Author: Jump Team

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The Women Who Make Jump, Jump 

The story of Jump Company can’t be told without the women who have shaped it — leaders, builders, problem-solvers and collaborators whose impact is felt in every corner of our work. As we celebrate Women’s History Month alongside Jump’s 25th anniversary, it’s a moment to recognize the people who have helped define who we are — and continue to push us forward. 

Women have always played a defining role in how Jump works, grows and leads. Today, they lead four of our five departments and make up half of our executive leadership team, bringing perspectives that make our work stronger, more thoughtful and more human. They challenge how we think, shape how we show up for our clients, and help guide the agency through change and growth alike. 

Their leadership isn’t a footnote in our story, it’s a driving force behind it. Here’s a look at a few of the women who make Jump, Jump. 

A portrait of Alex one of the Women Who Make Jump, Jump 

Alex Reed’s career at Jump is a reflection of what growth really looks like: curiosity, consistency and a deep commitment to the people she works with. Starting as an account executive 15 years ago, she now leads media, strategy and account services as Director of Client Solutions. Alex’s passion for insight-driven strategy and her ability to build lasting client relationships have helped drive meaningful growth — not just for our clients but for the agency as a whole — expanding what we do and how we deliver it. 

A portrait of Renae one of the Women Who Make Jump, Jump 

Renae Ray, Director of Agency Services, is the steady force behind how work gets done at Jump. Since joining in 2009 as office manager, she has grown alongside the agency, shaping systems, processes and teams every step of the way. Today, she leads operations across departments, ensuring that creativity and execution move seamlessly together. Her impact is felt in the clarity, consistency and care that define how we deliver our work. 

A portrait of Kelli one of the Women Who Make Jump, Jump 

Kelli Overson has been a Jumper since 2015, and her leadership is rooted in understanding — of clients, of teams and of what it takes to build something meaningful. She leads the development of our account team while overseeing some of our most complex client relationships. Kelli brings a thoughtful, intentional approach to every partnership, creating work that not only stands out, but truly aligns with her clients’ visions and goals. 

A portrait of Brooke one of the Women Who Make Jump, Jump 

Brooke Howard joined Jump in 2019 and quickly became instrumental in shaping what our media capabilities are today. As Director of Media, she has expanded the team, introduced new tools and strategies, and built a more integrated, performance-driven approach to media. A natural problem-solver, Brooke is constantly pushing what’s possible, ensuring our clients benefit from work that is both creative and measurable. 

The women of Jump don’t just contribute to our success, they define it. Through their leadership, creativity and care for the people around them, they continue to shape what this company is and what it can become. This month — and every month — we celebrate them. 

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Jump Company Expands Reach and Capabilities with Geile/Leon Acquisition 

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications has been an iconic presence in the St. Louis advertising community for over 35 years. Known for their innovative campaigns and strong client relationships, G/L have always felt like kindred spirits to Jump. We are both independent agencies that share a philosophy of creativity, agility and exceeding expectations. Through this acquisition, Jump welcomes an amazing team that positions us for growth in three key areas:

Our Service Portfolio 
With the addition of G/L to the Jump family, we are now one of the largest and longest-standing independent full-service agencies in the region. The influx of new creative and strategic talent allows Jump to offer additional capabilities in areas like PR and expanded capacity and experience in brand strategy and development, creative and content development, web development and more.

Our Agency Reach 
By combining our strengths with G/L, Jump has expanded our capabilities and client base. As a result, we anticipate increased opportunities to serve our existing clients and to attract new partners in the St. Louis region, the Midwest and nationally.

Our Client Relationships 
Building and maintaining lasting relationships has been a defining quality of both Jump and G/L. Clients of both agencies — from Nordyne and 4M Building Solutions to Memorial Health and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals — can expect the same level of personalized attention and even more access to senior leadership experience and perspectives.

This acquisition represents more than an alignment of business interests. It’s a merging of two teams that share a vision of what advertising and branding should be: relationship-driven and innovation-focused. We are thrilled for what our collective future holds as one agency: more collaboration, more passion, and more reasons to celebrate our exceptional people and drive real success for our client partners.

