Turn annual reports into best-sellers – Originally published in the Portsmouth Herald
The Annual Report is too often underutilized in the literature racks of public companies. While thoroughly and sometimes even artfully detailing yearly achievement, it frequently fails to adequately compel investors, motivate employees, or inspire customers. As a requisite securities tool, it can create so much transparency that little is left to the imagination. Publicly traded companies forced to file reports often assign them to finance departments obsessed with financial results, lawyers paranoid by disclosure, or communications managers vying to win design awards. These publications represent a time-consuming expense — and an often missed marketing opportunity. Read more
Managing your brand: Don’t wait for crisis – As Featured in the Portsmouth Herald
A durable brand is complicated and elusive …; just ask Tiger Woods or Akio Toyoda. Six months ago, both men thought their family — and safety-infused brands were safely entrenched. Read more
Kleiner Perkins on Competition
I attended a great seminar last night at MIT in which Ray Lane, a Managing Partner at KP and colleague of Al Gore, gave a thoughtful (and alarming) presentation on global energy. Read more
Branding and Private Equity
I’m always surprised that more private equity and venture capital firms skip major conferences such as RETECH (this week, D.C.), especially when their portfolio investments in the sector – Read more
Elizabeth Edwards to Head Editorial Services for Calypso Communications
Calypso Communications announced today that Elizabeth Edwards has been named the agency’s Editorial Director, a move that further strengthens Calypso’s premier reputation for delivering message-driven communications strategies, services, and products. Edwards is chartered with creating and executing marketing, writing, and editing campaigns for Calypso clients, who represent leading U.S. and multi-national firms in high-tech, telecommunications, semiconductor, environmental technology, manufacturing, and consumer service sectors. She will manage a staff of in-house and freelance writing and editing professionals.
Prior to joining Calypso in November 2001, Elizabeth won numerous sales awards while helping the Information Technology reseller GreenPages, Inc. become one of Inc. 500’s fastest-growing American companies. She also holds a B.A. in Professional and Creative Writing and a Minor in Art History from Carnegie Mellon University, and an M.A. in Writing from the University of New Hampshire and has taught English, Composition, and English as a Second Language at the university level. Elizabeth’s work has appeared in many journals and magazines and, in June 2001, she won a prestigious National Endowment for the Arts and Maine Arts Commission grant for her writing. Elizabeth brings this unique combination of professional high-tech experience and academic training to Calypso, whose clients demand communications that thoughtfully integrate strategic business savvy, creative marketing techniques, and clear written and visual message development.
“Successful marketing is an art; it’s one of the few things that has the power to affect every aspect of a company’s reputation and operation,” says Edwards. “One of the biggest challenges all marketing firms will face this year will be finding creative ways to apply traditional rules in an economy that is anything but predictable. If you can’t see the big picture, you run the risk of fragmenting messages and jeopardizing credibility, something competitive companies can’t afford today.
I decided to join Calypso because the agency knows how to strategically design communications that address B2B and B2C issues, through company internals, investor and media relations, or public opinion initiatives, and because Calypso can manage long-term corporate reputations with measurable results.”
Edwards’ appointment comes as two-year-old Calypso’s national presence grows. Kevin Stickney, agency president and co-founder says, “We’re thrilled with the team we’ve assembled here and with the high degree of professional expertise we’re attracting. It’s precisely the caliber of talent and experience our clients need.”
“Calypso’s combination of marketing, public relations, research expertise, and graphic design is a siren song to ‘2002-turn-around’ businesses,” adds co-founder Paul Young. “We’ve got it all under one roof, in a boutique size that allows us to give clients the personal attention other firms don’t. Many of the firms contacting us are IP-rich, with knowledge-driven business models, or they’re concerned about recent market trends in investor confidence, employee communications issues, or industrial crisis management challenges. 2002 is going to be a pivotal year for Calypso and Elizabeth will play a central role in our growth.”
Calypso’s current clients include domestic and global organizations such as InterGen Services (a Shell/Bechtel venture), AmberWave Systems, Media 100, Inc., Fisher Scientific International, Waste Management, Inc., Wheelabrator Technologies Inc., Halcyon Technologies, RockPort Capital, The University System of New Hampshire, Calpine, AT&T Broadband, US Water, and Cogentrix Energy.
