Otto Design & Marketing

Otto Design & Marketing’s long-term client Kingston Plantation and Kingston Shores wins its 10^th Pinnacle Award for excellence in meetings.

Kingston Resorts is the largest oceanfront golf resort on the East Coast between New Jersey and Florida. The resort won its 10^th Pinnacle Award and the Embassy Suites and Hilton Myrtle Beach Resorts were the first two hotels in Myrtle Beach to be green certified.

Read the official Press Release or visit Kingston Resorts online.

Otto Design & Marketing’s Powerful Forces at Work Wall Street Journal advertising campaign for its client Virginia Beach Economic Development won the Best Advertising Campaign of the Year Award at the International Economic Development Council’s 2010 Marketing Awards for North America.

To read more about this, check out the Press Release.

Otto Design & Marketing’s new client YesOceana.com, a cooperative program between the U.S. Navy and the City of Virginia Beach wins the Active Base of the Year Award in 2010.

This innovative program was designed to overcome the Base Realignment Closure Committee’s recommendation to close Naval Air Station Oceana, and is the first of its kind in the U.S.

Otto provides YesOceana.com marketing services in the form of website, email video testimonials, advertising, collateral, special events, and promotions.

Read the full Press Release online.

Otto Design & Marketing’s new client YesOceana.com, a cooperative program between the U.S. Navy and the City of Virginia Beach, wins the Active Base of the Year Award in 2010.

This innovative program was designed to overcome the Base Realignment Closure Committee’s recommendation to close Naval Air Station Oceana, and is the first of its kind in the U.S.

Otto provides YesOceana.com marketing services in the form of website, email video testimonials, advertising, collateral, special events, and promotions.

Read the official press release here.

The first exhibition of personal and fine art photography created by commercial photographers from the American Society of Media Photographers will open from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 13, 2009 at The Crittenden Gallery, 207 West 7th St. in Richmond, VA.

The exhibition is comprised of 20 photographs created by 14 photographers and was juried by three nationally recognized and diverse jurors, Magnum and National Geographic photographer, David Alan Harvey; Jeffrey Allison, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Paul Mellon Collection Educator and award-winning creative director, Keith Ireland, of BCF Advertising in Norfolk.

Jurors selected three Atkinson photographs, including best in show award. The exhibition is based on the personal and fine art photography of the 14 selected photographers. The jurors selected the works based on three criteria: the quality of the image both technically and aesthetically; how the work represents the broad range of interests in photography; and how the works might hang together as a unified show.

“We conceived this idea in an effort to show the fine art capabilities of our member photographers,” said Allen Jones, ASMP board member and exhibition coordinator. “With so much of our time spent on commercial projects, we wanted an opportunity to show the personal work of our members.”

Nearly 200 photographs were submitted by 36 photographers and ranged from literal photographs describing scenes from everyday life to manipulated, dreamlike images of an imagined world.

The exhibition, which will travel throughout the state in the coming year, is on display through May 13 and is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact The Crittenden Gallery at (804) 357-6027.

Otto Design + Marketing congratulates Smile Train on winning an Oscar Sunday night at the Academy Awards. Their film “Smile Pinki,” which follows the journey of eight-year-old Indian girl Pinki through her life-changing cleft surgery, won in the Documentary Short category.

Otto partner and creative director, Mark Atkinson, is a founding board member of Smile Train and has traveled extensively documenting the organization’s work with cleft lip and palate. Two years ago the board of directors partnered with Megan Mylan (director of “Lost Boys of Sudan”), to produce a documentary on Smile Train’s work in India.

“Otto is committed to pro bono work with groups like Smile Train, and we’re very excited about the win,” said Otto president Pete Leddy. “Mark has traveled extensively with the organization, and the board of directors has been inspirational in supporting efforts that bring attention to the good work these doctors are providing around the world.”

Smile Train flew Pinki, her father, and Dr. Subow – who performed Pinki’s surgery – to Los Angeles for the awards ceremony. “It was an exciting couple of days and so nice to win,” said Atkinson, who also attended the event. “And as if going to the Academy Awards wasn’t a big enough deal for Pinki, she got to hang out with the cast from “Slumdog Millionaire” and that put it over the top for her.”

You can find more information on “Smile Pinki” at SmileTrain.org. HBO has purchased the rights to the documentary and will premiere it in the fall.

Norfolk, Va. — Otto Design + Marketing is pleased to announce that Mark Atkinson has been awarded a grant by Sappi Fine Paper’s Ideas that Matter Program. The grant will fund a campaign benefiting Mercy and Sharing: A Case for Giving. A Case for Giving is a humanitarian organization that provides life-saving medical interventions, clean water, nutritional support, education and a loving and safe home to abandoned and orphaned children in Haiti.

Sappi’s Ideas That Matter program recognizes designers who have partnered with a philanthropic organization to develop proposals including campaign concepts, business plans, objectives, costs and possible benefits. Since its inception in 1999, the program has funded over 225 projects exceeding $8 million in grants.