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Seeing The Invisible:

Empathetic Marketing to Seniors

We all desire to be seen and understood. But for many people, aging over the hill and beyond into the golden years comes with the unexpected burden of feeling invisible. People over 65 are often overlooked in marketing, even though this demographic is one of the fastest growing and most influential segments in the world. In the United States alone, more than 55 million people are over age 65, with a combined purchasing power exceeding $2 trillion annually. Yet, despite their economic influence, older adults are frequently underrepresented or stereotyped in marketing campaigns.

These portrayals can have a strong impact on self-esteem and how senior adults view their role in society. As marketers, we have a responsibility to create campaigns that genuinely respect and value older consumers. We can do this in a few simple ways:

1. Challenge Ageist Stereotypes

Our senior generations are frequently portrayed in a narrow set of roles, often associated with frailty, dependence or disengagement from modern life. Yet today’s older consumers often defy these stereotypes. According to AARP, 71% of adults over 50 are still engaged in learning new skills and activities. They lead vibrant lives, travel, adopt technology and contribute to society in ways that should be reflected in marketing campaigns.

“Brands that portray aging as a natural, vibrant stage of life create more authentic connections with older consumers,” says Ashton Applewhite, author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism.

2. Highlight Technology as an Enabler

Contrary to common stereotypes, older adults are increasingly tech savvy. According to Pew Research Center, 75% of Americans aged 65 and older use the internet, and 61% own a smartphone. This growing digital engagement means that marketers should focus on how technology can enhance the lives of older consumers rather than perpetuate the myth that they struggle with it. Technology should be positioned as a tool for connection and empowerment.

“When marketers emphasize the accessibility and benefits of technology for older users, they help break down ageist assumptions and foster inclusivity,” says the American Marketing Association.

3. Tailor Messaging for Senior Consumers

Personalization is essential when marketing to older adults. According to research from McKinsey & Company, older consumers are more likely to remain loyal to brands that understand their needs and preferences. Marketers should personalize their messages to reflect the interests, lifestyles and priorities of our senior generations.

“Older consumers expect brands to deliver value, trust and reliability, which requires tailoring both products and messaging to align with their values,” explains the Harvard Business Review.

4. Leverage Trust and Authenticity

Older consumers place a high value on trust and authenticity. A study by Edelman found that people over 65 are more discerning and place a premium on brands they trust. They are less likely to be swayed by aggressive advertising tactics and more likely to remain loyal to brands with a proven track record of quality and transparency. Highlight your brand’s history, commitment to quality and focus on customer service. Share testimonials and statistics to support your claims and deepen trust with consumers.

“Trust is the foundation of brand loyalty for older adults, and marketers need to demonstrate reliability and authenticity in every interaction,” explains Edelman.

Above all, older adults deserve to feel seen and respected. By challenging stereotypes and fostering trust, we can create lasting connections that benefit both brands and society.

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A New Campaign Yields Big Results

Empowering the Voices of Survivors

In 2023 Jump partnered with The Angel Band Project, a nonprofit organization that uses the power of music to support survivors of sexual violence and intimate partner violence, to help launch their first annual giving campaign. With a goal of $60,000, the Raise a Voice campaign set out to empower the voices of up to 190 survivors by providing them with no-cost access to music therapy.

The campaign included email, direct mail and phone calls by staff and key volunteers, all driving to a dedicated landing page for donations. We are thrilled to report that not only did The Angel Band Project meet their goal, but they exceeded it. Jump is honored to have played a role in supporting programs that foster connection, self-worth, confidence and emotional well-being for hundreds of survivors.

If you are interested in learning more about The Angel Band Project or the transformative power of their music therapy workshops, visit angelbandproject.org.

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Positioning: A Powerful Play in B2B Marketing

The business-to-business sales landscape creates a number of interesting marketing challenges. From a finite number of potential customers to smaller product offerings, B2B marketing can leave the impression messaging possibilities are limited. But as often happens, when the picture appears smaller, a highly focused solution comes into view and creates the perfect opportunity for positioning.

More Specific than Branding

Although positioning is a strategic sibling to branding, its narrower characteristics allow it to be applied for just a specific amount of time or only to a singular product. In addition, it also has the potential to not only position the company’s product, but by extension, its competitor’s product as well.