Contact Information
Kevin Stickney
President
Calypso Communications
603-431-0816
603-431-4497
kstickney@calypsocom.com
Bosnian Native Elvis Zukovic Named Art Director of Calypso Communications
Elvis Zukovic is Calypso Communications’ new Art Director, responsible for creating original graphic designs and visual programs for client collateral, annual reports, multimedia presentations, and layered marketing campaigns. In this position, Zukovic will execute the integration of day-to-day design projects for many of Calypso’s global clients with the rest of the agency’s marketing, copywriting, public relations, and corporate positioning efforts. Elvis joined Calypso in early 2001. “I had a previous offer to work for a big advertising agency in Boston, but it was a land of cubicles. I wanted to be part of a progressive firm where I’d have more creative freedom and be actively involved with clients. Calypso allows me to have all that.”
“Elvis has a rare combination of artistic flair and an engineer’s eye for proportion and balance,” says Amy George, Vice President and Creative Director at Calypso. “The visual identities he creates for our clients are fantastic.” This unique combination stems partly from his formal education in Bosnia, where Elvis studied both fine art and mechanical engineering at Sarajevo’s University of Mechanical Engineering. “I’ve always had a passion for art but I’ve also always been interested in building things. That technical foundation informs my graphic design. Our clients at Calypso are often looking for messaging that is original and artistic but that has practical application. It’s a very interesting challenge.”
Calypso sponsored the Portsmouth Music Hall’s March film calendar that featured the Bosnian-produced and directed film, “No Man’s Land.” Zukovic attests to the film’s authenticity. “I escaped from Bosnia and crossed through the occupied territories into Croatia. I came here in the fall of 1995, just before the Dayton agreement was signed. Being multi-cultural and having seen what war is like with my own eyes has lent tremendous perspective to my work. It definitely gives me an edge.”
Elvis brings this edge to the development of highly targeted, value-added graphic design concepts for Calypso’s demanding client base. “Visual communication is powerful; being able to stand in your clients’ shoes and deliver something that blows them away. It’s extremely satisfying.”
Calypso Communications is a premier public relations, marketing, and graphic design agency offering a full array of communication services including annual reports, public relations consulting, technical and corporate copywriting, crisis management, web design and development, graphic design, and print services. Their domestic and global clients include organizations such as InterGen Services (a Shell/Bechtel venture), AmberWave Systems, AT&T Broadband, Fisher Scientific International, Media 100, Waste Management, Inc., The University System of New Hampshire, Calpine, US Water, and Cogentrix Energy.
Contact Information
Kevin Stickney
President
Calypso Comminications
431-0816
kstickney@calypsocom.com
Technology Companies Turn to Calypso Communications for Results
Technology companies, such as Media 100, AT&T Broadband, Wheelabrator Technologies, and AmberWave Systems, looking for creative marketing solutions as they recover from the long economic downturn in the technology sector, have turned to Calypso Communications for help with new product launches, multi-tiered marketing programs, technical writing, market research, and re-branding.
Marlboro, Mass.-based Media 100 is one such company ramping up its marketing efforts in anticipation of even stronger future growth. The design and developer of Emmy-award winning advanced digital media and visual effects systems has selected Portsmouth, NH-based Calypso to help launch its new groundbreaking content design system, 844/X. In preparation for the recent February 25th release date and exclusive gala held in New York City for industry analysts and media, Calypso’s marketing experts composed the definitive 844/X technical report. “The piece could not have been created without the Calypso team,” said Media 100’s Channel Marketing Manager, James McCabe. Calypso is expected to create additional brochures, white papers, and high-visibility Web content for Media 100 and 844Xthe most important innovation in Media 100’s six-year history and the new benchmark by which all other digital video content solutions are now measured.
Media 100 isn’t the only technology company facing expanding opportunity in 2002. Kevin Stickney, president of Calypso Communications explains, “We’re seeing more and larger businesses come back after last year’s downturn, and they’re all searching for marketing strategies that work, and are requesting communications products that generate sales. Our energy clients are intent on reinforcing their reputations in the wake of the Enron bankruptcy while other companies who hunkered down and invested heavily in research last year are now introducing new initiatives, driving new spending on results-oriented targeted marketing. That’s where we excel.”
In the midst of the technology turn-around, Calypso Communications continues its extraordinary growth, expecting to exceed the 60 percent revenue increase it experienced last year, despite the recession climate. “Technology companies are heading into this year savvy, hungry, and more experienced. And they’re ready to invest in high-quality corporate communications programs,” Stickney adds.
