition.
The initial story was published in January of 2024.
A little more than a year after introducing us to Pioneer and Cookie, Modern Woodmen of America’s first national ad campaign continues to build name and brand awareness for the Rock Island-based fraternal financial services organization.
The campaign is currently in six markets across the nation, including the Quad Cities, said Leah White, Modern Woodmen’s director of enterprise marketing & communications.
“This test pilot is closely measuring a comprehensive media mix used to generate brand awareness in their target market of 25-45-year-old moms,” she said.
It’s also award-winning. Ad Age named it one of the top five creative campaigns you need to know about right now. It won Best in Show, Gold for Integrated Campaign and Gold in the single-entry category at the 2024 Ad Club CT awards; the award for Most Creative at the Best of AMIN Globey Awards; and Gold at the Hatch Awards for video 60 seconds and over.
The campaign is boosted by other strategies that increase “visibility, build trust and target the right audiences to drive growth,” she said. “This includes local sports marketing to help connect with communities in powerful ways.”
Locally, that means sponsoring Modern Woodmen Park and the River Bandits, and nationally, its stadium takeovers for the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes and Anaheim Ducks and the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams. They capture attention, elevate brand awareness and create lasting fan connections.
Then there’s the impact on organization’s representatives. “The momentum built has been a source of excitement and pride in their areas, and they are seeing increased brand awareness for Modern Woodmen,” Ms. White said.
As one rep said, “Having the brand out there, the way it is, has been a huge point of pride for both me and my existing members. It creates stickiness with current members and brand awareness in conversations with prospects.”
