Services Provided by LAD communications

Lisa Donoughe working with Diane Sawyer

LAD communications designs PR campaigns to deliver great impact. Whether it's shaping an opinion within a specific industry, launching a new product, positioning a personality, Lisa and her team of strategic thinkers focus on delivering results. Experts at stretching budgets to get maximum exposure for minimum investment, the LAD comm team thrives on using their creativity in solving problems.

LAD comm succeeds by using their editorial instincts to generate positive media results for business leaders in food, lifestyle, retail and technology industries. Combining seasoned expertise, creative vision and energetic service, LAD communications crafts insightful and deliberate media relations programs that take your business to the next level. Here are just a few examples of the value-added services LAD communications provides:

Media Training:

Lisa Donoughe with Cory Schreiber, chef and owner of Wildwood in Portland, Oregon

Lisa Donoughe understands that successful spokesperson development is about articulating key messages in a style that generates a positive response from the press. Lisa's media training skills thoroughly prepare business leaders to selectively hone their words into statements that delicately balance sales and education.

For celebrated Chef Cory Schreiber of Wildwood, Donoughe has successfully positioned Schreiber as a national expert and spokesman for cooking from the source in the pacific northwest. His mission is to educate people about the work done at the farm and to celebrate seasonal, regional and sustainable ingredients. Donoughe has worked with Schreiber to create effective interviews as part of his national book tour. Results included successful regional television appearances that led to segments on national shows including Martha Stewart and Sara Moulton's Food Network show.

Spokesperson Selection/Training:

Campaign for B. Smith resulted in a national television show

Donoughe has also trained B. Smith with whom she developed a national campaign over the course of six years that led to a nationally syndicated television show. Other clients include: Charlie Palmer (Aureole), Kent Rathbun (Dallas, TX), Mark Tarbell (Tarbell's, Barmouche, Phoenix), Jan Schat (il Fornaio, San Francisco) among others.

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Promoting Sustainable Businesses:

LAD Communications chooses clients whose greater business commitments reflect practices beyond making profits and include a dedication to sustaining our world and enhancing our quality of life. Donoughe recognizes the inherent value in sustainable business practices and works to promote business leaders that are making a difference.

For the fastest-growing, multi-category manufacturer of certified organic foods, New Organics Company, Lisa Donoughe launched a national new product campaign for their Richard Scarry line of organic children's foods which partnered Paramount Studios and New Organics Company. Donoughe's media relations program focused on a public health issues management campaign, a celebrity chef program and national recipe contest.

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Business to Business Marketing Communications:

Lisa Donoughe and Catherine Cordwell's culinary product expertise translates into a strong ability to strategically work with clients to create solid brand identities, bring new products to market and reinvigorate established brands.

For the producers of premium quality venison from New Zealand, Cervena Natural Tender Venison, Donoughe and Cordwell were an integral part of developing and implementing an international brand strategy and positioning that resulted in a overwhelming change in perception among chefs and diners. Formerly considered outside mainstream menus, venison was considered tough and gamey. By tapping into the talent of nationally recognized culinary stars such as Charles Palmer, Lidia Bastianich, Bobby Flay and others, their campaign turned this into one of the hottest menu items of the 1990s, Donoughe leveraged coverage that included feature stories by Food & Wine, Gourmet and CNN and inclusion by brand name in the new Joy of Cooking.

LAD communication's in-depth knowledge of consumer trends and current purchasing behaviors allows her to successfully leverage products distinctly in the marketplace.

Perception Shift and Sales Results:
After three years 49% of American chefs who have used venison recognized the Cervena name. In the same year Cervena mentions reached 22 million targeted readers across the US. Average per kg value of exports to the USA increased by 24% in three years.

In New Zealand:

• 90% awareness of Cervena name amongst key food service target audience one year after launch with 'Cervena' name on leading menus within six months.
• Successfully negotiated and maintained key partnership deals with Corbans Wines, Ansett New Zealand, Qantas and The New Zealand Way.
• Strong media coverage achieved, through press, radio, magazines and television.
• Developed and implemented the Cervena Plates restaurant competition which, over the three years, was considered by chefs to be the preeminent New Zealand culinary competition.
• Implemented cost effective direct marketing campaigns to keep Cervena top of chefs' minds and to develop preference for Cervena over competing options.

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Integrated marketing and communications advice:

Breaking through the highly competitive coffee market to establish its own market share, boutique coffee roaster Emporio Coffee sought advice from Catherine Cordwell to develop a marketing plan.

Aimed largely at cafes, specialist food outlets and restaurants, Emporio focused on communicating their consistency in superior roasting and their personal reliable service. To help create greater awareness of Emporio, a strong emphasis was placed on garnering media coverage in influential New Zealand publications. As a result Catherine helped Emporio gain extensive articles in influential publications such as Urbis, Cuisine, New Zealand House & Garden and The Dominion.

A year later and Emporio had exceeded their sales objectives and are continuing to grow their reputation as a consistent supplier of premium freshly roasted coffee.

"We loved working with Catherine on our initial marketing plan and on ongoing marketing strategies for our coffee business. Catherine quickly understood us as people, our business and worked well within our specifications to help us grow our business and achieve our goals. Working with Catherine has been an excellent investment for us - it has helped us increase our market share it has helped us to increase our brand awareness and also helped us to totally commit to and persevere with our own goals and strategies."
- Eric and Miriam Heycoop, Owners, Emporio Coffee

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