AT&T Broadband also recently tapped into Calypso’s creativity to bolster a multi-tiered “March Madness” marketing program for the creation and production of radio commercials for the Northeast market. The Calypso-created and produced AT&T ads, playing off the NCAA Basketball Tournament, are currently running on select radio stations throughout the region.
Calypso’s current clients include domestic and global organizations such as InterGen Services (a Shell/Bechtel venture), AmberWave Systems, Fisher Scientific International, Waste Management, Inc., The University System of New Hampshire, Calpine, AT&T Broadband, US Water, and Cogentrix Energy.
Contact Information
Kevin Stickney
President
Calypso Communications
431-0816
kstickney@calypsocom.com
Calypso Ends Another Successful Year with Annual InterGen Project Launch
Despite nationwide economic slowdowns, Calypso Communications has marked another banner year. Buoyed by the support of its local, national, and international clientele including InterGen, the prominent Boston-based independent power company and Shell-Bechtel subsidiary Calypso’s 2001 revenues grew by more than 40 percent over last year’s. This is the fourth consecutive year that InterGen has chosen Calypso to manage all aspects of its Annual Review project, from concept to design to production. As with most successful corporations, InterGen considers the Annual Review its most crucial marketing communications and investor-relations medium.
“Corporate annual reports utilize all of the diverse skills of the Calypso Team,” said Calypso Communications Principal, Paul Young. “Strategic positioning, creative copywriting, and innovative graphic design are key components of effective annual reports. Calypso’s extensive experience in all aspects of corporate communications lends itself to the successful development of annual reports, a crucial ingredient to any comprehensive marketing communications program.”
Working closely with InterGen, Calypso professionals traveled throughout Mexico, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Australia, and the U.S. to document InterGen’s operating and construction projects, programs for sustainable development, and the special issues faced by employees in an expanding, multicultural corporation. Armed with a unique global perspective, Calypso generated a portfolio of graphic visual standards and corporate identity guidelines to drive InterGen’s aggressive brand management strategy.
Based in Portsmouth, NH, Calypso Communications provides domestic and global organizations with a full array of communication services including annual reviews, public-relations consulting, speech preparation, crisis management, Web design/development, and graphic print services.
Calypso founders Kevin Stickney and Paul Young possess forty years combined expertise in communications, politics, and public policy, and are especially adept at managing complex energy and environmental issues. This foundation strengthens Calypso’s work in large technology, manufacturing, and service corporations; medium-sized growth companies; state and local governments; non-profit organizations; and well-capitalized startup firms.
Calypso’s current clients include Calpine, AmberWave Systems, Fisher Scientific International, Ocean National Bank, Wheelabrator Technologies, Inc., Halcyon Technologies, Media 100, RockPort Capital Partners, Cogentrix Energy, and Northeast Pain Consultants.
Contact Information
Kevin Stickney
President
Calypso Communications
603-431-0816
kstickney@calypsocom.com
Calypso Adds Five New Clients
The continuing rapid growth, customer diversity, and creative enthusiasm at Calypso Communications have resulted in the addition of five new clients to the firm’s global client base. New Calypso partners include U.S. Water, LLC., based in Somerville, New Jersey; The Hawthorn Group, L.C., and Qorvis Communications of the Washington D.C. area; Prettl-NOMA of Detroit, MI; and Portsmouth, NH- based Commonwealth Dynamics.
The five clients operate in different industry segments and supply various services to their worldwide customers. U.S. Water has been recognized for more than twenty years for delivering state-of-the-art water and wastewater treatment and purification services to more than 30 million people while providing substantial cost savings to hundreds of municipalities and industries. Combined with parent companies United Utilities and Bechtel, U.S. Water is one of the three largest water and wastewater operations in the world. Calypso is assisting U.S. Water with new conceptual strategies, comprehensive design, and message development for its worldwide website.
“We think better for smarter results and we think smarter to take your business further,” is how The Hawthorn Group, L.C. classifies itself. The firm works closely with clients to assist them in becoming more informed competitors in their industries through better communications skills and achievements. Working with advanced research and investigation methodologies, Hawthorn finds strategic tactics to strengthen the ability to respond to areas of concern to clients. Calypso will conduct public affairs consulting and assist with strategic message development for Hawthorn.
Calypso will be working with Qorvis Communications on grass roots support development and public relations counseling. Qorvis uses the unique approach of combining investor relations, marketing communications, public affairs, and public and media relations in solving an assortment of clients’ communications needs. The business calls upon its professional staff to deliver comprehensive project management work plans, conducting research, developing campaigns, and creating stories to achieve positive results for clients.