Positioning “Proves” an Ideal Move

Recently Havco Wood Products – the industry leader for dry-freight trailer flooring – found themselves in a situation where positioning their flagship product became essential. Over 20 years ago, Havco invented the industry’s first composite floor – the Fusion Floor by Havco – which revolutionized the category. The floor combined a base layer of oak with a high-strength composite layer which made the floor stronger and lighter than a traditional wood floor.

In 2021, Havco faced a challenge as their patent for the composite floor was coming to an end; allowing their competitors to enter the market with competing products. To prepare, Havco utilized a powerful positioning to reinforce their reputation for innovation and their status as the leading manufacturer of composite floors. The undeniable fact was that Havco had the only floor with proven longevity and ROI. In fact, they had 20 years of documented proof. So, while the competitors might have been able to make claims of strength, they had no proof their floors would last.

Havco’s positioning, The Industry’s Only Proven Composite Floor, quickly communicated that the Fusion Floor was the original and the only proven investment available to the industry while at the same time positioning its competitor’s products as unproven copies of the original.

Jump Company’s positioning for the Fusion Floor by Havco came to life through a spectrum of digital and traditional marketing channels as well as editorial-length industry communication. By reinforcing the floor’s 20-year track record of documented performance, Havco was positioned to remain the industry leader.

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5 Tips to Maximize Medicare’s Short Campaign Window

Medicare marketing is uniquely difficult. Those companies who can successfully navigate the annual plan development, the governmental approvals, the marketing campaign development, the internal compliance reviews and the media planning and placement are given the reward of less than two months to market their plan, and they must do it at the exact same time every single competitor is also marketing their plans. Knowing how to maximize every moment of the annual enrollment period is vital to success, and from our experience, these are five tips to ensuring success.

Tip #1: Start with strategy

The best campaigns begin and end with a great strategy that allows for clear reporting. It’s tough to hit a target if you don’t know what it looks like. Starting with the end in mind will set the stage for future optimizations. It will also inform which tactics will give you the most bang for your buck. For example, if your goal is brand awareness, display tactics can help you reach the most people. If you’re looking for an action, tactics like paid search can put you in front of users who are actively searching for you and may be more likely to convert.

Tip #2: Get in market as early as possible

You may be faced with constraints that influence your time in market. Whether you’re dealing with regulations, limited information, or time-sensitive content, look for ways to prime the market before your campaign goes live. Having brand messaging in market prior to a campaign launch may be a good way to boost awareness. Consider teasing an upcoming release to generate interest before more details become available. In general, the more time you have in market, the better. Platforms like Google require time to optimize to benefit from machine learning. For paid search, we recommend at least one month in market before your campaign goes live to help maximize results.

Tip #3: Give yourself options

When time is of the essence, it helps to have a wide range of pre-approved options, especially in markets where regulation is high. Build twice as many digital ads as you need so you can layer in or remove the ones that aren’t performing. The more ads you can swap in, the more opportunities you have to learn.

Tip #4: Optimize effectively

Not all optimizations are created equal. Think through the underlying goal of each tactic to make sure you’re optimizing appropriately. For example, brand awareness campaigns focus on overall impressions. Optimize these for reach. For campaigns geared around conversions, optimize on user actions like clicking “enroll now” or “buy now.” Understanding what success looks like for each tactic will help you make game-time decisions so you can get the best performance out of your campaign overall.

Tip 5: Take good notes

One of the best things you can do to set yourself up for future success is to take good notes of everything you learned during the campaign. Any helpful findings should be shared out and saved in a way that makes them easy to reference as part of the strategy development process for the next campaign.

At Jump Company, nothing thrills us more than seeing campaigns deliver game-changing results. It’s amazing to see what is possible when you are intentional about how to make the most out of your time in market…no matter how limited it may be.

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Jump Director of Client Solutions Joins FOCUS St. Louis Women in Leadership

Jump is proud to congratulations to Alexandria Reed, Director of Client Solutions, on being selected to join FOCUS St. Louis for the spring 2023 cohort of Women in Leadership. This program connects women of diverse backgrounds so they can refine their leadership competencies and deepen their understanding of the region.