“We’re excited to be part of this great project,” said Mark Atkinson, creative director and partner with Otto Design + Marketing. “We’ve seen a lot of great work come out of this Sappi program over the years: work that I’m sure has had a quantifiable impact on humanitarian organizations that really need the help. Mercy and Sharing’s work in Haiti is some of the most demanding on every level. If we can have an impact through our design, and help spread the story of need and accomplishment, we’ve all had a good day. We’re very appreciative of the opportunity.”

Judges for the ninth annual North America Sappi Ideas that Matter program reviewed 119 entries and awarded 20 grants for printing, paper, and implementing projects created on a pro bono basis that make a difference in the world; the judges looked for campaigns that were less about communicating the problem and more about taking action and solving the problem.

The judging panel is chosen annually and in 2008 consisted of: Phil Hamlett, Academy of Art, San Francisco; Marcia Lausen, studio/lab, Chicago; John Bielenberg, C2 and Project M, Maine; Scott Stowell, open, New York City; and Cedomir Kostovic, Missouri State University, Missouri. Several of the judges are past Ideas that Matter grant recipients.

“More than any other design competition I’ve been involved with as an applicant or judge, I discovered that Ideas that Matter highlights the power of design and ideas to make choices clear and to influence action,” said John Bielenberg of C2 and Project M.”The Title really says it all – the ‘Idea’ is the thing.”

Marcia Lausen added, “Ideas that Matter is the only grant giving program for the design profession. While other groups, such as the advertising community, have supported nonprofit work in this way, I think it’s important for the design community to understand how their skills, talents and ideas can make a difference. This program is really important to our profession as we grow up.”

About Sappi Ideas that Matter
Since its inception, the program has funded more than 100 campaigns in North America, and awarded more than $7 million in grants worldwide. Ideas that Matter attracts applications from designers throughout the world. This year, Sappi received more than 100 applications from North American designers, and awarded 13 grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. The grants will be used to develop campaigns for non-profit organizations backing cultural, health, and human rights efforts, as well as supporting the homeless, underprivileged and disabled.

About Otto Design + Marketing
Otto is a full-service advertising and public relations agency, based in Virginia Beach and Norfolk, Virginia. We work with our clients to translate business objectives into creative communications that engage customers, drive loyalty, and build profitable growth. Otto’s goal is to partner with select clients–companies and individuals who are passionate about their work and dedicated to shaping the future of their industries. By focusing our energies, we provide strong strategic thinking, creative excellence and exceptional service.

For more information about Sappi contact:
Brooke Carey
Sappi Fine Paper North America
617.423.5406
Brooke.Carey@Sappi.com

For more information about Sappi’s North American Ideas that Matter program contact:
Cheryl Shepard
Sappi Fine Paper North America
617.368.6529
Cheryl.Shepard@Sappi.com

For more information about Otto contact:
Mark Atkinson
Otto Design + Marketing
757.622.4050
matkinson@thinkotto.com

Norfolk, Va. — Hope House Foundation is proud to announce their 2008 Board Member of the Year, Peter Leddy. Peter is president of Otto Design & Marketing, an advertising, marketing and public relations firm based in Norfolk. Peter has more than 20 years of experience developing and managing award-winning advertising and marketing campaigns. While at McCaffrey and McCall Advertising in New York, he worked with Mercedes Benz North America to launch the 190 Class, Mercedes’ most successful new model introduction and introduced Air Canada’s first frequent flyer program.

Peter has considerable hospitality and tourism experience. Prior to forming Otto in 2000, he was the vice president and general manager of Barker Campbell Farley and Mansfield, where he managed the Virginia Tourism Account. The brand, “Virginia Is For Lovers” has been recognized as the 2nd most recognized tourism brand in the United States. Additionally he managed Virginia’s cooperative vacation package with Virginia Wine Country and also developed the marketing strategy for Virginia Beach’s Convention and Visitors Bureau for 10 years. Peter has also worked on tourism with U.S. Virgin Islands and Omni International Hotels. Currently, he assists Gold Key Resorts and Professional Hospitality Resources, Inc., with marketing strategies for time share, hotels and hotel management businesses, which generate more than $65 million in revenue a year.

Peter has a B.S. in International Business from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Peter joined the Hope House Foundation Board of Director in August 2006. Peter has played an active role in Hope House’s marketing committee and has helped us to grow in the area of advertising and public relations. Peter has created and implemented the “I AM A MASTERPIECE” campaign for Hope House. He is surely our Masterpiece and we are so happy to honor him as our Board Member of the Year. Peter was honored at our 30th annual dinner “Celebrating 30 Extraordinary Years” on June 26th.

Hope House Foundation is the only organization in Virginia that supports adults with developmental disabilities exclusively in their own homes.

To learn more about Hope House Foundation please visit our website at www.hope-house.org or contact us by phone at 757-625-6161.