Prettl NOMA is a global design engineer and fabricator of control panel technologies for major appliance manufacturers. Calypso will draw upon its skills to provide NOMA with conceptual development, design, and copywriting for a new multi-media executive sales presentation.
Commonwealth Dynamics, based in Portsmouth, NH, is an engineering, design, and construction company specializing in the development and erection of chimney and stack solutions for industrial facilities. The corporation has been actively involved in the global power industry since the early 1980s. Commonwealth’s services benefit clients worldwide.
Calypso Communications provides creative marketing services, public relations, and innovative graphic design. Nearly 25 years of experience is combined with Calypso founders, Paul Young and Kevin Stickney, in managing complex energy and environmental issues in the U.S. dealing with resource recovery and alternate fuel industries. This background balances Calypso’s ability in working with large technology, manufacturing, and service corporations, medium-sized growth companies, state and local governments, non-profit organizations, and well-capitalized startup firms.
Calypso’s current clients include domestic and global organizations such as InterGen (a Shell-Bechtel subsidiary), Calpine, AmberWave Systems, Fisher Scientific International, The University System of New Hampshire, Wheelabrator Technologies Inc., and Halcyon Technologies.
Contact Information
Kevin Stickney
President
Calypso Communications
603-431-0816
kstickney@calypsocom.com
Calypso is First Communications Choice for U.S. Energy Firms
After its first year in business, Calypso Communications has become a premier U.S. provider of public relations, marketing communications, and graphic design services to the resurging domestic energy industry. The industry, responding to critical national issues of consumer electricity supply and demand, has recognized the need for more informative and integrated communications campaigns that illustrate the safety, cost effectiveness, and efficiency of modern power generation technologies.
A half dozen leading power plant developers, operators, and electricity traders have selected Calypso to develop annual reports, grass roots public affairs projects, interactive Web products and services, crisis management and media training, and project economic impact analyses. Currently, the nation’s two fastest growing merchant power developers, as well as two major non-regulated utility subsidiaries, employ the design, public relations, and/or marketing research units of the New Hampshire agency.
Calypso’s founders, Paul Young and Kevin Stickney, combine nearly 25 years of executive experience in managing complex energy and environmental issues in the U.S. resource recovery and alternative fuels industries. Young adds to this expertise a national reputation in politics, grass roots campaign management, and media relations. He served as a senior advisor to three presidential candidates and directed successful national grassroots public relations efforts on behalf of the Bush and Clinton Administration’s public policy positions, including NAFTA and trade policies, and most recently President Bush’s National Energy Plan.
Stickney was a senior executive for a multi-billion dollar energy and environmental technology firm, where he directed national environmental partnerships, trade advertising, crisis media relations, and marketing communications. Together, combining their collective experience and instincts, the partners created Calypso Communicata?, a proprietary method for managing corporate reputation and identity.
Communicata ensures that key messages drive the selection and development of marketing and public relations programs, which in turn connect all of the organization?s internal and external stakeholders with a consistent, brand-enforcing position on strategic company issues. This voice then underpins a complete graphic design and visual identity portfolio. These design standards complete the integration, consistently reinforcing client image and messages.
Young and Stickney also developed Calypso Research, which applies proven metrics to accurately measure the success of these programs, a fundamental step to add information and value for its clients. By executing all of these aspects under one roof, Calypso provides total control over the cost effectiveness and quality of client communications programs.
Research also provides a service for formally analyzing and presenting the detailed economic benefits of industrial projects, such as planned power plants, to host communities, governments, and citizens. Calypso economists and marketing experts collaborate to produce reports that give energy project developers clear and compelling advantages in promoting their facilities to public constituents. About Calypso Communications Calypso Communications provides creative marketing services, strategic public relations, and innovative graphic design. Calypso works with large technology, manufacturing and service corporations, medium-sized growth companies, state and local governments, non-profit organizations, and well-capitalized startup firms.
Calypso’s current clients include domestic and global organizations such as InterGen (a Shell-Bechtel venture), AmberWave Systems, Synagro Technologies, Fisher Scientific International, Edison-Mission Energy, Waste Management, Inc., The University System of New Hampshire, Calpine, AT&T Broadband, Wheelabrator Technologies Inc., Halcyon Technologies, and Cogentrix Energy.
Contact Information
Kevin Stickney
President
Calypso Communications
603-431-0816
kstickney@calypsocom.com