“It is an honor to be accepted into a premier leadership organization committed to cultivating stronger leaders that in turn create a stronger St. Louis region,” said Alex. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to learn from diverse perspectives, connect with incredible women leaders, grow my own leadership skills and find ways to better help serve my teams, clients and community.”

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How To Stand Out in Community Banking

Many industries pit national brands against regional or local competitors, but none is more competitive than banking and finance. National powers have the scale to offer the widest variety of products and services and the resources to advertise and promote themselves. Regional and community banks are often at a disadvantage with fewer locations and smaller marketing budgets. For this reason, these banks also run the risk of becoming commoditized in the eyes of their customers believing one regional option is the same as the next. When tasked to stand out in community banking, these are three necessities.

Define Your Brand and Push It to the Forefront

What makes your institution different from your competitors? What characteristics can you confidently promote? What are the unique reasons a customer would receive a better experience with you over one of your competitors? Defining the core of your brand and then aligning not only your advertising, but your business approach, philosophy and experience around your brand is the clearest and strongest way to bring distinction to your bank in your market. But most importantly, resist the urge to settle on generalities and make sure your brand is differentiated. If you have defined your brand in a way that others could also claim, then you haven’t dug deep enough. Your brand is ultimately why you are the only choice for your target customer’s banking needs, not just a definition of reasons someone needs banking services.

Offer Easy and Modern Digital Experiences

Has your bank enabled customers to handle all their banking transactions online from opening new accounts to applying for loans? And more than just online, what about through mobile devices? If your process begins online but has steps that require printed documents or physical signatures, then you run the risk of losing customers to national banks or digital-only institutions. Today’s customer looks completely different than a customer 20-years ago and your digital presence, services and experience should reflect how things have changed. A digital experience isn’t only through your website or on your app, but it’s also how you interact on social media, how you distribute information and content and how answer questions and fulfill requests with your customer services team. 

Omni-Channel Campaigning with a Geographic Focus

The most successful community banks use all the same tactics and outlets employed by national campaigns – just limited to the geography of their target customers. A regional banking campaign doesn’t just mean billboards and sponsored community events; television, radio and especially search, social media and online display all need to be incorporated into your marketing campaign. A robust campaign balances ongoing brand awareness that establishes a community leadership position with the necessities of lead generation for your key financial services to drive business growth.

Jump Company has successfully partnered with regional financial institutions to define brands, reach target customers, and drive growth for the last two decades. And we aren’t just a marketer of community banks, we are also a customer.

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Jump Company Supports The Angel Band Project

The Angel Band Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created to use the power of music to provide healing, raise awareness, and promote positive social change for survivors of sexual violence and intimate partner violence. Angel Band believes music has the power to change hearts and minds. Through album projects, concert events, speaking engagements and music-based arts initiatives, Angel Band educates people on the survivor’s journey, while advocating for the rights of all survivors.

For the past five years, Jump Company has partnered with Angel Band to develop their website and promote their events. This year, Jump is providing promotional marketing for their raffles in advance of their annual event on November 4, 2023, including flyers, social media posts and targeted emails as well as event communication to attendees.

For more information on how you can support the mission of The Angel Band Project, visit https://www.angelbandproject.org.

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Jump Partners with University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy

Jump Company is pleased to announce our newest partnership with University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, MO. The University is working with Jump to develop a new marketing campaign to promote the school’s recent rebrand and drive enrollment. 

“Jump has a long history partnering with educational institutions and this is perhaps the most challenging environment they have faced in the last twenty years,” said Jon Tiede, President and CEO of Jump Company. “The challenges being faced by higher education today are daunting between rising costs, enhanced competition from online sources and legislative actions. We believe that branding and positioning is vital to be able to develop a message which targets the right students so that those who enroll feel they have found the right school for them, go on to graduate and ultimately become successful in their career and dedicated alumni to their school.”

Over the course of the first-year agreement, Jump will work with the University to create omni-channel marketing materials including video, audio and online to launch and optimize an enrollment campaign targeting all programs across the University – both undergraduate and professional paths.